Editorial: Branwyn is the Goddess of love, beauty, mischief and mystery. It also relates to genuine literature. The name has been tossed by Lavkesh Kumar Singh. Dear readers, With immense pleasure, I present before you the Sep-Oct issue of Branwyn. Publisher and Director Vineeta Gupta With many changes and interesting innovations based on your valuable suggestions, I am sure that this current issue of Branwyn will also receive your love and support. The article written by our regular columnists are articulate in their own way. Interview with Ritu Lalit is surely a treat. Cover story of Colonel Mahip Singh Chadha and special feature on Commander Rajbir Gill has made this issue a true treasure. Traversing the new genres of arts, we have featured Himani Goyal and Ashween Dara. Founder and Editor-in-Chief Sneha Gupta Managing Editor Parul Parihar Tech Support Rahul Kumar Singh The Readers Arrest question adds an interesting blend. And on readers’ demand, we are back with the “Amateur Scribbles” Agent Quixote is there with his spicy gossip. And in the last, there is me with a poem. Legal and Financial Advisor Abhishek Singhania I hope and expect you would enjoy this issue very much. Feedback and suggestions are most welcome. Contacts: Email :
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] - Sneha Gupta Website : www.branwyn.in Three Questions : Ritu Lalit Ritu Lalit is one of those writers who hardly need any introduction. Being a working woman, penning down several books is not that easy task. But the radiant energy which Ritu Lalit shows in such an age is an inspiration for all the girls out there. In spite of her busy schedule, Ritu Lalit accepted to have a few words with Branwyn readers. Branwyn : Do you think that writing is more convenient than the other form of arts like painting, sculpting etc.? Ritu : Anyone who thinks writing is more convenient obviously has not written 80,000 words to make a novel. It takes at least six to eight months to construct a novel, and after that comes editing, which is downright painful Art is art, and it needs hard work, determination and research. Branwyn : Why fantasy fiction? Is it an escape from the hard realities of life? Ritu : Real life is scary. It has horrible monsters like bills, jobs, daily cooking, deciding what to wear. We all try to escape them because they suck the joy out of life. Most of us die, trapped in horrible prisons made out of these things. Fantasy is so pleasant, it is an escape. Branwyn : Some people say that the fantasy tales make us mere dreamers and impractical. Whereas some say that they symbolically enhance our courage and valour to face the hardship of real life. What is your stand? Please elaborate in connection with your latest book “Chakra”. Ritu : Fantasy is an escape. Many times it represents real life in a different form. Chakra has women haters, misogynists, kidnappings and virgin sacrifices. It also has corrupt politicians, bad cops and all such problems. It has a young boy who has to work for a living. It has death, it has betrayal, and it has a less than ideal marriage in the end. But when written in fantasy, it becomes larger than life, and much more palatable. I do not write ideal heroic figures, my characters are flawed. The woman can be rash impulsive (Sami), selfish and possessive (Neelam) , the man can be idealistic and impractical (Hemant) or a womanizer (Jorawar). I do not find idealistic romantic characters interesting. Thanks for being with us Ms. Ritu Lalit. Branwyn Family wishes you all the very best in all your future endeavours. The soldier saga : Colonel Mahip Chadha What happens when the hands which hold guns, pick pen and paper? An untold saga of flowing emotions… An unknown arena of undying hope… An unseen vision of courage… An unknown story of a SOLDIER is in making….! Let’s meet Colonel Mahip Singh Chadha. One of the shining gems of pride of Indian Army, Mr. Chadha served the nation during 34 years of his life in defense. His life in defense has been an adventurous tale. Finally Colonel Chadha decided to pen down the story of defense… But before we jump to his writing journey, let ’s know some more of him… Colonel Mahip Chadha is a retired army officer residing in New Delhi, India. A graduate of the Indian Military Academy, Col. Chadha served in the Indian Army for nearly 34 years. During this time, he served in the Third Gorkha Rifles —his inspiration for the novels. Colonel Mahip Chadha was commissioned on 25 Dec1966 into The Second Battalion, The Third Gorkha Rifles; one of the I ndian Army’s finest battalions, which returned to India, after the country attained Independence, winning many laurels. It is known as Second Third or affectionately as the VC Paltan because it won the first two Victoria Crosses in WW I. It is ironic that Pakistan chose one of its Commanding officers, Sir Douglas Gracey, hero of the Admin Box in the Burma Campaign, to be its first Commander in Chief! The Colonel has two younger brothers—Dr Jaideep Chadha, is a practicing physician from Chandigarh and is an MD and Heart Specialist who loves to write and play golf! Navjot, the youngest of the three, who retired from Asian Paints-- is shepherding his family; as the children are blossoming into their own. Colonel Chadha was married to Kiran, who passed away tragically in April, 2010. They have two daughters-Ganiv, the elder, is married to Inderjit and has one son Jaskirat; while Jyotan lives in Australia with her husband Daljit and has two sons- Jaskaran and Jaskabir. Mahip Chadha lives with his mother in law Mrs. Gurdip Sethi who actually encouraged him to write! Colonel Chadha with his wife Mrs. Kiran Colonel Chadha has published GRIT GUTS AND GALLANTRY –The Officers and Gentlemen Of the Indian Army, through Rupa Publications in India. This is a motivational book and serves to act as a much needed career counseling requirement, for students of classes 9 to 12, so that they can consider the Armed Forces of India as a viable career. It also assists children in the National Cadet Corps to understand the Army better. Other Ranks seeking a commission will also benefit from it! The glory and grace itself defines heights in this book of Colonel Chadha. Not only the veterans can enjoy this treat but also the common people get a chance to peep into the life of the Indian Military. Another book penned by Colonel Chadha is “SOLJER SOLJER” SOLJER SOLJER –A Few Thoughts! It’s the unique customs and traditions, the drama of adventure and the deeply embedded sense of brotherhood that defines infantry life for retired army officer Chadha—details he wants to share beyond the battlefield. Colonel Mahip Chadha who served in the Indian Army has presented a never before heard account of the travails and hardships experienced cheerfully by the soldiers of his Gorkha battalion --which is just like any battalion except for certain peculiarities in handling the troops and adherence to customs and traditions linked to the ethnicity of the troops . Humor and a rigid adherence to the prevailing rules and regulations, is a unique phenomenon followed to the letter in the Indian Army; which follows the perfect example of secularism and unity in diversity. It is this principle which endears officers of any outfit to link themselves with the traditions of their troops throughout their lives --during their service and in retirement. Colonel Mahip Chadha transports the reader to a world where the Commanding Officer is a veritable God, who holds the lives of 800 men in his hands - whom he loves like his own children, punishes them when they err like a parent and mourns with them when they suffer! Many troops of the West would find it difficult to adapt to our condition of service! There are no air conditioned barracks or offices in the desert or the jungles and mountainous terrain. Neither are there any heating arrangements for the troops in high altitude --just a kerosene burner to be used in a barrel like apparatus called a bukhari! Choppers are still rare and used only for senior commanders or emergent details! There are regions where the highest rainfall has been recorded--leeches, scorpions snakes and others like the dim dam flies which penetrate mosquito nets are our companions! Heat dust, cold, rain, riverine terrain and the moist jungles of the Eastern regions are our hazards--but the soldiers of the INDIAN ARMY adapt and become adept in consonance with the challenges of nature! SOLJER SOLJER combines compelling fiction with the actualities of life in the Indian Armed Forces, centering on the tale of a father and son serving together in the Sixth Battalion The Third Gorkha Rifles and the events that threaten to separate them forever. Offering an exclusive look at the innerworkings of the Gorkha Brigade- an infantry group of the Indian Armed Forces- SOLJER SOLJER dives into the traditions, customs and truths of Army life. Colonel Chadha transports the reader into a world where officers are veritable gods, living conditions are extreme and brotherhood conquers all. Colonel Chadha spent nearly 34 years in the Indian Army, much of time with the Second and Third Battalions of the Third Gorkha Rifles. Weaving in memorable characters and events from his past, the author highlights both the joys and hardships of military life. ―A common Indian citizen has little or no idea of the Indian Armed Forces,‖ says Chadha.―It’s important that I give readers an inside look at what it’s truly like to be a soldier in the Indian infantry, and the brotherhood and sacrifice involved. Energy, liveliness, sense of humour, fitness and health, care and concern, love and respect – All bound in one is Colonel Mahip Chadha… Having an interaction with Colonel Chadha is itself a pleasant experience. Not even for a single moment it is felt that you are having interaction with such a high rank official. The only moment you feel inconvenience in his voice is only when he talks about his better half Late Mrs. Kiran…! But again, not even for a mili-second, you feel that she is not around. Her presence is felt, every time Colonel Chadha talks about her. Secretly, he has a tacit phase of emotions which everybody cannot guess… Once a soldier had said – हम सैनिको की खबरें अखबारों क े ग्यारहवें पन्िे पर छपती हैं. कोई पढता िह ीं. कोई सोचता िह ीं. कोई जािता िह ीं..... और हम?? हमें भी कोई परवाह िह ीं.... Books by Colonel Mahip Chadha convey the unspoken words and give an opportunity to the readers to traverse on the less trodden path… “Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman ... never gave offence to anyone, not even the enemy.” – Alan John Percivale Taylor [British Historian] Branwyn Creative Workshop @ IIT Patna For years, we have been criticizing the policies of the education system. Books were written on it. Movies were produced. Books became bestsellers. Movies became blockbusters. It is very easy to criticize the policies of the systems. But how many of us are initiating any change? But! The system remained the same… And once again we criticized the education system for converting students into parrots. Our education system has infused only one thing in student’s mind – study hard and compensate the money spent on you by your parents by getting a good job in an MNC. In all this humdrum, the real purpose of education is left far behind. Education has become money oriented. Nowadays, nobody studies to get educated. This could be a reason behind the fact that India is producing large scale of engineers and doctors, but the number of researchers and scientists is not that satisfactory… Branwyn believes that creativity and innovations can find the solution of any problem. And we felt, that is what our education system lacks. Creativity and innovation. It was the moment our Chief Editor Sneha Gupta decided to start a new program under Branwyn – implementing creativity in education system and building confidence among students. The motive is to make students believe that they are not mere resources – They are the future of the ‘world’. Guided by the vision, Ms. Gupta contacted the House of Socio-Cultural Affairs of IIT Patna. Cultural Co-ordinator of ANWESHA – The SocioCultural Fest of IIT Patna, Mr. Venkatesh Chaturvedi discussed the workshop details with Miss Gupta. Once the particulars were finalized, the workshop got scheduled on 29th September by the IIT P Director’s approval. The topic of the workshop was – “Is it possible to develop a device which could store more memory than human brain? Can we invent any such device which could gain the full control over human nervous system?” The innovative workshop had invoked much curiosity among the students. The workshop started by a brief introduction of Sneha Gupta and Branwyn by the event co-ordinator Venkatesh Chaturvedi. When the workshop started, Sneha Gupta asked the students whether they wanted to become a scientist! And the answer was a big – “NO” Venkatesh introducing Ms. Sneha Gupta [In the picture (from left) – Mr. P. K. Gupta, Miss Sneha Gupta, Mrs. Vineeta Gupta and Mr. Venkatesh Chaturvedi] Worksheets were distributed to the students and they were asked to put down their thoughts and opinion on it. A very enthusiastic response was received from the students on this activity. Worksheet of the students Once the sheets were collected, Sneha Gupta started individual interaction with the students. Different views and opinions aired the hall. Some students believed that nothing is impossible in the world of science. Whereas some students said that no machine could ever surpass the natural human instinct. On the other hand, some students said that though it is quite possible, such inventions should not be attempted as they could be dangerous for humanity. During the interaction, the wide association of IITs and engineering Colleges in the making of major Indian and Western creative forums was taken as a point. The creative aspect of engineering was well acquainted by the students. Venkatesh Chaturvedi, Ujjwal Kant Neeraj and Akhil Sharma volunteered the workshop. Some of the students who participated in the workshop were : Siya Ram [1301EE36], Aswin Goyal [1301ME12], Ram Aggrawal [1301ME37], Lokesh Aggrawal [1301EE13], Ramayan Kumar [1301CS36], Srikant [1301EE16], Aman Prakash Singh [1301EE02], Sumit Asthana [1301CS42], Shubham Verma [ 1301EE34], Aditya Gupta [ 130CS02], Prajjwal Verma [1301ME32], Rajan Kumar [1301EE24], Aditya Jalani [1301CE01], Ritik Mathur [1301CS38], Alok Kumar [1301CS06], Vivek Joshi [1301EE44], Varun Gokhale [1301ME42], Mulay Ganesh Anil [1301EE19], Sunny Narayan [1301CS43], Abhishek Tiwari [1301CS01], Shiyas [1301EE18], Pukhraj Jain [1301EE23], Guru Charan [1301ME35], Purushottam Prasad [ 1301ME34], Arindam Banerjee [ 1301CS12], Titas Nandi [1301EE41], Avaneesh [1301EE45], Amarendra Singh [1301ME06], Harshit [1301CS19], Subhakar [1301EE40], Akash Gajbhiye [1301ME03], G. Pramod [1301CE07], Aniket Tripathi [1301ME08], Madan Mohan [1301EE14], Shubham [1301EE35], Ashwyn Bhoyar [1301CS14], Sandeep [1301CS31], Krishna Pranay [1301EE08], Devansh Gupta [1301ME18], Smeeruddin Sheikh [1301CS41], Chirag Jain [1301ME16], Nishant Kumar [1301EE20], Anish Rawel [1301CS09], Mayank Arya [1301CS28], Rahul Meena [1301CE16], Ram Lakhan [1301EE28], Brij Sax ena [1301CH08], Dhruv Upadhyay [1301CS16], Abhijeet Singh [1301CH01], Manu Kumar Sharma [1301CS27], Nitesh Kumar Shah [1301ME28] and many others. The whole event was widely covered by the media and featured in major newspapers In the end, Sneha Gupta once again asked the students whether they wanted to become a scientist! And the answer was a big “YES” The workshop ended but a beginning was initiated… In Pursuit of the Woman : Rajbir Gill Commander Rajbir Singh Gill, a highly decorated helicopter pilot of the Indian Navy, is the recipient of Shaurya Chakra and Nau Sena Medal (both for gallantry). He was born on 11th Feb. He did his schooling from Khalsa School, Delhi and passed out in the year 1967. From his early childhood, he was very fond of Badminton. During his last three years in school, he represented his school in the Inter School Badminton Championship, securing first place for three consecutive years. During the last year of his school, he represented Delhi State in the Twelfth All India School Games held at Udaipur during 1967. He won a Silver Medal, thus securing the second place in all India ranking. On passing out of the school, he joined Khalsa College. During his first year in college, he was selected to take part in the Republic Day Parade as part of the Delhi contingent. Regimentation and Military discipline was being inculcated right from the beginning. Three months into his second year, he decided to join the Aviation branch of the Indian Navy. When his class mates passed out of final year of college, he passed out of the Fighter Training Wing at Hakimpet. On 13 th June 1970, he received his wings from Chief of the Air Staff, Air Feb at Delhi. Except for a short stint at PPS Nabha Chief Marshall PC Lal and was commissioned in the Indian Navy as a fighter pilot after successfully completing his flying training. After six months of fighter flying, he opted to convert onto helicopters. During the India-Pakistan war of 1971, he flew numerous missions from the Western sector. He was the Flight Commander of the Helicopter Flight that formed part of the Second Indian Expedition to the Antarctic during 1982-83. It was during this tenure that he undertook a daring rescue operation, risking his own life. For this brave act, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (third highest peacetime Gallantry Award). The award was presented by the President of India. The very next year, he was part of the Third Indian Expedition to the Antarctic. It was during this tenure that he undertook another daring operation for which he was awarded the Nau Sena Medal (fourth highest peacetime Gallantry Award). The award was presented by the Chief of the Naval Staff. On completion of twenty years of commissioned service, he took premature retirement and joined Merchant Navy Offshore Fleet and sailed as a Captain on board various ships for a number of years. Always a writer at heart, his musings couldn’t find suitable expressions during his busy naval life; it remained confined to his ‘diary’ scribbling. He was so inspired by the peace and tranquility of the high seas experienced during the long sailings in the Merchant Navy that he committed his scribbling at last to paper; this resulted in three novels and several poems. Having decided to devote his full time to his literary leanings, he is now settled in Mohali, and is currently working on his fourth novel. Wonder how his destiny would unfold now that he has started devoting his full time to writing! Rajbir Gill’s debut novel – “In Pursuit of the Woman” has an unusual story. It is correctly said that there is neither a time nor place for true love; one can be struck by its magic any time, especially if one is in a place like Goa—scenic and romantic. When Lieutenant Dev, a young and dashing naval pilot meets Suman during her college tour to Goa, his feeling of love and tenderness towards her, which he had not thought possible otherwise, grips him. The two soulmates spend an idyllic time lost in each other’s company, oblivious to the world. Life could not have been better. But destiny always has something else in store; it stands in the way where we want to go or what we plan to do. The road of true love is rather a pebbled path—one faces difficulty at every step. In Dev’s case, the ghost of past relationships surface, which threatens to rip his loyalties apart. If Dev and Suman were to be torn apart, then why did destiny bring her to his doorstep and made them fall in love with each other? Standing on life’s crossroads, Dev struggles to find a definite answer to his destiny’s cruel twist. The intriguing story line of the book is attracting readers and the eagerness to join Dev in his love-life is being felt among the book lovers. Maharani Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs launching the debut novel of Rajbir Gill - In Pursuit of the Woman, on 12 May 2013 at Patiala Aviation Club. The photograph shows Maharani Preneet Kaur and Rajbir Gill. ‘In Pursuit of the Woman’ is Rajbir Gill’s debut romantic novel. The book is being published by Author’s Empire. He can be contacted at
[email protected] “The only kind of love worth having is the kind that goes on living and laughing and fighting and loving.” – Dalton Trumbo [ U.S. screenwriter] Alpine Ambergris : Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha TAILORED INTIMACIES What hope I have, To revive our spontaneous intimacies, When your loving heart has, Become insensitive and selfish? Ache explodes in my soul, When I see your lips, Thrill an elusive commitment! The hissing hollowness, Of your promises, Haunts me and, I ache to recall, That endearing pain of passion, Which floated and pulsated, Into my symmetry, At our first unscheduled encounter! A virgin Beauty then, You were so primitive and, Beyond institutional sequences, That my blood ran riot, Loud speaking my inarticulate appetites, And my soul was hijacked! But why now? Why, Your eager intimacies, Appear now more tailored, Than spontaneous? (c) Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha Head, Dept of English SN Sinha College, Jehanabad (Magadh University, Bodh Gaya) Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha has been a member of NCERT and UGC Workshops for the proficiency of English Language in various study streams! At present, he is a prominent part of Magadh University as the Head of Department of English in S.N. Sinha College! He honoured Branwyn with his special segment titled "ALPINE AMBERGRIS". Alpine means mountain peak which denotes Subodh Sir's intellectual persona and Ambergris means a fragrant substance found at sea level. Thus, "Alpine Ambergris" together denotes the combination of an intellectual person like Subodh Sir and novice writers like us who are just trying to make a difference! “Time, which alone makes the reputation of men, ends by making their defects respectable. ” - Voltaire [François Marie Arouet], French philosopher Review Queen : Himani Goyal Indian Publishing industry probably holds most of the varied corners than any other marketized entity. Still, there are some people who work selflessly for others and rely on getting their own dreams fulfilled in return as a part of inner satisfaction. In this context, we have one such person with us who is quite famous in the Indian pulp fiction. She is none other but Himani Goyal. Himani Goyal works as an HR in a Chartered Accountancy firm in Delhi. Apart from her hectic schedule in office, she loves to fulfill her dream of reading Books and writing reviews for it. This is her hobby and passion which urged her to create a blog and help Authors in marketing and Reviews online. She also takes interviews of new authors and sometimes guides them in writing. She also loves writing quotes and poetry. Himani Goyal [in a jolly mood ] Himani started reviewing books out of sheer interest. Very soon, her modest reviews started attracting readers and she became equally popular among the authors. Her success as a reviewer could be a source of envy for others. What makes her so famous is still a mystery for them. However, Himani laughs at this point, “A successful reviewer is a weird tag! I don’t know what it means. I just love reading books and I read a lot!” It is probably the modesty of Himani Goyal which has attracted fame to her. Unlike other reviewers, she doesn’t thrash books or authors. She simply points out the follies and expects betterment next time. Her blog link is reviewstationin.weebly.com. She is also coming up with a new venture for all the upcoming writers. He blog Reviewstation along with Book bakers and Half baked beans are started with An Anthology competition for all the new Authors. They will be publishing their best stories with the help of judges. “I have read almost 1000 of books. People call me Reading queen or Reading Machine and I love these titles.” – says Himani. There is no doubt that Himani Goyal has set a new trend in the world of books. On a pleasant note, Himani doesn’t ask for royalty on the books which are sold by the positive impact of her reviews…. Mr. Incandescent Speaks… Less than a Minute: Perspiration was salty. From every pore of his body it appeared, and then seemed to direct itself like a stream his taste buds. But he wasn’t opening his mouth, was he? He should give up. But he hadn’t like the face. There was the ribbon. Being laid. That was far. Very far. Farther than his treacherous legs would carry him. Ben Thompson hadn’t crossed him. Yet. Fifty metres maximum…yet to go. That was nothing. It was. A lot. The longest Fifty metres he had ever known. He should sit. The grass! It looked at him. It invited his with gleaming greenery. It was wet. Was he hallucinating? Why was he not faster than this? That is the speed of a snail. He felt that he heard the sound of heavy breathing. Beyond his shoulders. It was from another man. Ben Thompson was coming. He staggered on the track. His tall, lanky frame must have cut an amusing picture, with its careen movement on the thin track. He hadn’t liked the face. Thompson turned, and he could see his eyes. Thompson must have seen the envy in them; only that he didn’t exist. He promptly raised his middle finger out of his fist, flashed it to the boy, and dismantled his fist before any of the teachers saw it. The boy scarcely knew what that meant. Just that h e didn’t like the look on his face. That was last year. Today he was waiting with his body arched and back humped, next to the Ben Thompson; so close he fancied he could smell the sweat of the boy. “Ben Thompson looks like he is preparing for the Olympics” was what they said when he set ablaze the tracks every year. That moment of despair; of doubt…that man was just too fast to be defeated. His mind had to be shut down. Before he did that, he heard the cue. His feet took to the tracks as if they had a mind of their own. The first sensation he felt was a few seconds later, when he suddenly realized he was running. Locks of hair swirled in the hot wind that hit his face, and they formed pointed structures to tickle him around his temples. He looked straight. The ribbon wasn’t there. Beyond the realm of his immediate sight, he saw the congregation that didn’t have a face. They were a unit. Did he see surprise in their face? He was way ahead of Ben Thompson. He didn’t see anyone else. He just knew. The first round was over before he realized he was losing breath. He was ahead. Yet. Strides. RIP friend. Apart from that Less Than A Minute, you were the best! His pace slacked. He pushed himself harder. His pace slacked. He pushed again. Harder. Slack. Harder. He would fall down. He didn’t want to breathe through his mouth. He had to. Any moment could be his last now. His legs had isolated him almost abruptly. They seemed to be shaking on their own, without any orders from his will. Mr. Incandescent is a soul never at peace. But once you ignore his self-proclaimed megalomania with fallacies, you discover that he stores doublefolds than what he actually speaks out. Adoor from Dhanbad, he lives in New Delhi and works in Tecnova. He pushed. Today wasn’t a day he was losing. His legs isolated him. His tummy promised it would burst under the pressure of the heaviest breathing he had ever done. His lungs had been complaining. His heart was in his ears. He ran. The ribbon was within reach. He shut his eyes. Ben Thompson was not in the realm of his hindsight. But they said he was preparing for the Olympics… Ben Thompson may have a great middle finger. He wasn’t winning this one. The boy leapt for the ribbon. His dive was longer than he had imagined. The next sensation he felt was his chest crashing in the mud with grass on it. He felt the ribbon in his hand. He almost felt the red colour on it. He didn’t raise his face to see Ben Thompson. Or anything else. It was just him and the ribbon. “How much time did I take?” he asked a volunteer several minutes later. He was still lying in the grass grasping for breath. “No one keeps records of qualifying events. You qualified with Ben. Now gear up for the main event next week. The boy ignored the awe in the voice. He knew his legs wo uldn’t allow him to walk for another week. There was no way he would be seen running in the final event. “But how much time do you think I must have taken?” “Less than a minute” Ben Thompson, by the way didn’t go to the Olympics. He died of dengue in the subsequent year. He didn’t like the face. That is all. He wasn’t an athlete. He never claimed he was one. Athletes did inspire him, but he was happier cheering them from the stands. They looked a wonderful lot trying grasping for air, beating the other, making desperate sprints towards the symbolic ribbons. But he never wished to switch places. Just that he hadn’t liked the face when that man had gestured. He was standing in the platoon. That was what they called the neatly formed group at the school. They stood there, each boy motionless in the unforgiving sun (even though it was already November), looking at their teacher as he announced the names of the victors. The jerseys that each one wore were sparkling in the sunlight. On the lush green outfield where the four groups of teenager boys stood. Green, Yellow, Red and Blue- each one varied, each one similar. He was tall. That was the only reason he stood in the front row of his group. Ben Thompson was a grand sprinter. But he never knew humility was a virtue. As the garrulous microphone had spurt out his name for the fourth time, he had gone to collect his Gold medal again. Branwyn Interview : Ashween Dara They say "Beauty with Brains" is quite a dangerous combination. But looking at this young girl from the beautiful city-Chandigarh, many people won't believe the quote. A graduate in commerce from Punjab University, Painting and sketching are her passion whom she wants to continue doing throughout her life. This Beautiful artist has added many multi coloured feathers to her cap. Not only she is brilliant with paints and sketches, she is also an upcoming Model. She has done many ramp shows and has also promoted a novel. Not to forget, behind her beautiful face there is a strong heart, she is also serving our Nation as she is the part of the Central Reserve Police, Ministerial Department. Here she is in talk with Branwyn… 1: Ashween Dara is an outstanding artist and a very tough lady as well. Which side of your personality are you more close to and why? Ashween: Well time has made me stronger each day, being in a male oriented environment, it becomes quite difficult to stand out. Fortunately, I have pulled that off pretty well. I am sure any day of my life I am much closer to the stronger part, but at certain levels you need the artist part too. It kind of completes me as a whole. It's like equilibrium. Keeps my life balanced. 2. Being a part of Central Reserve Police, how did you become a part of this modeling world? Ashween: Modeling! I still smile when I think of it; I was always intrigued by the modeling world. It always gave me a feeling that I belong here. Prior to my appointment in Central Reserve police Force, I was selected for a few projects and ramp shows, which went really well and then I was asked to promote the Novel. Though I still don't mind proceeding for more projects, there's always lack of time in my schedule. 3. As you told me that because of some misfortune after College you could not take sketching and painting as your profession. What did actually happen? Ashween: Yes, after my graduation, I was all prepared and was all ready to compete the world for being a professional artist, no wonder I was very close to my dream, almost was living my dream. But Almighty God had different plans. The person I was most close to, my Father, passed away. Everything changed after that. 5. Models eventually take up acting later. Do you have any such plans to be signed opposite some big Bollywood actor? Ashween: Well no! I have always seen myself as a model but not as an actress. Acting is not my cup of tea. 4. In spite of the misfortune, you did not give up your biggest dream. How did you work for it? Ashween: True, I couldn't forget my dream, after what shook me completely. I was all shattered and decided to keep my pencils and brushes away. But you know they say you can't get rid of your own shadow. Likewise I couldn't get rid of mine, to be able to sketch, draw and paint, is something I am blessed with, God has been kind to me for giving me such talent, and obviously, I couldn't let it go. And as I promoted on with my work on a few online portals, I started to get projects. I work at nights for my Artwork, and in daytime I go to my office. That's how I work, it keeps me satisfied. 6. You have also worked as a story board Artist for an upcoming Bollywood Film. Kindly tell our readers more about this. Ashween: I wish I could tell you everything about it, as the movie is in its early stage, I am not allowed to talk about it much. Though I can assure you, we have worked really hard on it, the story revolves around a sportsman, how his life changes is what will touch your hearts. The director is very talented, the story is fresh and of course we are trying our best to portray the best of it. I still miss those lovely nights, when we worked hard on portraits and scenes. It was one of the best experiences so far. I really really loved doing it. And, of course, looking forward for more such opportunities. 8. Ashween, we would like to know who has been the one guiding light in your life who has inspired you, encouraged you and supported you to reach wherever you are today? Ashween: The reflection in the mirror has been that girl who has taught me to live like this. I was a pampered child which obviously made me little stubborn. So I have always followed my heart. And I know when I see the girl in the mirror every morning, I feel proud to see her that she's smiling and determined each day of her life. Also, my mother is someone I respect the most, I have also always wanted to be like my father, strong disciplined and confident. I have always seen my mother fighting and struggling in her life, and it surely has affected me in every positive way possible. She's a fighter any day of her life and much more beautiful than me. I hope and wish to provide all the happiness to her. 9. You are just 22, an age when most of the youths are confused about their careers, yet you are so confident about your goals. So what are your feature endeavors? Ashween: To be honest, after losing my father, I have stopped worrying about my future. I am a person who lives in present, cherish each moment of it. Though, you might see me as an author. 7. Did you ever feel ‘Role Conflicts' while performing so May different roles at such young age? Ashween: 'Role conflicts'!! Yes, at times pursuing three different professions puts you in a real bad shape. Sometimes I feel that I am doing so much and sometimes I feel that I do nothing at all. My mood swings a lot. It's like, you should keep running, the moment you stop, you get lost. At times I think of living with only one character /role but then I realize I can do so much more. The rush is very important in one ’s life. And that's how I am trying my hand in writing too. Writing to me is like trance, once I start writing about something, it becomes hard for me to stop. Words just keep coming in my mind. So let's see if I will be able to pull that one off. 10. At last, what message would you give to all the inspiring and budding artists out there? Ashween: To all the artists out there, I would like to tell them that life will always make us face difficulties; these are nothing but opportunities hidden to those who have vision to look beyond the negativity in life. So rise up like a phoenix and claim who you always wanted to be in life. Background Sketch: Ashween Dara Down Memory Lane : Koushik Gangpadhyay What you hear may not be True Every morning on entering my flat after coming back from my morning walk out, I sit on the sofa and start removing my jogging shoes. And every morning, I hear my wife talking to herself in the kitchen while preparing breakfast. On a couple of occasions, I thought she must be annoyed with something and was venting her frustration by talking to herself. But as this trend continued for days, I got suspicious. I felt that she needed medical intervention and waited for an opportunity to convince her and take her to a doctor. But surprisingly, when I would come back from office in the evening, I would find her absolutely normal. I tried to talk to her about it but never got the opportunity. I was also worried about hurting her feelings and aggravating the mental stress she was going through. And the next morning, she was back to her habit of talking to herself. I was unable to solve the riddle and gradually it was becoming a mystery. Like a male chauvinist, I started to cast a spell of doubt on the fidelity of my married partner of 19 years. I felt she must be having an affair and was talking to her beloved over the phone through a Bluetooth device. This thought came to my mind because of late, often she was returning from her Yoga classes with some expensive chocolates which she used to share with me and Rommel. When I asked her why she bought such expensive chocolates, she told me that a friend gave her those chocolates. I picked up the clue and I was damn sure that the friend must be a special friend. Oh God! I wanted to tear my hair apart. I was getting more and more suspicious and I started to monitor whatever she said to herself. I heard her saying in my mother tongue. “Get lost. I don’t have anything more to give you. You greedy, you dirty fellow.” Then I heard her scream. As I dashed into the kitchen, I say her holding her right index finger and exasperating in pain. I asked “Did you burn your fingers while cooking?” She said “Mind your business or else Rommel will miss his school bus”. On another occasion, I heard her saying “Today I am preparing Butter Chicken. I will give you some and you have to tell me whether the dish is tasty or not?” My repeated attempts of spying on my wife fell flat as the Detective Byomkesh Bakshi hidden inside me failed to make any inroads. As I was planning to do something extraordinary to catch my wife red handed conversing with her friend, my cell phone rang and as I glanced at the screen, I saw it was my wife. She asked me to bring some ordinary and cheap biscuits for her friend while returning from office. I said Ok and hung up. While returning from office I purchased a pack of Britannia Bourbon, a pack of Orange Cream biscuits and some Cookies. All hell broke loose as soon as she saw the packet of biscuits. She started cursing me for wasting money on cream biscuits which we did not like and I burst out with my list of allegations of her infidelity. I said “I have a standing in the society and I cannot serve cheap biscuits to your beloved friend.” She started weeping on hearing my allegations. I was too adamant to comfort her. When Rommel returned from tuition, he smelled something fishy and tried to talk to us separately. But the ice did not melt. After Rommel retired for the night, my wife called me for dinner. I did not respond and went to sleep on the sofa in the drawing room. She left the served food in the refrigerator and went to bed. The next morning, I did not go for morning walk as I was not feeling well. After some time, my wife called me to come to the kitchen. As I entered the kitchen with a lot of anger and grudge, I saw a crow sitting on the slab of the kitchen window. My wife was feeding it biscuits and rotis. It was caw-ing in appreciation and taking the food pieces right from her hand. “This is my friend whom I speak to everyday and of whom you are suspicious” my wife remarked. I asked “Doesn't it bite your fingers?” “Yes, at times it does so. Then I scream and it flies away out of fear”. "I am feeding it for several months and it understands Bangla. I feed it whatever I cook. At times it comes with all its family members", she said. I looked at her sheepishly, hugged her and planted a kiss on her left cheek. Whenever my wife goes to meet her parents, especially on Sundays, I feed the crows and talk to them. Although they are not very friendly with me, yet they take the food and caw loudly as if they are enquiring about their friend's well being. Life taught me a lesson - What you hear may not be true… Kaushik Gangopadhyay is an ex-defense personnel presently working with State Bank of India. He honoured us by accepting our request to share his real experiences of Air-Force life in ‘Down Memory Lane’ section of Branwyn. Branwyn Features Branwyn Feature : Guest Article : Barkha Parikh We all might have heard or read many heart moving stories of many inspiring people.. To us their journey is a life in itself, a life which has undergone many ups and downs and eventually they have raised themselves to heights. Barkha Parikh is one such example.. An example that would definitely make many of us believe in the quote 'Follow your heart' because that's what she actually did. An enthusiastic computer teacher from Ahmedabad, who took quite a while to recognize her real passion that is holding a pen and scribbling whatever her heart feels. She is also the founder of the popular Blog 'U, Me and Coffeetalks'. Just within one year, the Blog has crossed 10000 readers. But her journey has not been a bed of roses, she actually had to surpass many obstacles to reach her dream of writing. One year ago, Barkha was undergoing a tough period of depression. It was the most difficult phase in her life when there was no one to listen to her, when there was no one who can hear the voices of her heart. But as someone truly said "Nobody is a born winner". Overcoming her depression, this girl actually has 10000 people all over the world listening to her inner voices, via her articles or stories. Barkha has very well said that "She writes for a cause but not for applause". This young writer believes everyone should follow their heart in order to bring a Vital Change. Her articles and stories on her blog are appreciated by many prominent writers like 'Preeti Shenoy', 'Novoneel Chakraborty' and many more!! Barkha's Mentor plays a very pivotal role in her life, who recognized her undying talent of writing and encouraged her to write.. At last, this versatile writer has many more heights to reach and yet to become a greater inspiration for all. You can read and follow her articles or stories at Coffeetalkwithbarkha.blogspot.in DRENCHED MY SOUL Bath in summer or the monsoon rain, Drenched my soul, my pain; When it pours suddenly, On the crowded streets, Amongst rush and hush of people, Finding way along with the hustle vehicles, I forgot to feel it, Just searching for a shelter, To protect my soul, my inner self. But the taste of rain, Is amazing I could know. When I silently felt, As whole world is moving, Making me standstill, As if whole world is at rest, And I am moving forward, In search of something, I don’t know what it is, Aah, I just say, It cools my heart, From the summer ray, It wets my heart, From the monsoon memories, Like some drizzle, Falling from my eyes, Like the street lights, It showed me the way, Midst of the colourful lights of city, The yellow green and red, My life, a colourful rainbow again. Ms. N. M. LEEPSA BHUBANESWAR Email:
[email protected] Sacrament Sobriety : Gaurav Gill Can Acid Rain corrode only the monument of love; Taj Mahal? gloomy hospital. I felt shackled; I stretched my fingers to feel my face and all I could feel was rolls of bandage. Wish those bandage always enveloped my face; they would have concealed the horrifying truth of my mangled face. A worker casually walked in with a bottle of acid in his hand; he was about to pour it in washroom adjoining to my bed. I shouted at the top of my voice “Please don’t throw acid on me, I can’t take this pain anymore” and fell at his feet pleadingly. The bottle of venomous acid which can corrode anyone’s life at a lightening pace is still easily available. Though the laws have been recently promulgated; however their implementation is still a distant dream Have you ever thought that the grudges that you harbor are corrosive and acidic in nature. So next time you see an acid attack victim; remember that she too is a part of your family and all she needs is your love and attention. ACID needs to be redefined as Affectionate, Caring, Impassioned and Desire to help. No matter how many times I splashed water; burnt scars on my face refused to get budged. The mirror reflects my mangled face half heartedly. Singed hair no longer covers my despondent face and hope. A young boy of 12 years raced through the streets with his heart outpacing him. The appalled look on his face spoke of unspeakable. “Mom you were right, Frankenstein was for real. I just met one down the alley next to that brick house”. “Don’t talk like that, they are our new neighbors”. I was accustomed to such outrageous remarks. It was a pleasant October morning 6:30 a.m., wafting breeze was caressing my tufts of hair. The lyrical trilling of the birds was music to my ears. The sun was soaked in glistening lava. I was breathing quantum of life. My bus stop was teeming with life, bustling with school kids accompanied by their harried parents. Surprisingly I become nostalgic everyday at the same time. I strained my eyes to spot my ramshackle bus, to my dismay it was nowhere to be seen. I could see a toddler tugging onto my shirt and subsequently onto my heart. She offered a chewed piece of her candy to me, as she could nibble it no more. I closed my eyes and thanked God for this blissful life. It had started raining; I could feel drops of dew on my forehead. It was sublime. Soon those elixir drops started to burn, gosh, I stretched my right hand to wipe beads of drops. To my horror, the skin on my fingers peeled off. My forehead was in excruciating pain. “Water, water ……someone please throw water on me, help me please” I was wailing in pain. There came a puddle of splash to my rescue… or to my corrosion. Someone had thrown something diabolical…… it was acid. Acid penetrated my eyes, felt as if barbed wires had penetrated them. My pupil (black in color) became of the same color as that of cornea (white in color). I just couldn’t see any more. I didn’t know what was happening. “Mumaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”, I shouted for help and somehow my mother was oblivious to my hapless cries. She would always come to my rescue, I didn’t know what happened this time, what took her so long. My face was burning; I could smell fumes and despair. My skin was peeling off, my bones protruding and peeking from the edges. The pain was excruciating, every fiber in my soul shrieked for mercy. I lost hope and consciousness. I woke up to see blurred images of sobbing mom and shattered father in a Mr. Gaurav Gill is a person of quintessential contemplation known for his kind and modest nature. He is a lecturer and lives in New Delhi. Nor shall derision prove powerful against those who listen to humanity or those who follow in the footsteps of divinity, for they shall live forever. Forever. : Khalil Gibran Branwyn Readers Arrest: Faraaz Kazi So friends, the wait is over. Here are the selected winners of the “Readers Arrest Contest”. As you know, we were to select a ltogether 10 best questions but Faraaz Kazi sorted out 13 questions for his latest horror book “The Other Side.” So, we’ll be having 13 winners of this contest who would receive a free copy of “The Other Side”. Non-Indian winners will get an e-copy. As told earlier this contest is entirely sponsored by “Branwyn”. So winners are requested not to expect an ‘author’s signatures’ since the books would be sent directly by Branwyn. So, here we go: 1. If you would want to be one of the protagonists of the stories in The Other Side, 7. My girlfriend likes you very much. who would it be and why? – Rafaa. I would be Sachin Vaswani from the story ‘The Long Weekend’. The reason Tell me what to do to divert her interest back to me? – Rohan Kashyap, Bangalore being, he is everything that an ideal guy should be like. Smart, stylish and successful, he loves his gorgeous wife, Shikha to the core even after all this Get a copy of 'The Other Side', turn to the last page and show her the scary version of years of being married to her. He is considerate enough to take a break from his Faraaz Kazi on the inside cover! (y) busy schedule and take off with her to a promising vacation in the hills on his Bullet. What is your reason of a sudden shift in your writing genres i.e. from romance 8. WILL YOU SAVE ME IF THE GHOSTS OF 'THE OTHER SIDE' CATCH ME?-Rohini, Sagar fiction to horror fiction? Does it prove that you experience boredom frequently? - Shraddha Nanchahil Of course, I will. Only if you have read the foreword because there I seriously don’t think changing genres proves anything. I write for myself and not for the market and I’m comfortable writing in any genre under various in lies the secret to 'THE OTHER SIDE' ;-) themes of tragedy, comedy, fear, etc. I would rather prefer not being tagged as a genre-specific writer. Sometimes, it’s good to be known as the jack-of-all-trades 9. Did you have any scary experience while writing before you prove your mastery in one. 'The Other Side'? – Anamika, New Delhi Hi Mr. Faraaz, I hope you're doing fine. When you had penned down a marvelous love story in "Truly, Madly, Deeply," how did you set yourself to That depends on how one defines 'scary.' write "The other side" which is just an opposite genre that you wrote in the previous work? How did you and Mr. Vivek get together to pen down the latest Trust me, human beings are scarier than spirits and demons. book? How difficult was it to write a horror story and do you think India has wide horror readers? – Abhinand Jaguva The concept of humanity has been utterly discarded today. It was very comfortable working with Vivek sir; all the stories have inputs from People change faster than seasons, love has lost its meaning, brutal crimes both of us. For how the idea and inspiration came into being, I’d suggest one should read the prologue of the book for a detailed briefing on the same. Happening all around and each one of us trying to outdo the other in the India has such a rich heritage of mythology and folklore, yet no one has ever taken the reigns of this genre in their hands and set to achieve something on race of life. And what can be scarier than that? this scale. You have thousands, perhaps lakhs of Indians who read Stephen King, Dean Koontz and even RL Stine and seem to enjoy the feel of their hair When humans become something they were not meant to be? standing at an end. Yet there is not a single Indian name even in India, forget the 10. Are u afraid of any thing?- Shivam Trivedi, Bhubaneshwar world, who comes to mind when one talks about horror fiction. With this book, we are giving you a previously unexplored original territory in the Indian Yes, I fear the unknown. And so does everyone, from the priest to the worshipper, literary segment, a 'blue ocean', something only a handful of writers have been able to deliver. no matter how many times one denies it. IN TODAY'S TIMES, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO BE IN LOVE "TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY" WHEN BOYFRIENDS AND 11. What will you do if I give you a red rose? – Shweta Suman, Chandigarh GIRLFRIENDS ARE CHANGING WITH EACH PASSING "DATE", MORE LIKE CHANGING DRESSES OR YOU THINK THAT "THE OTHER SIDE" IS THE AFTER I would use it as a bookmark for my personal copy of 'The Other Side.' After all, there's nothing like receiving your reader's endless love and EFFECT OF LOVE? – Sushmita Sen preserving it in the best possible manner. In today’s times, horror is another synonym for love but who knows good hearts still exist and if you’re lucky enough to find one, be considerate enough 12. Why do you write? What is the motive behind your writing? - Susan Littlefield, LA not to turn your love story into a horror story. As we know, we can't judge any actor by the character he plays because those I write to satisfy myself; to pen down my worries, my joys and sorrows. characters are written by someone else. But in case of an author it's different. I write to discover a plethora of worlds within the one that we live in. I write to give birth to people, to draw from them, to learn, Authors write those characters themselves. I believe there is always reflection to inspire, to share their stories. of perception of the writer in their writings. What would you say in this regard? And above all, I write to conquer my fears, fears that have nothing to do with –Ratnesh Kumar 'The Other Side' but everything to do with the lives we live in this illusionary world. Definitely, the character is the offspring of the writer, created from the ink of his blood and semen. As far as their personality seeping into the character, I believe 13. Suppose you get a girl whom you love very much. it happens strongly during the first book with most of us. But a true writer also If she asks you to leave writing for her, will you? – Max, Mumbai draws from surroundings, people, nature and things which he may find useful I doubt I would come in contact with a girl who would not appreciate the art in a particular scenario somewhere. Hence, the writer needs to have his senses of writing. But considering it as a hypothetical situation, I would agree to it always active. on one condition. It being that she would accompany me to 'THE OTHER SIDE' ;-) Somewhere along the line you connect mentally, emotionally and physically with your characters, you become one and that’s when the actual flow to the story starts to take shape. Now, friends, let us tell you the inside story of this contest. A case in point is of JK Rowling, who cried buckets herself when she had to get Dumbledore killed by the hands of Snape. The characters in reality become our Faraaz has very intelligently skipped the weirdest questions. imaginative family because writing a book isn’t a short-time affair, one spends One of which was “Will u marry me?’ months on it. I'm sure you want your book to become popular, this is what every author Well, well, good job! Faraaz! wants after all :) But what makes your story unique, what makes it different from the books of the same genre? Thank you. – Diana Nixon, Belarus Of course, every author does want their book to make a name for itself, win some awards, gain popularity in the reading masses and I’m no different. Now, dear readers, just let us know the name of the authors you wish to It’s very important for any writer to believe in their product (book) first before suggesting it to someone and that’s always the case with me. If I don’t find my see in this column in next issue. work satisfactory myself, how can I expect others to do so? There are a lot of USPs for this particular title, ‘The Other Side.’ We would try our level best to bring him/her here. The first one being, that there might be ‘similar’ books in the same genre yet I Send your feedback to
[email protected] can guarantee that no one has touched the subject in the way this book has. The book not only draws from legends and folklore but also talks about everyday [or
[email protected]] characters with routine problems and throws them head long into the world of the paranormal. To state that it is the biggest attempt in Indian commercial horror genre, of course we are banking on the huge marketing activities that have gone into propelling the title into the limelight even before its release. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Fragrance of Heena Reminiscing memories….. Life has always been fast paced, Seldom gives chances to look back; To look at ease on those special tracks, Whose memories we always embrace... I, always loved to steal some time from time, To cherish memories those are so sublime. For once to embrace them I fall down on my knees, The gentle touch of our embrace attempt to tease; A twitch in my eye reminded that time was about to flee, Soon I got hold of myself, as for me time would not seize… Reminiscing those uncaring days of adolescence, When we hardly knew the purpose of our existence; To the funny odd days of our initial teenage, When we all hated to be in the house-cage; To the young vibrant days of former maturity When we sincerely think of our future security… Memories that made me smile with effervescence, Allowing my glee to dance a ballet with its ambiance; Some recollections that made me cry with all my heart, And still has the ability to make my mood thwart; Some memoirs that still act to be so ambivalent, Effect of which are neither gloomy nor incandescent… Heena Ahuja is a girl who loves to scribble the rhythmic melody of literature. She lives in Mumbai. Slowly I have come near to lock the doors of memories, At the edge of closing them behind, I somehow freeze; Mr. YouKnowMe Speaks… Long Distance relationship: A strange love Story When I first heard her voice over phone, I told myself Angels exists. She spoke softly, and pauses between the sentences were making me feel the blossoms of love around me. After having this beautiful talk for some three hours, she hung up. And as soon as I put my cell in pocket, I started missing her. I don’t know what I felt and why I felt so, but I missed her beyond imagination that time. I called her back and told her that ―I'm missing you…can you tell me why?‖ She replied ―Strange, even I'm feeling the same…..‖ and somewhere in distance I heard music of violin…. I always found myself eagerly waiting for her call and we both loved those never-ending talks… The talks were general, like I used to talk to my other friends, but something magical we were sharing. Till then, neither of us told that what we are up to, nor we knew. What we felt for each other was love, but we were not able to recognize that. I was afraid if I will tell her my heart, I might lose a friend or someone who is more than just a friend… In no time the friendship was now getting more intimate, I still think how one can know you so much just in matter of 3-4 days...or it was longer than that. Time was flying swiftly. One day she told me that she is not feeling well…she is afraid that she is going to lose someone…someone who is very important for her. Thoughts started to flow in and I thought that I went too ahead, all feeling of mine can be one sided only, I mean how can I imagine me and her together, I stand nowhere in front of her.. She is way too gorgeous and look at me…plain, ugly, dork. She talks like an angel and I…I just stammer.. Then she broke the flow and asked me if I'm still on the other side or not. She asked, ―I think you want to tell me something, do n’t you?‖ Yes, I wanted to. I wanted to tell her I love you, but I replied ―Am I supposed to?‖ Eagerness can be felt in her voice and nervousness can be seen on my face. Then she asked again ―If you don’t have anything then I have something… may I?‖ ―Yeah sure‖ I replied with little reluctant tone… ―I think, and my friends also think the same, that I am in love. W hat do you think ?‖ She said in her cheerful voice, ―Really? May be, yes. I mean, I can’t say only by hearing you‖ I replied in my I -want-to-cry voice. ―You can; only you can let me know if its love that I am feeling or it’s just my illusion‖ and there was a silence between us. My heartbeat rose with her first word and became boisterous when she ended her sentence… I always heard that you never know when love can catch you. May be this was the time when love actually caught me. And then I said ―Yes you are in love, and at the same time, someone somewhere is in love too, one, who is not perfect, nor he wants to be, because he is waiting for the moment when you will be wit h him… I don’t know if you love me or not but I Love you a lot… Do you love me too?‖ I wondered why I didn't stammer while saying it all. ―Yes I do…I love you too….‖ she said after a pause, and we smiled together, the smile that was never going to fade. An d remain for rest of our lives. We still haven’t met yet, but we love each other a lot and we don’t know when we will meet but we know when we wil l meet we will be meeting to remain together for eternity. You might wonder how strange this love story is but love is really strange…isn’t it? Mr. YouKnowMe is someone whom all of us know yet all of us are still to discover. He is a biker, an author and like all of us, a lover of life… He is at present working with an IT Company Amateur Scribbles… "Lord, I Need You" Take Me To Eternity Lord, I come, I confess, Bowing here I find my rest; Without You I fall apart, You're the One that guides my heart. Here my heart croons, to hold you beneath the moon. To make the distance vanish, and love you till the doom. Exhale on me, the breath of sincerity. Take me high, take me to eternity. Under the open black blanket, when your eyes raise to mine. They gleam with the color of love, passionate yet divine. Ignite the fire of affection, with your own novelty. Take me high, take me to eternity. I don't lament, but my fortune is in glee, apart from us here, none I can see. Your hair talking calmly to the winds, is a sight setting my emotions free. Comply to me, but heartily. Take me high, take me to eternity. Here I stand like a dried hectare, whose fate didn't play it fair. I feel your heart is a cloud, and lips are it's cool water. Be the rain and shower on me. Take me high, take me to eternity. - Sagher Lord, I need You, oh, I need You, Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You. Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more, Where grace is found is where You are; And where You are, Lord, I am free, Holiness is Christ in me. Lord, I need You, oh, I need You, Every hour I need You; My one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You. Teach my song to rise to You, When temptation comes my way; And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You, Jesus, You're my hope and stay. Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour I need You, My one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You, You're my one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You. My one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You. Until next time... 'Like a flood His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace… - Veena Newton “Chetna” B/61 Ambica Nagar, Bharuch Gujarat. Agent Quixote : Conservative Cases Outstanding Outcome The Sour Grapes!! Grand Book Launch Well.. I am not here to discuss with you the taste of grapes but something more spicy!! Dashing Author Durjoy Dutta, who gave many popular books with Grapevine Publications has broken his ties with the house and is now officially working with Penguin. Well.. The reasons are not yet known, but it will be very exciting to see how the new proximity will work for him!!! Young Writer Anuj Shrivastava, who won many hearts from his simple yet beautiful First Novel 'No Vacancy For Love' is all set for a grand Book Launch. The launch will take place at DD Mall, Gwalior on 9th November 2013. All the budding writers and prominent people from the literary world are invited to this exciting event. Profound Poet Mr. Pradeep Chaubey will be the chief guest. It will be exciting to see what this young writer has to say about his successful start!! -Dude!!! It’s Grapevine!! Associating with Grapevine Publications is indeed a dream come true for every aspiring writer. And there is a new name to this list. Adding another feather to this cap is popular Blogger Himanshu Appie Chabbra whose story has been selected for an Anthology "25 Strokes of Kindness" with Grapevine Publications. This anthology too has stories of already established writers like Nikita Singh, Preeti Shenoy and Sachin Garg. Himanshu is perhaps the happiest man on earth right now. (Lucky He, Jealous Me) Agent Quixote is Branwyn’s secret agent hired to do the leg-pulling of authors. He dives deep in the literary world and fetches the gems of spicy gossips. Only for you…. Life and Promises The love birds of literary world Ila Garg and Pulkit Gupta are coming up with a new book titled "Love and Promises" This is the first book of both the budding writers and will be releasing on 14th February 2014. It will be really interesting to see this real life couple creating the same magic with their book!! Disclaimer – The ‘Agent Quixote’ section of Branwyn is meant only for ‘healthy humour’. Articles published under this section should not be taken seriously or personally. Branwyn does not intend to hurt anybody. Random Reveries : Sneha Gupta JUST ONE CHANCE I beg your pardon, Sir! Kindly, Forgive me for I adore you so blindly. But here, let me one thing confess, Your presence is like Almighty saying, “I bless – -You with the secret treasures of mine! Sending you the moonlight and the sunshine.” Forgive me, Sir! But let me live in the hope you gave – -Unintentionally. Yet your munificence renders the ample warrant to save – -Me from all the hopelessness, cries and sorrows. And why shouldn’t my heart cherish the happiness it borrows-From you. No, tis not, never your gentle eyes or face Nor was I lured by your charming glory and grace. Not again the customized comprehension and speeches Not your finest linen, But I fell for the screeches – -Received by the translucent conscience of my emotions – - Raised by your presence violating brutal precautions. Count every moment to get immaculate evidences. Your presence in my life is just episodes of co-incidences. With laws and rules, my heart-strings declared a mutiny – -To be my life, my love, my wants, my needs, my destiny – -With you. Here, open your heart and let my love creep in-To adorn your life. I will make you wake up and sleep in-My dreams – I dust the walls and domesticate my skills to muffins. I know not how to lure you but with my delicious cuisines. Leave a clue on the table with your instantaneous prowess A note of tacit desires telling how to impress-You. Go, invade the mountains and dive deep in the sea And let me know if you ever found a lover like me. And I am here to set new definitions of romance-If you become a recipient of my profound love – I want just one chance – -For you. [© Sneha Gupta] [Sneha Gupta belongs to a small town in Bihar. She is a banker by profession and breathes to write. She is the author of two published books and received several awards for her writing ventures. She is the founder and editor of Branwyn.]