Just Like That

‘THE TRUTH’

FROM “set of lies agreed upon” to “...written by victors,” History often finds itself denounced for inglorious ‘tilt.’ It was meant to connect the presentwith thepastjoiningdotsso that thechainof events, its causes and implications could be understood. Knowledge gained thus could have lit the path of the presentso thatitcouldhaveseen fartherinto the future. Alas, history’s ‘inglorious tilt!’ This near-fatal flaw is the result of it being chiselled by human hands. These hands are often led by minds ..

As the Nature wearscolours of the spirit

THE Great American writer, philosopher, poet Ralph Waldo Emerson felt that Nature always wears the colours of the spirit. I am not sure if he was awareof thecolourfully spirited festival of Holi celebrated in India. For if he had, he would have elucidated his statement with a fine example. The festival of coloursis upon us. And though the fire of the celebrations will beignited tomorrow,Naturehas already adorned the colours of the spirit. Or to bemoreprecise, thehuman spirit will wear the colour of ..

Of the polluting normal

“Air pollution has been so normalised in India that no one even notices any more despite the science of its negative effects being well known.” The anti-ageing enthusiast millionaire Bryan Johnson’swords, after he walked out of a podcast due to poor air quality, did provoke many. While some thought the millionaire had given himself too much airs, some said he had given vent to what so many others have been feeling. Air pollution is, no doubt, extremely dangerous, especially when it has reached such ..

How much ‘work’ does ‘nation building’ need?

WORK is worship, says an old proverb. It does not, however, specify how long should one worship work. If it was for the God, some moments of earnest prayers and honest collection of good karmas could be enough, I have heard. But this is not about Almighty Boss, it is about ‘the boss’ boss – your boss. Pleasing the boss is not as easy as pleasing the God. Apart from good work it also requires specific hours of work. In absence of divine specifications, these hours of work have been a bone of contention ..

indias population to start shrinking after 38 years UN report : 3 is no crowd... But a big number

By Biraj Dixit : Life is indeed a difficult business. Just when you get to the answer, it changes the question! …And that is, as any true-blue Indian would tell you, absolutely unfair. We are the sticklers of the syllabus. So, while you a..

Weighed in gold

Life is full of paradoxes, they say. Night is darkest before the dawn and that you never understand true happiness until you have experienced tremendous pain. I have understood these edicts of life, well, I dare say. It’s the intensity or depth I am trying to reconcile with. ‘Tremendous’, is my pain presently, and I am sure I have reached such a degree of ‘tremendousness’ that I am absolutely ready to understand true happiness, if life gives me a chance. But apparently, it still thinks my pain is ..

War-fairs…peace by peace

“This is a war to end all wars.” American President Wood row Wilson had declared this in 1917, justifying decision to join the First World War. A wartoendallwars…anew beginning… a new world. Moved by the same emotion, the leaders of that time formed the League of Nations. But soon enough, theworldwasready for another war, and another, and another. To this day, the desire for a new world free of war has never really gained any ground.For,the groundis fullofweeds. Weeds can spread far and widein no ..

Fear... of too much!

FEAR is such a negative emotion, but possibly the oldest and most heeded to. In adequate amounts, it can be a life saviour; a little more and it consumes life. The line is so fine, you barely know when you have tripped. But I know, I have not just tripped but fallen with a bang. I am scared. Too scared looking at the world around me. Everything about it is so smart but hardly safe! Shouldn’t I be fearful with drones killing, pagers exploding, gadgets consuming most of my hard-earned money, my smartphone ..

The Road not taken...!

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.” If, going by the wisdom of Robert Frost’s famous lines, you do choose to take the road less travelled, make sure you are in woods and not in the concrete jungle called a city. For, in the city there are no roads less travelled these days. But in case you do manage to find one, don’t take it. If you do, it may make all the difference, but in the sense far, far different from what Frost ..