Heli Taxi services launched in Kerala
Published December 1, 2010 | 
A helicopter taxi service ( Heli Taxi Service) has been introduced by Cochin International Airport ltd, which will be utilised for transporting pilgrims and tourists to various destinations. The HeliTaxi has over 20 years of experience in Helicopter operation and belongs to Bangalore Bharath Airways Private Limited. In a bid to give further impetus to the tourism prospects of Kerala, CIAL had recently launched its tourism division in association with over 30 Tour operators.
The American made Bell-407 helicopter has a capacity to carry 5 passengers and two Pilots and is expected to reach Nilakkal from Cochin in just 30 minutes, thereby saving a lot of time and effort of the pilgrims. It will be an ideal transportation choice for the aged and disabled pilgrims or those who are hard pressed on time.
The heli taxi services will be a boon for Sabarimala pilgrims and tourists who can explore even the remote parts of Kerala very easily. It has also obtained permission from Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa, for operating this service to Nilakkal (Foothills of Sabarimala) and its services will be extended to Saramkuttiyal (near Sannidhanam) for emergency purposes like causality evacuation or for security requirements.
The Heli Taxi can operate approximately for 30 hrs in a month and is hoping to take a minimum of 150 passengers to various locations in the State. It will be a good choice for adventure tourists to reach the unexplored spots that are not well connected with other modes of transport
By the backwaters in Kuttanadu…
Published November 14, 2010 |
Kuttanadu is where you can catch glimpses of rural Kerala, with sprawling paddy fields, the criss-cross of waterways and ducks swimming all around, fresh water fish being caught and sold, people transporting things in boats etc.
Here we go with three different snaps of a small wayside shop selling fish, prawns, ducks and eggs, at Nedumudi by the backwaters on the Alappuzha-Changanassery road…
A Keralite among the crew of the world’s largest cruise ship
Published October 27, 2010 | 
When the world’s largest cruise ship ‘Allure of The Seas’ embarks on its maiden voyage on October 29, Kerala will have a special reason to cheer about. Kuriakkose from Kochi will form part of its impressive crew as the ship starts its cruise from Finland. Hailing from Aluva, he had joined the Royal Caribbean International, the company which owns the ship a few years back.
It is from its sister ship ‘Oasis of The Seas’, of the same company, that ‘Allure of The Seas’ is taking over the title of ‘the largest cruise ship in the world, which makes it all the more special for him.
The 64-metre-wide ship has 16 decks and 2,700 state rooms in the ship and can carry a maximum of 6,296 passengers and 2,394 crew members. It also includes 21 swimming pools, 24 restaurants, a floating park with 12,000 plants and a 1300-seat 3D movie theatre , which is one of the main attractions aboard the ship. Passengers can also surf on two wave-riding machines in the water park, ride the carousel and eat hot dogs along the Coney Island-themed boardwalk, beat a retreat to the adults-only deck, hit the tiles at the nightclub or have some fun at the ice rink. The ship will run Caribbean cruises from her home of Port Everglades in Florida and in these sojourns, Kuriakose will be spreading the warmth of Kerala hospitality, thousands of nautical miles away from his home land!
Welcome to a Kerala village where nobody speaks Malayalam!
Published October 22, 2010 | 
Paivelige, a Tulu speaking grama panchayat, located to the east of Kasargod on the Kerala-Karnataka border offers an interesting profile of a Kerala village where nobody speaks Malayalam! Technically speaking, Paivelige is a Kerala grama panchayat, though it is not a Malayali village. All the signboards are in Kannada and not many inhabitants speak Malayalam.
People of different castes coexist peacefully in this picturesque village, where farming is the main stay. The Muslims of Paivelige speak the dialect Beary, a mixture of Malayalam, Kannada and Tulu. There are Tulu speaking Bunts (Nairs) and Billavas(Ezhava\Thiyyas) and the Marathi speaking Naiks here. There are also Tulu speaking Sivalli Brahmins, who still follow the Malayalam calendar and celebrate Kerala festivals like Onam, and Vishu to complete the stunning cultural diversity of this small village.
The sheer variety of culture and languages have made this village a cut above the rest of the panchayaths in Kerala. As the countdown for the local body elections have already begun, the villagers will be once gain choosing their representative on personal merits rather than political lineages unlike the other Kerala villages which breathe, eat and sleep politics. The best part is that this village has no political divide and political clashes, which makes it stand out in Kerala!
Kerala’s tourism- Bekal pulls the strings!
Published October 5, 2010 | 
Bekal- A source of attraction for historians, tourists and nature lovers has hit the bull’s eye when Bekal Resort Development Corporation (BRDC) is on its way to groom it as an International Tourism destination of Kerala.
Situated in the Northern most part of Kerala, Kasaragod, where fishing is the only source of livelihood, this striking beauty is noted for its sandy beaches, the 300 year old ancient Bekal Fort, near proximity to the two airports and the friendly socialising people.
Last month on behalf of the promotional efforts, a documentary film known as ‘Bekal’, produced by BRDC was screened in the Kalabhavan Theatre, Thiruvanthapuram. The script directed by Mr.C.P.Padmakumar pictures the many nature and man made attractions.
The film shortlist the main and the nearby attractions of Bekal, the employment source, the investment options and policy of BRDC and the major investors in the region.
This year also saw the inauguration of ‘Beach Camp’ by the minister of Tourism, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. In the Beach Camp, the first property of KTDC Hotels and Resorts in Bekal, 30 cottages are coming up in two hectares of land that is situated between the Bekal beach and The tsunami park.
Though it is regarded as a small region, it plays a prominent part in bringing limelights to God’s own country- Kerala. In another few months we might find Bekal as one of the top destinations in South, maybe more, let us hope so!
Don’t worry, be happy….
Published September 30, 2010 | On a day when everyone everywhere seems to be speaking of the Ayodhya Babri Masjid case verdict, I’d like to think of rather pleasant things than those that disturb the mind…
So much of religious intolerance and so much of narrow-minded thinking going on…can’t these people do something good, something worthwhile?
Nature has no religion, no caste, no politics, no colour, no creed…It’s all man made and made more for harm than for our good…
Forget such trivial things and relish this photograph of the beautiful Kuzhipilly beach near Cherai, taken by a friend of mine….
Karmakerala wishes everyone a great day…
Ayodhya Babri Masjid Verdict and God’s own Country!
Published September 29, 2010 | The Ayodhya-Babri Masjid dispute issue is finally set for verdict tomorrow, on Thursday September 30, 2010. The Allahabad High Court will be making the historic judgement on this issue that has caused agony to our motherland. This issue has its own effect in our little state Kerala.
Although a small state in appearance, our state has contributed big in creating terrorists in and around the country. Above all our beautiful state is known for creating a ruckus of even the smallest issues happening at the international level. It’s no wonder that the state government is on alert!
Prevention is better than cure: Kerala government is ensuring tight security throughout the state as a precautionary measure against the background of the verdict on Ayodhya case.
Some of the security measures taken include-
1. Ban orders have been declared in Kasaragod, Kannur, Malappuram, Alappuzha and Kollam districts from midnight on Wednesday.
2. Ban orders came into force in Ernakulam district from this morning.
3. Restrictions on organising of marches, meetings and demonstrations are to be declared in other districts.
4. About 30,000 policemen are proposed to be deployed by midnight to enforce the orders and maintain peace.
5. Preventive arrests are also likely.
6. Special security is being extended to important places of worship, railway stations and bus stands.
7. Armed reserves have positioned in district centres.
8. The media is warned against speculating the outcome of the Ayodhya dispute until they have a copy of the issues of the judgement by the Court and the operational part of the order.
Kerala seems to be ready to face any untoward incident that may crop up post the verdict. The Allahabad High Court announced that there are plans on making the judgment available to the people via the internet.
Let us hope the verdict finally brings peace to all and allow the Gods to rest peacefully in our ‘God’s Own Country’. 
A heritage tourist trail to the archaeological city of Muziris
Published September 27, 2010 | 
Explore the ancient city of Muziris ( ancient Kodungallur) and set out on a stroll to the past! The mystery shrouding Muziris was unraveled only recently by archaeologists and historians that brought to light the rich, culture and tradition of that period. The first phase of the `Rs1.4bn Muziris Heritage Project (MHP), would identify over 23 monuments of archaeological importance in and around the historic Kodungallur town. The erstwhile trading hub of Muziris had business relations with Romans , Greek and Arabs. Many religions like Judaism, Christianity, Islam and a host of world cultures in the southern Indian state are thought to have originated in Muziris. This buzzing sea port was used to bring in gold from all over the world and the traders took back pepper and spices that were grown in abundance in Kerala. The excavations in the year 2004, had shed light about the business relations of Muziris.
Muziris remained a bustling sea port and trading corridor with the outside world for more than 2,500 years and excavations have found rudiments of imported Roman amphora, mainly used for transporting wine and olive oil. The Yemeni and West Asian pottery and Indian roulette ware found in Egypt’s Berenice suggest the international importance of Muziris and the trading relations of south India with several civilizations of west Asia and Europe through the port.
When we at Karmakerala reached Muziris on a rainy afternoon, we could see many pieces of Roman coins,precious stones, pottery, storage utensils and parts of vessels that are being listed and graded to be displayed in the museum , which will be thrown open to the public in Jan- Feb. The excavated pits are under tight security now to prevent vandalism and some of the remnants have been transported to the capital city of Trivandrum to conduct further studies. We saw the spot where the remnants of the first Roman ship was discovered, which is now overrun with wild growth and bushes. There we also came across a small girl who has a sizable collection of precious stones and beads, which she said was exposed during the rains!
Kerala Tourism will greatly benefit from the tourism potential of this ancient city which would attract not just archaeologists and historians but also curious holidaymakers from all over the world.
How to reach Muziris
Approximately 27 Km from Cochin, Muziris is located at Pattanam, a small village lying between Kodungallur and North Paravur in the Periyar Delta in Ernakulam district.
A court for the children by the children
Published September 22, 2010 | 
Welcome to a court with a difference. Though the procedures and proceedings and even the holidays of this court resembles those in a conventional court, the judge, the accused and the appellants are all kids and that is what makes it exceptional. This children’s court is functioning in Sneha Bhavan, the home for the destitute children in Palluruthy, in Cochin, managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco in association with the Corporation of Cochin. Here the children are given a chance to grow and integrate themselves into society by preventing them from being helpless and exploited.
This innovative law enforcement mechanism make them law abiding citizens from a very early age according to Fr. Sunny, the director of the institution. There is also a CID and police too( kid’s versions of course:) attached to the court. The kids of the institution don the roles of the magistrate, the bench clerk and advocates for both the accused and the petitioner. When the ‘judge’, K K Siju donning a black gown took his seat, pin drop silence descended on to the hall and everybody waited anxiously to hear the verdict. The case was that of a missing bath towel, which the judge promptly handed over to the CID to crack!
Some of the common complaints include leaving the dining table shabby after lunch or leaving the dinner plates unwashed, which are considered grave mistakes that could invite the maximum penalty of negative 5 points and the accused slapped with this punishment will always have a chance to place a mercy petition before the director. There are no harsh punishments unlike in the normal courts and this is what makes the children’s court really exceptional. The normal punishments include keeping the erring kids off the games for 1 hour or restraining the kids from watching TV. The kids can always seek pardon from the other boy and very often their quarrels are short lived and simple.
Bagging positive points for the good deeds come with lots of goodies and privileges. Kids who could manage to earn 75 points or more will be entitled for a joy ride in the AC Volvo buses to the airport and watching a movie in the plush multiplex of a popular mall. No wonder, kids vie to bag as many positive points as they could to enjoy the best weekend outing options on the offer and to encourage the other boys to emulate the good deeds. There is no criminal tendency in the kids of Snehabhavan and they coexist peacefully and happily; thanks to the vigilant kid’s court that has been functioning for years now!
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