Latest posts by Neha Viswanathan from December, 2006
Pakistan: The return of the Expat
Metroblogging Islamabad on Pakistani expats returning to the city and not quite fitting in. “All they can do is complain and try to pose something they are not with their myopic perspective. If you look at foreigners, the ones who do not even belong to Pakistan, they always manage to...
India: The Martial Race
Amardeep Singh on the myth of martial races in colonial India. “And recently I've been reading a book on the Gurkha regiments, (Byron Farwell's The Gurkhas), and after reading a number of chapters I'm ready to throw out the designation entirely. “
India: Reservations and Muslims
Indian Muslims on exclusive spaces in Higher Education for minorities. “I do not support exclusive schools and colleges for a particular community because they just are a blow to the secular ethics of this country.”
Sri Lanka: On Chikungunya
Having affected large parts of India, chikungunya is now in Sri Lanka. indi.ca says “When I first heard of Chikungunya I thought it was a joke. It is a laughable name given to a very serious disease, now an epidemic in Sri Lanka.”
Nepal: The refugees from Bhutan
Democracy For Nepal on the 100,000 refugees from Bhutan. “The same chauvinistic thinking among the Nepali elite that has kept some five million Madhesis deprived of citizenship papers for decades worked among the Bhutani elite to kick these people out of Bhutan”
Sri Lanka: One Soldier
Manshark's Random Rants on soldiers in Sri Lanka. “In reality then, doesn’t that one soldier, that one person who died forever, or in bits and pieces as he was de-limbed, therefore remain to me forever nameless? Faceless?”
Bangladesh: Islam, Bangladesh and Secularism
Me, Myself and Bangladesh on secularism in the context of Islam, South Asia and Bangladesh. “Now the problem gets even complicated when it comes to Islam and secularism. The first conflict is ideological. Islam is a complete way of life and since most Muslims are Sunnis and to them Islam,...
Nepal: The Maoists, strikes and ambassadors
United We Blog! on the Maoist reaction to a list of names of nominated ambassadors. “Maoists said that they called the instant banda (closure) of the Kathmandu Valley to protest Nepal government’s decision to nominate 14 ambassadors for different countries including the US, India, China and Russia.”
Pakistan: Healthcare in Islamabad
Metroblogging Islamabad on healthcare in the city. “Although you can get a prompt emergency check up for Rs 5 registration charges, but the medicines are very expensive, and I am wondering how the poor manage it all.”
Bangladesh: Submarine Cables and the Economy
Drishtipat on the possible impact of submarine cables on the economy. “I think IT offshore work and back-end BPO can really be that much needed strong second industry to textile that our economy is so depended on and narrowly focused on.”
Nepal: The roads of Khatmandu
Wagle Street Journal on the chaotic traffic in Khatmandu. “If you want to protest, just go to the road and lie down there. Traveling in the city has become difficult because of these kind of small scale protests, I don’t know how many.”
India: A monastery in Zanskar
It isn't has wonderful photographs from Zanskar of a monastery called Phuktal. “The monastery, which belongs to the Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, has a history which dates back to 15th century. It is carved out of the lime stone mountain wall, with a walled frontage.”
Nepal: The head and tail of the State
Nepali Netbook on the ambiguity of positions in the interim constitution in Nepal. “The king is no longer head of state. The interim constitution is silent on who is. As political solutions go, Nepalis have strictly conformed to tradition.”
Pakistan, Bangladesh: In conversation with Uzma Aslam Khan
black and gray in conversation with the author of Trespassing, Uzma Aslam Khan. “The Soviets were in Afghanistan, Pakistan was ruled by its most brutal military dictator, General Zia ul Haq, a United States ally (one Pakistani general referred to Pakistan as the condom through which America entered Afghanistan), billions...
Bangladesh: Dogs and their licks
a bengali in TO on the status of dogs in Islam and how cleaning a utensil with detergent to get rid of a dog's lick will suffice. “Involuntarily I stepped back due to years of training. I was going to go for prayers later and didn't want my clothes to...
Nepal: Anti-feudal masquerade
Nepali Netbook on the Maoist anti-feudalism masquerade. “It took a formerly pro-Maoist writer and platform to point out the incongruity of Nepal’s much-hyped anti-feudalism fight.”
India: Surviving Budget Airlines
Dateline Bombay has a post with tips on surviving India's budget airlines. “And its not the time factor only. Be ready to confront bawling babies, stressed out mothers, countless parents scurrying after restless children, family members shouting for each other and minor bruising from baggage trollies as they brush past...
Bangladesh: Thirty five years ago
drishtipat on the killing of people 35 years ago 35 year ago to intellectually cripple the new country of Bangladesh. “Most destabilizing discovery was that of Rayer Bazaar. All of our national top doctors, professors, linguists, scientists were among the eviscerated dead bodies found here.”
Bangladesh: A strike in Calcutta
imperfect world 2006 on being caught in a bandh (strike) in Calcutta. “My brave taxi driver was scolded mercilessly for breaking the bandh by a bunch of CPM lumpens comrades”
India: Free drugs for the HIV positive
myHimachal on steps taken by the government in Himachal Pradesh to combat HIV/ AIDS. “The Himachal Pradesh Government would be providing free medicine to the HIV affected people, besides reimbursing the traveling charges of the patient alongwith an attendant to visit antiretroviral centre for checkup and treatment and also provide...
India: Suicides in Kerala
“Dog's Own Country?” on the high suicide rate in Kerala. “It is a sad fact that Kerala has the highest suicide rate in India. A friend of mine once speculated that the Malayalee is a unique creature prone to caving into peer pressure which forces people to resort to extreme...