A little wonder

  Triangular in shape, filled with a mixture of vegetables cooked in spicy gravy, this is a commonly eaten tea time snack and is popular among all age groups. It is a lovely snack for a cold day when you are not very hungry but wouldn’t mind indulging in a snack. Well, you guessed it right - it is the ‘SAMOSA’.

Mouthwatering samosas are the most sought after by all. There may be several stalls for samosas in the city, but delicious samosas that are being prepared by a stall in BDA complex, Banashankari 2^nd Stage will surely win over them. One can let their taste buds tingle and indulge in some hot and spicy samosas at a very reasonable price. It is served with chilly and sweet sauce.  Apart from samosas, the stall serves jilebi, kachori, jamoon and many other sweets. This place has been attracting customers from the past ten to fifteen years.

Samosas have been an all-time favorite snack since a long time, but it is only now that choices like corn-chat, momos and veg rolls have come in. The lane behind BDA complex has several street-food shops. It has shops that serve fresh juice, vada pav and pani puri. But the really busy ones are the samosa stalls.


Coming to the History of Samosa:

   It is believed that samosas originated from Central Asia before 10^th Century and made its way to India via the ancient trade routes. Samosa is a famous Indian snack that can probably be found anywhere in the world. This has been a popular snack in the Indian sub-continent for centuries. The Indian samosa is the most famous among a family of filled pastries and dumplings which were popular from North Africa to South China.

High on taste, high on calories and high on fat, yet we never cease to eat this yummy Samosa. Many a times, we consume a lot of dishes irrespective of how good or bad they are for our health. It is a snack that will tempt anybody and everybody.


Photo Credits - Aishwarya Jayasimha
Aishwarya Jayasimha
12COM6501

No hard feelings!

David Beckham may have been overlooked by Stuart Pearce when it came to making the Team GB squad for the London 2012 Olympics, but the footballer certainly isn't letting the snub get to him.

The 37-year-old LA Galaxy superstar showed that he had no hard feelings about being left out of the team as he passionately supported his country by attending their second group game against UAE as they cruised to a 3-1 win.

David was accompanied by his 13-year-old son Brooklyn and Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge as he was treated like royalty and was given pride of place in the stands.

Even though Beckham was omitted from the final squad for the 2012 Olympics, the British fans still showed him support, with many of them seen wearing Beckham masks in the crowd.

Beckham had a particular interest in the match as his long term friend and former Manchester United teammate Ryan Giggs was playing second fiddle to team mate Craig Bellamy in the floating role, was captaining the team. And the Manchester United midfielder Giggs repaid the star by scoring the opening goal in the 3-1 win for Team GB, with both David and Prince William standing up to applaud.

In doing so, Ryan Giggs became the oldest man to score in the Olympics to cap off a victorious evening for Great Britain and indeed on a personal level for Giggs, one of the most illustrious and glittering careers of all time.

Vaibhav Ramachnadran

12COM6527

Time and time again

Jeremy Irons in his husky baritone once said “We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams.” So on your way if the journey isn’t smooth then take it round the dial and sing tic toc.

A watch has lost its need but still stays on one's hand as a symbol of prosperity. At this time, change may be inevitable; watches have changed over years inside out to do the same. If we think it over again, a watch deprives us of time when we need it the most and reminds us of the time we lost. They are expensive and costly to produce, require maintenance and adjustment, prone to failure when you need it the most.  Yet you would carry it around like you can stop time whenever you needed to.

The present generation has stopped looking down at their hand, instead reaching into their pockets for other gadgets that have a default feature of showing time. The loss of interest was realised, as the world was changing so did the watchmakers. They thought, innovated, and then brought back the classics and gave it perfection to go with the look which was irresistible. Watchmakers always knew the value of time and therefore designed an outer case for time called “watch” which would compliment time. Everyone who’s worn a watch knows the feeling, a surge of having time in their hand to use.

And to all those who think watches aren’t expensive anymore, I kindly request you to try on a Blancpain 1735, Grande Complication which is still ninth on the list of the most expensive at 4, 40, 00,000 with its case made of platinum, the strap made of crocodile skin and the engine parts made of seven hundred and forty pieces of handmade parts and components, being one of the most complex wristwatches ever made in the world as stated by its makers. And this is not for display but sale and worn by the elite.

So one believes the watchmakers have established themselves as the keepers of time and ensuring the world that time will always remain watched.       

Photo Credits - Google Images

Amarjith Solomon Arakkal

12COM6502

Supply versus Trading

Trading basically involves a process of buying or manufacturing products at one side and then selling it to the market. Supplies as well mean to distribute the commodities for consumption of the purchasers or in outlets and firms for its further sale. When any individual starts new business, the concentration not only falls in that particular goods or service but also to other similar products which can boom the market if they may launch that and the contact with many process through phone calls, internet etc begins from here. “There are many relationships in this world of emotions but a true business man is a person who built the most powerful relation that is trade”

If a person holds a new job or entrepreneur, he/she feels so positive that this excitement many a times also leads to the formation of multiple ideas in their mind as human beings are meant to think all day and night. This is also one of reasons why big industrialists are earning big money. The similar way if a potato seller will concentrate on the sale and purchase of potato and all the trade information related to potato as a whole, he will definitely grow higher in his way plus lead to employ and uplift many.

Since shopkeepers usually go for branded and popular products which already have their c & f agencies and distributors or suppliers in the market. It has been observed that trading is really a challenging job when hundreds of different small and big companies have their existence in the market, place but again, it’s not the end, in fact it’s the start of new and innovative ideas in your mind which can do anything big and outstanding because “An enterprise at its first have no place to survive so it has to make its own place in existing market”. Now commoners may say that it’s an art or creative work which cannot be done by everybody but in reality, each and every individual can perform in this stage by doing lots of physical work which will always keep on increasing your mental power of learning and making yourself knowledge day by day.

Usually quality, service and purchase by the trader or supplier has been given first preference in any business in this whole world. A true business man can always say that “we sale faith to our customer but not any product or service”, it means if at all any entrepreneur is earning without giving quality and service to his/her customer, then they cannot survive in the market for long run.

In India most of the people want to make more and more profit in business, no matter what the quality has to be given? Examples can be seen in the present scenario of Indian market which is adulteration of food like there are different pulses and spices and daily food items like aata, ghee, dals etc. many artificial methods of spreading pesticides to manure as well as on fruits to ripe fast for early sale and making profit. Synthetic milk manufacturing with non edible and harmful chemicals gives rise to countless diseases. It affects everybody, including the poor kids. Mid day meals are not only satisfying their hunger but they are taking life of thousands of innocent because lizards are more than enough in their food to finish them. You have to sell your trust blended with good behaviour and optimistic attitude. At the same time structure of quality should be made not only for the birth of bad money but also to earn healthy flow of wealth for you and your society.   


Vikram Kapoor    
12COM6529                                

Pestilence of Information

[ Laugh Out Loud ]
The Title Would Have Startled You This Way
Anyways Its Just About There Then No-Where;

We Are All Pest-ed With Information These Days
Spreading Across Both Negatively And Positively;

Claiming Many A Precious Facts With Frictions
Evoking Many A Eye-Brow Raising;

Its So Enriching And Promising Thou;
Cause The Truth Isn't Truth Anymore.

Someone Imprints These Information;
And Its Bottled Across Many A Seas.

Deeper And Deeper It Sinks Into The Bottom
Dept-hing Itself Too Immoral Ground

Grave They Say Carry Many A Secrets;
Madness I Say Cause Why Travel Till There.

When Information Is Pest-ing Around
With False Values; You Turn Around

Turn Around To Truth And All Its Insights
Funny Still Cause People Forget You In The Whole Context;

And They Go On And On About You Still;
Its Like Speaking About You Without You In It.

Crazzzy World We In Its A World
Where Pestilence Of Information Is Much More Then Truth

Truth Is Beheaded And A Fake Head Is Installed;
Bitter -- Truth Always Surfaces And Kicks The Fake.

So Wait For It ...

Photo Credits - Google

Joshua C D
12COM6510

Can Entrepreneurship Be India’s Biggest Employer?

India has one of the largest pools of educated, well qualified professionals – doctors, engineers, software, communication, teaching etc. Invariably, a large majority of us in the student community first think of employment in the corporate world – be it engineering, marketing, management or software. Only a miniscule minority think of entrepreneurship – having gone through the grind of long education, it is natural for most of us to dream of the first paycheck, the learning that the first job brings (of course, at the employer’s risk and investment!) and the visions and hallucinations of the air conditioned offices in the green, high rise landscapes that now define New Bangalore!

Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is a more difficult journey – no guaranteed 1^st paycheck after 1^st month, no swank office and no fancy gizmos, no excitement of a “fun workplace with interesting colleagues and an understanding, supportive boss”, no social life at the workplace with weekend parties, outings and so on.

Worse still, no money, no ‘support staff’ and no customer in sight too! It’s only ideas and plans – some in the head, some tucked away in presentations! An idea that will, one fine day, God willing, excite an investor!

Some of the great success stories are too well documented to be repeated here – but just to mention, Dhirubhai Ambani, NR Narayan Murthy & the team that founded Infosys, Mark Zuckerberg, etc.  But then, these are folktales that happen perhaps a few in a generation. That is not what this post is about.

If one were to pass through the residential areas of Bangalore, it is amazing to see the large number of home run businesses – catering outfits, digital marketers, coaching classes, recruiters, call centers, software start ups, advertising agencies, workshops, etc. Don’t ever be under the impression they are earning any less than what the equivalent software professional in the Big MNC is earning! And each of them employ anywhere from just a handful in their home offices to hundreds “loaned” on an “outsourcing basis” to the big companies!

They make mistakes and pay through their noses for it! They take risks and get rewarded hugely for it! The world thinks “they are their own bosses” but they are the only ones who see “the customer as their boss”.

But to each of them, the most satisfying aspect of their life is “they do what they enjoy doing, not what they are forced to do”. Sometimes it works, sometimes it hurts!!

That’s entrepreneurship for you – are you game for it?

And next time you see someone who thinks he / she is unemployed, just tell them “the job is perhaps already with you, just that you are not doing your job!!”

Manisha Raghunath

12COM6512

Female Infanticide

Female infanticide is the intentional killing of baby girls due to the preference for male babies and from the low   value associated with the birth of females. These practices arise in areas where cultural norms value male children over female children and also poverty.

According to a recent report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), up to 50 million girls and women are missing from India' s population as a result of systematic gender discrimination in India.There are less than 93 women for every 100 men in the population of India. The United Nations says an estimated 2,000 unborn girls are illegally aborted every day in India.The practice of female de-selection in India could be attributed to socioeconomic reasons. Studies in India have indicated three factors of female de-selection in India, which are economic utility, sociocultural utility, and religious functions.

• only a son will provide for the family.
• the family gets an economic reward through dowry payments.
• only sons are allowed to provide, based on Hindu tradition, which mandate that sons are mandatory in order to kindle the funeral pyre of their late parents and to assist in the soul salvation.

In India, villages do not have a proper access to drinking water and electricity but have one for ultrasound  tests.

why? why doesnt a girl have a right to live? These days we earn more than men and are more successful too. what are the feminists in this country doing? Just hold rallies and walk around the streets?

The final result is that we are forcing men to become gay.

Photo Credits - Google

Meghana Harikumar

12COM6514

Tripunithura: “The city of palaces and temples”

Tripunithura, the city of palaces and temples is located at the outskirts of Cochin City and forms an integral part of the Cochin metropolitan area. In local administration it is a municipality.

The place is located 10km south-east of Cochin city and has an area of about 18sq.km.it is easily accessible by bus. It is a major centre of both cultural and economic importance and forms a major link between Cochin City and other places like Kottayam, Muvattupuzha and Piravom.

Tripunithura is regarded as a very important place by the historians as it was the capital city of erstwhile rulers of Cochin. The city is one of the most prominent centers of traditional Kerala’s cultural heritage, as the rulers of Cochin were great patrons of art. This made the city establish and develop itself in the fields of fine arts and architecture. The city is a prominent centre of learning for classical arts like Carnatic music, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam along with the learning of instruments.

This place is famous for its cultural heritage which it still maintains along with its development in various fields. To know more about Kerala’s past, one should start from Tripunithura as it is from there that everything had started. The place is a small but has many things to see as it was the adobe of the Cochin royal family.

If at Tripunithura one should visit the hill palace museum, the Nadamal Jacobite Syrian church, Sree Poonathreshya temple, muthukulangara temple etc. especially during the month of August and September because it is the festive time of onam the harvest festival of 10 days and the festival starts from this place it elf and hence one should not miss that.

The people living there are mainly the decedents of the royal family but there are also people from other parts of the country who have come here long back and have settled down. As it is away from the city it is a calm and quiet place to stay and enjoy the serenity of nature. Thus best place to live during the retirement age of the people.

Anupama Unnikrishnan

12COM6503

LIVE INSPIRATION

“I am unjust, but I can strive for justice. My life’s unkind, but I can vote for kindness. I, the unloving, say life should be lovely. I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness,” said Vachel Lindsay

Every day we meet a lot of people. Some bring joy and some sorrow.

Today I met a rather unusual girl who filled my heart, mind and soul with happiness. She has travelled to Karwar as an NSS member, she is a national level runner, a Bharthanatyam dancer, lives on her own in Bangalore city, resides in a visually impaired hostel accompanied by her fellow friends, performs her chore work with great precision, loves reading, she is a techno savvy and enjoys net connectivity as any other youngsters of her age, her ambition is to lead women’s army.

Nandini, visually impaired from birth, nineteen year old girl, studying HEP’s in St Joseph’s College has gathered courage to make her life seem meaningful. She has lived in Bangalore for almost 7 years without her parents, as her parents live in a village. She says she loves studying and to pursue her studies she has to live away from her parents, although she misses them dearly.

She has her own laptop which is designed especially for blind people. She reads, writes, paints and also chats with her friends on Facebook. It’s a delight to watch her do her own work without much effort which sometimes make a well challenged person abash.

I was walking in the UG building, when Nandini hurl passed me in a staggering manner. She kept her bag on the chair, pulled out some money from her bag, climbed the five staircase  canteen building, returned with a south Indian thali, all this with  utter precision, without being  escorted nor a walking stick  in her hand. I was awestruck by her effortless struggle in doing her mundane chores.

Hesitatingly, I went up to her, introduced myself and told her, ”I noticed you are unable to see. So, I thought I should offer help. With a smile on her face, she replied,” I’m glad you noticed not many people perceive my blindness”.

Totally amused by her achievements, indecisively I asked another question, “Aren’t you afraid to live alone in this city with your blindness?” She laughed before saying, “Afraid! What should I be afraid of? People around me are frightened of me. I have nothing to be scared of.” 

This statement and her achievement is the most live inspiration I have ever seen. Nandini could clearly see, even without her eyes that her future is bright and life full of hope.

All I have to say is, “There is one life, make it meaningful.”

Preethi Ravi 

12COM6522

FAREWELL LOVED ONE

Farewell loved one, farewell to you

Moment to depart, moment of truth

I wish leaving hands and waving was easy

I wish your eyes would water, in this night so breezy.

We thought we could be together as one

But destiny knew which way to turn

Knowing nothing, doing all

Has brought this hour.. for us to fall

Be it life, call it end

Let the fate take its turn wherever it bends

The footsteps of your presence are now the silence of your absence.

Where did you go? Which way did you take?

All seems blur to me.

But with pray and hope and confidence

I am now no longer weak.

The above lines are dedicated to a young, soft spoken and smart soul. He dreamed just as others did. He was sensitive and emotional making others sorrow’s his own. He helped the ones who needed help and also the ones who made use of him.

He did glory to god. His service to mankind was great. In all his works he got pleasure, fulfilling all his duties he earned success.

Until one day he closed his eyes and never woke up again. Friends, teachers, parents and others did not know what went wrong. Some said his time had come to leave and become a flower of Eden... Some said god takes the loveliest and keeps the rest to dwell on earth. How fair is it I ask thou art today, for him to go who didn’t want to, If I don’t get an answer lord, I will wait till the day I meet him.

Paul Avijit Mondal

12COM6520

THE ISLAND OF PEARLS

Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. Bahrain is believed to be the site of the ancient land of the Dilmun civilization. In Arabic, Bahrain is the dual form of bahr ("sea"), so al-Bahrayn means "the Two Seas". Manama is the capital of Bahrain. Saudi Arabia lies to the west of Bahrain and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. Iran lies 200 km to the north of Bahrain, across the Gulf. The peninsula of Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar Bahrain Causeway will link Bahrain and Qatar and become the world's longest marine causeway. The population in 2010 stood at 1,234,571, including 666,172 non-nationals.

Bahrain is mainly known as the ‘Island of Pearls’ as pearl diving is one of the occupation of the people of Bahrain. Other than pearl diving, oil (Oil was discovered in Bahrain in 1932) and fish are the main attraction of Bahrain. The country's capital, Manama, is home to many large financial structures, including the Bahrain World Trade Center and the Bahrain Financial Harbor. The Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit. The island is home to forts including Qalat Al Bahrain which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Bahrain National Museum has artefacts from the country's history dating back to the island's first human inhabitants some 9000 years ago. Bird watching, scuba diving and horse riding are popular tourist activities in Bahrain.

An island so beautiful and serene has been torn apart by the Arab uprisings which started on 14 February 2011 in Bahrain. One of the main attractions in Bahrain was the Pearl Roundabout which was the biggest roundabout in Bahrain. But it was demolished as a result of the Arab uprisings.

In spite of all that, Bahrain is still a tourist-attraction island and the best time to visit Bahrain is between March and October. The best places to visit is the King Fahad Causeway, The tree of life, Grand prix, Al Areen wildlife sanctuary, Bahrain city centre, etc.

Shyamili James

12COM6525

Educational Brain Drain

Every year a high number of Indian students travel abroad to pursue higher education and it keeps increasing as each year passes by. In the year 2009, 146,000 students chose to study abroad and of them 76,000 chose US as a country of their choice followed by UK, Canada and Australia. What makes Indian students opt abroad for their higher education?

The study abroad decision is a complex thought process involving future job prospects, cost of education, scholarships, availability of local programs etc but that is not the only reason as to why Indian students pursue their higher studies abroad, leaving their families and familiar backgrounds behind, at such an expensive cost.

One of the main reason as to why Indian students decide to leave their country is because of the failed system of education in our nation. India has made progress in terms of primary education attendance rate and expanding literacy to approximately two thirds of the population. India’s improved education system is often cited alone of the main contributors to the economic rise of India. However India still faces stern challenges as the quality of education whether at primary or higher education is significantly poor as compared with major developing nations. According to a survey taken in 2008, India’s post-secondary institutions offer only enough seats for 7% of India’s college-age population, 25% of teaching positions nationwide are vacant, and 57% of college professors lack either a master’s or PhD degree. There are only few schools in the country that actually help students in their skill development and assist students in practical applications of the concepts they have studied. In the post-graduate level, students’ skill development is ignored mostly and they are spoon-fed and are made to follow the conventional methods of school teaching. Students abroad are given the opportunity to choose the subjects they want to enroll in and the flexible timings help them to earn a living through part time jobs. Even people from the working sector can join courses that will help them get promoted in their business hierarchy. Students studying abroad can fund their own education through part time jobs rather than being dependent on their parents.

Another reason is the technological advancement in colleges abroad. Except for a few colleges like IIMs and Symbiosis, most colleges lack technology and the infrastructure to give quality education to students. Students lose out on exposure that is gained while studying abroad. When asked on a survey conducted recently, 70% of the students replied they choose countries like US and UK because of the low standards, low exposure, spoon-feeding and lack of enthusiasm on the professor’s part. It is past time the Government decided to check on the improvement of these institutions and provide the best for the youth of India.

Neethu Elizabeth John

12COM6516

ALCOHOL CONSEQUENCES

Alcohol is a depressant, as it switches off part of the brain which controls our judgement. The immediate effect of alcohol is to alter mood. When drinking, most people become relaxed and happy. The more drinks consumed, the greater the effect - speech becomes slurred, vision blurred, balance is lost and movements are clumsy. Heavy drinking will depress all bodily functions - drinking in very large quantities can result in unconsciousness, coma or even death.

Drinking large quantities of alcohol over an extensive period of time has very negative health consequences. These include cirrhosis of liver, memory loss, impaired ability to learn, impaired liver function, liver cancer, high blood pressure, damage of the heart muscles, stomach ulcers, inflamed pancreas, muscle weakness and gained weight.

Alcohol affects people in different ways. Age, body weight and gender contribute to the effect that alcohol has on the body. The larger the body, the more blood, so more dilute the alcohol will become.

Social problems associated with alcohol are experienced by a wide cross section of the community. Many teenagers drink alcohol due to bear pressure and some start as young as 12-13. There are more risks involved when the child is this young- the body cannot process alcohol as efficiently.

One of the main problems people associate with alcohol is crime. The role of alcohol in crime is often measured by the amount of alcoholics in the prison. It is estimated that 22-43 percent of prisoners have or previously have had alcohol problems.

The alcohol industry brings many jobs to many areas of town and a good profit to every one involved. Alcohol if used in moderation can have many benefits to the body but if it is overused it has many health problems and leads to alcoholism.Advertising campaigns should be used , not only to stop people drunk driving , but also to stop the over use of alcohol. If the alcohol industry is going to continue in the area at the rate it is now, something should be done about this. This is the responsibility of the local police.

Photo Credits - Google

Nimitha Baby

12COM6518

The winds of change

When a 31 year old filmmaker from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, made a film about wayward youth called 'Paanch' way back in 2003, he probably had no idea that it would be a moment in the history of Indian cinema that would always be remembered as a begining of change. The film never got released as the censor board thought it would have a negative impact on the youth. The board said that the film portrayed a young group of people indulging in drugs, sex and rock and roll which was not our culture. As it is clearly evident now, the board had been very short-sighted at the time. The filmmaker in question is non other than Anurag Kashyap. The man behind landmark films such as 'Black Friday', 'Dev D', and more recently, 'Gangs of Wasseypur', an epic, two part crime saga on the coal mafia of Dhanbad. 

Even though his first two films were met with bans ('Black Friday' was banned for a year because of a restraining order from the high court), Anurag did not get detered and kept treading a path unknown. Making films on his own terms, he never compromised on even a single frame in any of his ventures. Wacthing the first part of his latest release, 'Gangs of Wasseypur', (part two is set to release on August 8), it is evident that India finally has an answer for the likes of  Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and David Fincher. With this masterpiece Anurag has once again proved that success of a film is purely based on the script and method of storytelling and not star power. If it was not for directors like him, amazingly talented actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui would have gone unnoticed in this mindless haze of talentless models and star sons.

 In a time where senseless films like 'Wanted' and 'Dabanng' cross the 100 crore mark at the box office, Anurag stands in a league very different from the mob. He does have fellow soldiers too in the form of Dibaker Banerjee, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Vishal Bhardwaj. Interestingly, Kashyap, Bhardwaj and Dhulia are all from Uttar Pradesh and used to hangout in their college days discussing films and art. Probably it is there where this whole idea of realistic cinema was born. Dibaker Banerjee, the mind behind 'Oye Lucky Lucky Oye', 'LSD', 'Khosla ka Ghonsla'( which won a national award) and 'Shanghai',  is another important voice which is a vital part of this new wave of Indian cinema.

Anurag's life long struggle to co-exist with bollywood is finally over one would hope.Because with films like 'Gangs of Wasseypur' and 'Dev D' he is setting new standards which I am sure will be hard to match. It is true that bollywood will keep churning out its usual nonsense masala films, but this new wave of writer-directors seems determined to change the tide in their favour and with their films now showing up at festivals like the Cannes, it should just be just a matter of time before the ways of filmmaking change in this country and priority is given to the content and not to the look of a film.

Photo Credits - Google

Mir Kashif Iqbal

12COM6515

Blame the Girl?

    The bitter truth of the new culture of molestation of girls in India by certain section of the society who claim to provide justice by taking law in their hands only signifies India’s progress towards talibanism.

The recent incident in Guwahati, where a minor girl was allegedly molested physically and sexually by a group of 20 men only proves the fact that India never really overcame the norms which only roots to a patriarchal society.  Even though now 15 men out of the 17 identified are arrested, to actually compare the loss and the humiliation the girl had to go through, it would only be justifiable that they are to be given severe most punishment possible.

      The incident which was actually ignited by the reporter himself makes one ponder about the news ethics each journalist should follow and also the whole media production itself. The fact that the reporter started the whole thing just for the sake of covering something sensationalizing and the Television channel to keep covering the girl again and again reflects upon how journalism is now feasting upon people’s misery. More depressing the fact is, the Chief Minister and the police commandant  didn’t hesitate even once to take the victim’s name without giving a little thought at the least about the girl’s career, and as a matter of fact her life indeed. How is she ever going to live a normal life again?

     Where exactly is the society heading to, is one question which is up on most of the people’s minds in India. Assam which always held pride in respecting women had to witness something such dreadful. A girl who had simply gone for a birthday party had to go through such torture brings all of us sheer shame that people like that very much exist in the society. The orthodox mentality over the years is getting way worse than what it was before. After the incident, the question arises on what attire girls wear. Are u serious? This shouldn’t be anyone’s concern. It is a democratic country, and rather than correcting the girls attires, people should correct sinners like these who exist in every nook and corner of this country.

      Being an Assamese, I am ashamed of the fact that I come from the same place where this terrible incident occurred. It is depressing to know that after all such incidents, we are only taught ‘not to get raped’ rather than being taught ‘don’t rape’. People should fix their mentality first rather than accusing girls for the wrongs they haven’t done. 

Niyanta Sharma
12COM6519

The Rise and Fall Of the Psychedlic Era (The Beatles and Pink Floyd)

       A Revolutionary Era indeed! Psychedelic is defined as the occurrence of distortions of perception, altered states of awareness in the Human Brain under the influence Of Psychedelic drugs! The Psychedelic influence was brought in during the 1960s-1990s.

       Its was during this period a drug called LSD was invented.LSD was first synthesized on November 16, 1938 by  Albert Hofmann. However, it was a few years before Hofmann realized what he had invented.  Lysergic Acid Diethylamide is a psychoactive hallucinogenic drug. The Altered Perception of the human brain gave the human mind the ability to Hallucinate and touch light, colour and sound, thus leading to the birth of Psychedelic Rock!

     The Legendary Rock bands which were Psychedelically oriented came into existance at the early 60s!A few of them are ‘The Jefferson Airplanes,’ ’The Velvet Underground,’ ‘The Doors,’ ‘Jimi Hendrix,’ ‘Janis Joplin,’ ‘Pink Floyd’ and ‘The Beatles.’

     The Unforgettable song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ is a song written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon/McCartney for ‘The Beatles.’ The album became the biggest selling album of the 1960s and remains today the biggest selling studio album in countries as far as the UK and India. The Beatles were accused of intentional of the first letter of each of the title's nouns was LSD. They were Known for their Drug-related songs such as ‘Day Tripper,’ ‘That’s one about Acid’ and many more.

            

    While other bands either broke up or headed in other directions, Pink Floyd stayed true to their ambient sound waves till this day. They never went country. They never did a blues album. No folk revival. No jazz-rock. Just epic space rock with lots of creepy sound effects and lots of songs about their original leader, Syd Barrett, going insane from taking too much acid. And now we learn that their keyboardist, Richard Wright, has passed. RIP.

      A few of their well-known songs are ‘Hey You,’ ‘Shine on you Crazy Diamond,’ ‘Wish you were here,’ ‘Another Brick in the Wall,’ ‘Comfortably Numb.’ After Syd Barret’s death, David Gilmour was the leader of the Band and he made magic on stage. His outrageous guitar solo was known to be one of the best Psychedelic guitar solos in the history of Psychedelics.

     LSD was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann in 1938

Lysergic acid diethylamide(LSD) is one of the psychedelic drug which is well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an altered sense of time and spiritual experiences .These spiritual influences was the nest of all psychedelic experiences in the world of Rock!

           When the world began to realise that LSD was a great threat to human brain and life itself,it was banned.Psychedelic Rock declined simultaneously!And thus the Great "Psychelic Era" was Diminished!

 Photo Credits - Google

STATUTORY WARNING:LSD IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ashwin Setin

12COM6504

Mob Fury

Newspapers today are filled with stories of violence against women and girls and moral policing from those who go against their own morals of decency and respect. In July alone the country has witnessed numerous cases of mob violence against helpless women, and the claims for such inhumane acts are that these women are breaching codes of conduct and are going against the culture of the land, whereas the offenders themselves are leading to the downfall of culture and morality. Recent shocking cases that were reported are: The molestation of a girl in Guwahati on the night of July 9^th has caused national outrage. During the incident that continued, the girl was pushed, dragged, beaten and stripped on a busy Guwahati street with onlookers just standing and watching. Few of the offenders have been arrested and police are on the lookout for the remaining culprits. A media person was found at the scene of the crime filming the whole event but he failed to inform authorities who could have stopped the problem. The Hindu Jagaran Vedike (HJV) formed a mob of 50 people and raided a party at a local resort in Mangalore on 28^th July; they brutally attacked people at the venue including girls who tried to escape. Some media persons accompanied the HJV to the record the event but they failed to report the case to the authorities. Mangalore police have claimed to take action against members of the mob and the media people present at the venue. A Hindi teacher of Sangameshwara Vidya Kendra in Bangalore, told a few girls in class that he would continue teaching only if they sat on his lap. Parents of the girls have filed a complaint with the management of the school and the Vijayanagar police and the suspect is now n the run.

These are only few of the cases that have been reported, several other cases go unnoticed and untold because of the fear and the trauma the victims are put through. In the modern era where people are striving to attain gender empowerment and equality, very little action is being taken to eradicate such crimes. The media whose prime responsibility is to create awareness against such evils are lending support to such moral policing outfits such as the Hindu Jagaran Vedike. The law on the other hand is also playing a minimal role to tackle this problem, and no justice has been provided for the victims. Some politicians have put the blame on women itself for having provoked the offenders whereas others have strongly revolted against it and are seeking more strict action from the Government. The community must also take more action and lend a hand to stop violence against women rather than being mere witnesses to such crimes.

VARUN.V

12COM6528

A Place Full Of Gusto

Every experience gives you a feeling. Some are bad , some good and some extraordinary. But nothing can beat the feeling you get at the Wagah Border. The Wagah (or Punjab) border ‘lowering of the flags' ceremony is a daily military practice that the security forces of India and Pakistan have jointly followed since 1959. This ceremony takes place every evening before sunset. The sun was setting when we reached the place. The crowd there is just unbelievable. All of them were rushing in, to watch the ceremony. 

 My friend and I forced our way into the front row and found a seat. There were patriotic songs playing in the background. I tapped my feet to the music and sang along. After a while, the crowd went wild, getting down to the small pavement and started to dance with gusto. Now, the most interesting thing happened. Two girls at a time were allowed to carry the huge Indian flag till the Pakistan border and come back again. My friend and I immediately volunteered. With pride in our hearts we ran till the Pakistan border, with the flag fluttering in our wake. We were panting for breath when we returned the flag to the officer, but it was an experience which I will never forget.

It was sunset and the customary practice of lowering the flag began. It was a great feeling sitting amidst the crowd and shouting slogans on top of our lungs. The chant, Bharath Mata ki jai was echoing everywhere. It was a moment to behold when the whole crowd saluted in union as our flag was lowered. It was a euphoric moment which every Indian would enjoy.

                                                        Photo Credits - Google Images

Shruti KS

29/07/2012

Pamper Your Tastebuds This Ramzan

The month of Ramzan (or Ramadaan) is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. For Muslims all over the world, it is a holy month marked by prayers, alms-giving and fasting from dawn till sunset. This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Everyday during this month, the fast is broken with a meal known as Iftar, after the evening prayers. During this time, the streets come alive in many areas of Bangalore. Take a walk down places like Mosque Road or Shivajinagar and one will be treated to a gastronomic delight. The streets are well lit and the aroma of smoked meat and piping hot onion samosas beckon us to a mouth watering experience.

The variety is extensive and I was spoilt for choice. From Haleems to Sheekh Kebabs, and of course, Biriyani, there is so much more than the heart could desire. The lure of each eatery, be it a big restaurant, or even a small tuck shop outside the Hajee Sir Ismail Sait Mosque, is enchanting; and the mad rush to be the first to be served just adds to all the excitement. The small shops however, do draw bigger crowds, since the food there is much cheaper, but with no dearth of flavour. Every shop is brightly lit and their menu proudly displayed. The evening breeze too plays its part, filling the street with divine smells of truly exquisite food.

Many people come here everyday during the month of Ramzan. Muslims, after their evening prayers, stop to chat with friends and relatives over chai and samosas, and also to take home some of the delicacies for the Iftar, while others come there just to pamper their senses with all that Mosque Road has to offer. Syed Umer, the owner of a shop said, as he prepared a parcel for an eager customer, "Not just Muslims, people from all faiths gather here every evening during Ramzan, sometimes all our items are sold within a matter of three hours."

Although the food is simple, the ambiance of the lit up streets and the warmth of the people make it a wonderfully rich experience, true to the spirit of Ramzan.





Some of the delicacies available at Mosque Road.
Photo By Reo Raymond

Derek Francis
(12 COM 6506)
29/07/2012