• Why are Indian men so powerful?

    Why are Indian men so powerful? Are they gifts of God ? Their insults are so colourful Is a Lady less than a Lord? Women can’t roam the night Because men show their might It is wrong to wear loose clothing But it ain’t wrong to rape Legal..is marital rape Double standards are mind-boggling When…

  • Why is Hindi so important?

    India is a diverse country with many cultures Encompassing 23 languages Hindi may be the most spoken language But let there be no misconception, for a better future That Hindi is the national language Or that all South Indians are ‘Madrassis’ The Constitution of India has no national language However, ignorance is bliss As seen…

  • The pain of being a liberal autist

    Ever wonder how I came to be thus? Dig deep into my childhood Answers you may find thus Being bullied is never good More so, if it is because you are different Being chased with sticks around a park and occasionally beaten Just because playing cricket with yourself was not a fad then On my…

  • The enigma of the Half-Blood Prince: Part 4

    This post concludes my blog on Severus Snape. To refresh yourselves, read the first 3 parts: https://ashwinkumar19892021.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/the-enigma-of-the-half-blood-prince-part-1/, https://ashwinkumar19892021.wordpress.com/2017/07/01/the-enigma-of-the-half-blood-prince-part-2/ and https://ashwinkumar19892021.wordpress.com/2017/07/02/the-enigma-of-the-half-blood-prince-part-3/. Something that I had not covered in the earlier parts was Snape’s complicated relationship with Dumbledore. To start with, it was Dumbledore who gave Snape a second chance; after he became a Death Eater and then had a…

  • The enigma of the Half-Blood Prince: Part 3

    This is the third part of my monologue on Severus Snape, continuing from https://ashwinkumar19892021.wordpress.com/2017/07/01/the-enigma-of-the-half-blood-prince-part-2/, and starting from https://ashwinkumar19892021.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/the-enigma-of-the-half-blood-prince-part-1/. Snape was an expert Potions Master, and excellent in Defence against the Dark Arts as well. However, he was not an ideal teacher. He was very openly biased towards his own house (Slytherin) and generally gave the Gryffindors a…

  • The enigma of the Half-Blood Prince: Part 2

    Please read Part 1 here https://ashwinkumar19892021.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/the-enigma-of-the-half-blood-prince-part-1/, to get a better understanding of my monologue about Severus Snape. So, Snape was a thoroughly complicated character; in my opinion the best character in the series – not according to the moral compass, but in the way he was structured and built up right till the grand surprise…

  • The enigma of the Half-Blood Prince: Part 1

    Firstly, let us take a moment to celebrate 20 years since the first copy of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was released in the UK. To call it just a “series of fantasy books” would be a collossal understatement. Joanne Rowling took us to a new world; full of love and hatred, good and…

  • Striving for more peace and less hate

    Since the last few years the world has turned around “Nationalism” and “right wing” are buzz words that sound Far and wide; left, right and centre; in and out Such that nobody is left in any doubt Outside the circle of family and friends, there lies a complete chaos Cries for peace are drowned out…

  • Pakistan snatch incredible victory from jaws of defeat

    England, Bangladesh and India had booked their respective places in the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. The last league game between Sri Lanka and Pakistan yesterday at Cardiff (Wales) was to decide who would play England in the first semifinal tomorrow (again at Cardiff). It was a virtual quarterfinal, as the winners would…

  • In stunning turnaround, Bangladesh knock New Zealand out

    The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 (a mini World Cup), surprisingly held in England (given that the previous such tournament was also held there); had almost threatened to turn into a damp squib – with two matches being washed out due to rain, and terror attacks in London amidst poor security for the players. Then, two…