Free for download only on 4th and 5th March 2020

Sunday 29 March 2020

Day 4 of 21 days lockdown


The power cuts are frequent and that is what makes Ramayan even boring. Deepika, the actress who had played Sita had expressed apprehensions about the pace of the TV series. She was afraid if the today's generation would love a series with such a slow pace and told that even her daughters had not watched it. Everything was over the top, a song broke every few minutes and the story moved at a snail's pace. Do I have to tell that I didn't watch any further episodes?

Mahabharat on the contrary was bang on. The characters in this epic are more in number and are colourful with their unique human traits that are not always ideal. No wonders it was a fast paced drama, with an interesting story. I am hooked to it. Ved Vyas undoubtedly is one of the greatest writers the world has ever produced. Even if he merely documented the history, that is no mean feat.

I could forge a relation with Ganga when she says, 'You will not ask me any questions.' I wanted to tell the same to my daughter, who kept on asking me umpteen questions. 'Why was Ganga drowning her own children?' How could I explain that too her. Are our epics violent? Remember reading somewhere that in the Jain version of Ramayana it is not Ram, but Laxman who kills or probably lays Ravan unconscious.

Enough of Ramayan and Mahabharat for both have taken toll on my routine again. I didn't write a word, thanks to the series.

Spoke to a friend from Pune. He is afraid of an epidemic, for the citizens, the people in his neighbourhood are all on the streets. Speaking of my home district, people are saying the family which brought the disease didn't quarantine themselves for fourteen days, though they were directed to do so. God save my country.

Day 3 of 21 days Lockdown


I raise at 3.30 in the morning, a time when most of my friends go to sleep these days. Every pore of my body is feeling optimistic. All will be fine, my heart says.

I surf the internet, read the news and then again go to sleep by six. I wake up by seven fifteen and Ramayan is trending on twitter. By noon, there is news that even Mahabharat will have a rerun on public demand. The memes making fun of netflix and amazon prime are hilarious.

Jal neti is not making much change. Yet, I continue with it. The temperature is soaring, no work, rather less work is making me lazy. No, I am not getting lazy, my routine is broken and so is my work cycle.

I read newspapers on the net. Corona, corona and only corona nothing more. The same goes for television. In operation MBBS the three friends have a fight. Could relate to it. We all have spats with our friends. Remembered my friend Rubina saying 'We all are friends, we fight and come together again.' Will wait for the friends to be reunited again.'

'God knows if we will survive.' A friend says over the phone. Every one is scared, yet not all are following the rules. People are out every where. The life of migrant labourers is so difficult. It is high time that we device some social security measures for them. My heart was bleeding on seeing men, women, young and the old walking on foot for hundreds of kilometres. I wondered what were they carrying in the sacks which they were balancing on their heads. A pair of clothes, some utensils, a stove – the things that make house a home. But the harsh reality still remains - how will the house run, in the absence of money that comes in the form of daily wages. May be the barren patch of land in the village and a dilapidated house, offers some security and perhaps a few morsels of rice too.

We are living in an era of uncertainity. This is once in a hundred years calamity for sure. We don't know how it will end. But still there is hope. Things will be fine.

Tomorrow is going to be a new day. My three years daughter is super excited about the Ramayan. 'When is it coming up?' She keeps on asking me again and again. 'Even I haven't seen the Ramayan.' My mother says, 'We had a TV set when Mahabharat had come up, but not during Ramayan time.' I remember catching a few episodes of Ramayan on black and white TV set of my father's uncle in the company of my grand mother and great-grand mother. But my mother was conspiciously absent. Perhaps the rule book for a daughter-in-law didn't allow her to be a part of the audience or may be her self-esteem prevented her from going to another's house to watch a TV programme. I believe it was the latter part that was true.

Friday 27 March 2020

21 Days Lockdown day 2


'If you are called upon to report on duty, you too are at risk.' A doctor friend had told me over the phone. I was to attend my office only if any urgent work cropped up, and it cropped on the second day of the lockdown. The meagre people who were present at the office had all covered their faces with kerchiefs that conveyed the gravity of the situation. It was so strange to see the otherwise crowded workplace empty except for five people with their faces covered. Although no one voiced it, the tension in the air was palpable.

The negative sentiment snowballed for some time and all the worst possible outcomes crowded the mind. But life never stops.

Again the day was spent reading gita, exercising, talking to friends and watching webseries, reading books and writing. I loved short stories written by @DebeshiGooptu available for free on @juggernautbooks, though all her characters seem to have illicit sexual union on their first meeting itself and then move on with their lives as if nothing had happened. Yet, I loved her style of narration immensely.
The good thing about the day, the government rolled out schemes for the poor and the sensex rose by a hundred points. All was not bad afterall.

Thursday 26 March 2020

21 Days Lock down day 1

Today is the day of many firsts. It is Gudi Padwa, beginning of the Marathi new year. One of the most auspicious days of the year. Also, today is the first day of the 21 days lockdown period to defeat covid 19 or corona virus as it is popularly called.

I decided to document my life for these 21 days for I may not come across any such situation in my future life. The posterity may not encounter such lockdown. This period has to be documented. Though we are optimistic we don't know what will happen after 21 days. That gives birth to a feeling of lingering uncertainty. The TV channels will document the incidents. But this series will document my life, my emotions. I wish this 21 days diary ends with a happy ending.

To begin with when the Prime Minister announced a 21 day lockdown, I resolved that I will not waste these 21 days. Yes, I will binge watch, sleep more than necessary, but I would also do something meaningful.

My day started with Jal neti. Kaivalyadham has suggested to start day with Jal neti. I am allergic. My guru had told me to do Jalneti only once a week. Being allergic, I always had mucus in my nose and bile in my throat. Let us see if this 21 day practice helps. Did pranayama as suggested by Kaivalyadham to build immunity against the virus. The pranayama includes three rounds of sixty kapal bhatis each, 10 suryabhedan pranayam (inhale and five sheetali. I am climbing stairs twice a day for half an hour in the morning and in the evening. Preparing to go to Girnar once things are normal. I am grateful that there is ample to eat at home. I can concentrate on other things. It pains me when I see people on the streets some out of compulsion and some thinking it of some picnic.

I have started reading the Bhagwat Geeta. Have many commentaries of the said holy book in my library. Yet, I found it extremely boring and couldn't ever complete the reading. Strangely, with this lockdown I am finding it easy to digest. I am reading two chapters each day. Its message is sinking inside me. Moreover, it is undeniably part of our culture, part of our heritage and even history.

I am writing first draft of my serialized story for A2ZChallenge. I have been writing regularly for the past six days. I can make out, both the quantity and quality of my writing has improved. The practice of years is finally yielding some results.

I have to thank the internet service provides and web streaming platforms particularly mxplayer, youtube and hotstar. Watched Badhaai Ho on hotstar. I am still in awe of Surekha Sikri's performance. The webseries that I am currently viewing on an episode a day basis are Operation MBBS and Cubicles. Loving both of them.

I am calling up my friends, most of them now have all the time in the world to chat. The disease has brought us closer. I can make out who my true friends and who will stay my friends up to the end of my life.

I am spending more time with my child and participating in household chores. I have become more appreciative of the value addition that my wife does to my house. She does lots of hard work and has loads of patience.

My mother is perpetually parked in front of the television catching the latest updates. She is particular about the age of the casualties. 'All were above sixty,' she says and then consoles herself by saying, 'They had complications like BP and sugar too.' I suggest her to step away from the television. I guess that will help. I have a friend who doesn't watch or hear news. She came to know about the lockdown this evening when I told her about it. Unbelievable, yet true.

The number of patients in my home district Sangli are increasing and the doctors who are treating them are my school friends. I would be dishonest if I say that I am not worried about them. But still the tendency of subconscious is lifeward. A hope silently sits in my heart and a prayer on my lips. Day one over. With lots of hope and a little anxiety. Let us see what the future holds for us.

Sunday 22 March 2020

The Morning Mist A2Z theme reveal

The Morning Mist is a thriller with ample twists and turns that will keep you glued to your seats until the end. Beginning from 1st of April 2020, except Sundays, I will be posting one chapter a day of this thrilling story. To know more keep visiting my blog, and please note that it is a serialized story, so don't miss even a single post.

Saturday 14 March 2020

Time Guard : Awakening - Book Review


If you love suspense thrillers like me, then Time Guard : Awakening is the book that you shouldn't miss.

The protagonist Swati receives a set of envelopes. Each envelop is marked with date and time when it is to be opened. The envelopes open a new world for Swati.

The book is a unique combination of science fiction and fantasy. I loved the way the author brings on board everything – India mythology, science and socio-political scenario. What I liked is the way the author has adroitly weaved all this together to give us a blockbuster.

The success of any thriller depends on its pace and the Time Guard succeeds on this count as well. It is extremely well written and is fast paced. I am sure once you start reading it, you will be so intrigued that you wont put the book down until you have completed it. The characters are well sketched and real to life.

This is the first book in the series. I am so impressed from the first installment that I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come. Just buy this book, you will enjoy it.