Reflections of Passions

[Women as a person or social agency of power is invariably deified before she is valued and the methodology of her worship literally iconises her. This tale remarks on the domestic hierarchy and the control of female's life by the male. This story is collected from the former South Arcot district (which is now divided into Villupuram and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu) The title of this story is Anandayi. Anandayi is a Goddess represented by a face made out of flour paste, on a coconut that is placed on a pot. She has no specific form or temple of her own. Offerings are made to her at midnight, following the worship of the family deity. Men do not worship Anandayi. Tales about Anandayi are often recounted in clusters.]  A husband and wife lived in a place called Vadapaakam. One day, the husband who had gone out came back to eat his meal. His wife was then in the brinjal garden. She hurried in when her husband called her. Her sari got caught in a thorny plant. She tried to unt

The temple town of Guruvayur in Thrissur district of Kerala is a storyteller’s delight. The town which is home to several popular legends smells of faith in every nook and corner and stands at an interesting crossroad where myths intersect with history. An integral part of temples in Kerala are its elephants. Elephants are loved, revered, groomed and accorded their importance in the colourful cultural life in Kerala, since most temples in the state rear their own elephants. Guruvayur has its own Aana Kottaram (an elephant palace) where 57 elephants are reared. Many of these elephants are often donated by devotees and the elephants are cared for by way of offerings received at the main Guruvayur temple. The concrete statue of Kesavan standing tall Among all the elephants in Kerala, the most popular is undoubtedly Guruvayur Kesavan. He is perhaps the most famous and celebrated elephants of Kerala. He was donated by the Valiya Raja of Nilambur when he was 10 in 1916 in fulf

I must confess that dry economic topics make me switch off from a conversation. Yet, with China recently devaluing its economy, I inferred that this was the right time to read a book on economics. While the title ‘Accelerating Out of the Recession’ did not really catch my interest, it was the subtitle: ‘How to Win in a Slow Growth Economy’ which made a significant difference. Anchored firmly with exceptional research and outstanding advice, this book explains the magnitude and enduring nature of changes which have taken place in the global economy. In a tone that provides both education and entertainment, the book is enhanced with engaging examples which are narrated in an appealing manner. Their research packages business and historical lessons from The Great Depression and how to apply them during the current Recession. It shows executives how to learn from the decisive actions taken by companies such as General Electric, IBM, P&G in order to accelerate out of past dow