debater

Khalid Hosseni is such an inspiring author that his novels (The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns) leave us with a lasting impression. When I read the Kite Runner two years back the images kept lingering in my mind for quite some time. A Thousand Spelendid Suns also sheds light into the history of discrimination against women in a war torn extremist country, Afghanistan. The two characters that catch our immediate attention are Mariam and Laila. It is a beautiful story of love, hope, courage and strong will against the many odds of life. One thing that I could learn from the novel is that the accusing finger of a man always finds another. We do not want to take responsibility for what we are and do. We keep passing the bug. Mariam remembers her mother, a victim of circumstances and men like herself, who once said "Like the needle of the compass that always points to the north an accusing finger of a man finds a woman." This is quite true we have somebody to scapego

It is strange sometimes that the people whom we wish we never become turn out to be our reason for living. Lucy Christopher's Stolen is a very good example for this. Gemma, a school girl is abducted from Bangkok to the Australian desert by Ty. Ty is a handsome man who has built a beautiful place for himself in the middle of the desert with all the needed things for years stored. Ty treats his captive so well. He serves her and does all that she needs. All that he expects from her is that she loves him and understands him. Gemma hates Ty and wants to escape from Ty by all means. A few times Ty permits her to escape but she is unable to make it through the long desert. Every time she is brought back and tendered all the more lovingly by Ty. Gemma begins to like Ty even though she hates him apparently. When she is rescued she feels so much for Ty that she wishes that he walks free from the prison and she lives with him. She develops a kind of Stockholm syndrome in which she iden

A few days back I picked up Mitch Albom's   The Five People You Meet in Heaven.   The novel is about Eddie who dies all of a sudden in an unexpected way while attempting to save a young girl. After his death he goes to heaven and there he meets five people who were part of his life on earth. The first person Eddie meets is someone who had saved Eddie when he was small. He introduces himself as a Blue Man. He lost his life while saving the young Eddie. The second person Eddie meets is his army captain who shot on his leg. The third one is Ruby Pier in whose park he worked all his life. The fourth person is his wife. Someone was the reason for his happiness on earth. The fifth one is a small little girl Eddie set fire on unknowingly in a combat zone in Philippians. The novel has got five insights to offer: 1. Someone sacrificed his life for you so that you may live long. 2. Someone hurt you and that was for your good. 3. Someone was the reason behind your success in your l

The stark reality of economic meltdown leaves us with questions to ponder about. One of the things that needs to be thought about seriously is our populist rhetoric. It is so sad that even in the face imminent economic disasters we hold firm to populist rhetoric. Our leaders promise us of so many free things. What we perhaps fail to see is that all these will back fire us someday very badly. We can't develop the nation with populism. Populism is a kind of manipulation. It keeps people with an illusion.  It is so nice to know that so many people are up in arms against such manipulating populist rhetoric. It is high time that our leaders also become aware that genuine leadership demands that they help us to be competent, to stand for ourselves, on our legs. 

It is so saddening to see us all living with illusory hopes even in the age of reason and scientific advancements. Given the present scenario in Indian politics no state can boast of having as many as film stars and their affiliates in politics than Tamil Nadu. I am puzzled whether it is a credit or a lack of common sense on the part of the voters. They ride on politics in the same way, they once rode on the success of their films (some of them still act, direct and write scripts). I am not averse to any of them but only question the lack of our common sense. As we live in the age of reason and science we must move from move from the world of illusion to reality around. What do these know of reality, save alone some hours of casting in a particular role? It has cost us much without real changes in the state. Every body speaks but when it comes to action the personal becomes the political. Ideals are high yet actions to achieve them are really scarce. Tamil Nadu may be the only s

In the prologue to her book Amen ex-nun Jesme describes the religious institutions as iron curtain. In my opinion it is an unweighed term in every sense. However I don’t wish to discuss the meaning of the word here. Anybody has the right to express his or her feelings. Jesme speaks about her life as a nun, the hardships and abuses she endured for the sake of her vocation to be a nun. It is incomprehensible that an enlightened and a pious woman whose only concern was to follow Christ (her spouse as she fondly calls Him) and who even consulted or better prayed to Him to read a  book, to travel or not, and etc., did not ask Jesus whether it was right to satisfy the bodily pleasures of her fellow nun, and a priest. I have an honest and direct question: Jesme, what did Jesus say when one of your community members used you everyday? Did you ever ask Jesus before doing all this? Reading Amen I am convinced that Jesme is remarkably an intelligent person. What intrigues me is the  way sh