Monthly Archives: May 2017
13
Fr Gabriel Chiramel passes away
Thrissur :
Educationist, administrator and founder of several institutions, Fr Gabriel Chiramel CMI passed away at Amala Bhavan here on Thursday.
He was 103-years-old. Fr Gabriel, who was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 2007, was the founder principal of Christ College (1956-1975), Irinjalakuda.
Known for his administrative acumen, he served as the provincial of Devamatha Province, Thrissur. It was during this time the Amala Cancer Hospital was established.
He was also instrumental in establishing several other institutions such as St Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda; Carmel Higher Secondary School, Chalakudy; Bharat Matha School, Palakkad; Catholic Centre Irinjalakuda and Deepthi Cultural Centre, Kozhikode.
Fr Gabriel’s funeral will be held at noon on Saturday.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / May 12th, 2017
A royal procession to Sasthamangalam
In the days of the monarchy, a royal procession used to make its way to a Siva temple in Sasthamangalam
‘Radhapura Kunnu Lane’, a nondescript signage near Sasthamangalam junction may have caught your attention as you travel along Vellayambalam-Sasthamangalam road. However, if you are planning to explore the lane hoping to find the ‘Radhapura’ or at least the remains of an old chariot house, you will be disappointed. The lane now leads to a well-laid out residential area with no trace of any built structure to substantiate the name of the lane.
Radhapura Lane was in olden times known as Radhapura Kunnu, a hill that gradually descends to the banks of the Killi River. Senior citizens from Vellayambalam and Sasthamangalam regions still remember vivid images of a state procession that linked the region with a royal past. When the city cherishes the Arattu procession and related rituals, of the area recall the state processions that once came to Sasthamangalam.
Sasthamangalam Ezhunnalathu, a regal procession to Sasthamangalam, culminated at the ancient Sasthamangalam Mahadeva temple, where the sovereigns offered prayers and rested in the ‘palace’, a double-storied structure located near the western gateway of the temple. According to popular history, it was customary of the Travancore rulers to visit ‘Sasthamangalathu Madhom’, the abode of Koopakkara Pottis, and the Siva temple soon after the Tirunal (royal birthday) celebrations. Even though the origin of this practice remains unknown to this day, some historians are of the opinion that the practice could be dated to the eighteenth century, to the turbulent days of Anizham Tirunal Marthanda Varma.
It is said that the Koopakkara Potti had helped the King on one occasion and in gratitude the King and, later his successors, made it a custom to pay their respect, once in a year, to the Koopakkara family at their residence.
V Narasimhan Thampi presents a vivid portrayal of the procession to Sasthamangalam: “… the Maharaja rides to Sasthamangalam in his golden chariot, drawn by six white horses and behind him follow a train of horse drawn carriages of the royals and the various officials. The Elayarajas, Koil Thampurans, and the Chief Justice can be seen riding in carriages drawn by two horses, whereas the other officers ride in simple carriages. The state procession starts from the Fort at four in the evening and proceeds to Sasthamangalam via Pazhavangadi, Puttenchandai, Palayam, and Vazhuthacaud. At Sasthamangalam, the King worships at the temple and visits the Potti at his residence and returns to the Fort by six O’clock.”
On the way to Sasthamangalam, the procession first halted at Vellayambalam, from where the King went to the temple with a few select attendants and high officials. The royal chariot was stationed at Radhapura Kunnu and the royal party walked down to Pipinmoodu to the temple premises.
The temple, located between Sasthamangalam hill and the nearby elevated Oolampara region, claims antique origins. Old records mention ‘Thiru-chatta-mangalam’ (later Sasthamangalam) and the temple there. Old timers believe that the temple has its origins from a small sacred grove on the banks of the Killi River. A small fragment of the grove can still be seen right in front of the eastern gateway to the temple.
With the end of monarchy, the age-old custom of the Sasthamangalam procession passed into the annals of history, but the temple remains popular among the city dwellers.
(The writer is a conservation architect and history buff)
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Sharat Sunder Rajeev / Thiruvananthapuram – May 05th, 2017
Noted cinematographer C Ramachandra Menon passes away
Kozhikode :
Noted cinematographer C Ramachandra Menon who had worked in several Malayalam and Tamil films passed away here on Tuesday. He was 88.
Family members said that he had been under treatment at a private hospital for last several days following old- age related ailments.
Ramachandra Menon had worked in more than 150 Malayalam films including hits like Ummachu, the film adaptation of Uroob’s novel directed by P Bhaskaran, Muthassi, Othenente Makan directed and produced by Kunchacko, Thoppil Bhasi’s Ningalenne Communistakki, IV Sasi’s films like Eetta, Akale Aakaasham, among many others.
He had also associated with noted directors like Hariharan, Sasikumar and Sreekumaran Thambi for several of their films in the 70’s and 80’s.
Born in 1929 as son of P K M Raja of Tiruvannur Kovilakam and Chengalath Janaki Amma in Kozhikode, Ramachandra Menon began his career as assistant cameraman at Vauhini Studios under noted director of photography Marcus Bartley. He went to Singapore in 1956 and joined the Shaw Brothers studios where he worked for six years and later joined the Cathy Studios is Singapore.
He returned to Kerala in 1970 and got associated with Udaya Studios where he did cinematography for four of their films. Later he moved to Chennai where he worked with several famous directors.
Ramachandra Menon has been leading a retired life in Kozhikode since 2000. He is survived by daughter Maya Harigovind and son Dr. Goutham Menon. Ramachandra Menon’s wife Malathi Ramachandran had died some years back.
The funeral would be held at the Mavoor Road crematorium on Wednesday.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kozhikode News / by K R Rajeev / TNN / May 09th, 2017
Cartoonist B.G. Varma dead
B. G. Varma, noted cartoonist, died at his residence in Thripunitura on Tuesday. He was 75.
Mr. Varma had worked with renowned cartoonist Shankar in the famed Shankar’s Weekly as a cartoonist-caricaturist.
Brought up in Karachi where his father worked as an engineer, Mr. Varma secured a job at the ST Reddiar Press in Ernakulam after studying art in Mavelikkara and Hyderabad. A cartoon strip he did for Manorama earned him the job at Shankar’s Weekly.
From political cartooning, he went on to be the choicest caricaturist drawing “The Man of The Week” caricature for the weekly. After the closure of the weekly, he worked for the Children’s Book Trust (CBT). Mr. Varma has also designed commemorative stamps for the Central government, on blood donation and on the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – May 09th, 2017
A fisher couple who defies conventions
Rekha is the first woman in the country who goes fishing in the sea by boat, according to CMFRI
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) will felicitate K.V. Karthikeyan and his wife K.C. Rekha who have been venturing into the sea for fishing using gill nets and hooks since the past 13 years.
Sudarshan Bhagat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, will present a memento to the couple at a fishermen meet to be held at CMFRI here on Friday. He will hand over fish seeds to the couple for launching sea cage farming. The programme is part of the ongoing platinum jubilee celebrations of the institution.
An official release here said that the couple hails from Kundazhiyoor near Chettuva in Thrissur district. It claimed that Ms. Rekha is the first woman in the country who goes fishing in the sea by boat. Although there are women engaged in fishing in backwaters, no record about women’s presence in fishing along the Indian coasts is available so far, said A. Gopalakrishnan, Director of CMFRI. He said that the institution wanted to felicitate the courage shown by the couple.
Financial support
“There are some superstitious beliefs in the society that women are not supposed to go to the sea for fishing. But, here a lady has courageously broken all these unreasonable customs and conventions and made a living out of fishing,” said Mr. Gopalakrishnan. The CMFRI has offered them financial and technical support to launch cage farming in the sea.
The Minister will address the representatives of fishermen and fish farmers. An interactive session will also be held on the occasion to solve the issues being faced by stakeholders.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – May 04th, 2017
Country’s first digitalised Panchayat ward in Kerala
Kottayam :
A ward in the district today became India’s first digitalised panchayat ward .
Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar inaugurated the website of the first digitalised panchayat ward number 15 of Aymanam grama panchayat at a function held at a temple premises.
The minister launched the website digitalaymanam at the function.
This small panchayat ward in Kerala has become the first one to go digital in the country, taking a very important step in fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of transforming India into a digitally empowered society, the Minister said.
Gurjar hailed ward member Devaki teacher for taking the challenge of collecting details of 423 families and 1,262 members in the ward and made them available in a mouse click away.
The website also contains information about blood donors’ forum and telephone directory of the people of the ward, officials said.
CPI(M), which is ruling the Aymanam Gram Panchayat, boycotted the function.
They, however, have not cited any reasons for the boycott.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kohikode News / PTI / April 30th, 2017
On the right moves
Veteran players pens book on chess
Chess is the most intellectual of all sports. But, Kerala, which has always prided on its intellect, hadn’t produced any major chess talent for decades.
Except for N.R. Anil Kumar, who played for India at the Chess Olympiad in 1982, Kerala’s presence in India’s chess scene was minimal for decades. There was also A. Sasidharan, an immensely gifted young man — capable of playing brilliantly spectacular games — who committed suicide, reportedly because he was unable to get a job.
But, times have changed. Many players in Kerala have found employment on the basis of their achievements on the chessboard. The State has now two Grandmasters, several international players as well as a little world champion in Nihal Sarin.
So the release of veteran chess-player-turned-author P.V.N. Namboothiripad’s book, Chessinoru Patapusthakam, could not have been timed better.
Running into more than 800 pages, it could well be the most exhaustive book on chess ever written in Malayalam. “The book is the result of my work over the last 10 years,” Mr. Namboothiripad told The Hindu on Saturday. “I always felt that there was a need for such a book in Malayalam. We haven’t too many books that look deeply into chess.”
The book, published by Kerala Bhasha Institute, discusses various technical aspects of chess and features an exhaustive collection of games with diagrams. This is the third book on chess by the Kochi-based author, who turned 80 this year.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by P.K. Ajith / Kozhikode – May 06th, 2017
Sugathakumari bags first ONV Literary Award
Thiruvananthapuram :
Poet B Sugathakumari has bagged the first ONV Literary Award instituted by ONV Cultural Academy. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, statuette and citation. The award will be given on May 27 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of ONV Kurup .
According to the panel of judges comprising M Leelavathy, C Radhakrishnan and Prabhavarma, Sugathakumari was selected for her poem “Kanneerinte Vishuddhi”.
“The award distribution and similar activities from the academy will help in preserving and handing over the ideas that ONV has put forward through his poems to the coming generations,” said film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan, chairman of the academy.
ONV Youth Literary Awards will be given to Arya Gopi and Sumesh Krishna for their poems “Avasaanathe manushyan” and “Rudraaksham”, respectively.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN /May 03rd, 2017