How Philip Pullman’s book split Jesus and Christ

How Philip Pullman’s book split Jesus and Christ

NEW DELHI, April 29: The messiah descends on earth as a classic “split personality” - good Jesus and his twin, the scoundrel Christ - in the new novel by Philip Pullman who believes he must have been “a genius and one of the greatest storytellers”.

Published in April, it is a contemporary and radical retelling of the story of Jesus Christ.“He was a genius, one of the greatest storytellers who ever lived. I simply don’t believe in the miracles like the resurrection, but the parables and the moral teachings are magnificent,” London-based Pullman told IANS in an e-mail interview.He said he has “analysed and re-interpreted the gospels” but did not want his book, The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ, to read like one.

“It certainly was not my intention to write ‘an alternative gospel’ or ‘the gospel according to Pullman’ or anything of that sort. I wanted to tell the story of Jesus, which is an extraordinary one.”“His life was full of stories - the stories he told. When I thought of splitting the character into two brothers, one called Jesus and the other called Christ, I saw the way to tell it,” he said.

Presentations on US opportunities

Presentations on US opportunities

ITANAGAR, April 28: As part of educational exchange programme for students, scholars, academicians and other professionals of the state, Education Advising Services Coordinator Sudarshan Saha of United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), American Center, Kolkata is on visit to the state from tomorrow to aware the interested on opportunities of higher education in USA besides throwing light on Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship offered by the USA and India. In a series of workshops and interactions, which would be coordinated by the state Directorate of Research, Saha would make presentations at J N State Museum on April 29, 3 pm and at NERIST and Rajiv Gandhi University on April 30.

Sensex down 60 points in early trade

STAFF WRITER 9:28 HRS IST

Mumbai, Apr 22 (PTI) The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex fell by almost 60 points in early trade today on profit booking by funds and retail investors.

The 30-share index, which had gained 11.98 points in the previous choppy session, was down 59.50 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 17,413.06.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty also declined by 16.70 points, or 0.31 per cent, to 5,228.20.

Marketmen said profit-booking by funds and retail investors and a weak trend in Asian markets, which were down up to 1.9 per cent in the morning trade today, mainly pulled the benchmark Sensex down.

DLF Ltd fell by 1.41 per cent to Rs 325.70, Infosys Technologies by 0.25 per cent to Rs 2,709.20, Wipro by 0.74 per cent to Rs 699.60, Tata Steel by 1.04 per cent to Rs 661.80 and Sun Pharma by 1.21 per cent to Rs 1,727.

Meghalaya set to get 11th govt in 10 years

TAFF WRITER 22:38 HRS IST

Shillong, Apr 18 (PTI) Meghalaya is all set to get its 11th government in 10 years with Chief Minister D D Lapang resigning tonight, paving the way for his deputy Mukul Sangma to take over the reins of the state.

Lapang's government was the 21st government the state has witnessed in its 38-year history and tenth in the last ten years.

When Lapang was asked about the instability, he said, "We are in the field. Those who are watching should study the reasons."

During the last two years, the state has seen three governments and is bracing for a fourth with the same set of assembly members who were elected in March 2008.

Lapang was sworn in after the assembly elections in March, 2008, but had to resign after ten days having failed to muster majority in the House.