New Middle Earth tale flies off racks

Delhi hosted the Indian segment of the worldwide release of The Children of Hurin, the latest among John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s epic tales on Middle Earth, last week.

The release — more than 30 years after the death of Tolkien, the author of the chartbuster trilogy Lord of The Rings — by publishers Harper Collins India was accompanied by a three-day online party. Edited by Tolkien’s son Christopher, the book had popular bookshop owners in Khan Market and Aurobindo Market salivating at the prospects of ground-breaking sales.

“The book didn’t carry the hype of a Harry Potter, but Tolkien fans are much more loyal than fans of J.K. Rowling (the author of the Harry Potter series). Customers had already enquired about the book before its release,” said P.K. Sharma of Midlands bookstore in Aurobindo market.

As the book reaches stores across the country, Tolkien buffs can enjoy chatting, games, competitions and live question-answer sessions with other authors at parties on TolkienLibrary.com and TolkienGateway.net.

Bribe scan on law officers

They are supposed to keep the wheels of justice moving, not grease their own palms. To rein in itching hands, Andhra Pradesh high court has decided to take steps to keep its judicial officers in lower courts under a scanner.

One of the first things to be done will be to set up an inquiry cell at the high court to look into complaints of graft, neglect, human rights violations and other lapses. The move, part of suggestions made at a recent conference of chief justices, will also boost the existing vigilance cell.

The court expects the state to appoint a senior judicial officer to look into the huge number of complaints pending before the vigilance cell. “I am confident that the majority of cases, pending because there aren’t enough competent judges to give them attention, will be resolved,” said Andhra high court chief justice G.S. Singvi.

Job offers at temple gate

Some BPO firms in Chennai have hit upon a novel way to “catch them young” — and without spending on recruitment ads.

The hunt for smart customer service executives has targeted graduates and diploma holders. Even students just out of Plus Two could fit the bill. However, one such firm insisted on proficiency in Kannada as one of the requirements.

The company wanted people, and wanted them fast. To ensure its message reached the aspirants, it didn’t place the ads in dailies. Instead, it pasted a notice, which had cell numbers of its officials, at the gates of Sri Pejavara Mutt. The shrine is a branch of the Madhavacharya Vaishnava Sampradaya in Udupi, Karnataka.

The job notice outside the temple intrigued ordinary devotees, but not Kannadiga young men who frequent the shrine. Hoping their prayers for a job might be answered, they started called up the numbers. Some might have even got lucky.

On a prayer

Sassikala trooped into a temple recently to pray for friend Jayalalithaa. Nothing unusual about that, except the rituals were meant to appease Rahu, the most feared of the nine planetary deities, or Navagrahas, in the Hindu pantheon.

Priests at the Thirunageshwaram temple in Thanjavur were told to carry out a special abhishekam (sacred bathing) of the Rahu idol. This was done to help Amma beat the evil effects of unfavourable planetary positions.

In astrology, tough times are called Rahu Dasha. Now, only the prayers have to be answered.

Delhi: Celebrate World Dance Day — April 28 — with some of India’s maestros at the India International Centre. Mrinalini Sarabhai leads a discussion on the past, present and future of Indian dance, from 10.30 am to 1 pm. At 6.30 pm, refresh yourself with Geeta Chandran’s exhilarating Bharatnatyam.