Murder Mystery, a humorous thriller starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, was released in 2019.
Nick, a NYPD police officer, has been an average performer in his duties. For over a decade since their marriage, he and his wife Audrey, a hairdresser, had been unable to make their dream of visiting Europe come true. However, for their fifteenth anniversary, they were finally able to make the journey.
During their flight, Audrey encountered Charles Cavendish, a wealthy individual. She was impressed by his wealth and personality, despite Nick’s jealousy. Rather than following their original tourist itinerary, Charles invited them to join him at a party on his private yacht.
The yacht was filled with people related to the billionaire family of Malcolm Quince. Malcolm, Charles’ uncle, had other plans regarding his wealth; he announced that his new and young wife, Suzi, would be his heir, leaving everyone else in dismay.
An unfortunate event has taken place – a murder. This has put Nick and Audrey in a difficult situation. Will they be able to manage it? Is the mystery of the murder solved? To find out the answers to these questions you will have to watch the movie.
I like or dislike the film. Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston make an excellent pair in this movie. But Adam Sandler uses every opportunity to score points with his humour. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Charles, Audrey and Nick meet on the flight. Nick’s jealous reactions to Charles had me smiling.
However, it’s Jennifer Aniston who really steals the show. The way she confronts her husband about the trip to Europe, and the way she develops a friendship with Charles are both incredibly humorous.
Overall, it’s a neutral choice with a positive bias for a weekend watch!
Last year, my mother and I visited Arvind Eye Hospital in Madurai for a routine check-up. While we were waiting in the lobby, I noticed a book stall in one of the corners. I found a few interesting books, one of which was Colombia Bothai Mafia (Colombian Narcotics Mafia) by Pa Raghavan. I gave it to Kannan, and was finally able to get it back recently.
Pablo Escobar, a Colombian, was renowned as the ‘King of Narcotics’, specializing in Cocaine. He was widely recognized as the wealthiest criminal in the world, with an estimated net worth of $30 billion at the time of his assassination.
This book contains 31 articles written in a light-hearted language, which chronicle the life of Escobar from his childhood to his death. Narcotics provided him with a great deal of money, of course, although it was cursed money. Nonetheless, Escobar used it to build his immense wealth. He was a pioneer in finding new and ingenious ways to climb to the top.
The article astoundingly explains Escobar’s thought process in constructing his narcotics empire, delving into Pa Raghavan’s exploration of the macroeconomic and political environment of Colombia and the world.
The way he corrupted the entire Colombian government, his questionable business practices, and his attempts to ensure the free flow of goods are all fascinating to read about. America and Europe are the largest markets, not only for legitimate industries but also for cocaine. He utilized the power of money and intimidation to further his operations.
The Colombian Government’s collaborations with the United States are outlined in multiple chapters. It was amusing to read about Escobar’s private prison sentence.
The downfall of the narcotics kingpin was revealed over the last five chapters, with all the thrilling suspense of a novel. Will the Colombian forces be able to meet their objective and put a stop to the narcotics trade? To find out, you’ll have to read the book!
The author has made tremendous efforts to communicate the facts in a light-hearted manner. He follows a narrative structure which will be intriguing to those who are not accustomed to reading often. This is, of course, also a signature style of his writing!
This is a must-have on Tamil libraries’ non-fiction shelves.
Colombia Bothai Mafia/கொலம்பிய போதை மாஃபியா Author: Pa Raghavan Publisher: Mathi Nilayam, Chennai. 2nd Edition 2013 Borrow NLB Buy Dial For Books | Amazon
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Pa. Raghavan, a well known Tamil writer, winner of the prestigious ‘Bharathiya Basha Parishad Award’ in 2004. His best known and most appreciated work is Yathi, a Novel, which shows the world of Indian Sanyasis (Monks). His non fictions like Dollar Desam (Political History of America) and Nilamellam Raththam (History of the Israel – Palestine Conflict) are considered to be the milestones in Tamil non-fiction writing.
The library in our area has been closed for renovation for the past four months. Recently, while browsing the shelves of the nearby library, I stumbled upon Soppanasundari (a Tamil translation of the Telugu novel Vijetha) by Yathanapudi Sulochana Rani in the new arrivals section. Along with it, I also found another novel, Pushpanjali by the same author. The smell of fresh ink and paper suggested that I was the first one to read both novels.
Let me start by discussing Pushpanjali, a simple novel of few pages that helps for a faster reading, like a Pallavan Express train!
The story is narrated by Madhavan, who was believed to be dead after being captured by enemies during a freedom struggle. He comes back alive later. Upon receiving the false news of his passing, his fiancée Sudha, the daughter of his uncle, is married off to another groom. Disheartened by this, Madhavan misbehaves with a young woman travelling alone on a train. Feeling remorseful for his actions, he exits the train with the intention of taking his own life. However, the train suddenly begins to move again, leaving Madhavan with a renewed desire to find the woman he wronged and apologize. Will he be successful in his mission?
It sounds like a captivating ‘typical-70s styled cinematic tale’ with all the right ingredients! No wonder it has been shot as a movie too.
This novel has many twists and turns, creating a dramatic and cinematic atmosphere. He spotted someone on the street, and the same woman later arrived on the train alone. A rich girl suddenly finds herself impoverished and wearing tattered garments. The husband of his ex-fiancée turns out to be the hero’s former classmate. There are so many more surprises like this – it’s quite amazing, huh!
The story begins with Madhavan’s accusations towards Sudha. She had been deeply in love with someone and when she realized that he was dead, was it really so wrong for her to make the decision to marry someone else? When he came back to life, would she still be able to embrace him and cry for him, despite being married to someone else? This is what we can understand from Madhavan’s narrative. He lives within his own thoughts and gets lost in a whirlwind of confusion. His perplexed musings put him in a labyrinth of obstacles.
My sister always said it is wrong to accept anything for free from anyone; shoplifting is a crime and it is a disgrace to compromise our values in order to make money, but when we work hard to survive, we should not have to be subservient to anyone.
-Vasu
Yaddanapudi’s Madhavan and Jeyakanthan’s Prabu (featured in the novel Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal) have a similar outlook on life. However, Madhavan lacks the maturity of Prabu and is not as wise. Prabu is a clear winner in his ability to show us the truth of life – despite being a negative character – while Madhavan is depicted as a foolish, immature, and self-tormenting person.
The novel is crafted with typical masculine expectations of women. It is an easy-to-read book and I was able to finish it quickly between a lunch at Andhra mess and an evening coffee at the food court. Undoubtedly, this was thanks to the translation done by Gowri Kirubanandan.
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Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani (2 April 1940 – 18 May 2018) was an Indian Telugu language novelist. She had a strong fan following since the 1970s and early 1980s, especially among women. Several of her stories were made into films and television serials. She won two Nandi Awards.
She looked around quickly, to see if anything had been taken.
She hides a few of them in her Botany textbook. When her Botany teacher is illustrating the cross-sectional diagrams of flowers and seeds on the board, she takes advantage of the pause to quietly turn the pages and examine them one at a time. She finds herself lost in a blissful, fluffy cloud of contentment.
She was captivated by that enchanting smile and felt a thrill of excitement when their eyes met.
That day was testing her innermost joy. It was especially breezy that day. The wind flipped through the pages of her book and scattered her secret treasures across the floor of her classroom.
Her best friend Bhanu noticed them and gave a mischievous gaze, after recognizing them. Taking one of them, Bhanu returned to her companion with a sly smile. She then proceeded to reach for another, making a gesture that suggested she wanted to keep it for herself.
She stared wide-eyed at Bhanu, resembling Bhadra Kaali. She extended her finger and menacingly warned, “I’ll kill you.” Bhanu exhaled wearily in response before returning the rest.
She returned from the playground after her physical education class that afternoon and noticed that her school bag was open and her botany book was lying outside with pages flapping in the breeze.
She looked around quickly, to see if anything had been taken, relieved to find that those peacock feathers were still intact.
“Saraswathi pooja – September 26th, Tuesday” Grandpa was reading the Panchangam in his quavering voice.
Saraswathi, who was descending from her room upstairs, heard that clearly.
“Thatha, no, it appears it is not Tuesday; it appears to be Sunday. Therefore, there will not be a holiday for Circar offices. Didn’t you hear Father saying that yesterday?” Saraswathi descended and inquired of him.
Grandpa removed his glasses and placed them in the case, then spoke to his granddaughter, “Sunday? Panchangams doesn’t specify that, right? It could be one day difference, either earlier or later. Would that mean four or five days difference? No way!”
“Dont know, It is on Sunday for Government alone. Don’t you know? The central Government appointed a Sastri from a foreign country. He got three thousand five hundred rupees as his salary to provide this advice. Lucky chap!”
Saraswathi informed her Grandpa and then went to the kitchen.
Grandpa muttered to himself, “Sastri? Coming from abroad, of all people. These naughty kids must think I’m crazy.”
Saraswathi entered the kitchen as the ‘coffee shop’ was still open. Her brothers had just finished brushing their teeth and were engaged in a lively conversation, each holding a cup of coffee.
She exclaimed, “So noisy! Is this a house or a Kothaval Chavadi?” She then turned to her mother and said, “Mom, you said Saraswathi Pooja was on Tuesday, but it appears to be on Sunday instead. Thatha has already confirmed this.”
“What in the world?” her mother exclaimed as she rushed into the living room. Saraswathi couldn’t help but snicker, covering her mouth with her hand. Her brothers followed suit, eager to witness whatever was unfolding in the living room.
❤️❤️❤️
Do not assume that Saraswathi is only fifteen or sixteen years old. When the month of Aippasi arrives, she will have completed twenty three years of age. She will remain youthful and vibrant as she is in her eighteen. We can not say she is not super pretty; at the same time, we can’t say she is not beautiful. She has a mischievous laugh on her face and speaks with a lot of wit, tease and humor.
Her parents and grandfather were greatly concerned about her marriage prospects. They looked for suitable matches, not only from Chennai Rajdhani but also from cities like Bombay, Calcutta, and Delhi, yet they were still unable to find a suitable partner for her.
Her grandfather often calls her “My girl, come here!”. Saraswathi responds with a smile and goes to stand beside him.
“Do you have any plans to get married, at least by this year or not?”
Saraswathi chuckled and said, “I’m always ready!”
Grandfather sighed, saying, “You’re ready, but the auspicious time for the wedding is being delayed”. It is sad to see Saraswathi like this. She is overwhelmed with disappointment about the postponement of her marriage. Despite her unhappiness, she’s trying to mask it with jokes and laughter.
One evening, close to 7 o’clock, Saraswathi lit the lamp and made her way upstairs with her books in hand. Her grandfather called out to her, “Sarasoo!”
When she spun around to face him, he said, “Sarasu, didn’t I tell you there was a potential groom in Madurai? I had Kalyana Raman investigate him, and he sent this letter to me. Have a look.” With that, he handed her the letter before walking away.
Saraswathi’s face was flushed with both shyness and anger when she received the letter. Kalyana Raman had been the son of a registrar who had lived in the house across from her for quite some time. He had been studying in law school for the past three years. Both families had been close during that time. He had wanted to marry Saraswathi and she had reciprocated the feeling. There had even been talks of marriage. Saraswathi had just finished her intermediate exams and said that she would marry him in two years as she intended to pursue a B.A. degree. She had expected Kalyana Raman to wait for her during that time. But, if it was a question of love between them, Kalyana Raman could have waited not just two years, but even five. However, his parents were not willing to agree to that and began looking for other brides. As Kalyana Raman finished his exams, his family moved to Madurai to start his own law firm.
When she realized he had sent a letter to her grandfather, she was utterly infuriated. Offended by his retort, she thought to herself, “What kind of man behaves like this? He can’t even wait two years for a woman!” With that, she ripped up his letter and threw it in the bin.
❤️❤️❤️
That day was the day of Saraswathi Pooja.
Yes; as her Grandpa confirmed by consulting his Panchangam, the event arrived on September 26th, a Tuesday without fail.
In regards to Saraswathi’s house, the festival not only came on its own, but also brought Kalyana Raman with it.
After the dawn, Saraswathi descended the stairs and was taken aback by the sight of the luggage and bed in her living room. Kalyana Raman appeared the next moment. Out of courtesy Saraswathi asked, “When did you arrive?”. She then hurried to the backyard, her mind filled with thoughts ‘What more to talk with someone who can not wait for just two years for her?’.
She observed her grandfather beaming with joy that day, though the reason remained a mystery to her. He thought ‘As these girls grow older, they became less inclined to behave well. She had barely uttered two words in the morning before disappearing upstairs, not even bothering to come downstairs to talk to him’.
It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon when Kalyana Raman and Saraswathi met each other upstairs.
Kalyana Raman asked, “Are you angry with me? Is that why you won’t even speak to me?”
“I’m not upset with anyone, so why would I talk to you? So I’m just staying quiet!”
“Did you read my letter? Thatha said he handed it to you!”
Saraswathi asked, “Do I have enough time without any tasks, to read whatever the letter delivered here? You might have written about the groom in Madurai. That’s ok. What about your wife? Is she fine? Any kids…?” before her question trailed off.
Kalyana Raman burst into a loud laugher.
Kalyana Raman exclaimed, “You’re so pure and innocent, I’ve never seen anyone like you! Wife? Kids? I never got married to any one! I was holding out for you and came all this way to marry you. I wrote it all in that letter!”
Saraswathi remained quiet as she crouched down and began to piece together the torn letter to read its contents.
—
Saroja Ramamurthy (July 27, 1921 – August 8, 1991) was a modern Tamil writer and Gandhian. She wrote short stories and novels. Her books were nationalized by the Tamil Nadu government. This story is from her nationalized short story collection.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee came to power in India. He looked towards the East with the aim of strengthening India’s foreign relations. Unfortunately, he eventually lost his political throne. After ten years of Manmohan Singh’s reign, India’s East policy remains the same as it was before. MMS was not even invited as Prime Minister to the Beijing Olympics, but the President of his party and her son were invited. India’s East policy has seen some minor successes, such as improved relations with Singapore, South Korea and Japan.
I am not taking any political sides here; I’m looking at it from the country’s performance. In the past, India went to Vietnam for oil exploration, but someone from the North reminded us of Nehru’s failed war experience, so we had to come back. That person then followed us and provoked our armed forces at the Ladakh border, which has posed a long-term challenge to India’s East Asia policy.
India shares its borders with Pakistan on the west and Myanmar on the east. Both countries are unstable, which can have a negative effect on India. It is important for India to ensure that Myanmar remains stable in order to maintain a stable geo political situation.
Oh we need power for the sake of making change. Let us not be pusillanimous about it. If we want to bring about the kind of changes we want, we need power, not power for the sake of power, but power for the opportunity of bringing about the changes we would like to bring about.
Suu Kyi’s 2012 interview with The Hindu
India’s foreign policy has changed significantly. We have been working hard to build strong relations with ASEAN countries, although there is still progress to be made. As I write this, India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow have agreed to collaborate on inter-border-cash transfers. Other ASEAN countries view us as a basic defence partner and military exercises have been conducted. This shows that India wants to have both trade and military cooperation with ASEAN. A road is needed to connect ASEAN to India, and Myanmar is the gateway. It is located in between ASEAN in the south, India in the west and China in the north, making it a crucial point, like a Pillaiyar temple in tri-junction!
In 2016, I wrote a post in my Tamil blog expressing my happiness about the planning of a passenger and goods corridor between India, Myanmar and Thailand. However, the following years proved to be challenging. Wuhan, China, had bad news for the entire world when the COVID-19 pandemic began there, and this was followed by the fall of the democratic Government in Myanmar. Thus, the road ahead is no longer smooth.
And I think, sometimes I think rather than disappointment, sad is the word I would use because I have a personal attachment to India through my friends as well as because of the friendship that existed between my father and Jawaharlal Nehru, because of the closeness that existed between the countries. So rather than disappointed, I was sad that it had to be like that.
Suu Kyi’s 2012 interview with The Hindu
To what extent can India help Myanmar?
There is very little hope at the moment as the military regime is refusing to respond to even its closest allies following the downfall of Suu Kyi’s government.
In 2015, news circulated about the road connectivity of North Eastern states, and many people believed that progress was made in this area. If successful, this could be India’s gateway to South East Asia via Myanmar. Additionally, there was talk of connecting China, Kolkata and Bangladesh, but it appears this is still just a dream.
I’d like to see a closer relationship between our two peoples, because I’ve always felt we had a special relationship — India and Burma — because of our colonial history, and because of the fact that the leaders of our independence movement were so close to one another.
Suu Kyi’s 2012 interview with The Hindu
The development of the north eastern states is essential in order to bring an end to the conflicts occurring in the region. Burma may assist India’s north eastern states in connecting to a port in order to facilitate the smooth movement of goods.
There are many camps in Myanmar that are hostile towards India, and everybody knows who is sponsoring them. Additionally, there are smugglers operating in the area. In 2016, the Burmese Government arrested a military officer for helping these anti-social elements. For India to successfully prevent this, economic development in this region is essential.
China’s plans for Myanmar have caused a lot of controversy due to being seen as exploitative and an environmental hazard. China needs Myanmar’s help in order to gain access to the Indian Ocean and has already built ports in Hambantota and Gwadar. It also wants Myanmar’s route and the Iranian port of Chah Bahar. China is working hard to develop good relations with Myanmar, as it would be more comfortable with a military regime than with Suu Kii’s democratic government. India cannot spend as much as China, but it can act as a reliable ally to Myanmar, both politically and commercially.
Indians can travel to Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia by car if they wish. You and I could also go if it is possible. People from Myanmar can come to Budh Gaya, and affordable medical tourism is an option.
From Myanmar’s perspective, India has already begun investing there, resulting in increased imports from India. Therefore, the trade relationship between India and Myanmar does not result in a loss for Myanmar. I’m talking about 2016. The present situation is hazy.
I was thinking earlier that India should try its best to support Myanmar’s democratic reforms. Modern day situation makes everything difficult.
Kali temple, Myanmar
India’s lack of support for democratic efforts in Myanmar during “amrit kaal” (a term used to describe a period of positive change) disappointed Suu Kyi. India maintained ties with the military regime as if there was no other option, making it difficult for democrats to succeed. Suu Kyi had wanted India and the world to recognize and encourage the ongoing democratic developments, but nothing was done and those developments were thwarted. Suu Kyi is now in jail, a “Rahu kaal” for Myanmar’s democracy. Even Western countries, who consider themselves to be fathers or uncles of democracy, were unable to do anything as Myanmar was not a priority for them.
And we have to do all that building ourselves, and I think this needs to be recognised by India and by the rest of the world — that we are not on the smooth road to democracy. We still have to be given the chance to build the road to democracy.
Suu Kyi’s 2012 interview with The Hindu
Myanmar has a commercial relationship with both ASEAN and China. India is the only one who can help Myanmar develop its democracy further. We did some exercises in the past. For example Nepal! Is it good or bad from Indian context, I do not know!
Coming back to Myamar, how many democracies are in East Asia? You can count on your fingers. By the time I’m writing this post, if the count increases, you can use your fingers in toe! You would not get a better number. Myanmar, which is yearning for democracy – but with Nandi on the way – should not be left out alone.
You may divorce a spouse, but you can’t move away from your neighboring country. So it’s very important that you maintain good relations. And again, I think, it’s people to people relationships which are most important. It’s not government to government. Governments come and governments go. But the peoples of the countries, they remain. And if we manage to establish genuine friendship between our peoples, then the future will be good for us. That’s not impossible.
Writer Jayamohan has extensively discussed and written about the novel ‘Ini Njaan Urangatte’, including during a discussion about his Venmurasu novel series at Ang Mo Kio library in 2016.
I didn’t think twice before borrowing this novel from the reference section of the library, which is allowed to be borrowed.
Jayamohan states that this novel is a deep lament; an emptiness. The emptiness that came after a loathed war. After the fierce conflict between the brothers had taken away everyone from this beautiful planet, this tranquil emptiness was an expression of overwhelming feelings. Agony and distress everywhere.
Karna is the protagonist of this novel, which tells the story of the aftermath of his tragic death in the Mahabharata. Karna was known for his unparalleled physical and mental strength and his ability to win over everyone with his charm. Despite his immense power, he ultimately lost and died. This story evokes the fascination of readers due to the unique circumstances of Karna’s life: despite being born into a high-status family, he was raised as the son of a charioteer, was ridiculed and shamed as a ‘suda-putra‘, and yet managed to remain righteous in the face of adversity, even when faced with difficult decisions. Karna’s story is sure to captivate any reader.
The novel begins with the death of Duryodhana, and within the first two paragraphs, it immerses the reader in its world. It is as if a tornado has swept us up, as the intensity of the scene draws us in. The novel enthralls its audience with the tale of Yudhishthira’s fraternal love. He is eager to uncover the truth behind Karna’s death, and he is filled with an overwhelming sense of guilt, despite other Pandava-s’ rage.
They questioned Yudhishthira, “Abhimanyu and the wise teachers who taught him battle strategies have perished, and Bhishma has fallen on a bed of arrows. Yet, you have never expressed sorrow for them, so why do you now grieve for your opponent Karna?”.
This novel contains exquisite places that evoke strong emotions in the reader.
The way author narrates the Narada’s rebuttal with Yudhishthira about Karna’s battle and the justice and injustice behind the same.
Meeting between Karnan and Kunthi
Meeting between Karna and Krishna
The humiliation of Draupadi
The agony of Duryodhana
The assasscination of Karna
The banks of the Ganges, ravaged by war, are a macabre sight during funerary ceremonies.
Kunti’s anxious expression appears intermittently throughout the novel. Upon learning that Karna is Yudhishthira’s elder brother, Kunti reveals the truth of his birth and requests him to perform the funeral rites for Karna first. Draupadi, like us, has many questions.
Why didn’t you let us know he was your son, Mom? Would it have been possible to prevent this devastating destruction if we had known about his family ties to you?
-Draupadi
During the Pandavas and Kauravas’ training in arms, the Pandava clan and their teachers humiliated Karna due to his birth reasons. Kunti fainted from her intense distress, but did not make any attempt to rescue him. Draupadi wanted to ask Kunti if she would react in the same way to Arjuna.
Yudhisthira was so overwhelmed with his love for his brother that he lost his calm. He wanted to throw away his bow and arrow and go into the forest. On the other hand, Kunti was grief-stricken by the death of her eldest son. The other Pandavas were taken aback when Karna humiliated them during the battle, yet gave them a chance to live.
As the Pandavas grieved for Karna, Draupadi – who harbored an intense resentment towards him – felt isolated. With her sibling and father gone due to the war, she had no one. The compassion the Pandavas felt for Karna, despite his having laughed at her humiliation, seemed paradoxical to her. She wondered if the anguish, deceit and sleepless nights she had endured had any purpose.
Krishna and Kunti reveal the secret of Karna’s birth to him not out of sorrow or affection, but rather to prevent an impending war of annihilation by convincing him to switch sides from the Kaurava camp to the Pandava camp. The scenes of Krishna trying to change Karna’s opinion are captivating.
I wish I had the ability to paint, my friends! If I did, I would have created a beautiful painting of Draupadi with the six Pandavas!
Draupadi questions herself; as a woman, she has grievances about the wrongdoing of her unrighteous husbands. She wonders what kind of dharma they are protecting by making her a pawn in the Hastinapur palace or during their exile. Draupadi’s flustered questions embody the essence of feminism.
She sees Karna’s death as a punishment for his betrayal. Despite her victory in the battle, she felt desolate. She deludedly questioned whether this was what she had wanted. Furthermore, Draupadi lamented her inability to care for her children as a mother. These are the emotional threads of this novel.
Krishna arrived in Hastinapur as a messenger, but was unable to prevent war and returned without success. Before departing, he met with Karna to disclose the truth of his birth. He tried to persuade him to transfer to the Pandava camp and become king, with Draupadi as his queen. However, Karna firmly refused and maintained his loyalty to Duryodhana, who had defended his honor in the Hastinapur arms skill event. When Karna thought about his foster mother Radha, I was brought to tears. I had to put the book down and close my eyes before I could continue. Despite Krishna’s attempts, he was unable to make him change his mind and had to go back.
Kunti encountered Karna while he was worshipping the Sun at midday and offering Dharma to those who are in need. She reiterated what Krishna had said.
It is a futile attempt to express longing for the dead by adorning the cremation bed with sandalwood. It is a senseless and cruel act of futility! Please let us finish this scene soon… What is your motivation for coming here? What should I do next? I am confident that I will agree with whatever you say, so please do not hesitate to provide me with your instructions and let us complete this quickly.
-Karna
The novel depicts Karnan conversing with her and holding back his anger with regret. Even though these are well-known stories, the way they are being narrated surprises the readers.
Karna is a Dharmavan, the elder Pandava and a responsible companion. But, he makes some mistakes. Due to unexpected situations, Draupadi has a grudge against him. She also refuses to marry him citing his birth. So, the deception on one side destroys the other!
As everyone was mourning the loss of Karna, Draupadi was in deep emotional distress, imagining an unexpected scene where she saw Karna seated on the throne and herself sitting by his side as his queen, surrounded by the other Pandavas, safe and secure. This vision occurred on the battlefield where so many had died, and the widows of the fallen were preparing their husbands’ funeral pyres. At one point, Draupadi felt as if she too was one of these widows. I was taken aback for a moment.
Let her rest with the worn-out deception and unfulfilled emotions. I will end my lament here!
ഇനി ഞാൻ ഉറങ്ങട്ടെ | Battle Beyond Kurukshetra | இனி நான் உறங்கட்டும் Author– P.K Balakrishnan (Malayalam – Ini Njan Urangatte) Publisher – Sahitya Academy, First editin 2001 Borrow NLB | Connemara Chennai Buy: Malayalam | Tamil | English
Bagan is an ancient city, filled with archeological sites, located on the banks of the Irrawaddy River in Mandalay, Myanmar. During 9AD and 13BC it served as the capital of Pagan Kingdom. During this time, astonishingly, over 10,000 temples pagodas and monasteries were constructed. Today, an estimated 2,200 of these still remain. This Ancient city was home to various forms of schools such as Theravada/Mahayana/Tantric Buddhism, Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
Pagan (c) Wikipedia
In 2017, Kannan and I attended a lecture at Asian Civilization Museum by Associate Prof Koh Geok Yian about the daily life of Pagan between 1000-1300. During this talk she discussed the excavation project being carried out at Pagan and showed us artifacts, of course in slides, that had been discovered.
The rise of Pagan
Every Archeological site has a rising or flourishing period. Later they move to saturation before a gradual or sudden decline. Bagan is not an exception too. Buddhism and ancient trade tied these regions closely to India.
Pagan empire (c) Wikipedia
I was searching based on Prof Goh’s talk that night. I came to know something very interesting.
Monks from India, Sri Lanka and the Khmer Empire went to Pagan.
It may have the style inherited from Buddhist stupas of Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda in current day Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Sri Lanka.
The ancient name of Pagan was Ari-madana-pura.
It seems there were some similarities between the temples of Pagan with temples of Pala empire of Bengal. There was trade and cultural exchanges between India and Bagan.
The canopy paintings at Pagan were interesting. Before that let’s see the list of places we may need to visit.
Bagan’s Flourishing period.
Kyansittha Palace – Excavation
Kyansittha was the king of Bagan Empire in the tenth century. Following his father Anawrahta, he continued social, economic and cultural exchanges. Excavation pictures from today’s tourist attraction from Bagan Palace were interesting.
Excavations show Pagal’s influence from China. A lot of Chinese vases, Southeast Asian artifacts, pottery, and fragmentary Buddha head sculptures have been found.
A lot of circular structures have been found. It can be seen in the pictures.
Who doesn’t marvel at Buddhist canopy paintings? I have already written about Ajanta briefly in this post. Similar beautiful canopy paintings exist in Bagan temples too. Tap on Google Images.
Being a riverside city, water journeys are depicted in their paintings.
What will be the daily life of a Bagan? I guess it could be like a peaceful life with blooming worship in monasteries, recitation of mantras and agriculture.
Fall of Pagan
Bagan has reached its peak in 11th and 12th century, starting from 10th century. Culture and economy flourished during Anawrahta’s reign. Bagan used to be known as a city of money. The influx of money brought its own problems. Lured by wealth, the sevak-s and the military destroyed the Bagan constitution.
Like the Ghazni Mahmud’s repeated invasion of India, the Mongolians invaded Pagan multiple times and plundered. The city has also been corrupted by Burmese ethnic groups such as the Rakhine-s, the Mon-s, and the Shan-s (seems they are the descendants of Assamese), a Southeast Asian ethnic group.
Pagan looks like a hamlet today, reminds me of Kodumbalur.
Thanks to the following sites for their images and text –
Have we been confused about whether to get our own books or library books for decades? The new entrant to the debate is the E-Book/Audio Book. I will list down some of the points for owned books versus library books and my approach towards it.
Having a habit of buying our own books helps not only you, but it also becomes a motivation for the entire family. We buy coffee, tea, pizza, and burgers – a Margherita Regular costs around ₹100, which will make your tummy happy for a single meal. Mahabharata published by Amar Chitra Katha costs only ₹57, which will make you, your family, and your next generation happy!
First of all, buying a book is not only for you. It is for your next generation too. Setting up a home library is a virtue, and it is an inspiration for us and our visitors.
Secondly, you are supporting the publication house and your favorite authors. In that way, you can make others happy. Jeyamohan’s Venmurasu is a series of 26 novels totaling 25000 pages available to read for free on the internet. Yet, many of his readers, including me, purchased the novels of pillow size, not only to support the initiative, but also to leave it for the next generation.
Thirdly, it is about personalization. You get a rare opportunity to meet your favorite authors. When you meet them, you get his/her signature in blue or black ink on the first page, to keep memories of your meeting, don’t you? Muthar-kanal by Jeyamohan, Khan Sahib by Nanjil Naadan, Nimitham by S Ramakrishnan, Here are the Young Men by Rob Doyle, Launch Pad by Shelly Bryant were signed by authors. Of course, you can underline, highlight, and annotate in books. Having your own books offer you unlimited freedom.
Fourthly, it is about reading time. You don’t have the pressure of reading it immediately. You can take your own time and read as many times as you like, and you can refer to any section at any time. Book fairs or your local book story may provide you good opportunity to buy books at discounted price. Chennai Book Fair offers 10% discount, despite its toxic environment with political party cadres disguised as readers and fundamentalists – just avoid those stalls with noise. You will find some useful stalls having rare books. Pakistan Arasiyal Varalaru by Pa Raghavan, India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha, Cheena vilakum thirai by Pallavi Aiyar are some of the treasures in my home library purchased in discount! Old/used book shops are the right fit for treasure hunt!
Spent the evening at the Chennai Book Fair. Wonderful to see couples, families, students, senior citizens, buying books with such joy and zest. pic.twitter.com/Y7b9UmtEVY
Coming back to library books – My earliest library book reading experience starts from Sivakamiyin Sabatham by Kalki (Author of the story of Ponniyin Selvan movie). My brother took it from his college library. I got motivated by him, my dad and my sister reading it. I too joined the jyothi.
My experience with my district library was not smooth. Yet, my experience with Chennai British Council Library and National Library of Singapore had been the best. Last but not least, Amazon Prime comes with its own kindle reading experience as well. I use it heavily now a days.
Membership of the British Council costs ₹2200/year. Amazon Prime membership comes with some free reading, and NLB membership costs around S$40/year for foreigners and is free for locals. Libraries announce special offers from time to time. Amazon sometimes gives some books at ₹0, and sometimes offers some books for free reading. NLB doubles the book borrowing limit during school holidays.
Library books have their own merits and demerits.
Firstly, it is about variety of options. they contain a treasure trove of books where we can get a quick reading experience before borrowing. Starting from kids books, all the way up to literature and journals, we have plenty of options. We can’t get everything in bookshops.
Secondly, it is super cost-effective. Each kids book with a hard cover costs around S$15 or S$20 easily. I can cover the library membership cost in just two borrowings.
Thirdly, if you don’t like any books, you can just return them without any financial loss.
Fourthly, it is about the ambience you get. If you are in Chennai, you can get it from the British Council Library. I haven’t been to Anna Centenary or Connemara libraries due to my worst experience with District Library at Pudukkottai. I have not been there to American library yet. You will find like-minded people in better libraries. They organize book camps, courses and talks by authors, and you’ll even get pakora-s and samosa-s from the canteen! NLB also offers a mobile app reading experience, which is nice. If you’re waiting for your girlfriend, you can read a short story from the mobile app rather than staring at a stranger girl and getting beaten up by your GF later!
So the verdict is that we should buy a library membership for everyone in the family. We need to help your kids create a home library. A reader like Kindle or Kobo is a necessity for the current generation.
To sum up, we have a vast ocean of books. We have library books, owned books, and e-books/audio books, each with its own merits and demerits. Choose wisely and enjoy reading. Do you think the same? Do you have a different view? Express yourself in comment section.
Thank you for visiting my blog today. I put my observations in front of you. You may express yourself in the comment section or hit the like button. It will make me happy. In turn I’ll show you one of my favorite photos, shot by me, as my return gift.
RBI made an initiative of opening payment banks in India in the mid of last decade. Towards the end of the decade, Singapore’s banking regulator, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, announced a similar initiative in the name of digital banks.
Thank you for visiting my blog today. I put my observations in front of you. You may express yourself in the comment section or hit the like button. In turn I’ll show you one of my favorite photos, shot by me, as my return gift.
Let’s move on. Both had the same motives, more or less: financial inclusion by expanding financial services to those in need, and effective services by bringing competition among the banks.
The markets were different in the two countries. India was believed to have many people out of the financial framework. Schemes like MNREGA, crediting subsidies directly to a bank account, helped the Indian government to include them in banking services.
Meanwhile, Singapore, being a small nation with focus and long-term view, already had effective banking services. In a way, it was a saturated market – most people were already using it. Digital banks were observed to be found more helpful for those with low incomes or daily wage schemes. With no minimum balance requirement, it was observed to be good for their customers.
The Business Times published an article saying digital banks may not be the game-changers they promised to be. It is applicable to both countries in my humble opinion. Since their inception, they have faced challenges in both countries.
They require some kind of technical investment from both the customer and the bank side; the cost isn’t cheap and the return on investment is not justifiable.
They do not consider seniors, who still find it easier to visit the banks rather than using gadgets. Even if they started using it, facilities like automated chat support, alienated banking support irritates them. The main purpose of financial inclusion got hit over here.
Concerns were raised about some of the payment bank companies. Some of them had already accumulated high debts. Some of them were struggling to make profits already. Any sensible customer would think, how safe is to give money to this bank? One of the telecom companies in India opened accounts without customers’ consent and deposited government subsidies, which created heated arguments.
These banks have some restrictions as well. For example, Indian payment banks cannot have non-resident accounts. They do not have dedicated branches for immediate contact, and some do not have branches at all. They also do not have dedicated ATMs.
It is too early to say whether they succeeded or failed in their objectives. As a summary, these initiatives or proof-of-concepts proved to be even more effective.
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