The spirit of adventure lies dormant in all humans, but only a handful of people have opportunities to tap into it and come off with daring feats. Those denied the chance immerse themselves in the world of fantasies or enjoy vicarious pleasures watching fantasy films or reading comics. The...
Before the industrial revolution and the large-scale production of chemicals opened up farming to synthetic inputs like fertilisers and pesticides, all farming had been organic farming. In India particularly, the need to become self-sufficient in food production in the years after Independence...
P Sivakami, 65, is a Dalit-feminist writer, former IAS officer and also the leader of her own political party Samuga Samathuva Padai. One of the first Dalit women writers in Tamil, she is an author of six novels and over 60 short stories. Interviewed by G Ananthakrishnan, a senior journalist,...
Members of organic farming organizations have said that the organic farming policy announced by the Tamil Nadu government is a good effort but lacks understanding and proper action plans. Arachalur Selvam, president, Tamil Nadu Traditional Farmers Federation said: "Even though draft reports on...
Author Lalitha Ram, in his biography on Palani Subramaniya Pillai titled Dhruva Natchathiram, unveils the fascinating background to the style that the mridangist represents. In a quick yet comprehensive sweep, Dhruva Natchathiram looks at the historical, musical and personal aspects of what...
People of various marginalised scheduled tribes such as Irulars and Narikuravars, who find a place only on the peripheries of various towns, have been living in mud huts or makeshift tents, exposed to rain and shine, for generations. Their dwellings are virtually open spaces; only that they...
The Pongal festival ingrained in the popular imagination conjures up images of cooking rice in an open fire, buffaloes and cows being decorated and celebrated and people meticulously arranging sugarcane, turmeric leaves, flowers and other paraphernalia. In tribal villages of the Western Ghats,...
Discussions about weight loss tend to be more about fads rather than healthy habits. There is a lot of information available online about how to maintain your body mass index (BMI) and keep fit. But there is much more misinformation spread by fitness influencers and lapped up by fitness freaks....
Dr N Punniamurthy, 65, has demonstrated the efficacy of Siddha medicine in curing about 40 cattle diseases, setting an example for other states to consider and emulate. He has worked as the head of the Ethno Veterinary Medicine Training and Research Centre, Thanjavur, affiliated to the Tamil...
It takes perseverance to be an actor, a lot of it to be popular and much more to sustain the popularity. This unwritten law of tinseltown holds good for all ages. Right from Tamil superstar of yesteryear M K Thyagaraja Bhagavathar to the post-1950 superstars MGR and Sivaji Ganesan to the...
