22nd May by BShubhamB

I was curious what this book contains when I first read the title of the book. All other books that I read, I had an idea about what the content might be. But, this was different. The title itself attracted me with an eagerness to know what book speaks.

22nd May by BshubhamB - It started with a peaceful note from Adra’s diary. It seemed all well and happy. Government employee Pal, his wife Arshiya with her sweets shop business and two daughters Shrini and Adra – Ghosh family, a native from Kolkata. They had shifted to Rampurnath. For this nuclear family everything was perfect with all small imperfections.

The elder one, Shrini in her adolescent is any normal girl who goes through a phase, usually called school life. She was 13 and it had begun. Attraction, infatuation, admiration is what she and her friends were going through. She was a girl who at times missed her notes in classes and got dozed off. At one such class she was trying to copy notes from blackboard and she heard a voice from behind. It was Frezi. He is the son of Mr. Ranjan who owns almost the whole city. One day in one such class she dozed off and after the class had finished Frezi’s few friends asked everyone to leave the classroom and they stayed back. Shrini woke up to the sound of music. It was Frezi and his friends singing. He had asked her for a date and she said yes. It was a casual date with casual clothes and shoes. She had visited Frezi’s home, a castle.

This date that year – 22nd May 2013, all and everything changed for Shrini and Adra and for the family. One “no” from Shrini and all was spoiled. Frezi not in a state to understand her tried to force her. Adra and their dog Husky came for her help, he had already beaten Shrini and hit husky, raped Adra in front of Shrini and she could do nothing. It had all started.

Later, Arshiya came to know about the incidence and when she took help from police Rana, she was murdered. You know, a big personality has control over almost everything. Days passed by and things seemed to be getting normal, Adra had committed suicide. All was scattered for Pal and Shrini. Shrini was changed. She behaved with two personalities – of herself and Adra.

Harassments, rape, murders, kidnapping, political pressure, elections all had begun. Shrini and Pal had decided to fight back. They were helped by their relatives and a few close friends. They all fought smartly. They had to. There were threats, wars, cold wars, firing. But they all fought back to the extent to kill Mr. Ranjan and clean the city. Give new face to the city.

The most beautiful part of this book that I found is poems in between lines. The way story is presented, I could visualize each line written. The aspect that must be given utmost attention is social issue that has been taken up. I liked the way last Chapter gives factual data and provisions related to this issue, which we often or say always neglect. Another thing that catches attention is “Contents” page.

Emotional breakdown can either build a person to fight back or to end everything. The story here showcases the both. What I admired is the way they all stood in front of a huge power and fought back for safeguarding their lives as well as others.

As in the book “The books tell me stories of the past, and a few of the future.” I say be it any situation however bad or terrifying, for once get up with all the strength in you and fight it.

Rape is one of the most terrible crimes on earth and it happens every few minutes. Many cases go unreported.

Stay awake. Spread Awareness. Take action!!!

"The World Between four Walls" by "Aniket Bhandarkar"

“The World Between Four Walls” by “Aniket Bhandarkar” tell us about the life we live. It gives us a gist of last one year, challenges this year and a thought process of a society. Right from “the world we live today” to “accomplishing the dream of following your passion” – is what it speaks all about.

Every decision taken in year 2020 - be it Janata curfew, lockdown, politics criticism, rising patients, frontline volunteers, Wuhan blame game, awareness, quarantine, homecoming missions, entrepreneurs, online classes, kids, students, taking risk, following your dreams. One can find each and every aspect about the society and world well presented here.

The Author along with the situation prevailing in the country and over the globe has also mentioned his own life paths he chose to walk upon. The challenges he faced as Banker who had to go out of office to work along with his team in such pandemic. The kind of treatment he and his family had to face when he himself was tested positive. Even after taking necessary precautions beforehand, the society had already made their opinions.

Small chapters on different fields and domain and losses being faced by almost everyone – gives one a new perspective of looking at domains other than what he/she does. Probably one could get inspired to know more about them. Apart from mentioning these domains, a talk of the author with friends in these domains and how they overcame their fears and losses is more of inspiring stories.

Inside the four walls when he (the author) was placed in after testing positive was the time he had gone through all possible combinations of thoughts. This was the time when he might have thought about following his dreams. Once out of those walls he went for taking a big decision of his life by quitting his stable income job and putting his heart into writing. This lockdown with all the pressures of work, fear of life, concern for family, friends and relative and importantly of finding happiness – has brought out an author in him –with his first book.

This quitting of job and doing something new with no experience attracted eyes full of questions and declaring it as stupid act. The society has own mindset and perspective about each and every thing that is happening around.  We often tend to think about what others would say before doing anything. It is important that we find happiness in doing what we are doing. 

With all the chaos going everywhere, losses being faced, fear in minds and heart – choosing what makes you happy, being satisfied with what you are doing, taking risks, following your dreams and passion, trying hard and again to achieve your dreams is what this book presents.

This one line that really made me think is – “Why do we consider a simple kindness deed as revolutionary act? Kindness should be on the daily to-do list of all”.

With “positive being the most negative word in 2020” – stay positive in your hearts and mind. If something’s in your mind, get the best out of it.

Good Read!!! 

Chanakya Neeti

Chanakya Neeti”- Translation and Comments by: “Vishwamitra Sharma” is the collection of thoughts of Chanakya.

A medieval India scholar was accused as a ruthless political manipulator and humiliated for his ugly looks.Whatever actions he took were to safeguard his motherland from narrow minded quarrelling chieftains and kings. The infuriation of humiliation gave a new turn to history of medieval India, which raised a common child into “The Great Emperor Chandra Gupta”. Chanakya was too ahead of the times he existed in. Not only a scholar, but he was an economist, strategist, teacher and an able administrator. As Kautilya he wrote “Arthashastra”.

This book of Sanskrit couplets and quatrains guides a person to achieve goals of life and reach new heights of success. It gives a person the thought of carrying himself/herself with all safety yet a joyous life in the society. At many instances, he (Chanakya) has warned a person to safeguard himself/herself from the evils of the society. 

From bringing changes in day-to-day life to achieving the ultimate goal, against all odds of society is what summarises this book. How a person must treat himself/herself, what ways to earn money and how to invest it, which truths a person learns in bad times, how to choose friends, whom to stay away from, what not to utter in front of people, how to keep secrets about your plans announcing which can be harmful, how parents must treat their children and vice-versa, how important is education and learning, ways to bring self-discipline and self-development, how one must tackle an enemy, why is it important to stay healthy, what wonders can meditation do to the body, what is a true religion, how to assess oneself and analyse the situations around, how to treat a guest, instead of being afraid fight back during times of troubles, what wonders can will power make, what consequences we face are the results of our own acts, one must know when and what to speak, what information must be told to others and what not, what qualities an individual must possess, what all qualities a student must have, instead of worrying about past and fearing future: focus on present – these are the thoughts that one must learn and imbibe in their character. 

The book also speaks about the women. Though written in medieval times when situation and position of woman was different, I don’t completely agree with thoughts presented for them. Women in those times were seen as mere things. They were denied certain rights and freedom to live their life on their own terms. Contradictory to those times, today women have excelled in almost every stream and have become stronger to even support their families. There are a few thoughts that explain that women must be devoid of certain rights and freedom and how they must be treated. I disagree with those.

While reading the book I realized that many of these thoughts I knew earlier. But in daily life we somewhere tend to miss them out and later realize that we could have acted in a particular way. We often tend to ignore these thoughts but somewhere our life experiences teach us the same.

I suggest this easy to read and understand book specifically for teenagers who are new to life experiences. This book can help you avoid making mistakes, which we often learn after making any such. The book can help you grow personally, intellectually and spiritually as well. It can help grow thought process and decision making powers. Ultimately once our thinking process develops, so do we.

Happy Reading!!!!