Payoshni Kulkarni

Researcher, Writer & Designer

ACJ Newsline •

Lakshmi: A Tamil Woman of Two Countries

About pricing items, Lakshmi said: "From customers, we take only the money required for cutting and cleaning and do not include other costs such as transportation. Transport facility is not available every day. Only one common vehicle leaves from Dhanushkodi to Rameshwaram once or twice a week."

Unlike other sellers in the area, Lakshmi's daily income was less than Rs 500 in tourist season, and less than 300 on other days. “My husband died 10 years ago, we used to earn about Rs 700-800 then.”
ACJ Newsline •

When letters were sent across conflicted borders: Story of Olaikuda Village

The village mostly is silent and calm, except when there's a India-Sri Lanka cricket match. As the tension on field increases, the women wait with bated breaths for their husbands to return. This village - Olaikuda is one of the fishing villages in Rameswaram district.


David, 35, native to the village and a proud fisherman, subtly bemoans as he narrates the tale of his misfortune. "That night we left early. We usually start fishing early in the day, and begin again at 11 p.m. to end at wee ho
ACJ Newsline •

City's Heritage Icon: Chennai Central

About 350,000 passengers traverse through the terminus every day. Chennai Egmore, Coimbatore Junction, Madurai Junction, Salem Junction are sister stations that connect to the venerable Central, are also the most profitable stations of Southern Railways.

The Southern Railways was one of the first encounters started by the Madras Railway Company in an attempt to network South India in 1856. The first station was built at Royapuram, which remained the main station at that time. Completion of the