Zoya Moya!!

Ok, so this week had been a good one in terms of reading...:)
I had been thinking about ordering from flipkart for a long time now after hearing raving reviews from friends and family about how quick the delivery is and you can get some real good discounts. So one fine day this week, ordered not one, not two but three books in a row online. The books being:

1. Life is what you make it by Preeti Shenoy
2. Chanakya's Chant by Ashwin Sanghi and last but not the least
3. Urban Shots - a collection of urban tales which also includes a story by a dear friend Prateek..:)

Have already finished reading the first one and Prateek's story in Urban Shots.
Before this book ordering and gobbling them down in a single sitting ....i was reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. It is a THICK book and i had been wanting to read it for quite some time now. Finally when i started reading it, i realized that this is not the kind of book i would want to lay my hands on just before saying goodbye to yet another crazy hectic day...so the other day, i asked husband to take out some light read by any Indian author from our book box, taking advantage of the fact that he sleeps on the side of the bed which has books in its bed box; and hence has to dutifully abide by the rule of "ye tumhari side hai tum karoge..(switching off light, router, latching the room etc before sleeping fall in this category of chores....:D )"..:D

He came up with Advaita Kala's Almost Single, which i had already read and found really funny and interesting...
The next one which his hands collided with turned out to be "The Zoya Factor" by Anuja Chauhan. I quickly grabbed this one as i had read good reviews about it and had lately bought it from the Book Fair at Pragati Maidan.


The Zoya Factor is a WONDERFUL!! book...:)

It is a must read for anyone who enjoys fun, youthful reads by young Indian writers. A rom-com set in the backdrop of cricket world cup; the book is about this 27 years old girl Zoya who is born on 25th June 1983, the very moment India won its first and only world cup...:). The Indian cricket team realizes this as the "boys" win all the matches when this lucky charm breakfasts with them..and hence starts this roller coaster ride of Zoya who is taken along with the Indian cricket team to Australia so that India can bring home their next world cup in the captaincy of the oh so hot!!..Nikhil Khoda.

Yes, so it has cricket, a girl next door romancing the Indian skipper, the over the top and loud cricket crazy Karol Bagh family and not to mention a good peep into the world of advertising to which belongs the lucky lady.

How overnight The Zoya Factor becomes national news with all the Charu Sharmas and Harsh Bhogles dedicating a good part of their debates and commentaries around the lucky Indian factor, the ad agencies, her fraternity “well wishers” uksaoing her to do some Zoya Agarbatti ads..and last but not the least her proposed election tickets for a LS seat..:D

I loved the book for the sheer dosage of humor, crazily funny moments and yes the awsum off-on-off-on romance between Nikhil Khoda and Zoya Solanki..:) (it IS one of the best things in the book..;-))
The story maintains a perfect pace, I loved the character depiction of Zoya, a 27 years old with a heart of 17 years!!...an utterly confused, humble, funny young girl ….(the forgottogrowup types..;-)) The character makes you nod throughout..yeah..yeah..it does happen...it seems the author has actually looked inside the head of some ordinary, not that achiever, love lost girl to come out with the perfectly defined character Zoya..:)

Though I felt that the Indian skipper’s character has been depicted a bit too god to be believed kinds..but then it does it bit to add spice to the reading..:)

It’s a total paisa vasool, fun book, which I would strongly recommend to all the readers looking for something light hearted yet mature…:)

Price: INR 299

Overall Rating: 4/5

(Yes, from now on I will also end my book reviews (if this counts as one) with my rating of the book..;-)..(like those veteran bloggers) YAY!! It feels good..:))

"Healthy" New Year!

hello to everyone...:)
Its been close to three months that i last posted, i have been thinking about making this place live for quite some time now; so what better time to get this blog back to life than the first month of the new year..:)
Like all other years i have made some resolutions this year too.....and needless to ask what is the progress on them..:P...Multiple thoughts and ideas in pieces and parts which are making rounds in my head...lemme start with this book which i read recently.."Dont loose your mind..loose your weight" by Rujuta Diwekar.

I had heard a lot about this book, but have always had my own reservations on books talking gyaan on health etc etc.
However, few days back a bhabhi mentioned about the book in one of our conversations and i laid my hands on the book while digging deep inside our book bed.

This is one of the best books i have read in the recent past. Not only because it tells us some great things about our stomach but more so because it tells you everything in the most direct, interesting and touching manner. Yes, this book touches your mind, in a way that if read with even the slightest of interest can actually make one think about one's eating habits and the most neglected organ of our body..our stomach.
Rujuta tells in her book, how NO..yes no food is bad food and any thing if eaten at the right time and in right quantity can align with your metabolism to do all good to your body.
I simply loved the way how the author has stated all gyaan about our food habits in the most simple terms at the same time ensuring that she touches the right chord with the readers and effectively communicates the crux.
She manages to add the novelty factor in her book, when she says things like: ".. "Heart Attack" is a very wrongly used term...our heart can never attack us, its we who attack our heart by doing all wrong things to it, by not letting go of our bad habits..."
At another place she sayas: "..The stomach is of the size of our two palms joined together to form a close. It can only take that much food at a time. That is why the Jain bhikshuks always asked for palm full of food for their meals. Respect the capacity of your stomach and feed it what it can consume.."
Few things which i simply found very useful and which I am trying to imbibe are:

1. Listen to and understand your stomach. Don't be harsh on it by starving for long hours and neglecting it when you are busy doing long hours in office.
2. EAT something as soon as you get up in the morning. (something can be a good paratha meal also).
3. Try to finish your two largest meals of the day before 11 AM. Our stomach's digesting ability keeps decreasing with the course of the day.
4. Eat small quantities every 2 hours. Don't skip your evening snacks because that would deter you from having a full dinner. Idea is to have a light dinner to keep the stomach fit.
5. Avoid eating cut fruits, and juices are a big NO. Fruits are meant to act as antioxidants in our body. By cutting them we are exposing their surface area, thus letting them oxidize before we can consume them. Hence, making them less healthy. Juices= fruits-fiber; again less healthy.

And yes, the book also emphasizes on working out. At least thrice a week....:)

So this was about the book.

I watched this movie Band Baaja Baaraat few days back. Sis told me its a nice watch, and i spent my new years day watching BBB.
wonderful is the word!
And now that the post has started, i realise that i have many more things to pen down. But as the clock strikes 12, and eyes start drooling, its time to wind up this first post of the year with a promise that post rate would be much more higher this year and the blog would not go into slumber even during the busiest times..:)

With Colors-2

Sunday afternoon with colors....

With Colors!!

Last to last weekend we went to CP, in the CWG mela, there was a stall of colors and canvasses....i bought a set of colors and canvas...:)
After some 15 good years i tried my hands at painting again....:)

"I"-Then and Now

Shilpa of Just Speaking My Mind has done a wonderful post on how she has changed in the last 10 years and good part is she has converted that in to a tag for all of us to take....

So here i jot down the ways in which i have changed in the last 10 years....

1. From a girl who use to take life a bit too seriously, thinking that a good job is the only thing that would decide how successful life can be, i have changed for good ..to appreciate the various dimensions life has to offer and understand that its you and no one else who would describe how successful you life has been....

2. 10 years ago i has this huge misconception about myself...i use to think that i am the most fair, innocent, gracious and and nice person around and no living being on this earth can ever have a problem because of me. I use to think that none of my actions ever hurt anyone, and i always put other's interests ahead of mine.
Today i am thankful that i have slowly gained this maturity to understand that the above is not always true.....:). Today, i know when i am being any of the above, and i guess awareness is the first step towards any sort of rectification!!

3. When 19, i was conscious of even leaving my hair open, which was much much better than it is now..:(. I used to think that those spending time decorating their outer appearance are living in some fake world and would soon realize that they are on some wrong path, and start following my way of just concentrating on the inner beauty which matters the most. True, inner beauty does matter, but today i know that looking good, paying attention to oneself is no crime, rather is a reflection of your love for yourself and nothing else.

PS: I have also developed a weird theory here. I feel by making attempts to look good you are actually doing a kind of social service. People around you would have better groomed individuals to look at, which would be a treat to their eyes and may be a positive effect on their mood. So who knows, by dressing up well....you might be doing some kind of social service...and its actually our "Individual Social Responsibility" (ISR) to look good:D

4. When i joined college, my wardrobe was dominated by colors like gray, black, white and browns....Thanks to the positive souls like Serenity i learnt that wearing bright colors is no crime, and it just adds cheerfulness to our mundane surroundings. Today, my wardrobe reflects VIBGYOR....:D. When i visit shops now, i ask for happy colors...:)

5. Among many other things i was too under confident to voice my opinion on anything even very close to my heart. Not that i was any less opinionated than i am now, but to get across the point to the other party was always a problem. Result was, me filled to brim with my own thoughts which never had the right outlet. Not that i have become some jhnasi ki rani in all these years. But now, communicating my thoughts and opinions comes much more easier. I am much more comfortable now telling and convincing people how i feel and think about something. This one thing has made life much much more easier.

6. 10 years back, i never use to crave for home. When i joined hostel, i don't remember even once that i was counting days for vacations to rush back home. I was always happy in my hostel abode. Today, at 29 and being married, i feel the need to go back and spend time with my parents much more. I look forward to holidays, when i can just pack my bags and visit them.

7. I was never happy with this feature which sits prominently on my face, my nose. I always felt it was too out of shape and at one point in time, the only reason why i wanted to earn money was that i could get a nose job done..:). Any jokes about it were never taken in good spirit....But that was a decade ago....Today, i find its existence perfectly in peace with mine, and have no qualms about it not resembling Madhuri Dixit's in shape...:D.

Basically, a lot of self assurance has creeped in.....i have learnt to laugh on myself, to openly criticize when and where i am wrong, to rationally look for a way out and accept the things they are.

...this is all i can think of as of now...but i am sure there are many other changes which the me has seen over the past 10 years...and more that that there are many more which i envisage in the next 10 years.....

For the festive mood, this song for Navratri...:)

A Blog Post-7

Another month has passed since i last posted something. The month of Librans has started....the month of festivities....of a changing weather...many birthdays....CWG games.....and much more.....just want to pen down the tit-bits of the gone by month and the thoughts hovering my mind these days....

1. After showering its blessings in the form of water for 3 continuous months ...the mansoon Gods have finally shed their load and moved on...leaving us with shorter days and longer evenings....this is the best weather one can experience when in northern part of India...needless to say i am loving it....festival season..and the season of marriages is around.....the sun seems not not so harsh...and its dark by 6:30.....i get nostalgic at times and am reminded of school days..when the month of Oct was marked by halyearly exams....:).....in few days we'll have dussera and then diwali....the much awaited festivals and loads of holidays too.....:).....

2. CWG games started today and Delhi really seems to be in a celebration mood. We went to CP yesterday, the CWG celebrations could be seen in full swing there.....a mela sort of has been organised near state emporiums..where all states are displaying there art and craft...and food stalls from all over India....it was good to see people of all age roaming around with their families ..enjoying the various cuisines...just sitting and relaxing.....and appreciating the various cultural shows of diff states.....we had a great time experiencing the raunak there...:)
I also discovered an interesting fact yesterday while coming back to Ggn. We took the metro and i realised that the familiar voices in which the announcements inside metro have been recorded in Shammi Narang and Rini Khanna's voice...the yesteryear's newsreader's of Doordarshan..:)

3. I finished reading this book called Heartbreaks and Dreams by Parul Agarwal Mittal. This female is from IIT D and the book gives a girl's perspective of studying in a male dominated IIT. Everything about the book is good..as in the flow, narration, humor etc etc....but the one area where it lacks big time is connecting with the audience....reason being, the author makes the female lead sound too boisterous throughout..yes the thing that humans studying in IITs are a notch above us less mortal beings comes out a bit too well in the course of the book, and i guess this is where the author fails to connect to its audience the way her batchmate Mr. Bhagat did..:)
Other than that, its a fun book to read with a good dose of humor and a pretty believable plot....

4. I also read this another book "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". A wonderful book which would be reviewed in another post!

This post was written on 3rd of Oct. Draft kiya, aaj poori kar dete hain.......
We saw Do Dooni Chaar today. A very warm simple story of a middle class family in Delhi trying to graduate from a scooter to a car. The head of the family is a maths teacher in a private school who teaches in an IIT coaching center in the evening to meet the family expenses. The story revolves around how the different circumstances the family goes through in their stint to secure a four wheeler. Apart from the funny situations and the light note on which the film is made what i liked about the movie was its close to real life depiction. The film has actually been shot in some middle class colony of Delhi, and more than suitably captures the middle class mentality which our generation kids have seen in their growing years. The discussions around stagnant DAs and tuition fees of kids, monthly savings and call center jobs....the best part of the movie is Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor as screen couple, who have delivered a wonderful performance as a punjabi family of lajpat nagar....:).
A good time pass for a lazy saturday afternoon....

A very happy Navratri to all...May this festive season be full of happiness for one and all..:)

Wordless Wednesday-1!!

Pictures clicked by a cousin of our hometown!!

अ ब्लॉग पोस्ट -६

कुछ दिन पहले पति के साथ कुछ बात हो रही थी..और बातों बातों में इंजीनियरिंग के दिनों के viva का ज़िक्र आ गया.....इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज में किये गए फर्जी कामों की लिस्ट में सेमेस्टर एंड में होने वाले vivas की १ अलग ही जगह है......पूरे सेमेस्टर labs में रोज़ अलग अलग लीलाएं होतीं थीं....और उनकी इतिश्री होती थी सेम एंड viva voce में.......हमारे 3rd सेमेस्टर में almost सभी subjects इलेक्ट्रोनिक्स/ इलेक्ट्रिकल के थे...और हमारे कॉलेज की इलेक्ट्रोनिक्स की faculty इस दुनिया के सबसे sadist लोगों को मिला के बनायीं गयी thi...१ से बढ़ कर १.....उनका जीवन में बस १ ही मकसद था...विद्यार्थियों की वाट लगा के रखना...हर दिन...हर क्लास में..हर viva में...और ofcourse ..हर exam में.....प्रक्टिकल क्लास्सेस में अक्सर इनका झुण्ड १ ही lab में आ जाता था....और हर हफ्ते किसी नयी तरह से हमारे तीन घन्टे बर्बाद किये जाते थे...खैर....उन labs में क्या नाटक होते थे..ये कभी और.....अभी ज़िक्र रहेगा इलेक्ट्रिकल measurements एंड measuring इंस्ट्रुमेंट्स....(EMMI) के प्रक्टिकल एक्साम का...theory एक्साम्स ख़तम होने के बाद practicals हुए...generally प्रक्टिकल एक्साम वाले दिन ही उसका viva भी हो जाया करता था....अगर external examiner न हुआ..तो उसके अगले दिन....पर उस बार...examiner की availaability थोड़ी मुश्किल हो गयी...EMMI और Network Analysis एंड Synthesis दो subjects के practicals हो गए और ये बताया गया की दोनों के ही viva २-३ दिन बाद होंगे.........एक्साम्स क्यूंकि ख़त्म हो चुके थे...और viva को हमने कभी इतना important समझा ही नहीं की उसकी चिंता की जाए...तो सभी लोग एक्साम्स ख़तम होने की ख़ुशी मानाने लगे.....हमारा सालाना जलसा.."उत्सव" भी आने वाला था..तो काफी जनता उसकी तैय्यारी में जुट गयी...प्रक्टिकल एक्साम के लगभग ३ दिन बाद खबर आई की भाई आज...EMMI का viva है...viva १ फोर्मलिटी भर हुआ करती थी ५० numbers का हिसाब देने की university को...तो १ साथ ५ छात्रों को कमरे में बुला लिया जाता था....और १५-२० मिनट तक छात्रों का ragging session चलता था...जिसमे external examiner समोसे और चाय पे ध्यान केन्द्रित रखता था.....और हमारी faculty अपने जन्म भर के frustrations का बेपरवाह छात्रों से बदला ले रही होती थी.....खैर.....रोल नंबर के हिसाब से ५-५ करके जनता अंदर जा रही थी......१ झुण्ड के बाहर आते ही सब उनपे लपक लेते थे..की भाई बताओ जो १- आध सवाल दागे गए हों अंदर syllabus से...उन्ही के answers रट लिए जाएँ.....examiner घर से कोई ८-10 सवालों की पोटली लाता था..और सभी १२-१५ batches से वही सवाल पूछे जाते थे.....
खैर इसी सरपट बाजी में...१ batch गया अंदर.....अंदर गए ५ लोगों में हमारे १ मित्र थे..श्री अनुपम जैन....जो की batch के कुछ .हंसमुख...easygoing ..लोगों में से थे...इनके चेहरे पे टेंशन शायद ही ४ साल में किसी ने देखी होगी...ये localite थे...और अपनी शान की सवारी..हीरो puch पे कॉलेज आया करते थे....3rd सेमेस्टर तक इनसे कोई विशेष दोस्ती तो नहीं हुई थी...पर इनके टेंशन फ्री attitude को जनता ने जान लिया था...खैर......पाँचों जन ने examiner और internal faculty के सामने अपनी अपनी सीटें ले लीं...और pseudo राग्गिंग चालू हो गयी....batch में १ और सज्जन गए थे ..जो की क्लास के सबसे हुर्ष्टपुष्ट और विशाल जीवों में से थे...पर स्वभाव से काफी गंभीर थे...उनसे examiner ने १ सवाल पूछा...जिसका उत्तर देने के लिए उन्होंने सोचना शुरू किया....(या शायद सोचने का नाटक शुरू किया)......खैर ...जब वहां से कोई उत्तर नहीं आया तो ..सवाल अगले छात्र पर carry फॉरवर्ड कर दिया गया.....सवाल टालने का ऐसा ही सिलसिला चल रहा था कि जैन साहब को अचानक हंसी आ गयी.....आपको सवाल का जवाब न आये..कोई बात नहीं....आप गर्दन झुका के बैठे रहे..कोई बात नहीं...पर अगर viva के उस concentration कैंप में.. आप हंस गए...किसी हंसी की बात पर भी...तो समझ लीजिये की आज आपका बड़ा दिन है.....जैन साहब को हँसता हुआ देख कर दोनों नरभक्षी जीवों ने उनकी ओर रुख किया...और उनसे जवाबदारी शुरू कर दी...उनकी हंसी पर २-४ लानतें फेंक कर ...उनसे कहा गया कि आप बताइये जवाब क्या होगा...... .अब सवाल जैन साहब के पाले में था...कहने की ज़रुरत नहीं है..उत्तर का तनिक भी आईडिया उन्हें नहीं था...और जितना उन्हें जाना है इतने समय में..उन्होंने शायद सवाल भी नहीं सुना था जब वो पहली बार उनके संगी से पुछा गया था.....जब जैन साहब के मुख से उत्तर का अवतरण नहीं हुआ तो ये तय हो गया कि आज की limelight के हकदार श्री जैन ही हैं....:) बाकी जनता राहत कि सांस ले रही थी कि अब बचे हुए समय में गुरु जन इन्ही की लंका लगायेंगे.....
जैन साहब को १ और मौका देते हुए एक्सामिनेर ने पूछा....कि चलिए कोई बात नहीं... आप ये ही बता दीजिये कि आपने प्रक्टिकल में कौन सा एक्सपेरिमेंट किया था...:)..ठंडी सांस लेते हुए...हमारे प्रिय मित्र ने अपने दिमाग पे जोर डाला...बहुत डाला....पर एक्साम्स ख़तम होने कि ख़ुशी शायद कुछ ज्यादा ही मन चुकी थी...दिमाग ने respond करने से मना कर दिया....और थोडा सकपकाते हुए अनुपम महाराज ने कहा.."सर वो तो अब याद नहीं.."...:D ......माहौल अब गरमा चुका था....दोनों गुरुजन स्तिथि का लुत्फ़ लेने के पूरे मूड में आ चुके थे.... इतने "कूल" छात्रों से सामना रोज़ रोज़ कहाँ हुआ करता है....मस्त हैं अपनी ही दुनिया में....खैर....एक्सामिनेर साहब का दिल थोडा पसीजा और उन्होंने सवाल को थोडा और आसान बनाते हुए और प्रक्टिकल में पूछे जाने वाले सवालों को १ अलग ही ऊँचाई पे ले जाते हुए पूछा....भाई..अच्छा आप ये ही बता दीजिये की आप कौनसे subject का viva देने आये हैं??.....:D ...अब भला ये भी कोई सवाल हुआ....माना प्रक्टिकल किये हुए ज्यादा दिन हो जाने के कारण हमें एक्सपेरिमेंट का नाम न याद हो....पर ये तो पता ही है की प्रक्टिकल किस subject का दिया था.....जैन साहब ने poore आत्मविश्वास के साथ इस सवाल को लपकते हुए झट से जवाब दिया....सर.... नेटवर्क सिंथेसिस एंड analysis ...:O .....इतना सुनना था कि सवाल पूछने वाले विद्वानों ने हार मान ली...और बाइज्ज़त श्री अनुपम जैन और बाकी छात्रों के झुण्ड को बाहर भेज दिया....:)...आज का उनका entertainment dose ज़रुरत से ज्यादा हो चुका था.....इतने की उन्हें आदत नहीं थी....:P ..

खैर..हमारे परम मित्र श्री अनुपम जैन प्रक्टिकल के उन बेमतलब क्लास्सेस से अब तक जीवन के कई milestones पार कर चुके हैं.....पिछले महीने की २१ तारिक को वे १ बेटे के पिता बने...:)...जीवन के इस सर्व्शेष्ठ्र achievement पर उन्हें बहुत बहुत बधाइयाँ....:)...
आज के Friday मूड के लिए ये गाना....