Branwyn is the Goddess of love, beauty, mischief and mystery. It also relates to genuine literature.

The name has been tossed by Lavkesh Kumar Singh.

Editorial

Dear Readers,

Publisher and Director Vineeta Gupta

Founder and Editor-in-Chief Sneha Gupta

As the year 2013 ends, we the Branwyn family wish to express our token of gratitude for the immense love and support you bestowed on us. The year 2013 has been marked as one of the most memorable years since we would remember it as the year of our association. Thanks again!

Mentor Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha

Managing Editor Parul Parihar

This Christmas Special issue has come with many innovative changes on which your feedback is earnestly awaited. With the regular columns, we have introduced few new segments and a new flavor of the cover story. I hope you would enjoy that.

Tech Support Rahul Kumar Singh

Legal and Financial Advisor Abhishek Singhania

The real gem of this issue the Amateur Scribbles segment. For the first time, we got such amazing submissions that it really became tough for us to reject any single piece of work. Still, we had to source the best among them keeping your choice in consideration.

Contacts: Email : snehagupta01989@gmail.com sneha@branwyn.in parul.parihar83@gmail.com

I hope you would enjoy this issue a lot and we wish that the coming year adds many more new memorable moments in our unique relationship.

Wishing all of you a Very Happy New Year 2014!

Website : www.branwyn.in

- Sneha Gupta

Three Questions : Preeti Singh

Preeti Singh, the author of Flirting with Fate, is often regarded as mother figure in literary circle. She is a mentor to several aspirant authors and also scatters positive energy with her immaculate belief and quotes. Many people get inspired by her. In spite of her busy schedule, she agreed to have few words with Branwyn readers.

Branwyn: What is life in your opinion? Preeti: According to me life is fleeting... one moment here, next moment gone ...so grab it... live it to its fullest. I believe we have one life and we should make the best of it...try not to hurt anyone, try to spread love, happiness, peace and joy coz we just dont if we live to breathe the next breath or not.
Branwyn: Do you think that daughters help mothers in being a Mom? What role does Harsheen play in your life as a daughter? Preeti: Just like any child, a daughter also gives birth to the mother she is born to. Well...my daughter Harsheen, from infancy has taken care of me rather than me mothering her. By god's grace she was born a perfectly healthy child unlike me who was born an epileptic. Over the years, Harsheen has 'taught' me how to behave like a mother and thanks to her expectations I have moulded myself as per her wishes. There are times I fail miserably and can't live up to my daughter's expectations but then enough love resides between us to forgive each other as well. I have learnt to be a strict, disciplined as well as a chilled out mom, thanks to my daughter and her peer pressure and it's a role I am thoroughly enjoying till I can, coz soon she too shall fly off leaving the nest empty.

Branwyn: How much 'the world for you' and 'you for the world' have changed after the publication of "FLIRTING WITH FATE"? Preeti: My debut book meant the world to me and got me a new identity which I had been yearning for long. It helped me guide many budding authors who sought help in the field of publication and needed step by step guidance in this competitive arena. Apart from that, my debut book made me myself realize my potential as a crime thriller writer, a field I felt I could never explore, being a diehard romantic myself. But 'FLIRTING WITH FATE' put me on a platform where I could breathe a sigh of relief and pat myself on the back with a sense of achievement. I am still the same for the world...friendly, helpful and easy going and always will be. In the end it's all up to you....whether you want to build walls and keep people away or embrace them with warm hugs. It's really all up to you....and I have chosen the latter.....and always will.

Thanks for being with us Ms. Preeti Singh. Branwyn Family wishes you all the very best in all your future endeavours.

Christmas 2013
Christmas is the festival of joy and goodness. People all across the world, celebrate it and share their joys with their family and friends. So, how could it happen that authors remain untouched of it? Earlier, writers were thought to be out of the world species who give a damn to festivity and celebrations. But with the changing scenario, the new generation of writers evolved and they actually started behaving like humans. They were no those boring chaps. Like any other human being, authors also enjoyed and celebrated Christmas. Wanna know how? Well yeah, Branwyn tried to find out

Acted Santa But Subhasis was not alone. Pulkit Gupta, author of Life and Promises acted as Santa for his readers and preponed the release of his novel from january 1st to december 24th. It was the best Christmas ever! says a smiling Pulkit. Pulkit Gupta

Many people out in the world were busy in celebrations and buying gifts for themselves, whereas some of our authors decided to become Santa for someone whom they care for. Subhasis Das [Author with Rupa Publications] acted as Santa for his Boss and brought a big client. Wow! That was too good, Subhasis!

Merry Christmas!

Subhasis Das

Merry Christmas!

Office Office While others were busy in enjoying being Santa, some of our authors had no other option left to spend the Christmas in their office. Poor Umkanat Vashishtha, author of I loved an Angel spend the Christmas working hard on his assignments in his

office. I am not getting leave on New Year too. a sad Umakant told Branwyn.

Umakant Vashisth Not only Umakant, but also Kunal Marathe, the author of Suicide at Seventeen and the CEO of Authors Empire India celebrated his Christmas in his office. I worked in printing press, with my editors, and designers on the print progress of My Glass of Wine. No, no! Not to be confused. Glass of Wine isnt Kunals new addiction. Actually it is a new book from Authors empire India written by Kiriti Sengupta! The book is said to have developed good grip among the readers. Kunal Marathe

Vinod Pardhi

Beautiful authoress Sasiprabha PS spent half of her day in the hospital dealing with a medical emergency. Though in the other half, she enjoyed a lot with her Keralite friends. A Christmas dinner with a special Christmas cake and lots of special dishes and chocolates added more to her joys.

Sasiprabha PS However, if seen the other way round, we should say that the respective offices were lucky to have such dynamic authors company on Christmas! However, author Abhinav Barik didnt miss the chance and enjoyed it a lot with his friends. I enjoyed a glass of butterscotch shake topped with cashew and pista with a close friend. I always try to enjoy little things of life. said Abhinav. Abhinav Barik

Merry Christmas!

Family and Friends Most of the authors were busy with their office works on Christmas but we also had some authors who chose to spend the day with their family and friends. Vinod Pardhi, author of Why Did I Fall in Love, spent the day with his family. This year, he was blessed with a baby boy and he considers it the best Christmas of his life. And that was not enough, he also bought Christmas gift for maids child. Probably, this side of authors remains unseen and unknown and Branwyn was thankful to Vinod for sharing this. A salute to the author!

So, the authors acted contradictory to our expectations! The Christmas holiday wasnt spent completing the upcoming novel or scribbling the plot of a new one! Isnt it enough to signify that Authors also act more humane way!

Christmas and New Years wishes to all authors and readers!

Branwyn Workshop @ M. J. P. R. U., Bareilley

After IIT, Branwyn conducted its second workshop at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohailkhand University, Bareilley. On an official invitation from the University, Team Branwyn had gone there to conduct the workshop on Personality Development. The workshop was organized under the impeccable guidance and direction of Shri M. S. Karuna, H.O.D., Chemical Engineering Department, M.J.P.R.U., Bareilley and was sponsored by TechKriti. This two days workshop was conducted by Branwyn Chief Editor Sneha Gupta and Branwyn Team member Mr. Gaurav Gill. The workshop was inaugurated on 30th November by the Chief Guest Prof. Ashwini Kumar Gupta [Dean], Faculty of Engineering and Technology. The two days workshop was commenced successfully with the quintessential help and support of Dr. O.P. Upadhyay [Former Head, Mechanical Engineering Dept.], Dr. Sanjay Singh [HoD, Electrical Engineering Dept.], Prof. Manoj Kumar Singh [Former Head, Mechanical engineering Dept., pursuing PHD at IIT Delhi], Dr. Yatendra Kumar [Former Head of Electronics and Instrumentation Dept.], Prof. Hari Singh [ Assistant Prof., Electronics and Communication Engineering Dept.], Dr. S. K. Pandey [Head of Chemistry Dept.], Er. Huma Warsi Khan [Academic In-Charge, Chemical Engineering Dept.], Er. Anjali [Event Co-ordinator], H.L. Arora [Industrialist and Senior Guest Faculty], Er. Aradhana Kanchan, Er. Ramita Rana and Er. Priyanka Gupta. The workshop was very successful with the enthusiastic participation of the students and considerate recognition by University fraternity. Following are some of the enthusiastic responses of the students who participated in the workshop Experience with the Branwyn Creative workshop is very good. Yashwat Kumar Kushwaha, B. Tech Experience was very good. Ive attempted this type of seminar first time. It was good learning by the seminar. I enjoyed the seminar. All the topics were easy and understanding. Sudhir Kumar, B.Tech

I really privileged to get an opportunity to attend this swminar on personality development education. It was completely knowledgeable and interactful & I am heartedly thankful for your visit. Sadia Almas, B.Tech

It was a pleasure to be a part of this two day workshop. Definitely Ill sort out many points from this workshop and will apply these ones in my practical life. Gaurav Pandey, B.Tech

Experience was so good. When I attend of this workshop then some changes in my life and my carrier related to this topic. After personality development then I feel my interview are going good after complete the B.Tech. Tribhuvan Gupta, B.Tech

Experience with Branwyn was very good. As the teacher taught us various useful things about interviews, daily life & also explained every asked question with satisfactory answers. Sudhanshu Tyagi

It was a good experience. I learnt more things about my personality and future life, what should we do or not? I feel confident. This workshop helped me improving my personality, communication skill etc. Thanks a lot! Pratibha Gangwar

Motivated, got wide knowledge and lots of experience. The most important word I got fro this is kaizen which I will always do in my life. Deeksha, B. Tech

Good experience, knowledge & more beneficial. I got to know - How we should represent in an interview to industry. Rinku Singh, B.Tech

Experience was good. I wish to thank Sneha Maam and Gaurav Sir who came here and taught us. Satyam Bharti

It was quite good one & has helped us to know about professional life and its general requirements. The session was very interactive and the communication was two way. Neha Singh

It was exciting experience. The best thing was the interaction which our trainers did. Manoj Kumar, B.Tech

It was really an honour to attend this two days workshop. I sincerely got a deep insight view of what really happens during an interview, what were the traits of our personality which need to be groomed & moreover what all the mistakes should be avoided. Bhawya Sharma, B.Tech

We had a valuable time. Each section made us learn something. I will imply all these things in my life and will never stop till my last breath. Arpit Chawla

It is good experience for this workshop. They are given good knowledge, and more benefit and how can be represent to give an interview for industry. Akbar Hussain, B.Tech

I feel honoured and privileged to get an opportunity to attend this session of personality development. Please visit us again and repeatedly. Bhavya Mishra

I really wish to thank you for coming to our institution and sharing this valuable things with us. Waseem Zafar

The experience was really awesome. We gained a lot from it. Please come again with longer schedule. Ram Bhadra Dwiwedi

Some other students who attended workshop were Ashok Kumar Maurya, Himanshu Singh, Navneet Garg, Neeraj Tripathi, Anil Kumar Gupta, Kanhaiya Lal Maurya, Pankaj Kumar Shrivastava, Amardeep Singh, Rajan Pratap, Anuj Mishra, Aparna Singh, K. Dishwal, Fahim Khan and others. The workshop was self-volunteered by B. Tech final year students Akhilesh Tiwari, Shipra Singh, Deeksha Sinha, Amanat Zehra and friends.

Glimpses of the workshop

Media Coverage

Alpine Ambergris : Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha

The Hooter

O! The bewitching fragrance The talking eyes The alluring smiles The radiating face That set me aflame And my blood raced Through the veins! With breath whistling between The clenched teeth I rushed and chested The stabbing furnace Glowing in the burning sensation Relishing and cherishing the intimate proximity! But the hooter At the mosque With its speed of a Striking snake Shoved us apart Plunged us into a Sulky silence! Mind crawling with alarm We looked at each other a fleeting embarrassed smile Playing on our lips. But what could have we done Being nourished on Cowardly submissiveness To conservatism?
Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha has been a member of NCERT and UGC Workshops for the proficiency of English Language in various study streams! At present, he is a prominent part of Magadh University as the Head of Department of English in S.N. Sinha College! He honoured Branwyn with his special segment titled "ALPINE AMBERGRIS". Alpine means mountain peak which denotes Subodh Sir's intellectual persona and Ambergris means a fragrant substance found at sea level. Thus, "Alpine Ambergris" together denotes the combination of an intellectual person like Subodh Sir and novice writers like us who are just trying to make a difference!

(c) Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha Head, Dept of English SN Sinha College, Jehanabad (Magadh University, Bodh Gaya)

Dear Friends, today we have a beautiful authoress with us who has decided to be daring enough to get confronted in our crispy chit-chat segment Bourbon with Branwyn. And the authoress is none other but Prerna Varma the lovely writer of Dumb and Dumbfounded. So? Why wait? Here we go..

Branwyn : Ready Prerna? Prerna : Yes [giggles]

Branwyn : Ok then! Tell me saree or jeans? Prerna : Saree [Crispy Crunch Wow! :D ]

Branwyn : The most eligible bachelor in your opinion? Prerna : Ranbir Kapoor [Crispy Crunch Haaye! ]

Branwyn : Honda or Audi? Prerna : Audi [Crispy Crunch oho oho ;) ]

Branwyn : The best compliment you ever got? Prerna : That I could be a good teacher

Branwyn : Salman Rushdie or Amish Tripathi? Prerna : Salman Rushdie

Branwyn : Your dream proposal? Prerna : Anywhere in Rains [Crispy Crunch Guys, waiting for monsoon?? ;)]

Branwyn : Red or Brown? Prerna : Red

Branwyn : Hill Station or Dover Beach? Prerna : Hill Station

Branwyn : First Date? Prerna : Not yet [Crispy Crunch Really?? ;) ]

Branwyn : A person whom you wish to slap desperately? Prerna : My sister Poornima

Branwyn : A dream which couldnt get fulfilled? Prerna : I wanted to become an actress Enjoyed it a lot! Prerna Varma Branwyn : Your celebrity crush? Prerna : First and forever Shahrukh Khan [Crispy Crunch Gauri, aint you envious? :P ]

Mr. Incandescent Speaks

human, he always and only does what is righteous.

RamCharitmanas- Lessons in leadership

I am an optimist. And I need to clarify it. Cynicism is mostly rewarded with agreement, and optimism mostly needs an explanation, when we speak about any aspect of evolution of the Indian society. Here, however, my intentions are not to explain my optimism, but to seek an apology in advance before I venture into saying something that is evidently skeptical. The concept of joint family is on the verge of extinction, thanks to the structural metamorphosis that we currently witness in our society. The norm prevails more apparently in our urban areas, and is pronounced within the sections of our society that may boast of being thought leaders. As a result, the niche within our families once reserved for grandparents has begun to disappear. With the world traversing at an unimaginable speed, the gap between generations has never been so evident before. Consequently, we are in the process of creating generations that are chronically distanced from any connect to the very fabric that forms our rather complex society, which is in any case is a result of innumerable complex resultant impacts. Old Grannys tales are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Communication revolutions, clubbed with globalization, clubbed with our own indifference to our heritage, clubbed with several other factors come into play as our generations walk out in the world facing it as it was bequeathed to them. So have our traditions become redundant? That is a rather inflammable subject. Lets keep that aside for a while. The Ramcharitmanas is perhaps one work (if I may call it that) which has influenced generations far more than any work from within the corpus of literature (religious or otherwise) in India. Believed to have been first composed in 1574 CE, it has been a paradigm for generation of teeming masses for centuries. The most striking quality of the hero and central figure Ram is the fact that he is strikingly human even in his divinity. Perhaps the best lines that help us get a sense of the magical characterization of Indias greatest mythological hero are recited in the first part, called the Baalkand, that depicts the him as a child. Brahma jo vyapak, biraj, aj, akal, aneeh, abhed. So ki deh dhari hoi nara jaahi na jaanat Ved. The very God who is omni-present, pure, without a beginning, quality-less, detached from everything, non-discriminating; Is it possible that He takes a human body, whom not even the Vedas Understand? The valiant Ram is affected by every human emotion. He loves his wife and brothers, is angered by non-compliance, cries when he loses his wife or to see his brother on the verge of death, and lets-go his wife for purely administrative reasons. This is unlike any other godly character. He is almost defeated by his enemies, and has to struggle hard for victories. The appeal in Rams character is in his humane culpability. Thus, even when he is affected by human emotions, and even with his limitations as

Thus in the reading of the timeless scripture, we come across some instances that give us invaluable lessons in all aspects of life. With the emergence of the corporate sector, it is but evident that leadership is one skill that takes precedence over all others. The dearth of nothing pinches growth harder than the dearth of leadership. And if there is one quality that Rams character can teach anyone who intends to learn from it, it is leadership. The RamCharitmanas has several instances where Rams decision, conducts and actions are not only praiseworthy, but are also strategically exemplary. It is astonishing how small yet consequential gestures by leaders at the helm time and again make all the difference. There is paramount strategic management and leadership lessons that are almost scientific in approach, which may help todays leaders in situations that are encountered by most corporate as well as political warlords. Let us consider specific examples. Ram is out to fight Ravaan, the most powerful of Kings, in order to redeem his wife from the clutches of the evil king. He needs help, and has an army of monkeys by his side. They are out to fight the biggest army of demons and monsters that ever accumulated. Picture this. You convincing monkeys to fight till death with an unimaginably robust enemy line, for regaining another mans wife! They did, and eventually win. How did the man (with perceived divine qualities, nevertheless) convince the weaker folks to form a stronger army that won? It was simply because he didnt position the war as the fight to regain his wife. It was the fight of all that was righteous, moral and progressive against that which was not. So instead of fighting for the cause of one man, Rams army fought for the idea of moral sense, and for their leader who stood for their ideas. That is where the stronger army of Ravaan lost out; they were fighting to preserve the lust of their overconfident leader who was the king by default. Most leaders miss the trick. A vital part of the invincible strategy came from Rams knowledge of the intricacies of his opponents plans, capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. The access to this valuable information came from his ally in Vibhishan, who was also Ravaans real brother. Trust in his opponents brother was not Rams weakness. It became his ultimate strength. Also let us look at another side of the equation. Vibhishan is not his General. He is Rams friend. He is named king the moment he joins Ram. What that does is, it rules out Vibhishans returning to his brothers camp. And if this seems strategic, there is another aspect to consider. I have been in the middle of Mergers and acquisitions. I wish the acquirers would appreciate the lesson the epic teaches in such a scenario. Ram is a leader. He not only crowns Vibhishan king of Lanka, but also sees to it that the people of Lanka know this. He deliberately releases Ravaans spies who come to get a sense of his war

tactics. That is a daring step, and may have proven unadvisable. But Ram wants people of Lanka to know that his intentions are to rescue his wife unjustly captured, and not to usurp the throne. He thus reinforces his selfless character to his army, and simultaneously had the sympathy of the other camp too. Everyone who could see must have seen that this was a rational jungle dweller who had been wronged. On both sides. Towards the end of the battle there is a situation where victory is sniffed. Ravaans army has been reduced. His valiant warriors are dead. When the last and the mightiest Meghnad falls, with his corpse lying in front of Ram! His generals are of the opinion that Meghnads body should be mutilated beyond recognition, so as to create an eerie feeling, a feeling of horror in the opponents, and avenge the death of their own warriors. What does Ram do? Ram unfurls his body cloth and covers the corpse of the slain enemy, as a mark of his respect for the valour of the deceased. This only reinforces that the war is not of grudge but of principles. But is there something that Investment bankers miss and Ram didnt? Picture a mutilated corpse of a prince known for his feats at the battlefield returning to the city of Lanka. The distressed army would know that their opponent was strong. However, they would also know that the opponent was arrogant and would not be humble in victory. Thus, the option left for the army would be to fight with all might, and death being inevitable, there was nothing to lose. The tables would turn, and now Raavans army would be fighting an evil opponent with girth and anger. But when the corpse is displayed in public, covered with the saffron body-cloth of the Sanyasi-King, imagine the wave of sympathy wave that flowed in Ram favour. It not only mitigates the wrath of the weakening army, but also makes it clear even in the minds of the foes that Ram is a righteous man, and thus what he is doing must have been right. Also, now the army has a reason to believe that even in defeat, they will be given a Lankan king, and would be treated with grace by a victorious Ram. No wonder, the motive of even winning such a battle must have been a tarnished one; most would chose to surrender to a righteous king who would restore them their sovereign, and uphold their honor, than fight for a kind who opposes him. Oft times managers acquiring firms discount the dilemma of the employees of the target company. With just this lesson from Rams character, there could be so much that modern leaders could do to transform the way the corporate world runs. It is said that god doesnt end. Perhaps the same can be said for the interpretation of the epic based on the Hindu God who has inspired and will continue to inspire generations of Indians. Hope there are people who circulate his story, though!

Mr. Incandescent is a soul never at peace. But once you ignore his selfproclaimed megalomania with fallacies, you discover that he stores doublefolds than what he actually speaks out. Adoor from Dhanbad, he lives in New Delhi and works in Tecnova.

Whisper of enlightened souls

The book "Whisper of enlightened souls" by Saket and co-authors, is one of its kind. The book is polished with a collection of unparalleled poems, that has well portrayed expressions, emotions and ecstasy. The love poems are passionate. At the same time they are cynical about the way relationships workout. There is much more for the nature lovers. Nature poems mainly focus on the beauty of the natural world and at the same time they also deal with solicitous ideas of death and destruction. There is a great combination of rhymes, meters and free verse in the book, each sentence polished to the point of perfection. The book has been written keeping in mind the youths of the social heterogeneity. The poetry book has been compiled by Saket. POETS ARE : SAKET TANVEER SHARMA ROMIKA VARSHA SHARAN AKSHAY PRAKASH

Sacrament Sobriety : Gaurav Gill

India Then and Now
As I sifted through a newspaper on a cold morning with a cup of simmering tea, lifeless pages seemed to be hollering at me, coaxed me to mull it over. The Times of India costing 3.50 rupee paper brought life to 350 issues (buried in the hearts and graves of millions) that are rampant and pervasive across the nooks and corners of our developing nation and all we want is "Yellow Journalism", craving for stories that could gratify our salacious insatiable desires. We are promised a new dawn where the potential stakeholders of the country ( so called 273 in number) prepare to slug it out and their adversaries ( 269) brace themselves to stall anything that comes from across the "Radcliffe Line"( Border between India and Pakistan). Scams, problems, malfunctioning and debates (you name it and we have it) are inextricably interwoven in this hedonist society. Even if i flit through channels of the modern day satellite glorified idiot box ( if we may call it as), would get to see a barrage of eminent and not so familiar faces involved in matches of mudslinging, trying to defend not the country but the plundered wealth that they had brazenly embezzled from the exchequer. Out of the myriad channels i see wizened Anna, a septuagenarian crusading without caring for the fact that the people he is battling for, are the ones who are perpetrating it and are nonchalantly reclined in their comfort zones. In the name of Democracy all you get to feast upon is "Debate" where political parties stall the already paralyzed work of an Oligarchic Government. Does Democracy mean mere conducting of elections, or it had some other definition to it. D- Debate on who acquired the most wealth? E- Endless Accusation M-Money Laundering O- Oligarchy Govt- where power is concentrated in hands of few powerful people. C-Corruption R-Rising Inflation A-Anna lone crusader in a country of 1.2 billion population. C-Cronyism-practice of favoring if you are in power especially your relatives, DMK can be quoted Y- You still would like to call India a democratic country, please think about it, it is still in shackles, British rule was better, at least we had no one to debate and cause losses like 4 crore a day for not functioning in Parliament, hope it makes sense!

Now 2013 A new Government in Delhi! I am not being cynic! Lets hope for some good. Happy New Year!

Mr. Gaurav Gill is a person of quintessential contemplation known for his kind and modest nature. He is a lecturer and lives in New Delhi.

Down Memory Lane : Koushik Gangopadhyay

The Chief Instructor, Wing Commander GPB Chowdhury stormed into the classroom comprising of a batch of young Indian Air Force trainees. A veteran of the 1965 and 1971 war, the Wing Commander is a witty and ever smiling person by nature. But today he was not his natural self. He was very disturbed and was scanning the classroom like the radar which scans the skies for enemy fighters. The class comprised of a batch of young Air Force Technicians just out of their teens, undergoing a Specialization course in an Anti Air Aircraft Missile system. Seeing GPB, as he was fondly called, as per the tradition of IAF, the senior most trainee shouted Class Attention. GPB lost his concentration for a moment and thundered. RELAX.But where are those two jokersWhy cant I see them? There was pin drop silence as Wing Commander GPB paced up the gallery of stairs and continued staring at each of us. As his eyes met mine, he froze like a statue. A man, who always smiled, gave me a stoic look, raised his right index finger and signaled me to go and stand on the instructors dais. Quietly, I marched down the gallery and stood in attention facing the glare of my batch mates. Wing Commander Chowdhury followed me up to the dais gave me a look of utter disdain and murmured Sala Jai to mil gaya.Viru kahaN haiN.I was not able to comprehend what he meant. I returned a blank look of a goat about to be sacrificed for meat. A veteran of 30 plus years of service, Wing Commander GPB spoke English and Hindi with a lot of Bengali ascent. He proudly confessed that people whom he hired to teach him Hindi ended up with learning Bengali but he maintained Status Quo. As my mind got quagmired in all sorts of thoughts, GPB thundered Where is your partnerKal Shaam ko jab line marne gaya tha, tumhare sath kaun tha ? Without thinking for a moment I said Sir last evening I went to have tea with RegmiI did not go anywhere else. A warm smile greeted me and for the first time GPB sir smiled and said Chal o Viru bhi mil gaya. He thundered like a fighter jet he used to fly Regmi come and stand beside Jai. I raised my eyes and say Regmi walking down the aisle with a sheepish look. It seemed years after Regmi walked down the aisle and stood beside me. GPB sir looked at the class and said In Sholay there was only Viru to impress Basanti. But here I have both Jai and Viru trying to woo Basanti. The whole class laughed out loudly. Wing Commander Chowdhury shouted back Dont Laugh Jokers. Its a serious issue. Help your colleagues. He took out a coin and said Shall we go for a toss to decide the winner who can get the right to marry Basanti?. I and Regmi stood like two pieces of rocks ashamed and humiliated unable to understand what went wrong and what to say. Suddenly our beloved Sir looked at me and said Kal sham wali kaisi thi?. My heart started pounding heavily and I knew instantly that me and Regmi is in a soup. Last evening, I and Regmi were walking down the service road from Guided Weapon Training School to Makarpura to have a cup of flavoured tea topped with Malai at Kakis tea stall. It was one of our favourite tea joints as Kaki served tea with lot of love and care. On the way there lies a restaurant named Chakor which served Punjabi, Gujarati and Marathi food. We used to visit this restaurant once in a while to break the monotony of food served by the Airforce Mess. As we were approaching Chakor, we noticed a beautiful lady standing alongside a scooter and looking at her wrist watch. She must have been around 25 years old wearing a salwar suit which was making her fair complexion glow. She had the face of a Goddess and a figure good enough to attract teenagers like us. Regmi poked me with his left elbow and said Biwi ho to aisi I said Pehle dekh le phir bat karenge. As we crossed her I looked at her through the corner of my eyes. She was the dream woman every man would love to have as his wife. As we walked a few meters after crossing her I looked around to see her once more but alas she was no more there nor was the scooter. The silence of the class was broken by the thundering voice of the Fighter Pilot who had sent chills down the spine of the enemy when he had flown his Gnats and Hunters. GPB shouted Basanti ka jimmedari koun lega? Come on speak out. You are a bloody soldier. Dont get scared. Without a second thought I realized that the lady whom we saw last evening is the Wing Commanders daughter. I mustered some courage and said Sir, we are sorryWe did not know that she is your daughter. My Instructor laughed out loudly and said What is your take home pay? Do you know she spends more at the beauty parlours than what you earn per month? Sala salary se family ka kharcha nikal loge? There was no doubt in my mind that the lady was the Wing Commanders daughter. We were looking sheepishly at the floor while the whole class was smiling. I was feeling as if the roof would crash on me. All of a sudden my tormentor, my beloved GPB sir laughed out loudly and said She is my wife. Maintain karke rakha haiN. Dekho 20-22 sal ka baccha usko line mar raha hai. Bloody jokers, it was my marriage anniversary and I was ordering food at Chakor. Because of the black glass of the restaurant door you could not see me. But you should have seen my scooter which is as old as my tenure in IAF. Come on guys go and enjoy life. But dont assess a womans age incorrectly. Otherwise you will be in distress. We ran upstairs as if we were let free after being given a death sentence. Later I was commanded by Wing Commander GPB Chowdhury in a Field Unit but he never discussed this incident with any of my colleagues. Its his greatness that I still salute him years after not being in touch with him. Wherever you are GPB sir, may you stay safe and healthy.

Kaushik Gangopadhyay is an ex-defense personnel presently working with State Bank of India. He honoured us by accepting our request to share his real experiences and anecdotes of Air-Force life in Down Memory Lane section of Branwyn.

Fragrance of Heena
Heavenly Child..
In this winter night is wild Born was the heavenly child Wrapped in rude manger In kindness hes the anchor Born to virgin Mamma Mary His love will never vary Was Saint Josephs loving son With love many hearts he won For masses hes the teacher For years he was their preacher Betrayed by his own disciple Judas But he never loathed any of us Sharing his last supper with his apostles Watched by Abba father and his angels He knew his wish was to be fulfilled But from his duties he never wobbled Though hes forgivenesss emblem He was at last crucified in Jerusalem On third day he rose from the dead As it was rightly destined and said And soon he ascended into heaven Sitting right to the Father was his haven

Heena Ahuja is a girl who loves to scribble the rhythmic melody of literature. She lives in Mumbai.

Mr. YouKnowMe Speaks

Purpose

Do we really need a purpose to do something? This question is answer to the very existence of mine. If there is no purpose, I might not breathe even. Everything, every single entity around me is encircled within the word Purpose. Once I had a friend, with whom I usually had conversation regarding Software Technology, as he was working with a major IT firm. One day he told me he is writing a novel. I was not amazed with his words, because I knew he is pretty much of a wordsmith, who can craft beautiful sentences out of simple incidents, and had a good command over language. But still, I asked him Do you have a purpose? Question was simple. And certainly it still is one of the most common questions that I still ask. He replied, Do I need one? making it simpler than ever. I dont remember when this conversation did take place, but those were the days when Orkut used to be the most happening place. With time, and his success we drifted apart, he became a big celebrity and I kept a distance to make sure that I wont hurt his image in his fans. Until one day I saw his message on my mailbox. It read, Hi, I hope you remember me. I havent heard from you since quite a long time. Hope you are doing well. You might know, that I wrote the novel that once I discussed with you, and a few more. Im sure you must have read it. Would love to know what you think about it. You must be wondering why I appeared out of nowhere and asking about it today. Its been years we discussed about it, and certainly I couldnt stay in touch with you due to multiple reasons that you understand well. What I dont understand is why you never contacted. We were more than Orkut Friends, arent we? We need to meet and sort it out ASAP! Before that, I need to tell you why I thought of you. Yesterday, when I was writing an article, my wife (Oh Yes, I got married recently!) asked me Why do you write? with a generous curiosity. She further asked Do you have a purpose? She just wanted to know why I am always engrossed in writing. Im sure she is nowhere connected to you, nor I told her about you, but she asked it in the same way as you did years ago. When was that? 2007? Or 2008? I dont remember clearly. And it reminded me of you. And your question of Purpose! I hadnt had the answer then. But now I have. And thats the reason why I searched for you in my mailing contact and thought of sharing my reasons with you.

Yes, I have a purpose. Then, it was escaping the bitterness of reality, and now it is to capture the beauty of life. I write because I write about my own life. Every day there would be another novel in the stands, but none of them will have my story in them. I might not be an extraordinary writer, but I can shape my thoughts to give them a life, that is beyond the pages of my novels, and stays in the hearts of my readers. I write because thats all I know. I wrote codes which had no life. Now I am writing novels, that has my own life. How can I stay away from my own life? I write because the purpose of reading and writing is to sustain the sense of being alive and connected to your soul makes you feel something that is beyond explain. It is my way to resist the existential loneliness that creeps up in the nights and takes away my sleep. When I am writing, there is no numbness. You should try that too. I thought of quitting from writing many a times, but every time something stopped me. And I realized there really is always a greater purpose of everything that you do. Didnt you say that before? You know, I am feeling relieved after writing it all. I never thought I was carrying such a burden in my heart since a long time. I dont know when you will see this mail, or reply to it, but I will wait for your reply. Theres a lot to catch up. Did you get married? Or still believe in Do se bhale Ek, remember that joke? Your Bhabhi is excited to meet you, and seems more than me she is happy to find you back. I have your number, but not sure if it is still working or not. I called up, but no one picked it. Send me your number, and if possible we might catch up in a video call. What say?

Regards, Your Once Purposeless Friend

Mr. YouKnowMe is someone whom all of us know yet all of us are still to discover. He is a biker, an author and like all of us, a lover of life He is at present working with an IT Company.

Amateur Scribbles
With You Life is Heaven
Worst days of yours are all over right now Though not words but heart can describe how Life is going to have a lot more of happiness Liberation for both from long years of loneliness With you and me undergoing each moments of love Destiny is showing amity like peace shown by dove Our togetherness will surely heal the wounds of your past To stop your quest for smiles and shines of good days at last Each day will unfold the new stories that we adore Cheerfulness of heart will definitely open its door The fears of separation will meet death for sure Our feelings towards each other will certainly cure No more hurdles, no more tears, no more black days No more lies, no more egotism, no more betrays When you and me are not alone any more this year The coming year will surely whisper a lot new in our ear With new hopes, new homes, new family to welcome Life will steal hugs from joy and kisses from bliss in sum This December will speak of 'Good Bye' to all dead dreams In this New Year, life with you will be like heaven, it seems - Ms. N. M. LEEPSA L. M. Thapar School of Management (LMTSOM), Thapar University, Patiala, Pin 147004 Email: n.m.leepsa@gmail.com irritation increased when she reminded him to book the tickets for the latest blockbuster running at the multiplex nearby. He had already booked it online the day his daughter demanded it as a treat for her twelfth birthday. He loved his daughter very much and though his wife complained often that he was spoiling her by acceding to her every wish, he would always ignore her views. Continuing with his work, he was interrupted again when his secretary walked in with some files in her hand. This time there was no frown and he smiled at her and as was his wont, he ran a glad eye over her buxom figure. She was twenty one and had recently joined the firm. He had selected her in the interview over many experienced candidates. Her inexperience to his delight proved to be a boon as she seemed willing to go the extra mile to be in his good books. Going through the files he gave her instructions to draft a Request For Proposal. As she sat down at her desk in corner of his office he could not restrain a smile at the thought of the number of times she was going to come to him seeking clarifications. Suddenly an idea struck him, why not ask her out to watch the movie with his family. Or better with him. Looking at her he decided reluctantly that she would not agree to it. Feeling his intent gaze, she uncomfortably shifted in her chair and selfconsciously adjusted her dupatta. She hated it when he stood behind her chair as she worked, peering over her shoulders on the pretext of guiding her. Women working in the office had already warned her about him. The lecher deserved to be punished she thought as she typed away angrily. At Home Reaching home he found that his wife and daughter in process of getting dressed for the outing. Scolding his wife for being tardy, he went to his study and switched on his laptop and started to transfer the photos of his secretary he had taken with his mobile camera without her knowledge. He had a good collection of photos he had taken of her and some of the ones he was proud of snapping he had uploaded in various social network accounts he operated through pseudo names to get multiple likes. There was one of her bending over the file cabinet searching for a file and he had snapped the moment to record her voluptuous posterior for

AN EVENING AT THE CINEMA

The Office The phone rang just as he was about to log in to the office network. Picking up the mobile he frowned when he saw the call was from his wife. His

posterity. He chuckled as he remembered the moment. Engrossed in morphing one image he did not notice his daughter had walked into the room and was watching him. What are you doing papa? Let us go, we are ready The question startled him and immediately he shut down the computer and scolded her entering his study room without knocking. Though she had access to the internet, he had restricted the sites she could visit. There were all kinds of people preying on children out in the World Wide Web but he had made sure his daughter was safe. His wife would never have dared to enter this room. Hurriedly he changed his dress and got ready for the cinema while his wife and daughter waited for him. In The Cinema They entered the hall just as the movie was about to start. He had booked their tickets near the aisle, as he did not want his wife sitting next to some stranger. And so his wife sat in the aisle seat and their daughter between them. Two seats away a gang of boisterous youth was busy being merry and he was happy he had booked an aisle seat for his wife. The movie started and he was engrossed in it when there was a disturbance from the aisle. He frowned as the latecomers stumbled past him to the two vacant seats. The first was a youth with a popcorn pack in his hand and then the mans heart missed a beat and then raced as he saw the second person was a young woman and she had sat down next to him. On the screen the villain was busy trying to denude and rape a woman and he was going about it a leisurely way laughing aloud at the womans screams and helplessness. At that point the man glanced uneasily at his daughter and wondered if she ought to be watching the sexual violence on the screen. He was aghast at what was being shown to family audiences. Adults like him would not have been affected by what was being shown these days but young boys and girls should not be shown such filth he thought. He soon lost interest in the movie and all his attention was focused on the young woman to his right who he watched through the corner of his eyes. The new comers obviously were too young to be married but it was apparent that they were more than just friends. Leaning on to each other over the armrest between them they watched the movie whispering and munching corn all the while. The man felt a twinge of jealously watching the young man. In his youth it was difficult to even get a girl to talk, let alone cuddle in a movie show. These young women of today were out for excitement all the time he thought. Slowly he let his arm slide across the armrest. His heart was beating fast and he was filled with a wild illicit excitement. Slowly and

surreptitiously he moved his arm till he touched her body with his elbow. At first she looked at him and then shifted away. Emboldened he waited dizzy with anticipation for any move from her and then seeing no response he moved his elbow once again. This time he got a response. Turning furiously at him she glared in anger and raised her arm as him if to slap him and then stopped. All his excitement had withered and shriveled as he cowered back to his side of seat. The girl had downed her hand as she realized that the mans daughter was watching her wide eyed in shock. With a final look at the man that said more than a thousand words could do, she ignored him and turned back to her friend who had been watching perplexed. The man furtively glanced around to see if anybody had noticed and relaxed when he saw that other than his daughter no one was paying any attention to him. The Way Back The man was in a hurry to leave the theater as soon as the movie got over, explaining to his wife the need to get to their car before the exit got jammed by the rush of viewers in hurry to depart. In the car, as they left the multiplex, his daughter was unusually silent and his wife remarked on this by cutting short her rambling review of the movie to ask her if she had enjoyed the movie. The girl remained quiet looking out of the window and the man hoped she did not ask any questions. Suddenly she cried Look, look,Didi.. The man turned to watch out of the car window and was very surprised to see the woman from the cinema waving and shouting something from the window of the bus she was travelling in. Before he could understand what was happening, the bus had overtaken his car and he was left bemused. What was the meaning of that wave he wondered! Why was she being friendly now? Of course he was quite handsome and perhaps she saw him when the lights had come on in the theater and Should he try to speed up to the bus and check her out he wondered. Unfortunately by then they had reached the restaurant where the birthday dinner was planned and he regretfully turned into to the parking lot of the hotel. During dinner he ordered all the favorite dishes of his daughter including a huge dollop of ice cream dish and his daughter was back to her cheerful mood. He was happy that the dinner went off well and as he entered the car to drive back home he could not help remembering the woman waving at him.

It was now late in the night and he was speeding down the road when suddenly a bus in front of him cut across the road from the center median to the sidewalk and halted suddenly. He cursed the driver and slammed on the brakes in time to avoid hitting the bus. He got down angrily from the car and began to move towards the bus to give the driver a piece of his mind. Just then two figures jumped out of the bus and fell on to the sidewalk and without warning the bus began to reverse towards him and the car. Hurriedly he moved back to the car shouting in anger and sudden panic for the bus to stop. The bus stopped and then lurched forward and hit the sidewalk and almost ran over the persons sprawled there after getting down from the bus. The height of the sidewalk prevented any further motion forward of the bus and after a few seconds the front wheels turned and the bus sped away leaving the man dazed and shocked. He went back to the car and saw that the sudden braking had caused minor injuries to his wife who had banged her head on the dashboard. His daughter seemed to be fine and he was about to examine her when she pointed out of the window towards the sidewalk. The figures were sitting up and from the light of the cars head lamp he could now see that they were a man and a woman and they appeared to be...nude. He froze when he recognized them as the couple he had seen at the cinema earlier. By now they were calling out for help. They seemed to be badly injured with bloodied face and injuries all over their bodies. As he took a step towards them his wife spoke Come back. Her tone was sharp and urgent. Let us go. They may come back There was fear in her voice. Papa, help them please! His daughter cried out and in her voice was anguish and a sense of helplessness. He had recovered his wits by then and told them that he would call the police. Taking out his mobile he walked towards the couple lying on the sidewalk. His wife shouted that it would be foolish to get involved in a police case. Come back she screamed at him. He had never seen her so determined or forceful and for a moment he hesitated but then coming to a decision he walked out to them with his mobile in his hand. As he got near them, he saw the seriousness of their injuries. The young man was trying to get up but could not. He was bleeding from a big gash on his head. The young woman was in a worse condition and her whole body was covered by injury marks. Her eyes were almost swollen shut and weakly sensing his presence, she tried to preserve her modesty with her bloodied hands. Taking the mobile the man began pressing the button frantically. Then turning swiftly he walked away back to his car. Driving away he could

not help trembling in excitement at the thought of the number of likes and hits his page would have when he would upload the photos of the nude girl on the internet. - K. SREEKUMAR, Ambady, Palakkad Kerala Nagaripuram,

Last Night
Last night I had a dream You ran down like a stream Your heart was throbbing And eyes were gleaming Lips moved though unheard I heard whatever you whispered A long pull back of time got unleashed Rain, winter, summer, spring All became one at your advent Hand in hand we moved along There were no promise There were no space You filled me, I filled you We sang together the melody of our love We sowed the seeds of our happy and blissful life The odyssey had just begun When my mother woke me up Shaking my head like a thrill in her hand The threads of the dream are still alive You are not with me but your presence can't be denied The halo of your beauty Makes everything bright Your company enriches me Whether my eyes are closed or open wide They are always dreaming Rather it be a day or night Last night I had a dream Has became a tag line..... Last night I had a dream Has became a tag line........ - Mritunjay Kumar, Munger, Bihar

WHY DID YOU LEAVE.????

I need you around, you make me complete.. I wish I could shake you up.hold you tight and tell how much I loved See your love is hereI need you back. Cmon say you love me too. Just as you always do REMEMBERyou promised me life.just ME and YOU Togetherwould be closehand in hand.

both in highs and lows ... No matter how hard is itwe would never be apart.. REMEMBER.you promised.. so whynow its youwho is doing so???? Cmon.. Open your eyes.. Lets have a sweet morning fight.. Heycome to methere is none by my side.. Listen to me..I have so much to say M dying.I cant watch you walk away. Wake up and tell me its just a horrible dream Stop playing mock.. You know how much I hate these silent screams OHH!!!!! Without you. There is not an option rather.. All I know is I want you back.. Love you hard.. and to do same for the next so many lives together - VENU PANDEY, Almora

Merry Christmas!

THE WAY YOU DID IT MANDELA

No one could again inspire the sphere, The way you did it Mandela A savior, In the darkest thought. A revolutionary, Without any turbulent shout. The world of hope, Which you had brought. Fighting with the patience, Against the draught. We overlook the lesson, Which you had taught. Even God needs your presence, Thats why you have been caught. But, No one could again prompt the world, The way you did it Mandela - Satwik Mishra, Purnea, Bihar

Happy New Year 2014!