ONAM - THE PRIDE OF ANY KERALITE ( W I P)

Kaikotti kali - is an extremely popular folk dance performed by the maidens of Kerala. It is a group dance and is mainly performed on the occasion of Onam.Great coordination is depicted in Kaikottikali as the performers, usually eight to ten in number, clap in unison. Performers move in circles sometimes in clockwise and sometimes in anti-clockwise directions, gracefully bending in sideways as they do so. Dancers also beautifully co-ordinate their hand movements as they go clapping upwards and downwards in rhythm with the beat and in tune with the song they are singing.

Literal meaning of Pulikali is the 'play of the tigers' hence the performance revolve around the theme of tiger hunting. The folk art is mainly practiced in Thrissur and Palghat districts of Kerala. Best place to watch the show is Swaraj Ground at Thrissur on the fourth day of Onam, where Pulikali troupes from all over the district assemble to display their skills.Beat for the dance movement is provided by percussion instruments like 'udukku' and 'thakil'.Striking feature of this folk art is the colorful appearance of the performers. To get the semblance of a tiger artists paint themselves in bright yellow with patterns of black and red. A tiger mask on the face completes the get up.

Onapookalam is the flower bed or flower arrangements done during Onam in Kerala. It is a distant cousin of Rangoli in North India and Kolam in Tamil Nadu. Traditionally, the making of the Pookalam begins on the Atham day, ten days before Thiruvonam. Originally, the Pookalam consists of ten small round steps. The ten steps or rings are believed to represent ten different deities in Hinduism. There is also a belief that the floral carpet symbolically represents the fight between Asuras (demons) and Devas

THE ONE WHICH I LOVE THE MOST :-)

Onasadhya is the most delicious part of the grand festival called Onam. It is considered to be the most elaborate and grand meal prepared by any civilisation or cultures in the world.So much so that, it has lead to saying, 'Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam'. Meaning - men go to the extend of selling all their possessions for one Onam Sathya. The food has to be served on a tender Banana leaf, laid with the end to the left.

Payasam

This is an extremely delicious dish and is a sort of pudding. It is prepared from boiled potatoes mixed with molasses and coconut milk. The mixture is flavoured with spices. There is another type of payasam called 'Pal Payasam' in which rice is boiled with milk and sweetened with sugar.

As we move into 2009 i cherish this Onam , this year i was with my parents for 15 days after a long gap of 8 years..

yours truly..

Do What You Love & Love What You Do

I never thought i will start writing about something which i heard from some one at some point of time .. The only reason why i felt i should write about this is to reinforce the fact or the truth of the title " Do What You Love & Love What You Do" .


Most of the friends whom i have worked with and colleagues whom i have interacted with felt that the first part of this title is true for almost everyone .


The difficult task is the second one or to Love what you actually do in this world / by default what has been given to you either by God / by your parents/ spouse / relationship... Oh i forgot the main player , " The Boss"


This is because most of us feel work and fun are opposite by definition .. When you do something which your heart / soul wanted to do it becomes one .. the moment someone asks you to do it it becomes work..


To be happy in this world its not only necessary that you enjoy what you do but its critical that you admire what you do .. Most of us have a feeling that what we do is not the greatest thing and the person sitting opposite to your cubical is the next Jack Welch.


Keeping a roof over the head, paying the bills, getting side-tracked with various obligations, and other distractions can too often get in the way of pursuing our life passions, our dreams, our secret wishes and desires.


I leave this small blog with a new thought for myself said by some one really special..

"If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right."

Loving what you do is much more easier since its only in your hand .. doing what you
love is like a treasure hunt .. by the time you find what you love probably you would have found
out your new love and hence its a moving destination :-)

JET LITE ( What an Experience)

Hi

I am writing this right inside the flight S 2 255 Delhi - Kochi JetLite . . Its quite dissappointing to see that despite being a Jet Platinum member the treatment that i got from the Crew in the airport was marking a shame to the entire service industry.

Ok let me explain it a bit in detail to you. . I had a Siviere fracture on my leg yesterday because of which i planned to take leave and go to kerala and stay with my parents for a while. Since my leg was hurting badly i immedietely booked the tickets for the next flight available which "unfortunately"was Jetlite S 2 255.

My friends dropped me at the airport with the best luxuary i can ever get .. i was not allowed to move my leg even inside the car.. The moment i touched the Delhi Airport one of my friend went to the Jet lite counter to pick up the Wheel chair which was promised to me by the Tele Check in Customer care ..

( oh i forgot to tell this .. ) - sorry for the diversion, I had called up the customer service for a telecheck in so that my fractured leg can rest in peace inside the flight .. The lady very confidently and proudly helped me and offered the first Delta seat in the flight ..

i was shocked for a moment and i thought Naresh Goyal (MD Jetlite) has got his basics right ... She also promised me that there will be some one who will assist me in the airport with the wheel chair.. ( back to live action in the Jetlite counter) -- MY friend was waiting in the Jetlite counter for 15 mins and the Wheel chair was just a ray of hope away from us ..

Having a fractured leg and in a bit of pain my patience was running a bit low .. finally after making me sweat in that hot sun the wheel chair arrived..

Now this is the beauty .. i am being taken by a decent guy till the counter and suddenly he dissappears.. I have no clue what to do as all the passengers in the flight are "looking" ( in our words the Dirty Looks" ) at i am a sinner and being caught by the Airport Police for misbehaving with females..:)

This time it was not my fractured leg which was paining ..Going forward. . the lady in the blue saree in Jetlite walks up to me asks for my name and then gives the boarding pass .. I just noticed that she has changed my seat and i am right now put
into 26 D , A bit shocked i asked her why did u change me from the first seat Delta to 26 D .. The answer was very simple she said the wheel chair passengers are always given 26 D ..

The logic was its on the back side.. as any litereate man i thought its the last seat of the flight and hence for the ease of operations they have given me this seat.. I finally manage to hop to the flight ..

That is when i notice that the last seat in the flight is 32 and not 26 ..( I thought all the while what is special with the number 26 and wheel chair ,, i am sure it will be a tough question in any of the CAT exams) ..

My Journey continues as i am in between two cramped seats , the lady in front cramping my leg as she pushes back her seat and is happily sleeping .. ..

On a serious note - Talking about Consumerism..

Lets take the positives or advantages i had which others probably didnt have.

a) I am a Jet Platinum Member and it was evident in the Ticket

b) I was young healthy literate and had the patience to convince any of them at any point of time

c) Despite having suffered all the pain i still managed not to make a scene in the flight ..

d) Having such a huge Bandage on my left lug and my hop to move 10 cms in every step i defintiely had a sympathy factor atelast from my fellow passengers..

Imagine if this happens to your father , mother or any elderly person who may not have the strength to talk about this ,, they will just keep quite and take all the pain..

Let me talk in my style now ( Please excuse me if you find any words politically incorrect ) Disgusting behaviour of the crew in the ticketing counter,, are they paid nuts or are they maids and gardeners in Naresh goyals farm house..

I have no comment about the lady who moved me from the 1 Delta to seat 26 which
understanding and after seeing the fractured leg... Forget helping a passenger , Atleast dont screw him when he is in deep pain..

And finally the Crew .. They are interested to sell refreshments ( 50 rs Coffee - ) i am sure a dhaba wala will have better service quotient than this ...

I feel bad for the Indian consumer , i dont know how i can react to this .. Should i go to the the Jetlite counter and tell my experience or should i just ignore it ..

Trust me this is not the first time i am travelling in a low cost Airline , have been a traditional member of Deccan as i used to work in South before i moved to Delhi. .

This was a real shocker of my life , probably all the other time i ignore the troubles as i will be in a hurry to reach the destination and make my deals / presentations..

I will try my level best to make sure that almost every one who intent to take a Jetlite flight in the future understand before he press the submit button which charges your credit card a bomb which Jetlite very conviniently terms as "Low Cost Airline from Jet Family".

If i get a space in any of the Newspaper dailies i promise i wont think twice before publishing this . Not to tamper the share prices of Jet Airwalys which anyway is on a decline state .. but just to ensure that somewhere the new indian consumer is reacting .. Its time if Not to Respect the Consumer but atleast to give him a decent treatment and the value for the money that he has paid While i am writing this the steward has dashed my leg atleast 3 times .. apparently cant tell his name also as he is not wearing the name plate or identity card which every employee in an aircraft should mandatorily have . .

Closing remarks .. I hope they land me safe in cochin .. atleast the Pilot know his Job.. I hope i get a wheel chair even after waiting for an Hour.. And i Hope and Pray , God Please dont give anyone such an experience, even if its my Enemy. .