In a 'Online' World !!

There was a significant event two weeks ago - The HINDU launched it's e-paper. Well, what's new with that, you may ask .. After all all newspapers have their e-editions. Well, the HINDU signifies something more than a newspaper to me.. It's the epitome of journalistic excellance and my mornings aren't the same without the Hindu and a hot cup of coffee. Well, this leads us to the next question - In an online world, what's the future of the published stuff ?? And in an era where newspapers are being read online, will books soon become the next casuality ?? Well, me for one doesn't think so .. A book is much more than a collection of written words.. It has a entire charm about it ..The touch, the feel and the sheer joy of reading a paper back curled in your sofa or in a long journey to work can never be replaced by these e-books. Well atleast until they develop the next big thing in eBook Readers !! Hope the coming generations still appreciate the good ol' paperback !!

On that note, here's the TIME All time Top 100 novels list . How many have you read ??

different routes...same destinations

The road:
He stood there in the evening light basking him in an ethereal golden light. He stood in front of the photo frame lost in thought.Tomorrow would be his 25th wedding anniversary…and his wife and children had gone out for shopping.The whole air was festive..and he was here feeling a lil nostalgic….guess age was catching up with him! He took the photo frame and went and sat on the easy chair…and looked at the young man and woman..standing uncomfortably beside each other…and he smiled thinking that it almost seemed impossible that he had spent 25 years of life with this woman. It seemed strange that even after 25 years of life together..he didn’t know whether he loved her. He cared about her..he was used to her…depended on her..but did he love her? He didn’t have anything against her…only that when he got married to her…he was still nursing a broken heart…and at that time..she seemed as good as any to get married. She was not the woman of his dreams..of that he was sure. He had wanted a spirited spunky rebel …and he had found her to be patient, soft spoken and content. In the beginning it irritated him to no extent …but slowly he had grown accustomed to her gentle smiles..her understanding ways. He had been in love with a beautiful girl..full of life..very talented..high-spirited.But as expected she didn’t love him back. His inexperienced heart could not take the rejection. In spite of all the hurt..he couldn’t help continuing to loving her. To him she stood for all that symbolized womanhood-beauty, spirit and unpredictability. When his practical side intervened and he married…his wife seemed too docile…too bland; he couldn’t help comparing..this tongue tied shy girl to his outspoken sweetheart… Slowly the memory of that enchantress faded..and caught in the hum-drum of life, he packed his memories..swept the pieces of his broken heart into one corner..and went ahead with useless things..which constitute our lives. Slowly he..got used to his new wife…he started noticing her little charming ways..the amused smile which hovered on her face..when she thought him stupid…the way she straightened out things…the way she would giggle reading her romance novels..her love for old Hindi classics..and the way she would hum in the kitchen…. He came very close to realizing how important she was to him..when they had their first baby…and slowly he started loving her..the long nights they put in for the baby…the way she always smiled…and these kind of little things…he didn’t know whether he was “in love” with her..but he loved her and wanted her in his life. Sometimes…when his daughter laughed..he would be reminded of the care-free laughter of the girl whom he had loved so intensely.
He did not regret his life…but sometimes…when he was alone..in the evening times..and the light was just so…he wondered…what would have happened if he had married her instead!
The other road: He stood there in the evening light basking him in an ethereal golden light. He stood in front of the photo frame lost in thought.Tomorrow would be his 25th wedding anniversary…and his wife and children had gone out for shopping.The whole air was festive..and he was here feeling a lil nostalgic….guess age was catching up with him! He took the photo frame and went and sat on the easy chair…and looked at the young man and woman..standing beside each other..their belief in love total…and he smiled thinking about the stupidity of young love…they had thought life would be a bed of roses…. Being in love was easy..but marriage was a different ball game all together.He remembered those days when he would wait for hours on end just to catch a glimpse of her…his ears always alert to catch her speak a word…her out spoken ways…her charming laugh…everything seemed perfect. There was this one small problem in his love story…she didn’t love him back. She considered him a good friend and nothing else. And her coldness hurt him more than he could believe. He continued to love her in spite of her indifference…. But age forces one to turn practical….and he conceded to his parents wishes and agreed to get married. He didn’t care whom he married..for in his broken heart…there wasn’t place for anyone but her! When he saw the prospective gal’s pic..she seemed like the typical Indian girl, parents choose for their sons. She seemed cowed..who would never pull a person’s leg…always pliant..always accommodating! But somehow in the way she held her head…told you she was made of sterner stuff! but he didn’t want a life with her. He knew from her pic that she would never throw back her head and laugh..or show her tongue to him!!! He ran out of his house..almost in panic…and found his love in the library reading some novel. He sat beside her and looked into her eyes and said “I want you..if you don’t say yes..i will spend my life trying to make you say”yes”..but a no is not anywhere in the picture”. She looked surprised..and then she broke out into uncontrolled laughter..and in between her giggles…said “ok..we will give it a shot!” And after that…..life seemed too perfect to his eyes. He loved everything about her-her vitality..her unpredictable nature…her volatile temper. Life with her seemed like a roller coaster ride. He had somehow convinced his parents..and they had gotten married. After sometime..he began to realize that a roller coaster ride may be fun but ride it for too long…it makes one nauseous. What was her quirky unpredictable nature after some time… seemed to him like sheer fickle mindedness… What was priorly spirited nature…seemed just like bad temper..but when she snuggled up to him..and nuzzled her nose against his..and said “forgive me?”…he could feel the old magic all over again. Life was fun…thrilling..and he never knew a moment’s peace. She would throw tantrums..but sometimes…sing for him in the moonlight..or put in notes telling how she loved the way he looked at her… She laughed like a small girl…and it seemed to him that he loved her most for that. They fought…they screamed at each other….but when they were happy they were blissfully so.life was intense…and every moment was worth it. When he married her, he was sure of the fact that he was madly in love with her…but 25 years had eroded his confidence. He cared about her; he wanted to be near her; he adored her…he was pretty sure ..when she laughed her reckless laugh..he loved her. But whether he was “in love “ with her..he was not sure anymore.. He smiled and rubbed his tired eyes..and thought..that’s what time does…takes away your “forever” sureties..and leaves you confused. He was content..he had no regrets..his cup of life was full. But sometimes…when he was alone..in the evening times..and the light was just so…he wondered..what would have happened if he had married the docile girl instead!

Red Earth And Pouring Rain

When I heard about it in 2001, I was really surprised that a tamil poem has found a place on the London Underground Poster Series. Years later, this poem was again in the news, Vikram Chandra had titled his novel based on this.

...I am wondering what the poet might have thought when he wrote it 2000 years ago. We don't even know his name. As was the custom, most poets in those times don't write their names on their poems. They rightfully thought that poetry and literature are for the masses. It has to be enjoyed freely. No questions of DRM or discussions about GPLv2 or GPLv3.

Literature really transcends boundaries of time, language and culture. I hope you would also enjoy this poem. To find more about poems on the underground, visit:

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/index.htm


What she said?

Chempulapeyanirar. Translated by A.K. Ramanujan

What could my mother be
to yours?
What kin is my father
to yours anyway?
And how
Did you and I meet ever?
But in love
our hearts have mingled
as red earth and pouring rain