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Chennai, TN, the surfing capital of India

Surfing in Chennai and all of Tamil Nadu has seen a surge in popularity, captivating both locals and tourists along the state’s long and breathtaking coastline. The state's diverse range of surf spots cater to surfers of all levels, making it an enticing...

Chennai Surfing

Better Tamil Nadu

Opinion

TN Governor Ravi’s broadsides baring chinks in Dravidian armour

TN Governor Ravi’s broadsides baring chinks in Dravidian armour

This column had made the point that Governor R N Ravi was not just an administrative choke point for the government but was seeking to amplify the nationalist narrative as a counter to Dravidian ideology and the DMK. Governor R N Ravi was not just a tough customer who...

Tamils must admit to, end bias against migrant workers

Tamils must admit to, end bias against migrant workers

A Facebook post that came up recently featured a photo of film star Rajinikanth standing next to a shorter, scraggy looking man – purportedly a daily wage worker. The accompanying comment said both came from up north for survival and they should know their place and...

Why Governor Ravi’s use of ‘Thamizhagam’ is inaccurate

Why Governor Ravi’s use of ‘Thamizhagam’ is inaccurate

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi’s open dislike of the words ‘Tamil Nadu’ and replacing it with ‘Thamizhagam’ has led to a political storm in the state. The ruling DMK and its allies are of course opposed to it, but so is the opposition AIADMK. The party declared it would...

Mathi Memes

Editor’s Pick

Editor's Pick

Why does PMK see red in NLC expansion plan?

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is up in arms against the land acquisition move for the Neyveli Lignite Corporation's (NLC) third mine expansion project. The party has been insisting that land owners who part with their lands for the project, be given a guarantee of employment in NLC. But one...

NLC expansion

Politics

Mekedaatu dam will not hurt TN’s interests, insists DKS

Amid rising temperatures and a delayed monsoon, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka D.K. Shivakumar urged the Tamil Nadu government to show magnanimity over the contentious Mekedaatu project and cooperate for the benefit of farmers of both...

A sengol from TN to launch new political conquests?

The sengol (royal sceptre) is yet another masterstroke by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reassert the idea of an Indian nation in which Tamil Nadu is an integral but unique part of it. By having the non-brahmin adheenams participating in the...

Anti-BJP battle: Congress has miles to go and promises to keep

Congratulating the Congress on its landslide victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has noted, “They have taught a fitting lesson to the BJP for its vindictive politics, establishing their Kannadiga...

Shadow of hooch tragedy hangs over TN govt.

Barely a month after the Tamil Nadu government stated in the Assembly that there had been no hooch tragedies in the state for 14 years, two incidents of illicit liquor, claiming 22 lives so far have put paid to these official claims. The two...

Kalaignar 100: He was a journalists’ delight

Former DMK supremo and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu ‘Kalaignar’ M. Karunanidhi’s birth centenary year begins on June 3, 2023. A political, cultural and social icon indelibly engraved in the Tamil consciousness, he is and will be remembered forever for his...

Kalaignar

Culture

Kondaiah Raju: The painter who brought the gods home

It was artist C. Kondaiah Raju (1898-1976), who, in his portraits, infused life into several Hindu gods and goddesses and made them part of several temples and households. He was one of the few famous painters such as Raja Ravi Varma. Born to...

Justice Party defied pressure to Sanskritise medical edu

(This is the third and final article of a three-part series) Soon after the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms of 1919, the Justice Party, which formed the provincial government for Madras Presidency in November 1920, faced various challenges. But the...

Pure Tamil drive broke Sanskrit’s grip on medicine

(This is the second article of a three-part series) When Macaulay’s report led to stopping of the British government's financial support for Sanskrit — and to Arabic and Persian, which anyway received far smaller share from the funds — Sanskrit...

Food

Drink water regularly; it does more than just quench thirst

Drinking enough water every day plays a great role in maintaining human health. Water accounts for 75 per cent of the substances our body is made up of, and drinking enough water aids digestion and regulates metabolism. How much water should you...

Have greens everyday to keep diseases at bay

Food in itself and of itself is medicine. So goes an old Tamil adage. Familiar with the medicinal properties of greens, our forefathers made them a part of their daily diet. Modern doctors too insist on taking greens regularly as they play a...

Drop it like a hot potato: Boiled good, french fries bad

Is potato good for health or not?  Some vouch for the potato’s health benefits such as being able to prevent cancer. But others say the tuber is anything but healthy. So, which is it? Potato, one of the world’s important food crops, is a...

Keep your gut healthy to have a happy mind

Whether one is prone to illnesses or builds good immunity to fight them depends a lot on one’s gut health. Sounds strange? It is scientifically proven that a healthy intestinal tract can rein in diseases. Being alive and kicking, totally free...

GI tag for Vellore thorny brinjal, Ramnad rotund chilli

In recognition of Tamil Nadu’s indigenous varieties of brinjal and chillies, the thorny brinjal of Vellore and the rotund chilli of Ramanathapuram have been given the geographical indication or GI tag. ‘Mullu kaththarikaai’ (thorny brinjal) is endemic to Vellore...

GI Tag

Civic Issues

Chennai is a mega construction site but GCC can ease pain points

Strange as it may seem, the bustling traffic on Arcot Road, a State Highway feeding into Porur, has been redirected since May 6 via densely populated residential neighbourhoods in Kodambakkam and K.K. Nagar, among other places, to facilitate work on the 118 km...

A partial victory for people with disabilities in TN cities

Something is better than nothing, the Madras High Court noted, and ordered the Tamil Nadu government to procure 499 low-floor buses suitable for use by people with disabilities in cities and suburbs. With its order of April 18, the Madras High Court has for now...

Environment

Can Chennai open more parks only at high cost?

Chennai’s Semmozhi Poonga, which experiences fluctuating fortunes based on who is in power at Fort St. George is all set to host a short three-day flower show from June 3. To prepare the park for the event, funds have flowed in for beautification, including laying...

Fishing ban an opportunity for TN fishers in Karnataka

The Mangaluru district administration has announced a 61 days monsoon fishing ban between June 1 and July 31. All mechanized boats with onboard and outboard engines above 10 HP have already begun being hauled up in Mangaluru and along the coast. All mechanized and...

Sports

Chennai, TN, the surfing capital of India

Surfing in Chennai and all of Tamil Nadu has seen a surge in popularity, captivating both locals and tourists along the state’s long and breathtaking coastline. The state's diverse range of surf spots cater to surfers of all levels, making it an enticing...

CSK’s Gujarati, GT’s Tamil talent bode well for IPL

“You do get emotional; the first game at CSK everyone was chanting my name. My eyes were full of tears,” said an emotional Mahendra Singh Dhoni as he led Chennai Super Kings to a record fifth IPL final on Monday. So without going into the details of how and where...

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