Pavan K. Varma

Book Title: The Great Hindu Civilisation: Achievement, Neglect, Bias and the Way Forward
Author: Pavan K Varma
Format: Kindle

Review:
India is a country that is diversified in many ways. Be it the landform, culture, ethnicities, languages, or tradition, it is a perfect mixture of many kinds. With this, it is also unexplainably apt to say that India has had a glorious history too. It is also one of the countries that had a great civilisation. In the pages of history worldwide, India and its heritage are the most talked about things.

Though there is much to talk about and learn from the history, certain aspects like Westernisation and the present trend of some forces acting upon the elements that talk great about the Hindu civilisation are masking the glory. These comments and statements, where some are absolutely true, are discussed in the latest book by Mr Pavan K Varma's book, The Great Hindu Civilisation.

Pavan K Varma, an author and a former member of Rajya Sabha, quotes in this book that ' the academic elite ' of India, now in the present times, have short-changed the Hindu culture and civilisation. As far as things learnt and discussed until today, the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is the pioneer of the modern future. But, in this book, author Pavan K Varma opens a new Pandora box of some less discussed points that demystifies certain such beliefs.

In this exciting book, author Pavan K Varma talks about the most famous vocabulary used across the country by certain groups -for example, liberal, secular, etc. But in another way, he opens a new direction to think deeper into why he made such statements. However, the book in this age may create confusion among the readers. This confusion is due to the access to too much information and the less time to access the truths in the minds. One of the chapters mentions the Vijayanagara empire of Krishnadevaraya of the Chola kingdom of the Tamilnadu, which is unknown to the students who hail from the Northern part of the country is truly a topic that must be taught.

In this book, he also mentions that some people force Indian academics to ignore many aspects of India's past and history. He also points out the fear that Hindu chauvinism and the imposing of the Hindu culture might spurt. But, it is also to be noted that history cannot be forgotten but can be taught in the way it is. Many unseen forces play with these sensitive aspects that try to create unrest. As the saying goes, no one is a saint; though there are some people pointed in this book, there is always the other side of the coin.

All said and done, in this book, as a reader and as an apolitical person and, at the same time, I agree with certain truths and their explanation; some statements are highly blunt and pinpointing towards certain people and leaders. If the book is read with a free and unbiased mind, this is an extensively written, fascinating book. This book is readable with a conclusion that is framed like we need to research our past with greater care and energy — avoiding unscientific assertions — and educate our children about the great Hindu civilisation!
… (mere)

I see why poems from the collection "Neglected Poems by Gulzar" are titled as 'Neglected' These poems have a certain offbeat nature. They bring forth somewhat contrast imagery to mind while reading them. Gulzar sahaab's imagination is at it's strongest in this collection. The reader has to actually read and re-read some the verses to actually interpret their meaning but its a rewarding experience once you are able to see what the poet means. Once you get it, you read that particular poem again to bask in it's beauty.

After all these poems don't deserve to be Neglected.… (mere)