Book Review: On the Shores of Eternity: Poems from Tagore on Immortality and Beyond, *****

Synopsis
To realize that death is an illusion, you either have to be very sophisticated or very simple. Tagore was both. I am awed by his use of language, pure crystals of wise innocence. Every word is personal, every word is universal. Those who met Tagore during his eighty years described him as one of the greatest souls of our age; Einstein considered him a sage. From what we learn in these poems, he certainly lived his own words. He kissed the infinite, he was not afraid to lose everything. And in this book, he allows us to approach death not with dusty words but with a silence that washes the soul. (From the Introduction by Deepak Chopra)

Recensione: La rabbia e l'orgoglio (2001) di Oriana Fallaci, *****

You can read an English version of the article on which this book is based here.

Sinossi


Con "La rabbia e l'orgoglio" (2001), Oriana Fallaci rompe un silenzio durato dieci anni, dalla pubblicazione di "Insciallah", epico romanzo sulla missione occidentale di pace nella Beirut dilaniata dallo scontro tra cristiani e musulmani e dalle faide con Israele. Dieci anni in cui la Fallaci sceglie di vivere ritirata nella sua casa newyorchese, come in esilio, a combattere il cancro. Ma non smette mai di lavorare al testo narrativo dedicato alla sua famiglia, quello che lei chiama "il-mio-bambino", pubblicato postumo nel 2008, "Un cappello pieno di ciliege". L'undici settembre le impone di tornare con furia alla macchina da scrivere per dar voce a quelle idee che ha sempre coltivato nelle interviste, nei reportage, nei romanzi, ma che ha poi "imprigionato dentro il cuore e dentro il cervello" dicendosi "tanto-la-gente-non-vuole-ascoltare".

Il risultato è un articolo sul "Corriere della Sera" del 29 settembre 2001, un sermone lo definisce lei stessa, accolto con enorme clamore in Italia e all'estero. Esce in forma di libro nella versione originaria e integrale, preceduto da una prefazione in cui la Fallaci affronta alle radici la questione del terrorismo islamico e parla di sé, del suo isolamento, delle sue scelte rigorose e spietate. La risposta è esplosiva, le polemiche feroci. Mentre i critici si dividono, l'adesione dei lettori, in tutto il mondo, è unanime di fronte alla passione che anima queste pagine. (Prefazione di Ferruccio De Bortoli)


Recensione

Un libro controverso, dai toni feroci, anche troppo, solo in parte giustificabili dalla situazione: Fallaci era a New York al momento degli attacchi dell'11 settembre. A mio avviso Fallaci ha ragione a parlare del pericolo che l'Europa abbassi la guardia sulla propria identità, ma indebolisce le sue argomentazioni quando si lascia trasportare dalle emozioni del momento. Maggiore sangue freddo avrebbe reso i suoi argomenti più lucidi. In ogni caso il libro pone delle domande, scomodissime, su cui il lettore farebbe bene a ragionare. Un libro importante, un grido di dolore di un'italiana che se la prende prima di tutto con gli italiani, e gli europei, non all'altezza del retaggio culturale che gli appartiene.

Il testo dell'articolo si può leggere nell'archivio del Corriere della Sera.

20. - 10 JAN: flying home

PLACEHOLDER

Depart by Airfrance flight at 0105hrs

final considerations

19. - 9 January: shopping in Cochin

Morning breakast at the hotel, rich Indian breakfast! One last walk through town, some shopping of local music and a final decision on Indian antiques. The list of acquisitions is long:

-- four bullheads, big white wood sculptures

-- three peacock lamps to be used with oil and wick, very typical of this part of India

-- two large bronze pots used for cooking, they weigh about 25kg each!

--


It’s time to start heading home :-( Off to the airport and uneventful flight to Delhi, with a stopover in Mumbai. Once in the capital
 

 

18. - 8 January: Cochin tour

PLACEHOLDER

Morning breakfast at the hotel and day free for own activities with car at disposal full day

Return to hotel for overnight stay. Malabar Residency/Cochin

17. - 7 January: Cochin

PLACEHOLDER

Morning after breakfast depart for city tour of Cochin,  visiting the jewish section,

jewish synagogue in Mattancherry,

Dutch Palace, 

st Francis Church and the

Chinese fishing nets.

Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

16. - 6 January: drive to Cochin

PLACEHOLDER

Breakfast at the hotel and later transfer by boat to Puthenagadi Jetty from where continue on by car for Cochin.  On arrival in Cochin check into the Hotel Malabar House Residency.  Rest of the day at leisure.

Evening witness a spectacular kathakali Dance Performance.  Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

15. - 5 January: backwaters cruises

PLACEHOLDER

Breakfast at the hotel  Rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the stay at the Resort. 

Boat ride through the backwaters.

Later in the evening enjoy a sunset cruise on the Lake Vembanad  Overnight stay.

14. - 4 January: Kumarakom

PLACEHOLDER

Early morning if you wish you can take boatride on the lake periyar to watch the wildlife or enjoy natural beauty and if lucky a group of wild elephants.

Later return to your hotel for breakfast and proceed by car on to Kumarakom (3hrs). 

On arrival check in at the Coconut Lagoon Resort Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay.

13. - 3 January: drive to Periyar

PLACEHOLDER

Morning depart for Periyar Kerala (4/5hrs drive). The drive is through  the picturesque mountain ranges. 

Rest of the day at leisure or explore the lush spice plantations and the spice village market. 

Return to your hotel for ovenright stay. Spice Village

12. - 2 January: Madurai

PLACEHOLDER

Morning depart for city sightseeing tour visiting the  Meenakshi Temple, Vishnu temple and Alargarkovil as well as the Tirumala Nayak Palace.  

Rest of the day at leisure and overnight stay.

11. - 1 January 2002: drive to Madurai

PLACEHOLDER

Start of the new year.

Morning depart for Madurai, the famous temple town (3-4hrs).

Later in the evening visit the famed Meenakshi Temple to attend athe evening prayer ceremony.

Overnight stay. Taj Garden Retreat/Madurai

10. - 31 December: drive to Trichy

PLACEHOLDER

Morning departed for Trichy (1/halfhr) enroute short of Trichy visit the Srirangam, where the town lies within the walls of the massive Vishnu temple.  

On arrival in Trichy check into Hotel Sangam. Later proceed for visit of the Rock Fort situated over a hill.  Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

Hotel Sangam/trichy

9. - 30 December: Tanjore

PLACEHOLDER

Morning depart for sightseeing of Tanjore visiting the famed Brihadeeshwara temple and later the museum which houses  a good collection of Bronzes and later the Palace.  

In the afternoon  visit Thiruvaiyaru, 13km north. Usually in January an international music festival is held here in honour of the Saint and composer Thyagaraja.  Overnight stay in Tanjore

Book Review/Recensione: "In light of India" (1998), by Octavio Paz, ****

Testo in italiano di seguito

Synopsis

This collection of essays recalls the author's days in India, first as an attache in the Mexican Embassy, then 11 years later as Mexico's ambassador. He brings insight into India's landscape, culture and history in a series of discourses. "The Antipodes of Coming and Going" is a remembrance of the sights, sounds and smells of the subcontinent. "Religions, Castes, Languages" gives a survey of Indian history".

"A Project of Nationhood" is an examination of modern Indian politics, comparing the respective Islamic, Hindu and Western civilizations through the course of history. "The Full and the Empty" is an exploration into what Paz calls the soul of India, its art, literature, music and philosophy, and an indictment of the self-centred materialism of Western society.

Octavio Paz is the author of "The Double Flame: Essays in Love and Eroticism".