Book Review:The White Tiger-By Aravind Adiga

I was, and still am an average reader. Once, when this habit of mine was waning, it was my friend, Sumeet who acted as a patron. Today, if I may call myself a bibliomaniac of some sort, he has a good deal of credit for the same. So, when he recommends me a book about which I had never heard, I would definitely read it. The fact that it won Man Booker Prize last year added to the luster. So over a week, I read this book while travelling to and from my office.

The story of the novel is presented as a series of letters written to Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao by the male protagonist, Balram Halwai, about his life. Balram is a fugitive on the run, who went on to become an Entrepreneur in the blue chip city of Bangalore. This is something that is revealed from the beginning of the story. Balram has a very ordinary rustic beginning from the banks of Ganges. With limited opportunities, he turns out to be smartest kid among the lot. He is given a nick name 'White Tiger' by the official who comes for inspection at his school. But circumstances forces him to discontinue his studies and starts working in a tea shop. Hence forth, starts his real education...from the experiences of life. Later, he works as a chauffeur to a landlord's Son and daughter in law, who take him to Delhi along with them.

The story is a depiction of India, through the eyes of an inopportune man from the village. It shows the contrastingly different lives of the rich and poor in cities and villages. The life of the poor is termed as 'Darkness' and that of the rich as 'Lightness'. It talks about the socio-economic differences among the classes, the Caste system of our country and corruption of legal and political system. The plight of the poor and social injustice inflicted on them is something that is far from our urban life. The story opens in quite an impressive and griping manner and that holds the key and compels you to finish the book, even though occasionally, I found few parts of it a little boring.

There are few marvelously written witty, hilarious and unexampled moments which do make your journey through Balram's life smooth and refreshing. The scene where Balram is particularly annoyed with himself for being concupiscent by seeing his masters wife, Pinky Madam, in skimpy cloths is the one of most hilarious I have read in recent times. I even made my co-travelers read the same and there sure was a burst of laughter. Again, a scene where Balram, the driver assumes the place of a philosopher to his tipsy master and preaches him about life is witty. What makes it particularly wacky is that Balram compares the same situation with that of the Geeta where lord Krishna, the charioteer enlightens his passenger Arjuna.

Having said about the light moments, the novel also highlights and depicts some social issues like castism, racism and communal divide that exist in our country. Through the thoughts of various characters, the author has successfully showcased us how a typical India thinks and behaves with all these prejudices. Also, the nexus between politics and corruption has been revivified.

The scene where the narrator tries to corroborate why Indians are the best servants in the world is subjective and makes sit back and think. 'Rooster Coop' a term coined to prove the same needs to be understood only by reading.

I must admit, after reading this novel all my concept of "India Shining" has been shattered. Also, I must say I was completely under darkness about the life of people in so-called "Darkness". When I read about the pathetic situations and living conditions described about people in "darkness", I felt this story was set somewhere in early sixties. But I later was shocked to know that even today we have landlords who tax people for the use of Road and river.

Having said all this, still I wouldn't rate this novel as the best I have read. I believe if this book can get this much attention then all the other books that I have always admired has not got its share of glory. Highlight of the book is the grip that it holds from the beginning. You are curious to know about how Balram succeeds in life. But also, there are points when Balram is shown as an eccentric person, who talks to himself and also pictures a crime in his mind. Those are points where I felt the story reading became tedium.

I would suggest everyone to read this book when they have some time to kill, like while travelling. It relatively a small book and doesn't require much efforts and pain. Moreover, since you will find most of it captivating, it would give you a good company.

One good advice from my side, THE LAST WORD OF THE BOOK DESCRIBES WHERE AND WHAT BALRAM HAS LANDED INTO SO DON'T TURN TO LAST PAGE UNTILL YOU HAVE REALLY MADE IT TILL THERE J

PS: I understand that I don't have any right to make any comments on such a highly celebrated and talented writer. I'm not a professional critic. All the points mentioned here is just my personal opinion on the book.

Appease your taste buds with Delicious Veg Biryani & Khichadi

Since quite some time, I had been thinking of posting something that is of different genre from my previous ones. Last month, my parents left to our home town for a couple of days and I had cook food for myself. I did some goggling to find some good recipes and relied on it completely. For my good luck it turned out great! Following is the recipe of Veg-Biryani & Rice and Moong Dal Khichadi.

Recipe of Veg-Biryani

Ingredients: • 1-1/2 cups Uncooked Rice • 2 pinches Saffron (dissolved in a little water) • 2 Onions (sliced) • 2 tbsp Cashew nuts (broken into pieces) • 2 tbsp Raisins • 3 Tomatoes (finely chopped) • 2 Capsicums (sliced) • 2 cups (mixed boiled vegetables i.e. chopped cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, green peas) • 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped) • A little Milk • 4 tbsp Ghee • Salt to taste

To be ground into a paste: • 6 Garlic Cloves • 25 mm piece of Ginger • 3 Cardamoms • 4 Green Chilies • 3 Cloves • 1 tbsp Poppy Seeds • 2 sticks Cinnamon • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder • 1/2 tsp Chili Powder • 2 Onions • 6 Mint leaves

How to make Veg-Biryani: • Boil the rice in a vessel containing adequate water, cook and drain excess water. • Add the saffron liquid and salt to the cooked rice. Mix well. • Heat the ghee and add the onions. Fry until brown. • Remove the onions and in the same ghee, add the cashew nuts and raisins. • Fry for a few seconds. Remove and keep aside for garnishing. • Add the prepared paste and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. • Add the tomatoes and capsicum and fry again for 2 to 3 minutes. • Add the boiled vegetables and coriander and cook for a while. • Put 2 tablespoons of ghee at the bottom of a baking bowl. • Make layers of the rice and vegetables, beginning and ending with rice. • Sprinkle a little milk on top. • Cover and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C for 15 to 20 minutes. • Garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins and serve hot.

 

Rice and Moong Dal Khichadi

Ingredients 2 cups basmati rice 1/2 cup moong dal 2-3 finely chopped green chilies 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 finely chopped medium size tomato 2 finely chopped medium size onions 5-6 curry leaves 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp asafetida 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 3-4 tbsp desi ghee 6 cups water salt to taste   Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method 1. Soak moong dal and rice for 15 minutes. 2. Heat ghee in pressure cooker 3. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow spluttering. 4. Now add asafetida and curry leaves and green chilies. Then add onions. 5. Saute onions till translucent. 6. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. 7. Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are mashed. 8. Add the powdered masalas. 9. When ghee starts leaving sides, add the soaked rice and moong dal and water. Add salt to taste and stir in half the chopped coriander. 10. Cover and pressure cook (3 whistles)   The consistency should be slightly liquidy.   Garnish with remaining coriander. Serve hot with one tsp of ghee on top.

 

 

 

Gandhi-The real commando

        A recent television squib of Idea Cellular shows a young woman being eve teased by a road side Romeo. The girl resists for which the rogue replies, "Its democracy, can do anything anywhere". The lady types "Gandhi ya Commando? Gandhi or Commando" on her mobile to conduct a poll and declares "99% logon ne kaha commando","99% people says commando". She then kicks the trouble maker and makes him taste the dust and finally says "This is democracy"

The Ad definitely demonstrates qualities like progressiveness and independence of today's women and also depicts the prominence of democracy. But, in quest to show case it, the creators of this film didn't hesitate to show Gandhian ideologies in poor light. It did annoy me in the beginning and I must admit, it took a stronger form when I heard that some protest was being made. Protest which clearly seemed like a political stunt in the wake of impending elections. I had some thought over it and realized that Gandhian thoughts are actually ridiculed by most of today's youth and to some extent he is even abhorred.

The very thought took me back to a bitsy debate that I had with my friends few years back. One of them said "Gandhi took away all the glory, when many others also fought for freedom. He played wonderful politics and walked away with all the accolades. We also had men like Bhagat Singh and Netaji who were real martyrs". Over the period of time, I paid some thought on Gandhian philosophies and realized few aspects about it. Here, thru this post, I would like to defend the ideologies of the Father of our nation as the most apt ones for pre-independence India.

History has it, that before the emergence of the phenomenon called "Gandhi", Indian independence struggle was largely isolated to cities like Calcutta and Bombay. Gandhi foresaw the importance of reaching out to the common men and enlightening them about the same. He travelled the length and breadth of the country and reached out to people and hence became a house old name. The very idea of independence became a talk of every common man in India be it a shoemaker or a zameendar. It was the first real cause that brought not only the budhi jeevees or the intellect but also the common men of the whole country together.

Gandhi had an unexampled approach. He was a messenger of non-violence. As any other youth of today, I believed once that we had a prolonged history of Independence struggle mainly because our leader were liberal.I felt the ideologies of Bhagat Singh and Netaji were more cognate. I was a huge fan of Bhagat Singh and admired him to extent that i had his potrait in my room.I couldn't accept that our forefathers appreciated silent protests and non-violence as struggle for independence. It was difficult for me to fathom that they allowed a pack of a million English men to control this country.

But with more thought and understanding, I realized that, Gandhi was a man with vision. He envisioned that a bloody revolution might unite us against the Colonials but at the same time greed and power would later turn us against each other. We have Afghanistan for an example, a nation crumbled it bloody pasts. It was the greed for power and control of warlords that ripped the country apart. Gandhi realized that the same would happen in India and chose the path of non-violence. Also, He believed in slowly preparing the country for independence. Like for instance, after the Chora-Chori massacre he proclaimed that the country was not prepared for independence and called off the 'Non-corporation' movement. Today, when we debate in the name of religion, caste, creed and ethinicity I wonder whether we are yet deserving the independence that we enjoy.

Gandhi became the face of Independence struggle. Post independence, over the time, his glory walked hand in hand with his defamation. Ironically, he became the face of the very political party he represented which for the sake of electoral vote bank politics plays with emotions of religious minorities. Naturally, indirectly attacking Gandhi became the agenda of the equally formidable opposition party, which eventually plays with the emotions of religious majority. Tarnishing Gandhi's image has become their lethal weapon.

Many youth today hail Netaji for his courage. I too believe that he was the true son of our Mother land. But how many of us have really thought that he formed the Indian National Army with Japanese assistance. Japan, an ally to Hitler's Germany in the world war. Hitler whose mere mention makes a modern German feel insulted!

'Mahatma' dont mean god. And so, he did commit few mistakes in life. But still we should be thankfull to god and be proud that India produced a visionary like Gandhi, who had the vision of a Republic called India