darshana doshi

Hello and Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by! ‘Write, Travel n Inspire’ is my Mantra. Therefore, looking for projects that will give me job satisfaction. Do browse through my past -work as a Journalist and an Editor that has shaped me as a writer. Also, do take a pictorial trip with me to thirty-five countries that has changed my world view and the way I define myself.

The Pandemic led me to pen down my first book.

The biographical novel in the inspirational genre ready to be published is a compelling story close to my heart. Wish me luck as who knows, you just might be my lucky charm.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

Enjoy n look out for more.

Cheers!

Excerpt 1

Cooking engaged her senses the way music did. It even intrigued her the same way.

When Beni learnt how an ingredient could be turned around to make a new preparation she exclaimed, “ Wow, just like the way a note of Octave is spun around to create a new melody !”

Her curiosity got aroused when Kiran enthused about the role of chillies in Kathiawadi cuisine.

“The little green wonder is a must-have with every Gujarati snack,” she whispered as if she was revealing a snugly kept secret.

“When it is shallow fried and sprinkled with spices, it lifts a mundane meal to a new height.” She announced proudly , her mouth watering visibly.

Beni listened attentively feeling as enthralled as she did on listening to the radio. She now thought of the green wonder with an apex to be like a song with a title that lifts the spirit. When she discovered that the sautéed stout chilly, stuffed with spicy flour tasted better than the lean one; her respect for Chilly family grew.

Join Me On

Eventually when she bit into the deep -fried chilly stuffed with crushed peanuts, rolled in yellow batter, magic happened. Her taste buds not only did a tango but her curiosity turned into passion. Just as Beethoven’s symphony makes one experience a crescendo, the varied structure, colour and sharpness of chilli took her to the acme of culinary delights. Cooking kept her imagination alive and allowed it to go wild.

Excerpt 2

One squally morning as the wind whizzed past and the waves splashed against the hull, she felt like moving towards the Bow. The strong wind turned her sari pallu into a fluttering flag and hair into porcupine’s quills, as she hung on the railing. People around started moving down but she stayed. Slowly and steadily she started moving towards the bow against the current .It was rough but she did not give up. Once there, she threw her head up and stretched her arms, breathing in the salty air, feeling victorious.

‘To be free is an ultimate joy,’ an inner voice rejoiced as the white birds hovering above twittered merrily. She felt a surge in her blood. The feeling was familiar. She remembered feeling it when she had run wildly at the boys Cricket ground and had sung loudly along to the radio, oblivion to all.

Suddenly clouds turned grey and wind started roaring, making her cold. It reminded her that her freedom as a girl was limited and short lived. She stood there covering her body with her arms, smelling the scent of rain. Would it bring a storm along with it? She wondered as she heard thunder at a distance.

Excerpt 3

Fire! Fire!’ screamed a voice that shattered the silence of the night. As the guard fumbled to fix the water pipe, the railway warehouse went up in flames.

The phone rang incessantly waking the house near Khazale bakery. Charan answered the call. His face turned pale thereafter as he plopped into the bed.

‘Our container is destroyed in fire.” His voice was barely audible. However, his bedraggled wife heard it as she sprung out, throwing the blanket away.

“What? Was it Negate on the line? ”

Beni asked referring to his friend in the warehouse. Just then, she heard her children whimper in adjacent room. She reached out to them as Charan got up to drink water.

’Oh My God!! The insurance that expired two days back was not renewed,’ it dawned upon him. His hands started trembling. ‘Whoosh’. The deadly sound pierced the silence of the night as the glass fell.

‘Will I be able to endure one more stroke of bad luck?’ he thought as he stepped on the shard absentmindedly.

Beni screeched on spotting the blood stained carpet as she entered the room.

“Am I really the fortune’s fool,” He sighed, staring blankly in space as the blood continued to flow.