A Trip to Remember

"Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life." - Michael Palin

....and such were our thoughts as we hopped happily from shore to shore early May in 2013. Though the objective of our trip was not really to enjoy the sands and seas but when you are travelling along the coast, you cannot but help yourself to a dip in the cool waters and loiter on some of the sun drenched beaches of Western coast of India.

We arrived at Manipal at about 8:30am from Hyderabad. After a quick breakfast at our uncle's home, we set out for some work which was also a part of our objective for the trip. After we got back home and enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by aunt, we headed off for a siesta...which ended up being much longer than a siesta is supposed to be. Anyway, we got ready and took a tour of the adjoining city of Udupi. We also went to the Venkatramana temple at Kalyanpur, which is supposed to be a branch of the same temple in Karkala. We got back home to a sumptuous dinner and also had a chance to savour the mangoes from the tree in the front yard. We then enjoyed chit chat at the terrace before finally hitting the sack to prepare for an early morning the following day.

The following day, we headed off towards Ankola in uncle's car. We took many stopovers before we finally arrived at Ankola. The first stopover was the polling booth, for it was voting day for Karnataka legislative assembly. When uncle and aunt returned to the car after casting their votes and began our sojourn, the discussions revolved around politics, outcome of the elections, next year's general elections etc and when we saw beautiful landscapes, parallels were being drawn to Scotland and also aunt and mum-in-law got very nostalgic about their trip to the United Kingdom. Thus chattering we arrived at the Marvante beach which was at its peaceful best. The beach was devoid of people and we enjoyed soaking our feet in the cool waters on a very warm day. It was beautiful and peaceful and was lined by just 2-3 shop shacks which uncle and aunt tagged as 'Our 5 star hotel'. We enjoyed sweet coconut water from tender coconuts and also got some groundnuts from this 5 star hotel. We continued the journey and soon arrived at the Byndoor beach by a Shiva temple. The soil on the Byndoor beach is quite firm and does not leave the sandy residue on one's feet that is often the case while soaking in the waters by the beach. There are some nice rocks by the Byndoor beach which adds a lot of value to the already beautiful beach BUT quite slippery. Unfortunately, I had a slip there and the waters of the sea washed over our camera rendering it incapable of doing what it was designed for. I soon got back on my feet and headed to the temple and sought blessings to avoid such occurrences again during our trip and the God, cheerfully granted us his blessing. It was close to lunch time and we realised how hungry we were just soaking at the sea and bathing in the sun. The beauty of interwebs is an amazing thing. We started discussing the beauty of the coast and one thing led to another and we started discussing food and we did so even as we arrived at RNS Highway Hotel in Murudeshwar and up until the food arrived. Probably the only way we could keep quiet about food was by actually eating it. There was a little pup by a potted plant and my husband took a fond liking towards it and would have enjoyed some time playing with it but it turned out that it was more keen on its rest.

Marvante Beach

Byndoor Beach

All full and happy, we set out again and thought we would visit the beautiful Murudeshwar temple. It turned out it was the resting time for the Gods of the temple and hence closed. We however, drove around the temple and enjoyed the beautiful and tall Shiva statue and a very high Gopur and headed off to Kumta to meet a few relatives who have settled there. 

Temple at Murudeshwar

Murudeshwar Temple

We are people from South Canara and it is unusual for our families to settle in North Canara but on arriving at their place, we realised why they would do so. We visited R's grandpa's sister's place. She is 85 and walks with the support of a stick but very active nonetheless. She had prepared delicious sheera and pakodas to welcome us. Her family and she live in a beautiful old-fashioned house which has been renovated with all the modern facilities and amenities by the river Agnashi. It has an old-world charm to it. The house - a river-front, has a beautiful rose garden to welcome visitors. There is a small temple and a mill (their business) by one side of their home. On the other side, a boat building was going on. There are some ferries that take people across the other side of the river. It was pure joy for us- the city dwellers but they did discuss their share of troubles. Like they say- Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. The other attraction here for R in particular, was Chikoo- the ferocious looking 12 year old German shepherd. He and Chikoo took an instant liking towards each other and had a quiet conversation on their own. After having a lovely time at Kumta, we headed of Ankola temple- Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mahamaya. We stayed at the temple quarters in Ankola. At night, we had the opportunity of witnessing the Palanquin Utsav where the temple deity was taken around in a palanquin and were offered prayers on its way. We then had a much needed dinner at the temple premises and headed off to bed.

Boat Building in Kumta

Roses on the right. Front-view of river Agnashi

The following day, our main destination was the Sri Shanteri Kamakshi Ramanathi temple in Ponda, Goa. We started off quite early in the morning following breakfast to the temple. I was dressed in a saree with customary wedding jewellery. We arrived there by 11:30am and offered our prayers. The temple was unusually crowded on account of a wedding that was taking place in the premises of the temple. There were some people bursting crackers in the premises too. It was a little annoying but we were happy that we met one of the objectives of the travel. It was lunch time by then and as usual, the stomach people were knocking on its doors. We went to the temple canteen and had some meal but it did not satiate us, or stop us. We continued our journey and went to Cancona's Palolem beach. I could change from the saree to something more comfortable at one of the changing rooms there. Since it was mid-day and also peak of summer, taking a dip at the sea was completely ruled out. We placed ourselves at a beach facing shack like restaurant and viewed the sea while quenching our thirst with icy cool drinks. R also bought a bright yellow souvenir t-shirt for himself with a picture of an elephant on it. He was grumpy from the time we left the temple canteen at Ponda all the way through Palolem but his purchase cheered him considerably and he was quite chirpy for the rest of the day. 

From Cancona, we soon arrived at Karwar. We would have loved to eat at the popular Amruth Family Restaurant but due to the announcement of the results of elections, this place was advised to stay closed. We went to another place called Poornima close to Amruth. Here, our orders were taken by a female waiter- a rare sight in India especially in small restaurants in small towns of the county. It seemed to take forever for our order to arrive and when it did, we just leapt on the food and gobbled as fast as we could to answer some very important questions raised by Mr. Hunger. Now, Poornima is a very run down place and I saw a few cats taking a tour of the dining room. I only hoped that the cats were not being raised there for some specific purpose pertaining to some form of kitchen nuisance. After surrendering to the conditions but enjoying the food, we proceeded to Karwar Beach. We enjoyed ourselves at the calm and polite waters at the Karwar Beach which apparently also represents the nature of the locals. We enjoyed the beautiful sunset at Karwar. It was really lovely but some clouds did try their best to block our view. A very cool breeze was blowing by the beach and came as a welcome relief from the cruel, humid summer. Following this, we returned to Ankola and after ablutions, had a wholesome dinner at the temple and a good night's sleep.

Me at Karwar

The following day, we rose early yet again. After prayers and breakfast at the temple, we started towards a beautiful island. I do not wish to reveal the name of the place as it still quite untouched by tourism but for the sake of convenience, I will call it MK island. So, we arrived at the little MK island on a boat from a place close to Kundapur. We visited the Durga Parameshwari temple there and had bananas and one of the best lemonades ever prepared by the family of the priest. It is a rare privilege and we cherished it thoroughly. We then hired a boat and went around the island and lapped up all the scenic beauty of the place. It was simply breath-taking. We waved at some children by the shore and felt good whenever they reciprocated. 

View of MK Island

View of MK Island

View of MK Island

View of MK Island

View of MK Island

The tour on the boat lasted an hour and we wished it did not end.  Once back at the place we first boarded the boat, we started going towards a special place in Kundapur- Shetty Lunch Home. Now, before we got into the ferry to MK island, aunt had called up Shetty Lunch Home to place an order for their specialty- Chicken Ghee Roast. It is very important to place an order at least an hour before so that they can serve it to you as soon as you arrive, else, there is an hour's waiting time at the minimum. It seems the chicken is marinated only when an order is placed and takes a long time for the marinated chicken to rest. I guess, people like to adopt weird strategies when it comes to their quick-selling specialties. Anyway, we were served the dish soon after we arrived. R enjoyed the chicken bursting with ghee. I, being a vegetarian, opted for the Gobi Ghee Roast but was not really impressed with it and found it way too salty and spicy to my liking. We then went to Ideal Ice Creams to soothe my tongue burnt with the spicy ghee roast. The choco-nut bar did its job as a fire-fighter very well. We again hopped into the car to head towards our next destination- Malpe beach.

R in the t-shirt from Cancona, outside Shetty Lunch Home in Kundapur

Malpe beach was very crowded place and also offered a lot of water sporting options and para-sailing. After our Mauritian experience with para-sailing, R and I were not very impressed with what was being offered at Malpe for para-sailing or other water sports. It came no where close to what we experienced previously. We opted for a doubles- ride though, on the water scooter. It was high tide at the time and the waters quite choppy but we managed to enjoy the ride. The 'pillion' rider needs to cling quite tightly to ensure their security as there is every possibility of being thrown into the sea in choppy waters. I only wish, that the people conducting the rides had a bit more concern for the safety of others at the beach and not of only those who are booking their rides. We again witnessed the sunset at Malpe beach and left for Manipal. After ablutions, we again enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal by aunt, ice-cream and the mangoes from the front yard. We also enjoyed 2 old English classics- The Old Man and the Sea and Some Like it Hot (partially)  from uncle's huge collection of movies and went to bed.

At Malpe Beach- Can you spot us? Clue: Water scooter

Next morning, we were up early to visit my mum-in-law's uncle and aunt in an ashram in Surathkal- Ajja  and Mamama. Ajja is about 96 and Mamama a few years younger. They spoke to us about their lives in Karkala and how they were spending their time at the ashram. They lit up our hearts with their cheerfulness. It made us realise how easy it is to be happy with simplicity. After spending time with them for an hour-hour and a half, we left for Manipal. 

Ajja-R-Mum-in-law-Mamama

On arriving, we quickly packed our bags as this was our last day of the entire trip and time to go back to Hyderabad. We then had a quick lunch and completed watching Some Like it Hot. By the time the movie ended, it was time for us to leave. 

We learnt a lot on the trip about our culture and establishment of temples. Being GSB Konkanis, we usually mingle amongst other GSB Konkanis of South Canara. On this trip, we had a glimpse of other non- GSB Konkanis of Karnataka and all types of Konkanis Goa in terms of lifestyle and differences in our cultures and languages. It was also strange, especially coming from Hyderabad, to see people unknown to each other communicate with one another in Konkani. It is a very very rare sight and hence, quite strange. 

We left bidding adieu to uncle, aunt and Manipal, knowing that we would be returning sometime soon and creating newer memories to cherish.

In Review: Preeti Shenoy

I never really had heard of Preeti Shenoy, nor was she discussed in the circle of my friends. I accidentally chanced upon her book Life is What You Make It while browsing through Flipkart.com. Browsing through Flipkart is one of my favourite things to do when I have absolutely nothing else to do. I saw that this book was up for pre-order. I just thought Flipkart is promoting new talent. I was tempted but did not really buy the book at that point in time. Once the book was released, I read the initial reviews, all of which suggested that the book was really good. I loved Flipkart at that time for they would give very good discounts on books and saw that there was a good deal with Life is What You Make It as well and purchased it....and then I began following Preeti's works religiously.

What I noticed in Preeti's writing:

- I have read 3 books so far. All 3 of them were women-centric.
- The language is free-flowing and simple and casual but not too casual in the sense it is not loosely written.
- The stories that I have read so far are based on women of today so it very easy to relate to.

A brief review of Preeti's books (that I have read so far):

Life is What You Make It

This book bowled me over, for, before this book I never read a story like this before. It is about a woman with Bi-polar syndrome and how she is taught to overcome it. The writing is very heart-rending and I could really put myself in the place of the protagonist. Now, the funny thing about me is that whenever I read books describing disorders/diseases, I feel I am suffering from them too. So, you can understand how I must have felt while reading this book. When the main character suffered, I could experience it too. It is a possibility that this is one of the reasons why the book bowled me over. The story is one of a kind (at least for me). We do not associates these kind of stories from Indian writers. The writing is also quite positive and gives a lot of hope to people who suffer from the disease. 4.5/5 rating from me.

Tea for Two and a Piece of Cake

This book is another good work, however, I have not yet understood why the book has been titled the way it has been. It is not very obvious when you read the book. The story however is an important one. It is about a woman who gives up her career after marriage and becomes completely dependant on her husband. After a few years of marriage, she is faced with a divorce. Being completely dependant, she struggles to find her feet in the world following separation from her husband. The story is about how she manages to do it eventually. It indirectly tells you to treasure all skills you have learnt all through your life. It gives a message to all women on importance of financial independence and not to lose your identity after marriage. Quite a good book. The book is 4/5 rating from me.

The Secret Wish List

Of the 3 books, I would rate this book the least. It is somewhat similar to Tea for Two yet different. It is about a woman who feels oppressed and lacks respect in her marriage. Her life revolves around pleasing her husband and child. Through a series of unexpected events, she decides to live her life for herself and creates a wish list where she pens her desires. Though the concept was good I did not enjoy it as much as the other two books. The language is quite 'teen'. There are some errors in the book- for example- when Diksha (the main character) talks to herself, she calls herself Vibha and when Diksha and her husband are having a conversation, he calls her Vibha/Tanu etc. It startles one when one is reading. Besides, the way the progression of the story happens is not very interesting. It was non-putdownable as you are expecting something exciting or new to happen and it does not. Quite average considering the other books. 2.5/5 rating from me.

Apart from these, there is another book, 34 Bubblegums and Candies. I think it was her first book. It is a collection of short stories. A friend of mine read one of the stories in the book and shared that it was quite average. I will have to read it myself to ascertain the feedback.

Hope to read a new kind of work from Preeti soon.

I've Heard That Song Before- By Mary Higgins Clarke

This is the first book that I borrowed from the British Council Library in Hyderabad. I must also add that so far, this is the only book that I borrowed from this particular library and have managed to finish. I was suffering from a 'Reader's block' and this one help me get out of it. I am getting back to my block slowly so must find another book that can help me fight it.

Well, just because a book gets you out of a reader's block, it does not mean it is great.  This book was a good read but not an outstanding one. It is the first time that I read Mary Higgins Clark's work. The plot is good but a stereotype if you have read other books in this genre. It is a thriller. As I mentioned, the plot is a stereotype in the sense, you already know that the accused is not the one who did whatever he was accused of doing. I think a huge reason why this book would keep someone hooked until the end is the natural inquisitiveness that we as humans possess. We want to know who did it and why...

In brief and in an attempt to not reveal too much, it is a story about the rich Peter Carrington and a younger woman Kay. Peter is a sleep walker and in charged with 2 murders and as the story progresses people think he has actually committed them in a state of somnambulism. In the end, we know that he did not commit the crimes at all. The big questions are- who? how? why?

What I loved about the book is the description of the Carrington estate. It has been described simply and well and actually transported me to the place. The other thing that I liked was yet again- descriptions of food. The plot also has a well defined set of characters who do not keep increasing exponentially as the story progresses. Some of the books in the genre have innumerable number of characters and they only keep increasing during the course of the story that it clutters your mind and you sometimes need to go back and forth in the book just to make sure who is who.

What I think could have been much better- It starts of with Kay describing her town and Peter Carrington's past. Then it got a little confusing for me because she is not the only one narrating the story. So when I suddenly read something like (just an example)- 'Is Kay after the money? I must find out.' I wondered why she was doubting herself only to realise a little later that someone else was also doing the talking in the book. There are also some parts where the author is doing the story telling herself. It made me wonder if Mary Higgins Clark had taken a lot of big breaks while writing this one as she did not seem to remember how the story was being told and who was doing the talking.
Also, she has not paid too much of an attention towards developing the characters in the book. 

The book shares its title with an old song but has not been utilized very well. There is a clue hidden in the title but I could think of a thousand other titles for the book that would seem more relevant.

What was kind of strange - the police hardly seemed to have any power. All the investigation was done by the prosecutor, a guy named Nicholas Greco and Kay herself. Police just appeared to be carrying out orders issued by prosecutors and doing some amount of field work that they are expected to do at crime scenes. They did not seem interested in interrogation or any other cop-like stuff.

All things said and done, I have a mixed reaction towards the book. I would recommend it to others who are looking to kill time over the weekend but if you want to read it to activate the grey matter upstairs, this book is a big no-no. My rating- 2/5 stars.

This Day That Month

August 6,2012; Monday; 6:45pm- S and R enter wedlock

December 6,2012; Thursday; 6:45pm- S and R married for 4 whole months

....and boy has it been a fun journey!!!! The first 4 months of marriage are so important. They help you build the foundation for the rest of your lives. It is the time where the couple have to probably make lifestyle changes...most often they are big changes but they are ones that happen so readily, so easily and naturally that you really have to think back hard to recall how it was before. Both of us have lived through a lot these 4 months- Our 1st trip post-marriage to Mauritius, my moving to Bangalore for 2 months for work, his frequent trips to meet me, my final move to Hyderabad. Amidst all these movements back and forth across cities, we found joy in simple things together- be it our 1st month anniversary cake or silly banter or buying stuff together for our home.

Our Story in Brief: It all started with a chat of few mins, but as time went by, few mins, stretched to an hour and then few hours and then all night. We had no choice, we had so much to say to each other that a lifetime seemed insufficient. We had to get married.

Every woman feels that her husband is the best in the world and it is because she has found the missing piece of a complex puzzle called life and believes he is 'THE' person she can spend her life with, without any regrets. I am one such person I guess :-)

Anyway, all this said and done, I now feel qualified to impart my knowledge and share my experience with those who are planning to about to enter wedlock by busting 3 common myths.

Myth 1: You both have got to have the exact same interests.
Reality: Both R and I are incompatibly compatible. We have similar interests but they are quite dissimilar. For example: We are both fond of reading but the kind of books we love to read are entirely different. I love reading fiction mainly and sometimes a bit of non-fiction. He loves reading books on codes and computers, philosophy and occasionally non-fiction. We love listening to music but the genres again are quite different. He loves Rap (and I can't stand it) while I love Rock, a bit of Indi (Tapori numbers he says, but honestly I like anything peppy and/or melodious), pop and a bit of classical. These are just examples. There are so many other similar (dis)liking. So you see, you we have interests that may seem similar but are actually poles apart.

Myth 2: You will be tied down once you are married and will not have as much freedom as you did as a single. You will lose your independence.
Reality: I was a big believer of this and would avoid the topic of marriage as much as I could. I knew a bunch of people who seemed very clingy to their spouse. Now, that I am sailing in a similar boat, I realise that I have all the independence one can ask for and more. My new family is so supportive and encourage me to pursue my interests. My space was of the utmost importance to me and I am so happy that I have it in abundance and it is very well respected as well. Of course, there are some responsibilities, but these are responsibilities one enjoys to take up on and does not look upon as punishment. Marriage is not the finish line but a new beginning.

Myth 3: Hindi daily soaps (drama) depict what happens in real life
Reality: Huh?? You don't believe this, do you?? Well, an honest confession- long long time ago, when I was naive and in my early 20s, I did believe this. With whatever little of the soaps that I watched- all saasus seemed so vicious and scheming. To add to that, there were a host of chachis, maamis, nanads, mausis who could do nothing all day other than spew poison and scheme to put the new bride through all kinds of agni-parikshas and test her patience and resolve. In reality, I found this so very far from reality.  My mother-in-law is such a loving, caring woman from whom I learn a lot as the days pass by. R's aunts and uncles are such a joy to be with and such wonderful, loving and kind people that I cannot even imagine in my wildest dreams that they can even think of anything negative for anyone who is not family as well.

Having said all that I have so far, it is quite important to know what you are getting into before getting married. The myths can become a reality if you dive into the sea of marriage blindfolded. Spend time together with each other and try to get to know him/her and try to look for that inner-voice that says- This is it!! I may have painted a rosy picture of marriage here but remember, it is not always roses and peaches. There would be thorns that would prick and prick real hard at times. It is your love and togetherness that will help you through the toughest of times.

The Forgotten News

The afternoon was very warm. Raman's old fragile body was tired. His mind was weary with the day's proceedings at court. He seated himself on an easy-chair, his eyes stared idly to the ceiling where the fan went on slowly in circles making that rusty sound- krrrr krrrr. 29 years had passed by and it only seemed like yesterday. His eyes fell upon the old scrap book. He clasped it and sighed silently. Some of the pages of the book had started withering and discolouring. Slowly, he turned over the leaves of the old scrap book and memories came forth with the speed of light. 

29 years had passed by- Raman was the most talked about person in the country. As he turned pages of his scrap book full of newspaper clippings, he observed how the papers called him 'the Revolutionary Common Man' and 'the One Man Army against Corrupt Politicians' and 'the Lone Warrior'. How they had glorified him! Raman was one of thousands of common men who had been cheated by a corrupt politician who devoured their lifetime's savings. He was the only one of those thousands to raise his voice and courageously take legal action against the one who cheated him. 

India was looking for role models and heroes for motivation and inspiration. When a common man like Raman came to the fore, India got just what it was looking for. Every newspaper carried news about Raman's case and interviews with him. The news channels on TV and radio were flooded with news about him and many a debate took place on the success of his pursuit for justice. In the evenings, friends would meet after work to discuss Raman's case at length over tea. Housewives would discuss with each other of what they thought and what their husbands thought of the whole situation during their free time. Raman was every where in the air. He enjoyed every bit of attention and support he received from any quarter as it would strengthen him and give him the moral boost he needed in tough times. It made him believe that success would eventually be his and kept him beaming with positivity. To top it off, every big lawyer in the country wanted to be on his case, for if he won, it would take them to greater heights in their career and give them the visibility they yearn for, as, media watched his case like a hawk.

Media watched his case...like a hawk....for one entire month...and during this one entire month, Raman would clip all articles on his case and about him and his quest for justice. He wanted to show his children and grandchildren that it is possible to be victorious when you have truth on your side...for one entire month...

...and then India won the World Cup Cricket tournament. Eleven heroes were created in a day. India found its heroes, people they could idolise and have for role-models. It was a huge achievement for the country. All the media focus shifted to this newly acquired glory. It was something that put India back on the world map...at least on the cricketing map.

Then, there were floods- massive floods that took up the media attention...900 dead, 500 missing, 100,000 stranded. When the country was recovering from the flood, there was a major military operation and loss of the Prime Minister followed by massive riots. Media attention could not be anywhere else but on these. As these events unfolded one after the other, the household talks also changed accordingly. In addition, other emotions such as anguish, anxiety and fear also took over. It is not easy for a country to have an assassinated Prime Minister and not react to the situation.

Amidst all this, Raman's news got buried...his quest for justice went on but his big support system- the media and people left his side for there was so much more happening in the world that was more captivating than a common man take a politician to court. People had forgotten him and his cause. He treaded on alone. It is funny how the popularity of a case in the media is inversely proportional to the fees charged by lawyers. As the popularity of his case dropped and nothing of it could even catch the eye of the media, the fees levied by his lawyer sky-rocketed. This was after-all not 'THE' case that could give them the popularity to win them a seat at the parliament or at the least, fatten their wallets for future cases. 

Raman is still 'the Lone Warrior' with the support of his family broken in spirit and a disinterested lawyer. He has not given up. He is still fighting hard for justice and his lifetime's savings against the politician who is dead by now....He has still not been able to tell the story of his victory which he really wanted to, to his grand children....He also slightly misses the attention from the media and people which 29 years back, for one whole month was entirely his...his only solace on that warm afternoon, lying on his easy chair was the scrapbook bearing the many clippings of the Forgotten News...

My Combat With Linux

I wrote this post way back in 2005 in my erstwhile blog. I realised the importance of blogging in our lives when I read that post. It really helps us reflect and take an overview of things. For example:

It is amazing to see how much progress we have made in terms of technology when we look back. Back then in 2005, I was using a dial-up internet connection at home and now I have wi-fi at home...and of course I had that in-between wired broadband connection.

My friends(those in the s/w field) call Linux- The Wonder Software(I still have my own questions regarding what a software can actually be but I'll save it for later). The length at which they speak of it, had a great impact on me. It gave me a feeling that it is God sent and ignorance about this divine gift is definitely not bliss. It is considered cool and the widely used Windows is termed crap and far more inferior to Linux. Impressed by all this Linux talk, I decided to try using it myself. My Big B had already installed Linux on to my PC and he like my friends asked me to give it a try.

I accessed it. It looked awesome. My 1st attraction was the games. I was impressed by the wide variety it had to offer. It had everything from traditional games to action and adventure. I said to myself ''Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?'' After enjoying the games, I moved to my next attraction - Painting and drawing tools. These were impressive as well. The presence of grids made drawing etc; really simple. I said to myself ''Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?'' Another attraction was the touch-up one could do with pictures and photographs. Amazing......... For me, my PC means a lot more than playing games or sketch or improvise on errors made by photographers. It is a means of staying connected with my friends, news , views, gossip, home-work, assignments etc....etc..... and to accomplish this I require a blessing called the Internet. Internet it was where it all began- My Combat with Linux. 
Setting up a connection was no child's play. I don't quite remember what I did but permutations and combinations of all sorts help me set it up. It didn't take me very long. Maybe.... mhmm.....5-6 hours in all. When it was all set-up, I dialled as anticipation welled up in me. Everything about it was so amazing (so far). After a short pause ittold me - The modem is busy ( busy?? my modem?? it is a Sunday afternoon for Chrissake!!!!!! my modem is my ardent follower- totally jobless). I am not the kind of a person who could succumb to such blatant lies thrown at me by a s/w I've just met. I decided not to give in. I had to stand up for Humanity's sake. I kept on dialling and staring back at the lies it slapped at my face. Finally, I was victorius. No, I wasnot able to connect to the net but the more I dialled my computer got hung. I wouldn't let it kill my long time buddy-the comp. I restarted and worked on it again. Dialled again. But apparently it was bent on strangling my computer. I am not a person who can be defeated by the antics of a s/w. I persevered. I was persistent. I restarted my computer again and again. Finally, Linux broke down.Each time I tried to access it a blank black screen stared back at me and after a minute or so my computer would restart again. I knew that this s/w will put up all kinds of strategies to beat me but it just didn't know who it was up against. It totally gave up in some time. I CONQUERED LINUX. Yes. I did it. I rendered it incapable of evenrestarting the computer. All it showed me was a blank black screen representing the acceptance of grief, defeat and remorse. I said to myself-''Why did anybody tell me about this-EVER?'' (The Wonder Software had flopped miserably)
I Returned to Windows.

Windows who had been a silent observer all this while got a hint- Never to mess with me. As I returned to Windows. I got a familiar friendly and inviting welcome. Everything about Windows was so easy. It gave a high degree of comfort to work with. Internet connection was so easy to set up and connected with a click of finger (on the mouse). It so well behaved, never giving a tough time. This is why i think they say - Looks can be Deceptive. Linux was deceptive.

My Literary Bong Connection

Calcutta (or Kolkata) is known to be the cultural capital of the country. I would say the whole of Bengal could easily be the cultural capital of our country. It is from this state that I have witnessed very rich literature being generated.

I have to thank my best friend Malabika for introducing me to Bengali literature. Since I cannot really read the language very well, I had to depend on the translations. It made me think if I could enjoy the translations so much, I, most definitely would have fallen in love with the literature in the original language of writing. It is a deep sea of literature. I have read most of the recommendations of my friend but I know there is still a lot to discover. India is slowly waking up to the joys of Bengali literature. I say this going by the rising number of translated versions of Bengali books available in big book stores in the country. Now, most of what I read was very old literature, some written in early 1900s and some even earlier. There were some that were written in 1960s. The literature was quite varied and encompassed a wide array of genres and mixed-genres.

What struck me most from my reading!!

- One thing that was most notable to me from all the reading (translations of course) was how progressive and modern Calcutta was back then. It is the case even now, but Calcutta being an Indian metro, we expect it. It also portrays Calcutta as one of the most important business hubs of the country. People back then would travel length and breadth of the country to look for opportunities for business and jobs not only to Mumbai but also to Calcutta.

- Bengalis had great respect for people who are well-read. Most conversations that people would have was on literature, science, arts, history and politics. Not saying that people from other states did not..but Bengalis most definitely did.

- Though the literature is quite varied, there was one thing very striking across almost all the books I read- be it thriller, suspense, romance, drama. Bengali writers observe human nature, pscyhe and behaviour very very closely and finely. The analysis and detailing that went into the books I read was absolutely impressive.

Mhmm..so what did I really read?!!?

Sharadhindu Bandyopadhyay

Any kid in India who grew up in the 90s will definitely remember Byomkesh Bakshi. How we all would wait for the clock to strike 9 to watch Byomkesh solve those mysteries with a snap of his fingers!! Well, we couldn't have made him a part of our childhood, had this man- Sharadhindu not created him. I must say, the book had me hooked. I read it from cover to cover in just a day and I could really go back in time and relive the excitement of watching television series as a child. It made me go to youtube and watch each of those episodes.

Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay

I have not read most of his work- just 2 or 3 and what I observed from these stories was there is always a 'third person' in relationships in his stories. This 'third person' person could be anything from a silly doubt that poisons the mind to a mother interfering in a husband and wife relationship and of course extra-marital affairs could definitely not escape a 'third person' relationship story. Remember watching a  series back in the 90s called Charitraheen?? Okkkk you don't..remember the movie Devdas?? You have to..it has been made twice and was a blockbuster each time. The point is, this man Sharatchandra was responsible for creating both these stories..both kind of tragic...and both touched a chord with people of India. Though personally I am not a a fan of tragedies with 'third person', this man's scrutiny of the human mind is commendable.

Bhibutibhushan Bandhyopadhyay

I got a book of his short stories. It dealt with people from all walks of life. Each of them beautifully narrated. The most striking one for me from that book was 'Tiroler Bala'. A tale of a mentally disturbed young girl which ends in a blood shed. This particular story with its many uncertainties, faith and belief in the almighty and the final end is for adults only (nope- no problem with the language) as it could really scare the tender minds of children. It did scare me. We can never really speculate how a mentally disturbed person would react to situations even in the presence of those who love and care for them. Anyway, one can easily identify with the writer. Pather Panchali, the cinematic rendition had won numerous accolades like 'Best Human Document' at the Cannes Film Festival, 'Best Foreign Film' at the New York Film Festival etc was a creation of Bhibhutibhushan Bandhyopadhyay. I have not yet read Pather Panchali and look forward to reading it someday. I have watched the movie though.

Upendrakishore Roychoudhury

I will be honest here. I have only read some of his works for children and oh have I fallen in love with them or what! The book of his I picked up maybe targeted at a very young crowd (6-12years) and I read it in my 20s and enjoyed it thoroughly even at my age. The book is none other than 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne'. It is a delightful read with a lot of fun and magic just like the movie that has been made based on it. I wish I had got hold of it when I was a child, it would have made my childhood more memorable.

Satyajit Ray

If I speak of Pather Panchali and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and stay mum about Satyajit Ray, it is almost blasphemous. For, this is the man who directed the 2 movies. Also, it is worth a mention that Satyajit Ray is the grandson of Upendrakishore Roychoudhury. This man, Satyajit Ray, is a big literary genius and his skills with making cinema is a cherry on the cake. I have 2 great books of his- one is a collection of his short stories very simply called 'the Best of Satyajit Ray' and the Adventures of Feluda. The former deals with mostly thriller and supernatural and keeps us guessing and the latter detective stories. Feluda is a detective who Satyajit Ray has created and the stories are non-put-downable. All his stories, be it Feluda or any other story, it is so grasping that you do not want to take a break for eating or water or even answer nature calls. You sometimes curse yourself that you cannot read faster than what you can already read because you want to know constantly what happens next. He is a genius who knows how to tell a story fitting to feed the curiosity of a keen mind. I really love the Feluda stories and honestly I love the kinds of Feluda and Byomkesh Bakshi who have really used their minds and art of deduction to solve mysteries with minimal or no help of forensics. In today's world where most of the mysteries are solved based on forensics, the use of the human brain/mind has considerably reduced. Some of the detectives just throw their hands up in surrender if they do not have the results of some DNA tests. It only makes me really admire the likes of Feluda and Byomkesh.
Coming back to Satyajit Ray, he for me is a master story-teller be it in the form of writing or cinema.

Rabindranath Tagore

It would have been a complete sacrilege if I spoke about all the aforementioned greats and not having read or spoken anything about Tagore- the man who composed the Indian National Anthem. Like any other true citizen of India, I love our national anthem but I also love some of the poetry this great man has composed. Gitanjali- the one that brought him the Nobel Prize for Literature. I have not read the entire Gitanjali, just a few verses here and there and it is beautiful. I am also a proud owner of a collection of his short stories. Again, I must emphasise the scrutiny into human psyche in all his beautiful short stories. Kabuliwala which we all studied in our schools as a part of our curriculum is luckily a part of the collection I possess and was a very popular Indian movie of the yesteryear. Stories of Tagore are stories of common people and the common occurrence in our household with which everyone can identify. Bengal also reveres him for Rabindra Sangit which if I am not wrong is the musical mode of communicating his works. It is supposed to have revolutionised/reshaped Bengali music and Tagore was considered responsible for it. Recent Indian Hindi cinema has also embraced Tagore's work by popularising 'Ekla Chalo Re'.

In the modern context, I have read a some of the works (The Namesake, Interpreter of Maladies, The Unaccustomed Earth) from Jhumpa Lahiri, another Bengali who lives in the US. Her stories are mainly around Bengalis who live outside Bengal and India. Again, sorry to repeat myself, there is an excellent observation of the human mind in her works. I have also read The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy but her work did not really give me the Bengali flavour that I was used to from most Bengali writers. It was a good book but the style is not really Bengali and more biographical.

I have a bunch of other books by Bengalis from all different periods of time. I guess I should get cracking already but currently I am on a break from Indian writing. I will get back to them probably sometime mid-2013. Until then, if you chance up on a book by a Bengali, grab it and let me know if you enjoyed it and your views on the same. I will be very interested in reading it too :-)

P.S: Did not realise that this post turned out to be this long. Hope it will be worth the effort of reading through the whole post. :-)