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Decoding Hindu Mythology: Burden of Unity
Diversity of India is most evident in Bollywood films. The world of Karan Johar (KJ) is so different from the world of Ram Gopal Verma (RGV) which in turn is so different from the world of Vishal Bharadvaj (VB). Their stories reveal their respective subjective truth. In the KJ mythosphere, there is no poverty and everything is spotlessly clean, designer labeled and delightfully shallow. In the RGV mythosphere, there are only angry gangsters, and corrupt politicians and policemen. VB’s mythosphere is gritty and dirty and feudal. Which is the real India, I wonder? Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: The Pitfalls of Doorstep Doctoring
I was recently passing through a very small town where a friend of mine happened to be the government medical officer. Thinking that it would be a good thing to say hello to him, I called on him at the government primary health centre which was his place of work. He was very surprised and pleased to see me and asked me to be seated while he disposed off the last few of his patients for the day. I sat across his table and watched him at work. An elderly patient accompanied by his son came and sat on the examining table. My friend proceeded to take a history of his symptoms which to me seemed very clearly related to hyperacidity. Read On

T. J. S. George: War on Terror was in fact war of hatred; Now hatred triggers renewed terror
Obviously India is a victim of this expansion. While spectacular events like the Mumbai terror attack hit headlines, more sinister is the sustained effort to subvert the economy and simultaneously fund terror modules in India by circulating vast amounts of fake currency. Eleven Bengali construction workers were arrested in Hyderabad a week ago with ten lakhs worth of fake Indian notes. A few months ago fake notes worth 2 lakhs were seized from a lodge in Kerala. Now Mumbai Police has tracked down large quantities of counterfeit American dollars made in Pakistan. Read On

Sri Sri Sri Ravishankar Guruji: Don’t Postpone Your Happiness
Every living creature wants to be happy. Whether it is money, power or sex, you get into it for the sake of happiness. To be happy, we seek something. But despite getting it, we are not happy. A school - going boy may think that if he goes to college, he will be more independent, free and therefore happy. If you ask a college - going boy whether he is happy, he feels that if he gets a job, he will be happy. Talk to somebody who is settled in their job or business, and you will see he is waiting to get a perfect soul mate, to be happy. Read On

"Bahuroopi" Rangothsava Special:
Spreading Literature thru Theatre | Rangayana Director Dr. B. V. Rajaram speaks | Mysore Rangayana @ 23 | Doyens of Kannada Literature |

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Touchy US, Silly Them
One of the best Indian stand - up comedian named Papa CJ mocks the British in a show in England where he says, “Yours is the only country so insecure that it needs an adjective before its name — “Great” Britain.” Then he continues, “I came to England because my grandfather said the sun never sets on the British Empire, but I now see that the sun never rises on the British Empire (in reference to the gloomy British weather).” He also says, “We both are alike, while you'll think that there is a stupid person at the other end of the customer service telephone line, we think the same.” Papa CJ finally adds, “You may feel offended with the things I've said about your country, but I don't care. After all, I'm from the land of Kamasutra and I can screw you in a 100 different ways.” Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: My travails with an “L” Board
I have never driven a car with an “L” board at any time in the past, including the almost forgotten time when I was learning to drive, nearly forty years ago. This is for the simple reason that by the time I was old enough to apply for a driving licence I was already driving pretty well, having learnt the art in a WW II vintage Jeep on the slushy private roads of our coffee estate much before it was legal for me to drive on public roads. This perhaps explains the fact that even now I drive better on bad roads rather than on good ones! Read On

T. J. S. George: Rogue Politicians at their Cynical worst; Will People’s anger reach Crisis Point?
We can put the question to the BJP bosses as well because that party quickly absorbed into its ranks several of the dismissed plunderers. The rejects of Mayawathi will now be the heroes of the Party with a Difference, now renamed One More Party of Hypocrites. What a cynical abuse of elections? How crude can these manipulators get? Politicians do not realise that people have started seeing through their trickery. The anger of those who took to the street all over India will intensify as rogue politicians grab power through deceit and intrigue. The neutralization of good men like Dr. Manmohan Singh and the indifference of power - wielders like Sonia Gandhi will aggravate public discontent. What shape will the Indian Spring take, and when? Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Where the Hell is Heaven?
As of last evening, after I read about the "suicide for heaven" news report and after a discussion about heaven, hell and why people would die for it, I sang the “Time to be happy” children’s song. Just as I ended my rhyme with “we’ll have a heaven right here,” my wife smiled and said, “Heaven is just round the corner…” She wanted to go to Corner House ice cream parlour. My heaven was right around another corner… I prefer Joy ice cream — mango duet. So probably heaven is not where we go after we die, it is how we live while we’re alive. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Snobbery by Geography
When I live at the right address, I feel good about myself, I feel elevated as I belong to a more special group or place, never mind if it means being trapped in traffic for hours on the way to the office, or the roads outside my window is noisy. And it is this desire to feel significant through our apartments that pushes the realty prices even higher. Humans have always given meaning to directions and locations. In fact, this is what gives rise to the occult art of geomancy or Vastushastra, where directions are associated with power. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Flee - dom at Midnight, Fleece - dom in Daylight
It is baffling how an intelligent, ingenious and survivalist people like us are unable to make logical choices when it comes to our politics, rights, and nation. Hopefully, time will heal what reason cannot. Hope, next year will be a step towards mature India and politically mature Indians. Dear readers, I hope you all have a fantastic year ahead, filled with enriching experiences. I also thank you all for reading what I write and hopefully I have done my job of entertaining, informing and evoking a moment of introspection or a smile in you. Once again, wish you all a very Happy New Year. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Welcoming the New Year a little differently
To tell you the truth, I have never ever celebrated the arrival of any New Year in my life although I have seen a good many new years now. I don’t think any of my friends, either tipsy or sober; can recall seeing me at any New Year celebration simply because I refuse to be drawn into the celebration of an event which I do not consider eventful. To me, a New Year is simply the time when I have to be a little extra careful in making sure that I write the correct year while writing the date after every prescription which fetches my bread and butter! Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Usha’s Pleasure
Finally, an Asura's daughter becomes the grand daughter – in - law of Krishna, indicating that Asuras were never seen as evil as is popularly believed but merely as a class of beings different from humans and gods. The association of the East, Bengal and Assam, with Tantra probably inspired the character of Chitralekha who has knowledge of sorcery and black magic. The story of Usha and Aniruddha is clearly a medieval ballad full of romance and passion, valor and magic that still captivates us. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Unsafe India or the Unsound Indian?
But why are safety rules neglected? It is usually for greed, need or convenience. Also people feel that even if you follow the law you have to pay a bribe anyway, so, why must one spend that extra money to make a building safety compliant? After all, a fire incident may never occur and even if it does it can be easily handled with compensation to the victim’s family and some kind “gesture” towards the investigating agencies. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Censoring the Gods
Often I am approached by well - meaning people who want stories to be told to their children. So which story must one tell children? "Tell the Ramayana."So I begin — Once upon a time, there was a king with three wives… And they interrupt, "Skip the three wives part. How can one talk about polygamy to children?" And then I come to the part where Ram abandons Sita following gossip in the city. And they interrupt again, "Can we end the Ramayana with the coronation part and skip this tragic ending?" Read On

T. J. S. George: Sure, we are a Happening Country, but what shouldn’t happen is happening
“What is happening in this country?" asked Pranab Mukherjee in the aftermath of the Sharad Pawar slapping incident. Every tax - payer and voter in this country has been asking the same question, though not in the sense in which Mukherjee meant. What indeed is happening under the auspices of the eminent leaders of the Government and the opposition? Read On

K. Vijay Kumar: My Rail Journey with the Railway Magistrate in his Bogie!
The nostalgia of my daily travel to Mandya from Mysore in the 69 - 70s is very interesting. I was posted to Mandya as the District Publicity Officer on transfer from South Kanara and I used to travel daily to my office in Mandya from Mysore like as many other officials. Then, it was very common to buy season tickets for the daily travel as it worked out cheap and also the rail journey was very convenient to reach our offices in time. The passenger train to Mandya was in the morning at around 8.15 and we would get the same train or some other in the evening by six for our return journey. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: A Bookwormish Week - One bland, another good
One may not like Steve Jobs after reading the book, but there is no doubting his contribution to the way we interact with devices. He helped modern man step into the 22nd century. Steve Jobs was not here on earth to make friends, he was here to make beautiful technology. To marry aesthetics with technology. And in that sense, Steve Jobs has done his job. The book is a must read for any entrepreneur. It is a book for all students and teachers who think only stellar marks bring success — passion does too. And most importantly Steve Jobs’ story kills the derogatory adage “Jack of all, master of none.” Steve Jobs was a jack of all — electronics, marketing, product design and development; he wasn’t a master of any of these, yet he was a success. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Suicide City?
We should also first accept the fact and then reassure our children that everyone cannot achieve excellence in academics and doing reasonably well too is an acceptable and respectable outcome of the education process. Parents too should have realistic and reasonable expectations from their children and from a very early stage make them understand that there is nothing shameful in living within our means and abilities. All those amongst us who live in despair should realise that any defeat and failure is never final and that suicide is therefore usually an extreme and unnecessary permanent solution to what may only be a temporary problem. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Rotis for Ranganatha
In South India's majestic Srirangam temple, the presiding deity, Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu, receives a daily offering of rotis — made with wheat (in contrast to the orthodox rice meal) and even wears coloured lungis (not the white cloth worn by Hindus) to please a Muslim princess. Her name is not known but she is addressed by her title as Thulukka Nachiyar or Bibi Nachiyar. The story goes that Malik Kafur raided the temple for its riches on behalf of the Sultan of Delhi. The priests covered the primary deity (that is fixed to the ground) with a wall and placed before it the secondary deity (that is mobile and taken out on processions) before it. Read On

T. J. S. George: Our Own Grand Prix: Rath Versus Formula 1
Corruption cannot be tackled with gimmicks and cliches. It is doubtful whether Advani's purpose is to tackle it at all. The yatra is more like an internal party manoeuvre. He started not from his constituency in Gujarat but from far away Bihar. The ruler of Gujarat is known to be eyeing the chair that is dearest to Advani's heart. The party's President has even gone through a stomach surgery in his bid to get close to that chair. Ambition is a noble thing, but the wise have told us that ambition also drives many men to become false, to have one thought locked in the breast, another ready on the tongue. Read On

K. Vijay Kumar: Judge adjourns court to visit a ship
These days we read court news almost every day from the Supreme Court to the lowest court which was very rare in the earlier days. Adjournments, bail, non - bail, warrants have all become common terms. This takes my memory back to over 45 years ago when I was serving in South Canara District. In a strange manner, a case was filed in the local court by the DC in the capacity of the Chairman of Transport Authority against a Transport Operator. There is a long interesting story behind this case which the readers should know. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Chest pain on court day keeps jail - time away
Celebrity offenders have, for a while now, exploited the facility of getting admitted into a hospital. From politicians to bureaucrats, from white - collar criminals to film actors, all of them use health problem as an excuse to keep themselves out of jail or at least to buy time till they can get bail. Actor Darshan physically abused his wife for a long time before it got to the point where she had to be hospitalised. But all it took for him to get admitted to the hospital was the fear of bail plea rejection. Read On

T. J. S. George: Look Beyond Chidambaram – Pranab Drama; The Real Drama is in Secrecy Games
They have not even told us what her ailment is. How then do we believe what they say? How do we know that she is really back in India? How do we know that she is cured when curing is rare in cancer cases? Photographs are strictly no - no, so how can we not believe that she has lost hair through chemotherapy? By hiding facts, they feed rumours. This is not privacy. This is secrecy. Evidently Congressmen think that there are things about their ruling dynasty that must remain shrouded in secrecy. That is why they panic at the merest sign of a crack in the wall of secrecy. Unfortunately history shows us that walls crumble some day, somehow. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Slow and Unsteady
A child’s passport came from the United States, without having to go beyond three hours from Mysore in 5 weeks. To get an approval for a visa took 12 weeks, one visit to the nation’s capital and 6 visits to the FRRO office. But this delay in signature cannot be blamed on the officer; the government must be blamed for giving him so many responsibilities. How much can the officer do — from catching a thief, to welcoming politicians, to attending community functions and court duties and then to signing a visa approval from? Quick service has never been our system’s forte, when it must be, considering that we are a nation of a billion people, and to keep up you have to be quick. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Boulevards or Broken Streets
With only few days to go for the world famous Dasara festival, Mysore is still getting readied for the Naada Habba. It is a festival which draws crowds from across the country and the globe. However the tourists and citizens are welcomed by roads decked with potholes hindering movement of vehicles. Also with some of the roads being closed for repair work, commuters have to take a roundabout route to reach their destination. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Shivanasamudra, the Bluff
Originally called Heggur, now it is known as Shivanasamudra (sea of Shiva) because of the volume of water. The river Cauvery branches here into two streams each of which makes a descent of about 200 ft in succession of picturesque rapid waterfalls. The water body is about three miles long and a mile broad. The Western branch is called Gaganachukki while the other is referred to as Barachukki. Francis Buchanan, a traveller (1800 - 01) from England and an officer of East India company and personal surgeon of Lord Wellesley exclaimed “I have never seen any cataract (waterfalls) that could be compared to this grandeur”. Thus it is attracting lakhs of visitors for the past many decades to the present. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Genuine Festivals
Valentine's Day is when people send text messages of love or buy teddy bears. Parties are organised. And people say, "Happy Valentine's Day." Then there will be articles accusing the “festival” of westernization and commercialisation, and not being genuine. So one wonders: what is a genuine festival? Festivals are man - made constructs, not natural phenomena. Republic Day did not exist before India's independence from British Rule. But today it is an important day to reaffirm our faith in the Indian Nation State. Does that make it a genuine festival? Read On

T. J. S. George: What about breaching people’s privilege? Dirty tricks experts blunder again!
If Kejriwal broke his service rules, why is action taken only now? If he "amassed crores" through his non - government organisation, why is legal action not taken against him, instead of leaving it to Congress's official loose cannon Digvijay Singh to make yet another allegation out of it. (This is the man who said Suresh Kalmadi was innocent). Clearly the dirty trickwallahs are engaged in a harassment campaign, an exercise in vindictiveness, at a time when the Government should be trying to create trust, not confrontation. Hazare is right when he says that sending "wrong signals" now can well lead to unrest in the country. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Change Please….
While everyone is talking about change, I too want change. But my expectation is different. I just want my change, my money. But instead I keep getting Cadbury’s Eclairs and cheap candies! Since the past year I am having trouble getting my change back. Whenever I ask for my change, I am promptly sent back in time; sent back to medieval times and forced to indulge in an unfair barter system. Every time we step in front of a cashier, we are asked “Change please.” If you say “No,” you get a candy. They don’t even give you a choice of the candy. Whatever is in their cash drawer is what you get. Or whichever candy company pays the most commission to the store, their candy becomes change. Read On

T. J. S. George: Are Sports Bodies also corrupt from head to toe? Who’s afraid of RTI?
Ram Jethmalani was more astute than Lord Acton. He put things in current perspective when he said: "Power corrupts, and the fear of losing power corrupts absolutely". That explains many of the abnormalities of our seemingly normal politicians. The presumed power of a mere party spokesman went to the head of that unfortunate Congress factotum called Manish Tewari. In the Congress especially it is a survival necessity to be more loyal than the King. So, the robot in Tewari went for Anna Hazare's jugular. The Gandhian was corrupt from head to toe, the robot said. The world laughed at him. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: A Drive through good times and bad times
It is sad that these priceless artifacts which are intimately linked to our history and heritage have to suffer this fate with the passage of time when they should have rightfully enjoyed a place of honour and pride in one of the many State-owned museums in our own country. But going by what we have seen in the recent past, it is unlikely that the Indian government will try to acquire and preserve these items for Indian posterity. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Governance of Vengeance?
It seems the government is not done with anti - corruption activists yet. For many of us, its attitude seems to be “How dare you question us? How dare you embarrass us, the elected representatives, How dare you make us bend? We are the government and we’ll teach you a lesson. Now that the anti - corruption movement has mellowed, the masses have left and the cameras are gone, the government has sneaked in to serve sweet revenge served in the form of a Government notice. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: All dug up for Dasara
Dasara is just around the corner and Mysore is nicely dug up all over. Especially in all the right places which are most importantly connected with our most important annual event. The grand “Raja Marga”, some modern day maharaja's grandiose dream, which I called “the mother of all money spinners” in my column last year, lies in shambles as if after a modern day Kurukshetra. Yes, a battlefield is what some parts of our city resemble most now with misguided attempts to beautify it. Read On

T. J. S. George: Congress has lost the next elections. So who’s next? Brand Yeddyurappa?
We can also say: Take the media away and there would be no Manish Tiwari, or Abhishek Singhvi or even Kapil Sibal phenomenon. They took the media away during the Emergency, yet the phenomenon of Indira - Sanjay Gandhi's defeat in the elections happened. It's the people who matter and you can't take the people away. Today's Congress leadership has proved that it has no capacity to govern this country. It must go and it will. The tragedy is that the people have nothing to fall back upon, except the party of Yeddyurappa. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: India in Transit?
Now for the other argument that “most of the protestors don’t know what Lokpal or the Jan Lokpal Bills are.” Should a high school student who was forced to pay a bribe for his bus pass know both the Bills in and out to show his support against corruption? Should a housewife, who has struggled to get her ration card and her weekly ration, know every clause of both the Bills to support Kiran Bedi? Should a 90 – year - old man who struggles to get treated in a government hospital know both the Bills before he decides to trust an Anna Hazare over a politician? No. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: What can poor Anna Hazare do for us?
If millions of citizens who are the most powerful components of a democracy are willing look away from their misdeeds and kiss the ground on which their elected representatives walk, what can one Anna Hazare do to help them? Is it not tragic that while this old man was forced to continue his fast to end corruption in a cell of the infamous Tihar jail, the very same people who were guilty of it were feasting on home cooked delicacies in the adjoining cells? Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Comic Myths
Uncle Pai passed away some time back. He is the man who brought mythology to a whole generation of Indians through “immortal picture books” or Amar Chitra Katha (ACK). I remember waiting for that monthly dose, admiring the art, relishing the story and imagining myself in those mythic worlds. Those moments came into my life because of this one man, for that I, and many more, will be eternally grateful. Had it not been for him, would I have immersed myself into mythology, I wonder? Read On

T. J. S. George: Why do Citizens get angry in democracies? What the Riots in Britain Tell Us?

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Trigger - Happy
But we fear our modern Indian Police will not be as considerate as the British, considering that of late they seem to have become trigger - happy. Independence Day is almost here as we continue to live in a half - baked democracy with a well - cooked culture of corruption and so it is very easy to beat back protestors who, let alone an ideology, don’t even have an idea of what they are protesting. But in case you do, then beware, the men in khaki and white are only too ready to fight… may be even fire. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: When do we forgive?
A Minister is accused of inciting and permitting riots. He is also being applauded for ushering in development of an unprecedented scale, creating jobs and opportunities for millions. On one hand, there is blood. On the other, there are jobs and prosperity. Should the crime be forgiven and forgotten? Should we move on? When one teacher suggested it, he was condemned and stripped of his post. Forgiveness was seen as pandering to the enemy. A young politician with Right - wing leanings recently got married. Neither his aunt nor his cousin brother nor his cousin sister — all senior politicians — attended his wedding. They all claimed to be busy or ill disposed. Cleary old family quarrels and current political rivalry came in the way of forgiveness. Pettiness was celebrated. And from this family will come the future rulers of India! Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Wholly…. Un “Holy”…
Ganga is the holiest river for the Hindus. So where are the lakhs of Ashrams and Swamijis of the country when it comes to cleaning the river? Why don’t they come out in full strength like they do in full regalia to perform political theatrics during elections? Of all the Swamijis, why did only one Swamiji fast? And only one ashram call for the banning of quarrying by the river Ganga? Why don’t these Australian - Indian lovers of the Ganga ask these holy ashrams, Swamijis and the Indian Environmental Ministry to explain and apologise? Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: The Strange Tale of Oghavati
Oghavati was the While he was away, a guest did arrive but his needs were a bit excessive. He wanted to have sex with her. Oghavati agreed. And while the two were thus engaged, Sudarshan returned home. "Wife, where are you?" he asked. Oghavati was too shy to reply. So the guest shouted from inside, "She is busy with me on your bed attending to my desires." Sudarshan replied, "Oh ok. I will wait outside until you are done." Eventually Oghavati and the guest come out and the guest blesses the couple for their generous hospitality. The guest, Bhishma reveals, is none other than Dharma, God of righteous conduct. This story can be rather discomforting. Read On

T. J. S. George: A Story of threats, Tricks and Family Love: How a CM became a Marvel
The community has good and competent leaders with a clean image in contrast to Yeddyurappa's sullied reputation. It is a pity that such elements are unable — or unwilling? — to speak up for the community. With leaders like Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil, Lingayats had become part of the glory of Karnataka. Resurrecting that glory is important not only to the community but also to Karnataka and India. The Nobel Prize can wait. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Yeddy, Reddy, Go…… but where does it finish?
The Congress, on the other hand, is releasing lofty statements such as “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” If so, will the Congress ask Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who is named in the Shungul report on CWG scam, also to resign? The fact is, none of the parties are better than the other. They are all friends bound by wealth. After all, there is honour amongst thieves. Why else would former CM Kumaraswamy, who made a big deal about Yeddyurappa giving out “G” category sites, also allot a “G” category site when he was the CM to the present BJP Higher Education Minster Dr. V. S. Acharya? Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: The Yaksha’s Potbelly
This medicalisation of the potbelly has hurt Ganesha most. Ganesha, the most popular Hindu deity of the 21st century, is lambodara, the one with a huge belly. It is the container of wealth. He is the god who removes all scarcity and provides food for all. He is associated with vegetation and wealth. His favourite sweet, the modaka, is shaped like a moneybag. His belly represents a warehouse of a farmer that is full of grains. Around the belly is the snake that stops rats from stealing the grain. Read On

Tahasildar takes to Sanyas: Aged parents blame fate
Upon coming to know of our Correspondent's visit, the couple rushed back to the house, only to say that their prayers be heard by the Almighty, wondering if the God does hear their plight. Lingaiah is now 71 years old while Nagaraj's mother Gangamma is 60 years. Nagaraj seems to be an exception where in a country; children take their aged parents on a pilgrimage as a mark of respect to their elders. "Despite all odds, we funded our son's education, labouring hard for every rupee, in the fond hope that our son may one day take care of us. Our toil bore fruit, with Nagaraj becoming the Tahasildar. But the present situation is like a slip between the lip and a cup of tea," say the old couple, ruing over their son's decision. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: POLO in Karnataka: Thousand Years Ago

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Boo…. Hoo…
Santosh Hegde, the Lokayukta who is well - respected and trusted to do his job, walked out of a media conference for a few minutes with tears in his eyes. This immediately brought back memories of another eminent man of justice, Nani Palkhivala. Speaking of India, Palkhivala had said: “This is a country where kings gave up their thrones and went into the jungle to uphold their dharma. Where have those values gone? Now we are a nation with a first class Constitution and third class leadership.” Today, our leaders go for a holiday no matter how much adharma they might have committed. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Offering of Hair
In Mahabharata, Draupadi's unbound hair represents her fury. In Ramayana, the last jewel of Sita is the hairpin that she gives Hanuman to convey to Ram that her honour, and his reputation, stands in a precarious position. Shiva's dreadlocks represent the potent power of his mind that enables him to catch and bind the unruly and wild river - goddess Ganga. Shaving the head is associated with asceticism. Buddhist monks shaved their heads. Jain monks plucked their hair from the roots; to survive the pain is to convey that one is willing to suffer the challenges offered by monasticism. Brahmins shaved their head but left a tuft in the end, an indicator that they were not monks but very much part of worldly life. Read On

T. J. S. George: Systems exist to detect terrorist plans; But we focus on cabinet shuffle tricks
The Cabinet reshuffle — essentially a defeatist's exercise — had raised major issues concerning the morality of coalition politics and the Government's very approach to governance. The ensuing public discourse reflected serious worries across the political spectrum about the way the country was going. Presumably that debate could have at least led to a clearer understanding of how not to handle high responsibility. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Brindavan Revisited: A Few Mysteries Solved

Flower no longer bloom at our Brindavan Garden

T. J. S. George: Media becomes a Calamity when it’s used as a means to achieve private ends
In our country, the worst of scandals produce action only when the judiciary or the channels force the Government to do so. Even then it's sluggish. Obviously we have people at the top who have much to hide. And we have desi Murdochs who blithely eliminate the institution of editor and turns news into a profit - oriented product handled by marketing whiz kids. If Rupert Murdoch wants to start life all over again, he should come to India. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Death of Fast – unto - Death
He appeared like the ever - smiling Narada to fix things. So finally has URA shed his intellectual sheep clothing and fearlessly displayed his ambitious political wolf skin? Finally, can we, the readers who enjoyed his literary skills now to believe the rumours that have floated for many years that he does harbour very strong political ambitions and has been harbouring them for well over a decade - and - half? Is this URA's new avatar borne out of many years of frustrating wait? Couldn’t he take the wait anymore and felt compelled to join in on the theatrics? While Ananthamurthy was, ahh.... so lovingly feeding juice to Kumaraswamy, many of us were left wondering; one of the reasons Kumaraswamy ended his fast was because he was a diabetic. So wouldn’t it have been more dramatic and appropriate for URA to appear on stage with a syringe filled with insulin? Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Dum Maro Dum
But still, it is amazing to see Indian television soap operas directed at women showing Bhang being prepared from leaves of the Cannabis plant and consumed by the family during Holi. We have Bollywood songs where heroes and heroines run around trees consuming Bhang and singing "Jai Jai Shiv Shankar" and then we have the famous "Dum Maro Dum" with a very young and very beautiful Zeenat Aman surrounded by hippies smoking pot, hoping it will destroy all sorrow. No one is upset or outraged. An acknowledgment that Cannabis is sacred in India — it is sold in the temple markets of Varanasi, Puri and Nathdvara. Every sadhu smokes this potent drug. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Brindavan: A Dream turned nightmare
Since the portion of the page which carries the date and year was missing, I am not able to throw much light on when this incident occurred. From the rest of the news items that were there alongside I have surmised that the year was perhaps 1957. The world wide net too was not of any help. If there is a Sherlock Holmes among the readers, he or she may be able to throw more light on this event. Otherwise you will have to wait till I get my chance to meet Sir Arthur himself and tell you when it happened! Read On

T. J. S. George: The World’s Richest Gold – Jewel Collection? Our new pride and responsibility
The other unique factor of the Kerala find is that it is not just gold and hundis. It comprises works of art. The valuation given to it in daily reports (one lakh crore rupees with a major cellar yet to be opened) no doubt gave it a feel of gigantism, but it was completely meaningless. You can value a bar of gold by its weight. How do you value an exquisite “broom” made of intricately woven gold wires, intended to dust offerings to the Lord? Or a delicately wrought, jewelen crusted crown? Or ancient, rarest – of - rare gold coins? Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Lamps, Devotion, Noise and Seeds of Hope
Like many Mysoreans, I too am part of a group that walks up the Hill, usually all the way to the top during monsoon and winters. Yesterday, vehicles were directed to park at the helipad from where free buses were plying the devotees to the Hill very effectively. We chose to walk instead. At 5. 30 am, while we were walking on the road, we heard a Policeman screaming, looking frantic and suddenly the dreaded political lights appeared; the CM’s entourage with its lights and whistles were zooming in. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Wealth of Lord Padmanabha
The media has created a competition between this temple and the famous Tirupati temple which has been relegated to second place. Perhaps, the authorities of the temple at Tirupati may explore the possibility of searching secret cells, if any, in that temple. This may enthuse other smaller temples to search for hidden treasures. In fact, temples acted as banks in ancient times and hoarded gold and other treasures there, as they were confident that the wealth was safe under the nose of the Lord. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Cultural Roots of Evil
A few years ago, the Dalai Lama spoke that there is goodness in all human beings, even Hitler. This idea annoyed and irritated many in the West. How can anyone say anything good about Hitler? Recently someone tried to say that the punishment against Shiny Ahuja was too harsh. He was silenced with the rhetoric: how can we speak in favour of a rapist? Read On

T. J. S. George: Bring “Outsiders” in, Keep Usurpers Out
This is no longer Indira Gandhi's India. Nor P. V. Narasimha Rao's or A. B. Vajpayee's. In today's prosperous, middle - class dominant India, old - style political engineering cannot work. Even contrived transparency cannot work. Look out, Sri Kapil Sibal, Sri Chidambaram, Sri Manmohan Singh, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Sri Nitin Gadkari. Look out and see the new wind that is blowing. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Muscle Marie
Once upon a time, Bollywood heroes were noble and pensive. Then they became delightful dancing heroes. Then they became angry young men. Then came the stud muffins, strong men who loved to flaunt their sexuality and gym - toned bodies. And now, slowly, one is witnessing the rise of the Muscle Marie: muscled macho heroes who sell fairness creams to young men, so that they do not get tanned in the sun. Indians have always been colourists: we love white skin. The most venerated beauty was called a suryasparshya, the one who has never been touched by the sun. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: I Swear...
When we were young, we all used the phrase “I swear on my mother” or “mother promise.” Yes, this was the ultimate pronouncement of the truth because as a child you never ever imagine losing your mother because we were told that if you swear on your mother and lie, your mother will die. Of course, there was “father promise” too but unfortunately it wasn’t the ultimate. But as we grow older, in modern India we fear not the loss of our loved ones but of wealth and power. In a greedy society that believes that justice will be delivered in the afterlife, oaths are meaningless. Read On

T. J. S. George: The Miracle of Malaysia: A makeover in just two decades, Like in China
The Malay, son of a poor school teacher, never went beyond Singapore to complete his medical education and remained proud of his traditional Malay values. When he confronted double-speak and double standards, he made no attempt to hide his resentment. If he felt he was on the side of righteousness, he didn't care who was offended. It was easy for the West, self - serving as ever, to adopt Kuan Yew as one of its own, and reject Mahathir as an oriental potentate. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Goddess Maramma is here to stay
Actually, Maramma is a village deity protecting the population from epidemic diseases. She is known by various names like Mari, Maramma, Masanamma, Chaudi, Kali, Karali etc. She is believed to be a Dravidian and pre - Aryan deity. But she became popular in Aryan area also and hence scholars equate her with Parvathi, the consort of Shiva and explain her as Maheshwari. According to another story, she is the embodiment of Renuka Devi, the mother of Parashurama. By some misunderstanding, he severed her head which multiplied in hundreds. He became remorseful and requested her to be born in every village. That is why every village has a place of worship for Maramma. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Dear Prime Minister where Art Thou?
Has our brilliant economist PM crossed over to the dark side? Has he too become just a politician like his other intellectual Cabinet colleagues? Or is he just in a very confused phase in his career right now? India is in too much crisis to wait till August 15th to hear him. One show a year is no show at all. Looks like “Singh was never the King” to begin with. It was only the Queen all along. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Shankaralaya – An interesting heritage building
A rich and influential person had his bungalow on the other side and objected to this new temple as he had to go round this temple. He went and complained to the Maharaja. The Maharaja chastised him and is said to have told him, "By going round this temple, your sins may vanish and you may accrue religious merit (punya). Thus this traditionally built structure is not merely a heritage structure but has a history of about a century and is a great land mark in the cultural history of Mysore city. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Sniffing Cops and Drunken Lots
For a moment, you are confused whether the cop is offering you a drink or asking if you have been drinking. They can be very polite when they want to be. If you say no as softly as they asked you, they then move closer to your face and once again ask, “No hard drinks sir?” If he does not sniff any alcohol, he withdraws out of the window like a slithery uninterested anaconda and you are cheerfully asked to go on. But as you raise your windows, you are left with a nostril full of chaos and your brain is numb processing the fact that your nostril was just violated by the bad breath of a sniffing cop. You end up being a bad - breath analyser. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Doctors and Rural Service
Instead of talking of the kind of rural service that he is now envisaging which seems unworkable Mr. Ramdas can do much good to society by improving the health services in our villages with some practicable measures. Let him win the trust and goodwill of doctors by first appreciating the good that they are doing and then expect them to stand by him in his plans of providing better health care to our villagers. I agree he has good intentions and the dynamism to match them but he should proceed with caution and patience. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Dumb and Beautiful
We are constantly told that Kunti loves the Madreyas as much as she loves Kauntaneyas, but one wonders. Is this a display of excessive love to hide the underlying rage, after all Madri was the favourite wife? But one can only speculate. For all the love, one must not forget that the first brother to be gambled away by Yudhishtira is not a son of Kunti but a son of Madri. Clearly they were more disposable than others. Read On

T. J. S. George: Promise of a new future for Bengal and Tamil Nadu, but not Kerala
Opportunity has been called "thou strong seducer". From A. Raja to B. S. Yeddyurappa, from the Bengal communists to the UPA - 2 high commanders, they have all allowed opportunity to seduce them. This is a pity because opportunity is also a provider of inspiration for great and noble work. Following the recent Assembly elections, three States saw historically significant regime changes. How are the novice Chief Minister in Bengal and the veterans in Tamil Nadu and Kerala using their newly - won moment in history? It is barely a month since they took charge. Yet, a tentative appraisal is possible based on first impressions. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Balarama’s Favorite
Balarama's character is very different from Krishna's. Balarama is silent, somber, simple but has a fiery temper that is fast to rise and quick to fall unlike Krishna who sweet talks to get his way, always smiles and never loses his cool. Physically too, the brothers are different. Balarama is fair and has smooth straight hair while Krishna is dark with thick curly hair. Balarama dresses in blue while Krishna dresses in yellow. Balarama carries the plough and the pestle, associating him with agricultural activities while Krishna carries a flute, associating him with animal husbandry. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Wild Humans & Angry Elephants
We all witnessed the elephant attack in Mysore city three days ago. The TV reporters and the forest officials screamed that wild elephants had entered the city, but the people who were around the elephants chasing it and chiding them seemed “wilder” than the wild elephants. With urbanisation, man - animal conflict is bound to increase. In this conflict, the animals will lose; after all man is the smarter creature though unfortunately, his behaviour with nature does not reflect it. Read On

U. K. Rumana: Sleek School Bags & Stylish Umbrellas
Shopping is not yet over for many, even as schools have opened; late - shoppers still crowd the city shops in search of a replacement for previous year's school bag, a new umbrella to welcome the rains, raincoats, lunch boxes or water - bottles. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Arre Baba ...What do you really want?
To begin with, he can go over his own donors’ list and make sure the money he has received is clean or else, it will become his weak link while negotiating with the government and a credibility issue for the people he needs to garner support from — his non - yoga students. Anyway, both are noble fasts but the solidarity for one comes straight from our hearts while the other is generated from thick wallets. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: The Other Wives
Thus the world of the Mahabharata very comfortably refers to polyandry (many husbands for one woman) as well as polygyny (many wives for one man). What is interesting to note is that most storytellers are embarrassed only by the former than the latter; hence there are tales to “explain” Draupadi's many husbands but none to explain each Pandava's other wives. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Grime in Grand Hotels
Today it is a domain where most common people can only dream of setting foot, let alone of dining at least once in a lifetime. It is therefore a shame that it has set such poor standards for itself and has allowed itself to become the target of ridicule and condemnation when in fact it should have stood out proudly as the best example of the high standards of excellence that are naturally expected by anyone who pays for the luxury of five star tourism. Read On

Thus spake Swami Baba Ramdev
The objective of our life is to believe in the Supremacy of the power of Guru and the power of God to worship the nation - deity through disciplined hard work, and to discharge our righteous actions and duties with complete dedication, competence unsparing endeavour and enterprise (aggressiveness). Read On

T. J. S. George: Assembly - Line Manufacture of Books, the Surest Way to Lose Readers
But the super cars ensure that they remain super; even if they sell only a dozen cars a year, the price tags will justify their overheads. Book publishers have to have large volumes to sustain the overheads. So the diligence that goes into the manufacture of cars cannot go into the manufacture of books. There are publishers who decide, inside the majesty of their board rooms, that they shall publish 300 or 400 titles per year. Car makers can put in more shifts, add more assembly lines and turn out more units. How do book publishers manage to get 300 or 400 titles to publish each year? Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Head Strong Weak Knees
Men in power control their environment. Powerful men set the agenda of nations. But for some reason many of them just can't seem to hold on to their zippers. Sex and power have always gone hand in hand. Unfortunately, just power is not enough to impress women. Powerful men have forgotten this as a result of prolonged exposure to “yes – men”. And so they simply lift their hands up in expectation while letting their pants fall down. Read On

Shwetha Pangannaya: A Champion of the oppressed class
This became the foundation for the installation of a statue of Babuji, as he was endearingly called, in front of the City Railway Station in the year 2000. The bronze statue of Babuji was sculpted by V. A. Deshpande, a renowned sculptor and the present Dean of Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA). The imposing statue is 9 feet tall and cost around Rs. 8 lakh. Another Rs. 2 lakh was utilised for the construction of the platform. Read On

Travelogue: A Visit to Dreamland Switzerland
It was in 1995 that the famous film Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol was released. From then on, I had a desire to visit Switzerland, since some of the scenes were shot there. Life with its various twists and turns could ensure that it happened in 2011. Thanks to Thomas Cook, I could go with my wife and daughter in tow to this wonderful dreamland. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Public Works, No Public Safety
Unfortunately, we tend to respond only to extremes and continue to be only reactive. Road works during the day, tree - felling in the presence of heavy traffic, flyover construction during peak traffic are all causes for death due to negligence. Prarthana has left two kids motherless due to sheer negligence of an irresponsible timber merchant and the lax attitude of the government when it comes to public safety during public works. Will they respond only when their own die? Read On

T. J. S. George: The Big Winner? Not Mamata or Jaya! The Losers? Not Buddha or Karuna!!!
The Congress princeling made a couple of visits to Tamil Nadu, taking care not to meet his ally Karunanidhi. Nor did he do anything to put life into the dead horse that is the Congress party in Tamil Nadu. The big political story from this election is that the Congress is losing ground across India. But don't expect it to learn any lessons from the decline. That is the beauty of democracy, you don't have to learn anything. Read On

M. S. Apoorva: The Grand Old Man of Mysore
Though daily thousands of people walk along this park in front of the Lansdowne Building and city bus stand, very few among them know the significance of the place. The statue of Thathaiah goes almost unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of city life and unfortunately, the only time it may be remembered is on the occasion of his birth anniversary. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: A Needless Death
Next week if you happen to pass that way, I am sure that you will see the same killer contractor with the same band of inept workers continuing to fell the remaining trees. On many occasions, I have seen tree - felling and even rock - blasting work being done with explosives along the roadside without the presence of any Police personnel or even warning signs. Very often without men in khaki, which is the only deterrent colour which Indians heed a little, road - users too simply ignore any warning signs that may have been put up for their own safety. Read On

M. S. Apoorva: Kindarai’s Lilting tunes reverberate through Rangayana
This was also the first production of city’s theatre repertory Rangayana and was staged by its artistes who were then still its students. The play was staged under the direction of Rangayana’s Founder - Director B. V. Karanth. With the success of the play, Karanth wanted to make sure Kindari Jogi left his mark in the city and in the hearts of its citizens forever. Hence, he got the statue of Kindari Jogi installed in Rangayana premises which we now see. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: War – Monger Vs Bomb - Monger
So how different are the Americans from terrorists? Not very. Terrorists are unilateral, so is America. Terrorists invoke god, so does America. Didn’t Bush say that god told him to invade Iraq?! Terrorists say they are freedom fighters, America assumes it is god's “democracy delivery mechanism”. Terrorists tell their people “Americans will kill you so help us save you”, Americans say “the terrorists will kill you all and destroy the world so let us clean them out for you”. Terrorists kill their own while achieving their goal, Americans have lost thousands of their own fighting wars they didn't need to. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Homage to three saints
This is the month of three saints. Curiously their birthdays (Jayanthi) fell on 6th, 7th and 8th of this month (May) though the times they lived were different. They are Basavanna, Ramanujacharya and Shankaracharya. The festivals of all 3 saints are celebrated with gaiety and religious fervour all over Karnataka. A grateful nation remembers these great men and pays homage to them and brings awareness among their followers, their teachings which are undoubtedly the heritage of mankind. That is the purpose of all festivals. Read On

U. K. Rumana: The Aesthetics of Board Games
King Chandaiah Hegde wanted to appease his pregnant wife Neelamma. So, according to her wish, the couple engages in Chenne mane, Neelamma's favouite game, in which Chandaiah embraces defeat every time. Finding his prestige dangling, the king moved the pawns in his favour, as Neelamma calls for a recess. The Queen, on return, smells foul play. She was so vexed that she returns to her native. Her brother, who takes vengeance on his sister's behalf, leads a battle against Chandaiah, in which the king dies. Later Neelamma, who couldn't bear her husband's demise, dies of heart burst. The tragedy is Sediyapu Krishna Bhat's short story “Chenne mane”. Fiction or non - fiction, it is true that board games were played erstwhile in immense excitement. Read On

T. J. S. George: People’s Notice to Crooks: Change or Go
Television has spawned many evils. One of them is the animal called “party spokesperson”, a species that is found only in India. By occupational necessity, they are motor - mouths; just turn the battery on and they go blabbering nonstop. They are also robotic; they see and hear and speak nothing except what their creators have programmed them to see and hear and speak. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Saffron Costumes
The first time I saw him on a video, I heard him speak on the Mahabharata, connecting it with the Upanishads. I was truly impressed. Such clarity of thought was unusual. The next time I saw him on video, he was in bed, intimate with two women. To me, the latter was an invasion of privacy. People have the right to do what they wish in private. But this was a scandal: for the man in both videos was wearing saffron robes and claiming to be a celibate monk. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Air India, Another PSU bleeds us
It was reported that when Pramod Mahajan was the Telecom Minister, BSNL did not supply SIM cards for a while during which time private players made merry. It was rumoured to be an intentional move. How can BSNL with the largest number of connections not be competitive in a market that it has monopolised since Independence? The loss is ours, the tax payers. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Seer of Sringeri: Sixty Years of Dharmic Guidance
About 1,200 years ago, Adi Shankaracharya came to Sringeri in Karnataka from Kerala and founded a great religious centre to preach Indian thought and culture with special reference to Advaita (Non - dualism). This centre has blossomed into a celebrated institution with the help of a chain of Jagadgurus since then. Perhaps this is a record for any Mutt in our country. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Finally There’s Hope
Also when Anna Hazare was asked if he would stand for elections, his reply was, “I will lose my deposit.” This shows that there is another India that actually votes, albeit for the wrong kind of people and for the wrong reasons. Hence before we go about expecting a corruption - free India, we need to have corruption - free Indians. We need voters who reject TVs, laptops, mixies and grinders. Corruption goes beyond just a government official taking a bribe or a politician siphoning off funds, it is about the fabric of morality. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: A Calrion Call to Doctors
And, may I ask why only doctors have been selected for this regulatory move when there is no effective system in place to regulate “private practice” in other professions like teaching where tuition classes are thriving? As long as a government doctor does full justice to his or her job during working hours, it should not be the business of the government to worry about what he or she does afterwards. Since the doctor - patient relationship always has a personal element too, is the right of every patient to have access to a doctor of his or her choice at all times. Read On

M. L. Krishnaswamy: The Mysore That Was…....
In 1951, in a household on Vani Vilas Road, death visited both husband and wife in a brief span of a few hours. After all the rituals connected with this tragedy, the mourners of this family thought it was a bad omen and they decided to shift to Geetha Road where they had a rice mill. The house was deserted and plants and trees grew merrily for a few months. People walking on the road used to avoid looking at the house in fear. Then, one day it caught the attention of Suttur Seer Rajendra Swamigalu, who used to visit the neighbouring Sanskrit Patashala every day, driving in his green Austin sedan car. Read On

T. J. S. George: No need to bribe a British Journalist
But we should never make the mistake of assuming that Maxwell wrote the damn - India book at the behest of China. For one thing, China is too smart to make use of hacks with questionable powers of prediction. For another, as Humbert Wolfe reminded humanity: It is impossible to bribe or twist / Thank God, the British journalist; / But seeing what the man will do / Without a bribe, there's no occasion to. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Humour, Thy name is Koravanji
The college in which he was studying auctioned all the old magazines including Punch and Shivaram managed to collect Rs. 3 to buy them. But the Principal himself purchased it at Rs. 4. The boy was highly disappointed. But the understanding Principal presented all these volumes to Shivaram as a gift. This precious gift from the Principal was a turning point in the career of young Shivaram and years later he started the monthly magazine Koravanji. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: April Fooling?
It has today become the most lucrative “Low investment, Low risk but High return” business in our country as chances of getting caught and convicted are very remote and penalties are simply too mild. For instance, just see what sentence one official who has been convicted for his crimes has got recently in our city. He has been asked to pay a fine of Rupees Sixty Three Lakhs for his misdeeds and in the event of his being unable to pay the fine, he has the option of undergoing imprisonment for just three short months. Now, which criminal will not think it sensible to keep the ill - gotten money intact and sleep away three months in a cozy cell at government expense? Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Understanding Indian Thought
In the Ramayana, Ravan behaves like an alpha male while in Mahabharata, the Kauravas behave like alpha males, clinging to other people's wives in one case and other people's land in the other. Ram and Krishna are different from each other — one upholds rules and one breaks them. Yet, they are similar to each other — they uphold dharma. Thus there is a pattern beneath the apparent cacophony. It is this consistency of theme despite the apparent randomness that makes it “post – post – modern”. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Right Hand Feeds All
Ancient Hindu seers known as Rishis believed that the purpose of life is to enable the soul to engage with the material world. To do so, the soul needs a vehicle, a body. Food nourishes this body. This makes food sacred, fuel for the fire of life, worthy of worship and contemplation. Food therefore was only served using the auspicious right hand. The left hand was reserved for polluting ablutions. But who should the right hand feed? Only oneself, or others too? And what constitutes the others? Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: No less than a heart transplant
Just last evening I noticed that some giant rain trees that had been standing for perhaps more than a century in the premises of the former Palace garage adjacent to our Police Commissioner’s office had been chopped down to make way for a building there. I understand that the place on which those trees had the audacity to stand may now be private property and someone may point out that I have no locus - standi to question how they are treated. But still my heart bleeds because I cannot help feeling that whoever owns that place could have been a little kind - hearted to spare the trees which would have been a natural asset to whatever man - made structure that is going to come up there. Read On

T. J. S. George: Leaders win always; India loses always
Small men dominate our politics, their smallness surfacing most dramatically at election time. Unpopular communists keep popular communists out, Congressmen secretly work for the defeat of Congressmen, the Muslim League disregards its moral postures and fields the immoral, BJP "sells" votes in constituencies where it can not win. When bribery, deceit and selfishness become "the great thing about democracy," leaders enrich themselves, cadres suffer and India loses. A pity. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: My views on Women’s Day
Incidentally, while birthdays and anniversaries have been very much a part of our personal lives for the past so many years, it is only over the recent past that this new tradition of earmarking a special day in the year for almost everything has crept in. And, ever since we have started doing this it is no surprise that we have been adding new special days to the now already long list. I feel that at the rate at which we are going, it will not be very long before we run out of place in the 365 day long year for all the special days we would like to observe. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Fighter Air Craft designed by Sage Bharadwaja
Finally, a question arises in our mind as to whether these techniques were just in theory or were they practiced and if so where are the evidences for the same. It is very difficult to give a satisfactory answer to this. More research is required by competent scholars to explain these technical details. In the absence of these details they cannot be dismissed as imagination. In the meantime, it is our duty to bow our head in reverence to sage Bharadwaja, who may perhaps be considered as the first aeronautical engineer in the world. Read On

Musings... by JP: Recalling a Tsunami felt a 1000 Kms away from where it originated
One interesting fact that emerged much later is that the gulls, crows and the ever present dogs that live off the scraps from the beach shacks had suddenly vanished at least an hour before the sea showed its might against the puny humans. Birds and animals always seem to sense when a natural calamity is about to occur. That is another story. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Could Dream Girl Haunt Us?
So the question is not of whether one should be a Kannadiga or a non - Kannadiga but of whether we are effectively represented at the Centre. A local representative tends to be under pressure as he is answerable and accountable, hence preferred. After all, he has to come back and live amongst his own. An outsider does not feel this kind of pressure and tends to be nonchalant. When is the last time Sonia or Sushma came to Bellary to see the state of the people there? So we may have the Dream Girl representing us, let’s just hope it does not become a nightmare for us. Read On

International Women’s Day has done nothing defiling
But all liberation begins with the liberation of consciousness, even before liberation from family and social security, even before economic independence. Liberation is the freeing of herself from man’s ability to “blackmail” her into compromising at every phase of her life. But the trouble is that men cannot imagine the deep internal and external struggle that a woman undergoes merely to achieve the courage to speak of her commitment to independent consciousness. It is a kind of Catch 22 situation with no solution except wait for the next International Women's Day and another round of feminist discourse. And, of course, a cafe au latte at the chic restaurant! Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Chopping off the Nose
That this practice was ancient is attested to by Kautilya in his Arthashashtra. He has prescribed the punishment of cutting the nose and ears for the theft of pet animals and also for adultery. In the tenth century, this punishment was common in Kashmir. Here the nose - cutters were women. A cook who was suspected of poisoning had his nose chopped off before his wife as a punishment. This punishment was in vogue even during the days of the Sultans of Delhi. The nose of the General Yaklakhi was cut off in public. Even Babur seems to have resorted to this as a punishment, for those who refused to join his army. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Love in the Millet Field
But a few centuries later, a poetic - story emerged that celebrates Muruga, the great god of the hills, the very virile warrior - god who rides a peacock, who holds a lance, whose symbol is a rooster. Known as Tirumurukarruppatai, “An ode to the Lord Muruga”, this Tamil work is also a love story. It describes in detail the courtship of Valli. What is interesting in this narrative is its rawness and unbridled passion, devotion mixed with eroticism, devoid of Brahmanical and monastic restraint. Love and lust are seen as two sides of the same coin and there is no shame or guilt associated with desire. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Shameful and Cruel Joke
Although the unnamed CESC official, who has been quoted may have thought that he has made an earth - shattering statement, that informs us all about how technologically advanced we have suddenly become with just a swing of the cricket bat, I think he has only saved himself from a most shameful kind of personal humiliation by not letting his name be printed alongside his claim. When his organisation has not been able to provide the much needed uninterrupted power to our exam - going students over the past so many years and has not been able to change its style of functioning or the quality of its service despite changing its name more than once, can we expect it to do any better now just out of its reverence to the Gods of the English game? Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: And…. There was no one left to speak up for me
Caste politics works because Indians are overtly caste - conscious. It is a misconception that only Dalits and minorities are victims of casteism. There have been many instances where even upper castes have been victims of casteism by lower castes. All one has to do is visit a government office, a college teachers’ meeting or a business house’s appraisal sessions. We can witness a continuous game of casteism being played out in full swing. I have been made to stand outside the house because I was a meat - eater. I have been chided for being a pork eater. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Blades of immortal grass
In Hindu rituals, grass plays an important role. Rings made of grass are often worn before starting either the ritual of Homa (offerings via fire) or Puja (flower offerings). It is said to purify the participants. Grass is used as offering. At Ganesha temples, offerings of blades of grass is very common. Use of grass in ritual dates back to Vedic times. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: The Nadir or the peak of greatness?
We call ourselves civilised and announce to the rest of the world that we were the ones who first rocked the cradle of civilisation. We also claim to be riding on the wave of a cultural and economic revolution right now. But it is significant to note here that every wave has a nadir and a peak. I am tempted to ask at which one of these two points on this wave do we Indians stand today? Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Our Cash, But in their Stash!
We must not fail to notice how our government is taking its own sweet time in requesting for the documents. The delay almost seems intentional. The intent being — give time for tax evaders to move their money out. By the time our sleuths get the required documentation through, all we are going to get are account numbers with no money or name in them. Everyone is safe. It’s a win - win for both parties. What an idea Sirji?! Read On

S. K. Sinha: Army Must Live Up to Cariappa
The year 2010 was a year of scams. The image of the Army was also besmirched along with that of the judiciary, the bureaucracy, the media, and, of course, the political leadership. The Army needs to recall the high standards set by late Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa and endeavour to live up to them, says S. K. Sinha, retired Lieutenant General, who was also the Vice - Chief of Army Staff and has served as the Governor of Assam and Jammu & Kashmir. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Painting the town blue
A parable is a story with a moral ending. A parable is not a myth. Myth comprises of a set of stories that creates belief that shapes the way we see the world. Myths are never prescriptive. Parables are. Here is an example of a parable... Once upon a time, there was a kingdom and the kingdom had a king and the king had a pair of eyes. And with these eyes, he looked at his subjects and ensured all was well with them. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Strained by the Strays
In Romania, it is said that dogs know that if they cross the zebra crossing with humans, a car will not hit them. May be pretty soon with all the modern buildings coming up in Bangalore with fancy escalators and elevators, we might see strays taking the escalator to enjoy the spoils at UB City's food courts and they are sure to take their urban adventure to a new level once the Metro comes. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Sankranthi, Festival of the Sun
Due to changed circumstances, this festival has become mechanical. Most people buy what is called “Nylon Ellu” from the supermarkets. The excitement of preparing ellu at home by grandmothers has become a rare sight. In spite of this change, this festival is celebrated with religious fervour. Sankranti festival has a message “Ellu tindu olle matadu”, meaning “Eat ellu and speak good words”. That is the most important aspect of this festival. Read On

T. J. S. George: Our Lost Moral Universe
Our post - Emergency heritage has wiped out all that was before it. In Kosala, as Kambar described it, "None were generous as none was needy; with no liars around, Truth never needed to speak up; no learning stood out as all were learned". In Brashtachar Virodhi Bharat today, all are needy yet none is generous; Truth speaks up but liars shout it down; no learning stands out as all are unlearned. We are a blot on the fair name of Kosala, we have no right to talk about its capital Ayodhya, and we have badly let down its king Rama. We are not even ashamed. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: The Faithful Mandodari
An upcoming film star allegedly raped his maid servant. His wife stood by him. A Police inspector allegedly molested a young sportswoman. His wife stood by him. Are these women Mandodaris of modern times? Media has tried and judged the accused. They are, for the media, Ravan — demon men who do not respect the rights of women. The court is undecided. They are probably Ravan. Or probably Ram. Read On

Musings... by JP: What made that book a best seller?
Books do not make it to the top ten best - seller lists because thousands of people have read and have sung praises of the book! One or two may but the rest make it to the list because the publisher planned it that way. Since I spent more than a few years with the book publishing profession, I can say in all sincerity that when it comes to determining a best - seller, nobody knows anything. No one knows for certain if a book will be a best - seller. The first question that the Publisher asks of his editorial minions is, "Can we make it a best - seller?" Read On

M. S. Apoorva: An Ode to Artists
A close study of the paintings in Karnataka indicates that instead of reflecting life as it was during those periods, the painters had adopted conventionalised settings and highly stylised postures. Vijayanagar tradition of painting encouraged three distinct schools of painting, namely the Deccani School (Sultanate), Mysore School and the Tanjore School. While the rulers of Bijapur, Gulbarga and Bidar were responsible for the development of a distinct style known as the Deccani style, the southern parts of Karnataka continued the ancient style which was developed at Vijayanagar and the rulers of Mysore extended patronage to art. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Musings on incense sticks
Coming back to agarbathi king Ranga Rao, he is an excellent example of hard work and sustained interest. As a boy of eleven, he began selling biscuits in his school. Another boy also began doing the same and became a competitor. Immediately Ranga Rao began giving a peppermint free with a biscuit and his rival vanished from the scene. Ranga Rao never spoke about his agarbathis but allowed his product to speak for him. The so - called concept of “Customer being the king” was put into practice by this person at least half a century ago. That was the quality of the best marketing man. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Agro – Tourism?
When it comes to addressing the farming issues, suddenly most politicians become farmers; so also our Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa who claims he is a farmer and wants his fellow farmers to get updated as he himself put it: “Going outside and learning always expands the horizons of your knowledge, their trip is going to help them and the way they do farming here. Many taxpayers would feel this business of government - sponsored trips for farmers to “learn and expand their horizons” is as futile as politicians going on the same kind of “expanding their horizon” tours. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Save the Varuna Lake
I have had the experience of being urged on by frowning men in white who have on many occasions banged the roof of my car with a stout baton to draw my attention. When I have in turn drawn their attention to the day - long usurpation of our legitimate share of parking place for illegitimate activities, they have always given me their most genial smiles and advised me to “Swalpa adjust madkolli, sir, Yen madokke agathe, Kaala sari illa!” It is time we introduced paid parking facilities at least on this stretch of road where free day - long parking now seems to be the rule. Read On

T. J. S. George: Nine dreams and One Wish
Even from the depths of gloom, human nature longs for happiness. At the dawn of a new year the longing surfaces with vigorous anticipation. This time the anticipation has a desperate edge to it because, during the year that has just gone, our trust in many of our institutions and individuals was shattered. We badly need to restore that trust; without trust in the basic structure of society and the custodians of that structure, survival itself would be under threat. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Caught in a Whirlpool
According to another story, Abhimanyu was actually the son of the moon who was cursed to live on earth as a mortal. The moon missed his son so much that he begged Krishna to find a way to kill his son in the sixteenth year of his life. The only way to do so was to prevent him from learning the secrets of Chakravyuha. The third, more sinister reading is that Krishna knew how much Arjuna loved his son. Only the death of his son at the hands of his teacher would goad Arjuna to take the war more personally and fight intensely. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: It’s 2011
2010 has been the harshest year for the Indian citizen to digest, with over 5 scams in one year. But thanks to our film directors’ eye for “items”, we get a nice item break after every scandal. In the early 1990s, when we were all heartbroken that our first, young and only handsome PM Rajiv Gandhi was involved in the Bofors Scam, Madhuri Dixit came on screen and her “dil” Dhak dhak kar ne laga and people soon began to forget the scandal. Soon there was the Hawala Scam and once again Madhuri rescued us with her choli, as she pranced naughtily to “Choli ke peeche kya hai.” Then it was the sugar import scam and Raveena Tandon drenched us with her sweetness in “Tip tip barasa paani.” Soon it was Lalu time as fodder scam made headlines and we had an apt song as Shilpa Shetty screamed “Main ayi hoo UP Bihar lootne.” Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: The Price of Onions
Despite much reading and many sessions of discussion too with some very intelligent professors of economics I have still not understood why prices keep rising especially when you consider the fact that to keep pace with them we invariably end up demanding more salaries from whoever employs us or more fees for our services if we happen to be self - employed like me. I am right now in the process of planning how much I should charge as my consultation fee from the New Year. The only thing that has held me back is the yet unannounced hike in the price of diesel since the cars I drive run on it. Read On

Indian democracy at the crossroads
Between the idea, And the reality… Falls the shadow," wrote T. S. Eliot in “The Hollow Man”. He may have had in mind the current state of the Indian Constitution which celebrates its 60th anniversary in Jan. 2011. Sixty years of Indian Constitution, whether you like it or not, is like Eliot's poem. Though constructed in an Utopian mould, the Constitution is yet to create a just and egalitarian society. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Our Own Greens
Many may remember that even if one lived in a small house there was always enough space to grow a little beans, a few tomatoes and the must - have “kothambari soppu” (coriander leaves). If the house had a little space in front, then there would be a sapota tree in the corner and a guava tree in the back with the easy growing papaya and of course, there was always place for a coconut tree. Today we are so busy that let alone buying fresh vegetables from the market, we buy packed and frozen vegetables stored deep in the freezer of a supermarket. May be it’s time to get back a little to the old ways and start enjoying a little time tending to a real kitchen garden instead of playing gardening game on Facebook. Read On

T. J. S. George: Does Pawar Know His Onions?
Like all crises that have occurred during Pawar's watch in the Food Ministry, the current onion crunch could also be seen coming well before it actually hit. The rains misbehaved and onion traders quickly noticed another opportunity shaping up to exploit the people. A watchful Food Ministry could also have seen what the traders saw, but it chose to be otherwise busy. Even when the crisis exploded threatening grave political fallout, Pawar was typically indifferent. The rains caused it, he said — as if we didn't know. The high prices would last a fortnight or so, he said — as if that was all there was to be said. Read On

Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy: Musings on Christmas
Actually, the word Christmas is an abbreviation of the ancient English Phrase “Christ's Mass” which in the course of centuries became the popular word Christmas. The word has been in use for the past 500 years. The festival commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, considered as a new hope for the down - trodden masses of ancient days. Thus this day is celebrated as a sacred day, remembering Him who sacrificed himself for the sake of his fellow human beings. Read On

T. J. S. George: Who’s protecting the guilty?
Why on earth are these hated men still in their posts? Who is their protector? Why? Again the protector has to be at the very top. Is there someone at that height who is desperate to hide something? Silence and the tactic of brazening it out brought the Prime Minister under the critical scrutiny of the Supreme Court. Sonia Gandhi and her unseen advisors will also be under public suspicion if this brazening - out continues. Read On

T. J. S. George: Leaks: It’s People Vs Governments
In this case, even when you hang them, they don't die. An Ellsberg may escape jail, a Manning may languish there. But the bid by sinners to hide their sins will never succeed. Even if Assange is taken away by a vindictive America, new forces will come up daring to reveal the secrets of those who should not have secrets. That reality applies to America, to Spectrum Raja, to the Tatas and to celebrity journalists. That's why we will have more WikiLeaks and more Niira Radia tapes. And so be it. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: ... And the Fourth Pillar too Cracks
This change in the media business should not come as a surprise considering that today media is a serious business, unlike earlier when it was considered a prestigious service. Almost all media companies born within this decade are Public Limited companies. So they are driven by numbers and not by service. Their first allegiance is towards their shareholders and not their readers. They want their shareholders' confidence rather than the readers' trust. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Between the Rangoli Lines
Once, this was a daily practice. In many parts of rural India it is still so. But in most parts of India, this practice is restricted to festival time, Diwali being the most popular one. Other times are Kojagiri, the full moon before Diwali, and Krishna Janmashtami, the birth of Krishna. These patterns are also seen during weddings. This practice of decorating the threshold is even seen in Parsi households. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: The New Book & the Old Bookshop
I had once written about how along with Geetha Book in K. R. Circle, Newspaper House, just a stone’s throw away at the very edge of Lansdowne Building and at the former location of the famous Elgin Fountain, had not only served me as a fountain of knowledge but also as a source of much solace, comfort and joy. With its endearing owner never even once showing any resentment or displeasure at my prolonged stays there whenever I happened to visit his shop which used to be about once a week as it was for many years my favourite weekend destination. Read On

T. J. S. George: Is Congress courting disaster?
The Congress leadership desists from punishing the crooks in its ranks. From Bofors days, it has shown a tendency to defend the indefensible. It should not forget what happened when it ignored public opinion, ignored even common sense, and went on justifying Bofors. That one case of corruption was the reason why Congress was defeated in the 1989 election. There are many cases of corruption round its neck today. And the next election is not too far away. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Shift Race Course?! Shift Race Course?!?!
See what happened to Bangalore Race Course. It was to be shifted only to make space for two towers to be built by a Dubai builder. Thankfully, the Supreme Court has issued a stay and the High Court has said it should remain the lung space of Bangalore. Mysore Race Course too, once shifted, may slip into becoming the playground of two kinds of people: Sultans of concrete — builders and their support staff, the politicians. These people don’t even spare war widows. Do you think they will spare a land that is already in the government’s name? Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Tribute to a Blind Vedic Scholar
Simple in habits and always engaging himself in his pet project of the Vedas, Swamiji lived for 111 years and attained samadhi on Feb. 14, 1922. Thus he merged himself with the Veda Bhagawan. A huge endowment has been created in the name of this great saint called Sri Guru Gangeswaranandaji Veda Ratna Puraskar. The award is presented to 6 Vedic scholars each year. Perhaps this is the most prestigious award in the realm of Vedic studies. The Swamiji was physically blind but had a great vision. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Spectrum Spectacle
But then let’s not forget when it comes to money, all the parties are the same. Each party might have a different agenda but when it comes to “fund raising” they are truly democratic. They protect each other. That is why no matter which party comes to power, it never has and never will take up corruption charges that they themselves levied against the previous party. The NDA did that with the Bofors Scam and the Congress did the same with Pramod Mahajan’s “SIM card” deal. While the politicians scratch each other’s back and continue on their fund raising spree, we remain mere spectators threatened to pay our taxes on time. Read On

Down the Memory Lane: Dasara Authority…. A 25 – Year – Old Issue!
So, this tradition of delay is being observed to conduct this traditional Dasara every year at a huge budget. Now, the time has come to constitute a Dasara Authority and the government must give due attention to it. Can we take the just commenced work on Rajpath as the first step on the way of constituting the Authority? Read On

T. J. S. George: Glamour is not Credibility
At one point she actually tells another contact that "I made [the journalist] call up Congress and get a statement." This is Radia speaking, not a naïve greenhorn. To say that this kind of work on behalf of a lobbyist is legitimate journalism is like Yeddyurappa saying that all he has ever done is development work. To say they promised to talk to the likes of Sonia and Rahul only to out-smart a war - horse is like BJP high command saying it has outsmarted Yeddyurappa. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: The War Lord of Gods
In ancient world, there was a god of war, whose name was Skanda. Scholars are of the opinion that perhaps the name Skanda has something to do with Sikandar which is the Persian name of Alexander. In the fourth century BC, when Alexander's ferocious army came to the North West India, the terror that they struck had such a dramatic impact on the people of the land, that Sikandar became the symbol of violence and war. From this, perhaps, came the idea of Skanda or the great warlord who came from the North. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: A taste of “Inglish
From time to time we all get to read some very interesting signboards and announcements which can be quite hilarious. Recently, I saw a sign outside a mutton shop which said: “As you lick mutton hear by at Rs. 250 par KG. Cheap but no Cheat”. It took me a little while to realise what the sign said was that here you could buy the kind of mutton you liked at a most reasonable Rs. 250 per kilogram without any kind of cheating! Very close by was another sign, perhaps drafted by the same scholar, which very crisply said: “plis no pis” under which I found a man standing and relieving himself unhindered. Since the man was very helpfully doing what the sign said he should not be doing there I needed no further help in deciphering it! Read On

T. J. S. George: Salute to Purushothama
Professor Lal taught at St. Xavier's College for 40 years. Devoted friends called him Profsky, rather reminiscent of D. G. Tendulkar (biographer of the Mahatma) calling Dom Moraes Domsky. Was it some kind of a psychedelic association with radical thinkers like Trotsky and Laski? Lal did not look like a radical, but his achievements were reformist. Glamour - obsessed Indian media might have ignored him, but The Economist featured him in its famous page - length Obituary column. That must have surprised Purushottama Lal, whose first name now shines like a title the country has bestowed on him. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Biking on the Roof of the World
I walked back to my tent drenched in thoughts, but with everything falling into place like a Rubik's Cube that was getting all its colours in place without a single false move. Soon my mind felt clearer. My view on life was reset to “factory default setting”, the way it was before the complexities of urban life and social conditioning had changed it. What millions of visits to a temple had not done for me, mother nature did in one brief moment. My moment of enlightenment? May be; but I won't be opening an ashram, nor am I going to get preachy. I don't want to be the guy who rode up as a “wild boar” and came down a “big – bore”. The night in the tent was scary with howling winds and bone - chilling cold, but sleeping bag came to rescue. We all slept like well - fed bears in hibernation. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Remembering Nalwadi
Maharaja went on a tour of Europe including London. At London arrangements were made for his stay at Hotel Dorchester. The officials had arranged two rooms for him, one as his bedroom and the other to meet guests. Then he enquired "Where is my puja room? Do you think Chamundeshwari does not live in London? She is everywhere and particularly where ever I am.' Immediately one more room was arranged for him. During his stay there he had to perform upakarma (wearing a new sacred thread once a year). With his personal priest he went to the banks of river Thames and performed the ritual. In one of the rituals at the Mysore Palace, the priest forgot to fill up the Kalasha with water. Later he realised the mistake but without loosing his composure, asked the Maharaja to fill the Kalasha with water. The Maharaja smiled and said, “I have already done that as I usually do”. Read On

Down the Memory Lane: Mysore was breathed by Sir Mirza Ismail
This made me bring out a few facts which I have come across for the readers. My father used to tell me when I was still young, the loyalty of Mirza towards Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar and their friendship (since they were classmates in the college) and this made the Maharaja to make Mirza sit behind him on the elephant in the Golden Howdah in one of the Dasara processions though some people resented this and disrupted the procession. Look at his love towards Mysore and how aptly and beautifully he describes Mysore Produces in a Radio Broadcast in 1938 Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Mouth of the Gods
Lamps, therefore, are associated with Goddess Lakshmi. Just as domesticated land (the field) offers food, domesticated fire (the lamp) offers good luck and fortune. It creates around it a bright and warm circle of light in which one can sit and pray and study and feel safe. It is in this space that Lakshmi resides. In the festival of lamps, a lot of lamps are lit especially in the front of the house so that more light spaces are created to attract Lakshmi. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: The Brave Die when Cowards Rule
While we criticise the defence forces, we must also remember there are over a million soldiers who are still standing, ready to give their life for us — standing in the dead - cold conditions on Siachen just so we can sleep well and won't have to wake up to a communist dragon forcing egg noodle soup down our throats for breakfast. But what do we give in return? How many of us have ever let a Jawan move ahead in a queue at the train station? How many private schools have ever given a donation - free seat to an army widow’s child? How many of us have ever offered a smile to a cycle - peddling Jawan or even offered a lift to a Jawan waiting for a bus? We have become so blinded by greed that we are now rich in ungratefulness. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Lamps: Guiding from Darkness to Light
The English word “lamp” or “light” does not convey fully the meaning and the significance of the traditional Sanskrit word Deepa or Jyothi. However, almost all the Indian languages have a word for lamp mostly derived from the Sanskrit words. The concept of light originated when stone - age man discovered fire thousands of years ago. Obviously he used it for the purpose of light later. The Rigveda gives great importance to Agni, the God of fire who has been praised in a large number of hymns. Agni has been described as the one who illumines the three worlds by his brilliant light. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Garbage Everywhere

T. J. S. George: The World’s Favorite Dumping Ground
How else can we explain the recent spectacle of a shipload of New York City municipal waste being dumped in Kochi port? Or a condemned ship with most of its parts deadly with radioactive material coming to our west coast for scrapping? It is well known that medicines banned in the West are freely sold in India and that poor Indians are used for field testing that are not allowed on American citizens. Such things happen because some Indians like to get rich at the expense of their fellow citizens and their country. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Gitanjali and Me
It is a poem which is so simple that even a child can understand its meaning and message without the slightest difficulty. Along with the prayer of St. Francis of Assasi: “Lord Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace”, it is one of the inspirational passages that my mother wrote in a small yellow book which she gave me when I came to Mysore from Chickmagalur to start my schooling. As I have said earlier it seemed so touching and meaningful to me even as a child that it has served as a guiding beacon in keeping my sense of patriotism alive and properly focussed all through my life. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Lost Symbols
Man has always sought the purpose of life. In fact, that is the hallmark of being human. We are not content just with food, clothing and shelter. We are not just content with entertainment. We want more. We want to know the point of it all. Why are we here? And more importantly, is there an easier way to get things done? Read On

T. J. S. George: Evil as Spectator Sport
The Opposition consists of the JD (S) which will never command popular support because of the negative credibility of party patriarch Deve Gowda, and the Congress which has never been as bereft of credible leaders as it is today. In other words, the voter has no one to vote for. That situation is unlikely to change. The relatively popular elements in the JD (S), including former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, will not have the courage to keep Deve Gowda out of the picture. The Congress has lost its will to power and therefore will not put its untainted leaders, including the younger ones, at the helm. This is the era of the unworthy who win by default. Taxpayers in Karnataka are forced to sustain a circus that’s felonious and venal. At least Gadkari and Jaitley must recall Tilak's words: "Defending an evil does not make it good." Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Two glimpses of greatness
Actually, as a young medical student in the late seventies when I first met her most unexpectedly in a night train from Bangalore to Guntakal and spent much of the night in a hushed conversation of awe and enlightenment, munching on the sandwiches she shared with all her co - passengers, it never occurred to me that I was talking to a future Nobel Laureate. She never said one word about the nobility of her work or about the greatness of her God and instead only encouraged me to talk more about my own life, aspirations and ambitions as a budding doctor. Read On

T. J. S. George: Good Indians Vs Evil Indians
Such was the hold of the demons that the Devas had to appear in multiple avatars — as Bharat Bala, as Shyam Benegal, as Prasoon Joshi, as the all - conquering Keshav and as hundreds of nameless but astonishingly coordinated school children. Together they made the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games a moment of pride for us, effacing if only for a while the shame of greed and incompetence that preceded it. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Naada Habba for us, Duddina Habba for MLAs
Instead, sadly our politicians are busy playing monopoly in which only they will get rich and the State will get poorer. Karnataka politics is a circus and it's filled with trapeze artistes who jump from one party to another. The slaying of Mahishasura by Goddess Chamundeshwari after 10 days of fighting signified the victory of good over evil; but who is going to slay our modern day Mahishasuras who are destroying our State? In fact, our modern day Asuras would have given Mahishasura an inferiority complex. Read On

T. J. S. George: A Witness who walked tall
"There was no air conditioner in the room as the previous incumbent was a mere Deputy Secretary who “as per rules” was not entitled to feel overly hot. The official theory was that the blood grew thinner with ascending seniority, entitling the officer to one, two or more air conditioners. The same theory worked for arm rests, back rests and foot rests… Nor did I allow my chaprassi to hover around the car park in the morning to relieve me of my briefcase the moment I arrived. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Raja Wadiyar
Suddenly the name of Raja Wadiyar is on the lips of every politician, big and small officers, even common man and more importantly print and electronic media. This year's Dasara is associated with Raja Wadiyar and is considered to be the 400th in the Dasara series ever since he celebrated this festival as an independent king during September, 1610 AD. Raja Wadiyar is perhaps the most colourful king in the Wadiyar family of Mysore. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: A Common Wealth Dasara?
Our Dasara which is an annual event unlike the Commonwealth Games has already started. But like the Commonwealth Games, at least in the Indian version of it, where work never seemed to stop even after the event itself started, all the works which have to be undertaken just to conduct the Dasara seem destined to go on for a long time even after the festival itself concludes. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Mythic Evolution
In India, the story of Dashaavatara gave many a reason for chauvinistic pride. Vishnu descends on earth first as a fish (aquatic), then as a turtle (amphibian), then a boar (terrestrial), then a man - lion (early man?) and only then as human. The conclusion was: ancient Indians were scientific, and knew of evolution, even before Darwin. It became a matter of national pride. But what was overlooked was the details of the human avatars: there was Vamana (priest) followed by Parashuram (priest-warrior), then Ram (prince), then Krishna (royal cowherd and royal charioteer), then Buddha (hermit) and finally Kalki (invader, destroyer). This very obvious reference to caste system was ignored by all, because it embarrassed all Indians, whether on Left or Right. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Remembering the Mahatma
This has become an annual ritual. Most of the Municipal Corporations have atleast named some road as Mahatma Gandhi Road and as people are too busy to pronounce this long name, it has been shortened as M. G. Road. One TV channel spoke to persons walking on the M. G. Road at Bangalore and most of them did not know the expansion of MG. It seems that a school teacher asked her students to write an essay on Gandhi; some wrote on Indira Gandhi while others wrote Rajiv Gandhi and a small number wrote on Mahatma Gandhi. Though it looks like a joke, it is a fact. Read On

P. Manivannan: “Do not stand at my grave and weep…”
On 11th September night, a 15 ton tipper - truck hit the car we were travelling and smashed it. I did not realise how lucky I was, until I heard the Traffic Inspector reporting to his boss, "I really don't know how they escaped Sir. It is a miracle. Mani Sir was lucky." The same night, the citizens of Mysore were not so lucky. Death knocked at the door of a man, who worked for Mysore, day and night, tirelessly, and silently. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: When Bangalore became Venice
Even ambulances with their sirens muted and their preference over other vehicles helplessly forgotten had to just wait for their turn to crawl out of the chaos. At every place where this pileup could be seen it was not until the rain stopped fully and the Policemen in raincoats arrived on the scene that the tangles of helpless vehicles could be undone slowly to let their owners go home in a daze. Many people simply had no other option than to abandon their stranded vehicles and walk home wading through the waters. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Kal Bhairav’s Dog
In Hindu mythology, the dog is the most inauspicious of animals, to be kept away from wedding altars and holy sites. A howling dog becomes a harbinger of bad luck. In fact, even the sight of a dog is considered to bring bad luck. Why is it so? Dogs are such lovable creatures, obedient and affectionate. Even in the Rig Veda, the role of a dog as a protector, is acknowledged when Indra sends the mother of dogs, Sarama, in search for missing cows. Read On

T. J. S. George: A Failure of leadership
And where has been our Prime Minister? A few "PM steps in" headlines appeared in the eleventh hour when several star athletes had already pulled out. BBC was showing humiliating pictures of filthy beds and bathrooms and government leaders of Australia and New Zealand had publicly expressed concerns. All that "steps in" meant was that the PM called another meeting of Ministers and officials — behind closed doors. What stopped him from making a public statement, acknowledging the lapses and promising remedial measures? Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Adding life to our years
"What would you not pay to watch the moon rise if nature had not inadvertently made it a free show?" There are a whole lot of free shows going on all the time all around us which we hardly notice and which if noticed with the seeing eye can give us much solace and peace of mind. Sunsets and moonrises are only a few among them. Take for instance the chirping of birds. It is divine music for which most of us have sadly lost the ear due to our hectic lives. You may ask where it is available with all the birds having been driven far away from our cities. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Clean Home, Yes; Country, No
Indians have two cleanliness standards — one for the house and one for the road. We make our guests take off their shoes when they come to our house. Some businesses even make their clients take off their shoes when they come to the office. We step into the puja area only after a bath. Yes, we believe “cleanliness is next to godliness,” but only when it comes to our homes. Once outside, we spit, shit and piss with the same carefreeness and vigour of a canine. Yes, agreed it’s called the “nature’s call” but do we have to take it so literally as to relieve ourselves on the lap of mother nature? Read On

Raju Hotel kitchen shifted to KRS Hotel at Midnight!
I was serving then in Mangalore and my services were drafted to assist in the conference. I think it was a two - day conference. Our Minister Devaraj Urs was hosting morning breakfast to all the delegates. It occurred to him the previous night of giving typical Mysore items at breakfast, particularly, Mysore Set Dosa and Kesari Baath, Mysore Pak. KRS Hotel and Metropole at Mysore were run by Bombay's Ritz Hotels Group then and Devaraj Urs knew very well that they were not able to serve these items. He also knew that only famous Raju's Hotel at Agrahara Circle in Mysore was the right choice. Raju's Hotel in those days was a landmark for Mysore Set Dosa and other local delicacies and one could see many old Mysoreans addicted to the taste of these items and flocking at the Hotel in the morning. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Elephant Lore
She dreamt of an elephant entering her womb, and the next day the queen declared she was pregnant. The child grew up to become the Buddha. In his previous lifetime, so say the Jatakas, the Buddha was Vessantara, prince of Sivi, who had in his stables a magical elephant that drew rain clouds wherever it went. And so, when there was a drought in Kalinga, the king requested that Vessantara's elephant be sent there and draw in the rain. Stories such as these clearly indicate that in India Read On

T. J. S. George: Starve: This is incredible India
Large property owners across the country will benefit and perhaps another well - connected foreign consultant. The problem is beyond Ahluwalia’s wizardry to solve. The culture of middlemen and politician - bureaucrat nexus will triumph because the wizards make no attempt to counter it. Therefore wheat will rot, cotton will go up in flames — and the starving will continue to starve. We are incredible India indeed! Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Watergate: A Series of Scandals
Recently, my grandson studying in a lower class came out with a funny story. Some student asked the teacher about the Watergate, which he had heard from his father. The poor teacher obviously did not know anything about it or perhaps took its literal meaning. The teacher thought that it was a gate to allow water to go out as in the case of KRS dam where there are a large number of gates. I enjoyed the joke but did not comment on the teacher. This made me write about Watergate. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: ATMs: Any Time Misery?
When he explained the problem to the truck driver, he outright accused him of trying to dodge and delay the payment due to unavailability of funds. He was given the option of riding in the truck to his bank from where he then drew the required sum of money through a withdrawal slip and cleared himself of the stigma and embarrassment of being a dodger. When he complained to his bank, the manager simply told him that it was a technical problem that had to be sorted out by his higher - ups. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Confucius, the great master
When he was just three – years - old, his father died and was taken care of by his step - mother. At the age of 15, he began learning philosophy and literature. As he himself has said "At 15, I set my heart on learning; at 30, I was firmly established; at 40, I cleared my doubts regarding life; at 50, I learnt the secrets of heaven; at 60, inner voice began to speak; at 70, I began to work according to my inner voice." His magical personality attracted thousands of people in China and thus he became famous. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Two – Thirds God
Between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, in the land called Mesopotamia, in the brick city of Erech, lived Gilgamesh, a king who was two - thirds god and one - third man. His love of war meant no son was left to any father and his love for pleasure meant no woman was left for any husband. The people of the city begged the gods to create someone to distract their king so that they may have rest. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Junk the Junkets
What is even more questionable is the fact that AKKA has accepted Rs. 45 lakh grant from our government. We are a poor nation and they are living in a prosperous nation. If they have any concern, they must send us money. If they want an Indian taxpayer to pay for their cultural and business meet, then let them guarantee us a return on our investment or else let them run it within a budget that they can afford. Why should the Indian taxpayer spend on entertaining people richer than us, who were once upon a time Indians? Why should we pay so our richer country cousins can have fashion shows, Miss AKKA pageant and AKKA Idol contest? Let them do it with their own dollars. Not our rupee. Read On

T. J. S. George: Options We Have; Have we the Will?
Another war with India is unlikely to be on China's agenda. But menacing military build - up and other needling tactics to divert India's energies and attention is central to its agenda. It's an old ploy. But the level of aggressiveness is new. India's politicians, the TV channels in particular, have a way of reacting to such unfriendly actions in an emotional, high - decibel style, which is reminiscent of the Nehru - era cries like "We won't let them get one inch of Indian territory." If anything, such declamatory posturings only reduce our own ability to work out counter - strategies in a cool and calculating manner. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Riti, Niti and Dharma
There is something noble about keeping one's word. It speaks volumes about commitment and integrity. But this commitment and integrity has its roots in the “law of the Raghu clan”, which is riti or tradition. Is that the same as dharma? Why does Ram agree to go to the forest? Is it because he feels it is the right thing to do (dharma), or is it because that is what is expected of him as the eldest of the next generation of the Raghu clan (riti)? Or is he simply upholding the law of the land (niti), which says sons must obey their father? Read On

Common Wealth Games: Adjust & Pray
In his interviews, he does not give straight answers, instead gives convoluted excuse. He seems to believe that if you cannot convince, then confuse. What is amusing is his new habit of ending each of his answers with “it’s going to be the best games ever!” Some people may say “what a misplaced sense of over - confidence” and call this “delusional” behaviour and some like Sharad Yadav have simply called Kalmadi “thick skinned”. Read On

Destitutes’ Rehab Centre: Children of a Lesser God?
Walking through the corridors of the Destitutes’ Rehabilitation Centre in Jyothinagar, Mysore, one could see the overwhelming despair in the faces of the inmates, many of whom have been brought here without enquiry. They say they have families and wish to be released from the Centre, which has failed to be a home even to the homeless due to the impassivity of the officials concerned. The roofless rooms, windowless bathrooms, corridors overfilled with the “children of a lesser god” feature in this article. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Return of Dengue, the Dark Evil
I can say this because he happened to be my close personal friend who used to spend much time with me all through his last posting as we used to share our place of work in what was then called “Veerappan Territory”. Like me, he too had great love for books and he had a fabulous personal collection in his home library. He was a great “conversationist” with a phenomenal knowledge about many subjects especially weapon systems and aeronautics. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Good Horn, Good Brakes & Good Luck
As far as India’s traffic problem is concerned, one needs to have a sense of humour, patience and the biblical attitude “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…” As much as we get irritated in traffic, we must not lose our mind. Its better we laugh at it. The comedy of Indian traffic and people’s behaviour on road may not be a laughing matter but it sure can be turned into a satisfying laughter therapy. As a TV host said, “In India you need Good Horn, Good Brake and Good Luck”. You also need a good sense of humour to survive it. Read On

T. J. S. George: Why greed is endless
Whether the man is punished or allowed to escape, the people of this country have formed a clear opinion that he plundered everything he came across in his days of power. Why would such a man insist so loudly on a big pay increase? It must have something to do with the attitude of mind politicians develop after several years of looting and grabbing with immunity. When you can do such things and still get elected as a patriot, then you develop special complexes. You feel that you are elected because people admire even the way you plunder. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: The Axe of Parashurama
This shift happens before the arrival of Ram and is marked by another of Vishnu's avatar, Parashurama, which literally translates as “the axe - bearing Ram”. He is also called Bhargava Ram or “Ram of the priestly Bhrigu clan”, distinguishing him from Raghava Ram or “Ram of the royal Raghu clan”. Parashuram's grandmother Sathyavathi was a princess, daughter of Gadhi. She was given in marriage to Richika, Parashuram's grandfather. It was common practice for Rajas to offer their daughters to Rishis, along with cows. Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: Padayatra or Publicity Jatra?
So is the Congress which is so disturbed by the “looting of State’s wealth” going on a padayatra to conduct a CBI probe on their own partymen also? Why are these leaders whose names are in the list of illegal mining even allowed to take part in the padayatra? If Congress was really sincere, then it should have suspended the Congress leaders who, according to Lokayukta, are involved in illegal mining and demanded that they too be investigated by the CBI. They could have always reinstated them back to their positions if the probe proved that they were innocent. Read On

T. J. S. George: US trapped by ISI; Advantage Taliban
By contrast, India gives America everything America wants — nuclear treaty clauses as stipulated by the American Congress, favoritism to companies like Union Carbide, virtual immunity clauses in the event of future industrial accidents, even a false declaration to ex - President Bush that the people of India loved him. What does India get in return? Repeated verbal declarations that Pakistan must do more to contain terrorism. Why doesn't America do more to contain Pakistan? Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Love for Baldur
He was the gentlest of Viking gods in whose memory people kiss under the mistletoe. The Vikings believed in the large number of gods and these gods lived in the great city of Asgard, high in the heavens. The story goes that the most favoured of all gods was one Baldur while the most hated god was a slimy trickster called Loki. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Columbus, the Discoverer
In the meantime, he started his voyage in 1477 to Ireland and Iceland. Next year a merchant commissioned him to buy sugar and deliver it to another merchant. He did it satisfactorily. He developed friendship with a rich widow and married her in 1479. He started living with her happily in Madeira. They had a son by name Diego. It is said; Columbus had affairs with many women and had many illegitimate children. Normally this happens with navigators who live outside their homes for a long time. Then Columbus went on a voyage to Guinea. By these voyages Columbus learnt the technique of sea - going experience which became useful later. Read On

Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem: Beggars too can be choosers
As I go about my daily grind, I stand at an unobtrusive distance and watch this daily drama which can be a free lesson in the art of living for any one who would otherwise only be too willing to pay and hire a spiritual guru or God - man for it. Whether the likes of me watch it or not, I feel certain that God above watches it unfailingly with its reward held in his hand. When most of us have reached a stage in our lives where we lead a ‘dog eat dog’ life without caring one bit about doing something for others, here is a beggar who chooses to go about doing his good turn day in and day out. Who says beggars can’t be choosers? Read On

Vikram Muthanna in Black & White: ACICM NGO or Lobbyist?
Having a District in - charge Minister from the same district is not enough to put that district on the path of progress. We need a Minister who has the ears of the Chief Minister, the trust of the bureaucracy and the goodwill of the Police force. If the Chief Minister does not take the words of the in - charge Minister seriously, he will not be well - disposed to do work in that district. If the bureaucracy is not happy with the Minister, then everything will move at a snail's pace. And finally, if the Police does not do an honest job, then the district will always remain chaotic. Read On

T. J. S. George: Conspiring against the People?
One excuse for not introducing this system countrywide is that it is expensive. Certainly the Railway Minister can find the money to introduce it at least in and around West Bengal so that the treacherous CPM's conspiracies can be defeated once and for all? Mamata Bannerji is like a train that has gone off the rails. It is running on rail less surface. There is danger ahead. Read On

Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy: Divine ordained Joan of ARC
History has been a witness to many unlucky women who by their hardwork, sincerity of purpose and bravery served the society in different walks of life. Queen of Jhansi, Kittur Chennamma, Belavadi Mallamma of our own history may be cited as good examples. Perhaps, Joan of Arc who also belonged to this category suffered more than our own brave women. More poignant is her death at just 19 years at the hands of cruel people. Read On

Decoding Hindu Mythology: Etana and Adapa
In Mesopotamia, now called Iraq, in the land between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, there bloomed one of the oldest civilisations of man. And the people there, who built great brick cities with tall towers for the gods, believed so long as man served the gods and offered them sacrifices life would be good; any sign of defiance and the angry gods would bring down storms and floods and pestilence. This world where man feared gods had many tales to tell. Read On

Shikaripura Harihareshwara passes away
He served the cause of Kannada during his 30 - year stay in the USA, being the Chief Editor of the bimonthly Amerikannada. He had rendered yeomen service in organising Kannada movement in that land, apart from authoring 17 literary works. The State Government had honoured him with Rajyotsava award in 1999. Harihareshwara's wife Nagalakshmi and daughters Nandini and Sumana are also writers, serving Kannada literary world. He and his wife had taken an initiative on bringing out a collection of essays and other writings in connection with the ensuing AKKA meet. Read On