QUIZTIME 2/10/26
QUOTES 29/9/26
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QUOTES 29/9/26
Break a barrier draw a line
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The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow… WILLIAM POLLARD
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The song I came to sing remains unsung to this day. I have spent my days in stringing and in unstringing my instrument. The time has not come true, the words have not been rightly set; only there is agony of wishing in my heart…” … RABINDRANATH TAGORE
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Daniel Defoe’s 1701 satirical poem, The True-Born Englishman, a bestseller in its day:
“Speak, Satire, for there’s none can tell like these,/
Whether ’tis folly, pride, or knavery,/
That makes this discontented land appear/
Less happy now in times of peace, than war:/
Why civil feuds disturb the nation more,/
Than all our bloody wars have done before.”
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Leo Tolstoy said evocatively in Anna Karenina, “Is it really possible to tell someone else what one feels?”
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No light, but rather darkness visible…MILTON, Paradise Lost
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A gender equality society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves…GLORIA STEINEM
28/9/26 HOW CULINARY DIVERSITY SHAPED FOOD HISTORIAN’S TASTE OF INDIA TOI
Book review: ‘Profits, Prophets, Coaches and Kings’ … By Jared M Diamond
BOOK REVIEW: Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne:
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The Novel That Dug the Foundations of Science Fiction.
Kamlesh Tripathi
Even after 160 years since its publication, Journey to the Centre of the Earth continues to inspire media, scientists, writers, filmmakers, and dreamers alike. It tells us that every great discovery begins as an improbable idea, often dismissed by conventional wisdom before eventually reshaping our understanding of the world.
The title remains one of the top classics of world literature. The imaginative scope Verne brings to this novel remains par excellence. The narration didn’t accurately predict science, but it captured the adventurous spirit that makes scientific discovery possible. Very few novels have merged imagination, intellect, and excitement so successfully. No wonder, Jules Verne’s descent into the centre of the Earth remains one of literature’s greatest ascents.
“Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.” In his evergreen classic Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Jules Verne has his protagonist, Professor Otto Lidenbrock, spell out these lines to his nephew Axel. It is to explain that false theories and errors are normal and valuable steps on the road to real discoveries. Published in 1864, the novel is absorbing and offers a unique reading experience.
Verne changed the ground rules because earlier imaginative voyages mostly belonged to mythology or fantasy. He based his narrations on scientific knowledge, technological possibilities of his time and created extraordinary adventures. He encouraged his readers to assess the scientific possibilities behind the plot rather than accept the plot blindly. This approach became the hallmark of his novels and influenced other writers from H.G. Wells to Arthur C. Clarke and beyond.
An eccentric geologist is the chief protagonist of the novel, and it starts with him. His name is Professor Otto Lidenbrock. He comes across a puzzling manuscript written by a 16th century Icelandic alchemist named Arne Saknussemm. The encrypted message claims that one can reach the Earth’s centre through the crater of the extinct volcano Snæfellsjökull in Iceland. Professor Lidenbrock embarks on an expedition that defies logic but requires a plethora of common sense. He is accompanied by his reluctant nephew Axel and the stoic guide Hans.
What follows is English literature’s iconic and memorable exploration. Verne takes his readers through subterranean passages, massive caverns, underground oceans, forests of gigantic fungi, and landscapes inhabited by prehistoric creatures. Each discovery is explained with remarkable precision. The author gives it a touch of realism that distinguishes it from conventional fantasy. The intellectual honesty with which Verne presents his theories is praiseworthy even when the science is inaccurate by today’s standards.
Though Professor Lidenbrock is driven by a strong desire to uncover truth, his determination often hinges on recklessness, but Verne doesn’t ridicule his ambition. Instead, he labels scientific inquiry as one of humanity’s most difficult pursuits. In contrast, Axel, the Nephew of Lidenbrock, serves as the doubtful observer, voicing the doubts and fears shared by readers. Hans, on the other hand, demonstrates that courage is measured not by words but by enduring action.
From a modern scientific perspective, Verne’s subterranean adventure looks impossible. The immense pressure and heat of Earth would obviously render such an expedition inconceivable. Yet to play down the novel purely on scientific grounds is to misunderstand its intent. Verne was not predicting a geological reality; rather, he was illustrating the spirit of a scientific exploration. Like all great fiction, the novel is less concerned with being correct than with encouraging readers to imagine the possibility.
Stylistically, Journey to the Centre of the Earth has both meticulous description and narrative momentum. Verne’s detailed explanations of geology, mineralogy, and palaeontology occasionally slow the pace of the novel for readers used to faster storytelling. When detailing increases, the pace of the novel slows down. Yet, these passages provide the novel with intellectual depth. They remind us that genuine exploration requires patience, observation, and evidence.
The novel is not without limitations. Female characters virtually play no role in the book, a characteristic common to much nineteenth-century adventure fiction. Some episodes rely heavily on coincidence. The conclusion, following the painstaking descent, appears abrupt. Nevertheless, these weaknesses are insignificant when weighed against the novel’s originality, imagination, and historical significance.
The novel’s most remarkable achievement is its lasting relevance. Today, humanity explores the depths of the oceans, maps distant planets, and probes the origins of the universe with sophisticated technology. The scientific impulse driving these endeavours remains identical to that which animated Professor Lidenbrock, with the irresistible desire to understand what lies at the centre of the Earth.
Jules Verne didn’t merely write an adventure novel. He prescribed curiosity. His message is as relevant today as it was in the nineteenth century. Civilisation progresses because there are always those willing to descend into darkness in search of light.
Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi
Author, Poet, & Columnist
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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
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HINDI PLAY: Nathuram Godse Ko Marna Hoga
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Hindi Play: ‘Nathuram Godse Ko Marna Hoga’
Kamlesh Tripathi
I got the opportunity to see the play staged on 23 August 2026 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point, Mumbai. It was a packed show. Directed by Bharat Dabholkar, a prominent name in Marathi theatre and cinema, the play is an extremely powerful theatrical experience. The performance by the main protagonist, Vikas Patil, who plays Nathuram Godse, is brilliant. Patil, a popular figure in Marathi cinema, carries the demanding central role with considerable conviction.
The other actors in the production are Bharat Dabholkar, Anant Mahadevan, Mohan Azaad, Dr Deepa Bhajekar, Sandeep Jangam, Kaustubh Savarkar and Mangesh Desai.
Nathuram Godse Ko Marna Hoga is Bharat Dabholkar’s adaptation of the Marathi play Me Nathuram Godse Boltoy (“This is Nathuram Godse Speaking”) by Pradip Dalvi. The play attempts to shed light on Nathuram Godse’s rationale behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The term used in the play for Gandhi’s assassination is “Gandhi Vadh.”
The original Marathi play, Me Nathuram Godse Boltoy, has reportedly been running for the last 25 years. It was first staged in 1998, while the Hindi adaptation, Nathuram Godse Ko Marna Hoga, was first staged in late 2024. The play has been refined and adapted by Bharat Dabholkar, the doyen of Marathi theatre. Dabholkar is a well-known Indian adman, actor and playwright. He has clarified that the play does not glorify Nathuram Godse. His adaptation seeks to make the presentation more balanced while delving into the motivations behind Godse’s assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and offering audiences a thought-provoking exploration of a painful chapter of history.
A lady narrator introduces the play by recalling the troubled history of its Marathi version. Twenty-five years ago, every performance required police protection. On one occasion, the bus carrying the sets and actors was attacked with a bomb. The director himself had to take precautions for his security. Earlier, the play had also been censored. Despite these difficulties and controversies, it has continued for 25 years.
At the very beginning, there is a caveat stating that the play does not support any particular group. It does not pass judgement on who is right and who is wrong. The central premise is that any hatya—any killing—is wrong.
The narrator explains why the play is being presented in Hindi after 25 years. When such a play is performed before an enlightened audience, she suggests, the audience is capable of judging for itself who was right and who was wrong.
In this sense, the play takes us on a journey into the past and brings that past into the present: “Ateet ki yatra karke use vartman mein le aate hain.” The play, it is emphasised, has no political agenda. It only portrays history. It begins at Ambala Jail.
One can hear footsteps moving towards the gallows. The face of the condemned man is covered with a black cloth, or naqab. Then a lever is pulled, and Nathuram Godse is hanged. This is followed by sad music. The next scene shows the body of Nathuram Godse hanging from the gallows. Then, dramatically, Nathuram Godse—the soul of the executed man—emerges from the jail to speak directly to the audience.
He begins with a simple “Namaskar” and tells the audience not to be afraid: ‘Don’t be afraid. I’m Nathuram Godse, and this is not a ghost story.’ He goes on to say that the elderly people may have heard about him, while many young people may not have heard much about him. They may simply know that he was hanged. To the younger generation, therefore, he may be known legally and historically as a hatyara—a murderer.
He refers to himself as “itihaas ka ek dukhad panna”—a tragic page of history.
From this point, the play begins its exploration of the man behind that historical page. Godse, speaking from beyond the grave, addresses the audience directly and attempts to explain the rationale behind his action and the circumstances that led him to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi.
The unusual device of allowing a man who has already been executed to return as a character and speak to the living gives the play its distinctive dramatic framework. The audience is not merely watching a historical event; it is being asked to listen to the explanation offered by the man who committed the act. (A unique experience).
The question running through the play is therefore not whether Gandhi’s assassination was right or wrong—the opening caveat makes it clear that killing is wrong—but why Godse believed he had reached the point at which he could commit such an act. To reveal what follows would, however, be a spoiler.
The presentation also raises the larger question of how history should be remembered. Can we examine the thinking of a historical figure without endorsing it? Can an audience listen to an argument and still make its own moral judgement?
This appears to be the space in which Bharat Dabholkar’s adaptation seeks to operate. By bringing a controversial play from the past into the present, and by placing it before what the narrator describes as an enlightened audience, the production invites viewers to revisit history and make their own assessment.
After 25 years, the play thus returns to the stage in another language not merely as a story about Nathuram Godse, but as an attempt to revisit one of the most painful and controversial episodes in modern Indian history.
Its dramatic method is to let Nathuram Godse speak for himself, while leaving the audience to listen, reflect and decide where it stands. The opening at Ambala Jail—the sound of footsteps approaching the gallows, the black-covered face, the pulling of the lever, the hanging, the sad music, and finally the emergence of Godse’s soul—creates a striking theatrical beginning. The man who has been silenced by death is brought back onto the stage to speak to a new generation.
And perhaps that is the central theatrical proposition of Nathuram Godse Ko Marna Hoga: history may contain voices we find disturbing, painful or unacceptable, but understanding how such voices emerged can also compel us to confront the past more honestly.
The play therefore leaves the audience with history in its most uncomfortable form, not as a simple story of heroes and villains, but as a difficult journey into the mind of a man whose name remains inseparably connected with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. “Itihaas ka ek dukhad panna.”
Vikas Patil, playing the role of Nathuram Godse, delivers the following lines a couple of times during the play:
‘Mujhe mere rago me behte lahu ne lalkara hai/Isi liye maine Gandhi ko Dilli ja kar mara tha/Tum chahate to lal kile me bhagwa phera sakte the/Tum chahate to Jinna ko apne charno me jhuka sakte the/Tum chahate to Bhagat Singh ki phasi rukwa sakte the,
Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi
Author, Poet, & Columnist
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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer, please do so. The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
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29/9/26 FRANZ KAFKA … THE TRIAL. A SHORT PIECE
29/9/26 speaking tree CANVAS OF LIFE
Life Lesson From French Author Jules Verne
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Life Lesson from French Author Jules Verne
Kamlesh Tripathi
The greatest journey in life is not the journey across continents, but the journey into the unknown. More than 160 years ago, Jules Verne asked his readers to imagine something that seemed impossible, and that was the journey to the centre of the Earth.
In his classic novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne, the chief protagonist, Professor Otto Lidenbrock, discovers a mysterious manuscript written by the Icelandic scholar Arne Saknussemm. It reveals a secret route into the Earth through the crater of an extinct Icelandic volcano. Lidenbrock does not dismiss the idea simply because it sounds impossible. He decides to explore it. And that is where the first lesson of life begins. Never allow the word “impossible” to become the end of your curiosity.
Lidenbrock sets out with his reluctant nephew Axel and their Icelandic guide Hans. The journey takes them deep beneath the Earth, through dark passages, enormous caverns, underground seas and landscapes populated by prehistoric creatures. But beneath all the adventure lies a much deeper story. It is the story of human beings confronting the unknown. Axel is frightened. He doubts the expedition. He questions whether they will survive. And who among us has never behaved like Axel?
We all have moments when we stand before an uncertain future and think, What if I fail? What if I get lost? What if I cannot come back? Fear is natural. But fear can’t always be allowed to make our decisions. Then there is Hans. He speaks little, but when difficulties arise, he acts. He reminds us of another important truth: Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is continuing despite fear.
And then comes one of the most memorable ideas in the novel. Lidenbrock tells Axel that science is made up of mistakes. Mistakes that are useful because they gradually lead us towards truth. What a lesson for life!
We often consider mistakes to be failures. We hide them. We regret them. Sometimes we allow one mistake to define our entire life. But mistakes can also be teachers. A wrong decision can show us what not to do. A failed attempt can reveal a better direction. A closed door can force us to discover another entrance. Failure is not always the opposite of success. Sometimes it is a part of the road to success.
The expedition also teaches us something about perseverance. Imagine descending into darkness without knowing what lies ahead. That is life. We rarely have the complete map. We take one step, then another. Sometimes the path disappears. Sometimes we have to turn back. Sometimes we discover something extraordinary precisely because the journey did not go according to plan.
Jules Verne’s science may not always agree with modern scientific knowledge. The immense heat and pressure deep inside the Earth would make such a journey impossible in reality. But that is not the real point. Verne was teaching us to imagine beyond the boundaries of the familiar.
Human progress has always begun with somebody asking an unreasonable question. Can we fly? Can we reach the Moon? Can we travel beneath the oceans? Can we communicate instantly across the world? Yesterday’s impossibility can become tomorrow’s reality.
So perhaps Journey to the Centre of the Earth is not really about reaching the centre of the Earth. It is about reaching the centre of ourselves. Deep inside every person lie unexplored chambers: our courage, creativity, resilience, curiosity and dreams. The greatest discoveries may not be beneath our feet. They may be within us. So, when life presents you with an unknown path, do not immediately turn it away. Take the first step. Make mistakes. Learn. Keep going. Because sometimes the darkest journey leads us to the brightest discovery.
And perhaps that is Jules Verne’s greatest lesson. To discover the world, we must first have the courage to explore the unknown within ourselves.
Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi
Author, Poet, & Columnist
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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
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Pitru Paksha: Remembering Ancestors in Hindu Tradition … by Kamlesh Tripathi
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Pitru Paksha: Remembering Ancestors in Hindu Tradition
Kamlesh Tripathi
In this fast-paced world, one hardly gets time to remember one’s ancestors. But God has devised a methodology to find ways and means to bridge this gap. Pitru Paksha is one such occasion and season when we remember our ancestors with reverence. It is a 16-lunar-day period in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to the remembrance and reverence of ancestors (pitrs), falling typically in the lunar month of Bhadrapada (September). It commences on the Pratipada, the first day of the dark fortnight, and concludes on Amavasya (the new moon).
This fortnight is deemed inauspicious because of its association with death rituals and culminates with the Shradh ceremony. The ritual includes food offerings to deceased ancestors, believed to bring peace to their souls and ensure blessings for the living.
Pitru Paksha is based on Hindu scriptures and the principles of astronomy. When the Sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere, it symbolically enters the realm of the ancestors, also known as the south celestial sphere. This transition typically coincides with the autumnal equinox, which is why Pitru Paksha falls during this time.
Hindu scripture Garuda Purana emphasises the importance of Shradh. They describe how the offerings reach the ancestors through a cosmic chain. From Varuna (the god of waters) to Vishnu, then to Surya, and finally to the pitrs (ancestors).
A popular tale from the Mahabharata adds a mythological flavour to the observance of Pitru Paksha. After Karna died and reached heaven, he discovered that the food he touched turned into gold. This puzzled him. He asked Indra the reason. He was told that while he donated gold throughout his life, he had never offered food to his ancestors. To atone, Karna was granted a fortnight to return to Earth to perform Shradh and offer food. These 15 days came to be known as Pitru Paksha. It emphasises the necessity of feeding the departed souls for their peace and well-being.
Shradh and Tarpana are the central rituals that involve offering food (pindas made of rice and barley), water (tarpana), and prayers. Shradh is performed on the tithi (lunar date) that corresponds with the ancestor’s date of death. Specific days are designated for those who died in particular ways, such as violent deaths, children, or ascetics. Sarvapitri Amavasya is the most important day for honouring all ancestors, regardless of their specific date of death. It can also make up for missed Shradh rituals. Gaya (in Bihar) is considered the holiest place to perform Shradh, where, during Pitru Paksha, lakhs of pilgrims gather at the banks of the Falgu River for the Pitru Paksha Mela. A symbolic aspect of the shradh is the feeding of crows, believed to be messengers of Yama or the ancestors themselves. If a crow eats the offering, it is taken as a sign that the offering has been accepted.
The Garuda Purana details the journey of the soul after death and the importance of Shradh. Several key verses stand out: “On Amavasya, the airy manes appear at the door of their descendants. If they are not offered, they sigh and curse their descendants.” “Offerings made with faith during Shradh reach the ancestors wherever they may be.” These verses demonstrate that rituals are not merely traditions but acts of spiritual continuity, filial duty, and love that connect generations across life and death.
Pitru Paksha shares striking similarities with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Christianity, and with ancient Greek ancestor rituals in the form of funerary customs, highlighting a universal human concern for honouring the dead. All Saints’ Day honours all saints who have reached heaven. All Souls’ Day is dedicated to praying for departed souls in purgatory, helping them attain peace. Practices include Masses, candles, almsgiving, and visiting graves, much like the offerings made during Shradh.
Across cultures and ages, humanity shares this sacred impulse to honour those who came before them and continue to walk with us, unseen but never forgotten. Death is not an end, but a passage.
Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi
Author, Poet, & Columnist
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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
***
