"Finding a companion in Oxford with whom life felt “complete” opens a new chapter in Thapar’s life, a leaf which is perfectly wedged between the pages of a favourite book. When this person exits from her life, she writes, “Perhaps the presence of someone close gives courage to the person facing the closure of life. A segment in the life of the other also departs and never returns. Only memories return, initially embedded in grief.” Beethoven’s piano sonatas rendered by Artur Schnabel gave her the feeling that “I had life to live.”" scroll.in/article/1093274/ro…

Why would mandatory cleaning up of toxic bank balance sheet be portrayed as scam?

Savarkar: I believe that cow should be protected. Do armed struggle against cow slaughter. Inside the slaughterhouse a cow does not bleed but every Hindu's heart bleeds. Gandhi: How can I force anyone not to slaughter cows. No law can be made against it. Which side are you on?

कि स्मृतियाँ होतीं चकनाचूर हृदय से टकरा कर भरपूर...

CSHC Book Recommendation - 2 To Raise a Fallen People, edited by Rahul Sagar. A thoughtful collection of essays examining Indian political thought, nationalism, civilizational identity, and the intellectual foundations of modern India. One of the book’s greatest strengths is how it brings together diverse Indian thinkers grappling with questions of statecraft, reform, democracy, tradition, and national recovery during a period of immense political change. Particularly valuable for students interested in political theory, Indian intellectual history, and civilizational studies. #CSHCBookRecs

He wrote this novel because Fyodor Dostoevsky had no dost.

इसको ही जीना कहते है तो यूँ ही जी लेंगे, उफ्फ्फ ना करेंगे, लब सिलेंगे, आंसू पी लेंगे. open.spotify.com/track/1KaNt…

Over the past century, aviation has become one of the safest modes of transportation. This success relies on a clear global consensus: To thoroughly investigating accidents and transparently sharing the findings significantly reduces the likelihood of recurring tragedies. China, however, appears to reject this collaborative approach. Driven by a desire to protect its national image, Chinese authorities have a track record of obscuring facts and stalling international investigations. A stark example is the China Eastern Airlines crash four years ago, which claimed 132 lives. Although the tragedy is now widely attributed to a pilot murder-suicide, Chinese authorities actively buried the investigation report, prioritizing a meticulously crafted facade of perfection over global safety protocols. This creates a concerning one-way street. While China readily benefits from the global aviation safety database - learning from the investigative reports of other nations - its refusal to reciprocate denies the international community the critical opportunity to learn from its mistakes.

शायद इससे भयंकर और कोई चीज़ नहीं, जब दो व्यक्ति एक संग होते हुए भी यह अनुभव कर लें कि उनमें से कोई भी एक-दूसरे को नहीं बचा सकता,जब यह अनुभव कर लें कि बीती घड़ियों की एक भी स्मृति, एक भी क्षण उनके मौजूदा...इस गुज़रते हुए क्षण के निकट अकेलेपन में हाथ नहीं बँटा सकता, साझा नहीं हो सकता...। - निर्मल वर्मा

दोनों की पुरानी स्मृतियाँ थीं-और ऐसी नहीं कि एक की अलग और दूसरे की अलग, बल्कि एक-दूसरे पर टिकी हई... ताश के घर की तरह, जिसमें एक पत्ता दूसरे से जुड़कर ही खड़ा रह पाता है।..उन्हें यह चीज़ बहुत विस्मयकारी-सी जान पड़ती कि कभी ऐसा समय भी रहा होगा, जब उनकी स्मृतियाँ एक-दूसरे को लेकर नहीं बनी थीं... और वे एक-दूसरे से पृथक् अपने में अलग-अलग जी रहे थे। उन्हें यह असम्भव लगता और वे इस पर अधिक ध्यान नहीं देते थे। उन्हें उन स्मृतियों से ही सन्तोष था, जो उनकी अपनी थीं... उनके बाहर जो कुछ था, वह बाहर था। उसमें झाँकने की उनमें कोई लालसा नहीं थी। - निर्मल वर्मा

🧵THREAD ON NEHRU'S PRISON LIFE. It took me quite some time to find all these sources so please read the full thread. Also compare this to the prison life of Veer Savarkar and show this to those who mock him. (Sources will be mentioned in alt text along with the images) (1/n)

CSHC Book Recommendation #1: Order Without Design by Alain Bertaud. An insightful work on cities, urban planning, and how human behavior, economics, and governance shape urban life beyond rigid planning theories and simplistic abstract models. Particularly valuable for students interested in governance, economics, public policy, urbanism, and state capacity. #CSHCBookRecs

Four books I'd recommend on the subject of Conservatism:

Nehru in his autobiography admits that he had an easygoing life in prison. As he wrote: “The thought that I was having a relatively easy time in prison, at a time when others were facing danger and suffering outside, began to oppress me.”

Stumbled upon the articles written by Munshi Premchand and have to say that there is a great deal of Hindu traditionalism suffused in it. He defends spiritual ‘Hindu civilization’ over the materialist Western one. Contrasts ancient civilization which had soul and conduct at its core to the modern one which has selfishness at its core. Says of Dalits that “Hindutva is filled in their very breath”. Criticized Dr. Ambedkar for siding with the British on separate electorates. Was a follower of Gandhianism.

यह सच है कि प्रेम आर्थिक स्थितियों से अनुशासित होता है, लेकिन मैंने जो जोश में कह दिया था कि प्रेम आर्थिक निर्भरता का ही दूसरा नाम है, यह केवल आंशिक सत्य है। इसे कोई अस्वीकार नहीं कर सकता कि प्यार आत्मा की गहराइयों में सोये हुए सौंदर्य के संगीत को जगा देता है, हममें अजब-सी पवित्रता, नैतिक निष्ठा और प्रकाश भर देता है! - धर्मवीर भारती

'देखो, अगर जिंदगी में फूल न होते, बादल न होते, पवित्रता न होती, प्रकाश न होता, सिर्फ अँधेरा होता, कीचड़ होता, गंदगी होती तो कितना अच्छा होता! हम सब उसमें कीड़े की तरह बिलबिलाते और मर जाते, कभी अंत:करण में किसी तरह की छटपटाहट न होती। लेकिन बड़ा अभागा होता है वह दिन जिस दिन हमारी आत्मा पवित्रता की एक झलक पा लेती है, रोशनी का एक कण पा लेती है क्योंकि उसके बाद सदियों तक अँधेरे में कैद रहने पर भी रोशनी की प्यास उसमें मर नहीं पाती, उसे तड़पाती रहती है। वह अँधेरे से समझौता कर ले पर उसे चैन कभी नहीं मिलती।' - धर्मवीर भारती