Tomichan Matheikal's blog

I am blocking anonymous comments on this blog once again. I had allowed anonymity during the A2Z series because I was using a lot of pseudonyms to write about people who were closely associated with me and I wanted them to get an opportunity to comment anonymously if they so wished. A few did respond too anonymously. Now I see no reason why people should be given that luxury anymore since my posts have gone back to the usual topics such as politics and day-to-day life.   What provoked this decision of mine is an anonymous comment that was dropped on a recent post of mine. A reader was irked by what I wrote about Modi. There’s nothing surprising about that. There are a lot of people who would like to drive a dagger straight into my heart just because they love Modi and I don’t. As long as Blogger gives me the privilege to decide what kind of comments are permitted in this space, I remain the arbiter here. Simple. No abuses, no threats, no absurd raving. Particularly anonymously...

Ashokan Pillai was reading the newspaper since there were no clients in the office. Prime Minister Modi’s claim that Mahatma Gandhi was not known to the world until Richard Attenborough made the movie amused Ashokan. Something far more amusing walked in just at that moment. A whole family consisting of father, mother and two children. What are these little children doing in an office of the civil supplies department? Ashokan wondered. His job was related to the issue of ration cards, rectification of errors in them, and other matters associated with ration cards. “We want a change in our ration card,” the man who introduced himself as Rajendran said. He looked smart in his stylish jeans and T-shirt. The woman was wearing a similar dress too and she was charmingly beautiful though she seemed to be in her forties. They wanted to remove Rajendran’s name from the card and issue a separate card in his name. “We are separating,” Rajendran said. “With mutual consent,” the lady sai...

What does religion mean? This is the fundamental question raised by Manu Joseph in his story (in Malayalam) titled Lizard in the Sanctuary . A lizard is driven out of a library in a cleaning drive initiated by the new librarian. It takes shelter in the nearby church. After all, churches are meant for everyone, aren’t they? The lizard sits in the sanctuary right behind the inscription of INRI on the main cross. It observes everything, listens to all the prayers and sermons, and even attends a few catechism classes after the Sunday Mass. The lizard is fascinated by such a wonderful religion which teaches the faithful to love even their enemies. The lizard finds the melodious prayers and hymns soothing and moving. The lessons preached in the sermons are all so noble. The lizard naturally wants to become a Christian. How to become a Christian? The lizard carefully observes all the Christians who attend the church service. There is Mathew who takes a seat near to the women’s side an...

The short story titled ‘Power’ written by well-known Rajasthani writer Vijaydan Detha is a metaphor on the nature of political power and the pragmatism of people who are subjects of that power. In this story there is magistrate who is the favourite of the King. The magistrate is so beloved of the King that he is more powerful than the King. The subjects are all scared of the magistrate. He has no children though he has seven wives. He blames the wives for his childlessness. Finally he adopts a dog named Koel. All the people of the country love Koel. Rather, they pretend to love Koel. They sing Koel’s praises. Koel’s life is cut short by a disease. The magistrate, rendered unable to bury or cremate the dead dog by his great love for it, gets the dog stuffed and embalmed. When he expresses his desire to have a golden cage built for Koel, the people instantly donate whatever jewels and ornaments they have. Soon miracles begin to take place because Koel has attained a divine status...

Draupadi wants to beget a daughter by Karna. Bilingual poet [Malayalam and English] K Sachidanandan has written a very short story in the latest edition of the Malayalam weekly, Mathrubhumi . Titled Draupadi’s Soliloquy , the story is an implicit lament on the current state of affairs in India. No woman can accept her fate with resignation when she has five valiant and virtuous husbands and yet has to stand disrobed in front of a couple of malevolent men who have usurped all powers through means more foul than fair. Of what value is Yudhishthira’s dharma? Draupadi laments. Arjuna’s famed valour is in vain now. Even the devotion of mighty Bheema serves no purpose. Nakula’s dutifulness and Sahadeva’s courtesy are all futile virtues in this royal court where villainous characters have put on the robes of heroes. What I want is Karna, Draupadi laments to herself. She has seen the flame that burns fiercely in the eyes of Karna. She has felt the ardour of the passion that fumes in Ka...