Get-to-gether at my place...

Finally when all my excuses exhausted, I invited my book club members for lunch. Frankly it was under sheer pressure from Amit that I decided to invite book club members for lunch. When Reliance declared Saturday as a holiday, Amit invited me for lunch. I declined the invitation for 2 reasons: first since this was a historic decision in the life of reliance, I wanted to celebrate / enjoy by sitting at home; secondly since we travel daily from Borivali to Ghansoli I avoid travelling this side of the place. However, I never thought I would be caught in a Catch 22 situation!!!. For the simple reason that then Amit said if you can’t come then I will come!!!...I had to stock few excuses for the subsequent Saturdays and Sundays so as to postpone him coming to my place or me visiting his place…

Finally, when none of the excuses were left, decided to invite all of them for lunch. Date was 31^st May 2014 (Saturday) at 12.30pm. Vignesh dropped out citing some personal work. Pratibha was unable to come since her father was unwell. She visits his place on weekends. Sumit couldn’t join for lunch as he had already planned to go to Pune with his friends.

Amit, Karthik and Deepali managed to come for lunch. Since Ketan (my younger brother) was alone at home, requested him to join for lunch. Niyati (college friend) likes meeting new people. Invited her also for lunch.

I knew Karthik and Amit would land at my place before time. Hence very strategically gave them only partial instructions of reaching my place. I underestimated their intelligence….They managed to reach my place at 11.30am!!!!! I prefer finishing all the work before the guests arrive. Usually, the host is in the kitchen preparing dishes and the guests are left with either watching TV or reading newspaper / magazines or worst playing the host’s kids or still worst responding to the tons of Qs asked by the host’s family members J

Luckily I had envisaged this and was prepared by then. Part of the menu was ordered from outside. Since Karthik and Niyati were veg, few of the dishes were veg. In addition to that, Karthik prefers starters to a five course meal. Keeping in mind Karthik’s preferences and Amit and Deepali being hard-core Non vegetarian had to balance the meal. On the top of that, I wanted to show some of my cooking skills as well sans spoiling their appetite!!!.

After giving much thought to the menu, decided to do the following: Chana Chaat, Aam rus, Potato wada, smoked chicken was self- made and the starters (Veg Spring Roll, Paneer Hungama & Chilli Garlic Potato), Veg Biryani and Chicken Biryani ordered from Hangout. Deepali came with a Cake (Hangout) and Mango Ice cream (Naturals). Amit managed to get Vanila ice cream (Amul). Niyati got Punjab Sind’s Lassi and Chhaas.

Over the lunch, we talked (cursed??) about our office experiences. It started with lunch and ended with 3 servings of Tea!!! Have realised, when we discuss office experiences it is usually the worst experiences we discuss and never the good ones!!!! We had decided that we will not be discussing books but later on the conversation drifted to what we were reading….Ketan left post lunch citing some excuse. Deepali left since her husband was travelling the same night. We decided to go for a movie. But Amit said he was more comfortable lying down on the floor than sitting in the chair and watching a movie…

So we decided to sit and chat at home. Niyati likes to read, but lately she couldn’t get hold of a good book. She wanted to know a good read. This becomes very subjective. I don’t think there is such a thing called a “good read”. It depends on your likes / tastes to read. Depends on your state of mind at the time of reading. If you are occupied with tons of disturbing thoughts, any reading will not be a good read!!And if you like reading, then it doesn't matter whether it is a fiction / non-fiction / comic/ spiritual / philosophical...

I think we enjoy reading only when we want to read. As usual Amit and karthik ended up giving 'gyan' to Niyati on reading. Since Karthik lately has been active on writing blogs (his name was included in the one of the top five bloggers in Chennai ) he suggested her to write. 

Guys, please give a serious thought to this..I and Karthik have been urging you for long to start writing your thoughts. Atleast start writing by reviewing the book you read. Just pen down your thoughts on the book you read...If reading is your hobby, add value to it. Not just by reading but writing a review of  the book.  

At 6.30 pm,  it was time for saying good byes!!!     

Minutes of the Book Club Meet held on April 29, 2014

Amit: Black Friday / S. Hussain Zaidi

This book is about bomb blast which happened in across Mumbai in March 1993. Book covers comprehensive coverage of the blast. Movie on the book was also made. However, movie doesn’t cover all the details which the book has covered.  I still remember the sound of the explosion it made. We were staying at Railway officers flats (courtesy father), Churchgate.  One of the bomb blasts was at the stock exchange building. Following the blast, curfew was immediately declared. I had heard various adventurous experiences of my mother. Got to know actual one such experience when my mother decided to venture out during the curfew just to find out what was happening on the streets!!!!  

Deepali: From Dongri to Dubai / S. Hussain Zaidi

This is the first book that presents the history of the Mumbai mafia, and details the lives of Karim Lala, Chhota Rajan, Haji Mastan, Abu Salem, and Varadarajan Mudaliar. The main part of the book revolves around Dawood Ibrahim and describes his story starting from a young age as a boy in Mumbai to the international terrorist he has become today.

To read and to actually get a first-hand experience are entirely two different things. Deepali narrated her real life experience when she was staying at Dadar. She had witnessed many such fights of the mob, killing people, burning the house.....

I went to visit the Oberoi and Taj post bomb attacks on 26 Nov 2008...Looking at the fire and the broken glass was itself a nerve wrecking experience...Couldn't imagine the real situation when the attack must have happened and the panic stricken people who were stuck inside the hotel... 

Karthik: Hidden India and My India

These books were in Tamil. Title Hidden India meant that there are so many things which are of Indian origin or which were first thought of / originated in India.However, outsiders have claimed these things to be be their own origin!!!For eg. Patent for turmeric (Indian origin, US wanted to patent it), Hanuman; superman in US!!!!...Kohinoor now in UK...

The Saraswati image is believed to have been at a temple at Bhojsala is now at the British Museum in London.

The Birmingham Buddha, the largest surviving Buddha image of ancient India, was discovered in 1861 from the site of a monastery at Sultanganj in Bihar during a railway construction. It is now at the City Museum and Art Gallery in Birmingham.

In the late 19th century most of the main Amravti sculptures were taken away from the site and sent to museums. Many are in the British Museum.

List is endless!!!!

Pratibha: Bird in a banyan tree: my story  / Bina Ramani 

Gives the readers an insight to her life, inclusive of all the ups and down she went through. From her personal to professional life, everything has been penned down in detail. Adding to this, Ramani has mentioned and talked about the Jessica Lal murder case in which she was one of the main witnesses.

Sumit: Bhagvad Geeta as viewed by Swami Vivekanand

Bhagvad Geeta can be interpreted in many ways. If you need to learn management learns best books are the epic books!!!...Applicable in today's life also....According to Sumit, BG doesn't preach or make you think that one need to behave in a sober manner or one has to imbibe only the niceties of life....In short, ye mat karo, woh mat karo...aapko hamesha achcha he behave karna hai.....jo sahi hai voh karo...only catch is "SAHI KYA HAI"?!!!

I think, person who knows he / she  is right(to have a knowledge of knowing that he/she is right is itself a big achievement!!) has a different kind of aura / confidence....

Vandana Karande: The top 5 regrets of the dying / Bronnie Ware

1. I wish I'd the courage to live a life

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends

5. I wish I had let myself be happier

This is so true.  We all undergo all these regrets at one point of time...We have so many dreams in our life..But some of them remains unfulfilled simply because we have ump teems of reason for them. Believe me, when we have reasons, they will remain unfulfilled. Friends, at least, dreams which are small don't keep them hanging. It is just our laziness that comes into the way. When the time goes by, we realise there were so many things which we could have done / fulfilled. Have heard, people who failed many a times, but still got up is the real winner. The ability to get up after failure is a sign of success!!! Don't repent over failure, get up and start again....Sheer hardworking will get you what you wish for..LUCK alone doesn't play a role in life....

Secondly, People work work and work...they forget to enjoy life. We think of doing things post retirement. For that, we strive to work and accumulate wealth. What happens post retirement: either we are too old to travel, there are too restrictions at that age, your better half may have left (either divorced or in heaven)!!!!!....You are left alone with your wealth...

Thirdly, We take granted that other's know what we feel about them...even our parents think that it is but natural that they love their kids...and this the kids should know...Most of the time misunderstandings happen just because of this!!!We don't tell people what we feel about them..we assume that they know what we feel about them....It is very important that we express our feelings...it helps in any kind of relationship. It will help them in knowing where they stand in your life...People are happier when they know what you think about them...Be honest with your feelings...

 Fourthly, Don't forget your friends in your busy life. Friends are important part of your life...Imagine your school days, college days, office days, etc..would you have survived without friends??...The are one of the pillars in your life!!!!They have contributed to your life> They were there in your Ups and downs in your life...however over a period of time, when you are working or married, other priorities precede than spending time with your friends..When you become old, you have only memories and NO FRIENDS....It is not necessary that you spend entire day with them, only a short message or a tinkle that they are thought of will keep the bonds of friendship strong....Any kind of relationship needs constant efforts...In trying to make new friends, don't forget your existing friends...As Amit said...just as water your plants everyday in order to grow them, you need constant efforts to have healthier relationships....

Last but not the least: Be happier in life...To be contented in life is an achievement itself in life....It is very essential you realise this in life...Live for now..enjoy the happiness of NOW!!!If you are happy life will be beautiful..If You create an healthier environment around you, indirectly you are helping others also to be positive. Life is full of challenges...what can be a better victory than overcoming those challenges and still ready to face further challenges...There are problems in everyone's life...Person who overcomes those problems is real winner.. At times, you will not be able to find solutions, dicuss with your friends, families, colleagues, you have a larger view of the problem..someone may gone through a similar problem, they can help you with their approach..Dont despair...There is always a way to face the problem...I remember my ex boss saying once, if there are no problems in your life, then there is some problem with your life!!This doesn't mean that you dig some problem when there are none!!!!!Bottom line: try to be happier in what you have,  don't delve on what you don't have!!Live for the MOMENT....I remember when I went for treks, We were told the distance we need to walk..We were so busy in covering that distance, that when we reached that point we forgot to enjoy the moment we were busy in thinking the next point!!!!!!!!!

10 THINGS YOU MUST NEVER DO

In order to lead a purposeful life where you are aware of your true potential avoid these traps that anyone can fall into easily 

Do not underestimate yourself: 

How can you hope to understand anyone else if you do not truly know your own self Step back,take a hard,objective look.Know your strengths and weaknesses;work on improving the former and diminishing the latter.Understand you are as good as the best with your own set of handicaps,as we all are.

Do not lead a meaningless life: 

Do not just cruise along.Set yourself goals so as to measure your life by achievements.Consider the realm of possibilities,aim a little beyond that.Break your goal into smaller targets and get going.Keep reviewing these goals and remember to keep shifting goal posts.

Do not ignore doing the right thing: 

Whenever your heart and mind lock in conflict,just do what you consider right,rather than desirable.You will never live to regret it.For this,you must have a clear set of principles,a firm code of ethics that guides your life.This may or may not meet societal guidelines,but must be well thought out and weighed in your own estimation of what is good and bad;right and wrong.

Dont get rooted in comfort zones: 

The easiest thing to do is work out a set of coordinates that create a comfort zone,and to rest within that.But keep creating disruptions that shake things up a bit and allow you to look and aim beyond the immediate and the available.That is the only way to grow.Creative destruction is an art that we must all learn.

Do not be strangers to your spiritual self: 

Focus on what you wish to tell yourself;listen to what the Universe wishes to make you aware of.Try meditation and silence;it helps you transcend the self and connect to your spiritual side.It is then that perspectives shift and all questions are answered.

Avoid negativity: 

Consciously school yourself to think positive.Do not associate with negative people.Make it a habit to remain happy and focussed.Cultivate hobbies that keep you engaged and creatively occupied.Do not play blame games;instead play games that keep the brain young and functioning.

Do not hold grudges: 

Learn to forgive others and more importantly,yourself.Neither blame nor pity anyone.We all make mistakes;what is important is not to repeat them.Vengeance is a poison that harms the carrier.Grudges make us bitter and stressful.Let go,and move on.Understand and believe that we all meet our just deserts in due course.

Never lose dignity: 

Be yourself.Do not strut around with borrowed feathers,nor allow yourself to be pulled down to the level of those who play nasty games.Do not push yourself into situations or relationships just because you feel it must be done.Adhere to the diktats of your inner self;maintain your dignity and standards.You do not need to explain yourself to anyone;be your own best critic and judge,responsible for yourself and your circumstances.

Do not ignore your core group: 

Carve space and time for people close to you relatives and friends.These are the people who stand by us in good and bad times,those who sustain and cherish our very souls.Do not waste time on parasitic relationships.

Cherish the smaller things: 

Life and love are nothing but a stringing together of moments.It is in the smallest things that we find our most beautiful and sometimes most catastrophic moments.Never ignore the small for the larger picture.Take time to appreciate and be grateful for the many little blessings you are surrounded by.It will go a long way in reducing that killer stress and making you a happy person.

You can never be everything to everyone,so choose your priorities carefully rather than spreading yourself out too thin.This will help you lead a satisfying,happy life.

(Source: TOI, 06.04.14)

Minutes of the Book Club meet held on February 14, 2014

Book(s) Read: 

Deepali: Darbar / Tavleen Singh

• This book is about politics touching Gandhian Era. Talks about women taking active part in politics. Deepali found this book very interesting read and have highly recommended for reading. 

Sumeet :Dhandha: How Gujaratis Do Business / Shobha Bondre

• Sumeet summarized the book very beautifully. This book cites examples of 5 businessmen who started their own business and are now successful entrepreneurs. 

Pratibha: Dongri to Dubai / S. Hussain Zaidi and unposted letters / T.T. Rangarajan

• Dongri to Dubai is about Dawood Ibrahim; his life as a underworld don. It is difficult to deduce whether others are scared of him or he is scared of roaming in public sans bodyguards!!!It seems he could attend his own daughter's wedding for fear of getting killed.What is the use of such POWER!!!

Vignesh: Humble enquiry, To sell is human and the power to change

oops..we didn't realise that Vignesh couldn't get turn to discuss his reads.However, he managed to say few words on To sell his human. In today's era of marketing , it is no longer selling the product brands but trying to sell you as a brand!!...This actually works!! or else why would people buy stuff when they actually don't need or don't use. simply because the person marketed himself so well that he convinced to buy the product!!! 

Amitkumar Sharma: Jaya / Devdutt Patnaik; Asura / Anand Neelakantan; Mafia queens of Mumbai / S Hussain Zaidi; Poor little rich slum / Rashmi Bansal

Jaya is on Mahabharata. Author has written in a very simple language with sketches on every page of the book. Mafia queens would be an interesting read since the mafia queens mentioned in the book are hardly know to us. We know only one mafia queen, viz, Phoolan Devi!!..Poor little Rich Slum is on Dharavi. Have often realised, we little know about our own culture, heritage, etc. for example, how many of us actually know the various places in Mumbai forget India..I being a Mumbaite have never visited some of the places which are on the world map!!!...Dharavi is being one of them. I have always passed via Dharavi but have never bothered to know what lies inside Dharavi that had foreigners coming to visit this place and I being a proud Mumbaite have never been to this place except to buy leather purse!!!!Dharavi is synonymous with leather items, be it bags, belts, shoes, etc. Tours are organised to walk in and around Dharavi. It has many small scale industries and the items are sold to the wholesalers; from there they find a way to go abroad!!! 

Check this site: http://www.realitytoursandtravel.co.in/slum-tours.html

Guy, let us visit take a short tour to Dharavi!!

Karthik: Ajaya: roll of the dice / Anand Neelakantan

This book is about Kauravas and Pandavas.. Author has given his perspective on Kauravas and Pandavas. He has favoured Kauravas and has narrated instances where he says Kauravas were better than Pandavas. This book would be an interesting read. We have always heard from elders about Ramayan, Mahabharat, and epics.. However, we never challenged these epics!!!We always believed that Ram has to be worshipped, Ravan has to be condemned, and Pandavas were great warriors...But there are also stories of Ravan a great king, Karna known to be a Daanveer person and Ram listening to a washerman  asks Sita to prove her loyalty by walking on the pyre!!  

Vandana: One part woman / Perumal Murugan; Jars filled with gold / Ruby Malshe

One part woman is about a woman who is unable to conceive. She is the talk of the entire village. They curse her, don't allow to attend any functions, try to feed her all types of herbs and medicines in order to enable her to conceive. Her mother & her mother-in-law even manages to convince her husband to remarry. However her husband loves her a lot and tells her that it doesnt matter if we are childless. Atleast, we are together!!!...But the lady feels very sad that she cannot bear a child.   

Sponsor of the Meeting : Pratibha Shetty

Minutes of the Book Club meet held on January 14, 2014

Karthik's reading(s): 

• The book about Madhubala / 

I read the section about Mughal-e-Azam with much interest.

Karthik liked the part where author describes about the sheesh Mahal in depth. The song pyar kiya to darna kya has been picturised in this Mahal. He even bought a CD of the movie. One member of the book club said we can learn so much from these biographies. A thought just crossed my mind as to what we can learn from reading a heroine's biography!!!. But when I read Meena Kumari's biography, I came to know how much hard work they do for different kind of roles. Their dedication to play a a particular role is really worth brooding. Madhubala is synonymous with Mughal-e-Azam. When you think of Madhubala you immediately think about her movie Mughal-e-Azam. Superb movie and superb acting by Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala. book "The biography of Madhubala" covers more on the making of Mughal-e-Azam.  

• Aarathu published his facebook posts into two books - Araajagam 1000 and Tharkolaik Kurunkadhaigal. This is a proof that free stuff can be monetised.
• Sen She collected some 100 short stories, recommended as best short stories by prominant writer S Ramakrishnan, and was providing it free on web. He collected stories with much effort from various sources and was typing on net. Someone collected these stories and printed it into a hard copy book. Sen She argued that these short stories were published free with consent of its authors, with the idea that most people would read. Sen She did not like someone monetising his efforts. So the 100 short story collection was published free on net.

Amit's reading(s):

• Bankerupt / Ravi Subramanian

There are a lot of sub-plots running through, Bankerupt. From a financial hoax to a cryptic clue the novel spans from the US of A to India to Australia. There is a murder but obviously. Ravi Subramanians writing style is impeccable keeping in mind short chapters to generate interest to the plot which is racy and suspenseful at almost every turn of the page. 

• Bird in a banayan tree: my story / Bina Ramani

Bird in a Banyan Tree is the account of Bina Ramanis tumultuous journey through life. Fashion designer, entrepreneur, restaurateur, social worker, agony aunt, visionary, socialite many labels have been applied to Bina Ramani. But what is her real story? From arriving as a refugee child in India during Partition to having Binatone, a successful electronics brand, named after her from a nine-year-old sitting on her favourite black rock, watching the waves and weaving dreams in Mumbai to a passionate relationship with screen idol Shammi Kapoor from a loveless marriage and a bitter divorce to opening her own stores and changing the face of Delhis Hauz Khas Village from searching for her daughters across continents, to being taken in police custody and sent to Tihar Jail for being a stubbornly honest witness, from being vilified by the media to being lauded by the country for her heroic role in the Jessica Lal murder case in this inspiring, no-holds-barred memoir, Bina tells it all.

• House of cards / Sudha Murthy

What happens when values clash? When two people who think differently are now married and there seems no way out of things? What happens when everything you ever loved and cared for is at stake? Such questions often seem to have easy answers in books and probably other art forms, but never in life, more so when you are the one living it. Sudha Murthy manages to communicate just that through her new book, House of Cards.

House of Cards is about a young couple Mridula and Sanjay. It is about their life in Bangalore, which is idyll and how one fine day a decision of Mridulas basis Sanjays actions brings everything in their relationship to a halt. Sudha Murthy writes with biting precision about everyday life, without becoming too myopic about situations and how life works out for the common man

• Jars filled with gold / Ruby Malshe

The heart may take delight in several things and yet experience a void. The trick lies in discovering the truth or falseness of that void. A question lingers; does that void really exist or is it just ones imagination?Our lives are like those of fish caught in the net of strings which entangle us. Strings of desires and relations do not allow us to set ourselves free. Should we then cut ourselves free from all desires or relationships to get ultimate freedom?

Pratibha's reading(s):

• My Encounter with IIT JEE: The Story of Preparation / Arpit Agrawal

This book is a riveting saga of an ingenious boy who had the acumen to duel the difficult entrance exam of IIT and clearing it with flying colours and thereupon experiencing a strenuous journey as an IITian.

Pratibha wished her son could read this book to get some inspiration. Was thinking whether these kind of books will inspire you to take the course towards these institutions or will it dissuade you from taking education from these institutions. 

Vignesh's reading(s):

• Lateral Thinking / Edward de Bono

About part of the Book: Quota of Alternatives

One of the learning from Lateral thinking was generating “Quota of Alternatives”. Here the Quota means “minimum number “of alternatives that needs to be generated for a given problem say 5 alternatives per problem. The main focus would be to generate minimum number of alternatives to problems, without judging whether correct or wrong, ideal or impractical. What happens is that in this process one tend to stretch his/her imagination or though process by challenging his/her own thinking capability. Using Quota alternatives, one can generate  minimum number of Alternatives and not the solutions, which will lead to escape from rigidity of one way of looking at a problem, Generate new ideas, discovery of a new approach. By generating alternatives, one becomes more ready to appreciate and understand differing viewpoints of others.

I think this book will be repeated in subsequent meetings too, since it is too heavy to read, to digest..what ever pages Vignesh reads, he will be discussing those in the meeting!!! 

Sumit's reading(s):

He recently has developed a taste for reading Hindu mythology especially the Mahabharata. He liked the character of Karna and has even started giving alms to the poor!!!!!Good gesture Sumit. Just a word of caution: if you give money to the kids, it is taken away by their parents…if you give money to the elders, they use it for drugs….Better to give something to eat, of course that they don’t take, they accept only hard cash…BEWARE…

Thank god he is not wearing jewellery!!!!

Deepali's reading(s):

Deepali said she didn’t get time to read as her son’s exams were going on. She was busy helping him with studies.

Vandana's reading(s):

The one You cannot have  / Preeti Shenoy

This book is about relationship. (Preeti Shenoy's books are mostly on relationships). Book focuses on 3 people, Aman, Shruti and Anjali. Aman & Shruti love each other and decides to get married. However Shruti's parents are against this marriage. Shruti ends up marrying Rishabh (parent's choice) but in her deep heart she still loves Aman.. Aman is heartbroken. He leaves India and settles abroad. After few years he comes back to India and falls in love with Anjali. Rishabh comes to know Shruti's affair with Aman. He is upset with her for not letting him know about the affair. Their marriage is on the rocks. Shruti gets to know that Aman is returning to India. She tries to meet him. Aman tells her that he no longer wants to be with her and tells her that he is getting married to Anjali. Shruti comes back to Rishubh.  

Relationships are complicated, no second thoughts on it…Any relationship, whether it is marriage, love, relatives, friends. All relationships are not easy to maintain. One has to actually work on it. It is neither constant nor steady..They are like water waves…kabhi idhar kabhi udhar….Wonder whether that is the reason why The word Relationship has a “ship” attached to the Relation!!!!   

Just a thought, I think at least wives are more adjustable when  they come to know about husband's affair, but same is not the case with husband. They will mentally torture their wife. Usually girls avoid telling their prospective husband of their affair. It is entirely their fate if the husbands come to know the affair after marriage!!! It is a like a CATCH 22 situation. You tell, you create a problem for yourself, IF you don't tell and then they come to know, you invite problems!!!

Sponsor of the meeting: Vignesh Poojary

Book club meet dated December 2013, MOMs...

Book club meet started with discussing Sumit’s home town. Sumit had gone to visit his home town, Bihar. We asked him the route to Bihar.  He said there are two routes, viz. via Kolkata or via Delhi. He said he prefers Kolkata route since there are less or almost nil chances of thieves getting it in the train. Second important thing worth mentioning is, an unmarried guy in the late twenties have more chances of getting kidnapped. If he is found alone in the farms he is sure to get kidnapped. For the simple reason of dowry. The girls’ side then don’t have to give dowry!!!. Sunil is in that KHATRA age and stage..Sumit BewareJ Better patao the girl from Mumbai…

Book reads:

Karthik read In the company of women by Khushwant Singh and is currently reading Partition (By the time these MOMs are published he must have finished reading).

Partitions: A book of serious nature where history is discussed from the voice of various characters including political leaders, kings, common men, breeze, rivers like Ganga and Jamuna, desert, culture, cities like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, etc. Though the auth claims to be unbiased, I find that at the final court of justice, no hindu king is called to clarify himself, while Mughal kings keep justifying their acts. Very clearly, Aurangzeb has to justify his acts while his brother, a failed Dara Shikoh, is highly pitied upon. The book also claims that India was always ruled united, be it Mughals, Turks, or any other king who visited / ruled India, and that only the British wanted it to be split to ensure that India be busy with its internal issues. The book also claims that some of the pages of Baburnama were removed, by the English, to make Indians believe that Babur built the Baburi Masjid after demolishing a Hindu temple.

Vignesh is reading Lateral thinking by Edward Bono. Lateral thinking is completely off beat thinking. For eg. (This is the example he gave) If you have 4 stages, viz. A, B, C and D. In the normal circumstances, thinking, one would go step by step. First A, followed by B, then C and finally D. However in lateral thinking, If you are on A, you directly jump on C or D…without going in a linear way…This way, you get a completely to new dimension of perspective to your thinking!!!

Amit read  Darbar by Tavleen Singh and Biography of Meena Kumari by Vinod Mehta

Sumit read Jaya by Devdatta Patnaik. Jaya is basically a book on Mahabharat. However, he said after the book he was all the more confused as to who all finally went to Heaven and who went to HELL!!!

Deepali read Business Management Sutras by Devdatta Patnaik and Biography of Meena Kumari by Vinod Mehta

I too read Biography of Meena Kumari by Vinod Mehta and In the company of women by Khushwant Singh.

I wanted to read Meena Kumari’s biography because I liked her performance in Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam. She was SUPERB…Particularly when Rehman visits the kotha and she is extremely displeased with this. She pleads him to stay at home. He asks her whether she can dance, whether she will give him company for drinks, etc….She tells him that she will do everything what he wishes her to do. She actually dresses like a kotha woman and takes drinks just to make him stay with her at home. And the song Na jaao saiyyaa, chhudaa ke baiyyaa, Kasam tumhaaree main ro padoongee, Machal rahaa hain suhaag meraa, Jo tum naa honge, to kyaa karungee..is very touching.

I think this is the extreme form of love…She takes alcohol just to please her husband!!! People in love do anything just to get acceptance from their lover, husband….This is a FACT.

In real life also, she becomes addicted to drinks. Initially she takes it for health and later on…to drown her sorrows…..

Meena Kumari never required glycerine. Tears came to her eyes when she desired them to come..

I liked the style of the author’s writing. In the entire book, he writes “my heroine…actually owning the responsibility of the book…or the facts about his heroine???

Few lines from the book:

I am in love; yes I am in love, with a married man, who is married to me…..

Most reasonable people accept that early environment is largely responsible for shaping future personality, character and attitudes; and so was in the case of Meena Kumari….Those who are unfulfilled emotionally have a tendency to view love as some kind of panacea – something which will provide an answer to all the ills of life. Conversely, if this love is not found, for them, all life, however rewarding in other spheres, is meaningless…The cumulative impact of this was that Meena Kumari was never able to find sufficient love. Because she gave every inch of herself she expected the same measure in return. Further, the commitment in her case was so total, the hunger so voracious, the passion so overwhelming, that she soon felt dissatisfied. ‘Many a time I thought that my destination was within my reach and I was going to get that love for which I was longing, but again and again, I realized, though late, that I was running after a ‘mirage’.

The truth, the harsh bitter truth, is that people exhaust each other. Irresistible on Monday, Interesting on Tuesday, Tolerable on Wednesday, Dull on Thursday, Insufferable on Friday – this is usually the cycle of human relationship….

It is difficult to compass the exact date, but around 1962 Meena lost faith and hope in the future. She realized she was not going to find her style of love. Therefore she concluded she would take things as they would come. Personal relationships were for her satisfying and worthwhile if they provided cursory cheer – no more was expected, and no more was usually received.

She took the same attitude towards the bottle. If brandy or whatever else she was drinking was successful in short-term clouding and fuzzing of her difficulties, it was essential and useful. Never did she wait to consider such mundane things like the effect of 9.00 am brandy drinking.

Doubt, if she ever seriously thought about what was in store for her the next day or the next week or the next month. The present was of consequence, the future indeterminate and hence negligible.

As a result she began life on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes she would meet someone promising and there would be brief hopeless hope that something enduring had been discovered, but very soon she received knowledge, that like before, this was wishful thinking…..

Book meet ended with Amit’s poem specially written on book club members. (was that the reason he desperately wanted to have a book club meet in December!!!)

हम Book Club के members सारे

हम Book Club के members सारे,

Books के प्यार में खीचे चले आरे;

Mainly books कि बातें करते,

छोड़ते new ideas के फव्वारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे!

किताबों की listing करते,

Recommendation for sharing करते;

पढ़ी किताब का gist बताते,

सबके अपने विचार हैं न्यारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे!

पहले tea-time पे मिलते थे,

कुछ और भी चेहरे दिखते थे;

कुछ छोड़ गये, कुछ छुट गये ,

जो बचे, वो हैं genuine readers प्यारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

Meeting को lunch time के slot में डाला,

क्योंकि भूखे भजन न होए गोपाला;

खाते-पीते बाते करते,

अपने ख्यालों को शब्दों का जामा पहनारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

ओशो की बातें कर गया कोई,

चारु निवेदिता के पीछे पड़ गया कोई;

खुशवंत के रंग में रंग गया कोई,

अपने दिल की बातें करते, न कि समाज बदलना चाहरे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

वन्दना के initiative ने, कितनों से introduce कराया है,

Books loving का जज्बा, खुलके सामने आया है!

Inside corporation है book club का affair, can be called Corporate Affair,

Earlier excellent आते थे MOMs, कोई उनको फिरसे लिखवारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

NVK की तमिल किताबें,

उनकी बातें वो ही जाने;

Simple बातें, सच्ची लगती,

ज़यादा intricacy में घुसकर, क्यों अच्छे एहसास को मारें!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

Deepali की confident opinion, fighting spirit दर्शाती है,

कहनी होती है जो उन्हें बातें, openly सामने आती है;

Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Osho इत्यादि,

सबके विषय में ज्ञान अर्जित कर डारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

जीवन के शाश्वत सत्य हैं, Death and Tax,

So its natural that, we have someone from Income Tax,

पर इस club की न sale है न income, we want to have just chill and relax,

न बनता है न देंगे, Sales Tax हो या Income Tax,

जी लेना चाहते हैं हम, Taxes से न हमें सतारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

Landmark Education का संज्ञान,

है Vignesh की और से आया;

उसके अनुभव का फ़ायदा उठाकर,

आया हमको भी तो मजा रे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

Sumit की innocence एकदम charming है,

उसकी व्यस्तता, अनिश्चित उपस्थिति की warning है;

न आया आज तो, मजबूरी होगी कोई उसकी,

आ गये तो, ऊपर वाले की हुई बड़ी कृपा रे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

यों तो खाना खाने को, खाते ही हैं,

Book Club के lunch का, मजा ही कुछ और है;

यों तो बाते होने को, होती ही है,

यहाँ बातें कहने सुनने में, आता है अलग ही मजा रे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

जीवन एक सुखद सपना है,

दिल जिससे मिल जाये वो अपना है;

हसी ख़ुशी बस गुज़रता रहे वक्त,

लड़भिड़ के तो मुखड़ा रंगीन, व आंखों के सामने घूमते तारे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

दिल से दुआ है, किसी का दिल न टूटे,

अपना तो सपना है, किसी की उम्मीदों का सपना न टूटे;

गलती से भी, किसी के जज्बातों को समझने में गलती न हो,

न समझे इतना भी तो अनपढ़ रहे, पठन पाठन का फिर क्या फ़ायदा रे!

हम Book Club के members सारे,

शुक्रिया

20/12/13