Putting together this weeks’ blog mela was an incredibly rewarding experience. I had a wonderful journey through Indian blogdom. There are almost 50 posts featured here. My thanks to all those who nominated. Without Bloglines this task would have been chaotic:)

I have had a trying last two days. My ISP has been taking turns with my electricity provider to delay the Blogmela. For that my apologies.

The Mela Opens.

Let’s start this week’s mela with a warm and funny letter from chankya at vichaar.org to the people of Pakistan. A sampler

Partition is no problem for us either – we’re like so over that breakup. Moreover, we’re sort of used to having Pakistan as our neighbor too (whom would we play cricket against if it weren’t for you ?). Besides, it would sort of suck to have Afghanistan next door. BTW, we heard Musharraf broke up with Osama ?

Vulturo wonders why there isn’t any response from Pakistani blogdom, and wonders if there is such an entity. There is. Check out KO one of the more popular bloggers from Pakistan, and this – an excellent blog on Mukhtaran Bibi Case – from june last year to now.
And Mukhtaran Bibi is a case that Indian blogdom has been following. Sepia Mutiny has this to say.

Suhail has an interesting perspective on another rape case that shook Mumbai, asking why does it take so long to file charges.
And Primary Red looks at our society where the victim is made to feel guilty for the actions of the rapist.

Bharat Desh Hai Mera – the art of living in India & being Indian:)

Annie has this really funny piece about an encounter with the Minister for Rural Development – Raghuvansh Prasad Singh.
Amit has this excellent piece on the myth of liberalisation. There is a great discussion on this piece here. And as if to illustrate the point, Puneet has this surreal experience at a HDFC bank. Akshay has a similar time with broadband.
Sumeet reflects why Indians are’nt Indians (in Australia) while Charu looks at where Indians don’t want other Indians (in Rajasthan).

Shivam ponders about reservations. Especially the “lowering standards” anti reservation rhetoric and asks what about the many “upper caste” people who are completely useless at what they do. Sunil Lakshman writes about the nature affirmative action.
Ashish looks at whether we have got the leadership we deserve. He says that the poor usually end up making the right choice, it is the elite that screw up everytime because they want “paternalistic” policies from politicians. Nilu looks at how free electricity to farmers – defended by the politicians – ends up being used to electrocute rodents, that have multiplied because of encroachment and destruction of predators.
Nitin Pai writes about terrorism in Kashmir and Prez Musharraf’s (non) attempts to curb them.
Atanu’s encounter with a packet of ‘export quality‘ haldiram has him contemplating about the nature of competition in this country.
Kunal has a look at the anti defection law and wonders if it is democratic. Primary Red observes that in India, Investigation is often confused with Intimidation
Kaps looks at Dayanadhi Maran’s ability to spot the camera and stand in frame to ensure maximum publicity!
Akshay has a neat photo feature on Pune.
Patrix looks at a possible stand off on Vande Mataram in Madhya Pradesh.

Media

DNA seems to be the new favourite whipping boy of blogdom. Afterall when you exhibit more money than sense, you must expect to be laughed at.
Charu takes a peek at DNA’s increasingly irritating and senseless campaign.
Fadereu describes his first week at DNA. Sounds incredibly Kafkaesque.
Ramanand writes about optimizing film awards.
Jabberwock writes about the pathetic state of Sunday Newspaper Content.

Education
Naveen has an excellent piece on how we need to learn to spend, before we spend on learning.
Puneet in Puneetworld gives sound advice to those who want to study biotechnology. Satya looks at the impact of GATS on education in India.
Rashmi Bansal looks at the enigma that is Amity.

Satya has a piece on how Indians are the largest segment fo foreign students in the USA.
Abi walks us through the implication of the decision to scrap entrance exams in Tamil Nadu.

Perspectives
Runaway Suncomparing Ayn Rand’s Heroes to the more classical definition of the same. .
Dilip, in the thought provoking This Title is Comple contemplates the nature of Mathematical (and other) Incompleteness.
Sunil Laxman in two excellent posts on being a targetted minority – talks about the paronia and xenophobia (if “they don’t look like us, they must be terrorists”) view in American society.
Surya writes about how sterile and apathetic society makes her long for the unsolicited advice from complete strangers.
Neelakantan wonders if there will be a single global language.
Uma has this travelog from the time that she visited the states a couple of years ago.

Mohib looks at the world through the lens and captures a very interesting circle of death.

Dilip, again, has an excellent piece on two ways of looking at things

JK glances back to produce an interesting post that looks at the written recording of history in India before the arrival of Alberuni. Reuben looks at a BBC poll on top philosophers that completely ignores eastern philosophy & philosophers.

And, Anand Manikutty at Zoo Station looks at the enigma that is the Indian headshake.

Sourin Rao writes about how asexuality is becoming a movement and wonders whether a growing trend towards asexual behaviour could lead to the end of the world as we know it:)

Vulturo exposes hypocrisy in scoiety towards women who work. It is so easy to assume sexual “immorality” and so easy to label a woman a whore.

Blogdom

Sepia Mutiny has this interesting piece about a devdasi who blogs.
Sambhar Mafia has a lovely little comparative on blogs and shopping malls.
Thennavan has put together the taxonomy of bloggers.

The Market Place
Cogito writes about brands that are ‘Indian!.Rashmi Bansal has a piece on the return of the kiranawalla. Neelakantan has a piece on Fischer Price Toys.
Vinod looks at how a free market approach may help in environmental conservation.
Finally, Ashish looks at how farm subsidies in rich nations can actually help the poor.

And Finally
Abhi takes poetic liberty with the Ambani Fued.
Kamesh has a set of quotes that get you thinking about life.
Nirvana’s outpouring – the Irony – on Desi Media Bitch –bemoans the state of society. (I think)
In Search has this piece that, along with the sweltering heat, makes you long for the rains.

The Blog Mela travels next to Dancing with Dogs. See you there.