I am not an early riser. The sun always beats me at it. So, morning walks are a non-starter. But I do walk into the sun-sets, not just to bid goodbye to the sustainer of life on earth, whom I failed to welcome, but also to keep fit. And also because evening walks are entertaining and even enlightening exercises.
Author: T R Jawahar
Counting the roadside idols on Pillayar Chathurthi (PC) day … night, rather, has always been a favourite pastime of mine. Driving around town and stopping by every few yards for a window darshan and a hurried salute is truly an exhilarating experience.
I was born in 1964 and so were many of my childhood mates. How do friends and our families, near and dear of all ages and sizes, celebrate the golden jubilee, which of course is a gift of God and by no means ‘our’ achievement? There has to be fun and fellowship; ‘kick’ and kummalam; heady stuff and heartfelt solace; tears from nostalgia and naughty jokes alike; leg-pulling and back-slapping.
At first sights it seemed silly why everyone got so worked up over the dhoti issue. But since everyone is so worked up, there must surely be something behind all that silliness. After all, the matter has dogged the judiciary and legislature and bogged down the media for close to a week. Above all, I am basically a dhoti guy at home and at home in dhoti in public places too. Yes, I have no choice but to wring up my dhoti in all righteous indignation and spring into action by jumping into the ring.
Truth and beauty, nay everything in this world and beyond, are in the eye of the beholder. To the fickle human mind perception is reality. Dwaraka, in Yudishtra’s view, was heaven on earth; Dhuryodhana however saw only evil and misery. Their cut and dried distinctive outlooks also reflected their nature and mindset.
Talk Media completes ten years this August. A decade may mean nothing in the vast realms of time, but for Talk it signifies a long and meaningful chat with the readers. I say ‘chat’ despite print being a one-way communication media because we believe you, the reader and resident of various localities, have often talked through us and to us.
The judicial verdict on the Kumbakonam school fire tragedy that snuffed out 94 budding lives in July 2004 raises more questions than it answers. They range from the mundane and material to the metaphysical and beg to be addressed by more than just the judiciary.
Paradoxically, the judiciary has landed itself in the dock. The sickening slanging spree in its higher echelons and exposure of its dark political underbelly stemmed from its own ranks. Now, it is not just about some ex-judges and their past acts. The question naturally arises on what skeletons will tumble out when current judges turn ex. The judicial system has all five fingers pointing inwards for a long time to come.
It has been top national news on all media for a week now, a record, albeit unpleasant, of sorts, for a Chennai ‘story’. The 11-storeyed housing complex, Faith — and what an irony — came crashing down last Saturday in seconds, but the tragedy is unfolding by the hour and dragging on for days.