In My Hands Today…

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The Peacock Throne – Sujit Saraf

October 31, 1984 begins like any other day for Gopal Pandey as he sets up his tea stall in a lane off Chandni Chowk the most magnificent and crowded street in all Delhi. At its head lies Red Fort, once the home of the gem-encrusted Peacock Throne, symbol of the Mughal Empires dazzling might, and of its downfall.

By the end of the day, Indira Gandhi has been assassinated, violent riots have erupted and Gopal is the bemused possessor of a large sum of money. Fourteen turbulent years and four dramatic turning points in Indian history later, this myopic, bumbling man stands on the verge of immense political power.

Gopals unlikely journey is a tale of accidents, scheming, murder and tragedy, religious and political rivalries, corruption and hubris. Irreverent, farcical and as enlightening as it is entertaining, The Peacock Throne is a novel of breathtaking scope and reach, which looks deep into the heart of human nature and into the soul of modern India.

Instagram Interludes

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Since my mind is blank and I can’t think of anything to write, I thought, I’ll revive my Instagram Interludes series. Also today is Wednesday, so it’s apt since Wednesdays are generally Worldless Wednesday

This photo was taken in the grounds of one of the temples in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Chiang Mai is really beautiful and I’ll do a post on our trip there soon – most of my photos from the trip are gone, but I have some in my phone!

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In My Hands Today…

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Moth Smoke – Mohsin Hamid

When Daru Shezad is fired from his banking job in Lahore, he begins a decline that plummets the length of this sharply drawn, subversive tale. Before long, he can’t pay his bills, and he loses his toehold among Pakistan’s cell-phone-toting elite. Daru descends into drugs and dissolution, and, for good measure, he falls in love with the wife of his childhood friend and rival, Ozi—the beautiful, restless Mumtaz.

Desperate to reverse his fortunes, Daru embarks on a career in crime, taking as his partner Murad Badshah, the notorious rickshaw driver, populist, and pirate. When a long-planned heist goes awry, Daru finds himself on trial for a murder he may or may not have committed. The uncertainty of his fate mirrors that of Pakistan itself, hyped on the prospect of becoming a nuclear player even as corruption drains its political will.

Fast-paced and unexpected, Moth Smoke portrays a contemporary Pakistan as far more vivid and disturbing than the exoticized images of South Asia familiar to most of the West. This debut novel establishes Mohsin Hamid as a writer of substance and imagination.

2015 Week 21 Update

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We’re at the half-way point of 2015 today. Gosh is it me or is the year running! GG nixed our movie plans yesterday and we ended up just spending lifthe evening at home.

The week was a pleasant one with none of my colleagues in most of the week, including my boss.

There are times I really don’t know what to write for my weekly update as I rarely go out, don’t have any close friends here in Singapore and my idea of a good time is to be curled up in bed with a good book in a cool place (I don’t do heat), a hot cup of coffee by my side and a plate of pakodas! I’m very boring right?

Today is a public holiday to celebrate Buddha’s day of enlightenment called Vesak Day in the region. I really don’t have any plans for the day except maybe some reorganisation in the house.

Here’s hoping you have a fab week….

PSLE Week 21 Update

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It’s the first day of the June holidays for BB & GG, but out of the four off weeks they get, they have to go back to school for two of them for extra lessons. Also, this is the one solid month they get to prep for their PSLE exams as the prelims will come soon after school starts at the end of the month.

Yesterday BB, me and another friend with his parents went to the open house for the boys Dream School. I think BB has been living and dreaming of going to this school in Jan 2016 since the start of the year and he loved the school yesterday. He had some hands on science sessions and I could really see him enjoy that. I always felt this school would be a good fit for BB. Now I need to put in his application and get him to take the tests needed!

To start the school holidays and give the kids a small break, we’ve decided to see a movie today evening. My first choice – a Hindi Bollywood film – is completely full, so we’ll go to a neighbourhood theatre to see a film of GG’s choice. BB is ambivalent – he does not care either way….