Dear Readers,
Luckily, Filter Coffee #13 got quite a few good reviews. A big thank you to all those who took time out to post comments and suggestions — please continue to do so.
I shall begin this week’s news on a solemn note. The untimely demise of S P Balasubrahmanyam has left a void. I was — and will continue to be — his great fan. RIP Balu Sir. Readers, please listen to the last song that he sang for his fans.
🇮🇳 The Mahatma

Friday was the 152nd birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a man who braved the British and helped secure freedom for the country. The euphoria of that momentous achievement was marred by the partition of the country, and what is worse is that the divide is deepening day by day. I am sure the Mahatma died inside when partition took place, even before a bullet felled him.
His autobiography, The Story of my Experiments with Truth chronicles his life from childhood until 1921. The book is one of the most read ‘Gandhian books’ since its publication in 1927.
This book may have inspired the adoption of “Satyameva Jayate” as the national motto on 26th January 1950, Republic Day. This phrase is from the Mundaka Upanishad which is part of the Atharva Veda. The Mahatma’s quote: “No God is higher than truth” epitomises the virtue of integrity. Yet, what happens around us is often far from the truth. Let us hope that future generations will live in a more reformed India where ‘duty’ takes precedence over everything else as was said in the Bhagavad Gita:
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेसषु कदाचन, मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते संगोसत्वकर्मणि.
Gandhi-ji displayed his high regard and concern for women. In his own words:
“Women have been suppressed under custom and law for which man was responsible and in the shaping of which she had no hand. Rules of social conduct must be framed by mutual cooperation and consultation. Women must realize their full status and play their part as equals of men.”
This empowerment of women forms the perfect backdrop for my next discussion.
👨👧The Law relating to adoption
Can a single man or woman adopt a child?

There are volumes of history written about adoption as it existed from time immemorial. Significant among them is the school of thought that characterized adoption of a son as a necessity for a father who did not have a son, as otherwise he would have no one to perform his last rites and help him attain moksha. In fact this belief extended to having a son, a grandson, and a great grandson. While it may sound farfetched now, one cannot ignore the ancient beliefs that surrounded adoption if one is to appreciate the subsequent codification of the law relating to adoption.
Adoption of a girl child has an equally prolific history. It can be seen in scripts as ancient as the Ramayan, wherein King Janaka accepts Sita, found on the field, as a gift of Mother Earth. It is also said that Draupadi and her brother Dhrishtadyumna were adopted by King Drupada when they were born out of fire during the yagna that he performed.
Karna, an important character in Mahabharata, symbolises another aspect of adoption. He was the spiritual son of Kunti and the Sun God, but was adopted by a charioteer and his wife, after being found in a basket floating on the river. Dhuryodhana made him the King of Angada which symbolised the acceptance of a charioteer’s adopted son as a worthy royal.
If one were to apply the rule of ‘consent of wife’, it is not known if either King Janaka or King Drupada took their wife's consent before adopting Sita or Draupadi and her brother respectively. I point to this aspect because the law as it exists today stipulates that a married couple cannot adopt a girl or boy child unless the wife consents. The logic being that she must be willing to become the child’s adoptive mother.
Let me now refer to the law as it exists today. Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act 1956 is the comprehensive statute relating to Hindu adoption which came into force on 21st of December, 1956. I have not been able to understand the logic of dealing with Adoption (Sec. 5 to Sec. 17) and Maintenance (Sec. 8 to Sec. 28) in a single Act. But it is what it is. Of course it applies only to Hindus. Adoptions made according to ancient customs prior to 21st December were unaffected, but those customs and practices were superseded by the Act and adoptions would now have to be in accordance with the Act. (I will explain the Maintenance part in another edition.)
Under the customary rules, a female had no right to adopt a child, and only a married male could; without the wife’s consent, at that! Now under the Act both can do so, but a husband cannot adopt without the wife’s consent. This has significantly increased the say of the women in matters of adoption. In the distant past there were instances of men having affairs and legitimising the child by unilaterally adopting it without disclosing that the child was illegitimate. That is no longer possible in modern times if the wife objects.
The girl child could never have been adopted before the enactment. Now a girl or boy child below the age of 15, even if orphaned, can be adopted. However, a man can adopt a girl child only if the difference in their ages is 21 years or more.
Interestingly in the Royal family of Mysore, Smt. Pramodadevi, wife of late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, adopted Yaduveer when he was 23 years of age. His adoption has been challenged on the ground that the Act does not permit adoption of a boy who is more than 15 years old. The Jury is still out on this.
A male and female Hindu can adopt a child as provided by section 7 and 8 of the Act respectively. The object underlying these Sections is to completely do away with the ancient Hindu Law of adoption, which stipulated that a male Hindu alone could take a son in adoption to himself in order to continue his lineage. A female had no right to take a son in her own name. However, a widow could adopt, not in her own name, but in the name of her deceased husband - the adopted child belonged to her deceased husband by the doctrine of relation back.
Under Sec. 7, a single male, and under Sec. 8, a single female can adopt a child subject to the conditions mentioned therein. Similarly, a spinster, a divorcee, or a widow/widower can also adopt a child. Interestingly, if a man loses his natural son who was married, he can adopt, but that would not take away the widow’s right to adopt a child of her own volition.
Performance of Datta Homa is no longer required, but the act of giving and taking needs to be completed. It is therefore advisable to draw up a deed of adoption, although it is not compulsorily registrable. Once adopted, the child will have equal rights to property as would a natural born child have.
Please note that in the case of abandoned children, a separate procedure is prescribed under the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and Central Model Rules promulgated under this Act.
Readers, for want of time and space I have only covered certain essentials of adoption. I do recommend those interested in knowing more about various matters concerning adoption to please visit the site of 🔗 Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
Please leave a comment with any questions or clarifications.
Potpourri
🧓🏾 For those who are Sixty-plus and Going Strong
A sizable portion of my readers are either senior citizens, near-senior citizens, or care for senior citizens. For them, here’s something from my archives:

(I do know you are all aware of this, but we need some reminders once in a while!)
There are 1000-year old trees in the mountain, but not many 100 year-old people. At the most, you live until 100 years old (only 1 in 100,000).
Because you don’t have many years to live, and you can’t take along things when you go, you don’t have to be too thrifty.
Don’t worry about what will happen after you are gone, because when you return to dust, you will feel nothing about praises or criticisms.
Spend the money that should be spent, enjoy what should be enjoyed, donate what you are able to donate, but don’t leave all to your children or grandchildren, for you don’t want them to become parasites.
Don’t expect too much from your children. Caring children, though caring, would be too busy with their jobs and commitments to render any help.
Your children take for granted that they are rightful heirs to your wealth, but you have no claims to their money.
60-year olds like you, don’t trade in your health for wealth anymore. Because your money may not be able to buy your health. When to stop making money, and how much is enough (hundred thousands, million, ten million)?
So long as you have enough food and enough money to spend, that is good enough. So you should live happily. Every family has its own problems.
Just do not compare with others for fame and social status and see whose children are doing better, etc. but challenge others for happiness, health and longevity.
Don’t worry about things that you can’t change because it doesn’t help and it may spoil your health.
You have to create your own well-being and find your own happiness. As long as you are in a good mood, think about happy things, do happy things daily and have fun doing, then you will pass your time happily every day.
One day passes, you will lose one day; one day passes with happiness, and then you gain one day. In good spirit, sickness will cure; in happy spirit, sickness will cure fast; in good and happy spirit; sickness will never come.
With good mood, suitable amount of exercise, always in the sun, variety of foods, reasonable amount of vitamin and mineral intake, hopefully you will live another 20 or 30 years of healthy life.
Above all learn to cherish the goodness around and cherish your FRIENDS as they all make you feel young and "wanted" and without them you are sure to feel lost!!
☕️ International Coffee Day
I’m sure you’re all aware that I appreciate a good cup of coffee. That’s why I was excited to learn that October 1st is celebrated as International Coffee Day. International Coffee Day (ICD) promotes and celebrates coffee as a beverage. The first ICD was celebrated on October 1st, 2015 and it was launched in Milan. This day is aimed at promoting coffee trade. So who’s behind the coffee in our cups? The International Coffee Organization (ICO). The ICO is an intergovernmental organization for coffee, that connects exporters and importers highlighting the challenges facing the coffee sector. It is reported to oversee 98% of world coffee production and 67% of world coffee consumption. And when 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed around the world each day, I’d say they’re doing quite well, wouldn’t you? Let’s raise a mug, albeit belatedly, to one of the world’s most popular beverages.
👰🏻 Getting Married and Having a Say ?

🔑 Remembering passwords:
Two very elderly ladies are chatting and one of them says, “I have difficulty remembering my password”. The other lady says, “I have found a way to remember my password. I have made my password “incorrect”. So when I type some random password, the system tells me “your password is incorrect”.”
Have a great week ahead and take good care of yourselves. See you next week!
Thank you! In the upcoming newsletter I will be covering "adoption" by Christians and Muslims.
The loss of an absolute legend. Just contemplating on the fact that he sang over 40k songs is mind numbing. There is a petition being circulated that the Bharat Ratna should be conferred on him albeit posthumously and I am a firm believer of the same. If Tendulkar was awarded the country's highest honor for scoring a century of centuries then almost half a lakh songs and that too in various languages is no mean feat either.
The fact that October 2nd is now known more for it being a dry day and that liquor stores are abuzz the night before really paints a picture of how many even reminisce the Mahatma and his sacrifices for the nation. Social media and whatsapp university is only trying to bring out the negativity by making him responsible for the partition. I only hope that people focus on the positives and leave all the historical uncertainties aside.
Time is an aspect that certainly flies! It seems like it was yesterday when you were to embark on a journey of publishing this column and even before we realized we are already reading the 14th edition!! Here's to many more interesting articles that will be penned in the near future!!