Beware The Pity

December 29, 2016 , 5 Comments



Dappled with an injury?
brindled with pain?
or an unwanted grief
freckling you insane?

Do not let,
the discriminations to daunt.
ostracism is filthy
face it with stout.

Beware the pity
ward off unsolicited sympathy
Elaborate your merits
learn to empathise.

Remember,
 no matter how warm
a sheep is,
it will always walk in the crowd.
Beware the herd,
come out of the protective layer.
Walk on your own,
even if you fumble.

Remember,
It takes a lion to rule the jungle

___________________


I have written this poem to inspire people to ward off the limitation their life or disabilities may pose on them. You need to fight the pity, rise above ostracism and prove your disabilities are nothing but a freckle of a limited perspective.

The crowd may not walk with you but you have a chance to stand out. Remember while unity is important, living life on your capabilities builds strength and provide room for synergies. Beware the pity and brave your life with its challenges.

__________________________

This poem is an original piece of work. Kindly refrain from using/ reproduction/ representation without my permission

_____________________________

Creative Collaborations with
Three Words Wednesday: Dappled, Elaborate, Filthy

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Yoghurt

December 27, 2016 , 11 Comments


Tempting burst of colours
frost blues and juicy red
over the thick, creamy
white moist bed.
Fresh exotic cravings
sumptuous and unforgiving
I could not resist a spoon

As placed it in my mouth
filled with heavenly surmount
Indeed a delight
in every bite.

The mouth started to water
and scoop got only larger
even a bowlful was not enough
I hold closely this stuff
there was no looking back
feasted on this lovely snack

Oh yes it is a dessert
a scrumptious, irresistible dessert
it meant to last
and remind of my guilty bytes
I sneeze and cough in fright
much to my midnight yoghurt delight!

____________________________________

Picture and Theme Courtesy: ABC Wednesday [Yoghurt]
Also sharing with Real Toads

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Merry Christmas 2016 #CreativeCollaboration

December 25, 2016 5 Comments



Wishing all of you a very Happy Christmas!

Since it the Xmas time, when there is so much fun, festivity and cheer in the air. Let's add more merry to it with a small poem. A Christmas Poem/ Song this time.


He had heard about Santa. 
He had heard about A Star.

He heard about the reindeers
who travels from pole far.

He believed in those stories
and kept them close to his heart.
With a candy, gingerbread and mistletoe
he wanted a fresh start

He whispered a wish
and blew the skies a kiss.
hanging his socks to fireplace
he checked the cookies and milk.

In his little eyes
he weaved some sparkly dreams.
waiting for his miracle
he sat by windows all night.

Christmas is not a cursory
but symbol of hope.
A festive, bright cheer
to set everything all right.

______________________________

I have fashion my words for the christmas collaborative Challenge thrown by Gillena Cox for Toads.


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Why Do We Need Insurance?

December 22, 2016 , , , 3 Comments


The Insurance of Life

I am sitting near my wide glass French window of a 16 storey building and watching some labourers working on an under construction building. The construction work is going on from months and I could hear a constant construction sound even on weekends. It is not just the gruesome sound or dust that has disturbed my lifestyle [including taking away my freedom to open my windows], but the towering structure that has marred my beautiful landscape view.



As the floors are rising [13 approximate], you can see the labours working with their bare minimum, almost at your line of sight. It was intriguing to see them work. They are working with bare minimum tools, with negligible safety measure and absolutely unhygienic working conditions [without any protective clothing or footwear].

Though the building structure has blocked my skyline view, a new vision has crept in. I saw a person standing at the edge of the roof and nailing a board. He was working on the ledge with no harness, no ropes, and the badminton court sized safety net at the levels below was such a mock on the law of gravity.

God Forbid if miss a step or fall off the roof, wonder what will happen to him, and his family. He must be the only earning member of the family who is living on daily wages for sustenance. The chap looks young and may have this raring to go. I wonder what happens when he grows old and what kind of livelihood he can engage in to support his finances. The working conditions [of course it is a construction work] is so dusted and unconducive to health, wonder if fallen sick, how would he bear his medical expenses given the high surge in the cost of medical treatments in India.



A lot many questions looped in my mind and started growing restless. Our Life expectancy ratio may have increased but the mortal nature of our lives have increased too and in manifolds.

We live such a dynamic life. Every day we hear horrible stories of accidents, murders, landslides, unemployment and more. Newspapers have become a printed mortuary of horrifying tales. The rise in epidemics and newfound diseases does not stop to fatal us even further.

Why go far when I have an example in me? In pre-teens, I met with an accident and was hospitalised for almost 7-8 months in a place away from our home. My father, a government employee has to temporarily leave his job to be with me at the hospital. We belonged to a middle-class family, with my father being the only earning member and we had no insurance. I also remember how he had to leave me with my mother at the hospital to get back to his job as he could not afford any further leaves.

The medical expenses were sky high and we were cash-strapped for years.

I wish we had something to protect us or cover our indemnity. Something like an insurance.

If it had happened to me or that bank manager who too lost his limb in a death defying accident and committed suicide to escape his financial crunch, it could happen to anyone in the world.

Think about it. Think and tell me if you still do not need any insurance?

It is sunset now. The labourers have left the site for the home, and their family. Like a lot of us, who might be working in bigger, better offices but not immune to life and its adversities.

I do not know about you, but am getting curious about the Insurance sector. This 23rd of December, I’m going to attend an exclusive #IFSOFLife meet up by BajajAllianz to learn about an upcoming Online Term Insurance Plan. Term Insurance Plan, aims to shield your family from uncertainties in life and has the benefit of all traditional insurance plan.



To know more, Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat [ektakhetan] and this blog. 
You can also follow @BajajAllianzLIC for further updates.

Let’s explore it together!

-->
________

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Top 5 Financial Tips for the Newly Wedded

December 21, 2016 , , 1 Comments

"I, ____, take you, ____, to be my lawfully wedded (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part".
Practically every couple takes the same vows on their wedding. The oaths taken during marriage are not just restricted to the wedding altar but plays a great role in their day to day life. While we leave the emotional compatibility to your discretion, we must hark upon a very important aspect of married life, that if taken well-care of, will add to the emotional and social success of your wedding. Yes, I am talking about the financial planning and management.

Source: Lifehacker
Here are few financial tips for the newly wed couples-
1) Know Each Other's Finances including Debts: Ideally, you would have discussed this before marriage. However, it is time to discuss it in details and in length. You may ask why? simply just to know levels of your financial commitments, savings, retirement plan, real-estate, cash flow and plan your expenses accordingly. Taking a look at the numbers helps you in managing your finances. You also need to ascertain and understand your debts level so you can work towards clearing it up. 
2) Design a Budget: You may have different lifestyle before the wedding. Good news is that now you have a combined pool of finances to manage your expenses, investment and debt. To make sure making all the ends meet, you need to design a monthly budget of your household under broad categories like - essentials, entertainment, engagement and luxury. Designing a budget is am important step towards building your financial goals.
3) Designate a Bill_Payer: You need to divide your responsibilities including bill payment pattern. You may have different utility bills like electricity, maintenance, house-help etc with different payment schedules. You need to designate depending upon the frequency and timeline to ensure a timely, hassle free and smooth payment. This comes handy when both the members are working.
4) Tune into the investment mode with SIP: Now since you have discussed your finances, knows your money and expenses, you need to allocate some funds to investment as well. A healthy economy is one where the spend is < investment. One easiest way to invest is via SIP [Systematic Investment Plan], one of the Sabse Important Plan for your marital harmony. 

You can check Birla Sunlife SIP for some top SIP plans including mutual funds,  and other SIPs.
5) Share the Load: Last but most importantly, you have entered the oath of the wedding to not act as a parasite feeding on each other but to build a symbiotic relation. The gender gap is fast diminishing with the time. With the women also working at offices, they need to share the household expenses with the husband. 

Source: The Fiscal Times
So, these were my top 5 financial tips for the newly wed. Do follow them and remember, a penny well-saved is a penny well-earned. 

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New Age Mad hatter Tea Party

December 15, 2016 16 Comments

Take a day off
off from your sane self
to do things funny
that people may call nonsense

Rush to the nearest platform
Take that first train 
with the destination unread unknown.

Enjoy the green meadows
and all that comes en route
do not settle in your free seat
snarfdiffanous up your boot

rhambangle all co-passengers
and call for a tea party
call for all the food available
from that quaint little pantry

Add a little butter
and raise your teacup to toast
throw in some funny props
and be a whacky little host.

Break the monotony of journey
and sing la-la long
play music with tin and spoon
Chuk-Chuk, ding dong!




_________________


Created for "stuff and nonsense" a jovial prompt was given by Toads

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It's a Shoe Time!

December 10, 2016 3 Comments



She snuff the deal
for no specific reason
but felt it a treason
to dance without her shoes

The stage was set
and audience were seated
waiting to watch her
with rapt attention.

she looked at them
they have been her dancing friend
stepped with her
from season to season

Now they are old
matched her outfit no more
she can't just let go of them
For the tempting ballroom session

_____________________

TWW: Specific, Snuff & Tempting
WRT: The picture/ shoe as prompt



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Howl, O' Owl

December 08, 2016 , 3 Comments

Image: Imaginary Garden with Toads


Perched on the ashy bough
still, blend in the woody shroud
the bird of prey awaits

of the moon
or the howling bawl
or just wassailing in the slumber silhouette.

Oh owl, please howl
Before they bury you in their stereotypes
holler your presence.

open your talons,
show your beak
wake up and speak
Or they will judge
In their borrowed confines
bury you in the grapevine

Do not shut your eyes

The storm may not pass
Wake from your indifference
it is dawn
do not camouflage your existence,
It is time to be heard
time to stand out
___________________________
I hope you liked my poem. I would love to hear your takes on the same. Do let me know, what it tells you or what you infer.


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Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh - Film Review

December 05, 2016 , 3 Comments

What: Film Review
Name of the Film: Kahaani 2
Starring: Vidya Balan, Naisha Khanna, Jugal Hansraj, Arjun Rampal and Kharaj Mukherjee
Directed by: Sujoy Ghosh
Music: Clinton Cerejo

Trailer rating: 4/5
Film Rating: 3.5/5
Performances: 4/5


Review and Rating: Read more to know more

There are very few films that I go to watch at theatres on Sunday evenings. Kahaani 2 is one among them. Not that I have anything against watching films on weekend evenings. It is an austerity that demands to not waste hard earned money on illogically expensive weekend screenings at multiplexes. 

Call it an effect of this fantastic combo of Sujoy Ghosh + Vidya Balan in Kahaani frame, that tempted me enough to cancel my shopping plans and rather book tickets for the evening show or the joy of watching Jugal Hansraj back on screen after long. We booked ourselves tickets for the latest available shows and sank inside the comfortable seats at Cinepolis Mumbai to watch the story unfold.

Unlike Kahaani 1, we went to this franchise with great expectations. I am not sure whether it lived up to expectations or not, Kahaani too was indeed an engaging and must watch thriller and, am glad that we chose it over Dear Zindagi [Yet to watch] and Moana [Soon to watch]

Kahaani 2

Story: It is a story of a single mother who is living with her half paralysed daughter in a bid to get her treated and back on the limbs. Vidya is a doting mother who is saving every penny to get her daughter treated at the New York Children's Hospital in spite of any hope shown by her erstwhile doctors. Vidya' world comes to a standstill when she finds her daughter Mini being kidnapped by unknown people, who summons her to meet her daughter one last time. She rushes to the said address but meets with an unfortunate road accident and goes into a temporary coma, landing in a hospital that refuses to take her treatment expenditure more than 2 days. 

The hospital registers the case at the local police station in a bid to find her caretakers, only to get her case lapped by a newly transferred Policemen who had an old skeleton at Vidya's closet and takes utmost interest to find the truth behind Vidya's Wanted story.

As the movie unfold, you learn about Durga Rani Singh, her trials and tribulations with little Mini Dewan and her hideous family in Kalimpong. Would Vidya be able to get up from her coma and save her daughter? Will Inderjeet find the real Durga Rani Singh and get her to justice for the crime she committed? These are the questions that you will get answered in the 2nd half of the film.



Review & Numerounity's take
The movie is a suspense thriller and does a good job with its genre especially in the first half.
The first half of the film is taut, gripping and on the edge thriller making you ache to know more. It is an out an out Vidya Balan's film, done mostly in her narratives and flashback.

Everything that starts well need not ends well too. This phrase is lived by the second half of the film that loses all the strong pitch that it created in the first half and becomes highly predictable. The story loses the fizz and pulps into losing transition of Bollywood heroic tales and over an exaggerated narrative. 

Arjun Rampal looks good on screen and had an equally meatier role in the film to play. He plays his part well without trying to escape his usual star swag that made his character looked more like Arjun Rampal than Inder. Guess that is very typical of Bollywood wherein you would rarely see leading actors looking less like the characters they are playing. It is the same curse that was apparent in this role while the leading lady did every bit to look her character. Casting Arjun Rampal as Inderjeet was a bad idea as he could not resist being Arjun Rampal at times and made the plot esp the superhuman climax even more predictable. The story could have been better with any other actor, read unassuming actor.

I believe a lesser known actor should have cast for the role and he would have done a better justice to the suspense. He gives away half of the plot, effortlessly.



The child actor Naisha Khanna as Mini, looks adorable and does her part extremely well. She is another hero of the film. The third hero of the film is the actor Kharaj Mukherjee who plays the role of Inspector Haldar. He stands out in his small role with his mellifluous delivery and natural onscreen presence.

Other actors like Jugal Hansraj, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Amba Sanyal were good too. Jugal as Mohit Dewan, surprisingly does not let his chocolatey look hamper the darker side of his character and does a neat job.

Barring the first half, the story does become exaggerated at times and that kills the fizz. The climax was super pretentious and predictable. There were some loopholes in the film like Vidya' decision to stay in a quaint little town of Chandan Nagar rather than staying at the farther location and a city where there would be lesser chances to get discovered or the Bob Biswas like assassin walking in and out of hospital without any evidence or scrutiny by the management that was desperately looking for her relatives. The murder plot and the kidnapping motive looked fragile and cinematic. Few changes could have resurrected the story but our guys chose to go the formula way and it shows.

Music by Clinton is good.

Strengths
1) Good Performances by Vidya Balan, Naishi Khanna and Kharaj Mukherji
2) Music
3) Cinematography

Weakness
1) Arjun Rampal
2) Predictable Story



Verdict: Kahaani 2 is nothing like Kahaani. The characters are insipid, the plot is chalky, the screenplay is dull and the thrill is conspicuous by its absence. Except for the story, everything else looks like the leftover from the original Kahaani. It is like encashing a hit formula that worked for Sujoy Ghosh in his earlier film. 

The film had a good plot, good cast/performances, location and songs. However, a loose narrative and a very predictable ending spoil it all towards the end. Vidya Balan, is spontaneous, looks credible and does a good job but in spite of her excellent performance, the poor screenplay at 2nd half loosens the grip and that "thrilling edge" towards the end is somewhat diluted and diminished.

Overall, it still makes for a good watch. Go watch it for good performances by Vidya Balan [ I am loving the fact that she is carving a niche for herself and leading the male dominated industry by doing a better job] Naishi Khanna and an adorable Kharaj Mukherjee. Music and the nostalgic feeling about Kolkata / West Bengal is an added bonus.

My Rating: 3.5/5

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