Tag Archives: politics

Lanka’s Princess by Kavita Kane a book review

Book Reviews, Books Reading / Read, Mythology, Politics, , , , , ,

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  • Language: English
  • Binding: Paperback
  • Publisher: Rupa Publications India
  • ISBN: 9788129144515, 8129144514
  • Edition: 2016
  • Pages: 280

Lanka’s Princess is a tale of Meenakshi, the Surpanakha as we know her. The name sticking to her because of her nails or claws that she had on her fingers. The story is an exhaustive one which tells you about the troubled childhood. I could easily see the Kaliyuga version being played in teleserials and I am sure these guys can’t match to the cunningness and thinking that Meenakshi had.

This is a fantastic effort by the author, I am reading her for the first time. Mindblown by the intricacies and exhaustiveness of the narration, she dwells so deep into the psyche of the character called Meenakshi aka Surpanakha.

The scenes with her mother and her doting the father are real emotive ones that sets it in a contemporary age and it might look like the story of our neighbourhood. I am sure the Saas Bhau serials cant even come anywhere near in terms of cunningness that sets the tale across ending with Ravan.

What an intricate family relationship that Ravan and his family had across the spectrum including Vishnu as much as his Adhi Sesha being a part of Ravan’s clan. Its also a story that feeds on ambition and self praise and towering on the self and ego of one person Ravan and abetted by his sister Meenakshi who feels neglected since childhood.

Revenge is a kind word here to be used since we see how the flare up from small incidents take shape of a ill feeling that can destroy the person and all those around her. Its about the poison tree that people water forgetting things and eating its fruits later.

The characterisation of all the people in this tale is such an astonishing feature, be it Ram, Ravan, Lakshman or the heroine of this saga, Meenakshi. The story is a rivetting one and the language is very addictive in a sense that its easy to read and turn pages.

I loved the research behind this book and a new Ramayana played out in front of me, much to the discomfort that Sita wasn’t the primary reason for Ravan to wage a war. Quite often we do take the face value of the stories thats been given to us. The magic of the mythology that we have inherited is beyond compare especially because the characters of Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagvatham have some common time travelling and relationships beyond their ages when they happened.

We see some of the best of Ravan, and the worst of Ravan and many many worsts of Surpanakha.

Some nice narrative on Kumbha who we hardly give the space he deserves. All we know was his six month sleeping / eating.

Absolutely a nice work in total, threw open some new perspective and changed the way you look at what happens when a woman thinks of revenge!

Thanks Rupa Publications for your copy and thanks to the Kavita Kane for this wonderful work and hope to read many more stories that needs to be told.

PS: The author Kavita Kane specialises in telling the stories of some of the important women in the epics thorough their first person account or through their eyes.

The art of politics!

General, Just about it, Politics, ,

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George Bernard Shaw once said ‘Politics is the refuge of a scoundrel.’ This statement keeps me wondering if we could put all our freedom fighters who became politicians under scanner.

The reason I am writing this is I am seeing politics in a new light. I have now friends across the political spectrum, some have tried being MLAs and some hold good party positions. Some years ago we thought politics will be more dynasty based rather than the merit based, but looking at the present crop not a big statistics though we do have a lot of faces who have strived hard from grassroots level to become the biggest power centers in the party.

I think now its the turn of the even social media commentators to turn politicians. There are atleast a few of hte twitter celebs who have actively been campaigning for a political cause and they are not averse to politics.

A classic case is that of AAP, we have had a lot of people from the young and raring to go make a debut in Delhi elections last December. It actually bodes well for the nation if we can get a new set of people.

But looking at the other side, politics is the art of the possible, something I would agree with Rahul Gandhi that its in the shirts and pants of the everyone.

Without having politics as a second nature and without playing politics do we get to do anything at all. Probably thats why they have thought of having said that politics is an art.

In case you chance upon Chanakya’s work Arthashastra, it details in very large measure on what politics is all about and also the best way to conduct the same. The days are not different though we are in a different era, the way politics is played is almost the same.

In case you think you come across a person described again by Bernard Shaw as this, He knows nothing and he thinks he knows everything, then be sure it clearly points to a political career. I have rephrased it!

That I am sure is a easy way to see how a person if he is fit to be a political entity. So next time the politics need not be literal but anything that makes a bit of what you just read can be politics.

So how much of a politician are you, just look back and you will know.

Cheers

one post a day 9/30

BJP’s divide within

Just about it,

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Of late after the poll debacle, which was too little to much to digest having yielded ground for the Congress and other parties regional in states it was always going to be tough. Sometimes they would never consider themselves as opposition party is what political pundits say. But they put a great show inthe first session of the Parliament.

The cracks were all there to see, in the party with a difference. Still the Jaswant and his Jinnah writings has made the party the toast of the media. There wasn’t a news worth of breaking news or developing story after the media had indeed created enough panic with Swine flu and its effects.

And all of a sudden, BJP’s stalwarts are hogging enough media space, be it any of the prime time shows, walk the talk, (Idea version is “walk when you talk), then Devils’ Advocate, ( I saw this as a sticker behind an advocates car) Frankly speaking and what not. They have even surpassed the swayamvar and Miss universe trps on news channels.

So what is that is making it big news so much so that my favourite morning paper The Hindu ran an editorial a second time in as many weeks on a national party assumes significance of that party and what the future holds. Not to mention there are enough ideologicals and part time writers giving it ideas to overcome this and how to rein in the party.

The Alice in the Buderland was another classic example of how things are not well at the party. I am not here to say about the politics involved about the party but I must say that any PR (good or bad is your take on it but) is always a good one. They are getting so much PR for nothing that’s my take.

Here’s the principal opposition party trying to wade through the waters of the past and struggling to find the feet to the next gen future. I believe though not a political analyst, this is common in every party, even congress had this to overcome after the defeat at the hands of BJP.

Anyways we will wait to see how it all ends up hopefully well, for the country as well as for all those who matter at the ballots.

A concerned Indian Citizen

So something on an entrepreneur’s mind

General, , ,

That was a pleasant surprise when today morning I learnt that Sarath Babu, the CEO Of Food King, Chennai has decided to take a plunge into politics.

This is one great feeling to see someone who has shown the world to rise from the most downtrodden to the highest order and how by rejecting an offer from MNCs and making idlis. This is in itself is so very adventurous and I know for sure he can be great statesman if the people decide to make him an MP.

I think he should have taken a strategic decision given his success in his business today and most likely if he can win then there is a great hope for Indian politics. Why am so confident is here is a person who still lives at his thatched hutment and knows what is poverty and though he has so many people working for him he is so down to earth and humble.

I did miss a chance to listen to this wonderful and successful entrepreneur at Coimbatore owing to a speaking assignment at a different college at Erode.

I wish him whole heartedly and pray that he makes it to the Honourable MPs list. Then he would know how to feed millions as he is doing today with his Food King.

Senthilkumar