Kuttanad uses Cotton nets for stronger roads
Published January 6, 2012 | 
The biggest bane of Kerala is the appalling conditions of its roads that remain in a non motorable state all round the year. Pot holes appear as soon as the tarring is completed leaving the users badly grounded. However, there seems to be some hope for this nagging problem in the form of cotton nets that can be used for reinforcing the roads. The water logged areas of Kuttanad have already made use of this product in strengthening its roads and bunds. The project, successfully implemented in association with the Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation in different wards of Edathua last year is primarily aimed at preventing soil erosion.
Soil erosion is rampant in Kuttanad region where floods occur twice a year, which wash off the roads and bunds. The new techniques is expected to strengthen the roads by keeping the soil on both sides of the road tightly wrapped. Recently a stretch of road from Edathua to Puvakkad was constructed using the technique and it is expected to stay in good condition for a minimum of four years.
The cotton nets are first spread on the embankments of the road , which are vulnerable to soil erosion. The nets are then fixed to the soil using bamboo and grass and tree saplings are planted, which keep the net tightly fixed. The need of the hour is to ensure high quality roads, which has a vital role in the economic development of Kerala. These indigenous methods would indeed go a long way in offering cost effective solutions for making the roads stable and long lasting.
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 !
Kabini- caught on frames
Published July 26, 2011 | 
Kabini – where time stands still
Published July 26, 2011 | 
Kabini, one of the most popular wildlife destinations of Karnataka was hand picked as the destination for our annual leisure trip not by chance but after a meticulous research and ground work by the seasoned hands of the Karma Kerala travel desk. At the end of it all, we are happy that it paid off by offering us one of the most beautiful holidays ever. Kabini is 3 hours drive from Wayanad and it retains its pristine charm even today. The lush green landscape surrounding a large picturesque lake and fantastic sightings of large herds of elephants, makes it a favorite choice for wild life enthusiasts.
It is only 80km away from Mysore and comprises the south-eastern part of Nagarhole National Park, now named as Rajiv Gandhi National Park. Spread over an area of 247 square miles, it is considered one of the best wildlife parks of India, famous for elephants , tigers, wild buffaloes and spotted deer among others. The landscape around is breathtaking and is made of gentle slopes and shallow valleys dotted with grass lands, swamps and deciduous trees.
In case you are looking for a quiet holiday away from the hustle and the bustle of the cities, plan a trip to Kabini, where time stands still. Apart from the occasional rumblings of the cars and jeeps ferrying the tourists, Kabini is secretive and silent. Enjoy a tryst with nature, tuck in a banter session with your friends around the bonfire, set out on a paddle boat or break free from the mundane. No matter whatever you choose to do in Kabini, the bottomline reads that you will go back recharged and refreshed, ready to take life head on!
Apple a day scam – The after shocks and the story ahead
Published July 12, 2011 | Are the bogus realtors in Kerala pushing up the land value beyond the reach of ordinary people?
Soon on the heels of Apple a day properties scam that siphoned off the hard earned money of the investors and offered nothing in return, a few other real estate companies have also joined this infamous league of builders. It goes without saying that considering the small size of Kerala and its land constrains, flats are the most feasible housing options to cater to the population of Kerala. However the flat boom has also let in many unscrupulous elements with no track record or good will into this industry .
Most of these fly by night operators who are only interested in amassing wealth do not care for the welfare of the investors. These massive land deals have pushed up the land prices of Kerala to unbelievable levels.The ground reality is that the ordinary mortals of this State find it difficult to buy even a small patch of land these days and dare not dream of a roof over their heads!
Let’s admit it- Kerala is a land of real estate companies and land deals. Every other person you meet on the road could be a realtor agent in some form or the other. From full time land deal brokering to part time activities, land deals pump money into many a kitty in Kerala. They could be an auto driver,a petty shop owner or a vegetable vendor, however they’ll slip into the role of a cheeky broker the moment he sniffs a prospective client in you and pockets a handsome brokerage in every deal irrespective of his role in the deal! Shady land deals and forest and water front encroachments happen at an alarming pace and with no fool proof monitoring system in place, Kerala is slipping into the tight grips of the land mafia.
These pictures say it all!! These patches of marshy land where one of the apartment complexes of apple a day property were to have come up would be better suited for stilt houses or a fish farm may be. It is high time that we pulled the plugs to stop this menace. Make sure that you check the credentials of the builders and their track record before leaving your hard earned money at their desks. Rather than the lure for money and profits , let credibility be the deciding factor while you pick up the builders because this is the only way you can put an end to this series of real estate scams rocking this tiny State , which is overburdened with more flats and apartments than it can possibly sustain!
Padmanabha Swamy temple treasure- 1 lakh crore and counting
Published July 4, 2011 | 
Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the State capital of Thiruvananthapuram hit the headlines when a massive treasure that is valued at over 1 lakh Crore was discovered from its secret vaults, making it the richest temple in the world, displacing the world famous Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh to the second position.
The treasure included ancient ornaments, crown, bow and utensils of various shapes and sizes made of pure gold. A statue of Krishna embedded with precious stones, which is priced at 5000 crores and a 18 feet gold chain of the deity were some of the other items found in the secret chambers (Nilavara) of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
17 kg of gold coins dating back to the period of India East Company, gold in the form of strings, 2.5 kg gold collar, heaps of gem encrusted ‘aval’, thousands of pieces of antique jewellery studded with diamonds and gold vessels were some of the other items. The value of articles stocked in the vaults of the temple, managed by the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore princely state is beyond imagination. According to noted historian Dr M G S Narayanan, Padmanabhaswamy temple dating back to the 9th Century will have several centuries old priceless antiques.
The seven-member panel appointed by the Supreme Court of India has been entrusted of making an inventory of the assets that had remained hidden for over 150 years. The temple has six secret vaults and two of them had not been opened for the past one-and-a-half century. A major chunk of the estimated treasure was stored in the cellar, coded as A. The preparation of inventory of another chamber B will be taken up later and when the full list is compiled it is expected that the total worth of the valuables will reach unimaginable levels. The news has stirred up a lot of interest in both the social media and print media not only within the country but also in foreign countries where many newspapers like Khaleej Times have kept their readers updated on this treasure discovery.
Now that the hidden treasure is out in the open, debates are on as to what should be done with this humongous amount of wealth. The chief minister has said that the temple treasures will be preserved as it is and high tech surveillance and fool proof security measures will be provided to protect the wealth .Historians too opine that as the measureless wealth belongs to the Lord, it is legally and morally wrong to take the money out of the temple. However, there are apprehensions whether these priceless valuables that escaped the eyes of the marauding plunderers of the past will remain safe in its original abode and will be preserved for posterity? The lid of one of the best kept secrets is blown away and to safeguard this massive wealth from the greedy eyes all over will make it a Herculean task for all concerned!
Apple-a-day scam: The story unfurls
Published July 1, 2011 | 
What we heard was a snake coaxed Eve to eat an apple from the forbidden tree in the Eden, and with that started the woes for mankind.
Later it was said that an Apple-a-day keeps the doctor away. And now we have this new form of Apple, that simply managed to swindle millions from different people across Kerala and ironically that includes doctors too.
Well! We are talking about Apple-a-day properties- the new face of the biggest land scam in Kerala (Over Rs. 100 crores). If we have to believe the early story of Adam and Eve, and that Apple was symbolic for immortality and tempted man to commit sin after sin, Apple-a-day, builders did just that- woo people from far across middle-east asking them to invest in proposed ‘Garden of Eden’ in God’s own Country. This company promised plush Villas and flats. The modern Adams and Eves pumped in all their hard earned money for a life in Eden, were just waiting to see the day of light when they realize that this time the serpent was the Apple itself.
These are the pictures of the site in Thycattussery panchayath near Cherthala, Alappuzha district where they proposed flats for Rs.5 lacs plus a Tata Nano car for the occupants. All they did here was land piling to eye wash investors and left it for the stray dogs to defecate.
Please visit us for more interesting stories on how Apple-a-day converted marshy land to look perfect for construction and how they managed to coax investors to eat their Apple. The fact remains that these lands were never ever suitable for construction.
This being one of the most sensational news in Kerala the story has spread far and wide, even featuring in the Wall Street Journal. The victims of Apple-a-day property also have a Facebook page.
Team Karma Kerala shares its monsoon experiences
Published June 14, 2011 | 
Monsoon is the the most beautiful and romantic season in Kerala. Though global warming and the destructive trails left by man have seriously destroyed the natural rhythm of the monsoons , Kerala has been lucky to have experienced a timely and normal monsoon spell so far,this year.
Karma Kerala takes pleasure in sharing our monsoon experiences with our readers. What makes these snippets extra special is the fact that these monsoon experiences are penned by some of our staff members who incidentally are not creative writers but are web designers, logistics managers, PHP programmers etc. It goes without saying that the beauty and the flow of thoughts of monsoons comes naturally to everyone in Kerala:)
Monsoon Experiences
What i love during monsoon season is to be on my bed tightly wrapped under the blanket .Also going to catch fish, during the drizzling rain ,eating the hot homemade delicacies and relax at home. – Rinoj (Web Designer)
Fun, that is what monsoon for me and yes sure, pure nostalgia.
It is cold shower in rain. Open my mouth and drink those pure drops of water.
When it rains heavy, I run to fields and scream out loud thinking no one will hear.
I run after frogs and catching small fishes from streams with my friends. Making paper boats for ants to cruise.
Stand under shrubs shake it for a shower.
Jump and stamp into water in road. Swim against the flow in the river.
Come back home from school, wet. A season for Vicks.
In the cold early mornings, sleep lazy under my blanket. A cup of hot black coffee. –
Tijo Sebastian (Manager, Sales and Logistics )- an avid shutterbug, he has an impressive collection of monsoon snap shots including the ones posted here.
Wow!!! Monsoon season is back again.. The season which students own. Yes I said right. Even if you are not a student its time for you the recapitulate your schooling memories.. those memories when you were splashing rain water against your friends .. And who would ever forget those scolding from mothers when we reach back home from school with dress drenched in muddy water. Yes it is the only thing which comes to my mind when I see rain…. All those child hood days just seems like running somewhere near to me… I feel like being in the middle of rain with an umbrella shared by friends pushing each other to get in ha ha ha those were fantastic moments… and now it’s the turn to speak about some food.
Well any food but which is served hot in monsoon season is always special. Makes me think one of my office tours with colleagues. We were in munar and guess what.. it was raining hard there, but we were enjoying each and every moments of it.. I and my friends were just walking through the road underneath umbrella and it was a kind of place there with only less shops .At last we saw a small shop which an old man was running.. we just went and asked what you have there, he replied I can give you omlet.. we didn’t wasted time… very cold, misty over everywhere and of course raining and in this situation having an omlet is just wow!!!!.. cant get this feeling even if we are in a five star hotel.
Everything is changed as we grow.. being underneath umbrellas with friends changed to being in car, hot samoosa’s and other fried stuffs from hotels changed to cigarettes and kind of alcoholic drinks to get rid of the cold. When we are in MNC company’s who would think about those small funs when we had in childhood days. But still it depends upon our mentality… if we have a heart who can still feel young always then its nothing changed…. Enjoy each and every monsoon season.. be young!!!! — Sharaz Khan ( PHP Progarmmer)
Karma Kerala Onam celebrations – a quick run through
Published August 20, 2010 | 
Onam celebrations at Karma Kerala held on 19th August 2010 was by far the best. A smart mix of trend and tradition, it offered ample scope for fun, frolic and fiesta. It seems that the traditional Malayalee attire of set mundu has overtaken sari in popularity as many of the ladies chose to wear this simple two piece attire. The fusion song rendered by an enterprising team of our boss Tejal along with Amjath, Unni and Sharaz stood out for its fresh theme. The zip and zap of Vanchipattu was blended well with the English rendition of the lore of Mahabali, which was brought out well by Sharaz.
The Kaikottikali was the specialty of this year’s Onam celebrations as it was the first time that it was included. A team of girls under the able leadership of Nita mam enthralled us all by their subtle steps to the tune of a popular Malayalam song. After a sumptuous Onam feast, it was the turn of the sports events.
From the funny sports events like popping the baloons and thread and needle to the innovative bomb blast – an improvised version of musical chairs, it was a hotly fought contest where everyone vied for the top spot and Amjath, Tejal sir , Aji, Deepa and Shola were some of the winners who emerged after a couple of tough preliminary elimination rounds. Thanks for the management for the support and encouragement that unveiled the hidden talents amongst many of us.
Our hunky cabbie, Ratheesh spiced up the whole affair by his antics and rib tickling jokes and one liners. Onam is indeed a time to rejoice and we at Karma Kerala had our fair share ( and even more 
of it.
Feel the difference with an Ayurvedic massage in Kerala!
Published June 22, 2010 | 
Never been to God’s own country, Kerala? Or had visited but never tried an Ayurvedic massage, saving it for a rainy day? This is the right moment to treat your senses, enjoy a cool relaxation and watch the rain before you get in to do something else. The right season where the body makes best use of these massages, here is your chance to explore an exciting possibility. So stretch out your arms and here comes our specialists, using a series of techniques to purify your body, mind and soul.
The oldest surviving complete medical system in Kerala for almost 5000 years, Ayurveda is based on the application of various natural healing methods and the practices that emphasize extension of life span, prevention of diseases and rejuvenation of our body systems.
With the monsoon playing the cards,’doshas’ or the problems of the body surface, accumulating the body beyond the desirable limit and out of control. Once the body is weak, it needs rejuvenation and the only treatment is an Ayurvedic massage to detect these troubles and to make the body strong.
An infusion of herbs blended on the basis of ancient scriptures and modern science, Ayurvedic massage has been drawing tourists and has been a source of benefit to Kerala’s economy. Being the nerve center of medical tourism in India, Kerala has the privilege of being known as the land of the origin of Ayurveda, adding to the hospitality and warm heartedness of its people.
Abundant in innumerable varieties of herbal plants and medicines, an Ayurvedic massage in Kerala would be quite an experience. So anybody who wants to enjoy a relaxing day, can check on us at Karma Kerala, as we are best known for providing great ayurveda packages.