We do have a volcano of our very own, and can you imagine it is erupting as you read this article?

It is a volcano on Barren Island in the Andaman Islands. It is the only active volcano in South Asia, and it is currently active. The Island is uninhabited except for a small population of wild goats. This is my 3rd visit to the island. It was deep-sea big-game sportfishing that took me initially to the island, and this time around too, it was fishing that took me back to the island. 

Recently, three of us were on a deep-sea angling expedition in that region. Starting from Havelock Island, we were on a dedicated sport-fishing boat.

While we did a good deal of fishing, the view of the island was just awesome. The sight of the volcano erupting dense smoke, ash, and fire was simply breathtaking. During my first visit, I had spent the night on board anchored off the island (presently spending the night off an anchored boat is not permitted). The night view of the volcano was also amazing. You can keep watching those fireworks that keep lighting up the dark sky. Andaman is home to big game-sport fishes like the Marlin, Tuna, Giant Trevally, Kingfish, Barracuda, Grouper, Wahoo, Sharks and so on. These fish caught are released back into the ocean after being photographed.

Angling is highly absorbing and can reward you with so much joy and excitement. It can give you the adrenaline rush of your life. Believe me, it does. But for angling, I would not have seen the Barren Island and witnessed one of nature’s fascinating wonders.

* Big-game sportfishing, also known as offshore or deep-sea fishing, is a sport that involves catching large fish species using specialised fishing rods and reels. Sports fishermen use artificial lures and handheld rods. This sport requires skill, patience, and endurance, as the targeted fish are strong and often put up a challenging fight. All the fish caught are safely released back into the ocean. 
* While the volcano at Barren Island is erupting continuously, major eruptions were witnessed in 1787, 1991, 2005, 2017 and 2020. A large part of the volcano lies underwater, with only the tip forming the island. The waters around Barren Island are known for rich marine biodiversity, including manta rays, reef sharks, and coral reefs.
* For more information on fishing / water sports / trips to Barren Island, contact captainhooks.havelock@gmail.com; Ph: 74308 13322, WhatsApp: 9434280543.
* The Chennai coast too has a lot of fishing. For gear, advice, etc., one can contact Anglers Fishing Tackles and Poseidon Sport Fishing in Chennai.

Reflecting on the past three decades, we cannot overlook the contributions of our Founder, Late S.P. Ambrose. His vision for a neighbourhood newspaper that unites the community, continues to inspire our efforts even today. A pioneer in introducing the concept of a local English weekly in Adyar, he faced numerous challenges in the early years but remained determined to keep the paper thriving.

Mr.Ambrose consistently introduced innovative ideas to engage both readers and advertisers. His initiatives included community events, starting with our first Kolu celebration in 1994, providing an opportunity for the homemakers to showcase their talents. Other creative activities, like the treasure hunt on bicycles and the cake weight guessing game, further strengthened community ties. The crowning achievement was sponsoring the Adyar Times FIDE-rated Open Chess Tournament, from 2001 till date year after year. Each milestone was enriched by the warmth and enthusiasm of our community, reflecting his enduring legacy.

We’ve been deeply touched by words like, “My Sunday is not complete without reading Adyar Times,” and stories from advertisers who have experienced newfound recognition and success through their partnerships with us.

Your encouragement drives us to innovate and improve, constantly learning and unlearning, to deliver quality content and advertising solutions.

Change is the only constant, and over the past decade, Adyar Times has embraced it entirely. We are witnessing how digital and social media have transformed our Connect with our readers and the community.

Our team is dedicated to negotiating through these changes while staying true to our core values. Our newly revamped website, www.adyartimes.in, launched in 2023 keeps you updated with local news and important stories.

Starting this year, we are showcasing many more inspiring stories and highlighting the people of our neighbourhood on our social media platforms – Facebook (Adyar Times) and Instagram (adyartimes_offl). We’re excited to see these videos gaining recognition not only within our community but also beyond.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our readers and advertisers for embracing our digital transformation. Your support inspires us to continue celebrating the incredible stories that define our community!

– J. P. Janakan

Recognising this gap in the market, Asfaq Jalal, a 20-year-old student from IIT Madras, collaborated with his friends Amal and Jai to develop the mobile app QPo Shareride. This innovative app helps commuters easily locate available share-autos nearby and request rides with just a few taps on their smartphones.

The App also benefits auto drivers, by enabling them to identify areas where passengers are waiting, making it a win-win situation for both commuters and drivers.
Launched on Aug.15, QPo Shareride allows users to download the app from the Play Store and sign in to access its features. Commuters can choose their nearest pickup hotspot, see real-time locations of available autos, and raise ride requests to nearby drivers.

The drivers will be intimated about the potential customers in the areas near the allotted location spots. This allows the drivers to easily connect with potential passengers.

The app currently covers the route stretching from Madhya Kailash to SIPCOT and includes notable landmarks (such as popular malls and hotels), where commuters typically struggle to find transportation.

Asfaq and his team embarked on this project in early January, collaborating with CSE department students from the St. Joseph’s Institute of Technology, OMR. Their passion for entrepreneurship and innovative solutions drove them to come up with this project. With a dedicated team of around 15 students, they have garnered considerable recognition for their project.

“We are very enthusiastic about startups in general,” Asfaq shares. “We decided to work on this idea because we saw a significant need for an app to navigate throughout the city. So far, we have more than 30 share-auto drivers onboard and more than 200 users from the commuters’ side. With ongoing developments and positive feedback from users and drivers alike, we are optimistic about the future of QPo Shareride. We look to improve the app’s features to transform urban mobility in Chennai. If things go well, we plan to pitch this concept to investors,” he adds.
In a city where getting around can be difficult, the QPo Shareride app offers a smart solution, making commuting easier and more efficient for everyone.

Sharan and Porvika’s wedding invitation (Aug.30) was more than just an invite. It laid out hard-hitting facts bare, probing invitees on their sustainability choices. The invite stated: 

Over 20% of wedding food is trashed, Rs.10,500 crore wasted yearly;

Over 1,500 plastic bottles are discarded;

Over 2,000 kg of waste is generated at a single wedding;

The carbon footprint of a wedding is equal to cutting 100 trees;

So how did the families make a difference? Adyar Times spoke with the families and here are just some of the many steps they took…

Choosing a venue that supported their goal of sustainable practices

The families went to umpteen venues before finalising Illam Hospitality and Banquets, Sholinganallur. “The hall was featured in one of the leading newspapers for its sustainable concept. When we visited it, we were also very impressed by their ethics and efforts. Their interiors were made from fallen trees and doors of old houses, curtains from repurposed sarees and veshtis, and they had an onsite composting unit. There were no second thoughts after seeing this,” beamed V.M.Sankaran, father of the groom and a Kasturba Nagar resident. 

With the beautiful decor already in place, the families didn’t believe in cluttering the hall with more decoration. “We opted for minimal decor, using only compostable and reusable materials,” said Sankaran. Their decor included bamboo, potted plants, cane furniture and garlands strung in banana fibre only. “We went to Koyambedu to find a supplier who was ready to string flowers only in banana fibre as it would make the decor truly compostable. Post-event we dried and reused the flowers also,” explained Kanaga, mother of the groom. At the wedding venue, the invitees were welcomed by a beautiful blackboard announcing the bride and groom, instead of plastic banners. 

Choosing a caterer who supported their vision

The families were very clear that there would be absolutely no single-use items used as part of catering – water bottles, paper cups, etc. And they did find a caterer who agreed to serve water and liquids in steel tumblers, glass bowls and melamine ware. This ensured that there was no dry waste at all and all the waste generated was compostable. “It definitely cost us a bit more to employ labour for the cleaning of the utensils, but it evened out with the other sustainable decisions we took,” Sankaran elucidated. 

The families also decided to keep the menu simple with fewer items, to appeal to all alike, thus minimising food waste. “We also instructed the caterers not to serve food until the guests sat down,” highlighted Priya, the bride’s mother and added that they also tied up with a local ashram for donating the remaining food.

Even during the wedding ceremony, for the ritual of Oonjal, the riceballs were not laced with any chemicals, but natural colours. The elderly ladies were requested to throw the balls into designated bins which were later composted. During the same ceremony, the bride and groom were given an organic cloth handkerchief with natural coloured block-printed designs.

On the stage, the sweets and savouries (bakshanam) were placed on mandarai leaf and the same was distributed to the guests in a palm leaf basket along with the unbleached tambulam bag.

Throughout the different ceremonies, the guests were treated with drinks like buttermilk, paanagam and fresh fruit juices without white sugar.

Personal choices

“How did the meticulous planning happen for the wedding? How many days did you sit and brainstorm?” I asked the families, as I listened in awe at the lengths they went to make the wedding a near-zero-waste one.

Laughing, they said that commitment to a cause shows you the way ahead, “For any purchase we made, we were conscious that the money spent must be for a cause as much as possible.” The mandarai leaves and palm leaf boxes were procured from SHGs from interior Tamilnadu and the unbleached tamboolam bags were by  Sura, a social enterprise, that works with women in rural Cuddalore on skilling and sustenance.

They also decided to share only e-invites and printed only minimal invitation cards using recycled paper. 

The families also made a conscious decision to buy clothes only for the muhurtham ceremony – mainly cotton handloom, that too from places actively supporting artisans – Tula (Indira Nagar), Blue Lotus Handloom and Porgai Artisans. For all other ceremonies, all of them, including the bride and the groom, wore borrowed pre-loved costumes.

Feedback and verdicts

I asked the couple if it took any convincing to go the eco-way and they stated, “Absolutely not. Both the families are committed to sustainability and so it just clicked. ” The couple’s commitment also shows up in their daily lives – they mainly use only cycles to commute and do not use air-conditioners at home. How is it possible in this heat, I wonder, “Start it and you will get used to it!” they chimed. 

What was the reaction of the guests at the wedding about your concept? “Everyone appreciated it, especially the idea of the palm leaf boxes. Took many of the guests back to their childhood days!” said Sankaran as he shared the numerous appreciation messages he received. One of them said, “To suit one of the befitting Gandhian principles – It’s easy to stand in the crowd but it takes courage to stand alone. On witnessing the couple wearing Khadhi clothes – I can’t find any words to express my gratitude towards entire family members except to stand alone with crossed hands to respect the traditional couple where our greetings are reciprocal to their attire depicting ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world’.

Are sustainable / eco-friendly weddings expensive? “While some of the ideas may incur a cost, like employing labour for washing utensils, that can easily be offset by reducing your expenses in other departments like avoiding artificial fancy decor and minimising shopping etc. All in all, going green does not hike the costs. If done right, in fact, it can actually be cheaper!” they shared. 

The families ended by saying that, even though they did their best, the perfect zero-waste wedding is still a dream considering current societal expectations. 

Sharan and Porvika’s wedding was not just a celebration of love, but a powerful statement about living sustainably and thoughtfully, and that a meaningful celebration doesn’t have to come at the cost of the environment. This wedding was the 3rd zero-waste wedding by a resident of Kasturba Nagar. In their commitment to sustainability, such families set a benchmark for future weddings. In a world where extravagance often overshadows responsibility, these weddings stand as an inspiring reminder that with the right mindset, even life’s grandest moments can leave behind a greener footprint.

Sharan and his family can be contacted at sharanssundar@gmail.com.

To know more about the other eco-friendly family events, click the link: Kasturba Nagar residents show the way to near zero-waste events

• Poonga: A very common tree in Indira Nagar, this tree brings down the ambient temperature by at least 2^oC. It is also an oil-yielding tree. Its seeds are tied around the waist of the children to ward off evil spirits.
• Iluppai: Also known as the Indian Butter Tree, oil and butter are extracted from its seeds. It is said that Saint Thiruvalluvar was found as a child under the iluppai tree. Even now the tree’s dead stump is seen inside the Thiruvalluvar temple, Mylapore.
• Copper Pod: It is not an indigenous tree, but is commonly seen as an avenue tree with dense foliage and yellow flowers, from which dye is extracted. Though beautiful and providing shade, it cannot withstand strong winds as it has shallow roots and is exotic. 
• Nettilingam: Often misunderstood as the Ashoka Tree, this tree is actually called the Mast Tree. It has anti-bacterial properties and abates noise, thus used mostly in the peripherals of educational institutions. 
• Neem: It is a village’s pharmacy renowned for its many medicinal and insect-repelling properties. 
• Tamarind: It is not an indigenous tree. In earlier times, the trees lined along the roads contributed majorly to the rural economy. As the tree produces a lot of heat, it is not recommended to sleep under the tree at night.
• Trumpet flower: It has prolific pink / white flowers in season. It can be found at the Adyar signal junction and Anna University. The tree is tall and its branches are brittle.

Magizham: The tree is renowned for its medicinal properties and its flowers are used in the perfume industry. It is the stala vriksha at Madhuranthakam’s Erikaatha Ramar temple and an annual ritual called Magizhadi sevai is performed for this tree in Thyagarajar Temple at Thiruvottriyur.

Tamil Nadu cricketer, Niranjana Nagarajan recently announced her retirement from all forms of cricket. The talented right-arm fast-medium bowler made her junior India debut in 2005 and senior India in 2008, after showcasing her skills in domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu and impressing in both India’s Under-21 team and the Asia Cup. She balanced her cricket career with a job at Indian Railways, where she continues to hone her craft. Starting her journey at 10 years, she rightfully earned her name as ‘Ninja’ of women’s cricket. She has played 2 Tests, 22 ODIs and 14 T20s (including 3 World Cups) for India with an economy of 2.41, 4.18 and 5.22 respectively. Adyar Times caught up with the ‘Ninja’ to know more…

How did cricket and sports happen to you?

Being a naughty child, I was often tied to the window, where I saw the boys playing cricket. Soon I saw myself playing with them on the street. It gradually became a significant part of my life without me realising its broader professional scope. I probably acquired my aggressive style of bowling by playing this ‘gully’ cricket. You know, when you play with boys and you lose, they will make fun of you till your next win. It started as fun but ended up contributing to my style.

Is that how you got your nickname ‘Ninja’?

My Tamil Nadu teammates first called me ‘Ninja’. Over time, this nickname became widely recognised in the cricketing world. Today, everyone in the cricket fraternity knows me by this nickname.

How has women’s cricket evolved?

Women’s cricket merged with the BCCI in 2006 and we are grateful for that. But I am very happy that I belong to both generations. Previously, travel and stay were difficult; financially also it was not big, unlike now. Cricket mattered most and we looked forward to playing with all our hard work and teamwork. I value the benefits of today because I know the struggles of yesterday. The improved conditions only motivated me to perform better. 

On the training aspect as well, a lot has changed. Previously we only did warm-up and running. Now it is very professional, with an emphasis on fitness. There is now a variety of training techniques and diets specific to the skills of the player. Each player also has a personal trainer to guide them on it. Imagine 30+ players also have to compete with 20 or 25-year-olds.

On the recognition side, now people recognise me when I go out. It is gladdening to note that just like MSD and Kohli are household names, Harmanpreet, Mitali Raj and Smriti Mandana are also household names. WPL has also revolutionised women’s cricket and I look forward to more franchises coming up next season.

Has there been a shift in perspective about women playing cricket?

Despite being an orthodox family, my parents were very supportive. My grandmother was the one who insisted that I pursue my dream in sports. My father was a keen observer of women’s cricket and researched what I needed to do to better my prospects. My mother took care of my education and diet. Every time I felt low, I spoke with my grandmother and she pepped me up. 

There are however many other girls who are not as lucky as me, especially in the countryside. With the success of WPL, scouting teams are seeing a lot of talent emerge from the villages. This year, I got to know that for the upcoming Freyer Cup, the number of teams has increased from 6 to 8. Opportunities have increased. Thus my humble request to the parents is that if your child is talented, please let the child pursue the sport. You never know if the child can become the next Mitali Raj tomorrow (or a Ninja)!

How was your debut experience?

In 2008, it was a poignant moment for me when my name was not there in the top 15 initially. Meanwhile, my sister’s wedding was scheduled at that time and amid the ceremonies, I got a call to join the national team as a replacement for Rumeli Dhar, who got injured. It’s been a bittersweet experience—fulfilling a dream while missing a cherished family event. Such moments remind me of the unpredictable nature of opportunities in life.

After that experience, I was part of the national team intermittently but became a consistent part of it from 2012 onwards.

Who is the most feared team?

Australia are the world champions. They are the toughest opponent, but the Indian team nowadays is no less. We are continuing to win series and tournaments. The current team is too talented and their shots are very good. Australian cricketer Meg Lanning is my favourite cricketer.

We haven’t seen you in the national arena since 2016. What happened?

I played my last national game at the 2016 World Cup. It happens with every player; everyone has their peaks. From 2012 to 2016, I was the opening bowling partner with Jhulan Goswami for India. This is not in my control. Irrespective, my domestic performance was good and my hard work continued. 

How do you feel about being an opener in the Tamilnadu team but batted in the middle order in the national team?

I got into the Indian team as a fast bowler. While I would have loved to bat at the top order, however, in each team our role differs. The national team has a heavy-packed top order and when people say ‘Ninja’, they think of me as a fast bowler. The Tamilnadu team and the Indian Railways believe in me as a batter, and I have opened for them till the last season. I enjoyed opening the bowling with Jhulan. It’s a different kind of feeling to be a fast bowler and I am very proud of it.

Why retire now?

The decision was incredibly difficult, weighing on my mind for the past month and a half. Eventually, I reached a point where I knew I couldn’t continue giving my absolute best. For me, that signalled it was time to retire. I take pride in knowing I gave my best throughout my career. Now, I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with the future Indian team.

Where can we see Ninja now?

I have not yet decided. I am currently a commentator with Jio Cinema. Definitely, you will be seeing me somewhere close to cricket in the corners. 

May I ask about your husband?

Srinath Suresh is also a cricketer. We met at the MAC-Spin Foundation. He has been a pillar of support and guided me since 2012 in improving my performance in competitive cricket. Along with him, my dear friend Vilasini, who is also a BCCI Level 2 coach, played a major role over the last 5 to 6 years in guiding me to perform my best in the domestic circuit.

What message do you have for the girls of the neighbourhood?

I firmly believe that sports offer valuable lessons that complement academics. It builds your character and makes you stronger and mature. I have had so many amazing victories and heart-breaking losses, and I have seen how people around me react to that. Sports give you the maturity to understand what criticism to give importance to and what to just brush aside. So I advise girls to take up sports of any form. If you have complete focus and commitment to the sport, you will surely be noticed. I do look forward to seeing more girls from Tamilnadu in the cricketing arena. Tamilnadu Cricket Board and Indian Railways are also doing a lot for women’s cricket. 

Niranjana’s message resonates with a call for more opportunities and support for female players, aiming to inspire a new generation of sporting stars. She is a resident of Thiruvanmiyur. Check out more about her at her Instagram handle @niranjananagarajan.

Parenting as a subject has stirred up interest in our readers (Ref Mother Day article dated Mar.17), so much so that we have a couple of parents who wished to narrate their experience in a candid manner. That would be great because the essence of their learning should not be lost under the garb of ‘societal pretence’. We promised anonymity. Let’s call a ‘spade a spade’. Here it is… 

A Mother’s saga is presented to readers as a celebration of Mother’s Day

My daughter was a precious gift from God, born after 5 years of anxious wait. So very precious. God had planned this to make me a better and mature mother. I was confident that my offspring would be a model kid. I was a working woman and had to report for work the very next day my maternity leave ended. I left my 3-month-old infant in the able hands of my mother-in-law and headed to my slave driving office – 8 am to 10 pm. No time even to call and enquire how she was doing. I was never there for her till her teens. And, our conversations were limited to her homework and upcoming exams, because I thought I was optimally using the available time to discuss studies!! Stupid of me to think I was spending quality time with my child. I thought that was all that there was to her life (Seriously? How ignorant I was). I never asked about her day at school, her teachers and her friends. Parent-teacher meetings used to be a bitter

experience for me as it was about her poor academic performance. But that never bothered me much, as I myself was not great academically. She was a very well-mannered and soft-spoken kid, which was very important to me. I prided myself on it. What else could possibly go wrong?

Oh! What a misconception. I never realised that she could be keeping things from me for fear of judgment, punishment, and yelling. I quit my job when she entered her teens. This decision was based on my “assumption” that I had to be there for her during those sensitive years. I was never there when she was sprouting, it was naive of me to expect magic. How wrong I was to think that she would come running to me when she was scared or in confusion. I had already let her drift away. She was in her own world. I realised that I was as much a stranger to her as someone next door. I have missed creating a bond during her early years and suddenly expect her to accept me. But I was her mother, isn’t it natural for her to run to me for help? Nope. It doesn’t happen that way. Just like any other relationship, there has to be TRUST. Sadly, that was missing on both sides. She never trusted me, and I was paranoid about her all the time. I was hearing so many shocking stories about teenage kids and social media abuse and how the role of parents is very important in protecting the kids, so I was always, On Guard.

It was all too overwhelming. That was the time when social media was taking the world by storm. Kids were taking on to it like fish to water and parents were struggling to get a grasp of it. The kids were enamoured by its wide net. The fact that they could make friends in an instant without even having to meet in person was so mind-blowing. It had created a huge divide between us.

In her eighth grade (13 years) she was given a smartphone as a gift (very much against my wish). She convinced me about the necessity of the internet for her assignments. I was witnessing the gradual increase in her network of friends. She was randomly mentioning names of boys who weren’t even in her school. She said it was her friend’s friend and he was cool. She would attend a birthday party, and I would naively assume it to be her classmate, but it would be of her friend’s friend’s friend who was in college. When I come to know of it, all hell will break loose and she will just say that I am overreacting. Then she started doing things on the sly, due to my (unreasonable!!) reactions and kept me in the dark about her whereabouts. Going to parties required spending and I started noticing money missing around the house. The credit card was used without my knowledge complete with OTP and all. So much for my ignorance of technology and my belief that a child of mine cannot stoop so low. I started panicking as all this was new to me. I never signed up for these twists in parenting.

I thought parenting was a smooth happy journey but to my horror, I am finding it to be a roller coaster ride. I was losing it as I was not able to comprehend this wild behaviour of my offspring; it was beyond my realm. Where did I go wrong? I felt like a failure and took out all my frustration on her. We were constantly crossing swords, and whenever things got out of hand, I even got physical (much against my wish).

I could not discuss this with anyone; how could I let anyone know what a total failure I was, as a mother? I had quit my job to be there for my daughter and I felt like a stranger to her. 

She was distancing herself from me day by day. The last straw was when she was in her 10th. The maximum pressure point for students. She was not able to handle her studies and her friends’ circle. She now started comparing herself

to her high-achieving friends and started to feel like a failure. Sadly, she did not have anyone to talk to. For her, I was an alien from another generation.

She slipped away gradually into depression. Unknowingly, I was my usual strict self and still worried only about her grades, as she was in her 10th std. There was a rapid decline in her grades and her health too. That was when I got alarmed and took her to the doctor, who advised me to take her to a counsellor, as stress can trigger many health-related issues. That was when Pandora’s box opened. I learned the bitter truth about the lack of connection with my daughter.

I sat and deliberated on where I was in the wrong. My kid is not someone who wouldn’t listen to reason. I firmly believed in that and swung into action. It is ironic that we do not follow even 1% of the advice we shower onto others. “Never compare kids” is one such oft-repeated cliched advice. But do we really follow this? How many times have we been worried when a neighbour’s child scored better? Likewise, parenting styles also should not be compared. Isn’t it true that we almost always try to copy the style of the 1st rank student’s parents? I tried to figure out what style I should adopt. I opened up to my close nonjudgmental friends and tried to get some input. It required so much patience, time and effort. It also took several counselling sessions for both of us, as I also decided to go to the experts.

I wanted no stone unturned. Ultimately, my perseverance bore fruit. Now my daughter and I are thick as thieves. She is even sharing stuff about her crushes and her unbelievable college gossip. I thank God for giving me the sanity to stand by my daughter when she needed me the most.

Name withheld on request.

What started as the easiest job in the world and happened as naturally as breathing, has become the greatest challenge of our times, especially for women, – Parenting. It was a pleasure to see children in the yesteryears grow up amidst so many elders and young ones in the family. There was always an elder to instil values in them, one to discipline, another aunt to show affection like a mother, several cousins, of which some were irritants and hence built tolerance in the children, some to guide them in their various school projects, and always someone in the family to escort them on short trips away from home. Added to that the mother was there to pour love and care for their health and hunger. To top it all there were always a couple of breadwinners who held the fort and managed the finances.

The scenario now is that all these functions are carried out by parents and in a few unfortunate cases, a single parent. Adyar Times decided to meet several moms to throw light on their style of handling the myriad problems they face. An amazingly interesting conversation ensued. The excerpts follow…..

Amritha, of Gandhi Nagar, is the mother of 2 – Aarna (in her teens) and Madhav. Sudha Gopal is the mother of Amritha. Sudha Gopal (born in the late 50’s) remembers pleasant times she spent with her daughter over the years. “The best time I had with Amritha was when we were looking out for her. She prepared her own honest content to post in Matrimony. One particular boy’s resume was just a copy-paste of hers with just the gender change. How we laughed at that!! I had once told her (she was 6) to answer a call and tell the person I was not home. She did, but later asked me why you asked her to tell a lie. It struck me then that we have to ‘Lead by example.’

When she was a teenager of course I did face some anxiety. I was brought up in a conventional household, where I was asked to wear a half saree, instead of my pinafore to school after my eighth std. I threw up a tantrum but nothing worked. I was a little on the chubbier side and commuted by public transport. My parents had made a decision, and I meekly obeyed. (Can we even think of such obedience these days? Even kids choose what they want to wear.) When my daughter was in her teens, it was the chatroom fancy days, and she too shut herself in the room and talked on the sly. She had loads of friends and used to come home late. She was a responsible girl and I trusted her, but I had to face the brunt of all these excesses, from my mother-in-law. More than being anxious about Amrita, I was worried that she should not be caught by my mother-in-law. I had to balance both their attitudes.”

Amritha Badri (born in the 80’s) has very little to complain about her daughter Aarna, except that she is too mature for a 12-year-old. “She seems to be in her own world and rarely focuses on the present. Of course, occasional tantrums and sulking do exist, but that is all a part of growing up. She feels I work too much and I don’t spend time with her. No child who has concern over the parents will do anything to hurt them. I don’t compare her with other kids, but I do bring it up to inspire and motivate her,” admits Amritha. This duo has mastered the art of parenting, I should say. Amritha says that Social media is a strict NO in the house. Sudha’s mantra to her children was, “In my house, you play by my rules.” Having got two pointers, I proceeded to other parents and did a Rapid Fire round. Surprising to see so many facets to Parenting. There is no super formula or mantra. Each parent follows their philosophy and strategy to suit their environment. There is surely a takeaway for readers from their viewpoints.

Dr. Akila Ravikumar

Never hope to be a perfect parent. There’s no standardisation. One prescription does not work for all. Everyone’s situation is different. Accept your limitations and have realistic expectations. Forgive yourself. Share your limitations with your children, whether it be financial or health concerns, your insecurities, job demands etc.Do not keep them in the dark. Many times children rise up to the occasion and surprise you.

Geetha Balaji

Just as we should not compare kids, we cannot view parenting styles on the same plane. There is no greater myth than “Perfect Parenting”. Every kid is different. Set the ground rules and put your foot down. It is ok to be hated by

your kid for the right reasons. You don’t have to keep your kids happy for the wrong reasons.

Gowri Ponnuswamy

Children are to be treasured. They need a gentle breeze of love, affection, and guidance. Handle them like a mud pot brimming with water or a glass bowl with hot soup.

Dr.Jamuna, Shakespeare Club

Dr. Jamuna Kalyani Sridharan, Coordinator of the Shakespeare Millennium Club, born in 1945 has given her take on parenting in the last 100 years. In her words: “Like Alfred Lord Tennyson’s ‘Brook’, ‘Men may come and men may go’, but parenting goes on forever. It is the meandering process of the Brook, down the ages, that one has to focus on. What was parenting in the 1920s, and what is parenting in the 2020s? My grandmother would enforce compliance with just the roll of her eyeball. When she signalled with her eyes, her children understood and obeyed. In the 1940s and 50s, my mother had to use verbal instructions to enforce rules. In the 1960s and 70s, I had to instruct my children and also explain to them why they had to obey. At the turn of the century, my daughter had to not only explain but also listen to the viewpoints of her children and many a time adhere to their point of view. Maybe my grandchildren’s children will be strutting their parents on WhatsApp or other internet apps long distance!!

Meena Ravichandran

I always believe in the saying “The two best gifts we should give our children are WINGS and ROOTS”. WINGS to explore life to realise what they can become, and ROOTS to know where they are from and remember and adhere to family values!

Curtains were drawn at the Reader’s Digest, which was a fountainhead of rich reading experience. The 86-year-old magazine breathed its last on April 30, 2024, with Reader’s Digest UK, ceasing publishing its print edition. The ’60s kids grew up with the monthly copy of Reader’s Digest being thrust into their hands at the threshold of their education. It was a ‘Something in it for all’  book. It pains me to refer to it as ‘was’.

Its ‘Quotable quotes’ was a ready reckoner to begin or end my school essays. However, the ‘Improve your Vocabulary’ was my favourite. I would eagerly refer to the answers for the big words in the Answer section to check my ratings. A 6 out of 10 would have been the highest with a 2 visiting my scorecard more often. I was never deterred by it; I always had the excuse of being a small girl, even though I scored 2 while in college too. ‘Laughter, the Best Medicine’ had me in splits, while with ‘Humour in Uniform’ I had trouble understanding a few. Small tidbits peppered throughout the book were always interesting and informative. It was a window to the world for us when there was nothing beyond radio and social media.  

The Editor-in-chief, Eva Mackevic, announced that the company was unable to withstand the financial pressures of the current magazine publishing landscape. The noise of social media has drowned the voice of a valuable edition. Like the disappearing landmarks of big cities in the name of development, this is one huge landmark that has fallen. Let us hope there is a new Beginning.

We will miss you Reader’s Digest.

“Implementation of rainwater harvesting will pull us for a couple of months, but implementation of greywater harvesting, will ensure sustainable water availability,” points out A.D.C. Rajasabai, a resident of Coral Samudra, 2nd Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar. His family has implemented greywater harvesting in his apartment for the past six years and is proud that they have not bought water since its implementation six years back.

“Rainwater harvesting happens when we have rains. However, we take water from the earth every day. Thus, is it not pertinent for us to return water to Mother Earth regularly? This was the crux of my thought for developing a greywater harvesting system,” explains Rajasabai, a postgraduate from IIT Kharagpur.

Greywater is water from sinks, washing machines and the bath area and is safe for harvesting as it contains fewer pathogens than blackwater from closets. Greywater is 40% of our regular water usage.

Rajasabai relocated from the USA nearly 20 years ago. He chose to settle at Thiruvanmiyur thinking that it is near the shore thus water would not be a problem. “But, just like the whole city, this locality too was reeling with water shortage and people were buying tankers of water. We, in our family, were wondering if we had made a mistake coming back, leaving our cosy life in the US,” he recalls.

Thankfully, his thoughts only motivated him to find a solution to the water problem. Soon greywater harvesting became a family project. His then 7th-grade son drew the first prototype with inputs from his daughter studying architecture at Anna University. “Back then this was a new concept and thus there was no awareness of it. While it was becoming a mandate by the Tamilnadu government for industries, there was not even a prototype available for a domestic setup. I was thus challenged to build a system from scratch,” he explains.

When an idea is new, not only is working on it an ambition, but its implementation in a community is a challenge. Mrs.Rajasabai explains, “Definitely everyone had apprehensions. However, the desperate need for water and the thought of ‘independence from water tankers’ superseded it. Also, since the concept was unheard of, they gave us full reins.” Soon the Rajasabai family saw themself engrossed in the project, which they called ‘Toja’.

The final prototype of the greywater harvesting system was perfected by the family into a unique patented process that makes it cost-effective, safe, silent, odour and trouble-free, powered by gravity and a natural watering source for the local plants and trees. After more than 10 years of learning, and expert inputs from the now grown-up children, team Rajasabai tasted success. “Since 2018, there has been no looking back. This along with rainwater harvesting has helped us in maintaining our water table. Not only us, but the nearby apartments have also reaped the benefits from our systems. None of us have called for a water tanker since then. Also, previously, we had 6 borewells in our apartment. Now we use only one,” says Mrs.Rajasabai.

In an urban setup, where each inch is precious, how much space will the greywater harvesting system occupy? “Approximately, 4×4 feet space, for one patented filter. The essential part is that apartments must have separate greywater pipes from the bathrooms. In such a case, the pipes can be routed through a small collection tank,” he explains. The collection tank is the only visible part of the system. Rajasabai has also provided a mechanism wherein the greywater can be routed to the sewage system in case needed, like during the rains when the water table is brimming.

In a city and time when apartments largely depend on water tankers for their daily needs, Rajasabai’s family have shown that sustainable water management systems are the only way forward.

While necessity is the mother of invention, those who succeed owe their success to perseverance. And the story of Rajasabai’s family is no different. Mrs.Rajasabai was recently awarded the patent for their greywater harvesting system. Interested readers can contact the family through Enhydro Technologies; Ph: 94445 13511, enhydrotechnology@gmail.com; Instagram: @toja.greywater.