Solitude and Books

I picked up Rebellion in Verse that discusses resistance and devotion in the Tamil Bhakti Movement by Raghavan Srinivasan after reading two of his earlier books, Yugantar and RajaRaja Chola. Both of those were deeply researched and helped me understand medieval South Indian history in a clearer way. This book continues that same strength. It explores the rise of the Bhakti movement in the Tamil region and explains how devotion slowly challenged rigid traditions and social barriers. I liked how the author writes history in a way that feels alive.  The presence of images, references, and well-arranged details makes the reading experience richer and easier to follow.  It beautifully explains the quiet transformation that began around the sixth century. Through the hymns of saints like the Nayanars and Alwars, devotion stepped outside the walls of ritual and hierarchy. Their poems were written in Tamil, the language of the people, instead of S...

Some books feel like a short visit, but Once Upon a Town felt like going back to a place from my own bachpan. The stories take us into a small town where everyday life moves slowly and quietly. While reading, I kept remembering simple things monsoon afternoons, familiar shopkeepers, children playing in narrow lanes. The town almost feels alive, like a silent dost watching everyone’s life unfold. What I loved most is how the author turns ordinary people into memorable characters.  A vegetable vendor with jokes, an elderly man sitting outside his house, kids building imaginary worlds these simple faces slowly become meaningful stories.  The writing feels calm and reflective, almost like someone sharing old yaadein over evening chai. The illustrations by Abhijeet Kinni add extra warmth. Their old-school comic style reminded me a little of Tintin days. By the end, the book leaves a gentle feeling in the heart—soft, nostalgic, and qu...