Saiswaroopa Iyer's Blog, page 6
May 9, 2016
I am a Liberal, mind you. Dare you disagree!
The social media outrages spearheaded by branded liberals (those who think that the word on their bioscovers their bigotry and at times, even abuse) are not new. But I used to think that those outrages are limited to political scenarios and at times at some social scenarios.
I was amazed when these branded liberal voices unified and carpet bombed the social media with rebuttals, memes and what not, in response to this article by Gayatri Jayaraman. I personally felt the article pointed out a r...
April 30, 2016
Short story – Behind every successful woman is a…
The car halted for the fifteenth time barely covering a kilometre in the last forty minutes. At five in the evening, this was not unusual on the Road #1, Banjara Hills.Rukmini sighed stretching against her seat, glancing at her husband on the wheel.If there was an award forshowing patience in Hyderabad traffic, Vasu would have been a permanent recipient. She smiled and lay a hand over his, perched on the hand gear. No amount of traffic would ruin her mood today. Winning the gold medal at the...
April 27, 2016
Self Publishing at a glance
Thanks to the bubbly Richa Singh and her initiative Blogchatter which prodded me to write this post.I am to talk about Self Publishing in Blogchatter’s Tweet-chat on Self Publishingtonight (8.30 PM IST).
On the process to be followed for Self-publishing our content, it is important to consider the process that traditional publishing houses follow. As much as some Self-publishedwriters scorn theircloseted tendencies, there is no denying that these traditional publishing houses have perfected t...
Book Review – The Guardians of the Halahala by Shatrujeet Nath
The evergreen genre of historical fantasy can survive for eternity on the treasury of Indian literature right from the lore of scriptures to the untapped folklore. Every story has something unique to offer and every retelling explores an untold perspective of the said legend.
Guardians of Halahala is a culmination of the infinite perspectives of Indic lore and a masterful storytelling by the author Shatrujeet Nath. The book being the first of the Vikramaditya trilogy came as a suggestion by m...
April 5, 2016
Book Review of Madurai Sultanate, a concise history by Sandeep Balakrishna
For a country that has been programmed to understand their history from a Delhi-centric perspective, books focussing on other empires give a refreshingpoint of view. It is not only about expanding the scope of the historical study, but also about understanding the chain of historical events from agrounded position.
The book about Madurai Sultanate piqued my interest, given my ongoing research on South Indian history. (Also, read my review of Gods, Kings and Slaves, the siege of Madurai where...
March 4, 2016
Of Asuras and alternate readings
First published on Myindmakers in February 2016
A big addict to old Telugu puranic films, I remember this film Bhookailas vividly. It had the story of Ravana Brahma’s attempts to acquire the Atmalingam of Lord Shiva. In the popular lore, Ravana is the antagonist. But this movie had him as the protagonist. I can’t help sharing one of my favorite songs from the film –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7voWulyF2mc
The scholar that he is, Ravana does deserve his share of tales and movies as a protag...
February 28, 2016
Book Review – The legend of Parshu-Raam by Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
कषतरिय रुधिर मये जगदपगत पापं
सनपयसि पयसि शमित भव तापं
केशव धृत भरगुपति रूप जय जगदीश हरे
You bathe the world, whose sins have been destroyed and whose afflictions of existence have been allayed, with the waters mixed with the blood of the Kshatriyas. O Keshava, You who have assumed the form of Bhrigupati, O Lord of the world, victory be unto You.
– Jayadeva’s composition
Vineet Aggarwal’s Legend of Parshu-Raam chronicles the genesis of the warrior-Rishi Raam. The bookis a sequel to his earlie...
February 25, 2016
Why I self-published my book
The post was first published on DailyO in February 2016.
If you are one of those reaching the end of your precious manuscript, you are most probably passing through this big dilemma. I am someone who decided to Self-publish the story closest to my heart. My leap of faith was guided by a number of factors, both emotional and logical.
The decision of mine has given me valuable lessons for life and I cherish it. This does not mean I hold a grudge against the traditional publishing houses or the...
February 22, 2016
Book Review – Urnabhih by Sumedha Verma Ojha
Empires rise. Empires fall. We read about the Kings and their king makers. We learn about the landmark battles, coups and takeovers. Where Urnabhih stands out is in narrating the tale from the perspective of those who shouldered thecrucial responsibility of ensuring the stability of an empire- the spies. The author impresses with her way of balancing various aspects of romance, intrigues, adventure and emotions while not compromising with the pace of the narration.
The tale starts with the en...
February 8, 2016
Share the love – A #Blogbuddies Guest post by Ramya DRozario
Please welcome Ramya to my blog.Ramya JS D’Rozario is generally immersed in her own world, filled with books, food and fantastical creatures. Proud to have this aspiring artist, thinker and writer post on my blog. Do check out her blog
After completing and thoroughly enjoying The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, I decided to try another classic, albeit shorter, to suit my festive temperament towards the end of 2015. I chose, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This book was long overdue.
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