RULES thrown to winds

CM deadline on student safety passes, without any action... By Faris Arakkal Most private vehicles ferrying students in the city have been found to be neglecting safety norms. Vehicles overcrowded with students are a regular sight. The stipulation that school bus drivers should have a minimum experience of 10 years and of 35 years of age are not followed. And, of course, no vehicle maintains the speed limit (under 40km per hour). "Most drivers haven't submitted their details to the school concerned yet," says the head mistress of a private school in the city. Ironically enough, the deadline set by the chief minister in the Assembly in this regard has already passed (on October 15). He had set the deadline while responding to a call-attention motion on poor safety of school buses. A meeting of headmasters and the district education officer was held in the city on October 18, notifying schools on the various measures to be taken to ensure safety of students. DEO PT George now says there must have been "a communication gap which resulted in the CM's decision being communicated to the authorities here." And nobody in the officialdom here is aware of the directive from the minister concerned to all station house officers to regularly convene meetings of school principals and SHOs of the city on the issue! The last such meeting was held before the schools had opened, says another head mistress. School authorities blame parents for the poor safety "as they force drivers to take maximum number of children in the vehicle". Worse, the drivers plead helplessness as maintaining a speed of less than 40km "is not practical". After the meeting with the DEO, schools have started collecting information on how many students take the buses/school vans. The DEO has asked each school to submit a report as soon as possible. Meanwhile, posters threatening to stage protests against the authorities' negligence on the issue have started appearing on school walls.

Watch out! Shadow police around by Faris Arakkal

You cannot trust your own shadow but you can trust the shadow police. Around 40 cases of robberies, assaults and ganja sales have been registered within four months. The shadow police was an idea conceived by city police commissioner P Vijayan. The commissioner has given complete freedom to the cops and a vehicle has also been provided. They are making it up to the expectations. The arrest of a group of gangsters by the shadow police from the Sathyamangalam forest had made the headlines. The team comprising experienced police officers from different squads is a 24/7 wing. They used to have a weekly meetings to review their operations. They are based in the West police station. Sources said that about 70% of the operations are carried out with the help of informers. Suvratha Kumar, a member of the team, said that the name 'shadow police' is to remind the fact that they will be present in every nook and corner of the city to nab criminals. The shadow police have effectively checked the ganja business in the city. Around 30 ganja cases have been registered by the team. The cops in the battalion are well aware of the modus operandi of robbers and it will help them nab culprits easily. Women are not aliens to the criminal activities. The shadow police have booked a woman who has been charged in connection with around 12 cases of ganja sale in the city. Seizure of 1,502 ampules and 50 packets of ganja from an autorickshaw and cracking gold robbery cases are their best operations ever. The shadow police include special assistant commissioner MK Gopalakrishnan, West CI A Ramachandran, sub-inspectors Shaiju, Ramesh and Philip Varghese, assistant sub-inspector Davis, senior civil police officers Ansar Muhammed Rafi, Suvratha Kumar, Biju, Rafi and Krishnakumar, civil police officers Gopalakrishnan, Ullas and Pazhani.

A project wasted
staff reporter


Wheel barrows dumped at Ayyanthole zonal office of the corporation are getting rust

Around 100 wheel barrows remain unused at Ayyanthole zonal office of the corporation which were bought under Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) for waste disposal.
The wheel barrows were introduced for Kudumbasree units when KSUDP had launched a waste disposal project in 2009 and the Ramky Waste Management Company was entrusted with the work. But the project was dropped following technical problems.
According to the project, waste would be collected from each house using these wheel barrows and segregated at various regional centres. The segregated waste would be sent to respective dumping yards.
Former public works standing committee chairman AM Krishnan admits that lakhs of rupees were spent on buying these wheel barrows alone.
Apart from wheel barrows, there are vehicles, shovels and other equipment left unused at different zonal offices of the corporation.
City Journal had reported of eight Piaggio Apes getting rust in the corporation compound.
Buckets for carrying waste in different size and shape were also found dumped on the terrace of the zonal office.

PEECHI DAM(ned)
Faris Arakkal 


PEECHI DAM, once a favourite tourist hub of the district, is withering fast to oblivion. Lack of basic facilities and increasing number of anti-social activities are now keeping the tourists at bay.

There is no security guard to help the tourists, if needed, and the existing police aid post has been dysfunctional since many days.
This opened up the area for anti-social elements who can walk in after buying a Rs 10 entry ticket. They go into the thickets looking for small hideouts to drink and enjoy.
Absence of police and security guards goad them into do things openly and there are allegations that these anti-social elements use bawdy words and expressions on visiting families.
The areas surrounding the watch tower are extensively used by these anti-socials. Some of them, said to be lovers, indulge in open display of their affection and this is resented by visiting families.
The lone boat meant for use by tourists rests on land, covered with a plastic sheet. Tourists who come dreaming of a boat ride have to continue doing just that: dream.
There is also no provision to meet the basic needs of tourists. A rest room built by District Tourism Council has not yet been opened for use. Women visitors have a hard time.
With warning boards almost rusted, photography is not a matter of concern. That is not a bad thing considering that it is a tourist spot. The staff members do not show up to look after the needs of tourists.
The place also lacks a good restaurant. The only canteen at the entrance has been closed and tourists have to depend on nearby shacks and make do with whatever is available.
When other tourist centres are mended well by the authorities, Peechi suffers from negligence even though it is blessed with verdant hills and meadows and a beautiful water body. Still, it is patronised by hundreds of tourists who love nature.

Churning out

By Faris Arakkal Two hands move in equal pace to carve out a pot from the pure clay coming out of a potter's wheel. The show is being held live at Sangeetha Nataka Akademi as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of Thrissur Doordarshan Kendra. Raman with his magic fingers is making wonders at the Akademi. He moulds a number of patterns in your presence. After a pot is shaped out of clay, he sharpens the edge with a bamboo twig as the wheel continues to rotate. After 10 minutes of artistic demonstration, a pot is born but with no bottom. Raman keeps the pots for drying for a while. It takes a little more skill and utmost concentration thereafter to shape the bottom. Before the moulds are dry, he nurses the sides of the half-shaped pots with finesse. Lo! The bottom is covered. Then, with the help of tools, the pots are polished and given different shapes and designs. In the final phase, he keeps them on the furnace. The process strengthens their holds. Now, the pots are ready to be removed to the kitchen. In between, Thrissur Doordarshan Kendra head officer and controlling officer Dr CK Thomas said, "It's our mission to impart Gandhian ideas of swadesi goods, and such artistic jobs need to be cared for." By now, people have begun gathering around to see pottery, an skilful art under the threat of extinction. Raman left his traditional job of pottery making about two years ago. The reason is scarcity of clay. "It needs pure clay to make pots. Urbanisation is on fast pace, and has left no more fields to dig out pure clay", he said. Raman's parents used to earn their daily bread with the sale of earthern pots. But for Raman finds it difficult to find pure clay. They have to bring the clay from Arangotukara, a far away place and the journey sometimes hazardous too. The natives of Arangotukara do not take lightly of the 'invasion' from outside whether it is for clay or not.

Where are CC cameras?

The much-hyped project to install closed circuit (CC) cameras for surveillance of key junctions in the city is yet to take off. According to the project, with the installation of CC cameras, traffic violators and criminals cannot escape from police. In April, it was reported that 97 PTZ DOME cameras would be installed and eight prime spots were identified for installing them in the first phase of the project. Experts say the cameras are able to pan 90 degrees and can capture each and a very second. The statewide project was initiated three and a half years ago. Government security agencies wanted to implement the project initially in Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode cities, considering heavy traffic and security threats there. Accordingly, the project began in these cities and two phases have already been completed. Keltron is the official partner of the project. Keltron project manager G Gopalakrishnan told City Journal that the project came to a halt as the fund was not released by the authorities. Gopalakrishnan said that a recent theft at a mobile shop in Kozhikode city was easily detected with the help of CC cameras installed at the shop. City police have been entrusted with the implementation of the project using modernisation funds. But Commissioner P Vijayan said that he has to see if the fund has been released. The project is aimed at easing traffic, monitoring and controlling system.

By Faris Arakkal Ravi Raja and Arathy Ravi are back in the city with their canvases at Lalitha Kala Akademi. This time, the father-daughter duo showcased their paintings yesterday, observed as Free Verse Day. A good number of poets turned out with verses to recite at the Akademi. Free Verse Day is an initiative Ravi and his friends have been creating through facebook and now it is being celebrated around the globe. Ravi also released his first book of poetry Jugupsayile Oliporali at a function during the celebrations. While he is not creating poetry through strokes on canvas, Ravi paints with his pen, in the form of poems. Over 30 books were born out of it. His short stories are regularly published in mainstream Malayalam magazines. His graphic novel too made an impression among the readers. Amba Samudhram, and Kuthira are his best works, in his own assay. Arathy, Ravi's daughter is now a geology student at Christ College Irinjalakuda. She is a child prodigy, exhibiting her paintings at the age of 5 at Thrissur and Ernakulum Lalitha Kala Akademi. She had also exhibited her paintings once in Lakshadweep. Arathy took up the brush and started painting abstracts at the age of 2 and the passion grew with her. Now, abstracts are her genre. This time, she has added to the glitter of her father's exhibition by displaying seven paintings by her. While Arathy is fond of abstracts, Ravi's paintings have a presence of green real life. The duo was out of the main stream for some years. Arathy's mother Geethanjali is also into writing. Her book Bitch Goddess was also the attraction of the day.

District Hospital left in the lurch

(Lack of basic facilities, bribery plaguing its

normal functioning)







District Hospital Thrissur in the heart of the city does not have a canteen and a proper toilet for patients but have a lift not always working and a group of corrupt staff)



The lacklustre attitude of the hospital authorities came to light when Varghese TV, a nursing assistant, got his transfer letter from the superintendent for his fight against the neglect.
On September 19, Varghese and a group of his colleagues held a protest making tea in front of the hospital. Soon after the protest was reported in the media, he was transferred to Government Leprosy Hospital Koratty.
When asked about the transfer, DMO of the hospital said that she was not aware of it. However, Varghese told City Journal that the superintendent told him that the transfer letter came from DMO.
There are also allegations of bribery against security staff at the hospital appointed by the hospital management committee.
"Last week, I gave a security guard a hundred rupee note and a half-bottle of liquor. We both consumed the liquor in his office room," said Raju (name changed) whose wife was admitted to the labour ward of the hospital.
Bribery is rampant at the hospital. An old man, who came to the hospital recently, had to spend a night on the veranda for not giving a bribe.
Basic facilities are almost nil at the hospital. For instance, if a patient wants to take urine sample for laboratory test, the patient has to look for a lonely space somewhere on the premises.
Some employees agree that the toilets are in good condition and wonder why it has not been opened for patients?
A canteen still remains a dream for the hospital. People have to go to Swaraj Round for hot water and tea. There was a Milma outlet on the premises, but that too was closed six months ago.
The lift had not been operational. Nursing assistants recently had to carry some patients on their shoulders when the lift went off.
According to the authorities, Rs 80,000 are needed for the lift's repair and the district panchayath office reported insufficient fund for the purpose. But to the su

Thrissurites in Under 22 Kerala Cricket team

Krishna Kumar TV, Jaffar Jamal and Sandheep Warrier are all set to spin and bat for the three practice matches to be played in Sri Lanka. These three cricketers hailing from the Thrissur district have been selected for the Under 22 Kerala Cricket team. They are flying to the emerald island with a kit full of dreams. Two of the three pacers of the Kerala team are from Thrissur. Krishna Kumar is an all-rounder now playing for Apex Cricket Club Thrissur. He was groomed playing at AG's Recreation Club and Thripunithura Cricket Club. His blow with nine wickets in the inter-district matches and also a six-wicket haul in the last inter zone match paved the way to the Kerala team. A second year BCom student at St Thomas College Thrissur, Krishna Kumar had also played for state school cricket tournaments. Jafar Jamal from Kunnamkulam is a hard hitter. He had been to the last season of senior T20 matches. His 15 sixes in 2005 Mathrubhumi Cricket Camp and his fat physique had earned him the name 'Junior Inzamam'. He had played for Octopals Club and Kunnamkulam Cricket Club and currently he is with Swantons Cricket Club Thrissur. He is a student at Sacred Heart's College, Ernakulam. Sandheep Warrier's total 19 wickets in the inter-district and inter zone matches is also another expectation for the state team. His impressive height (6 feet 5 inches) enables him to bowl with maximum pace. He is from Cordiant Cricket Club Ernakulam and pursuing his engineering studies at FISAT Engineering College Angamaly. On Saturday morning, they got a call from the authorities, asking them to prepare for the trip. As there is no cricket association for the district, getting into the state team was not easy. Their efforts and calibre earn them a place in the Kerala team. Cricket lovers of Thrissur are eagerly waiting to see their performance in the island.

Dramatist in khaki

staff reporter

He wrote 28 scripts and directed 128 plays. Two of his plays bagged state school youth festival awards and another a district school youth festival award. These are some of the feather added to the cap of civil police official Vinod Mulankunnathukavu after his body became familiar with the uniform.

Vinod Mulankunnathukavu is now posted at Peramangalam police station. The profile of a civil police official has not deterred him pursuing the bit of the art instilled in him. The passion for theatre was thriving in him from the age of eight. He took the pen for portraying the life as he saw around while he was studying in St Thomas College Thrissur. Soon he found himself entering the world of theatre.
The first recognition for Vinod came in 1994 at the state polytechnic youth festival held in Palakkad. His play Bharathavakyam was selected best of the fest. That was blast-off. Chances began knocking at his door.
Plays written by him bagged prizes at schools and colleges during competitions around the state.
That was the time he started writing plays out of ONV Kurup's poem Amma and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's Shabdhangal. Both won prizes in different festivals. Many of the private schools in the city brought trophies to their showcases by enacting plays penned by him.
The dual roles of playwright and cop have never caused to raise an eyebrow during the last 14 years. After a hectic night shift when many choose to doze off in the next morning, Vinod would throw himself into the world of theatre.
Vinod has tamed plays in Sanskrit and Hindi too. Santhosh Veerath, Prasanth C Venugopal, Rahulraj, Nitish P Krishna, Praveen Kalarikal and K Kamal lend helping hands for Vinod in his attempt to carve a niche of his own.
Now he is busy grooming students of Vivekodayam Girls Higher

Little angels carry message of charity

NO WAY that they are not to be angels, they are and always will be. 20 kids.no.. 20 angels of the Angels Club, Lourdepuram, had a noble cause to celebrate Onam this year too. They took out a procession Maveliyum Prajayum around the corners of Lourdepuram at East Fort on Thiruvonam day collecting Rs 10,000. They donated the money to the 'Oru Kavil Kanji' programme, an initiative by Jubilee Mission Hospital to feed the poor. Formed in 2006, the club has around 20 members aged between 5 and 15. For five years, they have been fancy dressing as Santaclaus and Maveli during Christmas and Onam for collecting money to poor and bedridden patients. In the last two years, they donated money for kidney patients. This time, they will donate it to the poor. "We follow Devassiatan, who is a mentor and adviser of our club," said club secretary Christin Sunny. A Lourdepuram resident, OK Davassey, currently the treasurer of Thrissur Football Association, fuels up the kids for such a noble cause. They hold meetings at their homes to take decisions on the club activities. Children print and distribute a leaflet before Onam and Christmas. They take out processions in advance to inform the public about their mission. The households are happy to co-operate with them by giving money. "Each family will have at least a hundred rupee note in store for the club," adds Christin. When festivals have been reduced to mere occasions for liquor consumption, the path adopted by these children is praiseworthy. They seem to be the real representatives of the bygone era of Mahabali.

Tigers day out

FACES: The masks of Pulikali put on display by Kottappuram Desam yesterday. (More pictures on P3). Picture by Musthafa MA By Faris Arakkal Today is the day of tigers. They will be let loose and on the prowl in the city even as thousands people, including women and children, will be watching them dancing to the rhythmic drum beats. Dancing colourful pulis at Swaraj Round are a wonderful spectacle every year which is the culmination of the Onam celebrations in the district. The cultural gala is all set to rock the city and people from different parts of the district will throng Swaraj Round to witness the grand event. This year, many well known teams pulled out of the carnival for various reasons, but some new teams turned up after a long gap. In all, eight teams are participating in Pulikali this year with 51 tigers, all set to exhibit the exciting features of their body. Organisers of the event said that pulis will not carry any advertisements during the procession and three vehicles will be allowed for each team to exhibit their tableaux. The corporation this time has increased its grant to Rs 35,000 while the tourism department has offered Rs 50,000 to each team. Strict traffic rules have been imposed in the city prior to pulikali. Yesterday was the day of preparations and exhibitions. Artists and painters were busy giving finishing touches to masks in different shapes and colours. Masks and tiger attires were on display for the public. Pulival Ezhunallipu in which all the eight teams participated took place in the city yesterday marking the proclamation of the event. Yuvajana Sangham Shankarayyar Road is now in the limelight after a gap of 17 years. All the teams were busy erecting tableaux in large lorries yesterday. "We will present a new concept with the tableaux this time," said Sunil, member of Kottapuram Pulikali Club. Stripped, black panther, leopards and pot-bellied are the varieties. An artist paints three-four pulis on an average. "It is the first time that spotlights have been installed at eight places around Swaraj Round. It will brighten the entire event,'' said Pulikali Co-ordination Committee secretary Baby P Antony. Mayilipadam Desam, Poothole Chirakkal Desam, Kaanattukara Desam, Shangaramkulangara Thattakam, Seetharam Mill Lane Pulikali Aghosha Samithi, Kokkalai Desam, Kottapuram Desam and Yuvajana Sangham Shankarayya Road are the participants this year

    WHEN THEY SAID ABOUT ONAM.........................

MY ELSY TEACHER

By Faris Arakkal

When wordless hollowness conquers the mind, when life seems to be a drone monotone, it is a desperate day when you get this sudden notion of a trip. It was one such day. I rode my bike 18 years back to my old school, St Georges Mukkatukara, where I was a kid with all the pranks part of the school bag.Dark clouds were lingering over the sky, but it was not a bother. A few old frames of the school ran in my mind- a noisy mansion, nearby church and frozen classrooms.Like love at first sight, all nostalgia I was. Nothing had changed. The same verandah, same arch, same frozen classrooms. I went inside one of the class rooms; where sudden a teacher stopped me:"Who are you"? Is that a frown or an authoritative query she asked? I answered that I was an old student and was just...just wanted to walk around. She was amused and asked about everything- the year I studied, the division, which teacher and where am I from. But I was lost in thoughts- a boy with shorts and shirts running through the verandah; I was searching for that lost frame in of my old memory disk.The teacher took me to the office. The head mistress scanned me through her bifocal. I told them that I was one of the students of the school years ago and that my father was once the PTA president of the school.She went through the archive and went through the photos. I saw a man wearing a brown Ray-ban. "There is my father!" I exclaimed. As the conversation warmed up, I asked her if there were any old teachers still in the faculty. She asked me to name one, but I could not remember her name who taught me A for Apple, B for Bat. The first hand lessons of my life. All I could remember was her eyes, she had a squint.That helped the head mistress. She instantly answered: "Oh, she is Elsy!"I prayed that my clues do not go wrong. She rang in the peon and enquired if Elsy was there. Yes, Elsy teacher was in the session. As the head mistress nodded in agreement, I almost ran to her class. In-between I was busy trying to reframe her, how she would look now... The attendent took me in to the same class where once I sat with my pals and did all the pranks 18 years ago. LKG B. Some 20-30 kids were having a ball. But my Elsy teacher wasn't there. I heard a kid asking me "are you our new teacher."The peon then searched all around and finally brought the news that Elsy teacher had just left for home. Luckily, she knew where Elsy teacher lived. She told me the name of the place, some 5km apart from the school. The roads in front of me lead to severe confusion. I asked the people I saw on the road for Elsy teacher's home. Finally, a man in a small teashop pointed his hands to a small road diverging to the left. A small house painted yellow with unlined bricks. I called out; but no answer I got. I persisted and then, slowly, an old woman opened the door. She struggled to focus her eyes on me. I asked whether there was someone called Elsy teacher lived there.A lady wearing spectacles came out. "What do you want?" For a second, I was speechless. The frame I was carrying was now filled with an image, my Elsy teacher. I asked her if she could recognise me knowing that she will not. She pondered for a while but as I expected she didn't recognise me.I told her my name, but still could not recollect. I asked if she remembered a naughty rascal in her class, but she did not. Suddenly it came to my mind, my most outrageous prank: breaking her spectacles once. As I narrated it, I could see her eyes brimming with tears...she recognised me, the naughtiest chap of her 18 years back LKG batch. She peered at me, head to toe. In addition, exclaimed to her grandma, "This is my old student faris!" The reel rewound. We discussed almost everything, my score of zeros in every dictation, my parents' worries, peeing in the class, everything. We talked and talked. Then, I asked about her family. She knew what I meant: "I am still alone..."When I was leaving her home with heart that was not quite sure if it wanted to cry or smile, I saw her looking at me with those eyes with the squint that denied her a married life, from inside her house, waving hands. As I turned to the highway, her words haunted me, still resounding in my heart:"I am still alone..." Today, on the Teachers Day, a day reserved for remembering the best teachers we met in our life, here is to you, my Elsy Teacher: thank you for devoting your life for your mother and again moulding me into a disciplined human being.

It's pure honey for money

The shop that sells pure honey in the city. By Faris Arakkal HEARING the word 'honey' is sweet and it is much sweeter to know that a small shop in the city has been selling pure honey for 70 years. The 'beehive' in a small corner of the city is the first outlet under Thrissur District Honey Bee Nurturing Society registered under the Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan. The society has now 513 members in the district assigned to collect honey for the shop. They collect fresh honey from different parts of the state for the shop. Collecting honey is not that easy and processing needs hard work. The temperature of heating up and separating pure honey is labour intensive. "The so-called 'pure honey' is not always pure with a mixture of jaggery in it. We sell bottles of honey after checking twice," says president of the society Rajagopalan. It's easy to check the purity of honey even at homes. Pure honey will settle as a drop when dropped into water. The society also sells artificial wooden honey hive. They will arrange a queen and a swarm of bees in it. Basic lessons for harvesting are also provided. When retail shops charge around Rs 250 for a kg of honey, the society charges Rs 220 a kg. "I have been buying honey from this shop for years and I have never found anything wrong in its content," said a customer at the shop. The shop is also exporting honey to other states. Dehradun is the major hub of apiculture in India and it's interesting to learn that some honey comes in different colours. 'Red honey' and 'white honey' are the names attributed according to its colour. It is a wonder that Kodagu in southern Karnataka has honey with a bitter taste and is highly effective for diabetes treatment. The shop with a smell and sight of an old storehouse still stands amidst the snarling traffic of the city attracting customers with pure honey.

Singing to fame

Sony Sai By Faris Arakkal Onaveyil olangalil... of Bombay March12 was not the debut film song of Sony Sai. The charismatic female voice attracted listeners in no time. Sony Sai, an upcoming singer who is now engaged in music composing, had lent her voice for numerous lyrics. The credit of many dubbed film songs that have been pleasing Malayalam music buffs goes to Sony Sai. She sang for the dubbed films like Khushi, Rhythm, Dheera and Kanal. Her debut as a singer was in the movie Sughavasam and the next song was with KJ Yesudas in Adheena directed by Krishnadas. A light music prize winner at the state youth festival for three consecutive years and a member of various choirs, she decided to become a full-time singer. Sony recalls her days of singing fast numbers at music concerts. She slowly moved to fast numbers, taking inspiration from Gazals and Hindustani music. Now she keeps a passion for Marathi classic songs too. A graduate in music from NSS College Karamana, Sony is a fan of music maestros like AR Rahman and Haris Jayaraj. She has won Kamukara Award 1998-99, SAARC Kala Mela Award for the best singer. She was born in a music family. Her mother too was a singer and has be

Limca records Sathar's tiny books

Sathar Adhoor By Faris Arakkal WITH three tiny books, a business man in Kunnamkulam has made his mark in the Limca Book of World Records. Sathar Adhoor from Kunnamkulam is the first proud writer whose name has been entered in the Limca Book of Records for the smallest collection of poems and fiction. Sathar has been working since 2008 in order to get into the Book. "The struggle to shape my thoughts into these tiny books is purely an act of determination to come up with a different way of writing," he says. He believes that writing is highly competitive these days. So, it requires hard work to get into a slot. The books are 101 SMS Stories (40mm x 25mm x 4mm), 101 SMS poems (30mmx25mmx4mm) and 50:50 (16mmx13mmx4mm). Each book has 100 pages in it. 50:50, made out of an A4 paper is a collection of poems and stories weighing two-and-half grams. He used to write poems and send them to publications for years, but they never saw the light. But he remembers that his name and work had been criticised in some publications by mainstream writers. A dedicated writer, he also runs a real estate business. But end of the day, he finds something to scribble on in his diary, which thoughts finally were transferred to the tiny books. "Media have helped me a lot in getting into the record book," says Sathar. He had to send all the newspaper cuttings of his news published, to the authority to certify his book's authentication. Sathar's friend Fahad Kottol offered free printing of the books. And he sells his books free of cost. Though he is not an established full time writer, he has won many awards for his writings. Akshara Kala Puraskaram, Deshiya Malayala Vedi Award, Anganam Katha Puraskaram and Herman Gundert Award 2009 are a few of them. Minaarangal is the only published novel in his account and he is on writing of another one. He had directed a 10-second long short film named The Man. Sathar Adhoor always keeps off from mainstream writers but make experiments in his writings and now he is in a new venture to bring another shock to his readers.

'Mozart of Nature' scores a new music

KS Bishoy By Faris Arakkal "EVERY tree makes a silent music and every river chant tune when they flow," says KS Bishoy as he makes a different attempt to carve music out of nature. Bishoy, who makes music by using stone and wood, is a rare music composer. He was lured by the sounds of nature and thus started living with music. He was trained in mridhangam at Chembai Government Music College. Now, he is a music composer and has worked for many albums. "I love nature and I make efforts to preserve it," says Bishoy. He is a member of Rs Save Western Ghat' movement. He has joined various protests, including that of Athirapilly and Kathikudam. His ardent love for nature earned him a name 'Mozart of Nature'. He had also performed in the bamboo music fusion Mula paadum raathri, which got wide acceptance among music lovers. Now, he is running an ethnic music band, Manthalam, under the name of Rhythm of Soil. Instruments made of bamboo sticks, ghatam, flute and specially arranged stones are used to give a performance. "I will do whatever I can to protect the mother earth," says Bishoy. He dreams to build an eco-friendly home made of mud a

Devikrishna throws for a winner

CHAMPION'S SMILE: Devikrishna who won gold medal in the South Asian Cadet Judo Championship held in Nepal. By faris arakkal Devikrishna, a 10th standard student of Govt Higher Secondary School, Villadam, is now surrounded by well-wishers from everywhere. She has become an international figure as she brought the first international gold for the state in Judo to the city. July 29 was the luckiest day for her as she bagged gold medal in the South Asian Cadet Judo Championship held in Nepal. Now she bounces with happiness and pride for the country. Devikrishna who is being trained by the state sports council under the centralised sports hostel at Vimala College Thrissur is in the city for less than a year. She is new to the city but not new to the martial art. She started learning it from fifth standard. She had won two national medals earlier, at school level competitions and this year she was selected to the sports council. The team had 18 members to fight for the nation at Nepal and Devikrishna won it for the nation. Devikrishna thanked her coach Maria Lee for her disciplined coaching and advice. Maria Lee was thrilled about her cadet's triumph in the international championship. Devikrishna is basically from Thiruvananthapuram. Now, she is getting ready for upcoming state and national championships.

A hearty life for two kids

Ashlin Antony, Anna Maria By Faris Arakkal ANNA Maria and Ashlin Antony now carry a healthy heart. They can walk, dance and play like their friends without the fear of getting sick again. Maria and Ashlin recently underwent heart surgery arranged by Trichur Heart Foundation and their parents have no anxiety about their children now. Four-year-old Ashlin was born with a bent in his leg and the heart disease added gloom to his life. But Trichur Heart Foundation's initiative of free heart surgery brought colours to Ashlin's life. Doctor found Ashlin's heart with a defect and immediate intra-cardiac surgery was performed. Anna Maria, four years old, also was born with a heart defect. "A small hole in the heart of a baby would not be a sign of complex disease," said doctors who had examined Maria then. But subsequently, she got fever and cough frequently and she became thin and fragile. Later, it was found that Maria had a sick heart. Joby, Maria's father, went to Bangalore for her treatment, but she had been on the waiting list for five years for surgery. No sooner he heard of Trichur Heart Foundation than he registered her name at the foundation. Maria was operated upon in January and Ashlin in June. They were the first children to have the surgery under the 'Save a Child' scheme by Trichur Heart Foundation. The scheme offers free heart surgery to children below the age of 16. Dr Sudheer M Bhatt, who carried out the surgery, has assured hearty life for the children. Now, both the families are happy and thankful to the foundation. Recently, Ashlin and Maria planted saplings on the premises of the institution in honour of the foundation.

Mural Art Museum needs makeover Mural Art Museum at chembukkavu By Faris Arakkal THE HISTORY of mural paintings dates back to the 9th century. the state though, has no special place to showcase these paintings. Mural Art Museum at Thrissur remains 'safe' though it is not getting any boost. Mural Art Museum maintains a thin visitor's register as only a few people turn up at the museum. Students come to the museum often for their studies. The museum was a part of Sreechithra Art Gallery at the Town Hall. Later, most of the mural paintings there were shifted to a new museum at Ettumanoor. The murals returned when a new museum was built. In 2009, then Cultural Minister MA Baby opened the existing gallery to the public. As mural painting is not a favourite subject for the common man, the museum stays calm and unattractive. Financial aid received from the directorate of Archaeology every year to refurbish the museum is not sufficient to meet the basic needs of the museum. Proposals have been submitted to the directorate by highlighting the requirements of the museum, but it has not yielded any result till now. The museum has some of the oldest murals from Kanjoor Church and they need to be modernised. As there is no mural museum in the state, development and upkeep of the museum is of paramount importance. More art students from different parts of the state will be attracted to the museum in the future.

Surviving cart pullers In city market

A LOADED LIFE: A cart puller at work at Ariyangady yesterday. By Faris Arakkal ARIYANGADI, Chanthangadi and Nayarangadi are the crowded commercial hubs of the city, which have undergone changes over the years. Even after technology replaced men with machines, a group of men are still toiling in the market, pulling carts. Ferrying goods in the market in a cart is a hard job, but they are often paid less. Kerala Head Load Workers Welfare Board under the state government came into existence in 1984 to ensure the uniformity of labour and wages. Thus, the erstwhile cart pullers' 'first come, first earn' policy ended. Each pool has cart pullers in the market. There are more than 24 pools near the Jai Hind market. Pool number 7 has now 45 members, including cart pullers. Goods from various places like Surat, Delhi, Gujarat, Howrah and Erode are brought to the city daily and cart pullers are the main means for shipping out these goods to the nearby whole sale shops in the market. A day of a cart puller starts at 9.30am and ends at 6 pm. Each pool has a leader to check the attendance of their members. Each member will be assigned to work with a shop for the day and the shopkeeper will send the voucher to the welfare board. At the end of the month, the board will calculate each member's salary on the basis of their daily earning, but that will never go beyond Rs 3,500. Cart pullers are normally aged between 24 and 60 and most of them inherit the job from their fathers. "Unloading goods into shops on the second floor needs more strength," says Saijo, a young cart puller at Ariyangadi. He has been a cart puller here for 17 years. He is happy and content as he believes in the policy of 'earn while you burn'. KJ Devassy, who has been pulling carts from the age of 18, still remembers his experience of falling unconscious when he took a 100-kg rice sack on his back. But now at 60, he is upset, thinking about his future as he is going to get a pension of just Rs 350 a month from the board. "We have to spend Rs 12,000 for a cart and the spare parts are now not available in the market," says Baby Paul, who is also a cart puller. Now, carts are available on rent from Anjuvilakku. Whatever the facilities in the market for loading and unloading goods, a large section still opts for carts for ferrying goods because it is cheaper and faster in the snarling traffic.

Staghorn ferns attract enthusiasts

THE TERRACE FARMER: CO George with staghorn ferns in front of his house. GREEN-FINGERED CO George has a novel way of gardening that keeps his home green and salubrious. The staghorn fern hanging in front of his house is a rare sight. These 'green lanterns', which somewhat resemble horns of a deer, have been decorating his house for years. George plants the staghorn ferns along with a coconut husk and hangs it on a hook. The plant grows through the entire husk; that will make it attractive. When the growing plant breaks the husk out of shape, George adds a new husk to reshape the "pot". His love for flora is evident everywhere. The terrace of his house, for instance, is lush with a variety of plants, including 12 different bonsais and ornamental flowers. Some of his bonsai trees on the roof top are banyan known as Krishnanaal, which is associated with Lord Krishna, according to legends. He got the Krishnanaal from Thrissur museum when he was working there. He started terrace farming years ago. The effort won him Thrissur Corporation's best terrace farmer award of 1989. But, over the years, he lost the steam and his farming declined. "The terrace needs to be really water-proof or water will seep into the roof and walls and damage the house, George pointed out. For George, the farming and gardening is merely a pastime. He is now more interested in carving out artefacts from coconut shells. His hobbies have often attracted people into his home at East Fort.

Zoological Park may turn a wonderland

I HAVE A DREAM: Forest Minister KB Ganesh Kumar with Ollur MLA MP Vincent at the proposed site for the Zoological Park, Puthur, yesterday.

"ZOOLOGICAL Park to be opened at Puthur will be one of the best of its kind in South India", said Forest Minister KB Ganeshkumar.
He was on a visit to the proposed site of the park at Puthur. The crucial decision of handing over the project to the forest department will accelerate the process of its realisation.
A special officer has been appointed by the minister to head the entire project. A council of members will be formed soon.
Ten proposals submitted by friends of zoo to the minister include crops that attract migratory birds into the region. A small toy train will be introduced to entertain visitors.
Minister went through the master plan of the project and promised of an immediate visit to Delhi along with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for getting license for the park. He offered round the clock service for the public and officers for clearing their doubts on the project.
Ganesh Kumar was given a warm welcome by Puthur. People thronged various places he visited, and the minister was quite happy to interact with them.
Ollur MLA MP Vincent and District Panchayat President KV Dasan accompanied Ganesh Kumar.

All for ace dancer

ODE TO THE TEACHER: The disciples paying obeisance to Kalamandalam Kshemavathi at a programme Gurupranamam, organised by students and well-wishers at Regional Theatre yesterday. Staff Reporter THE cultural capital witnessed an extravaganza called pranamam (salute) when thousands of people walked into Regional Theatre yesterday to honour Padmashree Kalamandalam Kshemavathy. The programme Gurupranamam was organised by her disciples and well-wishers. Honourary meeting was inaugurated by Cultured Minister KC Joseph. He addressed Kshemavathy as the brand ambassador of art and culture of Kerala. The minister assured all support from the government for promoting Kerala's art and culture worldwide. MLA Therambil Rama-krishnan described her as the mobile university of dance. Presence of actors Jayaram and Mukesh added more colour to the function. Mukesh said that her achievements could be an encouragement for all budding artistes. Mayor IP Paul presided over the function. Poet Ravunni, KI Shabeer and C Chandramohan were present. Gurupranamam was kick started at 10am. Morning session saw Kshemavathy honouring her masters draping them with shawls. Co-operation Minister CN Balakrishnan, Padmashree Mattanoor Shankarankutty and Padmashree Peruvanam Kuttan Marar were present at the function. Kshemavathy's disciples and well-wishers from various fields draped her with shawls and presented with mementos.

A pond filled with royal history

By Faris Arakkal A Pond that makes you ponders over the history of the city. That is how MD Francis sums up the relevance of the pond in front of his house. A huge one that is as deep as 24ft, at some places. At the age of 74, Francis keeps a strong bond with the pond, preserving it like a treasure and a reminder of a historic era. Francis came to Chembukkavu deciding to settle down in Thrissur in 1982. Scouting for land to build his home, he came upon a large pond used by the royalty for bathing. He remembers there were two separate sections for men and women to take in the pond. It is not just the pond that makes Mangalam, Francis' home, a keepsake of history - the remains of a padka, large wooden buckets used to water large plots through bullock carts shows that the pond was also used for watering the entire vegetation in the area. The plot owned by one of the kin of the royal family came to Francis by sheer serendipity and officials had visited him recently searching for the pond. "They measured the length and breadth of the pond and went back; nothing has been heard so far from them", added Francis. "Constructing a home was not easy, as the entire land was a pond", Francis remembers. He had to fill up some part of the pond with mud in order to plan his home. The pond had a rich school of fish but the night poachers queuing up around the pond had forced Francis to stop keeping fish. He regrets the day when the pond was poisoned by the raiders. The sight of dead fish floating over the water was heart-rending for Francis. The heavy rain often makes the pond overflow but the valves he had installed which opened to a big pipe line beneath the adjacent road keeps water off from the premises of his home. Francis had also tried to pump the water out of the pond once. "Two motors worked for five days in vain", laughs Francis with a tint of surprise and mystery. While the authority has strict rules of preserving old monuments and relics, Francis has more strict self-imposed rules preserving his pond. [Pic on P2]

Old is not always gold, at least for some

GUARDIAN OF HISTORY: Sekharan in his Lambretta at Ariyangadi auto stand. By Faris Arakkal WITH a piercing sound, the yellow bird takes off and flies around the city. The bygone sight will never come back as Lambretta autorikshaws are on the verge of extinction. Lambretta autorikshaws, which came in the city in 80s, have been pushed aside by Bajaj, TVS and other diesel rivalries. Now, they stay off the snarling traffic of the city as public look down upon them. "They even get out the auto as soon they walk in," says Sekharan who has been earning his bread riding his Lambretta in the city for 27 years. He opines that the public cares more on the comfort of their journey. These days, none calls him for a trip in the Lambretta. The existing Lambrettas of the city are now in the business of shipping out goods from shops to various destinations. While Sekharan has the daily routine of carrying oil from Ariyangadi, Vijayan who owns a 1984 model Lambretta is working with a fruit shop in the city. He takes out fruits off from the city to rural retailers. "Mileage is not more than 25km per litre", adds Vijayan. He explains that they are not fit to run with the prescribed metre charge. "Front engine of Lambretta always makes disturbances but it never disappoints when climbing a steep road" said Anthappan, who owns a Lambretta. But he is confined to just personal short trips around the city. When most of the city drivers had gone towards four strokes and APE, these veterans still struggle to buy a new one. To get a town permit it needs more money in the pocket. This generation has a trend of bringing back the old and historic in to the world of 'freak', but for these auto walas old is never gold.

In search of history, not gazetted

REMNANTS OF THE PAST: A small building that was once used by the king near the Thrissur railway station. The remains of a golden era are yet to find a space in the annals of history, the archives. A small room adjacent to the parcel office in the railway station, now occupied by the Railway Health Inspecting Officer evokes memories of an illustrious rule of Thrissivaperur by kings of a bygone era. It was believed to be in the year 1912 that the city heard the first whistle of a train. The history says that the Cochin-Shornur railway was built under the reign of Divan AR Banerji. The small room was once the waiting room for the royalty. The kith and kin of the king spent time resting in the room before and after they had a journey. The room reflects every feature of an ageless, glorious craft. It is floored with Italian tiles, expensive but enduring tiles used by the kings to floor their palaces those times. "Mysore Palace has the same piece of tiles used for its flooring" said Krishna Raj, railway health inspecting officer of Thrissur station. The beautifully carved wooden roofs and the Belgium-made glass inside the room again authenticate the room's origin in the historic period. Sakthan Palace in the city has the same roof and glass in many parts. But glasses are broken and look bleary. "The beauty of this room is, it can keep a perfectly mild temperature always whatever the climate is', adds Krishna Raj. Railway authority refuses to demolish the ancient room as it is a part of history of the city and a monument. But the archeological and archives department have no clues about the room. Response to the City Journal's request to search the archives at regional archives office at Ernakulam was rather surprising. Searching the entire Cochin Government Gazette was in vain and nothing new was found. The small waiting room might not be the only monument standing outside the walls of the archives. But even a small neglect towards such prosaic monuments can always result in the forfeit of a great history.

Throwing light on an unknown memorial

UNNOTICED: The marble stone on the museum premises. "FROM this village, 200 men went to the Great War 1914 -1919," states a marble stone erected in the museum at Chembukkavu. The memorial enveloped by grass still stands pristine in the museum but without much knowledge of who and when it was erected. Records show that the museum comprising zoo and botanical garden was set up in 1885 in Sankariah Park, Viyyur. It was later shifted to Krishna Vilas Palace, Ernakulum. In 1941, the present museum was built at Chembukkavu and a house for animals also started. The documentation officer at Sakthan Thampuran Palace acknowledged the existence of the memorial in documents. Meanwhile, Archaeological Survey of India head office in Thrissur circle has started collecting information on this memorial. "We called up the regional archives office in Ernakulam and the research continues,'' ASI officials said.

Sakthan Palace on the brink of RUIN

FADING INTO OBLIVION: A damaged pillar of the nalukettu of Sakthan Palace. By Faris Arakkal SAKTHAN Palace located in the heart of the city badly needs maintenance. The roof of the palace is leaking at several places and above all, there is not enough security to protect the valuables. Sakthan Palace is a treasure house that keeps the remnants of the ancient rulers. In 2005, the palace was opened to the public. There were reports of cats damaging the roof tiles. Now, tiles seem scattered all over. Small pools are said to have formed in various corners of the palace. People are prohibited from entering these areas. It is learnt that one of the pillars of the naaluketttu appears to be damaged and the weapon gallery on the first floor is in total neglect. The collection of coins in the showcase is a rare sight for the public, but these are not visible because of poor lighting. Lack of security personnel as well as keepers increases the chances of these precious coins being stolen. Letters had been sent to the Archaeological Department of Kerala in this regard, but in vain. If the callous attitude of the authorities continues, the monument may fade into oblivion.

Rambutan reins in fruit market

By Faris Arakkal RAMBUTAN is not a novel fruit to Thrissurites now. It had come to fruit shops in the city three years ago. By June, the city market will be ready to sell the fruit. The yellow or red fruit was earlier spotted in the homes of rich, but now the fruit is available to the common man as it is cultivated in the state. The fruit is mainly cultivated in Kottayam district. Rambutan was found growing in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia earlier. Anil, who has been selling fruits in the city for 25 years, said that demand for the fruit is very high as the fruit is known for its sweet-sour taste. The fruit is nutritious too. Vitamin-C, copper, and manganese contents in the fruit are the added qualities. There are also claims of medicinal values of the fruit. It has been reported that the skin of the fruit contains garlic acid which can cure cancer. The fruit will also help reduce diabetes and control blood pressure, according to the report. Fruit shops charge around Rs 140 a kg of Rambutan. "The increased demand for the fruit has prompted local farmers to cultivate it," said Siddiq, a fruit shop owner. His house compound now has a number of Rambutan plants. "But it will take at least 10 years to yield a fruit," Siddiq added. Despite the demand, traders don't by the fruit in bulks as it will not remain fresh more than two days. As the season almost comes to a close, Rambutan will be showing up in the market for 15 days more.