Have a Date with Dashing Preet! - Read 'Just Not Meant For Marriage!

 Dear friends,

What happens when a person finds his soul-mate but that soul-mate is unwilling to reciprocate?

Read on to experience it in my e-book titled Just Not Meant For Marriage!

A Kindle Countdown Deal will be on from 3rd to 10th December, 2025 at www.amazon.com for this e-book which will be available for just $1.99. So hurry and purchase it. Read and review it. Enjoy your reading and reviewing sessions. Please don't forget to post your invaluable review at Amazon.com.

You could even peruse my other 27 books.

Eagerly awaiting your invaluable feedback!

Thanks.

Priya Swaminathan

EXCERPT

          Preet had an annoying habit. It drove girls literally up the wall. He would court all the pretty girls in college, have them eating out of his hands and eating out their hearts for him and then spoil it all by popping the most-dreaded question. It was not the eagerly looked forward to, “Will you marry me please?” No, that wasn’t the most-dreaded question. It was, hold your breath, “Are you just not meant for marriage?” All the girls who had swooned over him some time in their college lives had been flabbergasted by that bomber.

              

          But eventually, everyone had reconciled themselves to the inevitable, ridiculous proposal. In fact, no girl was still quite sure what that absurd question meant. Did he mean that he was asking her to marry him in a back-handed manner, or did he want to cast her away by insinuating that she was not worthy enough for marriage? And that too after wooing her as if she was the last girl on earth!

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          Preet was the equivalent of Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Salman Khan and Naseeruddin Shah; all rolled into one combo package of style, romance, brawn and smoldering intensity. As for looks, he had everything going for him, right from grayish-brown dreamy eyes fringed by thick lashes, smooth high forehead, well-chiseled cheek-bones and chin, tawny complexion and thick black hair that was always styled as per the latest trend in town. His gym-toned body was just meant for modeling as he wore smart outfits that suited him to the T. Towering well above six feet, he stood out from the rest of the college boys.

              

          Almost all the girls who enrolled in Universal College fell in love with him as soon as they set their eyes on this impossibly good-looking dude. After all, seeing the above-mentioned heroes on screen and seeing their combo in person, was different. Well actually, thrilling! They just couldn’t believe their luck. Each girl tried to get into his good books and charm him as much as she could. In fact, these girls thought that education and careers were secondary, as their primary aim was to land the catch of Preet! It was the be-all and end-all of their existence.

                

           Thus Preet got to see girls of all shapes and sizes, dressed in all types of clothes from mini-skirts to saris, ‘artificially’ made-up or ‘naturally’ made-up and with all sorts of fancy accessories. His friends envied him but joked that thanks to him, they also got to see well-dressed lasses and feast their eyes on them! Preet was cool and casual in his manner towards the girls. He didn’t lead anyone on. He obviously was waiting for someone special to light up his life. He just knew that one look would be enough to separate the grain from the chaff. His heart would tell him so!

END OF THE EXCERPT

Did you like what you just read? Would you like to find out what happens next?

Kindly purchase the e-book and read on.... Preet is waiting for you....

Here's the link:

Just Not Meant For Marriage!

https://www.amazon.com/Meant-Marriage-Priya-Ramesh-Swaminathan-ebook/dp/B0716TDTJK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

The copyright of this book is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

Mount Abu - In Seventh Heaven! (Part 2)

The pleasing courtyard of Shree Ganesh Hotel - Mount Abu

                                                             

     The Shree Ganesh Hotelwas clean and small, but the hearts of its owner and staff were large! The owner, Sri Kanaujiya went out of the way to make our stay comfortable. He provided us with tips for our itinerary, arranged a very reasonable sight-seeing trip at Rs. 100/- per head and gave us directions like a seasoned elderly person. He insisted on our seeing the beautiful Brahmakumari Museum and Nakki lake. His son who ran the Baba’s cafeteria was smart and helpful. The cook and his assistant were two brothers. Helpful, cheerful, prompt, courteous, sincere and with a delightful sense of humor! We enjoyed our light-hearted banter with all of them over our meals. The tea that they served was out of this world!

     No room service charges and fancy tariff rates assailed our senses here, as is generally the norm with big hotels. We felt very cozy and protected. The warmth of the people added to its homeliness. We wished that we could’ve stayed a little longer there. But, there is always a next time, isn’t it?

Chilling out at Sunset Point - Mount Abu

(We haven't defaced the wall. Some other love-bird's handiwork!)

     The highlight of our trip? 

     The stroll up to the 'must-see', Sunset Point was tiring as well as invigorating. Tiring, because it was the last point to be seen that day, after all that ascent and descent; and invigorating because, we looked forward to that glorious much-talked about experience. Besides, the company of nubile young honeymooning couples, raucous families and sedate senior citizens, commuting in quaint hand-drawn sledge-like carriages, ponies or briskly walking towards the hill; was very lively. There was anticipation in the air. Would we see the sun in all its finery or miss it if it was shrouded in mist? All of us were on a mission at sunset point.To see the brilliant golden orb turn orange, red and then suddenly vanish! 

     Hawkers vended stoles, hats and crunchy snacks. People, including myself, clicked the hills and surroundings, non-stop. Most of us saw the setting sun through our narrow camera lenses, and when we came to our senses, the sun had risen in The United States of America! As twilight set in along with the chill, we slowly made our way to the hotel. Suddenly, I turned around and saw the most beautiful scene there. Silhouettes of tourists, tall trees and the misty hills with just the after-glow of the sunset. Wow, here was the best snap, begging to be clicked! You bet, I obliged it!

     Our worst experience while staying there?
     It was appalling to see men lugging hand-drawn sledges filled with tourists, uphill to the Sunset point. Since the sledges were obviously too heavy, they had to literally run along with the sledges. Around 2 to 4 men were needed to pull the sledges. It was disheartening to see this inhuman practice still being followed in the 21st century. To add to their misery, people were haggling over the measly prices too! Yes, poverty abounds in India as does inhuman behavior. We could only hope that the Government does something radical to alleviate their lot.

The Majestic Ambaji Temple

     We got an opportunity to visit Ambaji, a place about less than an hour from Abu Road Station. It boasts of a breath-taking, temple of the Goddess Durga and a ropeway to a hill-top shrine named Gabbar, which has an earthen lamp, burning eternally. The main road is a shopper's delight, especially for the ladies. Garments, accessories, artefacts, etc. catch one's fancy here. The 'Ambika dharamshala' attached to the temple complex is very reasonable, with rates starting from Rs. 200/- onwards. Delicious, unlimited meals can be had at the 'Ambika bhojanalay', at a 'peanuts' price' of Rs. 10/- No, I'm not joking. It's just too good to be true. 

     This unique experience was peaceful and divine. We were filled with contentment. Our Rajasthan trip had been nicely rounded off by our unscheduled visit to this holy place of pilgrimage. Yes, all the Gods had blessed us and ushered us safely, throughout our journey. I am sure that I'll definitely visit Ambaji again, in the near future.

                                 CONCLUDED
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The copyright of this travelogue and photographs is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

This travelogue had been published in the Spice Edition of Sakaal Times, dated 1st June, 2014.

Mount Abu - In Seventh Heaven! (Part 1)

 

Twilight delight!

We had looked forward to visiting Mount Abu for its famed Dilwara Temples and scenic beauty, since a decade. Just being there gave us a high. Reaching the highest point in Mt. Abu, Guru Shikhar, with a beautiful Lord Dattatreya's temple, perched on a majestic huge rock, took us straightaway to seventh heaven! So this was heavenly bliss! We could feel the Divine aura envelop us in its cozy warmth. 

We purchased beautiful, dirt-cheap, framed prints of exquisite Rajasthani, miniature paintings as mementoes of our visit. We bought a set of 8 paintings titled, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa, after each note of the classical music, which were (according to the enthusiastic salesman), to be hung on the wall, in that particular sequence only, shaped like the high and low keys of the harmonium!

Our hearts were already singing in unison! A snap clicked by our affable, smart, tourist guide, is treasured by us. It shows us in ethnic splendor, a Rajasthani ensemble complete with baubles and other accessories like the odhni and turban. Hubby and I resemble a local Rajasthani couple, in all that traditional finery.

But one has to be really fit to see Mount Abu as most of the places in our itinerary were located atop high hills, where one has to trek up and down hundreds of steep steps. Phew! As all of us managed to see all those places, our energetic guide declared that all of us were used to eating desi ghee, and were hence as fit as a fiddle! His certificate bolstered even the faint-hearted amongst us, like a fragile newly- wed bride and her over-solicitous husband!

Guru Shikhar - The highest point in Mt. Abu

Mount Abu is a small place which offers a variety of places for sight-seeing. All the 'points' can be seen in a day. The people are friendly. The climate was just right, as we went there in the second week of February. It was chilly in the nights and morning and warm in the day-time.

The Nakki lake was bewitching with all its twinkling lights at night. A restaurant shaped like a motor launch, at the edge of that vast lake, added zing to the experience.

To be continued....

The copyright of this travelogue and photographs is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

This travelogue had been published in the Spice Edition of Sakaal Times, dated 1st June, 2014.