Ekta | wisdomekta

  सब ठाठ पड़ा रह जावेगा जब लाद चलेगा बंजारा। This book caught my attention because of its title, October Junction, and after finishing it, I felt the title truly justified its meaning. The book beautifully echoes the idea that every person carries a story within them. But in today’s noisy world, many of those stories remain untold — not because people have nothing to say, but because so many only ask, a few hear, and even fewer truly listen. The novel begins with the meeting of Chitra Pathak and Sudeep Yadav on October 10, 2010, in Banaras. Theirs is an unconventional love story that unfolds over the course of ten years.  Chitra Pathak is a woman who dreams of becoming a renowned writer, while Sudeep Yadav is a wealthy entrepreneur who hopes to retire by the age of 35. On paper, their worlds could not be more different. Yet, when they sit across from each other, those differences begin to dissolve. What fascinated me most while reading this novel was not merely the events thems...

Disclaimer- This post is part of trait-series-for-kids which I began to search and write for my kids in 2019. With this series of blog posts containing knowledge-slash-experience, I pray from the almighty that our kids have a simple but magical life. The contents of the series are the search, several readings, experiences, and self-reflection. Each trait post will end in a mantra to follow. Dear Sons, I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about the world you are growing up in, and I wanted to put a few thoughts down on paper—not as a lecture, but as an honest message from my heart to yours. We live in a loud, fast, and glittering world. With everything moving so quickly and AI changing how we live, it is quite easy to get lost in the noise. There is a new trend : Everywhere you look, people are told to " put themselves first. " While loving yourself is important, somewhere along the way, a lot of people started confusing self-worth with stepping on others. I see people ...

  What makes this book especially meaningful to me is that it was written by one of the first mentors in my professional journey. He began as my boss and later became a true mentor, always guiding me in the right direction. Now, in retirement, he is sharing his dream of creating GEMs, and I sincerely hope this is the first book in what becomes a wonderful series. First things first—having worked closely with him, I can vouch that the ideas he presents in this book are not just theoretical; they are deeply rooted in his own life and practice. One of the greatest blessings of working with him has been witnessing the kind of person he is: genuinely good, deeply grounded, and quietly inspiring. He has firmed my belief that even in a world often touched by negativity and wickedness, the “good” always carries a natural aura of healing, positivity, success, and overflowing joy. Well-Being Zone: Living the Spirit of Gift and Return Gift is a thoughtful and accessible guide to life and spir...

This is my second read from the author after The Secret of Elephants  . The protagonist, Anna Kotze, finds a long-buried family secret discovered in the form of an engraved necklace, “Indira” — the same name she bears as her middle one. The revelation jolts Anna into action, sending her on a quest that stretches from Zimbabwe’s storm-dark skies to the rain-soaked streets of India. As Anna chases fragile clues across continents, the necklace becomes both compass and burden, guiding her into the hidden corners of her family’s past. With every answer she uncovers, new questions surface, forcing her to confront not only who her grandmother was, but what truths have been kept from her — and whether she’s ready to face the storms they’ll unleash. The read was ‘okay’ is really the most I can say about it. The story was not epic; the characters seemed less developed, but the description of the scenes gets 100% marks. For me, the bright cover page and a few of the diary entries were the hig...

(Pic-AI Generated) Disclaimer - Read it with a light heart and retain no heaviness. Today, I am not writing a book review —today I am reflecting on the exhausting, hilarious art of being the "Reliable One", as I am experiencing it nowadays in repeated mode. I am a " doer ." I treat professional commitments like blood oaths , often at the expense of my own sanity ( Opinions!! ). Yet the last two years have forced a rethink: the world doesn’t want a problem-solver; the world wants a professional mime—someone who works hard, produces results, and remains blissfully silent when the logic falls apart. My favourite corporate game is "Ignore the Human, Embrace the Bias." Let me explain. When I point out that a workflow/plan of action has some flaws, trust me , I am not being difficult; I am asking for a crumb of logic or a little discussion. But in today’s scenario, asking why is seen as resistance. If I am not immediately convinced by an illogical mandate, my ...

  (Debut review) “ जिनके पास खोने के लिए कुछ नहीं होता वो फैसले जल्दी ले लिया करते हैं। जिस दिन हमको ये समझ में आता है कि यहाँ हममें से किसी के भी पास जिंदगी के अलावा खोने को कुछ नहीं है, उस दिन हम अपनी जिंदगी का पहला कदम अपनी ओर चलते हैं। बाहर चलते- चलते हम करीब- करीब भूल ही चुके होते हैं कि हमारे अंदर भी एक दुनिया है।” This is my first-ever read of a Hindi novel, and thus, my first-ever Hindi book review. As always, let me begin with an honest thought: my first experience of reading a Hindi novel was truly wholesome. Although the book is in my mother tongue, I was a bit hesitant that this read might prove “boring” or that I would not understand due to difficult Hindi grammar; however, this book surpassed all apprehension. The story is about Sudha and Chandar and their life story- together & separate. Without revealing much, the Musafir Cafe is the story of a dream, a promise, a faith, and unbounded love. It touched my heart with its simplicity and the profound beauty of the s...

  “Smart without being a smart ass. Talented without being boastful. Not afraid to roll up their sleeves and clean a floor or cook a meal.” To recover from the hangover of my last read, which was “cold” and “brutal,” I needed something “warm” and “light.” My Goodreads list never fails me, and this time it led me to a laugh-out-loud read with a wonderfully Hollywood-style charm. It was the kind of book anyone finish in one sitting. So, the story goes like this- Abbey thinks she is about to have the best day of her life — maybe even a proposal — but everything falls apart when her boyfriend tells her he has met someone else. As if that is not bad enough, she also loses her job. In a bold attempt to reinvent herself, Abbey spends her wedding savings on an apartment in the building she is always dreamed of living in and builds a new life, complete with a wardrobe to match. But keeping up the perfect new image gets complicated when her family invites her ex, who is still a close family ...

Kafka's writing is never dull. This is my second novel after    The Metamorphosis , but the grimness and nightmarish feeling still linger. After reading this one, I see a pattern in Kafka’s novels: the main character is introduced to an unusual situation, suffers, and then gradually meets his demise. “The Trial” is about a lone man, Josef K, a senior bank clerk who is arrested on his 30th birthday for an unspecified crime by unidentified authorities and due to faceless bureaucracy. Bizarrely, he is not jailed and is told he can go about his daily life as he navigates an incomprehensible, endless judicial process. The nature of the crime is never revealed to the reader or even to Joseph himself. Joseph progresses through various stages of confusion and paranoia, trying to understand his situation as he moves from one strange situation to another. Somewhere in the middle of the novel, I felt as if Josef K. is paranoid, and that he is not on trial at all. The novel presents a co...

  “Instead of dividing democracies from totalitarian regimes, a new Silicon Curtain may separate all humans from our unfathomable algorithmic overlords.” Thrilling, chilling and a shift-thinking book!! With his unique ability to unite both history and its grandest megatrends in a single view, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI is my next read. It took me longer to read because I kept rereading certain parts. This is not because the book is difficult, quite the opposite, but because I wanted to understand the author’s point of view and let it sink into my head. It is that kind of book which direct towards many futures depending on what kind of present steps we are venturing!! The book takes a holistic viewpoint, considering the history of communication, knowledge, human networks, inorganic networks, and, finally, computer politics. This broader lens makes the book especially powerful, because it shows that today’s technological revolution is part...

Disclaimer: This series, “My Old-soul Twinkle,” is my heartfelt attempt to capture the endless stream of thoughts racing through my mind. At times, these musings may seem confusing—or even a little "out there"—but I genuinely welcome your counterpoints and insights. Dive in and share your thoughts! Whether it is the newlywed bride crushed by the invisible weight of emotional labor, the corporate employee drowning in the "next task" without room to breathe, or the quiet caretakers of our everyday world, we are burning out our maintenance crew. My old soul never understood some of the ways our systems work . Like the obsession with the starting line. We throw parties for the ribbon-cutting, “heavily” celebrate the newlywed couple, and cheer for the fresh graduate landing their first big job. Over time, we have collectively built a society that deeply appreciates, demands, and richly rewards primarily creators and builders. And look, there is absolutely no harm in tha...

  “Everything is going to be fine. Just keep thinking that and keep looking forward.” A tale of family, 3 generations, one decision and a secret - this latest book was a perfect quick read. Thanks to Amazon Kindle for this suggestion! The author of the book, Vasundra Tailor, was born in India and raised in Zimbabwe, then called Rhodesia. She is a qualified pharmacist, and this is her first book. The Secret of Elephants is about a family torn apart by a shocking and secret event that occurs in 1950s India, and the uncovering of that secret in modern-day Zimbabwe. Penniless and trapped in a loveless marriage, a young mother, Nirmala from Navsari, India, discovers a mysterious letter addressed to her long-dead father from Zimbabwe, opening a door to a past Nirmala never knew existed and a future she never imagined possible. “You know what bullies are like. The minute you show your fear, they bully you some more. Don’t ever let them smell your fear.” With themes of family, class, trag...

  “Yes, my dear Noora, and then, as you say, God is a river! All religions are like rivers, and they flow to the same sea.” The River That Remembers is yet another gem from amazing writer Mona Verma. This is my third read from the writer after Daivya Sutras and Lost and Found in Banaras . The book binds the lives of Yashveer, Mahua, Devika, Amy, Emma, and Noor against the backdrop of India’s struggle for freedom from the British Raj, culminating in the Partition of India in 1947. The story tactfully yet emotionally shows how history enters ordinary homes and changes everything. It is a novel about love, faith, family, loss, and the memories that remain long after violence has passed. At the heart of the novel is Mahua from Ghakkar Mandi, now eighty years old, frail, and drifting between past and present. Through her fading memories, the story slowly unfolds, revealing the emotional lives of those around her.  What stands out most for me after reading novel is - The painful t...

  This is my first Murakami read of 2026. And true to his usual writing style, this book also carries his signature sense of the odd, the unexplained, and the unresolved. So, this book is a one-night saga on what happened in Tokyo after the sun had set! Nineteen-year-old Mari Asai was sitting alone in a corner of a famous café when a stranger—well, not entirely a stranger—approached her and struck up a conversation. The stranger, Takahashi Tetsuya, insists that he knows her older sister, Eri, thus setting Mari on an odyssey through the sleeping city. At first, Mari ignored him, just as she was oblivious to everyone who passed by her. But her icy reception didn’t daunt Takahashi’s adamantine resolve, and eventually Mari began answering his questions. What began as an awkward conversation between two seemingly unrelated strangers turned into a wonderful night of adventure, music, and revelations. “After Dark” is generally a light read. It delves into a person’s thoughts and emotion...

  The most difficult thing for anyone in this world, while trying to be original, is being accepted by others enough for them to truly listen to the thought or understand the unique actions. On the other hand, being original itself requires so much risk-taking, inviting undue comments, and being ready to face criticism. There are silent days of annoyance, with no certainty of success and Plan B dying at the beginning stage. This book, titled “ Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World ” by Adam Grant, explores many of these pain points faced by originals. It argues that originality is a necessary trait, especially in this era, and addresses the challenge of improving the world by becoming original by championing novel ideas. I have long admired Adam Grant’s writing. His first book, Give and Take , was every bit as hopeful as this one—optimism wrapped in a layer of practicality. Drawing on studies and stories from business, politics, sports, and entertainment, Grant shows how t...

  "Yet every day, unconcious bias quietly shapes how you think, judge, and decide, often without you realising it." Mohit Kapoor himself introduced the book!! One of the quiet joys of working with my organisation is crossing paths with insightful souls who remind me that the most powerful ideas do not always stand in the spotlight—they often live in humble faces, honest conversations, and moments of genuine connection. One such delightful meeting was with Mohit Kapoor ji!! “The Hidden Lens: Understanding Unconscious Bias” is an effort to explore the many biases we all carry, often without acknowledging them, even though they quietly influence our lives. This book serves as a subtle yet powerful reminder that unconscious bias shapes our decisions, behaviours, and perceptions—especially in the workplace—often without our even realising it. The book is thoughtfully structured into nine chapters, each offering a deeper look into the world of unconscious bias, the science behind h...

  Disclaimer- This post is part of trait-series-for-kids which I began to search and write for my kids in 2019. With this series of blog posts containing knowledge-slash-experience, I pray from the almighty that our kids have a simple but magical life. The contents of the series are the search, several readings, experiences, and self-reflection. Each trait post will end in a mantra to follow. Dear Sons, Sometimes in life, we feel we are in a strange place or situation, yet somehow it seems as if we have “been there before.” This experience is called “ déjà vu .”  And one ordinary day, without warning, you will feel it too. But I am not going to talk about it today. Today it is about “ vuja de ”!! This is the experience in life when a familiar situation or action, which we have done a hundred times before, suddenly feels completely new. This experience is an art that I wish you to develop, so that you can live a life full of fresh experiences and hopefulness, as every day beco...

The great philosophical books often have open endings , allowing the reader to dive into their own emotions and imagination. After reading this book, my observation seems to have gotten stronger. This was another read gifted to me by an office colleague, titled The Illicit Happiness of Other People by Manu Joseph. The book is a tragicomedy that explores human emotions and expressions in some of the most tragic, yet strangely normalized, lives. Based on a dysfunctional Malayali Catholic family in 1990s of Madras, the story is dealing with the aftermath of their 17-year-old son Unni’s suicide. The plot includes his alcoholic father, Ousep, investigating the "illicit," mysterious reasons behind Unni’s final act, his wife Mariamma (who talks to walls), and their younger, insecure son Thoma. The book uncovers some deep and complex layers of genius, existential joy, and human secrets. “Happiness is an unavoidable, almost 'illicit' destiny that people cannot escape.” This ...

Coming from a background wherein the promises are treated in the most sacred way, this book was not a surprise to me. Since childhood, my parents have made sure that the importance of character, the consequences of promises, and the standard of integrity are well established within my persona. I try my best (on a daily basis) to uphold the teachings of my parents. And that is not because of some obligations towards them, but because when I practice these values, I feel lighter, calmer, and a true peace inside. For me, this book was a simple reminder of my childhood values. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom is a self-help book by Don Miguel Ruiz. It outlines a code of conduct, based on Toltec teachings, that aim to improve one’s life. Agreement 1 – Be Impeccable With Your Word: This speaks regarding the importance and power of our tongue and mouth, and about the words we speak. This agreement urges us that we must try our best to speak truth, avoid gossip, and ...

  On the eve of Women’s Day, as I turned the last page of my second read (1st-  Daivya Sutras  ) from the author Mona Verma, my heart ached for the girls and women who had to endure the piercing pain of being tagged as “manhus” as they become child widows trapped in a fate they never chose. Yet, alongside this sorrow, another feeling of pride rose for those who dared to resist. For the women who questioned, who spoke, who broke, who walked away from the suffocating grip of this cruel tradition. For the ones who took the first trembling step so that others could one day run. The story is begins with the three-year-old Brinda is widowed after being married for a few hours, her family refuses to take her back in. Deemed ‘munhoos’, she finds her way to Nirmala Ashram in Banaras where she leads a life of child widow under the watchful eye of Vasanti Bua and her friend, Debi. It is also a tale of a promise kept by the brother of Brinda, Jhulan. The story begins with a flood, a...

  Reckoning Rumble Revolution This book is my second read by the author, Brené Brown. She is an expert in talking about emotions and vulnerability with a grit that I definitely re-felt empowered. Written in a storytelling style from her own life, she shows that consistency in emotions is yet another key to great leadership. The book primarily argues that the willingness to show up and be seen, with no guarantee of outcome, is the only path to more love, belonging, creativity, and joy. Living a brave life is not always easy : We are, inevitably, going to stumble and fall. As we recognise the power of emotions, somehow we are not afraid to lean into discomfort. Walking into our stories of hurt can feel dangerous . But the process of regaining our footing amid struggle is where our courage is tested, and our values are forged. Our stories of struggle can be big ones, like the loss of a job or the end of a relationship, or smaller ones, like a conflict with a friend or colleague or mi...