Kusum Choppra

"When the floods struck,  
people watched their dreams
 Swim like champions, b
ut drown like fledgling sparrows
 The horror entered their pillows every night 
Like black seeds in silk cotton."
 Vinita Agrawal 
 Doesn't that create a goose bump raising picture of rising floods, just when India is in the throes of the Vadodara, Bihar and the Kashmir floods, now bleeding into Jammu too? For days now, the floods in J&K   have flooded the media with loud outcries. As a matter of fact, rescue is still underway. The army itself has yet to examine what it has lost by way of arms, ammunition, supplies and family in the flood.   The situation in the whole state too has yet to be assessed thoroughly for damage, what is retrievable and what gone forever. News reports trash Omar Abdullah and his government, but also raise a weary doubt: How much of these anti stories are planted in anticipation of next year's assembly elections?   ...

The Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) 2013   presents a modern manthan, of ideas and ideals, opinions, books, fashions, what have you.   With six issues being taken up per hour from 10 am to 7 pm, the choice is incredible, whether one wants to just hang out with a cup of tea or coffee or any of the other delicious eats on offer, watching the latest in winter wear on display   or partake of more serious offerings in any of the panel discussions. In one of his less controversial statements, Ashish Nandy pointed out   India’s   four favorites:   films, sports, crime and politics. All were present at Jaipur, so footfalls were obviously heavy.   It was during the same discussion, after Tehelka’s Tarun tejpal offered a different view of corruption that Ashish let fly.   When Tejpal suggested that the ‘corruption’ be looked at as a way of means of equalizing equity, offering a pick me up to the have nots,   Ashish Nandy let fly his missile ab...