Society

There has been concern and commentary that a public list of alleged sexual harassers maligns them and possibly costs them their jobs & family. It is a valid concern. Even so, here is why #MeToo needs to happen, and happen yesterday. And it doesn’t subvert due process, but actually improves it. 1. Sexual harassment, inside and outside workplaces, is the oldest crime in the book. World over, and in India, we have too many historical evidences of public stripping, buying & selling, stalking, sex without consent with women of all ages, stations in life, much worse with caste & poverty.…

15-year-old C Aarthi (name changed) is known as a brave and straightforward girl in Kannagi Nagar of Chennai. Her constant smile speaks of a cordial and open personality. But, ask her about the problems in notorious Kannagi Nagar where instances of prostitution and child marriages are common, and she keeps mum. However, two postgraduate students of the Social Work (aided) Department at Madras Christian College took a different route. B Swetha and C Sowmiya, who were placed in the Centre for Women’s Development and Research, tried a creative approach: Art therapy. Girl children from Kannagi Nagar between eight and 15…

It’s a long alley that leads you to this glass-walled cafe. Even before you have stepped into this coffee shop you are greeted by a family playing at the carrom board placed outside along with some high chairs. A world of colours awaits you as you step inside, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that you immediately settle into. A children’s play area in one corner, mismatched chairs – some wicker, some wooden and some boutique - and a swing chair in another corner create a lively ambience that’s instantly appealing. If we hadn’t known better, we would have treated Café…

Today we have with us one of the most intriguing gods ever. He comes from a solid lineage. His father, Mahadev, is known to have caused the big bang. His mother, an excellent chef as Annapoorna, is a formidable Goddess. Well, she has a lion for her pet. His elder brother Kartikeya is the athletic types, the military commander-in –chief to be precise. Whereas he is more of a nerd. Apart from the popular stories about his legendary wisdom, he is best known for his assistance in writing the Mahabharata. Naturally, blessed are we Mumbaikars to have such an illustrious…

Today we have with us one of the most intriguing gods ever. He comes from a solid lineage. His father, Mahadev, is known to have caused the big bang. His mother, an excellent chef as Annapoorna, is a formidable Goddess. Well, she has a lion for her pet. His elder brother Kartikeya is the athletic types, the military commander-in –chief to be precise. Whereas he is more of a nerd. Apart from the popular stories about his legendary wisdom, he is best known for his assistance in writing the Mahabharata. Naturally, blessed are we Mumbaikars to have such an illustrious…

In the wake of the landmark judgment decriminalising homosexual acts among consenting adults, Citizen Matters Bengaluru spoke to Sanjay Bavikatte and Arvind Narrain, organisers of Bangalore's (and India's) first Gay Rights Symposium in an academic institution in 1998, about the long road to 2018. Tell us a bit about your individual involvement in the movement. How did it all start? Arvind: We were at National Law School – Sanjay and I – friends from Class 5 onwards. We would hang out together and attend discussions on human rights among other topics. It was a great place to be. I remember…

Not by a long shot, but I am glad you are willing to hear me out. Undoubtedly, the Supreme Court judgement was a victory for us all - you and I. We have been declared free of an irrational and arbitrary law that has no place in our society today. Now, we regroup and get to work. The judgement has laid the groundwork for things to come -- leading everyday lives of dignity and free of discrimination outside the bedroom. It has left us with a clean slate to write upon a set of binding policies that will truly ensure…

River Mutha, the pride of Pune, lovingly called 'Muthai' or 'mother Mutha', is dying a slow death, thanks to the rapidly urbanising city which is depositing huge amounts of untreated sewage and dirt in its water. The pollution of the river is consistently rising. The situation is so bad that the river has been declared dead at many stretches. The high level of contamination of water from untreated sewage and industrial wastes has led to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in its water. While a large number of activists, environmentalists and citizens have been drawing people’s attention towards the sad state of…

Just beyond the mad rush of Gemini Circle is a haven of quiet, lending its name to the road it is situated in-the St. George’s Cathedral. Constructed in 1815 at a cost of Rs. 207,000, the Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Madras, part of the Church of South India. The Great Choultry Plain Most of what makes up today’s Nungambakkam, Teynampet and Royapettah used to be referred to as the Great Choultry Plain in 18th Century Madras. City chronicler S. Muthiah recounts that once the French lost their grip on the Carnatic after restoring Madras back…

Martha Graham once said, “Theatre is a verb before it is a noun, an act before it is a place.” Bengaluru has always been a boiling pot of the performance arts with big theatres that have gained national and international prominence that have been showcasing plays and performances for over a decade. As the appreciation for theatre increased, Whitefield found its own cultural space that would go on to showcase some incredible performances. Since its inception in 2011, the Jagriti theatre has played host to many renowned plays and performances, gaining appreciation for its unique take on theatre. Making a…