Patron Dr P K S Nair

President Mrs Geetha Menon

Vice-President Dr V Nanu

Secretary Mr P Venugopal

Joint secretary Dr Preethi Gopinath

Treasurer Mr Mohan Kumar

Convenor Mr Shankar Janardan

Palm Leaf Editor Dr Manoj Kumar

Editorial Team Mrs Renu Radhakrishnan Mrs Santha Krishnamurthy Mr Hrisheekesh Marar

Arts Secretary Dr Geeta Menon

News Editor Mrs Santha Krishnamurthy

Literary Co-ordinator Mr K Natarajan

Librarian Dr Manoj Kumar

Audio & Visual Dr Ravi Shehkar Dr Jose Mathew

Webmasters Mr Mony Kochupillai Dr Jose Mathew

Youth Co-ordinators Mr Praveen Gopinath Mr Vijay Krishnan

Our Website http:/www.kala.org.uk/

Editorial Two years and four issues later, it is time for me to bid you

goodbye. While change can be unsettling, it also creates an

opportunity to review progress and chart our future course.

My vision for The Palm Leaf has been to bring out a high

quality publication that KALA is proud to own. I saw the

readership as wider than the members of KALA with the

emphasis on quality rather than the authors being members

of KALA. There has been an inconclusive debate as to

whether this is what we really want. It has been suggested

that the target audience for The Palm Leaf should be the

members of KALA and the aim of bringing out the

magazine is to develop our own literary skills with any

external contribution being minimal. A comparison of the

two approaches and a healthy debate is called for. While

the feedback from non-members has been good, I hope

none of the members have been discouraged from writing.

Personally, editing The Palm Leaf has been an

unexpectedly enjoyable and rewarding experience. The

current issue is mostly the work of Hrisheekesh Marar, ably

illustrated by Seena Praveen. Apart from them, I am

grateful to my other colleagues in the editorial team, Renu

Radhakrishnan and the indefatigable Santha Krishnamurthy

for their behind the scenes efforts. And, a big thanks to all

of you, members of KALA, for indulging me in my

experiments with our magazine.

The palm leaf - 1 - March 2008

CONTENTS Cows eat books…………..……….10 Water, Water, Everywhere!...........16 Featured Artist - Manu Kallikad…..23 Obituary…………………………….30 About the cover page……..………31 About the sketches………………..32

DÅ-S¡w ]pcp-jmÀ°-¡q¯pw cmP-tk-hbpw …………..…3 And-b-s¸-Sm¯ hnclw …………12 kmaqly {]Xn-_-²X DÅqÀ Ihn-X-I-fn ……..………20 am[hn¡p-«n, hm¡p-Isf \£-{X-am-¡nb Iem-Imcn … …..…25 I−Xpw tI«Xpw ]ns¶ I−n-Ãm¶v \Sn-¨Xpw ..………28

The palm leaf - 2 - March 2008

]pêjmÀ°¡q¯pw cmPtkhbpw A\nb³ ædqÀ

icnbmb t]cv tUm. sI.]n. kp{_ÒWy³. 1958 XrÈqÀ PnÃbnse ASm«v ædqÀ a\bn P\\w. Al½Zm_mZnse ^nkn¡Â dnkÀ¨v et_md«dnbn `uXnIimkv{X¯n imkv{XÚ\mbn tPmen sNbvXphêì. IÀ®mSIkwKoX¯nepw kmlnXy¯nepw X¸c³. "]emb\w' F¶ IY 2007þ `mjmt]mjnWnbn {]kn²oIcn¡s¸«p. kz]nXmhmb {io ædqÀ ]ctaizc³ \¼qXncnbpsS apJ¯p\nìw kzoIcn¨ hnhc§fpw (hntijn¨v, CXn D²cn¨ tÇmI§fpw AhbpsS kmchpw) Aë_Ôambn ]e ]pkvXI§fn \nìw DÄs¡m− hniZmwi§fpamWv Cu teJ\¯nsâ B[mcw.

Address:-Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad - 380009 Email: Aniyan.Kurur@gmail.com

hmÀ¯mhn\nabw sNbvXpt]mê¶ t£aXåccmb Hê kapZmbamWv ChÀ. Hmtcm {Kma¯ntebpw P\\acW§Ä, hnhml§Ä hgn ]SÀì]´enç¶ _Ô]c¼cIÄ apXemb ØnXnhnhc¡WçIÄ kq£nçI F¶ tPmen ChÀ ASp¯ Imew hsc æes¯mgnembn sNbvXnêì. ]e tZi§fnepw ChêsS sXmgn kz`mh¯n hyXykvXX ImWs¸Spsa¦nepw, IY\§Ä hgn tZihmÀ¯Ifpw \oXnkmc§fpw P\§Ä¡nSbn F¯nçI F¶ ZuXyw FÃm tZi§fntebpw kqX·mÀ¡nSbn s]mXphmbn ImWmw.

tIcf¯nse kqX·mÀ

HêIme¯v kap{Zw ]n³hm§nbp−mb IcbmWv tIcfw F¶mWtÃm A`nÚaXw. `mÀ¤ht£{Xamb tIcf¯nse kapZmb{]XnjvTbpw BNmcmëjvTm\§fpsS t{ImUoIcWhpw \nÀÆln¨Xv ]cipcma\mWv F¶mWv sFXnlyw. Cê]s¯mì {]mhiyw £{Xnbhwis¯ \in¸nçhm³ Xp\nª `mÀ¤hcma³ ]m]]cnlmc¯n\mbn `qZm\w sN¿phm³ tIcf¡csbbmWv Is−¯nbXv. C¶v "ssZh¯nsâ kz´w \mSmb' aebmf`qan, A¡me§fn CSXqÀ¶ h\§fpw NXp¸p\ne§fpw \ndª A`ni]vXamb Hê

]−v, cmPm¡·mêw \mSphmgnIfpw cmPyw

`cn¨nê¶ Ime¯v AhêsS ZÀ_mdpIfnse hnZqjIÀ¡v Hê {]tXyIZuXyw D−mbnêì. cmP`cW¯nse A] cym]vXXIfpw, ]mfn¨IfpsaÃmw cmPm¡·mêsS {i²bn sIm−phcmëÅ Hê D]m[nbmbnêì Cu hnZqjIÀ. km[mcW¡mÀ¡v, Xo£vWêw IÀ¡ikz`mhapÅhêamb {]Pm]meIsc t\cn«p kao]n¨pIqSm. ckt¡Spfhm¡ntb¡mhp¶ hnaÀi\aX§Ä lmky¯ntâbpw \À½¯ntâbpw tX³ Nmen¨v, kabhpw kμÀ`hpw t\m¡nthWw XnêhpÅw t_m[n¸n¡m³. AXnëÅ {]tXyItkhImcmWv ZÀ_mdnse kvXpXn]mTIcmb kqX·mÀ. AIv_dnsâ hnZqjI\mb _oÀ_enepw, hnPb\Kckm{amPy¯nse IrjvWtZhcmbêsS CãtXmg\mbnê¶ sX\mencma\nepsams¡, N{IhÀ¯nbpsS cmP]cnthjs¯ `RvPn¨v DÅdnª N§mXnbmIm³ sI¸pÅhêw, IqÀ½_p²nam·mêw {]Xypå]¶aXnIfpamb C¯cw kvXpXn]mTIsc \mw Iméì. Cu Hê hwihn`mKw, `mcX¯nse ]e `q`mK§fnepw ]e t]cn Adnbs¸Spì. KpPdm¯nse "_mtdm«v' F¶ kapZmb¡msc ]cntim[nçI. {Kma§Ä tXmdpw XpSÀ¨bmbn k©cn¨v

The palm leaf - 3 - March 2008

`q{]tZiambnêì. sImSnb kÀ¸`oXnbm Hê P\Xbpw Cu `q`mKs¯ hmkc{]tZiam¡m³ Xp\nªnê¶nÃ. Cu \m«nte¡mWv ]cipcma³ IrjvWm\ZoXoc¯pw tKmZmhcoXS¯pw Xmakn¨nê¶ P\hn`mKs¯ _eambn sIm−phì ]mÀ¸n¨Xv. kztZit¯¡v AhÀ Xncn¨pt]mæ¶Xp XSbphm³ th−nbmbncn¡mw At±lw Ahsc Xptemw hyXykvXamb BNmcmëjvTm\§Ä ioen¸n¨Xv.

]cipcma³ ]ctZi¯p\nìw sIm−phì]mÀ¸n¨ kqXæePmXcmWv C¶s¯ NmIym·mÀ. tIcf¯nse kqXæe¯n\v Hê khntijX D−v; CXpw `mÀ¤h³ XpS§nsh¨ BNmcambmWv IW¡m¡s¸Sp¶Xv. tIcf¯nse D¶XæeZ¼XnIfpsS hnhml_Ô§fn Adntªm AdnbmsXtbm AëtematZmjw hìs]«mÂ, AXn P\nç¶ ]pêj{]PIsf kqXæe¯n tNÀç¶ k{¼Zmbw ]cipcma³ XpS§nsh¨ khntij BNmcamWv. Ignª \qäm−n {_mÒWkapZmb¯n tImfnf¡w krãn¨ "Xm{Xnç«n kvamÀ¯hnNmcw' \nan¯w NmIym·mcmbn XoÀ¶ Ht«sd \¼qXncnbphm¡fpsS Ncn{Xw \ap¡v AdnhpÅXmWtÃm. _oPw AYhm ]m{Xw þ Chbnsem¶v "t{ijvT'amWv F¶ Iå\bmÂ, ChÀ "ÇmLyæeP\yÀ' AYhm "ÇmLyÀ' F¶ t]cn Adnbs¸«p. Cu ]Zw tem]n¨mWv "NmIymÀ' F¶ æe\maw D−mbsX¶v Hê hn`mKw ]ÞnXÀ IW¡mçì. Iq¯nsâ CuänÃamb XangIs¯ ""imssIbÀ'' (ÇmLyþKoÀ AYhm AarXhmWn F¶Xnsâ \njv]¯n?) F¶ ]Z¯nsâ kam\amb aebmfhm¡mbpw NmIymÀ F¶ æe\mas¯ ImWmhp¶XmWv. \mSyimkv{XcoXnIÄ `mKhX·mêw tZhZmknIfpw D]tbmKn¨pXpS§nbXp aqew, Iq¯n\v aX]camb {]m[m\yw \ÂInbXv XangIamWtÃm. Cu ]mc¼cyw aebmf¡cbnse Iq¯pw GsäSp¯Xmbn

ImWmhp¶XmWv. kqXhwiPcmb NmIym·mÀ s]mXpsh kmaqlyhnaÀi\w F¶ ZuXyw sNbvXpt]m¶nês¶¦nepw, AhÀ _oÀ_ens\ t]msetbm, sX\mencmas\ t]msetbm cmP]cnhmc¯nse Hê AwKw Bbnê¶nÃ. AëjvTm\in£Wt¯msS ]c¼cmKXambn Adnhpt\Snb hntZzm¯a·mcmbnêì ChÀ. kwkvIrX\mSIw, Ae¦mcimkv{Xw, hymIcWimkv{Xw, `mcXw, AãmZi]pcmW§Ä, `cX\mSyimkv{Xw F¶nh AhKmlambn ]Tn¨v. ]pcmW§sf {]_Ôam¡n k`Ifn BSn, tZhëw P\§Äçw {]oXn \Âæ¶Xv AhÀ æehr¯nbmbn Iån¨nêì. ]ÞnXk`Ifn AhXcn¸n¨ncn¶ Cu IeIÄ, ssien, at\m[À½w, hmNym`n\bw, ckm`n\bw apXemb taJeIfn D¶X]ZhnbmWv t\Snbnê¶Xv. kao]Ime¯v BhnÀ`hn¨ IYIfnk{¼Zmb¯n\v NmIym·mêsS Iem]mSh§fn \nìw DÄs¡mÅphm³ Gsdbp−mbnêì. Hê thf, ckkv^pcW¯n t\{Xm`n\b¯nsâ amäv IYIfnbnte¡mtfsd IqSnbm«¯n {]ISambn ImWmw. CìÅ ]e IYIfn \S·mêw IqSnbm«¯nse BNmcyêsS ]¡Â \njv¡Àjbmbn t\{Xm`n\bw ]Tn¨hcmWv F¶Xv ap³sNm¶Xn\v \nZÀi\amWv.

kwkvIrX\mSI§fpsS kphÀ®Imeamb `mkþImfnZmkbpK¯nsâ Xntcm[m\¯në tijamWv tIcf¡cbn \mSI§Ä BhnÀ`hnç¶Xv. F.Un. ]Xns\m¶mw \qäm−nÂ, tNckm{amPy¯nse æetiJc `mkvIcchnhÀ½³ BWv tIcf¯nse \mSI{]Øm\¯n\v \mμn ædn¨Xv. tIcfob³ FgpXnb ""BÝcyNqUmaWn'' F¶ \mSIw CXnëw ap¼mbncn¡Ww Fs¶mê ]£aps−¦nepw, A¶v \mSI§Ä Cu a®n thcq¶n¡gnªn«nà FìXs¶ thWw IW¡mçhm³. æetiJc³ \nÀt±in¨ ¢mÊn¡Â ]²XnIfn \nìw IqSpX kmam\yP\{]nbamb ]²Xnbnte¡v Iq¯v

The palm leaf - 4 - March 2008

hyXnNen¨Xv tNckm{amPy¯nsâ A[x]X\¯në tijamWv. \mSphmgnIfpsS ]¡ÂF¯nt¨À¶ Cu \mSyIe¡v t£{XIebptSbpw ssZhoImNmc¯ntâbpw ]cnthjw ssIhì. CubnS¡v FhntStbmsh¨v Ibdn¡qSnb ""tXme³'' F¶ IhnbpsS ""B«{]Imcw'', ""{IaZo]nI'' F¶ {KÙ§fpw Iq¯nsâ KXnsb ]cnhÀ¯\w sNbvXp. Ac§pIfn kwkvIrXw am{Xw {]tbmKn¨nê¶ {Iaw amdn aebmf¯nepw BJym\w

XpS§nsh¨Xv tXme\mWv. amXaÃ,

lmkymt£]§fpw Iq¯n {]tbmKn¡m³ XpS¡w ædn¨Xpw Ct±lamWv. CtXmsS, `cXap\n \nÀt±in¨ \mSyimkv{X¯n \n¶v sXÃI¶v, Iq¯n\v "auJcobX' Fs¶mê auenIXzhpw ssIhì. ss\aninImcWy¯nse kqX\v Xsâ hmIv]mShw Gsd {]nbamWv F¶v ]dtb−XnÃtÃm. C{]Imc¯n imkv{X¯nsâ ImÀ¡iyhpw, IY\¯nse lmkyhpw Hêt]mse NmIymÀ ]c¼c

The palm leaf - 5 - March 2008

]cn]men¨pXpS§n. BNmcmëjvTm\§fnepw imkv{Xmht_m[¯nepw C{Xbpw sI«pd¸pÅ Hê Ie, kaqlhnaÀi\w F¶ ZuXyw F§s\ kz´w NndIn³Iogn HXp¡n\nÀ¯n F¶Xv AXnibapfhmç¶ Hê hkvXpXbmWv. ]cipcma\m XpS¡w ædn¡s¸«v Ime{ItaW Iogvta ]cnhÀ¯\w kw`hn¨ ChêsS AëjvTm\¯n Cu ZuXyw ]n´pSÀìImWs¸Sp¶Xv NmIym·mêsS kqX]mc¼cyw HìsIm−pam{XamWv. {]kvXpXhnjb¯nÂ, tIcf¯nse NmIym·mêw, tIcf¯në ]pdtabpÅ kqXhwiPêw Xptemw hyXykvXamb coXnIÄ Ahew_n¨Xmbn ImWmw. _oÀ_Âamêw sX\mencma·mêw ZÀ_mdpIfn AXmXp N{IhÀ¯namêsS ImXpIfn ktμiw t\cns«¯nçt¼mÄ NmIym·mÀ hnaÀi\thZnsbmêç¶Xv t£{X§fntem {Kmak`Ifntem AhÀ AhXcn¸nç¶ "{]_Ô]mTIw' F¶ Iq¯pIfnemWv. t\cn«p kwhmZnç¶ hnaÀi\ambà AhêsS AhXcWw; {]X|X, ]pcmWIYIfntem D]IYIfntem kμÀ`¯n\v tNÀ¶ coXnbn kzåw ]mTt`Zw hê¯n hnaÀi\hnjb§Ä ]tcm£ambn AhXcn¸nç¶ coXnbmWv ChÀ sN¿p¶Xv. Cu coXn¡v AXntâXmb anIhpIfpap−v. t\cn«pÅ Bt£]lmkyw Dfhm¡ntb¡mhp¶ hyànhntZzj§Ä Cu coXnbn Gsd ædªncnçw. Bt£]§Ä kzoIcnç¶ sNhnItfm? kapZmb¯nse htcWyhÀ¤Imcmb ]ÞnXêtSbpw! cmP`cW¯nepw P\m`n{]mb§Ä¡v am\yX \Âæhm³ Cu coXn¡v Ignhps−¶v {]tXyIn¨v ]dtb−XnÃtÃm.

]pêjmÀ°¯nse cmPtkh

k`Ifn k¶nlnXcmb P\§fpsS at\mcRvP\¯në th−n NmIym·mÀ Hê¡nb IebmWv ]pêjmÀ°¡q¯v. aëkvarXn{]Imcw ]pêjmÀ°§Ä [À½mÀ°Imatam£w F¶n§s\ \membn hn`Pn¡s¸«ncnçì. aëjy\mbn

P\n¨v acWwhtcbpw Hmtcmê¯ëw ioen¨pt]mtc− coXnsbçdn¨pÅ Aëimk\amWv ]pêjmÀ°§Ä.. Cu Aëimk\§sf NmIym·mÀ \À½ckt¯msS ]mTt`Zw hê¯n AhXcn¸nç¶ {]_ÔcoXnbmWv ]pêjmÀ°¡q¯v. C§s\ ]p\À¶nÀÆNn¨, ]pêjmÀ°§Ä "hnt\mZw, h©\, Ai\w, cmPtkh' F¶o \mep `mK§fmbn hn`Pn¡s¸«ncnçì. CXnÂ, "cmPtkh' F¶ ]pêjmÀ°s¯ NmIym·mÀ F§s\ \nÀÆNn¨ncnçì Fì ]cntim[nç¶Xv ckIcamWv. F´psIms−¶mÂ, cmPtkhbpw hnaÀi\hpw æes¯mgnembn kzoIcn¨hÀ, X§fpsS ZuXys¯ \À½`mh\bn GXp coXnbnemWv kzbw hnebnê¯p¶Xv F¶Xv ckIcamhmsX XcanÃtÃm. cmPtkhçÅ Ignhnsâ am\ZÞ§Ä Fs´ms¡bmWv? NmIym·mÀ \nÀt±inç¶Xv C{]ImcamWv:

cmPtkhm aëjymWmw Akn[mcmhtel\w ]©m\\ ]cnjzwtKm hymfo hZ\Np_\w.

cmPtkh¡v BZyambn th−Xv \Ãh®w kzm[o\apÅ \mhmWv! F{Xt¯mfw kzm[o\w thWw \mhn\v? \à aqÀ¨bpÅ, ]pXnb hmfn³ Xp¼¯v \mhp apdnbmsX \çhmëÅ \mhphg¡w! ("]pXphmfns\ thWsa¦n \¡mw!' Fì ]dªp NmIymÀ kZÊns\ Nncn¸nçì.) ]ns¶ th−Xv s\ªq¡mWv. Im«n sN¶v Hê knwls¯ sI«n¸nSn¡¯¡ s\ªq¡v! CXpsIm−pam{XambnÃ, ssZhmë{Klw IqSnthWw. s]äpInSç¶ Hê IrjvWkÀ¸¯nsâ hZ\¯n Npw_n¨v AXnsâ Zwi\w G¡msX Xncn¨pt]mcmëÅ ssZhmë{Klw! ("hymfo

F¶Xv Bfo (tXmgn) F¶m¡nbm Npw_\w \ÂImw' Fì NmIymÀ!) cmPtkhbpsS BZys¯ ]Sn, Xo£vW\mb cmPmhnsâ ImTn\y]cnthjs¯ `RvPn¨v at\mkmao]y¯nëÅ hgn Hê¡emWv. "cmPXz'¯nsâ ]pdwN« Agn¨psh¨

The palm leaf - 6 - March 2008

cmPmhnë ap¶n hnZqjI³ a\Ên\nW§nb Hê tXmg\mbn amdpì. AXmbXv, "XpeyX' ssIhê¶ Ahkcw h¶mÂ, ]cnthj`RvP\w \Sì! BbXn\mÂ, hnZqjI{]thit¯msS cmPmhpw tXmgëw ]e coXnbnepw XpeycmWv F¶XnëÅ Øm]\çÅ {iaw XpS§pIbmbn. CXnse \mμntÇmIw {i²nçI:

Alw N Xzw N cmtP{μ! temI\mYmhp`mhbw

_lq{holn kamtkmlw jjvTo XXv]pêtjm `hm³!

AÃtbm cmPmth, \mw c−pt]êw "temI\mY·mÀ' BIbm ka·mÀ BWv! \maw HìXs¶, kamk¯n am{Xta hyXymkw hêìÅp. _lq{holnkamk{]Imcw, "temIw BÀ¡mtWm \mY\mbn«pÅXv (temIta XdhmSv!), AbmÄ temI\mY³' F¶ AÀ°w Fs¶ kw_Ôn¨pw,

"temI¯nsâ \mY³' F¶ jjvTo XXv]pêjkamk{]ImcapÅ AÀ°w A§sb kw_Ôn¨pw ssIs¡mtÅ−nbncnçì! ]mÞnXyhpw \À½hpw kt½fnXamb Hê {]tXyI Aë`qXnbmWv Cu kμÀ`¯n kZkyÀ¡v DfhmæI.

t]êIÄ am{XaÃ, \½psS hoSpIfpw Hêt]msebmWv F¶XmWv hnZqjIsâ ASp¯ Øm]\. AXnte¡v NmIymÀ D]tbmKnç¶ tÇmIw CXmWv:

]rYpImÀ¯kzc]m{Xw, \ntÈj`qjnX]cnP\w cmP³

hnek¡tcé`h\w, k{¼Xn kaamhtbmx kZ\w!

cmPmth! A§bpsS `h\¯n ]rYp¡fmb (henb) ImÀ¯kzc]m{X§Ä (kzÀ®]m{X§Ä) [mcmfw D−v. Fsâ `h\tam? ]rYpI§fpsS (sNdnb æ«nIfpsS) BÀ¯kzc§Ä (Ic¨nepw _lf§fpw) \ndªXpw! A§bpsS `h\¯n hknç¶hÀ tIaamb BUw_cme¦mc§tfmSp

(`qjnX·mÀ)IqSnbhcmWv. Fsâ `h\¯nemIs«, shdpw (\ntÈj) \ne¯v InSìd§p¶hêw (`qþibnX)!

F{X ITn\lrZb\mbmepw, cmPmhv Cu kvXpXnbn ab§mXncnçtam? CXn¶nSbn "almcmP {ioa³ PKXn bikm tX [hfntX...' Fì XpS§p¶

hymPkvXpXnIfpap−v. cmPmhnsâ {]ikvXn ]cs¶mgpæIbm kw`hn¨ A¦em¸pIfpsS Nn{XWamWv Cu hymPkvXpXnbnÂ. biÊv shfp¯XmWtÃm. AXp hnjvéhn\v GXp kap{ZamWv ]memgn F¶v Xncn¨dnbm³ h¿msXbmbs{X! FÃm kap{Z§fpw shfp¯XmbmÂ, ]memgn F§s\ Xncn¨dnbpw? CtX A¦em¸pIÄ

`h´w amw AZÀib³! AÃtbm cmPmth! Zmcn{Zs¯t¸mse C{X Zbmephmsbmê hkvXp Cu `qanbn D−mhnÃ. A§sb Rm³ hìI−m kz\miw (Zmcn{Z¯nsâ \miw) kw`hnçsa¶v AXn\v (Zmcn{Z¯n\v) \Ãt]mse Adnbmw. F¶n«pw Fs¶ A§bpsS ap¼n sIm−phì\nÀ¯nbXpw Zmcn{Zw Xs¶! AXnsâ alXzw \mw F§s\ hmgv¯pw?

A§bpsS sIm«mc]cnkc§fn [mcmfw ]nSnbm\IÄ (Itcé) hneknçì. Fsâ `h\tam? s]ê¨mgnIÄ (hnek¡§Ä) Xpcì−mç¶ s]mSn (tcé) \ndªXpw. At¸mÄ, `h\¯nsâ Imcy¯nepw, \mw ka·mctÃ?!

Cu coXnbnÂ, kaXzØm]\¯në tijw DÅbª cmPmhv kulrZ{]IS\¯në k¶²\mæì. kzm`mhnIambpw BZyw tNmZn¡mhp¶ tNmZyw BKat\mt±iamWv. AXn\v hnZqjI³ \Âæ¶ adp]Sn Gsd hnNn{XamWv. Zmcn{Z¯nsâ alXzw!... AXp\nan¯amWv Rm³ A§sb Iméhm³ Xp\nªXv F¶mWv hnZqjIsâ adp]Sn!

Zmcn{Zky ZbmepXzw Inw {_hoan alo]tX! Bßm\mia\mZrXy

The palm leaf - 7 - March 2008

tZth{μ\v sFcmhXs¯bpw, inh\v ssIemks¯bpw {_Òmhn\v hml\amb Acb¶t¯bpw, cmlphn\v ({KlWkab¯v) N{μs\bpw Xncn¨dnbp¶Xn kw`hn¨p FìIqSn ]dbpt¼mÄ cmPmhnsâ anYym`nam\¯n\v AXncnÃmsXbmhpì. cmPmhn\v AImw£bpfhmç¶ coXnbn hnSphmb¯cw ]dªv, Ahkm\w \À½_p²nbm Pbnç¶ Hê cwKamWv "e£vao, IoÀ¯n, Ir]mWn.... ' F¶ tÇmI¯n NmIymÀ AhXcn¸nç¶Xv. cmPmhn\vv aqì `mcyamês−ìw AhÀ aqìt]êw ZpÀ¶S¸pImcmsWìamWv Btcm]Ww! BcmWv Cu aqì `mcyamÀ? e£van ([\w), IoÀ¯n (biÊv), ]ns¶ Ir]mWn (DShmÄ) F¶nhÀ. e£van Ft¸mgpw A§bpsS B{inX·mêsS

aSnbnencnçì; IoÀ¯n kz´w cmPyw hn«v AbÂcmPy§fnteçw t]mæì, ]ns¶ Ir]mWn. AhfmIs« Ft¸mgpw i{Xp¡fpsS s\©¯mWv Xmakw! ChÀ ZpÀ¶S¸pImcsænÂ, ]ns¶ BcmWv?!

Zcn{Z\msW¦nepw F\nçap−v aqì `mcyamÀ (cmPmhpambn "kaXzw' thWatÃm!). A§bpsS `mcyamsct¸msebà ChÀ; Fs¶ H«pw ]ncnªpt]mIm¯hcmWv ChÀ.

£pXvþXrSvþBim æSpw_n\yx abn PohXy\\yKmx

Xmkma´ym {]nbXam Gjm hn{`aaoZriw!

hni¸v, sImXn, (Fs´¦nepw In«pw F¶) Bi... ChcmWv Fsâ aqì `mcyamÀ. ChcmIs«, F¶n PohëÅnSt¯mfw Imew Fs¶ hn«p ]ncnbpIbpanÃ. CXn Ahkm\s¯ `mcybp−tÃm... AhfpsS t{]cWbmemWv Rm\nhnsS h¶ncnç¶Xv! Cu coXnbnÂ, bmN\bmWv F¶v Xosc tXm¶m¯ hn[¯n kz´w {]mcm준 \nc¯nshçIbpw, cmPmhn\v kck\nanj§tfæIbpw, CS¡v sNmSn¸nçIbpw ASp¯ \nanj¯n Xs¶ _p²nhym]mc¯m At±ls¯ shìIbpw sN¿p¶ Cu hnZqjI³

cmPmhnsâ am{XaÃ, Iq¯v {ihnç¶ GhêtSbpw CãtXmg\mbn amdpì.

cmPtkhbpsS BëImenI {]kàn

XnI¨pw at\mcRvP\¯nëth−n cq]Iå\ sNbvX cmPtkhbneqsS

NmIymÀ AëhmNIs\ BkzmZ\¯nsâ ]e Xe§fnepw F¯nçì. AhÀ k`Ifn ]mæ¶ hn¯pIÄ apfç¶Xv AëhmNIêsS a\ÊpIfnemWv. ]ÞnXsc NmIymêsS Imhyh|å¯nbpw kwkvIrX `mjm]mÞnXyhpw BIÀjnçt¼mÄ, klrZbêsS ImXpIÄ¡v AarXhÀjambn¯oêì NmIymÀIq¯v. CXnÂ\nìw {i²m]qÀÆw NnIsªSp¡m³ C\nbpw ]eXpap−v. cmPtkh F¶Xns\ s]mXphmb AÀ°¯n FSp¯mÂ, hyhlmcimkv{Xw F¶ coXnbnepw ImWmhp¶XmWv. ]tcwKnXw Fs´¶v ap³Iq«n a\Ênem¡n AXëkcn¨v s]êamdmëÅ Ignhv.. CXpXs¶btà Cì \mw amt\Pvsaâv kvIqfpIfn ]Tn¸nç¶ Hê hnjbw? t{]mPÎv amt\Pvsaâv F¶ hnjb¯nÂ, kz´w Ignhv D]tbmKnç¶Xv Gsdbpw kl{]hÀ¯IêsS sshê²yamÀ¶ IgnhpIsf GtIm]n¸n¡m\mWv. ]eXc¯nepÅ P\§fpambn ssZ\wZn\hyhlmc§fn GÀs¸Sp¶hÀ Adnªncnt¡−p¶, ]cbXv\§Ä kz´w ]²XnIfnte¡v tNÀt¡− kμÀ`§fn D]tbmKnt¡−nhê¶ "l}a¬ dntkmgvkv amt\Pvaâv apXembhbpsS _me]mT§Ä NmIymÀ AhXcn¸nç¶ "cmPtkh'bn \nìw NnIsªSp¡mhp¶XmWv.

Nne cmPy§fn Cìw cmP`cWw \nehnep−v. P\mb¯`cWambmepw tkmjyenÌv `cWambmepw `cW¯nsâ Xe¸¯ncnç¶Xv aëjyÀ Xs¶. cmPmhns\t¸mse Xs¶ hnImcPohnIfmWv C¶s¯ `cW¯eh·mêw. BbXn\m NmIym·mÀ \s½ ]Tn¸nç¶ cmPtkhbpsS {]kàn Cìw D−v FìXs¶ thWw IêXphm³.

The palm leaf - 8 - March 2008

Aë_Ôw

Ct¸mÄ C´ybpw Atacn¡bpw X½n "\}¢nbÀ' IcmdpIÄ ]eXpw ]pXp¡n¸WnbpIbpw CêcmPy§fpw X½nepÅ \bX{´_Ô¯n Gsd

]ptcmKXn t\SpIbpw sN¿p¶ ImeamWtÃm. 2007 Pq¬ amk¯nÂ, Atacn¡³ sk{I«dn {ioaXn tImt−menk ssdkns\ kμÀin¨ C´y³ {]Xn\n[n Hê IqS am¼gamWv AhÀ¡v ImgvN sh¨Xv! bptd\nbhpw am¼ghpw X½n "ISepw ISemSnbpw' X½nepÅ hyXymkaps−¦nepw, {ioaXn ssdkn\v Aë`hs¸« kt´mjw \nÊoaambnê¶s{X!. C¯cw \bX{´§Ä Xs¶bmbncn¡Ww, cmPtkhbnse hnZqjI³ \s½

]Tn¸nç¶Xv.

The palm leaf - 9 - March 2008

Cows eat books Saskia Nair-Janssen

Saskia Nair-Janssen from the Netherlands currently living in London is a Graphic designer by profession. She takes keen interest in arts, books, film, music and dance. She is well versed with Ballet, Jazz, contemporary dances and Kathak. She is multilinguistic and fluent in Dutch, English, German and French. She is even learning a little bit of Malayalam

The palm leaf - 10 - March 2008

It happened on a late Sunday afternoon and people were busy sweeping the streets with their brushes, one arm on their back, the other one firmly working away producing big dust clouds in the orange light...and there she was...this beautiful white Nandini eating a book... Forgive me, it is my first visit to mother India and it surprises everyday. This is a country of contrasts and details: I see a man balancing a car tire on the back of his bike, all Bangalore "auto's" (rickshaws) have number plate KAO5 read: CHAOS! - very suitable! People who have nothing still smiling and never losing their grace in their colourful saris... This list of observations is endless to me; it is why I enjoy being here: My first introduction to Naveen's country. I am fascinated by this country, there are so many things to observe and above all it’s full of mysteries. There is the mystery of deep gargling throat noises heard in the morning and evening hours of the day, milk comes in I learn that it welcomes the auspicious and I notice that nobody steps on it while it’s fresh! Never mind Nandini…There's one mystery involving plastic that I need clarified. People seem to like keeping things in plastic... I've been in a new car where all the seats were still covered in plastic even though in use. The mattress I'm sleeping on is still in plastic. I've seen a petrol station in use, covered in a layer of plastic. I've been in a museum where the works on the wall were hung wrapped in plastic. It amuses me as plastic is far from pretty! Can someone please explain?

Mysteries aside, there are many things to learn from India, of which a lesson in selflessness. Our wonderful cook Moorthy works very hard for far too little money that he sends to his ill "mammi" in Tamil Nadu to pay for her medication... One evening we treat him to his favourite meal: chilli pork - he's the happiest man on the planet but he saves half for Bala, his best Malayali friend in Bangalore! I ask why he doesn't eat it all, doesn't he like it? Does he have enough? A puzzled look tells me I ask a strange question. "Bala, is my good friend" is the obvious answer. When we bring Bala his chilli pork dinner, he thanks me... Sadly he doesn't understand when I tell him to thank Moorthy... Beautiful people share, even if they do not own anything - I feel truly embarrassed but also enriched. I understand now that our western culture is socially and emotionally poor in many ways. India has millions of these beautiful people. They are the people that belong to the "other" and "nearly-forgotten" India. It stands in stark contrast with the sparkling India – over one third (read: 300 million) of Indian society is left out of the great Indian transformation. They live below the poverty line, this means RS500 (6 pounds) or less a month. It seems impossible to believe that India has set its goal to eradicate poverty by 2020... I fit the stereotypical white “madame” who ignorantly feeds India's consumer economy when doing my shopping in air-conditioned shopping malls in Bangalore

nothing to do with the old India. Is this really what people want the new India to be? I doubt it somehow. When Naveen’s little cousin hears the sound of the train outside the wall she desperately wants to see it. We lift her up and she loves watching it go past. Let’s hope she’ll stay forever curious to what is happening outside the walled city in her city. She will be living in the new India. We're leaving soon; it has been a wonderful introduction to your country. I very much hope that the smell of jasmine will stay with me because I don't want to let go yet…and I wonder whether this beautiful Nandini is eating a different book tomorrow.

together with the others who can afford it. I am uncomfortable with fitting this stereotype but it’s impossible to escape it. In my mind I imagine I am just like these beautiful people in order to hide from the contrasting reality. Mother India has showed me life isn’t fair nor equal - I have become tougher against my will. The Indian middle class is feeling uncomfortable too. This is why more and more of them live in walled cities within the city. Behind the security gate lie manicured gardens and identical houses in neat rows. There’s a gym, fitness centre, pool and a playground. There is no dirt, there are no cows, there are no poor and above all it is safe. It looks just like places in the States or Australia. It is living without an identity and it has

The palm leaf - 11 - March 2008

AsïiödçTêŒ lïjpù.fêfñ Frñhêlïv

Babu Ezhumavil, 54, is a management consultant specializing in the regulatory aspects of foreign trade. He lives in Ahmedabad, Gujarat where he is the editor of a bi-lingual magazine published by the Ahmedabad Kerala Samajam. He describes himself as ‘an occasional writer’ and he has written on various subjects from humanities, philosophy and economics to aspects of the Foreign Trade Policy.

añjïYhlt AEñglïOþñ. gtŒóÝpŒïEñÈïök EêkñOñhjñJw oê&ïiêiïjñªò DøthïqiñöT lïjpŒïEú, gtŒêlïv EïªJªñÈ QðlïYŒïöus ÷djú lïjpù Fªñ Yöª.hEoæïöus BrŸqïv Eïªñ dYƒñödêŸñª lïjoY, AYïöus ekhêiñûêlñª lïhñKY. F¦÷iê iêhŸw ödêrïƒñ lðXñ lïjpïJw¼ñ Oñšñù. Alt JêYñù JòtdçïOþïjñªñ ,gtŒêlïöus Hjñ m}ù ÷Jw¼êu. ÌnéïdZŒïöus A�álñù JTªú F¦÷iê JêYŸw¼Jök öOöªŒïiïˆñûêlêù AljñöT hEoú! EêrïJJqñù lïEêrïJJqñù Yêûï AljñöT hEoæú FlïöTöikëêù Akƒïˆñûêlêù. DnoæñJqïkñù oêi껟qïkñù ÷oîpŒïöus Hjñ JXïJ Alt Ydçï. Hjñ haêko EïÎÀñ ÷lûï. Fkëê f‡ñ¼qñöTiñù ÷oîplê¨káŸw Alt Eïj�jù AEñglïÀñªñûêiïjñªñ. djïOêjJlý>Ÿw h¨jïOþñ mñ±ònïÀñªñ Clöjöiêö¼;

dk÷dçêrñù FEïÀú ÷Yêªêsñûú, C¦iñù gðJjY CjñˆïEñûêlñ÷œêw, B Cjñˆú GöYê lïjpŒðiïvEïªñ ödêŸñª dñJ Yöªiêlêöhªú. AYñöJêûêlêù Cjñˆïv lïjpŒïEú Yð&åY JòTñªYú. FËïkñù C÷dçêw SêEsïiñªYú höšêªêXú. Eêöq Föus Cø lïjpañüKŒïE�áhñûêlñöhªñÈ Asïlú. B Asïlú EvJñª oôdîlñhêiï Sêu hjirïJqïkòöT hêE÷ŒÀñ J¯ñù dêiïOþú DaiŒïEñ÷lûï JêŒñ JïT¼ñªñ. ÷JêrïJw Jêkú hêšï hêšï Olïˆï iêhŸöq YÈï Eð¼ñªYñù Jûú Sêu Yïjïƒñù hsïƒñù JïT¼ñªñ. DXjêEñÈ ölœkïv Ds¼ù EnéödçTñªñ. Eêöq.hñjï¼ïudòlñù hñjïŸdçòlñù Jñkñ¼ï lðÛêu hñšöŒŒñª CqùJêšïöE FEïÀïnéhêXú JêjXù AYïv Föus ‹ïiYhöus L‡hñûêlñù. lêiñdñ¦Eêi gðh÷oEöus Hjñ gêjáiêXú Sêu. Föus lïjpŒïöus OòTïöE Jñqï÷jJï ohêmôoïdçïÀêu Föus gtŒêlïöus A•u JòöTiñûú, hJEñù. FËïkñù lïjpañüKù hêsïkëökëê. CEï hXï¼òsñJw hê¦ù, Hjñ JòTï¼ê×, dïöªiñù AJkê÷Eê? AŸ÷Eiñù Blêù. oðYiñù, Døthïqiñöhêö¼ Eïtf‡ïY lïjpŒïöus ödêÈv AEñglïOþljêXú. lïjpù

Fªêkñù lïjpañüKŒïöus YðnåY Jñsiïkë. ÷oîpêajŸöqêöT F¦ ‹ïiödçˆlt BmôoïdçïOþêkñù Hªñhêlïkë. Cø JZêdꦟw Oj歷ïöus GTñJqïv Eïsƒñ Eïv¼ñªñ. Sê÷Eê, Hjñ jêQJñhêjïiêöXªñ hê¦ù. jêÉï daù HjïÀkñù DsdçïkëêöY lïlêpù Jrïƒ Hjñ dêlù dêlù jêQJñhêjï.

AEñglïÀêEñûêi JêjXŸqñù AYï÷köÀŒïödçˆ lrïJqñù öl÷lþ÷s BöXöªkëêt¼ñhsïiêù. FËïkñù

The palm leaf - 12 - March 2008

Föª EïŸw hpêgêjŒYïöus YêqñJqïv YïJOþñù A‹bêEhêi Hjñ jòdŒï÷k Jûïˆñûêlò. Föª HêthïÀêu, Sêu lêiñdñ¦Eêi gðh÷oEöus Hjñ gêjá Fª dalï hê¦÷hiñÈñ. SêEïökëËïkñù oùglŸqñöT ÆhŸwö¼êjñ láYáêolñù Dûêlñhêiïjñªïkë. CEïiñù CŒjù F¦÷iê JZêd¦Ÿw QðlïOþñ hjïÀñªñ. FEïöÀêdçlñù FEïÀñ

hñudñù. FEïÀñ dïªêökiñù CöYêö¼ CEïiñù oùglïÀêù.gjY_m¦ñMîÓêjñöT gêjáhêt gêLálYïJw Biïjñªñ. Jøokáiñù, ööJ÷Jiïiñù oñhï¦iñù amjZ hpjêQêlñ hjïÀñªYñlöj Hdçù Yöªiêiïjñªñ. cnïhêjñöTiñù gêjáhêt Alöj djïOjïOþñöJêöûêdçù JrïƒñJòTï. L‡êjïlkëá˜iñù, Föus jûú A˜êiïi˜hêjñù _

The palm leaf - 13 - March 2008

dköjdçšïiñÈ ltXEJqñöT YhêmJqïv AöYêö¼ Akïƒñ÷dêiïjñªñ. dïöª ETªöYkëêù oôdîù ÷dêök. A÷‰pŒïöus hñªïv lªñ Eïª÷dçêqêiïjù EêlñJw Fªïv JïTªñ dïTOþñ ÷aphêoJkù Jñqït. dïTiñª J¯ñJqïv Hªñ Ìmáhêlñªïkë. LñXLðYïJqñù oíñYïLðYïJqñù Yêqlñù jêLlñù hEoæñù Fkëêù Hjñ÷dêök ‹ltŒ÷Eê÷Ónhêiï. ÷hêpùYòŸñª hñKù DitŒêEêlêöY Hªñ dJOþñ. ``CöYêªñ lêŸò'' Fªú dsiêu ÷Yêªï. d÷&, EêlEŸöû. CŒïj÷Ejù Jrïƒ÷dçêw JàñJw Ditªñ. Hjñ EïhïnŒïv B hêk A÷‰pŒïöus JXõŒïv AXïiïÀêu. Dijù F¦÷iê JòTñYv; Fœêu Jrïiꌦ DijŒïv. o÷pêajEñù A÷‰pŒïöus OŸêYïiñù JòTï B gêjù A÷‰pŒïöus JrñŒïkXïiïOþñ. ödjñœs hñrŸï. Cªñù B mïjoæú DijŒïv YöªiêXú. A÷‰pù öhêŒhêiñù DijŸqïv! JòTdçïsdçñJqñöT oøJjáêtZù ööljáù hsªú Altö¼êdçù mê�Eêiï ET÷¼ûï lª Hjñ QðlïYhêX÷‰pŒïöus. FEïöÀªkë Bt¼ñù FŒïödçTêu dšêŒ Dijù. aòjlñù JòTïiïjïÀñªñ. Eêöqiñù iñŠù YñTjñù; A÷‰pŒïEñ ÷dêJêYïjïÀêu Jrïiïkë. AöYêjñdö& A÷‰pöŒ YqtŒñù. JêXêu Jrïƒêkñù hïûêu Jrïiñ÷hê Fªñ Yöª Asïiïkë. C¦iñù JêkŒïEñ ÷mnöhËïkñù Föª YïjïOþsïiñù Fªñ YðtOþiñûú. F�êiêkñù Cø hJöE A÷‰pöŒ GvdçïÀXù. AlEñù iñŠù öOàöˆ hñŒ•öus, A˜êhöus, A•öus, oôo÷pêajŸqñöT JòöT. A�jð&ù JïTïkù öJêÈöˆ. A•öEêdçù Eïªñ iñŠù öOàñª B Ìmáù AöYEïÀñ hEoæïv JêXêu Jrïiñù.

Jñ�ïiñù hêÎïiñù _ lïjpañüKù AEñglïOþïˆïkë. Alt AloêE ohiù löj dê~ñlïöus JòöTiêiïjñªñ. ‹Yð&Jw JòTñ÷œêw EïhïnŸqsOþsOþïriñªñ. hòqïiêt¼êEñù AsïiêŒ Hjñ Amjðjïiêiï hEoæñrsñªñ.hêEù ÷Eê¼ï, hêElñù ÷Eê¼ï, dö& hEù FŸ÷E÷iê DT¼ï JïTªñ ÷dêiï. F�ïöEEïÀªŸöE ÷Yêªï. AökëËïv F�ïEª÷‰pù oôiùljdç�kïökŒï. hEhïqJï hahïqJï öSqïƒïjïªïjñª AjOt¼ïTiïv F�ïE÷‰pù DdlïnõEêiï. Föus J¯ñJ÷q¼êw ÷lLŒïvdçêƒñöJêûïjñª JêYñJqïv ÷Yêrïhêt F�ïEª÷‰pŒïöus oíñYï LðYŸw dêTï. FEïÀsïiïkë. CYïöEêö¼ DŒjlêaï Jêklñù ‹êilñhêXú dêlù ödxJñˆïJqkë. lðjJZJw ÷Jˆñ lqtª GYñ jêQJñhêjïÀñù Yöus gtŒêlú ÷kêJŒïök Gšlñù MELêùgðjáhñÈ EïYá ÷QYêlêlXöhªñ YöªiêXú ÷Yêªv AEêlmáLtlïöus gêLhêlêù. Hjñ iñŠŒïv ÷dêkñù djêQïYEêlêu dêTïkë. HjñYjù mêUálñhêlêù,Hdçöhêjñ JïEêlêiïjñªñ. Fkëêù ödxJïTêŸöq÷dçêök FEïÀñù Hjñ oôdîù. Yê÷kêkïÀêEñù, AYïv EðjêTêEñù, AYï÷kÀòqïiïˆïsŸêEñù Hjñ dËêqï. QðlïYŒïöus Fkëê DŒjlêaqñù B Oñhkïv GvdçïOþïˆú B lïjïhêsïv Oêƒú oôdîùJûú DsŸêu. døjñnŒïöus DŒñùL ³ùLŸqïv ÷JqðETEhêTêu, QðlïYù OjXŸqïv ohtdçïÀêu, öJêYï. BJêù&iñöT Yïhïk Yêqù “aihïTñdçïv Akïƒñ ÷Ojñª EïhïnŸw. dïªïv YñTtªñöJêûïjñª jêLlïoíêjlñù AYïöEêdçù YñTïöJêˆñª Föus hEoæñù, Föus ETdçïöus Yêqù öYšïÀñöhªñ giödçˆñ. ljXhêkiñöT gêjù öJêûñ JàñJw Jñrƒñ÷dêJñ÷hê Fªñ ÷dêkñù ÷Yêªï. Hdçù ET¼ñª aêoïhêjñöT YsOþ÷Eꈟw Föª gðYïaB¼ñªêûêiïjñöªËïkñù

The palm leaf - 14 - March 2008

lïjpŒïöus H÷jê Eïhïnlñù Sêu hJEñ ÷lûï hêšïölOþïjñªñ. AlöE lqtŒï Alöus A•öE GvdçïÀXöhªêiïjñªñ ÷hêpù. AYñ Eêöq oêbïÀñù.Föus, Cø fkê‡jiñöT hEoæï÷dçêw ÷YjïEñ hñ÷ª dêiñJiêXú. ÷dêtlïqïiñöT mùKñEêaù DijñªYïEñ hñuödŒXù. Cø Jêmïdñ¦ïöÀêjïÀkñù jêÉïiêlû. Sêu poíïEdñjŒïöus Hjñ÷JêXïv Eïm}iêiï Jrï÷ƒêqêù. Cø otlêùLöE A÷‰pŒïöus Jêv¼v ohtdçïOþú Yïjïƒñ÷dêkñù ÷Eê¼êöY Sêu ödê÷Àêqêù, lðûñù lïjpŒïöus hêTŸqï÷kÀú. Jêk÷h,AökëËïv Eð Föª Eïöus dïªïökêqïdçïOþêkñù lï÷jêbhïkë. F�ñù ÷hêpïÀêù, AYïEêjñöTiñù AEñlêaù ÷lûökëê? Sêu ÷hêpïÀïökëêªñù, JêjXù, QêYJhEñojïOþú iñŠù QiïOþêkñù Föus lïjpù Yðjïkë. jêQJði JêjXŸqñù bt˜Ÿqñù Dûêlñù EïjŒêu, Föª Hrïlê¼êù. ClïTöŒ Cjñˆú CEïiñù MEðglïÀñù. Biïjhêiïjù ÷JêJ£ðJqñöT lïjpŒïöus OòTïv ClïTù Fjïiñù. Jêk÷h, Eï÷ªêöTêjgát<EJòTï; EïEö¼êªñù öOàêu JrïiïökëËïkñù ödxJïTêŸqñöT hEoæïv .÷hêphñaïdçïÀökë. AökëËïv CEïiñù Jêmïiïv jêQJñhêjïJqñù AYïv fkê‡jhêjñù Dûêlñù, hêkiïˆ jêlñJrïƒêv QÓù hñrñlu

.

BJêù&iïv Jrïiêu.

The palm leaf - 15 - March 2008

Ramchandran is a postgraduate from the Delhi University. He joined the State Bank of India as a Management Trainee and rose to senior positions in international Banking, culminating in a five years tenure with the bank’s London office in the City. He left the bank’s service in order to continue in London and is currently the finance director for a group of companies in London

water, our entire planet is insulated from extreme and sudden fluctuations in temperature by the thermal resistance of the oceans. Oceans store and distribute huge amounts of heat so that the equator’s warm temperatures are in a sense shared with northern climes. Charlie Ryrie in her book ‘The Healing Power of Water’ says that a 100-mile wide ocean current can transport as much heat in an hour as produced by burning 200 million tones of coal. Water in the oceans is not moved around because of waves (which are driven by wind). There are currents and ‘rivers’ in the oceans that move massive amounts of water around the world. The Kuroshio current (the word translates into ‘the Black Stream’ in English), in the Pacific Ocean, off the shores of Japan, is the largest current – it can travel between 25 and 75 miles a day, 1 to 3 miles per hour, and extends some 3,300 feet deep. The more familiar Gulf Stream moves water from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic Ocean towards Great Britain. At a speed of 60 miles per day, the Gulf Stream moves 100 times as much water as all the rivers on Earth. Coming from warm climates, the Gulf Stream moves warmer water to the North Atlantic. Water is H2O: The basic arrangement of atoms is molecule (meaning ‘little mass’ in Latin).

Water is the only substance found on Earth naturally in three forms – solid, liquid and gas. Water, the wonder liquid: Among liquids, water is unique. All other liquids, when frozen, are smaller and more compact than their liquid states. Water does shrink until it reaches 4 deg. C (39 deg. F); after that, it begins to expand, so that when water finally freezes into ice at 0 deg. C (32 deg. F), it takes up more space than liquid water, not less. Water has a much higher boiling point than virtually all other natural liquids. And when water is at 37 deg. C (99 deg.F), it requires the greatest amount of energy to produce a temperature change. This is lucky for life on Earth, significantly for human life. Plasma, which constitutes 55% of our blood volume, is 90% water. Blood is able to maintain its own steady normal temperature of 98.6 deg.F even when we are subjected to prolonged extremes of heat and cold. Our adult bodies are 60 - 70% water (fat people have less water than thin people, as a percentage, as fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue); even our bones are 22% water. Newborn babies are 78% water. We can survive about a month without food, but only 5 to 7 days without water. Also, given that our land masses are surrounded by

Water, Water, Everywhere!

P.Ramchandran

The palm leaf - 16 - March 2008

.A molecule is simply two or more atoms working together in a more or less stable arrangement – add 2 atoms of hydrogen to one atom of oxygen and we have a molecule of water. The combination of the two elements, hydrogen and oxygen, creates an entirely new set of properties. Hydrogen, the smallest atom there is, has a single proton (+ve) at its centre, and a single electron (-ve) rotating around it. The atom is light and unstable. Oxygen is a heavier atom, with 8 protons at its centre, surrounded by an inner shell and an outer shell – the inner shell is full with 2 electrons orbiting the centre; the outer shell has 6 electrons, but in order to balance the atom’s electrical charges, it would ‘prefer’ to have 8. As Raphael Kellman MD puts it in his book “The Matrix Healing”, the oxygen atom’s longing for 2 extra electrons, and the hydrogen atom’s essential instability, are what enables the marriage of these two substances and the creation of a new element. And, the super-stable element that water is, it can nevertheless bond easily with other molecules because of the exchange of electrical charges between the two types of atoms. The bonding property of water enables it to mix with many other substances, which in turn has created many of the conditions for life on Earth. Stable in and of itself, water is always ready to mix with another substance and create something new. Thus water helps support life both within our bodies and outside them, sharing its cooling and warming properties wherever they are needed, just as it flows freely into every welcoming crevice and plain. The Water we drink has been around doing its job since the Earth was young! It’s true, the water we use today has been around for hundreds of millions of years, and the amount available hasn’t probably changed very much. Water moves around the world, changes forms, is taken in by plants and animals, but never really disappears. Water on Earth moves in a continuous cycle. This is called The Water

Cycle, which essentially describes the existence and movement of water on, in and above the Earth. Earth’s water is always in movement and is always changing states, from liquid to vapour to ice and back again. The water cycle has been working for billions of years and all life on Earth depends on its continuing to work. We had studied the water cycle in our science class and had also drawn the diagram. The US Geological Survey website provides an exhaustive account of the various stages of the water cycle, and gives the diagram with the descriptions in different languages (64 languages in fact, at last count). The Malayalam version is reproduced here. For youngsters, NASA has an internet game called ‘Droplet and the Water Cycle’ at http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/droplet.html , where they can play (and download) the game. The website’s description of the game, reproduced below, makes a great read: “ONCE UPON A TIME high above the earth, fluffy white clouds drifted through the atmosphere. In the clouds lived a little Droplet of water, round and content with life. For as long as he could remember, he spent his days lying on his back, relaxing and soaking up the sun’s warm rays. One day, he took his usual place in the sun but the light didn’t seem to be as bright.In fact, as the day went on, it grew darker and darker, loud claps of thunder shook the cloud, and the Droplet felt as if he were getting so heavy he could hardly move. Suddenly, the Droplet felt himself falling from the cloud. Down, down, down he fell, farther and farther from home. At last he landed on the earth, in the dark green foliage of the rainforest. Around him as far as he could see were tall trees, dense green leaves, red mushrooms and multicoloured insects of every shape and size. Strange creatures surrounded him, and the sounds and sights were nothing he had ever seen or heard before. All he was sure of was that he wanted to go back home. But how? And so begins the

The palm leaf - 17 - March 2008

water is oceanic: 97% of all the water on Freshwater forms only 3% of total water on Earth, and this exists mostly in ice sheets. Only the tiniest amount (0.29%) of it is found in freshwater lakes and swamps – and 20% of this is in one lake: Lake Baikal (also known as ‘the Blue Eye of Siberia’) located in south Siberia near the Mongolian border. Lake Baikal has a surface area of 31,494 sq kms and is 1,637 metres or 5,371 feet deep; the Lake is completely surrounded by mountains and is fed by 336 rivers with only one river flowing from it; it has 30 rocky islands, the biggest one being Olkhon island, 130 sq kms in area, and legend has it that the Mongolian ruler Genghis Khan was born there. Another 20% of the freshwater on Earth in lakes, is stored in the Great Lakes of North America (Huron, Michigan and Superior) Rivers hold only about 0.006% of Earth’s total freshwater reserves – and it is sometimes said that the humans survive on what is essentially a ‘drop in the bucket’ of Earth’s total water supply! Icecaps and glaciers account for 68.7% of Earth’s

adventure of Droplet, the water molecule, as he enters the great water cycle – condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration – and starts his journey home. Your task, as you play this game, is to get him safely through the forest, into the river, and out to sea so that the sun can warm him once again and help him get back to the clouds. You can make Droplet run, jump, climb, slide, take rides on passing leaves, and stun his enemies. But the trip will not be easy. All creatures on earth need water to stay alive. In the forest, he can get slurped up by butterflies and praying mantises. In the river and the ocean, sharks, turtles and other sea creatures pose other challenges! And, beware of hidden traps in the ocean floor! Good luck and have a safe trip!” Freshwater forms only 3% of the total water on Earth! It has been estimated that there are 1.3 billion cubic kms of water on Earth – and, as we noted earlier, this is the same amount of water that was there when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. And, most of Earth’s

The palm leaf - 18 - March 2008

Providing safe drinking water to those who need it is a major challenge, more so for a country like India which has 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of its fresh water and just over 2% of its land area. Water issues could be confined to genuinely arid areas, if more of rain water could be captured, stored and transported. And there is urgent need for water saving technologies and new techniques for desalination and water treatment.

freshwater. And another 30.1% is Ground water, most of which comes from rain which infiltrates downwards from the land surface. Nearly 90% of our planet’s ice is in Antartica and most of the rest is in Greenland. Antartica alone has 6 million cubic miles of ice, enough to raise the oceans by a height of 200 feet if it all melted. Our atmosphere has just 0.001% of earth’s total freshwater in clouds or as vapour, and if all that fell as rain, evenly everywhere, the oceans would deepen by only a couple of cms. In December 1992, United Nations decided to designate 22nd March of each year as World Day for Water. Worldwide, one billion people lack access to safe drinking water. The UN has also declared 2005 – 2015 as the International Decade for Action on ‘Water for Life’ and set the world agenda on a greater focus on water-related issues. World population has doubled since 1950, but our usage of water has increased six-fold: Increased living standards and irrigation (and golf and tropical lawns!) have put huge strains on our supplies. Competing demands create tensions or worsens pre-existing tensions: – as in the occupied West Bank where Israeli settlers run dishwashers, washing machines and lawn sprinklers and use power showers while Palestinians’ taps run dry; – Turkey diverts the headwaters of the Euphrates river for its hydroelectricity projects and irrigation and Syria has power cuts every day as they depend on the same water for its electricity generation;

– Hundreds of farmers living along China’s Huai River Basin suffer from various forms of cancer due to water pollution caused by the State-owned factories along the river front;

– Wells sunk to fill the swimming pools of luxury hotels for western tourists in Goa have left townspeople queuing at standpipes for water to drink.

The palm leaf - 19 - March 2008

kmaqly {]Xn_²X DÅqÀ Ihn-X-I-fnÂ

hn.. \mcm-b-W³ \¼ymÀ

_lp-apJ {]Xn-`-bpÅ alm-Ihn DÅq-cn-s\-]än Ipsd-sbms¡ ]T-\-§Ä D−m-bn-«p-s−-\vInepw hnkvXr-X-amb B Imhy-km-K-c-¯n Cd-§p-¶-hÀ¡v [mcmfw ap¯p-IÄ tiJ-cn-¡m³ Ign-bpw. alm Ihn-{X-b-¯n aäp c−p Ihn-Isf kw-_-Ô¨p Ah-cpsS kmaqly ho£Ww Ht«sd hni-Z-am¡n Xs¶ NÀ¨ sN¿s¸«n-«p-−v. ]mWvUn-Xy-¯nsâ DÖze {]`m-h-¯nepw ]pcmW hnÚm-\-¯nsâ Kl-\-X-bnepw A`n-c-an¨ DÅqÀ Ihn-X-I-fnse kmaqly {]Xn-_-²X ]p\À hnNn-´\w sNt¿−Xm-sW¶p tXm¶p-¶p.

“]ucm-Wn-I-Xz-sa³ ss]Xr-I-kz-¯tÃm

]mcm-bWw sN¿mw Rm\-Xev]w”

Xsâ ss]XrI kz¯n B\μw Is−-¯nb alm-Ihn ]pcmW IY-\-¯n DÂkp-I-\m-b-t¸mgpw Xsâ DÅnsâ DÅn \n¶p kmaqly {]Xn-_-²X s]m«n-ap-f-¡p-¶-Xmbn ImWmw. hniz-t{]-a-¯n \n¶pw DS-se-Sp-¡p¶ B apfIÄ Hmtcm Imhy ]Ým-¯-e-¯nepw A\nÀh-N-\o-b-amb B\μ el-cn-bn {]Xy-£-s¸-Sp-¶Xp IuXp-I-I-c-amWp; GIm-h-ew_w hniz-t{]aw Xs¶.

“Hscm-ä -a-Xap−pe-In-¶p-bncmw t{]a-a-sXm-¶tÃm

]cs¡ \s½ ]me-ar-Xq«pw

]mÀhW iin-_nw_w” kaq-l-¯n-se- D¨\oNXz§sf XpS¨p amäm-\pÅ [mcmfw DÂt_m-[-\-§Ä DÅqÀ Xsâ Ihn-X-I-fn-eqsS apg-¡n-bn-«p-−v. DÅq-cnsâ kmaq-lym-h-t_m-[-¯nsâ Gähpw henb km£n-]-{X-ambn Icp-Xm-hp¶ GXm\pw Ihn-X-IÄ {i²n¡pI.

“X¶m¡tctd-−-h-sc-{X-t]tcm Xmg¯p ]mgvt -̈cn-e-aÀ¶ncns¡

Xms\m-ä-bn {_Ò-]Zw sImXn¡pw

Xt]m-\n-[n-s¡-s´mcp Nmcn-XmÀ°yw” “kvt\lamW-Jn-e-km-c-aq-gn-bn” F¶p Bim³ {]kvXm-hn-¡p-t¼mÄ, AXns\ Ac-¡n«pd-¸n-¨p-sIm−pv DÅqÀ ]d-bp-¶-Xn-§s\bmWp

“bmsXm¶p ssZh-¯n\p aqÀ¯n-t]mepw

bmsXm¶p hniz-¯n\p XqWp-t]mep B kvt\l-am-kvt\-l-atlm Pbn¸q

bmsXm¶p tam£-¯n\p tImWn-t]mepw” kaq-l-¯n \ne-\n-¶n-cp¶ \oN-ØnXnbpsS s]můcw AXn-i-à-am-bn-¯s¶ IÀ®-`q-j-W-¯n Ihn FSp¯p Im«p-¶p-−v.

“kqX³ t]m kqX³ t]m kqX -Ip-e-¯n\p

]mXn-Xy-sa-´n{X ]än-t¸mbn \m·p-J-\n-¶se kqX-\mbv hmW-h³

\mcm-b-W³ \msf kqX-\m-thm³” `àn Zo]nI F¶ -kp{]-kn-²-amb Imhy-¯n t{]a-¯nsâ kÀtÆmÂIr-jvS-amb ]Zhn Ihn {]Jym-]n-¡p-¶p.

“t{]aw Xm³ {]]-©-¯n t{ijvTamw Pohm-[mcw t{]a-¯n-¶-`m-h-¯nÂ

{_ÒmWvUw \ntÝ-X\w” DÅqÀ Xsâ Ih\ IuXp-I-¯n\p ]q©n-dIp \evIn-bXp kmaqly `{Z-Xsb am{Xw e£y-am-¡n-bm-Wp. anÊv tatbm F¶ Ata-cn-¡³ aZm½ `mc-Xs¯ A]-IoÀ¯n-s -̧Sp¯n Fgp-Xnb Hcp

{KÙ-amWp “aZÀ C´y”. AXn-s\-Xnsc ià-ambn Ihn-bpsS XqenI Nen-¨-t¸mÄ

D−mb hninjvS IrXn-bmWp “Nn{X-im-e”. `mcX kv{XoI-fpsS alna hÀ®n¨p sIm−pÅ B {KÙw aZm-½¡p In«nb I\¯ kmc-kzX {]lc-am-Wp. kmaqly {]Xn-_-²X lrZ-b-̄ n ebn¨p tNÀ¶n«pÅ Hcp Ihn-¡p-am-{Xta C¯-c-¯n-epÅ ss\kÀ¤nI {]Xn-I-c-W-§Ä P\ -k-aq-l-¯nsâ ap¼n ImgvN-sh-¡m³

km[n-¡p-I-bp-Åp. “sFIy KmY” F¶ sNdnb Ihn-X-bnse Nne hcn-IÄ {i²n¡pI.

“C½-Wn-t¯m-¸nse ssXa-Wn¡mänsâ aÀ½c hmIy-¯n-¶À°-sat´m?

F¶-b¡mc-\n \n¶p Rm³ `n¶\ þ

sö§v \n¶nXp h¶p-c-¸q”

The palm leaf - 20 - March 2008

kaq-l-¯nsâ sI«pd¸n\p P\-Io-b-amb Iq«m-bvabpw kvt\lhpw kmtlm-Z-cyhpw Hgn-hm-¡m³ Ign-bm¯ LS-I-§-fm-sW¶p alm-Ihn Ht«sd Ihn-X-I-fn kμÀt`m-Nn-X-ambn kaÀ°n-¡p-¶p-−p. kaql \· am{Xw e£y-am¡n alm-Ihn cNn¨ Hcp al-¯mb IrXn-bnse hcn-IÄ IqSn {i²n¡pI.

“Hcp hgn-bp−p a\p-jy³ \¶mhmþ s\mtcsbm-cp-h-gn-þ-a-dp- h-gn-bnÃ

Hcp IpSpw-_-ambv ]peÀ¶m Pohn¡mw

]ncnªp amdn-bm acn¨p a®m-Imw”. ( Bäw t_mw_v)

\nÝb ZmÀUy-apÅ hyàn-IÄ D−m-bm am{Xta \ap¡v sI«pd¸pÅ Hcp kaqlw hmÀs¯-Sp-¡m³ Ign-bp-I-bp-Åp. AXp-sIm-−p-X-s¶-bmWp hyàn-Po-hnXw kwip-²hpw IÀ½-\n-c-X-hp-am-¡m³ Ihn DÂt_m-[\w \S-

¯p-¶-Xv. “Inc-Wm-hen” bmWp DÅq-cnsâ H¶m-as¯ IhnXm kam-lm-cw. AXn H¶m-

as¯ IhnX {]Xy-£-s¸-Sp-¶Xp “DZvt_m-

[\w” F¶ inÀj-I-¯n-em-Wp. am\-hn-I-X-sb-¸än hfsc ]c-¯n-¸-d-bp-¶-hÀ k{i²w hmbn¨p ]Tn¨p {]mhÀ¯n-I-am-t¡− Imcy-§-fmWp Axn {]Xn-]m-Zn-¨n-«p-Å-Xp. Nne hcn-IÄ ImWp-I.

“]mgm-c-Wy-¯n ]Xn-¡s«, ]mZ§Ä ]mjmWw sIm−p apdn-ªn-Ss«

---þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þþþþ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þþ þþ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þ-þþ

sh«pI \obmªp \n³ ssI c−pw s]m¡ns]m«n- s¸m-fn-bp-an-¸m-d-bn-t¸mÄ shŸfp\vsImfn-Èo-X-P-e-ap-S³

\sÃm-cp-d-h-bn \n¶p s]m§pw” kp{]-kn-²-\n-cq-]-I-\mb kpIp-amÀ Ago-

t¡mSv “IÀ½-hocw” Xs¶-bmWp DÅqÀ¡-hn-X-bnse Ømbn-bmb ckw F¶p ]d-ªXp A£cw {]Xn icn-bm-Wp. a\p-jy-\nse kmXzn-I-`m-h-§Ä DZo]vXam¡m\pw Ah-\nse IÀ½-tijn DWÀ¯m\pw DX-Ip¶ Ht«sd Ihn-X-IÄ DÅqÀ ssIc-fn¡p kaÀ¸n-¨n-«p-−v. ]mWvUn-Xyw, Ihn-Xzw, XXz-Nn´ F¶o aq¶p kzÀ®-ime-I-fpsS aq¸n-cn-¡q-«n \nÀ½n¨ DÅqÀ¡-hn-X-IÄ Kuc-h-ta-dnb ]T-\-¯n\p C\nbpw hnt[-b-am-t¡-−-Xp-−v. ]Xn-äm-−p-IÄ¡p ap¼v amXr-`qan BgvN-¸-Xn-¸n {]kn-²o-I-cn¨ DÅq-cnsâ Ihn-X-bnse Ipd¨p hcn-IÄ kvarXn-]-Y-¯n \n¶pw Xmsg- Ip-dn-¡p-¶p. Ihn-bpsS kmaqly {]Xn-_-²X hnfw-_cw sN¿p¶XmWp Cu Ihn-X.

“CsX´p Iqs¯sâ ktlm-Z-c-³amtc aZo-cmÈn a{´n [pc-Ô-c³amtc

apd-¡p-ta-enepw \S-¯Ww t]mepw ]d-Èn-\n-¡m-hn kpc -\n-th-Z\w

]c-ssZ-h-§sf IpSn-¸n-¡m-sat¶m?

\c-¶-t]-b-ambv hn[n-s¨m-cm-{Zhw”

]gb ae-_mÀ {]tZiw aZn-cm-in-bpsS Iogn-em-bn-cp-¶p. aZy \ntcm-[\ \nb-ahpw aZn-cmin Akw-_vfn-bn A¶p H -̈¸m-Sp-−m-¡nb kw`-h-§fpw kvacn¨p sIm−mWp DÅqÀ B IhnX Fgp-Xn-b-Xv. Ihn-bpsS kmaqly {]Xn-_-²-X-bpsS sh¶n-s¡m-Sn-bmbn B IhnX hmgv¯-s¸-Spw. DÅq-cnsâ HSp-hn-es¯ kam-lm-c-

amb “X]vX-lrZb” ¯nepw kaq-l-\-·sb e£y-am¡n Fgp-Xnb [mcmfw Ihn-X-IÄ ZÀin-¡mw.

“Ic-§-tf-hcpw ]c-kv]-cw-tImÀ¯pw Htc-Xcw Pb-mchw apg-¡nbpw

FXn-cn«pw hnLv\-iX§sf Zqsc ]Xn-cn³ a«q-Xn-]-d-]-d-¸n¨pw

AWn-\n-cs¶m¸w ]ptcm-K-an-¡p-hn³

AW-bp-hn³ io{L-a-`ojvS e£y-¯n”

“DÅq-cnsâ ]Zy-Ir-Xn-IÄ” F¶ {KÙ-¯nsâ Ah-Xm-cn-I-bn ]WvUn-X-t{ijvT\mb {io.-BÀ.-cm-a-N-{μ³ \mbÀ hfsc {]k-à-amb Hcp tNmZyw tNmZn-

¡p-¶p-−v. “AXoX k]vXXn hÀj-\mb Hcp Ihn-bn \n¶pw hnPrw-`n-X-amb buh-\-¯nsâ DuÀÖ-kz-eX Ihn-sªm-gp-Ip¶ C¯cw IÀ½-KmY DÂ`-hn-¨-Xn\p kmln-Xy-¯n thsd-sb{X ZrjvSm-´-

§Ä D−mIpw?” alm-Ihn ]n.-Ip-ªn-cm-a³ \mb-cpsS A\p-{K-lm-in-Êp-I-tfmsS ae-ap-Sn-bnse B inh-t£{Xw H¶p-IqSn

{]Zn-£nWw sh¡-s«. “DÅqÀ IhnX!þ ae-ap-Sn-bnse inh-t£-{X-am-Wp. AhnsS F¯m³ ImSpw ]Sepw Xm−-Ww, hgp-¡p¶ ]md Nhn-«-Ww. Gsd ]Sn-IÄ Ip¯s\ tId-Ww. k¶n-[m-\-¯n-se-¯n-bm ]c-am-\μw! AIse IS ImWmw IpfnÀ Imtä¡mw. XoÀ°-¡p-f-§p-fp−v; ap§n-¡p-fn-¡mw. F¶mWp ]n.-Ip-

ªn-cm-a³ \mbÀ {]kvXm-hn-¡p-¶-Xv”. Ime-am-Ip¶ alm-\n-cq-]-I³ DÅqÀ Ihn-X-I-fnse ]p\:{]^pà {]`mhw `mhn-X-e-ap-d¡p hyà-am-¡n-sIm-Sp-¡p-sa¶p \nÊwi-bw ]d-bmw. A{X-ta ià-amWv alm-I-hn-bpsS kmaqly {]Xn-_-²-X. DÅqÀ

The palm leaf - 21 - March 2008

Ihn-X-I-fpsS Kl-\-amb ]T-\-§fpw hymJym-\-§fpw C\nbpw h¶p-sIm-−n-cn-¡pw.-Fw.-BÀ.-\m-b-cpsS (k-RvP-b³) -DÂIr-jvS-amb \ncq-]Ww DÅqÀ¡-hn-X-I fnse kmc-kzX Inc-W-§Ä hnXdn kmlnXy hnZymÀ°n-IÄ¡p \qX\ {]tNmZ-\-§Ä \ÂIn Btcm-Ky-I-c-amb Imhym-\p-io-e\w hfÀ¯m³ hf-sc- Gsd klm-bn-̈ n-«p-−v. Imem-´-c-¯n DÅq-cnsâ FÃm-Ir-Xn-Ifpw \jvS-s¸-«m t]mepw IÀ®-`q-j-W-¯nse \ephcn-IÄ am{Xw \ne-\n-¶mÂaXn DÅqÀ alm-I-hn-bmbn hmgv¯-s¸Spw F¶s{X kRvP-bsâ kpNn-´n-X-amb aXw. B hcn-IÄ \ap-s¡m¶p {i²n¡mw.

“NÀ½-Wz-Xnbpw bap-\bpw KwKbpw N¼m-]p-cn-hsc amdn-amdn

sh¬\pc sshc-¡Â¡m-¸-Wnªo-Sn\ X¶-e-ss¡-I-fm Xm§n, Xm§n

F¶nfw ss]X-en³ sas¿mfn ta¡p-ta s]m¶ndw ]qip-a-t¸-S-Is¯

sIm−psN¶¸pdw cm[-bnÂtNÀ¸Xv

It−³ Rm³ Zqc-kvX-\-\y-X-{´³” DÅq-cnsâ DÖz-e-amb hmKznhn-em-k-s¯-¸än

kRvP-b-s\-t¸m-epÅ alm-{]-Xn` “kmlnXy

\nI-Àj” ¯n C{X-ta {]IoÀ¯n-¨n-«p-s−-\vIn-epw, DÅqÀ Ihn-X-I-fnse AXn-i-àhpw A{]-Xn-tcm-[y-hp-amb kmaqly {]Xn-_-²XbpsS ASn-sbm-gp¡p \mw th−{X Is−-t¯-−-Xm-bn-«p-−v. At¸m-gmWp kmln-Xy-¯nse ]p\:{]`pà {]`mhw klr-Z-b³amÀ¡p A\p-`-h-th-Zy-am-bn-¯o-cp-I. DÖz-e-\mb hmKzn-hn-emkn F¶pw, DtÃJ Kmb-I-s\-¶pw, ZmÀi-\n-I-\mb kmlnXy Ncn-{X-Im-c-s\¶pw, \ncq-]W hnim-c-Z-s\¶pw, XXz-Nn-´-I-s\-¶pw, apà IWvTw {]iw-kn-¡-s¸« alm-Ihn DÅq-cnsâ kmaqly {]Xn-_-²X kmlnXy Kth-j-I³am-cpsS ka-{K-amb ]T-\-¯n\p hnj-bo-`-hn-¡s« F¶p {]Xym-in-¡p-¶p.

.

The palm leaf - 22 - March 2008

Featured Artist - Manu Kallikad (Thakazhi’s and Bashir’s collages inside cover pages)

---Seena Praveen

The Gestaltian principle, ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’, would not, in the strictest sense, apply to Manu’s biographical portrait collages that depict history in the multiple fragments that go to create the whole. Manu, a self-taught artist from Malappuram district Kerala, creates collages of eminent personalities, with news clippings and photographs of the person. He captures the dominant mood of the person in the whole portrait, but the shreds that go to form the whole, show various other moods of the person represented. One portrait has a million other portraits within - each with its own story to tell. You see the celebrity at different ages and stages of life, their diverse personae showing through on closer scrutiny. This is Manu’s style - of defining a person, telling a story and recreating history. Take the example of Gandhiji’s collage – it shows Gandhiji working on a charka, Kasturba, Gandhiji’s childhood days and various other historical events. Manu’s collage on Picasso celebrates the great artist’s cubistic style. Manu has done over 30 biographical collages – a few to name would be Madhavikutty, O.V.Vijayan, M.F.Hussain, Van Gogh, Raja Ravi Varma, Tagore, Einstein, M.T.Vasudevan Nair, Thakazhi, Basheer, Mother Theresa, Yati and EMS. Manu glues bits of torn paper cuttings onto a hardboard base to create his collage. No fixative or laminate is used so as not to compromise the quality of his work. Manu does not use scissors or a cutter, instead he gently tears the pictures with his hands. Manu’s

forefinger nails that are grown long act as pincers or forceps to dexterously manoeuvre small bits of paper. Manu never uses paints or brushes for his collages. The result of this meticulousness and commitment, is a piece of work - original and unique - heralding the arrival of a new talent amongst the artists of Kerala. Though Manu can complete one piece of work within a span of a few weeks, the time taken to collect the materials can go up to a decade. Manu’s collage on Lady Diana has used articles from over 60 magazines. Manu’s first work was Karl Marx in 1982 which was done on an experimental basis. This experiment was left there, to be picked up many years later in 2000. Since then there has been no looking back for Manu. Manu’s first exhibition of these portraits was held in 2003 at the Lalitha Kala Academy Art Gallery at Calicut. Artist Namboothiri, artist A S Nair and philosopher Nithyachaithanya Yati are those who have influenced Manu greatly. Manu recalls a meeting with Namboothiri where the renowned artist looked at Manu’s work and asked him where he had

The palm leaf - 23 - March 2008

studied art from. When Manu answered

he had had no formal training in art, Namboothiri looked up and said ‘Ini padikkyaan onnum illyallo’. Ask Manu whether this style of his has come to stay and he replies, ‘My style will keep evolving just as the person within me. To get set in one single style - doesn’t that equate to stagnation?

For Manu, art has been a calling in life. If there’s anything that defines this man, it is determination. Manu triumphed over many obstacles in life including a financially disadvantaged childhood to become an artist in his own right. Manu has entered the Limca Book of World Records (2007) for being the only artist in India to do biographical portrait collages. Fiona, J K Rowling’s secretary purchased the portrait of Yati and many of his other works have crossed the Indian border to distant lands. Each piece of Manu’s work is unique. It simply cannot be replicated - not by another, not by the computer, not even by the artist who created the original!

Manu’s contact details are Manu Kallikad, Marathakam,

Thiruvali, Pathiriyal Post, Wandoor,

Malappuram 676123 manukallikad@yahoo.co.in

www.manukallikad.com

The palm leaf - 24 - March 2008

hf-sc-tbsd sXän-²-cn-¡-s¸« Hcp IYm-Im-

cn-bmWpv am[-hn-¡p«n F¶ Iae kpc-¿. ae-bmf¯n Adp-]-XpIfnse Gähpw anI¨ aq¶p IYm-Ir¯pIfn HcmÄ am[-hn-¡p«n Bbn-cp-¶p. aäp c−p-t]À Fw.-Sn.-hm-kp-tZh³ \mbcpw, Sn.]ß-\m-`-\pw. hnNn{X§fmb Pohn-Xm-\p-`-h-§Ä¡pv Hcp hyànsb kmln-Xy-Im-c³ (Im-cn) B¡p-¶-Xn henb ]\vIp-−pvv. ]mc-¼cyw sIm−pv A\p-{K-lo-X-bmb kmln-Xy-Im-cn-bmWpv am[-hn-¡p-«n. {]ikvX Ih-bn{Xn _mem-aWn A½-bp-tSbpw amXr-`qan ]{X-¯nsâ ]{Xm-[n-]-cmb hn.-Fw. \mbcpsSbpw aIÄ.. {]ikvX \mem-¸m«p Xd-hm-«n P\n¨ s]¬Ip-«n. hfsc sNdp-{]m-b-¯nÂXs¶ {]mb-hyXymkw t\m¡msX hyh-kmb {]ap-J-\mb am[-h-Zm-kn\pv \me-¸m«p Ia-esb hnhmlw sNbvXp-sIm-Sp-¯p. kz]v\-§Ä sIm−pv ]«p-hkv{X§Ä s\¿p¶ Hcp s]¬Ip-«n¡pv {]mtbm-Kn-I-_p-²ntbmsSam{Xw Pohn-Xs¯ ImWp¶ A¸w {]mbw-Iq-Snb `À¯m-hp-am-bpÅ Zm¼Xyw A{X-sbm¶pw kt´m-j-{]-Z-am-bn-cn-¡n-Ã. Ia-em-Zmkv F¶-t]-cn AhÀ CwKvfo-jn Ihn-X-I-fpw, am[-hn-¡p«n F¶ Xqen-Im-\m-a-¯n ae-bm-f-¯n sNdp-I-Y-Ifpw Fgp-Xn. Ah-cpsS Nne IY-I-fn ssewKn-I-X-bpsS AXn{]-k-c-ap-−m-bn-cp-¶ _me-a-\-Êp-IÄ¡pv GÂt¡-−n-h-cp¶p. F¶m ssewKn-IX am{X-a-Ã, Ah-cpsS IY-I-fn hmÀ[-Iy-¯nsâ \nÊ-lmb-X,

þ alm-Ihn DÅqcnsâ ]u{X³. Imen¡äv kÀhIem-im-e-bnÂ\n¶pw sse{_dn kb³kv s{]m -̂Êdpw hIp-̧ -[r-£-\p-ambn tPmen t\m¡nb tijw, amÀ¨v 2004  dn«-bÀ sNbvXp. Ihn, hnhÀ -̄I³, D]-\ymkIm-c³, Xan-gn \n¶pw Ihn-X-Ifpw sNdp-I-Y-Ifpw B\p-Im-enI {]kn-²o-I-c-W-§-fn hnhÀ¯\w sNbvXp {]kn-²o-I-cn-¡p-¶p. IrXnIÄ tZim-S-\-¡n-fn, Ce-s]m-gnbpw Imew (I-hnXm kam-lm-c-§Ä), B−mÄ ]mSnb Xncp-¸mssh {io B−mÄ IrXn-IÄ (hnhÀ -̄\w) þ

am[hn¡p«n : hm¡p-Isf \£-{X-am-¡nb IYm-Imcnþ DÅqÀ Fw. ]-c-ta-iz-c³

{Iqcamb ]oV\§Ä, B¬taÂtImbvabpsS temI¯v s]®p-§Ä A\p-`-hn-¡p¶ au\-s\m-¼-c-§Ä F¶n-h-sbÃmw D−pv.

“Fsâ IY” F¶ Bß-I-Y-bn AhÀ kz´w hnIm-c-hn-Nm-c-§Ä, Zm¼-tXy-Xc _Ô-§Ä, Xsâ Zm¼-Xy-¯nse s]mcp-¯-t¡-Sp-IÄ F¶n-h-sb-¡p-dn-s¨Ãmw Xpd-s¶-gp-Xn. F{X-t]À¡pv kz´w Pohn-Xs¯ C§s\ kXy-k-Ô-ambn Bhn-jvI-cn-¡m³

ss[cy-ap-−m-Ipw! am[hn¡p-«n-bpsS “Fsâ

IY” NqS-¸w-t]mse hnä-gn-ªp. CwKvfo-

jn AhÀXs¶ Fsâ IY “My story” F-¶-t]-cn hnhÀ¯\w sNbvXp. At\-Iw- `m-j-I-fn Cu IrXn hnhÀ¯\w sN¿s¸«p. I]S kZm-Nm-c-¯nsâ s]mbvap-J-a-Wnª kaqlw B at\m-l-c-amb IrXnsb ]Ãpw \Jhpw

D]-tbm-Kn-¨pv Iodn-ap-dn-¨pv ]c-ky {]kvXmh-\-I-fn-d-¡n. AtX-k-abw clkyambn Hmtcm-cp-¯cpw B ]pkvXIw hmbn¨pv Bkz-Zn-¨p. ae-bmfn¯d-hm-Sp-I-fn _me-the sNbvXpv PohnXw Icnªp t]mIp¶ \nÊ-lmb-cmb s]¬Ip-«n-I-sf-¡p-dn¨pv BÀ{Z-X-tbmsS - am[hn-¡p«n Fgp-Xn. A´n-bm-Ip-thmfw ]Wn-sb-Sp-¯n-«pv ho«p-Im-cn-bpsS XÃp-sIm-Åp¶ s]¬Ip-«n-I-fpsS IY-IÄ. `À¯m-hpv Aen-hp-tXm¶n Hcp km´z-\- hm-t¡m-Xn-bm .Akq-b-ap-gp-¯pv

The palm leaf - 25 - March 2008

the-¡mcn s]¬Ip«nsb XÃp¶ ho«½amÀ! Cu bmYmÀYy-§-sf-bmWv AhÀ \½psS acn¨n«nÃm¯ a\-Êm-£n-¡p-ap-¶n Xpd¶p Im«n-b-Xpv .

‘Nph¶ ]mhmS’ F¶ IY-bnse cm[ F¶ \njvI-f\vIbmb the-¡mcn s]¬Ip-«n-bpw, `mcysb kt´m-jn-¸n-¡m-\mbn B s]¬Ip-«nsb XÃn-bn-«pv Hä-¡n-cp¶pv Icbp¶ bP-am\\pw \s½ thZ-\n-¸n-¡pw.

‘ao\m£ntbS¯n’ F¶ IY t\m¡p. Hcp henb IpSpw-_-¯n ASp¡f¸-Wn¡p klm-bn-¨p-sIm-−pv Xsâ PohnXw Ign-¨p-Iq-«nb AI-¶-_-Ô-¯nÂs]« ao\m-£n-tb-S-¯n-¡pv hb-än Iym³kÀ h¶p IjvS-s¸-«-t¸mÄ, NnIn-Õn-¡m³ Iq«m-¡m¯ Krl-\m-Y³, AhÀ acn¨t¸mÄ ]Xn-\m-d-Sn-b-´ncw F{X-Nn-ehp h¶mepw tIa-am-¡-W-sa-¶pv Imcy-Ø-t\mSp ]d-bp-¶p. temI-KXn CXmsW¶pv kam-[m-\n-¡m-\m-hmsX \mw Akz-Ø-cm-Ip-¶p.

“Ima-{`m-´pv” `À¯m-hpv acn-¨n-«pv Hä-¡p-Xm-a-kn-¡p¶ \nÊ-lmb-bmb Hcp km[p kv{Xosb kaqlw A]-hm-Z-i-c§ÄsIm-−pv {Iqc-ambn ]oVn-¸n-¡p¶ IY-bm-Wpv. Ima-{`m-´pv hn[-h-bmb B kv{XobpsS a\-Ên-e-Ã, kaq-l- a-\ÊnemWp-Å-sX¶pv am[-hn-¡p«n \ap-¡pv a\-Ên-em-¡n-¯-cp-¶p. I]S kZm-Nm-c-¯nsâ s]mbvap-Js¯ C{Xbpw iàn-bmbn hen-¨p-Io-dnb asämcp IYm-Ir-¯pv ae-bm-f-¯n thsd-bn-Ã.

_mey¯nsâ \njv¡-f-\vIXsb¡pdn¨pv am[-hn-¡p«n Fgp-Xnb at\m-l-c-amb Hcp

IY-bmWv ‘\pWIÄ.’ AÑ\pw Hm^oknse h\nXm sk{I-«-dnbpw X½n-epÅ

Ahn-ln--X_-Ôw I−n-«pv AXnt\¡pdn-¨pv -

Ip«n ]d-ªt¸mÄ Bcpw hniz-kn-¨n-Ã. Ah³ \pW ]d-ª-Xn-\pv FÃmcpw Ahs\ iIm-cn-¨p, A½-t]m-epw. AXp ]d-bm³ ]mSn-Ãm¯ Imcy-amsW¶pv Ah\p a\-Ên-em-bn.

Ah³ kz]v\-¯n I− IpXn-c-sb-¡p-dn-¨p ]d-ª-t¸mgpw A½ \pW ]d-b-

cpsX¶p imkn-¨p. “IpXn-c-sb-¡p-dn¨pw ]d-

bm³ ]mSnsà As½?” F¶pv Ah³ A½-tbmSp tNmZn-¨p. F{X \njvI-f-\vI-amb tNmZyw !

‘s\bv¸mbkw’ Gsd hmgv¯-s¸« Hcp IY-bm- Wp.v Ip«n-IÄ¡pv s\bv¸m-bkw D−m-¡n-h-¨n-«pv AXp hnf¼n sImSp-¡m-\m-hmsX s]s«-¶pv AkpJw h¶pv Bip-]-{Xn-bn t]mbn -

acn¨pt]mb A½ AXp Ip«n-I-tfmSpv ]d-bm-\m-hmsX A½ D−m-¡nb s\bv¸m-bkw Ip«n-IÄ¡p hnf-¼n-s¡m-Sp-¯n-«pv ZpxJw Hä-bv¡pv A\p-`-hn-¡p¶ `À¯m-hpv . hm-NI IkÀ¯p-I-sfm¶pw IqSm-sX-Xs¶ Pohn-X-¯n \n¶pw ASÀ¯n-sb-Sp¯ Hcp kμÀ`w. \½psS ap¶n Xpd-¶p-sh-¨n-«pv IYm-Ir-¯pv \nÊw-K-X-tbmsS amdn \nev¡p-¶p. {]iw-k-\o-b-amb cN\mIui-ew!

‘tImem-Spv ‘ F¶ IY-bn Xsâ

The palm leaf - 26 - March 2008

Nn{Xo-I-cn-¡p¶ “]£n-“ AXn-{]-ikvX-amb Hcp IY-bm-Wp.v am[-hn-¡p-«n-bpsS BJym\ ]mShw shfn-s¸-Sp-¯p¶ anI¨ IY-I-fn-sem-¶m-W-Xp.v

hmÀ[Iy Ime-¯pv Hcp hnhml hmKvZm-\-¯n IpSp§n aXw amdn-b-Xn-\p-tijw AhÀ kaq-l-¯nsâ Xs¶ hntcm-[n-bmbn amdn. hmÀ[Iy¯nsâ GIm´Xbn Xc-fn-X-amb B s]¬ a\-Êpv Hcp XpW sImXn-¨n-cn-¡mw. kÀK[\cmb hyàn-Isf \½psS k\vIp-Nn-X-amb kZm-Nmc \nb-a-§-fpsS Ipcn-in Xd-¡-cp-Xpv F¶p am{Xta AXn-t\-¡pdn¨pv ]d-bm-\p-Åp. tIcf kwØ-\-¯nse Gähpw henb kmlnXy ]pc-kv¡m-c-amb Fgp-¯-ѳ ]pc-kv¡mcw AhÀ¡p \ÂIn-b-t¸mÄ bm-Ym-Øn-XnI temIw kÀ¡mcns\-¯s¶ \n-in--X-ambn hnaÀin-¨p. FXnÀ¸n\pImcWw B kmln-Xy-Im-cn-bpsS kÀKiàn-sb-¡p-dn-¨pÅ aXn-¸p-tI-SÃ. kzImcy PohnX¯nse

kZm-Nm-c-{`wiw am{X-am-bn-cp-¶p. aXw amähpw {]iv\-am-bn. Fgp-¯-ѳ ]pc-kv¡mcw Iaem kpc-¿m-bv¡pv sImSp-¡mtam F¶-Xm-bn-cp¶p {]iv\w. Fgp-¯-ѳ ]pc-kv¡mcw F¶-Xpv Gähpw D¶-X-amb kmlnXy ]pc-kv¡m-c-¯nsâ t]cp-am-{X-amsW¶v Icp-Xn-bm AhnsS ]cn-K-Wn-t¡-− -Xpv kzoIÀ¯m-hnsâ kmlnXy kw`m-h\ am{X-am-sW¶v ImWm³ hnj-a- sam¶pw D−m-hn-Ã. am[-hn-¡p«n B ]pc-kv¡mcw XnI¨pw AÀln-¡p¶ kÀK[\bmb Fgp¯pImcnbmWp.v

IpSpw-_-¯n-\mbn Ft¸mgpw ]Wn-sbSp¯pv cq]-`wKn \jvS-s¸-Sp-¯nb kv{XobpsS IY \mw hmbn-¡p-¶p. AhÄ Ip«nbpsS kv¡qÄ hmÀjn-I-¯n-\pv sNÃm-sa¶v ]d-ª-t¸mÄ A½ h¶m X\n-¡pv Ipd-¨n-emsW¶v Ip«n ]d-ªp. Rm³ ]«p-kmcn DSp-¡m-sa¶v ]dª A½-tbmSv Ip«n-bpsS adp]Sn C§-

s\: “F¶mepw th−. A½bv¡v Hcp tImem-Snsâ Omb-bm-Wp.v A½ h¶m F\n-¡pv

Ipd-¨n-em-Ipw”. IpSpw-_-̄ n-\p-th−n Ft¸mgpw ]Wn-sb-Sp-¯pv kuμcyw \jvS-s¸-Sp-¯nb B A½ I®m-Sn-bn t\m¡n. X\n-¡pv Hcp tImem-Snsâ Omb-bm-Wp-ÅsX¶pv AhÀ¡pw tXm¶n.

kaq-l¯nse DbÀ¶ t{iWn-bn-epÅ a\p-

jy-cpsS (High society) Pohn-Xs¯ ]cn-l-kn-¡p¶ [mcmfw IY-IÄ am[-hn-¡p«n Fgp-Xn. B Pohn-X-§Ä, Ah-cpsS `mj-W-§Ä

F¶nh tkm¸p-Ip-an-f-IÄ t]mse s]mÅbmsW¶pv am[-hn-¡p«n \À½-t_m-[-

t¯msS hyà-am-¡p-¶-h-bm-Wpv “h¡o-e-½m-

h³”, “Acp-W-bpsS k¡mcw” apX-emb IY-IÄ.

‘NXn ’ F¶ IY Pohn-¡m³ ad-¶p-t]mb Hcp ssK\-t¡m-f-Pnkvänsâ IY-bm-Wp.v B teUn tUmIvSÀ cm{Xn sshIn-b-t\-c¯v Hcp {]khw t\m¡n-bn-«pv ho«n-te¡p h¶pv hn{ian-¡m-\mbn InS-¸-d-bn-te-bvs¡-¯p-t¼mÄ `À¯m-hpv Hcp A\y kv{Xobp-ambn Dd-§p-¶-Xm-Wpv I−-Xpv. Xm³ CXp-hsc Pohn-¡m³ ad-¶p-t]mbn F¶pv At¸mÄ AhÀ a\-Ên-em-¡n.

am[hn¡p«n-bpsS ‘\oemw-_cn’ F¶ at\m-l-

c-amb IY-bm-Wpv ‘ ag ‘ F¶ kn\n-a-bmbn cq]w sIm−-Xpv. `À¯m-hnsâ ac-W-tijw ]qÀÆ Imap-Is\ tXSn-sb-¯p¶ Hcp kv{XobpsS hnIm-c-§sf am[-hn-¡p«n

Cu IYbn A\p-`qXn Xo{h-ambn Bhn-jv¡-cn-¨n-cn-¡p-¶p. ac-Wm-`n-em-js¯

The palm leaf - 27 - March 2008

I−Xpw tI«Xpw ]ns¶ I−n-Ãm¶v \Sn-¨-Xpw. þ Hcp hnt\mZ `mh\ þ

J QLu

J QLu sImÃw PnÃ-bnÂ, hmf-̄ pw-KÂ

kztZin. Bank of Baroda – London Head office  tPmen sN¿p¶p. tIcf kÀÆ-Iem-

im-e-bn \n¶pw Mathematics  _ncp-Zm-\-´c _ncpZw. tI{μob hnZym-e-b-̄ n A²ym-]I\mbn tkh-\-a-\p-jvSn-¨n-«p-−v.

Gjyms\äpw ssIc-fn-bp-sams¡ Bb-t¸mÄ A½-bpsS Ip¡n-§nsâ Izmfnän Ipd-sª¶v

‘hÀ¯am\ Ime-¯nse’ ]p{Xsâ ]cm-Xn. ]cm-Xn-b-Ã, ]d-ª-Xnepw Imcy-an-Ãm-Xn-Ã.

]ns¶ ‘hnÃyw tjIvkv]n-b-dnsâ’ `mj-bn Hcp IkÀ¯pw. ‘I am not going to have it, disgusting. Why can’t you cook some good food?

A§n-s\. \h-c-k-§Ä BSn-¯-IÀ¯pv ]e IS-¼-Ifpw IS¶v kw`-h-_-lp-e-amb Hcp Znhkw Ign-sª-¯p-t¼mÄ, Hcp Znhkw ChnsS C§s\ sImgnªp hogp-¶p.

Hcp ‘hoW ]qhp-t]mse’ hoW Znh-kw. C¯ncn Dep-hm-bnsÃ\vIn ao³Idnsh¡p-¶-Xn-t\-¸än Nn´n-¡m³t]mepw ]äm-Xn-cp¶ Ime-sams¡ t]mbn a¡-tf. AXv A¶v A¸p-¸\pw A½p-½-bp-sams¡ D−m-bn-cp¶ Imew. A¶v AXns\ms¡ CjvSw t]mse ka-b-ap-−m-bn-cp-¶p. saXn-bSnbpd¨§s\

‘th− tamt\, A§n-s\-b§p \nÀ_Ôw ]nSn-¡-cp-tX. A½ Im¨nb ]m Xcpw, AXp- Ip-Sn-¡m-ªm A½ Icbpw Fs¶ms¡ ]d-

ªn-cp¶ Imew t]mbn Ip«m’. FSm, \n\¡v ‘A’ star Hs¡ In«p-sa¶v Rm³ kz]v\w I−p \S-¶p, sh¨p hnf¼n Xoän-̈ p.

Ah-km\w ………..F¶n-s«´mbn ? Np½m Id-§n-b-Sn¨p \S-¡p-t¼mÄ hÃt¸mgpsa-\vInepw HmÀ¡p-I, \n\-s¡ms¡th−n aäm-scm-s¡tbm ]Sp-s]-Sp-¶p-s−-¶v. akme ]pc-

«nb Nn¡³ Ime-Ãm-sX, Cu ‘Nn¡³kv’’ GsX-\vInepw H¶v Fgp-t\äp \n¡p¶Xv \osbms¡ Fs¶-\vInepw Fhn-sS\vInepw I−n-«pt−m? CÃ, `mKyw. I−n-cp-¶p-sh-\vInÂ

asäm-¶p-am-bn-cp-¶nà ]d-bp-¶Xv ‘Disgusting, is that the one we eat ‘? FÃmw sdUn-bmbn tai-¸p-d-¯pv hcp-t¼mÄ AXn\v ]Xn-\m-bncw Ipäw. Eastenders Dw Neighbours Dw X-factor Dsams¡ I−p XIÀ¡p-t¼mÄ F\n-s¡´m ssIc-fntbm Gjym-s\täm Hs¡ H¶p Xpd¶v C¯ncn I®ocp s]mgn-¨m ? ]ns¶ East Dw West Dw X½n-epÅ Hcp aÂ]nSp¯-am-Wv. aÕ-c¯n Bcp Pbn-¡p-¶p-sh-¶-Xà {]iv\w.

\S-¡p¶ A¸p-¸³. Nmcp-I-tk-c-bn \o−p \nhÀ¶p InS-¡p-t¼mÄ, apdp-¡n-¯p-¸m³ tImfm¼n sXm«p-Xm-sg. shänebnSn-¡p-¶-Xn-\n-S-bn ]g-s©m-Ãp-IÄ ]d-bp¶ A½p-½. sI«n\I¯v hmcn-tbm-e-bn \n¶pw shÅw hogp-t¼mÄ, ]pdw temI-a-dn-bmsX I®oÀ hmÀ¡p¶ A½. hÀjm-hÀjw s]dm\pw, s]ä-Xn-s\-sbms¡ sh¨p hnf¼n Xoän-¡m-\p-a-Ãm-bn-cpt¶m s]¬ P·w. A¶v AhÀ Krl-e-£van-bm-bn-cp-¶p. Ct¶m ? Cs¶-hnsS Krlw? Krl-an-Ãm-¯n-S¯v ]ns¶-´n-s\mcp e£van? C\n Dep-hm-tX-Snt¸m-Im-s\m¶pw ChnsS BÀ¡pw ka-b-an-Ã. kocn-b-ep-IÄ H¶n\p ]ndsI H¶m-bn-…… kwKoX ]c-¼-c-IÄ aÕ-cn¨p XIÀ¡p-¶p. ae¡dn \Ã-Xp-t]mse Acnbm\pw, ]ns¶ c−m-as¯ tNcp-h-IÄ C«v H¶p-IqSn Cf-¡m-\p-sams¡ BÀ¡p ka-bw. CXn-\n-S-¡pv F{X ‘missed calls’ ‘e-mails’ . At¸mgv

mega serialþse crucial `mK-a§v miss sN¿pw.

Ah-km\w sNs¶¯p¶Xv pizza, fish & chips AXp-a-sÃ\vIn Hcp chinese take away aªpw agbpw .... Ce sImgnªphoW {Sm¡n IpSp-§nb s{Sbn\pw ....]ns¶ signal failure, traffic jam .. .explanations .

AXp-sIm−v `£-W-¯nsâ kzmZv C¯ncn Ipd-sª-¶p-I-cpXn henb

The palm leaf - 28 - March 2008

Ipg-¸-sam-¶p-an-Ã. AsÃ-\vInepw Xn¶m-\m-bÃtÃm - Pohn-¡p-¶-Xv. Pohn-¡m-\mbn Xn¶p-¶p. ]¯p ]Xn-\m-bncw ]u−v sNe-hm¡n s]mf-¸³ In¨³ D−m-¡n-bn-«n-cn-¡p-¶Xv A§n-s\-b§p ISpIp hdp¯p s]m«n-¨pv hr¯n-tISm-¡m-\p-Å-X-Ã.

sajo-\p-IÄ hoSp-I-fn h¶p XpS-§pw.Ip¸n-I-fn shÅw \nd¨v hn¡p¶ Ime-s¯-¸än ]−m-sc-\vInepw ]d-ªn-cp-¶p-sh-\vIn AXv Hcp henb Xam-ibmbn \½Ä Nncn¨p If-tª-s\. Nncn-t¡− ..

C§ns\ t]mbm ip²-hm-bp, Ip¸n-I-fnÂ\n-d¨v hn¡p¶ Imehpw AXn-hn-Zq-c-a-Ãm-Xm-Ipw. AXp-Xs¶ ]e hn[-¯nepw cq]-¯n-epw.

{ItaW CXp-a-§n-Ãm-Xm-Ipw. kn\n-am-kvtIm¸v

screenþDw Dolby suround system þhp-sam-

s¡-bpÅ theatreþdp-IÄ BIp-I-bsÃ

hoSpIÄ. Cu ‘cooking’ F¶m F´mWp a½o ? aIÄ tNmZn-¡pw. ]−v ASp-¡f Fs¶mcp kwKXn Hmtcm hoSp-I-fnepw D−m-bn-cp¶p aI-tf. Hcp ]g-\vIY t]mse a¡-tfmSp ]dªp tIĸnt¡− Imew hcpw. AXpv Hcp anYy-bsà ?

Organic hmbp-hn\v Aev]w hne IqSp-X sImSpt¯ aXn-bm-Ip. Ccp sNhn-I-fn-ep-ambn _Ôn-¡-s¸« wire-p-IÄ Iotgm-«n-d-¡n, ChÀ \S-¡p-¶Xv I−n-«nsà ? At¸mÄ Hcp wire aq¡nepw IqSn attach sNbvXm kw`hw Ivfo³. ip² hmbp izkn¨v, ip² kwKo-X-am-kz-Zn¨v HgpIn \S-¡mw.

]dªp-sIm-Sp-¡p-t¼mÄ tIÄ¡m³ AhÀs¡-hnsS kabw? ASp¯ncp¶mepw ChÀ Ft¸mgpw AI-e-§-fn-e-sà ? ASp¡fbn-Ãm¯ BZys¯ hoSv ]{X-¯n hcpw. ]ns¶ AXpw Hcp hmÀ¯-b-Ãm-Xm-Ipw. NqSm-¡m-s\mcp microwave . AXn IqSpX F´p-th-Ww. At¸mÄ ]ns¶ Igp-Ip-¶-sXhnsS ? Xami AXn\p shÅ-ap-−m-bn«p ths− ? shÅw Ipd-̈ pv D]-tbm-Kn- ¡p¶ hmjnwMv sajo³ h¶p XpS-§n. C\n shÅta th−m¯

`qan Dcp−p sIm−n-cn-¡pI-btÃ. Dcp−v hogmsX kq£n-¡m³ \ap¡v Hcp-an¨p {]mÀ°n¡mw.

The palm leaf - 29 - March 2008

Obituary

KALA mourns the deaths of its member Mr Shiva Prasad and ex member Mattathil Antony Antony. KALA prays that their souls rest in peace and share the grief of their family members.

M.V Shiva Prasad Shiva Prasad was from Chittur in Kerala though he spent his childhood in Parur. After completing his MSc in Electonics from Bombay, he came to the UK to widen his experience in the field of computers. After working in several well known companies, he worked as an independent IT consultant. His greatest achievement was the setting up of a British software company (RM) in Thiruvananthapuram. This was one of his contribution to his place of birth. He is survived by his wife Kalyani and daughter Kavitha.

Mattathil Antony Antony Antony was born in Cochin in Kerala on 20th Dec 1934, Antony came to the UK in 1966. He spent 25 years working for the Royal Mail postal service and received recognition for his long service. He was the loving husband of Mary and father of two sons, Sonu & Sunil. He died on 28th November 2007. His funeral was on 10th Dec 2007 in the UK and a memorial mass was held in Cheenikuzhy,Kerala, on the 28th Jan 2008.. He will be missed by all who love him.

The palm leaf - 30 - March 2008

About the cover page illustrations

T Kaladharan, a Kochi based artist, is essentially a colourist. Kaladharan was born in Ernakulam and studied drawing and painting under Sri. M.V Devan Kaladharan's work is essentially non-realistic and abstract in genre. He impulsively translates his mood to vibrant colours and unidentifiable shapes. His previous works called ‘Orthic’ popularized him in Kerala during the Eighties. Coined by Kaladharan from the Malayalam words, ‘Orthu nokkike’ (Try to remember), it refers to memory and remembrance. Memory - the act of remembering – has always been a concern for Kaladharan. Kaladharan has been instrumental in creating and maintaining a cultural environment conducive to the practice of art in Kochi. He is the honorary secretary of ‘Kerala Kalapeetom’, an institute of Art that acts as the nerve centre for most of the cultural activities in Kochi since 1985. He is also the founder member of Cochin Film Society. Kaladharan’s address: Orthic Creative Centre, Leelalayam, Karikkamuri Cross Road, Cochin - 682 011, Ph:- 0091-484-2376489

The palm leaf - 31 - March 2008

About the sketches

This issue of the Palm leaf is illustrated by Dr Seena

Praveen, as was the previous edition of October 2007. If the fundamental drive in our human nature is to make a mark, we can see that that’s what Seena is up to. Drawing, as we know, is a living language that over millennia has grown and changed. It is an international language, irreverent to any barriers. Currently, Seena is at the stage of experimenting with various techniques and materials, attempting to find her personal voice and evolve a personal vision. Seena was born and brought up in Mumbai. Seena’s husband, Praveen, is an Aeronautical engineer and a performing magician, both rolled into one. Seena works as a Consultant Child Psychiatrist and lives in Sheffield with her 13 year old son, Advay.

The palm leaf - 32 - March 2008