My little one recently represented her school in an inter-school quiz competition. True to form, she got eliminated in the first round itself. On reaching home, she tested my knowledge of the questions that tripped her. Authoritatively, I was informed that Pani-Puri was discovered by Draupadi. For someone who has read the whole of the … Continue reading Draupadi and Pani Puri
In the fable of the 'Fox and the Sour Grapes', the disappointed fox walks away at the end. He does this only because he is alone. Had there been a few more foxes salivating over the grapes, walking away would have been tough. According to the French philosopher Rene Girard, everything we desire is driven … Continue reading Girard’s Scapegoat Mechanism and the Mahabharata
Patrick Olivelle’s ‘Ashoka’ is the first volume of the ‘Indian Lives’ series of Harper Collins, edited and put together by Ramchandra Guha. The work adopts a scholarly approach towards the man and his ideas. Re-reading aspects of his life is a great way to be reminded of Ashoka’s greatness. The only Indian empire to match … Continue reading Ashoka and the Mahabharata
