Photographing T 2505 (Shubh) at the Ranthambore National Park Today

Just spotted T-2505 in Ranthambore National Park. He is supposed to be a young male Bengal tiger nicknamed Shubh. I spotted him as he was crossing a causeway from the Joggi Mahal area in zone three.

Shubh is the offspring of the dominant tigress Riddhi, and he carries the bloodline of the tigress Machli. Shubh is growing up into a confident young tiger, asserting his dominance in zones 2 and 3.

And then he walked away with great nonchalance, as if he did not have any care in the whole world. Incidentally, we were able to spot his pug mark, which is how we were able to spot him. In close proximity to the exit point, we were able to spot Shubh's brother, T 2506, in the bushes.

Shikra on a Branch and Jackals on the Bund

Shikras are small birds of prey. They are raptors that hunt small rodents. In medieval times, they were used to get food for hawks. While Shikras are generally found in forests, these days they are more likely to be found in residential areas, thanks to changing ecological patterns. With forests disappearing and game disappearing, Shikras and even white-breasted Flamingos are forced to scavenge for food in urban areas.

We are all heading towards an ecological disaster because of the damage being done to the ecosystem. While birds like Shikras and Flamingoes are adapting their lifestyles to suit changing conditions, one wonders how we human beings will be able to cope with adverse environmental conditions. We are already reeling under a heat wave, Shikras will be able to fly away to other lands, but we will remain stuck within a situation that has been made worse by ourselves.

But then, Shikras are not the only victims of human developmental activities! Jackals have also learned to adapt to changing conditions. Jackals are now edging closer and closer to urban areas. A scarcity of food has led them to converge on residential areas in search of food. These, once shy mammals, are now growing bolder and bolder, and are often used to human presence.

At Mom's Memorial Service

We held a special memorial service for Mom, in which the life of Mrs Ivy Lal was celebrated. She had lived. We were honoured by the presence of many family members, relatives, friends and members of the congregation. The memorial service took place in the Church of the Epiphany, Civil Lines, Gurgaon, on the ninth of May, 2026.

Pews were occupied, and the grandchildren presented a musical rendition that was spell-binding and mesmerising. Mom would have felt proud to see her grandchildren performing so well in her honour. Blessed are those who are remembered and honoured, for they live on in minds and memories.

Rest in Peace Mainstream Journalism!

The title is indicative of this post. Mainstream Journalism is dead or gasping in its last moments. Unfortunately, mainstream journalism is on its way out. People today are turning away from mainstream journalism that aligns itself with the Government in power. It would not be wrong to state that today fewer people subscribe to mainstream journalism that subscribes to the government in power. 

It wouldn't not be wrong to claim that fewer people today subscribe to mainstream journalism because it projects the views of the Government in power. I, personally, have stopped watching popular news channels because they present a distorted view of what is happening at the grassroots level. Today's journalism is based on sentiment and popular trends, but not on actual facts.

This is the reason why Citizen Journalism is on the uptake. People have foregone watching popular news channels that provide more suspect information about things happening around the world today. The war between Russia and Ukraine is laced with one-sided information, while the war in the Middle East is based on who scored brownie points. 

The lack of trust in mainstream journalism has led to people watching reels and on-site videos of actual incidents taking place in real time. Today, more and more people are shifting from mainstream journalism to what is called as Citizen Journalism. Gone are the days when we had authentic journalists like Mark Tully or even Peter Arnett. 

Journalism today is based on subscribing to the popular view of the government in power.  The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) of Iran claims hits on ships slipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while the American News channels disclaim these claims. One wonders whom one should believe. Back home, one is forced to believe what the news channels say: that all is well in the region. The rise of the so-called Godi Media in India has given rise to an era of suspicion and doubt about the authenticity of what is being reported. Unfortunately, authentic journalism is dead because it is driven by propaganda and the need to align itself with the government in power. 

Mainstream news channels are losing on TRP ratings, and more and more citizens are shifting to reels and on-the-spot reporting of actual incidents by Citizen Journalists. The rise of Citizen Journalism is driven by the desire for authentic on-the-spot reportage of events backed by reliable evidence. Mainstream Journalism is no longer an authentic proof, and it is being sidelined by Citizen Journalism.

The power of the internet has given rise to people who drive news. As more and more people resort to the gifts of the internet, they have provided a challenge to mainstream journalism. The fact is that today there are fewer takers for mainstream journalism. Mainstream Journalism is languishing because it is driven by the need to toe the line of the Government in power. Yellow page journalism is on the rise today because it is driven by incentivisation and other inducements. Authentic journalism no longer exists as it is subverted and not in line. 

The fact of the matter is that mainstream journalism has taken a backseat today, and it has led to the rise in popularity of citizen journalism that might be "unregulated" by the so-called "ethics of journalism". Unfortunately, we are today bombarded by information that is not authenticated. The distrust with mainsteam journalism has led to people turning away from it. People are smarter than before, and they are capable of realising that the news that they are being fed is nothing but propaganda! Mainstream journalism is dead because it is fed by propaganda and not authenticity.

Journalism is believed to be the fourth pillar of Democracy, but then Democracy is dead, and when democracy is compromised, journalism too is compromised!  When Journalism no longer functions as a watchdog of democracy, it loses its authenticity! Ideally, journalism is supposed to function as a watchdog and a cornerstone of an open, transparent, and accountable society.  Unfortunately, this is not true today! True journalism is based on the following assumptions:

Informed Citizenship: A healthy democracy requires an electorate that can make educated decisions based on information provided by a free press. A free press provides facts, diverse perspectives, and a necessary context on national and global issues. A free press facilitates public discourse. Fair and effective journalism provides a forum where different opinions, grievances, and debates can be aired, discussed, and addressed. True Journalism is supposed to protect Civil Liberties. True journalism shines a light on human rights violations, gives voice to marginalised communities, and protects the fundamental rights of the people.

It is a matter of great disappointment that today, Journalism has taken a backseat and it no longer functions as a watchdog to prevent infractions in society.  Mainstream journalism has taken up the role of forwarding the agenda of the government, and it does not really protect the rights of the citizens. Mainstream journalism has lost its credibility and has become overshadowed by citizen journalism that is led by actual citizens reporting on the ground, backed by technology, smartphones, and the fruits of the internet. Citizen journalists are the true firebrand journalists, citizens who are increasingly disgruntled by the system, aware of their rights, and ready to use technology to its best, often bypassing censorship, gagging by governments, and other controls. 

The reader might also like to read an article on journalism published by me a few years ago:

https://rodrickwrites.blogspot.com/2020/05/challenges-before-journalism-in-2020.html

Memories-A Poem

The Past whispers, softly scratching

Through layers of time, waiting to be

Heard. Remembered scents, tunes, sights

Voices, waiting, wanting to be heard. You

Don't ignore them, whispers, softly wafting.

The sounds of his spool tape recorder

Silenced forever, the records spinning on the 

Turnable, static hisses passing into the vacuum

Elvis and Nancy crooning into the unknown.

Voices of the past waiting to be heard.

Russian friends projecting films from the war 

Patriotic songs of heroism and sacrifice, slogans

Of a revolution that overthrew an Emperor, 

Exhorting young and old to unite and make the

Motherland strong. A little boy listens to voices.

Memories are strong and will never fade away!

Strains of music waft in the air, voices-spoken

Scratch through layers of time. Parents, speaking

Words of encouragement and advice reprimand-

Old music wafting through the ether, gone.

Born in a land one wishes to visit to look at the

Places one lived in, meet childhood friends, and

Know that they were for real. Alas! That time 

Has passed, and memories are all that remain!

Often, one wonders if they were mere dreams.

And all this while the spool  rolls, vinyl spins

The cassette rolls, songs drift down memory

Lane, reminding us of another world where

Time was spent in nature's lap, watching 

Lions in the cotton field, crocodiles basking.

The patriotic songs of victory float from the

Celluloid projected by Russians, stirring a

Sense of pride, wonder where Vera and Stephen

Might be, or even that despot who visited us in

School, even as armed soldiers faced us.