Monday, December 7, 2015

'The World opened to me when I learned to read' - Mary Mcleod Bethune

Indian Bloggers


Writing blog posts in response to prompts is a common practice in the blogging community. Prompts help channelize creativity in a direction the blogger might not have thought of. Ever since I started my blogging journey, I have been writing posts whenever a prompt attracted me. Indiblogger and Blogadda have been great tools in this regard. Weekly prompts have helped bring a regularity to blogging, not just for me, but for many others as well. It was a surprise this time when the current prompt on Indiblogger did not get many entries. I wondered. When I was looking at the prompt suggestions last week, my 'blogger' sense had told me that many people would vote for the 'blog review' in the hope that they would be featured by some other fellow blogger. It was a bigger surprise however when the prompt was selected but hardly got any response.

I had personally refrained from voting for the prompt for two reasons. One, I knew I was going to be busy on the weekend and would not be able to write on it. Two, I thought that writing a blog review is a difficult task and would require lot of time and focus on the specific blog I would pick. Then, when the responses came, one from Sir Tomichan himself, who had suggested the prompt, I wondered if others too had felt what I felt and yet had voted under the spell of what Sir Tomichan correctly points out, "subconscious longing for adulation from others". (Read the post here if you haven't already.)

As writers, we expect our posts to be read. We hope to be praised. We also wish that we are liked. But writing is a skill that affects different people differently. Some might have a natural liking for poetry, and others might hate it. Some might drool over a satirical or a humorous post and others might fail to understand it. In keeping with the taste of the reader, a writing gets appreciated or disregarded. And this makes reviewing a complex task. A reader may love one post of the blogger and dislike some other post by the same blogger. Sometimes, the way a post is structured, or the layout of a blog might evoke certain likes or dislikes. For all these reasons, I felt that I cannot review a blog. 

Having said that I have certainly appreciated and learned a lot from the blogging fraternity. There are some really really good bloggers who have inspired and added value to my life. They have made me think. They have made me interrogate myself. They have also made me google up a lot of stuff I was unaware of. Then, there are some who by the magic of their camera have captured a world that I have not been to. Those images have sometimes given wings to my imagination. And lately, there have been some sensitive minds whose acute observations in their fictive and non-fictive posts have brought out the glaring harshness of the present day terrors. 

I am going to share link here of some of the posts that have touched me deeply. These posts will give you a peek in their writer's mind. It might not be a defining post of the blogger's style and skill but it is something with which I have been able to connect deeply. It is something that has made me revere the writer and made me wish I had a mind like theirs, a skill like them.

#UnitedWeStand by Saru Singhal (Read all her HashTag Stories. She excels in it, seriously. Food for thought in a few words.)

Śāntam {peace} – Navras 9 by Shweta Dave (Read all her posts on Navras.)

बूँदें : RainDrops by Kokila Gupta (Read all her Hindi poems....They are delightful like a child and they always make me love life.She had been absent for sometime but has made a comeback. I wish her lots of luck.)

Merciless Beauty by Sir Tomichan Matheikal (It is very difficult to pick one from Sir Tomichan. Read as much of him as you can.)

Camouflage by Archana Kapoor (Read all her Haiku-poems. She is an expert on this.)

The Smartphone Revolution by Alok Singhal (Laugh your way through the post. Read some of his personal posts and travelogues too.)

Micro-tales by Maniparna Sengupta Majumdar (It is difficult to pinpoint one style of writing that she excels at for the simple reason that she excels in everything she writes!)

Treasure of Nature by Purba Chakraborty (A poetess - What more should I say!)

Wordless Wednesdays by Indrani Ghose (I am getting addicted to these posts which feature a picture and caption responses by her readers. Her travel articles are good too.)

पसंदिदा तीन शब्द by Jyoti Dehliwal (Very well written posts in Hindi. Do read to get a sense of the writer's sensitivity.)

#Haiku इंतज़ार by Manisha Sharma (Short poems in Hindi. Thought-provoking, they touch your heart.)

सिलसिला by Amit Agarwal (Like Manisha, he too writes short poetry in Hindi. It is sure to leave an impression behind.)

Lei - A Wreath for your Soul by Somali Chakrabarti (This is the title of her book. Her posts are well-written, informational, introspective and engrossing.)

Lighting up the Special Light by Sreedhar Sir (His posts speak from experience.)

Twinkling Eyes  by Joshi Daniel (His snapshots say it all!)

35 Best Sites For Free Images by Prasanna Dasari (I have started following this blog lately. Prasanna comes up with good information and interesting insights in his posts.)


This list is by no means exhaustive. I might have missed out on a lot of good writings. This is a purely subjective choice and as I said, it is not a review. 


Image Source here


I want to urge all the bloggers out there to share something that has added value to their lives. 


Written for IndiSpire Edition 94


37 comments:

  1. I'm delighted for two reasons: my finding a place here & you responding to the theme. I was feeling bad for suggesting the topic at all.

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    1. You had to be there Sir. I could write a whole post on just you alone. You are a source of inspiration to many I guess.

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  2. By seeing your list, I'd say good taste, Sunaina :)

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  3. I am so happy to find my name in this list. Thank you, Sunaina. Means a lot as I love reading your posts :)
    I follow almost all the bloggers that you have mentioned in this post and all of them are really amazing.

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  4. Blogging world is corrupted with MAS syndrome. Still, one thing that I have learned is that consistency and good work is always appreciated in the long run. I was a voracious blog reader for a very long time and like you, I have a long list of blogs that I read or admire. I don't comment much as I can't overuse my hands, because of some nerve issue. And I miss the interaction that evolves on blogosphere. It's evocative and gives a lot of wisdom. Thanks for the mention, truly humbled to see my name among bloggers I admire. :)

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    1. I did not know about the issue you have Saru...I hope you recover soon. I am finding it hard now to keep up with blogging, reading, commenting because I feel my kids are being neglected in the process. Have to figure out some way to balance it out, or may be do less blogging. But the wonderful discoveries I have made here have just helped in ways I cannot tell. Thanks for the wisdom and insights you bring to your readers through your words.

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    2. Yeah, one has to maintain a balance. After a point, it becomes really taxing. Do as much as you enjoy. :)

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  5. You so rightly brought out Sunaina, if the writing does not touch us or bring in a better us...it leaves us just as a read. Loved the thoughts you brought out in this post :) And thank you for following the Navras series and happy to see my name in your list :)

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    1. Thats right Shweta. You are an amazing writer. I am still discovering you...:)

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  6. Thank you Sunaina... you are too kind :-) hugs!

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  7. Your list portrays your aesthetic taste dear. Great read! :)

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  8. Writing as a skill, affects different persons in different manners. I always agree on that and, I also think that no creative work is equally liked or praised by all. It's simply not possible that the words resonate with all.
    I admire your writing skill as you explain your points very logically but yet with an artistic touch. :-)

    I'm honoured to find my name in the list of all those wonderful bloggers. :-) I know all of them except the last one (should check the blog)
    Thank you so much...means a lot... :-)

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    1. I am growing richer by the writings of bloggers like you Maniparna. I used to think I write well. But now I know how much hard work I need to do....:)

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  9. A nice Post, Sunaina.. Thank you very much for honoring my Post brought of my own life expedience.. You really have great writing skills.. Best Wishes!

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  10. Nice list.. I am happy that I have already read some of these posts.. will read the rest :)

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  11. True that.... very nicely written....
    Wishes.

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  12. Well said Sunaina. Blogging has been an enriching experience. It helps us to appreciate diverse perspectives, virtually travel around the world, get insights on different subjects, experiment with different styles, and finally in developing various aspects of our own personality. Thank you so much for the mention. :-)

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    1. Yes Somali. It opens a new world of thoughts and ideas. Thanks...!

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  13. A long list , I ma glad I read a few of the ones you have mentioned and indeed they are worth reading ...

    Bikram's

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    1. Am really blessed to see my name included here with some amazing bloggers. Thank you Sunaina :)
      You did a great job here, you made a deep study on each blogger and selected posts, which are able to represent the writer. This is very time consuming and I know how much hard work you did for it.
      Even these posts don't represent the style and theme of the blog, they do talk on what particularly that specific blog is about. I appreciate your talent in choosing the posts.

      A writer develops a new content, publishes it and shares on various social platforms and expect sharing and commenting. Those expectations may be high, but after entering into the blogosphere, it may not be all sweet. We've to accept the result.
      Overall, a very good post Sunaina :))

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    2. Thanks for stopping by Prasanna. And a really wonderful comment by you here. You have so aptly put the blogging experience in these words. It was really tough to select these posts but I thought they would do justice in some way to what I was trying to say here.

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  14. You have said it all Sunaina and with perfect clarity .Despite having a liking For a particular writing style one can't like everything from a single blog. Nor does it satiate the craving of a varied read! I was nodding my head in agreement throughout your post with all of your points :) like you I too have inspiring / favorite posts rather than a blog :)
    I am honored and touched to see my name in your list and it IS a wonderful list ! I have read all except the last one which I'll read now :)Thanks for the mention again Sunaina :)

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    1. Thanks Kokila. My list is subjective but I hope that the posts I shared here will be liked by many.

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  15. Am so glad to find myself in your elite list, Sunaina:) Thanks tonz:):)

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  16. Am so glad to find myself in your elite list, Sunaina:) Thanks tonz:):)

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