We often talk about how change is the only constant. We also, sometimes reluctantly so, upgrade and upskill ourselves according to the changing times. However, when it comes to our lives and the way we live in our societies - certain perspectives and thought processes - are often left stagnant and unquestioned.
Now, if you are an Adigaprasangi (rebel) like our host - Subhalakshmi Ramalingan, Executive Producer, Fever FM, Chennai - then this podcast, Kalacharam Reset is for you. Here Subhlakshmi will touch upon all aspects of our society that affect us. Right from the naming ceremony to adolescence, from individual identities to careers and relationships, she will question everything. So, tune in now to find answers or arguments that best suit you.
This is a Fever FM production, brought to you by HT Smartcast.
Why is Mental health important ? | Mana nallam yen mukiyam?
Asking for help is often seen as an act of weakness. However, if we look closely taking financial help like loans is encouraged, similarly seeking a doctor's help for medical reasons is also encouraged.
However, it's exactly the opposite in the case of wanting to seek mental health support.
You don't have to necessarily reach a stage where seeking mental health support is your last resort. Anyone at any given point can reach out to a mental health professional. In fact, doing so can prevent the severity of mental health issues that one might face in future. However, there are several factors that stop one from taking that step. Such as : what other people will think, my problem isn't big enough to seek support, talking to friends and family is equal to therapy etc.
In this episode. Listen to our host @subhalakshmi discuss with our guest Janani Vasanth that seeking help for mental health support is a sign of strength. And an active measure to take care of oneself. To catch more on this conversation. Tune in Now!
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1 Nov 2022
Death | Maranam
Nothing is permanent in this world. And we are no exception to that. We often forget that we are mortals. And as Shakespeare says, "All the world's a stage and all the men and women are merely players". We enter the world, play our part, share some scenes with some people and exit when it's time.
We are prepared and certain about the birth of a baby, but we can never be prepared or be certain about death.
In this episode of Kalacharam Reset, listen to our host @subhalakshmi discuss with the guest, Sundaravalli about how perception around death can be so different. One must take their time to feel the grief without being tangled in the rituals. She also shares how; it doesn't always have to be a subject to mourn or to feel sorry about. We can celebrate death too by celebrating the kind of life one has lived. To catch more on this conversation. Tune in Now!
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14 Oct 2022
What is family? Oru kudumbam na enna?
Culture is a part of our imagined realities that has evolved with time. The idea of "family" is one of the prime aspects of it. We can even say that it's the source of many cultural and social behaviours.
We used to live in a certain way many years ago and that is rapidly changing according to changing socio-economic and political times. Our needs and demands were different before and now they are very different.
We seem to have adopted a lot of new ways of living, be it technology, transport, or fashion. We have also accepted nuclear families as normal from joint families. However, what about accepting newer structures that challenge the age-old family tree? How about same-sex couples, single parents, and pet parents?
Isn't family a place to feel belonged? If so, do we feel belong in our families all the time? Does family mean only blood relation?
In this episode of Kalacharam Reset listen to our host @subhalakshmi discuss these questions with our guest Archana devi who a Charted Accountant by profession is, a single mom to a special child and an artist. Someone who's sailing through challenges like a boss and challenging every unstated norm that there is in society. She shares how, we need to cultivate the behaviour of empathy and not pity in society towards other people. Tune in now!
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5 Oct 2022
Love beyond Cultures | Kalacharathukku Adangaadha Kaadhal
The culture in which we grow up is for the most part invisible; we hardly even notice it until we're forced to step outside and see it from a fresh perspective. A large amount of what we do, say, think, believe, and to some extent, feel - is shaped by the culture we come from. Now the challenge that is expected out of a cross-cultural relationship or marriage is coping with these differences when it comes to the belief systems, rituals, cooking, clothing, etc. Lifestyle disagreements are often an expected consequence of cross-cultural marriage by our elders. These disagreements can sometimes be sparked by resentment because one or both partners or their respective parents feel their culture is being rejected or attacked when the other refuses to follow their customs or traditions. The fear of loss of one's culture and tradition leads to the most common norm of discouraging marriage in a different culture altogether. Thus, claiming to protect it.
In this episode listen to a couple who are challenging this very norm, who come from distinctly diverse backgrounds yet are together sharing a love for the people they are and not their cultural identities. Hear our host, Subhalakshmi in conversation with this couple for whom the differences never mattered. What mattered, was each other's company. Tune in now!
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23 Sept 2022
Beauty standards | Azhagu Vaguppugal
Unrealistic beauty standards are an evil in today's day and age.
It can lead to a lot of issues with mental and physical health while trying to change oneself to fit in. Mean comments are often passed on when one is challenging the "norm" or deviating from the set standards.
And the only way to bring about change is to continue to challenge these norms.
In this episode of Kalacharam Reset, listen to our host @subhalakshmi discuss with body-positive activist-model Akhshaya about how it's important to relook at every beauty standard out there that has been fed to us. And how it is of utmost importance to unlearn these norms at the earliest to embrace ourselves. Tune in now!
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16 Sept 2022
The Art, Artist and Society | Kalai, Kalaingargal Mattrum Samudayam
Storytelling has always been an integral part of human society. Humans as social beings have practised storytelling in various formats with time which also serves as a source of entertainment. With the development in technology and other areas, Cinema came in exiting from theatre and that has played a crucial role in archiving history and also sometimes reshaping it. Since it's also a medium that brings all kinds of other art forms together the influence of cinema in our lives is also big.
This episode talks about how cinema and art shape our every day, whether movies should be socially responsible, The affair between cinema and politics, Is it vanity over content? Why is content king? Will the culture of worshipping actors as demi-god end in Tamil cinema?
In this episode listen to our host @subhalakshmi speak with actor-director-producer KrishnaKumar aka KK describe about how we always learn about a society from its art and culture. Tune in Now!
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25 Aug 2022
Food and Experiment | Unavum Parisodanayum
Sometimes the feeling of home is not a place or even its people it's The FOOD!!! Sometimes you don't have to travel physically, the aroma is sufficient to make you feel nostalgic, and you travel down memory lane.
One thing that has been a constant company in the process of evolution and human beings travelling is their food. Food plays an integral part in our culture. Many of our flavours are borrowed and many lent. So, what's really "Authentic"?
Catch our host @Subhalakshmi in conversation with The Masterchef Tamil judge - Chef Koushik aka Themadchefindia discuss about how it's the magnanimity of the mind to experiment and innovative new cuisines and not be rigid with one popular way of cooking. Tune in now!
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18 Aug 2022
"The identity Crisis" | Adayalam oru kelvikuri
If you are someone who has grown up in an environment full of mixed cultures there are chances that you identify as an oddball. That you are as much an insider as you are an outsider. Chances are, that time and again you stood at a unique vantage point where you could draw parallels between the cultures you belong to, and decide for yourselves and your loved ones, what is worth imbibing and what's worth discarding.
However, when you began making such choices, did you land yourself in tricky situations? Where you were told you aren't authentic enough to have an identity? That you don't belong? That you are now the other?
But, like every coin has two sides this othering too has its own advantages. In this episode of Kalacharam Reset, listen to our host @Subhalakshmi - a Tamilian with roots in Kerala who grew up in Delhi - speak to RJ Sindhu - the breakfast show host at Fever FM Chennai - about how Sindhu now has an upper hand in her professional, social and personal life because she is a product of mixed cultures.
If you are in a similar situation, tune in to learn how to turn it to your advantage, now!
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11 Aug 2022
It all starts at home | Idhu epdi appa amma kitte sollaradu?
It is always a terrifying feeling to start a conversation with your parents. Especially When you have to do "The talk" with them, be it about your career or a life partner. However, it's not always the big Conversations but also about the everyday life choices where the differences spur. We often label this as the generation gap.
In this episode, host Subhalakshmi is in conversation with her father talking about subjects ranging from relationships, marriage, jobs, fashion and global warming. Because you are not alone in this struggle. We are all in the same boat. The responses of the guest are personal and do not intend to hurt anyone's sentiments. A fun conversation between the father-daughter duo trying to understand their opinion on subjects that interest this generation. Tune in now!
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3 Aug 2022
Gender is non-binary| Palinam irandu dhana?
As we discussed in our 1st episode about some identities being chosen like "Name". Gender too comes in that category. However, that's not how it's perceived. We usually perceive gender to be a given identity.
The gender assigned at birth is according to the infant's external anatomy.
However, gender identity is beyond one's anatomy. It's a person's expression of the self. More importantly, gender is non-binary. It must be seen on a scale than just as a man or a woman. Having said that it is not easy to express oneself in a society like ours where binary is THE norm and you are perceived as problematic or "need to be treated" because you are being deviant to the norm.
In this episode of Kalacharam Reset, Subhalakshmi brings you a guest - Arif Afreen who identifies himself as a Transman discussing the importance of embracing each other for who we are. He shares his experience of coming out of the closet and how liberated he feels about expressing his true self. He says that regarding individuals as fellow humans before their gender is what will lead us to an equal world where the responsibility of change must begin with each one of us.
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27 Jul 2022
That time of the month | Andha Moonu Naal
That time of the Month. The Red Wedding. Shark Week. Aunt Flo. Chums. There are so many names used to suggest when a female is on her period. Sometimes, the names are used as an internal joke amongst those who menstruate. Other times, they are used in hush-hush tones, in embarrassment. The usage depends on the kind of situation and the persons involved in discussing it. In the Tamil culture, the first period is often celebrated. Friends and family are gathered to witness the coming of age of a girl that she is now ripe and ready to begin a family.
But, as soon as, a phenomenon like this becomes the talk of the town, oftentimes, people forget the person who was supposed to be celebrated in the 1st place. As a result, celebrating maadavidai, is reduced to a mere ritual. So much so, that even in schools where sex education should be imparted, girls and boys are taken to separate rooms where red-faced teachers rush them through the basic information without even checking its credibility. So what effect does all this have on us? How does it shape our conversations around gender? How do people of different sexes find a way to support each other in all this? Subhalakshmi discusses all this and more with a fellow sufferer. Tune in now!
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20 Jul 2022
What's in a name? | Per le enna than iruuku?
Identities are of two types, one that you are born with and the other that you choose in the course of your life. So which category does your name fit in? Often if you notice, Tamil names are a reflection of a person's class, caste, region, religion and other such identities and very less about that person. Oftentimes, names are also a source of ridicule for our guest - Maheen. One of the alphabets used in her name is generally used for more than one phonetic sound in the Tamil language. As a result, she was often made fun of by her peer and is still known more as Maggie than her original name.
Now, it's true that when the naming ceremonies happen, we are too young to decide for ourselves. However, does it mean that we can't change our name if we don't associate with it? Also, isn't it better to have gender-neutral names? Why is choosing for ourselves so difficult? All this is what Subhalakshmi discusses in this episode. Tune in now!
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20 Jul 2022
Kalacharam Reset Trailer
The Tamil language is one of the world's longest-surviving classical languages with a history dating back to 300 BCE. Tamil literature is dominated by poetry and therefore, one can say the culture is as old as the language. But, as much as we enjoy its rich heritage, architecture, cuisine, arts, and culture, there are a few practices still observed in Tamil households today, that leave us in awe. Today's generation, especially, finds it hard to decipher them and assumes them to be dated. But are these practices dated and what flavours can we bring from our modern-day learning to them? This is what Subhalakshmi ponders in this podcast.
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