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Sunday, 2 September 2018

Choice: Story 1 of Sunshine and Wildflowers


Trisha woke up in the morning with a serene smile. It was the festival of Janmashtami and she could feel the divine presence of Lord Krishna all around her. The flowers in her garden were blooming with all their vibrancy. The soft breeze soothed the unseen blisters of her heart.

The last few months were like a nightmare. She felt that she was walking amidst the hurricane for hours and yet could not reach her destination. The storm was not raging outside but within Trisha’s mind. It was a ferocious battle not only between the brain and the heart but also between her longing and duty. She had spent long nights struggling to find the answer to her questions. Finally, an unseen power planted courage and determination within her which helped her solve the quandary.

She went to her mother’s room and kissed her on her cheeks. This is how she wakes up her mother every single day after her father passed away a few years back. As she prepared breakfast, her phone beeped.

See you in two hours. I am so happy you finally made a decision.

It was a text from Akash. Trisha and Akash have been in a relationship for 5 years. With a content smile, Trisha replied to the message.

See you soon.

After having breakfast, Trisha got ready and embarked on the most important journey of her life. She reached the café in thirty minutes.

“It’s so good to see you smiling, Trisha. I felt that I lost you in the last few months. But now, my girl is back.” Akash greeted her with a smile.

“You know Akash, it is not heartbreaking when the world does not understand us. It is heartbreaking when we don’t understand ourselves. I was feeling lost as I could not hear my inner voice all these days.” Trisha said as she seated herself on the couch.

“You are great at words. I wonder why you haven’t studied philosophy in college. You are so good at it.” Akash smiled and took Trisha’s hand in his. He gently said, “Let’s get married now.”

“I cannot marry you, Akash. Today, I won’t request you to continue our relationship, unlike other days. You are free to leave me and marry anyone. I will always pray for your happiness.”

“Don’t start this again, Trisha. Can you see me with some other girl? Please be honest.”

“Yes, it will be painful, but I can. The thing I cannot see and tolerate is my mother in a help center for Alzheimer’s patients. As long as she is in this world, she will stay with me. I cannot give her responsibility to paid caregivers. I am a part of her. If I cannot be loyal to my own part, how can I be loyal to you, Akash?”

“But what about your own life, Trisha? You are in your late twenties. You will need a life partner someday who can take care of you.”

“The universe will take care of that, Akash. When you proposed me for marriage in front of your family at the beginning of this year, I was overjoyed. But soon, your parents told me that my mother cannot live with us after marriage. I have to send her to a professional help center for Alzheimer’s patients. You supported your parents, saying I cannot spend my life being a caregiver.”

“I didn’t mean it that way, Trisha.”

“You are not wrong, Akash. The responsibility of being a caregiver is huge. I am not ready to marry and start my own family.”

“You are making a terrible mistake, Trisha. You will pine for children and husband one day. You cannot spend your life alone.”

“Every woman has motherly instincts in her. Right now, my mother is my daughter. So I am already mothering her with my unconditional love.”

Trisha’s answer rendered Akash speechless. She got up from the couch and said with a smile, “I will always cherish our memories, Akash.”

After reaching home, Trisha snuggled up to her mother and cried her heart out. Her mother had a blank look on her face. After a few minutes, she gently lifted her hand and caressed Trisha’s hair. After years, Trisha experienced a drizzle of mother’s affection. It flooded her heart with emotions. At that moment, she knew that she made the right decision, under the supervision of Lord Krishna.


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Thursday, 30 August 2018

Seemarekha: Watch the story of two twin sisters on ZEE5



TV serials have always garnered immense popularity among the audience. If the plot is good and there are well-written characters, people get deeply involved with the TV show. The internet has made it possible to watch a particular TV show whenever you get time. Unlike earlier times, you don’t have to panic if you miss an episode. You can easily catch the episode on the Internet. Seemarekha is a popular Bengali TV series that released on 23rd October 2017. It airs from Monday to Saturday, 8.30pm on Zee Bangla. It tells the story of two twin sisters who are like chalk and cheese. Although they are identical in looks, their personalities are completely different.

Plot

Indian audience has always been a fan of stories on sister rivalry. The word “Seemarekha” means boundaries or limitations in Bengali. The name of the serial is metaphorical. On one hand, it displays the limitations of being self-centred. On the other hand, it shows how love can break every single boundary to create happiness and harmony in the family.

The story revolves around the lives of two twin sisters, Seema and Rekha. Seema is a self-centred and career-oriented person. She is a criminal lawyer and least interested in investing her time in household chores. Rekha, on the other hand, is a calm homely girl for whom family means everything. Although Seema and Rekha are complete opposites, they get married off in the same house.

Seema gets married to Sitangshu, a successful businessman who strongly believes in family values. Despite being the daughter-in-law of a joint family, Seema is disinterested in fulfilling her responsibilities. Her focus is always on her career.
After going through some terrible experiences, Rekha eventually gets married to Subhrangshu, Sitangshu’s brother. Subhrangshu is not as successful as his elder brother. Moreover, he has bipolar disorder. How will Rekha find her happiness with Subhrangshu especially when her sister is against her?

Characterization

Only a good plot cannot make an interesting story. It also needs good characterisation to grab the attention of people. In this respect, this Bengali TV series definitely scores ten on ten. The characters of both Seema and Rekha are very well-written. Seema is not exactly a bad person. She is self-centred who want to grab the limelight and make the most of all situations. She does not believe in sacrificing her own happiness for her loved ones. She loves her profession and values her individuality.

Rekha is a calm, considerate, and homely person. She loves taking care of her family and won’t hesitate to sacrifice her own happiness for the happiness of her loved ones. Although she gets overshadowed by Seema’s accomplishments, she never complains. Even when her mother is partial towards Seema, she does not feel envious. She loves her sister from the bottom of her heart.

Where and why should you watch it?

All the episodes of Seemarekha are now available on ZEE5 that you can watch at your leisure. You can also download the ZEE5 App on your phone. The TV series is enjoying its popularity because of its fresh storyline. People enjoy watching the different nature of the two twin sisters who are destined to live in the same house after marriage. The family entertainer is packed with drama, romance, and thrilling situations. Indrani Halder is playing the role of both Seema and Rekha.

You can check out the trailer on YouTube.



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Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Love Actually~ A moment frozen in time


Photographs are no doubt a person's most prized treasure as they capture the smile, the twinkle of the eye and the glow of the face perfectly. After the passage of many years, when we come across one such photograph, we can relive that moment once again in the screen of our mind. And it makes us feel that we are alive. 

Material possessions are nothing compared to the moments where we have truly lived...moments where our souls were dancing with joy...moments when we felt an abundance of love. 

The selfie culture has made it easier to capture precious moments without depending on another person to capture the moment. There is a story behind each photograph and today, I am going to share the story behind one of my favorite selfies.


This is the selfie of me and my grandmother whom I fondly called Dimma. It was taken in 2013 at Digha, a sea beach near Kolkata. My grandmother and I shared a very deep soul connection where we could read each other's eyes and understand the unspoken words. We were also great friends who pulled each other's legs and laughed a lot together. There were no secrets between me and her. That's how close we were.

She was very fond of sea beaches and so, every year, we used to go to Digha or Mandarmani, the beaches near Kolkata. She used to close her eyes as the sea breeze caressed her face. She used to look at the waves with a child-like delight and discuss philosophies of life with me. 

During this particular vacation, I bought a white hat and was clicking plenty of pictures. 

"Dimma! Click a nice picture of me with this hat. Isn't it looking pretty on me?" I asked her as I was posing in front of the mirror.

"Yes, you look pretty in everything. You know I always wanted to wear a white hat and a pink sweater. I wanted to see how I look in it. A silly fantasy!" My grandmother chuckled. 

"No, not at all silly. You will look so beautiful. You wear my pink cardigan and this white hat tomorrow when we go to the beach." I said with a lot of enthusiasm.

"Jhum, are you crazy? What will people think? An old woman of 70 roaming around in a pink sweater and a hat. No, my dear, I can wear it now, in front of you. But not in front of everyone." My grandmother said.

"No. You have to do this for me. Else I will be upset. You say you love me the most. Can't you do this for me, Dimma?" I tried to emotionally blackmail her so that she agrees.

Finally, my grandmother nodded her head and smiled at me. 

So, the next day, I wore my violet floral dress and a hairband. Due to my emotional blackmailing, my grandmother wore my pink cardigan over her saree and the white hat. She looked so beautiful that I couldn't stop praising her. A young couple also complimented my grandmother. She was delighted. 

I took out my phone and captured that moment. The selfie was awesome. My grandmother stole all the limelight from me. When I showed it to my grandmother, she was so excited. She couldn't believe that she was looking so good and different. She kissed my cheek and told me that I made her so happy. Whenever we showed this selfie to any relative or friend, everyone complimented only my grandmother and the ways her eyes twinkled, appeased my soul.

She passed away last year, but whenever I look at this selfie, it makes me feel happy and peaceful. This selfie has made the beauty of that moment immortal.

If you want to have a great selfie experience, you should check out the dual selfie camera of Mobiistar. You will be overjoyed to know that it has a fun, dual, selfie camera that will let you click amazing, memorable selfies. The Mobiistar phone can perfectly capture a 120-degree wide-angle shot. Doesn't it sound amazing? 

If you are traveling somewhere, you can capture more of the scenic background without worrying about fitting everyone in. It is a phone designed for the best selfie experience so that you can enjoy more, creating and capturing memories. Check out Mobiistar on Flipkart.

Thursday, 3 May 2018

Reflecting on the April A to Z challenge 2018


This was the first time I took part in the A to Z challenge, despite blogging regularly since 2014. Blogging regularly for a month apart from the 4 Sundays seemed like a daunting task for me. Therefore, I couldn't manage to gather the courage to take part in this challenge. 

Last year, I really wanted to take part in the challenge, but I lost a family member in the month of April, which left me shattered. My novel "Canvas of a Mind" released in July 2017 but I couldn't indulge in creative writing. My blogging frequency also decreased. I was only writing sponsored posts and working on my content writing assignments. 

My resolution in 2018

My resolution in 2018 was to indulge in more creative writing. Therefore, I decided to take part in the A to Z challenge in April and try something that I have never done. Although I have published a poetry book and my poems are a part of many anthologies, I have never tried various forms of poetry. Therefore, I decided to try 26 poetry forms for the A to Z challenge. 

Why Letters from the Soul?

I wanted to write poems that carry a positive message. Personally, I was going through a very difficult time, coping with the loss of my grandmother and mother. I was feeling very melancholic and broken. It would have been much easier for me to pen down sad poems. 

But I thought if my soul and my guardian angels could tell me something, what would they say? They would surely inspire me and tell me to live life in the most beautiful manner, despite losses and sadness. I could recall the lyrics of one of my favorite retro songs ~ "Zindagi pyar ka geet hai ise har dil ko gaana padega...zindagi gham ka saagar bhi hai hanske us paar jana padega."

Therefore, I tried to capture a positive message in all my poems for the A to Z challenge. And that's when the title "Letters from the Soul" came to my mind. 

Journey

I started the series with the haibun Alone ~ All one with the universe and ended it with Zen Meditation, a Trinet poem. There were days when I struggled to think about what I should write. Even if I had something on my mind, it was challenging to present my thoughts under the syllable restrictions and the particular rhyme pattern. 

I explored various forms of poetry, both traditional and invented ones. I read a lot of poems. And finally, when I could succeed in trying a new poetry form effectively every day, it boosted my creativity and confidence.

It was a month of immense learning and growing as a poet. Although there were rough days which made me panic, my subconscious mind helped me in staying creatively active. 


Gratitude

I feel an immense satisfaction in completing the A to Z challenge successfully. Despite hectic work deadlines, ill health, and personal problems, I could complete it. 

At first, I have to thank Blogchatter for making #BlogchatterA2Z so much fun. I loved the secret activities and meeting so many new bloggers through their platform. The motivation that they provided for completing the A to Z challenge is incomparable. 

My family and friends for supporting me throughout April. A big thank you to Papa, Priyam, Abhishek, Triyas for being my pillars of strength always. 

Thanks to my blogger friend, Anmol for giving me valuable tips and suggestions to survive A to Z challenge. And also for reading and commenting on all my posts.

Next, I want to thank my fellow A to Z participants who visited my blog regularly and supported me in this journey ~ Yamini, Roma, Neha, Shilpa, Namratha, Priya, Ashwini, Rohan, Kalpana, Shweta, Medha, Sayanti, Deepa, Seema, Sudha, Tina, Amit and many others. (pardon me if I have missed anyone). Each of your comments gave me the much-needed motivation to carry on with the challenge. 

What next?

Next, I will be working on my eBook named "Letters from the soul" where obviously the 26 poems that I have written during the A to Z challenge will be included. Apart from the 26 poems, there will be quotes and musings in the eBook. I am super excited to start working on it. 


Heartfelt thanks to all my readers for being with me and my blog. 
Love, Laugh and Reflect became 4 years old on 29th April 2018 and the eBook "Letters from the soul" will be my birthday gift to my blog. 





Monday, 30 April 2018

Zen Meditation: Trinet (Letters from the Soul #26)


Eyes closed
Agonized heart
Head feels heavy; ache in body
I sit in the lotus position
Pay attention,
Breathe in 
Breathe out.

Breathe in 
Breathe out
The breathing matters and nothing else
I am conscious and full of life;
Completely blessed,
Divine love
Protecting me.

Anxiety slowly
Ebbs down;
Enveloped in a bubble of tranquility,
All my thoughts jump around it
I smile
I am
Fully free.

© Purba Chakraborty 
30.04.2018


Note: This is a Trinet poem. It is an invented poetry form which has the following specifications:
Line 1: 2 words
Line 2: 2 words
Line 3: 6 words
Line 4: 6 words
Line 5: 2 words
Line 6: 2 words
Line 7: 2 words
Repeat this pattern 2 more times. When centered correctly, it looks like 3 crosses. 

Read Letters from the Soul #25


This is the last post for the #AtoZ2018 and the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. 
26 days
26 poems
26 poetry forms.
It was a roller-coaster ride experimenting with various forms of poetry every single day in April for my series~ 
"Letters from the soul". 
I hope you enjoyed the series. I am happy that I could complete the challenge successfully.