Freedom of Speech and expression was renewed

Freedom of Speech and expression was renewed

War played a major role for her to migrate to India from Srilanka. My freedom of speech andexpression was renewed in India. “There, curfew was always on and girls could not hangout at nights “says Jeevarshiny, a student from University of Madras. In August 2010 ,she came from Srilanka to pursue her master’s degree in journalism. It was her first experience of staying away from her parents.According to her, Tamil pronunciation was little contrast when comparing to Srilankan-Tamil. Being a tamilian she quickly adapted to the Tamil culture in Chennai.


Having interest in journalism this B.A.Economic graduate , opted Indian education system that provides varied course for students. She claims to be delighted that her department is taking special care for the foreign students to prevent the linguistic barrier. Having active participation in folk events conducted by Muttram,the theatre art performance which was lead by G.Ravindran, the department head. She observes that both the countries share common ethnicity and lifestyle.  “The calm nature of the university atmosphere doesn't make us feel like going back home, even after the college timings”says Jeevarshiny when asked about the university.

The cost of living in Chennai is much cheaper and things can be bought at an affordable price.”The things that disappoint me is the untidy places,the hot temperature and the less spicy foods”,adds the 25 year old. Rahman is her favourite composer and she admires Tamil actor Vijay , never missing  to watch any of his films.


“During my first year, I have visited my native once and I often keep visiting my friend house inUthandy which I consider to be my second home”.rejoice Jeevarshiny. When talking about theextracurricular activity she sings the prayer song (Tamil Thai Vazhthu) for every seminars andspends leisure time playing keyboard.She excitedly says that her favourite singers are Chitra andS.P.Balasubramanium .Being a music addict she reveals her desire to learn carnatic music. She loves to visit temples and recalls her recent visit to Tenkasi as her most memorable trip.


She badly misses her family who are put-up in Jaffna yet she has to fulfil her dream of becoming a news reader. Staying in hostel, she spends her leisure time in reading novels,playing in beach and watching movies with friends. She mentions her favorite places are Kerala, Hyderabad and expresses desire to visit Delhi once before she could move to Canada. There, she has to take up a job with her brother, who is employed in a Tamil Television channel.


_S.Lingaraja

A student celebrates Diamond jubilee

 “A student celebrates Diamond jubilee”

     As people retire from jobs they look for taking time off to relax and chill outs somewhere possibly in luxurious resort, it’s different for T.D.Krishnamachari, a 75year old scholar, perusing a regular M.A. Programme in journalism at the university of madras. The rigid rules of the university did not at first allow him to taken-in for the reason that he had not written the entrance test, he had to wait for a year and then true to the saying that is no age for education .He got in after complying with all the requirement.”He is systematic and punctual” adds G.Ravindran, The Head of the Department of Journalism.

                  As a second son to Desikachari and Lakshmi;He was born in Chennai on October 11 ,1935.His grandfather Mahamahopadhyaya  srinivasachari  great Sanskrit Scholar .He was the Head of the Department in Sanskrit at St.joseph college, Trichy. At his instance; Krishamachari born with seven others was given an adoption to Nathamuni, who has no issues. Following that he came to live in a village called Jiyapuram 7 miles from trichy. Because of limited facilities, he had to go everyday to trichy for his schooling and college education. He graduated with a degree M.A. in Mathematics from St.Joseph College. A.P.J.Abdul kalaam,the former President of india and Sujatha ,The Writer were his classmets at the Intermediate level;they branched off to study Bsc,.Physics  adds Mr.Chari, then joined The University of Madras to do his Msc course in Modern Mathematics with statistics as a special subject.

                          He started his career as an inspector in the statistical department at the Government of Tamilnadu on a monthly salary of Rs.200, 1st of his posting was in Karur. While being there he got married .His wife Saroja was musically talented; he has two daughters and a son through the marriage; at present his son is a leading Head and Neck   Surgeon running an advanced specialty hospital in Chicago (USA), his two daughters qualified themselves as engineer and settled in the United States. Then the ambitious Chari moved  to kerala to head the Statistical Quality Control (SQC) department of Travancore Rayons, a pioneer in the manufacturing of Rayon yarn and Cellophine films; while being there, he was exposed to a number of management programs; these qualified him to be taken in as a Fellow in the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmadabad, there he had the rare opportunity of  working with Dr.Vikram Sarabhai, the greatest Scientists, The institute was then, at its formative years and a two years MBA programme was just introduced, “I handled the first  batch of MBA students” recalls Krishnamachari with pride.

                                       In 1965; he returns to madras to manage an engineering position in Lucas-Tvs; the leaders in auto electrical. With an academic and on-the-job experience of decision making, he was called upon to take over the manufacturing unit; a subsidiary of Lucas-tvs. He retired as an advisor from the company after working for 33years.Then after, The West India Power Equipments (WIPE), makers of wiper systems for all new generation cars appointed him as a director of the company to take care of the car manufactures in the south state of India.

                        Krishnamachari was a social activist; he worked for the cause of the deaf; setting aside a considerable part of his time. He was principally responsible for obtaining exemption from second language for the hearing impaired students. His continues struggle helped to get this benefit extended to the various stages of education .One of his greatest achievements is to get the government give effect to the 1988 statue providing 1% reservation for the hearing impaired in the engineering college admission facilitated nearly 3000 students in the whole of tamilnadu gain entry for B.E. in 2009.His concern for the deaf could be visualized from the fact that ;he functioned as the president of PTA of Bala Vidhyala  school for young deaf; In fact he was instrumental  in getting A.P.J.Abdul Kalaam to preside over 40^th Annual day of the above deaf school. KrishnamaChari now working on a documentary titled “Inga” to highlight the need for early identification, intervention and mainstreaming to realize near normalcy.

                              His latent desire to pursue studies in different disciplines drove him to take up a M.A.programme in Sanskrit at The University Of Karnataka; There after he joined University of Madras and Completed M.A.Degree in Vaishnavism .Not being content with the masters degree he had; he applied for PhD,. in Sanskrit at the age of 72 he got his doctorate. Even after that his interest in studies did not diminish and he was there once again in the university campus to do a Masters program in Journalism and communication. BBC was the only radio which was giving updates   in news during the Second World War, Krishnamachari had a radio in his house and that was the only radio in the village. At the news time the village people gathered in his house to know  the day today developments ;His constant listening to the news initiated in him a desire to read the news himself; the desire was fulfilled when he become a news reader in Dhoordharshan in the initial years.

                              His life would have been taken in different direction, had he been taken-in The Air Arm of Navy; following his successful completion in various tests at the Air head quarters; but to his ill luck, he was declared color blind. His desire to join the defense forces led him once to coorg, in Karnataka with his family to call on Field Marshall.Cariappa, The First General of the post independence Army. His wife and children were thrilled at the experience they had in meeting the retired Army officer.

                              In the words of Robert Frost; Krishnamachari says he has promises to keep miles to go before he sleeps; his untiring zest to identify his personality keeps driving him to expand his knowledge base. He hopes to get at the truth someday.

_Lingaraja

Social is future

Social is future

Development of India is also determined by the social activist, spending time for the sake of young and poor students. When the first generation steps college from school, it’s pretty hard for them to estimate the current scopes and opportunity in various studies .Rajkumar, a social activist, post graduate student from the University of Madras helped many students to join college by supporting through student federation of India (SFI), a nongovernmental organization with 2crores members.

Younger generation spends free time in restaurant, pup and disco which interpret their lifestyle, the only difference is by knowing the in-depth of India, Rajkumar one among them who helped his nearby locality people to get voters identity card, Ration cards and in school admissions. The social activist who addresses’ Social is the future’ by expressing his thought in bike.“I introduce poor children to the people who have Influences and financially wealthy, they will pay fees and fix their problems“. ‘Vesai’ a cultural program at district level were organized twice a year followed by brainstorming, puzzle game, free books issues.

In 2004, I was pursuing eleventh grade in Government high school at Nungambakkam which was closed due to lack of strength and teachers, School announced that the rest of the students to be mingle with the another school, This incident was the heart breaking and directed me to join SFI adds 21 year old Rajkumar.

He was in remand, protesting for common educational system in July 2009.SFI members were organizing free seminar and camp to reform the students, providing a better knowledge about the subjects, ‘Ennapadikkalam’ a free guideline which briefs the current courses available in The University and exposes their scopes in future.”Students problems were analyzed in the camp and will be fixed soon, we also were focusing on developing English and computer skills” states Rajkumar.

_S.Lingaraja

World Top rated Spa launched at Le waterina

“World Top rated Spa launched at Le waterina “

World’s top most Eminence organics launched Spa in Le hotel Waterina in kottivakkam beach, Chennai. The facial products was stalled in the terrace of the hotel which grabbed the audience attention as the Ananta’s symbol was decorated with red roses and jasmine fragranced the whole party, organized by Eminence Ajanta spa which also holds pride of Chennai’s first exclusive organic spa, the spa chief granted that the stock will be refilled once in 3 months since it is free from preservatives; the 45 min facial various price from 1000 to 3500. Eminence organics originates from Hungary was endorsed by Hollywood celebrities like Sarah jessica parkar, Jennifer aniston.

The Spa chief Dr.jyoti explained the crowd about the other spa’s which has a relation of inorganic things like non minerals and chemical products relating to allergy ,side effects and skin disease .The  organic’s  which  provides nourishments to the skin because of the fertile plants extract from Hungary ;she also assured that they will start facial by testing the skin condition and the organic facial has its  own ability to repair the skin , the thermal spring water of Hungary as its own features  which remains refreshers for  the skin and the red ,Black chilly facial ‘Heprica’ were hot at initiatives then it has a tendency to remove the blankets within an hour . It’s compulsory for everybody to undergo facial once in a month adds Dr.jyoti.

 Green carpet  Fashion  show was choreographed by Karun Raman a Indo-Paris citizen who holds better position in world Fashion designers list  exhibited a beach theme costume for both men and women who underwent spa’s facial before an hour .Theme  suits  the  summer with a sizzling sun glasses  ;The branded high heels  with rings on the foot ,white topped  green flower embroidery  impression and Men were costumed with elegant trousers holding facial products with attractive dark colored designed shirt  in a light background, he used a  designed  flat slippers  which portray a  light sporty look to the models which impressed everyone  and fits the theme. Bruna Abdullah a model who appeared with a facial product in a dark velvet black elegant gown looked like a black swan; applauded by the audience for her chubby look and big smile.

Facials de-toxins, hydrates and anti-oxidizes  the skin and we also provide chocolates, salleds and strawberry fruits corresponding to their flavored facial which has many things to do physiologically; States Ms.Aprita das; one of the staff at Ananta spa. Vj paloma who anchored the show looked hot in the evening asked the crowd about their facial preferences which were available in this spa; Mrs.Sowmya the participant answered that she like the Bamboo facial and it is a persuading game ending up with a positive impact.

Spa chief closed the show by announcing that the Organic Spa will remain opened everyday at evening 6 with all kinds of facials with a delicious flavored fruits. Crowd enjoyed the show and White wine was served with a buffet system after the closure.

_S.Lingaraja 

A Corporation school teacher

“A Corporation school teacher”

A 78 year old Mr.Gupendran; a former elementary school teacher served the students for about 38years in Chennai. A 78 year old man belong to soo kuppan in senji, Tamilnadu is a son of a farmer and now residing in Aparav thottam near metha nagar,he started his higher studies in Chennai  by staying in his aunt’s home and later moved out after marriage. He finished his ESSLC in dindugal and completed his teacher training in egmore -thazhamuthu natarasan mazhligai; it was a teacher training campus in 1952.He is a follower of Buddhism and stopped being non vegetarian by his 27th age.

The teacher almost transferred to 5 schools at various parts of Chennai. The best subject he can handle is Tamil and he says a poem “Thanakku uvamai illadhan thal serndharkku allal manakkavalai maatral aridhu” from ‘Thirukural’ to give an example for culture and discipline, as we all know it’s from the worlds book of knowledge. He is a strong supporter of Dravidian party and never missed a single speech addressed by former C.N.Annadurai and Periyar E.V.Ramasamy.”I cultivated interest in atheism when I personally felt most of the spiritual Hindu tales are fictions and in that thirukkural is an exception “he adds.
 

He learns more than the teacher through television and imitates those things practically and he fails to understand the shown scenes are crafted by a director. His unconscious mind accepts the scene as real. The angriness towards teacher is practically executed by the child; the great example is a St. Mary's school incident at parry’s, adds the teacher. 

 
Mr.Gupendran has two sons and a daughter, one son is working in mnc, other works in a company, where as his daughter is a homemaker. We must create awareness among children about supersites believes, discipline, fake stories on ghosts.”Our educational system is designed for exams and test not practical and field work based education” says the former teacher. He is strongly determined and his true dedication in teaching made him to take tuition to the poor school going kids for free of cost but with lots of discipline and culture.
 

“It is colorful and lots of fireworks when we got freed from British monopoly and at that time I was in 6^th grade “says Mr.Gupendran. He differs from other elementary teachers as he starts classes half an hour ahead of the school timings and teaches 1 to 16^th multiplication table in mathematics, on those days 16 anas is equal to one rupee. He thought important messages of Thirukkural, Basic English grammars, reading and writing in English and he will not pressurize children’s rather than these portions since it’s mandatory for every child’s life.

_lingaraja

Outdoor games are dying

Outdoor games are dying

Huge kids were waiting on the road with their fancy gear cycles and many cartoon characters image is printed on their t-shirt .The street members witnessed that all the kids will meet daily after the school. The kid’s starts gathering from 4 in the evening, the moment after the school bell and stays even till 10pm in the Play stations. The game stations were mushroomed near the P.M.R. Higher Secondary school, Mogappair east Chennai and targets the children from the age group of 10-15.

Kids playing in Streets are reducing day by day because of the avid development and promotions to video games, the technological growth in play station and computer games makes kids too lazy to go out and play. “I am shocked to see school going kids in the play station instead of school as I visit this street nearly 10 times a day” reports an auto driver from the Mogappair. Equal percent of male and female children’s have access to video games or have their own play station in home. The children’s not only disturbed psychologically they also can develop childhood obesity and other health issues. “Outdoor games can develop their physic and makes them strong but many of the addicted children’s spend 10 hours per week in prefer play station”, I allow my son saravanan  to play video game only on Sundays says Mrs.Meena kumaravel a mother who is waiting in the playstation to pick her son.

Huge video game making company’s relay on the same set of strategies designed to obtain a particular tasks it can be anything like assaulting, hurting, blasting bomb and shooting. It is widely reported that the violent behavior of the children will lead to create immense of angriness and negative thoughts in them. A psychologist  from Canada named  Albert bandura experimented media violence in children and came out with a Bobo doll theory and found to have more adverse violence and anger reported in that experiment.”I adore Manhunt because when compare to other game I am well and good to assault the antagonists “says krishna dutt a 12 year old boy from mogappair.

Studies show that 97 Percent of Children Play Video Games and only 70 percent have a gamer pc at home. It’s impossible to explain the effect of video games to children, they simply dislike it. “A character from the video game is imitated in the school, and many kids are stealing things as they steal cars in grand auto theft “says the tuition master Mr.Hadwin from Anna nagar.

These shops were illegal to be run without the government certificate and the shop has to run under certain limitations. ESRB rating has to be followed when allowing the children’s. ESRB rating is the certificate according to the age limits of the children; it is designed to restrict the porn and horror content for the young children’s. The play station promotes the blood horror fighting games which may spoil the minds of the children.

_Lingaraja

Professor's Snake rescue

Professor's Snake rescue

A passion and fascination has not stopped Mr.Murugavel, from rescuing snake in urban cities. He works as a professor in Venkateshwara College, Chennai .Though his profession his teaching he use to rescue snakes from cities in and around Chennai whenever he gets a call from friends of friends. Beyond interest, I do this as a social service and I am also a part of Irula cooperative society. A nature lover started his journey by catching a whip serpent in hand, near Perambur railway quarters, while heading towards home from school.

“We have 157 species of snakes all over India, a spectacle cobra can be highly dangerous but it’s rarely present in cities “says Mr.murugavel. I read allot about snakes and its adaptation towards nature so I can clearly disagree with the myth of snake building a clay bush since it only has an ability to hide under big Cichlid stones and rat burrows, Snakes do not swallow broken eggs and rarely step into houses as they are mainly depend upon rats, he adds.

English professor, A nature lover has allot of books about nature, animals, whales  and a wooden sculptures of vulture hunting snake and a crocodile in his show cases.

“Banjara snake music is foolish as we all know snakes has no ears and the snake dancer is cheating us for decades “says the professor .The non venomous snakes are harmless as the whip snakes will not bite the eyes of the humans, the superstitious belief about serpents without knowing the profile of each species makes the common man to believe all myths. Many will not know how to handle the snake in hand and some tensions and disturbance will surely turn the snake to angry. Thus, it bites. There are Two types of toxin produced by venomous snakes which is highly dangerous cobra which attacks the central nervous system by producing neurotoxic and slow poison is the Russell Viper’s hemotoxic as it mixes with our hemoglobin and reduces the immune power and our total blood corrupts ,adds Mr.Murugavel.

The English professor joined the hands with Irula cooperative society, a Chennai based group who does social service .He started moving out to track snakes and to demonstrate the public by create awareness about snakes which is organized by IRULA cooperative society. In Irula’s helping to produce antivenin, the co-op also provides a valuable social service. More than 30,000 people die due to snakebites in India each year. There is a huge demand for venom, which is used to produce antivenin, the only known cure for the effects of snake venom.

The English professor spends his leisure time in snake parks. Recently encountered a rat snake rescue at adayar .A few weeks ago, a friend of mine referred me to that person in one morning, I reached there and rescued the snake which is hidden below the stone near car parking and now, its set freed in Nanmangalam reserved forest. He is free to help people all the time except when he is engaged himself in lectures. The professor is ready to rescue snakes in and around Chennai for free of cost and he is doing this as a social service.

_Lingaraja Sivanaiah

Vazhakku Enn 18/9

Vazhakku Enn 18/9

Vazhakku Enn 18/9 is a Tamil neorealist film which brings the various newspaper cuttings into two hour document .The film is written and directed by Balaji Sakthivel. All cast are new to the screen and a gratifying film to depict the current situation of the society.
Balaji Sakthivel’s approach to direct cinema is a multiple approach with mixed social ideology and the portrayal of anti social elements in India. According to Andre Bazin( French film critic), Vazhaku en 18/9 is a Neo realistic Tamil  film which broke the Hollywood style of film making within the set of Mise-en-scene carrying an introduction ,plot, treatment and climax. Very few Tamil film director like Mahendran and Bharathiraaja who experienced the pure cinema. This film does not have song sequences for the antagonist. According to the Marshall McLuhan (a Canadian philosopher) the dress code, vehicle and the characters properties convey the Materialism which also denotes the characters economical background. Pure cinema, a representation of reality through the main stream medium dealt with various perspectives of human conflict and social inequality.
Vazhaku en 18/9 opens with a semiotic shot as it creates an ideology that someone is striving for life and then comes the alleged Protagonist version which initiates a narrative style. Velu, the Main character’s childhood life at village, a Neo Marxist approach exposes the economical state of the family. Adopting the reality to cinema to portray the exorbitant interest, the recent illegal activities practiced throughout India and its overdosed impact in Andra pradesh is bought to notice.
Velu works as a bonded child Labor in a Northern part of India exhibits the real incidents reported by newspaper articles .Then comes the death of their parents, sand mining labor job  sacrificed many poor working class people in India due to inadequate safety measures. Unnoticed working class people death and least financial compensation is a never ending tale in India according the annual death reports.
Velu comes to Chennai and suffers financially without proper job. A prostitute, socially criticized woman according to the Ideological state apparatus helps Velu to find jobs in a roadside idly shop. According to Laura Mulvey’s (British feminist film theorist) theory, the male dominated society exhibits an anti feministic way of approach to the prostitute .Later; she is negotiated by the same society with an ideology of society.
Arthi’s version in the film introduces to voyeurism, a financially wealthier school student Dinesh approaches Arthi with the male gaze. He uses materials like mobile phone to view the girl without the girl’s knowledge. Technology is misused for an illegal purpose and these types of cases were reported by many newspapers after the evolution of mobile camera. Victim came to know about the recorded videos of her in Dinesh’s mobile phone. As soon she tries to avoid him, the boy hit her with acid by plotting a scene. Unexpectedly .The acid hits the housekeeper Jothi.
Repressive state apparatus, Police used their influence and twisted the case against Velu, a one sided lover of jothi. The Biased police closed the case by helping the culprit to escape. The police accepted the bribe from the culprit side for preparing the fake report which serves as a strong evidence against velu and he is sentenced to jail. This incident is also taken from the real life happenings reported by Tamil daily. Politician’s power and repressive Police attitudes bring social injustice, inequality to the economically poorer people.
The direct cinema which is shot in the real locations and original crowd were captured in the camera, Underground anti social drug business is portrayed during the scenes at slum. Cinematographer tried a different angle in two scenes .Firstly, When Velu comes to know about his parent’s death and secondly, When Rosy (a prostitute) receives money from Velu. Youth Culture and its periodic changes were drafted in this film and school going children’s views on multi cultured society is cinematographed. Youth’s Social freedom is misused and their extreme exposure towards the electronic gadgets is filmed. Due to the addiction of Interactive medium and lust for sex made them to violate all the rules and it spoils the moral values of society.


-Lingaraja