The other side of New year revelry
Published January 3, 2012 | 
New Year celebrations in Kerala often boil down into ostentatious show of pomp and money power. New Year revelry is all about fast music, wild dance, DJs and drinks for many. However behind the glitter and the glamour of the New year revelry there were some dark moments that would leave us all ashamed.
The merry making males went overboard after downing a few hard drinks when they tried to molest the North Indian bar girls in the New Year parties in a three star hotel in Cochin. The staff and managers of several hotels had a difficult time shielding the girls from the straying hands of the spirited revelers.
In the city of Cochin alone, 878 cases were registered of which 568 were for drunk driving, wrong parking etc while 200 cases were booked for public boozing and a few related to clashes among party revelers. The city malls were jam packed with young revelers who shouted and sang all night that kept the families off.
The tourist hub of Fort Kochi also bore the brunt of the great carnival. Heaps of plastic containers of take away food parcels , decorative stuff, and loads of empty liquor bottles that remain mute testimonies of the drinking habits of Malayalees were all strewn around carelessly. It is paradoxical that as we become more educated we turn insensitive to everything around us including the less fortunate souls. It is high time that we pick up the art of celebrating special events without causing nuisance to others and littering public places !
Thin girls Vs full figured damsels (part lI)
Published December 8, 2011 | Here you have another version from my male colleagues who prefer slim belles- Here is what I have for lean women- a compilation of responses from them.
So why slim is always in:
Angelina Jolie, Katrina, Kareena, Priyanka Chopra, Shilpa Shetty or for that matter take any leading film star today- and there is one thing in common -they are all thin. And yes, there is Kerala’s very own Kavya Madhavan who saw a steep decrease in her fan-base once she put on weight (Of course people still love her for her acting skills and her beautiful face but definitely her figure does not receive much appreciation today).
One guy cited: Thin women can become models if they want to and if they don’t want to, can look like one and win complements. What’s even better; looking thin gives an impression that you work-out (even if you have not been) and live a healthy lifestyle.
Men love thin women and women themselves like being thin. So being thin obviously means that you can enjoy advising fat women who come up to you for advices on how to lose weight.
Ha, another guy had a funny fact: No lift-man will ever refuse to accommodate you on a lift. After all you are just a few extra kilos.
You can manage to sit in a small space in a crowded bus or train.And getting seats on our Indian buses and trains is definitely not child’s play.
“They can also be easily accommodated at the rear of my bike” said another guy.
Hmm, another soft comment: No one will ever corner you asking ‘Please donate blood’. And no one will ever refuse to donate you blood in case you are in need.
This is interesting : Women are known for multi-tasking. Being thin allows you to move faster and get things done. One minute you are downstairs attending your son, and the next minute you are back in the kitchen. Needless to say you can fit into a small kitchen and do the chores easily.
A guy with a sportive mind stated: Thin women excel in sports and can play any game of their choice.
The mention of ‘Full-figured’ girls and the guys panic, thinking its an expensive affair. He will have to afford her gym, quality and quantity of food and fetch clothes of her unique sizes”. Ok, point taken.
Unlike girls who struggle a lot to lose weight (because not only guys, majority of girls do not like looking fat), thin girls can be free from gym sessions, and fitness regimes, get to relax and spend their time hogging food.
Ah, thats a point from the group: Miniskirts, shorts, nice and cut-hot trends, capris and bikinis – thin girls look the best in them! Another benefit, yes you can save a lot of money when you get to sew two sets of dress from a single piece of cloth.
All, from the group had the same view: They like their ladies to be in shape and look young and thin women always look younger than their age. With many men working out to have an athletic body today, a slim women will always be their favorite. Guys love to carry their slim women in their arm, and every time he does that it ignites romance. So the chances of lifting becomes a daily affair, and the women obviously loves it. One of my male colleagues was of the opinion that women put on weight after marriage so he wanted to keep that trouble post-marriage, so for the time being he would prefer a slim girl.
All this said, be it fat or thin, women are always beautiful the way they are!
Bhoothathankettu to be declared as the first adventure tourism site in Kochi
Published November 11, 2011 | 
Bhoothathankettu dam site will be soon developed into the first adventure tourism spot in Ernakulam district. Plans are afoot to develop it into a perfect outdoor tourist destination with an aim to attract the youth for camping experiences and adventure sports. According to the district tourism promotion council, the project will be targetting techies mostly for conduct training camps. Night camping options and trekking trails will be developed as part of this adventure tourism initiative.
The project will also include a day trip starting at the Marine Drive, which would enable the tourists to experience various popular adventure sporting activities like trekking and kayaking. Located just eight kms north-east of Kothamangalam,Bhoothathankettu is a perfect choice for a quiet and tranquil holiday, however many people prefer to skip this spot due to its poor infrastructure and lack of transportation facilities. There are many leisure activities in Bhoothathankettu including jungle trails , boat rides, rock climbing and fishing . The initiative to make it a base camp for adventure sporting activities would surely give it its well desired place in the tourism map of Kerala. Indulge in the breathtaking beauty of the unexplored destination of Boothathankettu through these well captured snap shots in Sreesobhin’s gallery and we bet, it will become your favorite weekend hang out spot in Cochin 
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Welcome to the Milkyway aqua tourism centre
Published October 28, 2011 | 
Are you on the look out for a quiet weekend break, away from the hustle and bustle of the city yet not very far from the city? If YES, then , the Matsyafed Milkyway aqua-tourism centre at Malippuram would be a perfect choice. It offers the double fun of a working fish farm along with an eco-tourism experience. True to its name, Milkyway is elusive and secluded that would offer an out of the world experience!
Located at Malippuram in Vypin the Milkyway is about 12 kilometres from the High Court Junction in Ernakulam, and is easily accessible through the Goshree Bridge. No matter whether you are here for a spell of adventure or some quiet moments in the company of your friends and family, Milky way will be an ideal spot. The unexplored charm of the environment and the spectacular natural beauty would leave a soothing effect. Though this farm was opened to the public around 1 year back, it has not become popular yet largely due to lack of publicity and facilities for the tourists.
As it falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone, there are serious limitations in making concrete buildings or structures. So you cannot expect any modern amenities here. However, if you are on the quest of a serene getaway option, then not many places can match the charm of this aqua tourism spot. Options are all yours while you are on this post card pretty tourist spot. Laze in the hammocks and enjoy the unhurried charm of the canoes and the fishermen going about their daily business, savour the fresh fish delicacies at the windswept restaurants or set out on a pedal boat to enjoy the sights and sounds of this farm up close.
A perfect day time picnic spot, this aqua tourism spot will be good choice for anglers. You can try your mettle with the fishing rods, which are available on rent. Check out the restaurants that offer a lip smacking menu of fish and seafood delicacies, cooked in traditional Kerala style by professional women chef. Here, you can even get the fish that you caught, cooked the way that you want it! No trip to Malipuram will be complete without a stopover for the brilliant sunset spectacle at the unspoilt Chappa Beach. Read more on the interesting tourist attractions nearby in this blog, The vypin light house. Try out this brilliant holiday option and you will be tempted to make a comeback soon! If you fancy a virtual tour around this beautiful tourist spot, click here!
The shout out at Karma Kerala!
Published October 14, 2011 | 
A shouting competition- In all probability, you might not have heard anything like this before in Kerala!! The brain child of Sholto, our boss from the UK, who wanted to try it out as a small experiment to find out why Kerala ladies almost always talk in muffled tones, this interesting shout out competition was held in our office at Karma Kerala. The ladies and the gents teams were drawn up and everything was well set for a high decibel shout and screech. The winning team would have been the one that made the maximum sound.
Obviously the all girls team of 17 was not a match for the men’s team and the ladies were clearly outclassed in the first round of the shouting competition. In the second round in a hotly fought contest 15 ladies shouted their lungs out as loud as they could against a truncated men’s team of just 5 and even then, the men won by a clear edge. When a combined round of both men and women was done, the sound tapered as it reached the female side. In this melee, a few anxious faces did came out from the adjacent buildings to see what it was all about.
At the end of it all, it was concluded that the women in Kerala have chosen to be soft spoken and quiet due to an array of social and cultural factors when they are outside the comfort zones of their homes. However, I feel that to measure the real power of the female vocal chords, one might have to step into their homes unexpectedly when all the male voices of the house will be drowned in the clamor of the females:). Share your views on this interesting topic !
Kerala has one of the top ten most beautiful ferry rides in the world
Published October 7, 2011 | 
A ferry ride is often the most beautiful and laid back option to explore the scenery, the rhythm of nature and above all the culture and way of living of the local populace. There are various types of boats on offer. From small passenger boats to auto ferries to the largest cruise liners that can seat over 3200 passengers, there is something for everyone here . In some villages in Kuttanad where there are no roads, the ferry system forms the crucial water highways for the residents.
Yahoo travels has included the house boat cruise from Alappuzha and Pulinkunnu in Kerala among the ten most beautiful rides in the world. The backwaters formed by a maze of interconnecting waterways are used for ferrying people and farm produce alike. Take a leisurely cruise in these well equipped houseboats, which are remodelled rice barges of Kerala which were once used for transporting farm products like coconuts, paddy, and bananas among others.
As the boats inch its way along the waters fringed with swaying coconut palms, lush greenery and small tiled houses along the water’s edge, you can soak up the rustic charm and the enviably slow pace of life in these villages. The short stopovers are good excuses for you to have a close encounter with the village life. Children swim and frolic in the waters as ladies wash the laundry and men take huge flocks of ducks for grazing. Watch the toddy tapper in action or try clambering up a coconut tree, enjoy one of the most the enchanting sunsets of your life, catch the fishermen in action or join the fun. You can even take some time off to explore the village markets and old religious places on a bicycle or spend some time angling in the backwaters.
There are entertainment options like TV and music system on board, or you can enjoy the beautiful milieu from the upper sun deck to while away time. After an eventful day in the waters, the boat moves towards the lakeside for you to spend the night. After relishing an ethnic Kerala supper enriched by seafood and fish preparations you can enjoy a relaxing sleep in the comforts of the houseboat. Well, does that sound too good to be true? See it to believe it and in case you are planning to have a tropical themed holiday, then a house boat cruise would be the best choice you could think of!
Kerala gets its first-ever chartered flight service
Published September 27, 2011 | 
Welcome aboard the only private jet charter service in Kerala , which would ensure air travel affordable to everyone without compromising on safety and luxury. Kochi, which has emerged as the business capital of Kerala and an IT gateway in South India gets its first-ever chartered flight service in Kerala. This move will surely add impetus to its business prosepcts in the days ahead.
The Joyalukkas Group acquired a five-seater business jet Embraer Phenom 100 made in Brazil, which became the first ever nonscheduled’ twin-engine jet aircraft owned by a Keralite. The Joy Alukkas Group has also immediate plans to set up an aviation company with a fleet of four light aircraft including a helicopter. These aircrafts would be put to use to cater to the needs of the tourism industry as well as medical emergencies and business needs.
The Embraer Phenom 100, costing Rs 21 crore is one of the most advanced planes in its genre and can attain a speed of 0.70 Mach with a climb rate of 4,760 ft per minute. It can travel a distance of 1,320 nautical miles and can hit a maximum altitude of 41,000 ft. The best part is that it needs only a takeoff distance of 3,400 ft, which makes it convenient for remote access and short airstrips. It was flown from Brazil to Chennai in 10 days and stopovers in 19 different countries. Embraer Phenom 100 would be using the facilities of Nedumbassery International Airport and once the chartered flight fleet gets ready, it will throw open an array of exciting options in adventure travel and tourism. So, in case you fancy a solo flight or a family flight tour, this could well your chance.
Kerala decks up to celebrate the grand festival of Onam 2011
Published September 6, 2011 | 
Keralites all over the world are looking forward to celebrate the home coming of King Mahabali and the Onam festival that falls on Friday. One of the most important days in the festive calender of Kerala, Onam festivities span over 10 days starting from Atham. Keralites have left nothing to chance; elaborate floral carpets , sumptuous feasts and the folks dressed in their best, everything is in place to make Mahabali happy and to show off the prosperity and happiness of his subjects! However beyond these cosmetic grandeur there is rot of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement that would force the king to scurry back to his subterranean abode!
To cater to the needs of the Keralites who are getting ready to celebrate Onam, wagon loads of flowers from Tamilnadu have already reached the city. The vendors have camped in vantage spots all over the city to grab the attention of the Onam shoppers. Though the flowers are being sold at exorbitant rates at a rate of over 150-300 Rs per kilo for many flowers like white marigold and yellow and orange jamanthi, this has not dampened the shopping spirits of the people. Gone are the days when Malayalees used to deck up the floral carpets with traditional flowers like Thumba, mathapoo and chembarthi. The new generation kids might not even know what all these are!
The unseasonal rains and the wet weather too has played spoil sport this year and the road side vendors are the most affected by this. There are onam fairs, payasamela and handicrafts exhibitions in various venues, which are jam packed with shoppers. The onam bonus and early salary has added the much needed impetus in driving up the shopping frenzy of the salaried class .
We have lost the classic charm of home made meals and the warmth of family get togethers somewhere down the time line. In the onslaught of the modern life styles where nobody has time for anything , the ready to eat onam kits and ready made payasams come as handy aids to enjoy an Onam feast before dashing off to any movie theatre or to some exotic locale for a family holiday. It is indeed sad that we have long lost the essence and virtues associated with this festival. These days, the lure for money and power has pushed back the virtues into oblivion that were held so dear by our legendary king . However, let us all get together to welcome the king who had dreamed of a virtuous and truthful society as a tribute to him and his land of Kerala!
Burgher Street in Fort Kochi keeps alive the Dutch history
Published August 30, 2011 | 
The sleepy bylane of Burgher Street in Fort Kochi has lost its history somewhere down the time line, however it still holds the vital links that connect this city to the Dutch legacy of the yore!
Though most of the residents and the tourists who throng Fort Kochi, pass by this street which is located close to many tourist attractions like art galleries, most of them seem to be unaware of the historic connection associated with the Burgher street. There are only two streets in Fort Kochi which still bear Dutch names, Burgher Street and Petercelli Street as the other streets have been renamed by the British who came later.
The word Burgher in Dutch means ‘clerk’ in reference to the Portuguese descendants of clerks here who had built the street. Though there are no Burghers on the street anymore, it remains a mute testimony of a 300 year old Dutch legacy. It is ironical that this erstwhile Dutch street has a number of Portuguese descendants but no Dutch residents.
The legacy says that in the 15th Century when thePortuguese first came to Kerala, they built a fort in the area and the city around it was called Fort Kochi. But soon the Dutch came in and they destroyed the fort and many other Portuguese buildings and brought in the Protestant reign which made them unpopular among the local populace, which ultimately forced them to leave the area for the Portuguese.
Even today, the Burgher Street has some ancient buildings that showcases specks of Dutch architecture including high ceilings, thick walls and a small courtyard. However it is alarming to note that many modern constructions have come up in the heritage zone, violating the norms, which makes the conservation of these vestiges an uphill task. Like the many pieces of forgotten history, the Burgher Street too has lost its historical significance somewhere; nonetheless let us hope that these vital links of history are not lost forever. Read more on the Dutch influence on this city in this Deccan Chronicle article.
Alappuzha gets decked up for the Nehru Trophy boat race
Published August 9, 2011 | 
Punnamada lake, the venue of the fabled Nehru Trophy boat race has been a beehive of activities for the last few days as snake boats, each rowed by over 100 oarsmen in quick unison started their practice sessions, ahead of the grand competition on Aug 13. The last few days marked a surge in the number of tourists arriving at the Punnamada lake to witness this unique water sport.
The snake boat race is something exceptional to Kerala and the length of a snake boat varies from 120 feet to 140 feet and will have about 120 oarsmen, who will display a marvelous spectacle of rowing in unison well complemented by high pitched songs and resonant drum beats to add up to the mood. 16 snake boats and around 40 small boats will be participating this year in the 59th edition of the race, which is being sponsored by a single sponsor for over 2.50 Crore, which incidentally is the highest ever. Another highlight of this year’s event is that one of the snake boats of United Boat Club, Kainakary has roped in a group of 51 soldiers from the Madras Engineering Group in its team of oarsmen.
The boat race, which dates back to 1952 was held as an impromptu race in honour of the then Indian prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru who visited the state. Nehru, who was thrilled by the performance of the oarsmen had suggested to make it an annual event. On returning to Delhi, Nehru donated a silver trophy, a replica of a snake boat placed on a wooden abacus with an inscription and his signature, which is awarded to the winners in the snake boat race.
Preparations are in full swing and Alappuzha is getting braced up for the event, which is one of the most popular events in Kerala itinerary among tourists, including foreigners. So, make sure to be there to be part of this excepting spectacle, which is not seen anywhere else in India. It is interesting to note that it was featured in the online creative venture of the New Zealand community, the big idea, which shows its universal appeal and popularity.