Bangalore Diaries

    (Pic Courtesy: Amazon)   Sri Rama and Ayodhya have maximum appeal in the times we live in due to the civilisational event we are about to witness. It’s not a surprise that a renewed interest of sorts is rejuvenated in wider populace to know more about Sri Rama and specifically Ayodhya. What is it about the city that is stroking the interest of an entire nation? Is it due to the political ramifications or Sri Ram Janmabhoomi? Or is there something much more ancient about this place which has an inherent pull towards it. This book tries to address this point through a portion of Skanda Purana where the greatness (mahatmya) of Ayodhya is narrated by Rsi Agastya to Krishna Dwaipayana (Vyasa), which is further narrated by Vyasa’s sishya. The description of Ayodhya is on familiar lines based on the description in Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, sargas 5 and 6. However, some interesting nuggets are embedded in the narrative. For example, Ayodhya is considered to be a compound ...

  Itihasas hold a special place in the pantheon of literature works created across the globe. Ramayana as an epic is revered and worshipped by millions across the globe. It is natural that any book remotely related to Ramayana or its subsidiary details would evoke a special interest across believers in the world. Considering the current context where a new Mandir is being created, Ayodhya has a special place in everyone’s prayers and heart. This book about Ayodhya is certain to pique the interest of Bhaktas wide and across, just purely because of the title. The author has gone to great lengths to explain the context in which this book came about. While the intent to explain the background and rationale in which this book came about,  personally I felt it was a little dragged too much as it becomes border line self glorification. This could have been made much crispier for consumption. The author has also provided a good set of background references with Valmiki Ramayan being t...

  Occasionally, one reads a book that would leave a deep impact on the reader’s mind. Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa is writer par excellence whose works have been widely acclaimed. When I picked up this book, rarely did I imagine that I would be left haunted, my inners churned and totally disturbed at the end of the book. This review is perhaps written and rewritten in the mind before putting into words on a paper / notepad. Considered as one of the classics of SLB, this book is quite an emotional, psychological and philosophical journey which could perhaps comes across differently to different readers. Here’s my review of the one of the most revered works in Kannada literature. Gruhabanga is the story of a village, of many women characters with various shades, of a Jangama, of Plague, of Life, of unanswered questions. This is easily one of the most darkest (in terms of psychological impact) books I have read. I wouldn’t be surprised if many readers have shed tears as they witness the journey...

  This book aims to deal with various tenets of Sanatana Dharma in a simple and concise manner. The author clearly makes very critical points that impresses the mind of the reader. While establishing the paths taken by various strata of the society to attain the ultimate goal, the author has concisely described each of these paths for the readers to comprehend. The core framework of Sanatana Dharma which becomes the reference to many other paths (religions on their accord) is clearly highlighted in no uncertain terms. The concept of vedas is introduced in a very high level manner, with no reference to the “apourusheya” aspect of the same. In the list of famous upanishads, I am surprised that Brhad Aranyaka Upanishad’s miss is quite surprising. The book gives a 300,000 feet overview of Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.  The book aims to introduce as many concepts as possible without necessarily elaborating on the same beyond a point. Some of the sections could easily serve as quick ...

Karinīra vīra - Translating to Black Water Hero or rather the Hero of Kaalapani (the treacherous jail sentence in Andaman) is about Veer Savarkar’s life, set to a drama context. The foreword or rather the havis to the Yajna called Ranga / Stage is written by none other than the illustrious Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa. In very few words, Dr. SLB draws the reader’s attention to the long standing contribution of Chitpavan Brahamanas to the Independence struggle and Savarkar’s efforts to ensure that the sacrifices of revolutionaries got their due mention in the annals of history. The difference in terms of material comfort between the cells of JLN and Savarkar is a stark reminder of the dual standards of the British. Savarkar’s own words about how his inner values would have been compromised provides a glimpse into the deep rooted principled individual he was. His situational awareness of what transpired with others who tried to change the mechanisms of the grand old party is exemplary, while his d...

  Mahabharatha as a subject evokes deep interest amongst readers, scholars, authors, commentators and general populace alike. The timeless immortal epic provides many topics for reflection, analysis and perhaps an inspiration in the modern context too. Irrespective of the topic of interest or the problem statement at hand, as an adage goes, it will be addressed in some form in Mahabharatha. It is no wonder that the authors have chosen the Pan̄camavēda as the inspiration for their book. In the first few pages of the book, the objective seems to unravel itself. From the generous praise on Karna and Duryodhana to labelling the Khandava forest burning as tragic, the book sets an expectation of trying to provide a different perspective to the events of the epic. However, it does come across as awkward considering that the characters and events are anything but uni-dimensional. Khandava forest burning may have been tragic, but may have been required in the overall scheme of things. A hol...

In the previous post , various dharmic attributes for the 12 types of beings created by Brahma were discussed. Sukēśi continues to have a discussion about Dharma with Rsis. When Rsis explain the various types of Naraka (hell), Sukēśi inquires about the conduct to be followed by Brahmana in their daily life. This discussion extends to the explanation of the various ashramas of life, their applicability across varnas and expectations set on them. In this context, there is a juncture where Sukēśi poses a query on what constitutes Sadācāra i.e. righteous behavior? In response, Rsis describe the various characteristics that should be followed by everyone. They describe the form of the Sadācāra as:   Sadācāra is a tree Root of which is Dharma Branch is Artha Flower is Kama Fruit is Moksha One who attends to this tree will attain fruits of merit The key point to noted here is that the 4 purusharthas are unified as the blessings of the Brahman, which becomes a critical meaning for the wor...