Tiny Shoes

Priya looked around, a smile of satisfaction playing on her lips. The decorations were perfect. The pink and white balloons, the ribbons, the makeshift castles and the soft toys; they all fitted well with the princess theme. And little Jena was looking so beautiful in that Cinderella gown.

“You are a life saver” Emma’s voice interrupted her chain of thoughts. “I had searched so much for a gown but I could have never found one as perfect as this for Jena. You are one awesome party organizer dear” she went on. Priya beamed. “It’s my job Emma. And you know how much I love this” And Emma did know. After all, they were best friends. That is why she hesitated before saying the next line. “I know that. But that gown…” Priya cut her off before she could say anymore. “Don’t go there. It is Jena’s birthday and being her God Mother, this is the least I can do for her” her voice choked a bit but she recovered quickly and went ahead, calling the attention of the kids to start the party.

Priya was overwhelmed by the end of the party. Those happy little faces were the sole reason for her picking up this job. She loved being an event organizer. It was nothing else. She repeated the same in her head few more times but each time her resolve weakened and when she couldn’t hold back anymore, she rushed to her room. She stood in front of the wardrobe contemplating for a while but she opened it finally. It was beautiful, just like she loved it. There were so many beautiful dresses. Priya had loved buying pretty outfits for Pihu and dressing her up. She always looked like a princess, her princess. As she was about to close the wardrobe, a tiny shoe fell from the rack. The sight of it was too much for Priya to handle. She clutched the shoe in her hand started crying out loudly.

Emma, who had come to return the gown, saw Priya crying and rushed to her side. “I told you not to open that door” she said gently, as she put the gown back in the wardrobe. It was Pihu’s, the one she had worn on her last birthday. “I couldn’t hold it back after the party” Priya sobbed. “You know you don’t have to do this job if it is becoming too much for you to handle” Emma said as she stroked Priya’s hair. “But I love this job. Pihu loved these theme parties. Seeing all those kids smile makes me feel close to her” she replied in between her sobs. Emma understood it better than anyone. She sat there, consoling her friend, until exhaustion took over and Priya fell asleep.

She waited for a few more minutes before slowly taking the shoe from Priya’s hand. It was the same shoe Pihu had worn on that fateful day; the day when she had bid goodbye to this world. “A parent must never live through to see the death of their child” Emma thought as she put it back in the wardrobe and closed the door, hoping it wouldn’t be opened anytime soon!

PS: This post is written for BarAThon Day 5. 

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)

Mischief Managed but Oops...!!

This incident happened when I was in primary.

I love playing in the rain and it was the same even back then. The feel of rain drops on your skin, jumping over the puddles, getting totally drenched, it’s a wonderful feeling. Now I am a little more cautious. But back then, I was all about breaking rules.

That particular day it was raining heavily. It was time to go home and seeing the weather, I instantly cheered up. I wanted to get drenched and I was about to step out when I saw my auto-uncle (the person who used to pick me up and drop me back) standing near the gate, waiting with an umbrella. I was heavily disappointed. I could see all my plans of getting drenched fail right in front of my eyes.

With a sad face and a heavy heart, I was about to walk towards my Auto when my neighbor came. She was a few years elder than me and she used to travel by cycle. Seeing me standing there, she asked me why I was waiting alone. A plan slowly formed in my brain. I told her that my auto uncle had left without me and I didn’t know how to go back. I must have been very good at lying because she was convinced and she decided to give me a ride. Of course, she didn’t have an extra rain coat, so I would get drenched. She asked me if I was okay and I readily agreed as that was exactly what I wanted.

I tried to hide my best behind her bag while passing the auto. I didn’t want him to see me and drag me back. Luckily for me, he didn’t. My plan had worked! I was ecstatic!! That 20 minutes ride home was one of the best rides of my life. It was only after reaching home that I realized I would have to deal with mom’s anger. I decided I would tell her the same lie I had told my neighbor. I mentally ‘hi-5’ed myself for my intelligence.

When I saw my mom standing near the door and waiting for me, anger written all over her face, I pulled the saddest face I could make. When asked why I got drenched in rain instead of coming in auto, I told her that uncle had left without me. I expected her to feel sorry for me too but I got a tight slap for lying. Later I got to know that my auto-uncle had called her informed about me leaving with my neighbor. He even went one step ahead and told her that even though he called me thrice, I didn’t turn and pretended that I didn’t know him. Well, I was caught read handed and I didn’t have anything to say about it. But of course, that never stopped me from doing more mischief in the future.

PS: This post is written for BarAThon Day 4. 

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)

Fragile Life

Rhea hesitated holding the phone in one hand and ghungru in the other. It had been her dream all her life to learn Kathak. But never had she got an opportunity.

During her childhood and for the major part of her student life, it had been about studies. “Study! You need to get a good job” they used to say.

When she completed studies, it was about earning money. Then it was marriage, settling down in new home, children… life was a rat race and Rhea had never given thought about doing what she loved. She was just going with the flow.

But a recent accident and a close shave with death had changed her perspective towards life. She understood how fragile life is and how little time she had to live for herself. Shedding the fears, she made a call and registered herself for the Kathak class.

PS: This post is written for BarAThon Day 3. 

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)

What You Don't Know

Anu rummaged through the drawer, searching for her car keys. First day in new town and she was already late. She cursed her poor memory for forgetting even trivial things.

A gust of cold wind made her shiver. She turned around to see the window open. She was in half a mood to leave it like that and rush to the office but the sound of the chair swaying irritated her.

Closing the window, she found the latch was broken. Of course, she had never believed the rumors about the flat being haunted by some old lady’s spirit. She knew it was just that – a rumor.

As she closed the window and rushed out of the room, a hand opened the window again. Maya was getting irritated with people walking into her flat and closing the window. She loved sitting by the window and waiting for her son!

PS: This post is written for BarAThon Day 2. 

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)

Stranger Than Fiction

Snippets from her past began to flash in front of her eyes as she took slow, unsteady steps.

The first step brought along with it the memories of her school days and the first time they met. It was hate at first sight.

She remembered how she hated his know-it-all attitude while taking the next step.

Memories of all those crazy fights, making sure that the other never got an upper hand, made her frown slightly, making her next step a little unsteady.

And remembering the final goodbye on the last day of college, where they swore not to see each other’s face again made her halt at the end of her fourth step.

A small tug at her hand brought her back to the present and she looked up to see those beautiful warm eyes staring at her, wondering what made her stop. A smile played on her lips as she remembered the day that had changed it all. This time her step was more confident.

She remembered how seeing him after four long years had evoked a different feeling in her heart, a feeling which she didn’t think she would feel for him ever. She took the next step wondering when things changed. Was it love all along? She didn’t have an answer for that.

From then, till present, her story was Stranger than Fiction. Never in her wildest dream had she imagined that she will fall for her nemesis. But here she was, taking the Seventh and final of the Seven Steps, that proclaimed Her as His, for eternity.

PS: This post is written for BarAThon Day 1. 

Yes, I am back and this is my 250th post :) Yay!

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)

Ramayana: The Game of Life - Stolen Life

Title: Ramayana: The Game of Life - 

          Stolen Hope

Author: Shubha Vilas

Publisher: Jaico Publishers

ISBN: 978-8184958249

Number of Pages: 312

Price: 299 [INR]

Genre: Mythology

The Blurb:

       In the evil labyrinths of Dandakaranya forest, human values are put to test. Rama’s righteousness, Lakshmana’s loyalty and Sita’s endurance reflect our own sense of values and judgment in difficult times. The story unfolds the facets of human life – the conflict and the trickery, the praise and the slander and, above all, the hope and the despair in the eventful forest life of the Exiled Royals.

       Stolen Hope is about extreme deception and extreme love. It is about arrogant power and deep devotion. With every twist and turn, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana find themselves robbed of whatever and whoever they value most. 

      Exploring the dynamics of human relations – between father and son, husband and wife, teacher and disciple – and the complex game of power and greed, Stolen Hope mirrors our own dilemmas in the modern world and teaches us how we must overcome them. 

      Seek courage when everything, including hope, is stolen.

My Review:

      This is my favourite book series and therefore I have already read previous parts of it, thanks to BlogAdda's review program. These books are an absolute delight to read. However, for anyone living in India and or for anyone having a vague idea about Ramayana, it isn't hard to put the pieces together and enjoy the book. The book is beautifully written and depicts the days when Rama leaves for exile with his wife and brother. 

        The attention paid to detailing is what attracts me to the series. The book starts with the story of Danda, who lusts after Sukracharya's daughter. Cursed by the acharya, his kingdom becomes Dandakaranya and this where the story starts in this book. After this it just gets more and more interesting with many such little stories woven together.

The book is an enriching and gripping read which captures the heart of the reader. The story teaches you the lessons of life which are perfect for self-help. The little anecdotes are perfectly depicted by the author in a very interesting manner, which keeps the reader hooked to the book. These have been my favorites right from book one and still continue to be so. The book holds charm for its lucid writing, wonderfully detailed characters and superb pace of the story. The author lives up to the expectations of the readers who had already read and liked the previous two parts and waited patiently for the third one. Now that I am done reading the third one, I can't wait to get started with the fourth one!

All in all, it was an absolute delight to read this book. First book I read in 2016 and it sure was a great start. Highly recommended for anyone who loves to read mythology.

PS: This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

My Rating:

Until the next post,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Swathi :)

The Bestseller She Wrote - Book Review

Title: The Bestseller She Wrote 

Author: Ravi Subramanian

Publisher: Westland

ISBN: 978-9385152382

Number of Pages: 392

Price: 295[INR]

Genre: Romance

The Blurb:

He was a bestseller… She wanted him to make her one.

Paperback king, Aditya Kapoor’s life is straight out of a modern man’s fantasy. His literary stardom is perfectly balanced by a loving wife and a spectacular career. With everything he touches turning to gold, Aditya is on a winning streak.

Shreya Kaushik is a student with a heart full of ambition. Young, beautiful, and reckless, Shreya speaks her mind and obsessively chases after what she wants. And what she wants is to be a bestselling author.

What happens when their worlds collide? Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Can real ambition come in the way of blind passion? Can trust once broken, be regained?

Master storyteller Ravi Subramanian, delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protégé.

The Bestseller She Wrote is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption.

My Review:

Characters:

       Meet Aditya Kapoor, author of many bestsellers. His life looks like a dream to many. With a job he loves, a wife who loves and supports him endlessly and his books continuously hitting the bestsellers list, there is nothing that he doesn't have. 

       Meet Shreya Kaushik, an aspiring author who wants to write a bestseller. She is beautiful and cheerful. She speaks her mind or so it seems in the beginning. Shreya is a go getter and she knows how to turn any situation in her favor.

Plot:

       Aditya's life is perfect until that fateful day when he visits to his college as a guest. What started as a hate relationship between Aditya and Shreya, soon turns into that of a fan following. Shreya is smitten by Aditya's writing and his charms. Aditya who loves attention, is floored by this development and he isn't the one to let go of a golden opportunity like this. Soon starts the clandestine romance of Aditya and Shreya, which poor Maya has no idea about. Aditya seems guilty about his deeds but he is in no control of his life anymore. He thinks Shreya is in love with him and does so much for her only to find out much later that she was just using him to get her book published!

       

Things I Disliked:

      

• There really wasn't much I liked in this book. Coming from a renowned author like Ravi Subramanian, I expected a much more polished story. I was hugely disappointed.
• The story line is pretty normal. There was nothing that kept me interested in finishing the book.
• Aditya Kapoor seemed much like an alter ego of some famous author. It was really annoying to read the way he carried himself.
• The story is pretty much predictable. 

Verdict:

       I would definitely not suggest it. It was a huge let down for me. It could have been much much better than this.

PS: I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

My Rating:

Until the next post,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Swathi :)