Tamil Nadu

Owners vs Users of Water: aka Mullaperiyar

2012-01-16T22:35:00.000+05:30

From the Times of India:

Controversy has dogged the masonry dam since its completion in 1895 by British engineers to address water scarcity in southern Tamil Nadu. The waters of Mullayar and Periyar that are dammed at Mullaperiyar originate in Kerala (then the kingdom of Travancore). The British government reportedly pressurised the then Travancore king to sign a treaty that provided for a 999-year lease of roughly 8,000 hectares of land to Madras Presidency to construct the dam. Water from the reservoir is taken down the steep, eastern face of the Western Ghats to Tamil Nadu, into Vaigai, a rain-fed river which is the lifeline of southern Tamil Nadu.

This daring piece of engineering turned an arid region into a fertile plain. With water, crops and cropping patterns changed. Ballads celebrate the contribution of chief engineer Colonel John Pennycuick who supervised the project. Villages here are dotted with Pennycuick Peravais (forums). Farmers in Cumbum Valley offer prayers before pictures of Cuick before sowing and harvest to this day. Mullaperiyar is not just a dam but an emotion here.

However, many in Kerala believe that Mullaperiyar water was forcibly diverted to Tamil Nadu. This grievance, often aired in irresponsible language including by senior politicians, is one reason why Tamil Nadu is wary of Keralas genuine concern about dam safety. At present, the dam is controlled and maintained by Tamil Nadu. But would Kerala cede sufficient water in the case of a new dam, which would also necessitate a new water treaty? Though Kerala swears it will, Tamil Nadu is not convinced.

Anybody have images of pictures of Pennycuick. No wonder Tamil Nadu never got in too deep in it's opposition of British rule. Tamizhians essentially lost all the Dravidian infighting wars and were receded to the desert portions of the South with no access to water. Only the British took care of their interests. Karnataka has already started diversity Mysore dam waters in a big way, including upstream. Let see how this plays out in non arid Kerala.

Nilgiri construction

2012-01-02T22:55:00.001+05:30

From a Reader:

As we all are aware, the Nilgiris is a soil erosion land. In 2009 also people were affected very badly due to the landslides in the area. Like wise, the entire of Niligirs is unfit for any further construction of any nature.

Due to developmental activities large areas of forests have been cleared in and around the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. More human habitation has resulted in largescale road laying that connects even remote forest areas to the nearest urban centre. Construction activities like road building have unleashed widespread landslides and slope destabilization. Construction of the Kabini reservoir has submerged the valley between Nagarhole and Bandipur.
The rocks and boulders that make up the hills are held together by soil. When trees are cut down, their roots are no longer available to hold the soil together. A heavy rainfall is sufficient to make the rocks and boulders come hurtling down. Tea and vegetable plants are totally inadequate in preventing landslides.
We must understand and remember that once the balance of nature is disturbed or destroyed, it is beyond man’s capability or capacity to stop or prevent the disastrous chain reaction that will be triggered off destroying the entire human community.
I wish to bring to your kind notice about certain construction bigwigs in the Nilgiris.Bribing muncipal officers Construction work is going on in full swing in coonoor Bedford, Brooklands, Kottagiri, Ooty, etc areas where chances of landslides are very high.

Only one person in theater for the movie "Tamizh Padam"!!

2010-03-07T22:36:00.000+05:30

Is it possible to be the only viewer in the theater for the screening of the movie "Tamizh Padam"?. Yes, if you happen to be in Cleveland, Ohio, USA!

Mr.Ambani has struck a deal with Phoenix theaters in the USA to distribute Indian films. The films have been mostly Hindi and they usually have an entire week run. However the Tamil movie was put in there with very little warning for only one show over the weekend. By the time people realized that the movie was on, the movie was already gone.

Hopefully there will be more awareness the next time around. The Tamil audience would have really loved the experience of a modern theater viewing for the movie.

Not a Kazhagam; a Kalangam

2009-05-22T18:03:00.005+05:30

DMK does not stand for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, it is for Dravida Makkal Kalangam. They are acting just like the villians seen in Tamil films, begging and bruising their way into minister posts so they can ravage the entire country and not just Tamil Nadu. Thanks Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi for not acceeding to their demands.

Rather than keep interest of Tamil Nadu in mind, DMK is revolting because they cannot maximize their own corrupt revenues. If this falls apart, the progress of Tamil Nadu is in huge jeopardy. Hopefully some other party will ascend in Tamil Nadu soon. The two right now are just too corrupt for themselves and for the country.

Added later: An agreement has been struck and it looks as if the alliance will hold. The way the telecom sector was managed the last time around was shameful. Hopefully the DMK leaders will show more respect and love for the country this time around.

How to fight terrorism?

2008-11-29T06:52:00.003+05:30

As terrorists get bolder and bolder and more delusional, it is time to give them a reality check. Terrorists can never stop and will simply move on to the next target after one disappears. For example, terrorists elements within Sunnis go after Shias if they run out of other groups to hate on.

Here are the steps to fight terrorism
1> There are quite a few people, especially in the US, middle east and UK, that say, "We just send money to terrorist groups to get revenge". Report these people to authorities. Money is what drives terrorism.
2> Keep an eye out for people that have uncontrolled rage against other groups out of nowhere. These are the kind of people targeted for recruiting and action. Again, watch for the word "revenge". Report them directly or anonymously.
3> Watch out for people that say that terrorists are only against government and not the people. These are the people most likely to fund terrorists. Report them directly or anonymously.
4> You are likely to hear such words mostly from friends or other that share a common religious or ethnic background. Report them directly or anonymously. Terrorists are not followers of God, they are the devil incarnate. Hateful conversations from any religious group is bad.
5> Do not donate to charities unless you are absolutely sure what they do. Donate to Prime Minister or Chief Minister relief funds when in doubt.
6> Do not carry money on behalf of others when visiting India or Pakistan. Unaccounted money often ends up in the wrong hands.
7> Do not use hawala or unofficial channels to transmit money. The underworld fanatics get a cut out of those transactions.
8> Do not do unofficial bets on cricket games. Corrupt cricket officials get a cut out of those transactions and they are tied to extortion/terrorist groups. BTW, Pakistan will have a spectacular defeat soon just to mess up the spread, now that Javed Mian gets to select the whole team.
9> Walk away from conversations that are hateful. Terrorism begins in the intelligent mind and get implemented by mindless moron. Sindhi master, Punjabi blaster. (Reference: Mad Max movies)
10> Be the possibility of peace and harmony. This is the most important step. Ofcourse, kill a terrorist before he can do harm. But be an incarnation of peace otherwise.

Politicians representing an ethnic group or a state?....

2008-10-19T19:51:00.003+05:30

That is a fair question, given that the DMK seems to be so keen of giving up all the privileges it has at the central level. It is fair to ask if they are acting in the interest of the greater good of India and Tamil Nadu.

DMK's primary interest should be the issues of Tamil Nadu. The Tamilians of Sri Lanka are a responsibility of the Sri Lankan government. The Tamilians of Bangalore are a responsibility of the Karnataka government. The Tamilians of Mumbai are a responsibility of the Maharashtra government. By ignoring the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu, DMK is doing a great disservice at a time when it could have gained the most in the last 50 years of so.

Such a lack of focus will keep Tamil Nadu in the fringes and a repeat what happened to them before the British took over the southern regions.

Krishna, Sudama, Rajnikant, apology

2008-08-02T07:36:00.007+05:30

Rajnikant did the right thing by apologizing to the people of Karnataka for any hurt feelings that may have arisen due to his Hogenakkal speech. There is no point in having property damaged across the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and have the lives and properties of ethnic Tamilians and Kannadigas endangered. We are all Indians first. Rajnikant is probably most acutely aware of that fact, being an ethnic Maharashtrian that worked in Karnataka and then achieved fame in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Life is too precious to be sacrificed over a silly movie.

Plus the film is loosely based on Sudama and Krishna. So Krishna has to protect and not cause damage. Ofcourse a Tamilian who has lived most of his life in Tamil Nadu or a Kannadiga living in Karnataka would be either angry or gleeful as they have never been outside the well of their own state.

Actually it is nice to see some Tamilian anger; they have been worshipping filmstars blindly for too long and have been robbed silly in the process. The maximum prosperity that they achieved was possibly under the guidance of a non film star politician, Shri Kamaraj. The film star politicians and their minions have simply filled up their own tummies.

Plus Rajnikant was against the goondas that did property damage; he never said anything about Kannadigas in his original speech. The apology was the weapon that he used against the same goondas so that they do not get the opportunity to tarnish the image of Kannadigas even further.

Ram Setu was destroyed by Lord Ram himself...

2008-07-24T12:29:00.005+05:30

Looks like people did not read the Ramayana before arguing to keep Ram Setu as it is. Apparently, Kamba Ramayanam mentions that Lord Ram broke the bridge into three pieces, as per the new affidavit filed in court. The previous two ill-advised affidavits have been withdrawn. Since Kamba Ramayanam is based on the Valmiki Ramayana, the fact should be easily confirmed. And the satellite image does seem to show breaks at the ends and in the middle. Which brings into question the knowledge of religious groups. Maybe there should be some powerful religious authority in the Hindu fold that knows the religious texts inside out. Like Kirupaananda Vaariyar used to be.

As I had mentioned earlier, this is very similar to a light hearted "patti mandram" or discussions. No need to hurt feelings, but tell things in a nice way. The quote from Kamba Ramayanam is a good way to go about this.

Finally, a politician in Tamil Nadu has played some real politics. Too frequently, the Tamil Nadu agenda was ignored at the center based on the local alliances. Now we have DMK both with the Congress at the Center and without the Congress locally. And 6 or maybe 7 ministers. And keeping the country on track in the process. Probably for the first time since Thiru Kamaraj, doing something for the greater good and gaining a lot for Tamil Nadu in the process. You do not have to be a fan of Karunanidhi to appreciate what he has done. The next six months should be a time of golden rule for Tamil Nadu. The honeymoon will not last long, so things have to be achieved as quickly as they can possibly be.

Ram Setu back on track?...

2008-07-23T00:16:00.002+05:30

The Ram Setu project seems set to come off the back burner as a reward to the DMK for doing the right thing and standing by the Congress during the no confidence motion. It is a huge step in the right direction; people are dealing in the welfare of the country rather than cold cash.

The damage is more to the coral reefs than anything else. Plus the Ram Setu area can be turned into a religious attraction that can be travelled to by open sea.

This is something that needs to be done to convert Tamil Nadu into a coastal business area similar to Mumbai. The people in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu stand to benefit the most from this.

Dam building is a complicated process...

2008-05-28T00:12:00.003+05:30

Here is an incident where a misunderstanding between Maharashtra and Goa has bought dam construction to a halt. This goes to prove that dam construction is a complicated process and all the necessary legwork needs to be completing before digging and dredging begins.

Hope the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments use this as a lesson for the Hogenakkal dam project.

Why Ram Setu needs to be dredged...

2008-05-07T12:40:00.003+05:30

I had indicated in an earlier post as to why Kalaiznar Karunanidhi was wrong in taking on Lord Ram on the Setu Samudram issue. He can use his oratory skills and convince people as to why it is Lord Ram's wish to actually dredge the canal and help India and people in the south. Here are my ideas in English; he can Tamilize it, I am sure.

- Ram left his empire in the care of Bharata; who in turn took care of Bharat for Ram. The time has come for Ram to pay back Bharat(India).

- This would be a great way of saying "Thank you" to the land of Sugreeva and Hanuman as there would be a lot of jobs created in Tamil Nadu. Roads are already being laid to take advantage of the port activity. (Or maybe they are being laid for the impending Tata activities).

- Ram wants Bharat to prosper. I am sure he does not want someone to guard the bridge like Bharat did while guarding Ram's empire with his sandals. I am sure he is not expecting such a sacrifice from the people of his empire.

- It is a reminder of a painful chapter of Ram's life that he would rather forget.

Feel free to add to it in the traditions of a "பட்டி மன்றம்" (Debate).

Corrupt and proud of it...

2008-04-25T06:09:00.004+05:30

Here is a Tamil Nadu minister proudly claiming that he is corrupt. I am sure he is wondering what all the fuss is about and can probably give hundreds of examples of "others" doing similar things. The difference in this case is that he took the stink of corruption all the way to Rajya Sabha and talked about the same. His fortright behavior needs to be commended; hopefully appropriate legal action will be taken against him.

Another funny issue seems to be the actions against film stars for not attending the token fast. The dam issue is dead for another few months with Congress party deciding that it is time to shut up and both the partners in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka agreeing to it. So there is no need to pursue that dead horse any further. I guess the next set of riots will be somewhere in June/July. Whoever is in opposition in Karnataka at that point in time will get to burn some Rajnikant posters and Tamils will retaliate by torching a couple of Iyengar bakeries. That is a lot of irony and a testament to the ignorance of people.

தமிழன் என்று சொல்லடா..தலை ஒழிந்து நில்லடா?

2008-04-16T05:58:00.002+05:30

This article is about female infanticide and how we can work together to eradicate the issue. Why the title? I will explain after we discuss the ideas, right at the bottom of the post(for those who can't wait)

Spread these ideas and make sure that your voice is heard and these ideas are implemented.

- Free education for women upto college and even post graduate education in government run institutions (Similar plans are being implemented in many states)
- Males should stand up to their own moms and dads when they start chirping about unwanted female children. This is one area when where the male "புலி" are acting more like "பசு மாடு".
- Come down hard on eve teasing and harassment activities in states that practice foeticide. The harassment arises out of the same attitude that causes foeticide down the line. A few "நல்ல பைய்யன் s" will end up behind bars, but it will be a better lesson than reminding them that their sisters and mothers are women too. That carrot approach does not seem to be working well anyway.
- Create a feminine movement so that women feel a sisterhood towards each other and stand up for a woman in a neighboring house rather than turn a blind eye.
- Refuse marriage of women into households or be very careful of families that have only male children or a very high percentage of males. Chances are high that they did you know what. Again, a few innocents will be in needless trouble, but sometimes poisonous and normal snakes look alike and it is better to get out a stick and protect your own daughters and sisters.
- Do not provide any government incentives to families that have only males. Again the bad snake good snake logic applies. But that is OK. Consider it payback for all the dead female children.
- Provide extra incentives for families that have more than one girl child. This will help correct the gender balance in a few years.
- If you have a female child, rub it in other peoples faces by educating her and providing her the same opportunities as a male child. This is the one thing that makes female killing folks look foolish and dumb.
- Encourage marriage of males to educated women. A lot of mother-in-laws are scared of educated women as they cannot practice foeticide in those cases.

Now for the title of this article. The above were comments I had originally posted on the Tamil Nadu Orkut board as female infanticide prevention ideas. It was removed by the moderators whose belief in Tamil "superiority" caused them to delete the message rather than acknowledge and think about the social ill afflicting portions of Tamil Nadu. People in Salem, Dharmapuri and Madurai are Tamizhans just like any other Tamizhan.

Like an ostrich that buries it's head in the sand, such willful ignorance of the issues is not going to get the Tamil leadership and the Tamil populace anywhere. Even more disturbing was the fact that three of the four moderators are educated females. Now that is one sisterhood that is definitely not happening!

தண்ணீர்..தண்ணீர்..தண்ணீர்..

2008-04-06T06:19:00.001+05:30

Received from an anonymous source...

Here is an interesting link to the tussle of almost 150 years over the Cauvery waters between what started out as Mysore and Madras presidencies and now Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Thanks to the last few rulers in the south and Tipu Sultan, the "Tamil" portions receded into the arid parts and Kerala and Karnataka received the more fertile parts, the only exception being the areas in the Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu borders.

The last 40 years have been especially fun, since Kannadigas have become more aware of their identity and started asserting it. The relatively obscure Mysore presidency became Karnataka and the political mismanagement of Tamil Nadu allowed it to become more economically stronger. The presidencies themselves were not linguistically divided, hence the relative lack of malice among the various South Indian ethnicities. Tamil Nadu's economic demise is owned in part to it's own "kick them out" movement related to the educated upper class, many of whom are now settled in Karnataka and speak poor Tamil and bear the brunt of being Tamilians there.

The Hogenakkal dam is an absolute waste of money, but it can be done. The maximum amount Karnataka seems to have released during drought times seems to be 19 TMC against a supreme court directive of 205 TMC. Even those were accompanied by torching Tamil Nadu related items or violence against ethnic Tamilians. Ofcourse the Hogenakkal dam is not needed if Karnataka releases the required amount of water. But that is not going to happen as the water is diverted at very high costs to other parts of Karnataka and there are no votes to be gained by letting the water run its natural course. If the water ran it's natural course, Tamil Nadu will definitely get more that what Karnataka finds in its heart to release. But that is water under the bridge now. Dam it!

A dam in Tamil Nadu...a fit in Karnataka...

2008-04-04T23:06:00.001+05:30

The Cauvery river flows into Tamil Nadu and then back into Karnataka and then back again into Tamil Nadu in the stretch below.

Map link

Karnataka's point seems to be that somehow the lines of the Cauvery river are the borders of Karnataka, especially at the points along the river here where they will end up with more land as a result. These lines have been drawn since independence, so the argument is absurd. Plus they would have to give back Belgaum to Maharashtra with such an argument. So the Kannadiga "nationalist parties" are definitely trying to have their cake and eat it too. They have gotten used to Tamil Nadu water sufferings and feel infuriated that Tamil Nadu can do something to solve the problem without "the annual begging" that goes on during droughts.

Plus they keep attacking Tamil movie theaters at any available opportunity, prompting a token hunger strike by the Tamil film stars. Upcoming elections in Karnataka compound the issue; Tamil bashing is one of the best ways to get votes in Karnataka for nationalist Kannadiga parties.

Ram Setu as per Google Maps

2007-10-08T06:11:00.001+05:30

Here is the disputed area between India and Sri Lanka as per Google maps. It is a shallow area and will need to be dredged if there is to be any commerce through the region

Map link

The trouble facing Gods...

2007-10-07T03:24:00.000+05:30

Here is an email I received recently. Not sure where it originated.

A BRIDGE TOO FAR ……..

The Lord surveyed the Ram Setu and said 'Hanuman, how diligently and strenuously you and your vanara sena had built this bridge several centuries back. It is remarkable that it has withstood the ravages of the climatic and geographical changes over centuries. It is indeed an amazing feat especially considering the fact that a bridge at Hyderabad built by Gammon using latest technology collapsed the other day even before they could stick the posters on its pillars.'

Hanuman with all humility spoke 'Jai Sri Ram, it is all because of your grace. We just scribbled your name on the bricks and threw them in the sea and they held. No steel from TISCON or cement from Ambuja or ACC was ever used. But Lord, why rake up the old issue now.'

Ram spoke 'Well, Hanuman some people down there want to demolish the bridge and construct a canal. The contract involves lot of money and lot of money will be made. They will make money on demolition and make more money on construction. '

Hanuman humbly bowed down and said 'Why not we go down and present our case'

Ram said 'Times have changed since we were down there. They will ask us to submit age proof and we don't have either a birth certificate or school leaving certificate. We traveled mainly on foot and some times in bullock carts and so we don't have a driving license either. As far as the address proof is concerned the fact that I was born at Ayodhya is itself under litigation for over half a century, If I go in a traditional attire with bow and arrow, the ordinary folks may recognize me but Arjun Singh may take me to be some tribal and, at the most, offer a seat at IIT under the reserved category. Also, a God cannot walk in dressed in a three-piece suit and announce his arrival. It would make even the devotees suspicious. So it is dilemma so to say.'

'I can vouch for you by saying that I personally built the bridge.'

'My dear, Anjani putra, it will not work. They will ask you to produce the lay-out plan, the project details, including financial outlay and how the project cost was met and the completion certificate. Nothing is accepted without documentary evidence in India. You may cough but unless a doctor certifies it, you have no cough. A pensioner may present himself personally but the authorities do not take it as proof. He has to produce a life-certificate to prove that he is alive. It is that complicated. '

'Lord can't understand these historians. Over the years you have given darshan once every hundred years to saints like Surdas, Tulsidas, Saint Thyagaraja, Jayadeva, Bhadrachala Ramdas and even Sant Tukaram and still they disbelieve your existence and say Ramayana is a myth. The only option, I see, is to re-enact Ramayana on earth and set the government records straight once for all.'

Lord smiled 'It isn't that easy today. Ravan is apprehensive that he may look like a saint in front of Karunanidhi. I also spoke to his mama Mareecha, who appeared as a golden deer to tempt Sita maiyya when I was in the forest and he said that he won't take a chance of stepping on earth as long as Salman Khan is around.'

Top Ten reasons why Karunanidhi has no Karunai for Lord Ram.

2007-09-23T17:43:00.000+05:30

“Whether I am alive or not, I will be with you in your blood and breath. No one can destroy me because I am a part of you,” Karunanidhi said recently. Isn't that one the definitions of God? I understand God has millions of forms, interpretations and definitions; this happens to be a core one.

So here is my top ten reasons as to why Karunanidhi hates Ram.

10> One of his earlier nemesis was Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran.
9> To the border of Tamil Nadu lies God's own country, Kerala.
8> Tamil Nadu can become a major port and its southern regions can have major industries after the canal is dredged. (I know, that was not funny)
7> The Brahmins are gone, the Vada Naattaans speak perfect Tamil, all of Tamil Nadu knows Khindi(Hindi) now, so he needed a new target.
6> He hates Rama Rajya. What, no corruption and caste and religion based politics?
5> Even Mother Theresa hated God sometimes. Karunanidhi has a love hate relationship with God too.
4> He is just way ahead of his time. Scientists will prove one day that God is not this, not that (neti, neti)
3> He is a Shaivite and does not like Vaishnavite Gods.
2> So the Vaanaras would have been Dravidian right?
1> What, only one wife?

Tamil Nadu blog

2007-06-10T21:09:00.000+05:30

Welcome to the Tamil Nadu blog!

The blog has a Google news feed related to Tamil Nadu. Plus links of interest related to Tamil Nadu. So if you are a follower of events related to Tamil Nadu, this page should provide you with all the required tools.

You will also see a Tamil Nadu specific search engine attached to this blog. This search engine will give priority to Government and other good websites that have a focus on Tamil Nadu.

Give all the tools a try! Happy browsing!