Between the Assassinations
March 7, 2009 at 12:38 pm | In Book Reviews, Reviews | Leave a CommentThis is Adiga’s second book which is a compilation of short stories. All these stories are based in a small town called Kittur, which is modeled on Mangalore. For those who are weak in geography and haven’t been following the news closely, Mangalore is a coastal town in Karnataka, adjacent to the Arabian Sea. It is a melting pot of various religions, languages and cultures. It is indeed a small town, the population of which consists of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, etc and they speak varied languages ranging from Kannada, Tulu, Konkani, Malayalam, Urdu and a language called “Baire” or “Malabari”, which is a mix of Kannada, Malayalam and Urdu.
Why am I talking only of Mangalore? Because you cannot separate Mangalore and this book. The short stories here are of different people in that sleepy town – from a half-casteboy who explodes a bomb in his class to a quack sexologist trying to help a dying stranger. These stories map the time between the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. I could relate to it more because I have lived in Mangalore. Also, this book is very much relevant in today’s context, when there are so many unwanted events happening in Mangalore. This book might give you a better perspective on the demography of the place and help you understand the present events. Kittur is like any other small town with its variety of people, its beliefs and its problems.
The book is a good read for those who like reading Indians writing about India, full of wit and keen observations.
“True Love”
September 7, 2008 at 6:15 pm | In I,me,myself n my life, random thoughts... | 3 CommentsWhat is “true love”? Is there anything called “true love”? Maybe yes, maybe not, maybe I don’t know …
Definitions keep changing, meanings differ but people surely think it to be blind. Ones in love just turn blind to either each other’s faults or to everything around them.
People say love is based on trust but then there are so many for whom love is synonymous to possessiveness, which in turn is equally proportionate to doubting each and every opposite sex person your partner talks to or even looks at. Is this “true love”?
Certain of us believe in destiny. We feel there is someone out there for everyone, just waiting to come into our lives, someone who will sweep you off your feet. When they fall in love, they feel they were destined to be together – they share too many co-incidences in life. They think this is “the” one. After a year they realize that “the” one is the wrong one and that they were never meant to be. Is this then “true love”?
Love is blind, love is madness, love is the union of two hearts, etc etc etc. But does anyone really understand love?
“One word is too often profaned
For me to profane it;
One feeling too falsely disdained
For thee to disdain it…”
Mister Pip
July 20, 2008 at 8:31 pm | In Book Reviews, Reviews | Leave a CommentLloyd Jones’ novel on the blockade of the 1990’s is the latest addition to the list of books that I’ve read.
This story about the young Matilda, her small island, her mother, her school, her “teacher” Mr. Watts (called Pop eye by the village folks), is an enchanting and endearing story. The story has a very unassuming start but as it slowly takes shape, you realize that you are reading a story which is impactful yet simple but not too simple so as to let you forget it easily. The story held my attention throughout and is stil fresh on my mind because of the picturesque descriptions and explanations, I could actually see what Matilda was looking at (I am not exaggerating here).
For a person who picks up books at random, I am happy that I chanced upon this book. It gave me a totally different view to Dickens’ and his Great Expectations. I had read it during my under grad but never saw it the way Lloyd Jones makes us see it through this novel.
On the whole a beautifully written, poignant story which makes you see life the way an innocent child would.
Disclaimer
June 19, 2008 at 5:15 pm | In Important Info | Leave a CommentThis post is dedicated to people who think that I write for others or for “world peace” or something.
I think people should first try to understand what a blog is. It’s something like a diary-albeit one which can be read by others. It’s completely up to the blogger what he or she wants to write. If you like something you appreciate it and if you don’t like something, just say that it’s not good. Other than that I don’t think anyone has any right to point fingers out here (and not on my blog by any chance).
To make it clear once again, I am not writing for others. This is my way of just jotting down things which come to my mind. If anyone doesn’t like it, they can just stop reading it, I am no way going to stop anyone from doing so. But please stop posting stupid comments on my blog. At the end of the day, that is what it is-MY BLOG.
sarakti jaye hai rukh se naqaab ahista-ahista
March 14, 2008 at 2:59 pm | In my favourite ghazals | 3 Commentssarakti jaye hai rukh se naqaab ahista-ahista
nikalta aa raha hai aftab ahista-ahista
javaan hone lage jab woh to ham se kar liya parda
haya yak lakht aayi aur shabaab ahista-ahista
shab-e-furkat ka jaaga hoon farishton ab to sone do
kabhi fursat mein kar lena hisab ahista-ahista
savaal-e-vasl par un ko uduu kaa Khauf hai itna
dabe honthon se dete hain jawaab ahista ahista
hamare aur tumhare pyar mein bas farq hai itna
idhar to jaldi jaldi hai udhar ahista ahista
woh bedardi se sar kaate ‘Ameer’ aur main kahoon un se
huzoor ahista-ahista janab ahista-ahista…
Mother tongue influence-2
March 14, 2008 at 1:12 pm | In I,me,myself n my life, News and Views | 2 CommentsHave realized lot of people want to know more about “mother tongue influence”.
What is MTI? It is the influence of the accent of your mother tongue on the accents of other languages you speak, esp English. And it is a common problem that people face. None of us can speak proper South England English and I don’t think that would serve any purpose. The basic intention of any language is to communicate and to get our ideas across. For that mutual intelligibility is more than enough.
You need to know good English and should be able to communicate properly. When you talk, the other person should be able to understand what you are talking. But we still need to have good knowledge of the English language today. So, what do we do for that? The ancient method of reading still holds good. Read books, if you don’t have the patience to read books, read newspapers. It would improve your English as well as keep you informed. Another thing which you should do is talk to people in English. Don’t bother what others might think and there are many who wouldn’t laugh at you but would try to help you correct your English. I know it’s a little difficult when you aren’t sure if you sound right. But you want to speak good English and only you can make an effort towards it, no one else. If anyone wants to know anything, my blog is open to questions. Would be glad to help anyone 
Breaking up…
March 11, 2008 at 8:34 pm | In I,me,myself n my life | 1 CommentIs love really worth all the pain?
Was watching Kareena and Saif at the Filmfare awards. I was actually feeling so irritated, the whole drama and thinking about Shahid was increasing my irritation. He wouldn’t even have bothered watching it on TV (he wasn’t there on the venue, as expected)!!! Movie stars’ love lives have never interested me much but then why was I bothered when watching Kareena coochie cooing with Saif on the stage? May be because I’m also going through the after-effects of a break-up.
Well, that explains my irritation. And my question… Is love worth all the pain?
You waste time falling in love. Going through the whole process, starting from meeting the right person, getting close, falling head-over-heels in love, realizing you want to spend your whole life with him/her, courting, talking to your parents, fighting them, realizing it’s not heading the right direction and then breaking up (can be in any order and it might differ from person to person). And after that you spend time feeling sad, crying, mourning, getting depressed (the time period here can differ too). And then you feel was it really worth it.
I know being in love is the best feeling one can ever get and falling out of it the worst. I’m still not sure if I’ve reached that stage of “love is crap”, “I don’t believe in love” or “don’t fall in love”. There is some part of me which says love’s there at least for people who are in it and who believe in it. For me it doesn’t exist any more because no more repeats for me.
Always thought mine was the matured sort of love. Yes, I was completely “in love”. Always happy, very few fights, lot of understanding, possessiveness only when required, talking about everything, being best friends, standing up to my parents (and never let the guy know what all my parents thought of him). All fairytale stuff. And then I woke up (or rather both of us woke up).
Don’t want to think what went wrong. But yes he has got out of it. Then why can’t I? More than love I guess it is the hurt feeling and the feeling that he has moved on. I don’t know how many go through the same ordeal (and I’m not even sure why I am posting this blog). But I have to get out of it and like many others I am trying my best and waiting for the “right person” again.
क्षण भर को क्यों प्यार किया था?
November 1, 2007 at 1:37 pm | In random thoughts... | 1 CommentA poem by Harivansh Rai Bachchan for people who have loved and lost…
क्षण भर को क्यों प्यार किया था?
अर्द्ध रात्रि में सहसा उठकर,
पलक संपुटों में मदिरा भर,
तुमने क्यों मेरे चरणों में अपना तन-मन वार दिया था?
क्षण भर को क्यों प्यार किया था?
‘यह अधिकार कहाँ से लाया!’
और न कुछ मैं कहने पाया -
मेरे अधरों पर निज अधरों का तुमने रख भार दिया था!
क्षण भर को क्यों प्यार किया था?
वह क्षण अमर हुआ जीवन में,
आज राग जो उठता मन में -
यह प्रतिध्वनि उसकी जो उर में तुमने भर उद्गार दिया था!
क्षण भर को क्यों प्यार किया था?
SpiralFrog being launched
September 18, 2007 at 4:36 pm | In News and Views | 2 CommentsSpiralFrog.com, a site supported by ads, which would provide free music and video download, is being launched in U.S. and Canada. This site would pay a certain percentage of their ad revenue to record companies and in turn, would be a legal downloading site. This is being done in view of reducing the popularity of illegal sharing and downloading sites.
So, what are the pros and cons of such a site???
Pros:
- A legal way of downloading
- Reduction in piracy
- No threats of adwares or spywares
- You cannot post copies or videos taken from SpiralFrog
Cons:
- You need to register on to this site and if you don’t login every month, whatever you have downloaded gets locked and you can’t play it.
- Not compatible with Apple’s Mac or Ipod.
- Universal Music group is the only major label that has licensed its music to SpiralFrog.
- So, right now only around 800,000 tracks and 3,500 music videos (though they are planning to increase that number in sometime).
Don’t know if a Pro or Con:
- Doesn’t allow the user to burn tracks onto a CD.
- The tracks carry copy protections, like iTunes, etc.
- Users are allowed to copy their downloads to no more than two portable music players or compatible mobile phones at one time.
There are also other issues which the site might face. For example, how many users would actually go through the ads? Would the ads generate any revenue? Another setback for the site is the delay in its launch (it was supposed to be launched by the end of 2006). Apart from all that the users of this site would be music lovers, who would want a hassle-free and faster way to download. So, it’s for us to decide whether sites like these are meant to stay or not.
Need proofreader / editor?
June 27, 2007 at 7:46 pm | In Important Info | Leave a CommentHi,
This is for anyone who wants any kind of editing or proofreading (print) (in English) to be done. I have been involved in proofreading and editing for the past 2 years. Have done my graduation in Journalism, English Literature and Communicative English and I have fairly good grammatical as well as comprehension skills.
Good, quality stuff doesn’t come for free and I too charge for the work I do (which depends on the work). All you need to do is reply to this post. I can do a sample work for you and then if you feel I am good at my work, we can work together!
So, thanks for taking time off to read this post…
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