Kairali_Jan_2010 by bala menon

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Keralam Media Corporation Chief Executive Officer Vijay Sethumadavan

Editor-in-Chief Bala Menon

Chief Operations Officer Sasi Nair

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Contributing Editors TORONTO: Harikumar Mannar Manjula-Das Parakot Unni Oppath HAMILTON: Nirmala Thomas OTTAWA: Biju George

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NEW YORK: K. Unnikrishnan Nair ILLUSTRATION: Vijay Mohan PHOTOGRAPHY: Balu Nalelil KERALA BUREAU: Vijayan Vellatheri ADVISOR TO BOARD: Tom Varughese

Copyright ÂŠ 2009 Keralam Media Corporation. All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine are covered by copyright and reproduction, storage in a retrieval system or transmission in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission of Kairali Canada Media Group, is prohibited. TERMS & CONDITIONS a) Kairali will not knowingly publish any advertisement or articles which are illegal, or misleading to its readers. All views, comments, opinions in the editorial columns are that of the writers and not of Kairali. b) Kairali assumes no financial liability for typographical errors in advertisements and editorial copy.

Keralam Media Corporation 14 Ferncastle Crescent, Brampton, ON. L7A 3P2 Tel: 416-839-3773 - Sasi Nair 416-356-8529 - Vijay Sethumadavan 416-879-0924 - Bala Menon Fax: 905-206-9115 Website: www.kairali.ca Email: karialicanada@yahoo.ca

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Cover: New Year Fireworks Illustration from the archives of Phenomenon Graphics Inc.

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Kairali invites contributions to its community pages. Send us pictures of your birthdays, anniversaries, picnics, barbeques... Write to kairalicanada@yahoo.ca Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Kairali also welcomes short stories, poems and other works in Malayalam and English

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Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

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Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

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Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

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Kairali invites contributions to its community pages. Send us pictures of your birthdays, anniversaries, picnics, barbeques...Write to kairalicanada@yahoo.ca Kairali also welcomes short stories, poems and other works in Malayalam and English

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

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Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Community News

MKA X’Mas celebration The Christmas celebration of Mississauga Kerala Association was held successfully on Saturday Nov. 28, 2009 evening at the Older Adult Centre in the Square One shopping mall, Mississauga.Over 200 people participated in the event which had snacks, entertainment and dinner. Artworks from the Children's Festival held on Nov. 14 was displayed inside the hall. Winners of the painting competition were presented with certificates signed by Ms. Bonnie Crombie MP from Mississauga-Streesville during this program.

F .Fkv.Fkv.Im\U sN¬Stafw Act§dn: hnPbv tbipZmkv {]iwkn¨p lcnæamÀ am¶mÀ F .Fkv.Fkv Im\UbpsS t\XrXz¯nÂ cq]oIcn¨ sN¬StafkwLw Act§dn, Xmb IbnÂ ]cnioe\w t\Snb aª{] cLphpw, kp[oÀ, iin, IntjmÀ, k Â]v, D®n F¶nhcmWv kwLmwK§Ä. XangêsS t\XrXz¯nÂ Øm]n¨ Kpêa ew {SÌv Hm^v Im\U. kvImÀ_tdmbnÂ \S¯nb A¿¸`ànKm\kp[bnÂ {]ikvX KmbI hnPbv tbipZmkv Km\§Ä Be]n¨p. XpSÀ¶v \S¶ A¿¸ ]Sn]qPív F .Fkv.Fkv Im\UbpsS sN¬Stafw hmbn¨p. taf¯nÂ k´pã\mb hnPbv tbipZmkv kwLmwK§sf A`n\0nçIbpw, NS§v DZvLmS\w sNbvXXmbn {]Jym]nçIbpw sNbvXp. ""tIcfob hmZyIeIfnÂ sN¬Stbmfw {Xkn¸nç¶Xpw, DÕh§Ä¡v sImgpt¸æ¶Xpamb asämê tafw CÃ Fì Xs¶ ]dbmw''. {io hnPbv tbipZmkv Iq«nt¨À¯p. sN¬S kwLhpambn _Ôs¸Sphm hnfnçI iin[c \mbÀ : 416 754 6643

CMA General Body The Canadian Malayalee Association’s Annual General Body Meeting and elections for new office-bearers will he beld on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 5:00 pm. The meeting will start with a welcome speech by Jacob Varghese and the Presidential Address by Thomas K. Thomas. General Secretary Jomy Joseph will present the financial report of the association.

Ayyappa Pooja events

Guruvayurappan Temple of Brampton organized a Villakku Pooja to mark the month of Mandalam on December 19, under the guidance of Thirumeni Divakaran Namboothiri. Guruvayurappan Temple of Brampton has opened a temporary place of worship in Brampton. The temple has leased two units in a commercial plaza at 125, Father Tobin Road, Brampton. This facility is at the corner of Torbram Road and Father Tobin Road. The Thidambu was installed in the Sreekovil on October 21, 2009. All devotees can now make use of this premises for worship regularly

NSS Canada organized an Ayyappa Pooja, followed by a ‘Preethi Bhoj” at the Hindu Heritage Centre on Mississauga Road on December 25.

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Call: 416 877 2933 or 905 956 0141 Fax: 905-956-2747

165/7230 Darcel Avenue, Mississauga, ON, L4T3T6 12

LATA J . MENON LICENSED PARALEGAL Practicing in most Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton Small Claims Courts Experienced Indian Criminal Lawyer (M.A, LLB). Has practiced in Kerala, Karnataka, Bombay High Courts as a Criminal and Civil Lawyer. Fluent in English, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi.

Lata J. Menon has experience in most Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton Small Claims courts, Traffic Courts, Tribunals and Criminal Courts. She is also Experienced in Bye-laws in and out of Ontario. • • • • • •

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• Wrongful Dismissal • Traffic Tickets • WSIB • Criminal Matters (Summary)

CONTACT LATA MENON FOR AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT PROFESSIONAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE. Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Wishing you every happiness this Holiday Season and Prosperity in the New Year. Thank You for being our customer. We look forward to continuing our relationship in the coming year. All the best to you and your family.

Admiral Tours & Travel Inc. 102 -6200 Dixie Road Mississauga, Ontario - L4W 2E4

Tel: 905-206-0770 Toll Free: 1-888-289-9866 Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

The English

Section

welcomes short stories, poems, essays, art etc. from its readers. Write to the Editor at: kairalicanada@yahoo.ca

Spirit of the Season

I love Christmas...! As a kid, I think what I loved about Christmas was that it made God available to me. Made him come within my reach. During the Advent season, the image of a huge old man in a great flowing robe and long white beard who pulled out his trump card weapon of thunderbolts to vanquish Lucifer and his rebel legions, who threw Adam and Eve mercilessly out of the paradise, who punished the erring Israelites through ages, was replaced by a very human and vulnerable god lying on a piece of cloth spread over hay among cows and sheep. The idea of Mary and Joseph knocking from door to door to find a place to deliver none less than the son of god himself, the pictures of the baby Jesus in the Xmas cards, the little figures in the cribs at home, the bigger ones in the churches - all these humanized the almighty who, I believed, dwelt in some remote, inaccessible regions. Making crib was a regular practice in my home. It was high time excitement for us. My siblings and I used to roam in the house, in the compound to pick up items that’d form part of the little crib. It used to fill me with a sense of making a home for the baby God when he arrives I must say, in my mid fifties, I still get a somewhat same e feeling when I make a crib, when Christmas comes around. That part of me has not grown up still. And then there were the carols. We loved them. They fired the imagination, and created a feeling of joy shot through with a sense of awe at the enormity of the god becoming man event. Rudolf the red nosed reindeer’s story convinced us that this little guy lying in the manger is a God of the underdog. These songs celebrated triumph of love with tumultuous joy, the reconciliation of god and man and the love of god which made him come down and teach an erring civilization to turn away from its brutal ungodly, inhuman ways so as to bring peace on earth and goodwill among men. The three kings of orient with their gifts of gold, myrrh, frankincense bestowed an aura royalty and exoticism to the nativity scene. As a kid, how I loved Christmas! ***** Of late, I find myself discussing certain issues which I normally avoid, with people with different views on them. I wonder why I do it, why I’ve finally decided to face these issues which I had hitherto avoided, in order to be politically correct, or to maintain an image of myself which was not exactly an honest one. Turning the question over in my mind, I now realize that there comes a time in the life of every human being when certain things have to be sorted out and not dodged each time they surface. Can a virgin become pregnant and bear a child, as prophesied in the Old Testament, and stated in the Gospels? My mind says, well, why not? If, today, man , with the aid of medical technology, can impregnate a virgin without male physical

By Kochuthressiamma

intervention, why should it not be possible for that extra terrestrial creator of the galaxies who has been micro and macro managing his creations for billions of years? Do prayers and rituals make sense? Well. Who are we to say no? Prayers and rituals are our medium to communicate with that celestial force whose existence man has never been able to deny, or eliminate from his consciousness, despite the rationalists’ efforts and the scientific debates. Isn’t that reason enough to prove the existence of a controlling force? And we need to communicate with that force. And we do it through prayers and rituals and religious practices. I once had an argument with a scientist who ridiculed me for resorting to structured prayers. “The very idea of god bewilders me” he said. “Imagine the mind blowing nature of his creation. How can your puny novenas mean anything to him?” “How then do you pray?” I ventured. “I think of Him, the enormity of his performance, and then I can’t pray. I feel inadequate.” Well then, I’m better, I thought to myself, but I didn’t respond to him then. But today, I’d be more vocal. A force which is able to create on such a massive scale paying attention to trillions and trillions of minute details, isn’t he capable of deciphering the puny jumble of sounds emanating from none other than his own creatures? To my scientist friend I can now give this answer. Any form of communication raised to the almighty will not go wasted. We humans need to raise our thoughts to the eternal regions. My way or style may not make sense to my neighbor but it’ll make sense to that power above which gave us that capacity to raise our voice to him. If my way of communicating to god gives me the satisfaction of having communicated (it comes in the form of a peace “I give you peace, my peace I give you”), that’s enough. Who is anyone to say that the arduous pilgrimage to Sabarimala, or the tulabharam at Guruvayur, or the novenas to our lady or the way of the cross or the haj are exercises in futility? That’s our way of reaching out. The human way of communicating to that unknown God whose presence continues to be experienced in the human heart after millions of years of life on this planet. And so, I am not apologetic about celebrating the birth of God this Christmas. The conflict has been resolved. The almighty can choose his ways of reaching out to us. How foolish of us humans to rationalize his ways applying our inadequate intellectual yardsticks! Aren’t there truths that lie beyond our rational faculties? Is the mighty creator so limited that he can be contained in our cerebral space? Enough that I raise my voice. The great and mighty creator of this vast cosmos would sort out my jumbled sounds in his way, in his time.

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Kairali Cinema

Fame, money are ‘incidental’ for rising star Prithviraj By Sulochana

One of the most sought after actors in South circuit, Prithviraj shares with us his thoughts on cinema in general. There is no larger than life image that follows actor Prithviraj. And he knows what he’s talking about, which is good cinema, devoid of all barriers of language or borders. “It’s the unpredictability of cinema that I find attractive,” he says. “Fame and money could just well be incidental!: As his presence looms large, not just on his home ground (Malayalam), but inTamil and Telugu as well, his work in Mani Ratnam’s tri-lingual Ravana could well take him places (read Bollywood). But the actor is certainly not looking for any ticket to Bollywood. “If it opens out an arena for me, well and good. It’s not that I haven’t received any Bollywood projects, but none where I could justify myself as an actor. I’m not interested in doing something just to update my resume,” he says. For now, he certainly has his plate full. And takes prides in being a director’s actor and calls himself ‘completely mouldable’. “Every director is different but people like Mani Ratnam fascinate me with their commitment to cinema. He probably looks like he is working for his first film with all its excitement." Prithviraj may be hailing from a family of actors but strayed into acting through Nandanam. “I may not sound modest, but I’m the only star son who could make it in Malayalam. I was invited to do this film, without even a screen test. Frankly, I’ve no sob story of

knocking doors. I was picked up from a different walk of life, while I was studying in Australia. The struggle came after that.” The struggle has paid off and how! Meanwhile, he is leaving no stone unturned. While he played a chocolate boy in the runway-hit Chocolate and in Classmates, he turned into a Naxalite leader in Thalappavu. The latter has been termed a coming-of-age film and his contribution, a fine piece of acting. “It was once-in-a-year role. I actually read about this real-life Naxalite leader and I was also told that I looked similar to him,” he explains. The transition to Tamil and Telugu films has been pretty smooth, which he attributes to his linguistic skills. “I have an affinity for languages. I have even started dubbing in Tamil and Telugu.” His remakes in Tamil, meanwhile, are going great guns! It has been a long road for the ‘bespectacled boy’, whose mother thought he would join the Civil Services. The jet-setting notwithstanding, he still keeps in touch with books, “following most authors.” That apart, he has joined the Twitter league after discovering that he has a name-sake impersonating him. His actor-academician father, he says, inspired him not in acting, but in every other way, especially blunt speaking. The actor minces no words while calling a spade a spade. Ask him about his perspective on women playing second fiddle to heroes, he says, “There is a drastic reduction of women-oriented films. A woman is more or less reduced to a moving mannequin. And considering they are all such extraordinary actresses, it is a matter of regret.” His plain speak may also, well, open some eyes. “There are no outstanding films being made in Malayalam these days. There is dearth of good scripts. There are no writers below 30 years. We can only hope for a renaissance.”

Ajayan as Jairam’s father Ajayan, who holds the Guinness Book of World Records for being the world’s shortest actor, will play Jayram’s father in the Malayalam film My Big Father. The actor will play the role of Albie, a master chef in the film. The father wishes to have his son married but prospective brides and their families reject the groom because of the father’s height. Ajayan, who is 2 ft 10 inches tall and popularly known as 'Undapakkru' said: "It was a challenging role for me and I hope that I have done my job well. When producer Sebastian told me that I will have to do a father’s role, I was a bit appre

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

hensive, but Jayaram made my task very easy," Ajayan made it to the Guinness book for his role in the Malayalam film 'Athbhutha Deepu', which was later dubbed into many Indian languages. His latest film 'Ariyan' in Tamil is waiting for release.

Kairali Cinema

Pazhassi Raja is grand spectacle... ‘Pazhassi Raja’ is a sweeping historical epic about the legendary hero of Kottayam Padinjare Kovilakam who rallied the Kurichiyar natives for a guerilla war against the British rule. It’s a stirring and majestic film that serves as a brilliant tribute to an age when a bunch of gallant men and women fought a valiant battle to guard their honor; to each one of those blessed souls laid down in a long winding, bloody war determined to liberate a country from the shackles of tyranny and oppression. The story commences at a far more unhurried pace than what follows, introducing the viewers to Pazhassi being ousted out of his palace by the British army, on the behest of his own uncle. Taking refuge in the mountainous terrains of Wynad, Pazhassi unleashes a tough battle against the Queen that marked the beginning of a resistance movement against the British rule in the state. Hariharan’s film is truly a masterpiece in that it has the manner, matter and mood of a monumental epic, in the finest sense of the word. This is no ordinary film that tells the story of a hero; rather, it’s a stellar celluloid piece that vividly recaptures every moment in history, never for a moment losing out on the human drama, never compromising on its immense scope or scale, never ever letting go of its elaborate craft and detail. The film is full of invigorating battle sequences that literally involve a mammoth cast of hundreds and hundreds of people. Magnificently staged, they

feel real, and mounted on a giant-scale entertainment canvas, this is perhaps the first time ever that a Malayalam film awes you on account of its visual brilliance. There are any number of spectacular sequences here that would surprise you on account of their visceral energy. Pazhassi Raja’ has a running time of nearly three hours and twenty minutes, but M.T’s script has enough compelling momentum to keep the viewers focused on the film. While the bloodshed is raw, so is the passion and the film packs quite a punch, as a war legend that combines the most powerful principles of traditional storytelling with state-of-the-art technical supplements. Ramnath Shetty comes up with sheer poetry and achieves a picturesque fineness with the imagery, as

his camera pans the enormous landscapes, mountains and caverns, dense jungles and rivers. As the dazzling visuals gently blend in with the heavenly background score by Ilayaraja, the outcome is pure, blissful harmony. Resul Pookkutty who has worked up wonders aplenty with the exceptional sound direction, Sreekar Prasad who has remarkably edited this magnum opus and Ravi Diwan who has impressively choreographed the overwhelming action sequences deserve a special mention as well. Mammooty’s central performance is as sturdy as it gets, and his Warrior King inspires, in both his messianic passion and his steadfast valor. Sarath Kumar as Edachena Kunkan, delivers an exhilarating act that should be the best in his career as yet. Manoj K Jayan and Suresh Krishna, along with Padmapriya and Kaniha, come up with outstandingly impressive feats and make this historical film a treasure house of fine performances. A breathtaking film that demands repeated screenings, ‘Pazhassi Raja’ might very well be the best you get to see for a very long while. An exotic chronicle that stuns us with its fascinating tale, this is the stuff that tours de force are made of. Cast: Mammootty, Sarath Kumar, Thilakan, Nedumudi Venu, Jagathy Sreekumar, Captain Raju, Lalu Alex, Manoj K Jayan, Biju Menon, Kalabhavan Mani, Suresh Krishna, Subair, Siddique, Roshan, Manikuttan, Kanika, Padmapriya, Urmila Unni, Valsala Menon.

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Kairali Social Survey

Kerala suicide rate highest in India Suicide is a self directed act of fatal outcome. Attempted suicide (Deliberate Self Harm) is injury with varying degree of lethal intent. In Kerala 0.4 to 0.9 % of all deaths in the hospitals and 0.3 to 1 % all casualty admissions are following suicidal attempts. The suicide rate is increasing all over the world. In Kerala also, it is increasing, but the rate of increase is disproportionately high. In Kerala, it is an index of disturbed society. Available reports are based on the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB). Kerala has the highest suicidal rate, highest rate of literacy, highest per capita alcoholic consumption and highest rate of unemployment among all Indian states. Though Kerala is providing a model for Health Care Delivery System the mental health care system has to improve a lot. The Population of India ( 2001 ) and Kerala as per census 2001 is 102.53 Crore and 3.18 Crore respectively. Though the population in Kerala is only 3.1% of the national population the nearly 10% of the total suicide in India is taking place in Kerala. There is no sufficient clinical data to give a clear picture of suicide in our state. Available information is based on the data of National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB). In these police records all cases of suicide are not reported and it is an under representation of the real picture. The possible causes for this under reporting of suicides are. • Social Stigma • Legal Actions • Scandals The suicide rate is gradually decreasing in the state, however. The rate has reduced from 30.8/lakh to 25.2/lakh during the period from 2003 to 2008. The National Average is only10/Lakh in 2008. Suicide rate among youngsters and family Suicide are also on the higher side in Kerala. Another interesting observation is that in Malappuram district, the suicide rate is consistently low. This may be due to the effect of religion as Muslims views are against suicide and they encourage submission to God’s will in sufferings and sickness. The maximum number of suicide in our state occurs in the age group of 30 to 45 years. The suicide rate is more in the age groups 30 – 45 and 60 and above. Young suicide is also increasing here. In young females maximum suicides occur in the age group 15– 25 years. More and more cases of suicide are reported among school children - especially in relation to the stress associated with examinations. The western literature shows a prominent male predominance in

suicide (M: F=4:1). In our state the male dominance is not that prominent. In Kerala, M: F ratio is 7:3 All over the years SR is maximum among the unemployed. Though Kerala constitutes 3.1 % of the National population, 16 % of the unemployment is here. According to 2002 data, 19.8% of suicide cases were unemployed, 15.6% were farmers and14.8% were those employed in the private sector. Marriage is not having a protective effect on suicide in our culture. As per western literature , suicide is more among the unmarried and separated. But 75.2% of the suicides in Kerala were married, 18% were unmarried and 6.8% were widows or widowers. The possible reason is in our culture prior to the marriage the fitness for married life is not looked in to. Moreover, marriage is considered to be a treatment for mental illness. So, marital problems are likely to be more among them. In Kerala there is an increasing trend of suicide among married housewives. This may be due to the increased marital stress. Factors like submissive nature of Indian females, hostile family atmosphere, dowry related problems and their inability to deal their negative feelings contribute to the risk of suicide. Hanging is the most common method adopted in our culture followed by poisoning, drowning, self immolation, jumping off or in front of moving vehicles, self inflicted injury, and medicine overdose. Among females self immolation and drowning are the commonest methods. Factors that decide the choice of the method are suicidal intent, accessibility, feasibility, credibility and rapidity of the method. If the suicidal intent is more the method adopted will be lethal. Accessibility is more important in impulsive types of suicidal attempts. This is 8-20 times more than completed suicide the rate being 244610/Lakh.It is more in 2nd & 3rd decades of age. Some important causes are Adjustment Disorders, Depressive disorder, and Alcohol &other substances related problems Compared to other states Kerala is first in the list of family suicides. Important causes are • Financial crisis • Despair related to family life • Concern for children--to complete the act of suicide children are also included by the parents • Effect of consumerism – borrowing from money lenders leading to ‘debt traps’ • Mental illness in the dominant member in the family • Alcoholism and drug abuse . • ‘Copycat’ suicidal attempts because of media reports

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Community News

Grand Christmas Fiesta 2009 held The St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church of Toronto celebrated Christmas Fiesta 2009 at Mississauga. Fr. Dr. P.K. Mathew (Vicar) gave the welcome address. Sunday School children, Church Youth, Martha Mariam Samajam and the Church Choir presented different programs. The Church Choir, under the leadership of Sujith Abraham had

shown their singing talents on different platforms on different occasions. The choir (pictured above) plays an integral part in leading the congregation in worship through hymns and liturgy. The fiesta concluded with traditional Christmas Carol Singing and dinner. More info on the church activities are available on www.orthodoxchurchtoronto.com.

CSI Church gets new Parsonage CSI Church Toronto purchased a new parsonage at 15 Masters Green Crescent in Brampton. Rt. Rev Thomas Samuel Bishop of Madhya Kerala diocese dedicated the parsonage at a ceremony recently. Rev. Alex P John, Rev Dr. PK Mathew, Rev A.E Abraham, Rev Wayne Mcintosh graced the occasion. Bishop Thomas Samuel appreciated and congratulated the congregation and in particular the parsonage committee members: Zac Santhosh Koshy, Koshy Oommen, Abraham P George & Joy Chemanoor, for the purchase of the parsonage. Rev. Raju Jacob welcomed the guests. Rev. Raju Jacob conducts service at the CSI Church Toronto, 1790 Lawrence Ave West, every Sunday at 12:00 noon. For more info visit th CSI website at www.csitoronto.org

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Kerala General News

Writer Rosy Thomas Passes Away Well known Malayalam writer Rosy Thomas died at her residence near Trivandrum after a prolonged illness, family sources said. She was 81 and leaves behind two sons and a daughter. One of her sons, Binoy Thomas, is Editor of Toronto’s South Asian newspaper “The Weekly Voice.” Her husband and dramatist, C J Thomas,

pre deceased her. Rosy was the daughter of well-known Malayalam literary critic M P Paul. The writer was not keeping good health since the past few months She died on the way to the hospital. Her works include 'Jalaka Kazcha' (essays), 'Annie' a novel and Travelogue 'Americayil

Marry not in haste say bishops Concerned over increasing instances of marriages ending in divorces among members of the Christian community, Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has asked the faithful to exercise caution and not to enter into wedlock in haste. KCBC has asked community members to get married after proper investigation of both parties, especially if the bride and groom are residing abroad. KCBC, a body of 35 bishops in Kerala, has decided to frame a set of guidelines to be followed during marriages in the three rites of the Catholic church-- Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara and Latin Catholic. The draft guidelines would be sent to the dioceses headquarters

soon, KCBC deputy secretary general Father Stephen Althara said. "Annulment of marriages has gone up steeply since the past few years especially in cases where the bride and groom are from abroad. Many enter into apparent deceitful marriages especially if the groom and bride are from abroad. This is normally the case when hasty marriages are taking place," Syro Malabar Church spokesperson Father Paul Thelekat said. A 'pre stage certification' for conducting marriages has been made compulsory. Those living abroad and wanting to get married in Kerala will have to produce certificates from the local parishes regarding character and marital status..

Oru Malayalee Pennu'. Her memoir on her husband 'Evan Ente Priya CJ' and her book on her father 'Urangunnu simham' (Sleeping Lion) were highly acclaimed works, The writer had also translated George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm into Malayalam.

Muslim artist sculpts Ram idol A Muslim mason in Thrissur district of Kerala has designed and sculpted an idol of Lord Rama for the local Hindu temple. Abdul Rasheed of Triprayar village and wife have spent all their savings to sculpt and install this idol. “ Being an Indian every one of us should protect India as our own country. Let an individual be from any religion - Muslim, Hindu or Christian or belong to any caste, it is our duty to save our country. So I sculptured the idol of Lord Ram to spread awareness about communal amity to those people who kill one another in the name of religion,” said Abdul Rasheed. The idol will be duly placed on a pedestal at the Triprayar Temple . “Abdul Rasheed informed the head priest about it and took his blessings before sculpting the six-feet idol of Lord Ram, which can be viewed now within the temple premises..

Terror agents eye debt-ridden fisherfolk Even as national security agencies bump into a terrorist network in Kerala in the aftermath of the arrest of Thadiyantavide Nazeer, the lowprofile kingpin of Lashkar-e-Taiba in south India, discontent is brewing across the state's 590-km coastline. Fishing colonies, neck-deep in debt, could be an easy target for terrorists looking for potential recruits and hideouts. Kerala Police are particularly worried about the recurrence of communal skirmishes in coastal villages. In 2002 and 2003, 14 people were killed in two massacres in Marad near Kozhikode. In Cheriyathura near Thiruvananthapuram, six persons were killed by police trying to stop two clashing groups in May. Around 12 lakh fishermen from 222 fishing hamlets of Kerala are caught in a debt trap -- a situation no less grave than the agricultural debt tragedy which prompted an alarming number of farmers' suicides, the documentary says.

Dementia on the rist in Kerala A conference on ‘Geriatric mental health’, organised by the Indian Association for Geriatric Mental Health (IAGMH), held in Thrissur noted that dementia affects a member each of one in 100 families in Kerala. Dementia and depression are common among the aged. About 10.5 per cent of the population of Kerala of 30 million is above the age of 60. According to a conservative estimate, 1.9 per cent of members of this age group has dementia. That is, 63,523 people are affected. The conference called for community participation in geriatric care.

Kerala plans first Islamic bond Kerala, which relies on Middle East remittances for a quarter of its economy, plans to sell the nation’s first Islamic bonds next year to help pay for infrastructure projects. “The way we see it, it’s another form of venture capital,” finance minister Thomas Isaac said Thiruvananthapuram “We need long-gestation funds to build airports, high-speed trains and expressways. Islamic finance promises unexplored potential in that context.” Kerala is helping start Al-Barakah Financial Services to sell the rupee-denominated bonds and create investment funds that comply with Shariah law’s ban on interest, Isaac said.

Walker frowns on construction boom Noted American writer, Pulitzer-winner and author of ‘The Colour Purple’Alice Walker was in Kerala on a brief visit.early December. She had an Ayurvedic massage, spent time with Booker winner Arundhati Roy and spent a day in a houseboat in Alleppey. “There is such a feeling of serenity in the backwaters,” said Alice. “The people may be poorer than in the cities, but they seem to have more tranquility, self-respect and patience.” On road trips with partner Garrett Larson, a South Korean friend , Alice was amazed at the construction boom in the city. “Development can be so fast and unplanned that it could damage the landscape, the animal species and the forests permanently.

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Kerala Recipes

Three Popular Dishes

By Annie John

Pineapple Pachadi Pachadi is a traditional Kerala dish made using a fruit or vegetable, grinding coconut and mustard seeds and finally simmering in curd. In some regions of Kerala, they don’t grind mustard seeds. Instead they season the dish with mustard seeds. The most common Pachadis are: • Pineapple Pachadi • Pineapple Munthiri Pachadi (Pineapple and Grapes) • Beetroot Pachadi • Tomato Pachadi • Vellarikka (Cucumber) Pachadi. Pineapple Pachidi is also known as Mathura Curry. Ingredients Pineapple (finely chopped) – 1 medium sized Pineapple; Turmeric – 1/4 tsp; Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp; Curd/Yogurt – 1 cup; Mustard – 1/4 tsp; Salt – to taste For grinding Grated Coconut – 1 cup; Green Chillies – 4 small ones; Cumin (Jeera) – 1/4 tsp; Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp; Shallots – 1; Finely chopped Ginger pieces – 1 tsp. For Seasoning Oil – 1 tbsp; Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp; Dry Red Chillies – 4 Curry Leaves – A sprig

Preparation Remove the skin from the pineapple and its pines thoroughly. Dice the yellow pineapple flesh into small pieces. Cook the pineapple in little water along with salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder until soft. Meanwhile, grind coconut and the other ingredients to form a nice paste and keep aside. Grind 1/4 tsp mustard seeds using a mortar and pestle or you can add it to the coconut while grinding. (Be careful with the amount of mustard seeds, you grind. If you grind a large quantity, the taste can get ruined totally). Blend yogurt with little water and salt and keep aside. Once the pineapples are cooked, add the ground coconut paste and mustard seeds. Continue cooking on medium flame for another 8-10 minutes till it becomes thick. Reduce heat and add the blended yogurt. Mix everything and remove from stove top. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and saute dry red chillies and curry leaves for a few minutes. Pour seasoning over the Pineapple Pachadi.

Simple Prawns Curry (Chemmeen Curry) Here is the recipe for a simple prawns curry which can be made with minimum ingredients. It goes well with Rice and Chappathis. Ingredients Shrimp/Prawns (peeled and deveined) – 1/2 lb ( I used the medium large variety); Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp; Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp Kudam Puli (Garcinia/Kokum/Kokam) – 3 or 4 small pieces Finely Sliced Onions – 1 medium; Slit Green Chillies – 4; Minced

Ginger – 2 tbsp; Minced Garlic – 2 tbsp; Curry Leaves – A sprig Fish Masala Powder – 2 tbsp; Kashmiri Chilly Powder – 1 tbsp; Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp; -Pepper Powder – 1 tsp Oil – 2 tbsp; Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp’ Water – as required; Salt – to taste For Marinating Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp; Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp; Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp; Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp; Salt – to taste Preparation Wash and clean the prawns. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and 1 tbsp lemon juice to water and soak the prawns for 5 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Prepare a marinade using the above ingredients and rub it on the prawns. Keep aside for at least 10 minutes. Soak the tamarind pieces in a cup of warm water. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add the sliced onions and saute for a while. Add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute for a few more minutes. Once the onions become translucent, add chilly powder, fish masala powder, pepper and coriander powder. Saute for around 2 minutes till the raw smell disappears. Add the kokum (kudam puli) pieces along with half of the tamarind water. Add 2 more cups of water and little salt. Increase heat and bring the gravy to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the marinated prawns along with any leftover marinade. Cook uncovered for 12-15 minutes. Switch off the stove and cover the pan. Keep this prawns curry for at least 4-5 hours before serving, so that the prawns absorb all the flavors.

Spicy Mushroom Curry Here is a recipe for making a Spicy and Tangy Mushroom Curry using Tomato Sauce. Ingredients Mushrooms (Any variety) – 1/2 lb; Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp; Diced Onions – 1 medium; Slit Red/Green Chillies – 3 Curry Leaves – A sprig; Finely chopped Ginger – 1 tbsp; Finely chopped Garlic – 1 tbsp; Home Made Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp; Chicken/Meat Masala Powder – 1 tbsp; Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp; Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp; Tomato Paste – 1/4 cup; Oil – 2 tbsp; Salt; Water Preparation Clean the mushrooms well and cut into small pieces. I peel off the skin from the mushroom and then wash it well. Some people prefer to keep the skin. Marinate the mushrooms with 1/4 tsp turmeric and some salt. Keep it aside for around 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and saute onions, chillies and curry leaves. Saute ginger and garlic for a few minutes. Reduce heat and add 1 tsp chilly powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp meat or chicken masala powder and 1 tsp garam masala powder and saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pan along with salt and 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a slow boil. Wash the mushrooms and drain the water. Add the mushrooms to the above pan and mix everything well. Cover and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Serve with Rotis.

Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Life’s Little Things

Home away from home... I wrote an essay for a competition in Kochi when I was nine. The topic was “My Home is my Heaven”. I won and I like to think it was because of my writing skills. But the truth of the matter is that it was an issue near and dear to my heart. Many expats have a very keen sense of what their home is and my family is no different. At home, my parents insisted that we speak Malayalam, irrespective of the fact that we lived in Germany. In hindsight, this was of great comfort to my brother and me, because the trials and tribulations of learning English and German in a completely new school cannot be understated. I had a very strong sense that my home lay at the nexus of my family and my culture and coming home from school was probably the best part of my day, just because it felt familiar. But I wonder how many of us romanticize our culture and ignore the society that hurts that culture. “God’s own land”, a popular characterization of Kerala, is a misnomer. If God were to be reborn today in Kerala, he would grow up to either work as a government sector employee or migrate abroad to work. Migration is perhaps too harsh a word, since a large number of Malayalees work just outside the state border. In any case, God would visit Kerala once every year, meet his hypothetical family and return to work after a few weeks of some well-deserved rest. Because Kerala is the home away from home for most working Malayalees. Our society is ailing and I can see the symptoms. With the exception of my parents and brother, most of my family lives in India. So that makes for a busy itinerary every time I go home. Every year I visit my relatives, I find their homes growing emptier and emptier. This is the normal course for nuclear families,

By Abishek

A Kerala street scene...needs no comment! but in most societies, nuclear families move away from their parent homes, much like birds growing out of their nests. What I see is a carving out, where the breadwinner in the family works for long periods away from their homes. This has bred the lack of role models and a stagnant culture in Keralan society. Today, the politics of our state are ruled by people whose vested interests lie in perpetuating the very conditions we should alleviate. We have generated a vicious circle of debt in our state that if left unchecked, could pose much more serious social problems than those that face us today. We have earned the label of a “consumer state” but underrate its implications for our generation and those to come.

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Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

UNDER1ROOF REAL ESTATE, HOME INSPECTION, DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSURANCE AND INVESTMENTS

FOR HONEST AND RELIABLE SERVICE IN REAL ESTATE GET YOUR HOME PROFESSIONALLY INSPECTED BY A QUALIFIED HOME INSPECTOR YOU MAY ALSO CONTACT ME FOR THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:

Life Insurance (Term Life & Permanent Life) Mortgage Insurance Critical Illness Insurance Disability Insurance Accident & Sickness Insurance Long-Term Care Insurance

Visitors To Canada & Travel Insurance Group Insurance Investments RRSP Segregated Funds Annuities RESP (Scholarship Plan)

w w w. u n d e r 1 r o o f . c a Kairali - Winter 2009/Spring 2010

Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greetings & A Happy New Year!!

SUPERB PROPERTIES IN GREAT LOCATIONS!

Burnhamthorpe/ Hwy10 $179,900

Steeles/ Kipling - $189,000

Kensington/Kingscrosa - $144,900

West Of Weston Rd - $149,000

Main Street/Pearson $349,900

Burnhamthorpe/Fieldgate $359,900

Greenwood And Gerrard $519,900

Airport/Thamesgate $639,000

Father Tobin/ Sunny Meadow $550,000

Sandalwood/Torbram $574,900

Airport Rd & Countryside $579,000

Hwy 7 & Mississauga Rd $979,913

Eglinton & Winston Churchill

Kairali - Summer/Fall, 2008

$321,900