Aleph By Paulo Coelho

Go and experiment. It’s time you got out of here. Go and re-conquer your kingdom, which has grown corrupted by routine. Stop repeating the same lesson, because you won’t learn anything new that way - master J

 It is a personal account of Paulo Coelho's journey across African, European and Asian continents specially in Trans Siberian railway inquiry Russia.  

Paula Coelho is unsatisfied with his spiritual progression and contacts his master for guidance. Master directs him to take a journey to conquer back his kingdom. 

On the journey Paulo meets a young woman by name Hilal. She is a gifted violinist. She demands Paulo to accompany him in the whole journey. Paulo realizes that she is his past love in a different life dating back to 500 years. He urges to seek Aleph - a point where time and space converge and become one. He tries it Hilal. He is confused at the same time whether to act on the current life's mannerisms or past live's unfinished work. 

Hilal is constricted. Paulo wants to set her soul free. She says 

"The girl forgives you, not because she has become a saint, but because she can no longer bear to carry this burden of hatred. Hating is very wearisome. I don’t know if something is changing in Heaven or on Earth, if my soul is being damned or saved, but I feel utterly exhausted and only now do I understand why. I forgive the man who tried to destroy me when I was ten years old.’ She continued: ‘I also forgive myself. May the misfortunes of the past no longer weigh on my heart. Instead of pain and resentment, I choose understanding and compassion. Instead of rebellion, I choose the music from my violin. Instead of grief, I choose forgetting. Instead of vengeance, I choose victory"

Review: It's been sometime now I read Paulo Coelho. I could not connect to this book and felt bull shit when I read about reincarnations. May be I missed on reading the past books and there is the link. It's not a book for anyone looking for spiritual elation. Often times, I simply read Paulo Coelho because of the lines that leave a lasting impression on me irrespective of the context. This book too had few of those magical lines that keep coming back as an after thought.

URI

Hows the josh? High Sir! Hows the josh? High Sir! Hows the josh? High Sir!!. Good.

Its a movie about the surgical strike India did on Pakistan as an answer to Pakistan's attack on URI base in Kashmir.
It starts with an attack on the Indian army in the India-Myanmar border where the militants kill a dozen of army men. The government as well the nation is troubled. The retaliation comes from the protogonist - Capt Vihaan Shergill that heads a deadly ambush on the NSCN militants.

Vihaan has a ailing mother who needs his support and help. He takes the desk job at the high end office instead of borader line. He loses his brother in law in the Uri attack. Vihaan is emotionally moved.

When the surgical strike is planned, Vihaan personally meets the army general requesting his presence in the strike. He successfully completes the surgical strike.

The movie is a thriller in parts. There are punch dialogues like "Unhe Kashmir chahiye and hame unka sar", "Yeh Hindustan ab chup nahi baitega, Yeh ghar me ghusega bhi aur maarega bhi", etc, where one feels high and mighty about the nation.

The role of Govind which models the national security adviser Ajit Doval is interesting. Kaushal playing the Capt Vihaan role has given the movie the adequate invigoration. Yami Gautham plays the role of intelligence officer. Other characters are played well too.

Good for short lived one time watch and high kick.