Society

I had been noticing a man, about 40 years of age and evidently suffering mental health issues, around my neighbourhood on Venkatraman Street in Perambur over the past few months. In May 2020 when the Covid-19 cases started spiking I approached the local administration to seek help in securing a shelter for him. The initial response from the officials in the enforcement agencies and local administration was that it would be impossible to accommodate any person with a mental illness at the mental hospital or any home for the mentally challenged during the pandemic. They asked me to wait until…

Walking up CMH road, Indira Nagar, it is easy to miss the tiny momo outlets tucked away from the main road. Often made up of just a foldable table and a steaming vessel, these local haunts offer respite from cold evenings, hunger and a stressful day. Here, momos are served hot from the steaming vessel, accompanied by the trademark red chilli sauce. One of these stalls is run by the sharp, friendly Shubas. In a conversation, Shubas revealed that he was from Darjeeling. He had moved to Bengaluru with his brother in 1991, in search of work. After a series…

“It has become a matter of routine for me to go to the police station once in every ten days,” says an inconsolable Kavita (name changed). Since this March, she has been desperately pleading with the cops at the Maduravoyal Police Station, asking them to do what it takes to ensure justice for her 10-year-old daughter. Kavita's daughter was raped and killed by their 29-year-old neighbour five months ago.  The girl who woke up in the middle of the night to go to the loo, which is detached from their house, never came back to sleep next to her mother. …

Like everything else, COVID-19 took the sheen off Maximum City during Ganesh Chaturthi as well. Celebrations, laughter and songs would have been in the air, if not for the lockdown.In Mumbai, usually the festivities go on for 11 days, when roads are blocked by massive pandals, music blares through loud speakers and groups of people dance their way to the beaches to immerse the elephant-headed God. Well before the festival, the government issued standard operating procedures, aiming to avoid crowds and the spread of the virus. They restricted the height of large idols that are generally housed in community pandals,…

For the first time in history, the Madras Week celebrations have moved online this year, under threat of the pandemic. When we look back at the history of Chennai, or erstwhile Madras, it is not just historical landmarks and heritage sites that stand out, but also its journey of evolution, and the various things people identify the city with. Healthcare, for example, in which the city has always played a pioneering role, so that it's come to be recognised as a Mecca of healthcare today. A very interesting story in this regard is that of the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology…

In early 2019, news about Raj Bhavan’s cat problems had made headlines. The issues media highlighted at the time are prevalent even today - the mixed reactions amongst residents in many communities towards strays, and BBMP still finding their way around the stray cat problem. Even the high walls and security of gated communities are no barriers for agile stray cats as they make themselves comfortable in gardens, garages, basement parking and other common areas.  A circular from the Karnataka Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department this July 13, reiterates that apartments need to deal with the matter humanely and that…

COVID-19 has not only affected us humans, but also stray animals in several ways. For one, though the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that animals can't transmit COVID to humans, they are ill-treated and not allowed in residential areas. Another issue is that stray animals, especially dogs, are often dependent on leftover food from street vendors and fast food vendors. But with fewer people and shops, and more restrictions since COVID, strays have been left without enough food. In Bengaluru, many individuals such as Rakesh Shukla and Manjari Chaitanya Colaco have taken steps to provide food, shelter and care…

Even the remover of all obstacles, Lord Ganesha, has not been able to come to the aid of the makers of his idols this year. As Ganesh Chaturthi approaches, traditional Ganesha idol makers like Sanket Kumbhar, Dheeresh Naik, Haresh Mhatre, can only hope that the Lord will make the coming weeks less harsh. Looks unlikely though, especially as the government has restricted all public gatherings and festivities that the city’s various Ganesh mandals, their main customers, would normally organise. The numbers tell the story. “In the years gone by, all my family members would come together and make about 3,000-3500…

ஆடி அழைக்கும், தை விரட்டும் is an adage in Tamil. The essence of the saying is that every year, starting mid-July and for the next six months, it is a festive season, culminating in Pongal that comes in mid-January. This is the time when a range of festivals bring people together in celebration. Festivals revive and reinforce cultural traits. Togetherness with friends and relatives instills a sense of camaraderie, strengthens personal bonds and helps us build a support system for life. The ambience during festivals and the rituals or practices of each vary from one festival to another and adds variety,…

As Tamil Nadu went into a total lockdown on March 24th, many individuals in the city found themselves helpless and in dire need of assistance. From migrant workers looking to get back to their hometowns to senior citizens who resided by themselves, the lockdown impacted scores. The situation would have been several times worse had not NGOs, civil society organisations and some individuals taken it upon themselves to come to the aid of those affected. Thus, when a migrant worker stuck in Chennai with his family and twins, just a few months old, ran out of milk and supplies for…