Exuberance...My First Set of three Books Got Published...

Exuberance was the word I read a few months back in a magazine, on which readers were supposed to write narrating the most exuberant moments of their lives and there were many interesting stories I read as part of this contest. One such occasion in my life also came recently when I felt most exuberant - when for the first time my work got published...and I got a bonus! It was not just one book...but a series of three books!
The books are compilation of the articles, stories etc. published in the regular column called 'Internet Corner' I write every Saturday in supplement 'Mahek' of Gujarati Daily called - 'Janmabhoomi'. After I joined NSE.iT some six years back, I started receiving these emails of lots of types from various sources. I read and enjoyed them a lot and one day I thought why not share these good thoughts with thousands of my Gujarati readers who don't/couldn't access Internet. After all Good thoughts should spread across as far as they can. And in Gujarati a poet has said - 'Gamta no karie Gulaal...' (meaning the things we like shall be shared with many).With this objective I started this column in Janmabhoomi 4 years back.
I translated varieties of emails like stories, humorous articles, inspirational speeches of personalities like Narayan Murthy, Azim Premji, Subroto Bagchi, Dhirubhai Ambani etc., and some very nice touchy thoughts on love, life and many things in general. These articles were read and appreciated by many guajarti readers who gave me their feedback through post, emails, phone calls etc. from time to time. It was this encouragement that kept me going (and still I write every Saturday with same enthusiasm!) and has made me reach so far.
Mr. Rohit Shah of Gurjar GranthRatna Karyalay of Ahmedabad, Gujarat saw and read these articles and thought of publishing them in the form of books. I accepted the offer without a second thought and got this opportunity to spread the good thoughts to yet a larger set of audience through this Tri-series of books. Mr.Rohit suggested to divide the articles in three broad categories - Short stories , the first book named 'Katha Corner',
Inspirational and other types of articles ,the second book called 'Mahek'(means Fragrance in English) and one liners, quotes etc., the third book called 'Karandiyo'(means flowerpot in English).
It gave me immense joy when I actually saw my books published! I hold them in my hands and felt the pleasure which can't be described in words! Exuberance is the word that probably describes how I felt then.
The cover page design was the concept developed by one of my very dear friends Devendra Purbiya. He is an amazing personality with lot of creative talent. He is a very good photographer and a designer too. He had clicked the picture of foam holding it between his hands and edited this picture in some image editor with nine different colours. Now literature or any art form also has nine different types of Rasas (like Shaant, karuna, haasya, veer, bibhatsa, shringar etc.)So I thought why not use Devendra's beautiful picture which I had seen on his flickr profile, as a cover design of my books - as a symbol of Nine rasas depicted by each of the different coloured cube. And the same nine coloured square box was used as a common element on each of the covers of 'Internet Corner' series..
It really clicked well and the books look very elegant and attractive due to Devendra's concept. Thanks Dev!
My favourite poet, my guru and a great personality Mr. Suresh Dalal agreed to write Preface for my book and my happiness knew no bounds! I was over-whelmed when such a genius wrote a few words about my books and my work. Mr. Kundan Vyas, CEO of Janmabhoomi group also obliged me by writing his kind words for encouraging me and my work.
When I wrote Thank You note for all those who had directly or indirectly helped me in making me reach this far, lot of sweet memories of my childhood days, school days, college days and such old times came vivid.
The response I got from various people whom I didn't even know, after the books reached market, made my heart skip a bit! The first SMS I got from a Doctor in Ahmedabad, the call I got from the editor of a Well-known Gujarati website (who has also published the review of my second book Mahek - see the link http://www.readgujarati.com/sahitya/?p=1601) and comments of many people on his website regarding my second book 'Mahek', the feedback from the people whom I gifted the book etc. has increased my passion for writing and sharing good thoughts manifold. One more thing I learnt in life through this experience is that one never gets success in an instance. There is lot of hard work and time behind any success. One needs to be perseverant and passionate about things in life. Positive outlook and optimism surely leads to success.
                    
And last but not least, the words from Mrs.Chetana Dave and VanalataDidi (who had published my first small item in 'Balko ni fulwadi' in Mumbai Samachar in 1990) that in Life one has to keep moving and not stop at one point or one success. I will always try to remember these golden words of advice.

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You will get these books at -

Online on - Website 'www.rediff.com' (Rediff Shopping)

In Mumbai - Navbharat Saahitya Mandir
134, Princess Street,Mumbai - 400001
Phone - (022)22017213/22085593

In Ahmedabad - Gurjar GranthRatna Kaaryaalay
Opp. Ratan Pol Naka, Gandhi Marg,
Ahmedabad - 380001
Phone - (079)22144663

Also In Gujarat across most of the CrossRoad Book Stores and other book stalls
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