Feast for Thought

A Hoolock gibbbon at the Delhi zoo. He is depressed, no doubt. Is he just waiting for delayed keeper-supplied meals? Or is he feeling claustrophobic? Or is he tired of indifferent onlookers? See more Wordless Wednesday posts.

Just marking this very special month 16 Dec to 13 Jan - my efforts at briefly collating several aspects of the month. # Krishna says - (Gita, 10/35) बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् । मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥ Meaning: "Among the hymns also (I am) the Brhat-Samna; among the meters I am Gaytri; among months, I am Margasirsa; and among seasons, I am the flower bearer (spring). # Gita Jayanthi (birthday of the Bhagavad Gita) was observed on 9 Dec (" Agrahayana (Hindi: अगहन agahan) is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Agrahayana is the ninth month of the year, beginning on 22 November and ending on 21 December. In Vedic times, this month was also known as Maargashirsha after the nakshatra (asterisms) Mrigashira.") # Then we have the Thiruvaadira festival for Siva, also observed as the Aarudra Darshan . (10 Jan 2009) (In Tamil Nadu, the day's speciality, after due worship of Siva, is the combination of the off...

The December Madras music season has begun in Chennai. I will be content to catch glimpses of artistes' brilliance on the small screen, and read reviews by experts and critics in the newspaper. Raji gives the perfect preview of the ethos - complete with all the factors that make the festival in my home town so unique. That's not all. For a further treat, Carnatic music buffs can also look out for Markazhi raagam , a first of its kind project that will present classical concert by Bombay Jayasree and TM Krishna in theatres. The worldwide release is slated for 18 Dec 2008. Here's the link to the trailer And these are the firsts that this project claims "First ever classical concert produced to be played in Cinema halls. First ever alternate content from India for Digital Cinema Theatres (Non feature programming). First ever Classical music content to be shot and post produced in 4k resolution First ever programme in the world to be shot with 7 Red 4k cameras. First c...

Greetings and salutations from an alumnus of your Alma Mater . In 2002, you brought a whiff of change to India's topmost office . As President, you represented Change in so many ways - as an apolitical figure, as a Net-savvy technocrat , as a writer and most of all as an Indian citizen who felt as one among the masses and understood only too well their sufferings - in fact the perfect QRs of a leader of a democracy. If only the position of India's President had had teeth, instead of being a mere trinket in India's political and governance framework. You would have set the precedence for the kind of Change that Barack Obama hopes to bring about in another democracy. It is not a waste of time to imagine - wistfully now - the possible changes that could have taken place from grassroots right up to the Executive in those five years when the entire Indian defence services proudly saluted you as their Supreme Commander. A few days ago, I tried to put together my list of Ideal 55...

Among all the rhetoric and hyperbole overdose , it is refreshing to see some meaningful debate here and there in the media, e-mail and in other forums. Can we ordinary citizens believe that this time, since the rich have been hit, it is likely that the Government will lend the ear that was hitherto deaf to the masses' cries? Let's hope so - CII , FICCI , and corporates have a huge responsibility and can easily make use of this opportunity to revolutionise political thought - something that middle class citizens and NGO's can only hope for. It is easy to get emotional, and rant on the ills that have befallen our social and political space, and one needs some effort to moderate one's thought. Here are some of them. 1. Using the services of ex-servicemen for the purpose of bringing about societal change. Being one myself, I know for a fact that there are several others, who pursue new careers post service-life. Every six months or so, there are considerable numbers of men ...

To BD (and others of your ilk who live by, for and off TRP) I wonder how you will feel on reading an outsider's view of the immaturity shown by Indian channels - Attack Coverage Tests India's Nascent News Channels "Live Showings of the 60-Hour Siege Get High Viewership and Mixed Reviews; Hyperbole, Security Among Concerns" Your TV coverage of the events of last week have shown that you and your ilk may feel for the public, but your ultimate interest is to cause sensation and improve your TRP ratings. Where once you were worthy of admiration - now one feels pity that you, who can form and lead opinion, gave in to publicity of the cheap variety. Where once your (BD's) 'We the people' was expectantly awaited- now the channel is heartily skipped, let alone your programme. And one dreads to read and see news that you and your channel have won (or should it read 'gave yourselves'?) this award and that for covering these sad events. Indian visual media j...