Today, noise is no longer merely pollution. It is harassment. From blaring loudspeakers at religious events to morning walkers playing music on their phones; from irreverent honking to loud videos on trains,…
On Thursday, our Chief Minister said, “Someone had sent agents to sting me.” Karnataka, it appears, is no longer run by politicians alone. Vidhana Soudha has a buzzing population of honeybees! Not…
The recent debate over the ‘creamy layer’ within Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), coupled with allegations of caste discrimination at IIT Bombay, has once again thrust caste into the national…
I love three festivals very much: Ramzan, Ganesha Chaturthi and Christmas. No, I’m not attempting an Amar, Akbar, Anthony trick to establish my secular credentials. My affection for these festivals has little…
Dasara’s most beloved feature, the illumination, is going overboard and it comes with its own dark side. Every year, thousands of decorative lights are strung across Mysuru by hammering hooks and nails…
After the devastating flash floods struck Nepal, many were surprised, even offended, when the Himalayan nation politely declined offers of international rescue assistance. For many, it appeared arrogant, but it wasn’t. It…
Every few years, Indian politics reminds us that misogyny is still alive and kicking in Indian politics. The latest controversy involves derogatory, double-meaning remarks allegedly directed at actor Trisha Krishnan, who is…
The CJP (Cockroach Janta Party) protests and the Government’s response revealed something far bigger than a controversy over a leaked examination paper. They exposed a clash between two generations, each convinced that…
India’s officialdom has a curious talent. It never solves problems. It merely fixes symptoms. Every few months, footpaths are cleared, flex boards are removed and illegal vendors are evicted. A few weeks…
Stop cluttering Dasara to make money IN BLACK AND WHITE BY VIKRAM MUTHANNA Every few years, just before Dasara, someone gets a bright idea, which is, “Ah, let’s add one more event…
Three days ago, news broke of an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on the residence of an Additional Excise Commissioner. Almost at the same time, a bureaucrat’s wife on her Instagram page posted…
India seems to have developed a peculiar relationship with humour. We are confused about what comedy actually is. Every offensive remark is treated as either a national crisis or a Constitutional issue.…
This morning, I took part in a panel discussion on media and tourism at Mysore Travel Mart-2026, organised by the Mysore Travels Association. GRS Fantasy Park was the principal sponsor and NOT…
For years, D.K. Shivakumar was the eternal bridesmaid of Karnataka politics. He was always close to power, always indispensable to the Congress party, but never quite the chosen one. Now, at last,…
Indian politics is about personality and not policy. We are a people driven by blind emotion and some of us hope that our heroes can deliver in the real world what they…
The Karnataka Government has revoked its 2022 school uniform order and permitted ‘religious and traditional symbols’ in schools and colleges. Students may now wear hijabs, turbans, sacred threads, rudraksha beads, etc., provided…
Every year, when SSLC and Pre-University results are announced, the State witnesses a familiar cycle of joy, disappointment, relief and grief. But what should garner our attention is… death. Last week, five…
The defection of Raghav Chadha, along with six of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs to the BJP yesterday, is just another episode in India’s long- running history of political defection. It…
Yesterday morning, a three-year-old leopard that had come down from Chamundi Hill sneaked into a house in Siddarthanagar, got cosy under a bed and went to sleep. Probably after having made a…
One of the tragedies of Indian democracy is the repeated failure of the Opposition Party to perform its primary duty — which is to question, expose and challenge the Government of the…
I was recently invited to Kaveri Ponnapa’s book launch that I had been looking forward to. Many in Mysuru may not recognise her name, but anyone who has even a passing interest…
Yesterday, a Special Court under the Delhi High Court discharged former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the now-famous liquor policy case. For the Aam…
Mysuru is called a Royal Heritage City, but for nearly a decade now, it’s become a ‘Flex City.’ There are flex boards and flex hoardings everywhere. They are at Circles, they are…
A young woman recently declared on social media: “Arranged marriage is glorified in India because it’s the only way 70% of men who are creepy, useless and don’t know how to talk…
