http://www.boloji.com Boloji is the world's biggest Articles Database. en-us Sat, 09 May 2026 12:49:46 -0500 Sat, 09 May 2026 12:49:46 -0500 http://www.boloji.com/feed/book-reviews-rss.xml Boloji rk@boloji.net (Boloji) ideas@ekant.com (Ekant Solutions)https://www.boloji.com/articles/55381/preface-to-infinite-shades-of-loveIn a way life is like a book. We must read a chapter daily whether we want or not.  There is sorrow on some pages, happiness on another page or excitement on some page, but if in your life, you don't turn the pages, you will never know what's on the next page?Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55381/preface-to-infinite-shades-of-lovehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55346/stories-are-not-merely-fictional-narrativesB.S. Ramulus collection of stories, Saravva and Friends, attempts a deep exploration of the human condition, viewed through the lens of caste, gender, and the relentless struggles of life in rural Telangana. It offers an authentic portrayal of characters who are often located on the margins of societywomen, Dalits, and those caught in the crossfire of socio-political movements. These stories are not merely fictional narratives; they hold a faithful mirror to the deeply entrenched social hierarchies and the unyielding forces of tradition that continue to shape the lives of the people.Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:26:54 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55346/stories-are-not-merely-fictional-narrativeshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55345/cinema-inimitable-and-exuberantRajesh Talwar- a renowned author googled worldwide has now stepped into the world of cinema. His Bollywood, Hollywood and the Future of World Cinema arrive in an era with a paradigm shift in culture, technology and geopolitical status in the global entertainment industry.        Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55345/cinema-inimitable-and-exuberanthttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55340/infinite-shades-of-loveIn a world divided by borders, ideologies, and conflicts, Nangrani's book - Infinite Shades of Love - offers a unifying message—love is the bridge that connects humanity, enabling us to transcend pain, prejudice, and limitations. With each piece presented in this anthology, the reader is encouraged to explore love in its purest forms—be it the selfless devotion of a mother, the yearning for divine connection, or the quiet resilience found in the bonds of friendship and compassion. This book beautifully conveys how love is an endless spectrum, constantly shifting yet eternally present in all experiences.Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55340/infinite-shades-of-lovehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55314/wheels-keep-rollingDr Sunil Kumar Navin is a versatile writer, dedicated teacher, admirable administrator, an unobtrusive organiser of academic events and above all a great human being. Soft spoken gentleman, Navin ji, as he is affectionately known among friends’ circles close to him, he has proved his mettle as a gifted translator too.Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:38:57 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55314/wheels-keep-rollinghttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55301/law-as-conscienceInsightful review of Foundations and Frontiers: Law, Legal Education, and Global Order by Prof V. Balakista Reddy. The book links international law, aviation and space regimes, Telangana land reform, and Indian legal education into a single ethical vision. It portrays law as conscience in action across courts, classrooms, and cosmos, and will interest students, teachers, policymakers, and readers seeking an Indian perspective on the global legal order.Tue, 24 Mar 2026 02:33:21 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55301/law-as-consciencehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55288/literature--a-mirror-of-society-amp-cultural-processesThe Mirror and the Reflections: Interpreting Literatures through Literary Theories, edited by scholar and critic P.V. Laxmiprasad and published in Washington, USA, is an insightful and intellectually stimulating work that introduces readers to the complex yet fascinating world of literary criticism. The book attempts to bridge the gap between literary texts and the theoretical frameworks used to interpret them. By presenting literature as both a mirror of society and a reflection of deeper ideological, psychological, and cultural processes, the author provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of how literary theories illuminate the meaning of texts.Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55288/literature--a-mirror-of-society-amp-cultural-processeshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55276/lighting-the-inner-courtyard-of-womens-livesA Review of Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp In Heart Lamp: Selected Stories, Banu Mushtaq, translated with sensitivity and quiet power by Deepa Bhasthi, brings into English a body of work that glows with emotional intelligence and social insight. Published by And Other Stories in 2025, this collection introduces a wider readership to a distinctive voice from Kannada literature—one that is at once intimate, ironic, and unflinchingly political. The stories, originally written across decades, revolve largely around Muslim households in small-town and semi-urban Karnataka. Yet their concerns—marriage, motherhood, female desire, education, dignity—are universal. The opening story, “Stone Slabs for Shaista Mahal,” sets the tone for the collection. Narrated by Zeenat, a young, educated woman negotiating the expectations of marriage, the story gently dismantles romantic myths around love and devotion. In a conversation about the Taj Mahal as a “symbol of love,” the characters debate whether it commemorates eternal passion or merely monumentalizes loss. The exchange is witty, layered, and revealing. Mushtaq excels at exposing the gap between public declarations of love and the lived reality of women’s lives. The strength of this collection lies in its nuanced portrayal of domestic spaces. Kitchens, courtyards, maternity homes and gardens become sites of ideological conflict. In “A Decision of the Heart” and “The Shroud,” questions of reproductive choice and bodily autonomy surface with startling directness. Women discuss sterilization, unwanted pregnancies, and the burden of endless caregiving—not as abstract debates but as urgent, everyday negotiations. Mushtaq does not romanticize suffering; nor does she reduce her women to victims. They are sharp, observant, often ironic commentators on their own circumstances. Education emerges as a recurring motif. In “Stone Slabs for Shaista Mahal,” the character Asifa, forced to abandon her studies for domestic responsibilities, embodies the quiet tragedy of curtailed aspirations. The mother’s longing to see her daughter in a graduation gown is one of the most poignant moments in the book. It captures a generational shift: women who were denied opportunities now yearn for a different future for their daughters. The translation by Deepa Bhasthi deserves special mention. She retains the conversational rhythm and cultural texture of the original Kannada, allowing terms like pati, bhabhi, and zenana to breathe within the English prose. The humour—sometimes playful, sometimes biting—travels remarkably well. Importantly, the translation does not flatten the socio-religious context; instead, it preserves the layered identities of the characters. Mushtaq’s prose is deceptively simple. Beneath the surface of domestic banter lies a sharp critique of patriarchy, class hierarchy, and selective religiosity. Men in these stories are not caricatures; they are affectionate, flawed, occasionally progressive, yet deeply shaped by entitlement. Women, meanwhile, learn to negotiate power in subtle ways—through conversation, resistance, affection, and, sometimes, silence. What makes Heart Lamp especially relevant today is its refusal to sensationalize. In an era when narratives about minority communities are often reduced to stereotypes, Mushtaq offers textured interiors—spaces filled with laughter, jealousy, desire, and contradiction. The “lamp” of the title becomes a metaphor for inner resilience: a small but steady flame that survives gusts of social pressure. At 200-plus pages, this is not merely a translation project; it is a literary bridge. Heart Lamp expands the map of contemporary Indian writing in English by foregrounding voices that have long flourished in regional languages. For readers of national dailies seeking fiction that is socially alert yet deeply humane, this collection is a welcome illumination. Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/55276/lighting-the-inner-courtyard-of-womens-liveshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55204/in-the-inner-sanctum-of-consciousnessAllamaprabhu, a significant revolutionary saint-poet in Karnataka’s Lingayat movement, is known for his radical contributions to spiritual and social thought. Born in Balligavi and initially working as a temple drummer, he eventually renounced material possessions to pursue deep self-realization. As a member of the Anubhava Mantapa—a vibrant spiritual academy in Basava-Kalyana—he was instrumental in redefining faith by advocating for a spiritual practice that went beyond traditional rituals, caste distinctions, and dogmatic beliefs. His teachings are primarily conveyed through vacanas, powerful Kannada verses that serve as the basis for Lingayat philosophy.Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/55204/in-the-inner-sanctum-of-consciousnesshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55186/a-study-of-augury-portends-or-omensPCK Prem, however, looks differently curious with a corpus of more than 60 Books: an accredited academician, civil servant and member P.S.C. Simla: Himachal(India).He—to his credit has numerous awards for Hindi/English literary works, significant research and critical evaluations has enhanced his stateliness as the only potentate from Himachal: the major poet, novelist, short-story writer, essayist and critic of Indo-Anglian creed. His latest opus--Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana consists overall three books.Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/55186/a-study-of-augury-portends-or-omenshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55133/the-echoes-of-a-silent-heartThe Echoes of a Silent Heart is a profoundly moving, soul-stirring novel that delves into the hidden corridors of human emotion—a place where pain speaks in whispers, memories breathe in shadows, and silence becomes both a refuge and a prison. At its core, this is the story of a woman who carries within her a lifetime of unspoken wounds, suppressed desires, and muted dreams. Her heart, though silent to the world, echoes with a depth of feeling that shapes every step of her journey.Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/55133/the-echoes-of-a-silent-hearthttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55074/from-nature-to-nature--the-journey-called-poetryFrom Nature to Nature ” The Journey Called PoetryTriveni: Three-Line Poems by Varala AnandSun, 09 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/55074/from-nature-to-nature--the-journey-called-poetryhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55058/my-suitcases-sandcastles-and-little-anvikIt is my humble and honest endeavor to re-create and re-live the best-loved moments of my life alongside my husband and our darling boy baby. My creative smithy has unfurled what I have sensed, felt, and experienced in my real life as the mother of my little marvel.Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55058/my-suitcases-sandcastles-and-little-anvikhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55026/an-analytical-study-of-the-literary-world-of-rumiThe book entitled The Literary World of Rumi- A Critical Appreciation was published by Authors Press, New Delhi, India, 2025. It is edited by P.V. Laxmiprasad, a scholar, author, columnist in various national and international newspapers and editor of 43 books. The present volume explores the life and works of Mohammad Jalal-Ad-Din, popularly known as Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet who celebrated spirituality in his quest for God. His works would stand for universal emotion, love, historical events, human trauma/ mind, the condition of faith and doubt. Rumi’s poetry influenced not only Persian literature but also the literary tradition of the Ottoman Turkish, Pashto, Chagatai, Kurdish, Urdu, and Bengali languages, respectively. Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55026/an-analytical-study-of-the-literary-world-of-rumihttps://www.boloji.com/articles/55018/common-sense-is-not-commonThis tiny book, designed for children in primary school, tells a simple but deep story of Rabindranath Tagore retold from Bengali by Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee. Every page is visualized and illustrated by Shekar Mukherjee.  This is the story of Habu, a foolish king, who is incessantly bothered by the dust sticking to his feet. He calls his ministers and scholars in his kingdom to find solutions, warning them of grave consequences if they do not find one. Sat, 11 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/55018/common-sense-is-not-commonhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54990/where-fairy-tales-meet-climate-changeRajat Chaudhuri’s Wonder Tales for a Warming Planet is not just a collection of stories for children but a gentle invitation to reimagine our relationship with what is now a fragile Earth. The three allegorical short stories, brought to life with Isha Nagar’s charcoal illustrations, are about ordinary children trying to make sense of a world under extraordinary threat. Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54990/where-fairy-tales-meet-climate-changehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54973/wasnt-mary-roy-much-malignedIn 372 pages of alluring prose, often evocative, at times pulling heartstrings, Arundhati Roy has told the story of her 'difficult' relationship with her mother, whom she described as her 'shelter and her storm.' The book begins with Roy's description of her mother in a chapter titled 'Gangster,' and ends with the erection of a memorial to her, a year after her death in 2022, with the word BELOVED inscribed on its rough granite facade.Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:14:25 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54973/wasnt-mary-roy-much-malignedhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54961/roy-on-royI left my mother not because I didnt love her, but in order to be able to continue to love her. Staying would have made that impossible. - It is through such a paradoxical statement, a conundrum, that Arundhati Roy sums up the early phase of her difficult relationship with her mother in her newly published memoirs, titled 'Mother Mary Comes to Me.'Sat, 13 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54961/roy-on-royhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54949/a-search-of-lifes-solid-fulcrum-in-the-new-universeOnslaught of terrific growth of computer-oriented incursions into entirely fresh and different regions of unsullied drafting baffles calculative efforts to underscore growth and expansion of mind with signs of pragmatic drive. It necessitates a curious intellect to view life and existence in existing scenario. These are the provinces, which attract multifaceted contemporary philosophic prodigy in the literary world –a genius Jernail Singh Anand, defying definition. He unites science fiction, technology and spirituality as life obtains new meaning in phenomenal mayhem. Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54949/a-search-of-lifes-solid-fulcrum-in-the-new-universehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54912/isro-espionage-caseThe ISRO Espionage Case, a fake case hatched, nurtured and played out to its full malignant potential during the mid 1990s by the police and a section of the press, shredding reputations and affecting brilliant careers, even pulling down a government, will no doubt remain forever as a blot on the collective psyche of Kerala. Remembering that concocted case itself would cause uneasiness not only to its many victims, who included two Maldivian women and two Indian space scientists, but also to all the people of the times who watched the developments from the sidelines and saw how a perfect non-event was carefully groomed by some wayward policemen and some not-so-guiltless pressmen to become Keralas biggest scandal of the century.Sat, 02 Aug 2025 09:02:59 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54912/isro-espionage-casehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54904/how-power-and-paranoia-led-to-bangladeshs-tragedyBangladesh recently made global headlines after mass protests led to the ouster of its Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. Despite impressive development gains and human indices that often outpaced India’s, the country’s politics remained deeply fractured. That fracture runs deep—right back to the country’s painful birth in 1971.Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54904/how-power-and-paranoia-led-to-bangladeshs-tragedyhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54901/skeptical-odyssey-makes-10-happierThe title of this book gives an impression of it being a self-help category of a book. It is actually so, but it is also more than that because it is of autobiographical nature. The author Dan Harris has shared his deep personal experiences which resulted in the conversion of the author from skeptic to an ardent proponent of meditation. The title of the book comes from the outcome of the meditation that the author experienced during the course of his exploration.Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54901/skeptical-odyssey-makes-10-happierhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54890/two-souls--limitless-journeysEssence Resonate is a slim volume of poetry with 35 poems by two Gens. These talented individuals aren’t merely connected by their passion for writing, music, and art; they are also gifted with the power of expression and creating poetry that is uplifting, evocative, and awe-inspiring. Within the pages, Sundar Rajan's "tryst with poetic forms" is evident. Familiar structures like the Sonnet, Nonet, Quintet, and Rhyme Royal, alongside less common forms such as the Davidan, Terza Rima, Roundeau, and Macronic are of much significance in this collection. Largely, the thematic explorations delve into nature, religion, his private world, music, and sport. Neeraja's work primarily explores subjects such as tradition, personal reflection, and religion. She also delves into themes of self-awareness, inspiration, and the choices we makeSat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54890/two-souls--limitless-journeyshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54879/critique-of-pck-prems-collected-poems-vol-3I have read the works of many distinguished contemporary writers, yet I have rarely encountered one whose vast and prolific body of work maintains such exceptional quality and depth, all while retaining universal relevance and significance. His writing captivated me unlike any other. As a former senior IAS officer, I often marvel at how this remarkable writer successfully managed to harmonize his creative brilliance with the rigid demands and responsibilities of bureaucratic life.Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54879/critique-of-pck-prems-collected-poems-vol-3https://www.boloji.com/articles/54864/baldev-mirza-when-the-stars-acheWhen The Stars Ache is a booklet of poems which the poet released it in 1996 by Skylark Publications, Aligarh. Titles are not, just the poems are in the form of clusters of verses, standing in assemblage or in separation with an artistic bent of mind quite visible. Poetry to Mirza is art and artistic refinement. Poetry as an art and the poet as an artist are the things which come to  our mind as and when we sit for reading his verses. He is such a powerful poet who has the power to catch and contain in the aches of the stars.Sat, 05 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54864/baldev-mirza-when-the-stars-achehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54811/beyond-the-romantic-gaze-gulzars-suspected-poemsThe title of Gulzar's most recent collection of poems, Suspected Poems, translated from the original Hindi/Hindustani by Pawan K. Varma, is quite intriguing. The first impression on a reader's mind is that these poems contain censorious, offensive, and unacceptable material, but after reading the poems, one sits down and mulls over some of the murky aspects of India's socio-political system that are otherwise shining through our politicians' rigmaroles. The poet in Gulzar brusquely turns away from romance to stark realism of the day.Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54811/beyond-the-romantic-gaze-gulzars-suspected-poemshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54809/indian-parliament-why-a-new-bookThere are a few books on the Indian Parliament but none after construction of new Parliament and the many pathbreaking procedural and policy changes that have taken place since 2016. The author was singularly privileged when LexisNexis, the leading publisher of law books in India,  commissioned him for launching a new book on Indian Parliament.Sun, 25 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54809/indian-parliament-why-a-new-bookhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54792/from-stark-nakedness-to-divine-negligeeIn a world that is increasingly becoming complex and chaotic, the mystical verses of Akkamahadevi, a 12th-century woman saint from Karnataka, translated into English by Professor Basavaraj Naikar, offer a beacon of hope and guidance for the present and coming generations. Akkamahadevi, who was a pioneer of the Veerashaiva movement in Karnataka, was known for her intense devotion to Lord Shiva and her profound spiritual insights. She left behind a legacy of powerful and intensely personal mystical verses, a testament to her unwavering devotion to Shiva, whom she addressed as 'Chennamallikarjuna'.Sat, 17 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54792/from-stark-nakedness-to-divine-negligeehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54790/dramatic-works-of-mahesh-dattaniP.V. Laxmiprasad’s edited volume entitled Living Through Mahesh Dattani’s Plays is a fitting tribute to the dramatic genius of Mahesh Dattani. There are only a few writers who are equally popular among academicians and general readers, and Mahesh Dattani is one such writer. Even as he is well-received by the academic community, he remains a popular playwright among the general public. He is known for his remarkable plot-construction and precise characterization. His genius rests in his uniue way of depicting human passion and feelings on the stage and his artistic ability to present precisely the predicaments of his men and women.Sat, 17 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54790/dramatic-works-of-mahesh-dattanihttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54767/annapurna-sharma-when-jaya-met-jaggu-...Review by U Atreya Sarma of the collection of short stories "When Jaya Met Jaggu and other stories" by Annaurna Sharma.Sat, 03 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54767/annapurna-sharma-when-jaya-met-jaggu-...https://www.boloji.com/articles/54753/joy-of-living-joie-de-vivreJoie De Vivre is Hema’s first full-length collection of poems, and a very promising one at that. These poems amply reveal she has a sublime poetic fervour and zeal. Her sensitivity as a poet is marvellous and is reflected through every word and line she uses. Spontaneity and lyricism overflow here which enrapture your heart and excite your imagination. Her experimentation with various forms of poetry, use of the poetic devices, the structured verse with rhythm and rhyme, they embellish her poems and lend glow and gleam to them.Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54753/joy-of-living-joie-de-vivrehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54712/margot ‘Margot’ is on the life of Sister Nivedita, the Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Written by Reba Som, an accomplished academician with commendable publications to her credit, published by Penguin India, the book is a passionate chronicle of the journey of Margaret ‘Margot’ Noble, known to the world as Sister Nivedita. In the words of Namita Gokhale, ‘this book is a remarkable record of an era and the extraordinary figures that inhabit it.’ Sat, 22 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54712/margothttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54690/the-bazaar-takes-over-our-livesOriginally called Pagalkhana, it was published in Hindi. With the English translation done by Punarvasu Joshi, English readers can regale themselves with the twists and turns of the deeply satirical and allegorical novel that showcases the contradictions and anachronisms of Indian society.  Like children wanting to sell their aged parents on OLX for the best price, they can manage to get. Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54690/the-bazaar-takes-over-our-liveshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54639/a-celebration-of-culture-humanity-and-timeless-narrativesBook Review -'Shakila and other Stories' - an anthology of Telugu short stories written by Dr L.R.Swamy-- translated into English.--regional Indian literature-translations into English--part of World LiteratureSat, 01 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54639/a-celebration-of-culture-humanity-and-timeless-narrativeshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54627/d.h.-lawrence-sons-and-loversMan-woman relationship is the chief attraction of the novel and satisfaction in sex is the urge it deals with. How is our screen of consciousness? How do impressions and sensations keep going over we do not know it. The mother advises to love the sexually dissatisfied women and the widows rather than the unmarried women. Sons and Lovers as a novel deals with sexual mysticism, possessive love, male domination, dark relationship in a very subjective way recording our impressions.Sat, 11 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54627/d.h.-lawrence-sons-and-lovershttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54626/short-stories-of-p.-rajaCritical Spectrum: The Short Stories of P. Raja is the collection of twenty-seven critical essays on the story writings of P. Raja who has four story collections to his credit. As a writer, P. Raja who hails from Pondicherry, has 50 published books to his credit. He has 3000 publications in the form of poems, stories, one-act plays and History of Pondicherry. He is the recipient of several awards. Sat, 11 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54626/short-stories-of-p.-rajahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54575/theyyam-colorful-folk-art-formTheyyam is a colorful ritual and folk-art tradition from northern Kerala. It is a tradition that dates back to the 15th or 16th centuries. It is performed with gusto even today in Kerala. Interestingly, the performers can be daily wage laborers in the day toiling in the farms of rich and powerful landlords who transform into performers at night.  Their employers, who come to watch them perform with their intricately designed colorful costumes, would bow before them to respect the form and the performer.  Sun, 24 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54575/theyyam-colorful-folk-art-formhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54561/interpreting-literatures-through-literary-theoriesSat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54561/interpreting-literatures-through-literary-theorieshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54551/a-classical-epic-of-values-and-relationsSri Ramacharitamanasa, a classical epic of values and relations is Goswami Tulasidas’ Hindi translation of Valmiki’s Ramayana in Sanskrit. It is one of the most world-famous classics. It is the quintessence of the most exquisite poetry for it teaches values and relations. It has won the hearts and minds of great men like the Great Soul, Mahatma Gandhi by its merits in all respects. He says that it is “the perfect example of perfect book,” for its universal appeal. Goswami Tulasidas, for his Hindi radiant rendering, has won the acclaims and accolades of the people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, especially Hindi speaking world. Its English rendering with its literary values of original Hindi, Sri Ramacharitamanasa is read with abiding interest and devotional reverence for it, rendering a distinctive and spectacular place for its unsurpassed significance by English-knowing readers.Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54551/a-classical-epic-of-values-and-relationshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54550/the-poetry-of-subramania-bharathiSubramania Bharathi is widely regarded as Mahakavi-Poet's Poet. He is a poet of masses and patriots. A born poet and a patriot, Bharathi was greatly moved by the Indian struggle for freedom. It is a scholarly work of ten leading Indian contributors assessing Bharathi’s life and work as one of the country’s leading poets, a native of Tamil Nadu, a state in South India. Bharathi belonged to a generation and century when India was waging its freedom struggle, and he was widely known throughout the country as one of the cultural leaders. From a humble background, he rose to fame by dint of hard work.Sat, 09 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54550/the-poetry-of-subramania-bharathihttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54528/poetry-of-astounding-certainties-with-latent-messageNair is a poet of actualities but also loves depiction of disconnected life with an arcane technique. He rarely moves out of the region of realities and when he grasps the vagueness, enigmas and ambiguity around, he is awesome in sharpness of linguistics arsenal. This aspect of his poetic venture baffles and a reader seeking poetic pleasure feels hypnotized sans therapy. He is in love with life like any other normal human being but here, he is very near to nature and its picturesque splendor, human relations, life, existence, and the life beyond. When he drives us to areas of life beyond, he feels bamboozled with no possible reprieve.Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54528/poetry-of-astounding-certainties-with-latent-messagehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54498/poetic-social-and-divine-tapestry-...Dr Manas Bakshi, an internationally known poet, figures in fifty anthologies of a poetry including world Poetry Anthology from 1999 to 2008 edited by Dr Krishna Srinavas, has authored fifteen books of poetry from 1988 to 2024. He is a major poet with a difference. The variety of themes on which he writes is astonishing. He writes reflective poems rather than descriptive ones. His style of writing is elitist and outstanding. He talks about social and political ills not in a realistic way but about their impact of this change on the mind and psyche of a conscious individual. Fri, 27 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54498/poetic-social-and-divine-tapestry-...https://www.boloji.com/articles/54490/srimad-bhagavad-gita-tattvik-bhavSrimad Bhagavad Gita - Tattvik Bhav is a recent Hindi translation and commentary by Dr. Udai Pratap Singh. The Bhagavad Gita is an epitome of all Hindu scriptures carrying the gist of four Vedas and essential knowledge and injunctions of the Principal Upanishads as well as essential elements of Vedanta and Sankhya philosophies. In short, the Gita represents essence of all Hindu scriptures and it may not be an exaggeration to call it a very storehouse of the scriptural knowledge. Dr. Singh has indeed made a significant contribution to Hinduism by writing this book with its elemental quintessence in service of the large Hindi speaking population of Hindus in India as also the overseas Indian diaspora world over. The authors methodology in writing this book is simple and elegant, intelligible and understandable, making it ideal even for the men of average intellect and education.Sat, 21 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54490/srimad-bhagavad-gita-tattvik-bhavhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54484/a-poetic-journey--the-ascent-vol-1Madathil Rajendran Nair is an Indian poet of high stature who writes both in English and Malayali with equal linguistic dexterity. His poems are like different colored flowers, each having a distinct fragrance. ‘The Ascent‘ is Madathil Nair’s first English poetry collection containing a hundred poems.Sat, 21 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54484/a-poetic-journey--the-ascent-vol-1https://www.boloji.com/articles/54462/unique-message-of-quotuntold-storiesquotA man is fundamentally a thinker, a philosopher and probably a scholar in whatever status of life his is. The feelings and ideas offer an opportunity to delve deep into those areas of intellectual province that hitherto appear mysterious or more appropriately called unknown to avoid the casing of mystery that philosophy carries sans negative perspectives regarding life and existence. When I went through Neeraj Kumar a young author’s book ‘Untold Stories of My Youth’, it raised curiosity. He conscientiously appeared to take his readers to apparently positive and bright paths of life, which otherwise appear full of obstacles and barriers. Kumar astutely puts a tag when he speaks of feelings of victory over trauma and ensuing fullness.  Sat, 07 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54462/unique-message-of-quotuntold-storiesquothttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54403/the-making-of-...-make-overIf something involves the making of someone, ‘it develops in them good qualities and characteristics that might not have been developed without it.’ Illustrating the title phrase in a sentence - Few hours and days in the company of a good book – that’ll be the making of him/her; which is precisely what Prof S. C. Dubey (Late) writes in the foreword to this motivational book: “The book prepares the readers for higher things in life, read the book, and you will understand its value.”Sat, 27 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54403/the-making-of-...-make-overhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54400/incisive-and-enlightening-poetry-of-saint-basaveswaraBasavanna was a 12th-century philosopher, poet, saint, and social reformer in Karnataka, India. He used his poetry, known as vacanas, to raise awareness about social issues such as gender inequality, superstitions, and rituals. Basavanna condemned the caste system and founded institutions that encouraged open debates on spiritual and everyday life matters. He presided over the Sarana Movement, which aimed to recruit people from all walks of life and advocated for equality. However, his ideas were considered radical for their time.Sat, 27 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54400/incisive-and-enlightening-poetry-of-saint-basaveswarahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54367/endearing-speciesSat, 29 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54367/endearing-specieshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54363/lyrical-portrayal-of-religious-life-of-humankindAn unusual read it is for a person wanting to travel along the coastline of various religious faiths with a quick plunge into the sea of sacred philosophy, wisdom and vision of various religions, and still wishes to be alone and a solitary walker in a crowd of alien spiritual prophetic visages. One never fully understands the dimensions of human spirit that speaks of its mystery. One goes deep, tries to find out the truth and comes back mystified and befuddled. He jumps into the depth of the indefinite to understand what it really means to an inquisitive mind. Religiously homegrown flavor of lyrics with interpretation and definition of pious thoughts, philosophic and theological inclines, allure. A stupendous job at his age but the subject appears close to his heart.Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54363/lyrical-portrayal-of-religious-life-of-humankindhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54360/banaras-in-its-true-shadesI have written a review of the book ‘Chai Chai’ on train travel in India by Bishwanth Ghosh about the unsung yet popular major connecting junctions of the Indian Railways. I shared that review on FB in the year 1995 but not many takers for that post except a few. I recently thought of him and made a search which landed me on his recent book ‘Aimless in Banaras’.Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54360/banaras-in-its-true-shadeshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54350/rewa-sangeet-gharanaRewa Sangeet Gharana, rooted in the princely state of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, is a distinguished lineage in Indian classical music. Patronized by the Rewa royal family, it blends styles like Dhrupad, Khayal, and Thumri, resulting in a unique and emotive musical expression. Renowned for its traditional guru-shishya pedagogy, the Rewa Gharana plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting classical music heritage both in India and globally.Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54350/rewa-sangeet-gharanahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54334/partition-as-receptionThe critical book entitled Partition as Reception: A Critical Study of Indian Partition Literature in Translation is edited by Indian scholar P.V. Laxmiprasad. In his preface, Laxmiprasad writes that the Partition literature is still relevant considering the historical tragedy as something that cruelly changed the course of innocent lives. It is still afresh in the minds of the victims. More than the victims’ tale of unending woes, it has occupied the readers through literature that sustains even after 75 years of Indian freedom. It has contents well researched papers on Partition. It covers Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu translations in English. It is an innovative one too considering the first hand experiences by the authors at the time of partition.Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54334/partition-as-receptionhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54326/kailash-nath-khandelwals-unveiling-the-silencePoetry represents poets imaginative experience. Sometimes lived experience causes fine poetry, and love-sickness also results in producing creative genius. We find all these together in Unveiling the Silence, a collection of 70 poems by Dr. Kailash Nath Khandelwal. He is a poet of love, loss, hope, friendship, and spirituality. This collection begins with the poem The Little Sparrow which is a reminiscent of the poets adolescence, full of passionate love.Sun, 26 May 2024 04:15:43 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54326/kailash-nath-khandelwals-unveiling-the-silencehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54324/art-and-aesthetics-of-modern-mythopoeia-literatures-myths-and-revisionism-vol.-1Art and Aesthetics of Modern Mythopoeia: Literatures, Myths and Revisionism is a collection of twenty two essays edited by Dr. Ashish Kumar Gupta and Dr. Ritushree Sengupta. Foreword written by Dr. Gautam Sengupta forms an important part of the book as it helps the reader understand the origin, presence, and influence of myths that make, in the words of Sengupta, a bridge between ancient and modern worlds. (vii) This book is a significant addition to cultural studies as it covers a vast range of writings and opens a door for further research in the emerging areas.Sun, 26 May 2024 04:16:52 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54324/art-and-aesthetics-of-modern-mythopoeia-literatures-myths-and-revisionism-vol.-1https://www.boloji.com/articles/54322/stress-in-plants-the-hidden-halfSat, 25 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54322/stress-in-plants-the-hidden-halfhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54316/the-secret-of-plants-in-the-environmentSat, 18 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54316/the-secret-of-plants-in-the-environmenthttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54307/a-warm-probe-in-arty-provinceRoshni Kainikkara a graduate in English from Farook College Tirur, belongs to a culturally rich environment, who carries the grand legacy of parents (Late Kainikkara Mammi Haji and Jameela Beegam). She evinced keen interest and deep love for a variety of art forms and grew up into an inquisitive and creative person. Keen interest in storytelling, writing and knitting influenced Roshni’s creativity tremendously. She lives in Tirur with husband Saidu Kainikkara and two children (Zameel and Mehnaz) happily.  Relationships are rooted in mutual respect and sharing of memories of childhood, she says.Sat, 11 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54307/a-warm-probe-in-arty-provincehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54289/book-discussion-with-dr.-n.-raghavendra-raoMost of us know Dr. Raghavendra Rao as a soft-spoken gentleman, an exemplary writer with innumerable edited technical books and research papers to his credit, 'Well-known among the Academic and Research community across the globe'……. We also know that beneath the deep thinker with quiet fortitude is someone who can roar with the courage of a lion when pushed into the deep.Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54289/book-discussion-with-dr.-n.-raghavendra-raohttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54288/contextualizing-woman-and-her-strugglesThis is yet another scholarly contribution by P.V. Laxmi Prasad on the Five Novellas About Women by Indira Goswami, a celebrated writer and recipient of many awards. Indira Goswami is basically an Assamese writer. Many of her works have been translated into English from her native language.Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54288/contextualizing-woman-and-her-struggleshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54277/shodasi--secrets-of-the-ramayanaThis work says Valmiki , The vedic Sage wrote the first epic of the Human Civilisation to spread Kundalini Yoga among the people. Valmiki's enchanting poetry is sugar coating to the bitter pill of Kundalini Yoga.Valmiki embedded Kundalini Yoga and Gayathri Mantra in this epicSat, 20 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54277/shodasi--secrets-of-the-ramayanahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54259/cultural-vision-of-north-karnatakaMy paper focuses on Basavaraj Naikar’s second story collection The Golden Servant and Other Stories. The twelve stories reinforce the author’s portrayal of the life, customs and manners of a particular region of India, a microcosm of the country, like R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi. The themes in the stories are unquestionably significant comments on the universal human situation. The collection deals with the broad spectrum of his thoughts and perceptions ranging from the historical to the contemporary, religious to the secular and elemental to the academic in a realistic style. Basavaraj Naikar has given us innumerable facets of contemporary India in his stories. Sat, 06 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54259/cultural-vision-of-north-karnatakahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54249/samarpana-deification-of-natureK.V. Raghupathi’s poetry collection “Samarpana” (a Sanskrit word meaning “offering”) contains 50 reflections written when he was holding the H.D. Thoreau. Fellowship at Dhvanyaloka in Mysore, 2000. In the words of K.V. Raghupathi, “It is true that Samarpana is a sort of deification of Nature. For all my solace, I have retired into nature. But I have struck the contrast between man as he is caught in his own contradictions born out of mess, he has created for himself in mundane world and life that is beautiful and blissful in nature. I can say nature is a big symbol in my poetry. I have derived a lot of spiritual discipline from her. Hence, she figures constantly in my poetry.” ---“Interview with K.V. Raghupathi”, C.V. Vol.6 Issue 24 P.10-12 (2011). Sat, 30 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54249/samarpana-deification-of-naturehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54244/ten-stories-rooted-in-kannada-cultureA critic’s job is to read to disagree’ and ‘to write to disagree’. Here, I find nothing to disagree with Basavaraj Naikar's collection of stories The Thief of Nagarhalli and Other Stories. Almost all the ten stories are thoroughly rooted in Indian soil and selectively on Kannada land. Dedicated to Late Mulk Raj Anand, the stories consist largely of native characters, native themes, native backgrounds, settings and locale, the names of Kannada characters and places figured in the stories are typically symbolic of Kannada language, tradition and culture although the roots trace back to a common place phenomenon in Indian situations.Sat, 23 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54244/ten-stories-rooted-in-kannada-culturehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54218/sri-aurobindo-the-problem-of-rebirthYou will be able to convince yourself that youre an eternal soul that transmigrates but, there is a way to get rid of different births, which is explained by Yoga, and hereafter there will be a state of final liberation which is the ultimate goal of life and soteriology. Sat, 09 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54218/sri-aurobindo-the-problem-of-rebirthhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54211/review-of-justice-by-nalini-sharmaNalini Sharma hails from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. She is a bilingual writer and writes with ease in English and Hindi. She has five books in Hindi to her credit. Guldasta, a collection of Hindi poems, Ek Bar Phir, a collection of short stories and poems in Hindi, an Unkaha Sach – a novel in Hindi, five books in English: Orchid Vol I & Vol II (Collections of poems in English) The Portrait - A Collection of Short stories and poems, besides the Unwed Mother – a collection of short stories in English.Sat, 02 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54211/review-of-justice-by-nalini-sharmahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54152/stop-smell-the-roses-...The man who enjoys walking walks further…  as he loves the ‘journey’ more than the ‘destination’ – precisely what poet O.P. Arora conveys in his collection of poems ‘When You Walk Alone.’ As poet-critic Bernard M. Jackson alludes in the blurb - there is need for ‘these enlightening souls’ who possess such ‘remarkable insight and glowing integrity.’ Another poetry critic mentions- his ‘poetry is immeasurable.’Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54152/stop-smell-the-roses-...https://www.boloji.com/articles/54105/bondhuIt’s a pleasant surprise when you receive an unusual and coveted gift from your spouse. I call this unusual because these days no one gifts another a book during occasions like birthdays and even otherwise which was quite in prevalence around three decades back. Yes, the unusual gift that came my way recently was a book titled Bondhu written by Dr. Kunal Sen on his dad, the eminent Indian filmmaker Mrinal Sen.Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54105/bondhuhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54080/kalpana-singh-chitnis-love-letters-to-ukraineLove Letters to Ukraine from Uyava” is a breathtaking poetry collection that directly appeals to the human heart. In an era of vested interests, Singh-Chitnis emerges as an epitome of nobility, spreading the message of love and sacrifice. She not only endeavors to soothe the grieving souls but also silently whispers into the ears of humanity to bring solace to the sufferers.Fri, 24 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54080/kalpana-singh-chitnis-love-letters-to-ukrainehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54075/a-critical-study-of-prison-writingsThe book under review was published by Authors Press, New Delhi in 2021. It is edited by P.V. Laxmiprasad. The critical essays focused on Prison Writings are contributed by eminent personalities. In all the papers, there is diversity in the collection of Prison writings as the writers are drawn from all the continents. They are namely Nawal El Saadwai, Elie Wiesels, Emily Bronte, Henry David Thoreau, Oscar Wilde, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Martin Luther King, Gopanbandhu Das, Harekrushna Mahtab, Nityananada Mohapatra, Sri Aurobindo, and Vattikota Alawaru Swamy.Sat, 18 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600https://www.boloji.com/articles/54075/a-critical-study-of-prison-writingshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54014/doctor-zhivago-in-search-of-identity-amp-significanceBoris Pasternak wrote the novel Doctor Zhivago. It is set in early twentieth-century Russia, against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution and World War I. The plot revolves around Yuri Zhivago, a Russian poet and physician who tries to discover his identity and significance in a world torn apart by political and personal strife.Sat, 30 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54014/doctor-zhivago-in-search-of-identity-amp-significancehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/54001/atlas-shrugged-the-celebration-of-individualismAtlas Shrugged, stands out as a thought-provoking novel that delves into the concepts of individualism, capitalism, and the pursuit of one's own happiness. This epic work of literature captures the essence of a dystopian society where talented individuals are stifled by government regulations and the suppression of their entrepreneurial spirits.Sat, 23 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/54001/atlas-shrugged-the-celebration-of-individualismhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53995/interpreting-literatures-through-literary-theoriesSat, 23 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53995/interpreting-literatures-through-literary-theorieshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53967/ayn-rand-the-fountainhead--3Ayn Rand was a controversial and significant figure in the fields of philosophy and literature. She was born on February 2, 1905, in St. Petersburg, Russia, and lived through many terrible periods in history. Rand's ideas ignited several arguments and grabbed the imaginations of millions due to her strong belief in individualism and capitalism. Her writings have had a lasting impact on the literary world.Sat, 16 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53967/ayn-rand-the-fountainhead--3https://www.boloji.com/articles/53958/ayn-rand-the-fountainhead--2Howard Roark is the protagonist in The Fountainhead. He is a visionary architect who epitomizes uniqueness, integrity, and unwavering independence. Roark's character represents Objectivism, Rand's philosophy that emphasizes the necessity of pursuing one's own values and refusing to submit to conventional expectations. Roark is represented as a gifted and creative individual. He has a distinct architectural perspective that distinguishes him from his peers. His designs are daring and inventive, and they represent his unrelenting dedication to his own artistic integrity. Roark's work is distinguished by its uniqueness and reluctance to follow current trends or public opinion.Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53958/ayn-rand-the-fountainhead--2https://www.boloji.com/articles/53952/the-poetry-of-i.k.-sharmaIf at all the human world lingers it is due to the living geniuses who continue to inspire the people with their sustaining notions, the long felt need for the conceptualized theories, and knowledge. The creative vocation of every writer is to shape up the ideas, structure rationally and condition the thoughts, beliefs and experiences in particular context. The first English poet of Rajasthan has created an exhaustive even authoritative seven volumes of poetry which have helped the readers to see how modern, relevant and insightful speculations of his areas of poetic experiences.Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53952/the-poetry-of-i.k.-sharmahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53947/casteCaste, we all know, is a four-letter word in five letters. No one wants it, but everyone has it. We profess to live without it, but our life forever is guided, mostly misguided, by it. We denounce it when we feel like and swear by it at other times. But what is Caste in real sense, in the first place, a borrowed term coined by the Portuguese?Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53947/castehttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53946/approaching-the-ramayanaThe Ramayana (R) presents specific hurdles before today’s readers: it portrays a civilization of the first millennium BCE far removed from us; its language is antique Sanskrit, not accessible with ease; and Sanskrit did not have a principal script universally used. The R has spawned widely varying versions in almost all languages and differing scripts of South and Southeast Asia “from Afghanistan to Bali” and is depicted in varied media. It is surprising that Goldman makes no reference to the Belgian priest Camille Bulcke’s encyclopaedic study in Hindi of these variations, whose English translation was published in 2022.Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53946/approaching-the-ramayanahttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53941/review-of-partition-as-receptionPartition as Reception: A Critical Study of Indian Partition Literature in Translation is a 21st anthology of critical study edited by Dr P.V. Laxmiprasad that proclaims both his quest for critical insight and literary inquisitiveness. Translation enriches Indian English Literature to a larger extent as India is a land of many languages. The book contains critical output from eight literary critics who have approached the repercussions of the Indian Partition from multiple perspectives.Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53941/review-of-partition-as-receptionhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53938/a-medley-of-theme-theory-technique-and-reasonCrossing the Shoreline, Gopal Lahiri, Selected poems, Review by K PankajamSat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53938/a-medley-of-theme-theory-technique-and-reasonhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53937/ayn-rand-the-fountainhead"The Fountainhead" is an engrossing examination of individualism, integrity, and the conflict between conformism and creativity. The book, which was published in 1943, continues to attract readers with its thought-provoking ideas and well-crafted characters even today. There are a handful of exceptional literary works that transcend time and provide profound insights into the human condition. Such is the case with The Fountainhead, the magnum opus of Ayn Rand. This compelling novel criticizes prevalent societal norms and encourages individuals to embrace their uniqueness and aspire for greatness. The Fountainhead captivates readers from start to end due to its intricate plot, thought-provoking themes, and well-developed characters.Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53937/ayn-rand-the-fountainheadhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53928/gibrans-philosophic-profunditiesSat, 26 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53928/gibrans-philosophic-profunditieshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53926/a-light-sublime-and-eternalSat, 26 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53926/a-light-sublime-and-eternalhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53917/it-is-still-bleedingMusic has no anger, no violence. Words, lyrics, can be angry but not music, I argued with my characteristic, if ridiculous, omniscience. My interlocutor was my daughter-in-law, Catherine, a trained music teacher. She demurred when I insisted music couldn’t contain anger. Anguish, yes, but anger, no, no music in anger nor anger in music. We suspended judgment.   Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53917/it-is-still-bleedinghttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53910/indian-images-in-the-novels-of-paul-scottThis critical book entitled Indian Images in the Novels of Paul Scott authored by P.V. Laxmiprasad is a literary gem in the realm of Anglo-Indian Fiction. In fact, Anglo-Indian fiction dominated the literary world produced by great masters. If India becomes a central part of Anglo-Indian fiction today, it was because of such writers who created the platform for literature. The bulk of Anglo-Indian literature took birth predominantly in fiction.Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53910/indian-images-in-the-novels-of-paul-scotthttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53898/radhakrishnan-the-hindu-view-of-life--an-evaluationSat, 12 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53898/radhakrishnan-the-hindu-view-of-life--an-evaluationhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53896/rhymes-of-wisdom-wisdom-of-indian-sacred-booksA poetry book with book embracing the socio-cultural ambience of the Indian society society with a vibrant, rich heritage.Sat, 12 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53896/rhymes-of-wisdom-wisdom-of-indian-sacred-bookshttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53888/vast-akash--an-anthologyWith the whispers of time, the core and content of English Literature, especially the poetry and its allied affairs have witnessed a sea change. Flipping through the pages of history, one would surely discover the pattern of changes that has occurred in a periodic fashion. Ranging from the Anglo Saxon Period to the Victorian era to the Early Romantics to the Later Romantics to the Modern Age to the Post Modern Age, there is no such dimension of similarity except the ethos of inspiration, helping to carry on with this saga without any tinge of constraint!Sat, 05 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53888/vast-akash--an-anthologyhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53886/unwinding-self--a-reviewThe poet has gratefully dedicated the collection Unwinding Self to his teachers who inculcated the love of poetry in him. The title of the collection is really captivating as it captures my attention in the very first glance. It is a collection of forty two poems in which the poet unravels the beauties of the world in a gripping yet arresting narration. Imagery is as usual natural, serene and flowing.Sat, 05 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53886/unwinding-self--a-reviewhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53874/imprisonment-as-creative-artSat, 29 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53874/imprisonment-as-creative-arthttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53873/the-poetry-of-raama-chandramouliRaama Chandramouli is potentially sound in writing poetry, short stories, novels, book reviews, scripts to movies and television. His writings express a wide gulf between the rich and the poor, the ruler and the ruled, poverty and wealth, tradition and modernity. His poetry expresses different vicissitudes of life and has portrayed his own share of joy and grief in his experience. His poetry is packed with the saga of human emotions of different enormity and magnitude. He expresses his deep anguish over them depleting levels of human values in the society.Sat, 29 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53873/the-poetry-of-raama-chandramoulihttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53864/vast-akash--a-mesmerizing-collection-of-poetryVast Akash, written by Aju Mukhopadhyay, is a mesmerizing collection of poetry that takes readers on a captivating journey through the vast expanse of the cosmos and the depths of the human soul. With its thought-provoking verses and evocative imagery, this book presents a tapestry of emotions, philosophy, and introspection.Sat, 29 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53864/vast-akash--a-mesmerizing-collection-of-poetryhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53856/aju-mukhopadhyays-vast-akash-a-critical-study'Vast Akash', an anthology of Poetry in English by the famous poet Aju Mukhopadhyay, is just out. I am glad that it reached me immediately and I consider myself lucky to have an opportunity to read it first and enjoy it. As is evident from his other works of similar genre, his poetry takes us to a highly sensitive universe, where philosophic reasoning and otherworldliness hold their sway. A dialogue with someone is devised by the poet to satisfy his own inquisitive self. Properly worded enquiry makes his work subtle and of considerable depth. What flows out of his pen, becomes something new, agreeable, and enjoyable – worthy to be explored further.Sun, 23 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53856/aju-mukhopadhyays-vast-akash-a-critical-studyhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53854/bridges-across-the-nationSat, 22 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53854/bridges-across-the-nationhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53842/balraj-my-brother‘Balraj My Brother’ is the biography of the noted film and theatre personality and Punjabi author Padma Shri Awardee Balraj Sahni (1913-1973). The author of the book, Bhisham Sahni, was an eminent Hindi writer and Balraj Sahni’s younger brother. The author presents Balraj Sahni’s life acquainting the readers with the sources and strengths contributing to his radiant, charming personality; the struggles and successes that he met in the journey of his life. Sat, 15 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53842/balraj-my-brotherhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53840/covid-ripped-the-world-apartThe Memoir of Laxmiprasad is claimed to be a creative work and based on the author’s own readings and observations. As he says while introducing the book, “Covid-19 ripped the world apart in the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 in the most devastating catastrophe that human civilization has ever faced in its existence and survival. It threatened the very existence of mankind in terms of human loss, financial squeeze, and psychological grip of fear, anxiety and frustration triggered by a series of lockdowns and emergence of vaccination drives across the globe.Sat, 15 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53840/covid-ripped-the-world-aparthttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53835/fictional-world-of-manju-kapurManju Kapur has already proved herself as one of the most accomplished Indian novelists in English who depict precisely the predicaments of the female characters. She attempts to portray in her works the complexity of themes Indian sensibility the quest of self-assertion and the status of women in this patriarchal social set-up. She often deals with the existential predicament of woman that is embedded in the Indian social milieu where patriarchy is the order of the day. Her protagonists suffer from the problems of loneliness, alienation and pessimism. Kapur’s female characters are highly individualistic , sensitive, and mostly educated caught within the confines of a conservative society and struggle between tradition and modernity.Sat, 08 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53835/fictional-world-of-manju-kapurhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53829/seshan-a-session-in-memoryThe blurb of this posthumous publication, An Autobiography by T N Seshan, who, as chief election commissioner, made a difference to Indian elections and politics at large, opens with an arresting observation: “2 August: A red-letter day for democracy in India.” That day Seshan put on hold all elections indefinitely. It was like, to employ a crude metaphor, the life-giver becoming the hangman. The constitutional officer, whose job it was to conduct elections, was himself putting them off, with no hint of what lay ahead for governance in India..Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53829/seshan-a-session-in-memoryhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53828/witness-to-many-erasn 1952, as a twenty-year old fresh from college, BRP Bhaskar walked into the imposing, landmark building of The Hindu on Mount Road, Madras, to tentatively begin his career as a journalist. A septuagenary career that saw him don many roles at many places, but always keeping him, I feel, in a position from where he could lay down the rules of the game.Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53828/witness-to-many-erashttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53824/the-holocaust-of-partitionThe Holocaust of Partition – A Critical Study of Saadat Hasan Manto’s Mottled Dawn (Fifty Sketches and Stories of Partition) is a strenuous task undertaken by none other than the fervent literary critic Dr .P.V. Laxmiprasad,  a distinguished academician, a learned and renowned scholar, a well-known senior editor,  and an ardent admirer of English Literature. He has a passion for writing.Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53824/the-holocaust-of-partitionhttps://www.boloji.com/articles/53813/laxmiprasad-tiruvalluars-kuralDr. P.V. Laxmiprasad’s review of Tiruvalluar’s Kural is very thought-provoking and evergreen. Though it is written in the Tamil language basically it was translated by numerous writers in their own ways in various languages. Dr. Laxmiprasad writes in his ‘About Thiruvalluvar’ that the couplets are relevant to any age and situation in the lives of all human beings. People commented that it is called a guidebook or a solution book. It is praised by a few like Buddhists; Shaivites and so on declared that the content in the Thiruvallurar’s Kurals is like their own.Sat, 24 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500https://www.boloji.com/articles/53813/laxmiprasad-tiruvalluars-kural