The Mercury is soaring beyond 38 degrees Celsius and the heat is getting to be unbearable. In addition, the election campaign has picked up. Graffiti on the walls, posters of the political parties with their candidates smiling out of them and makeshift offices of the candidates dot the landscape. And Guruvayur goes along at its pace. Here are some musings that pass through my cluttered mind:-
(a) Commercialisation of Guruvayurappan!
Guvayurappan is revered by the Malayalees, the world over. The believers would do anything to have a
'darshan' of their god. These days, the annual festivities are on in full swing, increasing the density of the
pilgrims coming into the temple town and considering the god's popularity, his commercialisation has been at an all time high. Memorabilia, in the form of statuettes, photographs and lockets of varying hues and
sizes are selling like hot cakes. Impromptu exhibition stalls on the road side make the already narrow
thoroughfares difficult to negotiate.
Driving through the immediate vicinity of the temple, especially during the evening hours, is a nightmare
with the pilgrims on foot taking up the entire road as if to say that motorists be damned, you need to
cater for our requirement. I must hasten to add that the police, along with volunteers, have been doing a
good job of crowd control.
(b) His cup of woes is overflowing!
I'd touched upon the plight of TJ Joseph, a Malayalam professor at Newman College in Thodupuzha
whose hand was chopped off by religious fundamentalists because their 'sentiments' were hurt by the
question paper set by the professor that touched upon the prophet, in an earlier jotting. The gruesome
act was carried out in front of the entire family while they're returning from church. The reactions of the
political parties, the religious establishments, the government and the college management had left much
to be desired. The professor was suspended and he's to retire this month end. He and his wife had
knocked on all possible doors for succour but to no avail, especially, because if his reinstatement doesn't
take place within the next ten days, he'd not be entitled to pension privileges!
The family has been subsisting on meagre resources. Probably, the sustained hardship has taken its toll,
in that, his wife, Salomi, had committed suicide by hanging.
A sad case of ostracisation by the society because of the fear that anyone supporting the family would
be taken 'care of' by the religious extremists. And a very lackadaisical attitude by the authorities who
could have speedily dispensed with the case.
What's so great in living if one has to be in constant fear of uttering the truth?
(c) The Crimean imbroglio.
I'm no Nostradamus. But the Crimean Sunday referendum results of merging with Russia, the Russian
annexation of the port of Sevastopol and the Ukrainian protest is fast turning the place into a volatile
area. When will things ever change? The forces that indulge in achieving short term gains seem to have
forgotten history.
My sympathies for the Crimean people as they seem to have lost their voice and seem to be overtaken
by events!
Tailpiece.
My culinary abilities have come under sharp focus as Sathi Amma, Lekha's understudy, has to attend to her husband admitted in the hospital because of a serious ailment. Day two has gone off in a satisfactory manner, phew!
(a) Commercialisation of Guruvayurappan!
Guvayurappan is revered by the Malayalees, the world over. The believers would do anything to have a
'darshan' of their god. These days, the annual festivities are on in full swing, increasing the density of the
pilgrims coming into the temple town and considering the god's popularity, his commercialisation has been at an all time high. Memorabilia, in the form of statuettes, photographs and lockets of varying hues and
sizes are selling like hot cakes. Impromptu exhibition stalls on the road side make the already narrow
thoroughfares difficult to negotiate.
Driving through the immediate vicinity of the temple, especially during the evening hours, is a nightmare
with the pilgrims on foot taking up the entire road as if to say that motorists be damned, you need to
cater for our requirement. I must hasten to add that the police, along with volunteers, have been doing a
good job of crowd control.
(b) His cup of woes is overflowing!
I'd touched upon the plight of TJ Joseph, a Malayalam professor at Newman College in Thodupuzha
whose hand was chopped off by religious fundamentalists because their 'sentiments' were hurt by the
question paper set by the professor that touched upon the prophet, in an earlier jotting. The gruesome
act was carried out in front of the entire family while they're returning from church. The reactions of the
political parties, the religious establishments, the government and the college management had left much
to be desired. The professor was suspended and he's to retire this month end. He and his wife had
knocked on all possible doors for succour but to no avail, especially, because if his reinstatement doesn't
take place within the next ten days, he'd not be entitled to pension privileges!
The family has been subsisting on meagre resources. Probably, the sustained hardship has taken its toll,
in that, his wife, Salomi, had committed suicide by hanging.
A sad case of ostracisation by the society because of the fear that anyone supporting the family would
be taken 'care of' by the religious extremists. And a very lackadaisical attitude by the authorities who
could have speedily dispensed with the case.
What's so great in living if one has to be in constant fear of uttering the truth?
(c) The Crimean imbroglio.
I'm no Nostradamus. But the Crimean Sunday referendum results of merging with Russia, the Russian
annexation of the port of Sevastopol and the Ukrainian protest is fast turning the place into a volatile
area. When will things ever change? The forces that indulge in achieving short term gains seem to have
forgotten history.
My sympathies for the Crimean people as they seem to have lost their voice and seem to be overtaken
by events!
Tailpiece.
My culinary abilities have come under sharp focus as Sathi Amma, Lekha's understudy, has to attend to her husband admitted in the hospital because of a serious ailment. Day two has gone off in a satisfactory manner, phew!
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