This Website contains several sections dealing with my special interests – Hinduism, the Environment, Education, Interfaith harmony, Travelogues, Essays, Literature and Music, Trusts and Forums and my personal biography.

You will find that I have been privileged to enjoy a rather unique spectrum of experiences. Indeed my life seems to fall into 18-year modules. I was born into the ruling family of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, one of the largest of the hundreds of Indian States within the British empire. My father was Maharaja, and as the only son, I would have succeeded him in due course. The first phase of my life therefore was as a Crown Prince, although in public school I got no privileged treatment. Then began a prolonged medical problem which had me on my back for 18 months...

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Journal

A Colonial Hangover: some thoughts on "Section 377”

"The Indian Penal Code as it criminalizes consensual sexual acts of adults in private is violative of Article 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution."  These words in the Delhi High Court judgment of 1st July, 2009 have put the whole position clearly and unambiguously.  Indeed, it is surprising that...

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Till fire doth us part

The Bhagavadgita has a very cool and unsentimental approach to death.  In chapter two, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna - "For one who is born death is assured; for one who dies rebirth is assured; therefore, for what is inevitable, you should not grieve".  However, human relations are not as simple as...

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In Memory of our beloved Yasho Rajya Lakshmi

Lord Shiva, one of whose appellations is Mahakaleshwar, the Great God of Death, has decreed that my beloved...

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Mumbai Terror Attacks - Needed: a mature and wise response

29 December, 2008 - Published in The Asian Age The Prime Minister’s statement that nobody wants war, echoed by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Gilani, has come not a day too soon. I have been aghast at the manner in which, over the last few weeks, a virtual war hysteria has been worked...

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