Saturday, February 6, 2016

The news round up, continued.....

1. The Never Ending Yatras!

    Kerala is being subjected to a spate of 'yatras' by every political party as a pre-cursor to the
    forthcoming Assembly elections. What each party expects to derive out of this tamasha is left
    to individual imaginations but what has been clear is that the circus has caused despair to the
    motorists and passengers on the highways and roads because of roadblocks and traffic snarls!
    We'd lost over an hour, recently, on our return trip from Kottarakkara.

    The Congress was the first to take off from the starting blocks with their 'Jana Raksha Yatra'
    that will conclude on 09 Feb. The CPM with its 'Nava Kerala Yatra', the BJP with its 'Vimochana
    Yatra', the CPI with its 'Janakeeya Yatra' and the Muslim League with its 'Kerala Yatra' are
    closely following the grand old party for the finale at Thiruvananthapuram on staggered dates.
   
    Have the Malayalees been impressed? Can't say. But the major parties seem to have plenty
    of resources in their war chest for facing the elections!

2. The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple's back in the news!

    The expert committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, has been compiling the treasures in the
    temple vaults since 2011. The decision to open 'Vault B' was left for a later date because of stiff
    opposition from the temple administrators, the Travancore royal family and quite a few devotees.
    It has been said that suffering of an alarming nature and catastrophe would befall the state if the
    vault were to be opened. The inventoried valuables, thus far, have been divided into the following
    categories:-

         - Valuables, gold utensils and wares for pooja and customary rituals
         - Treasures of monetary value
         - Antiques which could be displayed in a museum and
         - Antique jewels for adorning the temple deity.

    All eyes are, now, on the Supreme Court for its directives!

3. The Loss of Innocent Lives Continue in Syria.

    With the slug fest between the major stake holders continuing in Syria, there doesn't seem to
     be any respite for the common man. Devastation is a daily affair with its attendant loss to lives
     and limbs of innocent civilians while the annihilation of the ISIS - which, incidentally, is the
     stated aim - continues to remain a pipe dream!

     Saudi Arabia has offered to embark on a land battle provided it has other takers too!

     When will the Syrians get their peace? How long does Basher Assad plan to hold on to his
     dwindling power? Doesn't the larger interest of his country come to mind?


Tailpiece.

It's a rather quiet day with me doing nothing worthwhile.

   
        

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