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Michelangelo Hated Painting The Sistine Chapel

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26/2/26
ECONOMIC TIMES
MICHELANGELO HATED PAINTING THE SISTINE CHAPEL
    ‘The Renaissance man complained that working on the ceiling was “torture” because he was “not a painter”‘
    When a red chalk drawing of a woman’s foot by Michelangelo sold at an auction for $27.2 million on February 5, it blew past all expectations. Experts believe it to be a study of the figure of the Libyan Sibyl, a female prophet who appears on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Michelangelo painted the iconic frescos from 1508 to 1512, but he first sketched out the overall composition and details in a series of preparatory drawings. The sale brought attention to Michelangelo’s lifelong devotion to drawing.
    Papal pleas
    In 1506, Pope Julius II put Michelangelo’s sculpting work on the papal tomb at St Peter’s Basilica on hold, redirecting the funds to the renovation of the basilica itself. Michelangelo responded by closing his studio. He ordered his workshop assistants to sell off its contents, abandoned 90 wagonloads’ worth of marble and left Rome in disgust.
    In 1508, Julius and his intermediary, Cardinal Francesco Alidosi, were able to lure Michelangelo back to Rome with the promise of a 500-ducat payment and a contract to paint the Sistine. Still, sculpture, not painting, was central to Michelangelo’s identity. In a Michelangelo-approved biography by Ascanio Condivi, the artist is said to have abandoned a painter’s workshop to train in the arts patron Lorenzo de’ Medici’s Florence. He complained to his father that painting “is not my profession” and told the pope that painting “is not my art”.
    “I’ve grown a goitre from this torture,” he wrote to his friend Giovanni da Pistoia in an illustrated poem. “My stomach’s squashed under my chin, my beard’s pointing at heaven, my brain’s crushed in a casket, my breast twists like a harpy’s. My brush, above me all the time, dribbles paint so my face makes a fine floor for droppings!”
    “My painting is dead,” he concludes. “I am not in the right place – I am not a painter.”
Preferring the process
    The poem’s accompanying caricature shows him using drawing to reflect his mind’s inner workings. His biographer Giorgio Vasari famously used the term ‘disegno’ to mean both a physical drawing and a work’s overall ‘design’. Michelangelo created many drawings for the Sistine that reflected the different meanings of disegno, including sketches of models, architectural renderings of the huge space and full-size ‘cartoons’.
    As such, while painting the ceiling was arduous, the process of conceiving it through drawing was obviously rewarding for him. Contrapposto, or the classical ‘counter-poise’, was the iconic stance for standing figures such as Michelangelo’s ‘David’. He made many studies for the Sistine referencing this sculptural pose.
Despite the popularity of the Sistine frescoes, Michelangelo rarely returned to painting afterwards. In 1534, Pope Clement VII commissioned him to paint ‘The Last Judgment’, which he only began working on after Clement died and his successor, Pope Paul III, bestowed Michelangelo with the title of Chief Architect, Sculptor, and Painter to the Vatican Palace. In 1563, he would go on to be named master of the Accademia del Disegno in Florence, which focused on teaching drawing and design as skills necessary for sculpture, architecture and painting.

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Why Basant Panchami Still Matters

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Why Basant Panchami Still Matters

Kamlesh Tripathi

    Observed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha, usually in late January or early February, Basant Panchami anticipates spring nearly forty days before its official arrival. Traditional belief holds that seasons do not change overnight; rather, they unfold gradually. The festival, therefore, acts as a harbinger to spring, often called the ‘King of Seasons,’ symbolising hope, vitality, and regeneration after winter’s inertia.

    In an age dominated by speed and spectacle, the festival of Basant Panchami arrives discreetly, with lasting effects. It is also celebrated as Saraswati Puja. It serves as a benchmark for values that remain essential, for learning and creativity. Celebrated across the length and breadth of India, the festival announces the advent of spring while venerating Goddess Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, music, and arts.

    Basant Panchami marks the turning point of the season. In northern India, the winter still lingers on, while central and western regions begin to experience a softer, spring-like weather. The festival captures this vivid moment of transition. This is when nature moves from dormancy toward growth, mirroring the human journey from inertia to wilful action.

    The prominence of yellow during Basant Panchami is deeply symbolic. Associated with Goddess Saraswati, the colour represents knowledge, clarity, and creativity. It also reflects the mustard fields that bloom across much of northern and central India during this time. The custom of wearing yellow and preparing yellow-coloured food expresses collective optimism and intellectual resumption.

    Education lies at the heart of Basant Panchami. Families traditionally encourage children to write their first letters on this day, marking the beginning of their learning. Music, learning, and artistic pursuits are considered auspicious during the festival. It reaffirms Goddess Saraswati’s central position in cultural consciousness, underscoring the belief that knowledge is both sacred and transformational.

    The fever of kite flying, especially popular in the north and west of India, adds to the festive celebrations of the day. Skies filled with colourful kites speak of the collective joy and shared celebration. It reminds communities of the simple pleasures that accompany the change of season.

    Mythology lends further fillip to the occasion. In several traditions, Basant Panchami is associated with Kamadeva, the god of love, and his consort Rati. The well-known episode of Kamadeva awakening Lord Shiva from deep meditation highlights the central philosophical theme, the tug-of-war between desire and discipline. Once, when Shiva’s third eye reduced Kamadeva to ashes at Umananda Islet in the River Brahmaputra at Guwahati, it highlighted the destructive potential of unchecked desire. Kamadeva’s revival later, following Shiva’s marriage to Parvati, represents the restoration of balance between worldly engagement and spiritual life-lessons. The lesson remains strikingly relevant in contemporary life.

    The festival is not only celebrated in the sub-continent of India but also in Nepal, Bali, Indonesia, and other continents of the world with a Hindu diaspora, thus transcending geography and religious boundaries. At its core, the festival reminds us that the renewal of seasons, ideas, and values requires patience, balance, and reverence for knowledge. In a rapidly changing world, this message remains as vital as ever.

    Basant Panchami also carries a historical significance beyond Hindu traditions, as Maharaja Ranjit Singh encouraged its observance as a day of social gathering within Sikh communities, particularly in gurdwaras. The day additionally commemorates the martyrdom of Haqiqat Rai, who was executed in 1741 for refusing religious conversion. His remembrance adds a solemn note to the festival.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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DASTAN-E-AWADH, WITHOUT DASTANGOI?

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DASTAN-E-AWADH
WITHOUT DASTANGOI?
TIMES OF INDIA 30/8/25


    The Urdu oral storytelling art form, which flourished in Awadh during the 1800s, is seeing a revival, again mostly from Lucknow, says Neha Lalchandani

    The shifting of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula’s court from Faizabad to Awadh in 1775 marked the birth of Lucknow as a cultural and administrative hub. Already an important centre of Urdu learning, the city soon emerged as an attractive destination for artists, musicians, and storytellers who once thrived in Mughal courts in Delhi. What started as a steady movement of art connoisseurs to Awadh in the early 1800s intensified around the time of the Uprising of 1857.
    It was during this phase that Lucknow was introduced to the art of Dastangoi or storytelling, which came to the Mughal courts enveloped in Persian and gradually shifted to the use of Urdu.
    Mughal emperor Akbar, a known Dastangoi lover, is credited for pushing the evolution of one of the most popular stories, that of Amir Hamza, now etched as Hamzanama. Mehmood Farooqi, who is credited for with reviving the art of Dastangoi in 2005, writes that Hamza was supposedly an uncle of Prophet Mohammed, and the stories about him abound with tales of fairies and djinns, and adventures that took him on long travels. Around the 16th century, stories of Hamza started to be narrated by specialised storytellers, called Dastangos.
    Valentina Trivedi, a Dastango, says Akbar had the story of Hamza illustrated in large panels, which came to be known as Hamzanama.
    “It is said that a Dastango would stand behind different panels to relate specific stories to highlight the shift in the scene,” she said.
    Himanshu Bajpai, whose pride in the city reflects in his name ‘Lakhnauaa’, relates that Dastan-e-Hamza created quite a flutter in Delhi before moving to Lucknow in the second phase of Dastangoi’s development. Abdul Halim Sharar, in his seminal book on Lucknow called Guzashta Lucknow, talks about how Dastangoi suddenly burst out into Lucknow’s cultural scene once the dust from the Uprising of 1857 settled. Dastangoi performances could be witnessed in markets and chowks, and Lucknow’s “shaukeen” noblemen ensured that they had their favoured Dastango as part of their retinue.
    Lucknow also played a crucial role in ensuring that Hamzanama, which for years was passed on through oral traditions, was finally etched in print.
    Trivedi, explaining how the revival of the art took place almost a century later, when there are barely any recordings of the original art form, said that it was to the credit of Munshi Nawal Kishore, the founder of the Nawal Kishore Press in Lucknow, that Hamzanama was finally printed, “Munshi Nawal Kishore played a key role in the preservation of Hamzanama. Around the 1890s, Kishore must have realised the importance of having the story written down. Under him, 46 volumes, each with 1,000 pages, were finally compiled. Sadly, most of those are also now lost,” she says.
    Some of the volumes were with late Shamsur Rehman Faruqi, a well-known Urdu poet and writer. At one point, Faruqi, apparently impressed with his nephew Mehmood, asked him to take up the recital of the volumes of Hamzanama, which he preserved.
Askari Naqvi, Dastango, actor, and founder of Naimat Khana in Lucknow, remembers an interview of Mehmood’s where he talks about his ‘chacha’ encouraging him to take up Dastangoi.
“If I remember correctly, his ‘chacha’ told him, ‘maare maare phir rahe ho. Yeh (Hamzanama) padho, tumhara bhi bhala hoga aur inka (books) bhi,” Naqvi says. In 2005, Farooqi, who took his uncle’s advice seriously, brought back the art of Dastangoi to life. Mir Baqar Ali from Delhi, the last known Dastango of that era, passed away in 1928, and with him, the art of Urdu Dastangoi also died. “Ali’s art was such that when he related a story, you could see it unfold in front of you,” says Bajpai. “His projection, modulation, and expression were so perfect that he could persuade you to believe that you were hearing a woman, and in the next second someone declaring a war,” he says.
Now, 7-8 decades later, the art of Urdu storytelling has returned to the stage. In its current form, the setting of the state, the white angrakha and do palli topi can also be traced to Farooqi, who has since groomed several Dastangos like Trivedi and Bajpai. “Even this costume is inspired by Lucknow from a time when the libaas (attire) was not restricted to any religion but instead defined the cultural identity of those residing in Lucknow,” Bajpai says.
Where storytellers were once dependent on literature like Alif Laila, Bagh-o-Bahar, Qissa-e-Meherafroz-o-Dilbar, etc., now, Dastangoi is an evolving art form which has had to adapt and adopt. Even though Urdu remains the primary language, Dastangos are delving into Hindustani as well. Stories have changed and, as Naqvi explains, moved from classical to modern. “Of course, the classical version still thrives, but to reach out to a wider audience who may not be very familiar with theth Urdu, it was important to simplify the language. People are writing their own stories now. Very often works are commissioned to commemorate some recent event, etc,” he says.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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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:

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Human Power Vs Divine Will: Lessons from King Kansa of Mathura and King Acrisius of Argos.

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Human Power Vs Divine Will: Lessons from King Kansa of Mathura and King Acrisius of Argos

Kamlesh Tripathi

    Perseus survives despite Acrisius’ dastardly attempt to kill him. Though he is abandoned and left to adrift in a wooden chest in the sea along with his mother, he is protected by the gods. On the other hand, Krishna, the eighth child of Devaki, is secretly carried away from the prison and saved, while Kansa kills infants in his attempt to escape fate. Both narratives show the failure of human power against divine will.

    Perseus is aided by Zeus, Athena, and Hermes, all key Olympian gods in Greek mythology and children of Zeus, the king of the gods and the ruler of the sky, who provide him with magical weapons and guidance. Krishna is protected by Lord God Vishnu, who incarnates as him, and supernatural events such as the parting of the mighty river Yamuna, the prison guards falling asleep at the time of his birth, ensure his escape. Perseus and Krishna’s survival is ensured through direct divine involvement. Let’s not forget the famous Hindi saying, ‘Ja ko rakhe saiyan mar sake no koi’ (No one can harm a person whom God protects).

    King Acrisius of Argos (a historic city in Greece) receives a prophecy that his grandson will kill him. Terrified, he tries to prevent fate by incarcerating his daughter Danaë and later abandoning her and her infant son Perseus (his grandson) in the sea to die. Similarly, King Kansa, of Mathura (a kingdom in India), hears a divine prophecy that the eighth child of his sister, Devaki, will be the cause of his death. To avert this destiny, Kansa imprisons Devaki and her husband Vasudeva and resolves to kill their children at birth. In both cases, the prophecy of death becomes the central trigger for the ruler’s actions.

    Despite all precautions, Perseus accidentally kills Acrisius with a discus during athletic games, fulfilling the prophecy. Krishna eventually slays Kansa in Mathura, bringing an end to his reign of terror. In both myths, destiny is fulfilled not through rebellion but inevitability.

    Acrisius and Kansa both represent a fear-driven authority that turns cruel and unjust. Perseus and Krishna represent the restoration of moral and cosmic balance (Greek dike and Hindu dharma).

    These stories reflect a universal mythic pattern: A ruler hears a prophecy of downfall. He persecutes the innocent to escape fate. The child survives through divine grace. Fate ultimately triumphs. A comparable example is of tragic Greek hero Oedipus, who was saved as an infant by a shepherd who took pity on him after being ordered to leave the baby to die on Mount Cithaeron by his father, King Laius, who was warned that his son Oedipus would kill him and marry his mother.

    In the case of Moses, the Israelites (Hebrews) are enslaved in Egypt. Fearing their growing numbers, Pharaoh orders all Hebrew male infants to be killed. At this time, a child is born to Amram and Jochebed of the tribe of Levi. To save him, his mother places him in a basket (ark) made of reeds and sets it afloat on the River Nile. The basket is discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, who takes pity on the child and adopts him. He is named Moses, meaning “drawn out of the water.” Moses does not kill the Pharaoh directly, but he confronts Pharaoh and manages the release of the Israelites across the Red Sea.

    The similarity between Acrisius and Kansa lies not in their personalities but in the mythic structure: The futility of resisting destiny and the triumph of divine justice over fear and tyranny.

    Greek mythology and Hindu mythology, though distant in geography, converge on this profound philosophical truth: no power can overturn cosmic law.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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The Famous Five … Enid Blyton

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    The Famous Five is one of the most beloved children’s adventure series written by Enid Blyton, first published between 1942 and 1963. The series spans 21 novels, all centred on the thrilling escapades of four children—Julian, Dick, Anne, and George (Georgina)—and their loyal dog, Timmy. Set mainly in the British countryside and coastal regions, these stories capture the magic of childhood freedom, courage, and friendship against the backdrop of mystery and danger.

    The series begins with Five on a Treasure Island (1942), where siblings Julian, Dick, and Ann, along with their cousin Georgina, who insists on being called George, are sent to spend their holidays with their cousin at her home, Kirrin Cottage, near the sea. George owns an island called—Kirrin Island—and a dog, Timmy, both of which become central to the adventures that follow. In this first story, the children discover the ruins of an old castle on the island and find a mysterious map leading to hidden gold.   Their courage and cleverness helped them uncover the treasure and outwit adult villains, setting the tone for the rest of the series.

    Each subsequent book follows a similar pattern: the children go on school holidays, explore new settings (moors, hills, farms, caves, lighthouses), stumble upon suspicious activities or hidden secrets, and end up solving mysteries that often involve smugglers, spies, thieves, or lost treasures. Yet, despite the recurring structure, each story offers fresh excitement through new locations, ingenious clues, and colourful characters.

   Across the series, Julian, the eldest, acts as the natural leader—sensible, brave, and responsible. Dick, the quick-witted and humorous brother, balances Julian’s seriousness with his sharp thinking. Anne, the youngest, represents domesticity and caution, often preferring comfort and order but proving loyal and brave when needed. George, the most unconventional character, is a tomboy who rejects traditional expectations of girls. Fiercely independent and short-tempered, she insists on being treated as an equal to the boys and often drives the adventures with her stubbornness and spirit. Timmy, her dog, is as much a hero as any of them—faithful, protective, and courageous, often rescuing the children from danger.

    One of the enduring appeals of The Famous Five is Blyton’s evocative depiction of the English countryside. These stories overflow with descriptions of cliffs, secret tunnels, stormy seas, moorlands, and quaint villages—landscapes that become almost characters in themselves. The children’s world is filled with picnics of sandwiches, lemonade, and ginger beer, which have become iconic symbols of carefree British childhood.

    While outwardly simple, the series also mirrors the social and moral values of mid-20th-century Britain. Themes of loyalty, honesty, courage, teamwork, and justice dominate every story. The children rely on intuition and reason rather than adult intervention, underscoring Blyton’s belief in the resourcefulness of youth. Adults are often absent, misguided, or even the villains, allowing the children to take control and show responsibility and initiative.

    Throughout the adventures—whether rescuing kidnapped scientists in Five Go Adventuring Again, uncovering smugglers in Five Go Off to Camp, or thwarting criminals in Five Have a Mystery to Solve—the Five exhibit a blend of innocence and daring that continues to inspire readers. Their adventures reinforce a sense of moral clarity, where good always triumphs over evil through courage, loyalty, and friendship.

    Enid Blyton’s clear, direct prose and rhythmic storytelling made the series immensely readable for children. Her focus on dialogue and action over description keeps the pace fast and engaging. Despite occasional criticism for outdated stereotypes or class attitudes reflective of the era, the books remain celebrated for their imagination, adventure, and timeless charm.

    By the final book, Five Are Together Again (1963), the characters retain their youthful spirit and love for adventure, embodying an ideal of friendship and integrity that transcends time. The series’ consistent formula—a mysterious setting, a moral puzzle, and a thrilling resolution—makes each story familiar yet exciting.

    Ultimately, The Famous Five endures not just as a collection of adventure tales but as a literary celebration of childhood freedom, courage, loyalty, and the joy of discovery. Blyton created a world where children, unburdened by adult interference, confront challenges with moral strength and curiosity. More than seven decades after its debut, The Famous Five continues to captivate readers across generations, offering a nostalgic glimpse into a simpler, braver, and endlessly adventurous childhood.

   

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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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:

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Phantom Police

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(PHANTOM POLICE? TIMES OF INDIA EDITORIAL 11/10/25)

Seoul has a hologram cop. Not everyone thrilled.
He doesn’t quite crash land but takes form all of a sudden – a life-size apparition in uniform, if you find yourself in Seoul’s popular Jeo Dong Park. Don’t let him spook you – it’s only a hologram of a cop, appearing every two minutes between 7 pm and 10 pm to, well, spook those up to no good. Police claim the made-in-UK ‘assistant officer’ lowered crime rates in the bustling neighbourhood under Seoul Jungbu police station by as much as 22%, between Oct 2024, when the pilot was launched, and May 2025. The cop was officially posted in the park in Aug. So, if you’re wandering around, under the influence of whatever’s your poison, and itching to pick up a fight, well, chances are the sight of a ghostly cop could nudge you to abandon the idea. No need to break into a cold sweat or run, for he’ll disappear in two minutes.
So what does this hologram cop do if it comes across a fight? He can’t chase, let alone handcuff you. Yet, ‘Enhanced features’ are a work in progress. His role now is surveillance, a deterrent to low-key ‘impulsive’ crime. Privacy may be globally dead, but still, the idea hasn’t gone down well with everyone. Visitors find him annoying, while his ghostly presence is fast creating an urban legend of a ‘haunted park’. Clearly, tech-savvy policing is not yet a smooth walk in the park.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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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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Mystery of Agatha Christie’s India Story Finally Solved

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14/9/25 MYSTERY OF AGATHA CHRISTIE’S INDIA STORY FINALLY SOLVED


    — WHY DIDN’T THEY ASK MATHEW? THERE WAS CONSTANT SPECULATION OVER WHETHER AGATHA CHRISTIE EVER CAME TO INDIA, BUT NEVER ANY PROOF, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS KNOWN TO BE AN AVID TRAVELLER. NOW, HER GRANDSON TELLS WRITER MANJIRI PRABHU THAT SHE DEFINITELY HAD VISITED – NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE–


    Some mysteries need to be actively cracked, but some solve themselves with time.


    There has been constant speculation about Agatha Christie’s India connection. One question has recurred over the years, but has never really been accurately answered: Did Agatha Christie ever visit India? The internet and popular belief will state that she did not. I, too, had often puzzled over how Christie, a world traveller, had never actually been to India. In fact, in a video in 2021, I had even concluded that she hadn’t. Until one cool but sunny Easter day in Wales.
    In March 2024, I met Christie’s grandson, Mathew Prichard, and his lovely wife, Lucy, at their charming home in Wales. Prichard, now in his 80s, had been very close to his grandmother.
    It was a memorable day, but it turned momentous when Mathew showed me Christie’s personal memorabilia — her passports, her first typed and edited manuscripts, rare photos, her camera, and her last portrait painting, which hung on one of the walls of his house.
    When Mathew signed and gifted me a copy of his grandmother’s latest biography, I also realised what a mammoth task he had been entrusted with-to preserve her legacy, and how he had upheld that trust: a proud grandson of the Queen of Crime.
    It was when I mentioned how strange it was that Christie had never visited India that he glanced at me with a twinkle in his blue eyes and said, “Oh, but she did!” I was startled. This was contrary to all that we believed. A few minutes later, as I skimmed through the numerous black-and-white, well-preserved photos, I found some that made my heart race-pictures of Christie with a garland, descending from an Indian Airlines plane. Here, finally, was the missing link to a long-standing puzzle.
    I was on the threshold of solving a real mystery, but I needed to know more. At my request, the archivist Joseph Keogh dug deeper and came up with some fascinating, unpublicised facts. Christie had indeed visited India-not once, but twice. From her passport stamps, he traced her travel itinerary for the two trips.
    Her first trip was in Jan 1960, when she visited Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), then India and Pakistan. From Jan 11 to Feb 2, she travelled to Bombay (now Mumbai), headed to South India’s Madras (now Chennai), did some sightseeing at the Ajanta Caves, and then on to Delhi. Between Feb 2 and 9, she went to Nepal and returned to Patna and Delhi, finally leaving for Karachi on Feb 17.
    Some letters were also found that referenced her trips. It appeared that the 1960 trip was for a lecture tour by her second husband, the archaeologist Max Mallowan.
    The following are extracts from two letters that Christie wrote to Edmund Cork in Cyprus, her literary agent and lifelong friend.
    Jan 11, 1960 | Future plans are, roughly, leave for Madras today – go via southern India to Bombay arriving 17th or 18th–Then some sightseeing near Bombay Agenta Caves (sic) etc and on to Delhi and then to Nepal on Jan 31st for a week — c/o British Embassy would find us there as I’m not sure what the hotel is.
    Jan 20, 1960 | Our plans are a bit different at the moment as accommodation at hotels is very hard to get exactly when one wants it but we shall be in and out of the Ashoka Hotel at Delhi between Jan 28th and Feb 2nd– and then Nepal (c/o British Embassy Kathmandu) 2nd to 9th then in and out of Ashoka again finally leaving it on Feb 17th for Karachi. So forward anything you think I ought to see to the Ashoka at Delhi — but nothing that I needn’t!!
    Another letter was from Christie, then staying at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi, to  Rosalind, her daughter.
    Feb 16, 1960 | On our arrival here yesterday evening, several archaeologists were waiting with two porters and loads of archaeological material from their … dig. The examination of the same intrigued the Ashoka guests very much.
    Christie’s second trip to India, a year later, seemed to be for leisure. The passport has a Palam, New Delhi stamp (month not specified) in 1961. This time she visited Srinagar in Kashmir and stayed at the Oberoi Palace. This is what she wrote to he daughter Rosalind:
    Oct 30, 1961 | Lake and mountains rather lovely. This is a Hotel rather like at Jaipur — converted Rajah’s Palace — miles and miles of corridors — enormous rooms and we are in a kind of supersuite looking over lake. It’s all terribly dried up by this time of year — one ought really to come in May-June. Now one must be content by rich beds of red salvia and dahlias in the Hotel garden. Temp is about 50 at night. Delicious hot sun to sit in and about 60 in a day. Suits me very well. We made some excursions — to the various Mogul gardens — and to a lake … Which is very beautiful and ringed with snowclad mountains. You can see the mountains now after the rain. We have to leave here and go to the Hotel in the town– but expect that our booking for Nov 2nd to Delhi will be all right.
    From Delhi, she wrote again to Rosalind.
    Here we are in the Ashoka. I’m glad we had a good ten days and in a perfect Hotel for old ladies (very few of them nowadays) where I could sit, in the sun — and look at a view like a Japanese print. Lovely!
    The letters revealed Christie’s bright, chirpy personality and tongue-in-cheek humour, her eagerness to explore India and her appreciation of scenic beauty. She seemed happy to be in India.
    But I pondered why her trips were not well-known. Was it because photographs were a rarity then or because she checked into the hotels in her husband’s name — or perhaps simply because Agatha Christie was a private person?
    Whatever the reason, I was thrilled with my discovery. That sunny day with Mathew, Lucy and Gwynnie, the dog carried an extra fulfilling zing because of this exciting revelation.
    I had always sensed a deep connection to Agatha Christie. But being the chosen one to unravel the mystery of her India trips felt truly special.
PICTURES IN THE ARTICLE

  1. Agatha Christie descended from an Indian Airlines plane during one or two visits to India.
  2. Agatha Christie autographs copies of her books.
  3. Mathew Prichard (also in the photo right), who has settled the India question once and for all, with his grandmother Agatha Christie.
  4. Pages from  Christie’s passport, showing (top) arrival at Palam, and (above) a Patna Police stamp that says ‘To Kathmandu’

    TOMORROW IS THE 135TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘QUEEN OF CRIME’
    BORN | SEPTEMBER 15, 1890
    DIED | JANUARY 12, 1976
   – SHE WROTE THE WORLD’S LONGEST-RUNNING PLAY. THE MOUSETRAP, PERFORMED CONTINUOUSLY IN LONDON’S WEST END SINCE 1952, EXCEPT FOR A BREAK DURING COVID (2020-2021)
    – MARRIED TWICE, DIVORCED HER FIRST HUSBAND, ARCHIBALD CHRISTIE, IN 1928, AND MARRIED ARCHAEOLOGIST MAX MALLOWAN IN 1930
    – FOLLOWING THE BREAKDOWN OF HER FIRST MARRIAGE IN 1926, SHE MADE HEADLINES BY GOING MISSING FOR 11 DAYS. SHE WAS LOCATED AT A HOTEL 296 KM FROM HER HOME, REGISTERED AS MRS TRESSA NEELE, HER HUSBAND’S LOVER’S SURNAME.
    BOOKS: 66 DETECTIVE NOVELS, 14 SHORT STORIES
    FAMOUS CHARACTERS: HERCULE POIROT, MISS MARPLE
    The author is an award-winning writer of mystery novels
    [Extracts and photographs used with permission from Mathew Prichard and the Christie Archive Trust. Special thanks to Lucy Prichard and Joseph Keogh of the Christie Archive Trust]

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Internet cables … Wiring Worries

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Times of India 9/9/25

WIRING WORRIES
BECAUSE THE INTERNET IS INTEGRAL TO DEFENCE & BIZ, INDIA SHOULD STEP UP INVESTMENT IN UNDERSEA CABLES
For a few hours on Saturday, your internet felt slower, videos buffered, and social media didn’t update at the speed of thought. The problem was identified as undersea cable damage near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sabotage by Yemen’s Houthis was suspected, but has not been confirmed. Everybody moved on quickly because, after dipping to 40%, network connectivity in India bounced back to the 90% level. This shows the progress in internet infrastructure over the years. When a careless ship’s anchor had ripped an internet cable off Egypt’s coast in Jan 2008, 75 mn people- 60 mn of them in India – had experienced an internet blackout. BPOs and other businesses were left gasping for data. Rerouting took a long time because there weren’t enough cables. Today, there are around 600 cables globally, up from 380 in 2019, so damage to one or two isn’t a catastrophe.
But while the undersea network and capacity are expanding rapidly, so are the number of users and data consumption. That’s why securing access to the internet’s pipelines has become a strategic need. Indian players like Tata, Reliance and Bharti Airtel are already invested in undersea cable networks, but as late as 2022, there were only 17 cables and 14 landing stations for the whole country, – 1% of all the landing stations in the world. In contrast, tiny Singapore will be hooked up to more than 40 cables by 2028, making it that much more resilient in the event of damage or sabotage. Cable-laying is slow work, so India should pursue it aggressively, starting now. Meanwhile, as telcos have repeatedly said, the lack of an Indian repair vessel leads to significant delays in network restoration. Clearances for calling foreign ships take up to six months. Govt must address this urgently for the sake of India’s data backbone.

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Should India Include All-Time Classic Movies in School and College Syllabi in This Digital Age? by Kamlesh Tripathi

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    In today’s digital world, where attention spans are shrinking and reading habits are on the decline, it is about time we rethink how we educate and connect with the younger generation. A powerful and often overlooked tool is the classic Indian cinema. Just like the manner in which William Shakespeare’s plays are studied in schools and colleges for their literary merit and social relevance, classic Indian films, too, deserve a place in our school and college syllabi.

    It is said that old books and films are windows to the past. They serve as mirrors reflecting the values, struggles, and ethos of a bygone era. A few months ago, on the occasion of Mother’s Day, while reminiscing about my late mother, I stumbled upon the evergreen classic ‘Mother India’ on television. Although I had watched it several times before, especially because my one-time close friend, the late Sajid Khan, had played a role in it as the young Sunil Dutt, this time it felt different. As if I wasn’t just watching the movie ‘Mother India.’ But I was watching the real India of 1957.

    The film tells the touching story of Radha, an impoverished, rural village woman who struggles against all odds to raise her sons in her husband’s absence. She encounters severe poverty, exploitation by a moneylender, and personal tragedy, yet she emerges as an emblem of strength, sacrifice, and moral integrity. In several ways, she becomes the archetype of the traditional Indian woman.

    Mother India is more than just a typical film. It holds cultural and social significance. It vividly depicts the struggles of rural India in the post-independence period. Watching this movie is like stepping back in time to understand what our ancestors endured. ‘Mother India’ is one of the many classics preserved in the archives of Bollywood, as well as in the regional film centres of Tollywood and Kollywood.

    There are many such classic, cult and epic films and TV serials like Dosti, Do Bigha Zamin, Guide, Haqueeqat, Gandhi, Sholay, Pather Panchali, Ramayana, Mahabharat, to name a few, that vividly capture different aspects of Indian life. It could be from social inequality, the British Raj, mythology, penance, the fight for India’s freedom or the wars with Pakistan and China. These films provide context, depth, and real-life visuals to what students might otherwise only read or cram in history or literature books.

    It is about time the Government considers constituting a national panel to select a curated list of classic Indian films for inclusion in school and college syllabi. These films could be rotated class-wise or standard-wise, or stream-wise. They could be aligned with topics in history, literature, sociology, ethics, and more. The way Shakespearean plays are studied for their literary value and insights into human behaviour, Indian classics can also be studied for their cultural, emotional, and historical richness.

    65% of India’s population is under 35. Digital distractions are everywhere; therefore, classic films can be a more engaging add-on to traditional textbooks. Surveys show that young people today often struggle to read even 500 words at a stretch, but they can easily sit through a well-written storyline in a movie. Visual learning is known to improve retention and understanding. It makes classic movies an effective educational tool.

    This approach need not be limited to domestic films alone. Historical and biographical classics from Hollywood or other international cinemas, such as Cromwell, Nuremberg or Schindler’s List, could also be part of an extended curriculum. This will especially benefit students planning to work or study abroad. It will help them gain cultural and historical awareness about the countries they are headed to.

    Incorporating cinema into education doesn’t mean replacing books, but it would mean enhancing the learning experience. Students could watch in-syllabus films followed by classroom discussions, essays, or creative projects. It would not only build their analytical and emotional intelligence. It will also cultivate a deeper appreciation of India’s cinematic and historical heritage.

    Furthermore, in business and professional schools, an extracurricular cinema curriculum could be developed to help students understand global cultures, leadership models, historical contexts, and ethical dilemmas, all of which are frequently depicted in well-made films.

    Cinema is not just entertainment. It is a form of art that captures the values of society, its history, and love for humanity. Though Indian classic movies are rich in content, emotion, and social commentary, they are a forgotten treasure. They can educate, inspire, and connect the youth to their roots.

    In this digital era, where attention spans are short and reading habits are waning, integrating timeless films into the academic curriculum may well be the most impactful way to preserve our cultural heritage and prepare students for a more thoughtfully aware future.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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BOOK CORNER: THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey

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Illness … doctor … pathologist … investigation … diagnosis … treatment. Yes, I’m talking about THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey.

At times, even an ace pathologist might have to send his findings in the form of slides to two experts who are contemporaries in the same discipline. Where one might say the tumour is malignant and the other non-malignant or benign.

So then, what does Chief Pathologist, Dr Joseph Pearson, finally script as his … final diagnosis? The basis on which the surgeon would have to decide whether the amputation of the leg is required or not. The pathologist is often known as the doctor the patient seldom sees.

In ‘THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS’, author Arthur Hailey unveils the tension-packed drama that is being played in the mammoth complexity of a great hospital. A world where one faulty diagnosis or one irrevocable error precipitates into appalling tragedies.

In the enthralling story, there is a continuous struggle between the Chief of Surgery, Kent O’ Donnel and Dr Joe (Joseph) Pearson, Chief Pathologist, who was once an ace pathologist, but with the passage of time, he has stagnated, which he realises towards the end of his career.

The book also describes the struggle of a young pathologist, David Coleman, who happens to be Dr Joe Pearson’s deputy, in terms of restoring the standards of a hospital laboratory. Controlled by the ageing but once brilliant doctor Joseph Pearson, Hailey takes us behind the reception areas, and into those emergency rooms and the bustling world of medicine, to reveal those hidden corridors of a world that the patient never gets to see.

The centre of action is the three-counties hospital in Burlington in Pennsylvania. The novel has a plethora of characters … the prime being:

Orden Brown—Chairman of Three Counties Hospital

Eustace Swayne—Board Member and a retail magnet of a departmental store empire.

Doctor Joseph Pearson—Chief Pathologist around whom the entire novel revolves.

Doctor Kent O’ Donnel—Chief of Surgery and Head of the Medical Board.

Doctor David Coleman—Deputy to Doctor Joseph Pearson

Doctor Charles Dornberger—The baby’s doctor … Paediatrician

Doctor Lucy Grainger—Orthopaedic Surgeon

Hilda Straugham—Chief Dietitian

Vivian Lobourton—Trainee nurse

Mike Seddons—Doctor

Alexander and his wife, Elizabeth.

The language is moving and precise, with tailor-made sentences that fit the bill. There is usage of high-toned vocabulary, but it doesn’t give that shade of verbosity. The intensity and tone of the sentences change as frequently as the change of scene. The flow of the book gives you a feel as if you’re seeing and not reading—something close to a movie. Most descriptions are vivid as if you are witnessing the scene. Especially, the ones that describe the happenings in autopsy, pathology and even surgery.

The novel makes an important point for doctors through the Chief Pathologist, Dr Pearson.  One should never give up his or her pursuit as far as the latest inventions in the medical world are concerned, no matter how much pressure of work there is. For that was the sole cause of doctor Pearson’s failure. And that holds good for any career today.

  And the scenes when Vivian is diagnosed with cancer and when Alexanders lose their newborn baby because of a faulty medical blood test report in the hospital are nail-biting and highly emotive.

I would give nine out of ten to this book. So, don’t just miss it.

One last point—I was amazed at the manner in which these doctors smoked in the hospital and drank at parties. And to their patients, they must be canvassing otherwise. It is said about authors that they try and paint the real picture of the times when the novel was written. I now believe in it ever more. This novel was written way back in 1959. Pick it up even if you have to find time.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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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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