The Review Post

I have always wanted to comment on the political system of our country but often wondered where to begin. In all honesty, I even tried writing a bit about it, but it just sounded like a whiny story of an unhappy citizen. In view of the upcoming elections, this seemed like a good time. Political commentary is a tough task. What should we talk about - the microcosm of things or the macrocosm of it? For instance should I wonder how my local corporation is functioning, how is my constituency doing -- infrastructure-wise, development-wise -- or should I worry about how the country is being governed at large? To tell the truth, I really don't know. Because I'm not connected to the political system at all. From a very young age I was told, politics is not a good thing. So I stayed out of it, but today I'm being asked to vote. They say it's my responsibility as a citizen, my right to choose. So I set off in search of a candidate, I realized this a good time to put my head...

Well there's a lot that transpired through the month of March. There was a book and a couple of movies that left quite an impression, to say the least. A mobile app I cannot draw my attention away from and of course mangoes and soothing drinks that have announced the arrival of summer in full swing. That explains my brief absence from the blogosphere. Getting straight to the point, I'll begin with the book - The Oath of the Vayuputras by Amish I am great fan of author Amish's story-telling technique. He is generally precise and to-the-point with his narrative. Good, brief descriptions and explanations and a seamless blending of facts with fiction. But with this book, I thought something, somewhere was amiss. It's a good read, no doubt, but the pace and intensity were lost somewhere. Not as sharp as the first two books - The immortals of Meluha and The secret of the Nagas. The former being my personal favorite. I'd say, in the war between Good and Evil ...

To say she had me at hello would be a lie. It took me a while to get into the flow of things but it'll be fair to say that two weeks after reading the book, it's all I can think about. Given a busy schedule (that we all have), I had stopped reading. At all. Nothing. I was a writer by profession and I didn't read any more (How does that work? Don't ask.) It was sad, I had forgotten how a book can make you feel. Where it can take you, the other world you step into for a brief period. How time lapses, you can't tell. Well, after reading this brilliant piece of work, in addition to all of this, I felt good about myself. I felt enriched. I bow down to thee Anne Fadiman for making me think, learn and laugh, all at the same time. Twelve essays, each distinctly different from the other, but the one thing that tied them all together, was the author. The style of writing is exceptional and each essay has the backing of some extensive (read laborious) research. She we...

This, trust me is easier said than done. There are things and people and circumstances that make you happy, but how do you maintain that state? It's a blissful one to be in, I think we will all agree. How do you keep your past from affecting your present? And your present reckons your future. It's all connected. Things are a certain way today, they will be in another tomorrow and we have no control over that, but what we can do, and should do, is remain happy. How do we achieve this feat now, you ask? Well I'm no sage but here are a few things that I think work: 1. Smile a lot :-) . At all times in fact. Sometimes you may have to fake it, but how this works is, is that while faking the smile, you may forget what upset you momentarily. And then maybe you'll realize what you were upset about was probably really silly. 2. Don't over-analyze . This is my disease. We thinkers think about everything. You see we like to be prepared. But many a time, things may n...

I do belong to this generation so to speak, but some things just bewilder me. Here's a little observation I made recently. I thought it to be a bizarre but interesting topic to opine about. So, the movies and music scene in our country is ever-evolving, like some would like to believe. And I speak strictly of what we call 'Bollywood music'. Be it at the gym, high-profile parties or birthday bashes, children and adults alike, the music is staple -- Bollywood! It's quite the phenomenon worldwide, really. British and American dance reality shows believe it is deserving enough to be named a kind of dance form that contestants can perform. Bollywood and how integral item numbers are to it, is common knowledge. As was aptly portrayed in The Dirty Picture, masses sometimes only go to watch a film for a song-and-dance sequence. I, for one, thoroughly enjoy watching the mesmerizing Helen groove to Piya tu, Yeh mera dil, and Mehbooba mehbooba, even today. That...

There is dignity in silence they say. I agree. But to never say anything at all? I disagree. Be magnanimous they say. I agree. Magnanimity only to prove a point? I disagree. Speak softly and be heard they say. I agree. But not make noise when it matters? I disagree. It's not an ideal world, they say. I agree. But is self respect, integrity and sincerity dead? I disagree. Everybody is capable of many things. But your choices are what make you who you are. We may agree or disagree...

And it is to learn this secret, that you begin your quest with Ashwin Sanghi. Picture courtesy: Wikipedia I was instantly kicked, couldn't wait to begin. I thought it was going to be a Johnny Quest-esq adventure where there's murder, mystery, crooks, killers and a climax that brings it all together. The book starts out well. With a narrative in the voice of Lord Krishna and a story that begins with a gruesome murder, you think this plot is headed somewhere. Enter Taarak Vakil, the ultimate evil being, but that's until the author introduces Mataji - what a mastermind!  So now, we're deep into the historic Krishna era, and Kalyug is at it's worst with over three murders already been committed and the cops chasing the wrong target. And you're thinking, so is he (the killer) really the Kalki (tenth) avatar of Vishnu?  Protagonist Ravi Mohan Saini, a smart, knowledgeable history professor enlightens the reader many a time during the course of the...