THE OTHER SIDE

By The Order of The Odour

Metro man S. Sreedharan would have highlighted many problems during conceptualization of Metro Rail in Delhi but I bet he haven't thought of the odour problem in the overcrowded coaches of the metro. There is no doubt about the efficiency of Delhi Metro in tackling with so many passengers daily but I doubt their ability to deal with odour of different varieties. Women are lucky to have their coach reserved for them which gave them space to breath and at least not poke nose in some body's armpit when the train jerk to stop.

They say that love begins in the heart and smell begins in the nose. Nose knows best about the good or bad smell and directs brain to take decision accordingly. Once while travelling in the overcrowded Delhi Metro I encountered an incident for which my nose still curses me. After boarding the metro from a deserted station of my area for Shahdara almost the last station of the Red Line of Metro, heap of people entered from all doors at Kashmere Gate metro station the most crowded station due to the part of underground Yellow Line. Anyways details of the station and metro was not important but what happened after that was more interesting.

A man dressed nicely came and stood near me, his looks and appearance was not lesser than a gentleman but his body odour , OMG! He must be on bath diet for days. It was unbearable to stand by his side. The deodorant or powder he used to hide that smell of his body betrayed him badly when he raised his arms to grip handle bar on metro coach's roof. The body odour + deodorant or powder smell + his current sweat = Gave way to a bomb of foul smell which exploded in my nose convincing me to stop at whichever station came next. I deboarded that coach by the order of the odour at the next station and entered in another coach, going to another coach without exiting that one was impossible due to the crowd.

I breathed a sigh of relief because I would have fainted at that moment due to suffocation if I would have remained near him. That was a strange bad body odour which I haven't experienced before or after that incident. Overcrowded metro do put you in pool of bad odours but you can manage with them but that odour was out of order to tolerate. My Nose Knows best which smell is good for me and I thanked her for acting promptly in that tough situation.

I am sharing my odour story for the ‘My Nose Knows’ contest as a part of the #SniffSniff activity at BlogAdda.”

The Finish Line

The Finish Line - A 55 fiction

He bought a guitar and nurtured a dream to be a rock star since he attended a rock concert at the age of three. His guitar was inseparable from him. It was also lying on his lap when he consumed poison after failing to cross board exam finish line. The ultimate test of your skills?

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

2 Minute Ruk Sakte Hain !

Maggie Noodles lovers who finds it hard to wait even for two minutes to eat it now with almost a nationwide ban have to wait for days to taste it again. The recent test on Maggie in UP, Kerala and Delhi have found increased quantity of MSG i.e monosodium glutamate a taste enhancer not mentioned in ingredient list of Maggie packet along with increased lead amounts which is a poisonous substance.

The MSG has an addictive nature and its excess consumption promotes sluggishness in the body. It may also cause headache, nausea, increased thirst and chest tightness. These findings are not only strange but shocking for a product used almost in every middle and upper class home for over three decades ( in market since 1982, Note : I have never tested it.) It is possible that these substances are part of ingredients from years but negligence of our officials have never brought it to life due to irregular checking schedules.

The food adulteration laws are not strict in India due to which food consumable manufactures and sellers often broke them and walk away with petty fines. In United States of America even street vendors are required to have clearance certificate from food safety department before operating and here even big companies like Nestle is not concerned with public safety. There are also possibilities that only some batches of Maggie have increased quantity of poisonous substances but if it so then also it is a serious mistake from Nestle which mentions no added MSG on packets. Such big companies should have their own self regulatory food safety mechanism.

The notices have also been sent to celebrities who endorses Maggie noodles. Celebrities do have a social responsibility but blaming them for unsuitable compounds in product is ridiculous. It is like blaming a politician for inaugurating a shop which starts selling fake items. I hope this controversy over Maggie noodles would resolve quickly and this product would come back in market after all safety measure as it has became a part of Indian households and being an instant noodle which is easy to make and eat, it also offers a great relief for those struck in floods, landslides, Tsunami and earthquake situations.

Book Review : Checkmate

Checkmate is written by Hrishikesh Joshi who is an engineering student living in Pune, Maharashtra. This book is published by Frog Books of Leadstart Publishing Pvt. Ltd. This book received from author is a crime based thriller fiction.

Cover : It is an ordinary cover design, the title and the cover doesn't go well together. The picture of terrorist with gun do gives a hint of story's relation with a terrorist but I was looking for something else on the cover (like a chessboard with players as terrorist on one side and Indian intelligence people on the other or something else more related to the story).

Plot : The story starts with Lashkar e Taiba's (a terrorist organisation) head Muhammad Zia ul Afridi planning something to release his three terrorists from Indian jail. They use Bombay High Court chief justice Ramakrishna Shastry since high court judges are from list of VIP's free from security check at the airport to help them in their plan to send arms to the terrorist in Air India plane. Terrorists hijacked the plane and their partner Taliban hijacked Karachi airport to land that plane. RAW chief Vikram Roy on the other hand came in action to save the hostages from terrorists hand. His search to track the plane revealed something which shocked him to the core. What would happen to the hostages? Would government kneel down to the terrorists' demands? The story took interesting twists and turns to give a high action climax.

Thriller : The setup of the story is nice and the author has cleverly blended the facts with the fiction to make this story believable. Story progresses step by step with short chapters without confusing the readers with unnecessary details. The pace and action of the narrative is maintained throughout making it an interesting read.

Spoiler : The plane hijack remained a subject of many Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. Although the plan to hijack plane was different in this book the climax looked similar to a Nagarjuna movie. It is difficult to find a connection to any character thus detaching the reader emotionally from the narrative.

Verdict : A fine time read suitable for those looking for a an action packed thriller.

Rating : I would give it 2.5/5.

You can buy this book online from : Landmark, Flipkart, Infibeam , Amazon.in , Amazon.com , Uread , Crossword .

Pakistan Demands Land From India

Pakistan Demands Land From India - A Satire

PROPOSED AREA FOR BEEF-LAND

Union Cabinet Minister Muqhtar Abbas Naqvi's suggestion of sending all beef eaters to Pakistan was welcomed by Pakistan due to excess of Beef Spices with them. Pakistani officials are offering great offers on flights and accommodations for those people who were willing to settle there,' We have estimated the number of people we need to accommodate here so we are demanding more land from Indian government for this purpose along with previously demanded Kashmir.' He added in media briefing that they could wait on Kashmir issue but beef issue was more serious.

India is the largest exporter of beef in the world but those who involved in slaughtering and transporting this beef to the world are prohibited to eat the same due to some unforeseen health consequences. Naqvi's idea has initiated farewell parties among Christians, Muslims, Dalits and also among some Hindus in states of Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, North-Eastern States, West Bengal et cetera to bid good bye to their friends. While Pakistan is welcoming them these people are keen on getting Beefistan or Beefland or IndiBeef from the Indian government. Some said that they understood sentiments related to cow slaughter but why Ox and Buffalo suddenly turned sacred to some hardliners. Some ministers and parliamentarian are also supporting this demand.

The Cattle community have also joined the protest on demands of a Cattle Land where all cows, buffaloes, ox, etc could live peacefully away from humans. The new government which believes in good days for everyone is also considering this demand seriously. Let's see what happens in the future but Naqvi is receiving letters and messages from Chicken community for a similar remark on their eaters so that they a Chicken land would be a reality in future.

The Floating Humans - Burma Muslims

The Floating Humans

'Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule - Buddha'

In a world where people are fighting and protesting for better life to live in their state,country or territory there are humans who are floating on sea in search of land where they can place their feet after being thrown out from their own country. Rohingya Muslims of Burma are struggling to live a normal life.

They're denied citizenship, forced into manual labor on government projects and forbidden to marry without official permission. Burma's Rohingya Muslims are often called one of the world's most persecuted people, and now they are turning to dangerous methods to change their fate. In harrowing attempts to migrate to nearby countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, many Rohingya ended up stuck on overcrowded boats at sea, with no country willing to grant them safe landing. Hundreds of others have died when such migrant boats capsized.

Buddhists majority in Burma (Myanmar) considered them migrant from Bangladesh denying the fact that their ancestors were living there since the British period. These Muslims were laborers from Bengal region of undivided India who were sent to work for British companies in farms and industries in Burma by Britishers. The military ruled Burma government denied them citizenship since 1982 and with citizenship it seems their right to live have also been abolished. They were not allowed to go to school, they were not allowed to do business outside Rakhine area and were tortured to leave even that small area where their population is confined.

A fishing boat carrying Rohingya Muslim and Bangleshi migrants is pulled to shore by fisherman off the coast of Indonesia on May 20, 2015. Since 2012, more than 86,000 Burmese people have fled the country on boats. (Antara Foto/Syifa/Reuters)

The persecution of Burma Muslims came into light after they were found stranded on boards at the coast of neighboring countries in big fishing boards in pathetic condition. No country is allowing them to enter their land, some of these were caught by smugglers who demanded ransom for their release from their families failing to which these kidnapped people were killed and buried in coastal areas of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The main stream Indian media and also the most of international media is not reporting this issue as it should be raised for this inhuman act of hostility by Burma Buddhists. This is also hard to understand why peace advocating Buddhists monks are resorting to such violent means. They are butchering small children, women, men mercilessly to throw them out of Burma. The world is silent on this issue,with this post I appeal all Human Right activists to take matter to the authorities and we should all stand in their support to help them win the very necessity of being human i.e the right to live. I hope and pray that these floating human get some ground beneath their feet.

Diversions

Peter was flying in helicopter over the river where he first met Rebecca his wife a vivacious girl full of life.

This was the love at first sight which culminated into marriage unopposed by their parents.

But the diversions in their relation came when she fell in love with his friend who used to visit them regularly even in Peter's absence.

He was trying to escape from the town after killing his wife and his friend with his licensed pistol when police chased his car in helicopter and arrested him by bursting his tire with a gun shot.

Diversions from the path of love closed the way towards solutions.

This post is linked to Five Sentence Fiction (Diversions)

Ek Paar Modi Sarkaar

Ek Paar Modi Sarkar

Narender Modi is completing one year in office as Prime Minister (PM) of India on 26th May. This one year is not less than a roller caster ride for citizen of this country for having experiences which they haven't in their entire life. The Babu's day out with brooms on 2nd October which have everything except Mahatma Gandhi for whose birthday this day is remembered in India, restless and respect-less teachers on teachers day, Obama show on Republic Day are some arrangements by this government.

The aim of the Modi Sarkaar in this last year was to destroy value of special days by introducing photo sharing opportunities for celebrities in events like Swach Bharat, the agenda of growth which was the main point during his campaigning days appears missing in this second set of campaigning on the foreign soils among NRI's. Manufacturing sector, Infrastructure sector, retail growth, production, employment are facing lowest ever figures. Nothing done for farmers, laborers, middle class and lower middle class except for fake promises. MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) which helped in raising the living standard of rural Indians is on verge of extinction with no work granting under this scheme.

The Naseebwala PM has crop damage due to excessive rains, Kashmir Flood, recent earthquake in Bihar in his naseeb for the nation. His law changing abilities have resulted in the changes in Land Acquisition Law, Whistle blower Act, Real Estate Act, etc for the worse for citizen of India. He is only self praising himself. Their is only one man in the government and all other ministers are worth puppets in his hands with no real decision making ability. The minorities are feeling insecure under his rules with rise in hate incidents even at places which never experienced such incidents, attacks on minority places of worship, relating cow slaughtering to particular community, Ghar Wapasi, Love Jihad are feathers in his cap for the first year.

He is promoting his foreign trips (18 countries in one year) as a step towards Make In India initiative while statistics shows a decline in foreign investment in the last one year instead while these trips costs more than Rs 600 crores to the nation and almost about 800 crores were wasted on government marketing. 12 months of his demanded 60 months have passed in turmoil for the nation. I will pray for goodwill of our country in coming 48 months. God Bless India.

Do respond in the comment section if you think I have ignored his achievement in this one year because Jan Dhan has 60% accounts with zero balance, his recent insurance schemes are just for name having no use for the masses, Ganga action plan is ridiculed thrice by the Supreme Court for not being effective.

Note: If Mr Modi happened to read it by chance we all are proud to be Indians not for some party or some leader but for the rich heritage of our country based on love and respect for each other. Please concentrate on development if you wish for it.

My Smartphone My Smart App - My Airtel App

Image from Indiblogger.in brand cover

Smartphone is smart not only for its look and functioning but for the smart apps available on it. In today's smart world smartphone is not only a priced possession but a necessity. It helps in maintaining the speed of our fast paced life by accelerating our task while on the move. We can track our exercise routine, finances, remain connected to our friends and family all because of these smart phones. The apps offered by them making our life smoother and easier day by day. My Airtel App from Airtel is one such app.

Airtel users which are already privileged to have the India's largest and smartest network suited best for the smarphones now have the opportunity to gain more out of it by using My Airtel App which is available for all smartphone operating system (Android, IOS, Windows, etc). After download a one time registration code is sent for mobile number verification after which the app is ready to use. This app is the simplest way to manage all your Airtel services through your handset. The three key features of this app which I liked the most and suits best to my life style are :

1. Airtel Surprises : Who don't like surprises? My Airtel App gives surprise coupons after every recharge that you do. You can redeem these coupons across categories like shopping, food, wellness, entertainment,etc. That means the recharge which you would do even if you don't get anything from it brings you offers from brands like PVR cinemas, Cafe Coffee Day, Flipkart, Amazon and many more such brands without any extra charges.

2. Work On The Go : We often forget to recharge our DTH service, paying our bills and even recharging our data plans which results in discontinuation of these services. It happens because in our busy routine we forget such things or don't get time for them but now with this app we can do these tasks when they comes to our mind with the help of the device which is always in our hands i.e our smartphone via the smart app - My Airtel.. This feature is my favorite for providing convenience of doing these important task without going anywhere.

3. Safe And Secured Payments : What restricts us from doing the online transactions is the risk to compromise our confidential card details. This app with PCIDSS certification ensures safety of online transactions. Thus we can easily recharge our mobile phone, pay our land line bills, etc without worrying about safety. Moreover it stores the card information for faster payments in the future transactions.

The App has a user-friendly interface and option for easy customization of home screen according to your needs. If you are an Airtel user without this app on your smart phone then you can download it from My Airtel App.

Book Review : Capturing Wildlife Moments In India

Capturing Wildlife Moments In India is the coffee table book by Ashok Mahindra of The Hem Chand Mahindra Foundation. It contains 120 photographs of animals and birds of India, photographed from visits to over 30 parks,sanctuaries and other locations. It is being published by Oxford University Press(OUP) & Bombay Natural History Society(BNHS).The book will be available at most of the major retail outlets across India and also through online retail sites like Amazon, Flipkart etc.It will also be available for sale through the BNHS website and is priced at Rs.1450.

Cover : Half submerged Bengal Tiger is fascinating and captivating on the cover. This first image prepared you for the beauty of nature you are going to experience in this book. I can only imagine the hard work required for such precision and patience in capturing this image. Full marks for the cover. The rear image of a peacock is also superb.

Content: This book contains 120 photographs of animals and words showing rich heritage and range of wildlife and its habitats in India. I am allowed to show few images from the book which make you aware the kind of work in the book. It contains images of almost all animals and birds species unique to India which includes Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Elephant, Rhesus Macaque, Little Egret, White Ibis, Crested Serpent Eagle,etc. Ashok Mahindra have covered almost all National Park and Bird sanctuaries of India like Corbett National Park - Uttarakhand, Ranthambore National Park - Rajasthanto, National Chambal Sanctuary - U.P, Bharat Bird Sanctuary - Rajasthan, to have these images.

Aim : The aim of this book is to create awareness of the real danger to wildlife in India and to promote the preservation of that wildlife by encouraging youngsters to appreciate beauty of nature so that they can understand the importance of forests and wildlife. We often see and appreciate wildlife on Discovery and National Geographic Channels and wish to see such animal by visiting Africa without knowing the natural beauty of our own country. This book brings you closer to Indian wildlife.

Verdict : This book is a must for every Indian household to inculcate in our children the interest in wildlife and nature which is must for the preservation of wildlife.

Rating : I would give it 5/5 for the dedication and quality.

"This post is a part of the book review program of at Saevus Wildlife India in association with The Hemchand Mahindra Foundation for the book Capturing Wildlife Moments in India"

Ek Nayi League

image from indiblogger.in brand cover

Cricket Leagues, Kabaddi Leagues, Football Leagues, Badminton Leagues and so many other leagues are coming in the country. Their motive is to promote their respective game by giving it a flavor of glamour and entertainment and their acceptance among the masses shows their success in the their endeavor. They have changed the way we see these games, the way we feel these games. They have earned a viewership of those people also which used to avoid watching these games or those who didn't like them at all. In this crowd of leagues our very own loving, famous, forever young cricketer Mr Kapil Dev is bringing #EkNayiLeague among us.

Ek Nayi League as the name suggests would be a different and a new concept. In his videos he is urging celebrities from the field of sports and television that playing this league with heart is like giving your own wicket (Hit Wicket) or a surprise twist (Googly). In his campaign picture he is posing like a quiz master touching his head with finger of his left hand an impression usually used to imply something related to wit and wisdom. If I conclude all these evidences then Ek Nayi League appears to me a cricket based entertaining game show.

A celebrity show where participants would face situations where they need to decide from emotional angle or practical angle and the emotional side would either eliminate you or would send you in danger for a new test essential for saving one from eviction. Kapil Paji's presence surely relates it to cricket because he is the one face along with Sachin Tendulkar who have instilled cricket in veins of Indian people. Everybody recognizes him as the man who first lifted the cricket world cup for India in 1983 and his image holding the cup from the balcony of Lord's Cricket Stadium (London, England) is unforgettable. Cricket, Celebrity, Cerebral is a deadly combination for an entertainment based game show. Kapil's mix of rustic and modern style would sure to add cherry to such a show.

I wish that if my guess about Ek Nayi League is wrong and it comes out something else even then someone should consider my idea for a game show of such type. Ek Nayi League's mysterious campaign have engaged online audience in this guessing game. Kapil Dev's twitter debut @therealkapildev before #EkNayiLeague is also making this event exciting. The interest generated by this campaign is humongous and lots of people are waiting for the revelation of this secret. I am also eager to know what the role Kapil Dev is playing in this new league. His role with this league is also a matter of suspense and curiosity among the masses. There are also possibilities that #EkNayiLeague would be a social initiative.What do you think about Ek Nayi League? If you are guessing something share it on at http://www.eknayileague.com/

Jailed and Bailed

The prompt action by Bombay High Court brought tears in my eyes due to the quickness by our judiciary. The case which was on trial for about thirteen years ended with conviction of the accused for 5 years rigorous imprisonment by Session Court at around 4 pm on 6th May 2015. The accused required to appeal for bail in the high court for the charges levied on him were bailable only in high court, the high court stops working after 5 pm and it was then the action begins. A lawyer was arranged, pleaded for bail and Hurrah! The bail was granted within 30 minutes on the same day before closing of courts at 5 pm.

The accused I am talking about is Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, the case he was convicted for was 2002 hit and run case where his drunken driving resulted in death of one person and injuries to four others sleeping on the pavement. It took 13 years to a session court for giving him jail for 5 years and it took only thirty minutes for granting bail to him. I don't have any problem in this but what about equality of justice. Do we expect same for any other accused in hit and run case? Don't we want stricter laws to tackle drunken driving? Is this the example we are setting? Is judiciary a ball in the hands of rich and powerful?

His lawyers appealed for leniency because of his philanthropic works. Does giving charity give you a license to commit a crime? Does running a orphanage give you right to sexually abuse the children? I can understand the feeling of his fans and followers, I also like his movies and appreciate his charity work but I can't support him in his criminal endeavor. I am sure no body would applaud release of any criminal in such a way then why him.

If makers of 'India's Daughter' documentary by BBC were wrong in showing sympathy towards family of the rapists than you are also wrong if you are crying after seeing visuals of his family. It hurts but it was not wrong he was penalized for his wrong Karma. Justice delivered but delayed, he was jailed but hastily bailed.

Book Review : The Wedding Trousseau

Book Review : The Wedding Trousseau and Other Short Stories

The Wedding Trousseau and Other Short Stories is a collection of 11 stories written by Ankita Sharma and published by Humming Words Publishers. I have received this author signed copy from the author. All 11 tales are inspired from various shades and areas of life.

Cover : It has a simple and soothing cover design. Images of high rise buildings denotes city where all the stories are based. The rear has an image of a dog which is connected to one of the stories in the book. Overall cover is nice and apt for the book.

Plot : This book contains 11 stories which are all different but similar in the theme. They are all based on human psyche and relationship some of which leave you flabbergasted with the way they are approached. The title story of The Wedding Trousseau deals with the complicated relationship of a husband and a wife. Humor, disgust, dejection, surprise, sympathy, awe, fear and many other emotions unfolds with each story.

Highs : Each story leave you with a question to think about ourselves and our society. The use of conversations in the narrative helps in deeper understanding of the psyche of character which blends well with the narrative. The use of simple language enhances your reading experience. You can't single out a story which is boring. These story make you think and introspect yourselves.

Lows: No story is boring but some lose their pace in between. Few story appears to me as incomplete without any conclusion.

Verdict: Go get your copy today to discover different angles of the human psyche with a fresh perspective. An unputdownable read.

Rating : I would give it 4/5.

The author blogs at www.hummingwords.blogspot.in. You can buy this book from Amazon and BuyBook India.