Srinagar, June 4 -- The universality of Russian literature, its accurate diagnosis of the human condition, the psychotic dark side of human nature, and the jostling between faith, reason, and rationality have no parallel.

While this is not a statement of a political nature or "side-taking," the universality and brilliance of Russian literature have been occluded by the soft power dominance of Western print and visual media, or the dominance of the airwaves.

Indeed, while Dostoyevsky sits atop Russian classical literature and bestrides it like a colossus, there are others who, if not equal to this great Russian, certainly are brilliance incarnate.

One of these was Nikolai Gogol.

An author of fantastic novels and short stories of great ...