Book summary: A Thousand Splendid Suns

The title of the novel is taken from a line from a seventeenth-century poem called “Kabul,” written by the Persian poet Saib-e-Tabrizi

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,

Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.

Laila’s father  quotes these lines as the family is about to leave the war-wracked city of Kabul to another land. Through the imagery of suns and moons, the lines evoke a feeling of timelessness and a connection to the mythology of ancient Persia, as well as a heavenly beauty that stands in poignant contrast with the rubble and blood of the city at war.

The moons and suns may be interpreted as the citizens of Kabul, with the male head of each household represented by a shimmering moon on its roof.

The reference to “a thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls” likely refers to the women of Kabul, glowing beauties cloistered in hearth and home, tantalizingly hidden from the outside world but nonetheless providing vital life-giving warmth to Afghan society. The powerful image of women as “splendid suns” ties in with the author’s theme of women’s strength and importance to the  Afghan society. 

Book Review: Papillon

In the book, there’s a  funny quote from a Minister in France in the early 1970’s who said “The present hopeless moral decline of France is due to the wearing of miniskirts and to the reading of Papillon ”

How could there be a song in the mind of a convict. Perhaps that’s what moved me when I read Shantaram and the same journey continues here. The book is about the adventurous journey taken by a person named ‘Henrie Charriere’ who is convicted by law to escape the high walls of the prison and higher walls of mental barrier. Truly a journey taken to test man’s endurance beyond any sizable ground even covered by men of extra-ordinary. The essence of the book is the power of finding light in the depth of the deepest shadows. There is a lot of goodwill in the place we call prison alias gutter.

Henrie Charriere, the author, in his autobiography speaks of the journey since he was convicted till he wins over his freedom. There are several notable points in the book. Something that everyone needs to note, is that you grow with, not as an individual but as a group. There are ethics and morals that are being fallowed in the murk of prison. However the biggest value that it adds is that there are only physical chains that can be wound around you but mentally you are the master of your will. Something that we get to know is that ‘what the mind desires is what the body conceives’.

The book is written with overdoes of positive attitude and more with vigor and zeal and pace that you just don’t let the book down just as the book never lets you down. When you are let down in life, grab it, it will do you a lot more than just good.

Jungle Jungle pata chala hai… (Tiger spotting in a Jungle safari)

“Jungle Jungle baat suni hain pata chala hain……”

Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Jungle Book’ created magic and is still doing so…. But what made him think about the story of a jungle boy and tigers.? The Jungle where there are 55 Tigers present (Maharashtra + Madhya Pradesh combined), proving that the ecological life cycle is going on smoothly. The clean , dense very well maintained wildlife reserve spread over 300 sq. km “PENCH National Park Tiger Reserve”

Yes, this very jungle inspired him to write the Mowgli’s world and aptly so.

Before going to Pench I was a bit reluctant, as to how would the things be. Even though it was my first ever Jungle Safari,the group of 18 including active colleagues with enthusiastic kids and couples bought fun.Spotting tiger was like seeing God for them, and then I too realized why was it so, and the journey began…

08th December – Left Pune to Nagpur by Garib Rath( don’t get misleaded by the name, it is a nice train)

09th December – Reached Nagpur and then left for the Silliguri Jungle Resort which was just outside the Pench national park.

We stayed at Silliguru resort which was truly beautiful and well managed. A small camp fire @ night made the nights lively.

10th December 1st Jungle safari Morning 5:30…. We were so excited when we saw a spotted beautiful golden deer near some tree… but as someone very rightly commented “ kantala yeil itki distil… :P” (you will see so many till you get bored!) and then we had to enter the interiors of the jungle. We were all set to go and enter a totally new world. We were guests in their world. So had to behave accordingly, lest we meet the same fate Kaali from Kaal gave to the erring tourists.

Kaali from Kaal

And the Gypsy ride began,  yes it was always on the wish list to have a gypsy ride. But an open gypsy to spot animals was a surprise package altogether and boy was it exhilarating!

Flocks of Spotted deer’s everywhere, it was magical. Peacocks, Sambar, Barasingha, Jackal, Byson and ‘n’ No. of beautiful rare birds including kingfisher, Indian roller, orange shark to name a few.

For the evening safari @ 6pm, our gypsy was the first one to spot the tiger, it was just breathtaking. The tigress MAYA was just trying to cross the road in front of us. What an attitude !! The way she walks, care a damn approach, and her style. We were truly awestruck. I had never imagined I could see a tiger in a such a manner except a zoo.

THE TIGRESS ‘MAYA’

There was another ride the next day, the same animals, but every time the pathways seemed different ,mysterious, as if opening up the secrets of the jungle slowly.The forest was very well managed and different types of trees mostly Sal, others were crocodile trees adding beauty to the nature.

Finally, jungle trip ended on a very satisfied note, spotting so many animals we had entered the jungle with zero expectations

We were so used to spot the animals in the 4 ride, that after leaving Nagpur and travelling back to the station, even after seeing buffalo one shouted “ Hey guys, a Byson…..look at it ”

All in all it was a fun filled trip and we all enjoyed a lot!!!!!

The (LOST) DAN BROWN Template

Just finished reading ‘THE LOST SYMBOL” last night, one of the most awaited books from one of my favorite authors- DAN BROWN.

Although expectations were sky high with this one, esp. after Angels & Demons (my favorite of the lot) and Da Vinci code, this book does not fulfill my expectations.

After so many surprises in his previous books, the reader gets so accustomed to the surprises, that surprises become obvious,which i think in case of Lost Symbol has encouraged such an average response.

Also,after building up super suspense and with all that hush hush about lost word,ancient mysteries etc.finally just reveals its JUST the XXXX.(Sorry,No spoilers here!)

Now, what does Dan brown have for us here?
Having read all of Brown’s earlier works ,now, if i may say, the STANDARD DAN BROWN TEMPLATE goes something like this:

The stereotypical Dan Brown Template-

All this happening in a day’s time.

‘Random’ologist summoned by (Dr/Father) XYZ to embark on mission to save (Earth/Religion/God) from ‘till recently dormant’ enemies

An impossibly ‘Brainy Beauty’ enters scene

Random + Brainy Beauty set off for wild Adrenalin filled goose chase

While on the run Solve a couple of puzzles that baffled men for centuries

A hidden treasure/secret that no one will find

A weirdo assassin communicating with random secret rituals combined with a new scientific technology

Get betrayed by XYZ

Enter a “i am always strict and maintain a ginger eaten face” officer

Sudden flashes of seminars while running for life

Miraculously escape

Random and Brain Beauty make out

and Dan Brown lives happily ever after on royalties received from the next Tom Hanks dud.

Having said all this, i m still a DB fan and hope that DB trusts us, his avid fans,who will not ditch him IF he writes a novel,which,just for sake of argument,does NOT hold at stake USA’s national security,or so to say end of the world !!

Farewell Yoshito Usui : Creator of SHIN CHAN

This post is to pay tributes to the Japanese Cartoonist Yoshito Usui whose death (Sep 30 2009) has left many mourning. The announcement of his passing came following confirmation that the bruised body of a man found on a mountain was that of the creator of the popular Crayon Shin-chan manga and anime series.

Usui made his debut as a manga author in 1987 and sprang to prominence in the 1990s with Crayon Shin-chan, which features the daily life of Shinnosuke, a mischievous five-year-old boy. The series ran regularly in a magazine and was later made into a book and anime.

The manga, which has sold 50 million copies in Japan alone, has been translated in 14 countries, while the anime has been aired in 30 countries.

Shinnosuke (SHIN-CHAN) embarrasses his parents and kindergarten teachers as he often pulls down his trousers and shakes his hips while cracking indecent jokes.

Yoshito Usui will always be remembered for giving us our favorite character Shin-chan.The hearts of all his fans go out to his grieving family.
R.I.P. Yoshito