MOTHER TERESA...........HUMANITARIAN

"DO NOT WAIT FOR LEADERS, DO IT ALONE; PERSON TO PERSON"

worked among poorest of the poor in the slums of calcutta, providing food for the needy,

operating hospitals, schools, orphanages and shelters for the lepers and the dying poor..

YES....

In 1979 world hounoured AGNES GONXHA BOJAXHIU with NOBEL PEACE PRIZE..

her own order, "MISSIONARIES of CHARITY", loved and cared those persons nobody was prepared to look after.

In 1985, wen I was a pre-degree(there is no +2 in Kerala syllabus) student, was at Kodai with my friend Manzoor ,whose native place was Kumily... an unexpected short tour from his home... Now , I remember the board of Mother Teresa Women's University , seen in the hill station.

On the way from Trivandrum to Chennai

as a break from the monotounous TRIVANDRUM life,,,, home(Nishi n aachi)--skool(nanthencode, pattom)---secretariat----home, again on next day to....skool, office...

to make the matter more interesting , both BIJUKUTTAN n JAFAR (we some times out of affection call him ARAFAT),, were also available and V decided to go to KALIGHAT, GANGTOK, GAUHATI, SHILLONG, N MUMBAI availing a week long leave together with ONAM holidays..

2 months after planning the trip.. our first day of 2 weeks journey started on Aug 28 in Chennai Mail.. no, in No:20 Madras Mail , my beleif is that Mammootty n Mohanlal for the first time, together in this Joshi film ...also starring skool mate of my wife.

train journey is too long but it's a good experience..U get 2 meet some interesting persons.

KUTTAN like media men , with a scribbling pad, busy preparing for that day's channel news... exchanged some views, on Pay Revision, Promotion and Lavalin with fellow passengers... they , 3 or 4 were to Madras to attend the marriage of a relative. Heated argument between JAFAR n KUTTAN on pay revision followed.

thanks to Mrs.Jaferikka, a fine dinner (Pathiri or Oratty, Vaala Fry, meen Curry)..

next morning at 7.30 WE reached Chennai central... KUTTAN n ME familiar here as this is our third trip to the land of Kodambakkam..

after short fresh up in a hotel,, and 2 idlys.. in the cheapest mode of travel to the airport.. suburban electric train... just walk through the sub way (to cross the road) from Chennai central rly stn to Park Street Suburban Stn... only 6 rupees..

park street to Tirusoolam... covering, Egmore, Guindy, Kodambakkam, Meenambakkam,

just opposite is the Kamaraj Domestic terminal...

PETTIYUM THOOKKI 3 PERUM KOODI OTTA NATARAJ TRAVELS...

ENGANEYUNDU.

New set up at DARJEELING... releif for me, jafer n biju

On August 11, 2009 a tripartite talks between Govt:Of India, Govt: of West Bengal, and representatives of Gorkha Janmukthi Morcha decided to set up a New administrative framework replacing 1988

Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.

a FORWARD MOVEMENT towards creation of a GORKHALAND STATE...

we wish to go to darjeeling during this Onam vacations.....

we were worried about the indefinite strike and other road blocks held there for some days now...

may b intensified stir started 22 months back.

now it is beleived that peace will prevail there for some time ...

AUNG SAN SUU KI... pride of Burmese

The ' Junta ' government at Yangon has again sent Suu Ki, the symbol of democracy in Myanmar and Nobel Peace Prize winner, for house arrest for another 18 months,

without hearing cry from all over the world .

This, after a court room drama , commutting 3 year imprisonment ordered just few seconds ago.

She was under house arrest for a long period of 18 years since 1990 . Though her movement for democracy, NLD(National League for Democracy) won the fair elections held in 1990, she was not allowed to form the Government.

let us condemn this reprehensible abuse of power......

demand immediate and unconditional release of Suu Ki....

AJMER and PUSHKAR

AJMER …….. is a popular pilgrimage centre famous for Dargah Sharif-tomb of Sufi saint Gareeb Nawaz Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti( R. A.).,, for the second time I was there on Nov 5, 2007 . First time in 2005 February with Nish, Aash, milan, mum n Dad.

PUSHKAR is near Ajmer, 14 kms, and is is one of the five sacred dhams (pilgrimage sites for devout Hindus.) is also famous for Pushkar Lake and annual Camel Fair.

LAKSHADWEEP... it's CELEBRATION time.

JUST RELAXED N ENJOYED

wen it is heard that BIJUKKUTTAN n SHINE with me in the Islands

being in the company of them, a READYMADE, CUSTOM MADE team..

a team/gang well trained to give any trip.. official or private...

a FESTIVE touch

but I have little grief in having left out JAFAR n CHETTIAR.

"TATA" .... neeyokke poyi pani noakkedey...

after reaching Kochi by 9 in the evening on 11 April...

Shine, Nandan, Bijukkuttan n me also picked up Ashokji to have a midnight "KARAKKAM"

through the M G Road.. had some thattu porotta n chicken ...

From Lakshadweep Guest House at Kochi to Lakshadweep Islands on 12 April 2009.

leaving worries(of office and not of home... my NISHI may read this) at TVPM

M.V.KAVARATTI was at Kochi Sea port welcoming us ...

SHINE n me in a 2 bed deluxe cabin..

Bijukkuttan , Nandan n Vinod in a nearby one

VISRUTHAN was also with us to share our HAPPINESS

404 kms to kavaratti... by 6 am on 13th, we landed at Kavaratti....

Mr.Kassim of Election Dept was there to welcome us.

cycle kadam vaangi oru karakkam.... theernnu kavaratti ...ini onnum kaananilla

then a glass boat ride to c the corals in the lagoon... a half hour trip ... memorable one..

because of this I can c how an expert in swimming ( a native of a seashore village in kerala ... KADALINTE MAKAN... ie s/o the SEA) feared wen propellor of the boat got rouble with a plastic sack .

14, 15.... alanju thirinju ennu parayam...

election on 16 April... heavy turnout...

on 17 April,, at around 6 pm we boarded M.V. TIPU SULTAN... to Minicoy...

Nandan, Joseph n Salim Rawther welcomed us with a special drink

SALIM n MAJEED also with Govt:Diary in the hand ...scripting election n tour details...

a NIGHT full of JOY ..

our CABIN was the controll room for all ...,

Sectt Assn, Sectt Employees Assn, Hindu, Christian n Muslim fellows

by 6 a m on 18 April at Minicoy...

Ismail Kunju n Sreekumarji welcomed us with Tuna fishes ....

PAAVANGAL

without return ticket to the main land and even formal dresses ...

they just only returned after Scuba Diving n Kayak

hence in a bermuda and even without a "banyan"

Minicoy light house and lagoons... BEAUTIFUL

HOT STRIKED ITS BEST

by 2 pm in a boat to board the ship .... may b a 40 degree celsius NOON..

a batch of hapless 200 people in a boat having maximum capacity of 60 or 80

Finally we all reached Kochi around 3 pm on 19 April ....

SAFELY sailing through the SEA...

H.H,.DALAILAMA n his DHARMASHALA

Nandakumaran Sir , Sukhi Sir and me ....

Old Delhi to Pathankot by Dauladhar express ..a night journey...

by morning at Pathankot in Punjab.. a travelhub to Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal pradesh .

by road to Dharamshala ....in the Kangra Valley between Shivalik Hills and Dhauladhars –

around1 pm we reached McLeod Ganj called “The Little Lhasa”.

hired a taxi and visited St. john church built with stone .... the shade of deodar branches, a memorial to Lord Elgin, British Viceroy of India.....

Dal Lake 2 or 3 kms away .... a spot surrounded by forests and a Shiva Temple nearby....

Dalai's head qrs... the Tibetan Govt: in exile is here. also a large tibetan community presence..

night stay at palmpur town...

Baijnath ancient temple, also dedicated to Shiva ...and Bir monastry... long bus journey covering entire after noon ....

again a night journey in train from Una Himachal to Dilli...

@MUTHANGA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

It is history now. February 19, 2003: the day when about 500 armed police personnel suppressed the genuine cause of the weak and the marginalised. State mercilessly went on a rampage on the tribals at Muthanga leading to the death of one Adivasi and a policeman.

lots have changed......

later on Sep 2, 2007 ...onam... I am here with my wife n mol (Nish n Aash) to watch freely roaming wild elephants and deers. monkeys, birds etc also can be seen. . a drive through the road in the sanctuary in a jeep... suddenly two elephants appeared from in the jungle ... with or without fear... jeep suddenly breaked down. .... it was a terific journey I went through..!

TIRUNELLY TEMPLE in WYNAD

WE 3 b'fore the famous TIRUNELLY TEMPLE. ..... known as 'Thekkan Kasi'

It is believed, that a dip in the river Papanasini, near this temple, wipes one off all sins.

thanks to fathu n sabitha v 3 here on 2007 sep 2 .. onam holidays...

SULTANPUR n NEELGAIs

It was wednesday or thursday during March 2008

at abt 11.30 after our tea break, Dinker asked me to accompany him to New delhi airport to drop arelative.. he is my lone friend having car and living @dilli... surprise...

wen I c that our sajeevettan was also there... I invited our own n evergreen hero Bip with us ... airport duty OK ... started raining ....hunger .. also thirsty

just bought 1 or 2 kgs of Lichi ...what to do with this... where to have our lunch...

suddenly a sign board come to our view ... SULTANPUR BIRD SANCTUARY..25 Kms

v 4 people.. have car... just go .. STARTED

it took morethan one hour to reach there....

surely this a weekend getaway destinatin near delhi..

was watch tower 2 c migratory birds.. said, every yr >100 migratory birds arriving here... but can c only 5 ( peacock n 4 of us)

leisurely 3 hours to take full round of sanctuary on foot.. glance of Neelgai(Blue Bull) and Black Buck

Haryana Tourism ka Beer parlour was there inviting our esteemed presence... not to disappoint them.... we had noodles and/or chicken .... also lite Kattan Chaya,,,u may call it Zingaro... then...?

de SURPRISE JOURNEY ended by around 8 pm at kerala house.

Kashmir Vacation .... Srinagar

With Bip n Mukund, my classic Kashmir vacation included stay aboard lake side houseboat, sightseeing to 16th. century Moghul gardens and mountian resort of Gulmarg, visit to Hazratbal Mosque and old city Srinagar.

Enjoyed adventurously a holiday of a lifetime.

Srinagar is famed for its Mughal Gardens, Shalimar Gardens(Jehangir made 4 his wife), Shikara ride on the Dal Lake , Nishat Garden, Chashma Shahi(named because of a mountain spring that waters it), etc.

BUT V CAN'T C KASHMIRI GIRLS

GULMARG's SNOW COVERED SLOPES...!

It seems our prayers have been answered!.........

Bip, Mukund n me now at the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, some 55 kilometers from Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir. it takes two hours drive from Srinagar to reach Gulmarg . A fourday trip to Kashmir during winter month of Janauary, 2008 ..

Gulmarg experienced about 1 feet of snowfall,

GANDOLA .... the cabin car or v can say rope way... wil drive us abt 15 kms from Gulmarg to a top n highest place covered fully with snow, I can't remember the place. The posts carrying Gandola looks like 110 KV electric line from Edamon to Maadakkathara going in Kerala.

mumbai.... aamchi mumbai

TERROR STRIKES AGAIN : Hotel Taj Mahal, Mumbai being burnt due to bombings and firings on the late wednesday night of 26th November 2008...... wen heard abt this on Channels went to old memories with my freiends, Bijukkuttan, jafer, saju peter(v call him pathru) n praveen .....

K E R A L A H O U S E , M U M B A I

The news, about the opening of Kerala House in Bombay, during 9/06 brought cheers n gr8 expectation. With friends, Jafer, Bijukkuttan, Saju Peter n Praveen, I visited the place, located near Vashi Railway Station, a prominent locality of our commercial capital, MUMBAI.

The front side of the Kerala House is very well kept and attractive.
But there is no one to look after it. The 5 Crore Palace is not properly looked into.
Is there any one to hear?

A G A S T H Y A R K O O D AM

A memorable trek to the Agasthyarkoodam peak, the magnificent peak in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 1890 m '''''.The second highest peak in Kerala.. with my friends Jafer, George, Shafeeq, Deepu

munnar with neighbours

a trip to munnar with the members of Ganga Nagar Residents Association... a 2 day trip with my family ..

aachi's arangettam at attukal

Aachi's arngettam ... first public perfomance ...of bharathanatyam .. held on 28th May 2009 (Thursday) in the premises of Attukalm Devi Temple, Trivandrum.

...

I don't know how she performedd the complicated movements.

She was trained under Smt.Kalakshetra Parvathy Shyam at Kerala Kalakshetra, Poojappura.

My AACHUS studied dance for about 3 - 4years , first under Dr.Bobby Krishna and then at Kerala Kalakshetra where Smt.Malavika was also there for a while with Smt.Parvathy Shyam.