Masque, A Sequel
The PM's statement on Ayodhya was a psychological necessity; an effort to come out of his political loneliness.
Realeconomiks
The rope on which our government walks is a very tight one. Censure them by all means, but have some pity too.
Gaming Licence
'Wisden' on Packer: <i>The most importantconsequence was that players realised they were saleablecommodities.</i>
The Peace Zygote
It's ironic that the myth of Vajpayee as the peacemaker, and the betrayed dove, has found so many gullible takers.
Split Personality
Thackeray began his political career by assaulting poornarialpaniwallas from Malabar. Look where he is today.
Hung By A Chad
Its 'electile dysfunction' came at the right time. The US needed a check as it had gotten way ahead of reality.
Life In A Bubble
In the ultimate analysis, only those in the Net economy who manage to rule the content scene would be in control.
Mandir & Mask
Hope, hype and hoopla vanished soon enough inYear 2000. Thiswas the year of thegrim reality check.
Plot Chickens
The clumsy framing of charges against the Italian and his easy bail point to a deepening controversy
An Idol Trapped
Debate rages over whether the PM's statements furthered the BJP at the cost of his image
A Bettering The Rival Game?
Certain of its eventual role, Pakistan is, for once, matching India's peace moves all the way
Combatants For Peace
As New Delhi and the Hurriyat seem to soften a bit, the latter now needs to convince the militants—and Pakistan
Selling This Idea Will Take Time
At 86, Jyoti Basu still spearheads the political battle against the ruling NDA. After he relinquished chief ministership, he has emerged as the undisputed leader of the still nascent Third Front. Basu spoke to Outlook. Excerpts:
Cherrapunjee: Water, Water...
The ultimate irony: women and children trekking long distances to fetch drinking water...
Naxalbari: Home To The Revolution
"They thought they'd wipe out the man's philosophy by breaking his statue."
Mughalsarai: Tracks To Nowhere
A town disjointed in time, it's a junction where many ages lay suspended side by side.
Malgudi : Sleepless In Swamitown
The only time a train stopped here for over two minutes was for Gandhi, in 1937.
Dandi : The Mahatma, Salted And Dried
In a weird retake on 'Quit India', Dandi's denizens just mark time till they can go abroad.
Detour : Places Of The Mind
Despatches from towns and villages we have all heard of but (probably) never been to
Everyone's Ayodhya
There's abundant historical sense in building both a mandir and a masjid at the site. Tradition provides justification, as does the spirit everyone lived by.
Cynosure, Eyesore And More
It was a fool's dawn—premature millennium and all that. But the dullspeak called 2000 had some saving spaces, sorry graces.
A Matrimony In Discord
For now the NDA allies sit uneasily with the BJP line, but TDP-led rumblings within do not portend well for the government