Durgeshnandini by Bankimchandra

Picked up this book along with Goli by Acharya Chatursen from Jhansi railway-station while coming back to Mumbai. Just wanted to read a book of Bankimchandra, didn't have much expectations, started reading and found it good. Writing style is different at one particular point. What I found amazing is the fact that Mr. Chattopaddhyay interacts with readers, he asks questions, he firstly created doubts then he himself clears them. He calls readers Tum, I think it might be a bit awkward for elderly, senior readers... actually am not sure :(

Its a love story of Jagat Singh, son of Maan Singh (his sister was married with Akbar) and Tilottama, daughter of a thikanedaar in Bengaal. Jagat Singh meets Tilottama and her caretaker Vimla in a temple. They had to take shelter in this temple because of thunder and heavy rain outside. Their eyes meet and they fall in love with each other momentarily. They decide to meet at the same place after 15 days, Vimla comes instead of Tilottama and takes Jagat Singh to Virendra Singh's (Tilottama's father) fort. Meanwhile Katlu Khan's (a decoit Pathan) men attack on fort in the leadership of Usman. Katlu Khan attacks Virendra Singh because he refused to support Katlu Khan in battle. Virendra Singh went with Akbar/Maan Singh. Jagat Singh was here in Bengal to vanish Katlu Khan's terror. Now Usman and Jagat Singh were in front of each other swords in their hands. The only difference was, Usman was with thousands of his men and Jagat Singh was alone...

I found writing style similar to Acharya Chatursen or a few others. Story was very much concise and was involving. Story seems historical rather than fictional. I knew a few characters already. I have read a couple of books in which Maan Singh, Jagat Singh were there. But in those books I didn't like them. But this book has created a spark inside me and I now look forward to explore more about Maan Singh and Jagat Singh.

Story might seem like a typical Hindi movie but yet you can appreciate it for its originality. Bankimchandra has done a good job of writing the story beautifully. I give story a 8/10 and book a 6/10 overall. A good quick read! :-)

The Story of My Experiments with Truth or An Autobiography by Mahatma Gandhi

Was searching for this book for a long time. No online store had it, searched it in some local book-stores but no luck. Actually I was under impression that Gandhi ji wrote it in Gujarati and Hindi originally and later he only translated it into English. So I was looking for Hindi original, however I didn't find it in any language! Went to Priya Didi that night and she handed me over the Hindi translation! Yes, then only I realized that Gandhi ji wrote it in English originally. I thought like saying NO to didi and find English one now but couldn't resist myself, picked up the book as soon as I finished Shalimar the Clown.

I was always very much curious about Gandhi ji's life, in fact I must say I didn't have very good views about him. Sometimes it happens with me that even if I don't know anything about something I start making prejudices, same happened with Gandhi ji. However even after reading his autobiography I am not able to prove myself wrong for what I used to feel about him. I still don't have good views for him and I need to read more books/articles on him to know more about him. In fact my research should start where Gandhi ji finished his autobiography i.e. his role in Indian independence and after-independence politics. But still this book gave me a fair idea about Gandhi ji's life.

I must say, I am pretty much impressed with this guy. No doubt he was a genius, not born, not god-gifted but he made his fate himself. He dominated in his magnificent personality. While reading the book sometimes I tend to compare myself or people around me with the protagonists, other characters, same happened with this book. Until Gandhi ji crossed 40 or so, he seemed very much disappointing to me. Not a single sign of great (or should I say, good, educated?) human being. He acted very cheap at times, he did what a person with good sense of humor is supposed to do. He stole money, ate meat to build his personality, went to prostitute (well, just went!), suspected his wife and many other small-big things. But the good thing with him was his determination, genuine/pure thoughts, desperation for going ahead, care for others and above all truth. Whatever he did, he knew he did wrong, he confessed and corrected it. Whatever he has confessed in his autobiography is not an easier thing to do.

He was very common, dull student in the class, who was afraid of failure in Indian college, just to skip this hard study, he went abroad. He did what every common man is supposed to do. He followed others so that he can be considered more civilized there, he wasted money on things that a wise man will never do. In nutshell, his personality didn't reflect anything that could be predicted as this person will become father of a nation. But he did it and did it very well. I guess, this was his truth, his genuine thoughts, his helping hands for everyone and determination.

I always wondered why this guy got so much hype, I realize now that that wasn't hype. He deserved whatever he got. Its no easy task to help others while your own future is on stake, you have a family to take care of. I don't know what I learned from Mahatma Gandhi ji's autobiography but I can say one thing for sure that if Gandhi ji can go this ahead, anyone in the world can go even farther. The only thing you need is determination and truth in your life. Harishchandra could have been a virtual character in Indian mythology but I think Mahatma Gandhi is no less than him. Whatever I think about him, will write later but as of now I am feeling very good that I read his autobiography. I will buy the original English version and will keep with me as inspirational book.

Shalimar The Clown by Salman Rushdie

I always wanted to read Rushdie's Midnight's Children, in fact I was planning that I will start Rushdie literature with this book only but its unfortunate that I read Shalimar The Clown first and now I am not sure whether I will read Midnight's Children or not. Was wandering through the books, asked the shop-guy about The Kite Runner, he answered in negative and handed me Shalimar The Clown, saying 'Sir, you will like it.' I picked the book, had a quick glance and thought, lets check Rushdie out.

I finished the book last week with mixed feelings. Salman Rushdie writes first-class literature, no doubt. Writing style was quite different for me and I guess I liked it. Research? Its fabulous, he seems to know everything around and put it very beautifully. You can prepare for UPSC GK test by reading his books. But story... I think story couldn't bind me, it seemed highly elaborated and distracting. Story seemed to cover entire world. At times I was wondering, what is Mr. Rushdie up to? I started the book considering it as murder mystery, poor me, and ended up realizing it was a plain, straightforward, literature book. It seemed the book was written for literature students only. Typical course book! It seemed I read the book in wrong age or maybe at wrong time at least, my mind is not stable these days, so maybe I spoiled the good reading anyhow. Anyways, I won't be reading Midnight's Children or any other Rushdie book until I find myself very much dedicated for it. I think, you just cannot dare reading Rushdie while doing some other stuff, you need to be a dedicated client of it.

I am not rating the book as it will be injustice to it. Am not blaming Mr. Rushdie for making me sleep earlier while reading the book, am blaming myself that I didn't give the book my hundred-percent.