Book Review: Post Mortem by Patricia Cornwell

Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Richmond, where the crime rates are already skyrocketing, has a new serial killer on the loose. 3 victims have been dead so far and the book opens with the fourth victim's death being called in to the protaganist, Ms. Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner, Richmond City. A divorcee career woman, she has been tormented by gruesome stranglings and the fact that the skilled psychopathic killer, thriving on the pain he inflicted on these women increasingly aggressively, roamed the city. To add up, there are certain leaks allegedly from her office to the press, for which she is grilled for, her 10 year old niece visiting, the continuing murders resulting in public outrage and insecurity and the common wealth lawyer she is dating, who might as well be the killer as circumstances reveal. The case starts eating her up. The book captures your attention and holds onto it for long. Though it is hard to relate to a world that runs with no mobile phones, limited development in forensics and computers, the author tries and puts you in the shoes of the character that leaves in such a world and it turns out to be pretty interesting. I expected a little more drama in the climax but I guess that would be just my bollywood genes kicking up. I like the writing, the concept and how the tumultous conflict that goes on in the protagonist's mind has been written when she can longer trust anyone or anything, when everybody is a possible suspect, has been penned down. A good read, especially for beginners in the genre.


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When Ben, I don't know who, sent me naked pictures on Facebook.

Ben Johnson, not my friend, not my anybody, sent me 2 pornographic pictures on Facebook messenger, God knows for what. I thought it would be rude not to reply.

Thursday, 21st April, 2016 - 7.00 pm

Hi Ben

Thank you for the interest and the photos. But it escapes my reasoning why a sane man who doesn’t know me at all would send it to me. But then upon further pondering, I have come to the conclusion that may be you aren’t sane, which is okay. Mental illness is totally treatable and we have great hospitals in the country. You should probably enroll yourself in one.

My dear fellow human being, I first thought of reporting you to Facebook for your terrible idea of an introduction. But then I thought, if I do that, you would just delete this profile and open another one from which you would send these pictures to a hundred accounts, all of which, I am assuming are females you take hours to find on Facebook. Though such tremendous amounts of attention and efforts for us is flattering let me tell you that this is just a waste of a wonderful human resource you can be to the world.

Ben, if at all that is your real name, I am sure you are a wonderful human being. But let me make this clear that these photos aren’t entertaining me nor are they making me uncomfortable as they used to when I was a kid. Now, it just makes me feel bad for you. Your life must really suck, for you have to resort to such cheap measures which are beneath yourself to grab somebody’s attention. For that, you have my sympathy.

I suggest you take up some serious reading as a hobby since you have so much time to spare. Might actually knock some sense of purpose into you.  

The world needs you, Ben. Not for your, I am sure great, collection of erotic pictures. But the protector and visionary you could be if you put the same amount of concern about my sex education into what you are actually capable of.

Don’t belittle this letter by labeling it a befitting, sarcastic reply to your frustration. But I really am concerned, for I feel I should do my part to stop you from growing into an assaulter from a cyber petty criminal.

Extremely concerned  and full of hope

Yours truly

Ardhra Prakash


I did not know at this point what would happen once the guy read it. I somehow had a strong feeling the account was non existent as it may have already been reported by someone and taken down. But about 2 hours later, I found this message in my inbox.

I have no idea if this guy means anything at all that he has typed in the letter above. But I'd like to believe so at least. There is enough hate and distrust in the world already. May be I'm being silly but I would like to believe that people make mistakes and sometimes a tiny knock on the head can make people want to correct themselves. The world sure seems to be a bad place to be in right now. But without faith and hope, there is nowhere to go. I'd like to keep my faith in humanity and hope that today somebody has realized that he is above what he portrayed himself as initially. 

Thursday, 21st April, 2016 - 9.00 pm

"Thanks for being brave enough to apologize, Ben. You sound like a good guy. Good to know you read. Wishes for your future."

Book Review: Marley, a dog like no other by John Grogan

Marley: A Dog Like No Other: A Special Adaptation for Young Readers by John Grogan


A thing I don't really fancy about reading books on which movies I have already seen are based, is that at times it fails to match up to the visual advantage films provide. The suspense is taken away. You know what is going to happen and how. I have seen the movie at least 50 times and had been so sure and puckered up not to cry, but towards the last few pages, I ended up in tears anyway. Just as great as the movie and at times even better. This book is about the world's worst dog by the world's most fulfilled master. For the 4 hours I took to finish reading this light yet gripping narrative of the beginning to the end of an important part of the Grogan family history, you are one of Grogan's guest, laid back in his sitting room, listening to him proudly and fondly remember their eternal puppy, Marley, who is the best dog in the world despite being the worst. Makes me miss Kitchu, my lost tiny feline, real bad. Definitely a goodread though waiting to get my hands on the real deal - Marley and me, life and love with the world's worst dog.


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India - Incredible to Intolerant.

Since Class 5, all my NCERT texts books started with the preamble of the constitution. It declares that we, the people of India have solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic.  To me then, these were random words I was forced to by heart at the beginning of the academic year. Years later, when I finally make sense of this piece of document that is described as the soul of the constitution that holds the Indian state together, the rest of the nation, or at least a very large group, seems to have wilfully forgotten them. For them, let me at least explain the concept of Secularism which is and should be a topic of interest these days.

Secularism is the basic structure of the Indian constitution. The government respects all religions. It does not uplift or degrade any particular religion. This means that there is no such thing as a state religion for India. It stands for the right to freedom of religion for all citizens.

I have prided myself to be an Indian and I still do. I clapped just as hard as any other Indian when Kabir Khan and his girls beat Australia to win the World cup in Chak De! India, cried just as hard when DJ, Karan, Aslam, Sukhi and Pandey sacrificed their lives to avenge the corrupted system awakening patriotism in Rang De Basanti, my heart races when I listen to a beautiful rendition of our national anthem or the national song, I eagerly keep a track of events with Indian participants during International sports meets especially Olympics, Asian Games and Common wealth, I find it hard to stop smiling when I see republic day parades showcasing how a country of such diversity co exists so peacefully. In short, I’m just another Indian, thankful for the blessing of being born in this country and for all that it has given me. I have not done much for my country and this article might be the best I can do for her right now. 

I am not a Hindu, neither am I a Muslim, nor a Christian. I fall under the category of people who tick the “not applicable” column in official documents for which I am incredibly grateful to my parents’ inter caste marriage. I respect all of them, celebrate all the festivals and I have friends of each faith. This introduction is to establish that I have no ulterior motives against or towards any group when I speak against any.

“Muslims can continue to live in this country but they will have to give up eating beef because cow is an article of faith here. “ These precious words have been spoken by the respected Mr. Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar. A few months back I would’ve laughed at the idiocy and let the statement pass as I knew that people were way ahead of the primitive politicians and that no one ever really listens to ravings of such unimportant people. But now it sends shivers across my spine knowing this followed the lynching of a Muslim man in Dadri who was “accused” of eating beef. There is a certain authoritarian nature in the statement where Khattar tries to represent the religious majority i.e., Hindu community as the self-proclaimed law enforcing or decisive authority with no regards to the constitution and is of an evident threatening nature. He puts it out there openly and arrogantly that the minority community that he addresses doesn’t belong to the Nation and that they are outsiders who could be thrown out any moment if they don’t conform to his rules. 

Believe it or not, accept it or ignore it, India is at unrest. There is growing intolerance. People are scared to practice the same right to liberty guaranteed to them by the constitution of India 65 years ago in the fear of some insensible, blind, thoughtless thugs who have sworn to control the lives of people around, so India can become just another society long devoid of the same cultural harmony and of diversity accommodation that it has been praised for for so long. 

Before you dismiss off the above incident as solitary, let us take a look at the amount of communal upheavals of the majority against non-conformists, particularly after the BJP government acquired power. 

• Govind Pansare, a left wing Indian politician and writer. He authored books like "Who was Shivaji?" that contradicted preachings of right wing extremists . He encouraged intercaste marriages, opposed putrakameshti yajna (that supposedly results in male children), and criticised the glorification of Nathuram Godse, murderer of M.K. Gandhi. He was shot on February 20th, 2015 following a series a threats by extremists.  

• M.M. Kalburgi, Indian scholar of Vachana literature and academic who served as the vice-chancellor of Kannada University, was shot dead on 30th August 2015 following expression of his beliefs on the Lingayat community history and idol worship that did not sit well with the Hindu community. 

•  Rumours of cow slaughter led to violence in Karhal town of Mainpuri on October 9th. It actually turned out that the cow had died a day earlier and sold to the butchers who had the licence of removing the skin of the dead cattle and were merely doing their job. This was just a day after Dadri lynching.

• Independent MLA Engineer Rashid was attacked by BJP MLA Ravinder Raina inside the J&K assembly for holding a beef party in Srinagar on 8th October. Less than a fortnight later he was again attacked by Hindu Sena activists who blackened his face with ink and Mobil oil in Delhi. 

• Sudheendra Kulkarni, organiser of book launch of Pakistan’s former external affairs minister Mr. Kasuri in India was attacked on October 12th and his face was smeared with black paint for going ahead with the event despite Sena threats.  A few days prior to this, organisers of a concert featuring Pakistan Ghazal singer Ghulam Ali in Mumbai called off the event after similar threats from the Sena, which has said events featuring Pakistan-based dignitaries and artists will not be allowed when Indian soldiers are being killed on the border.    

• In Mumbai, policemen thrashed Muslim youth on October 18th and told them to go back to Pakistan.

• A Dalit family was burnt alive in Haryana on October 20th. A minister compared the family to a stray dog.

• A young writer was accused of being Anti – Hindutva for writing against the caste system and attacked in Central Karnataka on October 23rd. 

• Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray on October 23rd demanded that the Centre declare India a Hindu Rashtra and implement Uniform Civil Code. (proposal to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in the country with a common set governing every citizen. These laws are distinguished from public law and cover marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and maintenance.)

These are a few out of the many incidents that have been taking place all over India. This growing non acceptance of other’s fundamental right to equality, right to freedom, right to freedom of religion is being called intolerance here. 

Apart from widespread communal violence that has occurred periodically in India since partition, we have had isolated issues of conflicts. But these were never openly applauded by religious extremists, especially those involved in the national politics, as it is being done now. The continued silence by the government entrusted by the people (for being the best out of the available lot, sadly) is just being fuel to the flame, and if left to rage on, can burn the future of the emerging economic super power. The very people who claim to be the ”true Indians” with unabashed patriotism for the country is on the way to making the largest democracy an international laughing stock. 

Some might argue that these religious extremists are also merely trying to practice their religion. This is where the difference between religious fundamentalism and communalism becomes relevant. 

To throw light on these incidents and to take a stand that would persuade the government to accept that there in fact is intolerance on the rise in the country and that these are not merely law and order issues, eminent personalities especially writers, film-makers, scientists and even war veterans have been returning prestigious awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award, top government awards like Padma Shri, War medals and Film Awards and prominent scientists have signed petitions against rising communal polarisation and attacks on free speech

. 

Some people see this as an act of disrespect, a stunt for publicity and condemn it while others see it as a tool to draw attention to an issue that has to be addressed at the earliest before India succumbs to the very diseases that took down Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria. Does the country wish to go down the path of Taliban who used religious sentiments and later the weapon of fear to get to the people? That wouldn't be a wise choice. History has proved.  

There is yet another group of people who claim that no such issue persists in India. This includes especially the political party currently in power, the one that uses the very same divisive politics to get to the top (It being the short cut to obtain political power. Since, in a democracy, what counts is numbers, rousing the feelings of the majority as well as pitting the minority against the majority, is the easiest and effortless way to seats of power. These are the very people who practice and endorse intolerance which is a much deeper subject for discussion for some other day), and a portion of the general public who is blissful being ignorant to what is happening to the country and his/her fellow countrymen as long as their current interests are being protected or have been brainwashed to think that the heinous act of attacking somebody’s personal choice that doesn't affect anybody but oneself is okay, again, as long as you are not at the receiving end.  

Whoever it maybe, they have the right to express. But some lash outs I came across recently against a few celebrities who spoke of their concern for the same are just appalling. Especially when these celebrities in question turn out to not be from the majority community. Recently, actors Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, Muslims by faith, Indians by nationality and heart just like any one of us or more, opened  up to the media about how the country has acquired a climate of intolerance.  Hate comments and tweets soared through social media. “Shah Rukh Khan is an agent of neighbouring country Pakistan as he reflects their (Pakistan’s) ideology. Such a man should go to Pakistan”. This was what Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi had to say. A large number of people on Twitter and Facebook invited Aamir Khan to leave the country and social media sites bombarded with hateful comments like “we are letting you live with us, be thankful” and  “Go to Saudi, may be your wife will feel safe there in an Abaya” were  all re-tweeted and liked by hundreds, when Aamir Khan revealed that the rising intolerance has left his wife so scared for the surroundings her child would grow up in, she even considered moving out of the country. His position as the Incredible India Brand Ambassador is also widely being questioned. Little do people try and understand that these men are trying to keep our concept of Incredible India intact by not letting it turn into Intolerant India?

It is ironic that these men the people are accusing of not being true Indians are the ones globally representing the country. And it is shameful that the first thing you do to offend somebody from a faith other than Hinduism is to call them an outsider and question their patriotism, or worse allege them to be agents and spies. I recently read a post about the same by a "patriotic" lady, who says she was an Aamir Khan fan who never missed any of his movies until then. She calls him a back stabber. I am not a fan of him as an actor neither do I have any feelings for him as a person. But if you read his statement without prejudice, it just has concern in it. A man questions the the way the government runs the country today and he is accused of being anti national further proving his point. Way to be tolerant, India!

Hinduism is a way of life people around the world have admired and practice. It is invariably about tolerance. It is about being the bigger person. Religious extremist groups in India, regardless of whatever their modus operandi and slogans may be, have spread hate among communities for the sole purpose of practising the “divide and rule” policy of the British. We all know it and have been proved right about the same over and over again. What we need to remember as the people of this strong country is that the fall is not when someone tricks you, but when you know you are being tricked but you still fall into it.

Book Review: Deception Point by Dan Brown

Deception Point by Dan Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was thrilled to start with the book finally. One of my friends had described to me how amazing her experience was reading the book. And I very much looked forward to it. After all, this book is preceded by Angels and Demons and The Davinci code. I hoped this one would repeat the same magic. And it did repeat. Not just the magic, but the storyline, the formula, even the kind of characters. Deception point was a let down for me. Rachel Sexton is the senator's daughter who shares an antagonistic relationship with her father who is also a winning presidential candidate. She has a painful past - a traumatic near death experience, a mother who passed away indirectly due to her father's selfish deeds and like the usual Dan Brown novels, she is super smart and super attractive at the same time. NASA discovers a meteorite in the Milne Ice shelf that provides proof for extra terrestrial existence, thus, gaining wide spread support for the POTUS who understands the importance of spending on NASA unlike Mr. Senator. Rachel is summoned to the ice shelf to confirm the authenticity of the meteorite and the fossil along with 4 civilian scientists including Rachel's soon to be soul mate Michael Tolland, the nerdy yet handsome marinologist with a sad past himself. All is well until they find out that the meteorite is not authentic after all. Soon, all their lives are in danger. A highly trained military operations force eliminates them one by one and Rachel, Tolland and his sidekick needs to escape to tell the world the truth. They survive the poles, hypothermia, the ocean, hammerhead sharks, oceanic volcanoes, the special Ops forces and their fire missiles and bullet showers to find out that the man they most trusted was the villain. Just like all the other Dan Brown books. The narration, the plots, the conspiracies, the final solution.. Everything seems tried and tested by Dan Brown over and over. But I do have to tell you I am thankful for all the knowledge and facts he shares and also for the ending that makes you laugh out loud for poor Mr. Sexton. Would I recommend the book? Hmm mm... Sorry, Mr. Brown, but you've done better.


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Book Review: The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark, raw, humorous, sarcastic and different. Aravind Adiga grips you by the neck and makes you want to read a bit more everytime you decide it is time to take a break. Loved every bit of it. There's a kind of energy that exhuberates from every word. A kind of thirst that gets passed onto you to know what happened to the driver who loved his master that lead him to slit his throat on a rainy day and feel completely at peace with it as he heads out of the rooster coop and becomes a master himself. More than anything, I like how Balram (neither the protagonist nor the antagonist to me and may be described as the successful entrepreneur sharing his story) has interesting takes and observations on the society and how he uses metaphors to get you to feel what he feels. After a long time, a good read, in the truest sense.


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Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F.S.Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book by F. S. Fitzgerald is about the Eastern American life of the rich in the 1920s. I expected nothing less than a classic out of the book and I was proven wrong. But certainly a simple read well narrated by Mr. Carraway who looks curiously at a part of his own life and the people who touched it. He observes sometimes in disgust and sometimes in awe the lives of two kinds of individuals, the likes of Mr. Gatsby - obsessed forever with the someone very different from himself he had fallen in love with, and the kinds like Tom and Daisy, who as he puts it out neatly and powerfully to you "smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made". At the end of the read I realized that I appreciated how the Leonardo Dicaprio starrer movie was true to the book, rather than how good it was on its own. Would this read be an experience I'd remember for a long long time? No. But I did have a few good moments while at it for which I'm glad I picked up this book.


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Book Review: The Shining by Stephen King

 The Shining by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One thing about books like The Shining that people talk so much about is that it leaves me anxious if it will live up to my expectations. This has been especially true with this book because I watched the Stanley Kubrick version on reel first. I loved the movie. It is a classic and will remain so and I was much excited and anxious to get my hands on the book and when I picked up the book on an afternoon, I simply had to push myself to put it down once in a while, so that may be I could, blink? The 4 days I couldn't read the book as my reading app crashed were torturous.

I like the book. It is well narrated, gripping and it successfully transports you to the Overlook Hotel that wishes to consume the lives of an already broken family of a recovering alcoholic trying to pick themselves up as caretakers of the hotel which is closed for the winter. Trapped from the world, it becomes truly tragic when the person you hope would be the protector, surrenders to the greed of the dark forces of the hotel which deems to use the "shine" of the little boy to survive in a world where they don't belong.

Stephen King conveys the story from the point of view of each of the characters in a way that makes you experience the story as one of them. You feel the terror, the hopelessness, the tragedy. At times there's a lump in your throat for the failed Jack Torrance, or there is a protective aura in your head for the wronged Danny, or there is sympathy for the helpless Wendy Torrance. More than anything, I like the way Jack's dilemma, his tumultuous mental debates and the final surrender is penned down. Rather than the horror, I love the human emotions this book enclose.

As I mentioned earlier, I watched the movie first. I couldn't help but compare though I'd prefer not to do it here. They are very different though the story line and the characters remain the same. Stanley Kubrick's amazing visualization and story telling lays down the fact that cinema is a director's fact. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", the scene from the movie where Wendy Torrance is forced to gulp down the fact that they are doomed and the elevator scene with blood splashing in from all the side are master pieces. But I liked Stephen King's version of the characters better. I loved how the story progressed in the book, but I was more impressed by how the climax was in the movie than the book. The book and the movie are very different and I don't want to come to a decision on which is better. I find them equally wonderful and appealing.

This is a good read, that is for sure. Highly recommended as a good first time horror read by a first timer in the genre.


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An Ode to my Sports Shoe

I know that I mentioned that I wouldn’t be writing about myself anymore in the last article. But this is an article I want to share. This is about why I walk.

I never knew why I walked so much. Well I had known that it relaxes me and that it will keep me fit. And I never really questioned that urge. I just knew I had to walk when I had to.

Well, today I may have figured out a bit about it. And may be a bit more about myself.

How do I explain it? In a sense where the very clichéd – “Who Am I, What is the purpose of my life” questions don’t play much of a role?

Let’s take an example. My mind is a spoilt, snooty assed annoying little kid. Sometimes it is nice and well behaved but sometimes it takes certain stands that make all hell break loose.

When a kid is irritated, restless and doesn’t get much attention (in my case, mostly too much attention), what does it do? It protests. It cries, shouts and crawls. It struggles. It becomes lost. It knows that it has got a lot of things other people haven’t but then that might be a huge part of the problem. It has tasted excitement. It wants more. Though sometimes it doesn’t have the singular idea about what it wants.

Now, my physical being including my attitude, is a whole different story on a completely different level. It is restrained, bound. It can’t aspire much. A. Because it owns a vagina. B. It is from a place where having a vagina restricts you. You can’t be your boss all the time. There’s always some sort of hostility surrounding you. Fear of being attacked physically, socially (what will the society say?), a lack of control over one’s own life (why do you want it go there? At this time? Why don’t you take somebody with you? You are too young to be doing this on your own. You are too old to do this at all.)

How does walking come into the picture? Well, how do people console restless babies? You carry them. You walk. You show them toys. You make unbelievably dumb but more or less exciting stories. You distract them.

This is what I do with my mind while walking. I distract it. I give it pace. I take it away from people and things that irritate it. I go ways I’ve never been before. I give it freedom to choose the most random paths. I give it a sense of adventure and that quiets it down for a while. My mind sleeps in peace, exhausted but in peace.

Is this article about walking? Hell, no. Not even remotely. This is about the baby that my mind is.

I know I get a lot of things that some other people can’t even dream about. (Note: As much as I love materialistic things, that is not what I am talking about right now. I am talking about the cravings of the heart. Like freedom. The freedom of making informed choices about even petite seeming things uninfluenced by what other people think) But that doesn’t mean I have no right to aspire for more. It is like telling a high schooler that there is no point in her aspiring for college as she has already achieved what millions around the world cant even dream about. And the torturous part is that there is nothing I can do about this torment that I undergo seeing the above mentioned happening to me or the people around. Male or Female. It saddens me to a greater extend when I realize that half of these souls don’t even recognize the chains of fear that binds them. May be do and choose to ignore.

So I distract my baby that my mind is. I keep it busy. I tell it stories. I bury myself in irrelevant seeming things like movies, books, the kitchen. When that doesn’t help, I karaoke to really bad songs (that was a joke.) With all the extra energy that kicks into me during these rebel spells, a punch bag is the best gift anybody could get myself (not really a joke.) So, I take it for a walk. I don’t give it time to think. I keep it away from people and things and places that questions it’s sanity. I give it the greenery, the warm sun, the cool wind and the sweaty skin. I give it complete freedom, the freedom to be its own boss and choose its own path for an hour.

May be in the future when I read this article, this might seem – even to me – as the whimsical tale of a brat. A phase. This future may be an hour from now or years later because with some experiences in life my baby may grow up like all other babies). But till then, this is as true as my flesh and blood. This is who I am. And this is why I do what I do.

Way to cook.

As much as I love that feeling you get when you complete an article, proof read it and then sit back satisfied, I just could not think of anything to write. For the last few days this disturbing revelation had been torturing me - that it has been almost an year since I actually wrote something. So, today when I opened this blog for the umpteenth in the last few days, I decided that I should actually make some effort to overcome this difficult phase rather than whining about it. And to write about something, you need to know about that something. Owing to my pathetic general awareness about any other topic and congenital self obsession (though I've not written much about myself and I'm not planning to make it a habit either), I decided to write about me.

No, don't panic. I'm not gonna bore you with the conversations of my inner self with itself. But yeah, these are a few things that I don't mind sharing if you don't mind listening.  It's about this amazing bond that I share with this passion of mine.

I've always loved cooking and as far as I remember, always is from 2nd or 3rd grade. It was not part of my future plans then. But by the time I was 15, I had this new option in my list of career possibilities – being a chef. Well, my parents in the beginning weren't really sure about it being the best option for me,. But it was my thousand uncles and aunts and cousins and neighbors who made it a point to tell me that it was a stupid idea and that the scope for a girl to thrive in that testosterone dominated world was minuscule.

So when I had an option of choosing Culinary studies over a safer trade after graduating from school, I chickened out. Though I am ashamed of this fact, I would never call that a mistake I made in life because that one year in Christ University, Bangalore was totally worth it. New friends, first time in a hostel, totally different culture, our share of stupid fun and how can I forget the huge amount of life lessons that came with it! But when you are destined to be something or someone, and you really really want that thing, it has a way of coming to you and once you decide to go with it, the changes will be drastic and risky and uncertain. But if you have awesome family and friends like mine and a thousand Disney movies to ensure you that “All Is gonna be Well”, things shouldn't be tough.

Currently, I'm doing my Bachelor's degree in Hospitality and Hotel administration in Institute of Hotel Management and Catering technology, Mumbai previously (and even now locally ) known as Dadar Catering college. And yes, I'm happy now. I'm happy about the fact that what I'm doing is what I always wanted to do. About the fact that when I'm old and guilty and in case my life is crappy, I won't feel that I failed because I refused to take risks and decided to play it safe.

I like it here. I like it that I have to work my ass off everyday in the college. I like Mondays when I have to go to the kitchen super early and work for hours straight. Cuts and burns and steam and heat and chefs shouting at you. And the adrenaline rush. It's like the hell I'd like to call my heaven. And the best feeling is when you come back home and fall onto the bed drained but satisfied.

Well, what is gonna come of me once I get out of the institute is different. I might not be hired at all. I might be very bad at it if at all I'm hired. I might even end up being a housekeeper or an F and B or Front office personnel. Not that these jobs aren't great or any lesser. But just not something that I even remotely want in my life. But however things turn out to be, I'll never feel that whatever is wrong with my life is so because I didn't have the nerve to try and take a few risks for something that I really really wanted. After all, what is life without a few drops of risks, approximately a teaspoon of drama and    dollops of incredibly amazing moments with the kind of people and dreams that you cherish.