Eyecatchers-54: ''DELHI BOOK FAIR" by Anita Joshua

The 18th edition of the biennial New Delhi World Book Fair, billed as the world’s second largest such event, will open on Saturday.

Announcing this at a press conference here, National Book Trust (NBT) Director, Nusrat Ahmed, said this time it would be a trade-oriented event and not just a platform for book sales.

A highlight this year will be an international rights exhibition featuring works on and by Mahatma Gandhi, in the 60th year of his martyrdom. Titled, “In Words and In Deeds”, the exhibition will have on display 1000 titles in Indian languages. There will also be some published in French, German, Finnish, Spanish and Brazilian.

NBT has put together an Annotated Rights Catalogue. It features annotations, bibliographic details, information on the availability of translation rights, copyright status, and contact details for rights, permissions and licences. The purpose according to Ms Ahmed, is to have an estimate of the quantum of writings on Gandhiji across the world and facilitate copyright negotiations.

With 2008 being declred the A highlight this year will be an international rights exhibition featuring works on and by Mahatma Gandhi, in the 60th year of his martyrdom. Titled, “In Words and In Deeds”, the exhibition will have on display 1000 titles in Indian languages. There will also be some published in French, German, Finnish, Spanish and Brazilian.

NBT has put together an Annotated Rights Catalogue. It features annotations, bibliographic details, information on the availability of translation rights, copyright status, and contact details for rights, permissions and licences. The purpose according to Ms Ahmed, is to have an estimate of the quantum of writings on Gandhiji across the world and facilitate copyright negotiations.

With 2008 being declared the Year of Russia in India, the Russian Federation will be the Guest of Honour. Housed in a special hall, the Russian pavilion will have over 80 publishers displaying their publications. Russia will host panel discussions, literary programmes and children’s activities.

Anzhelika Zhukova, director general of IMA Dialog which is putting together the Russian component, said 30 writers from Russia would attend. Half of them are part of the official delegation; the rest are coming on their own.

Ahead of the Fair, the Frankfurt Book Fair will host an international conference. NBT is buoyed by this, as it points to India’s emergence as an Asian center of publishing on a par with China.

The NBT Director drew attention to the number of requests that hve come from publishers for visa facilitation. Participation from 23 countries is confirmed.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, January 30, 2008

Eyecatchers-53: 'Kolkata Book Fair'

Kolkata Book Fair – Staff Reporter, The Hindu

“It looks like a war is being waged against books,” West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said at a “symbolic” inauguration of the Kolkata Book Fair here on Tuesday.

A Division Bench of the Kolkata High Court ruled in response to a public interest litigation that the Fair, which was supposed to begin from January 29, could not be held at the venue previously decided due to environmental concerns and possible traffic congestion.

“My reason or logic fails to explain as to how books can pollute society”, Mr.Bhattacharjee said. “No civilized society can accept this and together, we must find a way out of the situation.”

American poet, Christopher Meryll, carried out the “symbolic” inauguration by sounding the gong.

American novelist, Paul Theroux said the ‘alternative Book Fair’ was the best that could be managed under the circumstances.

“We are meeting secretly like early Christians because we are all book-lovers and readers,” he said.

Eminent Bengali writer, Sunil Gangopadhyay said the Book Fair was not just an emotional matter but it involved the livelihood of a lot of people, especially the poor.

“But it is unfortunate that we are inaugurating a Book Fair that does not have any books”, he said.

While steps should be taken to make it pollution-free with conditions imposed on the organizers, the Fair itself should be returned to the maidan.

Tridib Chattopadhyaya, General Secretary, Publishers and Book-sellers Guild, who organized the Fair, requested Mr.Bhattacharjee to consider setting up a permanent venue for the Book Fair.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, Jan.30, 2008

Eyecatchers-52: 'Walk to India Without Money'

BRITON PLANS TO WALK TO INDIA SANS MONEY

A British man is planning to walk to India without using money. He expects to rely on the goodwill of people along the way or work for bed and board.

Former dotcom businessman Mark Boyle, from Bristol, aims to reach Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace after the 14,500-km trek. He reckons it will take him about two and a half years.

“I have got some sunscreen, a good knife, a spoon, a bandage… no Visa card, no travellers’ cheques, no bank accounts, zero. I won’t actually touch money along the way.” The 28-year-old told BBC radio.

Walking between 25 km to 70 km a day, he plan to work his way through France, Italy, eastern Europe, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan before reaching Porbandar.

On his blog, Mr.Boyle said he was setting off on Wednesday. “I will start writing a new chapter in my life. From this point on I endeavour to never touch money again,” he wrote at www.justfortheloveofit.org/blog.php.

Describing the trip as a “pilgrimage,” he said he aims to demonstrate a “harvest philosophy” in which people can live by sharing skills rather than using cash.

“My mum and dad always speak about a time in Ireland when people came together and took in the harvest together, and no money changed hands,” he said in his soft Irish accent.

“It was your friend John down the street or Mike round the corner and everyone came together and chipped in. But now folks tell me back home that they don’t even know anybody in the street anymore, the door is always locked. My message is, we have got to get back to a time where actually we have got to open those doors and get back to a communal way of living,” added Boyle, who describes himself as a “freeeconomist”.

Having traveled in Asia before, he believes he should be alright there. But he expects the phase of leaving Britain and traveling through Europe to pose problems.

Courtesy: AFP/The Hindu, Madurai, January 31, 2008

A Thought for Today : February 1, 2008

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. –Confucius

Facts & Figures-18 : 11,000 deaths in one year

During 2006, there were 55,145 road accidents in Tamil Nadu, in which 11,009 persons were killed.

Courtesy: Dina Malar (Tamil daily), Madurai, Jan.30, 2008

A Thought for Today : January 31, 2008

Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary - Reinhold Niebuhr

A Thought for Today : January 30, 2008

When we are unable to love and appreciate ourselves and our efforts, we run away from our mistakes and failures, rather than learning from them - Meredith L. Young-Sowers

My Album-14: "Distant View of Pillayarpatti Temple Tower with Tank"

This is another view, a distant view of the Pillayarpatti Temple with its tank. This was also clicked by my son using his Nokia N70m.

My Album-13: "Sri Karpagavinayagar Temple, Pillayarpatti"

This is the main entrance to the famous cave temple of Pillayarpatti, near Karaikudi, Tamilnadu, india. The presiding deity of this temple is Sri Karpagavinayagar. It is one of oldest temples in Tamilnadu. The photo was clicked by my son using his Nokia N70m.

Blogs to Watch-12: Blooming Writer

"Blooming Writer: A ruthlessly eclectic cottage garden of thoughts, tips and occasional tantrums on gardening" The title itself gives a good idea about what to expect from the blog. The blogger is Jodi DeLong, Canning, Nova Scotia, Canada, who is a freelance writer and very compulsive gardener in Nova Scotia.

Her first book, The Atlantic Gardener's Greenbook was published in 2005 by Saltscapes Publishing. She says: "My three bad habits are cats, books and plants; this is a perfect place to frolic and share thoughts about these passions. I hope you enjoy and feel welcome."

Well, I share at least one bad habit with her: BOOKS. Further, I also consider myself as a would-be writer, though not a blooming writer. Colourful and beautiful flowers make me happy. So I enjoyed visiting the blog and reading her posts, with some nice photographs. The flowers and the birds are beautiful. It is one of the best blogs I have seen. I, as one who finds the winter of my place (never less than 23 deg) cold, am really plain curious how places like Nova Scotia would be and how people manage to live there.

Congratulations Ms Jodi DeLong!
http://bloomingwriter.blogspot.com/

A Thought for Today : January 29, 2008

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are - John Wooden

Websites to Watch-6:

The Bhagavad Gita Online website is a real boon to spiritual aspirants and seekers of the ultimate truth. The Gita is the storehouse of the transcendental knowledge of profound spiritual nature and it reveals the goal and purpose of human life.

In this website, one gets the verses and their meaning in audio format as well. Another great attraction of this website is it gives the commentaries of various great seers like Sridhara Swami, Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhvacharya and others. Further, articles by great souls on the Gita and Reflections by renowned people on the Gita are also given.

http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/

A Thought for Today : January 28, 2008

Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect - Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Thought for Today : January 27, 2008

Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade? - Benjamin Franklin

A Thought for Today : January 26, 2008

Love endures only when the lovers love many things together and not merely each other - Walter Lippmann

A Thought for Today : January 25, 2008

There is a transcendent power in example. We reform others unconsciously when we walk uprightly - Anne Sophie Swetchine

Living without Violence by Usha Jesudasan

Gandhiji made non-violence a political weapon and showed its power to those who were captive to violence and oppression.

On January 30, we remember the anniversary of Gandhiji’s violent death.

Violence. How we fear it. How we hope that it will not touch or those we love. But it does so often. The violence we face may not be brutal or physical; It may not be on our streets; or with bombs and guns; but nevertheless it is there. We find it lurking in our everyday relationships, attitudes to each other, words, thoughts, looks and feelings.

For centuries men mostly, and those in authority, marginalized the idea of non-violence as it did not help them prosper or succeed in getting what they wanted as much as violence and fear did. Then came people like Gandhiji, Martin Luther, Vaclav Havel and others who made non-violence a political weapon and showed those who were captive to violence and oppression, its power.

Since then, people all over the world have discovered the power of non-violence as a political weapon. But the non-violent life is more than just a political tactic. It is a way of life for every single person and that is both challenging and meaningful. The idea of non-violence is revolutionary and feared by those who cling to power, because it is an idea that can completely change the nature of society, and thus is a grave threat to the established order.

Non-violence or ahimsa living, is not just for activists; it is for us ordinary people – we all need to transform our minds and hearts to embody non-violence. This is a huge challenge because our society surrounds us with violence – in the media, in our workplaces, relationships and way of life. So, unless we train ourselves to consciously unlearn all the habits of violence we use, our first response to a crisis is violence.

We need to practise the art of “ahimsa living” every day. We need to store within ourselves a repertoire of non-violent actions, thoughts and words, so that when we do face crises, we can draw upon these practical, ethical, and spiritual ahimsa resources.

Could you make a commitment to an ahimsa way of life for a day or week? Which areas of your life would you have to specially target to live this way?

- “Living without Violence” by Usha Jesudasan, Young World, Supplement to The Hindu, January 25, 2008

My grateful thanks to Ms Usha Jesudasan for the wonderful article and to The Hindu for publishing it.

A Thought for Today : January 24, 2008

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - Lou Holtz

A Thought for Today : January 23, 2008

Ennui has made more gamblers than avarice, more drunkards than thirst, and perhaps as many suicides as despair - Charles Caleb Colton

A Thought for Today : January 22, 2008

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way - Edward de Bono