Book Review of Pittho's World

Book: Pittho's World

Author: Murtaza Razvi

Price: Rs. 299

Publisher: Harper Collins

Often a reader attracts towards a book because of its captivating title and a decent cover page. But, today's readers also counts the descriptive page of the book. If the story sounds fascinating, it barely happens that the book doesn't find its space on the shelf. With Harper Collins, in association with Indiblogger, distributing books for the review, I had joined the bandwagon and was eager to read the 'tale of love and happiness' as mentioned at the back of this book.

But, to my utter disappointment, the Pittho's World didn't serve its audience with a delightful work. This piece of narration by a renowned journalist of Pakistan- Murtaza Razvi- is an unconvincing collections   of tales from the family of the protagonist. I found myself similar to his girlfriend who didn't seem much interested to the plots. In fact, it makes one believe that the author knew the response of its readers. It felt like the book has been written in rush and the author didn't pay heed to the plotting and the execution of the stories. The tone of the book is not engaging and it doesn't let you continue with the book.

The chronicles are not imaginative and exciting, and moreover they are just mere conversations that didn't help to craft an enchanting  story. A full chapter is devoted to the history of Karachi which seems unfit. Also, the title of the book is very misleading. I flipped many pages to get to the character of Pittho, and finally when I arrived to it; it didn't persuade me enough that why this character should be entitled with this honour. I didn't find anything commendable to recommend except the cover page. So, the whole credit for making this book look interesting goes to the cover designer, and the rest is disheartening. 




  

वो है शक्ति

ममता की समझ कर मूरत

भूल कर बैठा वह मूरख। 

सोचा अभला  है तो जीत है ,

न जाना की वो शक्ति है। 

सामना हुआ ज्वाला से उसका 

भड़का घमंड से क्रोध उसका। 

युद्ध छिड़ा फिर घमासान 

माना शक्ति है वो, नहीं है समान। 

ममता का उसमे संसार भी 

शक्ति है वो अंगार भी। 

जय हो दुर्गा मैया की। 

नवरात्र की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं।

विघ्नहारी गणपति

मूषक पर भ्रमण करने चला
मद-मस्त अपनी चाल में।
असुरों का संहार हो चला
पलक झपकते एक प्रहार में।।

उसका ब्रह्माण तो सिर्फ़ एक है
माता -पिता की छाया तले।
तीनों लोक का भ्रमण निष्कर्ष है
जो पाकर  भी कुछ न  मिले।।

है पूज्य जो सर्वप्रथम
होता है  जिसका सबसे पहले कथन।
उसके हृदय का द्वार  निष्पक्ष है
वह तो तेरे समक्ष है।


वह है गणपति गणेश गजनायक
विघ्नहारी विनाशकारक।।


गणपति बप्पा की जय हो।

Book Review of English Bites!

Book: English Bites!

Author: Manish Gupta

Price: Rs. 250

Publisher: Penguin Books India

English is a funny language! So, Manish Gupta, the banker-turned-author, thought to make people learn & retain English vocabulary in a quirky way and not by rote.

When I came to know that the author is willing to give his book, through a dear friend Manjulika Pramod; I left a mail immediately in the inbox of the writer, and within two days the book was on my hand.

This lexical fiction has been told through anecdotes of his own life experiences where he has been in this journey to get the nuances of English since childhood days. Yes! You got it right. He is continuing his drive to bring out another book for the abecedarian (or even the proficient one) to get the best of the international language.

Any language is a vast place to learn, and it’s not feasible to retain every word. Here, this book comes to your rescue to get meanings, synonyms, contronyms, pronunciation, and origin of words through the methodology of etymology, mnemonic, and references to the websites and books which helped him achieve this command. He amazes you with the painstaking research of words he went through, and inspires you to do the same. 

I loved his poetic endeavors to make us retain the words in a beautiful way.              

One of them is here: A placid fellow with a complacent look

         tried hard to placate the implacable cook.  

The only thing which stings me is the railroad joke (page no. 108) he shared with his readers. It seems like an item song in a film like Madras Café. I wish it would have been omitted.

When I got this book with a gratitude note by the author, it made me little apprehensive about the book.  There it was written “Thanks very much” which is grammatically wrong. You may write ‘thanks’ or ‘thank you very much’ either of them, but the marriage isn’t on the cards. So, I decided to give full attention to every single word elaborated as a footnote by the author. Often, a slight misconstruction in a meaning brings out a different picture to the world.  But, later I didn’t find any other fault except one! The word ‘trivia’. Trivia means: things with little importance; small things/information having no significance. It’s meaning isn’t confined to just ‘small things’. In my opinion, minute details should be given heed while writing a self-help book, and shouldn’t be considered trivia which might otherwise bring disrepute.

But, that doesn’t undermine his book, because there is much more to learn. You are going to learn words without vowels like: cwm, lynx, cyst, etc., and words with maximum letters like: hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.  To get the meanings of all bold letters you shall have to buy this book.  

My suggestion shouldn’t be taken as insinuation. I don’t claim to be the master of the language. I’m still learning; so if anyone of you wants to leave any feedback, I warmly welcome you.

Political Web

She is gorgeous & has smart traits;

she snuffs out dire straits.

She gets to the details of every case,

& doesn’t know how to whine for the grace.

Perturbed with her success at every stage,

they planned to rip apart her cleavage.

Designed a web for her to frame,

where consequences lead her to blame.

Her wit isn’t feeble enough to ditch,

she got the trap laid by the witch(es).

She rendered the play back with symphony,

& caught red-handed them with harmony.

Has this story thrilled you?

Get a crime-fiction thriller, Jacob Hills, on Amazon by Harper Collins here.

School Days

I yearn those days

when we were full of graces.

When we used to rib each other,

& then complain to the teacher.

When we exuded gassy elements,

& raised finger on classmates.

When we kept aping our teacher,

& were, still, fond of her.

When we were having our lunch before recess,

& never mind getting other’s access.

When we shared our answer-sheet,

& proclaimed proudly, I got the least!

When we used to excuse every minute,

& then announce, I am a gentle student!



Got nostalgic? Remember, how your friends used to fart & you have to bear that smell.  ;)

But now, you have an option. Try Ambi Pur. It keeps all yucky smells at bay.  :)

Shayari

हमने तुझे सलाम भेजा है,

दिल का एक पैगाम भेजा है. 

तेरे दस्तक से दुनिया हुई है बागबाँ ,

तुझे चाहने का मैंने छेड़ा है कारवाँ। 

तेरी राहों से जब भी गुज़रते हैं हम,

झुकती नज़रों से नमस्ते करते हैं हम.

तेरे बिना ये ज़िन्दगी जी न पाएँगे ,

तुझे पाने की हसरत लिए ही मर जाएँगे। 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

राधा के गोपाल

ओ यशोदा के  नन्दलाल, 
अरे ओ गिरधर गोपाल। 
माना तेरी महिमा है न्यारी, 
जिसपे जाऊँ वारी, मैं हर बारी।। 
तेरी बाँसुरी खींचे मुझे तेरी ओर, 
मेरा खुद पे नहीं तनिक भी जोर।। 
पर मेरा भी स्वरुप सौन्दर्यमान है, 
क्यूँ तुझको खुद पे इतना अभिमान है? 
तू सताए हर पल मुझे, 
मैंने चाहा आज और कल भी तुझे।। 
न छोड़ी मैंने तेरी आस, 
नाम है तेरे मेरी हर साँस।। 
जग जाने तू राधा का है कन्हैया, 
नहीं है तू किसी और का सईंया।। 
बोले जग तू है राधा का गोपाल, 
अरे ओ यशोदा के नन्दलाल।। 


जय कन्हैया लाल की, गिरधर गोपाल की।


जन्माष्टमी की हार्दिक बधाईयाँ।। 

Family, First!

Call us, and we are here! This compassionate attitude of us (Indians) toward our family is something which has always been commended worldwide. So, we are always ahead to assure that our family is served first. And, if we are so humble, then why not the coverage should be enlarged?

Rape has always been rampant, after the 16^th December gang-rape case, we have only taken charge of it to permeate the very cause of non-tolerance of this heinous crime against women. But, our this very noble behaviour- turned- idiosyncrasy has become a sin to the ideology of human-being.

If you read your daily newspaper, then you should have got the link. Our humble perpetrators are unlike the ones accused in the 16^th December gang-rape case. They serve their family first! This set of criminals ensnares their victims with a meticulous approach which shouldn’t hold them red-handed. They rape their daughters, sisters, wives, and…….. mothers! Basically, anyone who is vulnerable to them; ‘who’- they know- would find it difficult to raise her voice.

We all feel pity whenever we come through any incident of rape, but its another chapter is something shockingly evil. It seems that we are degraded to such an extent that it would be contemptible to animals for being compared with our species.

Where did we lack to teach them (perpetrators) the difference between pleasure and crime, between respect and contempt? What’s been wrong with us that we have forgotten the term ‘love’.  Why are we becoming ‘animals’ and are forgetting the basic nature of ‘human-being’ to serve another as equal to us.

Let’s take a pledge and promise ourselves that we won’t let anyone offend the other, we won’t let anyone be inhuman towards another, and we won’t let anyone be animal.

Please, protest! 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.