It’s that time where I focus on work and the W-file more than this blog again. Once again, rest assured that I am coming back, with posts on:
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Posted by Aadisht
When the Jagadguru’s Biggest Disciple tags you, you have no choice but to respond. So here goes.
The vast majority of Indian writing in English is self-indulgent wankery. But a few gems come to mind.
A Suitable Boy. I started reading this almost two weeks after my parents bought it. Considering I was in Class VI at the time, my mum was sleisha horrified. I had gotten up to Chapter 6 by the end of the Diwali vacations, when my mum realised I was reading it and firmly forbade me to touch it until the next vacations came up. Winter vacations came about and for the first time in my life I stayed up all night reading until I fell asleep – going through almost a third of the book in a night. Then I read it again in Class X and a lot more nuance became apparent. Much fun. I haven’t found any of Vikram Seth’s books since then worthwhile – An Equal Music was good, but nothing extraordinary, and I still haven’t been able to get through Two Lives.
A Writer’s Nightmare. The collection of essays by R K Narayan, which I’ve always liked much more than the novels. Somehow, his style seems more suited to a five hundred word essay than a ten thousand word book. The essays on coffee and umbrellas are my favourites.
Does William Dalrymple count as an Indian author? He ought to. City of Djinns is far better than anything I’ve ever read by an Indian historian, and White Mughals had my head spinning and imagining how cool it would be if someone wrote alternate histories about the French winning at Chandernagore, or imperialism surviving into the twenty first century.
Conversely, a dude who’s ethnically Indian but culturally completely removed is Pico Iyer. Most of the travelogues are winsome, but The Lady and the Monk is awesome.
Writing in Indian languages? I didn’t really start reading until a year ago, and since then I haven’t kept at it. I’ve found Ponniyin Selvan as awesome as Ravages’ raveouts about it indicate, and that’s the English translation. As for Sarat Chandra Chatterjee and Premchand, I wrote about them when I started them.
What I’m really waiting for is not the Great Indian Novel (I think A Suitable Boy has already managed that), but an Indian writer who really really excels at nonfiction.
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Posted by Aadisht
W-File almost completed. Regular blogging now resumes.
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Posted by Aadisht
Right people, I’m off on another one of my long blogging breaks. I’m busy with work, and I need to focus on writing a W-File. When I’m back, please hold me to writing posts on:
Until then, pip pip.
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Posted by Aadisht
Some people didn’t get the joke in the previous post. I was referring to the urban legend / FUD tactic that too much wanking will make you go blind.
It’s a myth, of course. But then so is the Mahabharatha.
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Posted by Aadisht
Desipundit is criticised for linking to blogposts of dubious quality. And rightly so. But even they never sink to the levels of Tomorrow.Sg, and link to The Ten Best Toilets in Singapore.
And the King is so much preferable to Singapore’s Number One Blogger. Sample this conversation I had last night about Xiaxue.
Kunal: pink background, variable font sizes, aaaaaargh!!!!
is this creature some manner of celebrity? i notice she mentions 30k readers
Aadisht: She is Singapore’s number one blogger
Like Kiruba
but more pink
Kunal: surely singapore is not that far gone?
look at the bloody snowflakes coming out of her head!
Aadisht: You are unaware of the true horrors of Singapore
The Straits Times is 64 pages long
and like Bombay Times
Imagine 64 pages of supplement as the main paper
Kunal: thats just terrrible!
this is the price of chewing gum-free streets
Aadisht: They are no longer gum free even. The ban is lifted.
Kunal: so its all for nothing?
Aadisht: Well it could be the price of the food
Kunal: the mushing of brains without the safety of goo-free table undersides?
Truly, we are fortunate to live in India.
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Posted by Aadisht
Kind Readers, please note that I will be in Mumbai from Saturday to Monday. My schedule will be a little tight as I have to attend a wedding, catch up with my dad, and meet my boss. But there should still be time to squeeze in a blogger meet.
If you want to meet up, then, in the immortal words of the King, hit me on!
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At Shiok, where else?
Present: Anand, Suman, Prabhu, Zero, Chenthil, Arun, and Aditya. Drunkenness led to discussing how to rid the world of free market fundamentalism, how the true test of being an Old Skool blogger is remembering when Nidhi Taparia was the prettiest girl blogger, why we were the Real BarCampers, and our next project: www.extrashot.in.
My humble contribution to the noble endeavour: a Californian Iced Tea and a Green Apple Martini.
Update: Poto!
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Did you miss me?
If you did, apologies. I’ve been horribly busy at work the past three weeks what with risk audits and pending files and whatnot and in mild depression about the Cartel breaking up. Things seem to be under control and blogging should resume this week, with the dowry series being wrapped up by Friday.
If you didn’t, bah, balls to you.
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I’ve nominated Popagandhi for Indiblog of the Year.
Yes, Indiblog of the Year is hardly a huge honour for someone who’s nominated for Best Asian Blog at the Bloggies. Yes, she is Chinese by ethnicity and Singaporean by nationality. And she does not live in India. On the other hand, she’s more Indian than most Indians, and writes better about traveling in India than most Indians I’ve seen.
If she is not nominated to the final list, I will take it as proof of the disgusting racist and homophobic mentality of the jurors. And their hypocrisy too. After all they are the ones who complain on their blogs about Indians being racist and hostile to representation.
It is in your power to prevent this happening. Lobby the jurors and demand that they vote for Popagandhi. Mail Confused and Shivam and ask them if they are ready to put their ballot where their blogposts are. Threaten to burn Patrix’s effigy if he does not push Popagandhi up the lists. Or if you want to go Gandhigiri style and send Neha roses, you can do that too. The important point is that Popagandhi wins.
For great justice!
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Posted by Aadisht