Posts

Showing posts from June, 2011

'Rajmohan's Wife', the first Indian novel in English

Image
'Rajmohan's Wife' was first serialized in 1864. The book is by one of the most famous Bangla novelist - Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay. It was his first novel and his only English novel. Later, he went on to write Bangla novels which are loved even today and Bankimbabu is remembered as one of the bests that the Indian soil has ever produced.  This novel tells the story of the beautiful and passionate Matangini, married to a villainous man and in love with her sister's husband, represents the vitality of women who remain strong in the face of brutality and the confining expectations of middle-class society. It gives a great description of the then Bengali life. It gives a beautiful description of female beauty. it is told the Bankimchandra wanted to make the novel much larger but later shortened it. We can also feel it because the descriptions at the beginning of the book is very elaborate but it decreases as we move on. This novel was one which was more heard than read

Celebration of Woman power in India (Part 1) - Politics

Image
Women has always been special for this country, Women are worshipped in Gods like Durga, Kali, Saraswati. Personalities like Rani lakshmi Bai, razia sultana had the potential to rule! Kasturba Gandhi and Indira Gandhi had the potential to lead, Vaijyantimala and Meena Kumari had the potential to act and entertain. These were only some from the past. I would like to highlight on some powerful women in past and in present, mostly through 'Celebration of Woman power in India', this would be divided into six parts - politics, sports, films, fashion and style, books, social workers! this first part is dedicated to politics! I would mostly concentrate on the present women and less from the past! Politics is one of the fields where women got a lot of power and fame in Recent times! From past we have likes of Indira Gandhi but now in this political scenario we have several to look at! Firstly, coming to Sonia Gandhi , who is the chair-person of the ruling Central UPA Government. S

The legacy of a painter, Maqbool Fida Husain

Image
Maqbul Fida Husain, was India’s most famous, and its most infamous, contemporary painter. Often labeled the Picasso of India, his life and work spanned the 20th century and inched into the 21st century. He produced over 30,000 paintings, some of which sold at auction for over $1.5 million.  The Government of India has awarded M.F. Hussain with the presitious "Padma Shree" in the year 1955. A conference was organised to celebrate his 95th birthday in Doha last September. It was titled, as Husain himself had requested: “The World is My Canvas.” Husain came back from London, where he also has a home and studio, but as an active participant not a mere observer. He talked, he doodled, he joked, he even posed for a group photo. M.F. Husain remained a dynamic, ceaseless explorer of art, life and beauty until a couple weeks before his death in London on Thursday June 9.  In 2003, to celebrate his 88th birthday, he produced 88 oils across four Indian cities. “After open-heart surgery

The 'item number' bug!

Image
Much of serious issues has been discussed in my blog in the recent posts, now lets come to something lighter! And what could be lighter to an Indian than music! We Indians have always been lovers of music, and we really have reasons to love it! We have lots of variations and each has its own magic too! We all know that item number bug has cut the mass audience very badly! Although i am not a big fan of these but the mass loves it! Item songs are not any particular type of song but it has lots of energy! They do not have much to do in the film though! Although most of the times the words are meaningless, still it has the potential to excite nerves! Mostly beauties adorned in glamorous, loud and sexy costumes match their feet to these songs which makes the whole thing even more special! We have girls like Malaika, Rakhi and Mallika who are mostly famous for their item numbers! Item songs have been part of Indian cinema from a time, long back! Helen, Zeenat Aman, Parvin Babi were kn

At times this 'summer Ram leela' seems to be too much! However, its working well!

Image
A large banner with messages against corruption and a larger than life photo of  Ramdev baba  greeted the visitors heading towards Ram leela maidan to join Ramdev! A huge waterproof pandal, 30ft. tall covering around  2.5 lakh sq. feet! LED screens all around! The tent is fitted with 780 fans, 100 coolers and a wter purifier plant which purifies 1200 litres per hour! all these costing over Rs. 2 crores! All these are being told as 'seva' for 'junta'! Is this some drama going on in the name of fight against corruption! the preparations for the fasting going on, 3 days ago Anna Hazare fought with corruption with the right spirit! With blood and toil! Anna sat in a very simple 'manch' made for him and indeed drove our spirit very high! But, this Ramdev leela  makes us feel that all these Rs. 2 crore money has something to do with corruption! Maybe it doesn't, but in a place like India where a person doesn't get a tarpauline worth Rs. 200 to have his meal

Baba Ramdev on 'fast track' against corruption

Image
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is undertaking a fast unto death in New Delhi from today, June 4 to demand recovery of black money deposited by Indians in Swiss banks, disclosure of account-holders' names, and a ban on high-denomination currency notes.       The satyagraha will be held at Ramlila Maidan "to force the Government to act on corruption-related issues," Ramdev told reporters here.       "Along with me, several supporters spread across the world will also fast during the satyagraha," he said.       "The Centre has not taken any concrete decision on the issue of black money. The fight against corruption will continue till it is not rooted out," he said. A strong Lokpal law should be enacted by August 2011, Ramdev said. The Lokpal panel should have the power to recover money swindled by the corrupt and punish them with death sentence, he said.       Ramdev also demanded declaration of illegal wealth held by Indians in foreign countries, ratification

Thanking my audience!

Image
I have just crossed 1000 page views ! Its a very small achievement but i am loving this achievement! And much credit goes to my audience who were patient enough to read my posts every time i posted something new! Its just over a month that i have started blogging through 'its me - saptarshi' and this was a small and first milestone that i was eager to cross as fast as i can! And atlast i did it! My topics on Politics and Kazi Nazrul Islam  made things easier and better for me! So i will always try to post more of these topics to make you all happy! Let me know what you would like to read at saptaraja.roy@gmail.com and please do make more comments on my posts otherwise i cannot get what you all are thinking! Thank you once again! Hope i cross more of these thousand boundaries very soon!