In a symbolic move indicating that Jayalalithaa's aide V K Sasikala was preparing herself for a legal and perception battle for control over the AIADMK, she pulled off a coup by unveiling a plaque at MGR's T Nagar residence calling herself 'party general secretary' and spent time at his...
It seems ancient Chennaivasis believed in reincarnation. Their burial monuments testify to this. They didn’t cremate the dead but buried them. On top of the burial ground, they raised the stone monuments. Recent research has shown that Chennai has been continuously inhabited for thousands of...
The success of the ruling DMK in the local body elections in nine districts has not come as a surprise. But the real surprise package has been actor Vijay's Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam which has quietly picked up seats in various districts, indicating that Tamil Nadu has to brace itself for...
Like Manmohan Singh, Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan has learned quickly that good economics is bad politics. Much of the promises in his White Paper on the state’s financial position, regarding re-structuring and minimizing the amount of freebies and subsidies, would...
Today marks the 25th year of the change in name of Greater Chennai city from Madras to Chennai. This historic announcement, a celebration of Chennai and Tamil Nadu's culture and civilisation as opposed to being a legacy of British rule, was made by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M...
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan who has been strident in his criticism of DMK's political enemies has now crossed swords with DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan. When Elangovan told a journalist that PTR should have attended a recent GST meeting that he skipped, and that his...
Several Alvars record references to ancient Chennai in paasurams from 5th century References in Hymns of Alvars to ancient Chennai (Chennai Maadham series) In tracing the antiquity of the Chennai region subsequent to the second century A.D., we have to rely on the works of the early Vaishnavite...
The Tamil film industry is known as Kollywood -- a reference to Kodambakkam, the area in Chennai where studios were once located and stars lived. The real name of Kodambakkam, however, is Kodalambakkam (Kodal + pakkam)). Kodal is the name of a flower that grew in these parts, as recorded in...
Not many are aware of a dramatic shift in the stand of the DMK regarding conduct of bypolls due in Tamil Nadu. DMK president M K Stalin’s statement in this regard has come as a surprise. W When the Tiruvarur bypoll, scheduled for January 28, was put off by the Election Commission, there was...
The Election Commission was once respected as a constitutional, neutral body, with at least some pretence to be fair and apolitical. However, its actions relating to Tamil Nadu continue to raise eyebrows. Right from the time the EC took its time to hold the RK Nagar bypoll, and later announcing...
