of dandas, do gaj ki doori and the future of entertainment

Many mainstream news papers are not worried about what will happen to the future of humanity or the future of economy. They are worried about what will happen to Bollywood. Some have even calculated the loss to the industry to the last penny. Of course they have a point. For many of my generation before … Continue reading of dandas, do gaj ki doori and the future of entertainment

How far can one deviate in retelling our Itihasas and Puranas?

In India along with books of chick-lit genre written by the ilks of Chetan Bhagat, the books of another genre that sell well are those based on the characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Some authors like Devdutt Patnaik call their books as re-tellings, which of course is nothing new. Retelling is perhaps as old as … Continue reading How far can one deviate in retelling our Itihasas and Puranas?

watchings of idle hours 11 : the art of eating mindfully

Cultures can be widely different in their values and practices. But human emotions and individual human values have the elements of universality that transcend cultural differences. When the tiny country of Japan became a world economic power post world war II, it came with its side effects. Post retirement, salary man Takeshi Kasumi finds out … Continue reading watchings of idle hours 11 : the art of eating mindfully

watchings of idle hours #10 : cities of gods

When it comes to what to watch on even specialised topics, these days we have problems of plenty. Apart from the fares available on paid subscribed TV channels, youtube and other free apps have opened the flood gates of professional and amateur videos. In watchings of idle hours #4, I have shared selected documentaries about … Continue reading watchings of idle hours #10 : cities of gods

watchings of idle hours #9 : lure of mountains

Only three centuries ago, climbing a mountain would have been considered close to lunacy. The idea scarcely existed that wild landscapes might hold any sort of attraction. Peaks were places of peril, not beauty. - Mountain (2017) My fascination for mountains goes back to my child hood days. I was born in a village flanked … Continue reading watchings of idle hours #9 : lure of mountains