On Thursday, at the third gathering of NRIs, which included eminent literary persons from India, Mr Vajpayee looked ill at ease.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan had organised a three-day conference on Indian literature and had invited the creme-de-la-creme of the Indian literary scene to mark the birth centenary of Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan (JP).

Neither the organisers nor the Prime Minister referred to JP in their speeches, nor was homage paid to him or recollection made of his contribution to India’s freedom movement or the formation of the political party (BJP), which the Prime Minister today leads.

India and Pakistan sparred yet again at the end of the day today, when the Indian Prime Minister delivered his address to the United Nations General Assembly.

Pakistan exercised its Right of Reply (ROR), and in two sharply worded speeches, a Pakistani diplomat said: “We can concede that India knows a lot about terrorism because it is the mother of terrorism.”

He then accused India of promoting cross-border terrorism. “During the past few years, India’s security agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), has carried out 170 acts of terrorism in Pakistan and 279 of its agents have been apprehended. Not just in Pakistan, but agents of the Indian Government acting on the ruling BJP’s directive, also committed state-managed massacre of Indian Muslims and genocides,” he said.

He said a party, which had a “fascist doctrine”, ruled India. Examples were given of Bal Thackeray forming alleged terrorist groups to eliminate Muslims.

Chennai, January 1, 2003 (ANI): South India is the treasure trove of silk saris with gold embroidery -the six yards of fabric has been draped in the same style for centuries.

 

But more youngsters these days feel it's too cumbersome attire for daily wear. Chennai in Tamil Nadu is home to the famous Kanjeevaram Sarees.

These saris are essential to an Indian brides' trousseau. Here women wear it even when they do their grocery shopping. Saris are the preferred attire here and sari shopping is an important family outing. Colours combinations, the count of the silk threads, the pattern of the zuree borders, the authenticity of the goldthreads -- all have to be checked and re-checked. Younger girls have for centuries worn what is known as the half sari. In Tamil it is called pavadai thavani, a skirt and half a sari draped over that. It is very elegant and something that mothers and grandmothers wanted you to wear, especially at weddings.