Blink issue 113 april02 2016

SINDHI SWANSONG The last of the government-run Sindhimedium schools shut down in Ahmedabad, as youngsters deem it a language unworthy of the effort p2 saturday, april 2, 2016

partha pratim sharma

Agnostics, atheists and liberal believers in Kerala are warming up to Dinkoism, a spoof religion pivoted around a red chaddi-clad cartoon mouse p10

A rodent god rises

PAINSPEAK Polycystic ovarian syndrome is now increasingly prevalent among urban Indian women p4

THE SPIRITED NOBODY At Amherst, where Emily Dickinson shunned fame and baked with relish p20

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One for the Thronies A trail in Northern Ireland is tantalising for Game of Thrones addicts

Travel log Getting there

Belfast is connected by frequent flights from London. It’s two hours from Dublin by train.

Getting around

You can join one of the Game of Thrones tours (www.discovernorthernireland.com) or hire a car and do your own exploring (your Indian licence works).

Stay

The Malmaison (www.malmaison.com) in Belfast was an old seed warehouse that has been converted into one of the most fashionable hotels in the city.

Vanishing breed A higher secondary school offering Sindhi-medium education in Sardarnagar, Ahmedabad vijay soneji

Tip

Do deviate from the trail to visit Giant’s Causeway, a complex grid of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns caused by volcanic eruptions (mostly hexagonal in shape).

Tongue-tied in Sindhi

The road much travelled Dark Hedges in Antrim; (below) Castle Ward in Belfast ashwin rajagopalan

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eerie silence fills the as dark their the impact of the Belfastlanguage is in- inspiration from deem a persevering Newerngenerations areairturning back onshow thisaround ancient as they the spider scriptto reclouds gather on the horizon. I’m in credible. Almost everyone I bump into knows gain his kingdom in 1314) and the Stormlands, difficultCastle to Ward learn and choose aswho their gateway to because professional success near Belfast, where I’mEnglish someone has starred in the show Cushendun caves that were formed over a pe-

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greeted with a replica of the Longclaw sword. Game of Thrones (GoT) fans (aka Rajkot-based Thronies)aresh knowGangwani, all about athis sword butcomI’m law recognise consultantthedidn’t think not sure pany they will gentleman before English-mewho hastwice placed thischoosing dummy an sword to my forSnow his firstborn, Navya, neck. He dium thinksschool he is Jon and helms one aged For the Gangwanis, their mother of the five.

GoT trails in the area. This is where it all tongue,Local Sindhi, was ‘good day-tobegan. legend has itenough’ that thefor first epiday family conversation, butthe notHBO more. sode was filmed here after producIn team Ahmedabad, Nishith and Khushi Notani, tion reworked an old tower structure, the parents of a nine-year-old no added temporary structures daughter, and CGI are (comdifferent and seeimagery) English medium ‘the need puter generated to createas Winterfell. of the hour’. “Schooling Sindhi medium The temporary structuresinhave disappeared would (kids’) exposure Sindhi but therestrict influxtheir of Thronies hit thetotipping culture which is notpotential going toofbenefit point in alone, 2015. The tourism a GoT themonly in their career,”2015 sayswhen Nishtrail tookprofessional off around Easter ith, a self-employed Season 5 premieredprofessional. and, almost overnight, This lack of interest youngasparents has fans arrived from as farfrom and wide the Philipresulted the two remaining governmentpines andin Japan. run Sindhi-medium schools in AhCastle Ward is almost alwaysshutting the first stop to medabad.

Three privately-run Sindhi-medium let off some steam — pose with cloaks and schools or survive, but are feared to selfies be on the swords, click those mandatory bebrinksetting of closure.

Thea Sindhi fore out on quieterlanguage, path. Thewhich area has traditionally useditself the Arabic script, is facaround Castle Ward has some of these ing its spots toughest test, as newerfield generations quieter — such as Audley’s used as a deem the difficult to or learn not location forscript Rob Stark’s camp Riverand Quoile worth the effort.for battle scenes. used extensively An show ancient tongue boasting The has used other stunningluminaries locations such as ShahCroatia, Abdul Latif Bhittai, renowned in Morocco, Iceland and the Spain, but it’s ‘Shakespeare of Sindhi’, now at a glooNorthern Ireland’s array of stares locations that my future,thespoken within thetoconfines of prompted production team set up base home.

“This isn’t a recent There here.

Titanic Studios (nearphenomenon. the massive Titanic has been ainfall in theisnumber in museum) Belfast now oneofofstudents Northern Sindhi-medium schools for thesites. past 25 Ireland’s most closely guarded It’syears. here The changing preference for English medium that most of the indoor sequences were filmcanand bewhere seen the as arumour social transformation.

Ened mills about the plot glish,to orchurn even Hindi, moreensuing acceptable than start beforeisevery season.

Sindhi forlegendary schooling,” says Jagdish Bhavsar, I’m at the Duke of York whiskey bar chairman, Ahmedabad Municipal and the conversation eventually driftsCorporato GoT;

most of the supporting cast are from the area. riod of 400 million years, thanks to extreme Kristian Nairn (plays Hodor) used to be the weather conditions. These caves formed the tion (AMC) School Board.

The club last remaining resident DJ of Kremlin, a gay in Belfast, backdrop somewhatfor takes backseatscene in thein larger busithea famous Season 2 Sindhi-medium government school while Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark) al- was ness of education. where Melisandre gives birth to a ‘shadclosed lasthome. academic year. so callsdown the city I also run The handful private schools that do have ow’ of baby.

AMC Board, which into twoSchool Chicagoans who’veruns 455 schools a strong Sindhi connect, however, have few There’s the Carrick-a-Rede with 1.49 lakh students enrolled, has started takers and are gradually never watched the series forceda lifeline to turn for to Enrope bridge, loconverting schools into glish medium, withcal but are doingitstheSindhi-medium trail for Sindhi taughtfarmers as a subject. salmon for aEnglish simplemedium. reason — stun“The new generation finds the script difficenturies in the Storm“We started our first English-medium cult to learn. Even when ning, photogenic learnt, haswas limited lands area,itthat the school in 2002-03,” Bhavsar says, adding that application in society,”setting locations. says Harish Kakwani, for Renly Bathe number hasagain since grown to nine, and is former director of IGNOU’s I meet them Gyancamp Vani in educaratheon’s Sealikelynext to touch 12 next year. Other language tional FM radio stationson the afternoon in Ahmedabad.

2. I spot a schools,the meanwhile, along instantlyare on a decline as stuHe sees a silver liningBushmills in the form of competsign that redent numbers fallDark drastically. recognisable itive exams, where Sindhi out promise sultsholds in a brilliant deAmong the schools Hedges.

The Stuart fam-the board as a scoring for ofthose tour —subject the home the currently 303 are ily plantedruns, an avenue fullGujaratichoosing it. “Thanks to everyday world’s oldest whiskey medium, 67 Hindi-medium, 63 of beech trees in the 18th familydistillery conversations Sindhi, (1608);in after a Urdu-medium, Marathiofand century with the10 intention thequick students the lanshotareofgood theirat 10-yearI never studied in three Tamil-medium.

Among creating an impressive pathway guage. old, it’sThey timejust to need makehelp one with last Sindhi, nor will those shut down in their the past five to Gracehill House, stately the script.

Still, one thereof are stop at Ballintoy, the not remy kids years wereOver Malayalammansion. the yearsand thisTeluavemany Sindhi comgion’s oldest aspirants working at fishing gu-medium schools. nue earned its haunting monikpetitive exams,” he rues. harbours.

Ballintoy wasn’t reAlmost everyone I er, making it ‘sinister’ enough to He recalls about years touched too that much to 30 become bump into knows Fading words someone who has become the setting for ‘Kings ago, Ahmedabad alone had Lordsport harbour, part ofnearthe starred Rajkot-based Gangwani points out that his fa-in the Road’ in the show. ly show 12 Sindhi-medium schools. Today there is Iron Islands. ther’s the last generation that studied in none. “People Most Not was all the sights along the startedof feeling inferior after the locations are the Sindhi language the Arabic script. “I studying in Sindhi trail are outdoors.

It’susing customary out of thissmall infespreadschools. aroundItaisrelatively never in aSindhi, will my kids, be- riority complex for fansstudied to make stop atnor Steenthat Sindhi turned to footprint of thefamilies trail, letting you causeathe facilities are nohouse longer available in other language sons, boutique jewellery including Gujarati, driveschools at your own pace and make ourGlenarm town. Also, no guarantee of sucin thatit gives has crafted some of the your Hindiown anddiscoveries.

English mediums,” he reasons.

But there’s Belmore forcess,” heiconic repeats. show’s jewellery (including King Jof- est on the Western coast that’s some distance Scattered legacy In Gujarat, except in a few placesThis like jewellAhme- away. frey’s intricately designed crown).

Billy (my guide for the day) suggests I dabad, Vadodara Kutch, where Sindhi leave er has just moved and into Adipur a largerin location, Thosethat in the say trip. that Sindhi’s existential forknow my next I agree on the contrust schools have but disappeared.

At dition visitors can watch theall Steensons team at work. problem runs that we way drivedeeper. back via the Dark Hedges those that trail’s remain, Sindhilocations is taught that as just an- just It’s the coastal truly Since independence, the community has before sunset. He obliges. other subject. the schools largeviews num- been battling huge odds to keep its language shine.

There’s As Murlough Bayhave withaclear rajagopalan a Chennai-based travel andof berRathlin of non-Sindhi students, the objective of ashwin of Island (the same island where Scotand script alive. Afterisescaping the horrors writerlarge sections of the community ar‘promoting Sindhi culture to and language’ land’s King Bruce is supposed have sought lifestyle Partition,

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Go with the flow Women carrying earthen pots walk in a procession during the Sindhi festival of Jhulelal Chaliha in Ahmedabad; members of the community are scattered all over the country and overseas, and readily adopt local customs pti

Thus spake the Sindhu

Jagdish Bhavsar, chairman, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation School Board vijay soneji

The Sindhi who’s-who Politics

Acharya Kriplani — freedom fighter Lal Krishna Advani — former deputy prime minister Ram Jethmalani — lawyer and former law minister Jairamdas Daulatram — former governor of Assam and Bihar Business Sabeer Bhatia — entrepreneur and

founder of Hotmail Srichand Hinduja — Hinduja Group chairman Niranjan Hiranandani — managing director of Hiranandani Group Arjan Lulla — founder of Eros International Rajan Raheja — Rajan Raheja Group owner Arts / Culture / Sports Tarun Tahiliani — fashion designer Pankaj Advani — snooker player Vishal Dadlani — singer/composer Vashu Bhagnani, GP Sippy, Ramesh Sippy — filmmakers Aftab Shivdasani, Hansika Motwani

— actors

Harish Kakwani, former director of IGNOU’s Gyan Vani educational FM radio station in Ahmedabad

Believed to have originated on the banks of the Sindhu (Indus) river around 1000-1500 BC, Sindhi was widely spoken in the Sindh region of the pre-Independence era. After Partition, thousands of Sindhi families from Pakistan migrated to India and settled mostly in the Kutch region in Gujarat, and parts of Rajasthan and Maharashtra. In post-Independence India, Sindhi was among 22 languages recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

rived as refugees and struggled to find a foothold in their adopted land.

The struggle for livelihood often trumped the desire to preserve and promote their indigenous culture and language.

“The Sindhis migrated from Sindh in Pakis- Muted hopes tan. They found shelter in different parts of In- Vasudev Gopalani, President of Sindhi Pandia. Wherever they settled, they adopted the chayat — an organisation representing over local language, culture and festivals as their 950 Sindhi families — is a disheartened man. own. They wanted to achieve financial pro- Few Sindhis are interested in learning their gress, and they knew that wouldn’t be possi- mother tongue, whether to immerse in its ble through Sindhi language. As a result, rich literature or even for a handy purpose today Sindhi literature, language and script such as gaining an edge in competitive exams. all face the danger of becoming extinct,” says “Our libraries remain vacant, with hardly any Harish Bhagchandani, managing trustee, visitor in weeks. The entire community is goSindhu Sewa Samaj, a leading ing after the mass trend — of trust in Ahmedabad. modern learning. But in doing Kakwani, who finds mention so, we are threatening our very in the eminent personalities list identity,” he cautions. of the National Council for ProKakwani is among those who They became motion of Sindhi Language have not given up hope. He runs scattered all around (NCPSL), echoes this, “This is a a public trust named Vision Sindthe country. This big tragedy with the Sindhi commade Sindhi a hu Children Academy, which atstateless language munity. They never got their tempts to connect the younger own land (after the Partition).

Sindhi generation to their roots They became scattered all through the performing arts. Efaround the country. This made forts are on to make the Sindhi Sindhi a stateless language. language easier to learn for the Hence, Sindhis in different states tried to iden- new generation. This includes switching from tify themselves with the respective local the Arabic to the more commonly used Devnalanguages.” gari script and even Roman script to entice According to estimates from the Indian overseas Sindhis to learn the language.

Sindhi community, their numbers cross one “This would make the language more accrore and they are spread across the world, ceptable among the youth,” says Kakwani. with the largest concentration — nearly 70 rutam vora lakh Sindhi speakers — in India.

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Red alert An increasing number of post-pubescent women in urban India are now diagnosed with PCOS/PCOD shutterstock

The enemy within At St Dickinson’s Genius loves company Statues of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost in conversation photos nighat gandhi

There is an almost epidemic of Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (also known as PCOS and PCO) A Emily Dickinson’s house is nothing short of a literary pilgrimage in visit Indiatowith nearly 30 per cent of in itsAmherst women living with the complex condition

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I am glad there are Books. hadare mybetter last than period in December For they Heaven, 2013,” says a 32-year-old Larah Rai, For that is unavoidable, who on medication for While onehas maybeen miss these.

Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD) rescient by the since 2007, barelywords a year after she 19th-century got married. mystic Emily Dickinson The under-40 kgpoet woman had gained 11—kgpertidurnentyear in our world where The the weight love of ing the first of her marriage. books,with and poetry in particular, gain, coupled painful menstrual cramps, seems to beher dying an unavoidable death.“I was prompted to seek medical advice.

Last summer visited Dickinson’s family initially resignedI to a lifetime of menstrual home, in the college town of cramps,now butaitmuseum was my husband, Vikrant, who Amherst Massachusetts, about 160 km west suspectedinthat something was not right with of It’spains.” a charmingly green area with theBoston. monthly meadows, low rolling hillscent andofunforgettable Rai is among the 30 per Indian womsunsets.

Yasodhara, my Sufism Without Boren who have some form of Polycystic Ovarian ders friend,(PCOS, who recites Dickinson by heart, is Syndrome also known as PCOD or PCO), an Amherst that resident. picked me up or one afa condition goes She largely untreated misternoon, weThe drove to Amherst, for diagnosed. treatment variesstopping from doctor lunch at theThe Black Sheep, acommonly bustling, informal to doctor. diagnosis, considplace andnot loered afrequented precursor by to college diabetes,students is handed cated couple blockscysts frominDickinson’s just to athose withof multiple the ovaries. house in Main Street.

Irregular menses, hair-fall, weight gain and Theacne café are wasoften crowded so we to the even enough forwalked a gynaecolopark the the street with our while mozzarella gist toacross prescribe medication, some cheese try to do and battlesun-dried with dietarytomato changesbaguettes and regudrenched in tangy Italian dressing and large lar exercise.

Doctors even disagree over glasses icedcondition tea to beat heat.to And fiwhetherofthe is the related thethe ovanal decadence — a blackberry-studries,touch whereofthe cysts are located, or the hypoded custard tart. controls We sat close to the metal thalamus, which the production of statues of Dickinson andendocrinal Robert Frost.

The two all hormones.

Other disorders

poets are seated on boulders facing each oth- cred significance. Photography is prohibited er, as as if in conversation . have also been linked or such hypothyroidism I would image of her austere, growth of have bodysaved hair),an acne, seborrhea (white lunch, we walked the two blocks to the white, to After this complex condition. cotton dress hanginghyperplasia in a glass cabinet flaky skin), and androgenic (hairHomestead, Dickinson’s family home. She was outside An increasing number of post-pubescent her room. I imagined in this modloss from increased androgenher levels).

In womborn here spent most herdiagnosed short life est women in and urban India areofnow dress with a bluish shawl draped en, white above-normal levels of androgen lead to (1830-1886) in this an house.

We were walking the over with PCOS/PCOD, endocrinopathy (disease her shoulders, agreeing meet only a an imbalance in estrogen andtoprogesterone, very street she hadsystem walkedinvolving more thanhormone a centu- few of the endocrine visitors.

Dickinson was a hermit by and select disrupted ovulation. ry ago. I was like a little receiving a longedproduction) related to girl insulin resistance and choice, a master wordsmith content to spend Shaky prognosis for gift, so joyous The wascondition this thought walking hypothyroidism. wasoffirst iden- time with her family and her unusual imagiher street, visiting her home.

The Homestead tified in 1935

by American gynaecologists Irv- nation. was the involves baker in the family, scribA PCOSShe diagnosis wildly different is inga handsome, F Stein andtwo-storey Michael Lhouse Leventhal, who symptoms. bling bits of hard poems as they It is especially to detect in with dark greenwomen shutters. studied seven with amenorrhea, hir- adolescents,arrived, oftentimes on the backs who show similar symptoms durThe tour about toovaries. begin. A sutism andwas polycystic ofing cocoa powder puberty.

Thewrappers. symptoms also group of diagnostic us was taken through the But the criteria has Words might arrived(even in a vary with age,have ethnicity We were standing parlour library changed and manythe times since, where and torrent but she picked them with within India) and weight, so the in the room of one Dickinson received well has also taken into guests, accountasfacagonising effort. In one of her porisk of misdiagnosis is high. ofoctors the world’s D even as torsthe suchadjoining as ethnicityconservatory and race. emsDr (number in the Franklin Puneet1469 Bedi, Delhi-based greatest disagree poets over built by her to house the poIn 2003, thefather Rotterdam Europeedition), she crossed out several obstetrician and gynaecologist, whether the et’s exotic for plants.

Portraits of the condition is related word an Society Human Reproducchoices about such asthe ‘lonesome’ is sceptical rash of Dickinson family Society members were tion/American for and ‘warning’ before settling PCOS diagnoses today.

“Therefor is to the ovaries on the walls. Medicine Finally we(ESHRE/ trooped Reproductive ‘chilly’ in the opening line:created “A chilno epidemic, it’s a myth upstairs to her bedroom, withdiour guide, Shie- ly Peace infests ASRM) proposed that “…the Grass.” And the same procbythe gynaecologists who, even unla.

“That’s the desk agnosis include twowhere of theEmily fol- wrote,” she ess was perhaps repeated with til 12painstakingly years ago, were completely said.

A small, prim table wasoligoplaced by the win- each poem. Only lowing three criteria: aboutto 10any of her 1,800 poems oblivious such thing,” he dow, out onto Main Street.

Is this were and/orlooking anovulation, clinical and/or biochempublished in her lifetime and that too says, concerned about the counter-intuitive where she sat and observed sky, watched ical hyperandrogenism, andthe polycystic ova- anonymously, perhaps without“These her knowleffects of strong medication. medithe passing by? A reverential hush fell edge. ries people on ultrasound.” shared her poems only good. with friends cines She often do more harm than I have over group.

We were standingor inoligovulathe room and In the layman terms, anovulation family, giftingas many of them to heron sisterpatients as young 10 who have been oral of one of the greatest Her nar- in-law tion refers to world’s irregularities in poets. the menstrual Susan, her friend. It was only after contraceptives forclose a considerable time, simply row and the wicker basket in which she her cycle.bed Hyperandrogenism, excess androgen death thatgynaec a large failed collection of her poems because some to understand her lowered treatscan for street children took on a sa- were production, lead to hirsutism (excess discovered, tied problem.

First of neatly all, PCOS is in notbundles. a disease. The

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Bear a hand Several case studies have proven that women with PCOS are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea reuters/pawan kumar

nomenclature has changed over the years; initially it was PCOD, then PCOS and now PCO. There is an urgent need to stop treating it as a debilitating problem.”

Other doctors, however, refrain from such outright rejection of medication. Dr Kalpana Chugh, a gynaecologist for over 20 years, believes that dietary and lifestyle changes matter more than anything else. Oversensitivity to insulin — a common factor in PCOS — leads to weight gain, so that must be tackled first, she advises. “Weight gain in PCOS is a vicious cycle.

Since sugar levels are not controlled, sugars aren’t absorbed, which leads to weight gain, and excessive fat leads to excessive androgen levels in the body, leading to more fat at the end of this cycle.”

There are no studies to show which exercise is best suited to improve insulin resistance in women with PCOS, but light exercises such as yoga and walking are recommended rather than strenuous workouts. Strength training is particularly beneficial as it eliminates fat in favour of muscle, thereby improving calcium absorption. There have been studies linking

PCOS with deficiency in Vitamin D and calci- sleep apnoea, which results in snoring and exum. Calcium and vitamin supplements to- cessive daytime sleepiness, and were also 30 gether with metformin (a common drug used times more likely to suffer from sleep-disorto correct hormonal levels in women with dered breathing, according to a study by the PCOS) were found to result in improved body National Centre for Biotechnology Informamass index (BMI), which is key to eliminating tion in the US. The incidence of PCOS is higher PCOS. However, lifestyle alone does not ac- among the obese.

According to a 2013 study by John E Nestler count for the incidence of PCOS. Mumbai resident Himani Angira, who is in her twenties, and Daniela J Jakubowicz in The Journal of Clinalways prided herself on eating right and exer- ical Endocrinology and Metabolism, thin or cising; naturally, she was puzzled by her sud- normal-weight women respond to drugs that den weight gain. She also experienced reduce insulin resistance. unusual pre-menstrual symptoms. “While my Bitter pill periods were normal (they were always delayed by two to three days) the flow decreased. Ritika Bhatia, a 26-year-old media professionAdditionally, I could hardly sleep due to terri- al, had a BMI of 18 when she was diagnosed ble menstrual cramps and bloating.” She has with lean PCOD. It turned out to be a nightbeen on medication for a year, which, together mare after she was prescribed Diane 35, a pill with a healthy diet and exercise, has brought commonly prescribed to treat PCOD, as well as Aldactone, used to treat hirsusome relief. Angira was pretism. “The first couple of scribed metformin, a drug usualmonths, I felt a marked improvely used by diabetics, to combat ment, my cycle regularised, my insulin resistance.

There are no studies acne cleared up and cramps imto show which Fertility factor exercise is best suited proved. But soon after, there was a debilitating spike in migraine The good news is that no direct to improve insulin episodes. My doctor had overlinks have been established beresistance in women looked my history of migraine tween PCOS and infertility. As Dr with PCOS when prescribing Diane-35. An Bedi explains, “If one doesn’t ovonline check showed me there is ulate as regularly, the chances of a community of sufferers from getting pregnant also go down. the use of Diane-35.”

However, this is not to say that Bhatia went off the medication, as the daily women with PCOS cannot conceive or that the condition makes them infertile.” He is against episodes of migraine were too much to bear. prescribing hormone-controlling oral contra- She remembers her gynaecologist being disceptive pills for young girls and other women missive about her menstrual cramps and hirwho are not sexually active; he recommends. sutism. For every woman who receives a proper diagnosis, treatment and consultadiet and exercise instead.

Rujuta Diwekar, celebrity nutritionist and tion, there are dozens of others who learn to author of The PCOD Thyroid Book, is confident live with menstrual cramps, acne, amenorthat women can fight back with the right nu- rhea, and other associated problems — they trition. “It is possible to not just contain, but are told to watch what they eat (cutting out reverse hormonal disorders at any age and fats and carbohydrates results in loss of the veany stage of your life. Eating right, exercising ry nutrients required to fight the syndrome in right and sleeping right are powerful inter- the first place), body-shamed, forced to underventions and work for everyone,” Diwekar re- go painful cosmetic procedures and crash sponded via e-mail. diets, or even prescribed wrong medication.

The right kind of sleep matters too. Women with PCOS are more likely to have obstructive payel majumdar

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Pressure tactics Venezuelan President Maduro has accused the US of trying to overturn the Venezuelan economy by promoting the dollar black market wilfredo riera/bloomberg

STATES OF MATTER

Southern discomfort Dangers to Latin America’s second freedom

sukumar muralidharan

Speak, memory I f ‘neoliberalism’ is a real thing, the perfect testing ground would be Latin America. Most of its key acts have premiered on the continent and having seen its worst, Latin America has staged the first systematic effort to stand the dogma on its head.

A political tide began building up towards last century’s end, soon acquiring sufficient expanse and ambition to gain description as the continent’s “second freedom”. ot all readers are beholden to the That freedom today stands threatened.

In first line of a novel, INicolas admit, Madubut to January, Venezuelan president ofof usemergency who are, well rero declaredthose a state as begun inflation, is half done.

Anthony Burgess despite anally economic contraction lasting was a master in thisaregard; his first lines were months, touched level described as “catadisorienting suckernational punches.assembly Gabriel moved Garcia strophic”. A hostile Marquez was another writerhewho invested a to deny Maduro the powers sought.

A conlot in the perfect He once stitutional crisis opening. was averted whentold the Plinio counMendoza thatcourt it took him more timemandate to comtry’s highest ruled a legislative pose the firstfor sentence than the rest of the unnecessary the emergency exercise of book put together.

After all, the first sentence presidential powers. could be “the laboratory for testing thelegacy style, Maduro is intent on keeping alive the the and Chavez, even the length of the of hisstructure mentor, Hugo whose election as book”.

Withinhis latest novel, Mothering Sunday, president 1999 inaugurated a continentGraham Swift hasagainst surely composed one of the wide rebellion neoliberalism.

Begreatest opening infrom contemporary fictween then and hislines death cancer in 2013, tion, a languid, layered sentence that— isnationmore Chavez won every electoral contest synecdoche than stage-setter. wide, regional and local — fighting off a con“Once upon time, beforeand thethe boys were sistently hostilea opposition bluntly killed when there were more horses than statedand intent of the northern colossus, the US, cars, before the male servants disappeared to overthrow him.

It was an unambiguous and they by made at Upleigh and Beechmandate anydo, standard, before theatsetback wood, with just a cook andlegislative a maid, the Sheof December 2015 turned control ringhams had ownedcoalition. not just four horses in over to an opposition their ownasstable, but what might be presumcalled a Brazil the largest country and ‘real racehorse, a thoroughbred.” ptivehorse’, leadera of continental trends, was moThis sentence does abut perfect jobup of with anchormentarily left behind, caught the ing us in spaceof and time.

It alsodetells theasreader inauguration Luis Ignacio Silva presithat relationship gentry and dentthe in 2003.

When hebetween stepped the down in 2011 in their servants is central to the narrative.

For a accordance with constitutional term limits, certain peoplehad (not to En‘Lula’ asclass he isofknown, anrestricted 80 per cent apgland), originsBut arepolitical everything, whether it’s proval rating. rancour has since horses or the humans under scrutiny. spiked as economy turned sour. The other bits in this line: proprietary notions, carsaand Police investigators recently paid Lula call dead boys, examplescharges. of Shakespearean to quiz himare onall corruption President foreshadowing.

Dilma Rousseff, a long-time associate and proThequickly ‘real time’ events ofhim theto story happen on tégé, appointed a cabinet posiMarch 30, 1924, a Sunday, the titular Mothertion, vesting him with partial immunity.

The ing Sunday, a time for sharing anda stories constitutional court frownedpies and newly with thenational materfamilias.

Ourresolved protagonist, Jane elected assembly afresh to

Mothering Sunday Graham Swift Fiction Simon and Schuster ₹399

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proceed with Rousseff’s impeachment. tion. Ecuador saw the ratio between average Lula took the fight to the streets, rallying incomes of the richest decile and the poorest the faithful to his vow that Brazil would not fall from 36 to 25 within five years of President suffer another coup. Unlike earlier junctures Rafael Correa taking office. And Bolivia has, when democracy was crushed by jackbooted since electing its first president from an indigcaudillos with filial ties to the country’s aris- enous community in 2006, asserted control tocracy, the threat to Latin America’s second over its natural resource base and turned the freedom comes from powerful media monop- revenue windfall into substantial welfare olies, able to stir up turmoil and simulate an improvements. abrupt withdrawal of popular consent.

All these gains are threatened today by Fairchild, is anfreedom orphan who has been domestic The second has been resisted at ev- with Mr Niven’s bookshelves led to anpolicy apprenplunging economies and a faltering rehelp at the for a long time (‘Jane Fair- ticeship ery stage byNivens social strata accustomed to being at a bookstore in Oxford, which in sponse. Clearly all the regimes in power are inchild’ like unequal saying ‘John Doe’, with on topisofa bit highly hierarchies of some privi- turn ledprotecting to an academic careergains at theofuniversitent on the welfare the last post-war optimism in).byThe Nivens ty. lege. It was uniquelythrown facilitated a conjuncIn the hands ofPacifying an inferior writer, allelites this decade-and-a-half. restive local have lost all their circumstances, children (all boys) to thea would tion of favourable including have looked a wee bit forced. and imposing on them a fair share ofBut theSwift burGreat and energy hence adore She- wields boom War, in global pricesyoung and thePaul Chinese the conductor’s baton In den of adjustment would be easy, expertly. if the northringham, only surviving son of their Jane’s economy’sthevoracious import appetite insistence on to taking lovers ern colossus were keep multiple its hands off. friends, a fault. they don’t know is that “but throughtothe earlyWhat millennial boom. not recently friends” at Oxford, her fascination Maduro spoke of aindeliberate effort Jane Sheringham havepolitibeen sleeping to- with the works Yetand it took a deliberate of Joseph Conrad (like a by the US to overturn the her, Venegether fortoyears.

At that first,attendJane would accept self-taught writer), cal effort ensure careful guarding of her zuelanher economy by promoting money or presents.

Now the business part of it past with Sheringham, ant benefits were widely shared. see themarket. calculating, the dollarweblack And has erased by pleasure.dogFirstbeen steps in vanquishing calibrated persona of the modern-day writer. there is little question that since All these gains are some of the short novels (think On today maLike were taken by best Argentina afJane’s also energy makes price a statement the global crash, a threatened by progress Chesil or The Testament of Mary)plunging Mother- economies ter a Beach financial crisis between about subaltern true that largeliterature. gap has It’s opened up her being is propelled its and a faltering policy early 1998Sunday and 2002 wiped not out by saveducation about asexa tween official comes and parallel plot — although this isadminby no ings. The bitter medicine direct result Mr the Niven’s indulchange ratesof for US dollar, response means book financial — but by istered abyplotless the global gence andthe hisvicious resources.

But is fuelling cycle ofshe high the atmosphere it constructs mecabal only led to a more rapid careful not atogrowing reveal the extent of inflation, black marticulously, page by see It works particularly her flight of capital.

Butpage. that We really to her employer. of It keterudition premium, expectations the that the warwith has had on waseffect the turnaround, a pocan be saidcurrency that she used the refurther devaluation well as an allegory the affluent classes.

Their litical shift to the left, thetreasurimposition of sources of the dominant toposreand capital flight.

A restoration of order is forcurthe writing es havecontrols, been depleted, their sons rency and the inauguration ofprocess a sible, but a website verse said dominance. run from Alabama in the wounded orfiscal killed.

The sense of four years US, has been doing determined stimulus.

Within I felt that, on the whole, Motherits best to prevent that by complacency sitting in national in- quoting theing of messaging they that had, it would place Sunday worked as a rate period black market exchange for their green andsuccessfully villages, terests first,suburbs Argentina forced a the dollar onpiece, but itbasis. did particularly well an hourly has shattered.on Increditors. the face of loanbeen restructuring as an allegory forspeculative the writingdollar proc“It is a false, parasitic and arbitrary incomprehensible tragedy, peo- ess; Growthand rates accelerated across all counsummoning of memory (like Mathe that the has done great harm to Venezuela”, ple tend toacling to the familiar.

This is what tries, with significantly more equitable dis- name of Vladimir Nabokov’s memoir,easing”, Speak, duro declared recently.

“Quantitative happens Mr Niven, employer.

In Memory), tribution with of gains.

In theJane’s decade following the framing the narrative, introthe lifeline that the US of economy clings to as it his quaint on official — he ducing 2003, real insistence wages in Brazil grewlabelling 35 per cent. theacharacters, central conflict and fights off slowdown,the has pumped a dollar calls two bicycles the10 house Firstincome Bicycle the Whilethe the share of theintop per cent resolution: Jane’s hopscotch jumps surfeit into the global economy. There arefrom doland Second Bicycle wetosee clueless, essenearners shrank from— 51 34aper cent, that of past to present to future ultimately lar reserves floating around whichfollow couldthis be tially good-hearted clutching straws, the next 80 per centsoul increased fromat47 to 65 pattern. tapped. Venezuela has to an extent shown trying to con himself hequality is still how, per cent.

Brazil saw a into rapidbelieving change in It isbyquite to gobble up Mothering tyingpossible up a strategic financial aid packliving an innocent world. of jobincontracts, with employment shifting Sunday in China. a single, languorous afternoon.

But age with Similar initiatives elsewhere Every now out andofthen, we meet sector, the presentsignificantly the informal most- if youwell do, abelaborious re-read is recommended. may the way to salvage the continent’s day Jane Fairchild, nonagenarian novelist and There ly facilitated by newly enacted laws. jewel-like sentences here, and their secondare freedom. revered intellectual, back decline upon her In Venezuela, therelooking was a rapid in lustre only grows with successive reads. days in Oxford and the events Mothering poverty and a virtual tripling of of university en- sukumar muralidharan is an independent writer and researcher based in Gurgaon and Shimla mani jha Sunday, We learn that Jane’s fascination rolments1924. in proportion to the eligible popula- aditya

Graham Swift’s crystalline short novel is an unfailingly elegant meditation on loss, class relations, and the workings of literature

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Bring to book A large number of Sikhs associate with Deras, some of which invoke the Granth Sahib in myriad ways ap/aman sharma

Sacrilege is in the law The intent to curb the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib through life imprisonment is a step towards orthodoxy

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n March 22, the Punjab Assembly passed a Bill adding Section 295 AA to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) seeking life imprisonment for sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib. In a state with a Sikh majority, this is problematic on two accounts: the intent to curb desecration through increased punishment is a step towards orthodoxy and prioritising sacrilege to Sikhism as graver than to other religions reveals the bias of the political parties. The amendment — pending a nod by the Governor — is a populist trick by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to appease one religious community in the coming election year.

A press note from Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal says, “The amendment is primarily aimed at making a stringent provision in law to ensure exemplary punishment to all those who flare up communal tension.” At present, Section 295 of the IPC defines injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class with a punishment for ‘a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both’.

Queries to the SAD spokesperson Harcharan Bains did not elicit any response.

This move by the ruling SAD is in the context of the 13 incidents of sacrilege of the Granth Sahib that erupted in the rural landscape of Punjab in October 2015. The timing of the incidents, one after another, within a space of 10 days, is critical: they took place just when, on humanitarian grounds, the farmers and farm workers called off their rail roko agitation even as talks between the agitators and the government remained inconclusive. The farmers and workers were demanding just compensation for the failed cotton crop

struck by the whitefly. The government was re- contempt of the Supreme Court and received sponsible for the crop failure because it had a dressing down, halting work on the dismanfailed to check the bad seeds and fake pesti- tling of the canal. cides the farmers had been using. The inciThe SAD has exploited religious and water dents of sacrilege led to more than a week of issues over the last four decades to ensure non-violent protests — by Sikhs, Hindus and votes. By doing so they have repeatedly sought even Muslims. The SAD’s attempt to contain to inflame passions and bring the state to the them led to police firing in village Behbal Ka- brink of separatism by ignoring the lessons of lan, resulting in two deaths. The First Informa- the decade when Punjab bled over these istion Report named no one responsible for the sues. Punjab’s namesake in Pakistan is a sad firing. Initially, Punjab Police nabbed seven example of how religious orthodoxy has unpeople responsible for the sacridermined democratic processes lege. In November, following a in that society. Such fundamenpublic outcry, the government talism is the bane of all modern handed over some of the other secular societies. By continuing The SAD has cases to the Central Bureau of Into keep the issues fused, the SAD exploited religious vestigation. Since then there has and even the Opposition parties been a deafening silence on and water issues over are playing with the sentiments the last four decades identifying or pursuing the misof the people of the state. to ensure votes creants. Just when the recent In the House, the Congress did amendment was proposed, object to the SAD privileging the there was another incident of Sikh faith above others by asking desecration at village Ramdiwali for the law to cover only for the Musalmana in Majitha, near Amritsar. Three Granth Sahib and symbols of Sikhism. Around youths, who were supposedly under the influ- 40 per cent of Punjab’s population belongs to ence of drugs, were arrested and then again other religions. A large number of Sikhs assothere has been silence. ciate with Deras, some of which invoke the The SAD government has shown to be gross- Granth Sahib in myriad ways. While the oppoly incapable of acting on, arresting and pursu- sition was ignored, the danger of such a dracoing the cases of sacrilege; yet, since they are in nian law is that the state can use it to power, they are trying to stay in people’s imag- prosecute people of other faiths. Above all, ination as the sole guardian of Sikhism. If the while sacrilege is about an overt attack on the Governor does not pass the Bill or returns it symbols of any faith, institutionalising a precseeking changes, the party can go crying to edence of one faith above others is against the the people and seek votes on the pretext that very fabric of a secular nation. Such a move by the religion is under threat. This is exactly an elected government must be condemned. what they have done with the issue of water sharing between north Indian states and the amandeep sandhu is a writer working on a nonSutlej Yamuna Link canal: they passed a Bill in fiction book on Punjab

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READER’S DIE JEST

Why can’t multiverse superheroes just get along? Because neither of their worlds is interesting enough to save, that’s why

dipankar

Two insufferable earths arunava sinha

VC REQUESTS AIR STRIKES ON HYDERABAD UNIVERSITY!

SHOVON CHOWDHURY is chief Truthdigger and author of Murder with Clash of Bengali the titans Characteristics Cast members Ben Affleck (left) and Cavill conditions attend the How long will these Henry inhuman New York premiere prevail on campus? “It’s difficult to of say,” Batman v Superman: said Rao. “We have notDawn yet received Of Justiceinstrucat tions from Nagpur, where busy Radioeveryone City MusicisHall

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n news described as ‘encouraging’ by the Association of Concerned Taxpayers, Hyderabad University has announced that it will shortly be launching air strikes against its students.

“People have been giving unnecessary importance to JNU,” said Pappu Rao, spokesperson for the university, “but they forget that the battle against the students of this country began at Hyderabad University.

While JNU merely got 2-3 students arrested, we have imprisoned close to 30. Luckily for us, the Air Force is free. We will begin with some early morning carpet-bombing of all hostel blocks, followed by light strafing of recreational areas. The district magistrate has agreed to impose Section 144 around the canteen.”

Thanks to these steps, the authorities an-

ticipate a marked improvespecially trained ment in governance. “Now to smell traitors. that he is no longer the only They can also bark one on campus with an FIR the national anlodged against him, the VC them. Those with will be able to address the stuless musical ability dents on a more equal footing,” tap their paws to the said the spokesperson. “This will beat. This is not all. We with new pants. The reuters/eduardo matter is munoz complex. enable us to suppress the dangerous will have 24-hour surveil- Confusion has arisen. Some people are comr Kemp, questioning the doctor will you trend of students VCssee who drones Which Lois lance are you,byLois — fromequipped his world or plaining that the new pants their but to one space so you can solvemake the problem are undernow. investigation for criminal with lasers and Bluetooth speakers, thus en- butts mine? too the big,shit while alsolook confuse out others of us all.are conKent. offences.” abling them toWe’re zap anti-national evildoersThe cerned Yours, Clark. married, remember? the Wonderwoman clingy fabric isdoing making Butthat what’s here? I Good evening, Are any alternatives beingKemp. considered to while songs. In this way, them youngplaying Clark ispatriotic still in Smallville.

He doesn’t tootosexy, dueonly to which womenaround may behere. want be the love interest It’s aerial Kent, route?

Wayne.“No Andeffort we can cut the char- punishment the is being spared,” and education even have a proper costume,will he’sgo inhand jeans.inHey unable to control themselves, hamHush, Lois. She can fight.thereby She WILL fight. ade.

WeRao. knew who we are. the navy cannot hand. said “Unfortunately, Other cute, emergency will in- pering Clark, you’re are youmeasures dating anyone? meals.

No!cooking Clark… of stop, don’tHopefully destroy thethey shard…

Didn’t you like it, Kent, when noisone be involved because Hyderabad notknew next clude of PatanjaliWhat noodles, regular Thisstocking is so confusing. about Bruce, will soon reach some agreement thisI’m an Muhahahaha too late.

Also, I’monevil. you Superman?

Whatever happened to consumption to were the sea, but a platoon of sniffer dogs is becow urine, periodic inspecBruce? Are youoftwins?

Are our parents dead in matter, after which they will be able to foevil Superman. theing secret identityRaised and changing into cos- tion deployed. on a diet ofyour shuddh Smriti Irani, and compulsory view- cus on bothby worlds? the education sector, which I want to be an evil Batman too.is in urtume a phone booth? these dogs have been ingMartha… cowin milk and dhoklas, of Manoj Kumar movies.” gent need of attention.”

No, Bruce.

Let’s go back to your house.

Wayne, I’m the one who’s supposed to ask Who mentioned my mother?

Diana? Now? You don’t want to be WonderDear Salwinder, the questions.

She’s not your mother, she’s mine. woman and take the villains down?

It is important not toKent. mix up human beThat’s in your world, You’ve crossed Ours. Martha Wayne.

Clark! In my world my parents are still alive. ings with symbols.

This In is this an one, elementary over to another world now. the moShe’s ours too. Martha Kemp. I mean Kent.

Hey, Wayne, what’s with the kid in the park I thatmade. many make. It is true that in viemistake was never Hell, we didn’t even know Metropolis and saved from bullies? the your consumption of see Kingfisher Ah, past, that explains why I don’t anyone Gotham City were in the same world.

Oh. My. God. beer has money their in theteeth pockets of Vijay wailing andput gnashing outside moHee hee hee. Never seen a Yes? ISI has announced that it for 24 hours. The Yes? vieMallya. halls. But you were not alone in this. Evairbase itself has always bunch ofakistan’s more confused superis fully to investigating eryone was putting money in the pockets of Hello, Clark. maintained a veryYes? cordial and welcoming heroes. At leastcommitted you’re lucky I the terrorist attack conducted by atmosphere, withYes? Vijay Mallya.

He has Plus Who… who are you?very Yoularge look pockets. just like me. villagers often bringing didn’t throw in that Lex Luthor You’ve thelike ISIMark at Pathankot.

“We need to crossed let usyou. notJust forget that during this period, I AM older. in theirover cows, afterOh paying a nominal entry who looks Zuckerberg shut up, all four of you. I reanother understand Kingfisher has given you much joy. You canHello, Bruce. fee.world, Subsequently, government on drugs. what went wrong,” said LttoColallyyour regret bringing has twoof-SuperKent. In this one,announced the Tanvir Ahmed of theyou ISI.al-“Significant not thesebe memories, however Ah, enjoy you must Bruce Wayne.

I’mblurry, Bruce onel ficially that there no secuClark.

I feel like I know mans and twowere Batmans together. movie was never planning was done to ensure success, and and dissociate yourself from the symbol Wayne. rity lapses, which that even in my the Wonready. Did we meet when we Do means you know they stole thechildren? signs were in our favour. Border Se- made that helped is also very unWhee, now provide we havethem. four Itsuperheroes for all future, we can be assured of such favourawere derwoman idea in the movie? No curity verybut accommofair to the bird. The kingfisher is a cheerful the price of two. ble conditions.

Our concern You Force and Iwas didn’t, maybe royalties either. is that dedating.

Punjab Police was older also and Whocolourful said that? creature, which harms no spite such conditions, our people those two did.

Those Wayne!

Batman/Superman very supportive, one, except for a few fish. In Finland, they Meeeeee. wereYes, unable to perform. This dudes.

That otherwith ClarkSP and othKent?

Ally Subramaniam was born in the Volume 1: Cross Salwinder Singh even keep them as pets.

By nature, Who are you, strange looking goddess? is extremely er Bruce.

It’s Kemp.

Ishameful. don’t wantThe to be SuSouthwest World Sunderbans, but was hiswe personare which very affectionate.

I’m here with athey message will make no providing prestige of the ISI is atany stake.

Of course did, kids. Alfred was driving perman in this crazy comic book more. and Jae blown awayGreg by aPak cyclone and washed Lee near Chennai. He was al transport of the comic actionsfans. of sense to anyone Because but hardcore We will find out which Bruce throughfor ourour town when their car broke up on the shore I’ve already changed my team name to adopted byFiction a poor Brahmin family use, while he himself one human being, howevThere is an evil god out there and he wants to members were responsible down and Bruce taught me how to fight.

Can’t Batshitcrazyman.

DC Comics from Tirupur.

He can answer all your made late-night to a temple. erworlds large, to wedestroy. cannot conpick one of your two fordo this debacle, and orthey you seeahow close wevisit are now?

What do we now?

Are we two four? ₹899 questions. Just send them to Black-tongued people suggesting demn an entire phylum Two worlds? will not be spared.”

So wait, in your world,are Clark and Bruce are I don’t know. askallysubramaniam@gmail.com when saidworld ‘temple’, he met? meant his or species.

The kingfisher Duh. Did you think there were two Super- that friends but he in our we just Nor doInI. related news, Dawood Ibrahouse, because he worships superher him will is a in deserving candidate. mans and two Batmans one world?

I’ve just girlfriend’s be I.investigating hawala transacIf you’re done with the navel-gazing, Nor do ear Ally, a goddess, but and we do believe Please from continue brought you people together your to re- like in Dubai, heroes and heroine Loisnot Lane, I needthis. to tell tionsNor do I. Salman Khan will head a Is it OK to drink Kingfisher Punjab Police also preventedThere’s unnecessary support him. spective worlds to solve this problem. to eradicate drunk you something important. a shard task force (This monthly column helpsdriving, you talkand about a beer? panic by not reporting thebecause incident, al- Sharad Yours affectionOh hi, Diana. helptoaddress that you mustn’t destroy it’sand a weapbook Pawar withoutwill having read it) allegations Salwinder Singh, Pathankot lowed our the men tolord. roamBut around state ately, Ally.

What are YOU doing here, Wonderwoman? on against evil the evilthe lord is pit- of corruption in the BCCI. I don’t know. Was this some crazed script- ting your worlds against one another to see arunava sinha translates classic contemporary The Investigator is a monthly round-up of all things droll and idea? newsy. All views are personal. Really personal t@shovonc writer’s which one’s better. So I teleported all of you in- Bengali fiction and non-fiction into English; t@arunava

ASK ALLY

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NO TERRORIST WILL BE SPARED, SAYS ISI!

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THE CRITICAL ISSUE

No longer at ease Pulling together feminist institutions is tough as they are attempts at creating new, inclusive ways of working, and when they break there’s little dusting of hands and moving on

Breaking point Madhushree Dutta (right), co-founder of Majlis along with Flavia Agnes (left), stayed away from the 25th anniversary celebrations of the organisation. In an open letter she detailed why she was staying away, and the questions she raised will lead to much discussion within the feminist movement vijay bate, s gopakumar

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Urvashi Butalia is an editor, publisher and director of Zubaan

ecently the Mumbai-based feminist organisation Majlis, founded by well-known lawyer Flavia Agnes and filmmaker and curator Madhushree Dutta, celebrated its 25th anniversary. In the true feminist spirit, Majlis gathered together a group of women — old, middle-aged, young — who held everyone spellbound with life stories that addressed the subject of discussion: the personal is political.

Majlis chose the speakers with a great deal of thought: Nayantara Sahgal, writer and something of an icon, Devaki Jain, activist, writer, institution builder, Gouri Choudhury, one of the founders of Saheli and Action India, Chhaya Datar, whose long history in the women’s movement in Maharashtra needs no introduction, Corinne Kumar, for long associated with the Bengaluru-based organisation Vimochana, and Vasanth Kannabiran, activist, writer, and also someone who has built institutions.

Moving and affirmative as the celebration was — after all, a quarter-century of keeping an organisation alive on little money and a lot of commitment is not to be scoffed at — it was also, sadly, marred by the absence of one of the two founders. Dutta wrote a sort of open letter detailing why she would not be attending the ceremony. For those not privy to the inside discussions in the organisation, the letter was heartbreaking as much as the celebrations were affirming.

Institution building is not an easy job — and it’s no secret that it takes courage, money, initiative, drive, passion, commitment and all of those positive things. But building institutions, even if difficult and frustrating at times, is mostly exciting and positive, because there is always the possibility of success, the next ho-

rizon to be reached. time they need to, to keep the institution alive.

When women build institutions though, Sometimes, as with many feminist instituthere is a difference, especially if these are al- tions, it is that the passion and commitment ternative, feminist institutions. Every brick, of the founders or the older generation canwhether literal or metaphorical, is imbued not be taken for granted among those who are with emotion; the borderlines are blurred, new and, of course, younger. and the institution seeps into the home, into And sometimes it is simply that new mantheir personal lives, into everything they do; agements and new entrants want to bring in the personal and the political come into con- new styles of functioning. This seems to be easstant play. ier to deal with in the corporate world than in Such institutions also require more effort to the world of feminist politics — or perhaps it is pull together because they attempt to create that the corporate world has no time for heartnew, inclusive, non-hierarchical and yet pro- break, while the feminist world will refuse to fessional ways of functioning. Because many render it invisible. are funded, accounting processes have to be in But sometimes the break-up of institutions place, administration and management are is actually not such a tragedy as it first appears concepts that need to exist alongside inclusiv- to be. Long years ago, when my then business ity, egalitarianism, and more. partner and I decided to split Kali And this is why, when femifor Women, the institution we nist institutions break, the had so lovingly created, we were heartbreak, the sense of beboth heartbroken and in despair.

The corporate world trayal is so deep, the tragedy so But now, more than a decade has no time for palpable. There’s very little of on, I think we would both acthe dusting of hands and saying, heartbreak, while the knowledge that in some ways, the feminist world will well, this is done with, now let’s break-up freed us to explore othrefuse to render it start something else. er possibilities and expand our invisible Is there a way in which femireach in the market, to experinist institutions and those who ment and, basically, just allow make them address break-ups change to enter the door. better? Perhaps, although it is And perhaps this is the lesson difficult to say. At the Majlis celewe need to learn, that when we brations, many of the speakers, and indeed create something with our hearts and our the moderator, referred to the absent co-foun- souls, we also always need to be aware that der, and the need to address her concerns. And there will come a time when this will have to I have no doubt that the questions she raised change. But can we, as feminists, be open to will lead to much discussion within the femi- change without carrying with us the baggage nist movement. of heartbreak and bitterness? That’s a quesInstitutions break, or change, for all kinds of tion to which there are no easy answers. reasons. Sometimes it’s simply that people’s blink@thehindu.co.in lives change and they cannot give the kind of

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All hail the mighty mouse

Water babies

Two experienced and technically skilled artists come together to create watercolours full of mystery and metaphor

the ‘poor person’s hobby-craft’, watercolour was actually favoured by the Tagore brothers, who promoted the Japanese Wash technique in the early 20th century at the Bengal School.

The Tagores believed it formed a pan-Asian counter-narrative to British academic oil painting, which was mandatory in most art schools in India. Watercolour has recently reemerged as an exciting alternative to oil paint.

Roy, who studied at Santiniketan, is one of the leading promoters of the wash technique.

Mostly because it is immediate, transparent, and a demanding medium that leaves no to Dinkoists), by thethe Kottayam-based room for error.owned He explains ideas underMangalam “It was“Mezzaterra is a sensational pinning hisPublications. technical prowess: hitimagined during those times,” N Somasekhaan territory, anrecalls idea, but a very real ran, who created thewhere cute gnawer 1983.

The and pervasive one, echoes in and refleccomicadd wasdepth drawnand by artist Baby. where identions perspective, Somasekharan and Baby set Dinkan’s tities are malleable and overlapping andstory not in the fictional Pankila forest — the Holy Land clear-cut and well-defined, where binaries are for Dinkoists — wheretheme,” animalssays in distress get not the only defining Roy. He has instant help from theiratsaviour been teaching painting his almamouse mater,with Facmagical powers.

“I was anSayajirao atheist Universiin those ulty of Fine Arts, Maharaha Blue moods ‘Festival’ by Indrapramit Roy images courtesy threshold art gallery days,” says Somasekharan, whoseincreation ty, Baroda since 1995, after studying London ended up becoming atheist mascot. “But I at the Royal College ofanArt. soon got influenced the writings of Swami Varghese’s muse isby water and it features in Vivekananda.”

He nowand divides hispresented time bethis suite of paintings a video tween spiritual activities and charity Baalongside the watercolours.

“I havework. always lamangalam shut shop in October loved the ability of watercolour to seduce2012, the leaving Dinkan — which already eye.

In this instance I have had worked with been ricepickedand up by social media bloggers as a paper mounted it on and canvas, so it — lends counter-god to lampoon established deities. the work a double-edged delight,” says Vargh“The is that for there is noasprocess. ese.

Hisfun penchant water a muse Everyis beone isitwelcome to Dinkoism.

There is moods no aucause has the ability to convey many thority.

No certificate is issued,” says and meanings, both personal and political.

23-year-old Jithin a blogger and This metaphor hasMohandas, fascinated the artist since atheist in Chengannur, south Kerala, he was abased child living in Kerala, surrounded by who actively campaigns for (the Dinkoism.

Perwater and steeped in history early tradehaps itthat is the world’s first routes made Kochi ancrowdsourced important portreliin gion in the times). real sense of the word.

Pre-British Varghese, who has studied is no question conversion, so obviart“There and visual design atofthe Richland College ously no Texas, ghar believes vapsi either.

Andmust by being in Dallas, that one not for-a counter-religion rooted get one’s roots. “Our fears in are agnostic fluvial andtradipastions, fluid.

Dinkoism a step above atheism in as sions This goes creates subtle agitations well,” quips Dinkoist who journalthe mind.

Butawater plains canteaches also bring tranism at aatnorth Kerala quility times.

Theircollege. mere presence can be the ‘devotees’, Dinkan is farcically serious theTomilieu of our meditations,” says Varghese. business — humour, said Groucho reaThe artists are conjoined in theirMarx, beliefisthat Aquatic ardour

by Sebastian Varghese In thee we trust Supporters of Dinkan are on a war footing to promote the‘Backwater’ fictional anthropomorphic character as the icon of a new satirical religion in Kerala. The idea is son rewards gone mad.

“Dinkan isthe mezzaterra are the Ultimate Anthe of inhabiting to get the better of fanatics and communal elements. A graffiti that appeared in Kozhikode heralds a convention of the group k ragesh swer, and we never letwith anyone pooh-pooh enormous; it will is teeming possibilities.

It our lord,”each saysthing a Dinkoist worksof with IT endows withwho ‘a patina thean old water hyacinth a beautiful n thehe beginning was theisRodent, and but the small snatches of verse: Under followers spread acrossDylan the Thomas’s globe. And the and consultancy firmnew’. in Bengaluru.

“Thecan public at shine of the It means one inhabdeadly plant.

It saps life outwas of Milkwood World was with Him, and the World Sukumar Ray’stoAbol Tabol, that number isand soaring, thanks ‘devotees’, in- it large should that, the faithful more thanunderstand one language orlike culture at any waterbody, rendering it dry Dinand lead Him any — Dinkaluiah!

Masha’Dinka! one atheists, into the hidden narrative.

One believcan al- given cluding agnostics and liberal of other religions thatbe spread time.

One can bothterror insideand andchaos outkaya defunct.

Namaha!It also hides the muck that so the retinal as plea-a critique of across the globe, erssimply who enjoy see Dinkoism get offended if our side we of too language, of culture. liesWelcome beneathtoitsthe roots and of leaves; the the pretty Gospel Dinkan, Al- sure that religions. the works bring, traditional Clearly, the Lord isstance belittled or denigrated,” One’s cannot help but be purple as Ultimate the perfect decoy. Painter mightyflowers Mouse.act The Fighter.

The Sa- soaking upthe thered sanguine nature spectre of chaddi-clad rohe mocks. violence is not both critical“But and empathetic.

Sebastian uses Supreme this plant Being. as a metaviour. TheVarghese Omnipotent The of their dent is calming hauntinghues. many for the our way.

Lord Dinkan does not The exhibition is evocative of Watercolours have phor toAll talk about the underlying tensions of right God of Gods.

Royreasons. and Varghese are displayendorse violent ways toculture, defend these hinterlands where always Dinkan been was avalued comic theDinkoism, socio-political conditions Kerala. All of ing these works in Mezzaterra, a the religion thatinworships DinDinkoism.” politics and personal narratives below oil-on-canvas superhero popular Who is Dinkan?

Varghese’s paintings are making beguilingly beautiful kan the Mouse, is now waves across two-person show at the Threshcome together in an aesthetic works amongbecause childrenoils in Mocking in style watercolours underlying (where else!) with God’san Own Country, story Kerala,that in- old To the uninitiated, beGallery, in Delhi’sDinkan, tony Sarvofeast. give the canvas Kerala during the Dinkoists have may be discovered by a closer spiring awe, amusement andinspection agitation of — daya fore Enclave being till anointed April 9. the SuIndrapramit Roy &made hilarious longevity 1980s and 1990s copies of Varghese practices from most rethe works. though not necessarily in that order. This is preme Being, was comic Watercolours havea always Sebastian ligions. Apart from the Holy Book Indrapramit Roy luresreligion. his viewers into the been not your run-of-the-mill superhero popular valuedimmensely below oil-on-canvas Threshold Art Gallery, Balamangalam, they reverently dappled light ofaka a large banyan As a follower, Dinkoist, says,tree it isreflected perhaps works amongbecause children Kerala duroilsingive the canC-221, Sarvodaya Enclave, call tapioca (kappa), the favourite in glassreligion window, thecountry shady coves of buildtheaonly in the that elicits fun vas ing the 1980s and longevity and1990s. allow The the DinartNew Delhi -110017 food the 9Rodent God, the Holy Root, and try ings the twinkling a festival seta ist in theorfaithful and fearlights amongofthe rest. It is kan to stories — similar to those featuringwith the On portray three-dimensionality tillofApril to propagate the religion they get a against an azure sky.areWithin of these spoof religion.

There alreadyeach a dozen dedi- greater Mighty Mouse in theHowever US fromthese the 1940s to the Monday conviction. breathtakto Saturday, 11am – whenever 7 pm stunningly painted landscapes a hidden cated Facebook pages and severallies Twitter han- ingly 1960sbeautiful — were serialised in theone children’s magaworks make question this chance. In fact, their (mock) protests against maddox ais aMalayalam Delhi-based artfilm writerstarring Professor Dinkan, story that of one onlyboasts guessnearly at. There are hierarchy. dles. One thecan pages 50,000 zine Balamangalam (now among Holy Balamangalam Often known art snobs as georgina

A satirical religion is gaining followers by the bushel in Kerala

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Temple dancing Filipina

popular hero Dileep, helped the religion hog the headlines in January this year. Claiming their ‘sentiments’ were hurt as the film was named after their Lord, a group called Mooshika Sena (the Rat’s Army) marched to Dhe Puttu, a restaurant in Kochi which serves the classical Kerala breakfast of steam cake, owned by Dileep. “At the end of their protest, the agitators marked their concerns by eating lavishly from the restaurant,” guffaws Mohandas.

On February 28, Dinkoists held a faith healing camp in Kochi at which several ‘devotees’ who ‘complained’ of myriad ailments were “healed” by Dinkoist ‘evangelists’, sparking off protests from several religious groups, especially Christians.

They took on the Dinkoists on social media earnestly, only to be countered by fans of the spoof religion, who said the event acted as a mirror to their beliefs and practices.

In March, the parody religion made headlines again when Dinkoists held a ‘Grand Gathering of Dinkoists’ at the famous Manan-

the existence of God,” he says. “But in our society the burden of proof lies with the others to prove that God doesn’t exist.” The theory of Dinkan dramatically reverses this idea to expose the fallacy in such arguments. So, what is the difference between Ganesha and Dinkan? asks Mohandas. “Both are Gods. Dinkan, of course, arrived on the scene late, even though he ‘existed’ several million years before Ganesha did,” he beams.

It seems the strategy is working. “Dinkoism shows me how hollow and ridiculous some of my religious practices are,” says a 34-year-old executive from Thrissur who works with an MNC in Abu Dhabi. A practising Hindu, she says, “For instance, I had never seen Lord Ganesha as an impossibility. But Dinkoism makes you see how ridiculous the concept of a God with an elephant’s head and a human body is.” She says a spoof religion is, perhaps, “the need of the hour.”

Says Sanal Edamaruku, editor of the internet publication Rationalist International,

ades. “There is definitely more to the Dinkoist movement. Maybe, its roots are in the enlightenment process of the past,” notes Sreehari Sreedharan, an IT professional and commentator.

A new wave

“Werevived must look atPangalay, Dinkoism from global perSeptuagenarian Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa has single-handedly a adance spective,” says Dr C Viswanathan, a Kozhikodeform with a Hindu legacy and rooted in the Muslim-majority Sulu province based orthopaedic surgeon and atheist schol-

ar. Globally, new atheism has given rationalist movements a fillip thanks to the works and activities of the likes of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Daniel bangsa watched it for the first time.

Interested Donnet.

Now science-based reasoning in the arts from a young age —living, she still paints — and rational thoughts enjoybyunprecedented she was instantly captivated the dance. “As acceptance globally,letheme notes. a child my parents studyDinkoism ballet, thehas piits roots the new on religion ano, andin vocals.

Thisdiscourse early training servedthat me came upstead. after When 9/11, says Viswanathan, adding in good I wanted to learn the Panthat attacks religion whathave the atomgalay,the the localsdid ortonatives must been ic attack at onfirst.

Japan to sister-in-law nuclear weapons.

It amused Mydid own did not changed thewhy discourse “Reliunderstand I wanteddramatically. to learn. Of course, gious extremism became part of the popular they were tolerant.” discourse.

Critiquewere of religious extremism is What followed long hours of hard seen religion itself. thinkworkas tocritiquing research, document, andMost propagate ing peoplecultural have realised how dangerous the the dying heritage. idea of wedding religion can be.”

“Big celebrations brought togethwhere Dinkoism becomes er That’s dancers and musicians of varyingrelevant, compein exposing theisfallacies of religion, tence.

Dancing extemporaneous asexplains also the Shiju psychologist and usually social commusic,Joseph, and the performances hapmentator in Thiruvananthapuram.

When a pened at night under moonlight. An antiquatDinkoist his served Holy Book, “citing” ed tape quotes recorder the even purpose of the line and para, it puts Iadid believer in aonquandocumenting the music. not rely gaddary, forcing to re-examine his stick fascinagets such as a him camera.

Instead, I drew figtion holy literature, he notes. Most of ures towards to document postures/ gestures. tomemory him, Dinkan double all,According I relied on and delivers studied amy own whammy toreflected believerson ofaestablished religions. silhouettes wall with the aid of a Firm steps Ramon Magsaysay awardee Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa (centre) teaches Pangalay at her home in Antipolo, Philippines ap/aaron favila First off,orit gas makes them at the candle lamp.

Thissquirm enabled me thought to recall of (mockingly) practices theDinkoists postures/imitating gestures after the nightlong obthey have revered. servation.

There were times when my husrich dance tradition that remained She spells out the form’s many unique fea- band, Second, Joseph they realise that relatives, or explains, friends arranged for local marginalised, known only to a tures. “A Pangalay dancer moves in a slow, Dinkan betterme God he calls rudiments. for eternal dancersistoateach theasPangalay small section of society — that’s flowing, seamless manner — elegant and med- pacifism and knew compassion (Dinkoism None of them I was doing research.“says” They how the Pangalay seemed to Ligaya itative and extemporaneous. In contrast, the the never conversions a wereherd only should too happy thatmake a non-native was eaFernando-Amilbangsa when she first chanced music is very fast. Such contrasting rhythm is mission andit,” never ger to learn shediscourage reminisces.those who leave upon it in 1969, on the southern islands of the difficult for the non-native, untrained begin- theThe clan, insteadtradition love them even more so that Pangalay centres on postures Philippines. Characterised by elaborate pos- ner. Counting is unnecessary; the dance fol- they regret The and return.) and will gestures. movements can suggest tures and gestures making use of janggay, or lows the normal breathing, which is the music anything Spoof, from according to Joseph, a simple, sea waves, seaweedisand sea animetal claws, this art form traces its origins to within the body. The technique of inhaling/ ex- light-weight yet powerful mode of communimals to butterflies, flowers, palms and even the archipelago’s Sulu province. The haling is related to the flexing motions of the cation. put it Shorn simply,ofthe human brain alplayful “To animals. a plot or storyline, name itself offers a clue to its evolution knees. The illusion of lightness and calmness, ways looks for simpler efforts explain and the performance requires theto audience to — Pangalay means ‘temple of dance’ or freedom from tension, is the result of good understand thingsinterpretation, to save its energy.”

Also, the share the creative resulting in or ‘temple dancing’ in Sanskrit. breath control.” fact thatenjoyment.

Dinkan is a very childish hero makes mutual Once she had discovered it, AmilOn that note, credit goes to his selection even more important.

Ironically, for an art“Sigmund that is all bangsa began to single-mindedly Amilbangsa for making this Freud said religion is comparable to a peace, childabout inner rhythm and showcase the dance’s tremendous rather slow dance intriguing hood neurosis,” saysplace Joseph.

“So Dinkan, the its very of origin — the Sulu potential to her fellow countrymen enough for today’s generation. kid-comic hero helps express the very idea province — is riven by separatist The illusion of and, further, to the world. The 72- She has made innovative use of an expression of illogical childrebellion, particularly from the lightnessthat andreligion is Strong roots Dinkoists pose with tapioca tubers; tapioca or kappa isyear-old the favourite food of Dinkan andwere celebrated Holy Root by followers by special arrangement Filipina’s efforts duly as the different types of music without hood fantasies.”

Abu Sayyaf militant group with calmness is the result rewarded with the Ramon Magsaysay sacrificing authenticity. links to both ISIS and al-Qaeda. of breath control Getting serious?

Award in 2015.

“The Pangalay movement vo“Any festering volatile social sitthat atcertainly least a few followers of now is lives in exile to in Finland, “Pangalay antedates Islam and chira Square at Kozhikode in north Kerala.

The who cabulary adaptable classi- “To expose But some fearuation contributes to too seriously,ofignoring its religion, polemic and hu- Dinkoism take Christianity in the Philippines; it the event was attended by a decent crowd of acacal, absurdities pop, jazz,ofrock, march, theitdeterioration a performparodic character.

There are effective weapons.” is bloggers, a living link to Hindu and cul- mour demics, writers, professionals lullaby,aretapping, and otherHe points out progressivelying art form, as people are disthat this many could postures become theresheare more than a she intro- placed. In thechances The Indian is that journalists. Theture... gathering was connection criticised by sounds,” says.

Furthermore, case of Pangalay, another religion, given the parody obvious in thealike.

Pangalay’s hardline Muslims and Hindus While hundred duced the use of masks.religions “In this form, since a and gesturesjust seem to have been forgotten,” way some are promoting theface world.

Theseexpressionless facilitate movement vocabulary itself, across Muslim groups raised objections to the ‘Stondancer’s is always or mask- Amilbangsa rues.

At thepeople same time, she is opticautions an IT executive lighter, more that creative atmobearsatclosest affinity ing the Jackfruit’which ceremony the event (an alike, I thought a mask could instantly mistic about it, this art as a unifying force. Itfrom gave who together calls himself a while raising serious so- Parody with classical cul- sphere obvious parody of thethe Stoning of dance the Devil transform a dancer’s countenance or characthe dancers chance to come during religions raise aBangalore sceptic. and philosophical questions tures in believers Southeast during Hajj), several Hindu tookAsia of- cial terisation.

This innovation is very convenient, the martial Dinkan law in the 1970s, ushering moserious philosophical Edamaruku religionwhen and only debunk the ab- are that of areaderivates of Indifence to the depiction mouse as god, on especially a few dancers availa- onments of calm in the region.says one should be questions religion lestresources, the gullible section of of religious faith. “Itorisfor quick models,” which they felt was aan mockery of Amilbangsa the likes of surdities ble at certain performances, roleand debunk Using the her careful personal Amilbangsa the society takes the to humour sewelcome strategy,” feelsthemes absurdities explains. She has docu- achanges.”

Hanuman and Lord Ganesha. of The choreographic range provided artistes an opportunity reach out religious to faith riously andbigger starts cities. believing it. In mented numerous Edamaruku. from comic situations to issues surrounding an audience in the A dance Hitting the bullseye the US, somein parody religions “Dinkoism can and be even a breakother material evi- gender, children, the environment with Hindu legacy, rooted a Muslim-majoriDinkoism turns the ‘burdendence of proof’in concept have serious followers who stubemoment in the history her through and nationalism. ty population started having Christian on its head, says 23-year-old Mohandas.

He and of Coming lieve that these itjokes are spiritureligiousfrom criticism,” notes Catholic C books Pangalay: a prominent family dents as well.

Somewhere, contributed in an army of dedicated non-believers and Dancliber- Ravichandran, ally significant. writer andcities ratio-that make up fostering nationalism Traditional in Marikina (one of the during troubled times. als defend Dinkoism on social media forums my worry too,” says thebetween Abu Dhabipopularity tre- An“That’s es and Related Folk nalist Metro thinker.

Manila),Dinkan’s Amilbangsa movedleaves to southindigenous art became a link the such as the Free ThinkersArtistic Group, Expression where in- mendous executive.

“I already see and some such roommarrying for critique ofan religion, ern Sulu after into equallywhich well- based glorious past, an uneasy present, a hopetense verbal battles are fought around around me. Dinkan help them!” notMuslim possiblefamily. a few The years ago, despite the souls (1983), and Ukkil:reliVi- was known Pangalay is mostly ful future. gious beliefs.

“Usually when someone says he fact that rationalist movements have been acsual Arts of the Sulu performed at celebrations such as weddings ramon magsaysay jose p manasi mathkar is a Pune-based freelance writer believes in God, it is his responsibility to prove tive award foundation of the world for several dec- jinoy Archipelago (2005). and in it this was part on one such occasion that Amil-

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Spring in Srinagar The Valley is aglow with tulips, almond blossoms and cheery yellow mustard fields

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he Persian couplet ‘Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast’ (attributed to Emperor Jahangir, it means ‘if there is a paradise on earth, this is it, this is it, this is it’) is often summoned when other words fail to capture Kashmir’s natural elegance. Spring in the Valley is especially beauteous.

The blossoming of almond trees signals the beginning of the season, followed by the riot of colours at Asia’s largest tulip garden — the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, spread over 30 hectares, and packed with a million tulip bulbs across 53 varieties.

Earlier known as Siraj Bagh Cheshmashahi,

Two lips Tulips in full bloom in Asia’s largest tulip garden at the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar

the tulip garden overlooks Srinagar’s iconic landmark, the Dal lake. The garden was opened to the public on March 29 this year, in time for the Kashmir Tulip Festival, which, apart from flower shows, has cultural programmes and stalls serving local delicacies.

The poppies follow the tulips, and roses growing wild in every nook and cranny of the city round up the season, but tulips are the brightest stars in this horticultural firmament. It is easy to see why… a sea of tulips with the snow-capped Zabarwan range of the Himalayas for a backdrop has little competition. nissar ahmad

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Colour code A shepherd watches his flock at a mustard field in Pulwama, near Srinagar

A grand announcement Almond blossoms signal the arrival of spring

’Tis the season Tourists admire the fresh blooms

Out and about Schoolgirls on a stroll around the tulip garden

The last touch A boatman at Dal lake applies a fresh coat of paint to his shikara

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All hail the mighty mouse

Water babies

Two experienced and technically skilled artists come together to create watercolours full of mystery and metaphor

the ‘poor person’s hobby-craft’, watercolour was actually favoured by the Tagore brothers, who promoted the Japanese Wash technique in the early 20th century at the Bengal School.

The Tagores believed it formed a pan-Asian counter-narrative to British academic oil painting, which was mandatory in most art schools in India. Watercolour has recently reemerged as an exciting alternative to oil paint.

Roy, who studied at Santiniketan, is one of the leading promoters of the wash technique.

Mostly because it is immediate, transparent, and a demanding medium that leaves no to Dinkoists), by the the Kottayam-based room for error.owned He explains ideas underMangalam “It was“Mezzaterra is a sensational pinning hisPublications. technical prowess: hit imagined during those times,” N Somasekhaan territory, anrecalls idea, but a very real ran, who created thewhere cute gnawer 1983.

The and pervasive one, echoes in and refleccomicadd wasdepth drawnand by artist Baby. where identions perspective, Somasekharan and Baby set Dinkan’s tities are malleable and overlapping andstory not in the fictional Pankila forest — the Holy Land clear-cut and well-defined, where binaries are for Dinkoists — wheretheme,” animalssays in distress get not the only defining Roy. He has instant help from theiratsaviour mouse been teaching painting his alma mater,with Facmagical powers.

“I was anSayajirao atheist Universiin those ulty of Fine Arts, Maharaha Blue moods ‘Festival’ by Indrapramit Roy images courtesy threshold art gallery days,” says Somasekharan, whoseincreation ty, Baroda since 1995, after studying London ended up becoming atheist mascot. “But I at the Royal College ofanArt. soon got influenced the writings of Swami Varghese’s muse isby water and it features in Vivekananda.”

He nowand divides hispresented time bethis suite of paintings a video tween spiritual activities and charity Baalongside the watercolours.

“I havework. always lamangalam shut shop in October loved the ability of watercolour to seduce2012, the leaving Dinkan — which already eye.

In this instance I havehad worked withbeen ricepickedand up by social media bloggers as a paper mounted it onand canvas, so it — lends counter-god to lampoon established deities. the work a double-edged delight,” says Vargh“The is that for there is noasprocess. ese.

Hisfun penchant water a muse Everyis beone isitwelcome to Dinkoism.

There is moods no aucause has the ability to convey many thority.

No certificate is issued,” says and meanings, both personal and political.

23-year-old Jithin a blogger and This metaphor hasMohandas, fascinated the artist since atheist in Chengannur, south Kerala, he was abased child living in Kerala, surrounded by who actively campaigns for (the Dinkoism.

Perwater and steeped in history early tradehaps itthat is the world’s first reliroutes made Kochi ancrowdsourced important port in gion in the times). real sense of the word.

Pre-British Varghese, who has studied is no question conversion, obviart“There and visual design atofthe Richland so College ously no Texas, ghar believes vapsi either.

Andmust by being in Dallas, that one not for-a counter-religion rooted get one’s roots. “Our fears in are agnostic fluvial andtradipastions, fluid.

Dinkoism a step above atheism in as sions This goes creates subtle agitations well,” quips Dinkoist who journalthe mind.

Butawater plains canteaches also bring tranism at aat north Kerala quility times.

Theircollege. mere presence can be the ‘devotees’, Dinkan is farcically serious theTomilieu of our meditations,” says Varghese. business — humour, said Groucho reaThe artists are conjoined in theirMarx, beliefisthat Aquatic ardour

by Sebastian Varghese In thee we trust Supporters of Dinkan are on a war footing to promote the‘Backwater’ fictional anthropomorphic character as the icon of a new satirical religion in Kerala. The idea is son rewards gone mad.

“Dinkan isthe mezzaterra are the Ultimate Anthe of inhabiting to get the better of fanatics and communal elements. A graffiti that appeared in Kozhikode heralds a convention of the group k ragesh swer, and weit will never letwith anyone pooh-pooh enormous; is teeming possibilities.

It our lord,”each saysthing a Dinkoist worksof with IT endows withwho ‘a patina theanold water hyacinth a beautiful n thehe beginning was theisRodent, and but the small snatches of verse: Thomas’s Under followers spread acrossDylan the globe.

And the and consultancy in Bengaluru.

“Thecan public at shine of firm the new’.

It means one inhabdeadly plant.

It saps life outwas of Milkwood World was with Him, and the World Sukumar Ray’stoAbol Tabol, that number isand soaring, thanks ‘devotees’, in- it large should that, the faithful more thanunderstand one language orlike culture at any waterbody, rendering it dry Dinand lead Him any — Dinkaluiah!

Masha’Dinka! oneatheists, into the hidden narrative.

One believcan al- given cluding agnostics and liberal of other religions thatbe spread time.

One can bothterror insideand andchaos outkaya defunct.

Namaha!It also hides the muck that so the retinal as plea-a critique of across the globe, erssimply who enjoy see Dinkoism get offended if our side we of too language, of culture. liesWelcome beneathtoitsthe roots and of leaves; the the pretty Gospel Dinkan, Al- sure that religions. the works bring, traditional Clearly, the Lord isstance belittled or denigrated,” One’s cannot help but be purple as Ultimate the perfect decoy. Painter mightyflowers Mouse.act The Fighter.

The Sa- soaking upthe thered sanguine nature spectre of chaddi-clad rohe mocks. violence is not both critical“But and empathetic.

Sebastian uses Supreme this plantBeing. as a metaviour. TheVarghese Omnipotent The of their dent is calming hauntinghues. many for the our way.

Lord Dinkan does not The exhibition is evocative of Watercolours have phor talk about the underlying tensions of right God oftoAll Gods.

Royreasons. and Varghese are displayendorse violent ways to culture, defend these hinterlands where always been Dinkan was avalued comic theDinkoism, socio-political conditions Kerala. All of ing these works in Mezzaterra, a the religion thatinworships DinDinkoism.” politics and personal narratives below oil-on-canvas superhero popular Who is Dinkan?

Varghese’s paintings aremaking beguilingly beautiful kan the Mouse, is now waves across two-person show at the Threshcome together in an aesthetic works amongbecause childrenoils in Mocking in style watercolours with an underlying story that (where else!) God’s Own Country, Kerala, in- old To the uninitiated, beGallery, in Delhi’sDinkan, tony Sarvofeast. give the canvas Kerala during the Dinkoists have may be discovered by a closer spiring awe, amusement and inspection agitation of — daya fore Enclave being till anointed April 9. the SuIndrapramit Roy &made hilarious longevity 1980s and 1990s copies of practices the works. though not necessarily in that order. This is preme Being, was comic Watercolours havea always Sebastian Varghese from most religions. Apart from the Holy Book Roy luresreligion. his viewers into the been notIndrapramit your run-of-the-mill superhero popular valuedimmensely below oil-on-canvas Threshold Art Gallery, Balamangalam, they reverently dappled light ofaka a large banyan As a follower, Dinkoist, says,tree it isreflected perhaps works amongbecause children ingive Kerala oils the durcanC-221, Sarvodaya Enclave, call tapioca (kappa), the favourite in glass window, thecountry shady coves of buildtheaonly religion in the that elicits fun vas ing the 1980s and longevity and1990s. allowThe theDinartNew Delhi -110017 the 9Rodent God, the Holy Root, and try ings the twinkling a festival in theorfaithful and fear lights amongofthe rest. It isseta ist kan to stories — similar to those featuringwith the food portray three-dimensionality On tillofApril propagate the religion they get a against an azure sky. of these spoof religion.

There areWithin alreadyeach a dozen dedi- greater Mighty Mouse in theHowever US fromthese the 1940s to the to conviction. breathtakMonday to Saturday, 11am – whenever 7 pm stunningly painted a hidden cated Facebook pageslandscapes and severallies Twitter han- ingly 1960sbeautiful — were serialised in theone children’s magaworks make question this chance. In fact, their (mock) protests against georgina Dinkan, maddox ais aMalayalam Delhi-based art writerstarring film story thatofone onlyboasts guessnearly at. There are hierarchy. dles. One thecan pages 50,000 zine Balamangalam (now among Holy Balamangalam Often known art snobs as Professor

A satirical religion is gaining followers by the bushel in Kerala

T I

Q Q R

ND-X _ A

BL

watch cover

saturday, april 2, 2016

Temple dancing Filipina

popular hero Dileep, helped the religion hog the headlines in January this year. Claiming their ‘sentiments’ were hurt as the film was named after their Lord, a group called Mooshika Sena (the Rat’s Army) marched to Dhe Puttu, a restaurant in Kochi which serves the classical Kerala breakfast of steam cake, owned by Dileep. “At the end of their protest, the agitators marked their concerns by eating lavishly from the restaurant,” guffaws Mohandas.

On February 28, Dinkoists held a faith healing camp in Kochi at which several ‘devotees’ who ‘complained’ of myriad ailments were “healed” by Dinkoist ‘evangelists’, sparking off protests from several religious groups, especially Christians.

They took on the Dinkoists on social media earnestly, only to be countered by fans of the spoof religion, who said the event acted as a mirror to their beliefs and practices.

In March, the parody religion made headlines again when Dinkoists held a ‘Grand Gathering of Dinkoists’ at the famous Manan-

the existence of God,” he says. “But in our society the burden of proof lies with the others to prove that God doesn’t exist.” The theory of Dinkan dramatically reverses this idea to expose the fallacy in such arguments. So, what is the difference between Ganesha and Dinkan? asks Mohandas. “Both are Gods. Dinkan, of course, arrived on the scene late, even though he ‘existed’ several million years before Ganesha did,” he beams.

It seems the strategy is working. “Dinkoism shows me how hollow and ridiculous some of my religious practices are,” says a 34-year-old executive from Thrissur who works with an MNC in Abu Dhabi. A practising Hindu, she says, “For instance, I had never seen Lord Ganesha as an impossibility. But Dinkoism makes you see how ridiculous the concept of a God with an elephant’s head and a human body is.” She says a spoof religion is, perhaps, “the need of the hour.”

Says Sanal Edamaruku, editor of the internet publication Rationalist International,

ades. “There is definitely more to the Dinkoist movement. Maybe, its roots are in the enlightenment process of the past,” notes Sreehari Sreedharan, an IT professional and commentator.

A new wave

“Werevived must look atPangalay, Dinkoism from global perSeptuagenarian Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa has single-handedly a adance spective,” says Dr C Viswanathan, a Kozhikodeform with a Hindu legacy and rooted in the Muslim-majority Sulu province based orthopaedic surgeon and atheist schol-

ar. Globally, new atheism has given rationalist movements a fillip thanks to the works and activities of the likes of Richard Dawkins, Christopher watched Hitchens, Sam Harris and Daniel bangsa it for the first time.

Interested Donnet. reasoning in the artsNow fromscience-based a young age —living, she still paints — andwas rational thoughts enjoybyunprecedented she instantly captivated the dance. “As globally,lethe aacceptance child my parents menotes. studyDinkoism ballet, thehas piits roots the new on religion ano, andin vocals.

Thisdiscourse early training servedthat me came upstead. afterWhen 9/11, says Viswanathan, adding in good I wanted to learn the Panthat the attacks religion whathave the atomgalay, the localsdid ortonatives must been ic attack at onfirst.

Japan to sister-in-law nuclear weapons.

It amused Mydid own did not changed thewhy discourse “Reliunderstand I wanteddramatically. to learn. Of course, giouswere extremism became part of the popular they tolerant.” discourse.

Critiquewere of religious extremism is What followed long hours of hard seen as religion itself. thinkwork tocritiquing research, document, andMost propagate ing dying peoplecultural have realised how dangerous the the heritage. idea of wedding religion can be.”

“Big celebrations brought togethwhere Dinkoism of becomes er That’s dancers and musicians varyingrelevant, compein exposing theisfallacies of religion, tence.

Dancing extemporaneous asexplains also the Shiju Joseph, psychologist and usually social commusic, and the performances hapmentator in Thiruvananthapuram.

When a pened at night under moonlight. An antiquatDinkoist his served Holy Book, “citing” ed tape quotes recorder the even purpose of the line and para, it puts Iadid believer in aonquandocumenting the music. not rely gaddary,such forcing him to re-examine his stick fascinagets as a camera.

Instead, I drew figtion towards holy literature, he notes. Most of ures to document postures/ gestures. tomemory him, Dinkan double all,According I relied on and delivers studied amy own whammy toreflected believerson ofaestablished religions. silhouettes wall with the aid of a Firm steps Ramon Magsaysay awardee Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa (centre) teaches Pangalay at her home in Antipolo, Philippines ap/aaron favila First off,oritgas makes them at the candle lamp.

Thissquirm enabled me thought to recall of Dinkoists (mockingly) practices the postures/imitating gestures after the nightlong obthey have revered. servation.

There were times when my husrich dance tradition that remained She spells out the form’s many unique fea- band, Second, Joseph they realise that relatives, or explains, friends arranged for local marginalised, known only to a tures. “A Pangalay dancer moves in a slow, dancers Dinkan is betterme God he calls rudiments. for eternal toateach theasPangalay small section of society — that’s flowing, seamless manner — elegant and med- None pacifism and knew compassion (Dinkoism of them I was doing research.“says” They how the Pangalay seemed to Ligaya itative and extemporaneous. In contrast, the were the herd never conversions only should too happy thatmake a non-native was ea-a Fernando-Amilbangsa when she first chanced music is very fast. Such contrasting rhythm is ger mission andit,” never to learn shediscourage reminisces.those who leave upon it in 1969, on the southern islands of the difficult for the non-native, untrained begin- theThe clan, insteadtradition love them even more so that Pangalay centres on postures Philippines. Characterised by elaborate pos- ner. Counting is unnecessary; the dance fol- and they will regretThe and return.) gestures. movements can suggest tures and gestures making use of janggay, or lows the normal breathing, which is the music anything Spoof, from according to Joseph, a simple, sea waves, seaweedisand sea animetal claws, this art form traces its origins to within the body. The technique of inhaling/ ex- mals light-weight yet powerful mode of communito butterflies, flowers, palms and even the archipelago’s Sulu province. The haling is related to the flexing motions of the playful cation. “To put it Shorn simply,ofthe human brain alanimals. a plot or storyline, name itself offers a clue to its evolution knees. The illusion of lightness and calmness, the waysperformance looks for simpler efforts explain and requires theto audience to — Pangalay means ‘temple of dance’ or freedom from tension, is the result of good share understand thingsinterpretation, to save its energy.”

Also, the the creative resulting in or ‘temple dancing’ in Sanskrit. breath control.” fact thatenjoyment.

Dinkan is a very childish hero makes mutual Once she had discovered it, AmilOn that note, credit goes to his selection even more important.

Ironically, for an art “Sigmund that is all bangsa began to single-mindedly Amilbangsa for making this Freud said religion is comparable to a peace, childabout inner rhythm and showcase the dance’s tremendous rather slow dance intriguing hood neurosis,” saysplace Joseph.

“So Dinkan, the its very of origin — the Sulu potential to her fellow countrymen enough for today’s generation. kid-comic hero helps express the very idea province — is riven by separatist The illusion of and, further, to the world. The 72- She has made innovative use of is an expression of illogical childparticularly from the lightnessthat andreligion rebellion, Strong roots Dinkoists pose with tapioca tubers; tapioca or kappa isyear-old the favourite food of Dinkan celebrated Holy Root by followers by special arrangement Filipina’s effortsandwere duly as the different types of music without hood fantasies.”

Abu Sayyaf militant group with calmness is the result rewarded with the Ramon Magsaysay sacrificing authenticity. links to both ISIS and al-Qaeda. of breath control Getting serious?

Award in 2015.

“The Pangalay movement vo“Any festering volatile social sitthat atcertainly least a few followers of who now is lives in exile to in Finland, “Pangalay antedates Islam and chira Square at Kozhikode in north Kerala.

The cabulary adaptable classi- “To expose But some fear uation contributes to too seriously,ofignoring its the absurdities religion, polemic and hu- Dinkoism take Christianity in the Philippines; it cal, event was attended by a decent crowd of acapop, jazz, ofrock, march, theitdeterioration a performparodic character.

There are mour aretapping, effective weapons.” is abloggers, living link to Hindu and cul- lullaby, demics, writers, professionals and otherHe points out progressivelying art form, as people are disthat this many couldpostures become that there more than a she intro- placed. In thechances The Indian is sounds,” journalists. Theture... gathering was connection criticised by sheare says.

Furthermore, case of Pangalay, another religion, given the hundred parody obvious in the alike.

Pangalay’s hardline Muslims and Hindus While duced the use of masks.religions “In this form, since a and gesturesjust seem to have been forgotten,” way some are promoting across the world.

Theseexpressionless facilitate movement vocabulary itself, dancer’s Muslim groups raised objections to the ‘Stonface is always or mask- Amilbangsa rues.

At thepeople same time, she is opticautions an IT executive a lighter, more that creative atmobearsatclosest affinity ing the Jackfruit’which ceremony the event (an like, I thought a mask could instantly mistic about it, this art as a unifying force. Itfrom gave who together calls himself sphere while raising serious so- or with classical cul- transform obvious parody of thethe Stoning of dance the Devil a dancer’s countenance characthe dancers chance to come duringa Parody religions raise aBangalore Dinkan sceptic. cial and philosophical questions tures in believers Southeast during Hajj), several Hindu tookAsia of- terisation.

This innovation is very convenient, the martial law in the 1970s, ushering moserious philosophical Edamaruku on religionwhen and only debunk the ab- are that of areaderivates of Indifence to the depiction mouse as god, especially a few dancers availa- onments of calm in the region.says one should be questions religion lestresources, the gullible section of surdities of religious faith. “Itorisfor quick models,” which they felt was aan mockery ofAmilbangsa the likes of ble at certain performances, roleand debunkUsing the her careful personal Amilbangsa the society takes theto humour sea welcome strategy,” feelsthemes absurdities explains. She has docu- changes.”

Hanuman and Lord Ganesha. of The choreographic range provided artistes an opportunity reach out religious to faith riously andbigger starts cities. believing it. In Edamaruku. mented numerous from comic situations to issues surrounding an audience in the A dance Hitting the bullseye the US, somein parody religions “Dinkoism can and be even a breakother material evi- gender, children, the environment with Hindu legacy, rooted a Muslim-majoriDinkoism turns the ‘burdendence of proof’in concept have serious followers who stubethrough moment in the history her and nationalism. ty population started having Christian on its head, says 23-year-old Mohandas.

He and of Coming lieve that theseitjokes are spiritureligiousfrom criticism,” notes Catholic C books Pangalay: a prominent family dents as well.

Somewhere, contributed in an army of dedicated non-believers and Dancliber- in ally significant.

Ravichandran, writer andcities ratio-that make up fostering nationalism Traditional Marikina (one of the during troubled times. als defend Dinkoism on social media forums my worry too,” says thebetween Abu Dhabinalist thinker. popularity tre- An“That’s es and Related Folk Metro Manila),Dinkan’s Amilbangsa movedleaves to southindigenous art became a link the such as the Free ThinkersArtistic Group, Expression where in- ern based executive.

“I already see and some such mendous roommarrying for critique religion, Sulu after intoofan equallywhich well- glorious past, an uneasy present, a hopetense verbal battles are fought around souls around me. Dinkan help them!” was notMuslim possible a fewThe years ago, despite the ful (1983), and Ukkil:reliVi- known family.

Pangalay is mostly future. gious beliefs.

“Usually when someone says he fact that rationalist movements have been acsual Arts of the Sulu performed at celebrations such as weddings ramon magsaysay jose p manasi mathkar is a Pune-based freelance writer believes in God, it is his responsibility to prove and award foundation tive in this part of the for several dec- jinoy Archipelago (2005). it was on one suchworld occasion that Amil-

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READER’S DIE JEST

Why can’t multiverse superheroes just get along? Because neither of their worlds is interesting enough to save, that’s why

dipankar

Two insufferable earths arunava sinha

VC REQUESTS AIR STRIKES ON HYDERABAD UNIVERSITY!

SHOVON CHOWDHURY is chief Truthdigger and author of Murder with Clash of Bengali the titans Characteristics Cast members Ben Affleck (left) and Cavill conditions attend the How long will theseHenry inhuman New York premiere prevail on campus? “It’s difficult to of say,” Batman v Superman: said Rao. “We have notDawn yet received Of Justiceinstrucat tions from Nagpur, where busy Radioeveryone City Musicis Hall

I

n news described as ‘encouraging’ by the Association of Concerned Taxpayers, Hyderabad University has announced that it will shortly be launching air strikes against its students.

“People have been giving unnecessary importance to JNU,” said Pappu Rao, spokesperson for the university, “but they forget that the battle against the students of this country began at Hyderabad University.

While JNU merely got 2-3 students arrested, we have imprisoned close to 30. Luckily for us, the Air Force is free. We will begin with some early morning carpet-bombing of all hostel blocks, followed by light strafing of recreational areas. The district magistrate has agreed to impose Section 144 around the canteen.”

Thanks to these steps, the authorities an-

ticipate a marked improvespecially trained ment in governance. “Now to smell traitors. that he is no longer the only They can also bark one on campus with an FIR the national anlodged against him, the VC them. Those with will be able to address the stuless musical ability dents on a more equal footing,” tap their paws to the said the spokesperson. “This will beat. This is not all. We with new pants. Thereuters/eduardo matter is munoz complex. enable us to suppress the dangerous will have 24-hour surveil- Confusion has arisen. Some people are comr Kemp, questioning the doctor will you trend of students VCssee who drones Which Lois lance are you,byLois — fromequipped his world or plaining that the new their but to one space so you canpants solvemake the problem are undernow. investigation for criminal with lasers and Bluetooth speakers, thus en- butts mine? too the big,shit while alsolook confuse out others of us all.are conKent. offences.” abling them toWe’re zap anti-national evildoersThe cerned Yours, Clark. married, remember? the Wonderwoman clingy fabric isdoing making Butthat what’s here? I Good evening, Are any alternatives beingKemp. considered to while songs. In this way, them youngplaying Clark ispatriotic still in Smallville.

He doesn’t tootosexy, dueonly to which womenaround may behere. want be the love interest It’s aerial Kent, Wayne.

Andeffort we can cut the char- punishment the route? “No is being spared,” and education even have a proper costume,will he’sgo inhand jeans.inHey unable to control themselves, Hush, Lois. She can fight. thereby She WILLhamfight. ade.

WeRao. knew“Unfortunately, who we are. the navy cannot hand. said Other cute, emergency will in- pering Clark, you’re are youmeasures dating anyone? meals.

No!cooking Clark… of stop, don’tHopefully destroy thethey shard…

Didn’t you like it, Kent, when noisone be involved because Hyderabad notknew next clude of PatanjaliWhat noodles, regular Thisstocking is so confusing. about Bruce, will soon reach some agreement this Muhahahaha too late.

Also, I’monevil.

I’m an you Superman?

Whatever happened to consumption to were the sea, but a platoon of sniffer dogs is becow urine, periodic inspecBruce? Are youoftwins?

Are our parents dead in matter, after which they will be able to foevil Superman. theing secret identityRaised and changing intoofyour cos- tion deployed. on a diet shuddh Smriti Irani, and compulsory view- cus on bothby worlds? the education sector, which I want to be an evil Batman too.is in urtume a phone booth? these dogs have been ingMartha… cowin milk and dhoklas, of Manoj Kumar movies.” gent need of attention.”

No, Bruce.

Let’s go back to your house.

Wayne, I’m the one who’s supposed to ask Who mentioned my mother?

Diana? Now? You don’t want to be WonderDear Salwinder, the questions.

She’s not your mother, she’s mine. woman and take the villains down?

It is important not toKent. mix You’ve up human beThat’s in your world, crossed Ours. Martha Wayne.

Clark! In my world my parents are still alive. ings with symbols.

This In isthis an one, elementary over to another world now. the moShe’s ours too. Martha Kemp. I mean Kent.

Hey, Wayne, what’s with the kid in the park I that many make. It is true that in viemistake was never made.

Hell, we didn’t even know Metropolis and saved from bullies? the your consumption of see Kingfisher Ah, past, that explains why I don’t anyone Gotham City were in the same world.

Oh. My. God. beer has money their in theteeth pockets of Vijay wailing andput gnashing outside moHee hee hee. Never seen a Yes? ISI has announced that it for 24 hours. The Yes? vieMallya. halls. But you were not alone in this. Evairbase itself has always bunch ofakistan’s more confused superis fully to investigating eryone was putting money in the pockets of Hello, Clark. maintained a veryYes? cordial and welcoming heroes. At leastcommitted you’re lucky I the terrorist attack conducted by atmosphere, withYes? Vijay Mallya.

He you? has very Plus Who… who are Yoularge look pockets. just like me. villagers often bringing didn’t throw in that Lex Luthor You’ve the ISIMark at Pathankot.

“We need to crossed let usyou. notJust forget that during this period, I AM older. in theirover cows, afterOh paying a nominal entry who looks like Zuckerberg shut up, all four of you. I reanother understand Kingfisher has given you much joy. You canHello, Bruce. fee.world, Subsequently, government on drugs. what went wrong,” said LttoColallyyour regret bringing has twoof-SuperKent. In this one,announced the Tanvir Ahmed of theyou ISI.al-“Significant not thesebe memories, however Ah, enjoy you must Bruce Wayne.

I’mblurry, Bruce onel ficially that there no secuClark.

I feel like I know mans and twowere Batmans together. movie was never planning was done to ensure success, and and dissociate yourself from the symbol Wayne. rity lapses, which means that even in my the Wonready. Did we meet when we Do you know they stole all thechildren? signs were in our favour. Border Se- made that helped is also very unWhee, now provide we havethem. four Itsuperheroes for were future, we can be assured of such favouraderwoman idea in the movie? No curity verybut accommofair to the bird. The kingfisher is a cheerful the price of two. ble conditions.

Our concern You Force and Iwas didn’t, maybe royalties either. is that dedating. two Punjab Police was older also and Whocolourful said that? creature, which harms no spite such conditions, our people those did.

Those Wayne!

Batman/Superman very supportive, one, except for a few fish. In Finland, they Meeeeee. wereYes, unable to perform. This dudes.

That otherwith ClarkSP and othKent?

Ally Subramaniam was born in the Volume 1: Cross Salwinder Singh even keep them as pets.

By nature, Who are you, strange looking goddess? is extremely er Bruce.

It’s Kemp.

Ishameful. don’t wantThe to be SuSouthwest World Sunderbans, but was hiswe personare which very affectionate.

I’m here with athey message will make no providing prestige of the ISI is atany stake.

Of course did, kids. Alfred was driving perman in this crazy comic book more. and Jae blown awayGreg by aPak cyclone and washed Lee near Chennai. He was al transport of the comic actionsfans. of sense to anyone Because but hardcore We will find out which Bruce throughfor ourour town when their car broke up on the shore I’ve already changed my team name to adopted byFiction a poor Brahmin family use, while he himself one human being, howevThere is an evil god out there and he wants to members were responsible down and Bruce taught me how to fight.

Can’t Batshitcrazyman.

DC Comics from Tirupur.

He can answer all your made late-night to a temple. erworlds large, to wedestroy. cannot conpick one of your two fordothis debacle, and orthey you seeahow close wevisit are now?

What do we now?

Are we two four? ₹899 questions. Just send them to Black-tongued people suggesting demn an entire phylum Two worlds? will not be spared.”

So wait, in your world,are Clark and Bruce are I don’t know. askallysubramaniam@gmail.com that when saidworld ‘temple’, he met? meant his or species.

The two kingfisher Duh. Did you think there were Super- friends but he in our we just Nor doInI. related news, Dawood Ibrahouse, because he worships superher him Nor is a in deserving candidate. mans and two Batmans one world?

I’ve just girlfriend’s will do be I.investigating hawala transacIf you’re done with the navel-gazing, ear Ally, like a goddess, but and we do believe Please from continue brought you people together your to re- heroes in Dubai, and heroine Loisnot Lane, I needthis. to tell tionsNor do I. Salman Khan will head a Is it OK to drink Kingfisher Punjab Police also preventedThere’s unnecessary support him. spective worlds to solve this problem. to eradicate drunk you something important. a shard task force (This monthly column helpsdriving, you talkand about a beer? panicyou by not reporting thebecause incident, al- Sharad Yours affectionOh hi, Diana. helptoaddress that mustn’t destroy it’sand a weapbook Pawar withoutwill having read it) allegations Salwinder Singh, Pathankot lowed our the men tolord. roam around state ately, Ally.

What are YOU doing here, Wonderwoman? on against evil But the evilthe lord is pit- of corruption in the BCCI. I don’t know. Was this some crazed script- ting your worlds against one another to see arunava sinha translates classic contemporary The Investigator is a monthly round-up of all things droll and idea? newsy. All views are personal. Really personal t@shovonc writer’s which one’s better. So I teleported all of you in- Bengali fiction and non-fiction into English; t@arunava

ASK ALLY

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NO TERRORIST WILL BE SPARED, SAYS ISI!

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THE CRITICAL ISSUE

No longer at ease Pulling together feminist institutions is tough as they are attempts at creating new, inclusive ways of working, and when they break there’s little dusting of hands and moving on

A beautiful mind Paul Kalanithi saw language as an almost supernatural force existing between two people photo courtesy paulkalanithi.com

The (real) art of living

Breaking point Madhushree Dutta (right), co-founder of Majlis along with Flavia Agnes (left), stayed away from the 25th anniversary celebrations of the organisation. In an open letter she detailed why she was staying away, and the questions she raised will lead to much discussion within the feminist movement vijay bate, s gopakumar

Surgeon Paul Kalanithi decided that writing about his terminal illness was the best use of his limited time, and we are all much the richer for his decision

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When Breath Becomes Air Paul Kalanithi Non-fiction Penguin India ₹599

Urvashi Butalia is an editor, publisher and director of Zubaan

ecently the Mumbai-based feminist rizon to be reached. time they need to, to keep the institution alive. organisation Majlis, founded by When women build institutions though, Sometimes, as with many feminist institun January 24,Flavia 2014,Agnes Paul Kalanithi well-known lawyer and therewrote.

Kalanithi especially was a gifted writerare thanks is a difference, if these al- to Levin. tions,Nabokov it is thatand theJeremy passion and commitment wrote ancurator op-ed called ‘How Long filmmaker and Madhushree his passion for literature, ignited his South ternative, feminist institutions.

Everybybrick, Kalanithi or sawthe language as an almost superof the founders older generation canI Gotanniversary.

Left?’ in TheInNew Dutta, celebratedHave its 25th the York Indian mother, and the way he blended sciwhether literal or metaphorical, is imbued natural force existing between not be taken for granted among thosepeople. who areSo he Times.

Within hours, it wentaviral. true feminist spirit, Majlis gathered together and writing came handyare during these dewith ence emotion; the borderlines blurred, wroteofwith purpose and passion, and motivanew and, course, younger.

The story touched a fervent group of slice-of-life women — old, middle-aged, young —chord fining moments.

Hisinto clarity of thought and the institution seeps the home, into is And tedsometimes by a tickingitclock, as histhat wifenew Lucymanwrites in is simply it was a young who with held millions everyoneasspellbound with man’s life sto-heartand the of his philosophy theirendearing, personal lives, intodepth everything they do; of the epilogue. course, thetoyoung agements and new Of entrants want bring doctor in breaking, existential monologue.

Kalanithi ries that addressed the subject of discussion: life gallantly the personal and profound. the political come into con- new styles couldof not finish all heThis wanted toto jotbedown. functioning. seems easwas 36 years old, and in just a year he would be the personal is political.

Kalanithi was born in New York in 1977. He stant play.

Being a neurosurgeon, orin death ier to deal with in the corporatemortality, world than dead.

He was diagnosedwith with Stage deal IV meta- Such Majlis chose the speakers a great graduated in 2000 with a Master’s degree institutions also require more effort to in for that matter, was no alien project for the world of feminist politics — or perhaps it ishim. static lung cancer. And being an exceptionally of thought: Nayantara Sahgal, writer and pull together English literature and aattempt Bachelor’s in human because they to create “After so many yearshas of no living death, I’d that the corporate world timewith for heartbrainy of neurosurgeon, he knew his time something an icon, Devaki Jain, that activist, Hisnon-hierarchical father is a Christian, a come new, biology. inclusive, and his yet mother pro- break, understand that the death whiletothe feminist world will easiest refuse to was up. writer, institution builder, Gouri Choudhury, fessional Hindu.

Their marriage was condemned ways of functioning.

Because many on wasn’t necessarily the best,” he wrote. So he render it invisible.

Thefounders essay was beauty prose,India, uniquely one of the of aSaheli andinAction both sides, and hadprocesses led to years of familial are funded, accounting have to be in rifts Butdecided to use best arsenal in his battle sometimes thethe break-up of institutions disturbing for itslong openness rattling Chhaya Datar, whose historyand in the wom-plainwide that Kalanithi’s materplace,soadministration and management are is actually not such against mortality — he fathered a a tragedy as it first appears speak, and formed the kernel of his en’s movement in Maharashtra needs nomemoir, in- concepts nal grandmother always called inclusiv- to be. Long years ago, that need to exist alongside child.

In amy way, he business extended his when then When Breath Becomes Air. Soon, Kalanithi troduction, Corinne Kumar, for long him by his and Hindu-sounding ity, egalitarianism, more. existence while to giving himself partner and I decided split Kali wouldwith writethe another piece, for Stanford associated Bengaluru-based organi-Medi- And middle And such this isname, why, Sudhir. when femiup. for Women, the institution we cine, this timeand titled ‘BeforeKannabiran, I Go’. Cancer nist — experiences sation Vimochana, Vasanth himthe look at institutionshelped break, this book, cancer does not had so In lovingly created, we were While science helped which fills the an illnesswho “experienced activist, writer, androle alsoofsomeone has heartbreak, the world andsense the relations the of be- that across as demonic both come heartbroken anda in despair.pregKalanithi understand world a ruthless, secret invasion”, as Susan Sontag built as institutions. trayalfill is itsomore deep,realistically. the tragedyAs soa kid,The corporate Sontag it, but as a now, as more thansaw a decade the meaning of life, Butnancy, no time helped for put it and in Illness as Metaphor is a philosopher Moving affirmative as the— celebration Kalanithi developed a strong palpable.

There’s very little of en- has art would with a both heavyacdifferon, Iwork thinkofwe literature him heartbreak, while theit knowledge diseases.

So was TB decades ago.an the dusting was —among after all, a quarter-century of keeping chantment withand romantic of hands saying,poetexperience ence, athat diminishing yetthe crucial in some ways, In a way, cancer getsmoney the bestand of the humans. organisation alive on little a lot of well, ry, which would later help this is done with, now let’sshapefeminist world will platform one can break-up freed where us to explore oth-have It makesisthem commitment not topainfully be scoffedre-negotiate at — it was al-everyoutlook else. in myriad ways, illu- refuse to render it start his something some serious, naked our engageer possibilities and expand invisible thing that life bringing cathar- Is there so, sadly, marred byhas thebeen, absence of oneout of athe minating hisinyoung a way which ideas femi- with oneself and the reachments in thewith market, to experisis at the end. two founders.

Dutta wrote a sort of open letter nist institutions exquisite imagery.

Aldous and those who Huxbook is decomentworld. and, Indeed, basically,thejust allow Often, knowing about the captivity detailing why upon she would not be attending the of Brave New World shaped his nascent mor- rated with makeley’s them address break-ups references to myriad change to enter the door. forms of the illness, humans— according to Christophceremony.

For those not privy to the inside dis- better? al philosophy and became Perhaps, although it is the subject of his death. Yet,And it won’t disturb thelesson way some perhaps thisyou is the er Hitchens, who lost his battle against cussions in the organisation, the letter was lung college admissions essay, in which he argued newspaper difficult to say.

At the Majlis celereports It isthat morewhen like awe serene we need todo. learn, cancer in December — progress from “deheartbreaking as much 2011 as the celebrations that happiness wasspeakers, not the point life. brations, many of the and of indeed cemetery with with an inviting, breezyand tranquillity, create something our hearts our to rage through bargaining to depression were nial affirming.

Then what is? Kalanithi believed living was the moderator, referred to the absent co-founmorgue where of cold death souls,than we aalso always needyou to smell be aware that and the eventual acceptance”.

Institution buildingbliss is notofan easy job — and der, and all the about making meaning.

ScienceAnd helped need to address her concerns. thea time wetness of this wasted blood. thereand willfeel come when will have to In a But Kalanithi was different. course he did it’s no secret that it takes courage, Of money, iniunderstand thequestions meaning, literaI havehim no doubt that the shewhile raised world “asynchronous communication” change.

Butofcan we, as feminists, be open to (as godrive, through all these stages, but heall did tiative, passion, commitment and of it all tureto helped experience it.the What makes will lead much him discussion within femiAbraham Verghese, change without carryinganother with usdoctor-writer, the baggage obHe knew hebuilding would die soon, and thosebackward. positive things.

But instituhuman life meaningful, he asks. Literature nist movement. serves in and his bitterness? foreword), That’s Kalanithi’s of heartbreak a ques-work not ready toand waste time anchoring on an- Institutions tions,was even if difficult frustrating at times, provided break, the best accountfor ofall the life of of the or change, kinds comes asthere a timely reminder of the power of tion to which are no easy answers. archic hope. To him, writingbecause was thethere most effiis mostly exciting and positive, mind, while neuroscience down the most thought and text in spreading a deeper underreasons.

Sometimes it’s simplylaid that people’s blink@thehindu.co.in cientthetherapy in of hissuccess, helplessly vainho-battle is always possibility the next of the brain.give Andthe in his search lives elegant change rules and they cannot kind of for standing of human life. against cancer, before he succumbed to “fin- meaning, he took assistance from the best itude”. “Words have a longevity I do not,” he minds of the times, from TS Eliot to Vladimir jinoy jose p

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Pressure tactics Venezuelan President Maduro has accused the US of trying to overturn the Venezuelan economy by promoting the dollar black market wilfredo riera/bloomberg

STATES OF MATTER

Southern discomfort Dangers to Latin America’s second freedom

sukumar muralidharan

Speak, memory I f ‘neoliberalism’ is a real thing, the perfect testing ground would be Latin America. Most of its key acts have premiered on the continent and having seen its worst, Latin America has staged the first systematic effort to stand the dogma on its head.

A political tide began building up towards last century’s end, soon acquiring sufficient expanse and ambition to gain description as the continent’s “second freedom”. ot all today readersstands are beholden to the That freedom threatened.

In first line of a novel, INicolas admit, Madubut to January, Venezuelan president ofof usemergency who are, well rero declaredthose a state as begun inflation, is half done.

Anthony Burgess despite anally economic contraction lasting was a master in thisa regard; his first lines were months, touched level described as “catadisorienting suckernational punches.

Gabriel moved Garcia strophic”. A hostile assembly Marquez was another writerhewho invested to deny Maduro the powers sought.

A con-a lot in the perfect He when once told stitutional crisis opening. was averted the Plinio counMendoza that it took him more timemandate to comtry’s highest court ruled a legislative pose the firstfor sentence than the exercise rest of the unnecessary the emergency of book put together.

After all, the first sentence presidential powers. could be “the laboratory for testing thelegacy style, Maduro is intent on keeping alive the the and Chavez, even the length of the of hisstructure mentor, Hugo whose election as book”.

Withinhis latest novel, Mothering Sunday, president 1999 inaugurated a continentGraham Swift hasagainst surely composed one of the wide rebellion neoliberalism.

Begreatest opening contemporary fictween then and hislines deathinfrom cancer in 2013, tion, a languid, layered sentence that more Chavez won every electoral contest — is nationsynecdoche than stage-setter. wide, regional and local — fighting off a con“Once upon time, beforeand thethe boys were sistently hostilea opposition bluntly killed when there were more horses than statedand intent of the northern colossus, the US, cars, before the male servants disappeared to overthrow him.

It was an unambiguous and they by made at Upleigh and Beechmandate anydo, standard, before theatsetback wood, with just a cook andlegislative a maid, the Sheof December 2015 turned control ringhams had ownedcoalition. not just four horses in over to an opposition their ownasstable, but what might be presumcalled a Brazil the largest country and ‘real racehorse, a thoroughbred.” ptivehorse’, leadera of continental trends, was moThis sentence does abut perfect jobup ofwith anchormentarily left behind, caught the ing us in spaceof and time.

It alsodetells the inauguration Luis Ignacio Silva asreader presithat relationship gentry and dentthe in 2003.

When hebetween stepped the down in 2011 in their servants is central to the narrative.

For a accordance with constitutional term limits, certain peoplehad (not to En‘Lula’ asclass he isof known, anrestricted 80 per cent apgland), originsBut arepolitical everything, whether it’s proval rating. rancour has since horses or the humans under scrutiny. spiked as economy turned sour. The other bits in this line: proprietary notions, carsaand Police investigators recently paid Lula call dead boys, examplescharges. of Shakespearean to quiz himare onall corruption President foreshadowing.

Dilma Rousseff, a long-time associate and proThequickly ‘real time’ events of theto story happen on tégé, appointed him a cabinet posiMarch 30, 1924, the titular Mothertion, vesting hima Sunday, with partial immunity.

The ing Sunday, a time for sharing and constitutional court frownedpies and a stories newly with thenational materfamilias.

Ourresolved protagonist, Jane elected assembly afresh to

Mothering Sunday Graham Swift Fiction Simon and Schuster ₹399

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proceed with Rousseff’s impeachment. tion. Ecuador saw the ratio between average Lula took the fight to the streets, rallying incomes of the richest decile and the poorest the faithful to his vow that Brazil would not fall from 36 to 25 within five years of President suffer another coup. Unlike earlier junctures Rafael Correa taking office. And Bolivia has, when democracy was crushed by jackbooted since electing its first president from an indigcaudillos with filial ties to the country’s aris- enous community in 2006, asserted control tocracy, the threat to Latin America’s second over its natural resource base and turned the freedom comes from powerful media monop- revenue windfall into substantial welfare olies, able to stir up turmoil and simulate an improvements. abrupt withdrawal of popular consent.

All these gains are threatened today by Fairchild, is anfreedom orphan who has been domestic The second has been resisted at ev- with Mr Niven’s bookshelves led to anpolicy apprenplunging economies and a faltering rehelp at the for a long time (‘Jane Fair- ticeship ery stage byNivens social strata accustomed to being at a bookstore in Oxford, which in sponse. Clearly all the regimes in power are inchild’ like unequal saying ‘John Doe’, with on topisofa bit highly hierarchies of some privi- turn ledprotecting to an academic careergains at theofuniversitent on the welfare the last post-war optimism in).byThe Nivens ty. lege. It was uniquelythrown facilitated a conjuncIn the hands ofPacifying an inferior writer, allelites this decade-and-a-half. restive local have all their circumstances, children (all boys) to thea would tion oflost favourable including have looked a wee bit share forced.ofBut and imposing on them a fair theSwift burGreat and energy hence adore She- wields boom War, in global prices young and thePaul Chinese the conductor’s baton In den of adjustment would be easy, expertly. if the northringham, only surviving son of their Jane’s economy’sthevoracious import appetite insistence on to taking lovers ern colossus were keep multiple its hands off. friends, a fault. they don’t know is that “but throughtothe earlyWhat millennial boom. not recently friends” at Oxford, her fascination Maduro spoke of aindeliberate effort Jane Sheringham have been sleeping to- with the works Yetand it took a deliberate politiof Joseph Conrad (like by the US to overturn the her, Vene-a gether fortoyears.

Atthat first,attendJane would accept self-taught writer), cal effort ensure careful guarding of her zuelanher economy by promoting money or presents.

Now the business part of it past with Sheringham, ant benefits were widely shared. see the calculating, the dollarweblack market.

And has erased by pleasure.dogFirstbeen steps in vanquishing calibrated persona of the modern-day writer. there is little question that since All these gains are some of the short novels (think On today maLike were taken by best Argentina afJane’s also energy makes price a statement the global crash, a threatened by progress Chesil or The Testament of Mary) Motherter a Beach financial crisis between about subaltern literature.

It’s true that large gap has opened up her beplunging economies ing is propelled its and a faltering policy early 1998Sunday and 2002 wiped not out by saveducation about asex-a tween official comes and parallel plot — although this isadminby no ings. The bitter medicine direct result Mr the Niven’s indulchange ratesof for US dollar, response means book financial — but by istered abyplotless the global gence andthe hisvicious resources.

But is fuelling cycle ofshe high the atmosphere it constructs mecabal only led to a more rapid careful not atogrowing reveal the extent of inflation, black marticulously, page by see It works particularly her flight of capital.

Butpage. that We really to expectations her employer. of It ket erudition premium, the that the warwith has had on waseffect the turnaround, a pocan be saidcurrency that she used the refurther devaluation well as an allegory the affluent classes.

Their litical shift to the left, thetreasurimposition of sources of the dominant toposreand capital flight.

A restoration of order is forcurthe writing es havecontrols, been depleted, their sons rency and the inauguration ofprocess a sible, but a website verse said dominance. run from Alabama in the wounded orfiscal killed.

The sense of four years US, has been doing determined stimulus.

Within I felt that, on the whole, Motherits best to prevent that by complacency sitting in national in- quoting theing of messaging they that had, it would place Sunday worked as a rate period black market exchange for their green andsuccessfully villages, terests first,suburbs Argentina forced a the dollar onpiece, but itbasis. did particularly well an hourly has shattered.on Increditors. the face of loanbeen restructuring as an allegory forspeculative the writingdollar proc“It is a false, parasitic and arbitrary incomprehensible tragedy, peo- ess; Growthand rates accelerated across all counsummoning of memory (like Mathe that the has done great harm to Venezuela”, ple tend to the familiar.

This is what tries, withtoacling significantly more equitable dis- name of Vladimir Nabokov’s memoir,easing”, Speak, duro declared recently.

“Quantitative happens Mr Niven, employer.

In Memory), tribution with of gains.

In theJane’s decade following framing the narrative, the lifelinethe that the US of economy clings tointroas it his quaint on official — he ducing 2003, real insistence wages in Brazil grewlabelling 35 per cent. theacharacters, conflict and fights off slowdown,the hascentral pumped a dollar calls bicycles the10 house Firstincome Bicycle the Whilethe thetwo share of theintop per cent resolution: Jane’s economy. hopscotchThere jumps surfeit into the global arefrom doland Second Bicycle wetosee clueless, essenearners shrank from— 51 34 aper cent, that of past to present to future ultimately lar reserves floating around whichfollow couldthis be tially good-hearted clutching the next 80 per centsoul increased fromat47straws, to 65 pattern. tapped. Venezuela has to an extent shown trying to con himself into believing hequality is still how, per cent.

Brazil saw a rapid change in It isbyquite to gobble up Mothering tyingpossible up a strategic financial aid packliving an innocent world. of jobincontracts, with employment shifting Sunday inChina. a single, languorous afternoon.

But age with Similar initiatives elsewhere Every now out andofthen, we meet sector, the presentsignificantly the informal most- if youwell do, be a laborious re-read is recommended. may the way to salvage the continent’s day Jane Fairchild, nonagenarian novelist and There ly facilitated by newly enacted laws. jewel-like sentences here, and their secondare freedom. revered intellectual, back decline upon her In Venezuela, therelooking was a rapid in lustre only grows with successive reads. days in and Oxford and the events Mothering poverty a virtual tripling of of university en- sukumar muralidharan is an independent writer and researcher mani based jha in Gurgaon and Shimla Sunday, We learn that Jane’s fascination rolments1924. in proportion to the eligible popula- aditya

Graham Swift’s crystalline short novel is an unfailingly elegant meditation on loss, class relations, and the workings of literature

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The pop in my soda They may be shorn of advertising or marketing, but the fizz never goes out of local soft drinks, primarily because they taste of nostalgia museum to prove it.

Multinationals control much of the bottled non-alcoholic beverage market in India, especially since Coca-Cola’s return in 1993 (after a 16-year ban) which saw an aggressive takeover of heritage beverages such as Thums-Up, Limca, Citra and Gold Spot, following which there was a noticeable dip in the production of homely soft drinks. Some of us Thums-Up fans kept on buying our favourite cola, spending so much on it that it was allowedBring to live on. to book A In spite of low advertising profiles and barelarge number of ly existent marketing, local soft drinks refuse Sikhs associate withbecause Deras, some to disappear, perhaps, primarily they of which the taste of nostalgia. I still recall the firstinvoke sip I had Granth Sahib in of Campa-Cola, its logo looking deceptively myriad ways ap/aman similar to Coke but the flavour nuttier. These sharma days the Campa brand has more or less fizzled out but a friend told me one might still find the odd bottle in cold drinks stalls in Haryana.

Travelling in Gujarat, I see bottles of Sosyo offering locally loved flavours like lime and jeera. Around Madurai I prefer a gourmet drink called Bovonto: a grape soda which supposedly is the best accompaniment to spicy Tamil food. Going to the temple town of Udupi I nostalgically keep an eye out for Diana cola.

Haven’t seen a bottle for ages, but I recall its welcoming slogan: Shake hands! The friendly Diana man was often hand-painted on walls around Udupi town in the 1990s. struck by the whitefly. The government was re- contempt of the In Kolkata, justSupreme the otherCourt day, I and was received served a sponsible for the crop failure because it had asoda dressing halting work on theeven dismancalleddown, Cottons, proving that big failed to check the bad seeds and fake pesti- tling of have the canal. metros localised brands. Here and there cides the farmers had been using. The inci- in The SAD hasone exploited religious andthe water Bengaluru might come across nedents of sacrilege led to more than a week of issues over the lastorange four decades to in ensure on-coloured Torino soda. And Parsi non-violent protests — by Sikhs, Hindus and votes.

Byin doing so they have sought eateries Mumbai, such asrepeatedly Military Café near even Muslims. The SAD’s attempt to contain to inflame passions and bring state tosoda the Flora Fountain, you may order the raspberry them led to police firing in village Behbal Ka- brink separatism by ignoring lessons of — the of colour looks like an angrythe traffic light, lan, resulting in two deaths. The First Informa- the decade when bled over The these isbut the flavour willPunjab give you a high. rasption Report named no one responsible for the sues. namesake in Pakistan sad berry Punjab’s soda is a genuine heritage drink:isit adates firing. Initially, Punjab Police nabbed seven example of 1800s. how religious has one unback to the In fact inorthodoxy nearby Pune, people responsible for the sacridermined processes particular soda factory democratic from 1884 (making it lege. In November, following a in that society. Such fundamentwo years senior to Coca-Cola), Ardheshir and public outcry, the government talism is Chowk, the bane of all modern Sons in Sharbathwala produces purely handed over some of the other secular societies.

By and continuing Indian flavours such as raspberry jeera.

The SAD has cases to the Central Bureau of Into keep issues fused, SAD I’ve also heard thatthe there might be athe paneer exploited religious Hitting the right spots Calling to local cola vestigation.

Since then thereout has even the Opposition (rose water and in Malayalam and Tamil)parties soda over in zac o’yeah lovers inaMadikeri, Karnataka been deafening silence on and water issues arethe playing with sentiments somewhere country, butthe I prefer to eat the last four my decades identifying or pursuing the misof the people of the state. paneer with palak, or tandoori-ed. to Red, ensure votes shops hereabouts creants.

Just whenwith thenames recentlike Laxi, In the House, the Congress did Whatever the case, these handcrafted Stuff, and Vita.

They live on, despite the globalamendment was proposed, object toin the SADwarps, privileging drinks, though stuck time aren’tthe reisationwas of the soft drink market. there another incident of faith above others asking ally that out Sikh of sync anymore if youby consider It makes me thinkRamdiwali of how even the global that many big desecration at village formetros the lawhave to cover for the seenonly a proliferabrands, suchin asMajitha, Coca-Cola, startMusalmana near Amritsar. Three Granth Sahibtion and of symbols of Sikhism. Around micro-breweries: exceeded as similar small products under — youths, who were supposedly the influ- 40 per cent ofingly Punjab’s population expensive barsbelongs where toa cola was first sold 1886 atand a then again other religions. ence of drugs, wereinarrested A large number Sikhs locally made beer of costs (atassothe pharmacy in the US by the chemthere has been silence. ciatethat with Deras, some₹200 of which invoke the cheapest) plus taxes.

A local I’ve also heard istThe John Pemberton.

He has thought SAD government shown to bethere gross-might Granth in myriad Whiledoes the oppoat ₹8 ways. for 200ml, seem be a Sahibsoda, that a mix of acting caffeine co- and pursuly incapable on,and arresting sition was ignored, the danger of such a dracolike a steal in comparison.

The capaneer soda caine headaches. ing themight casescure of sacrilege; yet, Disince they are in nian law is veat thatis that the you statemay canhave usetoittravto somewhere luted with soda water, people power, they are trying to stay in people’s imag- prosecute people other faiths. el to ofwherever the Above drink all, is loved the combo.

During ination as peppy the sole guardian of Sikhism. If the while sacrilege is about an served overt attack the bottled to get by theon manmy travelsdoes in the as the a junk Governor notUS, pass Bill or returns it symbols of any faith, institutionalising precufacturer who will take it aout of food fanchanges, I had tothegoparty and can see go crying to edence of onehis seeking faith above others is against the own fridge.

I’m okay with that where the beverage bottled, at very the people and seek was votesoriginally on the pretext that fabric a secular nation.

Such movethe by as long as Iofcan shake his hand, likea with 125 Edgewood in Atlanta, is an the religion is Avenue under threat.

This iswhich exactly elected Diana man.government must be condemned. nowadays a National Historic what they have done with the issueLandmark of water is a writer onpart-time a nonzac o’yeahsandhu is a part-time travel working writer and Buildingbetween while Coca-Cola has become sharing north Indian states perhaps and the amandeep book on Punjab detective novelist the biggest brand earth with aitsBill own Sutlej Yamuna Linkname canal:onthey passed in fiction

Sacrilege is in the law

The intent to curb the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib through life imprisonment is a step towards orthodoxy

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n March 22, the Punjab Assembly ottling day, maiSection dekkho295hai, passed a Bill adding AA I do myPenal best toCode communitookay?” the Indian (IPC) cate, in rudimentaryfor Hindi, seeking lifemy imprisonment sacwithGranth the elderly gent rilege of the Guru Sahib.

In awho statemans with small cold this drinks shop with on itstwo handathe Sikh majority, is problematic acpainted, old-world signboard says ‘Suncounts: the intent to curbthatdesecration shine Bottling Co’. punishment is a step tothrough increased It’s located in Madikeri’s marketsacrilege street, and wards orthodoxy and prioritising to wheneverasingraver town Ithan stop to forother a drink — perhaps Sikhism religions rea hard-hitting maybeparties. the mellow veals the biasginger of thesoda, political The jeera soda when my tummy needs rest, and amendment — pending a nod by the Governor there’s also a trick wonderfully sunshine-yellow — is a populist by the ruling Shiromani pineapple soda, apart from the standard Akali Dal (SAD) to appease one religious comrange ofin cola, lemon drinks. A botmunity theorange comingand election year. tleAispress ₹8, which is a bargain the tasty note from Punjabfor Deputy ChiefexploMinsion in one’s mouth.

Okay, so what if I’m a fan ister Sukhbir Singh Badal says, “The amendof theis Sunshine Bottling Company? stuff ment primarily aimed at making aTheir stringent is addictive. provision in law to ensure exemplary puniThen Itohear the rattle bottles from the shment all those who of flare up communal backrooms drinks stall — pop, tension.”

At behind present,the Section 295 of the IPCratdetle, pop, rattle —orand realiseathat theofbeverages fines injuring defiling place worship mightintent actually be manufactured with to insult the religionon ofthe anypremclass ises. The work is done women with a punishment forby ‘a half-a-dozen term which may exwho bottle 1,000 cold drinks per both’. week, tend to twoabout years,a or with fine, or with I’m informed, watch Queries to theand SADunfortunately spokespersonI can’t Harcharan it happen since I’many a man.

Bains did not elicit response.

Another day, it is SAD a holiday forconthe This move by when the ruling is in the women, I get13toincidents peek into of thesacrilege tidy, tiny of rooms text of the the where bottles — basicalGranth Sahib are thatcleaned eruptedand in filled the rural landly concentrates come from Mumbai, scape of Punjab inthat October 2015.

The timing of mixed with fizzone and after water.another, The bottling herea the incidents, within startedofin early 1980s they and took the drinks are space 10the days, is critical: place just only sold in the districtgrounds, of Kodagu when, on humanitarian the (Coorg): farmers that farm too not at tourist likerail Raja’s and workers calledspots off their rokoSeat agwhere foreign rule, but many ofand the itation even as brands talks between theinagitators smaller shops. remained inconclusive. The the government Small is truly beautiful, convinced,just befarmers and workers wereI’m demanding cause I’ve seen other unusual drink brands in compensation for the failed cotton crop

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Red alert An increasing number of post-pubescent women in urban India are now diagnosed with PCOS/PCOD shutterstock

The enemy within At St Dickinson’s Genius loves company Statues of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost in conversation photos nighat gandhi

There is an almost epidemic of Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (also known as PCOS and PCO) A visit Emily Dickinson’s house is nothing short of a literary pilgrimage in Indiatowith nearly 30 per cent of in itsAmherst women living with the complex condition

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I am glad there are Books. hadare mybetter last than period in December For they Heaven, says a 32-year-old Larah Rai, For 2013,” that is unavoidable, who on medication for While onehas maybeen miss these.

Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD) rescient by the since 2007, barely words a year after she 19th-century got married. mystic Emily Dickinson The under-40 kgpoet woman had gained 11—kgpertidurnentyear in our world where The the weight love of ing the first of her marriage. books, and poetry in particular, gain, coupled with painful menstrual cramps, seems to beher dying an unavoidable death.“I was prompted to seek medical advice.

Last summer visited Dickinson’s family initially resignedI to a lifetime of menstrual home, now in the college town of cramps, butaitmuseum was my husband, Vikrant, who Amherst inthat Massachusetts, about 160 km with west suspected something was not right of Boston.

It’s a charmingly green area with the monthly pains.” meadows, low rolling hillscent andofunforgettable Rai is among the 30 per Indian womsunsets.

Yasodhara, my Sufism Without Boren who have some form of Polycystic Ovarian ders friend,(PCOS, who recites Dickinson by heart, is Syndrome also known as PCOD or PCO), Amherst that resident.

She picked me up or one afaancondition goes largely untreated misternoon, weThe drove to Amherst, for diagnosed. treatment varies stopping from doctor lunch at the Black Sheep, acommonly bustling, informal to doctor.

The diagnosis, considplaceafrequented college students andnot loered precursor by to diabetes, is handed cated a couple blockscysts fromin Dickinson’s just to those withof multiple the ovaries. house in Main Street.

Irregular menses, hair-fall, weight gain and Theacne café are wasoften crowded so we to the even enough forwalked a gynaecoloparktoacross the the street with our while mozzarella gist prescribe medication, some cheese and sun-dried try to do battle with dietarytomato changesbaguettes and regudrenched in tangy Italian dressing and large lar exercise.

Doctors even disagree over glasses ofthe icedcondition tea to beat heat.to And fiwhether is the related thethe ovanal touch decadence — a blackberry-studries, whereofthe cysts are located, or the hypoded custard tart. controls We sat close to the metal thalamus, which the production of statues of Dickinson andendocrinal Robert Frost.

The two all hormones.

Other disorders

poets are seated on boulders facing each oth- cred significance. Photography is prohibited er, as as if in conversation . have also been linked growth such hypothyroidism or I would image of her austere, of have bodysaved hair),an acne, seborrhea (white lunch, we walked the two blocks to the flaky to After this complex condition. white,skin), cotton dress hanginghyperplasia in a glass cabinet and androgenic (hairHomestead, Dickinson’s family home. She was loss An increasing number of post-pubescent outside her room. I imagined in this modfrom increased androgenher levels).

In womborn here spent most herdiagnosed short life en, women in and urban India are ofnow est above-normal white dress with a bluish shawl draped levels of androgen lead to (1830-1886) in this an house.

We were walking the an with PCOS/PCOD, endocrinopathy (disease overimbalance her shoulders, agreeing meet only a in estrogen andtoprogesterone, very street she hadsystem walkedinvolving more than a centu- and of the endocrine hormone few select visitors.

Dickinson was a hermit by disrupted ovulation. ry ago. I was like a little receiving a longedproduction) related to girl insulin resistance and choice, a master wordsmith content to spend prognosis for gift, so joyous The wascondition this thought walking hypothyroidism. wasoffirst iden- Shaky time with her family and her unusual imagiher street, visiting her home.

The Homestead tified in 1935

by American gynaecologists Irv- A nation. was the involves baker in the family, scribPCOSShe diagnosis wildly different is a Fhandsome, ing Stein andtwo-storey Michael Lhouse Leventhal, who symptoms. bling bits of hard poems as they It is especially to detect in with dark green shutters. studied seven women with amenorrhea, hir- adolescents,arrived, oftentimes on the backs who show similar symptoms durThe tour about toovaries. begin. A sutism andwas polycystic ofing cocoa powder puberty.

Thewrappers. symptoms also group of diagnostic us was taken through the But the criteria has Words might arrived(even in a vary with age,have ethnicity We were standing parlour and library changed manythe times since, where and torrent but she picked them with within India) and weight, so the in the room of one Dickinson received well has also taken into guests, accountasfacagonising effort. In one of her porisk of misdiagnosis is high. ofoctors the world’s D even as the tors suchadjoining as ethnicityconservatory and race. emsDr(number in the Franklin Puneet1469 Bedi, Delhi-based greatest poets disagree over built by her to house the poIn 2003, thefather Rotterdam Europeedition), she crossed out several obstetrician and gynaecologist, whether the et’sSociety exotic for plants.

Portraits of the condition is related an Human Reproducword choices about such asthe ‘lonesome’ is sceptical rash of Dickinson family Society members for were tion/American and ‘warning’ before settling PCOS diagnoses today.

“Therefor is to the ovaries on the walls. Medicine Finally we(ESHRE/ trooped Reproductive ‘chilly’ in the opening line:created “A chilno epidemic, it’s a myth upstairsproposed to her bedroom, withdiour guide, Shie- ly Peace infests ASRM) that “…the Grass.” And the same by the gynaecologists who, evenprocunla. “That’s the desk agnosis include twowhere of theEmily fol- wrote,” she ess was perhaps repeated with til 12painstakingly years ago, were completely said. A small, prim table wasoligoplaced by the win- each poem. Only lowing three criteria: aboutto10any of her 1,800 poems oblivious such thing,” he dow, looking out onto Main Street.

Is this says, and/or anovulation, clinical and/or biochemwere concerned published in her lifetime and that too about the counter-intuitive where she sat and observed sky, watched ical hyperandrogenism, andthe polycystic ova- effects anonymously, perhaps without“These her knowlof strong medication. medithe people passing by? A reverential hush fell cines ries on ultrasound.” edge. She shared her poems only good. with friends often do more harm than I have over group.

We were standingor inoligovulathe room patients In the layman terms, anovulation and family, giftingas many of them to heron sisteras young 10 who have been oral of one of the greatest Her nar- contraceptives tion refers to world’s irregularities in poets. the menstrual in-law Susan, her friend. It was only after forclose a considerable time, simply row bed and the wicker basket in which she because cycle.

Hyperandrogenism, excess androgen her death thatgynaec a large failed collection of her poems some to understand her lowered treatscan for street children took on a sa- problem. production, lead to hirsutism (excess were discovered, neatly tied First of all, PCOS is in notbundles. a disease. The

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Did Dickinson make peace with the fact that And yet, the poet, who preferred to be a nowomen of her time could not claim the public body, was bold and opinionated even though sphere? Or did she shun fame and worldly rec- she was deprived of a college education. Fowognition because it threatened her reclusive, ler Dickinson, her grandfather, was one of the solitude-loving imagination? She was a rec- founders of Amherst College but she could luse, no doubt, but not a timid one. Her bold- not attend this all-male college. She attended ness comes across in her writing. school and was mostly selfThere’s a self-assuredness about taught. Whatever formal educashirking fame. In her verse, she tion she received was somewhat mocks conventionality through unusual for women of her time.

Dickinson was a the use of unusual syntax and She attended the nearby Mount recluse, no doubt, even in her deliberate use of capHolyoke Seminary for girls but rebut not a timid one ital letters and dashes: turned to her father’s house after a year. Her poor health was always I’m Nobody! Who are you? a cause for concern, but more likeAre you - Nobody - too? ly she felt oppressed by the semiThen there’s a pair of us! nary’s emphasis on moral and religious Don’t tell! They’d advertise - you know! education. The young women at the seminary How dreary - to be - Somebody! were divided into three groups: those who How public - like a Frog professed their faith, the hopefuls, and the To tell one’s name - the livelong June hopeless. Dickinson was assigned to the hopeTo an admiring Bog! less group and her status remained un-

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Other places of interest

(within a half-hour drive from Amherst) Skinner State Park

More than 400 acres of forest and trails, located in the town of South Hadley; at the peak is the Summit House, now a museum, but originally a hotel built in 1851.

Smith College Botanic Gardens

Located in the town of Northampton, it’s a visual treat during summer. A campus visit is a must, as is a walk around downtown with its quaint cafes, shops, bookstores.

More information about the museum, the poet and her life at EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org

changed at the time of leaving.

After the Homestead tour ended, we walked around the grounds of the museum, admiring the summer flowers in bloom. Yasodhara offered to take me to the cemetery where DickBear a hand Several case studies have proven that women with PCOS are more likely to have obstructive sleep apneainson reuters/pawan kumar In Amherst, she is thought of is buried. as the patron saint of writers. People bring her nomenclature has changed over the years; ini- PCOS with deficiency in Vitamin D and calci- things sleep apnoea, which results in snoring and exshe used to love — feathers and flowers, tially it was PCOD, then PCOS and now PCO. um. Calcium and vitamin supplements to- rocks, cessivebits daytime sleepiness, andleave wereitalso 30 of paper, pencils; and on her There is an urgent need to stop treating it as a gether with metformin (a common drug used gravestone. times more Ilikely from sleep-disorstoodtobysuffer Dickinson’s grave and debilitating problem.” dered breathing, according to a study by the to correct hormonal levels in women with prayed to her spirit for guidance in a confusOther doctors, however, refrain from such PCOS) were found to result in improved body ing National fornever Biotechnology world,Centre for I have felt more inInformaneed of outright rejection of medication. Dr Kalpana mass index (BMI), which is key to eliminating her tionkind in the The incidence of PCOS is higher ofUS. boldness, the quiet certitude with Chugh, a gynaecologist for over 20 years, be- PCOS. However, lifestyle alone does not ac- which amongshe the took obese.on the world. I felt she was lieves that dietary and lifestyle changes mat- count for the incidence of PCOS. Mumbai resi- around, According to she a 2013

by John Nestler I knew wasstudy listening andEperhaps Clinter more than anything else. Oversensitivity to dent Himani Angira, who is in her twenties, watching and Daniela in The Journal of usJ Jakubowicz with her widely-spaced otheror ical Endocrinology andby Metabolism, insulin — a common factor in PCOS — leads to always prided herself on eating right and exer- worldly eyes. I placed her grave athin small normal-weight drugs that weight gain, so that must be tackled first, she cising; naturally, she was puzzled by her sud- bunch of whitewomen flowersrespond that I to had plucked reduce insulin advises. “Weight gain in PCOS is a vicious cycle. den weight gain. She also experienced from a bush in resistance. the park, by her grave.

Since sugar levels are not controlled, sugars unusual pre-menstrual symptoms. “While my When women didn’t feel they could make it Bitter pill Home A mural representing Dickinson’s family aren’t turf absorbed, which leads to weight gain, periods were normal (they were always de- as writers in men’s world, were they paradoxRitika better Bhatia,off? a 26-year-old media professionand excessive fat leads to excessive androgen layed by two to three days) the flow decreased. ically Because they wrote as noal, had were a BMIthey of 18 she was diagnosed levels in the body, leading to more fat at the Additionally, I could hardly sleep due to terri- bodys, in when some sense freer to write with lean tono belooming a nightend of this cycle.” ble menstrual cramps and bloating.” She has what they PCOD. wantedIttoturned write?out With mareofafter sheorwas prescribed Dianeor35, a pill There are no studies to show which exercise been on medication for a year, which, together fear failure thwarted ambition hunger commonly prescribed tocould treat women PCOD, asexplore well as is best suited to improve insulin resistance in with a healthy diet and exercise, has brought for public recognition, Aldactone, used tofield treatappears hirsuwomen with PCOS, but light exercises such as some relief. Angira was premore? Now that the playing tism.can“The firstgetcouple of yoga and walking are recommended rather scribed metformin, a drug usualeven, and women write and published months, I felt markedwriters improvethan strenuous workouts. Strength training is ly used by diabetics, to combat almost as easily as men, areawomen in ment, my cycle regularised, my particularly beneficial as it eliminates fat in fa- insulin resistance. more of a bind?

Our creativity, the wild unThere are no studies acne cleared up and imvour of muscle, thereby improving calcium tameable impulse, is hemmed by cramps the doubts to show which Fertility factor But soon after, therehow was absorption. There have been studies linking andsuited demandsproved. of the literary marketplace: exercise is best a debilitating spike in migraine The good news is that no direct who for, what for? to improveto, insulin episodes.

My doctor hadDickinoverlinks have been established beStanding beside her grave, I thanked resistance in women looked spirit. my history migraine tween PCOS and infertility. As Dr son for her adamant To visitofher verse is with PCOS when prescribing Diane-35.

An Bedi explains, “If one doesn’t ovto set aside expectations of arriving at a single online check showed there is ulate as regularly, the chances of meaning. Multiple meanings andmemusings a community of in sufferers from getting pregnant also go down. and intimations and a rustling some corner the use of Diane-35.”

However, this is not to say that of consciousness is what you receive. My inBhatia went off the medication, the from daily women with PCOS cannot conceive or that the nermost self receives all this and as more episodes migraine were toohome muchand to bear. condition makes them infertile.” He is against her.

Longof after the visit to her restShe place, remembers her gynaecologist being disprescribing hormone-controlling oral contra- ing she inspires me to stand adamantly. missive about her menstrual cramps and hirceptive pills for young girls and other women She keeps pouring soft refrains into my lap: who are not sexually active; he recommends. sutism. For every woman who receives a Butdiagnosis, when the south wind stirs proper treatment and consultadiet and exercise instead. the pools are dozens of others who learn to Rujuta Diwekar, celebrity nutritionist and tion, there And struggles in the lanes, acne, amenormenstrual cramps, author of The PCOD Thyroid Book, is confident live with that women can fight back with the right nu- rhea, Her misgives her for her vow, — they andheart other associated problems trition. “It is possible to not just contain, but are told Andtoshe pourswhat soft refrains watch they eat (cutting out reverse hormonal disorders at any age and fats and Intocarbohydrates the lap of adamant, results in loss of the veany stage of your life. Eating right, exercising ry nutrients And spices, and the dew, the syndrome in required to fight right and sleeping right are powerful inter- the first That stiffens quietly to quartz, place), body-shamed, forced to underventions and work for everyone,” Diwekar re- go painful Upon her amber shoe. cosmetic procedures and crash sponded via e-mail. diets, or even prescribed wrong medication. nighat gandhi is the author of Ghalib at Dusk and The right kind of sleep matters too.

Women Silent killer PCOS can be a precursor to diabetes mohammed yousuf payelStories majumdar with PCOS are more likely to have obstructive Other

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One for the Thronies A trail in Northern Ireland is tantalising for Game of Thrones addicts

Travel log Getting there

Belfast is connected by frequent flights from London. It’s two hours from Dublin by train.

Getting around

You can join one of the Game of Thrones tours (www.discovernorthernireland.com) or hire a car and do your own exploring (your Indian licence works).

Stay

The Malmaison (www.malmaison.com) in Belfast was an old seed warehouse that has been converted into one of the most fashionable hotels in the city.

Vanishing breed A higher secondary school offering Sindhi-medium education in Sardarnagar, Ahmedabad vijay soneji

Tip

Do deviate from the trail to visit Giant’s Causeway, a complex grid of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns caused by volcanic eruptions (mostly hexagonal in shape).

Tongue-tied in Sindhi

The road much travelled Dark Hedges in Antrim; (below) Castle Ward in Belfast ashwin rajagopalan

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eerie silence fills the as dark their the impact of the Belfastlanguage is in- inspiration fromdeem a persevering spider to reNewerngenerations areairturning back onshow thisaround ancient as they the script clouds gather on the horizon. I’m in credible. Almost everyone I bump into knows gain his kingdom in 1314) and the Stormlands, difficultCastle to Ward learnnearand choose English aswho their gateway to professional success Belfast, where I’m someone has starred in the show because Cushendun caves that were formed over a pe-

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greeted with a replica of the Longclaw sword. Game of Thrones (GoT) fans (aka Gangwani, Rajkot-based Thronies)aresh know all aboutathis sword butcomI’m law recognise consultantthe didn’t think not surepany they will gentleman before English-mewho hastwice placed thischoosing dummy an sword to my forSnow his firstborn, Navya, neck. He dium thinksschool he is Jon and helms one aged For the Gangwanis, mother of thefive.

GoT trails in the area. This their is where it all tongue,Local Sindhi, was ‘good day-tobegan. legend has itenough’ that thefor first epiday family conversation, butthe not HBO more.producsode was filmed here after In Ahmedabad, Nishith andtower Khushi Notani, tion team reworked an old structure, the parents of a nine-year-old no added temporary structuresdaughter, and CGI are (comdifferent and seeimagery) English medium ‘the need puter generated to createasWinterfell. of the hour’. “Schooling Sindhi medium The temporary structuresinhave disappeared would (kids’) exposure Sindhi but therestrict influxtheir of Thronies hit thetotipping cultureinalone, which is notpotential going toofbenefit point 2015. The tourism a GoT themonly in their says when Nishtrail tookprofessional off around career,” Easter 2015 ith, a self-employed Season 5 premieredprofessional. and, almost overnight, This lack offrom interest has fans arrived as farfrom and young wide asparents the Philipresulted the two remaining governmentpines andinJapan. run Sindhi-medium schools in AhCastle Ward is almost alwaysshutting the first stop to medabad.

Three privately-run Sindhi-medium let off some steam — pose with cloaks and schools survive, aremandatory feared to be on the swords, or click but those selfies bebrinksetting of closure.

TheaSindhi fore out on quieterlanguage, path. Thewhich area has traditionally useditself the Arabic script, facaround Castle Ward has some of is these ing its spots toughest test, as newerfield generations quieter — such as Audley’s used as a deem the difficult to or learn and not location forscript Rob Stark’s camp River Quoile worthextensively the effort. for battle scenes. used An show ancient boasting luminaries The has tongue used other stunning locations such as ShahCroatia, Abdul Latif Bhittai, renowned in Morocco, Iceland andthe Spain, but it’s ‘Shakespeare of Sindhi’, now at a glooNorthern Ireland’s array of stares locations that my future,the spoken within thetoconfines of prompted production team set up base home.Titanic “This isn’t a recent There here.

Studios (nearphenomenon. the massive Titanic has been ainfall in theisnumber in museum) Belfast now oneofofstudents Northern Sindhi-medium schools for the sites. past 25 Ireland’s most closely guarded It’syears. here The changing preference for Englishwere medium that most of the indoor sequences filmcanand be where seen as social transformation.

Ened thearumour mills about the plot glish, to or churn even Hindi, more ensuing acceptable than start beforeis every season.

Sindhi forlegendary schooling,” says Jagdish Bhavsar, I’m at the Duke of York whiskey bar chairman, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporaand the conversation eventually drifts to GoT;

most of the supporting cast are from the area. riod of 400 million years, thanks to extreme Kristian Nairn (plays Hodor) used to be the weather conditions. These caves formed the tion (AMC) Board.

The club last remaining resident DJ School of Kremlin, a gay in Belfast, backdrop somewhatfor takes in thein larger busi-2 thea backseat famous scene Season Sindhi-medium government school while Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark) al- was ness of education. where Melisandre gives birth to a ‘shadclosed lasthome. academic year. so callsdown the city I also run The handful private schools that do have ow’of baby.

AMC School Board, which into two Chicagoans who’veruns 455 schools a strong Sindhi connect, however, have few There’s the Carrick-a-Rede with 1.49 lakh students enrolled, has started takers and are gradually never watched the series forceda to turn for to Enrope bridge, lifeline loconverting itsthe Sindhi-medium schools into glish medium, with cal but are doing trail for Sindhi taughtfarmers as a subject. salmon for aEnglish simplemedium. reason — stun“The new generation finds the difficenturies in script the Storm“We started our first English-medium cult to learn. Even when ning, photogenic learnt, has was limited lands area,itthat the school in 2002-03,” Bhavsar says, adding that application in society,”setting locations. says Harish Kakwani, for Renly BatheI meet number hasagain since grown to nine, and is former director of IGNOU’s them Gyancamp Vani educaratheon’s in Sealikelynext to touch 12 next year. Other language tional FM radio station son the afternoon in Ahmedabad.

2. I spot a schools,the meanwhile, along instantlyare on a decline as stuHe sees a silver liningBushmills in the formsign of competthat redent numbers fallDark drastically. recognisable itive exams, where Sindhi promise sultsholds in a out brilliant deAmong theStuart schools the board Hedges.

The famas a scoring for of those tour —subject the home the currently 303 are Gujaratiily plantedruns, an avenue full choosing it. “Thanks to everyday world’s oldest whiskey medium, 67 Hindi-medium, of beech trees in the 18th 63 familydistillery conversations Sindhi,a (1608);in after Urdu-medium, Marathiofand century with the10 intention thequick students areofgood at the lanshot their 10-yearI never studied in three Tamil-medium.

Among creating an impressive pathway guage.

They just need help with old, it’s time to make one last Sindhi, nor will those shut down in the five to Gracehill House, theirpast stately the script.

Still, there stop at Ballintoy, one ofare thenot remy kids years wereOver Malayalammansion. the yearsand thisTeluavemany Sindhi comgion’s oldest aspirants working atfishing gu-medium schools. nue earned its haunting monikpetitive exams,” he rues. harbours.

Ballintoy wasn’t reAlmost everyone I er, making it ‘sinister’ enough to He recalls about years touched toothat much to 30 become bump into knows Fading words someone who has become the setting for ‘Kings ago, Ahmedabad alone hadofnearLordsport harbour, part the starred Rajkot-based Gangwani points out that his fa-in the Road’ in the show. ly show 12 Sindhi-medium schools. Today there is Iron Islands. ther’s generation that studied in none. “People Most Not was all the last sights along the startedoffeeling inferior after the locations are the Sindhi language the Arabic script. “I studying in Sindhi trail are outdoors.

It’susing customary out of thissmall infespreadschools. aroundItaisrelatively never studied in aSindhi, will my kids, be- riority complex for fans to make stop atnor Steenthat Sindhi turned to footprint of thefamilies trail, letting you causeathe facilities are no house longer available in other language sons, boutique jewellery Gujarati, driveschools at your including own pace and make ourGlenarm town. Also, it gives no guarantee in that has crafted some of sucthe your Hindiown anddiscoveries.

English mediums,” he reasons.

But there’s Belmore forcess,” heiconic repeats. show’s jewellery (including King Jof- est on the Western coast that’s some distance Scattered legacy In Gujarat, except in a few placesThis like jewellAhme- away. frey’s intricately designed crown).

Billy (my guide for the day) suggests I dabad, Vadodara Kutch, Sindhi er has just movedand intoAdipur a largerin location, where leave Thosethat in the say that existential forknow my next trip. Sindhi’s I agree on the contrust schools have but disappeared.

At dition visitors can watch theall Steensons team at work. problem runs deeper. that weway drive back via the Dark Hedges those remain, Sindhilocations is taught that as just an- just It’s that the trail’s coastal truly Since independence, the community has before sunset. He obliges. other subject. the schools large views num- been battling huge odds to keep its language shine.

There’s As Murlough Bayhave witha clear rajagopalan a Chennai-based travel and berRathlin of non-Sindhi students, the objective of ashwin of Island (the same island where Scotand script alive. After isescaping the horrors of writer ‘promoting Sindhi culture and language’ land’s King Bruce is supposed to have sought lifestyle Partition, large sections of the community ar-

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An ungodly affair Hrithik sued for pope tweet

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ctor Hrithik Roshan has been sued by the president of the Indian Christian Voice, months after he sent out a tweet. “Ther r more chances of me having had an affair with d Pope dan any of d (Im sure wonderful) women d media hs ben naming.Thanks but no thanks,” (sic) the actor had said. Petitioner Abraham Mathai said it was uncalled for to drag the Pope’s name in order to get back at someone. He has given the actor a week to apologise for the tweet.

Birdie for Sanders Winged visitor rocks Twitter

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witter exploded in joy when a bird landed on the podium during a speech by US Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The feathered creature landed on the stage and podium, making the crowd squeal in delight. Sanders made most of the impromptu moment. “I know it doesn’t look like it but that bird is a dove and it’s asking us for world peace,” he said to huge cheers from the crowd.

Clean bowled!

Go with the flow Women carrying earthen pots walk in a procession during the Sindhi festival of Jhulelal Chaliha in Ahmedabad; members of the community are scattered all over the country and overseas, and readily adopt local customs pti

Thus spake the Sindhu

Engraved bowl leads to arrest

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Put on the dog Bank stops payment over name

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US bank blocked a payment made by a man to his dog walker, because the canine’s name resembled Jagdish Bhavsar, chairman, Ahmedabad that of a terror network. Chase Bank blocked Municipal a $374 payCorporation School Board vijay ment made by Bruce Francis as the name hesoneji wrote on the cheque, Dash, resembled Daesh. It took 10 days and a call to the Office of Foreign Assets Control for the bank to unblock the payment. “The idea that my dog is a terrorist is pretty funny. Seriously, the only thing Dash could terrorise is a roast chicken,” said Francis.

Harish Kakwani, former director of IGNOU’s Gyan Vani educational FM radio station in Ahmedabad

Mumbai thief learnt a hard lesson when an originated engraved bowl left Believed to have on the by him in a bus led to his arrest.

Bhabanks of the Sindhu (Indus) river rat Dikhole, who BC, stole jewellery around 1000-1500 Sindhi was worth lakhinfrom two jewellers’ widely ₹50 spoken the Sindh region of assistants, left his ownera. bagAfter with his the pre-Independence belongings in the bus.

Police Partition, thousands of Sindhitracked families him down to his village using the enfrom Pakistan migrated to India and graved bowl that his uncle had made settled mostly in the Kutch region in for him. The cops also recovered oneGujarat, and parts of Rajasthan and third of the stolen booty and hope to Maharashtra. In post-Independence nab the rest of the gang soon.

India, Sindhi was among 22 languages recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

rived as refugees and struggled to find a foothold in their adopted land.

The struggle for livelihood often trumped the desire to preserve and promote their indigenous culture and language.

“The Sindhis migrated from Sindh in Pakis- Muted hopes tan. They found shelter in different parts of In- Vasudev Gopalani, President of Sindhi PanPolitics dia. Wherever they settled, they adopted the chayat — an organisation representing over Acharya Kriplani — freedom fighter local language, culture and festivals as their 950 Sindhi families — is a disheartened man.

Lal Krishna Advani — former deputy own. They wanted to achieve financial pro- Few Sindhis are interested in learning their prime minister gress, and they knew that wouldn’t be possi- mother tongue, whether to immerse in its Ram Jethmalani — lawyer and ble through Sindhi language. As a result, rich literature or even for a handy purpose former law minister today Sindhi literature, language and script such as gaining an edge in competitive exams.

Jairamdas Daulatram — former all face the danger of becoming extinct,” says “Our libraries remain vacant, with hardly any governor of Assam and Bihar cat has survived eight days in a parcel which Harish Bhagchandani, managing trustee, visitor in weeks. The entire community is goBusiness travelled across Britain. Cupcake, the unlucky Sindhu Sewa Samaj, a leading ing after the mass trend — of tabby, into a parcel of DVDs own- in Ahmedabad.

Sabeerjumped Bhatia — entrepreneur and that her trust modern learning. But in doing er, Julie Baggot from Cornwall, was mailing toKakwani, a who finds mention so, we are threatening our very founder of Hotmail customer.

The recipient was ‘somewhat startled’ in the eminent personalities list identity,” he cautions.

Srichand Hinduja — Hinduja when the cat jumped out, dehydratedofaf-the National Council for ProKakwani is among those who They became Group chairman ter more than a week in the motion of Sindhi Language have not given up hope. He runs scattered all around Niranjan Hiranandani — managing Royal Mail.

Cupcake was taken(NCPSL), echoes this, “This is a a public trust named Vision Sindthe country. This director of Hiranandani Group to— a vet, where made Sindhi a hu Children Academy, which atArjan Lulla founder of she Eroshas made a big tragedy with the Sindhi comstateless language munity. They never got their tempts to connect the younger International complete recovery. own land (after the Partition).

Sindhi generation to their roots Rajan Raheja — Rajan Raheja Group They became scattered all through the performing arts. Efowner around the country. This made forts are on to make the Sindhi Arts / Culture / Sports Sindhi a stateless language. language easier to learn for the Tarun Tahiliani — fashion designer Hence, Sindhis in different states tried to iden- new generation. This includes switching from Pankaj Advani — snooker player tify themselves with the respective local the Arabic to the more commonly used DevnaVishal Dadlani — singer/composer languages.” gari script and even Roman script to entice According to estimates from the Indian overseas Sindhis to learn the language.

Vashu Bhagnani, GP Sippy, Ramesh Sippy — filmmakers Sindhi community, their numbers cross one “This would make the language more acAftab Shivdasani, Hansika Motwani crore and they are spread across the world, ceptable among the youth,” says Kakwani.

— actors with the largest concentration — nearly 70 rutam vora lakh Sindhi speakers — in India.

The Sindhi who’s-who

Schrödinger’s cat is alive!

Cat lives eight days in parcel

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in-faq by joy bhattacharjya

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n April 2, 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. This quiz is about the newsmakers and events of the tumultuous Eighties.

here,there & elsewhere

Miracle materials

Bloody Eighties

1

Still on the Falkland conflict. What was the name of the French-made missile which the Argentine Air Force used with deadly effect, sinking two British warships?

2

The Eighties also featured the final stages of the South African Border War, which was contested between South Africa and its Angolan UNITA allies, and South West African Peoples Organisation. Which non-African nation provided a large contingent of soldiers and arms to help the SWAPO cause?

3

Which international leader lost his life in 1981 when a soldier shot him with an assault rifle during the annual victory parade to celebrate his nation’s crossing of the Suez Canal?

4

In which country was a notorious ‘baby’ finally overthrown, 15 years after taking over from ‘papa’ in 1971?

5

On November 9, 2009, more than 1,000 dominos were stacked and then toppled in a major European city to commemorate which memorable event of the Eighties?

6

Which Caribbean nation did the US invade in 1983 to overthrow a dictatorship and help pave the way for democratic elections?

7

By what popular name was the first Palestine uprising against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, which started in 1987, known?

8

Operation Opera was a surprise air strike that destroyed a nuclear reactor. The mission, which took place in 1981, created a huge controversy as the plant in question was ostensibly for peaceful purposes. Which were the two countries involved?

9

Which Asian country witnessed the People Power Revolution in February 1986 resulting in the overthrow of almost 20 years of dictatorship?

his is me, Bins. The book I’ve been reading is all about manmade T things. Plastic, paper, steel, even chocolate. Did you know how sophisticated chocolate is? Wah. But when I show STUFF MATTERS by Mark Miodownik to The Lady, she turns her nose up. “I refuse to get excited about industrial products,” she says.

I tell her she’s crazy. “We live in an age of miracles,” I say. “You like to read rubbish-books about boys who can fly on broomsticks? This book is about real magic. How diamonds can be turned into airplanes — well, okay, not exactly, but close enough for me — sand into computer chips, wood into books. The history of civilisation is written in the language of raw materials!” She shrugs. “Okay, I’m grateful to have access to toughened glass and versatile paper but guess what? We also have global warming and international terrorism.”

Don’t you hate it when people talk like this? “You realise this is a cultural bias, yes?” She frowns at me. “It’s because the inventions discussed in this book were mostly created in Europe and also — paper and fine porcelain — in China. Nothing from India.” She throws a cushion at me.

“You know I don’t think like that!” she snarls. “Then it makes no sense,” I

say. “It’s really fascinating. He writes in a very easy style, so that even a 10-yearold can understand —” She throws another cushion at me. “I am NOT a child! Maybe that’s why I’m not interested?” This is a dig at me. I ignore it. I am not childish, after all.

“Do you know why glass is transparent?” I ask. “Or how concrete is made? Or that aerogel was invented in the 1930s but only appreciated many years later, towards the end of the century?” She shrugs and asks, “What’s aerogel?” I smile. Now she’s hooked. “It’s a super-light material. Made by removing the liquid from a jelly, leaving only the framework that once held the liquid.”

She is still looking unconvinced. “It was used for trapping stardust from the tail of a comet,” I say. “So that we can see the composition of fine particles before they fall to the earth and get roasted on their way down.”

She smiles. “Okay that’s pretty cool.

What about glass then? Why is it transparent?” “Well,” I say, feeling a bit uncomfortable, “it’s ... it’s to do with the arrangement of atoms. In glass, they are loose enough that light passes through. In other materials, like metal for instance, atoms are arranged in such a way that the light is absorbed at the surface.” She grins. “You’re not so sure?” “I only read it once!” I exclaim.

“It’s almost as if the real question is why light doesn’t pass through EVERYTHING.” She picks up the book.

“So what about diamonds? How are they being made into aircraft?”

“Diamonds are a form of carbon,” I say, “and scientists have found a way of re-arranging carbon atoms to make a super-strong material called graphene.” I get up. “There. I’ve said enough. If you want to know more, just read the book!” She doesn’t answer: too busy reading. manjula padmanabhan, author and artist, writes of her life in the fictional town of Elsewhere, US, in this weekly column

cornerstone

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Which famous organisation took shape on August 31, 1980, in Gdañsk at the Lenin Shipyard when the communist government first agreed to allow its existence?

Answers 1. The Exocet. While the French stopped supplying the guided missile once the war started, those in stock did enough damage 2. Cuba. More than 25,000 Cuban troops participated in the conflict, fighting mainly with Soviet-built weaponry 3. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. It also started a tradition of checking all weapons for ammunition before ceremonial parades 4. Haiti. Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed ‘Baby Doc,’ was ousted after a more violent reign than his father, Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier 5. The fall of the hated Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 6. Grenada, which was a British principality till 1974 7. The Intifada, now known as the First Intifada 8. Israel conducted the air strike, hitting the Iraqi facility at Osirak 9. The Philippines. President Marcos was forced to give way, and was replaced by Corazon Aquino 10. The Polish Trade Union, Solidarity, which Lech Walesa led to an election victory a decade later

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joy bhattacharjya is a quizmaster and Project Director, FIFA U-17 World Cup t@joybhattacharj

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