Category: Odds and sods
The Three Little Foxes
Once upon a time there were three little foxes Who didn’t wear stockings, and they didn’t wear sockses, But they all had handkerchiefs to blow their noses, And they kept their handkerchiefs in cardboard boxes. And they lived in forest in three little houses, And they didn’t wear coats, and they didn’t wear trousies. They ran through the woods on their little bare tootsies, And … Continue reading The Three Little Foxes
Feelings and emotions
Navarasa means Nine Emotions in which Nava signifies nine and Rasa signifies Emotions. The nine emotions included in Navarasa are Shringara (love), Hasya(laughter), Karuna (kind-heartedness or compassion), Raudra (anger), Veera ( courage), Bhayanaka (terror), Bheebhatsya (disgust), Adbutha (surprise), and Shantha (peace or tranquility). These are the emotions that human shows according to the situations. Vishal, a method actor, in the movie Avan Ivan, makes a brilliant … Continue reading Feelings and emotions
Columnists
Some of the columnists I follow: S. Upendran, author of the popular Know your English column in The Hindu – for the past over two decades, and Professor, Department of Materials Development, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Bill Kirkman, Cambridge Letter, He began his career as a journalist on the Wolverhampton Express & Star, which he joined on graduating from Oxford. Bill then moved on to The Times, where he was Africa Correspondent … Continue reading Columnists
Folio
The Hindu published a themed booklet between 1998 and 2001 on a variety of topics such as faith, cities, rivers, addictions, earthscapes, reaching out, etc, to name a few. Continue reading Folio
Trees are sanctuaries
My friend Ben made a presentation of Hermann Hesse’s text on Trees. (click on the picture to listen to the audio) For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who … Continue reading Trees are sanctuaries
Differently Abled
Tamiru Zegeye stiffens his torso and swings his legs into the air with balletic grace. He is upside down now, his body balanced on a pair of spindly medical crutches, and then he runs. Legs in the air, hands placed firmly on the crutch supports, breathing steady, Tamiru runs; not with careless abandon, but with the precision, focus, and joy of a man who crawled … Continue reading Differently Abled
Bigger than a mountain, the sea or the world?
More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who, without swerving from his proper state controls himself. If we weigh the excellence of a benefit which is conferred without weighing the return, it is larger than the sea. A favour conferred in the time of need, though it be small (in itself) is (in value) much larger than the world. Thiruvallular, … Continue reading Bigger than a mountain, the sea or the world?
For so work the honey-bees
For so work the honey-bees, Creatures that by a rule in nature teach The act of order to a peopled kingdom. They have a king and officers of sorts; Where some, like magistrates, correct at home, Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad, Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings, Make boot upon the summer’s velvet buds, Which pillage they with merry march bring home To … Continue reading For so work the honey-bees
Spring Beckons US – II
Basil’s Twist’s The Rite of Spring. Basil Twist, one of America’s premier puppeteers, is preparing a piece to Stravinsky’s world-shaking ballet score “The Rite of Spring” for the Carolina Performing Arts festival “The Rite of Spring at 100,” in Chapel Hill. At the end of February, I went to a deconsecrated church in Bushwick to see how the rehearsals were going. The church was unheated, with … Continue reading Spring Beckons US – II
Perpetual Motion of Thought 