Last week I was reading an unlikely bilingual book on Buddha’s discourses titled “Sutta Sangaho.” Pages on the left is in Pali using English script while on the right is in English. It has 27 suttams (discourses) rather short ones. It covers selected discourses from the Buddha’s 45 years of mission spreading his message of…
Afghanistan: A country where anarchy is for ever !
August 19, 2021Afghanistan was waiting to be taken over by the Taliban ever since the former US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw its troops. Trump’s successor Joe Biden simply endorsed the decision and implemented the pull-out of US forces. The only safeguard against the Taliban for the Afghan Government headed by Ashraf Ghani was gone. President…
Humble beginnings of great men
August 9, 2021[Published on 10.5.1978] Nobody can predict the character of a woman and the destiny of a man, it is well and truly said. I am personally happy to know this. First, this so-called ‘character’ in reference to women has been a hindrance for men to make any amorous advances. Now there is hope since the…
Malayalam novel about a Russian novelist
August 8, 2021Writing generally is a time-consuming work, no matter what kind of writing. It is also an exercise to the writer’s mind. And mind is like a knife. If you do not use it, the knife gets rusted and wasted. So also mind, if not kept engaged there is a danger of dementia and problems related…
Never say die! Keep walking like Johnnie Walker !!
August 2, 2021Osho Never Born Never Died Only visited this Planet Earth between Dec. 11, 1931 – Jan. 19, 1990 —Osho, Indian Mystic Just a week back, I finished reading the voluminous book, 500 pages, ominously titled “Preparing For Death” by Arun Shourie, presumptive scholar, journalist, who ruthlessly ended the political career of Abdul Rehman Antulay, former…
BJP as a political party treats its members with dignity
July 27, 2021History tells us like life, power is not for ever. The resignation of B.S. Yediyurappa as the Chief Minister of Karnataka yesterday was unfortunate for a politician who worked like a bull to build the party from the day he joined RSS. Though a staunch Hindu, he was never a fanatic much less a fundamentalist….
Secret to a Long and Happy Life
July 16, 2021During this long period of COVID-19 pandemic, people falling victim to this epidemic, getting hospitalised, living under house quarantine and periodic lockdown etc., the worst suffers, physically, seem to be those who are aged, say above 75 years. Those whose health is good with faculties functioning with medical intervention or without, manage by pursuing some…
Following the scent of R.K. Narayan
July 12, 2021[Published on 5.5.1978] From my memory book, I learn that I read ‘Guide’ by R.K. Narayan during the first week of November 1962. It was the time I was obsessed with Somerset Maugham. Naturally, I could not resist comparison, however odious it may be. Narayan appeared to me like a neophyte in front of Maugham….
Memorial for a Hindu Monk
July 5, 2021Jesus Christ had said that ‘no prophet is honoured in his own country.’ I am reminded of this maxim as a journalist and a witness to the ongoing protests concerning handing over of land to build ‘Swami Vivekananda Smaraka’ (Viveka Memorial) by a section of people since May 2013 when Siddharamaiah of the Congress became the…
Half a Century of Non-Performing Governance of India ! –2
June 30, 2021Changes in All India Civil Service selection and training imperative [Continued from yesterday] From Chapter-3 we read about the making of a Civil Servant (IAS) like the author N.K. Singh and others. Born before independence in 1941 in Kolkata as a “premature child” he grows up to be a mature person, an IAS Officer and…
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