Imagine loving your work so much that Sunday was an unbearable gap in its pursuit. That any time spent away from work was a terrible bore, and that you often found yourself sneaking back to work despite explicit instructions to the contrary. This was the Soviet dream. I don’t know if this dream stayed confined … Continue reading Monday begins on Saturday
The Master and Margarita
Ever since I visited Uzbekistan early last year, I have been coming back to Russia and the Soviet era repeatedly. The wistful, almost nostalgic stories from the people I met there, those who had been young in an energetic, idealistic union, have stayed with me like a gossamer thread. So when I read Mikhail Bulgakov's … Continue reading The Master and Margarita
Secondhand Time: The last of the Soviets
“We share a communist collective memory. We’re neighbors in memory.” Earlier this year, before the world was halted by a virus, I visited Uzbekistan. This Central Asian country was part of Soviet Union till 1991, the final year in which the Union dissolved. It was an interesting place for many reasons, but for me what … Continue reading Secondhand Time: The last of the Soviets
Short Letter, Long Farewell
The nomad's life, captured so well in this cover It's hard for me to write roles. When I characterise somebody it seems to me that I am degrading him. Everything that's individual about him becomes a tic. In this strange work, which is part noir, part self-exploration, part travelogue and part great American novel, Handke … Continue reading Short Letter, Long Farewell
Zen: The Authentic Gate
I recently read Zen: The Authentic Gate by Yamada Koun. A good introduction to Zen, as I have known very little about it except for the emphasis on meditation in this form of buddhism. Through the reading, I learned that zen exclusively focuses on personal experience with the help of a teacher, and does not … Continue reading Zen: The Authentic Gate
Consciousness & Creation
The question of creation is a seductive question. I feel myself pulled to its promise of ultimate knowledge and the inconceivable challenge of the problem. But mostly because it offers such a wide canvas to splash my wild theories on. There are as many creation myths as there are cultures. Seekers have compiled a list … Continue reading Consciousness & Creation
Nana by Emile Zola
That I found reading Nana difficult is an understatement. I expected some labour over it because classics is not my usual genre and Zola makes the slow pace even harsher by his scientific glare. But Nana presented more challenges than my anticipation. For instance, I couldn't empathise with the tempestuous, irritating child at the center … Continue reading Nana by Emile Zola
Yuganta: A critical eye on Mahabharata
A collection of essays that de-mythify Mahabharata and bring it to real life for reflection
The tale of Princess Kaguya
Spending a Sunday with a beautiful and spiritual anime from Isao Takahata
Reborn: Susan Sontag early notebooks
I began this year with reading Susan Sontag’s notes of her early life (Age 14-30). 2020 has just started and this already feels like the most influential book I am going to read this year. Primarily because it has made me want to write more, to note down more thoughts, to distil. Susan says writing … Continue reading Reborn: Susan Sontag early notebooks