Book Review [33] : Autobiography - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Dr. King(1929-1968) was the one of the greatest apostles of non-violent struggle against the unjust laws and played a key role in civil rights movement of USA. It is hard to believe that pathetic racist laws such as different schools for blacks and whites, different churches, clubs ,different seats in buses etc were prevalent in USA even in 1960's. But the Blacks never lost the hope and under Dr. King they were able to win back their rights after more than 400 years of serfdom. Freedom is not given, its always taken. His dream eventually came true (although symbolically) when Barrack Obama became the president of USA in 2009. USA has made great strides in abolishing almost all racial barriers among different racial groups and it has to be commended for this. As an India, i feel enormous shame when i still see the same caste system is still prevalent with almost same vigor in almost all the villages of India. If Gandhi can inspire some one too distant in space and time why we are not getting inspired. Has the paradise been lost forever or still we have some bits left? The best time for justice, freedom and peace is always now. Its better to die on the roads, jails, fields of India fighting for justice than to make a butchery of our conscience. 
Highly Recommended (8/10)

Book Review [32] : No god but God

'No god but God' is a story of the evolution of Islam since the first revelation in a small cave at Mt Hira not too far from the thriving "Pagan" city of Mecca in 610 AD. This book talks in detail about the first 100 years of middle east from the Battle of Elephants in 570 AD, the evolution of Sufi thought, the Inquisition and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and Wahhabism.  It asks very fundamental question about the socio-economic basis behind the evolution of this great movement. 7th Century Arabian society was a very primitive society with very primitive laws and rules compare to the highly sophisticated Byzantine, Sassanian and Indian civilizations still it managed to defeat all these civilizations and was able to conquer entire middle east, parts of Pakistan and north Africa in a span of just 50 years. Persian history is an apt manifestation of the Tragedy at Karbala. Around 330 BC, a young prince from a tiny Kingdom of Macedonia decimated the mighty Achaemenid Empire and after 100 years a primitive society of Arabs destroyed the mighty civilization of Persia. The Zoroastrian culture and religion disappeared from Persia like column of smoke in mighty winds. When ever Persians think that they are going strong, they go straight in a deep gorge. It has happened in 330 BC, 650 AD, 680 AD. So their mourning to celebrate the martyrdom of Husayn at Karbala has a deep rooted anguish. I completely believe that Islam is nothing but Arabic imperialism in the guise of religion. Why Arabs always try to impose the archaic and barbaric laws of 7th Century Arabia on the converts from highly advanced societies of India, Iran and middle east?The only tragedy with this great religion of Islam is that it had evolved in a wrong society at a wrong time. This religion should be read and followed only after separating the politics and culture of 7th century Arabia and if its not done then no one can stop the spread of Wahhabism and Talibanism in any society. Amen.
Highly Recommended (8/10)

Book Review [31] : The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order

Samuel P. Huntington's "The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order" is an extensively researched work on the fault lines across various civilizations. I bought this book almost 2 years back and never got a chance to go through it until last week. Its a must read book for any student of world politics.
                                People lose a set of identities to get new ones. Take the case of India just before 1947 citizens of India on the other side of current border were proud of India but only one date made them ardent Pakistanis and they fought 2 major wars, 2 minor wars and consistent proxy war in a normal life time of a South Asian native. This is too much for countries having almost everything in common except majority religion. In way its a manifestation of the civilizational conflict war fought between Qasim and Dahir in Sindh 8th Century, Mahmud Ghazanavi and Rajputs in 11th Century and between Ghurids against Rajputs in 12th Century and ultimately resulted in a period of relative "peace" under Islamic rule of the subcontinent for more than 600 years. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Muslim minority in India are legacy of that 600 years rule. This is strikingly similar to the story of Yugoslavia. Kosovo is Pakistan and Bosnia is Kashmir and India is Serbia. Serbia was under Turkish rule for more than 500 years since 1389. The entire disintegration of Yugoslavia took place along civilizational lines i.e. Croatia, Slovenia: Western Christianity; Serbia, Montenegro: Orthodox Christianity; Kosovo: Islam and Bosnia is divided among Serbs, Croats and Muslims. Orthodox Russia supported Serbia; Germany and west supported Croatia/Slovenia; Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and USA supported Bosnian Muslims. Bosnia and Kosovo are nothing but legacy of Turkish rule or the remnants of Turkish civilization in Balkan. This book talks in detail about the decline of Western civilization and rise of South Asian and East Asian civilization.
                              The Chinese and Indian civilization will be able to rise rather spectacularly but this can not said about Muslim civilization as it lacks a core state of that civilization. Western Civilization has core states in USA, France, Germany and UK, Chinese civilization has core state in China, Indian civilization has core state in India, Islamic civilization lacks a strong core state almost all the Islamic states are more or less at the same level. Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran and Turkey have potential to become one. Pakistan is ethnically and linguistically divided state and has been a torn state since Independence. Indonesia can become one but it will not be accepted by middle east countries because of distance and culture. Iran can not become because its Shiite state. Turkey looks more formidable but its more inclined to be a part of EU than to become leader of Arab states although the recent trend shows a clear tilt of Turkey to become leader of Islamic civilization. Core state is very necessary for the survival and glory of Islamic civilization and only the core state has the power to mediate and control fitna and wars in Islamic states.  This book is too good and i strongly recommend it. 
Highly Recommended (9/10)

Islamophoebia

People are making a lot of noise against the veil ban in France but why  these same people don't  make noise against the oppressive regime in Saudi Arabia and many Arab countries. Maldives is such a tiny country, known for exotic islands but no one makes a noise when the new constitution of Maldives defines citizenship on this basis of Islam. I don't know which direction we are heading on. The recent attacks on Sufi Shrines in Pakistan is a blatant attack on Islam and its not even on the agenda of so called proponents of the theory of Islamophoebia.  I simply do not understand why we concentrate on trivial issues and lose out the major ones. Someone in Denmark draws something and we are on streets in thousands and may be in millions but why we are not on streets when some one bombs the 1200 years old shrines. Before pointing fingers on France, Switzerland or on Belgium we should first look at our record. Its thousand times more inferior than those European countries.

A very happy Vijayadashmi to all of you, lets start a crusade against the Ravans of this epoch. Lets atleast try for some sanity.

Judgement Day

Babur was a invader and no one should deny it. He constructed a Mosque at Ayodhya either by demolishing a standing temple or on the ruins of an ancient temple in 1528 or so. Muslim kings of medieval period had a history of demolishing temples, churches or converting them to Mosques, Temple of Mount, Kashi Vishwanath, Hagia Sophia etc. This list is never ending. Now the point is whether we use this modern century to settle scores of the past or to reconcile and make a better world where no one can destroy any temple, church, mosque etc. Historical injustices take the strength of civilization to endure. The monuments erected by invaders are symbols of defeats and will remain our symbols of defeats irrespective of the religious allegiance of the invaders and the monuments destroyed by invaders will remain symbols of broken pride.

Now the point is we live in a Secular Democratic Republic of India and if we call ourselves Indians and enjoy the immense freedom it gives then we should also abide by the law of the land and its constitution. Another thing is if we accept historical injustices meted out to dalits by the upper castes since time immemorial and can easily accept the concept of affirmative action (by making special provision for them) then why do not accept the injustices done by those invaders. Alexander, Seleucus, Babur, Ghori or Gazni can never be heroes for Indians irrespective of the faith practiced by them so we should not define heroes/villains by their faiths. Iran still considers Saudi Arab as its enemy because of the deeds done by Saudi Arabia in 7th century AD although they share the same religion although different sects. The gory side of Pakistan is that Pakistan considers Ghori and Gazni as its national heroes and thats very shameful. The same invaders first pillaged and plundered Pakistan before setting their feet in India. I don't believe the theory that  the entire population of Pakistan is descendants from those invaders. It simply can not be true. The population of Pakistan is more than the population of all those invading countries combined together. 

If i convert to Islam, will i stop considering Prithviraj Chauhan as a hero of India since he fought against a Muslim invaders? I will definitely not. Can Latin America forgive the Spain for all the crimes committed by Spain during colonial time because Latin American has become Christian? I bet not. These are inconvenient facts but we need to accept them and move forward with out heads high. Do not let them say "India by definition is a myth".
We should accept the judgment of High Court and we all should keep our held high. Its better not to have any monuments associated with invaders in this country. Amen.