Book review: The Demon Hunter of Chottanikkara

A layered story (akin to a multi layered dessert dish) which has a series of sub plots that all come together with some divine intervention in this fast paced and well written book by SV Sujatha.

The Demon Hunter of Chottanikkara was my first Supernatural Thriller and at the out set I can tell you that hitherto I had not been a fan of this genre of stories.
But their is an intrigue behind each of these stories as was evident in this book. Of Dreams shattered and opportunities snatched away.
Below is an except from the book that I have included to portray that:

Devi smiled sadly. “I suppose we will never be rid of them because they were once like us...men and women who had hopes and dreams. But when they died prematurely and violently, they could not go peacefully into the next cycle of their lives, but had to return to this one as abominations filled with evil. We know they can’t stay away because they lust for what we have, and they also want to exact revenge for the injustices done to them when they were still among the living. They desire not only our flesh and blood but are driven by forces beyond their comprehension, which will allow them no rest, no peace, until they are dispatched once and for all. And their nature being what they are, they will kill and maim, they cannot help themselves.”

As is evident in this 1 paragraph, the story is beautifully narrated and evocative. The book is vivid in its illustration and yet uses an extremely simple style of writing which can resonant with its readers. Each of the characters have been fleshed out wonderfully well and helps the readers connect with their trials and tribulations.

The plot of the story itself is relatively simple, however what makes this worth reading is the portrayal and nuances of each of the characters. Sujatha has marvelously captured a kaleidoscope of human traits in this thriller that showcases to whats ends people can go to achieve what they want, in both positive and negative forms. The story deals with Love, Sacrifice, Valor, Cruelty, Greed and above all sacrifice for the greater good.

The book will question your belief in the greater good, The Ultimate Sacrifice and will ask you - What would be your choice if you were faced with the same situation as Devi?

If you have read the book, comment on what would be your choice...

Book Review: When Dimple met Rishi

Sweet, Touching, Realistic, Inspiring, Thought Provoking, Nerdy, Sanskari and definitely Oh So Romantic.

When "Dimple met Rishi" is a FULL BLOWN Bollywood masala movie in prose format (only an actual song is missing though the running around the trees does happen).
There's the burdensome cultural centric parents, a mother who believes that make up is more important for a child than education, the lead protagonists who want to break free from the clutches of tradition and expectation, the bad dudes, teenage crisis, some dishoom dishoom, a sibling twist and some song & dance thrown in (not in the way you would imagine).
And a whole lot of Sanskar.
Does it have a happy ending? Will love triumph over ambition? Will two 18 year olds find love amidst their inner turmoil?
For that you need to read the book!

There is something exciting, about reading a good love story and Sandya Menon has penned a perfect version of that. It will send tingling feelings down your spine and if you have ever felt young love this would certainly take you down memory lane.
That first touch, that first kiss, the giddy feeling in your head when you see your crush. The first time you ever held someone in your arms and experienced the feeling that all is well in this world.
The story will not only resonate with the young ones but also adults who have been there in their own time.

Full Jacket Cover

The story revolves around Dimple and Rishi whose parents are already playing match makers to their 18 year old children.

In today's day and age while one might find this unthinkable, the situation depicted is definitely a reality owing to India's culture and is a reflection of reality.

The back drop of the story is around the Web Development Summer program that Dimple is very keen to attend as she is extremely passionate about Web Development and has strong ideas around developing apps.
Rishi on the other hand is an extremely talented Artist and comic creator but believes he needs to give it up because he needs to follow in the Corporate footsteps of this father as tradition demands that the older son do what the parents wish even if he doesn't.

Read this story for a trip down memory lane. For the sweetness of innocent love.

For the selflessness that true love should be.

Reviewing Palace of Assassins: The Rise of Ashwatthama by Aditya Iyengar

Is everything fair in Love and War?

Does the end justify the means?

Seen from an individuals perspective, I personally believe there's no real right or wrong. Everything is relative and defined by what one believes or what circumstances one goes through. War ravages families. Even the side that wins a war, loses a lot in battle. Does war really serve its purpose?

The Palace of Assassins is a book that promises a lot in terms of intrigue and insights into a great warrior on the aftermath of the greatest battle. Very little is ever written about the losing side in a war. Its always about the winner, the purported good guy (bad guys rarely win).
In the context of the Mahabarath were the Pandavas really the good guys? Did they really fight fair? Did they deserve the kingdom when it was their father who willingly relinquished the throne?

Aditya Iyengar deals with a very interesting aspect of the Mahabarath. The Palace of Assassins follows the Life of Ashwattama (albeit it as a work of fiction) and how he fairs after the end of the great battle, having been cursed with Immortality and Leprosy by Lord Krishna.
In this fast paced and well written book which is definitely a page turner, we delve deep into the psyche of Ashwattama and live through the pain of the curse that's been bestowed on him.
A notable portion of the book is dedicated to father-son relationship that Ashwattama shared with Dronacharya and how he was trained and treated by his father so as to become 1 of the greatest warriors of the era and is a delightful read.

The story essentially revolves around his recovery or part thereof  after the war is over with the help of the Woman who saves and him and who he subsequently falls in love with, then goes on to meet a group of Kaurava supporters who are willing to go to any lengths to kill the Pandavas and their remaining lineage so that the war ends in their favor and they exact revenge. (Needless to say he was not successful for else history would be different).

So what climax can we expect? Aditya has attempted weave some suspense and mystery at the conclusion of the book but I personally couldn't help feel that there was a  Bollywood meets Harry Potter angle to the who thing. (Am suggesting Horcrux references - for this you will need to read the book. Although I think one of the better aspects of the book was the Horcrux angle and I hope there was more focus on that in this, or perhaps in the subsequent books to follow.)
While I wouldn't call it a cliched ending, one wouldn't be left in awe at the climax of the story. That doesn't in any way take away from the story and I still think its a fascinating subject that surely has tremendous scope.

Revenge, guts, deceit, will power, patience, cunning, intelligence, sheer willingness to go through hell to achieve what you want and more, are various characteristics that we come across in the various characters of the book.
The unfortunate part is that these qualities are not all necessarily ones we see in Ashwattama but in the others in the story.

For somebody who was considered one of the greatest warriors of his era, Ashwattama is not portrayed with the same power, intensity or intelligence that one would expect which is a bit of a let down to me personally.

In conclusion, I would still definitely recommend this book as a must read and hope that the remaining books only get better from here.

The journey and perspective of Ashwattama is one that should surely be written and learnt by us all.

Image courtesy Flipkart

Reviewing "Seasons of the Palm" by Perumal Murugan

"Seasons of the Palm" is a story that will challenge your every belief and question all you thought was right. You will experience a pendulum of emotions that will make you livid at the mis-treatment meted out yet feel pitiful for the characters. From anger to sadness to pain and numbness at the end, it we'll leave you drained and yet introspective. 

A book with an intrinsic story about society and the differences we create amongst us. A story that's extremely relevant In India given our political discussions over progress and inclusion of everybody in the path to happiness and equality.

The disparity with which people are seen is starkly portrayed in perhaps one of the most poetic languages you will ever come across in your reading journeys.

It's a world where Animals are accorded more respect and value than human life. 

Perumal Murugan is an extremely conscientious writer who with words can bring to life every situation. His prose is detailed, poetic and exceptionally vivid. He paints pictures with words that starkly brings the story to life.

This book is grounded in reality and presented in a very simple and powerful manner. Apolitical in nature with no malevolence, it simply shares a powerful and moving perspective of human life

The Seasons of the palm is narrated across 3 sections that highlights not only the struggles that Shorty and his fellow untouchable brethren go through but also that of his masters' son who wants to break free from his own chains. 

Part 1 focuses on the Life, living conditions & relationships between Shorty and his co-untouchable slaves (Slaves because that's how they are treated). About the trials and tribulations of the group that sticks together as they are the only source of comfort and companionship in an otherwise dreary and meaningless life.

We see how they bond with each other, befriend each other and make their otherwise miserable lives worth living. We discover the roller coaster of emotions and problems they go through while serving their masters.

Part 2 goes into depth of the relationship between Shorty and his master's son. Boys of a similar age. One destined to a life of slavery, the other a slave to customs and society. Both wanting, needing someone to be with, to befriend, to understand their problems and yet they have this wall between them that can't be breached. We discover how talent and skill is God's gift where there's no difference between master and slave but our society places value of a persons life based on caste and creed and not merit.

Part 3 highlights the most emotional phase in the story. How justice is blinded, where the downtrodden have no say of voice. How punishment is meted out in unequal measure simply because one belongs to the untouchable class of society.

Some books educate while others entertain. While some simply help pass the time. This book helps us introspect and question all that we think is just and fair.

Life after death

We all have our routines in life. More so at home.

Individually and as a family.

Your favorite seat on the dinning table. Your morning tea / coffee with the paper.

Today of course, you probably have a tab / phone instead of the paper, but the routine never varies.

Habitual activities after a long day at work. Some households watch TV, and some members may read while others occupy themselves in different ways. Be it music or spending time with your passions.

Families have set ways in how they function at home. Each person has a responsibility. Each has their likes and dislikes, their favorite brand of beverages, breakfast and dinner options. (left lunch out as families rarely get to get lunch together these days).

One only needs to take a moment and reflect on their own homes to realize that we all have a routine. That rushing to work, getting the kids to school or ensuring your parents are okay before you go out to conquer your world. 

Now imagine this perfect setting being completely destroyed. Shattered forever.

Cause: The death of someone in the family.

Imagine not waking up beside the same face you may have seen first thing in the morning everyday for the last 10, 15 or even 30 years. Not being able to say good night before you close your eyes.

Imagine that chair, now empty during meals. Imagine the paper being untouched. The tea getting cold.

Imagine the conversation at the dinner table not being carried out because someone is missing. That someone who your life revolved around.

Now there's no one to check on you at work, no one for you to call home and see if they have eaten lunch. 

Losing someone who you are close to is never easy. Your extended family and friends will be there for you for the first few days, standing by you but eventually going back to their lives.

Leaving you with that void. With the broken routine at home that your family had perfected over decades.

I lost my closest uncle 5 days back, who was almost like a father to me and while the entire family and friends stood by his family, I get this feeling in a few days / weeks we would move on.

But imagine his wife of almost 50 years now waking up, not seeing him beside her.

Imagine his son, who now will have to drink his tea alone.

His grand son who won't have his grand dad to regale him with stories of life.

His daughter in law who now has to ensure there' s 1 less portion of food made every meal.

How difficult it is for them to get over this loss. How painful an effort of starting a new routine where they miss him every moment and cope with the situation an yet have to trudge on in life.

Today I urge you, take a moment and appreciate that routine. The one that we all take for granted. Take a moment to savor those moments. For no one knows how long will they last.

Take a moment to appreciate your life. And thank whatever force you believe in.

For giving you a routine that has formed your life.

For 1 day it will all go away

Stories of Humans, TRULY meeting technology

Two 16 year old college drop outs. 

Set up their own company that provides parents an app to monitor the health and growth of their child.

Harsh Songra (now 19 years old) 1 of the founders was diagnosed with Dyspraxia & realized the importance of discovery & treatment of Learning & Developmental disorders in their early stages.   

In India around 13% children of all school children suffer from some kind of learning disability and most of it is largely undetected due to lack of awareness. 

3 years later the app has funding of $100,000 and is used in over 135 countries!

Overcoming the taboos and stigma around Menstruation.

A social stigma that plagues India even in the 21st century! Taboos that refuse to die down, myths that nobody is allowed to question. 

1 woman - decides to tackle this head on. 

Aditi Gupta. Hails from a semi urban town Garhwa in Jharkhand.

From a conservative middle class family at that.

To help women deal with not only the physical pains of menstruation, but also from out menacing society, she launched her website - Menstupedia

Using comic books & social media, she is spreading awareness & ensuring her friendly guide helps women have a healthy period. 

Today her book is used by over 50 schools, 10 NGOs reaching over 25,000 girls across India &7 other countries.  Not to forget the thousands who visit her website.

Today we will #SaveWhitefield. Tomorrow, lets #SaveBLR

What happens when the civic authorities who are entrusted with the job of maintaining the infrastructure around you, turn a blind eye to your woes. Where there are roads around potholes & not vice versa. 

When your children get stuck for 2 -3 hours in traffic every day while trying to get home. And your 9 hour work day is more like 13 as you wait for that log jam to clear.

YOU RISE!

A startling story of how the common folk of Whitefield, Bangalore decided, enough is enough.

In organizing an extremely peaceful protest to HIGHLIGHT to the government the lack of basic civic amenities and infrastructure, they gathered over 7000 people using nothing BUT social media. 

Today, there is progressive change with much more to follow.

All thanks to 1 team's sincere efforts to make a difference and their use of Social media to reach out.

All this & more is just some of the inspiring stories one got to experience at Social Media Week, Bangalore (2016). A globally affiliated event that is organised in India by the very passionate team of R Square Consulting. They also host these in other cities like Mumbai & possibly Delhi thereafter.

Social Media week is a leading news platform and worldwide conference that curates and shares the best ideas, innovations and insights, into how social media and technology are changing business, society & culture around the globe

If you closely see the above 3 examples they actually showcase real instances of the same.
From Menstrupedia that is changing society, to #SaveWhitefield that focuses on a culture of not giving in & accepting poor civic amenities to a whole new way of doing business where a 19 year old college dropout can help parents in the field of healthcare.

Stories of inspiration, courage, thought leadership and most importantly of the people brave enough to take the plunge. Who had the courage to stand up for what they believed in & not get pressured into following the herd.

According to me every one of these success stories, stems out of a common thread - most people go through problems & live with those. Then there are those who want to find a way to solve the problem. And find they do. With technology being the perfect enabler they go on to evangelize the solution so the world can become a better place to live in. These are the earnest, genuine few who deserve to have their stories told.
1 will hear of numerous start up stories that fail. In my opinion those are examples of people wanting to use technology as the force to setup a business and rake in the millions but how many times will greed over come goodness?

Just as the great ad man Prahlad Kakar said during the keynote speech that kicked of SMWiBLR 2016 - stories are what humanity is made of. If you can tell a moving story then your story will become legend. He highlighted how in today's hyper connected world where people increasingly have a plethora of information and sources, it is vital that whatever do you becomes interesting and relevant to them. It was 1 of life's privileges to get to hear the great man himself.

To share how vision converts into action, we were also privileged to have Sandy Carter (General Manager IBM Developer Ecosystem & Start ups) deliver 1 of the most insightful key note sessions on how IBM is using Social Intelligence and partnering with businesses to provide better, customized and highly personalized service to consumers by accessing their social profiles. Using proprietary tools, they can analyse a person by viewing just 500 tweets of theirs and provide for a personalized solution. And they are just getting started. 

The event also gave us a glimpse into IBM Watson's development of the Humanoid Robots. These humanoids are being designed to work at leading Hotels and Banks apart from other purposes & could soon be the customer service personnel you meet. They can talk and respond to queries just like humans. I had fun chatting with one and he did a little dance to showcase his talent. It was also interesting to see India's leading Mind Reader, Nakul Shenoy, play a card trick with Nao, the humanoid.

Watch the video below:

There were many interesting sessions but I have highlighted my favorite ones. From discovering apps like Blippar (Click to know more), to hearing about how technology has enabled a women to travel to numerous countries with tremondous ease and an extremely cost effective budget.
Other sessions also highlighted on how the future of communication will evolve into multiple mediums, will be highly customized and most importantly, personalized for people. One also got a glimpse of the power of Snapchat and how brands are increasingly finding it as a smart tool to reach out to their customers in a unique and time bound manner.
Another stand out example was how the promoters of the Kannada Movie - uTurn used only social media, which is completely unconventional in the industry, to promote their film and saw it go on to become a major hit. .

Social Media week, Bangalore is also well known to bring in social causes to the event. This time they joined hands with Respect the Road in order to promote safe driving, especially to not drink & drive. It also highlights other common issues that drivers create & urges them to inculcate safer driving habits.

Another feature of the event, is 1 also gets to meet some very interesting people. Who are on the verge of writing their own stories. Who have ideas, thoughts and sometimes just need that final ingredient to attain success. I call it engaging with the future because am sure many of them will be success stories and be featured at SMW in the years to come. 

SMW - where you can learn from the masters & champions and engage with the Future!

Also guaranteed to build your network, meet interesting folks and fuel your passions.

Finally a big shout out to the social media team that works with R Square to bring you live feeds of the event on Social Media and interact with viewers from across the globe. Their hard work, focus and undivided attention to every topic and session are beyond commendable. To be able to concentrate endlessly, pick the right and post powerful pieces of wisdom and then share it to the world at large requires special talent.

And lastly to R Square Consulting and team for their wonderful efforts in organizing the event that went off to absolute perfection. I wish them immense success and look forward to many more experiences stemming from their stable.

"Mixing" Art and Science with a lot of Skill - Presenting India's No.1 Bartender

A Perfect cocktail is a lot like Life.
You need to blend all the ingredients to absolute perfection to be able to really enjoy it.

And it takes one with tremendous skill and the right attitude to be able to marry the science behind making the perfect cocktail with the art of actually putting them together.

And in this quest to find the most talented Mixologist is Diageo.

Below is an Excerpt of the Press Release from Diageo which provides the best description of what the Competition is all about. 

Read on to know more about MY experience at the FINALS

About Diageo Reserve World Class

Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS is transforming fine drinking experiences and cocktail culture around the world and in the home. The industry’s largest, most credible investment in the luxury on trade, it discovers the next generation of bartending talent who set the latest mixology trends and bring these to the best bars worldwide. At the core is an outstanding, global training program and internationally recognized platform that elevates the craft of the bartender and builds careers in the industry culminating in an annual luxury landmark week where the Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year is announced. Launched in 2009, over 15,000 bartenders have been inspired and educated in the craft of mixology using the finest spirits in the Diageo Reserve collection. A partnership and collaboration with gurus, media, partners and owners, Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS is widely recognized as a mark of sophistication and distinction of international fine drinking culture by bartenders and customers alike.

The Diageo Bar Academy Program reinforces the company's commitment to the bartending community. Since launching the program in 2006, more than 5,500 training sessions have been hosted with over 55,000 bartenders trained. The acclaimed program takes an innovative and fresh approach to training, offering interactive and informative sessions led by the industry’s best.

Diageo Reserve World Class – India Competition

A unique platform, which aims to nurture the potential talent of local bartenders and enable them with the right knowledge. In the past Diageo Reserve World Class India has successfully helped local talent emerge as influencers and creators of fine drinking experiences the world over.The industry’s biggest and most prestigious bartending competition –now in its 7^th edition offers a gamut of luxury spirits from the Diageo Reserve portfolio namely Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18, Talisker , Tanqueray 10, CÎROC, KetelOne, Don Julio and the Singleton of Glen Ord 12YO.

Over the last 6 months, our International Brand Ambassadors have trained & mentored over 200 bartenders across the top 120 luxury accounts in India, on our Reserve Portfolio as well as modules on global cocktail trends such as Fundamentals of Flavor, Asian Flavors, Classics with a Twist and Fruits & Plants.The contenders have competed in multiple regional levels before descending in Bangalore for the national finals. Each bartender went through a rigorous training procedure to survive till the end of the competition and only the top 20 made it to the Finale.

The contestants were judged on the basis of three rounds – The Pantry Round, The Speed Round and The Mystery Box Round. The winner will head to Miami to represent India at the Global finals.

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I got to witness the Speed round as well the mystery box finale round.

In the speed round the competitors had to make 5 drinks in 6 minutes from scratch. That's right.
They were judged on various parameters that included Speed, Quality, Presentation, Cleanliness among others. And what a fine job they did. We got to taste the cocktails after the judges were done and some of the cocktails were simply astounding.

The best part was that none of the competitors had made any of these cocktails before & hence had to be at the top of their game in order to ensure they had done a satisfactory job.  

The pressure was immense & I could see a lot of hands shivering as nervousness was getting to them.

   As the dust settled & the results were announced we had our 3 finalists all from  NCR, Jitendra, Vikram & Dilbar (who was a crowd favorite & the most experienced )

A special mention about the 3 finalists whom I got to spend some time with while we were waiting for the final results. They are so humble about their achievements and success. One could see that they have put in sincere efforts to reach the pinnacle and respected the other participants too. While they may have been competing on the night they were brothers in real life and supported each other as much as they supported themselves. The mutual respect was beyond mere sportsmanship and showcased a true sense of togetherness amongst the 3 of them

Then came the Mystery Round. 

Here was an ensemble of ingredients put together by the Judges that the Final trio had no clue about and would only have 1 minute to choose from and a further 15 minutes to create 2 cocktails of their choice and to get the ingredients ready.

They would then get 10 mins to mix these cocktails and share their concept and thought process with the judges. Here we could see a new aspect to their persona - Creativity. The ingredients were not what one would find on a typical cocktail menu thereby ensuring all had to put their creative juices to the test.  

The winner Jitendra really showcased his flair, charm and confidence apart from his mixing skills. Bartending is a show mans profession and he showcased that he has the makings of a true showman.

   

More pictures from the event below: We had a free flowing bar, some excellent cocktails on offer, great food and off course the uber talented and eminent panel of judges.

The Judging Panel:
Feroze Merchant, Head of Luxury, USL Diageo, Nicholas Ord, USL Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador, Jamie Walker, USL Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador, Serhan Kusakisizoglu, Director of Corporate Projects, Shangri La, Nicole Faria, ex Miss Earth 2010 and Manu Chandra, Chef Partner Toast & Tonic (Bangalore), Monkey Bar (Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai), The Fatty Bao (Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai), and Executive Chef Olive Beach, Bangalore.

I'll let you go with this amazing Video. This was the moment they announced the winner. Take a minute to watch the video and you will know what I meant when I said that I just loved the support and encouragement they gave each other. More than what they did for themselves.