Fascinating Quest

Location: Gurudwara Betma Sahib, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India


Thursday Challenge: Reflections

© Nimi Arora

There are things in life that can add zest to my life any moment. These things are the seemingly small things, at times taken for granted in the race of life. These things make me smile... they make me happy... they energize me...   Seeing my children happy
The smiles, the contentment on the faces of the kids is a confirmed stress-buster. Add to that they push you to do better, to put in more effort, and to leave a better place for them.A good book
Ah... the pleasure of reading a good book. The wonder of knowing fictional characters, of feeling their pain, of laughing at their happiness. Living another life, knowing it inside out. And to admire the way the words weave a realistic nest of stories... As I said, the pleasure of reading a good book...Planning a vacation
The thoughts, the planning, the visualization of going on a holiday, of relaxing, of taking a break... the planning feels like a holiday in itself...Doing nothing... once in a while
The choice to leave all the work, all the ch…

Zest is all in the mind. A positive mind makes for an energetic and enthusiastic person.

My first thought when I think about being positive has to do with how to avoid being negative; how to not let my energy be drained by useless, parasitic thoughts.

Five years from now
The first question I ask myself, when faced with a problem, is whether its outcome will impact my life five years from now. More often than not, the answer is no.
Use then use every moment judiciously...
John Wooden did say - "Five years from now, you're the same person except for the people you've met and the books you've read"Talk it out
I just don't keep it bottled in. Discussing any issue usually puts things in perspective. Our minds have a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Give the thoughts some airing, and they make more sense.
There is an old saying - "A problem shared is a problem halved".Is it terrible?
Again, perspective matters. I watched an episode of 'Grey's …

Give me books - all that I need
Add to that, some time to read



To open all locks, find me a key Zest is all about being free

Throw in a vacation to brood and just be
Good food is needed for a foodie like me
An awesome ride to bounce back with speed
Books with time; freedom's key; vacation to relax; car of speed; some good food too I need to add zest to life... I believe!


One of the dictionary meanings of the word 'Zest' is 'Passion'. So obviously what is needed to add zest to life is to do what one is passionate about... easier said than done. So it is the small things that one enjoys that bring back the energy and enthusiasm to life. I recently read somewhere that the Law of Time is flexible. Time can actually be stopped temporarily or accelerated. That is where I got the idea of asking for time to add zest to my life. It is supposed to be possible... I wonder how, though...
So, books and time; freedom to be; vacation (again time comes in); good food (always makes me happy)…

Two images of flowers...
One from nature...
One made from Paper and Plastic (by my daughter)








Thursday Challenge: "FLOWERS" (All Kinds, All Colors,...)


© Nimi Arora

The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev ji's words about Golden Temple, Amritsar

"Dithe Sabhe Thav Nahin Tudh Jeha"
(Of all places that I have seen, none compares with you)




Amritsari Kulche With Lassi





McDonald's Pure Veg Outlet near Harmandar Sahib




Bullet Marks on Wall at Jallianwala Bagh




Phulkari




Punjabi Jutti





ABC Wednesday Round 15 - A



© Nimi Arora

Thursday challenge - PRACTICAL (Anything tool or thing that you might use most days,...

On way to Amritsar, Punjab from Delhi, I clicked these photos.  Practical Water Storage turned into Art...







The Storage tanks being made -



To view images on this theme from around the world or to participate in this challenge please click here


© Nimi Arora

Early death - reminds me of a beautiful poem my grandfather used to love, and recite.
The poem is about a young, blooming flower being plucked.


फूल की फरियाद (Phool Ki Faryad)
(Flower's Complaint)

क्या खता मेरी थी ज़ालिम तूने क्यूँ तोड़ा मुझे क्यूँ न सारी उम्र ही तक शाख पे छोड़ा मुझे  (Kya Khata Meri Thi Zaalim
Tune Kyun Toda Muje
Kyun Na Saari Umr Tak
Shaakh Pe Chhoda Muje)
(O Sadist, what was my fault? Why didn't you leave me on the branch to enjoy my entire life?)
जानता 'गर इस हँसी के  दर्दनाक अंजाम को  मैं ह्वा के गुद-गुदाने से  न हँसता नाम को (Jaanta 'gar Is Hansi Ke
Dardnaak Anjaam Ko
Main Hawa Ke Gud-Gudaane Se
Na Hansta Naam Ko)
(Had I known the painful outcome of my happiness/beauty; I wouldn't have pretended to be happy when the wind had playfully tickled me)
शाख ने आगोश में  किस लुत्फ से पाला मुझे  तूने मलने की खातिर  बस्तर पे ला डाला मुझे  (Shaakh Ne Aagosh Mein
Kis Lutf Se Paala Mujhe
Tune Malne Ki Khatir
Bastar Pe La Daala Mujhe)
(The branch reared me in it's bosom with suc…

Title: Supertraits of Superstars Author: Priyanka Sinha Jha Genre: Non-fiction / Self-help Publisher: Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd. First published in 2014 Pages: 186 Price: Rs. 195 (Print copy)
Priyanka Sinha Jha's Supertraits of Superstars is about 'Success Secrets of Bollywood's Brightest'. A self-help motivational book, using biographical anecdotes from the lives of some Bollywood Stars.

The book is not exactly biographical because it doesn't narrate life-stories of these actors. Rather a few incidents from their lives are used to highlight their 'supertraits'.

As the author says in the introduction to this book, reading Richard Bach's Illusions as a youngster was a life-changing moment for her. As a journalist she interacted with Bollywood actors. She got inspired by them.

It takes an open and positive mind to be able to appreciate and soak up goodness, to be able to make it a motivational factor for oneself.

Eleven superstars with supertraits that have b…

What is strength measured in, I wonder, as I ponder over 'Mardaani'.




Somehow, the word reminds me of Rekha in a Sari, hair open, on a horse, wielding a sword - akin Rani Laxmibai, I guess.

What is outwardly apparent is the physical strength. But is it enough, if not supported by emotional toughness?

I can't think of a female I know who has wielded a sword or even a stick, for that matter. Never had to (fingers crossed!), but strength some of them have had in bounds.






One such person is my aunt, Preet. And this is Preet's story.




Preet's a good girl - that's how her mother always talked about her.
Born in 1950s India to Punjabi parents, who were 'refugees' in 1947 when they came to India from Pakistan. (Preet's father would, once in a while, rant about having been called a refugee in his own country - but that story is for another time, another blog-post)

When she was born, the family was still struggling to make a living in post-independence India's c…

Disclaimer: This blog is written by a bookworm. And this bookworm is proud to be one.



I have been referred to as a bookworm often enough since, what seems like, forever. I refer to myself as a bookworm at times - one word that explains my hobbies, and priorities.

A bookworm is a person who enjoys reading.


As for being a nerd, one of the definitions of 'nerd' is 'a single-minded expert in a particular field'.

Now to the Indispire topic - "Are kids who read books treated as socially incapable nerds?"
My counter-question is "Are kids who read books socially incapable nerds?"

Reading is, among other things, about escapism. So, if a person, who likes being alone, uses reading as his/her escape route, is it reading that is leading to lack of social skills?

I am an ambivert - with more characteristics of an introvert. (I am thankful for the day, I learnt the word 'ambivert'. I never understood whether I was an 'introvert' or and 'extro…

According to a survey by The National Youth Readership Survey, National Book Trust, 2010, three fourth of total literate youth (13-35 years) in India do not read books other than their textbooks.

That doesn't sound good - 75% of young India reads only when they have to. Leisure reading is obviously an unacceptable hobby for the majority.
By the way, is 35 young? Well, the survey considers them young. And being around that age myself, I am more than happy to go along with that criteria.

I couldn't find any such previous survey.

The Indispire topic is "Reading books has reduced dramatically in today's youth..." Has it? How do we compare it to the reading habits of yesterday's youth?
Go back a couple of generations (the generations with no TV) and were the kids reading more? If I see the elderly around me, my answer would be, I don't think so.

The article I got this information from, does not mention any such previous survey, so there's no way to compar…

After years, JK Rowling has given us another peek into Harry Potter's life.


Written as a gossip column in 'Daily Prophet' by the bug, Rita Skeeter - 'the bug' is what I always think of her as - it is posted on pottermore.com

Obviously written by Skeeter's Quick Quotes Quill, we get a gossipy glimpse of what is happening in Harry's and his friends' lives. Harry is 34 now with a few grey in his hair.

Some of what is written in this was known to Harry Potter fans before, as it has been mentioned by JK Rowling in some of her interviews, and interactions with her readers.


The much-hated (and rightly so, I believe) journalist, Skeeter, speculates about problems in Harry's marriage and Ron's marriage too. She gossips about the next generation, brings up the supposed rivalry between Ron and Harry, and describes Hermoines as a cunning femme fatale.

We get to know about achievements of members of Dumbledore's Army, with Skeeter's comments thrown …