Kriti Sharma, Author at DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

Looking Beyond Delhi University For Admissions

By Kriti Sharma June 15, 2016

In another few weeks, Delhi University will declare its first cut-off list for the academic year 2016-17. That day will be a fateful one, deciding the future of the millions of prospective freshers who aspire to join DU. So while DU hopefuls across India wait with baited breath, as a soon-to-be third year student of DU, I have just one word of advice (and caution) to offer: for your sense of sanity and happiness, dare to look beyond DU!

There is a dangerous trend that abounds in the Indian academia: every year, the marks secured keep increasing, leading to soaring percentages and subsequently, sky-high and unrealistic cut-offs. Chances of getting admission to what we believe are the premier colleges of the country just keep getting slimmer. But you see, that is where the problem lies. Our beliefs become our limitations, and in this way, we ourselves bring misery, grief and unhappiness to our lives.

Each student works hard in their final year of school, driven by the sole aim of getting into a good college and pursuing a degree of one’s choice. But in spite of our best efforts, sometimes things don’t go as planned. So, let’s say you didn’t qualify for admission to the college of your choice. You can always apply to another college and still get the course of your choice. There are so many colleges in DU, it’s hard to name all of them in one go! Even in the worst case scenario, if you failed to get admission to any DU college, look outside this particular University, for God’s sake! There are so many universities in India, with so many colleges! DU isn’t the end of life. The only reason we think it is, is because that’s what we’ve been conditioned to believe. That’s what we’ve been brainwashed to accept. But as the master of your mind, you can easily break that mindset and look out of the box.

I know it’s easier said than done. When I was applying to college, I too was bitten by the DU bug. So much so that I didn’t even sit for any of the entrances for other colleges. For me, it was DU or nothing. But after two years in this University, I’ve realised that all the hue and cry is absolutely unjustified. Yes, I love my college and my course. But other colleges and other courses across universities in the country are in no way inferior. At the end of your graduation degree, you’re pretty much at par with the others from other colleges and universities. When you begin to work, it will be your vocational skill that will take you forward; and if you choose to study further, it will be the knowledge that you’ve acquired that will help you. The bottom line being that your college name and university can take you only so far, before they fade away and become inconsequential.

This summer, I started on an internship down South. I am working in the Finance Department of a five star hotel in Visakhapatnam. On my first day, during the induction, I was asked to introduce myself. I quite proudly mentioned the name of my college and university, almost certain that everybody would know about them. But I was in for a shock when almost all the other interns, students from Andhra University, had no clue what I was talking about. Even my mentors couldn’t care less. And that is what gave me food for thought, the result of which is this article.

So freshers, brace yourself for the worst. You know, as well as I do, that you’re going to have to deal with insane cut-offs and tedious college procedures as you apply to DU. But, take the entire process with a pinch of salt. Look beyond this particular university, trust your abilities and keep reminding yourself that you’ll succeed no matter where you land up. After all, in the history of mankind, we see that students are known not by their college; rather it’s the college which is known by its students. Do wonders wherever you go, and your life is sorted!

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Keep Reading

DUB Speak

The 7 Cardinal Sins of Applying to DU

By Kriti Sharma June 13, 2016

So here you are, Little Fresher. A bundle of happy and excited nerves as you wait for your dream colleges to declare their first cut-off list on the 27th of June. You’ve done yourself and your family proud by clearing your board examinations with flying colours and securing an enviable percentage. So far, so good. However, if you think that the worst is over and the biggest hurdle (of getting stupendous marks) has been conquered, you are sadly mistaken. You’ve only just begun on your struggle to get admission into the country’s premium university. The journey ahead will not be an easy one, and you must tread with caution, pragmatism and confidence.

The thing is, Little One, that applying to college is like a capital budgeting decision. It requires an investment of a huge chunk of your time and effort. Also, it decides and seals the coming three years of your life. In most cases, it is irreversible, except at a huge cost. Therefore, when you apply to colleges, you must be careful not to commit, what we call ‘The 7 Cardinal Sins of Applying to DU’.

Let me lift the cloud of naivety and walk you through these deadly mistakes that you’re likely to commit out of your haste, ignorance and prejudices:

SIN #1: Choosing ‘College over Course’

It’s appalling to see people settling for courses which are not of their choice in colleges of their choice. A rational human being will tell you that at the end of the day, it is your skill and knowledge set, acquired vis-à-vis your course that will make your career, not the name of your college. And for all those who continue to live in the abyss of oblivion, let me tell you, the brand name that you so desperately hanker for won’t even matter once you graduate. What will, however, is your course degree. So choose wisely.

SIN #2: Preferring campus colleges to off-campus ones

Aah, the lure of campus! The winding lanes that connect colleges, the street vendors and their carts of yummy food, street shopping, fests, and just the convenience of being able to hop out of one college and get into the other. All these things might sound like such a treat to the unaware outsider. But believe me, campus is not the paradise that people make it out to be. Sure, it has its pros. But it also has its cons (eg: traffic, election ruckus, etc). So don’t let your specious perceptions colour your mind. In fact, by preempting off-campus colleges, you might miss out on some wonderful institutes of learning.

SIN #3: The Herd Mentality

You had a great gang of friends in school, whom you love to the moon and back. But does that mean you’re going to follow them into any college they may choose for themselves? No sir! Grow up, for God’s sake! What is good for you may not be good for others and vice-versa. So make sure you put your needs and priorities ahead of everything else and pick a college that best meets your goals, not those of others.

SIN #4: Ruling out all-girls colleges

We’ve all heard things like, “Co-ed institutions offer a more natural environment” and “All-girls colleges stifle overall development”. It’s absolute bunkum! An all-girls college gives you the same, if not better, college experience and exposure: a liberating environment, a nurturing and sensitive attitude, a spectacular education and add to that, some great placements (since most companies today prefer women workers). If you’ve never studied in such an ambience before and are scared of having adjustment issues, then you’re simply a victim of your own bias. DU has some brilliant all-girls colleges and not applying to them because of what you’ve been told by detractors is foolish.

SIN #5: Taking advice from every Tom, Dick and Harry

Too many cooks spoil the broth, and the broth is an absolute disaster if the cooks aren’t even trained to make it! When you apply to colleges, you’ll attract advice from all quarters. Make sure to filter out the opinions of those who are actually knowledgeable on the subject. If you listen to too many people, you’ll get extremely muddled and that will just complicate your life even further. So considering the advice of your teacher may be a better idea than letting your ‘Ludhiana-wale door ke rishtedaar’ tell you where to go and why!

SIN #6: Failing to account for specialized faculty

Certain colleges in DU are known for their reputed faculty for a particular course. So it’s possible that in overall rankings, a college may not feature high on top, but has great professors for the course you wish to pursue. This criteria is important if you wish to actually learn something from college and not just waste away yourself at first parties and then at tuition centres just weeks before your exam.

SIN #7: Lack of holistic evaluation

Finally, it’s important to make a list of all the evaluation criterias that suit your needs, prioritize among different factors and then apply them to your evaluation. Your evaluation must ideally be a holistic one, based on not just a few superficial factors like brand value and placements, but also factors like course timings, societies, faculty etc.

Hopefully, Nino, you’ve been adequately enlightened.
Here’s wishing you all the luck for a successful admission. See you at DU!

Feature image credits: Aditya Rathore

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Keep Reading

DUB Speak

Five things a third year wishes they had done in college

By Kriti Sharma April 29, 2016

“When I look back now, that summer seemed to last forever; and if I had the choice, I’d always want to be there; those were the best days of my life!”

The lyrics to this Bryan Adams song do a dandy job at summing up the farewell sentiments of every graduating student. The three years that every student spends at college are some of the best of his/her life. Not only does he acquire a worthwhile education, but he/she also stands to gain some great life experiences. And that is probably why the last few months of the sixth semester make even the strongest of hearts weak with emotions of sweet despondency and yearning.

As the curtains to this phase of life are drawn, certain common thoughts swim through the mind of every graduating student. Retrospection not only refreshes pleasant memories, but also uncovers some nasty moments that are capable of haunting a person for life. Then there are those tiny, nagging regrets, things like “I wish I had done this,” “I wish I could have been that,” “I wish I had said this” and so on.

After talking to a couple of my seniors, I’ve put down a list of things that a third year student wishes he/she had done in his three years at college:

1. “I wish I had confessed my feelings to my crush!”

You know what they say about young love, don’t you? The presence of it makes your life beautiful, and the absence of it- a living hell. Especially when everyone else you know is falling in love and you’re just falling into a bowl of chocolate ice cream (emotional eater, eh?). Things become so much worse when you’ve harboured feelings for someone all throughout college, but never have had the courage to confess to them. But then comes your last semester. You’ve got nothing on you anymore and you’re finally ready to declare your love. Alas! Life isn’t that easy. Because by now, your crush already has a hot girlfriend. And they’ve been going super strong. In fact, they’re the next big thing after Brangelina. Sigh. Talk about ‘relationship goals’.

2. “I wish I had joined a college society!”

Maitreyi College performiong at Tempest, the annual festival of Miranda House

You’ve been an introvert all your life. However, that has never bothered you. But then comes the farewell season. You get invited to your college farewell. And your departmental one. If you’ve known enough ‘cool’ people, maybe you’ll get called for the unofficial farewell too. But you never came out of your comfort zone, made an effort and joined a college society. Not only did you miss out on making lifelong friendships, attending house parties, learning a new skill and competing at fests, but you also missed out on one of the best farewells: a society farewell. Naturally, your sense of regret will grow stronger during this period and you will just have to gracefully take the blame for your own doing.

3.”I wish I had gone out more often!”

As you spend your last days on campus, the frequency with which you visit your favourite food joints will increase. But something funny will happen as a consequence: your eyes will suddenly open up to all those eateries and food addas in and around your own hang-out spaces that you never went to during your college life! You’ll find yourself wondering: Did this lounge/restaurant/club recently come up? Or was I just too regular at my own lounge/restaurant/club to notice this one? Whatever may be the reason for your sudden awakening, the point is, you’re going to be deeply sorry. And you’ll wish you had gone out more often with your friends, exploring new places and having new adventures.

4.”I wish I had dressed better!”

Image Credits: beautydramaqueen.wordpress.com

A ‘no-uniform’ policy and the initial excitement of college gave you an incentive to dress your best in your first year. But by the end of the second semester, your enthusiasm began to pale. By the end of your third semester, you couldn’t give two hoots about what you wore for your drab lectures. So you spent a majority of your college life in chappals, pyjamas and basically what lazy bums like to call ‘casual and cool’ clothing, which, for your information, is just a lame excuse for lacking initiative, creativity and a sense of style. But now you’ve got a placement. And you know that your future wardrobe is going to be limited to formal or boring attire. That’s when you will feel remorseful for not making an effort to dress up when you had the opportunity.

5. ” I wish I had attended that professor’s lecture more regularly!”

Farewells bring out a welter of emotions in most people. They soften you up: old vendettas are forgiven and forgotten and you begin to see everyone and everything with a new-found appreciation. Even certain professors, whom you never liked before, now seem so kind and endearing. In fact, your interest in their subject suddenly increases and that’s when you wish you had been more regular and attentive for their lectures!

So at the end of it all, here’s a little bit of advice for the second year and first year students reading this article: You’ve still got one year/two years with you, respectively. Please wake up to the multiple opportunities that college offers you. Make hay while the sun shines and you’ll have no (or at least fewer) regrets when it’s your time to leave.

Amen.

Feature Image: judson.edu

Kriti Sharma

[email protected]

Keep Reading

Hans Raj College

Highlights of Hans Raj College in Year 2015-16

By Kriti Sharma April 18, 2016

With yet another academic session almost coming to an end at the University of Delhi, it is time to look back at the year that has gone by, before all of us get busy with semester examination preparation. Going by the thought, DU Beat brings to you its exclusive series ‘Colleges’ Round Up (2015-16)’, where we present the highlighting incidents of numerous DU colleges that took place over 2014 and 2015.

So, go with the flow and view all what activities highlighted the near to end session at Hans Raj College.

From appointing its new principal to hosting Bollywood Singer Yo Yo Honey Singh at its annual fest Confluence, Hans Raj College, University of Delhi has had quite an eventful year.

Here’s an overview of all what happened at Hans Raj College, this session:

Keep Reading

Hans Raj College

Hans Raj College hosts Spring Summit: Equinox 2016

By Kriti Sharma March 18, 2016

Priya Gupta of Hans Raj College organised the Hans Raj Spring Summit on 14-15 March 2016.
Eminent personalities were invited to speak about their lives and motivate the students through their success stories.

The conference began with the inaugural youth lecture by Mr. Feroze Varun Gandhi, who spoke about his achievements in the political sphere. He urged the students to find a higher purpose in life and work for the country. The event was also graced by Mr.Tapas Dasmohapatra, who delivered a lecture on the “Connect and Correct” relationship. He encouraged the students to connect with the people around them. Miss Archana Sardana, a Base Jumper, interacted with the audience by recounting her experiences. Her enthralling stories instilled courage in the hearts of students , inspiring them to overcome their fears and follow their passion.

Another speaker, Miss Shalini Vig Wadhwa, who made it big in the business world on her own footing, talked about her struggles in life and how she fought all obstacles to reach a successful position. On Day 1, in between the speaker sessions, there was an entertaining performance by Agyat, a Delhi band, that mesmerised the audience with their songs. The final speaker of the day, Mr. Varun Pruthi, advocated that the students work towards earning repute and success in their lives, taking inspiration from the personal tales narrated by the speakers before him.

Day 2 was marked with the awe-inspiring speech by Mr. Prabhu Chawla. His words made one wake up to the reality of the day. He also recounted anecdotes from his career as a journalist. Next, Mr.Sangram Dahiya, a leading professional shooter, talked about his life and his passion for shooting. He spoke about how he gradually moved up the ladder and became the best among the shooters in India.

This was followed by a speech by Mr.Padamjeet Sehrawat, who made us realise that there is greater depth to an individual’s personality, than what meets the eye. Tapping this very potential is what demarcates the successful from the mediocre. Mr. Sehrawat, is not only a cricketer, but also a singer and composer. The audience got to witness his talent when he sang for them.

Later, an act by famous magician Mr.Sumit Kharbanda spread the magic all around the auditorium. The illusions and mind games in the act kept the students engaged. Miss Shilpi Jain, a criminal advocate, then spoke about her hardships in the gruelling field of law and how she overcame them by impressing her superiors by proving her capabilities. A band performance by Retro Rock Project set an up-beat mood for the event. Day 2 speaker session culminated with the much awaited interaction with Mr.Bhuvan Bam, a YouTube sensation (“BB Ki Vines” ). His talk was light and full of wit. He impressed upon the audience the point of how luck goes hand in hand with hard work.

Equinox culminated on 15 March, leaving those who attended the event, inspired, motivated and enriched.

Kriti Sharma and Priya Gupta
[email protected]

Image Credits: The Talented Indian (TTI)

Keep Reading

The Auburn Umbrella

Fashion Trends during DU’s Fest Season

By Kriti Sharma March 11, 2016

A few days ago, The Auburn Umbrella dished out a couple of fashion trends for you all to follow as you participate in DU’s much-talked about ‘Fest Season’. As we visited various campuses to collect fest coverage, we were thrilled with the kind of fashion statements that were made by our stylish student body.

Although the weather over this season has been uncertain, flip-flopping from warm to hot to suddenly nippy, it appears that our trendy DU chicas have already declared summers! We got to see a lot of summery, short dresses, denim shorts and sleeveless shirts. Crop tops from last season are also back! Strappy sandals and leather back-packs on the accessories side were trending items too.

The dapper men chose to dress casually in long shorts, chappals and sporty tees. Western clothing was more frequently seen, with kurtas, Nehru jackets and khadi shirts from last season missing in the scene.

It’s very important to own a balanced wardrobe, i.e a good blend of branded, as well as street fashion and our students certainly know how to strike that equation right! So we saw girls sporting branded jeans with chunky jewellery bought off the street; or street sandals worn with branded skater dresses. In the brand category, the evergreen labels Zara, Promod, Forever 21 and the latest high-street fashion brand to enter Indian markets- H&M were popular choices; whereas flea markets like Janpath and Sarojini Nagar are still the places to shop at when one is on a tight budget.

As far as fashion disasters are concerned, thankfully, there were few that met the eye. People who are still holding on to their woollens and other items from winter were looked upon with contempt. Also, too much bling, too little clothing, excessively high heels and overdone make-up were unanimously regarded as fashion faux pas.

We have our avid DU fashion blogger, Sejal Kumar, corroborating our findings in her latest video. Watch her flit around the SRCC campus as she investigates what DU is wearing this fest season!

Keep Reading

The Auburn Umbrella

Want to be the star of your fest night? Follow these 5 trends!

By Kriti Sharma March 4, 2016

Folks, it’s that time of the year again when DU puts on its envious garb of festivity! Yes, we’re referring to the University’s much talked about ‘Fest Season’! Colleges are buzzing with activity, managing the large crowds that throng to their campus to participate in both competitive and non-competitive events. Indeed, DU’s ‘Fest Season’ offers a unique multi-cultural and diverse experience!

In the midst of all this high-strung action and drama, is our fashion conscious DU student. Other things put aside, one can’t deny that ‘Fest Season’ is a mega social event for the DU student body. A college festival provides a wonderful platform for students from various colleges to mingle and socialise. Small wonder then that everyone wants to be perfectly turned out when they attend college fests!

To help you look your best this in this edition of the ‘Fest Season’, we bring to you 5 fashion trends that you can follow. Who needs a celebrity when you can be the star of your own party, right?

1. Plaid Shirt

Don’t underestimate the power of simplicity. It’s often the simple things that make the maximum impact. A plaid shirt exemplifies this fashion principle. You can wear it buttoned up, unbuttoned or better still, tied around the waist with a tank top! How cool is that?

2. Leggings

These evergreen pair of lowers are so versatile: pair them with a jersey for a sporty look or with a kurti for a fusion look or with a crop top for a party look! Make sure you get one to your fit. And then pick a look that’s comfortable, yet super trendy!

3. Buttoned-up Skirt

It is time to shed those winter layers and flaunt that teeny-tiny waist with a high-waisted buttoned up skirt! You can experiment with different colours, lengths and materials to best suit the purpose of your event. Make sure you accessorise with the right pair of footwear!

4. Dungarees

The first summer trend of 2016, dungarees have flooded branded shops and flea markets alike! Available in denim, cotton and hosiery, in the form of pants, capris, shorts and skirts, dungarees offer a multitude of options for us girls to flaunt our innate sense of style!

5. Printed Dresses

A dress says party like nothing else in your wardrobe. And a printed dress is apt for rocking the fests this year! You can opt for floral prints for the day events, whereas graphic prints will make the right kind of statement for the evening events!

For more on what to wear for a college festival, follow Sejal Kumar, our avid DU fashion blogger from SRCC. Her Instagram account is: @sejalkumar1195.

Watch her offer her golden wisdom in her latest YouTube video.

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZZGDC7ly8c” width=”500″ height=”300″]

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Keep Reading

Top Picks

What’s in a handwriting? Decoding the power of a legible hand

By Kriti Sharma January 22, 2016

The world can be divided into two groups of people: the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
The basis of demarcation is pretty self-explanatory. The former is understood to be better placed than the latter because it has ‘something’ that the other doesn’t. But what is that ‘something’? Money? In your Economics textbooks, perhaps. But on ‘National Handwriting Day’, it’s your handwriting.

Every year, we celebrate 23 January as ‘National Handwriting Day’, which is meant to alert the public to the importance of one’s handwriting. But in practice, it’s on a day like this that people with ‘decent’ handwriting make most of their ‘pseudo-elite’ status and mock those with ‘terrible’ handwriting. It’s sad that such bullying is a reality. I mean, cut the poor boy some slack! His life is already fraught with such misery!

Let’s call ‘the boy with bad handwriting’ X. Now, as a child, X took all his cursive writing classes for granted. Due to his gross negligence, his handwriting never got the chance to develop into a legible script. So when X formally joined school, his teachers berated him for submitting shoddy work; his friends teased him; his love letters and notes were always misinterpreted by his crushes and he was graded poorly on his assignments and tests.

If you’re sympathising with X, think of the kind of trouble we, the general public, must face when people like X are unleashed into the world as doctors, teachers and writers. It’s such a task to figure out a doctor’s prescription if his hand is indecipherable; so arduous to keep up with a teacher when what she writes on the blackboard looks like scribbles and scrawls from a comic book; and particularly distressing when editors and proof-readers must go through the hand-written manuscripts of writers with poor handwriting.

This dismal scene has marginally improved with the culture of submitting written work as a ‘soft copy’. Today, most of our reports are made on Word. Mass communication of ideas takes place through PowerPoint presentations. Even personal communication is done virtually, without the use of paper and pen.

Yet, even technology and scientific advancement cannot undermine the importance of handwriting. An individual’s handwriting is a vital aspect of his personality. That is probably why experts and professionals are able to decode so much about a person’s characteristics just by studying the twists and turns of his written alphabets. A good handwriting has aesthetic appeal. A good handwriting may not be a life skill, but it certainly is a skill worth possessing if one wants that extra edge.

And with that rationale in mind, this year on ‘National Handwriting Day’, let’s make an effort to improve our handwriting. Doing so may not make not bring you additional riches, fame or success. But it certainly will add another feather to your cap!

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Image credits: Google images

Keep Reading

DUB Speak

Radio Jockeying: Busting the myths

By Kriti Sharma January 6, 2016

Shah Rukh Khan played the part in Dil Se; and more famously, so did Vidya Balan in Lage Raho Munnabhai. We’re talking about being a Radio Jockey, one of the most exciting and dynamic career opportunities available for GenY today.

During the October mid-semester break, I had the privilege of featuring in the evening radio show at 93.5, Red FM, Visakhapatnam. It was during this hour long rendezvous with radio that I got a good exposure to the life and work of a Radio Jockey (RJ). There are several myths about this profession that prevail in the minds of the hoi polloi. Here are some that I’d like to clear, from my own personal experience:

1. A full time career

Every RJ gets a show and each show has an allotted time slot. So you get to hear the RJ over the radio only during his/her show, which never lasts beyond three hours (maximum). But does this mean that a RJ works only for three hours during the day? Not at all! A RJ does jockeying for the duration of his show and spends the rest of the hours doing other jobs at the radio station like technical work, field reporting, managing playlists and running other errands. A RJ also works in a 9 to 5 work format. And this is why RJing is now considered a full-time profession, rather than a part-time job that one presumes can be done over the summer holidays to earn some pocket money.

2. Graduation is a pre requisite criteria
Since Radio Jockeying has become a full-time profession, radio channels are willing to accept only those applicants with at least a graduation degree. The nature of degree, however, is non-exclusive. You need not be a media or arts student to pursue this career. But before you step into this field, you need to have spent three (or four for professional courses like Law and Engineering) years in college. RJing, like any other career, requires commitment and life experience, which employers perceive is only possessed by mature graduates.

3. Yak non stop? Not really!

Have you heard people saying: “You talk so much, try becoming a RJ!” or “You’re such a spontaneous conversationalist!You must try your hand at RJing!”? Well, your guess about Radio Jockeying could not be more off the mark. Today, we are making use of such evolved technology at radio stations. Most of what you hear is not live, rather it is pre-recorded. So every time the RJ goofs up- stammers, stutters or blurts out something inadvertently- he/she can delete the audio file and re-record the same. So even if you’re not very good with thinking at your feet and creating free-flowing content on the go, worry not. You can still consider Radio Jockeying as a profession!

4. Personality and appearance matter

A RJ is known by his/her voice. But that’s not all that matters today. Now-a-days, RJs get sent on field reporting trips as well, where a RJ has to go to a particular place ( a mall, a press conference, a concert etc) and interact with the public, collect live footage and relay the same back to the radio station. Therefore, a good personality and presentable physical appearance will only enhance the RJs ability to engage with the masses and collect their opinions, views and comments. Therefore, it’s not just the RJ’s voice that will carry him/her through, but also his/her personality and physical appearance.

Like other jobs in the media world, Radio Jockeying provides the perfect platform for the creative soul. It comes with its fair share of glamour and popularity. And like any other career, RJing also comes with great responsibility: to deliver meaningful content and make a positive difference to society.

Kriti Sharma

[email protected]

Keep Reading

Biblio

Humour in print: Book List

By Kriti Sharma January 2, 2016

According to Bob Newhart, “The only way to survive is to have a sense of humour.” In fact, humour is your best bet, your most potent weapon, against the mortal struggle for existence called ‘Life’. A sense of humour, a little frivolity and some light-hearted levity can turn a bad day into a funny memory; or a happy day into something even more worth-while.

Though most people are of the opinion that a sense of humour cannot be cultivated, it is innate and self-evident, we all do unanimously agree, that humour is impartial in disseminating joy and happiness. One may not be able to create humour like Oscar Wilde or Mark Twain, but one certainly can enjoy it as an eager audience.

With that very thought in mind, we bring to you humour in its purest form- literature. We recommend to you 5 humourous books that will lighten up your dreary winters and have you grinning ear to ear with every word, sentence and chapter.

A. Karl AajAurKal- Cyrus Broacha
Funny man Cyrus Broacha offers you ‘tongue-in-cheek’ at its penultimate. Trust Mr. Broacha to mock a near-extinct community and get away with it. We won’t divulge many details of the plot, because honestly, the plot is a little slim. But the book is brimming with puns, irony and satire. A very mainstream read, but enthralling and funny at the same time.
CAUTION: Avoid if you’re sensitive and can’t tolerate jibes at the Parsis. Also, pick this if you’re in the mood for something light.

B.Right Ho, Jeeves- P.G Wodehouse
The master of British humour, P.G Wodehouse, brings to you humour in all its brilliance through this book from the ‘Jeeves’ collection. This particular book features the funniest Wooster-Jeeves adventure ever told. With a nice little love story at its centre, the story starts off with Wodehousian simplicity. But a few chapters into the book, and the complexity of the plot thickens, making for a gripping and entertaining read.
CAUTION: Make sure you read the book in seclusion. Otherwise, you’ll have people thinking you’ve gone cuckoo as you cackle away with every turn of the page. `Yes, it’s that hilarious!

C.The Zoya Factor- Anuja Chauhan
What’s nice about this book is that the author doesn’t try to be funny. The story, in itself, is very straight-forward. But the circumstances, characters and climax make the book amazingly hilarious. Add to that, Anuja Chauhan’s effortless style of story-telling makes the narration humourous and enjoyable. This book has the right ingredients for an Indian best-seller: charming protagonists, romance and drama. There is a theme of cricket too, that runs in the background. What more could the average Indian want?
CAUTION: Don’t mistake the book for a typical ‘chick-lit’ variety. It’s a book to be enjoyed by all. Try reading this book before Bollywood comes out with a sappy adaptation. The book will definitely have you in chucklesand tears of joy; the movie might (as per rather discouraging trends) give you tears of another kind.

D. Three Men in a Boat- Jerome K Jerome
This book is an amusing account of three friends-Jerome,Harris and George and of course, their dog Montmorency; while on a little boating expedition. The men take the trip to escape their humdrum city life and what follows is a mad adventure, dripping with the classic European style of humour, sarcasm and wit.
CAUTION: Requires patience and a dictionary, since it is a classic English literary novel. A little slow in parts, for the same reason. But it’s definitely worth the effort.

E. Mrs. Funnybones- Twinkle Khanna
Defying all myth, Twinkle Khanna is not your quintessential star wife. Her crafty penmanship reflects who she is as a person- intelligent, strong-willed, witty and wry. Not one to mince her words, Khanna’s sarcastic take on her world is like a breath of laughing gas. She has you in splits with her stories about her husband (‘the man of the house’), the prodigal son, the baby, the whacky mother and mother-in law. Fun times with Twinkle are guaranteed if you pick this one up!
CAUTION: Dive into the book without any pre-conceived notions, sans of any judgement or biases and you will be handsomely rewarded by the end of it.