Latest posts by Neha Viswanathan from April, 2007
India: A Lawyers’ Enclave
My Mylapore on a little history trip with notes on Palathope, the lawyers’ enclave. “What circumstances caused generations of legal eagles to ‘graduate’ from Palathope? Their ‘graduation’ into the world of litigation and trial linked surprisingly, more definitively to this sleepy, little lane, rather than to any academic institution of...
Sri Lanka: Loans, the economy and lenders
One One Things on donor conditionality in Sri Lanka. “The first is that loan conditionality has evolved over the last decade or so. In the 80’s and 90’s the World Bank and the IMF notoriously imposed loan conditionalities that have been at loggerheads with the interests of developing countries. I...
Pakistan: Praying and Playing
The Pakistani Spectator doesn't take very kindly to comments made by the Pakistani Cricket Team's manager about the connection between Namaz (the ritual of prayer) and playing. “But its shocking that in an Islamic country people are blaming Namaz and religious activities for the defeat. Namza differentiates between a Muslim...
Nepal: Where have all the Sherpas gone?
Deepak's Diary on sherpas. “Nepal has always been exoticized as a country of brave Gurkha soldiers and adventurous Sherpa mountaineers. Both of these myths are under deconstruction now. Tenzing Norgay, the famous Nepali son was later snatched away by India and now another relentless mountaineer Appa Sherpa is in the...
Bangladesh: Oh Ireland!
A heavy day for Bangladesh yesterday. Rezwan liveblogs the cricket match with Ireland. “24 Overs: Bangladesh is in real trouble with 104/5. Their front-line batsmen are all out. They tried to play too many shots instead of nudging around for singles like what Ireland did. Ireland is playing better here...
Bangladesh: The idea of South Asia
Unheard Voices on the dream for a more cooperative South Asia. “I’ve always been in love with the idea of a South Asian version of the EU – where Bangladesh played a key role of course – marching into 21st century as an Asian bloc with superpower ambitions. In my...
India: Grand-Aunt and Feminism
Blogpourri responds to a tag on feminism by remembering her grand-aunt. “She was married at seven to a 42 year-old man. Following the marriage he disappeared, never to be heard from again. A few years later, he was legally presumed dead and my grand-aunt had her whole life ahead of...
Nepal: Constituent Assembly Elections and India
Nepali Netbook on the Constituent Assembly elections in Nepal, and the meaning of the Indian Ambassador's words. “In suggesting that Nepalis should establish their own electoral paradigm, the Indian ambassador has much more than overruled UNMIN chief Ian Martin. Mukherjee has assured our SPAMers not worry about trifles like international...
Pakistan: Want to “make friendship”?
A strong step taken to publish numbers of people who harass others by calling them up at Behind the Chairman's Door. “First off, it takes a small man to call someone up and harass them, but then most of Pakistan’s male society is frustrated because of the Mullah code. Now,...
Bangladesh: A little less critical please!
Close Your Eyes and Try To See attempts to reason with bloggers to be a little less critical about the government. “A unique type of government is running the country which came into power in a very critical situation. During their 3 months in power, they have been enjoying vast...
Sri Lanka: Army and the A5 road
DefenceNet discusses the Sri Lankan military situation. “Infantry units of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and Gemunu Watch took complete control over the Mahaoya-Chenkaladi A5 yesterday. With this capture, SLA are now in complete control over 90% of civilian populated areas in the eastern province.”
Pakistan: Driving in Lahore
Light Within on traffic in Lahore. “they will always drives at a speed less than 40 kilometres per hour along the middle of recently beautified, recently widened Lahore roads, and forget the distinctly marked speed lanes. They drive without looking left or right as if mesmerized by the taillights or...
India: Your Menstrual Cycle
In what comes across as a PR disaster, the government in India appears to be asking women in the civil services about their menstrual cycle and pap smears in their appraisal forms. (News reports suggest that the government has dropped the idea today.) Gilli.in collates some links discussing the issue.
Pakistan: The Umpires
Metroblogging Lahore reminds us that while the cricket team may not have fared well at the World Cup 2007, the Pakistani umpires are doing a great job. “Not very long ago, Pakistani umpires were looked down upon – Remember Javed Iqbal of Ashes fame? But these two have done exceptionally...
Nepal: Reminiscence Of Childhood Dreams
Kathmandu Speaks has an interesting post on a lot of things -including childhood, literature and citizen journalism. “Citizen Journalism- I didn’t know anything about this wonderful phenomenon until I was called for an interview. I was sure towards the end of the interview, that I had really impressed those three...
India: Why work?
Indian Mommies links to mommy bloggers from India or of Indian origin. Some fabulous stuff. “I would like to be a working mom, yes! But I have never heard a more ridiculous reason to be one. “Oh What if my husband dies at 47? What will I do?” Please, give...
India: A view of Changlimithang
As a stadium gets ready for a 100 years of Monarchy celebration, Visit Bhutan has some photographs and description. “With the weather condition of Thimphu unpredictable and the frost still get into the tender leaves of the young sprouting grass, life does makes it hard for the worker to starts...
Sri Lanka: Facade of nationalism
One One Things on nationalism and economics. “The idea is that foreign investment is all good but the profits leave the country, so we must stop that. People forget that profits make up just one part of economic activity. Employment generation, knowledge transfer, and services provided are several fold more...
Bangladesh: On the Bangladeshi Blogosphere
An article in publication, Slate on the Bangladeshi Blogosphere. “While by vocation Ahmede is a journalist, there is a growing band of bloggers who are bypassing the mainstream media in favour of their own to take up reporting of news or opinion analysis, via their blogs. These Citizen Journalists, springing...
India: Water and Women
A time to reflect on a place where water is everything. “This woman sits just otuside the main gate of the reserve, just off the dusty main road. She has pots of water filled and ready, and fetches them from near her home which is close to the main gate,,...
Pakistan: No Hugs please
To each its own on why women in Pakistan cannot get their hugs. “As per the fatwa, “hugging” was an illegitimate and forbidden act and Muslim women are expected to stay at home and never venture out uncovered. The fatwa demanded that Bakhtiar be fired, given another unspecified punishment and...
