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Geography is destiny, perhaps


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Balu
What can I say
by Balu on Mar 01, 2004 01:41 PM  | Hide replies

Thanks Rajeev,

I have always enjoyed your articles and this one just brought memories flooding back. Of a time long past and memories still fresh that only needed a bit of dusting.

Oh! how I would long for another chance to ride that meter guage track to Madras via Madurai. Like wise another spectacular journey that will always remain fresh in my memory would be the Goa to Bangalore where we had to wait for hours at Londa for the train from Pune to join this one. (again in those days meter guage).

Thankyou once again

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Arun
RE:What can I say
by Arun on Mar 22, 2004 04:49 PM
Back off Nayagan, ur views on the strikes in Kerala might be right but your views on Kerala's "different" cultural heritage is way off cue. I don't know if you have heard of a maxim called 'Unity in Diversity' which all of India is proud of and you are actually saying that it is wrong to be different?
I am above such crap to give a blow-by-blow account of how Kerala is better off than Tamilnadu/AP/Karnataka, because the point is that we are all part of a great country. Like I said, get a life and stop making petty comparisons about different states. I am ashamed that you call yourself an Indian...I am from Kerala but an Indian foremost, and it hurts me that my countryman is engaging in such frivolous petty games...

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Hanif Mohammed
GEOGRAPHY IS DESTINY
by Hanif Mohammed on Feb 26, 2004 12:11 PM

Dear RS,
For a change, there is no blood-letting in your writing, and brings a warmth of fresh air. The article was good, and gives you a nostalgia of how we have seen the greenfields and mountains when we were young, and how it's changed as we grow. I feel if RS spend more time on ground realities in India, his preception will change and present more meaningful article, to develop the mind set of our nation. Hope to see some good articles in the future.
Hanif

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Ashish
Nice one
by Ashish on Feb 25, 2004 02:04 PM

Nice one Rajeev - like most of us, I grew up travelling in 2nd class trains. As we "progressed" we graduated to "better" means of transport. I keep thinking that I should take a break and go in for a long train journey...thanks for stoking the nostalgia.

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Nayagan
Boring
by Nayagan on Feb 24, 2004 08:18 PM

Rajeev couldn't have written a more boring article. The reason Kerala is all green is because there is hardly any industrial activity in the state and all talented people have moved out of kerala to make a living. Kerala's agricultural output(barring some spices) or any other output to Indian GDP is almost insignificant. In fact Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab are major contributors to the graneries of India. Next time you pass TamilNadu, try going through Tanjore, Trichy, Salem, Dharmapuri, Metupalayam, these areas are greener & bigger than the entire kerala state.

Also the industrial climate in kerala is stifled by the communists and strikes hence nobody wants to open any industry in Kerala. Brotherhood promoted by the communists is all that is left and is the major cause of all its problems. Due to this there is a major influx of Keralities into neighbouring states. I guess Rajeev is right Geography is destiny.

Some of Kerala customs are unique such as keralities don't partake or celebrate in major Indian festivities like Diwali or Sankranti. Kerala has probably the most unique matriarchial heirarchy system in the world(maybe Amazonians had it similar).


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hisham
Geo is destiny
by hisham on Feb 24, 2004 10:34 AM

nicely written article!! I love train journeys, and the ones thru south india are something else, right from the varied landscaping to the vendors coming in n out ur compartment. its something else!

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Sandeep
Good Expression
by Sandeep on Feb 24, 2004 03:03 AM

Its a nice article. You have expressed your thoughts & feelings in a beautiful manner.When you are away from your homeland you feel more attached to it, that true. I have just one question to you.

If you feel so attached why dont you come back to kerala.Why dont you come and contribute to the development of Kerala or India as a whole instead of just coming for a fortnight visit. Help to preserve the beautiful things you admire and help to overcome the shortcomings you criticise. I dont mean to point my finger at you. I only intend to leverage you thoughts.

Anyways, thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us.

Chaao,
Sandeep :)

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Ravilyn
Steam engines, were majastic
by Ravilyn on Feb 22, 2004 06:31 PM  | Hide replies

We used to travel regularly in the Tirunelveli - Dindigal section. I clearly remember walking with my dad all the way to the front with a small steel vessel. My dad would ask for "hot water for the baby milk" and the engine driver would open a steam cock in the cab and hot steam would whistle out and condense in the vessel. We had to wrap the vessel in a towel to carry it because it was so hot. Mom would dissolve milk powder in the hot water for the baby.

We no longer have steam engines. May be those kind, grimy grinning engine drivers endure in another shape or form.

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ravilyn
Hero!
by ravilyn on Feb 26, 2004 06:48 PM
Thinking about it, those engine drivers would be heros in Archana Masih's yardstick for heroism. (more like inchstick actually). Of course Archana Masih would not come within 100 yards of such grimy people when is busily hunting for heros among the regular people.

Makeup is a must, even if it is being ruined by the sun. Perpetual fight to keep the powder on the face, the unrelenting effort needed to dab perspiration off without messing up the lipstick, the struggle of mascara! Thats what makes a hero. Grimy people being heros? sush, the very idea!

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kuldeep
hahaha!!!
by kuldeep on Feb 22, 2004 12:09 AM

I feel my friend has good and bad of India.Well! I feel that all countries have good and bad with them.If we go deep into Texas we find people with this type attitude of jungly attitude.Well! I feel that people who are lie this are generally those who are improving into a urban attitude dukes.So, its all like that.Well! good that he has seen India and its all this,a mixture of urban and rural people which sum up into a strong and reliable India.We can see India being strong with the last sentence of the essay of a british gental man.Well Go India Go...!

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veena d
verbose malyalam
by veena d on Feb 21, 2004 03:21 PM  | Hide replies

the article is too long and meaningless. i don't know what is the relationship between the rediff editor and RJ. but surly, the editor is indulgent. at least 80 % of the long torture could have been edited out.
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RJ's biodata says he is trained at IIT etc..,but sure they did not train him in essay writing skills. obviously the article was written in malyalam in florid style, and then was translated into english.
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also note his condescension to tamils etc and his exaltation of keral. please spare us such provincialism, and the long torture......
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veena d

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S Murali Manikandan
India Shining is not real issue
by S Murali Manikandan on Feb 23, 2004 07:18 PM
Hello Ms/Mrs Veena, this article has no point to prove. It is just a travelogue.

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Ramesh
RE:verbose malyalam
by Ramesh on Feb 24, 2004 02:21 PM
Veena,

Don't read these articles if you find them long and meaningless. I am sure a lot of people with similar experiences can relate to what he says, including myself. Besides, you have got your spellings totally wrong - it is Malayalam, not malyalam and KeralA or Keralam, not Keral.

--Ramesh

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