Blog roll

Welcome to my blog roll!

The list that follows might seem pretty long, but the fraction of blogs I have read that I am enlisting here is very small, because I am sure, I must have easily gone through over 1000 different blogs since I started reading them (and later, blogging) more than over 20 months ago. Thus, my selection ratio still stands at more stringent than 1 in 50! Apart from the quality of ideas and their expression, one of the criteria employed for selection has been the sincerity behind writing as I perceive it. If I feel some writer is indulging in mere rhetoric and verbal posturing, their blogs get rejected. Also, regularity of updating and total number of blog posts are two other factors, so that any reader using this blog roll as a guide would have appreciable amount of material to go through. Am I implying that I am some master judge of blogs' and their bloggers' 'worth', and that it is a privilege for some blogger to find their blog on this list? No, just that this post and the above statistics are my way of letting them know, that as far as my blog-life goes (which has incidentally become a very important portion of my 'real life'), I value them a lot. What I like and recommend is an indicator of what I have been at various points in time in the last 20 months. I hope it would not come as a surprise if descriptions of few blogs have a touch of emotion - because what I read contributes to what I am. And of course, a few people who over some time interacting with me, have come to trust my judgment can use these as recommendations.

A small request for consideration: Obviously, this list has been compiled by just one person, that is, me. And being just one person, it is very small number of things that I highly value in people. So, it should not be surprising that I whoever I value would be for somewhat similar reasons. And when complimenting someone, reasons take form of adjectives. And those adjective will get repeated a lot! While writing this, I was aware of descriptions sounding very repetitive, but I have to point out that whatever I write about the individual bloggers is very sincere, and though some of them might sound like a sales pitch,they really are not! :)

I cannot do complete justice to what the individual blogs and bloggers stand for. Each blog is an amalgamation of ideas, words and emotions that go into evolution of any blog. And no doubt, they also stand for the person that the blogger is. Best way to enjoy this blog roll, of course, is to click on the links that I provide. :)

I had posted the following list in the past as blog posts, when the feature of 'post pages' was not provided by 'Blogger'. So, with this update I am introducing a new feature - categories in which a certain blog falls. Needless to say, this categorization might end up excluding few of the themes the said blogger would have touched upon. I might also edit the description of individual blogs.

Categories:
• Anecdotes
• Humor
• Politics
• Current affairs
• Trivia
• Critical thinking
• Catharsis
• Reviews - of books, movies, tourist places, music, etc. I have applied this tag even if the review process is not very exhaustive, but only a casual survey
• Fiction
• Poetry
• History
• Essays/opinion

Following Wise Donkey's suggestion, I am including with each blog a couple posts that I had found most striking. [Thanks, WDM!] Needless to say, two posts cannot be representative of the entire body of work that anybody's blog is.

It is possible that I might miss including a few blogs that I quite like otherwise - that would be because of oversight than anything else. The order in which I mention the blogs roughly corresponds to the order in which I had discovered them. Additionally, I would keep on updating this list as and when I find time. Enjoy!

1. GS' Beats by G. Saimikundhan. I had come across this blog when I was experiencing a weird kind of low in my life. A low I cannot completely explain. A low of how the world is full of people I can't remotely respect, and could easily hold in contempt - totally bereft of people I could look up to. And in midst of such low, did I come across this blog. I had felt an instant connection. As if I would never need to explain myself. And everything I speak would be taken exactly as what was meant to be conveyed. Over time, Saimukundhan has become my motivator and friend in ways more than one. But I am confident this affectation is not making me assess his writing more positively than it deserves to be. The posts are products of such honesty, such clarity, intelligence and boldness, that I had actually thought, how this person fit my criteria for worship (click) when I had ironically declared to myself how it might be impossible that I ever come across such a person!
   
   When I'd finished my post on worship, I felt, the simplest thing I'd tell to one I worship would be "Wow! You exist!". And that's what I'd even today like to tell Saimukundhan. Thanks for being there!
   
   With a few more exchanges, I found a few differences in our opinion and outlook, which have something to do with my being (maybe) more cynical, and I felt Saimukundhan could perhaps learn about this world something more (which I've already learned!), and well he was dropped from that mental pedestal, but not far below, just ever so slightly. Some might feel, I had admired him only till his views were identical to mine, but no that's not the case. I have admired him, and still do, for providing me with a few answers that I did not have.
   
   But that's not all! His every blog post will make you think. And if you're in no mood to think, he also has some of the wackiest posts for you.
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • What I Learnt When Teaching
   • Guide to Dudehood
   
   Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Current affairs, Catharsis, Fiction
2. A Mother's A Musings... by Newbie Mommy. A blog that had just awed me, especially my writing nonskills(!) Replete with emotions - all true and genuine, wisdom, humor, wit, regrets, hopes. It was like meeting a person and not merely reading a blog. Again, I felt an instant connection. Things like needless modesty and circuitous explanations had become total nonissues. Her posts insistently tend to highlight all things positive about life. Though I wish Newbie Mommy would deliver more often :) I mean the posts. ;)
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • A Bottle of Ketchup
   • If it never did add up
   
   Categories: Anecdotes, Catharsis, Poetry
3. Mad Medicine: A Dr's dose of mayhem by Dr. S. When I had discovered her blog, Dr. S was a community doctor in South Africa. She has a very witty style of writing - mostly dealing with experiences at her extremely busy and taxing community practice. Her blogs span a very wide spectrum of human emotions, from witty, sarcastic, insane to most poignantly emotionally wrecking that have left me speechless. How she had maintained her commitment to her practice, and had preserved sympathy for her patients are matters of wonder. And I truly admire her for that. In my subsequent interactions with her I realized, she is a very wise and balanced person who has encountered wide variety of people. She judges humans and rightfully so, but it seems she never forgets that everyone has their set of weaknesses and that brings to fore the immense empathy for and understanding of the human mind that she possesses.
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • Little Pink Shoes
   • Brothers, Sisters, and the Godfather.
   
   Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Catharsis, Trivia
4. Life - Just this and that by Just Me. This blog was a total surprise. Discovering it was nothing less than discovering a treasure; neglected treasure, if I may, and nothing less than a serendipity. I might end up doing injustice to her ability to write in various forms by venturing to state that her specialty is poetry. But then, that's what had impressed me the most about her blog. Poetry. She writes effortless poetry. The effort of juggling words around is never visible, maybe she doesn't need to juggle around. All the aspects--construct, poetic effects, meaning and content--come together to form nothing less than poetic monuments.
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • Drenched musings
   • ruins...
   
   Categories: Poetry, Fiction, Essays/opinion, Catharsis
5. Why is everything four? by Tangled up in blue.... Tangled up in blue... had deleted her old blog [without my permission, which had contained many of my (obviously precious) comments - and all of them are now inaccessible! :,( ], yet when I include her new blog in this list, I am not exactly being generous. The first time around when I had discovered her previous blog, I was instantly hooked to it. She deals with a wide range of subjects. But more important, she writes with great poignancy. She is one of the finest writers I have known. What sets her apart is that she is not forceful with her opinions, yet is pretty firm in holding onto them, and not wrongly so, because she can reasonably justify what she believes in. However, this should not leave the reader here with the impression that she writes essays (which she very occasionally used to, in her old blog, that is). Most frequently, she comes up with anecdotes; poetry; her feelings on other works of art, which she blogs about in almost real time. She possesses that very rare combination of both very high emotional as well as intelligence quotients. But I might add here that she carefully conceals her very high intelligence, never letting the other people overawed by it [and no, this is not at all my way of hinting that if something she says sounds intelligent, it is a fluke - see, I preempted what she might have joked about! ;) ]
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • My comments on her old blog that she deleted without my permission [Hmmmph!]
   • Before it ends
   
   Categories: Anecdotes, Fiction, Poetry, Catharsis
6. Atheism: Proving The Negative by Matt McCormick. This blog is a very systematic compilation of almost all the possible arguments for and against theism. Posts also deal with social, political and economic implications of religiosity. The reader will also find some interesting experiments related largely to human psychology. He is a Professor of Philosophy.
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • My Imaginary Friend
   • Open the Floodgates
   
   Categories: Current affairs, Critical thinking, Essays/opinion
7. On The River Bank by Manu Sebastian. Manu's blog is a collection of short stories. At a very early age Manu has learned a lot about people, the human nature, their interactions, their dreams, aspirations, their predicaments, their foolish confident convictions. And these wonderful characters, apart from existing in his stories, interact in mundane to most unusual circumstances. I see signs of a great writer in making. Or shall I say, a writer well made, and not recognized for many reasons, not in the least, one being distraction by his studies!
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • Castle Rock
   • ROYAL SPIRIT?
   
   Categories: Fiction
8. A Monk In Hot Water by Bullshee. Bullshee's posts are one of the most hilarious I've read on the blogosphere. The adeptness with which he moves from the philosophical to the outrightly nonsensical is totally awe-inspiring. Also, his English is one of the finest I've seen among Indian bloggers. But, if you will take enough effort to go through his most of the posts, you'll realize, behind that frivolous facade resides a mind that has been enriched by a wide variety of experiences, and inundated by most honest doubts about people and life. And he, also has answers to few of them!
   
   
   
   I recommend:
   • Technology Daivangale
   • Bullshee's Theory - The Set Up
   
   Categories: Humor, Catharsis, Anecdotes
9. ANONYMOUS LIFE by Sioneve. Sioneve largely chronicles her life as an immigrant child staying in Australia. Her posts (or snapshots as she calls them) describe the events that have stayed with her into her adulthood. The various struggles of trying to fit in the new society, and the pressures exerted by her parents to make her conform to their idea of a 'good girl' are truly evocative. I love the fact that she does not try to force emotions into her experiences, not trying to extract sympathy. You can actually feel you're growing up with a girl withstanding her intelligence, and the painful understanding about the world that this intelligence brings with it, serving as catalyst for her growing up too fast.
   
   Categories: Catharsis, Anecdotes, Humor
10. Blessed Be This Nightmare by Kapila Pande. Kapila's specialty according to me is irreverent sarcasm and ridiculing of things she does not like. But there's one more thing that had totally impressed me - her poetry. The vivid imagery, and the symbolism she is able to incorporate in it! One of her linguistic experiments that had showed really striking results was to combine urban lingua franca with archaic words. Well, no doubt, my analysis cannot do justice to the wonder that her writing is! So, enjoy!
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Blame it on the AGE!
    • Waiting...
    
    Categories: Humor, Poetry, Anecdotes, Catharsis, Philosophy
11. Blogus Innominata by mgeek. Mgeek is a very intelligent blogger coming up with many ideas that would fall in the domain of lateral thinking. When I use this term lateral thinking, it is not with an intent of ridicule, but rather indicates a certain comfort that clarity of one's perceptions of the concerned phenomena gives rise to. Without this comfort, no one can come up with coherent ideas not thought before by others. And he does that with some regularity. Again, constrained by his busy life, his blog-life is not very active. But I would recommend the readers to try to go through a list of blogs labeled 'Good Ones' in his blog's sidebar.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Who am I?
    • Suicide Note
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Politics, Current affairs, Trivia, Critical thinking, Catharsis, Reviews, Essays/opinion
12. Short fiction and long opinion by John Matthew. John's blog consists largely of Short Memorable Stories (SMS), and some essays outlining his take on various aspects of life, people and India. His stories fall in that genre of mystical. They are abrupt, totally unpredictable, and follow their own system of logic. But a logic, indeed they follow. His essays are very perspicuous, reflecting five decades of having lived in this world, and silently observing everything.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Fire
    • Birthday
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Fiction, Essays/opinion, Humor
13. Located in Dubai but Heart in India by Rakesh. Rakesh, as the title of his blog states, is still rooted in India, and this his posts clearly show. In some ways, he is more connected to India that even me! Most of his posts deal with the small, funny, smile-inducing things in his life and family. Occasionally though, he does come up with his peeves on how India is turning out. But the most interesting aspect of his blog is his replies that follow. What I like about his arguments (when he makes them, that is) is that they are not purely academic or impassioned, but representative of how we respond to situations in real life on both an emotional plane and a logical one. In the small Indian blogosphere community he is best known for his (Bollywood) movie reviews.
    
    What I really appreciate about him is that he feels little unease in admitting that recently he would have changed his opinion on something. This shows two things - that he in possession of a thinking mind, still trying to alter his understanding of the world in accordance with the 'evidence' it provides, and that on other hand, he is open to admitting that he had been wrong only some time back [this is a rare trait]. :)
    
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Gender Sins - Typically Me!
    • Is this really a CRIME?
    Categories: Anecdotes, Reviews, Humor, Essays/opinion
14. Narcissist by Sowmya. This is one of the most individualistic blogs that I have found on the blogosphere. And by which I mean, there is very little she writes dispassionately. Everything on her blog has a stamp of her person - her feelings, her opinions, her ideals. She has this amazing ability to transform into words and pictures, everything that goes into making a shower of sensations an experience - sights, sounds, taste, smell, people... The instant impression on reading some of her posts is one of living 'inside' of Sowmya, and which is not at all a bad thing, because it is a very interesting world in there! Her posts make you feel you're taking a walk on a winding path along with her thoughts!
    
    She is a very well-read person, and many of her posts are detailed reviews of books and lyrics she had liked.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • This Too Shall Pass
    • Zest. For Life. In Spite Of Life
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Catharsis, Reviews, Poetry, Essays/opinion
15. RAIN by Rohith Ramdas. Rohith is the finest fiction writer I have seen on the entire blogosphere. I am totally mesmerized by his writing!
    
    He has a total way with words. His vast vocabulary is awe-inspiring. But more important, the characters in his fiction can be any random person - you or me! Well, that is only about recognizing the traces of common people we find all around in what he writes. The way he injects reality into his characters makes the reader wonder if it is fiction they are reading or some of their own experience they are recalling! His honest commentary on the state of the world masquerading as symbolism is most elegant.
    
    I discovered later that Rohith is a very gifted poet, too. I do not exaggerate a bit, when I say the romanticism (something he is really good at in his poetry) is of the order of (what I thought to be) the best works of Keats and Shakespeare [I am not very well read, but a few sonnets of Shakespeare and melancholic poems of Keats had very much impressed me, and in case of latter, to the extent of affecting me].
    
    His sense of humor has a certain old world-charm to it, that readers not wary of mental exercise will certainly enjoy.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • To The Enchantress....
    • The Diary of a would-be Suicide
    • The Eclipse [As you might notice, for others I have recommended only two posts, but in case of Rohith, all the three posts are of such high quality and equally liked by me that I just could not resist adding another one. :) ]
    
    Categories: Fiction, Poetry, Humor
16. Scrible Factory by Spark Star. Spark Star is really good at dissecting complex human actions into the individual emotions that drive them. And what impresses me in her posts is the detailed imagery. What is commendable about her weave of words is that they try to capture the domain of fantasy. Things that do not exist in 'our' world, and yet, she makes them sound so believable.
    
    Occasionally, of course, she comes up with ramblings of her own (entertaining-for-the-reader-but-not-so-much-for-herself) life!
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Metamorphosis
    • "Be Happy For A Moment. That Moment is Your Life"
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Catharsis, Poetry, Fiction
17. Nitwit Nastik by Nitwit Nastik. A good compilation of articles related to atheism, religious extremism, superstition. Basically, everything rationalist. Some articles will also increase the reader's general knowledge, in particular, of popular science.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • The Scientific Case for Astrology??!!
    • A Slave to God
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Current affairs, Politics, Critical thinking, Catharsis, Essays/opinion
18. The Little Ranting Reptile and Other Stories.... by Stupidosaur. Stupidosaur is easily one of the most intelligent persons (lizard??) - either through offline or online interaction - that I have known in my entire life. I will not be exaggerating if I state that I feel lucky to have got to interact with him to whatever little degree I could through his posts, and his comments on mine.
    
    He comes close to my idea of object of worship (click).
    
    Okay, let me not ramble about what I think about him. His blog consists of small observations of everyday events in his life. What makes his posts wonderful is the clarity with which he makes those observations, and ease with which he twists words, logic, and churns out conclusions that are irresistibly delicious to smile at. Sometimes, of course, he makes very keen and surprisingly accurate observations about us, human beings!
    
    The thoroughness with which he resolves phenomena into component driving forces has left me agape on too many occasions.
    
    Of course, many readers would not be able to make out that some of his posts and comments make slanted references to our own lives, but even for them, his play with words would be most entertaining.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • The Mistheory of Life and Afterlife.
    • A Story About Career (s)Kills
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Trivia, Critical thinking, Catharsis, Poetry
19. The Quirky Indian by Quirky Indian. A blog with some of the funniest observations (mostly about Indians). Just like how he has stated on his blog, his being dispassionate as against blindly nationalist, makes him observe things about India with utmost objectivity, which have resulted in some of the most thought-provoking posts as to where does India stand as a nation and is headed. He has one of the finest logical minds I have known. This, combined with his knowledge, wisdom and empathy gives rise to a most wholesome view on whatever subject he touches upon. He does not hide behind political correctness, and says things exactly as he sees them. This forthrightness is a rare quality among bloggers, which I quite admire. Occasionally, he posts his casual reviews of movies. I remain in an eternal 'waiting' mode for him to update his blog, and never have I been disappointed. :)
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • In Which I Chicken Out, And Realise I am an Idiot
    • A Letter to the ‘Insidious’ – not the good kind! – Terrorists
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Critical thinking, Catharsis, Reviews, Essays/opinion
20. Tumultuous Suspension by Tumultuous Suspension. Tumultuous Suspension is an astute observer of life and people. Her posts are a culmination of her emotions and wisdom working in concert. Her blog has a variety of posts - poetry, memoirs, and observations in her own life, and the lessons she learned from them dressed really well as funny, (attemptedly, but unsuccessfully so) nonsensical musings. She is a person who has seen various facets of life and her refreshing ease in admitting her insecurities as well strengths makes me value her as a person immensely. A small warning for the reader, though: do not be deceived by apparent simplicity of her observations; in almost all that she writes there is something profound to be found, however vehemently she might deny it. ;)
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • The Curious Incident of a Rat at Nighttime
    • Is Willingly Forsaking Intelligence the New Normal?
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Critical thinking, Poetry, Fiction
21. The Man on the Couch by The Couch Clown. This is a budding blog, with lot of potential. The blogger, a law student has a very incisive writing style and meticulous dissection of complex issues who has up till now largely dealt with issues relevant to irrationality in India. Hope to see more frequent posts from him.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Hello children!
    • The Problem with Karma
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Critical thinking
22. A Goose Egg by gawker. As much (or perhaps, as little) through his blog, I know gawker through his tweets. He is an extremely intelligent and knowledgeable person who never ceases to amuse with seemingly random observations that he tweets. But to know what could perhaps be the 'real' person behind the pseudonym he assumes, one needs to go through his blog. His keenness of observation, logic, wit, understanding of others' psychology and of his own, and most important, the ability to express all of that in incredibly few words is beyond compare. What I like the most about him is, he knows what he is, what he stands for, and is not apologetic about it all. This pride (not arrogance or hubris) in his manner of living is inspirational for me. But to harbor that emotion and justifiably so, is not easy. He has earned his pride, and for that reason I place him on that high pedestal (click). One more thing that surprises me is how his Indian nurture and ethos are not in conflict with Western influences. Both the worlds that he has been exposed to live harmoniously within him. I would strongly recommend that you also follow him on twitter, apart from of course, going through his blog. :)
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Adventures in Pune traffic and clubbing
    • The Last Day
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Trivia, Catharsis
23. A Little More Living by Agien. Agien has this incredible ability to come up with perfect analogies to express her emotions and moods. Her posts seamlessly traverse from the abstract to the material and then back. The conclusions she draws about people and life in general by observing them as well as herself largely see me agreeing quite wholly. She is one of the most honest writers I have come across. Her occasional indulgence in mild self-directed humor have left me incredulous smiles.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • What I Learned This Week
    • Meet The Man Of My Dreams And His Beautiful Wife
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Critical thinking, Catharsis
24. Atanu Dey on India's Development by Atanu Dey. Atanu is an economist who has worked in great many disparate fields of knowledge and technology. Perhaps consequently, he deals with great variety of subjects on his blog - from global Islamic terrorism to his personal philosophy on how to lead one's life. He is one of the strongest proponents of thinking. [Yes, it is sad that something as innate to humans as thinking needs propagation.] He has a fabulous sense of humor, which he uses to good effect to show the silliness that plagues this world. But more than that, he is one of the most forthright and honest persons I know (through the internet). He uses sharp words, but again, he can justify his position logically. I respect him enough to devote my post on worship (click) to him also.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • A Few Home Truths about India
    • The US funds Global Islamic Terrorism
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Critical thinking, Essays/opinion
25. B Log by Insignia. Insignia, unlike what she writes in her profile, is not a simpleton at all, though she is a person of straightforward thoughts. But that simplicity is largely because she is a very nice human being. The foremost reason I am including her blog here is for the kind of person she is. Many times I have found her simplicity exemplary - something to emulate. She does not complicate her life, unlike me! :D And this is reflected in her posts. However, she is simple, not because she does not understand the contrivances of this world, but she floats above what is degraded in the it and chooses to live by her convictions. She, I guess, must be a very disciplined person in her life, which is reflected not only in the neat arrangement of her posts, but also in how she prioritizes her blog-life vis-a-vis her real life and strikes, what I feel to be, a perfect balance between the two.
    
    Her blog also covers a vast range of topics. Some are essays, other stories, some posts are addressed directly to the readers. She is a good photographer, and the pictures she uploads and the description she puts along are both delightful. She is a hardworking researcher, and when she takes it upon herself to cover a topic, the result is usually a highly informative post.
    
    In summary, Insignia's blog reminds the reader of the small beautiful things about life without being artificial. Her blog is perfect for those moments when one wants to connect with that child in oneself that sees the whole world as one big beautiful and wonderful playground to play in. :)
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • I miss her!!
    • Neons and Lavishness - Las Vegas
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Current affairs, Trivia, Catharsis, Fiction, Essays/opinion
26. BRAIN BALONEY by Srishti Chaudhary. Srishti is a very observant, intelligent and wise teenager [of course, that is, taking into consideration how (un)wise teenagers could be! :P ]. She is a very good story teller, though she has not put this skill to use very frequently, but it comes forth in a few posts where she narrates events in a most captivating fashion. She is a very sensitive and empathetic person, perhaps, still unadulterated by the vileness that pervades the world. She very much reminds me of the person I used to be - full of optimism and a certain belief in the goodness of the mankind. It is ever so tempting to believe that she could be (more) right (than I am)! :) It is also important to point out here that she is a fast learner, and this is possible only because she is a good observer (being a good listener is a part of being a good observer). Her skill of observing subtle things about people silently when they are unaware of her attention is noteworthy. Also, she has a penchant for studying that, which others usually overlook because of its inconspicuousness. Do go through her blog if you want to embark on a journey of a pure soul that knows the 'theory' of life well, but has recently begun her 'practice' of living, for that is the most fertile phase, when the world paints the canvas of life in breathtakingly quick strokes. And when that canvas is as 'reflective' as Srishti, viewing it for sure would make for a refreshing experience. :)
    
    One last thing - she possesses excellent sense of humor - quite like mine [Okay, you have been warned! ;) ]
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • The Only Thing
    • Unaffected
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Catharsis, Fiction, Poetry, Essays/opinion
27. Crystal blur by Crystal blur. I have not gone through a lot of her blog posts, but recommend in particular the parodies of 'Mahabharata' and 'Rishyasringa' series, the links to which could be found in her sidebar. They are some of the most funny parodies I have ever encountered!
    
    Categories: Humor, Fiction
28. DarshanChande.com by Darshan Chande. Darshan Chande is an honest thinker, who puts forth his ideas unmindful of the degree of their perceived social acceptance. He has studied human beings around him and their peculiar problems pretty well. He makes strong case for his theories on fairly rational grounds. What makes his blog particularly attractive is that the issue he touches upon affect most people almost on daily basis. If you want an alternate view of your own life - something you would not have thought of before - despite having lived it for so long, I strongly recommend Darshan's blog to you.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Why do you love your country?
    • What is the real world, game world and the ultimate reality of life?
    
    Categories: Critical thinking, Essays/opinion
29. Death Ends Fun by Dilip D'Souza. Dilip has authored more than one published book and his columns appear with some frequency in English language dailies and websites. He has traveled extensively - both in India and outside - that obviously gives him much better perspective into how the world 'operates' as compared to an average person like me. He seems to have seen the various shades of life, not because life treated him unfairly, but because he has actively sought to understand those people's world where there is less light and more gloom than what I have known. And that is something that I truly admire in him. Though his blog posts cover a wide variety of topics, of late since I had begun following his blog, some of the recurring themes have been problems that India (and to an extent, the world) is faced with owing to what I would term 'groupism-related zeal'. He ably demonstrates the flawed thinking that cultural conditioning leads to and how some of the insecurities and anger that are so ubiquitous among masses are unfounded and occasionally misdirected. He is an evocative writer, a fine debater and very knowledgeable person. And I like his sense of humor.
    
    I recommend his blog to those who are interested in issues and their analyses that the popular mass media does not sufficiently cover.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Find our own Shiloh
    • As the horn blares
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Trivia, Critical thinking, Catharsis, History, Essays/opinion
30. K I C K by wise donkey. 'WDM' (shortened for 'Wise Donkey Ma'am') as I call her, is one of the most good-intentioned persons known to me through the internet. She has had her lows and (perhaps) highs in life. The strength with which she had and is still taking them in her stride is admirable. She studies her own emotions in slow motion. She critiques many things, but quite admirably, never sanctimoniously so. Her honest acute introspection has ensured that. She knows that if we were honest enough, we would find in ourselves, traces of what we detest in others. In my understanding, she truly cares for the society and country she lives in, and keeps on thinking and doing things to make this world a better place to live in.
    
    Oh but wait, wait, wait...! If you thought that hers is a boring blog-world, then, hell no, not at all! She seeks to entice all the insomniacs of the world by promising them sound sleep if they read her posts. Beware! That's her sinister alter ego, 'Aargh angel' at work! :P If you read her, some of her posts will make you laugh so hard, that you'll instantly lose your sleep. So obviously, her blog is not recommended as a night-time read, except for if you're into night-shifts or are religiously nocturnal. She is a master of parody and word play.
    
    Enjoy!
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Do I Look Fat?
    • Roots
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Catharsis, Fiction, Poetry, Essays/opinion
31. Mind Droppings by Rohit Narayan. This blog is largely an anti-religion, but occasionally Rohit also deals proto-religious ideologies that ail the society. His ease with words and logic is what had impressed me the most. He had most frequently dealt with Islam, the problems within it, and without that it gives rise to. A compelling read! Unfortunately, as of now his blog is largely dormant.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Almost nobody truly believes in God!
    • Pakistan wants your money – No Strings Attached.
    
    Categories: Politics, Current affairs, Critical thinking, Essays/opinion, Humor
32. Overrated Outcast by Over Rated Over Rated is a Master of parody, periody oops... period. ;)
    
    If you disbelieve anything he writes, you run a risk of being labeled as sane. And using sanity, as you must guess, on his blog is like eating the wrapper and leaving the candy behind. Or something unlike that. Over Rated has a fetish for news and current affairs, and no wonder he gets electrocuted from time to time while trying to make (out with) sense of the World. That unfortunately, acts for him like electroconvulsive therapy, dumping him in throes of sanity, which is when he perhaps takes a break from blogging - as is the case while I write this.
    
    Ah well, his old blog posts do seem to have been written in earnest.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Overated Outburst 1.0
    • Armageddon is almost here: Pakistanis in America pretending to be Indians!
    
    Categories: Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Trivia, Poetry, Catharsis, Essays/opinion
33. Psychology of selfishness by Ifat Glassman. Ifat is a dilligent student (and on her blog, teacher) of life. She has studied herself and other humans, their motivations, predicaments, challenges, etc., and responses to them in such great details, that most readers might end up wondering if she had been living inside of their mind. Not only has she understood the drivers of life extremely well, she also verbalizes her understanding equally lucidly. The scope of her blog, to use the caption of her blog is: "Analyzing what life should be about and why". She had evoked in me a feeling of worship (click).
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • What is ethics and why do we need it?
    • How can humans lie to themselves?
    
    Categories: Critical thinking, Essays/opinion
34. Remains of the Day by Harmanjit Singh. I can never forget what I had felt on discovering Harmanjit's blog. His blog, for me, stands for the acme of what the human mind can accomplish. I see him as the most perfect human being, the way I define perfection - when it comes to one's intellectual life. I emphasize on 'intellectual' part here because I have never met nor known him in person. His ease with himself only inspires disbelief in me. He is a tad less easy with the world around, and that is the only thing that keeps him engaged with it, and also keeps him a human. Otherwise, his level of detachment from this world would have made him appear surreal to me, and much worse, I am not sure, if he would have then blogged! ;) The only person for who I have felt worship (click) in its truest sense known to me, in entirety, with no trace of hesitation, happens to be Harmanjit.
    
    Harmanjit's most blog posts focus on the human mind and the milieu in which it operates and whose components it interacts with, that is, the society. In a way, the theme of his blog posts overlaps with that of Ifat Glassman's (above). But Harmanjit also takes into account factors like evolution from lower animals, certain other facts of life like significance/insignificance of human life at a cosmic scale, which makes his analysis more 'macro' than that of Ifat. Whereas, Ifat (perhaps, like her idol, Ayn Rand) begins with the basic premise that humans exist and their (purpose-driven) living is the most significant fact, to which all other facts are subsidiary. So, the only substrate for Ifat's analyses is the human mind, whereas for Harmanjit, it is the human mind, human existence and all other things that exist.
    
    He occasionally comes up with commentary on some current affairs, movie reviews, and again all of that only reveal the incisiveness and thoroughness of his ability to analyze.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • The rejection of means
    • On Bringing a Child Into the World
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Current affairs, Critical thinking, Trivia, Catharsis, Reviews, Essays/opinion
35. Smells like Teen Spirit by Vishwas. There is a severe conflict of interest (used in an entirely different sense, here) when it comes to my wanting Vishwas to blog. He writes best when he is irate, angry and frustrated, which is definitely a literary treat. But he is such a fine person that I do not want him to feel all that. :( And I am very serious when I say this. This is something I realize for the first time about Vishwas, as I sit to write this mini-review of his blog, that the word 'teen' in his blog title curiously rings true, and describes his outlook of the world quite accurately. He still believes in the good old moral values, and which he tries to live by, but what usually people start discovering in their late teens, Vishwas perhaps started discovering just after he stepped out of his adolescence - that, that goodness is not requited by the world. In his posts, he tinges his frustrations and anguish with humor, with frivolity, but if I am not mistaken, with each such encounter that he ironically makes light of, his belief in goodness of the humanity takes a beating, his convictions take a stab. I hope he is brave enough to take all that.
    
    Having said why I wish he would not blog further, I would make it clear to the reader that Vishwas' blog is guaranteed to be entertaining. He has this cute way of indulging in gaali-galoch - that is so delightful! I wish he would think me too to be worthy of those irresistible expletives. ;)
    
    (Another) Conflict of interest: Vishwas and I have incidentally expressed mutual desire to hug and kiss each other. So what all good that I have written about Vishwas should be viewed as an internet version of (gay) mating call! :P
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Down Under!
    • Yawn
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Catharsis, Fiction, Poetry
36. The engines of creation by Harshad Srinivasan. If I posit that a person is as much human as he is different from other animals, and that what separates us from them are the abilities to observe, think, infer, apply, transform and create, then Harshad is as humane as anyone can be. This, I do not say lightly. Few persons I have interacted with feel as much excitement at coming across new scientific discovery, or learning of a way in which what we know could be put to use to transform, to create something better. He aspires to be a creator, or perhaps is already one, and the natural pride he takes
    in being a creator-human reminds me of the spirit of youth that Ayn Rand used to talk of.
    
    In Harshad, I find a rare combination of an meticulously analytical mind and very high emotional quotient to accompany. He hardly blogs nowadays, so the posts on his current blog might not reflect his high emotional quotient, but an old abandoned blog - Thoughts of a maker (click) does.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • They aren’t bullet-proof Mr Creedy
    • Spaces 101
    
    Categories: Humor, Current affairs, Trivia, Critical thinking, Catharsis, Essays/opinion
37. To Be Continued... by smitzy. smitzy is a very intelligent and conscientious person. Her intelligence allows her to draw very very accurate conclusions about people and things she observes. She still retains that teen spirit, which tells her that it is not alright that the world is far less a beautiful place than it could have been. She has dreams and aspirations and also sufficient experience with the 'badness' of the world to know life is not going to be as smooth as she would like. And no, I am not saying this in a generic manner at all. Some just 'know' that there would be difficulties and they are not acutely disturbed by them, others would be past that stage where this realization would have occupied most of their mental space and by now would have come to terms with this reality. But smitzy is at a stage that, that 'realization' is still fresh in her mind. It shadows her thoughts wherever they take her.
    
    Her easy-going humor with generous sprinkling of Hinglish in her posts make for a refreshingly delightful read.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Increase your slang vocabulary!!
    • Things you can do to avoid getting hooked!
      
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Catharsis, Fiction, Poetry, Essays/opinion
38. Uzza's Notes by Uzza. Uzza writes very witty posts, mostly surrounding religious insanity, or other kinds of insanities. She has a nearly self-proclaimed self-harming tendency, which is seen in her trying to read teh Scripture. ;) Of course, to propagate that misery she translates teh Scripture for the benefit(?) of her readers in simple easy-to-understand-English. She is as politically incorrect as the scriptures she translates are.
    
    On a more serious note, she is very intelligent and her analysis of issue she covers is very impressive.
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • Making a List and Checking it Twice
    • Marzie
    
    Categories: Humor, Politics, Current affairs, Critical thinking, Catharsis
39. verbal diarrhoea by manan guju. Manan is the only person in this list who I know personally. He is a dear friend and a very talented person. But that would be a digression as far as the scope of this list is concerned. He has few very original thoughts, and a superb ability to play with words. A very honest thinker and speaker - he has been idol at one point in time; but a kind of idol I never thought of emulating because I never thought I was capable of emulating. Do go through and follow his blog, and you might just as well as thank me for that. :)
    
    
    
    I recommend:
    • art
    • the untold love story
    
    Categories: Anecdotes, Humor, Current affairs, Critical thinking, Catharsis, Reviews, Poetry, Essays/opinion