En rathathai urindhu valarnthaai,
Indru valarnthapinnum ratharusiyai rasikiraaye.
Dhaagam theeralayo?

In the past, I have been accused(?) of writing a depressing blog. I have been wanting to post a response for a while now. But the immediate trigger for this post was Anu's comment to my previous post. Anu, I think I should clarify my perspective.

As difficult as it might be for some to believe, my posts are borne out of hope. But to hope for something better, one needs to acknowledge the truth. Shying away from the truth will never lead to even a semblance of lasting happiness. This blog is an attempt to find and accept such truths - and to then explore the hope of improving things.

To quote from The Shawshank Redemption: "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."

And there sure are a lot of reasons to feel hopeful. A few that come to my mind right now (in no particular order):

1. DSF
2. ADR
3. Parivartan
4. PostSecret (Warning: Disturbing and graphic pictures)
5. Gandhi
6. HelpToLive
7. Chennai Food Bank

"Appidi ellam nambikkai illaama naathigam pesaatheenga. Oorellam intha mathiri neraiya saami irukku. Namakku dhaan theriyalai. Nambunga."
(C) Madan/Kamal

Stolen Childhood

(C) Shaju John
"At a school in Chennai, Kalaivani is engaged in construction work"

"...child labour is not only (or always even dominantly) about poverty: it is essentially about social exclusion, inequality and discrimination, which allow the relative poverty of some to be exploited in this manner."

Excerpts from the cover story of the current Frontline issue.

Oops...

It was a technical error, stupid.