among good men…

I've been reading good books all my life, but desultorily, reading only for the mood they bring upon me: I haven't the intellect to rise to mental engagement with the writer. So I've lurked and watched from a distance how intellectuals fence and embrace, and I've not had courage to step forward toward them. Yesterday, I went along with one great writer—Rasheed—who had arranged a meeting with that giant in Kannada literature—U.R. Ananthamurthy.

The man opened the door himself, we sat in his study for a while, and then he decided we should sit in his back-garden. He is fond of Rasheed and respectful of his writing. The talk ranged over many topics: the pure anger of Ramdas; linguistics and text beneath text; Lankesh and Tejaswi, Karanth and Kuvempu; writer's discipline and of those who have it; the magazine Granta. I delighted in the conversation between these learned men. Later, we spoke excitedly of some ideas. He fueled more thought, stoked our ideas—they crackled and multiplied. Now when I make notes of the meeting, my remembrances are of an aged hand that was warm and strong when it gripped mine in yesterday's chilly breeze at his door, his offer to make tea, the intensity of his conversation which made all forget tea, his watchful observant eyes that rested gently on whom he addressed, and his slow short elder's steps with us to the door where he realized he had forgotten to make tea. At the moment of departure his arm was heavy and relaxed across my shoulders, his gaze fatherly upon Rasheed.

Technorati Tags: Bangalore

yesterday once more, or blogging those days

In the small towns where I was raised, radio was the only source for song and story from the larger world.

I’d strain and listen for Radio Netherlands but crackle was all I’d get. On Wednesdays, I’d finally succeed to tune in to His-n-Hers where they read birthday greetings and played the hits. The music I’d recognize through the crackle, but what they spoke arrived unintelligible over low-fidelity AM waves. I wanted to be happy with him and her so I laughed when they laughed even if I didn’t hear the funny thing. Also unintelligible were the hour-long Play of the Week Sundays on BBC and story-reading also on that station; yet the radio-voices of distant foreigners charged the air in my room, as did Willis Conover with his Jazz-Hour on Voice of America which program came at dusk and always started with Take the A Train. I wrote to Radio Australia once. Some weeks later I received mail with pretty stamps on it—from an Australian who’d heard my letter on radio. I read her letter over and over but I couldn’t compose a reply: to write thoughts, to punctuate, to make paragraphs, present everything neatly on paper—I had much desire to do them all but the effort was beyond me.

(If struck by nostalgia for an old radio, go to: Elwin's Radio Pages)

Technorati Tags: Blogoshere, puppy, radio

David McMahon

David is an Australian who lived many years in India and he has happy memories of them. Now he lives in Melbourne. I like his lively eclectic blog, and there on my first visit I saw an offer no blogger can refuse: he's willing to make the effort to critique a blog. I saw he was forthright, so I asked if he'll take a look at this, my blog. He did, and I'm surprised at what he said.

Technorati Tags: Blogoshere

Thanks, Di

I've never asked her how she found out my blog. She mailed one line and moments later another line asking to link. I said yes quickly, before she could change her mind. That was two years ago. Di has been a teacher for some time in her adventurous life, and patting the back comes naturally to her. When I first went to her blog it was an energetic blog-miner's space, ferreting out terrific blogs from round the world. Then she added her photography to it and it is now an explosion of color and celebrates daily all the richness of life. It is also an expression of intense love for people near and far, for the young and the old and the very old. She's given many pats on my back, so in a way she's who keeps my blog going. Last fortnight she mentioned my blog twice on her page. Thanks, Di.

Technorati Tags: Blogoshere

Blogambari

Rasheed has announced a new site which will carry a serialization of his new novel: Hoovina Kolli. The Sahitya Academy recognized him for his short stories and his poetry. Now begins his first novel, and for Kannada readers, delightful anticipation from chapter to chapter. Go to blogambari (you need Kannada-font from Sampada).