NO MORE TWIST

AS MILLENNIAL CHILDREN, BORN EITHER IN THE YEAR 2000 OR 2001, WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH BOOKS WRITTEN BY J.K. ROWLING, ENID BLYTON, ROALD DAHL, ETC. BUT AS LITERARY ENTHUSIASTS, WE OUGHT TO KNOW HOW STORY BOOKS WERE WRITTEN BEFORE WE CAME INTO THIS WORLD. SO, TO BOOST UP MY FONDNESS FOR ENGLISH LITERATURE, MY MOTHER BOUGHT A WHOLE SET OF MINI STORY BOOKS WRITTEN BY BEATRIX POTTER FROM LONDON. THE SET CONSISTED OF 4 BOOKS, NAMELY SQUIRREL NUTKIN, PETER RABBIT, LITTLE BENJAMIN BUNNY AND THE TAILOR OF GLOUCESTER. AS AN INDIAN KID, I HAD TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THE VINTAGE BRITISH VOCABULARY AND ALSO SOME NAMES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, FLOWERS AND ALSO SOME ANIMALS. TO QUOTE AN EXAMPLE, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT A PINE NEEDLE PIN OR A DANDELION WAS. THESE KIND OF NAMES WERE ALIEN TO ME. BUT AS I GREW UP, I STARTED TO DEVELOP A CERTAIN FONDNESS FOR THESE CHARACTERS AND BOOKS, SO MUCH SO, THAT I FORCED MY MOTHER TO BRING ME A SOFT TOY OF PETER RABBIT THE NEXT TIME SHE WENT TO LONDON. THE PICTURE THAT YOU CAN SEE ABOVE IS THE SIGNATURE PICTURE OF THE BOOK 'THE TAILOR OF GLOUCESTER.' IN THAT PICTURE, WE CAN SEE SMALL MICE SCURRYING ABOUT ON A RED COAT. IN THE STORY, THOSE LITTLE MICE HELP AN OLD TAILOR EARN A FORTUNE BY SEWING THE MAYOR'S WEDDING COAT FOR HIM UNDER COMPLETE SECRECY. INITIALLY, EARLIER IN THE STORY, THE TAILOR'S CAT IS SUPPOSED TO DO THE JOB BECAUSE HIS MASTER IS OLD AND FRAIL. BUT THE CAT RUNS AWAY FROM HIS DUTIES SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO 'TWIST' (HERE, INTERESTING PATTERNS OF SEWING) IN THE TAILOR'S WORK AND LEAVES THE COAT UNFINISHED. THAT IS WHEN THE MICE COME TO THE RESCUE. THE ABOVE PICTURE IS HAND DRAWN BY ME AS IT HIGHLIGHTS A DISTINCT MEMORY OF MY CHILDHOOD. WHEN I DREW THAT, IT WAS LIKE ALL THE MEMORIES CAME GUSHING BACK TO ME. AND TODAY, WHEN I WANT TO RELIVE THOSE MOMENTS, I SIT WITH THOSE BOOKS AND READ TO MY HEART'S CONTENT. AND TODAY, AS A 17 YEAR OLD READING THE OLD TAILOR'S STORY, I THINK ABOUT HOW IRONICAL THAT BOOK HAS BEEN THE WHOLE TIME: THE STORY HAS SO MANY TWISTS AND YET THE SIGNATURE IMAGE IS TITLED 'NO MORE TWIST'...

THE ODYSSEY OF BOOKS: THE REAL PICTURE OF TODAY

BOOKS ARE MAN'S BEST FRIEND. BUT THEY ARE FRIENDS WITH ONLY THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM. WHEN WE BUY A BOOK, WE BUY IT WITH THE INTENTION OF READING IT. THE NEW BOOK, FRESH FROM THE STORE, ADDS PERFECTLY TO OUR BOOK COLLECTION. WE PROMISE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF IT, NOT AS A PILLOW OR A DUMBBELL, BUT TO FEEL THE ESSENCE OF THE LANGUAGE USED TO WRITE THAT BOOK. WE PROMISE TO READ IT WITHIN, SAY, 2 WEEKS OR SO, AND THEN COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT IT. AS AGES PASS, THE COVER STARTS WEAKENING, THE PAGES START YELLOWING, AND SLOWLY, THE BOOK, WHICH ONCE USED TO BE OUR HEARTTHROB, IS FALLING APART LIKE AN OLD BUILDING...PART BY PART, LITTLE PIECE EACH TIME. AND FINALLY, WHEN THE BOOK CAN'T HANDLE ANY MORE OF PAIN, IT FINALLY FALLS APART COMPLETELY...LEAVING NO MEMORIES OF IT BEING USED FOR GOOD. IT IS SAID, THAT BOOKS DON'T COMPLAIN OR DEMAND ANYTHING FROM US. BUT THEY UNDERGO A LOT OF PAIN IF THEY ARE NOT BEING READ. THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE BITTER TRUTH OF LIFE. AND THIS WHOLE STORY, IS IN FACT, THE TRUTH BEHIND OUR LIES. THE SAD TRUTH BEHIND OUR FAKE PASSION FOR READING BOOKS. TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE ARE INTELLIGENT. TO SHOW OFF THE COLLECTION OF BOOKS WE HAVE. THE SPECTATOR HAS AN IMPRESSION THAT THESE BOOKS ARE OLD BECAUSE OF CONSTANT HANDLING AND READING. BUT, WHATEVER THE TRUTH IS, WHAT THE REAL PICTURE IS, THEY WON'T KNOW...

QUIRKY DOODLE

MOST OF US MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THE TERM "DOODLE" BUT SOME OF YOU MUST BE CLUELESS AS TO WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS. SO, A DOODLE IS BASICALLY A DRAWING THAT YOU DO FOR FUN, DURING YOUR FREE TIME. IT CAN BE ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING...ANIMALS, NATURE, LINES AND PATTERNS, OBJECTS...THERE IS A LONG LIST OF THOSE...PERSONALLY, I PREFER TO DO LINES AND PATTERNS BECAUSE IT IMPROVES YOUR LINE WORK, MAKES YOUR HAND STEADIER AND ALSO INCREASES YOUR CONCENTRATION LEVEL. AS YOU CAN SEE ABOVE, IT IS A COMPLEX DESIGN WITH VERY SIMPLE PATTERNS. AND IT IS NOT AT ALL DIFFICULT TO DO IT. JUST TAKE A PAPER AND A PEN, MARK THE BASE LAYOUT OF YOUR DOODLE, AND SCRIBBLE AWAY! TO ME, THIS DOODLE WHICH I HAVE DRAWN, SUMS UP MY ENTIRE LIFE. HOW, YOU ASK? WELL, THE ANSWER IS PRETTY SIMPLE. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, SOME PATTERNS ARE REPEATED AND SOME ARE NOT. SOME PATTERNS ARE MADE UP OF STRAIGHT LINES, WHILE SOME, CURVED. THIS SHOWS HOW MUCH OF VARIETY IS THERE IN MY LIFE...IT'S FUNNY THAT I WANT TO SHOW A COLORFUL LIFE VIA A BLACK AND WHITE DOODLE! AND AS FOR ME, DOODLING IS THE BEST MEDIUM TO EXPRESS MY THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS BECAUSE THESE PATTERNS COME STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART AND CURVED ON THE PAPER...!

FONTANA DI TREVI

HELLO! NAMASTEY! CIAO! RECENTLY, I WAS ON A DREAM VACATION TO ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON EARTH...THE HOME OF THE COLOSSEUM, AND FOOD ITEMS LIKE PIZZA AND PASTA...THE ONE AND ONLY ITALY!!! I PERSONALLY LOVED ITALY LIKE ANYTHING...ITS FOOD, CULTURE, ARCHITECTURE, PEOPLE, FASHION AND EVEN THEIR CUTE DOGS AND PUPPIES! BUT, THERE WAS ONE SUCH PLACE WHICH ME AND MY FRIENDS WERE PERSONALLY FOND OF...IT WAS THE TREVI FOUNTAIN, OR AS I MAY CALL IT, FONTANA DI TREVI, IN ROME. IT IS THIS MASSIVE MARBLE STRUCTURE, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND THERE IS COLD WATER GUSHING OUT OF THE FOUNTAIN...DURING THE EVENINGS, THEY LIGHT UP THE WATER AND THE STATUES SO WE CAN SEE IT MORE CLEARLY. BUT, WHAT A VIEW! ANCIENT, PURE, WHITE MARBLE STATUES DEPICTING THE ROMAN COLONIAL PERIOD...NOT ONE SIGN OF AGEING IS SEEN ON THE MARBLE STONE...EVEN TODAY, IT IS AS WHITE AS SNOW. THIS FOUNTAIN IS ALSO THE WISHING WELL FOR THE SPECTATORS...ITS SIMPLE, YOU SIT ON THE EDGE, TAKE A COIN, MAKE A WISH, AND THROW IT AT THE BACK WHERE IT WILL FALL IN THE WATER. AND THE LOCALS SAY, THAT IF YOU DO THIS, YOUR WISH MAY COME TRUE! AND THE BEST PART IS, THAT WHATEVER MONEY IS FISHED OUT OF THE WATER, IS DONATED TO NUMEROUS NGO'S FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE PEOPLE! SO BASICALLY, IT'S A WIN WIN SITUATION FOR ALL. I WISHED TWO THINGS THAT DAY, WHAT THEY ARE, I WON'T TELL. BUT I AM SURE, THAT IF NOT GOD, IT WILL BE MY HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS THAT WILL TAKE ME BACK TO WHERE I LEFT MY HEART...ITALY!!!

JOLLY OLD PUNE ON A RAINY DAY!!!

HI THERE! WE HAVE ALL BEEN SO BUSY IN OUR LIVES THAT SOMETIMES, WE FAIL TO GIVE TIME TO OURSELVES. BUT, THANKFULLY, I'VE HAD SOME TIME TO UPDATE MY BLOG...! I AM FROM PUNE, FROM THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA IN INDIA. PUNE HAS A UNIQUE CULTURE. IT IS KNOWN AS THE "OXFORD OF THE EAST." PUNE IS DIVIDED INTO 2 PARTS: THE MODERN AND MUCH DEVELOPED REGION, AND THE PUNE OF THE GOOD OLD TIMES, WHERE WE CAN STILL SEE THE OLD ARCHITECTURE AND THE HUGE MARKETS. EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN THE MODERN PART OF PUNE, I GET TO SEE THE OLD SIDE OF MY CITY EVERYDAY. THIS IS BECAUSE I HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF PUNE DUE TO COLLEGE. IN THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA, THE MONSOON SEASON IS GENERALLY FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER. SO, ONE RAINY DAY, AS I WAS GOING TO COLLEGE BY THE LOCAL PMPML BUS, I SAW THE BEAUTY OF MY GOOD OLD CITY IN EXCELLENT SOFT LIGHT...AND FINALLY, BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE, I GRABBED THE CHANCE TO CLICK A PICTURE OF THE SCENE...AND HERE'S WHAT I CALL IT..."JOLLY OLD PUNE ON A RAINY DAY!!!"

FADED LOVE

THE HEART, ONCE STRONG AND HEALTHY, NOW TORN FROM THE OUTSIDE. RIPPED TO PIECES ONE BY ONE, STEP BY STEP. THE RUST CALLED "DESPAIR" SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE ON THE WOUNDS OF THE HEART, LOOKING LIKE AN OLD RUINED METAL WAITING TO BE REUSED. THE SHAPE OF THE HEART, ONCE BOLD AND NEAT, NOW CRUSHED LIKE MULCH, READY TO BE THROWN. INSIDE THE HEART, DWELLS A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER, THE FLOWER OF LOVE, I RECKON. IT ONCE WAS WONDERFUL, ATTRACTIVE, VIBRANT AND FRAGRANT. BUT NOW, FRAGRANCE IS NO MORE, COLORS ARE FADED, PETALS TORN AND LEAVES DRIED. THE WALLS OF THE HEART COVERED WITH SPIDER WEBS. THE HEART IS NOW A PLACE WITH NOTHING BUT DEATH LIKE SILENCE INSIDE IT. AND THAT IS WHY SPIDERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THEIR DWELLINGS INSIDE, FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF SURVIVAL WITHOUT THEIR HOMES BEING DESTROYED TIME AND AGAIN. THESE LITTLE CREATURES KNOW THAT THEY WILL SURVIVE BEST IN RUN- DOWN AND DAMP PLACES WHERE THEY WILL CREATE THEIR OWN SMALL WORLD WITH NO ONE TO DISTURB THEM. THEY WILL LIVE AND DIE ALL ALONE, ALONG WITH THE FLOWER OF LOVE WHICH IS ALREADY RUINED. THE BUTTERFLIES MAKE THE HEART LOOK BETTER BY COVERING THE WOUNDS WITH THEIR WINGS. BUT TO NO AVAIL. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS ENTIRE PICTURE IS AN EXPRESSION OF LONG LOST EMOTIONS AND PESSIMISM, WHICH HAVE PERMANENTLY DISAPPEARED INTO THE UNIVERSE. IN SHORT, IT IS A SYMBOL OF "FADED LOVE"...

MY FIRST EVER ZENTANGLE

GREETINGS, MY FELLOW BLOGGERS! YOU MUST BE WONDERING WHAT THIS PIECE OF ARTWORK IS. WELL, THIS IS A ZENTANGLE WHICH I HAVE DRAWN WITH MY OWN HANDS. NOW YOU MAY ASK WHAT A ZENTANGLE IS. IT IS AN INTRICATE FORM OF ARTWORK WHICH COMPRISES OF STRUCTURED PATTERNS PUT TOGETHER TO FORM A PICTURE. IN SIMPLE WORDS, IT IS A PATTERNED DOODLE. WE OFTEN EXPERIENCE BOREDOM IN OUR SPARE TIME AND THUS, WE TEND TO PROCRASTINATE. INSTEAD OF UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR ANTI-PROCRASTINATION, JUST TAKE A PIECE OF PAPER AND ANY WRITING MATERIAL THAT YOU FIND CONVENIENT, AND START SCRIBBLING. LITERALLY. IF YOU REALLY PUT YOUR MIND TO IT, YOU WILL START SEEING PATTERNS IN YOUR SCRIBBLED WORK. THAT WILL GIVE YOU IDEAS ABOUT VARIOUS OTHER PATTERN COMBINATIONS AND WILL DEFINITELY MAKE YOU EXPERIMENT WITH THE SAME. THAT IS HOW I DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR ART, WHICH MADE ME BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE ZENTANGLE: IT BRINGS OUT THE ARTIST INSIDE US NO MATTER HOW GOOD WE ARE AT IT. AND FRANKLY SPEAKING, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE INTO ART OR NOT. IT ACTS AS A RELAXING, JOYOUS THERAPY WHICH IS FREE OF COST. SO, ENJOY IT THOROUGHLY!!!