Hello and welcome to the first edition of BlogMela this year. And the year has gotten off to a great start. Some great writing in various categories from Desi Blogdom. Here goes. Arts and Entertainment Srican has an account of the nature of the harmonium vis-a-vis the sarangi as an accompaniment for Hindustani Classical Music. Soam has a detailed review of Lost - with no spoilers. Sunil has a almost lyrical reveiw of For a Few Dollars More – the man with no name rides into town, and Uma has a peek at 15 Park Avenue. Velithira has Movie Review of the Malayalam film Mayilattom. Cogito fumes at Annu Malik drawing comparisons between his music and that composed by RDBurman. While Niraj wonders about Mahesh Bhatt’s motivations on making a film on the London bombers. Well Niraj – sensation sells ! And Bhupinder ponders on the coverage on Nadira’s illness & hospitalization. While Tilo looks at the attitudes vis-a-vis female poets in Tamil. Jaberwock lists his top reading list of 2005, and Uma bids adieu to Kalamandalam Hyder Ali Travel Trivial Matters has a lip licking account Punjabi food journey in Mumbai. I studied at SIES college and Gurukripa was a haunt. The samosas’ were truly yummy. And Picturejockey has a lovely picture of Powai. Manish’s post on Córdoba had me rummaging around for my passport (if wishes were horses…). The confluence of civilizations and cultures, and yet the uneasiness between people. Sonia writes about almost being taken for a ride in Mumbai. India & Her Neigbourhood The Acorn has a couple of posts on how the VP Singh and the Vajpayee Governments contributed in making India a soft target for terrorism. I guess Nitin, the people of India and the media are also to blame. The kind of circus that is created, with families screaming, shouting, crying, and generally pressurising the government to compromise is extremely high in our country. that with the politician’s innate desire to compromise makes for a deadly combination vis-a-vis national security. Kunal writes about why India should drop Socialist from the oath that people’s representatives have to take. Imagine Anil Ambani and Navin Jindal swearing to uphold Socialist India, and we can see the casualness with which we accept lies in our society. If the very oath that we swear is false – then what’s the point! Sandeep rants about reservations in the private sector, and Sakshi about the issue of date rape. Libertarian calls for India to become the centre of the Islamic world. Amardeep Singh has an interesting blog post on how the HIndu Right is against courtship. I am not really sure that it is just the Hindu Right. It is a whole bunch of ‘ordinary’ (non affiliated) family types who think that our ‘value systems’ are at stake and would like the option of peeking into one’s life and bring them back on the ‘straight and narrow’. sad but true. In a recent survey in the mumbai mirror some 75% of citizens polled said it was a ‘good thing’ to ban bar dancers. We are more intolerant than we like to admit. Infact, Vikrum compares the plight of couples looking for privace in India and the attitudes of society towards them with that in South America.Dilip shares his on experience of the moral police. Uma does a final round up of the Gudiya Story – highlighting the fact that women are often treated as chattel. While Maitri writes about how many continents and seas away, sterotyping rules. Cool Bihari has a report on the President’s visit to Bihar. Nilu looks at the role of agriculture in India, and the economics of farming. And wonders about the ability of city dwellers who believe that agriculture should make way for something else. I suppose that we have to figure how to ingest and digest plastics or glass! Jaffna has a fascinating piece on Indian tribal society. Palm Leaf wonders why certain academics want to hold on to the myth of Aryan Invasion. Possibly because they want to continue believing that ancient Greece and Rome was the fountainhead of civilisation, and the european races are the most superior. While on the road in India, Charu tries to understand the why’s of banned items for passengers in hand baggage, Amit has learnt an interesting way of punctuating his sentances, Uma has me drooling for dosai’s. Education Abi looks at the Australian model for funding further education. Media Mangs has a great piece on Crime in the city. It reads like noir. Society & Technology Abhi looks at the benifits LED’s can bring to rural India – in terms of a safe and cost effective lighting solution. Sowmya wonders about whether we hear in the language that we speak! Shivaji has a couple of lovely posts on postmen, writing, letters and e-mail. Preetam Rai has a review on SuperGlu which does great things for organising your on line life – feeds, photos, posts etal. And Shivam wants help to join the cartel And finally Amar looks at the chat up lines of Gods.

"Oh, finely limbed lady, indulgers do not watch out for the time to conceive, as such oh, slender-waisted one, I desire copulation with you. [1-48-18]

hmm…. they did have a way with words didn’t they? Rashmi looks at her cousin’s process of courtship on the way to an impeding marriage Gawker looks at phone sex as a pay back for phone tapping. Kaps blogs about how people in Chennai are mistaking condom vending machines for phone booths (STD) And Indiacorporatewatch Annual Awards 2005 – has some unique awards. Next week Nilesh plays host, for now thankyou for nominating.

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