Rishikesh

Poll politics and caste are inseparable in India. For those who came late, caste is a social group whose membership is determined by birth. Here is a backgrounder to the caste system in Karnataka. Our friends culled out these figures before the last polls. These are the statitistics provided by various state appointed committees. As they say, facts are sacred. Opinions are free. Caste percentage Nagana gowda Havanur Venkat swamy Chinnappa reddy 1. Lingayat 15.57 14.64 16.92 15.34 2. Vokkaliga 12.98 11.98 11.68 10.81 3. Kuruba 04.08 06.77 06.92 06.27 4. Eediga 02.40 02.25 02.45 02.31 5. Brahmin 04.28 04.23 03.81 03.45 6. Maratha 04.08 ...

How many reams of paper have been spent writing about Aham Brahmasmi? Countless. How many times has Anal Haq been explained by writers and scholars? But how many times has it been written that both have a strikingly similar meaning? Why do we do this? Is it because we are afraid of exploring meanings of new terms? Or to open up to different cultures? Or to share what we know? Are we afraid to think aloud? Do we think we will be offending others’ sentiments if we speak the truth? After all, is being politically correct the only aim of a civilized society?

I chose this title because I wanted to sound strange and confusing. Yesterday over lunch, I got to know former US vice president Al Gore won the Peace Noble for his environmental campaigns. I was busy and could not think much about it. I had heard about Al Gore’s film on snow animals. The only other thing I could recall about him was the way he introduced himself to students in a US university. ``I am Al Gore. I used to be the next President of the US’’. For me, that smelt of Narcissism. But when I went home yesterday night, I began watching TV to get details. I hopped between channels that were speaking to Al Gore and the one that was speaking about former Indian Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. Then it struck me. How a former vice president of a resourceful country can smoothly go out of politics in that country and how some one like Gowda could remain an undying irritant in Indian politics. About how a not so young man can comfortably forget the luxuries of the White House and go film...

ಇಸ್ಲಾಮಿನ ಮೂರನೇ ಕಲೀಫಾ ಅಲಿ ಅವರು ಧಮ೯ ಯುದ್ಧವೊಂದರಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಂಡಿದ್ದರು. ಇವರ ಮೇಲೆ ದಾಳಿ ಮಾಡಲು ಬಂದ ಎದುರಾಳಿ ಸೈನಿಕನೊಬ್ಬನನ್ನು ಸೋಲಿಸಿದರು. ಇನ್ನೇನು ಅವನನ್ನು ಕೊಲ್ಲಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಖಡ್ಗ ಎತ್ತಿದಾಗ ಅವನು ಇವರ ಮುಖದಮೇಲೆ ಉಗುಳಿದ. ಇವರು ಖಡ್ಗವನ್ನು ಇಳಿಸಿದರು. ಅವನ ಜೀವ ಉಳಿಸಿದರು. ಅವನು ಯುದ್ಧ ಕೈದಿಯಾದ. ಅವನನ್ನು ಜೈಲಿಗೆ ಕಳಿಸುವಾಗ ಅವನು ಅಲಿಯವರನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿದ. "ಸ್ವಾಮಿ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಡತೆ ನನಗೆ ಅಥ೯ವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ನಾನು ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮುಖದ ಮೇಲೆ ಉಗುಳಿದಾಗ ನೀವು ಸಿಟ್ಟಿಗೆದ್ದು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಕೊಲ್ಲುತ್ತೀರೆಂದು ತಿಳಿದಿದ್ದೆ. ಆದರೆ ನೀವು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಜೀವ ಸಹಿತ ಉಳಿಸಿದಿರಿ. ಯಾಕೆ?" ಅಲಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು: ನೋಡು, ನೀನು ನನ್ನ ಮುಖದ ಮೇಲೆ ಉಗುಳಿದಾಗ ನನಗೆ ಕೋಪ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ನಿಜ. ಆದರೆ ನಾನು ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ಜೆಹಾದ್ ನಡೆಸಲು. ನನ್ನ ನಿನ್ನ ನಡುವಿನ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ದ್ವೇಷ ಸಾಧಿಸಲು ಅಲ್ಲ. ನಿನ್ನ ಮೇಲಿನ ಕೋಪದಿಂದ ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ಕೊಂದರೆ ಅದು ಪವಿತ್ರ ಜೆಹಾದ್ ಹೇಗಾದೀತು?. ನನ್ನ ನಿನ್ನ ನಡುವಿನ ಬೀದಿ ಜಗಳವಾದೀತು ಅಷ್ಟೇ"

We all know who Pratibha Patil is. We also know how she got to be the President of India. For the first time in India's 60 year history, we have a women as President. She is also head of the Parliament of the World's largest democracy and Supreme Commander of the largest voluntary armed force in the World. Some people say she is there on merit. Some say loyalty to one political party and a family is the only merit she has. The debate continues. More people know who Sania Mirza is. The Tennis star is remembered by the number of matches she won and the equal number she lost. However, more people seem to recall the designer's magic wand that transformed a simple urban middle class girl into someone who looks like a celebrity. What is unfortunate is that fewer people know who Koneru Hampi is. The World Grand Master in Chess has won more matches than she lost. This girl from a modest family in a small town was a national champion when her classmates were mugging ...

ಇಗೋ ಕನ್ನಡ!

Hey, read this .... Who kaun thi Singer: Lata Mangeshkar Music Director: Madan Mohan Lyrics: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan Year: 1964 Jo humne dastan apni sunayi aap kyun roye Tabahi to hamare dil pe aayi aap kyun roye Hamara dard-o-gham hai yeh ise kyun aap sehte hain Yeh kyun aasoon hamare aapki aankhon se behte hain Ghamon ki aag humne khud lagayi aap kyun roye Jo humne dastan apni sunayi aap kyun roye Bahut roye magar ab aapki khaatir na royenge Na apna chain khokar aapka hum chain khoyenge Qayamat aapke ashkon ne dhaayi aap kyun roye Jo humne dastan apni sunayi aap kyun roye Na yeh aansoon ruke to dekhiye phir hum bhi ro denge Hum apne aansuon mein chand taaron ko doobo denge Fanaah ho jaayegi saari khudai aap kyun roye Jo humne dastan apni sunayi aap kyun roye and listen to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =N6MtKqcqeYM&mode=related &search =

Did you know that a south Indian philosopher introduced martial arts to the Shaolin temple? His name was Bodhi Dharma or Daruma or Damo. He carried an south eastern version of Kalari Payattu to Japan and China. He also spread Buddhism there. He also taught martial arts to the monks in the Shaolin temple. They needed it for self defence as they lived in the forests, amid wild animals and were frequently attacked by thieves. That is how non violent Buddhism became equated with warrior monks in 'kung fu' films. Damo dolls are sold in Japan and are thought to bring luck.

We all know many are trying to put the Taj on the list of the new seven wonders. Did you know what the great poet Sahir Ludhiyanvi had said about the Taj? "Ek Shahensha ne lekar daulat ka sahara, udaya hai mazak hum gareebon ke mohabbat ka. Sahir on The Taj". It means, "a great king has used his wealth to ridicule the love of poor people like us".

We all know the War of 1857 started with Mangal Pandey near Delhi. But did you know the War of 1857 ended with Jung Bahadur in Bhalki in Bidar district? Here is story. Bidar has its own place in the country’s first war of independence. Unfortunately, the common man knows very little about it. The war of 1857, also knows as the Sepoy Mutiny, was kicked off by a soldier, Mangal Pandey, disobeying orders of his British senior officer and shooting him dead. Historians believe the war came to end, with the arrest of a follower of Tatya Tope in Bhalki in Bidar district in 1867. Madho Rao alias Rama Rao was the nephew of Shirmant Shahu Chatrapati, the Maharaja of Satara. He was also known as Jung Bahadur, because of his prowess in battle. British military officer and historian Sir Richard Temple has referred to Jung Bahadur in his dairy. Details about Jung Bahadur’s life and achievements are also found in the book “The Freedom Struggle in Hyderabad”, published by the expert committee ...

The author Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhairappa is a Kannada writer. He is the author of the popular and much discussed book Avarana. He retired after teaching at the Mysore based Regional Institute of Education, Sardar Patel University and NCERT, New Delhi. He was born in a poor Brahmin family in Santeshivara village in Hassan district on July 26, 1934. Now he lives in Mysore. He is married and has two sons. In college, he majored in Philosophy. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosphy (PhD) from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for his thesis Satya Mattu Soundarya (Truth and Beauty). The novel Avarana The Mysore University's dictionary gives the meaning of Avarana as cover, environment, ambience and surroundings. In his novel, the term Avarana has also been used to imply falsehood and deliberate attempt to hide the truth. He describes it as a novel based on medieval Indian history. His earlier novel Sartha spoke about ancient history. (More details at the end) It uses the ...

Kuduriyavaru Bandaravva Kuduriyavaru Bandara Usurigondu Hesaru Kottu, Hesarigondu Kusuru Kottu, Eneno Andaravva, Kuduriyavaru Bandaravva Kuduriyavaru Bandara -Da Ra Bendre

An Indian Police Service officer called up that morning to complain: Why are you so pro Dalit and anti government? I have known her for long and could guess what had bothered her. That day's paper had carried a long story on alleged police excesses on Dalit protestors in Bidar. (Date:10/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/10/stories/2006121001530300.htm) I told her. Why do you think being pro Dalit is being anti government?. Secondly, I have covered a press meet. The views expressed there may not be my own. A newspaper should provide a platform for diverse opinions. I narrated this to senior journalist and MLC Quazi Arshad Ali. He said: Newspaper offices are not post offices. We don’t print all that is sent to us. We publish only those thoughts that are in consonance with our principles. The debate continues; are newspaper offices post offices?

The number of tigers in India is fast decreasing. People kill them and sell their skin and bones. If the same situation continues, then a day will come when we will get to see the tiger only in paintings and old photographs. We have heard this many times from the many NGOs working on the tiger. It is nice to know so many NGOs and so many award winning campaigners are working on the country's national animal. But has anyone noticed that suddenly, there are no sparrows in the towns and cities? Has any NGO taken up any study to find out why? I think this short story explains our attitude towards the lofty and the lowly.

Thus goes a famous story: Former MP from Bellary Basavarajeshwari had a brother. Years ago, when he invited mediapersons to lunch, he would stress:"Please eat well. We dont know if you will get to eat dinner". At a recent press meet, we were recalling this and laughing. One of my friends remarked that mediapersons had come a long way since those days to these days of 100k salaries and OB van drives. Just then, former MLA Gundappa Vakil said:"All the media friends should join us for lunch. We dont know how many of you have had breakfast". Contrary to public opinion, times have not changed.

A dramatic ballad singer studied under a strict teacher who insisted that he rehearse day after day, month after month the same passage from the same song, without being permitted to go any further. Finally, overwhelmed by frustration and despair, the young man ran off to find another profession. One night, stopping at an inn, he stumbled upon a recitation contest. Having nothing to lose, he entered the competition and, of course, sang the one passage that he knew so well. When he had finished, the sponsor of the contest highly praised his performance. Despite the student's embarrassed objections, the sponsor refused to believe that he had just heard a beginner perform. "Tell me," the sponsor said, "who is your instructor? He must be a great master." The student later became known as the great performer Koshiji.

A master calligrapher was writing some characters onto a piece of paper. One of his especially perceptive students was watching him. When the calligrapher was finished, he asked for the student's opinion - who immediately told him that it wasn't any good. The master tried again, but the student criticized the work again. Over and over, the calligrapher carefully redrew the same characters, and each time the student rejected it. Finally, when the student had turned his attention away to something else and wasn't watching, the master seized the opportunity to quickly dash off the characters. "There! How's that?," he asked the student. The student turned to look. "THAT.... is a masterpiece!" he exclaimed.

A Japanese warrior was captured by his enemies and thrown into prison. That night he was unable to sleep because he feared that the next day he would be interrogated, tortured, and executed. Then the words of his Zen master came to him, "Tomorrow is not real. It is an illusion. The only reality is now." Heeding these words, the warrior became peaceful and fell asleep.