-Sarah Dunant
A very well written and vivid book. It recreates history in an extremely charming style. You almost hear the splash of the waters of Venice as the oars hit against them. You feel the moist breeze, the crowded streets, their din and clamor, a city bustling with activity. Sarah Dunant very beautifully brings to life 16th century Venice in her gripping novel In the company of the courtesan.
Your guide through 16th century Rome (for some time) and Venice (for most part of the book) is a dwarf- Bucino. Bucino is a courtesan’s dwarf. A very realistically drawn character, Bucino takes you across the streets of Rome after the sack of 1527. He introduces you to cardinals, artists, poets, the ordinary no bodies and provides perspective to history. The perspective of an out cast dwarf who has on his own merits earned a reputable position for himself. Though his countenance resembles that of a rat or a dog or even a devil, he is much appreciated for his wit and talent.
This novel brings history much closer to you. You not only learn about the various happenings but also feel them and that too from various perceptions. It deals with many issues and operates on various levels, such as the conditions of the Jews, their problems, their apprehensions and desires, how they were ghettoised and exploited, how fear of the unknown led to their reality being misconstrued and misunderstood. You also see the position of single working women in the form Fiametta Biancini and La Draga, one a courtesan and the other a doctor or a healer. Also the various prejudices attached to these outcasts including Bucino.
Both, Fiametta and La Draga are spirited women who endeavour to survive independently in the most tumultuous of times. We see Fiammetta braving against the sack of Rome. She faces the invaders with panache, wit and nerve. Along with her dwarf she moves towards Venice and endeavours to reestablishes herself. With lots of cunning and pains Bucino and Fiammetta reestablish themselves. La Draga is also an extremely well drawn character. She is immensely talented and is a very good physician. But in order to make a living she presents herself as a blind cripple when in actuality she is a beautiful girl with sound vision. When she heals people in this attire or gives them potions there is a certain amount of mysticism attached to her and so people tend to believe in her powers to heal. However, she is misunderstood for a witch and is also condemned to death for witchcraft. Thus, we also encounter the gaols of Venice and conditions of prisoners then.
The book which attempts to re create history goes beyond that aim. For the characters are not mere caricatures of historical personages. They feel, they emote, they are real and they exist in Dunant’s fictional world as much as in history. Towards the end the narrative slips into the Stream of Consciousness mode. You feel with Bucino, the fear, the agony, the pain, the confusion, of discovering love and friendship amidst long standing misconceptions, then encountering a long forgotten betrayal, followed by immense fury and anger, and then having to face the guilt of destroying the life of one’s saviour and love.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
MHADA mayhem
MHADA authorities attempted to elude responsibility for the collapse of Saifee building in Byculla which lead to the death of one girl and which was repaired just in 2003, under the pretext that they couldn’t repair a locked factory on the ground floor of the building, since they have no rights to enter sealed property. They also said that “the tenants did not even tell us that the factory structure was dangerous”. Firstly, it is MHADA’s responsibility to check and decide which structure is dangerous and not the tenant’s. Also, while constructing part of the building the “qualified” engineers of MHADA might have realized that the factory also requires repairs.
And secondly, if they were aware of the vulnerable condition of the building (which they should have been) then it was their duty and right to issue a notice to the land lord to unlock the area for repairs. On refusal they could have legally pursued him and made it obligatory upon him to allow them to repair the building in the interest of the tenants. On failing to do so the land lord would be liable for the damages caused.
It was favourable to the land lord, Thakkar that the factory should go without repair, so that the building caves in and then he can claim rights over the property. Thus, the occupants would become homeless and the land lord would be free to construct another building, sell it, and make profits. However, overlooking the landlord’s desires, MHADA should have thought of the risk that the residents of the building ran for their lives. Due to the callous and lethargic attitude of some officials, today a girl of 20 has lost her life.
Why did MHADA allow the land lord to keep the structure locked? It could have legally forced him to concede for repairs in the interest of the residents. Obviously the MHADA has that much authority.
Also, since this building was repaired in just 2003; it shows the lack of quality of the work done. Mr. Mahesh Dalwani, executive engineer of MHADA says that the building might have deteriorated due to the rain. But it was repaired, precisely to save it from that. Could the MHADA be a bit more efficient?
And secondly, if they were aware of the vulnerable condition of the building (which they should have been) then it was their duty and right to issue a notice to the land lord to unlock the area for repairs. On refusal they could have legally pursued him and made it obligatory upon him to allow them to repair the building in the interest of the tenants. On failing to do so the land lord would be liable for the damages caused.
It was favourable to the land lord, Thakkar that the factory should go without repair, so that the building caves in and then he can claim rights over the property. Thus, the occupants would become homeless and the land lord would be free to construct another building, sell it, and make profits. However, overlooking the landlord’s desires, MHADA should have thought of the risk that the residents of the building ran for their lives. Due to the callous and lethargic attitude of some officials, today a girl of 20 has lost her life.
Why did MHADA allow the land lord to keep the structure locked? It could have legally forced him to concede for repairs in the interest of the residents. Obviously the MHADA has that much authority.
Also, since this building was repaired in just 2003; it shows the lack of quality of the work done. Mr. Mahesh Dalwani, executive engineer of MHADA says that the building might have deteriorated due to the rain. But it was repaired, precisely to save it from that. Could the MHADA be a bit more efficient?
BMC- provide a solution not a new problem
It’s extremely foolish on part of the BMC to issue a fine for those who feed dogs. True, the excessive numbers of stray dogs are a big menace. However, this is not a solution, it’s a problem. Do they expect hungry dogs to be decent? Definitely hungry dogs will pounce on people with plastic bags. Instead the BMC should reintroduce dog pounds. Or it should keep them enclosed somewhere.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Helen Fielding and her overactive imagination!
Olivia Joules and the overactive imagination
-Helen Fielding
Chick lit slash mystery novel slash terrorism thriller slash feminist concerns book slash woman’s identity/ individuality/ independence search slash Bond slash Holmes slash whatever!
Oh my god! What in the world is this? What is happening? Why is it happening? What’s the aim, the theme, the plot, Is there any story? What?
Just too many “Watts” generated by one Joule!
This is one thoroughly confused and confusing book. All of a sudden a terrorist is introduced then follow M16, CIA, and also a great catastrophe from which the Oscars are saved! And all of this is based on one woman’s totally absurd, irrational suspicions, like Ferramo is “languid”. The book doesn’t seem to make any sense what so ever. It not only requires willing suspension of disbelief but it also demands complete suspension of all sense, logic and rationale. (Despite that, at times it does make you laugh and hence can be called entertaining.) However, it completely befuddles the readers and expects them to be foolish enough to believe the story line (that is, if there is any story line.)
-Helen Fielding
Chick lit slash mystery novel slash terrorism thriller slash feminist concerns book slash woman’s identity/ individuality/ independence search slash Bond slash Holmes slash whatever!
Oh my god! What in the world is this? What is happening? Why is it happening? What’s the aim, the theme, the plot, Is there any story? What?
Just too many “Watts” generated by one Joule!
This is one thoroughly confused and confusing book. All of a sudden a terrorist is introduced then follow M16, CIA, and also a great catastrophe from which the Oscars are saved! And all of this is based on one woman’s totally absurd, irrational suspicions, like Ferramo is “languid”. The book doesn’t seem to make any sense what so ever. It not only requires willing suspension of disbelief but it also demands complete suspension of all sense, logic and rationale. (Despite that, at times it does make you laugh and hence can be called entertaining.) However, it completely befuddles the readers and expects them to be foolish enough to believe the story line (that is, if there is any story line.)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Nothing beats the charm of the written word.
The difference between reading and e-reading is that reading restricts one to the written word, whereas e-reading lets one go way beyond the written word. While reading an article online one can just click or google the words or names or facts (anything) that are not understood and can easily access information or discussions on it. However, while reading physically one has to leave that job for later on (which in my case, since I am too lazy, never happens). Also, the net gives one access to many view points at the same place. Without having to run about, rummage through library cupboards one can easily access many opinions and facts. This is a boon- for it brings the entire world at your doorstep.
Moreover, the freedom to begin reading something else whiles you were actually doing something else; and then to write about some other thing, for which you can receive comments and feedback, is provided only by the net.
However, nothing beats the charm of a physical book. It is the most relaxing activity. When you read from a book, and if you like it, a bond develops between you and that copy. You begin to love it. You keep it safely in your bookshelf, show it off to your friends and when in a particular mood, which that book arouses you re-read it. This personal bond is denied on the net. I can’t love an e-page. I can’t hold it. But my book, my own copy- I can hold it, I can write my name on it, I can put the date when I bought it on it, I can underline my favourite parts in it. It can become my friend, which I can feel and TOUCH.
Moreover, the freedom to begin reading something else whiles you were actually doing something else; and then to write about some other thing, for which you can receive comments and feedback, is provided only by the net.
However, nothing beats the charm of a physical book. It is the most relaxing activity. When you read from a book, and if you like it, a bond develops between you and that copy. You begin to love it. You keep it safely in your bookshelf, show it off to your friends and when in a particular mood, which that book arouses you re-read it. This personal bond is denied on the net. I can’t love an e-page. I can’t hold it. But my book, my own copy- I can hold it, I can write my name on it, I can put the date when I bought it on it, I can underline my favourite parts in it. It can become my friend, which I can feel and TOUCH.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
What does freedom mean to the youth today?
Well, what does freedom mean? This term freedom is not preceded by the article the …I go into the grammar cause I want to know which freedom’s understanding of today’s youth shall I state. Ah. If the topic had said the freedom, then in an Indian context it would imply the freedom secured by India in 1947. Hmm. But it’s not “the freedom”. So then it could also imply the dictionary meaning of freedom. According to OED, freedom is personal liberality, magnanimity; the state of being able to act unimpeded, unrestrained, unhampered. Or does the topic refer to freedom as described by the Indian constitution. The constitution declares India to be a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic and I quote from the Preamble, “to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual…”
So these are the different freedoms the topic could refer to. But if this question was posed to any random youth he or she would say “1 holiday” and would be referring to the freedom of 1947.
(Sigh) 1 HOLIDAY!
Well this 1947 freedom, which now means 1 holiday, meant to the youth in 1947 a very different thing. They associated it with pain (I refer to the partition), joy, excitement, agony, hope. Amongst all these mixed emotions HOPE was the all pervading emotion. Almost every individual, even the ones who had lost everything had had HOPE.
HOPE, to set up a new nation, a country. Our leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru were overpowered by the fervour of nation building. “At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and FREEDOM”. A ‘noble mansion of freedom’, he wanted to build a wounded India into it. HOPE is what kept them all going in the most tumultuous of times. Today, in this age, the 1947 freedom is but just 1 HOLIDAY. And it is so because in these times of comfort, the HOPE that they had, has been replaced by DISILLUSTIONMENT. I am disillusioned; the youth of India is disillusioned. “Join us with faith and confidence”, appealed Nehru to the people of India. They have ceased to do so today. They are unable to do so today. No youth can show no confidence in no leader. We have lost faith. And to the disillusioned youth, the 1947 freedom can mean nothing more than 1 HOLIDAY, songs early in the morning, a few crap speeches and dumb competitions (disturbances to sweet sleep)
Wait don’t criticize us. How are we to be blamed? Why are we disillusioned? Because the 1947 freedom doesn’t coincide with either the dictionary meaning of freedom, nor with the constitution’s description of freedom. It is just some historical event of the past, when some India got some freedom from some Britishers and got enslaved by some other Indians. The freedom just performed cut-copy-paste; wherein the British monarch was replaced by the Indian democrat and a farce of freedom, justice liberty, equality, sovereignty was created. Huxley said in Themes and Variations, “to talk about the rights of man and the four Freedoms in connection… with India is merely a cruel joke.” Ha! Outraged am I to hear him say so.
Well, but we didn’t begin this way. We had a good start. Unlike other countries, who gained independence we were able to maintain stability. Our leaders sought to and strived hard to make India stand on its feet. They were not callous or selfish. They didn’t amass wealth for themselves. They were nation builders. They had foresight. The early independence years witnessed progress. There were projects for water management, IITs were set up, nuclear programmes were undertaken, and heavy industries were set up. This provided India with a base. Today we reap the fruits of those efforts; India today is world power.
But … it failed to maintain or sustain its cherished ideals of freedom. A stark contrast to the Nehruvian era was provided by the Emergency of 1976, when all rights and freedoms were curtailed, courts were subverted, press was censored, elections to Lok Sabha were postponed, Sanjay enforced vasectomy. But Indian democracy survived this blow. Democracy was restored once again. But hence forth India witnessed only politicians, who played political, power games, and no leaders. No leaders who were interested in her betterment; only politicians interested in some how retaining and maintaining power.
“Freedom and power bring responsibility. That responsibility rests upon this assembly” said Nehru, addressing the Constituent Assembly. But responsibility was completely forgotten. It feels like opening a Pepsi bottle- lot of froth and energy, and then all fizzled down.
Do we have freedom? Yes, politically we are independent of any foreign control. We the public do count to some extent. The Jessica Lal case, you may say; one, that’s one in a million. And, and, it’s not enough to give me HOPE. I have lost HOPE. I am disillusioned. Forget politics at higher levels, even basic things can’t be done freely, because corruption has got a very, very firm hold over the nation. I, I as a free citizen of free India can’t get my work done without bribe, flattery, influence. I lose my freedom, my dignity (as promised me by the Preamble) to gain my own rights.
The most explicit example of curtailment on my activity is this this parallel economy in India. If I want to buy a house, I can’t if I am a regular tax payer for I need black money for it. So it’s an unsaid rule, go the crooked way to live here. In the ‘noble mansion of freedom’ (as Nehru called it) I have none. Whenever I step to do something, anything I am confronted by some official as a hindrance.
So why will I have hope. Its money that talks or else nothing gets done. Is this freedom? And if this is freedom then why shouldn’t I just overlook it as yet another bank holiday.
“Nickels and dimes, nickels and dimes, war and peace, its nickels and dimes”, said Arthur Miller in All My Sons
“Rupees and paise, rupees and paise, freedom and justice, its rupees and paise”, I could say.
The youth then dreamt of freedom, the youth today yearns for it.
“Where the mind is without fear
And the head is held high
Into that heaven of freedom
My father let my country awake” (Tagore)
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual…”
So these are the different freedoms the topic could refer to. But if this question was posed to any random youth he or she would say “1 holiday” and would be referring to the freedom of 1947.
(Sigh) 1 HOLIDAY!
Well this 1947 freedom, which now means 1 holiday, meant to the youth in 1947 a very different thing. They associated it with pain (I refer to the partition), joy, excitement, agony, hope. Amongst all these mixed emotions HOPE was the all pervading emotion. Almost every individual, even the ones who had lost everything had had HOPE.
HOPE, to set up a new nation, a country. Our leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru were overpowered by the fervour of nation building. “At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and FREEDOM”. A ‘noble mansion of freedom’, he wanted to build a wounded India into it. HOPE is what kept them all going in the most tumultuous of times. Today, in this age, the 1947 freedom is but just 1 HOLIDAY. And it is so because in these times of comfort, the HOPE that they had, has been replaced by DISILLUSTIONMENT. I am disillusioned; the youth of India is disillusioned. “Join us with faith and confidence”, appealed Nehru to the people of India. They have ceased to do so today. They are unable to do so today. No youth can show no confidence in no leader. We have lost faith. And to the disillusioned youth, the 1947 freedom can mean nothing more than 1 HOLIDAY, songs early in the morning, a few crap speeches and dumb competitions (disturbances to sweet sleep)
Wait don’t criticize us. How are we to be blamed? Why are we disillusioned? Because the 1947 freedom doesn’t coincide with either the dictionary meaning of freedom, nor with the constitution’s description of freedom. It is just some historical event of the past, when some India got some freedom from some Britishers and got enslaved by some other Indians. The freedom just performed cut-copy-paste; wherein the British monarch was replaced by the Indian democrat and a farce of freedom, justice liberty, equality, sovereignty was created. Huxley said in Themes and Variations, “to talk about the rights of man and the four Freedoms in connection… with India is merely a cruel joke.” Ha! Outraged am I to hear him say so.
Well, but we didn’t begin this way. We had a good start. Unlike other countries, who gained independence we were able to maintain stability. Our leaders sought to and strived hard to make India stand on its feet. They were not callous or selfish. They didn’t amass wealth for themselves. They were nation builders. They had foresight. The early independence years witnessed progress. There were projects for water management, IITs were set up, nuclear programmes were undertaken, and heavy industries were set up. This provided India with a base. Today we reap the fruits of those efforts; India today is world power.
But … it failed to maintain or sustain its cherished ideals of freedom. A stark contrast to the Nehruvian era was provided by the Emergency of 1976, when all rights and freedoms were curtailed, courts were subverted, press was censored, elections to Lok Sabha were postponed, Sanjay enforced vasectomy. But Indian democracy survived this blow. Democracy was restored once again. But hence forth India witnessed only politicians, who played political, power games, and no leaders. No leaders who were interested in her betterment; only politicians interested in some how retaining and maintaining power.
“Freedom and power bring responsibility. That responsibility rests upon this assembly” said Nehru, addressing the Constituent Assembly. But responsibility was completely forgotten. It feels like opening a Pepsi bottle- lot of froth and energy, and then all fizzled down.
Do we have freedom? Yes, politically we are independent of any foreign control. We the public do count to some extent. The Jessica Lal case, you may say; one, that’s one in a million. And, and, it’s not enough to give me HOPE. I have lost HOPE. I am disillusioned. Forget politics at higher levels, even basic things can’t be done freely, because corruption has got a very, very firm hold over the nation. I, I as a free citizen of free India can’t get my work done without bribe, flattery, influence. I lose my freedom, my dignity (as promised me by the Preamble) to gain my own rights.
The most explicit example of curtailment on my activity is this this parallel economy in India. If I want to buy a house, I can’t if I am a regular tax payer for I need black money for it. So it’s an unsaid rule, go the crooked way to live here. In the ‘noble mansion of freedom’ (as Nehru called it) I have none. Whenever I step to do something, anything I am confronted by some official as a hindrance.
So why will I have hope. Its money that talks or else nothing gets done. Is this freedom? And if this is freedom then why shouldn’t I just overlook it as yet another bank holiday.
“Nickels and dimes, nickels and dimes, war and peace, its nickels and dimes”, said Arthur Miller in All My Sons
“Rupees and paise, rupees and paise, freedom and justice, its rupees and paise”, I could say.
The youth then dreamt of freedom, the youth today yearns for it.
“Where the mind is without fear
And the head is held high
Into that heaven of freedom
My father let my country awake” (Tagore)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Last Salute
- Sadaat Hasan Manto
Subedar Rab Nawaz’s confusion is a result of the war that he is fighting against his own friends. Until yesterday he belonged to 6/9 Jat regiment and was an Indian soldier. Now suddenly he is a Pakistani soldier and people, such as Ram Singh, who was born in his village, studied in his school and whose father too was his father’s childhood friend, is an Indian soldier. He couldn’t understand that just some time back they were united in the Second World War. But now he didn’t know why he was warring against friends. The motto of war in 1947 baffled him. He needed some reason to fight it and so did Ram Singh, but both were confused- who was this war against and who was it for? Since they knew soldiers on both sides.
Though Rab Nawaz’s confusion arises out of fighting against friends, I am sure every soldier does feel confused as to the motto. Why is he fighting? Why is he killing people he doesn’t even know?
How can one kill many? Just go on killing. There has to be a reason. A reason to justify the acts to one’s conscience, to keep one going, to make one kill. A reason, not just a reason – a CAUSE. It’s noble. My country, I fight for my nation’s pride and HONOUR. It’s a noble cause, very great, very vast. It’s bigger than all of us. However this cause is just so abstract that it creates an aura about itself. Every side feels that they are fighting for good against evil, let alone humanity. But how does good restore its HONOUR by killing. And are wars really fought to uphold GOOD, HONOUR?
Condider this poem:
Wilfred Owen
Subedar Rab Nawaz’s confusion is a result of the war that he is fighting against his own friends. Until yesterday he belonged to 6/9 Jat regiment and was an Indian soldier. Now suddenly he is a Pakistani soldier and people, such as Ram Singh, who was born in his village, studied in his school and whose father too was his father’s childhood friend, is an Indian soldier. He couldn’t understand that just some time back they were united in the Second World War. But now he didn’t know why he was warring against friends. The motto of war in 1947 baffled him. He needed some reason to fight it and so did Ram Singh, but both were confused- who was this war against and who was it for? Since they knew soldiers on both sides.
Though Rab Nawaz’s confusion arises out of fighting against friends, I am sure every soldier does feel confused as to the motto. Why is he fighting? Why is he killing people he doesn’t even know?
How can one kill many? Just go on killing. There has to be a reason. A reason to justify the acts to one’s conscience, to keep one going, to make one kill. A reason, not just a reason – a CAUSE. It’s noble. My country, I fight for my nation’s pride and HONOUR. It’s a noble cause, very great, very vast. It’s bigger than all of us. However this cause is just so abstract that it creates an aura about itself. Every side feels that they are fighting for good against evil, let alone humanity. But how does good restore its HONOUR by killing. And are wars really fought to uphold GOOD, HONOUR?
Condider this poem:
The Next War
Out there, we've walked quite friendly up to Death;
Sat down an eaten with him, cool and bland, -
Pardoned his spilling mess-tins in our hand.
We've sniffed the green thick odour of his breath,
-Our eyes wept, but our courage didn't writhe.
He's spat at us with bullets and he's coughed
Shrapnel. We chorused when he sang aloft;
We whistled while he shaved us with his scythe.
Oh, Death was never enemy of ours!
We laughed at him, we leagued with him, old chum.
No soldier's paid to kick against his powers.
We laughed, knowing that better men would come,
And greater wars; when each proud fighter brags
He wars on Death - for lives; not men - for flags.
Wilfred Owen
Monday, August 4, 2008
To Kill a Mocking Bird
- Harper Lee
I have just begun to read this book. Hardly read a chapter or two, but I am already mesmerized by it. Very eloquent and expressive writing. It’s like a toffee; very slooowly it melts, and spreads, within your soul. Sweet. The sweetness grips you, stirs you from within, just in the first chapter. The women compared to teacakes, the descriptions of daily life, the children. All so simple and beautiful. I felt I was actually in Maycomb county.
It communes with your spirit.
I have just begun to read this book. Hardly read a chapter or two, but I am already mesmerized by it. Very eloquent and expressive writing. It’s like a toffee; very slooowly it melts, and spreads, within your soul. Sweet. The sweetness grips you, stirs you from within, just in the first chapter. The women compared to teacakes, the descriptions of daily life, the children. All so simple and beautiful. I felt I was actually in Maycomb county.
It communes with your spirit.
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