By T.J.S. George The story is that a man used to walk up and down London’s glamorous Oxford Street with a placard proclaiming “the end is nigh.” The idea was to encourage people to repent their sins and prepare for the imminent apocalypse. What was only a spiritual note of caution then has now acquired…
The wanton insult of old age according to Mark Twain
April 27, 2020These are the days of Coronavirus, COVID-19. These are the days of lockdown and social distancing. These are the days of house quarantine or isolated hospitalisation. These are bad days. These are days of despair. Every day is the longest day. Every night is the longest night. Worse is when you don’t get sleep and…
Positivity & Filth = Happiness & Health?
April 26, 2020A few days ago the Head of Shanghai’s COVID-19 clinical expert team, Zhang Wenhong noticed something about the Indian people after watching a religious gathering on TV where the devotees were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing. He said, “Indians may not be physically immune to the pandemic but they are mentally immune.” Just…
Remembering Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — 17
April 25, 2020Domestic difficulties in his last days [Continued from Apr. 22] When everything looked good for Shivaji and his expanded empire which included an important Fort Gingee, deep inside Tamil country ruled by Shivaji’s second son Rajaram, his peace was soon clouded by the domestic difficulties. Here, it must be mentioned that the last years of…
It is a war, let us not crib
April 23, 2020By N.K.A. Ballal, Retd. Sr. Vice-President, ITDC An Army Officer’s wife’s message, so straight, touched my heart, so thought of sharing it with ‘SOM’ readers: “I contemplated a couple of times before jotting it down. I know probably a few will still not agree with me and bash me left, right and centre. But I…
Remembering Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — 16
April 22, 2020Coronation of Shivaji in June 1674 [Continued from Apr. 18] So it was that the coronation was celebrated at Raigad in June 1674. A massive grand, opulent and spectacular preparation was made for a month-long celebration. The coronation ceremony was performed by the greatest of the Brahman Ganga Bhat from Banaras known to be the…
PET TALK
April 22, 2020In this week’s Pet Talk, Maneka tells about the steps to be taken to help street animals during summer By Maneka Gandhi Does a person require a licence to engage in animal selling activities? The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018 in the…
THE TRUTH IS: WE ARE MEANINGLESS
April 21, 2020By T.J.S. George Sardar Patel’s statue at Ahmedabad was recently advertised for sale at Rs. 30,000 crore by “unknown persons.” Clearly it was someone’s idea of a joke and could have been dismissed as such. But the quality of humour is strained; it droppeth as the gentle rain for only the cultured. It blesseth him…
Covid Symptoms and Humour
April 19, 2020As the lockdown continues with the ever-increasing list of symptoms for COVID-19, most of us are sure to second guess and even panic at least once during the lockdown. Initially, we were told to look out for chronic dry cough, followed by fever and then difficulty in breathing. Then suddenly diarrhoea was declared a symptom….
Remembering Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — 15: Shivaji attacks Mughal Fort Sinhagad
April 18, 2020[Continued from Apr. 15] Historians differ in their opinions about the war that began between Mughal army and Shivaji following this letter. One version says Aurangzeb was busy dealing with a sudden Persian invasion in the North and Pathan rising at Peshawar. Here in the South it was a divided command between Dilir Khan, who…
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