‘Fair’ aint all that is ‘Lovely’!

The thought for this post sprung to mind after a free-wheeling chat on India’s rapidly degenerating TV scene, with Arun and Darshan, two fellow AIDers. Arun brought up what I deem to be among the most deplorable ads to have ever been aired on TV – the one of Fair and Lovely wherein it is [...]

A dazzling date with tigers!

In all the cities I have stayed in, put together, there are only a handful of places I’d want to visit time and again. The Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), situated on the outskirts of Bangalore, is one of them. I wouldn’t call myself a wildlife buff, but I’ve been drawn towards certain animals since time [...]

One of the most misinterpreted words

I’ve been increasingly coming across not-so-favorable views for a word, which has traditionally been deemed virtuous: charity, as in donations. The most commonly leveled charge finds charity unsustainable. The fact that many practice it for religious reasons, as opposed to a belief in justice/equality of opportunities, seems to trigger this negative bent of mind. In [...]

A gem of a cartoon: as witty as thought-provoking

Related facts:

The new small cars may be more efficient than before, but they all consume way too much road space (> 10 times what buses occupy, per passenger) to be able to satisfy our transport needs without painfully long gridlocks. Enlightening slides on traffic: stats, snaps & solutions.
Road widening only provides tiny, short-lived relief, [...]

Personal encounters with regionalism & communalism

For quite a few months, I have been urging fellow travelers in the (govt) buses not to play music aloud i.e. without using ear phones. The argument is plain and obvious – You have a right to pleasure, but not at the cost of others’ peace. Of course, I don’t convey it in such an [...]

To Spectate or To Act?

Many of you would recognize this heart-wrenching photo taken during the Sudan famine in 1994. It won South African photojournalist Kelvin Carter the Pulitzer prize, a prestigious award in photography. Captured in the photo are a child crawling towards a UN food camp few kms away and a vulture waiting for the [...]

My Wedding: How, Why, Photos!

New: As pointed out by a few friends, along with many good things (detailed below), simple marriages entail a couple of problems: A) Loss of jobs for the poor, if the money saved by avoiding a grand wedding stays locked up in the bank B) It may get spent on environmentally unfriendly things like big, [...]

Our marriage celebrations

Every couple tying the knot wants their marriage to be memorable. This typically gives rise to ostentatious celebrations and towering expenses. Our way of making it special was a shade uncommon. It did involve money but for a different purpose. Our marriage celebrations consisted of a handful of donations. Nothing more, nothing less. [More on [...]