Thursday 28 July 2011

A Font Type Inspired by Gandhiji


"Mahatma Gandhi - A different type" aptly sums up the design of a font inspired by the Mahatma. You can download the font from gandhijifont.com.

Let's strive to keep everything simple!

A. Raja’s Ridiculous Attempt To Drag The PM’s Name Into The 2G Controversy

Mr. A Raja’s desperation to defend himself is understandable. But he must realize that espousal of any baseless reasoning to wash his hands off can hardly dilute the charge against him. Rather such acts will leave his image to be murkier. More

Monday 25 July 2011

Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting - how I have done

I collect from a rooftop area of about  380 square feet into the sump through filters. Using that calcuator, I get about 65,000 - 70,000 litres per annum. A rough figure from wastage from 'first flush' deducted. The sump capacity is about 7000 litres.  We will be using municipal water supply usually but during the regular rainy season, I stop the supply and utilize rainwater which keeps topping up the sump. See more.....

Indian Boardrooms


Pic courtesy - The Hindu
In Indian boardrooms, we hardly see any colour and some sense of national identity. Why do we don dress that is appropriate in some other climate, and also use extra energy to cool. Big Paradox!

A Travancore Lady by Raja Ravi Varma


Click on the title to see.

Sunday 24 July 2011

General Election To Be Held In Egypt – A Good News, But…

However, there is one issue that is preventing some people from becoming completely happy and relieved. The Military Council has barred international monitors from observing the poll, and has chosen Egypt’s judiciary to play that role. More

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Agreement – The End, Or The Beginning?

All this may be taken as a sign that the GTA has been successful in placating the grievances/feeling of discrimination/etc. of the so called sons of the soil (sorry, all of these local people are not indigenous to Darjeeling), and now they are no more interested in having a separate Gorkhaland state.

However, the matter might not be that simple. While Bimal Gurung himself did not say anything about Gorkhaland demand, the occasion saw many of his supporters raising slogans like “We Want Gorkhaland”. More importantly, on the sidelines of the signing of the agreement, a couple of GJM leaders told journalists that the GTA agreement was not going to put an end to the struggle for Gorkhand state. Rather that demand will very much remain in place, and in fact that is their ultimate goal. More

Monday 18 July 2011

Let There Be “Shoot-At-Sight” Orders Against IM And LeT Operatives

The idea might not appeal to so-called intellectuals who are obsessed with catchy words like “Human Rights”, “ethics”, “morality”, etc. Well, I have due respect for the philosophy of “Human Rights”. But I am sorry to say that I do not feel it to be more valuable than the lives of my fellow Indian citizens.  More

Wednesday 13 July 2011

From Venad to World Focus: The Travancore Royal Family

The photo above must have been taken many a decade back. It captures the grandeur of the Travancore Maharaja’s royal carriage in front of Sree Padmanamaswamy Temple, Trivandrum. How does it compare with Sree Chithira Thirunal, the former Maharaja rushing one morning to his deity in an auto rickshaw that I described in The last of the Travancore Maharajas?

Click on title to read on.

Friday 8 July 2011

Wild Elephants run amok in Mysore City!

Morning of June 8, 2011, the news about a few (wild) elephants which had entered the city was spreading like wildfire all over.  Our mobile phone received a call too. Those who had cable TV network were watching live coverage of the 'event'. The local TV cameraman was there to catch the action. See more....

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Temple's Riches


The Lord's abode is in the news, because material treasures have been found in secret vaults under the temple precincts.
I can't help contrasting this event with the other incidents where treasure taken away from India have been merrily auctioned away.
If kings and chieftains elsewhere in India had also reposited / donated similarly, Indian history and civics and perhaps even geopgraphy would have been very, very different! More...

Monday 4 July 2011

A Temple of Gold

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Trivandrum is in the news the world over for its colossal collection of gold and gems. The Kerala High Court had ordered the Kerala State Government to takeover the administration of the shrine. For fear of contempt of Court, I am not saying anything about the judgement.

Click on the title to read on