Sunday, May 25, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Beer? Maybe, maybe not!
For those of you who thought beer is a very healthy drink , here's something that might put you on second thoughts.
http://www.littleabout.com/2008/05/23/beer-increases-the-risk-of-developing-pancreatic-cancer/
According to this study, beer is known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Obviously, it does indicate that the risk is higher for heavy drinkers, so I am assuming that a mug of beer once a while should still be safe.... but who knows?!
http://www.littleabout.com/2008/05/23/beer-increases-the-risk-of-developing-pancreatic-cancer/
According to this study, beer is known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Obviously, it does indicate that the risk is higher for heavy drinkers, so I am assuming that a mug of beer once a while should still be safe.... but who knows?!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Unaccustomed Earth
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
This book, from the author of 'Interpreter of Maladies' and 'The Namesake' is one o
f the nicest short story collections that I've read so far. It's hard to pick which one is better, 'Interpreter of Maladies' or 'Unaccustomed Earth', both of which are collection of short stories, but I still favour this one a little more.
Lahiri is one of the finest Indian authors that I've come across. She has something new to offer in every book and every story of her's. Her style of writing is very unique (with her attention to detail she creates a lasting image in your mind), thought provoking and gripping; none of her stories have a perfect ending, it leaves you thinking at the end... always, and that's what brings it close to reality coz more often than not, you dont see a 'perfect end' to situations in life.
Unaccustomed Earth, is again a set of 8 short stories intrically woven with their themes...Bengali families who have migrated to US of A. That's the author's focus in all her books, but each story has something different to offer.... Be it a daughter's dilemma whether to give shelter to her father after her mother passed away, discovering some secrets during the time he comes to visit her; or a married woman falling in love with a stranger who comes to stay with them and becomes a family friend, only to be discovered by her daugther much later in life; or a sister trying to help her alcohol addicted brother who is rejected by his family and the society but at the end starts doing it herself, Lahiri has mastered the intricacies of human emotions and put it across in the most simple and subtle way.
The first part is a set of 5 distinct stories and the second part, is a set of 3 intertwined stories forming a trilogy - where two people (Hema and Kaushik) meet at different stages in their lives - during childhood, in their teenage and later in their 30's. The ending is very touching, though somewhat contrived.
The only criticism would be that she tends to get a little melodramatic sometimes in her narrations and becoz of the only central theme she uses - NRI bengali families who are academic over-achievers (everyone is a PhD), economically prosperious and always in mixed marriages, the stories sometimes seem to lack variations.
Nevertheless, I still rate this book 4.5/5 and highly recommend it. It is well worth the time...
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Oye! Amritsar...
This restaurant on church street(located above Ruby Tuesday), is something that I'd heard of a lot and been recommended even more.... I read loads of reviews about it before going there for lunch today, and that set the expectations high...and I surely was not disappointed. A very small place, with hardly 10-12 tables and no hi-fi ambience(a mock roof-top dhaba), all this place has to offer is its awesome authentic punjabi food which is it's USP (unique selling point). The very first thing that I can think about, when I think of this restaurant is it's lassi, served in a monstrously huge glass.... very tasty.. and it can almost compensate for a full course lunch, coz I had to almost eat the lassi rather than drink it :)
(Photo courtesy: google search)
The food was extremely good,a treat to your taste buds.....it defnitely leaves u craving for more! They have a wide variety on the menu but I would recommend the lunch buffet coz it reduces the pain of ordering and you get to taste a lot of their good stuff. The service was very good and fast even though the place was very crowded, but if you go without reservations, then you have to bear with the agony of a long wait.
The buffet was 175Rs and with a-la-carte, a meal per person will be about 250Rs (without drinks). The price is slightly towards the higher side but considering that they are offering a cuisine which is not so common (and authentic ofcourse!) in b'lore, it doesnt seem expensive and it's definitely worth it!! Something you shouldn't miss for sure...
You can read a really good review about this place on Bangalore Metblogs (with nice pictures)
(Photo courtesy: google search)The food was extremely good,a treat to your taste buds.....it defnitely leaves u craving for more! They have a wide variety on the menu but I would recommend the lunch buffet coz it reduces the pain of ordering and you get to taste a lot of their good stuff. The service was very good and fast even though the place was very crowded, but if you go without reservations, then you have to bear with the agony of a long wait.
The buffet was 175Rs and with a-la-carte, a meal per person will be about 250Rs (without drinks). The price is slightly towards the higher side but considering that they are offering a cuisine which is not so common (and authentic ofcourse!) in b'lore, it doesnt seem expensive and it's definitely worth it!! Something you shouldn't miss for sure...
You can read a really good review about this place on Bangalore Metblogs (with nice pictures)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Jhumpa Lahiri...
It's strange that I am currently reading 3 books simultaneously, somehow ended up starting all 3 and it's all going parallel now...so will take time to finish and post all the reviews! One of it is Jhumpa Lahiri's latest - Unaccustomed Earth - a collection of short stories. I have finished half the book, and it's so amazing that I love her writings all the more now.. While browsing about the book and the author, I came across this exclusive author's interview, which is quite nice (Link at the end..)
It's interesting to note that she came up with some of the stories in this new collection nearly a decade before.... authored 'The Namesake' in between and now actually completing those old stories!! 'Hema and Kaushik' is a trilogy in this new short stories collection, which she is referring to below...
Lahiri: It began in a staggered way, with Kaushik and Hema. The first of the stories in that series, "Once in a Lifetime," is a story from about ten years ago that I started and never finished. The characters had those names, though.
They were characters that first entered my mind about a decade ago. I thought about them, and I had a very vague sense of them and their world, their situations and their families. The earliest incarnation was the idea of the story of their two sets of parents who are at once very close and very different.
I was trying to write about Kaushik's family moving back to India and then moving back yet again, and staying with Hema's family. That was always the kernel, this strange couple of months in both their lives, in which they're all crammed into one household.
That was the idea, but at the time I never knew why exactly the family had come back; I hadn't yet figured it out. Those are the earliest characters in the book, and eventually, many years later, I returned to that draft (if you could call it that — it was just a few pages) and was able to work on it again and move forward and finish the story.
That's how it began technically, I suppose. Then I wrote The Namesake, in between, and then started up with some of the other stories. "Hell-Heaven" I had first started while I was writing The Namesake. Sometimes a story idea comes to me and I loosely write it or half-write it or quarter-write it. So when I was finished with The Namesake, I turned to these other ideas. I went back to Hema and Kaushik, and went back to "Hell-Heaven." The other stories just followed, one by one. "
And for all those people who think that the final-product of writing is usually those initial-thoughts that come into mind, then here's something to contradict that....
Jill: How much do you revise, generally?
Lahiri: That's really all I do. It's all a process for me of continued revision. I worked on most of the stories in this book for several years. When I finished some, and I published some, along the way, then I considered them done, but I still worked on them for a considerable length of time, and the ones I didn't publish, I continued to work on. Most of these stories were simmering for two to three years, minimum.
Read the full interview here
It's interesting to note that she came up with some of the stories in this new collection nearly a decade before.... authored 'The Namesake' in between and now actually completing those old stories!! 'Hema and Kaushik' is a trilogy in this new short stories collection, which she is referring to below...
Lahiri: It began in a staggered way, with Kaushik and Hema. The first of the stories in that series, "Once in a Lifetime," is a story from about ten years ago that I started and never finished. The characters had those names, though.
They were characters that first entered my mind about a decade ago. I thought about them, and I had a very vague sense of them and their world, their situations and their families. The earliest incarnation was the idea of the story of their two sets of parents who are at once very close and very different.
I was trying to write about Kaushik's family moving back to India and then moving back yet again, and staying with Hema's family. That was always the kernel, this strange couple of months in both their lives, in which they're all crammed into one household.
That was the idea, but at the time I never knew why exactly the family had come back; I hadn't yet figured it out. Those are the earliest characters in the book, and eventually, many years later, I returned to that draft (if you could call it that — it was just a few pages) and was able to work on it again and move forward and finish the story.
That's how it began technically, I suppose. Then I wrote The Namesake, in between, and then started up with some of the other stories. "Hell-Heaven" I had first started while I was writing The Namesake. Sometimes a story idea comes to me and I loosely write it or half-write it or quarter-write it. So when I was finished with The Namesake, I turned to these other ideas. I went back to Hema and Kaushik, and went back to "Hell-Heaven." The other stories just followed, one by one. "
And for all those people who think that the final-product of writing is usually those initial-thoughts that come into mind, then here's something to contradict that....
Jill: How much do you revise, generally?
Lahiri: That's really all I do. It's all a process for me of continued revision. I worked on most of the stories in this book for several years. When I finished some, and I published some, along the way, then I considered them done, but I still worked on them for a considerable length of time, and the ones I didn't publish, I continued to work on. Most of these stories were simmering for two to three years, minimum.
Read the full interview here
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Here is the link to the author's offical website. He has a blog in there too, pretty interesting.
After reading 'The Kite Runner', there was no way I would have missed out on this one. A couple of reviews that I had read initially indicated that this book is very similar to the the previous one and has nothing different to offer. That put me off a bit, but am glad I still picked it up, coz it was amazing in its own way!
Without writing much about the plot, I would like to say that Khaled Hosseini really does know how to make your heart ache!! The last 2 days when I read this book during bedtime, I found it hard to sleep...some of the things described in the book really haunted me, day and night. If the very description of Taliban and life in Afghanistan could make me go thru this, I wonder how people in there would have endured it all... I have foregone hours of sleep, just so that I get to read one more chapter, and that never ends... hard to keep the book down.
The author's style of writing is something that I enjoyed - very clear, simple and effective. The way he has described the emotions of the two women in the story, a peek behind the burqa, is really commedable.....In one of the lines he writes about friendship, which I felt was nicely expressed - "Boys, Laila came to see, treated friendship the way they treated the sun: its existence undisputed; its radiance best enjoyed, not beheld directly"
I will definitely remember this as one of 2007's best novels and would look forward to reading more of his books..
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Update on Orbis Terrarum Challenge...
'Orbis Terrarum' in latin means 'the whole world' or 'globe of the world'.. I've just finished 2 books as per my list and on to the third one now.. It's interesting to note how you can travel to different parts of the world and learn about various countries and its cultures by reading books...I 'm loving it!!
Got this idea of showing the world map from Ramya's blog... but managed to get a picture of my own though ;-) The map just made me realize how limited my reading has been and how vast the world is! :)
Updated list:
1. Sister of my heart- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (India)
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
3. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)
4. Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami ( Japan)
5. Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafisi (Iran)
6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)
7. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sister of my heart
Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The next stop in my Orbis Terrarum Challenge was India. As per my list, I was suppose
d to read R.K Narayan's book but my eyes fell on this one and the reviews were so amazing that I couldn't resist myself from picking it up. I had read 'Mistress of Spices' by the same author and was not too impressed with it, but the story and reviews of this tempted me to try her book once again and I am surely not disappointed this time!
d to read R.K Narayan's book but my eyes fell on this one and the reviews were so amazing that I couldn't resist myself from picking it up. I had read 'Mistress of Spices' by the same author and was not too impressed with it, but the story and reviews of this tempted me to try her book once again and I am surely not disappointed this time!The story is about a bengali family, two sisters, cousins - Sudha and Anju, born on the same day... growing up in a household of 3 widowed women in Calcutta. The story is quite typical and cliched, but what makes it different is the way in which it is told, the events are so interlocked and it goes zigzag across time and alternates between India and America (the 2 places where the story is set up). Both Sudha and Anju are inseparable and so attached to each other that you can hardly say where one begins and the other ends. Both of them are forced into arranged marriages under different circumstances and their lives takes a drastic turn when each of them gets to know of some hidden truth. The bond of love and friendship that they share is very heart warming and their relationship shows to what extent one can be selfless and find happiness in sacrificing for someone you love. The story is full of unexpected events and surprises. It just keeps you at the edge of your seat and I found it hard to put it down every night and would eagerly wait to read it the next day!
About the author, I have heard that she gets very stereotyped in her stories and focuses only on bengali women and their issues. Maybe if I pick up another novel of her's I might notice the same but nevertheless, I enjoyed the way she has chosen to tell the story. The chapters alternate b/w Sudha and Anju - one chapter from each person's perspective, yet the story is so smoothly flowing; you dont feel left out... searching for details. I loved the way she has used the right words to describe each situation or emotion... and it defnitely has an impact. Even if you dislike this author, you will still surely enjoy this book! By the time I finished the book, I was left craving for more.... I've heard there is a sequel to this and would love to read it!
Next on the list : A Thousand Splendid Suns
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Power of silence
Found this nice article called 'Silent Power' in TOI yesterday.. Pretty interesting and definitely worth a read.
Link to the article
It talks about silence as a means of communication and how effective it is... sometimes much more than words, and also it's importance in relationships. Silence referred to here, is not just absence of sound, but a state within you where you are at peace with yourself - the stillness of mind. It is something that gives you that inner power, removes tensions and helps you cope better with relationships on all levels....
"From silence, our true powers emerge - the powers to withdraw, to accommodate, to face the truth, to discriminate right from wrong, to tolerate and to co-operate..."
"Silence is your connection to your soul. This is where true power resides. You begin to see life with clarity"
All these are for sure inspiring and thought provoking and am sure pretty effective if put in practise... but we all know, it is easier said than done...you can just keep at it, and keep trying hoping u can be there someday!
Link to the article
It talks about silence as a means of communication and how effective it is... sometimes much more than words, and also it's importance in relationships. Silence referred to here, is not just absence of sound, but a state within you where you are at peace with yourself - the stillness of mind. It is something that gives you that inner power, removes tensions and helps you cope better with relationships on all levels....
"From silence, our true powers emerge - the powers to withdraw, to accommodate, to face the truth, to discriminate right from wrong, to tolerate and to co-operate..."
"Silence is your connection to your soul. This is where true power resides. You begin to see life with clarity"
All these are for sure inspiring and thought provoking and am sure pretty effective if put in practise... but we all know, it is easier said than done...you can just keep at it, and keep trying hoping u can be there someday!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Author: Mohsin Hamid
As part of the Orbis Terrarum challenge I picked up this book first, though it was not o
n the top of my list and am glad I did. It's one of the most interesting books I've read so far. A very short one, just about 180pages and something that you got to read in one sitting to really follow and enjoy the plot. You just cant put the book down till the end 'coz every page u read makes u want to read further to know what happens, till u reach the end. This is one such book that you should read before reading any of the reviews. Because even a one-liner on what the book is about is going to spoil your whole experience. So if you are planning to read this book at any point, then warning - *do not read the next paragraph *
I loved the way the author has written this book 'coz I found his style of expression very unique. The whole book is complete first person narration; a pakistani talking to a stranger from America about his experiences in the US of A and how his life changes after the World Trade Center comes down. The main character, Changez, has gone to America for higher studies, graduates from Princeton and joins one of the top financial firms in the US. He falls in love with an American girl - Erica and their love story, built amidst the growing tension between US/Afghanistan/Pakistan, is something that really touches your heart. The author's command over language and the way he has played with words is just awesome. The way he takes you back and forth, between the past and the present, in his narration is downright amazing. I feel, in a monologue, it is very tough to keep the reader's attention and curiosity alive thru out the book and the author has done it really well. The ending is something that I really loved, coz it is not perfect, it keeps u thinking what really could have happened! Sensitive topics like the war between Afghanistan and US after the WTC bombing, the perception of the US in middle east and other parts of the world and the plight of a lot of people who were part of this disaster, are described in a subtle yet thought provoking way. The emotions are complex and the characters are something that you will not forget as soon as you finish the book... Overall, a very nice read and really worth it.
So, my book for the month is done :) Before I pick up one more for the next month, which is most probably "Reading Lolita in Tehran", I have a couple of other ones to finish... one of which is Shantaram :)
As part of the Orbis Terrarum challenge I picked up this book first, though it was not o
n the top of my list and am glad I did. It's one of the most interesting books I've read so far. A very short one, just about 180pages and something that you got to read in one sitting to really follow and enjoy the plot. You just cant put the book down till the end 'coz every page u read makes u want to read further to know what happens, till u reach the end. This is one such book that you should read before reading any of the reviews. Because even a one-liner on what the book is about is going to spoil your whole experience. So if you are planning to read this book at any point, then warning - *do not read the next paragraph *I loved the way the author has written this book 'coz I found his style of expression very unique. The whole book is complete first person narration; a pakistani talking to a stranger from America about his experiences in the US of A and how his life changes after the World Trade Center comes down. The main character, Changez, has gone to America for higher studies, graduates from Princeton and joins one of the top financial firms in the US. He falls in love with an American girl - Erica and their love story, built amidst the growing tension between US/Afghanistan/Pakistan, is something that really touches your heart. The author's command over language and the way he has played with words is just awesome. The way he takes you back and forth, between the past and the present, in his narration is downright amazing. I feel, in a monologue, it is very tough to keep the reader's attention and curiosity alive thru out the book and the author has done it really well. The ending is something that I really loved, coz it is not perfect, it keeps u thinking what really could have happened! Sensitive topics like the war between Afghanistan and US after the WTC bombing, the perception of the US in middle east and other parts of the world and the plight of a lot of people who were part of this disaster, are described in a subtle yet thought provoking way. The emotions are complex and the characters are something that you will not forget as soon as you finish the book... Overall, a very nice read and really worth it.
So, my book for the month is done :) Before I pick up one more for the next month, which is most probably "Reading Lolita in Tehran", I have a couple of other ones to finish... one of which is Shantaram :)
Saturday, April 12, 2008
I believe I can fly....
I don't remember the names of these birds :(
Painted Stork (not sure what this bird was doing though..)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Orbis Terrarum Challenge...
I came across this book challenge thru' one of the book blogs that I follow regularly. I found this pretty interesting 'coz I never knew there are so many different type of challenges that people take up for reading books! :) It starts from April 1st (tomorrow) till December' 20th. The challenge is to read 9 books in these 9 months by 9 different authors from different parts of the world.... Isn't that something unique?! Am really excited! I would never have put in so much thought to list down books from so many different authors if not for this... ! So here goes my list...
1. Waiting for the Mahatma- R.K Narayan (India)
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
3. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
4. Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami ( Japan)
5. Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafisi (Iran)
6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)
7. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)
8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)
The list might change a bit in the due course but mostly it would be the one above...
Btw.. I still have my Shantaram to read... I guess I will finish 5 more books by the time I complete this one! :)
1. Waiting for the Mahatma- R.K Narayan (India)
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
3. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
4. Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami ( Japan)
5. Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafisi (Iran)
6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)
7. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)
8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)
The list might change a bit in the due course but mostly it would be the one above...
Btw.. I still have my Shantaram to read... I guess I will finish 5 more books by the time I complete this one! :)
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Found these lines somewhere while browsing through.... short and sweet but conveys a lot! Perfect day to post this I guess :)
Growing up, we get dismayed by the realization that we could not get everything we want.
Growing old, we are delighted by the realization that although we can’t have everything we want, we can want everything we have.
Growing up, we get dismayed by the realization that we could not get everything we want.
Growing old, we are delighted by the realization that although we can’t have everything we want, we can want everything we have.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Time of your life...
Been listening to 'Green Day' over the last couple of days... love this song a lot... more for its lyrics than for the music...
Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I started reading this blog 'coz a friend recommended... and I must admit, whoever this lady is, she writes extremely well!! Drawing some inspirations from her.. :) Loved most of the posts that I read but this piece of poem that she has written is something that I enjoyed and appreciated the most....
Here is the Link to the poem..
And for those of you who are lazy to click on it, I have copied it here :)
Why are some things hard to let go,
While some are hard to accept.
Why is it so hard to be patient,
And never hard enough to suspect.
Why do some people come into our life,
Only to leave by the twists of fate.
Would we ever know to love,
If we knew the expiry date ?
Why do we say and do things,
For they have been said and done before.
What is good and bad is told to us,
No place for anything more.
Why are there so many dictums,
Hardly shades of grey
If I were to tell you the truth
How many of you would stay ?
Here is the Link to the poem..
And for those of you who are lazy to click on it, I have copied it here :)
Why are some things hard to let go,
While some are hard to accept.
Why is it so hard to be patient,
And never hard enough to suspect.
Why do some people come into our life,
Only to leave by the twists of fate.
Would we ever know to love,
If we knew the expiry date ?
Why do we say and do things,
For they have been said and done before.
What is good and bad is told to us,
No place for anything more.
Why are there so many dictums,
Hardly shades of grey
If I were to tell you the truth
How many of you would stay ?
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Video..
Finally found the complete video of this awesome song from Jodhaa Akbar (with the exact picturization as in the movie)...
Monday, February 25, 2008
It's been a couple of weeks since I started reading Shantaram, everyday.. I still havent finished half the book! Never have I read a book which describes every inch of detail in almost everything... Found another interesting set of lines which I wanted to post here.... Am sure even without much context, this makes sense...
"..Sometimes we love with nothing more than hope. Sometimes we cry with everything except tears. In the end that's all there is: love and its duty, sorrow and its truth. In the end that's all we have- to hold on tight until the dawn..."
"..Sometimes we love with nothing more than hope. Sometimes we cry with everything except tears. In the end that's all there is: love and its duty, sorrow and its truth. In the end that's all we have- to hold on tight until the dawn..."
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The person who hinders growth..
Someone forwarded this mail at office today.... found it very intriguing and nice... read on
One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big notice on the door on which it was written: "Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym". In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.
The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: "Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!".
One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.
There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.
There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU."
So my dear friends, You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.
"The most important relationship you can have, is the one you have with yourself”. Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality.
The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed.The world and your reality are like mirrors laying in a coffin, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference.
One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big notice on the door on which it was written: "Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym". In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.
The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: "Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!".
One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.
There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.
There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU."
So my dear friends, You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.
"The most important relationship you can have, is the one you have with yourself”. Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality.
The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed.The world and your reality are like mirrors laying in a coffin, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Jodha-Akbar
This overly-hyped-heavy-budget movie finally released yesterday and I got a chance to watch it today itself. Well, I definitely did not love it but didnt hate it either... it is somewhere in between that i cant decide!. The movie is about 3hrs 45mins including interval and that was quite a lot to take!! I wonder what makes Ashutosh Gowarikar to direct such lengthy movies, even though this script didnt need so much detail. The movie is a 16th century love story, about the marriage of Mughal emperor Akbar (Hrithik) with the Rajput princess Jodha (Aishwarya). There's obviously a lot of history to tell but if the director was focussing on the untold lovestory of Akbar-Jodha then I think he should have concentrated more on that rather than mix it with lengthy historic details (which were also not very complete and hard to follow) and not do justice to both parts...
That apart, there are some really good parts in the movie which you will remember even after walking out. The cinematography is brilliant and the costumes by Neetal Lulla and jewellery by Tanishq are awesome and add to the 16th century look and feel of the movie. Hrithik's acting is commendable. After Lakshya, I think he has done some really classy acting in this movie. I felt he didnt suit the role of Akbar and that weird moustache on his face made it look worse.. Nevertheless, he portrayed the character with its nuances really well. Ash - as usual looks gorgeous but lacks acting... Ila Arun is also worth a mention - she is very powerful in her dialogue delivery.....
Most of the dialogues in the movie had urdu diction.. so i found it pretty hard to understand and follow the chronology of events and characters involved.. There are too many details shown in the movie.. so i think only if u watch it the second time u can grasp it completely :)
Coming to the best part of the movie - its music! Rehman has proved again that he is one of the best... u just have to listen to the songs to fall in love with them.. Especially the sufi song - "Khwaja mere khwaja...." is one of the best I've heard so far... Rehman himself is the singer and am sure no one could have done it better.. The picturisation of the song is out of this world...by the end of the song even I felt like getting up and swaying to that music along with the singers, just like Akbar does :) If you haven't heard this yet, then u are missing something!
Here's the link for this song on youtube... it doesnt show the exact picturization though, but still the entire song is here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQ3katpLwE
That apart, there are some really good parts in the movie which you will remember even after walking out. The cinematography is brilliant and the costumes by Neetal Lulla and jewellery by Tanishq are awesome and add to the 16th century look and feel of the movie. Hrithik's acting is commendable. After Lakshya, I think he has done some really classy acting in this movie. I felt he didnt suit the role of Akbar and that weird moustache on his face made it look worse.. Nevertheless, he portrayed the character with its nuances really well. Ash - as usual looks gorgeous but lacks acting... Ila Arun is also worth a mention - she is very powerful in her dialogue delivery.....
Most of the dialogues in the movie had urdu diction.. so i found it pretty hard to understand and follow the chronology of events and characters involved.. There are too many details shown in the movie.. so i think only if u watch it the second time u can grasp it completely :)
Coming to the best part of the movie - its music! Rehman has proved again that he is one of the best... u just have to listen to the songs to fall in love with them.. Especially the sufi song - "Khwaja mere khwaja...." is one of the best I've heard so far... Rehman himself is the singer and am sure no one could have done it better.. The picturisation of the song is out of this world...by the end of the song even I felt like getting up and swaying to that music along with the singers, just like Akbar does :) If you haven't heard this yet, then u are missing something!
Here's the link for this song on youtube... it doesnt show the exact picturization though, but still the entire song is here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQ3katpLwE
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