'We still get messages that say these diseases are good for you,' says one Oregon lawmaker who opposes efforts to let more parents opt out.
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Sunday, March 3, 2019
Meet Parichaya, a trans woman who is now working with Karnataka WCD Minister Jayamala
Parichaya had to drop out of school when she was 17 – but she hopes to complete her education and go on to do a PhD soon.
Twenty-eight-year-old Parichaya Gowda from Mysuru got a new job on Friday – as an attendant in the office of Karnataka Minister for Women and Child Development Jayamala. Parichaya is one of the first transgender persons to get a job in a government office in Karnataka – although it is on an outsourcing basis. Minister Jayamala on Friday had said, “Transgender community, a much-neglected one, must be empowered to join the mainstream of society. This is not a big deed but a meaningful gesture by the government.” Speaking to TNM, Parichaya said that unlike the stigma she faces in the rest of society, her office colleagues including the minister treat her without any prejudice. Parichaya’s appointment was personally overseen by the minister, who was approached by the Karnataka Sexual Minority Forum, and other NGOs. “Before this I had searched for jobs in many places including private offices but nobody gave me an opportunity,” Parichaya said, “Thanks to Karnataka Sexual Minority Forum and the department, now I have this job. Currently, I have got the job on an outsourcing basis, I wish my role is made permanent.” Parichaya believes her appointment to a minister’s office will act as a catalyst to change the mindset in people, and hopes more and more transgender persons are employed in the organised sector. “Like me, all transgender persons want to work in mainstream professions. My ambition is to see every transgender person in future in regular workplaces,” she said. “The stigma and the discrimination, I feel will always be there. This is because people think that we only do sex work or begging. But they don't realise that we don't get any other opportunities, be it in government or private organisations,” she pointed out. While Parichaya is happy with the job that will help her lead a dignified life, she does not want to stop at this. After being forced to leave her home in Mysuru at the age of 17 when she was studying in PUC-II, she not only wants to finish her schooling but wants to study much further. “I like to study. Now I need to finish my PUC-II and sign up for a BA course. Then, I want to do my MA, and ultimately, a PhD in Kannada. That is my ambition. Let us see what will happen in future,” she said.
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ABVP forces K’taka professor to kneel down, apologise for ‘anti-national’ posts on FB
In two Facebook posts, which have now been deleted, Sandeep Varthar had also apparently praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Taking the law into own hands, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members on Saturday forced an assistant professor of a private engineering college in Karnataka’s Vijayapura to kneel down for his “anti-India” post, in presence of the police. The activists also demanded that he should be also suspended for his alleged “anti-national” posts. Sandeep Varthar, the assistant professor of civil engineering at Dr PG Halakatti College of Engineering and Technology, wrote on Facebook, purportedly criticising the BJP-led Centre for creating a war-like situation amidst the high tension that ensued between India and Pakistan since the Indian Air Force’s pre-emptive strike in Balkot on February 27. In two Facebook posts, which have now been deleted, Sandeep had also apparently praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Speaking to The Indian Express, college principal VP Huggi said that although Sandeep has not been suspended yet, he will be issued an order on Tuesday when the college reopens. According to IE, one of the posts read: “Who sounds more intelligent in all this? You… bhakts. You will [be] the reason for [the] destruction of millions of lives if this tension escalates. BJP… absolutely zero shame.” Vijaypura Additional SP BS Nemagouda confirmed the involvement of ABVP activists in the incident to TNM. However, the police said that they won’t be taking any suo motu action against the ABVP activists. Vijayapura SP Prakash Nikam told The Hindu, “We will take legal action against the lecturer and also the ABVP members, provided complaints are filed.” The college is owned by Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil. The minister could not be reached for comment. The Hindu also quoted Divisional convener of ABVP, Sachin Kulageri, as saying, “We are waiting for Patil to take action against the lecturer as a few days ago, he had issued a clear statement that persons giving anti-India statements would not be spared. We will wait for him to act and if nothing happens, we will file a complaint.”
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Soon, you can take a train to Malgudi railway station for real
Indian Railways has decided to rename Arasalu railway station in Shivamogga district as Malgudi Station
RK Narayan’s Malgudi may be a fictional town, but a railway station in Shivamogga is set to bring it to life by renaming itself as Malgudi station. Indian Railways has decided to rename Arasalu railway station in Shivamogga district as Malgudi Station in a homage to the location of director-actor Shankar Nag's popular television series – Malgudi Days – some of whose scenes were shot at the old Arasalu railway station. The series was an adaptation of the heartwarming short stories set in the fictional town of Malgudi written by novelist RK Narayan. The plan to rename the station was confirmed by Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra, who stated that there was a demand to rename the station after Malgudi Days. Explaining the process, Deputy General Manager, South Western Railways, E Vijaya told TNM, “For changing names of station, if we receive requests from the pubic or any elected representative, first we have to approach the state government. Then once it is approved, the Railway Ministry takes a decision.” Shankar Nag, who directed the television series aired in the 1990s, chose Agumbe and other nearby areas as locations for shooting due to its rustic ambience. Arasalu, with its small railway station in which just two trains passed up and down every day, provided the ideal location for a few of the scenes, something the author of the stories RK Narayan also approved of after visiting the location of the shoot for the episode based on his story, The old man at the temple. "Arasalu railway station was perfectly suited to recreate British-era scenes. Every morning we rushed there to record two shots, one for the English version and another for Hindi. The first shot was taken on the right platform. When the train returned after 20 minutes, the second shot was done in the opposite platform. These are evergreen memories," Master Manjunath, who depicted the role of Swami in the television series told Times of India. Scenes depicting the railway station appeared in several episodes of the series and according to residents of the area, Shankar Nag stayed in Ripponpet, around 6 km away from Arasalu, while filming the episodes. The old station in Arasalu, where the series was shot, is now in ruins and the Indian railways plans to turn it into a railway museum. The new station, in which five trains pass through every day, will get a makeover at a cost of Rs. 1.3 crore which will include beautifying the station, and rename it as Malgudi station.
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This interactive museum in Bengaluru is a multi-sensory journey into Indian music
The India Music Experience museum, which runs on the formula of ‘see, hear, touch and discover’, is a must-visit for music buffs.
Gallery displays
As I entered the courtyard of India Music Experience (IME), a sense of silence, stillness and tranquillity was palpable. The myriad trees added to the bliss and breathtaking ambience. Sprawling across 50,000 sq ft, with nine interactive exhibition galleries, a Sound Garden with 10 musical sculptures, a learning centre for serious learners and hobby enthusiasts, a cafe, a gift store and a lot more, the Centre for Indian Music Experience is a multi-sensory journey into Indian music of all genres. What makes this museum unique is that there are no security guards warning you not to touch the artefacts but instead it is a ‘please touch’ museum. IME is the initiative of the Indian Musical Trust and the brainchild of MR Jaishankar, Chairman and Managing Director of the Brigade Group. An avid art aficionado, he was particularly inspired by Seattle’s Experience Music Project which was founded by Paul Allen, also the co-founder of Microsoft. The design of India’s only hi-tech interactive music museum was put together by Gallagher & Associates, who also helped create the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. The Sound Garden was co-created by Svaram, along with designer Michael Foley. Explaining the concept of the museum, Dr Suma Sudhindra, Director, Outreach, says, “This one-of-its-kind museum portrays the entire story of India’s vast and varied musical heritage through digital content and cutting-edge technology. We have painstakingly researched and documented musical treasures from the far corners of the country. The museum runs on the formula of ‘see, hear, touch and discover.’ The technology driven interactives will allow you to dig deeper with the touch of a finger. Here one can play songs, touch the instruments, listen to the music, read about the artistes and know their work.” The cafe inside IME My musical tour began with the Sound Garden, which is a fitting prelude to the museum. The outdoor section, which features 10 installations such as wind chimes, xylophones, tubular bells, flower gongs and humming stones, introduces visitors to the principles of sound. An open space where a visitor’s every move will create music, at the Sound Garden you can strike a chord with nature. Step on a singing stone, sit on a musical bench, a touch of the gong – everyone can make music here, even if they have never touched an instrument before. The Outdoor Sound Garden with 10 musical sculptures Briefing me about the Sound Garden, Manasi Prasad, Museum Director, says, “The concept behind the Sound Garden was to create an immersive experience where one gets to feel the notes and vibrations, while ensuring that we put across the message that nature and music are inter-related, and that is expressed through installations. One can explore the principles of sound through 10 specially designed ‘playful’ musical sculptures and understand sound and vibrations, feel the concepts of resonance, vibration, pitch, frequency and timbre come to life.” Dr Suma Sudhindra and Manasi Prasad try their hands at the xylophone in the Sound Garden Inside, after watching a brief introductory film, I set out to explore the nine galleries. In the first gallery titled Contemporary Expressions I relived the early days of independent ‘indie’ rock music in India, watched a pop number in a colourful auto, and gazed at Daler Mehndi’s peacock coat. One can traverse India’s musicscape from the contemporary to the classical and beyond. From there I moved on to the Living Traditions Gallery where I was introduced to the basic concepts of ragas and talas. I had a first-hand experience of Carnatic and Hindustani music through interactive touchscreen displays. In the Music of Devotion, Living Traditions Gallery, which celebrates India’s diverse and rich cultural heritage, I got a glimpse of the myriad forms of devotional music from across the country. Songs of the People is all about Janapada (folk) music and tribal communities of India, their songs and the contexts in which these songs are sung. What impressed me most was the kaavad, an oral tradition of storytelling from Rajasthan. Display of Kaavad, an oral tradition of storytelling and singing from Rajasthan The Instruments Gallery has a stunning floor-to-ceiling display of 108 Indian musical instruments. I had glimpses of Vidwan Manjunath’s ghatam, Dr ML Vasanthakumari’s tambura, a peacock-shaped mayura veena, and intriguing metal horns, leather drums, stringed wooden creations and a variety of mouth harps. I was able to delve deeper into the origin, history, craftsmanship, material, sound, manufacture and performance of these instruments and musical tradition through a digital interface with audio and video clips. There is also a Songs of Struggle gallery which transports one back to a realm when the music of the land had a powerful impact on the prevailing political scenario. It delves into music from India’s national movement, from Gandhi and his bhajans to songs of protest and patriotism in pop culture. Over 35 versions of the song ‘Vande Mataram,’ a replica of Mahatma Gandhi’s letter to MS Subbulakshmi about her contribution, her version of his favourite hymn ‘Vaishnov Janato’, and patriotic songs from Hindi films across the ages are the highlights of this gallery. Equally interesting is the Stories Through Song Gallery which transported me back in time where travelling bioscopes were used to screen films. I also had glimpses of vignettes from different eras of Hindi cinema displayed on inset screens, the landmarks and legends of Hindi film music, and the diverse influences of various genres of music in film songs. The IME gift store In the eighth gallery, I traced the journey of recorded sound in India from the gramophone to the mobile phone. The piece de resistance of this Reaching Out Gallery is the aesthetically designed and memorable photo-op featuring a Bengali household from the 1920s where the gramophone set occupied a pride of place. There are photo-ops where you can pose with a brass band. The Stars Gallery or The Hall of Fame at the IME features 100 legends of Indian music from different genres. Occupying pride of place are the priceless artefacts that once belonged to Bharat Ratna musicians. Some of them are the Shehnai of Ustad Bismillah Khan, tambura of Vidushi MS Subbulakshmi Pandit and the concert attire of Bhimsen Joshi. At the mock Recording Studio, one can sing karaoke-style by choosing a background track, record oneself, select the album cover, and finally email the final track to oneself. It is an experience that no music buff would want to miss. The three-hour musical tour was an enlightening experience for me. All photographs by Susheela Nair. Susheela Nair is an independent food, travel and lifestyle writer, and photographer based in Bangalore. She has contributed content, articles and images on food, travel, lifestyle, photography, environment and ecotourism to several reputed national publications. Her writings constitute a wide spectrum, including guide books, brochures and coffee table books.
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K’taka Cong MLA Ganesh who assaulted another MLA seeks bail saying he is unwell
JN Ganesh has been suspended from the party for assaulting fellow MLA Anand Singh in January.
Karnataka Congress MLA JN Ganesh, who was arrested on February 20 on charges of attempting to murder his colleague MLA Anand Singh, was shifted to a hospital based on a medical report after he complained of hernia and kidney stones. The New Indian Express reported that Ganesh has been admitted to the government-run Victoria Hospital in the city from the Bengaluru Central Prisons in Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru. His ward has been guarded by the City Armed Reserve police. Meanwhile, the Kampli MLA on Saturday approached the special court for people’s representatives in Bengaluru to seek bail. Hearing the petition, special judge Ramachandra D Huddar issued a notice to Bidadi police, directing them to file objections, reported The Times of India. The Bidadi Police Station booked Ganesh under sections 323 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 307 (Attempt to murder), 504 (intentional insult to breach peace) and 506 (Criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). In his statement to the police, Anand Singh had said that if Ganesh had his way, he would have shot him dead with his gunman’s rifle. Anand Singh told the police that on the night of January 19, after dinner, Anand Singh and Ganesh were walking to their respective rooms. Ganesh then apparently questioned Anand Singh as to why he did not give enough money for election campaigning and started blaming him. When Anand Singh denied these allegations, Ganesh allegedly started abusing him and hit him with a flowerpot. When Anand fell on the ground, Ganesh reportedly started stamping on his chest. This was when MLA Tanveer Sait and two others rescued Anand, who by then, had lost consciousness. Ganesh had reportedly said, “I should have killed you long back and all these things would not have happened. Where is the pistol, I want to shoot you now.” He was absconding for a month until he was arrested on February 20. Following the incident, an embarrassed Congress had suspended Ganesh and a committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara was to decide his future in the party.
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Health card, income certificate, other citizen services to be home-delivered in B’luru
Flagging off the project, Kumaraswamy visited several homes in the constituency to deliver the citizen services at their residence..
The Karnataka government on Saturday launched its pilot project to deliver citizen services at the home of the people. "Through this initiative, citizens can avail services like health card, income certificate, caste certificate and senior citizen card at home," said Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy unveiling the project at Dasarahalli in Bengaluru Rural district. The project named "Jana Sevaka" (people's servant) will have officials visiting the homes of citizens concerned in order to provide the required services. Flagging off the project, Kumaraswamy visited several homes in the constituency to deliver the citizen services at their residence. To avail the services at home, citizens, particularly senior citizens and the disabled, can call helpline number (080-44554455) and request the service needed by providing details of their address. After verification of the criteria required to avail the service, "mobile sevaka", an official who will travel to the homes on a motorbike, will fill up the application forms required for the citizen service digitally using a tablet and generate receipts using a thermal printer. "The initiative saves time in waiting in queues at government offices and saves transport costs for citizens," the Chief Minister said. The state has also appointed "women sevakas" to assist women in availing the services.
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