Light of the Lamp

Hi everybody,        My friends were discussing the other day about an alliance that was fixed between a boy and a girl. Description of the boy: Software engineer, earns six-figure salary, currently in US, (a little fat and baldish, so what!). Description of the girl: FAIR complexion, tall, slim, good-looking, has a job, God-fearing, domestically trained. These are the normal details that are discussed among the families and friends about a boy and a girl if a matrimonial alliance is fixed. For a boy, complexion or appearance is mostly not much of a problem. But, for a girl? However educated and accomplished a girl is, complexion and physical features still play a major role in the matrimonial column. I happen to fall under the 'fair category' (yes, fair complexion), and so, I am usually compared to not-so fair by my relatives. ( Come on, Its not fair!!!)                        India is a tropical c...

   I have been writing regularly to 'THE HINDU'- Letters to the Editor column and I feel honored to see some of my opinions published. I hope to continue this new found passion for a long time to come. Here are some of the letters published previously. Not much change     Sunday, Feb 10, 2008 While it was interesting to read about the change in filmmakers’ mindset about how women are portrayed, a lot more needs to be done to portray them more realistically than is done today. What is conspicuously missing in the article is mention of films in langauges other than Hindi, which also make a huge chunk of Indian films. A more comprehensive article would have included talented actresses from the South and from other regions of the country. I hope this will be taken into consideration in future. Deepa Nagaraj, Hyderabad  . Civilian awards      January 27, 2010 When Indians abroad are awarded the Nobel pri...

Hi,         Yes, it seems eons ago after the murder of a teacher by her own student  in a Chennai school , though it happened only about a month ago. After the initial shock and dismay by the media and the community, the news is behind the curtains as the successive events take place at a greater speed. Why and how is this supposed to take place where we chant 'Maata, Pita, Guru, Daivom' (mother, father, teacher, god) all in one breath? Many successful people(who were able to realize their dreams) owe their prosperity to their teachers who act as guides next to parents.               The boy in the scene was reported to be a pampered child who was given pocket money of Rs 100 everyday, consistently poor in academics. The teacher was just doing her duty when she wrote the remarks about the boy to update his parents. Did she imagine in her wildest of dreams that this would be her fate? I read a post somewhere which g...

Hello everybody,                       This time the subject that will be written about is a bit strong, and maybe, argumentative. But, nevertheless, I am going to put my thoughts. What provoked me to write this? As I was reading today's newspaper, I came across an interview with a celebrity. He was asked about his religious views and in reply to that, he proudly proclaimed himself to be an atheist. This set me thinking. We have heard this section of people called atheists who reject the existence of deities and do not believe in religious rituals. I have no problem with their way of thinking. Religious beliefs are not to be imposed, and if a person is not convinced with the customs and practices of a certain religion, he is free to deny that.                                           But again, is there a gen...

Murder of a journalist    February 21, 2012 The killing brings back memories of J. Dey's murder that happened a few months ago. Once again the unholy nexus between criminals and politicians is on display. Is it enough to condemn these murders strongly, demand an investigation and then forget about them within a week? If journalists have to pay a heavy price for doing their job, anybody will start thinking twice before joining this profession. The article “For journalists, conflicts are never glamorous,” by Pranay Gupte (Feb.20), is both well-timed and unsettling. Deepa Nagaraj,  Bangalore Sunday Magazine Mail Bag,  January 14, 2012 Too much pink Pink, which is branded as a stereotyped, ‘girly' colour in our psyche is more due to the advent of the Barbie industry. We find ourselves gifting a girl pink-coloured accessories or dresses on her birthday, but never for a boy. This itself sends strong message and establishes the stereotypes...

Hi friends,                       I am in awe of our mother nature. I mean, the endless varieties of flora and fauna on this earth that one lifetime for a human being is not enough to see all these. I am humbled by your power of creativity. And, of course, amazing imagination and creativity of man is something that needs mentioning here. Our recent visit to Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore where the flower show is held on the account of  the  Republic Day was memorable. The painstaking flower arrangements and the giant design of Buddha Stupa decorated with flowers left us spell bound. I just cannot resist sharing some visuals with you.....                                                                           ...

Hi friends,                HAPPY PONGAL, LOHRI, SANKRANTI to all who are celebrating these festivals this weekend. The purpose of this post is not to write about Pongal or Sankranthi, but something about Sabarimala temple and the Legend of Lord Ayyappa.                       Every 14th or 15th of January , the Makarajyothi star appears above the hills and Makaravilakku or lamp is lit at Ponnambalamedu near the shrine, which culminates with the arrival of Thiruvabharanam or ornaments of Lord Ayyappa. Millions of devotees throng to witness the divine light. They come from all parts of India, especially the southern states.                              Legend says that king Rajashekhara of Pandalam district, who was childless for many years, prayed to Lord Shiva to grant him a son. Pleased with the king's self...

Hi everybody,                      How has been the year 2011 for all of you? Did you work on the resolutions you made? Did you feel you could have worked harder? Well, you all will be holidaying somewhere someway or other till the Monday blues start. This may well explain the reason why Anna Hazare's 3rd round of fast was a damp squib. Sorry Annaji, we are in a mood to eat, drink and make merry and so please excuse us!!!                            We ended the year with a visit to Tirupathi Temple which was long pending in our list. I believe, a visit to any place is incomplete without seeing the surrounding areas there. Most of the people  come to Tirupathi just to have a darshan of Lord Venkateshwara which itself may take about a day, depending on the waiting time. We were in the queue for 6 hours and got the darshan of the Lord at the stroke of the midn...