First Rain Of The Year

FIRST RAIN OF THE YEAR

Like the first drops of rain on scorched soil,

Washing away the dust, the dirt;

Like the enraged wind, bellowing like an ox gone wild,

Trying to uproot the mighty tree, the sturdy lamp posts;

Needle-like rain drops,

Pricking but melting away to give you relief:

Palm trees, nodding like a shivering courtier

In awe of the ruler,

A thirsty soul lovelorn,

Watches Nature's fury reborn!

JUGGERNAUT APP - 10 reasons why you should try this app and 1 drawback.

On the 22nd day of April, 2016, Chiki Sarkar of Penguin India and Durga Raghunath of Zomato came up with Juggernaut, a publishing company from India to "redefine reading and writing for the digital age" in India. Just 200 days old, Juggernaut has already managed to grab attention with Sunny Leone's stint as a writer of fantasy-erotic literature. Launched exclusively for Android phone users till now, it caters across all genres with almost 99 authors, offering a varied menu of serialised reads, short reads as well as miniscule reads.

• 10 Reasons why you should try out the Juggernaut app.

Let's first find out why you should try out the Juggernaut app in a brief:

1. With read-on-the-go feature, all you need to do is subscribe to Juggernaut with your mail id and integrate your Paytm account with it, for a fuss-free buying and reading. Go for a preview read. If you like it, buy it. Choose from your favourite author, genre, 'top of the charts' reads, et cetera.

2. What's more, you can buy books for free. Yes, you hear me right! And you don't need to integrate your Paytm account with your app, in case you just want to read free books. Just go to the search bar and filter 'Free', or tap a 'like' on their Facebook page or follow their Twitter account to know which book is going out for free as the 'Book of the Day' for a limited time period. Add it to your account and Happy Reading!

3. As an early bird, avail 50% off on all Juggernaut books. Isn't this reason enough to just go to your Playstore and install the app? 

4. From all the books just launched to timeless classics, to books from a variety of publishers, you can have your choice! 

<<Psst. Juggernaut is soon coming up with audio-books! Rejoice!>>

5. Have a book-worm brother/ sister/ friend, and want to gift them something new apart from the physical books? Here is Juggernaut for you! 

All you need to do is click on the coverpage icon of the book and look for the 'Gift' icon right at the top. Tap it and Voila!

6. You might like a book or you might not. What matters is voicing out why you liked it or why you didn't. So, write a review and rate a book in Juggernaut. 

If you like Juggernaut, you can even share the installation link or a quote which you liked while reading, anything about the book or the author with your friends and family over Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook. After all, as goes the proverb, 'Sharing is Caring'.

7. Juggernaut comes with a variety of background modes for better reading. Choose between black, white and brown. By just tapping twice on your screen,you change the font size and spacing between words as you wish. Incredible, isn't it? 

8. Highlight a portion you find notable or want to read again. How? Just press one of your fingers on the screen for a bit long and up pops the 'Highlight' feature. With Juggernaut, chapter navigation also comes easy. You just have to scroll your pages. But if you want to jump to a particular chapter and go on to the next, just swipe your fingers over the right corner of the screen. A small flap with chapter numbers vertically placed will magically appear. 

9. Have a favourite author? Want to ask them some questions about their books? Juggernaut provides you the platform. So, what are you waiting for? Install the Juggernaut app and read and ask on-the-move.

10.Wait wait, here comes a surprise! Did I mention, if you are a budding author, you can get published with Juggernaut? Just send two chapters of your story and an overall synopsis. That's it! If they find your work promising, who knows you might just get lucky!

DRAWBACK:-

Despite all the positives, Juggernaut comes with a major drawback.

1. The main problem you face with Juggernaut is, without your mobile net, you won't be able to access your shelved books, even if you had bought it. Forget reading a single page!And if it's a 250 page book and you're a slow reader, be sure half of your mobile data would drain in just two days. Moreover, everytime you try to read it, you have to begin from the very first page of the book. You can't resume reading where you left before you went for dinner, in case you have closed the app. And oh, you can't delete a book from your shelf as of now.

And yes, though it is just tailored for Android users as of now, it is soon to be made available over IOS platform.

Till then, Happy Juggernaut-ing!

An Eternal Love Song

AN ETERNAL LOVE SONG

Standing there like a waning moon, shrouded in mystery,

I tried to hold you back and just say, "Sorry!"

For trying to love you without permission,

For making you my sole reason.

When we met, emotions bubbled like a hot spring from the crevices of a scorched soul:

What seemed like the call of the sea, was nothing but a golden mirage for me;

Leaving me to weave a fairytale gone awry.

I still stand here, bitten by insanity

Creating a love song to be sung for eternity.

ANGRY INDIAN GODDESSES - A Brief Review

Questions, questions and more questions!

‘Why are you wearing such clothes?’ ‘Why are you going out so late at night?’ ‘Who do you live with?’ ‘Do you live alone?’ ‘Oh, you smoke?’ ‘Good heavens, you drink too?’

Stereotyping, stereotyping and more stereotyping!

Tell me how many times you have just felt like, “I wish I was a man!” How many times you have felt like if my brother could be allowed this, why not me?

Directed by Pan Nalin and a recipient of worldwide accolades and numerous prestigious awards,  ‘Angry Indian Goddesses’ questions the patriarchal constructs which the society clings on to. 

So what happens when a corporate hotshot Suranjana, a house-wife Pamela, an activist Nargis, a struggling singer Madhurita, a wannabe heroine Joanna, a photographer Freida and her maid Laxmi gang up together? Not only do they become great friends standing by each other in difficult times, but also undergo a re-discovery of their own selves.

With the revelation of Freida going to marry Nargis, with both of them coming out of their ‘closeted’ sexuality; all the hidden realities behind the façade of each and everyone’s ‘perfect’ lives tumble out one by one. But how they take control of their own life, instead of letting the society decide for them, is what forms the crux of the film.

If Maa Kali could take a ferocious form to save the world and create a new world order, so can the women of today! Each of them are/ become Kali’s in their own li’l ways. Each one of us are Kali’s in our own way!

Dealing with burning issues like homosexuality and gang rape, this film is a must-watch. 

A few days back, I was asking my mother, “Why is a woman always considered at fault? Why is it so that a woman is always judged? Why is it so that a woman has to get married? What if I don’t want to marry?” And my mother just replied, “Don’t question so much. We live in a society.”

Well, I now know, ‘We don’t live in a society. The society, or in a more refined sense, “patriarchy” lives within us.’ And we can do away with that only if we can free ourselves from our narrow and petty mindset.

The trailer of the film is attached below. Do watch the full movie as soon as possible. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on this. Thank you. 

Angry Indian Goddesses - Official Trailer

A poem, half-written

A poem, half-written

What is Life, if it doesn't break your Heart;

What is Life, if it doesn't change your Perceptions;

What is Life, if one doesn't trip over false Faith;

Magical melodies here and li'l laments there,

Life is a game of missed chances

And sudden co-incidences.

Seeing you go is like a nightmare, 

Thorns of love bleed me to death.

What if the Trust lies crumbled,

What if the Enchantment is broken, 

You'll always be a poem half-written...

February, the month of Love

Hello! :) I promised you people, I would be back with another small piece, and here I am! Well, first of all, a very Happy Valentine's Day. :D Do let me know how you guys are enjoying - with your beloved or anyone/ anything you love? Spending some me-time or being pampered with roses and chocolates? ;)
 OK, so here it goes:

February, the month of Love

February, 

The month of longing and belonging, 

Of the very firsts of everything; 

Of glances and stares, Of chances and cares,

Of ignorance and knowledge.

Traversing, 

From the unknown to the known, 

From a fairy-tale to reality; 

From one year to another.

With moments scattered here and there

Like shells on the morning shore, 

Like a million lanterns in the night sky, 

Like Mercury, dropped from a high;

With You as the Sea, and I, the Sky

Let the Horizon be our Destiny.

That's it. :) So enjoy your day, guys! 

And in any case, of you want to re-visit my previous poem, just click on this link - NECTAR OF LIFE     

Be happy and keep your partner happier! :D Love. 

NECTAR OF LIFE

Hello. :) So, here I am back with another small piece of writing. Well, I'm quite surprised with myself trying hands at writing poetry. I mean, I never have been too fond of poetry. I know not how and when and where this li'l bug of poetry bit me! Curious to know the secret of my inspiration? Umm... I suppose secrets are never ought to be revealed, that's why they are called 'secrets', right?

Ah well, since the number of views and response to What Remains..., my very first attempt at poetry writing had been quite positive, so thought of sharing another one. 

OK, so here it goes: 

NECTAR OF LIFE

Drowning, deep into your eyes, 

I find the Nectar of Life

Grasping my senses, ennumbing my mind,

I forget What I was, Who I am, Where I belong to...

A warmth flushes my cheeks like cherry blossoms,

A shiver runs down my spine like icicles in May,

I find you diffusing like camphor on an August morn

How I wish to hold on to you,

Like firefly in a moonless night, 

Like dewdrops on blades of grass...

Like February holds on to March.

So, this is it. Please don't forget to like, share and comment. And ya, any kind of suggestion is always welcome. 

THANK YOU.