Monday 27 July 2020

The word - Pablo Neruda

Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, whose pen name is Pablo Neruda was chile’s most beloved poet and diplomat. With the publication of his most renowned literary work, ‘Twenty love poems and a song of Despair’ he won considerable fame. His political life was as absorbing as his creative life. So, apart from getting the international peace prize in 1950, he won Nobel Prize for literature in 1971. ‘Memoirs’ is his life story as well as a fine narration of Latin American history. It is his self-explanation as a poet and as a politician. ‘The Word’ is an excerpt from ‘Memoirs’. It is rendered in italics and so stands out like a poem. It is a great tribute to poetry with images and surrealistic expressions.

Sunday 19 July 2020

Rain! Rain!...along with umbrella, a boat too is needed


In Kerala, before monsoon it is common to see people collecting and storing fire woods, repairing the leaking roof, cutting down the threatening branches of trees near the houses, cleaning the wells, getting the chillies, coriander and turmeric sun dried and ground, repairing the umbrellas or buying new one, buying  rain coats. But this year, apart from all these things, people are buying one more thing. A boat! ….. a boat?! Surprising?! Yes! a boat! In the flood affected areas of Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, it is reported that there are shops selling boats with the capacity of carrying 6 to 7 persons. The lesson that were taught during the last two floods, has made people think and act, taking precautions like this. Yes, survival of the fittest! We have to dance according to the tunes of Nature. In low lying areas, apart from owning a two-wheeler and a four-wheeler, it is also a must to own a boat. We are strictly following the activities of ‘Bread the chain’ and wear a mask not to get affected by the virus, Covid-19. Similarly, apart from taking all the preventive and safety measures of not to get affected by flood, at least some are in need of boats too. We should also get familiarized with this! No other way! Our life style is changing slowly and moving towards ‘Survival of the fittest’!

------Thulasidharan


Tuesday 14 July 2020

The More you get, the more you lose

        It is said, near around 27 lakhs needed to purchase 1 kg gold from UAE. If it is smuggled to India without paying 15% tax (including GST) and if it is sold after transforming it into ornaments, 7 to 10 lakhs will be the profit. 4000 tons of gold ornaments are sold in a year in our country. It is also said only 800 tons of gold needed is imported after paying the above-mentioned tax. So, it is crystal clear, the remaining 3200 tons of gold is smuggled. The army that struggle to achieve this Herculean task includes thousands of carriers of different types that vary from small sparrows to big blue whales. The customs officials arrest every now and then a few carriers with one or two kg of gold. They are actually 1% or 2% of the actual gold that is being smuggled. No doubt, it is only a tip of the iceberg.

WAITING FOR GODOT - SAMUEL BECKETT



Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), an Irish novelist, dramatist and poet was born on 13th    April 1906 in Dublin.  His father William Frank Beckett was in construction work and his mother Maria Jones Roe was a nurse.  After his graduation from Trinity College, he went to Paris where he met James Joyce and became a devoted student of him. In 1931 he undertook a long journey to Briton, France and Germany. That journey helped him to find many of his characters in his literary works. In 1937 he settled in France, where he was stabbed by a pimp. In his hospital days he met Suzzane and got her friendship. However, he could marry her only in 1961. Though Beckett had “little talent for happiness” in his childhood and his severe depression that kept him in bed until midday in his youth, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1969. Though he was recognized as a novelist   and   dramatist   earlier it was ‘Waiting   for Godot’ that   won   him international fame. However, Beckett always wanted to keep himself away from the madding crowd. That was why he even declined the Nobel Prize to avoid making a speech at the ceremonies. Furthermore, after the death of his wife in July 1989, he confined to a small room and died in December 1989.