'Criti....que not Criti....cize'

The Last Queen of India by Michelle Moran My rating: 4 of 5 stars सिंहासन हिल उठे राजवंशों ने भृकुटी तानी थी, बूढ़े भारत में आई फिर से नयी जवानी थी, गुमी हुई आज़ादी की कीमत सबने पहचानी थी, दूर फिरंगी को करने की सबने मन में ठानी थी। चमक उठी सन सत्तावन में, वह तलवार पुरानी थी, बुंदेले हरबोलों के मुँह हमने सुनी कहानी थी, खूब लड़ी मर्दानी वह तो झाँसी वाली रानी थी।। ..... जाओ रानी याद रखेंगे ये कृतज्ञ भारतवासी, यह तेरा बलिदान जगावेगा स्वतंत्रता अविनासी, होवे चुप इतिहास, लगे सच्चाई को चाहे फाँसी, हो मदमाती विजय, मिटा दे गोलों से चाहे झाँसी। तेरा स्मारक तू ही होगी, तू खुद अमिट निशानी थी, बुंदेले हरबोलों के मुँह हमने सुनी कहानी थी, खूब लड़ी मर्दानी वह तो झाँसी वाली रानी थी।। - सुभद्रा कुमारी चौहान As a child growing up in India, it is only rare if the above poem is unknown to him/her. Recited in schools with actions that could simply give goosebumps to the listeners, this poem has always struck a chord within my heart. And yet, I wonder wh...

Basanti by Bhisham Sahni My rating: 4 of 5 stars A tale that makes a mark upon your heart in its utmost simplicity - by way of words, emotions and the description of the lives of the characters. As simple as it may seem, it delves into some of the big problems faced by the poor- the fear of displacement, a sense of security and the feeling of "arriving home" when forced to live a nomadic life. Basanti is the soul of the tale. It's her tale and the tale of many others like her who live their lives with an infectious laughter at the most unlikeliest of hours, even when their lives seem to be doomed to the well-off. It is a startling glimpse into the lives of the ones whose stories often go untold. Their lives may seem shallow at first sight but delve a bit deeper. Often, they are the fighters, the brave warriors who face life boldly, even if it means to life with a 'bad' name, a child with his father having escaped with his wife and child, a shatt...

The Rise of Hastinapur by Sharath Komarraju My rating: 3 of 5 stars Sharath writes and he does a good job with the words. He makes sure that the words are strung beautifully together so that when the reader reads, he gets only the best of what he has to offer. I haven't read the first part of the series. I won a copy of The Rise of Hastinapur as part of Goodreads Giveaway. So I don't know what the first part has to offer, yet. The dimension of looking at the characters offered in this series is worth applause. For example, I always wondered how a mother could just give away a son only to see him years later and claim to have loved him, always. It just didn't register in my brain or heart. But thanks to this book, I can somehow make a bit more sense about the circumstances that may make a woman do what she did, bound by circumstances that often leave no other options for one except for doing something that would only seem unimaginable at that point. Years ...

 Name of the book: Today’s Pasts: A Memoir Author: Bhisham Sahni Translated from Hindi to English by Snehal Shingavi Publisher: Penguin Group First published in Hindi as Aaj Ke Ateet by Rajkamal Prakashan 2004 Number of pages: 434 pages Price: Rs 499 “Life’s experiences couldn’t be considered irrelevant. These experiences provide perspective, improve perception, and affect a writer’s sensibility. I took courage from such notions.” – Bheesham Sahni Sahni (1915-2003) was a writer -- one of the icons of modern Indian literature -- who transformed the landscape of Hindi literature. From novels, short-stories, essays to plays, he has delivered many substantial works. He was the proud recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1975 for Tamas , his best-known novel that was subsequently adapted into an award-winning film by Govind Nihalani. Sahni was awarded the Padma Bhushan(1998) and the Shalaka Samman (1999)- the Delhi Government’s highest literary prize...

In The Shadows of Death: A Detective Agni Mitra Thriller by Sourabh Mukherjee My rating: 4 of 5 stars The New Year began and so did the Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2016. So I thought why not read something that I wouldn't normally read. So here I was, holding a copy of In The Shadows of Death: A Detective Agni Mitra Thriller. And then it began, a murder mystery that led to more murders even before the murderer was found! This was the first thriller that I read by an Indian author and he seems to have done a pretty good job. Any tale should be able to deftly tie up the loose threads towards the end but here, Sourabh not only ties all loose ends but also gives the reins of the tale to the reader. But hold on! It is not before he has brought in twists and turns to his satisfaction. A disturbed Officer with his own demons to fight at home is given the task of solving the mystery. In the process of finding the culprit, the professional task gets personal...

Six Stories and An Essay by Andrea Levy My rating: 4 of 5 stars Never before has an abruption felt so perfect, so needful. The best part about this book is her lucid and honest writing that leaves you wanting more and yet leaves you with a strange sense of calm and a sense of revolt at the same time. It is a lethal combination but probably the only sensible thing for us as humans. For how else can one justify the anger of being subjected to racism and yet being happy with 'one's own'? The book provides an interesting, thought-provoking and firsthand account of someone subjected to racism and the trials and tribulations that need to be overcome in order to 'try and fit-in' in a place that one always considered 'home'. Brutally honest and immensely touching, it is a must read for all those who have always thought that racism is not a very draining issue and that it happens to 'others'. It is also an important read for a generatio...