Moments of Epiphany

I have not written since a long time. I have made plans. Elaborate lists with themes. I have created full length stories in my head. I have saved pictures to write poems on. I have clicked images of people and their characters in my head. All for the sake of someday returning to Nascent Emissions and penning them all down, but each week presented a new picture of my own failure to my head. The amount of stories I have now hoarded inside me is nothing short of criminal. And the curious part is, it is not a crime against humanity, so much as it is a sin against my own heart which has now grown heavy, very heavy with the weight of all that is untold, and unshared.

Today, however, something triggered a change, forcing me to open my laptop, even though the hours are late and office time near. I had planned on sleeping the entire day - thanks to the constant dizziness caused by the Delhi smog, till I remembered a commitment. Two very sweet girls - Ditsa and Pushpangana had invited me over to give a short talk at their monthly get-togethers to encourage prose writers. They call their endeavour - Euphoric Epiphanies - a complex name signifying a very basic human urge, that to write and then to share what has been written with so much heart and labour. Of course, in the presence of a warm and receptive audience.

So I dragged myself out, reached the meet-up an hour late with an itchy throat and itchier head (thanks, again, to the Delhi smog), and was given a fabulous welcome note (most of which I missed), post which I shared a little something on prose-and-poetry writing. The writers who had collected at the spot, the beautiful Hauz Khas Monument Complex, gave me more than their ears, when they engaged in a discussion about what they find more solace in - prose or poetry. Surprisingly, most of them found poetry to be their calling, since prose demanded more 'effort', or did not come as naturally to them. While for the latter reason, I feel convinced, I am nowhere as satisfied with writers taking to a form of writing because it is easier. Poetry demands as much, if not more effort, because of the gravitas of thoughts and the unity of meaning which a poet constantly aspires towards while churning out lyrics in the most apt words, with music, and with metaphors yet to be unravelled and understood by the world.

I also read aloud my favourite prose passage from a book titled Ammi - Letters to a Democratic Mother, authored by Saeed Akhtar Mirza. The excerpt dwelt upon the simple, yet profound love story of the author's parents - Nusrat Beg and Jahanara Begum. In the simplicity of that tale, I know many hearts felt the weight of their own heaviness lift off.

It was already a very fulfilling day, but became grand when I received a special handmade gift from the organisers (I love gifts - always remember that!). Ditsa and Pushpangana (and Tavishi) put together a little box crafted like a book for me. This box/book was titled 'Nascent Emissions', and this is when I realised how others still remember what I have conveniently forgotten. With over 230 posts, this blog has chronicled most of me, through the best and worst of times. And thanks to the kindness shown by the girls, I had to get back here and pen a little of whatever I could. Truth be told, a lot came to me in life because of this virtual collection of very personal writings - my first writing assignments, as well as a little recognition in the world of bloggers. This blog, in fact, also served as the live portfolio for my first job!

So, thank you Ditsa, Pushpangana and Tavishi, for putting together this heartwarming labour of love. I would keep it very close to my heart. Thank you also for the pretty bookmarks with prettier quotes on them - all of which, by the way, are my favourites! How do you people know me so well? Cyber stalking, eh? And those notes on coffee smeared pages - sigh! How do I even begin to say how loved they made me feel?

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Continue doing pretty things to make our smog-ridden world a more tolerable place to live in. And thank you, yet again, for shoving the words 'Nascent Emissions' in my face, and having me land up back here, happily!

I hope the associations forged today continue a tad longer :) 

From The Other Side

I have been a great fan of my teachers. For a child struggling with many tussles inside her heart, mind and the manner in which they related with the very judgemental world, it was my teachers who came to my rescue in ways which cannot be contained inside any text book. This weekend, I took out some time to relive the fantastic college and school times, where teachers formed the pivot around which my life revolved. They were more of my friends than any peer. And I am not exaggerating one bit.

This Teachers' Day, however, I was greeted with another pretty revelation. In a manner uniquely subtle and unconventional, I had stepped over to the other side. It's been a year I have been working with Shiv Nadar School (as a Content Strategist, and not as a teacher), but I have had the privilege of sharing my knowledge of literature and creative writing with the lovely kids there. These few interactions were enough for the students to deem me a teacher, and gift me some love in the form of fond hugs and heartfelt wishes. 

My moment of extreme pride came when I was informed by the Principal herself that students at the school had been wanting me to visit more often, to teach and interact with them. The way my heart swelled and my eyes welled-up is inexplicable in words. What greater joy can greet a person who has made it her life's aim to hear people out and share whatever shreds of knowledge she has managed to amass during her stay on this planet?

I have a special bond with everyone at Shiv Nadar School, right from the teachers, to students to the management, and probably the space of this blog is too scarce to express even a fraction of it. In a relationship spanning more than a year, I have enjoyed the trust of many, and appreciation of the kind that leaves me humbled. What is truly humbling, however, is the scope of learning that the school precincts provide me. I have a genuine belief that the teachers which Shiv Nadar School has chosen to carry its philosophies forward are a unique breed. The value system of the school, as well as the very innate desire to curate learning experiences brims over in a kind of infectious energy which greets me each time I visit. I rue not being able to visit them more often, but, ah, the perils of distances and a crumbling human body. 

The lady, who has left a profound impact on me in that jolly world of learning, as is public knowledge, is Ms. Monica Sagar. It is difficult for me to figure out completely why Monica ma'am appeals to me the way she does. It has probably got something to do with her absolutely down-to-earth and nonchalant demeanour, even on the most glamorous of days. And all this, when she is an exceptional leader. To my mind, she has somehow mastered the art of shepherding her herd while giving them a lead to locate their own paths. After being such a busy woman, she manages to be ready with a hug and smile to greet you at all times. She doesn't exactly teach me, but I end up learning much from her. Always. 

I have written glorious paeans for my school and college teachers, but this Teachers' Day post is an apt time to thank Vaibhav and Karan for being the guides in the professional world, where I still exist as a strong-headed, moment-inspired writer. They manage to keep me going, happy and proud of my work. 

To end, I think a good teacher rises out of exceptional students. Here are a few words from Drishti's blog, which she wrote for her favourite teachers. I am fortunate I fall in that category of favourites for her. 

A Little Something On Me

There is a tag going on around at Instagram, where people are asked to state 20 random facts about themselves. I remember a time when such tags were routine in the world of blogs. However, I feel, with the coming up on multiple social networking fora, where the content you write is instantly and easily share-able and tag-able, blogs have sort of gotten relegated to a secondary expression position - laborious, slightly inconvenient.

Anyway, so I wanted to do the same tag here; for old time's sake. Also, for archiving purposes. Here we go.

1. I am in love with the world of written words - I want to own it, play in it, learn with it, carve it, destroy it, reconstruct it and flow with it. 
   
2. Ammi - Letters To A Democratic Mother by Saeed Akhtar Mirza is the book which has influenced me most in life. Following it at a close second spot is a book called The Assassin's Song by M. G. Vassanji. 

   

   Saeed Akhtar Mirza

3. Faiz Ahmed Faiz is the poet who tugs at the cords of my heart most strongly, though I will admit to not being able to comprehend his language completely. 
   
4. I have always been a people's person, but that manner of existence has begun disenchanting me lately. 
5. I am crazily in love with Silver Jewellery - buy me some and be assured I will instantly fall in love with you. I am also slowly opening up to the idea of gold and bling. Dang is my favourite place to pick up gold-funky-accessories from. 
   
6. I discovered Mythology, specifically Mahabharata as a huge ocean with depth as yet waiting discovery, earlier this year. I hence started a club called Maha Varta with a bunch of mythology enthusiasts which has opened my eyes to much which would have otherwise been left elusive. 
   
7. I desire to be married to books and nature, with a cottage all to myself, high up in the hills. 
8. I have been blessed with a friend who remains with me to grant me unconditional love and support even when I am a witch. Such friends, companions, lovers are rare. They are a blessing most of us fail to understand. 
9. This blog has been dearer to me than most journals I have written in moments of intimacy with myself. Each time I see the ticker at the right hand side move, I do a mental jig. 
10. My day job is that of a Content Strategist; but then, so are my night jobs, one  of which is that of the Poetry Editor at a forum called Positivally Cynical (intentionally spelt that way). Here, my boss is someone way younger than me, but this fine young man hides within him an ambitious entrepreneur I love seeing come of age.
    
11. I love experimenting with new flavours of tea. You want to take me out for a date? Sunset and tea, or monsoon and tea work wonders!
    
12. I was a coffee addict at one time. The incident which changed that was when I collapsed due to drinking 12 cups of coffee in a span of 8 hours. Don't ever try that at home!
    
13. I am in love with my voice.
14. If I were to venture out this moment for a holiday, I would pick between - Udaipur, Jaipur and Sattal. 
15. I go to the fanciest of restaurants to savour the fanciest of dishes from the most exotic corners of the world, but my favourite hangout remains Janpath McDonalds', with their breakfast menu served to me on rain-fed or foggy mornings.
    
16. I want to keep exploring arts - all forms of it - throughout life. Right now, playback is the weird ambition I have been day-dreaming after. 
17. I think faith is a tough concept to hang onto and that we all need our Krishna in life - living, breathing, wise entities who have something very humanly admirable about them. My Krishna exists in combination of real and imagined entities. 
18. I love getting clicked. 
    
19. I met poetry last year. It made me happy, but then caused immeasurable pain. I am trying to meet it again now, through a concept called Poets' Collective. I have no clue where it will go - but I do know that I will not try too hard again in life. 
    
20. I am trying to lose weight these days. Extra volume doesn't bother me. Alarmingly low levels of stamina do. 

Bonus - I am obsessed with the idea of becoming the flow, whatever that means. 

I would love it if the following people to repeat the exercise on their respective blogs - Achint Mathur, Manan Kulshreshtha, Neha Menon, Navin Dutta, Sudhanshu Shekhar Tiwari, Neelkamal Pandey, Yogesh Pandey, Aakriti Mallik, Kunal, Archika Poria, Varun Rustagi and anyone else who happens to drop by here. Leave a link to your blog in the comment section below. I would love to visit and know a little more about you. 

Hurriedly Scribbled #2

This one is a little late, but since my blog crossed 8,00,000 views a few hours back, today's countdown post is very much in order.

So, if someone were to ask you, what was the one thing you discovered in the year of life which just went by, what would you say? Really - its a question to which you must write an answer in the comment box below. What I want to see is if you can actually stop at scribbling one thing down. In an entire year, one could discover so much about himself, about life, about people. Can there actually be that one, overpowering thing which towers above all the other experiences of life, establishing itself in a position of dominance, from where it stands a chance of influencing and shaping your life?

As is apparent, I asked this question to myself. I often do, but I wake up to different answers. As of today, my answer would be, that the 24th year of my life was significant because it was in this time period that I discovered feminism. I am not sure if my discovery was related to unearthing a mini-feminist sitting crouched somewhere inside me, but I have definitely become more sensitive to the misogynistic strains which permeate the air we unconsciously breathe. Honestly put, its troublesome, to see how stereotypes relating to gender and sexuality are just accepted without challenge, and to find yourself become sensitive and reactive to them. Its an honest admission. I reckon I was better off when I could laugh at those of my ilk when others chose to make a joke out of them. This day, I cannot. I don't get messed up with anger, but rightfully indignant I do become when I see biological limitations becoming a curse, and social conditioning getting more regressive by the day. Try as hard as I might, I cannot laugh at what Kapil Sharma puts up as humour. It was funny for the initial bit, but to make a trend of laughing at women, servant class, and obese people - no, it just doesn't work any more. I did hear someone call Kapil the Shekhar Suman of our times, and with whatever little I remember of Movers & Shakers, I tend to disagree. Lets leave the rants at that.

A magazine I edited while heading the Women Studies and Development Cell, back in JMC

I don't like cooking. I don't want to cook. I always knew it was a difficult position to assert, but the fact that I would have to negotiate with not just individuals, rather entire communities to have this fact understood was not known to me. Ask Neha, please, how I routinely burn my eggs even in the simplest of recipes, or how I almost always end up adding extra salt in my maggi, sometimes even twice the amount of that extra salt, and you would know what kind of a culinary cripple I am talking off here. A few years back, I had even heard of a phenomenon called 'Mageirocophobia', which is the fear of cooking, and had conveniently adopted the label, till it was shrugged off by the dust of sookha aata on the chappati I was learning to flatten with a rolling pin. I can finally get them nice and round, but its only as enjoyable as a once-a-fortnight craft activity for me. I would enjoy painting the kitchen walls with vegetable dyes in an equal proportion. Unfortunately for many around me, this was the year I discovered Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Simone de Beauvoir and Parveen Shakir. I discovered Virginia Woolf and via the might of her quill, I understood the possibilities which would have been snatched from the hands of a certain, fictional Judith Shakespeare. (Among many of my professors, Dr. Baran Farooqi I specifically need to thank here). I learnt how economics influences the social, and how soon the personal starts becoming political. Vague? Well, yet again, a coffee invite is open. By the way, do you have any theories about the origin of the concept of incest? Try researching, some awesome nonsense might raise its ugly head in front of your eyes then.

The above is only a minute fraction of what has been festering inside me since long. It was the most pleasant journey of my life which probably ended up turning me into a feminist. Probably. And no, it is not because of some harsh experiences related to my body or sexuality. Yes, those are avenues of study for anyone wanting to delve into the politics of gender, but this is not the trigger for me. My problems started surfacing with something much more basic, perhaps even trivial to the world - emotions. Caught teary-eyed in certain situations, I realized that my valid concerns were being overlooked, undermined, just because tears, or sentimentality have come to acquire gendered connotations. I was not always PMSing while I was trying to make the world understand what part of me was hurting and why. In case of conflicts, primarily with the other sex, it was always expected of me to see reason, logic, and abandon emotions as they stifle fruitful outcomes. I failed to find logic in situations which had feelings attached at the very core of them. If I cry, I am emotional. If they show temper, they are not. Its sort of baffling, and ridiculous. And this did not end till one day I decided I will not go down to the level of logic till they decided to rise to the level of emotions. The process of othering, which I always found ludicrous, is the only refuge my expressions in this case have come to adopt.

Aaqib Raza Khan and his magic lens, yet again

I have a paper on gender, two days from now. You can see I am decently prepared. Superficially yes, but I'll conquer my syllabus soon.

The 24th year of my life was also the one where I discovered poetry and mythology. And some fantastic relationships. I'll pen them down soon too. For now, 6 days to go!
(This post is an hour late, hence I quote the figure 6)

Picture Perfect - December

I know its a little early for this post, but the above picture left me so excited, that I had to share it on my blog, as soon as I could. This was taken on a chilly Delhi afternoon in Aurobindo Market areas, where the flower vendor was still putting his shop together, and was kind enough to let two mad women get themselves clicked in the company of his beautiful flowers. The other mad woman is my friend Neha, who has been complicit in most of my crazy plans in the past few months. You will find her picture below.

There is another reason why for me to have put this picture up. A dear friend of mine, Gopan, found this picture inspirational enough to convert it into a Christmas gift for me. In a beautifully crafted mini-story, called "Memory of a Winter Morning", he has inserted this picture to add a visual glow. And, to be honest, with the story about a girl who sold flowers running in the background, I think this frame looks a lot prettier. A heartfelt thank you to him. 

To all readers of my blog, a Merry Christmas! You all deserve a special thank you for being with me on this journey upto a lakh views. I usually give you all flowers when I need to express gratitude. This time is no different. Roses, gladiola, lilies, carnations - look to my left and take your pick. Thanks for dropping by and leaving your valuable feedback. It feels nice to know that whatever I write is not for nothing, that there will be people who will read it, and also, perhaps, get back to me on it. You make me want to continue writing. Thank you all so much. 

And here is my pretty friend, with more flowers - Neha!

Pop The Champagne

Can I please sound repetitive and thank you all again for making my blog what it is? I may also leave for you some nice flowers towards to end of this post. A bouquet of flowers in fact. Please please!

Well, okay. I will tell you why am I suddenly being so full of gratitude, and that too with such glee. I do not know if it sounds small or big, but Indian Top Blogs, a webpage which reviews and displays a list of the best pan-Indian blogs, has recently added me to their directory of top Indian blogs! Yay! To me, that sounds a good enough news. Besides the moderators of Indian Top Blogs, the only other people I could think of thanking of for this are the readers of Nascent Emissions. Because you read, I am compelled to write. Er, to be honest, I would write anyway, but you all make my writing experience more dynamic and blissful.

To the team of Indian Top Blogs (ITB), I would like to convey my deepest gratitude. To all my fellow bloggers out there, I would like to tell, that the review which ITB sends across is both, detailed and comprehensive. It is also written with, if I might use the word, 'personal' care. They have evaluated the pros and cons of my blog in a manner I would appreciate a lot. Praising at places, advising at others and also adding the necessary caveats so as to make my blogging experience better than it already is - the ITB blog review catered fully to all these aspects. If not already there, do submit your blogs for review at this fantastic forum. A little more fantastic now that they have added me *wink*

More seriously, blogging is an activity I am passionate about. It is a means to communicate, connect and sometimes, even, unburden myself. When greeted with a happy news such as this, I feel encouraged, because in this world full of excellent writers, I am but a tyro. Its always blissful to know that people out there are noticing your work. I hope I manage not to disappoint anyone of you, ever!

As promised, here are the flowers for you all - the team at ITB and for all my followers.

PS- A lot of concerned readers have expressed their disapproval at the very frequent posting of book reviews on my blog. Many of them have written to be about how the book reviews often force them to keep away from my blog and they are looking forward to more 'original' content. I would like to tell all such readers that your feedback floors me! It hints at how involved a few of you are with my blog. However, reading books and reviewing them is an activity I enjoy. And, it is only my blog through which I am able to fulfil these two hobbies of mine. There is an isolated set of readers who connect with me only because of these book reviews. I do hope you all will understand and keep visiting my blog. Thanks!

Nude and other short stories - A Review

Intriguing title, isn't it? Well, try reading a book loudly proclaiming 'Nude' (calligraphically embedded in a suggestive figure) on its cover in a crowded metro, and the piercing stares of passers-by shifting from the cover to the engrossed reader will tell you exactly how intriguing this title is. Part provocative, part alluring - a title like this can compel you to conjure a lot of thoughts about the kind of content offered in the book. Most of those thoughts involuntarily tilt towards the bolder side. Alas. This title was just one among the many titles of short stories which make this book, and is in no way indicative of generic essence running through those stories.

Nude and other short stories is an anthology of short fiction pieces which won The MAG 2011 short story writing competition. The nineteen short stories published in this anthology are penned by bloggers from across the country, and they deal with people, circumstances, incidents and human psyche, among other things. Few stories, including the titular 'Nude' are such which make you stop and notice the maturity and sensitivity of the authors. Still others, like Karma Yogi, which is for me an aimless biographical sketch, go nowhere near catching the imagination of a reader. It is a thin book, with crisp content, but not a lot of stories which one might be tempted to flow along with.

I have to admit, I am one of those who do judge a book by its cover, no matter how antagonistic it sounds to a popular dogma. With a cleverly chosen title, a graphic artist could've (should've) churned out something more tantalizing, inspiring. Besides a few stories, its cover is another thing which does not work for me with respect to this book.

The foreword by an anonymous editor serves as a beautiful introduction. Thereafter, the only stories which I liked and took home (literally, since most of my reading is done while commuting), are -

1. Nude by Purnima Rao - A very smart title for a sensitive yet subtle tale. Subtle, but giving away hints of intensity. Telling anything about this story is perhaps ruining what it has in store for its readers.

2. Of Dreams and that thing called Fate  by Himangshu Dutta - The tale of an orphaned kid, left to cope by himself on the cruel streets of the world. How his story ends is exactly how his story had started. Spoiler? No. Reading it will be much different than reading about it.

3. The Lost Earrings by Kalpana Abhijith - Like a modern fable. Of thefts and repentances.

4. The Suicide Note by Vivek Singh - The plot is as much as the title reveals. It is the expression of the author which honestly left me enchanted and enriched. This is one story I could not help flowing with.

5. The Traveling Suitcase by Manu Chaudhary - A heartwarming tale of goodness.

There were many other stories which had a great potential, because they drew inspiration from very real and relatable themes, like The Perfect Girlfriend, The Unfortunate Episode etc. However, their potential remain untapped, because these stories did not cross over into the realm of imagination. To me, it seemed I was reading a narrative of someone's life, that too not in the most outstanding language. In all, this anthology was just about an average book for me. 2 stars on 5 is my verdict.

An Award and A Few Introductions

Yay! Here I get my fifth ever blog award, and its a Versatile Blogger Award which has come my way again! Blog awards always feel special, because through these gestures, people of your trade appreciate you, single you out to tell you what you are doing is good and worth celebrating. However, what makes this award a tad more special than the others is the person sending it my way- Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan. He is an author who bowled me over with a simple, and touching story he wrote about the love which binds and sustains a home, called Father Of My Son, published in Bright Lights (Urban Shots). It is primarily because of this story that I have gifted and recommended the whole anthology to several (now) thankful people. And it is the same author who conferred on me this priceless, green colored honor. Thanks Roshan! You are responsible for this huge smile on my face!

Before I rant on seven random things about myself, as is mandated with this award, I would like to introduce to my readers three new blogs, which are totally worthy of all the blog awards out there. However, I find myself too small to be honoring them. Diverse in their own spheres, each of the following blogs is a gem to follow, a treat to read.

Tharoorians For Change
I have made a mention of this blog earlier too (Read about here), but once again, I would like to exhort all of you to please pass a glance at the amazing, informative and enriching content this blog has to offer to its readers. Written under an responsible name, each article of this blog is an opinion expressed by people who might be policy experts of our country, even the world, tomorrow. That I am associated with it in a small way is only a matter of luck and pride. This blog is updated regularly and on topics encompassing various issues of local, national and international relevance. Do read what the change agents of tomorrow have to say.


Musing About The Muse
Even before this blog was conceived in the head of its author, I knew this was going to be a piece of sheer, bejeweled brilliance. The overtly simple layout (the kind which perhaps the peppy, jazzy element in me does not quite endorse) you will see on this blog asserts in plain terms that content is what rules here. Sukaran Thakur is one writer (and also a gifted photographer) I take pride in knowing personally, for he has a talent which won't stop till it evolves into something really big and luminous. Read this blog for basking in the pleasure of some warm, engaging, light, descriptive and beautiful stories.

The Thaumatologist
You also did not know this word? Me neither. Heck, the dictionary which runs a vigil over spelling mistakes on my blog did not. But then that is what you can expect from Sandeep Vasudevan, the author of this blog. He is a person I am positively smitten with, which he only knows too well. The glare of this man's brilliant is blinding, and so, I will stop at simply recommending this blog to worshipers of good language and quality content.

The above are three blogs I tag along with this post.

Now for seven random facts about me, I will steal a few ideas from Roshan, and add a few of my own.

1. Of late, I have begun hating books as gifts. I mean, they make for brilliant gifts, I know, but with respect to me, people have stopped thinking beyond gifting me books. And lack of thoughtfulness behind gifts is a big turn off, isn't it?
2. One of my biggest fears in life is that I would die before reading each book I have included in my wishlist. Trust my words, that list is really long, and updated almost daily.
3. Of late, I have started feeling that I am growing up. I hate the feeling.
4. I expect too much from people who are close to me, so just in case you are feeling like having me as a good, close friend, uh, take a second opinion.
5. Dharmesh Sir, from Dance India Dance Season 2, is perhaps the only reality tv star I am crazy about.
6. I am a proud Delhi Daredevil's supporter, and my favorite moment in this IPL season came on 19th April, 2012, when , during a match between Delhi and Deccan, at 1614 hours, my tweet was displayed among the top three tweets of the day! (You can follow me - @saumyakul)
7. I really think the three blogs mentioned above deserve at least a glance from all of you who are reading this post.

To end, flowers for all the lovely people reading this post! A little gay, right? Aaj ke liye chalta hai boss!

A Guest Post For Tharoorians!

I remember hearing these lines by Bashir Badr long, long back-

"Hum toh dariya hain, humein apna hunar maloom hai,
Jis taraf bhi chal padenge, rasta ho jayega"

I do not know the thoughts of the poet behind these lines, but I could most easily interpret them by understanding 'dariya' as a metaphor for youth power. And once I did that, a beautiful and powerful meaning of these simple and subtle two lines unraveled itself.  With belief and perseverance, if the young minds of today get down to some task, there is no hurdle so big or rigid which may stop them from reaching their goal/destination. With power, we know how to break through that boulder. With strength, we know how to scale a mountain. With fluidity, we know how to find a way even through the smallest of cracks in the system.

I have been lucky to personally be in touch with a lot of young, enterprising, and ambitious people who have set unto themselves tasks which are meaningful, and which serve not just some parochial but larger, social interests. In the small life I have lived, I have also been associated with a number of initiatives during my school and college life, which aimed at heralding change, at breaking stereotypes and at evolving progressively from status quo. A few days back, I serendipitously came in touch with a dense group of likeminded people, who dream together of forming an advocacy group to raise a banner for progressive political practices in India. This group, interestingly, calls itself- Tharoorians. 

The Tharoorians, on their official blog, describe their group as "an initiative to get you to voice your opinions and deliver constructive criticism on Indian Politics and Democracy. A little ambitious - we hope to reach out to maximum people who believe India deserves Change." This group derives inspiration and is supported by the eponymous- Dr. Shashi Tharoor- to whom the blog is dedicated and whose values are upheld and propagated by the founders of Tharoorians. This is not to say that the group does not welcome constructive criticism which contradicts any one particular political ideology. As long as one has something to say, the Tharoorians are game to take it up and splash it on their blog as an important opinion sourced from a stimulated and concerned young mind.

I was ecstatic when a blog published my first ever guest post, in which I wrote about child psychology and the ingenuity required for moulding little minds into responsible, dignified and genuine individuals of tomorrow. Now, to be the first Guest Author for a blog which goes by the name of Tharoorians For Change was a feeling altogether different. Because my quill has never trodden on the path of political criticism, I assumed it never could. However, when I did write for them, the group's moderator, Katherine Abraham, was more than graceful to, perhaps, ignore the inconsistencies of content and give value to underlying enthusiasm of just another girl existing in this vast country- but one who at least aims to exist as a responsible and aware citizen of India.

My first thoughts have been poured out in an article called India Calling. Here is why I would appreciate if the followers of Nascent Emissions went ahead and read the article, and also left comments if possible-
1. The article is generalist, and builds upon one of the most relevant concepts of ancient India to highlight problems contemporary in character.
2. It dwells on the admiration- the how and why- I have for Dr. Tharoor and, what in my view, is his magnum opus work- The Great Indian Novel.
3. I share in the article one of my most favorite success stories of reformation, reconstruction and resuscitation of a collapsing unit in rural India. The story of Hivre Bazar.
4. The article is my first honest attempt to make public my views on the political landscape of India, though in a fleeting, almost naive way. For once I wrote beyond love, friends, romance and the routine gibberish I rant on about.

And, not just for India Calling, I would request the readers to hop onto Tharoorians For Change to read some more nascent, but informed and passionate articles from some very inspired youngsters from across India. If you feel there is something you need to voice your opinion about, Tharoorians would gladly welcome your participation.

As a last, I would like to thank Katherine for her guidance and Tarique for introducing me to the concept of Tharoorians.

Web Page
http://tharoorians4change.blogspot.in/Twitter Handle
@IndieTharoorian

You could also follow the following twitter handles for updates about Tharoorians
@katie_abraham (Katherine)
@Tarique_Anwer (Tarique)
@Saumyakul (Me)

Also, if you already are not among the 1 million odd followers of Dr. Tharoor, may be you would like to be one. Follow him at @shashitharoor. You can connect with him, and trust me, he puts in efforts to connect with you too. He is one of the only political leaders on twitterati who has understood the dynamics behind being on a social forum like twitter.

Guest Post 1 : Prelude

The day I got introduced to the concept of Guest Posts across blogs, and I did get introduced to the concept pretty late, I had resolved that the first person to write a Guest Post for me would be someone I respect and admire at a personal level. In not even a split second, two names flashed across my mind. In another fraction of a second, I had decided which one of the two I shall be approaching to do a guest post for me first. After playing around with a lot of skepticism and hesitance in my mind, given that the Guest Blogger I had planned on inviting is a superbusy and a supersocial person, I did finally ask him to write a post for Nascent Emissions in the midst of a casual Gmail chat, and, to my luck's delight, he agreed! Not instantly, but after toying around with the idea for a while. However, the good news was that he agreed! Now I had something really exciting to look forward to. After waiting for less than the length of time I had expected to wait willingly for him to write, today he sent in a revised and re-revised draft of a post which I shall be posting in just a little while here, on Nascent Emissions. But first up, let me just give a brief introduction to my first Guest Author.

Twishmay Shankar- I got introduced to him while he was still pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from the haloed Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. Today, some years later, I can safely say, I have been lucky to have known him, met him, heard him and learnt from him so much that I might not have come across otherwise. That he is an amazing person goes without saying, for it is nothing short of amazing people that I go gaga over. His picture, this one in particular, paints perfectly his personality- a personality ridden with enviable perfection. And that perfection is perfectly complimented with enviable humility.

Besides, his blog, My Life, The Universe and Everything, is a keen and curious reader's delectation. It has been mine. He usually writes on topics which I do not possess an academic flair in, and so, quite obviously, his articles inform as well as fascinate me. Too humble to ever agree to the finesse of penmanship he possesses, I have observed in him a vigor to better himself with each post he writes. Innumerable 'likes' and 'shares' follow his articles which reflect that this person knows his stuff, and knows it well.

However, to write for my blog, he and I, we were both keen that he step out of his comfort zone. And so, unlike the offensively smart and intelligent, and complex-bestowing stuff he write, we thought it fit that he write something which flows around the theme of my blog. Err, not that I know what exactly the theme of my blog is, but I know for sure, his kind of blogposts would seem to be a gross misfit here. So, exclusively for my blog (and a little less exclusively for his own), he has, I reckon for the first time, written a short story. Fiction. Love tale. Sigh. My kinda stuff! And that short story, I am very, very happy to be posting on my blog, just in a few hours.

I hope you all like it as much as I do, and to end this prelude to the first ever Guest Post on my now 4 year old blog, I am copy pasting this quote Twishmay recently shared on his facebook timeline.

"Never follow your dreams. Follow your effort. It’s not about what you can dream of. That’s easy. It’s about whether or not it’s important enough to you to do the work to be ready to be successful in that business" - Mark Cuban

Ten Things About Me

Long, outrageously long back in time, a very fine blogger by the name of Sanchari, who seeks camouflage under the wings of a psychedelic Serious Butterfly, tagged me to answer 10 questions about myself. Today, since ideas which could have transformed into a fine post persistently elude me, I thought of taking up this interesting exercise. It reminds me of filling those numerous slam books in school, each more creatively than the previous.

So, for Sanchari's 10 questions, here I go.

#1 Describe yourself in 7 words

Fascinated, Searching, Draamebaaz, Colorful, Warm, Hungry, Difficult

#2 What keeps you up at night?

My blog.
My journal.
My friends.
Twitter.
Memories.
Coffee.
Love.
Persistent insomnia

#3 Whom would you like to be?

An upgraded version of myself.
On second thoughts, I would gladly step into any famous Booker winning author's shoes, since those are the kind of novels I may never be able to write myself.

#4 What are you wearing now?

An old, insanely comfortable pink colored suit, stolen from my mother's almirah.

#5 What scares you?

Friends walking out on me.
And,
Nature being wroth with me.

#6 What are the best and the worst things about blogging?

Best- Anyone can say anything
Worst- Anyone can say anything.

#7 What was the last website you looked at?

www.thehindu.com

#8 If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My eating habits.

#9 Slankets- yes or no? 

Hell yes! Bas koi gift kar de!
It looks like comfort and coziness personified.

#10 Tell us something about the person who tagged you.

As said earlier, Sanchari, a smart blogger hidden behind the wings of this really creative butterfly, was my college mate. We worked together in a society which goes by the name of Women Studies and Development Centre. I remember her as the demure writer. Not very outspoken, but silently marking her presence. From what I know about her today, this gorgeous girl is very creative and has a charming way with words.

Thanks for tagging me!
One blog post behind which I had to spend no brains, no energies. I owe this one to you. And all this in very good spirit.

Oh, and I wanted to share this picture of mine on my blog. Since this post is much about me, I guess this is the perfect picture to go with the post. This is me, staring into a newly bought Nokia Lumia, at one of my favorite places in Delhi.

Three To Tango!

Three amazing accolades have been showered on my blog in the past few days. Today's post is dedicated to not people around me, but to Nascent Emissions itself- for being my one constant companion, my voice, my outlet, my part-identity, my memory bank, and much else! Here are three reasons for me and my blog to party!

#1 Blog Showcase at Indian Top Blogs

Indian Top Blogs, an Indian Blog Directory, recently reviewed and showcased Nascent Emissions among their chosen and recommended blogs. Needless to explain the reason behind my happiness!

#2 Second Versatile Blogger Award

D. Nambiar, a not-so-docile female, who claims her purrs change into roars the moment she is taken lightly, conferred on me the much prided upon Versatile Blogger Award. This is my second such award, and as special as the first one. Since I have done a similar tag earlier, I will not get into following the procedure, except for Rule #1, which mandates that I thank the blogger who sent this award my way. So, dear D. Nambiar, heartfelt gratitude to you for considering me worthy enough. You are a fine blogger yourself, and so I attach much value to the feedback you leave for me. Hope I live up to the expectations this tag brings with itself. Love!

#3 The Liebster Blog Award

And this, most recent one comes my way from a blogger who identifies himself as Destiny's Child. I am more of a writer, and I kind of suck when it comes to following other blogs religiously, but his' is one blog I try and catch up on whenever I get time. As is customary, I would first like to thank Mr. Destiny's Child for bestowing on me such an honor. If I have been able to find out correctly, 'Liebster' is a German word which translates as 'beloved' or 'sweetheart'. Given that meaning, I feel this tag is extremely special. For those who still have not, I will recommend you visit Destiny's Child for some very nice reads.

I am not going to nominate five blogs publicly, because the blogs I hold very dear are all published by veteran bloggers I draw inspiration from and look up to. These are few writers who review my writings regularly, again, not publicly, and help me evolve and improve as I move ahead. I am silently going to dedicate this tag to all of them. When they read it, they will know its them.

I'm very happy for being able to reach out to you all. A writer, I reiterate, is nothing sans his readers. I hope you all will keep dropping by to find something here which clicks, which touches you. Happy Reading!

With A Smile

When I entered the festooned gates of JMC on the morning of 23rd February, I found the atmosphere inside ridden with confusion, with some palpable heat and anxiety flowing around. Reason? The Women Studies and Development Center, my alter ego while I was still in college, was waiting to launch one of their most prideworthy initiatives of the year in the august presence of the Mayor of Delhi, Ms. Rajni Abbi. Quite obviously, my juniors, who now hold the reigns of WSDC, were facing essential bouts of pre-event jitters.It is not everyday that the Mayor of Delhi herself agrees to walk in through the gates of your college to give to your endeavours her blessings and encouragement. However, that is precisely what Ms. Abbi consented to do- to be with a bunch of enthusiastic young scribes wanting to make their quill their sword of revolution- and the kind of person she is, we were easily stunned and mesmerized by her.

"Still I Rise"- this is the name of  a recently launched monthly newsletter by WSDC, JMC, which seeks to address bold topics relating to gender issues- the concerns and the celebration. It is a unique and unprecedented initiative, at least as far as the history of JMC is concerned. If the first issue of this journal is anything to go by, I am more than sure that the forthcoming issues will only get better and more interesting, and will carry lots of informative and entertaining content which will definitely appeal to the sensibilities of the young, the concerned and the daring. You can know more about this newsletter by clicking here. This link directs you to the blog of this still nascent product of young imaginations, trying hard to mark its presence among people who take interest in issues relating to women empowerment, gender parity, inter alia. 

A simple half hour rendezvous with Rajni ma'am ensured us that their could not have been a better icon of female strength and achievement whom WSDC could have invited to launch the first issue of Still I Rise. The fact that they invited me, their ex-President alongside her is something that makes me swell with pride. Tantamount to pride also lingers the humbling feeling of gratitude. Rajni ma'am had a personality that makes one instantly like her. She is a teacher by profession, a teacher at heart, and somehow, I always believed that teachers make for excellent leaders. They already know how to shape futures, mold young minds into mature ideals, and be inspirations without having to try too hard. 

Professor Rajni Abbi heads one of the three municipal corporations of Delhi, namely the MCD. The designation of a Mayor has a lot of pomp associated with it. So while we were expecting a VIP to enter our college at 11:30, Prof. Abbi nonchalantly walked into our campus at 11:25, not as a VIP, but like a humble leader who belongs to the masses. Her punctuality and humility were immediately noticeable, but what was even better was her keen understanding of a student's life and an urge to cooperate with us. She was friendly, and gave us helpful sermons which we ought to remember for our own benefit. No moment spent with her lacked the dynamism she effortlessly exuded. It was the first time I met her, and though I have no idea of what her accomplishments are, I still felt like sharing the first impression she left on me. Political ideologies, I have none. But an addiction to recording the best of experiences in life I certainly do. This was one of them.

My best wishes to the WSDC team. Make sure each step you all now take only takes your forward. What you have began should not end with college. Your passions should accompany you everywhere you go. You all make me proud, for all the right reasons.

PS- Sometimes, its just a smile you need. A smile that you carry, a smile that you can lend. I think some of you reading this will understand what I am referring to :)

With Ms. Rajni Abbi and a copy of Still I Rise in my hand

A Montage Of Memories

What is the time of the year that as a college student you most look forward to? Definitely not the exams and assessments. It is, indubitably, the time your whole college is drowned under a spirit of celebration- your annual college festival which is not just a time to have fun, but also to work your asses off and proudly show off your college to the whole world out there.

I'll add one more thing to the above generalization. Not just for the incumbent college students, but also for the nascent alumni, the most looked forward to occasion is not the Convocation or the Reunions, but again, the college festival. I say this from personal experience. Reunions are good in their place, but they do not recreate the fervor and frolic associated with college life. Festivals certainly do. With a bunch of old friends, heading down to your own college with a cup full of memories in your hand and a sparkle of expectations in your eyes is an exercise many of us would like to undertake to revel once again in that relaxed, carefree air. My lips widen in a huge smile as I recall to mind that a similar trip I shall be undertaking towards to my college just about a fortnight hence. It is that time of the year again. It is MONTAGE time again!

Splashed all across my twitter timeline and facebook wall are updates and more updates about this year's edition of Jesus and Mary College's Annual Festival- Montage'12. It is heartwarming to see juniors take the oars in their hands and row towards the D-Day with such skill and innovation. With each successive edition, we at JMC have gone a notch higher in terms of the quality and enthusiasm with which we decorate the fest. More spunk has consistently been added. More shimmer sprinkled. More care observed in organization. More efficiency achieved. More events conducted. More participants attracted. More fame gained. And if I am to go by the words of the college president, Kanika Chaturvedi, this year, Montage promises to be nothing less than EPIC. Dear Kanika, make it an advanced version of epic. I know it lies in you and your team to do that!

The team. Aah. Now they are an enviable lot. A bunch of young, smart girls, who put the most passionate sections of their heart and the most creative sections of their brain into making certain that the fest is pulled off with uncomplicated meticulousness and stylish grace. One of the many new things they have tried this year is reaching out to people via an interesting blog. Oh, they have made some awesome teaser videos too, but since I am a blogging person, I am glad that my lonely, nightime occupation is being taken seriously by some cute damsels. They are churning out some cool posts with a candour and lightheartedness I wish God blessed all of us with. The feel you get while reading all those posts just makes the air around the road leading to the fest all the more energized. The countdown has begun.

Hit the fb page, or the Montage official website, but what I will strongly recommend is that stop by Montage's official blog by clicking here. Take a moment. We want you to laugh with us. We can be pompous about ourselves, because all the awesomeness JMC lends to us is prone to spilling out now and then. But with this blog, the creative scribes of JMC are out there to make you feel at home even before you step into our campus.

Its here. Montage '12. So, are you ready?

 

 

PS- If you are one of my male friends reading it, FINE, I know I have to make sure I take you along. I will. I promise. But don't you dare pester me to introduce you to femme fatales from my college. Please.

Tagged!

Yayyiiieee! So after watching with 'green' envy all my favorite bloggers receive not one, but upto a dozen "The Varsatile Blogger" Awards, I finally manage to get my own. Without much ado, I will simply follow the rules concomitant to this award, which are-

The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award
2. Nominate 15 other bloggers and inform them of the same
3. Share 7 Random facts about yourself
4. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your Blog Post

 

#1 Gratitude

A humbly uttered and heartfelt gratitude to a blogger whom I have really come to admire in the recent past. Jyoti Babel, who writes at Pages, is one of the best reviewers and culinary experimentalist I have come across. Her blog is always a treat to go through. Since I cannot cook to even save my life, I hope to mug up Jyoti's recipes by heart before the prospect of my marriage starts looming in front of my eyes. Given that a blogger of Jyoti's caliber has tagged me as a Versatile Blogger, the significance of the tag increases manifold.

#2 New Set Of 'The Versatile Blogger' Awardees

Now, this is the most difficult bit. I have been asked to nominate 15 bloggers, but to call someone 'versatile' is a huge responsibility. Many blogs I follow ascribe to a particular type of content, which the bloggers seem to have a proven mastery over, scarce venturing out of their comfort zones. I will, hence, mention only 5 blogs and bloggers, who in my view justify the definition of 'versatility'.

Anup Bishnoi at Grass On Fire

Aavika Dhanda at Nirvana

Achint Mathur at Aman Ki Aasha

Aakriti at Yarn of Words

Anshul Thakur at Aesthetic Blasphemy 

Yes, I know I am repetitive in terms of the bloggers I place topmost on my blog roll, but then, these are the ones I am incorrigibly hooked onto. The five I mentioned here have a peculiarity- each one of them has their initial as 'A'. Only a random coincidence. As I stumble on more blogs of significance, I will keep augmenting to this list. 

#3 Seven Random Things About Myself

1. I love giving and receiving gifts.

2. I am a recent twitter addict and I love to play on the trending twitter topic.

3. Writing reviews of books is a fond hobby and there are more chances I will end up appreciating a book than denouncing it. 

4. Sufi songs and ghazals are my most preferred genres of music.

5. I am a decently good singer. In fact, at a time I aspired to cut an album of my own. Childhood dreams, left amid the glory of childhood only.

6. Caffeine is the only sinful addiction I admit to. May be, chocolates are my second most sinful attachments.

7. Ruskin Bond is one author I have romanticized throughout my life.

I wrote a similar list for my first ever blog award, which can be glanced through here- The 7X7 Link Award

#4 Picture

Already added above.

Once again, thanks Jyoti! I only hope that in the coming days I only become a better and better writer, and Nascent Emissions becomes a blog more and more readers are able to find their own reflection in.