Category Archives: Arts,Culture & Entertainment

K A Isaac Commemoration

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education

IssacKERALA12oct2015

Thiruvananthapuram  :

Kerala Library Association organised the 10th Professor K A Isaac commemoration lecture at the Library and Information Science department’s lecture hall, University of Kerala. Dr Jagdish Arora, director INFLIBNET Centre Ahmedabad delivered the lecture.

Speaking on the occasion, Jagdish elaborated on 10 technologies librarians should know to improve and strengthen their institution. P Jayarajan, former country head British Council and library advisor Lamayalam University presided over. T K Subramoni, former chief manager British Library shared his memories of Professor Isaac.

KLA president K P Vijayakumar and general secretary Dr M Lalitha also spoke.

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / October 12th, 2015

Subhash Chandran wins Vayalar Award

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Novelist Subhash Chandran. Photo: R.V. Moorthy / The Hindu
Novelist Subhash Chandran. Photo: R.V. Moorthy / The Hindu

Novelist Subhash Chandran has won this year’s Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award for his novel “Manushyanu Oru Aamukham”.

The award, to be presented on October 27, Vayalar Rama Varma’s death anniversary, carries a purse of Rs. 1 lakh, statuette and citation. The purse has been increased from Rs. 25,000 earlier thanks to support from the Government of Kerala.

Mr. Subhash Chandran had won the Sahitya Akademi for the same novel last year.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by C.  Gouridasan Nair / Thiruvananthapuram – October 10th, 2015

A museum for dance enthusiasts

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Travel

Thiruvananthapuram  :

A national dance museum, claimed to be the first in the country, will be inaugurated on Friday.

Located on two acres in Vattiyoorkavu, the Rs 12-crore Guru Gopinath National Dance Museum (GGNDM) will showcase the evolution, heritage and diversity of dance forms in India and abroad.

Promoted by Guru Gopinath Natanagramam, an institution under the department of culture, the museum has been named after Kathakali maestro Dr Guru Gopinath (Guruji).

“Our plan is to bring all information regarding dance in India and abroad under one umbrella,” said James Sunny, Natanagramam secretary.

The 42,000-square feet museum on three floors would have 10 galleries displaying paintings, statuettes, costumes, photographs, Indian musical instruments. An audio-visual presentation of various dance forms and a digital library, too, would be available.

“The costumes were purchased from professional dance costume makers in different parts of the country. As a tribute, we have devoted a gallery to Guruji, which will have his rare photographs and a 500-kg bronze statue,” said Yohesh Shrinivasan, chief designer.

A 5D theatre would be set up in the second phase. “Performances by foreign and Indian artists will be organized,” said T Venu Kumar, executive officer of Guru Gopinath Natanagramam.

He added that the museum would have avenues for research on various dance forms. Wax statues, too, would be displayed.

The central government had allocated a grant of Rs 6 crore for the museum. While the state government chipped in with Rs 5 crore, the Guru Gopinath Natanagramam contributed Rs 1 crore.

A 20-foot-high statue of sage Bharata would be an added attraction at the museum campus.

source:  http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / October 01st, 2015

A spiritual backwash from the sixties

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

From the travel log of ISKCON founder Abhay Charan De during his stopover.
An artist’s impression of Abhay Charan De boarding the ship M.V. Jaladuta.
An artist’s impression of Abhay Charan De boarding the ship M.V. Jaladuta.

Fifty years ago, Abhay Charan De, a young man who was actively involved in Mahatma Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience movement, inspired by the teachings of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, agreed to his mentor’s request to spread Hindu culture to the Western world. He set sail on August 13, 1965, as the lone cabin passenger onboard M.V. Jaladuta, a cargo ship bound for the United States.

With a complimentary ticket courtesy Sumati Morarjee, owner of Scindia Steam Navigation Company, a two-month tourist visa and Rs. 40 in hand, embarked on the rigorous journey. On August 22, the ship anchored at Kochi. Abhay Charan De stayed at Mattancherry as the guest of the shipping agents, Jairam & Sons. Abhay Charan De in his diary records his Kochi stopover. “The dock is peculiar,” he writes, “because it is by nature full of small islands. Some of the islands are full with nice hutments formerly known as British Island.”

Abhay Charan De saw his books that had arrived from Bombay in five boxes loaded into the ship in the evening. He then went around Mattancherry and Ernakulam. “Out of the group of islands, two big islands joined by an iron overbridge are known as Kochi and Ernakulam.

The iron overbridge was constructed by the Britishers very nicely along with railway lines. The railways line is extended up to the Port. There are many flourishing foreign firms and banks. It is Sunday and the bazar was closed. I saw a peculiar kind of plantain that is available in this part of the country. The island known as Kochi is not an up-to-date city. The roads are like narrow lanes. The parts of the city where the foreigners reside are well situated. The buildings, factories, etc. all big, are well maintained. The Mohamedan quarters are separate from the Hindu quarters like in the other Indian cities.” His diary makes a mention of Ernakulam, which he found to be ‘up-to-date.’ “There is a nice park on the bank of the gulf and it is named Subhas Bose Park. It is good that Subhas Babu is popular in this part of the country. I saw the Kerala High Court and the public buildings, the High Court being situated in Ernakulam it appears that the city is the capital of Kerala.”

The movement he started, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), from a small shop space spread across the world.

This year marks the Golden Jubilee of Abhay Charan De’s, (who later became popular as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) visit to Kochi. The organisation will celebrate this historic visit with various programmes at TDM Hall, Ernakulam, on October 10, from 5 p.m. onwards.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by K. Pradeep / October 04th, 2015

A nostalgic journey through Palakkad

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

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy releasing ‘’Nagaram Pinnitta Naalvazhikal,’ a collection of memoirs on Palakkad's last 150 years by handing over a copy to industrialist Siddique Ahmed at a function on Monday. Shafi Parambil MLA, Public Works Minister V. K. Ebrahim Kunju and municipal chairman P. V. Rajesh are also seen. —Photo: K. K. Mustafah
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy releasing ‘’Nagaram Pinnitta Naalvazhikal,’ a collection of memoirs on Palakkad’s last 150 years by handing over a copy to industrialist Siddique Ahmed at a function on Monday. Shafi Parambil MLA, Public Works Minister V. K. Ebrahim Kunju and municipal chairman P. V. Rajesh are also seen. —Photo: K. K. Mustafah

A collection of memoirs detailing the evolving of Palakkad town and its surroundings in the last 150 years was released by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at a function held here on Monday evening.

The book titled ‘Nagaram Pinnitta Naalvazhikal’ was edited by writer and activist Boban Mattumantha.

Lauding the initiative, Mr. Chandy said the book would be a reference volume for those interested in the culture and history of Palakkad. The book contains 150 articles in 13 sections. It has detailed narrations on the first tarred road in the town, first electrification drive, establishment of district hospital, operation of the first locomotive, the first college, first police station and jail.

It comprises articles by luminaries including M. T. Vasudevan Nair, O. V. Vijayan, K. G. Subrahmanyam, T. N. Seshan, P. T. Usha, Syamaprasad, Cartoonist Ravi Shankar, M.G.S. Narayanan, Raghava Warrier, Rajan Gurukkal and T. D. Ramakrishnan.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Palakkad – September 29th, 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

ASI team visits ancient church

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

An eight-member team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) inspected St. Raphael’s Church, Ezhupunna, recently to examine whether the ancient church should be protected and preserved under The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The church, built in 1859, has largely used features of Portuguese and Dutch architecture.

The church has been at the centre of a controversy regarding the ownership and preservation of heritage, according to sources. In 2004, a petitioner approached the Kerala Archaeology Department seeking its intervention.

The department prohibited the church authorities from demolishing the church. In 2008, the church authorities closed the church for worship claiming that it is unsafe.

In 2009, a group of people approached the court seeking directions to effect repairs. In 2010, the State government published in the gazette its intent to notify and protect the church and its compound.

The church authorities opposed the notification. The court directed the church authorities to undertake repairs under the aegis of the Archaeology Department, but the latter failed to execute repairs. The ASI intervention was sought by people then. The ASI team could not visit the church prayer hall, as it had remained closed, the sources said.

Ezhupunna church, built in 1859, was closed in 2008 following safety concerns.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Alapppuzha – September 29th, 2015

P K Rosy Award for Kaviyoor Ponnamma

Arts,Culture & Entertainment

Vijayakumari O Madhavan said that she had to face a lot of opposition from society when she had started her career in theatre. “There was a notion that women who acted in plays and films will earn bad reputation. I did not pay heed to it and went about acting in more than 10,000 plays of which I am really proud, she added.

Kerala Sthree Padana Kendram chairperson T V Seema presided over the function held at the IMA Hall. Indian Medical Association Thiruvananthapuram district president Dr R Sreekumar, Kerala Sthree Padana Kendram director P S Sreekala, secretary S Priya and treasurer V S Bindu also spoke at the occasion.

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com /  The New Indian Express /  Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / September 28th, 2015

Philatelists exhibit unique collection of stamps in Kochi

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

Two philatelists exhibited their unique collection of stamps on the final day of an expo here yesterday.

Stamp collectors, Alok K Goyal and Atish Kumar Jain, showcased a whopping variety of 700 stamps at the ‘Coin Expo 2015’, organised by Kerala Numismatic Society in Kochi.

The collection saw stamps in unique shapes of football, fish, turtles, penguins and birds. The exhibition also showcased uniqueness in the material the stamps were printed on – from woods and clothes to metals like silver and gold.

The odd collection comprised night glow stamps and thermo-sensitive stamps, which protect them from the harmful rays of the sun.

“We are representing various world postal authorities in India. Mainly we are offering unusual stamps and coins to Indian collectors. Unusual means the stamps which are not of normal variety. Normally stamps are of rectangle shape and on paper but unusual stamps, they are of different shapes, different materials have been put on stamps. They are made of different materials. The smelling stamps, then (stamps which) glow in the night. There are various kinds of stamps. New technology people are using on stamps to increase knowledge among the people,” said Goyal.

He added that though he had presented a proposal in front of postal department of India to consider the usage of unusual stamps, he was not sure if it would be accepted as the rules are quite rigid in India.

Apart from stamps, the three-day expo also showcased coins, old currencies, medals, treasure pots and postal cards from around the world.

A huge range of coins, some dating back to third century BC and some silver coins believed to be from the era of Jesus Christ were also on display.

Coins belonging to Mughal, Chola, Nawab and British era were up for display, along with coins used in the Roman dynasty and old dynasties in China, Korea, Africa and other parts of the world.

source: http://www.newkerala.com / NewKerala.com / Home> News> India News / Kochi – September 21st, 2015

Radhika Thilak passes away

Arts,Culture & Entertainment

RadhikaKERALA26sept2015

Noted singer Radhika Thilak died here on Sunday night after battling cancer for over a year. She was 45. The death occurred around 8.30 p.m. at a private hospital in the city where she had been under treatment. She is survived by her husband Suresh, and daughter Devika. The cremation will be held on Monday.

A natural singer who made her way to tinsel town through hard work and perseverance, Radhika gave her voice to nearly 55 films in an active career spanning over a decade and more.

Her playback debut was Pachilathoni Thuzhanju composed by Berny Ignatius.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – September 21st, 2015