Desicritics Author: Rajen Nair

Mumbai Fights Back

Rajen Nair — Sat, 6 Dec 2008 01:02:53 EST

On Dec. 3, the people of Mumbai came out into the streets to join a mammoth gathering that took place near the Taj Hotel. It was a clarion call made to the people to come together to show solidarity, express their outrage against the Nov. 26 terror attack and protest the callous and inept attitude of their politicians.

It was through the Internet, blogs and SMS messages that scores of people joined the rally. And the response was fantastic and unbelievable.

Tens of thousands of people participated. This rally is unique in many ways. It was the first of its kind ever to take place in Mumbai. Social networking and new media came to the fore in marshalling such a huge rally -- bringing into focus the importance of digital age we live in.

Moreover, it was used to channel public outrage and anguish against the terrorists and the utter failure of our politicians to protect us.

The outcome of this public demonstration has helped many heads to roll in the Indian government. First to go was India's Home Minister Shivraj Patil, followed by Maharashtra Home Minster RR Patil and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. In fact chief minister has admitted that it was the public anger and pressure that made him step down from office. Another example of Public pressure was the public apology rendered by the Kerala Chief minister VS Achuthanandan to the Martyr family of Major Unnikrishnan. The fall out terror attack also saw similar Public outcry spreading to other part of urban cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Delhi.

I felt like the whole of Mumbai had turned out on the streets. Processions were carried out by ordinary citizens waving placards and tri-color Indian flags.

There were people of all hues and walks of life -- celebrities and commoners, old and young, the rich and poor, upper and middle classes, urban and rural, and grieving families who lost their loved ones.

What is most satisfying is that the majority were young college students shouting slogans and expressing solidarity. This is a good sign, as there is often criticism that they don't vote or take part in social issues.

I am sure yesterday’s public rally must have sent fear among the politicians that they no more can take the people of Mumbai and in general of India lightly. One good thing that comes out of this tragedy is that yesterday public rally has indicated that Mumbai is rising and now has voice of common public that cannot be ignored.

In participatory democracy it is vital that the common people take more interest in what is happening around them and express their sensitivity to the wrongs of the society. How we are going to sustain this movement and keep the momentum going is the upper most worry in the mind of people of Mumbai.

I would like to invite ideas and suggestions in the form of comments on this crucial topic coming from members of Desicritics.

I bring you images of the 60 hours terror attack in Mumbai and also of the protest rally. For more images visit my website

Book Review: The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers

Rajen Nair — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:01:55 EST

Umpteen numbers of books gets flooded in the market on the wizardly Adobe Photoshop software, highlighting its unique features for enhancing your images. The latest book launched by O’Reilly, the publishers of The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers and authored by Derrick Story has all the ingredients a typical Adobe Photoshop would offer.

What stands out is the unique feature of Photo download and Adobe Camera Raw application incorporated in it. Unlike other books on Adobe Photoshop which primarily focus on software tools for improving one image, this book dwells more on the advantage of using Photo downloading and Adobe Camera Raw (ACR). The author makes an impressive presentation in its simpler and elaborate narration of applying CS4 to its optimum utilization. It goes on to explain right from importing images from the camera by using Photo download to defining pictures in A C R and then giving final touches in Photoshop.

Photo downloader helps the pictures open in Adobe Bridge, which I suppose most professional photographers might be familiar with for organizing and editing images. In CS4 the automatic Photo downloader can create two copies of each picture during the download process and one set of copies can be stored in an external drive attached to your computer, which works as additional backup, all in one go. Adobe Bridge acts as a sophisticated image browser and an effective photo management tool offering innumerable features such as collections, filters, thumbnails, a filmstrip, file properties, a keyword pane and much more. After organizing the first batch of images, one can review the shots in the overview, Photo-edit by sorting pictures and finally give rating to the pictures. Bridge CS4 has added features like smart collection that let you group images across folders and main advantage is that you can create folders according to the your rating assigned besides choosing your favorite images .

In the images editing section we have another important application that is ACR. It is a plug in that is bundled with Photoshop CS4. This is the most amazing software for image processing as it allows you to fine tune your pictures using adjustments tools such as Exposures, Fill lights, Brightness, and Saturation. ACR is not just to process RAW file but also to process JPEGs and TIFFs. ACR is non-destructive as the image that opens in this application saves all its meta- edit, thus protecting your images.

In advance ACR, if you shoot series of images under similar conditions you can use batch processing to adjust multiple pictures simultaneously. ACR tools have other features like Black and white conversation, spot removal, cloning and tonal and color adjustment with graduated filter tool. There some chapters giving some useful Photoshop recipes for Photographers and about using Photoshop to control printing. Photographers already using CS4 and for those who intends to use, this book would turn out to be a useful companion.

Rape of a Catholic Nun - A Shocking Incident in Orissa

Rajen Nair — Sat, 4 Oct 2008 08:23:26 EDT

The shocking incident of rape of a 29 year old Catholic nun allegedly by a Hindu fanatical group in the sectarian violence in Orissa has made every patriotic Indian hang their head in utter shame. Ironically this dreadful news comes just a day after the nation celebrated Gandhi Jayanthi, the preacher of non-violence and tolerance to all faiths. Whenever there is sectarian or communal outbreak in the country unfortunately, it is the women folk who have to bear the maximum brunt of mindless violence, often becoming victims of rape and killing. It has happened before like in the Gujarat communal riots and it would continue to occur, sadly in future.

The reaction that follows after such an incident is that there would be huge hue and cry in the media, the NGOs resort to filing petitions, the politicians besides offering lip service, at times politicize the whole incident and the common person would remain mute spectators. After a lapse of time, everything gets forgotten till the country is jolted with one more such incident of rape and communal violence. Seldom does the incident of rape come to light in our country, though in this case it came out 38 days later, because the police in connivance with the politicians do their best to suppress such incidents.

The Hindu fanatical groups like Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Sangh Parivar have let loose a reign of terror in BJP-ruled States, destroying churches, killing innocent people and raping women. What would happen in the event of the BJP coming to power in the country? People like Pravin Tagodia would have a free run spreading hatred and inciting sectarian and communal riots. The recent communal attacks on the Christian community by the outfits like Bajrang Dal clearly exposes the hidden ( one can no more say hidden as it is out in the open) agenda of Hindutva, that is to make India a Hindu nation in which only the voice of the brute majority of the Hindus would prevail in the society.

The Muslims and Christian minorities, if they don’t adhere or indigenize their faith to Hindutva Brand of doctrine, they would be bullied and punished. In short the minorities would be treated like second class citizens. The Sangh Parivar would not fall short of realizing its goal of Hindutva even if the country is under siege by spate of bomb blasts allegedly triggered by the Indian Mujahideen. The Hindutva brigade, Bajrang Dal and VHP, who were instrumental in Babri Masjid fall, has once again raised its ugly head to destroy the secular fabric of our multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. The BJP by remaining silent to the Christian atrocities is only playing the Hindu card for electorate gains. That is what they are doing right now in Orissa and Karnataka of polarizing the society on communal lines.

The Bajrang Dal and VHP are no different from the SIMI and Indian Mujahideen terrorist organizations - both aim to terrorize the society. The former goes about its business by destroying churches and killing Christians and the latter plant bombs that kills innocent victims. It is time that the Centre intervenes to stop this carnage against the Christians.

The nation is reeling under home grown terrorist acts, in part, thanks to demolition of Babri Masjid, Mumbai and Gujarat riots, the last thing the country wants is for some misguided boys from the Christian community taking up arms. So it calls for stringent action by the central government of arresting the Bajrang dal and VHP goons under non-bailable warrant and then convicting them by having fast track courts. Yet if that does not deter arsonist from indulging in further violence then the government may ban Bajrang Dal.

Nanavati Report - A Farce

Rajen Nair — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:15:47 EDT

The Nanavati Commission report is nothing but a farce. As expected, it gave a clean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and its findings included the conclusion that the Godhra incident was a pre-planned conspiracy. I think Narendra Modi and the BJP couldn’t have asked for anything more and no doubt, this report is timed for want of much needed ammunition for his party to the run up of the 2009 poll. The Nanavati report went on to negate the findings of the Justice Bannerjee Commission report which clearly says that the fire incident in which 58 Kar Seveks died was an accidental one.

In the first place, it would be farfetched to expect the Nanavati report to indict Narendra Modi because the commission was appointed by his state Government and done in a manner to preempt any enquiry commission being appointed by the Centre and the Supreme Court. How can the perpetrators of the Godhra carnage turn righteous to appoint a commission to investigate their own crime? This would be the question agitating every single Indian’s mind. Further, the action of the Gujarat government releasing only the first part of the report may be considered illegal.

The motive behind the partial release of the commission findings raises doubt on the authenticity and integrity of the commission. It is once again dirty politics being played here by the Narendra Modi government and making a mockery of Indian democracy.

The report would drive the wedge between the Muslim minority and Hindu in Gujarat and vitiate the communal harmony prevalent in the aftermath of the spate of bomb blasts occurring in several Indian cities.

With the elections around the corner, the BJP’s communal policy of Hindutva would come to the fore. There will be attempts to polarize the vote banks on communal lines. The country is already witnessing it. The uncalled attack on Christian churches by the Bajrang Dal and VHP on BJP ruled states is a conspiracy to divide the people on communal lines.

The Nanavati report might have given a clean chit to Modi on the Godra train fire incident but it cannot wash off his sin on the carnage that followed in which many innocent people were killed.

The Bandra Skywalk - Skywalking to Stay Fit and Healthy

Rajen Nair — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:24:19 EDT

When I first heard the news of the completion of the Bandra skywalk project linking Bandra station to Bandra –kurla complex (BKC), I had a longing to walk on it. The opportunity came up this week, a month after it was open to the pedestrians.

The Bandra Skywalk is the first project to have been completed among the many such skywalk projects coming up all over Mumbai. It was built by the MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority) at an estimated cost of Rs 13.63 crore. The Bandra Skywalk is built 6 metres above ground level and is 4 metres wide. It is a 1.3 Km long stretch running parallel to the Slums near Bandra station, the Indian oil office and above the Western Express highway.

The entry and exit point is the Bandra station and BKC.

The idea of building skywalks is for quick thinning out of commuters from congested places like Railway stations, Bus stops, Taxi stands and shopping areas and off the roads which would help decongest the crowded areas.

In the past, people had to depend on the State-owned BEST buses for going from Bandra station to BKC. The long serpentine line at the bus stand for boarding the bus was a sheer waste of time. The Rickshaws had absolute monopoly on this route, taking one for a ride, choosing longer routes and fleecing the passengers. Now that the skywalk is in place, the commuters would be largely benefited.

The good news is that MMRDA is undertaking 50 such Skywalk projects in and round Mumbai at an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore.

I am a tireless walker who covers a minimum of 2 to 3 Km daily stretch on the Mumbai footpath. I avoid boarding the BEST bus by skipping 3 to 5 bus stops. Whenever I visit my bank at Dadar, I walk up to Matunga which is about 2.5 km. Being at Matunga, not having hot filter coffee at the Udipi Hotel is akin to a religious person missing a visit to the local temple. When I visit the town, I cover the whole stretch from VT to Colaba by foot, I know it is daunting task and at the end of the day it drains you of whatever energy is left but the sheer exhilarating experience of walking is too tempting for me.

As a photographer, walking on the streets gives me more photo-opportunities. The positive side of walking is that it helps keeps me fit and healthy and avoid falling sick thus I save on medical bills which is a costly affair in city of Mumbai.

I avoid taking my vehicle except for going long distances with my family. When I look at people, especially the car owners and motorists using vehicles even if they have to walk to the next door grocery shop, I think they are doing a disservice to their health. Sadly we have not cultivated the habit of walking to the next-gen. I see many of the college-going guys reluctant to walk. There is no substitute to walking as one of the best antidote to stay fit and healthy.

The Skywalk has many advantage in terms of saving time and money. At the same time, in today’s bustling life of Mumbai it would give an opportunity to many who has no time to exercise and can sky walk. With many more such skywalks being built in Mumbai, I hope urban people would imbibe the culture of walking, like in the villages. The next time you skywalk think of the therapeutic services it does to your health in making you stay fit and healthy.

Happy Walking!

Amit Singh, 7/11 Bomb Blasts Victim

Rajen Nair — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:34:39 EDT

Elevenths July, 2008, marked the second anniversary of the serial bomb blast triggered by the terrorist on the Mumbai’s Suburban Western Railway Trains two years back. 186 innocent lives perished and more than 500 people were injured. Amit Singh who was travelling in one of the ill-fated train on that day became a victim of the blast and is languishing in a hospital in Mumbai in a semi-comatose from past two years.

Amit a final year student of the commerce stream was on a visit to his uncle’s place in Mira road. He boarded the Virar train from Andheri after he collected admission form for doing post graduation from one of the institution in Vile Parle.

At about 6.30 Amit lying on the footbridge of Mira road station completely soaked with blood called up his dad from a stranger’s cell phone and said that he was hit by some impact and that he is injured on his head and bleeding profusely. He added that in this condition he won’t be able to visit his uncle’s home. His dad told him that he would be reaching him at once.

The train’s bogey in which Amit was travelling was ripped by the bomb blasts set off by the terrorists. By the time his dad reached the incident site in Mira Road Station there was no sign of Amit anywhere. On enquiry, he was told that most of the dead and injured were taken to the nearby hospital. Meanwhile, the news of serial bomb blasts and the images of injured lying blood soaked on the railway platform were beamed live in Televisions. Mumbai was in utter chaos with cell phones and landlines jammed and the roads caught up in long traffic snarls. There were scene of panic and confusion among the people as they were unable to call up their dear ones finding out about their safety.

After combing each and every hospital on Mira road at the crack of dawn, Amit's father could finally locate his son lying unconscious in a hospital bed. A stranger sitting next to Amit was claiming that Amit was his brother. Amit’s wallet was found in his trouser and the identity card in it helped the father claim his son.
Later Amit was admitted to the well-known Jaslok hospital in the city. Amit suffered a deep wound on the side of his head from the bomb blast impact. His brain developed swelling and pus oozed out from the stitches on his head. As a result, he had to undergo number of surgeries. The doctors have not been able to bring back Amit from his comatose condition.

For the past two years he remains in a same vegetative state, with little sign of recovery. In fact the doctors have given up any hope on Amit’s recovery. His parents are perplexed that if just after the injury Amit could talk to them on phone then how could he come to such a grave state of lying unconscious from past two years. They try to call him, cajole and shake him up but Amit remains unresponsive and motionless.

The railway has borne all the expense so far running to 40 lacs. Amit needs personal care and nursing around the clock. From the past two years Amit father, mother and his elder brother take turns remaining near their beloved Amit. They stay at a far off distant place in Virar and daily have to undertake one and half hours of grueling train journey facing the commuters shove and push during peak hours to reach the hospital. So far they have received a petty amount of Rs 50,000 as compensation from the government. Amit’s parent hail from middle class family and has little resource to bear his expense of his medicines and then hiring a nurse if he is shifted home.

In the face of this grave tragedy that has befallen Amit parents they are putting up a brave face hoping against hope, keeping faith in God that one day Amit would wake up from his sleep and call out to them.

Book Review: The Art of Black and White Photography

Rajen Nair — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:15:13 EDT

Torsten Andress Hoffman‘s book The Art of Black and White Photography is a well-documented book covering the whole gamut of black and white photography. The book is a sort of tutorial described in simple terms with a lot of pictorial details thrown in.

The author shares his vast experience in the field of photography — a treasure trove of information and revelation to any photographer doing black and white photography. Though the book is primarily meant for those photographers specializing in B & W, there are many useful tips for photographers in general. What is unique about the book is that besides touching on professional levels of photography there are many useful tips for the amateurs.

Apart from dwelling on B & W photography, the author also focuses on image composition and capture, and on the digital workflow. He clears the misconception that analog cameras are better suited to shoot B & W by disclosing that recent cameras in the market based on high-end technology offering 12 to 22 megapixels are good enough for excellent B & W photography. Though the latest cameras have features to shoot in B & W, the author recommends shooting images in color and then converting them to B & W in digital workflow by using the grayscale mode or the channel mix in Adobe Photoshop.

He explains the importance of shooting in RAW mode for bring out the grey tones in B & W images and the advantage of allowing you to saving as TIFF files instead of JPEG. In analog photography, a photographer has to use color filters to get dramatic B & W images. Now with digital SLR cameras backed by advanced software such as Adobe Photoshop CS3, one can manipulate the images to get equally good results. The author also touches on other topics such as how to overcome clichéd photos, capture moods, create unusual perspectives, pictorial tension between elements, the play of forms, B & W from color and new features of Photoshop CS3.

The book is also useful in the sense that it caters to different applications of photography such as architecture, street photography, portraiture, surreal photography with stunning B & W photography. The book illustrates the elements of photographic language differentiating creative photography from random shooting. In the last part the author highlights the role of post-processing techniques using Photoshop CS2 and CS3.

In the final analysis, it must be said the book is able to deliver what it set out to achieve, so I would recommend this book to any serious photographer as a must read book.

Photo Essay: Thrissur Pooram

Rajen Nair — Fri, 2 May 2008 10:48:16 EDT

Thrissur Pooram is one of the biggest and most spectacular festivals in God's own country Kerala. For the people of Thrissur, Pooram is the most important event and holds a place of pride in their hearts.

So much has been spoken and written on Pooram that those who had witness to this colorful event say it is an experience of a life time; hence, my visit to Kerala during the time when the Pooram was to be held on April 16 provided me a godsend opportunity to realize my dream of witnessing Thrissur Pooram.

Pooram means meeting; hence, it is believed to be the coming together of gods and goddesses to celebrate the occasion. The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May) each year. There are many myths and legends behind the origination of Thrissur Pooram. It was introduced by the Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Kochi state (part of Kerala) during 1775-1790.

The highlight of the festival is the procession of caparisoned elephants with men standing on the animal's backs displaying colorful parasols. Accompanying the procession are several groups of drum (chandas) beaters and the blowing of long-winded trumpets played by the Pandi melam.

The procession is led by two rivals groups, one from the Thiruvambadi belonging to Lord Krishna temple and the Paremekkavu of the Devi group. They compete with each other in leading a procession of a maximum of the best 15 caparisoned elephants accompanied by artistic displaying of colorful parasols.

The selection of elephants and parasols is kept a secret to excel over the rival group. After the wonderful display of caparisoned elephants and parasols throughout the day, the climax of the event ends in both the Thiruvambadi and Paremekkavu group facing each other at the Thekkinkadu grounds for the final display of colorful parasols. Each group vies with each other in showing off their best parasols. Separating the two groups is an ocean of people braving the heat and the deafening noise to witness the event.

Amid the background of beating of drums the event begins with the Thiruvambadi group displaying their parasols by artists seated atop the elephants and later to be followed by their rivals the Paremekkavu group displaying their sets of parasols. Whenever the changeover of the parasols takes place by each group one after another, there is a deafening roar from the crowd.

I was fortunate to have with me a local friend, Balachandran, with whose help I was able to have closer access to all the events and gain a vantage point to shoot images. Without him I think I would have been crushed between the jostling of the most animated crowds.

Besides witnessing colorful parasols, the other important event is the drummer group belonging to the Pandi melam. Thousands of animated crowds converge around the drummers, enthusiastically waving their hands in the air in appreciation of the beat.

Later in the night until the wee hours of morning there is a wonderful display of fireworks. At the end of the event, one is left spell bound with the spectacle of such a magnitude. Witnessing Thrissur Pooram for me will go down in memory as one of the greatest events I have seen.

To view more images visit www.rajennair.com

Mumbai - Inclusive Or Exclusive?

Rajen Nair — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:58:07 EDT

Mumbai is a melting pot for people who come from all corners of India in search of greener pastures. But lately the city has been rocked by violent attacks on migrant workers, seemingly incited by the zero-tolerance stance of a fringe political party. These local politicians bemoan the influx of newcomers in Mumbai, claiming that there is not the infrastructure to support them. It is an emotive issue the politicians want to exploit with an eye to the vote bank.

Last month the migrants belonging to North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were targeted by a political party. Television cameras rolled in with live scenes of poor migrants being beaten up in the streets of Mumbai by political goons. The political party's leader achieved his objective of gaining 15 minutes of fame, increasing his support base among the local Marathi population and boosting the sagging morale of party workers.

I am a product of migrant parents who came to Mumbai from the southern state of Kerala in search of greener pastures. I can lay claim to this city as being born and bred here. As a teen staying in an area inhabited by the locals I was witness to large-scale violence directed toward south Indians migrants.

The perpetrators of the violence then belonged to a regional political party. As part of their political agenda to garner support among the local population, it had espoused the cause of a "son of the soil" policy; now, after gap of many years, the same issue is rearing its ugly head again, raised this time by a breakaway political party.

Fortunately, our forefathers, bearing in mind the multi-ethnic and multi-religious makeup of India, had the vision to frame the constitution in a way that allowed any Indian to move and work freely in any part of the country.

During the sixties and seventies, the first post-Independence migrants flocked to the city of Mumbai. It was largely southern Indians backed by proper education that came down to Mumbai to seeking white-collar jobs as clerks and typists or other office work. Due to their sheer hard work and dedication, they came to be known as the rising middle class of the seventies and eighties.

This city has seen it all, from the idli/vada sambhar culture introduced by the Udipi of the south to the bhel puri and pani puri from the migrant bhaiyyas belonging to north India. The vada pav (Indian snacks) introduced by the locals is today eaten by one and all.

Migrants belonging to north India work as Dhobhies (washermen), newspaper vendors, milk suppliers and carpenters. Lately, the taxi and auto drivers are largely from north India. They are all here to make a living, largely made possible by the space given them by the locals, who were more or less reluctant to take up such menial work.

The original inhabitants of Mumbai are the Kolis, the fishing community. Post-independence, it was the Parsis, Bhatias, Pathare Prabhus, East Indians and Muslims who formed the bulk of the population. In fact, the local Marathi community is made up of migrants from Maharashtra who came to work in the textile mills.

One common thing among this multi-cultural community of Mumbai is that they have all contributed immensely to the city's growth -- not to mention the great contribution made by the big industrial houses of Ambanis and Tatas.

Mumbai's international fame was due to the contribution of the Bollywood industry and the stars of yesteryear, such as Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Meena Kumari and Madhubala, and those of today, such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. The famous lyric, Yeh hai Mumbai meri jaan, is still etched in our memory.

In the context of migrant’s controversy I decided to visit Mumbai’s washer man’s colony known as Dhobi Ghat located near Mahalaxmi railway station. Dhobi Ghat is manned by the migrants belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar of North India and also Andhra Pradesh of the south.

Dhobi Ghat is unique for the washing of garments is still being carried out in a primitive way of flogging and cleaning manually. It is 150 years old built by the British to take care of the washing of their viceroys during British rule. All the washing is carried out in a cubicle wash pen with a stone ( pathar) slab placed in the centre beside a water pool. There are in all 507 wash pen and some 10,000 workers are employed. Garments from export manufacture and laundry comes here for a wash. The place is huge tourist attraction and one of the VIP to visit this place was President Clinton.

Dhobi Ghat is the living proof of the hard work, dedication and perseverance of Mumbai’s north Indian migrant’s. More images on Dhobi Ghat visit- www.rajennair.com

A Blind Pomeranian

Rajen Nair — Sun, 2 Mar 2008 08:05:10 EST

One day our otherwise quiet neighborhood was rocked with a dog's whining and barking. Curiosity grew better of me and I ventured out to investigate. No sooner had I done so than our neighbor opened her door and I was greeted with the deafening sound of a dog barking. I looked around, following the barking, and found a cute Pomeranian dog curled up underneath a lounge.

The sudden thought of my getting a dog bite, and the painful needle treatment that would follow, gave me goose bumps. Taking precaution I moved safely behind my neighbor.

The Pomeranian actually belonged to her friend. Her friend was traveling and had left it in her care. Then she broke the tragic news that dog was blind. It sounded unbelievable. I had a close look at the dog's eyes and could see that the pupils were covered with a white layer. I felt repulsed with anger and sadness at nature's cruelty.

It brought back memories of my father who in later life lost his eyesight from glaucoma and lead the life of a blind man. I could imagine what the dog could be going through having seen closely my father's suffering. We always associate blindness with human beings. That an animal such as this cute Pomeranian dog could be a victim of blindness never crossed my mind.

I dug out the story of this dog and wanted to share her tragic tale with the world.

This cute blind dog's name is Roshi. She is perhaps at her last stage of life having completed 13 years. Roshi's parents, Vicki and Venus, long dead, had belonged to the circus. They were adopted by our neighbor when they were small. Roshi's grandparents were great circus performers and would entertain and regale the audience with their acrobatic jumping through a ring.

I had the opportunity to play with Roshi's parents. Both Vicki and Venus were great entertainers, exhibiting the same skills as their ancestors. I am told Roshi in her heyday was equally acrobatic. It runs in the family. Roshi has her mother Venus' handsome looks of fine curly silky hair and cute muzzle.

Three years back Roshi was diagnosed as suffering from cataracts. The veterinary doctor who treated her suspect that Roshi had diabetes. Subsequently she completely lost her eyesight. Due to old age she also has a slight limp when she moves around.

The once playful and cheerful Roshi has become subdued and quite. She whiles away her time seated in a corner with a melancholy appearance. The only time she springs into action is when she senses the presence of strangers. Her ears prick up and she breaks into barking. Despite her handicap Roshi gives her owners little trouble. She eats her food in a timely fashion without any fuss. Her food is simple, consisting of cooked rice, which has to be served with fish. She still follows the toilet training she is accustomed to, going to the toilet whenever the need arises with little help from others.

Roshi was parted from her sister and brother when they were adopted by other dog lovers. Nobody knows their whereabouts. Perhaps Roshi is the last of her lineage belonging to her illustrious ancestors of the circus world.