Stories about South Asia from January, 2007
Nepal: Blogging in Nepal
Deepak Adhikari talks about blogging in Nepal – the changes over the last few years, the challenges and the presence of journalists who blog. “In the past few years, some of us in Nepal have made some visible strides in blogging thanks to King Gyanendra's clampdown on mainstream media in...
India: Motherhood and Technology
The Mad Momma on mommy blogging, technology and communication and its contribution to making motherhood a slightly different experience. “Yet here we are, tech savvy women, changing templates (!), mailing other bloggers from our blackberrys while in the labour room (yes, I know someone who was doing that), more concerned...
Nepal: Racism and India as a bully
Looking beyond the Indian blogs, Wagle Street Journal from Nepal comments on the racism and Shilpa Shetty in the Big Brother show issue with the insight of living next door to a country that maybe seen as a bully – India. “When an Indian goes to an English television channel...
India: On Pottery
Swajana posts videos on their blog of snippets of life in India. A video on pottery. “As in many other parts of the world – this art has developed a long way in India too. But simultaneously – its also maintained its roots by being done pretty much in the...
India: The Big Book and Reviews
Amardeep Singh writes on a rather long book that has reviewers writing the review without finishing it. “There seems to be something about Vikram Chandra's heavily-hyped, 900 page Bombay gangster novel, Sacred Games, that has led reviewers to publish evaluations before they've finished reading the book.”
Bangladesh: Proud to be Muslim
Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying on being Muslim and being proud of it. “This image of Muslims claiming their “moderate”ness and the incessant Muslim bashing that comes from the wingnuts is poisoning the well. It has led to the notion that unless Muslims jump every time some Muslim...
Nepal: Arms Management
United We Blog! has a great photo post on the First Day of Arms Management. “Photographs of the first day of registration and storage of weapons and registration of Maoist combatants, at the Maoist 3rd Divisional cantonment site in Chitwan, Nepal on 17 January 2006.”
India: The President on Yahoo!
At digg.com, a user links to the President of India's question at Yahoo! Answers. Watch out for the interesting discussion at digg, where a wide range of issues – including Bush, internet penetration in India, efforts to reach out by the government etc. are raised.
Bangladesh: On the swastika
An ancient symbol appears to forever lose its meaning because of the Nazi connection. Inspirations and Creative Thoughts on the Swastika. “European Union is planning to ban the symbol of Swastika, infamously used by the Nazi. But hindus are opposing the move because despite its being adopted as symbol of...
Bangladesh: Eviction of street vendors
Drishtipat on street vendors being evicted and if the government had given any thought to their livelihood. “Should the authority have thought of some alternative for these people with day to day incomes?”
Bangladesh: Diaspora returing home
Drishtipat points to a report on diaspora returning to Bangladesh, and an interesting conversation in the comments space follows.
Bangladesh: Update on politics
With events unfolding by the day, Rezwan has an update on Bangladeshi internal affairs. “There have been some positive developments in Bangladesh. People are finally finding peace at home with the actions of the new caretaker government.”
India: All that food
Primalsoup associates memories and places with food, and urges the people she tags to do the same! “Me and my family like any other bunch of foodie people, associate most of our socialization and relationships around food. I especially, equate almost everything with food.”
India: Big Brother and Racism
The racism controversy surrounding the reality TV show in UK – Big Brother finds a lot of blogs picking up the issue. Pickled Politics has a thriving comments thread with reflections on racism and bullying, and Shoefiend says “While they’re definitely being ignorant, stupid and mean, the fact that the...
Gandhi and YouTube has India talking
A YouTube clip of Mahatma Gandhi doing a pole dance by Gautam Prashad, a New York-based comedian/clown/yoga teacher of Indian origin created quite a bit of wave on the other side of the continent. The Indian Government was not amused by Prashad's modern day interpretation of Gandhi (India's Father of...
Sri Lanka: 25 years of peace, 25 years of violence
indi.ca on the need for speeding up the peace process. “If 25 years was too long for a political solution, then 25 is far too long for violence. Sri Lanka needs to return to civility, and it needs time to heal. That has to start with Tamil voices, but the...
Sri Lanka: Tourism and Suicide Bombers
groundviews on sea, sand, tourism and suicide bombers. “But it seems that no amount of catchy slogans and idyllic images of sun, sea and sand can deter some people from the grim reality.”
Nepal: Arms And the Government
Nepal Monitor on the interim constitution and messages to Nepal from the world. “Foreign nations congratulate Nepal on the promulgation of a new interim constitution. Both the United States of America and India emphasize arms management before forming an interim government.”
Nepal: On Western Media and more
Blogdai is a little annoyed with the portrayal of Nepal in the western media. “he lazy Western media has never once waivered from their “we don't care what happens in Nepal, as long as they call it democracy” stance.”
Sri Lanka: Looking down over Galle
Almost as good as chocolate on Galle in Sri Lanka. “Looking down over Galle, I wished for Galle and Sri Lanka a lasting peace that such a beautiful place and such a warm people truly deserve.