Ooty

My major motivation to go for a holiday was the cyclone Thane warning. Just head away to the hills.
However day 1 of Ooty gives us mist, fog and ice cold rain.
So there is no other option but monkeying away inside the hotel.

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Yelagiri

First stop at Yelagiri, hotel Landmark. The drive was uneventful except for us getting stuck at the last hair pin bend at midnight, just 15 minutes away from the hotel. A truck breakdown right on the bend. We waited for an hour with Ojas snoring away and Tejas cribbing constantly in my ears ....mosquitoes, pillow that is dirty etc with the ultimate larger objective of climbing on my lap and sleeping.
The good part was that this being a not so high hill, the drive was not scary. The narrow road had barricades on the edge and the city twinkled
beautifully from the track.
The hotel is basic but clean and well maintained.
And the best part apart from the hot water were the 2 double beds. No need to ask for extra beds!!
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Height of Maa ka Tyaag

Deliberately keeping fruit ninja scores low enough so that Mamma's scores do not cross Ojas' highest score so far.

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PTA

A 5 minute PTA meeting today each with the recommendation that I get them to improve their handwriting.

Tejas scores 20/20 in nearly all papers.

Ojas had some silly mistakes which pulled the scores down!

Keep it up babes! I am proud of you.

By the way my handwriting is terrible and I honestly believe your is better than mine especially Ojas.

They have decided that they do not want to do theatre which is boring so they want to continue with Western Dance! 

Thieves

Ojas...why is the watchman whistling.
Me..he s chasing thieves away
ojas- bahut saara thieves hai andar?

Tejas- don't tell this secret to anyone in school
ojas- how about A
Tejas- ok I will tell only A
Ojas- how about B
Tejas-ok you can tell B... And so on the secret gets shared

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Just Thoughts

And before we knew, we are already at the end of 2011. Last year around this time, I was anticipating something to happen and not at all betting my money on it. However, before I realised, I am already 8 months into the old new job. Time flies and all that.

This year has been extremely busy for me. First was the book reviews that I got myself into. Suddenly I realised that the reviews were hijacking my personal posts and just to be a little more professional about it, I recently launched The Reading Corner and moved all the reviews and author interviews there. Do spend some time and check it out for reviews of new book releases.

While on one hand it fuelled my thirst for books, it also came with the responsibility of putting my thoughts into reviews. And oh the variety! In the last 9 months I have read a range of genres...murder, thriller, romance, fiction, detective, classics like Tagore, Saratchandra, Indian writers, Foreign writers, award winners, first time writers, self improvement, kiddy books, boring books, interesting books, short stories, terribly long stories...

Then the new job. It kept me busier than I imagined and there has been no time to breathe or even think of relaxing. For the first time when the parents were here, I did not take even a single day off and as a result I have leaves lapsing for the first time in my working life.

I have multitasked, hoped to generate a couple of self clones to help me cope better, and have done late sittings...another first in my working life, just to get rid of backlog so that the next morning is easier. It never is, is another thing altogether.

Simply speaking I have not had time to blog properly so I have switched to email micro or mini blogging so that atleast my thoughts are posted on my space. Which is why the kid's birthday post never came up because for that I need to put the photographs and the best ones are in the camera and not on my mobile.

The one battle that I lose everyday is the battle with weight. I gain, I lose and gain it back yet again. Time famine is making me less regular at the gym than I would like to and every day I look at myself in despair.

We did a lot of home redecorating. The husband fulfilled his long time dream of putting wooden flooring and I am yet to post photos of them. Yes, we are still struggling to keep a movie style clean, spic and span home but realise that is not really possible with my two monkeys and with he limited floor space we have. I am learning to live with this realisation and trying hard to make up for lack of space by decluttering more often than needed.

I do want to do more with my life. The reading for instance. I want to do more of it with the kids yet I do not seem to find the time or their attention. Even though I know it is just a matter of starting and they will get hooked on. Now that they know how to read. In the new year, I promise to be a different person.

And of course the travel. We did very little of that this year not counting the several official trips I did and the Gurgaon holiday we managed to take and without Dadda....another first...travelling alone with the 2 bandars...it turned out to be easier than I expected.

Ojas and Tejas have got more smacks this year than they ever got so far, and this despite several promises to self that I will not smack them today. They are really becoming naughty and out of control! However they have crossed two milestones that made us all very happy and relieved...they began to wash their respective bums and learnt to cycle in 3 days flat.

The next year, I need to find a keyboard teacher for the kids. And that is a personal task I have set. I need someone who can come home and teach. That cuts the commute and the variables because I do not expect to be around most of the time To ferry them to and fro classes.

Wish you all a very happy 2012. So what did you do this 2011?

Cycling

On December 7th we removed the balancing wheels and started training the kids...I guess I was more scared to leave them rather than them. I was more worried because they did not know how to prevent a fall.

Ths first thing what I taught them was how to prevent a fall... just place your legs and brake.

The next step (usually this is the last step people learn) was how to start the cycle by yourself.

and of course, there was the mandatory running behind them holding the cycle while they attepted to balance.

Another thing what I did, against common practice was to remove both balancing wheels at the same time, instead of removing them one by one. I always felt it caused more problem in learning to balance by giving them a false sense of security on one side and they sort of compensate by leaning over that side and when they fall, they fall badly.

So as of yesterday, they are cycling. Tejas is more of a pro than Ojas who has serious focusing problems methinks!

The Krishna Contest

Thank you for the overwhelming response to the quiz. Here are the answers that we were looking for. However we make exceptions because the Goddess is ultimately one form so Laxmi is Maya or Kali and so on and Drumila was the form Kalanemi took as per the book Slayer of Kamsa.

May favourite part of the quiz was the answers I got for the favourite name of Lord Krishna. some of the answers we liked we're


Balagopala...because it reminds me of the child Krishna, and those are the stories that warm all our hearts

Yashodanandan...because He is referred to as Son of Yashoda...what more could a mother ask for

Kanha...because it conjures up the image of a mischievous brat. The name tugs at the heart strings...

Gopala because it pertains to His childhood

Krishna...for a girls name....Krishna signifies excitement...

Anandsagar...for the love He gives the devotees

Sarang...

Kanna....a term of endearment

I rejoice in repeating Govinda..

Hari steals my heart with its beauty and brevity

And now for the answers...

1. What is the meaning of the name 'Krishna".

The dark hued one, dark blue etc.

2. Where was Radha born?

Barsana

3. The Dances Garba & Dandiya are believed to have originated from Krishna. What was the form of dance that Krishna performed that became the precursor to Garba & Dandiya

The Rasalila
 

4. Who was born in Nandagokula at the time of Krishna's birth?

Goddess Lakshmi
 

5. Who was the real father of Kamsa?

The demon Drumila who was a form of KalaNemi
 

6. Who was riding the chariot after Devaki's marriage with Vasudeva?

Kamsa. 

7. Name the two jewels of Jarasandha's heart as depicted in the "Slayer of Kamsa" – Kamsa eventually marries both of them.

Asti & Prapati 
 

8. Who stopped Kamsa from killing Devaki when the prediction for the cause of Kamsa's death was rendered.

Vasudeva 

9. It is said the Parijaat tree was stolen by Krishna. Where did Krishna steal it from?

From Indra's garden, Amaravati. 
 

10. Krishna's wife Rukmini was originally promised to some one else. Who was he?

Shishupala.
 

Winners will be informed by separate mail

The Nose

Mamma...why don't you try this mango lassi. It is like mango yoghurt

Ojas...nah

Tejas...wait let me smell and tell you. Yaa... It is your mango yoghurt.

Err...as if one was not enough there is another nose in the family getting ready
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After 8 years

The cycle repeated. We got married on kartik deepam day and yesterday again was kartik deepam.

I am richer by a pretty gold bracelet with a design of tiny birds and the husband gets an anti glare night glasses for driving.

We spent a day in leisure, blogging, reading and lazing around.
We went for a meal at Fortune ..just the 2 of us after a long time.
Took the kids to kfc ...spent the evening teaching them to cycle and ended the
day with a grand kabab meal at Copper Chimmney where the kids were half asleep with exhaustion, as you can see in the picture.
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How Well Do You Know Krishna- STICKY POST

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JUST OUT... A pre release review

I have copies of the soon to be released Dance of Govinda by Ashok Banker to give away. Just answer some simple questions below.
Krishna – mischievous, loving, flirtatious, master strategist… multiple facets combined in a single God!
How well do you know Krishna and his exploits?
We know Krishna from the numerous stories of Him that we have read or heard or seen on TV. One of the sources in recent time is the Krishna Coriolis that is a 3 part series of books authored by Ashok Banker and published by Harper Collins. Check out the fb page here to know more about it.
The first book is already out in the market and the second and third are coming soon.
Before that, go on, take this quiz and find out how well you know Krishna, how well you remember the book *Slayer of Kansa* and maybe, just maybe what
to expect in the upcoming *Dance of Govinda.* or * Flute of Vrindavan*.

1. What is the meaning of the name 'Krishna".
2. Where was Radha born?
3. The Dances Garba & Dandiya are believed to have originated from Krishna. What was the form of dance that Krishna performed that became the precursor to Garba & Dandiya
4. Who was born in Nadagokula at the time of Krishna's birth
5. Who was the real father of Kamsa?
6. Who was riding the chariot after Devaki's marriage with Vasudeva?
7. Name the two jewels of Jarasandha's heart as depicted in the "Slayer of Kamsa" – Kamsa eventually marries both of them
8. Who stopped Kamsa from killing Devaki when the prediction for the cause of Kamsa's death was rendered
9. It is said the Parijaat tree was stolen by Krishna. Where did Krishna steal it from?
10. Krishna's wife Rukmini was originally promised to some one else. Who was he?

And just so that there is some subjectivity also, here comes a .....
Tie Breaker- Among the many names of Lord Krishna, which is your favourite name and why?

You have a week to mail me the answers at itchingtowrite@gmail.com. Final deadline is on 8th December 2011.
Contest valid in India or an Indian postal address.
Judges decision final.
Posting answers on the comments section would seriously undermine the said contestant's chances to win the prize...in other words, the said contestant would be disqualified from the contest.

Rules

The kids' homework called for writing down some house rules.

Some of the house rules were...
Do not jump on the sofa
Read a book before sleeping

So I told them since you have made the rules, why don't you read a book now.
Those rules are just for writing. Not for doing.
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The Reading Corner

The Reading Corner welcomes you. Stay tuned to read the reviews on the latest book releases.
I often say reading is a disease that sets early in life. The bug bites one at a very early stage in life. It did to me. Even when I was banned from reading story books for scoring poor marks in school, I ensured I read something every time I sat down to eat. Even if it meant reading the syllabus books like David Copperfield or Village by the Sea or just the labels on the bottles. The eyes needed to read. All the time.
Therefore this reading corner manifests what I always wanted to have, a magnificient library of my own.You will find here books suitable for across age groups reviewed. Some author speak too.
But mostly fiction books for adults.
Go on, take a seat. Browse through the books. Give your opinion on the books that you have read. What touched you most in a story? Who is your favourite author?Let's get going there for all book speak now.
This blog will move back to being purely a personal blog. But then, aren't books personal too? So therefore I am not going to remove any post but all new reviews will go to the Reading Corner. Give it as much love as you gave to Mamma of Twins please

The Tiny Wife

The tiny wife is a book I did not fully comprehend. Yet it left a deep mark on me. It is a cleverly crafted adult fairy tale with a moral behind it. I am still trying to work my head around it. I finished this 88 page tiny book in a single sitting, unable to move even.

So broadly, the story is a simple one. A robber robs a set of people. He does'nt take money but takes their most precious belonging with him. He parts ways saying he has taken with him, a piece of their souls. If they do not learn how to grow them back, they would die.
The manifestations of this act happen soon after.
A woman turns into candy. A man's mother begins to divide into smaller replicas of herself. A husband turns into a snowman. A lion tattoo comes alive and begins to chase the owner. A man's heart is torn from his ches.
And our protaginist's wife begins to shrink.

She has to figure out the pattern of her degrowth and how to keep herself from vanishing.
Discover how these people fight their inner demons and much more

I am tempted to discuss whatever I could make out of the story but that would defeat the purpose as each person who reads it is supposed to interpret it in one's own way.

Title- The Tiny Wife
Author- Andrew Kaufman
Price-Rs 125
Publisher-Harper Collins

Bags as a Source of Income

While I do like the idea of the government banning plastic bags, aren't the stores defeating the purpose by selling them at the counter?

In the good old days we always carried a 'jhola' for veggie shopping or grocery shopping and there were paper bags and plastics were unheard of unless you were a clothes store or a shoe shop or other such large stores.
The other day we went to Lifestyle with no intention of making a purchase. But we did buy and we were asked to pay up 5 bucks for a plastic bag.
My grouse is, most of the clothes or shoe stores in Delhi have shifted to cloth bags. Even the Dilli Haat guys give cloth bags. Even the mammoth giants of t nagar like Pothys, Nalli give jute bags then defeat the purpose
by throwing in a bunch of plastic bags...
Lifestyle being a giant enterprise can afford to give cloth bags, but it took the easier, environmental unfriendly and greedier way out. It choose to make money selling large, flashy, plastic bags.
Shame on you.

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Meet Amish

An IIM Calcutta educated banker who gave up his 14 year old career to
become a writer. His first book The Immortals of Meluha became a
commercial success and the second book in the trilogy The Secret of
the Nagas went viral. In an engaging chat with Amish, we get a feel of
what inspired his books.

- You have crafted a wonderful tale using Meluha as a starting point.
The story is fascinating and manages to maintain parallels to the original
storyline. However the story serves a greater purpose of delivering a
powerful message relevant to the current social context. How did you go
about the process of distilling nuggets for the book from the context of
the original story? What was your inspiration behind choosing this genre to
tell your story?

*The starting point for this book was pure philosophy and my own theory of
what is evil. To make it more engaging, I converted this into a story. My
own understanding of myth comes through "Shruti" (listening) from my family
and the stories I have heard from my Baba (Grandfather) who was a priest
and a teacher. I love reading and I have been reading history books from as
long as I remember. Baba and my parents taught me to look at religious
stories from a liberal perspective. Which is to respect every person's
right to his own version of the truth. For example, some say that there are
more than a thousand versions of Ramayana. Why are there so many
versions? Because all of us are different. And we need God to come to us in
different forms to help us. That is what He does.*

* *

*My mother had told me this beautiful thought - Faith is when you believe
you know the truth and fanaticism is when you think everyone else is wrong.
Therefore acceptance of other's faiths and interpretations in a liberal
manner has been a philosophy that helped shape my thoughts.*

- Could you explain more on how Rudra is differentiated from Shiva in
the book? To us they are one and the same.

*In the myths, many times, the basic character and physical appearance of
Lord Shiva and Lord Rudra are distinct. While Lord Rudra is short tempered
and the prayers offered to Him are more in the lines of not incurring His
wrath, Lord Shiva is the even tempered, kind one- almost a Bholenath who is
sought for seeking blessings. Perhaps Their descriptions are so different
because They were different Men altogether.*

- The unveiling of the Lord of the People was the most exciting moment
in the Secret of the Nagas. How did you develop this idea of making him the
anti hero in the context of the story?

*This is the way Lord Ganesh emerged to me. He is a happy, jovial God for
everyone but to me He came as a tortured soul hankering for his mother's
love. Probably that is the way the Lord intended so I surrendered myself to
the story.*

- Tell us more on the final book in the series. Most of the perceived
evils turn out to be good along the way. Is there going to be some evil in
the final book?

*There is evil of course. Everyone has two sides but evil goes beyond mere
human beings.*

- Do we get to see the face of the intriguing cover guy in the final
book?

*I am never going to show the Lord's face. Readers should be given the
freedom to conjure their own image of Lord Shiva's face!*

- What next after the Shiva trilogy is concluded? More on mythology or
on a different genre?

**

*The Ramayana, The Mahabharata…*

- According to you, how relevant is mythology in today's world?
Especially when we want the next generation to understand mythology in
their current context.

*Ancient philosophies are relevant and there is a need to modernize them to
make them more relevant to the current times. And this process of
modernisation has been done many times before. For example the Ram Charita
Manas written by Sri Tulsidasji, which many in India feel is the official
Ramayan, is actually a 16th century modernisation of the original Ramayan,
the one written by Maharishi Valmiki.
*

- How did you go about developing a persuasive marketing game plan?

*I had very good friends and advisers who helped me all along. We did the
film trailers of the book and I am told it is a first of its kind in India.*

The Dance of Govinda

This is the second book in the series The Krishna Coriolis and is yet to be released. yes I am among the lucky few who got a pre launch copy!!!

The first book, The Slayer of Kansa is the tales of what happens before Vishnu takes the form of Krishna. While Vasudeva and King Ugrasen sign the peace treaty, The evil Kamsa is causing terror among the people and belittling the treaty by challenging Vasudev time and again. He has become more powerful after alliance with Jarasandha the evil king of Magadha. Soon he returns to Mathura after getting trained by Jarasandha and thereon begins his rise to power. He disrupts the marriage of his sister Devaki to Vasudeva. An akashvani at that moment predicts that the eight child of his sister would be his nemesis. the Slayer of Kamsa.

Kamsa, on hearing this, subjects them to a dreadful fate by keeping them imprisoned until the eight children are born.

One by one, Kamsa murders the children as they are born except the seventh child who gets transported to the womb of Vasudeva's first wife Rohini. However, when the eight child, the Lord Krishna is born, the city falls asleep and Vasudeva manages to take the baby Krishna to Nanda's and Yashoda's house.

The second book begins at this point where Kamsa, more powerful than ever is still reeling from he shock of totally failing to capture and kill the eight child of Devaki, his slayer.

He dispatches his forces everywhere to kill all male children born in the last few days, months and even years.

Meanwhile, the namkaran ceremony of both Krishna and the secret child Balrama take place and post this Kamsa's strength and powers seem to deteriorate. His kingdom, his army, his forces and he himself no longer seem to be under his control on the face of it. He seems to be having periods of memory lapses and incoherence. However, in a brief introduction to Krishna's aunt, Pritha and her family, the readers are told that Kamsa's cruelty is a direct result of he control that Jarasandha carries over him.

Kamsa struggles to regain his lost powers and cognisance until he hits upon an idea. He regains his strength after drinking an overdose of poison and becomes all powerful yet again.

With renewed vigour he sets about searching for his nephew and fortunately doesn't have to search long. The ever helpful Narada tells him the exact location of baby Krishna and Kamsa sets about trying to kill Krishna yet again.

In between the tales of the cruelty of Kamsa, the readers are treated to many joyful exchanges that go on in the minds of mother and child ... Yashoda and Krishna. His playful talk with his mother conjures and image of his being an innocent child and completely belies the fact that He is the Lord Almighty incarnate. Baby Krishna also goes to meet his real parents in a totally out of body experience and predicts that his confrontation with his Kamsa Mama is not due for a few more years.

However, Kamsa does not display so much restraint. He sends Putana to kill Krishna. She comes disguised as a lady truly against her true nature. She puts the entire family into a deep sleep and proceeds to suckle the baby Krishna to death through the potent poison that flows in her body.

However, does she manage to succeed in her mission?

Of course she does not.

And the Gokuls are treated to a sight worth watching, the dance of the Govinda t the rhythm of their clapping. The Govinda, the baby who could not walk, was dancing a merry dance.

'He clapped his hands in glee, leapt in the air, landed on both feet, tottered briefly for a moment and began to move in a way that could be interpreted as only one action...He was dancing...'

Title- The Dance of Govinda

Author- Ashoka K. Banker

Price- Rs 199

Publisher- Harper Collins

The House of Silk

With pipe in hand, he turns to me and smiles...The game is afoot.

And thus begins another Sherlock Holmes adventure written by Dr Watson, the great detective's companion whose mission is to bring to life the great adventures of Holmes.

Edmund Carstairs approaches Holmes in a state of fright. He is being pursued by the dreaded flat cap gang and his life according to him is in great danger. The curious tale that Edmund relates about his misadventure in trying to find punish the gang that caused the destruction of his valuable paintings, sets Holmes into an adventure that is darker than he thought and more complicated that he imagined. It involves gruesome murders and crooked plots that twist darkly all over making it more horrendous than Dr Watson realised before setting out to become a part of it. While everyone believes that the members of the flat cap gang have been wiped out, Carstairs believes that one member is still after him to take revenge for the killing of his twin. What he does not know that the truth is more devious and deadlier than he thought. But hang on, there is more to it than the truth from his perspective that Holmes is determined to find out.

As any Sherlock Holmes adventure, the powers of detection and logic is more exciting than the story itself. On hindsight the entire puzzle looks simple enough but the way Holmes thinks ahead and predicts what will happen lends more excitement than the mystery itself.

And the best part, the story is longer than the other Holmes stories that we have read. It is like a complete novel, a treat to Sherlock Holmes fans delivered in the original style by teh author Antony Horowitz.

Title- The House of Silk

Author- Antony Horowitz

Price - Rs 499

Publisher- Hachette

Family Fables and Hidden Heresies

A Memoir of Mothers and More

I have heard of a family tree...but your family...that's no tree...it's a jungle...

This one sentence describes perfectly the Indian family and it's significance especially during the most important events of one's life.

In the words of the author...the numbers that tumble out of every nook and corner during an important function clearly epitomises the Great or Grand Indian family.

But how much do we really know our family? What motivates them, what goes towards the making of the people they are in their present life? These are typically mysteries that those lower down in the family tree often wonder. A bunch of Sepia toned images help them form an impression of the past of the older ones.

In is book, the author demystifies the women of her family and is truly exemplary. She does it not with just a bunch of old pictures but has numerous journal entries and letter written to each other to support the making of this book.

This story is written straight from the heart but has facts to support. As she goes over the memoirs and collected letters of her mother, she realises the history that shaped her mother and grandmother.

She writes about her holidays in the small village of Kamshet and describes it as an experience that was totally afar from the quaint Enid Blyton villages. Or a holiday that was unique when compared to the holidays spent in hill stations and so called destinations.

This book is not just a story but a discovery of sorts. It could be the author's story. It could be my story. It could be your story. It also traces the effects of key historical events and social structures and rules on the lives of these women. What did widowhood mean in different points of time. A haldi kumkum routine was so important to the author's mother but why was it not so important to the author. Was it just a social context or did it have deep rooted emotional reasons. Writing it all out from her mother's perspective makes the author see it all in a different light.

'Denuded of her woman's identity through sudden widowhood, she would have fallen back on her daughter, wanting her above everyone else to acknowledge her personhood, not just her motherhood...while for the daughter, from being the mother, the dependable rock, she becomes just a person, fallible, weak and vulnerable.'

So beautifully written sentence that makes us give a thought on how we take our own mother's for granted forgetting hat she is a person before she is a mother. Or perhaps, as our mothers, we are also built to be like that when our time comes.

A very though provoking book.

Title - Family Fables and Hidden Heresies

Author- Vrinda Nabar

Price- Rs 299

Publisher- Harper Collins

A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys

Imagine yourself in Tanglewood, the magical place where a tangled web of tales are woven. The children to whom the tales a told are named evocatively after flowers like Periwinkle, Dandelion, Milkweed etc. Imagine yourself as one of these lucky children who have tales narrated to them by an indulgent adult who sources these stories from a never ending supply.

The author compiles ancient myths and retells them in an imaginative fashion. This collection of six tales have the story of the Gorgon's Head which is the story of he brave adventurer who goes on the mission to bring back the Gorgon's head and free the people of the land from the cruel king. A story of wit and intellect more than just bravery.

The Golden Touch is the story of the King Midas who loved his gold more than anything else. But is gold really the most important thing? This story teaches us about the simple pleasures of life that cannot be measured against gold, like a rose and it's sweet smell.

The Paradise of Children is the story of Pandora's Box which essentially tells us that hope in the midst of despair is like a light at the end of the tunnel.

Apart from the wonderfully told magical tales, I love the additional pages that give interesting tidbits like the story of the story which is the reality behind the myth, an exercise on collective nouns and a reference list of Greek Gods.

A lovely book for young readers this book is not written in the usual English but has an ancient and lyrical flavour to it.

Title- A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys

Author- Nathaniel Hawthorne

Price - Rs 195

Publisher- Hachette

The Tulleho Book of Cocktails

This the first cocktail book with an India focus giving recipes with accessible desi ingredients.

Along with recipes there are trivia, facts and bar tending techniques. I personally loved the barman says section on the recipe pages. These are truly the pearls of wisdom that garnish the cocktails making it a totally fun book to read.

The colourful menu style content pages are as exciting as what is inside for the home bartender.

The book starts with a starter kit section which tells you what to stock in a home bar including various bar ware and types of glassware.

The mixology section teaches one the basics of the types of cocktails.

Vodka, tequila, gin, rum, Diwali special, holi special... You name it and they have a detailed section of cocktail recipes. To a teetotaller like me, it is a perfect collection to refer to if you want to understand the various categories of beverages and their drinking etiquette.

So can vodka be taken from the skull of a siberian wolf?

Which was the most expensive tequila ever sold?

Mind it, the Boyle of that tequila was made of gold and platinum,

Want the recipe for the beautiful, seductive silk panties?

What about monsoon specials served with hot pakoras?

Do you want to know your rums?

How do you say cheers in different languages?

Want to know how to fix the high?

And of course the recipe book cannot be complete without the section on liqueurs.

So go high on this collector's edition of recipes.

Title- The Tulleho Book of Cocktails

Price - Rs 395

Publisher-Westland

The Third Elephant

The little wooden elephant who is the hero of this book is found by a little girl Sara who calls him her lucky elephant. Does this elephant bring luck to the three children meet him? Of course he does but apart from that he has his own dream to fulfil. He wishes to see the great big palace in India. His luck and dreams take him to India along with Sara's sister who is participating in a cycle race. There he meets Jack who takes him to see the princess and also the white palace. But will the lucky elephant be home in time to help Sara perform in the concert? And most importantly what exactly is the white palace the elephant wants to see? Find out as you read this exciting tale woven for children.

Title- The Third elephant

Author - Penny Dolan

Price - Rs 199

Publisher-Walker (Panmacmillan)

Antenna

Tejas- Nobody lets me speak in class. I raise my hands and someone else answers.

I want an antenna like that in the cars. I can answer fast then!