Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Hunger Games Trilogy - Review



well, i have been nursing my book hangover for past 3 days now and i can't seem to come out of the trance that this trilogy sent me into and reading other books is quite impossible because every time I do something i remember Peeta and Katniss and the way the book is written.

it is much more than a love story, and the televised murder of the innocent children, may be i am reading too much between the lines, but it has so many complex ideas in the book that i can't stop thinking about it.

it has themes like a totalitarian government that punishes its citizens for crimes that were not committed by them. it is about how the human race could sacrifice its own children for the covert agenda, it is a story about love, sacrifice, compassion, friendship, courage, hatred and survival. it constantly reminded me of the dialogue from V for Vendetta

"People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people"

it touches upon the ideas that was presented in 1984 by George Orwell,  that "People need power for the sake of power and for no other reason."

it is the way i see Coin, wanting power for the sake of power and ready to sacrifice more children for her own agenda.

it is easy to say that my favorite character from the trilogy is Peeta, because he loses so much during the course of the series and still is able to ask the question that bothers him so much, life can be simplified if we can ask questions and clarify our confusions.

i am so engrossed in this book even after finishing it, that the other book i started reading [Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling] seems bland in front of it.

this series might be intended as YA, but like Catcher in the Rye, it is going to be popular among every sort of reader, may be it has already happened.

i had fun reading it and it is highly recommended to anyone who wants to see the complex sides of human nature.



5 stars - or whatever the rating it higher.

P.S. listen to "We Remain" by Christina Auguilera  -  amazing song!

Sugandh

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Kheryaan De Naal

So, I am sitting here and listening to this song from Coke Studio 7, sung by Niazi Brothers, "Kheryan De Naal" and i am doing nothing else, because listening to this song is a work in itself. the review in "Dawn" said that the song creeps on you, but it doesn't, it grows inside you, until you feel nothing but the love of Heer for Ranjha; that you agree when she proclaims that "My beloved Ranjha is the most beautiful and it is I who is not so."

When you feel that there is nothing more important than her love and the pain she is suffering because she is being asked to go with someone else; and how she is pleading with everyone else that she doesn't want to go.

this song in seven short minutes grow so much into you that you become Heer yourself and feel the pain of separation, the joy of knowing Ranjha and the love she felt for him. Until you become the flute lamenting with Heer and until you are haunted by the unrequited love, until you are in a trance and you are seeking Ranjha too and when it ends, it becomes very hard to come out of the trance; it leaves you wanting more! It leaves you in a world beyond the world of your own!




Niazi Brothers, Kheryaan De Naal, Coke Studio Pakistan, Season 7, Episode 5 from Coke Studio on Vimeo.

Sugandh

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Eid ul Azha 2014

Well, Eid Mubarak, one of my friends says that i wish eid as if i am doing "Ahsan" but no, i feel awkward wishing eids, birthdays and generally awkward wishing anything at all.

well this post is going to be dedicated to one of the most essential part of the eid "Sheer Khurma"

More than new clothes, eidi [monetary gift], lights, fun, music and food, i love sheer khurma. we get to eat sheer khurma on other days too, but eid's sheer khurma has to be the best.

so sheer is milk in persian and khurma are died dates (choharay) and they are cooked with vermicelli, we boil the milk until it is reduced in half with sugar and cardamom, and the choharay are boiled until soft, and then they are boiled together and the vermicelli are put in, and it is garnished with 'badaam pista' [that would be almonds and pistachio], the whole thing is boiled until the milk get that slight pinkish yellow hue and lose its whiteness. Heaven.

it is one thing i look forward to now during eid. just imagine that you could not taste this delicacy on eid, would it be an eid for you? due to some evil turn of the evils, you can't return home and know nothing about cooking, and you are stranded alone on your own with every possible comfort but sheer khurma on eid, will it be eid?

i guess not, so i am going to enjoy my last bowl of leftover sheer khurma from first day of eid, while you can think about the world without sheer khurma.


Adios
and eid mubarak :)

Sugandh

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