Opinion

Winner takes all

Coming out of the shadows

Delicate balance

Precious unity

Early bird

Footnote

Strongly rooted

• Sir - The article, "This great stage of grace" (Aug 7), portrays the humi... | Read»

Show some respect

• Sir - The government has, at long last, taken the right decision by clear... | Read»

Tragedy strikes

• Sir - Two incidents in the state brought out the callous and inhuman natu... | Read»

Safe passage

• Sir - The Supreme Court order to close down 27 resorts that have been ope... | Read»

The name's Marten, Pine Marten. Martes martes of gotra. Yes, just that: gotra. Did you by any chance think only you folks had it? And what do you folks have over us, anyhow? Not much, I would think. And what you do have over us is not much use, rotten stuff, destructive stuff, bigoted stuff, the stuff of aggression and animosity that often resides and erupts from your viscera and sets one or more of you upon others of your own kind. Not stuff we much care for. Look, we too have a life, we too survive, we too get about. But not the way you lot get about. We get about a lot, as a matter of fact. Ever taken a walk in Cumbria? Or Shropshire? No? Anywhere else in those Isles? No? England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, this side of the fence and that? No? Ah well. Been to the Himalayan foothills? Garhwal? Kumaon? Ummm... let me think. The Nilgiris? Ever been out in nature, in a forest, conifer or hardwood?

This isn't a garden, but a modest arrangement with some soil contained in pots - earthen, plastic, ceramic, wooden, broken, big, flat, small, slender - from which stem the most industrious beings. The rain may fall and fall incessantly, but all that sogginess has only goaded the lust for life and action. For these potted plants, photosynthesis is but incidental.

One of the last links with the lost kingdom of Sikkim and, more specifically, with its last king, Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, ended with Karma Topden's cremation recently. Karma's political and emotional involvement with the Chogyal went far beyond any ordinary bond between monarch and loyal subject. Although the Chogyal was long dead and Karma himself moved many years ago out of Gangtok's enclosed world into national politics and international diplomacy, Sikkim remained his ultimate reality.

Improving the hygiene of street food production may not be as difficult as bringing those who adulterate foodstuff to justice

In terms of medium and subject matter, of ideas, images and inspiration, it's an itinerant catholicity that marks Galerie 88's focus on 28 young artists. Perspecta, in its 18th year, and on till August 18, also confirms that tradition holds its ground in contemporary art even though brash pretenders usurp quite a bit of space.

A litany of guests on stage, acknowledgements and mutual admiration almost ruined the fabulous mood of a packed audience waiting to listen to two popular Rabindrasangeet singers. In spite of this, it is to the credit of Sraboni Sen and Imon Chakraborty that they pulled off a near-perfect recital with elan. Picasso presented the two singers at Rabindra Sadan recently.

As the hand-held brass bell tinkled for the third time on the evening of July 15, the small weekend audience at Janus, the newly-opened performance space at the Park Circus seven-point crossing, was bracing for an intimate encounter with The Zoo Story. Described as 'the longest running English play on the Calcutta stage', this Theatrician production, directed by Tanushree Das, turned out to be a riveting experience. Given the group's penchant for the Theatre of the Absurd, the bill was pretty straight. It was the space that brought about the difference.

Cruel love

• Sir - Indians have a new obsession: buying exotic dog breeds as pets. Dog... | Read»

Unsafe transaction

• Sir - It is shocking that many ATMs across the country are left unguarded... | Read»

Wrong picture

• Sir - An advertisement of a jewellery company featuring Amitabh Bachchan ... | Read»

Parting shot

• Sir - In a recent case regarding a ban on a Malayalam novel, Meesha , the... | Read»