My secret was about to be busted on Orkut today

the secret that was long buried in my chest was just about to be busted today. in fact, until someone talks to me about it, i cannot be very sure that the storm is over.

without me spilling the beans over here (about the secret of course), lemme give you a few details of what happened.

kuldeep, my friend called me in the evening yesterday.

“are you set to lose the little good reputation you have?”, he said

“what?” i was surprised at his behaviour

Surfing the net

for the first time in many months i actually shut the TV while browsing thru the net at home. because i felt there was quite a lot that the internet has to offer

also for the first time over the years i was using the internet to learn something.

these day i am learning html thru an online tutorial. it was just that i remembered that a long time back one of my seo frnds was telling about this language being too easy to learn.

Bachelor of Arts: R.K. Narayan

It was during my third year in graduation from Delhi University that I got a chance to read Bachelor of Arts by R.K.Narayan. Was it because I was on the same stage of life as the protagonist that i liked reading the book – my first english book by an Indian author. And from that time onwards, it has become one of my favourites.

Bachelor of Arts is a story about a young guy named Chandran, who has just passed college and is preparing to go to London for higher studies. During this period, he comes across a girl named Malti. It is love at first sight. From day one, the hero develops a liking for this girl, but cannot get the guts to propose to her directly.

But he sure has guts to talk marriage to his parents. Being the eldest son, even his father (who is a staunch Hindu and believes that the girl’s side must take initiative) accedes to his wishes. But god has different plans. The marriage never happens. The stars don’t match the girl and the boy and Malti (the girl who Chandran dotes secretly) is married to another person.

The story doesn’t end here. The hero flees from home to become a sanyasi and gives up the worldly life. Grows beard, eats less, and lives like a sanyasi. But his mind is not calm, the number one prerequisite to become a sanyasi.

One day he thinks the futility of all these. Why has he left his parents, who catered to every desire of his for twenty years; only for a girl whom he had met just a month ago? As soon as the thinking dawns upon him, the desire to return home becomes strong in his mind.

And he returns. Although the return is painful, he slowly gets accustomed to life. He falls in love once again, proving false all those Bollywood generated myths that a person loves only once. This time with a girl who his parents have suggested for marriage.

I loved this book and until I gave this book to a friend would read it often. What about you all? Have you had a chance to go thru this book? If not, I will strongly recommend Bachelor of Arts by R.K. Narayan.

The Bihar of the Future

Also read this article at Indimag

(The idea to pen a futuristic story about Bihar came when my parents called me up to know if I would be home for Holi. Watching the Delhites here enjoy the festivals with their near and dear ones makes me jealous. Why didn’t we stay back in Bihar? Because bihar would have given very few to no opportunities for growth. So the Bihar of the future would be one where the people are able to get all opportunities for growth, education, and a good life in their own state. The achievements may be quite a feat for Bihar today, still we can always dream and focus in the direction. The article may not be factually correct.)

Laxman Sharan was taking his evening stroll in the newly built Gulabi Bagh in nearby Patna when a group of kids catch up with him and start pressing him to talk of the time when a few bandits attacked Gaya town. Laxman Sharan, in his 70s and baba to the kids here, has narrated the story so many times; yet the excitement of the kids here shows no exhaustion.

On the eve of International Women’s Day

Here’s a motivating story i came across on The Hoot on how two poor girls in Bihar have come up with an all women’s news network service. This is Appan Samachar brought to you by Anita Kumari and Khusboo Kumari from a remote village near Mujaffarpur.

“The channel operates from a one-room office in Ramlila Gachhi village with a bare minimum of resources. Armed with a handy cam, tripod and gun mike, the news team, comprising a reporter, cameraperson and anchor, walks across considerable distances in the interiors to cover stories. When they have to traverse greater distances, the gutsy newswomen borrow cycles from their neighbours.”