R.K. Narayan's house to be restored

Karnataka government will first acquire the property for the work to start, says Law Minister

Saved from demolition by the Karnataka government's decision to declare it a heritage building, the house that belonged to noted writer R.K. Narayan in Yadavagiri, Mysore, will be restored “at the earliest,” Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar told The Hindu .

Some portions dismantled
The Kannada and Culture Department has been designated the nodal agency in charge of the restoration and maintenance of the house, he said. For the work to start, the government should first acquire the property, the Minister said. While the guidance value of the property is around Rs. 1 crore, the market value is around Rs. 3 crore to 4 crore, according to him. “In the next few days, the Minister for Kannada and Culture and I will take a decision on the matter.” The Minister said he was willing to meet any member of the late writer's family who wished to meet him.

It was on the intervention of the Commissioner of the Mysore City Corporation, K.S. Raykar, that the demolition of the two-storey house was stopped on September 5, but not before workers had already started dismantling the doors and windows, and a part of the roof.

Full report here Hindu

'We're showcasing Indian heritage to the world'

Imagine being able to read the Bangla classic Mangal Kavya or the Tamil epic Kambha Ramayanam in the original language as well as English on facing pages of the same book. Last year when Rohan Murty, son of Infosys chairman emeritus N R Narayana Murthy, donated $5.2 million to Harvard University so that it could set up the Murty Classical Library of India (MCLI), it was perhaps a great move to revive classical Indian literature and showcase it to a global audience. Sharmila Sen, executive editor-at-large at Harvard University Press, Massachusetts, who was in Bangalore explains the process involved for the classic series that will roll out in 2013.Excerpts:

What is the Murty Classical Library of India all about?
The whole idea is to provide new English language translations of works in Bangla, Hindi, Pali, Panjabi, Persian, Sanskrit, Tamil, and other Indian languages, with the original text on the facing page. At present, even Indians don't have access to great Indian literature. Even if it's available, it's locked in the original language. The MCLI will present these texts in English and those who cannot read the original script can now read it. The books will provide up-to-date English translations of classical works, many for the first time, across the Indian language spectrum -- Kannada to Persian to Sanskrit. The series is intended to showcase for the first time on a major scale the multilingual literary treasures of the Indian past.

Full interview here Times of India 

Bangalore book fest meets expectations

It may appear people are moving away from books, given the presence of many forms of entertainment. But that may not be the case, as the pleasure one gets out of reading a book cannot be replaced. The book grips you while giving you complete freedom.

You can turn the pages, you can keep it aside and return to it whenever you want. That was writer UR Ananthamurthy dismissing apprehensions about books losing their place in our lives, at the inauguration of a book festival, organised by Indya Comics and Bangalore University. The expo will be open till September 11.

Nearly 250 stalls will be put up. “This is our third time in the city. Last year, when we took part in a similar event, our stock was over in days. We had a good time. All our items are popular,” said Mansi Sachdeva of Kids Educational Aids. The thin turnout on the first day did not matter. “The crowds would come pouring in,” she said.

Full report here DNA 

Books on crooks

If you’re looking for the latest crime fiction from around the globe, the finest resource is Gangarams Book Bureau— apparently about to relocate soon to St Mark’s Road, Bangalore above Koshy’s café (optimal!)

One of the best things about Bangalore’s cantonment is how it has become a treasure trove for bibliophiles. With a little detective work in the bookshops here, one can build oneself a respectable and wide-ranging crime fiction library.

Thankfully, several venerable old bookshops have survived in this era of Internet book-shopping, even if others, like the legendary Premier, my main supplier for many years, shut shop some time ago. But for a nostalgic moment, you can still browse best-selling thrillers at the Raj-era Higginbotham’s (a chain founded in south India in the 1800s and once upon a time “official booksellers to His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales”). Or go to Crossword (one of the finest shops in that chain) if you prefer a more contemporary scene with easy chairs to sit and test-read in.

If you’re looking for the latest crime fiction from around the globe, the finest resource is Gangarams Book Bureau— apparently about to relocate soon to St Mark’s Road above Koshy’s café (optimal!). I’ve picked up translated detective novels here that I haven’t spotted anywhere else, such as the weird Swedish toy-animal gumshoe adventure Amberville by Tim Davys. The current best crime novel, if you are a genre aficionado, is The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino—a rage in Japan, it reinvents the old puzzle mystery with aplomb, turning misdirection into a beautiful art.

Full report here Mint 

Bangaloreans to satiate appetite for books

The festivities just don’t end in the city. After all the fasting and feasting, the city will be presented with yet another treat from September 2—World of Books, 2011—touted to be an unprecedented book festival.

If the performance of large book festivals in the past is anything to go by, millions of books could be sold at this event where Indian and International publishers, bookstore chains and stores will spread their fare in 250 stalls.

Organisers say books worth more than `5 crore will be picked up by 700 educational institutions under Bangalore University along with the department of Public Libraries, University of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bangalore University Library and others.

“Book a family day out” for this festival, says programme director BS Raghuram. There will be 80 stalls with Kannada books, 140 with English, about five to 10 stalls selling e-books, he informs.
In terms of scale, this is one of the largest book festivals that has been organised in the city.

Full report here DNA

Books fest in Bangalore from Sep 2

Over 300 publishers and booksellers from all over the country will participate in one of India’s largest book festivals called the ‘World of Books -2011’ being held in Bangalore from September 2 to 11.

Being jointly organised by Bangalore University and Indya comics, the book fair will be held at Tripura Vasini in the Palace Grounds. Thousands of books in various languages, categories and subjects will be showcased in the festival.

According to Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor N Prabhu Dev, more than two lakh bibliophiles and visitors are expected to visit the 10-day fair. The university has committed itself to purchase books worth Rs five crore.

More than 700 affliated educational institutions of Bangalore University, the Department of Public Libraries, the University of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, and others like Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata, will be among the participants. Further details can be had from Indya comics at 080-4084 9999.

Full report here Deccan Herald

'Book fair will put Sanskrit in a modern context'

The World Sanskrit Book Fair is expected to promote modern Sanskrit Literature and showcase the learning of the language based on new methods and approaches. The fair will be held in the city from January 7-11, 2011. Mallepuram G Venkatesh, vice-chancellor of Karnataka Sanskrit University, gave more details on the fair in an interaction with DNA.

What is the idea behind the World Sanskrit Book Fair?
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Sanskrit book fair will provide the opportunity to understand the traditional cultural systems in India in a modern context. Sanskrit literature provides a link between modern and traditional texts. Modern science and ancient science can be combined to understand many issues and Sanskrit texts facilitate this. Hence, it is once again gaining popularity, because of the spread of Indian knowledge systems. While there are numerous language fairs that are held, why shouldn’t we have a Sanskrit Fair?

What can people expect to see at the World Sanskrit Fair?
Recent publications will be on display. Important cultural texts from Indian languages will be translated into Sanskrit. We have texts from all the states of the country; we will translate them into Sanskrit. Sanskrit universities, academies, Oriental research institutions, NGOs and publishers are taking part in the fair.

Full interview here DNA

New Indian e-book reader offers 200,000 titles

Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media International has unveiled its e-book reader Wink which allows users to read in 15 languages and makes available 200,000 titles to choose from.

The e-reader, launched at the India Habitat Centre here Monday, hawks its booty from its online store -- www.thewinkstore.com -- which also stockpiles newspapers, magazines and selected articles.

The titles in 20 categories range from children's books, religion to fiction.

Priced at Rs.11,490, the e-reader has a 400 Mhz processor, a six-inch screen, screen resolution of 600X800 inches, Wifi connectivity and weighs 260 gm.

Full report here Economic Times

First World Sanskrit Book Fair to be held in Jan

With a view to giving fillip to modern Sanskrit literature and showcase learning of the language based on new methods and approaches, the first world's Sankrit book fair will be held in Bangalore in January.

"Renowned scholars from about 20 foreign countries, including the UK and Germany, are expected to participate in the four-day fair, which is being held for the first time in the country from January seven", former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachalaiah told reporters in Bangalore on Sep 20.

The advent and popularity of Indian knowledge systems including yoga, ayurveda, vedanta and Bhagawad Gita has led to a renewed interest in the people world over to learn Sanskrit language, the "key to treasure house of Indian knowledge tradition", Venkatachalaiah, president, National Advisory Board, World Sanskrit Book Fair, said.

"This sudden spurt is also due to people's longing to go back to the roots and access primary sources. In view of this, to make Sanskrit books and Sanskrit literature in all Indian languages available to the public, the fair is being held", he said.

Full report here Deccan Herald

About turn…

“I feel that by bracketing themselves as the developed world, the West has bracketed themselves as an elite group that does not need any more development. They are yet to realise that the ideas and innovations that the developing world is conjuring up will enable them to catch up soon and emerge more successful,” says Fredrik Haren, an accomplished author and speaker, who has delivered many presentations and lectures on creativity, idea generation and entrepreneurship.

In Bangalore for the CIO 100 awards function, Fredrik is eager to talk about his latest book, The Developing World that seeks to explain how the spread of creative ideas in the developing world is changing the planet. “Take the mobile phone, it was born in Sweden. Today, the best models of mobile handsets are available in China, India and Brazil. Such instances should make the developed world sit up and take notice.”

He contends that the developed world has taken some steps, such as including the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) bloc in the G8 etc. “They remain shy of throwing out countries that no longer deserve to sup at the top table of the world. They must realise that unless they bring in more innovations and become more creative in their outlook, they will lose out to the developing world.”

Full report here Hindu

‘Film world needs literary touch’

The Kannada film industry requires guidance of Kannada Sahitya Parishath more than ever for its survival and welfare, observed Karnataka Film Chamber president Basanth Kumar Patil.

Speaking on the second day of sixth Bangalore City District Kannada literary meet at Ravindra Kalaskhetra here on Saturday, Patil noted the Kannada filmdom is in a pathetic state as there is a huge gap between the industry and Sahitya Parishat.

“More number of films are being made in Kannada as compared to other languages. However, the films lack quality due to the disconnect between the industry and the writers. “There will be a renaissance in the film industry with the guidance of Kannada writers, ”he said. Outsiders coming to Bangalore should learn Kannada language. It is the duty of every Kannadiga to teach outsiders Kannada language and culture, he added.

Full report here Deccan Herald

Poetry makes the impossible likely

Can poetry lead to reform? That was the question that was up for debate at the launch of Mukunda Rao’s new book, In Search of Shiva.

The discussion was attended by Chiranjjiv Singh, retired bureaucrat, Dr Narendra Pani, professor at National Institute of Advanced Studies and Prasanna Chandrasekar, teacher of English and lover of literature and Jamuna Rao, MD of Dronequill Publishers.

The evening began with the launch of the book and Jamuna Rao reading excerpts from it. Mukunda Rao teaches English at Dr Ambedkar Degree College, Bangalore and is well known for his earlier novels like Confessions of a Sanyasi, The Mahatma: A Novel, The Death of an Activist, Trials with Truth and Chinnamani’s World.

In Search of Shiva is set in the midst of the social turmoil of the 12th century northern Karnataka when a socio-cultural movement was launched to annihilate caste and create a new egalitarian order. The reform inspired a cultural renaissance and the poetry that emerged pulsates with life even to this day. Mukunda Rao uses the freedom of fiction to make this period come alive.

Full report here DNA

Dictionaries, in print form, are still thriving in Bangalore

Dictionaries are here to stay and for long. Even though the technologically suave youth of today have various means at their disposal to find out what a word means or how it has evolved, dictionaries still fly off their shelves, claim bookstores in Bangalore, begging to differ with the Oxford University Press which has said that it may not bring out its dictionary in print form as the online version is turning out to be largely popular.

Deepak Shah, director of Sapna Book House, says there is an ever increasing demand for dictionaries, especially the branded ones. “In India, people still want a printed version. Considering the fact that only 1% of the population has access to internet facilities, the market for dictionaries in South East Asia is high.”

He cites the example of the Mysore University Dictionary that has been digitised in a single CD-ROM. “I sell one CD version for every 50 copies of the printed dictionary,” he explains.

Full report here DNA

Writing is about experiments in truth: Sudha Murty

Author Sudha Murty, interacting with an audience of book lovers at PageTurners, the recently-opened bookstore on MG Road, Bangalore said that she could swear by the truth. “I write truth and only truth,” said Murty.

Adding to her writing ‘rules for writing’, the author advised aspiring authors, and many of those gathered in the bookstore were young people, that a writer had to be honest and true to the subject at hand.

“Be honest, original and tell the truth. Real-life experience, true to the core, makes interesting reading, be it non-fiction or even while writing a novel,” smiled. She answered a series of queries during
the hour-long interactive session.

Full report here DNA

Revolution from within

Meera Vijayann meets Anindita Sengupta, an enthusiastic blogger who attempts to redefine the title ‘feminist’ through the online medium

Female foeticide. Dishonour. Dowry deaths. Sexual harassment. Eve-teasing. Sixty three years after independence, these words continue to appear often in everyday conversation in India. Young women respond to these issues in different ways. Many have taken to voicing their opinion  and creating awareness online. The growing popularity of  blogs by women who write about their lives and their thoughts on social change is an example of this trend.

Bangalore-based writer and poet Anindita Sengupta’s blog provides her the forum to discuss issues which mean a lot o her. What started off as an idea is today one of India’s well-known feminist blogs — www.ultraviolet.in.

“Three years ago, I quit my corporate job after fighting a case of sexual harassment in the workplace. I realised that there weren’t enough resources for women to share their experiences of unfair treatment. I began blogging about my experiences and found that it generated substantial discussion,” she says.

Full report here Deccan Herald

Bangalore's favourite libraries!

With change in lifestyle and less and less time to spend, people no longer prefer the older reading places. Here are some of the most visited private and public libraries in Bangalore that are a hub for reading and recreational activities.

State Central Library houses more than 2 lakh books

Remember the neighbourhood library from a couple of decades back, which stocked a standard set of bestsellers, magazines and comics from India and abroad. And how these libraries always smelled of old books; such places are now fast disappearing. But however there are still some libraries which are frequented by people. Here are some of the most visited private and public libraries in Bangalore that are a hub for reading and recreational activities. 
Central Library
The library was taken over by the government as State Central Library under the provision of the Karnataka Public library Act in 1966. The library, strategically located in the middle of the greenery at Cubbon Park, is any book lover's delight. It has more than 2.4 lakh precious and rare books.

The wide-ranging collection at the library includes books on any given topic under the sun. The library has got a rich collection of reference books. In 1986 the library was designated as State Central Reference Library and it is open to public only for consultation of documents with in its premises. It is open on all the days except on Mondays.

Full report here My Bangalore

Living in linguistic entropy

The building guard rings my doorbell, armed with dire news: “Aapka cable cut karne ko ayaa hai.” Cable? But I have Tata Sky. I run down to investigate only to be confronted by an irate young man in khaki. “No cable! Electric, electric,” he growls, impatient at our misapprehension. We begin to argue, I in Tamil, he in Kannada, our voices rising in frustration, as the guard tries to make peace in Hindi. What I remember most clearly is the BESCOM fellow’s contempt for my inability to speak his language – a deficiency that damns me as an outsider.

Language is a marker of identity, but also difference, a truism that is easy to forget in the cosmopolitan confines of Bangalore. This is a multi-ethnic, multilingual city, more so over the past twenty years thanks to the IT boom. In ‘new’ Bangalore, Manipuri beauticians, Malayali nurses, Punjabi housewives, Tamil maids, and Andhra businessmen live cheek by jowl, expanding each other’s linguistic horizons. The Gujarati businessman at the vet’s clinic chats in Kannada with the assistant, drumming up some broken Tamil as he makes small talk with me. My maid, who arrived in the city as a young illiterate woman from Dharmapuri, has since added three languages – Kannada, Hindi, and English – to her skill set. “I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men and German to my horse,” averred the Spanish Emperor Charles V. The youngest generation of Bangaloreans are no less talented. “My child already speaks four languages,” is the boast I hear most often from other parents. Too bad I can’t say the same about mine.

Full report here Bangalore Mirror

NZ author switches to Indian storylines

New Zealand author David Hair says he will launch his latest book in Bangalore, India early next week.

His book, Pyre of Queens, published by Penguin Books India, tells an Indian story about Ravindra-Raj, an evil sorcerer-king, vanquished by one of his queens, the spirited Darya.

Hair's first book, The Bone Tiki, won the best first novel award in young adult fiction at the 2010 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards, and he has written a sequel to that fantasy, The Taniwha's Tear.

He moved to New Delhi several years ago when his wife was posted to the New Zealand High Commission there. She had previously lived in Bangalore while learning yoga.

Full report here Voxy

An exclusive book reading of "Delhi Noir"

Reliance TimeOut, the books, music, stationery, toys and gifts store of Reliance Retail in association with HarperCollins Publishers India organized an exclusive book reading session from New York's award-winning noir series which has come to India with its first collection of stories set in Delhi, the country's chaotic capital.

The book 'Delhi Noir' has been edited by Hirsh Sawhney and includes a collection of stories contributed by fourteen writers. Delhi Noir registers simultaneously as a shock, an education and an entertainment. All fourteen stories are briskly paced, beautifully written and populated by vivid, original characters.

The exclusive book reading session gave a thorough idea on the interesting aspects of all fourteen stories in a picturesque manner. A huge crowd of enthusiastic book lovers at Reliance TimeOut was in for a treat as the book reading session was carried out by theatre veterans-Jagdish and Arundhati Raja followed by Meera Nair, one of the contributing authors from the book, fuelling the thirst to know more about the book and the stories.

In the typical trend of launches and events of Reliance TimeOut audience engagement was at its zenith. As Mr. Deepinder Kapany, Head- Reliance TimeOut claims, "It is the aim of the Reliance TimeOut to constantly have exciting and engaging book readings, launches and events at the store and this is another event in that direction."

India's first e-reader Wink unveiled, supporting 15 languages

Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media International on Thursday launched its multi-function e-book reader Wink that not only supports 15 languages but will also offer over 200,000 book titles on debut.

Wink will offer consumers a one-stop e-store to access e-reading content of choice via www.thewinkstore.com that would enable access not just to e-books, but also journals, newspapers, magazines and selected articles, EC Media said.

Many of the titles have been acquired from international aggregators, giving Indians access to a whole lot of books not available in the country. "With the launch of Wink, we aim to revolutionise the way people read," said Ravi DeeCee, founder and chief executive of DC Group, which has promoted EC Media and the Kerala-based publishing house DC Books. "Wink will allow readers to access their favourite content anytime, anywhere, that, too, in the language of their choice," he said.

Another offering will be Wink Wire for news, the first e-reader newspaper in India. EC Media has entered into a content alliance with IANS, India's largest independent news service, for Wink Wire.

Full report here Economic Times