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If you play a word association game, the word most associate with the rains is … delay! Now you know why the barsaat blog mela is delayed. Ok, the real reason is medical, but I won’t bore you with details of my prescription. Some people have been waiting a long time (What? You expected an April Fool’s joke? In July?)

Let’s the downpour from Bharatiya Blogs begin!

Saket Vaidya looks at sex determination through the prism of individual liberty.

Ashish Hanwadikar (and Primary Red) prepare the ground for a secular-right front in India.

TTG visits the Taj and decides to tongue lash a cheapo. (More power to you!)

Nilu asks “Why are people socialists?” In five parts. I link to the first. you’ll go and check out the rest.

Neelakantan thinks some piracy is good. (read Aadisht Khanna’s sharp comment as well)

Sunil Laxman talks about the uncomfortable acceptance of dowry even among the “intellectual cream”

Dilip D’Souza uncovers an inept rendition of recent history. Actually, it’s not inept, it’s devious.

Suhail Kazi clicks an obliging truck keeling over. (It happens in loads of places, not just India my friend!)

Vikrum lucidly elaborates on the fair and lovely complex we Indians have.

On shaadi.com, a website meant for Indians looking arranged marriages, members are supposed to describe their complexion. The choices (from lightest to darkest) range from, “Very Fair-Fair-Wheatish-Wheatish Medium-Wheatish Brown-Dark.”

I could not find a single person, man or woman, who described his or herself as “dark.” I found people who were very dark-skinned who described themselves as “wheatish brown” or “wheatish medium.” (In case you were wondering, “wheatish” is an Indian term that means, well, “like the color of wheat.”)

I challenge you to find someone who describes his or herself as “Dark.”

Uma Mahadevan-Dasgupta is furious. And yes, it’s not bloody ok to accuse women of over reacting when they complain of sexual harassment.

The #1 song in Britain is a ringtone. Pisses off some people.

Ravikiran has a few words to say on nasty comments. (few = 1,257 actually)

Jest Indian curries on in the White House.

Vivek Kumar talks about Liberalisation of the Mind

Amit Yadav cheers both L K Advani and Manmohan Singh’s fresh views (on Jinnah and the British Raj respectively)

Patrix rants on dynastic politics.

Prasenjeet Datta compares non-proliferation with realpolitik.

This is a roundup of the Indian blogosphere, so cricket can’t be left out (even if we’re not talking about Indian cricket). Dynamic Ram doesn’t think too much of Ponting’s suggestion that decisions on catches be left to the fielding side.

Jaideep over at Zoo Station has an insightful reason on why the West will take Amartya Sen’s Argumentative Indian more seriously than works of Khilnani or Tharoor.

Gawker points out the hypocrisy of the church when it criticises Harry Potter. I loved this touch:

The artist formerly known as Cardinal Ratzinger and now called “Pope Benedict XVI” (for tax purposes) has also expressed his disapproval to the subtle seduction underlying the Harry Potter stories. When asked to elaborate, the cardinal replied in a funny sounding German accent, “You know I did not actually read it. It’s 700 pages long and I am already 80 years old”.

And how insipid will the mela be without a megalomaniac? So here’s a small post. If you live in a city that needs development work, you know whom to call!

Nivas doesn’t like the ban on smoking on screen. And more, Jayalalitha’s entrance exam shenanigans also invite his ire.

Vikram Arumilli laments the lack of diversity in Indian bookstores.

Michael Higgins disses Jayalalitha giving gifts (not with her own money, of course!)

The main reason why you don’t want politicians spending your money to buy you gifts is that you could have spent that money yourself.

And his succint description of TN politics is priceless.

Every few years, the residents of Tamil Nadu have a curious custom. They vote for the, “most contemptible Tamilian.” (MCT) Each of the recent contests has pitted J. Jayalalitha and M. Karunanidhi (who named his son “Stalin”). The “winner” gets to be Chief Minister. They have fun arresting each other.

Trust a Bong to dissect how hot Bong babes are!

On that hot note, this mela bids you goodbye. Now, go out and get wet in the rain! But before you go, here’s a a big thanks to all those who nominated posts. I’ve had a great week reading some super stuff. Couldn’t add all to the mela, but if you want to see what I skipped, check out the nominations. A bigger thanks to those who waited patiently for the mela to appear. Till the next mela then!