Change Agent

Today is Gudi Padva. There was a special program in our society. All of us, means kids, were asked to dress up like our parents. I was very happy. Mommy Papa had purchased a green saree for me. There was a blouse too. Mommy too had a green saree. Secretly, we two had tried our sarees on us yesterday and we kept on laughing. Mother said I was looking just like her when she was small. Today when we reached the venue, we saw many other couples – mother-daughter or father-son, all in matching dresses. Boys had a clear disadvantage. Since their fathers would not wear half-pants and half-shirts, the boys had dressed in full pants and full shirts and were looking like chubby old men. One of them had come in traditional attire – but the boy’s dhoti was getting stuck in his feet and he was irritated and troubled. He was removing his topi and was envyingly looking at other boys who were in much comfortable clothes. Anyways, there I was along with my mother – both of us in green sarees. We had al...

It was amusing to see our national media singing a political raga and standing behind the bill reserving 33% of parliament seats for females. When Rajya Sabha passed it yesterday (attempt to pass it on world women’s day was a political gimmick), the media and the government celebrated the move as if some great contribution has been made towards women’s rights and cause. If we think about it, there is hardly anything done yet. Democracy can’t work with symbolism and political gimmicks. Given what the women politicians have done so far – be it Sonia Gandhi who used her status as a widow as an entry pass in politics, or Mayawati and Jayalalita whose are names synonym with corruption, or Uma and Mamta as political hysterics, or Sheila Dixit who sits on chair while her state makes worse records of crime against women everyday, women politicians have proven remarkably nothing of note. If we go back in time then we had Indira Gandhi as our first elected dictator. I believe we have seen enoug...

The world will remember ‘Three Idiots’ (3-Idiots) as an Amir Khan movie. Out of the many other hugely celebrated movies he has acted in, 3-Idiots is one of the most discussed ones in the recent times. 3-Idiots is the story of a man who not only lives life his own way, but also inspires others to go beyond what the society thinks conservatively fit for them. The movie scoffs at our society’s those typical blue-eyed guys like Chatur who toe the line and attain success by definition which encourages obedience and disheartens those who break the mould and want to build a life creatively on unusual patterns. Promotion of this ‘idea’ was very much needed for India which has already crossed its period of licence-Quota-Raaj and now thrives on creativity and new-age technologies. We no longer need lines of babus to fit the kind of jobs the colonial governments (pre and post 1947) would open up, but now we need guys who transcend the expectations and can provide innovative solutions to unique In...

A very interesting Open Letter written by Dr Mrs Hilda Raja, addressed to our Press: An Open Letter to N Ram, Editor in Chief, ‘The Hindu’ 03/03/2010 http://hildaraja.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/leter-to-the-editor-in-chief-of-the-hindu/

What do you remember when you think about Goa? Most probably it would be its sea beaches. But here is someone who found out some uncomfortable truths about history of the same beautiful place we call Goa. Richard Zimler is an award winning author and journalist who also wrote a book titled ‘Guardian of the Dawn’. This novel documents the little-known Portuguese Inquisition in India of the 16th century. Some portions of his interview titled ‘Goa Inquisition was most merciless and cruel’ published with Rediff is here for your read and pondering over: About 15 years ago, while doing research for my first novel, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, I discovered that the Portuguese exported the Inquisition to Goa in the sixteenth century, and that many Indian Hindus were tortured and burnt at the stake for continuing to practice their religion. Muslim Indians were generally murdered right away or made to flee Goan territory. I couldn’t use that information for my novel but decided, a few years lat...

This is part of the article titled “THE PARIS CONGRESS OF THE HISTORY OF RELIGIONS“. The Congress of the History of Religions at Paris was like the Congress of Orientalists which is convened from time to time and at which European scholars, versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Arabic, and other Oriental languages, meet; only the antiquarianism of Christianity was added to this Paris Congress. From Asia only three Japanese Pandits were present at the Congress. From India there was the Swami Vivekananda. The conviction of many of the Sanskrit scholars of the West is that the Vedic religion is the outcome of the worship of the fire, the sun, and other awe-inspiring objects of natural phenomena. Swami Vivekananda was invited by the Paris Congress to contradict this conviction, and he promised to read a paper on the subject. But he could not keep his promise on account of ill health, and with difficulty was only able to be personally present at the Congress, where he was most warmly received by all th...

Shree Hanuman Chalisa ll Doha ll Shri Guru Charana Saroj Raj, Nija Mana Mukura Sudhaari l Baranou Raghubara Bimala Jasu, Jo Daayaku Phala Chaari ll Buddhi Heena Tanujaanike, Sumeero Pawana Kumaar l Bal Buddhi Vidhya Dehu Mohi, Harahu Kalesha Vikaar ll ll Chaupai ll Jai Hanuman Gyana Gunasagara, Jai Kapeesa Tihu Loka Ujaagara Rama Doota Atulita Baladhaamaa, Anjanee Putra Pawanasuta Naama Mahabir Bikram Bajarangee, Kumatee Nivaara Sumatee Ke Sangee Kanchana Barana Biraaja Subesha, Kanana Kundala Kunchita Kesha Haatha Vajra Aur Dhwajaa Birajay, Kaandhe Moonj Janeun Saaje Sankara Suvana Kesaree Nandana, Teja Pratapa Maha Jaga Vandan Vidya Vaana Gunee Aati Chatur, Ramakaja Kareebe Ko Aatur Prabhu Charitra Suneebe Ko Rasiya, Rama Lakhana Seeta Mana Basiya Suukshmaroopa Dhari Siyahi Dikhava,Vikataroopa Dhari Lanka Jarawaa Bhima Roopa Dharee Asura Sanhaare, Ramachandra Ke Kaaj Sanwaare Laaye Sanjeevan Lakhana Jiyaye, Shri Raghubeera Harasheeura Laaye Raghupatee Keenhi Bahuta Badaayii, Tum Mam ...