A Reporter's Diary

P. Lankesh series Mareyuva Munna (Before we forget) Trending Now… (Adhunika varase) This is about my recent interaction with a young girl. I am writing this because that day I felt strongly about something. I felt that these half boiled young guns were developing an unhealthy attitude about things. It seemed so pathological, but sadly rampant. Earlier, we had officers, traders and even politicians trying to lead truthful, honest lives. Even if they were to do something bad, they would do it secretly, and suffer guilt. Once, Sajjan Rao, a trader with clout, was building a huge temple in Bengaluru. He was disappointed to see that people spoke ill of him behind his back, and attributed ulterior motives. They said he was doing it not out of devotion to God, but to show off his wealth or to make his black money white. Mr Rao confided in his friend. He consoled him by stressing on how people’s faith in God was more important than complex intellectual issues like whether God existed. Now, the...

Seedlings That Are Books Gidadante Beleyuva Kruti We may cry hoarse about literature, but there is a test of good writing. When you are so dejected that you don’t want to go out nor want to talk to anyone, you hanker after solitude. The feeling that a book may soothe you makes you look for a book in the rack. The feeling is comparable to the moment when you are hungry plus pick up a snack. When you are hungry for love and tenderly touch a loved one. Just so, your heart hankers after a book that will lighten your mind and please you. Such a book is a really good one. The book need not be about philosophy, ideology or enigmatic knowledge. It is enough if it comforts you. You feel grateful if you find a story or a column or any piece by an author who lives through his writings. At such times, I reach out for George Orwell, Anton Chekov, Marquez or Yates. I look for Jane Austen’s novels, compendium of erotic poetry, or Kannada poet Bendre’s ballads.  You know how much I enjoyed Mallesh...

P Lankesh Series Animals and Us Even a tender emotion like love loses life when institutionalized. So does sympathy. The so called animal lovers’ society can be an example for this. Newspapers have carried young children carrying dogs, cats and rabbits to the pet show. We all saw pictures of cute children and cuter pets. But these societies getting to the street to save street dogs or old cows is a different story. It sounds ridiculous. We have to realize that professional hunters turning relentless animal welfare activists is among the biggest ironies in the world. Legendary hunters have saved thousands of tigers, lions, deers and other wild animals by their activism. These were the people who went round jungles, looking for prey. They hunted down wild life, or fought hard to save themselves after being attacked by them. Such romantic adventures taught them lessons for life. They fell in love with the animals and became their biggest protectors. One such hunter was an American. He had...

P. Lankesh Series Babur May I present the absolute uniqueness of this man for your kind perusal. All those aspiring biographers or autobiographers should ponder over why his 90- page autobiography can be so good.  The first Mughal King Babur wrote it. The Baburi mosque that he built in Ayodhya is in the news now. Everyone’s mind seems to be filled with thoughts of war. Babur  was so busy war –monging that all his life was spent fighting and he could not celebrate twoRamzan festivals in one place. Babur Nama or Dairy of the Lord of Delhi, is the book that I read when I was in Pre university  college(intermediate studies ). I laid my hands on the book again recently and it overawed me with all its glory. Babur came from a clan of rulers. At a young age, he built an army and fought wars to protect his homeland and tried to conquer neighbouring territories. His repeated attempts to defeat the rulers of Samar Khand failed. He finally ended up taking over Kabul and reigning ov...