Cyclone Nisarga : the terror

I am terrified. I am anxious and I dont know what to do with myself. Just a few days ago, West Bengal was hit by a cyclone. Cyclone Amphan. It left behind many a deaths and a lot of destruction. Houses were destroyed.

Mumbai, for the first time in a long long time, is awaiting its cyclone. I am living in Mumbai, and I am scared. It is supposed to hit today, at 3 pm. It has been raining since morning. We can notice the rain intensify every hour. It was drizzling at abpout 8 am. Very light drizzle. And it has constantly intensified since.

We have a leaking roof. It always leaks when monsoon hits. Since we live on the top floor of our apartment, water collected on the terrace comes trickling down our window. It has started leaking again. To prepare for the cyclone, that is said to last for a few hours, three hours precisely, I have filled in water bottles and our big water container. I wanted to get candles as well, but its Corona time, and shops are either shut or too crowded.

I don’t know what else I can do to be prepared. But honestly speaking, I am more worried about the crow sitting on our neighbour’s window. Cawing incessantly. I’m scared for the many cats on the streets. I was told nature will take care of them etc, but I don’t believe a word of it. I’m scared for the people in chawls. The people without homes. Or homes too weak to protect against the rain and the wind.

Meanwhile, my cats, Morty and Loki are quite enjoying the weather. It has been very very hot in Mumbai for the past few weeks. It has cooled down a considerable amount since last night. They like it. It gives them a chance to cozy up next to the window.

Morty 🙂

I’m trying to keep myself busy so I don’t worry too much. I am to make biryani for lunch. I think I will go prepare for it.

हटा दो

तो फिर हटा दो वो झूठे लाज का घूंघट
वो तौर तरीकों के जाले
वो नज़ाखत वो अदाएं …
फिर ही तो मिल पाओगे मुझसे तुम
बेबाक , बेशरम, बिना झूठ बिना सच
बिना खुद के , बिना मेरे ।

फिर हटा देना वो सोच के दायरे
मैं क्या देखूंगा
क्या सोचूंगा
क्या कहूँगा
जब आना मुझसे मिलने
तो बस अपनी रूह लाना…
नंगी, अनछुई,
ना साफ़ ना मैली।

Read with me, I’m Avantika

I am trying to become a book blogger. My love for reading & writing is what got me here. This isn’t my first blog, but unlike my previous blog – that is now struggling to survive because I stopped updating it, I hope to really put in my time and effort into this one.

This blog isn’t just about my love for reading. No, it isn’t. It is about the whole art of blogging and becoming aware and responsible for something I’ve started. I have often left things unfinished, books unread, blogs dying. Yes, I know its too much negative, but well, I think the first step to overcome ones faults is to accept them.

Before beginning this blog, I read a lot of other blogs. Blogs about posting regularly; book blogs; review blogs; time management blogs and a lot more book blogs. And man was I intimidated! There are so many wonderful people out there, reading such beautiful stuff and then finding the time to write about those things, equally beautifully. I saw people who read about five books a week! A WEEK! That’s right. There were people sharing their book list for the month, which had a mad 16 books! Who reads so much?! I want to. But pfft… can I? After all the ‘giving up’ feeling, I logged on to my Goodreads and checked the number of books I’ve read this year. And I was ashamed. So I am not going to share the number here. I am so ashamed.

But nevertheless, I remembered that not everyone is the same, and I am not in a competition. So I am just going to begin, one book at a time. Even though I’ve only read 10 books this year (yeah f** it! I told you!), there’s always scope of improvement. Ain’t there?

I make my time to read in the very busy schedule that I have. And that’s what’s important. But I am going to try better. I am going to try better to read more, to write more and to talk to all the wonderful people coming to my blog more.

What you can expect from this blog are some reviews, of course. And mostly, I would want to cater Indian readers. I know books have no boundaries, but I really wish people and kids in India read more often. So this will be a platform that can help them. Be it through lists, or essays on the wonder of Indian language writing.

But mostly, anyone who loves to read, however more or less, wherever in the whole wide world, will find something here for their liking. And you can always tell me what you feel, even if it is something you disagree with. Do encourage me with your kind comments!