I remember a book by G.K.Chesterton that I had read in fragments. I couldn’t complete it because of the untidiness of the book and the small typeset that strained my eyes. I was extremely impressed by the small bits that I read. Chesterton describes his travels on horseback across the English country side. He is the most carefree traveler who lets place and time take care of all his needs.
This is going to be only about India and the victory at the Gabba. There are certain things in life which light up your mood, bring a smile to your face, give you a sense of joy which is not epicurean. One feels like living that moment for a long time, although it does not concern you directly; It is not about your personal fame or fortune. Yet it gives you something, adds more value to your life, enriches your experience as a follower, a spectator and eventually goes down into personal lore and collective folklore.
People say he is the most read author after William Shakespeare. One reads a short story expecting a twist in the tale, a sudden change in the plot, an unexpected turn of events etc, as in O.Henry, Saki or Guy De Maupassant. Sometimes the short story is an exploration of character, a delineation of a…
When India won the World cup in 1983, I was in Madras in my 10th standard and I can recall the headiness and excitement in the air as we ran from the hostel to a neighbor’s house to catch glimpses of the Indian team lifting the cup. I have followed nearly all the matches that India have played here or abroad mostly on T V or in the news columns, but I have never been to watch a match live. There was a time in 1980 when Pakistan toured India; I went into the Chepauk stadium with my Dad to watch the action.
అది 19 వ శతాబ్దం. మొదటిసారిగా తన ఖండాంతరాల ఆవల ఉద్భవించిన శక్తుల ధాటికి ఆఫ్రికా ఖండం ప్రభావితం చేయబడుతున్న శతాబ్దం. సాంప్రదాయ సంస్కృతి, జీవన శైలి, మతం, కుటుంబ నిర్మాణం లాంటి అన్ని వ్యవస్థలు ఈ ఆటుపోట్లలో చిక్కుకొని తీవ్ర సంక్షోభం ఎదుర్కొంటున్న సందర్భాన్ని రచయిత ఆవిష్కరిస్తారు., తింబక్తు మాలి, సూడాన్ మధ్య ప్రాంతాల్లో ఒక భాగాన్ని సెగు అని పిలుచుకుంటారు. ఇక్కడ యొరోబా, బంబారా, ఆషాంతి తెగల మధ్య జరిగిన సంఘర్షణని ఈ నవలలో…
I was deeply enchanted after reading Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long walk to Freedom.’ What I found most interesting was the question the author poses to himself; Should an individual live for his family or the society; a question obviously confronted by many great freedom fighters. Mandela’s life belongs to the category of saints and apostles for…
I have often wondered why language learning is treated as secondary to the so-called core subjects. My years as a teacher convinced me that language is not merely a classroom subject, but a means of expression, understanding and, ultimately, a way of relating to people with greater clarity and empathy.
If I were to describe the Discreet Hero by Mario Vargos Llosa, I would call it contemporary. Don Ishmael Carrera and Fanatio Yanaque, both prominent businessmen face a threat and a challenge of sorts from their children. Betrayal, deceit and incest are common and these old men; harbingers of hard work and examples of dedicated…
It has been a long time since I have left my village to live in a city. A city dweller left without anything to do has to find ways to consume time. A village has its charms and interests which give a feeling of time standing still and an unchanging scene. After a long time I made a chance visit to a village and could see a fair.
Irony penetrates the structure of the novel Pride and Prejudice. The irony of Jane Austen is very subtle and we can understand it only when we understand the emphasis and the tone of her language. The very opening sentence of the novel is a fine specimen of verbal irony. “It is a truth universally acknowledged…