The marine organism Porpita porpita known as Blue Buttons has been spotted in large numbers at Pattipulam coastal village near Mamallapuram last Sunday. The organism's usual homes are Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions. They are not seen in the Bay of Bengal. Experts suggest that it...
A library is a public facility or a private utility – a storehouse of information. It is a portal to the world of knowledge. Tens and thousands of people, who cannot afford to buy expensive books or who are on the trail of research literature for their professional needs, swarm libraries. The...
By the time of the 19th century, the caste system had come to such a pass that a majority of the population was considered untouchables and temples had closed their doors on them. Poor, underprivileged, marginalized folk could not enter Hindu temples for worship. But defiance of this order was...
Birds glide around the world’s skies as the messengers of ecological balance. Urbanization, destruction of forests, and water, air and noise pollution are threatening their habitats. Common people have a key role to play in protecting birds. International agencies have been working to promote...
Kani tribes learned many skills by keenly observing nature. Ants and dragonflies in forests were their teachers. Those skills got expression in their art, customs and traditions. But the march of modernity has disrupted the lives of Kanis. Their art forms have nearly vanished. The customs and...
Attitudes towards race, colour and gender are constantly changing depending on time and place. People holding lofty ideals in the past have sometimes left records that today appear regressive. Autobiographical jottings flesh them out. I read one such piece of writing recently. Chinna Annamalai...
Hakki Pikki is a semi-nomadic tribe that roamed around the entire country. The community originated in North India but is mostly found in South Indian states. In Karnataka, they are called Hakki Pikki, meaning bird catchers, while they are also called Nakkavando in Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil...
Bharathimani who died earlier this week was not only known for his interesting and thought provoking writings but for the dignity with which he handled life’s challenges. His daughter said on his passing away that he faced disease with dignity. Bharathimani had several faces: actor, writer and...
Normal life is returning to Chennai. There is likelihood that it would be disrupted again if rain pours. Fear is still there among the people. It will be there until the end of December. I have been living in this growing city for nearly 35 years. Without any letup, the damage from rains and...
I watched the movie Jai Bhim whose theme is the plight of Irulars. The suffering that a section of people undergo has been portrayed artistically in that movie. Jai Bhim has kicked off a debate. Writers, representatives of marginalized groups, as well as people holding positions of power and...
