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Regina Linke Revives Ancient Chinese Art with ‘The Oxherd Boy’

Regina shared her train of thoughts and what sailed her through this apparent discouragement to make a mark in this tradition of fine art “that was already brimming with incredibly talented and persistent painters.” …writes Kavya Dubey

 Drawing from traditional ancient Chinese philosophies, Regina Linke, a Taiwanese-American artist specialising in gongbi style painting, tells (and depicts) the parable of ‘The Oxherd Boy’ (Penguin), who seeks to find joy in the mundane.

Gongbi is an ancient form of brush painting that illustrates narrative subjects in intricate and colourful detail. Although naturally drawn to this art form, Regina did not dive into it headfirst until her teacher’s remark when she was young: “You’ll never be a great gongbi artist.”

Regina shared her train of thoughts and what sailed her through this apparent discouragement to make a mark in this tradition of fine art “that was already brimming with incredibly talented and persistent painters.”

“What pulled me through this challenge was exploring and trying to understand why my teacher felt this way. When I looked more closely, I realised that becoming a ‘great gongbi artist’ wasn’t my purpose at all,” she said.

“I didn’t want to spend every waking hour perfecting my linework or dedicate years to a handful of works to be enjoyed by few collectors. I would rather make many simple, charming works for everyday people to enjoy,” she explained.

“I’m not a great gongbi artist, but I am a creator that applies gongbi style illustration in a new way, and I’m very happy with that,” she made the admission.

However, when Regina’s teacher encouraged her to forge her own path with her background in Western composition and perspective, she knew that it was good advice.

“Culture is a funny thing. It’s very difficult to notice your own culture unless you get a chance to compare it with another, and explore a different way of being,” said Regina, who was born and grew up in the US to Taiwanese immigrants.

“So while I was raised with cultural Chinese values, I saw the world through a fairly American lens. I became very aware of this aspect of myself after I moved to Taiwan as a mom to a young son. I felt myself compelled to reflect on what I could teach him, and choose what traditions from which culture to pass on.”

Sharing about how she got a hold on the cultural nuances that prompted her to come up with a work like ‘The Oxherd Boy’, she chose to instil in her five-year-old son values from the three major teachings of traditional Chinese scholarship—Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism—through a little boy and his animal friends, “in a way that felt more approachable and applicable in the kind of world that my son is growing up in now.”

Regina’s maiden work certainly has had a bearing on her journey of parenthood.

“My son became very curious and also concerned about death when he was four,” she said, recounting an incident: “We were on a road trip through a very beautiful part of Taiwan, and he was sitting next to me, crying as he realised that some day, the people he knows and loves would no longer exist. No one ever warned me about little children having existential crises!”

While Regina has been familiar with various explanations and beliefs about the afterlife, she does not believe in any one of them very strongly.

“You could say that my parents encouraged the Confucian perspective that I would do better to try to live a life of goodness than worry about death. But that wouldn’t have helped my son at the time. So, I introduced him to the Buddhist teaching that life and death are one, that when conditions are just so, we experience life, and when conditions no longer support life, we experience death.”

She explained further: “If life is a wave coursing across the surface of the sea, death is simply the wave falling back into the ocean. This became a chat between the ox and the oxherd boy in the book, and remains the most relevant explanation that my son relies on today when he thinks of death and reincarnation. He might come to a different conclusion someday, and that’s alright.”

Such moments have been significant for Regina as they “have challenged me to reflect on my own understanding of the world. It’s one of the humbling parts about being a parent for me, realising that I don’t have all the answers, but I can explore the questions with him.”

‘The Oxherd Boy’ became the book Regina needed to create for herself. It was and continues to be an exercise of self-inquiry as “I unlearn and learn anew the things that I understand to be true,” she revealed.

Replete with quotable thoughts, a conversation in the book goes as such:

“It makes me sad when others don’t get their happily ever after,” the Rabbit grumbled; the oxherd boy said: “Maybe their happily ever after is the chance to begin again.”

With ‘The Oxherd Boy’ Regina Linke conveys the message that “life can be both honest and joyful through the daily work of love.”

ALSO READ-‘Perspectives on Leadership’ by Dr. Mythili Kolluru

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‘Perspectives on Leadership’ by Dr. Mythili Kolluru

Perspectives on Leadership: A Knowledge Oman Story is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about the power of voluntary organizations and how they can make a difference in society through their commitment and vision. It is a testament to the transformative power of knowledge sharing and the impact a group of passionate individuals can make when they come together for a common cause, reveals author Dr. MYTHILI KOLLURU about her maiden venture to VINOD RAGHAVAN

 “Perspectives on Leadership: A Knowledge Oman Story” written by Dr. Mythili Kolluru, is an engaging narrative of the evolution, growth, struggle, and community impact of Knowledge Oman over the last 16 years. It is an inspiring true story showcasing how a group of passionate individuals came together to create a platform for sharing knowledge and ideas, transforming lives.

The book written by Dr. Mythili, an Assistant Professor, College of Banking and Finance Studies (CBFS) provides a glimpse into the working dynamics of a successful non-profit organization – ‘Knowledge Oman’, driven by a commitment to a common cause. The 85-page book with six chapters, aims to inspire readers by demonstrating that dedication and teamwork make positive change possible. 

Each chapter offers a unique insight into Knowledge Oman’s journey. From its humble beginnings to the pioneering days of establishing the organization, the story highlights how a shared vision and tireless efforts helped overcome obstacles and attract a community of supporters. One of the most compelling aspects of the book is the narrative of the team march with six diverse leaders, the Assistant Professor who is also a scholar and consultant, says.

It showcases how their unique skills, experiences, and perspectives complemented each other, creating a dynamic and innovative environment that fostered creativity and growth. This chapter stands out in the book as its leadership corner, with its creative writing style, would surely capture the reader’s attention, reveals, Dr. Mythili an active member of Knowledge Oman, since 2018.

The book’s last chapter portrays the Knowledge Oman way of working and leaves the reader with glimpses of their contributions. The chapter also looks toward the future, projecting Knowledge Oman’s possibilities, prospects, and initiatives and outlining its path forward. The chapter emphasizes the organization’s commitment to ongoing learning, collaboration, and innovation and its plans for expanding its reach and impact.  The book inspires anyone interested in making a positive impact in their communities by empowering individuals to become agents of change.

Perspectives on Leadership: A Knowledge Oman Story is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about the power of voluntary organizations and how they can make a difference in society through their commitment and vision. It is a testament to the transformative power of knowledge sharing and the impact a group of passionate individuals can make when they come together for a common cause, stresses Dr. Mythili, who has been in Oman for the last nearly two decades.

“I am thrilled to share the journey of Knowledge Oman through this book. It is a testament to the power of community and the incredible achievements that can be realized when people come together from various backgrounds with a shared purpose. Proceeds from the sale of this book will be directed towards community initiatives and good causes that furthers our mission to empower individuals and promote lifelong learning.” said Dr Mythili, a distinguished educator and scholar, is recognized with the national award for “Outstanding Women Educator and Scholar in Strategic Management” and has extensive global experience.

Holding a Ph.D. from Andhra University and certification as a Strategic Planning Professional, she combines academic excellence with practical insights. She ignites a passion for strategy, international business, and organizational studies in her students. 

HISTORY

The Knowledge Oman was founded in 2008 by Tariq Hilal Al Barwani, has managed within 16 years to launch 74 initiatives in the form of projects, workshops, seminars that positively impacted hundreds of thousands of people from college and universities, women, entrepreneurs and professionals from various industries.

Projects were supported by over 35 partners locally and internationally attracting over 80,000 registrations and 700 volunteers across the years. Knowledge Oman received five awards that includes the Outstanding contribution to the cause of education from the World Human Resource Development (HRD) Congress. Members of the platform consist of multinational group of both locals and expatriates living in the country with the passion of creating, sharing and exchanging knowledge. 

ALSO READ-65k books from ADIBF distributed across UAE schools

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BOOKSHELF: The Fertile Earth

Rao’s narrative is both fiercely political and deeply romantic, offering a vivid portrayal of the era’s social hierarchies and the fervent desire for change. The novel’s ambitious scope, combined with its intimate exploration of love and resistance, marks it as a significant work in contemporary literary fiction…reports Asian Lite News

“The Fertile Earth” is a masterful debut by Ruthvika Rao, weaving a compelling tale of forbidden love against the tumultuous political backdrop of 1960s India. The novel captivates readers with its rich tapestry of characters, intense emotions, and a storyline that delves deep into the social divide and political unrest of post-independence India.

Set in the fictional village of Irumi in Telangana, the novel centers on the intertwined lives of two pairs of siblings from vastly different social backgrounds. Vijaya and Sree Deshmukh, daughters of a powerful landowning family, and Krishna and Ranga, sons of a widowed servant in the Deshmukh household, form an unlikely and dangerous bond. This friendship, forged in the innocence of childhood, sets the stage for the epic narrative that follows.

The novel’s plot is ignited by a tragic accident during a tiger hunt suggested by Vijaya. This incident scatters the children across India, only for their paths to cross again years later. Despite the deep social and economic chasm between them, Vijaya and Krishna find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. Their rekindled relationship is set against a nation in turmoil, with violent uprisings threatening to tear their world apart.

Rao’s narrative is both fiercely political and deeply romantic, offering a vivid portrayal of the era’s social hierarchies and the fervent desire for change. The novel’s ambitious scope, combined with its intimate exploration of love and resistance, marks it as a significant work in contemporary literary fiction.

The characters in “The Fertile Earth” are beautifully complex. Vijaya is portrayed as daring and spirited, challenging the constraints of her privileged upbringing. Krishna, on the other hand, embodies the struggle of the lower class, fighting for dignity and justice. Their love story is a poignant commentary on the rigid class divides that define their world.

Ruthvika Rao’s writing is lauded for its vivid imagery and passionate prose. Margot Livesey praises it as “so vivid and passionate… Compulsively readable,” while Angela Flournoy describes it as “an astonishing, intelligent epic.” The novel’s ability to intertwine personal and political narratives is particularly impressive, making it a powerful commentary on the socio-political landscape of 1960s India.

One of the novel’s standout features is its depiction of the political upheaval in Irumi. The uprising and subsequent act of vengeance against the Deshmukh family are depicted with gripping intensity. The people’s court’s verdict against Surendra Deshmukh, the zamindar of Irumi, is a powerful moment that encapsulates the era’s revolutionary spirit: “It is a heinous crime to take this land away from the hands that till it… For this crime, and the crimes you have committed against the people of Irumi for all these long years, you… are hereby sentenced to death. This is the verdict of the people’s court.”

Rao’s background as a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a recipient of prestigious fellowships and awards is evident in her polished storytelling and nuanced character development. Her personal connection to the setting, having grown up in Hyderabad, adds authenticity to the narrative.

“The Fertile Earth” is an achingly beautiful book, deeply-layered and drenched with desire and daring. It is a spellbinding epic of land, class, and family, exploring the complexities of consciousness and change. Ruthvika Rao emerges as a formidable new voice in literary fiction, drawing comparisons to giants like Vikram Seth, Arundhati Roy, and Kiran Desai. Her debut is nothing short of dazzling, promising a bright future in the literary world.

In conclusion, “The Fertile Earth” is a novel that will leave a lasting impression. Its blend of historical and personal drama, rich character portrayals, and eloquent prose make it a must-read for anyone interested in the complexities of love and resistance in a changing world.

ALSO READ-Books on Mythology, Freedom Fighters, and Kashmir’s History

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Sukanya Ghosh Explores Identity and Belonging as Artist-in-Residence at RCA

Memory and found objects have always fascinated Ghosh. She feels that what is remembered is a fragile notion, and she likes to play with this to press forward into thinking about the world around us today…writes Sukant Deepak

One look at the diverse works produced by her over the last few years, and it is not tough to decipher that at the very soul, her engagement with the world comprises layering, erasure, and collage. 

Sukanya Ghosh, the Artist-in-Residence at the Senior Artist Residency Programme launched by the Serendipity Arts Foundation and the Royal College of Art (RCA), works through a trajectory of image fragments and tonal complements.

It is the first time in its 120 years of existence that the Royal College of Art, London, has opened its studios to an artist of South Asian origin.

“By juxtaposing different parts of the image and reducing them to a play of line, tone, and colour, I reach a position of abstraction — new landscapes of crisscrossing meanings and overlapping connections.

“While I have been preoccupied with working with discarded photographs from my family archive, I have often used both analogue and digital photographs in my work. I enjoy building up textural and semiotic layers through the use of physical materials such as cloth, paper, paint, thread, plastic, etc,” Ghosh told from London.

Her practice spans painting, photography, animation, and moving images, as her storytelling explores questions of belonging, identity, and place.

For the residency project, Ghosh is using everyday household and grocery lists from her grandmother’s notebooks as a starting point to deliberate on the larger exploration of travel, displacement, and being somewhere else while deciphering the things that ground individuals.

Memory and found objects have always fascinated Ghosh. She feels that what is remembered is a fragile notion, and she likes to play with this to press forward into thinking about the world around us today.

“Found images and objects carry that slight sense of intrigue and excitement because they are ‘found’, which may mean they might have been lost somehow. I like the mystery of this, and the idea that I can play around with the essential meaning of these things,” said the artist who lives and works between Delhi and Kolkata.

Stressing that her ongoing residency experience has been stimulating and invigorating, she added that it is enjoyable being amid a bustling student community and teaching environment.

“I have used some of the splendid facilities that RCA has and most of all I have found so many new and fresh ideas on artistic practice and the making of work. Besides, I have never believed in adopting a competitive mindset.

“There is a place in the world for all artists. Some take time to flower or gain enough confidence in their work. To expose everyone to a sense that one must immediately find a gallery and sell work creates a precarious and dangerously fragile ecosystem,” said the occasional design teacher and arts programme manager.

For Ghosh, spending time at any residency is always enriching, primarily because it provides an immersion into a different space.

This difference can be at diverse levels — a different country, a different cultural context, a different working process, or even a different way of looking at things.

“This provides a critical breathing space in one’s practice – to step back and look at one’s work in another light,” she said.

The artist is spending her time at the residency ruminating on the idea of home, belonging, and identity.

“I am thinking of ‘being away’ and what it means in various contexts, and trying to chart a path that looks outwards at the larger implications of ‘away’. Who becomes a migrant, a settler, or a traveller? And what are the things that denote ‘home’,” she said.

Ghosh, who has always believed in the importance of looking inward to look forward, feels that the intimate and the personal are vital to understanding or even approaching larger ideas. And that artists do not live in a vacuum – and sometimes the way of processing the things that occur around them in the world is to examine the minutiae of their lived experience.

“The path forward is to take these learnings to examine the larger implications of what could be. The past… well, it takes us forward into a new fictional space to think of other things like location and identity,” she added.

While India is witnessing the setting-up of several private art foundations and museums, Ghosh feels considering the size of this country, we need many more public and private ones.

“Only then can there be a discourse on fair practices and equal opportunities. There are certainly many more chances that have opened up because of private foundations and museums. But again, we need more,” she concluded.

ALSO READ-Celebrating Mapusa: Artist Orijit Sen’s Epic Mural in Goa

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Celebrating Mapusa: Artist Orijit Sen’s Epic Mural in Goa

No wonder, Goa-based artist Orijit Senis is working on ‘Mapusa Mogi’ (Mogi means lover in Konkani), a ceramic mural 100 metres long and eight metres high located in the parking lot of St. Jerome’s Church that overlooks Mapusa City…writes Sukant Deepak

The Mapusa market in Goa, he says, is more than a place for buying and selling. It is a living museum where through commerce a peculiar culture and lifestyle is preserved — a functioning, living, and breathing town, where history and culture find a space in every nook, and continue to survive and thrive.

“Essentially this is the character of a market town, which is forever changing. At the same time, it never loses the essence of the past — traditional skills, occupations, artisanal products as well as food products, which fascinate me no end,” he says.

No wonder, Goa-based artist Orijit Senis is working on ‘Mapusa Mogi’ (Mogi means lover in Konkani), a ceramic mural 100 metres long and eight metres high located in the parking lot of St. Jerome’s Church that overlooks Mapusa City.

Remembering his frequent visits to Mapusa when he settled in Goa 25 years back, the artist who received a grant for the project also thanked the church authorities.

“They did not impose any conditions. The artwork will have a secular character, reflecting the diversity and syncretic culture of Goa,” Sen says.

In fact, Sen, credited for the first Indian graphic novel, ‘River of Stories’ (1994), noticed the artistic potential of the wall decades back when it came up, and would always imagine doing a mural on it.

“I love Mupasa for various reasons. It is a trading town that has certain peculiarities specific to its history. It was a hub of trade and market from before the time of the Portuguese invasion. Mapusa does not overtly care about public art as such, unlike Panjim which is a self-consciously projected space of art and culture and hosts film and art festivals.

“I always thought that working on this wall could give this commercial town a very different feel. I started thinking about it, and then got in touch with my old friends Claude and Norma Alvares, who run the Goa Foundation. They have been very supportive right from the start,” says the NID Ahmedabad pass-out.

Stressing that Mapusa has always been a democratic space, with people coming from all over and practising their trade, Sen says this project demanded meticulous research.

This meant putting together a team of artists and researchers headed by his wife Gurpreet Sidhu.

While the artist worked with Goa University for a long time on documenting Mapusa, the research work for the project delves into the town’s past and present.

“Although I have a background with it, I wanted to go deeper into Mapusa town as a whole. Earlier, my focus was on the town’s market specifically, or rather a section of it known as the municipal market. But now I want to expand it. After all, the market exists within a context. And the context is what defines how the market has evolved and continues to do so,” he asserts.

Sen and his team of young Goan artists have been drawing and documenting the architecture, human activity, festivals, and other aspects of the city intensively — but even as they document the present and research the past, they are also projecting ideas for the future.

An important aspect of the Mapusa Mogi project is to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their talents.

“We are also brainstorming with school and college students through carefully designed workshops — and asking them how they see Mapusa in the future. Many pointed out the lack of playgrounds. So together we came up with the idea of rooftop playgrounds. In the mural, you will see a familiar landmark of the market, and just next to it something very unfamiliar — a vision from the future,” he says.

Talk to him about the huge influx of people from across the country who now call Goa home, Sen feels it has both a good and negative side to it. He also feels it is putting a strain on the natural resources and infrastructure of the coastal state.

“When we moved here, we were conscious and aware of the local culture and integrated ourselves into their way of life instead of imposing our ‘city-bred’ lifestyles. Now, newcomers are constructing big villas that encroach on ecologically sensitive zones, making private swimming pools, driving SUVs on narrow village roads…They have driven property prices so high that locals often cannot afford to buy them now,” Sen says.

“Of course, there are those who have come from other places and are concerned about what is going on, as they have come from cities where they experienced the effects of the so-called development. They are anxious to prevent the same from happening in Goa, and are attempting to bring in new, more sustainable solutions as well,” concludes the artist who made the famous 75-metre-long mural at the Virasat-e-Khalsa Museum in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab.

ALSO READ-Santanu and Sunita Dinda’s Artistic Ode to Indianness

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Kashmir’s Historical Bonds with Xinjiang Explored in New Book

It is precisely this link that Prof. Kulbhushan Warikoo studies in his book ‘The Crossroads: Kashmir-India’s Bridge to Xinjiang’ (Rupa), which was released at the India International Centre…writes Kavya Dubey

As China continues to bless the Pakistani deep state’s designs on Kashmir, a former top diplomat has made a pitch for India becoming more active across the Karakoram region and reclaiming the ancient economic and cultural ties that bound it with Kashmir.

There was a time when Kashmir, a bustling centre of scholarship and trade, thrived as a gateway to Central Asia, particularly to the now cordoned-off Xinjiang province, China’s infamous ethnic cleansing laboratory.

It is precisely this link that Prof. Kulbhushan Warikoo studies in his book ‘The Crossroads: Kashmir-India’s Bridge to Xinjiang’ (Rupa), which was released at the India International Centre.

The book casts the spotlight on Kashmir’s long-forgotten historical and cultural heritage that was also influenced greatly by its socio-cultural and economic ties with Xinjiang.

“The seed of the book was sown in 1979, when I met an Uighur and learnt of the ordeal of those people in Xinjiang,” Prof. Warikoo said.

The link between the two regions go at least as far back as the eighth century CE when the emperor Lalitaditya reigned over Kashmir and the Tang dynasty ruled Xinjiang.

Shyam Saran, former ambassador to China and author of ‘How China Sees India and The World’, moderating the discussion, shared an anecdote from a visit to Kashgar, a city in Xinjiang, decades ago.

He met a Kashmiri man who first understood him to be a Pakistani. Upon learning that he is Indian, the trader got excited, spoke to him in Hindustani and opened a box full of silver coins. “This was our currency,” the man said excitedly. “It became redundant after the caravan trade stopped.” These coins were from the era of King George V.

Kashgar was a strategically important oasis on the Silk Road that linked China, the Middle East and Europe. The links with Xinjiang facilitated extensive exchange of traders, monks, philosophers and scholars with Kashmir.

The Gilgit-Kashgar route was the basis of the Karakoram highway, which connects the Gilgit-Baltistan region to the ancient Silk Road.

Fast forward to the days of the British Raj, when Kashmiri traders in Ladakh did not want Englishmen to survey their land, they were quick to relay their concern to Xinjiang.

The Englishmen were led there by an interest they had envisioned decades ahead of that time — that these trade routes were access points to different regions of a tremendously rich land.

The discussion panel also included former ambassador and Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Rajiv Sikri, who pointed out that even in the distinct eras when China and the US were friends and foes, China never opposed US support for Pakistan, nor did the US ever object to China extending support to Pakistan.

This indicates their understanding of the strategic significance of Kashmir and the challenge that Pakistan must constantly pose for it, indicating yet again the geopolitical leverage that Kashmir lends to a nation that exercises control over it.

“Kashmir is both South Asia and Central Asia. This geographical reality was forgotten to our disadvantage,” Sikri said.

“The English saw the strategic advantage of the region, Gilgit being the entry point to this route,” he added.

Their ‘Great Game’ was to check the expansion of Tsarist Russia and then the Soviet Union. But Xinjiang and the Karakoram stood as impediments to British interests, so the Chinese were encouraged to occupy the no man’s land around these regions.

Emphasising that the Indian perspective on Kashmir was “not strategic” until recently, Sikri said the Indian leadership of that time, suffering from “strategic myopia”, failed to see this region for what it was intrinsically, and instead, remained “content to inherit whatever the British left behind”.

When Kashmir became a part of India, there was no discussion about its strategic value, Sikri pointed out.

“India never saw itself as a civilisational state and did not have a maximalist approach unlike China,” he said, adding: “The question is: Should we have laid claim to the Karakoram region?” What, then, stops India from acknowledging and reclaiming its cultural history beyond the Kashmir region?

ALSO READ-Books on Mythology, Freedom Fighters, and Kashmir’s History

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Books on Mythology, Freedom Fighters, and Kashmir’s History

Indian mythology is replete with intriguing characters and concepts, and one often wonders what purpose such elaborate craftsmanship of imagination serves…reports Asian Lite News

From the engrossing trial of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru to treats from Hindu Mythology to a walk through ‘Sirinagar’, and then a journey from trauma to liberation, here is recommendation before you retreat (or escape) to your book nook this week:

Wendy Doniger, The Dharma of Unfaithful Wives and Faithful Jackals: Some Moral Tales From The Mahabharata (Speaking Tiger, Rs 499)

Indian mythology is replete with intriguing characters and concepts, and one often wonders what purpose such elaborate craftsmanship of imagination serves.

From kingship to desire, death, anger and diseases, to the seemingly out-of-place animal character to the acts of gods that will keep one wondering, the Mahabharata’s Shanti and Anushasana Parvans is said to have the answers to an entire gamut of questions surrounding these enigmas.

Wendy Doniger’s The Dharma of Unfaithful Wives and Faithful Jackals is an engaging anthology, replete with knots and insights, and a delight for Hindu mythology enthusiasts.

Celebrated as ‘the greatest living mythologist’, octogenarian Wendy Diniger is an American Indologist with a career spanning over five decades. Her popular works include The Hindus: An Alternative History, Asceticism and Eroticism in the Mythology of Siva, Hindu Myths: A Sourcebook, The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology, and Women, Androgynes, and Other Mythical Beasts.

Sadaf Wani, City as Memory (Aleph, Rs 399)

A valley of many wonders, Kashmir seldom ceases to attract, for one reason or another. And ‘Sirinagar’ (not Srinagar), the ancient city that bears in its bosom histories of centuries, has one in the recent past of lulls and storms—the aftermath of which remains lingering.

Sadaf Wani grew up through the 1990s when Kashmir was gripped in the inclement clutches of insurgency, and her adolescent years through the 2000s had recurring tumultuous phases with bouts of violence and civilian protests—intertwined intricately with memories of growing up and growing through a turmoil-ridden homeland.

Growing up in Varmul—most of the time spent indoors, and occasional travels to Srinagar or Sopor had Sadaf feel an overwhelming sense of freedom. Eventually, she equated life with safety which is good, and untimely death as a loss which is bad.

As she writes, the professional association with Srinagar has allowed her the flexibility to change her lens towards the city, and every time her research questions changed, “Srinagar has revealed its entirely different sides in response.”

This book is a first-hand insider account of the dynamics of Srinagar city, especially with regard to Downtown, the mezzanine part of the ancient city which established itself as the nucleus of the resistance movement in the 90s.

The author is a writer and communications professional.

Aparna Vaidik, Revolutionaries on Trial: Sedition, Betrayal, and Martyrdom (Aleph, Rs 999)

Studying afresh the Lahore Conspiracy Case and its celebrated martyrs—the “self-proclaimed revolutionaries”—Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, Revolutionaries on Trial expands the scope of the historical enquiry by scrutinising the colonial state, the revolutionaries, and the Indian press (and public) in the roles of the plaintiff, the defendants, the spectators respectively, along with the witnesses for the prosecution.

While the book reconstructs the history, it throws up questions like why were the revolutionaries even tried at all? What was the strategy of this trial besides propaganda? Can establishing the history of nationalism be a ‘collaboration’?

This book is a vivid account of the people involved and of the events of a trial that marks the early chapters of India’s struggle for Independence.

The author is a professor of History at Ashoka University.

Dhrubajyoti Borah, The Rainbow Runners (Niyogi Books, Rs 695)

Accompanying the above-mentioned non-fiction titles is Dhrubajyoti Borah’s The Rainbow Runners: the tale of young Simran whose life flips one day as he lives in insurgency-hit Assam.

Left paranoid and reticent after being consumed by raw terror, Simran finds himself wafting into the foggy realm of journalism, and then to the former leaders who surrendered to the state and now work for it. Yet, there is another episode that moves the ground beneath his feet.

Seeking new ways to find himself, his discovery of Tathagata Buddha leads him to learn about the tragic reality of the Tibetan refugees and their unwavering aspiration to restore their homeland.

Simran’s story will resonate with anyone who seeks to find new meaning and hope in life.

Recipient of Sahitya Akademi award, Dhrubajyoti Borah is an illustrious voice in contemporary Assamese literature, who writes in both Assamese and English. He has published more than 25 novels.

ALSO READ-Books to Expand Your Mind Before the Year Ends

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Thank You Mr Crombie : Lessons in Guilt and Gratitude to the British

Instead, thanks to Mr Crombie’s letter, and to his parents’ chagrin, Mihir Bose was able to embark on a career in journalism which saw hm rise to become the BBC’s sports editor, and as a highly prolific author to write more than 50 books…reports Asian Lite News

David Smith reviews Mihir Bose’s autobiography – Thank You Mr Crombie : Lessons in Guilt and Gratitude to the British

The first challenge for any reviewer is to explain the title of a book. In the case of Mihir Bose’s entertaining autobiography, the Mr (John) Crombie is or was the Home Office official who wrote to him from Croydon in 1975 with the news that he was free to remain permanently in the UK.

For the author, Mr Crombie’s letter was a life changer. Having studied at Loughborough University and qualified as a chartered accountant, he was after six years preparing to return to India and take up an accountancy career, abandoning his dream of becoming a writer.

Instead, thanks to Mr Crombie’s letter, and to his parents’ chagrin, he was able to embark on a career in journalism which saw hm rise to become the BBC’s sports editor, and as a highly prolific author to write more than 50 books.

I should say at the outset that I have a bit part in this book, as a colleague of Bose’s on the now defunct Financial Weekly newspaper in the early 1980s, and as a very occasional player for his cricket team. Most of his story was, however, new to me.

The chapters on his childhood in India are a delight. Born in Kolkata a few months before independence in 1947, most of his upbringing – the “little prince” of his family – was in Mumbai, all of 2,000 kilometres away from Bengal, where his father’s family ran a factory making raincoats and gumboots.

Bose had a good education at the hands of the Jesuits of St Xavier’s College, won debating competitions and, as a result of his success in an elocution competition was chosen to represent India at a youth even in Haifa, Israel. His book is dedicated to Father Fritz, one of his Jesuit teachers, “for making me believe I could be a writer”. In Mumbai he developed a love of literature, and of English newspapers which he found a way of gaining access to. He cannot have expected then that he would later grace many of their pages.

On finishing school, Bose could, like many of his compatriots, chosen a university education in America. After sitting the SATS’ exams, he was offered places there, but his family lacked the foreign exchange for him to be able to go. That was also a challenge when it came to Britain – he needed a sponsor – and his father managed to put together £800, a very large sum in the late 1960s, which he admits he smuggled into the UK by means of some ingeniously designed underpants.

After qualifying as an accountant and working as one. Bose blagged his way into sports journalism. Always cricket mad, and who these days can count some of India’s greatest cricketers among his personal friends, this was far from the case when he contacted the newly established LBC radio station and was hired to report on India’s 1974 tour. By doing so, he met some of his heroes, including John Arlott. Not all of his heroes lived up to expectations. Having admired from afar in India the writings of the late Anthony Howard in the New Statesman, he confesses to being disappointed on meeting him.

Later in the 1970s, by now reporting on football for the Sunday Times, he experienced some of the racism that was typical in the sport. Reporting on a Chelsea-Tottenham game, a seated fan asked him if he was reporting for the Southall Express. When he said that he was there for the Sunday Times, the racist fan said: “Blimey, Brian Glanville (the paper’s veteran football writer) must have changed colour.” Bose got his own back by referencing the racial slur in his report on the match.

There was worse to come, in physical violence and racial slurs – including the inevitable shouts of “Paki” – at the hands of skinhead football supporters. These incidents make uncomfortable reading, as do the racist insults directed his way in letters from a writer, who I will not mention by name, who managed to find his way to the cover of Wisden Cricket Monthly.

Bose’s forte, described in detail, was combining his love and knowledge of sport with his financial expertise as a qualified accountant. He reported on Olympic corruption, the dodgy deals that scuppered England’s bid to host the football World Cup under the Blair government and, most notably what he describes as “taking on a national treasure”, the former England and Tottenham football manager Terry Venables. His reporting, in the Sunday Times, exposed the dark underbelly of football, with its “bungs”, backhanders and other secret payments.

You do not, however, need to be a sports fan to enjoy this book, written as a series of short chapters, almost vignettes, 53 in all, covering everything from amateur dramatics and student politics to the 2012 Olympics.

It is the story of a remarkable man who straddled two cultures, of the small boy born in Kolkata who became a household name in Britain, and who celebrated his 70th birthday, surrounded by his very many friends, at the Reform Club in London, of which he is a prominent member.

He became a member of the British establishment, though never in a stuffy way, friend and occasionally foe to government ministers, invited to Buckingham Palace receptions and encountering the late Duke of Edinburgh’s clumsy style – to put it kindly – and serving on the Gambling Commission.

He is optimistic about Britain’s future, and its ability to come to terms with its imperial past. British culture, he writes, is wonderful but sometimes badly served by the actions of individual Britons. This is a wide-ranging and thoughtful book. It is a delight, and thoroughly recommended.

Thank You Mr Crombie :

Lessons in Guilt and Gratitude to the British

By Mihir Bose Price- £25

 (David Smith is the Economics Editor of The Sunday Times)

ALSO READ-SPECIAL – Sunak Is No Obama – By Mihir Bose

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Arts & Culture Events London News

World’s first dance performance on Ganesha Avataras’ Story

The event also befittingly marks the South Asian Heritage Month celebrations in the U.K., a report by Asian Lite News

Aadya Pujya organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence at The Bhavan, London becomes the first dance performance ever on Ganesha Avatara Stotra from Mudgala Purana. The event was part of promoting Sanskrit and Indian Culture in collaboration with the Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi.

The event also befittingly marks the South Asian Heritage Month celebrations in the U.K., as Sanskrit and classical dances bear the history and heritage of millennia

Ganesha Avataras

The captivating Music and Dance showcase included presentation by thirty-eight young and professional artists to a hall full of enthralled audience.

Traditional lighting of the lamp by Dr MN Nandakumara, Dr Rishi Handa, Tejendra Sharma, Cllr Karthik Bonkur and Cllr Sharad Jha was followed by Veena recital by renowned artist Pramod Rudrapatna. He was accompanied on Mrudangam by Satheesh Gummadavelly. Dances by Shayaree Priya Meghe from India, Shreya Khare and Kritika Vulchi’s Ganapati were impressive.

Pramod Rudrapatna on Veena, Satheesh G on Mrudangam

The sublime finale piece of eight forms of Ganesha was performed in Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Kavadi dance styles and noteworthily included Kalaripayattu martial art movements. Performed by Anvi Prabhu, Hrishikesh Kizhikkiyil, Lakshmi Pillai, Manju Sunil, Monidipa Seal, Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Sanvika Kommineni and Sree Lalitha Kotla, the stories of demons such as Matsarasura, Ahamkarasura, Krodhasura, Madasura, Lobhasura, etc. conquered and subdued by Ganesha in his various Avataras of Vakratunda, Dhumravarna, Lambodara, Vighnaraja, Mahodara were profound as they focused not only on spiritual wisdom, but also on how challenges can be overcome through resilience, realisation and moral conduct.

Invocation by Sanskruti Students

Adithi Mote, Ahana Hegde, Ananya, Anuja Tirumalasetti, Ayati Yuvaraj, Devanshi Uppula, Diya Viswanath, Diya Shanmugam, Meera Shaji, Sanvitha Gunda, Sai Samruddhi Vuthpala, Shravani Sivashankar, Sucheta Mangalagiri, Sweccha Manikireddy, Vanamala Acha, Vinmai Gopathi, and Yoshitha Chamarthi, Deekshaga Saravanan, Janani Rajesh, Jananyasri Karthik, Madhusri Prasanna, Sanvi Kumar, and Sanvi Pavan have presented invocations to Ganesha. Music was composed and sung by Phani Narayana.

Attendees have responded enormously to the content of the event, anchored by Radhika Joshi and Sushil Rapatwar. The evening concluded with food from Shreeya’s Restaurant, coordinated by Harinath Lingala and Renu Gidoomal.

Invocation to Ganesha by Sanskruti students
Dhumravarna conquers Ahamkarasura
Guests of Honour at Aadya Pujya event
Manju, Anvi and Monidipa
Sanvika, Lakshmi, Sree Lalitha
Hrishikesh Kizhikkiyil
Shreya and Kritika
Shayeeree Meghe
Ganesha Anjali
Anchoring by Radhika Joshi
Vote of Thanks
Ragasudha as Vakratunda
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Books Lite Blogs

Unwind with Non-Fiction Titles on Money, Politics, and Health

Tracing the history and origin of this philosophy, the book serves to refine one’s thinking, showing how the ancient Roman philosophers Marcus Aurelius and Seneca remain relevant and helpful in day-to-day problem-solving…writes Kavya Dubey

Now that the long Eid weekend is behind us and we are in the thick of work, it may be a good idea to spend the evenings unwinding with a book, instead of waiting to catch up with the latest OTT release. Here’s our selection of four non-fiction titles to help you charge your grey cells and enhance your knowledge bank.

Our subjects include a philosophy for everyday life, tips on optimising wealth and attaining financial security, an insight into the politics of Uttar Pradesh, and menstruation and its mysterious connection with the moon.

William Mulligan, The Everyday Stoic: Simple Rules For A Good Life (Penguin, Rs 550)

Popular on Instagram as ‘The Everyday Stoic’, the page deconstructs, modernises and makes the ancient wisdom of Stoicism practical.

The philosophy of Stoicism encourages the development of self-control as a means to overcome destructive emotions. According to the principles of Stoicism, getting clear and unbiased in one’s thinking allows one to understand universal reason.

Deconstructing the core of Stoicism, namely, virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice and moderation, helps make a person much more resilient in regular modern life, bringing clarity and strength.

Tracing the history and origin of this philosophy, the book serves to refine one’s thinking, showing how the ancient Roman philosophers Marcus Aurelius and Seneca remain relevant and helpful in day-to-day problem-solving.

Like it says in the book: “We all deserve to flourish. It’s only fair if we all get a chance to learn how to live better, for ourselves and for the people we love.” This book is a lens to look at your life afresh.

Shyamlal Yadav, At the Heart of Power: The Chief Ministers Of Uttar Pradesh (Rupa, Rs 395)

If there is one state in India that could serve as India’s indicator of its electoral and political future, it is Uttar Pradesh, and this very fact explains the political significance of the province.

The author, an award-winning journalist with ‘The Indian Express’, delves into the lives of all its 21 Chief Ministers thus far, beginning with the years immediately after Independence to the present.

Panning the spotlight on personalities, from Govind Ballabh Pant to Yogi Adityanath, and their distinguishing qualities, each leader is presented in the light of their politics and imperatives of staying in power. How they dealt with and triumphed over trying times and details of the socio-political landscape during their years in office have contributed significantly to shape the state into what it has become today.

Yadav’s exhaustively researched book presents the legacy of 21 stalwarts, their policies, ideologies and leadership styles. By understanding them, we will be able to appreciate the complexities of governing the state better.

Scott Galloway, The Algebra Of Wealth: A Simple Formula For Success (Torva-Penguin, Rs 899)

Wealth is not all about just money. So, what must one have apart from an understanding of wealth? The author says it is stoicism, followed by a mindful understanding of focus, time management in the larger sense of the expression, and diversification with regard to economic security.

Much like the intricacies and equations of algebra, Galloway decodes the mathematics of wealth, splitting it as “Focus + (Stoicism x Time x Diversification)”. In a little over half a ream, drawing the difference between having money and being rich, the author has condensed his learnings as a professor, mentor, founder and parent.

Drawing on the author’s experience, this book offers insights into how to not just get rich, but also attain financial security. And it leaves the reader with a thought to be mulled over: “If money is the goal, you’ll never have enough.”

A professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Galloway has founded nine companies and authored books like ‘The Four and The Algebra Of Happiness’. He is the founder of an online education platform that teaches business strategies to working professionals.

Nirmala Gowda Nayak, Menstruation: Moon, Men and More (Rupa, Rs 1,095)

An offering on “living harmoniously and holistically”, the book encapsulates what is often a debate on public forums or sigh-laden utterance in quiet corners: the need for rest, reflection and rejuvenation during menstruation — and smashing taboos around it.

Clearing out misconceptions surrounding menstruation, the author seeks to celebrate the woman’s womb as a symbol of femininity and power. The book serves as a means to awaken a less-informed community to the reality of this naturalness and understand and address impediments faced by women in the times we live.

A handy guidebook to help you comprehend menstrual health, understand the requirements of emotional well-being, and the nutritional needs of individual body types with a holistic outlook, it calls for as much awareness and mindful engagement of men and encourages them to help create an environment of acceptance and respect.

Nirmala Gowda Nayak is a proponent of menstrual health education and women’s empowerment through yoga and emotional well-being workshops.

ALSO READ-Yoga’s Diverse Health Benefits for Women