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Volume No 21 Issue No 4 March 05, 2021 LAB JOURNAL OF THE ASIAN COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM Decision in the Despite ban, Robot duo band right ‘Disha’ scavengers die ends with a bang Page 2 Page 3 Page 5 ‘Third Front will have no impact in TN’ Delhi struggles as R SAI VENKATESH Srinivasan, a senior journalist the Dravidian parties but it could from the Madras Union of Journa - not form the government. “Even I CHENNAI: No third front can lists (MUJ), said that an anti in - was under the assumption that split the votes of Dravidian parties cumbency factor would go against MNM would eat all DMK-Con - LPG cost increases in the April 6 State Assembly elec - the AIADMK government. “People gress votes in 2019 general elec -

tions and shake the Dravidian do - frustrated with ten years of the H tions. Instead, they consumed about PALLAVI KESWANI and vegetables. “We either eat daal S

minance in Tamil Nadu, say AIADMK government shall look E 1,50,000 of our votes in South (lentils), or one vegetable dish with T political observers. to vote for the DMK- Congress- A Chennai,” he said. DELHI: Burdened, for over a chapati. Can’t afford to spend on K

Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Left party alliance this time”, he N While the major competition is month, by the consistent hike in both at the same time,” he explains. E V

Maiam (MNM) is looking to lead said. I still between the AIADMK and the prices of domestic and commercial Sourish Das (37), a vegetable A S

other parties like the Indhiya Jana - “The vote share of the DMK al - DMK, other parties like the Amma LPG (cooking gas) cylinders, citi - vendor, is facing a similar situation, R

nayaga Katchi (IJK) and the All liance, arising from anti incum - : Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam zens of Delhi are adopting inge - after he stopped receiving subsidy. S T

India Samathuva Makkal Katchi bency is what the third front shall I (AMMK) consider DMK to be the nious methods to conserve cooking “We are already living hand to D

(AISMK) under a third front to vic - cut into,” said Durai Karuna, senior E common enemy. gas. mouth. I just tell my wife to use gas R

tory, without any alliance with the journalist and political commenta - C After V.K. Sasikala’s decision to By making adjustments in the as minimally as possible,” says

O

Dravidian parties, the All India tor . T resign from politics, there is specu - monthly budget, changes in daily Das. “In winters we were in a bad O

Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazha - However, Srinivasan insisted H lation that the AMMK may join the diet, and using domestic cylinders situation because everything takes gam (AIADMK) and the DMK. that third fronts had always lacked P AIADMK alliance to fight the for commercial purposes, people time to heat up so we were running The DMK and the AIADMK se - strong foundation to steal Dravi - DMK. Also, the AISMK founder R. are attempting to out of cooking PHOTO CREDITS: PALLAVI KESWANI cured 70 percent of the votes in the dian votes. “Third fronts fail be - Sarathkumar’s visit to Sasikala’s cope with the gas fast, I hope 2016 assembly elections (30 and 40 cause they are announced months Candidates filing nomination at the AMMK office residence raised eyebrows. LPG cylinder the situation gets percent respectively). The two par - before the poll. This election, the AMMK’s Union Secretary, prices that went better in the co - ties have alternately ruled Tamil third front might win close to 15 DMDK was able to grab about 9 infrastructure is so strong in rural Madhusudhan, stated, “Our leader up thrice in Fe - ming months,” Nadu for several decades from the percent votes, even if Vijaykanth’s percent of votes in 2006, its popu - areas where Kamal can never pe - (Dinakaran) has plans to make the bruary, in Delhi. adds Das. time the DMK-led coaliton ousted Desiaya Murpokku Dravida Kaz - larity declined after 2011 and the netrate,” she added. AMMK contest independently in From March 1, The effect of the Congress in 1967. In 1972, the hagam (DMDK) joins them. In the party never won a single seat after Thus, even as statements from all 234 constituencies.” However the price of a price rise has DMK split and the AIADMK was next elections, they can win, provi - forming the Makkal Nala Kootani, leaders like P Chidambaram, clai - an ex-MLA from the party, M Ko - 14.2 kg domes - also been felt se - formed. ded they continue doing good work another third front, in 2016 elec - ming that the third front would fa - mugi Maniyan, before Sasikala an - tic LPG cylinder verely by small- However, with the demise of without splitting,” he added. tions. vour the AIADMK- BJP alliance nounced her resignation, hinted at was hiked by scale AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa, it Senior journalist Lakshmi Su - According to her, to form the float around, senior BJP leader and a possibility of forming an alliance Rs. 25, and that commercial con - is doubtful if her party which has bramanian also seconds Sriniva - majority in TN, a party has to bag East Division secretary Sree Sai with anyone fighting the DMK. of commercial sumers of LPG been ruling the state for two conse - san’s argument and recalls the rural votes. “While Kamal is popu - Sathyan, has dismissed such “We do not have a problem with a LPG cylinder by cylinders. Pa - cutive terms since 2011, will win failure of third fronts in TN . She lar among urban masses, in South claims. He said the third front coalition as long as DMK remains Rs. 95, bringing winder Kaur again, say observers. stated that while Vijaykanth’s Chennai predominantly, the DMK would leave an equal dent on both the enemy,” he said. the prices to Rs. (26), a street 819 and Rs. food vendor, 1,614 respecti - says that a 14.2 vely. LPG cylinders are becoming kg cylinder Sameer unaffordable for people lasts for only Kerala health workers Kumar (39), a bank clerk, has had about 3 to 4 days. However, at to cut back on daily travel expendi - steep prices, Kaur cannot afford to wary of vaccine shots Covid clusters in Bengaluru ture to accommodate the price rise. get it refilled so frequently. “I use S.N.THYAGARAJAN ficer, BBMP, said “We don’t plan xes tend to assume that all the re - “We can’t just stop eating food. Gas one of the domestic cylinders that R KAMALA MENON 0.6 per cent. According to the ex - to introduce fresh regulations in sidents are from their bio-bubble, will be consumed, so I have stop - get delivered to my grandmother’s perts, this is due to the Covid 19 BENGALURU: The residents apartment complexes, the guide - however this is usually not the ped taking my car to the office and house each month, that way I don’t MALAPPURAM: Several peo - vaccination drive that started on Ja - of apartment complexes here feel lines of the Ministry of Home Af - case. Many residents go to offi - instead travel by bus,” he says. “I have to pay the commercial rate,” ple have not registered to get vac - nuary 16. that cluster outbreaks of COVID- fairs (MHA) in this respect are ces, many of them even have cannot afford to spend on expen - says Kaur. To avoid suspicion over cinated because of reluctance, "It is a bit early to make official 19 can be avoided only if the Bru - exhaustive.” Some RWAs have guests from outside of the State. sive petrol as well as expensive the fact that a domestic LPG cylin - health issues, rumours about the statements but it is definite that the hat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike become complacent in enforcing In both the cluster outbreaks it has cooking gas,” Kumar explains. der is getting consumed so fast, vaccine’s efficacy and technical percentage of Covid cases in Ke - (BBMP) and Resident Welfare these rules in the last few months. been established that the virus Raj Bala (48), a housewife, has Kaur gets it refilled illegally. “I difficulties with the app used for re - rala among the health workers has Associations (RWAs) work in BBMP officials have said that spread from a person who trave - resorted to using electrical stoves to have to pay Rs. 150 more than the gistration, according to medical ex - gone down to 40 per cent after they tandem. the cluster outbreak should only led to Karnataka from outside,” conserve gas. “For heating up food market price to the boy who deli - perts, were vaccinated," said Dr. Arun N While some RWAs have ban - be attributed to persons who or - said Dr.Rajkumar, while referring items or making tea, I use the in - vers the cylinder to me,” explains “With the efficacy of the vaccine M, an infectious disease expert. As ned gatherings in their apartment ganised the gatherings and not the to the second cluster outbreak in duction stove,” she says. Kaur. Ravi Dubey (38), another not being ensured and side-effects much as 93.84 per cent of the complex, many of them organise RWAs. Dr. Bhaskar Rajkumar, February where 26 people were The situation is worse for those street vendor, explains that there is being reported, I am not ready to health workers received the first such events and actively encou - Officer on Special Duty at BBMP infected. domestic users, who were only able no scope for saving gas, “The uten - get vaccinated,” said a frontline dose, according to official reports. rage the residents to participate in COVID-19 war room, said “Neit - While the residents feel that to afford LPG cylinders at govern - sil I use to fry, takes a long time to worker of the Government District “Pregnant women, people with them. her the BBMP nor the RWAs can BBMP and RWAs have to play a ment subsidised prices. Since last heat up, so I can’t switch off the gas hospital who was not ready to en - health issues, those who tested po - Saraswati Kannappa, resident be blamed for these cluster out - more active role, organisations year, the government had stopped in between”. Like Kaur, Dubey also close her identity. sitive and those who are reluctant of an apartment complex in JP breaks. These happened in apart - such as Bangalore Apartments’ providing subsidies to beneficia - relies on getting the cylinder at do - Dr. Gopikumar, IMA State Se - to get vaccinated have been exclu - Nagar, said “Many apartment ment complexes where people Federation (BAF) say that such ries, forcing them to pay the full mestic prices. “I get it delivered to cretary said that such comments ded from getting vaccinated,” said complexes in this locality discou - chose to go to a gathering despite regulations may amount to the market price for LPG cylinders. In my friend’s house, whom I pay,” he would affect the vaccination drive. Dr. Biju Thayyil, Senior doctor, rage the residents to have guests being aware that they were viola - authorities micro-managing the the Union Budget 2021, allocation says. “Some health care workers and Government District Hospital, Pe - let alone social gatherings, howe - ting the COVID-19 guidelines.” activities of the apartment com - towards subsidy for petroleum pro - To earn back their input cost of frontline worker do blindly believe rinthalmanna, which is one of the ver the complex I live in has no After the cluster outbreak in plexes. ducts, including LPG, was reduced the LPG cylinder, shop owners also whatever they read it on social vaccination centers in the district. such rules.” February, where 105 people from Sriram Narasimhan, a member from Rs. 40,915 crore in 2020-21, make operational changes. “I ini - media. They don’t even care to ve - Reluctance to get the second It is felt that BBMP, being the an apartment complex were in - of BAF said “Even though to Rs. 12,995 crore in 2021-22. tially tried to increase the price of rify it.” dose is another major problem civic authority, should come out fected after attending a party, the BBMP’s outreach during the pan - Pawan (42), a florist, claims that food items I was selling, but that “Health workers and frontline pointed out by the heath experts. with regulations. Srividya Srini - Karnataka Government introdu - demic has been excellent, there he was unaware that he had stopped turned away customers. Now I workers are the ones who should “We don’t have smart phones to vas, a resident of Natasha Golf ced new rules. According to these have been circumstances where receiving subsidy until he checked have tried to reduce the quantity of show common people that the vac - register so we have to stand in a View Apartments, said “The rules an area will be classified a the outreach has become overrea - his bank statements. “I was getting food I am offering per plate,” ex - cine is effective, but here, some of long queue at hospital to register RWAs should not be allowed to containment zone if 5 people get ching. The RWAs have been messages about subsidy being de - plains Prem Jain (52), who runs a them are backing out and that has and it takes half of our day, so till decide by themselves under these infected in a 100 meter radius. doing their job well.” He added posited in my bank account, and it confectionery shop. “It's a double actually affected the vaccination now I’ve been postponing it for circumstances. Without a proper Previously an area will be called a that when the residents make a suddenly stopped one day,” says whammy for us, because earlier drive.” Medical experts insist that another day,” said a staff from the rule book, they (the RWAs) can containment zone only when 20 personal choice to invite people Pawan. In absence of the subsidy, customers were not coming be - the percentage of healthcare wor - Government District Hospital. It permit anything.” people get infected. home, there was little that the which amounted to approximately cause of COVID-19, and now kers (among those infected has would get worse when it comes to R.Suresh, Public Relations Of - “People in apartment comple - BBMP or RWA could do. Rs. 200, Pawan’s family has been when they are here we can’t afford seen a decline from 1.2 per cent to common people, said Dr. Biju. forced to spend less on foodgrains to feed them,” says Jain. No Covid protocols for Multi-level parking, multiple hurdles While some people are unaware of the new facility, some do not want to use it Chennai book fair crowd RAGHAVI GARG A vehicle user, E. Dhanasekar RIMJHIM SINGH red the compound without a mask times but it gets difficult to main - said, “I planned to go and park the

but was denied entry. tain all these protocols with a huge CHENNAI: The Greater Chen - G car in the new parking area but I R

CHENNAI: The 44th edition of Visitors and stall owners said number turning in. "The public nai Corporation’s (GCC) seven-sto - A drove away because they did not let G

the Chennai Book Fair opened at that the hot and humid weather cau - walks around freely and there are rey multi-level parking in T. Nagar I me park the car myself.” V A

the Nandanam YMCA grounds, sed suffocation. no announcements or officials to saw few takers despite being free H However, female vehicle users G

with the crowd throwing COVID- P Madhavi, a student of class keep a check inside the fair," Deva - for the first five days after it was A expressed relief as they could shop R

19 protocols to the wind. 12th, said, "The entire arrangement raj added. opened on February 23. People are : freely without worrying about their S T Madhan M (35), a regular visitor is done under tents and so it gets With over 700 stalls set up this still reluctant to park their vehicles I vehicle. Sangeetha Krishna, who D

at the book fair, walked in holding really hot during the day. The suf - year, the place gets really crowded there and prefer to leave their vehi - E came along with her friend to shop, R C

an extra mask and a bottle of sani - focation forces most people to take by evening. Narendran N (41), a se - cles on the roadside, saying they said that it felt very convenient and O

tizer. "This year's book fair is diffe - off their masks. curity guard at the fair, said that the have to walk some distance to the T safe to drop the car and later take it O

rent on many levels. The pandemic Nothing apart from two small place turns into a picnic spot by market. H back. “It was hassle free as we did has made it hard for us to visit the notice boards, displaying Covid evening every day. "A small tent, Located on the Theagaraya P not have to hunt for a place to park fair frequently." Madhan said that norms, can be seen at the entrance with around 50 chairs, was set up Road- Thanikachalam Road junc - and there was no fear of another ve - earlier, he used to visit the fair four of the fair. outside the main tent for people to tion, the parking lot which can ac - The GCC’s seven-storey multi-level parking in T. Nagar hicle ramming into ours,” she said. times. "This year, this will be my Devaraj (25), a shop stall owner, sit and beat the heat. But, now peo - commodate over 200 cars and 500 Talking about the parking char - first and last visit." said that the public coming for the ple tend to form groups and they sit two-wheelers had only received walk for so long with a mask on in visitors who wish to park their ve - ges, N. Suresh, an employee at a Madhan, like many other bi - fair have been taking the pandemic and eat food they get from home." about 30 vehicles in the first three this Chennai heat which is why I hicle, Sundararajulu said that this shop in the Pondy Bazaar, said that bliophiles, feels that the facilities lightly. "Some people remove He added that the guards tried to days after being opened for public, prefer parking somewhere near the application was only used by the if he parked his two-wheeler in the available at the book fair are not masks as soon as they cross the tell the people to follow all proto - said Balaji, an official. shopping area.” personnel to generate tokens for the newly built parking area, his enough. "There are no sanitizer dis - entry point and roam around in cols for the first three days, but The parking area is closer to V. Sundararajulu, Manager of the car being parked. weekly expenditure would increase pensers inside the grounds. People groups. But, we don't complain as later stopped saying anything as Pondy Bazaar but it is at least a 20- Technology Department of the par - After the token generation, the by Rs. 300. “I work for 10 hours a do maintain social distancing while we want to earn money as the num - people never listened. minute walk away from complexes king area, said, “It just takes one customer is given a receipt and a day and parking my bike would entering the main gate, but inside, ber of buyers has gone down this The Booksellers and Publishers like Pothy’s, Nalli and Saravana minute to leave the car for parking staff member drives the car inside cost me Rs. 50 per day.,” he said. it's just a crowd walking together year as compared to last year." Association of South India which Store. V. Raja, who came to visit and get the token and another mi - the parking lot. To retrieve the car, Employers at the Pondy Bazaar with no social distancing." Though the shop owners said organised the fair said this time the market with his family, said, nute to retrieve the car.” the customer needs to produce the said that they would request the Shakthivel Gopal (29), a shop - that they were asked by the organi - there were eight lakh visitors com - “The main market is far away from Contrary to the belief that the receipt and pay the parking fee in corporation authorities to provide a keeper and a regular visitor, ente - sers to follow Covid protocols at all pared to the 12 lakh last year. the parking area. It is difficult to GCC application is mandatory for cash or digitally. cheap pass for the employers. edition 4 Page 2_Layout 1 3/9/2021 2:19 PM Page 1

THE WORD CHENNAI March 5, 2021 2 OPINION Decision in Reading the tea leaves in T.N. the right disha Absence of Karunanidhi & Jayalalithaa, entry of MNM, and hectic bargains have made the polls interesting wenty-two-year-old environment activist Disha Ravi, arrested “People have got used to AIADMK governance” “DMK’s chances are bright” by the Delhi Police for editing a toolkit on the farmers’ protest, iTs out on bail. In the current political climate, even such small vic - . Periyanayagam , secretary of . Radhakrishnan (60), ac - tories are a strong cause for celebration. This is what the Delhi Ses - the AIADMK Ward 162, tive member and spokesper - sions Court judge said while granting her bail: “I do not find any CRhennai, talks to Gautham S about Mson of the Dravida Munnetra palpable reason to breach the rule of bail for a 22-year-old girl who the political climate in the State and Kazhagam in Thoothukudi, is cer - has absolutely no criminal antecedent ... the perusal of the said his party’s poll prospects. tain that his party will win the elec - ‘toolkit’ reveals that any call for any kind of violence is conspi - tions. Excerpts from an interview cuously absent.” The court also said that “citizens cannot be put Are you hopeful of the with Mona Pachake : behind bars because they choose to disagree with the state policies AIADMK creating history by … and sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded va - winning for the third consecutive Why did you to join the DMK? nity of the governments”. With sedition cases slapped frequently time? I entered politics at the age of 23. on dissenters, Justice Dharmender Rana’s verdict is a giant leap The chances are bright. Our go - I was inspired by the work of DMK forward. Invoking sedition is almost always accompanied by the vernment has addressed all sections leader N. Periyasamy in Thoothu - “anti-national” rhetoric of the government and its allies, which not with numerous welfare schemes. kudi. only leads to the social ostracization of the person in question but True to the adage, ‘if you can’t do What do you think about also puts his/her life (and the dear ones) in danger. The doctrine of good, do not do anything bad,’ the DMK chief M.K. Stalin’s 100 M. Radhakrishnan ‘innocent until proven guilty’ becomes a joke. It was almost as if AIADMK has done nothing bad in days’ promise (of solving people’s the court held the law enforcement by its ear as it reinforced that a five years. R. Periyanayagam is confident of winning the elections. grievances in the first 100 days of death. Do you think his absence case is proved on the basis of evidence, not inference. It said the Chief Minister Palaniswami coming to power)? will affect your performance? evidence in connection with a toolkit on the farmers’ protest, twee - announced loan waivers, exam sort out their differences, if any. party affect its prospects? I believe that his promises are His death is definitely a big fac - ted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, did not amount to cancellations and other schemes Every family is bound to have dif - Some Tamil people are against genuine. He has seen politics from tor. But we are confident of win - sedition under Section 124 A or Section 153 A (promoting hatred in quick succession. Were they ferences but it does not allow out - the BJP because other political par - his childhood and was an active ning. Many people have lost faith amongst communities on social/religious grounds). It also ruled done with an eye on the elec - siders to interfere. ties have created a bad image of the participant when his father [M. Ka - in the AIADMK. that there was no evidence against Disha or the Poetic Justice Foun - tions? With former Tamil Nadu Chief party. The anti-Hindi issue, for ins - runanidhi] was Chief Minister and Is your fight only with the dation of conspiracy with secessionist forces. Do not politicise things that were Minister M.G. Ramachandran tance, was whipped up [by the DMK party chief. He is serious and AIADMK? How much Justice Rana’s verdict will influence the Narendra done with good intentions. Look at becoming almost every other po - DMK] last year just to make the has done a good job of pointing out Yes. The only reason the BJP and Modi government is, however, a moot question. There are many what the government has done, not litical party's badge, do you think people hate the BJP. Nobody is for - the AIADMK government’s short - the AIADMK joined hands for the journalists and activists who are currently facing charges under the at why it was done. the AIADMK has lost its unique - cing Hindi in Tamil Nadu. People comings. He has not made any pro - 2019 Lok Sabha election was to law of sedition. This includes prominent anchor of the India Today As the ruling party, do you ness? should understand the truth and ex - mise that is impossible to fulfil. just bring the DMK down. But the group, Rajdeep Sardesai, and Vinod Jose, executive editor of The think the AIADMK has an ad - The AIADMK was founded by pose the deception. Your views on the ruling strategy did not work. The lone MP Caravan magazine. It is naive to assume that the government will vantage? MGR. He is part of our legacy. All What are your thoughts on AIADMK’s prospects? seat that the alliance won was that never misuse the law of sedition again. Even though sedition is an Definitely. The party has been in other political parties are using his V.K. Sasikala bowing out of poli - The party was serious about peo - of the AIADMK, not the BJP. archaic law – it was introduced by the British in 1870 - the Natio - power for 10 years. People have got image and power to strengthen tics? ple’s welfare when Chief Minister What do you think of [M.K. nal Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) started collecting separate data used to our way of governance. If their vote bank. It is good for the AIADMK. The Jayalalithaa was alive. She was an Stalin’s son] Udhayanidhi Sta - on sedition cases only in 2014. The conviction rate under the law the DMK comes to power, rowdy- Will Kamal Haassan and his party cadres will work in unity and efficient leader. But those who are lin’s role? has been low, with only four convicted since 2015. In February, a ism will increase all over the State. Makkal Needhi Maiam affect the we will get more votes. leading the party today are not se - I think Udhayanidhi could have little before Disha was arrested, The Economist Intelligence Unit, What do you think is your par - AIADMK's prospects? People will no longer take the rious about governance. Unlike come into politics after some years. research and analysis division of the England-based The Econo - ty’s strength? Tamil Nadu has been ruled for Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazha - Jayalalithaa and MGR, Chief Mi - I feel he doesn’t have the attitude mist Group, ranked India 53rd in the 2020 Democracy Index re - Our party believes in only the almost half a century by Dravidian gam (AMMK) seriously. We will nister Palaniswami has not been and experience required of a leader. port. India ranked 51st in the 2019 Index and 27th in 2014. power of party cadres, unlike others parties. All other parties are like go to the people on the strength of able to take independent decisions. S h o u l d actors join politics? The BJP has tried everything to connect the farmers' protests to who use money and muscle power. passing clouds. what the government has done for Do you think the government MGR and Jayalalithaa were also pro-Khalistani elements. Disha Ravi’s arrest was one such despe - We think about people’s welfare Will Jayalalithaa’s absence af - them. We are not worried about has handled the pandemic well? actors. But when they entered poli - rate attempt. Many members of the BJP and its supporters were on but other parties have only political fect AIADMK’s prospects? other things. The pandemic could have been tics, they understood the people’s a mission to prove that Disha’s full name was Disha Ravi Joseph, power in mind. We have already faced the by- Is the AIADMK the BJP’s ‘B’ handled much better. Education has pulse and gave good governance. implying that she was a Christian and there was a Christian cons - Do you think tensions between elections and the Lok Sabha elec - team in Tamil Nadu? suffered the most. The government Actors Sarath Kumar and Vijaya - piracy to break India. The News Minute fact checked the allegation Mr. Palaniswami and Deputy tions after Amma’s death. So, we Not at all! As the ruling party, the should have reopened the schools kanth, on the other hand, did not get and found that it was untrue. The friends of the BJP in the media Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam have planned accordingly. AIADMK had to ensure that the at least for the secondary school popular support and could not attempted to push the Khalistan rhetoric. But, unlike the blatant Is - can affect the AIADMK? The Bharatiya Janata Party State enjoyed a cordial relationship students and ensured that the social make a big impact. There is not - lamophobia that people bought into during the anti-Citizenship There are no problems [between has never been a big force in with the Centre. To say that we are distancing norms were followed. hing wrong in actors entering poli - Amendment Act protests, people are not buying bigotry towards them]. The CM and the Deputy CM Tamil Nadu. Won’t the its slaves or the Centre is making This is the DMK’s first Assem - tics but they should understand Sikhs, who form a huge chunk of farm protesters. are like brothers; they know how to AIADMK's alliance with the the decisions for us is rubbish. bly election after Karunanidhi’s politics and people. Watching over Can Tejashwi Yadav recreate the Lalu magic? the watchdog What the future holds for the son of two Bihar Chief Ministers ARPIT PARASHAR he media is the fourth pillar of democracy, questioning those in power and pointing out their mistakes. But by putting the new he 2020 Bihar Assembly elec - ITnformation Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digi - tion result burst the bubble sur - tal Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in place, the Modi government rTounding Rashtriya Janata Dal has decided to become the watchdog of the watchdog. The rules, leader Tejashwi Yadav. Although drafted since 2018, came into effect on Februray 25, 2021. They the party argued that it lost due to impose a three-tier regulation system on digital media websites to electoral malpractices and by slim deal with audience grievances. The first tier is about appointing a margins in many seats, the truth grievance officer, who will acknowledge complaints within 24 was the election lacked a pro-Te - hours and resolve the issue within 15 days. The second tier is a self- jashwi sentiment even though the regulating association of digital media websites which will be hea - Nitish Kumar-led National Demo - ded by a retired judge or an independent “eminent” media cratic Alliance was weak. In simple personality. The third tier is the “oversight-mechanism”, consisting words, Tejashwi failed to exploit of an inter-departmental government committee, which will be the the massive anti-incumbency fac - last resort for complainants. tor. What does the future hold for The Internet Freedom Foundation has pointed out in an IGTV An interesting series the cricketer-turned- politician son video that the rules will directly bring the media under government of two Bihar Chief Ministers? control. A more democratic way of resolving grievances would BHARAT SHARMA tweeted Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Although the ruling NDA secu - have been to make the digital media liable to courts, not politicians. president of the Delhi Sikh Gurud - red a majority in the recent elec - At a time when news portals like The Quint and NewsLaundry are ver The Top (OTT) platforms wara Management Committee. tion, Nitish Kumar’s JD (U) was requesting the users to “pay to keep news free”, how will they ma - offer a range of opportunities A Suitable Boy portrays how an considerably weakened at 43 seats. nage the monetary expenses involved in these issues? Besides, Oto artists to showcase their talent. Indian mother is bent on getting her The BJP, which won 74 seats, most digital media organizations do not have an elaborate staff, But, of late, such platforms have daughter married to a man of her asked Nitish to continue as Chief which means that the editors will have to keep running behind such faced the wrath of some group or choice. The story is set in a fictional Minister. He knows it will not be complaints. How can we expect them to do quality journalism in the other. With demands for regula - town called Bhrampur, North India, easy for him to win the State again. such a scenario? ting content on OTT platforms gro - soon after Independence. Newco - But for the RJD, it is Tejashwi all If there is a complaint against an online news portal that it has wing louder, the Modi government mer Tanya Maniktala plays the role the way. His biggest challenge is to published content that questions the integrity of the country, not recently brought in a new set of of Lata who has men lining up to come out of his father Lalu Prasad only can its content be taken down; the “oversight mechanism” rules under which they need to marry her. Her hunt for a suitable Yadav’s shadow. During the last Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav (right) needs committee can take down the entire website for some time. If news exercise “due caution” when airing boy revolves around three men - election, even as Tejashwi cam - to become more than just his father Lalu Prasad’s son organizations do not agree to take down the story in question, they content on beliefs, practices and colleague Kabir Durrani (Danesh paigned for his party, the public can be blocked. When the line between ‘anti-national’ and ‘anti- views of racial and religious Razvi), writer Haresh Khanna chanted Lalu’s name. At a rally in marginalised sections. Lalu not proved not only that he could lead government’ is blurring every day, is there a guarantee that this rule groups. (Namit Das) and Amit Chatterji the Patna Gandhi Maidan, for ins - only freed them from the hege - the RJD without his father but also won’t be misused to curb dissent? In ‘Cut the Clutter’, The Print’s The BBC’s adaptation of Vikram (Mikhail Sen). Lata’s mother is in - tance, a woman said: “ hum Lalu ko mony of upper castes but politically that he could shed the baggage of editor Shekhar Gupta said that even during the Emergency, the go - Seth’s novel A Suitable Boy into a clined towards Chatterji as he is a vote denge (I will vote for Lalu)”. empowered them to fight oppres - Yadav politics. In his campaigns, vernment did not have such sweeping powers. web series is the latest in the list of self-made man working in a shoe Asked how she would do that when sion. Again, by allotting 70 seats to Tejashwi had a spontaneous way of The government has asked the digital media to self-regulate and works that allegedly hurt the reli - company. Tabu magnificently plays Lalu was in jail, she said “ jail mein the Congress - much more than interacting with the crowd. He label their content, and publish only in accordance with the Norms gious sentiments of Hindus. The the seductive courtesan, Saeedha hain to kya; unka beta to hai na (So what the RJD gave the party in the asked: “naukri chahiye? (do you of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India under the objection was to a kissing scene of Bai. She shares most of her scenes what? His son is in the fray, no?” previous elections - Tejashwi made want jobs)” and explained how he Press Council Act, 1978 and the Programme Code under Section 5 Lata (Hindu woman) and her lover with the much younger Mann Ka - This is the Lalu magic in Bihar. his alliance weak. The Congress would provide 10 lakh government of the Cable Television Networks (regulation) Act, 1995. It has also Kabir Durrani (Muslim) on the pre - poor (Ishan Khattar) who is smitten won only 19 seats. The result crea - jobs. Even the NDA copied his asked the organizations to get registered. While this is a basic and mises of a temple. Ali Abbas Za - by her. Some of the big names like Strategic move ted the image of Tejashwi as an style by saying it would create 20 necessary step, the move may curb citizen journalism. Instagram - far’s Tandav courted controversy Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, and Lalu and his wife Rabri Devi, inexperienced youth leader who lakh jobs. mers like Vibhu Grover, Sukhnidh Kaur and Andre Borges, who for allegedly portraying Hindu Vijay Raj make a rare appearance who governed Bihar as successive didn’t follow in his father’s foots - There is no denying that Tejas - post news updates on their social media handles and have a mas - gods in a bad light. The Allahabad and Randeep Hooda is used to add Chief Ministers for 15 years, were teps. The other thing which made hwi is a formidable force. But as sive following, may be blocked from sharing news in future. An High Court, in fact, had to stay the macho. missing from the RJD’s campaign Lalu popular was his way of con - the former Bihar Congress presi - editorial in The Hindu rightly pointed out: “That the new rules per - arrest of Amazon Prime video’s The series by Mira Nair addres - banner. The rumour was that Tejas - necting with people. The down to dent, Ram Jatan Sinha, once a Lalu tain only to digital news media, and not to the whole of the news chief in the case. Web series Pataal ses the issue of communalism hwi, chief ministerial face of the earth leader was easy going and ally, said: “Tejashwi is trying to be media, hardly provides comfort, as the former is increasingly be - Lok produced by actor Anushka which is relevant in present India. RJD-Left mahaghatbandhan, remo - had a good sense of humour. Tejas - the class monitor who wants to do coming a prime source of news and views.” Sharma found itself in trouble In one scene, for instance, actor ved his father’s photo for strategic hwi, on the other hand, is a serious whatever he thinks is right. But in The rules should not be seen in isolation. They come after a hea - when it was accused of hurting Manoj Pahwa, who plays the role reasons. Lalu was a symbol of leader trying to put down Nitish politics, people don’t need a class ted standoff between the government and social media networking Sikh sentiments. “Shame on of Raja of Marh, builds a Hindu lower caste empowerment - at the Kumar, his one-time mentor, all the monitor. They need a leader who is site Twitter, which refused to permanently delete accounts of peo - @AnushkaSharma @Amazon - temple right in front of a mosque expense of upper castes. But Lalu’s time. fearless and has a stronghold in the ple supporting the ongoing farmers’ protest. Besides creating hur - Prime for showing Sikhs as Rapists which leads to communal riots. charm holds sway even though he On the positive side, the Bihar party. Tejashwi needs to learn this; dles for free journalism, the rules are meant to restrict the reader's I request @PrakashJavdekar Ji to A watchable series, notwithstan - has been in jail for three years. He election saw the emergence of a otherwise he will be seen as only access and right to independent news. take strong action against #patalok, ding the flaws and controversy. is still seen as the leader by the young leader in Tejashwi Yadav. He Lalu’s son.” Volume4-Page3-PrintA_Layout 1 3/5/2021 7:41 PM Page 1

CHENNAI, 5th March, 2021 THE WORD IN-DEPTH 3 Despite law, scavengers still die Ritchie street... A law banning manual scavenging has been in force for 28 years It’s nationalism Vs hunger

AISWARYA RAJ officers did not comment. dule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities This incident comes after the fession, the number of deaths of CHENNAI, March 3: For the Ritchie street, known as the se - “The workers were ready for the Act 2015) and Culpable homicide death of a manual scavenger in workers engaged in cleaning se - street vendors of Ritchie Street, any cond biggest unorganized electro - CHENNAI, March 2: The men job,” said another officer at the not amounting to murder, the First Chennai on February 17 and that of wers in Tamil Nadu foregrounds argument on boycotting Chinese nic parts market in India after are thought to have died at some Control room. Many officers in the Information Report said. three people at a single site in the loopholes in the legal system products always stops at the same Nehru place in Delhi, has over point between 11.15 a.m. and 12.15 military offices and the Public Re - Insanitary latrines which require Thanjavur on February 14. and the persisting rigid caste-based choices: nationalism or hunger. 2000 shops employing around 8000 p.m. on February 26 in Chennai’s lations Unit said they were unaware manual cleaning is touted to be The Manual Scavenging Act hierarchies. In June people. A Fort St. George area. of the incident. why manual scavenging happens, 2013 prohibits the practice and the Even though the government last year, wide array of The police first information re - However, according to the FIR, according to a Lok Sabha Question employment of such workers in all only recognises latrine cleaners, India and computer, te - port, or FIR, says Raja and Sant - Manivannan said they asked for & Answer forum. It also said that the States and Union Territories and railway cleaners, sewer cleaners China were levision, lap - hosh, who work for Sristal Systems protective suits and safety equip - under the Swachh Bharat Mission if found to be done by any per - and faecal sludge handlers as ma - involved in tops are Pvt. Ltd., the company that had the ment, which the Project Manager done by the Ministry of Housing son/agency who is involved in it, nual scavengers, there is a huge un - a violent available tender for maintaining the area’s and the Supervisor of Sristal Sys - and Urban Affairs and the Depart - they will face an imprisonment of derrepresentation in the data as border here. The sewage system entered the sewage tems Pvt Ltd., denied. Company of - ment of Drinking Water and Sani - 2 years or fine upto Rs. 1 lakh, so - many people are in unsafe sanita - clash. As a market started tank to clean it. ficials were arrested on the charges tation, “the insanitary latrines have metimes both. tion work. result, the blooming in Manivannan, a third employee, under Section 9 of Prohibition of been identified and converted into Despite the enactment of various Calling it a form of slavery, Kris - Indian go - 1970, when upon seeing Raja and Santhosh in employment as manual scavengers sanitary napkins to eliminate the legislation in 1993, 2013 and 2019 hna Veni, a member of Tamil Nadu vernment the first elec - distress, called the police for help and their rehabilitation 2013 Act, need for manual cleaning of toi - to ban, provide rehabilitation and Untouchability banned 59 tronic stores because he couldn’t handle the no - The Schedule caste and the Sche - lets”. compensation for those in the pro - Eradication Front said how apat - Chinese opened. xious air. hetic the system was towards sani - apps. The Last year In all, five men who entered the tation workers. “You cannot call Ritchie was grim for tank were taken first to the military Sample Survey states there are 62,904 manual scavengers this practice a profession. street mar - the small sel - hospital just 200 meters away and It is a casteist and inhuman prac - ket Chen - Shanthi sitting in her corner on lers in the mar - then to the Rajiv Gandhi General ABIRAMI RAMESH The revised update has 0 cases in The National Survey conducted tice. Even the Southern nai’s source wallace street ket. The Hospital. Two of them died. The ot - the northeastern states and Jhark - between 2013 and 2020 under the Railways engages Dalit woman of cheap, lockdown for - hers are still in hospital. CHENNAI, March 03: A Lok hand. Manual Scavenging Act 2013, has in this,” she said about the direct in - electronic goods, many of them ced the market to be closed and “Sitting in the army control Sabha 2018 report on manual sca - But the National Crimes Re - identified 62,904 manual scaven - volvement of the apparatus of the made in China faced a scare. Shanthi’s family was left struggling room, I called the fire brigade after venging reported a total of 48,251 cords Bureau (NCRB) contradicts gers. The National Safai Karma - state. Shanthi , 59, sits on the pave - to survive. “We didn’t get anything I heard the news of men suffocating cases with Uttar Pradesh (23,070) this data as its official said that chari Corporation (NSFC) stated Veni was sceptical of the way the ment in a corner of the narrow Wal - from the government because we inside the septic tank. Initially, they and Maharashtra (7,378) ranking from 2017-2021, there has been that there have been reports of media reported the incident. “The lace street every day. She sells don’t have ration cards. One of my were taken to a military hospital the highest and the current update no mention of any manual sca - manual scavengers found dead media reported that the deaths hap - cheap earphones, TV remotes and employer supported us throughout 200 metres away. Later, they were on its website is that no cases venging cases since manual sca - while cleaning the sewers and pened due to asphyxiation and con - phone chargers that she buys from a the lockdown,” Nagaraj said. moved to Rajiv Gandhi General were found in all the Union Terri - venging cases have started getting septic tanks even though the na - sumption of toxic fumes. wholesaler nearby and on-sells on He has been working for 35 Hospital, where two men were de - tories except Delhi and Daman & collected since 2014 till 2016 tional survey denies any such Why do they not talk about the the street. years as a daily wage worker in the clared dead and three with minor Diu. under the Manual Scavenging deaths reported so far. physical and mental conditions of Shanthi’s house is just 400m area. But the nature of his work is injuries,” Havildar Sarath Kumar It also mentioned (in the de - Act. In 2014, there were 0 cases Christopher, a Thuvakkam people entering a septic tank?” she away from her corner. It is a small uncertain. “There is work on some said. creasing order) that Uttarakhand reported. In 2015 and 2016, two member which is an environmen - said. “In urban areas, people ente - makeshift affair with a roof made days, other days there aren’t any,” Four days after the death of Sant - has 6033 cases, Assam (2988), were reported each year from tal based NGO said, "There are no ring sewage and septic tanks are of aluminium. Old cardboards line he said. hosh (35) and Raja of Annai Sathya Rajasthan (2534), Andhra Pradesh Karnataka and Tamil Nadu res - proper equipment and it is not not considered as manual scaven - the outer wall while plastic buckets A report from Business Standard Nagar, Lakshmi recounted her hus - (1982), Karnataka (1912), West pectively. available too since the Govern - gers. These practices are as heinous and containers are kept outside for suggested that the total trade bet - band’s occupation. “It was a dry Bengal (637), Kerala (600), Mad - The NCRB report on its web - ment doesn't pay for it. No proce - as any,” Veni added. a lack of space inside the house. ween India and China in 2020 de - spell for a long time due to hya Pradesh (524), Jharkhand site does not mention asphyxia - dure or structure is followed Satyendra Kumar, a Dalit activist Her husband, a daughter and two clined from $85.5 billion of the COVID-19 and they were hired by (281), Punjab (142), Gujarat tion deaths due to manual properly. Government should in - based in Delhi said how the prac - grandnieces live in the house with previous year to $77.7 billion. But the contractor on a daily wage (108) and Tamil Nadu (62) as of scavenging. But statistics on acci - vest in the scavenging/ the waste tice of manual scavenging exists her, the roof of which is so low that the decline was marginal and the basis,” Lakshmi said. There are at 2018. dental suffocation may be a good sector and the private sector has primarily because the society is even people of average height have exports from India to China grew in least five people in this colony em - Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu proxy. to enter this sector at a nominal based on caste. to stoop once inside. the same period. ployed by contractors on daily and Kashmir and Odisha had nil The NCRB recorded 31467 rate". Kumar said that the system for - Shanthi’s younger son has an However, Shanthi remains obli - wages like the deceased Raja and cases in the same report but the deaths in the ten years between Franklin Prince, an environ - ced Dalits into the profession, ir - outfit much like his mothers. Her vious to all this. “I don’t know Santhosh. website no longer has these three 2008 and 2018. In 2019, the latest mentalist said, "We need proper respective of their level of eldest son works as a daily wage la - anything about the fight with It wasn’t immediately clear how names in its current list except year for which the data is out, has machines, infrastructure and hu - education. “It is nonsensical to bourer in the market like his father China. My business was more af - a banned profession came to be Odisha which has its status intact. 1584 cases. manity". claim that people do it on their own Nagaraj, 67. The entire family de - fected because of the lockdown,” practised in a military campus. The volition,” he said. pends on Ritchie street to survive. she said. Turtles caught between fishermen and state India’s south-eastern coast is a major area for the Olive Ridley turtles

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ADARSH B. PRADEEP ment had amended the Marine Fis - H and return home and perform a bour, the fishermen are a confused the ocean whereas Vimal says that

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AND AMRIN NAAZ hing Regulation Rules, 1983 and T pooja before we venture out into lot when it comes to what needs to he would try contacting the police.

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made it mandatory to include a C the sea the next day.” be done if an accidental death of Speaking about the number of

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Chennai, March 3: The fisher - TED to every trawl net. E The small-scale fishermen also the turtle occurs. K. Balakrishnan, a trawlers at the Kasimedu harbour,

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folk, for their part, say there is no Julius Edward, Deputy Director I say their nets are too small to harm trawler boat owner, climbing onto Mr. Edison of the Forest Office

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ban on trawling during the nesting of Fisheries at the Department of A the turtles and it is the trawlers that the dock from the deck of his green said, “The Fisheries department

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period of the Olive Ridley turtles. Fisheries, Tamil Nadu, explained A do. Saravanan Kasi, a river fisher - and white trawling vessel, said that should try to reduce the number of

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They also say that there are no why the TEDs were unsuccessful S man said “the trawl nets are made they just discard the carcass back to trawlers which are way beyond the

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checks to see if the Turtle Excluder with the fishermen in Indian coasts. B of a tougher material that kills the the ocean whereas Vimal says that capacity of the Kasimedu coast.”

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Device (TED), is fitted. The so- He was of the opinion that TEDs P turtles.” he would try contacting the police.

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called TED is fitted to the end of a are effective mostly in temperate A However, the large-scale fisher - Speaking about the number of

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trawling net allowing turtles to es - countries that practice targeted fis - E men at Kasimedu harbour who de - trawlers at the Kasimedu harbour, cape. hing whereas, in tropical countries P ploy trawling vessels reject this. Mr. Edison of the Forest Office The government says that it has like India where multi-species fis - “The turtles never die in our nets. said, “The Fisheries department mandated the TEDs and put limits hing is practiced, commercially im - We just release them back to the should try to reduce the number of on trawling in nesting season. portant big fishes would escape Trawler docked at Kasimedu harbour in Chennai sea. We do not consume its meat trawlers which are way beyond the Yet, dead turtles continue to along with the turtles. and there is no commercial value capacity of the Kasimedu coast.” wash up in Odisha and Tamil Nadu In a TED experimental works - that they conduct regular awareness ting season for the turtles. for the turtle,” said S. Vighnesh, In this game of passing the buck, and the reason may be the TED de - hop conducted in Odisha in 2002, Several studies have highlighted cleaning the trawler deck of fish re - till March 1 this year, 53 turtle vice. it was shown that more than 20% Small fishermen Vs trawlers that the major causes for turtle mains. deaths have been recorded by the Categorised as ‘Vulnerable’ in of fish catch losses could be unvia - Vimal Nathan, a fisherman who deaths are strangling in fishermen At the harbour, trawlers, tied to Forest Office. Last year the total the International Union for Conser - ble for the Indian fishermen who do had just returned from deep-sea nets, boat propeller strikes, usage poles, are docked so close they al - number of deaths was around 80 to vation of Nature (IUCN), these tur - fishing for livelihood as opposed to trawling said, “There is no such of ray fishnets that chop off the most meld into each other. Some 90 and in 2018, 110 deaths took tles have significant nesting sites the commercial fishing practised in thing as a trawling ban or TEDs for heads and flippers of the turtles and 996 trawlers are registered in Kasi - place. However, many media re - on the coasts of Odisha and Tamil the west. Olive Ridleys. And no government lastly, plastic ingestion. medu harbour. ports suggest that even these num - For these & more stories Nadu. Mr. Edward said, “Using TED is official ever comes to check on us.” S. Palayam, a small scale fisher - “Whatever the government re - bers are underestimated. either scan the QR code or log With the growing number of not practically feasible. It is not However, at the Forest Range man at Urur Kuppam at Besant cords suggest, the number is its done if an accidental death of the onto trawlers and increased deaths of the welcomed by fishermen as it ends Office in Velachery, A. Clement Nagar in Chennai, explained the ri - exact double,” said Ravi Das, anot - turtle occurs. K. Balakrishnan, a Olive Ridleys, the Madras High up spoiling their livelihood.” Edison, the Forest Range Officer tual they associate with turtles, “We her trawler boat owner at Kasimedu trawler boat owner, climbing onto word.acjnewsline.org/catego Court in 2015 had filed a lawsuit to He further said that the fisheries said that they ban trawling beyond consider the turtle as our god – harbour. “Half are registered and the dock from the deck of his green ry/features/ protect the turtles. Following this, have a good rapport with the large- five nautical miles of the coast du - Kutti Amma. Whenever we trap a the other half are unregistered,” he and white trawling vessel, said that the Tamil Nadu fisheries depart - scale fishermen at Kasimedu and ring January to May, which is nes - turtle by mistake, we cut our nets added.However, at Kasimedu har - they just discard the carcass back to What Mumbai’s Vada Pav says about India How did Mumbai’s Vada Pav become so many other things to so many other people so far away from its roots?

ANUSHKA JAIN India. people of Maharashtra. It (the va - from its home in Maharashtra, it Pav was long a family business, York, Sydney and London where In the 50 years since the Vada dapav) was cheap, sustainable and is popular in far flung parts of the which has increasingly been corpo - Mumbai’s Vada Pav is sold as the New Delhi, March 4: In August Pav was first made by a snack ven - tasty,” says anthropologist and food country. With nearly 500 hundred ratized like many other forms of Bombay Burger or sandwich, ac - 2020, the Chennai’s Park Hyatt in - dor or refugee, depending on who historian Dr KurushDalal. outlets between them, franchise street food, around the world. cording to food writer Dipanjan troduced a food it called the Crois - you ask, it has gone through a plet - Over the years, what was essen - chains like Goli Vada Pao, Jum - “The Vada Pav is associated Sinha. sant Vada. It was the umpteenth hora of changes. tially a quick and cheap eat for boking, and Wow Vada Pao have Mumbai, you see it in movies, you However Solomon says perhaps version of Mumbai's famous Vada It was first popularised by the those who didn’t have the luxury of taken the dish to cities like Surat, talk about it- have the Vada Pav a return to the original Pav could be Pav, the ultimate common man's Shiv Sena, the back to the roots time or money, evolved. Bangalore and Delhi. when you visit Mumbai, people tra - in the works. “I’ve been fascinated food in India's biggest city. Maharashtrian political party that is It was minimalized, like by the Neither company responded to vel and that is how food travels,” he to see the growth of “traditional”- So how did the humble vadapav still a formidable political power Irani chain of cafés who removed requests for comment. says. “However you can’t pinpoint style mithai shops across India, --essentially a batter fried potato- and rules Maharashtra today,writes its Pav bun altogether. It was fused Harris Solomon, an Associate to why exactly it spread, it happens made popular on Instagram and chickpea ball placed in a bun-- cultural anthropologist Harris So - with cottage cheese or Paneer, the Professor at the US’ Duke Uni - without a reason. Sure, it is also other forms of social media, and make its way so far down south, lomon’s paper “The Taste No Chef popular Indian noodles ‘Maggi’, versity said the fortunes of the convenience food and life everyw - drawing younger audiences into ge - and how did it escape the Pav and Can Give”. schezwan sauce and even Manchu - Vada Pav is tied to that of the la - here has gotten busy,” he adds. nerations-old craft practices of be instead placed inside french The ingredients it--such as garlic rian. different way by inducing surprise bourers it was first made for. “Cer - The original, no-frills Vada Pav sweet-making. So while we do see bread? and onion were essential to Ma - Chef and food and beverages through an element familiar or a tainly, a change could signal is still sold, opposite Dadar station things like Westernization, and the And with the food making its harshtrian cooking and commonly consultant Amit Puri says the fine previously tried food,” he says. something transforming among platform no. 1 where vendor Ashok importation of foreign components way into the homes--and the sto - used. dining dishes were experiments. Originally started for the mill vendors, in terms of social class,” Vaidya is credited with making the like the croissant, we could cer - machs--of people far away from “Garlic, onion and salt were al - “Chefs have started trusting in pre - workers of Mumbai, the Vada Pav he said. first Vada Pav. But since then,it has tainly see an embrace of originality Mumbai, what does this say about ways popular among the common senting nostalgia in a completely has now gotten corporatized. Far According to Solomon, the Vada since migrated to cafés in New too,” he says. PAGE 4 GROUP C medha done version_Layout 1 10-03-2021 11:48 Page 1

THE WORD CHENNAI March 05, 2021 4 ARTS & CULTURE BEYOND BTS: The Sheer Joy of K-Entertainment The Korean entertainment revolution has taken over the world, and India is not far behind MEDHA NIDHI S things.” The music video, the cho - In a New Yorker video interview BTS. “I would sit and just watch different facets of Korean culture - dustry or K-beauty has become po - around the world, according to in - reography, the set, the costumes, about the explosion of K-pop in their videos on Youtube and Insta - K-dramas, K-beauty and even Ko - pular too, with E-commerce sites dependent researcher Asna, is the I spent all day last weekend cur - the make-up, the albums - all of America, Stephanie Choi, an expert gram and lose hours of my day.” rean food. like Maccaron, Korikart and advent of social media and the po - led in my blanket watching a Ko - these follow distinct concepts that in Ethnomusicology, talks about Gomes says that she enjoyed wat - Asna KM is a K-pop stan and in - Beauty Barn giving Indians more pularity of K-pop in America. rean drama about a high-school girl come together to form a package. the intimacy created between fans ching the idols’ real personalities dependent researcher interested in access to Korean products. The 10 “Western fans got into K-pop at a who got bullied for being “ugly” A k-pop package and idols through these vlog shows. come through in their live shows fan studies. She got into K-pop a step Korean skincare routine was huge level, and that trickled to and started wearing make-up to As a thirteen-year-old, I saved up She called it “fan service,” which when they interacted with each few years ago after she saw Jimin all the rage a few years ago. This India too. Also, the recognition that school. Needless to say, my favou - all my money to buy a One Direc - refers to the idols doing things to other and responded to fan com - from BTS in a music video. “The idea of beauty trickles into every groups like BTS and BLACKPINK rite thing about this drama are the tion album consisting of a CD and make their fans happy. ments. Eventually, Gomes found main thing about K-pop that sells is aspect of Korean entertainment, in - have received at international two insanely beautiful male leads, a poster - enough to light-up my The idea of beauty herself exploring other K-pop beauty. They’re very beautiful peo - cluding the way K-dramas are shot awards like the American Music both of whom fall in love with the teenage heart for the next seven Liana Gomes is one recent fan groups and branching out into ple,” she says. or edited, and needless to say, the Awards and the Billboard Awards female protagonist. While this years. K-pop fans, however, get who got into K-pop in The South Korean way the actors look. Even the qua - has helped make Korean entertain - sounds like every other cliched much more. I remember unpacking December 2020 beauty in - lity of Korean made games and ment much more popular,” she story that has been told, nothing an EXO (a popular K-pop boy through their webcomics are better than that of says. InKo Centre’s Dr. Rathi Jafer special, I still spent more than 12 group, slightly older than BTS) shows. “I Chinese made games, says Raina says that more and more people are hours watching it - every second album along with my friend and fell in Varghese, a 23-year old student signing up to learn Korean now. full of pure joy. I am not the only feeling like I had unearthed trea - love with who has been playing Korean mo - “Earlier, people wanted to learn one. sure. The album had a unique the boys bile games since 2016. Korean for job opportunities. Now The “Hallyu” or Korean Culture comic strip featuring the band even be - Getting into Korean entertain - they do it because of an interest in wave took over the world with the members and several cards with fore I ment K-pop or K-dramas. They want to South Korean band BTS, which de - descriptions of each member and fell in Varghese says that she stumbled know what their idols are saying,” buted in 2013. However, K-pop has the character they were playing. love upon K-pop (though she did not she says. existed ever since the 1990s. There were also exclusive surprise with the know that word) in 2010 when she “They make me happy” The entry of K-pop into India selfies of two members. The music music,” watched a K-pop concert on the TV “I’m in it for the romance,” says happened first in the North East, CD itself was the least important she channel Animax. Many older fans graphic designer and illustrator Ad - specifically Manipur, where Hindi element. K-pop albums are often says, say they got into K-pop through hyata Bhat, who loves watching K- films were banned for a while, says released as “repackages,” giving refer - cable channels like KBS and Ani - ramas. For Liana Gomes,too, who Dr Rathi Jafer, Director of the InKo fans access to different versions of ring max, which would air K-pop con - loves cheesy rom-coms, the story - Centre, an Indo-Korean culture the same album, with various goo - to certs and variety shows. telling is a big draw. So is the food. centre in Chennai. “There was a dies in each version. While not all The advent of the internet and “Everything is centred around dearth of Hindi entertainment, and K-pop stans buy the album, most of online streaming platforms like food. They’re always eating and at that time, Arirang TV was a them watch their idols on variety Netflix have made K-dramas much drinking, which feels very relata - channel where Korean content was shows, lives and vlogs or follow more accessible. Nina Karun belie - ble, and I love the way they eat,” streamed regularly,” she adds. them on Instagram. The K-pop fan ves that it has become much easier says Gomes. More importantly, K- Now, however, K-pop has explo - has constant access to the idols in to get into Korean entertainment in dramas make her happy. “Everyone ded into other parts of the country these intimate places, like their recent times than when she got into has a happy ending, and we move as well. rooms or their studios. I have spent it. “It was much trickier six or on to the next story,” says Gomes. Nina Karun, a former RJ at many hours watching my favou - seven years ago when Korean en - As a K-pop stan and K-drama Radio Indigo in Bangalore, has rites play games, cook food, tertainment wasn’t really ‘out’ watcher myself, I can relate. Eve - been engaging with Korean art - K- make music in their studios there.” Back then, she could only rything about Korean entertainment pop, K-dramas, and Korean cinema and even get ready for bed. access Korean dramas or K-pop is designed to make you happy. I - for more than 12 years. “I got into In one of my favourite shows by downloading them love watching K-pop idols dance it when I was ten years old,” says lives, Chanyeol (a illegally or using websites and sing to entertain me. There is Karun, adding that she enjoyed Ko - member of boy like Drama Nice or very little that compares to the rean culture even though it was so group EXO) re - Kiss Asian. Not any - sheer joy of watching two beautiful different from her own. The thing corded a lul - more, though. K-pop characters fall in love while a third that makes K-pop so interesting, laby for his today is a global character pines in vain. The pain - Karun says, is the work that goes fans and phenomenon. fully long wait as the first kiss into every aspect of it. “K-pop is put One of the scene is dragged on for the duration not just a genre. It’s a phenomenon. them reasons K- of two background scores is totally It’s not just music. K-pop isn’t to pop has worth it, because it makes me complete without all of these other sleep. A still from ‘Blooming Day’ by K-pop subgroup EXO-CBX PHOTO CREDITS: SM ENTERTAINMENT gotten so big happy. The Shadows of Survival Gopinath’s memoirs out MANEESH T everything that goes behind the art. across religions, he adds. For instance, “We teach people storytelling, puppet he has come up with a Bible-based play soon When the frenzied beats emanating making and its manipulation,” says Rahul called “Yesukoothu” that tells the story V Ramnarayan, a well-known cricket writer, is writing the biography of from the Chenda and Ezhupara (percus - Pulavar, the younger son of Ramachandra of Jesus Christ. During an Israel tour, sion instruments) merges with the verses and 13th in the generation of puppeteers Ramachandra came up with the idea of the only living member of India’s first-ever Test victory from ‘Kamba Ramayana’, it is time for the in the family. Rajeev Pulavar, the eldest the play—he wanted to transcend reli - shadow characters to appear on the Koot - son, adds that the teaching of storytelling gious barriers. The immensely popular NIHIT SACHDEVA here, in 1987 with a handful of students in trouble. “They waste their time in the humadam. They steadily emerge on a comes first, followed by technique lessons play has been presented in over 200 sta - and Ramnarayan’s son was one of her forest and find nothing to shoot. white screen in the theatre, the aura of 21 and, finally, puppet making. This ensures ges, says Rahul, adding, “Many churches As Vinoo Mankad’s slow left-arm first students. Ramnarayan had also [While] Coming back, the car breaks lamps lit in oiled coconut-halves behind that the puppet and the artist have a con - here invite us to perform it.” spin deceived the last English batsman, played cricket with Arvind Gopinath, down, and they don’t know how to get them. Shadows of leather puppets repre - nection of their souls when he finally Malcolm Hilton, in the air and wicket- Kamini’s brother. back,” he says. Thankfully, Gopinath’s One of the other beauties of this artform senting Rama, Ravana and Sita, among ot - makes it. The puppets, which were made keeper Prabin Sen duly whipped the But after all these years, how did brother-in-law, who was with them, so - hers, fall on this screen. The puppeteers of deerskin (thol means skin) originally, is that even the name ‘Pulavar’—the title bails off on the Ramnarayan mehow found a mechanic, and they manipulate the puppets across while Tamil and now of bull or goatskin, are also sold a puppeteer holds— is not associated sunny afternoon of get the op - dropped the Kiwis back at four or five verses linger in the background. They in - at the Kalakendram .The skin, which is with any particular caste. However, in an February 10, 1952, portunity to in the morning. Gopinath, who was bat - troduce the characters in the story. Howe - bought from the market, is dried under the interview with Sahapedia, Ramachandra here at the Chepauk be the writer ting overnight, reached the ground at ver, no one seems to be listening to them. sun for four days, after which the hair is points out that his family of Pulavars Stadium, Vijay Ha - of Gopi - nine-thirty in the morning and scored In front of the stage, there is an absolute removed. The puppets are then designed once used to hire people from lower cas - zare’s men became nath’s bio - 175*. “He said I don’t know what came emptiness— not a spectator in the vicinity. on them using age-old chisels. Then tes like ‘Karuvan’ and ‘Aasari’ to make heroes. India’s first- graphy? over me [as] I did everything right,” This is a usual sight in ‘Tholpava - comes the painting part, where they use the puppets; they would not touch the ever test victory “The chance says Ramnarayan while mentioning koothu’—- Kerala’s temple art of shadow natural colours of green, yellow, red, animal skin. This tradition was later dis - was sealed after 20 to write this there are many such lovely stories in the puppetry, a continuing tradition in the white and black. Traditionally, however, continued, he adds. years of becoming book happe - book. Bhadrakali temples (mother goddess as the puppets were left unpainted. Rahul ad - a test nation and ned by the Gopinath’s entry into cricket happe - the deity) of Palakkad, Thrissur and Ma - mits that the colours “Pulavar means that playing eleven rarest of rare ned by chance. lappuram districts. don’t come scholar. Anyone can etched its name in coinciden - While at Madras Christian College, Recently, the art garnered a lot of atten - into play become a Pulavar if Indian cricket’s his - ces,” he he used to play multiple sports, but his tion due to one of its proponents. Rama - du - they learn the whole of tory in golden let - says, trying friend, captain of the college’s cricket chandra Pulavar (60), a pioneer of it, was ring puppetry,” says Rahul. ters. to remember team, insisted that he came for some bestowed with Padma Shri, the nation’s “Give us stages” Sixty-nine years the entire in - trials. Gopinath went and was made the fourth-highest civilian honour, to revive In 1986, Friedrich later, Coimbatarao - C.D Gopinath in his playing days. cident. wicket-keeper since the team had none. the art from its status as a mere ritual, Seltmann, a German Doraikannu Gopi - One day, They also made him the opening bats - sans spectators. While popularising the researcher, in his book nath, aged 91 years, is the only Ramnarayan got a phone call from Col man. “He was a natural. Nobody in the art outside its confines of a Koothuma - ‘Schattenspiel in Ke - surviving member of that famous side. Shankar, one of his friends, who had family had played cricket. His square- dam in temples and above its only pur - rala’ had noted the wi - Local star Gopinath’s contribution in asked about Gopinath’s Chennai ad - cut was his favourite shot,” says Ram - pose as a religious custom, the match, which India won by an in - dress. However, he had lost contact narayan, who has authored two cricket despread decline of Ramachandra Pulavar believed in a nings and eight eightruns against their with the Gopinaths but his sister-in-law books - Mosquitos and Other Jolly Ro - particular dictum: “The dharma of art shadow puppetry in India. colonial masters, was a quickfire 35 was a friend of Kamini’s daughter, who vers: The Story of Tamil Nadu Cric - is to communicate. Artists communi - He wrote that the art might runs batting at number eight and taking was running the school. From there, ket(2002) and his autobiography, ‘Third cate with their audiences through their have to make concessions to two catches. But not many know much Ramnarayan reconnected with the Go - Man: Recollections From A Life In performances. Apart from that, it is the prevailing influence of the about his life and whyhe played only pinath family. At that time, Gopinath Cricket’ (2015). also in the dharma of an artist to intro - cinema. However, he added that eight tests for the country despite the ta - was in town to stay with Kamini. duce art to the people.” These are the in Kerala, there was a chance lent and ability. Two days later, the family called words from his book ‘Tholpava - that shadow puppetry might Well, till now. Ramnarayan and informed him koothu’, which looks at the history survive in something like its V Ramnarayan, 73, an ace cricket that they had liked an article writ - and aesthetics of the art. Ramachan - traditional form. What he pre - writer, is penning down Gopinath’s me - ten by him in Madras Musings dra, along with his father, late Kris - dicted has partly come true. moirs which might be released in May for Gopinath’s 90th birthday and hnan Kutty Pulavar, tried out different ‘Tholpavakoothu’ has survived this year. “He [Gopinath] should have wanted him to write his memoirs. things to make the art much popular. in its traditional form in tem - been a fixture in the Indian team [as] he “I went and met them and One of the first things they did was to was such a good player,” says Ramna - really got to know him,” says ples in Kerala. About 80 Bha - give the art a contemporary relevance rayan at his home in central Chennai. Ramnarayan when asked about by telling stories from outside the drakali temples in the three Ramnarayan is a former cricketer his experience of interacting with ‘Kamba Ramayana’. From narrating districts still invite the Pula - himself, who bowled off-spin for the the legend. He tells how Gopi - the life of Mahatma Gandhi through the shadow performances but says that vars during the January-May season to Hyderabad Ranji side of the 1970s and nath’s father, a bank officer, used the puppets, as what they called the this transition has happened for a rea - perform at their permanent theatres— came very close to being included in the to take young Gopinath with him V Ramnarayan “Gandhikoothu”, to using the art for son.“This way, the puppets have got an in - the Koothumadam. However, the ques - national squad for the 1977-78 tour of while going out on inspections. HIV and Covid awareness campaigns dividuality. It helps in their sales too.” tion here is whether the art would have Australia. Those car rides made Gopinath a nature Ramnarayan’s last meeting with the and election campaigns, Ramachandra A Revolutionary art really survived in people’s minds with At that time, he got to see Gopinath lover. They also went to the jungle a lot, Gopinaths was a very emotional affair. has taken the thought forward from When asked about how ‘Tholpava - such spectator-less performances if not as he was Chairman of the national se - and Gopinath also took an interest in Now, just imagine a 73-year-old tou - where his father left. koothu’ was different from Kerala’s po - for Pulavars like Ramachandra taking it lection committee but he also knew him hunting. ching a 91-year-old’s feet. This is exac - A connection of souls pular arts like Kathakali, Ramachandra to the outside? The answer is clear when in many other ways. Ramnarayan narrates how once Go - tly what happened. “I touched their feet. After his father’s death in 2000, Ra - says: “This is a revolutionary art and not Ramachandra says: “The only thing that “His father was my father’s boss in pinath, captaining the South Zone team I have never done that to any cricketer the Indian Overseas Bank,” says Ram - against the touring New Zealand side, in my life. Somehow it came from my machandra turned the puppet centre at a hegemonical one.” Even as a temple I ask anyone who comes here to learn the narayan. Kamini Sundaram, Gopinath’s took three or four Kiwi players out for heart. We became so attached. I had his house into a centre for puppetry stu - art, being performed outside the temple art is to give us stages. Give us stages dies. Here, anyone is welcome to learn daughter, had started Abacus Montes - hunting to some nearby forest after the tears in my eyes, and they had tears in premises makes it accessible to people wherever you are.” sori School, a now well-known school end of day’s play in Bengaluru and got their eyes,” he says. Page 5 - Nihit and Nitika_Layout 1 10-03-2021 11:53 Page 1

CHENNAI March 05, 2021 THE WORD ARTS & CULTURE 5 Robot-duo band ends with a bang….literally their mind, but not their faces,” says Nithya Chidam, a working profes - sional in the construction industry. Though classified as EDM (Elec - R tronic Dance Music), Daft Punk A M

was making songs way before U K

EDM even existed as a movement, K N

says Anurag. The early ‘90s saw the A Y birth of French electronic music, A M

:

‘French Touch.’ Like David Guetta, T I

M83, Justice and Air and before D E

them Jean-Michel Jarre, Daft Punk R C

jumped on the electronic music O T

bandwagon. O H

From being the front runners of P this movement, they would go on to “set a cultural milestone,” with A glimpse of Madhubani Art. music that, unlike other EDM ar - tists, had a “sense of romance and human warmth.” They reinvented electronic Madhubani art: India's the Tamil film industry. music, bringing funk music into it, Talk about a cool origin story. says Anurag. The cohesive way in The duo, more than anything, which they combined the two made wanted their work to be all about them ever-relevant all the time. forgotten heritage the music. “Their songs create this sense of In stark contrast to say Miley a retro sci-fi future in my head, and MAYANK KUMAR vernment support do not help. Despite multiple government an - Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball or Robin I am a huge fan of that kind of vibe. There is a genuine danger that the nouncements and claims, most ar - Thicke’s Blurred Lines, the two It feels like you’re in this open-air Godawari Dutta lost her father art, which shaped 94-year-old Dut - tists are struggling. And the next mostly occupied the back of the discotheque floating in interstellar at the age of 8. By nine, instead of ta's life and career, may disappear. generation seems loath to continue stage, away from the limelight. Be it space. They convey a sense of past going to school, she was married. Until 1934, Madhubani was just this legacy. Mishra agrees,"The nodding their heads in the back - and future at the same time,” says Five years later, she was deserted a folk art in the villages. During a irony is that most of the artists ground with Pharrell Williams and a Razzaq. by the same husband who robbed major earthquake that year, a Bri - have to struggle in their entire life Top: A still from Daft Punk’s Get Lucky . disco ball taking the spotlight inGet Luke describes their favourite her of her childhood. tish officer, William Archer, a pas - to get recognition and earn a hand - Bottom: A still from the eight minute long retirement Lucky or walking around the streets song,Touch,as “some mysterious The tragedy, however, furthered sionate artist himself, spotted the some amount to sustain or help video, Epilogue. (Source: YouTube) of a city at night dressed in a dog experience or knowledge that is just her resolve to survive. She turned paintings on the broken walls lying their family," costume in their first song, Da out of reach and cannot be obtained to the ancient art she had learnt in the debris. He said that the pain - While the situation in India con - Historian.’ Luke runs a Twitter Funk, or their helmet-clad white or known. It almost gives you a from her mother- Madhubani/Mit - tings were at par with Picasso's tinues to be grim, there is some MEENATCHI PRABHU page, Daft Punk Fandom. costumes at the Grammys, they child-like wonder about the world. hila art.In 1957, she started making works and wrote an article in a Bri - respite. The art form found an Social media was flooded with tried hard to hide their identities Touch is the sort of song that can - Madhubani paintings, going on to tish art magazine. oasis in Japan when the country On February 22, the Parisian posts and comments mourning the bhind their music. not be placed in a box. It’s futuristic found the Mithila HastashilpKala - "After independence, the art got dedicated the whole museum to its band Daft Punk released a video ti - band’s retirement. Even a French When the millennium set in, they and old-school at the same time. I karAudyogkiSahyog Samiti, a immense recognition mostly be - preservation in 2008. tled Epilogue on their Facebook government organisation tweeted, had switched from masks to metal - cry every time I listen to it.” cooperative to support the growth cause foreign artists and art centres The 'Mithila Museum', situated page. In the clip, the band’s musi - “Thank you for being such amazing lic helmets, signalling the dawn of The band puts a lot of thought, and development of artists. Over affiliated with many reputed fo - in Tokamachi hills, now houses cians, Thomas Bangalter and Guy- ambassadors for France! #Daft - the digital era, redefining and hi - effort, and money into making their the next 61 years, she trained more reign universities started resear - more than 25,000 Madhubani Manuel de Homem-Christo are PunkForever.” ding their identity, says Anurag songs sound the way they do. “They than 50,000 women, striving to ching the origins and different paintings; the government of Japan walking in a desert, wearing their The band’s longtime publicist Tagat, a music journalist who wri - used a lot of their own money to make them self-dependent. In forms of this art," said Sumit Jha, has even added it to their school iconic robot helmets. It ends with Kathryn Frazier calls them “crea - tes for Rolling Stones India. source obscure synthesisers and ins - 2019, the government of India an art historian who teaches at the curriculum. "What could be a bet - one of the two pushing the other’s tors, thinkers and feelers of the hig - Daft Punk’s anti-celebrity stand truments to compose Random Ac - gave her Padma Shri- India's University of Delhi. He added, ter soft-power for India than this self-destruct button and then wal - hest order” and that “there is and paradoxically made them more fa - cess Memories which turned out to fourth-highest award-- for her con - "One of the greatest ironies of art? Japan, Canada and the United king away while the first blows up. will never be a group like Daft mous. But, they got their point be a very expensive production, but tribution toMadhubani art. India is that the foreigners had to States have asked India to provide In a perhaps befitting way, the Punk.” across.“I think it’s fantastic that then the sounds they achieved were The story of Dutta, now aged educate us about the greatness of artists to teach in their schools video, titled Epilogue, was their But, what made “the most in - they don’t seek to be celebrities be - unforgettable,” says Razzaq. 94, is one of many such ladies who our art." about this art," said Bhupendra Na - way of saying their 28-year musical fluential pop musicians of the 21st cause often-times… Everyone who And true to Razzaq’s words, fans are successful by showcasing the During the Covid pandemic, rayan, a journalist based in Patna, journey had come to an end. century” so influential? Why did talks about meeting Daft Punk al - of the band, though depressed, hold colourful geometrical patterns of skilled artists in Bihar began ma - who covers the Madhubani/Mithila Berty Ashley, a molecular gene - their music matter so much to so ways says that they are just normal on to the unforgettable music they Madhubani or Mithila art, which king face masks with Madhubani art. ticist, thought the video was a tea - many across the world? guys, and you’d never even know found solace in. magnetically attracts art lovers paintings designs. This move gar - As per reports, Japan has asked ser to a new album. Given that the Daft Punk first started getting at - that they were two of the most in - “They’re immortal. It does not from small streets in Bihar to the nered them attention worldwide, India to send a contingent of artists duo’s previous album, Random Ac - tention for their 1997 album, Ho - fluential artists in the world,” says matter that they’re not together,” Paris art festival. with Prime Minister Narendra who can engrave Madhubani pain - cess Memories, was released more mework. Their album, Random Luke Perez.Their obscurity and says Nithya, as she nostalgically The traditional and ancient art Modi praising the artists for their tings on Japanese trains. than eight years ago, he was excited Access Memories, won the album enigmatic nature were deliberate. sings the lyrics to one of their songs, form, which ispractised in the Mit - innovation. It has been estimated "The real challenge is this-can for what his favourite band had in of the year award in the 2014 Gram - Their honesty and “certain aesthe - Something between us. hila region of Bihar, depicts people that more than five million Mithila India brand it like European art?" store next. However, as he watched mys— the first time that an electro - tic” made them even more popular “Maybe they said all that they association with nature and scenes masks were sold online during the said Rakesh Kumar, a noted social the videofurther, he was moved to nic band was winning the title. among fans who perhaps saw so - wanted to say, and that’s why and deities from the ancient epics. pandemic. scientist, pointing out that India tears. In 1997, the duo, along with a mething genuine— a rarity in an in - they’re not going to make any more Despite the beauty and legacy of However, all is not rosy in this needs to have a policy for this, lest Millions of fans like Ashley all friend, released their music under dustry flooded with publicity stunts, music,” says Anurag. the art form, however, the people art world. "I have been cheated by the art vanishes. He added,"The over the world share the same emo - the name Darlin’ but after a review glam and fame. Perhaps the video Epilogue is a - behind it- mostly women- continue internationally reputed online web - prime minister gives Madhu - tion. “After a week, my followers called their songs “Daft Punky “Their mysterious persona was symbolic way to say that one of to struggle to sustain it. Badly-or - sites which take away my masks at bani/Mithila painting to foreign are still in the depression stage of Trash,” they were amused and made not really mysterious because music them wasn’t interested any longer ganised marketing systems, insuf - a much lower price," said Remant dignitaries all the time, from sym - mourning,” says Luke Perez, who that their identity, says Razzaq Sa - is such a thing; it speaks out your and wanted to walk away, and the ficient earning, the plethora of Kumar Mishra, who runs a Mithila bolism he needs to move towards goes by the name ‘The Daft Punk heel, a filmmaker/screenwriter in mind and soul. I liked that I knew other one agreed. middlemen and inadequate go - art training institute in Madhubani. substance". Health & Fitness Fitness now serves you at “I love the way I am now”- Surbhi Food became her coping mecha - giving into popular and transient herself. It also changed her rela - your home nism-- every time she felt insecure, health trends. She credits all this to tionship with her family: it used to sultation has opened and expan - Moreover, online training has de - she ate. “As a 21-year-old young learning about Ayurveda. It not be a contentious one, she said. J NITIKA GANDHI ded business opportunities, she mocratised the space, empowe - A woman weighing 96 Kgs, I was only impacted her physical health “I was greedy, and I always wan - W

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Lakshmi, adding that it allowed American College of Sports Me - riously in a male-dominated P wore kajal and styled her hair so “The one thing that shocked me the said. “However, once their purpose her to work out at her own com - dicine (ACSM) identified online fitness centre when she first joi - well that it made them think she most was that she left smoking in is fulfilled, they go back to the evils fort level in the convenience of training as the new top trend in ned the space in 2015. Healthy eating is the key to had five boyfriends. “I was the one day.” Surbhi’s sudden change they had left behind,” said Bhard - her home. fitness for 2021. ACSM Past Pre - However, the long-term effect good health black sheep. I remember being bul - of routine and her weight-loss jour - waj, adding that introspection is the The Covid epidemic and the sident Walter R. Thompson, PhD, of the same is still highly debata - lied by teachers just because I ney has inspired a lot of people on key She firmly believes that she has extended lockdown lead to a FACSM, ACSM-CEP, the lead ble. On one side, the engagement JUHI SEERNANI didn’t tolerate them moral policing the internet. She manages every changed for the better. “I would growth in digital fitness world - author of the survey, points out seems to have increased—people me,” explains the 21-year-old law particle of food that she eats and re - never go to the way I used to live. I wide. While fitness clubs across that since the pandemic caused seem to be less intimidated with In January 2020, Surbhi Bhard - student and social media influencer. ligiously practices yoga. love the way I am now, and I wish the world were forced to pull fitness facilities to close down, working out online than in a gym. waj’s life changed drastically. She Then she began overhauling her “We are what we eat. I am so pis - to inspire everyone to take care of down their gates, they made sure trainers needed to engage clients However, sticking to it seems to got diagnosed with lupus; an auto - life. She began listening to her sed at myself for not knowing their body and soul,” that their services reached people at a distance resulting in the use be a challenge. immune disorder where the pa - body and eating consciously, con - about Ayurveda before and volun - within the safety of their homes. of very strategic delivery sys - When training programs are tient’s immune system attacks its centrating on how the food made tarily degrading my body and bla - Surbhi’s typical diet in winter The health and fitness community tems. “As we deal with the lasting rolled out without customisation, body tissues. The condition was her feel. This simple step made her ming my college, my teachers and 6:00 am-Drinking warm water had to go through a makeover effects of the pandemic, new sys - dropout rates increase, says Rajni triggered by a herpes infection, understand what’s good for her my parents for my own short-co - after waking up which included restructuring their tems like online and virtual trai - Gandhi, a Delhi-based yoga trai - which led to meningitis, which furt - body,she said. “Losing weight, mings,” Surbhi said on the Zoom 10:00 am- breaks her fast with ste - mode of service. Surbhi Gandhi, ning are critical to ensure the ner. her led to optic nerve atrophy. Her which was once a nightmare, be - call, her glowing skin and sparkling wed apple or 6 almonds and figs a Delhi-based certified nutritio - continued physical and mental Also, there is an increased risk illness made her almost lose her came a cakewalk for me. I lost eyes very apparent. 10:30 am- first major meal: Dal, nist and fitness coach who has well-being of people around the of injury. As Lakshmi points out, eyesight, she says and forced her to about 35 kgs in 6-7 months, starting And it wasn’t just about her be - Sabji, roti, different grains and been an active participant in the world,” he says in a December one is continuously watched and spend a month in the ICU. This was my journey from 96.5kg to 61 kgs, haviour but her personality. Millets. wellness industry for about six 2020 piece published on the asso - corrected when one works out in when she realized how much her without starving myself, without NishthaKansal, a school friend 3:00 pm- A fruit or homemade la - years, believes it is a good thing. ciation’s website. a gym. “But in digital training body had deteriorated. calorie counting, without becoming of Surbhi who has known her for doos “Fitness has transformed its re - Gandhi agrees. Fitness, she despite paying equal, nobody is The illness was her wakeup call. a health fanatic and eating delicious fourteen years, remembered her as 6:00 pm- Dinner (usually a full gime and made itself more acces - says, has always been a vital part there to guide you about the She had already gained 30 kgs in food.” a rebel. “To see her so calm and meal like lunch) sible,” she says. Monica Garg, a of our life—whether it is people same; it's nearly impossible to two years before she got infected She also gained a lot. She gained content astonishes me,” said Kan - She also practices abhyangam, oil Haryana based nutritionist and walking miles to fetch water or keep a check on a group of about with lupus, going through a lot of back the power and ability to sal, adding that it made her happy pulling, nasya followed by yoga, dietician, must agree. Online con - those who walk on a treadmill. 20 via a screen,” she says. insecurity because of the gain. choose what is best for her without that her friend was taking care of pranayama and meditation