Food habits have long been a subject of much discussion in Tamil Nadu. The environment and local produce have determined food habits. The food that some communities eat is used to denigrate them. Some advocate a cuisine that suits one’s body type. Some advocate vegetarianism. Organizations like...
It was in late November 2003 when we visited the Adhikesava Perumal Temple at Arpakkam near Uthiramerur in Kanchipuram district. On the left of the temple, were two statues - each showing Buddha in a seated posture - lying abandoned in a dense thicket, ironically named Buddha Garden. The head...
Honesty is the best policy, as the cliché goes, but definitely a rare commodity in today’s world, more so, some would say, among the TN police. Appearance, educational qualifications and occupation or designation hardly help in assessing a person’s honesty. It is rather their attitude and...
Earlier this week, three new sites in Tamilnadu were declared wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention. The Pallikaranai marshland, Pichavaram mangrove forests and Karikili bird sanctuary near Vedanthangal have been newly listed as protected areas. These sites now join...
To be distinct in any sphere of activity is everyone’s dream. But that goal requires a lifelong commitment with the stamp of originality and individuality. For that, constant training and perseverance hold the key. Of a multitude of people striving towards the goal, only a few scale the peak....
While the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus maybe a fading bad dream for most people, the impact of the pandemic continues to haunt several poor students in Tamil Nadu. Despite having struggled through long school closures and lack of resources to complete their schooling, many...
The Sri Lankan situation has puzzled many and made others apprehensive regarding the future. Advocate Yasodharan who represented Vavuniya had a role in government when Varadaraja Perumal was the first and only Chief Minister of the North-Eastern Province (1988-1990). He shared his analysis of...
The seat of power in Sri Lanka and historically famous Lankan President Palace has now come to be occupied by its people. It is fully under the control of protesters as a pawn on the negotiating table. People have barged into that palace which was once touted to be under maximum security cover...
Therukoothu is alive and kicking -- at least in some places during the Tamil months of Aani and Aadi. Therukoothu themes are often the smaller stories of the Mahabharatha, the nuggets that are spicy and carry a message. Therukoothu is typically performed through the night during village...
Instead of new recruitment as Tamilnadu government employees, governments have been using contract workers for a long time. From life saving professions to nurses to others, contract workers are being used extensively by government and are paid contract wages. Frequent announcements are made...
