Kochi Marina welcomes Seafarers
Published April 19, 2010 | 
The Kochi International Marina on Bolgatty island, a well cherished dream of the Keralites is all set to come true on April 24 when it will be commissioned by the Union Defence Minister Mr. A.K Antony. Set up by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, it takes pride to be the first marina in the country.
The three storied marina, which can accommodate 34 yachts at a time will have a recreation house and a b0ard walk, which enables the guests to move around and to see the other yachts parked here. In addition, a full fledged health club , a cafeteria and locker facilities are also provided. To cater to the accommodation facilities, 24 well furnished rooms including 4 premium suites are set up. Water and electricity connections for the yachts are also made available. The boat repair yards and communication centres will also provide local job opportunities.
Perhaps, the Kochi marina will be the only one of its kind in the world with a golf course. The sprawling nine hole golf course of Bolgatty palace hotel would provide enjoyable tee times for the yachters. The project which was carried out at a total cost pf 8.21 crore had a Central Government funding of over 4 crore also comprises of a two lane road also has been constructed from the first Goshree Bridge to the hotel. In the second phase of the ambitious project facilities for berthing 16 yachts will be taken up.
Completed in two years, the Kochi marina is all set to change the tourists prospects of the Queen of Arabian Sea, which will become one of the most popular port of calls for the adventure seafarers in the days to come.
The sacred groves of Kerala to be protected by the Forest Dept
Published April 17, 2010 | 
In the olden days, almost all Kerala homesteads had sacred groves dedicated to the serpent Gods and goddesses. The fear of the unknown and religious beliefs ensured the thriving of these green spots, which were rich in a variety of flora and fauna. Home to many rare and unique plants and trees of Kerala, these sacred groves are self sustaining mini ecosystems that are to be protected at any cost. With the advent of nuclear families and gated communities, many sprawling family properties were divided up, leading to the disappearance of such groves.
Known in local parlance as ‘sarpakkavu’ or the abode of the serpents, these groves are ecological havens that have been part of Kerala homes since time immemorial. The thickly foliaged trees, creepers and shrubs support a variety of animal populace including lizards, squirrels and frogs and snakes, prevents soil erosion and maintains the fertility of the soil.
Now the Forest Dept has come up with an innovative scheme to ensure the protection of these verdant spots. In the first phase of this project, 28 sacred groves mostly belonging to the temple trusts and Devaswom Board in various districts of the State have been identified for the conservation programme. Under the proposed plan of action, the owners of the groves should enter an agreement with the forest department and submit a detailed management plan. The scheme will cover individuals as well at a later date. The main objective of the proposed scheme is to bring an accountability and the involvement of the general public. The project will ensure constant monitoring, maintenance and cleaning of the groves at the community level for which incentives are being worked out. Labeling of important species of trees, laying of pavements, eco- trails, weeding and protection of these groves would be taken care of under this scheme.
The Kerala Forest research at Peechi has started preparing an inventory of all the sacred groves in the state An exceptional feature of Kerala homes, sacred groves have a great significance in the culture and life style of Keralites. This ambitious project would help in the protection of the existing groves and to make the younger generation aware of the relevance of these groves in the culture of Kerala.
Kerala Snake boats to sail the River Thames
Published April 16, 2010 | 
The famous snake boats of Kerala that measure up to over 100 ft, were always part of the thrilling annual boat race events in the State. Now these expectational attractions of Kerala will be getting international exposure. If everything goes well, Kerala snake boats will be setting sail in the waters of the River Thames, as part of a trial run of the inaugural ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.
Unique to Kerala, the snake boats steered by over 120 oarsmen have always been the main attractions in the local boat races and festive occasions. From being a spectacle confined to the Kerala waters, the snake boats are now set to be showcased at an event attended by the British Queen. The proposal to include the snake boat in the ceremony along with boats from other parts of the world was put forward by Keraleeyam, a cultural organisation with members from Kerala and across the globe.
A snake boat now costs more than Rs.3 million and since it would cost close to Rs.5 million to transport it, we have decided that we will gift this snake boat to Britain after the trial run is over,” the sports minister added. including Britain, said state Sports Minister M. Vijayakumar
Kerala can be proud of its exceptional snake boats making into the waters of the River Thames if the central government agrees to coordinate with the state government and Keraleeyam for the event. Transporting the snake boat and the oarsmen involves logistics and huge funding requirements and when it happens it will be indeed a moment of pride for all malayalees!
Kerala delicacies now on American Channel!!!
Published April 8, 2010 | Kerala and Keralites can now be proud that their own culinary specialties – appam, karimeen and puttu (to name a few), will now be showcased on a well-liked American travel and food show by name “No Reservations”. Hosted by US master chef Anthony Bourdain who has already shot the episode in Kerala, the sixth season of Travel channel’s culinary programme will telecast the delicacies of Kerala cuisine in July.
“By showcasing authentic Kerala food in the homes of ordinary people, Anthony Bourdain is also reaffirming that delicious food and hospitality is not just special to upscale restaurants and hotels but is something that is customary throughout the state,” said Kerala Tourism secretary V. Venu. “It was wonderful to have such a high profile television host championing street and home cooked food,” he added.
To shoot the Kerala episode, the master chef landed in Kochi and travelled all the way to Alleppey to relish the world-renowned backwater cuisine. Whilst his stay in a houseboat Bourdain tried kappa (tapioca) and mussels, home cooked puttu (steamed rice powder preparation), Kerala sadya (feast), spicy pearl spot fish (karimeen), meen curry (fished cooked in coconut) and other vegetarian dishes made with coconut.
To quote from this Times Of India report, Bourdain the author of “A Cook’s Tour-In Search of the Perfect Meal” said, “When it comes to spices and variety, Kerala is right up there in my alley”. Bourdain also stated to them that he had a special fascination for street food “I am also very impressed with the high standard of food in Kerala, especially the street food,” said the chef who hit the streets in Kochi and tasted the varieties. He also enjoyed a meal with Malayalam superstar Mammooty whilst on his Kerala tour.
A thought which came to my mind was that while most Keralites today prefer fast food, sandwiches and burgers as compared to Kerala delicacies, here is a westerner who is all praises for our traditional food. But for those of us who know and savour appam and Karimeen, we can be sure of one thing- our dishes will be exotic and who knows if people actually start cooking it, Karimeen and appam will be common names in some enterprising kitchens of America.
Saving the Stripes- When a live tiger becomes more valuable than its carcass!
Published April 7, 2010 | 
Tiger conservation in Kerala needs much more concerted efforts and a strong will to make sure that the national animal of India roar again in the jungles! It can happen only when a live tiger becomes far more precious than its carcass. It goes without saying that a massive project of this dimension can succeed only with the participation of the wild life department , NGOs, the forest staff, villagers and the tribals. Monetary benefit and tiger protection can be linked together to make it a lucrative affair for the landless tribals, who depend on the forests for their livelihood. The general public should be educated about the long term benefits of tiger conservation including better tourism prospects and employment scope.
The forest staff should be provided with better security gadgets and the latest weapons to deal with the poachers. Harsh punishments and hefty fines should be imposed on those who dare to kill wild animals so that it could prove a deterrent to the others. Bonus and pension plans of forest staff could be made relational to the improved tiger population during their tenure.
The tribal families who live along the periphery of the periyar tiger reserves should be provided jobs , housing and free education facilities to sustain their interest in tiger conservation and to make it financially viable for them . Preserving the bio diversity is the simplest and the most natural means to increase the tiger population and to minimise the man – animal conflicts. Probably the most important reason of all would be that our commitment to ensure our children and grand children the thrilling experience of beholding this wonderful animals in the wild! The count down has started and being an Indian, everyone of us should make sure that the body parts of our national animal never change hands again to be put up for sale in the road side markets of China and Vietnam!
Kochi- The not so Smart City
Published April 1, 2010 | Kochi, the financial capital of Kerala refuses to grow. The administration or the municipal corporation has shown no sign of willingness to develop the city to some standard. Even the minimum bare infrastructure is outdated.
The city has accommodated 600 percent increase in vehicles in the last 10 years, and still the roads in the city are all single lane. More than 75 percent of the police force is on Kochi roads controlling traffic or chasing non-helmet rider and no-belt drivers (you cannot expect them to do a better job). Except for huge Flats and apartments, Kochi for sure is putting a poor image.
Have a look at the pictures to see a strange, lethargic attitude of the authorities. A cable drum roller parked on the one-half of the road. It appears like the cable company after laying the cable abandoned it to the fate of the road users. Imagine the state of the people who frequent this road. You need to update your Life Insurance premium regularly, after all insurance is good.
Walk at your own risk, Kochi has no footpaths, no proper bus stations, undisciplined public transport system, no proper use of space. I do not want to sound sarcastic, but I hope the concerned authorities and the governing bodies know how shameful this is.
Changing governance doesn’t make any sense, you need to have a society that demands changes
Unfortunately Kerala is no different from other state, the will-power is just missing. Hope Kochi catches up with other cities which are galloping faster.