March against Monsnato -Chennai - 12th oct 2013

It was a very well attended march! More than 400 joined us at Chennai..most of them young(wow- more hopes there!!)
after all, all the efforts that went in to plan and execute this MAM was justified..it was a fantastic atmosphere, great march along the Marina Beach..
we all had a great treat of 'thudumbattam' by purisai boys and then a great 15 min street play by "Koothu-p-pattarai' on GMOs, Monsanto, farmers suicides and corporatisation of agriculture...

a great show of solidarity and sooper outcome of a fabulous team effort..
way to go friends..way to go Chennai!!

some photos and press mentions below..

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/city-says-no-to-gm-crops/article5229476.ece
 
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/131013/news-current-affairs/article/volunteers-stage-protest-march-against-gm-crops

http://www.dinamalar.com/district_detail.asp?id=825820 

 Check here for the press release:
in Tamizh
http://safefoodalliance.blogspot.in/2013/10/blog-post.html
and in english:
http://safefoodalliance.blogspot.in/2013/10/chennai-marches-against-monsanto-and.html

inimitable balakumaran!

so I met this man- writer Balakumaran! last week , thanks to Rambo amidst all my busy activities for MAM!
I used to be a fanatic of his works during my college days..used to meet him too regularly and discuss his recent thodars (then!) and also other stuff..payanigal gavanikkavum, panthaya pura comes to mind..ofcourse the ones I love from his works are: 'endrendrum anbudan', 'irumbu kuthiraigaL', 'akalya','mercury pookkal'...
he pushed me to Ayn Rand', JK, 'la.sa.ra' and many great books..he infused "veri" the packed fervor in to all that we chase..he taught me the necessity to analyse everything with such balance and to see things from others shoes and more importantly applying (& being) fair on almost all things..
all those virtues helped me all thru my career and till date..ofcourse he has moved far away in to spirituality and i am too immersed in humanity that I am also not in touch with his recent work, but his narration, style, indepth articulation and hard work he puts in to write anything still touches me..

and I had a jackpot when i met him! Dinamalaar editor was with him and they were talking of his chola dynasty love, research and his story- Udayar! and that was a fantastic feast:-)

Long live Balakumaran! thanks rambo..