"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does"
~ William James



Faces of India

Veer Sawarkar ~ Manohar V Rakhe
An NRI from London visits Marseille to pay tribute to Veer Sawarkar, on the centenary of his heroic escape attempt on 8th July 1910. (It may be noted that Veer Sawarkar is a controversial figure in Indian history. Related links at end of article.) Read More...

Satyajit Ray ~ Pallavi Bhattacharya
Pallavi Bhattacharya profiles the master film-maker through his work and the comments of those who worked with him. Read More...

Qasim Wani ~ Bittu Sahgal
Editor, Sanctuary profiles Qasim Wani, the Guardian of Kashmir's wilderness, through a series of questions and answers. Read More...

Cartoonist Mario Miranda ~ Romola Butalia
He emerged rubbing ink off his hands, and sat, facing the sea, in his veranda, filled with potted plants. Read More...

Gandhi: A Man Before His Time ~ Bittu Sahgal
"I cannot help but feel that, were he alive today, Gandhiji would have been forced by inner compulsion to launch yet another satyagrah. This time against us, the "haves" of India, because we have outdone the British in our acquisitive quest for `development'. " Read More...

Film-maker Mahesh Mathai ~ Romola Butalia
"A lively Labrador bounds in with a degree of obvious restraint. He greets everyone, sniffs around and wanders in - a junior exec.? He is followed closely by a Boxer who takes in the scenario at a glance, as he walks imperiously into his chamber - definitely the CEO." Read More...

Actor Shabana Azmi ~ Romola Butalia
Shabana spoke with the sincerity, forthrightness and commitment that has always left me feeling, she is for real. Read More...

Actor Amitabh Bachchan ~ Romola Butalia
I already knew that substance was not the criteria for readability when it came to Bachchan. His face and name were the unique selling point of one who rarely gave interviews. Read More...

Artist Atul Dodiya ~ Romola Butalia
For the past few years Dodiya has repeatedly been confronted with suffering, trauma and death, and they have led to the inevitable search for explanation, justification and eventually, equanimity and faith. Read More...


Film-maker Rakesh Mehra ~ Romola Butalia
A wild mane and a shaggy beard, eyes that convey a remarkable lack of subterfuge, the open, communicativeness that comes with a rare confidence in himself, a healthy self-esteem and a complete lack of hard sell were the impressions gleaned in an evening of free-wheeling discussions. Read More...

Writer Kiran Nagarkar ~ Romola Butalia
Who is the new kid on the block in trade-mark kurta-pajama, French beard and the appearances of a 60's Marxist? Read More...

Artist Laxman Shreshtha ~ Romola Butalia
To stand before an artist's work and be truly moved is the only tribute one can pay to his creative expression. Read More...

Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain ~ Romola Butalia
Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain was voted the sexiest man in India by women readers of Gentleman. He spoke with the same natural ease he displays when he woos audiences who come to hear him perform. Read More...

Masters & Sages

Guru Gorakhnath: Immortal Master ~ Romola Butalia
It is widely believed that Guru Gorakh Nath has been alive for thousands of years, watching over the welfare of mankind from behind the scenes and occasionally appearing to accomplish a specific goal. Read More...

Babaji - Legendary Master & Amar Yogi ~ Romola Butalia
Associated with the historical figure, Hairakhan Baba, some people refer to him as Mahavatar Babaji, others have mentioned the legendary Kripacharya, or the Chiranjeevi Ashwatthama. He is also known as Kriya Babaji. As a perfect siddha, he has been associated with Guru Gorakhnath, also known as Shiva Goraksha. . Read More...

Kabir: Weaver Saint of Benares ~ Benito De Donno
The gist of the highest spiritual path is that the disciple must succeed in achieving two essential objectives-consciously separate the mind and the soul from the physical body through the practice of meditation and subsequently, separate the soul from the mind. Read More...

Swami Nityananda ~ Rajiv Butalia
Nityananda's message has not been tarnished by dogmas. Best known among Swami Nityananda's disciples was Swami Muktanada, who later handed the mantle of the spiritual Siddha Yoga lineage to Swami Chidvilasananda. Read More...

Pilot Baba ~ Romola Butalia
Romola Butalia recalls a couple of meetings with Pilot Baba, which influenced her life in the years to come. Read More...

Mother Theresa ~ Romola Butalia
At the tender age of twelve she felt the urge to spend her life doing Gods' work, and surrendering to His will. Unsure whether this was indeed her mission, she prayed for guidance and discussed it often with her mother and sister. Read More...

Swami Vivekananda ~ Sudheer Birodhkar
An online survey voted Swami Vivekananda as one of the top four Indians in the previous century. No one can deny his contribution in creating awareness of India's spiritual values. Read More...


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Editor: Romola Butalia       (c) India Travelogue. All rights reserved.