Category: Mamata Pandya

Superslueths: Lady Detectives

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Continuing Meena’s celebration of women in unconventional professions. While forensic scientists do a lot of their work in labs, there is a band of sleuths that follow clues on the ground. These are the women detectives. Crime fiction through the ages has had its share of popular female detectives. From Jane Marple, the gentle (but canny) epitome of an old English aunt, to Mma Ramotswe, the generously proportioned Botswana detective, these fictional detectives have a dedicated band of followers. Not many readers may even stop to wonder if such sleuths exist in real life. Indeed, they do! And the real lady detectives probably date back as far back as the fictional ones.

In Victorian England several stories of female detectives appeared in newspapers in the 1850s and 1860s. These ladies donned disguises to pursue thieves, and spy on adulterous husbands. Most of these ladies were initially part of male-led detective agencies, but by the 1880s women were beginning to set up their own agencies. Maud West was one of the most popular and well-known private detectives of her time in England. She was famous for her disguises. In 1905 she set up her own private detective agency. Over the next century such lady detectives were in demand especially as they were discreet, ingenious, and smart at surveillance.

But it took until the early twentieth century for a woman to join Scotland Yard as a detective. On December 27, 1922, Lilian Wyles became the first woman in the history of the Metropolitan Police to join the Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D.) as an inspector. She was promoted to Woman Detective Inspector First Class on February 18, 1935.

Alice Clement: Queen of Dramatic Arrest

Meanwhile across the Atlantic, women were also entering what was considered to be a male domain. In 1856 a self-possessed young woman walked into the Chicago office of Pinkerton Detective Agency looking for a job, but not a job as a secretary. Kate Warne was hired, becoming the first female detective in the United States of America. She proved herself to be fearless, and adept at digging out valuable information. In one investigation she posed as a fortune teller to entice secrets from a suspect; in another she made friends with the murderer’s wife. The most defining case of her career was to foil an attempt to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln while on a train trip. She infiltrated the plotters by cultivating their wives and daughters. Her exploits encouraged other women to explore this field. Kate Warne rose to become the superintendent of the female bureau of the Chicago office of Pinkerton Detective Agency.  

While Kate was into private investigation, the official law and order agencies still had to engage women. In 1913, Alice Clement was the only woman in the class of almost 100 new police officers in Chicago’s police force. And Alice made no attempt to colorlessly blend in with the uniforms. She flaunted fashionable dresses, ropes of pearls, and a sophisticated haircut, even as she brandished a submachine gun, and practiced martial arts. She was passionate about her chosen profession, famous for her undercover work, and solving difficult murder cases. The Queen of Dramatic Arrest as she was called, was feared by even the most hardened criminals of the day. Alice Clement was a major advocate for women’s rights including the right to vote. She also travelled across the United States making a case for police departments to include policewomen, leading to several cities opening up this career for women. The substantial presence of women officers in the police dramas that we see on TV today, are not just reel characters but reflections of the real women who are integral to investigation of crime.

It took almost a hundred years after these pioneering PIs, for India’s first female detective to make her presence felt. Rajani Pandit the daughter of a CID officer, did some instinctive sleuthing while in college.  She tried to find out why one of her classmates was behaving out of character, unraveled the mystery; and informed the parents who were grateful. Rajani was now bitten by the bug, and began to pursue investigative work, more as a passion than profession. Her father was not too happy with his daughter’s choice of work. But news of Rajani’s successful investigations spread through word of mouth, followed by some media publicity. Cases started pouring in, and in 1986 she set up her own detective agency–Rajani Investigative Bureau. From a time when the idea of a female detective was met with disdain, Rajani and her bureau have solved 75000 cases. These cover a range, from extramarital affairs to corporate espionage, missing persons to murder.

Today more women are making a foray in this field. Perhaps the youngest female detective to set up her own agency is Tanya Puri. Still in her 20s she runs Lady Detectives India. The agency has half-a-dozen female investigators. They call themselves the Girl Squad, and usually work in pairs when out late on Delhi’s streets.

Female detectives nowadays carry out undercover operations, conduct surveillance, take charge of high-stakes investigations, cases of corporate espionage, and sensitive matrimonial investigations. Women in India can legally lead investigations.  

What makes women excellent investigators? As a veteran male detective observed: They are highly perceptive, they know how to get access locations and discussions that men can’t, and they’re very organized. Women communicate empathy which engenders trust.  

Mma Ramotswe summed this up neatly: Women are the ones who know what’s going on. They are the ones with eyes.   

On this Women’s Day celebrating the spunk in every woman—past, present and future!

–Mamata

Boi Mela: A Book Fair With History

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Just as the winter season of book fairs and literature festivals around the country was coming to a close, the temperature heated up with an article in a British newspaper that alleged that the hundred or more literature festivals that covered all parts of the country were more about “being seen” rather than a serious love for books and reading. The article unleashed a flurry of responses, rejoinders and rebuttals. And the debate may continue until the next literature festival.

While the somewhat glitzy avatar of literature festivals might be relatively recent, it may be a surprise to discover that book fairs have a long history in India, and have always had a substantial attendance. In fact, the first book fair in India was held in 1918 in Calcutta. The Boi Mela as it was called, was held at College Street, the hub of Bengal’s learning and publishing industry. This was not a society event, although it was certainly helmed by some of the most prominent intellectuals of the day in Bengal including Rabindranath Tagore, Lala Lajpat Rai, Gurudas Banerjee, Bepinchandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh, among others.

The Book Exhibition, as it was called, was one of the activities that were being planned and carried out as part of the nationwide wave of Swadeshi. The Swadeshi Movement is largely associated with Gandhiji who gave the call for boycott of British goods and adoption of hand-spun khadi as part of the Non-Cooperation Movement launched in 1920-21. However, the swadeshi movement had its roots much before that, in response to the British plan to bifurcate Bengal in 1905. In August 1905, a massive meeting was held at Calcutta Town hall where the formal declaration of the Swadeshi Movement was made. There was a call to boycott Manchester cloth and Liverpool salt. The formal partition of Bengal in 1905 strengthened the call, and the involvement of people from all walks of life in boycotting all British goods and services. The people were fired by the patriotic songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore. 

Another aspect of this movement was to counter the education policies of the British Government by evolving a nationalist education system. This triggered a demand for a national university. By November 1905 the climate was charged with multi-pronged efforts towards this. Speeches, meetings, articles in newspapers and magazines endorsed the idea of a national university.  Prominent citizens gave generous donations for its establishment. At a conference held on 16 November 1905, a resolution was passed to “establish a National Council of Education… to organize a system of education — Literary, Scientific and Technical on National Lines and under National Control”. The process to work out the details took four months. A resolution formalizing this was passed on 11 March 1906.The Council’s prime objective was to “quicken the national life of the people.”

The National Council of Education (NCE) started the movement to spread science and technical education on national lines and under national control, to counter education and trade policies of the British government. On 14 August 1906, the Council’s first academic institute was inaugurated. This was the Bengal National College and School. Subsequently it also established the Bengal Technical Institute; both of which would later merge to form Jadavpur University.

This was several years before Gandhiji launched his nationwide stir for Swadeshi and set up the first Rashtriya Shala in 1920 to promote national education, manual labour, and handmade products. 

Aurobindo Ghosh was the first Principal of Bengal National College. In an article published in 1908 he wrote: ‘The Council is not merely an educational body nor is the College merely an educational institution; they are trustees to the people of a great instrument of National regeneration and should always work in that spirit.’ The founding members also felt that there was a need for widening education and people’s access to books.

It was in this spirit that NCE organized what is considered to be India’s first book fair in 1918. This event symbolized self-reliance and intellectual independence which was one aspect of the Swadeshi Movement. All the leading publishers of that time took part. The Book Exhibition, as it was then called, generated a lot of interest among citizens. It continued to be held annually for the next few years till the nationalist movement shifted its focus to a greater struggle against the British rule.

Over time memories of the first book fair slipped into oblivion until the 1970s when a group of young book lovers and publishers of Kolkata who met regularly at the College Street Coffee House started discussing how the publishing trade could be boosted. Someone gave the example of the Frankfurt Book Fair a commercial trade fair of books. The young publishers envisaged that a similar event could be held in Kolkata, but the older publishers were wary and skeptical about such an event. They felt that books were not commodities that could be sold in fairs. The younger group persisted and their efforts bore fruit when the first Kolkata Book Fair was organized on 5 March 1976. 34 publishers participated and 56 stalls were set up near Victoria Memorial. The entry fee was a nominal 50 paise. Book lovers flocked in. 

By 1983, the Fair achieved international accreditation and attracted larger and larger crowds. It moved to the larger Maidan grounds to accommodate growing participation of publishers as well as visitors. Despite challenges like the devastating fire of 1997, which destroyed 100,000 books, and rain damage the following year, the Fair’s resilience became its hallmark.

From 1991, the Fair introduced a focal theme every year, on the lines of the Frankfurt Book Fair. Each year one Indian state was selected to be the theme state for that year’s Fair, highlighting the literature and culture of the state. The first theme state was Assam. Subsequently foreign countries were also accorded theme status for each year.  From 1997, the focal theme has been a foreign country, starting with France.

In 2018 the centenary of the first Book Fair was celebrated with a modest book exhibition organized by the Jadavpur campus of National Council of Education.

Starting as a 10-day event, the Kolkata Book Fair gradually became a 12-day affair, usually starting in last week of January. Today the Boi Mela as it is locally called occupies as important a space in the calendar of Bengalis as does Durga Puja. It epitomizes the vibrant intellectual culture, and celebrates Kolkata’s history of reading, learning and sharing knowledge. It is also a reminder of the legacy of the Book Fair, a common meeting place for bibliophiles from every walk of life.

–Mamata

When Letters Took Flight: The First Air Mail

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As a member of the generation before email and ‘texting,’ and one who has always been an avid letter writer, there are many memories of trips to the local Post Office to buy stamps and personally drop the letter in the friendly red post box. The process was more complicated when mailing a letter to someone who was not in India. This meant taking a decision on whether the post should be sent by surface mail or air mail. Air mail was more expensive, albeit faster. There were two options for the air mail—the standard pre-stamped aerogramme, and the challenge to squeeze in as much text as possible in the available space, and an envelope which could accommodate more sheets and hence more matter. But then there was the issue of weight. The envelope would be weighed and the postage decided depending on the weight! Hence an earlier exercise involved acquiring the lightest, thinnest writing paper. (There was an ‘onion skin’ paper as I recall which was in itself more expensive!) Ah, the sweet travails of written communication then!

One always associated the entire concept of ‘air mail’ as having its origin in the West. Many decades later, I discovered that the very first air mail delivery happened in India!

The story goes back over a century ago. India was still under British rule but Indian festivals and fairs went on. One of the biggest of these was the Kumbh Mela held at Allahabad. It was to coincide with the Kumbh Mela of 1910-1911 that the then Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces Sir John Prescott Hewett organized a national exhibition in Allahabad. It was a huge show housed in buildings with elaborate architecture. The twelve sections included exhibits for engineering as well as agricultural sciences, textiles, forestry, and display of handicrafts from around the world. There were cultural programmes featuring prominent singers and dancers of the day. The exhibition ran from December 1910 to February 1911.

As part of the many attractions, Captain Walter George Windham, one of the influential pioneers of aviation was invited to bring some flying machines from England to Allahabad and organize demonstration flights. These would be the first planes to fly in India. Captain Windham brought two aircraft to Allahabad and organized aerial demonstrations by the two pilots that accompanied the aircraft. One of these was a 23- year-old French pilot Henri Pequet.

When Captain Windham was in Allahabad, the Rev. Holland, warden of a hostel for Indian students in Allahabad asked him if he could help raise some funds for repair of the hostel and construction of a new one. Windham had the idea that sending post by air would attract a lot of attention, and hopefully raise funds. He obtained permission from the India Post Office. To send through this, at the time novel means, people were asked to send mail to Rev. Holland, addressed and stamped, at the regular rate, but requested to donate a nominal sum of 6 annas for every letter or card which would be sent on the flight, as a donation for the new buildings. This mail would be part of the airborne postal service. A special postmark was authorised for this batch; it was designed by Captain Windham and the die for this was cast at the postal workshop in Allahabad. It was four cm in diameter and magenta in colour. All postal arrangements were handled by the Exhibition Camp Post Office.

On 18 February 1911, a Humber-Sommers bi-plane, piloted by Henri Pequet was loaded with 6,500 postal articles with the special postmark. The flight took off from the Allahabad polo field, witnessed by thousands of spectators. It landed near Naini railway station where there were no crowds, but a lone postal official who took the mail bags. From there, the post would continue to its destinations by the regular route, and with the regular charges.  The distance covered was approximately 11 km and the flight time was 13 minutes! Having delivered the first officially sanctioned airborne postal consignment in the world, Peqeut got back into the plane and returned to Allahabad. 

The use of a plane for delivering letters received world-wide attention once the letters with the special post mark reached England. 

Before this, some transport of post by ‘air’ was not entirely unknown. During the 1800s balloons and gliders carried some mail. The first sustained powered flight by the Wright brothers on 17 December 1903 did not carry any mail, but in the decade that followed, pioneering pilots would carry ‘unofficial’ mail on their short flights. This did not have official postal authorization. The Allahabad to Naini flight carried the first ‘official’ air mail. Following this, the world’s first scheduled airmail post service took place in the UK between the London suburb of Hendon and the Postmaster General’s office in Berkshire on 9 September 1911, as part of celebrations for King George V’s coronation.  

Subsequently, while the rest of the world saw rapid developments in postal air services, there was not so much happening in India. The first regular air service between India and UK was opened in 1929. Soon after that the first domestic route was opened between Karachi and Delhi. The Indian State Air Service as it was designated, ran for just two years during which it completed 197 scheduled flights, and carried 6,300 kg of mails. After its closure, the Delhi Flying Club was given permission to operate an exclusive mail service between Delhi and Karachi. Its one light aircraft carried over 7000 kg of mail during its operational period of 18 months. The big leap came in October 1932 when JRD Tata flew a Puss Moth airplane from Karachi to Bombay. The inaugural flight of India’s first air service was to become Tata Sons Ltd, and later grow into Air India, carried a load of mail. Karachi was chosen as the starting point because Imperial Airways terminated there with the mail from England, and the mail route chosen by Tatas was Karachi-Bombay-Madras (via Ahmedabad and Bellary). At the beginning the airplanes used were so small that the service was restricted to mail, but a single passenger was occasionally allowed to sit on top of the mail bags — usually with his heels higher than his head! Meanwhile the mail load had increased from about 10,500 kg in 1933 to about 30,000 kg in 1935. Larger aircraft were introduced only in 1936. While the government refused to subsidize the service, it could be sustained by a ten-year mail contact with the Government for transport of mails.

After Independence there was need for delivery of mail that was faster than through road and rail services. Daytime flights could carry only passengers. In 1949, Night Air Mail was introduced in which mail from Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras was collected at designated points in each city, delivered straight to the airport and flown to Nagpur, where it was sorted and flown back to the respective cities the same night, and delivered the next day. In the sixties there were as many as ten flights carrying mail to Nagpur in a single night. The service was discontinued in 1973. Subsequently the Indian Postal Service introduced many services including Speed Post. Today couriers and electronic exchange of information have overshadowed the work of the postal service. The postman, once eagerly awaited, and letters, eagerly opened and read and reread, have almost faded from memory. But it is important not to forget the pioneering efforts that brought us here. 

–Mamata

A Whiff of Royalty: Mysore Sandal Soap

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A recent advertisement for an old soap in a new packing brought back many memories. Any visit to South India, or to the erstwhile Mysore Emporium in Delhi always included picking up several cakes of Mysore Sandal Soap. These were good gifts for friends, and  a special treat for us to use. The rich fragrance of sandalwood was very different from the light flowery fragrances like rose and jasmine that Lux, Cinthol and Rexona, the other popular soap brands of those days had, nor the medicinal smell and feel of ‘healthy’ soaps like Margo, Hamam and Lifebuoy. While Pears soap was a high-end soap that had a very English look and feel, Sandal Soap was regally Indian; sandalwood signalled luxury, and bathing with such soap made one feel like a princess!

It is only recently that I also learned about the fascinating history of this soap.

The saga goes back to the First World War.

But going back further, the kingdom of Mysore was the largest producer of sandalwood in the world. In the 1700s the largest buyer of sandalwood from Mysore was China, where the wood was used to make furniture for the affluent and also used in traditional medicine. In the early 1800s Germany became one of the main buyers of sandalwood for its oil. The Germans already had the know-how for distilling the oil from the wood. At that time Mysore was under British administration; sandalwood was a state monopoly. By the end of the 1800s the demand for sandalwood had risen considerably and it became an important source of public revenue. The demand continued to grow when the British restored the state of Mysore to the ruling Wadiyar dynasty. Sandalwood auctions were held which were attended by representatives of leading international perfumery houses. The process of sandalwood distillation to manufacture oil had, by then, been mastered by German chemists.

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 caused huge disruptions in international trade. Sandalwood exports to Germany were suspended, local auctions of the wood were stopped. With large stocks of sandalwood piling up, and no buyers, the revenue of Mysore State was adversely impacted. The Maharaja of Mysore realized that if the oil from the wood could be distilled to meet international standards, the extract could be exported. This it would be easier than transporting wood, and more lucrative. This was smart thinking!

For the execution of the idea the Maharaja selected Alfred Chatterton who had been principal of the college of engineering in Madras, and appointed him as the Director of Industries in Mysore state. Chatterton teamed up with two English chemistry professors from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore to experiment with distilling sandal oil in a lab. After extensive experiments and trials, the team finally discovered the right process to extract sandal oil. They continued to refine the process until they created a  product that would meet international standards. Now it was time to move from the lab to a larger scale of production.

A factory, headed by Chatterton, was opened in Mysore. It was called the Mysore Sandalwood Oil Factory. Production began, and by 1916, high-quality sandalwood oil  was being produced and exported to London. A second factory was opened in Bangalore, adding new equipment and machinery, and soon a third larger factory opened, also in Mysore. Chatterton remained Director for six years during which time he established what was then the largest sandal oil distillery in the world.

Mysore retained a near monopoly in the sandal oil market until about 1930, when it was challenged by Australian sandalwood oil.  

Until then the oil was used primarily in perfume making. But a foreign guest presented the Maharaja of Mysore Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV with a pack of soaps made by using sandalwood oil. Ironically the oil used for the soap had been produced in Mysore! The Maharaja saw an opportunity and discussed this with his trusted and foresighted Dewan Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Both of them were keen to encourage industrial development in the state. They agreed that manufacturing sandalwood soaps would provide such an opportunity. Visvesvaraya was a perfectionist; he wanted that the soap should be of the best quality, but also not so expensive that its market would be limited. He invited technical experts from Mumbai to start experiments on the premises of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore. He also identified a researcher working in IISc. This was SG Shastry who had obtained a degree in Industrial Chemistry from England. Now he was sent to London to get advanced training in soap and perfume technology. Upon his return with the knowhow to incorporate pure sandalwood oil in soaps, the Maharaja set up The Government Soap Factory near Cubbon Park in Bangalore, and here began production of India’s first sandal soap. The first batch of soaps was produced in 1918. It was simply called Mysore Sandal Soap. The same year, another oil extraction factory was set up at Mysore to ensure a steady supply of sandalwood oil to the soap making unit.  

But how was this new soap to stand out among the many soaps already in the market? SG Shastry proved to be as astute a marketer as he was a chemist! All the other soaps then were traditionally rectangular in shape and usually wrapped in colourful paper. Shastry felt that this soap should reflect its cultural heritage. To start with, this soap was oval in shape. In its centre was embossed the logo of the factory which depicted Sharaba, a mythological creature which had a lion’s body with an elephant’s head. This creature stood for wisdom strength and courage, which also represented the philosophy of Mysore state. It was felt that the soap needed to be dignified with a unique packing. The aromatic soap was first wrapped in white tissue paper, as a piece of jewellery would be, and then placed in a rectangular box printed with floral designs in tasteful colours.  Every box also carried the printed message Srigandhada Tavarininda (from the maternal home of sandalwood).

The next step was marketing this soap as a unique product. The soap was advertised through different channels—neon signboards, half page ads in major newspapers, and even match boxes and tram tickets with pictures of the soap carton. The promotion extended overseas. An exhibition was arranged in England; the soap was ceremoniously presented to Queen Victoria who liked the fragrance and ordered more for her family. A mark of its popularity was that its competitors used to mock it as My-sore soap! Meanwhile the soap was becoming a household name in Mysore.

The Mysore Sandal Soap has retained its popularity, and its niche as the first indigenous sandal soap with Sandal Note as its fragrance, along with other essential oils. Today the soap is manufactured by the company called Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Ltd (KSDL). In 2006 the brand received a GI (Geographical Indication) tag. It remains an iconic symbol of majesty and luxury that can be enjoyed by all.

–Mamata

A Giggle of Joeys: Celebrating Clowns

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Joseph Grimaldi

This past weekend saw an unusual gathering in a church in East London. This was not a congregation of formally dressed people for a service, nor a sombre group of people attending a funeral. The church was crowded with clowns—in full ‘motley’ (costume of raggy baggy clothes and oversized shoes) and ‘slap’ (make up). The service began with a parade of the clowns down the aisle to the notes of the organ, followed by a memorial speech by the priest.

This was the Annual Grimaldi Memorial Service which takes place every year on the first Sunday of February in Haggerston, Hackney, London. The tradition began in 1946, as a memorial service to honour the greatest British clown Joseph Grimaldi, and it continues to this day as a service to celebrate all Clowns, and to honour the clowns who died in the previous year. The service used to be held at Holy Trinity Church, where there is a shrine with a commemorative stained glass window to honour Grimaldi, but has recently switched to Haggerston while the Holy Trinity Church is under renovation.

Who was Grimaldi and what is his claim to fame? Grimaldi is considered to be the greatest British clown and the father of modern European clowning.

Joseph Grimaldi was born in 1778 and brought up in the world of theatre. His father was an actor and dancer by profession, but in personal life he was cruel and sadistic with his own children, as well as his students at the dance school where he also taught. Despite a troubled childhood, Joseph grew up to be a kind-hearted and dedicated person. He did however inherit his father’s theatrical talent. He started out as an actor and a dancer in an age when pantomimes were the popular genre. Grimaldi made his first appearance as a clown in 1800 in a pantomime at Sadler’s Wells theatre. By the next season, he had made a huge impact. This was the Regency era of the early 1800s, when only three London theatres were permitted to have shows with dialogues onstage. Thus pantomimes which had only songs and physical movements were the main form of entertainment. This genre gave Grimaldi great scope for improvising, and growing as a clown. He brought something new to the traditional slapstick routine of clowns. He transformed the role of a clown from that of a rustic fool to the central character of a metropolitan pantomime. He did away with the pantomime mask which was the norm then, and wore distinctive make up with a white face, bulbous red nose and exaggerated painted facial features. He perfected slapstick antics, catchphrases, and became celebrated for his acrobatic skills, wild facial expressions, and often wicked stunts onstage. Grimaldi created the ‘modern clown’.  His pet name ‘Joey’ became the identity of all clowns and continues to be the nickname for a clown. Grimaldi’s clown transformed the pantomime into a respectable and fashionable form of theatre.

In a career spanning nearly thirty years, Grimaldi performed regularly at Sadler’s Wells, the Covent Garden Theatre, and Theatre Royal in London. He also toured across the country. Among his many admirers were Lord Byron William Hazlitt, and Charles Dickens who also wrote a biography of Grimaldi.

His success brought him great wealth but an extravagant lifestyle depleted his resources. The intense physical exertion that his performances entailed also took a toll on his health. He made his final public appearance in 1928. Subsequently he fell into poverty and depression and relied on charity for the rest of his life. Joking about his struggles he wrote in his autobiography “I may make you laugh at night, but I am Grim-all-day”.  Grimaldi died in 1837.   

While Joseph Grimaldi is credited as creating an enduring persona that is synonymous with the word ‘clown’, the character combining humour, satire and tragedy has been part of many cultures for many centuries, in one form or another. The word “clown” itself goes back at least as far as the 16th century; etymologists speculate that it comes from a German word meaning ‘country bumpkin’.

In ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome and China these characters were integral to religious ceremonies as well as secular entertainment. They were what we describe as Jesters. The jesters of imperial courts could express their opinions freely, weaving political commentary and social satire under the guise of mockery and irony.

As the circus developed in the 19th century, the clowns with the white-faced make-up came to play a definite role in it—entertaining audiences with songs and long monologues, as well as acts that incorporated singing dancing, jokes and tricks. While animal performances have been banned in circuses today, the clown continues to have a role. However, the circus itself is losing the mass popularity it once enjoyed. But in recent times the clown as a profession is finding new avenues.

Today’s clowns may perform in a wide variety of contexts outside the circus ring. They also do more than entertain.

The medical profession is recognizing the therapeutic benefit of humour, and there is a growing band of medical clowns who support clinical and psychosocial healthcare by performing in hospitals and geriatric-care facilities. Remember Patch Adams sensitively portrayed in the film by Robin Williams? 

Rebel Clowns are found in political action. They reinterpret the act of protest through absurdity, with the objective to undermine authority and disrupt. These come together under the umbrella of groups like the Rebel Clown Collective of individuals who explore clowning as a form of creative protest.

Humanitarian Clowns go to areas of crisis and conflict to interact with communities affected by dire natural or political situations. Clowns Without Borders is one such non-profit organization that organizes such visits.

As with any other profession this one too requires training. Aspiring clowns have to learn many skills including pantomime, dance, theatrical improvisation, and acrobatics. Theatre schools and even universities offer multi-disciplinary exposure to students including classical acting techniques, interdisciplinary circus arts and dance, physical comedy, acrobatics, yoga, stage combat, juggling and storytelling.

Thus the legacy of Joseph Grimaldi continues in its traditional as well as contemporary forms. The Annual Grimaldi Memorial Service, now in its seventieth year, is a testament to this, and as the Vicar who officiated at this service reiterated “a reminder that to be able to laugh about the joys and sorrows of life is something we all appreciate, and our prayer is that clowns everywhere may help us to do this.”  

–Mamata

A Dazzle of Zebras

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Black on white, or white on black? This is the question that is most commonly asked about the zebra. The striking black and white pattern on a zebra is its most distinguishing feature. If it were not for this, a stripe-less zebra may well pass off as a sturdy mule! What the zebra does have in common with a mule and a horse, is that all these are equines. What makes zebras different is their patterned coat, and the fact that they are found in the wild only in Africa. Three main species of zebra are found across different countries of the African subcontinent. Plains zebras have wide stripes set far apart. They are found in grasslands across much of eastern and southern Africa. The Mountain zebra, the smallest species, lives in dry upland plains and is native to Southern Africa, Namibia and Angola. Grevy’s zebra, is the largest and most distinctive, with thin stripes, and lives in dry, sparsely wooded areas in Kenya and southern Ethiopia.

Zebras are not just known for their striking appearance; they also hold a unique place in the animal kingdom with respect to their social structures and behaviors. These herbivores are highly social animals, often forming large herds that provide support, and protection against predators. Within a herd, zebras tend to stay together in smaller family groups. Families are generally made up of a male, several females, and their young. Mutual grooming by standing close to each other and pulling loose hairs off each other is a way of strengthening bonds between members. The friendly grooming may turn aggressive in mating season when the males may use bites and powerful kicks to combat their rivals in order to obtain a mate.

Zebras also graze in groups. They are herbivores and often spend up to 18 hours daily feeding in the wild. As a zebra grazes, it uses its sharper strong front teeth to bite the grass, and then uses its duller back teeth to crush and grind. A zebra’s teeth keep growing for its entire life, because constant grazing and chewing wears them down. They have special digestive systems (hindgut fermenter) which can break down highly fibrous plants, twigs and even bark!

Within the herd, these animals have a range of communication systems, with distinct vocalizations that include whinnies, barks, snorts, and huffs. They also use body language, such as ear positioning, to express emptions. When feeling threatened, zebras flatten their ears against their heads; whereas ears pricked forward indicate that they are alert to something. They have exceptional hearing and eyesight which serves to sense danger early. A two-syllable call warns the herd of approaching predators. This is also the signal for the herd to take off and run for their lives. And they can move incredibly fast, reaching speeds of 65 km per hour. Zebras rely on this speed as well as their agility and stamina to help them outrun predators. One trick they use, is to run in a zigzag direction to confuse other animals. Another asset that helps is their ability to sleep while standing. This is possible because of locking joints–they can subconsciously lock their knees into position while they doze, without fear of toppling over. This means that they save time in getting to their feet and running in case of a threat. For deep sleep they need to lie down.

While zebras need to move fast to save their lives, they also have to be on the constant move in search of fresh grass and water to sustain the large numbers. In the dry season, they join other grazers and browsers like wildebeest, in huge herds of hundreds of thousands, for a humongous migration. One of the most famous of these is the Serengeti migration.  

While zebras may look identical from a distance, each one has a distinct pattern, much like human fingerprints. There are several theories about the role of stripes. One is that these can help individuals recognize each other within the herd. A single zebra stands out in the landscape. But when the striped herds move in unison, it makes for a dazzling optical illusion that makes it difficult for predators like lions and hyenas to single out individuals, thus providing a critical defense mechanism. It is most appropriate then that  the collective noun for a group of zebras, is a dazzle of zebras!  

Colours aside, the pattern also blends with the tall wavy lines of grass and help to conceal the animal in the wilderness. It is also believed that while the white stripes reflect light and keep the zebras cool while they stand and graze in the hot African sun all day, the black stripes absorb heat from the sun and warm up the animals in the morning. Some other researchers think that zebra stripes may have evolved to protect the animals from horsefly bites.

While scientists continue to research ‘why’ the zebra has stripes, African folk tales creatively imagine ‘how’ the zebra got its stripes. A popular Zulu story explains this.

Long, long ago, a big fierce Baboon came to live on the banks of the river where all the animals in the grassland came to drink water. But now Baboon declared himself the sole proprietor of the area, and declared that no other animal could drink from the river. Several animals tried to remind Baboon of the shared rights, but no one could stand up to the big bully who bared his long sharp teeth and flexed his might. Until a brave young zebra decided to challenge him to a fight. In those days, zebras were pure white. Baboon was a veteran of many battles, and was so confident of winning that he agreed, with the condition that the loser would be banished to the barren land across the river. And so the fight began. Zebra used his sharp hooves and strong kicks, Baboon attacked with his fangs. Baboon gained the upper hand and threw zebra backwards into the blazing logs of a fire. The flames seared Zebra’s white coat. In dreadful pain, but in a huge burst of final strength, Zebra gave a mighty kick to Baboon that sent him flying across the river. Baboon fell with such force onto a sunbaked rock, the hair on his behind was singed away. And till today, baboons have a bald red patch on their behind. As for the zebra, the flames charred permanent black marks on his white coat. Since then zebras wear their striped coats with pride, and a tribute to the brave zebra! So instead of pondering the “black on white or white on black” conundrum, let’s just say that zebras are black and white!

While zebras are still found in large numbers, as with all wildlife, they too face threats from loss and degradation of their natural habitat, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.

31 January is marked as International Zebra Day. A good day to learn more about, and to celebrate this striking animal.  

–Mamata

Four-legged Contingent Joins the Parade

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As Republic Day nears, everyone looks forward to witnessing the magnificent parade that is synonymous with this day. One of the highlights of the parade is the sight of the cavalry regiment with handsome horses marching in perfect sync, and the majestic and elegantly dressed camel contingents of the Border Security Force marching gracefully in time to martial music. 

Bactrian Camel

This year the parade will include new additions, not just showcasing the country’s military might and advances in science and technology, but also putting the spotlight on the different four-legged soldiers who play a vital role in supporting the country’s  defences and security. While some of these will be parading on Kartavya Path for the first time, they have long been faithful and dependable partners of our armed forces. There are different units of animals in the military depending on their applications. Their uses may vary according to requirement and working capability depending on the region and climate of the area. For special tasks and missions, specific animals that are specially trained are required.

This is a good time to recall their role, past and present.

Horses have been an integral part of wars since time immemorial. Along with elephants, they were ridden in the battlefields by armies across the world. Over time these were replaced by mechanized vehicles of war. The Indian army still has one of the largest, and among the last, operational horse cavalry units in the world. Its historic horse regiment is called 61 Cavalry Horse Regiment. Formed just after Independence, by integrating cavalry from the princely states, today this is still used known for its equestrian skills, and is used for ceremonial occasions.

This year, a new addition to the equestrian display will be four Zanskar ponies. Comparatively small and compact, this is a rare and indigenous mountain breed from Ladakh which is playing a key role in movement of goods as well as mounted patrols.  Known for their extraordinary endurance, these are perfectly adapted to the harsh landscape and high altitudes of Ladakh, these sure-footed equines can withstand temperatures up to minus 40 degrees Celsius, and carry loads of 40-60 kg over long distances, sometimes covering upto 70 km a day. These ponies were inducted into the army in 2020 where they have served in some of the harshest terrains and high risk areas, including the Siachin glacier.

The Camel Contingent and the Camel Mounted Band of the Border Security Force have been a popular and regular part of the parade. Camelry, or camel cavalry, has been a part of military establishments around the world for a long time. Camels were first mentioned as being used in warfare sometime around 853 B.C.In India, camelry dates back to the time of Maharaja Rao Jodha of Jodhpur in the early 15th century. When India became independent, the cavalry and camelry of the Rajasthan region merged with that of the Indian Army, becoming a part of the Artillery Regiment. Indian military camels were sent to join the Border Security Force (BSF) when it was established in 1965, and its camelry contingent has been a part of the Republic Day parade since 1976. The BSF has three main types of camels: Jaisalmeris, which are sturdily built; Bikaneris, which are high speed runners; and the Nachnas, which are used for ceremonial duties. Today the Border Security Force has around 1200 male camels on its rolls.

All the camels in the parade so far have been the one-humped Dromedary camels. This year the parade is introducing the Bactrian camel. The Bactrian camel is a high-altitude double-humped camel with formidable strength and stamina. Their broad feet enable these camels to firmly grasp and negotiate rocks, snow and sand with ease, while the bushy eyebrows, long eyelashes, and closable nostrils protect them against dust and icy gusts. They can haul heavy loads across difficult terrains, and can go without water for long periods, making them ideally adapted for Ladakh’s arid and freezing terrain. These are now used for high altitude transportation and reconnaissance missions; carrying huge loads with the help of modular load-carrying frames and custom-engineered harnesses.

This year two Bactrian camels will come a long way from their snowy outposts, to experience the new terrain of Kartavya Path as they join the parade.

The four-legged participants of the parade will also feature the “Silent Warriors” of the Indian Army—dogs. Dogs have long been part of the military in many parts of the world, including India. Dogs provide unflinching support to the troops not only in tracking and guarding, but also in counterterrorism operations, detection of explosives and mines, disaster response and search-and-rescue missions. Until recently the dog squads were made up largely of breeds like Labrador, German Shephard, Golden Retriever etc. But now indigenous breeds are being inducted and trained in these tasks by the Border Security Force. These include native hounds such as Mudhol Hounds and Rampur Hound, Chippiparai, Kombai and Rajapalayam. 10 canine warriors representing these breeds will proudly march alongside their two-legged trainers as part of the parade.

Perhaps the most breathtaking part of the Republic day parade is the grand finale—the Fly Past when the skies resonate with the sound and colours of the Air Force display—the guardians of our skies. This year will include other high fliers—real eagles. Raptors, known for their speed, sharp eyesight, and predatory instincts have played a vital role in military operation since time immemorial. Falcons and hawks were used to intercept and hunt enemy messenger pigeons. These abilities continue to make these invaluable, even in these times of extremely high-tech and sophisticated war weapons. Modern militaries use raptors like eagles and falcons for specialized tasks such as intercepting and disabling small drones, surveillance and reconnaissance in remote areas, and airfield security (driving away nuisance birds).

This year four of these Nature’s own flying machines will be a part of the parade, led by Captain Harshita of the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC). The RVC has been breeding, rearing and training animals for India’s armed forces since 1779. The Indian military currently has around 12,600 animals including dogs, horses, mules and camels. This year’s parade will bring these centre stage, and remind us that these furred and feathered friends are an integral part of our nation’s defence and pride.

Happy Republic Day 2026!

–Mamata

Seed Mother Rahibai Popere

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The United Nations has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF). This year aims to put the global spotlight on the central roles of women farmers in food security, nutrition, and economic resilience. We begin IYWF by starting with the local, with a salute to a woman farmer who epitomizes these roles through multipronged efforts. 

Rahibai grew up in a poor tribal family in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. Her family had a meagre bit of land which they farmed during the monsoon season, but they had no means of irrigation during the dry months. So the family had to make ends meet by working in a sugar factory for the rest of the year. Poverty and the seasonal migration work prevented the young Rahibai from attending school. She was barely ten years old when she started helping her family with agricultural work. While she worked on the three acres that the family could manage to cultivate, the young Rahibai developed a deep connection to the land. Although only part of the rain-fed land was productive, Rahibai began by creating a farm pond on the remaining part of the land, to harvest the rainfall, and started to grow vegetables which brought the family some additional income. Not long after, Rahibai got married to Soma Popere, another farmer. In her married home, Rahibai continued to experiment, and to explore which crops could thrive best in arid conditions with limited water. As she grew older Rahibai also began to understand more about traditional culture and practice in crop cultivation, wild food resources, and comprehend the importance of agrobiodiversity. She discovered that tribal households traditionally had a backyard where grew multipurpose indigenous trees, shrubs and herbs, and seasonal vegetables. The produce from this supplemented the food and nutritional needs of the family through the year.

Rahibai experimented on her own small area of land, and arrived at her own methods through trial, error and practice. Her efforts led to her being able to productively use her entire small plot of land. The improved four-step paddy-cultivation practice which included use of paddy straw ash in the nursery, increased the yield by 30 per cent. She introduced innovative practices such as cultivation of beans on farm bund. She also learnt to rear poultry in her backyard.

Rahibai’s personal experience led to her strong conviction that it was the native crop varieties that could better resist drought and disease; moreover, they also helped retain soil fertility thereby eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and excessive water. The native crops also had higher nutritive value. Thus she realized that the conservation of indigenous seeds was paramount.

This was a time when large seed companies were patenting hybrid seeds and aggressively promoting these. These seeds could not be saved for the next sowing season. Farmers were becoming overly dependent on these companies for seeds, and becoming increasingly caught in a debt trap to pay for these seeds. Rahibai also observed that villagers were frequently falling sick after eating food prepared from hybrid crops. She believed that this could be avoided by the use of indigenous seeds.   

Rahibai commenced her one-woman crusade to collect and save indigenous seeds. She started collecting local seeds with the help of other women farmers from Akole taluk in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. As the momentum grew, she formed a self-help group (SHG) named Kalsubai Parisar Biyanee Samvardhan Samiti to conserve native seeds. Rahibai started with a nursery of 4,000 seedlings of blackberry and distributed them among members of the self-help group. She then established a nursery of 5,000 seedlings comprising nine types of hyacinth bean, rice, vegetables, beans landraces and shared them with 210 farmers from seven villages across the Ahmednagar district.

Rahibai’s efforts of almost two decades have borne fruit. She has managed to conserve a variety of native crops including 15 varieties of rice, nine varieties of pigeon pea and 60 varieties of vegetables, besides many oilseeds. All this and more, not in a fancy nursery or greenhouse, but a patch of land near her house in the village of Kombhalne. She also encourages tribal families to establish kitchen gardens which can help support their nutritional security.

She has established a seedbank so that other farmers can also avail of these seeds which they do not have to pay for. Rather they are given seeds with the condition that they return twice the quantity of seeds that they borrow. Even seeds which are sold are sold at a lower price than they cost to develop, thus helping farmers save a substantial amount each year. The seed bank distributes 122 varieties of traditional or locally adapted species of plants and crops.

With successful implementation of all that she learnt, Rahibai has now become a crusader. She travels across Maharashtra and beyond to conserve indigenous seeds. She also creates awareness about the importance of indigenous seed conversation and talks to people about concepts such as organic farming, agro-biodiversity and wild food resources. She trains farmers and students on seed selection, techniques to improve soil fertility and pest management among others. She supplies farmers with seedlings of native crops, encouraging them to switch to native varieties. Indigenous seed melas or fairs are organised in different parts of Ahmednagar district to raise awareness about the diversity of seeds and the need to conserve them.

Rahibai has also realized the power of collective efforts. Her first initiative was the formation of the Kalsubai Parisar Biyanee Savardhan Samiti in Akole in Ahmednagar district. The Samiti works towards the conservation and propagation of traditional varieties of crops. Rahibai also heads another Self Help Group, Chemdeobaba Mahila Bachat Gat, in Kombhalne, through which many social initiatives like health camps, supply of solar lamps are organized, besides the agricultural initiatives.

While Rahibai’s efforts are making a visible impact at the district and state level, her efforts have also attracted attention outside. She was among the three Indians on the ‘100 Women 2018’, a list of inspiring and influential women from around the world released by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Her efforts were recognized nationally when she was conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2020.

Seed Mother or Beej Mata as Rahibai is popularly called, continues her mission, bringing a new sense of pride and self-reliance to small local farmers across Maharashtra, and beyond. 

Declaring 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer is not only about celebrating these contributions but also about driving change. Rahibai is a living example of such contributions and about driving change.

–Mamata

A Spoonful of Good Luck: Dahi-Cheeni

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It has been the tradition in my family that is most closely associated with my mother. And one that we continue to follow. Giving a spoon of curd and sugar just before any one leaves for an exam, an interview, an important meeting, and embarking on any travel, short or long. My mother never failed to do this, even when she herself could not do so easily, but by reminding us to take it ourselves before we said au revoir.

We sisters always believed that this was something exclusive to our mother and our family, never once wondering where tradition originated, and where and when it began in our family. Then this week I read an article on this very practice, and realized that another family also considered this as a personal family tradition! And that, perhaps there were many others who followed this tradition. A more focussed exploration uncovered that the tradition of dahi-cheeni (curd and sugar) as it is called is not only an ancient one, but is also Pan-Indian! In North India it is a spoon of curd with a sprinkling of sugar, as also in Gujarat. In Bengal it is doi-shinni a mix of curd, sugar and sometimes a bit of banana or jiggery. In Tamil Nadu it takes the form of thayir sadam, the ubiquitous curd rice. I am sure that every state has its own version with some variations on the theme.

This combination features in Valmiki’s Ramayana in the book on Ayodhya Kand, when Sage Bharadwaja offers a sumptuous banquet to Bharata and his army. Among the list of rich foods offered as part of the feast, there is a mention of fresh curds mixed with sugar and spices. Thus it finds its niche While this offering seems too simple as compared to the rest of the meal, it held a great significance, and had its niche in the menu.

Indeed, this simple combination is a trusted part of the ancient holistic health system of Ayurveda where curd (dahi) and sugar (sakara) were considered sattvik, pure life-supporting foods that bring clarity and calm. Charaka Samhita, one of the oldest books on Ayurveda, written over 2000 years ago, mentions curd mixed with jaggery as being refreshing, and helping in alleviating Vata qualities. Ayurveda deals with three doshas: Vata. Pittta and Kapha, which are believed to be responsible for a person’s physiological, mental and emotional health, and categories different foods as having a ‘heating’  or ‘cooling’ effect. With reference to dahi-cheeni it is believed that the curd’s potentially cold nature combined with jaggery’s warmth leads to better digestion and vitality making it a wholesome food. Also while curd can be heavy, adding sugar or jaggery helps to balance it, making it easier to digest. Jaggery provides quick energy while curd offers hydration. Thus the mixture is cooling yet energizing.

If Ayurveda offers a ‘balanced’ perspective to dahi-cheeni, astrology has its own theories wherein consumption of dahi-cheeni before important events is believed to have celestial significance. Vedic astrology believes that the moon is associated with mind and emotions. Consuming dairy products like curd is thought to appease the moon, bringing clarity and emotional balance. Here too, the combination of cool (yogurt) and warm (sugar) is believed to create a balance of energies, aligning with the cosmic balance. Some astrological beliefs suggest that the act of eating dahi-cheeni can help ward off negative planetary influences ensuring a smooth start to important tasks.

A simple tradition supported by ancient schools of thought!

Fast forward to the present. A new age currently obsessed with healthy eating and superfoods. One would have imagined that the humble dahi-cheeni would find no place on the menu (what with its lactose content and wicked white sugar too!!) Surprise Surprise! It finds endorsement again, with a new vocabulary.

What does the combination offer?

Probiotics in curd which promote gut health, alleviate digestive issues, and boost the immune system.

Calcium in curd essential for strong bones and teeth.

Protein content which is crucial for muscle health and overall body function.

Hydration through the high water content in curd, which is crucial for long journeys or along day.

Blood sugar regulation through the protein in the curd which can slow down absorption of the sugar added to the curd, potentially preventing spike in blood sugar.

Yes, all these are much-touted as benefits of curd which has been part of our diet since times immemorial, but reincarnated today as the Superman of Probiotics! And the question arises, will just a spoonful of curd and sugar be enough to wrought such miracles?

Some have sought to explain the dahi-cheeni tradition with a simpler explanation.

Everyone has butterflies in their stomach before an important event. Today this is explained by the ‘gut-brain axis’ wherein there is a close connection between the brain and digestive systems. The butterflies are manifestation of stomach discomfort that is triggered by stress. The probiotic nature of curd can help settle the nervous distress to some extent. The protein in the curd combined with carbohydrates from sugar provide a quick energy boost and enhance alertness, which are needed at the start of a journey, or a day which could be potentially draining (think exam or interview!). Curd also has a cooling effect on the body which can help calm nerves and reduce stress. It is a soothing food that the brain associates with safety and comfort. Thus it can help one to be a bit less ‘hot and bothered’ at the onset of an important event. It is a soothing food that the brain associates with safety and comfort.

These sound more plausible. However, all the ancient texts and contemporary theories seem to miss out on the key ingredient that make dahi-cheeni so special. It is a gesture of love and care; a form of confidence and protection bestowed by loving ones on their loved ones. It is the taste that lingers in the mouth as one steps into a taxi, or into an examination hall, or an interview. It is the flavour that says ‘we are with you, we always wish the best for you, we believe in you’. How much more can be heaped into a single spoonful?  

–Mamata     

Looking Out, Looking Within

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We ushered out the last year with a resolve to be more giving. To give not only of our material wealth, but equally of ourselves, in whatever form and scale is best suited for each one of us. We resolved to strive towards a deeper purpose, defined by connection. As the New Year dawns, let us consider what this purpose and connection could really be. And for this let us look back at words of wisdom from the past.

Bertrand Russell reminds of our mortality but also that life is not lived by the length of years but by the depth of living.

Make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river — small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

Today we live in an age of uncertainty on every front, and are constantly bracing for an imagined catastrophe. Two millennia before this ‘age of anxiety’, Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca counselled about ‘groundless fears’ about the future that keep us from living fully in the present.

What I advise you to do is, not to be unhappy before the crisis comes; since it may be that the dangers before which you paled as if they were threatening you, will never come upon you; they certainly have not yet come.

Accordingly, some things torment us more than they ought; some torment us before they ought; and some torment us when they ought not to torment us at all. We are in the habit of exaggerating, or imagining, or anticipating, sorrow.

And thus we wallow in our imagined sorrows, and impending gloom and doom scenarios. We become increasingly obsessive about ourselves and our interests, and our perceived threatened security. But Soren Kierkegaard, the existentialist philosopher reminded us a century and a half ago:

The unhappy person is one who has his ideal, the content of his life, the fullness of his consciousness, the essence of his being, in some manner outside of himself. The unhappy man is always absent from himself, never present to himself. But one can be absent, obviously, either in the past or in the future. This adequately circumscribes the entire territory of the unhappy consciousness. The unhappy one is absent… It is only the person who is present to himself that is happy.

So what is the formula for happiness? Something as simple as kindness, as Leo Tolstoy reminds us:

Nothing can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness.

The kinder and the more thoughtful a person is, the more kindness he can find in other people.

Kindness enriches our life; with kindness mysterious things become clear, difficult things become easy, and dull things become cheerful.

You should respond with kindness toward evil done to you, and you will destroy in an evil person that pleasure which he derives from evil.

Kindness is for your soul as health is for your body: you do not notice it when you have it.

Kindness is a beautiful act of communication. Speech is another. In these times of instant, truncated communication, often expressed through insta images and emojis, are we in danger of reducing human communication to mere exchange of information? In our frenetic texting, are we forgetting that the heart and soul of a message is a relationship between the sender and the receiver? This comes alive through the power of the spoken word. 

Ursula K. Le Guin reminds us:

Speech connects us so immediately and vitally because it is a physical, bodily process, to begin with. Not a mental or spiritual one, wherever it may end… The voice creates a sphere around it, which includes all its hearers: an intimate sphere or area, limited in both space and time.

Sound is dynamic. Speech is dynamic — it is action. To act is to take power, to have power, to be powerful. Mutual communication between speakers and listeners is a powerful act. The power of each speaker is amplified, augmented, by the entrainment of the listeners. The strength of a community is amplified, augmented by its mutual entrainment in speech.

This is why utterance is magic. Words do have power. Names have power. Words are events, they do things, change things. They transform both speaker and hearer; they feed energy back and forth and amplify it. They feed understanding or emotion back and forth and amplify it.

This year, let us remind ourselves to converse with, and among each other, and not at each other.

And as we continue to seek the elusive “happiness” in the year ahead, may the wisdom of Bertrand Russell once more be our template:

Shift focus from self-absorption to cultivating interests beyond oneself; avoid excessive self-analysis; develop a healthy balance of effort and acceptance; engage in meaningful work; foster deep meaningful relationships; develop a sense of humour, and find contentment in spontaneous participation in life’s stream rather than battle the currents and eddies.  

May this year allow us all this and more, enriching our lives in more ways than one.

Happy New Year 2026!

–Mamata and Meena