tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3062205189509680672024-03-08T01:01:32.343+05:30Records in a JournalCurrent affairs, good books, movies and just musings and observations on anything under the sun!!Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.comBlogger259125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-2591446156203015922018-03-20T18:52:00.000+05:302018-03-20T18:52:04.982+05:30Why I love postcrossing! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
About a year back, I came across postcrossing and decided to
give it a try. In today’s age, when people are obsessed by social media
platforms, one would think, what is the appeal of writing postcards? If you are
thinking along those lines, you can’t be more wrong. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks to postcrossing, I enjoy – <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->The sense of anticipation – Everyday, as I get
back from work, after parking my two-wheeler, the first thing I do is head to
that section of the apartment block to open the box marked A-008, with the
excitement of a child about to get a candy. Will I get a city view card, a card
with a painting, vintage art, a view of the mountains…the possibilities are
limitless when you don’t know who from which corner of the world would have
written to you today! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Thinking about what card to choose – Reading people’s
preferences (some prefer birds and animals, some prefer art, paintings, some
prefer vintage vehicles, recipes, some prefer that I paste bus or tram tickets and
some others prefer profiles of people and traditional costumes) for postcards
and thinking of what card to choose from my limited collection, visualizing him
or her getting the postcard, I never thought I could do this until I came
across postcrossing! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Reading the profiles of postcrossers – What does
a retired school teacher in Finland do? What does she like? What does an
Austrian man do in the US? What to girls study in Taiwan and China? What does a
Russian man like reading? Sometimes, people write about the work they do on
their profiles, some write about their families, some others write about their
hobbies and passions. All of this makes for fascinating windows into the culture
of a city or a country. Haven’t come across a better platform - connecting
strangers across the world - than postcrossing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->The handwriting – Lost in the world of mails and
text messages and calls is the written word. The written word can be beautiful.
It can be cursive, large, small, bold, clear with generous spaces between
letters, cramped with too much to say…What will the greeting be? Will it be
just a “hi”, will it be “Hi Siva!”, “hello”. Would there be a signature in the
end? Would there be a smiley somewhere or a small drawing? What color would the
ink be? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->The heartfelt messages – Postcrossing only gives
a broad set of guidelines on what to write, no rigid boundaries. I have
received cards with beautiful wishes, descriptions of a day in the life of the postcrosser,
the feelings inspired by the harsh winter weather, read cards conveying the
excitement of a student before an exam, a traveler before a pilgrimage. People
have written about their lifelong friendships, their earnest desires and
unexpected tragedies. A girl in Russia surprised me by going through my blog,
reading my post on the 100 books I loved reading and even asked for a book
suggestion from me! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Thinking what to write – What do you write to a
person working in the branding industry in Thailand or a beautician in China?
Do you write about the picture on the card you are sending? Do you describe how
your day has been, what you had for breakfast, what books you like? Do you
express curiosity for the culture of your recipient’s country, envy for their
profession? What questions will be considered pass, what will be too intrusive?
These are small questions that a curious mind will love thinking through…</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Posting the images of some cards
I have received –</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 38.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Z8OA432igmHrgc-rvUmrqHW_cY9PICWeNbOE9GpthHVb1_1vUeniawZHasbyduU1jgVDwj_Nx35JeuDHN4HP-Yx9u9-O8ZdgCbha4tiNeWv16TEMkH__ucVzO7_wZU4bBSQSwcUs6Q/s1600/Crazy+Frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="500" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Z8OA432igmHrgc-rvUmrqHW_cY9PICWeNbOE9GpthHVb1_1vUeniawZHasbyduU1jgVDwj_Nx35JeuDHN4HP-Yx9u9-O8ZdgCbha4tiNeWv16TEMkH__ucVzO7_wZU4bBSQSwcUs6Q/s320/Crazy+Frog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOTqOKdbSwEq-zHpAM-gsXuAePFzX4_ix6N_sFJK9uwRC7iKvtqeNom4suU97lm-XWhQt0KpQvr6YmBItuVYev05KwIOJuWZUEfCnEg1AOPfefptsZ5WetKWRUs96QebBmBcUoOLIlw/s1600/Finland+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOTqOKdbSwEq-zHpAM-gsXuAePFzX4_ix6N_sFJK9uwRC7iKvtqeNom4suU97lm-XWhQt0KpQvr6YmBItuVYev05KwIOJuWZUEfCnEg1AOPfefptsZ5WetKWRUs96QebBmBcUoOLIlw/s320/Finland+Snow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtGtDK_2mMgw1OFts0LRPsQrhSMsgxkAVp4mTzUAYfWVDj0HxS2LGLiJozH-Whweql7-Dx3CDa8dxZGj_vklPXsV6md-vbpvC5ht7WEtjzOrz3avtDj2YQX9KJ0YaJ_MUwq2Mo0YAaw/s1600/London+tram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="500" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtGtDK_2mMgw1OFts0LRPsQrhSMsgxkAVp4mTzUAYfWVDj0HxS2LGLiJozH-Whweql7-Dx3CDa8dxZGj_vklPXsV6md-vbpvC5ht7WEtjzOrz3avtDj2YQX9KJ0YaJ_MUwq2Mo0YAaw/s320/London+tram.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng348tUvI7S9bosFzv2ov2KE2ZyMm1OvuVMwr3aEEmcAP3hm0QRkQ1wKRkHGwLk-uMWIk-Vbmbt004WFcc1wvyIyaJidoJah9EV_wQf93jZrxps7fflFbqYV2lE4xhUOCVOdswtYVHg/s1600/Snow+wishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhng348tUvI7S9bosFzv2ov2KE2ZyMm1OvuVMwr3aEEmcAP3hm0QRkQ1wKRkHGwLk-uMWIk-Vbmbt004WFcc1wvyIyaJidoJah9EV_wQf93jZrxps7fflFbqYV2lE4xhUOCVOdswtYVHg/s320/Snow+wishes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0sMIMawvG0vex25OAFUgUyiRNNo7oCbepFWIHgiQkZ-qHXqJ0N-rWSp4HgQ2jYCX3KvhW9J19snBa91se1fmquTfxU2IZViDjPEx1ik4NjIkvFYFsPIHfVKpaKU2Xm_R0wO-GPRu2w/s1600/Vintage+cars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="500" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0sMIMawvG0vex25OAFUgUyiRNNo7oCbepFWIHgiQkZ-qHXqJ0N-rWSp4HgQ2jYCX3KvhW9J19snBa91se1fmquTfxU2IZViDjPEx1ik4NjIkvFYFsPIHfVKpaKU2Xm_R0wO-GPRu2w/s320/Vintage+cars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh121xV0IAQceJwfP30_iVZkWpbmD-LrWu9tn-x-TBx8cppxKZ8ZK3tbzDtj8-wFrRTvRrAbGcUi-HBCVRBGjQPXbei-QBXp4ZZgEv-c3rNANq68dZTxX_mozP2Ufql5-179SZEQTEIBw/s1600/Daddy+long+legs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh121xV0IAQceJwfP30_iVZkWpbmD-LrWu9tn-x-TBx8cppxKZ8ZK3tbzDtj8-wFrRTvRrAbGcUi-HBCVRBGjQPXbei-QBXp4ZZgEv-c3rNANq68dZTxX_mozP2Ufql5-179SZEQTEIBw/s320/Daddy+long+legs.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtQH723ctkLqZc7JpKBD2swFtM6k_fj2dybVnSNlin_ONsEsTTcZPW_03X0xEi-M0nTTGib38_ymN5tzbI8ta3zMT0cPqNAdsvwC2FqH-zLmq7aDclOqPACB6K4KHwj-bNwpsaCoqFA/s1600/Latvia+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtQH723ctkLqZc7JpKBD2swFtM6k_fj2dybVnSNlin_ONsEsTTcZPW_03X0xEi-M0nTTGib38_ymN5tzbI8ta3zMT0cPqNAdsvwC2FqH-zLmq7aDclOqPACB6K4KHwj-bNwpsaCoqFA/s320/Latvia+Snow.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3baAjVokwR2rdQoKMe3n-wyKqN3zyJZYpj_uK66TpIS-C5VAFwh7xEKHuSMAJDtgrSv8xGSzupG6y9qRc2_wM20b20IkdAREZRZXFnT7elC7frU1v8NiXHP1E1HJ8E-_ketUMX94fQ/s1600/Happy+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs3baAjVokwR2rdQoKMe3n-wyKqN3zyJZYpj_uK66TpIS-C5VAFwh7xEKHuSMAJDtgrSv8xGSzupG6y9qRc2_wM20b20IkdAREZRZXFnT7elC7frU1v8NiXHP1E1HJ8E-_ketUMX94fQ/s320/Happy+heart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you like writing, like cultivating a new hobby and have a
curious disposition, register yourself on <a href="https://www.postcrossing.com/">Postcrossing</a> and start posting! </div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-519832619307976192017-10-29T13:11:00.000+05:302017-10-29T13:11:28.140+05:30An ode to namma Bengaluru <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To the soft tenderness of your thatte idlis<br />
and the brittle crunchiness of your nippatus,<br />
gullible taste buds have given in.<br />
<br />
To the drowsy laziness of your cold mornings<br />
and the lengthy ant-lines of your traffic snarls,<br />
ordinary eye lids have drooped.<br />
<br />
In the breathtaking sunsets between your old school bungalows<br />
and the abrupt outpourings of your tears,<br />
tired spirits have found joy.<br />
<br />
In the crawling elegance of your ageing bus fleet<br />
and the measured movements of your pournamikas,<br />
Time itself seems to pause and reflect.<br />
<br />
In the haphazard gullies of your unplanned localities<br />
and the overwhelming stench of your garbage trucks<br />
many mortals have lost their bearings.<br />
<br />
In the vast chaos of your technology parks<br />
and the knotty tangles of your mushrooming hostels,<br />
strangers have found love and life.<br />
<br />
In the messy busyness of your bazaars and metros<br />
and the lofty ambitions of your startups and entrepreneurs,<br />
the gregarious and talented have found purpose.<br />
<br />
In the sprawling varieties of your breweries<br />
and the teeming crowds of your marathons,<br />
young and old alike are drunk with high spirits. <br />
<br />
Bengaluru, to your beautiful soul and welcoming warmth,<br />
many salutes and humble obeisance.<br />
<br /></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-45956564229530463582017-01-14T19:00:00.000+05:302017-01-14T19:00:17.794+05:30How to make the most of Airbnb experiences<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aren’t the best hotels and resorts the same all over the
world? Why stay in places that pile on comforts instead of warm human
experiences? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pablo Neruda writes in his famous poem ‘Die slowly’ (Italics
mine) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<i>He who becomes
the slave of habit,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<i>who follows the
same routes every day,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
who never changes pace,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<i>who does not
risk</i> and change the color of his clothes,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
who does not speak and <i>does not experience</i>,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
dies slowly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<i>He who does not
travel</i>, who does not read,<br />
who does not listen to music,<br />
who does not find grace in himself,<br />
she who does not find grace in herself,<br />
dies slowly.<br />
<br />
<i>He who slowly destroys his own
self-esteem,<br />
who does not allow himself to be helped</i>,<br />
who spends days on end complaining about his own bad luck, about the rain that
never stops,<br />
dies slowly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
Staying in homestays and Airbnbs requires a small leap
of faith – enough to entrust a few hours of every day you spend in a foreign
land to a stranger’s warmth. It can give a sense of adrenaline rush – what
experience are we in for? Will the place look the same as what we saw in those
pictures? Will there be pets? Will the hosts understand us? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first time I stayed at an Airbnb was in Galle, Srilanka
and it was a memorable experience. Thereafter, whenever we (I travel with my
wife) travel, we have been lucky to experience the love and care of strangers
and more often than not, have left their homes with beautiful memories. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This post is an attempt to capture some common sense
practices that I have followed when using Airbnb and which have held me in good
stead so far. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Plan in advance and choose well– </u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The best places to stay in are often the first ones to get
booked. So, always, try to book well in advance. As an example, when we
recently visited Portugal and Madrid, I made the bookings more than 2 months in
advance. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When making a booking, spend time reading the ratings and
reviews left by other travelers. There are 6 parameters (listed below) on which
other guests would have left ratings. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUxd8T32si22MHFlXACznSyobdb0CDn2KxHqqpCmxCE1IJM5msAFet8vh0Hj5ri8XqpLuEfIkTZTlgdF-WywR1VKr9-TwmeDgm34PWf6IguUUWIgZaVNK0eJCP_bMSKXyIIpE0ej1HA/s1600/Review+parameters.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="49" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUxd8T32si22MHFlXACznSyobdb0CDn2KxHqqpCmxCE1IJM5msAFet8vh0Hj5ri8XqpLuEfIkTZTlgdF-WywR1VKr9-TwmeDgm34PWf6IguUUWIgZaVNK0eJCP_bMSKXyIIpE0ej1HA/s320/Review+parameters.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rating parameters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a traveler, you are lucky if you get to enjoy the
hospitality of a host who has great ratings across all the 6 parameters and if
you plan in advance, you have more chances of getting lucky. If you are not
very lucky, prioritize which parameters are more important to you. Is location
more important than cleanliness? Is value more important than location?
Preferences vary, so decide what would be yours, clearly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go through the photos of the place posted by the host – do
they inspire you? <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCXqUn0tpQh-Wil8RaSFxBIDqj63chZg92V9oV7erkeb447D7etCk01D2waM97W3RKjzi38Tyj1RS4pfBoUJ7dYCBVJZVL9yuxGnUpMNenRkfk_FkvcMhVx6QVI6N8I9dV5VaCycNJw/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCXqUn0tpQh-Wil8RaSFxBIDqj63chZg92V9oV7erkeb447D7etCk01D2waM97W3RKjzi38Tyj1RS4pfBoUJ7dYCBVJZVL9yuxGnUpMNenRkfk_FkvcMhVx6QVI6N8I9dV5VaCycNJw/s320/IMG_1006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen at the place we stayed in Nazare, Portugal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read the house amenities and the house manual – Are you
someone who prefers breakfast included in your stays or would you rather
explore the nearby cafes? Would you like to cook yourself and are you permitted
to use the host’s kitchen? Are there any specific check-in and check-out
timings listed and do they align with your travel plans? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What are some things that other travelers have liked about
the host? Read the reviews carefully and form a mental picture. Do you like the
picture? <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>
Sample this for a review – <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Really glad to have
found such a great place to stay! The location is brilliant and the place very
comfortable, but as for so many great places what makes it great is the host. [Host name] <host>was flexible on checkin/out, knowledgeable on both contemporary
and historic Lisbon, and even called me while I was traveling to give extra
helpful tips. Plus, of you are relaxing in the apartment in between
sightseeing, you can't help but find a great book (in a selection of languages)
in his overflowing shelves.<o:p></o:p></host></i><br />
<i><host><br /></host></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9CN0SfKy3XiG9iEMvQ26Md-fiQttrQXdmiFNhdzAo8VpN6hSsrWSggSyVlsn2C04RIIVcd12xFNQi2VBtom7O7hSLTLdHu3sdkZl31y3fd2pya7ZVqHy2N-c6-qBOP85XvE9ZY-FbQ/s1600/IMG_0905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9CN0SfKy3XiG9iEMvQ26Md-fiQttrQXdmiFNhdzAo8VpN6hSsrWSggSyVlsn2C04RIIVcd12xFNQi2VBtom7O7hSLTLdHu3sdkZl31y3fd2pya7ZVqHy2N-c6-qBOP85XvE9ZY-FbQ/s320/IMG_0905.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the breakfast table of our host in Lisbon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><host><br /></host></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip – Opt for hosts who serve/arrange breakfast – you get to
taste local home-made food. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlmcNxZOihj0unMCenx_SlCpNbcwP4I58NehrcRiXktuC_8duC4CnKAPmbuFZqv0Nca9YPqrSXaFCWE5ywhjydxxCeVk1MnmERmQYKsVJ_Hqe3YrHCm8GMaYHx3P2xAOTPo4MdyN6ug/s1600/DSC00951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlmcNxZOihj0unMCenx_SlCpNbcwP4I58NehrcRiXktuC_8duC4CnKAPmbuFZqv0Nca9YPqrSXaFCWE5ywhjydxxCeVk1MnmERmQYKsVJ_Hqe3YrHCm8GMaYHx3P2xAOTPo4MdyN6ug/s320/DSC00951.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">String hoppers for breakfast at Galle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Communicate honestly – </u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Communicate with the hosts before making a booking. This is
not necessary, but good to do. You understand how promptly they reply and can
rely on this promptness when you need help. Check with them if you have any
specific queries – <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How close/far are they located from a metro station or a bus
stop?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Can they accommodate a check-in that is slightly earlier?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Notify your hosts when you reach the airport/train station/bus stop so they are aware when they can exactly expect you. Leave a SMS or a message on Airbnb. Call them if you think you are getting lost. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip - Be polite and specific in your communication and
always try to reply promptly so you signal your earnestness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Engage warmly – </u><o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are booking on Airbnb, like us you probably want to
get to know the hosts a little. Don’t be prejudiced and never force your
presence on their time. If you know there would be pets around, don't book unless you are comfortable. While it is perfectly reasonable for you to expect
their guidance in a new place, it is not wise to expect them to hand-hold you.
Do your homework and give them a sense of what you like so they can suggest the
right sights and attractions. If they are not conversant in English, speak
slowly and clearly. <o:p></o:p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YJYOLvY-4wBSv6l8bMvR8_5guPsSFAEFC6ochsv6QCMyMfTs2n8nEJPwjZJzLMNcpLTjahbHz_nEKIkZiYqlh6OlPvtaCxPeTQoY3u_rRKXCGxML2Xd58ZnyJY3Eun7uBdWFyoMi2Q/s1600/IMG_1105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YJYOLvY-4wBSv6l8bMvR8_5guPsSFAEFC6ochsv6QCMyMfTs2n8nEJPwjZJzLMNcpLTjahbHz_nEKIkZiYqlh6OlPvtaCxPeTQoY3u_rRKXCGxML2Xd58ZnyJY3Eun7uBdWFyoMi2Q/s320/IMG_1105.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte, the pet dog of our hosts at Porto, Portugal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our hosts have dropped us at a shikara (boat) point near
Vembanad lake in Kerala, left us near the Galle fort on a beautiful morning and
accompanied us for a walk to the Praha de Comercio in Lisbon. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLXtGV3c8FkWmnhOU1OEpDocvUh7A4QFJcXjPHVG9f1D4gkpfEQ0FV4kcWaCzgZlCjjnz6HmA6tNnosRUvbrLXj_TzkUrTlBtzo1GTwEMI2MJuKo0gQAyA4qa6ESh9xweTGTXHhFG0Q/s1600/DSC01170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLXtGV3c8FkWmnhOU1OEpDocvUh7A4QFJcXjPHVG9f1D4gkpfEQ0FV4kcWaCzgZlCjjnz6HmA6tNnosRUvbrLXj_TzkUrTlBtzo1GTwEMI2MJuKo0gQAyA4qa6ESh9xweTGTXHhFG0Q/s320/DSC01170.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shikara ride in the backwaters near Vembanad lake, Kerala</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip : If you find that they are private people, don’t
intrude on their privacy and avoid personal questions unless they are
forthcoming. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Stay responsibly – </u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember that you are staying at someone’s home and act
responsibly through your stay. Respect the house rules you have read and ask
for how to use a certain kitchen appliance if you don’t know. While using
common areas, respect the hosts’ privacy. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20X8DbgRDF7XIdhAzTSzS1zh1kEc4QLXfpc3u6fR0JYJDNWtWgVtMly2cFB_OqgSD5jxTSmD2ApeFQDtOKopHTt64-TBit-HP7zqlZUw02j9m_4acg0M6QaXocO4r1lOaxfPDXrJdEg/s1600/DSC01825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20X8DbgRDF7XIdhAzTSzS1zh1kEc4QLXfpc3u6fR0JYJDNWtWgVtMly2cFB_OqgSD5jxTSmD2ApeFQDtOKopHTt64-TBit-HP7zqlZUw02j9m_4acg0M6QaXocO4r1lOaxfPDXrJdEg/s320/DSC01825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common breakfast/relaxing area in Mysore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip : Try to leave the place as clean as possible when you
check-out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We were happy to have a host write this review for us after
our stay in Nazare, Portugal. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“Great guests who took great care of my place, I would
gladly host them again.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Leave a review – </u><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you check-out, write a thank you note in the guests’
book if your host has one. Leave honest reviews on Airbnb and write a private
thank you note if you think your hosts merit one. Doing this makes it easy for
other travelers to make wise choices and for your hosts to improve. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote this for our host in Pondy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“[Host name]<host name=""> was as good as a host can get, responding
promptly to our queries before we traveled and even guiding us to rent a two
wheeler. The room was comfortable on the 2nd floor in a street quite close to
both the rail station and the beach. Would recommend her place to people who
want to stay close to the beach/French quarters in pondy."</host></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Enjoy using Airbnb and leave your Airbnb experiences in the
comments. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-19983405090726642002015-03-29T12:45:00.000+05:302015-03-29T12:45:32.153+05:30The fluidity of gender roles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the aftermath of the immense success of "India's daughter" and the opinions it generated, I am amused that people twist their views on gender to suit their convenience.<br />
<br />
Most of our narrative has been binary. It is staggeringly<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>This or That</li>
<li>Either I am right or funnily, you are wrong</li>
<li>You are with me or against me</li>
<li>You are a feminist or a male chauvinist</li>
<li>You have a fundamentalist/radical view of women's roles or you think, everything is cool </li>
</ul>
What we have to urgently realize are a few things and be conscious about the realization -<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Gender roles have become fluid like never before. Gone are the days when women sought a partner for security and men so that someone can take care of their kids</li>
<li>Political correctness has its limitations. By absolving one gender of any wrong and laying all fault at the door of the other, we are only implying that 50% of the population is guilty</li>
<li>Every debate has nuances. Every story is not told in shades of black and white</li>
</ul>
Now, coming to the crux of this post, consider the following -<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>A man has as much right to take a break from work when he wants it or feels like it and try out something new/creative/entrepreneurial</li>
<li>A man can be perfectly okay with having a partner who earns higher than him and who has better qualifications</li>
<li>A man can still be a man if he doesn't know how to ride a two wheeler or a four wheeler</li>
<li>A man can also choose to work or not work fulltime. He doesn't have to be the provider or the head of the family always</li>
<li>A boy has as much right to know how much his partner can earn before marriage as the girl</li>
<li>A boy can choose to have long hair, choose to wear pink, choose to ride a yellow scooter and choose to wear red shoes</li>
<li>Having a flat and earning money in dollars doesn't have anything to do with the male gender alone</li>
<li>A man can choose not to open the door for a lady at a restaurant or to pull a chair for her at a table and still be a gentleman</li>
<li>A man can be afraid of the dark and scared of the heights</li>
<li>Finally, a man who likes Sunny Leone need not be a man who is addicted to pornography or objectification of women </li>
</ul>
Gender is a construct that helps us understand biological, sociological and neurological differences between sexes. It is not a weapon to beat down one gender and sound politically correct. If we choose to deploy it so, unfortunately, we end up exhibiting a lack of proper discernment, a propensity to draw convenient/easy/cognitively less stressful conclusions and a deep seated inclination to stereotype.<br />
<br />
Our society is undergoing transition and it is a transition, undoubtedly for the better. Let us try to treat the inevitable friction during this transition with a healthy degree of empathy. </div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-43942296859619487302015-02-04T23:30:00.001+05:302015-02-04T23:30:53.791+05:30The 100 books I loved reading<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-IN</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="371">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Since I
am reading book #200 after I started keeping a count (for the heck of it), I
thought a post on the 100 books I liked and a one liner on each of them would
be a good post. The list has a mix of classics, Non Fiction, Fiction, business
and management books. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Here are
my 100 - Name, Author, my two cents/memorable quote and Good reads/Amazon link </span></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">One day - David Nicholls -
Funny, serious, emotional roller coaster, coming-of-age story, also a
story of harsh, albeit late realizations - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6280118-one-day?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Past Continuous/A life apart
- Neel Mukherjee - Loved Mukherjee's prose, at times meandering into
unnecessary details but mostly good, throws light on a young boy growing
up in 70s/80s Kolkata. Has a very absorbing parallel story set in 1900s
colonial India. - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7670599-a-life-apart"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Essays in Love - Alain De
Botton - Vintage De Botton, Finest piece of prose you may possibly lay your
hands on, love becomes all the more enchanting in his hands - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Essays-Love-Alain-Botton/dp/0330440780/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422982761&sr=8-1&keywords=Essays+in+Love"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> The Romantics - Pankaj
Mishra - Contemplative in parts, heart rending in parts, richly evocative
of beautiful Varanasi, this is a surprisingly good read - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/307278.The_Romantics?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Indira Gandhi - Nayantara
Sehgal - This is an insider's account of Indira Gandhi, at her vulnerable
and ruthless moments, pacy for a biographical account- </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Indira-Gandhi-English-Spanish-Japanese/dp/0143067354/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422983013&sr=1-14&keywords=indira+gandhi"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The boy in the striped
pyjamas - John Boyne - The horror of the second world war told through a
young boy's eyes, this would leave the reader sad - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1754278.The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> Dear Zari - Zarghuna
Kargar - A peek into Afghanistan's different customs, traditions and how
the patriarchy takes a toll on a society's womenfolk. The brilliance of
this book lies in the triumph of the women in its stories, despite all
possible odds. - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14296736-dear-zari?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Thinking fast and Slow -
Daniel Kahneman - Sheer brilliance of Kahneman to the fore, a tour de
force that will turn your conventional views on its head and leave you
dazzled - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov -
You will not see a girl child with an ordinary eye, oops, did I say
something wrong? I stand by it. Humbert Humbert gives you the creeps - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7604.Lolita?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Steppenwolf - Herman Hesse -
<i>"Steppenwolf's nature was thus twofold, partly human, partly
wolfish." </i>- </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16631.Steppenwolf?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dark road - Ma Jian -
The saddest book I have read, on the tragedy that is the forced family
planning laws of China - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15811572-the-dark-road?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The wisdom of insecurity -
Alan Watts - If there are a few books in this list that is recommended for
rereading, this surely is one- </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/551520.The_Wisdom_of_Insecurity?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Bonded - Harold M Bergsma -
The potential was great, the characters, too well sketched to be let down
in such a fashion, Pakistan's child/bonded labour in focus - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17826831-bonded?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In the shadow of the banyan
- Vaddey Ratner - The civil war in Cambodia, the forced displacement of
scores of people and a royal family caught right in the middle, this is a
must read for the hope it offers and for the lessons in human spirit it
teaches - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13057939-in-the-shadow-of-the-banyan?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The art of travel - Alain De
Botton - Please buy this if you like traveling, Amen - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23422.The_Art_of_Travel?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The conquest of happiness -
Bertrand Russell - This book should be reread every month - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51783.The_Conquest_of_Happiness?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Reverse Innovation - Vijay
Govindarajan and Chris Trimble - Replete with case studies and examples,
this one should be read slowly and patiently. Gets a little repetitive,
falls slightly short of expectations, nevertheless a good informative read
- </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Innovation-Create-Home-Everywhere/dp/1422157644/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422984477&sr=1-1&keywords=reverse+innovation"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The art of choosing - Sheena
Iyengar - Choices will never seem straightforward after reading this one,
a truly different perspective - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6648865-the-art-of-choosing?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The museum of innocence -
Orhan Pamuk - This is Pamuk's tribute to love, a laborious read in parts,
but if you labour on, it becomes a rewarding read - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6282753-the-museum-of-innocence?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Lucknow Boy, A Memoir -
Vinod Mehta - Mr Mehta comes across as touchingly human, quite different from the
persona we see on TV debates - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13120156-lucknow-boy?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Strategic Selling - Miller
and Heiman - Selling is a science (and an art too), this is a classic text
book, quite useful and a methodical approach to the function - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Strategic-Selling-Successful-Companies/dp/044669519X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422984966&sr=1-1&keywords=strategic+selling"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Code Halos - Malcolm Frank,
Paul Roehrig, Ben Pring - Futuristic, relevant and complex concepts
explained with a rare clarity - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Code-Halos-Organizations-Changing-Business/dp/1118862074/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422985067&sr=1-1&keywords=code+halos"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Smoke and Mirrors, An
experience of China - Pallavi Aiyar - <i>"The new China was a land of
dichotomies : chaos and control, change and continuity, wealth and
poverty, good and evil coexisted here in a potentially explosive mix"</i>
- </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Mirrors-Pallavi-Aiyar-ebook/dp/B008V8GAGQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422985326&sr=1-1&keywords=smoke+and+mirrors+pallavi"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Cinnamon Gardens - Shyam
Selvadurai - This is a highly under rated book, would rate it among the
top 10 books I have read (Fiction) - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/181345.Cinnamon_Gardens?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Predictably Irrational - Dan
Arielly - <i>Descartes said, Cogito ergo Sum - "I think, therefore I
am" But suppose, we are nothing more than the sum of our first,
naive, random behaviors, what then?</i> - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Predictably-Irrational-Revised-Expanded-Decisions/dp/0061353248/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422985628&sr=1-1&keywords=predictably+irrational"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link <br />
</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The difficulty of being good
- Gurcharan Das - Mahabharata holds a lot of lessons for the modern day
professional - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Difficulty-Being-Good-Subtle-Dharma/dp/0199754411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422985797&sr=1-1&keywords=the+difficulty+of+being+good"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Man's search for meaning -
Viktor E Frankl - <i>"A human being is not one in pursuit of happiness,
but rather in search of a reason to become happy"</i> - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The idea of justice -
Amartya Sen - Complex read, worth the effort, Niti and Nyaya, the
difference between the two, exhaustive references, this is Mr. Sen at his
brilliant best - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Idea-Justice-Amartya-Sen/dp/0674060474/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422986065&sr=1-1&keywords=the+idea+of+justice"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Swimming Across - Andrew S
Grove - <i>"I realized that it is good to have atleast two interests
in your life. If you have only one interest and that goes sour, there is
nothing to act as a counterbalance to lift your mood"</i> - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Across-Andrew-S-Grove/dp/0446529923/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422986178&sr=1-1&keywords=swimming+across"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Reader - Bernhard
Schlink - This is a story you will remember long after you turn the last
page, remarkable love - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101299.The_Reader?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Chowringhee - Sankar -<i>
"If you want to preserve a corpse, put it into whiskey, and if you
want to kill a living man, pour whiskey into him"</i> - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1074682.Chowringhee?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
- The best graphic novel ever written, a collector's delight and an ideal
gift choice for a book lover - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Persepolis-Marjane-Satrapi/dp/0375714839/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422986524&sr=1-2&keywords=persepolis+by+marjane+satrapi"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Fragrant Harbour - John
Lanchester - <i>"She was pretty but the most attractive thing about
her was her evident talent for happiness"</i> - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/177998.Fragrant_Harbor?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Black Margins - Saadat Hasan
Manto - If there is one short story collection you are going to buy, buy
this - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/471289.Black_Margins?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">For the new intellectual -
Ayn Rand - <i>"Every form of causeless self doubt, every feeling of
inferiority and secret unworthiness is, in fact, man's hidden dread of his
inability to deal with existence"</i> - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/663.For_the_New_Intellectual?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The audacity of hope - Brack
Obama - <i>"Alone in the kitchen washing the dishes, I imagined my
two girls growing up, and I felt that ache that every parent must feel at
one time or another, that desire to snatch up each moment of your child's
presence and never let go - to preserve every gesture, to lock in for all
eternity the sight of their curls or the feel of their fingers clasped
around yours"</i> - </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Audacity-Hope-Thoughts-Reclaiming-American/dp/0307455874/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422987046&sr=1-1&keywords=the+audacity+of+hope+by+barack+obama"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The unbearable lightness of
being - Milan Kundera - <i>"Does he love me? Does he love anyone more
than me? Does he love me more than I love him? Perhaps all the questions
we ask of love, to measure, test, probe and save it, have the additional
effect of cutting it short."</i> - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9717.The_Unbearable_Lightness_of_Being?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sputnik Sweetheart - Haruki
Murakami - Classical Murakami, Amen - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9557.Sputnik_Sweetheart?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Tears of the desert - Halima
Bashir - Female genital mutilation and an autobiographical account of the
war in Sudan - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3170677-tears-of-the-desert?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Diary of a bad year - JM
Coetzee - <i>"You can't be honest in a marriage-type relationship
where you live together, not absolutely honest, not if you want it to
last. That is one of the down things about marriage." </i>- </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1377172.Diary_of_a_Bad_Year?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Golden Age - Tahmima Anam -
In my list of top 10 fiction books, remarkably well written for a first
novel, a glimpse into Bangladesh during its birth - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/823815.A_Golden_Age?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Disgrace - JM Coetzee - A
work of sheer genius, buy it if you want to know how well books can be
written, buy it if you read to appreciate a master at his best - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6192.Disgrace?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
- <i>"It is easy when you are young, to believe that what you desire
is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something
badly enough, it is your God-given right to have it"</i> - </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1845.Into_the_Wild?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">To Sir with love - ER
Braithwhite - <i>"Every teacher should have a fund of ready
information on which to draw; he should keep that fund supplied regularly
by new experiences, new thoughts and discoveries, by reading and moving
around among people from whom he can acquire such things"</i>- </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/895163.To_Sir_With_Love?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Darkness at noon - Arthur
Koestler - <i>"A second, smashing blow hit him on the ear. Then all
became quiet. There was the sea again with its sounds. A wave slowly
lifted him up. It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of
eternity" </i>- </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30672.Darkness_at_Noon?from_search=true"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Link</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Seeing - Jose Saramago – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s odd how we spend every day of our
life saying goodbye, saying and hearing others say see you tomorrow when,
either the person we said to will no longer be here, or we who said it will
not”</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47667.Seeing?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Painted Veil – Somerset
Maugham – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Because he had dressed a
doll in gorgeous robes, and set her in a sanctuary to worship her, and
then discovered that the doll was filled with sawdust he could neither
forgive himself nor her”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99664.The_Painted_Veil?ac=1">Link</a>
</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">What are you doing with your
life – J Krishnamurti – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“We do not
love and let it alone, but crave to be loved; we give in order to receive,
which is the generosity of the mind and not of the heart. The mind is ever
seeking certainty, security; and can love be made certain by the mind?”</i>
– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22145861-what-are-you-doing-with-your-life?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Blindness – Jose Saramago –
All the people in a city go blind. This is the best book I have ever read.
Mind blowing stuff. Would top any of my lists. – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2526.Blindness?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Snow – Orhan Pamuk – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“While Gemini men are best suited to
Virgo women, the double personality of Geminis, which makes them light and
shallow, can either delight or disgust a Gemini woman”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11691.Snow?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sea, The sea – Iris
Murdoch – Murdoch is my favorite writer. This is considered to be one of
her best works. – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11229.The_Sea_the_Sea?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A Writer’s notebook –
Somerset Maugham – Very different book. Maugham wrote down his
observations of life and musings in a diary to be used later in his works.
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“A thing of beauty is not, as Keats
said, a joy for ever; it is a thing that excites in us a particular
emotion at a particular moment, and if it does that it gives us all that
beauty can give. It is absurd to despise people who don’t share our
aesthetic opinions”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/758496.A_Writer_s_Notebook?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Siege – Helen Dunmore – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The three of them are far off, and it
is hard to tell. Suddenly they move into a bar of light reflecting up from
the water. Broken, shivering pieces of light run up and down their bodies.
They look as if they are dancing. They are mother, father and child out
for a walk on this beautiful may afternoon, as Leningrad settles like a
swan on the calmest of waters”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/469959.The_Siege?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The house of blue mangoes –
David Davidar – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“He empties his
mind, concentrates the senses. He regards the fruit he has picked for a
moment, then raises the mounded end with the dimple in the centre, to his
nose and inhales deeply. The bouquet explodes upon his senses: a huge
delectable sweetness, overlaid with notes of freshness, lightness, sun and
blue…”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=the+house+of+blue+mangoes">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Shalimar the clown – Salman
Rushdie – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Was he clothing an
essentially savage, irrational thing in the garb of civilization, dolling
it up in the dress shirt of endurance, the silk trousers of constancy, the
frock coat of solicitude and the top hat of selflessness?”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4830.Shalimar_the_Clown?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Cakes and Ale – Somerset
Maugham – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I noticed as we walked
along that sometimes men who passed us stared at Mrs Driffield. It
occurred to me presently that they must think her pretty too. I began to
walk with a certain swagger.”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/191793.Cakes_and_Ale?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Norwegian Wood – Haruki
Murakami – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Just as each person has
certain idiosyncrasies in the way he or she walks, people have
idiosyncrasies in the way they think and feel and see things, and though
you might want to correct them, it doesn’t happen overnight, and if you
try to force the issue in one case, something else might go funny.” </i>– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11297.Norwegian_Wood?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The narrow corner – Somerset
Maugham – “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The wise man combines the
pleasures of the senses and the pleasures of the spirit in such a way as
to increase the satisfaction he gets from both. The most valuable thing I
have learnt from life is to regret nothing. Life is short, nature is
hostile, and man is ridiculous; but oddly enough most misfortunes have
their compensations…” </i>– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/805597.The_Narrow_Corner?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Arrival and Departure –
Arthur Koestler – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The hardest
sentences are those which people inflict on themselves for imaginary sins”</i>
– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1714864.Arrival_and_Departure?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Frenchman’s creek –
Daphne Du Maurrier – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“What is the
difference between happiness and contentment? It is not easy to put into
words. Contentment is a state of mind and body when the two work in
harmony, and there is no friction. The mind is at peace and the body also.
The two are sufficient to themselves. Happiness is elusive – coming
perhaps once in a lifetime and approaching ecstasy.”</i> – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frenchmans-Creek-Daphne-du-Maurier/dp/1402217102/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423071374&sr=1-1&keywords=the+frenchman%27s+creek">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Love in the time of cholera
– Gabriel Garcia Marquez – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It is
incredible how one can be happy for so many years in the midst of so many
squabbles, so many problems, damn it, and not really know if it was love
or not”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9712.Love_in_the_Time_of_Cholera?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sophie’s Choice – William
Styron – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The look of love they
exchanged – the merest instant of eyes meeting then melting together, but marvelously intense – was so embarrassingly intimate that I turned
briefly away.”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228560.Sophie_s_Choice?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Vernon God Little – DBD
Pierre – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You’ll have a honey of a
life if you love the people who love you first”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11711.Vernon_God_Little?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Pride and Prejudice – Jane
Austen – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Women fancy admiration
means more than it does”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1885.Pride_and_Prejudice?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The catcher in the rye –
Jerome David Salinger – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I’m always
saying ‘Glad to have met you’ to somebody I am not at all glad I met. If
you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff though”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5107.The_Catcher_in_the_Rye?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Round the bend – Nevil Shute
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You can only do a thing for the
first time once, and that goes for falling in love. You may do it over and
over again afterwards but it’s never the same.”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/953962.Round_the_Bend?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Of Human Bondage – Somerset
Maugham – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It is clear that men
accept and immediate pain rather than an immediate pleasure, but only
because they expect greater pleasure in the future” </i>– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31548.Of_Human_Bondage?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Crime and Punishment –
Fyodor Dostoevsky – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“In order to
understand any man one must be deliberate and careful to avoid forming
prejudices and mistaken ideas, which are very difficult to correct and get
over afterwards”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7144.Crime_and_Punishment?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">An outcast of the islands –
Joseph Conrad – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Fatalism is born of
the fear of failure, for we all believe that we carry success in our own
hands, and we suspect that our hands are weak”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/822461.An_Outcast_of_the_Islands?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Desertion – Abdulrazak
Gurnah <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">–“I don’t want to find myself
saying that they fell in love as soon as they caught sight of each other
and the rest followed, that they looked into each other’s eyes and into
each other’s souls and abandoned every other demand that circumstances
made on them, can that kind of thing be true? Do such things happen? And
even if they do, how can they be written?”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77817.Desertion?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Under Western eyes – Joseph
Conrad – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“A man’s real life is that
accorded to him in the thoughts of other men by reason of respect or
natural love”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/143511.Under_Western_Eyes?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The remains of the day –
Kazuo Ishiguro – Ishiguro writes poetry. Please buy this one to savour any
day – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28921.The_Remains_of_the_Day?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Brothers Karamazov –
Fyodor Dostoevsky – Dostoevsky seems to give the middle finger to all the
proponents of freedom and liberty when he writes: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Humanity yearns above all not for freedom, but for ‘mystery’,
‘miracle’ and ‘authority’”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4934.The_Brothers_Karamazov?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">This blinding absence of
light – Tahar Ben Jelloun – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Even
with the cruelest misfortune, there comes a time when forgetting begins,
and discouragement fades.”</i> – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blinding-Absence-Light-Tahar-Jelloun/dp/014303572X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423070907&sr=1-1&keywords=this+blinding+absence+of+light">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Commentaries on living – J
Krishnamurti – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“What we are is made
up of what we have been; and what we have been also shapes the future,
without definitely giving line and substance to every thought and action.
The present is a movement of the past to the future”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11884255-commentaries-on-living?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Goodbye to Berlin –
Christopher Isherwood – Isherwood was such a fine writer and this book is
such a gem – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/760702.Goodbye_to_Berlin?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The people’s act of love –
James Meek – “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death gave life the
beauty of finity, the beauty of the edge line, and life, even a second of
it made death small</i>” – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112343.The_People_s_Act_of_Love?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mr. Norris changes trains –
Christopher Isherwood – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It’s so
stupid to bear grudges. In this life, one is apt to lose a great deal
through a mistaken sense of pride” </i>– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/705163.Mr_Norris_Changes_Trains?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Midnight’s Children – Salman
Rushdie – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Memory selects,
eliminates, alters, exaggerates, minimizes, glorifies, and vilifies also;
but in the end it creates its own reality, it’s heterogeneous but usually
coherent version of events; and no sane human being ever trusts someone
else’s version more than his own</i>”- <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14836.Midnight_s_Children?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Notes from the underground –
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“In every man’s memories there are
such things as he will reveal not to everyone, but perhaps only to
friends. There are also such as he will reveal not even to friends, but
only to himself, and that in secret. Then, finally, there are such as man
is afraid to reveal even to himself, and every decent man will have
accumulated quite a few things of this sort”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/436982.Notes_from_the_Underground?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sovereignty of Good –
Iris Murdoch – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“We act rightly ‘when
the time comes’ not out of strength of will but out of the quality of our
usual attachments and with the kind of energy and discernment which we
have available”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11232.The_Sovereignty_of_Good?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The blue bedspread – Raj
Kamal Jha – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“This city likes lonely
people, the city likes him. There’s no one to walk by his side, to wait
for him at a street crossing, so the city moves in to help, it slows down
the traffic, parts the crowds. There’s no one to talk to him, so the city
speaks through its banners, its hoardings.”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101933.The_Blue_Bedspread?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Fury – Salman Rushdie – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“How does a woman for whom every man
hungers decide that one is enough?”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4836.Fury?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Under the Net – Iris Murdoch
– The first work of my most favorite writer. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“True virtue, true goodness, true love flow from the respect for
the strangeness and the mystery of other people and the world that
surrounds us. They flow from the refusal to inflict our own designs on
them, to deny their innate elusiveness, their impenetrable quiddity.”</i>-
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11324.Under_the_Net?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The picture of Dorian Gray –
Oscar Wilde – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Women love us for our
defects. If we have enough of them they will forgive us everything, even
our intellects.”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5297.The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">By the Sea – Abdulrazak
Gurnah – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You never stop wishing to
live, or wishing for companionship and purpose.”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77818.By_the_Sea?from_search=true">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The red and the green – Iris
Murdoch – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Could reproach and love
become so nearly identical? Yes, for this is the nature of the magnet by
which what is good draws what is partly evil, by which perhaps
mysteriously it may even draw what is wholly evil. The light cast from a
perfect center cannot but define what is imperfect in a revelation which
is both a rebuke and summons”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/336158.The_Red_and_the_Green?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The In-between World of
Vikram Lall – MG Vassanji – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“When
men develop contempt for a woman, the vilest, filthiest language escapes
their lips”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77796.The_In_Between_World_of_Vikram_Lall?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Border Crossing – Pat Barker
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Do you think it is different
killing a rabbit and killing a person? Yes. How is it different? Danny
looked Tom full in the face. ‘Rabbits run faster’ “</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/448227.Border_Crossing?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">An artist of the floating
World – Kazuo Ishiguro – “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When one
holds convictions deeply enough, there surely comes a point when it is
despicable to prevaricate further”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28922.An_Artist_of_the_Floating_World?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Harry Potter and the
half-blood prince – JK Rowling – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Greatness
inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns lies</i>” – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.Harry_Potter_and_the_Half_Blood_Prince?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A fine balance – Rohinton Mistry
– In my top 3 favorite books, next only to Blindness by Saramago. This is
an Indian epic novel! - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5211.A_Fine_Balance?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Double – Jose Saramago –
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Too much imagination is not the
best way to gain peace of mind” </i>– <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54120.The_Double?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The Altman Code – Robert Ludlum
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“What a caterpillar calls the end
of life, wise men call a butterfly”</i> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70088.The_Altman_Code?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The adventures of Tom Sawyer
– Mark Twain – One book that every boy should read no matter how old he is
- <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24583.The_Adventures_of_Tom_Sawyer?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Famous Five on treasure
island – Enid Blyton – You will fall in love with the characters and you
will start dreaming of adventures - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17488.Five_on_a_Treasure_Island?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Roots – Alex Haley – The
first fat book I read completely. This is the story of America. – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/546018.Roots?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The magic faraway tree –
Enid Blyton – I remember reading this sitting on the compound wall of the
house when I was in 5<sup>th</sup> or 6<sup>th</sup> class. Fell in love
with reading then – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74998.The_Magic_Faraway_Tree?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Robinson Crusoe – Daniel
Defoe – Was part of the school syllabus, inculcated the thirst for
adventure – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2932.Robinson_Crusoe?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Tell me your dreams – Sidney
Sheldon – A Sidney Sheldon classic in every sense – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43326.Tell_Me_Your_Dreams?ac=1">Link</a></span></li>
</ol>
Tell me about your favorite books in the comments... <br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-81247652115844882312014-12-04T22:43:00.001+05:302014-12-04T22:43:43.559+05:30On reverse gender discrimination - a reality in urban India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Feminism is <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism">defined</a> as <i>the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities</i>. I subscribe to this definition. That makes me a feminist. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Now, let me list a few instances to drive home what I want to convey - the reality of reverse gender discrimination in urban India - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Last week, in a BMTC (Bangalore metropolitan transport corporation for the uninitiated) bus, I see this "Rs 200 fine for those who occupy seats reserved for ladies". I am standing and so are three other guys. This display appears to be warning us. Ahead of us, among these reserved seats, three are empty, all of them aisle seats with women occupying the window seats. Neither me nor the other three guys even contemplate occupying these seats. We continue standing until my stop comes (around 15 minutes). Through this 15 minutes, these seats remain vacant. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have also seen men in BMTC Volvo buses treading with extreme caution when they have to navigate the area close to the driver where typically women stand/sit. Given that the drivers of these Volvo buses take a special liking toward applying brakes every now and then, this implies drawing on all skills of balance whilst walking amid a crowd. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In most suburban trains and buses across Indian cities, 1/3 of all seats are reserved for women in normal hours of commute. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I observe this in the elevators at work- Whenever girls enter, especially whenever young girls enter in a group, the men inside squeeze together. Those who are unfit even make an effort to draw their bellies in. It is amusing and disturbing at the same time. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Early this week, two girls from Haryana beat up three alleged molesters. One "braveheart" girl put her belt to some good purpose thrashing these guys. These two girls became instant celebrities. Media houses scampered and queued to interview them, invite them to the studios and ask them all sorts of questions on "Women's rights". A few days later, another video surfaced, of the same girls beating up a guy in a park. Now, harassment is not pardonable but <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/blog/how-rohtak-sisters-story-frayed-in-3-days-629948?pfrom=home-topstories">whoever arranges for these videos to be taken</a> is a mystery. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Whenever a case of rape is reported, there is a tendency to paint the entire male gender in shades of black. Men should be taught good manners at home, they say. This tendency to make sweeping generalizations doesn't help feminism in any manner. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">People joke (politically correct jokes you see) that men prefer "fair, beautiful, pretty, good looking" brides. Women too prefer "fair, good looking, charming, well earning" grooms. Somehow, if this is pointed out, many women feign ignorance. I wish they get to see what their friends and colleagues and sisters write on sites like Bharat Matrimony.Let us not even get into false cases of domestic violence. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Imagine a man after doing masters, sitting at home taking care of children and doing household chores. Somehow, a man like this is seen as "a-good-for-nothing-bloke", whereas, women can do this and get way. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Corporates conduct "women focused recruitment drives" to increase representation of women and sometimes to "correct" gender imbalance. </span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have based these instances on my own experiences. I refrain from generalizing, hence the qualifier, "urban India". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sometimes, sometimes, I imagine the plight of men born into upper caste in India. I forget to find any reservation that they can lay claim to. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The world is not a fair place. It is not a just place. However, as a race, we should strive for fairness and justice. The means by which we do that should not tilt the balance too much. I am afraid that, similar to reverse caste discrimination in the context of affirmative action, we are beginning to see many instances of reverse gender discrimination. If we, as a society, truly want our men and women to enjoy equal opportunities and rights, we should educate young children to see each other, first and foremost, as human beings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And, yes, to reiterate, I am a feminist. </span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-65118191152935403172014-08-31T09:21:00.000+05:302014-08-31T09:21:00.184+05:30Bangalore to me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-TW</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is a little
difficult to write about what a city means to you, when you have not grown up
there, but you have nevertheless made it your home. Scores of people from all
over the country and it is not just because of IT – believe me – have made
Bangalore their home, and love the city so much now, that, they would not move
out, come what may. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is a city that grows
on you. At the outset, you would think it is small, there are only malls to hang
out, but explore a little more and you will discover a treasure trove. This
post is inspired by <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/madras-to-me/article6324612.ece">this article</a> in THE HINDU. Needless to say, it is also
inspired by the parts of the city that I have seen and experienced. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is the
soothing pleasant weather that attracts relatives from all across the country.
On a Sunday morning, one can just go to a park with a newspaper or a book and
immerse oneself. One can’t tell the difference between 9 o clock and 12 o clock
and 4 o clock except by the position of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the-barely-there</i>
Sun and pangs of hunger. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">early-morning-long-drives</i> on Kanakpura road,
Mysore road and Outer ring road. The fresh air, serene atmosphere and a city
just waking up is a combination that one can experience again and again. The
beauty of this city is that one never knows, especially along these roads, when
the city ends to reveal villages with all their cattle and neat small houses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is BTM
Lake, Ulsoor lake, Hebbal lake and the water bodies that are catchment areas
during the rainy season. These lakes introduce freshness into the otherwise
concrete landscape of the city.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is the
red BMTC Volvos speeding everywhere, oblivious to the other lesser privileged
citizens of the road. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is the
metre mela 20 rupees and one and half metre autos. Trust me, most auto drivers
are reasonable. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is the
gently admonishing remarks the traffic system receives every day, ceaselessly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">salpa adjust maadi</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is the
flower show at Lalbagh and the Ganesh festivities in Basavanagudi and Jayanagar. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is Chitra
Santhe organized by the Karnataka Chitrakala parishath and the thriving drama
culture thanks to the likes of Rangashankara and Jagriti theatre </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is
Toit, Barley’s, HRC, Purple Haze and other drinking holes I have not been to. Also
for their music, interiors and the glamorous crowd that frequent these places… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is the
long stretch of restaurants along the Jyoti Nivas college road and Indiranagar
100 feet road offering cuisine – North Indian, Punjabi, Chinese, North East,
South Indian, Malabar style, Continental, Turkish, Mexican, Hyderabadi – that would
leave you perplexed</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is
being asked, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Samabaara, separate a </i>at
the numerous <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sagar</i>s and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Upahar</i>s that dot the city serving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one by two</i> coffee, open masala dosas,
kesari bath and chow chow bath. These are the places where you run into toothless
grandfathers reading Deccan Herald slurping hot coffee </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sultan school of speech</i> on Radio one</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is
IISc and IIM</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is its
passion for cycling and running and fitness</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bangalore to me is its
youthful energy, its lazy charm, its cosmopolitan ethos and its busy urge to
stay on top</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finally, Bangalore to
me is the pride that one feels when saying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Namma
Bengalooru</i> with a hint of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We are like
that only </i></span></div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-46332281828483034112014-05-11T00:56:00.000+05:302014-05-11T00:59:42.166+05:30Of backwaters, houseboats and beaches <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-TW</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->Day one, on board, Gloria -<br />
<br />
A sofa, a dining table, a television, two compact rooms with toilets and a
kitchen, name: Gloria. Yes, Gloria was where we enjoyed the serene calmness of
the backwaters near Allapey. She glided smoothly on the backwaters, so smoothly
that we felt we were part of a performance where the scenery around us changed,
albeit only in different shades of beauty.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAMJPL-Lj-nr8LydeGG7mCxtXgxtszQJUSDe9CGa_lQgDRECh4n6SM8ltZ8W8ad0EyIjL1I-MSb3s5BavSjN1LVDm9ziXOa5CkDi4KWpAhxzFXG8rCd__mIEo7DcHR2FlmKJ8sRE9IA/s1600/DSC03518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAMJPL-Lj-nr8LydeGG7mCxtXgxtszQJUSDe9CGa_lQgDRECh4n6SM8ltZ8W8ad0EyIjL1I-MSb3s5BavSjN1LVDm9ziXOa5CkDi4KWpAhxzFXG8rCd__mIEo7DcHR2FlmKJ8sRE9IA/s1600/DSC03518.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A lone middle aged woman rowing a small yacht, another houseboat speeding
away, overtaking us, a family having lunch aboard, a window being opened to
reveal a pale yawning face, a group of kids waving enthusiastically to us,
these scenes made our hearts flutter. We talked, mostly random things, not a
care in the world restraining our expression, not a thought polished before utterance.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45exnZ4ZWP5TavZ7IYPPDGrfaEhGlPgWIZbRZanyYcd0OilAi6pc_NWqRRdmd27CIvc6dsTRm4zCtvB8leQxwXEJlELV8Uz9jXq6WzwdTwS8bt7nAy2PxunaXT_aZiaG62GPsnQgmAQ/s1600/DSC03597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45exnZ4ZWP5TavZ7IYPPDGrfaEhGlPgWIZbRZanyYcd0OilAi6pc_NWqRRdmd27CIvc6dsTRm4zCtvB8leQxwXEJlELV8Uz9jXq6WzwdTwS8bt7nAy2PxunaXT_aZiaG62GPsnQgmAQ/s1600/DSC03597.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
We clicked pictures, of heartfelt smiles, of unstifled yawns, of shy kids,
of bemused houseboat steerers, of tall swaying coconut trees, of their
reflections in the calm waters, of the Sun illuminating and bringing to sudden
focus, a chameleon, of white beautiful birds, lone and in groups and of
gorgeous houseboats moored to trees.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmroH0jP0ed5j4592jAUK4Zl8V-2W6RchqpQ-00UpaC7hEmndXwEOx3zQo03TYKDYerm7xzlZf1U-XOCK-tqKkg8v0HhqeP17FdpkvpUpabIFoWcXdbGQSxDFuzMtoNtYgkuzJOwVoQ/s1600/DSC03619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmroH0jP0ed5j4592jAUK4Zl8V-2W6RchqpQ-00UpaC7hEmndXwEOx3zQo03TYKDYerm7xzlZf1U-XOCK-tqKkg8v0HhqeP17FdpkvpUpabIFoWcXdbGQSxDFuzMtoNtYgkuzJOwVoQ/s1600/DSC03619.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Just when we thought we must be dreaming, it grew dark. When the Sun emerged
again, peeping demurely from behind clouds, she brought along in her wake, a
rainbow with gentle shades of VIBGYOR.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjoWUkoKItSS_QTJkJ8BZWlX_sMABG27STvjikWrYPAQGOA65FWY49amqtjDG7fI0lvcRIWGdJQNIp-1Lm07q98K1Sx95XIjcghAu2Fq3jU9DLDZP4E_C75YWwEzWTJo3bMxI2Sr-EQ/s1600/DSC03570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjoWUkoKItSS_QTJkJ8BZWlX_sMABG27STvjikWrYPAQGOA65FWY49amqtjDG7fI0lvcRIWGdJQNIp-1Lm07q98K1Sx95XIjcghAu2Fq3jU9DLDZP4E_C75YWwEzWTJo3bMxI2Sr-EQ/s1600/DSC03570.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
We anchored at ~quarter to 17.00 at a busy marketplace. Shops sold soft
drinks, coconut water, trinkets and sundry other snacks. We alighted, sauntered
along the peninsula boundary and watched the Sun begin her slow descent. The
clouds gathered and the sky darkened but the rains never came. It nevertheless
kept the heat in check and lent the breeze a gentle coolness.<br />
<br />
At half past six, Gloria was moored for the day. The moon lay as a thin
crescent and darkness engulfed us in no time. I searched for the stars but
couldn’t penetrate the thick layer of clouds. A lizard fell down and appeared to
gaze for a few seconds at the television screen.<br />
<br />
We were seeing Farhan trying to charm Katrina in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara</i>. Sarayu, ever mysterious, settled farthest
from the television screen. Vidhya and Shruti continued their romance.
Bragadeesh aka Brags was lost in reverie and I was trying my best to find a
comfortable position that could afford me a view of my friends and the movie at
the same time.<br />
<br />
Most of us were meeting each other for the first time that day but a sense of bonhomie prevailed bringing us closer. As the night darkened and dinner was getting ready, like ants slowly and
patiently making their way around things, working ceaselessly and diligently,
we indulged in the tireless endeavor of knowing each other a little more. The
art of open and honest conversation is under threat by constantly evolving
sophisticated messaging applications and social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the biggest victim of these
applications is simple banter in a group with each person making eye contact
and exhibiting a genuine interest in the lives of the others.<br />
<br />
Day two, Kondai Lip -<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI99SNBUqApUWD6R9Z2C1le1EbJLo440QlXF8BfTktp9YxYjbUX6d_F7PzIIloyaKfMbJQg57idFGOo61D_ncUIuN9faU5tKc0bdmAG5SEovnTKkJNXjhDjIXLG1x9jTlYWE1SutPNEw/s1600/DSC03614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI99SNBUqApUWD6R9Z2C1le1EbJLo440QlXF8BfTktp9YxYjbUX6d_F7PzIIloyaKfMbJQg57idFGOo61D_ncUIuN9faU5tKc0bdmAG5SEovnTKkJNXjhDjIXLG1x9jTlYWE1SutPNEw/s1600/DSC03614.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
In the morning, the Sun bathed the backwaters in a gentle light. An entirely
new world was getting busy to face the day - families and workers rowing to
nearby villages, houseboats unmoored, engines cranked up and occupants coming
out to breakfast, birds chirping and young men diving into the waters for a
quick dip. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a simple breakfast of
Idlis and Sambar and before we realized, our short houseboat sojourn was over.<br />
<br />
A smiling Sujith was waiting to take us to Kondai Lip, a backwaters
resort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listening to Palash Sen croon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dhoom pichuk dhoom</i> and the occasional
Tamil gaana song, our spirits were high. <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Review-g608471-d736173-Reviews-Kondai_Lip_Backwater_Heritage_Resort-Alappuzha_Kerala.html">Kondai
Lip</a> was like an apparition out of the blue. A lanky boatman took us across
a narrow canal to the entrance of the resort in a country boat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3FI6nBOXNgPq2WqLp7FoS8iDGHoNJ5AJOzfz2PymGJwho_JtCKzA6J4nX6cfvJulGqR1Yr_XSf0htfEpYx00dbCbejZy_Dj7nndNFZstz2KRwSX3IJV-5PCCnqizpeVKbBMWDqLGGQ/s1600/DSC03670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3FI6nBOXNgPq2WqLp7FoS8iDGHoNJ5AJOzfz2PymGJwho_JtCKzA6J4nX6cfvJulGqR1Yr_XSf0htfEpYx00dbCbejZy_Dj7nndNFZstz2KRwSX3IJV-5PCCnqizpeVKbBMWDqLGGQ/s1600/DSC03670.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
After browsing through the food menu and ordering for lunch, we came to our
cottage. The rooms were spacious and cozy with appealing woodwork. The sit out
area at the entrance to the rooms of our cottage faced a large pond, one
boundary of which was lined with tall palm trees. At the other end of the pond,
two small boats were tied to a tree with rope. The reddish brick color of the
cottages and the sloping roof also played their part in the slowing of time. The
quietness of the place, the greenery interspersing the cottages and lining the
paths, in the afternoon heat, this scenery was an apt textbook picture to
illustrate solitude.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Tfs2uddsyiHqtI1k0qkfMtGhWpRlNF_u-yJIMdzE0F8AxWH3isyVdlNBBVVdlxJ_7_6K2yy_vuuo2kQ8fGVAWfELMEW6yriThwp8yZSIzOvOxeYTb2a-bic6lv-5X1zp1oIovN6yoQ/s1600/DSC03804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Tfs2uddsyiHqtI1k0qkfMtGhWpRlNF_u-yJIMdzE0F8AxWH3isyVdlNBBVVdlxJ_7_6K2yy_vuuo2kQ8fGVAWfELMEW6yriThwp8yZSIzOvOxeYTb2a-bic6lv-5X1zp1oIovN6yoQ/s1600/DSC03804.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Shruti hovered, in communion with her thoughts. Sarayu and Vidhya indulged
in fishing. To a hook, a hotel staff taught us to attach small wheat balls. Brags
and I pedal boated the perimeter of the pond clicking pictures of the cottages
and the girls waiting for the elusive fishes to fall for the humble bait.<br />
<br />
Lunch was dal, vegetable curry, tomato rice, curd rice and ice cream. We ate
slowly relishing each morsel. At 15.30, the resort staff knocked at our doors. Along
with the other guests in the resort, we hit the backwaters in a boat. Sitting
under the boat’s roof in the waning afternoon heat, passing by slumbering
hamlets, we couldn’t help but contrast this pace of life with the pointless
madness of the city folk.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62zeG8Hi2uIDtwTZ__iFpJC6WIGANWCKugB36wDvtDgLHibGT_T9ZcRMSz9vuAnlS7Lk58f16Gje8Q5yUUNwV-EZTB32lstJ7rB25N8BrDxo9oh7A3jk0UIM3CDCN2rizUbnnHqLuiA/s1600/DSC03753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62zeG8Hi2uIDtwTZ__iFpJC6WIGANWCKugB36wDvtDgLHibGT_T9ZcRMSz9vuAnlS7Lk58f16Gje8Q5yUUNwV-EZTB32lstJ7rB25N8BrDxo9oh7A3jk0UIM3CDCN2rizUbnnHqLuiA/s1600/DSC03753.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
At ~16.30, we reached a beautiful stretch of the Arabian Sea coast, Mararikulam beach. Shruti let her feet be kissed by the waves, wore a broad smile, turned
to wave to us, cried in delight at the sight of a bigger wave, gathered her skirt
around her ankles and gave her being over to the present moment.<br />
<br />
A view of the Sea never fails to calm my nerves. I felt lighter, closed my
eyes for a few minutes. We walked along the shore. The waves played pranks by constantly
deceiving us with their strength. Brags got a couple of really good shots of
our footprints on the shore.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJSf4bj2xqXaeIrWtXBe1BoW2DkzdarW77YWRN9Wa1Gq3V2pLz__MCjx4R-cUzHuFR4WFiXKfFr6PTN16JZ_ZRH89-ba5obm5dzEIVct_qq7_kQytS1X-X7m61hfPCkscOS9-xoa0Lg/s1600/DSC03787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJSf4bj2xqXaeIrWtXBe1BoW2DkzdarW77YWRN9Wa1Gq3V2pLz__MCjx4R-cUzHuFR4WFiXKfFr6PTN16JZ_ZRH89-ba5obm5dzEIVct_qq7_kQytS1X-X7m61hfPCkscOS9-xoa0Lg/s1600/DSC03787.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
On our way back to the resort, the sky opened up
and it poured heavily for a good 20 minutes. Fishermen raised their catches by
bringing up the huge Chinese fishing nets. Small boats rowed faster. Some kids
waved to us unmindful of the rain. Even as it rained outside, inside our boat,
a cute little encounter was underway. Shruti played with a little girl and both
of them talked animatedly much to the amusement of the girl’s family.<br />
<br />
Back at Kondai lip, thanks to the rain, the green cover looked greener. We
had banana fry and coffee. A quick bath and some time at the sit out later, we
had a simple dinner of rotis and curry. Post dinner, we gathered in one room and even as CSK and KKR battled it out in the IPL, we talked. After the match, we came out to the sit out area and resumed until my eyelids started drooping. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-TW</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
Earlier in the evening, I decided to chuck my <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">original plan and leave </span>for Madurai only the next day. I learnt in the morning that Sarayu, Vidhya and Brags had slept only in the early morning.<br />
<br />
Day three, Cherai beach -<br />
<br />
We woke up to a beautiful morning in Kondai Lip. The resort's beauty was multiplied manifold in the light of the early morning Sun. After clicking some good pictures, we left the resort with a heavy heart. <br />
<br />
It was a long journey to Cherai beach. We passed by a few towns before going through the city of Cochin. Despite it being a Saturday, the roads were busy.<br />
<br />
It was close to 13.00 when we reached the blue waters hotel opposite Cherai beach. Since lunch was only at 13.30, we utilized the time to explore the rear side of the hotel. A small swimming pool and a large lawn area formed the boundary beyond which stretched a large water body. Post a sumptuous buffet lunch, Brags, Sarayu and Vidhya headed for a massage while Shruti and I talked. Conversation was easy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EbRsUKOW6UTAZgwLrWCTeHyYwlgbHl60Ub9y6q6IyEChiRf1wgtWlMba2wXXJ8JOTNyVp0Sx9iBJqHCzOhXmaG4cd_N17yu6S7I8GIqwLHHGENOswFyC8E_gB2UDbvPly4ngA0RCvQ/s1600/DSC03855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EbRsUKOW6UTAZgwLrWCTeHyYwlgbHl60Ub9y6q6IyEChiRf1wgtWlMba2wXXJ8JOTNyVp0Sx9iBJqHCzOhXmaG4cd_N17yu6S7I8GIqwLHHGENOswFyC8E_gB2UDbvPly4ngA0RCvQ/s1600/DSC03855.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
The Cherai beach was a little crowded. We were happy to catch a beautiful sunset. What was a large hazy light in quick time became a reddish orange ball that steadily climbed down and moved farther until it was no longer seen. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigESZs7tyPi_TCEOO_Pk7LgCQni6PlAN31UWMhKgXzWU6LJNOpziK9-IECoPrBnD6A7wzQcy559VTq_u3JvpdDnDREtoBdYd3Ft7mE8F9KHgWiNkkjQ3NEUwjKWZDJQFIU6MpCdo36aA/s1600/DSC03861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigESZs7tyPi_TCEOO_Pk7LgCQni6PlAN31UWMhKgXzWU6LJNOpziK9-IECoPrBnD6A7wzQcy559VTq_u3JvpdDnDREtoBdYd3Ft7mE8F9KHgWiNkkjQ3NEUwjKWZDJQFIU6MpCdo36aA/s1600/DSC03861.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
It was time for me to bid goodbye to the group. If not for the engagement of my friends the next say in Madurai, I would have gladly stayed back in Cherai. The goodbye moment was not easy especially because, in a span of 3 days, we were no longer strangers! As I settled comfortably in the bus that took me to Thrissur, I was pretty sure that I had made a few friends for life and I was carrying loads of good memories. </div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-66584948044346970632014-04-15T21:08:00.000+05:302014-04-15T21:08:05.465+05:30Eight lessons from Cycling!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">No rise is permanent - Life is like a game of snakes and ladders. For every ladder that we climb, there is a snake that is waiting to pull us down. Whilst cycling, ironically, one enjoys the fall! Some sections of the road may be well laid while some sections may be narrow and hardly ride worthy, but they have to be crossed if the journey is to be experienced. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Riding the rise is hard but is worth it - In life, to climb up the ladder calls for hard work, persistence and focused effort. But at the end of it all, it is totally worth it. Some of the most breathtaking views of nature have been after riding steep inclines...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Never give up - Sometimes, we give up too soon, sometimes we give up just before we reach the summit. The key is to keep going. A few cyclists quit just as they start cycling while many do all the hard work but give up just before reaching the destination</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> We define our limitations - This is similar to the point above. It is our willpower that determines whether we can accomplish something or not. So many people assume that they can never cycle 80 or 100 kilometers on the trot but </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">did they try in the fist place?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Choose the right role models - If we set our eyes on achieving something worthwhile, we should carefully choose our role models. If we set our eyes on completing a particular ride, we should emulate the rider who leads the pack and follow him.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There are no permanent companions in our journey - We may enjoy the company of the people surrounding us but we when it is time to move on, we must. When I cycle, I never cling to my companion and if I feel like I am clinging to someone, I either let him move on or I move on myself</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> All of us are alone in our journeys - This is related to the point above. Darkness, rain, clouds, sunshine, steep inclines, easy plains, smooth roads, potholed lanes, we cycle alone. If we derive happiness - no matter what the terrain is and no matter what the weather is - from the act of riding, we can be contented without needing someone to depend on for our happiness</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Slow and steady is the way to go - We should not exhaust ourselves by racing with others or cycle so slow that we can't make it to the destination. What is the point of a long ride if one does not do it with a certain sense of measured leisure? To pause and savor a moment of beauty and to rush through a patch of rough terrain in the heat, it is important to strike a right balance</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Readers are welcome to add more in their comments. </span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-87091222872657934302014-03-31T20:31:00.001+05:302014-03-31T20:31:45.076+05:30Washed clean by the sands of time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few years back, they were very close. She used to pour out her thoughts to him. It used to be a 'Stream of consciousness' kind of outpouring. Her anguish, jealousies, love, longing, frustrations, fantasies - he thought himself lucky. Every once in a while, they used to go on walks, along the clean, narrow road overlooking the calm lake. Every cell of his brain was intent on listening to her. He went into phases of such intense concentration that he frequently surprised himself. Her voice, the crushing of gravel beneath her shoes, in his spell, he was sure he could hear the wind rustle her jacket against her body. All other sounds were immaterial. They simply did not exist. <br />
<br />
Today, some 15 months later, he recollected a conversation -<br />
<br />
I am a very simple person<br />
<br />
Whoever said, girls are simple! You are definitely not simple!<br />
<br />
How do you say that?<br />
<br />
You are very confused. You don't know who is the right person for you.<br />
<br />
I know<br />
<br />
No, you know you don't<br />
<br />
It is just that I can't see motives behind anybody's actions<br />
<br />
You have to grow up!<br />
<br />
Don't you think I am grown up? (The suddenness of her smile caught him unaware and he had to catch his breath)<br />
<br />
Not every guy is nice! <br />
<br />
We have been through this<br />
<br />
Oh God! Why am I even trying again? Do you know, I care for you? I care very deeply for you<br />
<br />
I think so too <br />
<br />
You think so?<br />
<br />
Okay, I think you do<br />
<br />
That is better. Look at these trees, they are barren<br />
<br />
The change of seasons. I wish, there is a pattern to people's behavior too<br />
<br />
In that case, we would not be people. We would become robots. How can you compare changing seasons to people's behavior? <br />
<br />
Why do guys ask so many questions?<br />
<br />
Because we like knowing answers<br />
<br />
Some questions don't have answers. Sometimes, one just has to listen<br />
<br />
Yeah, because girls like to talk more<br />
<br />
Why should we always argue?<br />
<br />
Yes, we always argue but I like arguing with you<br />
<br />
Why don't we agree on something for a change?<br />
<br />
If only she knew that he was ready to agree to anything she wanted! <br />
<br />
They were separated for a few months, time had intervened to wedge distances between their paths. She became inaccessible. He had an inkling that she was moving away, irretrievably away from him. It was beyond his control. The few times they managed to speak, there was a chasm, a void that had risen. He tried his best to figure out what could have happened. Did she meet someone? Did she sort out her confusions?<br />
<br />
He called her every once in a while just to hear her voice. She would always have some reason to dissuade him from any conversation. "Forget the friendship we shared, we can be acquaintances, I can get to know you all over again", he wanted to say. He knew she was beyond that. The bond they shared, they jokes that lit up their days and the intense conversations that he so looked forward to, they were washed clean, by the sands of time. </div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-64600456889615747122014-03-25T19:30:00.000+05:302014-03-25T19:30:18.091+05:30Cuckoo - Heartwarming realism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Life is indeed tough for poor people and if you are blind, well...", my friend's words trailed off after the movie as he couldn't complete what he wanted to convey. <br />
<br />
Shot on rail platforms, streets and inside trains, Cuckoo's sheer brilliance lies in the fact that it can be any blind man's love story. There is very little stereotyping which means there is no classical hero-villain sequence, no item number, running-around-the-trees routine, vulgar jokes, flexing of muscles, unintelligible lyrics and contrived sentimentality.<br />
<br />
Dinesh as Thamizh and Malavika Nair as Suthanthirakodi fit the bill. Dinesh has done a commendable job for an upcoming actor. Malavika's beauty and screen presence at times makes Suthanthirakodi appear proud. I am sure her acting would take her places. In the scene where her liking for her reader is not reciprocated, she displays a sense of pride and self esteem that is remarkable. This scene also clothes a sharp rebuke on the camera-trigger and like-savvy FB generation that doesn't respect privacy. <br />
<br />
Suthanthirakodi's brother tries hard to force his sister to marry his friend but she doesn't relent.The movie thankfully doesn't resort to vulgar violence here. Thamizh's friend and his street-performing troupe provide comic relief. For an audience deprived of clean jokes, this is a welcome change. <br /><br />
Music is refreshingly different with a prominent folk tilt. Strong lyrics, high pitched vocals and some absolutely stunning visuals together make a memorable treat for the eyes and the ears.My personal favorites are 'Agasatha' and 'Pota pulla'<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/M2QQLRkHSuM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
As Kalyani Nair sings<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Kannala Ethayum Kaanatha Ivathaan Kaneera Paarthaenae<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Ini Nee Ennoda Azhaga Ponnaana Ulaga Unnala Paarpaeanae</blockquote>
</blockquote>
any viewer's heart would melt at the vulnerability of the lead pair and the innocence of the love that wraps them together. Kudos to the music director Santhosh Narayan and lyricist Yugabharathi. <br />
<br />
Cuckoo is eminently likeable because it redeems humanity's faith in itself. It shows that for every thieving policeman, there is a compassionate and helpful stranger. It repeatedly shows by virtue of it's script that mankind's natural inclination is to do good! Thamizh does good and wishes good for his friends and this is reciprocated in kind when he needs it most. It is realism at its best and fittingly ends with a strong glimmer of hope.That this is based on a true story makes it all the more endearing.<br />
<br />
Eminently watchable. I'd rate it a 4.5 on 5. </div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-76820438672257050012014-03-18T23:28:00.001+05:302014-03-18T23:28:46.020+05:30His and Her story<p dir=ltr>She delights in the ephemeral.<br>
He believes in the eternal.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She prefers the objectivism of Ayn Rand.<br>
He wallows in the sentimentality of Fyodor Dostoevsky.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She is a connoisseur of wine.<br>
He has sampled more brands of beer than an average German.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She hates her parrot nose and doesn't wear an ear ring.<br>
He fancies biting her nose and frequently resists pulling her ear lobes.</p>
<p dir=ltr>Her manfriday is fair, handsome and has a perfect smile.<br>
His dreamgirl is tall, dusky and has legs to die for.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She grew up eating jalebis for breakfast.<br>
He remembers soft idlis with chilli powder.</p>
<p dir=ltr>Her favorite evening snack is a plate of golgappas.<br>
His choice is a plate of piping hot masala bhajjis.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She loves hiking in the mountains.<br>
He likes sauntering along the seashore.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She grooves to the hardrock of linkin park.<br>
He is moved by the melodies of Ilayaraja.</p>
<p dir=ltr>She knows he loves her.<br>
He knows she wants to be loved.</p>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-47257671650186887122014-03-08T13:09:00.001+05:302014-03-08T13:09:09.799+05:30Kolkata Vignettes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"With reference to the letter dated march 4, it is unfortunate that a
notice has been slapped. No oportunity was given to discuss and sort out
the issue..." I could not help looking at what the bespectacled old
gentleman seated next to me was writing.<br />
<br />
I had walked in to the Indian
coffee house located off college street in the first floor of a decrepit
looking building. The scene before me was straight out of an old novel,
small tables laid out in no particular order and occupied by young men
and women, most of them, presumably college students. Spacious, high
ceilings, waiters dressed in white and wearing turbans, an old wizened
man sitting on a tall chair below a large plaque on the wall that
displayed the menu - it took me a while to take in the charm of the
setting before I made my way to the lone unoccupied table located almost
at the centre of the large hall. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEDctADXdFzDodFnVZoSE3qTXccnOofWC_eRRd81faCWw4SKnt7H7J50V73UuA_34KltTcKFxM_SYzywGKSbS6J1GDSIiijDrAI2VTyIvLM8uhmeE1DwFYAEXBhmPEjlPQLNzCUXWFA/s1600/DSC03188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEDctADXdFzDodFnVZoSE3qTXccnOofWC_eRRd81faCWw4SKnt7H7J50V73UuA_34KltTcKFxM_SYzywGKSbS6J1GDSIiijDrAI2VTyIvLM8uhmeE1DwFYAEXBhmPEjlPQLNzCUXWFA/s1600/DSC03188.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This particular gentleman walked in a
few minutes later with a resoluteness that seemed at odds with his
years. Seeing that I was perhaps the only person not in a group, he
headed toward me and with a gentle nod that said "you wouldn't mind" and seated himself next to me. He proceeded to open his file slowly, went
through the sheaf of documents carefully, rearranged it's contents, took
out a A4 size sheet and a fountain pen. His manner was graceful and his
every movement, so precise that one can't help wonder if he isn't the
sort who regularly walks in at that hour to write important letters. <br />
<br />
I
imagined my friend sitting with her classmates at the next table,
chatting away about Anton Chekhov and DH Lawrence. It was her suggestion
that had made me take a taxi to college street... <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26bMWMTY_A-HRKSl0Nk6OFXuzfnhtsZ2KJacL27VR0MUdIoXGzp_tVg8KtebUTCMfaeE6-nsTAB5OIjQTl3rsm9GZBxni7B1HA4JYk-F5CP2Wxs19hZQQB6tT8QErOk1rsRjzpaCbxw/s1600/DSC03185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26bMWMTY_A-HRKSl0Nk6OFXuzfnhtsZ2KJacL27VR0MUdIoXGzp_tVg8KtebUTCMfaeE6-nsTAB5OIjQTl3rsm9GZBxni7B1HA4JYk-F5CP2Wxs19hZQQB6tT8QErOk1rsRjzpaCbxw/s1600/DSC03185.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Lined with book
shops on either side of the road, college street in Kolkata is perhaps
the only avenue in the country where books of every imaginable genre
could be found. "Dada, dada", at every step, men called out to me seeing
opportunity in the curiosity of a passerby. I could find organic
chemistry sitting next to philosophy and Tolstoy. Many college students
and quite a few middle aged men and women were asking for specific
titles and authors... <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxdEOnjnH5jqsNWcvrpxEgbym4vPRb46_7qPNH63K-mSYQTt5EgJ-z9OwYVfmxbm0VQ1GbcHSxuLrJDbcH81P9sYCtYAH-aQDpZdAyzmqRJrMGJTdcFwipuL8DqHBAjdWQxYskmso4Q/s1600/DSC03189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxdEOnjnH5jqsNWcvrpxEgbym4vPRb46_7qPNH63K-mSYQTt5EgJ-z9OwYVfmxbm0VQ1GbcHSxuLrJDbcH81P9sYCtYAH-aQDpZdAyzmqRJrMGJTdcFwipuL8DqHBAjdWQxYskmso4Q/s1600/DSC03189.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
On one side of the street, people lined up in
rows of 5 with placards. The man at the head of the gathering started
shouting a slogan that was quickly taken up. Taxis, autos, a lone tonga,
cars and bikes came to a stop and policemen sprung out of nowhere to
regulate the group's march and the traffic. <br />
<br />
The previous evening, we had been to Someplace Else, a happening pub at the Park hotel in Park street. At the smoking area, another unique facet of this city was in evidence. Dense clouds of smoke and through them, animated faces were discussing Chelsea and the latest stars of the India under 19 cricket team. A band just began tuning instruments as we left the pub known for it's live music every night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zewtoQEAYsc7HsV0xglWYH1OYT5m2E5gDiEpBwfmRAlkk9dEF66EofjOrON4MPsR_pBNZ6uwp5nNIr7gH9b2rS8Gu_QlTUTfTxUiIQMv7xrqozBANL4xGA0_30o2Ds9SeZ6BWl3hQw/s1600/DSC03190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zewtoQEAYsc7HsV0xglWYH1OYT5m2E5gDiEpBwfmRAlkk9dEF66EofjOrON4MPsR_pBNZ6uwp5nNIr7gH9b2rS8Gu_QlTUTfTxUiIQMv7xrqozBANL4xGA0_30o2Ds9SeZ6BWl3hQw/s1600/DSC03190.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
Surely, this is one city where the simple lies juxtaposed with the sophisticated, the poor rub shoulders with the nouveau riche, the wise old seat themselves next to the vivacious young, tongas and trams wait at signals, intellectuals sip coffee whilst talking to the men next door, Chetan Bhagat occupies space behind Rabindranath Tagore at book shops, men in suits come to pubs and listen to rock music played by young guys wearing simple fashionable kurtas...I can go on, suffuce it to say that it is well and truly, a city of Joy! </div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-47314863981996702182014-02-12T23:29:00.000+05:302014-02-12T23:29:10.933+05:30Disconnect, switch off, cycle and sleep under the stars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is a notification on <i>Facebook</i>, a friend has pinged on <i>Whatsapp</i> and another on <i>Gtalk</i>. This is so typical of our lives today. And, honestly, it has become irritating, energy sapping, boring and pointless. Yet, we connect, switch on our tablets and smart phones and laptops and ensure that <i>wifi</i> is on. <br />
<br />
I posted a link to a<i> DD News</i> clip on YouTube in <i>Facebook</i> where Kaveri Mukherjee and Sukanya Balakrishnan present the day's news.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DrnPp2UgfLk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Sample these comments on the link:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234585:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:2"></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234585:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234585:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234585:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">i miss the 90's ...while growing up back then, it was a lovely time, a lot simpler, happier and filled with contentment</span></span></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234825:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234825:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".6d.1:3:1:$comment10152225337759872_30234825:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">never ever ever ever ever ever ever remind me of the 90's! it was so good!</span></span></span> </blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
Now, why were the 90's so good? Partly because, we led simpler lives. By simpler, I mean uncluttered and less noisy lives. Today, a scary profusion of choices make our lives complex, decision making, stressful and consequently, attention and concentration get diverted easily.<br />
<br />
Just imagine these:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>so many multiplex screens to choose from for a movie</li>
<li>100s of restaurants to eat out</li>
<li>half a dozen messaging and chat applications</li>
<li>so many news channels and some news is always <i>breaking</i> in all of them </li>
</ul>
And now compare this with the 90s. Two television channels, a few good restaurants, no messaging, no breaking news, to simplify, no explosion of choices.<br />
<br />
I gazed at the stars, actually noticed the moon, played cricket on the streets, saw a serial on <i>DD Metro</i> every weekday at 9 in the evening, waited for <i>Rangoli </i>and <i>Mahabharat/Ramayan</i> on Sundays, chewed boom boom <i>Boomer</i>, drank <i>Rasna</i> and <i>Complan</i>, read the good old Hindu, met friends in the evenings and chatted away under the light from the street lamps, got lost in faraway worlds by turning the pages of <i>Famous Five</i> and <i>Hardy Boys</i>. <br />
<br />
Today, by giving in to these choices, we have made ourselves restless. Once in a while, we should<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>cycle instead of taking out two wheelers and cars</li>
<li>switch off our mobile phones for the weekend</li>
<li>unplug the modem </li>
<li>sleep under the stars</li>
<li>make it a point to meet people instead of calling or chatting</li>
<li>write letters and read comics</li>
</ul>
Life is simple and fun, it depends how we choose to live it. <br />
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-73300984359914275872014-02-10T20:58:00.001+05:302014-02-10T20:58:49.517+05:30Why I love Parineeti Chopra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="st"><em>Hasee Toh Phasee </em>was my first Parineeti Chopra movie. Ever since the trailers came out, I had decided not to miss this one. </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">Parineeti has done a great job literally carrying the movie on her shoulders. She makes us laugh, cry, angry, incredulous, jealous and irritated. For a fourth outing, she has done remarkably well when it comes to emoting. </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">Some observations - </span><span class="st">Parineeti</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="st">comes across as completely natural in front of the camera</span></li>
<li><span class="st">has an adorable smile that warms the viewer's heart</span></li>
<li><span class="st">carries herself elegantly in all the costumes she is shown in this movie </span></li>
<li><span class="st">is not obviously obsessed about a size zero figure</span></li>
<li><span class="st">has a powerful screen presence and an unmistakable charisma</span></li>
<li><span class="st">looks pretty wearing her hair short </span></li>
<li><span class="st">looks prettier in glasses</span></li>
<li><span class="st"><span class="st">can carry off both a nerdy and a sexy look with aplomb</span></span></li>
<li><span class="st"><span class="st">overshadows other characters in a movie by a big margin </span> </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="st">Doing away with bullet points - </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st">She can steal, romance, prance, eat toothpaste, fix a car battery, earn a doctorate in chemical engineering, rattle about cricket, throw a cricket ball accurately at the wickets, speak Chinese, drink and eat with abandon and jump a compound wall. </span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-80078008565545379362013-12-24T20:08:00.002+05:302013-12-24T20:08:26.451+05:30Of unpleasant visions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="_5k3v _5k3w clearfix">
<div>
Visions of<br />
<br />
Tangled wires,<br />
knotted threads,<br />
cluttered rooms,<br />
rickety constructions,<br />
jumbled thoughts,<br />
noisy conversations,<br />
chaotic crowds,<br />
cloudy skies,<br />
foggy mornings,<br />
buzzing insects,<br />
muddled waters and<br />
hazy views<br />
<br />
haunt and disorient.<br />
<br />
The
mind and the heart alike yearn for clarity: the clarity of a pristine
stream and a cloudless sky. A clarity, perhaps nature alone can help
bring.</div>
</div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-85925531387918601802013-12-15T18:51:00.000+05:302013-12-15T18:51:11.254+05:30Of assumed responsibility at the workplace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Responsibility, the word's definition goes thus : <i>a duty to be in charge of someone or something, so that you make decisions and can be blamed if something bad happens</i><br />
<br />
I remember reading in an article recently th<i>a</i>t responsibility is the<i> </i>word most often used by people in their <span class="st"><em>résumé. </em>Responsibility is also what most people, ironically speaking, shy away from at their workplace. These are the people who can be easily identified when they say, </span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="st">I am not <i>responsible</i> for this. Mr X is. Please talk to Mr. X</span></li>
<li><span class="st">Actually, you are the one <i>responsible</i> for this. So, you must take this up and drive it.</span></li>
<li>I <i>cannot take decisions</i> here. Mr. X has to. You need to present this proposal to him. </li>
</ol>
Taking responsibility means having the courage to take ownership; it means putting your foot forward when required; it also means understanding that we are accountable to achieve something and that it will have an impact on the larger scheme of things. It is the first step toward demonstrating leadership. After all, leadership means having the ability to decide and having the courage to believe in the wisdom of your decision.<br />
<br />
This is where <i>assumed responsibility</i> comes in. To me, it means that I decide what I am responsible for and I fully understand the implications of the same. Somebody else cannot tell me <i>'You are responsible for driving topic X to closure'.</i> I am not, unless I assume that responsibility which implies that I won't be able to drive X to closure just because someone tells me unless I tell myself.<br />
<br />
One can perform several notches better than how one is expected to perform only by assuming more responsibility than what one's boss entrusts one with. In the end, the benchmarks we set for ourselves should be against <i>our own selves</i>. Nothing else matters. <br />
<br />
<span class="st"></span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-10821278580366000952013-10-18T21:53:00.000+05:302013-10-18T21:53:09.587+05:30Effective meetings - Some best Practices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-TW</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">It is just amazing how so many people manage so efficiently to bypass
some basic meeting etiquette. Imagine the following:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">People don’t
accept/reject/respond to the meeting requests you send </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">People don’t invite
the right participants for the meetings/discussions they call for </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">A clear agenda is not
sent out </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">All the participants
have little idea of what their fellow participants’ role in the meeting
will be </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Meetings are always
called for more than an hour </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">No one moderates a
meeting with participants exceeding 5 </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Minutes of meeting is
nonexistent as a practice but in a few rare instances, when minutes are
sent out, nobody reads it </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Context setting never
happens in any meeting </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">At the end of the
meeting, participants leave with no clear action items and next steps
defined </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">People take calls in
the middle of the meeting, return and expect other participants to update
them </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Half of the
participants always come late to the meeting </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Most meetings are sent
out with no location details </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Most people don’t take
any decision in most meetings </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Most people do not
talk even when the points discussed concern them</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> Now, imagine this: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Only
in cases where decisions/outcomes have to evolve during the course of the
meeting, meetings are called for more than an hour </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> The
right participants are invited to the meeting </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="3" style="text-align: left;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Before
the beginning of the meeting, the participants know - </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> The
objective of the meeting and consequently the outcome expected </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Their
respective roles</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">The
context of the meeting</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Where
the meeting will happen</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
</ul>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> 4.
If the participants number more than 5, the meeting is moderated</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> 5.
The participants arrive to the meeting on time and if they have to take
calls/attend to other work, they get updates after the meeting (on what
transpired in their absence) from fellow participants/meeting minutes</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> 6.
Participants participate when it comes to topics that are related to them</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> 7.
After the meeting ends, participants</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> Know the action expected from each of them</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Know the time by when they should complete their action items</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Are aware of the next steps </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> Get the meeting minutes from the person who called the meeting or the
participant who volunteered/is assigned the note keeper. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">It doesn't require an understanding of rocket science to see which set
of practices is better and more conducive to effective meetings. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">After all, in a collaborative world where decisions increasingly involve
concurrence from multiple stakeholders, conducting effective meetings (and
consequently productive meetings) is an art in itself! </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]--></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-42709491617247591162013-10-15T21:21:00.000+05:302013-10-15T21:21:11.268+05:30The Truth about me - A sad commentary on our attitude toward hijras<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was browsing the racks of <a href="http://mylib.in/">MyLib</a>, Jayanagar when I came across this title. I remembered a friend wanting to read stories of Hijras and other sexual minorities and so immediately decided to borrow it. Back home, I started reading the first few pages and was hooked.<br />
<br />
Haven't we all seen hijras near traffic signals, in trains and in railway stations? What is the first feeling we experience on seeing them? Please give it a thought. Speaking for myself, I have experienced fear and a strange anxiety. When they have approached me, I have always increased my pace and avoided them. <br />
<br />
This true story of Revathi, born Doraisamy in Tamilnadu, is by turns sad and shocking with rays of hope emerging, only to vanish into darkness. She asks in the autobiographical account (Originally Unarvum Uruvamum in Tamil and translated by V. Geetha into English):<br />
<br />
"If society scorns us, then we turn to our families, if we have a family. But if family scorns us, who do we turn to? Is this why people like me do not stay in touch with their families? Could not God have created me as a man or a woman? Why did He make me this way? Why is He savouring this spectacle that He created? In a rage, hitting my head against the wall, I began to cry."<br />
<br />
The book recounts Revathi's struggles, hopes, fears and wishes. It is a mirror that shows our society in a very poor light for the way we treat hijras. Revathi shares her experiences living with fellow hijras in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. In each of these cities, she is exploited and treated with disdain. During her visits to her hometown, she is mocked by the public when she travels by local buses. However, not everything in the book is disheartening. Revathi is cared for by fellow hijras and the odd non hijra. Her family hates her and loves her. Eventually, they seem to accept her for who she is. <br />
<br />
We are also exposed to the inner world of the Hijra community, their rituals, traditions and language. Paampaduthi, chelas, gurubais, guru, naani, kaalgurus, nirvaanam, pottai, danda - words that disturbingly get into the reader's head and work their way through his conscious to imprint themselves firmly and powerfully.<br />
<br />
What I find inspiring about the book is the author's - Revathi's - resolve to keep going. She seems to get up everyday and as a Hijra, does her chores with a resolve and strength of character that many of us would shudder to even think about! For this reason alone, it is a must read. </div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-86577547151762741952013-09-25T21:37:00.000+05:302013-09-25T21:37:05.374+05:30Those days - My love affair with books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="_5k3v _5k3w clearfix">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My love affair with books
started, thanks to my mother and cousin brother. I remember days when I
used to go to the annual Chennai book fair with my mother. Oh, how
crowded those stalls used to be and how many stalls! It was my cousin
brother who introduced me to the world of Famous Five. Julian, Dick,
Timothy, George and Anna, if I remember the characters right. It was as
if someone pulled the curtains aside to reveal a whole new world, a
world much more colourful and adventurous, when compared to the small
town life I was leading.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I am unable to recollect when I
started reading serious fiction. It was probably not until the first
year of my college education. I used to commute from Maraimalainagar to
Chrompet, a distance of ~22 kilometres by Chennai's local trains and my
favourite pastime during those everyday journeys used to be books.
Thanks to my membership at the British Council library in Chennai, I got
access to a wide plethora of authors.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Even a break of 3
or 4 hours between classes and I used to catch a bus and head to the
library in Mount road. Patiently I used to browse the collection there.
There must have been 2 to 3 racks dedicated to works of fiction but what
a treasure trove it was. After an hour or so of intense browsing and
weighing of options, I used to pick up the one or two books I was
eligible to take as part of the membership and then the love affair
would start.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">F Dostoevsky, Jose Saramago, Iris Murdoch,
Christopher Isherwood, Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry, JM Coetzee, Amit
Choudhri, Somerset Maugham, J Krishnamurti, Isabel Allende, Abdulrazak
Gurnah, Pat Barker, Helen Dunmore, Amartya Sen, David Davidhar, Kazuo
Ishiguro, Khushwant Singh and Orhan Pamuk - Each of these authors, I got
introduced to only through that wonderful library. Then there was this
set of two or three Orkut friends who I connected with and I started
reading the books they talked about and recommended. I remember a phase
of classics, a phase of second world war based novels and a phase of
novels based on stories set in conflict ridden zones.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As I
read, I started maintaining a diary. My own private journal in which I
used to jot down the extracts I loved most. Now, am in my second diary
but I have sadly become less disciplined. Nowadays, even if I like
something I read, I am too lazy to open that diary, take a pen and jot
it down. Perhaps, I should not be!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks to an acquaintance I got connected to today, I felt the necessity to put this down. Perhaps, it was long due.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-26084763918601276232013-09-23T20:41:00.000+05:302013-09-23T20:41:02.769+05:30What can then?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-TW</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The following piece is an assignment I wrote as part of the Bangalore Writers Workshop. We had to write 2 to 6 pages with the following conditions:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We had to construct a scene in the room where our workshop sessions take place</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Have real participants of the workshop as part of the story and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Talk about a cause</span></li>
</ol>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“How do you arrest the attention of the reader right
from the beginning?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Do we need to?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I thought, it is absolutely necessary”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Maybe. But honesty and a genuine voice can make up
for an ordinary start”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I concur. What is important is that even if the start
is arresting, what follows should be equally compelling!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It was the fourth session of the bangalore writers
workshop and I had begun to love the motley group, I found myself a part of. Sarayu
had sparked the interesting discussion about, how possibly, a writer can
capture his reader’s attention powerfully in the beginning of his piece. We
were beginning to discuss our first reading for the day – an excerpt from Color
Purple. I had volunteered to occassionally click pictures during the course of
our discussions. When I focused the camera on Diya, her eyes were keenly
scanning the course material. In a black shirt and blue jeans, Diya looked
simple and elegant but something was bothering her. I was trying to read her
expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in-between pulp
specialist Manjula and Rheea,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she
clearly looked flustered. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We had been the first few people to reach the class. Our
facilitators, Bhumika and Rheea must have been catching up with the news as the
television was tuned into Times Now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Manjula was recounting how her kid was not letting her go to the class
by refusing to eat. Diya had walked in when the television was beaming images
of a shocked girl who was subjected to abuse by her own uncle. The girl was clearly
a minor and had no clue how to tackle the nosy media. Apparently, her uncle had
forced her to strip when her parents were out of town. He had fondled her on
earlier occassions and the girl was too confused to resist his advances and
weird behavior. Bhumika had switched off the television with a sigh. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Colour Purple is the story of a poor, uneducated,
black girl and the extract dealt with her rape and abuse at the hands of her
own father. The coincidence with the television news could not be more
ironical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I find that not much has changed from the 1930s”,
said Anindita. A big fan of Lionel Messi,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>she couldn’t have put it better, much like the sharp penalty kicks by
her favorite player. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“One of my friends went through something like this”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We turned in unison toward Diya. There was a deathly
hush. Rheea switched off the AC and it was as if, the air in the room was
getting sucked out. I focused on the calendar hanging on the wall right
opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cover for september showed
a little girl clutching the hands of her mother and smiling shyly toward the
camera. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could have melted anyone’s
heart. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It began when she was eight. He would kiss her hard
on the lips, squeeze her bums and press her breasts. He would lift her high
into the air in mock joviality. We were good friends since childhood and poor
thing, she did not know why her father was doing this.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Did her mother not know anything at all?”, Gitanjali
asked, all curious and wearing an incredulous expression. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“She eventually got to know but not when Teresa was
eight. Teresa finally realized that something was not right! At fifteen, if
your father says he can hug you only by fondling you all over,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>oh no, why am I talking all this now?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door opened
and Anna came in to see if any of us needed coffee or tea. As if a spell was
broken, the chairs creaked. None of us ordered anything. With a “Thank you
sir”, Bhumika saw him out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It is okay Diya, it is always good to talk about
these things”, said Rheea. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I am frustrated that many of us go through things
like this and yet remain silent.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Not any more. We should not. What is the use of our
freedom if we continue to remain silent!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There was a faint urgency to
Gitanjali’s voice. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Every other day, some guy or the other drives his
bike so close to me”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“And some guys stare and stare with no shame at all!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Please don’t think all men are the same”, interjected
Pradip. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Ofcourse, we are not saying that!”, Diya was quick to
respond. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I could not resist any longer. “Perhaps, as a society
we are going through a phase of transition. We have more women entering the
workforce, sometimes displacing men, we have more girls passing out of our
colleges…but this incident is just not about women. It is about child sexual
abuse” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“A society that tolerates child sexual abuse is a
society that can tolerate rape! We are just not punishing these animals
enough”, Diya was fuming. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“No Diya, I am not defending anyone, sorry, if you
misunderstood me. We heard yesterday that four men have been given death
sentence for raping Nirbhaya. Do you think, it will change the way men look at
women?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Hardly. It is a change that has to begin at home,
that has to come when growing up. It is sad, but I think death sentence will
not change anything”, Rheea’s voice had a tinge of calm assurance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“What can then?” </span></div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-53701693682482737812013-09-01T18:39:00.001+05:302013-09-01T18:39:47.211+05:30The mute spectator<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The following piece is an assignment I wrote as part of <a href="http://bangalorewriters.com/">Bangalore Writers Workshop</a>. We had to write 2 to 6 pages on 'Art inspires Art'. My inspiration was a painting by the Dutch painter, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Vincent Van Gogh.</span></a><br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>ZH-CN</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He entered the old rail station. Aren’t all rail
stations the same, no matter where they are? After all, they only serve to
transit people from one place to the other, acting as mute spectators to
journeys of mankind. But, somehow, he sensed that this station had a certain
charm to it. Was it because a church overlooked it and at this time of the day,
one could see the setting sun beyond it? Was it because it was the final station
for all trains leaving Austria and entering Germany? Did this fact lend the
station an air of finality? Or was it because it rarely saw any visitors?
Maybe, it was a combination of all this and something else… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It had two low benches on each of its two platforms
and right behind these benches were the blue colored ticketing machines of the
Austrian rail company. His train was not due until 18.00. A chill breeze
disturbed the lone can of coke on the platform causing it to rattle across
hither and thither. His thoughts wandered…the day had been a tough one. He had
just visited his parents and was on his way back to the city. Though they
appeared to be doing well, it was quite evident that age was catching up with
them quickly. His father’s voice had lost that spark he loved so much and his
mother walked with a certain stoop. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In the last year, since his last visit, the village’s
economy had shrunk further. The supermarket, post office, bank and fuel station
appeared to be mere remnants of much better times. With the young men and women
migrating to cities in search of greener pastures, all that was left of the
village was the ageing parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Left to
themselves, they were too proud to move to the cities. When farming and small
businesses were thriving, the village was a lively place. Of late though, it
had become a phantom society populated by retired workers. Life seemed to have
relegated the village to such a remote corner of its canvas that even the
lightest of brushstrokes were impossible. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A train arrived at the platform opposite. An old lady
alighted with her dog by her side. Slowly and firmly, she made her way toward
one of the two benches and sat herself down. Standing right across, he was able
to see the crevices age had made on her face. She must have been beautiful
once. Her face still retained a certain symmetry that must have lined admirers
in another age. She carefully laid her walking stick aside. Her dog circled the
bench a couple of times before getting bored. He sniffed at the walking stick
and wagged his tail lazily. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Five minutes passed. There was an absolute stillness
except for the occasional howls when the breeze gathered pace. The old lady had
not moved an inch. She was staring straight ahead. If our man on the platform
opposite had moved himself straight into her line of vision and performed a
wild dance, in all probability, she would have sat unmoved. There was a curious
finality about her gaze. Was she trying to strain herself imagining the future
that lay ahead or was she dipping into her memories and reliving them, one by
one? How long would she rest like this gazing into nothingness? </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Was she waiting for someone to come and pick her up?
Or was she waiting for the Sun to set before beginning her walk home? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Just when he began imagining the worst, the dog tugged
at her skirt. He hopped on to the bench and laid his head on the lady’s lap.
This prompted a touching gesture from the lady. She ran her hand gently across
the dog’s face beginning from his ears. The dog moaned and snuggled closer to
her bosom. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He shifted his gaze. The countryside surrounding the
station was beautiful. Vast expanse of fields on one side lent it an eerie
silence. In the distance beyond the church, the Sun was expending the last rays
of its shine for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the
onset of autumn when days become shorter and the air, colder…soon trees would
begin shedding their leaves forming beautifully colored blankets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He could not help recollect a poem by his most
favorite English poet – ‘To Autumn’ by John Keats where he poses: “Where are
the songs of spring? Ay, where are they?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At his age, when the World seemed so full of
possibilities, this was a disconcerting thought, evoked perhaps by a
combination of his pensive mood and the darkness that was quickly taking over. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His journey
from this village to the city had not been easy. His childhood was spent
cycling and hiking in the ranges bordering the village. As he grew up, he could
see that his friends were moving out to pursue university education in the
cities. Few came back. Deep down, he did not want to go. So, when he finally
did leave, he left with a heavy heart. Memories of the village life used to
catch him unaware.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In the beginning, he used to visit often and at every
possible opportunity, but slowly, the city devoured his personality. Like a
cobra gobbling up its prey, he got slowly drawn in by what it had to offer. The
frequency of his visits came down and along with it, his love for the village
life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Something about this evening made him reminisce. The
old lady was standing up and picking her walking stick. The dog appeared
listless and irritated as if he was forced out of his peaceful reverie. As the
lady made her way toward the exit, a bus pulled in. A couple disembarked,
presumably people working in the village’s bank. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They held each other’s hand and as they passed
by the old lady, wished her a good evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The couple reached the platform he was waiting in and locked
each other in a gentle embrace. Their arrival and their cheerful mien lifted
his spirits. He thought of his girlfriend waiting for his return. Lights came
on to illuminate the desolate platform. The hands of the church clock became
visible in the distance. He could not help but think, he just witnessed an
unusual change of seasons: from the gloominess accompanying autumn to the
promise accompanying spring, albeit a delusional one. As if on cue, the breeze
picked up. A sense of relief washed over him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He wanted to shout out an answer to the long departed
poet: “Here are the songs of spring!” If he had, his voice would have been
drowned by the sound of the arriving train. </span></div>
</div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-22306709497565074312013-06-19T23:31:00.001+05:302013-06-19T23:31:50.274+05:30On choosing a partner...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was talking to a friend a few days back. She is someone whose
philosophy toward life I hold in high regard, someone whose clarity of
thought is impressive, who walks with such a degree of self assurance
that you tend to think, confidence ought to be her natural ally! <br /><br />I
was reminiscing about our college days when something that she had told
me then came back vividly, the trigger being the fact that she has
chosen her life partner now. Back then, she had told me that two people
should never imagine a future together if they are not "complete"
individually. To elaborate, if I seek something to feel "complete", I
should not look for a partner who will possess that "something" and by
consequence, make me feel "complete". <br /><br />She is an admirer of
thought provoking literature and it is little wonder that she was able
to put forward such a profound thought in so simple terms. As I
discussed that philosophy with her, I could not help but think of the
couples and relationships I have come across till date. <br /><br />Some
people look for their opposites in their partners thinking that
opposites attract and the union would sustain by virtue of the novelty
each partner would see in the other. Some others enter into relationship
because of some attribute in their partner that they find very
appealing. Because people change over time, this attribute that drew
them in the first place might lose its appeal and a weariness begins to
set in. In this case, the relationship starts off with a one sided
attraction that turns into an obsession and evolves to a state where one
becomes very much dependent on the other. <br /><br />Some people keep it
simple and have physical attractiveness as a criteria conveniently
ignoring the fact that while the body can age fast, it is the mind that
can remain sharp over a longer period! Some others simplify by looking
for things that they themselves have in lesser measure, money, status,
gregariousness etc. This is not different from looking for opposites. A
few others prefer looking for similarities in taste and interests. <br /><br />The
common thread that runs across all these people is that they "look" for
something in their partner. They might either lack what they look for
or they might think that by looking <span>for something definite and specific, they can make their own
situation better. This is like a person trying to switch a job in search
of a better pay and a better profile to augment his skills and
lifestyle! The funniest part is when people think they are in "love"
when they are doing this! <br /><br />Aren't we better off not seeking
anything in a partner, in other words, feeling a deep sense of
contentment in ourselves before looking for a partner? If only, as my
friend said, we feel "complete" and we realize that true happiness can
only ensue by individual striving and inner peace, we would choose
wisely: We would choose someone who is able to tolerate us, who accepts
us as we are without wanting to change us, who is confident enough not
to indulge in petty possessiveness, who is generous enough to
accommodate our tastes and interests and give us the space we need to be
ourselves...! <br /><br />Will forever remain indebted to this wonderful friend who is a source of inspiration in many aspects...! </span></span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-66585210210394099712013-06-13T23:05:00.000+05:302013-06-13T23:05:33.014+05:30Sometimes, A stroll is all one needs to feel lighter...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Man is a funny animal. Whatever he does, he has the ability to
come up with a justification. I have seen this happen with myself so
many times that I have come to terms with it. Excuse, justification,
defensive behavior, lack of will, call it whatever you will, as we get
older, we begin to accumulate this and over time, it weighs us down. <br /><br />Life
is like a journey and the lighter we travel, the better we can move
around and take in different sights. A traveler who makes the mistake of
packing too much along his journey will eventually grow tired of
traveling. He would want to stay put at a place so that he can arrange
all around him, the accoutrements that he has gotten used to. Our
excuses for our mistakes are in a sense like the unnecessary baggage a
traveler carries. The more we pile them up, the more crippled we become.
<br /><br />I was pondering this when I realized that I had been rushing
like a mad man even though I was only returning from work. The long
steps I was taking were tiring my legs and the peak hour noise was
taking a toll on my nerves. When I slowed down, it felt as if I had
suddenly entered the world of slow-motion cinema! I consciously slowed
my pace and to my amusement, it was difficult to slow down...<br /><br />The
effect of my slowing down was quite dramatic. Suddenly, I could feel
the cool breeze. I reached home, changed, went to the terrace to get the
clothes I had put out to dry after washing. The crescent moon in the
far distance appeared out of place after all the commotion, jostling,
noise and the unceasing throng of people on the streets. In no mood to
return to the apartment soon, I took in the breeze and continued to gaze
at the moon. <br /><br />Visions of all the treks and cycling I have
enjoyed in the nature came in spurts and within a few moments, I felt
lighter. A wave of happiness surged through my veins and I resolved not
to forget this experience. An incoherent stream of thoughts, one
inexplicably leading to the next had sparked this. <br /><br />In life, no
matter what the circumstances are, no matter what adversities we get
subjected to and subject ourselves to, no matter who lends us a hand and
who does not, no matter what quirks of fate await us, it is important
to live lighter. To experience what I mean, get out of the cities, get
out of the confining walls of your living spaces, get out of your
routine, however meaningful your work is, get out of all that is
chaining you to noise. Escape to the vast expanse of nature, escape to
the mountains, forests and seashores. Subject your senses to the purest
of pleasures that only nature can offer. The soul will automatically
disentangle itself from all the baggage that is holding it down and
soar...! </span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306220518950968067.post-1457284891158219012013-05-20T23:12:00.004+05:302013-05-20T23:12:52.453+05:30The people who matter! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sometimes, life deals its cards in strange ways. It throws us in contact with people who love us and the people we love at the same time. It constantly reinforces the fact that no relationship starts equally. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With the people who love us, we take things for granted. We are inconsiderate, sometimes insensitive, sometimes irritable and have no qualms in showing them our ugly natures, all inadvertently of course. Rarely do we act with complete awareness of our actions. If we are aware, we would not be blind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With the people who we love, we obsess, fuss and behave like a shadow following their trail. We hope that one day they would notice the sincerity of our emotions and accord us a glance. Our thoughts center around them and we become ever so vulnerable when they are in our midst. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What happens when we ignore the people who care for us and understand us only to pursue the people who never understand us, are too busy with their own priorities to give us any time? Our hearts become heavy, our steps slow, our emotions a farce and our lives shallow...we end up devastated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Life offers us many opportunities to choose. Life offers us many opportunities to heal. Life offers us many opportunities to care, empathize and love! As someone famous remarked, "we are our choices". To be able to choose, it is imperative that we are aware, aware of our actions and aware of the choices we have. The people who matter will always see us for what we are and reciprocate our affections. Ultimately, any relationship is sustainable only if it evolves enough so that both parties become the people who matter for each other! It can sway one way or the other over time but it must be anchored well enough to withstand the swaying! </span></div>
Shivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09556715527795494473noreply@blogger.com4