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VOL. XXIII NO. 15, NOVEMBER 16-30, 2013
A portrait of Gandhi
(by Savitha Gautam)

Gandhi Before India – Ramachandra Guha(Allen Lane, Rs. 899)

One of the most fascinating books I have read is Ram Guha’ s tome on a man whom we all know as Mahatma Gandhi. But what was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi like before he became the Mahatma? Was he just another young boy with dreams in his eyes and courage and compassion in his heart? Was he?

This is a journey of a Modh Bania boy who began life as a below-average student in a taluk school in Rajkot, Kathiawar District, Gujarat, but went on to change the destiny of a nation. Along the way, he spent years in London and South Africa, learning legal parlance and fighting for his fellow countrymen.

Gandhi left for London as a 23-year-old to study further and sharpen his thinking skills and intellect. But it was in South Africa that he began to understand and think about various social and political happenings which he was a witness to and soon a victim of .

This book covers the 20 years that Gandhi spent in South Africa, which shaped his world view and moulded his philosophy. It was here that he forged the philosophy and techniques that would undermine and ultimately destroy the British Empire. These two decades were crucial in the making of the Mahatma.

In fact, the idea to use Satyagrapha as a tool of opposition germinated during his political battles in South Africa. He brought out a newspaper, The Indian Opinion, that voiced his thoughts, which would eventually become a reality when he faced the rigid Boers and tough British. It was during his years in England and South Africa that he came to understand the nature of imperialism and racism. Incidentally, the people who supported Gandhi the most and sacrificed a lot during his fights in South Afrcia were Tamils. Yes, they were the most willing to fill jails and give up plenty to stand for Gandhi’s cause.

Based on a wealth of new material and research, this book paints a portrait of Gandhi and a little known world he lived in – his experiments with dissident cults, his friendships with Jews, Christians and Muslims, his enmities and rivalries, and his failures as a husband and father.

Dramatic yet moving, this is an inspirational tale of courage, conviction, compassion and, yes, failings of the man who was Mahatma Gandhi.

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Violinist in worship mode

An Incurable Romantic –Lakshmi Devnath (Harper Collins, Rs. 599)

One of the most memorable moments in my life was when I got an opportunity to meet violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman. Simple and humble, he greeted me with a “Vanakkam” in a soft voice. And I remember thinking, “This is what greatness is all about...”

Lakshmi Devnath’s engaging biography captures that humility of the musician with the same intensity and clarity it does his musicianship. Truly, a colossus in the field of Carnatic music, Jayaraman had over the years built a style, the Lalgludi Bani, that created a new path for his creative expression as an accompanist, soloist and composer.

Whether it was playing for doyens such as Chembai or M.D. Ramanathan or going solo or jamming with the likes of Yehudi Menuhin, Lalgudi was at ease. Once he picked up his violin and bow, he was in worship mode. And that was evident in his music, which was at once meditative and mellifluous.

The book has plenty of trivia to weave a narrative that is historical and anecdotal, informative and interesting. Intertwining the threads of his life with the strings of the violin, it is also a study of the violin in the Indian context and Lalgudi’s role in getting the instrument its due on the national and international stages.

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The Chennai Hollywoodian

Advantage Hollywood – Ashok Amritraj (Harper Collings, Rs. 499)

Here’s another Chennaiite who has made his mark on the international map.

This is the story of a shy boy from Chennai, better known as the tennis star Vijay Amritraj’s brother, who went on to etch a name for himself in the echelons of Hollywood. And how!

Ashok Amritraj. A name that has become synonymous with success and profit in the movie-making business. The last child of Maggie and Robert Amritraj, Ashok began life as a tennis player. But he loved the movies. Playng tennis taught him perseverance and patience. He put these trials to good use and took a bold step to realise his dream. And he did it. Thirty years later, Ashok is one of the most successful producers in Hollywood. He has made over a hundred films with global revenues in excess of $1 billion.

From Chennai to Wimbledon to Hollywood, this is a gripping tale of grit and determination and overcoming obstacles. And as you turn the pages, you encounter stars of the calibre of Frank Sinatra, Sidney Poiter, Sandra Bullock and Dustin Hoffman, and learn a little more about people such as Sylvester Stallone, Angelina Jolie and Bruce Willis.

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In this issue

When fire strikes twice
The hawkers may leave, but will our pavements return?
Chess and corporate strategy
Book Review
A record-holder of sorts
The master builder
On the trail of a hotel proprietor who drowned
Another Madras first
Sharing wealth with music
How good, this Ranji Trophy team of ours?
An energetic cricketer reaching his peak

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