My Musings

Musings....... I have been largely avoiding shaping my articles with political undertones since the General Elections.This is not for want of content or material but out of exercised restraint. Contrary to expectations,the Indian economy is showing signs of recession. Textbook definition of recession is slowing down of growth rate in 2 consecutive months compared to the same months the previous year,which has been the case this April-May period according to official statistics. We are officially under recession and the reasons for the same are varied. The domestic reasons include a weak structural policy and badly thought out budget on top of a lack of demand and absent liquidity in the market. Internationally, there is an ongoing trade war between the US and China in which both countries have put taxes on their respective imports. When major economies of the world resort to irresponsible trade wars the developing countries like India suffers. China has devalued its currency ...

Musings....... A visit to a holy place is a blissful experience and it was with gleeful excitement that last week I and my family embarked on a short train journey to Thiruchendur Temple. My excitement increased on hearing the Temple was located on the Coromandel coast off the Bay of Bengal. Located in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, we got down at the Thirunelveli Railway station and travelled the 53 kms from the station to the temple by road. As expected the road was well maintained as others in Tamil Nadu. Most striking was the multiple Windmills on the way which we even saw during the train journey.  Both sides of the state highway was landscaped by agricultural fields, goats and beautiful hills of the western ghats. Tamil Nadu being in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats gets less rainfall compared to my home state of Kerala and the difference in greenery is very much visible. Large swathes of barren fields, and deep borewells and hot air winds were what greete...

Musings....... The post Cold War period in the history of the world is characterised by the emergence of a different kind of war among nations.  You can call it the Cold War or the competition among nations for economic development. So from a bipolar world which prevailed during the Cold War period we saw a transformation into a unipolar world with USA emerging as the sole world power with dictatorial power over world trade policies and economics.  The emergence of yesteryear third world countries like China and India has “toppled the Applecart” so to say.  In the beginning of the 21st century what we are seeing is the transformation from a unipolar world into a multipolar one where multiple power centres are emerging.  People’s Republic of China which was built on the lines of a successful model of Communism and socialism has emerged into a world power which recons respect. With the influence of Chinese commerce extending to far flung areas of the gl...

Musings....... My recent visit to Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh was an enlightening experience. The richness of the culture of Andhra Pradesh and its cuisine makes me go back for more. A visit to Tirupati was obviously to visit the Lord Venkateshwara Temple situated in Tirumala Hills part of the Sheshachalam Hills range. The Hills is part of seven peaks representing the seven heads of Adishesha. The Temple lies on the seventh peak - Venkatadri on the banks of Sri Swami Pushkarni, a holy water tank. Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple is a prominent Vaishnavite temple dedicated to the incarnation of lord Vishnu who is believed to have appeared to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. The lord is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam and temple as Kaliyuga Vaikuntham. The seven hills are - * Vrushabhadri- Hill of Nandi * Anjanadri- Hill of Lord Hanuman * Neeladri- Hill of Neela Devi * Garudadri - Hill of Garuda * Sheshadri- Hill of Lord Vi...

Musings....... Paribaha Mukhopadhyay 24, always wanted to study medicine and serve people. Who is Paribaha?  He was a bright student, a school topper who also came first in his Higher Secondary examination from Howrah district. Before his career as a doctor could take off Paribaha, a House Surgeon in Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College (NRS), Kolkata was assaulted allegedly by bystanders of a patient. He suffered depressed fracture in the right frontal region which is a bone in the skull, with contusion supposedly from a blunt object like a brick. Though the patient is stable at present the incident caused huge uproar in West Bengal, taken up by the media and ensured mass resignations from Doctors.  Doctors from all over the country including the IMA have been strongly standing by the protesting doctors from Kolkata , who are demanding proper security to doctors. IMAs nationwide strike on the 17th of June was complete. This is not the first incident or a one off incident o...

Musings....... Trends and times change and so does people. The prevalent mood of the public and society as a whole can be gauged in a significant way by the movies of the times.  Malayalis have always been progressive in terms of the movies that people watch or we feel so when we get compared to movies that come out of neighbouring states.  By far Kerala has resisted hero worship to a large extent and the so called “ Masala” content has been minimal in comparison.  Kerala film industry can boast of producing many greats, doyens of their field giving us wonderful movies.  Be it in front of the camera, or behind it Malayalis can be proud of producing many a legends. Having lived most part of my early teenage in North India it was but natural that I should have been attracted towards the glittery world of Bollywood cinema however fortunately or unfortunately that was not the case.  Though I enjoy Hindi movies here and there, most of the time I have been disapp...

Musings....... Abhinav Bharat is a far right hindutva organisation founded by two retired Military men in 2006 in Pune, Maharashtra. It has a large base in Madhya Pradesh. The organisation is believed to be the revived form of the pre- independence era Abhinav Bharat Society.  Abhinav Bharat Society also called Young India Society was a secret society founded by VD Savarkar and his brother in 1903. This organisation was one of many that cropped up across India during times of Militant Nationalism. It carried out few assassinations if British officials, the most notable being the Nasik Conspiracy Case - assassination of AMT Jackson, the district magistrate of Nasik. VD Savarkar was convicted and deported to the Cellular Jail in Andamans for life. From 1911 onwards multiple Mercy Petitions were sent to the then Bombay Government for his release on compassionate grounds. In 1920, the Indian National Congress and leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Vithalbhai Patel and Tilak demanded his...