Skill, relentless effort and helping hands can help ensure the success of a new venture. These have helped Stalin, a young man, start and run a successful small business. He makes snack foods like peanut candy out of palm jaggery – a traditional sweetener of Tamil Nadu produced from the sap of...
One interesting legend in Indian military history is how a most cruel, sadistic British officer inadvertently initiated a cult called Nikal Seyn. General John Nicholson's brutality should have made him a demon among native Pathans of North Western Frontier but they began revering him for the...
All through her life, Bangalore Nagarathnamal remained an ardent fan of Thyagaraja, one of Carnatic music's trinity. A Devadasi, she was struck with despair when she saw that Thyagaraja's grave was uncared for at Thiruvaiyaru. She sold her properties to construct the temple and memorial hall...
Those from outside Tamil Nadu or even young Tamils themselves might find it intriguing that an atheist like Periyar is one of the biggest icons of a devout Tamil populace. What led to this seeming paradox? How did this rational leader capture the imagination of a religious people? Dravidar...
Have you heard of this curious pre-wedding custom in parts of Tamil Nadu where the bride’s male cousin has a mock argument with the groom? It was recorded as far back as 1917 by British ICS official H R Pate who compiled the Tinnevelly District Gazette for the Madras District Gazetteers. One of...
Pongal is a time for grand kolams – as it is for any Tamil festival. The intricate art using rice flour deftly laid down on the ground in front of homes by the expert hands of women gives sanctity to the spot where they are drawn. As we know, the beautiful ‘drawings’ are a welcoming sign,...
Jallikattu has become a sacred rite now. What was until recently a sporting pastime, a fun activity and a quirk from the past has become an all consuming passion after the ban and protests. If only the Supreme Court had not banned it, Jallikattu may have tamped down on its own and become a tame...
Hailed as the Queen of Indian Stage, Kodumudi Balambal Sundarambal was a class apart from her contemporaries. The relationship or love affair between Sundarambal and her husband S G Kittappa was brief but it was a perfect match. Sundarambal’s troupe was conducting dramas in Sri Lanka and the...
During the day Balasubramanian, a Ph D degree holder in Commerce, is an Assistant Professor at Dharmapuram Adhinam Arts and Science College at Tharangambadi. After his work hours, he dons the hat of a potter and sits before the wheel, skillfully making pots and earthenware. He has clients in...
After the film Jai Bhim was released, the oppression that Irular tribes face has come into the public eye. But, the Irulars had a leader more than 60 years ago who fought for their rights and that of other tribal people. His name was V R Jagannathan. Well educated, Jagannathan must have written...
