VEER KAVI AND WARRIOR COELHO,,,,,,,,,,,

VEER KAVI AND WARRIOR COELHO-------NO CONFUSION ,GREATCOMBINATION... August 24th is the birthday of Paulo Coelho---warrior of light as he likes to call himself,one of the most popular and widely read author of today's time.His work on poetry,music,literature has been translated into 71 languages worldwide [5 languages in India itself]and he is considered one of the most influential writer of today's times.Original works of his Brazilian literature has gone on to top worldwide bestselling charts.He is looked upon as a social reformist and an ambassador of humane acts.His books are one on the highest demands at THE NARMAD LIBRARY in Surat for voracious reader who love to read his prolific work........................... 24th of August is also the birthday of Veer Kavi Narmad ,born in Surat, Gujarat,INDIA in 1833. A social reformist ,he drew people from darkness to light ,worked towards giving women a better stature in society ,boldly spoke against child marriage and supported widow remarriage .He was a poet ,who pioneered autobiography, dictionary, folk literature ,poetics and historical plays. He proposed Hindi as a national language five decades before Mahatma Gandhi. He wrote for the newspaper'Dandiyo' that he started. A crusader of social reforms and an icon of change ,he was proud of his motherland and sang about its glory. He worked towards enriching his motherland and her natives for a better tommorrow.In the toughest of circumstances in the dark ages,he showed the right light through knowledge and awareness .Remembered today by various books that he wrote ,he has been honoured by the town by naming a university and a public library after this great soul .Unfortunately though,they have not been translated yet, due to which the readers of his work are limited and awareness about his fine literature is dying a slow death.In the very own confines of the library named after him,there are but few takers of his great work.Veer Kavi Narmad would be very proud to see his Surat today,it is the modern and educated,aware city that he had dreamed and propogated for.Renovating his heritage home in Amliran sheri,Gopipura is not tribute enough by us citizens,like the great poet would have said'YAHOM KARINE PADO,FATEH CHE AAGE'.Let us take action right now to make an effort for the works of this great artist to be known by our entire generation.To make ourselves proud of the invaluable heritage of original literature from our son of the soil.He who sang praises of his land'JAI JAI GARVI GUJARAT'is the GAURAV of GUJARAT himself. let us join hands to immortalize his thoughts ,words and deeds by making him more accessible to our youth,come, let us translate his wealth of words that his own people can gain knowledge from.A true tribute to a visionary ahead of his times- he would have definitely wanted to move ahead with the changing times like he always did,for the benefit of society.24 august,the birthday of two artists ,both having great passion for their respective countries and culture, for their work,in their message to the people. I hope every generation awakens to such brilliant ,brave men. Two of a kind from so far apart and yet so close ................It will be a pleasure to celebrate the birth of these two fine humans on the same day.Let us immortalize our own VEER KAVI in our minds and hearts forever.

IF ITS EIFFEL, IT MUST BE PARLE POINT

IF ITS EIFFEL, IT MUST BE PARLE POINT.........................Other than presenting undhiyu and khaman dhokla to the world,we surtis also set the biggest example of acceptance and intigration .not only do we spread our culture but also adopt new ones immediatly our women proudly wear their'jeans pant' with a bindi [only now has maddonna started to do so],our kids are as comfortable with PS2 as with lakhotis and the men share tiffins at work with sindhis,marwaris and jats.surat has its own identity through its food but her people are from all parts of the world.a large part of its populace belongs to the NRI gang who annually visit here to shop and support causes .the oldest architecture here is portugal,english,mogul and persian.it seems the city has always welcomed foreign folk.roadside kiosks sell pizza next to pani puri and chinese next to idli dosa.pasta is a well loved treat at home and every gujju mom worth her salt will have culinary skills to match a world cookbook with her own adaptation of khow suey and chicken steak.surtis are traders [lalas] at heart and know that adopting the ways of the world will help them rule it better.much as they love their ponk and ghari, uttaran and diwali they also know how to celebrate pujo and bai-sakhi.from adajan to antwerp timalyawad to taiwan and majuragate to malaysia,surtis learn ,live and laugh all the way to the bank.malleable and ductile in their ways of life,we have never felt hostile towards the culture of the new folks wading in,instead we have reached out and adapted their ways in our lifestlye.right down to our traffic islands!!!!!!!we boast of an eiffel tower,an airplane[even when we did not have an airport that functioned],a kargil chowk for unsung war heros and numerous others which have nothing to do with the town but are built in the surti spirit.Here's to the lala way of life ,may the world learn to live like us.