GENRE: Features

Representational image: Alastair/Wikimedia Commons: CC-BY-SA-2.0 On August 11, a mob gathered around Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s house in Kaval Byrasandra, protesting an allegedly derogatory post on the Prophet Muhammed by his nephew. The mob soon turned violent, leading to clashes with the police that resulted in the imposition of curfew. The police reportedly used tear gas shells and opened fire, killing three people, only after which order was restored late at night. While some have characterised this riot as an organised event, some others said it was a spontaneous reaction to a provocation. No definitive account of…

ஒருங்கிணைந்த குழந்தை வளர்ச்சித் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் செயல்பட்டு வரும் அங்கன்வாடி மையங்கள் நமது கவனத்தை அவ்வளவாக கவராமல் இருந்திருக்கலாம். ஆனால், தற்போது கொரோனா தொற்று காரணமாக அவை மூடப்பட்டிருக்கும் வேளையில் தான் அவற்றின் இருப்பும் சேவையும் எவ்வளவு மகத்தானது என்பதை நம்மால் உணர முடிகிறது. இம்மையங்கள் அதன் சுற்றுப்புறத்தில் வசிக்கும் குழந்தைகளின் ஆரம்பக்கல்விக்கான ஒரு அஸ்திவாரத்தை இடுவது மட்டுமின்றி அவர்களுக்கு ஊட்டச்சத்து மற்றும் உணவளிப்பதோடு மற்றும் அடிப்படை மருத்துவ தேவைகளையும் அளிக்கும் மையங்களாக செயல்பட்டு வந்துள்ளன.‘ அத்துடன் ஒரு குழந்தைகள் காப்பகமாகவும் அப்பகுதி வாழ் மக்களுக்கு அளப்பரிய சேவை செய்து வந்துள்ளன என்பது கூடுதல் அம்சமாகும். இப்பகுதியில் வாழும் குழந்தைகளுக்கான தடுப்பூசி மற்றும் போலியோ சொட்டு மருந்திற்கான முகாம்களும் இந்த மையங்களில் நடைபெறும்.  இவ்வாறாக, அதன் சுற்றுப்புறங்களில் வாழும் மக்களுக்கு அவர்தம் வாழ்க்கையின் ஒரு ஒன்றிணைந்த அங்கமாகவே மாறிவிட்ட அங்கன்வாடிகள் அடைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த காலகட்டம் எத்தகைய ஒரு விளைவினை ஏற்படுத்தியது என்பது குறித்து…

The narrow lane of Koya Arunagiri Street in Royapettah leads to the house of R S Venkatesan, a seasoned potter, who has made Chennai his home. Although it is just 5.30 am, he and his wife Vasanthi V are already up and busy with their work. A potter’s wheel, a bunch of firewood logs, dried cow dung cake and other paraphernalia lie scattered around their compound.  Koya Arunagiri Street runs just behind the Royapettah Hospital in Chennai. Years ago, the entire stretch was known for the potters who lived here. Venkatesan informs me that over the years, many from the…

The administrative backing strengthening civic society volunteering towards water conservation. Chennai sets a water standard for India. Collaboration is the key to conservation. When cause is the hero, any project, no matter the difficulty or challenges ahead, is executed perfectly. Our cause has been and will always be water conservation. We thank the Greater Chennai Corporation for providing support in the water conservation projects in the city of Chennai. Take a look at the #Eco-Restoration projects under the GCC-E.F.I collaboration. Anaikeni Pond, Sholinganallur Located in the I.T. Hub in Chennai, the Anaikeni Pond is going through scientific restoration prior to…

In my initial days in Mumbai, Durga Puja meant soaking in the memories of the grand festivities in my hometown, Kolkata. This changed, after Krishti, the association of over 300 Bengali families of Lokhandwala Township, Kandivali East, started celebrating Durgatsov Pujo right where we live. Pujo is the “Big Bong Festival”. Over the last 15 years that Krishti has been organising Pujo, acquaintances became friends and friends turned into one big joint family, for whom Pujo is an attempt to keep the Bengali culture, heritage, traditions and identity alive. We converge with similar passions, emotions, love of life, warmth of togetherness,…

The Patchai Maadi project, an initiative of the Chennai Resilience Centre (CRC) and supported by The Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller Resilience Centre (AARFRC), is part of a three-pronged strategy to improve the green cover of Chennai and encourage urban horticulture. The Patchai Maadi project envisions a garden over every rooftop in Chennai. The project aims to rope in RWAs and schools and other institutions to create urban gardens that can thrive in the right conditions. The vision is to reach six lakh households by 2030.  To this end, the CRC called for citizens to pitch in with ideas on how the…

Anyone without a hobby would have perished during lockdown! Hobbies are a diversion from our routine life, and help to unburden our minds from various problems. They result in networking, get us in touch with like-minded communities of people with whom we can discuss our common interests, and help one another in improvement. Our hobby is amateur Radio, commonly called ham radio. Ham Radio Club, IIT Bombay (Photo: Ham Radio Club, IIT Bombay) Ham Radio Club, IIT Bombay was founded in 2017. "We bring people, communication and electronics together."  Ham radio is a form of two-way wireless communication that uses the…

Blessings come in many forms. For the citizens of IC Colony, Borivali West, it is the chirping of birds, waking up to their melody, watching their daily routine and witnessing different species inhabiting amidst them. Before the lockdown, only crows, pigeons, and a few other birds were visible, but lockdown brought a welcome change. Lockdown restricted human movement and this encouraged birds to come out from their hidden spots, fly freely and enjoy the pollution-free environment. “Due to the lockdown, I could spend more time watching the birds around. It helped me remain calm. Bulbuls and mynahs frequently come to…

Tree walks and nature trails are a great way to connect with natural surroundings. Delhi’s green spaces offer ample opportunity for tree enthusiasts, and the constant monitoring has also led to better chronicling of the flowering cycles of different tree species. Delhi has good green cover compared to many other national capitals, says heritage expert and author Vikramjit Singh Rooprai. Some of the best-preserved green spaces are Sanjay Van, Sundar Nursery, Northern Ridge, Central Ridge, Muradabad Pahari in Vasant Vihar, Aravalli hills, Sultan Ghari Park, Yamuna Biodiversity Park, and Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Pradip Krishen, author of Trees of Delhi: A Field…

Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society, popularly known as Co-optex, evokes a nostalgic feeling among Chennaites. A saree passed down generations or a bedsheet that has been in a family for over 30 years are common memories attached to the brand. Since its inception in 1935, people's trust in Co-optex has never wavered and it continues to serve its loyal customers. However, after the 1990s, the brand started losing relevance and became less and less popular with the younger demographic.  In 2004-05, after Co-optex recorded a loss of Rs 85 crore, the management scripted a turnaround that brought the brand…