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Archive for April, 2010

Festive Summer Nights of Kerala

// April 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cultural Politics

The festival season is on in Kerala. The hot midsummer nights are transformed into convivial carnivals of music, dance and performance in a variety of ways in various locations of culture. Temples and churches are throbbing with their annual festivals. These religious centers become secular in these sociable and inclusive nights that open up for everyone.

Pop concerts called Ganamela: Leading young playback singer Jyotsna in full swing

Both popular and elite cultural forms pull audiences from all walks of life. There are still hegemonic and orthodox traits in some aspects like the parading of elephants and temple purity and pollution culture that are both anti human and anti aniamal. But still the old democratic spirit and egalitarianism of Kerala’s Sramana heritage of Buddhism and Jainism are reminiscent in the festival culture. The temple festivals in Kerala are actually the lasting legacy of Buddhist and Jain festival rituals appropriated later by Hindu Brahmanism as they converted the temples in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Classical concert by Priya Sisters

But still the popular performances and music in these starry nights are a true democratization of culture and celebration of the secular human spirit. The dynamism and creative energy of Kerala’s young talents are expressed amidst mixed crowds and fans of this unique festive gaiety that surpasses caste, gender, class, age and locality. The hegemonic and reiterating elements must be checked and the secular and democratic spirit must be upheld by the people. Let me leave you with glimpses of this vibrant creative energy and local life culture.

Gopi Asan: A star in Kathakali

A favorite duo: Kalamandalam Gopi and Margi Vijayakumar

Hot and spicy: Boiled corns for sale

Festival shops and colors

A senior Pan seller at the festival

Illuminating toys on display

Children enjoying with fire crackers

Lord of Peacocks among humans: A folk performer of Mayuranritham

Ultimate Performer: Pop diva Jyotsna

Luring the crowds: Jyotsna in pop concert

Bio power of music: Jyotsna in action

Democratizing Art: Jyotsna singing to the people

First Birthday of a Koi-pond

// April 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Eco Watch

Koi carps in the garden pond

Arun’s pond of Koi carps turns one this April. Arun conceived, designed, fabricated and built this beautiful tiny pond for Kois and Shubunkins and Goldfish in our small backyard at Gandhinagar, Kottayam a year back in April 2009. He used metal mesh, concrete and waterproofing materials to make his dream pond.

Yellow Water Lily in full bloom

I was also part of this exciting endeavor. We went up the Meenachil river to collect water plants, snails, logs and pebbles for the pond. He also planted lilac, pink and white native water lilies along with the plants. Some of them have flowered during the first year, but some of them are yet to bloom. We have a small yellow bamboo grove beside the pond; temple tree, Alovera and ferns adjoining it. A small rockery and a terracotta bird-bath adorn the banks.

Feeeding Frenzy of Kois

Magpie Robins and plenty of Dragon flies, Damsel flies and Butterflies like Southern Rustic and Blue Tiger regularly visit this cozy humid pond with a few potted ficus plants providing shelter and cool shade. A pond heron also came to fish in the pond in between and got away with a few Shubunkins. Then I started covering the pond with a thin net. And then on managed to keep the intruders out!

Red Dargonfly on a waterplant

We had earlier introduced two medium sized Whale-tailed Carps, two Kois, a few Goldfish and some mollies. Most of them are still going well! It is a rare delight to feed and watch them playfully gliding through the water lilies and submarine vegetation.

A Green Damselfly: An invisible visitor

We are really happy to celebrate the first birthday of Arun’s Koi-pond as it is not simply a stagnant structure but a dynamic ecosystem and a living organism with its own individuality and organic identity. All cheers to life and nature and its various manifestations!