The New Real Opportunity – Virtual Internships

April 8, 2015

Internship is a great opportunity for students to gain work experience and learn more about their chosen field of study. However, with so many students and graduates emerging from colleges across the world, how can companies accommodate all these students in order to give them a practical short-term experience before the students enter the real profession? Virtual internship presents a delightful solution to this problem.

A virtual internship consists of gaining work experience without physically being at the company headquarters. Virtual interns utilize technology such as web or teleconferencing, email, cloud software, and Google drive to complete tasks and assignments. This type of position is new to the marketplace, but with a growing demand for interns, it is quickly becoming a means for current college students or recent graduates to balance their busy lives and still gain practical knowledge.

Virtual Internships started becoming popular in the western world in early 21st Century, and now this has become an emerging trend in India as well. Companies directly recruit interns and also join hands with websites like Twenty19, Internshala, etc., which help them find interns who are interested in the field of work in which they require man power. The interns are trained in the work online itself, and their work is submitted through the virtual medium. Most of the companies pay a stipend to these interns, along with an experience certificate that could add value to the interns resume.

Vaibhav Kaley, CEO of Wondergrass states “Typically internships are sought by students to work in premier organizations. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) like ours hardly have any takers for mainly two reasons. One, we cannot afford to pay a sizeable stipend and second, we do not have additional resources to train the students. However, on the other side, large organizations get too many applications from students across India, whom they have no time to neither train nor assign a job of any importance.”

Sujit Hemadri of Urbanbinge.com feels that another major attraction for interns to join SMEs is to add value on important projects, which they otherwise wouldn’t have got an opportunity. SMEs, he states, utilize the skills of talented interns who want to take pilot projects and deliver them in 2-3 months. Sujit Hemadri adds, “This way an internship benefits both the parties – companies get fresh hands with interest to work on new projects, while students get to showcase their project work on their CVs.”

One might doubt how trustworthy is the new web media, when it comes to gaining a practical experience from a student’s perspective or how accountable would the interns be from the perspective of a company hiring interns. However, virtual internships are a boon to the Gen N as their benefits outnumber their drawbacks.

Their major benefits include:

Flexible Schedule: Being a virtual intern gives you the opportunity to manage a work schedule around the time slots that work best for you. This works perfectly for students who are looking for work experience, but have additional commitments i.e. student organizations, part-time jobs…homework.
Location & Time Management: Most virtual internships require only an internet connection to work, so you can set up shop anywhere.
Broaden Your Network: Since the freedom of a virtual internship can allow someone living in India to work for a company abroad. Participants have the opportunity to network with a whole new spectrum of professionals in their field.
Practical Experience: All internships give students hands on experience outside of the classroom setting. Being a virtual intern is no exception. Interns can work on multiple projects and learn how to be part of a virtual team. The experience teaches students how to overcome challenges like working with limited communication and with time change elements.
Ability to work under limited supervision: Not having constant supervision gives students the opportunity to learn how to be self-motivators and how to achieve deadlines without micromanagement. It also causes students to be more aware of the work they turn in because they need to meet deadlines and have to deal with the challenge of not being able to constantly be in touch with their superiors.

Divya Rocha, a final year student of Mass Communication in Hyderabad says “An online internship is perhaps the best for those who want professional hands on experience and at the same time need a more flexible timing and work culture.” She feels that as a creative person, ideas come best when one is in the most comfortable environment. Divya, who took up a virtual internship in Global Information Services, states with the world going viral through internet, her online internship has equipped her with the most crucial skills required in today’s corporate world.

From my very own experience of being a virtual intern, I would say that this new trend of virtual internships is like stepping stones to a good career for students today. Isn’t it cool to learn something new, gain experience for a better tomorrow in sweatpants and shabby hair at one’s own home?
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Memoirs of a Jackfruit

Neeraja Sundar

April 6, 2015

I’m curvy and I like it. I’m also big and green. My skin is not smooth but it is useful. I’m a hard nut to crack, well, literally not a nut. I’m the perfect example that beauty is just skin deep. But once you get past the exterior, I am absolutely delicious. Yes, I’m the Jackfruit.

I live in my hometown, South India particularly the Western Ghats region. Reflecting Indian culture, I live in a huge joint family with my parents, uncles and siblings. We also have second and third cousins who have settled abroad, i.e. Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries. Occasionally, we do have get-togethers.

Annual ceremonies for the ancestors require only Indian fruits and vegetables to be used. And being the rare fruit that we are, our demand is high. So the twitchy restless cousin, who is dying to explore the world, trotted off eagerly. He has never once called to let us know how life is outside the tree. We got our information from other sources. We know that he would hang out with the fruits like mangoes and bananas, which would also grace the ceremony. Apparently we are liked best during the summer and autumn seasons. Our sweetness is at its peak anytime during March and September depending on the rains and our health.

Kerala is our home state and Keralites are so proud of their ‘Chakka’ that we have been crowned as the “fruit of the state”. The Malayalam New Year, Vishu begins with our auspicious presence right before a mirror. I shouldn’t say so myself, but I looked good. The day began with people looking at themselves and then at us. Their eyes flickered to me briefly before fastening on the ‘king of fruits’. I really hate Mango. He steals my thunder.

A brother of mine is of the harder variety with larger flesh, while I’m femininely delicate with soft flesh. My brother shrugs off his thick green coat ready to dive into the next phase of our adventure. Since there is so much of him, he decided to try different things. He felt that the seeds were weighing him down, so he shed them. Part of him leapt into the pan of oil and swam leisurely till he became crisp and red. Then he pulled himself out and rolled onto a mixture of salt and chilli powder. The chilli powder tickled his nose. ‘Achooo!!!’ The chips were ready.

Raw Chakka can be cooked as a curry to be eaten with rice. I got to meet the red chillies. But, remembering my brother’s experience, I kept my distance. The coconut, onion and curry leaves seemed nice enough. But onion suddenly started weeping. My brother, the gallant man that he is, leapt to comfort her as did coconut and the others. They ended up in a hot pan and had a good time as they became Idichakkai Thoran. Then we met jaggery and coconut milk. The rest of my brother frolicked with them and they ended up a pudding ‘Chakka Pradaman’.

Later, it was my turn. I too shed my green coat and seeds looking for something new to do. The seeds decided to gallivant in the sun. They acquired a fairly good ‘tan’. I heard that they taste really delicious after they dance on the hot charcoal. I segregated my bulbs and urged a portion to dive inside a bowl of sugary syrup. The bulbs dawdled in there before leaping into a tin. The next set of bulbs didn’t have that much of a sweet tooth. They preferred to dip in oil with salt and chillies. So I let them be pickles. Assured of a long life, I knew they both would go places.

Who doesn’t love jam or ice cream? I just found out that I can be both. Dividing the rest of the bulbs, I sent half of them to mingle with dry ginger and cardamom to create ChakkaVaratti. Since I am health conscious and ‘diabetically’ sweet on my own, I prefer to fraternize with jaggery. The rest of them decided to live in the refrigerator as ice cream. Ripe or raw, seed or flesh, I’m useful. My family home (the tree) too, has its uses in making furniture and musical instruments.

This summer, my brother and I got the chance to go on the world tour. Stuffed with the nutrients and appropriate sweetness, we jumped into the vendor’s cart. James Joseph, a hot-blooded young Malayali man with impeccable taste for the finer things in life has launched a brand, “JackFruit365” that would revive jackfruit in our own backyard of south India. Working as a software professional, Joseph saw ripe jackfruits abandoned on the roadsides during a visit to his hometown Ernakulam. That’s when the idea struck him.

Thanks to JackFruit365, lovers of the seasonal fruit can now buy freeze-dried jackfruit as well as a variety of dishes made from it – from pies to payasam– 365 days a year. The world has become our oyster! The Clark Kent in me has found her superpowers. After the disguise in me had been unveiled, I emerged as the Super Chakka, and not just in one avatar. Now, the various ‘MEs’ have been well packed into little cans and I’m off to America. Ta-Ta!!
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Get Rid Of Pests From Your Business As Fast As Possible

Caleidoscope

April 1, 2015

Pests and rodents can be a significant problem for everybody. However, this is especially true when it comes to businesses for a variety of different reasons. Because of that, the majority of business owners will aim to get rid of them as soon as possible. While many may try to get rid of the infestation themselves, this could be a mistake. This is primarily because using sprays and other DIY pest removal methods may prove to be ineffectual and may result in your pest and rodent problem becoming worse relatively quickly.

However, there are quite a considerable amount of high-quality pest removal companies, such as Moxie Services, that are able to remove the infestation quickly and easily. Furthermore, the vast majority of these companies are much more affordable than many business owners might think. Price is often one of the more significant reasons why businesses might try to avoid using an exterminator. With their affordability, however, this doesn’t have to be an issue.

On top of this, there are quite a few other reasons why any company should consider hiring a pest exterminator as soon as they find an infestation.

Meet Health Codes

Hygiene and health codes are often the most important reason why many entrepreneurs will want to get rid of an infestation. This is especially true when it comes to the likes of hospitals and restaurants, among others, which can often be restricted by a variety of rules and regulations dictating their cleanliness. While some DIY methods may be effective in getting rid of the pests, this isn’t always the case. However, an exterminator will be able to get rid of the infestation much more efficiently than a business owner would on their own.

As health inspectors may visit your business at any time, it can be vital to ensure that your company gets rid of this infestation as soon as you find one. Exterminators are often the quickest way to do so while also being effective. As a result, they can often be the safest way of maintaining a healthy work atmosphere and ensuring that your business meets all relevant health codes.

There’s also the fact that your company’s reputation may take quite a hit should customers find out that you have a pest infestation. This is especially true when it comes to the likes of restaurants, although it can affect almost every type of business. As a result, getting rid of these pests as early as possible is the best way to prevent this damage to your brand.

Prevent Damage To Your Premises

Pests and rodents can cause a significant amount of damage to a building, especially when allowed to grow. This can be across the entire building and affect a few vital areas, including the likes of your wiring, plumbing, and much more. As a result, should the infestation not be treated quickly and effectively, then they can cause a considerable amount of damage that may cost a significant amount of money to repair once you’ve gotten rid of the infestation. Because of that, it can be somewhat of an investment to hire an exterminator and get rid of these pests and rodents as soon as possible.

Because of each of these reasons, it can often be much more beneficial to hire an exterminator than it would be to try to get rid of an infestation by yourself. There’s also the fact that if an infestation gets large enough, it can end up closing your business until it’s dealt with. This is especially true if the relevant health authorities become aware of it. This can often result in a significant amount of lost revenue during the time that your company is closed. The most efficient way around this is to hire an exterminator. This will also ensure that the chances of an infestation coming back is significantly reduced.

This can also mean that you should put a considerable amount of effort into preventing pests from coming into your business in the first place. One of the primary ways of doing so is by ensuring that your business is as clean as possible. By maintaining a high level of hygiene, the chances of pests or rodents being attracted to your premises are significantly reduced. As such, you may end up in a position where you shouldn’t need to hire an exterminator.

Can Mandatory Sex Education Ensure Child Safety?

Sreesvarna B

April 1, 2015

Sex-Education-India — Image courtesy – forcechange.com

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Most fairy tales end with a kiss and a ‘happily ever after’. Stories of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Krishna Leela are narrated as bed-time stories to kids. We let kids watch inappropriate movies but hesitate to spend a minute to explain rights and wrongs.

Every day we find newspapers and television covered with news of a two-year-old or a four-year-old falling victim to the wicked fox. Most of the culprits turn out to be a known person to the child’s family. When this is the case, don’t you think it could have been avoided?

A child’s first teachers are her parents. In the present scenario, it becomes important for them to teach their child about the right touch and the wrong touch. They must teach the child to shout if the child feels a stranger’s touch is uncomfortable, hurting and scary. Parents will have to spend time with their child and tell their child that anything that happens when they are not around must be brought to their notice. They must build trust with their child and convince them that nothing needs to be hidden from them.

Children forever remember what is taught to them at an early age. When we teach them everything that we expect them to remember and follow for the rest of their lives, must not the basics of protecting themselves from sexual abuse be initiated at the same time?

Seeing parents fight, dad beating mom telling her to limit herself within the walls of the kitchen, the children will treat those who come into their lives later in the same way. Respecting a woman and treating her equal to men also comes under this larger topic of sex education. If a child learns this, he or she won’t commit crime later.

It is pleasing to see the media spreading awareness about this. “Young World”, a magazine brought out by The Hindu newspaper for children, publishes articles about the safety of a child. The front page of the magazine once in a while carries articles calling out to parents, showing them the various means of addressing this topic. Our good old Doordarshan has also taken a brave step to showcase the issue as a short documentary or advertisements.

Home is the first school for a child. Therefore like every other fact, a child must learn about sex (baby steps for their own safety) at an early age. If this is not done the child will learn it later from a wrong or a corrupt source. We don’t want the coming generation to live with scars and fears; we want every child to be a princess or a prince and not a victim of assault, so let’s take the initiative to help keep them safe.

Pest Infestation Damages To Your House’s Architecture

Caleidoscope

March 31, 2015

One of the most satisfying things in the world for an architecture lover is to build a family and share the wonderful world of art to their kids. Sharing something you love to your children and teaching them how to appreciate art is a unique experience. There’s no better example than creating a house full of artistic designs.

A house serves as a shelter for harsh elements of nature and a comfort zone for each member of the family. It is also one of the things that are able to capture the culture and the art of one place at a certain time. A home equipped with beautiful designs will be memorable to all the people who visit it. A good architectural design will also enable the house to withstand weather conditions and unexpected disasters. And last but not least, it will be a place of relaxation after a long day of hard work.

However, pests will not even care about your house’s great architecture design. During harsh conditions, they will enter your home, pillage some of your stored food, and even destroy your property. If you live in San Diego and you have a pest infestation in your home, you should consider contacting Joshua’s Pest Control at https://joshuaspestcontrol.com/locations/san-diego/ and let the professionals address your pest problems.

Most Common Pest Damages In A Property

1. Damages in the structure of the house

If you have an old house, especially if it is made with wooden materials, one of your most challenging opponents might be rats and mice chewing the structure of your house. A rat or mice can easily bore a hole in a wooden structure. This serves as entryways for them and other pests like cockroaches and ants.

This will not only affect the structural integrity of your home, but it can also become a huge money pit because of repairs. Rats and mice are not the only enemies. Termites and other wood pests will also cause your house more repairs.

2. Damages in the electrical system

Rats and mice can also destroy electrical circuits and wires by gnawing on the insulation around the cord. This is one of the greatest dangers in having a pest infestation in your home. It can increase the risk of accidental shocks when someone accidentally touches the exposed area. It also increases the risk of setting fire to the whole house, not to mention that electrical damages will require expensive repairs.

3. Damages to electronics and appliances

There are pests that are small enough to enter the holes in your electronics and appliances. Cockroaches can enter your TVs or other appliances. Their droppings and urine might damage the appliances and electronics beyond repair, and we all know that electronics and appliances are not cheap.

Another example is when ants are destroying your laptop via spaces in the keyboard. There is a possibility of them making a nest inside, which can destroy your device. If you have a lot of appliances and devices at home, and especially if you have IoT devices, you might want to have another layer of protection against pests.

4. Damages to your documents and books

Damage in a library is one of the most devastating when it comes to pest infestation. Rats, mice, and termites will have no problem in tearing a shelf down. The damages will be even more devastating when the documents that are destroyed are important and might be unreplaceable or are hard to acquire again. Examples include land titles, birth certificates, receipts stored for tax purposes, and more.

5. Damages in other household objects

Pests can also damage other house objects such as bags, shoes, clothes, and mattresses. It would also be dangerous if you have a toddler at home. Make sure that his or her toys will be well-stored to avoid contamination due to pest contacts.

When To Call A Pest Control Professional?

There are DIY remedies that are effective and available but only on a small scale. If you see a pest in your home, it is probably the time to seek help from a pest control professional. Don’t wait until there is more damage before acting and facing the problem. Call the nearest pest control services if you’re already experiencing property damage.

The Cost of Death – Hindu Funeral Rites

Manu Mukundan

March 30, 2015

Author – Manu Mukundan

‘Death’ is a dreadful word for Indians despite our scriptures enlightening us that it is just a ritual of our body passing through from life to another. Be it Munshi Premchand’s famous novel ‘Godaan’ or Bollywood movies, a death and the cost associated with it, is shown in a grim and often pitiful way. From helpless heroines with no one to help them with the funerals of their loved ones, to families that are plunged into debt, Bollywood has most often used this grim side of death.

Even though, most of it is true, I would like to explore the costs associated with death, and a world that thrives on after death rituals in the Hindu community, to which I belong. The poor along with the rich tend to be rather lavish when it comes to matters associated with death. This can be attributed to our staunch belief in afterlife and to the need for honoring the dead, both of which are basic elements of Indian society. After all, no one wants to hinder the soul of a departed from achieving ‘Moksha’ ¬– eternal peace.

Hindus are a class of people who have delved deeper into death’s spiritual nature. Each caste in the Hindu community has a vast array of rituals associated with death. Since, Hindus believe in the afterlife and reincarnation of the spirit, their Hindu funeral rites have a deep spiritual meaning. One of the major pre-death rituals is the ‘Godaan’, in which a person lying in his death bed donates a cow or its monetary value to a Brahmin. The fear of afterlife compel even a poor farmer to conform to this Brahmanic tradition. Renowned social reformer Jyotirao Phule criticized these rituals that they are a ploy by the social elite to give prominence to Brahmins and ensure their religious superiority.

In early days, Hindus used to burn the corpse of the deceased in a funeral pyre in the vicinity of their home. As the urban society grew, increasing objections from neighbours and lack of proper infrastructure, made Hindus to rely heavily on private crematoriums. Such crematoriums are typically located next to a river or a lake so that later the ashes can be immersed in the water body.

In Kerala, the banks of the river Bharatapuzha has evolved into a hotspot of such centres, private cremation centres that cater to the needs of the ever busy Keralite. These cremation centres offer all services related to a Hindu funeral, charge anywhere from Rs.1,000-10,000, and have the capability to cremate 10-15 corpses at the same time. Even though electric cremation centres run by local governing bodies offer the same service at prices like Rs.500, religious superstition and prejudice, have inhibited their widespread use. Hindus believe that the spirit is liberated only when the skull is broken, and since this is not done in the electric cremation centres Hindus are reluctant to use them.

Thus traditional crematoriums have become a highly profitable business with very low investment.
‘Dakshina’, is a word which one will hear a lot as he goes through after death rituals, and is money that a relative pays as gratitude for a service, mostly out of fear than gratitude. Most funeral directors receive Dakshinas that average between Rs.500-1000. The bones and ash collecting ceremony three days after cremation also requires another round of Dakshina. There have been instances where funeral directors have refused to release the mortal remains without prior payment of Dakshina. They claim that the deceased’s soul will not be liberated if they are not satisfied.

The next step where Dakshina pays a crucial role is Pindadaanam. Some famous centres where Keralites throng for Pindadaanam are Thirunelli, Thirunavaaya and Panchavadi. The fee charged by these temples for Pindadaanam is quite low, but here too Dakshina plays an important role. The road leading to the famous Tirunavaya temple is lined with posh, two storey homes of Ilayads and Brahmins, who supervise the Pindadaanam. This priesthood receives a modest payment from the temple authorities besides the Dakshina. Most people claim that their prosperity is a direct result of the Dakshina they receive. Due to fear of divine repercussions, Dakshina-a purely voluntary payment has now become compulsory. It is this fear of Divine repercussion that compels an already indebted family to borrow more and pay off the Brahmins, even at the peril of endangering their own financial future.

While this religious custom has become big business, we cannot solely blame the malignant section of our religious elite for exploiting the common man. For them, the common man’s financial and emotional conditions do not matter as long as they receive their cut of divine payment. It is our ignorance and blind beliefs that lead to such exploitation. This is a country where the government’s primary space agency takes replicas of spacecraft for blessings and to seek divine intervention. This blatant display of superstition at India’s premier temple of science is an example of how deep religious superstitions are entrenched in our society. Unless we get rid of this parasite that has attached itself to our society, it can never attain a wholesome evolution.

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Indian Cricket Fans and the World Cup Down Under

Caleidoscope

March 25, 2015

Author – Hemal Mehta

As an Indian living in Melbourne – Australia, I have witnessed too many sporting events in the last one-year. After all, Melbourne is called the sporting capital of the world and every month there will be one sporting event that takes over the city. Unfortunately, as an Indian, the only local sporting events in which I can cheer the Indian Team are perhaps ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and Australian Open to a certain extent.

Thus, the very thought of watching the Indian cricket team play World Cup here, was super exciting for all the Indians. Perhaps, the Indian Australians were even more excited than the local Australians. Cricket is a religion in India, but in Australia it is just another sport. In a country where they have invented a local sport – ‘Footy’ (with its own league matches) and where they have teams acing almost all sports, cricket is just another sport. As a matter of fact, even though Australia is the host nation for the World Cup, the local free to air TV channels do not broadcast all the matches. Only matches that have the Australian team playing are shown on free to air TV! That’s Australia for you!

Indians at the stadiums: Act 1

India’s first match was against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval. Adelaide is a much smaller city compared to other state capitals in Australia and is not even a big tourist destination. However, that really didn’t stop Indian and Pakistani cricket fans from taking an eight-hour road trip to Adelaide from Melbourne. It was a sold out match and the Indian cricket fans were just gearing up!

The next match was against South Africa at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). I call it legendary because it is the biggest cricket stadium in the world, and the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere. It is an intimidating stadium, especially if you are not playing in front of your home crowd. Luckily for the Indian Cricket Team, there are many Indians in Australia. No matter which stadium they play at, they can be assured that fans will buy the tickets to watch them. This has not been the case for many other teams. As you may have noticed, most stadiums were rather deserted.

Coming back to the MCG, in a stadium that huge, you would expect a sea of fans supporting both teams. However, MCG was literally coloured in Blue. In a near-record crowd of 86,876, there were barely a few hundred South African supporters. It felt like watching a match at Wankhede Stadium. There was cheering in Hindi, people playing ‘dhols’, thousands of Indian flags, fans in ‘desi’ attires, Indian food trucks etc. The experience was thrilling. It was a Sunday and it was like a picnic for many Indian families. The crowd was loud, but well behaved. The energy in the stadium was unbeaten and it was an experience of a lifetime!

Indians at the stadiums: Act 2

The next game India played at the MCG, was the quarterfinals against Bangladesh. Whether it was the excitement of making it to this level or the winning streak India had, the Indian supporters definitely seemed to be on some sort of high. One of my Bangladeshi friends watched the match in the stadium and was disgusted by the whole experience. Mind it, it was not because her team had just lost. It was because of the way Indians made her feel during the match. She concluded that Indians had no common sense, respect or decency towards anybody around them. They curse in public and can even go to the extent of being rude to others while cheering the Indian Team. She was not the only one who complained that night.

Another Indian friend of mine shared his weird experience as well. A group of Indians in front of him constantly booed the Bangladeshi supporters and bullied them by literally showing them the ‘middle finger’. Fortunately, MCG has a strict policy against harassment and bullying. After a quick complaint from the Bangladeshi fans, the Indians were cuffed and escorted out of the stadium. My friend recalls it as being embarrassing and shameful.

I even read comments online from cricket fans that insist tickets should be rationalised country wise. They feel Indian supporters overpower every venue and it is just not fair for the other teams. It seems Indian cricket fans have rubbed other cricket fans on the wrong side.

Australian Indians – the world outside cricket

If I had to be completely honest, I confess that I feel shameful for the way Australian Indians behave during cricket matches. There have been reports of arrests not just at the stadiums but also at sports bars wherein Indians get into fights and break furniture while watching the matches. It may seem stupid or irrelevant or normal for Indians to get excited during cricket matches, but that’s not how the world rolls here. Australia is a highly multicultural society and the smallest of actions can seem racist. Every individual is skeptical about people from other races, and incidents like these just strengthen their negative bias towards Indians. It really does not matter how well the Indian Cricket Team plays, if a handful of Indian supporters play fowl – Indians across the globe lose anyway!

Image sources & courtesy – Hemal Mehta

A Bane called Caste System

Caleidoscope

March 23, 2015

Author – Reeti Srivastava

Ours is a country that has long prided itself in its multiculturalism. But, there still exists an invisible line called caste that mentally segregates us Indians from one another and has become one of the biggest flaws that cannot be rectified easily.

The word ‘Caste’ doesn’t have an exact definition. It just came into existence for easy identification of people but ended up as an apartheid. It is said that the caste system in the early Vedic period was flexible; meaning a Brahmin’s son could become a Shudra upon his will and vice versa. Caste back then was determined based on the occupation of a person, not by his birth. But with time, the upper caste established their hegemony over other castes and subjugate them for their vested interests. Thus born is the caste system as we know of it today.

Quoting Lord Krishna’s words to Arjun in ‘Bhagvad Gita’, “I have created this fourfold order (4 Varnas or castes namely – Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras) based on the aptitude/quality of an individual and their action”. It is clear that the roots of the caste have a different meaning while the people today have wrong notions about caste in society.

Even when our ancient texts emphasized that our comprehension of the caste system is highly misplaced, they are gone highly unnoticed. People started holding on to the roots of the caste system brought out by ruthless upper-class, rather than the one prescribed in the holy texts. According to them, a government employee’s heir is entitled to such job and a politician’s kid, a politician. Absurd be that as it may, that’s what is followed till date. For it’s in the interest of the wellbeing of elite and a great affliction to the rest.

This gives a rise to a number of questions that needs to be answered for the good of our society. Despite so much data available in our ancient texts, why is it so difficult for civilized and educated people like us to understand the futility of the caste system? Why is a deplorable thing like untouchability still prevalent in a country that aspires to join the elite club of nations in a few years from now? Why the questions of purity and insanity of a person are connected to a string called caste?

Why are certain sections of people barred from entering religious places? Why is a thing as simple as an inter-caste marriage still considered a taboo? Why do honour killings still take place and couples are disowned for marrying outside their caste? Is the fear of tarnishing image in society greater than humanity?

Many people including philosophers and thinkers tried to come out with plausible questions for these questions. But no one could ever reason it well enough. It’s a pity how the humanity has sunk so low that it gives a greater merit to a figment of someone’s imagination but discredits rationality.
Does the caste of a person simply makes someone less intelligent or less capable to work? The answer is an emphatic no!

Caste differentiation has been ingrained in most of the people right from their childhood. They learn to look down upon people from the castes lower in the social hierarchy. Calling names, stereotyping people according to their castes, mocking individual’s personal habits in the name of caste, etc. Is still very much prevalent in our society. And lest we dare forget, our politicians have ensured to repeatedly remind us by emphasizing the castes to garner votes. And naive as most of us are, we get swayed by that and vote for a candidate not based on their credentials but their caste. We bite the bait laid down by the politicians and what happens is not the elimination of this evil system, but deep rooted hatred and alienation of one group from another.

The recent elections are no exception to it. However, what should have ideally happened is that caste should have been put to a back burner with each passing election, instead the reverse seems to be happening. Caste based bonhomie appears to be more rigid and pronounced than ever.
It is upon us to take the initiative of cleansing society that is ridden with caste differentiation. There is a famous saying that goes, ‘Charity begins from home’. So, we’ve got to cleanse our minds first, and then help others. Change has to start from one person and then can be transmitted to others.

We dream of building roads in space and strive to touch the moon and the planets. We talk of development and modernization. We discuss about eliminating poverty and raising the standard of living, but we forget that until our society by and large continues to differentiate and subjugate people along the lines of castes, all our advancements in other spheres would be but a hollow victory.

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Contemporary Indian Art – Finding Gems in Paintings

Caleidoscope

March 18, 2015

Author – Neha Gupta

Paintings are inseparable from Indian culture and heritage. Researched art work has become the strong Indian identity since artists represent India at the global platform. This is the reason why India is considered as a major cultural hub in the world. Indian painters have tried their hand on a wide spectrum of art genres. Evidently, their creativity is hugely praised by art collectors or the so called ‘art connoisseurs’. Indian painters are really creative and they can portray different situations while blending their imaginations.

Online art gallery is the latest trend and the right place to explore different genres of fine arts. There are many online art galleries which offer beautiful painting collections of famous Indian painters that are enriched with different appealing concepts and vivid imaginations that these make the paintings really desirable for art collectors. Further many art exhibitions and festivals are organised regularly to bring together the best painters and art buyers.

Art lovers who are fond of different genres of art must know that a good painting is the end result of various unique concepts. So, an artist’s concept is considered the main theme behind an awarded painting of unique creativity. If you are thinking how to make your painting more appealing, then you must concentrate on your ideas before you begin the hard work. Brainstorm is required to present the best creative work in terms of look, colour combination and scenic beauty.

Here is a list of popular and prominent genres in contemporary Indian art:

Contemporary Art

Contemporary art is also considered as post-modern art. Both the terms ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’ denote the same meaning, but contemporary art portrays a periodic concept to the painting. Art collectors across the world take interest in contemporary art. This art form is relevant because it portrays the present day’s scenario and the current situation. This particular artgenre deals with innovative concepts and these paintings are best for decorating dining halls and drawing rooms.

Figurative Paintings

A painting that portrays a human body is known as ‘figurative art’. There is a misconception that a figurative art is all about showcasing a woman’s body and sensual curves. Although it is partially true, these days artists have begun concentrating on male figures and exploring human bodies of different regions. These paintings have unique concepts and these are connected to different situations to form a story.

Landscape Paintings

Contemporary-Indian-Art — Source V-IMAgine-L

Artists often try to explore nature that has blessed us with beautiful locations and landscapes. They take initiative to draw these locations on canvas. They profoundly take the opportunity to draw different locations with utmost accuracy in blending the scenery with their vivid imaginations. Painters typically focus on hill stations, sea beaches, river banks, wild life, desserts and snow-clad mountains. With the strokes of their paint brush, they deliver the best possible creativity on canvas.

Sketches

Contemporary-Indian-Art-Sketch — Source – doodlesntangles.blogspot.in

There are art collectors who love to purchase art in black and white. They love the grey connection among several things. Pencil sketches are mainly utilised for creating portraits, while Charcoal is used for drawing different scenarios. Charcoal drawing is a well-recognised medium that shows wider variations in gray gradients and lighting techniques. Many people wonder how these images are made to look so cool with just a piece of charcoal!

Still Life Paintings

Contemporary-Indian-Art-Still-Life — Amit-kapoor – Source

We live around both living and non-living things. In still life paintings, non-living things become the subject matter. Artists use fruits, flower vases, cups and saucers and other various non-living things. Water colours are used for this type of painting and painters try to use various colour shades to create these paintings. Such still life paintings mainly attract art lovers who want to display them in their restaurants and dining rooms.

Abstract Art

Untitled by Bahuleyan CB (Image Courtesy: CIMA Gallery Pvt.Ltd)

There is a thin line in between a modern art or an abstract art painting. Modern Indian paintings generally deal with everyday events and current situations. On the other hand, an abstract painting deals with very sensitive topics with deeper meaning that need better treatment. Both these genres are highly appreciated by the Indian art collectors.

In the early days, Indian art was mainly sought by older customers who were mature enough to understand their deeper concepts. Today, Indian art is finding a new crop of buyers — younger, more involved and well-heeled. To cater to this yuppie art buyers, there is a growing trend of online art galleries that present different genres of paintings which are been offered at affordable prices. The different types of paintings shed the monotony of life and bring the positivity at its best.
Factfile –
http://www.indianartideas.in/modern-art

Aamir Khan – Socially Sensitive Star

Amit Singh Negi

March 16, 2015

Author – Amit Singh Negi

I knew him for a long time. He was a cool guy, always joking around and social with people. Then one evening, he told me something I could never forget. This fun-loving carefree guy, whom I knew since my childhood, told that he was sexually abused as a child by his neighbour. He confessed of never telling this to anyone before, not even his family. Horribly shocked, I asked him what prompted him to unravel this secret all of a sudden. He said the show “Satyamev Jayate”.

My friend felt so connected, so moved by the victims in the TV talk show that finally 11 year later, the painful unrest inside him could finally find a way out. He swore that no matter what he won’t let his children go through the same phase.

Whenever we discuss any social issue on any public platform, we mostly conclude with a simple suggestion of spreading awareness. There is no other show that does it to the fullest extent as Satyamev Jayate does. And this awareness is of different kind; it’s the awakening of our conscience rather than education.

In India, we live a life of double standards; we talk about principles but do accept or give dowry in the name of gifts. We know accepting or giving dowry is wrong, but we have accepted this vice. Satyamev Jayate shakes our conscience as we watch the tragic tales of victims and the potential monsters we can become.

We can easily conclude the nationwide success of Satyamev Jayate can be attributed to Bollywood star, Aamir Khan. He’s an actor who not only pays attention to his core work, but also understands his role in the society and uses his star power for the betterment of the society. Apart from making movies on social issues, he ventured into small screen with his talk show, Satyamev Jayate.

This show doesn’t stop at awareness but it also talks about the much required practical solutions, some of which are initiated by the host himself. Typically, we struggle to search online on YouTube to find rare documentaries to educate ourselves about a particular issue, but Satyamev Jayate did it in a touching way. The research work done by the Satyamev Jayate team before airing every episode is appreciable. Most of us know about child abuse. But when you are told that 53% of the total children are sexually abused, it creates great impact and makes you more vigilant. This is what Satyamev Jayate does; it leaves a lasting impact about social issues.

Similarly, Aamir Khan made an effort to discuss about various aspects of homosexuality in a deep and mature way. Homosexuality is a sensitive issue in India and it is important for Indians to understand that homosexuality isn’t a new entity at their home. It’s not a disease that can be cured. It’s a choice of living by some, which others need to understand and respect.

Further, the presentation of the show is truly touching and lasting. Especially the use of soulful music in the end gives you goose bumps. Satyamev Jayate has certainly helped in bringing about a positive change in the Indian society. It brought the Rajasthan government to setup fast track courts for cases that deserved urgent attention. Similarly, the Maharashtra government is seeking the show’s help to make rain water harvesting in all regions of the State. The show has helped people became aware to use the child helpline and drink line. Moreover, a sum of Rs.22.3 crore was received by the NGOs featured in the first season itself.

India is a young country, with more than 60% of its population below the age of 35. This is the same generation that has seen the transformation of Indian Television serials right from Shaktimaan to Bigg Boss. In the midst of all the melodrama of the daily soaps and the publicity stunts of reality shows, a great initiative like Satyamev Jayate comes as a fresh breath of air in our stale society.

Today, people are openly talking about social issues and are trying to understand them; which indeed is a great achievement for Indian society. I would like to thank Aamir Khan for bringing up such sensitive issues and handling them in such a mature way. Today, on his 5oth birthday, we salute Aamir Khan for opening our eyes to the harsh reality in our lives!
Image sources –

www.satyamevjayate.in

www.childlineindia.org.in

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