Category Archives: About Kerala

Girl on a mission

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

When kids her age were busy playing outside, she chose to remain inside

Angelin playing bulbul tarang as her grandfather listens carefully

Kochi :

When kids her age were busy playing outside, she chose to remain inside. Perhaps the world outside did not hold a candle to what kept her indoors. Ever since her grandfather dusted off a ‘bulbul tarang’ from the attic three months ago, she was intrigued. Seven-year-old Angelin Maria Able is probably the youngest musician to play the instrument in the state.

A Kothamangalam native, Angelin was introduced to the world of music when she saw her grandfather C K Alexander, a retired art teacher of Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, cleaning and oiling the old bulbul tarang, and playing a few tunes on it. “Immediately fascinated by the instrument that is rare now, she attempted to copy my father without success,” says Able C Alex, Angelin’s father. Not one to give up, she made several attempts to master the tune Alexander played.

Noticing her genuine interest in mastering the instrument, Alexander took it upon himself to teach the basic 101 of the bulbul tarang, which was once famously known as Indian Banjo. “Playing the keys on bulbul tarang is difficult because it requires flexibility in fingers. But Angelin kept practising. In no time, she was at ease with the instrument and could easily play popular songs on it,” says Able. The first song she learnt was the National Anthem.

Bulbul tarang, a string instrument, is said to have evolved from the Japanese taishogoto. It has two strings and keys that resemble those of a typewriter. While it is comparatively easy to master, the instrument itself is a rarity as hardly anyone manufactures it anymore.Angelin now plays with a bulbul tarang which is over 40 years old. “My father had bought it from Kolkatta during an all-India tour some 40 years ago. It was a rarity in south India because it was prominent in the north,” says Able. Alexander had already mastered the instrument under the tutelage of a north Indian who was in Kerala for job-related reasons. However, due to other commitments, the instrument was soon forgotten. During this time, the bulbul tarang also lost its prominence from the music scene.

The Class II student of St Stephen’s Bes-Ania School is now on a journey to revive the instrument back to its glory. “None of the kids studying with Angelin had ever heard of the instrument until she began learning it. Her teachers were also intrigued after my wife, who is also a teacher at the school, showed them videos of her performances,” says Able. Angelin is now getting ready to perform at the Children’s Day celebrations at her school.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Anna  Binoy / Express New Service / November 12th, 2018

Kerala: District-level programmes to mark diamond jubilee celebrations of Kerala assembly on anvil

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All
Kozhikode :
The district adminstration with the help of local self-government department will organise four-day district-level programmes from April 24 to 27 to mark the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Kerala state legislative assembly.

Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan will inaugurate the district-level programmes at a function to be held at Tagore centenary hall on April 24. Labour and excise minister T P Ramakrishnan will deliver keynote address on the occasion.

Former additional chief secretary to the government of Kerala Dr D Babu Paul will deliver C K Muhammed Koya commemoration speech during the C H Muhammed Koya commemoration meeting to be held on the day.

A history exhibition will be held at Town hall on April 25 and 26. C K Nanu MLA will inaugurate the exhibition on April 25. Health minister K K Shylaja will inaugurate the seminar on comprehensive health policy – challenges and apprehensions at Town hall on April 27.

Chief minister Pianarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the valedictory function to be held on April 27 evening. Dr M K Muneer MLA will preside over the function.

A proclamation rally was held from stadium premises to Kozhikode beach here on Monday evening to mark the commencement of district-level programmes of diamond jubilee celebrations of the Kerala state legislative assembly. Mayor Thottathil Raveendran, deputy mayor Meera Darshak, ADM T Jenil Kumar, Kudumbashree district coordinator Kavitha and others led by the proclamation rally.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Kozhikode News / by Sreedevi Chitharanjan / TNN / April 27th, 2018

Dravidian language family is 4,500 years old: study

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

The Dravidian language  family, consisting of 80 varieties spoken by nearly 220 million people across southern and central India, originated about 4,500 years ago, a study has found.

This estimate is based on new linguistic analyses by an international team, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany, and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.

The researchers used data collected first-hand from native speakers representing all previously reported Dravidian subgroups. The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, match with earlier linguistic and archaeological studies.

South Asia, reaching from Afghanistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east, is home to at least six hundred languages belonging to six large language families, including Dravidian, Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan.

The Dravidian language family, consisting of about 80 language varieties (both languages and dialects) is today spoken by about 220 million people, mostly in southern and central India, and surrounding countries.

The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

Along with Sanskrit ,  Tamil is one of the world’s classical languages, but unlike Sanskrit, there is continuity between its classical and modern forms documented in inscriptions, poems, and secular and religious texts and songs, they said.

“The study of the Dravidian languages is crucial for understanding prehistory in Eurasia, as they played a significant role in influencing other language groups,” said Annemarie Verkerk of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

Neither the geographical origin of the Dravidian language nor its exact dispersal through time is known with certainty.

The consensus of the research community is that the Dravidians are natives of the Indian subcontinent and were present prior to the arrival of the Indo-Aryans (Indo-European speakers) in India around 3,500 years ago.

Researchers said that it is likely that the Dravidian languages were much more widespread to the west in the past than they are today.

In order to examine questions about when and where the Dravidian languages developed, they made a detailed investigation of the historical relationships of 20 Dravidian varieties.

Study author Vishnupriya Kolipakam of the Wildlife Institute of India collected contemporary first-hand data from native speakers of a diverse sample of Dravidian languages, representing all the previously reported subgroups of Dravidian.

The researchers used advanced statistical methods to infer the age and sub-grouping of the Dravidian language family at about 4,000-4,500 years old.

This estimate, while in line with suggestions from previous linguistic studies, is a more robust result because it was found consistently in the majority of the different statistical models of evolution tested in this study.

This age also matches well with inferences from archaeology,  which have previously placed the diversification of Dravidian into North, Central, and South branches at exactly this age, coinciding with the beginnings of cultural developments evident in the archaeological record.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Science / by PTI / Berlin – March 21st, 2018

Kerala tops among states on 3 critical social parameters

About Kerala, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

Is economic progress itself an indicator of overall growth? Not quite.

Going by the Social Progress  Index, a tool that captures the social progress of the regions based on social performance, Kerala’s social progress score is about 10 points higher than Gujarat’s despite the latter’s economy being about twice the size of the southern state.

In fact, Kerala is the only state in top 5 on all three component indices and its social progress score is about 10 points higher than Gujarat’s.

This shows that economic growth alone cannot deliver good quality of life.

Here is a look at how India’s making social progress and how the states fared on three dimensions that make up their social progress index  score.

 

 

 

STATE STATS

The colours indicate the position of the state in the overall index as shown on the map

 

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> India News / TNN / November 29th, 2017

Portraying Kerala’s history through cartoons

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

Kochi :

Cartoonist Unnikrishnan’s ‘Kannirukki Kalam’ is a compilation of issues and affairs- both political and social. The artist who exhibited 60 cartoons- in English and Malayalam, at the Durbar Hall recently, says that he decided to showcase his work on Kerala Piravi, tracing the brief history of changes that shaped Kerala over the years.

He has portrayed different areas such as society, lifestyle, relationships, environment, literature, politics, religion, beliefs, over the last six decades.The works have been displayed in 10 states across the country from November 1. “Some of the exhibitions are ongoing. Some like in Kerala has ended in three days time. I wanted the public in other states to get a feel of the formation of our state,” he said.

The artist says the comic strips, though humourous is meant to be thought-provoking. Exhibition of the same cartoons with English subtitles was held concurrent with Kerala Formation day, organised by All India Malayalee Associations in places such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkatha, Ludhiyana, Bhuvaneswar, Goa, Thane and Delhi. Without loosing the essence of the pictures, cartoonist T V G Menon translated the subtitles

In Delhi, poet Sachidanandhan inaugurated the function.”The exhibition is astonishing in the way it contrasted the past and presentlife of Kerala. The sight on cartoons evoked in us that change has this much invaded our life. The event is evoking a rememberance of the transformation in one’s life style,” said Lenin P N, a cartoon enthusiast.

The three day event organised by Orthic Creative Center of artist T Kaladharan, was inaugurated  by Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director A P M Mohammed Hanish.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Sreejisha Sreedharan & Elizabeth Jacob / Express News Service / November 06th, 2017

Kerala historians question move to give ‘Paika Bidroha’ first war of independence tag

About Kerala, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion
Paika Bidroha celebrations in Bhubaneswar on October 21, 2017. | Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout

They argue that the ‘Attingal Revolt’ of 1721 was India’s first freedom struggle

A section of historians in Kerala on Tuesday disputed the Centre’s move to announce Odisha’s 1817 Paika Rebellion as the “First War of Independence”, saying various uprisings against foreign powers had occurred in the southern State much before it, but never got due recognition.

They said the coastal State had witnessed a number of minor and major struggles against foreign powers even before the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, which has so far been regarded as the first war of Indian Independence.

A few among the historians wanted the tag of first war of independence for “Attingal Revolt”, an agitation by locals in the then princely State of Venad against the English East India Company in 1721 over the latter’s arrogant approach and unjust measures that they tried to implement in the land.

As many as 133 English East India Company soldiers were killed during the revolt which according to State historians, was the first organised uprising against the foreign powers in the country.

The struggles led by legendary king of Malabar, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja who locked horns with the British during the period 1795-1805, the strike by Nair Brigade in Travancore in 1804 and the agitation led by Travancore diwan (prime minister) Veluthambi Dalawa in 1809 were some of the uprisings against foreign powers witnessed by the State, they said.

The fight of 16th century naval captain Kunjali Marakkar against the Portuguese forces was also prominent among them, they added.

History Protection Council, a State-based outfit, is planning to submit a memorandum to the State government to press the Centre to declare the “Attingal Revolt” as the first freedom struggle of the country instead of Paika Bidroha.

Eminent historian and former chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), M.G.S Narayanan said facts should be examined before including Odisha’s “Paika Bidroha as the first war of independence” in school textbooks.

“The matter should be examined thoroughly before taking a decision to include so in school textbooks,” he told PTI.

Noted historian K.N Ganesh questioned the government’s right to decide the prominence and value of historical movements and struggles.

“I am not questioning the significance of Paika rebellion.. But how can a government decide the merit and significance of revolts, struggles and agitations in history?” he asked.

“It should be decided by the academicians and the bodies like history research council and so on.. No minister can simply say that Paika rebellion is the first war of independence in the country without due consultation with historians and academicians concerned,” he said.

Historian and academician P.M Rajan Gurukkal, said many local struggles happened in this part of the country including the historic Colachel War did not get deserved recognition.

“It is true that many local uprisings had gone unnoticed in the history.. One of the most significant among them is the Colachel War between Travancore king Marthanda Varma and Dutch East India Company in the year 1741.

“It was the first ever victory of a princely State against a European power in Asia.. But, it did not get deserved recognition,” he told PTI.

A debate on the first war of independence was triggered after union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar’s recent announcement that Paika Bidroha of 1817 would find a place in the history books as ‘the First War of Independence’ from the next academic session.

The announcement was made at a function marking the bicentenary of the historic rebellion.

According to historians, Paikas, the peasant militia under the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who rendered military service to the king during the times of war, had rebelled against the British rule under the leadership of Baxi Jagandhu Bidyadhara as early as 1817.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had, in a letter to the Centre, urged that it should recognise ‘Paika Bidroha’ as the first war of independence against the British rule as it took place four decades before the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, which has so far been regarded as the first war of Indian Independence.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by PTI / Thiruvananthapuram – October 31st, 2017

Perumbalam, an island lost in time

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Nature, Travel

PerumbalamKERALA12may2016

Kochi:

The west wind smelled of betrayal and greater agonies. Kunjappan, who rowed the canoe, is used to this smell. For the last 65 years, he has rowed the boat across the river  to the ‘other’ world. Under the endless sky, Perumbalam and its natives have remained in isolation.

Nothing much has changed in this island in Alappuzha over the last 65 years. Even as the state heads for yet another polls, there is no hope to bring in development for the 12,000-odd residents of Perumbalam.

A visit to the island exposes the pathetic state-of-affairs. There are no roads. And except for private autos there is no public transport system. The 20-year-old government hospital is in a rundown condition, and the government-run school is almost closed down. Police stations do not exist here. Power supply often shuts down completely, and the shortage of drinking water supply is a perennial issue. Six ferry and two jankars connect the residents with Poothotta in Ernakulam and Panavally panchayat in Alappuzha. “Out of this, two ferry services and one jankar are not operational,” said K R Somanathan, the president of Perumbalam Boat Passengers’ Association. Around 6,000 people depend on these services daily. The stone-laying ceremony held in 2009 to construct a new bridge linking the island Poothotta is almost forgotten. “People are no longer interested in the bridge. They only hope to get the ferries and jankar back in service after repairs,” added Somanathan.

People working in the special economic zone, IT and construction sectors are the main commuters from Perumbalam. In all probability, the present woes are likely to continue for the islanders even after the elections.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kochi / TNN / May 12th, 2016

Cholanaikkans in the wonderland of science

About Kerala, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology
Members of the Cholanaikkan community from Nilambur watch a water-rocket launch demonstration at the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium in Kozhikode on Thursday.Photo: K. Ragesh
Members of the Cholanaikkan community from Nilambur watch a water-rocket launch demonstration at the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium in Kozhikode on Thursday.Photo: K. Ragesh

A 40-member team from Cholanaikkan community gets a first-hand feel of planetarium; experts look forward to learning a thing or two from the tribals’ knowledge of astronomy

For most of them, it was the first time venturing out of their natural habitat, the forest. Yet, it was wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm rather than discomfort that reflected on the faces of Cholanaikkans who visited the Regional Science Centre in Kozhikode on Thursday.

Cholanaikkans, who live in the deciduous forests of Nilambur, are the only surviving hunter gatherer tribe in the country and the only tribal community in Asia that lives in rock-cave shelters. Except for a few who have ventured out on their own in pursuit of education and jobs, most members of the tribe live 10 km into the forest from Nilambur and do not even accept accommodation provided by the government.

These people from the tribal colonies of Mancheeri, Poochappara, Mannala, Karimpuzha and Kuppam Mala still live on fruits, berries and meat and do not engage in farming.

For the expedition on Thursday, the 40-member team had to leave their hamlets early in the morning and walk up to 5 km to catch a vehicle. The Calicut International Airport was their first stop and later, the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium. At the science centre, a water-rocket launch demonstration welcomed them. After lunch, they had a good time exploring the exhibits at the science centre. They were later treated to a magic show by Pradeep Hudinho. This was followed by cultural programmes.

Interestingly, officials at the Science Centre had an “ulterior motive” in inviting Cholanaikkans to Kozhikode: they wanted to record the tribals’ knowledge about astronomy. In fact, Mayank Vahia from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, was here with the purpose of extending the horizon of his research on tribal astronomy by partaking in astronomical discussions with Cholanaikkans.

“I have studied the astronomy of tribals in central India. It is very different from our understanding of space. I guess Cholanaikkans have an entirely different understanding of it,” Mr. Vahia said, adding that he planned to record what they had to say when they were shown the constellations in the planetarium.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode / by Aabha Anoop / Kozhikode – March 04th, 2016

Exhibition of rare books

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Thiruvananthapuram :

The State Central library, Palayam, is organizing an exhibition ‘A Series of Stray Papers’ that will showcase rare books, photographs, cartoons and library equipment from Wednesday to November 30. Minister for education P K Abdu Rabb will inaugurate the exhibition.

The exhibition will display over 300 rare collections of books including ‘A Series of Stray Papers’. The biographies, photo exhibition of world class laureates like Keates, Yates and Galsworthy etc will also be exhibited. “The exhibition will also display the digital print of digitised books. The rare collections in this segments include government gazettes and rare books,” said P K Shobhana, state librarian.

World famous cartoons from the library collections will be displayed along with library equipment that was used since the formation of library in 1829.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / November 17th, 2015

Showcasing the many moods of Madayippara

About Kerala, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, Travel

Kannur :

Madayippara is not just a photographer’s delight or a treasure trove of biodiversity. The laterite plateau, which changes its moods and colours according to seasons, is also a specimen as to how indiscriminate industrial activities could spell doom for a place and damage its ecology and biodiversity.

The exhibition of photographs of Madayippara and the news clippings about the place, makes a difference because it captivates not only the beauty of the place but also its history, heritage and the environmental threats it faces.

“When we hear about the place, the first picture that we get is of the bed of grass and flowers, as also the migratory birds that visit here on transit,” said P K Krishnan Master, chairman of Environmental Conservation Group (ECG), Madayi, which organized the show.

“But the real picture comes to the fore when you visit the place, because the biodiversity there is facing serious threat from the China Clay factory as well as the indiscriminate vehicular traffic there.”

This exhibition is expected to sensitize people about the importance of protecting the place, said the organizers, because it is not just the beauty of the place which is covered in the show.

“When I embarked on this mission, my aim was to bring to life not just a few picture postcard images, because it has everything ranging from history, like the remains of the Jewish pond, and also the biodiversity that attracts many migratory birds,” said photojournalist Rojith Ravindran.

However, if some strict measures are not taken to prevent the environmental degradation of the place, the biodiversity and the migratory birds that visit the place would be a thing of the past, warn the environmental activists.

The exhibition, which would be on till Tuesday, was inaugurated by K M Shaji, MLA.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kozhikode / by P. Sudhakaran, TNN / September 28th, 2015