UNCLE MOON

In malayalam, little children are taught to call Moon as 'Ambili Ammavan' which translates as 'Uncle Moon'. There are poems revolving around Uncle Moon in every Indian regional language. In Hindi literature, moon faced or chanda sa mukda or chandini (moonlit), chand (moon) are all terms used to address someone absolutely dear and loving. 'Chand ka tukda' which translates as 'Piece of Moon', is referred to a child by it's mother when the heart is so fondly overflowing with love for the child. As a child I used to read the childrens' magazine Chandamama (Uncle Moon) which is available in so many Indian regional languages. A malayalam version 'Ambili Ammavan' was a favourite among Keralite children. There was children's movie made by the same name by Vinayan in 1984.

Uncle Moon remains in the sky and children make fondest wishes looking at the brighly lit moon. Mothers tell stories of 'Uncle Moon' to the children who eagerly envision those stories with gleaming eyes and all ears. As a child, I too was fascinated by the unreachable moon. My mother told me stories about a real 'Uncle Moon' who was her cousin who loved children and laughed a lot and gave little gifts to the children he favoured most. I must have been around ten when during a vacation in Calicut, I was playing with my cousins and friends one morning, oblivious to the world around me, when my mother excitedly shouted, 'Look who has come to see you' and I wondered who is this person who came as an interruption during the end of my carrom board game and I was supposed to be winning. It was none other than the living legend, 'Uncle Moon'. He had a round face and a bald head and was of a short stature. True to what my mother said, he laughed a lot and obviously was very fond of children. He gave me a bag of goodies and he asked me, 'Do you know who Iam?' and I went, 'Yes, Uncle Moon', to which he roared with laughter quite pleased with my answer. Uncle moon was an Income Tax Officer and was held in high esteem by all. Uncle Moon always wore white clothes only. When I asked him if he didnt like any other colours, he merely laughed at the question. Several visits to his house was filled with a fascinating time. Uncle Moon was an excellent story teller and his stories were laced with humour and he had not only the children but adults spell bound.

Sadly Uncle Moon passed away quite early in life that saddened the whole family for a while. I heard my parents say, 'There is no one so wonderful as uncle moon' and his death was a terrible loss. During my last visit to Calicut, I met Uncle Moon's only son, who was the exact physical replica, with the round face, bald head and quite short. I found myself wondering if he purchased his clothes from the Children's section of Retail shops. I found my friends and cousins laughing as he approached us at a relative's wedding. I wondered why they laughed, but then I realized, my mischivious cousins and friends spared no one when it came to physical attributes, not that they were unaware of their own flaws. I did find Uncle Moon's son quite an amusing character. He wasn't like his father at all. He lacked the charm, the exuberance or the ability to laugh or lead or get a crowd going like Uncle Moon did. Why am I comparing I thought, 'He is just another individual, quite unlike his father'. However, Uncle Moon's son did take up the same profession as his father, he too is now an Income Tax Officer. He introduced me to his rather tall wife who was definitely a couple of inches taller than him and his daughter who towered over him. I wondered whether Uncle Moon's son was just plain serious or was he suffering some depression. Some said, he was queer, some said, he is a funny man, some said he is good at his work. We both talked about his father and I realized, his father whom we fondly called 'Ambili Ammavan' passed away when he was just a school boy.

The Uncle Moon I knew would have been delighted to know that India sent Chandrayaan spacecraft to the moon.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Sometimes we mistake a person for someone else. Has it happened? It can be quite embarrasing and humourous as well.

I recently chanced to meet a friend in Calicut, whom I have'nt met in 12 years. However, my friend looks the same, even weighs the same (or so it appears) and smiles the charming same. My friend shook my hand and said, 'It's good to see you after so many years. How are you?' and we exchange endless pleasantaries and my friend enquired, 'So, when did you arrive from Mumbai?' And I was rather suprised. 'Mumbai, no I came from Trivandrum' . With a puzzled look my friend said, 'So, you are not Tanuja?' and I said, No, Iam Aruna'. My other friends were giggling and laughing away. My friend was both shocked and excited to know who I really was. It was a wonderful revelation and reunion. Those were Kodak moments!

I remember when my son was in 5th standard in Kuwait, I took him to a school which was the venue for violin competition in which he was participating and I met this look alike of someone I know very well and walked up to that person and wished her and she wished me back and we were talking about the competiton and we both sensed a bit of wierdness and then she asked me, if she knew me....and thats when it struck me, its a look alike of a person I knew. But we had a nice laugh though.

Once a child came up to me, saying 'Amma' and I turned around and I think I scared the child as it gave out a squeal when she found out, I am a total stranger and not her mother. I felt like giving out a squeal too.

It was 2004. My friend was walking hand in hand with her husband in an exhibition ground amidst a huge crowd. After a while she turned around to talk to her husband and found herself holding on to the hand of a total stranger, in the crowd, to her horror. She left the stranger's hand and practically ran from there, and frantically searched for her husband. He found her first and held her hand to which she jumped thinking it is yet another stranger. She expressed to me how relieved and joyous she was to find her husband. They still hold hands while they walk, but tighter!

Last year when I was travelling by Sri Lankan Airlines from Kuwait to Trivandrum, there was this husband and wife in the next row. The man was delighted with the number of drinks being served and he seemed to be constantly quenching his desire to drink. He finally looked a bit disoriented. He dragged himself to the toilet and as he returned, he sat next to a beautiful, lone lady, 2 seats away from his wife and the lone lady screamed at him in vain, as he had plunged into deep sleep. The stewards shifted him to his rightful seat and as he snored in his sleep, quite oblivious to his actions, his dear wife shifted her hang luggage and sat elsewhere.

I used to teach two boys, who were twins, and by God they were such perfect look alikes. I never knew who was who. They always had to correct me when I addressed their names. Their mother taught me to differentiate them by their character. One was a bit hyper and the other very quiet. The hyper one was talkative and the quiet one would speak far less.

Mistaken identities...can be funny, shocking and sometimes embarrasing.

WEDDING JOURNAL

An invitation to attend the wedding of a close relative in Calicut meant an opportunity of meeting relatives settled in various parts of India and abroad, who came down for the wedding. These are people, whom otherwise I wouldnt be able to see, besides the huge number of relatives from my maternal side. Weddings always promise a memorable and exciting time, besides sumptuous vast array of food two days prior to wedding, the wedding and for coming few days as well. For weight watchers, the temptation would find them succumbing and throwing away all the self restraint and the underweight will begin to look quite healthy. Perhaps its the loving, humour filled and enjoyable company of friends and relatives that ignites the joy and endless happiness, a chapter in one's life so unforgettable and unknowingly one consumes more food in good company.

As the Air India flight landed in Calicut and I disembarked, I couldnt wait to meet everyone. It was soul touching to meet every uncle and aunt, cousins and friends. Uncles and aunts have aged, but not in spirits. Their sense of humour has never died. They are in their hearts exactly as how I remember them as a child, full of love and hospitality. For a week, it was like a vacation for me, where I had so many people doting and doing things for me, labour of love!. I was introduced to some relatives I have never met and the bond was formed immediately. It was suprising to know a favourite female cousin of mine was married to a person from my father's Tharavad.

The wedding went beautifully and I was busy all the time. The bride and the groom looked resplendant. Its a most memorable and important event in a person's life, when he/she gets married. The bride and groom , techies employed in Technopark looked their very best. I didnt know how the bride managed the weight of a heavy brocade saree, vast amount of gold on neck, hands, hair. I never quite understood the need for our kerala brides to adorn so much gold.

One of the most memorable experience was catching up with old friends and cousins, an unforgettable reunion. As kids we used to run around in Grandmother's vast premises, play badminton, climb walls and trees, share secrets, squabble and make up, play carroms, sing hindi and malayalam songs, draw and paint. Now all of them are married with grown children. Yet we go back into time and behave like children in each other's company, which we perhaps never do with anyone else we meet later in life. Childhood friends and cousins are special and will always will be.

I spent a memorable time with my brother and his family. I felt proud to have an absolutely talented little 4 year old nephew who can sing a variety of malayalam songs. Iam a fan of children who love to sing, dance, draw, paint...any form of art. He sang a number of songs for me and the little boy is endowed with a beautiful voice, a gift he got from my brother and father, the gift of singing. My uncles reminded me of how my father used to have singing sessions with musician Babu Raj whenever my father came down on vacation during his Army days as they were good friends. A Mohammed Rafi song rendering from my brother took me back into time, when my father used to sing for pleasure and enthrall friends and family. I especially used to enjoy his Mohammed Rafi songs and other ghazal renditions.

I was fortunate to spend such wonderful time with my favourite uncle from Ireland and his Irish wife. She enjoyed the wedding so much and revelled in a pink saree and moved around in utter comfort to my surprise. I made a new friend, a Konkani lady , close friend of the groom's father my grand uncle. She looks asif she has walked right out of a Raja Ravi Varma painting. The konkani lady had lost her only daughter who had some genetic growth defect and was bedridden from birth till age of 9. I feel touched as she showed me pictures of her child. A miracle that replaced her child is a young man, her nephew, whom she adopted as he was given to her to overcome her pain of loss of her child, by her cousin brother. Her nephew calls her 'Maaji' and that makes her a proud and fulfilled mother. He visits his biological parents once a year and lives with this lady and her husband.

With sufficient memories and experiences to write a book...I returned to Trivandrum and as the Kingfisher flight took off from Calicut - Karipur airport, I felt a strange void leaving the land where my parents and their ancestors hailed from. As much as I enjoyed the wedding, I had enjoyed being with all the wonderful people I hold close to heart. The void faded as soon as I saw my son waiting for me at the airport with a warm smile.

DEEPAWALI - FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

Deepawali or Diwali is the time children wait for to burst fire crackers. Parents will have to think of heavy excuses if they feel their childrens' demands would burn a hole in their pocket. But children have their way and parents too have a great deal of fun particpating in bursting crackers. Although a bit wary of fire crackers, I do enjoy seeing children bursting fire crackers, and love to see the rockets that go up and burst into a myriad of colours in the sky.

In Kuwait, a huge amount of Indian children and parents (irrespective of religion) gather on Diwali nights in various open grounds (basically used for playing football) infront of their residences to light fire crackers imported from India which were available in all Indian shops during Diwali. My daughter's and son's friends use to bring a plastic bag full of various kinds of crackers and gather in our house in Kuwait for a lovely Diwali party with sweets, snacks and games followed by a grand celebration outside the home on the open grounds, lights, sound, action et al. My children's excitement knew no bounds when they got to select and buy different fire crackers, few days prior to Diwali.

Secretly I always felt lighting crackers equivalent to lighting up and burning money. Fire crackers are expensive and ofcourse exhorbitantly overpriced when imported. The money spent on crackers could be put to better use and that way even help prevent dangers associated with lighting crackers. Two years ago, my son burnt his left palm trying to light a faulty or damaged cracker. That was scary, but luckily his palm healed. We get to read all sorts of stories post Diwali in the papers where people are admitted in Medical College Trivandrum with bad burns handling crackers. Yet the whole affair of crackers and fireworks bring about a lot of enjoyment and sometimes safety is overlooked.

But it was'nt so, two years ago, when a mere spectator like me, during Diwali cracker bursting sessions, decided to light a rocket that would travel a bit high and I would'nt really know where it would land actually. The one I lit landed in a poor elderly lady's compound close to her coconut tree and the lady comes out in the middle of the night and shouts in the alley asking if I want to burn down her coconut tree and her house. That was the first and last time I lit a cracker. Last year, my children and I had fun watching others light crackers. We hadn't forgotten the poor lady from the thatched roof house. Strangely she invited me for her son's wedding and requested me to teach her grandchild English language!

Do we tell stories to our children related to Diwali? Perhaps a lot of them learn at school and through Amar Chitra Katha comics. But what is the significance...? Its believed Diwali is celebrated to mark Lord Ram and Sita's return to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile and his victorious battle with Ravana in Sri Lanka. Another story revolves around Lord Krishna having killed demon Narakasura. In Jainism, its celebrated as the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira. Sikhs observe Diwali as the day their sixth guru Hargobindji was released from prison and he then went to the Golden temple and was greeted with lighted lamps. Associated with Diwali are celebrations such as Dhanteras, Lakshmi Pooja and Bhai Dhooj.

Hindus light lamps inside and outside their homes in the evenings on Diwali. But why? Just as the sun rises in the morning and casts its light and brightness all around, lighting of bulb and lamps dispels darkness. Deepa means lamp and avali means row- Row of lamps. By illuminating our homes and hearts by lighting lamps, we are symbollically dispelling the darkness of our hearts and minds, fighting our own shortcomings and negative qualities, signifying victory over our minds that are clouded by ego and ignorance. 'Tamaso ma jyothir gamaya' (from darkness into light!). The lighting of lamps is supposed to empower us to commit ourselves to good deeds.

28th October, Two weeks left for Diwali....While I am already thinking of Diwali sweets, fire cracker vendors with 'special' prices for Diwali 2008, would be excitedly dreaming of loads of customers.

IS IT SO HARD TO BE KIND?

We all seek our fortune with great hope and weave dreams in the course. We meet all sorts of people and experience a myriad of situations comprising of favourable and unfavourable circumstances, joy and pain, success and failure, yet the human psyche relentlessly pursues his dream. In this pursuit of seeking our fortune, does one chose to trample on people or respect and remember those who help us, do we shower kindness and treat people with dignity...or are we driven to ill treat helpless people inorder to feel powerful and in control?

A good friend of mine, a very learned person, gave a lot of charity and was spiritually inclined. In fact she shared within our big group of lady friends, a lot of stories that had a great moral message. Some of those stories I still narrate to children and friends. I admired her spirit, her confidence and courage and in her company, I learnt a lot. She had only one drawback. Her temper. Her temper knew no bounds. She got irritated at the slightest. Her knowledge and efficiency and position in society made her extremely proud. I felt disturbed and saddened at the way she treated people who worked under her. She ran an extremely successful business. I sadly witnessed some of her staff cry. Although the tears appeared as colourless water, it carried in essence, extreme pain and sorrow. Her staff wished she would treat them fair and well, but to no avail. But all they got was verbal abuses and emotional taunting and their agony kept increasing.

I realised my friend was a very unhappy and discontented lady with huge emotional problems, who found some pleasure and self contentment when she humiliated, taunted and verbally abused and scared her staff. At the same time, I was baffled, how she would treat the poor people on one hand and how she would hold prayer meetings, spiritual discussions, give away charity on the other and go visit distant seeking Almighty's blessings. Slowly, her business fell, her staff left her, and she left Kuwait. Just before she left, a huge calamity struck her and her world fell apart.

I was so glad when I slowly weaned myself away from the friendship I shared with her as I didnot feel comfortable or right being the friend of someone who subjugated poor people to utter misery. If I continued, it meant I sanction what is wrong. Importance of treating people as human beings first, irrespective of which strata of society they come from, I pass that on to my children.

Its more easy to be kind than mean and what you can accomplish by that has no boundaries. This reminds me of a saying, 'My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.' - The Dalai Lama

The Wait

There is a famed Raja Ravi Varma painting depicting a lady in a white sari 'In Waiting', or should I say in 'Contemplation'. Maybe both...A person who is waiting for something important to happen would not only be waiting but would be contemplating on so much, envisioning the beautiful experience or moment that lay ahead or worried what if the much awaited never happens. The ever restless mind would engage in thoughts and feelings perhaps otherwise alien to the individual. A mother waits for over 9 months to see the face of the unborn child she only envisioned, eventually culminating in sheer thrill and joy upon actually seeing the baby she carried . When my son was in the afternoon shift batch while he was in 2nd standard during his schooling in Kuwait, he would wait for me a bit sad and impatient as I would only arrive after all the children have left school, as I had to pick my daughter from her dance class and then pick him up. When he saw me, he would come running towards me with his heavy school bag and water bottle dangling from his neck, hair flying in the wind and he would be so happy to see me. In 1990, the Kuwaitis and all the expatriates in Kuwait, waited for 6 months, for the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait to end and our joy knew no bounds when Iraqi troops were ousted by the coalition forces and life returned to normalcy in Feb 1991. I know of an aging mother who waits for her estranged son in USA who has'nt visited her for over 20 years! But she has faith, that he would come to see her.

Waiting to know the result of an interview, waiting for your salary, waiting in a long queue, waiting for a friend who is late, waiting for a promotion, waiting to meet that special person, waiting for a bus, waiting for your family member to recover from hospitalization or an illness, we wait for so many reasons. Sometimes the wait is not for anything ordinary, but for a miracle. Paolo Coelho the famed writer expresses in his novels, not to fight the natural order of happenings. When we move along with the rhythm of the natural order of the universe, it helps to keep calm and see things from a different perspective. Its not easy to be patient. The worry of the unknown hangs like a cloud while standing in the Waiting List of the Universe. But its always worth the wait.....whatever you are waiting for, if its meant to be, then it surely happens, If it does'nt then, there is definitely something better out there and its only a matter of time. On a positive note, a hindi quote goes 'Saburi ka phal meeta hota hai'. Sweet is the fruit(result) of waiting.

HONOURING LIFE

Reading the condemning news of the blasts in Delhi points out how perpetrators have little value for another's life totally ignoring the fact that everyone values his life, weaves hopes and dreams and no one would ever wish to die being a victim to suicide bombing or a victim of bomb blasts, leaving behind bereaving families who will never ever get to see the husband who left to work, or the child who left to school or the mother who went for some errand or the brother or sister who stepped out. Death is inevitable and is accepted somehow when it comes as a result of disease, oldage or natural catastrophies. Two years ago, I had seen a movie at the Kerala International Film Festival, titled, "Paradise Now". It was a famed movie that won several international awards and was made by a Palestinean director Hany Abu Asad, that dwells into the minds of 'suicide bombers' that believe in a cause. In the movie, even their own families don't know they are trained and potential suicide bombers, which in all probability is the case of real life assailants. A cause as confusing and unjustifiable as their own fears and lack of vision or respect for another's life. But whatever be their cause, they consider that their mission their sole duty, even if it means they die for it or kill for it or get caught for such an atrocious act. Can the act of destroying life get anyone to any paradise, if it means killing innocent people and children who deserve to live. Paradise here or in after life, is a result of good deeds and not anything destructive. If the efforts and masterminding implemented in making and planting of bombs would be utilized in constructive ways that contribute to betterment of people, society or lives, we would have terror free nations.

ONAM A FESTIVAL OF JOY

Onam is not just a harvest festival, then what is it?....its a festival of all thats good, radiating joy, happiness, togetherness. In kerala, no other festival would bring thousands of people and families out on the streets shopping, walking, enjoying the festive air, congregating in melas and where trade fairs are held. Iam yet to see a festival, where over 25 to 30 varities of vegetarian dishes including sweet, sour, hot dishes are are served, that too on plantain leaves. Yes its the Ona Sadya which every malayalee looks forward to during Onam. Its a fun filled time for children. They are excited about their new clothes and joyously participate in arranging flower decors in their porch or in the front yard of their homes or in the lobbies of high rise buildings.

I once made the mistake of asking my servant while I lived in Kuwait, 'so would you be coming tomorrow?' And she shot back, 'what are you saying Mole, no one works on Tiruvonam'. I have never asked this question again to anyone, but yes, the malayalee office goers have to work on Tiruvonam in Gulf and other places abroad as it isnt an international holiday, nor is it a national holiday in any foreign country. Ofcourse they could opt to take a day off from the accumulated annual holiday. And if possible, a lot many did just that. Onam is as exciting to me even today as it was when I was a child and visited my grandmother during my holidays. As my grandmother lived in a joint family with a huge amount of members, I found it absolutely fun and exiciting arranging attapookalams with lots of children around my age. We played games and fought and made up and competed with our best outfits and fished for compliments. I would squat on the ground with others while we were served by grandmother on plaintain leaves. I hardly was aware of the commendable work the ladies of our joint familydid preparing sadya which was indeed not an easy task. They spent hours in the kitchen and I would pop in and out at times looking for goodies to eat. My granny had jars of goodies in a special cupboard where my hands never failed to reach out to. If someone were to ask me, if I've seen God, I would probably not reply in affirmative, but I would relate all thats Godly and godliness to two wonderful human beings, my grandparents. It was after my marriage that I actually started to prepare full fledge sadyas every year and realized the effort involved, which is actually and purely labour of love.

I learnt the art of giving and importance of sharing from my grandparents. They taught me the importance of love and how to value others around us. Most of the important lessons of our life are not learnt in classrooms or what is repeatedly told to us umpteen times by our parents. We learn from what we see and observe. We live by example. What and how we choose to do things are so important. Our children are observing us and learning by examples we set. We are constantly passing messages to them by our actions. Most importantly my grandparents taught me that one must me grateful for all that we have. Every Onam I spent with my grandmother was an opportunity to observe and learn life's important teachings.

Let me take my readers on a short journey to Onam in Ernakulam. My children and I had the good fortune to enjoy the spirit of Onam in Ernakulam the last 3 days. The Hindu had held an Attapookalam competition in the TDM Hall and it was a visual treat and there were such inticrate and elaborate and even complicated geometrical designs, all very painstakingly done. The same was held in Trivandrum as well. We attended an Anthurium exhibition. The anthuriums were in massive sizes and myriad of colours like chocolate brown, strawberry pink and mexican chilli red and so on. They were arranged so beautifully. At night, my son and I walked for about 45 minutes covering a huge mela or trade fair held just opposite the hotel we stayed in Durbar Hall road. It felt nice to be amidst a large crowd, people you don't know but yet, all congregated and moving about in the Mela because it's Onam. Observing the people, I felt, happiness, smiles and joy radiating in the air. Young, elderly and children cherished hot 'Mulagu Bhaji' (chillies fried in gram flour batter) and a majority were on a shopping free. Boghatty palace had held a wonderful fashion show 2 days ago. Hotel BTH had a grand Ona Sadya and I was pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of people flocking to have the sadya with beautiful classical music in the background. We roamed the M.G. road with shops attracting customers of sorts. My daughter was surprised at the beautiful jewellery collection at the D'Damas showroom in M.G. road. I took her there, as personally I admire the collection they have, be it in Gulf or in India. Their best collection are from Italy, Bahrain, Dubai and Singapore. A visit to Fabs in Ravipuram is a must. They have a great collection of fabrics and ready made outfits of both soft and sensual colours that are so very attractive. Their home linens, sheets, cushion covers, accessories are quite a collection. The best cakes and coffee are served in Coco Tree near Avenue Regent. I must give equal importance to the Barrista in BayPride Mall which does serve wonderful coffee. The shopping in Ernakulam is fantastic that suits every pocket, with endless variety and choices. One shop had a well decorated elephant, swinging its tail and chewing away sugarcane! Okay, Iam not promoting commercialization, but it does exist and its perfectly up to a person how he wishes to celebrate, as ultimately Onam should only bring fond memories when you think about it.

We returned in time for our quiet yet pleasant Tiruvonam back in Trivandrum. I made sure there was still some space left in my stomach after the sadya and 4 types of payasam. I slept like a log catchin up on all the lost sleep and woke up rejuvenated. Trivandrum continues to celebrate Onam for the next few days and there are lots of great programmes lined up in Chandrashekar Nair stadium and Nishagandi in Kannakunnu palace grounds and Musical programmes in Poojapura Maidan where thousands of people come each year to watch the shows. Various residents assocations and colleges hold games, picnics, onam programmes like singing, dancing, vadam velli (tug of war) and uri adi (breaking pot by a blind folded person, whilst suspended from a rope dangling to and fro). Certain temples hold their own special musical programmes as well.

What a beautiful festival indeed! Onam always a festival of Joy!

ONAM 2008

As the countdown begins for Onam, its exciting to think about a whole lot of events lined up for Onam by Kerala tourism and the government in Trivandrum. The KTDC office opposite the Museum would come out with colourful brochures with a listing of various programmes for atleast a week during Onam. A whole lot of very traditional programmes are planned, to revive dying dance art forms of the past. The processions and floats, on the day of commencement and conclusion are sights one shouldn't miss. Music concerts, ghazals, classical dances, traditonal art forms, kalari, theyyam, pulli kalli, Ottamthulal, kathakali, food stalls, there's a lot that would be happening. I have never seen such a huge congregation as there would be, during the Onam days, each year at the Kanakakunnu palace premises, Nishagandhi Open auditorium and Surykanti open air. There are special rides erected for children and adults. Chendamela and caparisoned elephants greet you at the entrance to Kanakakunnu. There would be a heavily make up clad and ornamentally dressed up Maveli as well who will pose with you or for you if you wish, for the camera. I look forward to the KTDC Onam programmes every year, as the events get better and better. Dance enthusiasts can revel in the magical performance of Shobana who would grace Chandrashekar Nair this Onam (sponsored by Rosebowl channel), with her ever captivating performance. Shobana being the neice of my daugther's bharatanatyam dance teacher, we chanced to meet ther in person when she visited Kuwait and visited my daugther's dance teacher. A charming and gorgeous Shobana interacted with all the dance students including my daughter. It was an exiciting and memorable event in the lives of the young dance aspirants. She is one of the most gifted and beautiful dancers in our country and an actress par excellence.

In Kuwait, the malayalee organizations would be gearing up to celebrate Onam with sadya on plaintain leaves specially flown in by flights for this occasion. My mind trails back to the days when Onam would be celebrated by Malayalis in Kuwait with the same fervor as they would here. Its same till today, with lots of programmes and games for children. Onam is quite commercialised now compared to my childhood days, when the celebration was a family affair. My children used to have a gala time during Onam peforming in various programmes and competitions on stage for their school as well as for various Malayalee organizations, participating in bhajans, dramas, dances and games for children.

The climax is a Ona Sadya with varities of vegetarian dishes served with rice, followed by 2 or 3 kinds of payasam. Ona sadyas are prepared by the ladies within the family. I see many a hotels here advertise Ona Sadya, which one could go and pick up or they would deliver the Ona Sadya to our home. After Ona sadya, one would have consumed sufficient food to feel full for the next few days! I usually look for a bed to snooze after a Ona sadya or if Iam in the middle of a function, I hope not fall asleep standing or sitting. Iam reminded of a message of Onam I heard in a speech made by a Principal of a school during one such celebration in Kuwait. The gentleman said, when we have had ona sadya, we are so full, we dont want to eat anymore. Infact there is no space for anything more. We are satisfied and content. The message being...similary, one has to find satisfaction and contentment in all aspects of our lives. Being a family celebration, it gives great importance of unity and togetherness, infact any celebration is meant to bring people and society together as one. HAPPY ONAM.

FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD OR FOR THE LOVE OF HEALTH

More than the price of food, is the price one has to pay for indulging in eating rich food laden with sugar and fat. Yes obesity. Oops, in Britain, one cannot anymore, use the word 'obese' and this is to substituted by using the term 'very overweight' or else its considered highly 'offensive'. Well, I think a child or person who is termed as 'fat', although may smile or laugh at being called so, would feel hurt to be labelled so. Then imagine if they were to be termed as 'obese' or 'overweight'. If our government were to levy heavy tax on foods that are too sweet, too salty, and too rich, like the French government has decided to impose (they are going to impose a 19.6% tax), people would be forced to shy away from buying something too expensive or the frequency of eating junk would considerably reduce. It seems like a good way of actually helping people exercise restraint from laying their hands on junk food.

It takes 21 days to form a new habit. If one were to deliberately stay away from fattening and sweet foods for 3 weeks, the craving for such food would actually stop. And you get a bonus along with this new habit, a disciplined mindset towards foods. One would instead of being tempted to grab for junk food, would learn to say 'no thanks' to junk and 'yes' to healthy food. A bonus number 2 would be better health.

Au Revoir!

It was disappointing to read that Jose Marie Cortes, director of Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum and his lovely wife Sayoko will be leaving for Japan. Jose Marie did such wonderful work for Alliance Francaise. The cultural programmes and music concerts held at AKG Hall and Vylopilli Samskriti Bhavan, under his tenure, would remain in one's hearts forever. French is beautiful language, quite musical to me, amidst all the european languages which has a number of students learning it at various levels at Alliance Francaise at Vazhuthacaud. I had learnt French in my school days from an Egyptian teacher. Egyptians and Lebanese have French as their second language after Arabic. Both my children enjoyed learning French for 2 years back in their school days. My son used to encourage me to revive my knowledge of French by enrolling at Alliance Francaise. Unfortunately my busy schedule didn't permit me to persue the beautiful language.

The musical interludes held on World Music day, where anyone could regsiter and sing was an opportunity for non-professional singers whose voices were heard and appreciated. The painting and sculpture exhibitions held at Alliance Francaise are things an art lover should never miss in Trivandrum. They made Trivandrum their home and Jean Claude takes back to Japan with him a Ganesha and the knowledge and benefits of yoga. He calls Ganesha, the God of Help. One of the unforgettable experiences I had was enjoying a Kathakali puppet show organized by Alliance Francaise. Shadow shows, poetry recitations from poets hailing from various parts of the world, pop and rock concerts, photography exhibitions, French film screening and so much more. I hope we would still continue to have all the cultural fete even after Jose Marie moves to Japan. I was surprised to know his wife plans to carry with her the 'puttu kutti' and even more surprised to know that she prepares 'puttu' . And they would carry for ever in their hearts memories of Trivandrum.

A MOTHER'S PRESENCE

My maternal uncle's wife and favourite aunt came to spend a week with me and touched my life with the kind of companionship and love only a mother would impart. Aunty has always been there in my life. As a child I was in awe of her whenever I went to spend holidays in Chennai. I loved accompanying her to the Navy Office where she was an Officer. Like a fairy godmother she would grant my every wish and take me to places of interest and movies and pamper me with icecreams. I remembered describing very poetically to my mother about Aunty's beauty, poise, elegance and her kind heartedness.

During her visit to Trivandrum last week, I wanted her to have an equally memorable time close to what she gave me as a young child. Her visit was like a blessing. Together we visited many a magnificent temples and the most memorable being Nagercoil, Suchindram and Kanyakumari. At Nagercoil, we feasted on fresh hot jaleibis being made at a temple festival. At Kanyakumari she enjoyed the peace and tranquility at the Vivekananda Rock. The Tiruvalluvar statue was under renovation. His quotations and poetry are as powerful and spiritual as Kabir's dohas. We didnot miss washing our feet at the Triveni Sangamam, the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian sea and Indian Ocean. Across the Arabian sea is my other abode I thought, when a dumb and deaf lady thrusted some beaded chains at my face trying to sell them with hand actions, to which I said 'no'. My attention shifted to her walking away to join a man selling tea and I saw her sipping tea and talking quite well. Would have been a perfect subject and story for a 5 minute mobile camera movie (with permission ofcourse).

Although Aunty believes Chennai to be the best city in India, I know she had a great time in Trivandrum as well, her very first visit having been for memorable darshan of Padmanabhaswamy and Pazhavangadi Ganesha before she toured our little city. As I bid goodbye to my lovely aunt, I couldnt help feeling the same...she is so elegant and poised, both sweet and soft spoken. As she hugged me and thanked me, she parted with 'you are like my daughter' . I was reminded of my favourite sloka in Hanuman Chalisa...when Laskhman was revived by Hanuman with herbal medicines from a coma, Rama hugged Hanuman and said, you are to me like my brother Barath.

WHAT'S THE PRICE

My aunt wanting to buy a pair of sandals, my daughter and I guided her to a shop, where she found the sandals of her choice. I noticed there was no MRP marked on the sandals nor in the box it is packed in. Don't we have municipality inspection to ensure regulations are followed, to protect the consumers. For a simple pair of sandals, the salesman quoted an exorbitant price of 495. I wondered why wasnt it being priced at a round figure of 500 instead 495. His sales techniques to encourage my aunt to purchase the sandal bore fruit as I found her making up her mind to settle for the sandal she felt she would walk in comfort. He promised the sandals would last till eternity (to our amusement). When she asked for a discount, a whole drama unfolded. He said the last price would be 460/- and my aunt was prepared to buy it if it were 420/-rs to which he moaned and pleaded that it would be impossible and they would make no profit. My aunt returned the sandals took her money back and was leaving the shop, when the salesman told her she can have it after trying to cajole her to pay 430/- to which she refused. However, she did eventually come home with simple, yet elegant sandals for rs. 420/-. I felt he still made a good profit. There has to be a way to check rising prices and ensure that MRP is marked. Until then, consumers beware!

24 HOURS

If the day had more than 24 hours, a lot more could be done or there would more time to sleep or relax. But since it isn't the case, one has to suffice with and do whatever one wants in 24 hours. Every day you have this allowance of 24 hours and sometimes you wish it flew by quickly and sometimes you wish the day shouldn't end. In my case, the 24 hours I get, speeds by ever so quickly. Everyday your experiences within 24 hours is never the same as any previous set. What you chose to think, say and do, the varied choices you make conciously or subconsciously, wisely or foolishly, selflessly or selfishly, caringly or uncaringly, intelligently or unintelligently, kindly or unkindly decides your tomorrow, decides your relationships, in short makes or mars.

Whatever be it, you are given a fresh, a whole new set of 24 hours each day to sow your seeds and reap your harvest.

SIX WONDERFUL HOURS AT FORT COCHIN

My first tryst with residents of Fort Cochin was in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion of 1990. Visiting them and spending time in their company sometimes made us forget we were caught in a war with enemy soldiers all around, all the time with guns and ammunitions. Perhaps it was their humour laden dialect and accent that amused us profusely. The laughter filled conversations, humourous anecdotes and their positive vibrant energy must owe to the general carefree and kind spirit of the people of Fort Cochin. The stories and history of Fort Cochin resonated in my mind as I travelled in the cab from Ernakulam city to Fort Cochin.

It was raining heavily and I couldnt make out much as the sky and the sea were so grey and merged to appear like a dark grey blanket. Yet my determination despite the rain manifested into sheer joy upon visiting so many places. The Dutch palace hardly seemed like a palace from the outside, but some renovation could restore its outer deteriorating appearance. It was filled with awesome paintings, guns, knives and war equipments from the past. The Jewish Synagogue wasnt too far from there and I felt blessed to visit the place and sit on the benches where, way back in the past must have sat jews who prayed for their bretheren and themselves to be able to return Israel. I was told there are still eight jewish families residing in the Jewish street. Every Saturday they would gather to hold their prayers from the Torah and Talmud. I have always found hebrew script fascinating - and the speech so close to arabic. Infact the hebrew script can go for an improvised version of hierogliphics. I exited from the synagogue and headed for the explicit antique shops in the Jewish streets.

The rains had stopped and the streets laden with tourists are different from any other streets compared to our cities. The infrastructure and layout is perhaps from several centuries ago influenced by Dutch and Portuguese invasions.

My next visit was to the Jain Temple. A lot of Gujarathi jains were present there. The priest was pleasantly surprised to see a non-jain and he was kind enough to take me around the temple, the interiors of which was entirely and exquisitely tiled with superior marble imported from Jaipur. There were statues and paintings of the ten teerthankaras and I looked for Mahavira and there was this beautifully and gracefully adorned Mahavira statue. The priest gave me pedas and besan ladoos as prasad which I ate in the taxi. The driver refused to partake any saying he was a 'christian'. The St.Francis Church is a fine example of a great architectural work from the past and a visit there would have one experiencing a certain divinity and calm.

A stroll in the Princess street is exciting and interesting with shops selling a variety of handicrats, artecrafts, curios, brassware, tibetian buddha paintings, semi and precious stones, carpets, wall hangings and so on. A lot of hotels and home stays are an attraction due to enormous presence of tourists. Antique and carpet shops are in plenty and a visit to well established ones would leave you spell bound at the collection.

The Chinese fishing nets are quite interesting to watch. Couple of fishermen would lower the nets into the water, wait a while and raise the huge nets and find that the catch is just a few fishes. Its tempting to go and try it out yourself and experience fishing - chinese style !!! On the pavement are spread fishermen selling their catch for a huge price! They were selling 6 medium sized prawns for 200 Rs. Across the ground are young men bargaining with european ladies and men towards their services of guidance and sightseeing. As I relaxed sipping tender coconut water that seemed like a litre, a young Arab girl from Oman began to talk to me. She had just visited Kovalam and was preparing to go to Munnar from Fort Cochin. Her family and she was having a fantastic time vacationing in Kerala! I didnt miss that opportunity to converse in arabic after a lapse of 3 years. The name Kuwait had her mother talking to me with great comfort. They were already addicted to tender coconut water. I had lunch at Anne's Residency, a homestay with a restaurant beside their well landscaped lawn and beautifully designed garden. The restaurant had a soothing waterfall. Then I went to the Portuguese museum housing various crosses and belongings from churches of europe.

A visit to an exclusive antique shop (which are in plenty by the way), had the Kashmiri salesperson take me to beyond the 5th floor, the terrace where the open view from there is just breathtaking. I noticed a lot of buildings and homes in Dutch and Portuguese style and in one part slums and another part in the far distance, the high rise buildings of Ernakulam city. The last visit was to an art gallery to culminate in returning to ernakulam city with a mental promise to come back with my soulmate to experience the wonder, warmth and historical extravaganca of Fort Cochin.

A MEMORABLE DINNER

Ten years or is it eleven...an unexpected joyful reunion of friends, a definite delight laced with nostaligia of a time gone by yet so fresh. I always knew they visited Trivandrum city every summer but this time I got the number and the meet up with two good friends and their daugther, an unforgettable brilliant student of mine was the one of the lovliest things to happen. My friend reminded me of strange cosmic coincidence that my son and their daughter share the same birthdates! There was so much to catch up at the dinner I hosted for them and we talked till late and it felt asif life rewound and returned to 10 years ago. We don't need a time machine to travel back and forth. Our memories and mind are quite capable of doing so. We didnt leave out the shawarmas, kebabs and arabic food and irani khobuz. Still nostalgic with one leg in Trivandrum and the other in Kuwait.