Friday, August 23, 2019

THE RED LINE BY TANMAY DUBEY: Action, Drama, Great Storytelling



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. Set, part in the realist tradition and part in alignment with the super successful genre fiction style of thrillers, The Red Line is a remarkable achievement.

From the introduction to the story in the Prologue, the reader is being ushered into the world of espionage and international geopolitical intrigue, which settles down as the novel unravels in the neighbourhoods of Delhi. Two officers of Delhi Police, Hanumant Sastri and Azhar Ansari take up an investigation of a man mysteriously murdered in Delhi Metro.

Every character steps in with a bunch of surprising twists in the story. Along with suspense, the novel offers some high-octane action sequences that are written with expertise. With not a single passive scene, the novel offers a fast-paced reading and I finished it within my newly established "a book a week" regime. The Red Line weigh quite heavy but its typesetting is easily traceable in a moving bus or train.

The engaging plot of the novel inquires into the death of Rakesh Kumar, which turns out to be a rabbit hole into a horrifying cyber attack on India by a terrorist organisation. Through the suspense and thrill, however, one is given a glimpse into the family of Hanumant and Azhar. The moral dilemma faced by Hanumant, a failed police officer is at the core of this story. Hanumant Sastri is a man of his ideals and moral principles. However, we will see him face a moral tragedy. Through the narrative, we find out if he can regain his lost self-respect in front of his family. With Azhar, his colleague, he even traverses the dark and murky landscape of bribery and corruption, succumbing to the evils. This causes a painful rift between the two friends. Azhar even decides to get a transfer to work away from Hanumant because even he thinks that Hanumant's ideals are certainly impractical in the modern world.

A deeply moral and ethical tale, The Red Line constructs a perfect recipe for an intense example of storytelling. If this book becomes a Bollywood movie ever, I wish to see actor Sanjay Dutt play the role of the police officer, Hanumant Sastri and Arshad Varsi play Azhar Ansari.

Published by Inkstate, an arm of Leadstart Publishing Corporation, The Red Line has a glossy paperback cover. It is available in Rs 349 but great discounts shall be availed form online shipping sites like Amazon.   

Author Tanmay Dubey is the bestselling author of Just Six Evenings (2015) and The Amigos (2017). He is a motivational speaker and lives in Gurgaon with his family. Contact: @Author_Tanmay (Twitter), @leotanmayd (Instagram).  

Thursday, August 22, 2019

A CONVERSATION THAT SPREADS LIGHT- Sree Narayana Guru: Part II Essay Questions-1


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. The paradigm shift that he has brought to the concept of spirituality from being an abstract notion to the performance of healthy practices is indeed a novel idea and of relevance to contemporary society. He invoked the importance of not just leading a life free of oppression but also how to evolve as a human being. His teachings form the core of the fundamental fibre of social being.

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 pilgrimage centre. Guru concedes to their request after assessing the relevance of a pilgrimage centre in Sivagiri as there are other holy places nearby. The idea was to establish a new pilgrimage centre that permitted people who faced discrimination from the upper caste Hindu society to worship and come together without any restrictions. His disciples tell him that places of worship kept by upper-caste Hindus are unapproachable by the downtrodden people who face dishonour, financial loss, and physical torture from the upper caste people. Guru gives his consent in establishing a site for pilgrimage.

Guru further prods his disciples to fully understand the customs or methods to carry out the pilgrimage. He also tests his disciples as to what should be the main goals of the pilgrimage. In delineating the methods adopted for performing the pilgrimage, Guru suggests yellow garment and ten days’ abstinence. The abstinence of ten days is by the practicality of the enterprise, according to Guru. He understands that none would be able to perform a longer period of austere abstinence. Guru asserts that the pilgrims should maintain thrift and discipline during the pilgrimage. He recommends that a person can use a white garment dipped in turmeric to replace the use of costly dressing materials. The expense for the pilgrimage should not exceed the bare minimum money required to travel from the source to Sivagiri. He also delineates the eight aims of the pilgrimage namely education, cleanliness, piety, organization, cultivation, trade, handicrafts, and technological training.

In the gestation of the notion of pilgrimage Guru crafts the tools for social change. He prescribes that the pilgrimage can be assisted with lectures on the eight aims by experts in the respective fields, thereby proclaiming social change. The establishment of the pilgrimage site is one of the counter-movements by Guru that subverts existing models of caste-based power structures. He liberates spirituality from the clutches of caste-based oppression.  

Next: Essay Question 2

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

A CONVERSATION THAT SPREADS LIGHT: Sree Narayana Guru: Part I Paragraph Notes


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 downtrodden communities may visit Sivagiri once in every year. The idea was to establish a new pilgrimage centre that permitted people who faced discrimination from the upper caste Hindu society to worship and come together without any restrictions. Guru argues about the relevance of yet another holy place when the nearby Varkala Janardhanam is already a place of significance. However, the followers of Guru convinced him of the relevance of the new pilgrim site. Later, Sree Narayana Guru instructs his followers regarding the code of conduct for the pilgrims. It was Kittan Writer who engaged Guru in a discussion about the methods to be adopted while making the pilgrimage. Guru suggests that people, today, are not inclined to follow long periods of abstinence and are reluctant to take austere measures to perform a pilgrimage. He suggests that observing ten days of abstinence along with Sree Buddha’s five Ideals of Purity would be enough. Upon asking, Guru also suggests yellow garments as the dress code for Sivagiri pilgrimage. He instructs his disciples not to be extravagant during the pilgrimage. Guru even points out that the yellow garment prescribed for the pilgrimage should not be made up of silk or expensive clothing. Instead, the casual white dress can be used after colouring it with turmeric. This way, a pilgrim can reuse their yellow garments. Thus, Sree Narayana Guru prescribes a relevant set of codes for every pilgrim who makes the yearly pilgrimage to Sivagiri.

2. What are Guru’s strictures regarding the need to maintain thrift and discipline during the pilgrimage to Sivagiri?

Sree Narayana Guru (1855-1928), philosopher, poet, and social reformer was approached by Vallabhassery Govindan Vaidyar and T K Kittan Writer on 19 January 1928 requesting him to establish Sivagiri as a holy place for pilgrimage. Guru listened to their request and by asking various questions, tried to test their willingness to keep the dignity of the pilgrimage. Once he discovers that his disciples have no further questions regarding the complexity of conducting the pilgrimage, he takes on the role of a reformer. Guru elaborates on the necessity of keeping the pilgrimage free of extravagances and noisy celebrations. He suggests that the dress code for the pilgrimage to Sivagiri shall be the yellow dress worn by Krishna and Buddha. These need not silk garments. According to Guru, a casual white dress can be used after colouring it with turmeric. It can be laundered and used even after the journey, the teacher points out. He suggests that the journey should be marked by humility and lack of luxuries. Hymns can be chanted with piety. Noises, revelry, and extravagances will debase the whole enterprise. Sree Narayana Guru stresses that the pilgrims to Sivagiri should not waste a single penny. He goes on to calculate the expense for a pilgrim travelling from Kottayam to Sivagiri and back. It’s only three rupees. Guru’s intervention in the conduct of the pilgrimage is focused on the reformation of the Ezhava community. Guru suggests that the Ezhava community incur debts by spending more than they earn. This is not a healthy practice. This habit should be changed. Guru’s proposition brings home the important message of practising a disciplined life. Such a practice should begin with the pilgrimage to Sivagiri.

3. “Every deed should have a purpose.” Explain.

Sree Narayana Guru asks his followers what the purposes of the pilgrimage to Sivagiri are. Kittan Writer is quick to answer that they have already heard Guru spell out the objectives. However, Guru objects to Kittan Writer’s statement by asserting that what he had already mentioned are just methods adopted for the pilgrimage. Objectives of a journey are different from methods adopted to complete the journey. Guru seeks the answer to his question from his disciples. However, none of them can give any response. Guru declares that by simply wearing a yellow garment and travelling for days and incurring a major financial expense nothing could be achieved if there is no purpose for the journey. It is in this context that Guru makes the remark: “Every deed should have a purpose.” He instructs his disciples to note down the aims of the pilgrimage. According to Guru, the aims of the pilgrimage are 1. Education 2. Cleanliness 3. Piety 4. Organization 5. Cultivation 6. Trade 7. Handicrafts 8. Technological Training. He recommends that people should listen to it with utmost discipline. The aims of the pilgrimage should be put to practice by the pilgrims. Guru’s vision of prosperity stems from a disciplined and purposeful life. According to Guru, prosperity must not be limited to the Ezhava community. Prosperity should span the entire society and include all human beings. He suggests that the Ezhava community should be role models to others and this should be the main purpose of the pilgrimage to Sivagiri.
Sivagiri Pilgrimage Centre, Varkkala, Trivandrum
4. What are the salient features of the conversation between Guru and the visitors?
           
In this conversation, Guru elaborates on the many fundamental notions regarding the establishment of the pilgrimage to Sivagiri. The suggestions regarding the methods and aims he dictated for the conduct of the pilgrimage form the crux of Guru’s teachings. The conversation spans four major ideas. The first one is the relevance of establishing Sivagiri as a holy place. Guru defers the announcement of Sivagiri as a holy place by suggesting the presence of other similar sites in nearby locations. However, his disciples can convince him that places of worship kept by upper-caste Hindus are unapproachable by the downtrodden people who face dishonour, financial loss, and physical torture from the upper caste people. Guru admirably attempts to help his disciples imbibe the total meaning of a pilgrimage. The date proposed by Guru for the pilgrimage is 1 January of every year, which falls on the 16th or 17th of the month of Dhanu in Malayalam calendar. The second feature of the conversation is the methods to be followed while performing the pilgrimage. Guru decrees ten days of abstinence along with Buddha’s five Ideals of Purity such as Purity of Body, Purity of Food, Purity of Mind, Purity of Word, and Purity of Deed. Guru proposes yellow garments as the dress code for pilgrims to Sivagiri. Guru substantiates this decree by pointing out that yellow was the colour of garments preferred by Krishna and Buddha. He also suggests that there is no requirement to wear rudraksha on the pilgrimage. Consumption of a paste of rudraksha is preferred to wearing rudraksha. Thirdly, Guru decrees discipline and thrift during the pilgrimage. He specifies that any white garment immersed in turmeric could be used as the dress for the pilgrimage. Also, the expense of the pilgrimage should be the sum of the bare minimum rupees required to reach Sivagiri from the source of the journey. By never incurring debts and keeping one’s mind disciplined by chanting hymns with piety one can overcome the hurdles due to the marginalization of the community. Lastly, Guru delineates eight objectives of the pilgrimage such as education, cleanliness, piety, organization, cultivation, trade, handicrafts, and technological training. Guru pronounces the need to modernize one’s thoughts and deeds in connection with everyday life experiences. The paradigm shift that he has brought to the concept of spirituality from being an abstract notion to the performance of healthy practices is indeed a novel idea and of relevance to contemporary society.


Next: Essay Question1

Monday, August 19, 2019

TATA VS MISTRY BY DEEPALI GUPTA: The Clash of Titans.



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 Shapoorji Pallonji Group is divided between the two sons of Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry. The group owns 18 per cent shares in Tata group. Naturally, Cyrus Mistry is in the director board of Tata Sons, the main company in the Tata Group. There is a lot of history of the growth of India's industrial and economic sector attached with these names.

In 2012, Cyrus Mistry was nominated as the new chairman of Tata Sons on the retirement of Ratan Tata. This retirement is also the tip of an iceberg. Deep-seated in this event lies the many changes that affected not just the Tata group but the Indian economy in general. After taking the post of the chairman though, the relationship between Ratan Tata and Cyrus Mistry strained to an irreparable extent. The clash between these titans is a chapter that could keep you mulling over some serious multilayered discourses for the rest of your life. It will haunt you for certain. Here is a book that reveals it all in a highly readable, lucid, clear, and well-thought-out language.

Tata Vs Mistry: The Battle for India's Greatest Business Empire by Deepali Gupta is a well-researched monogram on the historic rift between Ratan Tata and Cyrus Mistry. The gap that formed between the two stalwarts attracted various changes to the market in India, as did their association in 2012.

Deepali Gupta's book foregrounds the complex events that led to the fall out in the Tata Sons company. In the process of telling the story, the author weaves in the interesting accounts of the industrial and commercial growth of India. The reader can take glimpses of the many multinational and national success stories of various business owners, their failures, the unending court cases that some of these failures give rise to.

Tata Vs Mistry is a book that offers a satisfying account of some of the large enterprises in contemporary India, their history and current state. Due to this reason, this book is a must-read for any student of Commerce, Management, and entrepreneurship. Anyone dreaming for establishing a start-up should certainly go through this fast-paced, research-oriented nonfiction.

For anyone pursuing a career in general writing or academic writing, I would certainly recommend this book. Tata Vs Mistry tells us how to handle investigative writing, keeping it interesting for the common reader while providing all the necessary facts and information needed to pin the story to reality. The absence of any fictional element in the book did not make it dull for my tastes. Let me remind you, I mostly love reading fiction. This shows the author's uncanny skill in writing readable non-fiction. I have read only one other nonfiction writer who kept my attention to the end cover-Richard Preston, author of The Hot Zone.

Published by Juggernaut Books in 2019, Tata Vs Mistry is priced at Rs 599 and gleams at the reader with its pragmatic yet sensational hardcover dust jacket design. The layout of the book is reader-friendly as is typeset. You can read this book on a bus or train. The words in the pages stand out as does the charts and other details. The final pages contain an Appendix and a References part. The latter is a treat for any researcher into the contemporary trends in the entrepreneurial culture in India. As I completed reading the book, one thing that nagged at me was that I was compartmentalizing this book into the business section alone. I felt that this book has a wider cultural perspective to offer. To argue that a student of Cultural Studies would certainly be able to glean ideas of significance as well as a student of behavioural and organizational psychology is not at all irrelevant.

Tata Vs Mistry is Deepali Gupta's debut book. She was the former senior assistant editor at the Economic Times. Many of the articles and inside information on the Tata/Mistry controversy comes from her previous work milieu, I presume. She has been a financial journalist for fifteen years and has worked with many national and international media.