Boy meets girl. Something clicks and they fall in love. Parents oppose and the lovers either die or live together with or without their parents’ approval. Parents oppose because the two are of different status, caste or religion. This theme has been done to death in books, TV programmes and...
S S Davidson from Nagercoil was a bird watcher, wildlife activist and social activist who worked among the Kani tribe of Western Ghats. He died this June after a brief illness. He left behind some 800 pictures of birds which he loved most. The family is planning to turn the pictures into a book...
The Tamil Nadu government has the history of nationalizing books of prominent authors, scholars and political leaders from the state. Recently, the works of late general secretary of the DMK, K. Anbazhagan were nationalized marking his birth centenary. The works of the late Dravidian movement...
“I was around 12 or 13 when I started living in this crematorium,” says Hari, the undertaker at Thathaneri crematorium in Madurai. Hari is not just the man who receives the dead and facilitates the last rites in the neighbourhood. He is also the Good Samaritan, known for his generous heart and...
“I got married when I was 13 and married off my daughter when she was 17. My granddaughter is doing her degree and she will decide when to get married. Why should the government now revise the marriageable age for girls?” asks Muthamizh, an elderly woman. The central government has decided to...
Before medical surgery, a patient in Tamil Nadu /Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is asked a few questions regarding allergies to medication and so on. He/she may well be asked about his/ her caste, too. Doctors want to ensure they don't belong to the Arya Vaishya Chetty caste group as researchers...
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...
Once the object of smirks and snide remarks directed at its owner, Tamil Nadu’s manjappai (yellow bag) has come centre stage again as Chief Minister M.K. Stalin upscaled it and relaunched its second coming as “Meendum Manjappai.” The DMK leader sees it as a central element of contemporary...
The ‘Tamil Thai Vaazhthu’ (hymn in praise of the Mother Tamil) was penned by Manonmaniam P. Sundaranar in the preface to his poetic drama ‘Manonmaniam’ published in 1891. The Karanthai Tamil Sangam demanded that the song, “neeraarum kadaluduththa nilamadanthai” (the earth personified as a woman...
The seller quoted a price of Rs 35,000. Girish may have been just 27 years old and looked white collar. But he knew the game. He relentlessly beat down the price without budging. He sensed that it was late evening and the seller must be eager to empty his inventory. When the price seemed about...
