Need for the caste system - iii

I think some Supreme Court judge

- Caste system was based on 'division of labour'. This was advocated by Adam Smith too.

Need for the caste system - ii

I suppose a columnist

- Why we still have so many leading billionaires from the Vaisya caste? Credit should go to our much maligned caste system.
- In any country, upper 20% doesn't require government intervention. However, government has to take care lower 20%

Need for the caste system - i

A friendly Brahmin giving a watercooler sermon;

- Drona saw Ekalavya misusing his amazing talent on a dog

The last of Embarrassments

[At Bengaluru airport]
[Lady at the counter] : Oh, your ticket has been booked in the name of Mangalore
[I]: Yes
[Lady at the counter] : Mangalore :-) :-)
[I]: Yes
[Lady at the counter] : Mangalore is a place name. No? :-) :-) :-)
[I]: Yes
[Lady at the counter] : Your place name is given in the ticket.
[I]: ...
[I]: Mangalore is my second name.
[Lady at the counter] : Oh, don't mind. I thought it was a mistake.

Closing the blog

May be because of my less intelligence I'm bored. The motivation for this blog was to improve my English skills. By my own assessment I have been a spectacular failure in that objective. I don't like my own words. And five years is too long a time for that project and it has to be scrapped.

Thank you readers and thank you for your comments! I'll keep this blog open for one more day so that you know that I'm closing it.

On the streets of Shanghai

Iranian: Where are you from?
I: ...
Iranian: I thought you are from Pakistan.
I: ...
Iranian: Yeah, India and Pakistan, the same...You have Kashmir ... the same ...he he he
I: ...
Iranian: Yes, I'm from Tehran
Iranian: Yeah, It's bad in Iran. I mean it's not bad. It's good. But yes, it's bad sometimes.


Chinese Muslim*: Are you Musalman?
I: ...
Chinese Muslim: Naga? (... I didn't get this clearly)
I: ...
Chinese Muslim: India... There are Musalmans in India.
I: ...
Chinese Muslim: I'm a Musalman.
I: ...
Chinese Muslim: Yes, Chinese.

[Not many incidents. That's disappointing.]

*Muslims are the flavour of the season in Shanghai. Almost everybody talked about people who don't eat pork. Nobody talked about people who don't eat beef. They even showed interest in Muslim presence in India.

Devolution - ii

So the teenagers who indulge in risky behaviours are in fact more matured than those who don't?

"We were surprised to discover that risk-taking was associated with more highly-developed white matter – a more mature brain,"

Additionally, it has been shown that the period of mid-adolescence (ages 15 through 19) is the time when teens are more likely to begin high-risk behaviors such as drinking, abusing drugs or driving recklessly.

Things still gets worse for non-risk taking teenagers. The researcher further rubs salt into wound by stating that risky behaviour drives early brain development if it's not the other way round. Both ways not much respite for non-risky teenagers.

Berns says more studies need to be done to determine if early brain development predisposes someone to engage in risky behaviors, or if the risky behavior drives the maturation of the brain

.

I thought at least there was some respect from that angle for those years. Now even that is gone.

Via Science Daily

Death of a talking topic

Eye Doctor: Here is your new prescription. You need to add cylinder too.
I: You see I'm wearing under corrected glasses. I think I'll continue with this.
Eye Doctor: But why do you want to wear under-corrected glasses? You would have loss of vision.
I: My previous doctor suggested that I should never go for the exact power lenses. The under corrected glasses would in fact keep the eye power constant. I'm satisfied with it all these years so I would like to continue with it.
Eye Doctor: But those glasses don't have cylinder too.
I: I'm aware of this part. The one before my last doctor had asked me to add it to the lens. However, I started getting headaches after that. My last doctor told me that was not required. Probably, I should stick with my present prescription.
Eye Doctor: No, you shouldn't get any headache. But if you are not willing you can continue with the old prescription.
I: My eye power hasn't changed all these years. I think I should continue with that.
Eye Doctor: But...after 21 years, your eye power won't change much anyway.
I: It won't?
Eye Doctor: No, it won't.
I: ...
Eye Doctor: So, I suppose this is not required and you'll continue with your old prescription.
I: No, I think I'll go with the new one.

Devolution

One of my friends said one can't measure his own fall. We can neither gauge nor can talk to our own selves. We need to be pointed out. Another said the fall should not be checked. It has to be allowed to reach its logical end and that is the only way for a new starting point. I would propose, every fall creates its own starting point. And when it reaches its logical end there is absolutely nothing left to live.

The Tulu Tribes - VI

I think in one of the Kannada literary phases, many works came out in spoken Kannada dialects instead of the standard dialect. I suppose Chaduranga and Devanuru Mahadeva were some of the big names of this phase(Termed as Dalita/Bandaya(rebellion) phase). I remember getting irritated while reading their novels when I was in school. For me, the standard dialect itself was the spoken dialect.

That is true for majority of the people in coastal Karnataka region where the language of the land is Tulu. But I belong to Malayalam speaking family. In olden days (probably now too) Malayalam was mockingly called as 'Kaka' language by Tuluvas and Kannadigas. The origin of the name was due to a Muslim Malayali community called Beary. Almost all the Bearys are found in traditional Tulu speaking regions (including northern Kasaragod). In my opinion, the origin and linguistic identity of this community is due to merchant guilds of Kerala.

According to Payyannur Paatu, there were four merchant guilds(of merchants and artisan-merchants) in Kerala. I know three of them;
- Valanjiyar : Probably originated in Karnataka region (Banajigas)
- Anju Varnam : Indigenous to Kerala
- Manigramam : Indigenous to Kerala

My understanding is that, pre-civilization Malayalam and Tulu regions' earliest non-tribal settlers were merchants and artisan-merchants who moved to these regions in order to trade with Arab/European regions in BCE. Most likely they merged with tribal matrilineal communities. The subsequent generations adopted Malayalam language and shamanic culture. This model is crucial for our understanding as we know the Muslim communities mostly grew around merchant communities in Malayalam and Tulu region.

There are arguments that Anju (=five in Malayalam) Varnam and Manigramam were Jewish and Christian merchant guilds respectively. But I would go by the opinion that those were Malayali merchant guilds to which Jews and Christians became attached to in due course[1]. The Muslim, Christian and Jewish merchants of Arab and Persian ancestry who became part of these guilds though linguistically became Malayalis were also able to establish Muslim and Christian core communities through them.

People have speculated that 'Anju Varnam' means fifth Varnam hence the guild of merchants outside the caste system. Since Jews weren't part of the four Varnas, their guild was known as Fifth Varna. But in Malayalam, Varnam in general means 'caste' and not just the Varna as in four fold system. Recently, I came across an article (as usual I didn't bookmark it) on the web about weavers' migration from Tamil Nadu to Balaramapuram in Kerala. The street where they lived was known as 'Anju Varnam' street. The reason being those weavers belonged to five different castes. It can be a mere coincidence in 'Anju' but we can observe that 'Anju Varnam' certainly didn't mean fifth Varna(Isn't that should be anjamate varnam?) or outside the Varnashrama. Therefore, I would think Anju Varnam guild most likely consisted five different castes. It should be noted here that merchant guilds included both regular merchants, artisan merchants and probably some of the occupational groups too. It appears there are few Nairs with family names 'Manigramakkarar' indicating Manigramam guild[1]. This, probably, also gives clue for the origin of 'Shetty' surname for mainly landholding caste of the Tulu region. But which Malayali merchant guild is the initiator of Beary community?

The etymology 'beary' is most likely, as assumed, from Tulu (derived from Magadhi Prakrit) word 'byara' meaning trade/business. In Payyannur Paatu, I have come across the term 'Vepperer' which means traders (Kan/Skt: Vyapari). Now the word Vepperer is cognate with the word Byari. But I can't clearly say, whether Vepperer meant 'merchant guild' or mere merchant. Whatever it is, there could have been Malayali merchant guilds in north Kerala and that the local Tulu people called the traders as Byari. It's possible as Islam moved from south Malabar to north Malabar, the core Muslim communities were already Malayalis and they initiated proselytization in Tulu region. Beary language is spoken with Tulu accent and probably has many Tulu constructs. I would guess the substratum or adstratum of that language is Tulu and a big chunk of the population is Tulu converts. But because of Malayali Muslim reference society(which may have included both native Malayalis and Arab descenders) the whole community became Malayali.

Whatever the origin of the Malayalam language of the Bearys, the local Tuluvas and Kannadigas weren't very impressed by the language. But the result of this, other Kasaragod and Mangalore Malayalis, whose language which was anyway close to Beary language, also had to put up with 'Kaka' stereotype. As traditional illiterate communities they never thought much of the language anyway.

The literacy initially came thro' Kannada, the official language of that region(until Kasaragod moved to Kerala). Ironically, Malayali castes who weren't much comfortable with their own mother tongue, which in their own thought an impure version of Malayalam, were now proud of their 'pure Kannada' as the language they spoke was more bookish. This feeling was not restricted to the castes. On the net, I recently came across a Beary Muslim mentioning that her parents always boasted that they spoke the purest Kannada though their own tongue was not much exulted.

In my case, I could hardly speak the language known as Kasaragod Malayalam. A believe a rebellion streak is required to learn it now considering its lowly position. But I was never a rebel, if anything I'm a pretender. I always considered myself part of the establishment even though a person like me would never fit into the existing establishment.

By linguistics, there exists no pure language governed by the rules of grammar written by men. All are regular languages. So even without any baggage I can learn the language. But most of the time I would be conversing with Malayalis who speak standard dialect. I find it difficult to bring my 'ba'(as in Kasaragod Malayalam) in place of their 'va'(standard dialect) and would always start the words with 'va'. I believe that is because I'm in a region(Telugu) that also uses 'va' in those words. When it comes to retroflex approximant 'zh' (which I can't produce anyway), instead of my palatal approximant 'ya'(as in Kasaragod Malayalam), I tend to use Kannada/Tamil lateral approximant, 'La'.

Reference:
1. The Trading Community in Early Tamil Society Up to 900 AD, By R. Jeyasurya/R. Jayasurya/R. Jayasuriya

Conditional Honesty

I had to stop at the signal as it turned red. It's a big junction with vehicles coming from four sides. The signal stays red(or green) for a fairly large duration as it's a busy road. But it was night 9 o' clock. Few vehicles were on the road. I could see to my great discomfort people were getting restless. I hate to jump the signal. But I didn't want to block the road to other motorists. I would rather move with the flow. All I wanted was others to stay with me until the signal turns green.

But the free side of the road became empty. People on my side started moving slowly. I was getting depressed. Suddenly, to my relief, few vehicles came rushing from the free side of the road. People on my side stopped. After few moments the free side again became empty. People again started moving slowly. I was getting ready for disappointing eventuality. But it was a good day. Few more vehicles made their way from the free side. People again stopped. After few moments signal turned green. On that day I kept my integrity.

Oblivious Realization

I see those three people every day for the last 5 years. I see them while coming out of my office or while walking down the street. I don’t know whether I see some other people every day or whether some other people see me every day. I know these people because they speak Kannada as I have overheard them. So they have become unique among non-Kannadigas. They include one male and two females. Male must be in his seventies. I believe one of the females is his daughter. Probably in her forties or fifties. Other female may be her mother and his wife. I never thought about her age. Now, if I think about it I think she is also in her fifties.

When I say, I see them every day that need not be each day. The day I haven’t seen them most likely I’m oblivious to the fact that I haven’t seen them on that day. Nevertheless, whenever I see them I think, “Ah, I see them every day. Father, mother and daughter”. That is the relationship I have assigned to them.

But today is different. First time in five years, I seek them on the road and they are not there. I don’t know why the thought of looking for them has come to me in the first place. I wonder whether the thought has crossed before too but the realization of it not.

Damnation of the Guilty Feeler

[Aboard an American budget airliner]
Chinese Gentleman: ***** seat ******* [showing his middle seat in the row behind] ****** seat ****
I: If I can get an aisle in exchange, I'm okay to switch seats.
Chinese Gentleman: **** okay **** [Talked to the ladies sitting next to me and sat in his obscure middle seat].
.
.
.
Chinese Lady: [Smiling] **** [offers me a cake]
I: Oh! No Thanks.
Chinese Lady: [Still Smiling, pulls my tray table down and keeps the cake on it and turns to her friend and continues their conversation]
[I ate that cake quietly]

Patricide

[Don't remember whether pre-teen years or early teen years]
[Conversation in Kasaragod Malayalam in Kasaragod]
[My Relative] : ... < my father's name > ...
[My Father's Cousin] : Oh!....< my father's name > ... so handsome ...
[My Relative] : < I suppose good naturedly since I was standing just next to them facing her but behind my father's cousin > His son is also handsome.
[My Father's Cousin] : His son ... hmmmm ... you should have seen < my father's name > in his younger days. He was so handsome.
[My Relative] : < Visibly Embarrassed ... I suppose ... giving my father's cousin indication that I was standing there > His son is also very handsome.
[My Father's Cousin] : Yes, Yes .... His son is also handsome.

[I] : < Thinking in Mangaluru Kannada > Appa is not as handsome as Ajja ( my father's father ). No, not even close.

Cliched Exception

Foreigner [Giving a speech]: Roads...Indians...traffic sense...cows...
Few months later, the foreigner died in a plane crash.
I heard of the foreigner in those two instances.

Catholic male

I: I want this, this and this.
Pharmacist: ....

Few days later.
I: I want this, this and this.
Pharmacist: ...

Few days later.
I: I want this, this and this.
Pharmacist: < whispering > Do you want Condom?
I: Aaa?
Pharmacist: < still whispering > Condom. Do you want Condom?
I: No...ah... Why?

Jihadists and Fake notes

How safe are private Forex agencies? Especially in Bengaluru and Hyderabad?

What fish is that?

Fifteen-year-old males who ate fish at least once a week displayed higher cognitive skills at the age of 18 than those who it ate it less frequently, according to a study of nearly 4,000 teenagers published in the March issue of Acta Paediatrica.

Via Science Daily

I ate fish, baMguDe (mackerel) or bUtAyi (sardine), at least once a week when I was 15. By 18 my intelligence was down by 20% and by 22, by 25%.

In the land of Tulu tribes - i

Mangaluru:
1. A huge infrastructure development like road widening, flyovers etc... are going on. The roads are a mess. Where there are no construction work, roads are anyway in a mess.

2. The latest gadget is a mosquito killing racket.

3. Godmen (swami) menace is still strong.

4. An underworld don is starting his own state specific political party.

5. huDugi bhAratIya saMskRtiyannu pAlisabEku(the girl should follow the Indian culture) came a message from the prospective groom. The girl's family was totally at loss. Then they figured it out. Message was sent, nAvu pabbige hOguvavaralla (We are not the types who visit pub).

Kasaragodu:
1. I came to know that virgin coconut oil is extracted from coconut milk directly.Generally, coconut is dried and then oil is extracted. It is becoming popular in Kerala, I was told. Supposedly good for cholesterol.

2. A Hindu boy was under a physical threat from other Hindu boys for befriending Muslim boys. Worried boy's parents took him out of the college.

February 2009.

Notes to manju - 1

Puje Chinggis claims the future is Christian. Buddhism told people they must suffer well and earn a better future life.
He said Mongolians, crushed by economic and social chaos, preferred the Christian acceptance of their inherent badness.

Via BBC

Tch Fetish

[At the counter]
Lady: [with a broad smile] Are you working for Sa-tch-yum?
I: No, I don't work for the company. I happen to have their bag.
Lady: [Nods with another grin]
I: [Thinking] Of all the weird Dravidian sounds we should fetish about 'tch' than 'zh'.