Fake godmen defaming spirituality for instant fame and money
Published March 6, 2010 | 
Every other day, newspapers come up with scandals and sleaze of the self proclaimed godmen,who are taking the public for a cool ride! Spirituality has become an instant solution for these fraudsters to make money by way of foreign donations. Kerala was abuzz by the sexual encounters of Santosh Madhavan, only a few months back. He chose to set up a home for the destitute children and an exclusive hostel facility for adolescent girls. He sponsored their studies and met all their expenses to gain confidence of the parents and the family of the girls and once it was done, he started exploiting and abusing the girls who were used for child pornography. He was hand in glove with many top politicians and police officers, who made sure that his deals remain top secret. He had invested the millions of dollars he earned by way of charity and donations in illicit land dealings and benami transactions often with the connivance of the top echelons in administration.
The latest episode of the so called ‘swami Nityananada’ is no different. Hailing from a village in Tamilnadu , he started his business in massage parlours, which often crossed the limits of decency. When the going got tough, he shifted his base to Bangalore and put on the saffron garb to make a few fast bucks. To gain the confidence and goodwill of the local community he indulged in social service and once his popularity soared, money started flowing from all over the world. The Nithayananda Mission became a worldwide movement for meditation and peace with claims of over 1,000 branches across 33 countries and about two million followers the world over!
The latest sting operation of a video channel exposed his vicious side when he was caught on camera in the company of a young Tamil actress. It is high time that we stop promoting these godmen and the ready made spirituality packages. The tax sops and the money involved in charity is mind boggling that it has become one of the easiest businesses to set up in India under the guise of spirituality, yoga , vedas and what not! We should have some stringent laws to curb fake spiritual leaders to safeguard the sanctity of our culture and spirituality. Time to do some soul searching !
Rail tourism all set for the big leap
Published January 21, 2010 | 
Soon on the trails of one of the biggest branding exercises of Kerala tourism which showcased the glimpses of Kerala on the exterior of the Thiruvananthapuram-bound Rajdhani Express on a huge canvas, the tourism ministry is planning to introduce atleast one coach in the lines of the luxurious ‘palace on wheels’ in all major trains. By associating itself to India’s busiest travel network, Kerala is trying to play the tourism card to lure more domestic tourists to Kerala in the coming years.
This specially designed luxury compartment dedicated to tourists will be introduced in all major trains and these luxury coaches will have tastefully done up interiors, better designed seats and toilets and wider sleeping berths. The wide windows will ensure a better view of the landscape for the visitors. Local tourists will have to pay the same fare as the foreign travelers in these coaches, which will be designed in the lines of luxury trains like Palace on Wheels, Deccan Odyssey, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels and the Fairy Queen.
Liquor will be served in these coaches though alcohol is banned on the other Indian trains. The coaches will have atendants to ensure personal attention and care. All Rajadhani trains are being modified immediately and the rest of the major trains in the next phase. With many innovative ideas on the anvil to promotre rail tourism, Kerala can hope to recive more visitors from other states of India, who drop in to explore the exceptional culture, backwaters, houseboats and cuisine of this tiny Southern State of Kerala, fondly referred to as ” God’s own country’.
Lottery mania in Kerala
Published January 7, 2010 | 
Kerala, the state that boasts 100% literacy and one of the best health care facilities in India depends on some of the not so conventional means to fill its coffers! Its two main revenue makers include the Beverages Corporation and the Department of Lotteries, which contribute substantially to the State revenue.
Kerala is the birth place of lottery and it was introduced for the first time in the 1960 s by the first communist Government of Kerala under the chief ministership of the late Marxist leader, Shri EMS Namboodirippad. Today many other states in India have adapted the system of lotteries. Next time, when you bump against any lottery agent with neatly stacked lottery tickets with them, think about the silent role they play in sourcing funds for the State’s kitty. Lottery also offers direct and indirect employment to lakhs of illiterate and deprived sections of the society including handicapped and widows, who eke out a living by selling these ‘fortune bills’
It is estimated that there are over 35,000 authorised agents and 100,000 retail lottery sellers in Kerala extending throughout the State. The department of lotteries disburses lakhs of prizes a week, through its six bumper and weekly lotteries with interesting names like Kairali, Periyar, Bhagya dhara and more!Lottery has become an addictive passion for many Keralites just like his evening pint of Rum after a hard day’s work! Going by the facts and figures, lottery mania fails to subside as people risk a major portion of their earnings on these fortune carrying bills. Dreaming big is fine as long as it never becomes an addiction that could make you a pauper!
Thiruvathira – the festival of the womenfolk in Kerala
Published January 1, 2010 | 
While the city folks forsake their sleep for a night long of waltz, wine and dine, the womenfolk of the Kerala villages had a special reason to stay awake the whole night on the New Year eve. It was Thiruvathira, one of the most important festivals for the womenfolk of Kerala. Celebrated in the Malayalam month of Dhanu, this time, it fell on a blue moon, which added up to its charm. It is celebrated in commemoration of the death of Kamadevan, representing the annihilation of the vices and the passionate thoughts by keeping the mind stable. Kamadevan was burnt alive by the opening of the third eye of Lord Siva,one of the members of the Divine Trinity.
The festivities start very early in the morning when every female member of the family takes bath in the pond and very often girls from the neighbourhood assemble to make it a group affair. After the elaborate bathing ritual comprising of singing and splashing of water, they deck themselves up in the traditional dresses, darken their eyes with home made kajal and chew betel leaves to redden their lips. Huge swings will be put up for the women to enjoy.
On Thiruvaathira, the women folk abstain from taking rice and for the lunch a delicious arrow-root powder porridge or fruits are served. The women spend the whole night singing and dancing. Kaikottikkali is an exceptional dance form that is associated with this festival in which a group of women attired in traditional dresses dance in a circle around a lighted brass lamp.
At night, women eat eight different tubers roasted in the fire, which is known as Ettangadi chuduka’ . The night long music and dance is interspersed with a ceremony called Patirappoo choodal, after which, the dance and music continue till sunrise. The festivities conclude with an early morning bath and prayer at the nearby temple.
The other-side of the city Bus Stops!
Published July 22, 2008 | If we ask one whether bus came first or the bus-stop then if may be a tricky thing to answer. But if we ask whether these so called bus-stops are really proving to be worthy for the bus goers then the answer may be definitely no. If we look around we can find daily a wide section of commuters using the city transport as one of the major modes of transportation. So then why do these bus stops remain less crowded most of the time and why do women feel a bit unsafe in its shelter.
The question has raised several eyebrows in the social corridors and the reason for this was the harsh fact that these bus stops have been a centre of mischievous acts. Even in this culturally strong state of Kerala, where traditions and customs are the pillars of the society such public nuisance is a real apathy for the state.
If we move out to the real life and will take some pain to know the practical fact behind this issue we can find what all a women or a girl has to bear if she dares to stand in these bus stops. Let us take the example of Leena a college girl who daily travels in the over crowded private buses of the state. She is travelling in bus since her school days and now it has become a vital part of her life. But she still has fresh memories of the day she faced the nuisance of a group of rough guys. It all started by mere whistling, but soon took a wild shape and ended in verbal abuse. This is not the only case with a girl, it has happened to many such girls or women who do come across to these teasing incidents every day. But only few take a step forward to resist this uncivilised behaviour or voices against these indecent acts.
It is disheartening to know such thing still takes place in the age of women empowerment where women have over powered men in almost all departments. But we need to understand that our mother, wife, sister and daughter can be one among the above mentioned facing this wrath of these untamed youth for whom such things are just a moment of fun and nothing more than that. So if one needs to change this social evil existing in our so called ‘culture enriched Kerala’ we all have to draw at least some yard stick for our own self and should make sure that no such acts shall malign our age old traditions and cultural values.
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Cultural fiesta in connection with Thunchan Festival
Published January 29, 2008 | 
Tirur: February 2 would be a red letter day in the festive calendar of Kerala as it marks the five day celebration of Thunchan festival to be held at Thunchanparambu at Tirur in Malapuram District. An impressive array of cultural meets and programs are scheduled to make this year’s festival a big hit.
Literary competitions for college students and a meet of South Indian poets are some of the events in the agenda. The festivities this year would also be coinciding with the Vaikom Mohammed Basheer centenary celebrations.
The festival is being jointly held under the auspices of the Thunchan Memorial Trust, the Kendra Sahitya Akademi and the South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavoor. Another major attraction of this festival is the national forum on the topics Reality and narration’ and a South Indian poets’.
Ronald Asher, the famous literary figure who translated Vaikom Mohammed Basheer’s novels into English, will inaugurate the five-day festivities on Saturday. Many dignitaries from the fields of art and literature are expected to grace the occasion. Author M. T Vasudevan Nair, Malayalam Poet Akkitham, Orator-critic Sukumar Azhikode and Writer C.R. Parameswaran among others would steal the show. Many noted writers and cultural icons from Assemese, Hindi, Kannada and Telugu will present papers at a session on ‘Narrating the nation.’
Some of the other cultural programmes that complement the evening would include Bharatanatyam performances, colorful processions, documentary shows and book releases. A musical fiesta by Mapilapattu artiste V.M. Kutty and party will also be one of the star attractions. Competitions in poetry and quiz will be held exclusively for college students at Thunchanparambu. The winners of various competitions will receive prices from M. T. Vasudevan Nair. Thunchan festival is expected to notch up the tourist inflow to this sleepy hamlet of Tirur as well.