Kannammaa Writes

When I got my first period, I was almost subjected to one of the traditional South Indian practices of giving girls raw eggs for their supposedly exceptional nutritional benefits and their ability to prepare the body for future childbearing.  I was spared from drinking raw eggs because I had guzzled Indian sesame oil instead - I'm very fond of sesame oil's taste - raw eggs' taste? Not so much. But the issue runs way deeper than taste. First, why raw eggs? Second, what exactly makes them beneficial for future fertility? And third, why does a girl getting her first period suddenly become a family project to prepare her body for motherhood? I have nothing against these traditional foods - in fact, I drink sesame oil and eat one or 2 eggs every morning because they're nutrition-dense. But I have a problem with treating cultural beliefs as established medical facts. Eggs are nutritious. They contain protein, choline, vitamin B12 and other essential nutrients. But there is no...

Women's perceptions of these actors are shaped less by physical appearance and more by how their films portray women, romance and relationships. Rishikanth and Pradeep Ranganathan (PR) share dark skin, unconventional looks, lean bodies, and boy-next-door appeal. Yet their reception among audiences, particularly women, is strikingly different. The difference isn't how they look, but the kind of masculinity they represent. Rishikanth's roles in Modha Rathiri and Dorothy portray men capable of empathy, emotional vulnerability and respecting women's choices and identities.  His interviews similarly emphasise feminism, equality and learning from women. PR's films, meanwhile, repeatedly centre male insecurity, romantic rejection and wounded egos. Women often become sources of men's suffering or instruments of their redemption, while progressive dialogues coexist with regressive gender stereotypes, as shown in Dude. And perhaps that's why Rishikanth resonates wit...

For Malaysian Indians, Suriya and Jyothika are the juniors in couple goals - Tun Dr Mahathir and Tun Dr Hasmah are the seniors. Dr Hasmah passed away on 28 September 2026, at 100 years old. She had been the love of Mahathir's life for 70 years. Naturally, he is beyond devastated. The 101 year old lovelorn man has been admitted to the National Heart Institute Malaysia for observation.  According to his son, their home reminds his dad of his mom too much and is taking a toll on him, hence this move. They say a man who lost his companion becomes an empty shell of himself and would soon follow suit - I didn't expect that I'd cry for a man I hated for implementing racist policies. I may disagree strongly with Tun Dr Mahathir’s political ideologies, but I think the way he loved and partnered with Tun Dr Hasmah is unmatched. Their story began in 1947, when they were medical students at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore. Mahathir helped Hasmah with her studies, a...