Ramayana: The Game of Life

Mythology as a genre has always attracted my attention. I have read various versions to The Mahabharata and have extracted so much out of each journey into the past. On Ramayana, I haven’t read a lot except the simpler and not-much-detailed version known to everyone. When I saw Ramayana: The Game of Life by Shubha Vilas, I was thrilled. I could finally lay my hands on some piece of literature on Ramayana. This is the second book in the series and I got easily drawn into the story, despite missing the first book. The writing is simple and the expressions in some places are quite impressive.

From a look at the cover and at the pages, one can see that a lot has been put into this book. There are a total of nine chapters, which have been further divided into sub-chapters with relevant titles. On giving information, the author has done a splendid job. He has provided extensive footnotes on everything that might need explanation. Everything that could have been explained has been explained. A lot of attention has been given to detail—detail in thoughts, emotions, events, rituals, surroundings, characters, relationships, etc.

The author literally takes us back to that time. The entire feeling of a happy and prosperous kingdom, the rituals, the serenity, the thrill and excitement, the colourfulness and richness of a ceremony—it can all be experienced through this book.

Vilas makes us witness the mental struggles of Dasaratha (we get to read every thought, such good luck!), how and why he decides to pass on the throne to Rama and many more of his dilemmas. We, as readers, also explore how Ravana was born and later on given the name Ravana, what circumstances led to Rama’s exile and how Lakshamana and Sita accompanied him. 

A few things that have been highlighted very well in this book are:

·         The happy kingdom where decisions are made in an unbiased way

·         The way a king looks at his people, with the feeling to protect and serve them

·         The kings and queens also go through their own personal set of dilemmas and difficulties just like everyone else

·         The beauty of rituals and celebrations

·         The purity and goodness of all relationships (between the king and his people, father and son, husband and wife, and among siblings)

The reason we can so easily relate to the events and story is that all characters go through situations and dilemmas just the way we do. They have moments of joy, sorrow, misfortune, anger, pride just the way we do. We also learn a lot about human lives and relationships, how complex and simple they can be at different points in life. There are lessons and messages for all of us.

On the weakness bit, I only felt that in some places the transitions could have been smoother as it was slightly difficult to relate to a change in thought or event. Except this, the book is rich in detail and description. I got to know so much about the characters and events, including the lesser-known stories which would have otherwise escaped my attention.

Reading is a journey, an experience, which is different for everyone. Incidents and experiences, irrespective of their descriptions, leave a different impact on every reader; they can never be the same for everyone. So, irrespective of what I say here, go create your own experiences and perceptions. Also, make sure you take pauses in between as this particular journey could be an exhaustive one (of course, in a good way)!

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Chanakya's New Manifesto

 

Chanakya's New Manisfesto, the name itself sounds so interesting and makes us wonder what it's going to be about. The blurb on the back cover takes the excitement and impatience to another level. It says, "We cannot continue as we are, and must gather the resolve to bring in effective governance, a true-democracy, a corruption-free State... If we fail, India will never succeed. Our future is at stake." 
What is Chanakya's new manifesto?

You certainly can't wait after reading this. The activist inside you wants to know what these changes are because the current state of the country is making everyone worry.

Pavan K Varma has been the Press Secretary to the President of India, Director General of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and India's ambassador to Bhutan. He took an early retirement from Indian Foreign Service and is now actively involved in public life. In this book, Varma presents plans and reforms which should be implemented immediately to stop further deterioration of the country. He not only focusses on things going wrong but also people who are being done wrong, the underserved who deserve the basic needs—health, education, clean drinking water, employment and respect as human beings.

Varma is inspired by the knowledge of India's greatest thinker and teacher, Chanakya and his work Arthashastra. He feels if we can understand Chanakya's qualities and the way he handled the challenges 2,000 years ago, we can behave and think like him. We must certainly not forget that India has been a civilisation in which the power of original thought was cultivated. Varma emphasises that we must revive this legacy and initiate a change because the world and people can't wait forever. It is time to act—analyse systems, see what is wrong and fix the errors.

Varma highlights five areas which need immediate attention and gives us an detailed account of what all is happening, right or wrong, in those areas. Those five areas are governance, democracy, corruption, security and the need for an inclusive society.

1. Governance

Varma points out that in the recent times most governments at the Centre and in the states have shown an inability to govern.

-Education, agriculture, infrastructure, railways, power, every sector functions in deep neglect as a host of urgent initiatives are pending.

-30-35 per cent of the food produced under the Agricultural Producers Market Committee Act perishes due to lack of storage and distribution facilities.

-India is home to largest number of people who cannot read and write.

2. Democracy

India is the world's largest democracy but is among the lowest scoring countries on political finance regulation according to the Global Integrity Report, 2011.

-It is a shame to see that 128 of the MPs to the Lok Sabha have criminal records including rape, murder and extortion.

-Most politicians bring in their family members to positions of power and authority.

-We see in front of our eyes the deteriorating state of discussions in the Parliament, there used to be a time when the debates were a mix of wit and substance.

3. Corruption

Today, India is one of the most corrupt countries and the Commonwealth Games 2010 brought the corruption within the country to the world's attention.

-16.6 per cent of the country's GDP is eaten away by corruption.

-Corruption has become a way of life in the country, paying a sum to an official makes achieving the desired goal easier.

-A corrupt minister or civil servant is hardly prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
-It is quite sad to see that the country which was once led by Mahatma Gandhi has fallen to such a low level.

4. Security

Terrorism, both externally sponsored and inside our country, has become a big threat to the security of our nation.

-India has 568 battle tanks against China's 2,800, 15 submarines against China's 60, 784 fighter aircraft against their 1,669.
-We have inadequate manpower and equipments, and we are doing nothing about it.

-The country's Parliament has been attacked, planes have been hijacked and major cities terrorised but even then projects to strengthen and tighten the nation's security lie pending and ignored.

5. Creating an Inclusive Society

The current state of the country is appalling—poverty, squalor, illiteracy and malnutrition have become the new social indicators of our country's progress.

-Welfare schemes are doing more good to the people responsible than the beneficiaries.

-There are about 300 million Indians who live in extreme poverty.

A few of the solutions mentioned in the book:

-There should be new laws for corruption-free governance.

-Technology should be used to take all the public services online which will increase accountability and reduce dependence on government officials.

-The government should focus on increasing the growth of sectors that impact the poor, empower the poor with better skills and partner with civil societies, NGOs as alone it has proved to be incapable and ineffective.

-All the courts in the country should make public the number of cases disposed off and which remain pending every six months.

- The voters should be given the right to reject a candidate and parties should make a public list of the candidates who have been convicted of a criminal offence.

-The speakers of both the houses are vested with a number of powers and they should exercise them by warning and expelling members in cases of misconduct. The house is not to be adjourned except in a situation of major crisis.

-And in case of bribery both the giver and taker should be punished.

-The potential of corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be utilised in a better way.

-No bureaucrat should be given an extension after retirement.

-We need a new security mentality, a better command and decision-making structure. The 12,000 vacancies in our armed forces should be filled in immediately.

-Weapons, aircraft, equipments based on obsolete technology should be modernised.

You need to read the book to be able to see the detailed discussions about what is happening in our country and what should happen.

Varma feels the book is not perfect but it presents ideas that need serious thought and debate by everyone. It is up to us to make the choice to either keep complaining or act as agents of change, for it is our country and future that are at stake.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

-Barack Obama




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The Krishna Key

You feel you've really enjoyed a book or a book has served its purpose when you can imagine and feel every word of it. A good book will actively engage and grip you as if you're one of the characters.

The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi did it for me!

Ashwin Sanghi is best known for his historical and mythological thrillers and I must congratulate him on producing yet another brilliant piece of work. I thoroughly enjoyed his narration which was full of twists and a random mix of the past and the present. Every chapter brings a new surprise making it almost impossible to put it down and leaves you wanting more. Sanghi has done his best to explore the life of Krishna and has valuable bits of historical, mythological and theological information to share.

There is so much that I want to say and write about the book but it's worth experiencing on your own. So, I'll not give away a lot over here.

The story revolves around the four ancient 3-headed seals and a base plate (with inscriptions in Sanskrit) which together form the Krishna Key. These have the ability to unlock the truth and secret of the historical and mysterious Krishna. The murders in the book are a re-enactment of Krishna's death as the person's left foot is stabbed with a scalpel instead of an arrow. Four famous scientists, linguists and reseachers are brutally killed by a young man who is made to believe that he is the Kalki avatar, 10^th avatar of Vishnu. The 10^th avatar of Vishnu is believed to be the destroyer of evil and purifier of earth. The kalki avatar alongwith his creator Mataji unlocks the ancient secret of the precious Syamantaka by executing their hideous schemes. The Syamantaka is something very precious to a Krishna devotee and can transform base metal into gold or vice versa.

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini who suffers the most because of their evil plans puts an end to all this. In the end, he reinforces the long-forgotten message of Mahabharata that the philosopher is more important than the stone, meaning that the stone being searched for by the killer may have magical properties but the real alchemy or transformation happens inside us. The power to transform and change our lives resides within us and no stone or magic can do it for us.

Also, different characters bring in perspectives and details from their vantage points and add layers to the already existing mystery. Gradually, you feel you are getting there but the end of every chapter leaves you more puzzled and curious. Sanghi has used symbols and illustrations to explain the puzzles/scenes better and to make it an interesting read. At the end of the book you feel that he was successful in maintaining the element of suspense throughout.

Each chapter begins with the narration of Krishna's life and the Mahabharata by Krishna himself. The interesting blend of the epic and the story not only keeps the excitement alive but also enlightens us with the ancient knowledge.

Some tidbits that fascinated me:

-The Taj Mahal was a palace before it became a tomb and has seven storeys not just three.

-Somnath temple was created and destroyed eight times.

-The ancient rishis' understanding of energy and science was much greater than ours.

-108 is a sacred number for Hindus. The distance between the earth and the sun is exactly 108 times the sun's diameter. The distance between the earth and the moon is 108 times the moon's diameter.

-Nine is a magical number, you multiply it by anything you always get nine when you add the result.

-The golden city of Dwarka was built by Vishwakarma, the famous architect, on being asked by Krishna.

-And the Sanskrit shlokas add to the fun and your confused state (for readers like me who are not well versed with them!).

Even though I'm not into mythological or historical fiction, I was completely hooked to the book which should say a lot about it. And I am thrilled to know so much more about my country's history and the greatest epic, Mahabharata.

My judgement:

The book is a lot of fun and full of information. It is well-researched and has a good plot that keeps you hooked. I would definitely recommend reading it! And I would like to conclude my review with a quote which I completely agree with.

"A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading."

William Styron

Happy Reading! :) 
This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at Blogadda.com. Participate now to get free books!

A Calendar Too Crowded

A Calendar Too Crowded by Sagarika Chakarborty is an interesting book. It highlights how women deserve to be happy every day and not just on the specific/important days dedicated to them and reserved for the protection of their rights. Every day in a woman's life is precious! Something which is missing in reality.

The author has taken a very unique style to analyse whether women get what they deserve or they are still a part of a fake society, which is only getting better according to the statistics. There are over 300 days which are not devoted to any women's campaign against child abuse, gender inequality, domestic violence, sexual harassment and it is on these days that womanhood is trampled upon, the patience of a woman is tested and all kinds of atrocities are inflicted on them.

A woman sacrifices throughout her life as a daughter, wife, mother and completely changes herself, her attitude and her life for her family and loved ones but just one fault in her turns everything futile.

In this book, every story deals with a challenge which not only the woman in the story but millions of women across the globe face and struggle with.

Every chapter has an interesting name to it, which keeps you wondering what is it that the author actually means and you want to read further to find that out.

Sagarika raises some relevant questions in her book-- are women really treated fairly? If yes then why is a woman who wants to follow her dreams or live a life the way she wants to considered spoilt or bad? Why is a woman expected to sacrifice at every stage? Do we still see the remnants of the old beliefs hidden somewhere in our society which are silently damaging it? Why is it wrong if a mother wants her daughter to have a different life and not a life which has choices without any options?

She highlights in a few chapters how people assume that women get equal and fair treatment when there are millions of girls who are deprived of basic rights and respect. Even though there are so many laws and rights reserved for women still there so many cases of female infanticides, domestic violence, rapes, female trafficking and child abuse.

Sagarika backs up her arguments against the discrimination faced by women with strong facts at the end of some chapters. Some of the stories are really thought provoking. If you and I don't face these issues that does not mean that they don't exist. They do and in huge numbers. After reading this book, I am amazed at the level of difficulties and suffering women have been and are still are subjected to.

Women are tortured for petty reasons--reasons beyond their control, for not getting enough dowry, they lose their importance if they don't have a baby boy, they are declared a misfit if they question the wrong being done to them or try to change things for themselves because those things are unacceptable.

Just by saying that times for women have changed doesn't really do it, there are millions of women who are still striving for their very basic rights as human beings, the liberty to make their own choices, live the way they want to and live for themselves and not others.

After reading the book, I have a few questions which I doubt can find satisfying answers.

Being a human being why cannot I (being a girl) do things that I want to? Why can I not be accepted for what I am instead of all the faults that are easily found in me? Why am I bad if I question things which I don't agree to? Why can I not have a guy as my best friend? Why can I not make my own decisions? Why people around me have no faith in the values and morals they have instilled in me? Just because I am a Girl?

These questions are worth a thought! For things to change and improve, the mindset of people has to and should change.

This book is a must read for everyone, definitely for all girls, not because you can relate to it but because after reading it you know that you deserve to live a life the way you want to and not submit to unacceptable things, there is nothing wrong in living for yourself. It's our right as a human being.

"A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it."
- DH Lawrence

Happy Reading! :) 

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How I wish!

Wish time could freeze when you looked at me,

I was released from all the unhappiness and misery.

Wish things were never to be explained, 

The silence we shared made things fall in place.

Wish things could be back to where they were,

even with our fights the happiness remained.

Wish I could control time,

the only thing that separates us now.

I would have never come so far,

if I only had the power to control Time.

Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand.

Nobody likes being disliked or rejected, specially when things are not under our control or cannot be changed. But there are some people who have to live with it every day. Mulk Raj Anand in his novel 'Untouchable' portrays how the scavengers most commonly referred to as the untouchables are treated by the Hindu society. Anand describes a day in Bakha, a sweeper's life and his desire to be like the Englishmen and the high class Hindus--imitating their lifestyle and living in cleaner houses rather than the filthy and miserable living conditions and seeking similar respect instead of the ill-treatment that he has to face.
Bakha is a young and attractive boy who wishes to live a life of happiness and respect. His only fault is that he is the son of a scavenger and has to carry on with the profession of cleaning and disposing other people's waste.
Throughout the novel Bakha struggles to get some answers--Why are sweepers treated with no respect? Why are the temples, schools, wells not open to the outcastes? Why is their shadow or touch considered polluted? Why are sweepers humiliated all the time for no rhyme or reason?

His day begins with his father's abuses and curses, followed by the insults and humiliation from the Hindus of the upper castes. He is supposed to shout and warn people of his approach. He is addressed as a "Dirty dog! Son of a bitch! The offspring of a pig!"
I doubt if that's how any individual addresses a person, even if s/he belongs to the lowest section of our society. The discrimination exists because it is supported by the caste system and Hindu beliefs.
When he goes to clean the house of a Hindu lady, he is showered with unpleasant comments and the leftover bread and food is thrown at him.
"You eater of the masters! Why did you sit down on my doorstep, if you had to sit down at all? You have defiled my religion! You should have sat there in the gulley! Now I will have to sprinkle holy water all over the house! You spoiler of my salt! oh! how terrible! You sweepers have lifted your heads to the sky, nawadays!"
On the other hand she gives respect and regard to the Sadhu, who is a Brahmin, and requests him to accept her offerings, assuring him that 'the sweeper' didn't pollute her house.
Bakha feels helpless as he fails to understand why the upper caste people always abuse him or look down upon him. He soon concludes that "They always abuse us. Because we are sweepers. Because we touch dung.They hate dung. I hate it too."
Anand's novels on humanism give voice to the oppressed and allows them to express their anger and suffering. All they look for are the basic rights and privileges as human beings, which the caste system deprives them of.

As a reader you feel sorry for all the humiliation and suffering he is subjected to. There would not have been a better way to show how rejection can affect a person and his/her psyche. Anand very well describes Bakha's dilemmas, emotions of anger, helplessness, rejection and disapproval. I felt I was a part of all the protagonist's experiences, as a silent spectator, and felt disgusted but couldn't do anything. The author clearly shows Bakha as a human being who has expectations, emotions, weaknesses and strengths just like anyone else. He feels happy and grateful when Charat Singh, a higher caste Hindu, treats him as a normal person and is kind to him. He wishes a normal life of kindness and equality. He is elated to be a part of Gandhi ji's speech, where the Mahatma stands for the rights and fair treatment of the 'Harijans'. The novel ends with Bakha getting some answers while he has to find the rest of them on his own during the course of life.
The only disappointment was that there was not much to read about the changes that took place in the life of Bakha and other sweepers after Gandhi ji addressed the villagers and demanded fair treatment of the sweepers. Apart from this, I enjoyed reading the book and would insist you to read it too.
Hope you enjoy it! 

Vande Mataram.

"Anna tum sangarsh karo, hum tumhare saath hai," is what thousands and thousands of Indians have been crying out since August 16, 2011. Anna Hazare, a veteran activist, is getting unconditional support from the Indians in his fight against corruption. 
Over the last week, people from all different classes and sections have come together to participate in rallies and marches. From the youth to senior citizens, everyone is an active member and part of his non-violent movement against corruption, be it at Ramlila Maidan or through tweets, facebook statuses or blogs. 

Jan Lokpal Bill has to be passed to check corrupt practices in public offices. It's not that passing such a bill will end all corruption but atleast it is a step forward, an effort to end bribery and unethical practices.
Most people don't know what Lokpal Bill is all about, but what they certainly know is that they want an end to corruption and punish the people who indulge in it. 
I have never seen something like this before - people on the roads in such huge numbers and such variety of non-violent ways to protest.People have emerged as one, irrespective of their regional, cultural and religious differences.

On monday I had joined the crowd at Ramlila Maidan and could feel the excitement and enthusiasm among people. It was a great moment. Despite all differences, every Indian was standing with Anna and together for one cause. I was taken aback by Anna's energy, positivity and attitude - his spirit and zeal are a total contrast to his age. 
Both Anna and the crowd are getting motivated and inspired by each other!
I am wearing the famous 'Anna topi' and totally supporting Anna, just that I am not able to stay at the venue and be the part of the determined and passionate crowd. 
Still, expressing my feelings and views through my blog is a good way to support the cause while I'm at home.
And the best thing I find about this movement is that it has brought all Indians together, who are no longer afraid of expressing what they want or what they believe in.
I want to join the mob and shout my lungs out - 1,2,3,4 band karo yeh Brashtachaar. Vande Mataram...