Yesterday was Krishna Janmashtami, Lord Krishna’s birthday. Among the Hindu Gods, Krishna, for me, is by far the most human, and that’s why I like him. He is a God of paradoxes, like us mortals. As mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik observed, Krishna challenges all conventional notions of divinity and appropriate social conduct. His name literally translates…
75 years on, still a Dysfunctional Democracy
August 13, 2022It’s been 75 years since we began to rule ourselves. We must be proud because we continue to exist as a union and a democratic union at that. It is no easy task for a nation as diverse as ours to stay together for as long as we have. But our inclination to side with…
KPL’s New Avatar: Will it work?
August 6, 2022The Karnataka Premier League (KPL) has been rechristened as Maharaja Trophy. Not only has the name changed, but its fundamental structure is also different. The question is will this new change make it an uninterrupted tournament, unlike all these years? Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) hasn’t been able to keep KPL going consistently. The League…
Nude & Prude
July 30, 2022Ranveer Singh is a good actor who takes on unconventional roles. He is unconventional off-screen too, and now he’s in trouble. Ranveer Singh is interesting and even refreshing if you observe him through a discerning progressive lens. His lack of respect for what our society considers ‘normal’ is refreshing. Be it his clothes — he…
Unparliamentary Words
July 16, 2022The Monsoon Session of the Parliament is scheduled to begin on July 18 and it will be a ‘tame’ and a ‘lame’ one. Why? Because of a book called ‘Unparliamentary Expression’, a compilation of words deemed unfit for use in Parliament, released by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. Of course, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla clarified…
End of the rope… for now or forever ?
July 9, 2022Whenever there is talk of development in Mysuru, the first target is Chamundi Hill. Now for the first time, our MLAs, MP and the District in-charge Minister have said no to the noose that threatened to hang Chamundi Hill’s flora and fauna — the Ropeway Project. After a long time, our leaders have collectively responded…
Rockstar Guru
June 25, 2022On the 19th, last Sunday, the Open Air Theatre on the Manasagangothri campus was filled to capacity after a long time. It felt like I was at a well-funded rock show. There was a good sound, fantastic lighting and an air of excitement like you were expecting to see a rockstar. And we did see…
Undertrials’ Compensation and Punishment
June 4, 2022On May 27, Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was cleared of all charges due to insufficient evidence in the infamous “cruise ship drug bust” case. Immediately after the verdict, Sanjay Gupta, a film-maker tweeted, “So Aryan Khan is and was innocent, says Bombay High Court. Who compensates for what he went through, his family…
Anti-Conversion Bill & Caste Issues
May 14, 2022The Karnataka Government has decided to take the Ordinance route to introduce the contentious Anti-Conversion Bill. Congress party has opposed it. Do we need this law? Yes, but a tempered version. Today, religious conversion has nothing to do with faith; it has to do with vote-banks. Mahatma Gandhi recognised this very early and said, “Today,…
Rains, weak trees and buildings
April 23, 2022We all love a good monsoon, but we also dread it. From mid-June through the end of September, the monsoon brings torrential rain, violent thunderstorms and high wind, turning trees and old properties into death traps. This year, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has been proactive and has surveyed to identify weak trees that pose…
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