When my friend returned to India after 3 years, she told me, “we must go somewhere else; I can’t withstand this simmering heat.” Though I too was thinking of such an ‘escape’ from the rumbling schedules of deadlines living inside the riffling concrete forests, we had to wait for my daughter’s school vacation.

When all the Keralaites celebrate Onam all around the globe, we two families set out for the serenity which can never be available in the Kerala market, even inside the instant Onam kits. The lush memories of our Ooty trip in May were still live inside and hence we opted the nearest hill station, Kodaikanal for this term’s recharging.

Why missing Onam?

When we were all set ready for the trip the question we  faced was all about wasting an Onam. For the Keralites, Onam is the exclusively regional festivity which brings together all the loves once again at the corridors of a getting back. It is nostalgic for those who had a great Onam memoir inside. But for me Onam reminds of the dreadful terminal examinations. As a child I too wished to make a pookkalam (floral art) in my courtyard, but my strict parents never allowed me and I was always forced to sit in my study peeping out other children reveling. I never made a pookalam, no guests ever came to my home with sweets and love.

So I don’t want my daughter to have a barren Onam like that of mine. Onam ultimately connotes a pleasurable get-together. My Onam kick started the day when my friend landed here with her family.

From the concrete forests to the Princess of Forests

If Ooty is the ‘Queen of hills’, Kodaikanal is the ‘Princess of forests’. Yes, Kodaikanal keeps the vigor of a virgin unadulterated unlike Ooty that went away with the so called modernization.  From the sweltering heat and inundated cities we began to wind up the hills – from heights to heights – from mountains to mountains. Our journey from Kerala to the hill station was full of surprises. We could see the hard working Tamilians bringing water from distant places and planting and cultivating vegetables and fruits. While Kerala, the land blessed with 44 rivers and wide ranges of green fields and mountain chains is being transformed into concrete jungles, Tamil Nadu once a bleak land of dry winds and zero rain is getting lush with resolution and perspiration. Either side of the State High way, bloomed mango trees greeted the passers by. Even before reaching the Lower Palani hills, we put the glass windows down to have the fresh air. Thenceforth, our air conditioner was under rest for four days.

From the Lower Palani Hills, our kids started to agape at everything that comes on the way. At night the view of Palani Hill was enthralling. The chemistry between the natural mist and artificial illumination was so stunning that it creates no dissonance inside a spectator.

Our car began to whirl round the chain of hills as though hopping from one to another. As it was already dark we could not enjoy the wonders of the valley. But on the way some sign boards that tell ‘Elephant crossing zone ‘made our kids scared. Being kids, scaring with or without reason is the happiest thing when they are together, I know it.

On reaching the hotel, where we had a stay 8 years before, we found that it  has changed a bit by constructing two new cottages in its beautiful premises thus marred the panoramic view of the valley from the room. Anyways, it was nice cold outside and under the woolen blanket we got sound sleep barring the deadline tensions far away.

Kodai — The English way

Our hotel was near to the Kurinji Andavar temple and Chettiar Park, the only two native destinations spots that holds Tamil background. As far as the Kodaikanal hill station is concerned, it still carries the Colonial hangover in its every cell. Each and every tourist spot is named after the British bureaucrats and the American missionaries who ferreted out this hidden paradise which bears the miraculous capability of recuperation.

Even while caning over the Indian public, the British were always searching for a place where they could escape physical and mental eeriness born out of workloads and mental pricks. Moreover, the plains down the valleys feasted their skin of less melanin pigments with loads of diseases. The American missionaries while on their ‘missions’, were also joined hands with the British to settle down the valleys which radiate rejuvenating energy with zero artificial elements. When the lazy Indians who were not ready to shoulder the responsibilities of a nation’s governance but were playing with the cast cards, hardly turned to the harems of these forests where aborigines had their own domain. But the intelligent Whites discovered the virgin valleys and recreated certain structures that suit to their needs. Indians still keep them alive with the carved names of its ‘white creators’.

Coaker’s Walk, Chandler’s Falls, Berinjam lake, Boyer’s Dormitory in the Kodai International School, Bryant Park…and so on and so forth. Enjoy the English!!!

We got the information about the life in Kodai forests prior to the invasion of the English from the Anglade Institute of National History in Shenbaganur.  The aborigines lived inside the forests had a life full of struggles against the odds of the dense forest and the beasts stroll over there. They were tribal people who  neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. When in 1867, Sir Vere, District Collector of Madurai found out the scintillating Kodai forests, he actively nurtured the surroundings where  he settled in Kodai. He then introduced new varieties of fruits, vegetables and flowers and improved and built roads and ways spending his own money. His major achievement is the landmark of Kodaikanal – the star shaped Kodai lake with 5 boat clubs around its 5 Km perimeter.

Nature’ s Gift

We went to the Kurinji Aandavar temple to apologize the presiding deity Murugan for not greeting him at his original abode at Palani. On the way sides to the temple stand the remnants  of the bloomed kurinji flowers. The blue bunches of Kurinji flowers are the significant attraction of Kodaikanal as a tourist destination.

Here in Kodaikanal, Nature keeps amazing miracles of beauty and chasms in every element to make one humble to that Great Creator. The 12 yearly-flowering Kurinji flowers (Strobilanthus) which cover the hillsides with purple bloom is His another marvelous prank . It was in 2004 that it bloomed last. At that time all the news papers  carry banner heads with its report and charming photographs. Tourists from all parts of the world will  flow to Kodaikanal and Munnar (in Kerala,) the only places where this purple bloom happens.

In Kurinji Aandavar Kovil Murugan is known by that name because of the kurinji flowers that pave the way to the temple. But certain other version say that, Valli, the wife of Murugan was the adopted child of Kurinji tribe who were the early inhabitants of the Kodai forests.

After breakfast, Sikkender Badsha joined us as a guide. He took us to the distant places where we would not have gone otherwise. He guided us to the deep valleys through the pine forests. We really enjoyed the voyage through the calm pine forest for we were not allowed into the pine forests in Ooty.  Visuals of a number of Priyadarshan films flashed through our minds. Apparently, the pineforests are never wild, but calmer than a hermitage.

We were deliberately avoiding the peak season of Kodaikanal which feasts you even more with its pleasant climate and scenic beauties.   We were the seekers of serenity out of the fury and fumes of the mechanical life down the plains. Sikkender was frequently asking us to come again in the peak season, for he was totally unaware of our ‘crowd-hating’ nature.

The unique rows of silky pine trees sloping down to crystal clear streams was a spectacular vision even from outside the forest. But suddenly you can see the visions get blurred gradually and vanishes suddenly. You may be embarrassed. It is the mist…that makes the visions apparitions that makes the minds romantic, that makes the nerves jerked.

In one spot, The Upper Lake View, we could see the mighty Palani hill as a tiny off-shoot of the Western Ghats. High-rock outcrops and acres of emerald velvet criss-crossed by the sparkling streams, bare promontories protruding into the infinite sky…deep valleys and steep mountains. In the wide shot, we can see the Shola trees standing upright on the slopes folding their leaves in a praying position. We too would fold our hands with reverence, to that Great Craftsman!!!

All around a Lake

We were proud of our native Trichur for its wonderful architectural beauty that even got accolades from the eminent architect Prof.Guddis for its wonderful construction artistically around the mighty Vadakkunnathan temple. But on knowing Kodaikanal we could figure out what is natural from what is man-made. This hill station is centered around the Kodai Lake, which  is the only artificial thing here. Less modernized with a scanty population of merely One lakh, Kodai stands unabated even in the strife of global warming. Kodai, I think, is still a virgin.

Kodai covers an area of 22 sq.Km, amidst the sylvan beauty on the southern crest of Upper Palani hills, in Dindugal district. Sikkender again took us to the interiors where we could perceive the untouched wild  forests. In the valleys there were dense patches of broad-leaved evergreen rain forests – shoalas. Unlike the rain forests of the plains the trees here do  not reach  majestic heights because of the high altitude and constant wind. We really felt envy for those who live there. These forests are the prime watersheds for the whole region. They absorb water during the monsoon and release it judiciously all year around.

We thought of our on natives – where Athirappilly Sholayar forests which are still under threat. When we cut forests we are breaking down our water tanks, bringing in floods during monsoon and draught during other seasons. When we revert our meadows and paddy fields we do not  know these are the biological treasure houses. No..no. we should not be such conservationalists at the time of modernisation. Be practical. These are mere waste lands which can put to some use. Some English men might have thought like this then. That is why the Eucalyptus, wattle and pine trees are here.

Next Sikkender took us to the Mahalakshmy temple upon a small hillock there. Unwearing the shoes we all climbed up to the temple. Lakshmi and Vinayagar are the main deities there. But the newly constructed temple is on the high ways of progress. New constructions for Durga is going on there. Hearing us talking Malayalam, the priest of the temple, a slender chap ran after us. He said he belongs to Kerala and the temple is also under Keralite Management. He also told us that he had the order from above not to  pose for any photographs especially for Keralites. He is getting a handsome salary. So we left there quickly.

From that hillock we saw mist and clouds playing hide and seek. Because it was off-season tourists were scanty. Hither and thither we could see newly wedded couples romancing inside the pine forests and upon the green meadows. Being recently joined, it never broke the calmness that twines around the ambience.

Driving along the vast meadows and shoals forests, we drifted with least awareness of time. we were startled to see the watch that shows 3.30 pm that too only when my friend’s daughter complained of stomach ache. On the wayside we stopped our car near a tea shop from where we had our simple but delicious lunch. Then our kids came to understand that hunger is nothing but stomach ache!!

Togetherness

During the walks Sikkender was making us hurry saying we have not even covered a single part of the sight-seeing. But we lagged as far as we can. Because what we need is quietness, peace, serenity, fresh air and above all togetherness. .We were enjoying it at the maximum. Most of the places were ‘unreachable’ for the mobile calls. That added a feather touch to the calmness.

Next he took us to the Dolphin’s Nose. It is gigantic rock projecting over a breath-taking chasm challenging the photographer inside you to the risky and deadly poses. The panoramic view might have stunning from upon, but we trailed off as we are mothers more than any other guises in life. However,  Sikkender tried to lead us to the top of the Pillar Rocks. We could see the pillar rocks from far away itself as 3 vertical lofty monolithic rocks standing upright shoulder to shoulder. There also mist played its game by changing the vision into apparition. When standing agape at the greatness my daughter stooped down to catch the mist flying. Heard somebody singing : “aaj mein ooper aazman neeche..”. It was true to the chore.

Our kids were pressing from the start to go to ‘Guna Caves’ (What an impact a Kamal movie has!). It was Devil’s Kitchen before the featuring of that film.The dark and deep bat-infested chamber between the gigantic granite wonders are worth to see. To reach it one has to climb a hill with tree roots and fallen branches as in the ‘Jungle Book’ of Rudyard Kipling. But we were depressed to see that the caves and the entrance to the edge of the hillock is closed with iron grills. Sikkender told us that youngsters who come in groups frequently fall into it from where the chance of escape is nil. That is why this precaution. Any way I had a foul slip upon the grills which is also worth remembering.

At night we really felt tired of trekking and soon fast asleep under the woolen blanket. Next morning with more fervor we started our sight seeing without Sikkender. We found thrills walking through the unknown paths. Anyways, we deliberately left Berinjam Lake as it is inside the forest and it needs admit card from the DFO to get into.

Everything was executed reverse thenceforth. Coaker’s Walk feasts you only after the sun down. But we preferred to take it first before noon. So we left the sizzling visions of necklaces by illuminations. We missed the Broken Spectre, the miraculous vision of our own shadow in the cloud. But there came a group of college students, a flock of lovely girls giggling in Tamil—it was also a feast for the eye!!!

Coaker’s Walk offers a light walk with safety. Unlike in other places, we can forget ourselves dissolving into the infinite beauty of the nature below our feet. We walked freely through the fog and luke-warm sun, along the vendors who make and sell beautiful ear drops of embroidery threads, mango slices dipped in salt and chilly powder, ice creams and dried flowers….An over view of the whole Kodai.

After that we drove down to the Green Valley View, which my friend said is a facsimilie of the landscape of Switzerland. The flock of lambs browsing below far away made her remember of the famous cattle farms of Switzerland. My daughter then came to contentment with her living in South India.

Winding down

Finally we reached the Kodai Lake, the cynosure of Kodaikanal. We chose the raw-boat bearing in mind the knee-pain of the pedaled ones at Ooty. The boatman was very friendly and he turned the boat towards  the blue water lilies that called out our kids. He plucked three and made a garland with it and gifted to our kids. He said it is from this lake that the drinking water is being distributed in Palani.

Along the 5 km perimeter of the Lake, we again became the children of years back. With my daughter both of us, rounded the lake with two bicycles rented for 20 rupees. It was of no break and a soundless bell tethered to  two rims.  To catch my daughter, we had to pant a lot. Both kids were happy with horse riding and at last when we entered into the Bryant Park it was time to close. We missed that lovely scenes and children’s’ play. From far away we saw the Suicide point meshed up to prevent further suicides. Like before there was no vulture seen roaming around that fathomless valley.

It was on unwinding the mountains that we could perceive the real pageantry that Mother Nature has prepared for us. It was drizzling when we return. We  never felt we leave the hill station, but still walking through the forests inhaling the smell of eucalyptus and putting our palms inside the pockets. The entry gate to Kodaikanal, the Silver Cascade asked us to halt there.

By that time Onam celebrations have came to an end in Kerala. All the upcoming vehicles were of Kerala registration. At every hair pin bend, we could see Malayali youngsters sitting around a liquor bottle and sipping the foaming glasses. The second stage of the Onam celebration was at the kick start there…

Life…Name of a flying bird
Flying in the open sky.

It is the name of a dancing stream
Flowing through the rocky hills.

It is the name of a smile
on the face of new born baby
Who smiles only because,
It wants to.

It is the name of the beautiful morning
In the valley
When a fisherman in the dull lake
Sings a folk in his amateur style,
When a whole crowd
Prays to their god
With all of their hands wide open to the sky.

But life is also the name of
Charred bodies of Children
Who were plying football,
When it blasts..,

It is also name of dying hungry farmer family
Who can’t plough the field
Because of the curfew in the valley
Because anytime a bomb can make his field a hell
Because anytime a landmine can make it an abyss!!!

It is also the name of a mother with puffy eyes
Who doesn’t know
Whether her son, her pulsating life,
Will return home after school
Whether her husband will come back home
Or whether she will be able
To protect herself from hungry wolves
Roaming in the valley
Who call themselves, freedom fighters!!!

Life is also the name of the promises hollow
Delivered by the politicians
Each time something goes wrong
Just to glue to the chairs,
Once more, at any cost!!!

It is the adulterous link among the corrupt legislative and executive, supported by the gagged media that made Kerala an incubation centre of terrorists. Maya Krishnan illustrates the graph of terrorism grown in the State from the blast at Kannur Idgah to the hand-chopping at Thodupuzha with a positive peep towards the upcoming Mohan Lal magic.

For those who reside outside the State, Kerala is God’s Own Country. But its natives hardly know about the ‘why’ factor which makes it God’s own.

However,  a handwritten letter from the superstar of Malayalam Cinema, Mohan Lal has appeared in the web pages last month, inculcating the solid facts that ‘we never suffered a really fierce natural calamity or a deadly communal riot even as our neighbors exhaust of..’ arraying his experiences in the muddled J&K valley. It pronounced that ‘why factor’ with all its gravity.  By his innate spiel Mr.Lal instilled the Keralites that how lucky they are, to be born in this land. In that self-styled letter that plies though the web still, he also makes one alert to the sleeping cells that brewed in the State and asks to watch it against a ‘deadly’ waking up.

The impact of the letter was amazing. A huge mass that admires the actor have lined up in his anti-terrorist campaign ‘ACT for Humanity’. It was a marshaling of good wills, thanks to the influence Mr.Lal instigated into the heart of a land that had zero public awareness and nil social commitment.

Public memory is short

Two years back, a news of encounter hit the headlines of the dailies in Kerala. Any news of encounters or blasts from J&K was a ‘read and throw’ piece for the Keralites until then. In that particular encounter, the force had killed many militants out of which, four were identified as from Kerala!!!

We heard a Marad massacre, in which the new generation could witness, what is meant by communal riot. But who was behind such a menace became a stale question as new ones dumped on it everyday. When the cinema theatres at Malappuram were burnt of with the venomous communal fire, nobody tried to dig out for the first spark at the fathoms. At Kochi, when a Tamil Nadu State Transport Bus was torched by some goons certain media persons made some vain efforts to find something consanguineous among these. But soon they were emasculated with soft manipulations, a delude innate with democracy.

Similarly, bomb blasts in Kadalundi were also exploited the short memory of the public. Then two SIMI students were arrested from Trichur for attending a camp in hide. Again in 2007, we came to know that there is an active training camp for terrorists is working in Wagamon. The blast in Ernakulam Civil Station was treated simply outside POTA in order to avoid an NIA investigation.

But when in a fine morning the Bangalore police took a Keralite, Thadiyantavida Nazeer in the Bangalore blast case, and when Nazeer confessed his partake in the above narrated incidents, the active involvement and bloody manipulations of the communal politics in the State were being terribly exposed to the world.

This Nazeer was arrested in 2002 for his involvement in a blast at an Idgah in Kannur related with granting permission to women for nammaz (something deeply religious). But he was later released freely, leaving zero justifications to the democratically powered people who bear a Right to be informed. After that ‘unconditional release’ with the passive (?) nod from ‘above’, he was growing as the mastermind of almost all the further bomb blasts in South India.

Until the arrest of Nazeer from Bangla-boarder, ‘Islamic terrorism’ was a mere word in the lexicon or a ‘read-and-forget’ news for the cent percent literate Keralites . The adulterous link of political (legislative) and executive (police officials) along with the sycophant media has been supporting terrorism for flimsy personal gains.

Not all Muslims are terrorists…

Not all Muslims are terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims is a dictum today. Like a drop of cyanide making the whole bowl of milk poisonous, certain segment makes a whole community outcast from its own family. It invokes one of the painful memoirs of ‘India Divided’, years back. Yes, one wrong note can make the entire composition awry.

In fact, the majority of Muslims belong to Kerala are under shame and terror now because of a particular segment of rustic hardliners who happened to born to Muslim parents. When hundreds died in ensuing riots across the country during the post-Babri Masjid phase, Kerala remained calm with zero violence reported on that context. It was the mature decision of IUML under the remarkable leadership of Panakkad Sayyid Sihab Thangal that stood testimony to its position on fanaticism and communalism. In that very Kerala State, Muslims are now live under constant threat of psychological out casting.

Muslim leaders are in an invariable run to openly oppose every extremity misusing Islamic scriptures that share secular and democratic values. Even the popular terms they use were also scrutinized and interpreted for good. ‘Jihad’ is the inner struggle against the basic instincts of the body. It is never meant against another person or religion and has never own a base of violence.

But a recent incident, a highly deplorable one by the radical Islamic outfit turned the apple cart of the community upside down. Through the delicate lather of communal and ideological veil they tried to penetrate into the plural embarrassments of the nation. However, it paved the way to track down all the deliberately forgotten instants of the same texture.

The latest one, but, sent shock waves across the State. A college Professor was attacked by religious hardliners while he was returning from church. His right palm has been chopped off and was stabbed here and there so brutally that the witnesses, his own mother and sister were also stained of his blood spattered.

This incident was however taken up by the well heeled media in the State and hence there left no other way out. Investigations and quizzing ups still going on and several extremists were caught up. Interrogations and the intelligible operations of the NIA parallel to this, unraveled the dreadful facts of sleeping cells of terrorism (as quoted by Mohan Lal) in the God’s own Country.

Shocking revelations

It is a true man-hunt that takes place across the State for the Popular Front of India activists who were found the prime accusers of the case in which the College Professor was attacked brutally for allegedly making some derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed. Though the main culprits were found absconded, the investigating officers could dig out a lot of information from those who were caught up.

In the hasty searches, police have seized a number of pamphlets and manuscripts that bear texts of anti-national scribbles. They found

out country-made bombs, swords, knives, provocative literature and some CDs documenting the implementation of inhuman justice by Darul Khuda (God’s Court) a facsimile of Talibanism from PFI activists’ camps.

“They institute the operations of Darul Khuda here right in this soil”, told an investigating officer. “They interfere in several family disputes involving Muslim families in the State and trying to persuade them to settle their disputes only through Darul Khuda and insist them not to choose any other courts”.

Implementing Taliban justice in the State is another protocol of PFI. For its successful maneuver money power and man power are essential. NDF the communal-extremist political party which has evolved as a ‘tit for tat’ after the Babri Masjid issue is the mother stem of PFI. Even after the change of name ‘for name sake’, they get ample financial assistance through the petro-money flowing through the boarders. For the man power they recruit native youths who are healthy, vigorous and resourceful. Thus young chaps were lured with money and other trendy objects like remodeled bikes, latest model cell-phones etc. Once, when coming under their roof these chaps are getting trained rigorously as done in the military camps, to make them ‘fit’ physically and mentally. For their psychological brain-washing they undergo  ‘spiritual training’ and learn the misinterpreted Khoranic messages stressing Suraah 9 : Ayat 123 and 5, (‘Believers.. make war on the unbelievers who dwell around you…let them find harshness in you”), deliberately chopping off the soul of Khoran – the ‘call for peace’.

The training camps which manufacture the Islamic terrorists in bulk are mostly based in Kerala, Bangalore and Hyderabad. After the initial indoctrination they are being sent to Pakistan for further training. They are frequently enforced to watch the documentation of Taliban and Al-Queda model judgments through CDs. They get the practical training and to reinforce their beheading skills and make them bold to blood, exercise is imparted in beheading running dogs. Trainers are asked to chase a running dog in motorcycle and slash its tail or cut its head. Special training is provided to improve marksmanship by stabbing running dogs with sharp daggers.

The attack on Professor T.J.Joseph at Muvattupuzha proves the ‘craftsmanship’ of these trained activists.

Why Prof.T.J.Joseph

This has been a frequently asked question among Keralites, each other since 6 months. Newspapers and channels who

are supposed to ‘inform’ the people were on the slippery slopes always at the end of this question. What the people of Kerala came to know that Prof.T.J.Joseph of New Man’s College Thodupuzh has written ‘something derogatory’ about Prophet Mohammed in a question paper. But that ‘something’ is still unknown or only partially known to the people, as only one or two news papers in Kerala had shown the boldness to expose the facts as such so as to justify the ‘clarity’ factor they learned in journalism school.

Creating ripples in the communal ambit of Kerala, media pronounced that Prof.T.J.Joseph has made offensive remarks at Muslims. When protests sprout hither and thither, the Principal of Newmans College washed off his hands by offering an unconditional apology through the media after suspending Prof.T.J.Joseph. He was then reportedly absconded and the Kerala Police, intelligent-wise next to Scotland Yard, arrested his teen-aged son. Undergoing severe third degree methods with that slender body, he was then hospitalized and the father submitted himself to the court. All the Malayalam news channels flashed the slots of a stooping professor standing at the corner of the police station like a pick-pocket. People across the State were asking each other, ‘actually, what was that question?”.

After getting bail, on July 4^th, while he was returning from Church with his family, a group of PFI activists attacked him with swords and daggers, hacked him and chopped his right palm. Blasting bombs and creating an ambience of a real smoke-screen they escaped in a van.

Inside the ICU, with the mutilated body and mind Prof.T.J.Joseph called all media persons and told them what was actually

happened, through a scribble he made out with the help of a cousin. But except one or two news papers, none made it a ‘news’ nevertheless cried out of the fearless manhunts of the police recommended by the Home Ministry.

What is in a name?

PFI substantially proved that Shakespeare was wrong to state such a blunder citation. The ‘offensive’ question in the Malayalam question paper was to punctuate a conversation. In fact it was the excerpt from a screenplay of ‘Garshom’, a highly accolade Malayalam movie by P.T. Kunju Mohammed.  This is a part of the study material recognized by the MG University. In this screenplay, there is a conversation between a lunatic and God.  To the lunatic, God is rustic and crude in his talks and to all his questions, God replies in an unrefined manner calling the lunatic ‘son of a bitch’. This is a portrayal of a whimsical experience both to the lunatic and the intellectual, aesthetically.

While putting this excerpt into the question paper, Prof.T.J.Joseph wanted to put a name to the lunatic so as to get an authentic get up to the fictional conversational piece. He says, “ In the original screenplay the lunatic calls the God ‘Padachone’ (the slang used by Malayali Muslims for ‘God’). So the lunatic must be a Muslim. When I thought of a name, I preferred to put the author’s name itself. So removing the first (insignificant) part ‘Kunju’ from Kunju Mohammed, I put the name as Mohammed, a common name among Muslims.” Professor Joseph continued.

“ I have been teaching Malayalam for the last 30 years, and whenever I teach my children the basic grammatical structure I used to place the example as ‘Rama killed a snake.”. But unto date any Hindu came to ask me alleging that this Rama is Lord Rama and this ‘snake’ is the Snake God of Hindus ‘Ananthan’. I have done anything deliberately to scathe anyone..’, laments a Professor.

God’s Own Country

Yes, Kerala is God’s on country. That is why the vicious minds outside make use of the people here to fight in the name of God, whose name we were trained to read as twined with religion.

Every petty spat in the country is being portrayed as anti-religious by the attempts of those who have waged a war against our country. Even before the attack on the Professor there were signs of growing Islamic Fundamentalism in Kerala. Exploiting the young energy of Kerala, ISI, Lashkar-e-Toiba et al terrorist groups attempt to turn this State a safe haven for the home-grown terrorists.

To Indiansie their terrorist acts, Pakistan based and J&K -centric terror groups have been trying to recruit more youths from UP, Kerala, Karnataka and Hyderabad. Indian Mujahidins own a segment of their key members either from Kerala or have been ‘incubated’ in Kerala. According to the NIA, who are after the hand-chopping case,  the banned SIMI is active with bomb-making and tough-terrain training camp in Vagamon. Ernakulam and Kannur districts have been identified as the IM hubs after Mumbai and Pune!!!

According to NIA, LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad had been assigned the job of setting up the maximum number of sleeping cells in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. They also warn the closest possibility of blasts in the big cities of South India as the next targets of Pakistan based militants.

The hand-chopping incident has led the investigating authorities to dig out the forgotten blasts once again. The following arrests and confessions of the culprits reveal a shocking scenario of god’s own country. Their revelations confirm the dangerous truth that Kerala is a breeding ground of terrorism and the whole country is under imminent threat because of Kerala.

To broaden the terror net work in Kerala, the king-pins find various methods. The vicious mind behind proselytism , whether forced or not is a pester-child of a stale democracy and its lenience towards minority appeasement. Love-Jihad is a new dimension of this political terrorism. It is nothing but spreading through reproduction. The dissonance among the Hindus in the State also complements for it.

Even though Kerala CM Mr.V.S.Achutanandan has finally came out with lashing statements against terrorism inside the State, unless we came out of the vote-bank politics and gagged media-culture, every such truthful remark will be get misinterpreted and every raid is a mere hood-wink to save face and its squint eyes glued to the vote banks. In this unpredictable state, calls for the youths in Kerala to ACT with a well-liked and influential person like Mohan Lal may have some good effects on the ‘caught and bowled’ youth to get around from such mean acts.

As a biological fact mother is always connected to her child even after the chopping of the umbilical chord. The apparent helplessness of infancy makes the child even more attached to its mother. Thus by continuing the process of providing food the mother fulfills her motherhood through breast

feeding. An emotional bond is being created between the two even more strongly at the time of breast feeding.

Feeding time should be a pleasant and pleasurable experience for both mother and child. Mothers who are tense and anxious find difficulty in breast feeding.

Breast milk – the elixir of life

Breast milk is the only natural complete food for the infant. Human milk is readily available at the proper temperature whenever the mother is present. It is fresh and free from bacteria, reducing the chances of some infectious diseases like diarrhea, acting as a protective shield to the baby. It also contains antibodies against the common viral infections. It prevents anemia, skin infections and allergy. Above all, nursing strengthens the bond between mother and child for the life hitherto.

If all babies are breast fed within an hour of birth, thousands of neo-natal deaths can be prevented. Breast feeding should begin as soon as possible – within six to 12 hours of delivery. The colostrum, the first milk secreted, has a high concentration of proteins. It is a vital factor in preventing common illnesses including diarrhea and respiratory track infection, ear and urinary tract infection for the baby.

The immediate feeding giving the baby the elixir that is colostrums is possible only in the case of vaginal (normal) deliveries. But in the case of caesarean deliveries only after coming out of the anesthetic effects, the mother will be able to feed and this will take three to four hours.

The best stimulant for production of milk is baby’s suckling. Baby should be fed from both the breasts. Most healthy infants require feed every three hours in the early days. By three to six weeks of age, many infants will not awaken for the midnight feeds.

Know-how of breast feeding

The infant should be hungry at the feeding time. He should be held in a semi-sitting position. The mother too must be comfortable and once out of bed can use a low chair with arm rests. The baby is supported with his face close to the breast by one arm while the other supports the breasts so that the nipple is accessible to the infant’s mouth and yet does not obstruct his nose.

The time taken for emptying a breast varies with babies and it should be allowed to suck till satisfied. Efforts to waken the baby during feeds are rarely successful. At the en and in between the feeds the baby should be burped by holding him erect over the mother’s shoulder. This will remove the swallowed air which causes the baby to bring up the milk.

After feeding place him on his belly or on the right side to lessen the chances of regurgitation.

Some mothers worry that they do not have enough milk. If the baby is satisfied at the completion of the nursing period, sleeps well and is gaining weight adequately it can be assumed that milk is sufficient. Some babies are light sleepers and require extra mothering.

If by any chance, the mother is unable nurse or insufficient milk, the baby will have to be given artificial food. But we do not advocate it as it bears umpteen channels for infection.

For the mother, breast feeding can not only reduce her risk for blood loss post delivery but also infectious diseases, breast and ovarian cancer and iron deficiency. They also return back to pre-pregnancy shape and weight quicker if they breast feed.

For long, there had been a tendency of young mothers to avoid feeding, being more beauty-conscious. It is likely to have some sagged shape for the breast after a long feeding. For such things, there are natural and artificial recuperative methods that can be opted, after the child attains a stage to have other food items. Being well conscious of the positive impacts of breast feeding WHO has initiated some awareness programs conducted through some organizations inclusive of doctors and social activists across the globe. They suggest hospitals and other health care services to train health workers who can help mothers start breast feeding at the appropriate time in the right way.

Give your baby your milk as much as he needs. It is easily digestible as against the formula milk and breast fed babies are less likely to be obese in later life. More over, a baby’s IQ level can increase by up to five points if it is breastfed properly. According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, breastfed infants are found to have 5.2 points more in IQ than formula-fed infants.

Remember, it is the right of the baby to have enough milk from his mother. Each baby is an individual and his requirements vary. So we cannot put a strict schedule for feeding your baby. It is also a right and delight of that divine designation – motherhood.

So enjoy it full.

Recently I met a media girl who was in a hurry running along with the investigative officers on duty searching explosives and the hands behind it. (In the present day India, such a sequence has nothing uncommon as every day we hear the news of bomb explosion or sabotages of various varieties by innumerable sectors of hard liners). While she was curiously asking about the know-how of the dug out gelatin sticks, I just hurled a question at her. “If you happened to get such a thing what would you do?’

Her abrupt response has taken me aback. “I will put this at the very building of my school and will see how it works”. I know that she is neither an extremist nor a hard-liner but a smart and well-learned journalist with a very good track-record. What would have prompted her to utter such intense words? Abhorrence, utmost hatred, I got the answer in the next moment.

When I tag along the thread of that negativity, I could meet with a lot of such incidents, unnoticed, untold and unreported. A big segment of the society keeps disgust and sometimes a feeling of resentment with the school where they got reared up. That hatred is never meant to shoot at the ‘school building’ as that reporter girl said, but towards the bitter experiences they might have undergone there either by the teachers or by the school authorities or by the senior students. It sounds something dissonant to the Indian culture which is solely built on a solid educational structure with ‘gurukula’ system where we adored teachers as ‘gurus’ next to God and parents. So such a thought should not have evolved right in this soil. Despite such a background culture, why it happens?

What happens in schools?

Last week the Minister for HRD, Mr.Kapil Sibal has ordered stringent guidelines to be formulated against corporal punishments practiced in schools. His statements were the verbal impacts of the enquiries conducted by NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) over the teaching environment in the schools across the nation. The Minister’s order not only redefines corporal punishments but suggests immediate action against those who impose such punishments on children.

The aforesaid enquiry was conducted after a much chaotic ambit created across the nation over an incident that happened in Kolkata in last February. Rouvanjit Rawla , a12 year old boy hanged himself after he was caned and humiliated repeatedly by his teachers. Just after one week of this episode, another 11 year old boy, Shanno from another school in Kolkata itself, had to undergo a psychiatric treatment as he was ‘mentally broken up’ by the verbal and physical abuses from his teachers. Feared of the former incident, Shanno’s father filed a complaint against the school authorities.

These two adjacent incidents stirred the whole system to take solid decisions to make laws against corporal punishments prevailing in all schools, here.

When Teachers turn to Torturers

As a person actively involved in the working machinery system of a segment of schools, I used to get a lot of wailings and whimpering from parents complaining their children as being ill-treated by the teachers. In fact, I had not taken it seriously, keeping in mind the ‘over-concerns’ of today’s parents who have only one or two kids with whom they weave their whole dreams and expectations. But when the phrase ‘corporal punishment in school’ hit the headlines as well as my head, I turned to my phone to search for that journalist.

She narrated her tear-stained school memoirs which even now rein over her professional and personal life. The ill-treatments she suffered from her teachers for being the lone girl from an average family among those from the affluent, the humiliations, the verbal and physical abuse for the late comings as she had been depending private buses to come to school, the multiple canings and kneel downs for not doing home works without hearing the solid reasons behind it, a week long sitting on the floor for hitting a class mate who was the daughter of a DySP….. and so on. “The only reason why they made me glued to the institution was that I was their lone rank expectation in the public examination. But I deliberately have done it… I reached the brim of that rank-halo..after that  I turned be a kite with broken thread and finally landed here. My father’s wish was to make me an IAS officer….”, she broke out.

After her version, I could figure out the various shades inter-twined in the umpteen complaints from parents and students alleging a ‘purposeful humiliation’ from the school authorities and teachers.

A mother once told me about her second standard daughter’s worries. In fact, it was the worry of a mother about her late-born boon, her one and only daughter. I was amazed to hear that she or her husband had never even scolded their daughter till date. That girl is very brilliant but quiet also. The mother’s complaint was about her English teacher. She used to abuse her daughter verbally for apparently zero reason and on the Open House day, the teacher made the mother also insulted publicly for her daughter’s ‘misbehaviors’ in the class. Because of her ‘too much talkative nature’ the teacher used to make her sit isolated on the floor the whole period. “How much my daughter would have wounded sir?” the mother was in tears. “I asked the other teachers also. No one had any complaint regarding my daughter rather all praised her for her brilliance and discipline. I know why she is doing it to my daughter alone. It is on the ground of personal grudge towards my husband. Last year he spoke something against teachers in general in a PTA meeting”.

Teachers on the other side never let completely down the pace of corporal punishments. They quote their text books saying both reward and punishment are powerful incentives that influence learning favorably. I t means that punishment should be used as a motivating force wherever we feel it would be effective, especially in the case of boys. To effectively implement this practice so as to get the positive result, the teacher should have the patience and ability to understand each and every student whom he teaches. And that seems to be unfeasible in the present scenario having more than 50 students in a primary class where individual attention is a must to go through. They also asserted that certain parents want their children to be disciplined and for that they ask the teachers to put any extreme measures on the child whom they are ‘fed up with’.

For reasons like talking in the class, fiddling with some objects, for not paying attention, for not doing home work, or sometimes wearing a uniform which, say, an inch shorter than the school regulations and like petty reasons the children in our schools are mentally or physically tortured. Teachers out of their personal or professional frustrations behave as if the Trainee Police Constables to the remanded culprits. But while venting their emotions in such whooping manner they do not know what is happening in the mind scape of the children under its thrust.

Versions  of  punishments

Caning, slapping, pinching, hitting the knuckles with scale, pulling ear lobes, etc are the common methods of physical abuse. Making them stand in the sun, stand out side, sit on the floor, asking them to bring their parents, sending them to Principals etc are negative enforcements which may cause severe psychological impacts in the child’s mind. Undoubtedly we can say that a frequently hit child will be a problematic person tomorrow.

One day a parent told me over phone that his fourth standard son had been physically tortured by one of his male teachers. The teacher was said to make the child tie his both hands over the shoulders. When he developed chest pain the doctor told the parent that in such tender age the chance of crushing of the internal organs is more if subjected to such abnormal stretching.

A senior teacher who teaches in 9^th and 10^th standards told me :’ In the month of June, I use my cane or wooden scale frequently in every class. That is enough to make them disciplined in the whole year.”

In some schools canes are banned already. One day a High School teacher from a State Syllabus school told me. “ …that decision made us irritated a lot. It is very easy to preach about teaching by inspiring. But sir, practically it is impossible. Certain students are there, coming to school only to satisfy their parents or to play with their friends. They won’t even give an ear to the teacher. At such contexts, we can’t help using a cane. Once is enough. But now the cane is not allowed, so at times we use our palms or metal or wooden scale. It may not be meant to vent our anger but of sincerity as we do to our own children.” .

Another teacher mourned: “I am a double post graduate with B.Ed. But I got the class charge of the first standard students here. I don’t know how to deal with such small children and I do not have enough material to supply with also.” He felt disappointed on his appointment and left the job within 3 months. But certain others glue to the post expecting a ‘promotion’ to the higher class in ‘one fine morning’. The time in between is tedious, difficult to cope with making the teachers burst out at times. For such teachers all the behavioral patterns of the children will be ‘misbehavior’.

At  the  feet  of  a  Guru

Respect and Love, we cannot enforce into. It has to be drawn out with patience and understanding. Teachers must follow this pattern as their profession always carries the halo of divinity, as it professes enlightenment.

I could perceive a lighter but brighter side of this verity apparently contrasting to the whole episodes mentioned, during my pursuit along this thread. We do have some teachers as in the Text books of Psychological Education quoted. I met them personally after listening to a big segment of contented parents and worthy students who had the luck to be under those teachers. “Actually, it was she who found out the fact that my daughter possesses a talent for singing and she herself pointed out a good music teacher who can lead my daughter well. Now while my daughter beats each stage, we fondly remember that LKG teacher. See, my daughter still goes and meet that teacher before her every recording or a stage-show.”, remarked a contented father once.

Like that once another parent told me about his son who is a well known artist in Kerala. For every step forward in his life, he and his parents said, they are indebted to his KG teacher. “If that teacher was not there, he would never be in this position as we parents do not own any tint of an artistic talent. We couldn’t make out our son’s talent. That teacher herself took him to the art teacher and asked him to train him..Actually, we don’t have any hand in it.”, standing amidst his son’s trophies commented a proud father.

I too felt happy to hear this, since these teachers were a part of Bhavans Schools with which I have been associated.

What happens to the child?

On the other hand, when teachers behave roughly on a second’s spur to the student, never trying to find out anything hidden in the child apart from the curricular topics, the students may develop a kind of negativity not only to the teacher but towards the whole community also. Verbal abuse also makes the children feel a low self-esteem and a negative self-image and they usually tend to push away through avoidance of strategies such as disobedience. They may fall into unhealthy habits such as over-eating and intoxications. Another common way to cope is resorting to anti-social behavior.

In the frequent hartal times we meet such beings who do heroic vandalism not as a political proceeding but as a mere pastime. On the road sides we see wandering hooligans ready do to anything for money or name. In the prisons across the nation we find criminals who return to the same cell repeatedly, committing the similar crimes again and again, taking it as a profession or habit. Ask them, talk to them – they will reveal a dark zone in their life mutilated either by teachers or by parents. No one is born here as a criminal. Then who makes him so?

The research studies show that the theory of corporal punishment was an ineffective discipline strategy with children of all ages and it is often proved to be dangerous. The punishment of such kind leads to create anger, resentment and low self-esteem. It teaches them violence and revenge as solutions to problems and perpetuates itself, as children might imitate what the adults, especially their teachers are doing.

About 22 percent of the school-going children drop out due to corporal punishment. These victims do not try to report the issue and suffer in silence — damn the draining of relationship values.

What the Law says

A Public Interest Litigation was filed by Parents Forum and Meaningful Education (AIR 2001 Del 212), challenging the provisions of the Delhi School Education Rules 1973 providing for corporal punishment to a student. But the Division Bench of Delhi High Court held that corporal punishment was not keeping with a child’s dignity. It is cruel to subject a child to physical violence in school in the name of discipline or education. It was held that inflicting physical punishment on a child is not in consonance with his or her right of life guaranteed by Article 21 of Indian Constitution. “Just because child is small he or she cannot be denied of these rights…. Even animals are protected against cruelty. Our children are surely cannot be worse off than animals” said the High Court. The Court also said that there had been instances where children have been abused in schools causing grave injuries internally and externally to them on account of their innocent pranks, mistakes and mischief.

The Rule 51 is replaced in Tamil Nadu with a provision recommending every child to be given an opportunity to learn error of his or her ways through corrective measures while making it clear that the school shall not cause mental or physical pain to the child. Two weeks before the State of Jharkhand also joined hands with other States in banning Corporal punishments. Goa government has passed Goa Chidren’s Act in 2003 banning corporal punishment.

The Supreme Court of India banned this type of rough treatments of children in schools in 2000. But Kolkotha incident proves that the negations of the verdict still exist here.

Learning the facts

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has suggested a code of regulations on the conduct of teachers in schools. A standout feature of the code is a total ban on corporal punishment. So far, only six Indian states have banned the cane in schools. Corporal Punishment is just another form of physical violence and has no place in an enlightened society.

Apparently different from ‘our good old days’ today’s children face a lot of stress and pressure in a world of competence. In such a context if he is subjected to abuses by the so called supporters, his teachers, he falls apart to the ‘flight or fight response. This was the

finding of the NCPCR on their mission after Rouvanjit Tawla’s suicide. So they asked the Centre to draft model rules and guidelines for Section 17 of the Right of the Child to Free and Compulsory Education that prohibits corporal punishments. They also suggested the Government the denial of increment to teachers who inflicts corporal punishments.

Senior HRD Ministry officials said that while CBSE has generalized guidelines against any kind of corporal punishment, the board feels that specific instructions need to be given to schools to ensure accountability in case of lapses by authorities. CBSE had written to all schools affiliated to it on the issue and reiterated its stand against corporal punishment in 2008. The board had suggested that teachers should instead be encouraged “to adopt alternative strategies to corporal punishment” and ensure a ‘fearless’ environments to students.

Needs of the hour

“I have been witnessing such verbal gymnastics since my entry into the field.”, responded that media girl. “Nothing is going to happen Sir, it will remain in the paper. No child is going to report it to his parents, if so no parent will be dared to ask the school authorities fearing of cornering their child.”

“The tedious 9 to 4 time schedule also has a significant part in this regard”, remarked a teacher, “it is hard for both teachers and students. Dealing with curricular subjects we don’t get enough time to have a bond with our students personally. In the school time- table there should be some periods for such refreshments. It is good for both.”

Another suggestion was to set the class according to the grasping power of the students. “If those who have less grasping power were put in one class, we can emphasize the needed portions without wasting the time of those who have already understood the thing. Then, there won’t be any room for unnecessary ‘complexes’ also among children”.

One senior teacher opened up herself that certain refreshing courses conducted outside hold some good impacts on the teachers. “We get some fresh environment and new concepts out of it which we are very eager to implement in the class as soon as we finish attending the course. The same gets drain off after say, one week with the overloads we get other than the teaching job. If such motivational and updating classes by psychologists or educationalists were conducted frequently, it will be an add-on for a new behavioral pattern among us. After all, we all love our children, but time is the villain there.”

Teachers are role models for still a big segment of students. It is evident in every child a tendency to imitate his teacher in all walks of life.  So if he grew perceiving the violent and rude reactions of a teacher, we cannot expect him to stand with peace. Discipline is totally an internal affair. But imposing it by force is an external process. If we want a community tolerant and peace-loving, basically humane, we really need a change right from the kindergarten. The change needed is with the teachers – they must understand the gravity of their profession – to mould better human beings through knowledge and life experiences regardless of his IQ, cast, creed or his parent’s purse or chair.

(The author is a  Member of  Bhavans Thrissur Kendra Committee,  Kerala)

“I have no regrets.. I would punish them all over again if given another chance..” told a remorseless Omprakash Sainy to the media persons amassed at the Ashok Vihar Police station. He has been charged with murdering his own niece Asha 19, and her lover Yogesh Kumar 21.

*What was wrong with the deceased? They loved each other beyond the spiky barriers of caste system– Yogesh was from a Dalit Jatwa family while Asha was from a ‘privileged’ Sainy caste.

“She has done unethical thing..after had been engaged to a Sonipat boy, she sustained on loving this one…” ,continued Omprakash, “mera dimaag ghoom gaya ( I lost my intellect) after that he came to our home at night and she went out to meet him”.

During the interrogation, Omprakash, the elder brother of Asha’s father told the officers that he had flogged and gagged them to muffle their cries and then electrocuted them through their feet and palms. He also said, he had beaten them with steel rods before the electrocution.

*Before just one week prior to this incident, the capital city witnessed a chain of murders. Police found the body of Kuldip Singh 26, an Executive in HCL inside his car and his wife Monica 22, and her cousin Shobha 18, as murdered inside their home.  The police declared a look out notice for 3 youngsters Ankit, Mandeep and Nakul, the first two being the brothers of Monica.

After the seizure of the assassins, the nation figured out the crime committed by the deceased. The couple Kuldip and Monica, belonged to Wazirpur, Asok Vihar, was married in July 2006 ‘sullying’ and ‘defiling’ the honour of the family. As a Rajput , Kuldip had ‘no rights’ to marry  a Gujjar girl Monica, their marriage was under police protection. But the ‘defamed’ brothers waited for the right chance to give the ‘right penalty’.

“For the sake of family honour, we support this killing, though not involved in it personally”, declared Dharambir,  Mandeep’s uncle.

*In the same month, Nimriwali village, near Bhiwani (Haryana) witnessed a rarest of rare sights. Two teenagers were seen hanged in the open corridor of the girl’s home. Their bodies clearly showed the scarlet marks of umpteen physical abuses. Their crime was they were in love, but they happened to born in the same clan (Jat). It is not permissible to marry from the same clan as they were considered to be siblings, according to the Khap Panchayath,the informal courts who pass the ‘ultimate judgments’ in the villages of North India.

The bodies were exhibited to show the villagers that the families were cleared off their sin and recouped their lost ‘honour’ by making void an already happened ‘event’.

Killing Indian Honours

Those are a few of the instances of ‘honour killing’ took place in India even in this era of globalization. Earlier such incidents were come out only from the Muslim countries where women are treated just as vessels or passive receptors in the family. Hina Jilani , a Pakistani activists says : “Indian women are considerably better protected against honour killings by Indian Law and the countries affected by honor killings should follow Indian Law as a model”. But recently the things have got a tremendous change. People in India seem to walk behind into the dark harems of Stone Age.

Honour killings are supposed to maintain the so-called ‘honour’ of the family after it has been ‘blemished’ by a boy/girl of the family through a run away marriage or inter caste marriage. It can be spanned to dowry deaths or matrimonial combats, marital infidelity, or simply flirting, it can be of inter-religious relationships, or it can be any of the highly localized concepts of a particular area, village or a gotra.

Some are of the opinion that this can be bracketed with the atrocities against women. But if we scrutinize these cold-blooded murders, we can see that even though a woman or a girl is victimized in such act, the perpetrators in most of the cases will be from the girl’s family. So there is nothing to treat it as women-oriented issue, but rather a social concern which would be carcinogenic to the whole society.

According to the statistical report of the U.N. Population Fund, approximately more than 1000 are being murdered every year in India bannered as honour killing. Police and the media were of the opinion that after 1990, the urban areas have found a good reduction of such reports, thanks to the National Commission of Women’s constitutionally and legally renovated activities.

But the fact that most of such cases are not reported as it is being ‘managed’ internally by the khap panchayaths as the pivots. So the statistics may not be precise, but definitely more than those came out.

“Khaps are like Gods. They can do no wrong..” goes the talks of the villagers.

For undermining the reputation of a family, the khap panchayath orders to reinstall the down chips by any means. Thus the honour killings get justified as a sanction for ‘dishonourable’ behaviour.

Culture  vs  Honour

Don’t think that such barbaric episodes are happening only among the educationally backward rural areas. On 29^th of last April, Nirupama Pathak 22, a journalist in a leading business daily in New Delhi found dead at her own residence in Jharkhand. It was registered as a case of suicide at first. But when the autopsy result was out, it was something startling.

It was a clear case of murder caused by asphyxia as a result of smothering. And the girl was 3 months pregnant.

Later her mother, a modest Brahmin lady belonging to a respectable family in the Koderma District has been arrested for strangling her own daughter, who was carrying a baby in her womb!! Nirupama was in love with one of her fellow journalists who was a lower caste by birth.

After that incident a lot of hooh-haahs were plied through the social network sites as it was a case involving a journalist, who is supposed to be a person belonging to a socially committed profession. But eventually this case also will fall apart on some flimsy technical grounds, as the Law is pathetically scanty to deal with an honor killing as something more horrible than a common man-slaughter.

Capital city has been turning to an Aceldama for the last few months. When a duo from Panipat found dead in the New Friends Colony, the same series repeated. For one or two days the news occupied the slots of television channels, again one more day it came printed in the columns of some news papers. Does anything happen? People’s memory is short…

For  being  born  to  lower castes

If it is taken in a wide span of religion, the first one would come to our mind will be of Islamic Countries where a number of ‘offences’ are seemed to dump upon the shoulders of women who are lower in status in the society. Incredibly, these practices are much more common among Hindus and Sikhs in India.

“Like all other religions, Islam strictly prohibits murder and killing without legal justification. Allah, Most High, says, “Whoso slayeth a believer of set purpose, his reward is Hell for ever. Allah is wroth against him and He hath cursed him and prepared for him an awful doom.” (An-Nisa’: 93) The so-called “honor killing” is based on ignorance and disregard of morals and laws, which cannot be abolished except by disciplinary punishments.”, writes Dr.Mohammed Fadel in his Muslim Womens’ League, quoting the Holy Khoran.

But in Christianity even though there are certain nudges here and there justifying such things (only upon particular grounds) in their Holy Book, the number of honor killings by and on Christians are minimal or sometimes none right in India.

Honour killing is rampant among Hindus and Sikhs residing in Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and New Delhi even though no Hindu philosophy underlines such heinous acts. It becomes more intense when it comes to the interiors, when it comes to the issue of caste and clan. Deeply conservative and patriarchal cast-purity is dominant over individuality and marriages become mere stages to sustain the status quo. Otherwise Bimal and Harilal won’t have strangled by her father….. Sunita, a 6 months pregnant girl would not have half-stripped and abused to death along with her husband Jasbeer Singh in the dirty ditches by the side of her house.

Only because the marriage was not ‘socially sanctioned by the caste panchayath’, Gitarani of Hashiarpur had to witness her family chopping her husband’s limbs one by one ––In a nation where a ‘pure’ mother and ‘virgin’ sister determines the culture of a person, a lower caste woman in Uttar Pradesh had to undergo a gang-bang by the Yadavas (higher castes) for her son married a yadava girl!!!.

Blind  is  the  Law..

Such criminally rude and dangerous episodes are resulted out of the perception that the defense of honour justifies it when the victim’s behaviour dishonours his own clan or family. They are defiant after this ‘mission’ and shout from the roof “We are not ashamed of it, absolutely not; we have the honor of doing the village proud,”.

After brutally murdering his daughter and son-in-law, the father justifies his act to the media:”We would not have had a face to show if we had not done this. It was the act of ‘real men’.”

You can see this viciousness reaches its pinnacle if you see the body of 18 year old Sham Mohammed along with his girl friend Reena’s at the premises of their school (It is the latest incident of honor killing while preparing this report) in Samain village of Fatehabad District Haryana. His tender body had been battered and one of his eyes was almost gouged out while the girl had apparently been forced to consume poison. This heinous crime was executed by the girl’s maternal uncles to restore the ‘honour’ of the family their niece stained by loving a Muslim boy!!

Recently in Ghaziabad, a concocted crime story has been slipped off when the investigating officers took a scientific approach. A girl of 14 has been shot dead by her cousin Ishtaq who then committed suicide by shooting at his temple from point blank, was the report. But on autopsy, it was cleared that the bullet had pierced his skull from behind and exited through his forehead. After killing his own daughter the father along with her uncles were chasing her lover Ishtaq and was shooting him.

To  be  or  not  to  be

On the grounds of such moral vigilantism of fake concerns over the ‘preservation’ of perceived ‘purity’ of their lineage, the cast councils pass the judgments and the most obedient moral police implement the same with zero remorse before and after. As it is executed by a group of persons, one cannot pinpoint a culprit to the police.

Recently, women’s organizations and social activists across the nation have begun to overlook the matter more seriously and they asked the central Ministry to make a separate law for this kind of crimes. The ministries of home affairs and the law and justice are preparing to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to define the act of “honour killing”. The demand for such a law was made repeatedly with the objective of stamping out this social evil from Indian soil.

But when it came to the Central Cabinet in last week, the Cabinet members were seemed to be divided in their policies. One segment asked to redefine the existing law on homicide and amend it so as to give deterrent punishment to the killers. But the other segment was not dared to take a step against Khap Panchayaths, as it would be a ‘sensitive issue’ and as to the sustaining folk culture it would bring out ‘religious sentiments’.

Meanwhile, outside the nation, the talks on such ongoing incidents in India seemed to have dwarfed India’s advancements in all walks of the globe. Press abroad depict India as still resorting to the caste system even after launching a Chaandrayaan .  They are of the opinion that honour killings that take place incessantly in India highlight the deadly effect of continuing and governing caste tensions which outbreaks all the cultural, religious, regional, educational, economical and personal barriers of life.

How can it be possible in India where the latest Census also executes on caste basis and students continue to carry their certificates on which their caste and religion clearly printed and pass to the coming generations? However, the Central Ministry and Judiciary are musing over this issue and a new Law to deal with this menace which makes the chips of the nation down

At the same time, the village leaders from many parts of the nation seem to be defiant at this move.

“No one can stop such deaths – neither the government nor the Supreme Court. Even the Army cannot stop this…”, boast the Khap Panchayats.

Shrieks and roars quivered the dusky ambit of the pompous Bhagavathy temple. The crowd gathered around stood breathless, their hands folded in reverence and fear…the red flames radiated from the pyre nearby flushed their cheeks more, the numb mass tighten their legs in the dark. Suddenly with a piercing shrill of alarm the God came out of the temple in a frenzied spell, dressed in ribbons of tender coconut leaves tied around the whole body, his anklets jingled in an alarming rhythm, He threw himself into the scarlet fiery heap of burning logs.. Lying on the red cinders he laughed and laughed, then put his folded leg on the other lay there as the mightiest, again laughing at the whole world ..then rolled on the flames..again laughed. People around were spell bound, speechless..

It was Theyyattam.. the time-honored religious ritual still alive in Malabar. It was not a showcase piece exhibited in order to lure the foreigners. It is all about Theyyam, the crude tongue of Daivam, meaning God. It was their God whom the people around revered in fear and piety.

In Kannur and Kazargodu Districts of the Kerala State Theyyam performance is a religious ritual and is being performed in many temples annually. As for the Landlords and the rulers, the Theyyam was expected to bring prosperity to their domain. People believe that Theyyam can do away with all their troubles and bring them riches. So everyone regardless of caste and cult, make oneself prepared for this practice of ritual in their homes or near by temples.

.The God  talks

Risen from the pyre of beliefs and penances, the man who was impersonated the deity came out, after the blessing ceremony, raw as the old Kallen Damodaran and began to narrate the other sides of this highly perilous and breath-taking performance.

“I ve been performing this ritual since my early youth stage, at about 21 years..it is a privilege to put on the attire of Thaivam, I take it in its pious sense, nothing whimsical or fancy about it. It is the game of God..”

As for any religious ritual, Theyyattam is also being performed with a lot of ritualistic activities prior to the performance. After getting the Adayalam, an honor from the chief of the temple authority the performer lives under rigorous abstinence and self-restrictions unto the day of performance. “Only because of this intense ‘vrataa’ (penance) we are able to perform such an adventurous act.. if some one happened to  deviate from that strict observance, he and his family would have to undergo severe wrath of  God, besides the burns from the pyre”, says Damodaran firmly.

Pottan Theyyam— a call behind

Theyyam Kaliyattam, the sacred dance performance of Gods and Goddesses carry umpteen myths that strengthen its impact even in this era of Chandrayan. Significantly two myths uphold this ancient religious ceremony. Narration of this pull-back gives a grant depiction of the social order prevailed at that time, which unfasten a thoroughfare to know about the history also. In the various Theyyam forms, Pottan Theyyam that Damodaran has been performed for the last 60 years, stands apart with its unique tapestry of truth in its essence.

Thottam Pattu, the opening song of the performance in old Malayalam jargon tells you the satirical story of a domain that was and is bound to the cast and creed cult.

“Vazhi thetty vazhy thetty po pulapotta..

Enthina chovvare vazhi thettunnathu?

Ningale kothiyaalum chora onnalle…

Ningal pale perum mannathu koodumbol..

Naangal pale perum kaavil kuudunnu..

Nhangale kuppayile poovanu chovvare..

Ningale deevane poojikkunnathu chovvare…

…”

When Damodaran stops singing this song in its particular slang and rhythm, it silently asks us for introspection.

When Sankaracharya, the preceptor of Advaita theory (All are one along with God), on his way to sarvagnapeedhom (the  Ultimate Knowledge) meets the lower caste Pulaya Pottan accompanied by his wife and his dog, he asked them to clear off the way in order not to ‘pollute’ him. It mirrors the stinking stories that once existed here when the lower castes were considered to be untouchable to the privileged ones. At this context, the Pulaya Pottan asks the scholar monk, “If there is a cut on the body, the blood will come out and the blood of mine and yours will have the same color. So, what is the difference between us?” Like this he points out a lot of similarities in both and makes the scholar ‘enlightened’ so as to attain his pinnacle of knowledge. Sankaracharya realizes the Lord Siva inside that Pulaya Pottan and the other two, Goddess Parvathy and Nandikeswara.

The rational discourse of the Pulaya Pottan became the Thottam Pattu in the slang of amateurish Malayalam. Those who give an ear to the lines keeping off his eyes from the hypnotizing visions can understand what Sankaraacharya had realized out of it.

Kallen Damodaran narrates another tear-stained story of Pottan Pulayan’s origin. He began to talk of the Alankaran also a Pulayan (one of the many lower castes in Kerala). Even though born to Pulaya parents Alankaran was a whiz kid. He grew in a society which always treated him and his community with disgust. But he mastered the Vedas, forbidden to the lower castes. Once he had a debate with a Brahmin (the higher caste) as in the other story. He ordered Alankara who came across him to move away from his path. He didn’t move instead he retorted, “If the problem is with the way, I shall divide the way into two to travel for both of us”, Then Alankaran split that path using his wooden wand. The angry Brahmins later caught him and tied up his limbs threw him into a heap of fire. Being intellectual and gifted with divine knowledge, Alankaran laughed and laughed in the fire and finally succumbed to the fate, scribbled by the privileged ones.

“That is why the Theyyam laughs lying upon the fire…” for a moment Damaodaran goes back to the memories never marked in history.

Thottm paattu—a social satire

It is said that Pottan Theyyam is performed to spread the message against the cast and creed system that still exists in the society. The song and the ritual uphold the values of knowledge as mightier than the alms that rendered on birth. Theyyam being performed amidst the audience which consists of all religions and castes roars this basic fact from the roofs.

“ I m belonging to Pulaya family. Only such lower castes are chosen to guise as Theyyams. So this is a time of honor for us. Members of the privileged castes take away their pre-eminence in this context and they even seeks blessings from us..”, says a proud Damodaran. “ but we should call the higher castes first in he blessing ceremony at the end of the session..”, he added.

More over, in Literature also Thottam paatu has its own contribution. In fact, the THOTTAM PAATTU of POTTAN Theyyam is considered to be the first lyrical form in Malayaalam that retorted against the caste discrimination.

Pottan Theyyam – performance

“ I used to perform this ritual only in Mundayattu Bhagavathy Kavu, Pappinissery, Kannur. But I get a lot of requests from near by homes to play the same there….and I go there often.” said Damodaran.

Earlier, lower castes were not permitted to enter into temples where the chief-in-charge will be a Brahmin. So since the remote Dynasty times this art form has been performed in courts, royal houses and in Kavu where lower castes meet no hurdles. While temples are having Brahminical authority and idol-worship, Kavu is ‘attainable’ to lower castes, where they can guise and worship Theyyam, along with serpent and tree-worship.

Theyyam is performed from thulam to edavam (October – May) excluding the monsoon season. The art is performed at the last ‘yaamas’(last 3 hours of night), normally till 6:00 in the morning. However, the arrangements start right from the previous afternoon

“The same performer is transforming into three Godly forms, first as Pulamaruthan(Lord Nandi), then as Pulakkaali (Goddess) and finally as Pula Pottan (Lord Siva), by changing the face-masks. Thottam paattu gears up the performance which will be followed by the traditional temple orchestra.

Nivedyams (food for the deity) are bestowed first to the pulamaruthan. These include all the pulses, coconut, groundnut, raisins, jaggery, pappadam, plaintains, and even the blood of a cock, and a pot of toddy.

Costumes makes the common man the much adored deity and thus costumes and face masks have a significant role in this ritual. After make-up, the performer looks on into the mirror and transforms himself in a frenzied manner into the deity form. Then in a frantic move he comes out of the Palliyara to perform in front of the mammoth gathering.

Pula pottan is the one who jumps into the burning embers making the spectators awestruck. But we can see that his assistants pulling him from the fire, but he never yields. When asked about the ploy of this seemingly adventurous act, Kallen Damodaran replied “ It’s Lord Siva who plays there and He is there to protect me. I ve been performing for the last 60 years and I don’t remember of any burns..” Some are of the opinion that the tender coconut leaves tied around the body help them combating the heat. But if scrutinized, we can see that it is only a thinner covering when compared to the red-hot ambers.

Mourning  over the  missing

“This is my way of living..” says Damodaran. “ Earlier, people used to give some food items as rewards for this performance. But now we get a decent income from this.” Passing the days of poverty, they began to come forward to fix the rates for each performance and get a handsome way of earning. More over the Folklore Academy arranges a pension of about Rs 550 per month for each performer. Though seemed to be little, he says he is happy with it.

But Damodaran and his fellow performers are brooding over this art in another way. They complain that no one in this generation is ready to take up this ritual as an inherited art as it was. They hardly give care to learn the basics of this art. These grey haired artists are deeply concerned about this divine ritual, and they fear about the prospected extinction of this art form in the near future.

“Now, only a few is left here to perform, most of my co-performers are no more..”. , sighed Kallen Damodaran

A peer is an equal who is in one’s own age group. Pressure is that you experience when you are pushed towards making a certain choice that may be good or bad.

Peer pressure is what you experience when some one of your age is pushing you towards making a certain choice good or bad.

In other words peer pressure is experienced when friends persuade you to do something that you are not desirous to do. Peer pressure can be positive or negative. It comes into one’s life in various ways –- when friends forces us to take part in sports or some extra- curricular activities in school because they feel we have the ability for the same — when we get together for a community service or a religious gathering — when we help each other in studies and try some new hobbies because our friends insist us to do so.

However, negative peer pressure is more wide spread and forceful than positive peer pressure.  Peer pressure often prompts good children to make unwanted or bad choices. Studies say that over 87% of children all over the world give in to peer pressure one time or another!!

Among smaller children the influences are based on peer identification.  The things they carry to school, for instance, if almost having the particular ‘Scooby Day ‘ bag or ‘Popy’ umbrella, we want nothing else other than the mentioned brands. Advertisers and manufacturers seem to know and exploit this psychology too well and they cash in on the same. Peer pressure influences the food habits and even the ways of speech. At this juncture, the parents’ role is brawny. They should monitor their children’s habits and guide them properly at the right pitch and right time.

As children move into early adolescence, their peer relations expand and replace the family in occupying the pivotal role in their lives.  The peer group often becomes the platform for experimentations and discussions regarding their new identity.

This is the time they kick start their awful activities and behaviors like less respect for elders, parents and teachers – cutting classes and engage in ragging or bullying – trying a puff of cigarette or/and a peg of liquor and like..

Unfortunately some of the above mentioned deviations become a hard-core habit which thence forth leads their life forward.  Every child is susceptible to the phenomenon of peer pressure, but certain some are at higher risk for falling into it. They are the children with lack of self confidence and low self esteem. They won’t have a way or goal to strive for and this may lead them to a state of depression.

At this point, along with the parents, teachers also should play the role of a real guardian monitoring this ‘high-risk group’ and intervening into their goings at the right time.

Once the children give in to peer-pressure they experience a roller coaster ride of emotions ranging from guilt and anxiety to sadness.  This may even lead to suicidal tendencies. So we should find a way to get out of this snare of negative peer pressure by making use of all possible means.

At first parents and teachers should try to create an environment that motivates a child to communicate openly without fear when faced with a problem. Once a child approaches an elderly person whom he trusts, he can help him see the reality and focus what is right.  Children should be guided to make wise selection regarding their peer circle.

Parents can brief their children about the peer group with which they can be involved –

They can ask their children not to associate with the school-bullies under normal circumstances. They can make the kids realize the righteous and understanding ones as their best friends.

Choosing the right peer group is an important step in fighting the unwanted peer pressure.

So friends, we should realize that peer pressure works only if we allow it to get into us. When we refuse and assert ourselves it bosses power. You should remember that we have the innate power to keep the negative pressures away from us.

VISHAL.L.,  Class XI, Sri Satya Sai Higher Secondary School, Prasanthi Nilayam, Anantapur

If Home is a place where our mother is, Abhilash has two homes, as he is blessed with two mothers – one in Pudukad, Kerala and another one in Chennai. You might feel all the more jealous of him if you came to know who is his second mother other than the one with whom he is genetically tied up – she is no one but S.Janaki, the  undisputed melody queen of South India!!!

Getting an autograph from a person, whom we admire, is itself a great thing, bliss. Even a scribble from that hand on a piece of paper makes goose bumps. But Abhilash, who has been in a world of S.Janaki’s melodies from lullabies to fast numbers could gate-crash not only into her residence at Chennai, but as her endeared ‘Kannan’ into her heart also.

Both gates are ever open for this young Electronics Engineer from Kerala. This strange but subtle relationship outreaches all our prejudices and equations. When we came to know about Abhilash’s untiring endeavors to bring laurels to a ‘deliberately forgotten’ talent, Janakiamma, we would stand agape, as we have become habituated in the art of forgetting.

Like a dream…

When asked about their first meeting, Abhilash was elated. Like a kindergarten kid singing a rhyme, he started to narrate the flashback with speaking eyes. It pulls us back to 26 years, opens with a frame of Radhamani (his mom) cradling the baby Abhilash humming the lullabies of S.Janaki. Then the school-boy in the uniform buying cassettes of S.Janaki hits from the near by shops. (As the time passed by) then, it pans into CDs and at a time when the scene changes to Infopark, Kochi where we see him in the shoes of an Electronics Engineer, hand picking even a bit of paper in which the name S.Janaki is written. He starts collecting the songs of S.Janaki even from abroad.

Abhilash is head-over-heels in love with S.Janaki and her songs. He made all his acquaintances redounded to the advantages of getting any information or song of S.Janaki.

“Now, I have a collection of 8,500 songs of Janakiamma as recorded in CDs. And it has all the details with which the song is related to – such as the film, the music director, the actors in the scene, the category  and like….” Says Abhilash hushed as a kitten. “It was in 2004 I first met Janakiamma. At that time I was in Sharjah. I used to write in blogs about Janakiamma and thus could come across with one Dr.Sreekumar who was also an ardent admirer of Amma.”, continued an overwhelmed Abhilash. “One day I got a call from Dr.Sreekumar and he asked me ‘which is your favourite song of S.Janaki?” I said ‘Keasaadipaadam..”. Then he said that he is going to hand over the phone to someone else. Then, over that phone, I heard a voice, the one with which I have been tethered with love and piety – it was Janakiamma. She asked me to come over there and I set out to Dr.Sreekumar’s apartment as if drifting.”

A unique liaison was being created there in that apartment. The legendry singer sang for her devoted adherent his favorite songs, she started making calls to his home down in Kerala, chatting with his mother Radhamani who gave lips to her songs when Abhilash was in the cradle….Abhilash grabbed all the freedom a mother gives her son, from that skylark of South India. She prepared feasts with boiled rice for her son from Kerala, brushing aside her routine raw rice. He made frequent visits to her home in Chennai.

Once when such a feast was going on in the simply decked dining room in Janakiamma’s home, Abhilash got dumb stuck when she extended a ball of rice into his mouth. He then came to know that there is nothing like a mama-hug.

S.Janaki by Abhilash Pudukad

As the Nightingale of South India, S.Janaki hardly needs any introduction. But for Abhilash, S.Janaki is the way and destination. From the lips of his mom, through the old Sanyo tape-recorder, the way leads to a grand collection of CDs with S.Janaki’s hits decorating his newly built home. at Pudukkadu. Anyone from anywhere can ask for any filmy or non-filmy song of S.Janaki —  Abhilash is ready to give the same. Now, if S.Janaki sings a song, the cassette or CD reaches Abhilash even before it gets to the singer!!

.While talking about S.Janaki, a quiet Abhilash becomes eloquent:

S.Janaki, can be equated with Cleopatra as far as her music life is concerned.  “Age cannot wither her..nor custom stale her infinite variety…”. The evergreen singer is untainted by age, going strong and still as sweet as honey. She has got any classical training in her life. But, while listen to her singing seven ‘swaras’ with variant shades of ‘raagas’, one cannot simply believe this fact. Then if you make a call , you can hear her wheezing over the phone. Still she casually records her breathless ‘charanams’ merging into ‘pallavi’ sans any deviation from ‘shruthi’. If asked she would reply,” it’s not me; it’s Lord Krishna who sings it as you hear”.

She has been the favorite singer of M.B.Sreenivasan. M.B.S. has really ‘exploited’ her gifted voice in order to render an ethereal beauty to his songs. When Janakiamma sings for M.B.S. that song becomes endeared to everybody. With Baburaj Master also she was quiet comfortable.

Earlier Devarajan Master, the musical maestro of Malayalam, had criticized her for her voice. But in his last days he opened up  to the media :” In my musical life I had been confronted with umpteen musical personalities But out of that many, only 3 persons are really worthy to note – the first one is S.Janaki, next two are M.B.S. and S.P.Balasubramaniam..”.

Now, Abhilash is under two noteworthy missions pertaining to his Janakiamma. One is a book on S.Janaki, her life, her songs and her experiences with every song she blew life into. The second one is a Tamil Album titled ‘namma ayyappa’, of Ayyappa Devotional songs.

A song in that album by S.Janaki is based on a theme by Abhilash. “It is a lullaby written by the renowned Tamil lyricist Mr.Sada. It is my wish to make it play regularly at Sabarimala after the ‘Harivaraasanam’(a routine soothing song by Dr.K.J.Yesudas,to make the Lord sleep after every day’s pooja). This particular song is visualized as a child-less grandma singing to Baby Ayyappa. Discussions with the Devaswam Board (Temple authority) are under progress. If they agree for the same, I think it would be the greatest gift the State of Kerala can give away to a singer who has sung for its 3 generations”, winks a positive Abhilash.

Over a Padma Award?

Next thing a son has to do is to bring his home-bound mom into the limelight again. His hushed voice rises up when he talks about the ignorance and negligence, the aesthetically high Indians rendered to his gifted mom. “See, umpteen Padma Awards are being given to various known and unknown personalities across the nation each year. I am not a person to scrutinize its relevance or authenticity. But Jankaiamma hasn’t been nominated for a Padma Award unto date. She is all deserved to win such a title…”

It has been for 55 years, we started hearing the euphonic voice of S.Janaki. She has sung more than 27,000 songs in 18 various languages. With her magical voice generations shared their feels whether in joy or in sorrow. Especially for South Indians she sang for their being, stirred them with romance and nostalgia, and soothed their wounds with her mellifluous voice. Her voice became the voice of love and romance. At nights her fairy songs seduced us, charmed the youth, tempted the senses….She has been feasted the music lovers with her multi-farious voice modulations. For decades she has been mesmerizing us with her melodious renderings of lyrics whether meaty or skin-deep ……..Her range of singing spreads over the music-terrains encompassing pious, romantic, off-colored, rebellious, melancholic, comic, philosophical, fast, melodic, soothing and so on.. When she sings with the same style giving lips to a little child, its mother and grandmother simultaneously we bow to that unparallel talent which hypnotizes our conscience.

When Abhilash starts spilling over his Janakiamma’s reaches that bear all the rights to win a Padma Award, there won’t have any counter-claim with us. As such he made a written memorandum requesting the Central Government to consider S.janaki for a Padma Award. Wandering across the State of Sharjah he collected more than 1000 signatures. Those who signed in the memorandum included music whiz Shareth and singers like Madhu Balakrishnan, G.Venugopal, Devanand, Sayanora, Franco and various other film personalities other than the generations whose cradles were rocked by  S.Janaki’s songs.

Once when Mr.M.A.Baby, the Cultural Affairs Minister of Kerala visited Sharjah, Abhilash got the chance to submit this memorandum to him. “On going through the memorandum the Minster assured me that this time the first name recommended by the State would be of Ms.Janaki. But when the list of the names came out there was not even a mentioning of Janakiamma…” Abhilash remarked with chips down.

“But one day, I came to know that in a TV channel interview the Minister himself had expressed his regret on this issue. However, I pursued with the mission. Now I am in a run to knock all the doors of related authorities including the Prime Minsiter and the President with the same request again and again. But what amazes me  is that every one I approach asks me with wonder “Hadn’t she got any Padma Award yet?”. See, Janakiamma deserves it, that is why people reacts like this..” says Abhilash.

At the same time S. Janaki is sitting quiet at her home in Chennai unaware of her son’s ongoing ‘mischief’. When asked about S.Janaki’s reaction on this issue, Abhilash put his finger on the lips “Please, don’t say anything about this to Janakiamma.. She will kick me off.”

But the last time when he met S.Janaki, it was a tear-jerking milieu. Abhilash was leaving for Bahrain. After the lunch, Abhilash indirectly flung a question “What do you say about getting a Padma Bhooshan or Padma vibhooshan ?”.

Patting on his head she replied. “You are my precious jewel.. My fans across the nation are my pearls and diamonds..Then, why should I need any other ‘bhooshan’? I’m contented.”

(bhooshan and vibhooshan are Sanskrit words connoting ornaments)

For the last one year ‘Daddy Mommy veetil illai, thada poda aarumillai’,[meaning No one is here right at home including Daddy and Mummy to wedge us (from?)], had been the signet- song of the South Indian teens. But recently, ‘Mummy’ has slipped out of the mere ‘thada podal’ (to block) mission to some more broad spectrum, over the Kerala end. Yes, after the release of “Mommy and Me’, a Malyalam movie, portraying the factual routines of a present day nuclear family, at least some of them have begun to brood over their moms as just more than one who is blocking them from this and that.

Malluwood–From ‘topless’ to realistic and academic

Malayalam film industry had been wailing over its miseries as affected badly by the spread of umpteen satellite channels and film piracy since the latter’s emergence. Recently, it began to hit the headlines with the over- politicizing of the given democratic and constitutional freedom by fanning their own dirty linens.

Flayed as ‘topless’ in the early 70’s Malayalam cinema had been brushed aside until the bombastic entrance of the stalwarts like I.V.Sasi, Bharathan and  Padmarajan. By narrowing the gap between art and commercial banners they seamlessly integrated the seriousness of the parallel and popular tracks of mainstream cinema. But the way that they paved when trailed off for the stars and superstars instead of artists, the very constellation itself has marred. Moulds were remolded to befit the hero-centered and super-human screen images. The ever-appeasing media became chaotic even when the veterans atop like Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Shaji.N.Karun, the conjurers like Sathyan Anthikadu, Kamal, Fazil, Siby Malayil and the comprehensive Jayaraj take their fleet.

But in 2005 Malayalam Cinema has resurrected with the endeavors of some fervent talents like Lal Jose, Roshan Andrews and Blessy. Scenarists like Sreenivasan told, retold and riveted the fact that cinema is the brain child of the director and never of the ‘star’. The empathetic and aesthetic Malayali learned the way a cinema is being carved out. But in the torrents of ‘item dances’ aired through the innumerable channels created a parallel track through the generations coming up. It made the ‘remakes’ and ‘dubs’ abuzz the aesthetic Kerala terrain. This dangerously lenient attitude plus the ‘backbitings’ turned the scenario all the more messed up.

In search of an artist

When it was pecking with some resolute challenges from Ranjith and Madhupal, entered a hushed Jeethu Joseph, with a euphony that tintinnabulates in every home where love makes the glue-factor. Nothing to boast with except that of the very diverse and dynamic movements of his team as a whole, ‘Mummy & Me’ came re-defining the eternal ‘mamma mia’ bond, complimenting to the fast-track core of today.

“I have been pondering over this theme for the last 3-4 years.” Says a jubilant Jeethu as quiet as his first venture ‘Detective’ pulled the audience to the edge of their seat. He narrated his years-long search for the cast and a sensible producer. It illustrated how the image-oriented stardom ruins the caliber of the artist and leaves the potentials untapped.

“I approached several heroines of the industry to do the role which Urvashi did, but no one was ready to be essayed as a teen’s mom.  Some of them remarked that if it is a 4 or 5 year child, it would be okay. At that time, Urvashi had been caught in the bracket of ‘Achuvinte Amma’ (a golden hit from Sathyan Anthikkadu). So, I never even thought of approaching her again with a character of a grown-up girl’s mother, even though this one is apparently different. But finally, it came to be Urvashi’s and it has proved the best choice.” remarked the contented film maker.

The more amazing thing is that when the Superstardom of Malayalam Film arena is being tethered to the tree-rounding with teens, Mukesh, the handsome ‘buster’ of the Malyalam screen was getting into the shoes of a father, that too of that ‘me’ of teens!! But Jeethu says :’ “ It was Mr.Mukesh who asked me at a time, when I was downtrodden of the search, about this particular project. In fact, he himself wanted to be a part of this one. He was that much attracted to the theme..”

We need not approach a piece of art with much prejudice. It comes and projects as it may. But when the usual oddments, having no signal of any news-concept, novelty, or anything ethereal when get exalted by the goodwill, we can call it an art. If so, this tell-a-tale of a common nuclear family is an aesthetically appeasable piece of art– in cinematic lingo, a box-office hit.

Yes, ‘Mommy&Me’ is being celebrated all over the A – class theatres in Kerala, with all the zeal and fervor from the family audience. After a long time, we see the depressed ones return from the serpent queues of the Cinema houses without  a ticket to get into.

Concept

The scenarist and director Jeethu Joseph, here tells the tale of a nuclear family with a Bank Manger father (Mukesh), a home-maker mom (Urvashi) and their two children. The story revolves round the combats between the mother and the teenaged daughter Jewel (Archana Kavi),. Those combats may be equated with the combats between generations, outlooks, values, and so on and so forth. The very word “Generation gap’ itself became a cliché out of redundant repetitions and inculcations. But the fact that such a thing is there since the Alpha and unto the Omega. ‘Mummy &Me’ rivets that fact once again, even though how much educated and socially indulged the persons are.

As the scenarist himself states in this film, Mukesh’s role is that of a referee, to tide over the combats in his usual ‘meek and humble’ style so as to retain the peace but always ends up in trouble. But at times, it relieves for awhile when the fourth one, the son Jokkuttan (Jeevan) enters the frame to add fuel (and also laughter to the audience).

Like today’s majority of home-bound girls, Jewel, a well-pampered and spoilt-brat, longs for an orphan-hood – to relieve from the bonds of love and over-care her mom showers on her. She introduces her mom to us as her ‘main foe’. In more than 10 frames in the movie, we see her complaining to her father about her mom’s behavior. When the father takes a ‘castling’ move, she once blasts out at him “Are you hen-pecked?”

Parallel to this family we see another one, with Rahul(Kunchacko Boban) as the only son and Lalu Alex and yesteryear-actor Shari as his parents. There also we inadvertently meet a father-son combo always lock horns with the mother in a thinned way. Lalu Alex and Mukesh being childhood friends, their family also follow the same friendship in the posh way in club-meets and night-outs as well as in deep-heart. And the onus of local guardianship of the ‘eccentric’ Jewel naturally falls on the shoulders of Rahul who studies in the same college where his mother is a Professor. All these inter-linked bonds play vital roles in the swift movement of the story-line.

As any girl of this age, Jewel also is pertinent to get a cell phone and a PC and the over-caring mom never permits it fearing its dire aftermaths. So she finds way to have it, in her own ways and the mom (Dad also) kneels down before her cocksure inferences. The director wants us to know at this context that Jewel is apparently ignorant towards their love and care or she simply exploits it to procure her needs.

Thus computer and the vast Web world come to her study from the internet café where she had been a frequent visitor. There she finds a chat-friend (nothing new today) who then takes the rein of the story there after. Her longing for an ‘unbound life’, here finds solace only to maintain equilibrium in the story line with Ameer , apparently an orphan.

Casting

Though worn out of long hunts, Jeethu Joseph has shown that casting is also an art in the close-shot of a film maker.

Urvashi again and again proves that she is unparallel in the industry. One cannot imagine any other heroine in the South Indian cinema would essay the role of Clara, so emotionally involved, as Urvashi did. Mukesh, the Peter Pan and the romantic-comedian, as installed in the Malayali hearts stands hand-in-hand with Urvashi, with whom comedy is no more a tool, but a way. Even at the tense moments, such snippets make the audience burst into laughter. Master Jeevan is an icing on this cake. With all the dissonances between her sister and mom, he makes himself an in-home entertainment; by the naughty peeps and loud soliloquies and of course with the chicken legs. Along with the unbeatable combo of Mukesh-Urvashi, Jeevan goes well stuck. Archana Kavi could somehow  manage to get out of the ‘Kunjimaalu- snare’, but makes the audience peep out for some one else.

Even in his short-numbered appearances, Lalu Alex excels as usual with all the solid affection and friendship a father carries on with his son. He himself has proved unabated in such roles in Paadheyam, Niram etc. with the winsome father-image. Kunchako Boban again put himself in the shoes of a college boy, who bears a matured head on his shoulders. Taking off his mustache, he subdues to the role as well. An unseen thread of romance radiates whenever he meets with Jewel, the ‘me’. As such songs and song-sequences were visualized by dissecting the camera magic of veteran Vipin Mohan. The salubrious locale’s energy passes straight into the audience with the unadulterated visuals.

Compromising with the trends, abundance of songs protrudes out of this good cinema as a mere add-on at times. Though seem to be misfit to this particular structure, songs can be counted as above average.

Climax of the movie is really a kind of ‘take-off’ for the spectators, as it invariably changes its pace for this otherwise friction-less drift.

Director’s cinema

What makes ‘Mummy &Me’ a jubilant hit when other theatres with star-buzzed hoardings lay silent, is a fact that it is a director’s movie. The way he handles his own script never looses out of his fingers, but drifts along with the same pace thrusting the realistic touch to the core issue.. He not only tells the story but, chops a routine episode out of the current social fabric also to retell it to the same society where it happens. As it mirrors all the scars and black-heads, we search for the needles after  introspection.

Though socially committed, there is no lecturing from the film maker’s side, but he simply lets the onus to the unseen chat-friend, who empowers over the whole text. Not only have the characters of the cinema, but the whole audience come under his spell thence forth. Anoop Menon, the Psychologist also shares this pack. Once drenched, etching of some messages and concepts becomes easy and finally we come to a conclusion that, this movie carries a good message to the parents as well as the growing children, after getting out of the cinema house.

By making each mother turns back to her travails and ‘good old days’ with her all-obedient baby, and making each teen to rewind his/her short past whilst moving forward, Jeethu Joseph has succeeded in making ripples in the Malyalam film industry without any showbiz. But he dedicates the whole fabulous accolades he receives every day to the Producer of the movie, Mr.Joy Thomas Sakthikulangara, saying, “If such a person was not there to take over this project (sans any superstar wave) as a challenge, this cinema would not have happened..”.

So, let us also thank him for this intellectual take on.