Three Bots in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Lurkers)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

i read a chapter yesterday... i think it was 10... but didn't remember meeting any Hazel?? was i sleeping? enlighten me bhai...

[[deleted user]]

finished chapter 13th! Whew, the best one!!
The first half of this book will get nothing more than 2 stars from me, but the second half deserves FULL FIVE!!

[[deleted user]]

Since we moment we started the book, I had been waiting for this chapter! I'm talking about the Rajya Sabha wala chapter.

Fun Fact: RK Narayan and KS, both were MPs during 1980-1986.
In fact, both were in the upper house.

Spoiler: They might have encountered each other during these 6 years, but, sadly, there's no reference to any such encounter in this autobiography.

What's even sadder is that My Days, RKN's autobiography/memoir was published in 1974, so unless he had a secret time-machine that no-one knew about, we are not gonna get any account of their meeting. :(

[[deleted user]]

i hope you don't read the spoiler. i tried my best to hide it.

[[deleted user]]

Anyway, so back to chapter 13:

(view spoiler)[ okay, let's talk...

1. Operation Blue Star!! OMG!! When we read about it in IAG, I thought what Mrs. Gandhi did was right. I remember Guha sir being critical of Mrs. Gandhi here and there, but I can't recall his thoughts on his whole event now. Must have been mild, else I would have remembered.
But reading it from a different POV was eye-opening. Especially from a person who belonged to neither party, but pointed out what he thought was right.
During IAG, I never thought there was any other choice, but now it seems that the whole issue could've been handled in a far better waym as KS pointed out by providing multiple alternatives. It was really a sad thing.

2. So he was the one who started the trend of Award-Wapsi, huh? :P:P

3. Loved his occasional Shayari here and there. Reminded me of our another beloved Sardar saab (May history be kind to him) who famously once said: "Hazaar jawabon se achchi hain meri khamoshi, na jane kitne sawalon ki aabru rakh li".
Clearly, KS didn't believe in this kind of theory.

4. Did you read his description of Mumbai? ("no-one in right mind calls it anything other than Bombay" alas! if only he were alive today)

5. He did have a soft-corner for Pakistan. Oh, and the next chapter is titled Pakistan, so let's see.
(hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Finished chapter 14!
A cute little chapter..nothing much to discuss..

oh, and how come he didn't meet Benazir Bhutto?

[[deleted user]]

KS uncle and Miss Roy both are quite popular in Pakistan. It seems KS always chose the middle road whenever it was something about Indo-Pak, but Miss Roy...umm...not so.

[[deleted user]]

Finished chapter 15 and 16!

15 was meh...

But

I request the government of India and all the state governments to include this chapter with full length (no cutting-shutting, okay? Thank you) in the school curriculum, Oh, and the uncensored version, please. Thank you so much!

Whew...such a chapter!!

(view spoiler)[Although, he didn't mention it, but I think it's high-time we start including sex-ed in our schools. I guess that's what he would have wanted. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I think I'm racing ahead...er..sorry.....but in my defence I'm wonly reading 2 books, and you 6!!! And am loving it...hard to put-down...
It's "my-kind" of book ;)

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 16

So, I'm confusion....:(
(view spoiler)[In this chapter, he renounces all the religions (and rightfully so) including his own and questions the existence of God or some such divine power(powers?), ultimately denying their existence too.


So, does it not make him an atheist, instead of an agnostic as he claims?
He has a book published, called Agnostic Khushwant: There Is No God (my god!! It's some 200 odd pages!!!). Well, if there's NO god, then that is atheism.

Help me, mate :/
(hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I am gonna write a review for this...It's been ages lol.

[[deleted user]]

Phew!! Finished it....
What a journey....

[Gorab, TheGunman]

:'(
I feel like dumping everything aside and pick this one right from Chapter 12!

Thanks for putting those spoilers.... I've sincerely not looked at them... will do so after every chapter.
Inspired to see that you liked it so much.... and glad that we were buddies for IAG also,...

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Forgot to mention earlier, I found this part pretty interesting and worth discussing:

Remember in Paris he met another old Sardar who couldn't speak Punjabi at all..... I was shocked to find that a person could actually forget his/her mothertongue in just 20 years!!!!
Is that even possible?
Or was that episode cooked up? Feels genuine but shocking!

Anywhere else you've encountered such phenomena?

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Give me a week bro.... I'll come back to the spoilers

[Gorab, TheGunman]

And I'm not reading 6 books.. yeah that's what my GR says...
but only reading 2 - Saakshi and this.

And studying Gene ;) [almost done]
Also I have prepared a presentation for the book review on Gene... to be used tomorrow :)

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Give me a week bro.... I'll come back to the spoilers"

Take a month if you want...I'll patiently wait here :)

[[deleted user]]

Arpit wrote: "I am gonna write a review for this...It's been ages lol."

Wow, finally a promise I didn't break :P Wrote a short review.

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "And I'm not reading 6 books.. yeah that's what my GR says...
but only reading 2 - Saakshi and this.

And studying Gene ;) [almost done]
Also I have prepared a presentation for the book review on G..."

I love how you are always reading a non-fiction or two.
(This will also count as a non-fic, so two ;)
I hope you stay this way and together we will tackle some more heavy non-fics xD xD

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Forgot to mention earlier, I found this part pretty interesting and worth discussing:

Remember in Paris he met another old Sardar who couldn't speak Punjabi at all..... I was shocked to find that ..."

Oh yeah, that kinda surprised me. And scared too.
Not sure if possible. Must ask some knowledgeable person...but really shocking, yeah!!

[[deleted user]]

I'm gonna pick Inside Out & Back Again now.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

at the middle of chapter 11 - Mumbai and illustrated weekly....
so he met Laxman before RKN...
this is the only place so far where he's not complaining much about his bosses (was there any?? or he was the big boss??) or peers...
okay one derogatory remark that the Juniors sent him stones and he edited them left and right to transform into sellable masala.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Arpit wrote: "Just finished chap 10!

We meet Hazel...umm...no, you'll know when you reach the part. Don't wanna spoil the fun for you ;-)
Enjoy your weekend gossiping with Singh uncle :P

No, never heard of Bo..."

I don't get this part. What Hazel?

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Arpit wrote: "Finished chapter 11.
It's getting better with each chapter now!

Just casually meeting Meena Kumari....no big deal :P :P
"

Same here. Finished 11 and loved it.
His relations with parents, siblings, wife and kids thrown more light. He hasn't blown his own trumpet in this chapter, but somehow makes me feel he was the best editor of his times. Not just with contacts and access to masala, but also the writing style.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Little Malice - Its good to showcase how you honestly returned the unspent amount allocated to you... Its even better to showcase with examples how others (with their names quoted!) feel this was a stupidity.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Regarding film on Train to Pak - The reason why the project got abandoned was never disclosed. And KS claims those people at least should have a word of apology for feasting away on his valuable Scotch!
KS uncle is not doodh ka dhula... must have rubbed them all off with something or the other :D
Later on, another set of actors and directors made the train to Pak film and it was kinda bogus.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

From wiki on Train to Pak film:
"several people in past has attempted to make the film, including Shashi Kapoor and Shabana Azmi, who even developed a screenplay, but owing to sensitivity of the subject, abandoned the project."

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Gorab wrote: "Later on, another set of actors and directors made the train to Pak film and it was kinda bogus."

Eeeeks... that was my personal opinion.
Wiki says - "Besides critical acclaim, it was also nominated for Best Film at the 1999 Cinequest Film Festival."

[Gorab, TheGunman]

And one more thing... he mentioned towards the end of this chapter about one of his journals...
"One was on Shraddha Mata, the Tantric Sadhvi who, according to M.O.Matthai, had borne an illegitimate child to PM Nehru"

hmmmm.... Burial at Sea :D

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Arpit wrote: "Finished chapter 11.
It's getting better with each chapter now!

Just casually meeting Meena Kumari....no big deal :P :P
"

Same here. Finished 11 and loved it.
His relations with par..."

Kinda agree...no wonder he was nominated for the upper house for his contribution in the field of journalism and literature :)

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Arpit wrote: "Just finished chap 10!

We meet Hazel...umm...no, you'll know when you reach the part. Don't wanna spoil the fun for you ;-)
Enjoy your weekend gossiping with Singh uncle :P

No, nev..."

Nothing...it's just that he shared the incident of Hazel Marrie, the black girl from his college days, twice....with the same details...especially making some remarks about her weight -_-
Nevermind though

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Gorab wrote: "Later on, another set of actors and directors made the train to Pak film and it was kinda bogus."

Eeeeks... that was my personal opinion.
Wiki says - "Besides critical acclaim, it wa..."

LMAOO...
his thoughts about "critical acclaim" you would get to know better in the epilogue where he talks about The Company of Women xD

But I'm kinda glad that it wasn't made into a motion picture. firstly, it's hard to convert into a movie that captures the essence of the book....but most importantly, I hate when books are converted into movies...
so yeah, achcha hi hua ki movie nahi bani
(No-one cares about that 5-dollar budget movie, so we will pretend like it never existed.)


Now that you have opened the Pandora's box, let's talk about it:-

If someone decides to convert it into a motion picture now, I would like Konkana Sen or Patralekha (Citylights fame girl) or Sawara Bhaskar to play the role of Nooran and Shabana for the mother of Juggat Singh.
From what I remember, Iqbal was an interesting character....but no actor come to my mind that could do justice to his character..:/ What cast would you choose?

But in today's context, the movie's subject matter would look very out of place in my opinion?

[[deleted user]]

What part are you on?

What's your upcoming/planned books?

[[deleted user]]

Btw, you should try Kru's reco Inside Out & Back Again. Won't take more than 2-3 hours I guess...very short, but beautiful....
Best fiction I've read so far this year (I've read like 2 fiction, so there wasn't much competition (:P:P), but still worth-reading)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Hazel Marrie.... ya now I remember.
I've finished the Illustrated Weekly, Mumbai part... and looooved the Gandhis and Anands part!
Absolute yorker!
Mazaa aa gaya bhai!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

This is the closest account I've heard of what happened inside the PM's house (Bol to aise rha hu as if I read much on politics!!)

Going by IAG, AFBalance (yes! thats why I keep recoing it to you), and this..... wish Sanjay wouldn't have met that accident. Such a powerful personality.
That part about him appearing in court and janata ripping his shirt off... and still him fighting it back with his fists!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

A lot has been said... and will be said about Indira's time!
So far I was oblivious to all this stuff.... books from the past couple of years have changed me... can't believe my ears stand straight whenever I hear anything about our political history concerning the Gandhis!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Arpit wrote: "Finished 12th chapter.

Oh my god!!! This was some HIGH VOLTAGE DRAMA!! I don't remember reading it like this in IAG."

Many of my friends who follow politics had a comment when they knew I read IAG... that MR Guha is highly (or maybe slightly) biased towards the left...
Hence if interested, also read the right wing opinion.... and the 'virtual' centre opinion!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

LOL IAG didn't mention anything much about the Emergency... and the charges against Indira on manipulating the elections!!!
Just a couple of one liners and he moved on ;)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Arpit wrote: "LMAOO...
his thoughts about "critical acclaim" you would get to know better in the epilogue where he talks about The Company of Women xD"

In that case, I wonder why they didn't make a movie on The (holy) COW :D :D

[Gorab, TheGunman]

My casting:
Iqbal - KK Menon
Shabana for mother (high five!)
Nooran - can't think of... Radhika Apte may be... or some new cast... Swara would be good... yeah Swara!
Juggat: Randeep Hooda

whom would you cast for Juggat?

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Any casting preferences for COW? :P :P

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Arpit wrote: "What part are you on?

What's your upcoming/planned books?"

Don't know. Preferably something from the physical shelf.
Kitne Pakistan may be...

Would like to finish A Trunk Full of Tales : Seventy Years with the Indian Elephant before picking anything new. Lest the momentum will be gone again.

Whats yours?

[[deleted user]]

Before finishing The Vegetarian, I had a list of books that I thought I would read after completing the Vegetarian....(some light cheery books)
but now I read The Vegetarian, I'm craving for some more dark stuff....but I am not a fan of dark, gloomy books, so I really don't want to pick one...don't know if it makes sense :P

I guess the effect will take few days to wear off....it always does :P

[[deleted user]]

Well, I'll be reading-
Swami and Friends with Shar, Resh, Ini....dunno when

A Fine Balance will start from April, 2nd

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking want to start and finish it in April....I've been trying to read it for a long time, but somehow it never happened...hopefully this time..

Few Agatha Christie books....most probably will start And Then There Were None, followed by Hurcule Poirot #1 and Miss Marple #1....

Might join you if any of your book catches my fancy, or you come with some BR idea...

But these are just plans...you know, how my planning works out :P

[[deleted user]]

Oh, and wanted to read few books on Nihilism too...but a quick Google search told me that most of the books on Nihilism are early Russian works..so abandoned the idea faster than one can say Ferrari...

But strangely, many users on GR listed Fight Club as a Nihilistic reading too....but confused between the movie and the book...I can only choose one...what would you suggest?

[[deleted user]]

Randeep Hooda is PERFECT!! How come I didn't think of him!!

[[deleted user]]

Er....I don't know what cow you are talking about....:( sorry...

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "This is the closest account I've heard of what happened inside the PM's house (Bol to aise rha hu as if I read much on politics!!)
"

Yeah, I was surprised. It felt like a Maha-episode of some never-ending Hindi serial..
Try to imagine the drama with the background music of "Dhin tana na na dhin tana na na" with some random temple bells ringing, camera swooshing left, right, up, down, zoom-in, zoom-out...Ah, the feels lol

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Many of my friends who follow politics had a comment when they knew I read IAG... that MR Guha is highly (or maybe slightly) biased towards the left...
Hence if interested, also read the right wing opinion.... and the 'virtual' centre opinion"

You know, I get this a lot...people say all my reading is biased..mostly Left-leaning....and advise to read some material from Right-wingers lol...But I don't think I'll ever...
though interested to read the autobiography of L. K. Adwani..