Tuesday, February 23, 2016

[Book Review] She: Ekla Cholo Re by Santosh Avvannavar and Dr. Shayan Haq

 "You are what you choose to be" - She: Ekla Cholo Re

Who knows what life preserves for us? A pocket novel about a story of a Lonely Heart, Kusum from Kolkata in the 90's. Living in a hypocritical society which has many loops that we need to fill up, remind us, living in the Stone Age. Shame to such society where biological instincts criticized as sin.

Do not judge a book with it's no. of pages. Writers, Santosh Avvannavar, and Dr. Shayan Haq both worked hard to give a shape to the story. Carefully written, simple language and thought provoking. Read the book within few minutes but it whelms me to think about the plot again and again. Broke me, what a person will do in a realistic situation alike?

The unspeakable truth that twisted our mind for the centuries. Will India change? Will our society justify things logical rather blinded by old faiths? We are a new generation and if we don't start making changes perhaps the society will never stop its snail walk.

I suggest, buy and read the book. It worth reading new thoughts to grow up with.

Always love!

Sunday, February 14, 2016

[Review] ENCIRCLED AND OTHER STORIES by Aryan Sarath


Last weekend I was lucky that I read Aryan Sarath's new anthology of six stories that touched my heart. "Encircled and Other Stories" is a book where I got a glimpse of the modern diabolical society. To my utter experience about the time, crimes are committing every minute. Aryan did a careful job by highlighting some of them happening in every city. 

The truth is those stories are happening and Sarath able to put them into words and express his mind. When I was reading his stories I felt how deeply he thought about the characters and the plots. I like stories having emotional human touch. I think, it's very hard to express our mind, many writers write but very few can express their emotions. 

I respect Sarath's stories, "Bhavna - An Untold Story", "50:50 Love Story", "I just ruined your life" etc. His words are like the phoenix, long-lived with reality. It's a promising work and Sarath is a professional writer there is no doubt about it. 



Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/606637

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Impact of Jobless Situation Ruins Good Life.

Everything has an impact in our life. Especially daily work controls our behavior and patience. In December 2014, when I left my job I had two offer letters in my hand but when I resigned and went to join the new companies, in both places accidentally they were suffering from sudden recession and canceled their recruiting lists. I did not have the stomach to digest that disaster. The irony is I became frustrated because I was jobless, friendless and I was unable to tell the same truth to my parents.

No matter what it was the time I suffered a lot of things that I lost. I initially thought it will not have an impact on my life and soon I will get a new job. Alas! I tried three months given dozens of interviews but I did not get my profile back. I got jobs which were less paid than earlier and not related to the field I belong. At the same time, my parents were come to visit me and came to know that my situation is tight. What should I explain them? I was unable to get into a calculation. After a week, my parents left and they told me that ask if any help I require.

Six months past I was totally banished into my exile. My bank accounts were almost empty. I had some money left to buy the tickets back to my native. The recession had such a delicate impact in my life that I lost my friends, love, and healthy food habits too. In the tension of survival, I become unfit and literally paralyzed.

What should I do now? Still I have no job and giving further interviews which become a nightmare of rejection. In between one of my friends asked me to send my CV if possible, he will request a position to the HR at his current company that he is working. I sent my CV and given the telephonic round of interview, the HR told me that he was interested in my profile. I saw a positive hope. But at the end HR had mentioned that recently they recruited content marketing team and there is no vacancy in their company right now. But soon if anyone left the team then he will remember my name. He asked me to keep in touch and contact him after two months. Well, two months after when I called him, first he was unable to recognize my name, that's okay he may have been forgotten in two months, so I reminded him. He told me, he is sorry that nobody left the company in between and he cannot help me.

So all hope lost. Still I cannot believe that I am jobless!!! Now it's more than a year which does not have any good impact in my life.


This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Music is a true friend in my life!



Music is a true friend in our life, everyone agrees with this point. No matter what music, in what tune, what language and what instruments... simply everybody loves music. Our tastes and listening behaviour is different but they are music at the end.

In my family we have the variety of music lovers, one is the true music lover, one is Bengali music lover, one is Hard Rock music lover, one is an instrument music lover and my mother she loves singing herself.

These are only some varieties but like so many genres of music we are all in like like genres and nodes. Single harmony of rhythm flowing everywhere. Some of my friends are core Bollywood music lover, some of them are Metal music. Sometimes at the classroom, park and playground the debates which genre is best. But is that they truly likes music, I felt no. A true music lover should not be judged by a particular type of genre listener they should listen to all types and find out what is his taste in listening. Who know you will fall in love with an alien music like Arab, Spanish or Nordic but maybe you won't understand it's lyrics.

You may be surprised to hear that if you don't understand the language then how you can like such music. But I met many music lovers who actually do love music they don't understand it's lyric. Mr. Kulkarni, a librarian listen to Pina Bausch and Rammstein but he is a true-hearted Indian. Mrs. Joti, fashion designer listen to harp instruments and she often plays the piano. Sidhartha Roy, an M.B.A student listen to African witchcraft songs and he finds the truth through it.

I respect people and their individual taste in music. I don't judge what they are listening but often people debate our Hindi songs are best, our Bengali songs are great, Our Tamil songs are top. My question is, "what is our and their in music? Music has no boundaries, music is a true love, the true friend of us. We should not mark which one is good and which one is not. Let it leave to the listener and their choice.



All music are respected and there are good music and bad music too. But a true listener chooses his/her music as per their true taste in music. I love music that helps me wake up in the morning, then give me the energy to start my day. I love music that helps me to reduce city noise and keep in myself during the walk in the street. I love music which I can share with friends and they love them too. I feel music with love, sadness, smile and tears. The ultimate happiness comes in our life when we can feel true nodes of music and relate them. Every music has an enchantment and ecstasy all we need to choose what we do like?

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Fantastico Online Gaming Experience.

Fantastico is a word I highly impressed about today's online Smartphone games. Online games had been developed long back in early 90's. I can remember games like Poker, Casino, Chess, and many more. But there was less virtual space at that time and the real fantastico gaming experience was waiting to take shape.

In the year 2000, I got games like Anarchy Online, a fantastico roleplay game. Then Rune Scape by Jagex, Dark Age of Camelot, Ultima Online 2 and many notable ones. There was a huge demand PSP devices and hand hold small gaming devices till 2005. Because we did not have Smartphones that time.

Then I can remember in back to 2002 Final Fantasy XI by Square-Enix was the first fantastico game experience connected to the different platforms using a single set of servers. At the same time, Sony released PlayStation 2 console worldwide which connects through Wifi high-speed internet servers to play real time online game any part of the world.

My first gaming console was not that great. I had a local gamepad and which does not support most of those games.

Ubisoft developed many fantastico User interface (UI) designed online games. I can still have in my mind the game called Shadowbane. Then there came XBox360 devices and high graphics UI games.
All those games are more than valuable collection for any game lover. Now one thing in online game lags is when people get a new interesting game they stop playing the old games. Because time does not allow us to play constantly many games at the same time.

2010, the beginning of the golden age of today's online gaming market. Today I guess no one buys handhold small PSP devices anymore. Smartphones and tablets are today's ultimate online gaming weapons. The day I purchased my first tablet I had no idea that I bought an addictive gaming gadget. When I downloaded games like Angry Bird, Subway Surfers, Temple Run, Candy Crush Saga and more.. Yes, I was under my control.


Fantastico Online Smartphone Games:

Then I found PvP gaming experience like Injustice, Contest of Champions, Future Fights and WWE Immortals. I just cannot say how much these games mean to the players online. Isn't that a fantastico experience of gaming?

The epic battles, story games are most likely a living comics book reading experience and when there are live quests, alliance gaming features, leadership and help online friends in the game. All these experiences are real time fantastico experience. I really like play contests together with my friends in a game, earn points for them, help them to complete a quest, chat with all team members, invite them for a private meeting, plan game strategy and win the battle realms.

Fantastico Online Smartphone Games
Plan this weekend for a free fantastico experince of online gaming adventure. All the best!!!

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Peppy Yoga Classes at Our Office!

21st June of the last year it was the first International Day of Yoga - IDY. The day our respected Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi announced Yoga classes will be compulsory at every school, colleges and Indian Government offices. So our boss becomes very active on that commencement and we were fortunate to attend peppy Yoga classes for two weeks at our office.


First two days we had 70 employees who attended the yoga class. In the third day, It was surprisingly decreased and only 41 people were there. When we back to our desk after 1-hour class they said, you are still young and we are older now. They got pains in every limbs and bone joints. I told them I found the similar issue too but I never quite a program that once I start. 

In the next one week our number became 27 people and in the next week, it was 20 members who successfully completed the 12 days Yoga program. I am thankful to my boss who had this great vision to introduce us with the peppy yoga program. We also lucky that we met Mr. Govind as our yoga guru, who is a mystic and spiritual guide to us. 

The closing day of the yoga class Mr. Govind invited all the 70 employees for an inspirational speech. Almost all my colleagues were present at that day. Mr. Govind in his notable voice explained the whole truth about his experience with Yoga. He is one of the top contestants in the National Yoga Championship for several times. He never won the medals but he never lost his hope in yoga. Even he mentioned that how yoga helped him winning over his will power. He also told us that body pain in a primary issue in yoga because body pain does not stay for regular practicing. 

Once we start doing yoga it helps us reducing our mental complexity and focus the spiritual existence. Every yoga includes proper breathing practice and rest before starting a new exercise. The lesson we learned was eye-opening. We went through many issues regularly in our everyday life but the darkness we create to our health is poisonous. We should take care of our health first, the proverb says it quite right "Health is wealth". This is not only a peppy lesson but it's a good habit and we should follow. I promised in my heart, no matter what I will practice yoga every day as a routine. 

Seven months past still I am trying to practice yoga regularly. To be honest because of few individual issues, trips, and festivals I cannot able to keep my word. But whenever I get time I make it happen. Even sometimes I think of taking yoga as my primary interest in life and see if I can make a difference in living. 

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Useful Navigation App Can Help Us Find Unknown Places!

I am not a tech smart person, I know how to search google or write my blogs which one of my friends guided me. Navigation apps are one my favourite apps, which help me reach unknown places. It was my driver Somu Pandey, a young man of 22 he was the first person in my knowledge who I saw every time he connects to the Google Maps Navigation app in his smartphone.

One day I asked, "Somu, what is that? You should not look at your mobile phone while driving!!"

Somu, said, "Babu, you don't know about Google Maps it's a helpful navigation tool."

I was surprised and asked him to show me what exactly he is talking about. We almost at home. I asked him to show me the app once reach home. Somu stopped the car at our parking garage and showed his phone to me. He selected 3G data and a Google developed application name "Maps".

I said, "Ok it's a map of our city. Very good Somu, you are a skilled educated driver. You can read maps as well." I smiled and was just going to leave.

Somu said, "Wait Babu, let me show you how it works!" He was desperate to show what more he knows about this app.

I smiled and told him, "I am busy now. I have important works to do. Thanks Somu, you go and take some rest."

Somu indeed a good driver, he said "Namaste" and left that evening.

The same night after dinner I was going to bed and thought about that Navigation app. I took my phone and downloaded the app. I wanted to see what else Somu was trying to show me in that app.

Once the download completed I opened the app and connected internet phone data. I found it showing my phone's position in the map. I said, "Wow". Then I searched some other locations like, Airport, Rail Station, Hospital, Bank and Office. All the places the app was shown exact the same I knew those places.

Next day when I was in the car, I was looking at my meeting schedules. Suddenly I remember Maps app. I searched the address I was going. To my great surprise, the app started navigating me each and every direction to the address. I was laughing very loud with a big surprising smile in my bald face.

Somu was driving, "What happened Babu?"

I said, "Somu you are brilliant, I downloaded the Navigation app you showed me last time and now I understand why you always use this app." Somu was very happy listening to that. Then I reached the place and went for the meeting. It was a good day.

Evening when I was coming back, I asked Somu, "Somu, what is your education?" Somu said, "Babu, I passed high school." I told him, "Let me see, you deserve better."

It was an eye-opening to me that maybe I am not seeing how the technology is changing our world. Thanks Somu for the lesson. If I can do something better for you I will be glad.



This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Book Review: The Bestseller She Wrote by Ravi Subramanian



Finally, I got my hands on the latest novel "The Bestseller She Wrote" by Ravi Subramanian. To my utter surprise, the book is better than I thought. As a self-published writer, I want to say, "Subramanian, you got guts... to write something very honest modern city culture in this novel." 

Last Friday evening when I came back to home and found the book at my desk. 'Tis the first look, I found it's heavy and I cut the seal and turned the last page, my god 392 pages!!! "When I'll read this?" I am a slow reader but if I find interest... then I read as fast as a jet. So I started reading the first chapter. Then till night 2:30 AM and today (Sunday) I finished the book. 

First of all to the readers who do not know who is Ravi Subramanian? I just want to share you a glance, Ravi was an IIM Bangalore student and he is from Ludhiana, Punjab. He himself a banker and wrote the award-winning trilogy The Incredible Banker, The Bankster and Bankerupt. 

It is my very personal opinion about this novel...  no matter what Subramanian could not escape his banking boundary in all his novels. Possibly I am wrong but I found, "Subramanian wrote an erotic fantasy which maybe the food for the thought of his own." 

In short synopsis, Aditya, who is a bestseller writer and a bank employee found interest in Shreya, a young girl with ambition. Aditya is a family guy and he loves his wife Maya. But Aditya found his secret vigorous interest in Shreya. He recruited her in the bank and started date. He came to know Shreya wants to be a bestseller writer like Aditya. He promised to help her in her book. As the story developed further to realize a part of the novel by substance Shreya asked Aditya to have adulterous love with her. And the climax began here when Aditya found his double role hiding the facts in front of his wife Maya and little son Aryan.

The moral of the story, how Shreya played the relationship game, used Aditya's talent and then kicked his ass. 'Tis a selfish love story of disloyalty and betrayal.  
 First-page photo captured in my handset
Front cover photo captured in my handset

The first part of the novel I actually enjoyed reading. It was indeed amusing and the way Shreya and Aditya met and found their interest in each other that is truly exceptional. Then Maya's suffering from rare disease, she came to know the secret love between Aditya and Shreya and as a typical Indian wife, her role quite justified. Then the weakness in love affair found in Aditya's character, he found helpless at the end. He was so lost in his world of fantasy. But then the real person behind all this had been found. You need to read the full novel to know who made Aditya's life miserable, this is the suspense. Even the side characters like Sanjay, Diana, Melwinare etc. portrayed very carefully by the writer. A nice novel worth reading.

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Last time I saw Lucky Ali Live at HRC Bangalore