Elephants of India

Elephants has always been a creature of curiosity from my childhood days.The way of taming a wild elephant into a domestic elephant and rearing it is always a matter of great speculation.
I would rather like to see an elephant without any decorations than with the traditional furnishings.The natural beauty on the animal is itself phenomenal than any other thing.
Let us watch some of them

I canna resist..............

Whenever thoughts of home comes to my mind,the backwaters of Kerala always had a predominant position.
Here are some wonderful pictures from My home.................

Nothing can disintegrate us..............

What has happened in Bombay?I would rather call it Bombay than Mumbai because from the time I could remember,I have been hearing it as Bombay and would like to name the city that way till I die.

From my point of view, what I can understand is that there are some external forces strongly involved to hamper the peace and harmony in a city that is very fragile to communal elements.These are the forces that cannot tolerate the emergence of India as a global power.These are the satanic verses who cannot tolerate the religious harmony that exists in Bombay.

I had the opportunity to live in Bombay for 6 months.I enjoyed the life there with the busy life style of the city.It was a totally different experience for me after my stay in Madras for almost 4 years.

What I still remember when seeing Bombay is cuttings(tea in a small glass container) and pavbaji(almost like a cooked veg sandwich).I cannot resist these two for some months in my life.

Can anything compensate for the 189 or so lives that has been lost after this tragic episode?What can fill the gap this incident has caused on the economy,confidence and freedom of the city?

I take this opportunity to stand beside the great citizens of world who lost their beloved ones,the security personals who sacrificed their own life to rescue the hostages and all those who are suffering with pain and panic that this horror has left on them

We,Indians are brave.We don't give up to all these atrocities.No external force can disintegrate the unity and solidarity of our country.No bombs or threats can create a backlash on our advancement to the world superpower.We will go forward and achieve all our dreams.........Jai Hind.

Another day of Kerala Piravi has passed by.There were festivals conducted by the government and other NGO's to commemorate the formation of the state.

But if we look a bit more deeper into Kerala and analyse what is going on,is it only me that think that we are loosing the essence of our rich culture and tradition?

I would like to site a simple example to substantiate this point.The number of children learning Malayalam as a language in schools is reducing year after year.The beautiful poems written by Kunjan Nambiar and Kumaranasan are going to be found on the relics of the archaeological department.This is happening in Kerala when the Malayalees who have migrated to other parts of the world are searching frantically to find resources for teaching kids their mother tongue.The same thing has happened to the costumes of Kerala.Mallus think that they are substandard or demarks their "face value" if they wear Mundu or Lungi.

It has even come to the state that people in Kerala have a wild notion that without using at least 3-4 English words in their usual chat, may feel downgraded them selves from the others.

Please try to preserve this rich language from being extinct,up hold the good values of our culture,so that the future generations can also be proud of the culture in which their forefathers have been brought up in

Missing the mazha....................

Last Wednesday,I was out going to get something in time when I ended being in the middle of a downpour in a parking lot searching my car as if it was parked by somebody else!

It made me ramble through the parking lot for about ten minutes which made me literally wet.

Got into the car,started home,thoughts went wild again.............................

It went to the school days when Kuda(umbrella) was a luxury or rather a costly entity.I have made a remarkable record between my siblings that the easiest way to survive at home was to get wet than taking an umbrella with me,because I have credited to losing 3-4 umbrellas during my schooling.

We have to walk for about 10-15 minutes from our home to reach the road and then get into a transit bus to reach school or college.If it rains in the morning,before going to school,we may be having an umbrella which will be under the control of my brother who is considered more responsible and serious than I losing it.If it is in the evening,the usual practice is to get wet which was fun.

But what I enjoyed more than getting wet is,sleeping by hearing the rain drops trickling down through the trees.We have a big tamarind tree next to my bedroom and lying on the bed hearing the music of rain is a passion more than words.Another memorable event is hearing the rain coming from a distance which cannot be experienced in words.Those who have experienced it can sense the feel of it.

Even now when it rains,the activity which I love to do is to be on the bed hearing the "song of rain".

Monsoon is another boon for us.Till about 1996,we have to draw water from the well and during monsoon the water levels come to the top that drawing water is just one third the effort than it was during Summer.

But now,even if we have the machinery,I love to draw the water I need to have for shower when I go there.The reason being,the water just fresh and it is naturally chilled.

I enjoyed being home this year during the June even though it did not start to rain heavy,but I missed sleeping in my favorite bed room hearing the sound of water trickling through the tamarind tree...........................

Christians in Orissa,Muslims in Assam

Reading through the recent news paper hot news,there was a lot going on with the violent crimes that were poured on the minority Christians by the tribal people in those rural districts of Orissa.

Nobody sees what these Christian missionaries have done for the population of the State.Orissa was a very backward state in terms of education and literacy.None of the politicians or the religious extremist groups can deny the contributions done by the Christian missionaries in the rural districts of the State.Education,basic amenities like housing and drinking water,spiritual needs,medical care,rehabilitation were all taken care by the missionaries mostly from the southern states of India.

The same thing is also going on in Assam.The minority Muslims are being evacuated from some of the villages where they have been dwelling for many years.

Who is behind all these?What are the motives behind these cruel actions.A small group of bureaucrats who has infinite greed and indigenous instincts are behind all these.You all should understand one thing.The earth has place for all the living organism to dwell peacefully.Nobody has the authority to kill or eradicate anybody.The only responsibility of each of us is to live in harmony.

My thoughts are with the families of all those committed missionaries and followers who have lost their valuable life during this unforgivable incident.May Lord give the citizens of the State the thought of peace,harmony and co-existence so that it is a happy place on the earth to live.

The generations passing by..............

The motivation to write at this time is I am seeing a generation slowly vanishing from the vicinity.

I am a person who likes to spend time with the older generation,to hear how their life was and to visualise how things were during their era

As years go by,there is going to be a time where the elder people whom we consider with due respect are slowly being eradicated from the earth,off course it is a natural phenomenon and there is no way to prevent it.

What concerns me about this whole process is are we losing some of our values,traditions and customs with these people?There is a lot of changes occurring to the world around us,something called metamorphosis that is happening in the 21st century.

This process, is it bringing good or bad?Changes are inevitable,but are they bringing in good qualities or taking away the good values from our culture?

My suggestion is even if the generations goes by,the cultural heritage of a population greatly depends on the rich values,traditions and beliefs that has been practised from ages without much changes.So if we are able to preserve these traditions for the coming generations,it will help them to distinguish what is the richness of our heritage and where we come from.

Please encourage your children to learn their mother tongue,to practise your religion and to respect the elders............

Ponnonam Vannallo......................

Last day when I called my mom who is in Kerala,she told me that it is Chingam 1.The first day of the first month in Malayalam Calender which is a special day according to the Hindu ideology and one of the good days in the year to arrange for special functions like a house warming,marriage, and so on.
It is from this day that the Keralites start decorating their front yards with floral designs which marks as a welcome note for Maveli Thamburan,who was the ruler of Kerala and got exported or transferred or relocated or moved (the last two more appropriate) to the other world(Pathalam,which is considered as existing below earth,myth please no questions).
Onam is a harvest festival of Kerala,but it has a myth too.
Onam is celebrated to comemmorate the arrival of Maveli Thamburan to the earth to visit his country men and this occurs once in a year and for which Onam is celebrated.
Remembering about Onam,I spent my childhood days in Thalassery,a town in Northern Kerala as my father was working there and most of my Onams were celebrated there.In contrast to Muttom,where my parents are now,all our neighbors are Hindus and they celebrate it with full fun and frolic.My sister's greatest activities are participating with my neighbors in floral decorations and making a miniature one at our home.My younger brother is also attracted to her chores,just as to give her company,
My main interest on Onam and Thiruvonam are drinking at least 4 types of Payasam,which is a sweet dish,exclusively home made and no words to describe it than having it.
Among the different payasams,we have that day,the one we all look forward is Saradechi's which is the best.Saradechi has a special type of taste bud and so her Payasam will have all the ingrediants at the maximum threshold that nothing else can beat it................even my mom's won't come near Saradechi's.Her masterpiece is Palpayasam................man,there is no words to explain it...........you have to have it.
I have not had this one for long number of years......but my taste buds won't forget those dishes which Saradechi has made for us.Long live Saradechi..............
The other thing is all our neighbors use to have new clothes for them which they wear on Thiruvonam,but unfortunately my father does not encourage this custom.His policy is even if you don't have a new dress,your tummy should be full and he makes sure that this is taken care of.I think that this is a great principle in real life even though I considered it stupid on my younger days.
I also remember a folk art called Kaduva kali or known as Puli Kali where people get decorated as tigers and they visit the local houses.This is common in Travancore.I loved watching which I did in real only once or twice.
If anybody took time to read this whole stuff,thank you for your patience and sorry for making you bored.
Again I am missing Onam,my mom's Onam Sadya,Saradechi's payasam,floral decorations,beautiful Mallu girls with colorful costumes and long black hair beautifully pinned with jasmine flowers.
I wish all the fortunate Malayalee brothers and sisters in Kerala and the unfortunate brothers and sisters outside Kerala A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS ONAM..........................have fun,

Thi Thi Thara Thi Thi Thei............................

Kuttanadan Punjayile,
Kochupenne Kuyilale.......................
I was in the frenzy mood of singing these lines and watching(Online) the Chundan Vallangal (snake boats) dissecting the waves of Punnamada Kayal,the last week.
When I was a kid,I had the most previlaged oppurtunity to go and see the Vallam Kali(boat race) at Punnamada which is not far from our ancestral home in Muttom,Alappuzha Dist.
I feel depressed when I dream of the next chance of seeing a boat race at Punnamada with my naked eyes...............
Lucky are those who can see it every year,I envy them.
Extending my warm appreciation to Karichal Chundan,who defeated the other competants and emerged as the winner of the race.

Kuttanadan Punchayile.............................

This time,I want to express my frustration on a farming village called Kuttanadu,which is in Central Kerala,India.
Paddy is the main crop over there and most of the families in that place depend on the paddy production for their livelihood.This year,a very sad incident happened.
The farmers who had their paddy which was due to be reaped got sunk in the unexpected rains in that part and the local political leaders of that place boycotted using machinery to expedite the harvest.Ultimately many farmers lost their crop which has lead to the suicide of 4 poor farmers.
For the State Government,this issue does not seem a big deal,but for the poor farmers who got victimised with Globalisation and economic emergence,that happens in India,there is nothing to compensate................

Olympic lamplight

What is the point of conducting Olympics,a game of harmony and happiness when the host of this historic event is concealing many nonhumanitarian activities conducted by them?
It is ruthless for the global powers like United States and India to just keep silent in order to keep the diplomatic relationships between the countries well sustained despite a group of poor innocent helpless people being left suffering.
But I am sure the truth will win.Tibet eventhough they are small,holds a valuable principle of Ahimsa(nonviolence) which is one of the famous teaching of Lord Budha that has been considered as the most important of his teaching.
May we all extend our sincere support to this small group of determined people who have a genuine reason to protest.

New entry

I am slowly entering into one more new entity of my internet experience,blogging.
This is a try,lemme see how it works.................