3 Books at 1 Go!

Recently I finished reading Shiva Trilogy’s final book “The Vayuputras”. I enjoyed my journey while reading the 3 books of Shiva Trilogy. Unlike other novels which I had read earlier these books are very different. The reason for this is may be because I am not a frequent reader; I never explored different kinds of  books myself, I always relied on the feedback from friends or books in library. Anyways thanks to my friend Bhavya Reddy for referring this masterpiece.

For those who are unaware of this Trilogy, it is all about God Shiva. If you think it’s the same as we have heard stories about God Shiva, you are wrong. These books say much more than that. How a normal person become a God to the people? Is it by his capability? Or Is it by blind belief of people? Or Is it combination of both? Indian history is Interesting, Can a book be written in this way too was the first few thoughts appeared in my mind when I started reading first book of Shiva Trilogy. You start connecting history while going through this book. This book is a combination of Love, Belief, War, Angry, Jealous, Selfishness, and Sacrifice. The love towards Shiva’s soul(Sati) has been wonderfully expressed. While reading the lines about Shiva’s love towards Sati a girl wish for a husband like Shiva! I was very emotional while reading the conclusion of the Trilogy, but I won’t reveal the reason behind it. You better read it out, you may feel the same. Thanks to Author Amish for this wonderful package.

After this I felt the urge to read more books on Indian history, I explored for a while and found Chanakya’s chant by Aswin. This book was awesome. Do you like Politics or Do you hate Politics? This books suits completely for both.

I took back myself from reading after I read Chanakya’s chant because I was overloaded with many things. Now I am back on form.

Day before yesterday at 5.50 PM sharp I opened flipkart website and quickly clicked on Best Selling Fiction and Non Fictions section. I felt like ordering yet another history related book and found a book named Jaya by Devdutt. I clicked on BUY NOW button, when I did so it took me to cart which said Delivery charges 50 Rs :O It’s very common that girl’s like to order things online with No delivery charges :D.

I thought if I buy one more book there won’t be any delivery charge because something similar had happened earlier. But it didn’t work out and I was in hurry to catch my cab at 6PM. I told to myself “Anyways I am in form now, let me order two more books now itself and save further delivery charges ;) ”.  So went back to best sellers section and randomly picked “Life is what you make it” and Can love happen twice”. That’s how the name 3 Books at 1 Go!

Flipkart is very fast. Next day 11AM sharp I received the order. Thanks FlipKart :)

                                                                                                                    ……Shilpa

ಕನಸು

I have tried to narrate a scene in this post. Thought of giving a different try. Here it goes.

ನನ್ನ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಹೊಗಬೆಡ, pleaseee. ಬಿಕ್ಕಳಿಸಿ ಅಳುತಿರುವ ಶಬ್ದ ಕೇಳಿ ಬೆಚ್ಚಿಬಿದ್ದು ಎದ್ದ ಮೋಹನ. ನಿದ್ದೆ ಕಣ್ಣಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಏನಿದು ಎಂದು ಅರಿಯುವಸ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ತಿಳಿಯಿತು ಪಕ್ಕದ ಮಂಚದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಲಗಿದ್ದ ಪವನ್ ನ ಅಳು ಎಂದು.

 

ಮೋಹನ ಪವನ್ ಬಳಿ ಹೋಗಿ ಅವನನ್ನು ಎಬ್ಬಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.

 

ಮೋಹನ: ಲೆ ಪವನ್ ಎದ್ದೆಳೊ, ಲೆ ಪವನ್.

ಪವನ್: ಬಿಕ್ಕಿ ಬಿಕ್ಕಿ ಅಳುತ್ತಲೇ ಎದ್ದ ಪವನ್, ವಾಸ್ತವವನ್ನು ಅರಿಯಲು ಕೆಲವು ನಿಮಿಶಗಳು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾನೆ.

ಮೋಹನ: ತೊಗೊ ನೀರು ಕುಡಿ. ಕನಸು ಬಿತ್ತಾ?

ಪವನ್: ಹಾ. ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಕನಸು.

ಮೋಹನ: ಸರಿ ಈಗ ಸಮಾದಾನವಾಗಿ ಮಲಕ್ಕೋ.

ಪವನ್: ಹಾ.

 

ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ.

 

ಮೋಹನ: ಪವನ್, ಅದೇನು ಕನಸು. ಅಸ್ಟು ಅಳ್ತಿದ್ದೆ.

ಪವನ್: ಆ ಬೂಕ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಬರ್ದಿದೀನಿ ಓದು.

ಮೋಹನ: ಏನೋ ಸೂಪರ್ fast ಇದೀಯಾ ನೀನು. ಇಸ್ಟು ಬೇಗ ಕನಸನ್ನ booknalli ಬರೆದಿದೀಯಾ ?

ಪವನ್: ನಿನಗೆ ಗೋತಲ್ವಾ, ವಿಭಿನ್ನ ಕನಸುಗಳನ್ನ ಬರೆಡಿದೋ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸ ನನಗಿದೆ ಅಂತ.

ಮೋಹನ: ಹಾ ಗೊತ್ತು ಗೊತ್ತು. ಲಾಸ್ಟ್ ಟೈಮ್ ಯಾವ್ದೋ ದೆವ್ವದ ಕನಸ್ಸು ಬರ್ದಿದ್ಯಲ್ಲಾ.

ಪವನ್: ಹಾ.

ಮೋಹನ: ಇದು ಯಾವ್ ತರ ಕನಸ್ಸೋ?

ಪವನ್: ನೀನೇ ಓದೋ, ಗೋತಾಗುತ್ತೆ.

ಮೋಹನ: ಸರಿ.

 

ಮೋಹನ ಪವನ್ ಬರೆದಿರುವ ಕನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಓದಲು ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.

 

ಕಿತ್ತು ತಿನ್ನುವ ನೋವನು ಎದುರಿಸುತ ಕುಳಿತಿರುವೆನು ನನ್ನ ಕೋಣೆಯಲಿ, ಬದುಕಿನಲಿ ಬೆಳಕಿಲ್ಲದ ಮೇಲೆ ನನ್ನ ಕೊಣೆಗೇಕೆ ಬೆಳಕು?  ಇದೆ ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರಪಂಚ, ನನ್ನ ಕತ್ತಲೆಯ ಕೋಣೆ. ಎಸ್ಟೇ ಕತ್ತಲಿದ್ದರು ಕಾಣುತಿದೆ ಅವಳ ನೆನಪು ಗೂಡೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವಯ್ಯಾರಿಸುತ, ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಾಗಿ ಮುಚ್ಚುತಿರುವೆ ಕಣ್ಣುಗಳನು ಅದರಿಂದ ಮುಕ್ತನಾಗಲು.., ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ ಕಣ್ಣೊಳಗೂ ಕಾಡುತಿಹಳು, ಅವಳೊಂದು ಮಾಯೆಯೇ ಸರಿ. ಸಾಯಲು ಮನಸಿಲ್ಲ, ಬದುಕಲು ಬಿಡುತಿಲ್ಲ, ಇದುವೆಯ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ? ಈಗಾಗಿರುವೆನು ಅವಳು ನನ್ನ ಜೊತೆಗಿರಲಾಗದೆoಬ ಸತ್ಯ ತಿಳಿದ ಕ್ಷಣದಿಂದ.

 

ಅವಳ ಕರೆಯ ಕೊನೆಯ ರಿಂಗಣ ನನ್ನ ಬದುಕಿನ ಕುಶಿಯನ್ನು  ಕೊನೆಯಾಗಿಸುವುದೆಂಬ ಆಲೋಚನೆಯಾಗಲಿ ಉಹೆಯಾಗಲಿ ಕೊಂಚವೂ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವಳು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ಕೆಲವೇ ಸಾಲುಗಳು, ಆದರೆ ಅದರ ಭಾವರ್ತಗಳು ಕರಗಿಸಲಾಗದಸ್ಟು ಕಟಿಣ. ಅವಳ ಕೊನೆಯ ಮಾತುಗಳು ಈಗಿತ್ತು. "ನಿನ್ನ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾ ಬಂದು ತಪ್ಪು ಮಾಡಿದೆ, ನಿನ್ನ ಕುಶಿಯನ್ನು ಕದ್ದುಬಿಟ್ಟೆ, ಕೊನೆವರೆಗೂ ಇರುವೆನೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ಮಾತು ತಪ್ಪುತಿರುವೆನು, ಕ್ಷಮಿಸಬೇಡ ನನ್ನ, ಬದಲಿಗೆ ಮರೆತುಬಿಡು ನನ್ನ.”

 

ಬಿಡಬೆಡ ಹಿಡಿದ ಕೈಗಳನು ನನ್ನ ಒಂದು ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಯ ಉತ್ತರಿಸುವ ಮುನ್ನ, ನಾ ಮಾತು ತಪ್ಪುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಇದು ನನ್ನ ಕೊನೆಯ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ.

 

ಕುಶಿಯನು ಕಲಿಸಿದ ನಿನಗೆ

ಉತ್ತರದ ಅರಿವು ಇರಲೇಬೇಕು...

ಪಟ ಪಟ ಮಾತು

ಸುರಿಸುವ ನಿನಗೆ ಇದು ಸುಲಬ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಇರಲೂಬಹುದು…

ಮರೆತುಬಿಡು ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿದ ನಿನಗೆ

ನನ್ನದೊಂದೇ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ, ಅದು ಈಗಿದೆ " ಮರೆಯಲು ಹೇಗೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿ ಮರೆಯಾಗುವೆಯ ? "

 

ಇದಕೆ ಉತ್ತರ ಅವಳ ಕರೆಯ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಕಡಿತವಾದ ದ್ವನಿ. ನಾ ಮತ್ತೆ ಕರೆ ಮಾಡಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿದಾಗ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ ಉತ್ತರ "ನೀವು ಕರೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಚಂದಾದಾರರು ಫೋನ್ ಸ್ವಿಚ್ ಆಫ್ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ."

 

ಉತ್ತರಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಕಾಯುತಿರುವೆನು ಈ ನನ್ನ ಕತ್ತಲ ಕೋಣೆಯಲಿ. ನಾ ಒಬ್ಬ ಮೂರ್ಕನೆ ? ನಾ ಒಬ್ಬ ರೋಮೀಯೋ ? ನಾ ಒಬ್ಬ ಕೆಲಸಕ್ಕೆ ಬಾರದವನೆ ? ನಾ ಒಬ್ಬ ಮನುಜನೇ? ನಾ ಯಾರಾ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೂ ಕಾಣದ ಅಸಹಾಯಕನೇ ?

 

ಮೋಹನ: ಹೇ ಸೂಪರ್ ಕಣೋ. ಯಾರೋ ಈ ಹುಡುಗಿ ?

ಪವನ್: ಗೊತಿಲ್ಲ. ಕನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ face ಗೋತಾಗಿಲ್ಲ.

ಮೋಹನ: Benzene strcutureನ ಕನಸ್ಸಲ್ಲೇ ಅಂತೇ ಕನ್ಡುಇಡಿದಿದ್ದು. ಅದೇ ತರ ನೀನು ಏನಾದ್ರೂ ಕನ್ಡುಇಡೀಲಿ ಎಂದು ಆಶಿಸುವ ಮೋಹನ.

 

ಪವನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಮೋಹನ ಇಬ್ಬರು ನಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.

 

 

Dreams are good as long as they are just dreams, if they tend to get real, life gets worse because it shadows the curiosity of tomorrow. Let’s wish for all kinds of dreamzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

                                                                                                                    ……Shilpa

INDIAN ETV Kannada reality show

After BIGG BOSS ETV Kannada reality show, all were curious to know whether it is going to be BIGG BOSS 2 or any other reality show. Later an advertisement started appearing on ETV Kannada channel, and the name said it as INDIAN with a tagline as an impossible journey. It also started showing up VTs [Video tape] of contestants. Except two contestants all looks like Western and still the name says INDIAN! It’s always not good to draw conclusion at the beginning, yet this conclusion has got strong after watching the launch of this reality show yesterday. The very first episode looked very similar to MTV Rowdies show and Suvarna’s Pyate mandi kadig bandru and also it has given a strong feeling that it will continue to be similar.

 

If we ask different people “Who is an Indian?” It will be very common that answers might be “The one who follow Indian culture and value them is an Indian”. “The one who are patriotic about the land and die for it is an Indian”. “The one who believes with peace and love we can win anything is an Indian”. “The one who believes in united we are is an Indian”. “The one who never lets their land down is an Indian”. In what context ETV Channel has named this reality show as “Indian”, is it just because they travel across 7 states? If that is the case it’s not convincing. This is a personal opinion of mine based on the first look. Let us wait and watch how it goes. If this reality show proves my opinion as wrong I would be happy to come and delete this article.

                                                                                                                    ……Shilpa

Support women

Sketched by Swathi Medavaram

Today in our Company there was an event organised by Dhriti Community. It was an Interactive session with Beth Devin. It was about “Climbing the Corporate Ladder – Challenges and Opportunities for Women.”  It was organised more like a question and answer format. We were curiously waiting for the event to start. Beth entered the venue. She is a pretty woman with a beautiful smile. An intro about Beth was presented by Singer Sangeetha Gururaj who is also an employee of our company. While introducing Beth, we got to know that Beth carries thirty years of technology experience and she is CIO at SVB. For a moment I was surprised, because in technology industry it is very rear to see a woman in the top level/position and another reason being she looks so young.

Beth was answering the questions asked, in the processes of answering she shared her journey of life, challenges faced, decisions she made. She also mentioned that she was lucky and got wonderful support from her husband.

Support is all a woman need to grow up. People talk about gender equality is considered, women rights are concerned, etc. yet there is a lack of support for woman in her career growth. Many people are still in the opinion that a woman should be educated just to get a pass certificate and nothing more than that. If a woman gives confidence that she can manage both her work life as well as her personal life, does not she be given hearty support? In that matter I suggest not to the support the men/women who are completely involved in career and not concentrating on personal life.

Behind a successful man there is always a woman, why can’t “Behind a successful woman there be a man always”?

                                                                                                                    ……Shilpa

Chicken: My love

My favourite dish is Chicken. I just love it madly. Even if chicken is served everyday I would just hog and enjoy it to the maximum. I don't know what exactly is embedded in chicken that is tastes so good. I feel pity on vegetarians that they are missing such an awesome taste which they would have never imagined. 

Vegetarians verse Non vegetarians fights are very common in this world. I have had best fun while debating on this issue.

If a vegetarian says "You are killing a living bird for your food", I used to reply back saying "All plants are living beings, just because it cant speak you cannot harm them, Stop eating from today". 

If a vegetarian says "You are having egg through which you are avoiding a new life", I used to reply back saying "You guys are having food of calf, that is milk, you guys are reason for hunger"

There was no end for debates. May be my love towards chicken was bringing those words. If one understands the famous theory "Survival of this fittest" there wouldn't be any such fights.

Now don't be surprise after reading the lines below. Just wish me luck.

Sometimes one should give a try controlling their extreme likes because too much attachment is too bad :)

So here I am making my new resolution to reduce my love towards chicken. Let this resolution be a reason to explore tastes of veg!

                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                    ……Shilpa

Independence day is nearing. Shall we celebrate ?

Those were the days when entire school children practice drill, dance, March fast for an occasion, with lot of enthusiasm goes to the rehearsal, with fear wait for the results, happiness when we hear that our performance got selected for The Occasion of India. That’s 15^th of August, The proud occasion of Indian Independence day.

Painted by Swathi Medavaram

The day used to be so colourful, everywhere we could see flags, Indian map shaped badges, white uniforms, saffron white and green combination costumes, happy Independence Day slogans, tri colour bands and many more. Stadium used to so colourful with lot of people from different culture gather at one place which describes the unity in diversity quote. Families, couples, friends gather to celebrate the festival. Reflection of pomp pomp’s help by school children, ice cream candy stalls, guava stalls, cucumber stalls to flavour the yummy tastes of people.

The flag host, followed by March fast, speech by District Commissioner, followed by performances from children, prize distribution. Each one used to enjoy the day to the maximum.

As Independence Day is nearing, I thought of writing this, while doing this I went back to Independence Day celebrations during my school days which used to be as above.

The mind which used to enjoy the celebrations is thinking differently, it is asking itself that, do we need to celebrate Independence Day going forward.

India got Independence on August 15^th, 1947. It was a proud day for entire Indians. There was a reason to celebrate it every year in memories of the honest efforts, freedom struggles, dedicated sous, and patriotic the people.

But today, is the situation same? A lot of question keep haunting the younger generation. And the biggest question is “Are we Independent”.

Are we independent to see the world? A cry from a girl infant from the womb.

Are we independent from bribe? A cry from poor and middle class people.

Are we independent to lead a safe life? A cry from females

Are we independent to eradicate casteism? A cry from Generation Youth.

Are we independent to form a party without money? A cry from a start-up leader

Are we independent to choose a course of our own choice? A cry from a student.

Are we independent from terrorism fear? A cry from an individual.

Are we independent to choose a partner of our own choice? A cry from loving souls.

Are we independent from population growth? A cry from an economist.

Are we independent from hunger? A cry from poor people
.
.

Are people free from unreachable desires?

And many more.

Photography by Sanketh Gurushankar Reddy

The only question which stays is “ARE WE INDEPENDENT?” Do we need to celebrate Independence Day?

                                                                                                                             ……Shilpa