God's Own Country!!!

I wonder...

2012-01-24T22:42:00.002+05:30

In my opinion, whoever had said, “naattinpuram nanmakalaalsamriddham”, never did have a futuristic outlook. Looking at the sorry state ofour village life today, he would definitely have regretted his words…

Recently, we had been to our native village, Manjallur. It was around 5:30 PM when we reachedthere, and as my mother and aunt were chattingaway with a cousin of theirs’, I got out of the house and made my way to oneend of their compound wall which adjoined the magnificent ‘Mananchira’, a pondwhich has a history that dates back tothe Zamorin’s times, it seems. The cool and still waters of the Decemberevening reflected the various trees that lined its banks and now and then, I couldsee the head of a water snake gliding away in its cool waters. On the otherside of the pond was the small Aiyappa temple where a Narayaneeyam recital wasgoing on. The serenity of the atmosphere coupled with various old memories,brought in me a sense of sublime joy which is really hard to describe…

Gradually, the sun began its Westward descent and the veryplace which looked bright and cheery sometime back, slowly assumed an eerie silencethat rather unnerved me. Twilight had arrived as unobtrusively as possible and Irealized that it had also brought along a pall of gloom to the wholeatmosphere. Dusk, to me, does have itspeculiarities, and cheerfulness is certainly not one of them…

The time was just about 6:15 PM and as far as I wasconcerned, there was still a good part of the day left. But surprisinglyenough, in that small village, not a single soul could be sighted anywhere inthe vicinity. The houses in the area which had earlier seemed warm and invitingin daylight, suddenly assumed a ‘haunted’ feel in the twilight hour…

Ruins of old ancestral homes cast shadows over the recentlyconstructed ones that had come up thanks to the money brought in by the presentgeneration who were settled in far off lands… but what I found common in almostall houses was the fact that they were frequented by not more than two peopleat the most. There were old grandparents, spinster aunts, widows, widowers…helpless people who either chose to live their remaining days in the land oftheir birth, or people condemned to a life of loneliness by a quirk of fate!

As soon as twilight set in, all doors and windows were shutand fastened and only a dull glow from a lonely CFL lighted the rooms and theminds of the inmates who were seen absorbed in the melodramatic fare churnedout by the idiot box, providing a sort of escape from the lonely hours ahead…

As we bid goodbye to my mother’s cousin and got in the car,a spinster aunt – a childhood friend of my mother- who was condemned to livealone, ran up to us and started chatting nineteen to the dozen of her siblings,nieces, nephews, grand nephew, etc. somehow, I couldn’t help feel irritated as Iwas seriously on an ‘escape’ mode and was in a hurry to get back home. As I startedthe car and turned my head to bid a cordial goodbye, I caught a glint of tearsin her eyes that have haunted me ever since…

The poem of G. Shankara Kurup, ‘Innu njan, naaley nee” comesto my mind…

Karthika - A Festival of Lamps

2011-12-10T13:43:00.001+05:30

I still remember with amusement, that small school girl ofyesteryears who desperately wanted to accompany her parents for a much longedfor ‘town trip’ and hence risked lying to them that it was a school holiday forthe Karthika festival. It was another matterthat her lie was discovered promptly by a quirk chance of ill luck and duepunishments doled out… I was that 8-yearold girl and what makes it so very embarrassing is that even today, after aboutthirty years or so, I am still ragged mercilessly for that one stray incident!

Even otherwise, the festival of Karthika is something that Itruly bond with, not because of any religious sentiment, but due to the factthat it is also considered to be a festival of lamps. In fact, it was onlyrecently that I bothered to find out that Karthika which falls on the Malayalammonth of ‘vrischikam’, is in commemoration of the birthday of Lord Murugan orKarthikeyan.

Pure, mesmerizing magic! That’s the only way I can describethe atmosphere created on a Thrikarthika day! The soft golden glow emittingfrom the tiny flicker of dozens of clay lamps (chirathu) lit during dusk at the frontentrance of the house is indeed an enthralling experience and rather humblingtoo in a way, and what makes it special for me is that it gives a sense ofpeace and harmony which is hard to define. Perhaps it’s a rare moment when I amable to connect with my inner soul…

A Room With A View

2011-12-07T14:37:00.001+05:30

Thehealth club that i am a member of is situated on the first floor of aparticular building on a rather busy road. It is actually a big hall withtinted glass windows on the side facing the road so as to accord a certainamount of privacy to the members who desperately sweat away their store ofblubber on various machines.

I particularly enjoy my20 minute stint on the treadmill, contrary to the views of my fellow gym-matesmany of who find it rather boring and uninspiring. But what makes itinteresting for me is not just the exercise factor which i find particularlyeffective, but the fact that the treadmill is situated at the far end of thehall adjacent to those big glass windows overlooking the busy road whichhappens to be a sea of activity.

One particular type ofactivity stands out from the others, highly intensified due to the location ofa watering hole (a bar, if you please) right across the road, the entrance ofwhich can be viewed perfectly from atop the treadmill. This is when i amconvinced of the various stories which make the round about the Malayalee's insatiabletryst with liquor.

What i understand frommy voyeuristic activity is that this is a bar which is frequented by the'downmarket' crowd. It starts as early as 7.AM when you can actually see aconsiderable queue of patient people waiting nearby for its doors to open.There are no seats or tables. People just walk in, give their order, and areserved instantly. I understand so because often i see people walk in and out within a span of 5minutes! Previously, there used to be a crude notice on the door of the baremphasizing rates/glass written on it. But i don't see it these days. Perhapssomeone objected to it, or a pauper of a drunk tore it off in anger... whoknows!

Yesterday evening, i sawan old man in crutches (one of his legs were heavily bandaged from his kneedown as though he had suffered a fracture) and a bandaged head hobble down the bar and walk unsteadily down the road. A few minutes later, a young boy(can't be more than 18) with a red cap and a backpack made his way out of thebar and walked away nonchalantly.

Though i don't reallyencourage liquor consumption, I don't have anything against people who enjoytheir drop. But the problem starts when it transcends limits and reaches tosuch an extent where they lose all dignity and self control. Watching halfnaked men sprawled across the gutter in an inebriated condition certainlyevokes a sort of pity not for them, but for their family members who perhapsmight be anxiously waiting for their return back home...

Well.. my 20 minuteshave elapsed and i need to spend time on other fitness machines as well. Sountil next time, it is adieu to my picture window.

Guruvayoor Ekadasi... memories of another day!

2011-12-05T21:14:00.001+05:30

Guruvayur Ekadasi brings fond memories of my childhood days spent at our village, Mannalur in Palakkad dist of Kerala. As an eager 8 year old whose thoughts were filled to the brim with mystical fables from mythology, Ekadasi day was indeed a special one more so due to the visit to the nearby temple in a group consisting of cousins and other elders as well as the special diet which certainly had a charm of its own.

We would be woken up early in the cold December morning and after a bath in freezing waters of the 'Mananchira' (the nearby pond), would partake of the 'theertham' which rather signified the culmination of the fasting process. The main challenge after that would be to refrain from eating anything made of rice, and so wheat attained a whole lot of importance that day with breakfast consisting of wheat upma, lunch of wheat 'kanji' and dinner possibly a repeat performance since chapathi's were more of a rarity those days. (i'm speaking of the late 1970's).

Betel leaves with arecanut was considered auspicious after lunch and older women would assemble in the cool courtyard after lunch for this ritual. Somehow, the teeth and tongue stained red by the betel leaf juice held a sort of repulsion for me and to this day, i have not developed a liking for the stuff! I remember i used to be enthralled by the stories from Bhagavatham which one elderly relative used to narrate...

The evening temple visit in a group which consisted of several cousins, aunts,and other relatives were the main attraction of the day and we would happily walk kilometers to and fro savoring in the sights and smell of the countryside. we had to walk across fields and rough terrain to reach the temple, but who cared so long as there were pretty flowers or 'vellarankallu' (white pebbles) to add to our booty!

Ekadasi, in those days, was not just another ritual to follow. It was interlinked with a lot of other traditions and held a different sort of charm which has totally disappeared along with time. I am not complaining and neither am i lamenting the fact. Change is a way of life and the sooner we adapt to it, the better. But tomorrow, as another Guruvayur Ekadasi comes by, i can't help thinking about those carefree bygone days which my son can never experience nor enjoy...

Sabarimala Online Advance Queue Booking

2011-12-02T20:36:00.001+05:30

Thanks to the initiative taken by the Kerala police, it is now possible for Sabarimala pilgrims to book their place in advance in the serpentine queue for darshan of their favorite deity.Intended to check massive congestion and overcrowding which leads to chaos and confusion, this new system of issuing Q-coupons online is supposed to bring in some relief both to the pilgrims who avail of it, as well as the concerned security personnel.

Accordingly, prospective pilgrims can register at the kerala police website by filling out the mandatory forms and uploading their photograph, after which they can take a print out of the Q-coupon which is to be produced for verification at the site, along with their ID card. A particular time would be issued during which they can take their respective place in the queue at 'nadapandal' without having to go through the hassle of waiting indefinitely. At an age where everything has a price tag, this facility is surprisingly free of cost and involves no payments at any stage!

Must say that this is definitely a commendable effort by the Kerala Police and would certainly bring a lot of relief to pilgrims coming from far and wide. Here's hoping that they come up with much more innovations which can lighten the load of these devotees of Lord Ayyappa and ensure their safe return.

A heartfelt eulogy to Joy Sastampadikkal

2011-12-02T16:30:00.000+05:30

It was pretty unnerving, seeing Joy sir’s picture in the front page of the Mathrubhoomi for the wrong reason. Ultimately, death has taken him away from our midst and the thought that he will no longer be around in the Palakkad social circle seems quite odd.

I didn’t know Joy Sastampadikkal personally. There were a few opportunities where I had interacted with him, but those moments did leave a lasting impression of this great personality in my mind. I still remember those days when I used to be associated with the Balajanasakhyam as a rakshaadhikari of our colony unit. My visit to the Malayala Manorama office to attend a Sakhyam meeting was the first time I came face to face with this dynamic personality.

The phrase, ‘Simple living and high thinking’ certainly attributed to Joy Sir. Dressed always in shirt and mundu, he was simplicity incarnate and there was none of this ‘I’m an influential person’ attitude about him which is rather common these days especially among the media. But the aura that he emanated, certainly commanded a whole lot of respect, that too voluntarily. We did meet on several other social occasions, and each time as he saw me, there would be a hint of a smile on his lips even though I was pretty certain he was racking his brains trying to place me.

The last time we met was while I went to the Malayala Manorama office a couple of years back with an invitation card for my exhibition. He offered me a seat in his small cabin and read the card patiently and with great interest. He asked me a few questions about the exhibition and guided me to give an invite to the editorial section too and assured me that the event would be covered by them. He never attended the exhibition, though.

Joy sir, I don’t know why you have influenced me so and neither do I understand why I am writing about you. But since yesterday morning after I learnt of your death through the newspaper, I felt a compelling urge to put my thoughts down as words. I will certainly miss your presence in this world.

RIP.

Mullaperiyar - A dam of concern!

2011-11-30T13:57:00.000+05:30

It is said that forthcoming wars between nations would be over water!

Very valid, considering the fact that two neighboring Indian states are ready to go for each other's throats because of an ancient dam which is threatening to collapse anytime and a treaty that was signed for sharing its waters centuries ago!

As the world goes hi-tech by the minute, as we get smarter and bolder due to innovations in technology, i guess our tolerance level is taking a downward plunge. Otherwise, why would you need the Indian Prime minister to mediate a dispute between two states which should ideally have been settled long back?

In my opinion, people's lives are much more important than any treaty or political party. Instead of politicizing the issue or wasting time on discussions and verbal warfare, the Kerala Govt urgently needs to take steps to lower the water level in the dam so that the threat of an imminent disaster can be averted to a great degree.

Disaster management techniques ought to be employed by the Govt and other NGO's and steps need to be taken to educate people in this regard. Life is certainly precious and i hope an amicable solution be reached soon so that we Malayalees can breath again without the Damocles sword of a Mullaperiyar dam hanging over our heads!

Resuming after a long break...

2011-11-30T13:44:00.000+05:30

After a long while, here i am again, trying to break the jinx and resume my blogs. So, let me wish myself a happy blogging period again.

Malayalee Planet ???

2008-11-07T17:45:00.000+05:30

No, this is not the name of the latest Kerala style restaurant!

A small planet,Planet 5178 has finally got a name , that too the name of a lecturer at SN College Kollam, Sainudeen Pattazhy. Why? Because in far away California, The Jet Propulsion Lab , a unit of Nasa, has recognized that this environmental scientist’s incredible work red rain, biological control of mosquitoes, health hazards of cell phone towers etc. is ground breaking! So now we have Planet 5178 Pattazhy! Great job maashe!

A Barbaric Custom

2008-01-17T20:09:00.000+05:30

I just saw a really barbaric custom in television today. Called the Jallikkattu, which culminates the harvest festival of Pongal, in Tamilnadu, it involves trying to clamber upon a fiery ox, which is allowed to run amok. The bull is ruthlessly starved for a few days, and fed with rice mixed with a local liquor, and then a bag of coins is tied to it’s horns. A huge noise is made and the frightened creature, in it’s bid for escape, runs wild with fury, with a dozen young men running behind it, and the unmanageable, enthusiastic crowd gathered around, cheers this disgusting spectacle. In this mayhem, obviously, lots of people get injured, and the less said about the animal, the better. No one ever speaks of that part.

It seems that in the Jallikkattu conducted in a village in Madurai yesterday, about eight people have been seriously injured. Due to widespread protests, especially among the animal enthusiasts, the court had previously tried to interfere and put an end to it, but it seems, in respect to the people’s religious sentiments(!), the Supreme Court had waved the green flag! And look at the consequences….

There must be thousands of such meaningless customs around, like the parade of the naked sanyasis some place in North India, mindless animal sacrifice in the name of religion, or the practice of piercing the cheeks and tounge to appease God. I really feel, such traditions ought to be reviewed seriously. After all, I am sure God doesn’t want to see his devotees hurt and injured.. Least of all, poor, dumb, animals at that!

School Youth Festivals

2008-01-14T19:02:00.000+05:30

Kollam is a very busy place these days. Hosting the state school youth festival has never been an easy task, as has been proved time and again, and this time too, the various cultural events are being conducted admist mixed reactions.

Though it brings up a lot of young talents, the youth festival these days, is considered to be a ‘harvest time’ for most dance and music teachers, with most of them charging hefty amounts to teach a single ‘item’, worthy of winning the prize. More than the inborn talents of the students, it is the money power of the parents which are often at display, dazzling the eyes of the common man. This is true especially among the dance items like Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, Keralanadanam, etc.

Though the school youth festival started with the noble intention of familiarizing the upcoming generation with the art and culture of the state, I think it has reached a very sorry state, what with the unhealthy competition among the participants, supported wholeheartedly by their families and respective schools. Every year, we get to hear of accusations regarding the credibility of the judges, many of who have been judging the same items regularly, for more than a decade!

It is doubtful if this grand school gala serves its intended purpose in any way. The only aim of the participants or their parents, seem to be the momentary glory and fame, after a victory, and obviously, the extra 30 marks, which every winner gets in their board examinations, courtesy the Kerala State Education Department. For some of the female candidates, a victory may also mean an easy ticket to filmdom, as can be seen from examples like Manju Warriar, Kavya Madhavan, Navya Nair, etc, (popularMalayalam actresses of today) who entered the arena of films after excelling in the State school youth festivals. Otherwise, just how many of these winners follow their artistic pursuits seriously???

Yesterday, during a group performance, one of the dancers fainted and fell down unconscious. If you thought that the other group members immediately came to her aid, you are wrong. The others continued without her! No one , including the eminent judges, paid any heed to that poor girl’s plight for a few minutes. It was only after a considerable time had elapsed that people came to help her out. Today again, a Kathakali performer, in the midst of her performance, had to discontinue it, due to a near fainting spell. Forget about first aid kits, they didn’t even have drinking water nearby to give the breathless girl!

Psychologists say that the number of students getting treatment for stress related problems, growing from inability to cope up with failure, is on the rise. Many of them are not able to come to terms with disappointments, and react in unpredictable manners.

I think it is the parents and teachers who ought to get psychiatric help. Why are we subjecting our children to such atrocities? Why don’t we let them develop their talents as per their will, and guide them accordingly, instead of pushing them into this mindless stream of competitions???

It is definitely time we started thinking of alternate means to promote our art and culture! Is anybody listening???

Kudos to Kerala Police!

2008-01-13T21:26:00.000+05:30

Interestingly enough, Kerala Police seems to be in the limelight for all the good reasons... They have managed to strategically place our own Palakkad in the world map, and that too, for a prestegious reason.

It might interest you to know that the palakkad town south police station has been adjudged the best Police station in India in a survey done by the Netherlands based Altus Global, an accredited agency working for the UN...

That's not all folks, The palakkad town south police station has also been ranked as the second best police station in the whole of South East Asia, in a test conducted by the same agency! It seems they were tested in Professionalism, physical condition, community orientation, equal treatment of the general public, and transperancy and accountability in their detention centers... and guess what?? They emerged with a cool 85 marks out of 100, in these tests! Now, isn't that impressive?

The police, these days, especially after this rare honour, seems to be getting down from their high horses, to mingle with the common people on the road in an extremely friendly manner. They go to resedential colonies for this purpose, and meet the residents, giving them friendly tips to remain alert and ward off theft and other activities, and also request them to remain alert to what happens in their neighbourhood. Patrolling is done throughout the night, enhancing the security measures. The residents are encouraged to call in 100, the police help line, if they encounter any problems and they are also invited to the police station to get themselves familiar with the faces in the rouges gallery, so that they can inform the police if they spot them anyplace. The police station itself seems to have undergone a change, with the incorporation of a reception area and seperate sections for women, children, and the aged. This Policestation infact boasts of a library too! any takers for that???

Moreover, it seems 47 closed circuit cameras are going to be installed in prime localities, so that these places can be monitored closely 24 hours a day. One of them have already been installed in the IMA junction, a popular place for nefarious activities in the dark.

The town south police station, recognising the merits of education, is placing emphasis on enrolling educated policemen and women in their rolls, and it seems, the present sub inspector, Mr. Unnikrishnan, is actually a highly qualified computer engineer, who is enthusiastically into technology. Let us hope that his qualifications are utilised in the best possible manner...

Nano, The new car model from TATA

2008-01-12T22:03:00.000+05:30

Come monsoons, and the most common sight on the road would be that of whole families, complete with the husband, wife and two or more small kids, squeezed together in a motorbike or scooter, trying to ward off the torrents by means of a raincoat or umbrella, wavering dangerously in the wind! With the state of the roads these days, it is a marvel that they all get home in one piece!

well.. looks like such scenes will soon be coming to an end, because, of the arrival of NANO, the new family car model from the house of the TATA's. It is supposed to be a five seater, with the engine positioned at the back. Tata claims it has a mileage of 20 km/ltr, which is indeed great, in Indian roads. Since it's unveiling a couple of days back at the international auto expo at New Delhi, The Nano has been the main talk of the town, primarily due to it's low pricing of Rs. One Lakh! Guess the common man's prayers have been answered...Let us wait and watch out for this tiny wonder.

A costly drink???

2008-01-06T14:57:00.000+05:30

Looks like calcium intake for the average malayalee is going to be a costly affair... Milk prices have been steadily on the rise since for some time now, and it was just a couple of months back that MILMA, had increased their prices to Rs. 17 per litre.

But it seems the director board has against appealed to the government to allow them to raise the prices to Rs. 20/- per litre.... A sum which is way beyond the reach of the common man!

Milk has been in short supply in the state for quite some time now. Gods own country is depending on it's neighbour, Karnataka, to satisfy it's requirements, what with Tamilnadu and Maharashtra turning down the request. If Karnataka too stops supplying milk, Malayalees are going to be in real trouble...

Inflation has already made the life of the common man difficult in many ways than one. Infact, when asked about the drastically increasing rice prices, one 'responsible' minister had a comment akin to the one made by the erstwhile French queen Mary Antoniette.... he said " Why should keralites be eating rice? It is high time we changed our food habits to chicken and eggs ...."

Howzzzzzaaaaattt????

Coconut tales...

2008-01-05T18:32:00.001+05:30

A few days back, there was a picture of a coconut tree laden with almost 2000 coconuts, in a local newspaper. Coconuts were hanging down very impressively, and it certainly left many a mouths agape... coconuts are verymuch considered a symbol of wealth and status, even though the farmers find it tough to get a fair price for their produce.

I think the one problem which has affected the coconut industry is the notion that both the kernel and the oil are bad for the heart. Most keralites, who used to swear by coconut oil in the past, have switched over to more heart-healthy sunflower oil and refined vegetable oils. Doctors too play a major role in this choice.

But looks as if the humble coconut has atlast proved it's stance! It seems all these bad publicity about it's negative effects have no ground, and scientists recently unearthed the fact that Coconut oil, infact may help to reduce harmful cholestrol and the like. It is very safe to consume. Newspapers like the Mathrubhoome brought it out in their front page itself! Let's hope that this bit of information gives a new lease of life to this evergreen nut. After all, What would kerala be without it's 'kera'???

Coconut tree climbers are in great demand in the state. Their numbers are fast dwindling, with the younger generation showing little interest in this profession. Technology has caught up with them too, and it seems there is a coconut climbing machine which can be easily handled even by enterprising ladies!

speaking of technology, most climbers these days have their own mobile phones, and can be contacted easily. It is another fact that you may be forced to cool your heels, till they find a convenient date to make their appearance. I know of a person who took leave from his office, in order to wait for the coconut climber, who had promised to come on a specific day... It may be amusing, but if coconuts are not plucked at the right time, they may just dry up and fall, and if some unlucky person or a vehicle happens to be below it, then the consequences may not be that funny!

It acutally happened to me once.. As i was driving past a house, i was shocked to hear something hit the side of the car and roll off. A passerby who had witnessed the incident confirmed the fact that it was actually a coconut that had chosen to fall at that time, that hit my car. Ofcourse, i had to shell out a handsome sum to get the dent repaired...I was just thankful that it didn't hit the windshield.. otherwise, it would have been a different scene!

Rhythmic Malayalee

2008-01-04T11:17:00.001+05:30

Let me wish the whole lot of you over there an extremely happy and prosperous New year! I guess i should be adding in 'healthy' too as an adjective of New year because, without proper health, i don't think anybody would be happy... right? So may you have a healthy, happy, and prosperous New year!

Since i am essentially a homebody, this new year's eve too was not very different from the others. I did look forward to watching something interesting on tv, though. But unfortunately, it was the same song and dance routine, which they dish out every other day.

Songs have always played a major part in the life of the average Keralite. But the way we enjoyed them was different from the people in other parts of our country. Till about a year or two back, we malayalees, always kept our dance and song apart. Dance was purely an affair where you danced to recorded music..Where as, singing was of a solemn nature, with the singer maintaining utmost seriousness and minimum possible expressions.

The audience to had a behavioural code... even if it was a popular disco number belted out by none other than Usha Uthup, the maximum they would do was to sit straight on their seats and clap along with the beats! We malayalees never used to be comfortable, expressing our emotions through any rhythmical movements.

But just have a look at today's 'reality' world.. the participants of the various reality shows aired on tv these days must be really finding it tough. They are expected to dance rhythmically and in tune to the music, to be properly expressive, to reach out to the audience's minds, to bring proper feel to the song, to emote properly, and lastly, to sing perfectly keeping in mind all the sruthis and pitches and landing notes and what not! The audience too encourages the singers a lot these days. They respond to the beats and rhythm, and generally make stage shows a lively affair ... The malayalee is atlast learning to let their hair down... so watch out, everybody! WE are here to stay!

movie - CBI series

2007-12-26T15:43:00.000+05:30

All the malayalam tv channels were trying to outdo each other with their enthusiastic airing of recent movies on Christmas day! Starting as early as 9.30 in the morning, (wonder how anybody can watch movies at 9.30 am and that too on a Christmas day... don't they have any work to do around the house???) it ended somewhere around 9.30 at night! So, a person could watch atleast around 3 movies, if one felt like it! Anyway, after all the housework and a sumptious lunch, i decided to relax for a few hours watching 'Nerariyan CBI', yet another whodoneit from the CBI series... the fourth sequel to be exact.

Mammooty, as before, plays his unforgettable character of Sethurama Iyer, the intelligent and dashing CBI pro, who negotiates the viewers through several twists and turns, to discover the identity of the real murderer. Infact, this time, there is a supernatural angle added to it, which actually adds to the mystical element.

The story revolves around the aristrocratic Animangalam tharavad, where a couple of untimely deaths are invariably linked to the play of the supernatural... It is in this very house that another mysterious death of a young girl occurs... After the local police and the cbi closes the case for fear of the supernatural, Sethurama Iyer takes over after a gap of 4 years.

This saga of investigation is as usual supported by his loyal team members enacted by Mukesh and Jagathy Sreekumar as Chacko and Vikram. Together, they face many challenges and gets to the real murderer, whom no one ever had suspected at any time!

I would say that the director K. Madhu deserves all praise for his able handling of another mystery subject. There are no romantic interludes nor violent fights, but nevertheless, it leaves the audience spell bound and anxious. Let me hope that the fifth one in the series is also in the offing...

Alltogether, a good Sunday entertainer... If you haven't seen it yet, don't ever miss the next opportunity.

Speaking about the recent releases, 'Romeo', starring Dileep, though hailed as a rolicking comedy, is actually just another of his collection of pj's. The one review i got about the movie was that it is "unwatchable".

so, i would say, watch at your own risk. :)

Golf Course

2007-12-25T12:50:00.000+05:30

Did you realise that our 'God's Own Country' has taken another significant step to boost tourism?? Well... we malayalees are going to witness the rise of our own Golf course of international standards, and that too an 18 hole Golf course to boast! we do have two smaller ones, one situated at Thiruvanandapuram, and the other at Bolgatty... but this one, situated adjacent to the Nedumbassery Airport, will certainly take the cake. It is expected to be open for the public somewhere around 2009. So all you golf enthusiasts.. just wait and watch out for all those International golfing events soon to come!

Thiruvaathira

2007-12-24T15:43:00.000+05:30

Today is Thiruvaathira, a very important festival for the Malayalee hindu woman.

My mother is highly dissatisfied with the way tiruvathira is celebrated these days. she still has memories of her childhood when all womenfolk used to wake up as early as 3 AM and go in groups, singing thiruvaathira songs, to bathe in the nearby pond.

back home, they used to get ready to go to the siva temple with offerings of ripe yellow bananas and tender coconuts. Only after the pooja at the temple would they partake of the tender coconut water and bananas.

Once back home, which is usually sometime around 11 AM, as the walk to the temple and back takes a long time, the ladies partake of a meal of Puzhukku, Koova paayasam, pappadam, and bananas. It is done very religiously, after first lighting the nilavilakku or the traditional kerala oil lamp.

afternoons are time for a bit of entertainment when all the ladies come together and dance the thiruvaathirakkali, or make merry on swings tied to the strong branches of suitable trees. it was basically a community get-together, forgetting the daily grind of regular life and was much looked forward to by everyone.

these days, most of the merriment are cut off, and thiruvaathirakkali is mostly restricted to school and college stages, where they are part of a competetion. who on earth wants to wake up at 3 AM??? and where on earth do you find a pond? Community bathing... what an embarassing concept! and above all, who has the time to prepare elaborate dishes like Koova paayasam and Puzhukku, when a whole load of work at office is pending?? these are the popular sentiments one can find today among the younger generation.

but it is indeed gratifying to find that even in the midst of our daily hectic schedules, the average malayalee woman living in kerala, still manages to visit temples, and fasts as per rituals, in their own ways. after all, one should not forget their traditions altogether, isn't it?

A divine dusk...

2007-12-23T19:41:00.000+05:30

Just picture a calm and peaceful dusk in your mind. The brilliant afternoon sun has lost it's might and has given way to subtle colours of the evening. Flocks of birds fly together to it's nesting places atop wide majestic trees... and there is a general peace and calm all over which has rubbed off on you too. You are feeling totally contented with yourself.

Now imagine yourself in a small devi temple amidst an ancient brahmin 'graamam' at this time, just before the 'deepaaradhana'. The doors of the sanctum sanctorium are closed for pooja, and the devotees, comprising mainly of the womenfolk of the gramam , are dutifully chanting stotrams in praise of the Goddess. The strong scent of vibhooti and chandanam are mixed with the smell of fresh jasmine flowers adorning the long, plaited hair of those 'maamis'who are dressed in their colourful kancheevaram sarees. The reflection of the light from the oil lamps adorning the temple make their diamond nose and ear studs shine even more bright! Music and devotion are totally in the air.

This was the scene when I, along with my mother and my son, entered the Simhanada Bhagavathy Temple, situated at Tharekkad graamam, in Palakkad. Actually this was one of the times when i really wished i had learnt a few shlokas or prayers in praise of the Goddess, so that i too could join the chorus. After the pooja, when the doors were thrown open, accompanied by the melodious ringing of the temple bells, the sight of the idol dressed in all finery, and lighted by the glow of countless oil lamps, was a sight to behold. The sheer 'power' that was to be felt all over the place was of such magnitude that i was left spell bound! I could only stand there meekly, with joint hands, and keep staring at the brilliant radiance emanciating from the idol. This was one of the times i forgot to pray... But i am sure that i came out of the temple with a bit of that powerful 'shakthi' in me.

Somehow, such incidents leave you so very humbled. I just hope i remember this for a long long time...

Anchoring... no mean task

2007-12-23T10:34:00.000+05:30

speaking of the musical reality show, Idea Star Singer, i sort of like it's anchor, Ranjini Haridas. in spite of her anglicised malayalam or lack of proper diction, she seems to bring some life into the program by her informal ways and bubbly smile. i think she is a breath of fresh air among those conventional anchors. actually, like the rest of the world, kerala too seems to be on the path of development, and Ranjini represents the new malayalee girl, oozing with confidence and full of poise. we need more like her around. Good luck, Ranjini.

Idea Star Singer

2007-12-23T10:21:00.000+05:30

Malayalees seem to be hooked on to reality shows these days. If the television scenario was bossed over by those sob serials till recently, these days, everyone seems to be into music and dance.

one of the current favourites among the reality musical shows is Idea Star Singer, broadcasted by Asianet at 8.30 pm IST. It is indeed a treat to watch such wholesome talent on stage. Now, well into the ninth stage, with the participants down to 12, the competetion among them is getting tougher and tougher... it is a wonder how they manage to sing as well as dance so well.

three cheers to asianet for getting together such a wonderful entertainer. it is certainly better than those sloppy soaps they used to air till now.

Sabarimala season

2007-12-22T11:33:00.000+05:30

This is the Sabarimala Season... the whole state is filled with devotees from all walks of life, who have taken their 'vratham' to visit the holy shrine of Lord Aiyappa. The cold, windy dawns do not deter them from their mission, and temples are filled with the cries of 'Swamiye.. Sharanamayyappa', right from dawn. May God bless us all!

The Aravana Payasam seems to be this years focal point with the non-availability of cans to dispense it among the devotees. Television screens are full of images of the devotees standing in serpentine queues, holding whatever utensil or plastic bottles they could lay their hands on, waiting for their quota of the prasadam. very frankly, seeing them put all their fingers into the measuring can of the prasadam counter, to get out every drop of the prasadam into their vessels, was quite disgusting. I do hope the authorities would do something to maintain hygene with regards to distribution of the Payasam.

another amusing news which came out was how the prices of ordinary utensils and plastic bottles have gone up after the non-availability of the regular cans, for dispensing the aravana. just proves the ago-old policy of 'make hay while the sun shines' .

just yesterday i came upon a news item which said how the employees of sabarimala temple, who count the money in the hundials or bhannarams are treated inhumanly. seems they have to strip naked before their higher authorities, after counting the money and leaving the room. that is indeed a repulsive thing. It can obviously demoralise anybody, and it seems most of them have started protesting against this age-old custom. in this age of technology, i wish the authorities would open their eyes, and avail of some other scientific techniques of preventing pilferage and theft, instead of resorting to this inhuman act!

Google's Own Kerala...

2007-12-21T19:05:00.000+05:30

Malayalees all over the world were in for a pleasant surprise this week. It was known that Kerala ranked first in the top 10 searched places for most exotic tourist location, through Google search bar. like most others, Igot to know of this fact through the newspapers and i must say that i am quite impressed.Three cheers for Kerala..... Hip Hip Hooray!

We may have umpteen number of political parties, with non-stop bickerings between each factions, our roads may be full of potholes, strikes and hartals may be called at a moment's notice... but all said and done, this tiny piece of green land true to it's given name-'Gods own country', has once again proved it's merit. Isn't that a great task??? Be proud to be a Malayalee...