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The Ivory Throne

By

Manu S. Pillai

उत्तम अनुवाद दिवाळी २०१६ (पद्मगंधा प्रकाशन) (दर्जा **)

अनुवादीत साहित्याचा मी फार पुर्वीपासून भोक्ता आहे. जगातल्या गाजलेल्या कादंबऱ्यांचा मराठी अनुवाद वाचण्याचा आनंद वेगळाच आहे. परंतु अनुवादाचा दर्जा जर चांगला नसेल तर मात्र निराशा पदरी पडते. उत्तम अनुवाद हा दिवाळी अंक वाचताना नेमके हेच झाले. उत्तम अनुवाद हे नाव वाचताना वाचकांच्या अपेक्षा उंचावतात. यात नक्कीच दर्जेदार साहित्याचा दर्जेदार अनुवाद वाचायला मिळेल असे वाटते. परंतु या वार्षिकाने मात्र वाचकांची घोर निराशा केली आहे. प्रकाशकाने लेखांची निवड व्यवस्थित केलेली दिसत नाही. मुळ लेखनच फारसे चांगले नसल्याने अनुवादही फरसा वाचनीय झाला नाही. त्यात अनुवाद कर्त्यांचा दर्जाही सूमार दिसून येतो. त्यामुळे साहित्याची पुरती वाट लागलेली दिसते. कुठल्या अंगाने याला उत्तम अनुवाद म्हणावे हा प्रश्न पडतो.

पुर्ण पुस्तकात मला फक्त "स्टीफन - राशोलचा कवी" हा एकमेव लेख आवडला. १५०० साली पोर्तुगिजांनी गोवा बळकावल्यानंतर ख्रिश्चन मिशनऱ्यांनी केलेल्या सक्तीच्या धर्मांतराची माहिती यात मिळते. गोवा आणि सालसेत भागातल्या सारस्वत ब्राह्मणांना त्याकाळी धर्म वाचवण्यासाठी घरदार सोडून परागंदा व्हावे लागले होते. मी स्वत: सारस्वत ब्राह्मण असल्या कारणाने माझ्या पुर्वजांचा इतिहास मला वाचायला मिळाला. त्याकाळी अनेक युरोपिय प्रवासी भारतात फिरुन भारताची हेरगिरी करत होते. त्यांनी भारताची, भारतीय लोकांची आणि इथल्या राजकीय गोंधळाची माहिती एकत्र करुन ती युरोपीयन राज्यकर्त्यांना कळवली. या माहितीच्या आधारेच ईस्ट इंडीया कंपनीची स्थापना झाली आणि त्यांनी भारतातल्या कुमकुवत राज्यकर्त्यांची सता उलथवून भारत गिळंकृत केला. हि माहीती मनोरंजक होती. याव्यतीरीक्त संपूर्ण अंक वायफळ कथांनी भरला आहे.

हा अंक मी Dailyhunt या Android App वर ४० रुपयांना विकत घेतला होता. आता ते सर्व पैसे वाया गेल्याचे दु:ख होत आहे. छापील आवृत्ती तर तब्बल २०० रुपयांना उपलब्ध आहे. तो वाचणाऱ्यांचे बरेच नुकसान होईल. Dailyhint हे बातम्या आणि पुस्तके वाचण्याचे अ‍ॅप अद्यापी नवीन असून बाल्यावस्थेत आहे. त्यात बरेच मराठी साहित्य स्वस्तात उपलब्ध आहे. परंतु छापील साहित्याचे डीजीटल स्वरुपात रुपांतरीत करणे अजुनही त्यांना बरोबर जमत नाही असे दिसते. मी वाचत असलेल्या पुस्तकातही बऱ्याच तांत्रिक चुका होत्या.

पुन्हा नव्याने सुरूवात लेखक - अभिषेक ठमके (दर्जा ***)

या कादंबरीतून महासागरांचा इतिहास, जमिनीखाली आणि समुद्रामध्ये कशा प्रकारे संशोधन होते, संशोधकांचे जीवन कसे असते, सैनिक म्हणजे नक्की काय असतो, निसर्गाची उत्पत्ती कशी झाली आणि अशा प्रकारची बरीच माहिती मिळवता येईल. हे पुस्तक म्हणजे एक अशी कथा आहे, जिथे सर्व काही संपतं आणि सर्वांना पुन्हा नव्याने सुरुवात करावी लागते. ही सुरुवात नव्या जगाची आहे, नव्या जगण्याची आहे, जगण्याची नाही तर नव्याने जगवण्याची आहे, नव्याने घर शोधण्याची आहे, गमावलेल्या सर्व गोष्टी पुन्हा नव्याने कमावण्याची आहे.

लेखकाला लहानपणापासून संशोधक होण्याची इच्छा, म्हणून भरपूर पुस्तके वाचून काढली. अनेक संशोधकांचे चरित्र वाचले. सर्वकाही सुरळीत चालू होते आणि त्यातच मिलिटरी स्कूलमध्ये शेवटच्या वर्षी लेखकाचा अपघात झाला. नंतर रेल्वेमध्ये प्रवास करत असताना अपघात झाला आणि लेखकाची बरीच स्वप्ने धुसर झाली. जास्त धावू नये, जास्त वजन उचलू नये अशी अनेक बंधने लेखकावर आली. संशोधनात काही करता आले नाही याचा खूप त्रास होत होता. संशोधनातून काहीतरी वेगळे प्रयोग करायचे आणि जगाला काहीतरी नवीन दाखवायचं ही खंत काही केल्या मनातून जात नव्हती. तेव्हा आपण पुस्तकाच्या माध्यमातून जगाला नवीन काहीतरी देऊ शकतो असे लेखकाच्या लक्षात आले आणि त्याने दोन पुस्तके लिहिली, मैत्र जीवांचे आणि अग्निपुत्र.

‘मैत्र जीवांचे’ पुस्तकामधून लेखकाने एकाच पुस्तकामध्ये ६ वेगवेगळ्या भाषांचा वापर केला, गुगल संस्थेमधील कामकाज कसे चालते हे दाखविले, ऑस्ट्रेलिया आणि जर्मनीमधील संस्कृती दाखवली. कादंबरीला चांगला प्रतिसाद मिळाला. नंतर ब्लॉगच्या माध्यमातून ‘अग्निपुत्र’ नावाची साय-फाय कादंबरी लिहिली, कादंबरीला एका वर्षातच ३,००,००० पेक्षा जास्त वाचकसंख्या लाभली आणि त्यानंतर आता ‘पुन्हा नव्याने सुरुवात’ कादंबरी आपल्यासमोर सादर करत आहे. तिन्ही पुस्तकांमध्ये मुख्य नायक हा संशोधक, डॉक्टरेट किंवा शास्त्रज्ञ आहे. नायकाला ही भूमिका का दिली हे आपल्याला समजले असेलच. पण मुद्दा हा नाहीच आहे, मुद्दा हा आहे कि लेखक तुम्हाला काय देतो आहे. का देतो आहे ते तुम्हाला बऱ्यापैकी कळले असेलच.

आज लेखकाने लिहिलेले पुस्तक वाचत असताना तुम्ही तुमच्या आयुष्याचे काही तास लेखकासाठी, लेखकाच्या पुस्तकासाठी देत आहात, तर ते तास तुमच्यासाठी अविस्मरणीय असावे, त्यातून तुम्हाला काही शिकता यावे, पुस्तक वाचत असताना नुसता विरंगुळा न होता तुम्हाला अशी काही माहिती मिळावी जी तुम्ही कधी ऐकली नसेल किंवा वाचली देखील नसेल आणि पुस्तक वाचल्यानंतर आपण काहीतरी नवीन, वेगळे वाचले आहे याचा आनंद तुमच्या चेहऱ्यावर असावा हा महत्वाचा मुद्दा आहे, आणि तो मुद्दा या पुस्तकामध्ये देखील तुम्हाला अनुभवायला मिळेल. महासागरांचा इतिहास, जमिनीखाली आणि समुद्रामध्ये कशा प्रकारे संशोधन होते, संशोधकांचे जीवन कसे असते, सैनिक म्हणजे नक्की काय असतो, निसर्गाची उत्पत्ती कशी झाली आणि अशा प्रकारची बरीच माहिती तुम्हाला या कादंबरीमध्ये वाचता येईल.

Byculla to Bangkok by S. Hussain Zaidi (Rating *****)

Most great cities have criminal underbellies. London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Mos­cow, Istanbul—all these have nurtured notorious criminal networks. Mumbai’s underworld took shape in the 1950s and 1960s. The pioneering dons came from poor Muslim families—reflecting their socio-economic marginalisation. After the bomb blasts in 1993, the ascendancy of the Shiv Sena-led government and the rise of an elite, trigger-happy police unit, the balance of power shifted in favour of you­nger Maharashtrian Hindu mobsters.

In Byculla to Bangkok, S. Hussain Zaidi focuses on this part of the underworld. The nerve-centre of organised crime runs down Mumbai’s own centre. The  ear­lier generation of dons came from the southern end, close to the docks, while their successors lived further mid-town. This lower-middle-class milieu of mill wor­kers, petty government servants and street vendors was host to the dreaded BRA gang (of Babu Reshim, Rama Naik and Arun Gawli) and Amar (Raavan) Naik and his engineer brother Ashwin.

Starting out as small-time trouble-makers, these mobsters found themselves in high demand as the city began to reinvent itself from textile manufacturing centre to financial powerhouse. Real estate, particularly the lucrative stretch of defunct mill land, was the sought after prize. The involvement of politicians in the turf wars was no secret. Bal Thacke­ray called the Maharashtrian gangsters ‘amchi muley’ (our boys) and Chhota Rajan, grievously wounded in an attempt on his life in Bangkok, was whisked to safety by the Thai military police, suggesting protection at high levels.

The story has the customary amount of bloodspill and treachery, but also runs in other directions. The phenomenon of enc­ounters and glorification of policemen specialising in extra-judicial killings of alleged criminals has been written about before and even made into movies but Zaidi’s account also sheds light on the envy and ripple effect it caused in the force. Then there is the effect of globalisation, the ties to Afghan drug cartels and guerilla networks such as the LTTE. Also, top gangsters seeking refuge outside the country: Muslims heading west to Dubai and Karachi, Hindus to Bangkok, where all they need is “a one-bedroom flat, a TV airing Indian channels and a telephone to call India to issue threats”.

Zaidi’s book is littered with similar anecdotes and insights. We learn for ins­tance that Gawli’s terrace house is as large as a badminton court; that jails are the equivalent of cafes offering net­working opportunities for criminals; that a criminal modus operandi depic­ted in Scorsese’s Gangs of New York ins­pired Amar Naik to expand his operations.

As a reporter, Zaidi is limited by a lack of distance and narrative flair that could have injected a sense of the timeless into his material. Parts of the book read like a recitation of well-known facts from new­s­papers. The absence of financial estima­tes for what is, after all, a kind of business, is glaring. Anecdotes and stories are often thrown together pell mell, including a tantalising one about a Pat­han woman whose beauty was both a sou­­rce of power and a curse. Notwithst­anding the flaws, Zaidi is to be complimented for venturing into risky territory and emerging with a breezy, informative read.

Ignited Minds by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (Rating ****)

Genius, it is said, is the ability to reduce the complex into the simple. The strength of Ignited Minds, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's latest essay at book-writing, lies in the scientist's ability to present some of the most tangled issues that confront the nation in easily digestible packages of information.

Kalam throws modesty to the winds and makes bold to present his "I have a dream" kind of vision statement to pull the nation out of the morass of doubt that it has fallen into. But those looking for an erudite discourse on the nation's woes by someone who has achieved so much may feel let down. Kalam's world-view is at times far too simplistic, even bordering on the naive.

Yet it is precisely the lack of cynicism that makes it a refreshing read especially for the young reader. Kalam's "Can Do" approach even at his age is a lesson for all those who curl their lips at any talk of India achieving greatness in the near future.


The scientist is right to rely on the young to ask him some of the most stimulating questions. A student in Assam, for instance, asks him pertinently why the flood waters of the Brahmaputra cannot be diverted to water-scarce Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu? Dulled, even deadened, by India's slow march to development, an adult reaction would be to dismiss such a notion outright.
But it is the childlike curiosity and quest for knowledge coupled with steely determination to do the job- which Kalam exhibits in abundance and which makes him so special-that can probably ignite minds and produce greatness.

Kalam believes the mission approach that he championed during his tenure in the country's leading scientific establishments is a good enough model to replicate. In his way, after careful analysis major problems have to be broken up into achievable goals, time frames fixed, resources provided and, presto, the team should deliver.

Unfortunately in India, Murphy's Law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong) still prevails. Kalam's notions may take a while gaining supremacy.

Isaac Asimov's Guide to Earth and Space by Isaac Asimov (Rating *****)

How do we know that stars are millions of miles away? How was the moon formed? Is there life on planets that circle other stars? What is a nova? What are black holes?

You will find the answers in this book, and not in long, mind-numbing technicalities. Isaac Asimov’s unique skill and authority have never been better deployed than in this fantastic grand tour of the cosmos. Over the course of this brilliant expedition, the reader will experience close encounters with giant planets, unusual views of pulsating stars, and rendezvous with distant galaxies, as well as the unfolding history of astronomical discovery, beginning with Eratosthenes (who calculated the size of the Earth in 240 B.C.) and ending with the stunning scientific achievements of the present day. In no other book can the intelligent layman get so keen and thorough a summary of the riddles of Earth and space. Asimov deftly reveals the secrets of the universe with explanations that anyone from novice to scholar can understand and enjoy.

Puzzles by pulsars? Terrified by black holes? Bewildered by the big bang? Here are succinct, crystal-clear answers to more than one hundred of the most significant questions about planets, stars, galaxies, and the essential nature of the universe that have occupied astronomers since the beginning of history. For anyone who has ever looked up at the stars and wondered what it all means, Isaac Asimov’s Guide to Earth and Space is indispensible.

This is a series of 111 short, one- or two-page essays answering simple questions starting with the shape of the Earth and ending with the fate of the Universe. In this it rather resembles the earlier Please Explain. Here, however, since the book was written as a piece and not as a collection, the questions interact and each is related to the questions on either side, so there is a sense of gradually being drawn along. It’s a nice enough book—not world-shaking, but nice.

One of science's most prolific writers produced this question-and-answer book about this planet and astronomy. Although the book is heavy on historical treatment, the science facts are generally up to date. For the novice, the book is best approached in a linear fashion, going through the questions in order, since some answers depend upon previous ones. Other readers may prefer to locate items of interest through the table of contents or the index. The illustrations are disappointing, serving only to accent the page layout. Recommended for general readers at an introductory level; of less value to an academic library.

The Demon Haunted World By Carl Sagan (Rating ***)

The Demon-Haunted World is a collection of twenty-five essays, several written with Sagan's wife, Ann Druyan. The essays range in scope from eloquent paeans to science to impassioned denunciations of bigotry, from humorous accounts of a variety of pseudoscientific endeavors to serious attempts to understand the nature of alien abduction delusions. With intelligence and wit, and the rational calmness that is his trademark, Sagan takes on a wide variety of topics, among them: alien abductions, astrology, Atlantis, the Bell Curve, channeling, crop circles, demons, electromagnetism, ESP, the face on Mars, fairies, faith healing, magic, miracles, prayer, religion, Roswell, satanic rituals, therapy, and, of course, one of his favorite topics, UFOs and extraterrestrials. Only Velikovsky gets ignored this time around. Through each of his essays he extols the virtues of skepticism, empirical evidence and control studies, while uncovering a multitude of errors and weaknesses in the positions of occultists, paranormalists, supernaturalists and pseudoscientists. And he does so with extreme grace, gentility and civility.

In fact, if there is anything I disagree with in Sagan's book it is probably his encouragement of skeptics to be as civil as he is in dealing with what skeptics see as the dark that extinguishes the candle. He writes

    "...the chief deficiency I see in the skeptical movement is in its polarization: US vs. Them--the sense that we have a monopoly on the truth; that those other people who believe in all these stupid doctrines are morons; that if you're sensible, you'll listen to us; and if not, you're beyond redemption. This is unconstructive....whereas a compassionate approach that from the beginning acknowledges the human roots of pseudoscience and superstition might be much more widely accepted."

    "If we understand this, then of course we feel the uncertainty and pain of the abductees, or those who dare not leave home without consulting their horoscopes....such compassion for kindred spirits in a common quest also works to make science and the scientific method less off-putting, especially to the young."

    "Many pseudoscientific and New Age belief systems emerge out of dissatisfaction with conventional values and perspectives--and are therefore themselves a kind of skepticism."

I can't deny that there is a strong appeal in this call for compassion, for seeing the occultists of the world as after the same thing skeptics are after, and for recognizing the skepticism in those who adhere to pseudoscientific or New Age spiritual notions. If the goal were to try to get the true believer to give up his or her beliefs, then I would agree that an aggressive campaign which arrogantly maintains that it is better to live according to evidence than according to wishes might not be the best tactic. But, the aggressive, blunt, seemingly arrogant approach might be best if the goal is not to convert true believers to skepticism but to provide ideas which will counterbalance the plethora of occult, pseudoscientific, supernatural and paranormal notions which pervade just about any atmosphere in America, or the world, for that matter.

These aggressive methods may be the best ones if the goal is not to help persons who have been encouraged by therapists to think they've been experimented on by aliens, but rather to deter present and future therapists from encouraging patients to accept such beliefs as true and from using hypnosis to recover repressed memories. Such methods can evoke false memories of terrible things which probably never occurred. There is little to be gained, I think, in being compassionate with therapists who have no regard for truth and who encourage their patients to remember childhood abuses regardless of whether the abuses happened or not. Therapists who care for the truth are more likely to get aroused and make some effort to halt the abuses of their colleagues if we make a loud enough noise. And perhaps a future patient of one of these abusive therapists will have heard our angry voices and remember what we've said and question the therapist's methods.

Blunt and direct methods may be called for if the goal is not to persuade someone to give up astrology, crystals or tarot cards, but rather is to try to prevent someone in the future from seriously considering such things as reasonable guides to life.

I agree that it is unconstructive to be dogmatic, to call other people 'morons' or their ideas 'stupid.' I also agree that compassion is the appropriate response for people who have been duped by deluded therapists into believing incredible and harmful things. But I don't think it is the appropriate response to the therapists. We should go after them, and go after them aggressively with the bluntest instruments our language can muster. Likewise for the purveyors of pseudoscientific and New Age rubbish. To the L. Ron Hubbards, Helen Schucmans, Aleister Crowleys, John Macks, Budd Hopkins and Wade Quattlebaums of the world I say show no mercy!

Although some skeptics may take issue with Sagan's genteel style and grandpaternal tone, none of us will find fault with his skilful and recurring emphasis on critical thinking. The more blunt and vulgar among us refer to the need for a crap detector; Sagan provides instruction for building one's "baloney detection kit." He covers several common fallacies and ways to avoid them. He emphasizes the need for skepticism in critical thinking and the necessity for verification and corroboration of claims before accepting them. And he returns again and again to the role of the mass media in forming our characters and opinions. He is especially concerned with the fact that more and more mass media operations are coming into the possession of fewer and fewer individuals or groups. The potential for abuse of power is obvious but, as Orwell said, we have to keep pointing out the obvious. Sagan is hopeful that the internet will be an antidote for this concentration of control over information. So am I.

Another favorite theme of Sagan's is the need for scientists to be communicators, to use the media and the classroom to explain to the masses the truths and beauties of science, instilling in them the sense of wonder which drives people like himself. His criticisms of typical science instruction in America and the paucity of science writers for popular markets are right on target and worth studied perusal by science educators.

It is easy to recommend a book so reflective of one's own views, especially views which are skeptical of belief in God and an afterlife. It is even easier to recommend a book which, even though it covers topics and ideas the reader has gone over a thousand times, does so in a style which makes them seem fresh, is rarely dull, and quite frequently stimulates the reader to want to think about these issues more deeply and wonder if there isn't more he could be doing to make this world a better, saner, more rational place for our children and grandchildren.

Carl Sagan died on December 20, 1996, and it now seems apparent that A Candle in the Dark was meant to be his epitaph. Nothing could be more fitting, for if anyone has been light in these Dark Ages, it was Carl Sagan. But he was more like one of Velikovsky's comets, showering the earth with gifts as he passed through.

द व्हॅली ऑफ फिअर मुळ लेखक - ऑर्थर कॉनन डायल अनुवाद - प्रवीण जोशी (दर्जा ****)

"बर्‍याचदा सत्य कल्पनेपेक्षाही थरारक असतं!" - शेरलॉक होम्स. दैवजात तीक्ष्ण बुद्धी लाभलेल्या होम्ससमोर अत्यंत अवघड कोडं सोडवायला आलं; ज्याची पाळंमुळं अमेरिका आणि युरोप अशा दोन खंडांमध्ये रुजली होती. एका धाडसी माणसाचं आयुष्य भीतीने झाकोळून टाकणारी अक्राळविक्राळ दरी... 'द व्हॅली ऑफ फिअर".... ही शेरलॉक होम्सची खूप गाजलेली कादंबरी.

सर आर्थर कॉनन डॉयल यांचा मानसपुत्र शेरलॉक होम्स याच्या थरारक कारनाम्याची ही एक कादंबरी. ती इंग्रजीत खूप गाजली. तिचा हा मराठी अनुवाद. शेरलॉकच्या कादंबऱ्या ज्यांना वाचायला आवडतात, त्यांच्यासाठी हे पुस्तक आहे. त्याविषयी वेगळे काही सांगायची गरज नाही. या पुस्तकाला अनुवादकाने छोटेसे टिपण जोडले आहे. त्याला 'प्रस्तावना' असे नाव दिले असले तरी तो 'ऋणनिर्देश' आहे. प्रस्तावना म्हणण्याजोगे त्यात काहीही नाही. शिवाय अनुवादकाचा 'ऋणनिर्देश' हाही अशा प्रकारच्या पुस्तकासाठी उचित नाही. याशिवाय इन्प्रिंटच्याच पानावर अनुवादकाची अर्पणपत्रिकाही दिली आहे. तिचीही गरज नव्हती. अनुवाद मात्र चांगला उतरला आहे.

गेल्या पाच, सहा पिढ्यांना बुद्धीमान शेरलॉक होम्सच्या गाजलेल्या कादंबरीचा प्रवीण जोशी यांनी केलेला हा अनुवाद आहे. एखादे काल्पनिक पात्र आपल्याच जगातील वाटावे, एवढे जीवंत करण्याचे श्रेय त्याचा जनक सर आर्थर कॉनन डायलकडे जातं. डोक्यावर हॅट, ओठांमध्ये चिरूट, हातात काठी अशा वेशभूषेतील शेरलॉक होम्स "बऱ्याचदा सत्य कल्पनेपेक्षा थरारक असतं" असं सांगतो. अमेरिका आणि युरोपशी संबंधित या कथेत शेरलॉक होम्स त्याच्या तीक्ष्ण बुद्धीच्या साह्याने अत्यंत अवघड कोडे सोडवितो. भयाच्या, भीतीच्या या दरीत खोल बुडी मारून सत्य शोधून काढण्याच्या त्याच्या रोमांचकारी वाचकही सामील होतात.

शेरलॉक होम्स हे सर ऑर्थर कॉनन डॉयल यांच्या कादंबरीतील पात्र, त्यांचा मानसपुत्र. पेशाने डिटेक्टिव्ह असलेल्या शेरलॉक होम्सच्या कादंबऱ्यांनी वाचकांना खिळवून ठेवले. बर्लस्टन राजवाड्यात
झालेल्या डग्लसच्या खुनाचा तपास होम्स ज्या पद्धतीने लावतो, ते अगदी वाचताना मती गुंग होते. अगदी होम्समधील विविध गुणांची चुणूक दिसते. डिटेक्टिव्ह, हेरगिरीच्या कथा ज्यांना आवडतात, त्यांना ही कादंबरी खिळवून ठेवते.

The Plot against America by Philip Roth (Rating ****)

When the hubristic, newly elected US president boasts of America's invulnerability to foreign attack, the sense of imminent calamity is overwhelming. The title invokes 9/11, but the novel is set 60 years ago. The plot against America isn't Islamic but homegrown (with a little assistance from Germany). And instead of reconstructing real historical events, as David Hare does in Stuff Happens, Philip Roth offers something bolder: a reconstruction of imagined events, a "what if...?" that reads like a "what really happened".

Just suppose...that the air hero Charles Lindbergh, the man who made the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927, who earned huge sympathy when his baby son was kidnapped and murdered five years later, who called Hitler "a great man" and was decorated by order of the Führer for his services to the Reich, just suppose that he'd taken up Republican invitations to run for president in November 1940, and milked the isolationist sentiment that undoubtedly existed then (No more war! Never again will young Americans die on foreign soil!), and that instead of Roosevelt being elected for an unprecedented third term and taking America into Europe to fight the Nazis, Lindbergh won a landslide victory. And then he signed non-aggression treaties with Germany and Japan, and set about realising his vision of America as a land of the brave and blond, and introduced a set of anti-semitic measures which, if not on the scale of Hitler's pogroms, were a betrayal of the rights and liberties enshrined in the constitution and yet, such was the young president's charisma, they were accepted by the mass of ordinary citizens and even by some prominent Jews.

Just suppose...that the princes in the Tower hadn't been murdered, that Britain had remained a republic after Cromwell, that America had turned fascist in 1940. In most hands, "just suppose" is a parlour game, a high-table diversion, whimsical and ultimately trivial. Not with Roth. His stroke of genius - and, given the extraordinary late blooming of an already illustrious career with American Pastoral, I Married a Communist and The Human Stain, the word genius doesn't seem excessive - is to bed his little fantasy in the rich soil of his own childhood in Newark, New Jersey, and watch it grow. The narrator is Philip Roth, aged seven, and the family at the book's centre are his family - father Herman, mother Bess and brother Sandy. The Roths understand the threat posed by Lindbergh, as do their Jewish neighbours, but each member of the family responds differently. Early on, there's a trip to see the sights of Washington, where the Roths find their pre-booked hotel room has become mysteriously unavailable. A blatant case of anti-semitism, Herman shouts, and a violation of the Gettysburg principle that "All men are created equal". But his loudmouth protests embarrass Bess and silence their voluble tour-guide. Already there's a pressure to pretend not to see what's going on. Further frictions arise when, under the auspices of a scheme called "Just Folks", Sandy disappears for the summer for an "apprenticeship" with a Kentucky tobacco farmer. A talented young artist, he returns with a portfolio of animal sketches - and a sudden enthusiasm for Waspish, heartland values. Worse, he's co-opted by the OAA (the Office of American Absorption) to encourage other Jewish city boys to follow his example - and does it so well that through his aunt, Bess's sister Evelyn (whose boyfriend, Rabbi Bengelsdorf, is a passionate supporter of Lindbergh), he's invited to a reception at the White House. A fierce row ensues, with Herman refusing Sandy permission to attend and Evelyn and the rabbi defending Lindbergh as a freely elected democrat "who has exhibited not a single inclination towards authoritarian rule".

In noisily denouncing Lindbergh, Herman is made to feel like a "frightened, paranoid ghetto Jew". Paranoia is a common issue with Roth's narrators, who're frequently told they're imagining or exaggerating things - there's a memorable scene in The Counterlife, when a woman in a London restaurant complains to the waiter of the terrible smell in the place and the hero, Nathan Zuckerman, tells his disbelieving gentile wife "I am that stink".

The thesis of The Plot Against America is paranoid, too - a fascistic US government suspending civil liberties and persecuting minorities deemed a threat to security. Paranoid and yet (even without any allusion to America post-9/11) utterly plausible. To make alternative history credible, you have to register the incredulity of those it's happening to. "We knew things were bad," Herman tells friends after his hotel experience in Washington, "but not like this. You had to be there to see what it looked like." Later, after Von Ribbentrop is warmly greeted at the White House, Herman says: "If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I'd think I was having a hallucination." Or later still:"It can't happen here? My friends, it is happening here."

What unfolds requires some tweaking of the historical record - the postponement of Pearl Harbor by a year, for instance. But so inevitable is the march of events that this is all it seems, a tweak. It helps that we see things through the eyes of a child. The man the child became can look back at what was lost ("that huge endowment of personal security I had taken for granted as an American child of American parents in an American school in an American city in an America at peace with the world"), but the child, in medias res, is preoccupied by matters other than politics: his stamp collection, for instance; or how his Aunt Evelyn, holed up in the cellar, will get through the night without access to a toilet; or what to make of his repellently fascinating cousin Alvin, who has come home from the war in Europe minus a leg. But even those postage stamps lose their innocence. Philip dreams of their national park icons being covered by swastikas, and when the collection is eventually lost, anti-semitism is directly to blame: under the new Homestead 42 scheme, the Roths have been "selected" for relocation to Kentucky, and it's while running away in the middle of the night to avoid exile that Philip mislays his most treasured possession.

As it turns out, the Roths avoid the ultimate catastrophe. But Philip's worst-best friend Seldon is less fortunate. There's a hauntingly familiar moment when Seldon, at home alone in Kentucky when his mother Selma fails to return from work, is given painstaking instructions by Philip's mother over the phone from Newark on how to make himself toast for supper. Seldon fears the worst ("Now both my parents are dead") and he's right to. By this point, two years into Lindy's presidency, killings and riots have begun and many Jews are fleeing over the border into Canada. The nadir is the assassination of the Jewish journalist and broadcaster Walter Winchell, a prominent critic of government policy. In truth, as we learn from Roth's postscript, Winchell lived on for 30 more years. But the alternative history which Roth imagines for him, including a detailed account of his vast funeral in 1942, seems more realistic than the reality of Winchell becoming a McCarthyite in the 50s and dying in obscurity.


The postscript, with its short biographies and list of sources, gives us the facts - the ground on which Roth has built his house of fiction. It's instructive yet also redundant. What matters isn't the reality that underpins the novel, but the reality it creates for itself. And The Plot Against America creates its reality magisterially, in long, fluid sentences that carry you beyond scepticism and with a quotidian attentiveness to sights and sounds, tastes and smells, surnames and nicknames and brandnames - an accumulation of des petits faits vrais - that dissolves any residual disbelief.

Young Philip's greatest epiphany is to recognise the difference between history as taught in school - harmless and inevitable - and history as it's lived through, "the relentless unforeseen". His novel is a different kind of history again, an imagined past which, if we learn from it, might save us from a calamitous future. It's not Roth's funniest novel (and there's hardly any sex). But in its sweep and chutzpah, it ranks with his great trilogy of the late-90s. Isn't it time they gave him the Nobel?

अल कायदाचे धागेदोरे मुळ लेखक - इम्तियाज गुल अनुवाद - रेखा देशपांडे (दर्जा **)

पाकिस्तानमध्ये लष्कर-राजकारणी आणि दहशतवादी संघटनांच्या घुसळणीतून काय घडत आहे, हे जाणून घेणे भारतासाठी अत्यावश्यक ठरते. मात्र इस्लाम, त्यांचा अर्थ लावणारे घटक, त्यांच्या परस्परांत टकरा, आंतरराष्ट्रीय पवित्र्यांचे परिणाम अशा प्रवाहांचीही नीट माहिती आपल्याकडे करून घेतली जात नाही. मुख्य धाराच नीट माहीत नाहीत, मग बारीकसारीक तपशील कोण पाहणार? मात्र पाकव्याप्त काश्मीरचा अफगाण सीमाप्रदेश, त्याचे सात विभाग, तिथला भूगोल, टोळ्या, आर्थिक-भौतिक मागासलेपण-त्यातून पाय रोवण्यास दहशतवाद्यांना अनुकूल भूमी याची विलक्षण तपशिलात जाऊन माहिती पाकिस्तानी पत्रकार इम्तियाज गुल यांनी गोळा केली. स्वत:चा जीव अनेकदा धोक्यात घालून पायी हिंडणे, भेटीगाठी, एखादा धागा पकडून त्या संघटनेच्या नेत्याला भेटणे, मिळालेली माहिती विवेकाने तपासणे, त्याआधारे आणखी तपशील असा हा विस्मयकारी प्रवास आहे. त्याचेच प्रत्यंतर रेखा देशपांडे अनुवादित ‘अल कायदाचे धागेदोरे’ हे पुस्तक वाचताना येतो.

अल कायदा, तालिबान वहाबी इस्लाम, दहशतवाद, आयएसआय... आदी शब्दमालिका भारतात उच्चारली म्हणजे, अशिक्षित सामान्य जनांपासून वर्तमानपत्रांचे वाचक, दूरचित्रवाणीचे प्रेक्षक ते आपापसात शांत चर्चा करणा-यांपासून हमरीतुमरीपर्यंत जाणा-या सर्वांच्या मनात एक शब्द उमटतो, ‘पाकिस्तान’! बहुविध संस्कृतीचा आलेख मान्य नाही, अशा अतिरेकी भूमिकेतून जन्माला आलेला हा देश. याला जन्म देण्यासाठी जे काय उपाय योजले गेले त्यात ‘डायरेक्ट अ‍ॅक्शन’ या नावाखाली दहशतवादी प्रवृत्तींना आवाहन केले गेले. 1971 नंतर हा मूलतत्त्ववाद अधिक विखारीपणे जोपासण्यात आला. शाळांच्या क्रमिक पुस्तकांपासून पुढच्या पिढ्या याच मानसिकतेत घडवण्याचे प्रयत्न राज्यकर्त्यांनी केले. केवळ लष्करशहा झिया-उल-हक नव्हेत तर तथाकथित ‘सेक्युलर’ झुल्फिकार अली, बेनझीर भुत्तो व नवाज शरीफ यांनीही तेच केले. जेव्हा रशियन सेना अफगाणिस्तानात उतरल्या, तेव्हा आपल्या व्यूहात्मक बांधणीला ‘खतरा’ या नावाखाली अमेरिकेच्या आर्थिक-शस्त्र मदतीच्या पाठिंब्यावर दहशतवादी तयार करून जोपासले गेले.

अर्थात ‘दहशतवाद’ हा मानवाच्या इतिहासात नवा नाही. भारताच्या संदर्भात महाभारतातला बकासुर हा त्या काळचा ‘दहशतवादी’च आहे. तसेच पांडवांनी वनवास काळात मारलेला ‘किर्मिर’ हा बकासुर आपला भाऊ होता, असे म्हणतो. किर्मिर ठार झाल्याची बातमी कौरवांना राजसभेत हेरांनी सांगितली तेव्हा दुर्योधन हताश झाला, धृतराष्ट्राने निराश होऊन सुस्कारे सोडले, या महाभारतातल्या उल्लेखांवरून पांडवांना मारण्याची ‘सुपारी’ दुर्योधन-धृतराष्ट्राने किर्मिराला दिली होती, हे उघड होते. मध्ययुगात ब्रिटन-फ्रान्स यांच्यात युरोपात तणातणी तर आशिया-आफ्रिकेत साम्राज्यनिर्मितीची स्पर्धा होती. त्या वेळी ‘फ्रान्सची व्यापारी जहाजे लुटा, आमची सुरक्षित ठेवा’ अशा करारासाठी भूमध्य समुद्रातल्या सागरी चाच्यांना ब्रिटन पैसे चारत असे. मात्र फ्रान्सचा पराभव झाल्यावर ‘गरज सरो’ या चालीवर ब्रिटनने हे सर्व चाचे संपवले. याशिवाय अमेरिकेतला माफिया प्रसंगी अमेरिकन शासनानेही वापरल्याची उदाहरणे ज्ञात आहेत. तर दुस-या महायुद्धात फ्रान्समध्ये तिथला माफिया दोस्त राष्ट्रांनी वापरला होता. त्यामुळे दहशतवाद व राजसत्तांनी त्याचा केलेला वापर हे जगाला नवे नाही.

नवा घटक आहे आज तो या प्रवृत्तीला राज्ययंत्रणेने पूर्ण पाठबळ देणे व हे सर्व एका तत्त्वज्ञानाच्या चौकटीत बसवणे. परंतु हा भस्मासुर आता पाकिस्तानमध्ये मात्र मोकाट सुटला आहे. अशा वेळी ‘शासन’ (स्टेट) यांचे नियंत्रण स्वत:च्याच अंगोपांगांवर राहत नाही. म्हणूनच भारतात, भारताबाहेर, खुद्द पाकिस्तानात रोज घडत असलेले दहशतवादी हल्ले हे प्रत्येक वेळी शासनाच्या आशीर्वादानेच घडवले जातात, असे नव्हे. अनेक गट, त्यांच्या आपसातल्या लढाया, काही कृत्यांना शासकीय संस्थांची छुपी मदत यामागे सत्तास्पर्धा उभी असते - अंतर्गत व आंतरराष्ट्रीयसुद्धा. हे सर्व नेस्तनाबूत करणे, किमान आटोक्यात आणणे, यासाठी जी इच्छाशक्ती (पोलिटिकल विल), राज्ययंत्रणेवर पकड लागते ती आज पाकिस्तानात अस्तित्वात नाही, हे उघड आहे.

यात दोन घटक आणखी आहेत. पाकव्याप्त काश्मीरचा टोळीप्रदेश आणि पूर्वीचा वायव्य सरहद प्रांत, बलुचिस्तान असा जो अफगाणिस्तान-इराणला लगत ‘टोळी’ वाल्यांचा पट्टा आहे, तिथे कुठलीच राज्ययंत्रणा आधुनिक शासन अमलात आणू शकत नाही. हा सर्व भाग शस्त्रोपजीवी आहे. वंश, भाषा, बोली या निरनिराळ्या आहेत. ब्रिटिश राजवटीत या टोळीप्रमुखांना पैसे देऊन आटोक्यात ठेवले जात असले तरी ‘संपर्क जेवढा कमी तेवढे संबंध चांगले’ असे ब्रिटिश धोरण होते. या टोळ्यांच्या आपापल्या परंपरा, सवयी, नीतिमूल्ये, पंचायती आहेत. त्यात हस्तक्षेप सहन होत नाही.

ओसामा-बिन-लादेनची अल-कायदा आणि इतर दहशतवादी संघटना या पार्श्वभूमीवर हालचाली करतात. शिवाय याला शिया-सुन्नी, पॅलेस्टाइन, मध्यपूर्वेचे राजकारण, तेलाचे महत्त्व या सर्व घटकांचा संदर्भ आहेच. शीतयुद्धाच्या काळात तर हा रक्तरंजित आखाडाच होता, याचेच दर्शन आपल्याला प्रस्तुत पुस्तकाद्वारे होत राहते. पुस्तक पत्रकार, प्रशासन, विद्यापीठे यांना अतिशय उपयोगी आहे. या ग्रंथाचा रेखा देशपांडे यांनी केलेला अनुवाद सुरेख झाला आहे. छपाई उत्तम. अशा ग्रंथात नकाशे फार आवश्यक असतात. ‘फटा’ भागाची भौगोलिक माहिती समजून घेण्यासाठी समोर मानचित्र असेल तर सोयीचे असते. परंतु   योग्य ते नकाशे नसणे ही ग्रंथाची मोठी त्रुटी म्हणायला हवी.

Dongri to Dubai by S. Hussain Zaidi (Rating : *****)

Every country has its reallife version of the fictional mafioso Vito Corleone. Dawood Hasan Ibrahim Kaskar is not as charismatic as Mario Puzo’s enduring creation, but he does display a Corleone-esque tendency to vapourise all his enemies. Ibrahim has featured in so many movies that it is safe to attribute a sub-genre to him. S Hussain Zaidi’s new book Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia already has a cinematic connection: ten of its 63 chapters will be used in the screenplay of the forthcoming Sanjay Gupta movie Shootout at Wadala, about the murder in 1982 of Manya Surve, who reportedly killed Ibrahim’s brother Subir Kaskar.

“Dawood was always known to be unforgiving,” Zaidi writes about the mobster, who ordered the hit. “He decided to avenge his brother’s killing and eliminate each and every person involved in the murder. He had no personal enmity with Manya… But Manya will have to pay for this, Dawood swore.” Replace Manya’s name with any other and Ibrahim’s story stays the same. The fugitive from justice (believed to be hiding in Pakistan after spending several years in Dubai) fought and shot his way to the top of the underworld. The hoodlum’s journey as charted by Dongri to Dubai is signposted by acts of personal vendetta which later crystallise into a take-noprisoners attitude towards his rivals, especially Chhota Rajan.

Dongri to Dubai is an intermittently fascinating account of Ibrahim’s transformation from neighbourhood thug to global gangster. Zaidi is nicely placed to record Ibrahim’s rise. The crime reporter has built up a reputation for scoops and access to elusive criminals. He is one of the few journalists to have scored an interview with Ibrahim. Zaidi worked his phone book to the maximum for Dongri to Dubai, but even he drew a blank for the concluding chapters, which track Ibrahim to Pakistan. “The toughest part for me was getting information about his Pakistan days,” said Zaidi, who wrote Dongri to Dubai over seven years between several job changes. “The book was like Draupadi’s sari – it was unending,” he said.

The book, Zaidi’s third after Black Friday and Mafia Queens of Mumbai (co-authored with Jane Borges), is at its strongest when it’s talking about Dongri rather than Dubai. Zaidi reaches back into Ibrahim’s growing-up years in the central Mumbai neighbourhood that folds in several evocatively named mohallas (Irani, Sidi, Israeli) and the city’s only hamam. Zaidi paints Mumbai as a city bubbling over with crooks of all hues. “Mumbai has always been a magnet for people with a criminal bent of mind,” the 44-year-old reporter declared. “Even in 1947, when the tricolour was being unfurled, there were three stabbing incidents on that day.” It was in the 1960s that gangs identified with their leaders began to be established, Zaidi said. When Ibrahim dropped out of school and began his life in crime a decade later by peddling fake watches and holding up Marwari traders, more established criminals like Haji Mastan, Karim Lala and Pathan don Ahmed Khan aka Baashu Dada called the shots. His constable father Ibrahim Kaskar maintained links with several hoods, but Zaidi claims that it was the police who created the man who would later be instrumental in the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai. In the chapter “A Seed is Sown”, Zaidi reveals how police officers, on the advice of a reporter, used Ibrahim to checkmate the Pathan mafia.

Dongri to Dubai is written in a dramatic style that will be familiar from Zaidi’s newspaper reports and Mafia Queens. He has used some creative licence in describing certain incidents. Sample this fantastic-sounding account of Ibrahim being shifted to Jeddah following the death of Osama Bin Laden by US Marines in Abbotabad: “As Dawood stood in front of the mirror, he saw a man with a dark complexion, fast receding hairline, a hint of gray on his eyebrow, and a hardened, ruthless face staring back… As he walked towards his car, he was assailed by a feeling of déjà vu. Memories kept coming back to him, flashbacks, and he tried to ignore them.”

Zaidi, the son of a tailor, grew up in the northeastern Mumbai suburb of Vikhroli and studied commerce at Chetna College. He is a self-described “failed businessman” who later joined a small magazine, Exhibition World. Zaidi then met crime reporter Velly Thevar, whom he would later marry. On her advice, he joined Asian Age in 1995, and gradually started covering the crime beat. Those were early days for cell phones in India, so Zaidi would get postcards from his sources, some of whom were in jail. One gangster’s coded message was, “I love you, Rachna.” If he wanted to meet Zaidi urgently, he would say, “I want to love you today itself.”

The flamboyance of even small-time hoodlums has not left Zaidi unaffected. But while his writings may be spiced up, there’s nothing artificial about the flavour, he insisted. “None of my details were challenged in Mafia Queens,” he said. “Not a single scrap of information has a ring of falsehood or fiction. And I never reveal my sources, which is why the gangsters trust me.”

The Story of My Experiments with Truth by M. K. Gandhi (Rating : ****)

Gandhi's nonviolent struggles in South Africa and India had already brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation, and controversy that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. Although accepting of his status as a great innovator in the struggle against racism, violence, and, just then, colonialism, Gandhi feared that enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding. He says that he was after truth rooted in devotion to God and attributed the turning points, successes, and challenges in his life to the will of God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices (he called himself a fruitarian), celibacy, and ahimsa, a life without violence. It is in this sense that he calls his book The Story of My Experiments with Truth, offering it also as a reference for those who would follow in his footsteps. A reader expecting a complete accounting of his actions, however, will be sorely disappointed.

Although Gandhi presents his episodes chronologically, he happily leaves wide gaps, such as the entire satyagraha struggle in South Africa, for which he refers the reader to another of his books. And writing for his contemporaries, he takes it for granted that the reader is familiar with the major events of his life and of the political milieu of early 20th-century India.It is one of the best things that ever happened to me. The events described in the book are a hundred years old, but Gandhi has a way of describing their essence which is timeless, and will grip you in a way that makes them entirely relevant to today's world. It made me wonder how the world might have been if people today only followed his ideas. But this is no boring lecture on politics or nonviolence. In fact quite the opposite - it is the sparkling story of a very special man told in his own words. We learn about truth and non-violence in the best way possible, by observing Gandhi's actions as he goes about matters small and big. It brought Gandhi to life in a very special way. I always admired his principles, but now feel closer to Gandhi the man. This is a first-hand account that cannot be ignored. My only regret was that the book ended much too soon (mid 1920's) and there was nothing to cover the rest of his life. I can think of no person of any age who would not be greatly enriched by this book.

There is a lot of discussion as to whether this book is actually an autobiography or not. I am not sure whether it is really a question relevant to the work, but it is probably relevant for people who want to decide whether or not to buy the book. So. It is a recounting by Gandhi of his life as it related to his search for truth. It is not a general autobiography, although you will find autobiographical details. It is also not a series of essays about truth-- Gandhi writes very personally about his search for truth, not necessarily about what he found there. I would say that an autobiography about this specific aspect of his life is a fair enough description.

The book is divided into many small chapters. It is clearly intended for a large audience and the chapters are largely able to stand on their own and simply written. Gandhi addresses issues such as food habits, comparative religion, political involvement, justice and the law, and chastity.

I found it quick and easy to read. I liked his voice as a writer very much. I had the feeling that he was not hiding or leading. He left the reader free to either agree or disagree with his actions and conclusions. Most writers in this space have neither the clarity nor the confidence exhibited in The Story of My Experiments With Truth. More, I enjoyed the book. The tone is often wry and sprightly, and as a whole it is very engaging to read. I might have wished that Gandhi had spent more time on some of the subjects, but that was not the purpose of the work.

Recommended for people with an interest in Gandhi, Indian/South African history, or spiritual exploration. The simple accessible style should make it available to a wide range of readers across virtually all age groups.

A Short Histrory of the World by H. G. Wells (Rating : ***)

Of the more than one hundred books that H. G. Wells published in his lifetime, this is one of the most ambitious. Spanning the origins of the Earth to the outcome of World War I, A Short History of the World is an engrossing account of the evolution of life and the development of the human race. Wells brings his monumental learning and penetrating historical insight to bear on the Neolithic era, the rise of Judaism, the Golden Age of Athens, the life of Christ, the rise of Islam, the discovery of America, the Industrial Revolution, and a host of other subjects. Breathtaking in scope, this thought-provoking masterwork remains one of the most readable and rewarding of its kind.

If you have ever wondered about how history hangs together, then this is the book for you. From the dawn of civilization to the modern era, Wells takes you along the journey of civilization (and pre-civilization -- the first few chapters of the book cover geology and evolution). This tome, and if ever a volume merited the word this is it, carries you along the way with Alexander, Persian Kings, Khans, Crusaders, Chinese Emperors, Popes, French Citizens, Tsars, and Kaisers. The sweep of characters, times and places includes a wonderful vista of history, all together and seen in relation to its entirety.

Yes, it's dated. Yes, it's slanted. H. G. Wells is very Victorian in his ethics. His politics were Fabian Socialist so you will find a distinct undercurrent for a socialist world government driving the story along. He is as un-Eurocentric as you could expect for the time: Europe and the Middle East take up the majority of the book, China and India play the next biggest role, followed distantly by Africa, Australia and the Americas.

The flaws are few given the task, the style is immensely readable, and the man who wrote The War of the Worlds, Time Machine, The Invisible Man and the Island of Doctor Moreau knows how to tell a story. Wells had the nerve to take on the World and the world gets a ripping good yarn with Mankind as the hero.

Overall the book was a treat to read with a lot of illustration and photos of historical objects from various museums. It definitely added to my knowledge of world history.

The New Cambridge History of India - Vijaynagar by Burton Stein(Rating : **)

From childhood I was quite curious to know more about the history of the Vijayanagara empire. Our high-school text-books on history barely touched upon the rise and the fall of this great empire that ruled over almost all of southern India for about three centuries beginning in the 14th century. We picked up Burton Stein's “The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara” mainly because at about 150 pages it looked like a more manageable read than the other such books. It was also far more recent than the other books and therefore had a much better chance of incorporating the findings from recent research into this aspect of Indian history.

The book turned out to be a serious study of the history of the Vijayanagara empire as well as a commentary on the published literature on this topic. It seems therefore to be better suited for students of history than the general public and it does get dull at times. That does not mean that it does not have fascinating information for the patient lay reader. This is especially true for those in India since the history generally taught to us in our schools is quite lopsided.

The main focus of the author is on the economic, political and social factors affecting the rise and the fall of this empire. Reliable collection of taxes over such a vast and disparate region coupled with the pressure on the treasury by the need to maintain a full-time professional army made for tricky economics. Since this empire was ruled over by three separate dynasties coming into power via means such as usurpation, there is plenty of politics to go over. An empire like this that ruled over a diverse population speaking Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Tulu spread over the entire Indian peninsula meant that local chieftains were both necessary as well as threatening for running the empire. Finally, the empire was constantly threatened by bordering kingdoms. It was therefore quite amazing that the empire survived and thrived for as long as it did. Quite remarkably, the book shows that the very factors that enabled the empire to form and sustain itself ultimately led to its downfall. The book is quite pro-british in nature which tries to emphasise that Indian politics at that time was utter chaos until British came and brought Integrity, Order and Descipline to India.

To fully appreciate the book, you should have some familiarity with the other main dynasties that ruled over parts of southern India like the Chalukyas, the Cholas and the Pandyas. There are extensive bibliographic references in this book for the serious student of history. Having visited Hampi is not a pre-requisite for reading this book, though it definitely helps in appreciating the few plates that are there. There is not much information about the flourishing of art in this empire as is evident from the ruins of Hampi - you will have to look elsewhere if you are interested in that aspect of the empire.

The Vijayanagara rajas ruled a substantial part of the southern peninsula of India for over three hundred years, beginning in the mid-fourteenth century. During this epoch the region was transformed from its medieval past toward a modern colonial future. Concentrating on the later sixteenth- and seventeenth-century history of Vijayanagara, this book details the pattern of rule established in this important and long-lived Hindu kingdom that was followed by other, often smaller kingdoms of peninsular India until the onset of colonialism. Through an analysis of the politics, society, and economy of Vijayanagara, the author addresses the central question of the extent to which Vijayanagara, as a medieval Hindu kingdom, can be viewed as a prototype of the polities and societies confronted by the British in the late eighteenth century. The book thus presents an understanding and appreciation of one of the great medieval kingdoms of India as well as a more general assessment of the nature of the state, society, and culture on the eve of European colonial rule.

Concentrating on the later sixteenth- and seventeenth-century history of Vijayanagara, Burton Stein details the pattern of rule established in this important and long-lived Hindu kingdom, which was followed by other, often smaller, kingdoms of peninsular India until the onset of colonialism. Stein addresses the central question of the extent to which Vijayanagara, as a medieval Hindu kingdom can be viewed.

Burton Stein has contributed to The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara as an author. At the time of his death Burton Stein was Professorial Research Associate in History at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. He had previously held professorships at the universities of Minnesota and Hawaii. His publications included "Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India" (1980) and "Thomas Munro: The Origins of the Colonial State and his Vision of Empire "(1989).

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton (दर्जा : ***)

Pirate Latitudes is an action adventure novel written by Michael Crichton. The book was published posthumously by HarperCollins on November 24, 2009. It is an adventure story concerning piracy in Jamaica in the 17th century.

The novel stars the fictional privateer Captain Charles Hunter who, together with the governor of Jamaica, plots to raid a Spanish galleon for its treasure. Johnathan Burnham's review states that it is "thoroughly researched...packed through with great detail about navigation and how pirates operated, and links between the New World and the Caribbean and Spain.”

Michael Crichton's "Pirate Latitudes" is everything you're looking for in a pirate adventure. It doesn't necessarily do anything new with the genre, but it will satisfy those who found the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" films too over-the-top and cartoony.

This (relatively short) novel tells the story of pirate (he prefers "privateer") Charles Hunter and his crew of super-pirates as they embark on a quest for the ultimate prize-- a Spanish treasure galleon. I say "super-pirates" because each of his crew does one or two things extraordinarily well, creating a sort of "who's who" of pirate archetypes. You have the stealth assassin, Sanson, who kills entire ship crews without making a sound. Then there is Bassa, the giant Moor who seems inspired by Fezzik from "The Princess Bride" and who kills with his bare hands. There is Lazue, the quintessential female pirate, who goes about as a man unless it suits her to use her feminine attributes and whose eyes are capable of spotting even the most camouflaged of reefs. There is Enders, the dependable helmsman, who can sail even the bulkiest of ships through the eye of a needle. And finally Don Diego aka "The Jew", the crafty munitions expert, who does something with rat innards you will not believe.

Other pirate tale staples appear as well: cannibals, damsels in distress, storms at sea, and sea monsters. The inclusion of the sea monster surprised me, given Crichton's realistic account of 17th century pirate life up to that point. While my initial reaction was to scoff, I soon found myself going with the idea. Crichton was a man of science, and you get the impression that he is acknowledging the possibility that perhaps the strange stories of sea monsters told by the old seafarers of the past may have had some truth to them. I won't go into too much detail about the monster, but its presence in the story is handled well. The sea monster scene is not particularly original, but it's hard not to smile while reading it. Yes, we've seen it before, but it's still fun to go over again with a new set of characters and circumstances.

"Pirate Latitudes" doesn't really hit its stride until about halfway through. From there on it is difficult to put down. The publisher's description of the book is incomplete (probably intentionally so). Yes, Captain Hunter and his motley crew are indeed embarking on a dangerous mission to cut out a Spanish treasure galleon from a nigh unconquerable port, but that is only half the story. I will not give away any more, but will instead allow you to discover the rest for yourself as I did.

As you read though the novel, you get the impression that this was something Crichton was writing merely for his own enjoyment. It was well-publicized that the completed manuscript was discovered after the author's death. We'll never know what he intended to do with it. Perhaps he never intended to publish it at all. While this may sound ludicrous to non-writers, I suspect this is the case. Many prolific authors have completed manuscripts tucked away that they wrote just for the pleasure of writing, and "Pirate Latitudes" seems to be one of those. Perhaps it was something he picked away at while trying to stave off writer's block for something else he was working on. Even if this novel was never intended to see the light of day, I am glad his family decided to go ahead and let us have a look at it.

"Pirate Latitudes" delivers everything you'd ever want from a pirate story, and also gives a fairly accurate historical portrayal of 17th century pirates, particularly the violent lives they lead. This book will likely not receive any awards, nor will it impress many literary critics, but it is not attempting to do so. It is well-worth reading if you enjoy fast-paced action adventure, particularly of the cutlass-wielding, piratey variety.

The Polyester Prince by Hamish McDonald (दर्जा : ***)

Dheerubhai Ambani, the most popular name of modern Indian business, is still in the minds of Indians despite his physical demise. Hamish MC Donald has made a critical interpretation of Ambani’s transition of normal man into a Business Tycoon who allegedly influenced mainstream politicians for the commercial benefits of his business unethically. This book was written in 1998 and has been banned in India due to the heavy pressure from Ambanis.You can find this books at bombay streets for nominal cost which are smuggled. Maniratnam has been inspired by this book for making of “GURU” with Abishek Abhachan . Mani Ratnam also depicted numerous scenes from the source of this book. This book also highlighted the rivalry between Dheerubhai Ambani and Nusli Wadia(grandson of Mahamad Ali Khan Jinna) who were allegedly tried to assassinate each other. Their rivalry remained as a black spot of Indian corporate history. In the film Guru, Mithun Chakravarthy played Ramanth goenka role while Madhavan played Journalist Guru Murthi role. Interesting aspect is Guru Murthy was hugely suffered by Ambani on the various charges and even jailed unlike the ‘GURU” movie description where Abishak Bachan didn’t touch Madhavan. Mani Ratnam must have been pampered by Ambanis. Though this book is mandatory for the people who aspiring a career in corporate sector and entrepreneurship,but special kind of fiction has been added by author to sensationalize the book and his name. Readers should be very cautious while reading the book and to make conclusions on Dheerubhai’s character.

The Polyester Prince is a balanced book on India's own robber baron. Mr. McDonald pays tribute to Gujarati traders/ Banias in the first few chapters by acknowledging their exuberance of speech, inventiveness, and commercial drive. Dhirubhai first displayed his diplomatic and negotiating skills during the Junagadh freedom struggle. At Yemen, he exploits the fact that silver content in rial was higher than the pound. There he also learned the fundamentals of business by taking position in rice, sugar, and other commodities. At India, Dhirubhai progressed to trading in REP licenses and later textile manufacturing. One of Dhirubhai's greatest attributes was that he networked and lobbied furiously. He cultivated several journalists, politicians, and bureaucrats including Girilal Jain, Murli Deora, Yashpal Kapur, T.A. Pai, R.K. Dhawan, P.C. Sethi, Pramod Mahajan, and Pranab Mukherjee. Several policies such as the High Unit Value Scheme were introduced for the sole benefit of Reliance and tariffs mostly for the detriment of competitors like Kapal Mehra (Orkay Silk Mills) and Nusli Wadia (Bombay Dyeing). Reliance was the first to recognize the most important external environment- Government of India. Dhirubhai used the government to destroy Indian Express and Bombay Dyeing. Wadia, Mehra and the journalist Gurumurthy were arrested on fake charges. He is alleged to have tried to get Wadia assassinated through Kirti Ambani and contract killers. Reliance also resorted to envelope journalism and later buying out a newspaper to unfairly cast DMT as inferior to PTA. Dhirubhai is rightly called father of Indian equity cult as he patronized convertible debentures. One out of every four investors in India is a Reliance shareholder. The Ambanis used loopholes, shell investment companies/ tax havens in Isle of Man, duplicate shares, insider trading, and financial engineering tricks to ensure that Reliance was the largest zero-tax company and a pure cash flow operation. Though correctly described as ruthless and daring, Mr. McDonald overlooks that Dhirubhai was an innovative financier, brand builder (Only Vimal etc.), and an industrialist way ahead of his times (vertical integration, GDR etc.).

In the Sargasso Sea by Thomas Allibone Janvier (दर्जा : ****)

This is a children's Novel written by Thomas Allibone Janvier in 1898. Recently this book is re-issued by Kessinger Publishing. I came across this book while browsing the awsome collection of Project Gutenberg. Its mysterious name compelled me to read this century old book. Its digital format helped me to carry it wherever I went and allowed me to read it in spare time. Yet due to slow reading pace, it took me very long time to complete it.

When I first saw its title "In the Sagasso Sea", I remembered my school days, when I had learned about the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Also I am a great fan of the Bermuda Triangle mystery. Hence I decided to read this book. Its english is late nineteenth century type a little bit hard to grasp, yet I had no trouble understanding the book. The book was simple and straight forward. It was a little monotonous since once the main character gets lost in the tangle of Sargasso Sea his life becomes really monotonous with very little things to do but to survive and get rescued. ninety percent of book depicts his struggle to survive in Sargasso Sea with a few interesting suspence twists like when he meet some living people onboard some boats trapped in the never ending tangle of the Sargasso Sea.

The protagonist, Roger Stetworth, unwillingly joins a slave ship called the "Golden Hind" captained by Luke Chilton. (When Chilton demanded that Roger "sign aboard" he refused and was clubbed on the head and thrown overboard.) He is rescued by the "Hurst Castle" and doctored by a painfully stereotyped Irishman. The "Hurst Castle" is abandoned but does not founder in a gale and the crew accidentally leave Stetworth marooned aboard. The ship drifts into the center of the Sargasso Sea where Stetworth finds himself in a ships' graveyard in which survivors of previous shipwrecks still inhabit the forgotten ships. Stetworth must rely on his own ingenuity to get free from the choking sargasso weeds. The end of the novel is quite plain when he gets out of the tangle and gets rescued. More dramatic climax could have been designed by a level headed author. But thus is what decided by the author a hundred years ago. Though the book is very old its story is still fresh and could be enjoyed by childrens as well as adults.

Overall the novel was good to read and informs the reader with the mystery of Sargasso Sea in the way as is understood at that time when ships and their navigation system was not as developed it is today. Even today with very developed shipping system and advanced satellite navigation we often hear about ships lost at sea due to storms or tidal waves or sometime due to no reason at all without a trace. Thats what we call Bermuda Triangle mystery.

लज्जा - तस्लीमा नसरीन (अनु. लीना सोहोनी) (दर्जा ***)

१९७२ साली भारताने बांग्लादेशला स्वातंत्र्य मिळवून दिले. त्यावेळी हा देश आपले हे उपकार एवढ्या लवकर विसरेल असे वाटले नव्हते. स्वातंत्र्यानंतर काही वर्षांतच या देशाने इस्लामिकरण चालू केले, आणि देशातील इतर जमातींना या ना त्याप्रकारे देशाबाहेर हाकलून द्यायला सुरु केले. १९९२ चे बाबरी मशिद प्रकरण तेथिल हिंदू लोकांना बाहेर हाकलण्यास पुरेसे होते. तस्लिमा नसरीन यांनी लिहीलेले हे पुस्तक बाबरी मशिद उध्वस्त झाल्यानंतरच्या बांग्लादेशमधिल परीस्थितीचा आढावा घेते. त्यासाठी तिने सुरंजन नावाच्या काल्पनिक हिंदू पात्राचा आणि त्याच्या कुटूंबियांवर गुदरलेल्या प्रसंगाचा आधार घेतला आहे. बांग्लादेशाच्या स्वातंत्र्याच्या वेळी तेथे हिंदुंचे प्रमाण जवळ्जवळ २० टक्के होते ते आता ५ टक्के राहीले आहे. यावरुनच किती लोकांनी तिथून पलायन केले आहे हे लक्षात येते. या लोकांचे गंतव्यस्थान भारत असणार हे वेगळे सांगायला नको. आधिच प्रचंड लोकसंख्येच्या बोज्याखाली चिरडलेल्या भारताला आणखी किती निर्वासितांचा बोजा सोसावा लागणार आहे कोण जाणे. काही वर्षांपुर्वीच फिजीतून भारतीय लोकांना हाकलण्यात आले. आता मलेशियातील भारतीय लोकांवर अत्याचार होत असल्याचे ऐकायला मिळते. भारत सरकारने त्यावर काळजी व्यक्त करताच, आमच्या अंतर्गत मामल्यात ढवळाढवळ करु नका अशी चपराकही देण्यास मलेशिया सरकारने कमी केले नाही. आंतरराष्ट्रीय राजकारणात भारताची पत किती आहे हेच या प्रकरणातून दिसून येते. मलेशिया तर सोडाच पण ज्या बांग्लादेशाला आपण एकेकाळी हजारो सैनिकांचे बलिदान देऊन मुक्त केले, तोही उर्मटपणाची भाषा करतो. भारताच्या मिळमिळीत आंतरराष्ट्रीय धोरणाचीच ही परिणीती आहे.

१९९२ साली एक बाबरी मशिद पाडताच मुस्लिम जगाने एवढा हंगामा केला, परंतु त्यानंतर सर्व मुस्लिम राष्ट्रांत हजारो मंदिरांची मोडतोड करण्यात आली त्याबद्दल कोणीच काही बोलत नाही. तस्लिमाने एक मुसलमान असुनही हिंदुंच्याबाजूने लिहीलेली ही कथा विलक्षण आहे. यात तिने १९९२ च्या दंगलीनंतर घडलेल्या घटनांचे सविस्तर वर्णन केले आहे. काही ठिकाणी हे वर्णन भलतेच लांबले आहे, पण आपण ते टाळूनही पुस्तकाचे वाचन करु शकतो. या दंगलीचा सुरंजन या आशावादी हिंदु कुटुंबावर झालेला परीणाम, सुरंजनची मनोवस्था, त्याचे वडील सुधामय बाबूंचा बांग्लादेशमधिल जातीय सलोख्यावरील विश्वास आणि देशप्रेम, त्याची आई किरणमयी हिची हतबलता यासर्वांचे सुरेख वर्णन तस्लिमा बाईंनी केले आहे. या मुळ बंगाली भाषेतील पुस्तकाचा मराठी भाषेत लिना सोहोनी यांनी केलेला अनुवाद अतिशय सुरेखा झाला आहे.

तसे पाहीले तर या पुस्तकात लेखिकेने इस्लाम धर्माविषयी कोणतीही टीका अथवा टीप्पणी केली नाही आहे. तरी या पुस्तकावर बांग्लादेशमध्ये बंदी घालण्यात आली आहे. मुस्लिम समाज या लेखिकेवर संतप्त असून तिच्यावर हल्ले आणि फतवे काढण्यात आले आहेत. सध्या लेखिका भारतात आश्रीत असून तिला सुरक्षेच्या कारणावरुन राजस्थानमध्ये वास्तव्य करावे लागते आहे. सत्ताधारी कॉंग्रेस पक्षही मुस्लिम समाजाची नाराजी टाळण्यासाठी लेखिकेला भारतात कायमचा आश्रय देण्यास तयार नाही. केवळ वोट बॅंक जपण्यासाठी हे राजकीय पक्ष काहिही करण्यास तयार असतात. या पुस्तकात बांग्लादेशमध्ये घडत असलेली एक सत्य घटना जगासमोर मांडण्याचा प्रयत्न केला आहे. केवळ एका ठराविक समाजाची नाराजी टाळण्यासाठी त्यावर बंदी घालणे अथवा तिच्या लेखिकेला निर्वासित करणे म्हणजे मानवतेला आणि व्यक्तिस्वातंत्र्याला काळिमा फासण्यासारखे आहे.

बाराला दहा कमी - पद्मजा फाटक, माधव नेरूरकर (दर्जा ****)

विसाव शतक हे हिंसाचार, युध्द आणि रक्तरंजित राज्यक्रांत्या यांच शतक. सगळी युध्द संपवणार एक अखेरच युध्द अशी भाबड्यांची कल्पना झाली होती दुसऱ्या महायुध्दाबद्दल. अणुबॉंबच्या हाहाकाराने १९४५ साली माणूस मुळापासून हादरला होता. परंतु थोडाच काळ. पुन्हा तो सावरला. आणि हायड्रोजन बॉंब, क्षेपणास्त्रे, जैवीक आणि रासायनिक अस्त्र यांची निर्मिती, राष्ट्रवादाने पछाडल्यामुळे, करू लागला. "नो मोर हिरोशिमाज" ही हाक त्यात विरून गेली. माणसाच्या या विकृत मारणध्यासाची शोधकहाणी म्हणजेच हे पुस्तक बाराला दहा कमी.

साध्या टी. एन. टी आणि नायट्रोग्लिसरीन अशा स्फोटकांपासून अणूबॉंबपर्यंत माणसाचा स्वत:लाच नष्ट करणाऱ्या अस्त्रांचा शोध मानवाने कसा लावला याचे विहंगम आणि प्रदीर्घ विवेचन पद्मजा बाईंनी या पुस्तकात केले आहे. एकीकडे जागतिक शांततेचा उदघोष करीत आणि दुसरीकडे स्वत:च एकापेक्षा एक भयानक अस्त्र निर्मिती करण्याची दुटप्पी भूमिका जागतीक महासत्तांनी घेतलेली दिसते. म्हणजे मुहमे राम और बगल मे छुरी असे म्हणतात ना त्याप्रमाणे. आजकाल अमेरीकेबरोबर अणुकरार करायची भारताची लगबग सुरू आहे, त्या पार्श्वभूमीवर अण्वस्त्रांच्या इतिहासाबद्दलचे हे पुस्तक सर्वसामान्य वाचकांसाठी मार्गदर्शक ठरते.

राजकीय नेत्यांपासून तथाकथित शांतताप्रिय शास्त्रज्ञांपर्यंत सर्वांनी या महाभयानक अस्रनिर्मितीत हिरीरीने भाग घेतला. आणि अस्त्रनिर्मिती झाल्यानंतर आपण त्या गावचे नाहीच अशी भूमिका घेऊन जागतिक शांतता प्रसाराचे काम हाती घेतले. अशा शास्त्रज्ञांच्या आणि गणमान्य नेत्यांच्या नैतिकतेवर लेखिकेने प्रश्नचिन्ह उभे केले आहे. मानव एवढा समजूतदार आणि शहाणा प्राणि असूनही स्वत:च्याच मुळावर का उठला आहे याचे आश्चर्य वाटते. सर्व जणांनी मिळून मिसळून गुण्यागोविंदाने, या अफाट विश्वात, परमेश्वराने दिलेल्या एकुलत्या एक पृथ्वीवर सुखासमाधानाने जगायचे सोडून, हे तुझे नि हे माझे अशी स्वार्थी भूमिका घेत एकमेकांचा विनाश करण्यास तो सज्ज झाला आहे.

माझ्या मते ही निसर्गाचीच एक चाल आहे. ज्या प्रमाणे प्राणी्मात्रांत जीवन-मृत्यूचे समतोल चक्र बांधून निसर्गाने पृथ्वीवर जीवनाचा समतोल राखला आहे, त्याप्रमाणे सर्व प्राणीमात्रांत अत्यंत तल्लख बुध्दीमत्ता असलेल्या आणि समतोल राखण्यास अवघड असलेल्या मानवाचे प्रजनन आणि पृथ्वीवरचे प्रमाण नियंत्रित करण्यासाठी त्याच्या मेंदूत स्वयंनष्टचर्याचे आणि आत्मघाताचे बीज पेरले आहे. या निसर्गदत्त अंतरप्रेरणेमुळे तो सदोदीत नवी नवी हत्यारे स्वत:च्या जातभाईंविरूध्द वापरण्यासाठी बनवत राहणार आणि एक दिवस स्वत:च्या हाताने मानवजातीचा विनाश पृथ्वीवरून घडवून आणणार. त्यानंतर निसर्ग नेहमीप्रमाणे पुन्हा नवीन सजीवसृष्टी घडवण्यात गुंग होणार. कोणीही कितीही उपदेश केला अथवा हे थोपवण्याचा प्रयत्न केला तरी कोणालाही हे निसर्गचक्र थांबवणे शक्य होणार नाही.

एकंदरीत या पुस्तकात लेखिकेने अण्वस्त्रांचा इतिहास रंजकपणे मांडण्याचा प्रयत्न केला आहे. परंतू अनेक ठीकाणी लिखाण अनावश्यकपणे वाढले आहे त्यामुळे रटाळ वाटते. ज्या माणसाला अण्वस्त्रांची माहिती घेण्याची उत्सूकता नाही तो हे पुस्तक जास्त काळ हातात धरू शकणार नाही. ५९० पानांचे हे अगडबंब पुस्तक लेखिकेला आटोपशिरपणे २०० पानांत संपवता आले असते. त्याने पुस्तकाची कींमतही कमी झाली असती आणि कहाणीही वेगवान झाली असती. एवढ्या मोठ्या तांत्रीक पुस्तकात रेखा आणि छायाचित्रांचा पुर्णत: अभाव खटकतो. त्यांचा समावेश असता तर हे पुस्तक शतपटींनी अधिक उपयुक्त आणि रंजक झाले असते. थोडक्यात सांगायचे झाले तर विज्ञाननिष्ठ दृष्टीकोन असणाऱ्या, अणुबॉंबविषयी उत्सूकता असणाऱ्या, तांत्रीक माहीती वाचण्याची आवड असणाऱ्या वाचकाला हे पुस्तक एकदा तरी वाचायला हरकत नाही.

लेखिकेने यापुस्तकाचे नाव एका खऱ्या घड्याळावर ठेवले आहे. अमेरीकेतील शिकागो विद्यापिठातील "बुलेटीन ऑफ एटोमीक सायंटीस्ट्स" हे नियतकालीक प्रसारीत करणाऱ्या अणुवैज्ञानिकांच्या गटाने एक सांकेतिक घड्याळ १९४७ पासून ठेवले आहे. या घड्याळाचे काटे बाराला काही मिनीटे शिल्लक असल्याची वेळ दाखवतात. यामध्ये बारा वाजता पृथ्वीचा विनाश होणार आहे असे गृहीत धरण्यात आले आहे, आणि ती वेळ येण्यास किती वेळ शिल्लक आहे हे ते घड्याळ दाखवते. पृथ्वीवर अण्वस्त्रयुगाच्या सुरूवातीपासून मानव विनाशाच्या दिशेने ढकलला गेला आहे, या विनाशाला आता किती वेळ शिल्लक आहे ते या सांकेतीक घड्याळाद्वारे हे वैज्ञानिक जगाला कळवतात. १९४७ साली हे घड्याळ सुरू केले गेले तेव्हा त्यात बाराला ७ मिनिटे कमी एवढी वेळ ठेवण्यात आली होती. या वेळेत आजतागायत १८ वेळा बदल करण्यात आले. सर्वात कमीवेळ १२ ला २ मिनिटे कमी १९५३ साली ठेवण्यात आली होती तर सर्वात जास्त वेळ १२ ला १७ मिनिटे कमी १९९१ साली ठेवण्यात आली होती. शेवटचा बदल २००७ साली १२ ला ५ मिनिटे कमी असा करण्यात आला आहे. हे घड्याळ सुरू करताना जगाला असलेला अण्वस्त्रांचा धोकाच विचारात घेण्यात आला होता. आता मात्र त्यांत सर्वप्रकारच्या मानवनिर्मित आण्विक, पर्यावरणीय आणि तांत्रिक बाबींचा समावेश करण्यात आला आहे. या घड्याविषयी अधिक माहीती http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_clock या संकेतस्थळावर मिळू शकते.

पानिपत - विश्वास पाटील (दर्जा *****)

विश्वासरावांचे गाजलेले पुस्तक पानिपत जेव्हा हातात आले, तेव्हा त्याबद्दल बरीच उत्सुकता लागून राहिली होती. लहानपणापासून मी पानिपतच्या तीन लढायांबाबत ऐकत आलो. शाळेत असताना इतिहासाच्या पुस्तकातल्या सनावळ्या पाठ करताना मला बराच कंटाळा यायचा. वाटायचे की या घटनांच्या सनावळ्या पाठ करुन काय साधणार आहे. प्रत्यक्ष व्यवहारात त्याचा काही उपयोग आहे का?, असा सवाल मी करायचो. परंतु करणार काय, म्हणतात ना, आलीया भोगासी असावे सादर. कीतीही कंटाळवाणा असला, तरी मी काय थोडाच अभ्यासक्रम बदलू शकणार होतो.

मला आता नक्की आठवत नाही पण आठवी ते दहावी इयत्तेत असताना कधीतरी मराठीच्या पुस्तकात “भाऊसाहेबांची बखर” या कादंबरीवर आधारीत, “आपेश मरणाहून ओखोटे” हा अगदी पहिलाच धडा होता. त्याची भाषा प्राचीन मराठी भाषेवर आधारीत होती, त्यामुळे समजायला अतिशय कठीण होती. पहिलाच धडा असा कठीण पाहून मी हादरलोच. त्या धड्यातील एकही शब्द मला समजत नव्हता. पण त्यानंतर आमच्या शाळेतील मराठी विषयाच्या शिक्षिकेने तो धडा जेव्हा अतिशय सोप्या भाषेत समजावून दिला, तेव्हा कुठे हायसे वाटले. त्यानंतर भितीची जागा उत्सुकतेने घेतली. पानिपतच्या लढाईबद्दल प्रथमच इत्यंभूत माहिती मिळाली. त्या धड्यातील काही वाक्ये आम्हा विद्यार्थ्यांत अतिशय लोकप्रिय झाली होती. दत्ताजी शिंद्यांच अजरामर झालेले वाक्य “बचेंगे तो और भी लढेंगे”, “सिर सलामत तो पगडी पचास”, “भडभुंज्याने लाह्या भाजाव्यात तसे लोक भाजून निघाले” इत्यादी.

१९८५-८७ दरम्यानच्या या अनुभवानंतर २००६ साली विश्वास पाटील यांनी याच विषयावर लिहीलेले “पानिपत” हे पुस्तक वाचण्याचा योग आला, आणि गतस्मृतींना उजाळा मिळाला. आतापर्यंत मी वाचलेल्या सर्व पुस्तकांत हे पुस्तक सर्वोत्कृष्ट होते असे मी म्हणेन. विश्वासरावांची भाषाशैली आणि लेखनकौशल्य अतुलनिय आहे याची हे पुस्तक वाचताना प्रचिती येते. संपुर्ण पुस्तक वाचताना कुठेही कंटाळा येत नाही. युध्दासारखा हिंस्त्र आणि बिभत्स प्रसंगही त्यांनी कौशल्याने हाताळला आहे आणि वाचकाला त्याची फारशी कीळस वाटणार नाही याची त्यांनी काळजी घेतली आहे. तरीही माझ्या अनेक मित्रांनी ज्यांनी पानिपत वाचले आहे, त्यांनी हे पुस्तक वाचताना अंगावर काटा येतो असा अभिप्राय दिला. संपुर्ण पुस्तकात युध्द आणि युध्दच असल्यामुळे हिंसाचाराचे वर्णन असणे साहजिकच आहे.

पुस्तक वाचताना काही ठीकाणी वर्णन अवास्तवरीत्या वाढल्याचे आढळते. विशेशकरून भाऊसाहेब आणि अब्दाली यांना पडणाऱ्या स्वप्नांचे वर्णन अवास्तव आणि आणि विनाकारण घुसविल्यासारखे वाटते. इतिहास कथारुपात सादर केल्यामुळे त्यात मनोरंजकता आणण्यासाठी लेखकाने असे केले असण्याची शक्यता आहे. केवळ इतिहास वर्णन या उद्देशाने हे पुस्तक लिहीण्याचे ठरविले असते तर ५०० पानांचे हे पुस्तक २५० पानांतच आटोपले असते.
पानिपतच्या युध्दात मराठ्यांचा दारुण पराभव झाला हे जगजाहिर आहे. हे पुस्तक वाचताना या पराभवाची कारणे जी माझ्या लक्षात आली ती खालील प्रमाणे आहेत.

१. मराठी लष्करातील यात्रेकरुंचा आणि बुणग्यांचा भरणा लष्कराला भोवला. १००००० हुन अधिक लोकांत फक्त ४०००० लढाऊ सैनिक होते. इतर बिनलढाऊ लोकांच्या बोझ्यामुळे लष्कराची उपासमार झाली आणि वेगवान लष्करी हालचाली करता आल्या नाही.
२. लढाईत स्त्रियांना, आप्तांना सोबत घेऊन जाण्याची परंपरा घातक होती. लढाईत राजा, सरदार मेला तरी त्यांचा वंश पुढे चालवण्यासाठी पुढे तरतुद करण्याचे शहाणपण त्यानी दाखविले नाही.
३. लष्करात शिस्त आणि नियंत्रणाचा अभाव होता. एकदा भाऊंनी गोलाची लढाई खेळण्याचे ठरविल्यावर, त्यांचे न ऎकता गोल तोडणारे विठ्ठल विंचूरकर आणि दमाजी गायकवाड हे सर्वात मोठे युध्द अपराधी होते.
४. लढाई संपायच्या आतच मैदान सोडून पळणारे मल्हारराव होळकर हे दुसऱ्या क्रमांकाचे युध्द अपराधी होत. अशा युध्दातुन पळून आलेल्या लढाऊ लोकांना मराठी शासनाने जबर शिक्षा करणे आवश्यक होते. त्याने इतरांवर जरब बसली असती. पळपुटेपणा हे पानिपतच्या लढाईतल्या पराभवाचे मोठे कारण आहे.
५. संपुर्ण लढाईत यमुना नदी ओलांडता न येणे, अब्दालीचा नायनाट न करता कुंजपुऱ्यावर हल्ला करणे, आजुबाजुच्या राजेरजवाड्यांकडुन सहकार्य मिळण्यात अपयश, लष्करात शिस्त राखण्यात अपयश, आधीच्या लढायांत मुलूख जिंकल्यानंतर त्याचा योग्य नागरी आणि लष्करी बंदोबस्त न करणे यांसाठी भाऊसाहेब आणि संबंध पेशवाई जबाबदार आहे.
६. लढाईत मराठी लष्कराचे हाल होत असताना त्यांना त्वरीत कुमक करण्याचे सोडून, लग्नकार्यात गुंतलेले नानासाहेब पेशवेही या प्रचंड नरसंहारास कारणीभूत आहेत.

इतिहास बदलता येत नाही, पण त्यातून बरेच काही शिकता येते. या युध्दकथेतुन मराठ्यांचा गर्विष्ठपणा, शिस्तीचा अभाव आणि दुरदृष्टीचा अभाव प्रामुख्याने दिसुन येतो. त्यामुळे या कथेचा अंत पराभवात न झाल्यासच नवल वाटेल. आजही परिस्थिती फारशी बदललेली नाही. आज अब्दालीची जागा पाकिस्तान, चीनने घेतली आहे. अशा वेळी नाहक गर्विष्ठपणा सोडून हुशारीने, दुरदृष्टीने शिस्तबध्द हालचाली करुन शत्रुचा पराभव केला पाहिजे. अन्यथा आणखी एका पानिपताची पुनरावृत्ती होणे अटळ आहे. तसे न होवो आणि ईश्वर सर्वांना सद्बुध्दी देवो.