tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198546142024-03-19T12:45:49.892+05:30shevlin's worldShevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.comBlogger2363125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-17788244382386469412024-03-10T11:48:00.000+05:302024-03-10T11:48:16.596+05:30Director Girish AD is basking in the tremendous success of his romantic comedy, ‘Premalu’<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgEpgD16CFTgteufgFM57QHwYQxBT1gcMB_J24Xq2b-N-rMeSAVJDa-S-Zg434Uhm9SXlfj2wmwO2tytt8dknwBp8-xFAsJGUELaT4H2uOSps7XGdvIXBdEXMX610lgBsEp-98ppY_zvrmlzCYEt84ZThAYruH7O7z4qTCWqn_Tr9SKg4vJ4g_w/s5754/(From%20left)%20Naslen%20K.%20Gafoor,%20Girish,%20Girish's%20wife%20Chippy%20Viswan%20and%20Mamitha%20Baiju.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3836" data-original-width="5754" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgEpgD16CFTgteufgFM57QHwYQxBT1gcMB_J24Xq2b-N-rMeSAVJDa-S-Zg434Uhm9SXlfj2wmwO2tytt8dknwBp8-xFAsJGUELaT4H2uOSps7XGdvIXBdEXMX610lgBsEp-98ppY_zvrmlzCYEt84ZThAYruH7O7z4qTCWqn_Tr9SKg4vJ4g_w/w400-h266/(From%20left)%20Naslen%20K.%20Gafoor,%20Girish,%20Girish's%20wife%20Chippy%20Viswan%20and%20Mamitha%20Baiju.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMgmgt6mqepk0bLMhb57zEWuonHsmNlP9MR0Up8D8DnD4I-ww-3IHYu-t2Q8RDjeRx_JoDO6eHWRJ3mNWUomd8S5vsapfpzRgojYC7weB5aGzJgrCm9qcZY1H_qULGffdESKj11QSqGEuNQvLi66qamN6tlEPfOgfgarO6fg_n97x49HBYfeokA/s1032/Girish6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="688" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMgmgt6mqepk0bLMhb57zEWuonHsmNlP9MR0Up8D8DnD4I-ww-3IHYu-t2Q8RDjeRx_JoDO6eHWRJ3mNWUomd8S5vsapfpzRgojYC7weB5aGzJgrCm9qcZY1H_qULGffdESKj11QSqGEuNQvLi66qamN6tlEPfOgfgarO6fg_n97x49HBYfeokA/w266-h400/Girish6.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>Photos: <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">(From left): Naslen K. Gafoor, Girish AD, Girish's wife Chippy Viswan and Mamitha Baiju; Director Girish AD</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By Shevlin Sebastian </span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">On a recent Sunday morning, an elderly couple were waiting outside a hall at the Cinepolis in Centre Square Mall, Kochi at 9.25 a.m. The reason for them to go see a film so early. All the other shows were house full. Asked why they had come for a teenage romantic comedy, the man said, “We heard it was a good film.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The movie ‘Premalu’ stars Naslen K. Gafoor and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles. They play youngsters who land up in Hyderabad for different reasons and end up falling in love. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">‘Premalu’ was released on February 9. Within three weeks, it has earned Rs 75 crore at the box office and is heading towards the Rs 100 crore mark. Disney Hotstar has picked up the OTT rights for an undisclosed amount. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Bhavana Studios, which produced the film, is owned by actor/director Dileesh Pothan, actor Fahadh Faasil and scriptwriter Shyam Pushkaran. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“One reason the film became a blockbuster hit was the humour in it,” says Dileesh. “This was accessible to people of all ages. Elderly people told me they felt as if they had become 25 years of age. It reminded them of their college days and the early struggles to settle into a career. So, it seems the entire audience had become the same age while watching the film. There was no generation gap. That was the magic of this film.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">At his home in Aluva, director Girish AD has a smile on his face. He is surprised by the widespread acceptance of ‘Premalu’ across all sections of society. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Even though it is a rom-com, there is an innocence in the film, which seems to have appealed to all,” he says. “My films are simple and have a soul. I don’t pretend to be something I am not.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">This is his third hit. His 2019 film, ‘Thaneermathan Dinangal’, a romantic comedy, also did very well at the box office, earning Rs 52 crore worldwide at the box office. ‘Super Sharanya’ (2022), a coming-of-age comedy, earned Rs 23 crore. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Asked about the elements required for a film to be successful, Girish says, “More than 50 percent is the quality of the screenplay. It should be a good story. For a commercial film, the story should move forward all the time. The viewers cannot get bored at any moment. The other factors include excellent actors, direction and songs.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Dileesh has high regard for Girish as a director. “He is updated about the vibes of the new generation,” says Dileesh. “Girish has the talent to spot the humour in every situation. And he knows how to execute the humorous scenes perfectly. Girish also handles people in a calm manner. They feel comfortable on the sets. As a result, they are able to give top-quality performances. And hits are the result.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The hit-maker got interested in filming when, as a Class Nine student at the St Sebastian school at Chalakudy (58 kms from Kochi), he saw the Malayalam film, ‘Devadoothan’ (2000). This was a mystery/horror film that starred Mohanlal. “I began to pay attention to the work of directors,” says Girish. “I felt a desire within me to become one.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">After graduating in technology from the Mala Education Trust’s School of Engineering, he made three short films, ‘Yashpal’, ‘Vishuddha Ambrose’ and ‘Mookutthi’. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Girish won the Best Director Award in the Adoor short film festival 2017 for ‘Vishuddha Ambrose’. He also won the first prize for ‘Mookutthi’ in a competition held at the Kozhikode Medical College. The judge was cinematographer Jomon T John. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Jomon asked Girish whether he had any story that could become a script. Girish told him about ‘Thaneermathan Dinangal’. Thereafter, producer Shameer Mohammed got in touch with Girish and signed him on. And the rest is history. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">At the moment Girish is taking a much-needed rest with his wife, Chippy Viswan, a preschool teacher, whom he married on June 23, 2019. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">He had been working non-stop from ‘Super Sharanaya’, ‘Poovan’, ‘I am Kathalan’ and ‘Premalu.’ “I will take a rest, but I am sure the itch to return to filming will come up soon,” he says. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">(A shorter edited version was published in the Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)</div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-79164072575601436472024-03-03T11:03:00.003+05:302024-03-03T11:03:44.722+05:30Many thanks to The Hindu, Bengaluru for this review of 'The Stolen Necklace'<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ATZJpGa7FvZ-fj33p_UDLOebLTFFpVV3eBg3avgQIkzxstiQf6ZtuvNLWQoS877dgkC7xWhzpuCNZiehq_Q7kxXLh4j_7tVLu0zN3N4LaytW8pqQbAi_vTqfn4lvMHyVodAp-JZFFQmSTNmdKt84pUp8_GnWLXj0bgtR7feLpJh57mJTn9LU7g/s1280/Hindu%20review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="797" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ATZJpGa7FvZ-fj33p_UDLOebLTFFpVV3eBg3avgQIkzxstiQf6ZtuvNLWQoS877dgkC7xWhzpuCNZiehq_Q7kxXLh4j_7tVLu0zN3N4LaytW8pqQbAi_vTqfn4lvMHyVodAp-JZFFQmSTNmdKt84pUp8_GnWLXj0bgtR7feLpJh57mJTn9LU7g/w249-h400/Hindu%20review.jpg" width="249" /></a></div> <p></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-62959579198859330622024-02-29T10:11:00.001+05:302024-02-29T10:11:49.495+05:30Walk This Way<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dBKvOxq0Rqc7VPcc7DgFT2bM-8yQ1KxHs8bUiv2uNBtkvjCis6WIa0LDg3ZfDF5A7etFFLPWlytKWP9UDK7bnr06fR8GOJaoEwr_0q1bti45lcEJVlGj22J8XcZgWPQvmQdPmHkwDpvGCGYaibclRskFIzHL5s0HhGazzTBZuApSeY3wJhM9Kw/s1280/Pavement1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dBKvOxq0Rqc7VPcc7DgFT2bM-8yQ1KxHs8bUiv2uNBtkvjCis6WIa0LDg3ZfDF5A7etFFLPWlytKWP9UDK7bnr06fR8GOJaoEwr_0q1bti45lcEJVlGj22J8XcZgWPQvmQdPmHkwDpvGCGYaibclRskFIzHL5s0HhGazzTBZuApSeY3wJhM9Kw/w400-h225/Pavement1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aeOZ3hAvIp4SOKB3KJqn9LdfpeRrQ3wXUcaBO8lxA-zPFmQicnRzr5F7oUX3avYsWVvFJz1UT6n73xDiem4jGc5_IaR883o4JwCbZGgXHjPx2i1AqdH5ICakDMU-qLwnoWTyWmSLJuiNjuqfgmYjtt0wauJ0ZUVQJTgFifTS5pLkqnkt7putgA/s1024/Mudar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6aeOZ3hAvIp4SOKB3KJqn9LdfpeRrQ3wXUcaBO8lxA-zPFmQicnRzr5F7oUX3avYsWVvFJz1UT6n73xDiem4jGc5_IaR883o4JwCbZGgXHjPx2i1AqdH5ICakDMU-qLwnoWTyWmSLJuiNjuqfgmYjtt0wauJ0ZUVQJTgFifTS5pLkqnkt7putgA/w300-h400/Mudar.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdgTk1D9UzJdZQlIO4EhhiTj8P9Vr8o_8NT4-3_YvpNOzUgYA_tgUR2_v4ZwubU0PN89FVslLYFTf4u3x6hwlWyAtQGM8fKJ-xciihyphenhyphenR0KD6PQcC3iIFHK_tfRttKiGboXIRd-uSXTyzLleJPLcSc8VohfyFZ8wY_SGLrJedyqZrUwpsjPYfeXw/s4032/Pavement%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdgTk1D9UzJdZQlIO4EhhiTj8P9Vr8o_8NT4-3_YvpNOzUgYA_tgUR2_v4ZwubU0PN89FVslLYFTf4u3x6hwlWyAtQGM8fKJ-xciihyphenhyphenR0KD6PQcC3iIFHK_tfRttKiGboXIRd-uSXTyzLleJPLcSc8VohfyFZ8wY_SGLrJedyqZrUwpsjPYfeXw/w300-h400/Pavement%206.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Communications consultant and heritage enthusiast Mudar Patherya got eight pavements in the Lake Market area in Kolkata painted and transformed the neighbourhood </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7a05e8f1-7fff-2ccf-dad7-583d0ab726e8"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By Shevlin Sebastian </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A few weeks ago, as Mudar Patherya woke up one morning at his home in Kolkata and stared at the ceiling, an idea popped into his head: why not paint pavements? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For the past two years, the communications consultant and heritage enthusiast, along with two friends, Ratnabali Ghosh, a retired teacher at the Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan and Prasanta Sain, a professional artist had got alpanas — traditional motifs, patterns and symbols — painted anonymously in random houses, five-star hotels, and pavements in different parts of the city. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“The idea of painting became embedded in my mind,” says Mudar. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mudar then came up with an idea of doing a ‘Walk of Fame’, similar to the Hollywood version. “Initially, the plan was to put the names at the centre of the pavements,” says Mudar. “But people told me that if somebody walks over a name like Rabindranath Tagore, it will create a huge controversy.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So Mudar decided to put the names on the side of the pavement, near the buildings. The names included, apart from Tagore, contemporary musicians like Suchitra Mitra, Debabrata Biswas, Shreya Ghoshal, Shyamal Mitra, Anjan Dutt, Rupam Islam, Susmit Bose, and Usha Uthup. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As for the pavement design, Mudar says, “It is like a mosaic. Very fluid. But it looks visually elegant. We wanted to create a sense of wonder.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mudar also got the hand pumps painted in a distinctive yellow. And the Calcutta Electric Supply and the MTNL transformer boxes were painted in the same colours of the pavements. “These two structures stood out,” says Mudar. “Some people told me that this is magically possible, not just in Kolkata but in urban India, as well.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mudar had to get permission from Manisha Bose-Shaw (Trinamool Congress), the municipal councillor of ward 87. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When Manisha listened to what Mudar had to say, she smiled. “No one has tried anything like this before,” she says. “I also had a teeny bit of apprehension. Would it work? But in the end, I extended my support to Mudar.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Two things worked in Mudar’s favour. Manisha had already heard about Mudar. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“We are Facebook friends,” she says. “So, through his posts, I could see the work he had done in various places. I realised he was an out-of-the-box thinker.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Around eight pavements on Dr Sarat Banerjee Road, and Maharaja Nandakumar Road, in the Lake Market area, have been painted. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">After the work was complete, Manisha says, there was a sense of wonder among the residents. “People had never seen a painted pavement before,” she says. “They felt it was beautiful and crazy at the same time.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Manisha organised a music festival, with the support of local cafes like Art Cafe, Spoonful, Bakeandstean, Narumeg and Eva Brew, to celebrate the event. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The cafe owners were ecstatic. The owner of Eva Brew Siddhant Singhania said, “Yes, it has made a big difference to the sales.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Asked whether he had got any sponsors for this, Mudar said there were eleven. And one of the sponsors was Miraj Shah, the Vice Chairman of the Bhawanipur Education Society College. “I have been sponsoring Mudar’s projects for the past eight years,” says Miraj. “The aim is to beautify the city. Mudar is our spearhead for this.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Asked why he chose this particular area, Mudar says, “This neighbourhood was gradually developing a cafe culture. So I hope that with these colourful pavements, more cafes and boutiques will come up. Residents who may think of selling their Art Deco two or three-storey houses to builders might think twice, since now, they would get a decent income from rents. The character of the neighbourhood will be protected. Essentially, this was a heritage preservation exercise.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Some of the other initiatives of Mudar include cleaning up the Santragachi Jheel (lake). He set up an NGO called Kolkata Gives, which mobilised nearly Rs 100 million in cash and kind during the pandemic. He cleaned up the Rabindra Sarobar, a lake/garden/park in South Kolkata, replanted 149 trees, set up water sprinklers, opened an open-air gallery and organised a ‘Live in Lakes’ musical event. Mudar also did the clean-up of Vivekananda Park and Lily Pool. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Asked why he is one of the few educated Indians to have a social sensibility, Mudar says that the middle class has an inside-outside paradox. “That means, they spend lakhs, even crores of rupees to ensure that the inside of their homes look beautiful,” says Mudar. “But if you ask these people to give a Rs 100 donation to clean up the pavements, they will say no.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So who should we blame for this mindset? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mudar says the education, social and family structures are playing their roles. “The middle class has a me, my and mine attitude,” he says. “You have to redefine me and mine. You should have a personal and financial ownership of the city. Your definition of home has to change. It should include the city. You should not blame anybody for civic woes. Solve it yourself. You live in the city and the city should live inside you. Only then will society be transformed.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(Published in The Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)</span></p></span>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-63279412177031990042024-02-25T16:34:00.001+05:302024-02-25T16:34:53.256+05:30Random conversations and convivial moods at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoBPOg44xF1nZbVItz_Y8zwIvUkjjG14IXEqOscbJr4MzMk4CMdQLIYqM-nTnE5c-IH22L112vWSYHFW9KXSSeOoXeO0frJfPK3JTxPsUeT65SDsk5LieCSsiACnM2BNZfvZ5hFyGazehP7MMqiCfag4bskERGAvqdPoFPtb9GvzNunIdw48K0A/s1079/Sabin%20Curator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3357" data-original-width="2102" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANyxsK1NhdXY0HK6mETXrndZ9BLvu24FzwldxR5oD9lbOWBfKIeurVWWF4oXGMohzNfeYYgvmQWqzNNeg_D52skIpt9_CleTpHr0bODVUEfgvYDloJqr2UnDCFRfvfoaQHyFhHBnzlz2G-KbQ4zp-pPzm0QYm3sPIieH1ZOp0G8Sxs-_grKwA_A/w250-h400/Rahul%20Jayaram.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mNwrJlAInOUf_nM9iFbDhCNr1BhjTz2DOoHASfdPGYayuUzMH2DwYgVDm4_ElC9YV78rns3nAEvaQgY6WxOkK1ZxPLgIQiPLeEECOIjfJgz6pMoTrdUwm9K1uIYqyCeLMK8Rn-0qi-6BDGUOoQGL0WgNapGSVNs70x0N-y9x_gU-YrHngdXmCw/s1500/Zeyad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="966" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mNwrJlAInOUf_nM9iFbDhCNr1BhjTz2DOoHASfdPGYayuUzMH2DwYgVDm4_ElC9YV78rns3nAEvaQgY6WxOkK1ZxPLgIQiPLeEECOIjfJgz6pMoTrdUwm9K1uIYqyCeLMK8Rn-0qi-6BDGUOoQGL0WgNapGSVNs70x0N-y9x_gU-YrHngdXmCw/w258-h400/Zeyad.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><b>Captions: Ajay Bisaria/Saba Naqvi (second from right) author Subhash Chandran/Translator AJ Thomas/Manohar Thomas (extreme right) with poet K Satchidanandan (centre) and actor/author Thampy Antony/Journalist Rahul Jayaram</b><br /><br />By Shevlin Sebastian <br /><br />At the author’s lounge at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters at the Kanakakkunnu Palace at Thiruvananthapuram, the ever-smiling curator Sabin Iqbal is interacting with a host of guests. After a while, he sits down to take a breather. Suddenly, he hears a ping tone. When he clicks on the mail, a smile breaks out on his face. <br /><br />It is good news. His Polish publisher has just informed him that the release of his novel, ‘The Cliffhangers’ will take place in March. Sabin will be the first contemporary author from Kerala to have his work translated into Polish. <br /><br />Last year, a few Polish publishers came to attend the festival. They met Sabin. He presented them with their book. They liked it and decided to publish it in their language. <br /><br /><b>Meeting a career diplomat</b><br /><br />At lunch, as authors sat around at several tables and chatted with each other, a man came and sat next to me. He was a tall and lean man. And he used the cutlery in a very delicate way, without making any noise. Perfect manners at the table. After a while, we started talking. He was a retired career diplomat. Ajay Bisaria was the High Commissioner to Pakistan in 2017. In August 2019, the Pakistan government expelled him because of the abrogation of Article 370, which changed the special status of Kashmir. <br /><br />Ajay worked in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), under National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra during the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. According to Wikipedia he attended more than 50 international summits with the Prime Minister as part of his delegation. <br /><br />Ajay had just written a book called, ‘Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic Relationship between India and Pakistan’ (Aleph Publishers).<br /><br />Sitting next to me was the well-known journalist Saba Naqvi. She had come to speak on her book, ‘Saffron Storm – From Vajpayee to Modi’’. I introduced Saba, whom I met at the festival for the first time, to Ajay. <br /><br />He said, “Saba, you don’t recognise me. I used to work in the PMO during Vajpayee’s time.” <br /><br />For a moment, Saba did not recall. Then a light flashed in her eyes and she said, “Oh, of course, of course, I remember you.” <br /><br /><b>Courage despite threats</b><br /><br />Saba Naqvi is perhaps the first Muslim woman journalist to cover the BJP for the past 20 years. The former political editor of Outlook Magazine now writes for a host of newspapers and is a commentator on television. Owing to her forthright reporting, Saba has received a lot of threats and has been subjected to online bullying by right-wing followers. This has taken an emotional and psychological toll. <br /><br />At the session at the festival, moderated by senior journalist B. Sreejan, Saba had to carefully choose the words she spoke, knowing any slip-up in meaning could cause an army of trolls to attack her. But despite this never-ending pressure, her answers were forthright and bold. And she provided an interesting insight. “You must know that Narendra Modi is having a fun time,” she said. “Posing for selfies, dressing well, standing on scenic beaches, and travelling everywhere. He is a 24/7 politician.” <br /><br />At the bookstore, a couple of hours after her session, Saba heard the good news that all her books had been sold out. <br /><br /><b>Waiting for the muse</b><br /><br />I went up to Subhash Chandran, one of Kerala’s preeminent writers, and said, “Sir, I have not read any of your works.”<br /><br />Before Subhash could get offended, I said, “I don’t know how to read Malayalam as I grew up in Kolkata.” <br /><br />Subhash smiled as I said, “Sir, when you write, do you depend on the unconscious?” <br /><br />“Yes, absolutely,” said Subhash. “Creative inspiration always comes from the unconscious mind. I wait for it to happen. That is one reason my productivity is low, as compared to others.” <br /><br />The multiple award-winning author has published around ten books so far. <br /><br />Subhash said that being the editor of the weekly literary magazine ‘Azhchappathippu’, of the Mathrubhumi newspaper, takes a lot of his time.<br /><br />He then spoke about P. Rajeev, the state minister for industries, law and coir. Rajeev moderated a discussion of Subhash’s book at the festival. Subhash expressed his admiration for Rajeev’s insightful knowledge of his literary works. <br /><br /><b>Escape from Libya</b><br /><br />AJ Thomas is basking in the success of the well-received book he had translated into English titled, ‘The Greatest Malayalam Stories Ever Told’ (Aleph). But during a conversation, at the Kanakakunnu Palace, he spoke at length about the harried time he experienced in Libya, a few years ago. <br /><br />At that time, he was teaching English at the Garyounis University (later Benghazi University). Thomas was on leave from the Sahitya Akademi, in the post of Editor, Indian Literature. <br /><br />At the beginning of the revolution, against the ruler Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in February 2011, Thomas was evacuated along with his colleagues from Benghazi port by ship to Alexandria. From there, he was flown to Delhi by the Indian Embassy. He resumed the editorship of Indian Literature.<br /><br />On October 20, 2011, Gaddafi was shot dead. The country descended into chaos. However, an interim unity government was set up in January 2012. At the university’s insistence, Thomas returned on January 4, 2012. Unfortunately, the unity government collapsed in April 2013. <br /><br />Ansal al Sharia, an extremist Islamist organisation unleashed jihad in the country, followed by ISIS. A few months later, they suddenly targeted foreign passport holders with Christian names. Sensing imminent danger, in mid-December, 2014, Thomas and a colleague, travelled 400 kilometres through backroads and escaped through an airport close to the border with Egypt and flew back to Delhi. Within a week, 33 Egyptian Coptic Christians were beheaded by ISIS. “It was a close shave for us,” he said. Altogether Thomas spent six years in Libya. <br /><br />Thomas also spoke about a Kerala-based friend, and former colleague from his Sahitya Akademi days in Delhi, whose health had broken down. “I am going to meet him soon,” he said. “It will be very sad to see him like this. I have spent a lot of good moments with him.” <br /><br />Thomas falls silent as he realises that no one can stop the passage of time and the damaging effect it can have on one’s health and mental equilibrium.<br /><br /><b>A US-based Malayali author</b><br /><br />Manohar Thomas wears an eye-catching yellow shirt. He is a past president of the Literary Association of North America. This is an organisation that comprises writers of Malayali origin who have migrated to North America. Their aim is to promote Malayalam literature on a global scale. He is the founder of ‘Sargavedy’, an organisation for Malayalam language and literature in New York. <br /><br />“The problem for us is that the second generation of Malayalis in America do not know how to read in Malayalam,” he says. “It is a big loss for our culture. But that is the price you pay for immigration.” <br /><br />Manohar is a published author. But to earn a living, he sells wine in New York. To guarantee that he buys the best French, Australian, and Italian wines he has to taste it. To ensure that his tongue remains sensitive, he has had to eschew Indian food with its wide variety of spices. So, Manohar has bland food all the time. That’s the price he has to pay to have a successful business. <br /><br /><b>Wrong identification </b><br /><br />Sipping a cup of tea was Rahul Jayaram, wearing a colourful Nepali Topi. Rahul is a teacher, freelance journalist and bibliophile. He held a copy of ‘City on Fire: A boyhood in Aligarh’. I only saw the book in Rahul’s hand, rushed towards him, shook his hand, as I kept staring at the cover, and said, “I have not read the book yet, but I read the reviews. They are all great. Congratulations.” <br /><br />Rahul smiled and said, in a formal manner, “I am not Zeyad Masroor Khan. I am the moderator for the discussion. Zeyad will come soon.” <br /><br />“Oh, oh,” I said, finally looking up at Rahul. <br /><br />I had to burst out laughing. Rahul is a friend. <br /><br />“That’s so funny,” I said. <br /><br />It was Rahul’s turn to laugh. <p></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-89113062952980838632024-02-22T12:25:00.000+05:302024-02-22T12:25:14.364+05:30Some pics from the Mathrubhumi international literary festival <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkYeO7o5BC3NErtFiViWQeNuEZjPjqAnVWJxFA9_sJq0twiDmGFOrOxhqF8w99blMdZiIAH7zDTGbuRJr1d-ywhEMleUpEFFD_XbrsMLGXqlrU5oV_B7mKhnAYeA02XDuXWdVog-bVnjD2IpiJ71X4Eo9stlX6sWx-Jpck6etKdrsYHS12GAbkg/s1377/Chacko%20Simon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkYeO7o5BC3NErtFiViWQeNuEZjPjqAnVWJxFA9_sJq0twiDmGFOrOxhqF8w99blMdZiIAH7zDTGbuRJr1d-ywhEMleUpEFFD_XbrsMLGXqlrU5oV_B7mKhnAYeA02XDuXWdVog-bVnjD2IpiJ71X4Eo9stlX6sWx-Jpck6etKdrsYHS12GAbkg/w314-h400/Chacko%20Simon.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuk_3BzrvczM3PFbV0m4G71gvw0kggU0qGh9vujg-0P4KNzKUWuLeIGWbBBEmuyOKDpEv81BjRJrcTV1ADQEw_34cwW2ohLF43BSNgiJhZzNp9-f4FfZdaPnxbtQE-TsT17G9oGabYZLQl6eA0OoZmCEJiofh2kxMx3j6HemM_AmScBASo1ujZ6w/s1805/Head%20shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuk_3BzrvczM3PFbV0m4G71gvw0kggU0qGh9vujg-0P4KNzKUWuLeIGWbBBEmuyOKDpEv81BjRJrcTV1ADQEw_34cwW2ohLF43BSNgiJhZzNp9-f4FfZdaPnxbtQE-TsT17G9oGabYZLQl6eA0OoZmCEJiofh2kxMx3j6HemM_AmScBASo1ujZ6w/w239-h400/Head%20shot.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BHosDxm_I_v9Pu_zQQnbkw9CmC5k5Nw2Gw7rqclFAveBbcM6KPFXelSOft-Ae4ERreK8XGWtM9O_peoG51U8umBjRdxqyLJIQeL13nNPhPSobEBS99oztjqqRTNc4aUlT2MQ7cLG1v70bgc-tCEkGJux9-defUx0QTP4LsO7lSl-VCWBNz7Nbw/s1080/Shaheena%20and%20Kunal1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BHosDxm_I_v9Pu_zQQnbkw9CmC5k5Nw2Gw7rqclFAveBbcM6KPFXelSOft-Ae4ERreK8XGWtM9O_peoG51U8umBjRdxqyLJIQeL13nNPhPSobEBS99oztjqqRTNc4aUlT2MQ7cLG1v70bgc-tCEkGJux9-defUx0QTP4LsO7lSl-VCWBNz7Nbw/w400-h300/Shaheena%20and%20Kunal1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Pic 1: <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chacko Simon is a lawyer based in Kottayam. He told me that he had a library of 800 books, out of which 50 are author-inscribed. I was glad to sign my book for him</span><p></p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">
Pic 2: Standing beneath my own head. Photo by Ratheesh Sundaram
Pic 3: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">With authors Kunal Purohit and Shahina K Rafeeq</span>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-17990573982965897632024-02-19T12:01:00.001+05:302024-02-19T12:01:22.123+05:30Many thanks to Mathrubhumi newspaper for this article<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOjtPLV2ukYTmHisMn1aeeD8Iq2QgtKhP0v8ZODd7iNQelkA08-MrgNOKKO4rP_I_Z97a6bcWAA97DcJHOJ6EmvP2TAkOXf_bVr1df52XGClwD8EpMAnShHEDztjCMTOxSYefzMcwAuWCpw69CwDL24u40K2NUzQznAZJN_YiLhNTgNvE1kyQEg/s1230/Mathrubhumi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOjtPLV2ukYTmHisMn1aeeD8Iq2QgtKhP0v8ZODd7iNQelkA08-MrgNOKKO4rP_I_Z97a6bcWAA97DcJHOJ6EmvP2TAkOXf_bVr1df52XGClwD8EpMAnShHEDztjCMTOxSYefzMcwAuWCpw69CwDL24u40K2NUzQznAZJN_YiLhNTgNvE1kyQEg/w562-h640/Mathrubhumi.jpg" width="562" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-30633653182956800522024-02-18T12:07:00.000+05:302024-02-18T12:07:14.256+05:30What happens after we die<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi_ZehnKxeLWMKd_p-CsRsDi9WCCy_ypbzOVOZBrPPzZDVxOzEQNW4Tn_Ibc321IvAc1kv5gOczlthihU77UhGDcS8o38oVkWWdytkTN5fbPtCbBmdRmJbr8vRpzSS7zV3EUaIMqAJ7_0KadvxVRSQBG17Py-mkq544VR70SEs-Vyi_dpBodkYw/s640/Book%20Cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="415" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi_ZehnKxeLWMKd_p-CsRsDi9WCCy_ypbzOVOZBrPPzZDVxOzEQNW4Tn_Ibc321IvAc1kv5gOczlthihU77UhGDcS8o38oVkWWdytkTN5fbPtCbBmdRmJbr8vRpzSS7zV3EUaIMqAJ7_0KadvxVRSQBG17Py-mkq544VR70SEs-Vyi_dpBodkYw/w260-h400/Book%20Cover.jpeg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgdz4lczHRjjltSpwumZwOkjnwvno9NVulYo6p4lQxWiS0bhrE0E858_Vrbwtsz-trUHnFlhJgJQ31o2pYJlc2VMSoFYwooaOIrhzZ33C1JnUiuPi7N0PBESC_-1M6qbbMYlTi6Wl-FDDwokQ-nqXL43BzWGdRB-AZ0m0U1ngwpn0MiS6JINynw/s600/Minakshi%205_1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgdz4lczHRjjltSpwumZwOkjnwvno9NVulYo6p4lQxWiS0bhrE0E858_Vrbwtsz-trUHnFlhJgJQ31o2pYJlc2VMSoFYwooaOIrhzZ33C1JnUiuPi7N0PBESC_-1M6qbbMYlTi6Wl-FDDwokQ-nqXL43BzWGdRB-AZ0m0U1ngwpn0MiS6JINynw/s320/Minakshi%205_1.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKpLVpWYakGGOTykgm4Hz6prRSNNUOtzpyxWiqN8Xim7g_JbVpHCFFeyJzgcDKD1FY1PesFd5ghlj4Qn5hGeA7mv8AwVUq-QZCHalpZq1gwVod31pRhimOxXS5SP6qvbiBlifpjUncsECacKzotEh7ntvbobubUicheOtbUvbotmwavgj9ZS3Iw/s946/Chinvat%20Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKpLVpWYakGGOTykgm4Hz6prRSNNUOtzpyxWiqN8Xim7g_JbVpHCFFeyJzgcDKD1FY1PesFd5ghlj4Qn5hGeA7mv8AwVUq-QZCHalpZq1gwVod31pRhimOxXS5SP6qvbiBlifpjUncsECacKzotEh7ntvbobubUicheOtbUvbotmwavgj9ZS3Iw/w305-h400/Chinvat%20Bridge.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Photos: Author Minakshi Dewan; the Chinvat Bridge</b></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Author Minakshi Dewan’s book ‘The Final Farewell — Understanding the Last Rites and Rituals of India’s Major Faiths’ provides meaning and understanding. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">By Shevlin Sebastian </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Writer Minakshi Dewan was very close to her father, Vijay Dewan, an entrepreneur. He lived in Ambala Cantonment, in Haryana. But in 2019, because of liver sclerosis, Vijay passed away. His death came as a shock to Minakshi.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">She lit the funeral pyre and immersed her father’s ashes in the Ganges at Haridwar. During this time, she conversed with the purohits and became fascinated by the rituals at the end of life. That’s when she got the idea of writing a book. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">She began her research by visiting shamshans and kabristans in Delhi. Minakshi also went to the Harishchandra and Manikarnika ghats at Varanasi. She read articles, newspaper clips, books and watched films. She interviewed journalists, activists, funeral directors, academicians, and filmmakers, among many others. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The recently published book is called ‘The Final Farewell: Understanding the last rites and rituals of India’s Major Faiths’. Minakshi has gone deep into the last rites in Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Sikhism.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It is a valuable book because it gives followers of each religion an insight into the meanings behind their rituals, which they tend to do mechanically.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One also gets an idea of the rituals of other religions. The book creates empathy and understanding in the reader for people of other religions, especially at a time of grave polarisation all over the world.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">So, for example, the washing of a Muslim man begins on the right side. The first wash is usually with plain water, the second with water and soap, and the final one is usually with water and camphor. The Islamic tradition is to wrap the corpse with three unstitched cloth pieces: an izar (wraparound), a qamis (shift) and a lifafa, which covers the entire body from head to feet. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Minakshi has also focused on Hindu and Sikh women performing the last rites. She spoke to Dr Manisha Shete, a Hindu priest, practising for the past fifteen years. Manisha said, “I pursued this work because of my interest in ancient scriptures. I am the first in my family to become a priest.” Manisha is associated with the Pune-based Jnana Prabodhini, an organisation which trains men and women across castes to perform rituals. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Minakshi has also described the state of cremation and burial spaces, the gender and caste discrimination in last rites, and professional mourners like rudaalis. An interesting chapter is about Varanasi. “Varanasi celebrates death,” writes Minakshi. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Each religion has its own beliefs about what happens after death. In Zoroastrianism, for example, the Parsis believe humans comprise gaetha (physical) and mainyu (spiritual). Humans have an immortal urvan (soul). The soul remains near the body for three days and nights before departing. On the fourth day, the sun's rays draw up the soul for judgement. It has to cross the Chinvat Bridge. The bridge becomes wider or narrower, depending on the life the person led. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">‘The Final Farewell’ is a most remarkable and valuable addition to spiritual literature.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">(Published in The Sunday Magazine, New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)</div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-18300834284512078472024-02-15T14:32:00.005+05:302024-02-15T14:32:52.020+05:30Enlarging a dream fragment<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmZZA80t4j02h7p0poFeZ0nl7T0Nf9UZjiRCoEkNsh3fNQwfmJg3b45x8N9QenSKep4s7XNu2X3UIqZ6SW-DCS8OvkOjpQ9oIoXdY_cv9fPlMJZLlOEYWlvF0S50ye2BmK4Xx0dttK94SR17IDnJeSbu96-DN7weLs_G8v-P5vKLAFp_o7xvPHw/s2048/Bluebird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="2048" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmZZA80t4j02h7p0poFeZ0nl7T0Nf9UZjiRCoEkNsh3fNQwfmJg3b45x8N9QenSKep4s7XNu2X3UIqZ6SW-DCS8OvkOjpQ9oIoXdY_cv9fPlMJZLlOEYWlvF0S50ye2BmK4Xx0dttK94SR17IDnJeSbu96-DN7weLs_G8v-P5vKLAFp_o7xvPHw/w400-h268/Bluebird.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">By Shevlin
Sebastian</span><p></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When I awoke
on a recent morning, I saw an image of me standing on a sidewalk and staring at
a movie hall on the opposite side.</span></em><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I expanded
on the image later in the day.</span></em><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">This was
what I wrote:</span></em><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I am standing on
a pavement. Opposite me, there is a huge billboard which is advertising a film.
The movie hall is behind it. I stare at the board. People are walking past,
left to right, right to left. Cars are also going past.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A man walks down
the street. He wears a white suit and white shoes. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. He
stops in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I say, “Who are
you?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He turns to look
at me. Slight stubble on his upper lip. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I am the hero
of this film,” he says, pointing at the billboard. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“And your name?”
I ask. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Chris Jones,”
he replies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You came to see
the audience's reaction?” I say. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Exactly,” he
says. “Do you want to see it?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Sure, why not,
if you are buying the ticket?” I say. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chris grins and
says, “Sure, of course.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We cross the
street. He buys the tickets at the counter. We enter the foyer and climb the
steps to the first floor. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As we stand
outside the door of the hall, I say, “Is there time for a chat?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chris looks at
his watch. Then he nods and says, “About two minutes.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I ask about his
life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chris is
originally from Burbank, California. His father was a chef, his mother a
teacher. They did not discourage him when he said he wanted to be an
actor. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Just see that
you have a talent for acting,” his father Eddie said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“And do you?” I
say. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chris
smiles. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Not major
league,” he says. “So far, it’s second tier.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Very honest,” I
say, as I pat his arm in appreciation and add, “Why have you come into my
dream?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chris narrows his
eyes and says, “I didn’t know I am in a dream.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Yes, you are,”
I say. “Mine.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chris stares at
me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I don’t know
why I have come,” he says. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Maybe you
represent an archetype,” I say. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What does that
mean?” he says. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Never mind,” I
say. “Let’s enjoy the movie.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When Chris sits,
his knees almost hit the head of the person sitting in front of him. ‘Wow, long
legs,’ I think. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We watch
silently. There is not much of a crowd. Or a crowd reaction. People remain
quiet throughout. No claps or standing ovations. Occasionally, Chris looks
around. Then he rubs his hand through his hair in slow motion. I know he is not
feeling good. I see him look once or twice at the ceiling. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When the movie
gets over, we walk out silently. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the road, he
turns to look at me and said, “So what do you think?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I know I have to
be diplomatic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“It’s okay,” I
said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He knows I have
been polite. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Let’s have
something,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We walk into a
cafe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He orders a café
au lait and cookies. I do the same. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We look at each
other. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I am sorry,” I
said. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Yeah, the film
is not doing well,” he said. “They will yank it after the last show on
Thursday.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I nod. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Hits and
misses,” he said. “That’s what life is all about. You may have a hit by meeting
the right woman who becomes your wife, but your film can be a flop.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We laugh
spontaneously. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Well said,” I
reply. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Thank you,” he
said, as he takes a sip of his coffee. I also sip from my cup. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I reach out and
shake his hand. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Look, it’s time
for me to get up,” I said. “I have to bring this dream to an end. Morning
chores await me. Buying milk, reading the newspaper, making breakfast.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">He nods, “Okay,
it was nice to have met you.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">We shake hands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I open my eyes
and get out of bed.</span></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-59536422901306952272024-02-04T16:08:00.005+05:302024-02-04T16:08:51.313+05:30Interview/Prahlad Kakar: "Story-telling is at the heart of all communication"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhxpdNxtEwFNZDfUmE9SEPSI8lGC8ctsZvhRrr0By9omW2e090dJZGZjk37ih1lBiHXrJ5t0DuNtirZ4F1blFGJQ82b-CGBj8JFn4xoq6WH3kbSBUXwJXWpjWkavhja3CPe5qNsiqdIUMgaz18DNknJ3bVrv5UNKEds2IpEZJ6K-CLlM_JH82QQ/s6048/DSC_9869C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4024" data-original-width="6048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhxpdNxtEwFNZDfUmE9SEPSI8lGC8ctsZvhRrr0By9omW2e090dJZGZjk37ih1lBiHXrJ5t0DuNtirZ4F1blFGJQ82b-CGBj8JFn4xoq6WH3kbSBUXwJXWpjWkavhja3CPe5qNsiqdIUMgaz18DNknJ3bVrv5UNKEds2IpEZJ6K-CLlM_JH82QQ/w400-h266/DSC_9869C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Was it your wife Mitali who urged you to write this memoir?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Yes, Mitali did so. Since I was always recounting stories about my career, she asked me to write it all down in a book. Initially, I was pretending to be busy or just lazy. Then, to make it easy, I dictated my thoughts into a dictaphone. When I saw the transcript, it was repetitive, and flabby. The thought process has to be clear. The writing did not capture my voice. So I decided to write it. Since I cannot type, I wrote by hand. My grammar and spelling were atrocious. It took me two years. [Co-Author] Rupangi [Sharma] sat with me and oversaw the whole thing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">After 40 years in advertising, what is the most striking change you have noticed?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">The big change is that we have become digitalised. From films, we went to digital and from there to social media. Today, social media is the playing field of young people. From 18 to 30 or 25 to 40, they are all on social media. Young people are consuming social media at a tremendous rate.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">But is there a problem with retention?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Yes, absolutely. Their attention levels are going down. Because of this, the advertisements have to be better and better. Unfortunately, the ads are getting worse and worse. Young ad film-makers today have no story-telling skills. They don’t fantasise or daydream any more. If you don’t read books, you lose the capacity to imagine. So, they are rehashing old ideas. The most important point they should note is that story-telling is at the heart of all communication.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">You have interacted with many celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar. What do they have in common?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">They are all focused. They have a drive to compete, but against themselves. When Sachin gets out in a particular way, he goes home, studies the videos, corrects the mistake, and practises endlessly. You can never get him out the same way again. They have great personalities. All of them are humble, because they suffered from failures before they achieved success. Success makes you arrogant. Failure teaches you humility. Life is full of ups and downs. But they never gave up. They have been resilient and determined.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">You have a passion for scuba diving. What are its pleasures?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">The world on the seabed has been created by God. It is perfect and pristine. But now the excessive plastic in the oceans is doing grave damage. But there are areas which exist in the way God had designed it. When you see such beauty, you have a meditative and religious feeling. The earth was probably as beautiful as the ocean. But then man came and destroyed everything. Now there is climate change and global warming. We are ignoring it. One day, nature will cause a big catastrophe to happen that will wipe out most of the people.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">You have been a ladies’ man. But now you have been married for 40 years. What are the tips for a successful marriage?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">You should give each other space. And the spouse should have the opportunity to grow to her full potential. You should not curb or monitor your spouse. A wife should be successful in her own right. A good marriage is not competitive. Don’t take her for granted. You must court your wife like you used to before your marriage. Make tea and take it to the bed for her. Of course, she will say, “What’s wrong with you?” Then you reply, “Just chooma.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Published in The Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi</span></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-65304389552272913472024-02-04T15:30:00.000+05:302024-02-04T15:30:25.325+05:30A rambunctious ride <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE4zeFc0f_Vm1BwaannjpXo40VAtzfZhP-VYlDnyFQcd_tFmO1KxEdmN5agZwIz-OrNRbIBHkgY7BbwIFHEsyHjKelo5x2lwWZQFCK3LMyJ8uls5lfSUuqnEWmMxEZXAw2vEFFbdZV8l4HHRGJZdTqtlnJJWlYvWO7V8B-z_RC26pmZQzDKCKRg/s2785/Front%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2785" data-original-width="1848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE4zeFc0f_Vm1BwaannjpXo40VAtzfZhP-VYlDnyFQcd_tFmO1KxEdmN5agZwIz-OrNRbIBHkgY7BbwIFHEsyHjKelo5x2lwWZQFCK3LMyJ8uls5lfSUuqnEWmMxEZXAw2vEFFbdZV8l4HHRGJZdTqtlnJJWlYvWO7V8B-z_RC26pmZQzDKCKRg/w265-h400/Front%20Cover.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGvmvZOBAEbTBPHe-BhqOezdXh04pW5FDIbVEn5U1CMvEppiVgb9IK1FGGfj4WfUhlN_Zy_TePHa_3xLgPGyMxfWjd3kznu2V21b8cHlvNfJ86N1l5ZyNjeXgOCbgdRA0grJBSu4elAyu07j0sfMRoja50JG57vmFMPskMkkkKrzB52q-StsIJg/s6048/DSC_9766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6048" data-original-width="4024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGvmvZOBAEbTBPHe-BhqOezdXh04pW5FDIbVEn5U1CMvEppiVgb9IK1FGGfj4WfUhlN_Zy_TePHa_3xLgPGyMxfWjd3kznu2V21b8cHlvNfJ86N1l5ZyNjeXgOCbgdRA0grJBSu4elAyu07j0sfMRoja50JG57vmFMPskMkkkKrzB52q-StsIJg/w266-h400/DSC_9766.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After four decades in advertising, Prahlad Kakar has a lot to tell in this absorbing autobiography </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">By Shevlin Sebastian </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Advertising legend Prahlad Kakar’s autobiography, ‘Adman Madman’, co-written with editor Rupangi Sharma, begins with a laugh-out loud anecdote. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">He is admitted into a kindergarten school called Kumkum on Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Prahlad became friends with Naveen, a fair and good looking boy. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The school owner’s daughter, Kumkum had eyes for Naveen. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Prahlad and Naveen used to sneak into a hidey-hole in the tall hedges. One day Kumkum discovered it. She asked to be a member. They resisted. She said she would inform her mother. So, the boys relented. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One day, Kumkum said, “If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine.” Naveen lowered his shorts and underwear. As Prahlad writes, ‘She stared at his pinkish nunu for some time.’ Then Prahlad was forced to show his. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sometime later, the boys were summoned to the principal’s office. They saw Kumkum stamping her feet and saying, “I want a nalki.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“What nalki, baby?” said the principal. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“A nalki like Naveen’s and Prahlad’s,” she said. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“How do you know they have a nalki?” “They showed me. Now I also want.” So, no surprises, both the boys were expelled from the school. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">This is Prahlad’s conclusion to the story: ‘Nobody told her that when she grew up, she could have her own collection of nalkis’. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And the reader is off and running as he reads one of the most absorbing autobiographies in recent times. It is a linear story: from school (St Thomas, Dehradun, and Sainik School, Karnal) to college (Ferguson’s College, Pune) to an advertising career which began in 1971. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Prahlad joined Advertising and Sales Promotion Company and worked under acclaimed film director Shyam Benegal. He also assisted in Benegal’s landmark films, Ankur’, ‘Manthan’ and ‘Bhumika’. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">This is a must-read for anybody in the advertising industry. You can get an idea of what happened behind the scenes for those iconic Pepsi ads, like ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’, and ‘Nothing Official about it’, which starred Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh, Amitabh Bachchan and the others. There is a QR code on the back flap, which if you scan, you can see most of Prahlad’s creative work. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">You can read the story of how Prahlad’s colleague, Monia Sehgal, at Genesis Film Production, rooted to give an unknown Aishwarya Rai a break. Prahlad was initially not too impressed. But he has been a most impressive mentor with many going on to have stellar careers in the media. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Prakash also talks about his romantic liaisons, his love for scuba diving, and the bakra he made of Cyrus Broacha during a shoot. This adman is indeed a madman. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Published in The Sunday Magazine of the New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)</div></div><p> </p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-25413847336998452102024-02-04T15:04:00.000+05:302024-02-04T15:04:16.223+05:30Leading the charge <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYqHvXq0v1B3hkqtglM343AXwF5i9eZUcg90zGPsFW15muYZRAnj7Jp3U3MQ-ViNRk-ImusGjxb3dAQBoz9n2rishgnpNx20JeXFlngM1gz9B0YVW2sBFy67ss5l_EKp_7HGn5l7_tMhyphenhyphen_61k846mgSkt2KMKi8kTOzedPjbt8WqbIngzcKbUWA/s4032/From%20Left%20Sreeram,%20Sanid%20Asif%20Ali%20%20and%20Tony%20Davis3.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYqHvXq0v1B3hkqtglM343AXwF5i9eZUcg90zGPsFW15muYZRAnj7Jp3U3MQ-ViNRk-ImusGjxb3dAQBoz9n2rishgnpNx20JeXFlngM1gz9B0YVW2sBFy67ss5l_EKp_7HGn5l7_tMhyphenhyphen_61k846mgSkt2KMKi8kTOzedPjbt8WqbIngzcKbUWA/w400-h300/From%20Left%20Sreeram,%20Sanid%20Asif%20Ali%20%20and%20Tony%20Davis3.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAR3DwgEfguhpJu8R7w6N0O20oDLWSDuMA4v0CAAj5lDTM5CBoDv_JS2emnVE2o8nQtKbA28q7wA0fCQesL9DtkJaHnsI6y_SBGWm-QwUC3xxgmoxbXtS1eqhZQ9oQDCqP_sJGkPkDRdNHNUd1An0ZUMdNEgNUaghqH1DTPnVXnkxz0U8Gb4pyOg/s1084/Gustoso.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAR3DwgEfguhpJu8R7w6N0O20oDLWSDuMA4v0CAAj5lDTM5CBoDv_JS2emnVE2o8nQtKbA28q7wA0fCQesL9DtkJaHnsI6y_SBGWm-QwUC3xxgmoxbXtS1eqhZQ9oQDCqP_sJGkPkDRdNHNUd1An0ZUMdNEgNUaghqH1DTPnVXnkxz0U8Gb4pyOg/w285-h400/Gustoso.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>Photos: (from left) Sreeram KV, Sanid Asif Ali and Tony Davis; Gustoso the comic<br /></b><br />Three young comic enthusiasts are spearheading a comics culture in Kerala<br /><br />By Shevlin Sebastian <br /><br />One morning, a few years ago, Sanid Asif Ali was driving to work in the suburb of Kakkanad, near Kochi. As the IT professional went past several high-rise buildings, he came across the Brahmapuram waste dumping site. Suddenly, he wondered, ‘What if a few animals were living there?’ <br /><br />That night, he went home and did a story about a cat named Beardo. He came across an empty packet of Italian-make Gustoso! biscuits at a garbage dump. Beardo showed it to his friends, a dog, Skinny, and a crow. The last owner of the cat had fed one to him before he died. It was one of the tastiest biscuits Beardo had eaten. So the trio went in search of these biscuits at the home of human beings in a nearby building. <br /><br />The four-chapter comic discussed hunger, cruelty to animals, abandonment and the excessive garbage produced by human beings. It was uploaded on the tinkle.in website, in June 2020.<br /><br />Sanid used to draw doodles from his childhood. He fell in love with comics when he came across his cousin Baijukka’s collection of Tintin comics. At eight, he started drawing comic strips. He continued throughout his teenage years. <br /><br />When he grew up, Sanid began putting up single panel cartoons on Facebook. But a desire lurked in him to do a long-form comic. “I achieved it with ‘Gustoso!’” he says, with a smile. “It was a turning point in my life.” Some of his other books include ‘Krishnavanam’, ‘Hope on’ and ‘Cat needs a friend’. <br /><br />Sanid met the wider comic community when he took part in the Indie Comix Fest (ICF) at Kochi in 2018. It was at this fest that Sanid met Sreeram KV. Sreeram was a writer who was interested in comics. <br /><br />Through an Instagram post, Sanid also came to know that a filmmaker named Tony Davis ran a comics library at Kochi. So Sanid went to see the library. <br /><br />There were Indian and international comics like Manga (from Japan), Archies, Mandrake, Asterix, Phantom, and old Malayalam comics. Sanid became a regular borrower. Sreeram also used to borrow comics from the library. <br /><br />The three became friends. Tony and Sreeram collaborated to bring out an eight-part comic documentary, ‘Katha Vara Kathakal’, about the evolution of comics in Malayalam, from the 1970s to the present. It was released on YouTube in September, 2020. <br /><br />The film focused on Kannadi Vishwanathan, the creator of ‘CID Moosa’ comics, Jacob Varghese, publisher of ‘Regal comics’, R Gopalakrishnan, former editor of children’s magazine, ‘Poompatta’, Abdul Hameed, creator of ‘Inspector Prakash comics’, and George Mathen, graphic novelist, ‘HalaHala’ series, among many others. <br /><br />In 2019, the Comic Collective had conducted the ICF. But the organisers were involved not only in comics but movies too. <br /><br />Tony told Sreeram and Sanid that they should have a dedicated community only for comics. “Comic creators and enthusiasts should join forces together,” says Tony. So, the trio organised the ICF in December, 2022. This became a success. <br /><br />A year later, on December 17, 2023, the fourth edition took place. <br /><br />Asked about the themes explored in the comics, Sanid says, “There are social and mythological themes. The artists spoke about their self-doubt and anxieties, the pains of childhood and an uncertain future, because of climate change. An 11-year-old boy brought along a superhero comic.” A Mumbai-based group called Urban Collective explored the concept of space in the financial capital. <br /><br />Many had brought self-published works. A few comics were brought out by small publishers like Studio Niyet, Bakarmax, Kokaachi, and Blaft. <br /><br />For the illustrators, one drawback was the high cost of printing. Big publishers have bulk print runs, which reduces the cost per unit. “However, it is difficult to get a mainstream publisher,” says Sreeram. <br /><br />But a major publisher, HarperCollins, brought out a graphic novel about addiction called ‘Pig Flip’ by Malayali author Joshy Benedict in December, 2023. When it was originally published in Malayalam, it had received a lot of attention. <br /><br />For most comic book authors, they have to self-publish. “Hence the prices of the books are high,” says Sreeram. <br /><br />One artist, Kalyani B, whose book, ‘Matinee’, cost Rs 500 to print, was compelled to sell it at Rs 850. Still there were good sales. <br /><br />It is about five women in a hostel in Thiruvananthapuram in the 1990s. They went to watch an adult Malayalam movie called ‘Rathinirvedam’ (Adolescent Desire). This was based on her mother’s experiences. Kalyani adapted it into a comic book. <br /><br />On the morning of the fest, the organisers honoured veteran artist M Mohandas by presenting him with a memento. They also made a caricature of him surrounded by well-known characters like Ramu, Shyamu, Kapish, Mayavi, and Luttappi. He had drawn them mostly for Amar Chitra Katha comics. “Mohandas Sir had drawn these characters for over 50 years,” says Sreeram. <br /><br />As for the composition of the crowd who attended, Tony says, they were mostly young people. But this year, for the first time, there was an older section who came in, including people from the film industry. Ganesh Raj, who directed the hit film ‘Anandam’ (2016) was one of them. Another was playback singer Sachin Warrier. <br /><br />Asked whether there is a growing comic culture in Kochi, Tony agrees. Many books are being published, including those for children. There is readership for each age group. <br /><br />Local participation is also improving, he said. Out of 46 illustrators, who took part in the recent fest, more than half were from Kerala. The rest came from Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. “To expand the community, we encourage beginners a lot,” he says. “So, there is no screening. If you have made a comic, you can take part.” <br /><br />As to the finances to conduct the fest, the trio depended on the Rs 700 registration fee they charged. They also got a sponsor, Lilo Rosh, a company which makes bags and sketchbooks for artists. Because it is volunteer-driven, they could keep the expenses low. “We are not making a profit,” says Sreeram. “Everybody is in this together. We want everybody to own the fest.” <br /><br />(Published in the Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India)Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-10838994709083319792024-01-14T15:33:00.004+05:302024-01-14T15:33:55.325+05:30 The Hungry Tides <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAtI-RvlRa8Hd3LAFaaU6kL5hY_Y3xK7rWxe0imvy2vUF88_NfDdZZSE5iUxyOf3u_5i0TN1u9WD3CFWRty_xi_S53S26gzMNg6OtNcTe6YrmmNakquccxsAhKzFE7W7KW6YQQCTfJXlOuWPpu9OCiek9Yxz3etd9QC4KTVBt1K5ol4XJ-HTmaQ/s3000/George%20Vadakkepparambil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAtI-RvlRa8Hd3LAFaaU6kL5hY_Y3xK7rWxe0imvy2vUF88_NfDdZZSE5iUxyOf3u_5i0TN1u9WD3CFWRty_xi_S53S26gzMNg6OtNcTe6YrmmNakquccxsAhKzFE7W7KW6YQQCTfJXlOuWPpu9OCiek9Yxz3etd9QC4KTVBt1K5ol4XJ-HTmaQ/w400-h300/George%20Vadakkepparambil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-O2k1ksvB2FZiwT1Ttp3GAMNYFD0k_f_ieBa0XX3fzcIcFjvt9pP8yLPZLqKxxL7rRa_5H8n53p8j7wDLiTCOvOQMPhOJxtDoqEaXa6MxB1Ntzhon86dM7wo7fx4tNz4RY3p5HgatbFv_1ST96YMy9mT1KvC2oUxU85dCdvIAe0Wc5_pN2A-B-w/s4055/Alphonsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3042" data-original-width="4055" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-O2k1ksvB2FZiwT1Ttp3GAMNYFD0k_f_ieBa0XX3fzcIcFjvt9pP8yLPZLqKxxL7rRa_5H8n53p8j7wDLiTCOvOQMPhOJxtDoqEaXa6MxB1Ntzhon86dM7wo7fx4tNz4RY3p5HgatbFv_1ST96YMy9mT1KvC2oUxU85dCdvIAe0Wc5_pN2A-B-w/w400-h300/Alphonsa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKRIqpZrkZ0C-reuWUu69WvJocxP-gR36nzczFLhJYmDP2axUsQUqBcVpm7szaBRwLqjRic8BLi69aJ9zSCAYd0G5BoDSuTrVWRQvrlY8PhvjULJFN6IiZLnWh6vobgpV7Wn_4V7T-s7eO868JjcmZZQZW9i4ZzToGjgm9BI0MEB6woaUeyBatQ/s3000/Raja%20Antony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKRIqpZrkZ0C-reuWUu69WvJocxP-gR36nzczFLhJYmDP2axUsQUqBcVpm7szaBRwLqjRic8BLi69aJ9zSCAYd0G5BoDSuTrVWRQvrlY8PhvjULJFN6IiZLnWh6vobgpV7Wn_4V7T-s7eO868JjcmZZQZW9i4ZzToGjgm9BI0MEB6woaUeyBatQ/w400-h300/Raja%20Antony.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGXkNBjQcNzRPscATahdVDi56KdShSnINnTmRoM0jzUhtSuDZufWIBQht-gkdIqG0qNLakldB7D1pIDXznrjhKYTBSemmvtCj2oWZ8MqlxISwN3fe-mqDdYxEume8kQdtiV5xdmL8fVoskyShZKlMjVKQXuDQBLTcfrDIit7YDlXqVnb_KR9NnA/s4418/Silosh%20with%20family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3313" data-original-width="4418" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGXkNBjQcNzRPscATahdVDi56KdShSnINnTmRoM0jzUhtSuDZufWIBQht-gkdIqG0qNLakldB7D1pIDXznrjhKYTBSemmvtCj2oWZ8MqlxISwN3fe-mqDdYxEume8kQdtiV5xdmL8fVoskyShZKlMjVKQXuDQBLTcfrDIit7YDlXqVnb_KR9NnA/w400-h300/Silosh%20with%20family.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBev6pFkMZGmwBALlJ7dsTyVlLFtKg7y927nQJfkWJj7qZOAL4BFiOAoZLlYPnhprSiNi3MVQYvi7fmCESXBSp8ZmsPxswRS-u5t0q9NtnsmjpA9Ae7hizmsgbw4sHCSqzEg7tVYYdGQIRDy8tJ63jVJy8ykcGk0KwH62S0fHN22TybSGI9zgphw/s5183/TJ.%20Xavier%20with%20wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5183" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBev6pFkMZGmwBALlJ7dsTyVlLFtKg7y927nQJfkWJj7qZOAL4BFiOAoZLlYPnhprSiNi3MVQYvi7fmCESXBSp8ZmsPxswRS-u5t0q9NtnsmjpA9Ae7hizmsgbw4sHCSqzEg7tVYYdGQIRDy8tJ63jVJy8ykcGk0KwH62S0fHN22TybSGI9zgphw/w400-h300/TJ.%20Xavier%20with%20wife.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSxvGSHz8OhddBiHd42wK8nGRvjnI5kZnMDM7HxY_BZX7eD6ZtSTz-yesmJj5uQj-J5Q2UjksBFIMi9FQboBEFDJu9UYMFhYVQdj8FqPaIiLn3MobrX9q8WkMCVg6jBGr-PtplpfsUqSPmpIOajmhjRpWGmPvfBvFDfv1DXtcsYYmFjdvZLqiLw/s1080/Sunil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1080" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSxvGSHz8OhddBiHd42wK8nGRvjnI5kZnMDM7HxY_BZX7eD6ZtSTz-yesmJj5uQj-J5Q2UjksBFIMi9FQboBEFDJu9UYMFhYVQdj8FqPaIiLn3MobrX9q8WkMCVg6jBGr-PtplpfsUqSPmpIOajmhjRpWGmPvfBvFDfv1DXtcsYYmFjdvZLqiLw/w400-h376/Sunil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Captions:</span></b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">George Vadakkeparambil, 73, has acted in 40 dramas. He performed till the age</span> of 65. He stopped because of poor
health</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">From
her childhood Alphonsa was interested in Chavittu Natakam. When her</span> family
resisted her desire to be an artist, she tried to commit suicide. Moly Kannamali,
a famous Chavittu Natakam artist and film star became Alphonsa’s mentor.
Today, Alphonsa has acted in many dramas. The widowed Alphonsa lives in
her hut all alone. Her children have grown up, got married and moved away
<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Antony,
a daily wage labourer, plays Raja Antony. Antony was 16 when he</span> performed
for the first time. Today, he is 76. Because he has played the role of a
king many times, he is now called Raja Antony <o:p></o:p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Silosh,
35, with his family. He learned Chavittu Natakam from his uncle. He has</span> performed
more than 50 times. During high tide, at nights, Silosh and his family sit
awake on the cot till the water recedes </p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt;">T.J. Xavier and his wife. In 2018, flood waters entered his house
and he lost his</span><span style="text-indent: -0.5pt;"> costumes and props </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt;">Photographer KR Sunil </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Documentary photographer KR Sunil’s exhibition focuses on the Chavittu Natakam artists who are battling poverty and climate change </span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">By Shevlin Sebastian </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In December 2015, documentary photographer KR Sunil went to the island of Gothuruth, off the coast of Kochi, to watch the annual Chavittu Natakam festival.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A brief history about the art form: In response to the Kathakali dance form, the Christian community came up with Chavittu Natakam in the 16th century. Unlike in Kathakali, the dancers sing and speak aloud and stamp their feet on the stage. This is accompanied by the beating of drums. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It developed in the coastal areas, like Kochi, Alleppey and Kodungallur. The themes are from the lives of Christian saints, Biblical themes, and the history of Christianity. The costumes have a Portuguese influence and include brocade dresses, headgear and crowns. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In the Malayalam film, 'Kutty Srank’ (2009), Mammootty played a Chavittu Natakam artist. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunil ended up watching the shows by different groups for four days. He went backstage and became friendly with Somanath, the make-up artist. An idea grew in Sunil’s mind to do portraits of these artists. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">During the performance on the fourth day, Somanath asked Sunil not to come on the last day. Because the artists who came from the coastal region of Chellanam were dark-skinned. So Somanath would have to work hard to make them fair. Hence he would not be available to chat with Sunil. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Nevertheless Sunil went. He immediately realised they were poor people, as compared to the mainly middle class people who had performed in the previous days. They were Dalit Christians. Many of them worked as fishermen, house painters, and labourers. “But it was clear to me, after talking with them, they had a passion for the art form,” says Sunil. He decided to take portraits of them. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But when Sunil went to their houses, he got a shock. Many of them lived in dilapidated hovels. In some houses, blue plastic sheets comprised the wall or covered the large hole in the roofs. The paint was peeling off. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">He found the contrast unbelievable. On stage, they played kings like Raja Antony, and prime minister Mantri Pappachen, and performed against the backdrop of castles. “But in their daily lives, they lived in abject poverty,” says Sunil. “But that did not stop them from spending money for costumes and travel.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunil took the photos over four years. He noticed that in the winter months of November to January, water from high tides inundated their houses. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Many times, when he went in the morning, he noticed that everybody was sleeping. The artists would inform Sunil that the water had entered the house in the night. Since many of them slept on the floor, they sat up on the wooden cot. They went to sleep only when the waters receded at 6 a.m. The children missed school. One of them, Thankachan, left his house, and moved on to higher ground. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“This is the distinct impact of climate change,” says Sunil. “The waters began to rise after the 2004 tsunami which hit the coast of Kerala.” Sunil made them wear their Chavittu Natakam costumes and asked them to pose in the flood waters. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There are about one hundred artists. They are in the age range of the fifties, sixties and seventies. “There are no new artists, because there is no income from this art form,” says Sunil. ““There is no state or corporate support. Because they are Dalits, they have no influence. So, once these generations pass away, the art form will die.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">However, there is Silosh, who is 35 years old, who is interested and doing well. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunil's work had been shown at the recent ‘Contextual Cosmology’ exhibition held at the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram. The curators were Bose Krishnamachari, Abushka Rajendra, Premjish Achari and Sujith SN. The exhibition concluded on December 31. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In his earlier projects, Sunil has focused on the marginalised. He did a series on dhow workers who were going through hard times. He did one on the Muslim community of Ponnani, and the mixed communities of Mattancherry. Sunil also said that those who live off the sea and by the side of it tend to be more open and honest. “That is the effect of living next to Nature,” he says. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">(Published in The Sunday Magazine, New Indian Express, South India and Delhi) </div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-14817843287138365202024-01-11T10:29:00.000+05:302024-01-11T10:29:21.001+05:30Soul Talk<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglakR6BS_KEk5lU3VW72lfwFlSV0dRpivOaWxtRzyeq8GD8qE96ROxcJX_uiZdJWhrQbLfbJnVGgdNpD17ETGBwN6lbCQL6DSdCRebz4_xCy1ZEL7DzHJlif0D4ryMTr2stT3aDQws9-dY6OkzieIGD-Du7arab9s5VHiFwIHqSX-F1Hrw8sBaPw/s812/Fighting%20couples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="812" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglakR6BS_KEk5lU3VW72lfwFlSV0dRpivOaWxtRzyeq8GD8qE96ROxcJX_uiZdJWhrQbLfbJnVGgdNpD17ETGBwN6lbCQL6DSdCRebz4_xCy1ZEL7DzHJlif0D4ryMTr2stT3aDQws9-dY6OkzieIGD-Du7arab9s5VHiFwIHqSX-F1Hrw8sBaPw/w400-h246/Fighting%20couples.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLNrfL54FKvvEEuwFmezKEHjmB242xlKpsL1IJYqbH1H3S2O6gyYoVNYIRl-9a0rLI7egJiPh-dWqRgmpFQbXfS_KL_Ld0ZPySNJWh0vN_GNUigL8fdT6c-hZO43rtsyTbTZBnL8BCHejuTb6yR_nGuq2KBw8t4xk9_GvIMgj13msw0PXsDQi0Iw/s284/Joseph%20Stalin%20with%20Nadezhda.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="284" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLNrfL54FKvvEEuwFmezKEHjmB242xlKpsL1IJYqbH1H3S2O6gyYoVNYIRl-9a0rLI7egJiPh-dWqRgmpFQbXfS_KL_Ld0ZPySNJWh0vN_GNUigL8fdT6c-hZO43rtsyTbTZBnL8BCHejuTb6yR_nGuq2KBw8t4xk9_GvIMgj13msw0PXsDQi0Iw/w400-h396/Joseph%20Stalin%20with%20Nadezhda.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6od8v4XdaEYPne8sWpvnkbbPwO4qnQXR3UZxk77BVqUmONySv7ExMY7JdwNN9fT7-uRPHmH73dF6VcOe1gt1QL4aFoO9zewFEHW5ti3O3L-fho3F9IvS-S8ELDzGS8Zctms73oyxkzCnosvg7OF0tn0wSoE2Hu8gzlGxUWSHUygrZeLBhxGtKA/s750/Mao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="750" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6od8v4XdaEYPne8sWpvnkbbPwO4qnQXR3UZxk77BVqUmONySv7ExMY7JdwNN9fT7-uRPHmH73dF6VcOe1gt1QL4aFoO9zewFEHW5ti3O3L-fho3F9IvS-S8ELDzGS8Zctms73oyxkzCnosvg7OF0tn0wSoE2Hu8gzlGxUWSHUygrZeLBhxGtKA/w400-h299/Mao.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><p><b><br /></b></p></b><span id="docs-internal-guid-04c87bd8-7fff-68d6-7753-826f7ab4b1e1"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Captions</b>: a warring couple; Russian leader Joseph Stalin with his wife Nadezhda </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alliluyeva; Chairman Mao Zedong</span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By Shevlin Sebastian </span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Some people get away with murder. The police are not able to solve the case. The murderer lives to a ripe old age and passes in his sleep. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">When the victim, a soul in the next world, probably, a man, realises the murderer’s soul is arriving, what is his reaction? Will he appeal to God for justice? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Would he say, “This man must be punished. How about a thousand years in hell for snuffing out my life prematurely and against your will?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What will God reply? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What about couples who have gone through a nasty divorce? Will the souls meet in the next life? If yes, will they glide past and ignore each other? Or will they kiss and make up? Or will they have a nasty argument once again? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What about the children of these couples? How will they react when they see their parents? Will they all hug and kiss each other and make up and be a happy family once again? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What about relatives and siblings who have fought with each other mostly over money and property? And employees who did not get along with their bosses? Would they reveal their suppressed anger at their superiors when they meet them? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What about the despot who has ordered a war? Thousands of young soldiers have died. The leader moves with a several-layer security detail. It is impossible for their relatives to approach him. But can the soldiers approach him when he dies and goes off to the other world? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Surely, on that side, he no longer has a security detail. Can they remonstrate with him? Maybe even give a slap or punch him in the face. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What happened when Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong went to the other side? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Would the millions of people the trio had killed through war, concentration camps, executions, and in prison have accosted them? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Could God have set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What about Stalin’s wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva? Will she beat him up in anger? During a dinner party at the Kremlin in November 1932, she had an argument with him. Nadezhda was distressed to hear Stalin had been having affairs. She left the party early and went home. The next morning, November 9, Nadezhda killed herself using a Mauser pistol. The mother of two was only 31. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There are so many people who get away with so many misdemeanours. And nothing seems to happen to the perpetrators. Only the victims and their families suffer for the rest of their lives. You can see world leaders smiling happily at the cameras. Many of them have blood on their hands, and they also have billions in their bank accounts. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Till someone shot him dead like a dog, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya lived a life of luxury and untrammelled power. He jailed people at his whim and fancy and destroyed so many families. He was one of the rare leaders who faced retribution while he was alive. Another leader who faced retribution while he was alive was Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu (1918-1989) who faced a firing squad and died. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">China’s Mao Zedong, responsible for between 40 and 80 million deaths, through prison labour, starvation, and mass executions, died in his bed on September 9, 1976 at the age of 82. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Can these millions of souls approach the soul of Chairman Mao and ask him to give an explanation? Will he suffer in the next world? Or will he escape retribution once again? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Scientists say there is no life after death. They say we merge into the mud and get wiped out. But close to his death, my father recounted he had seen his parents and a brother-in-law who had died in a motorbike accident at Kolkata when he was 24 years old. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Shahul, the nurse who looked after my father, said that he had been at the bedside of over 30 end-of-life patients. All of them reported seeing their relatives and ancestors. When death approaches, the souls arrive to provide reassurance regarding the journey to the other world. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A thought arises: will we carry our resentments, anger, hatred, and frustration to the next world? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Who can provide the answers to these questions? </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Probably nobody.</div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-17142337009803629532024-01-03T12:29:00.001+05:302024-01-03T12:29:20.534+05:30Following a dream<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZzzLcuL1aB_4wpsl8nPQkr76gE6opzBYHKiO3HIMhaK6je2sykebSNc__AtPIBCr0Fs-N2Fb9iiedxbRmmaJQ5qt9pKA07X17TImdvvEO5JjH2j6YdgboTYYaeu5dTLfznHAGqKWQnMbXgb0gy64vJ9xzmqsHsRry_l5kZmlFho_2yOx5zWadg/s396/AR%20Rahman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZzzLcuL1aB_4wpsl8nPQkr76gE6opzBYHKiO3HIMhaK6je2sykebSNc__AtPIBCr0Fs-N2Fb9iiedxbRmmaJQ5qt9pKA07X17TImdvvEO5JjH2j6YdgboTYYaeu5dTLfznHAGqKWQnMbXgb0gy64vJ9xzmqsHsRry_l5kZmlFho_2yOx5zWadg/w319-h400/AR%20Rahman.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kgr1EZDLWd_RXYI7gkAxFvmgb6qpzipyTb9wkMHEbS8YUPsbIhfW3o3lVobmnROQRMrZVcaNARphZE3JWG1z1bS6cC_XlU_2RukRO1Iy2L1ihAkNbUoEQFeIHpy3mGZHuzaLnXAE_Odk3eawcWUr3tgqehb4EZbHBpAqE2LCAGlZRTt2h_tu1A/s1000/Dev%20Aannd.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="749" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kgr1EZDLWd_RXYI7gkAxFvmgb6qpzipyTb9wkMHEbS8YUPsbIhfW3o3lVobmnROQRMrZVcaNARphZE3JWG1z1bS6cC_XlU_2RukRO1Iy2L1ihAkNbUoEQFeIHpy3mGZHuzaLnXAE_Odk3eawcWUr3tgqehb4EZbHBpAqE2LCAGlZRTt2h_tu1A/w300-h400/Dev%20Aannd.webp" width="300" /></a></div><p></p>By Shevlin Sebastian <br /><br />The other day I met a young man from Kannur in north Kerala who aspires to be a scriptwriter in Mollywood. He told me a story about doing a movie through the eyes of a five-year-old child. I was not sure whether it was lively. “I am not a film person,” I said. “But I think you need a conflict to make it interesting.” <br /><br />He told me he wanted to be a scriptwriter from the time he was in Class 8. I am not sure whether he has done a scriptwriting course to learn about the techniques. I fear he may not have the talent. Who can tell whether you have talent? When you are young, your enthusiasm and energy can carry you through. But once youth passes, you can only survive if you have talent. <br /><br />And do you have a talent that is popular? Can what you create entrance many people? Not everybody is given this gift. Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman has this gift, and so did the late singer Lata Mangeshkar. AR Rahman’s sister Raihanah said, “There are many music directors who are geniuses. But nobody knows them.” <br /><br />Because they have a talent that is esoteric. Only a few people can appreciate their work. Hence, they cannot earn enough to live off their work. Their talent becomes a hobby. They need to work elsewhere to earn a living. Adds Raihanah: “Mass appeal is a divine gift.”<br /><br />This young scriptwriter will spend a few years trying to achieve his dream. If he succeeds, it will be a delightful story. A man who followed his dream and achieved it. But if he has no takers for his scripts, provided he has the energy and stamina to write them, he would have lost a few years. Can he have a lucky change of direction? Find a profession for which he has a knack? Who knows? <br /><br />It’s all up in the air. <br /><br />We hear stories about people who made it. And we celebrate them. Dharmendra and Dev Anand came from Ludhiana and Gurdaspur respectively, to try their luck in Bollywood. Both succeeded beyond their imagination. But what we also know is that thousands of other hopefuls had come and returned with unfulfilled dreams. For decades, they felt bitter, angry and frustrated. <br /><br />A friend said that the only unerring guide to make right decisions is your intuition or your gut instinct. It will lead you down the right path. <br /><br />To get in touch with your intuition, he said, one should go inside. Silencing the mind, listening to your breath, and meditation will help. <br /><br />An immense power lives within. He said we need to consult it and move forward under its guidance. <br /><br />Is this the right way? <br /><br />Maybe it is. <br /><br />But nobody can say for certain. <br /><br />The proverb may be right: <br /><br />Many are called, but few are chosen. Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-18816575983602367482023-12-28T15:54:00.002+05:302023-12-28T15:54:55.061+05:30Book reading at Bengaluru<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRpfh76hWkmA2GZcoGrGXynRenbJuDk1RafnBGuMueZXWcpRu_wD-Pgngglg8-ykjd9culh9kvWGXA_OescKSzQF5SXeiLVOjitP6iI0RsH-1g7_PzJzUl-x8cuszDfd0La_p7Q7f6zJ61EQUGEN-kgLPLBMR-ZlTaE8zBZa0YeWKS9VrFYCDNA/s1920/Blue4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRpfh76hWkmA2GZcoGrGXynRenbJuDk1RafnBGuMueZXWcpRu_wD-Pgngglg8-ykjd9culh9kvWGXA_OescKSzQF5SXeiLVOjitP6iI0RsH-1g7_PzJzUl-x8cuszDfd0La_p7Q7f6zJ61EQUGEN-kgLPLBMR-ZlTaE8zBZa0YeWKS9VrFYCDNA/w225-h400/Blue4.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9kByBHAvY3sLxyNMehyphenhyphenuD3nFogpRTIe8m7l6korQ1ZkjCKLxhv6KP80496rAd9opImA99gC5uimUtijk5xhHVptRy58GteTw4FTh11-VkbcdQuQn2y2PZO9Y_M9Do9z45UDiyVWx1JpPiD5T04ueTb_NtfyhqLWZYwG6HH5UTJd-yQli67h8Nw/s1920/Blue5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9kByBHAvY3sLxyNMehyphenhyphenuD3nFogpRTIe8m7l6korQ1ZkjCKLxhv6KP80496rAd9opImA99gC5uimUtijk5xhHVptRy58GteTw4FTh11-VkbcdQuQn2y2PZO9Y_M9Do9z45UDiyVWx1JpPiD5T04ueTb_NtfyhqLWZYwG6HH5UTJd-yQli67h8Nw/w225-h400/Blue5.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeUmkuAFOoZbhS_L1LdhNpBe8rBzU5zq4cpZkESZWXaLxiNEmdcIUCePEEu1pcefmdzuAOeEnb6rAoBtjP1iIL6HhicbfqCV6c51ijOhGxzWvycltqIEYdtF8Pl95mBs56ZgF2ZUEmO86_zGBgvmIllhqfHdnH6JrchyfrG2nX6xu06iY0MbUMw/s1920/Blue6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeUmkuAFOoZbhS_L1LdhNpBe8rBzU5zq4cpZkESZWXaLxiNEmdcIUCePEEu1pcefmdzuAOeEnb6rAoBtjP1iIL6HhicbfqCV6c51ijOhGxzWvycltqIEYdtF8Pl95mBs56ZgF2ZUEmO86_zGBgvmIllhqfHdnH6JrchyfrG2nX6xu06iY0MbUMw/w225-h400/Blue6.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyTZzrW9sDFfWVBcTkf04EU58Dbq8_esFqOcdSiGTD19h_3uovmdpPJSWuINheDHnxLFJwoYzmtujAm0nlUXHqhhxWtG-90DTRB0tp9xbMHH9vCkkObv_BFeXC2c-jZW-a-dtuMcum4xc5sWRtYqByd8DU8AY6BTg8P5JK1hnVtEhytk3hxfSQQ/s1920/Blue7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyTZzrW9sDFfWVBcTkf04EU58Dbq8_esFqOcdSiGTD19h_3uovmdpPJSWuINheDHnxLFJwoYzmtujAm0nlUXHqhhxWtG-90DTRB0tp9xbMHH9vCkkObv_BFeXC2c-jZW-a-dtuMcum4xc5sWRtYqByd8DU8AY6BTg8P5JK1hnVtEhytk3hxfSQQ/w225-h400/Blue7.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTslJU79oiOl0coGb0LS8MtZYuKi__HkORx8yxF9UfWj-YT8Gk0Fa7VUsriH0HGnMDmoOvkXNpDPkjR8EDJnr976zDK7kc3FyqpSbm99k-RRnFo9kvya8EjYV5W2NMkkrxaN_iFHU-NwAHc_kfmxDwRFdAYhI2LbzJ3AzLYdwK3bBSNlS8tBhCEg/s1920/Blue10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTslJU79oiOl0coGb0LS8MtZYuKi__HkORx8yxF9UfWj-YT8Gk0Fa7VUsriH0HGnMDmoOvkXNpDPkjR8EDJnr976zDK7kc3FyqpSbm99k-RRnFo9kvya8EjYV5W2NMkkrxaN_iFHU-NwAHc_kfmxDwRFdAYhI2LbzJ3AzLYdwK3bBSNlS8tBhCEg/w225-h400/Blue10.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Many thanks to HarperCollins Publishers for arranging this book reading at the Blue Tokai Cafe in Bengaluru earlier this month. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to fellow writer Divya Ramachandran for being the host. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks also to friend Ratheesh Sundaram for his help. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>thanks, too, to Neethu M Eldose for her kind words: </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📚" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t49/1/16/1f4da.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span> Long overdue share! <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📚" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t49/1/16/1f4da.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Shevlin Sebastian was just a voice to me until I met him at @bluetokaicoffee at his book reading. The gentleman I heard turned out to be just as warm and positive in person. The warmth in his voice translated perfectly into his persona.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">***</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“When V.K. Thajudheen, a middle-aged man working in Doha, returned to his hometown, Kannur, after a few years, little did he know that instead of celebrating his daughter's summer wedding he would be put behind bars for stealing a gold necklace.” <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🏰" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t95/1/16/1f3f0.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span><span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="✨" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tf4/1/16/2728.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span>" </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/thestolennecklace?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#TheStolenNecklace</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Listening to Shevlin share <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/snippets?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#snippets</a></span> from his book, I felt the joy of a writer sharing his creation. The Stolen Necklace may revolve around a small-town crime, but its twists and turns unveil the incredible journey of a common man battling the system and achieving a miraculous victory.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🔗" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb3/1/16/1f517.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span> Grab your copy on Amazon: <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://shorturl.at/CSTZ8?fbclid=IwAR0UfZRp6r4K_U5GAozCuAZhuKPTbU9PMZNqyrpKA8ETenTZnEj8EZT6nX8" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://shorturl.at/CSTZ8</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/bookrecommendation?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#BookRecommendation</a></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/authorengagement?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#authorengagement</a></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/thestolennecklace?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#TheStolenNecklace</a></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mustread?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=*NK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0">#MustRead</a></span> <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📚" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t49/1/16/1f4da.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span><span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="✨" class="xz74otr" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tf4/1/16/2728.png" style="border: 0px; object-fit: fill;" width="16" /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/neethu.meldose?__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">https://www.facebook.com/neethu.meldose</span></a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks also to Sebastian Valiakala: </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">'The Stolen Necklace' is written by renowned journalist Shevlin Sebastian and expatriate businessman V.K. Thajudheen. While Shevlin was with New Indian Express (Kochi), Hindustan Times (Mumbai) and The Week (Kochi), Thajudheen was doing business in Doha. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">This is a non-fiction piece that touches upon Thajudheen's quiet life with a heart-wrenching account of a theft charge and its miseries.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thajudheen, a native of Thalassery, came to attend his daughter's wedding and was arrested by the police in a case of theft of a necklace. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But Thajudheen was able to be released from prison after proving his innocence through constant struggle.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What happened to Thajudheen today can happen to you tomorrow. This idea is what made this book so popular. The Thajudheen incident is now world famous.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The book was highlighted at the Bangalore Literature Festival. Shevlin Sebastian was also the speaker at one of the sessions.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/sebastian.valiakala.3?__cft__[0]=AZUfF5Upz_Eufs6h9VpRGn92tdz-WmLUNIwVD547DIOXkMWfMys_U0_o3nuLgQuty-wN2wKSsyRodYFcd-jn7-D9fIbXStdshxaMxwCxC4WG-w&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">https://www.facebook.com/sebastian.valiakala.3</span></a></span></div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-28769860290480366232023-12-16T11:13:00.000+05:302023-12-16T11:13:00.742+05:30A tale of two dogs<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMuCSEkowbpPOkVKbswh4159d52ino5iOg1Qw_g5v9g4kMKePylh-7C1ZgbFfSJ3Yol_TfdT4-ddIn2AcX3hU0ADdJAPgoUHTjDeyo94ZJ8YH9taT-yFioT-4nQkLZ4G3luWuAtSNNWIrxQ7EcAbOskmrzMPn0BJVxdncHmLeP4MpMYKoJsAsXg/s512/Two%20dogs.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMuCSEkowbpPOkVKbswh4159d52ino5iOg1Qw_g5v9g4kMKePylh-7C1ZgbFfSJ3Yol_TfdT4-ddIn2AcX3hU0ADdJAPgoUHTjDeyo94ZJ8YH9taT-yFioT-4nQkLZ4G3luWuAtSNNWIrxQ7EcAbOskmrzMPn0BJVxdncHmLeP4MpMYKoJsAsXg/w400-h400/Two%20dogs.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">By Shevlin Sebastian</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I heard the agonising wail followed by quick barks at 2 am. This surprised me. Usually, cats are the ones who make these sad moans. This was the first time I heard a dog being in this sort of emotional trauma.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">The next morning, as I set out to buy milk, I saw the brown-skinned dog. I am calling him Sam. Sam stays near my house, in Kochi, on the road. He is a stray. Sam was alone. His eyes were drooping and so was his jaw. His inseparable companion, a smaller female brown-skinned dog, Molly, was no longer there.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">This came as a shock to me. It meant that she had died in a car accident. I was told that dogs cannot properly gauge the distance when cars approach them. As a result, they are hit frequently. And many die like that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">That night, Sam again let out several moans. This continued for two more nights.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">But on the fourth morning, I saw Molly had reunited with Sam.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">So what happened? Did Molly run away with another dog? Or did they have a massive fight and Molly ran away to get some respite? Or was Molly tiring of the relationship? And wanted a change.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Did Sam go in search of Molly and then apologise and beg her to return?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I don’t know.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">In the initial few days, Molly kept a distance of a foot between them. Then, over a few days, they became close as twins. What they loved most was to sleep next to each other under parked cars during hot summer afternoons.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Recently, I saw Sam jump on to a low wall and walk to the end. Molly followed. Then Sam jumped into a vacant plot of land. It comprised plants, coconut trees, and banana bushes. Molly stared at him. Then she looked to the left. Then backwards. In the past, she would have jumped right away. Now Molly turned back, reached the end of the wall and jumped back to the road. No more following Sam blindly any more.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Can Sam adjust to the new Molly? Who knows? Only time will tell.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">This morning, there was another shock.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">There was no Molly around. Sam sat by the side of the road, his lower jaw pressed against the tarred surface.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">It seems they have not resolved things. Molly’s gone again. A crack has formed in the relationship. And it looks like they tried to paper over the differences. But it seems to have failed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Wow, this is like human relationships.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Sam is battling to remain connected. But Molly seems to have changed. And doesn’t want to go back to play the docile role of earlier times.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I am waiting to see what happens next.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">This is the woman’s century, both in the human and the animal world.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">They are calling the shots.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">And males will have to adjust to the new reality.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span><p></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-75813145262667504282023-12-06T17:00:00.002+05:302023-12-06T17:00:42.634+05:30Celebrating the memory of BR Ambedkar <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohXsdZn11lt271cKzUCRP7leS1ghQovUu8d66syUntm-oCus283S1uH4HrfmOZOdOuec3uOYq1Tjwv9YcJadZZV7Knx0TWd-gjRzRhn0ZFaXA7RrIOzLHFeE6ElOC2pGmm-R0de9uqKJDUDa2dFqK-WGsrrNNxBwhH_jaxpiJnPz5lsoV1VvrMw/s1200/Poster1.webp"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohXsdZn11lt271cKzUCRP7leS1ghQovUu8d66syUntm-oCus283S1uH4HrfmOZOdOuec3uOYq1Tjwv9YcJadZZV7Knx0TWd-gjRzRhn0ZFaXA7RrIOzLHFeE6ElOC2pGmm-R0de9uqKJDUDa2dFqK-WGsrrNNxBwhH_jaxpiJnPz5lsoV1VvrMw/w400-h300/Poster1.webp" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40eJ7b6JsLQJ8PFmMsJL-42PKKOeWRTaogns0iOoOzPvJ4GZzHoy8IPX2ycsiFcRsJJBEI0q4FeV3_BxfMRY_cSVyG8X9BLi4d7ebwMWFjAHgw2ixM2jxC0d4XbE_vQxfS1HAtMflyd854NllR5NbwYhb-5B0RC3C5GK6rUPpSb_AQcQKkW382g/s1003/Somnath%20Waghmare%20Wikipedia.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40eJ7b6JsLQJ8PFmMsJL-42PKKOeWRTaogns0iOoOzPvJ4GZzHoy8IPX2ycsiFcRsJJBEI0q4FeV3_BxfMRY_cSVyG8X9BLi4d7ebwMWFjAHgw2ixM2jxC0d4XbE_vQxfS1HAtMflyd854NllR5NbwYhb-5B0RC3C5GK6rUPpSb_AQcQKkW382g/w319-h400/Somnath%20Waghmare%20Wikipedia.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbGChvkYjwN5MAXIN9m7DDduEolVA50piE8SYey_Bog06PXFlxD2oW5TwHqv6lfc8raOqIP1VQUHZ19imtO_INU3_bFRzM7R28Ue5568VDLxcMvAyCeQrmB-ugs-LTqz8HpgOnodKcZuv2gMDAcvToTQXX5sBVzSSPdUFdlJCIZeXDVvSXzYIyw/s800/Rajgruha.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbGChvkYjwN5MAXIN9m7DDduEolVA50piE8SYey_Bog06PXFlxD2oW5TwHqv6lfc8raOqIP1VQUHZ19imtO_INU3_bFRzM7R28Ue5568VDLxcMvAyCeQrmB-ugs-LTqz8HpgOnodKcZuv2gMDAcvToTQXX5sBVzSSPdUFdlJCIZeXDVvSXzYIyw/w400-h300/Rajgruha.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Photos: The poster of the documentary; Somnath Waghmare; the Ambedkar museum in Dadar</b><br /><br />Celebrating the memory of BR Ambedkar <br /><br /><div>Filmmaker Somnath Waghmare has made a moving documentary on Chaityabhumi, the cremation site of BR Ambedkar, the legendary leader of the Dalits. His death anniversary is on December 6 <br /><br />By Shevlin Sebastian <br /><br /></div><div>The documentary film ‘Chaityabhumi’ by filmmaker Somnath Waghmare opens with a painting of BR Ambedkar’s wife Ramabai hanging on a wall. It pans to a wooden desk. On top of a folder, you can see the spectacles worn by Ambedkar. Behind and on the sides are bookshelves which contain books. <br />The camera focuses on the different photographs that highlight the career of the noted social reformer, lawyer, and political leader of the Dalits. Suddenly, Ambedkar’s high-pitched, and intense voice can be heard on the soundtrack. <br /><br /></div><div>“Our difficulty is how to convince the heterogenous mass that we have to take a decision today in common and march in a co-operative way on that road which is bound to lead us to unity.” <br /><br /></div><div>This is the heritage museum on the ground floor of Ambedkar’s bungalow in Dadar. It is called Rajgruha. Ambedkar’s descendants stay on the upper floors. Visitors come from all over India and the world. Entry is free. <br /><br /></div><div>The film soon tracks the lakhs of people as they came, on December 6, to celebrate the death anniversary of their beloved leader. The cremation location, the Chaityabhumi, a Buddhist chaitya or temple, is next to the Dadar Chowpatty beach. <br /><br /></div><div>Many people wear the colour blue, which signifies the Dalit movement. One theory is that the blue represents the sky. Under the sky, everybody is equal. Ambedkar’s trademark suit was in blue. <br /><br /></div><div>In the documentary, Rahul Telgote, a blind musician, sitting cross-legged on the ground, hits a drum with both hands and sings:<br /><br /></div><div>“Oh Bhima, be born again for the oppressed, troubled and tired<br />Their hearts are longing for your arrival. <br />Oh Bhima, behold your 90 million people<br />The ones who are ready to die at a word from you<br />You are their guiding light.”<br /><br /></div><div>A little distance away, a young man shouts, <br /><br /></div><div>Emancipator of women<br /><br /></div><div>A group of young men in white shirts and pointed caps shout in unison: Babasaheb (this is the nickname for Ambedkar, which means respected father).<br /><br /></div><div>River Linking Projects<br /><br /></div><div>Babasaheb. <br /><br /></div><div>Journalist <br /><br /></div><div>Babasaheb. <br /><br /></div><div>And the young man enumerates the achievements of Ambedkar: Equality/Fraternity/Economist/The only ruler/Your ruler, our ruler/Constitution maker/The lawgiver/Bodhisattva/Crown of the world. <br /><br /></div><div>The action continued. <br /><br /></div><div>The Samata Sainik Dal (The Equality Squad), in khaki trousers, does a march past, with beating drums and flutes. One can see bald-headed Buddhist monks in yellow robes. One held a placard stating they were from the Bhikkhu Sangh of North-East Mumbai. “They are mostly Dalits who converted to Buddhism,” says Somnath. “But for the Chaityabhumi, monks had also come from Myanmar and other South-East Asian countries.” <br /><br /></div><div>Amidst the chanting of Buddhist prayers, people placed garlands on the statue of Ambedkar. <br />In 1956, to get away from the oppression of the caste system, Ambedkar adopted Buddhism, along with five lakh compatriots. <br /><br /></div><div>“This was more a political act, and less to do with spirituality,” says Somnath. Today, the Dalits continue to follow Buddhism. <br /><br /></div><div>Charan Jadhav, a singer and actor, with a blue bandana tied across his forehead, sings a song in praise of two kings: Chhatrapati Shivaji (1630-80) and Ambedkar. On the skin of Charan’s drum, the words Jai Bhim, the Dalit greeting, has been painted in blue. <br /><br /></div><div>“King Shivaji’s courts brought justice to the people,” sang Charan. <br /><br /></div><div>Adds Somnath, “The Dalits hold Shivaji in high esteem. He was a progressive ruler. He treated all classes and castes of people equally. There was no discrimination. This has been elaborated in [rationalist] Govind Pansare’s best-selling book, ‘Who was Shivaji?’.” <br /><br /></div><div>There are Dalit intellectual voices in the documentary. One of them is Dr. Rahul Sonpimple, scholar, President, All India Independent Schedule Caste Association.<br /><br /></div><div>“Ambedkar is part of my emotional and spiritual life,” he says. “When I visited Chaityabhumi, I cried. But the Indian state is the replica of the society that practises untouchability. Ambedkar was never part of public memory. Most of the monuments or the memories we have about Ambedkar are community-created.” <br /><br /></div><div>Commonwealth Scholar Pranjal Kureel added, “Academia and media have erased or appropriated the ideas of Babasaheb, but when you go to Chaityabhumi, you realise his ideas are still being taken forward. The fire is still burning, and the wheel is moving. The emancipation from the framework of caste is necessary for everybody, not just Dalit people. There is an assertion through art, culture and music. That is very overwhelming. Freedom of mind is the biggest thing.” <br /><br /></div><div>The scene then moves to the sprawling Shivaji Park grounds where hundreds of vendors have set up stalls selling many books on Ambedkar and his movement. You can find these in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, and other languages. The other items on sale include photo frames, magazines, booklets, calendars, and paintings. There is Dalit literature and anti-caste treatises. <br /><br /></div><div>“Apparently, sales of Rs 10 crore were achieved on that day,” says Somnath. That comes as no surprise because lakhs of people were present. <br /><br /></div><div>At night, the family of Babasaheb paid their tributes inside the stupa. They placed garlands on the shining bronze statue. The members included Babasaheb’s great grandchildren, Sujat and Ritika, and grandson Bhimrao Ambedkar and his wife. Visitors sang hymns in praise of Lord Buddha. <br /><br /></div><div>At a public meeting, Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Babasaheb, and president of the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, said, “I do not want to lose again the battle that we have long since won.” <br /><br /></div><div>Somnath decided to make a film on the Chaityabhumi because he felt that there were few stories about Dalits in the mainstream. <br /><br /></div><div>“Whenever people from non-Dalit backgrounds make a film on us, it is incomplete,” he says. “The Dalit cultural assertion was missing. Most stories in industries like Bollywood are only about the dominant castes. I wanted to tell the story from the Dalit viewpoint.”<br /><br /></div><div>Somnath shot for four years before he made the film.<br /><br /></div><div>Asked about the state of the Dalits in India, Somnath says, “We know who owns the resources in India. We know who owns all the land, and the cultural capital. We know who has power. We know who controls the media. In the Indian Institute of Technology, the directors are upper-caste. In the official records, the upper-castes continue to dominate in all aspects of life. This is not what I am saying. It is all there in the data.” <br /><br /></div><div>Since Ambedkar had done his doctoral thesis at the London School of Economics (LSE) in 1916, Somnath had a screening at the LSE on October 24. “The audience liked the film,” says Somnath. <br />As quoted in ‘The Guardian,’ Shakuntala Banaji, a professor of social change at LSE, said she was deeply moved after viewing the film. “After generations of misrepresentation in, or exclusion from, mainstream Indian cinemas and media, Dalit directors and producers have started to tell the stories of their communities in original and exciting ways,” she says.<br /><br /></div><div>Somnath said he wanted to show the real Indian society. “For most outsiders when they watch Bollywood films, they think it is the accurate picture of Indian society,” he says. “Many people are not aware of the caste system. But with films like [Marathi director] Nagraj Manjule’s ‘Fandry’ (2013) and mine, they are slowly becoming aware.” <br /><br /></div><div>Somnath said that after ‘Fandry’ was screened at Columbia University on April 18, 2014, the next Dalit film that was screened was ‘Chaityabhumi’ on December 3, 2023. Ambedkar had also studied at Columbia University. <br /><br /></div><div>Asked whether the caste system would ever be eradicated, Somnath says that it depends on the privileged castes. “Only they can dismantle it,” he says. “Maybe some powerful revolutionary might arise and do it.” <br /><br /></div><div>But the good news, he says, is that a lot of Dalits are in higher education. Somnath is doing his doctoral thesis in the social sciences at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. “Until my graduation, I studied in a Marathi medium school,” he says. <br /><br /></div><div>As to whether he faced discrimination in his college life, he says, “Discrimination is part of a Dalit’s life. But nowadays, it is subtle. They insult me indirectly.” <br /><br /></div><div>Somnath got interested in a film career when he began learning media studies while doing his masters at Pune University. As for the directors who inspired him, Somnath mentions the name of the Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami (1940-2016), Nagraj and Tamil director Pa. Ranjith. <br /><br /></div><div>Some of Somnath’s earlier films include ‘I am Not a Witch’ (2015) and ‘The Battle of Bhima Koregaon: An Unending Journey’ (2017). He is now working on ‘Gail and Bharat’. This is a documentary biopic of the activist couple Dr. Gail Omvedt and Dr. Bharat Patankar, who have worked for long on behalf of the Dalits..<br /><br /></div><div>“I want to make films from the Dalit viewpoint,” he says. “This is my life's mission.”</div><div><br /></div><div>(Published in The Federal)<br /><a href="https://thefederal.com/category/entertainment/somnath-waghmare-interview-how-chaityabhumi-celebrates-the-memory-of-br-ambedkar-102461?fbclid=IwAR0RhHC0gO-Qet_QdHu6zkNoUnJCBgPQ0MNbCTS0y2EAy_L_4BNMDhdAZDg">https://thefederal.com/.../somnath-waghmare-interview-how...</a></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-1499950977408890162023-11-23T09:50:00.001+05:302023-11-23T09:50:29.598+05:30A scintillating parade<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrkDQuwcsKTsrVIEyIbsKBQXV7TfrFNwUK2V6YUQ8sQoQhHXjvwjNyABJuu50BXoDw8CMR5-fM__QbSEWNbmWf4ievduoIP3LyIBda77v8t4tvA49kOhy_jqhyphenhyphena-j77XAFUwmTlSrIFrHvHTfdig7lt__x3GB8ME6s9tlxG8uJywfOAWGjdnoSA/s1000/Cover.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrkDQuwcsKTsrVIEyIbsKBQXV7TfrFNwUK2V6YUQ8sQoQhHXjvwjNyABJuu50BXoDw8CMR5-fM__QbSEWNbmWf4ievduoIP3LyIBda77v8t4tvA49kOhy_jqhyphenhyphena-j77XAFUwmTlSrIFrHvHTfdig7lt__x3GB8ME6s9tlxG8uJywfOAWGjdnoSA/w264-h400/Cover.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0JTXVNqIOBZrazOrp3DmGM75Gd5bY81Y0jGe8cp-uB0xHgsk5kWtCtg6zg-TrSJQbNfo8-OhHONcrNpEG1rUqRFi3bRX7baQ_d9Zd79ZKjScppBbDB1TL_jLMhHezZK_0UN3GYwCtYHKaOcONW6r0Jl79_Bk63_Din5bDpBFGGzmPSex3zy23A/s1813/Thomas3.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0JTXVNqIOBZrazOrp3DmGM75Gd5bY81Y0jGe8cp-uB0xHgsk5kWtCtg6zg-TrSJQbNfo8-OhHONcrNpEG1rUqRFi3bRX7baQ_d9Zd79ZKjScppBbDB1TL_jLMhHezZK_0UN3GYwCtYHKaOcONW6r0Jl79_Bk63_Din5bDpBFGGzmPSex3zy23A/w400-h300/Thomas3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqawVztbWmmaZLGZyNZhJJF2sr2zuxiFBF6Eed_RoMgMiSa_bc9yTJfmJ_t3g1FnavYLIom7KopSGThCDL8VdZ2DUxk_XtEnEQu89yUyEXucNsCgNY9tITtESbMPRt5fz66Aak08Mp1KudnBmPDzKz1VBPo7FpR7aik6F_BcdUSqLjVWiAyMf9og/s450/Vaikom%20Mohammad%20Basheer.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqawVztbWmmaZLGZyNZhJJF2sr2zuxiFBF6Eed_RoMgMiSa_bc9yTJfmJ_t3g1FnavYLIom7KopSGThCDL8VdZ2DUxk_XtEnEQu89yUyEXucNsCgNY9tITtESbMPRt5fz66Aak08Mp1KudnBmPDzKz1VBPo7FpR7aik6F_BcdUSqLjVWiAyMf9og/w266-h400/Vaikom%20Mohammad%20Basheer.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMl34PQspOgA3gtNuu31DOrYDa-z8p9Ddt7Pbf9O0-DB3iOLQDBmtWyfFSwUaZLKvM9RhdkqbnMz7zRTuib_NBVkCB29xQkrDy5sOvpTDHJwLA6HkwW20pAndwUXopElvEU0M1_KczZL3tdRvHJoSnHJAE40QbEpZJsrPDE1IxUCrDYlbR4EntEQ/s331/Lalithambika_Antherjanam.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMl34PQspOgA3gtNuu31DOrYDa-z8p9Ddt7Pbf9O0-DB3iOLQDBmtWyfFSwUaZLKvM9RhdkqbnMz7zRTuib_NBVkCB29xQkrDy5sOvpTDHJwLA6HkwW20pAndwUXopElvEU0M1_KczZL3tdRvHJoSnHJAE40QbEpZJsrPDE1IxUCrDYlbR4EntEQ/w364-h400/Lalithambika_Antherjanam.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ8afaWW80GFNXanYudK7-LoYLMkRBBRohHSD5s1Qi0nIPAqJVUJaTqqPyCVAFtSyBkfJL9q6iOpyFYu8bAB3a4N8UJMGno9_Y4peDfMf6vPKO6EdgmzU2GIfNxaJHF5xQgc-02HCzaOUgyY6d3rMNCLWc1uGGzBMiirM7HTlYO1Svot2WGkXlg/s1007/M.%20Mukundan%20Wikipedia.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ8afaWW80GFNXanYudK7-LoYLMkRBBRohHSD5s1Qi0nIPAqJVUJaTqqPyCVAFtSyBkfJL9q6iOpyFYu8bAB3a4N8UJMGno9_Y4peDfMf6vPKO6EdgmzU2GIfNxaJHF5xQgc-02HCzaOUgyY6d3rMNCLWc1uGGzBMiirM7HTlYO1Svot2WGkXlg/w318-h400/M.%20Mukundan%20Wikipedia.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b>Photos: Translator AJ Thomas; Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Lalithambika Antharjanam and M. Mukundan <br /></b><br />Translator and Editor Dr. AJ Thomas talks about the anthology he has curated titled 'The Greatest Malayalam Stories Ever Told' <br /><br />By Shevlin Sebastian <br /><br />One afternoon in November, 2018, Aienla Ozukum, the Publishing Director at Aleph Book Company, walked into the Delhi office of AJ Thomas, the editor of ‘Indian Literature’, a bi-monthly literary journal which is brought out by the Sahitya Akademi. <br /><br />She told Thomas Aleph was planning to bring out a ‘Greatest Stories Ever Told’ series from all the regional languages. “Since Malayalam is one of the major literatures in India, Aienla wanted me to select and translate the stories into English,” says Thomas. <br /><br />Immediately, Thomas realised it was a daunting task. But for Thomas, the Malayalam short story was his forte. His M. Phil and PhD dissertations were on the subject. And he has done several translations of notable books throughout his career. <br /><br />Thomas won the Katha award for his translation of a story of author Paul Zacharia called Salam America. He translated Ujjaini, based on the life of Kalidasa by ONV Kurup, the legendary Malayalam poet. Thomas also translated noted Malayalam writer M. Mukundan’s novel, Keshavan’s Lamentations. This won the Vodafone Crossword Book Award in 2007. <br /><br />The bespectacled Aienla asked him whether he could deliver the manuscript by January, 2020. Thomas agreed. <br /><br />The span of selection was 50 years, from the 1950s to 2000s. The first Malayalam short story, ‘Vasana Vikriti’ (Strange Stirrings), was written by essayist Kesari Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar in 1891. It appeared in the literary magazine ‘Vidya Vinodini’. “But the serious, well-formed short stories began to appear in the 1930s,” says Thomas. <br /><br />He based most of his selection on two books. The first one was ‘100 Varsham 100 Kadha’ (Hundred Years, Hundred Stories), which came out in 1991, to celebrate the centenary of the Malayalam short story. Professor KS Ravi Kumar, the former Pro Vice Chancellor of the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, curated the stories. The second was author NS Madhavan’s ‘60 Kathakal’ (Sixty Stories). This came out in 2017, commemorating the 60th year of the birth of the state of Kerala. Thomas also relied on several notable previous anthologies, and literary periodicals of the past several decades as well.<br /><br />The Aleph anthology comprises 50 stories. All the great authors are represented. They include P Keshavadev, Ponkunnam Varkey, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, SK Pottekkatt, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Uroob, MT Vasudevan Nair, OV Vijayan, T. Padmanabhan, M. Mukundan, Kakkanadan, Paul Zacharia and several others. Expectedly, the quality remains superb throughout. <br /><br />Some of the female writers include Lalithambika Antharjanam, K. Saraswathi Amma, Rajalakshmi, Madhavikutty, Sara Joseph, and Manasi. <br /><br />Lalithambika’s stunning story, ‘Dhirendu Majumdar’s Mother’ is about Shanti Majumdar, the mother of a revolutionary, who herself becomes a heroine during the partition of Bengal and India in 1947, and the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971.<br /><br />OV Vijayan’s story, ‘The Hanging’, talks about a father visiting his son in a prison a day before he was hanged. <br /><br />Here is an excerpt: <br /><br />‘An intense keening issued from Kandunni, a wail so high-pitched and shrill, it was on the edge of auditory perception.<br /><br />“Appa, don’t let them hang me.” <br /><br />“Time’s up, Sir. Please come out.” <br /><br />Vellaayiappan walked out of the cell and the door clanged shut. When he looked back, he saw his son looking at him from behind the bars as a stranger might from behind the barred window of a train hurtling past.’<br /><br />P Padmarajan is known for his novels and films. But he has written a short story called Choonda (The Hook). It is about an old man sitting by the side of a pond trying to hook a varal (murrel). He has a 38-year-old daughter who is not married. She goes on cursing him for going to the pond daily and returning empty-handed. One day, the old man finally catches a murrel. The story ends with these lines: ‘A thought gave him great relief. That day, for the first time in the last five days, he could sleep without listening to cursing.’<br /><br />“It’s a fantastic story,” says Thomas. “There is a superb creation of atmosphere.” <br /><br />Asked whether there is a difference between the older and current writers, Thomas says, “There is no difference. There are only different ways of story-telling. I selected stories that read well.” <br /><br />Thomas had interesting experiences while dealing with the writers or their heirs to get their permission. <br /><br />Thomas called up the multiple award-winning writer T. Padmanabhan, who is 92. <br /><br />“What will I gain?” said Padmanabhan in a playful tone. “Will I be around when the book comes out? What is the use? What am I worth?” <br /><br />Thomas said, “You are the greatest living Malayalam short story writer.” <br /><br />Padmanabhan said, “Who says that?”<br /><br />“Sir, I am saying it,” replied Thomas. <br /><br />Padmanabhan laughed. <br /><br />“His clarity of mind was amazing,” said Thomas. <br /><br />Most were happy that they were selected for an English edition. <br /><br />But many writers remained in obscurity during their lifetimes. They include writers like TR (T Ramachandran), Victor Leenus and Thomas Joseph. “They set a different tone,” says Thomas. “You read their stories and you become aware of other realms. Thomas Joseph is a surreal painter with words.” <br /><br />Joseph had high blood pressure. On September 15, 2018, Joseph suffered a stroke while asleep at his home in Keezhmad, Aluva. The family took him to the Rajagiri Hospital. Since they could not afford to pay the medical expenses, his literary friends, including the writers Paul Zacharia, AK Hassan Koya, and others, including Thomas, pooled their resources. After being released, Joseph spent three years in a coma before he passed away, on July 29, 2021, at the age of 67. <br /><br />The tragedy, says Thomas, is that when society loses a great writer, nobody is bothered. “Everybody goes after celebrated authors like MT Vasudevan Nair and ONV Kurup,” he says. “I have nothing against these great writers, only admiration. In music, people will celebrate singers like Yesudas. But there are also superb writers like TR and Victor Leenus, whom the public is not aware of. These are the people who, like the great Irish writer James Joyce, worked on the margins. That is why I took pains to include these immortals in this collection.” <br /><br />The public is no longer bothered about the aesthetic quality of a literary work. “Earlier generations valued art and literature,” says Thomas. “Literature no longer touches people. They seem to be in another world. They are going ahead at a fast pace. The common man does not have the time to stop and look around. They regard literature and the arts as a luxury. To appreciate art, you need time and a meditative mood. Those things are no longer there. Having said that, there is also a minority which is deeply interested in these subjects.” <br /><br />As to why so many Malayalam writers are being translated into English, Thomas says, “The quality of the writing is very good. This is widely known now. The opening for Malayalam literature into the wider world through English translation happened when Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize for ‘The God of Small Things’ in 1997, even though it was an English book set in Kerala.” <br /><br />Thomas also mentioned that the quality of translators has increased significantly. “Translators like Jayasree Kalathil, EV Fathima, Ministhy S and many others are of international standard,” says Thomas. “This has helped create a market for Malayalam books in translation.” <br /><br />As for the modernist style in Malayalam fiction, Thomas says, “The earliest model of Modernism existed till the early 1970s. Thereafter, there was the Post-Modern period and After Post-Modernism. These are subjective descriptions.”<br /><br />From the 1990s, the scope of the story changed, says Thomas. “After the liberalisation of the Indian economy, the advent of the information superhighway, the rise of the Internet and social media, these are the new experiences,” he says. “All this is expressed in the writing these days.”<br /><br />Asked what elements have to be there in a story to make it timeless, Thomas says, “It should be life-affirming. It cannot be a story glorifying Hitler, for instance, or genocide. There should be aesthetic appeal. It should appeal to the intellect. There should be an original voice and fresh experiences. The narrative style is important. It should be tight and competent.” <br /><br />Thomas is working on a companion volume of stories by writers mainly from the 1990s till the present. He mentions the names of K P Ramanunni, S. Hareesh, Benyamin, KR Meera, B. Murali, Unni R, VJ James, Vinoy Thomas, Subhash Chandran, Santhosh Aechikkanam, VR Sudheesh, E Santhosh Kumar, and a few others. <br /><br />“They belong to the New Wave of Malayalam short story writers,” says Thomas. <br /><br />(An edited version was published in The Federal)Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-80042427797539089242023-11-17T09:58:00.000+05:302023-11-17T09:58:11.437+05:30Many thanks to 'The Fourth' for this moving interview with VK Thajudheen, the protagonist of 'The Stolen Necklace' <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMYg_KoAobH38NHzlTZyHy4cfmXODv1zI0m13TN3Sf7P9cRG0I-zOuLmAveOETdsl-xvcvbJnSxP_sd0plSHT_9ci4ihX9AuvNLZDgN7zXvblK-f2ToNjzYmry32IHkpTfqLADkN1xR6loe8zbwPXxfMT7wHAKAtyBnHhPPi1Nvl1hEn6dwsNhQ/s1000/Stolen%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMYg_KoAobH38NHzlTZyHy4cfmXODv1zI0m13TN3Sf7P9cRG0I-zOuLmAveOETdsl-xvcvbJnSxP_sd0plSHT_9ci4ihX9AuvNLZDgN7zXvblK-f2ToNjzYmry32IHkpTfqLADkN1xR6loe8zbwPXxfMT7wHAKAtyBnHhPPi1Nvl1hEn6dwsNhQ/s320/Stolen%20cover.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><p><br /></p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49bkqrmOVCM<p></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-43930496737891352652023-11-08T10:21:00.002+05:302023-11-08T10:21:53.474+05:30At Death’s Final Stop<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxMQYqFygHcHIZh3mPLsYbGt0Rf4iLVgUfay9q2-YxRt144jC9136S8o9Y-pN0m289Xzz87ey4GPu8Mx_F3x7EWHPmQX3LOMcSLpSLdCMfIHnXxWMAChuLGK2KA8B90oid8scrGTunXxOaW4tMcPt38BEZdqcUR2AjfUapoOPRPX7MejwlW5fag/s639/Radhika%20photo.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxMQYqFygHcHIZh3mPLsYbGt0Rf4iLVgUfay9q2-YxRt144jC9136S8o9Y-pN0m289Xzz87ey4GPu8Mx_F3x7EWHPmQX3LOMcSLpSLdCMfIHnXxWMAChuLGK2KA8B90oid8scrGTunXxOaW4tMcPt38BEZdqcUR2AjfUapoOPRPX7MejwlW5fag/w400-h370/Radhika%20photo.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5efErneY_KS2O21Z2QhuZKDWJ_Eny84VTDkDuZRWoFU0mez0qbdqJFmv1EpTPtjlV1MYfz5JabgzGTHEFABzWDo_1uLZowBC2xFiPlpkwKiNNodxpY4muqerztjFP52jwr6K8VF-w3oRj3cxHdxUySNL_OVwBm6B0atuvsXqQwS3G0chctQtC5A/s1000/Cover.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5efErneY_KS2O21Z2QhuZKDWJ_Eny84VTDkDuZRWoFU0mez0qbdqJFmv1EpTPtjlV1MYfz5JabgzGTHEFABzWDo_1uLZowBC2xFiPlpkwKiNNodxpY4muqerztjFP52jwr6K8VF-w3oRj3cxHdxUySNL_OVwBm6B0atuvsXqQwS3G0chctQtC5A/w256-h400/Cover.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCjrZcC_TGRREZqlqvcWusUSt4ECD5cHIRBw0ouV5PaFdvgb7RPv3WUDpX6SIiPvWw8dGQ4SpfesZX40paGhYyuD_RrShSwDLFxKkjssc4ExqG38ZCuKbaejmDhj0nNCu5bhCz5gy02ImdcXshErht5jdhTmZeI-tKRwSImw7467yYovSaczuIw/s1280/Manikarnika%20Cremation%20Ghat%20Wikipedia.%20Photo%20by%20Dennis%20Jarvis.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCjrZcC_TGRREZqlqvcWusUSt4ECD5cHIRBw0ouV5PaFdvgb7RPv3WUDpX6SIiPvWw8dGQ4SpfesZX40paGhYyuD_RrShSwDLFxKkjssc4ExqG38ZCuKbaejmDhj0nNCu5bhCz5gy02ImdcXshErht5jdhTmZeI-tKRwSImw7467yYovSaczuIw/w400-h300/Manikarnika%20Cremation%20Ghat%20Wikipedia.%20Photo%20by%20Dennis%20Jarvis.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Manikarnika Ghat. Photo by Dennis Jarvis</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Radhika Iyengar’s debut non-fiction work, ‘Fire on the Ganges: Life Among the Dead in Banaras’, takes an in-depth look at the much-maligned community of the Doms. They have been cremating the dead for centuries<br /><br />By Shevlin Sebastian<br /><br />As Radhika Iyengar walked through the narrow lane leading to the Manikarnika Ghat in Banaras, she heard a rhythmic chant. It rose and fell. The people were chanting ‘Ram Naam Satya Hai’ (God’s name is the truth). <br /><br />She stood at one side of the ghat. It is one of the oldest burning ghats on the banks of the Ganges. An inscription about the ghat dating from the 5th century AD Gupta Empire has been found. <br /><br />Radhika saw several pyres burning at the same time. A few brown-skinned men were lighting other pyres. They were, of course, the Doms. Smoke rose in the air. On the ground, she saw a lot of ash. At one side, a barber was shaving the face of a mourner. On another side, there was a tea stall.<br /><br />Some men, with bent backs, brought logs into the area. Every few minutes, pall bearers brought bodies on bamboo biers. Stray dogs wandered about. Several men sat on their haunches and watched the proceedings. Out on the surface of the Ganges, Radhika could see marigold garlands floating.<br /><br />“It was a spell-binding experience,” she said. In 2015, she had come to Banaras to do a report on the Dom community for her thesis project. At the time, Radhika was doing her Masters in Journalism at Columbia University.<br /><br />Little did she know then that she would come many times, as the idea crystallised to do a book on the community of Doms. They belong to the Dalit community. Society considers them as an untouchable caste. For centuries, their primary job has been the cremation of bodies. There is a belief Doms should cremate upper-caste Hindus if they are to attain moksha (relief from the cycle of rebirth).<br /><br />“A Dom’s work is highly skilled,” said Radhika. “It is also dangerous and underpaid. Since it is a profession that is anchored in the caste system, the work is passed down from father to son. For many Dom families, there are no alternative work opportunities.”<br /><br />What pained Radhika was the humiliating way the upper castes treated them.<br /><br />A few children from the community sometimes accompanied Radhika to the ghat. They would avoid a route that had a small temple. Instead, they would request Radhika to take another way. Later, she realised the children avoided that alley, because the priest would shoo them away. They could not be near the temple premises. “It was unsettling to learn that,” she said.<br /><br />Radhika also perceived the huge psychological effect this had on the children. “They had no means to cope and no language to express their angst,” she said.<br /><br />The children also saw dead bodies from an early age. One boy told Radhika that he was only five years old when he saw a corpse. After that, for weeks, the dead man’s face would haunt him in his dreams.<br /><br />Even the adult Doms went through trying times. The labour was very hard. On summer days, with the heat from the pyre and the climatic heat, it took a toll on their health. Radhika said they could not afford proper medical care. Their burns and wounds went untreated. To see a doctor, they sometimes borrowed money to pay the bills. This led them into debt.<br /><br />And to cope, they consumed large amounts of alcohol, gutka and ganja. “They do it to forget the stark reality of the work they do, and the lives they lead,” said Radhika.<br /><br />It took courage and determination by Radhika to befriend the members of the community. She found it easier to talk to the women. “My frequent visits to Chand Ghat made me a familiar face,” she said. “The more time I spent with them, the more they realised I was serious about my work.”<br /><br />The men were not forthcoming initially. “I was a stranger from a different city. They were also not used to having a woman asking questions about their work or their lives.”<br /><br />But Radhika persisted. She began writing the book in 2019 and completed it in 2023.<br /><br />And interacting with the Doms affected Radhika. “Some stories they shared with me were raw and emotional,” she said. “It’s impossible not to be affected. But I tried to ensure that my opinions did not seep into the process of storytelling.”<br /><br />The book, ‘Fire on the Ganges: Life Among the Dead in Banaras’ (HarperCollins Publishers) is an absorbing read. Radhika delves into the struggles, the sufferings, and the agonies of the Dom community.<br /><br />The intense politics between family members, the jealousies, the anger, and the hate. Radhika described the financial hardships they faced and their problems with addiction. She also spoke about the difficulties of the new generation in moving away from this strenuous life and to try something new. <br /><br />There is a youngster called Bhola. He had a great desire to study but was forced to stop in 2001 when he was seven years old because of poverty. In 2006 film-maker Vikram Mathur made a documentary on the Manikarnika Ghat and focused on the boys who ran around collecting the shrouds from the dead bodies. In 2009, an American named George Grey saw the premiere in New York. He felt he had to do something.<br /><br />George and Vikram came to Banaras and offered to fund the education of the boys. The parents demurred saying they preferred their children work to earn some money. In the end, George agreed to pay Rs 1500 a month to the parents to make up for the loss of income the boys would have earned. And the boys, including Bhola, were enrolled in a school in Cholapur. It was a few hours away from Banaras. Later, Bhola graduated from a college in Ludhiana, and managed to get a job in Chennai. To his relief, nobody knows he belongs to the Dom community.<br /><br />There is a story of Komal, a Brahmin girl, who fell in love with Lakshaya, a youngster of the Dom community. Lakshaya was studying in a school. Soon, neighbours came to know. Expectedly, there was fierce opposition from both families. But they ran through the gauntlet of fire for a few years before they got married. <br /><br />The death of one male member, Sekond Lal, the husband of Dolly, had a searing impact on the community for several years. There was suspicion that two neighbours, Gopi and Bunty, had murdered him. But the family members said the police told them it was an accident. <br /><br />Here is an excerpt:<br /><br />‘In 2019, even though some years have passed since his death, a strange disquiet continues to linger in Dolly’s body. It makes its presence known whenever she speaks of Sekond Lal’s death or of those who she believes are his murderers. The disquiet manifests in the form of dry grunts, a widening of her eyes, and incessant name calling. Tired and alone, Dolly is consumed by feelings of anger, sadness, betrayal, and vengeance. She slings accusations at Gopi and Bunty routinely, and at times, she issues roaring threats. “I say this: those who have murdered my husband — the way they have stolen my youth, the same way their youth will be ruined.”<br /><br />After you finish reading the book, you will look at the Dom community with new eyes. You would have seen them from the inside.<br /><br />A possible future Hindi translation, available at Banaras, might remove the scales of prejudice from the eyes of the higher castes. At Manikarnika Ghat, they might even treat this much-maligned community with sympathy, respect and kindness. <br /><br />(Published in The Federal)Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-85386629637883619112023-10-30T15:19:00.007+05:302023-11-06T14:26:16.713+05:30 ‘I don’t know how long India will hold together’<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6l7IGuzi_ctqKuEaKWAyIW7f8WJmyIyMPWTmmq9ArGDf_zNb6Tl3NZ322DbVUtCmw-zfL28oMpU0xLl-vo78HhMkiaozc_Y0xVlyrT_blNlGqMZpzsm3Nt62aDfAya3WiJ3QzG7escWAM2XcNsx-DffN1axTXvTfUauZ6_ITlaB5Fjm1XMgI6ug/s640/Tushar%20Gandhi.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="640" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6l7IGuzi_ctqKuEaKWAyIW7f8WJmyIyMPWTmmq9ArGDf_zNb6Tl3NZ322DbVUtCmw-zfL28oMpU0xLl-vo78HhMkiaozc_Y0xVlyrT_blNlGqMZpzsm3Nt62aDfAya3WiJ3QzG7escWAM2XcNsx-DffN1axTXvTfUauZ6_ITlaB5Fjm1XMgI6ug/w400-h330/Tushar%20Gandhi.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br />Human rights activist, Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, while on a recent visit to Kochi speaks about the rising acceptance of Hindutva among the people, the fear of the minorities and the inroads the Sangh Parivar has made in Kerala<br /><br />By Shevlin Sebastian <div><br /></div><div>At 7 am., on August 9, Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, went down the stairs of his apartment building in Santa Cruz, Mumbai. <br /><br />He was on his way to commemorate the Quit India Day at August Kranti Maidan in Tardeo. It was the day the Mahatma asked the British to Quit India with the slogan ‘Do or die’. This day is also celebrated as a tribute to the sacrifices made by the Indian people during their struggle for independence.<br /><br />When he reached the compound, a group of men came up to him. Tushar recognised two men as police officers, although they were all in plainclothes. <br /><br />“Where are you going?” said one officer. <br /><br />“You know where I am going,” said Tushar. “That is why you have come to stop me.” <br /><br />“No, no, it’s nothing like that,” said one officer. “Our senior inspector [Rajendra Kane] would like to speak to you.” <br /><br />“Connect me on the phone,” said Tushar. <br /><br />“No, no,” he said. “Come with us to the [Santa Cruz] police station.” <br /><br />“I am not coming to the station,” said Tushar. “I have to reach Chowpatty at 8.30 a.m. Give him my phone number and let him speak to him while I am travelling.”<br /><br />After a to-and-fro conversation, they gently coerced Tushar to go to the station. They took him to the senior inspector’s office. <br /><br />Rajendra said, “The DCP [Krishna Kant Upadhyay] is coming. You need to wait.” <br /><br />Tushar again urged the police to release him, but they did not agree. <br /><br />The DCP came and there was a friendly conversation, which lasted for an hour. They asked about Tushar’s ancestry and they expressed their admiration and respect for Mahatma Gandhi. <br /><br />When asked about the police's political leanings, Tushar stated they were adept at concealing them. “They are like chameleons. Whoever is in power, they will align with them.” <br /><br />As they spoke, the police were monitoring the television. There was an official function at August Kranti Maidan. The Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and other ministers were taking part. They were launching the ‘Mera Mati, Mera Desh’ campaign during the Quit India celebrations. <br /><br />During this time, the police also prevented the noted human rights activist Teesta Setalvad from going out. “The police told her that if she tried to leave, they would arrest her,” said Tushar. <br /><br />Teesta is out on bail for the many cases the central government has filed against her. She messaged Tushar about what to do. He replied, “Please don’t force the issue. It is not worth risking your freedom.” The police detained a couple of other activists at Lamington Road station. <br /><br />At 11.15 am, the function concluded. Tushar was told he could leave. This was the first time in his life the police had detained him, although nothing was recorded officially. “Apparently, they were afraid we would stage a demonstration in front of the Chief Minister,” he said. “Why should we? We Gandhians are a peaceful group.” <br /><br />Thereafter, Tushar went to August Kranti Maidan. Around twenty other activists turned up. Among them was the oldest freedom fighter, GG Parekh, 99, as well as Teesta. They sang songs and hymns and saluted the Indian flag. <br /><br />Tushar came to Kochi on October 21 on a two-day visit. He took part in a ‘Secular Indian Movement Conference’ and inaugurated a museum on Tibet set up by the Friends of Tibet Foundation. <br /><br />On Saturday afternoon, Tushar leaned against a sofa in the sixth floor room of the Government Guest House, and smiled kindly. He was a seasoned interviewee. As soon as I asked a question, the answer flowed out immediately, in long and steady sentences, spoken in a calm voice. <br /><br />Here are excerpts from the interview: <br /><br /><b>What is your purpose in life?</b><br /><br />To speak about the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, and the necessity to preserve the soul of India. It keeps me engaged and active. But the negative aspect is that my family is always worried about my safety [Tushar’s family includes wife Sonal Desai, a retired banker, son Vivan, who works with the legal department of the UK government in London, and daughter Kasturi who works with an NGO, Dasra Foundation, Mumbai]. <br /><br /><b>There is talk that Mahatma Gandhi is being erased. Do you agree? </b><br /><br />What is being attempted is to erase the ideas of Gandhi: truth, ahimsa, inclusiveness and equality. These are the cornerstones on which man has built civilisations. The hate campaign against him is systematically orchestrated and conducted. The government has created a Gandhi, which is convenient: the Gandhi of his spectacles and of cleanliness. <br /><br />They don’t want a Gandhi who is pointing a finger and saying ‘You are wrong’. They have erased him from textbooks. But they are also erasing whole chunks of history, which is not acceptable to their viewpoint. <br /><br /><b>Do you detect a pervasive fear in your travels around the country?</b><br /><br />I do. The liberal and secular-minded people feel they are in a minority. They are feeling intimidated. The minorities are always fearful. There is a concerted campaign to terrorise the Muslims and Christians: the mob lynching, the economic boycotts, and hate speeches. They also target the lower castes. <br /><br />The Bahujans, Adivasis and Dalits may be over 60 percent of the population. Which is why the Centre does not want to conduct a national census. The upper-castes have conducted a genocide on the lower castes for over 5000 years. There was a viral video of an upper-caste politician [BJP worker Pravesh Shukla] in Madhya Pradesh peeing on a lower-caste man [Dashmat Rawat]. But it did not evoke widespread horror or anguish among the majority community. However, that did not surprise me. <br /><br /><b>Is the Hindutva ideology here to stay? </b><br /><br />Yes. People in South India have largely accepted it as well. It is now a popular choice of the people. Earlier, the upper castes supported it and it remained on the fringes. Now it is mainstream. In North India, the people of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and parts of Bihar have embraced it whole-heartedly. <br /><br /><b>Do you believe the Sangh Parivar has made inroads into Kerala? </b><br /><br />I do. In the last five years, they have been publicly present in Kerala and made a deep penetration into society. I made a speech a year ago at the Sabarmati Library in the Congress office in Kochi. I stated the RSS was complicit in the murder of Bapu. After that, I got legal notices of defamation from three RSS members in Kerala. That’s how strongly they are present now. Earlier, this would not have happened. <br /><br />Unfortunately, there is an acceptance of Hindutva in Kerala, especially among the upper castes. On August 15, the RSS took out many marches in Kerala. Yes, they are pumping in a lot of money. If the RSS succeeds electorally in Kerala, we will lose all hope. <br /><br /><b>Your message to the people of Kerala?<br /></b><br />As in many parts of India, people are unaware of the dangers posed by an extreme right-wing ideology that could harm the country in the long run. <br /><br /><b>Is there a danger the country will be Balkanised?</b><br /><br />Yes, there is a danger. The fabric of society which unites us has weakened. I don’t know how long India will hold together. The destructive forces sow the seeds of their own destruction in their campaign of divisiveness. They have created so many cracks in this edifice called India that it is going to break. But we don’t know how many pieces it is going to break into? <br /><br /><b>Will the Bharat Jodo Yatra by Rahul Gandhi have an impact on the 2024 elections?</b><br /><br />Too much time has passed since the yatra. Rahul gave them a head-start for 2024, but the Congress could not capitalise on it in the manner they should have. <br /><br /><b>So, will the NDA win again? </b><br /><br />I will be happy if the margin of victory of the NDA goes down. If that happens, the daggers for Modi in his party would be out. He has a lot of enemies within. He has kept them subdued because of electoral wins. The reduced margin in 2024 will become unbearable for the party. Of course, if the INDIA alliance is able to defeat them, I will be ecstatic. <br /><br /><b>There is always a suspicion that the EVM machines are being tampered with. What is your opinion? <br /></b><br />If the voting percentage is beyond 70, it will be difficult to tamper with the vote. When voting is less, it is easy to manipulate. In the Gujarat elections, that was what happened. The voter turnout was less. I mentioned this in my meeting with the Secular Indian people. On election day we have to work hard to bring out the people. Many believe their vote doesn’t matter. But it does. <br /><br /><b>Will secularism make a comeback? </b><br /><br />We should embrace atheism. We should have a religion-less nation. Religion in India has caused most of the evils that we see today. The oppression, the segregation, and the caste system have the sanction of religion. The government should disassociate itself from any religion. Secularism is not working. I know nobody will accept my idea. The problem is that wherever there is a religious identity it results in radicalisation.<br /><br /><b>Talking of radicalisation, is Israel committing genocide in Palestine? <br /></b><br />There is no doubt about it. Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government has set up an apartheid system in Palestine. He and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are cut from the same cloth. Under the pretext of obliterating Hamas, they are obliterating the people. <br /><br /><b>The future looks bleak for the Palestinian people. Do you agree?<br /></b><br />The present is bleak, but the Palestinians can always change the future. Even during the darkest moments, the people should keep hoping. Only then they can be resolute in their defiance of the oppressor. If they give up, they are saying it is beyond them. But freedom is never beyond human possibility. You should always work towards freedom by influencing world opinion and by continuously defying the oppressor. <br /><br /><b>Was Hamas right in slaughtering Israeli civilians?</b><br /><br />Violence is never right. Violence always begets violence.<br /><br />(Published in The Federal) </div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-57945474679043532082023-10-28T14:00:00.000+05:302023-10-28T14:00:07.996+05:30 Thoughts while looking at a photograph<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8SCl8jTXCIsIB3Px26aO6lWm7Q3efIrG-Xkkd19dJYvY9beoyYkM-Y8xfpTRqS05LV5bgrzjVNTqpeFsmNd7f91SXt-xudzX_ZniPuxaVUqjlO2obUcsfhj2OtbnlhgLJTro35NxmUlSsipuu6eyEwlOd2Yc-i3rN5Indc-MJjaIwVua29AJbg/s1255/Shevlin%20with%20Tushar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8SCl8jTXCIsIB3Px26aO6lWm7Q3efIrG-Xkkd19dJYvY9beoyYkM-Y8xfpTRqS05LV5bgrzjVNTqpeFsmNd7f91SXt-xudzX_ZniPuxaVUqjlO2obUcsfhj2OtbnlhgLJTro35NxmUlSsipuu6eyEwlOd2Yc-i3rN5Indc-MJjaIwVua29AJbg/w344-h400/Shevlin%20with%20Tushar.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUS1j3srjwTHN9aK3exWe0eK6GQE-TAeJUPEz-tsD0-bfHGlgFzqFLfwRyyQRxa1bUUYenFIj9NZgN-npvMaVReqzBw8iEq3OOal5XW3Yf6wKnjYd7F8SCR6qG7tP5IG7pxhQpknCGYbzz3OUDxlMso464SF-cvGT9snlQzl-O0rT3dhxzm9Ygg/s420/Edmund-Hillary-and-June-Mulgrew.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUS1j3srjwTHN9aK3exWe0eK6GQE-TAeJUPEz-tsD0-bfHGlgFzqFLfwRyyQRxa1bUUYenFIj9NZgN-npvMaVReqzBw8iEq3OOal5XW3Yf6wKnjYd7F8SCR6qG7tP5IG7pxhQpknCGYbzz3OUDxlMso464SF-cvGT9snlQzl-O0rT3dhxzm9Ygg/w266-h400/Edmund-Hillary-and-June-Mulgrew.webp" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTBECXK_e7t8QteVcyUFNDOCuSNaQdhpErCRV62DuABLJUzHz76aUFImFjlGaLBKZEYhknebI_HpVGqAQZBWvLi_y2NaEdBlBHf8RfyOuebDSoAXvk09ASrPtgLendSomL4rJs78I2yRSQdH27LRTxZ4mW4KsT0Kriha8RrDOKBXt-8ifAzl13A/s1210/Sethu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="842" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTBECXK_e7t8QteVcyUFNDOCuSNaQdhpErCRV62DuABLJUzHz76aUFImFjlGaLBKZEYhknebI_HpVGqAQZBWvLi_y2NaEdBlBHf8RfyOuebDSoAXvk09ASrPtgLendSomL4rJs78I2yRSQdH27LRTxZ4mW4KsT0Kriha8RrDOKBXt-8ifAzl13A/w279-h400/Sethu.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOLbypkgZCkp0gjNyqjs8egXnTg6iNDm0CvzH5Ih7E5poedbliPLUfpY9dtHYhuOPayc5WhLqnAPXB-znnYlQnqWUgPNcL99Q-ASNvE123NJEpBUwUv2W9LUfMqaxD13mnnOm5by2O93zHX7AZrMGf2lXootHXEM2-PutuRRPxKBS6nOhfDu7Ew/s1600/Kalamandalam%20Gopi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOLbypkgZCkp0gjNyqjs8egXnTg6iNDm0CvzH5Ih7E5poedbliPLUfpY9dtHYhuOPayc5WhLqnAPXB-znnYlQnqWUgPNcL99Q-ASNvE123NJEpBUwUv2W9LUfMqaxD13mnnOm5by2O93zHX7AZrMGf2lXootHXEM2-PutuRRPxKBS6nOhfDu7Ew/w400-h300/Kalamandalam%20Gopi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Photos: With Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi; Mountaineer Edmund Hillary with his wife Jane; Sethu Das, founder of the Friends of Tibet Foundation and Kathakali legend Kalamanadalam Gopi </b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By Shevlin Sebastian </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sethu Das, founder of the Friends of Tibet Foundation, sent me a photograph on WhatsApp. It was of me interviewing Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. As I gazed at the image, my thoughts went back decades.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One day, at 9 am, in the 1980s, I interviewed Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mount Everest. This was in the dining hall of the Sinclairs Hotel in Darjeeling. Sitting next to him was his second wife Jane, looking tall but nowhere near Hillary’s height of 6 feet 5 inches. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">H</span><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">illary’s first wife Louise and daughter Belinda died in a plane crash near Kathmandu on March 31, 1975. It was a tragedy from which Hillary never completely recovered. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like I did with Tushar, I pointed a dictaphone at Hillary. During interviews, I always hold the dictaphone up, instead of placing it on the sofa or at a table nearby. I fear that otherwise, I will not get good audio reception. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I also lean forward and encroach on the other’s space. With men, it is fine. But with women, I always say, “Madam, I am sorry I have to come closer, because of the dictaphone.” Thereafter, the women are fine. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One benefit of holding the dictaphone is that I can always check whether the red light, which shows a recording is taking place, is flashing. In a few interviews over the years, I have forgotten to press on the recording button. But within minutes, I can detect the mistake. Then I press the button, offer my apologies, and restart the interview from the beginning. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Today, I keep the same habits from three decades ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">To prepare for my interview with Hillary, I went to the library of Ananda Bazar Publications (ABP) at Kolkata and asked for the clippings file on him. I was working for Sportsworld magazine, an ABP publication. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This was during the pre-Internet era. So I read up all that I could about Hillary. And then as I prepared the questions, I asked myself this question: ‘What is it I want to know?’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In Hilary’s case, I realised I wanted to know whether he was aware of death during his ascent to the peak of Mount Everest. When I put this question to Hillary, his eyes widened. This was not something he was expecting a young man to ask. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This was what he replied: “I was frightened. I knew one mistake would result in me plunging to my death. So, the triumph is not only over the mountain, but over all the fears and anxieties that are raging inside you.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It was a memorable answer. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For Tushar, it was a simple decision about what I wanted to know. The state of India at present. But this was what most people, especially liberals like me, would ask him. But as I did my research on Tushar, I came across an interesting item. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The police had detained him on August 9. He was about to take part in the Quit India celebration at Kranti Maidan in Mumbai. I wondered what it would be like when the police detained you. So, I asked him about this experience in depth. And that became the beginning of my article. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">After the interviews, the process was the same. I would transcribe the conversation, make it an article, and file it. And the years went by with no major hiccups. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Except once. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In July, 2009, I travelled to Mundur, near Thrissur to do an interview with Kathakali legend Kalamandalam Gopi. This was for my column, ‘Turning Points in Life’ for the ‘New Indian Express’. I had an enjoyable meeting with him. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I returned to Kochi by train, rucksack on my back, and took a bus to the office. Although there was no seating space, there were few standing passengers. When I got down, something prompted me to check the pocket of the rucksack. And the unthinkable had happened. A pickpocket had filched the dictaphone. It was the first time I experienced the meaning of the term, pole-axed. Something similar would be to have a hollow feeling at the pit of my stomach. Or rather, I felt I had no stomach. ‘How did it happen when the bus was not crowded?’ I asked myself. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I did not know how I would write the article. I was so dependent on the dictaphone that I hardly remembered the conversation. Through a crime reporter colleague, I filed a police complaint. But, of course, nothing happened. Why should cops bother about a lowly scribe and his silly dictaphone? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, this is what I did. The first half of the article was a mood piece about my encounter with the maestro and his wife inside the house. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here it is: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">‘At Mundur, near Thrissur, Kathakali legend Kalamandalam Gopi welcomes me with a smile to his home, ‘Guru Kripa’. He is wearing a maroon shirt and white mundu. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We settle down on a sofa and soon the interview begins. About twenty minutes into the conversation I tell him I am unable to follow what he has said. Irritated, Gopiyasan says, “There is nothing more I have to say. I have a sore throat and feel tired.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It is at this delicate moment that I mention the name of my former colleague, Sreevalsan Menon, a passionate Kathakali fan. He has known Gopiyasan from his childhood. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A few weeks ago, Sreevalsan sent me a wake-up SMS at 4.45 a.m. He was keen to introduce a neophyte like me to the power and magic of kathakali. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is a Gopiyasan dance being telecast at 5 a.m. And so, with sleep-laden eyes and a stiff body, I switch on the television. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For the next one hour Sreevalsan is on the mobile phone explaining every nuance, mudra, gesture and facial expression. Thanks to this class I am able to appreciate Gopiyasan’s genius. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When Gopiyasan hears this anecdote, he bursts out laughing. His equilibrium restored, the interview resumes once again. He talks with an infectious enthusiasm and joy, and poses for photographs, with his dazzling smile. And so, it is with a grateful shake of his hand that I take his leave and return.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For the second half, I tried to recall whatever I could. Then I took some material from Wikipedia and completed the article. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As for the thief, I think about him even today. Was he able to sell the dictaphone? It was an old one. How much would he have got for it? It is now 13 years since the theft happened. Is he still getting on buses and stealing from unsuspecting passengers? He could be married now, with children. What would the children think of him, if they come to know their father is a pickpocket? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And one day, surely, his luck would run out, as alert passengers might catch him in the act and get him arrested. Has he spent time in jail? Did he have moments when he felt he should leave thieving and try something respectful? Who knows? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">People make choices and pay the price for it. The dictaphone has probably outlived its usefulness and must be lying on some trash heap. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">That is life. We do things to survive and if the actions are positive, there are no repercussions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At the end of the interview with Tushar, as if on cue, the waiter arrived. He had a look of awe on his face. ‘The Mahatma’s mystique remains,’ I thought. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The waiter served black coffee and banana fritters. We ate and drank and talked about a variety of subjects including his recent chat with Uddhav Thackeray, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I felt thankful when I bid goodbye. Thanks to my work as a journalist, I have interacted with so many well-known people. Many of them were high-achievers. Some were geniuses. All pulsated with vibrant energy and infectious enthusiasm. Every day was a joy and a miracle for them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As for me, the excitement of journalism has not waned. I know of reporters, who have been on a daily deadline for decades, who have burnt out. I may have escaped that fate because I was in feature writing all along. I managed to avoid doing hack work, which can be soul-sapping. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And I thank God for that.</span></p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-83175396599621280482023-10-26T14:42:00.000+05:302023-10-26T14:42:26.517+05:30 A touch of Tibet in Kochi<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TmhSm-e2mkUJ8XF1nLo5G88ZSq2vCEbSpf141WQLJz3ESN3EEMhBbelDTVrJ3fjzpb28_kEOF6QDuXC3dWQbtWtd4v4S62LKm4PrSKjHRtp1P_Sdvns85Ido-l6oOh6dGWlclIMmZy65EcpzOTFyD4APsmzbcwkZTQBzHkK4v1MFGL4ozRCQyw/s4080/Sethu%20with%20the%20Dalai%20Lama%20and%20the%20Zenith%20Radio.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2720" data-original-width="4080" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TmhSm-e2mkUJ8XF1nLo5G88ZSq2vCEbSpf141WQLJz3ESN3EEMhBbelDTVrJ3fjzpb28_kEOF6QDuXC3dWQbtWtd4v4S62LKm4PrSKjHRtp1P_Sdvns85Ido-l6oOh6dGWlclIMmZy65EcpzOTFyD4APsmzbcwkZTQBzHkK4v1MFGL4ozRCQyw/w400-h266/Sethu%20with%20the%20Dalai%20Lama%20and%20the%20Zenith%20Radio.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4orM4LPaT2Kjr6gITvXoLxDFVd-9F-gzETn_XUtHu95v3F0AXbbnO0Mea7RdgcgEJumkJtzZr46o9Rgv4pDu9T9oQZAGCu4bktu5qGi-SJ1k7YVf_hdD7fpe8V84u3ZIYUntF35uhV0MoZ6Axw3t3tKaI5CHNXT9skcxFFzuyijg-fGD-vK3-HA/s4000/Jaqueline%20Meier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4orM4LPaT2Kjr6gITvXoLxDFVd-9F-gzETn_XUtHu95v3F0AXbbnO0Mea7RdgcgEJumkJtzZr46o9Rgv4pDu9T9oQZAGCu4bktu5qGi-SJ1k7YVf_hdD7fpe8V84u3ZIYUntF35uhV0MoZ6Axw3t3tKaI5CHNXT9skcxFFzuyijg-fGD-vK3-HA/w400-h300/Jaqueline%20Meier.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcf5aLybwCE1Oth3mXi6TyxMSJ5-fjIeXtFjnyAgAxAv6pkQJvKal7jwXPN5Ag7aMgYFc-UUP4UrhThLkhTxsEnwTJXrW3o3nL9tVrFVOagVaKthCZedR6r4P6v3DpP4MOQW6_OtXsFSLwz3yTPwHCq6a2dS7wc6uxCVqcw3TlnrwnNJScPNyng/s4000/Angel%20Lopez%20Soto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcf5aLybwCE1Oth3mXi6TyxMSJ5-fjIeXtFjnyAgAxAv6pkQJvKal7jwXPN5Ag7aMgYFc-UUP4UrhThLkhTxsEnwTJXrW3o3nL9tVrFVOagVaKthCZedR6r4P6v3DpP4MOQW6_OtXsFSLwz3yTPwHCq6a2dS7wc6uxCVqcw3TlnrwnNJScPNyng/w400-h300/Angel%20Lopez%20Soto.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBSeuxwUY-bt_-3btYzh_TUqrreA9Q-8MjXWHgufiEHwkMm3rTP9hbtlGxoVthar-s5oZNtZRotcDs3IVe2WWLbvt3dkVQOQVf0UEYPXr0uRkxoC_R_-KMUSGZwoxiI-aCoyBeSMZUgvh3luqfHWJkGYNxHpMIsEAG9yDWn1aXcfQALp8ciVcGA/s1438/Thangka%20Painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBSeuxwUY-bt_-3btYzh_TUqrreA9Q-8MjXWHgufiEHwkMm3rTP9hbtlGxoVthar-s5oZNtZRotcDs3IVe2WWLbvt3dkVQOQVf0UEYPXr0uRkxoC_R_-KMUSGZwoxiI-aCoyBeSMZUgvh3luqfHWJkGYNxHpMIsEAG9yDWn1aXcfQALp8ciVcGA/w300-h400/Thangka%20Painting.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><b>Photos: <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Sethu Das (in blue shirt), founder of the Friends of Tibet Foundation shows the Zenith Radio to the Dalai Lama; t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">he Potala Palace in Lhasa. Photo by Jaqueline Meier of Switzerland; </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">A father, mother and 12-year-old son who had arrived at the Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal, after trekking over the Himalayas. Photo by Angel Lopez Soto from Spain; a thangka painting</span></b><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Friends of Tibet Foundation has set up a museum and a library about Tibet. Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and human rights activist inaugurated it on October 22</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">(Published in The Federal)</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://thefederal.com/category/the-eighth-column/why-kochi-is-rooting-for-preserving-tibets-history-of-struggles-and-loss-99344?infinitescroll=1&fbclid=IwAR1x-63uu_LnSvBJW0_OEhmkogKFtiKYDIKqvF8sWUAbj0-KNccCVvQ9PIw" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://thefederal.com/.../why-kochi-is-rooting-for...</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">By Shevlin Sebastian</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It is a cloudy Sunday afternoon. Panorama Nagar in Kochi is deserted. There are bungalows lining the road. Most houses have grassy lawns, gardens with roses, sunflowers, and marigolds, apart from mango and coconut trees. Silence abounds. Only the chirp of sparrows can be heard. Everybody is taking their afternoon siesta. In front of one bungalow, set at quite some distance from the road, white, red, blue, green and orange flags are fluttering on a wire. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">This is the first hint that there is something different about the bungalow. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And, indeed, it is different. The bungalow houses a museum which is dedicated to showcasing the life and times of the people of Tibet. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">According to their history, the Chinese invaded and captured Tibet in 1950. Thousands of Tibetans died. Many fled, trekking over their Himalayas, and took refuge in India. In 1959, the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama sought political asylum in India. It was granted to him. He fled from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and trekked over the Himalayan mountain passes and reached Mussoorie. According to government data, there are 85,000 Tibetans living in India today.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Inside the museum, one of the first things that catches the eye is Zenith Royal 1000-1 Wavemagnet Transistor Radio. The current Dalai Lama used it when he lived in the Potala Palace in Lhasa. He took it with him when he came to India and established a government-in-exile in Mussoorie, in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. In 1960, it was shifted to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“The Zenith Corporation made it for the exclusive use of the Dalai Lama,” said Sethu Das, the founder of the Friends of Tibet Foundation. “It was one of the most powerful radios built at that time.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sethu pulled out its very long antenna. “This was how the Dalai Lama kept in touch with all the happenings in the world,” he said.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">On November 25, 2012, the Dalai Lama visited Kochi.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sethu said, “Your Holiness, do you remember this radio?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The Dalai Lama shook his head.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sethu said, “This is your radio.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The Dalai Lama laughed heartily, as he hadn’t expected to see the radio in Kochi. The Dalai Lama’s sister, Jetsun Pema, had gifted it to the Friends of Tibet several years ago. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">On October 22, Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a noted human rights activist, inaugurated the museum. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">When Tushar saw the radio, he said, “I feel nostalgic when I see the Dalai Lama’s radio. It reminds me of the clandestine radio broadcasts by the courageous Congress worker Usha Mehta in Mumbai 75 years ago."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Usha had set up the Secret Congress Radio, an underground radio station. She broadcasted the communications of the leaders, many of whom were in prison. It functioned for eight months during the Quit India Movement of 1942. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Today, the Tibetan movement symbolises the battle of right against might,” said Tushar. “The world must sympathise with the Tibetan people. We Indians must make the battle to regain the homeland of Tibet for the Tibetans our own. We must help to achieve this dream during the lifetime of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. I affirm my solidarity with the people.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">At the museum, next to the radio, in a framed photo, are images of Tibetan currency. You can see paper notes like 25 and 100 Sang notes. They were in circulation till 1959.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is a long-distance shot, by Jaqueline Meier of Switzerland, of the magnificent Potala Palace. It is located high up on the Red Hill. In the massive courtyard in front, there is a group of Chinese police officers standing around. This is a stark reminder of the invasion. Thousands of Tibetans died at the hands of the Chinese troops. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One of India’s greatest spiritual teachers, Osho, said, in a speech at Pune, in 1988, “Tibet has fallen into darkness. Its monasteries have been closed. The Chinese have forced its seekers of truth to work in labour camps. Nowhere in the world has there been such a concentrated effort to discover man’s inner being. But the communist regime has destroyed everything that the people had built in the past two thousand years.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In another image, taken by Angel Lopez Soto from Spain, a father, mother and 12-year-old son had arrived at the Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal, after trekking over the Himalayas. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">They are sitting on a bench and having soup, their eyes cast downwards towards the bowls. They looked weather-bitten and hungry. The father has placed his foot in a basin of warm water. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“He may have suffered from frostbite,” said Sethu. “This is a scene from the 1960s.” A young woman, in a white top and floor-length skirt, stood on one side and watched them with a solicitous look on her face. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">On another wall hangs a thangka. It is a Tibetan Buddhist painting which is painted on cloth. It depicts Lord Buddha, who is sitting crossed-legged inside a lotus. “They make the paints from natural plants,” said musician Nirmal Anthony, a member of the Friends of Tibet. “The lotus is a flower that grows in the mud but is untouched by it. Buddha’s message is: ‘You should live in the world but remain unaffected by its vicissitudes.’ The thousand-petalled lotus symbolises the enlightened state of human consciousness.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is also a photo, taken by Mumbai-based photographer Suresh Natarajan, of a smiling Dalai Lama, sitting on an armchair in his office in Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama radiates positive energy because of his twinkling eyes. He looked to be in his fifties. A copy of the American magazine, Newsweek, is lying on a low table in front of him. Today, the Dalai Lama is 88 years old. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Other photos show the vistas of the Tibetan landscape with its blue skies and high mountain ranges. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Some items have been placed on a table. These include the first Tibetan passport used by the Finance Secretary Tsepong Wangchuk Dedhen Shakabpa; the 1934 September edition of the National Geographic magazine carrying the image of the Tibetan National Flag in the ‘National Flags of the World’; Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao’s ‘Little Red Book’, and a uniform worn by the Chinese soldiers during the invasion of Tibet. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A visitor’s view</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sudheer Nath is a Delhi-based journalist cum cartoonist. Once or twice a month, he comes to Kerala to visit his family. He dropped in to view the museum. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“If you visit the museum without knowing the history of Tibet, you will not get an idea of the pain and despair behind the photos,” he said. “It will be ordinary photos for those who are ignorant. But for me, it was a deeply moving experience.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sudheer has been a keen follower of the Tibetan issue for 25 years and has attended many functions of the Friends of Tibet. He has visited the Tibetan refugee colony called Majnu Ka Tila near Kashmere Gate in Delhi. “I am a supporter of Tibetan independence,” he said. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is also a library which houses hundreds of books about Tibet. You can see ‘A Journey in Ladakh: Encounters with Buddhism’, by spiritual teacher Andrew Harvey; ‘Tibet: Reports from Exile’ by Tibetan author Thupten Samphel, and ‘The Definitive Account of the Dalai Lama and Tibet’, written by American journalist John F Avedon. There is a book by the Dalai Lama, called ‘Awakening the mind: Lightening the heart.’</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Attracted to Tibet </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sethu was working as a graphic designer with the ‘Economic Times’ newspaper in Mumbai. During a vacation, he landed in Dharamshala with a photographer friend. That was when he encountered Tibetan monks with their distinctive maroon cloaks. He got curious and did interviews to know more about them.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">When some of them refused to speak, he realised later the Chinese had cut off their tongues. He felt an ache in his heart. “I discovered my life’s work and passion in Dharamshala,” he said. Soon, he gave up his job. Thereafter, he set up the Friends of Tibet at Mumbai in 1999. This was followed, in the same year, by the setting up of the Friends of Tibet Foundation in his hometown of Kochi. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The Foundation works to safeguard and advance Tibetan heritage, including their healing traditions.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“We are conducting research on the unique heritage, legacy and history of Tibet,” said Sethu. The Foundation works with scholars, scientists, health experts, and sociologists to publish research papers.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">During the Kochi International Art Biennale, in December, 2022, the Foundation set up ‘Shadow Circus: A Personal Archive of Tibetan Resistance (1957-74)’. Activist film-makers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam curated it.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Karma Yeshi is a former finance minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile. He said that the Friends of Tibet are doing wonderful work, mainly in South India and Mumbai. ‘They have made the people aware of the sufferings of the Tibetan people,” he said. “All this has happened because of the immense dedication and sincerity of Sethu and his team, Suku, his brother, and their father CJ Yesudasan (1938-2021), one of Kerala's well-known cartoonists. Because of them, many other people have joined the group. All of them are so sincere.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">------------------------------------</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Box</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Tibetan Medical Camp</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Next to the museum is a doctor’s chamber. Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar conducts a three-day medical camp once every two months. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Sowa Rigpa, or the Science of Healing, is one of the world’s oldest known medical traditions dating back to the 4th Century AD,” said Dr. Neshar. “The Indian healing system of Ayurveda has influenced Tibetan medicine. We use pulse and urinalysis. Our medicines are composed of herbs and minerals. We have physical therapies like acupuncture.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Around 100 patients come to seek treatment.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One of them is Sreelal. He is an artist and teaches art at the Emmanuel College at Vazhichal, 43 kms from the capital of Thiruvananthapuram. On the evening of February 4, 2022, after returning from college, he complained of a headache to his wife, Chitra. So, he lay down on the bed. Suddenly, there were tremors on his face and blood shot out from his mouth. Chitra took him to the hospital. The hospital could not diagnose whether it was a stroke or a fit. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Since it was during Covid, the doctor put him on a ventilator,” said Chitra, who works in a government office. After 15 days, the doctor took him off the ventilator and Sreelal became normal after a month. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Through the next year, now and then he would have fits,” said Chitra. ‘Sreelal began slurring on some words. The hospital kept increasing the dosage. Sreelal became bedridden and slept a lot. He became absent-minded.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Mathew, a friend, suggested that they consult Dr. Neshar. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“We were hesitant to bring him,” said Chitra. “I had not heard of Tibetan medicine earlier.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But on July 5, this year, Chitra brought Sreelal to the medical camp in Kochi. When Dr Nasher inspected Sreelal, he was shocked at the high dosage of medicine that he had been taking. He reduced the dose and also provided Tibetan medicines. The tablets have to be grounded and immersed in warm water. Sreelal took the liquid three times a day. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Within days, there was a marked improvement. Sreelal is also doing physiotherapy. He can walk now. “He is eating with his left hand, even though he is right-handed,” said Chitra. “I don’t know what it is, but Tibetan medicine is amazing. I am sure Sreelal will make a complete recovery.”</div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-59321562426749090472023-10-23T10:59:00.001+05:302023-10-23T10:59:33.774+05:30Chronicling the Cochin Jews<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMYO2-jZzdbJkHt4OlZiCJV9FkSUsJWywRqEVP-MBJ7OXWfb8WW4vGU55F3_T2ifxOu7I2vjIM-Jmzu941sE3abw5RrDL8n-KcZmEdf9j61hiEXRmax4yvcwo7Gh-Db9EKRTmwNMrJWlBrvNjTCd2U4zor37r3rGfWZ5FFQfj8n4Qowu3wTudhg/s622/Pramila%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="595" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMYO2-jZzdbJkHt4OlZiCJV9FkSUsJWywRqEVP-MBJ7OXWfb8WW4vGU55F3_T2ifxOu7I2vjIM-Jmzu941sE3abw5RrDL8n-KcZmEdf9j61hiEXRmax4yvcwo7Gh-Db9EKRTmwNMrJWlBrvNjTCd2U4zor37r3rGfWZ5FFQfj8n4Qowu3wTudhg/w383-h400/Pramila%20pic.jpg" width="383" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQo-TvKu4BhmH0fyNceVrImxiFmg711o2rQ1c10D8IWez5K4KG8QlOg7sYtbkw3J21vfV-nG5Wqii2zQ-mzDs203DE3kMf3M4PTwTRjEroYrobhAF4_yj-BheccXqnh0Rtz2faTmAj-KXe9zh8WAqZHKEBPmUuTRzjLcUsb6LKk0z0AweJU-1lw/s4032/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQo-TvKu4BhmH0fyNceVrImxiFmg711o2rQ1c10D8IWez5K4KG8QlOg7sYtbkw3J21vfV-nG5Wqii2zQ-mzDs203DE3kMf3M4PTwTRjEroYrobhAF4_yj-BheccXqnh0Rtz2faTmAj-KXe9zh8WAqZHKEBPmUuTRzjLcUsb6LKk0z0AweJU-1lw/w300-h400/Cover.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefb1Njcnu17s7QS_u8bwjl9PKyHoJuqPsxrBLufEMJKW3ZbsGV5l2h0hvHWrgijLVZydlcsYYkX52hQMShJI2kPUcpQLFQ0936m4HsO7K9JDWgYxNnmDoq1QEaeq-v0hwx4BeDEERgaaJpF5panvYHxbK47qTWVKNeWjdCLcZONoGzwDkrVKDnw/s480/Jews%20arriving%20in%20the%20Kingdom%20of%20Cochin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="480" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefb1Njcnu17s7QS_u8bwjl9PKyHoJuqPsxrBLufEMJKW3ZbsGV5l2h0hvHWrgijLVZydlcsYYkX52hQMShJI2kPUcpQLFQ0936m4HsO7K9JDWgYxNnmDoq1QEaeq-v0hwx4BeDEERgaaJpF5panvYHxbK47qTWVKNeWjdCLcZONoGzwDkrVKDnw/w400-h290/Jews%20arriving%20in%20the%20Kingdom%20of%20Cochin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pramila Venkateswaran’s book of poems, ‘We are not a museum’, has won the best poetry award at the New York Book Festival</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">By Shevlin Sebastian</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">(Published in scroll.in: </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://scroll.in/article/1057924/meet-pramila-venkateswaran-winner-of-the-best-poetry-award-at-new-york-book-festival?fbclid=IwAR1TOP3J1bbMmVgvdb2AdQJ-NGvgvQcatXbRmmVNOSi3De2VaSSEy7AgbBE" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://scroll.in/.../meet-pramila-venkateswaran-winner...</a></span>)</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">On the morning of July 26, when Pramila Venkateswaran opened her eyes, she saw it was dark outside the window of her house in Long Island. There was a steady pitter-patter of the rain. Pramila was glad that because of the summer holidays, she did not have to go to work. She is Professor, English and Women and Gender Studies at Nassau Community College 58 kms away.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">She went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">After a while, her husband IV Ramakrishnan came in, carrying a black briefcase. He was wearing a blue shirt and black trousers. Pramila liked the way he kept his white beard so trim and proper. Ramakrishnan is Professor and Associate Dean in the Department of Computer Science at Stony Brook university. It was a five-minute drive away.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Happy birthday,” he said, as he gave Pramila a peck on her cheek. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Let’s go out for dinner today.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Okay,” said Pramila. “Hopefully, the rain will stop by then.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“I think it will,” he said, as he headed towards the door.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Carrying her cup of coffee, Pramila went to her study, opened her laptop and checked her mails.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One email said she had won an award. She thought, ‘What is this? I don’t remember applying. This can’t be true.’</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, Pramila clicked on the link. She realised she had won the first prize for poetry for her book, ‘We are not a museum’. This was in the competition held by the New York Book Festival.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Pramila had sent an entry over ten months ago. So she had forgotten about the event. Immediately Pramila thought, ‘What a perfect birthday gift!’</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">She sent the link to her daughters living in different parts of America and to her husband. She also posted the link of the award online. Soon, congratulatory messages rolled in.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The book is about the life and times of the Cochin Jews, a declining community. There are less than 15 members left. As a child, she spent a few years in Jew Town.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“I would run in and out of the Paradesi Synagogue,” she said.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Her father, R Venkateswaran, worked as a manager in Canara Bank. The management had transferred him to the Fort Kochi branch. “He became close to the Jewish community,” she said. “And especially with Satu Koder, a leading entrepreneur, who was the warden of the synagogue for over 40 years.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Both worked together, in 1968, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the synagogue. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was the chief guest. For several years after that, in her parents’ house, there hung a large black-and-white photograph. This comprised Indira Gandhi, Venkateswaran, his wife, Kausalya, and Satu Koder standing together.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What Pramila remembered was how entranced she was by the inside of the synagogue. She recollects the memory in this excerpt from her poem, ‘I was seven’ from her book.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Oh,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">there is so much gold and red in this temple,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">the tall lamps are lit and multicoloured glass dance</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">their hues on the windows. How strange</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">the objects in the room—the tall table, the big book,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">the writing on the walls. I do not even know</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">what building we’re in until Amma explains,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“It is a synagogue, a Jewish temple.” I carry the sound</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">of my light steps, velvet in my eyes.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">For the past 20 years, Pramila had been writing poems about her childhood. Inevitably, she wrote about her time in the synagogue. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">She had no plans to write a book about the Cochin Jews, but as she reflected on the rich syncretic tradition in Kerala, where the mosque, church and the synagogue stood side by side and in harmony, Pramila felt she should do so.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In 2009, when she visited the synagogue, she saw tourists from all over the world. Pramila said, “I thought, ‘Oh my God, people are coming there to view it. But there are actual Jews who are living there.’ Hence, the title of the book came up, ‘We are not a museum’.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And here is the poem:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We are Not a Museum</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The whole world seems to have landed on our doorstep.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">How did this happen? Yesterday a woman was peeping</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">into my bedroom. Now I close my doors and windows</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">to keep out nosy tourists creeping around Mattancherry.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A journalist called asking me about my life in Kochi.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I said it is like any other woman’s. I have a huge load</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">of laundry to wash, dishes to scrub, chickens</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">to pluck. I’ll rest only in the grave. So goodbye.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t care if they think we are strange or important.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It is absurd. We’re like any other Indian in this town</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">struggling to make life better for our children. I want</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">the lot of them out of this town and out of our lives.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Pramila began researching the history of the Cochin Jews. She read books about anthropology, history, sociology and ethnographies related to Jewish women from Cochin and people who moved to Israel from Cochin.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">When Pramila was studying at Bombay University, she came in touch with the Bene Israel Jews. Her English Professor, Nissim Ezekiel (1924-2004), one of India’s well-known poets, was a Bene Israel Jew. “He was my mentor,” she said. “So, I felt very close to the community.” In New York, Pramila has befriended other Bene Israel Jews like the poet Zilka Joseph.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Not surprisingly, Pramila wrote about Anti-Semitism in ‘The Face of the Other’:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">the face speaks to me and thereby</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">invites me to a relation…</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Emmanuel Levinas, ‘Totality and Infinity’</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Why do some see yellow stars</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">instead of faces, their marauding pens</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">marking the city’s walls with swastikas?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Hate clouds barrel down the ages</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">from the Black Sea and Ararat, from the Nile</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">and Babylon. It storms in</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">among starched shirts and rags.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Why is a Jewish child selected</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">to be erased? Philosophers say</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">to love is to see the other in oneself. But</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">the other blends into the unknowable.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I ask, doesn’t a child crying for his mom</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">on any street around the globe</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">make you wince?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Asked about the themes, Pramila said it was an emotional experience of what it is like to be a Jew in Cochin. “I was putting my imagination into the writing,” she said. So Pramila imagined the first immigrants coming to the Kerala coast. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One poem looked at the paintings of the Cochin Synagogue. A few poems talked about how persecuted Jews embarked on perilous journeys from Iraq and modern-day Palestine to India.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Another poem described the impact of the presence of the Portuguese, the Spanish and the English from the 15th to the 18th centuries. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“There was fighting between these European colonists,” said Pramila. “The Jewish community was caught in between. The Portuguese torched their synagogues in Cranganore and they fled by boat to the Cochin harbour.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Pramila wrote a poem about the generosity of the King of Travancore.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Chorus: At the Palace of the Raja of Cochin</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Rajadi Raja, your royal highness Ramavarma Kulashekara Perumal,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">we bow before your blessed feet. The morning breezes bring</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">tidings of something new to our Keral coast. Men</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">and women with children arrive in boats, speaking a</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">tongue we have not heard before. They look like merchants</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">from Arabia, but are different. The men wear caps</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">on their heads and the women wear long, pale skirts,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">have dark eyes like the apsaras in your court,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">wear no ornaments in their dark brown and black hair,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">and walk with a firm gait beside their men.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Rajadi Raja, the men are at the palace gates and ask</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">to pay their respects to you. They bear baskets of dried</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">fruit, dates, almonds, pistachios, apricots and olives,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">saplings of plants that may or may not grow here,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">seeds and coins. Their hands that bear the stain of labour,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">lovingly hold their children. They speak words we</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">don’t understand, but there is grace in their speech</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">and beauty in the treasures they bear for your majesty.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We will open the gates for their visit, so they gather</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">in the shade of the palace courtyard and await your presence.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We bow to you, sire, lord of the Keral coast, master of our</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">blessed land of Parasurama who continues to bless us.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The King looked at them with sympathy. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“He felt they were worthwhile people who needed help,” said Pramila. “So, he gave them land to settle down. He allowed them to build a synagogue. And the Jews prospered. It was a very different engagement for the Jews with the outsider. It was so different from what happened in Jewish history in other countries.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The surrounding communities were so varied. The Jews interacted with Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, members of the Gujarati community and the Konkanis from Goa. “I have written poems that bring out this varied culture,” said Pramila. “I also wanted to distil the historical record through poetry.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There are 35 poems. And the book has been well received. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">‘This is a sensitive and well-crafted collection. ‘We are not a Museum’ skillfully and thoughtfully blends two cultures into one with its unique juxtaposition of the two,’ wrote poet Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca. ‘The closeness and the shared bonds between the poet’s community and the Cochin Jewish community in her hometown in India become a timeless fabric of personal and universal history. The poet’s knowledge of the Jewish community is evident in each poem. I can almost smell the aroma of spices as the Jewish immigrants make their way to the Zamorin’s palace.’</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Another poet Marjorie Agosin said, “An exquisite collection of poems, where history and lyricism dwell in the memory of the Jews of Cochin, where time and centuries of persecution have tried to erase them. Pramila Venkateswaran is a poet of resilience and of hope. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Each of these poems engages the reader in the sensual landscape of Cochin, the smell of oranges and pomegranates as well as the poignant stories of those that lived in these places and those that return through memory and poetry. A poetry that moves your soul and enchants your heart.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Pramila is an established poet. Her other books include ‘Thirtha’ (2002), ‘Behind Dark Waters’ (2008), ‘Draw Me Inmost’ (2009), ‘Trace’ (2011), ‘Thirteen Days to Let Go’ (2015), ‘Slow Ripening’ (2016) and ‘The Singer of Alleppey’ (2018).</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, the road to publishing has been difficult, because poetry has no market. For her first book, she approached around 50 publishers before she got Yuganta Press to publish it. The same thing happened for ‘Behind Dark Waters’, her next book. She approached publishers on three different continents. Finally, a publisher in Texas, Plain View Press, published it.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“The third and fourth were not that hard,” she said. “But my latest manuscript, tentatively titled ‘Walls’, I have been trying for the last two years, and have made no headway.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Pramila said her win will not make any impact on the chances of publishing. “You are back to the drawing board all the time,” she said.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Asked about the poetry reading public in the US, Pramila said, “It is miniscule, when compared to the readers of the novel and short stories. This is the case with most countries, including India.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Incidentally, the rain did stop and the couple enjoyed a celebratory dinner at Sagar Indian restaurant on Long Island.</div></div>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854614.post-50356486516234597052023-10-21T10:51:00.003+05:302023-10-21T10:51:48.840+05:30Podcast Interview regarding writing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtl8_3BaI1-W8dFGQZZDeXGMzAlY5jUAUkW4NPkA1F82a3VSx1PPV2U8gTxPmwsqaBzDQA9Isyfqiagqj6eu7h3q7eJiG3HbomtR4VOPowvPTPpK4VxJTE3Ime05GWtiR8ZF9RSLeLnVVp_jVJEBkwu_kgFD2pWAq_4Sz1InjwWb6AeLlOawa8g/s800/The%20Story%20Vault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtl8_3BaI1-W8dFGQZZDeXGMzAlY5jUAUkW4NPkA1F82a3VSx1PPV2U8gTxPmwsqaBzDQA9Isyfqiagqj6eu7h3q7eJiG3HbomtR4VOPowvPTPpK4VxJTE3Ime05GWtiR8ZF9RSLeLnVVp_jVJEBkwu_kgFD2pWAq_4Sz1InjwWb6AeLlOawa8g/w400-h400/The%20Story%20Vault.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One of America’s pre-eminent authors of the 20th century, John Updike (1932-2009) once wrote, “In America, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, less than 100 people have been able to survive by writing alone.” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In India, thanks to the OTT boom, many writers are earning their living by working as scriptwriters. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">One of them is K Hari Kumar. He has been the screenwriter for three films, a script consultant for multiple web series and is the author of seven books, mostly in the crime and horror genre. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Three books are in the pipeline. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Now Hari Kumar is venturing into the audio and video space. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I was happy when Hari Kumar interviewed me for his new podcast called ‘The Story Vault’. In it, we discuss the nuts and bolts of writing a non-fiction book and a host of other topics. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you Hari.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Please listen on these links:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5g7lvcNWOLevJKe4dU8JsT?fbclid=IwAR1K8G6W_o7XwUI3WJCILUlLp9dJ-obVVlgJNZYpRQN-SrpAUqf8bbdGhm4" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/episode/5g7lvcNWOLevJKe4dU8JsT</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Feplog.media%2F...%2Fthe-stolen-necklace-carving%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0AqET-8bP9YwRX2M5k8qKoL3m-Q8MzL6icmZNEnmud_sUakWY0KiMLvfs&h=AT14clDKdFhjlAlrMgJ-WikG7Lxe7mf8kMVAbPu_QJuGnZhE0cwVeIr0QwoRNeb_IDxu73awbXppkyIZCis9hGMSs9aplTZ2mU0-t-oWhUZpcC6IhVk1YZs37q8vlDU_RcsxJsukMN1s7EqTlg&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT2mxHHY4jH0ca4FNlzhkMiKKVcfwqU-OIPJoaCdAE6V5UYT6u_DsoSy8HjmA5OM-qf7_sb7_QWXvpcrN_nDyF8RxjL46_Nf09ZBWaUrDXOYDnBmF-IwO8dnvK8WZzr09rvvtsW2tTQeVv70G9cbPmEqDWw" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://eplog.media/.../the-stolen-necklace-carving</a></span>...</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2F...%2Fthe-story...%2Fid1708607132&h=AT3c8s9T688S7jKagyd3LDwHHHT9r-ODjc-RUxvQiFdZ4ajR61HG2wg04CfSwHHGAFRTD5LTQ8GTQRTtGLLCfFYTUZRdMe72aA-piOdyM_Nh-gJY2KglsUGMbBJ7XafjiL8XKFdGllwwkhYf0Q&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT2mxHHY4jH0ca4FNlzhkMiKKVcfwqU-OIPJoaCdAE6V5UYT6u_DsoSy8HjmA5OM-qf7_sb7_QWXvpcrN_nDyF8RxjL46_Nf09ZBWaUrDXOYDnBmF-IwO8dnvK8WZzr09rvvtsW2tTQeVv70G9cbPmEqDWw" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/.../the-story.../id1708607132</a></span></div></div><p> </p>Shevlin Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02800084765753616738noreply@blogger.com0