How to leverage Kindle?

You can use Kindle for more than ebook reading. You can read Wikipedia pages, Quora question and answers, articles and webpages in Kindle.

1. Send to Kindle extension: Install amazon's Send to Kindle extension in chrome browser. While your browsing any page of the web, you can click on the send to kindle extension in the right corner of the browser to send that particular article/page to your Kindle. Whatever you sent using send to kindle extension will be saved in amazon cloud and it will be downloaded to your device when you connect to wifi.

Send to Kindle desktop application can be used to send files from computer to Kindle. You can just drag and drop the files to Kindle documents folder.

2. Push to Kindle Website: If you don't want to install extension or if you are using any other browser, you can use http://fivefilters.org/kindle-it/ website to send any webpage to your kindle. You have to enter the complete url of the website which you want to send to you Kindle.

Watch on video on how to use push to kindle.

Converting ebooks to Kindle format: I haven't able to find working converter for converting pdf to .mobi format. So I am converting PDF to epub then epub to mobi. To convert PDF to epub, upload your pdf file to http://www.pdfpocket.com/ then upload converted epub file to http://www.sendepubtokindle.com/.

Note: You will get your kindle email address in your kindle device and in your amazon website. Add your email address free list in amazon's "Manage content and devices".

Click here to buy Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Are Kindles really Worth it?

I read books everyday while commuting to work in Bengaluru city bus. Always curious eyes follow my device because Kindle penetration is very less in India, even though Kindle is released long ago. And this incident will get end in me giving small demo about Kindle to interested folks. I feel the reading experience is not only reason which is stopping paper book readers migration to Kindle. Majority of Indians like multi-purpose devices like Mobile, tablet. As Kindle is single-purpose device or dedicated book reading device, failed to drawn Indians attention.

And Indian market is very price sensitive. At the price of basic Kindle, decent local tablets are available in the market. Along with price, lack of local language ebooks and support to local language fonts is one of the important reason which is hindering Kindle success.

However, Kindle is having lot of advantages which makes above said shortcomings to look smaller.
1. Kindle ebooks are cheap: You can buy books directly from Kindle and book gets downloaded to your device instantly after the purchase so you don't have to wait for 2-3 days as in the case of paperback books. You don't have to pay for delivery charges or to worry about adding another book to cart just to escape to get free delivery. And you will never loose your books. Many times we loose books by lending it others who forget return. In Kindle, you will get back automatically after one month of lending. Always, ebooks are cheaper than paperback books.

There is a saying called "Don't judge the book by cover". You can test these assumption by downloading sample of ebook before purchasing. Downloading sample option available in the right corner of above screen shot.

In amazon newly started Kindle Unlimited, you can read many books in the cost of one book(i.e. Rs.199 per month in India). You can read upto ten books at a time.

2. Sole purpose of reading: Kindle don't have audio/video capability, so you will be forced to read books instead of wasting your previous time in watching videos or browsing Facebook. One more advantage of kindle is no distractions from reading because you don't get any notifications from Whatsapp, mobile messages or work emails in Kindle.

3. Pleasant Reading Experience: Definitely it is very difficult to shift from paperback books to ebooks. Everyone of us will be skeptic when we need to change our habits but It is worth it. Kindle's glare free touch screen and INK display make you feel like you are reading physical book. INK display is as pleasant as paperback books to your eyes. In Kindle, not only highlighting certain points or adding notes is easy but also accessing these highlights and notes also very easy. With options like changing font size for your suitable size makes you fall in love with kindle.

You will get meaning of difficult word just by pressing on the word for few seconds and these word get added to vocabulary builder. You can rewind these new words by using flash card option.

However, I can't say these things if you read books with images, colourful charts and formulas. Kindle still needs to evolve in these books categories.

Yeah, you will miss the smell of paperback books.

4. Long Lasting Battery Performance: One more thing which stands out Kindle from other electronic devices is Kindle's long lasting battery. In Kindle battery is measured in terms of weeks not in hours.Kindle battery last for minimum 15-20 days if you read around 1hour per day.

5. 1000 Books Storage: India is second highest populated country in world so our homes getting smaller day by day. It is very difficult to save all the books and heart breaking to get rid of old books. In Kindle 4GB memory, you can save 1000 books. If you want to travel for 10-15 days, you just have to carry single device instead of bag full of books.

To buy Kindle, click here.

Open Letter to Prime Minister for reinstating country name as "Bharath"

Namaskara,

I like to congratulate your government for taking decision to hoist national flag in all universities. Shocking news is some people opposed the decision of hosting flag in universities. These anti-nationals are more dangerous than terrorists.

The things happening in JNU campus shock whole country. I was dumbstruck when I heard the slogans of “Azadi” in JNU campus. I think all terrorist organizations and enemies of our country are more than happy by this incident. What else one asks for? What JNU guys are doing is Intellectual extravaganza. Only freedom JNU students should ask for is from international funds for research.

We got our political independence 69 years back. Now from whom JNU guys are demanding azadi? As one of the prestigious and intellectual university of country, JNU should think about bringing economical freedom to people.  As a prime minister of country, you are working towards bringing economical freedom; I like to wish you all the best for your sincere efforts.

It is the time for us to nationalize the country; we need to start from the basic. Government should work towards instilling pride about our culture and history in students. It is the time to rewrite our social science textbooks, which did tremendous injustice to our freedom fighters and history of our country. First of all, we need to reinstate old of name of the country. Hereby, I demand you, Mr.Prime Minister to take an initiative to reinstate “Bharath” as our beloved country name. You read it correct, it is India that we need to remove from our heart, mind, papers and boards.

India is slave name. We are free and independent people, we shouldn’t let others and ourselves to address us as by slave names “India” or “Indians”. Lets have our own identity at the international level. I am proud to call myself “Bharatiya”. All of us call ourselves as Indians with pride and proud feeling.

All around the world, our country is famous as India. But does it real name? When the country that is called as “Bharath” for innumerable years suddenly became India. Even today when we speak with in country, we call our country as “Bharath” or Hindustan and ourselves as “Hindustani” or “Bharathiya”.  But in international level, it is always called as India and Indians.

In last 20 years, important cities of our country like Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru reinstated to old names. When Calcutta can become Kolkata, why can’t India becomes Bharath.

Even after letting foreigners to rule 800 years, we are still protected our culture, values and diversity to some extent. To become independent in the real sense, we need to remove all the attachments of slavery. First one in the list is reinstating our country name as “Bharath”.

Packing Tips of Travellers : Travel Cheap In India Part 3

Most people want to travel all around the world, only few take a leap. You are that one determined person who took the leap to travel the world. When you want to do something good, whole world conspire to help you. Packing your bags with all essentials is one of the major factors for your journey success. Don’t pack unnecessary things like extra T-shirt, inner wear’s etc. because you always have an option to buy these things. I have listed few crucial items.

1. Kindle & Travel guides & Offline Maps – If you like reading book, buy Kindle instead of carrying paper books, Kindle can store 1000+ books and save lot of place and weight. Carry travel guides for all the places you visit. Install lonely planet app in your smart phone. Download map for offline access.
2. Waterproof bag for your passport and other important documents like Credit card, Debit Card, ID Proof
3. Clothes bags - Keep separate bags for fresh and dirty clothes (Colour code). Carry plastic bag too. To find your bag easily, Use different colour tags for bags and different colour of bag.
4. Medicine - As you eat different foods, diarrheas tablets will be handy.
5. Travel journal - A journal to keep notes of what you did, where you went, even how much you paid for trips and tickets.
6. iPod & Ear plugs – Carry iPod and Ear plugs. Both are invaluable when you are travelling in long flights, crowded bus etc.
7. Batteries and Power banks –Phone battery drain faster so carry power bank and batteries for torch. Use mobile torch in emergency 
8. Compass - Not an app, an actual compass which doesn't rely on your phone being charged
9. Other important things

• Headlight and torch
• Plug adapter
• Jacket with interior pockets
• Full Boots
• Soap, Face wash, Brush, Paste and Toilet roll
• Towel - Carry two lightweight towels
• Playing cards - To time pass in long train or bus journey

For more travel hacks and tips, read my book Travel Cheap In India

Indian Train Hacks : Travel cheap in India Part 2

India is very big country; railway covers almost every part of the country. Indian Railways is world’s largest employer. If the tracks of Indian railways were to be laid out, they would circle the earth almost 1.5 times. The longest running train covers a distance of 4273 km between Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari: It’s called the Vivek Express. 2.5 crore Indians travel in train every day. Some quick India train hacks to get best out of 161-year-old system. To travel cheap in India, you need to take advantage of largest travel network of most populated country. So keep reading India Train Hacks.

1. Last Minute Train Booking: During last minute ticket booking, you will not get direct train. So train hack for that situation is try to find 2-tier city where you can change train. For example: you want to go from Bangalore to Guwahati, which are 3000km apart. You will not get tickets to Guwahati even if you try before a month. Now find the exchange point. Bangalore train goes through Vijayawada, Vizag, and Bhubaneswar; try for tickets to and from these cities to your destination.

2. Storing extra Luggage: All major railway station has cloakroom where you can keep your extra luggage. Rates are cheaper. You can carry blanket, bed sheet and pillow for long journey; keep these luggages in cloakroom, as you don’t need this stuff in lodge room. We stored our extra luggage in New Jalpaiguri, took it after five days when we came back from Bhutan trip.

3. Purchase ticket from TC: You have boarded train but you have ticket only for half way, you don’t have to get down to buy ticket. Just buy from TT.

4. Prefer Upper berth: If you got seat in upper berth, you can sleep whenever you want or you can sit in lower berth to enjoy the view. If you have lower berth, you have to share it with middle berth and vice versa. Always avoid side lower berth as it is having hollow in the centre of the seat. Upper berth are best place to escape from non-sense of beggars, transgender etc.

5. Bags and Valuable items safety: Always use two-bag system. Keep your valuable items like phone, ID card, debit card, wallet etc. in small bag and keep that with while sleeping. 

6. Eye blinds and Earplugs are a game changer. Buy good pair of eye blinds and the best earplugs 

7. Waiting rooms: Railway station have decent waiting rooms so use the place to take bath and for getting fresh. If you are low on budget, you can sleep in waiting rooms.

8. Refund: If your train reach destination with lot of delay, apply for refund.

9. Tatkal Ticket Booking: Keep your payment mode details ready

10. Hiring Taxi: Never take a taxi from the airport or Rail Station. Walk down to the main road and you will find taxis for less than half the price. Hire 'running taxis' i.e. taxis on the go.

I hope these Indian train hacks are useful to you. If you know any good Indian train hack, please add in comment. For more detailed travel hacks and tips, read my book Travel Cheap In India

Can we stop Handshake?

          

I hardly have seen people doing anything other than Hand Shake while greeting irrespective of whenever and wherever they meet others. Meeting friends, relatives or colleagues, starts and ends with Hand Shake. Why we are so prone to imitating? And we laugh at china by saying no one can beat china in copying? Aren’t we beating china in copying other cultures?

I will narrate few incidents from my life that opened my eyes. Recently I had attended marriage engagement with friend. My friend is around 28 years old. He was speaking to elder lady; suddenly middle-aged woman called his name. She was happy to see him. First thing she did when he went near her; Handshake. I can’t believe what I had seen. I tried to analyse this incident in two ways. First, even housewives also know party manners. Second even housewife/mothers also became western and forgot our culture. Irrespective of age or relation, people do hand shake. In childhood, we used to see hand shake only in films when villains make deal.  

I was in world famous jog falls. I sneaked in and spent good time on top of the falls. I was sitting looking down at the people who are viewing falls. Suddenly I heard “Namaste”, I was pleasantly shocked and surprised when I saw foreign couple. I said “Namaste” then I realizes, last time I said “Namaste” is more than a decade back. “Namaste” felt so foreign to me that moment.

I have seen cousin/relatives who purchased blazer for marriage by paying 10-15k but wore only on one day (i.e. reception day) till date. We have our own unique marriage dress why do we need blazer?

Are we copying only from western countries? No. We are copying from everywhere, within India too. In proper Karnataka marriages, there is no dance or mehandi program. Now there is sangeeth, which is pin-to-pin copy from north India marriages, Only Hindi songs played during sangeeth.

Above-mentioned incidents are very small but impact is not negligible. We can’t even guess our magnitude of westernization. If a mother do handshake, how can her child do anything different?

I am travel enthusiast, I like to explore and know different culture. In present situation, I feel there is no need for a foreigner to come India to know our culture because we will be having almost everything similar. We are using same steel/plastic utensils, driving same bike/cars and wearing same dress as westerns. So tell me, where is Bharatiya culture or identity? From many decades, we are calling our parents as mommy and daddy, relatives as uncle and aunty, or strangers as sir and mam. From long time we stopped putting hands on our friends shoulders but started hugging irrespective of gender.

There is one positive incident also. I had attended corgi friend marriage in Virajpet, Karnataka. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw people touching their elder’s feet while greeting. I meant to say instead of handshake they are greeting by touching feet. Almost all relatives of groom and bride were wearing their Kodava dress.  I was very happy that day, as Bharatiya culture still exists among few of us.

Is it wrong to copy? No we have to take the best from others while retaining our best. For example: Jeans easy to wear and can wash once in month.

Lets try these below simple things to preserve our culture in small way

In Karnataka, we have lot of Kannada songs so lets play Kannada songs in Sangeeth.

Lets greet by folding our hands with respect or touching feet of elders instead of handshake.

Lets preserve suit and handshake for business purpose only.

Lets say Namaskara/Namaste instead of Hi/Hello.

Lets put hands across the shoulder instead of just hugging.

I take this opportunity to ask you to question yourself. As a Bharatiya, you have to protect your identity and culture. Think in your own way; share the same in your circles.

Series of Cultural Shock at Coorg Marriage

When we reached Mysuru KSRTC bus stand at morning 5am, interstate bus packed with mallu's waiting for us to board. Virajpet is one of the four taluk in kodagu district. The way is so beautiful but I was not able to enjoy the beauty as I was tried by sleepless night. My eyes are closing automatically. Me and my cousin tried to keep ourselves up so that we don't miss our stop. Both of us didn't know much about Coorg marriage so we are confused about how much time we need to stay in marriage hall. Finally we decided to stay in lodge as we badly wanted to sleep and hot bath after sleep. We had landed inside old crumpled building which had lodge board outside, however rooms are pretty decent.

During check inn, we saw few mallu guys with beer bottles entering side lodge. Those guys had a expression of Olympic medal winner. As Kerala Government for banned alcohol consumption, Karnataka border cities are hub for Kerala people to drink.

Reached marriage hall around 10am after sleeping in cold room for 3 hours straight. My cousin worked in chennai for two years. He had a coorgi roommate in pg. As both of them are outside, they were close and kid of tribe brotherhood. I accepted to accompany with my cousin for marriage only after he agreed to travel with me for next 3 days in coorg. So here we are landed in coorgi marriage by thinking are attending just another another marriage visit but little less we know it will turn to one of the memorable marriage I ever attended.

We joined wth people are having light snacks in the entrance. Snacks included sweets, coffee, tea,etc. As we are never shy of food, we took full plate snacks and landed on empty chairs. Most of the elders were wearing traditional  Kodava dress. Eye catchy item is Knife like structure in the waist in silver colour. Both of us surprised when we saw people touching their elders feel irrespective of gender while greeting. As we do only hand shakes while greeting, this gesture remembered our culture. Irrespective what of work they are doing, people used to touch elder feet. I was bowled by kodava culture. But sad thing is handshake are also creeping in slowly. Many people irrespective of age doing hand shake even ladies too.

Young generation of kodava boys and girls are comfortable in their modren dress like shirts, blazers, lehengas etc. Are kodava's also losing their tradition slowly like others? or May be they don't have traditional dress ready yet.

Second surprise is separate queue for men and women to wish newly wed couple. It seems kodava's are more civilize than others in term of giving equal status to woman. Not only in queue, kodava's woman can also drink in their home.

I had one more surprise when we went for lunch;open bar. I was expecting home made wines but they had every kind of drink available in regular bar. As I am newbie, I went with a glass to get beer just like in brewery but they offered me full bottle. As elders occupied places, we started searching for a place to drink by holding plate full pig curry, kabab and beer bottle. We settled in to place near  elderly person who was lonely having hard drinks. By seeing our discomfort and shock, He guessed that we are not Kodava. He worked as Police Inspector and now settled in mysuru. He was also surprised as drinks available both on both day and night. He shared few interesting things with us about Kodava culture like expense of marriage shared between both groom and bride side, Kodava dress cost around Rs.25000 and now only close relatives wear Kodava dress in marriages. The environment is superb and kicking.

After receiving series of culture shock, We went for a walk in less travelled path. Even though, Kodagu is only 250km from my place, culturally we are far apart. I can't imagine expense sharing in marriage and open bar in our side marriages.

I had another shock when we went to have lunch because of sitting arrangement. Now, every where people adapting buffet system. Our side, every convention hall designed to accommodate around 300 people and sitting arrangement is row wise. Each row can accommodate 50-60 people. Catering guys serve all the item one by one. But in this convention hall, there is no seating arrangement like that. Convention hall is built to server through buffet system. In centre of convention, there is place for keeping dishes in roundtable manner. I am very shy by nature but due to travel my shyness is shredding slowly. Confidently, I asked the dish name to catering guys when i was not able to identify the dish. Notable improvement in me. We had pleasant time while having lunch as we were sitting against most beautiful gal in the hall.As groom is free, we had small chit chat and he invited for evening ceremony.

After a nap in lodge, We started to walk towards marriage hall in evening. Throughout the way, we drenched in rain. Marriage hall was looking like a party hall now. There were gals and boys dancing in front of bride. And Open bar was still there with lot of snacks and full bottles.  Now gals are in dancing in complete modren dress, most of the guys had a drink in their hands. Atmosphere was very pleasant. Occasionally groom also joined the dance crew. We didn't got courage to dance so I settle with beer and snacks. Cousin bought me second beer when I finished first bottle in few minutes as I was getting better taste now. Custom of dance is people are stopping bride entering to hall by dancing in front of her.

From the time we enter inside hall, beautiful was stealing glances. She turned her chair so that she can sit opposite to me. Then she pushed her mother to dance. She was dancing pretty well for her beauty. sometimes she was looking at me to check whether I am still watching her dance. I forced my cousin to have dinner when she stopped. I tried my level best to start conversation with her, I was about to greet her and congratulate for wonderful dance but her mom came suddenly. Words died in mouth and that's the end of it.