PonPulari

Onam is the state festival of Kerala. Onam falls in the first month of the malayalam month which is Chingam ( normally falls in the months of August or September).Itis also the harvest festival of Kerala. Onam is celebrated as the homecoming of the King Mahabali. Onam celebrations lasts for ten days and demonstrates the traditions and culture of Kerala and its people.

Flower carpets decorated intricately or pookkalam is one of the key attractions of Onasadya with variety of food items, Snake boat race ( vallam Kali) and Kerala’s own Kai Kotti Kali ( a form of dance) etc are some of the remarkable attractions of Onam -  the harvest festival in Kerala.

Onam celebrations start on the day of Atham, 10 days before Thiruonam. In a traditional Onam all these 10 days are celebrated and each these days have its own importance in various rituals and traditions.

Atham- The first day of Onam Celebrations

Onam celebrations start 10 days ahead of the Thiruonam day in in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The first day of the onam celebrations is Atham. A key celebration of Atham is the athachamayam, which is celebrated in Thripunithura. On the day of Atham celebrations and festivities also start at the Thrikkakara Teble, which considered as adobe of Mahabali. Athachamayam is celebrated as a major cultural procession and cultural activities and this kicks of the offical celebration of Onam led by the government of Kerala. Elephant processions, folk art presentations, music and dancing make Athachamyam a spectacular event which is now aggressively promoted as a tourist event.

The traditional ritual of laying Pookalam (floral carpet) starts on Atham day. The size of pookalam on this day is called as Athapoo and will small which eventually grew day after day. Only yellow flowers will be used on this day and the design will be simple.

Also the statues called Thrikkarappan of Mahabali and Vamanan will be installed on the entrance of each house on this day.

Chithira- The second day of Onam Celebrations

Chithira is the second day of onam celebrations. A second layer of flowers will be added to the pookalam setup on atham day with 2 different colors other than yellow (mostly orange and creamy yellow). On this day, people starts cleaning the house-hold to prepare for the Thiruonam day.

Chodi- The third day of Onam Celebrations

More layers of flowers will be added to the pookalam with 4to 5 different colors. On this day the shopping activities for such things onakodi and jewellery etc.. Elders use to gift new clothes for younger members of the family.

Vishakam- The fourth day of Onam Celebrations

Vishakam is considered as the most auspicious day of Onam. In the early years, this day is for making the harvest sale and was one of the busiest days in the market for public. In these days people start the Pookalam competition and onam games etc…

Anizham- The fifth day of Onam Celebrations

Anizham is one of the most important day in the Onam days as it kicks off the great [[Vallam Kali]] (Snake boat) at many parts of Kerala. A mock Vallam Kali is conducted on this day at Aranmula as a dress-rehersal for the famed Aranmula boat race which will be held after Onam.

Thriketa- The sixth day of Onam Celebrations

The pookalam design will be very large by this time, with at least 5 to 6 new flowers types added to the original designs.By the sixth day, the public frenzy starts going on higher side. Most of the schools and public offices starts issuing holidays from this day onwards and people starts packing their bags to their native homes to celebrate the festival with their dear ones.

Molam- The seventh day of Onam Celebrations

On the seventh day, the smaller versions of traditional Ona Sadya (Onam special buffet lunch) starts in many places. Most of the temples offers special sadhyas on from this day. Festivities include Puli Kali (Masked leopard dance) and traditional dance forms like Kaikotti Kali also performed in various functions. The official Government celebrations starts on this day with heavy illuminations in Thiruvananthapuram City, Kochi city and Kozhikode along with fireworks.

Pooradam- The eight day of Onam Celebrations

The day marks off with a major traditional ritual where the small statues of Mahabali and Vamana will be washed and cleaned and taken around the house as a procession. It will be later installed in the center of the pookalam smeared with rice-flour batter. The smearing is done by small children whom will be Pooradaunnikkal. From this day onwards, the statue will be called Onathappan.

The pookalam design from Pooradam day onwards get much bigger and complex in design. Shopping will be one of the major activities as the public will be making final purchases for the great Thiruonam day.

Uthradom- The ninth day of Onam Celebrations

Uthradom is the ninth and the penultimate day of the festival of Onam. It is considered as Onam eve and celebrated in a very big way. The importance of this day is last minute extreme shopping frenzy called as Uthradapachal and is considered the most auspicious day for purchase of fresh vegetables and fruits along with other provisions from the Thiruonam day.

Uthradam is known as FIRST ONAM because it marks the day when King Mahabali descends Kerala and the traditional myths says that the king will spend the next four days touring his erstwhile kingdom and blessing the subjects. Due to this Urthadom is celebrated in a very pompous manner with larger pookalam and celebrations in household. The Urthada lunch is very famous tradition. Women normally cuts the first set of vegetables on this day that marks the celebrations of Thiruonam in each household and preparations for grand Onam buffet starts in evening of Uthradom day.

Thiruonam- The tenth day of Onam Celebrations

The final day of Onam that culminates the 10 days of Onam Carnival. The day is known as Thiru-Onam (Sacred Onam Day) also known as SECOND ONAM. Myth says, it was the day Mahabali was suppressed to underworld by Vamana. The day marks return of Mahabali to his fabled land (Kerala), as per the boon he received from Vamana to meet his subjects and bless them. Apart from this myth, this day is considered auspicious being birthdays of several temple deities like Vamana of Thrikkara temple, Sree Ppadmanabha Swamy of Thiruvananthapuram etc. Though a traditional Hindu festival, Onam today has emerged as a secular festival associated with harvest time of Kerala and today is the national festival of the state without distinction of any religion or caste celebrating the return of King Mahabali.

Activities begin early in the morning. People clean their house, smear the main entrance with rice-flour batter (a traditional welcome sign), take early bath, wear new clothes and distribute alms to needy. The eldest female member of each family presents clothes to all the members of the family. Special prayers and Masses are organized in temples, churches and mosques that highlight the secular nature of festival. Later a very special and the biggest of all days, Pookalam is prepared to welcome Mahabali.

The most important activity of Thiruonam is the grand Thiruona-Sadya, well known for being one of the most sumptuous feasts ever prepared by mankind. The level of sumptuous varies at each individual household, however every household tries to make as grand as possible as they can. The feast served on plantain leaves have more than 13 to 15 curries apart from other regular items. In hotels and temples, number of curries and dishes can go upto 30 for the feast. Whatever may happen no malayalee will miss the Grand ona-sadya. There is a saying in Malayalam that “Kanam Vittum Onam Unnanam” which means “We should have the Thiruvonam lunch even if we have to sell all our properties” which shows the importance of the grand lunch on the Thiruvonam day.

A fabulous display of fireworks turns the capital Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi into a veritable fairyland. Sumptuous feasts are prepared in every household. Even the poorest of the poor manage to find something for himself to celebrate the national festival in his own humble way.

The afternoon is marked with various traditional Onam games normally seen common in rural areas and those organized by resident associations, clubs etc in large cities.

Post Onam celebrations

Normally Onam celebrations ends by Thiruonam. However two following days after Thiruonam is also celebrated as Third and Fourth Onam. The third Onam is called as Avvittom which marks the preparations of King Mahabali for his ascension to heavens. The main ritual for the day is to take the Onattappan statute placed in middle of Pookalam for past 10 days and immense in nearby rivers or seas. The pookalam will cleaned and removed and marks the finale to the Onam celebrations. The day is also important, as it marks the great dance of lions, known as Puli Kali where men in costumes of lions, dances and make a procession around the town of Thrissur in large groups. The Puli-kali can marks the end of traditional Onam celebrations.

Fourth Onam is called as Chatyam which marks the birthday of one of the famous social reformer of Kerala, Sree Narayana Guru and celebrated as Narayana Jayanthi in his honour. The official government celebrations ends on this day with a mega dance festival in the capital city- Thiruvananthapuram.

Note: Some content from WikiPedia.org Image Curtsey from WikiMedia.org

Many times I used to see advertisement on the web or articles in print claiming that flat abs can be achieved in 15 days. Its an absolute myth. Flat abs a.k.a six packs can be achieved only by burning the fat in the body and not by just exercising for one area like doing crunches

Your body does not burn the belly and buttocks fat immediately one start doing the exercises. Body start burning the recently accumulated fat first and then the earlier accumulated ones. Which means, you will have to continue doing the exercises for some time before the body start loosing the abdominal fat.

To get your flat abs you need to focus on the following

• Regular Cardio Excercises
• Fitness training for all parts of the body
• A healthy and low calorie diet

Sometimes, even after following a perfect program for a long period of time, you may not get the six pack you are looking for. This could be because of the fact that the fat level needed (for a healthy living) is higher than that is required to make it a six pack.

As we understood the truth, the aim of getting flat abs may :

• require more exercise than your time can afford to and more than what you can handle mentally
• require more focused diet pattern which may not be of your pattern
• may not be the best for your body style and living patterns

Calicut airport must be having the worst customs team in Kerala. The customs department is shameless in asking for bribe. I had this experience long time back and recently somebody told me about there experience as well.

About 3-4 years back I happened to land at Calicut airport. After collecting the baggage, I was heading to the exit door and then found a customs officer in my way asking the details of the baggage. I have explained the contents, which are nothing but my clothes and a laptop. Since I was coming back for good after a short stay in Kuwait, I did not buy any stuff.

Immediately the customs officer said, you will have to pay us some money or other wise will require to check your baggage. You will have to open all the stuff here now. I said please do an X-ray so that they will know if there is anything you suspect. Then he started threatening me saying that we can see some metal stuff in the baggage etc… and we will need to examine it by opening the baggage. Otherwise give us something in foreign exchange so that you can leave the place immediately.

Since I had to go to Kochi, I have agreed to pay him 5 KD and said this is the only foreign exchange I have as I have left Kuwait for good. He immediately grabbed the money and allowed us to go.

Though 5 KD was not a big amount, it was a big insult.

Floating supermarket in a houseboat from the State owned Thriveni supermarket chain is recently identified as a useful initiative.

Thriveni might have learned this idea from the small players who sell the grocery and basic consumer goods in small boats. This initiative will cut down the opportunities of these small businessmen but will give added advantage to the consumers as they get things at a reduced price.

Hope we will have such fine and user friendly investments in the future.

Kerala is considering the name change to Keralam. I do not think anyone will dispute the fact that it was never Kerala for any Malayalee other than the so called Mallus.

At least we support you in this minister and good that we are listening something good from you

Fans across the state, especially in the Malabar region, are celebrating the spirit of the soccer war.

Though India has failed to make it into the carnival, fans in Kerala have more reasons to cheer when `Jabulani’, the official football of World Cup 2010, rolls on South African grounds.

The bladders of the Jabulani balls are created from the latex of Kerala rubber plantations

For every 100 Jabulani that rolls, there will be about 7kg of rubber from Kerala! Jabulani means `rejoice’ in Zulu language and the ball has already courted controversies for its speed.

Latex bladders that give shape, speed and bounce to the Jabulani football are produced by Delhi-based Enkay India Rubber Co which sources most of the rubber from Kerala. The company has already supplied around 200,000 bladders to Adidas for Jabulani. “We will be sending more bladders soon. We buy most of the rubber we use from government-owned plantations in Kerala because it is of good quality,’’ a company official said.

The company focuses on sports goods, surgical equipment, shoe soles and auto parts. They have been supplying latex bladders to Adidas for a long time.

According to Mohanakumar, general manager of Plantation Corporation, the rubber latex has been sourced from government plantations in Peruanapuram near Perambra, Nilambur, Kodumon and Chandanapally.

Enkay Rubber Co is a major consumer of the corporation. “During the last financial year, Enkay purchased 12 truckloads of latex from us, which they must have used for making the bladders for Jabulani,’’ he added.

Source: Anil Nair

The new version of Mile sur mera tumara aka Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara- Part 1

Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara- Part 2

This Jet Airways story makes it a lesson for the common man, again.It is nothing but, you suffer all the time.

Being a common man, I feel that I am always a victim of the strikes, price hikes, job cuts, salary cuts and what not…

Why cant the government take action against these pilots? Why are they supporting them or talk for them?

When I book a ticket to India, I prey three things.

1. I should get a ticket for the date and time I need ( weekends, which never happens). If I get a ticket to India on weekend from Kuwait, you have no chance for getting the ticket on a weekend from there back to kuwait
2. If I get the tickets, the flight shouldn’t get canceled. This happens mostly with Air India Express. Recently I have booked for a return ticket for my family from India to Kuwait on 28th September. One fine day, I got an email that the flight is canceled. Boom…. you find your own way, we are not flying that day…Man… dont you think that is crazy?
3. The crew is not on strike… Now pilots, we have seen this with not only Jet but also with Kuwait Airways… Air India is not an exception, but I am not yet a victim. Now after few days, another set of crew… may be air hostesses may go on strike. what do we do then? after that the turn would be of those who does the cleaning… goddddd… I don’t know how  will I book any ticket without worrying all this.

Heard that the Management is taking back the pilots. This will lead to more strikes by this union for getting their benefits (as they call it).