Shopping made fun through Cashkaro.com

There are many of who enjoy shopping, spending hours in the stores or in the mall exploring all the shelves and products before they decide. But over the last few years, we have seen a  changing trend. No, people havent stopped shopping, just where they shop has changed. Am not talking about change in brand loyalties or looking at different stores. Am talking about the new trend of online shopping. There are so many websites, infact some might be cropping up as I type this.

In this too there are different category of shoppers. The kind who go to a store, check out the product, do their research and then go buy the product online, and then there are those who scrounge the various websites and pick from the ones that offer the best deals and prices. 

This goes across books, gadgets, clothes, jewellery and just about everything you can dream off. It really does not matter if it is a low value or high value product, as long the brand is a known one and site seems reliable people will attack... And in this era of changing trends, there came a new site, one that promised to be different.. And this is where my story begins, 

About a month or so ago is when I 1st heard about Cashkaro.com. And then, after a flurry of messages and mails, I was checking the site out, simply out of curiousity. It is a site that has partnered with several ecommerce sites and offers cash back to the clients. All you do is create an account with Cashkaro.com or take the easy way out, connecting via your Facebook account and off you go shopping away.

You not only enjoy discounts, but also get cashback on most purchases [very few have clauses on purchase].  It is like leaving a child in a toy store, you dont know where to look or what to click.. :D 

Initially, I wasnt very aware of the offers and went ahead to make a purchase on Flipkart, only to later realise there was no cash back. But then heck, buying a book is something I enjoy and would never regret. Some time passed by, and the GOSF was happening. This is when I was back on Cashkaro.com, except this time I spent nearly an hour reading through their policies, how it worked, what it was all about and then went ahead did a purchase on Tradus. I ordered for footwear. 

I spotted the details of cashback offer under Tradus, and then had to click on the link there which told me the cashback would happen within 72hours, straight into my account. What is cool is that all the cashbacks we receive can then be transferred to our bank account as well.. as CASH. How cool is that?

To know more about them or the latest offers, follow them on twitter- @Cashkarocom

Alright, enough chatting, am off to check out some of the other deals they have!! And what are you staring at, go check out the coupons and deals already!! 

Happy Holidays!  

[Book] My Brother's Wedding by Andaleeb Wajid

I came to know of Andaleeb Wajid through a friend when he sent me her book to read & review- Blinkers off. Since then we have been in touch through Facebook and Twitter and so it was nice to meet this lively author when she launched her new book "My Brothers' wedding" at Crossword Bookstore in Chennai. It was a fun filled evening where we got to interact with her on a personal level, and hear tales of how she writes, where she got the inspiration for the book from and what else is in store from her treasure chest.... 

Book Name: My Brother's Wedding
Author: Andaleeb Wajid
Publisher : Rupa Books
ISBN : 978-8-1291-2399-2
Genre: Fiction: Romance, family drama, chic-lit [call it what you want, it is a very breezy light read]
Pages: 264
Price: Rs 295/-

My Brother's Wedding is a book based on the chaos called 'wedding in the family".  But it goes beyond the groom and his family, there is quite a bit of craziness connecting people beyond the immediate family members. It has a splash of drama, a generous amount of spice and romance as well.  It is a book that is as close to reality as you will get~!! 

I for one hate weddings. Why? To me weddings are synonymous with tempers flaring, craziness bursting everywhere, expenses sky rocketing and unnecessary squabbles coming into the scene. Weddings according to me should be simple sweet affairs, where the focus remains on the bride and groom, but instead it is all about who gives/receives what gifts, the sudden chaos within the house related to other members, an illness, god forbid a death, how elaborate the menu is, who has been invited, what are the return gifts and what not... These paint quite a disturbing image right, but then that is the reality..

“My Brother’s Wedding” opens with Saba’s blog. All of 19 years Saba starts an anonymous blog, a platform where she can vent, rant and share.  She gives alphabets as nicknames for her characters- her sis, her best friend, her cousin who she has a huge crush on, other friends and so on. The book actually has 2 parallels to it- one the main wedding related chaos and other is saba's blog.  The entire plot is set in Bangalore and revolves around how this wedding is planned and its impact on Saba's life.  

Andaleeb takes the readers through a typical Muslim household and the wedding preparations.  It is also about how families maintain a brave face when meeting others but within the four walls their lives are falling apart. There is the sister who believes her husband is possessed, a Djinn, the guy who lusts after Saba's sister at the wedding who secretly meets Saba and ultimately how all the pieces of the puzzle fall into the place and comes to a happy ending or not.. ;o)  

It took me all of 3 hours to read, the last half hour dragged on, only because I wasn't ready to be done with the book yet. :-) It was such a delightful simple breezy read, ideal for anyone who wants a light book.

For those who want to buy the book, pick up your copy from Flipkart or the nearest book store

Andaleeb also has another book ready to be launched in a month or so-->  More than Just Biryani  and she has started a blog which was about recipes but is also about this book of hers..

From the Anklets of a Homemaker by Subhashini

"The painter had no colors left to paint the night. He embellished it with dreams...."[via twitter]

"Rhyme in the recipe. Meter in the measured spices. One of those days when one has to cook poetry in the kitchen. Not with paper and pen...."[via twitter]

Such simple words, but they pack a punch, don't you think so? Well, here is the lady behind these wonderful verses- Subhashini. I've known her as @neelavanam and follow her on Twitter. How did I connect with her? One day, a few words strung together singing a song caught my eye and I was hooked.  

"A pencil carries more potential. It is sharp and focussed. A cursor is a distracted being, throbbing to peep into other windows...." [via twitter]

And everyday I along with her many other followers would eagerly look forward to the verse she shared on twitter. I dabble in a bit of poetry and so it was a lovely feeling connecting with another person who liked it as much, if not more. One day last month? or was it few weeks ago? She announced her book was out, it was a collection of her micropoetry.. I knew I had to get my hands on it, and before I knew it I was holding it in my palm. 

"From the Anklets of a Homemaker"
is the name of the book
Subhashini, the one who weaves magic through words

There are poems on rain
There are verses on life
They all come together 
so fine, so beautiful

I wondered about the title
I wondered what she meant
But by the last page, 
I dint really care :D 

Each poem is a story
a tale
an experience
a leaf out of a day

The words
hold within a few hidden secrets
or maybe a yearning 

Every page
I enjoyed
Ever word
I savored

Honestly, the book was such a breeze to read perfect with a cup of filter kaapi or maybe a mojito. Sit by the window, let the breeze tease your senses and you will enjoy this book immensely. The poems within the book are divided into three sections - Reflections of a Summer Rain, Rivers of endless desire, Meditations. Even though I felt some poems could be interchanged, am sure the author had her reasons for placing them where she did. 

Some of my favorites were,

"The eyes can spot a butterfly ~
but not he huge stumbling blocks
The nose can trace cooking food~
not the fears of a weary heart"

"Desire is the 
pulse of life"

"In a steaming cup of morning coffee~
reflections of moving clouds ~delicious"

"That which you get ~
without asking for ~
are blessings"

No, not gonna share any more... ;o) 

You need to read and pick the ones you enjoyed! Since I write the occasional poem, I know that some sound poetic and some very prose. There are sentences that you could rap, and some that read like a story. That is the beauty of poetry- no set rules, just speak your mind and watch the words take their twists & turns. I don't look for rhyme, nor do I look for a pattern, maybe that is why I liked this book a lot!

Curious? Why don't you grab a copy? You can buy this book from Flipkart or Amazon