World of Books and Travel

It was a bright and pleasant morning. Our neighbour invited us to join her during her visit to Panchavadi Ayurveda Kendra. Needless to say I was excited to join her. Panchavadi is an Ayurveda Kendra located at Marasur Gate, on Chandapura-Anekal Road in Bangalore.   I was amazed to find so many medicinal plants grown in the 2 1/2 acres of land which are used in Ayurveda treatment.  Presently Chandapura-Anekal Road is a fast growing area with so many new villas and flats  mushrooming up every day. In such a situation, it is amazing to see a pristine place which is still preserved, untouched by tourists. They also have a Yoga Centre in the property where regular yoga classes are held. Complete silence is maintained there. Inside the Yoga centre, there is also a small Library with Kannada and English books pertaining to spirituality. They are also growing some ducks there. It will be a great entertainment for the kids. As you enter the gate the first thing ...

“Before the Sunset” by Lakshmi Menon delves deep into the abyss of human psyche although on an apparent note it echoes the poignant account of a poor man Raju and his children Deepthi and Tarun, who were separated in childhood due to a stoke of bad luck when Raju was young and full of bouncy spirit. On an imminent note, it fights sensitive issues concerning societal norms. Children make the world go round for their parents, adoption turns out to be the apple of discord to some people and they bear an ingrained aversion to the fact. Tarun goes through the whims of hatred for not being related to his father’s wife by blood and on the contrary, his sister Deepthi never discovers about her originators. The Woman characters namely Viji, Raju’s dead wife; he is forever stuck with her memories and on the flip-side Janaki, Raju’s second wife appears to be a woman of benevolent nature as she looks after young Tarun as her own, but reveals her true colors after the birth of her daughter Bindu...

Before the Sunset"  is Lakshmi Menon's new novel. It is a heart-touching page turner, while being a hard-hitting and realistic slice of life. The plot mainly deals with the fortunes of two families, that of Raju and Dr. Manoj, which are interwoven by Fate. It is only at the end that the two threads come together. The story starts as a heart-stopper, the experience being akin to plunging one’s hand into ice-cold water. Raju, the protagonist, returns home from office to find his wife, Viji, critically ill. She passes away giving birth to a baby girl, whom Raju hands over to the childless Dr. Manoj. The story then follows two separate bit interrelated plots, following the fortunes of Raju, his second wife Janaki and his son Tarun on one side, and Dr. Manoj, his wife Shobha and adopted daughter Deepthi on the other. The revelation of the truth about Deepthi’s origin comes at the end when Raju meets Deepthi. The main strength of the novel lies in its characterization. Menon has...