Come rains, and all we can think of is piping hot tea, served with spicy pakoras, bhajias and vadas. Momos, noodles, sandwiches and bhels can’t be left too far behind either, says Anuradha Rajan, making us drool in anticipation. Just thinking about snacks on a rainy evening has made me take two trips to the kitchen and retreat with the same speed after checking the ambient temperature. The second time I got myself a Marie biscuit before I left. So is it the fall in temperature that makes one want to eat hot and spicy stuff? Why doesn’t this phenomenon…
Author: oiop
Once there lived a rich merchant. His life’s mission was to hoard wealth. He was a miser on account of which he had no friends. The tailor who stitched his clothes for many years met with a sudden death. The merchant was also ailing. His relatives came to know that his end was near and started coming to see him. The tailor’s son thought he would pay him a courtesy visit as his father had had a long association with him. He brought a needle and gave it to the merchant. He told him that his father forgot to take…
We look forward to the rains with a lot of happiness. But be aware that you have to take a lot of health and other precautions to enjoy it properly, says Dr. T.D. Rajan. He narrows it down for us. “There once was a child in Spain Who loved to play in the rain One day he tripped And broke his hip Now he is in serious pain” This little limerick doing the rounds of the internet succinctly sums up the thrills and risks of the rainy season. Monsoon is the season of joy as it brings relief from the…
Most of India is water-stressed. Dr. Arvind Kumar gives the example of Meghalaya, where the Government of Meghalaya and the India Water Foundation are doing some path-breaking work. Can we really become a water surplus country? Water scarcity involves water stress, water shortage or deficits, and water crisis. This may be due to both natural and human factors. But, many reports suggest that the scarcity is more due to the human factor – such as industrialisation, irrigation, domestic use, etc. Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region.…
It’s not a secret that police reforms are long overdue in India. Though there have been serious attempts made, including directions from the Supreme Court, on-ground implementation has been tardy. These reforms need to happen now, states Prakash Singh, unequivocally. It would be no exaggeration to say that we would have been saved the trauma of several riots and massacres, scandals and scams which have rocked the country, if the police had not become a pliable instrument in the hands of the executive, as it has unfortunately become.” This was stated in the petition on Police Reforms filed in the…
The continuous scams and cases of corruption being unearthed are signs of a country’s deteriorating moral fibre. It is more easy today to be corrupt than honest. Where is India headed? In recent times, both houses of Parliament have been rocked by what has come to be known as the ‘Agusta Westland’ scam, which involved the purchase of VVIP choppers from a firm in Italy, with the kickback allegedly received by Indian beneficiaries for facilitating the deal. The scandal pertained to a period when the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) under Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was in power, and a…
An exemplary police officer talks about his own experience in the police force and why it is not difficult to be straightforward and honest. But Julio Ribeiro also bemoans the changed value system of the society, which is reflected in the falling standards of the police force. He tells us why it is of utmost importance to depoliticise the force. When I joined the Indian Police Service sixty-two years ago in 1953, the British had just left our shores, and along with them the English officers who dominated the senior ranks of the police. But their legacy of integrity and justice…
The renaming of cities and towns has become a part of ‘development agenda’. How does it help, except in increasing unnecessary expenses? asks Lt. Gen. Vijay Oberoi. While the names change, nothing much else does, he avers. Name changing of cities is a staple exercise of our political leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations. These are usually timed when an election is scheduled or is in the works. It is the turn of one more city to be rechristened, as the Haryana Government has decreed that one of its well known cities – Gurgaon is to be renamed as ‘Guru…
Ever wondered why our policemen come across sometimes as insensitive and cold? They are an overworked and underpaid force, says psychiatrist Dr. Harish Shetty, describing their work conditions, which directly affects their mental and physical health. And worse, dehumanises them too. When Rocky, the son of a notorious history sheeter was arrested in Bihar recently for the alleged murder of a 19-year-old, one saw the police drag their feet. It took them approximately 54 hours to get him. Common sense says that delay in arrest also meant possibility of the disappearance of vital evidence necessary for the investigations. The state…
A young boy was sent by his family to study the way of the Zen in a monastery. It was run by a renowned Zen master, Gisan. Much of the boy’s days were spent in prayers and learning the sutras. Other times, he was on the rice fields or doing chores around the temple. One day, Gisan asked the boy to heat water for his bath. The boy did not realise it, but the water began boiling and it became too hot to be handled. Gisan instructed him to fetch cold water from the well behind the monastery to cool…