Monthly Archives: June 2018
21st
The Dalawa gets a documentary
The Sword of Liberty speaks through art forms like Villadichan Pattu
For a filmmaker setting out to do a documentary on famous personalities who lived centuries back, information can be the first roadblock. It becomes quite a task, sifting facts from myths, which might have got blended over a period of time. Shiny Jacob Benjamin also had a similar dilemma when she set out to do a documentary on Veluthampi Dalawa.
A few months ago, R.C. Suresh, believed to be a descendant of the Dalawa, approached her with the idea of a film on him. The first thing which came to her mind was the Villadichan Pattu in southern Travancore, which included stories of the Dalawa. These were again myths, so she went looking for historical records.
“Visually too, I had a challenge, as there were only the sword of the Dalawa, now kept in the Napier Museum, and the statue in front of the Secretariat to show,” she says.
The documentary The Sword of Liberty, which was premiered in the city on Monday, shows Devaki, a descendant of the Dalawa and a researcher, going back in time, in search of the Dalawa’s story. The story is told through various art forms – Villadichan Pattu, Tholpavakoothu, and Thullal.
“We approached the Tholpavakoothu artistes with the stories and images of the Dalawa. The performance was specially composed for the film, as they did not have anything based on Dalawa yet,” says Shiny.
A haunting question
The documentary chalks out his early days, the quick rise as a leader and his fight against those who were a negative influence on the ruler, and later against the British. “A question which bothered me was how such a brave man could commit suicide. But then, there are many versions of how his end came about. Whether he committed suicide or whether he was murdered is still not clear,” she says.
The documentary film won the National Award for the Best Historical Film and Best Music in the non-features category this year.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Staff Reporter / Thiruvananthapuram – June 19th, 2018
19
18
Eco-friendly solution to mosquito menace
Researchers find insecticidal properties in extracts of plants
Now, an eco-friendly solution to mosquito menace. Aravind Gopal, a 40-year-old postgraduate in Biochemistry, and P.J. Benny, Professor of Zoology at Pala St. Thomas College, have found good insecticidal properties in the extracts of as many as 20 commonly found plants in Kerala.
Talking to The Hindu , they said extracts of two commonly found weeds,Merremia vitifolia or Manja kolambivalli or grape-leaf wood rose, and Mikania scandens, also known as climbing hemp weed, have shown very good insecticidal properties, with more than 90% insect repellent property.
Mr. Aravind has set up a mini-laboratory in his residential courtyard at Puthusserry-bhagom, near Adoor, to conduct field trials.
Dr. Benny said local bodies and government agencies could use even the crude extracts of these commonly found weeds as safe mosquito reduction agents in areas affected by mosquito-borne viral diseases. A present, various official agencies are learnt to be using hazardous chemical-based insecticides in mosquito eradication drives.
U.N. findings
Mr. Aravind said a report published by the United Nations in January, 2017 had put the average human casualty due to toxic exposure of pesticides across the world at 2,00,000 a year.
Reliance on hazardous pesticides is a short-term solution and the U.N. report lists an array of serious ailments such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, hormone disruption, birth defects, etc., as having suspected links to pesticides.
Pesticide-poisoning exceeds even fatalities from infectious diseases in some countries, he said.
Mosquito destroyers
Mr. Aravind said backswimmers, dragonfly and its larvae, damselflies and its larvae, diving beetles, frog and tadpole, native fishes, etc., were natural enemies of mosquito. Terrestrial and aquatic plants can provide healthy air that nourishes life.
Hence a social forest-cum-pond like that of the sacred grove (sarpa-kavu) of yore can preserve the biodiversity, provide fresh air and shelter to the predators of these pests, he said.
Mr. Aravind said while controlling pests, which form less than 1% of the insects, pesticides destroy the biodiversity and environment by killing or adversely affecting various other life forms, including more than 99% of the insects which are more integral to maintenance of the ecosystem.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Radhakrishnan Kuttoor / June 13th, 2018
16
Kicking off a football anthem: Malayali band Orfeo is here with a Football anthem for this World Cup
Who would not offer their right hand for a chance to visit Russia this season — to not just participate but to contribute to the World Cup frenzy as well? Musicians of Malayali music band Orfeo have done exactly that by going to Russia and bringing out an interesting music album that captures the mood and the memories. Called Davai Davai, it was released a few days ago and has become a topic of discussion among music lovers and football fans.
“Davai Davai means ‘Come on let’s go’,” says the violinist Carol George as he excitedly speaks about the album and its making, calling it the first music anthem created by Malayalis on the World Cup matching international standards and having visuals right from where the action is.
“It all started when we were discussing what next, after our covers such as Padakali and Veerapandi Kottayile became popular. We are all hardcore football fans and used to play the game during school and college days. And our cellist Maria Grigoreva is from Moscow. We had plans to visit her country and shoot a travelogue, so we thought why not a music video along with it,” Carol recollects.
While some were sceptical if they could compose a good number before they leave, Robin Thomas, the pianist, promised to come up with an interesting tune in two days. “The moment Robin played it for us, we were all motivated. The music is the pulse of Davai Davai. No matter how beautiful the visuals are, if the tune isn’t syncing, there is no point in making a video,’’ he says.
There was no stopping the Orfeo team afterwards. “We really worked hard. Obstacles were there, but we didn’t bother. We got our visas two days before our trip,” he says.
Once they reached Russia, they got sucked into the football craze. According to Carol, they reached at the right time. “There were football fans everywhere. We never thought we would be allowed to enter the premises of Luzhniki Stadium which hosted the opening match of the World Cup this year. We got a lot of visuals of people playing football there. Interestingly, the day we went was a special day for Russians and people were all out at The Red Square, including the military. There were tight security checks, but we were able to capture the feel of the World Cup. The initial visuals in the video too were shot near the Square,” he says. They were very careful about not getting entangled in legal issues, so they consciously avoided capturing official buildings.
The lyrics of Davai is by Shyam Muraleedharan and Don Thomas and it has been sung by Sayanora, Don Thomas, Abhimanyu and Isabella Chepeleva (a Russian). To bring in the celebratory mode, they have also added visuals of people dancing which they managed to shoot with the support of their friends at Russia.
“We have a few friends there via online and professionally. Russians do not speak much English but we were able to communicate musically,” he says.
Robin who composed Davai says all he had in his mind was the excitement of football and the crowds. “I wanted the thrill of the World Cup to reflect in the song. The challenge was to make it simple and interesting, which can be appreciated by everyone. That’s how the Davai portion came in,” he says.
The team is getting a lot of positive feedback. “We have no words to explain how happy we are when some tell us that Davai is better than even the official FIFA song. For us, going till the World Cup Football venue itself is a dream come true and we are overwhelmed!” he says.
Apart from Robin Thomas, Maria Grigoreva and Carol George, the team includes Chandlu Nerimbodath and Francis Xavier on violin and Herald Antony on Viola. The visuals were directed by Steev Benjamin and shot by Ajith Kumar PS
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Kochi News / by Anjana George / June 14th, 2018
Kerala’s Naveen Manoharan, the lad with the scorpion kick
Alappuzha :
Naveen Manoharan (24), who hails from Varanad in Cherthala is now known as René Higuita among his friends after his ‘scorpion kick’ video went viral on social media.
Higuita is a retired Colombian football goalkeeper who was nicknamed ‘El Loco’ for his high-risk ‘sweeper-keeper’ playing style and his flair for the dramatic. Naveen, who is a die-hard fan of the Colombian goalkeeper, has been practicing Higuita’s audacious save since his Plus Two days. He started to do scorpion kicks when he became the captain of their village football team Vasco Varanad in Cherthala three years ago.
“My home is near the playground of Vasco Club, which has been organizing all-Kerala football tournament for the past 33 years. I started to play at the ground when I was a first standard student. While I was pursuing Plus Two, we had a chapter in Malayalam on Higuita, who wowed the world with his scorpion kick while playing for Colombia against England in 1995. Since then, I became curious, collected his details and watched YouTube video of his saves,” he said.
But, that special kick remained elusive for a while, he admitted. “I tried to do the scorpion kick and failed many times. But I was not ready to go back and I never gave up. Three years ago, I could do it perfectly. The video of my save, which went viral on social media, was shot on Sunday by one of my friends. He and my cousin Abhijith posted it on social media and now my friends call me Higuita,” he said.
Naveen, an ITI instrumentation holder, is from an ordinary family and his friends are confident that Argentina will win the World Cup this time.
In Video: This scorpion kick will leave you tizzy
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Kochi News / by Sajimon P S / TNN / June 14th, 2018
Short-film director Indira passes away
Thiruvananthapuram:
Short-film director Indira P (54), known for her work ‘Catharsis’ based on political violence in Kannur, breathed her last at Medical College Hospital here on Sunday. She was undergoing treatment for respiratory disease.
Hailing from Tirur in Malappuram district, Indira relocated to Thiruvananthapuram to pursue her interest in filmmaking around 30 years ago, after completing graduation in Malayalam literature and journalism. She ha d earned a diploma in photography from C-DIT and learned filmmaking from Southern Film Institute.
Indira had directed short films, government ads and did a feature film ‘Paathi Akaashathin Udamakal’ under the banner of KSFDC. She had also assisted noted directors P A Backer, A A Azeez and Lenin Rajendran.
Indira’s friends remember her as a fighter, who championed various social causes. “I remember the young Indira, who struggled to pursue her dreams. She had written scripts for a feature film and was planning to begin the work soon. It (her untimely departure) is a great loss. We are now trying to fulfill her last wish. She had said that she did not want to be left alone and wished her friends to be near her and asked to arrange fragrant flowers for her last rites,” said Anil Chilla.
The body has been kept at her house at Thiruvallom. Cremation will take place at Santhi Kavadam at 10am on Monday. tnn
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN / June 10th, 2018