The Lalit Blog

Why does anybody, even if someone has the false notion of being an intellectual, have to dig out and flash a useless quote from a former High Commissioner of Australia, who obviously knew nothing about India even when he was posted in New Delhi in mid-60s of the last Century A tweet by Swathi Bellam, rightly exposes the shallowness of Ramchandra Guha and it says it all. One couldn’t agree more and hence it is being reproduced here. It’s a mystry, who had recommended and approved the appointment of Guha to a science chair at the IISc, Bangalore a few years ago.  Check also

Imambara, Lucknow aka Asfi Imambara, the imambara built by Asaf. Imam_bara refers to the ‘House of the Imam’. Imam: literally, the head of the ummah, the Muslim community. The Imambara at Lucknow was commissioned by Asaf ud daula, the Nawab of Awadh at a time when Awadh was facing  famine conditions. When another imambara was constructed in the neighbourhood a few years later, the Asfi Imambara came to be called the ‘Bada’ Imambara. Bada referring to ‘big’. The other building came to be known as the ‘chhota’ imambara, chhota referring to ‘smaller’.  Building this grand structure created much needed employment for a people who were facing difficulty because their crops had failed. Paid labour ensured some money in their hands which could be used to buy food and other essentials. Construction started in 1784 and the building was finally put into use in 1791.  The Bada Imambara  is a marvel of civil engineering. Built on very deep foundations, it is a building that uses no wood or iron in

Courtesy India History page on fb Nehruvian socialism was known for emasculating all entrepreneurship in India. As a result, the handful of monied families of India at the time of independence continued to dominate the economy for the next five decades.  No new entrepreneurship was allowed. No new schools or colleges were allowed on the excuse of allowing only the best. Indians were even disallowed contact with the outside world. An Indian travelling abroad could only take $20. Anything more, it was argued, would deplete the treasury of Nehruvian India.  India, which had the largest manufacturing base in all of Asia and Africa, quickly became a basket case. Its huge agricultural classes were reduced to penury, unable to feed even themselves.  Those decades were the lost decades. All the gains instituted by India’s  contact with Britain  were lost, as also all the spirit that Indians possessed. Instead, Indians began to spend an inordinate amount of energy in breast beating and blaming

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  Lalit Shastri Lalit Shastri The demand for a caste-based census of the Hindu population in India has garnered significant attention and debate. This move by the Congress party and its allies has raised a crucial question: why restrict the caste census to Hindu communities alone? The intricate web of caste divisions extends beyond Hinduism, permeating other religions in the subcontinent as well. Therefore, it is imperative to contemplate a comprehensive caste census that encompasses all religious groups, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and also atheists. This article delves into the history and complexity of the caste system in South Asia more particularly in India, its presence in various religious communities, and why a holistic approach to the caste census is necessary. The Pervasive Caste System  To understand the need for an inclusive caste census, one must recognize that the caste system is deeply entrenched in the social fabric of the Asian sub-contin

Lalit Shastri In the contemporary world, the essence of festivals, such as Dussehra or Vijayadashami, is gradually transforming from profound spiritual celebrations into mere rituals. The lamentable truth is that many individuals partake in these festivities without truly internalizing the underlying message of victory over evil and its relevance in society. As this shift occurs, our tightly woven societal fabric begins to unravel, losing both its shape and significance, and the warmth of camaraderie fades, replaced by a relentless pursuit of strategic connections. Dussehra, a festival celebrated with grandeur and fervor, signifies the triumph of good over evil, symbolized by Lord Rama's victory over the demon king Ravana. It is a time for reflection on the eternal struggle between righteousness and malevolence, as well as an opportunity to rekindle the values of righteousness, integrity, and the power of truth in our lives. However, in the fast-paced modern world, the spiritual as

Lalit Shastri A Social media content creator, who is on youtube with the ID BhikhuMhatre @MumbaichaDon and is also on X/Twitter as BhikuMhatre @MumbaichaDon, has posted a tweet, under the heading: "Long Read with Explosives Details!". Citing from the Affidavit of Darshan Hiranandani, he has exposed the All India Trinamool Congress MP Moitra Mahua, now facing the "cash for Query" charge.  BhikuMhatre@MumbaichaDon has raised a couple of burning questions.  He has asked on X/Twitter, "does Mahua Moitra have Brain to carry out this Entire Hit Job on #Adani ON HER OWN?"  Also, "Is Chidambaram involved too?" He further points to two names in Affidavit of Darshan Hiranandani! The names are Shardul and Pallavi Shroff! On Shardul and Pallavi, the tweet says: Check here

  Lalit Shastri In a world that increasingly demands excellence, the notion of shaping lives has taken on new significance. Every move of a child has to be minutely watched and corrected, with the hope that, as they grow up, they will be prepared to rule the world. The very essence of this idea encapsulates our relentless pursuit of nurturing future leaders in every sphere and walk of life. But is this intense shaping of children’s lives a boon or a bane? Let's explore the intricacies of this phenomenon. The modern world is marked by fierce competition, where opportunities are scarce, and expectations are high. In this environment, parents, teachers, and society itself often place immense pressure on children to excel in every aspect of life. From academics to extracurricular activities, from manners to appearances, the scrutiny is relentless. It stems from the well-intentioned desire to equip the next generation with the tools to succeed. However, we must reflect on the impact thi

  Lalit Shastri In my formative years, I was but a third-grader, and my elder brother had a lead on me by a couple of classes. Our father, affectionately known as "Babuji," was a firm believer in discipline. His demanding career claimed most of his week, often spilling over into our precious weekends. It was on one rare Sunday that Babuji ventured off to his office, leaving us behind. In his absence, our steadfast domestic help, Puran, wielded his powers of persuasion to convince my brother and me to indulge in a midday matinee at the nearby cinema. The film was scheduled from noon to 3 pm, and, to our surprise, we found Babuji anxiously pacing the front-verandah upon our return. As I, who was a few steps ahead of my brother, approached him, he cut to the chase, demanding to know our whereabouts. Without a moment's hesitation, I stammered, "Babuji, we went to watch a film." Initial anger gripped Babuji as he probed further, "Which film?" My response, &

Lalit Shastri Deepak Tiwari, a former Madhya Pradesh Correspondent of The Week, now prefers to be introduced not as a seasoned journalist and political commentator but as an ex-Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, an office he held for a short duration when Kamalnath was the State Chief Minister. With the advantage of hindsight, he has written a piece published on the front page of Dainik Bhaskar on 13 October 2023. In it he writes: "भाजपा की यह सरकार अपने प्रसिद्ध नारे 'भाजपा का कहना साफ, हर किसान का कर्ज माफ' पर चुनी गई थी। जब कर्ज माफी की बात नई सरकार के सामने खड़ी हुई, तब पता चला कि सरकार के पास इतना पैसा है ही नहीं।" (The BJP was elected to power on its popular farmers' 'Loan waiver' slogan. But when the government was confronted with the challenge of meeting it's electoral promise , it realised that it did not have the resources to meet this end). Tiwari's observation in the above piece

 The Hindu  Lalit Shastri BHOPAL FEBRUARY 02, 2000 00:00 IST BHOPAL, FEB. 1. The Central Government has expressed concern over reports relating to the violation of the Forest and Wildlife Acts and the declining quality of management of the Protected Areas, which include the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, in Madhya Pradesh. According to a reliable source, the Central Government representatives, who had accompanied a team from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), on a field visit to the State earlier this week, were very critical of the `computerised' presentation by the director of the Kanha National Park, Mr. Rajesh Gopal and his colleagues. Inquiries revealed that Rajesh Gopal-led show aided by the forest department staff from the Pench and Panna National Parks, did not reflect the problems of poaching and field administration but only dramatised that all was well with the Protected Areas in the State. However this