One of the tragedies of Indian democracy is the repeated failure of the Opposition Party to perform its primary duty — which is to question, expose and challenge the Government of the day. Unfortunately, this failure is visible even in Karnataka. For long stretches, the BJP in Karnataka appears disengaged. There are no sustained protests,…
I was recently invited to Kaveri Ponnapa’s book launch that I had been looking forward to. Many in Mysuru may not recognise her name, but anyone who has even a passing interest in Coorg or the culture of small, distinct communities of this land would certainly know her remarkable work, ‘The Vanishing Kodavas.’ Just like…
Yesterday, a Special Court under the Delhi High Court discharged former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the now-famous liquor policy case. For the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), it was a celebratory ‘Patiala peg’ served neat by the incompetence of the CBI, giving them a political high against…
Mysuru is called a Royal Heritage City, but for nearly a decade now, it’s become a ‘Flex City.’ There are flex boards and flex hoardings everywhere. They are at Circles, they are atop buildings, they are on trees, they have climbed Chamundi Hill and even crawled into the median of Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway ! Our city…
A young woman recently declared on social media: “Arranged marriage is glorified in India because it’s the only way 70% of men who are creepy, useless and don’t know how to talk to women can get a wife.” The remark offended many. But beneath its provocation lies a cultural discomfort worth examining. Arranged marriages are…
The Mysuru City Corporation’s upcoming Swachh Marathon, organised as part of Swachh Survekshan 2025-2026, is yet another well-intentioned attempt to raise public awareness about cleanliness. The stated goals are admirable: Waste segregation, responsible disposal, citizen participation and feedback. But a question raised by a reader in a letter published yesterday cuts to the heart of…
Our Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, speaking at the World Economic Forum, Davos, said Bengaluru was the “city of the future,” with a strong ecosystem, skilled human resources and investor-friendly governance. But… If Karnataka is truly a heaven for industry, why has the State converted only about 15 percent of the investment proposals it has…
All Governments love acronyms, and our Central Government has a perfect one for temples. It is called PRASHAD. It stands for Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive. Phew! It feels like reciting a long mantra! The Centre has chosen our Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill to be ‘developed’ under this scheme. One would say…
After kidnapping Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, a sovereign nation, US President Donald Trump now wants to take over Greenland ! Of course, he had given warning to other lands as well. When US leaders speak casually about exerting control over territories, it reinforces a troubling idea. The idea that power flows from the…
With every passing year, greetings have become increasingly impersonal. What was once an act of intention has now turned into a reflex, executed with the tap of a thumb. We are no longer greeted…we are broadcast to. The evolution has been swift and revealing. It began with SMS, when messages were short, awkwardly phrased and…
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