3 days of fast for a toilet in the home

Imagine the case of a 15-year-old girl who has to go through the process of open defecation. This is the plight of a majority of families in Karnataka. According to the Unicef in 2015, only 4.7 pc gram panchayats in the state are open-defecation free.

Even though 50 pc of the population in Karnataka has access to toilets, this problem persists due to lack of awareness. It  took 3 days of hunger strike for Mallamma Bagalapur to help her family realise the need for a toilet in their home. Studying in class 10 in Koppal (around 350 kms from Bengaluru), Mallamma thanks her school for educating her about the importance of a toilet.

She helped her family literally flush out their perception that "toilet is only for the rich". While Mallamma was on a strike in July, Koppal zilla panchayat CEO R Ramachandran visited the spot and promised the family to clear both the issues - space and funds.

With government's subsidy of Rs 1500 for dalit families, Mallamma's long-term dream transformed into reality within a week. This young girl has now become a role model to all in the rural sections of the country... to the extent that she holds a prominent place even in the PM's 'mann'. No wonder, Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, quoted her in his 'Mann Ki Baat' today.

Traumatised

It was a CCTV footage that shocked Bengaluru on May 2^nd. Every woman who saw it shuddered. The camera on the street outside a PG accommodation in Kathriguppe, South Bengaluru, captured the man lurching in the shadows... suddenly scoop this 25-year-old North Eastern girl in his arms while she was on the phone in front of her PG... It was 9.51 pm on April 23^rd. The victim has alleged that he headed to the alley nearby as she screamed for help in his clutches.

I saw that fear gripping her as the victim narrated this to me in the studio yesterday at 7pm. She was there nervously seated in front of the camera with her nose and mouth wrapped with a dupatta. I saw her eyes scanning me in fear... Understandable, after what she went through.

"It was traumatic. I screamed for help. He tried to rape me. I bit his hand and thankfully escaped to reach my PG," she said. I found her extremely thin and lanky. Almost size zero. She knew what I was thinking. "I work for a beauty clinic in Kalyan Nagar."

She was panic-stricken as she recounted the incident to the PG owner, who reportedly tried to dissuade her from filing a complaint. “Everybody around me told me not to file a complaint,” she said. The police claim that they visited the PG since she did make a distress call to 100. But with no complaint, they could do nothing.

"But I wanted to bring this incident to light so that no other woman gets to face this situation like I did," she said. Thanks to the CCTV, a crucial evidence in this case, and her bold decision... The police forced the PG owner to file a complaint and the police jumped into action.

“I couldn’t stay in the PG any more. I shifted the very next day. How will I feel safe there after all this?” she said, with her eyes brimming with tears. Call it cosmopolitan… call it an IT city… Bengaluru in 2014 saw more than 250 cases registered under Pocso… and  2015 saw the arrest of 238 persons in 263 pocso cases, where167 were released on bail. Does the judiciary understand the gravity of the offence and the nature of the allegation? When every parent in Bengaluru is worried about their child at school, every woman – local or from the North-East or elsewhere – will live n this city, perpetually terrified of that man who will suddenly pounce on them from nowhere.

If it can happen in a heavily populated, residential area like Kathriguppe, one can imagine the consequences if it were to happen in several of the remote corners of this city. “In fact, nobody came to help initially,” the victim said. The CCTV showed a woman walking there unmindful of this girl being abducted. Not everyone will get to be lucky to find a CCTV as a crucial evidence or will have the grit to file a case or will even have the presence of mind to bite his hand and flee.

3 hours after I met the victim, Bengaluru police announced the arrest of the accused, Akshay, a 24-year-old cab driver from Kanakapura Road under sections of kidnapping as well as attempt to murder. According to the police, the accused person, a rowdy sheeter from the same police station limits, has confessed to the crime. As part of the investigation, the police has requested the victim to come over to record her statement and also identify the accused, based on which, further action will be taken.

I was thinking... How will this victim face him again at the police station? Wouldn’t one be terrified to see the same face that tore into one’s peace, joy, sleep and safety in a fraction of a second?

Captain’s Driving Force

If Vijaykanth is the King, his wife seems to be the kingmaker. And I realised how tough it was to get to the power centre of the DMDK – Premalatha. 2 weeks of relentless pursuit. Of which, one week to get to her assistant. And finally, she gave me 24 hours to travel 370 kms from Chennai to Dindigul to catch her in between her campaign.

One night’s drive with no sleep... and 2 hours of wait at Dindigul... I was paranoid, she might postpone the interview... Finally at 2pm, I saw her. A hint of disappointment washed over me to realise Vijaykanth was not with her. As if reading my mind, she came up to me and said, “Vijaykanth is in Virudhunagar. And I was in Erode. I am driving through the lengths and breadths of TN for the campaign. Sorry for the delay.” Loud voice, confident stride, dominant attitude and bold persona – that is Premalatha for you.

Mention Vijaykanth and she didn’t waste a minute to say he is the king. Though, he decided to do so after much deliberation and later seeking an answer from his followers in Kancheepuram. “Whatever decision he makes, usually he will ask in the rally,” she said. And she justified the decision by saying, “DMDK came as an alternative to DMK and the AIADMK.”

However, DMDK did join hands with AIADMK in 2011. And Premalatha said that was one of the biggest mistakes. She said Vijaykanth was furious Jaya was straying away from her election promises. Even now, Premalatha said that Jaya has shown no development in the state. She said, “I travel all over TN. I see trees, but no industries. There is no development. And no basic needs.”

Premalatha is against both the “ruling party as well as the ruled party”. She is sure that Stalin’s makeover will have zero connect with the voters. Whether he sips tea or sings a song, she said, “all that is drama. People can see through it. Why did he not meet the people when he was deputy CM?” She is also convinced that captain’s white dhoti and shirt retains the TN culture, which will make him click, as opposed to the trousers that Stalin and Anbumani Ramadoss sport. “Those two dress like they are going for a film shoot,” she said.

Vijaykanth may have hailed from the film industry before he stepped into the political world. For Premalatha, Vijaykanth is a man meant for the people. Jaya has always said, “makkalikaaga naan, makkalaal naan (meaning I am for the people and I am because of the people)”. Premalatha said, “Vijaykanth can act in cinema. But he can’t act before his people.” Also said that if Jaya meant what she said, ‘amma’ wouldn’t be sitting in an AC enclosure letting her ‘children’ die in the hot sun.

While Amma is known for her whatsapp calls, Vijaykanth is known for his whatsapp jokes. “It used to upset me,” Premalatha said, “But I have realised that there are no negative things about captain. No corruption. No criminal cases. They will criticise him only like this. It’s all planned by the AIADMK and the DMK.”

Jokes apart, Vijaykanth was one of the ‘most-wanted’ man when the election was announced. DMK used many proverbs to suggest that the alliance between DMK and DMDK was almost through. Premalatha said, “It was all spread by Kalaignar. Is there any place where DMK and DMDK officially met? Captain never announced anywhere. Did he?” However, there was an official meeting held between the BJP and the DMDK. Premalatha blamed it on the communists who were part of the alliance that forced them to say no to the BJP.

After all, Modi seems to have no magic in an amma-nadu. “It was in 2014 only during the MP elections. Not now. I don’t think so,” Premalatha said.

As we wrapped up, Premalatha was gearing up for her campaign and was telling me that TN is 100 pc ready for change... She smiled and waltzed away. Being an ardent follower of Tamil cinema, I remembered a dialogue from Vijaykanth’s famous movies Ramana. “Change – TN ku pudicha orrey vaarthey. (meaning change is the only word that TN likes)”.

An intro to my cousin - for her arangetram

Sanjana Subramanyam

Just as the name suggests, Sanjana is as gentle as the soft gleams of dusk… And you will be sure to witness it as she caresses that poor puppy struggling on the road alone. But, as a dancer, she can be as powerful as the super flares. Because, all she would need is a tune to sway to… or beats to tap to… Sanjana’s love for this art has been an integral part of her life all along. From the tender age of eight, dance, in itself, embodies Sanjana’s primal relationship to the universe.

Under the tutelage of Guru Karnataka Kalashree Sri Kiran Subramanyam and Smt Sandhya Kiran, Sanjana fine-tuned her skills with passion, practice and performances galore.

They say art runs in the genes of an artist. Well, it is true in the case of Sanjana. Her driving force and daily inspiration is none other than her aunt, also one of the senior artistes Ramya Janakiraman, who definitely needs no introduction at all.

There’s a famous, hummable English number by the Decemberists in 2003 – “I was meant for the stage”. Sanjana would vouch for it. Having won several accolades in both inter-school and inter-collegiate competitions, she has also been actively involved in group productions of the Rasika dance ensemble.

Says she, “Dance to me is a way of living. It brings a sense of discipline into one’s life. An area of comfort where one can be their true self. Dance has helped me grow to be a better person and has nurtured good values into my life. I feel immensely blessed to have been introduced to this art form and would always stay connected to it.”

Sanjana completed her BCom from Mount Carmel College in 2015 and recently waltzed into the corporate sphere with Amazon India. Known for her amazing grit and grace, she is here, all set to take her first big step into the world of Bharatnatyam.

If she is not sitting with music or practicing dance, Sanjana may be busy penning her thoughts, researching on animal behavior or choosing her dream destinations to travel to. Sanjana, to her family and friends, is a true entertainer. Cheerful as ever, her enthusiasm and energy is ever-contagious, spreading an epidemic of laughter literally.

Be it a challenging step or an emotional piece, Sanjana can be both compelling and heart-warming, stirring extreme emotions. That has been her key strength…