The Innovative Family Definition By Ashok Chavan

Politicians are known for saying anything that comes in their mind when they are desperate to come out of a fix. It is not uncommon to hear them making remarks that leave us, the mass, in peals of laughter.

But the recent remark of Mr. Ashok Chavan, the chief minister of Maharashtra (I do not know whether he will remain chief minister till the time you will be reading this) was something that left me completely dumbstruck. More

Be Clannish, have Family Meets

You might be aware of the clans of Scotland. I shall deal with that briefly elsewhere in this post. But what prompted me to write this is receiving recently a memento from the Parayil Family to which I belong. The inscription on it says that I am “an inspiration to the Parayil Meets”. It was a very touching occasion for me....

MAIJI IN THE HINDU

It was a very pleasurable moment for our family when Maiji was noticed by the big newspaper of the city. More here

Giving French a chance

Others in the class picked up lessons with noticeable ease. Their sharp reflexes and a blotting-paper absorption of what was being taught left me way behind. I found myself to be the lone slow-coach in the class...More...

In the Moonlight, on a Magic Night

In the Dooars, the moonlight is undiluted by city lights or smog. The Sharad full moon rises over treetops, and the silhouettes of the trees seems to shrink in contrast. The light is silvery all night. I stand and gape at the moon for as long as I can. It is said that standing in the moonlight and absorbing the rays is good for the body. It does your soul good too, I'd say.

Delhi To Get Rid Of Its Traffic Blues – The Blueline Bus

It is really heartening for every Delhite to know that his or her city is at last going to get rid of the nasty monster of the road – Delhi Blueline bus. The city government has decided to take these buses off the Delhi roads from December 14, 2010. More

My Visit To Delhi’s Purana Qila – Some Suggestions For The Delhi Tourism Authority

Though well maintained, I think there are some rooms for development that the Delhi Tourism authority might pay some attention to. More

Dudh Pauva recipe for Kojagiri Purnima

A lot of readers came to my blog pulled by a recipe for dudh pauva. Presented here is a detailed, richer and slightly time-consuming version of the same made for Sharad Poonam / Kojagiri Purnima...

Read the article here

Usha Uthup

And what a performance Ushaji gave… the crowds were dancing to the cool Bengali and Hindi songs she sang. Usha Uthup thoroughly entertains and knows to strike the right chord with her audiences wherever she is. And on Sunday night 17th Oct too, she quickly generated a dynamic rapport with the residents of Indiranagar, Bangalore. Read more....

The butterfly farmer

It's a boy!
If you've been wondering what I've been up to lately, well, I've been raising butterflies. In my apartment garden, of all places!

Gender Gap

After the CWG fiasco here comes another disheartening report which should wake us up.
The Global Gender Gap report by the World Economic Forum.

Infinite Beauty

On the last Tuesday of January 1913, on a clear, cold winter’s morning in Cambridge University in England, a 35 year old mathematician of rapidly growing fame and esteem opened a letter. The letter, thick and unwieldy, bore the grime and wear-and-tear of a long journey, and a ragged line of stamps, unfamiliar and exotic. It started with the words, “Dear Sir, I beg to introduce myself to you as a clerk in the Accounts Department of the Port Trust Office at Madras on a salary of only £20 per annum............” More

Nobel For Liu Xiaobo – Europe Has Shown Where It Is Ahead Of The USA

While apparently this incident reflects the strong sense of ethics and self-respect that underlines the national character of Norway, in reality it reflects the regional characteristic of the European continent as a whole (especially Western Europe). More

Faulty Bank Notes From ATM

Do not get me wrong. My intention is not to create panic. In fact I am myself not sure about exactly what was wrong with those notes. I just wanted to make people aware that such thing may happen, though it will certainly be a rare case. More

Mysore Dasara Horticultural Show

Another favourite rendevouz for locals and tourists alike, aside from the Palace and the Exhibition, during the Dasara festival, is the Horticultural Show at Curzon Park. Do you know that the first of the Mysore Flower Shows was organized nine decades back? It was opened by HH Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV on.... Read on..

Memories of my visit to Brihadeshwara Temple

After coffee, she asked me “Tamil terimaa?” (Do you know Tamil?) Boastingly, I replied in fluent Tamil, “Mmm, koncha koncha ...... Read more.

Love Thy Neighbour

.... just yesterday, I discovered a - if you will pardon the geographical metaphor - whole new continent, a New World that was not new at all, but one that had developed and bloomed over several centuries, unbeknownst to me, a neighbor, yet a stranger. This is the world of Christian Carnatic music. More

The “Uncle” Obsession Of Delhi People

A key characteristic of Delhites (I mean people of Delhi and its satellite towns like Noida) is their penchant for calling people “uncle”, even when they are calling people who are at most 10-15 years older than them. More

Druidry – Emergence Of A New Religion

On 2nd October 2010 the multi-religious human society witnessed the emergence, or official emergence, of yet another religion, viz. Druidry. More

Can widowed women wear gajra?

Lijit shows interesting statistics of searches that land people on my blog.



One such was: Can widowed women wear gajra?* Here's a post written as a response to this interesting question in India 2010...

Please read the article, and do not forget to share your views, at Life Rules

* Gajra = small floral garland worn in hair

Ayodhya Verdict – The Matured Reaction Of The Indian Muslims Is Really Commendable

However, more than the verdict itself, what I have found to be much more significant is the maturity with which the Indian Muslim community has reacted to the verdict. More

Got Hit By A Car, Thanks To My Cell Phone

Thank got the car was not moving at a high speed, as it was not exactly a main road, and was also congested with traffic. I was back on my feet within seconds, and managed to reach my office myself. However, it could have been serious. I have got light injuries at my right arm and right hip, and both are paining a little. The bone at my right hand, a spot where I was hit, had started swelling. Thank god that swelling has stopped. More

If There Is A Plebiscite In Kashmir, Then…

If there is a plebiscite in Kashmir, to check whether Kashmiris want to remain with India or want separation from that country, then…More