Octavio Paz's, "In Light of India"

Octavio Paz served as Mexico's ambassador to India for six years. He made some long-lasting friends during those years and also kept in touch with the Indian Government right up until Rajeev's assassination. He recollects his experience in India with shining intellect and impartial curiosity as opposed to the snooty V.S. Naipaul in "India: A million mutinies now". Paz is such a rarity; he's a world-class intellect with third-world modesty and empathy. In his words I don't even sense a struggle to hold onto objective reasoning. This man can not but think objectively. Maybe his is the height of knowledge: wisdom. He does not spare his commentary on any sacred issue. He combines his overwhelming knowledge of world history and the astonishing clarity of purpose that is to convey the objective truths of religion, politicians, culture, art, and society. His commentary is based on his observations, which are enough to make this a great read, but he has also read every book on the subject that he takes up (be it music or sculpture or architecture) and shares that knowledge with the reader too.

This essay book's size is deceptively small but every page is filled with amazing observations and the warmth of a soul that relentlessly pursued the true state of things. We should all be so lucky to achieve such an objective curiosity in our minds. Paz recently passed away and it feels like a library was burned down. I highly recommend this book to everybody, especially Indians.

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