The erstwhile Maharajas of India were never wary of displaying their wealth in public. Their fondness for diamonds and gems was seen in their every day dressing as they used to be all decked up head-to-toe in these rarest of the rare gems and most opulent diamonds one could ever find. One such Maharaja, who was was fond of diamonds and necklaces was Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. He bought the seventh largest diamond in the world, the De Beers diamond in 1889, when it was exhibited at the Paris Universal exhibition. This diamond was mined in South Africa in 1888. And that’s how the famous story of the lost Patiala Necklace begins.

The Maharaja was 34 when he decided to turn the De Beers diamond into an heirloom piece and commissioned Cartier to make a ceremonial necklace with the De Beers diamond being its centerpiece. The necklace was finally made in 1928 and it came to be known as the Patiala Necklace. It has five rows of platinum chains embellished with 2930 diamonds and some Burmese rubies. This was the most expensive piece of necklace ever made in the history and it would have costed some 30 million dollars today in its original form.

It was in the year 1948, that the diamond necklace sparked controversy after it went missing from the Patiala royal treasury. For 32 years, there was no sign of this necklace, when suddenly the De Beers diamond reappeared at Sotheby’s auction in 1982. It was just the diamond without the necklace. A part of a necklace was then seen in an antique shop in London. Cartier later bought the necklace and replaced the missing stones with replicas.

Honestly this is really the best Zombie series I ever watched. It has different effects from the people who got bitten. And they are so fast that you will feel so nervous about how to survive. And I felt so amazed of how they did it was so awesome, when they are overwhelming because of the zombies each character seems so much passionate and ready to fight no matter what and tried everything they can. And this drama has many different messages and deep thoughts about how we interact or how we should do something like we really need to think deeply and not because of feelings we will act so rashly. If we think of all possibilities what can happen, we actually can be saved somehow. I loved their friendship it makes me amazed how they love each other so much and the trust they have for each other. The love from their parents/children are really so special bond for each other, that no matter what happens the love they have for each other won't be gone. As same as friendship relationship, of course the love teams we have. Nam-ra and Su-hyeok I never saw like their love for each other, like no matter what they are willing to sacrifice just to make that person feel safe. And saved no matter how hard is the situations, they always have each other's back and never abandoned and even without saying they knew what will they do.
On-jo and Cheong-San are different kind of love too, for me I mean they are together since they were kids so they knew each other very well. And Cheong-San will always protect and sacrifice himself for the one he loves and always make sure that On-jo is safe and not being hurt. But literally all of them have a big impact on the series I never thought that All of us are dead would make such a big part of my life. How I see things how should I handle big problems, and to show me how lucky that were still have our chance to live our lives and the relationships between parents, friends etc.  
So I am really really grateful for their hard work, and everything they did to make the series heartfelt and full of lessons ♥ and of course unforgettable the character of  Gwi-Nam is the first ever Zombie/Hambie that I never expected to see. He was so passionate and really cool he really aced his role 💜💖❤💙 He added so much suspense and thrill. Nam-ra did her very best not to harm her friends and endure the pain and thirst in blood. And she's so cool when fighting to protect her friends and of course for Su-hyeok 💖
I can't stop watching it I watched it for 3x and soon will watch it over and over again. The way each characters I can see their hearts the way they act towards one another, their feelings and to be considerate towards one another. And be still kind even though their situations are in chaos and make sure that their friends and families are still safe and will do everything they can to keep them alive. ❤💜💖

As a senior citizen in recent years, I am coming across new diseases and one such disease recently I have come to know is monkeypox. Taking an interest to know about the disease I have completed recently a certificate course on monkeypox titled,    “Monkeypox: Introductory course for African outbreak contexts” under World Health Organisation (WHO). Based on my learning and information collected from the website (www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/monkeypox) I am presenting a few facts about monkeypox so that readers can get an idea in this regard. That is the article is based on secondary sources.

  Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an orthopoxvirus that causes human monkeypox (MPX), a viral disease with symptoms in humans similar to smallpox, including fever and rash. Although in the world smallpox was eradicated in 1980, monkeypox emerged as the most significant orthodox virus disease in humans. It has been observed that cases that occur sporadically are from rural areas of Central and West African countries, close to tropical rainforests, and has been increasingly appearing in urban areas. In regions, there is frequent human contact with infected animals. Humans can also acquire the disease through direct contact with cases of monkeypox but there is no evidence to date that person-to-person transmission alone can sustain a monkeypox outbreak in the human population. It is reported that monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks. Severe cases can occur. In recent times, the case fatality ratio is between 3 and 6 percent.   Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. Various animal species have been identified as susceptible to the monkeypox virus. This includes rope squirrels, tree squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, non-human primates, and other species. Uncertainty remains on the natural history of the monkeypox virus and further studies are needed to identify the exact reservoir(s) and how virus circulation is maintained in nature. It is pertinent to mention that human monkeypox was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-month-old boy in a region where smallpox had been eliminated in 1968. Since then, most cases have been reported from rural, rainforest regions of the Congo Basin, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and human cases have increasingly been reported from across central and West Africa. Since 1970, human cases of monkeypox have been reported in 11 African countries: Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. In 2003, the first monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa was in the United States of America and was linked to contact with infected pet prairie dogs. These pets had been housed with Gambian pouched rats and dormice that had been imported into the country from Ghana. This outbreak led to over 70 cases of monkeypox in the U.S. Monkeypox has also been reported in travelers from Nigeria to Israel in September 2018, to the United Kingdom in September 2018, December 2019, May 2021, and May 2022, to Singapore in May 2019, and to the United States of America in July and November 2021. In May 2022, multiple cases of monkeypox were identified in several non-endemic countries. Studies are currently underway to further understand the epidemiology, sources of infection, and transmission patterns. 
It is heartening to mention that vaccines used during the smallpox eradication programme also provided protection against monkeypox.  It may be mentioned here that vaccination against smallpox was demonstrated through several observational studies to be about 85 percent effective in preventing monkeypox. 

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Breaking Bad is one of the best Television Shows ever aired. So, many people including me were sceptical about a spin-off/prequel of such a great show. And boy, were we absolutely insane to question it. Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, and every other writer of the show have made us see, that a spin-off/prequel of a show can be great or dare I say, even better.

For me, Season 5 of BCS [& season finale hasn’t even aired till now] took it beyond its predecessor. It was always a great drama and a perfectly crafted character study, but now that it has added the Breaking Bad intensity to it, it might be the best Television Show or at least amongst the best Television Shows. I know Better Call Saul benefits a lot from the brilliant running of Breaking Bad, and we all love to see all those characters, places & things (hector’s bell) pop up here, but the fact remains that BCS is entirely a show of its own with some perfectly added BB callbacks.

The characters development in this show is incomprehensible. Also, Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, is my favorite female character put to T.V. The dynamic between her and Saul (or Jimmy) is so so so good, I just can’t appreciate the writing enough. With all that amazing cinematic techniques & use of country music, like in BB, this is a masterclass in cinema. The split screen trick, time lapse shots, character zooms, and so much more, this is creativity at its very best.

If you watch T.V. Shows, you must have watched Breaking Bad, and so I implore you to see this. You’ll not be disappointed. There’s not a single flaw I can find in this gem. On a technical level, this is at par with Breaking Bad. And I don’t think I need to tell you about acting. Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mckean, Giancarlo Esposito, Rhea Seehorn, its like Olympics of Olympic winners. But even after all these great stuff, its the writing that makes it a masterpiece of a show. I mean even though you know what’s gonna happen to all these characters (not everyone), it still manages to grip you in thinking what’ll happen next. That is great writing.

At the moment, Better Call Saul is a very underrated show, but I know its gonna end up right next to its brother in the long run.

‘Breaking Bad’ is one of the most popular rated shows on IMDb, is one of those rarities where every season has either been very positively received or near-universally acclaimed critically and where all of my friends have said nothing but great things about.

Very few shows in recent memory had me so hooked from the very start that before the week was over the whole show had been watched, especially when for a lot of shows now airing watching one episode all the way through can be an endeavour. ‘Breaking Bad’ had that effect on me, and its reputation as one of the best, consistently brilliant and most addictive shows in many years (maybe even ever) is more than deserved in my eyes. Its weakest season is perhaps the first season, understandable as any show’s first season is the one where things are still settling.

Actually everything is established remarkably from the very start, but once the writing and characterisation becomes even meatier the show reaches even higher levels.

Visually, ‘Breaking Bad’ is one of those shows that is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.

The writing for ‘Breaking Bad’ is a fine example to all shows of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and tense, while also have a darkly wicked sense of humour and heart-tugging pathos. The stories are texturally rich, intimate, tense and layered, with the pace of them consistently deliberate but taut. The direction couldn’t be better.

Can’t say anything bad about the acting. Bryan Cranston is phenomenal as one of the most fascinating anti-heroes, or even of any kind of character, in either film or television. Aaron Paul has never been better and Anna Gunn is affecting. The characters are compelling in their realism.

As crazy as this sounds, it’s only been less than a couple years since I legitimately watched this quintessential 80’s teen comedy for the first time. Once I finished with my first viewing, I knew that I had to come back for another go, which eventually turned out to be countless times throughout that time span. The main reasons that I kept coming back to this aren’t just because of this film’s killer soundtrack front to back, but also showcasing the different cliques and how each of them have something going for them.

My favorite of the bunch is Mr. John Bender (Judd Nelson), who despite having conflicts with his own abusive father and even the school’s strict principal (Paul Gleason), is a fearless leader who’s willing to stop at nothing until things are settled just the way he imagined them. The same can also be said for the Brain (Anthony Michael Hall), the Athlete (Eilio Estevez), the Princess (Molly Ringwald), and the Basket Case (Allison Reynolds), who also had their fair share of interesting personalities and special abilities.

Most of this however isn’t revealed until much later on, and when they settled their differences and became the best of friends, that’s when I discovered how much of an impact this movie had when it was first released back 35 years ago. If there was one word to describe how the comedy and drama matches together perfectly.

First off, I will say that the comments the series starts off slow are misleading. True, it takes awhile to get to the main point, but “Steins ;Gate” never fails to engage on any level, and in fact engages on all levels beautifully. Humor? Gut busting. Intensity? Oh yes. Drama? Undoubtedly. Starting out as the misadventures of a self proclaimed mad scientist who may have stumbled upon a means of time travel, this series can shift gears in the blink of an eye, without any sense of whiplash, because it can do every tone so strongly. It’s rare to see such a mishmash of genres pull off all of it’s genres. You have a sic-fi thriller with elements of Haruhi Suzumiya esque club based slice of life dramedy, with elements of political thriller to boot. I don’t want to say any more. This one should simply be experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible.

This is an amazing anime no doubt. Outstanding story and unbelievably unique characters that will stay with you forever. Unbelievably strong character development and plot structure. This is one of those anime’s that you could easily re-watch the early episodes and every time you do you will end up connecting more dots – “oh, so that’s why that happened! I get it now!”, you will think to yourself.

The first 11 episodes are slow paced but for a reason. Don’t give up watching because the early episodes are necessary to set the context for the outstanding story that follows. If you stick with this anime past the midpoint, you will not regret it. Episode 12 is where the action starts and from there the action doesn’t stop until the end.

Okarin, the main character, is amazing in the English Dub. You will laugh with him, cry with him, and feel with him throughout his journey. Some characters seem annoying at first, but they grow on you too, so be patient. Honestly, everything about this anime is unique; the characters are unique, the plot is unique, the writing is unique; it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and that is what makes it so wonderful.

One of the best anime’s I have ever seen.

If you are looking for a compelling story and strong character development, look no further.

I’ve seen a lot of anime throughout the years. I’ve seen what people call the ‘good stuff’, I’ve seen the ‘bad stuff’. In time, I realized and accepted that not everyone is going to like something, or dislike it. No matter what the anime (or movie, or book, or game, etc.) it boils down to personal preference. So, how do you know if you’d like something you’ve never seen but heard so much about? When I first started Naruto, I saw the potential in it. From the first episode, they presented a distinct setting with distinct characters. Sure, archetypes were being followed (the boy dreaming of becoming big, the old grandfatherly figure, the teacher, the rival). The first episode showed emotion and depth to its main character and what he will struggle with, along with the dynamics of his interaction with other characters and their quirks.

Cut about ten episodes later, the plot arc currently being followed felt to me like it was not going to matter much to the main story. Some episodes had drawn out battles, and I got that feeling that the anime would be the type where they would go from different area to different area, developing their skills and learning moral lessons and such, but there would be no grand plot, no B story, that tied the series together. I also worried it would fall into mediocrity. Without giving anything away, by the end of that arc (about 19 episodes in), my mind was changed.

Having seen all of the series up to the current episodes, I can say at least for myself that at its best Naruto is a deeper anime than some give credit to, and can be quite addicting. A strong focus is on its characters as they develop throughout the series and there are moments of real emotion, tragedy, intensity and even just amusement. It’s not perfect, as there are slow times in the series (and the cartoon suffers from tricks to get as many episodes out of the original story as they can), and I won’t say everyone will end up liking it but I can say it had unexpectedly become one of my favorite anime.

JoJo is one of the weirdest and most entertaining anime’s out there, and yet there’s an emotional core to it. When people always talk about JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure they always just talk about the memes or the great openings or the “Enemy stando!”, but there’s so much more to why people (including myself) love JoJo. Yes the memes and ridiculousness of JoJo is a ton of fun and certainly gives it the personality it’s now become infamous for, but there is some truly incredible writing and characters in here.

Plus because of the way the parts are laid out each one is unique and different, so if you didn’t like the previous part then you’ll probably like the next, then again literally every part is good except maybe the first. And the animation and music by David production is all fantastic.

This show is one of the most influential series to come out of japan next to dragonball and fist of the north star. It is the reason we have games like persona or great fighting game characters like guile or juri. Jojo’s bizarre adventure has influenced popular anime like One piece, Hunter x Hunter, Yu Yu hakusho, and Shaman king. One of the most unique things about it is its a different story with a different protagonist each time while still having a lore and continuity. This makes it impossible to judge based on a single or even multiple seasons the best parts are 7,8,2, and 4. one of the coolest things about JoJo is everyone who’s a fan likes different parts one person could love part 5 and hate part 6 while another person could have the opposite opinion everybody loves part 7 though. all in all there’s no other anime like this one it actually tends to appeal more to non anime fans due to its western feel.

Written before Araki was on a roll, and it shows. The script falls below even the pitiable anime average in terms of quality. Weak villain — raised as protagonist’s brother but utterly irredeemable. Any sense of pathos or moral complexity is lost. Dialogue holds the middle between blissful seriousness and total camp. Clumsy intersections of exposition have no dramatic or comedic value. 

The story is very realistic. The plot is very connected and always bring you surprise. Every episode is very heavy, but mixed with some comedy and it make me love even more.

Not like other anime, where everything happens slowly (a fight take for 1 or 2 episodes) or the pacing is very slow or the character reading their thought (it always drives me nuts), everything in Banana Fish is incredibly well-organized. The pacing is very accurate, give you enough time to feel and understand the situation (with beautiful music in the background) and not taking anything for a nonsense long time. Every dialogue is really connected to the story and also contain a profound meaning.

The animation is magnificent. The first anime that every scene has a good human proportion with both face and body. People interaction looks very realistic, and people in the background are not just standing like a mannequin, they always doing something like a real person. It makes the anime looks more realistic. The background: New York city with many gorgeous graffiti on wall and a splendid liberty statue; china town which always crowded with people, restaurants and lanterns; the Cape Cod’s nostalgic view in a windy field with beautiful dawn (it’s a very sad scene); and especially the gorgeous Los Angeles city filled with night lights from the mountain’s view. Many camera angle choices are very unique and clever, the animation crew did an awesome jobs on this anime.

Soundtrack: its awesome, just listen and enjoy. My favorite is the ending song Prayer X by King Gnu, it gives me a nostalgic feeling mix of happiness and sadness (T.T). The opening clip is very beautiful with a fit music too.

The start of the show is really good, it picks it up straight away while explaining the complications very well so you don’t fall behind. Some episodes I did feel jumped ahead a bit randomly but nothing bad. The characters are really good. They are quite likeable and each have there own back stories…besides Itadori, the main character, whose life before really wasn’t explored. The other two…em…dark dog boy and hammer girl stole the show for me as they had interesting character arcs with great redemptions throughout the show. The villains were pretty standard, nothing all that negative to say…they are powerful, challenging and cool to look at, but again with lack of character arcs. The plot of the show is pretty good aswell, it has a really strong start and mid section but fades out towards the end with some major pacing issues. The ending was kind of bland in my opinion, I don’t really want to watch more, it was pretty random. But the action was cool…all the action in the show is, probably the biggest selling point really. It’s fast, fluid and filled with unique spins and ideas of how to fight. The wacky cast of curses also allows an even wider range of moves to can be used by both heroes and villains. To conclude the show is excellent and it does deserve the praise it is getting. I have my opinions as I’m sure everybody else does and I give it a 7/10 gud job!

Edit: (second time watching) previously (the first paragraph) was my first review of this which I gave 7/10 but after re watching it in Japanese( which might have made a difference) I can say that I enjoyed it a lot more. Maybe I wasn’t focusing the first time, but the story had so much more meaning…it flows extremely well and has a consistently fast pace which is perfect for this type of show. The show also never runs out of ideas, every villain, every character is unique and has different powers which allows for so,e incredible action scenes. I also found the comedy much funnier this time around, I have no clue why but it was just far better this time! And that’s why I movie it form 7/10 to 9/10! Far better the second time!

The Queens Gambit is a true masterpiece, and that’s not a title I give lightly. “The Queen’s Gambit” is the most electrifying viewing experience for me! The series is crafted in a way that even viewers who have never played chess feel every beat in the games.

Such rich character development and a storyline that stays with you long after each episode. I can’t say enough about the quality of the acting. expert acting from all characters, especially from the lead, Anya Joy-Taylor, is magnificent. She is the freshest, most interesting actress to come along in many years and is destined for stardom. Joy-Taylor’s greatest strength is her ability to portray both vulnerability and strength simultaneously. She exposit the contents of their minds without the need for dialogue during games in the series.The supporting actors-most of them “unknowns” deserve praise as well. To a person, they play memorable characters, even with the smaller parts. You must see “The Queen’s Gambit.” You won’t be disappointed! By the way, you don’t need to know anything about chess to appreciate this marvelous production. (However, you may find yourself at the mall looking for a nice chess set.)

Ultimately in the end, the main takeaway is about the nature of chess, and its capability to be played as a competivive sport for fame and glory, or as a social game with the power to knit lifelong friendships seamlessly.

The narrative is engageing from start to end, but the relevance of the mother subplot seemed questionable at times.

This series was a delight to watch and for me this series are a marvelous piece of art.

Incredible, I honestly have to say that this could be the best anime ever due to its development and plot. Shingeki No Kyojin has one of the best character developments and plot in history (note that this series does not have fill), he even the secondary and third characters have a great importance in the story, but also has that sense of terror, action and drama that by the way is incredibly well done, makes you live the situation that the characters go through and transmit their emotions to you in a very human way. It has an excellent background story that is simply memorable.

Every decision they make is of minor importance to the series and should not be missed, their deaths and the surprise of knowing who are the real antagonists add a magical touch

The first season has a slight start, it ends up being a spectacular season, it is not the best but it is an amazing season with an incredible animation and plot, here you will be introduced to the first antagonist of the series. 9.4/10

The second season I think was epic, this is when you start to see the faces of the real villains (get ready for Senshi Tmp 2 Ep 6 which according to me is the best of the second season, an overwhelming chapter) Shingeki no Kyojin explains it to you perfectly without leaving gaps in the plot, an incredible season. 9.6/10

The third season is truly phenomenal, has a good start and lets you know the problems you will have in a society by not agreeing with something or the difficult decisions you must make to ensure your survival. After this, too many things are clarified without detours, the chapters that stood out most were Perfect Game (Tmp 3, Ep 16), Hero (Tmp 3, Ep 17), Midnight Sun (Tmp 3, Ep 18) and That Day (Tmp 3, Ep 20) (That day has no action or features our main characters, but this chapter amazes me, its development is spectacular and the way they explain everything is overwhelming, honestly, the best development chapter in the history of anime). 9.8/10

Season four is the start of the finale. A season practically perfect, in this season everything comes to light answering every question of the viewer, leaves no gaps in the plot and has a beautiful animation, besides that is incredibly shocking and demonstrates the incredible development in our protagonists, Eren has the best character development I think. For me the best chapters were in my opinion Declaration of War (Tmp 4, Ep 5) (Declaration of War is one of the most impactful chapters of development), The War Hammer Titan (Tmp 4, Ep 6), Assault (Tmp 4, Ep 7), Assassin’s Bullet (Tmp 4, Ep 7) (Assassin’s Bullet left me speechless…) and Above and Below (Tmp 4, Ep 16), has not yet finished this season, but still for me it is spectacular. 9.9/ 10 This season is the best.

In my opinion your average would be 9.3/10. Sincerely from my point of view, the best anime ever, a work of art from post-apocalyptic fiction.

 felt it very likely that Hyakkiamaru and Dororo would separate in the end, at least for a while (though not before he told her she was pretty).  It was indeed Biwamaru’s path (what an interesting revelation, that he was once a samurai) that Hyakki chose, and to walk that path Hyakkimaru had to do so alone for a while, to come to terms with what he’d seen and with who and what he was.  And Dororo’s path – to use her fortune in a way that ultimately would have made her parents very happy – really didn’t hold a place for Hyakkimaru.  The story makes it very clear that those path will one day emerge, even as it leaves it to our imagination what shared course they might follow afterwards.

All in all, that was a very satisfying conclusion and a far better one than I feared might be in the offing.  Dororo has seen a great many iterations, each one of them taking a different view on how the story should conclude – a function, I think, of Tezuka proving so little clarity on the issue himself.  As much as I struggled with the anime’s assessment of Hyakkimaru – perhaps reflective of an especially Japanese interpretation of the character and his arc – in the final analysis it did both he and the story justice.  It was really the love of two people – Jukai and Dororo – that redeemed Hyakkimaru in the end.  Jukai was the reason he was alive and understood the nature of love, and even as he was collecting the physical parts that would make him human, Dororo was teaching him how to be human.  Without that, the limbs and organs would have been a hollow shell.

This drama is very different from your typical kdrama. It addresses the sensitive topic of mental health and it has me completely hooked after watching only the first few episodes. The actors have great chemistry; their charisma is insane. I really enjoyed the animations that were incorporated into the film. I highly recommend everyone to try experiencing this great drama for themselves because it will surely not disappoint.

So many things about this series are exceptionally good. The journey of healing and learning of each of the characters from the main leads to the various patients is very moving. Admirably tasteful way to deal with mental and emotional issues on screen. The central love story is so involving because their pain feels profound. The incomparable Seo Ye Ji as writer Ko Moon-young is unforgettable – strong and vulnerable, finally a real step forward for K drama heroines. Enjoy each sentence she utters in her signature low voice. She has some memorable and often hilarious dialogue.

A far cry from the Cinderella type heroines of early melodramas. And her outfits are stunning – perfectly suited to her tiny waist. Kim Soo-hyun is well cast as caregiver Moon Gang-tae. He isn’t a larger than life hero but instead a man with pain and burdens. He looks more mature here. The pairing of the two leads is right. Much better than The King Eternal Monarch where there was little chemistry between Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun. Oh Jung-se gives a likable convincing performance as autistic Moon Sang-tae, In less capable hands the character could have been annoying or tiresome but he made the brotherly relationship very touching. The production values are very high.

From the well integrated animation of the stories to the quirky Tim Burton style house, it all has a high quality feature film standard feel to it. To cap it all off the ending is a good and satisfying one. For all those who have been disappointed by unsatisfying endings in K dramas this one helps to makes up for some of them. A must watch.

One of the major reason that Tata coffee grand didn’t gain popularity compared to Nescafe and Bru is because of its Advertisement strategy, it wasn’t able to attract customers towards it. And already Nescafe has captured the whole market its difficult for the brand to gain customers towards it. Proper ad campaigns should have been taken. Just how Nescafe has taken. When we read the reviews of Tata grand they say that the it taste’s bitter.

The brand, that targets the audience between the age group of 20-45 years, has recently introduced the campaign to build awareness on the brand, convey its distinctive product story. The larger aim is to add few more category codes that promises great Coffee taste and experience through very simple sensory check consumers can do at a retail store or home. The thought was to build upon the unique sound made when a pack of Tata Coffee Grand is shaken,” says Puneet Das, SVP, Marketing – Beverages, TATA Consumer Products.

Through this campaign, the brand aims to create a new language for coffee – Shik-Shik-Shik  – that evokes emotions and excitement amongst consumers. The campaign synonymises the word ‘Coffee’ with the sound i.e. Shik-Shik-Shik – which represents the sound that is heard when the coffee jar or pack is shaken. Tata Consumer Products has a large and robust distribution with many outlets pan India. The brand plans to leverage the company’s distribution strength to make the product available to consumer, with a sharper focus in South.  

We usually think Korean Dramas are just about a girl meeting a boy and falling in love but we fail to understand the purpose and the hidden messages behind them. True Beauty is one of the k-dramas which teach some heartfelt life lessons. This story is not just about a “love triangle” or good looking people, its so much more. The show tells us about how love is not just about the appearance but is much more deeper than that, its about how one shouldn’t regret the choices they’ve made in life, this show tells us that no matter how lonely you feel, there is always at least one person who will love you unconditionally and care for you no matter what, it tells us how being selfish sometimes is okay, sometimes putting your loved one’s happiness before you is necessary, it tells us how accepting yourself is very essential and most importantly, it gives us a strong message that everything has a reason behind it to happen, everyone has reasons to do what they are doing be it big or small, we must respect every single human being on this planet.

The casting is done perfectly with each actor suiting their role and portraying it beautifully.

This show is full of mixed emotions, it will make you cry as much as it made you laugh. Very realistic scenes and no unnecessary drags. Watching the siblings fight and watching the characters getting embarrassed publicly or even in front of their crushes will make you relate to the characters very much and that’s something I love the most about the show. They mix the genres in such a realistic way that makes us relate to the characters too!

As a girl who suffered with acne in the past, I can relate to Lim Jugyeong a lot and can understand her emotions.

My personal favorite character is Lim Hee-Kyung(Jugyeong’s older sister) I love the bold personality she has and the attitude to get what she wants.

Another thing I love the most about this show is how the female characters like Kang Soojin and Lim Hee-Kyung are crafted in such a way that they are strong and independent.

There are such different characters of such different personalities which is so much fun to watch.

I would highly recommend people to watch this show, it’s gonna be worth it!

“Doctor John” is a medical drama about doctors specializing in pain management. In a refreshing take on the genre, “Doctor John” will portray the doctors’ search for the cause of their patients’ mysterious pain as a thrilling chase, almost like a detective hunting down the perpetrator behind an unsolved crime. Cha Yo Han is a genius anesthesiologist, who is also the youngest professor at his medical school.

The brilliant doctor goes by the nickname “10 Seconds,” a reference to his ability to diagnose his patients in the 10 seconds that it takes for them to enter an examination room and walk to their seat. Kang Shi Young is a legendary anesthesiologist, who was always at the top of her class throughout medical school. The talented doctor inherited her skills from her cool-headed, rational mother, while she inherited her empathy, listening skills, and warm bedside manner from her father.

I solely started this drama because of Ji Sung. I can’t say I dislike medical dramas but they aren’t exactly my go-to genre. But like always, Ji Sung didn’t let me down. I am so glad that I decided to watch this drama!

It’s no breaking news that Ji Sung has acting chops. Well, that seems a bit of an understatement. Every character that he plays on screen, you can’t help but fall in love with. With that much charisma he is surely one of the most lovable ahjussi on TV right now.

Lee Se Young has grown so much as an actress. Maybe her character didn’t sit well with everyone, but she did grew a lot throughout the series. Though that girl’s hair is a mess, that I cannot deny.

The chemistry between the leads! Woah!! I loved them!
This has a slow burn romance, but it’s so worth it! The drama doesn’t shy away from their age gap, but it’s never creepy or uncomfortable. Their relationship begins simply as a mentor mentee, but gradually develops into more, and it’s so beautifully portrayed!

A couple of students are sharing a rumor about a strange and handsome magician that lives in the abandoned amusement park at the top of the hill. He seems to perform real magic and starts every trick with the phrase “Do you…believe in magic?”.

The police are now actively looking for the magician as Seo Ha-yoon’s body has been found and her belongings were found somewhere near the amusement park.

Ah-yi goes ahead to warn the magician and finds him in distress, caring for his parrot who is ill. She tells him that the police are coming and he replies that he has nothing to hide and as long as one person believes in him things will be alright.

The detectives arrive and take the magician, whose real name is Ryu Min-hyuk, back to the station for questioning. Il-deung arrives later and Ah-yi tells him that there is someone they need to meet and talk to.

Ah-yi then performs her first ever magic trick by making Min-hyuk disappear while the police go searching for him. A few weeks pass by and the police find new footage from an old camera at the park.

The shopkeeper who had initially disappeared is on the feed and he comes out with the truth. He had tried to take advantage of Ha-yoon after he caught her trying to steal from his shop.

However, she was one step ahead of him and caught him on video and decided to blackmail him. He lured her to the park and killed her, then proceeded to get that magician’s fingerprints on the murder weapon to frame him.

Il-deung applies to drop out of high school as he feels that he’s done travelling the smooth path his parents laid out for him and wants to bloom like a flower on a dirt filled road.

Ah-yi is doing better as she has picked up a job as a magician entertaining guests at a fancy restaurant while she’s also in touch with her father on a regular basis.

Ah-yi attributes all this to Min-hyuk who made her believe when no one else in the world was able to.

I am currently watching kimetsu no yaiba which is also known as Demon slayer recommended by one of my friends. while I was watching the trailer I thought it to be a childish anime but once I watched it, This anime has become really special to me.

The story is somewhat new in a sense and character location or setting I would say is also kind of new to me in shounen anime, I am saying this because now days shounen anime always start in a city or suburb areas. Its nice to see this anime start the story from middle of nowhere kind of setting (given this anime takes place in past, its not new but different in my opinion).

The action scenes are jaw dropping and are something you would rewind the few seconds of that scene to see again. Tanijro as a character is also breath of fresh air in this shounen setting, because he do not have lofty goals like becoming king of pirates or something like that, he just wants to turn his sister back to human form once again and he do not rely on friendship power or activating his fourth gear on or going ssj 3, nope he trains like any other human being to earn his power. Directing on this anime is also fascinating, you can tell that director cut no corner for fight scenes(like one other anime I know, looking at you OPM S2) and he went with full force to animate those gorgeous fight scenes.

The only tiny bit problem is that occasional use of CG models of characters when they are far in the view or are fast moving, but this use of CG is ten times better than what we got for goblin slayer. When its comes to using CG studio Ufotable is leagues ahead in the competition and it shows here.

This is only anime I am enjoying, which is doing action scenes right. Give it a try you will enjoy it.

Spy X Family met and exceeded my expectations. Twilight’s cold autistic behavior is well represented by his inner monologue, which is even a surprise, since his interaction with the adorable anya is quite charismatic, and all of this is elevated due to the direction, the comic timing, the faces and mouths, and the well-executed action that is very satisfying managing to mix the comedy with the serious moments.

Highlighting the production, the work is being produced by wit studio in conjunction with CloverWorks, both of which are always responsible for well-produced works. The production being divided between the two improves the fact, since besides the staff being competent, it will hardly have difficulty with overloaded producers, especially by CloverWorks, which keeps picking up many anime a year.

About the characters:
I talk about twinlight and call its behavior autistic because it actually is. Twilight misses some basic social cues (see how he broke up with the mobster’s daughter), while being highly proficient in his field to the point of obsession. Stoicism implies none of this.
Obviously there is no way to know about the future of the work, and whether it will go on to develop this psychology or have any arc about it, but twinlight is a character that has points to be explored.

What I also didn’t expect was Anya to have flaws. She is not a Mary Sue super-genius character, but rather a normal girl for her age who uses her power to her best advantage, which is another fantastic angle to take. Particularly, Anya being more human in comparison to her parents who are quite problematic is great, even more so that her being a knowledgeable character could make the work smug, as the author could literally give conclusion to whatever he wanted using Anya, as her ability to read minds + an irrational intelligence, would only bring difficulties to the script, sensational move on the author’s part.

Yor in my vision, is the most mysterious character in the work, it doesn’t make her a bad character, but in my vision, she doesn’t have any kind of problem either personal or mental like her family, even being an assassin, she is less rational and more emotional, struggling to keep herself disguised and not standing out too much.

Another thing is the fact that the work gently reveals information about the twilight, such as the fact that he is a master of disguise, and this is blurred because the scene of great impact is the sudden end and his comment about never wanting to have a family, but anyway these events are used in the same episode, as when he goes to rescue Anya, and the whole scene is about his disguise, which is a great scene precisely for the breach of expectation, but that already in the beginning was revealed.

After the 6th episode of spy x family the viewers have started shipping anya with damien. I hope this characters become good friends in the future episodes.

Whenever we think of coffee only one thing comes to our mind and that is ‘Nescafe’. Nescafe, being a product of a famous brand nestle have been successful in capturing a high market share of instant coffee. The word Nescafe is actually the portmanteau of two words that are “Nestle” and “café”. Max Mergenthaler along with his team members had worked hard for almost seven years to make coffee powder into a big hit.​

In the year 1975 Japan thought of introducing Nescafe into Japan in the hope that they might be interested in drinking coffee. But japanese culture is steeped in tea, and it has strong emotional imprint, meanwhile coffee had a superficial/ non existent imprint on the japanese people.

Nestle started making (caffeine-free) coffee-flavored desserts for kids. Most children love candy and dessert, and Japanese kids were no different — no culture issue there. Fifty years later, Japan spends $22 billion on instant coffee, more than any other country. When Nestlé made coffee-flavored desserts, they were able to positively imprint on Japanese children. This grew into a strong emotional resonance with coffee in Japanese culture and a huge market for Nescafé to tap into and monetize.

Both Nescafe & Bru are locked in a fierce battle for market leadership today, with each commanding about 36% market share by value in the Indian retail coffee market in 2020. Operating Profit was $12.17 billion. Sales was $94.69 billion. Current Share price is 120.58 CHF i.e. Rs. 9906.16 

“back then if we could have heard each others voices, everything would have been so much better”. after reading this quote I thought of watching this movie called, A silent voice.

A Silent Voice (or “The Shape of a Voice”) is a great addition to the “slice of life” anime of modern times. At times life affirming in its quieter moments, at other times shocking in its depiction of Japanese teen life.

Egged on by his school mates, Shoya bullies the newly arrived Shoko, who happens to be deaf. Perceived to be receiving special treatment, and being different (a crime in Japanese society), Shoko is fair game for any number of cruelties. Until it goes too far.

This movie then takes a different approach. Instead of showing the bullied person’s return to strength, it shows the traumatised bully (and his cohorts) as he seeks to recover from the horror he put Shoko through. You may balk at the thought, but the paths of Shoya and Shoko are explored in their later high school lives, both being treated sympathetically.

The animation is beautiful, the script manages to avoid typical Japanese cliche, and the story takes some shocking turns without relying on trite misery or emotional manipulation. If you miss Ghibli, give this a watch. You’ll be happy to know the spirit of great Japanese animation lives on.

A Silent Voice or Shape of Voice is a beautiful drama film about a guy who struggles to redeem his past that tackles heavy themes such as bullying.

Apparently, there are a lot of characters in this 2-hour long film. And quite a number of them I believe didn’t develop to the maximum as the film concludes but it was suffice enough to convey the message that the film desires to.

However, huge compliments should be given to this film for the amazing build up before reaching its climax which is realistically intense, powerful and heartfelt that will leave you on the edge of your seat with your jaws dropped. You might as well cry, too.

Let me introduce you to one of the darkest anime which I have watched recently called ‘Death Parade’. This was not recommended to me by anyone I was just googling some dark anime to watch and then death parade caught my eyes and I started watching it. Death Parade consists of only 12 episodes with only one season. It is an old anime around in 2013 so I’m sure there won’t be any season 2.

So the story goes this way After death, all go to a bar in Limbo, a quiet place, where bartender Decim waits to judge passing souls, pitting them against each other in pub games like bowling, darts, and arcade cabinets. These are no mere games, however. Each point, each strike…each miss has consequences, for they inflict pain on the opponent, or worse, reveal one’s true self in this parade of death. Reincarnation awaits those found worthy, the eternal void for all others. Actions and emotions make a dangerous game.

As a game progresses, memories from the players’ lives return, piece by piece, and it is in how the characters react to these pieces that determines who they truly are. Best of all, Death Parade does not go easy on the characters out of pity. Yes, you will pity many among the dead, but like reality, pity will not erase a poor decision. As more memories return, the greater the strain and conflict becomes on these people, escalating tension to breaking point. And it is brilliant.

And at the end of the game the opponents will understand that they are dead and both the opponents are send to two different elevators. One consists of reincarnation and other void. so according to the choices made by the opponents they are send to the different elevators. Good souls get to go to the reincarnation elevator and the bad souls are send into void.

I was amazed that they also showed ‘Light yagami’ aka kira in this anime, they showed a small reference of Kira and hats off to that. I would recommend anyone to watch it especially those who are interested in dark anime themes.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled to be the 22nd running of the FIFA World Cup competition, the quadrennial international men’s football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It is scheduled to take place in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022. This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world, and it will be the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2022 tournament was held in South Korea and Japan. In addition, the tournament will be the last to involve 32 teams, with an increase to 48 teams scheduled for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The reigning World Cup champions are France. Due to Qatar’s intense summer heat, this World Cup will be held from late-November to mid-December, making it the first tournament not to be held in May, June, or July; it is to be played in a reduced time-frame of around 28 days. The first match played at the tournament will be contested between Senegal and the Netherlands.

Qualified teams

As of 31 March 2022, 29 nations have qualified for the finals, including 22 that competed at the previous tournament in 2018. Qatar are the only team making their debut in the FIFA World Cup, becoming the first hosts to make their tournament debut since Italy in 1934. As a result, the 2022 tournament is the first World Cup in which none of the teams that earned a spot through qualification were making their debut. The Netherlands, Ecuador, Ghana, Cameroon and the United States returned to the tournament after missing the 2018 tournament. Canada returned after 36 years, their only prior appearance being in 1986.

Four-time champions and winners of UEFA Euro 2020, Italy, failed to qualify for a second successive World Cup for the first time in their history, losing in the qualification playoff semi-finals against North Macedonia. The Italians were the only former champions that failed to qualify. The previous World Cup hosts, Russia, were disqualified from competing due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

-by Omkar Bhikle.

Credits- 1. Wikipedia

2. FIFA.com

“Some people think football [soccer]is a matter of life and death. I don’t like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.”
Bill Shankly

This series was actually recommended to me by my friend. at first I thought it was a childish cartoon and then I started watching it with my brothers and I must say it did melt my heart.

After losing both parents in a fatal plane crash, teenager Ryuuichi Kashima must adjust to his new life as the guardian of his younger brother Kotarou. Although Ryuuichi is able to maintain a friendly and kindhearted demeanor, Kotarou is a reserved toddler still too young to understand the reality of the situation. At their parents’ funeral, they are approached by Youko Morinomiya, the stern chairman of an elite academy, who decides to take them under her care.

However, there is one condition Ryuuichi must fulfill in exchange for a roof over their heads and enrolment in the school–he must become the school’s babysitter. In an effort to support the female teachers at the academy, a babysitter’s club was established to look after their infant children; unfortunately, the club is severely short-staffed, so now not only is Ryuuichi responsible for his little brother, but also a handful of toddlers who possess dynamic personalities.

I would recommend this anime to anyone if you have a kid or if you have younger siblings then you can relate yourselves to this anime because i’m sure this anime will make you smile and melt your heart.

The Way Of The Househusband is a weird but interesting series that you could easily finish in less than an hour. Nothing too special but an engrossing series to say the least. The main character is somewhat relatable and the supporting characters as well. One notable thing though is the animation which is at best, a 6/10, although the show is overall an 8/10 as I see it.
It doesn’t dive too deep into romance and action, it sticks to comedy, and that’s what I appreciate in this series. The quirky unorthodox humor is strangely great, which had me shaking with laughter.

Gokushufudou: The Way of the House Husband is a 5 episode animation based off of the manga of the same name. It’s about an Ex-Yakuza member known as the “Immortal Dragon” due to his terrifying fighting prowess, having been known to wipe out multiple large groups of enemy gangs bare handed in one night. However he decides to give up the life of crime in order to be a full time househusband, and care for his wife Miku. That’s it. Nothing more. Nothing less. However, i feel like people are trying to treat it as if it’s something more than that, as if it were an epic action manga that “wasn’t done justice” by the animation, and i couldn’t really disagree more. More on that later.

As for the individual ratings:

Story: 9
It’s a simple, cute, fun concept that you honestly can’t really go wrong with on it’s own.

Sound: 7
Intro and outro tracks were pretty good. (idk if this goes w/ sound or characters so apologies if I am wrong) The voice actors were great as well, with Kenjiro Tsuda acting as Tatsu’s VA.

Character: 10
I love the idea behind Tatsu as a character. I think that the designs are executed well, and that the other characters do a good job of supporting his own character.

Art: 5
Look, I’m not gonna sit here and act like it was animated well. It isn’t great. To be fair I do think that it was colored very well. But, I don’t feel that the animation needs to be absolutely insane to find enjoyment in the series. I think we should take a slightly different perspective on this. I believe that the animation quality was not a main focus. I think that they may have even lessened the animation quality purposefully in order to make it more akin to a motion manga than an anime, as well as highlight the story a bit more. While this is QUITE a stretch, I know, for me, it had that exact effect, which is part of the reason i would rate the enjoyment:

Enjoyment: 10
As I sat and watched all 5 episodes, I genuinely couldn’t stop smiling. The jokes, the story, the characters all gave me the goofiest smile I had had in a few days.

With all of this taken into close consideration, I rate Gokushufudou: The Way of the House Husband at an overall 8/10. Although it falls short in some audio and visual qualities, I believe it more than makes up for it in story, comedy, and character.

I just recently completed Tokyo revengers anime. I had heard a lot of reviews about some of them told me its not worth watching and some of them gave me really nice reviews about it. so now i am going to put forth my reviews regarding Tokyo Revengers.

Tokyo revengers is an amazing anime with an amazing plot and story line with great characters. The main protagonist of tokyo revengers is a guy called Takemichi. Takemichi has been shown as a 28 year old adult working in a CD shop who hates his life. One day he was watching news and then he saw that his ex girlfriend has been dead due to an accident at that point of time he thinks about his past and wished he could change it. while travelling by train takemichi was pushed into the tracks by anonymous person and then he was immediately transferred into the past. Now its a mission for takemichi to save his dead girlfriend from the future.

Throughout Takemichi’s journey he meets alot of people called mickey leader of tokyo maji gang, draken vice president of tokyo manji gang and various division heads such as chifiyu, baji, mitsuyu, pa chan, kazutoro etc.

The only fault which i have seen in this anime is that the protagonist is considered to be a very weak character. He thinks himself to be useless. throughout the anime you guys may be disappointed because of the main character because he does a lot of mistakes.

Tokyo Revengers is a good anime. so people also compare it with another anime called erased. The theme of tokyo revengers is some what same as erased. Erased is also one of the must watch anime. uptill now tokyo revengers has 22 episodes with season one got complete and now I am waiting for season 2.

Tokyo Revengers is a must watch anime. A lot of people will like the plot as well the characters are also considered to very nice. this anime is an action packed and comedy anime. I hope Takemitchi will be able to save his girlfriend in the future.

by Kris katelin

Yesterday I completed reading ‘To kill a mocking bird’ a novel written by Harper Lee. I felt kinda empty after reading it. It was a really nice book but I have often heard about it that this book was considered to be Red flag. I don’t know why it is considered to be a red flag because this book has been read by the American students at their school during their 7^th standards.

The age group which I recommend for this book might be 16 plus. Because there are certain terms in the book which could not be understood by the younger generation. So I would suggest the age group of 16 and above to read this book.

To kill a mocking bird is a novel published in the year 1960 by the author Harper lee. The main characters of the book are scout a six year old who is known as jean Louis, her brother jem, their friend Dill, Mr Atticus (scout and jems father) and boo radly.

The book starts with scout talking about some events which resulted in jem (scouts brother) accident. Where they talk about boo radly a neighbor to bring him out of the house, so boo Radley always stayed at his house he never came out. So scout, jem and dill try to bring him out of the house. Scouts father Atticus is a lawyer. Atticus gets a case to defend which is considered to be a very controversial case in their town.

I really liked scouts character and also boo radly , boo only enters in at the end of the book and only has a sentence to say “can you take me home”. So at the end of the book I felt empty because in the end scout does sees boo radly for the first and the last time, that’s the only reason I felt empty. I forgot to mention about what mocking bird is, so mocking birds are considered to be small species of birds mimicking songs.

There is a famous quote given in the book, “shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird”

According to me the original mocking bird of the story is boo Radley, it’s a must read book. I would suggest a person above 16 can definitely read it.

by Kris katelin

Passing by an empty lane,
I got reminded of the emptiness I have in my brain.
It will take some time to decide
that what’s killing me from inside, despite having many people by my side.

I don’t know what’s missing that makes me feel this way,
But there’s a hope that I will find a solution to the void someday.
Till then I need to move on, keeping a smile outside and void inside, just like every other day.
But one day I will comprehend it,
Till then I will pretend a bit,
Just like most of them out there, counterfeiting their smiles right there. Yes, there is a void that needs to be filled, but till then everything will remain unfulfilled.

~ Isha Chawla

क्यों इतनी खामोश सी पढ़ गई है तू? क्यूं अंदर ही अंदर खुद से लड़ रही है तू? वक्त ही तो है गुजर जाएगा, सूरज फिर से एक नया आएगा। खुद पर यकीन रख कर आगे बढ़ती जा तू, कभी ना कभी तो रास्ता मिल ही जाएगा।

~ Isha Chawla 🥀

During school days, we read books are our best friends who will never walk away from us. Undoubtedly books are our friends. It provides knowledge in different fields and enhances our wisdom and intelligence. From class one onwards we all read books and many of us continuously read books until our death.  To popularize reading habits this year 23 April 2022 is observed as World Book Day. This is also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, which is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright

 Each year, on 23 April, celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the scope of books – a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures. On this occasion, UNESCO and the international organizations representing the three major sectors of the book industry – publishers, booksellers, and libraries, select the World Book Capital for a year to maintain, through its own initiatives, the impetus of the Day’s celebrations.  23 April is a symbolic date in world literature as on this date several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all passed away. So this,  the date was a natural choice for UNESCO’s General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone to access books (unesco.org/commemorations/worldbookday).

According to World Reading Habits in 2020, (geediting.com/world-reading-habits-2020), by conducting research studies across the world they have found that coronavirus has changed our reading habits. Some of the highlights of World Reading Habits in 2020 research inter alia are:

         India reads more than any other country, followed by Thailand and China

         Printed books continue to drive more revenue than eBooks or audiobooks. However, physical books sales did dip because of coronavirus (not surprisingly).

         35% of the world read more due to coronavirus.

Also, World Reading Habits in 2020 have given ranks which may be seen as below:

1)        India (10.42   hours spent in reading per person per week)

2)       Thailand (9.24 hours spent in reading per person per week)

3)        China  (8.00 hours spent in reading per person per week)

4)       Philippines (7.36 hours spent in reading per person per week)

5)       Egypt (7.30 hours spent in reading per person per week)

19)   Spain (5.48 hours spent in reading per person per week)

20)   Canada (5.48 hours spent in reading per person per week)

21)  Germany (5.42 hours spent in reading per person per week)

22)  USA (5.42 hours spent in reading per person per week)

It is pertinent to mention that ranks have been given by World Reading Habits in 2020. But interesting points are India, Thailand, China, Philippines, and Egypt are in the first five but so-called developed countries such as Spain, Canada, Germany, and the USA are placed at a comparatively low level. 

On this Day of 23 April, as a senior citizen, I suggest that parents should encourage their children to read more and more books including newspapers. Reading habit is the sine qua non for leading a balanced lifestyle.

B. S. S Bhagavan

Assistant Professor

Research Scholar, Department of English 

Vikrama Simhapuri University, Kakutur, Nellore, A.P.

bhagavanbss@vsu.ac.in  

Dr. R. Prabhakar

Associate Professor, Head, Department of English 

Research Supervisor, Vikrama Simhapuri University, 

Kakutur, Nellore, A.P.

prabhakarjoli@gmail.com

Abstract:

R.W Emerson the father of American Transcendentalism redefined 19^th century American culture, literature and religion. In his first work Nature published in 1836. Emerson articulated basic concept of his new philosophy. He advocated spiritualism and preached oneness of Man, God and Nature. While defining basic tenace of his philosophy Emerson relayed upon the blend of the subjective and objective Idealism. Emerson could not ascribe to any specific idealism. This Ontological confusion created intellectual stagnation in his career.

Emerson studied German idealism and Greek philosophy to resolve Ontological riddles. The ancient Greek philosophy persuaded Emerson to dwell into Vedantic Literature. The Vedantic Doctrine of Mayavada helped Emerson to overcome the Ontological obstacles and to give legitimate conclusion to his philosophy. 

Keywords: Illusion, Maya, Eternal Bliss, Phenomenal World, Sensory Objects, Delusive power, Ignorance, Realized being and God within.

Introduction:

The Indian non dualistic thought (Advaita Vedanta) advocates Mayavada and defines the nature of the world. The doctrine of Maya defines the absolute being as non-dual and the one without second. It also ratifies the existence of the world and all objects and beings.

R.W Emerson in his doctrine of Illusion presents God as non-dual and all pervasive oversoul. He also explains the nature of the phenomenal world and considers all beings and objects as mere appearance. Emerson in his work Conduct of life deals with primary question that how one can attain spiritual realization and maintain perfect balance between spiritual and family life. According to Emerson man due to his ignorance subjects himself to the illusive power of the world and invites sufferings. The individual can attain liberation through self-realization and self-reliance enables the individual in attaining the purpose of human life. Vedanta also discusses the concept of liberation and highlights the importance of Atmasakshatkara.

Vedanta says the universal being adopts illusion as a method to govern whole creation. This principle also known as the principle of relativity, inversion and oppositional states. According to Advaita they exist only one reality but the individual perceives multiple realities in various forms and names.  It argues that multiple objects of this world are buy products of Maya. All the ancient religions advocate same principle (Maya) with various names. Indian non dualistic thought describes the Maya as indefinable because of its fleeting nature and indefinite structures. It says the absolute being dwells in every being and instructs all beings to overcome the delusive power of phenomenal world. The individual due to ignorance misidentifies himself with ego and surrenders himself to the Maya.

Young Emerson during his Harvard days at the age of 17 years composed a poem titled The Superstition. In the poem discussed the delusive power of the world mentioned in Indian scriptures but the content of the poem could not satisfy his readers. Though he had little knowledge of Maya he didn’t study the concept till 1845. Emerson borrowed Bhagavata Purana from his friend Thoreau’s library and read about the Doctrine of Maya. In 1860 in his essay “The Conduct of life” Emerson advocated his doctrine of Illusion. The Doctrine of Maya enriched Emersons philosophy and enabled him to answer all the queries that haunted him throughout his career.

Advaita Vedanta says there is one reality and it manifests itself in various forms and names. The individuals’ constant misperception makes him to accept multiple realities in this world. The individual attributes the qualities of real to the unreal and subjects himself to the power of Maya. Audisankara explains this with the analogy of the Serpent and the Rope. The Indian non-dualistic thought appeals the mankind to relay upon intuition to realize the ultimate reality. It articulates Neeti Neeti method to comprehend the absolute. According to Advaita Vedanta the absolute (God) mocks and instructs the individual through the Maya. According to the doctrine of Maya the nature (the proxy of the absolute) educates the individual and teaches him to see the ultimate reality through the veil of Maya.

Emerson like Vedanta refers the absolute as oversoul in the context of universe and refers the individual soul in the context of man. For Emerson oversoul and the individual soul are one and the same. He finds no distinction between God and the individual. He writes “Who shall define to me an individual? I behold with awe and delight many illustrations of the One Universal Mind. I see my being embedded in it; as a plant in the earth so I grow in God. I amonly a form of him. He is the soul of me. I can even with mountainous aspiring say, I am God, by transferring my me out of the flimsy and unclear precinct of my body, my fortunes, my private will” (Journals. Vol. V. Pp. 336-37).

In all his works he presents the doctrine of infinitude of private man. For him the individual is not mere aboard where the absolute resides but the individual is part and parcel of the oversoul. Vedanta ratifies Emersons idea when it says “know that self alone that is one without a second…and give up all other talks.” (The Thirteen Principal Upanishad. P. 372.). Emerson says our life is in this world like momentary dream which is unreal. “Philosophy affirmsthat the outward world is only phenomenal and the whole concern of dimness, of tailors, of gigs, of balls, whereof men make such account is …an intricate dream”. (Ralph L. Rusx. ed. Letters, I. P. 412; also see Journals, Vol. III. P. 335,481.)

Emerson in his first work Nature describes the nature as the medium through which the divine reveals its mind. He writes in his journals “nature is only the foliage, the flowering, and the fruit of the soul…every part, therefore exists as an emblem and sign of some fact in the soul” (Works. Vol. VIII, P. 53). He argues that the world being the cause can’t exist without the cause (absolute). He further says the world befools the individual with its illusive power. He suggests the mankind to discriminate between right and wrong and to liberate from the Maya. For him the world along with arts, persons, letters, scriptures, religions and etc. are the buy products of Maya. He writes that “towns, landscapes are fugitives like the smoke or snow; the institutions, society and whole world are simply products of illusion. Though thesoul exists in every particle of the universe it stands apart from the phenomenal world.” He says thought the maya is the power of the absolute is distinctive from the Maya. Unlike phenomenal objects the absolute is beyond all constrains. Thus, Emerson’s concept of Nature resembles Vedantic concept of Prakruti in many respects.

Emerson and Vedanta articulate that the individual can liberate himself from the through self-realization in his essay Emerson echoes same idea. When he writes Flow, flow the waves hated, Accursed, adored, the waves of mutation: No anchorage is. Emerson quoted line from Vishnu purana and other Indian scriptures to strengthen his argument. He called Illusion with various names in the essay like Fascination, Trick, Deception and Disguise. He says irrespective of age, sex and race everyone subjected to Maya. He writes “the young mortal enters the hall of the firmament …on the instant, and incessantly, fall snow storms of illusions” (Works, Vol. VI.P.325. “Illusions”). He argues that everything that an individual perceives through his senses or unreal and temporal. He says the one who treats all his experiences feelings and emotions as true can’t liberate himself from the Maya. The world with its illusive power perceives the mankind to go after temporal things. In his essay “Montaigne” he appeals his contemporaries to depend upon the God within escape from the power of Maya.

  Emerson in his essay Illusion consider all human emotions like love, anger, jealous etc. as results of human ignorance and Maya. He refers all relations, positions and possessions also products of Maya. According to him the individual invites sufferings and sorrows by surrendering himself to the Maya. Vedanta too emphasizes the same idea it says the individual depends upon the temporal and unreal phenomenal objects derive happiness. Vedanta defines the absolute as pure conscious, existence and bliss (Sat Chit Anand). According to Vedanta the absolute who is the defined as Ananda dwells in every individual. Thus, the individual becomes the embodiment of the bliss which is internal. Man, due to his ignorance instead of depending upon is innate self which is the embodiment of eternal bliss seeks happiness from phenomenal objects which are temporal. Therefore, man subjects himself to the ever-ending desires and sufferings. 

Conclusion:

Like Vedanta Emerson argues that the man identifies himself with phenomenal ego and fails to recognize his true self. This attitude of individual makes him the victim of the illusive power of the world. The individual who is the aboard of God within is the real source for fountain of bliss but the individual forgetting this truth seeks happiness from external sources. Both Emerson and Vedanta say the individual can attain Self-realization through intuition and can attain Moksha which is the purpose of life. Thus, the doctrine of Illusion propelled the Vedanta philosophy and Emerson’s Transcendentalism to legitimate conclusion.

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