Warli tribe’s colorful tradition
At the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples celebrated near Mumbai recently, the cynosure of all eyes was the parade of adivasis: The most striking feature about them was that the clothes and hats they wore and the musical instruments they played were...
Jailer: Is it as entertaining as Sivaji?
Does the latest Rajini-starrer Jailer directed by Nelson measure up to the expectations? In the past two decades, only two films – Sivaji directed by Shankar and Petta by Karthick Subburaj – were out-and-out Rajini films. They were cocktails of all the customary...
Jailer speech: So Rajini and Kamal are indeed frenemies?
Jailer audio release was atypical for Rajinikanth. The superstar is rarely controversial when it comes to talking about movies and filmdom on public platforms though he doesn’t baulk at venting on politics or social issues. In movie events, he makes his appearance...
How online system can root out graft in TN tenders
There is a perpetual tussle between the present government in Tamil Nadu and the Governor or anti-corruption crusader NGOs on some social, economic, or cultural issue. Also, the debate gets interesting since the contentious issue of governance is looked at through the...
Chennaiites hit by MTC vacancies, ageing buses, poor integration
Chennai’s bus operator Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has a staggering 504 driver vacancies, 75 conductor vacancies and 246 technical positions unfilled as of May 2023, while the oldest bus in the fleet is an ancient 17.4 years, data obtained under the Right...
Man-animal conflict: Why culling may work well
The recent incidents involving the tusker Arikomban in Kerala and later in Tamil Nadu have sparked a furore among the public and unsettled government officials in both states. There was an outpouring of sentiment from stakeholders on the rough handling of the...
Badri Seshadri arrest: When ideologies and free speech collide
The Badri Seshadri arrest has to be seen in a broader context. Leftists and liberals stand for free speech, the right to criticize. They uphold equality, dignity for all, and so on. They are all for change. Rightwingers venerate what is timeworn and sacred in society....
Yogi Babu: A comedian on his way to star status
Tamil cinema has a long tradition of comedians who have endeared themselves to audiences. Some attained iconic status such as Kalaivanar N.S. Krishnan who started the tradition of comedy with social consciousness in Tamil cinema. When some comedians appear on the...
Coconut food festival adds flavour to Aadi in Kongunadu
Tamil Nadu abounds in festivals marked by various food items depending on the geographical and cultural features of the regions. The Kongu region comprising Salem, Erode, Dharmapuri, Namakkal and Tirupur celebrates the advent of the Tamil month ‘Aadi’ with a dish made...
Maaveeran: A fantasy world of the risen underdog
The spirit of adventure lies dormant in all humans, but only a handful of people have opportunities to tap into it and come off with daring feats. Those denied the chance immerse themselves in the world of fantasies or enjoy vicarious pleasures watching fantasy films...
One hundred years of goli soda
In Tamil Nadu, the very mention of soft - or cool - drinks brings back to mind goli soda. Time was when goli soda was served to guests at home as a token of honour. Post-Independence, the industry expanded. But after the advent of the foreign soft drinks companies in...
Come 2024, DMK will surrender to BJP: Savukku Shankar
Savukku Shankar, a social media influencer, popular for his stormy petrel image, has courted trouble for his anti-establishment remarks. In an interview to inmathi.com, he shared his insights into the burgeoning of social media and the problems plaguing the...
Lust Stories2: Elegant exploration of many shades of sex
Love and lust play predominant complex roles in man’s life, referenced as ‘id’ in Freudian terms. They have from time immemorial been the staple of man’s creative works – poetry, epics and fiction. In the post-Renaissance period, they have been the perennial...
Fish at ration shops: Siddha expert’s solution to protein deficiency
There is a growing perception that healthy food, exercise and a stress-free mind are the key to full-fledged well-being, says Dr Sivaraman, a leading practitioner of the Siddha system of medicine. The doctor shared his insights gained from participating a...
Kerala struggles to combat stray dog menace.
With an estimated 2,80,000 stray dogs on its streets, Kerala is in danger of becoming Dogs own Country rather than the iconic Gods Own Country, known for its serene and green landscape. There are another 9,00,000 licensed pet dogs many of which join the strays thanks...
Building smarter with Madurai and Coimbatore Metro Rail Project
Whether smaller cities like Madurai and Coimbatore need costly Metro rail systems is a widely discussed theme, and the critiques start to bite when the pattern of underinvestment in existing ‘low capacity’ systems such as buses, mini-buses and smaller vehicles shows...
No oil no boil — raw food restaurant serves superfoods
In the midst of an explosion of exotic food fads and Internet gourmet gurus, Chennai’s own Kannamma Neelakandan flips all our assumptions about food on their head — by serving delicious, multi-course meals without cooking! On the outskirts of the city in Pallikaranai,...
‘TN Governor Ravi wrong about SC verdict, Constitutional provisions’
A key argument invoked by TN Governor R N Ravi in his letter dismissing Senthil Balaji from the cabinet was that the Supreme Court had observed in 2022 that Senthil Balaji is an influential person and that’s why he was able to evade being charged under the Prevention...