A family outing to Aquatica Water Park

Summer holidays are soon about to get over for the kid. So, we decided to take him for a day’s outing to one of our unexplored places of entertainment, the Aquatica Water Park in Kolkata. The place also has a resort for accommodation.

And we enter the water area

The son and his father are water babies; it was a delight to see them jump into the water at every possible opportunity. After getting the tickets (1000 for adults and 500 for kids on weekdays), we rented a locker to keep the spare clothes and valuables. It cost us Rs. 50 and a refundable deposit of Rs. 200. Costumes are also available for rent.

Waves begin

We went into the waves zone first, where the water level kept increasing, giving us a feeling of being in the sea. The kid thoroughly enjoyed it and wouldn’t let us get out of the waves area.

The area for water rides
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The official announcement of my upcoming book in the Detective Raya Ray series

A couple of years have passed since I released my debut thriller introducing Detective Raya Ray. While I started writing the next in the series soon after and was signed on by one of India’s leading literary agencies, The Book Bakers, I wanted to create a puzzle to challenge Raya and also the reader’s crime-solving skills. Dissatisfied with two manuscripts, I decided to move away from the book and enrolled for my third master’s, MFA in creative writing, in Nov 2019. Post-completion of the course, I had a fresh perspective of looking at a new Raya Ray story.

With Suhail from The Book Bakers

‘Diary, Deceit, and Death – Raya Ray Returns’ took shape in the form of a manuscript, which The Book Bakers successfully placed to one of the country’s top publishers Vishwakarma Publications.

Continue reading “The official announcement of my upcoming book in the Detective Raya Ray series”

Ringing in my birthday on 29th May

I have always been an enthu-cutlet when it comes to birthdays, be it mine, or my close friends’ or family members. Of late, I celebrate it with the same enthusiasm as my son. It wasn’t supposed to be any different this year but like every thriller story that I write, there’s a twist in the tale.

Cake number one

Last Thursday, it started with a fever which led to a sore throat, nasal infection, breathing problems, and many more complications. The husband diagnosed it as a viral infection and medicines were prescribed accordingly. Sunday seemed a little better and I was almost sure that I would rock it as a birthday girl on Monday. I forgot God writes better thrilling stories than humans. The right lower side of my face started swelling on Sunday night and I woke up on my birthday morning with a face that looked stung by bees. Needless to say, I was devastated.

Cake number two from family

It’s in moments like this that one realizes the importance of close friends and family. It began with one of my son’s closest friends and his mother turning up with a cake to surprise me. They brought unusual happiness to my gloomy mind.

Cake number 3

The husband returned with my favorite cake and a bunch of gifts that he and my son had been planning for a week now behind my back. My father was the only one aware of their plan. By then, my face was so swollen that I refused to let them click me while cutting the cake.

Gifts from the kid, the husband, my father, and in-laws

With a change of medicines, the swelling was in control by evening, though the face still looked disproportionate. However, when my husband’s colleague and our dear friend surprised me with another cake, I decided to dress up and cut the cake with them.

My most cherished gift from the kid

While most planned outings and adventures had to be postponed, I’m sure they will happen once I recover. Who says birthdays should be celebrated only on the special day? To everyone who wished me here, on any other social media platform, on WhatsApp, through calls, messages, and in person, THANK YOU for making my day extra special.