A painting and a story

Many thoughts rushed to my mind when I saw this creation by the Royal Painter Raja Ravi Varma by chance yesterday. It is titled ‘The Reaper’. An untouchable woman waiting for a boat with the paddy she has harvested, gazing into the sunset.

This is a scene we shall not see again. It belongs to another age.

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Anchal: The mail must go through

An old, dilapidated building atop an isolated hill. Totally deserted. No one goes there anymore. The path that led to the structure once is no longer traceable. The letter box is crumbling with rust and may topple any day.

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The Italian Marines Came Marching In

After the tumult and the shouting, and trying defy the Supreme Court of India, the Marines are back. But judging by the past conduct of the Italians, we should not be surprised if they come out with some absurd defence.  For instance they could claim that they were trying to shoot into the sky to test the guns and hit the Indians by mistake.

 

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Nutmeg, the super spice

At one time it was considered as the best of spices. Bloody wars have been fought over it, particularly by the Dutch and the British. A person who had a few of these in his possession was acknowledged as a rich man. It was an accepted ingredient in cuisine from Penang to Europe. Some men consumed it on the sly because of its reputation as an aphrodisiac.

That is nutmeg, Myristica fragrans.

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