UN condemns collapse of truce between Israel, Palestinians

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the collapse of a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, asking Israel and

the Palestinians factions to reach an immediate understanding on a durable truce.

A statement issued by Ban's spokesman said he is "gravely disappointed" by the return to hostilities by both sides and condemns "in the strongest terms" the breach of the Egyptian brokered humanitarian ceasefire which was to expire at midnight local time.

The Secretary-General reminds both sides of their responsibility not to let the situation escalate.

(Courtessy:Deccan Herald dt. 20 Aug 2014)

 
    A Thousand Splendid Sunsns


A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-born American novelist .After graduating from college, he worked as a doctor in California. He has published three novels, most notably his 2003 debut The Kite Runner, all of which are at least partially set in Afghanistan and feature an Afghan as the protagonist. Following the success of The Kite Runner, he decided to stop practicing medicine and became a full-time writer.
A Thousand Splendid Suns, was published in 2007, and is also set in Afghanistan. The story addresses many of the same issues as Hosseini's first, but takes a more feminine perspective. It follows the story of two women, Mariam and Laila, whose lives become entwined. The story is set during Afghanistan's tumultuous thirty-year transition from Soviet occupation to Taliban control and post-Taliban rebuilding. 

EBOLA

 With over 1,700 people suspected to have been infected so far, nations across the globe are  witnessing the spread of the serious disease Ebola

 Since its outbreak in Guinea last December, the Ebola virus has spread to adjoining West African countries — Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

The disease referred to as  Ebola hemorrhagic fever  is caused by Ebola virus. 

Fruit bats and monkeys are believed to be the original carriers of the virus; however, the carriers are supposedly unaffected by the organism. The virus spreads through the blood or body fluids of the carrier. It can also spread to any human who comes into contact with the blood or body fluids of the infected person.

 One can contract the virus by just wearing the clothes worn by an infected person.

But Ebola is not a wholly unknown quantity; it was first identified in Sudan as early as 1976. In 2007, there was a minor outbreak of Ebola in Congo and Uganda.

Its symptoms are quite similar to that of other flu— fatigue, fever, headaches, joint, muscle and abdominal pain. From the time one contracts the virus, it may take eight to 10 days on an average for the symptoms to become apparent. Until such time, though the infected person may not show symptoms, he still carries a very high risk of transmitting it to others.

At present there is neither a drug to cure Ebola nor vaccines to prevent contraction of the disease. Antibiotics to treat the symptoms have been the only life-line for infected patients till date. Patients are also being administered anti-coagulants to avert blood-clotting and given adequate fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration.

PM

Independence Day Announcements

  Prime Minister Narendra  Modi on Tuesday invited suggestions on the new institution that would replace Planning Commission through a special “Open Forum” that has been created by the government.

“Inviting you to share your ideas on what shape the new institution to replace the Planning Commission can take. A special Open Forum has been created on my government for suggestions on the new Institution.

Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech announced that the 64-year-old Planning Commission would be replaced by a new institution.

BEAUTIFUL
TALAKAVERI

Talacauvery, from where the Kaveri River originates in the Brahmagiri hills, is considered among the most sacred places in Karnataka. It is at a height of around 1276 m above sea level. This is a sacred pilgrim center. This place is marked by a tirtha kundike or Brahma kundike (small spring/pond) from where the river emerges as a small perennial spring, but flows underground again to emerge a short distance away. 








A small water tank has been constructed at the point of origin. There is also a temple build at the spot where regular puja rituals are done. The temple is dedicated to Lord Agastheeswara, who is considered to be the link between great Sage Agasthya and river Cauvery. 

An important day here at Talacauvery is the first day of Tula month according to Hindu calendar. The day is called Tulasankramana. Thousands of devotees come to Talacauvery on this day to witness the rise of fountainhead sprouting water at a specific time. It is considered auspicious by devotees to take a dip in the holy waters. 
The day is celebrated on various places along the banks of river Cauvery where devotees take a holy dip in River Cauvery. 

Delhi

Delhi: A Novel (published 1990) is a historical novel 

The book moves backwards and forwards in time through the history of Delhi. It has as its backdrop the story of a journalist fallen on bad times (possibly an autobiographical figure) and his relationship with a hijra (eunuch) named Bhagmati.

This vast, erotic, irreverent magnum opus on the city of Delhi starts with the narrator, suggestively Khushwant Singh himself, just returning from England after ‘having his fill of whoring in foreign lands’, a bawdy, aging reprobate who loves the city of Delhi, as much as he loves the ugly but energetic hermaphrodite whore Bhagmati, whom he literally picks up from a deserted road on a hot Delhi summer noon. Having no place to go after completing her jail sentence in the dreaded Tihar Jail (probably for selling sex), she begs to be taken under his wing. The kind sardar obliges, and thus begins a wonderful relationship of ups and downs in the narrator’s life. Bhagmati, neither male nor female but possessive of great exotic sex appeal, vitalizes his life amidst the majestic remains of Delhi in its heyday, and even saves the narrator's life from the mad mobs of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Displaying his trademark gift of literal humour and a professional historian’s control over narration, the writer takes turn, chapter by chapter, on the history of the great city and his own sexual exploits and misadventures with vilaity mems and lonely army wives whom he is supposed to ‘show Delhi’, other eccentric journalists, editors and bureaucrats, a half-mad Sikh ex-army driver, a fanatic gurudwara bhaiji, among many other colourful characters. All the while the narrator travels through times Delhi has seen, telling us in a most interesting manner, as the first person, all that Delhi has been to Nadir Shah,Taimur and Aurangzeb etc. who plundered and destroyed her, and to Meer Taqi Meer and Bahadur Shah Zafar whom Delhidestroyed; he looks through the eyes of semi-historical characters like Musaddi Lal Kayasth, a Hindu convert working under the hostile Ghiyas ud din Balban in the fourteenth century—the dawn of the Mughal Empire, right up to Nihal Singh, a Sikhmercenary who settles his historical score with the Mughals 

Khushwant Singh (February 2, 1915 – March 20, 2014) was an Indian novelist, lawyer, politician and journalist. An Indo-Anglian writer, Singh was best known for his trenchant secularism,^[1] his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit. He served as the editor of several literary and news magazines, as well as two newspapers, through the 1970s and 1980s. He was the recipient of Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India.

SBI launches six digital banking branches

The State Bank of India on Tuesday launched six digital branches across the country as part of its programme to offer next generation banking solutions to the growing mobile phone and internet savvy customer base.

These branches, named sbiINTOUCH, will facilitate services such as instant account opening with personalised debit cards, instant loan approval for car and home, remote expert advisors available via video links, along with interactive walls and table displays.

Besides Delhi, where sbiINTOUCH branch was inaugurated by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the other such branches are located in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmedabad.

BUDGET EXPECTATIONS

A big win for Narendra Modi has raised the outlook for a faster economic recovery led by a revival in the investment cycle. India’s economic growth was below the 5 per cent mark at 4.7 per cent in 2013-14, against 4.5 per cent in 2013.

Although the road to revival is not without its set of challenges, the Gujarat experience inspires confidence. Acceleration in much awaited project approvals, potential tax and administrative reforms and a focus on infrastructure and manufacturing should accelerate a recovery. The current government will focus on reforms and ‘development’, unlike the ‘inclusion’ agenda pursued by the previous government.

Budget expectations

The Budget will strive to balance the pursuit of growth and inflation control.

We may see cuts in fuel and fertiliser subsidies in the Budget to curb both the fiscal and current account deficits.

The RBI has been pro-active, considering the funding requirements of the new government. It has cut the statutory liquidity ratio of the banks.

The Budget is expected to focus on converting farming into a profitable venture from a mundane activity conducted by a vast majority for subsistence, is anticipated. This will also be complimented by meeting the aspirations of a new ‘rurban’ (rural+urban) population

( Business Line  dt. 4 July 2014 )

GREAT ARTISANS OF MALABAR

Kunhimangalam


is one of the biggest gunmetal works centers in Kerela. Sculptures from this place in gun metal, Odu and “Panchaloham” are very famous. The craftsmen of this village are famous in the world market for their handicrafts made of brass metal. The ‘Panchaloha’ idols, traditional lamps and other handiworks are exported to various destinations all over India and the world.


 “Lakshmi Vilakku”, famous traditional beautiful piece of art, with goddess Lakshmi is portrayed as sitting in the full bloomed lotus and being bordered by two female elephants.
 It is believed that these lamps bring harmony and prosperity to the houses.
 Many renowned artisans were working in this field. 
These craftsmen are known as “Moosaris” in olden days. 















This art is switched from generation to generation who considered this job as consecrated rather than as a mere profession or business
 Since the plastic and ceramic models pierced in the market, the demand for these crafts reduced which steered these communities to unwaged state.
 Even a society was formed to uplift this community but the same has already been closed down now

RAGHAVAN MASTER

K. Raghavan Master 
 (2 December 1913 – 19 October 2013)





 Along with G. Devarajan, Dakshinamoorthy and Baburaj, Raghavan Master was often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music.
 He was the pioneer in contributing Malyalam film songs with its own tunes ans tyles. Till then, Malyalam film songs were in the tunes of popular Hindi and Tamil film songs and old classical kritis.
 K. Raghavan Master gave a new direction and identity to Malayalam film music
. As he searched for the right tune for the lyrics, little did K. Raghavan realise that he was about to compose history. 

He had composed around 400 songs in Malayalam Cinema and was active in Malayalam film industry for nearly four decades

Kannur Arakkal Palace

ARAKKAL PALACE Kerala historically has been ruled by princely states and it was quite natural to have palaces associated with these rulers in different parts of Kerala. Be it north, central or south Kerala, palaces can still be seen as testimony to one ruler or the other. But these rulers had one thing in common. They were all followers of the Hindu religious faith, except for one ruling family - the Arakkal royal family from north Kerala; the only Muslim royal family of Kerala. And the palace by that name was the residence of the Arakkal Ali Rajas.      Travellers visiting the northern regions of Kerala should not miss a visit to this magnificent palace, which is located at Ayikkara close to the town of Kannur in Kannur district. Nearby the Arakkal palace is another famous landmark - the St.Angelo Fort; a laterite fort built by the Portuguese Viceroy, Don Francisco De Almeida in 1505. The Arakkal Palace currently managed by the Arakkal Family Trust is nearly 200 years old. It was later renovated and converted into a museum in 2005 at the initiative of the department of Archaeology and Kerala Tourism

A collection of  Good Poems written by Jayan Neeleswaram 

Ageless Body, Timeless Mind’ by Dr Deepak Chopra

Science cannot predict the duration of a human life. Genetics, too, fails, because a centenarian may not have a centenarian parent. So the question is, what makes a person live for so long? The answer lies in simple physical processes that Dr Deepak Chopra prescribes in his “most optimistic book” 'Ageless Body, Timeless Mind 

JAIN TEMPLE AT MANJESWAR

The Chathurmukha basti

Chandra Gupta Maurya (321-297 B.C.) and the Jain saint Bhadrabahu, according to Jain traditions. These men came to Sravanabelgola in Mysore. Later more Jain missionaries came to Tamil Nadu and converted many Cheras to their religion. Prince Ilango Adigal, the author of Shilappadikaram, is believed to be a Jain. The Jains came to Kerala with the rest of the Chera immigrants starting in the sixth century. The only evidence of their presence in Kerala is the  fact that some Hindu temples of today were originally Jain temples.

The Chathurmukha basti here is an old Jain temple. The advent of Aryan religions like Jainism, Buddhism,and Hinduism from the north changed the Dravidian way of life that existed in ancient Kerala. Jainism was the first to come. The Koodalmanikyam temple in Irinjalakuda, Thrissur district, is believed to have been originally a Jain temple. Jainism started declining in Kerala around the eighth century A.D. and nearly disappeared around the 16th century A.D. Jain shrines still survive in Wayanad, Kasaragod, Alappuzha and Kochi. The Chathurmukha Basti is unique because there are four idols of Vardhamana Mahaveera facing four directions. Hence the name chathurmukha (four faces) and basti (temple).

Now only a few Jain families are remaining in this area. Due to this, looking at this temple you can see that the small community is struggling very much to take care and maintain this temple. The old Canara known as Thulunadu was an important centre of Jain believers.

Still today there are Jains in the areas of Bankara and Manjeswaram. When Chandra Gupta Mourya who adopted Jain religion visited South India here also the Jain religion became powerful 

.The main deities are Vardhamana Mahaveera and Padmavathi. There are other deities like Aadeswara Swami, Chandranatha Swami, Santheswara Swami, Vardhamana Swami and Parsvanatha Swami. The festival of this temple is during Navaratri


Manjeswaram was the headquarters of a Jain kingdom called Bengara-Manjeswar towards the northern frontier of present Kerala for atleast 500 years from 12th century onwards (Pathmakumar 43).  According to scholars involved in Jain studies more than 800 families where here and the debris of a destroyed fort is still found in the region.  The relics of an ancient stone temple near the river mouth of Manjeswar close to the Arabian  sea is also a clear evidence of the Jain antiquity of the place.  Manjeswaram still has two Jain temples or Jaina Basatis on the southern shore of river Manjeswar still called Bengara after the Jain kingdom.  There are also a few surviving Jain families here near Hosangadi to the west of NH 17 around the Parswanatha Basati.

There is a Chathurmukha Basati housing four idols of Jain gurus Adinatha, Santinatha, Chandranatha and Mahavira facing to the four directions.  This ancient structure belongs to 12th century according to experts (Pathmakumar 42) It is situated on a small idyllic hillock  and is a green and calm retreat for the culturally inclined visitor.  The Sramana sages loved peace and tranquility of nature.  There are also sacred trees like flowering  Asoka underneath which Naga or serpent idols are worshiped by the ancient Jains. I found plenty of birds, butterflies and even a peacock there in Jan 2011.

The second temple is the Parswanatha  Basati named after another saint  or Thirthankara of Jainism.  This temple renovated several times in its long history is identified as belonging to 14th century.  It has idols of Parswanatha, Pathmavathy Devi, Khusmandini Devi and Saraswati as well.  In many places in Karnataka and north Kerala Mallinatha Basatis are converted to Mallikarjuna Hindu temples. A Jain family is also attached to this temple.  I met the family who are fourth generation Jain priests called Indrans of the temple and they informed me that most of the community had migrated to Karnataka because of various social pressures and extreme marginalization and exclusion under hegemony.

ഒരു സംഗീര്‍ത്തനം പോലെ 

The novel Oru Sankeerthanam Pole was first published in 1993 and was released in its 37th edition on 1 November 2008 after setting publishing records in 2005.  It is a story based on the life of famous Russian writer    Fyoder Dostyevsky   and his wife Anna. This highly successful novel has sold over 100,000 copies in about 12 years. This is a record in  Malayalam literature.

പെരുമ്പടവത്തിന്റെ മാസ്‌റ്റര്‍പീസ് നോവല്‍. ഒരു ലക്ഷത്തിലേറെ കോപ്പികള്‍ വിറ്റഴിഞ്ഞ ഈ നോവലിന്റെ ഇരുപത്തിയൊമ്പതാം പതിപ്പാണിത്. വയലാര്‍ അവാര്‍ഡ് അടക്കം എട്ട് അവാര്‍ഡുകള്‍ ഈ നോവല്‍ നേടി.
മറ്റൊരു രാജ്യത്ത് മറ്റൊരു കാലത്ത് ജീവിച്ചിരുന്ന ഒരെഴുത്തുകാരന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലെ ഒരു ചെറിയ ഘട്ടം ചിത്രീകരിക്കുന്ന ഈ നോവലിനെ മലയാളികള്‍ ആവേശത്തോടെ വരവേറ്റു. ദസ്‌തയേവ്‌സ്‌കിയുടെ ആത്മസംഘര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ അവരുടെ നൊമ്പരമായി. മാന്ത്രികഭംഗിയുള്ള ആഖ്യാനകലയും ആത്‌മസംഘര്‍ഷം നിറഞ്ഞ ഇതിവൃത്തവും ഒത്തുചേര്‍ന്ന നോവല്‍.