My spouse did his B.Sc at Shillong and later took the “by three” course at IIT Madras. I don’t think this was due to any academic drawback as he topped the European School Certificate when he finished school in Bangalore, and topped the University in his B.Sc. This may sound irrelevant bragging…but wait…it’s relevant…

The music season has begun in Chennai…the politics are so dirty that it is nowcommon knowledge to everyone…should I just not bother about it, and just attend the concerts as a total outsider? Would this be aiding and abetting the bad situation?

Inspired by the LJ of on her name, on the occasion of Bangalore's being re-named as Bengaluru...

Can anyone tell me the origin of the habit north Indian classical singers have, of touching their ears when referring to their gurus?

The Hanuman temple near our home is celebrating Hanumath Jayanti..the roads around the temple are full of little stalls that have mushroomed overnight. I wandered around this afternoon in the misty drizzle and enjoyed myself hugely. Miniature stainless steel utensils; tiny cups, agarbathi holders and crude statuettes of men and gods in cheap ceramic;artificial flowers and plants in varieties never seen before on earth;plastic hand pumps with fluorescent green bodies and handles of bright pink;keychains,glass,metal and lac bangles galore; a hundred different varieties of plastic household goods;cheap jewellery, cheap toys, cheap fried snacks and even cheaper, but healthy, puffed rice;gadgets for making “modaks” and “somasi”, with the shopkeepers kneading flour for the demos….I bought my neighbours’ children some bright,shiny, colourful wrapping-paper windmills. I just loved the festive atmosphere and went back in the evening to look at the decoration of the temple itself. With lights and crowds milling around, I felt that truly, the temple was the social focus of the area….I had a wonderful time today.