A Walk in the Rain - Book Review

A Walk in the Rain
By Udai Yadla
Review By Ila Garg

A Walk in the Rain, a novel by Udai Yadla, is published by Kyron Publications. The cover is not an exceptional concept, but managed to interest me with the beach scene and the two lovers running across the beach with the umbrella thrown off on the shore.

That man of my dreams!

It would be a complete lie if I would say that no one ever loved me the way you do. It would be a lie if I would say I was always wrong when it came to choices. Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong, my dear, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Then how can I always be wrong? How can the emotions be wrong? But then, emotions are like wild horses. They can be dangerous if left untamed.

But now that you are so crazily in love with me and you have even confessed, wrong things are going to turn right too. That's my belief. At least for now! You are everything that I always wished for. Well, I wouldn't say that because my prince charming; that man of my dreams slightly differs from you. Being in love with him is like kissing a melted chocolate and then surrender completely to the pleasures that it offers. Being in love with you is no different. However, the man of my dreams would not probably bear half the things that you have for me and that's why you are better. Maybe the best! I am yet to know...

May be someday you will actually end up being my prince charming and take me for your princess. Maybe we shall also ride the white horse together and elope to a distant land. I can read God's signals as He smiles at me and showers his blessings in the form of rain from the skies above. He is one with me in this desire.

It's raining now, the weather has turned pleasant. It's the perfect ambiance. Something that I adore. Imagine holding hands under the natural showers, walking on an empty street in such a romantic weather, looking deep in each other's eyes, feeling the presence, listening to the fast paced heart beats, that magical touch, that twinkle in the eyes, those shivering fingers, the numb hands, the blowing hair - being with your love in this weather is priceless. And there's more; the touch of your lips on mine under the rain will be so majestic. It will send shivers down my spine. I can only imagine! If only you could read my mind and somehow the distance between us could be reduced.
I can be strong and survive this though. But somehow, the emotions always make me weak. And its one of that day, when am sitting admiring the magical weather and you are busy sitting in your office. *Sigh*

Wish you could be here after all and create the magic that only comes with you!

P.S. I love you!

Dealing with emotions :)

Continuing from where I left in my last post, dealing with emotions is a time-taking process. After a heart-break, one must focus on controlling the outburst as it may do more harm than good. Now, first of all you need to relax and calm yourself. You have a whole life ahead of you, and one loose brick can’t make you fall. Ponder on something else, distract yourself. Force yourself to stop being nostalgic, busy yourself in work. Join some classes, if needed. Find someone to talk to, someone who will not judge you and just listen to what you have to say.

Don’t let negative emotions take the better of you. Planning a revenge or returning the pain can never make you feel better, it will add to the guilt. Let it go, improvise yourself. Use this time to hone a skill that you’ve been wanting to. Why bother about someone else, when you can make yourself a little awesome instead? Don’t be aloof, make new friends, dress up, dance a little - life can be better if we want it to be. Smile a lot, learn to love yourself. Be a keen observer. Look around. There’s a lot of worse going on around you. You are not the only one who is facing it!

And woah! You did it. You just made yourself feel better. But yes, you can never do it all alone. Surround yourself with people who love you unconditionally. And see the miracle happen! Give yourself a pat on your success!

Relationships can go through certain turbulent times, we all know that. For happy endings, one must be ready to go through ups and downs. As discussed previously, dealing with heart-breaks and resultant emotions may require a positive outlook towards life. If you are strong-minded, you can come out of the grief sooner. The key is empowering yourself enough to not let anybody else have the power to hurt you. Be committed in the relationship but don’t forget to give space to each other. Even if all this doesn’t help to hold on the relationship tight, be prepared to let it go.

You will have better opportunities waiting at the next door. Don’t compromise with your values for the sake of relationship. True love will never put you in such a situation, trust me on this. Be confident in yourself. Don’t lie to your own self, don’t pretend to be someone you are not. I see, there have been a lot of don’t (s) here, but seriously we have some do’s too. J For one, face the situation, ignoring it will only increase the pain. Waiting for him/her to come back will worsen your situation, and won’t want that, would you?

Moving on can be a personal struggle. Don’t feel that you are alone to deal with it, though. If you will close yourself in a room and cry for hours, that will never heal your heart. Going out, meeting friends, talking to them, venting out will help release the pain in great amount. 

Dealing with the matters of love and romance!

Love and romance are two entirely different concepts. We have all experienced love, love from parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends, etc. To love and be loved is therefore not a new feeling. But the ability to feel the intense side of this love - the romantic love, only comes when we reach adolescence. And this kind of love is way different from the love we have been so used to since our childhood days.

Because of this new intense feeling, our life too experiences a series of change. This romantic love can be good for some, heart-breaking for others. And still, it remains an indispensable feeling. It’s a passionate feelings of attraction. Our cultural, may put taboo on it, however, that cannot cease our heart from loving or be attracted to the opposite sex. Some call it infatuation! Express it in whichever way you like, but you can’t deny it. It’s a natural tendency.

Just as you need food to survive, you need romance to grow. They say, love is after all like a food for the soul. We see this romance in front of our eyes from the very beginning (our parents, of course) and yet when we experience it in our own lives, it seems so different from what we read in novels and are made to see in movies. These new feelings can be exciting - or even confusing at first. It doesn't always have a happy ending.

The key is knowing yourself a little better which will in a way, lead you to an optimistic path and assist your romance to grow in the right direction. Believe, and you are halfway through it!

Romantic love hurts, it is not always easy to tread on a smooth path. Heartbreak can result in exquisite pain, strange distress, and what not. Physical wounds can be resolved but the wounds of heart-breaks are never seen, just felt. It takes forever at times, to get used to them.

We all hate the feeling of a heartbreak, don’t we? And yet we find ourselves compelled to go over and over the memories, ideas or fantasies which make the feeling worse. Then we look for solace in painkillers to ease out the distress. But using painkillers, anti-depressants is never a solution to this pain. It can be embarrassing and lead to an incurable mental state.

All you need to do is be strong. Some people think that to be strong is to never feel pain. In reality, the strongest people are the ones who feel it, understand it and accept it. And that is the key that you should follow. We can do it with a belief in our own capabilities. Start with telling yourself that you deserve the best. Affirmations help in a big way! Open your heart, let it love… don’t be afraid.

Drenched Souls (Moonlit Matinee 2) - Book Review

Drenched Souls - Moonlit Matinee 2

Compiled By Pulkit Gupta

Edited By Harshita Srivastava

Review By Ila Garg

The anthology comprising of 23 remarkably beautiful short stories, Drenched Souls - Moonlit Matinee 2, has been published by Gargi Publishers. The printing quality of books by this publication house has always been its strength. All the stories are well written and deal with the various different shades of love.

Let’s start with the cover. One word - A breath of fresh air! :D Well, yes the cover of the anthology, Drenched Souls - Moonlit Matinee 2, is interesting, and not a mess. The back cover has all the names of the contributors and an apt blurb. The anthology has a beautiful foreword by Tanya Shrivastava. Next, let’s talk about the stories one by one. As I personally feel that without talking about each story individually, the review wouldn’t be complete and it wouldn’t be a justified review of this anthology. I don’t want anyone to feel left out, so here you go:

1. IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO FIND YOU by Bhavya Kaushik: This story has nothing new to offer. I had high expectations from Bhavya but the story left me disappointed. The language is simple, a few clichés used here and there, all in all not too impressive. Quoting from the story, “People say that time travels at different pace for different people. At that moment, when everything around me was moving at its usual speed, my insides were halted for an instance.”
2. ONE MORE KISS IN THE RAIN by Rachna Sheth: This story is engrossing. Kabir and Stella make a perfect pair and take the readers along with them as they get drenched in their rain-romance. The language is equally engaging, and the short poetries in between keep up with the mood. The climax sure is appalling! Quoting from the story, “Rain, isn’t the word enough to take your heart away? Well, I just didn’t lose my heart but everything else that was possessed by me, on that rainy day.”
3. I PROMISE YOU by Abhishek Vipul Thakkar: This story moves around a surreal experience. After it ended, I felt a sense of incompleteness, maybe the author can work more on building up a climax. It was a different kind of plot, though not well put up. I liked how Lord Krishna became the integral part in this story. Quoting from the story, “I promise you that I will love someone else but that someone else would be our daughter.”
4. IN THE NAME OF LOVE by Nikita Nepali: Grandma narrating her love story to her grand-daughter! Indeed, an interesting plot! It is no doubt, a nice read, though the end was slightly predictable. The climax will leave the readers with tears in their eyes and a smile of satisfaction on lips gathered from the firm belief in love. A story written with a deep emotional touch. Quoting from the story, “Just two lines and my heart melted. I started smiling. I knew Jay was not a very good singer but when he sang, I just loved it. The rains were definitely a catalyst to our love. I hugged him tight as he again sang those two lines. I was blushing.”
5. BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN by Elora Rath: I loved the manner in which Elora started the story; the description seemed flawless! The language and vocabulary used is tasteful and impressive. I felt, the plot could have been presented in a better manner though. Quoting from the story, “The story was unfolding beautifully in her mind and making its vivid impressions on the MS Word document as she was furiously typing on her laptop to complete the story somehow that night.”
6. A MAN OF WORDS by Chandrapal Khasiya: This story was engulfed with a sense of mystery. I had goose bumps by the time I reached the end. A well written story. Language is easy to comprehend and pace too is comfortable. Quoting from the story, “And I am a Sharma. We are men of words and we don’t usually give up so easily.”
7. A DOLLOP OF ROMANCE by Barkha Parikh: A simple story of love laced with romance and few unsaid words. All in all the letter and note was the highlight and so was the sweet surprise. Two words for the story - Cute and Romantic! Quoting from the story, “There she was sitting at the coffee-table by the window watching the drizzle outside and sipping her favourite Orange-Hazelnut coffee… just the way ‘HE’ liked it- Strong, Rich and Frothy.”
8. LOST IN THE CLOUDS by Nitin Shill: Simple, easy to understand language. Even the pace is kept sooth for the readers; could have been developed a little more. Quoting from the story, “The imprints of the cake were still there on the wall representing the romantic celebration of their first anniversary which then transformed into an even more romantic cake fight. Those marks too irritated him. He wanted to flee away from everything that reminded him of his less fortunate past.”
9. FORBIDDEN LOVE by Jonali Karmakar: A story that is overpowered by hope and despair. The climax comes as soon as the story begins but the pace and language is comforting. Quoting from the story, “Surprisingly, it wasn’t her beauty that caught his attention. Rather it was the endless sorrow that Barkha so carefully pursed in her unsmiling mouth.”
10. THE MONSOON MAGIC by Durgesh Shastri: An unfulfilled story of love, ending with a ray of hope. It was a good narration. The plot was well developed too. Quoting from the story, “The rain had completely stopped by then, leaving me alone to cherish those memories. As I wiped my entire face using a kerchief, the white piece of cloth gathered stains of crimson color on it. The traces of her lipstick had adorned my lips all the while.”
11. AND THE REASON IS YOU by Arunima Kumar: The editing errors in this story were a major put off - ‘sight’ was spelled as ‘site’ and many more such mistakes. The story majorly lacked in its grip. Quoting from the story, “Every girl dreams of a perfect date with that perfect MAN. I feel the same. Obviously I am yet another girl who is just too romantic at heart. But luckily, I have never been in the dreadful relationship mess.”
12. DOWN THE MEMORY LANE by Harsh Rai Puri: A well-knit story that doesn’t bore the readers. Also, the pace is gripping and plot is engaging without any artifice. Language is flawless too and the story runs in a continuous stream of memories. Quoting from the story, “An accidental brush with his arm sent a tingle up my spine and I tried to capture the pain and pleasure of the moment. I do not recollect fully what happened later but that moment lingers on and I can still feel the gasp of pleasure whenever I think of it.”
13. WHAT IS LOVE… by Aashi Dahiya: A story that delves deep to find the real meaning of ‘love’. Indeed a nice narration, though could have been a little more interesting. Quoting from the story, “Someone once told me that love is an indefinable emotion which brings down every other emotion and stays at the top. The elderly love in front of me had grown over in the past.”
14. REVENGE OF HUMILIATION by Alok Vats: This story is well thought of. The narrative could be a little better but the story line was good and overshadowed the flaws. Language is simple and easy to comprehend. Quoting from the story, “I was running like Milkha Singh ran in the last shot of Bhag Milkha Bhag, and the thought of DDLJ was going inside my mind.”
15. AND SO IT HAPPENED… by Anshulika Bansal: Language used is good and so is the vocabulary. A little more concentrated editing would have been great. The story was well developed. Quoting from the story, “From the corner of my eyes, I can see him mesmerized by my laughter, awestricken by my cute dimple on the left cheek and intoxicated by my voice.”
16. TEARS AND RAIN CHANGE DESTINIES by Anmol Ratan Sachdeva: A nice and impressive storyline, with an equally good language and pace. Nisha and Adarsh blend in the story perfectly. Quoting from the story, “It was in these moments that he wished that the monsoons should pay him back what they had snatched from him years back. He wanted a loving person in his life.”
17. A FISHERMAN’S LOVE TALE by Rakshitha Girish: A simple and sweet love story that begins with a tragedy. Pace is comfortable and there is nothing complex about this story. Quoting from the story, “I began picturising myself as Bella (from twilight) and he was my Edward. He had saved me from being more hurt.”
18. LOVE THAT COMPLETES by Ummul Fazal Fatima Khan: A very quick read and different plot! It is narrated with grace, though the climax comes in a bit too fast. Quoting from the story, “I have been a spectator to the celebrations of the marriage of my three sisters. I had seen them becoming brides in those red wedding dress and leaving home with their husbands, later indulging into their own household affairs.”
19. HALE AND HEARTILY, YOURS FOREVER by Ashwati Menon: A well-developed story and umbrella becomes an integral part of the plot. Language is simple and I loved the way the story unfolds; can be visualised while reading! Quoting from the story, “Out of nowhere, a clap of thunder and a deep rumble set off the first rains. Many of the office-goers remained marooned as the rains drenched the thirsty land of Gujarat.”
20. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Shishir Dhingra: A beautiful story, captivating narrative, and a nice blend of emotions. Pace is comfortable and goes well with the readers. Quoting from the story, “While my conscious mind was dreaming about my best friend’s love at first sight heroic story, my subconscious mind passively ordered me to apply breaks on sensing the red light in front.”
21. THE SKY’S TEARS by Shravya Gunipudi: The narration is done well. The language is easy to comprehend and the story seems interesting from the beginning. Quoting from the story, “He saw her on the side of the street, kneeling over something. Upon looking closer, he realized it was a tiny puppy. She patted the top of its head before bending forward to kiss it in the same place.”
22. THAT RAINY AFTERNOON by Shruti Patole Clarence: This one is interesting, laced with romance. This love story reaches the climax as beautifully as it begins. Quoting from the story, “He had bought ‘her’ favourite box of chocolates and had rushed over to her house to give her this news. It was about the same time of the year, the rains were showering their blessings all over the earth.”
23. PHENOMENAL LOVE by Mangala: A very maturely written love story. Language is profound and pace is comfortable. Readers will enjoy this ride. Definitely a good story to end the anthology with! Quoting from the story, “It became a daily practice for them to meet in the park and talk about their children, grand-children and the phone calls received from them.”

Overall, a nice anthology with all the shining contributors. It begins on a low key but gradually as we reach towards the end, the stories get gripping and impressive! Though on the editing front, a lot of improvement is required because it really kept coming in the way of the reading experience. The typeset was as beautiful as the cover. Pulkit Gupta has compiled the stories very well as he selected stories that brought out different flavours of love perfectly.

Rating: 3/5

Buying Links: Infibeam | Amazon | Flipkart

My idea of perfect bliss!

 So I was sitting by the window and it was wide open, my bright eyes were glancing at the rain-drops, as they fall from the cloudy sky to meet the thirsty earth. My ears seemed to enjoy the pitter-patter. It was a kind of relief to the soul.
It feels utmost bliss to see the wind playing games with the soft twigs of the young green plants. Cold winds blowing through the leaves of the trees. The earth seems happy and wishing that the monsoons stay for a little more time.
The idea of perfect bliss may still vary from person to person. For me Monsoon season is the most delightful one. I just feel all delighted to sit by a window side with a novel in my hand or with my lappy. So, the equation for bliss is very simple for me :

Rain + A novel / Lappy + A cup of coffee = Bliss!


But post-breakup nothing can make you cheerful for a while; not even the equation written above. What then? Ever wondered how easily people say, 'C'mon he/she wasn't worth you. Forget it and move on.' But reality is that if the attachment with someone is way too much then it takes time to imagine your life without them. People meet and depart, but life? Well, 'It goes on!'
The rain which made you glad earlier, can actually make you cry. You may gaze at the outdoors and hear the rain falling but the effect would be completely opposite. It no longer apes happiness but leaves you sad and nostalgic.
Love is like an earthquake-unpredictable, a little scary, but when the hard part is over you realize how lucky you truly are. Something like this happened with me too. I too fell and wasn't caught. But still today sitting at the window side with the smell of wet mud making me feel sensuous, I am happy. I know some of you may be thinking I must not be in deep or true love. That's not right, though. I loved him with all I had. Some relations are just not meant to be. I had to let him go. I was blissful this time, relieved of all the pain. The heart was forgiving 'him' gradually for hurting me and forgetting 'his' mistakes. He had wounded me badly but time heals all.
I just had to change the equation a bit to regain the control on my life. How could I allow him to hurt me forever even when he was gone, never to come back again? The equation now read as follows :


 Phone / Internet + BFF = Bliss!


Now I don't have to wait for Rain to come and make me delighted anymore. I have someone; someone very special, My BFF to make me smile when all I want is to cry. With him around, I don't feel the need for anything else in the world. It's like he is 'Happiness Personified' for me. Life seems hunky-dory when he is with me. I don't have any awkward moments with him. It's comforatble to share everything with him; from the deepest desires to the deepest, darkest secrets. Only the thought of him is enough to bring a smile on my face. There's an advantage of having a boy best friend rather than a boyfriend, afterall. A boy best friend serves the same purpose. The only difference parhaps is he wouldn't ever break your heart and will be willing to go to any extent to ensure your happiness. He encourages you to be better and he never gives fake compliment. He can rudely criticise you and take my word for it that it's helpful in the long run.
Today it seems both the equations have united to take me beyond the cloud 9. So it's raining outside, I am gazing at the sky, the wind from the open window is playing with my hair now, I am typing on my lappy with a cup of coffee placed nearby, my phone's beeping, it's a message from my BFF. Wait, I need to reply.

And me,
Well, I'm alive. :)