Monday, 12 June 2023

Elephants and Dogs!

 Elephants! Those majestic tusks, long trunks, huge ears, such a beautiful and graceful animal. Dogs are definitely loving, thankful, and caring animals. We love them so much. But why do we cage those animals and change their habitat? Research says the elephants do not stay confined to a single place for a long time, which avoids habitat destruction. Only 50% of Asian elephants survive beyond 15 years, and only 20% reach 30 because of hunters. Elephants fan their ears to cool their bodies, and that doesn’t mean they enjoy panchavadhyam or fire crackers. Wild elephants walk 15km+ a day, and that helps with their digestion as well. Are we not restricting all these in the name of elephant love? Elephants and dogs are the most exuberantly expressive of creatures. They express joy, anger, care, grief, compassion, and love. I was thinking if we love someone, we will let them do what they love and give them what they want. But here we cage them!

Dogs are one kind of animal that breeds many times. For every animal, breeding is its nature and rights. Calling ‘dog’ a bad word because they mate with many. In the name of dog love, are we not restricting their natural urge to mate, freedom, and habitat? We cage them, giving them food which we love and ask them to do according to our wish. They can’t even pee or poop according to their time. It is certainly a debatable topic about cows. We restrict their habitat too, their breeding and everything. But the majority of the population uses cow’s milk, and the cow is not used for humans' entertainment, unlike elephants and dogs. Many vegans are emerging, which is certainly a positive note. Vegetarian Vs Non-vegetarian is a huge topic, though! There were times when dogs were used to safeguard houses. But now, the majority pet them within the apartment or house. It’s high time to rethink about pets and so-called animal rights.


Uma Narayanan

Monday, 17 April 2023

#surname

 Google failed to give me the answer why women just change their surname after marriage and men don't! I think people who speak a lot about feminism, gender equality and a male chauvinistic society aren't aware of this topic. Right from Priyanka Chopra Jonas to my neighborhood girl, everyone changes their surname after marriage where their husbands didn't. Also, I would like to know if this surname change is applied just on social media or did they take effort to change it on academic certificates, passport, PAN card, bank account etc. For men and women, parents names won't change even after marriage, while there is a chance of changing the spouse. If this shows respect and love towards the spouse, it should be applied on the other side as well. Isn't it so? 

That's all about your honor! 

Think. Think.


Uma Narayanan

Friday, 31 March 2023

Vango Peshalam...

 Vango Peshalam...


"Machummela moromchadam kottinen, kollelendu chanachuranai eduthund vayen." - not everyone can understand the real meaning of this typical palakkad iyer Tamil sentence. We can hear such language from any agraharams in Kerala. But, only a few young parents who live outside Palakkad district take the time and effort to teach and ask their children to speak their 'native language' at home. We can't deny the fact that love for our typical palakkad Iyer Tamil is diminishing in the younger generation. Young parents are in the rush of professional education and languages helping with it. And these English-speaking young kids need not make an effort to speak our palakkad Iyer Tamil later just to speak with their paati and thatha. 

Yes, it's true that there is no major use of our typical Palakkad Iyer tamil because we can't use it for any professional purpose or address the audience on any stage. Not even in Kerala Brāhmaṇa Sabha meetings!! 

Native language plays an important role in shaping our thoughts, emotions, our proud culture and formation of an individual. If this is how things are, the survival of languages Palakkad Iyer language (outside Palakkad) will be languages of extinct languages after 50 years! So, Think! 

- Uma Narayanan



Thursday, 9 March 2023

Memories

And then summer again. I wait for summer every year just for yummy jackfruit and juicy mangoes. Jackfruits, mangoes and summer vacation remind me of the good old days at Ammama's home.

Sharing unlimited jackfruits and mangoes with cousins and relatives sitting in the backyard is a nostalgic one.

The old House with a cow shed on the front side and back porch will be filled with firewood all year long. No nearby houses, towering groves of trees, sound of crickets and frogs at the night, wild flowers and me not plants.

Tasty mambazha pulissery cooked by ammama in kalchatti gives me yearning and wistful memories of the past. Raw mangoes and a number of juicy mangoes and sharing huge jackfruit gives me beautiful food memories.

Playing with wooden toys, swinging, bathing in the pond and surrounded by lots of people at home. I think those were the holidays in real sense, without any worries about bills being paid.