Book review: Resident Dormitus – Vikas Rathi

Book: Resident Dormitus
Author: Vikas Rathi
Number of pages: 196
Price: 195

Let me first put this straight across before I go in to the review: Resident Dormitus is that kind of a book that makes you think and deep. The focus is intense and it really makes you wonder what you want from life.

Resident Dormitus is a book that delves on previously unchartered territory – lives of young professionals and the changing psyches. The book explores in to the theme of existentialism, a theme which not many Indian authors have written about.

The protagonist of the book is Achet, who hails from a small town and ends up with a job in Mumbai. Achet, (peculiar sounding name (you’ve got to really read the book to know its different meaning) then travels around to Singapore and other places on work and meets interesting people. The book revolves around four other characters; Dev, Arjuna, Alex and Bala. The author does give in short yet interesting snippets in to their life. The lives of five colleagues are interwoven so well that it doesn’t even run in to five different stories.

His corporate life takes him to different places and at every stage; every instance Achet wonders how it influences his life and thinking. Some of the paragraphs in the book might require you to read it twice or thrice to completely grasp the message from it. Overall it makes you think.

Resident Dormitus is also the kind of book which is light hearted as well as intense. It totally depends on the reader. And of course, you wont put it down till you are done with it.

The most important twist in the story comes when Dev commits suicide. The scene has been depicted so well that it makes you think on an entirely new parallel. Young professionals ought to read this book as it depicts how youngsters go through a crisis as they step in to the corporate world.

The book made me think deep and these are the words I put down once I read it:
I asked myself ‘Who am I?’ and when I really thought on it I realized how all of us face a identity crisis. The answer to this question may differ at various stages in life depending on what you are going through. Who you are is basically a culmination of your feelings, ambitions, hopes, fears and characteristics.

Vikas Rathi is definitely a refreshing change with authors popping up in every city and every day! The fact that he writes on a new theme and the fact that the characters in the book are not stereotypes score brownie points.

The writing is brilliant and extraordinary in parts. Give this book a read.
Rating: 3.5/5
To know more about this book and the author:
http://www.vikasrathi.com/about-the-book/

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book review: Ineligible Bachelors – Ruchita Mishra

Book: Ineligible bachelors
Author: Ruchita Mishra
Page Numbers: 250 odd
Price: 195

Ineligible bachelors is that kind of book to which you may not even give a second glance, if you happen to see it at a bookstore
When this book came up in the Blogadda’s review program, I gave it a second thought and applied to review. I was surprised when I received the book. 250 pages, which means 4 hours, which means one sitting
‘Ineligible bachelors’ makes for a breezy read. In fact even a 5th grade kid could read it at ease. This must be the only book where I dint have to pick a dictionary to find the meaning of a particular word. The content could have easily done with more quality. Frankly the quality was just plain depressing. The major plus point of the book is its pace. The story never slows down. The fact that the author cut down most of the unnecessary description may suggest that she wanted to keep the book short.

Another major put off was the Diary mode used in the book. The book definitely doesn’t read like a diary with the gazillion conversations it holds. It could have just been a story? Why the clichéd diary-like short story book?

As far as the story is concerned, it’s a predictable and most-oft used formula used in Bollywood. At one point, I started wondering if the book was a remake of a bollywood movie.

The sotry goes like this: Kasturi, a 24 year old management professional lands a job in a big telecom company. She moves to Delhi for work. Meanwhile her mother keeps fixing dates for her daughter with ‘(in)eligible bachelors’. She keeps meeting one by one, mainly because she cant fight her mom’s drama and theatrics. She falls in love with her boss, Rajeev Sir who is also in love with her. Her friend, Ananya is hit by an auto one day. Dr. Purva Dixit (who is one of the guys Kasturi’s mom sees for Kasturi) brings Ananya back to feet. Apparently the auto guy belongs to some mafia group. So when kasturi gave a sketch to the police to track him down, they corner her one day and beat her up. Dr. Purva Dixit saves Kasturi in totally bollywood style. Meanwhile Ananya is in love with Pita Ji (Amay) who is one of the guys Kasturi’s mom sees for Kasturi. Kastrui is only glad that Pita Ji is out of her way. Ananya, Pita Ji and Varun discover that Rajeev is cheating on Kasturi. They somehow let her know of that. Katuri breaks up with Rajeev.Kasturi realizes she is in love with Dr. Purva Dixit. And they live happily ever after.

This is a book you can afford to miss! I would have liked this story if I had read it in 8th grade! I would not say this is a great ‘debut’ book!

Rating: 2/5

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review – Bombay Duck is a Fish – Kanika Dhillon

Book: Bombay duck is a fish
Author: Kanika Dhillon
Price: 195
Number of pages: 315

First of all, my apologies to Blogadda and Kanika Dhillon in the delay in putting this review up@! My mom was admitted for a surgery and I had little time to sit down and peacefully write a review
I read the book twice to write this review. No not because it is that interesting or it is complicated. Due to personal reasons, I could not put up my blog in a weeks time as it is required from the Blogadda’s book reviews program. I didn’t remember much part of the book after a break of ten days and hence had to read through quickly once again.
Bombay duck is a fish by Kanika Dhillon makes for a very interesting and gripping read, infact you can finish reading the book in one sitting. The book is like a 3 hour bollywood movie.
Neki Brar, a small town girl makes her way to Mumbai to make a career in film making. The major plot of the story is on the film sets, where Neki happens to be admist all disasters. The story starts with the protagonist holding a bottle of wine and sitting on a terrace, contemplating suicide. She then takes us through her journey from Amritsar to Mumbai and also her day to day life on the film sets.
The author gives us a fair sketch of the behind the scene happenings in Bollywood. It all makes up for an interesting read but it isn’t something unknown to the common man.
What troubles me about the story is that there is no time to connect and feel with the main character. Halfway through the book, I was tempted to turn to the last page and check if Neki dies or lives. Apparently that’s all I wanted to know, whether Neki lives her dream or not. But I decided to read through the pages and the ending shocked me. The ending seemed so typically bollywood.
Another typically bollywood aspect of the book was the god level treatment to SRK. Of course only in the acknowledgement pages did I realize that SRK is the boss. He must be a damned good boss!
The life she lives with her three equally hopeless roommates is the side track to the main story. The story with her roommates is interesting and some of the situations depicted are so realistic which makes for a good break from the bollywood setup of the plot.
There is love and betrayal all through out the movie. Neki falls in love with the second lead and there are scenes where you just feel like giving Neki a tight slap.
Bombay duck makes for a good one time read. Not the kind of book that you would remember next morning.
P.S: I would have been happy if Neki lived her dream. I don’t really want to read a sequel with Neki being reborn as SRK’s daughter or something. Well, you never know
Rating 3/5

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review – Chanakya’s Chant

Book: Chanakya’s chant

Author: Ashwin Sanghi

Price: Rs. 195

Number of pages: 443

Life has been hectic ever since I moved to Mumbai. I have not read a book for the past three months. That’s so not me. Marriage, shifting cities, finding a new job, interviews etc etc were priorities and the books I carried all the way from Madras were safely locked in a suitcase. It is certainly difficult for a person who is addicted to reading and manages to read over five books a month. Hence you can imagine the delight when I was selected to be a part of the book review contest by Blogadda. I was even more delighted to receive Chanakya’s Chant because I was looking forward to read this book for long.

Chanakya’s chant has two plots that are interwoven. One set in 340 BC and another one 2300 years later. The book gives an in-depth insight in to how Chanakya dethrones Dhananada, saves Bharat from Alexander and installs Chandragupta on the throne of the Mauryan Empire.

Another fictional story that runs in parallel is that of Pandit Gangasagar Mishra, who leaves no stones unturned in installing Chandni Gupta, a slum child as the prime minister ofIndia. Not only that but this Chandni Gupta also manages to serveIndiain the capacity of Prime Minister for three terms.

What made me cringe though was how Chandragupta was simply reduced to a Puppet. It may be acceptable in the case with Chandini Gupta but not so much with Chandragupta. Of course all of us have learnt that Chanakya was Chandragupta’s teacher, but it is ridiculous to suggest that Chandragupta had no role to play in it.

Another major cringe worthy aspect in the book was the generous usage of famous quotes from ‘Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, quotes of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Napolean Bonaparte, Oscar Wilde etc. Imagine Chanakya conversing in these quotes. We say Chankaya penned down Arthashastra, so how does the use of such quotes justify the legend that Chanakya was. This was a major major put off.

The liberal use of words like Bastard, cuntface, arsewipe, fucking puts a frown to your face! More so for a story set in the BC. You certainly don’t want to read ‘fucking’ four times in a fucking sentence.

I was glad that Pandit Gangasagar’s story made a more interesting read than that of Chanakya’s. This reflects the story telling ability of the author.

It was interesting how the author has interwoven the two stories. It certainly makes for a page turning and riveting read. I particularly liked the pen ultimate chapter where the author brings in the Shakti triumphs Shiva factor.

The characterization though brilliant was too one dimensional in both the plots. Chanakya and Gangasagar have been portrayed as the ultimate intellect to have been born on earth and everyone surrounding these characters is a bunch of fools who never seem to understand what’s going on in their master’s mind. Consider this, if Chandni Gupta could have served as Prime Minister for three full terms, how she could be as dumb as it has been depicted, barring her stage skills.

Gangasagar Mishra’s plot gets 1.5 points and the interweaving of the plot gets one

This one is worth a read!

Rating 2.5/5

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

The day Bombay felt like Home

I shifted to Bombay recently. (For those who don’t know yet, I got married on the 5^th of May.) I came to this crowded city on June 4^th. People who know me well know how much I love Madras. Though I am a Maharashtrian by birth, I grew up in Madras. 23 years. Madras gave me everything.

I liked the slow pace of the city. Contrary to the popular thought and belief, Madras isn’t slow anymore (lets reserve this topic for another day. May be when I decide to put up a blogpost next year. May be I would ve forgotten Madras by then. Never mind.) So Madras gave me everything. I used to live in Mylapore, an area known for its Brahmin population. It was the environment I grew up in. Maamis were strange people. They were also lovely people. At any point in my life, except for the past 3 months, there was a maami who tried to fatten me up with the delicious food she cooked. They were conservative. They used to keep asking my mom why she sends her daughter for cricket coaching. There was this maami next door who used to oil my short hair and who used to coax me in to growing my hair long ‘setha thala mudi a valathuko di’. idhu yena nanna va iruku, payan mari. The neighbours didn’t like me going out with boys, playing cricket with boys, cycling around with boys. Madras was restricting in nature but at the same time gave me equal opportunities that boys would enjoy. I loved Madras because streets are empty in the early morning hours and after 10 PM in the night. I liked to cycle or walk around alone. I have even had the opportunity to see a dead body hanging from a tree at Nageshwar Rao Park. That was scary alright but to me Madras is the safest place in the World.

Of all things, food was a major issue when I moved toBombay. I lived on a dosa and vetha kolambu diet inMadras. And all I get to eat in Bombay is Poha and Rotis and Rotis and more Rotis. Don’t get me started onBombay’s Street Food. I am allergic to potatoes and 80% of the vegetarian food items here are potato based.

And then the crowd factor. There is a face staring in to me wherever I go. I hate crowds and I can’t stand crowds. I hate noise. I can’t stand noise. And Bombay is both crowded and noisy. I must have been the only person to have complained of rains in Chennai. I hate rains. And it is always raining inBombay. I hate taking a train to travel around the city. And that is the only feasible option here. Crowded trains.

So you get the picture. There was nothing really I could like about this city. Every single thing was against my likeness.

But things were to change on July 13^th. As it happens, I was stranded at Dadar. Only when I logged in to twitter, I realised that I was close to a place where a bomb had gone off. I was alone. I felt so lonely for the first time. Not to mention, scared. Scared and helpless in a totally different manner. I tried calling my husband but it wont go through. I left him a msg saying I was safe at a friend’s place. There I was standing with people running around helter sketler. I dint know what I should do. Take a taxi home? Walk back home? (of course, home was 10-15 kms away). I knew I could not take a bus or train. So then I finally go to people I know only on twitter. It didn’t even take a minute for help to come through. There was instant support. People were willing to help. People were worried about my safety. Special mention to @preciousness who got in touch with @delhidreams to get my contact number. She then passes my number to @mrssonal who breathes a sigh of relief only after I text her saying “I AM SAFE”. I must mention the police constable who asked me to relax and helped me get to my uncle’s house. I dint even go to him for help. He offered to help. So after I relaxed a bit at my uncle’s place, I wanted to leave home. I wanted to go back home so I could tell my husband what I felt about living in this city. I really wondered if I would be able to get a taxi back home. To my amazement, my uncle came to the roads and stopped cars to find if any of them were going to Worli or close by. I don’t know if people would do that inMadras. And to even more surprise, a lady readily offered to drop me home, though she was going elsewhere. I was astounded. I could not understand the city.

I came back home.

Husband: Did u get scared?

Me: Yes. I have never been this scared in life. This helpless. Heck, I ve never felt this way before

Husband: I am sure you miss Chennai’s peace and calm

Me: You bet I Do

Husband: Silence. This is how it is here

Me: Will my office be closed tomorrow?

Husband: *laughs* No way. Do you want to go back toMadras?

Me: Silence

After an hour, my dad calls up to ask if things have settled down. He asked if I want to shift back to Chennai. I told him I loved this city for the first time since I came down. Not a good day to fall in love with the city. But I think the people are what make this city a beautiful place to live in. The willingness to help (People back in Madras are also helpful. Okay? #OK). I felt a sense of belonging. Bombay suddenly dint seem so new. I felt like I have been in this city forever.  Sure I still love Madras more than any other place, but I thought hating a city because it is a target for terror was inhuman.

Next day –

A dear friend tells me on chat that I should so come back toMadras. I said ‘No, Bombay is home’.

P.S: This post comes straight from my diary

The dilemma of paid news!

Below are some questions from surekhapillai (An independent PR consultant).  The discussion is on paid news. I have written a short note on my own experience in the Industry

Questions from @surekhapillai on twitter

Q1: suggestions to help distinguish between advertorials and news reports.

Q2: suggestions on practical disclosure norms that could be adopted by media companies.

Q3: suggestions on separating management from the editorial. how to safeguard independence of the editor?

Q4: declaring #paidnews as a corrupt practice or electoral malpractice; making it a punishable offence. what punishment?

Q5: qualifications for selection of media professionals by PCI to form a body to investigate complaints of instances of paid news.

Q6: the report suggests PCI should initially focus only on #paidnews during the last lok sabha elections. do you agree? why/why not?

Q7: how do we educate the voters (and readers in general) to differentiate between #paidnews and balanced reporting?

My experience in the PR industry:

There is a clear line of distinction between paid news and advertorial. Someone who has been in the media/ PR industry can say it apart with just a look.

Advertorial might not be a punishable offence. However, advertorials do bring in a lot of bucks to the media house and this is quiet rampant both in electronic and paid medium. In case of an advertorial, the editor never comes in to the picture. It’s usually the advertisement dept of a media house that looks over such things. An advertorial must clearly state that “It’s a marketing feature’. For example, Times of India has space slotted for ‘HEALTH AND WELLNESS MARKETING’. It’s been a while since I have read Times of India and not sure if it still exists. But let me tell you to get an article of 500 words published in that feature, it costs no less than 2-3 lakhs. When I was new to PR, I always used to mark those articles as ‘Industry news’ for a healthcare client of mine. And my boss would tell me that it does not qualify as NEWS and I don’t have to add it on the report. I saw a recent advertorial (2 page) in tehelka and was curious to know how much it would have cost. I later learnt that it was around ten lak!

Paid news is an offence. This is bound to happen when an organization/CEO/PR agency/PR consultant knows the journalist/editor too well. As a PR person myself I have seen cases where journalists have done stories just for the sake of good will. The client usually calls in for a media dinner, sponsors a foreign trip and gets some coverages done. This was what happened in the classic case of Pyramid Saimira, though it involved other parties as well (SEBI, in this case). The PR agency worked hard to get coverages and show that the organization booming in prosperity because the agency was paid a ransom for PR services. (The PR agencies contacts did help in getting ‘good’ coverage. I am not certain whether they were or not aware of the behind the scene happenings)

In this case however the readers were NOT AWARE that the news is not balanced/true/distorted. The readers certainly trusted the PINK paper. It’s only surprising that the editor never took notice or even suspected as to what went it to the paper.

PAID NEWS is deceit.

A publication should not give away EDITORIAL space for SALE in a way that would look just like a NEWS STORY carried out by special correspondent/principal correspondent.

It’s heartening to see that the PCI has taken steps to keep paid news in check during the elections. That itself is not enough. There are corporates who take advantage of their contacts with the journalist. This has been happening for eons. Only that it has come to light only now. PR people have evolved from propagandists and spin doctors. Depending on the size of corporate, they do have an influence onthe media houses

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

• PR needs to be cleaned up first. In an ideal set up there should be a regulating body that should see to it that the most BASIC ETHICS are maintained. A PR agency should only help in being a bridge between the Client and the media representative. All a PR person should do is if a client has anything newsworthy to share, should help set up a meeting with the media body. And then the journalist or reporter or editor should decide whether it is worthy enough to be carried. This is what usually happens. But in case of Nira Radia, she did have a degree of influence and was in touch with the top people and could get her work done. The editor in this case is murkier than the lobbyist/PRO. What goes in to the paper should be decided only by the Editor.

• PCI should lay down more rules in such a way that the license would be threatened if any case of paid news is reported. They could also rate media houses based on how a media house works. This would certainly restore some quality. There should be separate teams to monitor political and corporate news.The ratings of course should be made public and a detailed report submitted

• Media houses should realize that they form an important medium and should not lose the TRUST of the people. The roles of advertising and the editorial department should not be confused

• As per the READER is concerned, it is easy to find out an article that is paid news. The article will surely be imbalanced. If you are wasting your time reading an advertorial/Space marketing feature then its money well spent by the organization. The B & C grade newspapers  indulge in paid news to a great extent. Who gives them the license to function? If they do not have a license, they should be arrested!

• Large media house have private equities in firms. Has the PCI ever investigated this? They should disclose the percentage they hold in large firms on their website

But hey we have this New Media now and I only hope everyone gets their share of news from this Medium!

How do madisaar maamis pee?

Every year during the Navaratri season, so many friendly maamis come home to invite us to see the golu and eat sundal. I was invited by my friendly neighbor, Raji, to take a look at the golu she had set up. She managed to drag me to her place on the last day of navaratiri. I had had enough beer for that day and hoped I do not speak anything that I should not.

Raji’s mom (whom we all fondly call as maami) got me a plate of sundal and a cup of filter kappi. I finished it off in less than five minutes and then thought it won’t look good if I just sit around there tweeting random stuff about sundal. So I decided to have a look at the decorations. Nine-step golu and a play ground and a school and a park and even a cricket field were neatly set. And yes lighting too. The cricket field deserves a special mention with all that plastic grass and all.

However the nine-steps were a delight to look at. And then came a kid from another house and quizzed me on the gods laid on the steps. I managed to get at least 6 right. To prevent further image damage, I decided to make a move.

I gave raji some flowers and decided to leave. By then, Maami and Raji’s grandma came down dressed in a Madisar. I have always wondered how madisar mami’s pee. I was about to ask the patti and by then maama (Raji’s dad) was home. Maami went to the kitchen to perform the most important duty of her life since marriage – to make a heavenly cup of filter kappi.

Coming back to the important point, how do madisar maami’s pee? I had been to a marriage once and saw a madisar patti visit the loo. But how on earth did she pee?

I gathered all the courage and went up to raji’s patti to get an answer for the ever elusive question.

Me: Patti

Patti: Sollu ma.

Me: Indha madisar la neenga yepadi… pee.. adhavdhu.. indha madisar yepadi katikuringa

Patti: adhu rumba easy

Me: Illa yepadi

Patti: Yena yepadi

(by this time, another question came to my mind)

Me: Illa pavada illama yepadi?

Patti: Rajjiiiiii, un frienduku vela irukan de, ava aathuku kelambralam, vethala pakku kudu

Me: Patti, sorry

Patti: Pavada illama dhan madisar kattipa. Indha kalathu ponnungaluku vyavasthaya illa.

Me: Patti, idhu 6 yard madisaara illa 9 yardsa

Patti: 9 yard

Me: *gulp*

By then raji came and nudged me out. I told her what happened. She had a hearty laugh and also thanked me that I did not ask her mom

And I walked out with a Plastic plate, vethala pakku and bananas. But my question remained unanswered. And then i asked several maami ponnus and they confirmed that the madisaar is neatly tucked out and tucked in during micturation. A part of the saree runs between the legs and can only be handled by expert maamis

P.S: This post is in no way an offense to Madisar Maamis. Maamis are the sweetest women.

How a brand managed to keep its banner intact

All of us know the current insane scene in Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore to be more precise (23^rd Jun 2010 – 27^th Jun 2010). Much has been said and debated about the World Classical Tamil Conference.

The conference is organized by Tamil Nadu Govt and the chairman for this conference is Mr. Karunanidhi, the CM himself. The hoopla around the conference is extraordinary – so much so that they decided to have a tamil anthem. The theme song, “Semmozhiyaana Thamizh Mozhiyaam” is written by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, composed by by A.R. Rahman and directed by Gautam Vasudev Menon.

Most of the singers featured in the Tamil Anthem are not tamilians is another thing.

This is officially the 9^th World Tamil Conference and insanity has peaked this time around. All the banners (shops/offices, including potti-kada) need to be either in Tamil or should be both in tamil and English

Two days back, some guys from Chennai Corporation started removing all the banners that were ONLY in English. Even the nearby potti-kada was not spared.

However there was one brand that managed to have its way. Recently Muthoot Group started a new office in Mylapore, Chennai. The office was pretty huge and they had 6 banners in yellow and red, all of them in English ONLY. Replacing all these banners would certainly be a task. Just before the inauguration day of the conference they posted a banner outside one of their windows.

It read as “கலைஞ்சருக்கும், உலக தமிழ் செம்மொழி மாநாட்டுக்கும், முத்தூட் குழுமத்தின் மனமுவந்த வணக்கங்களும், வாழ்த்துக்களும்” (Hearty Congratulations from Muthoot Group to Kalaignar and World Classical Tamil Conference). The banner also had that typical Kalaignar picture

Needless to say, they were spared. Their banners remained intact. And it will remain so.

Oh yeah and the huge congratulatory banner came down yesterday. Obviously Muthoot group needs some air!

My first ever Sufi Experience

Last week my gtalk status read as: “I so wanna go to Israel”. Atleast 50 frinds pinged on chat asking why on earth i wanted to go to israel!

And here is why -

I was not much of a World Music person until last year. I wouldn’t go out of the way to listen to good music. I was just happy with these filmy songs and ARR’s music. For me music meant Rahman. Last year, in the hot summer month of May, a colleague of mine forced me to a festival. I had no clue what the festival is going to be until I went there.

Date: May 2009

Time: 06:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Venue: Lady Andal – Venkata Subba Rao Hall

What was it: EarthSync Festival 2009 – Shoshan Live

Artist: Shye Ben Tzur and a bunch of enthusiastic qawwalis

Shye Ben-Tzur is an acclaimed Israeli composer, producer and performer who has been in India for the past decade, creating music which brings together traditional Sufi Qawwali, Rajasthani rhythms with western elements.

11:00 PM: The show went on until about 11 PM and I was totally totally stunned. The crowd just went frenzy at the hall. The music did something to me, which I am not able to put in words. When I came out of the hall I realized I was in tears. The lyrics were predominantly Hebrew which was set in tune with qawwali music. I did not understand a word but it still touched my soul. That was the first ever Shoshan Live performance in the World and i was glad that i had the chance to watch it, hear it, see it and feel it

Here is the trailer video of that show if you want to know what I am speaking about:

Here is a link to one of his album tracks:

Some pictures from the show:

Shye Ben Tzur Live in Action

Shye Ben Tzur

Shye Ben Tzur is performing live today in Tel Aviv, Israel. He has had two live shows in Israel in this month and going by the pictures that he posted on Facebook, looks like the hall was tightly packed! I only wish he comes back to India for another such mesmerizing perfromance

P.S. – This blogpost has been pending in the drafts for a year now! Since i have quit, i just have nothing to do but blog.

One year and so many friends!

Its been a year on twitter today!

Had twitter never been invented or had I not been on twitter, I would have never known all of you guys. You guys make my timeline!

I would like to thank some really special twitter friend this day..

@umennet – for getting me on to twitter

@delhidreams – My best buddy on twitter

@Viveksingh – One of my earliest buddies on twitter. Loads of fun, always ready to pull your leg  :P loved the cricket discussions we used to have.

@hiyer – A total sweetheart. Glad to know you

@hg6 – Hmmmm.. what do I write??

@streetanchor – The all rounder. Followed him because of Vasu’s DP and I am still waiting to see him

@hnatarajan – A friend, a guide, a mentor.

@sizzler_chetan – the SEO guy! I go to him for any technical doubts. Showered me with gifts on my birthday

@oldmonkmgm –  I can actually write a separate blog on him.

@ahmedhussain – a genuine friend. Avid Zoho Marketer.

@meerasapra – The comic queen. Tweeting CNH along with her was so much fun. I miss it girl

@aravindkumar -  I remember he had invited me for a tweetup at Mylai Masala and that was the first ever tweetup for me. To be really frank, I felt “y d hell am I here”.

@msnarain @dilipm @divvi @just_reva @thenewbnb – had met these tweeps in my first ever tweetup!!! Narain – Wondering if I have anything good to say about him. @dilipm – Photog I admire @divvi – comes rarely on twitter. So don’t know much about you girl. @just_reva – Her Tamil tweets are super fun (the best one that I still remember is – Knock Knock “ yaru ange” “nan dhan kusu pena”@fartingpen) @thenewbnb – She has gone on a twitter hiatus but twolay was awesome!

@rahulrakesh @kanika1386 @vikaskumar @saurabhsaggi  @bhawna_sharma– bunch of PR buddies whom I know from the time I joined twitter. PR rants are super fun

@palinn – Have learnt loads and loads and loads from him. Just following him on twitter gives you the right links to knowledge

@anaggh – Now now what do you want me to say.. anaggh iz god

@b50 – I can only say thanks to this man. He has steered me clear of so many confusions. Hugs

@shaaqt – the Wheeee girl. I envy her Marathi.

@pprakash – I consider myself lucky to have met this gem of a person on twitter. As I have said before, I have been my honest best to him. I think he is the only person to whom I have never ever lied

@balasn – another fun fella, it was really great shopping for ur mommy and also those filter kappi treats

@softykid – well, I think certain things are best not said. We have come a long way.  Glad to have an elder brother like you

@shamz911 – Patti, Marapatti

@ikaveri – this lady has got the guts! I admire her

@startonomics: totally fun chap. but conversations can be serious at times

@pappe_it_is –  My cerelac buddy. Let’s catch up soon for a cerelac tweetup. Only the two of us!

@kmcherian – The only celeb I follow. *Respects*

@v_shakthi – I ask a question and he is ready with the answer. Super awesome tweep and comes up with FFs that I don’t deserve at all

@netra – The networking guru. Remember the day she called me to sort out some outbursts on twitter. Was so super sweet of you!

@ratzzz – The take it easy girl! I have never managed to be like her. Never will I even if I try @wiredvijay – the portrait photographer – thank u for all the DP’s  :D

@sudhamshu – Well he is professional even on twitter!! Like seriously

@AiyerChitra – totally \m/ photographer. Ur images have been a treat to the eyes

@hiway – Bikes, camera, Marathi – envy all three of it

@maheshmurthy – haven’t interacted much with him but have religiously read all that he has written so far.

@crucifire – the yay man and also @fraand

@d33pak – We have the plan ready to kill you when you visit Chennai. Cc @krithikan

@radha_ – I know she won’t read this because somewhere she is either capturing a bird or clouds J I never miss her flickr links!

@flyyoufools – I know you have surely forgotten this. But you owe me a treat. Remember I sent u the story on Flyyoufools that appeared in MetroPlus ??

@gai3pradeep –

@qwiky – He is the right person for cricket conversations. (Don’t go by the handle: He is not quick in replies). Total sweetheart

@flyfiddlesticks – he loves to argue, he loves to fight, he loves to contradict every statement you make and that’s what makes him so much fun to be with

@mercplus – Just one word – SWEET

@cruisemaniac – Geek and a nice friend. Coffee addict.

@ashumhatre – if i don’t receive the Adam Gilchrist poster and baggy green cap in the next ten days, u ll be blocked.

@sathybhat & @shivaranjan – Never put i-phone people together. They will NOT spare a thought for you.

@beastoftraal and @surekhapillai –  PR gurus.  I just sit back and watch the conversations they have.

@tinucherian – Wikipedia Guru

@fossiloflife – he is the ‘never care a damn’ guy. Happy and contended with wills, beer and i-phone. U owe me a treat!

@creatitiwitty – Cricket, fun and humor.  Missed him loads when he was away.  Hope he doesn’t take another twitter break

@bsandeep – He is ready to kill for me

@agnnair – Another cricket freak. we are hunting for cricket based jobs

@amoldhir – tissue-paper cartoonist! V actually fought before becoming friends

@soravjain – Social media freak. I have convinced him to change his DP. And he owes me a pani-puri treat, u guys promise and comfortably forget

@instantmusings – Know him only recently but a very interesting follow

@tittoantony: He is my malayalam teacher, refer @shamz911 to c how well i have learnt

@tantanoo – The comic man! He finally sent me the gift so he is sweet. Well actually he is

P.S: If I have missed someone then blame my poor memory