Not a Nice man to know

The man is well known by his many epithets
"not a nice man to know"
"with malice towards one and all"
"boozard womaniser obsessed with sex"

...but Sardar Kushwant Singhji is a persona of keen observation, refined intellect and brazen wit. Unbigoted.

This is a personal discovery. One that has not be pre-conditioned. I wish i could do away with pre-conditioning towards many aspects of life. As Kushwant Singh saab would say...Inshallah.

During my Delhi phase of life, days have i spent between Lodi and Stein buildings upon hearing that Sardarji takes occassional walks there.Such has been his grip on my imagination.

The first reaction from a friend at a bookstore, while buying a Kushwant Singh book was..."why are you buying this?"
Sardarji unfortunately for the so called "intelligentsia" remains a third rate author. Now i know this for a fact.It is their loss. Not his.

Not a Nice Man to know (1993) Penguin, is one book which offers glimpses into his many skills as a writer. That is a statement in itself...a writer of many writing styles. Sardarji has made me laugh, cry, THINK, introspect and enjoy the country we both call India. This is best captured in my opinion in We Indians (1993).

Train to Pakistan (1956)remains one of his most graphic novels yet. In the company of Women (1993) is one of his most pornographic. Is he whacked out? or is he simply truthful to himself? Only he can answer that.

An authority on the history of sikhs, the translation of Rumi and Kabir, and a nature lover, Sardarji's writings still make interesting reading in his column "with malice towards one and all".

Paaji tussi GREAT ho!