Blabberman - a high decibel superhero
A razzmatazz of graphics, a deafening background score, and full-throated theatrical commentary announce the appearance of Blabberman.
Shadab Rizvi
The pursuit of history
Politics and history are at loggerheads once again. At the center of it all, is the naming of a museum. People with different affiliations are campaigning to get the museum named after 'their' champion. Claims and counter-claims are laced with convenient versions of history. In this political/ ideological slugfest, the casualty is history. Therefore, in this age of social media where everyone has his or her own fantasied impression of historical characters and events, it is important that we set some ground-rules for pursuing history. Just as we try to promote scientific temper, we should endeavour to cultivate the right attitude towards history. I am not a historian who has scholarly insights to preach on this subject. However, I am a keen student who wishes to put forth a set of perspectives for a fair and reasoned pursuit of history.
Shadab Rizvi
Human Tree
O' tree of man, O' human tree,
Shadab Rizvi
God has a religion
A muffled shriek woke me up in the middle of the night. I opened my eyes; looked around, trying to grasp what had happened. My vigilant senses could not draw any conclusion. Nothing was out of place. There was no movement; no sound either; just a distant loudspeaker, probably from a Ramleela venue, humming a devotional song. Somewhat confused, after about a minute, I pacified my sensory antennas and tried to go back to sleep. I thought I was hallucinating.
Shadab Rizvi