THE INDIAN COMMENTATOR

The opening line of The Art of the Novel a nonfiction discourse on the titular subject by Milan Kunder invokes the brilliant lecture given by Edmund Husserl in 1935 about a crisis that gripped what he identifies as "European Humanity". What Husserl identifies as the crisis is the perspectives adopted by his contemporaries. The perspective in question is that for the Europeans, everything, including the world as a whole is a question to be answered. This interrogative spirit is a historical reality also. Husserl addresses the great damage behind the motive of this interrogation-the passion to know. The Red Line is a thriller which instils a passion to know in its readers. Following the controversial subject of India's involvement with East Pakistan's freedom struggle (Now Bangladesh), and the present crisis existing between the India and Pakistan, the novel connects a world-wide plot that attempts to demolish India's high powered defensive mechanisms. S...

Readings on Kerala (1A02ENG) I Semester UG Common Course 1. Describe the origin of the pilgrimage to Sivagiri. Sivagiri is located in Thiruvananthapuram district. It’s a pilgrimage centre and the resting place of Sree Narayana Guru (1855-1928), philosopher, poet, and social reformer. In 1928 Vallabhassery Govindan Vaidyar and T K Kittan Writer approach Sree Narayana Guru seeking his permission to establish Sivagiri as a pilgrimage centre. “A Conversation that Spreads Light” is written by Prof. M K Sanu, a prominent writer, educator, and intellectual of Kerala. It’s translated into English by Dr Lakshmi Priya N. The origin of pilgrimage to Sivagiri should be located in the context of a caste-oriented social structure that existed in Kerala until the second half of the twentieth century. One of the precursors of the struggle against the dominance of certain communities over the others was Sree Narayana Guru. His spiritual teachings have a bearing in the mortal world. Th...

Readings on Kerala (1A02ENG) I Semester UG Common Course This section is dedicated to the Under Graduate students of Kannur University. The discussion topic here is the common course text for I BA/B Com/BSc/BCA courses. The syllabus is newly installed and therefore faces a dire shortage of materials from which students could make notes to prepare for exams. These materials are shared here in the sincere hope that students would be able to make use of the materials while preparing for their semester examination. 1 A CONVERSATION THAT SPREADS LIGHT: Sree Narayana Guru Paragraph Questions: 1. What are Guru’s instructions regarding the code of conduct for the pilgrims?  Vallabhassery Govindan Vaidyar and T K Kittan Writer visit Sree Narayana Guru on 19 January 1928. The purpose of their visit was to request Guru to declare Sivagiri as a holy place. Vaidyar and Writer suggested that once the place is declared holy people from the Ezhava community and other downt...

The millennial generation in India, of which I am a part, is well aware of the Tata Group. We consume everything, from cars to tea supplied to us by this business empire. Every Indian must have at least once used one of their products or services. And Tata does own a software company. This is one rare achievement by any business owner, not just in India but across the whole world. From Tata Steel to Tata Tea, the common man's life is touched by the Tata Group. Shapoorji Pallonji Group is well known in Mumbai and among the business people in the construction and real-estate sector. Although, in Kerala, where I am from, Tata is more of a household name than Mistry, apart from Rohinton Mistry, the novelist. Ratan Naval Tata is the chairman emeritus of the Tata Group. Cyrus Mistry is the second son of Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, a legendary construction and real estate businessman. The story I am going to tell you revolves around these two personalities. The Shapoor...