Deep Ties

  Is it possible to use one’s mind to solve problems with ease and control one’s lives? Geethica Mehra writes an interesting book in which she speaks of her own experiences in winning her subconscious mind to lead a successful life. The mind controls the body, but thoughts control the brain. Geethica starts her book with some sure-shot remedies to control one’s thoughts in such a way that only the positive ones remain in one’s mind. The brain can be motivated to think positive thoughts which could be personal or purely creative. A person can detach himself from several bad habits through training his brain. Will power is all powerful. It makes one strong. The brain takes commands, and when the person controlling it is focused, the commands also stay positive. Obstacles come in the way often, but if the will power is strong, these also melt away. Geethica suggests a few methods by which a person begins to believe in the strength of his own mind, without getting influenced by externa

  The dedication says it all! To the frontline warriors of the pandemic and the Bravehearts providing us with essential services! Writer Huma Masood puts it poignantly: “Although we face the same storm, some boats are rocked by larger waves. Some struggle, some inspiration.” This book puts forth a few illuminating thoughts which help to light a candle in these trying times. Four sections make up this volume consisting of poems that were mostly written during the #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge. What strikes the eye are the bright vibrant colours demarcating the sections and the striking illustrations within. The first section titled ‘She’ deals with the freedom of a woman within the confines of her cage. When the mountains invite her, she is set to traverse the endless skies and the high domains. When she emerges, she looks ahead in anticipation towards “a universe where equity is favoured”. Huma Masood’s poems are short, but hope-filled and resilient. Each poem ends on a particula

This is the story of Meera – “ a complex, extra-ordinary girl with simple dreams.” And Keshav – “an attractive, fair, clean-cut young man with a mesmerizing persona.” The duo meet at a common friend’s party and exchange numbers. They find in each other exactly what they have been lacking in their own lives. This book, as the author remarks, is dedicated to Meera and her affection for Keshav.   Meera’s journey is a poetic one, and as she puts down her thoughts in verse, the curtain rises on the drama. “A mirror of me that was lost in the past, in his eyes I found myself at last.” Mayura Amarkant is as much a magician in prose as she is in poetry. The feelings of the young girl, her thoughts about her new love, the reasons why she feels so close to the young man who has stolen her heart, all these are portrayed in verse form. However, the path of love is not always free of thorns. When Keshav pays more attention to another girl, Meera, filled with jealousy, decides to turn a c

  There are always stages that love goes through – the first flush of romanticism, followed by the meeting of the two hearts in a blissful world. For many lovers, this becomes the bedrock of their lives. However, poet Kashish Mahtani, does not stop there, in her wonderful book of poems titled ‘Melody of a Muddled Mind’. The first section, ‘WHIMSICAL WHISPERS’, meanders across a sea of emotions, dealing with the avatars of women, as daughters, devotees and lovers. Women may be selfless angels on earth, fighting the battles of others.   However, they can turn into trouble, if mistreated. A powerful poem in this context is titled ‘Goddess of the Skies, Songstress of the Seas’. It delves into the strength of a woman who may get hurt but will still stay by her lover’s side. A line which is very poignant goes thus – “She’s the same ‘goddess’/ You pray to in temples/ And prey on in the streets.” The remaining poems in this section deal mainly with the simple joys of life, such as pure l

  We have all grown up on fairy tales which have piqued our interest, mainly due to a sense of adventure and excitement, of worlds populated by princes and princesses, mythical creatures and folk, magic and fantasy, and a feeling of happily-ever-after. Children across the world have been tucked into bed with these bedtime stories, and have gone to sleep, dreaming of them as well.   What, then, is different about these posts that narrate tales that were rewritten by the oh-so-popular Grimms Brothers, who tried to preserve the features of oral tales that had evolved over the centuries? Or Hans Christian Andersen whose stories were more classical with a tinge of satire?   It has always been difficult to debunk stories that have taken root in the human imagination. This is exactly what Deepika, the narrator who has analysed and reinterpreted them, and Shalini, the poet, have done in the 26 posts that span the alphabet in their #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge. Most of the most well-known sto

  Sona Grover could not have said it better when she introduced her book titled ‘Building a Writing Practice’ to her readers. “ Writing is a craft that gets better when you do it again and again and focus on things you must improve. Like a muscle, it can be built. And to train your writing muscles you have to give them a range of motion. “ This book, written during the #Blogchatter A2Z Challenge, should be read by all writers, aspiring and otherwise. According to the author, writing is a habit that needs to be pursued regularly. Research is vital but putting it down in writing is obviously even more so. She mentions writer’s block as a phase which can be addressed through self-care and refilling. Keeping a blog is one way to keep ahead of one’s ideas, and the author encourages one to maintain a content calendar that helps to play around with creative content. Planning often works wonders and aids in the flow. There are some wonderful exercises to flex one’s writing muscles. The

                                                                           The vastness and the beauty of India have been encapsulated in this book titled ‘Incredible India Bucket-List’ by Aditya Sathe. Written as part of the #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge, the book portrays the various places within India, ranging across the alphabet, that an avid traveller could add to his bucket-list once the pandemic is over. Aditya Sathe seems to have cast his discerning eye over the map of India and chosen places most likely to satisfy the above-mentioned avid traveller. Places like Airavatesvara Temple, the Edakkal Caves in Wayanad and Yamunotri abound with legends that pique the interest. The author has made it a point to also paint a picture of the history of the places mentioned, be it the Basilica of the lady of Good Health, also known as ‘the Lourdes of the East’, the Dharur Fort and the Udaipur City Palace, both of which passed through many hands, or Nandi hills, the site of Tipu’s fortress.