2 Books

Vishwa Ki Shreshth Kahaniyaan  Compiled by Dr. Maharaj Krishna Jain

 To all my friends working in my company, please borrow this book from our Hindi Dept Library.

 This is short book having 14 world's best stories.  I liked all of them. 

 The gem of the stories are story of  Leo Tolstoy, Agatha Christy, O.Henry, Ravindra Nath Tagore.

Antim Shabad – Gangadhir Gadgil

 This book is compilations of hindi translated (by Ms. Madhavi Prasad Deshpande) 11 short stories of Mr. Gangadhar Gadgil, reputed marathi writer.

 All the stories are mainly related to various phases of women life.

 The writer has minutely expressed the sentiments of different leading lady's emotions.  The story ends or starts at one specific action & then all emotions grappled the entire scenario.

 These stories predominately shows that whatever the situations life will go on.

Khushal

15/09/2009

Mujhe Ghar Le Chalo – Taslima Nasreen ( Aatma Katha -5)

 

Taslima Nasreen is now well known personality, born in Bangaldesh & exiled from her country due to her writing about Islam.

 

Majhe Ghar Le Chalo is translated in Hindi by Ms. Sushil Gupta.

 

The book is about her experiences after leaving her country & her stay in Sweden.

 

She was invited by the entire world & praised by all the European countries for her courage & daring.  She has written about her stay at various countries, about the citizens of these countries, the surroundings, habits of people, good & bad things about various places. She actually takes you with her to visit various places.  The book contains many of her poems.

 

Her writing is very good & it brings out her personality as strong & straight headiness.  She is independent, strong, rebellion by nature. Her writing shows that she follows different path & is never afraid of taking side of truth or what she believes to be true or fair.

 

It is not ironical that in the ocean of people, she finds herself alone.  Actually she found herself trapped.  Basically she is hard core Bangaladeshi & soft hearted woman  & unable to align herself in foreign land.  She is desperate to return to her country & her writing shows her true love for her matrubhumi (birth place). 

 

Good to read to experience her writing & knowing various places & people,

 

Khushal

15/09/2009

Hindi Book - Objection Mr. Lord

Hindi Book - "Objection Mr. Lord" by Nirmala Bhuradia

The above novel is about the story of Madhavi borne & raised in joint Marvadi Family. Her father expired when she was small, due to some family problems her mother also left her. The story moves with Madhavi. Madhavi is fearless, intelligent & rebel type girl. For her, each & every situations brings out basic questions of womanhood & its problems.

The story runs parallel at different levels, lots of character comes in & fades away. Lots of things do not end at particular point. There is hardly any characterization as large number of characters are woven in the story. Madhavi remains alone eventhough she got married. She failed to find her true love.

She was destined to remain alone but finds a path & reason for living at the end.

What I observe that story narration is good but somehow lots of things are happening but nothing actually matters. Madhavi choose to remain silent at various occasions & that puzzles me. Further, the novel has tried to show other side of press (news paper) however it has not effectively come out. One more thing I am not able to correlate is the title of the novel & the story.

Good for one time reading,

Khushal

14/09/2009

Do you believe in genies?

Dear Friends,


I have got mail & liked it very much & can not resist myself to post it on my blog,

just enjoy....


Husband takes his wife to play her first game of golf.

Of course, the wife promptly hacked her first shot right through the window of the biggest house adjacent to the course.

The husband shouted , 'I warned you to be careful! Now we'll have apologize and see how much your lousy drive is going to cost us.'

So the couple walked up to the house and knocked on the door.

A warm voice said, 'Come on in.' When they opened the door they saw the damage that was done: glass was all over the place, and a broken antique bottle was lying on its side near the broken window.

A man reclining on the couch asked, 'Are you the people that broke my window?'

'Uh...yeah, sir. We're sure sorry about that,' the husband replied.

'Oh, no apology is necessary. Actually I want to thank you. You see, I'm a genie, and I've been trapped in that bottle for a thousand years. Now that you've released me, I'm allowed to grant three wishes. I'll Give you each one wish, but if you don't mind, I'll keep the last one for myself.'

'Wow, that's great!' the husband said. He pondered a moment and blurted out, 'I'd like a million dollars a year for the rest of my life.'

'No problem,' said the genie. 'You've got it, it's the least I can do. And I'll guarantee you a long, healthy life!'

'And now you, young lady, what do you want?' the genie asked. 'I'd like to own a gorgeous home complete with servants in every country in the world,' she said.
'Consider it done,' the genie said. 'And your homes will always be safe from fire,burglary and natural disasters!'

'And now,' the couple asked in unison, 'what's your wish, genie?'

' Well, since I've been trapped in that bottle and haven't been with a woman in more than a thousand years, my wish is to sleep with your wife.'

The husband looked at his wife and said, 'honey, you know we both now have a fortune, and all those houses. What do you think?'

She mulled it over for a few moments and said, 'You know, you're right. Considering our good fortune, I guess I wouldn't mind, but what about you, honey?'

'You know I love you sweetheart,' said the husband.

'I'd do the same for you!' So the genie and the woman went upstairs where they spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other. The genie was insatiable.
After about three hours of non-stop fun, the genie rolled over and looked directly into her eyes and asked, 'How old are you and your husband?'

'Why, we're both 35,' she responded breathlessly.

'Really?! Thirty-five years old and both of you still believe in genies?'


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Khushal
18/08/2009

Book - Edwina Aur Nehru (hindi)

Book – Edwina Aur Nehru (Hindi)
By Catherine Clamma
Hindi Translation : Nirmala Jain,

This book is written by French Writer Catherine Clamma & translated in Hindi by Nirmala Jain.

As per the original writer, in France, people are least interested in simple & happy ending love story. French people are drawn to unusual love story, which ends, on parting of lovers. Love stories between rich & poor, one caste & other caste, love story which has tragedy as destiny.

The love story of Nehru & Edwina perfectly fells in this league. Nehru, the representative of suppressed / slave country & Edwina the symbol of ruling Country. Both are married & met each other when there was no place /t ime for love. Love in this case was not ordinary & hence it is perfect story for French people.

Being an Indian, I read the story with suspicious mind. I hoped that there is no such love between both of them. This woman should, not have influenced the decision of our First Prime Minister. The faith of India (& Pakistan) should not have been decided by the game played by Lord Mountbatten & his wife, Edwina.

The book has span of around 40 years & depicted the various phases of Edvina & Nehru’s life & relationship. It also narrates our freedom movement, pre & post independence challenges before Indian leaders & about Gandhiji.

Edwina, the wife of Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, having dubious past records & her relationship with husband was turbulent. However she was also devoted to help the war displaced people.

Lord Mountbatten, when arrived in India, had tough task ahead. British council was in the final phase of taking decision about freedom of India & he has to ensure that transfer of power from England to India should be carried out smoothly. However the road was not smooth for Mr.Mountbatten, there are countless problems like Jinha’s demand of Pakistan, Gandhi’s opposition of partition, demand of freedom by independent Kings, ruling at that time.

The story travels through the most crucial time of Indian history. Nehru was widower at that time & was carrying heavy burden of representing our country. During this hard times, Nehru & Edwina finds true friend / companion in each other. As even after partition, Edwina was actively serving the Indian people displaced due to partition.

The writer has taken creative liberty & illustrated their love as platonic & divine. The flow of story is very good. While reading I started imagining Nehru as an ordinary man, who was in extra ordinary situation & as not as great person / political leader. I started realizing that he was really mentally taxed & doing his best. If he tried to find comfort in her, then I should not mind it. We know & sure that Nehru was 100% committed to India & his priority was India & Indian people only, everything come after that.

The book is silent about any physical relationship between both of them rather it does not suggest any thing about it. As per the book, it is just the great bonding between two individuals with different cultural background, met each other because of their destiny. They played pivotal & positive role in each & others life.

I feel that author has not revealed much about the height of their relationship & termed their love as extra ordinary. I think author was right in doing so as Indian people do not have mentality to accept that their leader was a weak man.

It is good as a book depicting love story but it can not be termed genuine book representating historical infomation.

Khushal
09/07/2009.(written date)

Select Edition - Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest - Select Editions

1) The Murder Artist by John Case
2) Start From Here by Sean French
3) At Risk by Stella Riminton
4) The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

All the above stories are selected by Reader's Digest & printed as Select Editions.

I wish to write few things as under :-

The Murder Artist
by John Case

This is one of the gripping story I have ever read. It has kept me wondering what will happen next. It is the story of father, who's twin sons got lost in carnival. On learning that he is divorce, police suspects him. They also found some sort of evidence in the house. Even when he declared innocent, his problems do not finish as police were unable to trace his twins. He decided to take the investigation into his own hands. This starts his journey to various parts of world & he discover that his children are in grave danger. He has to act very fast & to fight a lone battle to save his children. Story has important angle & element of voodoo & magic. It is very terrifying & unnerving some times.

Start From Here
by Sean French

This is very different story explaining & wondering too, the role of Actuary (statistician) who based on some mathematical formula decide the trend of events. I am sure you do not understand what I am talking about.

The story has a thin line & basically play around with insurance fraud claims & free life of hero.

At Risk
by Stella Riminton

In this story, the pace is very slow & things do not get connected very clearly in first reading. Lots of things happening & slow pace reduces the impact. The story is about 2 terrorist planning a attack & group of British police countering them.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith

The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency is story about a lady detective Mma Ramotswe, who opens the detective agency & solves the mysteries around her neighborhood.

The story details the initial years of her life & goes on with her story of cracking cases to the satisfaction of her clients. Story is very interesting & I like reading it.

--

Khushal
19/06/2009

Books - Kahani & Manjarnama - By Gulzar

Dear Friends,
I have recently read 3 books in Hindi titled
Libaas – Kahani & Manjarnama
Aandhi -Kahani & Manjarnama
Meera - Kahani & Manjarnama

Manjarnama in Hindi refers to Situation as seen, it also refers to screen play or scenerio.

This books are actually the script of the movies made by Gulzar. The actual screen play & script, scene by scene is given in the book.

Earlier I have read Hututu – Kahani & Manjarnama also.

I have not seen movie Libaas, Aandhi or Meera.

All the movies made by Gulzar are known for realistic story, good songs, fine performances & flowing story narration.

I like to share my experience of reading,

Libaas is story of theatre artist couple & how their life changes when one friend enter into their life.

While reading the book, I felt that story is moving with each & every scene, the scenes are carring forward the story, actually not the story but to next scene / situation. It is also mentioned in the book itself that screen play was written even before the story finalised.

I like the concept in all & would love to see the movie for its lead Naseerudin Shah, Shabana Azami & Raj Babbar & it also have good songs.

Aandhi is story with politics background.

The leading lady breaks her marriage to pursue her political ambitions. After few years the man & woman meet each other in the middle of pre- election high drama. It leads to various events which ultimately bridge the gap between them. The main cast includes Sanjeev Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Om Prakash etc.

I had chance to see some glimpses of movie scenes, I really enjoyed watching Sanjeev Kumar in action. He was very brilliant actor & seeing him acting, with screen play in my hand, was delight.

Meera- Kahani & Manjarnama book contains the interview of Gulzar.It is must read for the persons who are interested to pursue their carrier in direction / film making.

Meera's story we all know, Gulzar has tried to cover important part of her life in the movie & reading the script (i.e. Book) I felt he has done justice. I would like to see the movie for Hema Malini (Meera) & Vinod Khanna.

On reading the above books I learn some thing about story telling (Meera). It has widen my horizon to think differently (Libaas) & see the things from other perspective(Aandhi).

Khushal

18/06/2009.

गुड जोक

एक बहोत ही गुदगुदाने वाली तस्वीर :-

A Good Poem by Mr. Rajiv Paul

This is a very good poem published in Hindustan Times Café on 04/05/2009. It is written by Mr. Rajiv Paul, TV actor.I have not taken formal permission from Mr. Rajiv Paul but I hope that Mr. Rajiv will will not mind it (as the same is on National News Paper).

Normally understanding poetry is not my forte. However some poems automatically make way for themselves. This poem also struck to me. I like it & hence sharing with my friends.
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झुन्जुलाहत घबराहट सी है
इस शहर में हसी भी थोडी दबी दबी सी है
मिलते है लोग मगर
हर मुलाकात कुछ अधूरी सी है
है घर थोड़े छोटे
और दिलो में जगह भी थोडी कम सी है
है वक़्त की मारामारी इतनी
की ख़ुद के लिए भी वक़्त की थोडी कमी सी है
कहते सपनो का शहर इससे
फिर क्योँ हर ख्वाइश अधूरी सी है
है लोग बोहोत मगर
दोस्तों की कही कमी सी है
यो तो है हसीनो का शहर ये
मोहब्बत की मगर कुछ कमी सी है
दावते होत है रोज़ कई
मगर रोटी की कहीं कमी सी है
रास्ते है बोहोत मंजिलो तक पोहोचने के
साथ चलने वालों की मगर कमी सी है
दास्ताने दिल की है कई
मगर सुनने वालों कु कुछ कमी सी है
----

Khushal
05/05/09

My Friends real life incidence

This is the real life incidence of my friend, presented by me based on our chat during lunch. I have taken due permission from him & with his consent I am posting this on my blog.
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Today we (myself & my cousin brother) are in soup.

We have to prove our innocence to our teacher that we are actually communicating with each other & not flirting with the girl. We are studying in IX standard & the year was 1992.

Actually, we have developed gesture ( hand – eye coordination ) language wherein one of us will convert the message into gesture & other one is to decode it. It is like I will decode his (my brother’s) gesture message, who will be standing few feet distance away from me.

It was started when we witnessed our age-old tradition at our house in village.

This tradition involves two persons; one will come to our house & will chat with our family member. He will ask the name of our great grand father -mother, grand father – mother, their siblings, their children etc. actually will ask our family tree.

In the meantime the other person who is standing with dhol far from our house will sing a povada (praise song) & keep on incorporating our fore fathers name wherever applicable based on the gestures of earlier man. The first man will through hand / body gesture communicate the required name & second man alongwith playing the dhol, sing a povada i.e. praising our family using the names of our ancestors.

This skill / peoples are known as Kuli ( not Cooli, but it refers to Kul – Caste, & Kuli means who brought fame to caste / person who earns honor for his caste).

My brother & me were very amused by their skills & decided to develop our own code language though we do not belong to their caste.

We started with alphabet & assigned one gesture to each. We found it easy & started practicing. We go on improving by making single gesture for a commonly used word like mother, father, moon etc.. We almost did it with perfection & now either he or me can code & decode our language easily. We demonstrate to our friends, where he based on information provided by one of our friend will communicate with me in gesture & I, who is standing at distance, keep on decoding it simultaneously.

Every one found it amazing & that keep us practicing more & more.

However our over enthusiasm cost dearly one day. My brother communicating me through his gesture standing in front of a house turned the wind. The girl inside the house assumed that he (my brother) is gesturing at her & either flirting or making fun of her. She came out & shouted at my brother. We all ran away.

As our luck ran out, she was our classmate & was not aware of our skill. She reported to our teacher that my brother is making gestures or flirting with her. When teacher asked about the same to my brother, he told the truth. We all rounded up by teacher & asked to prove our innocence by demonstrating the skill in entire class.

Now we are in soup, as we have not expected this. My teacher will provide the matter for communication. The matter was full page & handed over to my brother & I was to decode his gestures my standing in front.

Firstly I was very nervous, as single mistake will be term our entire skill as bluff & will be subject to severe punishment.

So, we have no option but to face the challenge. Once we started communicating, our confidence grew & successfully completed our task. Our teacher was very happy for our skill & convinced that my brother is not flirting with the girl. We feel relieved.

Our teacher asks us to be prepared for showcase our skill on Annual Day, which of course, we have to oblige. In any case, due to shortage of time we were not required to do it on annual day but we are happy that we can prove our innocence & skill.
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Hope you enjoyed it.

With love,

Khushal Gohil
22/04/2009