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Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts

Saturday, 12 September 2020

A Letter to my 20 Year Old Self



Dear 20-year-old Purba,

Today, I remembered you the way one remembers a favorite novel read long back or a favorite movie watched long back. I felt like reliving your life and the world around you the way one feels like watching every scene of a favorite movie again.

You simply refused to go away from my mind despite the deadlines beckoning me every fifteen minutes. I remembered the hopeless romantic, the crazy dreamer, the kind soul, the aspiring writer and singer so much in love with life. You inspire me, girl!

When I feel I am becoming a cynic, you teach me to love deeply, be ridiculously kind, and forgive others. When life seems mundane, you teach me to become a hopeless romantic once again. Every goal that I set and achieve, the inspiration has to be the crazy dreamer that you are. 

Today, I long to have a long chat with you because no one can understand me perhaps better than you. Honestly speaking, I feel too tired today with all the bitterness and hatred lurking all around, especially in social media. It is challenging to be positive when you are surrounded by negativity all around. 

Twitter/Facebook were once such fun places to be.  Strangers became close friends and now, friends become strangers and strangers can give you threats if your ideologies/opinions don't match with theirs. It is like walking on eggshells every single minute. 

Today, we are battling a pandemic where our country is registering nearly 1 lakh cases daily but I realize that the venom-like hatred in hearts is such a bigger pandemic than the Corona Virus. It is more contagious and deadly. 

I long to spend some quality time with you today. Together, let's listen to some Bollywood retro songs, ghazals, and 90s pop songs. 

I know you will teach me to see how far I have come and how much I can go ahead. You will remind me that although the outer world is not in our control, our inner world is. I know you will fill my heart with love, light, gratitude, and magic. You will teach me to spread my wings and fly in the sky of love, dropping every ounce of negativity. You will teach me again how to sing amid chaos and dance amid storms. 

Love,
30-year-old Purba

Sunday, 22 November 2015

My Dad is #madeofgreat

Everyone has a different definition about a great man. For some, a great man might be a person who is extremely famous. For some, a great man might be a person who is exceptionally rich and powerful. For some people like me, a great man is a person with an extraordinary character.

This post is dedicated to the person whose values, ideals, personality and character has influenced my life and made me the person I am today. He is my Dad, my Mom, my role model, my best friend, my cheerleader, my philosopher and my guide.

I understood his greatness for the first time when I was twelve years old. The love of his life, my mother passed away due to multiple organ failure. It broke him to bits. But he did not let his deep anguish reflect on his face as it would have tormented me. He was determined to fulfill the last promise he made to my mother, that is to give me the best life possible and to raise me up to be a strong, well read and independent woman.

Therefore, instead of detaching himself from everything and drowning in grief, my Dad became my Mom that day. From cooking my meals to giving me company to making me ready for school, he did it all.

He is made of great love
He is made of great sacrifices
It’s because of his greatness
I can feel my Mom’s presence within him
Every single day!


Although my Dad made my life easier, his life was clouded with several adversities and hardships after Mom passed away. Managing work and bringing up an adamant teenager was not an easy thing together. He couldn’t sleep properly at night for the next 3-4 years.

I used to study for my board exams at night and he used to give me company. Again, at the crack of dawn, he had to wake up for making my breakfast and then heading for his work. But he did not lose patience even in those trying times.The smile on his face never faded even for a day. His optimistic outlook towards life made him see the silver lining behind the grey clouds. With a smile on his face, he fought with all his adversities without any complaints.

He is made of great resilience
He is made of great tenacity
It’s because of his greatness
I have learnt to face adversities
With a calm mind and a brave heart!


During my high school days, I became a very quiet and friendless person. I had to get admitted in a new school and as a result, I lost all my old friends. There was a chasm in me, which my Dad rightly realized. From that day onward, I got a new friend in my Dad. With every year, our friendship has strengthened. I can chat with him about anything and everything. The best thing about this friend is that he is such a patient listener. 

He is always my companion in playing outdoor games, in trying adventure sports, in painting, in taking selfies, in singing and dancing etc. Recently, when I tried paragliding, it was my Dad who encouraged me to fly and was cheering me up all the while.

He is made of great amiableness
He is made of great cheer
It’s because of his greatness
I have never felt
The absence of a sibling or friend ever!


When I was doing my marketing internship, I used to stay very annoyed all the time. My Dad could clearly understand that I was not enjoying the work I was doing. He told me to listen to my heart’s calling. “Do what you Love. Love what you do” is the motto he tells me to live by. At first, I couldn’t clearly understand what the calling of my heart is. But gradually, when I started listening to my heart more carefully, I could hear its words. It’s because of Dad’s constant motivation that I dared to follow my passion for writing in various ways.

He is made of great values
He is made of great philosophies
It’s because of his greatness
I could find the purpose
Of my Living!



My maternal grandmother lives with us. My Dad takes care of her the way my Mom would have taken care of her, had she been alive. My grandmother was suffering from breast cancer and my Dad made every possible effort to cure her from the life threatening disease. His efforts, prayers and love could cure her totally. My grandmother is totally cured of cancer today and lives a wonderful life now. I really forget sometimes that my grandmother is my Dad’s mother-in-law. They are totally Mother and Son.

He is made of a great heart
He is made of great willpower
It’s because of his greatness
I believe in the power of
Love, Miracle and Prayers!


Throughout the stretch of years, I have seen my Dad dealing with several ups and downs in his life. But his positive attitude is always there in whatever situation he is in. I have never seen him losing patience ever. He is the most patient and forgiving person I have ever come across. Humming a song of Kishore Kumar and carrying a serene smile on his face, he exudes positive vibes always.

In my eyes, he is the most successful person ever. The way he has brought me up, taken care of my maternal grandmother, worked hard to be a self-made successful man and the way he loves life make me say that he is made of a great soul, a great heart and a great mind.

The inspiration to be a better person
The motivation to follow my passion
The enlightenment to be patient, forgiving and hard working
The vision to help others
The influence to love unconditionally
Stems from the person who is a great, benevolent soul
It’s a blessing to be his daughter!

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You can know about the #madeofgreat partnership between Tata Motors and Lionel Messi here: http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

It will surely enthrall you to the core. Go through it and participate in this exciting contest:

Answer this simple question in the comment section and the person whose answer would be the best, according to me will win an Amazon Voucher worth Rs. 750. The winner will be announced on 26th November here. Stay tuned!

What do you think of Tata Motors' Association with Lionel Messi?



Update 26th November, 2015: Thank you so much everyone for your participation in the contest. The winner is Gaurab Mukherjee.


Friday, 13 November 2015

A little soul-searching with Liebster Award

I feel glad that this year, I came across some wonderful people through blogging, with whom I could connect so well. It's always a pleasure to meet like-minded people and Sunaina is one such person with whom I could feel that connect. Her writings have a lot of depth and she loves reading, like me. 

I can clearly recall our first conversation when she asked me what writing means to me. We also talked about books and writers and later, she surprised me in a wonderful way by reading my book "The Hidden Letters". When I visited her wonderful blog  When I Stopped to Smell a Rose , I absolutely loved the way she expresses her thoughts. Please do visit her blog and I am sure you'll love your writings.

So, when Sunaina notified me that she has nominated me for this bright, sparkling award known as the Liebster Award, I was really very happy. Thank you, Sunaina.

I am supposed to answer a few questions that Sunaina has asked me. So, here is my chance for a little soul-searching.

1. Which of your blog post is closest to your heart?

A. The posts that I have written about my Mom and Dad are very close to my heart because the words of these posts are drenched with my love and emotions. 
The two blog posts that I would like to mention here are Memories and Stories of my Mother and Daddy's little girl

2. Who is your biggest critic?

A. I am my biggest critic, for sure. That doesn't mean that I am very hard on myself. All I try to do is to be better than what I was yesterday. So, I compare my present work with my earlier works and see how much I have made progress. I also push myself to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself from time to time. And once in a while, I also reward myself.

3. What is happiness?

A. Happiness is when your thoughts, words and actions are in perfect harmony with each other. In short, long term happiness is equivalent to peace. It is also about living in the present moment, without worrying about past and being anxious about the future.

4. Which is the most inspiring thing you have read recently?

A.  I am currently reading the book "Big Magic~ Creative Living beyond fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert which is filled with inspiration. I am sharing a few lines from the book that I read yesterday, which is immensely inspiring: 
" A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life and a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner, continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you is a fine art, in and of itself."

5. Who is your favorite author, poet, writer?

A. Rabindranath Tagore, Paulo Coelho and Elizabeth Gilbert.

6. When it comes to appreciation, would you prefer a vote for your blog post or a comment?

A. Undoubtedly, a comment that is discerning, authentic and genuine. 

7. Walk at the beach or trip to the mall or a luxury cruise...what is your favorite kind of holiday?

A. Walk at the beach, for sure. I love beaches, especially the quiet ones where I can just drown myself in the music of the waves and listen to Nature's wisdom. It is therapeutic! (And that reminds me that I should plan a small vacation in a beach before this year ends)

8. What are my thoughts about my blog or my style of writing?

A. Dear Sunaina, your blog is a solace for people like me, who loves to read soulful posts. The best thing about your writing is that you write from your heart and therefore, it has so much depth. I really like the way you reflect on simple, mundane incidents and churn out a great post out of it. Keep writing! 

9. Is it easy to forgive or forget?

A. You need to forgive, forget and then move on. It's a three step process to liberate yourself from that unwanted baggage. 
But, here forgetting doesn't imply that you give another chance to the person to betray you. It means that you are clearing your mind off negative things so that positive people and thoughts can enter. So, forgive, forget and move on. 
Life is too short to remember people who have treated you wrong and brood about them. 

10. Who is your best friend?

A. I will name three: My Dad, my school friend Priyam and books. All of them keep me grounded and enriched with happiness


The Rules


  1. Thank the nominator
  2. Display the award
  3. Nominate 10 more bloggers with 10 new questions
  4. Answer the questions provided by the nominator
  5. Notify the nominees
I love to break rules and therefore, I am nominating 6 bloggers for this award: GaurabDeeshaniMaitreniArtiRoohi and Indrani

Here are the questions that I would like you people to answer:

1. Tell me 3 memorable moments, associated with your blogging journey. (Be honest!)

2. Can virtual friends be as true and authentic as real life friends? Your take on it.

3. What kind of blog posts do you love to read?

4. Name 3 celebrities whom you would like to meet in this lifetime. (They can be from any possible field)

5. Rank in order of your preference: Money, Job Satisfaction, Fame. State reasons for your answer. 

6. Where and when did you go for your last vacation? How was it?

7. How was your 2015, till now? 

8. If God grants you one super power, what will you ask for?

9. What are your thoughts about my blog and writing?

10. Who is your confidante?

Will be waiting for your answers, dear ones! :) 


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