Hello lovely people,
Hope you don’t have to go to work today. Post Diwali Mourn-day blues must be real, uff! Well, I am writing this on Diwali eve - as a mark of worship. My late grandfather, an eminent author, Shyamkant Kulkarni always highlighted the impact of ‘work is worship’ more than merely following the traditions and rituals.
I keep saying that my tyohaars are Inktober (October), National Poetry Writing Month (April), fundraiser, authors’ day, etc.
That brings me to Dhanteras. Celebrated on the thirteenth day of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik, it marks the beginning of Diwali. It is dedicated to the worship of wealth, and people often buy valuables and perform rituals to invite prosperity into their lives.
This Dhanteras, I decided to 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 - with Rang De to support fellow Indians and light up lives for all days of the year. :)
Orendate & Second Edition
On the 5th of November 2023, my first book celebrated its second birthday. And I released a second edition too.
What’s new in Edition 2? - A personal letter before the stories, Kavish Seth’s endorsement, updated bio and cover design by yours truly.
You can grab a copy of Orenda Second Edition here. The coupon code is ORENDA20. :)
Inspired by a tweet, I planned to visit the KR flower market in Bangalore - and it was a sight to behold. It was a vibrant and bustling hub where a riot of colors and fragrances fills the air.
NoCeiling
In the last week of October, I had the privilege of attending the ‘NoCeiling’ Summit by CXXO & Kalaari Capital. From stories of consistency, grit, failures, motherhood, and support systems to money, business, starting up, pitching, pivoting, and everything in between. So happy I could be there. The venue was endowed with sheer sanguine energy! Sharing some inspirational vibes with you all!
Inkspirations this month
Forgotify - a website that exposes you to those millions of tracks that no one has listened to on Spotify. According to Spotify, 80% of the songs in its library are listened to at least once, but that leaves millions of songs out in the dark and Forgotify makes it easier for users to find it.
I can’t stop raving about Odd Giraffe and their productivity planners. I got a new one. It reads: find joy wherever you are. Their productivity planners are legit addictive and have become a part of my staple food now. Food for thought haha!
Jessica Wade, a London-based physicist wrote more than 1600 Wikipedia bios for unknown women and minority scientists who never got their due - from employers, from other scientists and the public.
Do you know about the secret language called Polari? - it was a secret language used by gay men. In the past, it was also known as Palari, Palare, Parlaree or a variety of similar spellings. Here’s some meat.
Wrapping this edition with an earworm:
"Tussi jad hansde o sajjna, assan de seene thand pehndi" <3
Keeping it raw -
Until the thirteenth,
Writeously yours,
Shalaka Kulkarni