Jallikattu and Judgment

The Supreme Court has revealed two significant verdicts today that influence a lot in Tamil Nadu. One was to allow raising the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 142 feet which was refused by Kerala government so far. There had been difference between the two states over the safety of the dam, while Tamil Nadu contended the dam was safe and its water level had to be raised from 132 feet to 142 feet, Kerala maintained that the dam was weak and needed to be replaced. Kerala has repeatedly asserted its right to enact a law regulating the safety of dams in the state, insisting that the river rises and falls in Kerala which is why it is an intra-state issue. The SC had reserved its verdict, last year, on the legal battle between the two state governments over the dam and as per committee appointed by court has revealed that the dam was safe.

Another verdict the SC has delivered today was, prohibiting the practice of the traditional martial game of bull taming in Tamil Nadu, called Jallikattu. Following Madras High Court’s ban for the sport few years ago, the issue was taken to the Supreme Court where a batch of petition has comes to final disposal now, as the SC had already noted once that Jallikattu was nothing but a sport inflicting massive cruelty to animals, but allowed it under stringent condition on vehement request by the Tamil Nadu government. The animal welfare activists are up in arms against Jallkattu for past several years and wanted to ban the age-old sport has acquire great relief now and of course every animal lover and who hate inhumanity.  

I too support the verdict and anything against animal or nature need to be prohibited.  But my only thought and worry was, what will happen to those bulls, which are grown specifically for the sports if the game was prohibited. The bulls that are used in the Jallikattu are belonging to the Pulikulam breed of cattle, which are reared in huge herds numbering in hundreds with few cowherds tending to them.  In this world only things that are in use and useful survives and once the need for them has gone we slowly lose their ground. I guess the world famous Kangeyam bulls are in edge of endanger list and soon the work for the Jallikattu bulls is invisible, sure their name will be added to endanger list. What I think was, even they struggle at least they survive being so. If we stop all activates involved by cattle, they have no hope of survive, and they are practiced to work along with humans and if we can’t who can support them well. I wish the bulls strength is used in a remarkable way, without giving them trouble.

P.S. Above is a painting I done on Jallikattu (a scene of bull catching) haft a decade back and thought it would be apt to add with this post.

கோடை மழை / Summer rain

Pic by Jeevan (from archives)

வேர்க்க விறுவிறுத்த காலம்

கோடை மழையில் இன்று ஜிலு ஜிலுவேன.

உஷ்ணத்தின் உச்சகட்டம்

இன்று மேககூட்ட பக்கம்

பொலிவிழந்த பச்சையிலைகள்

புதிதாய் வண்ணம் தீட்டியது போல்

தாகத்தின் விளிம்பில்

வேகமாய் உறிந்து திர்த்தது பூமி

The season of vigorously perspire
become cool in the summer rain.

The pinnacle of warmth
got clouds side this day

The faded green leaves
as newly painting

At the edge of thirst
the earth sucked away quickly. 

Balsam bloomed @ home

First time I saw the balsam in Valparai, on the Western Ghats and it was bloomed in gorgeous red! Impressed in its beautiful and colorful flowers, my grandmother collected some seeds from there and sowed at our flower pots and in her backyard. The plant grows very fast and looked like small trees grown in pots, but they haven’t flowered and we also stopped watering the plant and later cleared the pots to plant other.

The balsam plant, which is native to the Himalayas has colorful blossoms and also sweet scented. Just look like an orchid growing in the wild, the balsam plant grows in hilly regions and does not require much watering. The plant grows in large numbers and sometimes the whole mountainous region where the plant is seen is covered with pink or red. The balsam plant has a unique way of propagation, which develops seed pods that burst and spreads the seeds far away.

The flap of a petal which looks like a helmet and this plant is also called the policeman’s helmet. The plant grows for two to three feet and flowers profusely, have leaves bright green in color growing in central arrangement and have wavy edges. The balsam blooms almost similar to rose flowers, look like roses from far and only the fact that they don’t have thorns.

The balsam grows and blooms during summers and beginning of rains, has shown blossom now at home and not from our pot, but the tenants who share our house in upstairs. They have kept their flower pots in front of our house, which we water daily since they haven’t occupied quite yet. 

Summer sprung

Shimmering in sunshine

Brilliant colors exhibit…

Enrich the already exists.

The golden sunlight

Glitter and gleam

Enhance the earth

With intense heat - light

Provoke favorable weather

Only to a part of it!

Footnote:

The picture was composed at home during morning time when sun was shimmering around! 

Vote to transparency

A day ahead to the 16^th Parliament election in India for the state of Tamil Nadu, I am looking forward to exercise my franchise as usual in the afternoon while there were fewer crowds in the polling booth. Situated less than a km from home, I have decided to go in my power wheelchair, since I have voted twice already in the last parliament and legislature assembly, I hope there won’t be any difficult this time as well! Already many began to ask me the usual question that rose during election time, was, for whom I’m going to vote. Actually when I come to know there was a youngster, age 26, was contesting in my constituency from Twinleaf, I was overwhelmed to vote him but later I dropped the idea since I couldn't find any individual conducive from his side, rather being a doctor he praise for only the party leader and no public service background out of the party. So I decided to support iLa Ganesan from National Flower, who is a senior leader and bachelor with wealth of just 0.3 million… a transparent being on his personal and public life, even I have difference of opinion on his or his party’s policy, I believe he deserve being a parliamentarian and the National Flower, a hopeful successor for next regime to drag away the corrupted and deceitful Hand!

I have decided long back not to vote for the Hand or Rising-Sun, so the decision was likely to make between Twinleaf and National Flower and while looking out for their candidates for my constituency (of South Chennai), I felt good with both of them. One being an active youngster and another senior man, both has different political backgrounds (one being a son of former speaker and the senior is a long time party worker and disciplinarian) and it was the first election for both of them. Being a youngster myself, I have dreams of central and state were ruled by younger people, but standing from their individuality or capacity to work individually on social field rather being a screwed doll. I don’t think the Twinleaf candidate is eligible for what I was expecting (even I know I deserve nothing to comment on others), I have the right to chose my candidate and I find iLa Ganesan is best and I like to vote for his transparent being and let National flower flourish.

I add here a link on iLa Ganesan's interview!