Happy New Year 2021

 Since, a decade has ended,

Let us treat ourselves and everyone else better.

As people who expect us to be treated with kindness,
to be given love,
Lets start with ourselves first.

Fill ourselves with love
Give love to receive love.
Show your loved ones that you are there for them and YOU CARE.
Give them a warm hug and let them know that you value them.

Let’s not use someone’s insecurity as a reason to have a good laugh
or feel more content and superior about ourselves.
Lets not enjoy turning someone’s sensitivity into humour.

Lets not make people believe that what they are ashamed of is their weakness.
But what can strengthen their confidenced.

Instead let us spread the idea of self-acceptance the way hate or unnecessary rumours are spread about others more.

Amidst all this, remember to give some love to yourself too!
Don’t put yourself behind for someone.
You don’t deserve it.

Let this year be the beginning of your journey of reaching a destination called ‘you’.
May this year be the one that genuinely makes you fall in love with yourself.

May 2021 be that brings absolute joy, sound health and fulfillment of great dreams and strength to overcome any upcoming challenges for you all!

The Call (2020) Review

 GENRE-  Horror, Mystery, Thriller

 

Streaming On- Netflix

 

Language- Korean dubbed English

 

CAST-   Park Shin-hye as Kim Seo-yeon, Jeon Jong-seo as Oh Young-sook, Kim Sung-ryung as Eun-ae, Seo-yeon's mother., Lee El as Ja-ok, Young-sook's mother, Oh Jung-se as Seong-ho, Lee Dong-hwi as Baek Mi-hyun and Park Ho-san as Mr. Kim (Seo-yeon's father)

 

Directed by-  Lee Chung-hyun

Release Date- 27^th November, 2020.

Plot- Two people live in different times. Seo-Yeon lives in the present and Young Sook lives in the past. One phone call connects the two, and their lives are changed irrevocably.

 

Review- The story wears its female-centric quality effortlessly. Even the secondary cast is fuelled by girl power. Director Lee Chung-hyun, who makes his feature film debut with this film, builds a world that’s both familiar and foreign to us which makes the end product both intriguing and chilling. While we are used to time-travel tropes like how a single minor change in the timeline causes a ripple effect, The Call demonstrates this in a visually stunning manner, while also giving us a peek into Korea’s tradition of how it deals with exorcism. 

I enjoyed Park Shin-hye’s performance as an innocent girl, which is in complete contrast to her role in the recently released #Alive in which she plays a zombie apocalypse survivor. Jeon Jong-seo as Young-sook is the real star of this film and her descent into madness is brilliant performed and hardly betrays the fact that this is only her second film. The opportunities the script gives the lead characters to play both victim and instigator adds a lot of flair to the film.

 

PROs-

Extraordinary Acting by all the casts in the quartet.
Screenplay top notch.
Background score and soundtracks mesmerizing.
Direction Beautiful.

FINAL RATING-  8/10

.

VERDICT- Despite loopholes, such as a failure to explain how the phone call between the two ladies is possible in the first place, the film manages to have you at the edge of your seat for the majority of its 112-minute runtime. With eerie visuals, dark undertones, a stunning story and exceptional performances to tie them all up, The Call is a feast for fans of the thriller genre. 

His name is 2020

 “What are you gazing at?”, I asked Twenty.

 

“Nothing. Just gazing at the sunset.”, he replied with a distant look in his eyes. “It is beautiful, isn’t it? It’s probably the last one. Guess they are going to hate me a bit less now.”

Yes. The sunset was beautiful and so was he.

 

His name is Twenty. I don’t quite remember exactly how we met, but one day suddenly he was there. Casually, just like, when you are choosing the best pastry for yourself at the bakery and a stranger tiptoes beside you, complementing your taste; or when you are taking pictures with your friends in the hall after readjusting and redoing your hair and a stranger passes by smiling at you. So, he was there; in my room, on my shelf, on my windowpane, every nook and corner of my house. He was quite grey and sad, just like a kid who had been told that there will be no Santa this year.

 

He never complained. He never talked about how much he suffered. There were nights when he would lay awake with a pillow in his chest when thousands of humans found peace (or at least they say so), six feet under the soil in a single day. He would twist and turn on the bed because some actually created lives to destroy other lives. Occasionally he would smile, seeing me play ludo, hearing me sing, watching me write journal. Again, I never corrected him that we were killing time. We were injuring him.

 

My computer could never be on diet. It was getting full. The lipstiicks that matched my dresses were replaced by masks that people thought were cool for Whatsapp status. I was becoming a good cook (at least that’s what I thought). I finished listening to each and every song Taylor has ever song. I educated myself on KPop and watched the webseries and movies. And finally one day I noticed Twenty slipping away from me. From my life.

 

I caught him looking up the 2020 memes and monthly economical statistics. His lips were pursed. His eyes were red as he was about to cry. I wanted to embrace him and tell him I chose not to hate him just because some hu(monsters)mans went crazy. And he skipped dinner when he saw a family moving out because they had a small business and they couldn’t be brave enough.

 

I wanted to write him a song or a poem, hoping that would make him feel better as that was all I could do, just scribble and become a silent complainer. But things wouldn’t be the same as before any time soon and we both knew that. He will have to say goodbye stepping into the graves and remnants that there will be people who wouldn’t want to see him again.

 

But I also wanted him to know that I didn’t hate him and there are people like me out there who believe that he taught us to value relativity of choices, preferances and priorities. There are people who believe that he helped some to find themselves.And there are people who believe that along with the damages caused, the moment of finding oneself will also exist and he will be remembered and cherished. 

It started with friendship

It all started with friendship,

and ended with relationship.

I would love him like that adorer of the moon

but those dark clouds of life covered my vision. 

He was like a moon who appeared large to me,

which made me scared like that little child,

and disappeared without my awareness. 

How can I blame him for not glowing? 

How can I blame darkness of life to block my way? 

How can blame these mishappenings 

which are happening one after the other? 

How can I blame you my love

for not being staying connected to me? 

How can I blame my soul to fall in love with you? 

These days moon appear

as you disappear from my eyesight,

your thoughts appear which I always write and try to wipe that pain which can be never washed away without you. 

Our talk

I remember the first day we talked,

Just not strangers like we laughed.

Introduced each other without hesitation,

Like there is some catched attention.

Both don't noticed the time in watch,

We just share our innocent talks.

Slowly we get used of each other,

No matter whatever we are farther.

Our first Video call, I always remember,

It's like a moment in my eyes glitter.

Our constant, foolish long talks,

That I used to attend along daily walks.

Then, the day when the love you confessed,

Believe me, I want to say really 'yes'.

But I don't want to break my heart again,

As I was already dead with lot of pain.

But you made me to love you more than me,

And I fall for you and unable anything to see.

Now, when I wished to see this world differently,

You just want to left my hand apparently.

This time I am gonna die for sure,

Because I will able to love any other more.

My heart is crying without any argument,

Never realized it's for just few moments. 

Lost

 I am lost in a million stories scattered in the sky, trying to form a constellation. A broken star, somewhere, calls out my name and amber sparks fill the night sky as every eye wishes upon it. I breathe in the dreams. I exhale stardust.

The moon chimes in with a melody, and I put on an orchestra concert for the broken souls. As the music turns sombre, they string in a melody and I curtain the sky before I start raining heartbreaks too.

The dark whispers secret of how he is often hollow, and I trace his velvet skin, staining it with galaxies. Neon lights and scarlet hues run wild, and curious eyes travel far and high to fill Dark’s void. He smiles now, quite often.

I am always shattered, scattered and dead. I am a million stories trying to breathe through everyone again. I am a free verse poetry you could bend into rhymes, but I’ll still be broken. I am a starry night beyond Van Gogh’s art. I am what dream, sorrow and hope is made of. 

it's ok to be quiet

It's ok to be quiet,

It's normal to have a dull day,

Not every day can be fun,

Not each moment is a bliss,

Memories do haunt,

Past does have an impact,

All that is a necessity,

Is that you stay strong,

Storms may come and go,

They will break you,

But you hold on,

For you are not finished,

Unless you refuse to rebuild..

Paava Kadhaigal (2020)

 GENRE-  Social, Drama, Short Films

 

Streaming On- Netflix

 

Language- Tamil

 

CAST-   Shantanu Bhagyaraj, Kalidas Jayaram, Bhavani Shre (THANGAM), Kalki Koechlin, Anjali, Padam Kumar ( Love Panna Uttranum), Gautam Menon, Simran, Aadithya Bhaskar ( Vaanmangal), Sai Pallavi, Prakash Raj, Hari Krishnan (Oor Iravu)

 

Directed by- Sudha Kongara (Thangam), Vignesh Shivan (Love Panna Uttranum), Gautam Menon (Vaanmangal), Vetrimaan (Oor Iravu)

 

No. Of Episodes- 4

Plot- The series is a 2020 Indian Tamil anthology web series directed by Sudha Kongra, Vignesh Shivan, Gautam Menon and Vetrimaan. The series explores how pride, honour and sin influence complex relation of love.

Review- In the latest Netflix anthology film centred around a theme, a trans woman sacrifices her love for her sister, twin sisters tackle their hypocritical father, parents deal with the rape of their teenaged daughter, and a pregnant woman sees her father in a new light. Each of the mini-films, lasting roughly 34 minutes, has been directed by and stars some of Tamil cinema’s most noteworthy talent.

Indeed, the first of the four films, Sudha Kongara's Thangam (My Precious), is set in the last millennium. It forays into a village in Covai district of four decades ago, where a transgender man dreams of starting a new life, away from the indignities continually heaped upon him. The only person he shares his innermost feelings with is a childhood friend he hopes to marry after the gender reassignment surgery that he is saving up for. The village treats her as a freak and the macho populace as fair game. Sathaar is in love with Saravanan (Shanthnu Bhagyaraj), but valiantly steps aside when she learns that Saravanan loves her sister Sahira (Bhavani Sre). Mixing stark realism with high-note melodrama, the screenplay, by Kongara, Shan Karuppusamy and Ganeshaa, sensitively brings out Sathaar’s tragedy. Kalidas Jayaram’s moving performance reveals his character’s dilemma: treated as an outcast by most and embraced only by a few, Sathaar must erase her own desires in order to treated as an equal. 

In Vignesh Shivan’s Love Panna Uttranum (Let Them Love), a seemingly progressive politician finds a challenge to his public persona right in his home. His twin daughters Aathilakshmi and the city-dwelling Jothilakshmi (both played by Anjali) have dared to choose their own partners. The patriarch’s followers are led by a diminutive man who strongly believes that oranges and apples can never mix. Jothilakshmi finds out the hard way when she visits her father along with her Tamil-speaking friend Penelope (Kalki Koechlin). The risible notes of comedy and the escapist ending fall flat, given the horrors that are being explored.

The most moving film for me was Gautham Vasudev Menon’s Vaanmagal, partly because it is a different kind of ‘sin’ in the context of Paava Kadhaigal, partly because of how it treats every individual in the story. 

In the din of a night, Ponnuthaayi, a 12-year-old with a dream to fly into the outer space, is raped. The film captures how her family navigates the trauma. Bharath, the brother cries for revenge. Vaidehi, the elder sister, is kept in the dark. Sathya, the father, played by Gautham Menon, avoids eye contact, and refuses to talk to her — “go sleep,” he says, almost dismissing her from the room. He feels guilty on behalf of mankind, and helpless as a father. 

Madhi, the mother, embodies anger, shame, regret, and even momentary cruelty. There is a scene where Madhi abruptly forces Ponnuthaayi into the bathroom, pours cold water on her head, and tries to violently scrub away the scars on the child’s body. She wishes it would go away. When it does not, she sits down hopelessly, with her head in her hand, as Ponnuthaayi watches confused.

And finally, the fourth and the most hideous sin that is shown. In Vetri Maaran’s Oor Iravu (That Night), Prakash Raj and Sai Pallavi are magnificent as a father-daughter pair whose relationship has been frayed by her decision to marry a lower-caste man. Janakiraman lands up at the heavily pregnant Sumathi’s doorstep to make amends and invite her home for a baby shower. The fate of Sumathi’s journey has already been revealed in the previous film in the series, but there are enough harrowing scenes lying in wait even for alert viewers.

Vetri Maaran judiciously stretches out the agony, refusing to let his characters – and viewers – off the hook. A visual and aural experience, filled with meaningful looks, sinister gestures and strangled cries, Oor Iravu, despite unconvincing closing moments, is hard to watch and even more hard to forget.

PROs-

Extraordinary Acting by all the casts in the quartet.
Screenplay top notch.
Background score and soundtracks mesmerizing.
Direction Beautiful.

FINAL RATING-  9.5/10

.

VERDICT- Overall, this quartet will keep you glued to your phone and without realizing you might get tears in your eyes, specially while watching Thangam, Vaanmagal and Oor Iravu. A definite watch. 

Finding myself

Finding my self incompetent to fulfill my vows 

Being my spirits so low

The spirit which never learned to bow before anyone..

Is finding itself powerless and subdued by life's trade

It's  losing all its faith.. 

Faith in that there can still be a hope to cope and mope away all the tears and fills the eyes with joy but it's all of no use.. 

Destiny once again played its devilish game ..

It once again shivered the soul 

It once again broke a daring heart..

Once again shattered the Endeavouring spirit.. 

Once again scattered someone's life time dream ..snatching it all away from a lifeless hopeless body...

Distorting the perception a person has for life. .and setting a horrifying image about life..instigating one to hate it..to despise it..but he being helpless have no choice but to rejoice with the world and cry silent sobs in nights..

Suppressing the painful shrieks, laughing a laughter full of sorrow..smiling a smile full of pain and drenching in the rain..

Letting tears flow and roll off the chin...the destiny continues to play it's  dirty games ..mocking heartlessly at the half dead leaving it further more dettered but he was not ready to give up. And there he challenged destiny and made up his mind to not to get drowned in the floods but to sway with the waves..swim along the flow and also at the same time try to change the direction ,the flow of river towards the channel which leads to his home..

Being so endearing he endure it all and at last reached his destination and the destiny was left speechless .this time it wasn't  mocking but was feeling proud at getting failed by his own puppet..

Though the puppet won failing the puppeteer but still made the puppeteer the destiny..the almighty proud ❤

Colour of life

I have seen life changing color from moment to moment,

Have seen their dangers change over time,

Who once craved bread and clothes,

Today I have shown them to do my business,

Whose stones were broken by lifting a finger,

Today I have seen them lying lifeless in the house,

People who used to stare at his eyes,

I have seen water dripping from their eyes,

Whose stones were broken by lifting a finger,

Today I have seen them lying lifeless in the house,

Whose voice was loud on one voice,

Today I myself have seen them trembling,

Who once lived in their own pride,

I have also seen their pride crushed in a pinch,

Who ever lived with themselves,

Today I have seen them go away from us,

So never give up on your today,

Because I have seen the good scattered.

Will you come?

 Will you come to rescue me?

When you see me drowning….
Drowning in the ocean of thoughts,
Drowning in the Sarcasm of this world.
Drowning in all my tears,
Also when I am drowning in my fears!!

Will you come to help me?

When you see me struggling…
Struggling to cross the ocean of emotions,
Struggling to fight from every unhappy and pathetic situations.
Struggling to find love everywhere.
Also when I struggle to breathe in this polluted air!!!

Will you come to console me?

When you see me hyper….
Hyper on the broken mirror glass,
Hyper on the canister made of brass,
Hyper on the unwanted arrivals.
Also, when I get hyper on seeing some terrible calls!!

Conversation

After having a conversation with him,

He finally said her;everyone is gonna leave you one day but remember their is a moon in a sky who can hear your talks,sorrows everything without stopping  you.

And this finally gave her a hope that a moon can also be a bestfriend for our talks when there is no one with you.

Our Farmers: Our feeders

Our king might rule over the land and sea,

The Almighty enjoy the fundamental rights and royality, 

Our brave soldiers walk with right and their pride, 

The navigate sailor roams all over the Ocean wide, 

Whatever happens afterall, the farmer feeds them all ,

He never denies them always feeds them.

The writer and poet will think to pen on you ,

"Farmer the feeder ",

The craftsman will create wondrous with art ,

The doctor will heal all , 

And the law and order will bring justice ,

The miner will work hard in mines to bring the divine , 

And the farmer will them with the strength of all , without any fine .

The merchant will import and export well ,

The teacher will educate all with dedication , 

Men will toil all the day by the pleasant ways ,

Initating from the King and finally with begger ,

Whatever it is , the farmer feeds them all ,

Without thinking them just as doll , he feeds them all.

Farmer , the feeder's work , worth the greatest of all , 

His meadow owes to sky and high and to the mother Earth ,

He minstrels with the ultimate source of energy , the sun and rain ,

So that no one can lose the gain and grain , 

They will rise and they will fall , 

But nothing to worry at all ,

Whatever it be , the farmer will feed them all.

The Almighty will bless that feeder's soul ,

The man who sows the seed for all , 

He is the one who finds us with fruits , milk and meat ,

May his whole cattle go high and rise ,

May his purse be heavy will all penny 

And his heart be light as feather ,

So that nothing can take him in turmoil.

May the Almighty always bless his hands and let the seeds fall to rise ,

For the farmer , who is the feeder , 

For he feeds them all.

An Idea

Do not judge yourself with one thought

Do not give up when someone tells you,

So what happened that way is different from yours,

No matter how much you try, you don't stop.

Different life, different path is yours,

Then why do you get stuck in the race for equality?

Listen to others, give them a clean,

Why do you fall in the mire of expectations?

Now break the chain of that one idea,

And move forward towards your dreams,

Forget who will say what, will think,

Fearless progress now you climb the ladder.

LOVE

Love is limited to an age,

Love lives in our hearts for all ages and all lives,

In love, humans vow to die,

They play these oaths until the person dies in love,

Love is a journey from youth to old age,

In which life is together till the last moment,

With the end

That is what real love is,

Everyone else in the world

The market is important,

Being in love makes everyone feel like a paradise,

Apart from love, everything else is a tool to live.

समाज को क्यों दोष देते है हम??

समाज को क्यों दोष देते हैं हम?

क्या हम कहीं बाहर के हैं?

दिखाओं मुझे एक ऐसी माँ,

जिसने नालायक औलाद को सज़ा दी हो?

सिर्फ नर, नारी नहीं,

यहाँ शोषण होता है हर लिंग का;

बताओ कौन सी कोख है जिसने जिम्मेदारी ली हो?

बात है जबर्दस्ती की,

ये अमानुषी हरक़तों की।

बात है बलात्कार की,

जाति कोई भी पीड़ित हो।

क्यों पाठ मानवता का नहीं पढ़ाते यौवन में?

क्यों खाद पे ज़ोर नहीं देता माली?

बात नहीं सिर्फ यौन शोषण की,

माजरा जब सुरक्षा का, आत्मरक्षा का हो?

आओ ज़िम्मेदारी ले होकर एक,

क्योंकि दर्द ये सांझा है।

क्यों न हो वो कुलदीपक,

अपने ही हाथों मिटा दे उसकी हस्ती को 

जो सस्ती करें  किसीको।

What are positive Thoughts?

 What are POSITIVE THOUGHTS?

Positive Thoughts are life enhancing. They empower you and make you feel stronger and more confident.

Positive thinking is not just a motivational idea, it has measurable, constructive effects on your personality, your health, your levels of energy and your creativity.

Precisely, THE MORE POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC YOU ARE, THE HAPPIER YOU WILL BE IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE. 

Murder on the Orient Express (2017) Review

 GENRE- Mystery, Drama

 

Streaming On- Disney+ Hotstar

 

Language- English

 

CAST- Herculie Poirot, Penelop Cruz, William Dofoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Pfeiffer and Daisy Ridley.

 

Directed by- Kenneth Branagh

 

Release Date- 2nd November, 2017.

Plot- Based on Agatha Christie’s celebrated crime mystery novel, the film revolves around the murder of a dubious businessman aboard the luxurious first class compartment of the Orient express. With almost every co-passenger being a suspect, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot’s (Kenneth Branagh) sharp deduction skills are put to test once again.

Review-  Loaded with mysterious intentions, cheeky humour, clever repartee and an ensemble cast that comprises some of cinema’s biggest names, Murder on the Orient Express makes for an intriguing watch. Strangers being stranded on a stalled train makes for a great premise, given the thrill of finding a killer lurking around.

However, this dangerous train ride has its own delays if not derailment. Kenneth Branagh who plays the most crucial character of Poirot and directs the film as well, looks like he is trying to bite off more than he can chew.

While he manages to infuse the necessary underlying tension, awkwardness and silence between his characters, he and his dramatic moustache and accent struggle to make this retelling of 1930s whodunit, appeal to the contemporary audience. To set an entire movie in just one frame (train compartment) and yet make it look engaging is another challenge. Branagh wins some, loses some.

We particularly liked how he captures his characters as they steal a glance at each other. You wish the story played around their unspoken emotions a little more before diving straight into the investigation. Character buildup seems hurried and thus ineffective.

Speaking of Poirot and his obsession for ‘balance’, only if Branagh had maintained that as a director as well. Barring Michelle Pfeiffer and Branagh himself, most talented actors like Judi Dench and Penelope Cruz get lost in the crowd.

 

PROs-

l Intriguing mystery and Brilliant Performances

l Multiple Twist and turns.   

 

FINAL RATING-  8/10

.

VERDICT- Overall, despite the glitches and avalanches, thanks to a stellar cast and gripping source material, this mysterious train journey is worth taking. Does it have a twist in the end? You have to watch the movie to know that.

कुछ दिल की बाते

जब भी मैं उससे मिलने जाती हूं

शब्दों में नहीं महज़ आंखे से बतियाती हूं;

मेरे हर सवाल का वो बड़ी आसानी से जवाब देता है

अपनी उन आंखों के इशारे से हर मुश्किल हल कर देता है;

ज्यादा पढ़ी लिखी हुई नहीं है वो मगर ना जाने

कैसे अपनी आंखों से मेरे चेहरे को पढ़ लिया करता है;

ज़ुबान से तो कुछ नहीं कह पाती है वो

मगर आंखों से बिना बोले ही सब कह देता है;

सोलह श्रृंगार की कोई ज़रूरत नहीं है उसे

दिल चुरा लेती है जब भी वो आंखो में काजल लगता है;

ख़ुशी हो या फिर दिल में किसी बात की टीस हो

छुपाना चाहती तो है मगर उसकी आंखे सब बयां कर जाता है;

आवाज़ नहीं दी है भगवान ने उसे फिर भी

अपनी उन बड़ी बड़ी आंखों से वो सारी बात करता है;

कितना चाहता हूं उसे मैं ये उसे बता नहीं सकता

मगर फिर भी वो कभी भी शिकायत नहीं करता है;

एक दूजे के साथ ना होकर भी हम पास रहते हैं

मिलने की तो चाहत बहुत है मगर मिल नहीं पाते है;

मगर फिर भी जब भी मैं उससे मिलने जाती हूं

शब्दों में नहीं महज़ आंखे से बतियाती हूं;

बारिश की बूंदे

बारिश की बूंदें जब से जमीं पर गिरने लगी है, 

मिट्टी की खुशबू चारों ओर मेहकने लगी है, 

हवाओं में सरगम सी धुन बजनें लगी है, 

जिसे देख अब मेरी सांसें थमने लगी है, 

जमीं पर गिरते ही ये नदियों और तालाबों को भरने लगी है, 

जिसे सूखे बंजर जगह पर भी खेती होने लगी है, 

बारिश की बूंदों की गुस्ताखी तो देखो शरारती अदाओं से मेरे यार को भिगोने लगी है, 

लिपकर उनकी बाहों वो मोती हो बनने लगी है,

 

चूमकर उनके लबों को वो अमृत होने लगी है,

कुछ जो बूंदें बचीं थी वो उनके बदन को छू चांदी सी चमकने लगी है॥ 

PRATHAMASTMI: THE FESTIVALS OF FIRST BORNS

 This is one of the most popular festivals of Odisha, peculiar to the region. This is the eighth day in the month of Margasira in which the eldest child of the family is honoured. He or she is given new clothes and is made to sit on a wooden pedestal (Pidha). In fornt of him/her an earthen pitcher, full of water is placed on handfuls of paddy. Above it a branch of mango leaves and a cocoanut is placed. Then, the mother or any other elderly lady wishes him /her long-life and good health by praying Sasthi Debi, the Goddess that protects children. The social significanc of this festival is that the first-borns are brighter and it is ultimately they who take up the burden of the family after the death of the parents. According to psychologists the first-borns are mostly healthy, obedient and tradition-bound. Therefore, the family tradition is maintained through them. For such obvious reasons the eldest child is honoured to occupy the respectable place in the family after the death of the parents.

A special variety of cake is prepared on this occasion which is known as 'Enduri'. The cake is offered to the Goddess of Sasthi and then taken by all.

In the temple of Lingaraj at Bhubaneswar, the festival is observed with great devotion. On this day the repesentative deity of Lingaraj is taken out in a palanquin to a tank called "Papanasini" which is situated just behind the temple.

 

As per tradition, new clothes along with sweets and other delicacies arrive from the maternal uncle’s house for the firstborn or the ‘Pratham’. Kids also visit their uncle’s place to feast on various Odia delicacies on this day. Maternal uncles, aunts, and grandparents also pray for the good health of the firstborn.

 

The remarkable offering of Prathamastami is Haladipatra Pitha, also known as Enduri Pitha. The sweetmeat made with rice batter is wrapped in fresh and seasonal turmeric leaves and filled with grated coconut and jaggery. Savouring this delicacy with Dalma, another Odia dish, is a treat for the taste buds.

CHRISTMAS ACCORDING TO A CONVENT STUDENT

If you were or are a convent student, You’d get excited about christmas. the entire school would get decorated with lights during christmas, and it looked so pretty in the evening. the events, christmas carols, chocolates, and long holidays. december always brought joy to your mind when you were a kid.

accidentally doing the cross gesture at home or at the temple because that’s what you are used to. and whenever someone mentions prayer, your mind just goes back to one thing, “our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

you always wondered where do your christian friends go during your ‘moral science’ classes. catechism classes were always a mystery for you. you’d ask them about the things that they learn there.

if you actually think about it, your impeccable grammar is because of your english teachers. after 12 years of being in a convent school, you’ve become allergic to grammatical errors. the grammar nazi that’s inside you was born there, undoubtedly.

the right length of the skirt, trimmed nails, no henna on your hands, polished shoes, braided hair. you hated the dress code while you were there. and now when you see someone wearing your school’s uniform, you miss those days.

the biggest question for you on the event days of school like republic day or children’s day was - “do i have to bring the bag or not?”

your school building was so old that you actually believed in the ghost stories that were told about your school. exploring the building where the sisters used to live was like an adventure for you during recess.

you still remember those hymns that were recited during the morning assembly. and whenever the tune comes to your mind, a wave of nostalgia takes over you and your mind goes back to the time when you were in school.

after seeing all the freedom that kids of other schools would get, you hated your school as a kid. but it has changed now. you sort of miss your school now, on some days.

She Groomed

 A timid child was she

Never asked anyone what to be.
Was afraid of loud sounds,
In quietness, peace she found.

Bloomed into a lively flower
Found in the world so fresh and new
Explored some of the life’s hues
Found in them nothing but happiness few.

Then she moved to a new home
Counterpart and faced a new family called her own.
New rules difficult to adjust
But conditions of in laws to follow is a must

Biological changes were at the bend
Needed to follow the worldly trend
She found in her some person new
A bundle of joy was anxiously due.

Immense pain and bloodshed
Witnessing the little angel her pain fled,
It was now tranformation the greatest
From a girl to a woman the best.

Here started the changes of her life
It was for her own family did she thrive,
Started playing the important role of livelihood
She proudly embraced motherhood.

Whenever she saw her offspring’s face,
Felt She’d accomplished her mission’s race,
The highest rank of humanity
Does a mother play in reality.

Honest Realisation

 To be honest, as life moves forward,

you will suddenly begin to realize who you really are and what do you truly want.

you will realise that the people we’ve known for so long and the people who mean so much to us, don’t see the things the way we do.

The truth is, we cannot force them to do that either.

It does not mean that you are a bad person or that they are bad people, it just means that your part in their life is over.

You all have made the necessary impact in each other’s lives- and now it’s time to hold the memories and move foreward.