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Winds of Hastinapur & Rise of Hastinapur | Sharath Komarraju | Bonafide Urban Chick

Sharath Komarraju is a lovely writer who has brilliantly written the story of Mahabharat from the perspective of its women - Ganga, Satyavati, Amba, Kunti and Gandhari!

Till now, two parts of the series have been published. First, Winds or Hastinapur and second, Rise of Hastinapur. We will look at both the books respectively, so that there is no confusion.

Winds of Hastinapur | Sharath Komarraju | Bonafide Urban Chick

All about Meru and Ganga's life! Winds of Hastinapur starts of throwing a lot of light on that fact that Ganga is not a person, but a philosophy, an idea, a never ending entity that reproduces in manifests. Ganga passes her wisdom, memories and identity to her daughter when she is of age. As such, Ganga is Gange from mother to daughter.  
It also explores the love shared between Ganga and Shantanu, as well as Shantanu and Satyavati. Just for clarity, Sharath has also exlored the love shared by Kali (Satyavati) and Parshuram!  How Kali went from being a smelly Matsyakanya to a well-wanted lady who even the King of Hastinapur couldn't resist.
Sharath speaks of Devratta and his struggle for Dharm and how to see his father happy, he gave up the humane joy of love and intimacy, which is the right of every man. He goes on to talk about Satyavatis struggle to be a good Queen.
The book ends with the birth of Dhritirashtra, Pandu and Anuj. That is where the real story of Hastinapur was to start!

Rise of Hastinapur | Sharath Komarraju | Bonafide Urban Chick

Rise of Hastinapur starts with Amba's love affair with Salva. Nonetheless, because Salva is the King of a Vassal state, when Devratta wins her and her sisters in the Swayamvar she has difficulties dealing with it. Devratta then gives her permission to go on to Salva if he gives up something in return. The politics of it all leaves Amba scorned.
Sharath then goes on to delve into the sensitive emotions of Gandhari and Kunti. How Kunti actually gets impregnated by Surya to have Karna and how Gandhari is traded off to the blind king of Hastinapur. The dilemma faced by Kamsa, a loving brother who has to see his sister live her life blind.
Sharath speaks of Bhishma, a father-like brother who can't seem to draw the line between guiding, and acting instead of, his younger brothers. He depicts Satyavati and her internal struggle to do what is right for the people, knowing that the biggest mistake made by her cannot be undone!
The book ends unveiling the politics of Meru and how it is working on the fate of Hastinapur and the Kuru race.

So, the fantastic people at Clever Cubes got in touch with me the other day and because I am still such a little kid on the inside, they insisted that I check out these really awesome games they have!

First off, this is how they talk of themselves...

"We are an educational board game company for children in the age group of 2 to 7 years old.  The thought behind this initiative was to address the void in the early learning and skill development space. We felt there was a serious dearth of creativity and innovation, which could simplify the learning process and make it more of an interactive and immersive experience not only for the child but also for the teachers, parents and mentors. After a lot of research and discussions we decided to take our plans forward which has resulted in Clever Cubes being where it is today." 

So I have tried out two games by Clever Cubes Educational Games and I will review them as such.

1. Helping Hands: Price Rs. 330/-
 

Helping Hands | Clever Cubes Games | Bonafide Urban Chick Review

Helping hands is a simple game for children ranging from the age group of 4 to 10 years. The aim of the game is to educate the child on the different helping hands we have in our society, what they do, and what are the most common occurrences that we can associate to them. So, ideally, not only will a child know that a doctor is a social helper, he will also know that a doctor often has an injection, and an ambulance is in reference to getting medical help. It is a pretty nifty game and a child's associative skills and sequencing and language enrichment can be achieved pretty well with this game.

2. Moving Minds: Price Rs. 370/-

Moving Minds | Clever Cubes Games | Bonafide Urban Chick Review

Now this game really had me blown. I sat down with my nephew to play this game, and he was so into it, we were playing it for over an hour. It's fairly simple in principle:
a. You roll the dice
b. You take your totem to the color that is facing up on the dice
c. Perform the sequence stated at that space, using the right cards from the stack of cards provided.
It really works at helping the child with their visual perception, sequencing, logical thinking and language enrichment. Also, the child has a blast while playing it and stays completely focused in the game. The game is for children aged 3.5 to 7 years of age (of course, adults will get a kick out of it too).

Overall, I felt that the company has its mind in the right place. Kids getting busy with such calming games will definitely have a better impact on their behavior overall. Both games are priced moderately. While some may find it on the higher side, I think that the game's thought process and the quality of the board, cards et al calls for it.

Definitely a brand I would try out when buying games in the future!

Tea is such an important aspect of our lives na. Let me disclaim that this is one of the few products that I am not reviewing because it was sent to me by the brand, but because I happened upon it and am ethically compelled to review it.

Himalayan Brew Herbal Tea is refreshing and lightening at the same time. The tea contains rhododendron flowers, mint and tulsi. The combination not only makes the tea healthy, but also flavoursome.

I started having this tea 5 times a day and have seen visible improvement in my skin and overall mood. The detoxifying effect of the tea has shown considerable impact on my migraine problem.

The herbal tea is safe for pregnant women and those who are still breast feeding their children. For late night lovers, I have noticed that the tea can cut down the negetive impact of sleep loss to a considerable extent.

The Himalayan Brew Herbal Tea isn't high priced like its counterparts Wagh Bakri and Tetly. priced at just 150 for 500grams, a box of the tea can last a month comfortably. Making it economical as well.

I recommend this product highly, giving it a 4/5.

The only drawback is procurement. It is not easily procured. If you need help, shoot me a mail.

Yes, we had to try having Burhanuddin watch movies in the theatre. Isn't it a major rite of passage for any child? And yes, his first movie had to be a Salman movie because he loves Salman!

But i am really glad that this is the movie that he started his cinema journey with. Because things are better with pointers, here are the reasons. 


1. The movie has Salman playing Pawan, an innocent honest man who can stand up for those whom he loves and can protect them fiercely. This is a quality that I would want my son to adopt.
2. Shahida is a cute Pakistani girl who may not be able to talk, but does has a strng sense of intuition. She knows she can trust Pawan, but also refuses violently to go with the "agent"! Every child should be encouraged to trust and hone this God given intuition.
3. Pawan may be crossing the border sans passport or visa, but he still refuses to go without permission. So much so that he risks his life, but doesn't compromise on his principles. I have always taught my son, and will continue, that when on the right path, stay strong and keep faith. Nothing wrong will come to a man who is right!
4. Pakistan may be another country, but their inherent values are the same as us. While I am fiercely patriotically Indian, I also refuse to hate Pakistan. They are almost the same as us, then why the hatred?
5. Chandnawaz uses his skills and untapped talent to help Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and chance helps him do it even better. This will teach my son that one doesn't always have to be the protagonist to be the hero! Help when you can and you will be a hero all along!
6. Rasika may not have played a very vital role otherwise, but she surely is the catalyst that encourages the change in Pawan to make him look beyond impressing her father and carry on with helping Shahida urf Munni. We all must have the vision to look beyond our immediate gain and walk towards the greater good.
7. Last but not the least, Pawan fails graduation 10 times, but tries the 11th time to finally succeed! do I even need to say why this is an important lesson from the movie?

Yes, this is a mommy review! But I wait for the day when we start having movies that help our children be better people. Then we know, we have a better future!



PS: Salman has impressed me in this movie, but the Harshaali Malhotra simply blows my mind! Girl you have great talent. Continue being an actor, don't try to be a star! (yes, there is a vast difference)

I am not a big fan of non-fiction books. I prefer my reading to be my escape from the complications for the real world. nonetheless, there are times when a book comes by that can change your choices temporarily.

On the bookshelves where lay half-brained books like Half Girlfriend, there was a book that i just couldnt keep away from. Nirbhaya & Others who Dared is a breeze of cold air on a hot day that shakes you and sends a shiver down your spine. It is a revolution through reality that doesn't jar, but shows hope!

With stories that show you how trauma and violence doesn't ensure that a woman's life is ruined, this book resonated with every principle that i live with. it is fearless, just like it's name. In this  book, Nirbhaya lives! i know of rape victims who survived, molestation victims who succumbed to drugs and a wasted life, violence survivors who tasted success and women who have beaten every attack that has come their way. this book is a salute, a lesson and a reality to all those women!

Like all the other reviews I write, i will not give out much. But one thing that i am going to do is tell each woman to grab a copy and read, and tell every man to read so that he is shown the mirror to the harsh realities of his gender.

It is a feel good movie, it made its money, it is all laughter and fun, but you know what, my kid ain't watching Happy New Year. Here's why:

1. An honest living is not a choice you DON'T make: Charlie goes about winning and losing fights to make money despite that fact that his father worked tirelessly to earn enough to make him an engineer. Charlie's lifestyle choice is the worst thing that he could do to his father's memory.





2. Just knowing english doesn't forgive your sins: Mohini forgives Charlie for all the crap he says about her, questioning her character and dignity, just because his apology (and an insulting one at that) is in english.

3. Blackmail Hacking and is never the right way to go: With Shahrukh taping intimate moments of the WDC India Judges, and then black mailing them our "hero" is setting a bad example about conducting oneself when in possession of intimate information. Is that how we want our children to use the info they find? What's more, after their abysmal performance they out-vote the deserving teams by hacking into the system. Because anarchy is the way to go, right?

Yes, it is a feel good movie despite all of these factors. But I question SRK, would you, a person who worked hard to get where you are, approve of your son resorting to such antics? And Deepika, with all your fight about a woman's dignity, how can you be such a hypocrite? This is not behavior you endorse? They why agree to a movie that makes you a role model for such unbelievably unacceptable crap??

I am an avid reader. But very rarely do I come across writing that takes time for me to digest. Being a one-sitting-reader, The almond Tree was a major exception to my regular reading style. Hence, it deserves a review.

The Almond Tree is the story of Jamal and his life. Beautifully weaving fact and fiction Corasanti has created, what I can call, a classic.

So many lessons to learn, this book is a gold mine of morals and episodes that take your breath away. Be it for the Ahmad Hamid's pain when his baby sister dies, or his intelligence or his passion to make ends meet when the time calls for it.

Michelle Cohen Corasanti's in depth knowledge of the subject is amply clear in the crystal writing and pleasing verbiage.

Not a book for the light readers, I would surely suggest those with an appetite for reading and a metabolism for thinking, to grab a copy and get reading stat!

Thank you, Michelle, for this book!

The first impression of the book, on seeing the cover is vibrant and something out of an 80's Bollywood Movie. But as they say, "don't judge a book by its cover".

While vibrant and fresh surely the book is, it definitely isn't anything like an 80's flick. Starting with the description of the lives of two north indian "gabru jawans", Akhil, the narrator, and "Jazz" ride with us through a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences.
Emphasising on the emotional impact of decisions, the importance of knowing what you want and why you want it, Atulya Mahajan (through Akhil Arora) shows how people and ideals can change. He shows us how all that glitters may be gold, but it is just better to check and be certain before you buy it. He lets us believe that no matter how hard the battle may be, dreams do come true and love surely conquers all.
Covering friendship, parental issues, love, sex, dhoka and even annoying neighbors, there are many more things to read between the brilliantly written lines by Atulya Mahajan. The common thread through the book is the fact that if you are certain of the destination you wish to reach, no matter how different, hard or seemingly stupid your route, you will reach it.
Like all books that I enjoy, I wouldnt want to give out much of the story to you in a review. But one thing is for certain, have a cup of comforting coffee in hand, and some leisure time before you delve into the intricate and interesting lives of these Amreekandesi's.
My final verdict: The book is worth its price and then some. Infact, it would be a great story to turn into a high budget, NRI type, Karan Johar movie!

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Ok, so my first ever fan review was written for a book that I really enjoyed reading. I wrote it for The Tossed Salad (click it to know more and read the full review).


Here is what the review goes like.

Hello dear blogdosts,


Yes, finally my review is out even in the print form. follow the link to view a scanned copy of it;  http://rkhilawala.blogspot.com/2010/05/doolally.html
Feel free to leave your comments and opinions there.


Hope you enjoy reading it.


Yours truly,


Rashida Khilawala.