THE DREAMS FULFILLED

There are occasions in life that compel us to pause and reflect on the very meaning of existing as sentient beings in this world. Death is a phenomenon that unsettles even the most spiritually-inclined person. When someone with whom there exists a deep, layered bond suddenly departs for the heavenly abode, it invariably leaves one disoriented. The passing away of my maternal grandfather Shri Narayan Rajamani on the 13th of January 2023 placed me in such a situation. Ever since I was informed about his demise, I have been saturated with thoughts- ranging from the numerous interactions I had with him to the lessons that I constantly derived from his art of living. I desperately have been wanting to write a tribute for my grandpa, but even before I started, I realised that grandpa’s life cannot easily be captured in an article or two. According to Smt. Vijaya Pushkarna, former Deputy Chief of Bureau for The Week magazine and closely associated with Shri Rajamani, my grandfather's lif...

The conventional narrative of the Indian national movement often accords centrality to the non-violent agitation spearheaded by the Indian National Congress. Many moderate leaders from late 19th century have not been given adequate importance given that they believed in 'petition politics' which didn't successfully elicit much popular support. Marxist historians have also shown little interest in studying the lives of these thinkers, who have been shunned as members of a 'bourgeois elite' allegedly collaborating with the British. Such notions have especially gained credence in the light of the perceived success of the non-violent movement. However, such an approach assumes a teleological unfolding of historical events, and ignores the fluid interplay of ideas that contributed to the distinctness of the Indian national movement. The gravitas of this movement can only truly be understood if all these ideological sources are duly acknowledged and thoroughly scrutinised...

"The anarchy of mere emptiness never tempts me." - Rabindranath Tagore Behind such illuminating words of wisdom were countless years of absolute immersion in exploring the self and the world. How do we define terms like 'devotion', 'immersion' or even 'committed'? These epithets may only fall short to capture the aura and stature of Rabindranath Tagore. This essay doesn't envisage being another of those glorious life-histories of this great man, rather it is an attempt to sincerely decode the message Tagore left behind for all of us. This attempt might seem laughable given the sheer magnitude of his literary output, not to speak of my unfamiliarity with the Bengali language, in which he authored a number of brilliant books. However, even a cursory reading of a few speeches that he delivered can offer a window into his thought-process. This investigation I believe is of utmost importance, and I also request readers to personally pore over Tagore...

Can Virat Kohli ever put a foot wrong? This was the thought that germinated in my mind in January of 2018, when Virat Kohli churned out hundred after hundred against a strong South African bowling line up in their home conditions. The question would persist for almost an year, as the captain cast aside all the devils of 2014 to score a staggering 590 runs in the Test series against England. While a series win remained elusive, his batting just rose to another level. It seemed like this man can never put a foot wrong. Kohli was in his prime- Tendulkar in the 1990s had now found his match. The next three years changed everything for Kohli and Indian cricket. The resumption of cricket after the Covid outbreak has seen India scale new heights, but it has been a roller-coaster for Virat Kohli. All the tempestuous events last year culminated in a shocking Tweet on 15 January 2022 with Kohli formally stepping down as Test captain of the Indian cricket team.    After stepping down as ...

 'Victory is won not in miles, but in inches'- Louis L'Amour World Cup Final...Lords Cricket Stadium...Wimbledon final...Roger Federer...Centre Court...What more can a sports lover ask for? Add to that the level of intensity and the margins that separated the winners from the (don't wish to, but have to call them) losers! 14th July 2019 shall undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest days in sporting history. The level of athleticism and sportsmanship spirit was something any 'true' sports lover would relish. So, which game was more enthralling? That is really difficult to answer. Statistics suggest that the Wimbledon game was watched by a peak of 9.6 million viewers, while the peak viewership for the ICC Cricket World Cup final was 8.6 million. This suggests that the Wimbledon match beat the cricket match in viewership (or tennis beat cricket...for once:) But, surely, the World Cup final has left the most number of 'talking points' for people ...

Waves in the oceans are symbolic of transmitting happiness and joy in our surroundings. Life is incomplete without the human expressions of gratitude and appreciation. The ocean exemplifies this by constantly churning out wave after wave, that spread happiness and joy in the surroundings. It was an eerie silence a silence that became my guru a silence that epitomised the colour blue a silence that made me reach out for the world, a silence that made me understand what is undeniable and true! Yes, I was standing on the sea-shore yes, there was a lot of disturbance yes, as people loitered along with discussions galore I remained undeterred, in a state of oblivion and penance Observing the sea, yes I was I closely watched the waves move up and down carrying everything that came along its way along with the electric message of peace, from dusk till dawn. I observed a little longer to find that far away from the horizon the waves were carrying a spec...