Sonia Mehta is a children’s writer who has been writing and curating content for children for over two decades now. She conceptualized and directed the Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest, and has also authored several children’s activity books for Disney including the popular Chhota Bheem franchise. In her latest book titled Rani Lakshmibai, Mehta recounts the historic rule of the glorious queen.
Here are ten facts we discovered about the brave heart- Rani Lakshmibai that you should know too:
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A Fools Paradise with Shakespeare
Like the real fools and jesters of the time, Shakespearean fools were common individuals that outwitted people of higher social status. They find place in many of William Shakespeare’s works:
“Shakespeare’s fools are subtle teachers, reality instructors one might say, who often come close to playing the part that Socrates, himself an inspired clown, played on the streets of Athens. They tickle, coax and cajole their supposed betters into truth, or something akin to it. They take the spirit of April Fools’ Day to an inspired zenith.” (Edmundson, 2000)
This April Fool’s day, here’s our literary take on the Shakespeare’s fools:
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Edmundson, M. (2000). Playing the Fool. New York Times, Retrieved from www.nytimes.com.
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/00/04/02/bookend/bookend.html
5 Tips on Work Life Balance From A Techie-Turned-Farmer
Disheartened by his stressful life in the city, Venkat Iyer decided to quit his job at IBM and take up organic farming at his Dahanu farm. He soon went from wielding microchips to sowing moong dal. But this transition wasn’t easy. With no experience in agriculture, his journey was wrapped around uncertainty. Iyer’s debut novel, Moong over Microchips follows his extraordinary experience battling erratic weather conditions and stubborn farm animals to stumbling upon a world of fresh air, organic food and sheer joy.
Here are five tips from Iyer’s book that will help you achieve the perfect work- life balance:
Tip one: Make use of liberal leave policy
Tip two: The 5 Cs
Tip three: You should know when gadgets need to be turned off
Tip four: True wealth is in being happy, healthy and content with what one has
Tip five: Wellness is based on these five parameters
Up, Close & Personal: Meet the Residents of Auroville
“A group of youth mixed earth from 124 countries and twenty-three Indian states in a marble urn, a symbolic enactment of human unity.”
Auroville has a reputation as a cosmopolitan, spiritual township, but it remains an enigma to outside observers. What is life really like in the community? What do its residents believe in, and what are they aspiring towards? Akash Kapur’s anthology, titled Auroville: Dream & Reality includes fiction, essays, poetry and drama written by visitors and residents of the township. Let us meet seven of the talented folks who have contributed to his book:
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5 Hair-Raising Facts about India’s Landmark Criminal Cases
Dr. Pinky Anand, a trustee of The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust is a designated senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India and the incumbent Additional Solicitor General of India. Drawing on her vast experience, Pinky Anand in her book, Trials of Truth: India’s Landmark Criminal Cases, examines criminal cases that have captured public interest. She gives us an inside look and lawyer’s perspective into the manner of legal proceedings, strategies employed by legal counsel on both sides and the rigour with which courts come to verdicts.
Here are 5 gripping facts about these cases:
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Robert Frost will be your Favourite Go-to Poet; Here’s how!
Winner of four Pulitzer Prizes, Frost was a poetic force reckoned the world over. On this prolific writer’s birthday, we bring you 10 of his absolute heart melting, comforting and inspiring quotes, that will definitely make him your favourite poet!
Let’s have a look at these beautiful masterpieces:
A Dash of Poetry from Some of the Finest Indian Poets
Immensely admired for the sensitivity with which they portray human emotions and with a popularity that since decades has remained at an all-time high, this World Poetry Day we present to you a poem from some of these finest Indian poets. Their voice will tug at the heart of every poetry lover.
Let’s have a look at these fantastic voices.
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Storytelling Traditions of India and its Importance
Telling stories is more than just a fun activity. It is a way of preserving the culture and beliefs of a tribe or community and passing them down to the next generation. That is the real significance of oral traditions.
However, storytelling does not need to be limited to oral recitation. It can take form through drawings, paintings, dance or even puppet shows. India’s storytelling traditions are as diverse as the culture of the country, as can be seen in Nalini Ramachandran’s book, Lore of the Land.
Here are some of the storytelling traditions of India:
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5 sure-shot mantras to attain happiness; The Dalai Lama shows the way
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan people. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. In Happiness, the Dalai Lama opens a window into the attainment of absolute happiness in day to day life.
Let’s look at these 5 poignant quotes from Happiness, where the Dalai Lama shows us the way to attain happiness.
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A Flair to Carve Ingenious Characters; Who Else but Philip Roth
Philip Roth is the author of 31 books and has won the Pulitzer Prize, the International Man Booker Prize and many other literary awards, making him arguably America’s greatest living writer. The characters carved by this stellar author, have always invited a wide audience and been a subject of interest.
In this blog piece we celebrate this genius’ birthday through 5 of his characters.
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1. Lucy Nelson, When She Was Good
2. Alexander Portnoy, Portnoy’s Complaint
3. Peter Tamopol, My Life as a Man
4. Libby Herz, Letting Go
5. David Kepesh, The Breast
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