chhotebhai's Writings

  • EMERGENCY, SURROGACY, SUFFOCATION

    Trains and aircraft have emergency exits. Not so with politics. I vividly recall this day 50 years ago. I was attending a Youth Animators’ Training Programme in Allahabad, the epicentre of the Emergency earthquake. It was promulgated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25th June 1975. The day after the declaration a classmate of mine…

  • HONEYMOON CHEATERS

    Till recently we used to hear about wife beaters – aggressive male chauvinists beating up their spouses. Have things turned full circle? Are women the new aggressors – chopping up their husbands and sealing them in blue cement drums? Or the latest shocker from Shillong where Sonam Kushwaha of Indore went for an outdoor honeymoon…

  • WHEN DID GOD DIE?

    Another startling headline? It isn’t about Holy Friday. It was occasioned by a Special Edition (100 pages) of Time magazine totally dedicated to Pope Francis, on his death. Strangely, there was no mention of this in the Catholic media. A soft copy was sent to me by a young Methodist pastor, to whom I am…

  • LEO – IRON FIST – VELVET GLOVES

    When writing on an unfolding story one runs the risk of being overtaken by developments if its publication is delayed. Despite that we journos must be like the fools that enter where angels fear to tread. Five years ago I had made a prediction about Pope Francis’ successor in my book “The Jerusalem Code”. I…

  • WHITE SMOKE, DARK CLOUDS, SILVER LINING 

    At 21:47 IST on 8th May I received a message from a priest friend in Rome that white smoke could be seen emanating from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. So we had a new Pope. Frankly, I was surprised at such a short conclave. Secondly, I was shocked that an American had been elected….

  • PEDESTALIZING POPE FRANCIS

    No buses or biryani for poor Pope Francis! Does this shock you? It should. From whatever I saw or heard around me it seemed like business as usual – jubilees being celebrated, board results being celebrated, even during the official 9 day mourning period. Familiar excuses, as at the wedding feast; “Come to the wedding,…

Latest Comments

  2. Excellent. The Yellow Card or the Red Card is still used in Foot ball and other games. I’m sure The…

  4. Thank you for the arguments put forth regarding the change in use of certain titles given to Mary, to clarify…

  5. Thank you for your writings on the Blessed Virgin Mary. As a Protestant [CNI], I really appreciate the clarification given…