Kerala - Kochi
Kalamandalam to stage Koodiyattam

The Bank Employees Arts Movement Ernakulam (BEAME) is bringing to town 'Bhagavadajjukam' Koodiyattam, an interesting play from the repertory of the classical Sanskrit theatre of Kerala performed by the troupe of Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy.

The play, believed to be written sometime between A.D. 5th and A.D. 6th centuries by poet Bodhayana, is a 'Prahasanam' or farce. It deals with the hilarious situations arising out of a yogi's decision to trans-place his mind into the body of a courtesan who died of snakebite. The yogi, accompanied by his disciple Shandilyan, happened to visit a garden for resting in the midst of a journey. Shandilyan, who has no real interest in the ascetic way of life, is distracted by the presence of the courtesan and her maid. Suddenly, the God of Death sends his messenger to take away the courtesan's life. The messenger arrives in the form of a snake and bites her. As the courtesan falls dead, the maid runs away to get help.

At this juncture, Shandilyan prevails upon his guru to revive the beautiful girl at any cost. The guru, who maintains a disinterested air at first, has to take the step in order to convince the disciple of his prowess. With yogic powers, he lets his own soul enter the lifeless body of Vasanthasena, the courtesan.

By the time the maid returns with her mother, Vasanthasena is sitting up as if nothing happens. But she behaves oddly. It is in fact the soul of the guru who is speaking through the courtesan's words. The stunned mother and maid try to bring a physician, but even the physician is ridiculed away by the yogi speaking through the courtesan.

By this time, the messenger of Death returns to the scene. He has committed a mistake. It was another Vasanthasena who was destined to die that day. He is trying to replace the soul into the body of the courtesan, but instead, sees her sitting up and talking like an acetic. Perplexed, he puts the soul into the nearest available body, that of the guru lying inert nearby.

Immediately, he sits up and starts behaving like a courtesan. People are further perplexed, especially Vasanthasena's lover Ramilakan who is astounded with the guru making amorous moves at him.

Finally, the Messenger of Death appears again. Understanding his earlier mistakes, he replaces all the souls to their correct places.

This farce, poking fun at the ways of the world in an unapologetic manner, had been performed within 35 days earlier. Painkulam Rama Chakyar, the master performer who led the revival and modernisation of Koodiyattam in the Sixties, had reduced the performance to three hours, without losing out the essence.

The performers include Kalamandalam Sivan Namboothiri (Yogi), Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar (Shandilyan), Kalamandalam Girija (Vasanthasena), Kalamandalam Sailaja (Parabhrithika, the maid), Kalamandalam Sajitha (Vasanthasena's mother), Kalamandalam Sangeeth (Yamadoota) and others. Kalamandalam Easwaranunni, Kalamandalam Achuthanandan, Kalamandalam Sajith and Kalamandalam Vijayan will provide accompaniment on mizhavu, with Kalamandalam Balasundaran on Edakka. Kalamandalam (Margi) Sathi, Kalamandalam Prasanna and Divya will provide thalam.

The performance will be held on March 25 at Kerala Fine Arts Hall in the evening.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, March 22, 2006)

Kerala - Kochi
VFPCK launches Sasya Supermarket

Staff Reporter

More such vegetable outlets to be opened in Ernakulam district

KOCHI: Sasya Supermarket, launched by the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK), started functioning at Palarivattom on Monday.

The market was inaugurated by Coconut Board chairperson Mini Mathew, by making the first sale to the television serial actor E.A. Rajendran. VFPCK chief executive officer Ashok Kumar Thekkan was present. Farmers and representatives of VFPCK outlets in different parts of the district also participated.

Nearly 70 varieties of vegetables and fruits were put on sale at the market on the first day of functioning.

A juice counter will also start functioning within a couple of days.

The VFPCK plans to open more such supermarkets in different parts of the district.
Vegetables and fruits will be available at rates 20 per cent less than that at the local market here.

Only fresh produce will be sold, according to Mr. Thekkan.

The supermarket is expected to provide support for local farmers of fruits and vegetables.
(The Hindu - March 21, 2006)

Kerala - Kochi
Kalamassery residents to block movement of trains

Staff Reporter
People demand development of railway station

KOCHI: Residents of Kalamassery will block movement of trains on Tuesday, demanding development of the railway station in the township.

The Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur Venad Express, which will arrive at Kalamassery at around 10.30 a.m., will be blocked. The protestors, under the Kalamassery Pourasamithi, will reach the railway station in a rally from Premier Junction.

According to pourasamithi office-bearers, Southern Railway is overlooking the needs of Kalamassery.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, they said that the picketing was being organised, as repeated pleas for the development of the station were being neglected.

They said the organisation had been demanding that long-haul trains be allowed stops at the station, as the township was developing fast. Alupuram Zakeer, one among the office-bearers, said Kalamassery was fast becoming an education centre, apart from being an industrial centre.

A number of higher educational institutions, such as the Cochin University of Science and Education, Kochi Cooperative Medical College, Model Engineering College, Rajagiri college, School of Communication and Management Studies, St. Paul's College, an industrial training institute and a polytechnic, were located in Kalamassery. The students in these institutions, as well as employees in factories and industrial units, now had to alight at Ernakulam and, then, reach the township by road.

The office-bearers said Kalamassery should be developed as a satellite city of Kochi, to facilitate further development of the latter.

They wanted comprehensive development of Kochi through Kalamassery.

Mr. Zakeer said the pourasamithi was also demanding a railway line connecting Aluva and Kalamassery to Thripunithura, without touching Ernakulam, so that rail traffic to the two stations in the city could be reduced.

The pourasamithi submitted a memorandum to Southern Railway officials last year. Another memorandum had been submitted to Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad.

The organisation had also staged a dharna in front of Southern Railway Area Manager's office at Ernakulam.

(The Hindu, March 21, 2006)

Kerala - Kochi

Of women and nature

Mini Prakash is a late entrant into the world of art. An ordinary homemaker hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, Ms. Prakash had been living in Ernakulam since 1993. Though she had kept a love for painting and drawing from young days, she had not been able to obtain any academic education or formal training.

Her forays into the world of colours started only a couple of year ago, as the children grew up. Finding time amidst the household chores, she started trying out to draw and paint using oil colours. "I was really working through trial and error method," she says.

Prompted by the suggestion of friends, Ms. Prakash held her first solo show titled 'Soul Celebrations' at Durbar Hall Art Centre in 2001. "I learnt a lot from the mistakes I committed during that show," she says.

The second show titled `Reveries' began at Durbar Hall Art Centre on Saturday. She painted mainly images of women, with nature. There are plants, water lilies and lotuses. She is strongly attracted by the myths and legends. "I was fascinated by the stories of Vikramaditya and the stories from the Aithihyamala," she says.

Ms. Prakash is interested in further expanding her knowledge of art. The show will conclude on Monday.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, March 20, 2006)

VFPCK plans chain of supermarkets

Staff Reporter
Farm-fresh vegetables to be sold at 20 per cent discount

KOCHI: The Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council Kerala (VFPCK) is opening a chain of supermarkets for marketing farm-fresh vegetables at a rate of up to 20 per cent discount from the common market prices. The first one of the Sasya Super Markets will be opened at Palarivattom on Monday by Mini Mathew, chairperson of Coconut Development Board.

VFPCK chief executive officer Ashok Kumar Thekkan said that the Sasya Super Markets aim to provide a much-needed marketing infrastructure at the local level for the vegetable and fruit farmers. The market will have both organic and ordinary vegetables.

The market at Palarivattom has an area of about 1,200 square feet. It was furnished at a cost of around Rs. 3 lakhs. The market will have fully automated billing system, said Mr. Thekkan.

As the next stage, the VFPCK plans to open 50 franchisees of the Sasya Super Market in the district. The new outlets will be opened within one month.

In order to ensure the freshness of the vegetables, the leftovers will be disposed of every day.
(The Hindu, March 19, 2006)