Petals!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As this is a cause I feel strongly committed to, I decided it’s time to pitch in and write about it. From the moment I wake up, there is so little time to reflect on anything. But after talking to many women - those who are working in offices and those who are at home, one thing is clear: women get no rest or "Me" time. It is your life, your body and your happiness. Make time for your health no matter what.                                                  [Image Credit: Unsplash] Breast Cancer: Early Detection, Exercise and Detecting Breast Density    Here are seven facts you need to know about your breasts – and what you can do to protect them  [Source: Prevention Magazine, October 2014] Doctors say that early detection of breast cancer can improve the chances of survival by a whopping 99...

The unexpected is always more fun. Lots of travel in 2014 - this is not something I had expected because of the water tight, hectic schedule that is a part of my life. Like a bolt from the blue, travel simply happened...just like that. And the best part of my trip to Sydney is that I am getting lots of time to spend and enjoy with my nephew Vihaan, whom I have just seen fleetingly across the last few years. This isn't a guilt trip. It's an unexpected gift from God, bringing me lots of happiness and love. Thank you, God and dear Angels. And I am loving every minute, as if it's a delicious feast to savor.

Daawat-e-Ishq is not about a love story that revolves around food. It is about Love and Dhokha. It is about a young girl's 'daring to dream' story. Are you ready for this? Daawat-e-Ishq: Love, Dowry and Dhokha The opening scene in Daawat-e-Ishq takes you straight into a ‘bride seeing’ ceremony in Hyderabad. The boy’s mother looks her nose down at everything offered. It’s the typical “no girl is ever good enough for my son” scene that is shown.  The prospective bride is Gulrez Khadir (starring Parineeti), who is a sales girl in a shoe shop. She has many dreams: of going to the US to study fashion design, of designing her own shoes and opening a shoe shop….yes, she is street smart, ambitious, full of amazing energy and she has a “weak spot for men who speak English well.” So, when the boy and girl get a chance to talk alone, all hell breaks loose! Gulrez Khadir is incensed that the prospective groom asked her if she watched “beelue” films instead of pronounci...

Here you go with my favorite posts for this month’s reading list: 23 amazing women writers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka talk about what it means to a be a writer  . Is there a connection between writers and pubs?  YES, says Billy Wilder.  Head out to ScotlandsPubsandBars.co.uk , a great resource detailing dozens of pubs with connections to music, industry, literature, sport, architecture and more. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?  If you aren’t tipsy yet, you have to read: Vidya Sury’s thoughts on the book “The World Has Changed: Conversations with Alice Walker” .  Alice Walker’s book 'The Color Purple'  had given me sleepless nights because of the heart wrenching narrative.  Another heart-wrenching post is from Vishnu   about   the “We own you” mindset of Indian parents wherein “your success is their success, your failure is theirs, your income is theirs….” For those of us who are in the denial...

I had begun reading an unusual book called ' blue: The Tranquebar Book of Erotic Stories from Sri Lanka ' edited by Ameena Hussein. It is recommended as a break-through in Sri Lankan writing. Here's a book review of it by Sharanya Manivannan . This is definitely not a genre I read. But my rationale for picking this up was:  Why not just see another person's perspective about an aspect of life that you know nothing about?  The problem is: As a reader, I felt a complete disconnect as I began reading this book. I could not understand what made so many young writers put in so much effort to write this kind of fiction. This book, no matter what the reviews say, is not a milestone in Sri Lankan writing. I couldn't tolerate it at all. Coming back to the genre of erotic books, the last book I read was ' Autobiography of a Sex Worker ' by a Malayali woman - this was at least three years ago.  After reading the book, I found myself able to empathize with se...

The year 2014, when it first began to unfold, promised me nothing and gave me no reason to hope. Fortunately, 2014 isn't anything like I expected it to be.  In 2013, I felt a hundred years old, really. I expected to feel worse at the beginning of the new year. But funny thing is, I didn't.  At a professional level, this has been my best year. At a personal level, I have begun to protect my fence of happiness and growth. I am not letting in people who make me feel negative about myself. The need to be surrounded by those who care and love me has outweighed everything else this year and yes, it has paid off in a big way.  I feel as though I can take on the world and conquer it with just a smile.  I would also like to believe that my best years have just begun as amazing, beautiful things are happening in my life. My new home is slowly getting ready and should be ready early next year. You know, it's a really small space in terms of square feet but the v...

♥♥ This is the first Guest Post on Petals!.  I thank Anupama Prakash with all my heart for writing this book review for Petals!   ♥♥ So, honestly I picked this book for the lame reason that it has been made into a mini-series and  was featured on Masterpiece Theatre, a program close to my heart. Masterpiece Theatre, didn’t  let me down and Sebastian Faulks’ s page turner outdid expectations. Starting off pre World War 1 in France, we are quickly entwined in the life of Stephen   Wraysford, the protagonist as he settles down as a guest in the Azaire household. Stephen, an  orphan, is sent by his benefactor to learn the textile business from Monsieur Azaire.  Stephen’s character unravels beautifully through the book, subtle personality nuances mingled  with straight forward biographical detail, bringing this strong in convictions yet vulnerable in  emotions, young man(he is barely 20 when the book begins) to life in our i...