Monsoon Journal

By Fr. Lasantha de Abrew s.j. The North- South Dialogue Desk of The Lanka Centre for Social Concern organized a Medical Camp conducted by the recently passed out doctors of Colombo Medical College from 5th April to 7th April 2010. All the four doctors were Sinhalese and Sewwandi was a Catholic doctor from All Saints’ Parish, Borella. Rev. Fr. Sudam Perera, Assistant Parish Priest of Ragama church, Lasheen the Secretary at NSDD, and Sajith a volunteer of NSSD joined the exposure program. In Vavuniya, we had a visit to VAROD (Vanni Rehabilitation Organization for the Disabled- Differently Able).

The Sinhalese doctors were thunder struck to see the young wounded inmates and listen to their stories of agony during the war. Sewwandi was so immersed in their stories of pain; we had to extend our stay at VAROD by a half an hour. “They are like us. Their wounds although healed or is healing but their hearts need to be healed. Today I realized the cruelty of war especially the gravity of cluster bomb attacks and haphazard shelling. I could not bear the pain of the youngster who is paralyzed forever and more than that his loosing all of his loved ones. Still some of them carry the pieces of shells in their bodies and that shows they carry the pieces of hatred towards us in their bodies. We need to remove these pieces of venom from their hearts”. These were the on the spot comments of the doctors on their first exposure to the realities of war. Anuradha, who works in the rehabilitation Centre for the War- Victim Sri Lanka Soldiers said, “I too treat the soldiers who are going though wounds of war. But these Tamil war victims look really hopeless, depressed as many have lost all they possessed including their loved ones and surely their suffering is more acute”.

The A-9 journey was a special attraction for these medical doctors on their first visit to Jaffna. “I felt that A9 is neither a pathway to Jaffna nor a link between North and South of Sri Lanka. I could see only army sentry points and extended army camps throughout the journey to Jaffna. Why are there so many Buddha statues along the A9 route? Are they in memory of the Army personnel engaged in war? Were there Buddhists along this path other than the Sri Lankan forces? We could see Army sentry points every two hundred meters, some are newly done. Kilinochchi town seems to be an Army village, so many personnel, army run shops, army vehicles, and army men playing cricket leisurely. Rarely did we see Tamil people.” These were the comments of these Sinhalese – Buddhist doctors as we drove on the A9. On the way we had a break at the Holy Cross Convent in Paranthan. It was a heartwarming scene for the young professionals to see the religious sisters mending their fences with the people around.

They welcomed us so warmly; these southerners were touched by the hospitality of the nuns, they themselves had gone through immense suffering in displacement and were putting their religious house in order after the abandonment. There we were able to meet Clinton Anandeshan and Vishnunathan, aged sixty and sixty two respectively. Both of them are related through marriage, had come to Paranthan after the 1983 July riots from Kandy. They were estate Tamils and had to find a safer place for their children and their cultivation. They related their story of displacement with laughter, fear, anger and some moments in tears, “We lost everything we had bit by bit in this displacement and at last we became beggars. Now we are beggars.” Clinton has three girls and a boy. Vishnunathan had lost two sons, aged nineteen and twenty two in the final battle, those who were conscripted four months before. His son in law lost his hand and the old aunt’s stomach was ripped open in a shell attack. “From Paranthan, as other people were leaving, we too joined. It was terrible as the air attacks were fierce and the ground attacks were merciless. Some of our relations were killed with their little ones. Attacks were random and haphazard. We collected all our belongings including the asbestos sheets, door frames, furniture and the sacks of paddy, loaded them in a tractor and moved towards Murasumottai.

We just settled there for a few months, midst heavy shelling. We put up a small hut for us only to sleep and built a bunker for safety. When it was unbearable we collected all we could take and moved towards Dharmapuram. On this journey we did not have a vehicle, so we had to take all we could on foot. The journey to Udayarakattu was very hard. Some of our own people, three of them died due to the tiresome, hard journey and bombardment. A few weeks there and we moved to Suvandirapuram. Every displacement reduced our traveling baggage. Then to Vaikkal, Vattuwal and Rettai Vaikkal (Double Canal) were the last places of our displacement till we crossed over to the Army controlled areas. In all these places we suffered.” They narrated the Prices of the commodities during those days in Vanni. A bottle of Coconut oil – Rs. 500.00 A kilogram of Rice – Rs. 3500.00 A kilogram of Sugar - Rs. 3000.00 A kilogram of Chilies - Rs. 15,000.00 “The LTTE was reluctant and angry as we were planning to leave their territory. They shot at us. We had to hide for more than three days in the jungles to escape from the LTTE.” They answered two of our questions posed to them, “Do you enjoy peace now? What do you expect from the Sri Lankan government?” “There is some kind of normalcy, no more arms and fierce war but there is no peace. Still we are struggling to live. There are so many of our children in detention camps, some more in the IDP camps. There are armed groups and the Chavekachcheri incident (A seventeen year old boy was murdered by unknown persons) proves the point. There is continuous checking in our resettled areas in Paranthan.

We are suspected. Then do you think we enjoy peace in freedom?” “We want the government to compensate our loss. We lost everything. At least the government must help us in self employment by income generating projects. We were not beggars but today we have been made beggars. Recently we had to come to the convent to beg for some cash to buy some food to survive. We need employment” Just before arriving at Paranthan, we stopped at the Killinochchi Catholic Church and met the Assistant Parish Priest. He explained to us the present situation in Killinochchi, two hundred of his parishoners had come back from the Welfare camps and are getting resettled. Those persons who are resettled in and around the church have the basic needs attended to in a minimum way and their number is very small. Those who are in adjoining villages are facing a lot of difficulties attending to their basic needs and their number is big.

He said the Church organizations provide as much as they could as relief. In Jaffna, we enjoyed the warm welcome of the Claretian Fathers and pitched our tent over there for a few days. Their hospitality was excellent and the Southern doctors were surprised. Next day was our Medical Camp at Mandaitivu. Rev. Fr. Paul Rohan, the Parish Priest cum Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in St. Xavier’s Major Seminary Jaffna organized the program with the assistance of Rev. Sr. Priscilla of the Holy Cross Convent Hospital. Just before the camp the doctors visited the Mandaitivu village and the people in their own displaced huts. For the past twenty years, the Sri Lankan Navy has captured the Mandaitivu village with these peoples’ houses and made it a High Security Zone. The people were displaced several times in different places and have last come back but they are staying outside of the naval camp in huts just gazing at their own homes occupied by the Navy.

The doctors spoke to the people and observed their utter poverty. There were about sixty patients, infants, children, young and old. These young doctors attended to the patients with care and concern. Rev Fr. Paul and Sr. Priscilla acted as translators. These were the comments of some of the patients as they were leaving the camp. “We were treated very gently. They were very attentive to us. For the first time we met some kind Sinhalese people. They were very kind to us. We are really grateful to them for coming all the way from Colombo to see us. We will always remember them” During the visit to the Mandaitivu village, the southerners met some excombatants. They listened to their stories of struggle and the life in the detention camps. In one house, we discovered a photograph of a young man garlanded. The young doctors inquired about it from the lady who was at home. She said, “This is my eldest son. He was in the Sea Tiger unit. He was killed in battle. He is my beloved son”. When we were returning after the visit to the village, some of them were arguing, “Why did they join the movement? Why does this mother venerate her son who was in the LTTE?” Within the group we could hear the whisperings, “Surely there must be a reason for the Tamils to take up arms. They saw it as a Struggle for liberation.

That is the reason for these youngsters to volunteer and commit for the cause. As we see in our villages, the war heroes are honored, roads named after them and statues are made, these people honor their young leaders who sacrificed their lives for a cause”. The Mandaitivu Community hosted a delicious sea food lunch for us. It was grand. After the camp, as Darshana, Anuradha and Pasindu are Buddhists we accompanied them to Nagadipa (Nainativu) by boat. On the same day late at night the youngsters met a first year student from the Faculty of Arts in the Jaffna University. He explained his life story of running away under the orders of the LTTE, the forced recruitment and how the priests rescued him from the LTTE, in Iranaipalai, Mullivaikal, the last hours in Vanni with shelling and LTTE counter attacks, a few months in the IDP camp in Zone 5 of Cheddikulam and his release to be in the university to pursue his studies. He recalled with deep pain that his parents are still in the IDP camp and he had visited them recently. There were a lot of questions from the southern youth. All of them agreed that they need to be educated and transcend ethnic barriers to be more human and civilized.

By Col. R. Hariharan Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has scored a double whammy with his thumping success in the parliamentary elections April 2010 after his triumph in the presidential poll in January 2010. With this Rajapaksa has emerged as the most powerful man in Sri Lanka. Already he enjoys wide powers of executive presidency. This is further boosted now by the majority his tenparty United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) enjoys in the new parliament.

Nine months after the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009, President Rajapaksa has emerged as unchallenged national leader with the massive public support demonstrated in the two elections. The opposition is now more muted than ever before although United National Party (UNP) despite its internal wrangling has not performed as badly as the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in the parliamentary poll.

The JVP rout has shown the limited political appeal of General Sarath Fonseka, projected by the JVP alliance’s Prime Ministerial candidate. His strength is further increased as he has at his disposal an oversized armed force that could help his power projection in the region. Considering this, the successive electoral victories have also created a first rate ‘power problem’ for the President – how to wield the enormous power? President Rajapaksa’s journey to the top had been mired in controversies on many counts.

Although this is not uncommon in politics, a few ‘unhealthy’ trends have been seen in his style of wielding power. These could set a dangerous precedence. Systematic image building There had been a systematic effort to build Rajapaksa as the SOLE national leader responsible for the victorious war against the Tami Tiger insurgents. Well planned national campaign to build up his image as a modern day Dutugemunu came to fruition with the deaths of Prabhakaran and the LTTE leadership.

There is nothing wrong in projecting a national leader in the image of such historical heroes. But such projection, in an ethnically split and sensitive society, can provoke divisive tendencies. The nearest modern day contender for this haloed status was General Sarath Fonseka, who led the army to victory. As army commander he successfully overcame the problems that had been dogging the army all these years and systematically planned and executed the military operations.

His public image as a national hero had been growing ever since the war. However, his military success would not have been possible without President Rajapaksa’s total support of the government to the military effort. After the war, President Rajapaksa saw the enormous popularity of Fonseka as an inconvenient obstacle to his own elevation as the sole national leader.

So the process of dethroning of the General from the pedestal of a national hero started taking a firm shape with the non extension of his term as the Chief of Defence Staff .The President’s fear was strengthened when Fonseka rallied the support of the UNP and the JVP to emerge as the common opposition candidate against Rajapaksa in the January 2010 presidential poll.

After winning the election, Rajapaksa continued with the process of cutting Fonseka to size with arrest and prosecution. As many as 37 associates of Fonseka including retired army officers have been rounded up. Serving officers considered close to the retired General have come under scrutiny. In the bargain, Rajapaksa has courted a lot of criticism from not only civil society organisations, but also from international community for practising vindictive politics.

And these accusations have been piled up on the President’s long list of aberrations of governance that include human rights violations, lack of humanitarian policies, war crimes etc. It has also led to avoidable embarrassment for the country in some of the UN forums. And these are likely to increase. Flawed policy prescriptions The President has fulfilled his electoral promises, made in 2005, as far as ending the peace process and the ceasefire, and elimination of the LTTE are concerned. However, he has chosen to ignore his own promises in acting upon some others like enforcing some of the amendments to the Constitution. For instance, he has not fulfilled his repeated promises to implement the13th Amendment (devolving powers to provincial councils) and the 17th Amendment (for providing the Constitutional Council and Independent Commissions). Similarly he had put into cold storage the recommendations of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) he had formed with a lot of fanfare to work out a frame work for devolution of powers to minorities.

As a result of such acts of political expediency, the President’s credibility has suffered. His policy prescriptions on a number of contentious issues including rule of law, freedom of the press, violation of human rights and acts of political violence have become skewed suspect. Without bothering about the niceties of credibility, the President appears to have adopted political opportunism as the only criterion to achieve his ends.

Downsizing international opinion President Rajapaksa had been consistently ignoring international opinion on many key issues of governance and public conduct of his government discussed earlier. This started with the dismantling of the peace process which was enjoyed the support of 48 nations and international bodies. Such issues of international sensitivity include alleged war crimes, human rights violations, threat and intimidation of free media, short circuiting rule of law, and lack of transparency in commissions of inquiry.

As a result, Sri Lanka which had once enjoyed a fairly high international reputation has repeatedly come under criticism in international bodies like the UN High Commission for Human Rights and even the UN Security Council. In spite of this, Sri Lanka’s attitude had been aggressive rather than conciliatory towards international community. On more than one occasion diplomats, foreign dignitaries and have been brusquely handled by bureaucrats without even conventional diplomatic norms. The developments leading to the European Union’s non renewal of the GSP+ tariff conditions extended to Sri Lanka in the wake of the 2005 tsunami strike is a case in point. The European Union did not take kindly to Sri Lanka continuously ignoring its pleas for greater sensitivity and accountability in handling human rights issues. Although the withdrawal of the GSP+ concessions had struck at Sri Lanka’s exports to the European Union, the President had been defiant on this issue.

He had said the Government would never bow down to conditions detrimental to the wishes of people in order to get financial or other support from outside. Even after the turbulence of war, Sri Lanka has continued to orchestrate a strong propaganda campaign seeing an international conspiracy to downgrade its achievement in the ‘war against terror.’ Evidently these are targeted against some of the Western nations which demanded greater Sri Lankan accountability to international concerns on war crimes and human rights issues. Repeatedly Sri Lanka ministers have spoken on this. In particular the U.S. and Norway have been singled out for such criticism.

There had been other irritants as well. During the course of war, President Rajapaksa took initiative in meeting countries known for their strong anti -American stance like Iran, Myanmar and Venezuela. This was probably his way of sending a “hands off Sri Lanka” message to the U.S. which he perceived as meddling in the war to bale out the LTTE leaders. While this might have helped projecting the President as a leader of international status at home, the move was ill timed.

The only fall out was negative: it probably soured the first contacts with the President Barak Obama and his U.S. administration that had just taken over. Even after the war, Sri Lanka has continued to be vocally belligerent towards the U.S. The latest in the series is the comment of the Sri Lanka Defence Spokesman made on Aril 6, 2010 following a U.S. air force video splashed in international media showing the U.S. planes strafing a group of persons alleged to be innocent civilians, including Reuter’s photo journalists. While diplomacy had never been Sri Lanka’s strong suite, such a provocative comment from a government official to an embarrassing news story about another nation was neither warranted nor helps international relations. President Rajapaksa, riding the crest of popularity with success after success, does not appear to be fully conscious of the importance in maintaining a cordial, rather than confrontational, relationship with the U.S. In the emerging strategic setting in this region, U.S. and India are the two important players, with China breathing down their necks to get into this league. Big power play is likely to increase in the Indian Ocean region after the U.S. lessens its commitments in Afghanistan.

Once the U.S. sheds the shackles of its skewed Af-Pak policy as unworkable, there could be increased strategic security convergence between the U.S. and India increasing further. If Rajapaksa does not give a course correction to his foreign policy prejudices, it could affect Sri Lanka’s strategic security. Uncertain future President wields enormous powers under Sri Lanka’s executive presidency system. With his re-election for a second term (to commence in November 2010), Rajapaksa will rule the country for a total duration of 11 years.

Added to this the UPFA coalition led by the President has a majority in parliament now. On the positive side this provides him an unprecedented opportunity to take positive action including constitutional amendments, if necessary, to resolve the vexing issue of devolution of powers to Tamils. Thus he is at the helm at an important stage in Sri Lanka’s political with the muscle to extinguish the simmering ethnic confrontation and unite the nation as a whole. The future of Sri Lanka now depends upon how President Rajapaksa exercises power authority during these years. The armed forces give him added muscle. President Rajapaksa’s highly personalised politics and Sri Lanka’s future Mother and child at a President Mahinda Rajapaksa campaign rally in Jaffna

by Kanayalal Raina A secret of your beauty, longevity, health and energy Cultural or religious beliefs have nothing to do with the actual diet and the food we consume. The average person is more likely to die from a lifestyle disease than from a roadside accident or infectious disease like pneumonia. Her we are discussing the wholesomeness of two categories of food– the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian.

Vegetarian diet A vegetarian diet is one wherein a person consumes all types of plant products along with milk and dairy products, but completely avoids consuming meat and animal–derived foods and by-products. A non -vegetarian diet includes all plant foods as well as foods and by-products derived from animals like meat, poultry, fish, etc. Studies carried out on vegetarians have shown that vegetarians are at an increased risk of iron deficiency anaemia, zinc and Vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Vegetarians, however, can get adequate nutrition from an exclusively vegetarian diet. If they consume a variety of foods along with the right quantities from each food group, a vegetarian diet can meet the recommendations for all nutrients. Non-vegetarians Non-vegetarians are consuming more of high fat-content pork, chicken, beef and seafood than they did decades ago.

A study that tracked more than half a million Americans, aged 50 to 71 for 10 years showed interesting results; those who reported eating the red meat were roughly 30 percent more likely to die of cancer or heart diseases than those reported eating the least. Chicken and fish have not been shown to cause chronic diseases, but when they are deep fried in hydrogenated oil, they become the cause of heart disease, as they then contain trans fatty acids. Studies have also found that non-vegetarians have a shorter life-span and are more prone to chronic diseases as compared to vegetarians. On an average they are more at risk from heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

So, what is better? Today, both these categoriesvegetarian and non-vegetarian are falling short. The veggie-lover and the non-veggie lover, are both consuming more of refined cereals (white bread, white rice etc.) as compared to whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice etc). In fact, the refined cereals are devoid of their vitamins and fibre, due to the polishing process. Presently, we are consuming more of processed and ready-to-eat foods that are baked and fried instead of wholesome foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Both vegetarians and nonvegetarians need to start consuming more serving of fresh vegetables and fruits daily- blended with a regular exercising regimen.

More importantly, we need to change from ‘fast, fried and tastes best’ to a ‘fresh is better’ approach. To stay young Olive oil: Various studies have proved that the mono saturated fat found in olive oil, result in low rates of heart disease and cancer besides its antioxidants and polyphenols that play a role in warding off age-related disorders. Curds: There is no denying the fact that curd (yogurt) is a rich source of calcium, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis, especially among the women. The beneficial bacteria that yogurt contains also help to deal with intestinal diseases that become common as we age. Fish: Fish is rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

It helps keep your cholesterol levels in check. As a result there are less chances of blockages in arteries and this leads to better cardiac health. Nuts: A recent study that has been conducted, has proved that those who have nuts on a regular basis, somehow, manage to add up an extra two and a half years to their average lifespan. The consumption of nuts offers benefits of unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals and other antioxidants.

Red wine: Alcohol protects against heart disease, diabetes and memory loss, but only if it is consumed in moderation. For example, red wine contains resveratrol, the compound responsible for the above cited benefits Eating fruit- Fruit is the most important food. We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It’s not as easy as you think.

It’s important to know how and when to eat. What is the correct way of eating fruits? It means not eating fruit after your meals. Fruits should be taken on an empty stomach. If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities. Let’s say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.

In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil…. So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach.

The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat! Greying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach. There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter.

If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight. When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don’t even drink juice that has been heated up. Don’t eat cooked fruits because you don’t get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look! This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

Apple: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke. Strawberry: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel- clogging free radicals.

Orange: Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer. Watermelon: Coolest thirst quencher.. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium. Guava & Papaya: Top awards for vitamin C.

They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes. For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this ’sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. The more we know and accept good eating habits, the better chance we would survive… and enjoy longevity, health and energy.

John Boddy Homes has been voted ‘Best Builder’ in Ajax/Pickering for the thirteenth year in a row for this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards and has now released its next phase at their ‘Eagle Glen’ community in Ajax. Located just minutes east of Toronto ‘Eagle Glen’ combines the closeness and convenience of city living with a suburban feel, and its prime location makes it a great place to call home.

Classic two-storey homes are available, as well as side and back splits, semi-detached and townhouses. Homes start at 1,700 square feet and range up to a spacious 3,858 square feet, some with three car garages. John Boddy Homes offers traditional size lots with a minimum of 105 feet in depth and a great selection of extra deep lots, pie shaped lots, walk out basements and a select few backing onto 3.5 acres of mature trees. With such a broad range of house sizes and styles ‘Eagle Glen’ has the ideal home to suit every preference. From the unique exteriors and charming streetscapes to the elegant interiors, various John Boddy Homes include such impressive standard features as vaulted ceilings, double door entries, décor columns, mirrored sliding closet doors, ceramic kitchen backsplashes, double basin bathroom vanities with make-up counters and so much more.

Their gourmet kitchens, welcoming great rooms with cozy gas fireplaces and elegant dining rooms with coffered ceilings are all spacious and comfortable, making them the perfect location to enjoy time together with family or entertaining friends. In additional, some models include such impressive extras as classic French doors, transom windows and custom octagonal skylights allowing light to travel throughout the home for a bright and spacious feel. For their homeowner’s convenience, most John Boddy Homes include main or second floor laundry rooms, laundry chutes, kitchen breakfast bars, private water closets, interior garage access, high efficiency furnaces and basement rough-ins for future bathrooms.

Also, windows are vinyl clad wood which allows for interior custom colours with a maintenance free exterior. Other features include arched entryways, custom millwork, window mullions on all front and rear facades and decorative garage doors featuring appealing window lites. Custom landscaping packages and paved driveways are also included in all homes providing the renowned curb appeal that enhances the entire ‘Eagle Glen’ community. Innovative floorplan designs combined with an extensive array of standard features included with every new home have become a corporate trademark of John Boddy Homes and ‘Eagle Glen’.

Not only does a John Boddy home offer such striking standard features, there are also a wealth of opportunities to upgrade, making their homes as unique as each individual homeowner. The ‘Eagle Glen’ Sales Office features a Décor Centre that contains a wide range of upgrade items to select from in order to customize your home. Their high-tech electrical and décor consultants allow homebuyers to make upgrade selections on site, enabling them to conveniently personalize their home. When you purchase a new home in ‘Eagle Glen’ there are no hidden closing costs. John Boddy Homes pays for education levies, development charges, water and hydro meter hookup fees, boulevard tree planting, landscape package and a paved driveway.

For a limited time only John Boddy Homes is offering an incentive package including $5,000 in free upgrades and one year of Rogers services for free! Included in this package are home phone with 150 long distance minutes and 2 calling features, personal TV with free rental of a standard definition box, a HD digital box, VIP package, free on demand programming, Canadian timeshifting channels as well as Rogers Hi-Speed internet service and all are installed for free.

The ‘Eagle Glen’ community offers many important neighbourhood amenities such as a brand new on-site public elementary school, places of worship, fully equipped parks and easy access to both Ajax and Go-Transit Services. Toronto is easily accessible from nearby Highways 401 and 407. Located just north of a host of shopping and recreation centres, ‘Eagle Glen’ allows residents all the amenities of the urban lifestyle while providing the beauty and tranquility of the neighbouring countryside.

Since 1955, John Boddy has been involved in the construction of thousands of new homes throughout Ontario, and has earned a reputation as an accomplished builder of fine residential communities. Of significance are the award winning 1000-acre ‘Bridlewood Community’ developed during the 1960’s and 1970’s in Scarborough, the ‘Forestbrook’ Community’ in Pickering developed in the 1980’s, ‘Willowcreek’ in Peterborough, and ‘Eagle Ridge on the Green’ in Ajax developed in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.

The John Boddy Homes’ team of experienced management, planners, designers, supervisors, marketing and sales personnel have distinguished themselves by creating innovative and unique designs in truly outstanding communities that meet the needs and desires of today’s families. With five fully furnished model homes to view, a visit to ‘Eagle Glen’ is a must. Drop by the Sales Presentation Centre located on Stevensgate Drive, north of Rossland Road West, one half kilometre west of Westney Road three kilometres north of Hwy. 401.

Sales office hours are Monday through Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 11:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m. Let their friendly knowledgeable staff help you determine which of the many home styles available is perfect for you and your family and get set to join the ever-growing ‘Eagle Glen’ family community. For more information, please call (905) 619- 1777 or visit the website at www.johnboddyhomes. com.

Time to learn, grow and play Starting in September 2010, the government will begin phasing in full-day learning for fourand five-year-olds. In the first year, nearly 600 schools will offer full-day learning for up to 35,000 students five days a week. A complete list of the selected schools for 2010-11 is available at ontario.ca/earlylearning Full-day learning will be expanded each year, and the goal is to have it available in every school by 2015-16. Here’s what you can expect.

Enriched learning during the school day • Teachers and early childhood educators will work together in the classroom to help young students learn and grow. This team approach will bring out the best in your child through activities and play, guided by a new full-day learning program. Before- and after-school programs • During the school year, schools will offer an integrated before- and after-school program led by early childhood educators.

The program will be optional and available for a reasonable fee. Subsidies will be available for some families, based on financial need. • Where there is enough demand from parents and the board has the capacity, some school boards may extend these programs to other times of the year, including summertime and March break. They may also make them available to children from six to 12 years old. Stronger start on learning • Research shows that early learning has long-term benefits for your child’s academic and social skills.A full day of learning early in life can help improve your child’s reading, writing and math skills later on.

It also makes the transition to Grade 1 easier – for you and your child. How schools were selected for September 2010 • School boards worked with other local boards and municipalities to recommend schools that would be ready to offer full-day learning in September 2010. For example, the selected schools had to have space available already and consideration was given to what kind of child care programs best served the communities.

Good for kids, good for parents, good for Ontario • Full-day learning across the province is an investment in our future. It’s part of the government’s plan to give our kids the tools they need to succeed and help us build a stronger Ontario. Learn more, For more information, please visit ontario.ca/ earlylearning or call: toll-free in Ontario, 1- 800-387-5514 or

from Toronto and from outside Ontario, (416) 325-2929 or TDD/TTY: 1-800- 263-2892 Scott Harrison\\\\\\\’s Biography Scott Harrison serves as Trustee for Ward 19 -Scarborough Centre, for the Toronto District School Board. Scott works with trustees from Toronto\’s other 21 Wards in governance of Toronto\\\\\\\’s public school system. Scott was elected as the Ward 19 trustee in November 2000. During his first year, he became a member of the Board\\\\\\\’s Human Resources and Staff Development Committee, now known as the Human Resources and Labour Relations Committee.

He was also a member of the Pool Working Committee, Negotiation Steering Committee, Audit Committee, Director Search Steering Committee, and the TDSBToronto City Council Liaison Committee. In addition to these responsibilities he has also participated in several work groups. During his second term (2001- 02), Scott became Vice-Chair of both the Business and Facilities and Property Management Committees. In December 2005, Scott assumed the role of Chair, of the TDSB Operations and Facilities Management Committee. Scott was born and raised in Scarborough. His late father Brian Harrison was a former Metro Councillor for Scarborough Centre. Scott\\\\\\\’s children started their education in the public school system in Scarborough, and continue to be educated in the public school system. They are now in high school. Scott himself spent his entire education years in Ward 19 schools. He attended North Bendale Junior Public School, J.S. Woodsworth Senior Public School and went on to graduate from Woburn Collegiate Institute. Scott spent approximately 10 years with the Toronto Police Service prior to becoming a Scarborough Fire Fighter.

The TDSB was created on January 1, 1998 following the amalgamation of six individual Boards of Education. It is the largest and most diverse school board in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. It serves more than 270,000 students in 560 schools and oversees a budget of approximately $2 billion dollars. Jill Worthy\\\\\\\’s Biography Jill Worthy has provided exemplary leadership in public education throughout her career. She has done extensive work in the area of the Early Years.

Jill developed and implemented the first Toronto District School Board Early Years Policy along with procedures to support it. These procedures included the expansion of child care and parenting programs in schools. She has also supported and implemented programs focused on early intervention through integration of services for children aged 0 to 6. This work included the Toronto First Duty program which provided a unique full-day, early-learning model as well as forming a foundation for the Best Start initiative.

Jill is a sought-after presenter who has made numerous presentations at the local, provincial and national levels. Other areas of influence and expertise have included establishing programs to increase equity of opportunity both for students and teachers. Jill has also demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting leadership growth and development in public education as well as numerous projects related to environmental sustainability.

May 13-15 Trinity College University of Toronto

The Universities of Toronto and Windsor, in conjunction with the Munk School of Global Affairs  Constructing Tamil Worlds: Circulation, Plurality and Marginality Plenary Speakers: Raj Gauthaman (Head, Dept. of Tamil, Kanchi Mamunivar Centre of Post Graduate Studies, Pondicherry) Sanjay Subrahmanyam (Navin and Pratima Doshi Chair of Indian History, University of California Los Angeles) Over 50 presenting academ- ics, artists, and activists from South Asian Visual Arts Centre, University College London, Columbia University, Lynn University (Florida), University of Michigan, Pondicherry Centre for Post Graduate Studies (Tamil Nadu), National University of Singapore, University of Mysore (Karnataka), Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi), UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, University of British Columbia University, Princeton University, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS), University of Madras (Chennai), University of Westminster, McGill University, and UC Los Angeles. www.tamilstudiesconfer ence.ca Projects and Biographies: Special panel on “Envisioning a Sri Lankan Constitution” This panel explores the politi- cal and constitutional situation in Sri Lanka after the war’s end, fea- turing Rohan Edirisinha present- ing on “Post Elections Prospects for a Political Solution in Sri Lanka.”

Rohan Edirisinha teaches at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is also a founder, Director and Head of the Legal Division, Centre for Policy Alternatives, an independ- ent public policy institute engaged in research and advocacy on con- flict resolution, constitutional and law reform, human rights and governance related issues.

He was an unofficial advisor to the Chief Government negotiator, the Minister of Constitutional Affairs, during the peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE in 2003/4 and attended the last 3 rounds of talks during that period.

The panel also features Sornarajah and Vasuki Nesiah who presents “Back to the Future: Federalism and the Promised Land.” Nesiah is Senior Associate at the International Center for Transitional Justice at Columbia University. She heads the Center’s work in a range of countries, including India, South Africa and Ghana and its Gender Program. Mobilizing Diaspora: Tamil Activisms at War’s End – Kitana Ananda Displaced and dispersed by over thirty years of war and polit- ical violence, Sri Lankan Tamils have not forgotten their former and imagined homes in the process of remaking their lives across the globe. On the contrary, while exiled activists have been instrumental in the production and dissemination of competing narratives about the war from its very beginnings, new generations born and/or raised outside the island have emerged to redouble their efforts. As a 2002 ceasefire disinte- grated into total war, these activists mobilized thousands of diasporic Tamils to non-stop pub- lic protest in metropolitan cities around the world.

Through an ethnographic study of diasporic activisms, Ananda discusses how and why Tamils in Canada and India protested the war in Sri Lanka, soliciting their states, fel- low citizens and other Tamils to “take immediate action” on behalf of a suffering people. She explores how experiences of dis- placement, migration, and reset- tlement constitute Tamil diaspora as a set of contentious political practices on the margins of mod- ern liberal states.

Kitana Ananda is pursuing her PhD in socio-cul- tural anthropology at Columbia University. She is currently writing her dissertation, “Politics After a Ceasefire: Becoming Tamil Subjects in Diaspora.” The Sinhala “Voice:” Ethnic Conflict and the Configuration of Difference in Sri Lanka – Christina Davis This paper contributes to an understanding of how ethnic dif- ference is interactionally config- ured, as well as to the study of everyday violence in Sri Lanka. Drawing on ethnographic research in Kandy, Sri Lanka, Davis explores how speakers in social interactions employ the voices of others to construct eth- nic difference.

She considers how the speakers draw on multiple resources such as codeswitching, shifts in volume and pitch, report- ed speech, and poetic parallelism to sharpen the distinction between the “voice” of the person reporting, and the speech that is being reported, thus creating a saturation of difference. She argues that emergent with the employment of these “voices” is a moral stance, where speakers, through language, dis- tinguish the “voices” of others from their own. Christina Davis is a PhD candidate in linguistic anthropology at the University of Michigan. Confessions of a Sri Lankan Customs and Immigration officer: Reflec- tions on Race and Space at a major Canadian airport – Sangeetha Navaratnam This paper uses Critical Race Theory and Spatial Theory to examine how issues of belonging, power and privilege are manifest- ed in the day-to-day practices of boarder crossings. Using personal examples and an auto ethno- graphical approach, Navaratnam reflects on her experiences as a Sri Lankan Tamil Boarder Services Officer at a large Canadian air- port. She uses her experiences as a Sri Lankan Tamil woman to bet- ter understand the ways in which race and space intersect at a major international airport. She is informed by her experi- ences, and those lived experi- ences also inform her social reali- ty. At the border, it is not only the passengers, who are classed, raced or gendered, but the offi- cers as well. In this paper she examines the ways in which the space she occupied in the airport can offer insight into the ways in which these collisions occur and how they are experienced from a Sri Lankan Tamil perspective. Sangeetha Navaratnam is a M.Ed. Candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto enrolled in a collaborative program in South Asian Studies. She is also an ele- mentary school teacher who has a specialization in urban educa- tion.

Negotiating Marginality: Transgender Communities in Tamil Nadu – Elaine Craddock Male-to-female transgender people in Tamil Nadu are most commonly called “aravanis.” Aravanis have historically been economically, socially, and cultur- ally marginalized; they have diffi- culty finding jobs that will support them outside of sex work and begging for alms. Yet unlike in many parts of India where hijras are regularly invited to bless new babies or attend weddings, in Tamil Nadu aravanis do not perform any socially pervasive roles, reinforc- ing their marginality. Aravanis construct and maintain their own dynamic kinship and social net- work, have their own language, and come together regularly for life cycle events and celebrations. Within the last couple of years the Tamil Nadu government has become the first state in India to officially recognize a third gender, to pay for gender reassignment surgery, renamed “tirunangai,” or auspicious women.

These moves acknowledge and support a marginalized com- munity that falls outside of nor- mative gender and social roles, but also attempt to bring this transgressive community from the margins into the center by con- structing the individuals as women. Elaine Craddock is cur- rently a professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy and Chair of the Feminist Studies Program at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX, USA. Some of the pictures from 2009 Conference are shown below.

In the history of this humani- ty, many truly scintillating human beings have happened - they have shone brighter than the stars in the sky. Why, a few human beings are of this capabil- ity, and why so many other aim- less millions of people, just come and go? I’m not trying to compare their lives against somebody else’s and say this is useless, that is useful – not in those terms. But why is it that somebody seems to have come with enormous capa- bility? Why is it that somebody else has to struggle with every lit- tle thing in their lives? People always say, ‘he’s gifted.’ Nobody is gifted; there is really no gift about anything – everything you have to earn. Either you earn joyfully, or you earn miserably – that is all the choice. There are different ways to earn this.

There are a variety of sadhana through which one earns. But the simplest way, and the easiest way, and it is also the most self-destructive way, is devotion. What is Grace, first of all? If you look at yourself as a machine; you have brains, you have body, you have everything. But what you call as ‘Grace’ is the lubrication. Without the lubrica- tion you have a great engine but you get stuck at every point. Any number of people like this are there on the planet – they are intelligent, they are capable, but at every corner in their life they get stuck, because there is no lubrication.

Whatever is consid- ered as ‘Grace’, seems to pervade some people’s lives, and for somebody else, everything is a struggle. To become receptive to this Grace, so that the process of life becomes graceful, the easiest way would be devotion. But, this is a very cunning mind; it cannot devote itself to anybody or any- thing. You can sing songs of devo- tion, but you have your own cal- culation. All that is okay, but what has God done for me? Calculating minds cannot be devout. Trying to be devout will be just a waste of time, and life. I hear any amount of so-called devotional songs and music, and everything. This is too calculated; there is no devotion in it. A devotee is not somebody’s devotee; devotion is a quality. Devotion means a certain single- pointedness – you are constantly focused towards one thing.

Once a person has become like this that his thought, emotion, and every- thing has become in one direc- tion; now Grace will naturally hap- pen to that person; he becomes receptive. What you are devoted to; whom you are devoted to is not the issue. ‘No, I want to be a devotee, but I have a doubt whether God exists or not.’ These are all the predicaments of a thinking mind, you know. What you need to know is, God does not exist. But where there is a devotee, God exists. So the power of devotion is such that it can create the Creator. The depth of what we refer to as devotion is such that it can – even if God is not existent - bring it into existence. Thinking minds always have an allergy to devotion, because devotees have made such fools of themselves. This is simply because, fear is passing off as devotion. Extreme deviousness is pass- ing off as devotion right now, with a large population. If one knows the joy of devotion; devotion is truly for the intelligent, not for the stupid because without devotion there is no profundity to your life. Nothing is worthwhile if you ana- lyze it with your thought.

The whole existence, you yourself, nobody in the world is worth any- thing if you just cut it down with the knife of your intellect. Only when devotion arises, depth comes into one’s life. Devotion does not mean going to the tem- ple and doing ‘Ram, Ram.’ Anybody who is one-pointed; any- body who can absolutely give himself to whatever he is doing is a natural devotee. He need not have a deity to become a devotee – he is a devotee. God will hap- pen. It is not because there is God, devotion has come. Because there is devotion, God has hap- pened. Just knowing devotion as an emotional experience is one thing. Knowing devotion as an overpow- ering dimension of life is a differ- ent thing. Knowing devotion just as an emotion, maybe makes your life a little sweet; but devotion is not intended to make your life sweet; devotion is intended to completely demolish you the way you are. If you just become a lit- tle better – that is not the inten- tion of the devotion; devotion means dissolution. The root word for ‘devotion’ is ‘dissolve’. Only one who is willing to dissolve him- self can be a true devotee. In what and how is not the point.

“The nature of a human being is that we are always trying to find something,” says Maharaji. “Trying to find comfort, trying to find joy. Searching for an unde- fined peace. Looking for freedom, looking for a friendship that feels real. Looking for stability in a world that is always changing. “If you are looking, then look—but know what you are looking for. If you are searching, then search—but know what you are searching for.” For most of his life, Maharaji has been talking about a feeling in the heart that he says can satisfy that endless craving. It’s the place, he says, where real peace and joy can be found. It’s where human beings can discover who they really are. “It’s within you,” he says.

“What I say to people is, search. Search for it. If you don’t find it, come to me. I can help.” While he doesn’t charge money for his assistance, Maharaji does request that those who ask him for his help do so out of a real thirst to understand, not just idle curiosity. To explain what he means by thirst, he tells a sim- ple story. “When a traveler is starting out in a desert,” Maharaji says, “you might ask him, ‘Where are you going?’ “He says, ‘Oh, I want to go to that town to buy a few camels.’ “Assuming he has no water and he keeps walking in the desert, he will get thirstier and thirstier. If, after a few days, you ask him again, ‘Where are you going,’ what will the answer be? The destination has changed.

What is the destination now? “‘I am going to find water. Do you have water?’ That’s all. Or if he’s really, really thirsty, just, ‘Water!’ “That is thirst. This is what thirst does. It clarifies. It removes all ambiguity.” In the same way, Maharaji says, people know how important this life is, but until they under- stand what they know, they tend to ignore it. When we do under- stand, he says, something special happens in our lives. “The day you begin to under- stand what you know,” he says, “is the day you truly, truly begin to live. Not just survive, but live, celebrate—because living is a cel- ebration of existence.” Maharaji often answers ques- tions from those interested in his message. Q: Is that really practical? How can we spend every day cel- ebrating? A: I’m not talking about par- ties. I’m talking about clarifying a need.

We wake up in the morning and we think, “Oh, I have so many things to do! I have to go shopping, I have to go to the office, I have to make these phone calls, I have to …” For someone who has under- stood what this life is all about, it’s clear every single day. “Today, I’m going to live. I’m going to cel- ebrate my existence. Yes, I will go get the milk, and yes, I will go to my office and do whatever I have to do, but none of that is going to stop me from celebrating today.” That is the quintessential differ- ence between clarity and ambigu- ity. Q: I like what you say, but how do I know it’s credible? Do you have something to back it up? A: Consider for a moment what you know to be true—not from hearing,

but from feeling. What do you know about your life? This is not an easy task, because trying to separate what you know from what you have heard is almost impossible. There is a way to truly know. To know firsthand—not by hear- ing, not by hearsay, but to truly, truly know. This is how your life should be—and it is possible. Why is it possible? Because what I am talking about is already inside of you. If you decide not to investi- gate it, that will not change a thing. If you do decide to investi- gate it, then you will know. And in knowing, you will be able to live— to celebrate. To learn more about Maharaji, visit: www.wopg.org www.tprf.org For a free DVD call 1 877 707 3221

By: Nekita D’souza Every year, usually on the sec- ond Sunday of May, everyone around the country celebrates Mother’s Day. This particular day has been set aside to honour and give the mothers around the world a day off and although there is no way we can ever real- ly thank our mothers for all that they do, it’s an opportunity for loved ones to show them how much they truly appreciate them and everything they do. On this day, mothers can sit back and relax, put their feet up and not worry about cooking or cleaning or doing any other chores around the house. As this day approaches the stores are filled with parapherna- lia for Mother’s Day making it an extremely commercialized event. There are many different gifts you could give your mother on this day which includes: If you’re mother likes and enjoys gardening, a suitable gift would be a gardening basket which includes tools for her gar- den, and a gardening book.

Since mothers are always on the go and rarely have time to do things for themselves a beauty package with beauty products, or a gift certificate to the spa or salon would be an ideal gift for your mother. Of course, flowers are always a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day. If you’re not looking to spend that much money, because after all it is the thought that counts, a poem or a picture frame with a family picture in it would be a wonderful gift idea as well. Breakfast in bed, or cooking lunch/dinner for your mother would be a great present All these gifts would be great, and your mom would truly appre- ciate any one of these presents however when you ask your mom what she would like for mother’s day she usually responds with, “Nothing,” For those who don’t believe in buying presents for their mothers on this day or feel that they deserve way more than a gift could express, the simplicity of taking that day off and spend- ing it with your mother would mean so much more than a mate- rial present. Mothers truly deserve this day off because they are our friends, our nurses, our strength, and our hope. Without them who knows where we would be today, or if we would be as successful as we are today.

They have truly been the backbone of civilization and I don’t believe that just one day is enough to show them how much we care about them and how thankful we are for everything they do. Mothers should be appreciated day after day. The gestures we do to show them that we care and appreciate them don’t have to be grand, they can be miniscule but we shouldn’t ignore them most days and only show them how much we care once a year. Whether we say, “I love you” everyday or “I really appreciate everything you do” they will be extremely happy to hear it. We can show them we care by help- ing out around the house more, spending more time with our mothers, and just taking the time out of our busy schedules to have a conversation with them or to make the effort to see them. On every occasion we get we should make our mothers feel the way they do on Mother’s Day. Thank- you to all the mothers out there, we truly appreciate everything you do and everything that you have helped us to become. You gave us life, and words cannot express how thankful we are for everything that you have given us and continue to give us.

I leave you with a poem about Mother’s Day by Herbert Farnham: God’s Masterpiece Is Mother by Herbert Farnham God took the fragrance of a flower… The majesty of a tree… The gentleness of morning dew… The calm of a quiet sea… The beauty of the twilight hour… The soul of a starry night… The laughter of a rippling brook… The grace of a bird in flight… Then God fashioned from these things A creation like no other, And when his masterpiece was through He called it simply - Mother.

The title of the film seems to boggle the mind of many. Its sig- nificance is made apparent early on in the film, and it is the cata- lyst that plummets its two leading protagonists into a 24hr whirlwind adventure. The journey undertak- en by Jiggy (Suthan Kamal) and Gogu (Kokilan Maheswaran) is quite comical, perturbing, heart warming and shocking. The film is written and directed by Ranjith Joseph and produced by G3 Abstract in collaboration with the Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre. The film acts as a vehicle to highlight key issues among Canadian Tamil youth and brings to the surface taboo issues that require further attention by parents and the broader Canadian Tamil commu- nity. However, the plot is not just relevant to the Tamil audience; the issues tackled are pertinent to youth across all ethno-cultural communities.

The film is a creative explo- ration into the complex lives of Canadian Tamil youth and the Tamil community. The high quali- ty of the artistic cinematography, filmed in Red One, and original film score and soundtrack height- en the overall experience of the film. The authentic portrayal of the lives of youth comes from the rawness of its actors, who are young people from the communi- ty. The use of profanity rages rampant in the film, and although it created some discomfort in the audience, it lends to the accurate depiction of youth culture by Joseph. These young actors natu- rally depict their characters and truly brought to life the sensitive issues tackled by Joseph in the film. Despite being a short film, the movie skilfully touches on a num- ber of issues, eliciting a wide range of emotions within its audi- ence.

The film’s opening scenes brilliantly and simply portrays the discord that exists between some young Tamil men’s dream or desire to be “gangstas” and the rest of the movie contrasts it to the harsh realities that can plague a young life upon following that path. The film touches on the allure of money, especially easy money and illustrates how much cultural capital materialism pro- vides the youth. There is an absence of posi- tive role models within the lives of the two young protagonists and the film suggests the need for more positive role models for the youth. The exposure of negative role models influence and steer the actions of the two main pro- tagonists throughout the film; this is said to reflect today’s reality. The experiences of the Canadian Tamil community from the late 90s had negatively influenced many young people at that time. Subsequently, the stereotypes of Tamil youth as gangsters and the influence by those still caught within its realm continue to affect the youth at present. The film does not hold any- thing back and paints a sincere moving image of the insecurities that afflict the young people’s lives and the temptations and dangers that surrounds them. The film implicitly suggests the need for action as well, by way of greater parental engagement and community support for the youth.

The movie was well received by the audience at the sold out premiere at 10:30am on March 27th at the Coliseum at Scarborough Town Centre Famous Players. The engaging discussion with the cast and crew after the film provided the audi- ence a chance to voice their feed- back and ask questions. The afternoon came to a close with smiles, hugs and handshakes wishing the young team on their successful film. The audience was also eager to purchase copies of the music soundtrack, which was also created by budding young Tamil artists. The film is primarily intended for the teenage audience, but it also advocates for the youth and educates a wider audience on a number of critical issues that require further contemplation and action.