Friday, June 20, 2008

Almost Single

Almost Single - Advaita Kala

The more I think about it, the more difficult it seems to write something about it. For one, I am not sure how to characterize this book. It might be chick-lit, but not exactly so; it has elements of M&Bs, but altogether its substantially different. Perhaps I would liken it most to what we call a 'masala' movie :-)

It is a story of three bosom pals, ladies who are approaching the dreaded age of 30. One of them is getting divorced, and the other two are desperately looking for a good matrimonial catch [before they hit the expiry date from the marriage market ;-)]. They go through a lot of mishaps - comic and not-so-comic, before the first one frees herself of the trauma of divorce, and the other two find their soul-mates in unlikely places/people.

I looked at some online reviews of the book. Most of them claimed it to be an accurate commentary on urban, single, working Indian ladies - using phrases such as - "you will know a lot about what women think", "it gives you an insight into the minds of women, especially those nearing thirties", "it tells you a lot about relationships" ... you get the drift. From my personal experience, I have to disagree with all these exalting statements. The "relationship facts" seem a collection of cliches to me, and none of the single, working, nearing-30 ladies I know are like the characters in this book - they are too busy struggling to manage the demands of jobs, single-living, and parental pressures, to go partying every night. But then, I do not know any hard-partying, page-3-type people.

What I mean is that I do not think it represents real people, or at least the people of my world. Perhaps my world is too constricted :-) Having said this, I will also say that this is a good fun read, with a lot of humor.It moves at interesting pace, and keeps one entertained - commendable for the first book of an author. If you are not in a mood for serious reading, you can enjoy this book for the comical predicaments of its characters and witty humor it is interspersed with.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Daag Dehlvi - IV

Agiyaar ke naale to bahut tumne sune hai.n
Mazloom ki taasiir-e-dua ko nahin dekha
[agiyaar=enemy/rival; mazloom=victim]

You listened attentively to the cries of my rival
Have you seen the effect of a victim's (my) prayers?

***

Zindagi mei.n paas se dam bhar na hote the juda
Kabr mei.n tanha mujhe yaaro.n ne kyun rakh diya

In my lifetime my friends didn't leave me for a moment
Why did the put me in my grave all alone

***

tu na kar nakhwat-e-shabaab bahut
hamne dekhe hai.n inqilaab bahut
[nakhwat-e-shabaab=proud of beauty; inquilab=changes]

Do not take so much pride in your beauty
I have seen a lot of drastic changes happen

***

Jis qadar maine tujhse khwahish ki
Usse mujh ko siva diya tune

Mujh gunahgaar ko jo bakhsh diya
Phir jahannum ko kya diya tune

O lord! As much as I asked of you
You always bestowed much more upon me

You pardoned a sinner like me
Then what did you give to the hell

***

Rahti hai kab bahaar-e-jawani tamaam umr
Maanind-e-bu-e-gul idhar aayi udhar gayi

The bloom of youth does not stay the entire life
Its like flower's fragrance - comes and goes away

***

Tangi-e-gosh-e-zinda.n ke ham khugar the
Gor mei.n bhi na kabhi paanv pasaare hamne
[Tangi-e-gosh-e-zinda.n=scarcity of a cell;khugar=used to; gor=grave]

I was so used to the lack of space in a cell
That even in the grave I never stretched my feet

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Daag Dehlvi - III

Now for some couplets from some of his Ghazals ...


Baad muddat ke ye ai Daag samajh mei.n aayaa
Woh hi dana hai jis ne na mana dil ka
[dana=intelligent]

It was after a long time that I understood this
He is intelligent, who didn't listen to his heart

***

Marg-e-dushman ka jyada tumse hai mujhko malaal
Dushmani ka lutf shikwe ka mazaa jata raha

The death of my rival saddens me more than you
The thrill of enmity, and the joy of complaints are lost

***

Hazaaro.n hasratei.n wah hai.n ki roke se nahi.n rukti
Bahut armaan aise hai.n ki dil ke dil mei.n rahte hai.n

There are thousands of desires that cannot be controlled
There are many wishes that do not leave the heart

This 'sher' always reminds me of Ghalib's
'Hazaaro.n khwaahishein aisee ki har khwaahish pe dam nikle
Bahut nikle mere armaan, magar phir bhi kam nikle'
Apart from the choice of words, which is astoundingly similar, I think both try to convey the same thing.

***

Bemahal baat bhali bhi to buri hoti hai
Shukra karte hue darta hoo.n shikayat kaisi
[Bemahal=untimely]

At inappropriate time, even a nice thing sounds bad
I am afraid even to thank you, complaint is out of question

***

Kya us badgumaa.n se baat karei.n
Jo sataaish ko bhi gilaa jaane
[badgumaa.n=suspicious; sataaish=praise]

Tum na paaoge saadaa dil mujh sa
Jo tagaful ko bhi haya jaane

What to talk about with that suspicious one
Who considers praise to be criticism

You will not find another simple-hearted person like me
Who mistakes neglect for shyness

Monday, June 09, 2008

Authors Featured On This Blog

Advaita Kala
        - Almost Single

Agatha Christie
        - Hercule Poirot's Christmas
        - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
 
Alan Bradley

Alexander McCall Smith
        - Tears of the Giraffe
        - In the Company of Cheerful Ladies 
        - The Sunday Philosophy Club

Alexander Pushkin
        - Tales

Alistair McLean
        - The Dark Crusader
        - The Way to Dusty Death
        - The Lonely Sea
        - Golden Rendezvous
        - Partisans 

Amish Tripathi
        - The Immortal of Meluha 
        - The Secret of The Nagas
        - The Oath of Vayuputras
        - Scion of Ikshvaku

Amulya Malladi
        - Song of The Cuckoo Bird

Anand Neelakantan
        - Asura - Tale of the Vanquished

Anita Nair
        - Mistress
        - Goodnight And God Bless
        - The Better Man

Ann Brashares
        - Sisterhood of Traveling Pants

Arthur Golden
        - Memoirs of a Geisha

Arundhati Venkatesh
        - Bookasura

Asha Miro
        - Daughter Of The Ganges

Audrey Niffenegger
        - The Time Traveller's Wife

Carlos Ruiz Zafon
        - The Shadow of The Wind

Chetan Bhagat
        - One Night At The Call Centre
        - Revolution 2020

Chitra Banerjee Divakurni
        - The Palace of Illusions

Dan Brown
        - Angels And Demons
        - Digital Fortress
        - The Lost Symbol

David Baldacci
        - The Christmas Train
 
David Rosenfelt

Dhruva Chak
        - Chatterjee Babu : His Life And Lies

Dick Francis
        - Longshot

Elizabeth Gilbert
        - Eat, Pray, Love

Eric Segal
        - Prizes

Frank B. Gilbreth Jr
        - Cheaper By The Dozen
 
Gabriel García Márquez
        - Love in the Time of Cholera
 
 
Gita Mehta
        - A River Sutra

Harinder Sikka
        - Calling Sehmat 

Helen Simonson

Indu Sunderasan
        - The Twentieth Wife
        - The Feast Of Roses
        - The Mountain of Light 
        - In The Convent of Little Flowers

Ira Trivedi
        - What Would You Do To Save The World

Iravati Karwe
        - Yuganta

Iris Rainer Dart
        - Beaches

Ismat Chugtai
        - Chidi Ki Dukki

J. K. Rowling
        - Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
 
Jessica Fletcher
 

Jhumpa Lahiri
        - The Namesake

Joan Brock
        - More Than Meets The Eye 

Joanne Harris
        - Five Quarters Of The Orange
        - Gentlemen And Players
        - Peaches for Monsieur le Curé

John Boyne
        - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

John Grisham
        - The Last Juror

Jug Suraiya
        - Delhi Belly

Kaavyaa Vishwanathan
        - How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild And Got A Life

Kamala K. Kapur
        - Ganesha Goes to Lunch

Kavita Kane
        - Karna's Wife - The Outcast's Queen

Ken Follet
        - The ModiGliani Scandal
        - A Place Called Freedom

Khaled Hosseini
        - The Kite Runner
        - A Thousand Splendid Suns

Kiran Desai
        - The Inheritance Of Loss

Krishan Chander
        - Ek Gadhe Ki Atmakatha

Kristin Hannah
        - Firefly Lane

L. M. Montgomery
        - Anne of Green Gables
 
Laura Childs
 
Lorna Barrett
 
Louise Penny

Mark Haddon
        - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night

Mary Ann Shaffer
        - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Michael Gannon
        - Secret Missions

Mitra Phukan
        - The Collector's Wife

M T Vasudevan Nair
        - Bhima - Lone Warrior

N. H. Kleinbaum
        - Dead Poets Society

Neil Gaiman
        - Sleeper And The Spindle

Nevil Shute
        - A Town Like Alice
        - On The Beach
        - Pied Piper 
        - Requiem For A Wren

Nina George
        - The Little Paris Bookshop 

Preeti Shenoy
        - Tea For Two And a Piece of Cake

R. K. Narayan
        - Gods, Demons and Others
        - The Painter of Signs

Raj Kamal Jha
        - If You Are Afraid Of Heights

Richard Bach
        - Jonathon Livingstone Seagull

Richard Feynman
        - Surely You are Joking Mr. Feynman

Richard North Patterson
        - Eyes of A Child

Rider Haggard
        - She

Roald Dahl
        - Matilda

Rob Nunn
        - The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street

Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling)
        - The Silkworm

Robert James Waller
        - The Bridges of Madison County

Ruskin Bond
        - Book of Humor
        - Room on the Roof/Vagrants in the Valley 
 
Sankar
        - Chowringhee

Sarang Mahajan
        - Inkredia - Luwan of Brida

Satyajit Ray
        - The Adventures of Feluda - II

Shilpa Somaya Gowda
        - Secret Daughter

Shivani
        - Chaudah Phere

Sophie Kinsella
        - The Undomestic Goddess

Srinath Perur
        - If It's Monday, It Must Be Madurai

Sudha Murthy
        - Wise and Otherwise

Sudhir Venkatesh
        - Gangleader For A Day

Sue Townsend
        - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

T F Carthick
        - Carthick's Unfairy Tales
 
The Three Investigators

William Dalrymple
        - Nine Lives

William Goldman
        - The Princess Bride

Yann Martel
        - The Life Of Pi

Sunday, June 08, 2008

How can I have sub-categories in labels

I post a lot of poetry and book reviews on this blog. And I want to have a quick access to the works of a particular poet/author I have posted about. If I create labels for each poet and author, it will make my labels' list unmanageable. And Blogger does not allow me to have sub-categories under a label (ah! how I would love that feature!).

I know the answer is - get your own domain and you can have code that will do this for you. But that is too much work to do when all I want to do is simply to post. Moreover, where will I find time to create and manage a site, when I dont even have enough time to read all the blogs I'd like to, or post on my own.

What I have resorted to for now is create a post, and compile lists of poets and authors in separate posts, and link to these posts on the navigation pane. It is still not a single-click access as I desire, but at least one can manage in two. Any ideas how to do it better?


Friday, June 06, 2008

Daag Dehlvi - II

Sharing another ghazal by Daag Dehlvi. It is nice, but I find it amusing more than anything else, specially because of the second couplet.


Jab jawaani ka mazaa jata raha
Zindagaani ka mazaa jata raha

Woh kasam khaate hai.n ab har baat par
Badgumani ka mazaa jata raha

Gair par lutf-o-karam hone laga
Meherbaani ka mazaa jata raha

Daastaan-e-ishq jab thahri galat
Har kahaani ka mazaa jata raha

Daag hi ke dam se tha lutf-e-sukhan
Khushbayaani ka mazaa jata raha


When the joy of youth was lost
The joy of life was gone

She now swears about everything
There is no pleasure in doubting now

She has started bestowing favors on rivals
I no longer enjoy her attentions

When the story of our love became untrue
Every tale lost its joy

It was Daag who made poetry enjoyable
Without him, there is no beautiful verse


The last sher of this ghazal reminds me of one of Ghalib's couplets -

Yuu.n to hai.n duniya mein sukhanwar kaii achhe
Kahte hai.n ki Ghalib ka hai andaaz-e-bayaan aur

There are many good poets in this world
But Ghalib's style has a class of its own

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Poets featured on this blog

I make a lot of posts on poetry on this blog. Since it is not possible to have individual tags for each poet (it will make labels' list unmanageable!), I have compiled a list of poets (in alphabetic order), and list of posts for each (in reverse chronological order) in a post. I'll keep updating this list as required. 

A.C. Swineburne
The Triumph of Time

Ajmal Sultanpuri
Main usko dhoondh raha hoon

Alhar Bikaneri
Mujhko Sarkaar Banaane do

Ashok Anjum
Chal Uth Neta, Tu Chhed Taan

Bashir Badr
Bashir Badr - VI
Bashir Badr - V
Bashir Badr - IV
Bashir Badr - III
Bashir Badr - II
Bashir Badr

Chandrasen Virat
Tum Kabhi The Surya

Daag Dehlvi
Daag Dehlvi - IV
Daag Dehlvi - III
Daag Dehlvi - II
Daag Dehlvi - I 

Dushyant Kumar
Saaye Mein Dhoop - IV
Saaye Mein Dhoop - III
Saaye Mein Dhoop - II
Saaye Mein Dhoop - I
Saaye Mein Dhoop - Intro
Ek Aashirwaad

Gopal Das 'Niraj'
Tum Kalpana Karo

Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Mera Sambal 
Maine Shanti Nahin Jaani Hai 
Jo Beet Gayi So Baat Gayi 
Varsha Sameer

Ibn-e-Insha
Yeh Baatein Jhoothi Baatein 

Jaan Nisar Akhtar
Ashaar mere yun to zaman ke liye hain

Jaishankar Prasad
Prayangeet

Javed Akhtar
Tarqash - III
Tarqash - II
Tarqash - I 

Kumar Vishwas
Jane Kaun Nagar Thaharenge 

Kunwar Bechain
Phool ko khaar banaane pe tuli hai duniya 


Maithilisharan Gupt
Ma Kah Ek Kahani

Mirza Ghalib
Open to Interpretation 

Nida Fazli
Nida Fazli 

Ramkumar Verma
Maun Karuna 

Ramdhari Singh 'dinkar'
Dinkar
Parichay 
Kalam, Aaj Unki Jay Bol!

Sahir Ludhianvi
Taj Mahal

Shivmangal Singh 'Suman'
Ham Panchi Unmukt Gagan Ke

Udaybhanu Hans
Mat Jiyo Sirf Apni Khushi Ke Liye

William Wordsworth
The Rainbow

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Down the memory lane - IX

The JC Encounters - II

I have posted earlier, an anecdote from my college days, about our professor JC. Apart from being very strict and principled, he had quite a sharp memory. He taught us for two years [he refused to take the final year classes, as according to him, final year students were not serious enough]. When he first started teaching our class in second year, he recognized everyone by their names in one week, and by roll numbers in two. One of my classmates happened to meet him last year, and he remembered her roll number after 8 years!

In the third year, one day there was a highly interesting cricket match going on. Many people would have liked to bunk the class, but JC took a severe exception to mass bunks, so most of the students decided to go to his class, and rely on his generosity. The people who were not interested in the match, would not mind an occasional off!

Once in class, they asked JC to free the class, but he refused to do so on account of a match. The students persisted, that there was no use of staying in class, since they couldn't concentrate on studies. They thought that since JC was passionate about making students really understand (rather that just teach), this should do the trick. But poor things, they didn't really understand their teacher in two years! JC said he could not free the class, but he'd not teach, so we would have a general discussion! We then kept imploring that it would be better to study, but now JC was adamant! And what a unique talk it was! After half an hour we really pleaded to him to teach us instead, but he didn't relent!!

Frustrated, some people started asking irrelevant things. One guy asked, "Sir have you been married?", while JC had turned to face the board. With some difficulty he managed to reply, "No, not yet", his back still towards the class. Thinking of taking advantage of anonymity, another guy shot out, "Why?" The class was really at his audacity, and fell silent. JC couldn't keep facing the board indefinitely, so he turned to face the class. And oh! He was blushing!! He called on the student who had asked the second question [yes! he managed to single him out by his voice, in a class of 60, even though he must have taught a number of batches over the years!], and asked him the same set of questions. Now it was this guy's turn to turn red! He managed to reply, with great difficulty, "Sir, I am not old enough". JC replied, "Same answer".

Chapter closed, and we moved back to few more minutes of horribly boring "conversation", before the hour finally got over, to the relief of all.

Parody time

Sharing a very beautiful and poignant poem by Gulzaar ...

Subah subah ek khwaab ki dastak per
darwaza khola, Dekha,
sarhad ke us paar se kuch mehmaan aaye hai.n

Aankho.n se manoos thay saare,
Chehre saare sune sunaaye
Paao.n dhoye, haath dhulaaye,
Aa.ngan mei.n aasan lagwaaye,
Aur tandoor pe makki ke kuch mote mote rot pakaaye

Potli mei.n mehmaan mere
pichle saalo.n ki faslo.n ka gur laye thay

Aankh khuli to dekha ghar mien koi nahin tha,
Haath laga kar dekha to tandoor abhi tak bujha nahin tha,
Aur ho.ntho.n per meethe gur ka zaiqa ab tak chipak raha tha,

Khwab tha shayad,
Khwab hi hoga,
Sarhad per kal raat suna hai chali thi goli,
Sarhad per kal raat suna hai kuch khwabon ka khoon hua hai.

***

But does this all matter to a nerdy software engineer? All s/he cares about are awards and bonus ...
With due apologies to Gulzar sahib ...

Subah subah login ki dastak par
mailbox khola, dekha
corridor end wale room se kuch mails aaye hain. (1)

Requirement se P0 the saare! (2)
Issues saare sune - sunaye
Meeting bulaayee presentations dikhaye
Brainstorming sessions karwaye
Aur StageGate ke template mein kuch mote mote docs banaye. (3)

Attachment mein mails mere
pichle release ke project ka award laye the

Aankh khuli to dekha award kahin nahin tha
Test chala kar dekha to fix abhi tak chala nahin tha
Aur hothon par nightout ki coffee ka swaad ab tak bidak raha tha

EPS kam tha shayad (4)
Bonus nahin milega
Samandar paar kal raat suna hai deal huii thii
Samandar paar kal raat suna hai ek aur acquisition hua hai. (5)

reference:
(1) Corridor end wala room - the room at the end of the corridor, which belongs to my manager
(2) P0 - The highest priority customer requirement
(3) Stagegate - A specific (fussy) format in which we are required to write our functional specifications
(4) EPS - Earning per share - which determines the half-yearly bonus
(5) When a company acquires another, its share price typically falls, causing employee bonus to be cut back


PS: Apologies to the readers who do not know hindi, but this is a case where i cant provide a meaningful translation for either the original or the parody ...

Friday, May 23, 2008

Gangleader For A Day

Gangleader For A Day : A Rogue Sociologist Crosses The Line
- Sudhir Venkatesh

I have just finished reading this recently-published widely-acclaimed title, which is quite different from my usually preferred fare. I am not into gangster stories (leave aside a classic like Godfather), and I rarely go for non-fiction. But I really liked and enjoyed this one. Perhaps because I do like real-life human-interest stories. I had read a couple of reviews, which I found interesting; the author's Indian origins were an added curiosity/attraction. So, while browsing in the bookstore a few days back, I found it on their shelf, I read a few pages. And I was hooked!

The book describes the author's experience over more than 7 years, as he conducts his doctoral research, by having a first hand, close look at the life of his research subjects, the poor black people of Chicago living in a housing society plagued by evils like gang culture, drug abuse and lawlessness. His adventures have a very amusing start as he arrives at the housing society armed with a questionnaire. He is apprehended by the members of the local gang, the Black Kings. The gang's leader, known as JT, advises him to spend time with the people, rather than asking inane questions, if he really wants to understand their lives. Sudhir takes his advice, and goes on to develop a close relationship with JT, and other members of this "society" of people. In the course of time, he learns how mistaken are the perceptions of the outside world, of these people. To begin with, it is assumed that all gangsters are uneducated; but Sudhir finds that JT has attended college, and one of his closes aides is working towards a degree! He has many different unusual and interesting experiences, including the one when JT lets him act as the leader of his section of Black Kings for a day. However, all this does not mean that all is great; there is an ugly side too, though by his own admission, he gets a censored view of that.

The author's research on the economy of drug-dealing made a chapter in the widely popular 'Freakonomics' and was [apparently] very well received. [I did not read Freakonomincs, but everyone I know who has read it, was all praises for it.] Unbiased by this fact [I only realized this while reading 'Gangleader ...'], I found 'Gangleader ...' quite an interesting experience. The 'story' is captivating, and the style is amusing and fluid. I loved this one!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Chatterjee Babu

Chatterjee Babu : His life and Lies
- Dhruva Chak

When buying books, I usually stick to my favorite authors, or get titles that I have heard of, or that have been recommended (by family, friends or newspapers). Some time back, in order to have a change of pace, I bought a few unfamiliar titles, by unfamiliar authors, going by the covers. And I realized (yet again!) that back cover descriptions and adulations can be very deceptive.

I have read a lot of fast-paced thrillers, set in the modern, western world, and mysteries (Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes) set in last two centuries. So "Chatterjee Babu", set in the latter half of 20th century India appealed to me with its promise of chartering a nostalgic journey through five historical cities, and catching the last glimpses of the dying Raj (British Rule).

But what I got was one of the most hopeless books I've read, both with regards to the story and the style. The writer has used innumerable similes and unending citations, so that he lost the story altogether, and I lost my patience. It feels that all he is set out to do is to prove is his proficiency in English, and his knowledge of literature. Then there is poetry ... the prose is interspersed with verse, that has rhyme but no reason, and certainly no merit. And then there is moving back and forth in time ... I feel that few authors manage to do that effectively, and Dhruva Chak is definitely not one of them. His book is divided into chapters, alternate chapters take the story forward through the past and the present, with no reason, and no effect. The series of past history ends at a point when Hiren Chatterjee suffers a heartbreak and a total breakdown, though why that makes him so malicious, specially towards the young and enthusiastic British manager, is beyond my comprehension. As is the reason why the young manager choses to use no common sense. And the promised journey through five cities is not worth mention either.

In first three sittings I barely managed to read 30 pages (with small page size, and large font size). Extremely disappointing and eminently unreadable.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Inki Boli Hai

Recently, there was a poetry writing contest in my office. The rules were simple - the second line had to end in a given phrase, the rest of the poem had to be in form of couplets, the second line of each rhyming with the given phrase [I wonder why they didn't simply say - Ghazal!].
The poem could be in hindi or english, the phrase for English poems was 'that is what I call fun', and the one for hindi was 'inki boli hai' (this is how they speak).

To state the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth - I didn't win a prize in the contest; but I was one amongst nine to get a participation prize (though I don't yet know what the prize is going to be).

Dil mei.n liye zeher phirte hai.n
Upar se meethi meethi si inki boli hai

Mahalo.n mei.n baith aaraam karei.n khud
Auro.n ki mehnat pe bharti inki jholi hai

Daulat aur taakat hai.n bahut dikhaane ko
Leking andar jhaa.nko to aatmaa poli hai

Yu.n kahne ko hai.n ye sevak junta ke
Logo.n ke dukh-dard par inki hansi-thitholi hai

Lagta hai mujhko praapya uchit inka
Taaj nahin hukumat ka, bandook ki goli hai


Their hearts are filled with poison
On the surface, they are sweet spoken

They luxuriate in their palaces
While others' toil fill their lockers

They have a lot of wealth and power to show
But if you search inside, their soul is hollow

They are the servants of public, so to speak
But for them the common man's sorrows are a joke

I think that what they rightly deserve is
Not the crown of a ruler, but a bullet

Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Last Juror

The Last Juror - John Grisham

I have read a few novels by Grisham, and I usually find them technical and/or heavy. I had made only one exception till some time back- The Client. But with 'The Last Juror', I'll make another one.

It is a warm story of a young journalist who comes to a small town to work for the town newspaper. After a little while, he ends up buying the paper. In a small town, where people can trace back their generations, a newcomer remains an outsider even if s/he stays on for years. But in an effort to find a way to increase the circulation of his paper, his increasing involvement with the life of the local people, in some time, wins him the confidence and acceptance of the people, and an unlikely friend in an old black lady. About an initial third of the book develops this context, and is delightful to read.

The story takes on a serious note thereafter, when a young woman is murdered, and a young man of the local 'mafia don' family is the culprit. The protagonist tries to find and report the truth as far as possible, overcoming the fear caused by the threats from the mafia family. Then start the games of power played by the mafia family - their money and power ensure that the murderer is not given a capital sentence, is transferred to another area where he spends his time in luxury, is finally released well before term, and the news does not reach the people of the town he lived and was tried in. The protagonist learns about it, however, and tries his best to prevent the release, but is not successful. And then follows the terror - the jurors on the murderer's trial start getting killed .... the end comes as quite a surprise. Like all nice stories, the "good" wins over the "evil" in the end, never mind the means.

I can recommend it, especially to all those who love suspense thrillers.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Daag Dehlvi - I

Daag Dehlvi was a close relative of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, and a very well known poet. I had bought a Ghazal collection by Daag, quite some time back, but had not had a chance to post on it earlier. The time factor apart (it was quite a while before I finished reading it), I did not like it much - Of the 100+ ghazals in this collection, I could find relatively few ghazals/couplets I enjoyed. At places, his work seems to be inspired by Ghalib.

In this post, I am sharing a ghazal, that I had come across a long while back. It is a lovely one, and I think it has been sung by one of the contemporary singer, though I am not sure about this.

tumhaare Khat me.n nayaa ik salaam kis kaa thaa
na thaa raqiib to aaKhir vo naam kis kaa thaa

vo qatl kar ke har kisii se puuchhate hai.n
ye kaam kis ne kiyaa hai ye kaam kis kaa thaa

vafaa kare.nge nibhaaye.nge baat maane.nge
tumhe.n bhii yaad hai kuchh ye kalaam kis kaa thaa

rahaa na dil me.n vo be-dard aur dard rahaa
muqiim kaun huaa hai maqaam kis kaa thaa

na puuchh-paachh thii kisii kii na aav-bhagat
tumhaarii bazm me.n kal ehatamaam kis kaa thaa

hamaare Khat ke to purze kiye pa.Dhaa bhii nahii.n
sun jo tum ne baa-dil vo payaam kis kaa thaa

i.nhii.n sifaat se hotaa hai aadamii mashahuur
jo lutf aap hii karate to naam kis kaa thaa

guzar gayaa vo zamaanaa kahe.n to kis se kahe.n
Khayaal mere dil ko subah-o-shaam kis kaa thaa

har ek se kahate hai.n kyaa "Daag" bevafaa nikalaa
ye puuchhe in se ko_ii vo Gulaam kis kaa thaa


Whose greeting was there in your message ?
Whose name was it, if not my rival's ?

After killing me, she asks everyone -
Who was it who did this act ?

I'll be faithful, I'll do what you wish
Do you remember whose words were these?

That hearless one didn't stay in my heart, only the pain remained
Whose destination it was, and look, who resides here

There was neither warm reception, nor weclome
Who made arrangements at your gathering yesterday?

You tore off my letter without even reading it
Whose message was it that you listened to whole-heartedly?

That time has gone past, now who do I tell
Whose thoughts filled me day and night

She asks everyone, was "Daag" unfaithful?
Let someone ask her, whose slave he was.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Long Pending Mini reviews ...

I have been meaning to post these "reviews" for quite a while now, but it just kept getting delayed. Not much to write about these, at least not enough to make individual posts. :-)

*** *** ***

A Quiver Full of Arrows - Jeffery Archer


I usually like Archer's short stories; more often than not, they have a great plot, and delightfully surprising twist in the end. I found the collection 'Twelve Red Herrings' brilliant. But 'A Quiver Full of Arrows' did not meet my expectations. Nothing wrong with it actually. But I think it just lacks the usual flair of Archer stories. I didn't find any story in this collection particularly remarkable, though I have come across some real gems in some of the other collections.

*** *** ***

The Modigliani Scandal - Ken Follet

Yet another work of fiction based on the world of art - it highlights the hypocrisy exhibited by the collectors and dealers - their allegiance to well-known maestros, and indifference to yet unproven artists (even if they are good); the extremely high stakes involved, and the abounding forgeries.

And like 'A Place called Freedom', it is also quite different from the usual spy/thriller fare of Follet. The author acknowledges that this is an experimental work, and may be disappointing to critics and readers. But I enjoyed it, I think it was quite wonderful. There are no murders, and not too many complications, though there is a chase, but this time it is for a yet-unknown masterpiece. The story progresses at a good pace, and keeps up the interest through the situations that take amusing turns, and the final twist is great. A light, fun read.

*** *** ***

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull - Richard Bach

I finally got a chance to read this extremely well-known and highly commended book. I liked the concept, and the way it is presented. But I am not one to go into raptures over this one. I don't particularly favor works based on philosophy, and this is quite heavy on it. But it is rather light on content - it is quite a thin volume, and most of the pages just have pictures of flying gulls - altogether it is a short story, rather than a novel. It was nice, and one can find some inspiring quotes in it, but it is not something I will read over and over again.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Inheritance of Loss

The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

From what I had heard of it, it sounded a brilliant work. And it had won the prestigious Booker Prize, of course. The media had heaped enormous praises on it (though I would like to know whether these commendations are given or after the announcement of the prize, in general). But I have come to the sad conclusion that these award winning compositions are not my cup of tea. I wasn't impressed with 'The God of Small Things', and found 'The Impressionist' quite trying.

'The Inheritance of Loss' was ok, but I did not particularly like it. I like stories that take a direction, and this one does not seem to move anywhere to me. It is a continuing tale of pathetic life, dysfunctional families, caricatures of ill-placed, ill-timed grandeur that belongs to the past. No single character is rational in his or her behavior. There is no spirit, no strength of character. The past is blemished, the present is chaotic, the future is bleak. Certainly not an uplifting story.

But this is my impression, or rather my preference (A little while ago a friend said I am a tough one to please ;-)]. It has been acknowledged as a remarkable example of contemporary literature, and I would not like to discourage anyone from reading this.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Playing with colors

I haven't played Holi in ages. But this time, I did play with colors on Holi .... though only on paper - I finished a watercolor I started last year, during the long weekend. It was "inspired" by a photograph of a painting I saw in the newspaper. The painting I made is about 34cmX24cm (the photograph about 6cmX4cm). Given such a small size, I sure took a long time to finish it!

Stage 1: The background.
I managed to splash a few drops of dark color, from which I couldn't recover till the end.

Stage 2: Long break.
This is around where I left it last year .... to hibernate for the winters :-)

Stage 3: Execution complete
Finally ... done ... finishing touches added ... ready to be framed.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

A Place Called Freedom

A Place Called Freedom - Ken Follet

This has a very different flavor from other Ken Follet works I have read. As opposed to modern-world, conspiracy/espionage stories I had come across earlier, this novel is a historical.

The story starts in early 18th century, in coal mines of Scotland, where every miner's sons are enslaved at birth to the lord of the mine. Thus, miners are enslaved generation after generation, and live in torturous conditions till they die of illness or accident. Young McAsh finds out that this inhuman treatment is against the law (though the poor villagers are not aware the law, and the lord refuses to acknowledge it), and becomes determined to fight for his freedom. He rebels, is subjected to savage punishments by Jamissons who own the mines, but finally escape to London. However, his life is intertwined with the family in ways neither can foresee. Jamissons' neighbors are widowed Mrs Hallim, and her vivacious daughter Lizzie. Lizzie does not submit to subordination as the women of their social class do, but defies normal conventions and seeks to live on her own terms. McAsh and Lizzie become aware of a connection between them, but the vast difference in their social status is something that neither of them dares to overcome, and Lizzie becomes engaged to younger Jamisson son, Jay.

Once in London, McAsh tries to stand on his own, but once again comes up against oppression by the rich and powerful. Once again, he challenges the authority of these people to deny him his rights. But he falls victim to the powers-that-be, and later gets convicted because of a conspiracy hatched by Jay Jamisson. McAsh is transported to America along with other convicts on a slave ship owned by Jamissions, while on the same ship, newly married Jay and Lizzie set out to America to look after family's tobacco plantations. But their fates are tied together; while other convicts are sold as slaves, Jay keeps the strongest ones for himself, McAsh amongst them. Jay's fortunes continue to decline through is ineptitude, Lizzie finds herself trapped in an unsuccessful marriage with an unfaithful husband, and McAsh finds it unbearable to accede to the whims of a tyrannical supervisor. McAsh and Lizzie make a escape to wild country; they are chased by Jay and his henchmen, but finally manage to secure their freedom.

The conditions of life in the era are very well described - lifelong slavery and torture under exacting conditions in coal mines, the harassment of unprivileged people trying to earn a decent living at the hands of rich who make the laws, and the brutal treatment of workers and convicts on American plantations in early colonial days. Though the story is predictable, the details are thorough, and cover a lot of ground in breadth and depth. It celebrates the human spirit, which can endure a lot to attain that elusive freedom and dignity of human life. On the other hand, it exposes the mean side of human nature, which can stoop to any level to attain or hold wealth and power. In all, it can be called a very good book. Although I appreciate the thoroughly-researched details, well-developed characters and finely plotted story, I didn't altogether like it very much. It's difficult to reason, but there it is. I like the stories of triumph of the spirit, but do not like to read those of unreasonable and unending treachery and oppression, however realistic - I find them rather depressing. I still less like content of violence, which tends to be downright gory at times.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Landscaping ....

Some time back a friend asked me to make a pencil sketch for her. A 'Vastu' consultant had suggested that a landscape will be suitable for her, and gave her some specific directions. My friend also wanted me to cheer me up by taking my mind away from my illness and getting me to do something I enjoy. It was some time before I finally started on the sketch, and completed it on a day off. I did enjoy doing it, and was reasonably happy with the result too, and I sent it to her hoping she'd be pleased. But well, that was not to be. She gave me a call, regretfully telling me that though she liked the sketch, her consultant had asked her that her sketch should not have representation of water (it is inauspicious for her). And I guess I forgot this in all the time I took in starting on it.


I had to say ... uski ummedo.n par paani phir gaya ... quite literally.
Well, no problems ... I can make another one.

I made a careful selection this time.


But oh! a flop show again .... the pots represent water :-(
She's ready to give up now ... but I am not. Will try out another one this weekend :-)

Thursday, March 13, 2008

1001 Books You Must Read

I just came across this list : 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. It is a literary reference book compiled by over a hundred critics.

I immediately fell into the obvious trap - how many have I actually read! And I was dismayed to find have read too few, even though the list includes some very well known classics.

I have read about 20:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy
The Godfather – Mario Puzo
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
Animal Farm – George Orwell
Of Human Bondage – William Somerset Maugham
The War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells
The Invisible Man – H.G. Wells
The Time Machine – H.G. Wells
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
She – H. Rider Haggard
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
Around the World in Eighty Days – Jules Verne
Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There – Lewis Carroll
Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Jules Verne
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Les Misérables – Victor Hugo
Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
Pity I didn't have a blog sooner ... as early as I started reading!

And read abridged version of these in schooldays:
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë
The Count of Monte-Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
Emma – Jane Austen
Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe

And saw a few movies ....
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis de Bernieres
Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Truman Capote
Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell


Surprises:
- Nevil Shute's 'A Town Like Alice' made it to the list, but not 'Requiem For A Wren'. I have always maintained that the latter is far better than the former.
- Likewise with Mark Twain - Huckleberry Finn made it, but not Tom Sawyer. Wonder why ...
- I was rather surprised to find 'Alice in Wonderland'. I mean I have enjoyed it since childhood, but a must read?

Disappointments:
- Anne Frank's 'Diary Of A Young Girl' is not there. But perhaps it is an autobiography, rather than a nove.
- So with Henri Cherriere's ' Papillon'
- What about 'Gulliver's travels'?

Sunday, March 09, 2008

False impressions

False impressions - Jeffery Archer

A gripping thriller, one can call it a typical Archer - prodigious protagonists (quick on wit as well as action), unscrupulous antagonists (greedy for money and power, and callous about lives), and innumerable twists and turns (so obviously contrived). The difference is the background - Art. Well-known, and not-so-well-known works of the maestros represent a great amount of money, and forgeries are not uncommon. I have read some fact and some fiction based on this context, but even then, this one introduced me to some new things. This is one thing I like about thrillers by Archer, Follet, McLean, etc - that they are thorough in the research on the background, so you get to know something about it in the bargain.

This novel opens on the 9/11 attack on WTC towers - there is a brief but captivating description of the tragedy. It is cleverly used as a means to cover her trail, by the protagonist, art expert Anna Petrescu; however, it has no bearing on the subsequent events. Anna sets to correct the wrong done by her unscrupulous boss, to an English lady; what follows is a fast track chase through three continents, involving an unaware Anna, a ruthless killer Olga Krantz(who has been a former Olympic level gymnast) hired by her boss, and a FBI agent Jack Delaney who is keeping an eye on both.

The plot is interesting, though there are too many coincidences, and there are times when the story becomes predictable. The story covers a lot of ground, but does not delve deeply anywhere. However, it moves at a fast pace, and keeps up the interest through a lot of action, and I guess that is what matters for a novel of this genre.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Bashir Badr - VI

This is the last post on Bashir Badr [for now, at least :-) ]

*** *** ***

Isi shahar mei.n kaii saal se mere kuch kariibii ajeez hai.n
Unhei.n meri kuch khabar nahii.n mujhe unka kuch pataa nahii.n


Many of my near and dear ones reside in the same city since years
They have no news of me, and I have no knowledge about them


Ah, how true. It is indeed a selfish world – people forget all about others until they need them …


*** *** ***

Kabhi dhoop de kabhi badliyaa.n dil-o-jaan se dono kabool hai.n
Magar us mahal mei.n na kaid kar jahaa.n zindagi ki havaa na ho


Tere akhtiyaar mei.n kya nahii.n mujhe is tarah se navaaz de

Yuu.n duyaaei.n meri kabool ho.n mere lab pe koii duaa na ho


Give me sunshine, give me clouds, I accept both whole-heartedly

But do not imprison me in a palace that does not get the breath of life


What is beyond your power? Bless me in such a way

My prayers are accepted so that there is no prayer on my lips


These couplets depict another beautiful aspect of [urdu/hindi] poetry – an address to the Lord, whom you believe in, whom you accept as all-knowing, all powerful, and yet to whom you can complain, request about His world …

The idea of the first couplet here is not a novel one, but the presentation definitely is. And it reminds me of another thing about which I have wondered a few times – in Indian poetry, ‘dhoop’ (sunshine) represents hardships, while clouds are synonymous with relief or pleasant times. From my impression based on a rather limited knowledge, the symbols are used in an opposite way in English poetry. Something to do with our tropical summers? ;-)
The second line in the second couplet is quite interesting, I could make two different interpretations out of it (which seem rather opposite) 
- Accept my prayer so that I do not have a need to have more prayers, i.e. all my wishes are fulfilled before I seek their fulfilment
- My prayer is that I do not have any prayer – I want to be completely content with what I have, and do not wish for anything more

*** *** ***

Ik dooje se mil kar poore hote hai.n
Aadhi aadhi ek kahani ham dono


Mai.n dehleej ka deepak hoo.n aa tez havaa

Raat gujaarei.n apni apni ham dono


We are complete when we meet each other

We are two halves of a story


I am the lamp of the doorstep, come o strong wind

Let us both spend the night in our own pursuits


*** *** ***

Sunday, March 02, 2008

She

She - Henry Rider Haggard

"She" stands for "She who must be obeyed", as the local African tribesman call Ayesha - the immortal, extremely powerful and incomparably beautiful queen, whose name they are afraid to speak.

The plot summary from wikipedia:
A Cambridge professor, Horace Holly and his ward, Leo Vincey, travel to Africa, following instructions on a potsherd (the "Sherd of Amenatras") left to Leo by his biological father. (Haggard made a physical copy of the potsherd which is now in the collection of Norwich Castle Museum.) They encounter a white queen, Ayesha, who has made herself immortal by bathing in a pillar of fire, the source of life itself. She becomes the prototypical all-powerful female figure. She is to be both desired and feared. She is a breathtakingly beautiful creature who will not hesitate to kill any one who displeases her or stands in her way. The travelers discover that Ayesha has been waiting for 2000 years for the reincarnation of her lover Kallikrates, whom she had slain in a fit of jealous rage. She believes that Vincey is the reincarnation of Kallikrates. In the climax of the novel, Ayesha takes the two men to see the pillar of fire. She wants Leo to bathe in it as she did so that he can become immortal and remain with her forever. His doubts about its safety lead her to step into the flames once more. However, with this second immersion she reverts to her true age and immediately withers and dies. Before dying she tells Vincey, "I die not. I shall come again."

The book was first published in 1887, more than a century ago. So the style, specially that of the dialogs, becomes tedious. Nevertheless, the story itself is quite captivating. Even though it is primarily a fantasy and an adventure story, it gives an insight into the human nature that one cant help wondering about. The eternal life of the supremely powerful queen is a life of loneliness and yearning. She despises the people whom she rules by force of terror, precisely because of their fear. The explorer Leo starts on a mission to avenge the death of his ancestor on the queen, but ends up enchanted by her beauty. The professor is wise, but still affected. Quite a story of desire and contradiction!

The book belongs to the genre of 'Lost World', not a kind usually favored by me. So there is quite a story behind how I landed up with it. For more than 15 years now, I am more or less a regular on the TOI daily crossword. For a stretch of time, I do it everyday, even looking at the answers next day, and then for a period I give it up altogether. When I was in college, I even used to tear up the crossword from the paper in the morning, to fill it up in the classes. They tend to repeat the clues, so, quite a number of times, I came upon the clue "Rider novel" which had a 3 letter answer; after a while I learnt it was "SHE". This intrigued me a lot ... if the book featured in the crossword so frequently, it must definitely be very famous. So, when I saw it at the book fair last year, and found the description at the back cover interesting, I got a copy for myself.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Daughter of the Ganges

I am as good as my word ... so here is the first "review" ...

Daughter of the Ganges - Asha Miro

"Daughter of the Ganges" is one of the few non-fiction books I have read, and liked. It is a memoir of Asha, who is adopted from an christian orphange in Bombay at the age of six, by Miro couple of Barcelona. Her adoptive parents have adopted another daughter, and chose to retain the given names of both their daughters; the mother maintains a diary for each daughter, describing her thoughts and feelings as they bring up the daughters from another part of the world. The book starts with Asha's memories of the distant past, interspersed with excerpts from her mother's entries.
In her growing-up years, Asha is troubled by the thought why her biological parents abandoned her, while strangers showed her so much love as to make her their daughter. As with many adopted children, her desire to know more about her roots increases with time. She joins a group going to Bombay to work with the poor, to seek answers and discover her past. In the orphanage in Bombay, she meets a nun who remembers her, but could not, or does not, give her much details about her birth parents. She just tells Asha that she is a daughter of the Ganges. Asha returns, unsatisfied, and still a feeling that her father had disowned her (her mother having died in her infancy).
She writes a book on her experiences, and a few years later, returns to Bombay to film a documentary based on it. This time, she is able to trace back her journey much farther, and circumstances of her adoption. After her mother died, her survival became doubtful. Her father, a very poor farmer, unable to look after two young daughters, requests nuns of a Bombay church to take care of her, thinking that they would nurse her back to health, and he will bring her back once she is older. However, nuns agreed to care for her only if he would agree to giver her up to the orphanage. Desperate to save her life, her father consented.
A helpful man from her village tells Asha that her elder sister still lives in their native village. He brings her brother-in-law to meet her, and then they take her to their village. A sentimental reunion of the sisters follows, even though they cannot understand each other's language. Asha is striken by the poor conditions her sister lives in. From her sister, she is able to learn much more of her father and her family. She also meets her half-sister, who had nursed her for quite a while after her mother's death. As Asha prepares to leave, the people from her native village are unable to comprehend that she wants to return even when she has found her family. But Asha's sister wants her to go back to the family she has known for years, to the life she has been living, life that is not full of hardships as her own. All she asks for is Asha to call her up some time, so that she can hear her voice, even if she is not able to understand what she says.

The book is simple, but poignant and touching. Her reunion with her sisters and family is specially moving. As are her experiences in Bombay, where she stays with a poor but caring family...
... she finds that people are amazed to find that she cannot speak their language although she looks like them
... she tries to discover familiarity with her native languages, but is unable to do so
... she tries to look for something, someone in the population of Bombay who might be her family, but not realistically expecting it, yet filled with a longing
There are points when one is surprised by her astonishment at the way of life in India, specially that of the poorer people - the poverty, the warmth of strangers, the oppression of women ... unexpected indifference, as well as unexpected love and sharing .... hey, come one, all of it is "normal" in our "culture". And then you remember, that although the book is a story of an Indian in India, it is through the eyes of a person who is not familiar with it.
A good read, over all.

Long time no see

I have been away from the blogging world, and more so from my blog, for a long while. I have visited a few blogs now and then, read posts in my reader for most part, but haven't yet found the energy to get back to posting myself. I hope to gain back the pace now on :-)

In this long absence, since I had nothing better to do, I read, and read a lot. Though I could get a few books that I had not read earlier, mostly I re-read many books, some of them for the nth time. Many times people wonder how I can read a book, even a mystery, again and again. I usually say that I do it just to pass the time, but I think that is not the real truth, certainly not the complete truth. Even though I don't have a definite answer myself, I believe it is just for the pleasure - I enjoy reading. I started reading quite early (I remember reading hindi edition of the Readers' Digest when I was 6 or so), and since then, if I have nothing (necessary) to do, I can usually be found with a book (though more than a few times I have been guilty of neglecting tasks for reading).
Then they are people, who don't read at all (except for a little of newspaper, and some religious text) - they just cant stop wondering how can I read all the time, and why do I have such a collection of books (even though it is not a large one from my perspective). I am amazed how can anyone NOT read? As I said, I read primarily for pleasure, but there are other benefits - you enhance your knowledge about people you will never meet, places you will never visit, and times you will never live in. When you appreciate others' ideas, you broaden your own mind and understanding of humanity - perhaps it is not as good as traveling and meeting real people, but I think it is the next best thing. After all, there is only so much you can learn from the newspaper, and hardly anything at all from the television.

Well, so much for contemplation. I have been reading a lot, but most of it was re-reading. But I read quite a few new ones too. Some of them were Perry Mason series by Gardener, and Three Investigators - they are really good timepass (specially if you dont want to read something serious), but one of them is quite like another, nothing much to write about. On the rest, I'll be posting my impressions, as I have been doing earlier. I dont think of myself as a reviewer, but it is good to collect ones perceptions in perspective. At any rate, it gives me something to write about ;-)