From the author of No God in Sight comes another genre-bending work of literary consequence.

The book which parodies the political and social establishments of Mumbai stitches on its canvas the quixotic forces of the city that is simultaneously dislocated and organised.

Tyrewala finds an analogy for every Mumbai stereotype and parable in every true-life situations and describes them in unrhymed verses like rap poetry. The Dalit scavenger, the murderous mob, a limbless beggar aroused with desire, the property dealer, the scheming salesman and the intrepid underworld dons inhabit his book with their bleak lines - delivered like sonnets. The book captures the spirit of a city that has been besieged and comes up trumps.

 It took him a few years to follow that by editing an anthology for the Noir series, collating stories that explored Mumbai’s underbelly.

It was a perfect role because Tyrewala is a writer who revels in the seamy side of things. It’s also why his latest book, described by his publisher as a ‘genre-bending work’, inadvertently goes on to celebrate ‘the dystopia that is modern-day Mumbai.’ In short, another perfect fit.

 Sample this, from a section titled ‘On the granite floor of the global market’: ‘War is an Aquaguard salesman. He stands on the street across your building, And looks up at your flat with the absorption of a gravedigger who’s trying to estimate what size holes will be needed in the event that you and your kin consume rat poison, to spare you the ignominy of impending eviction when you committed to that thirty-year home mortgage.’

To try and categorise this writing by genre is to do it a disservice. The late poet Arun Kolatkar, Hinglish, maids, cabbies, religion — all come together in the writer’s struggle to make sense of a city that can no longer be defined in cookie-cutter terms.

Games : Fable

The Fable series has been in need for a good game again.  Granted, Fable III was very good at what it set out to do, but then Lionhead Studios thought that a multiplayer beat-em-up, Fable Heroes, would be an ideal entry while we waited for the next chapter.  Needless to say, it wasn't.  But now Fable: The Journey has arrived, exclusively for use with the Xbox 360's Kinect device, and while the use of motion gaming may be questionable for a series such as this , Lionhead at the very least makes it serviceable – which is more than we can say for a bunch of Kinect stuff these days.

The game takes place years after Fable III.  After that hero's disappearance, Albion has fallen into ruin, and long-time series character Theresa is on the run from a monstrous beast.  Enter Gabriel, a somewhat unexpected hero, who picks her up with the help of his horse Seren and a carriage, keeping her from harm.  From there, he becomes part of the adventure, heading into new areas and defeating enemies with magic, while Theresa opens up more about the legacy of Albion.

Fans will find several of their questions answered here, as well as the emergence of some familiar characters.  The good/evil decision aspect is gone, probably because that would've been too much for Kinect players to bear, but at least the story remains faithful, and is worth following – particularly during the lulls.

And boy, are there lulls.  Throughout most of the game, you do nothing more than ride around in areas, guiding Seren around rocks and other objects that could damage your carriage, as well as collecting powerful magic orbs.  Once or twice, we could see this mini-game working.  But you're doing this for a majority of the game, and it gets tiring.

Now, when the action sequences, along the lines of an on-rail shooter, kick in, Fable: The Journey picks up in fun.  While the controls don't work 100 percent of the time, it is enjoyable waving an enemy off with a stun attack, then leveling it with a thunderous magic attack.  Granted, your motions don't get really complex here, but when they work, you feel like a magician in control of his or her destiny.  Can't go wrong with that.

Another thing – while there is no way to control your good or evil nature, you do have opportunities to bond better with your horse.  Treating it as a beloved pet or punishing it for not getting you somewhere quick enough has an effect either way, and though sometimes its behavior can be erratic this is a fine aspect to the game, and one that'll reward you if you treat Seren with respect.

For a Kinect game, Fable: The Journey has some splendid graphics.  While the first-person perspective takes some getting used to, the lighting effects and environments really bring something spectacular to the picture.  The characters look great as well, including the numerous beasts that get in your way, such as large Corruption-powered behemoths that take more than a stun attack to bring down.  If you're looking for a visual treat for your Kinect, this is likely the place.

The audio can be off and on, however.  On the one hand, the music is fantastic, and Theresa's voice actress is on her game, delivering a shrewd yet determined nature behind the old character.  On the other, your character sounds like a douche bag, like Anakin Skywalker in his whiny kid days.  Yes, that annoying.  The other sound effects are good, especially when you unleash some powerful attacks. 

Fable: The Journey could've benefitted from better pacing and less iffy hit detection.  But as it stands, it's a surprisingly good Kinect effort.  Not great, mind you, but it's definitely a far cry from the groan-inducing demo we saw years ago at E3.  Lionhead has made something that sticks here, and it's sure to keep you busy until Fable IV rolls around, whenever that is.  Next gen, perhaps? Just remember, Lionhead, no horse carriage sequences.

Game Rating: 7.0

Beauty Tips : Homemade remedies for healthy hair

1. Mild shampoo is to be used for washing oily hair. You should frequently wash them.

2. One teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel should be mixed with one tablespoon of lemon juice along with one-fourth of shampoo. This mixture can be used for washing them regularly.

3. You can apply carrot puree for 15 minutes and rinse off.

4. Take two tablespoons of gram flour and add to a cup of coconut milk and apply on the scalp massaging gently. Rinse the hair thoroughly after five minutes. It is an effective method for home hair care when used once a week.

5. A teaspoon of lavender oil should be added to the coconut oil and then heated for a few seconds. Apply it to hair at night and shampoo the next morning. When you do this twice a week, you can obtain a soft and shiny hair.

6. Make a paste of egg yolk and water and apply it to hair for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse the hair off with cold water.

7. Mix equal amounts of edible oil and honey and apply it to hair. Let it remain for 15-20 minutes and then rinse off with cold water.

8. One teaspoon of fenugreek seeds are to be soaked overnight. Ground them next morning and apply to the hair. After one hour, rinse and wash with shampoo.

9. You can get a good look to normal hair by washing hair with white vinegar periodically.