An English Makeover
WE ALL KNOW that the sense of what it means to be British has evolved from the days of Empire to something quite radically different now. But to truly comprehend the shape of ‘Britishness’ today, you have to begin by drawing up a catalogue of sacrifices they have made. Indeed, ‘propah’ British institutions have been […]
Read MorePilgrims of a Lesser God
IN THE ISLAMIST hunting ground of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Hindus have a target permanently painted on their backs. Civilised mores of secular morality and human empathy routinely bow to the will of Islamist obscurantism. Nothing is sacrosanct. And as dawn broke upon the sylvan mountains of Reasi, dozens of Hindu pilgrims realised this. A […]
Read MoreThe Undiminished -A better idea of India has won
NARENDRA MODI WILL become the first incumbent prime minister to return to office for a third consecutive term 62 years after Jawaharlal Nehru’s hat-trick in 1962. Only this time BJP has fallen short of the majority mark and India returns to a period of coalition politics after a hiatus of 10 years. A win, of […]
Read MoreA Tale of Two Nominations
IN THIS AGE OF the viral Insta-image, illusions evoked by optics can change the course of destiny, cloud the face of vanity, or simply disguise reality. Examples abound. There are no better conjurers of illusion than politicians. Consider the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s casually placed arm over Yogi Adityanath’s shoulder. Were the optics […]
Read MoreThe Pyramid of Inverted Vanities – The cult of the Gandhis is at stake in Amethi and Rae Bareli
WHY HAS CONGRESS appeared so stricken with confusion in declaring its candidates for the Gandhi family bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli? Is it solely down to the fear of defeat? It isn’t as if the Gandhis don’t know what it is like to lose Amethi and Rae Bareli. Amethi first played truant with Sanjay […]
Read MoreThe Wisdom of Delay – Why it is too soon to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir
LET US BEGIN WITH a caveat. This is not a plea for imposing Central rule in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in perpetuity. The status quo where the residents of the state don’t get to elect a government that is accountable to them is not tenable in the long term. A fact not lost even on […]
Read MoreDance of the Defectors – BJP isn’t taking them in to empty out the opposition. There’s a larger message
SELF-APPOINTED GUARDIANS of India’s political morality are lathered up about what they believe is a BJP plot to rid India of the opposition. This dark augury has been apparently triggered by the migration of political leaders or ‘defectors’ to BJP. Now, no election has ever been complete without this poll season floor crossing. The switcheroo […]
Read MoreThe Shrinking of the Satraps
Why Modi is certain to match Nehru’s record IN 1990, LALU PRASAD YADAV became the chief minister of Bihar. For the first four months of his tenure, he chose to stay in what the bada sahibs called “chaprasi quarters”. In those early days, Lalu was conferred the title ‘Lok Nayak’ by his marginalised Backward Caste […]
Read MoreBrand, Baaja, Bharat
As global icons come to savour the India story WEDDINGS EDIFY THE power of commitment. That might be stating the obvious but not if you are an Ambani. The Anant Ambani- Radhika Merchant pre-wedding celebrations will invariably be commented upon for their lavishness, but in reality they take commitment to an unprecedented level. Take the […]
Read MoreThe Gateway to Bharat
Modern India builds a temple to its civilisational identity AYODHYA IS, AND WILL perhaps always be, the abode of the most ardent bhakts. The ones who never lost faith. Hanuman to Lord Ram, Nandi to Lord Shiva. On the dawn of January 22, to mark the Prana Pratishtha (ritualistic ceremony to install the statue of […]
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