movie - CBI series

All the malayalam tv channels were trying to outdo each other with their enthusiastic airing of recent movies on Christmas day! Starting as early as 9.30 in the morning, (wonder how anybody can watch movies at 9.30 am and that too on a Christmas day... don't they have any work to do around the house???) it ended somewhere around 9.30 at night! So, a person could watch atleast around 3 movies, if one felt like it! Anyway, after all the housework and a sumptious lunch, i decided to relax for a few hours watching 'Nerariyan CBI', yet another whodoneit from the CBI series... the fourth sequel to be exact.

Mammooty, as before, plays his unforgettable character of Sethurama Iyer, the intelligent and dashing CBI pro, who negotiates the viewers through several twists and turns, to discover the identity of the real murderer. Infact, this time, there is a supernatural angle added to it, which actually adds to the mystical element.

The story revolves around the aristrocratic Animangalam tharavad, where a couple of untimely deaths are invariably linked to the play of the supernatural... It is in this very house that another mysterious death of a young girl occurs... After the local police and the cbi closes the case for fear of the supernatural, Sethurama Iyer takes over after a gap of 4 years.

This saga of investigation is as usual supported by his loyal team members enacted by Mukesh and Jagathy Sreekumar as Chacko and Vikram. Together, they face many challenges and gets to the real murderer, whom no one ever had suspected at any time!

I would say that the director K. Madhu deserves all praise for his able handling of another mystery subject. There are no romantic interludes nor violent fights, but nevertheless, it leaves the audience spell bound and anxious. Let me hope that the fifth one in the series is also in the offing...

Alltogether, a good Sunday entertainer... If you haven't seen it yet, don't ever miss the next opportunity.

Speaking about the recent releases, 'Romeo', starring Dileep, though hailed as a rolicking comedy, is actually just another of his collection of pj's. The one review i got about the movie was that it is "unwatchable".

so, i would say, watch at your own risk. :)

Golf Course

Did you realise that our 'God's Own Country' has taken another significant step to boost tourism?? Well... we malayalees are going to witness the rise of our own Golf course of international standards, and that too an 18 hole Golf course to boast! we do have two smaller ones, one situated at Thiruvanandapuram, and the other at Bolgatty... but this one, situated adjacent to the Nedumbassery Airport, will certainly take the cake. It is expected to be open for the public somewhere around 2009. So all you golf enthusiasts.. just wait and watch out for all those International golfing events soon to come!

Thiruvaathira

Today is Thiruvaathira, a very important festival for the Malayalee hindu woman.

My mother is highly dissatisfied with the way tiruvathira is celebrated these days. she still has memories of her childhood when all womenfolk used to wake up as early as 3 AM and go in groups, singing thiruvaathira songs, to bathe in the nearby pond.

back home, they used to get ready to go to the siva temple with offerings of ripe yellow bananas and tender coconuts. Only after the pooja at the temple would they partake of the tender coconut water and bananas.

Once back home, which is usually sometime around 11 AM, as the walk to the temple and back takes a long time, the ladies partake of a meal of Puzhukku, Koova paayasam, pappadam, and bananas. It is done very religiously, after first lighting the nilavilakku or the traditional kerala oil lamp.

afternoons are time for a bit of entertainment when all the ladies come together and dance the thiruvaathirakkali, or make merry on swings tied to the strong branches of suitable trees. it was basically a community get-together, forgetting the daily grind of regular life and was much looked forward to by everyone.

these days, most of the merriment are cut off, and thiruvaathirakkali is mostly restricted to school and college stages, where they are part of a competetion. who on earth wants to wake up at 3 AM??? and where on earth do you find a pond? Community bathing... what an embarassing concept! and above all, who has the time to prepare elaborate dishes like Koova paayasam and Puzhukku, when a whole load of work at office is pending?? these are the popular sentiments one can find today among the younger generation.

but it is indeed gratifying to find that even in the midst of our daily hectic schedules, the average malayalee woman living in kerala, still manages to visit temples, and fasts as per rituals, in their own ways. after all, one should not forget their traditions altogether, isn't it?

A divine dusk...

Just picture a calm and peaceful dusk in your mind. The brilliant afternoon sun has lost it's might and has given way to subtle colours of the evening. Flocks of birds fly together to it's nesting places atop wide majestic trees... and there is a general peace and calm all over which has rubbed off on you too. You are feeling totally contented with yourself.

Now imagine yourself in a small devi temple amidst an ancient brahmin 'graamam' at this time, just before the 'deepaaradhana'. The doors of the sanctum sanctorium are closed for pooja, and the devotees, comprising mainly of the womenfolk of the gramam , are dutifully chanting stotrams in praise of the Goddess. The strong scent of vibhooti and chandanam are mixed with the smell of fresh jasmine flowers adorning the long, plaited hair of those 'maamis'who are dressed in their colourful kancheevaram sarees. The reflection of the light from the oil lamps adorning the temple make their diamond nose and ear studs shine even more bright! Music and devotion are totally in the air.

This was the scene when I, along with my mother and my son, entered the Simhanada Bhagavathy Temple, situated at Tharekkad graamam, in Palakkad. Actually this was one of the times when i really wished i had learnt a few shlokas or prayers in praise of the Goddess, so that i too could join the chorus. After the pooja, when the doors were thrown open, accompanied by the melodious ringing of the temple bells, the sight of the idol dressed in all finery, and lighted by the glow of countless oil lamps, was a sight to behold. The sheer 'power' that was to be felt all over the place was of such magnitude that i was left spell bound! I could only stand there meekly, with joint hands, and keep staring at the brilliant radiance emanciating from the idol. This was one of the times i forgot to pray... But i am sure that i came out of the temple with a bit of that powerful 'shakthi' in me.

Somehow, such incidents leave you so very humbled. I just hope i remember this for a long long time...

Anchoring... no mean task

speaking of the musical reality show, Idea Star Singer, i sort of like it's anchor, Ranjini Haridas. in spite of her anglicised malayalam or lack of proper diction, she seems to bring some life into the program by her informal ways and bubbly smile. i think she is a breath of fresh air among those conventional anchors. actually, like the rest of the world, kerala too seems to be on the path of development, and Ranjini represents the new malayalee girl, oozing with confidence and full of poise. we need more like her around. Good luck, Ranjini.

Idea Star Singer

Malayalees seem to be hooked on to reality shows these days. If the television scenario was bossed over by those sob serials till recently, these days, everyone seems to be into music and dance.

one of the current favourites among the reality musical shows is Idea Star Singer, broadcasted by Asianet at 8.30 pm IST. It is indeed a treat to watch such wholesome talent on stage. Now, well into the ninth stage, with the participants down to 12, the competetion among them is getting tougher and tougher... it is a wonder how they manage to sing as well as dance so well.

three cheers to asianet for getting together such a wonderful entertainer. it is certainly better than those sloppy soaps they used to air till now.

Sabarimala season

This is the Sabarimala Season... the whole state is filled with devotees from all walks of life, who have taken their 'vratham' to visit the holy shrine of Lord Aiyappa. The cold, windy dawns do not deter them from their mission, and temples are filled with the cries of 'Swamiye.. Sharanamayyappa', right from dawn. May God bless us all!

The Aravana Payasam seems to be this years focal point with the non-availability of cans to dispense it among the devotees. Television screens are full of images of the devotees standing in serpentine queues, holding whatever utensil or plastic bottles they could lay their hands on, waiting for their quota of the prasadam. very frankly, seeing them put all their fingers into the measuring can of the prasadam counter, to get out every drop of the prasadam into their vessels, was quite disgusting. I do hope the authorities would do something to maintain hygene with regards to distribution of the Payasam.

another amusing news which came out was how the prices of ordinary utensils and plastic bottles have gone up after the non-availability of the regular cans, for dispensing the aravana. just proves the ago-old policy of 'make hay while the sun shines' .

just yesterday i came upon a news item which said how the employees of sabarimala temple, who count the money in the hundials or bhannarams are treated inhumanly. seems they have to strip naked before their higher authorities, after counting the money and leaving the room. that is indeed a repulsive thing. It can obviously demoralise anybody, and it seems most of them have started protesting against this age-old custom. in this age of technology, i wish the authorities would open their eyes, and avail of some other scientific techniques of preventing pilferage and theft, instead of resorting to this inhuman act!

Google's Own Kerala...

Malayalees all over the world were in for a pleasant surprise this week. It was known that Kerala ranked first in the top 10 searched places for most exotic tourist location, through Google search bar. like most others, Igot to know of this fact through the newspapers and i must say that i am quite impressed.Three cheers for Kerala..... Hip Hip Hooray!

We may have umpteen number of political parties, with non-stop bickerings between each factions, our roads may be full of potholes, strikes and hartals may be called at a moment's notice... but all said and done, this tiny piece of green land true to it's given name-'Gods own country', has once again proved it's merit. Isn't that a great task??? Be proud to be a Malayalee...