A post without a title… From Karmakerala, with love!
Published May 20, 2010 | Shyama, my colleague, wants me to write out a post…..
Now, what shall I write? Confusion indeed…
It’s been cloudy since yesterday, with rains lashing out now and then. It’s a relief, from the scorching summer heat, but I’m feeling terribly sleepy. If given a chance, I’d simply shirk work and go have a nice sleep….Oh, no! I need to earn by bread n’ butter, nay, my Kanji and Curry. So better sit on and write on, after all I am paid to write….
I suddenly remember that the Kerala State Government had yesterday declared 2010 as the ‘Coir Year’. I ask Shyama if I may write about that. Pat comes the reply, over Skype, “Cottage industry, indigenous industry… wah bhai wah!”. Yes indeed. It’s good that the government has decided to announce the year as ‘ Coir Year’ and also has taken the initiative to launch various schemes aimed at uplifting people engaged in the coir industry.
Well, I happen to hail from the Thiruvananthapuram district. There are places near my hometown Varkala where dwell people who are part of the coir industry. But I feel the number of such people are dwindling, with more of our people looking out for making big money with not-so-indigenous methods.
Well, big money is no crime, if it’s not made in an illicit manner. But it’s sad to see indigenous industries going the wrong way. Anyway, kudos to the State Govt for taking the initiative and also for thinking of raising the pay given to coir workers from Rs. 100 per day to Rs 150 per day.
But, is that what I want to write about?
I look out and see vehicles ply on the road. It rained just half an hour ago; in fact it’s drizzling even now. My thoughts wander a bit….
The monsoons are supposed to arrive in a week’s time.
It’s this monsoon, known in Malayalam as the Edava paathi, especially as it comes almost by mid-Edavam (Edavam being a month in the Malayalam calendar), that’s made use of by farmers all over Kerala.
It’s this monsoon, the South West Monsoon that solves water-scarcity related problems and fills up wells, ponds, rivers etc.
It’s this monsoon that used to drench school kids on school re-opening day.
Hey, Did I say ‘used to’. Yes indeed! It no longer comes with that kind of precision, lament many of my friends. I too tend to agree. There was a time when the monsoon would unfailingly greet school kids walking past fields and through narrow village roads.
As a school-boy, when I used to visit Kerala during my summer vacations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, I used to enjoy seeing this, sitting in my grandfather’s shop, which used to be there by the side of paddy fields and from where I could catch the sight of a school by the road, almost half a kilometre away.
The school is there. But alas, the shop is not there. Many of the paddy fields too are not there. My grandfather is no more. And no more can I see those many sights that characterised the Edava Paathi. But still, Edava Paathi has its own beauty, its own charm in Kerala.
But I wonder how many of our people are pondering as to whether they would be able to till their fields and sow the seeds or not. Paddy fields are vanishing all around us. Why bother? We get rice, brought in from the other states!!
And what if the paddy fields and marshes disappearing is affecting the water-table? It’s going to affect the next generation only! And we can get mineral water, sold to us at Rs 10 or Rs 15 per litre. (Am sad indeed as I happen to drink well water, unprocessed and unboiled, even now when I visit my home-town, where the well is real deep and the water still pure, unpolluted and cool. But in Ernakulam, I am forced to shell out money and buy mineral water or else get the insipid water from the taps and boil it and gulp it down, to quench my thirst. It cools off the body, but not the mind!)
Hey…I am digressing! Better not…Shyama is our editor. She is also officiating as the team leader for our bunch of writers at Karmakerala. If she is vexed at me, all hell will break loose. She can put in a word against me with our bosses Thejal, Mark and Sholto. Oh no, Shyama is my friend….
God bless you, Shyama! But God knows, God only knows perhaps that I am damn tired…can’t write, er, type out one more line….
Will wind up with this…for today!!!
Life inside China Walls
Published May 19, 2010 | A slice of my School life..
You might be wondering… have I been to China to live inside the China walls. Sorry friends.. I am planning to describe my life inside the campus of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kasargod, and spread across 30 acres protected by a wall like in China. For your information, this school is located almost close to the Mangalore borders. If you haven’t heard of Navodaya Schools, I’ll make a brief explanation about it. 
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are Indian schools for talented children and form a part of the system of gifted education. In Kerala, we have Navodaya Schools in all the 14 districts. The objectives of the scheme are to provide good quality modern education to the children predominantly from rural areas, without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition. For more details refer to wikipedia.
If any of you have studied in Navodaya vidyalaya you will know how life goes inside (Now, things must have changed a lot for sure). “It was a prison and we were prisoners,” so I say and some other students (may be or may not).The imprisonment is for 7 years (from 6th to 12th). The main reason why we say this is that at our time, we couldn’t go out except to go home and that too was like once in a blue moon, as we say – for Onam, Christmas and for the summer holidays. Except this we had no contact with the outside world.
Once we return from the holidays, the far away sight of the School’s water tank would make us distressed and gloomy and, a day is needed to free ourselves from homesickness. Once a month our parents are allowed a visit and we used to await their coming like the hornbill which yearns for the rains. All the communication between us and parents were done through letters, like the things to be brought when they visited. Though, not everything was communicated through this method. It was the time we, especially the Navodaya Students utilized the Indian Postal Service.
Now, this is only one side of our Navodaya life…
To describe the other side of life inside the Navodaya Campus is a joy! We were a big family of over five hundred members. Inside the campus we are all one. If it’s Christmas, it’s Christmas for all… So are Shivaratri, Vishu, Onam, Pooja, Holi, Easter and all other Indian as well as Kerala festivals. Every celebrations and festivals had a spirit of oneness.
But this spirit of oneness is divided only when our Annual Days, Sports Days or a competitive spirit bonds the houses (each student is given and is divided according to a house like Ganga, Kaveri, Yamuna & Krishna). I excelled in many sporting events so did every student in the School.( I think my secret behind in achieving many prizes for running competitions…Shh…. is nothing but the 500 metre distance from our study hall to Dining hall 
). The united spirit during sports days, picking flowers to make ” Pookkalam” (flower carpet) for Onam, and various other inter-house competitions… all were real great fun and something that makes me smile when I think of it even today. I think, the life I described here is too little to know about Navodaya. Because it is something that I am unable to fully express out here.
But I’ll tell you, it is in here I learned about many things of life, music, art, traditions, festivals, languages and people. The schools are what that makes us out as a person. If the student is able to realise his/her potentials, the school system is a success. And, it is this realisation what makes one child the citizen of tomorrow.
To bring out good citizens for tomorrow, we need to do only one thing – give our children good and proper education while standing united in the spirit of being Indians first.
Photo Taken from the Official Website of JNV Kasargod.
Sasthamcotta- Much more than a monkey's abode!
Published May 18, 2010 | 
In my childhood days people used to ask me about my native place, I would say ‘Sasthamcotta’ and pat comes their reply, ‘Kurangante koodeyano taamasam‘ (So you are living with monkeys?). Though this reaction irritated a bit, but then I gave it a thought ‘if only they knew this ‘monkey place’ is so beautiful and splendid that anyone would yearn to see!
An attractive village that is situated about 19km from Kollam, this beautiful place is a center of pilgrimage- Sree Dharmasastha Temple, health resort. The most striking thing is – the largest freshwater lake, the biggest of its kind in Kerala.
Considered as ‘heaven on earth’, Sasthamcotta lake is surrounded by hills on three sides with almost no tributaries. The marvelous flora provides a glorious look to this place. Fresh water which is available 365 days a year is totally free from salts, minerals and metals that helps in satisfying the water needs of the nearby areas. But sadly it has been reported that this beautiful lake is shrinking at an alarming rate.
Talking about monkeys, here is where it comes from- Sree Dharmasastha Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa where the Dharmasastha is said to have the same powers as that of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala. This dwelling place of monkeys is considered to be holy due to the belief that Lord Hanuman on his way to Lanka in search of Goddess Sita had halted at this place, which later on became a home for Monkeys. Those people who take a pilgrimage to Sabarimala usually come here for worship.
Amongst all this, domestic and international tourists enjoy an affordable ride in the tourist boats (Vallom) which gives in a breathtaking view of the whole area. Well known to be an historic place, the second World Religion Conference in 1971 was conducted in this village that was attended by representatives from all religions. Everything from famous colleges and schools to govt and private hospitals, this small village has contributed a lot to the welfare of the society.
I feel immensely proud to know that I was brought up in a sweet village, which became so popular in recent years and may continue to grow to and will be known for its beauty and not monkeys.
Akshaya Thritiya- A gold purchase scheme or an auspicious day for new ventures ?
Published May 17, 2010 | 
Akshaya Thritiya was celebrated in Kerala amidst reports of a substantially higher sales of gold in all its forms. While jewelers cashed in on the mass hysteria and off loaded a bulk of their shelf stock, the gold coin counters at the public sector banks reported three times their normal transactions where customers formed a beeline to buy gold on this auspicious day.
The word “Akshaya” means never diminishing in Sanskrit and the day is believed to bring good luck and success. It is one of the most important days for Hindus and Jains and it is believed that if you do a charity on this day you will be blessed and will receive blessings many fold. Originally, Akshaya Thritiya was considered an auspicious day to do pious deeds and to start new ventures. However , it is baffling to note that these days jewelers have turned the sanctity and purity of this auspicious day into a marketing gimmick!
Kerala, where Akshaya Thritiya was not heard of till a few years back, too has fallen prey to the jewelers concerted efforts of promoting the yellow metal. Gold is a good investment option and any time is ideal to buy it. However to link it with a particular day is nothing but utter foolishness. Are we so naive to believe that any piece of gold purchased on this day will increase manifold?
Read on to find how a couple was taken for a ride after falling for a misleading ad of small time jeweler in Kochi during last year’s Akshaya Thritiya festival. The said couple is running a garment shop in Cochin and was doing good business. It was when a jeweler’s advertisement on the likely windfalls that they may get if they buy gold on Akshaya Thritiya , caught their fancy. They decided to purchase gold with the money that they had set aside to source garments and cloth materials from Bangalore for their shop.
They were happy on a decision well made and counted each day in anticipation of the big fortune. Voila! It was then a friend of theirs approached them with a lucrative offer. Give her 1 lakh and in just 15 days , it will be returned as 2 lakhs. The offer was too good to let by. They gave her 1 lakh and as promised she returned it as double the amount in 2 weeks. Their happiness knew no bounds and the windfall was promptly attributed to akshaya thritiya. But the anticlimax is that the lady who gained their confidence vanished with all their money and ornaments in a matter of a few months! Now their shop is in ruins, and they are on the look out for ways and means for a decent living. It is high time that we put a stop on all these superstitions and gimmicks and celebrate akshaya thriitiya the way it was meant to be – by doing noble deeds and charity!
A day out in the Summer rains
Published May 14, 2010 | I love summer showers, so do many others but there could be some who prefer to turn a nelson’s eye to nature and its bounties. At least that is what I could find on the highways of Kerala on a day out in the rain, a few days back!
The sensuous smell of fresh rain soaking up the parched lands, the brilliance of the fresh sprouts of grass blades, the bright flowers and leaves around- the sights associated with rains are truly enchanting. 
I can spend hours together watching the rain beating down the Kerala landscape, turning it into a pretty portrait in no time. The progression of the rain is simply marvelous and for me it is like a perfectly orchestrated symphony ! The rain clouds gather with amazing swiftness, the rumbling of the clouds draws near and the streaks of lightning lit up the dark skies. Soon droplets of rain will start dropping down on the roof tops, on the puddle on the roads and on the passers by. The momentum of the rain picks up to a crescendo after which it gradually descends to a drizzle and a trickle. The dripping rain drops from the trees remain for some more time before the sun peeps in. On a bright day, you would see the marvel of a rainbow too .
I find it really exciting to drive in the rain with the windows rolled down and the droplets lashing against my face. But on any rainy day, you can see many cars on the highway, with their tinted glasses rolled up and people scurrying to reach home before the big burst; I pity those people who are badly missing out the smell, the sights and the sensuousness that only a spell of rain can bestow. Why would anyone need the air conditioner on when it is raining heavily outside? They are only adding up to the global warming unnecessarily 
Let’s admit it; The neo- rich and the city dwellers have long shunned nature and its bliss. They live in air conditioned abodes that shut out natural air and light and travel in vehicles armored with tinted glasses that insulate them from the spectacles, the mood changes and seasonal shifts of nature. They live in a mechanized world and their life is nothing less than that of a robot , powered and controlled by GPRS and blackberries. They have long lost the power of perception and human traits and I wonder how they will survive if all these modern comforts were snatched off from them one fine morning!
Our irresponsible behavior has pushed this world into chaos and mayhem. With the green house effect on an all time high,the climate and its rhythm is badly upset and it is only a matter of time before we will be robbed off all these natural bliss. With the risk of acid rains looming high in the air,there might not be even a second chance. So, never miss out a chance to soak up the fun and get drenched in the rains.:)
Vyloppilli, the Kerala Police and the end of the world…
Published May 13, 2010 | Hey, what has the poet Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon got to do with Kerala Police? What the hell is the connection between Kerala Police and the end of the world?
Hey I can see people scowl and smirk and grumble and mumble, maybe saying that this guy has gone nuts.
Well, crazy that I am, I’d like to save time or rather save effort by writing one single blog instead of three different ones. At the same time, I’d present three scattered pictures, which I happen to catch on the move, which are pieces that sync in with the mosaic that is life in Kerala.
Well let’s begin with Vyloppilli and then move over. I’d better put it down under different sub-headings, for those who have been reading, or rather, tolerating my blogs….
Remembering Vyloppilli??!!
So how many of us remember Vyloppilli? Well, many of my colleagues at Karmakerala and many of our readers are familiar with his poems, I guess. But the question remains. How many of us remember him?
Well, day before yesterday, on the 11th of May, I was riding my bike, when I got a call from yet another friend, a college-mate of mine. “Come over. There’s something going on here, at the Park near my flat. Old-time songs…” Well. That was tempting. He knew that. We used to go to such musical evenings together in our college days, in Thiruvananthapuram.
I rushed there, along with my friend who is a constant companion in my wanderings. It was the Vyloppilli Memorial park in Kaloor, Kochi- an almost non-desrcipt and deserted place on other days. (I had spent a peaceful hour there a few weeks back along with these two friends and of course lots of mosquitoes too).
Well, there was a gathering there, a small one comprising of people who lived nearby, with families. A guy, who, like most other aspiring-to-be-famous singers, was speaking on the mike about noted singer K.J.Yesudas, referring to him as his ‘guru’. And then, he started singing. Of course the songs, which was sung to the accompaniment of Karaoke music, were well-sung. Those were some of the most memorable of songs too. But what caught my eye was the audience reaction. Most of them seemed to be in an ‘outing’ kind of mood, not at all listening to the song and busy with other thoughts and activities. A few songs later we bid adieu to the place, only to realize later, on surfing the net that it was the birth anniversary of Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon.
Well, did anyone gathered there bother to spare a thought on the gifted poet whose contribution to Malayalam literature is considerable great? Well, did I?
Krzysztof Kieślowski and the Kerala Police
Well, of late I have been seeing in Kochi a bunch of cops, who are in charge of the traffic regulation and all, waiting at some places, equipped with a handycam like apparatus, one that’s used to check on vehicles that go against speed regulations. Those who err are brought to book. Well, it’s good. I am for it. But there’s a rather impish thought that crosses my mind whenever I come across these guys.
I am reminded of the renowned Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski and his memorable film ‘Camera Buff’. The protagonist of the movie, a humble factory worker procures a camera, shoots everything he comes across. This newfound hobby or rather obsession, that of making amateur films, affects his life in a big way, disrupting things. The film ends with the protagonist turning the camera on himself.
Well, I wonder as to when our cops will turn these cameras to themselves and to those many Government vehicles which flout all traffic regulations and get away with it. Like the protagonist in ‘Camera Buff’, our cops too seem obsessed with panning the camera and of course their vision too at people around them, especially those who ride motorbikes and those who drive autorickshaws. I can’t help appreciating these duty conscious cops who are so concerned about your safety that they won’t let you ride your bike without your helmet or without the chin-strap of the helmet in place. Why bother if the big fishes get away? It’s after all a matter of public safety.
Well…Jayan, my colleague at Karmakerala recently shot, using his cellphone camera, a cop riding on a bike without a helmet. Poor guy, Jayan. He doesn’t know. Cops are for protecting us. They are least concerned about their own safety and hence they don’t need helmets.
Guys out to save the world!!
Yesterday evening, as I was waiting at a roadside garage to get a minor repair done to my motorbike, I happened to hear someone delivering a speech on a mike. Since it’s a common thing on our streets, with politicians and all sorts of people making wayside speeches, I didn’t pay any attention to that. But a few minutes later, I saw the guy making the speech.
A middle-aged guy, with a microphone in his hand was making the speech and the speakers, or rather small mikes, were fixed to both the ends of his motorbike, a rather new one parked beside him.
Curiosity impelled me to pay attention to his words. Wow, seems to be genuinely worried about the world and people around him. He is speaking of issues of social relevance, of crimes increasing day by day, of atrocities on women, of price rise. A one-man crusade?! Oh no, he is digressing. It’s now about all these small mishaps and problems pointing towards the possibility of the end of the world.
“Poor guy”, I tell my friend, “These guys don’t understand that all these things- murders, thefts, robberies etc- have been happening always. Now since the population is increased, we have it in even larger numbers and since the media is so bent on getting us news of such things, we get to know of these things more”. My friend seemed to agree on that.
The bike is repaired. We decide to take a look at what it’s all about. We pass by him, take a U-turn and come back. By the time, it’s another man who’s delivering the speech. Yet another guy is handing over pamphlets. There is a banner displayed, a small one, which reads, “Njaan (Yeshu) Vegam Varunnu”, referring to Jesus’ coming to save mankind.
Well, faith. We all need that; to live on in this world, which would be very much arid, but for faith. But was that faith in its purest form?
Well, time to move on, for a cup of tea…..
Film Review – Katha Thudarunnu (The story Continues)…
Published May 12, 2010 | Sathyan Anthikad has set a trend with his series of family entertainers and, “Katha Thudarunnu” is his 50th film in this series. Like his other films, Katha Thudarunnu also strikes the hearts of many family-entertainer loving film audiences of Kerala. 
Katha Thudarunnu narrates a story that surrounds the life of a single mother Vidya (starring Mamtha Mohandas) whose life turns to complete helplessness once her husband Shanavas (Asif Ali), (whom she dared to live with despite objections from both the families and religion), gets killed in an attack by the quotation group. It was then that the autorikshaw driver Preman (Jayaram), who lives in a colony, came to the rescue of her and child. She finds new meaning to the life once she starts feeling the love and care of the people living in the colony. Her life turns around completely once she completes the MBBS degree that was stopped with her love marriage, with the help of the poor people in the colony. And, the story continues with here off to Kuwait with Preman awaiting her return.
While the events in the film, Sathyan Anthikad has tried to showcase the various aspects of the life, politics, religion, exploitation of women, quotation gangs and robbery.
Mamtha has been given a strong character as a single mother, who overcomes her ill-fate and is able to cope up with every condition that life brings in. The child actress Anikha has successfully enacted her role as the little daughter.
In this film too Sathyan brings in some of the actors, who played lead roles in his previous film “Bhagyadevatha.” Another thing Sathyan Anthikad has brought to the scene is the Star Singer contest and the hopes of the poor parents which in turn raises the waves of laughter among the audience.
So the film takes us through various events that let the audience to shed some tears and also raise some laughter. The songs are written by Vayalar Sharath Chandra Varma and are given its life by the great Ilayaraja. The song ‘ Aaaro padunnu.. ‘is sure to catch the attention of music lovers.
So in total, I think Sathyan Anthikad has been successful with his film ‘Katha Thudarunnu‘. This film indeed gives some hope to the Malayalam film industry which suffers from poor stories and other crisis.
A new height in Kerala tourism- 'Munnar', Asia's second best destination
Published May 11, 2010 | 
Ever thought this haven of peace and tranquility, Munnar would be rated as the second best holiday destination in Asia after Tokyo by the Massachusetts-based research website and travel guide TripAdvisor. Located between three mountains; Nallathanni, Kundala and Muthipuzza, this beautiful hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India.
Named after Kannan Devan the land lord in the Anchanad Valley, Munnar was earlier known as Kannan Devan hills. The main cultivation crops as coffee and tea. The tourist hotspot involved in controversies in recent times for the large scale razing of illegal structures, this was a surprise for many.
Winners were determined on the TripAdvisor by a combination of real travelers favorite places, comments and the overall destination popularity. With eight other Indian destinations chosen among the top 25 Asian destination choice list, India’s tourism is bound to reach greater heights.
Kerala Tourism Secretary, Venu V, is thrilled and humbled to know that with millions of travelers relying on TripAdvisor for their travel inspiration, Munnar was honoured as one among the best travel destinations by the travelers this year.
To ensure sustainable development, Kerala has recently announced a master plan for Munnar following a massive demolition drive that had scared away half of the tourists from the place.
With the annual revenue crossing over Rs130bn and attracting more than 7.8mn domestic and 550,000 foreign tourists with its beaches, hill stations and backwaters, Kerala with its new achievement is bid to rise in the tourism industry and may one day become the most sought after tourist destination in the world. Who knows!
Leave us alone we need no roads to development: Kerala
Published May 10, 2010 | National Highway Authority of India is initiating the need to widen the roads of the country to international standards. This means our national highways will be 6-lane road and will have access on both sides, flyovers, pedestrians walkway and zebra crossings to name a few, it all sounds so wonderful. But, hold on! the politicians in Kerala are thinking something else. Strange, but all political parties in Kerala have united together (a rare sight) for a common cause and unanimously they say, ‘We need no roads..oops sorry no wide roads.
The politicians after having decided over a cup of tea that the state needs only 30 metre broad roads against the proposed 60-metre. All the good Samaritan (politicians) of the Kerala society have finally decided to meet the Prime Minister, and apprise him about this decision. And we know what the PM is going to say ”Who cares, if you want 30-45-60 meter roads, it is you who is going to suffer.
The narrow minded politicians aren’t thinking practically, what this decision means for the future generation who will be forced to squeeze themselves for space. As a literate state, is it not the duty of these politicians to come together with intellectuals and educate the people how much it will benefit. But sadly, none have really bothered to tell us what it is all about, and shamefully we all know what it is all about. Vote bank politics and we have rather become politicians slaves.
Why is that the people of Kerala are getting so laid back, I have seen them agitating everywhere and for everything, but when it comes to real issues there is no reaction. It takes more than 9-years to complete and still no where to build a railway-overhead-bridge on a busy NH-17 highway, Edapally, Kochi, but we rather prefer to adjust with the situation and suffer.
Remember we are living in world’s largest democracy, so no one to blame but ourselves. Leaders don’t build nations, its build by you and me. Had we realized the power we have, this state would have been a different place all together. Till then lets keep grumbling and complaining.
Tiger Trails – Following the latest pug marks!
Published May 10, 2010 | 
Well, going by the latest inputs from the tiger conservation front, things are showing a slight positive turn in Kerala 
We saw a couple of encouraging snippets compiled by the news desks in the last few weeks, much to the delight and relief of the wild life enthusiasts! The first one in this regard has been the ban imposed on tiger trails in Kerala. It will do good for the beasts as tiger trails might get the animals acquainted with man, which could prove costly for the animals when they confront the poachers. Also the relentless inflow of tourists harm the ecosystem and its habitat, which in turn could make the reclusive animals of tigers restless and anxious.
Wild life news snippets from Idukki district and from other parts like Azeekode in Kannur have also been encouraging. In one case a young female tigress that killed a 2 year old boy in the area was trapped alive and set free in the deep jungles whereas a leopard was rescued and set free in another case. If it were a few years ago, the story would have ended on a gory note where the wild life officials would summon sharp shooters and hunters to track it down after setting live prey baits. There is absolutely no scope for all these types of misadventures any more as the tiger figures are precariously low and to revive the tiger population is indeed a mighty and challenging task ahead of us.
However, this does not mean that all is well in the wild life conservation front of Kerala. The story of a young wild bull elephant which died under very bad circumstances again puts a big question mark on the commitment of the public and wild life officials in protecting our natural wealth and wild life treasures. The badly wounded elephant which sought refuge in a pool near eco point in Munnar, which is frequented by tourists was badly tormented . The people started pelting stones and bottles on this helpless animal, which succumbed to its injuries later in the day. As always, investigations are on and the minister has sought explanation from the wild life officials, which we all know will reach nowhere and are nothing short of an eyewash! It is a shame that Keralites who take credit of being the most educated populace in India is behaving like a primitive hunting tribe. We need to mend our ways and habits to make sure that Kerala remains beautiful the way it was created !