The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin

Book review: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Overview

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny, by Robin Sharma, is an interesting book — as the subtitle suggests, it’s a fable, and it’s one that will certainly make you give some thought to your life, your goals, your dreams and how your daily habits help you reach those dreams. In other words, right up the Zen Habits alley.

I can’t give this book my highest rating (see Conclusion for the rating) for several reasons I discuss below, but I did highly enjoy its discussion of a number of concepts. The author is a leadership expert and author, and he fills the book with a combination of life strategies. Many of these are useful, but whether they work in combination is the real question.

The Fable
The book takes the form of a fable about Julian Mantle, a high-profile attorney with a crazy schedule and a set of priorities that center around money, power and prestige. As such, Mantle represents the values of our society. The story is told from the perspective of one of his associates, who admires Mantle’s great success and aspires to be like him.

But when Mantle has a heart attack, he drops out of the game and disappears. He sells all his possessions and goes to India to seek a more meaningful existence. When he comes back, he’s a changed man. Really, it’s as if he’s a completely different person. He’s learned from some mythical Himalayan gurus who give him mystical and yet practical advice, which he shares with his former associate (and the reader).

The Concepts
The core of the book is the Seven Virtues of Enlightened Learning, which Mantle reveals one by one. Now, although the book presents them as actual Virtues learned from Himalayan gurus, it’s important to remember as you read that these are made up by the author — actually, he pulled them from other sources and put them together:

1. master your mind
2. follow your purpose
3. practice kaizen
4. live with discipline
5. respect your time
6. selflessly serve others
7. embrace the present

Each of these Virtues is discussed in some detail in separate chapters, each of them with a number of concepts and habits to develop. Most of them are very inspiring and potentially very useful. After reading the book, I incorporated several of them into my life, including the ones that involve positive thinking, visualizing goals and more. Again, these are not new concepts, and have been discussed in many other books, but the book presents a great collection of useful concepts that you might want to try out.

The Problem
After reading the book, I began to outline each of the Seven Virtues, because I was confused about all the action steps the book recommends taking. The truth is, each of the Seven Virtues encompasses a bunch of daily habits, and incorporating all of them into your life would be cumbersome. And some of them seem to me to be conflicting.

As an example of the large number of habits in every virtue, here are the ones I have listed for the first virtue, Master your mind:

• Habit: Find positive in every circumstance; don’t judge events as “good” or “bad”, but experience them, celebrate them and learn from them.
• Habit: The heart of the rose: find a silent place and a fresh rose. Stare at the heart of the rose, the inner petals, concentrating on the folds of the flower, the texture, etc … push away other thoughts that come to you. Start with 5 minutes a day, stretch it to 20. It will be your oasis of peace.
• Habit: 10 minutes of reflection on your day, and how to improve your next day.
• Habit: Opposition thinking – take every negative thought that comes into your mind and turn it into a positive one. First, be aware of your thoughts. Second, appreciate that as easily as negative thoughts enter, they can be replaced with positive ones. So think of the opposite of the negative ones. Instead of being gloomy, concentrate on being happy and energetic.
• Habit: Secret of the lake. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Then envision your dreams becoming a reality. Picture vivid images of what you want to become. Then they will become reality.

And that’s just with the first virtue. Each one has a number of habits to develop, and they’re not listed out like I’ve done here. If you tried to incorporate all of the habits in the book, your day would be very busy indeed. Also, I would recommend only trying to adopt one at a time — more than that, and your habit change will be hard to sustain.

O Manase-95

O Manase-95


ದೂರ ದೂರ ಅಲ್ಲೇ ನಿಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ದೇವರೆ.. ಸುಡುತಿದೆ ವಿರಹ ಬಯಸಿ ಸನಿಹ.... ನೀನಿದ್ದರೇನು ಹತ್ತಿರಾ, ಎಷ್ಟೊಂದು ನಡುವೆ ಅಂತರ ಎಂದು ಈಗಿನ ಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಳು ಹಾಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಅಂದರೆ ವಿರಹ ಕೂಡಾ ಮಾಡರ್ನ್ ಆಗಿ ಬದಲಾಗಿದೆಯಾ? ಒಂದು ಕಾಲಕ್ಕೆ ಪತ್ರದ ಮೂಲಕ, ಫೋನಿನ ಮೂಲಕ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಳು ಇವತ್ತು ಚಾಟ್, ವಿಚಾಟ್, ಸೆಲ್‌ಫೋನ್‌ಗಳಿಂದ ಒಂದು ಹೊಸ ಸಂಬಂಧವನ್ನು ದೂರದಿಂದಲೇ ಕಂಡುಕೊಂಡು ಅದರಲ್ಲೊಂದು ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಥ್ರಿಲ್ ಅನುಭವಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ.. ಇಂಥ ದೂರದ ಸಂಬಂಧಗಳನ್ನು ಹೊಂದುವ ಹೊಸ ಜನರೇಷನ್‌ನ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚುತ್ತಿದೆ. ದುರಾದೃಷ್ಟವಶಾತ್ ಅಂಥವುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಶ್ವತವಾಗಿ ಉಳಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಸಂಬಂಧಗಳ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ತೀರಾ ಕಡಿಮೆ. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾರಣವೇನು? ಮಾಡರ್ನ್ ವಿರಹದ ನೋವಿನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನೇವಿ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ ಕರುಳಿನ ಕರೆ, ಅದೆಷ್ಟು ಖರೆ! ತಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಮಿದುಳು ತಂದೆ , ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕರುಳು ತಾಯಿ ಅದೆಷ್ಟೋ ಬಾರಿ ತಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಮಿದುಳಿಗಿಂತ ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಮಿದುಳು ಚುರುಕಾಗಿ, ತರ್ಕಕ್ಕೆ ಸಿಗದಂಥ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ನಮಗೆ ಬಾಯಾರಿಕೆ ಆಗಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದಕ್ಕೆ ಏನೇನೋ ಸಂಕೇತಗಳು ಬರುತ್ತಿರುತ್ತವೆ. ಗಂಟಲು ಒಣಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅವೆಲ್ಲ ಸಂಕೇತಗಳು ಮಿದುಳಿನಿಂದಲೇ ಬರುತ್ತವೆ. ಒಂದೊಂದೂವರೆ ಲೋಟ ನೀರು ಕುಡಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ‘ಸಾಕು’ ಎಂಬ ಸಂಕೇತ ಎಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ?. ತೃಪ್ತಿಯ ಆ ಸಂಕೇತ ನಿಮಗೆ ಮಿದುಳಿನಿಂದ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಕರುಳಿನಿಂದ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ. ‘ನವರಸ’ಗಳಿಗೆ ಬೇಕಾದ ಬಹುಪಾಲು ರಸಮೂಲಗಳೆಲ್ಲ ಕರುಳಿನ ಫ್ಯಾಕ್ಟರಿಯಲ್ಲೇ ತಯಾರಾಗುತ್ತವೆ. ಕರುಳಬಳ್ಳಿ ಸಂಬಂಧದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಾಗೇಶ್ ಹೆಗಡೆ ಫಿಸಿಕಲ್ ಸೈಕಾಲಜಿ ಆಂಗಲ್‌ನಿಂದ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ದೇಶ ಸುತ್ತುವ ಹುಮ್ಮಸ್ಸು ಹುಟ್ಟಿಸುವ ವಯಸ್ಸು! ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ನಿಂತು ಈ ಮಳೆಯನ್ನು ನೋಡುವುದು, ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಚಹ ಮಾಡಿ ಕುಡಿಯುವುದು, ಏಕಾಂಗಿಯಾಗಿ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದುತ್ತ ಕೂರುವುದು, ದೂರದ ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ತುದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಇದ್ದು ಗಾಳಿಪಟ ಹಾರಿಸುವುದು, ಛಕ್ಕನೆ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಮಾಡಿ ಯಾವ ಪೂರ್ವಸಿದ್ಧತೆ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲದ ಊರಿಗೆ ಪ್ರವಾಸ ಹೊರಡುವುದು -ಇವೆಲ್ಲ ಆತ್ಮಶೋಧನೆಯ ಮಾರ್ಗಗಳು. ಹಾಗನ್ನುವ ಅಪ್ಪ ತನ್ನ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲದ ಊರಿಗೆ ಮ್ಯಾಪಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಹೋಗುವ ಹಾದಿಯನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಇದು ಈ ಬಾರಿಯ ಅಪ್ಪನ ಪತ್ರದ ವಿಶೇಷ ಎಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲೂ ಸಂಗೀತವೇ.. ಹಳೆಯ ಹಾಡು ಕೇಳಲು ಬಂದಿದೆ ಹೊಸ ಎಂಪಿತ್ರೀ ಪ್ಲೇಯರ್! ಓದಿ ವಾಟ್ಸ್ ಅಪ್ ಕಾಲಂನಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಲವೆಂಬ ಈ ಹಕ್ಕಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಲ್ಲುತ್ತದೆ? ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ದೇಹವೂ ಗಾಯಗೊಂಡಿದೆ, ದಾಹಗೊಂಡ ಆತ್ಮ, ನೋಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಗೊಂದಲ, ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ ಹತಾಶೆ. ಇದು ಮಹಾನಗರ! ದೆಹಲಿಯ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಮುಖದ ಅನಾವರಣ ಈ ಬಾರಿಯ ರಾಜಧಾನಿ ಮೇಲ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ. ಹೆಂಗಸರಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆ! ಹಿಂದೆಲ್ಲ, ಗಂಡಸರಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಹುಷಾರು ಎಂದು ತಾಯಿ ತನ್ನ ಮಗಳಿಗೆ ಕಿವಿಮಾತು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು. ಇಂದು ಹುಡುಗಿಯರಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆ ಕಣಪ್ಪಾ ಎಂದು ಅಪ್ಪ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಪಾಠ ಹೇಳುವ ಕಾಲ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಇವೆಲ್ಲದರ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಸೈನ್ಸ್ ಪೇಜ್, ಸಮಾಧಾನ, ಗುಣಮುಖ, ಲಾ ಪಾಯಿಂಟು, ಸೈಡ್ ವಿಂಗ್, ಫೇಸ್ ಬುಕ್ ಪದ್ಯಗಳು ಮೊದಲಾದ ಅಂಕಣಗಳು. ಇನ್ನೆರಡೇ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಓ ಮನಸೇ ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಕಿಟಿಕಿಯಾಚೆ ಸುರಿಯುವ ಮಳೆ ನೋಡುತ್ತಾ ಓದುವ ಸುಖ ನಿಮ್ಮದಾಗಲಿ.

THE GREATNESS GUIDE by ROBIN SHARMA

THE GREATNESS GUIDE by ROBIN SHARMA

One of the World’s Top Success Coaches Shares His Secrets for Personal and Business Mastery

“Life is pure adventure and the sooner we realize that,

the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.”

Maya Angelou

“I used to think that one day I’d be able to resolve the different

drives I have in different directions, the tensions between the

different people I am. Now I realize that is who I am. I do feel I’m

getting closer to the song in my head. I wasn’t looking for grace.

But luckily grace was looking for me.”

Bono, lead singer of U2, as quoted in Rolling Sto

I’ve had good seasons and some deeply painful ones. 

I’ve made some spectacularly good

choices and some outrageously bad mistakes.

I’m very human–a work in progress.

I’m No Guru

The media sometimes calls me a leadership (or self-help) “guru.” 

I’m not. I’m just an ordinary guy who happens to have learned 

ideas and tools that have helped many human beings reach 

their best lives and many organizations get to world class.

But I must be really clear: I’m no different from you. I 

have my struggles, my frustrations and my own fears—along with 

my hopes, goals and dreams. I’ve had good seasons and some 

deeply painful ones. I’ve made some spectacularly good choices 

and some outrageously bad mistakes. I’m very human—a work 

in progress. If I have ideas that you fi nd insightful, please know 

it’s simply because I spend my days focused on the knowledge 

you are about to experience. Thinking about practical ways to 

help you play your biggest game as a human being and reach 

greatness. Dwelling on how I can help companies get to the 

extraordinary. Do anything long enough and you’ll get some 

depth of insight and understanding about it. Then they’ll call 

you a guru.

The English Teacher by R.K. Narayan

The English Teacher

by R.K. Narayan

This novel completes the informal trilogy which began with "Swami and Friends" and "The Bachelor of Arts," The protagonist, Krishna, is an English teacher at the same college he had attended as a student. Although Krishna has recently married, his wife Susila and their daughter live with his parents-in-law some miles away. The story opens with his immediate family deciding to join him in Malgudi. Krishna is initially frightened by his new state of affairs, but he soon finds that his love for both his wife and child grows deeper than he could have imagined. 
"Mr. Narayan has repeatedly been compared with Chekhov. Ordinarily such comparisons are gratuitous and strained, but in this case there are such clear and insistent echoes that any careful reader will be aware of them. There is that sense of rightness which transcends mere structure. There is the inexplicable blending of tragedy and humor. Most of all, there is a brooding awareness of fate which makes the story seem not authored, but merely translated."--J.F. Muehl, "Saturday Review" 
"[Narayan] does not deal in exemplary fates, and the Western novel's machinery of retribution is far too grandiose for him. . . . In Narayan's world, scores are not settled but dissolved, recycled, restated. 'Both of us will shed our forms soon and perhaps we could meet again, who knows? So goodbye for the present.' These are the concluding words for the novel "A Tiger for Malgudi," but they constitute a universal epilogue one could append to most of Narayan's fiction."--Russell Davies, "Times Literary Supplement"

he Wheel of Fire and Other Stories: Evocative Stories from the Other India

Little is known of contemporary Indian literature outside of those novelists writing in English. Shashi Tharoor, the acclaimed author of The Great Indian Novel, Show Business, and India: From Midnight to the Millennium -- "a rising star in the international fiction universe" (Booklist) -- brings together in this volume the best new literary voices in India today. The Wheel of Fire and Other Stories offers a kaleidoscope of rich and multifaceted Indian life. Tharoor gives us the opportunity to discover a cultural landscape unknown to most in the West. The insightful introduction by one of India's most prominent writers and his selection of more than a dozen short stories constitute an important and vital contribution to world literature.

Reasons of State

“Reasons of State”, based on Shashi Tharoor's doctoral thesis at the Flecther School of Law and Diplomacy, written in 1977-78, is a seminal study of Political Development and the making of India’s Foreign Policy Under Indira Gandhi during her first period of rule, 19966-77. Tharoor takes classic political development theory and applies it to the making of foreign policy, analyzing the functioning of the Prime Minister's Secretariat, political parties, parliament, interest groups and the media in the formulation of policy by Mrs Gandhi. The result is the first major study of India's foreign policy-making, written with the sharpness and insight that have always marked Tharoor's work. Required reading at many university courses on India's international relations, this is a masterpiece first book by the author Shashi Tharoor.


This is a critique of Indian foreign policy under Indira Gandhi in the period 1966-1977, and it is one of the most thorough studies yet done of how Indian foreign policy is made. Tharoor is highly critical of Mrs. Gandhi's performance in those years: "She alienated one superpower, the U.S., by identifying it as the enemy of her type of regime; tied India increasingly to the other superpower, the U.S.S.R., whose intentions in the region . . . are causing more and more concern in the non-aligned world; maintained antagonistic relations with a powerful neighbor, China; failed to build accommodative bridges with a defeated one, Pakistan. . . . She ignored a major region, Southeast Asia, and snubbed an important economic power, Japan, in a policy which often appeared to prefer empty slogans to tangible gain." He holds out the hope that in her current term Mrs. Gandhi may yet "transcend the dogmas of the past."

Shadows Across The Playing Field: 60 Years Of India-Pakistan Cricket shashi tharoor.

Shadows Across The Playing Field: 60 Years Of India-Pakistan Cricket

Shadows across the Playing Field tells the story of the turbulent cricketing relations between India and Pakistan through the eyes of two men – Shashi Tharoor and Shaharyar Khan – who bring to the task not only great love of the game but also deep knowledge of subcontinental politics and diplomacy.

Shashi Tharoor, a former UN Under-Secretary-General and man of letters, is a passionate outsider, whose comprehensive, entertaining and hard-hitting analysis of sixty years of cricketing history displays a Nehruvian commitment to secular values, which rejects sectarianism in sport in either country. Shaharyar Khan, a former Pakistan foreign secretary, is very much the insider, who writes compellingly of his pivotal role as team manager and then chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Control Board at a time when cricket was in the forefront of détente between the two countries. By the time the book was published Shashi Tharoor had won the election from the Thiruvanathapuram Constituency and had become a member of Parliament and Minister of State for External Affairs. 

In their essays, the two authors trace the growing popularisation of cricket from the days of the Bombay Pentangular to the Indian Premier League. They show how politics and cricket became intertwined and assess the impact it has had on the game. But above all the book is a celebration of the talent of the many great cricketers who have captivated audiences on both sides of the border. If politics and terrorism can at times stop play, the authors believe that cricket is also a force for peace and they look forward to more normal times and more healthy competition.

India The future is now by Shashi Tharoor

India The future is now by Shashi Tharoor

Shashi Tharoor induces a dozen young parliamentarians to embark on this visioning exercise. Digging deep into their textbooks, the youthful politicians outline their dreams for India. Informatively, they list developmental challenges and, with sincerity and passion, prescribe solutions. The end result is a reflection of the thinking of leaders of tomorrow and a thorough, if somewhat simplistic, wish-list of interventions to advance India on the path to their utopia.

Democracy’s strength lies in its capacity to build and adapt institutions. Tharoor himself has in the past challenged the prevailing “dysfunctional institutional equilibrium” (in the words of Francis Fukuyama) and called for systemic reform to meet the need of the times. In his preface to the book under review, Tharoor points to the putative regression of India from ‘emerging market’ to ‘submerging polity’, and wonders: “Where do young political leaders in India fit into this uncertain future?” If this book comprises of pious platitudes of political naifs, it must be held against Tharoor that he did not goad his contributors to introspect deeply enough.

True, a couple of writers voice concerns about corruption and express discomfort at rubbing shoulders with alleged criminals in Parliament. Some lament the increasing divisiveness and sectarianism of political mobilisation. Kalikesh Singh Deo worries that “the credibility of the political class is at its lowest” and mentions the “crying need for introspection”. Milind Deora upbraids “parties that stratify societies for electoral gain”. Jay Panda is confident that the dynamics of politics will be determined in the future by development and governance. Many argue for inclusiveness and empowerment. But all seem chary of touching on how to fix the rot in the innards of the system.

Nine of the 12 parliamentarians in the book are from so-called political families. Understandably, they do not ask nor explain why talented young people with less helpful lineage shun politics. While their visions for India are no doubt sincere and laudable, they are not best placed to address the inherent and inherited flaws in the present scheme of things. Given the public cynicism, verging on revulsion, of politics, and the impasse in our parliamentary system in recent times, it would be reasonable to expect a book like this one to reflect on the future of parliamentary democracy in India. Disappointingly, tomorrow’s leaders have side-stepped the tough questions that will determine the future of our polity, choosing not to reveal their thinking on issues that they themselves will be called upon to arbitrate. Most of the contributing parliamentarians are from the major national parties. Predictably, they toe their respective party lines. BJP members dwell on reclaiming the lost glory of India and are confident that “India can go back to being the power that it once was — some 500 years ago”. Congress representatives faithfully tout the mantras of inclusiveness and participation. Members of the BJD rationalise coalition politics. The lone communist contributor expounds on economic liberalisation being responsible for widening inequalities. Voices of the Dravidian parties, caste-based outfits and tribal regions are missing, which is a pity.

Well-researched and cogently argued, the articles present the principal concerns of the young leaders. Education is discussed by more than a couple of them: the crucial importance of universal enrolment and completion of basic schooling, the need to develop employable skills and to enhance the overall quality of education. Young Hamdullah Sayeed underscores that education “makes Indians sensitive, tolerant and respectful of differences” — essential elements of a successful democracy. Hunger and widespread malnourishment are seen as a disgrace to a country aspiring to be a superpower, and regarded as issues deserving the highest priority. Increased and meaningful participation of women in the democratic process is to be fostered. Scindia reminds us that “there are more elected women in India alone than in the rest of the world put together”. The continuing importance of agriculture to the economy and to livelihoods is emphasised, especially the need for research and modernisation. Anantkumar Hegde argues that the lack of a comprehensive agriculture policy is a major drawback, forgetting that it was the NDA government that formulated the first ever national policy on agriculture. The comparative neglect of urban planning is regretted and the Chinese experience cited as a template for infrastructure development. Some contributors have been outspoken on the touchy matter of caste-based reservations.

The most remarkable aspect of this book is the unbounded optimism of the youthful politicians in the future of India. While some predict that this will be the “Indian Century”, others see India as a developed nation in as little as ten years. Be it their naiveté or hubris, it is nonetheless heart-warming that the leaders of tomorrow are so positive about our future, the more so when they resolve to work together for the larger good.

When The Lotus Blooms: Book Review by shashi taroor

When The Lotus Blooms' stared at me from the bookshelf of a reputed book store with a yearning look. My first instinct was to ignore it. Although I spent 350 bucks for the novel, I feel it is worth for the debut author. A period drama set in the early 20th century, India is not an unexplored area for fiction. But debutante author Kanchana Krishnan Ayyar manages to give us a fresh view of this era with her tight storytelling. The story of When The Lotus Blooms is weaved around two Tamil Brahmin families who bring in two child brides; Rajam and Dharmu. These two young girls are the protagonists of the novel and their journey to womanhood is the plot of the story.



Although When The Lotus Blooms has only two main characters, the story has several narrators including the husbands of Rajam and Dharmu, their respective family members and also stray characters like the 'untouchable' cleaner in Rajam's village. So, we know what each character is thinking and that justifies their actions. This narrative method is too conclusive as it takes the mystery away but, it also gives the story diversity of perspectives. In the world of When The Lotus Blooms, each character is struggling with their own problems; Rajam with an oppressive mother in law who taunts her about her barrenness, and Dharmu with an ultra modern meat eating husband who dominates her. The story is crafted in such a way that one woman's curse becomes another woman's boon.When teh lotus finally blooms, it will obliterate their problems binding the two women in an unnatural bond. The new Indian author Ms Ayyar too has the curse of all women writers, a feminine perspective to the world around her. But it brings a refreshing touch to this story because the British Raj has rarely been described from such a sensitive feminine angle. We as a nation were slave to a foreign government. But what was it like for the women, especially young women, in those days to be 'slave' to the 'slaves', i.e. their men. To conclude the book review I would say that it is a must read! If you are a busy working woman struggling with your so called 'modern' problems of managing a career and family, read When The Lotus Blooms. You will be humbled.

Thirteen Reasons Why-by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers

When Only the Love Remains: The Pain of Pet Loss

This book is for those who share a love and concern for all animals. Anyone who has ever loved and lost an animal companion knows the incredible pain and feeling of emptiness. This book of poems emerged from the author's own deep sadness following the death of her beloved pet rabbit, Poochie. May her poetry be a close friend and a source of comfort to you. "When Only The Love Remains" will validate your own feelings of pain and sorrow, and recognize your need to grieve

O Manase 94 released.... its in market now

O Manase

ಭಾವನೆಗಳ ಶರಪಂಜರದಿಂದ ಹೊರಬರುವುದು ಹೇಗೆ? ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ನೀವೇ ಟೀಚರ್ ಭಾವನೆಗೆ ಗುಡ್ ಬೈ, ಲಾಜಿಕ್ ಗೆ ಜೈ ಕಲ್ಪನಾಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಖಿಸುವವನು ಕವಿ, ಅದರಿಂದ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ರಸಿಕರಿಗೆ ಲಾಭವೂ ಇದೆ. ನಮ್ಮನಿಮ್ಮಂಥ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯರು ಭಾವನೆಗಳ ಅಡಿಯಾಳಾದರೆ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಕೆಟ್ಟುಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ, ತಲೆ ಎಕ್ಕುಟ್ಟೋಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅದರ ಬದಲು ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಲಾಜಿಕಲ್ ಆಗಿ ಯೋಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿ. ಅದರ ಮೂಲಕ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಸಂಪಾದನೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ, ಬದುಕು ಬಂಗಾರವಾದರೂ ಆದೀತು. ಈ ಬಾರಿಯ ಓ ಮನಸೇ ಸಂಚಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂಥಾ ಮನಃಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಪಟ್ಟ ಒಂದು ಚಂದದ ಲೇಖನವಿದೆ. ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಹತೋಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಹೇಗೆ ಅನ್ನುವುದನ್ನು ನಾವು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಡುತ್ತೇವೆ. ಗಲಾಟೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ರೆ ಹುಷಾರ್ ಸಮೂಹಸನ್ನಿ ಮತ್ತು ದಂಗೆಯ ದಮನ ಜನರು ಯಾಕೆ ದಂಗೆ ಏಳುತ್ತಾರೆ? ಯಾಕೆ ದೊಂಬಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ? ಆ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಯಾವ ರೀತಿ ವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತದೆ? ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಇಂಥಾ ದಂಗೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹತ್ತಿಕ್ಕುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೂಡುವ ತಂತ್ರಗಳೇನು? ಇವೆಲ್ಲದರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಾಗೇಶ್ ಹೆಗಡೆ ವಿವರವಾಗಿ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಇದು ಸೋಷಿಯಲ್ ಸೈಕಾಲಜಿ ಆಪರೇಷನ್ ಕಿಲ್ V ಗೊತ್ತು ಗೊತ್ತಿದ್ದೇ ಹಾದಿತಪ್ಪಿದ ಹುಡುಗಿಯ ಕತೆ ಶೀಲವನ್ನು ಕಳೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಕೂಡಾ ಒಂದು ಟ್ರೆಂಡ್ ಆಗುತ್ತಿದೆಯಾ? ‘ನಿಲ್ಲು ನಿಲ್ಲೇ ಪತಂಗ, ಬೇಡಬೇಡ ಬೆಂಕಿಯ ಸಂಗ’ ಎಂದು ಈಗಿನ ಹುಡುಗಿಯರು ಹಾಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ‘ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಜಾರಿತು ಮನವೂ..’ ಎಂಬ ಕವಿತೆಯೂ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಶೀಲಾ ಕಿ ಜವಾನಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಕಳೆದುಹೋಯಿತು ಅನ್ನುವರ ಬಗ್ಗೆಯಷ್ಟೇ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಆಸಕ್ತಿ. ಒಂದು ಸತ್ಯಕತೆಯನ್ನು ಓದಿ ಬೆಚ್ಚಿಬೀಳುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಿದ್ಧರಾಗಿ ಬಾಲ್ ಅಲ್ಲ ಇದು ಕಂಪ್ಯೂಟರ್! ಕಾಣುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಚೆಂಡಿನ ಥರ ಇದೆ, ಆದರೆ ಇದು ಒಂದು ಕಂಪ್ಯೂಟರ್. ಈಗಿರುವ ಡೆಸ್ಕ್ ಟಾಪ್ ಕಂಪ್ಯೂಟರುಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಚಿಕ್ಕದು. ಈ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಪೆಟ್ಟಿಗೆಯೊಳಗೆ ರ್ಯಾಮ್, ಮದರ್ ಬೋರ್ಡ್, ಹಾರ್ಡ್ ಡಿಸ್ಕ್ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಕುಳಿತಿದೆ. ಊರೂರು ಸುತ್ತುವವರಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಿ ಮಾಡಿಸಿದ ಸಾಧನವಿದು. ಖರೀದಿಗೆ ಮುಂಚೆ ಈ ಲೇಖನ ಓದಿರಿ. ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಪಾರಿಜಾತ – 2 ಅಮೃತಾ-ಇಮ್ರೋಜ್ ಪ್ರೇಮ್ ಕಹಾನಿ ಅದು ಪ್ರೀತಿಯೋ, ಆರಾಧನೆಯೋ, ಪೂಜೆಯೋ, ಭಜನೆಯೋ, ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರಿಗಷ್ಟೇ ಗೊತ್ತು. ದೇವರನ್ನು ವಿಪರೀತ ನಂಬುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಅಮೃತಾಗೆ ಆ ದೇವರೇ ಇಮ್ರೋಜ್ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ್ರಾ? ಅವೆಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಇಮ್ರೋಜ್ ಬಾಯಲ್ಲೇ ಕೇಳಬೇಕು. ಕಳೆದ ಸಂಚಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ಮುಂದುವರಿದ ಭಾಗ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಮದುವೆ ಅನ್ನುವ ಹಕ್ಕು, ಕರ್ತವ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯ ಕರ್ಮ ಹೆಣ್ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಮದುವೆಯಾಗದೇ ಇರುವುದು ನಿಮ್ಮ ಹಕ್ಕು ಮತ್ತು ಮದುವೆಯಾಗುವುದು ನಿಮ್ಮ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯ. ಮದುವೆಯಾಗದೇ ಮಗು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡರೆ ಮಹಾಪಾಪ. ಹಾಗಂತ ಸಂವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೂ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಮದುವೆಯಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಮದುವೆಯೆಂಬ ಇಂಜಿನ್ ಜೊತೆ, ತಲೆನೋವೆಂಬ ಬೋಗಿಗಳು ಉಚಿತವಾಗಿ ದೊರಕುತ್ತವೆ. ವಿವಾಹಿತರ ಸಂಕಷ್ಟಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಹಾಶ್ವೇತ ಭಯಂಕರ ಸಹಾನುಭೂತಿಯಿಂದ ಬರೆದ ಲೇಖನ ಓದಿ ಇವೆಲ್ಲದರ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಸೈನ್ಸ್ ಪೇಜ್, ಸಮಾಧಾನ, ಗುಣಮುಖ, ಲಾ ಪಾಯಿಂಟು, ಸೈಡ್ ವಿಂಗ್, ಫೇಸ್ ಬುಕ್ ಪದ್ಯಗಳು ಮೊದಲಾದ ಅಂಕಣಗಳು

Sartha: The Caravan by by S.L. Bhyrappa

Sartha: The Caravan

by S.L. Bhyrappa


Sartha literally means a trading caravan. In ancient India, such caravans would travel to distant lands to trade with them. Sartha is a remarkable novel, which works simultaneously on two planes. It is a physical journey across India, as well as a spiritual inward journey of an eighth-century scholar born to a tradition of Vedic studies. 
Nagabhatta, the scholar, is deputed by Amaruka, the king, to study the secrets of caravans of other lands in order to improve the economy of his kingdom. During his extensive travels, Nagabhatta becomes a witness to and comes under the influence of dozens of religious, social, and cultural modes. Unusual experiences and peoples are depicted in a historically changing time in the history of India. The novel is a result of a deep and extensive study of history and research conducted at actual locales, like Nalanda. It searches, creatively, the roots of conflicting religious beliefs which India is constantly facing. 
Bhyrappa is well known for his profound study of philosophical questions. In Sartha, he goes back in time to recreate the atmosphere of a bygone era with an authenticity that is his hallmark. Through this gripping narrative, a vast panorama of the past unfolds before us. It is a novel that abounds in details of eighth-century India, creating an experience that is rich and strange--strange to readers uninitiated into the wealth and diversity of the India of more than a thousand years ago. 
Sartha can be discussed at several levels. It is a historical novel par excellence, defying western critics' opinion that Indian fiction lacks historical sense. On another level, it is a Picaresque novel, in so far as it concerns itself with the escapades of the protagonist. On yet another plane it is a metaphysical novel, dealing with the philosophy of Advaitic thought. Finally, it is a romance, a very readable story about the true love of Nagabhatta and Chandrika