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 #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

watchings of idle hours #6 : recipes for a good life

I am back with the series after a long gap. All the posts of the series can be accessed under the tag #watchingsofidlehours Beautiful Minds vs Toned up Bodies I watched the movie - A Beautiful Mind - on Amazon Prime when 'Student of the Year - 2' had just been released. Student of the … Continue reading watchings of idle hours #6 : recipes for a good life

the gladiators of our times

Psychologists say that at our core, we homo sapiens are still the hunter -gatherers that evolved seventy thousand years back to inherit the earth. They are still searching for direct evidence to corroborate their theories. But after watching a number of movies, documentaries, and web serieses based on the public entertainment of roman civilisation and … Continue reading the gladiators of our times