Deep Ties

Chetna Keer’s writing is never predictable. It does not flow like a serene river from one point to another; instead, it leaps from crag to crag leading to sudden dips that make the readers hold their breath. It meanders across the plain for a split second, and once again, takes an unexpected turn into the unknown. The unforgettable Lollita aka Laasyanga Mansingh makes an appearance once again in Garnets Under My Gulmohar, the sequel to Giddha on My Gulmohar, published by Readomania. While the latter was more of a satire, Chetna’s latest offering is more on the lines of a suspense novel even though its exquisite crimson cover screams of romance.   The Reading Room at Kussowlie Club is the backdrop for the Strolley Storylovers’ Book Club consisting of six steady bibliophiles, along with a mysterious seventh member. The Book Club is suddenly thrown into mayhem as a woman is found dead in a bathtub and the news channels run amok trying to conjure up the most bizarre reasons for the dea

  On our second day at Cape Town, it was time to do something for the kids. So, we made our way to the highly popular Two Oceans Aquarium. As we waited to get the tickets, we glanced around at the exterior with massive placards that were very impressive.   We couldn’t wait to get inside.                                      The interiors were dim, designed to make us hold our breath as our eyes fell on the spectacular exhibits within the glass cages.  I, for one, had never seen coral so colourful in my life. The sea horses with their unique question-mark shapes captivated us as did the various other specimens that were spread in a dazzling array, each more eye catching than the ones that went before. We felt that we were under the ocean as shoals of fish swam around us, darting about in quick succession.                                    The stingray section reminded us of the tragic and untimely death of the vibrant Steve Irwin, the Australian conservator known as the Crocodile Hun