The Observer
An IIJNM publication
Beware, second-hand smoke at hookah bars is dangerous | P 2
Vol 19, Issue 19
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Schools just do not bother, says top cop
Aarthi N
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Learn Kannada on WhatsApp Now, it’s easy for non-Kannadigas to learn the local language through WhatsApp. Kannada teaching groups are using the mobile app to teach their members the basics of the language, reports Shoby Krishna.
One can learn swiming only by getting into the pool. Learning a language can become efficient only if it is practised outside the group - Charan C.S. Members of these groups say they find the platform useful. They have mentors — volunteers who are interested in teaching the language. P 2
Parents accuse school authorities for not ensuring the safety of their children in school buses | Courtesy: Latha R Shanmugan G, a parent of a 12-year-old said: “When there is a rule, school vehicles should definitely have them. The department concerned should take action against schools that do not provide these safety measures to children.” Various agencies responsible for checking implementation blame others for the situation. Additional commissioner of police K Ajay Kumar conceded
@theweeklyobserver Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in
Shops not allotted by APMC, traders unhappy and sell on streets | P 3
Schoolbuses lack CCTV, GPS; safety of children put at risk lmost five years after the traffic police ordered fixing of CCTV cameras and GPS systems on schoolbuses, most of these vehicles do not have them. A reality check by The Observer at schools in Majestic, Seshadri Road, Cubbon Park, Vijayanagar and Shivajinagar revealed that most of these vehicles don’t have them. Students and drivers from these schools confirmed this. Parents accuse school authorities of not ensuring the safety of their children. Srinidhi N, parent of a class 2 student of the New Oxford English School, near Seshadri Nagar, said: “Here, only expensive schools have them; the others don’t. This shouldn’t be the case.”
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that schools do not follow the rules. “Even after repeatedly informing the schools about the safety of children, not all have these facilities.” Many parents send their children in private vans. “We do not have separate schoolbuses for children. So private vans drop the children home. These vans do not have CCTV cameras,” said Pradhap R, a security guard at a private school on
Seshadri Road. Private van drivers have a different point to make. Keshava S, who drives an Omni to ferry private schoolchildren informed The Observer: “We drive the vehicle not only to drop children but also use it for other personal use. We were not asked to install cameras or GPS in our vehicles. We drop the children in front of their homes or their parents wait for them.” Admitting that schools are responsible for the safety of students, Former Child Welfare Committee officer Vasu Sharma said: “The Child Protection Policy has guidelines for the physical safety of schoolchildren. Schools should have verified drivers and assistants along with CCTV camera and GPS system.” About private school vehicles, he said: “If they ferry the children, school authorities should take the responsibility. One problem with private vehicles is that they do not run on behalf of the school.” August 2014: Deadline for installing CCTV, GPS , P 3
News Briefs
Priyanka slams govt over judge’s transfer Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge S Muralidhar, saying the Centre’s attempts to “muzzle” justice and “break people’s faith in an upright judiciary are deplorable”. US, S. Korea postpone drills The US and South Korea postponed joint military drills on Thursday to limit the spread of coronavirus as the number of infections inside China, the source of the outbreak, was for the first time overtaken by fresh cases elsewhere. Virus risk in US low: Trump President Donald Trump has told Americans that the risk from coronavirus remains “very low”, and placed Vice-President Mike Pence in charge of the US response to the looming global health crisis. Pakistan banking sector faces credit risk Pakistan’s banking system faces a credit risk from the country’s continued inclusion on an international “grey list” of nations falling short of global money laundering rules, rating agency Moody’s said on Thursday.
Pet owners furious at BBMP bylaw banning ‘ferocious’ dogs from flats Adilin Beatrice C
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et lovers are unhappy over the BBMP’s proposed Pet Dog Licensing Bylaws 2020. They are particularly riled over the proposals to ban “ferocious” breeds like German shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans and hounds from apartment buildings, and to limit the number of dogs a resident can have. Apoorva Kulkarni, owner of a five-year-old German Shepherd, informed The Observer: “I don’t know on what basis the BBMP has called these dogs ferocious. Bringing up a dog is like bringing up a baby. Dogs can even
BBMP’ s plan regarding dog licensing has not gone well with dog lovers who consider it as invasion of their privacy | Courtesy: Pexels turn 15, but by behaviour they act like two- or three-year-old babies. If you bring them up in a good manner with good food, they behave well with people.”
Hemanth Kumar, who owns a Rottweiler and a Golden Retriever, sees no difference in their behaviour. He laughed at the statement that Rottweil-
ers are ferocious. “I was quite surprised when I came to know about the proposed bylaws. It is a little funny when someone calls a dog ferocious with no reason. Both my dogs are same to me, and I treat them similarly . They both are affectionate.” Aruna N, who lives in an apartment and owns a Cocker Spaniel, hates the idea of having one dog per house in an apartment. “Who are they to say this? In a country where we have the right to speak and write as per our wish, why has BBMP planned to put a cap on the number of dogs a pet owner can have.” BBMP has misconception on some breeds: activist, P 3
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CITY
The Observer Thursday, February 27, 2020
Beware, second-hand smoke at hookah bars is dangerous
Cafes lack separate spaces for hookah
“Ours is an outdoor cafe. Among
will look into the issue and in-
Adilin Beatrice C
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ack of restricted areas for hookah smokers in hookah bars has put non-smokers at the risk of inhaling secondhand smoke. “We can’t have a separate space for hookah users because the majority of our customers want us to serve hookah. So we never had a situation when a non-smoker asked for a smokefree area. If something like that happens, we have no choice but to turn them down,” said the manager of a restaurant in Koramangala. He refused to give his name. Max Anderson, manager of a popular chain of restaurants, informed The Observer: “We have a separate floor for non-hookah customers in Jayanagar. It is a roof-top restaurant. Service starts at 6pm. When non-smokers come to our restaurant, they sit with others.” The manager of a cafe in Gottigere said there is no assurance that the smoke-free zone at his eatery would not have smoke.
Twitterati Talk
@BBMPCOMM BBMP has simplified the Trade License renewal process by going online. #BBMP #Bengaluru @CMofKarnataka Chief Minister Shri @BSYBJP He also released eco-friendly pamphlets printed by Arya Vaishya Development Corporation. BMRCL @cpronammametro https://eol2019.org/citizenfeedback/ This link will help the city managers to evolve the priority areas related to ease of living. Please give your feedback and from your family and friends. Last date is 29th Feb 2020 for submitting your feedbacks.
Quiz Corner
1. Entomology is the science that studies? 2. Hitler party which came into power in 1933 is known as? 3. Epsom (England) is the place associated with? 4. Golf player Vijay Singh belongs to which country? 5. First China War was fought between 6. Where is the headquarters of SAARC? 7. Who recently won Afghanistan’s presidential election? For answers see page 3
Research has revealed that smoking hookah is as harmful as smoking cigarettes | Courtesy: Pexels the 24 tables we serve, two are allotted for non-smokers. Since it is an open cafe, obviously the smoke will reach the tables.” Of the 10 restaurants and cafes The Observer contacted, eight said they did not have separate areas for hookah smokers. Dr B.K. Vijendra, BBMP chief health officer (public health), said: “Recently, we came to know about the non-availability of separate hookah smoking areas. We inspected some of such restaurants and fined them. We
spect (the places) regularly.” Research has revealed that smoking hookah is as harmful as smoking cigarettes. Dr Shiva Kumar Uppala, an oncologist, agreeing with the research findings, said: “I see young patients with lung diseases and cancer. Some people who don’t smoke suffer from second-hand smoke diseases. Second-hand smoke is as dangerous as inhaling smoke directly. Passive smoking can cause diseases like breathing
difficulties and lung cancer.” Separate smoking areas will be a relief to non-smokers. “Restricted smoking areas give space to non-smokers and let them stay away from secondhand smoke,” Dr Uppala added. In March 2019, the Karnataka High Court ruled that hookahs should be used only in designated areas, adding that “smoking of hookah should not cause inconvenience to other customers”. The ruling came on a case filed by a restaurant after police questioned it about the hookah bar on its premises. Akshay Heblikar, director of Eco-Watch, said: “Hookah smoking is an increasing threat these days. Everything starts with ‘let’s give it a try’. Soon, young people get addicted to it and passive smokers become victims. Outdoor hookah bars are a big threat to the environment. It is a small quantity of carbon monoxide, but hundred open cafes would add a good enough amount of smoke to ruin the environment.” On February 9, 2020, The New Indian Express reported that the Chhattisgarh government had banned hookah bars by seeing this the hookah bars started giving seperate space for the hookah smokers. adilin.b@iijnm.org
Citizen’s Voice
Delhi riots cause grave concern The communal riots that are happening in the national capital are a cause for concern. Where is our country heading? People should think twice before doing what they are. They should be educated on how important it is to live in harmony with others, and on how to deal with things in a peaceful way. Kavitha R Defenceless Amulya The lack of legal representation for Amulya, the 19-year-old arrested on charge of raising a pro-Pakistan slogan at an antiCAA meeting, is deplorable and unconstitutional. Every individual in India has the constitutional right to seek a lawyer to represent him/her in a court of law. Priyansh Verma Burning of farm waste Burning of agricultural and farm waste in large quantities is generating a thick smog that stays for a long time. It is responsible for health problems like asthma, Tuberculosis, diphtheria, and other severe respiratory diseases. Even though burning requires approval from the civic body, many people do it without permission, causing serious damage to the environment and human health. Authorities must look into the matter and take action. Chirag Dutta
You want to learn Kannada? Use WhatsApp and say ‘Kannada gothu’ App groups help non-locals to pick it
Shoby Krishna G
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hen he moved to Bengaluru in 2017, Prabhat Kumar Chaturvedi realized he could bond well with the city only if he learnt the local language. “I have lived in various parts of the country. I try to learn the local language wherever I am. Thanks to WhatsApp, I can now manage to speak Kannada swalpa swalpa,” he informed The Observer. For the past three months, Chaturvedi, 69, has been part of a WhatsApp group called Spirit of Kannada, Bengaluru, which tries to teach Kannada to nonKannadigas so that they can say ‘Kannada gothu’ (I know Kannada)’ instead of ‘Kannada gothilla’ (I don’t know Kannada). Bengaluru, a melting pot of cultures and languages, has a significant population that does not speak Kannada.
N Ravishankar, co-founder of Spirit of Kannada, said: “Not everyone has the time to join coaching institutes to learn it. People from other states who want to learn the language will find our group helpful. That is why we chose WhatsApp as the medium to teach. It serves the purpose in an efficient way.” The group has close to 250 members and six mentors. The posts focus on spoken Kannada for basic communication. They include audio messages to pronounce sentences that can be used in everyday life. Kavita Ramakrishnan, a homemaker who is a member of the group, said: “In Bengaluru, I could always manage without knowing Kannada since people speak various other languages, like English and Tamil. But when you go to the local vendor or the market, you realize you need to know a little bit of the local language. Every day, I spend about 1015 minutes on the group.” Ravishankar said: “We only motivate people so that whoever is interested will learn. The intention is not to force anyone. This is why we do not charge any
The posts focus on spoken Kannada for basic communication | Courtesy: Prabhat C fee for joining the group. Our target is to cover at least five lakh people before November 2020.” The concept is not new, though. KannadaGottilla, another Kannada-teaching platform, has used WhatsApp since 2014. It also has an active Twitter page where basic Kannada words and sentences are posted. Ranju Krishna, a mentor in KannadaGottilla, said: “All the mentors in the group volunteered to teach here for the
love of the language. Every day we spend half an hour a day to teach. We send the lessons in the morning.”KannadaGottilla has 18,500 students. Charan C.S., a journalist and a Kannadiga, has a similar take on this. “I started a Google group to teach Kannada to interested people way back in 2014. Though I put in enough effort into the course design and teaching, it fell apart due to low participation.” Charan revealed: “Out of 25 people in the group, only three or four used to get back to me. Few were active, and hence the returns were not as great as I expected them to be. Only few people take it forward and speak the language outside the group. There is no YouTube learning of how to swim. One can learn swimming only by getting into the pool. Learning a language can become efficient only if it is practised outside the group.” On February 23, 2020, The Hindu reported that resident welfare associations, through volunteers, are taking initiatives to teach Kannada to those who don’t know it. shoby.k@iijnm.org
CITY
The Observer Thursday, February 27, 2020
Shops not allotted, traders sell on streets
Some give more than one shop: Vendor
Scouts, Guides, Cubs and others to be awarded on Feb 29
Shoby Krishna G
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Aman Bhardwaj
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he Karnataka government has directed officials to find land for new APMC yards in and around Bengaluru. But the irony is that traders have not been allotted shops in the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) yard, Yeshwantpur. Some traders have been allotted more than one shop, while most have been allotted none. This has forced the latter to set up shop on streets, leading to chaos when trucks arrive in the market. Manjunath, a trader from Shankar Industries, informed The Observer: “We applied for four shops but have not been allotted even one in the yard. They have allotted four or five shops to just one trading company.” Traders who have opened shops on the roads have to pay a daily rent of Rs 200-300. When the APMC conducts checks, they have to pay penalties as well. Ramaswamy, an APMC shop manager said: “We are noticing that not everyone is getting a shop though applications were filed one year ago. Street ven-
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Traders who have opened shops on the roads have to pay a daily rent of Rs 200-300. When the APMC conducts checks, they have to pay penalties as well | Credit: Aman Bhardwaj dors are creating chaos in the market. This delays trucks. It takes 30 minutes for them to leave the market.” A proposal requesting for more APMC markets was sent long back, he added. On February 26, The Hindu reported that co-operation minister S.T. Somshekhar has instructed officials to identify land to establish 20 APMC yards in and around Bengaluru. Most traders are unhappy with the allotments as they had requested shops on outskirts of the city. Venkatesh K of Bharat Traders and Co. said: “We had applied for a shop on the outskirts because Yeshwantpur is right
in the middle of the city and it increases our transport cost. We requested them to give us a place on the outskirts one year ago, but there has been no response from officials yet.” Traders pay a rent of Rs 40,000 per month per shop, and spend huge amounts on transport. S.M. Deepaja, a professor at the Institution of Agricultural Technologists, said: “The government should allot shops for the existing applicants first. The traders face a huge loss due to the transport costs and delays in the transport of produce. Allotment of new APMC yards should be completed soon.” aman.b@iijnm.org
arnataka governor Vajubhai Vala will on February 29 present awards to Scouts and Guides, Cubs and Bulbuls, and Rovers and Rangers. The Chathurtha Charan award is given to Cubs and Bulbuls (boys and girls in the 5-10 age group), the Heerak Pankh award to Scouts and Guides (boys and girls in the 10-16 age group), and Rajyapuraskar to Rovers and Rangers (boys and girls who are above 17 years of age). Kondajji B. Shanmukhappa, vice-president of Bharat Scouts and Guides, Karnataka, told a press conference: “This is an annual event. Certificates will be awarded to 5,000 students. But at the ceremony, due to seating capacity and time restraints, only 500 will be awarded by the governor.” M. A. Chellaiah, nodal officer of Scouts and Guides, Bengaluru district, informed The Observer: “In BBMP-run schools, students are taught skills so that they develop a positive attitude. These skills will help them get employment.” Bharat Scouts and Guides, with its headquarters in New Delhi, was established in 1950. It aims to become a ‘globally viable youth movement’ by 2024. The governor is the patron of Bharat Scouts and Guides.
BBMP has misconception Aug ’14 was deadline on some breeds: Activist to install CCTV, GPS
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ther than this, Santhosh, a dog owner is worried about renewing the pet licence every year. “The BBMP doesn’t provide proper service for renewing licences.” The BBMP has proposed to the council pet dog licensing bylaws. These envisage banning “ferocious” dog breeds from apartments and limiting the number of dogs a person can have to one per flat and three for independent houses. “The BBMP has a misconception about some dog breeds,” said Punith Kumar, founder of Bangalore Pets and Animal Licensing. “I agree that dog owners living in apartments should have concern towards their neighbours. But every apartment has a committee where residents meet and figure whether they have any problem with dogs in the apartment. It is up to the neighbours. As an animal activist, the BBMP’s bylaw looks unrealistic to me.”
BBMP officials said the bylaws do not only have these restrictions, but also focus on a lot of good things for both dog owners and the general public. Dr Manjunath Shinde, assistant director of animal husbandry, BBMP, said: “The bylaws restricts dogs being used for breeding in houses, mandatory pet licence to assure that the dogs are vaccinated properly, and microchip for pet dogs. These proposals bring good maintenance to dogs and keep them healthy. Dog owners should also have some responsibility, towards their dogs like not letting dogs poop in public spaces and renewing the dog licence every year. If someone complains about the dog poop at a public space, dog owners will be fined Rs 500.” He added: “We took the initiative to ban ferocious breed dogs because they are mostly used for police or hunting services. People in apartment are very afraid of them.” adilin.b@iijnm.org
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e has a possible solution: “Schools should have their own vehicles with all the facilities as per the guidelines. Parents should talk with the school to fix all these facilities for the safety of their children. When rules are not followed by these vehicles, severe action should be taken.” The police had set an August 31, 2014, deadline to install CCTV cameras and GPS in schoolbuses. They released nine guidelines in the wake of the rape of a six-year-old girl by a skating instructor in Marathahalli. One of the guidelines says buses or other vehicles owned by private players and operated for schools should have a GPS device and CCTV cameras. Such vehicles should not ferry more students than that prescribed by the transport department. The management should verify the driving licences of drivers and get more information about
In BBMP-run schools, students are taught skills so that they develop a positive attitude. These skills will help them get good employment M. A. Chellaiah, nodal officer of Scouts and Guides The group plans to become globally visible by 2024. shoby.k@iijnm.org
Weather
Maximum Temperature: 31 degree Celsius Minimum Temperature: 19 degree Celsius Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 39% Wind: 13 km/h
QUIZ Answers
1. Insects 2. Nazi Party 3. Horse racing 4. Fiji 5. China and Britain 6. Kathmandu 7. Ashraf Ghani
Continued from page 1
Bharat Scouts and Guides, with its headquarters in New Delhi, was established in 1950 | Courtesy: The Bharat Scouts and Guides
The footage of a CCTV must be preserved for 60 days and be handed over to the police in the case of an investigation| Courtesy: Latha R their antecedents from the police. A male and a woman staff should accompany students till they reach their doorsteps. CCTV cameras should be installed in schools too. The footage of a CCTV must be preserved for 60 days. aarthi.n@iijnm.org
Team Observer
Editor: Aarthi N Copy editors: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Aman Bhardwaj, Shoby Krishna G Reporters: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Shoby Krishna, Aman Bhardwaj Page Layout: Shoby Krishna G, Adilin Beatrice C, Aman Bhardwaj Supplements: Nikita Gupta, Ankita Mukherjee Supplement page layout: Ankita Mukherjee
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Arts and Culture Embroidering a Future
The Observer Thursday, February 27, 2020
SUPPLEMENT
A unique initiative helps women artisans in Sandur keep traditional arts alive, writes Ankita Mukherjee
andur taluk in Bellary district is renowned for both its scenic beauty and mineral wealth. It has added another source of pride by preserving its unique cultural heritage. Since 1984, the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra (SKKK), a handicraft centre, has been training local women from the Lambani community in their traditional embroidery and mirror work. Set up with help from the Ghorpades, the royal family of Sandur; the centre has also been supported by the Sandur Manganese and Iron Ore Company. Over the years, the centre has diversified into khadi products to enable other traditional craftspeople to earn their livelihood. Today it employs 550 women from the villages of Sandur of whom 400 are traditional artisans. It now has several departments including tailoring, embroidery, khadi, manual block printing, natural colour dyeing as well as stone, wood, bamboo and cane carving.SKKK receiveda unique Geographical Indication tag in the year 2008. The GI tag is a
here come from different backgrounds but depend on the centre for their livelihoods. Most of the Lambani women are from Suseelnagar, while the rest come from surrounding villages. Some are divorced, some are in firm but they all lack any other means of financial support. ays Mehubani, a khadi artisan, “Monthly, we khadi employees get around Rs.1,500. The rate per piece is Rs.7.5, which was increased by Rs.2 from August, 2019. We get half ration now from last 2 years, before we never got ration, as our daily wages is a little higher than the embroidery artisans. They get the full ration.” Mehubani, who has scars from burn injuries all over her body, explains, “My husband set me on fire. Somehow I managed to survive and got to know about this centre and took one of the workshops and joined them as an artisan. Now, I train the newcomers.” Says another woman weaver, “We get wages but they are not enough to take care of the
S Weavers of the Sandur taluk | Credit : Pallavi Sharma form of intellectual property which indicatesthe product’s source, certifies it’s made according to traditional methods or enjoys a certain reputation on account of its geographical origin. Although it’s an NGO, the organisation receivessome financial aid from the government which enables it to provide transport and food staples to the artisans. Says, Praveen Nayak, SKKK’s production
and marketing manager, “The centre started with Lambani embroidery artwork, but now we have expanded our wings and welcome as many women as they want to join us. We train them and make them better qualified. We have participated in many exhibitions and we are associated with a lot of crafts platforms to give them a proper exposure. We call our initiative Fibre to Fashion.” The women who work
family. Everybody comes here to talk to the Lambani artisans to know about the Kasuthi embroidery, but few know about us. We don’t get that recognition as khadi artisans. But we work here because we only know how to get dhaga and weave it, then how to put block painting and dye it with colour, and it pays us. We make veils, lungi, and kurtas. We are the constant suppliers to the Lambani embroiders.” “We work with machines,” says a woman from the tailoring department,“unlike the Lambanis who do embroidery work manually. We are paid on the basis of piecework, and the amount varies from Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,000 per month, depending on the amount of work we do.” SKKK also promote stone, wood and bamboo carving but these products haven’t received the recognition its fabrics and textile products have. But the centre has become not just a valuable source of income to poor women of the taluk but a resource to preserve local art and crafts and keep traditions alive.
The Heart of the Matter
Kane’s story of Ahalya is a contemporary retelling of an old morality play, says Nikita Gupta
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avita Kane’s latest novel Ahalya’s Awakening is the story of a woman cursed by her husband on the accusation of infidelity, turned into stone but rescued by Rama, the ‘ideal’ man who abandons his pregnant wife for her. The book traces the life of Ahalya, born to King Mudgal and Queen Nalayani of Panchal, twin of Prince Divodas, a princess who from childhood yearns to learn. Against her parents’ wishes she goes to Rishi Gautam’s ashram, where she learns, grows and falls in love with a man twice her age. Ahalya’s Awakening is the tale of a woman’s suppressed emotions, her sexual desires, her need for love and attention but also for her own identity. It tells of her passion for learning and a struggle against authority to make her own decisions. A parallel tale tells the story of Sachi, an underappreciated and often overlooked heroine of
this legend of deceit. The wife of Indra Shakra, who in his lust for Ahalya, eventually loses everything except for her. But she eventually realises that he never belonged to her although she offered him everything she had. In an exchange between the two women, Ahalya teaches Sachi the importance of selflove by questioning her about the validation she requires from a man to prove her self-worth. Her mother mocks her choice of Rishi Gautam as her husband ignoring the advances of Indra. She ridicules her saying she probably chose Gautam to fulfil her ambition of becoming a ‘rishika’ but gets so consumed in becoming a pillar to him that her dream now appears farfetched. In this unconventional retelling, Ahalya is neither meek nor submissive. She knows the repercussions of her actions when she lets Indra make love
Ahalya’s Awakening is a true reflection of feminism to her in the absence of her husband. She doesn’t deny cheating on him physically but justifies her action and
questions his absence in her time of need. The book comments on unhealthy relationships and the need to escape them. In author’s words ‘One needs to respect oneself and walk away from a situation that is harming and harmful, to walk away from those who take love and loyalty for granted.’ The acceptance and self awareness of Ahalya’s actions comes as a refreshing surprise. The author dares to challenge the conventional portrayal of Ahalya as a victim of the fury of her husband and patriarchal society. The traditional tale talks of how it’s always the fault of a woman’s beauty and never a man’s intentions. ealing with the sensitive topic of infidelity, the book justifies Ahalya’s actions and provides the reader with a different but interesting take on the subject. The novelist
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manages to create a balance between the cheater and the victim’s point of view and leaves the reader to be the judge of her actions but not her character. In the past, Kavita Kane has given voice to unknown women whose stories have always been over shadowed. In her sixth book she attempts to take this further by bringing to light the most controversial tale from the epic Ramayana, whose own credibility has been challenged in recent times. In a time of fake feminists and counter-culturists, Ahalya’s Awakening is a true reflection of feminism in its purest form. The novel is the tale of a woman’s heart, mind and soul, a story of every woman that resonates even in today’s times. Ahalya’s Awakening Kavita Kane Release date: 27 Aug, 2019 Westland Publications Rs 399