Review Of 'Immortals of Meluha'

Its been a while since I've been waiting to write this review.
To start off with, I'd like to thank Amish for calling in and talking to our reading club members.
Amish .... you're the man!

Back to the book now ...
I saw the book some time back but hesitated to pick it up for whatever reason. I liked the cover a lot. It kind of had a very mystical look to it. You read the back and you know it’s a story of Shiva, but the cover shows a long haired pony tailed guy with neat features and some scars to add on! After a few weeks though, the book eventually landed on my lap.

I started with some apprehension wondering what the book would be about. Being an Indian, I think most of us would be curious to know more about some of the Gods and stories that we've heard so much about. To start off with, I always used to pick up Shiva's reference when people I know would object to me having a beer or even smoking up. So let’s just say that Shiva was kind of my childhood hero! OK .. not in all the right ways!

But after 50 odd pages, it was impossible to keep the book down. It started unravelling some of the mysteries that I'd often heard off. Amish takes us into an imaginary world full of characters that brings the book to life! You're slowly travelling along with Shiva seeing things in his perspective. The mighty Shiva that you know off becomes you and you're caught in the battle between good and evil. Sati as a character is so strong, and so beautiful, I'm in awe of her. The Naga, who in my imagination looks like Darth Vader, gives you the creeps. I was very keen to know what the Naga wanted and looks like I'll have to wait a while for that. There is something to him that makes you want to reach out and pull down the hood and see what lies beneath!
This was something very brief about the book. It is a must read!
But here are some things in the book that got me thinking...
This book is all about actions speak louder than words. It shows the turmoil any person would face if he/she were to take decisions that would affect the lives of other people. It goes on to show that leaders lead by example and they're ready to face the consequences of their decisions.
Amish brings out a new (I've really not researched on this and hence I'm assuming.. ) meaning of 'Har Har Mahadev'. He brings out this concept saying each one of us is a Mahadev. I think that concept is awesome. If each one of us understands that our actions define who we are rather than our words, we would respond to situations as any Mahadev would do. Weigh and see the facts in all perspectives before coming to a decision.

Another thought that applies much closer to home and something that is a major concern is our relationship with our neighbour. For whatever reasons, there are people there who hate us and our country and there are people here who hate them and their country. But while reading this book, I thought, what if it’s the same situation like the chandravanshi's and the suryavanshi's?
Both the sides think that the other one is at fault. Who decides that they are evil or who decides that we are good? From their perspective, it could well be vice versa. Who decides what is good and evil? So is there an answer to this problem? If each one of us starts thinking like the 'Mahadev' or whatever equivalent in whatever religion, maybe there is a solution to this after all. The solution lies within each one of us. The hatred that has been sown will not be erased by some external factor. It has to come from within. Our generation should wipe this hatred/ feeling from the future generations.

To end this I'd like to say on a personal note.... Amish, thanks for the wonderful book.

luv the MIT courseware

Dreamt of getting bitten by a snake ..

Had this wierd dream... dreamt of getting bitten by a snake .. check up on the net ... and here one explnation

"Hello. My name is Dr. Robert Hernandez. I'm a psychologist in Miami, Florida, and I'm president and owner of Lafafala Retreat House. Dreaming with snakes is very important. Again, you want to get a perspective of the patient or the client of what snakes mean to them. To some people, they're terrified of snakes, so there's an element of fear, but generally speaking a snake could mean a creative feminine symbol. It also could refer to sexuality, but it is a life force, something that is coming up from the unconscious to compensate for what's happening consciously. Usually, people that dream with snakes is they're trying to get something done, but they don't. There's an element of passivity. Now when you get bit by a snake, that could be that the unconscious is trying to bite you, so that you can react. It might be, again, you're too passive consciously, so the unconscious is sending you a symbol of libido, of life, of sexuality, of something you're trying to repress, and biting you so that you can be awake again, filled with life, filled with energy, and start taking the steps you to take to live your life."


Time to kick some butt..?

Old Spice

Remember the "old" old spice ad ....
I finally got to the music ..
Here it is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmina_Burana_(Orff)

Now I thought the music was pretty captivating .. but check out the lyrics!!
O Fortuna
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut decrescis;
vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.
Sors immanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis,
status malus,
vana salus
semper dissolubilis,
obumbrata
et velata
michi quoque niteris;
nunc per ludum
dorsum nudum
fero tui sceleris.
Sors salutis
et virtutis
michi nunc contraria,
est affectus
et defectus
semper in angaria.
Hac in hora
sine mora
corde pulsum tangite;
quod per sortem
sternit fortem,
mecum omnes plangite!


Which Translates to

O Fortune,
like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing
and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
and then soothes
as fancy takes it;
poverty
and power
it melts them like ice.
Fate - monstrous
and empty,
you whirling wheel,
you are malevolent,
well-being is vain
and always fades to nothing,
shadowed
and veiled
you plague me too;
now through the game
I bring my bare back
to your villainy.
Fate is against me
in health
and virtue,
driven on
and weighted down,
always enslaved.
So at this hour
without delay
pluck the vibrating strings;
since Fate
strikes down the strong man,
everyone weep with me!



Just Awesome!

The Writer's Lounge

Came through this site and found a lot of interesting stuff to read.
But I liked this the best.


When I miss you

Who wants to read a Chic Flick?

Honestly, this is not my first time. I did read Sophie's Kinsella's "Undomestic Goddess" and it was hilarious and worth the read. But that was way back. So after dabbling with other writers and leaving some of the books in between, i asked tainu what she was reading. Turned out she had just finished reading a chic flick called "Kkrishna's Konfessions" (pardon me if I've got my k's mixed up!).
I thought I'll get it a try and i've been glued to it!
It is really hilarious especially since I've had the misfortune to see bits and pieces of the so called "soaps"!
All the characters are amazingly crafted. More on this soon.

Nightmares

Off late I have been having nightmares. Some I dont seem to remember but some of them are kind of hazy in my memory. The cause for it I can only guess. But it has resulted in me waking up at some wierd times and then not being able to sleep for a while again.
The one I had last night was wierd. It had all the ingredients of a horror movie. I was at home in Bangalore and I see this little girl coming out of a pit that been dug up. My dream then takes me to different places. On the way I meet a wierd family. A sardar married to a foreigner and they have a kid. I then realise that the kid/ghost that I had seen had something to do with SRK!!!
I then get in touch with him somehow at his gym and then I bring him to my place. So this girl sees us and she advances towards us.
I wake up with my pillows wet. I look around and see Tuffy snoring. I rest my head and wonder what that was all about. I dont have the patience to read the interpretation of dreams to understand this. But I need to get rid of these nightmares.
I wonder what is there hidden in my subconscience. I wonder what it is that I'm thinking about. I wonder what it is that is bugging me. Maybe an Angel has the answer.