Dark Destiny by Kamal Kant (Book Review: 3.5*/5) !!!

1785th BLOG POST -->>

There is one thing I have observed with my readathon that whenever I have picked up a book with yellow cover page, it has rarely disappointed me. This time it has been the book named “Dark Destiny” written by the debutante author, Kamal Kant. The book is published by Rupa Publications and is around 246 pages. This is one of the few books which I have ended up reading at different places while traveling, roaming and at home hence it seems that with the accelerating pace of the book, even I lived many lives with it.

The story is written in a very thrilling behaviour right from its first 15 pages itself and doesn’t keep your mind silent until the book completely gets over. The narrative of the book is very fast-paced with lots of characters here and there. In the beginning, getting in terms with the narration becomes little difficult along with memorizing the name of the characters, because the timeline keeps shuffling in the flashback and the current day. With the shuffling, the characters keep on getting appearing and disappearing which makes it very tough but later on in the story, when you are aware about the whole history and the present day of the protagonist- Aditya Malhotra, keeping in tap with the narration and characters become easy and entertaining.

I can easily divide the book in 3 equal parts and can say that the first and the last part were great which keeps you entertained with their actions and descriptions but it is only in the middle of the story where it provides little boredom to you as many characters are planning too much but executing too little. All the love angles are very beautifully portrayed but showing all the female characters as victims becomes too much after a point. I must say that author’s way of reaching the reader’s heart is immensely powerful as the way action-packed and fighting scenes are described actually makes it possible for you to imagine them in a very big scale.

Talking about the anti-climax and the climax, it becomes little disappointing with the way that the character for which protagonist takes so many risks doesn’t end up with the chemistry it was expected. Though the revelations in the end are great but seeing the simple protagonist do such Bollywood Hero-kind of stuff becomes unbelievable after a point of time.

Speaking about the book overall, it is a fine attempt in this genre and I shall give it 3.5 stars out of 5. As a debutante, this is a super creation and I am looking forward to read many more work from Kamal Kant.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA 

A Dog in the House by Dr. Kisholoy Roy (Book Review: 4.25*/5) !!!

1784th BLOG POST -->>

I have always been vocal about my unlove (not using the word “Hate”) for Short stories and anthology hence every time I get an opportunity to pick it up, I always pray that it turns out well so that my doubt and hesitation towards them get reduced gradually with time. And I must say the latest book that I read on this Saturday morning has served its purpose well by being such a beautiful and simple short story- named “A Dog in the House” by Dr. Kisholoy Roy. The book is of around 35 pages and independently published with an animated cover page.

Seeing the cover page of the book, you might assume that the story shall be more preferred by children but after reading it, I can tell you that this book shall appeal to everyone belonging to any age-group. The way author has described the characterization of each of the characters in the family in such a short book is so apt that you wished this should have been a full-fledge novel. Even the backdrop of all the characters, their current situation and the turmoil in the family is beautifully covered and made a very interesting plot for this book.

The book starts with author’s words where he talked about pets hence we get an idea that the book is about pet but the great part is that the pet is not mentioned itself in the first 75% of the story. And the importance given to the pet in the last 25% section of the book and how its presence in the home changes the life of the family members is very nicely inserted in the plot.

Overall, this book has very good vibes. I completed it in just an hour and I must say the after-thought that it left with me has almost been equivalent to what I feel after reading a good full-fledged novel of 250-350 pages. I give this book 4.25* out of 5 for the treatment given to characters, story and the way social message is given about keeping pets and respecting animals. Kudos to the author.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA 

Your Destination Has Arrived by Barry Cheema (Book Review: 4.75*/5) !!!

1783rd BLOG POST -->>

There are few books which doesn’t seem to be extra-ordinary with their content in the blurb etc. but the moment you start reading the story, after a point of time, one of their sentences strikes you so hard that you start reading each word with startled eyes and surprised face and when the book really starts unfolding to you, you gradually realize that your life is getting transformed. Similar experience happened with me when I read the book named “Your Destination Has Arrived” written by, surprisingly, the first-time author- Barry Cheema. The book is published by Notion Press and has around 375 pages.

When I generally see any book crossing the mark of 250-pages, I term them a stretcher in the beginning itself and the book should really hook me up with its content to ensure the word doesn’t find the place in my review. Fortunately, this book isn’t one at all though I have found some people calling it so. Barry has used a very great story and theme to tell the technique to experience the peace in life which every human being quests at some or the other time in their life. This makes this book a very purposeful material which shall benefit you only when you are in the state of mind to take all the intelligence, philosophies, techniques, quotes, learnings, lessons, examples etc. which is delivered mostly in the 2^nd half of the book otherwise you shall call it just a “stretcher” and put it aside.

If you have ever wanted to understand and know about spirituality, meditation, yoga and the way it should be begun and followed religiously but in not so serious manner, this is the book to go for because the way author has fictionalized the whole thing for the readers is something very commendable and inspiring. The characterizations used for the same in the form of Hassan or Bruno who is a dog but given the life of a human being which shall be taken away if it doesn’t find the PURPOSE OF LIFE within a limited timeframe and the way the struggle takes place in the 1^st half to achieve the same and then the way it is being delivered in the 2^nd half, I wouldn’t comment about the character but I really got answers for many questions (about life) I had or didn’t have. This book worked like a self-awakening through its other characters of Pinky Singh, Kumar, Sachi etc. as author has included all of them- the one who follows the spiritual techniques religiously whereas the another who follows but keeps questioning the silly practices he has to go through.

This book is a great example on how spiritual lessons can be delivered in the form of fiction along with meditational techniques. I have myself undergone meditational course hence the initial concept on Explosive meditation was something new to me. The other important chapters such as of Passive meditation, Karma, The Purpose of life, the science behind meditation etc. are very eventful and exploring. I liked the balancing of both- the story of an antagonist and the philosophy throughout the book and I must say, the book is also very high on emotions as there are events when you shall smile, laugh and even have tears in your eyes. Also, every time I came upon the descriptive understanding provided by the character about any question on life, I would find myself in a very emotional state as there were certain areas getting revealed to me about my own life which made me feel weak at times.

Talking about the climax of the story, it is so wonderfully executed without making it too high-on-imagination or overwhelming that you don’t even consider it in a book of such kind which has more substance in a philosophical way. It is something that makes you believe in this whole story and want to live it yourself completely without eliminating any part of it.

Overall, this is one of the books that goes into the rare list of the books that have managed to change my life. I would give it nothing less than 4.75* out of 5. Highly recommended to everyone belonging to any age-group.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA 

Completed FOUR YEARS of my WORK EXPERIENCE...

1782nd BLOG POST -->>

I complete my 4 years of work experience today. I still remember the day when I went for the interview, gave 3 interview rounds in series, got a call after 2 days about my selection getting little bucks more than what I expected as a Fresher and the 1^st day when I got ready to go to office. How different it was waking up that day, getting ready for something I didn’t know how it would be, catching the train for a new location and then finally going and sitting in an environment where I knew everyone else knew each other and I was the only one who would be needing to settle himself between these people and prove his worth.

I had read so much about organizational politics that I was too scared to even think if I should approach someone myself or wait for them to talk to me and only answer in monosyllables to make them believe I am an innocent person who is here to do whatever is told to him. How weird my first day, first week and first month was! Everyone would laugh together, lunch together, gossip together whereas I used to talk with 2 more freshers who had joined with me (as they were also needing someone to talk to eliminate their awkwardness) and discuss about the new projects we were being introduced after every 3 days because the company was training us in all of its products.

After I got little comfortable with my team I started speaking myself, laughing openly on jokes and also cracking few of them myself. When I saw that my team has finally accepted me and are enjoying my presence in their circle did I start taking initiatives and speaking my mind what I believe is right or wrong. The one thing I learnt was that opportunity doesn’t come to you until you make an aura around yourself of grabbing whatever shall be thrown at you. Hence, I started becoming a person who was saying YES to almost anything that was given to him. This made me analyse if I am actually interested for the position I had joined with or I need to shift in a different profile altogether. And this question has been such a wonderful self-introspection and self-realization that in my last 4 years, I have gone through being a Quality Assurance- Trainee to a Quality Assurance Engineer to a Sr. Quality Assurance Engineer to a Jr. Business Analyst to being a BA and finally being Sr. Business Analyst. What a professional life it has been up till now!

I had shared it in the similar post last year and I am telling you even this time that I am with the same organization I had joined in 4 years back as a Fresher. Many people question and laugh on me for being with my 1^st employer itself and not even trying to switch. Well, I don’t know if I am right or wrong in my approach but I believe one should never forget the days when we used to get up every morning, update our profile on job-related websites to ensure our profile is on the TOP when respective HRs would be on their desk to shortlist candidate for giving a call for the interview. We shouldn’t forget the days when we Google search the IT companies in our area, go to each company’s website, search for their email ID and then send resume/CV to make sure we get a call back. We are so desperate and helpless that we are ready to join any organization. We even stop thinking of getting into a big organization but pray and plead every day to at least get a call.

But then what happens when you finally get selected by a company? We start believing that it is because of our potential and if we should even join the organization or not. See, I am not against searching for opportunities but there should be an emotional part which should respect the person/institution which trusted in you when you came with no experience with just mugged up and false assuring words in interview. It’s time for you to give back to the company along with the process of learning. It has been four years to me and I am still learning in this organization. Rather than purposely searching for reasons to leave and switch, one should concentrate more upon developing oneself until there is scope of learning and your financial needs are being taken care of. This shall only happen when you shall be open with your thoughts with the people to whom you matter and the people who matter to you.

Since my starting days, even when I was a Fresher, I always spoke my mind to my seniors, Director or MD because I wanted to continue for as long as possible. Rather than bitching I cared about how to extend my association with the company by mutually agreeing on things which can strengthen this relationship. There has been ups and downs but finally both of us are satisfied with each other. My organization ensures I am always given new things to try and learn and on the other side, I am looking out for opportunities to explore and execute. This has helped organization in streamlining few of its activities whereas I am getting the confidence of bringing values on the table for the team I am working with.

It has been a beautiful experience of working and earning money being a typical IT professional till now. I wish I shall work with the same passion of learning, creating, delivering and improving each day for rest of my life until my body is capable of working and organizations are willing to hire and pay me. Haha! As I said, it is always a mutual relationship because you don’t sign a bonded-labour agreement on the first day but a series of clause which is ensuring that the relationship is Win-Win for both of us- Employer and Employee. I wish to change many more profiles (Not the organizations- I wish I work in less than 10 organizations in my complete career) and end my career in a field I have not even heard as of now. Yes, that’s a wish. With this, I would like to thank everyone who has helped me in my career and supported me enough to be able to sustain my job and become a valuable employee. My respect to all of you.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA 

What does the death of CCD founder, V. G. Siddhartha, leave for us to learn?

1781st BLOG POST -->>

The death of Mr. V. G. Siddhartha, the founder of Café Coffee Day, has moved everyone in our country. I have myself not been a regular visitor of CCD but still when I heard the news of his suicide, I got little thoughtful and couldn’t think of anything else than him. Initially when the news of his disappearance had come in, I thought it is about some scam and he is hiding but this news is terrible. There can be a lot of stuffs behind his death- someone’s mistake or his own mistake which made him take this decision but the fact remains that even an inspiring figure like him can end up doing something like this which is generally known to be the stupidity of young students or helpless farmers. An entrepreneur of his stature has gone through this gives chills to me.

When we generally see people sharing their pictures and check-ins in CCD outlets, we think how sorted out and classy their life is that they are able to afford such costly beverages regularly. Now I am just thinking if someone who has founded and created CCD was so vulnerable and weak, what can we judge about people who go there just to sip those coffees? How strong are they? How capable are they? How rich are they? How safe are they? Everyone is unsafe and everyone gets scattered when the moment of pain or Catch-22 situation arises. People just forget this in the fast-moving world where they, say, earn 5000 rupees a day and spend 20-25000 rupees on a weekend in drinking, socializing, shopping and treating themselves for the 5 days of 9-7 stressful job that they undergo to earn this tough money.

These days we don’t have time to stop, evaluate, realize, understand what we are doing, remember our pasts, think about our present and plan about our future. This makes a person’s vision distorted as to what he has, the amount of money he is spending, none of the money that he is saving for his tomorrow, with whom is he getting involved with, with whom is he getting distanced away, what he is spending most of his time and resources in etc. If you don’t get even 15 minutes a day to think about yourself, your dreams, your goals, your short term and long-term plans, you are somewhere stopped knowing yourself. And tell me, what can be dangerous than this? If you are breaking up with yourself, what will other relationships in your life ever matter to you? If you have left yourself in other’s hands, who will save you when you shall be alone?

Such incidents of death and suicide are tragic but may be God scripts it for us to learn and self-introspect about what we are, where we are and what do we need from life. It is because we just keep walking and in the process of it because there are 10 more people walking with us, we forget the destination we had headed towards and start considering walking as an experience and get ready for wherever it shall take us. What starts mattering to this distracted human mind is the togetherness of these people and not the individuality that we need to carry always with us- either in private, with family or in public. Always remember that tomorrow when tough times shall come- it is only your mind that you shall need to overcome the situations and think upon what’s next to get out of the trap and continue life with the same spirit. Similarly, always focus on saving more and spending less because money is the first thing that brings any kind of problem in your life. Even when you have a stressful job, you are unable to leave it because you need money. Even when you are in a bad marriage you don’t end it because you are scared of losing money in alimony. Hence, don’t end up spending money like water on your weekends, birthdays, achievements etc. People say money is not everything but we know the reality.

Life is both- long and short. You never know how much more you are going to breathe on this Earth. Always concentrate upon knowing yourself every moment as much as possible to keep your life sorted at any given point of time. Always have clarity what you need and how much you need. Don’t get into wrong practices just for the sake of this moment without worrying about the life to come. Take decisions practically rather than getting into anything emotionally or greedily. Love your life more than its association with others because one from this sector of OTHERS can make your life miserable the way it happened with Mr. Siddhartha.

In the end, I would pray God to make his soul rest in peace. He called himself a failed entrepreneur but he was none other than inspiration for the youth of this country with his foundation and the way he made Coffee part of people’s routine with cool ambience and beautiful smell all around, he surely gave many memorable moments to everyone’s life who entered a CCD outlet even once. Let’s hope no one else suffers what he suffered and life is always entertaining but not confusing.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA