भारत

भारत देश है मेरा, जन्मभूमि तू मेरी,
तुझपे जाँ लुटाने में पल भर भी ना होगी देरी ।

गर्व है हमारे सैनिक पे जो हर पल तुझपे है क़ुर्बान,
हमें अनोखा बनाता है हमारा जनतंत्र और संविधान ।

कश्मीर से कन्याकुमारी तक भाषा अनेक है,
अनगिनत व्यंजन और भेष है फिर भी हम एक है ।

तिरंगा सिने से लगाते है, संस्कारों से बना है हिंदुस्तान,
रोशन है हर क्षेत्र में, क्रीड़ा, अभिनय, कला हो या विज्ञान ।

लहराती खेतों में मीठी सी धूप है,
पूरे विश्व में सबसे सुंदर तेरा ही रूप है ।

हिमालय सा ऊँचा है सर, गंगा सा पावन मन,
हमारी संस्कृति ही है सबसे अमूल्य धन ।

इस देश में जश्न का दूसरा नाम है त्योहार,
जिसने लड़ के जीती आज़ादी उसकी कभी ना होगी हार ।

आबादी में ताक़त है, आध्यात्मिकता में है अभिमान,
रिश्तों को महत्व देते है हम करते हे अतिथि का सम्मान ।

तुझपे लगे कुछ दाग़ है और हम उनसे अनजान नहीं,
दाग़ लगाने वाले मनुष्य ही है पर हमारे लिए वो इंसान नहीं ।

हर बच्चे को शिक्षा मिले हर नारी को सम्मान,
कोई कृषि अन्न को ना तरसे होगा ऐसा सपनो का जहाँ ।

चलो एक प्रण ले मिलकर हर दाग़ मिटाएँगे,
विश्व भर में भारतवर्ष को सर्वश्रेष्ठ बनाएँगे ।

Audio Book Review - 'Break Free the Leader Within' by Ravish Mani

Author Ravish Mani, in his book “Break Free the Leader Within” shares a highly inspirational case of leadership. It is a well-researched book on an unbelievable case of how a mother who had a left-handed daughter won a battle that is now useful to many other children.

Through the case study, the author tries to bring to light the various traits that leaders possess. How ‘leaders first identify the problem and then find a solution’ and look for various ways to bring a solution to the problem. Here, the problem was that the left-handed child was unable to use the sharpener in its conventional way. Any other mother, in this case, would have tried to help her daughter teach how to sharpen a pencil like a right-handed child does but Shweta Singh, here looked at the bigger picture.

She envisioned how every left-handed child must be facing the same negligence just because they are a minority. ‘Leaders never give up till they reach the destination,’ so she began to write letters to companies in India to find a solution to this. Thus, proving that, ‘Effective leaders are measured by their thoughts and not deeds.’ It’s not just about the sharpener but about justice. ‘Leaders start with a purpose’ and ‘Effective leaders make the path when there is none,’ are some very interesting qualities put forth by the author about leaders. I also liked the quotes from Bhagvad Gita and the quote on ‘trust.’

This book is the right dose you need to get inspired and get going. Every beginner must listen to this wonderful audiobook to get some encouragement. Also, it is a short and crisp book that you can listen at your leisure and convenience. Both, the content and the quality of the audiobook is great that makes it a highly recommended one. I appreciate the author for sharing this inspirational incident with all of us. Listen to this audiobook for the detailed description of this very interesting case and which company came to the rescue and proved to be the leader in the market. It would surely inspire you and help you to break free the leader within!

Book Review : 'Parenting and A Slice of Everything' by Anupriya

Author Anupriya in her book “Parenting and A Slice of Everything” presents a beautiful collection of twenty-six short stories which speak volumes about relationships. She believes she plays a role of a mother, daughter, woman and a human being apart from the current role of an author. She also trusts the magical power of stories and story-telling and it is evident from this book.  

I liked her writing style and the manner in which she narrates each story. Her stories revolve around characters, incidents and emotions that are in one or the other way related to parenting and relationships. Readers can easily relate to the emotions depicted by the realistic characters. Each story is carved out beautifully and described at length.

The only thing which didn’t click was the connection between the title of the book and its content. I picked up the book expecting it to be a parenting self-help book but it turned out to be something different, however, I enjoyed reading the stories. I would advise the author to rethink the title before putting up the book to a larger audience.

I enjoyed reading the stories and would recommend it to all the story lovers.

Book Review : 'Spicy Trail' by Shipra Trivedi

Shipra Trivedi in her book, “Spicy Trail” has mentioned twenty-six different spices in different chapters. She has written about the history, attributes and also the Ayurvedic benefits of all spices. These are the spices that Indian families use in the daily cooking but the author believes there is much more to it. She has thrown light upon the influence of Indian spices on Ayurvedic medicine. 

The use of pictures for the spices makes it interesting and readers can easily relate to it.  Some of the spices are used on a daily basis but we never knew the benefits attached to it. Also, the author ends each chapter with ‘Dadi Maa Ka Nuskha’ which makes it a page-turner. It is a very informative book and you will swell with pride when you will come to know the benefits of the spices that you have been using every day. It has a variety of spices ranging from the common Fennel Seeds and Dried Ginger to the exotic ones like Star Anise and Zafraan. My favourite was the chapter on Poppy Seeds as it is widely used in my home and I relish it to the core. 

The author could have included a few recipes as a part of the book to give it completeness. Also, a little more formatting, like chapters beginning on a new page and small chapters ending on the same page would have given a more attractive and crisp look to the book. The author’s efforts are seen in the kind of research she has done to compile the book. This book can be a great gift for food-lovers. It can also be used as a reference book for people interested in cooking and Indian History. Overall, the author has done a commendable job and the book is a great read.

Switch On The Sunshine

My dad is a cancer survivor. I have seen closely what cancer does to a person. Not just the person, the entire family forgets how to smile. 

Then I come across Sonali Bendre’s video where she puts on a bright smile on her face as she chops off her lovely hair. For a moment, I could feel what exactly she is going through. It is tough.

It is extremely difficult for a cancer patient to stay positive, wearing a smile is out of the question. The moment a person is diagnosed with this deadly disease, the world comes crumbling down. It hits you emotionally and you stop living. It is the most devastating phase and you know there are harder times ahead. 

To smile under such circumstances proves how mentally strong you are. Sonali Bendre’s sunshine smile is highly inspiring and will give strength to many patients and their families. She knows there’s a long battle ahead and she chooses to fight it with a smile. 

Nobody is ever prepared for such a news, it always comes as a shock. It teaches how uncertain and unpredictable life is. People who are lucky enough to survive, come out with a whole new positivity. Their attitude towards life changes forever. If you ever get a chance, speak to a cancer survivor and you will realize how beautiful life is. 

You will stop cribbing about trivial issues and start looking at the bigger picture. You will enjoy each day of your life. You will find happiness in things which go unnoticed. 

It is easy to speak about it but is unimaginably difficult for a person who is going through this tough time. Only a few people are resilient enough to realize this truth and accept it. Such people should definitely share their stories with others and it will spread like magic. Exactly how Sonali Bendre is sharing. We know it’s tough but she is tougher.

Her video will help many to regain that faith and strength that they have lost. I wish I had met somebody so inspiring when we as a family were battling cancer. 

Get well soon strong girl. All prayers for you. 

My Dream Come True Moment

Yes, dreams do come true! All you need to do is to dare to dream, take efforts to fulfil it and hit the right opportunity. My dream of becoming an author has now come true and I want to pen my journey to immortalize it.

I was lucky that the habit of reading was instilled in me at a very young age. I remember how I engrossed myself in reading Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. As I grew up I read Arthur Conan Doyle, O Henry, Sidney Sheldon, Rabindranath Tagore, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Rudyard Kipling and Shakespeare while still at school. My school library played an important role. Also, the books my parents had at home fascinated me and I am grateful to both. 

While doing my Honors in English Literature, I studied the works of Jane Austen and it was there that the thought of writing took birth. ‘I want to write a book someday,’ I scribbled in the last page of my notebook which came alive today, some twelve years later.

In these years, I did my post-graduation, grabbed a flourishing job in my dream company, married the love of my life and had two adorable kids. Then came a phase of my life where I was eventually cocooned at home, taking utmost care of my kids and spending the rest of the time in reading and playing my keyboard. Making the best use of solitude, by now I had already started writing. I wrote poems, stories and some parenting blogs which turned out well and I also won awards for it. It encouraged me further and I thought of writing a book on a serious note.

It is rightly said that when you truly wish for something, you get help from unexpected sources to fulfil it, and my source here was Twitter! I was new to it and started following some of my favourite authors and that is how I came across Blogchatter’s Ebook Carnival. Without wasting time, I immediately connected with them and registered for the carnival which was just a month away.

With a one-month-old baby in my arms, still recovering from my caesarian surgery, amidst a pile of diapers, sleepless nights, nursing blues, post-partum depression and with lots of people around, I couldn’t find a log to hold upon to fulfil my dream. At times I gave up completely because I would wait for my kids to fall asleep so that I could write. By the time I got that required pin-drop silence at home, I was too tired to look for my laptop.

Blogchatter, on the other hand, was highly encouraging, the session they arranged with established authors, their microblog sessions and facebook chats all motivated me to keep going. I then decided to first ditch the laptop and switch to my mobile for writing and second, write anytime and anywhere.

I wrote while I was feeding my baby, I wrote when I was awake at three in the morning, I wrote while waiting for my turn at the hospital, I wrote while eating, I was always scribbling something and eventually I ended up finishing the entire book in my mobile. To my surprise, I was ready with not just one but two books simultaneously.

Then came the difficult part of editing, designing covers, and formatting which was not possible in mobile. To add to my woes, we had to move to a different city at that very time. Till now an entire village helped me with my kids but now I was all alone. It was impossible to take out time for yourself, managing a toddler and a newborn. I still tried to work smart but my laptop crashed and so all my hopes too came crashing down. The only possibility to complete my book was now to work on my hubby’s office laptop. To test my patience, it was also his go-live month in office and he would return home not before midnight and sometimes as late as 2 a.m. So, on a weekend I hijacked his laptop for two days. He too helped me with the formatting, the last-minute hassles, we also fought while our ideas clashed and finally I hit the submit button!

Then came the big day of the book launch. Blogchatter made it a very special event for all of us and launched all the books of the carnival one after the other. I was impatiently waiting for my turn and was extremely proud to be part of the august group of authors. Blogchatter made it look like a cake walk, brought smiles to our faces and changed our lives forever.

May 22nd, 2018 at 2:30 p.m. I witnessed my cherished dream come true, I was now a published author.

Top Secret Mission (Blogchatter - 2)

Ebook 1: I take on the Baton of Blogchatter Ebook Carnival from Shilpa whose ebook 'Notes From The Road' is also part of the mix. 

About Shilpa's ebook: Traveling has has humbled her and made her realize that she is more capable than she believed. In 'Notes from the Road,' Shilpa shares her thoughts, views, experiences, tips, and stories which are inspired by her years on the road.  

Yes, dreams do come true! All you need to do is to dare to dream, take efforts to fulfil it and hit the right opportunity. My dream of becoming an author has now come true and I want to pen my journey to immortalize it.

I was lucky that the habit of reading was instilled in me at a very young age. I remember how I engrossed myself in reading Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. As I grew up I read Arthur Conan Doyle, O Henry, Sidney Sheldon, Rabindranath Tagore, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Rudyard Kipling and Shakespeare while still at school. My school library played an important role. Also, the books my parents had at home fascinated me and I am grateful to both. 

While doing my Honors in English Literature, I studied the works of Jane Austen and it was there that the thought of writing took birth. ‘I want to write a book someday,’ I scribbled in the last page of my notebook which came alive today, some twelve years later.

In these years, I did my post-graduation, grabbed a flourishing job in my dream company, married the love of my life and had two adorable kids. Then came a phase of my life where I was eventually cocooned at home, taking utmost care of my kids and spending the rest of the time in reading and playing my keyboard. Making the best use of solitude, by now I had already started writing. I wrote poems, stories and some parenting blogs which turned out well and I also won awards for it. It encouraged me further and I thought of writing a book on a serious note.

It is rightly said that when you truly wish for something, you get help from unexpected sources to fulfil it, and my source here was Twitter! I was new to it and started following some of my favourite authors and that is how I came across Blogchatter’s Ebook Carnival. Without wasting time, I immediately connected with them and registered for the carnival which was just a month away.

With a one-month-old baby in my arms, still recovering from my caesarian surgery, amidst a pile of diapers, sleepless nights, nursing blues, post-partum depression and with lots of people around, I couldn’t find a log to hold upon to fulfil my dream. At times I gave up completely because I would wait for my kids to fall asleep so that I could write. By the time I got that required pin-drop silence at home, I was too tired to look for my laptop.

Blogchatter, on the other hand, was highly encouraging, the session they arranged with established authors, their microblog sessions and facebook chats all motivated me to keep going. I then decided to first ditch the laptop and switch to my mobile for writing and second, write anytime and anywhere.

I wrote while I was feeding my baby, I wrote when I was awake at three in the morning, I wrote while waiting for my turn at the hospital, I wrote while eating, I was always scribbling something and eventually I ended up finishing the entire book in my mobile. To my surprise, I was ready with not just one but two books simultaneously.

Then came the difficult part of editing, designing covers, and formatting which was not possible in mobile. To add to my woes, we had to move to a different city at that very time. Till now an entire village helped me with my kids but now I was all alone. It was impossible to take out time for yourself, managing a toddler and a newborn. I still tried to work smart but my laptop crashed and so all my hopes too came crashing down. The only possibility to complete my book was now to work on my hubby’s office laptop. To test my patience, it was also his go-live month in office and he would return home not before midnight and sometimes as late as 2 a.m. So, on a weekend I hijacked his laptop for two days. He too helped me with the formatting, the last-minute hassles, we also fought while our ideas clashed and finally I hit the submit button!

Then came the big day of the book launch. Blogchatter made it a very special event for all of us and launched all the books of the carnival one after the other. I was impatiently waiting for my turn and was extremely proud to be part of the august group of authors. Blogchatter made it look like a cake walk, brought smiles to our faces and changed our lives forever.

May 22nd, 2018 at 2:30 p.m. I witnessed my cherished dream come true, I was now a published author.

Ebook 2:  I pass on the Baton of Blogchatter Ebook Carnival to Jayanthi whose ebook 'INDIA OR U.S?' is also part of the mix. 

About Jayanthi's ebook: A number of individuals in their 20s, want to go abroad and once they are abroad they start missing India. These individual posts grasp the see-saw of most Indian families trying to balance Indian values and American life.

Top Secret Mission (Blogchatter - 1)

Ebook 1: I take on the Baton of Blogchatter Ebook Carnival from Pra-Gun whose ebook 'Coming Home to Nature' is also part of the mix.

About Pragun's ebook: Each of the 5 elements in nature represents a state of matter. Nature’s paradise has given me all these things. This book has few inputs on all the ways to stay connected to natural resources in and around us.  

Yes, dreams do come true! All you need to do is to dare to dream, take efforts to fulfil it and hit the right opportunity. My dream of becoming an author has now come true and I want to pen my journey to immortalize it.

I was lucky that the habit of reading was instilled in me at a very young age. I remember how I engrossed myself in reading Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. As I grew up I read Arthur Conan Doyle, O Henry, Sidney Sheldon, Rabindranath Tagore, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Rudyard Kipling and Shakespeare while still at school. My school library played an important role. Also, the books my parents had at home fascinated me and I am grateful to both. 

While doing my Honors in English Literature, I studied the works of Jane Austen and it was there that the thought of writing took birth. ‘I want to write a book someday,’ I scribbled in the last page of my notebook which came alive today, some twelve years later.

In these years, I did my post-graduation, grabbed a flourishing job in my dream company, married the love of my life and had two adorable kids. Then came a phase of my life where I was eventually cocooned at home, taking utmost care of my kids and spending the rest of the time in reading and playing my keyboard. Making the best use of solitude, by now I had already started writing. I wrote poems, stories and some parenting blogs which turned out well and I also won awards for it. It encouraged me further and I thought of writing a book on a serious note.

It is rightly said that when you truly wish for something, you get help from unexpected sources to fulfil it, and my source here was Twitter! I was new to it and started following some of my favourite authors and that is how I came across Blogchatter’s Ebook Carnival. Without wasting time, I immediately connected with them and registered for the carnival which was just a month away.

With a one-month-old baby in my arms, still recovering from my caesarian surgery, amidst a pile of diapers, sleepless nights, nursing blues, post-partum depression and with lots of people around, I couldn’t find a log to hold upon to fulfil my dream. At times I gave up completely because I would wait for my kids to fall asleep so that I could write. By the time I got that required pin-drop silence at home, I was too tired to look for my laptop.

Blogchatter, on the other hand, was highly encouraging, the session they arranged with established authors, their microblog sessions and facebook chats all motivated me to keep going. I then decided to first ditch the laptop and switch to my mobile for writing and second, write anytime and anywhere.

I wrote while I was feeding my baby, I wrote when I was awake at three in the morning, I wrote while waiting for my turn at the hospital, I wrote while eating, I was always scribbling something and eventually I ended up finishing the entire book in my mobile. To my surprise, I was ready with not just one but two books simultaneously.

Then came the difficult part of editing, designing covers, and formatting which was not possible in mobile. To add to my woes, we had to move to a different city at that very time. Till now an entire village helped me with my kids but now I was all alone. It was impossible to take out time for yourself, managing a toddler and a newborn. I still tried to work smart but my laptop crashed and so all my hopes too came crashing down. The only possibility to complete my book was now to work on my hubby’s office laptop. To test my patience, it was also his go-live month in office and he would return home not before midnight and sometimes as late as 2 a.m. So, on a weekend I hijacked his laptop for two days. He too helped me with the formatting, the last-minute hassles, we also fought while our ideas clashed and finally I hit the submit button!

Then came the big day of the book launch. Blogchatter made it a very special event for all of us and launched all the books of the carnival one after the other. I was impatiently waiting for my turn and was extremely proud to be part of the august group of authors. Blogchatter made it look like a cake walk, brought smiles to our faces and changed our lives forever.

May 22nd, 2018 at 2:30 p.m. I witnessed my cherished dream come true, I was now a published author.

Ebook 2: I pass on the Baton of Blogchatter Ebook Carnival to Kathakali whose ebook 'Love in the Battleground: A Maharashtrian Saga' is also part of the mix.

About Kathakali's ebook: The novel is based on a 19th century Bengali fiction “Maharashtra Jiban-Prabhat” by R.C. Dutta. Raghupati took up a soldier’s job under Shivaji at a time of political unrest. He falls in love with Saryu but things go wrong.

Book Review : ‘Ancient Cities of India’ by Sayan Bhattacharya

‘Ancient Cities of India’ is an interesting read for people having a proclivity for history and mythology. It is a well-researched book and the author has done an outstanding job in bringing about some captivating facts about our country and its roots.

I loved the idea of keeping the book crisp yet informative. This would attract readers who might not want to get into the details of the archaeological facts but might be interested in giving it a read for mere knowledge. Another striking feature of the book is, it is listed in alphabetical order and it must have been a challenging job for the author to dig out information of the cities named accordingly. The author has done a commendable job in compiling information from various sources and bringing it out in his own writing style.

He shares information about cities, some of which have been mentioned in the great epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. ‘Lavpur’ was named after Lord Rama’s son Lav and a temple that was built some thousands of years ago can still be found today as Lav temple. ‘Dwaraka’ dating back to Lord Krishna’s time was submerged by the ocean but the remains of the city can still be found. Some of the ancient cities are geographically now located in Pakistan and Afganistan.

This book represents the country’s historical past, traditions and rich culture which is depicted by the majestic temples and the beautiful cities. The author also pens about the rise and fall of various kingdoms in ancient times. I liked the author’s style of writing and how his descriptions lead to a picturesque view of the cities like Hastinapur, Bairat, Lahore, Multan, Varanasi and many more.

The author beautifully brings to light the facts about our rich cultural history which is unknown to many. He, also, very remarkably compiled his incredible research into one comprehensive book. This book will definitely serve as a reference work for history lovers and an interesting read for everybody else and thus, ‘Ancient Cities of India’ gets a thumbs-up from me.

Book Review : 'Finding Your Writing Flow' by Sona Grover

I loved the book ‘Finding Your Writing Flow’ for its simplicity and to-the-point tips. It is a thin book but good enough to inspire the writer within. The author has kept it short and comprehensive and I liked it the way it is. It is a book which one can refer to time and again to clear self-doubt, get guidance on writing tips and to enhance writing skills.

Every writer sometimes might stumble upon or reach a point from where they cannot find a way to restart. This book will guide you and help you come out of such situations as the author shares her experiences. This works as a handbook for writers.

The author shares her personal journey of writing in her book and divides it into five important parts of ‘Why I Write,’ ‘Finding Inspirations,’ ‘Being Productive,’ ‘Getting Better’ and ‘Self Renewals.’ She begins with a very relevant question that every writer should ask oneself before one begins to write and that is ‘Why I Write?’ Her take on finding inspirations is also unique and should work well if followed as she guides in her book. Keeping the end publication in mind and writing for best results is a tip that might work as an inspiration for many writers. Her personal narration of how she makes time to write is also worth giving a read. The idea of a ‘Muse’ is interesting and writers can follow this tip accordingly.

The author is very clear and sound while giving tips and advice. This book can be referred to by anybody who wishes to write, not just authors but even for our daily basis writing needs. It should help new writers, bloggers, reviewers or even for drafting official write-ups. It touches on the fundamentals of writing and how to overcome blocks and limits. I liked her writing style which is honest yet inspiring. Because she is a writer herself she knows very well what goes inside a writer’s brain! Thus, helps and guides in getting productive, staying creative and writing your best.

This book should find a place in everybody’s reading list and it is a must-read for beginners. Read this book before you start writing. You can refer to it whenever you need your dose of inspiration and thus it gets a thumbs-up from me.

Book Review : 'Bhumi' by Tina Sequeira

Before I write anything about the book, I would like to draw your attention towards the book’s cover. It’s beautiful, in-depth and just cannot be missed. Another striking thing about the book is, it is dedicated to the spirit of womanhood and you will know it’s true to its sense when you read the book.

I loved the author’s writing style and how she maintained the beauty of it throughout the twenty-six diverse short stories. The characters are so realistically woven that you can easily relate to them. Each story is different and complete in itself. The curated anthology of stories portrays women’s dreams, struggle, desires, strength, determination and independence in its unique way.

The title of the book is also one of the fine stories where the author draws a parallel line between our biological mother and mother Earth, ‘Bhumi’ and how she bears the brunt of our negligence and abuse.

Every story has a message and interesting protagonists, like ‘Amma’ makes you think till the end why it has a male lead. Saira’s ‘Crazy Courage’ helped her shape not just her future but also of her children. Ira in ‘Fat Chance’ is a woman like you and me, every woman is body shamed either for being fat or skinny. ‘Naked Illusions’ deals with the heartbreaking truth of how newborns are thrown away like trash just because they are born as girls. It also touches upon the lives of prostitutes and their struggles.

The secret love notes of ‘Dried Roses,’ the perfect backdrop of ‘Ending,’ the strong older women of ‘Grey,’ the taboo of ‘Hush,’ ‘Instant Gratification,’ ‘Juxtaposition,’ ‘Karma,’ ‘Unbridled’, are all penned artistically. The author touches many lives and their struggles as those of rape victims, women ostracized from society, a bold journalist, physically challenged and ends the stories with positivity and hope.

It is a well-researched collection of stories with varied characters, settings and a strong narrative. It is an eye-opener for many hidden but rampant issues like body shaming, late marriage, menstrual taboos, gender discrimination, eve-teasing, blackmailing, infanticide, slut-shaming, rape and are dealt with immense maturity and sensitivity.

It also depicts the author’s perspective towards women and how she is moved by these issues. Looking forward to reading more from her. Bhumi gets a thumbs-up!

मैं

मैं 

जीवन की सुंदरता तुमसे ही है

ख़ुद का ख़याल रखा करो,

ज़िंदगी के दो पल चुराकर 

कभी ख़ुद से भी बातें किया करो ।

“सबके ख़ुशी में है ख़ुशी मेरी”

ऐसे क्यूँ दिल को बेहलाना?

सबका ध्यान रखते रखते 

ख़ुद को भूल ना जाना ।

ईश्वर ने है तुम्हें बनाया 

तुम ख़ास हो ये मान लो,

एक मक़सद है इस जीवन का 

अब बस ख़ुद को पहचान लो।

कोई ख़्वाहिश दफ़न ना हो 

जियो ऐसा जीवन,

कोई बंधन रोक ना सके 

करो वही जो बोले मन।

एकांत में कुछ पल गुज़रो 

धुंड लो एक किनारा,

फ़ुर्सत से मुस्कुरा के पूछो 

“कैसे हो, क्या हाल है तुम्हारा?”

Let’s be an Indian First

I just got a transfer. New city, New office, new people, new language and what I loved most about this new place was its climate. Things were different and at times difficult.

One day while having tea with one of my colleagues, I got the shock of my life. I was deeply disheartened to hear what he said that day. He said he scolded his five-year-old kid because he went to play with his new neighbouring friend. What was his new friend’s fault? He was from Bihar!

He stopped him to make friends with his neighbours just because they were from Bihar. I couldn’t believe but I allowed him to go on. As per him, people from that state are uncultured, illiterate, burglars and even terrorists. If his son plays with their son he’ll come under bad influence.

I was infuriated not because of all the rubbish he said about Bihar but because he was telling the same to a five-year-old kid. He was already creating a negative impression at such a young age. Imagine what will happen when he’ll grow up with this perception.

Then I said, “I am from Bihar.”

I still remember his reaction. I scared him to the core!

“Do I look like a burglar or a terrorist? Do you think I am uncultured and illiterate?”

He was shocked because I am a Bengali and he thought all Bengalis are from Bengal. He even tried to calm me down saying Bengalis are very cultured people. 

That didn’t stop me. I understood he was ignorant. He never visited Bihar, he just believes what he reads about it in newspapers. What he lacked was knowledge and that is what I shared with him that day. 

I spoke about the glory of that place, its diversity, the beautiful places to visit, the well-established schools and yes, people from Bihar CAN speak impeccable English. We are down-to-earth people who believe in simple living. We don’t roam around in the streets with guns. 

Talking about crime and corruption, is there any state that is free from these? Then why is it that a part of our own country gets highlighted only for the negativity?

While I was still shooting mind-boggling facts and figures one after the other, another colleague joined us. He shared his experience of visiting his relative’s place in Bihar and all that he remembered was delicious food, fresh air, spacious houses and lively people.

My friend was dumbfounded listening to both of us. He realized his mistake and agreed that he never took efforts to know about other states and believed whatever was depicted by media. He also promised to meet his new neighbours. 

I left my hometown at a young age so, I know how it feels to be in a new place amongst strangers. I told him even his neighbours must be missing their families. They are just like you and me and staying away far from home is not easy. Being a localite you should be there to help them settle instead of treating them as aliens.

This was just one incident, but I have come across many more situations where people have developed a similar prejudice. The moment I mention I am from Bihar, they ask whether we have electricity there, good schools or even cars to commute! They assume I don’t understand English, I don’t know how to drive and the most common question is whether ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ is for real! It’s not easy to change the perception in a single day but I am happy that day I was able to change the mindset for not just one person but one entire family. 

Every change begins with a small step, whether it’s a change within your family, or the whole country! India’s hero, Padman, had its digital premiere on ZEE5, on 11th May. Don’t miss this inspiring true-life story, only on ZEE5. Download the app and subscribe now. For every subscription, ZEE5 will donate Rs. 5 towards the personal hygiene needs of underprivileged women. 

' Download the app and subscribe now' to https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/pad-man/0-0-movie_2077184162?utm_source=womensweb&utm_medium=all-channels&utm_content=may-2018&shortlink=f96f68a8&pid=Blog&c=Blogathon

[This blogpost is a part of Women’s Web’s ‘Kadam Chota, Change Bada’ contest.]

दो बच्चों की माँ

आँगन में आज दो फूल खिलें

घर में ख़ुशी की लहर छा गयी 

इन दोनो को देख के सोचती हूँ

जाने कब दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी 

दिन भर घर से बाहर रहती थी 

घूमना-फिरना, सीनेमा में मशगूल रहती थी 

अब तो बस किलकारियों में क़ैद हो गयी 

जाने कब दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी 

खाने का तो नाम ना लो, नख़रे हज़ार होते थे 

आज बच्चों के पीछे भागते भागते 

सुबह की चाई दोपहर की बन गयी 

जाने कब दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी 

मेरी स्कूटी मेरी जान हुआ करती थी 

कभी भी, कहीं भी, यूँ ही निकल पड़ती थी 

कबसे ख़ुद के लिए जीने को तरस गयी 

जाने कब दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी 

कपड़े जूते चुन चुन के पहनती थी 

घंटो चेहरे पे चंदन लगाया करती थी 

अब तो फ़ुर्सत से नहाना भी ख़्वाहिश बन गयी 

जाने कब दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी 

कब कैसे जिंदेगी में इतनी दूर आ गयी 

खामखां ही इतनी बड़ी हो गयी 

ख़ुद के बचपन से उभरते उभरते

ना जाने कब दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी 

नींद तो मानो पहला प्यार था मेरा 

अब रात से सुबह हो जाती है बच्चों को सुलाने में 

पर उनके सोने के बाद भी जब उनको निहारने लगी 

तब हंस पड़ी, सचमुच, मैं दो बच्चों की माँ बन गयी