A counter to Sholto’s post…
Published August 18, 2011 | Sholto’s post made me think… Are we in Kerala really supporting Anna Hazare and his movement? Well, I am confused…
Is it really the popular kind of support that is generated elsewhere in India that we see happening in Kerala too?
Cynic that I am I feel it’s not so. Here it all seems to be party-centric, planned and implemented by various political outfits, politically motivated students organisations, trade unions etc. Average Malayalees, who have trained themselves to be indifferent to such ‘goings on’ and have got used to dismissing vices like corruption, injustice, dowry, casteism, female infanticide and foeticide etc. with a mere shrug of the shoulder and at times even finding words to justify such things as ‘practically good’, seem not much bothered about what Anna Hazare is fighting for and what the Lok Pal bill means in principle. They are too concerned about the practicalities of life that they don’t have the time to stop and think of principles. Principles, who cares?!- that’s the attitude. Be hypocritical, you’ll be respected in Kerala, be genuine, you’ll be ostracised. I remember how a couple of people were asking me, when Anna Hazare began his first hunger strike and people were going to light candles here in Kochi to support him, whether I was also going to join in. I said a firm ‘no’ because I still don’t believe in the genuineness of these candle-lighters from Kerala. The very same people, I have seen, engage in things illegal and corrupt in their personal lives. (Well, they got justification for that; it’s all ‘small things’. They forget it has to begin with ‘small things’!). Well, I can’t name people and make a list of things and explain how they are violating the very same things that they pledge not to violate by lighting candles in support of Anna Hazare. I will earn more enemies in the process, I already have many!!
So, are we genuine in supporting Anna Hazare? The students who kept away from colleges, do they respect people like Mahatma Gandhi or Anna Hazare and try to understand them and their ways even to a small extent? The guys who are likely to observe a hartal or two (well, they lost a chance now as the Delhi cops have yielded and Anna Hazare is all set to go fasting), do they understand that hartal is another variant of ‘Satyagraha’, which was used by one Great Man( ‘Great’ is now a word that we use to praise undeserving people and to even write about the doings of marketing companies and hence is shorn of all its ‘greatness’), whom we call Mahatma (a word that we don’t understand the meaning of nowadays), to promote things for a society and not for any political party. People who discuss the pros and cons of Anna Hazare’s fight and the Lok Pal bill and then sit back to ‘watch and enjoy’; do they understand that if people like Mahatma Gandhi and Anna Hazare had done the same, nothing would have happened.
Well, it now seems to me that perhaps Sholto hinted at this when he used the phrase ‘typical Kerala style’ (“Kerala citizens have been demonstrating in support of Hazare in typical Kerala style…”)…
Yes Sholto, we are indeed supporting Anna Hazare, in true and typical Kerala style. Let’s hope public property is not destroyed and buses not burnt; that would be too much of support, I guess!!
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.
Nano cars turn friends of Kerala lottery agents
Published August 5, 2011 | 
The much hyped ‘car for the masses’ Nano, which hit the market with an unbeatable sticker price of just 1 lakh has failed to leave its mark among the masses as yet. However, Tata Nano has found a new set of patrons in Kerala in the form of lottery agents in Kollam district. It is interesting to note that the lottery agents in the district have already rolled out a fleet of Nano cars over the last few months. The small size of Nano gives it a top edge in maneuvering through the narrow and busy streets of the Kollam city, which enables the agents to do brisk business by being at the right place at the right time.
Apart from its good mileage and affordable price tag, the fancy appearance of Nano has endeared it among the lottery dealers. The cute looks also attract curious onlookers apart from the fortune bill fans. Some lottery agents have as many as three cars in their fleet and are only happy to add more in future. Nano is taking up the place of the old favorite, Ambassador, which is being sidelined due to its low fuel efficiency. Even if the soaring petrol prices are taken into account, buying a Nano works cheaper than hiring a shop in the city, where rented commercial spaces cost a fortune and are hard to find.
The lottery sales have plummeted to an all time low following restrictions on other state lotteries and number of draws of Kerala lottery. This has prompted the agents to look for cheaper options in selling lotteries and Nano has truly served this purpose. At present there are over 18 Nanos plying in the city of Kollam alone and as more lottery agents are planning to add Nanos to their fleet to ensure better market penetration and faster access to the niche zones, the future of Nano appears bright at least in this segment.
Take a ferry ride to Maldives from Kochi
Published July 22, 2011 | 
For the first time in the maritime history of Kochi, a passenger-cum-cargo ferry service would soon be operated between Kochi and Male. A major initiative of the Shipping Ministry, it could boost the tourism potential of Kerala in general and the city of Cochin in particular in the days to come. This decision was taken at a high-level delegation meeting between India and Maldives to improve the bilateral maritime cooperation between the two countries. An agreement has also been made to promote leisure cruise service between India and Maldives.
Initially a regular passenger-cum-cargo ferry service will be operated between Kochi and Male, which would probably be a biweekly service run by a private operator. However, all the facilities on either port of call will be made by the concerned ports. The service is expected to be commissioned in two months. The shipping and trading relations between Kochi and Maldives has tremendous scope to be developed considering the fact that last year only 25,000 Indians visited Maldives against 1.55 lakh Chinese, mainly because of lack of awareness or convenient transportation facilities for the tourists. Only 10 percentage of Maldives’ imports are from India, which in turn is shipped through the Tuticorin port.
The Cochin Port is well poised to be a logistics hub in Asia after the commissioning of the Vallarpadom container terminal and Maldives could well be made the first focal point for the Kochi Port. The fun seekers and seafarers can indeed keep their chins up as world class cruise options are truly coming to their shores- finally!
Maldives, is a chain of over 1200 islands, most of them uninhabited and unexplored. Maldives touted as the tropical paradise is well known for its spectacular beaches and underwater coral gardens among others. The capital of Maldives, Male is the largest island and offers lots of shopping and fun apart from beach activities. Read more on the interesting things to do in this exquisite destination right here in Pushpitha’s Round the World Travel Blog.
Chucked out from its home ground, lungis become trendy summer dresses in Europe
Published July 19, 2011 | 
Though lungis have lost their charm and utility in their home ground in the onslaught of modern trends and dress patterns, it has become a trendy summer wear in Europe. In an ironical swapping of sorts while we in Kerala have proudly endorsed jeans as our favorite outfit even in sweltering summer, the Europeans have placed their bets on the much sensible option of the free flowing lungis.
Though cotton lungis are airy, hygienic, easy to wear and are well suited for the humid climatic conditions of Kerala, people seem to have turned a blind eye towards this sensible dressing option. The best part about lungis is that this trendy cloth can be easily folded up at knee length on a rainy day and ensures free movement even while you have to jump across a muddy puddle on the village road or bash up the baddies. This simple two meter cloth fabric comes in a range of exciting patterns and colors right from the chequered patterns to brilliant floral patterns and even mystical designs like dragons and animal prints. Though lungis have been pushed to the hem by the trend setters in its own home ground , it is heartening to note that lungis is stirring up a lot of interest in the garment industry in Europe, which has come up with innovative and trendy designs to cater to the changing times and needs. Lungis are being converted to beautiful hand-stitched dresses, jackets, skirts and scarves by a Spanish company , which finds ready market among the shoppers.
The IOU Project, based out of Madrid in Spain, is buying lungis from weavers in Kurinjipadi, near Cuddalore. The European designers later hand-stitch them into garments to sell them online using social media marketing . Considering our blind love for anything foreign, the day is not far away when we might see people sporting lungis imported from Europe! This interesting travel blog is all about lungi strutting in Kerala and it shows how deeply this piece of cloth is entwined in Kerala cluture though we sometimes tend to lose sight of this fact … 
Did you know that the gold you are wearing could cause cancer
Published July 15, 2011 | 
All that glitters is not gold; and going by the latest reports, this famous axiom could well be proven right! Next time when you buy gold, keep in mind that K.D.M.( cadmium) which is used as a joint in gold jewellery could cause cancer. The goldsmiths also face a high risk of contacting cancer or skin disease due to the continuous exposure to Cadmium vapours. It is ironical to note that though Cadmium is banned worldwide for manufacturing jewellery, it is used in many developing countries like India.
The Government has introduced hallmark system for gold jewellery to check the use of cadmium and while applying for a license the manufacturer has to give undertaking to the effect that he would not use cadmium in any way. However, the law remains only on paper as its implementation is not ensured. Many jewellers flout the rules openly, putting the lives of millions of goldsmiths working in the industry and the gold crazy population of India at risk. Wearing gold ornaments with KDM for a long time can cause ‘Contact Dermatities’ or skin allergies. However, as no research studies have been taken up on this subject, buyers remain oblivious to the risks involved.
This piece of startling information is particularly important in the context of Kerala that accounts for one third of 800-odd tonne annual consumption of gold in India. Buying ornaments as investment and as jewelery has been part of the culture of Keralites for generations. This tiny state of Kerala is one of the world’s hungriest gold markets thanks to the NRI remittances and on any given day, you could see swelling crowds in the jewelery shops of Kerala, which will increase manifold during special occasions like wedding seasons or Akshaya Thritiya. Check out this blog of Miss Malini, which makes an interesting read on the gold craze of Indians
So, before lapping up the latest designs in gold, you should be well informed on the dangers of buying KDM gold. Never be a gullible buyer; insist on cadmium test while buying gold jewellery and be happy , healthy and prosperous. Recently, in a counter-affidavit submitted by director of the Bureau of Indian Standards ( BIS) before the Kerala high court, it was stated that highly carcinogenic elements such as iridium and ruthenium were being freely added to gold ornaments in India. So, before spending all your life time earnings on the lure of yellow metal, remember that the cancer scare could well be the cost that you are paying on every gold purchase!
Read more on the gold craze of India in the Wall Street Journal article here : India’s $600 Billion Hidden Treasure
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!
An intriguing twist of fate
Published June 17, 2011 | 
If you are asked to name your role model, you are more likely to pick up a film celebrity, a doctor or a businessman rather than a politician. Political leaders might necessarily not fit the bills of a role model of many as a majority of them have the dubious distinction of being corrupt and partisan. However it is interesting to note that most of the politicians in Kerala, the state made infamous by the boozing habits of its people, do not smoke or drink in public! They consider it as a social taboo and a serious health issue as well though there are politicians who drink in private.
But is it not paradoxical to note that Kerala, which makes as much as 40 percent of its revenue from liquour sales is ruled by a team of health conscious politicians who don’t drink or smoke? The winding queues before IMFL outlets on any day has become a notorious spectacle of the Kerala landscape these days. The latest figures show that children as young as 13 .5 resort to drinking. However the social stigma attached to drinking and smoking has kept the politicians off this habit all these days and as long as the society considers every drinker a misfit, the politicians will follow this abstinence policy, which is worth emulating by the youth!
But, unfortunately Keralites seem to have taken a fascination to follow the IMFL outlets rather than its political leaders and the following facts and figures bare it all! The Per capita liquor consumption in state is 11.1 litres, with rum topping the chart followed by brandy and beer. The total sales in 2010-11 has been a staggering 6,730.30 cr and above all , the kids in Kerala have started taking their first sip even before they are 14 years of age. Paradoxically the Kerala populace has chosen to turn a Nelson’s eye to the healthy habits of the politicians and seem to ape only their undesirable traits like corruption and nepotism! Hope the citizens of the God’s own country will find sense in what they do, soon!
‘Stanley Ka Dabba’ in Kerala…
Published June 14, 2011 | Sharaz, our php programmer, is one of those guys with whom I like going for movies. The most important reason being that he sees movies sans presumptions and is tolerant enough to like almost all kinds of films.
Yesterday he and I went for a movie, ‘Stanley Ka Dabba’, which I bet many of our colleagues here at Karmakerala wouldn’t even have heard of. The film is directed by Amol Gupte, who has put in a good performance in the recently-released Malayalam film ‘Urumi’ too. Amol Gupte is not a popular Bollywood actor, but he is an actor worth reckoning. He was the Creative Director for Aamir Khan’s ‘Taare Zameen Par’ and had given a notable performance in ‘Kaminey’. So now, it was time for us to relish Amol Gupte’s directorial venture.
We had Dosa and Omelette at MK Bakers, guys who keep us going at Karmakerala by bringing us tea and snacks on sleepy afternoons (Hope our bosses are not reading this!) (an it was drizzling as Sharaz rode us to the Oberon Cinemax Multiplex. We were on time; got in and seated just as the titles were coming to an end.
What followed for the next two hours was magic, magic on screen. It is the story of a boy called Stanley (played by Amol’s son Partho) who comes to school daily without his ‘Dabba’ (lunch box). There are some other characters who seemed to be taken right out of life and planted there, on the screen. Most notable one among these is the Hindi teacher, Babubhai Verma (played by Amol Gupte himself), a guy who is crazy after food and always goes after students to share their meals. There is also the Science teacher Mrs.Iyer (Divya Jagdale) and the English teacher Ms. Rosy (Divya Dutta) who stand out. The story, simple and straight, moves on to a climax that I won’t like to speak about here; if at all you are rendered curious, go and watch the movie and find out. We need to watch and encourage such movies.
The movie reminded me, to a great extent, of New Wave Iranian movies, those by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Abbas Kiarostami, Majid Majidi etc. I was wondering yesterday why such movies were not happening here in Kerala; but then I remembered having seen one such movie last year in Malayalam- ‘T.D.Dasan Std VI B’, a film that reminded me of those simple, straight-from-the-heart Iranian movies. But when these films get released, people just turn their backs on them. Hey, striking indeed, that even those who circulate pirated cds of movies here in Kerala (they are very much there, in Kerala, pirated cds of the latest movies, contributing greatly to dealing deadly blows to the film industry) turn their backs on such movies. We still go after the usual star oriented, predictable and mostly mundane kind of film that cinema elsewhere seem to be growing out of. There are so many innovatively different movies coming up in Hindi and Tamil; Sharaz and I were thrilled on seeing ‘Chalo Dilli’ (Hindi) and liked ‘Vaanam’ (Tamil). Hope things will change for Malayalam Cinema too; there are some signs of this happening here too. Let’s hope for the best…
Two things that I’d like to add as sort of post-script here…
This is what Sharaz had to say after seeing the movie- “I had always wanted to do something in films. But my thoughts were always high-flying, like making a movie with all kinds of special effects, something like ‘Matrix’ or something that would leave people spellbound. I’d think of the kind of films that Shah Rukh Khan, my favourite star, does. But ‘Stanley Ka Dabba’ is the kind of film that never featured in my imaginations. The film made me realise that we need not think big and go for big things to make movies; we can take things from our lives, from our experiences and make wonderfully different movies. I have come to realise that even small, ordinary things from day-to-day life can contribute towards making films that are really ‘big’. I was able to identify with Stanley and what all was happening there, in the school. I was touched by the message the film conveys in the end. I also have come to understand that if creative artists strive to narrate personal experiences in their personal style, it would be the best of things that can happen to art and cinema”.
- Our boss Sholto was narrating a story, an interesting story yesterday. He’d love to see it made into a cinema. He was commenting that Indian Cinema is still centered around the stars, the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Mammootty and Mohanlal. Well I do agree to that; but at the same time, I am happy that films like ‘Stanley Ka Dabba‘ are happening… Great indeed!
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)