Meenaxi's Muse

I choose this day of “Happy Women’s day” especially to express my gratitude and love for the “MEN” as I believe this beautiful collaboration of equals i.e masculine and feminine can make this world a better place. Shiva&Shakti. I am a feminist. Being a feminist, feminism means equality to me. I do not seek any bias towards a particular gender as both are important. I truly respect and value the role of men and how both genders complement each other equally. Although, I do fee l that at times the woman or girl child needs that extra support to be celebrated and accepted as equals. In the Indian context, for that to happen, we still need to elevate our consciousness. And yes, there is more sensation than sensitization in our society with regard to the true spirit of feminism. I do not find it right that women are imitating men to prove equal to them. It’s not the correct approach to emulate their dress or life style. That doesn’t prove anything other than allowing and acknowledgi...

I write to die, To die after pouring life on the paper, To let the creation be alive And float, stay or fly It’s a process of consumption Emotion, resurrection, consummation But I get reborn, anew, lighter It’s a compulsive murder Killing of the wrath or exuberant joy A constant tussle between the heart and the pen The pen pulling out the words like mining something  It’s a fight and my being looks forward to this struggle To get churned, and after it flows entirely I feel dead, neutral as if That poem never belonged to me I forget the words And read it like a narrator reciting someone else’s words I belong till its birth And cut off the umbilical just after it The baby gets raised in other nests Other hearts And I enjoy to die And my epitaph says And she kept dying happily everafter

“Did you try love?” Kanchana Banerjee’s novel “A Forgotten affair” brings this question to the fore so beautifully and so enigmatically. Isn’t this trial, the very basis of leading a happy life? Trying love than anything else and how that becomes the anchor of your life! The pivot to which you can hold upon when all is gone. “Sometimes…you need to forget everything to recognize what matters most”, quotes the author. I really enjoyed reading this book, the setting based in my beloved city Gurgaon and it’s a woman centric story of finding oneself. I liked the end very much which states the choice of a woman and really respect the writer for that ending than having a fairy tale ending of uniting with love. This book, though based on marriage and love offers more than that. There were moments of reflection, self discovery and the purpose of one’s being. Also how it highlights the narcissism of a man and dynamics of marriage. Loved the subtle, poetic scenes weaved beautifully and...

  #IAMPINK #PINK I was born as an unwanted guest, a failed attempt for a son. Son came after as my little brother but destiny meant it otherwise. We lost him after 17 years. We all learnt our lessons, grew stronger emotionally but still mostly on Rakhi days, I kept waiting for the so called brothers in relation to tie my Rakhi and eventually overcame that wait too but somewhere that void remains. I got blessed by twin daughters. When they were around 6 months old, one of the old lady saw the pram with two babies and asked, “Congratulations, they are twins?” “Yes, aunty”. "A Boy and a girl!" One of my daughter had less hair and extra chubby at that time. “No aunty, both girls”. “Oh!”….she paused. Her spark fizzled out. “Anyways beta, both are Lakshmis”, She said in a tone consoling me. I was quiet, dumbfounded and extremely angry. Another day, there was another old lady in neighbour, she just grabbed my hand one day and insistingly said,” I wanted t...

Meenakshi M Singh #1BookRead #100BooksPact2016 #FlightofHilsa A satiating and beautiful read with the hangover. Flight of Hilsa evokes the Hilsa within the reader in pursuit of purpose and happiness in one’s life. Bringing forward the truth about love, be it with a lover, parents, friend or with life, weaved beautifully through the journey of Avantika, the protagonist , reader is compelled to introspect. “It’s easy to be Kabir than Buddha” pushed me to think and the “basis of love is Faith” is so reassuring. Also it’s a story of an artist who faces the dilemma of choosing the path of heart or what the world preaches, to get tamed, a conflict between the idealism and materialism. Any artist can resonate and relate to the life story of Avantika and it builds the belief on staying true to the heart and earning love than sheer material. Loved the mystic, romantic and philosophic exchange between the Captain and the woman. How the story builds the bias strongly about a community ...

खून काश के खून भी पानी जैसा होता  न जमता , न जलता , न काला पड़ जाता  काश के खून भी पानी जैसा होता  उन्माद सा बहता , उमड़ता  बिना भेद भाव के , बिना रंग राग के  बस अपने आगोश में ले लेता  फिर एक रंग हो कर लहरों सा झूमता  काश के खून भी पानी जैसा होता काश... - मीनाक्षी

Book Title– Sunlit Hearts Author -  Meenu Mehrotra Publisher - Vitasta Publishing Pvt Ltd ISBN - 978-93-80828-78-7 Price -  Rs 295/- Pages –  238 Genre – Romance My Rating  - 4 / 5 Snapshot “ A wound is the place where light enters the heart” -  a quote from the book Medha, an aspiring writer develops feelings for Nikhil in college but her feelings are not reciprocated. Forced to bury her feelings of true love, Medha agrees to an arranged marriage to Rishi. After sixteen years of sedate and lackluster marriage, she bumps into Nikhil again but this time she is a confident and successful writer and the glamour in her married life is amiss. She could not deny herself getting pulled towards Nikhil and moves with the flow into a passionate relationship with Nikhil. She stands on a threshold where she has to weigh and analyze her feelings as a lover, her loyalties and commitment as a wife, responsibilities and duties as a mother and a daughter. A...

What is Te Aroha? Just another resort in Hills, well the answer is no.Beauty, luxury, aesthetics, modern amenities, soulful experience,a perfect combo offering all this... Te Aroha, is not just a resort but a pristine poem inked in hues of flowers, written in the lap of Himalayas rhymed on the music of rain and chirping birds  sung with clouds  dancing around..... simply breathtaking Where is Te Aroha? Feeling is the best memoir…and I had the opportunity to have a memoir there at Te AROHA..a boutique resort in Dhanachauli located at an altitude of 2300 m with picturesque views of the surrounding Himalayan mountain ranges and valleys A perfect refuge away from urban hum drums especially for romantics and artisans seeking solitude and tranquility, for a complete soulful experience. Why Te Aroha Unique? The flora and fauna, thoughtfully placed choicest pots in marble,terracotta and lime pots, some shaped as frogs, or folded hands in th...

It's your choice to feel low or laugh it off thinking others' behaviour lowly! - Meenaxi's Magic Mantra # 1 Perseverance is the greatest talent Complete forgiveness is the only remedy and the best revenge - Meenaxi's Magic Mantra # 3 Being in love doesn't mean being tamed; instead those arms around you become your wings to fly - Meenaxi's Magic Mantra # 4 Let love be the answer to all the questions - Meenaxi Magic Mantra # 5 Shed all the fear, the next moment is Cheer - Meenaxi's Magic mantra # 6 Why crawl when you can fly, When you can do it, why try ? - Meenaxi's Magic mantra # 7 OLD friends keep you young - Meenaxi's Magic Mantra # 8

  What is our legacy for our children…Material or Memories? Childhood stays as the most cherished and beautiful phase in anyone’s life. What our kids would reminisce most about their childhood? How our kids would remember us eventually? Let us take a moment to ask ourselves and reflect? We are struggling day and night for securing a better future for our children. In the process of facilitating them a luxurious lifestyle, pacing up with peer pressure, somewhere, securing in the future , the present itself is getting missed. Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them. ”      Richard L. Evans  The early years are the formative years, casting an impression of living a life. Are we setting the right example? These formative years develop a strong foundation of a kid, cultivate into an emotionally secure human being. So the involvement and the attention required from the parents is the mos...

प्रीत के फूल  कुछ शिकवें हैं   नासूर से, अंगारों से  दफ्न हैं मेरी सिम्त में  दहकते सिन्दूरी लाल  ना छेड़ो इन्हें कि ज्वालामुखी फूट जाएंगे  इंतेज़ार है तो बस उस बरसात का  जब ये दह्कते शोले बर्फ़ हो जायेंगे  इस ग़र्म बेनूर राख़  में  प्रीत भरे रिश्तों के फूल खिल आएंगे  -मीनाक्षी 

I am desperate For you I believe So are you The rain pours there On the most dry patch In the darkest backdrop The spark Illuminates the most If there is despair Hope stays just the next door When I seek you Wholeheartedly, insanely You will appear Absolutely, Abundantly

      Book Name -  Tick-Tock, We're 30       Author – Milan Vohra       Publishr – Westland       Pages – 412      Price e – INR 250       My Rating – 3/5       Snapshot      Interesting, isn’t it, how someone is always utterly attractive to someone else? For every male tree frog, there is a female tree frog whose dry skin and warts and bulging eyes are the most divine. And to you, Lara Bagai,  a karela is a thing of beauty, Nishad comments. ·     So he remembers I love karela. So what?I take it your interest in frogs is purely academic? I snigger.  'I promise you I am not in danger of being madly besotted by one anytime soon,' he half-smiles. ·          The clock is ticking towards Lara’s thirtieth birthday and the whole gang is coming together to celebrate it. It’s a pact ...

नक़्शे इक उम्र  खर्च हो गई मैं वो नक्शा ढूँढती रही तुझ तक पहुँचने का तेरा दीदार पाने का तू मुस्कुरा कर रोज़ मिलता रहा मुझे उन नन्ही किलकारियों में ,उन बेपरवाह खुमारियों में तू सामने हँसता रहा , मैं ऑंखें मूँद कर सो गई मंज़िल ए मक़सूद  भूल कर बस रास्तों में खो गई - मीनाक्षी ( 24 जनवरी , 2013 )

Are You Working? ......In any casual gathering, party, meeting, the inevitable question hits me sometimes like a lightening instantly after a name exchange or so in few secs and sometimes it slithers like a serpent after a chat of few minutes of introduction etc.….And now when I get attacked, I am prepared,  I start with my historical background to earn some respect for my present status of being just a housewife and gradually declare my current status…. So are you working? A woman mostly befitting the 'working' criteria asks! Oh yes, more than ever! I am working 200%....Although I have worked for 10 years in IT but now as a mom of twins I am working more than I have ever worked and please note that there is pure heartfelt joy in this current work. With no complaints and lot of love as remuneration. What about you? Are you working? I usually ask to be courteous and feed the ego.. I am an investment banker, a program manager etc…and the answer comes with a proud po...

ना आना फिर इस देश लाडो पहले  संजोए थे मैंने हज़ार सपने,आई थी जब तुम मेरी कोख से बाहर  तेरी वो पहली रुलाई भूल नहीं पाती हूँ , बस मंद मंद मुस्काती हूँ  बनना है तुम्हें इक डॉक्टर , मानव और समाज की सेवा को  रखा है इक लाल जोड़ा , तुम्हे दुल्हन सा सजा देखने को  रोज़ तेरा माथा चूम कर दुलारी, मैं तुम पर बलिहारी जाती हूँ  तेरी वो पहली रुलाई भूल नहीं पाती हूँ, बस मंद मंद मुस्काती हूँ  अब अब सांस तो लेती हूँ मैं लाडो, बस रो ही नहीं पाती हूँ सोचती हूँ उस काली भयावह रात को , सिहर कर भूल जाना चाहती हूँ नहीं,शायद यह सच नहीं, बस एक बुरा सपना था कि तड्पी थीं तुम उस रात एक अदद चादर को जो ढक सकती मेरी दुलारी की, लहुलुहान काया को और आत्मा को तुम तभी बस में मर जातीं तो अच्छा होता की यूँ जलते ज़ख्मों से यूँ ना सामना होता अब तुम्हारी आखिरी सिसकी को भूल नहीं पाती हूँ, मैं ज़िंदा हूँ बस रो ही नहीं पाती हूँ मैं तुम्हारीं क्षमाप्रार्थी हूँ इस माँ की उजड़ी कोख़, की है मेरी निर्भया को गुहार ना आना फिर इस देश लाडो , ना आना फिर इस देश लाडो - मीनाक्षी ( एक माँ ) जनव...

निर्भय तुमने बहुत सहा ,उन्होंने कुछ न कहा तुम चुप चाप कराहती रही ,यहाँ लाठियां बरसती रहीं तुम सदा के लिए सो गयी ,पर जगा कर गयी हम सबको छोड़ गयी इन आँखों में सैलाब,शर्म, गुस्सा और दधकती आग त्राहि त्राहि सब ओर,यह कैसा समाज, ये कैसा समय तुम्हारा बलिदान अमूल्य, पुकारता निर्भय, निर्भय   - मीनाक्षी ( 29 दिसम्बर , 2012 )

ज्वालामुखी  बरसों बाद फूटा है ये ज्वाला  जो मैंने , तुमने और हर लड़की ने सहा है  अब न रुकूंगी मैं , अब और ना सहूंगी मैं  दामिनी हूँ मैं , शक्ति हूँ मैं  मैं ही जननी हूँ , मेरा तुम पर उपकार है  आज हुआ ये जो बलात्कार है , यह उसी जननी की अस्मिता पे वार है  काली हूँ मैं , अब वेह्शियों का करना नरसंहार है  संभल जाओ , यह तुम्हारे दूध को ललकार है  हिंदुस्तान हो गया था कब का आज़ाद , पर आज भी यहाँ का आदमी घिनोनी सोच में गिरफ्तार है  कुंठित हूँ मैं , की आखिर क्यूं ये आदमी हो गया जानवर से बदतर  ऐसे आदमी होने को धिक्कार है , धिक्कार है  - मीनाक्षी ( 24 दिसम्बर , 2012 )

आज इंडिया गेट में मचा हाहाकार है   उबल रहा है हर युवा ,  के संभल जाओ , बहोत हुआ  करो इन्साफ , ये गुस्सा है  हर लड़की की चीत्कार है  मांग है , बराबरी से जीने का अधिकार है  तड़प जाएँ वो वेहशी , जिन्होंने किया भारत माँ की अस्मिता पे वार है  कराह रही है दामिनी , कराह रहा है देश  पुलिस बरसाती लाठियां , आंसू गैस की बोछार है  मुंह छुपा कर बैठें है देश के सरंक्षक , गूंगी बहरी पत्थर सरकार है अब हरे और सन्तरी रंगों से अलग न कर सकोगे हमको हम कमज़ोर नहीं हैं अब , एकजुट तैयार हैं अब उठेगा जनाज़ा इस सरकार का ग़र इक और बरसी लाठी यहाँ की यह अमानवीय है , जनता का तिरस्कार है न सहेंगे और हम, न थमेंगे अब कदम के अब कफ़न बांधे खड़ा है हर युवा ख़बरदार है, तैयार है - मीनाक्षी ( दिसम्बर 23, 2012)