Salman versus Islam??

Not long ago was the theme “Clash of Civilizations”, put forward by Samuel Huntington, booed by people across the world through a widespread survey. But the recent honour of Salman Rushdie, by British queen, with knighthood and the tumult of protests that followed in some Muslim countries has cast a need for re-look at the theme again. Is it really a clash of civilizations? Many perceived it so. Iran and Pakistan denounced it as an insult to the 1.5 Billion Muslim population across the world. Leave alone the street protests. Even the Pakistan parliament and provincial assembly saw it as part of campaign by Europe and west to hurt the feeling of Muslims.

It is his book “The Satanic Verses” published way back in 1988 and the Fatwa against him that still keeps him as an apostate. And the honour of Mr.Rushdie by British government is just another Islamaphobic act. May be the protests and furore over this issue is another sign of Islamic fundamentalism. But the men who had taken to the streets must realize that Salman Rushdie was not honored for his “Satanic verses” but for his illustrious contribution to the literary world with a work of nine fictions and four non-fictions. And the writing on the wall is clear to the creative workers too. Book authors and publishers should be part of the solutions than be part of the problem itself.

Feeling at home....

I think this would be the first post that I write after a gap, as long as three weeks, ever since I started to blog with a resolution to update once in a week. But I do have an explanation. And there are many questions that need to be answered. Well, I wouldn’t say many questions. Its just one question that dangles here on my blog demanding a conclusive sequel to the story that I had passionately built here. What happened to my results? Did I come out successful at the end of my final lap?

I would be accused of being weak-at-heart if I keep it out of this place. So here I am finally breaking the news. The period of mourning is over. I had just walked through the trails of failure to the castle of success which is still out of sight. Why am I being so subtle? Alright, let me make it clear. The simple fact is that I could not make it to the final list. Marks weren’t big enough.

On the day of my result, mulling over my failure, the first thing that my mind sprang up to decide was to shift back to Chennai. But the spark came from my heart. I just thought I should go closer to the place I belong to and my parents who nurtured my dream of becoming a civil servant. I needed to feel stronger. And this decision I have come to still continues to haunt me. Delhi like we say America is land of opportunities is like a place where an IAS aspirant meets with opportunities to shed his weaknesses and harness his strength. Of course, the credit goes to its coaching institutes. I would be denied this. But I have kept the option to go back to Delhi open, at least not until I feel stronger to face what is more to come. But I think I would be able to overcome this with a good progress in my work. Go gugan, go!!

Now with the diastrous results I have come back to the place where I had started (yeah, had to take the prelims again). Literally too.