കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തൻ, അയ്യപ്പൻ, ശാസ്താവ്.

ശബരിമലയിലെ അയ്യപ്പൻ സാക്ഷാൽ കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തൻ ആണെന്ന് പറയുമ്പോൾ തന്നെ നെറ്റിചുളിച്ചു “ഏഹ് എന്ത്?” എന്ന് ചോദിക്കുന്നവരായിരിക്കും നമ്മളിൽ പലരും . ഈ പുസ്തകം കിട്ടിയപ്പോള്‍ ഞാനും അതു തന്നെയാണല്ലോ ചെയ്തത്. ആർ. രാമാനദ് എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്ന ഈ കൃതി വളരെയധികം ചർച്ചകൾക്കും വിശകലനത്തിനും വഴിയൊരുക്കേണ്ട  ഒന്ന് തന്നെ ആണ്. വ്യക്തിപരമായി എനിക്കു യാതൊരു ചായിവും ഉള്ള വിഷയം അല്ല ഇത്. പക്ഷെ ചരിത്രപരമായി, നിഷ്പക്ഷമായ ഒരു നിലപാടിതിൽ എടുക്കെന്ടതുണ്ട് എന്ന് എനിക്ക് തോന്നുന്നു. കാരണം മറ്റോന്നുമല്ല, കഴിഞ്ഞ കുറച്ചു നാളായി നമ്മൾ മലയാളികൾക്കു തലയ്ക്കു തീ പിടിച്ചു നടക്കുകയാണല്ലോ – സ്ത്രീപ്രവേശനമെന്നും അശുദ്ധി എന്നും ആർത്തവം എന്നും പറഞ്ഞ് . തല്ലിയും തല്ലു കൊണ്ടും നടക്കുന്ന എല്ലാവരും ഇത് വായിച്ചാൽ നന്നായിരിക്കും എന്നതാണ് എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായം . ഒരു പക്ഷെ ഇപ്പറഞ്ഞ മലയാളി സമൂഹത്തിനെ നന്നായി അറിയാവുന്നതു കൊണ്ടാകും ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ രചയിതാവ് ആമുഖത്തിൽ ഇങ്ങന്നെ  എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്നതു് –

“ഈ പുസ്തകം ഒരു പൊളിച്ചെഴുത്തോ വിഗ്രഹധ്വംസനമോ അല്ല. ഈ മണ്ണിൽ മൊട്ടിട്ടു വളർന്ന ഒരു സംസ്‌കൃതിയുടെ വേരുകൾ തേടാനുള്ള ഒരു എളിയ പരിശ്രമം മാത്രമാണ്. ഇതിൻെറ സത്യം പൂർണ്ണമായി അറിയാൻ ഇനിയുമെത്രെയോ അന്വേഷിക്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്ന്നു എന്ന പൂർണ്ണമായ ബോധ്യം ഉള്ളിൽ വെച്ച് കൊണ്ട് പറയട്ടെ , എഴുതിയ കാര്യങ്ങൾ എന്റെ ഉറച്ചു ബോധ്യമാണ്. യാതൊരു മുൻവിധിയോടും ഇതിനെ സമീപിക്കരുത് എന്നുമാത്രെമേ ഒരു അഭ്യർത്ഥനയുള്ളു. സ്വന്തം യുക്തിക്കു നിരക്കുന്നതാണെങ്കിൽ മാത്രം സ്വീകരിക്കുക, ഇല്ലെങ്കിൽ കരുണയില്ലാതെ തള്ളിക്കളയുക.”

നൂറു പുറങ്ങളിൽ കവിയാത്ത എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്ന ഈ പുസ്തകം വളരെ നന്നായി തന്നെ ക്രമീകരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. നമ്മുടെ ഐതിഹ്യങ്ങളിൽ പരാമർശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തൻ എങ്ങനെ അയ്യപ്പശാസ്താവ് ആയി എന്നതു രചയിതാവ് ചിട്ടയായി  അവതരിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

കോട്രവൈ അഥവാ കൊറ്റവൈ എന്ന യുദ്ധ ദേവതയെപ്പറ്റിയുള്ള പരാമർശങ്ങൾ സംഖകാല കൃതികളിൽ ഉണ്ട്. ഈ കോട്രവൈ തന്നെയാണ് നമ്മുടെ നാട്ടിൽ കരിനീലി എന്ന  പേരിൽ ആരാധിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നത്. പിന്നീട് കരിനീലി എങ്ങനെ മാളികപ്പുറത്തമ്മയായി എന്നും ഇവിടെ തെളിവുകള്‍ സഹിതം വിശദീകരിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

അടുത്തതായി കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തൻ എന്ന കഥാപാത്രത്തെ കേരളത്തിൽ എങ്ങനെയൊക്കെ ആരാധിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു, കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തന്റെ ഐതിഹ്യം ദേശങ്ങൾ തോറും എങ്ങനെ മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു, അവയ്ക്കു ശബരിമലയുമായി എങ്ങനെ ഒക്കെ സാമ്യം ഉണ്ട് ഇങ്ങനെ ഉള്ള കാര്യങ്ങൾ ചർച്ച ചെയ്യുന്നു.

എ. ഡി. ഒന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിൽ ബുദ്ധമതം വടക്കുനിന്ന് വ്യാപിച്ചു വന്നതിന്റെ ഫലമായി നമ്മുടെ നാട്ടിലും പ്രാദേശികമായി നിലനിന്ന ആചാരങ്ങളിൽ വളരെ ചെറുതെങ്കിലും പ്രകടമായ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടായിട്ടുണ്ട്. ബുദ്ധമതം രണ്ടു രീതിയിലാണ് വ്യാപിച്ചത്. ഗൗതമ ബുദ്ധൻ വെറും ഒരു മനുഷ്യൻ മാത്രം ആണെന്നും ദൈവീകമായ ഒന്നും ഇല്ലെന്നും ഒരുപക്ഷവും മറുപക്ഷത്തു ബുദ്ധന്റെ അമാനുഷികതയും, മനുഷ്യരുടെ പുനർജന്മവും സ്വർഗീയതയും. ഈ രണ്ടാമത് പറഞ്ഞ കൂട്ടരാണ് കേരളത്തിൽ എത്തിയതും അന്ന് നിലനിന്ന മത വ്യവസ്ഥിതികളിൽ അവരുടേതായ സ്വാധീനം ചെലുത്ത്തിനുള്ള തെളിവുകൾ ഇവിടെ നിരത്തികാട്ടുന്നു.

ശബരിമലയും അതിനെ ചുറ്റിപ്പറ്റിയുള്ള കഥകളും, അവിടുത്തെ ആദിവാസി സമൂഹവും ഗോത്ര വിഭാഗവും അവരുടെ ആരാധന ശൈലികളും ദ്രാവിദമാണെന്നും ഈ പുസ്തകം അടിവരയിടുന്നു. നാം എല്ലാം കേട്ടു പരിചിതമായ കഥകൾക്കും ആചാരങ്ങൾക്കും പിന്നിലെ സാധ്യതയുള്ള കുറച്ചു വസ്തുതകളെ പറ്റിയും പറയുന്നു. മകരവിളക്ക്, വെളിച്ചപ്പാട്, നാല്പത്തിഒന്നു ദിവസത്തെ വൃതം, മൃഗ ബലികൾ, പതിനെട്ടു പടി ഇതൊക്കെ പഴയ ഒരു അനുഷ്ടാന രീതിയുടെ ബാക്കിപത്രങ്ങൾ ആണെന്നത് നിഷേധിക്കാനാകില്ല.

ഇവിടെ ചർച്ച ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്ന മിക്ക കാര്യങ്ങളും കേരളത്തിന്റെ എഴുതപെട്ട ചരിത്ര ഗ്രന്ഥങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്ന് ഉള്ള പരാമർശങ്ങളെ ആധാരമാക്കിയാണ്. അതിനാൽ തന്നെ എഴുത്തുകാരന്റെ വാദങ്ങൾക്കു ശക്തമായ പിൻബലം ഉണ്ട്. ആര്യവത്ക്കരണത്തിൽ പെട്ടു ‘ വ്യക്തിത്വം’ നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട ദൈവങ്ങളാണ് നമ്മുടെ നാട്ടിൽ മിക്കവാറും ഉള്ളത്. ബ്രാഹ്മണാധിപത്യത്തിന്റെ ഇരകളാണ് കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തനും കോട്രവൈയും (കരിനീലി) എന്ന് അടിവരയിടുന്നു  ഇവിടെ. യുഗങ്ങള്‍ തോറും വിശ്വാസങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന പരിണാമം എങ്ങനെ ഒരു ജനതയുടെ സാമൂഹിക വ്യവസ്ഥിതിക്കുണ്ടാകുന്ന മാറ്റങ്ങളുടെ നേർഫലം ആണെന്നും നമ്മുക്ക് ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിലൂടെ മനസിലാ

കും.

കേരളത്തിനെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം നമ്മുടെ ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെ നല്ലൊരു ഭാഗം വായ്മൊഴിയായി മാത്രം നിലനിന്നു വന്നതാണ്. പ്രാചീന കൃതികളിൽ (പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും തമിഴ്) നമ്മുടെ നാടിന്റെ പറ്റിയുള്ള പരാമർശങ്ങളും, രാജ ശാസനകളും, ക്ഷേത്ര വിളംബരങ്ങളും , വീര കൃതികളും മാത്രമേ നമ്മുടെ ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെ പുനര്നിര്മിതിക്കു നമ്മുടെ പക്കൽ ഉള്ളു. അതുകൊണ്ടു തന്നെ ഒന്നും നമ്മുക്ക് തീർത്തു പറയാനോ വിശ്വസിക്കാനോ  കഴിയില്ല .ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിനു എന്തെങ്കിലും കുറവ് ഉണ്ടെന്നു എനിക്ക് തോന്നിയിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ അതു ഇതായിരിക്കും.അതിപ്പോൾ ശ്രീധരമേനോൻറെ കേരളചരിത്രം ആയാലും ലോഗന്റെ മലബാർ മാന്വൽ ആയാലും ഇത് തന്നെ പ്രശ്നം.

Kerala Literature Festival 2019 - Day 1

I woke up really early, like around 5:00 am, was ready by 6:30, waiting for my 'fellow bloggers' to show up. We were supposed to have a briefing session by 8:30, which didn't really happen, to be precise. We reached the venue by 9:00 and went to attend our respective sessions. The first one that I sat for was by Amish Tripati - 'Immortal India: Young Country, Timeless Civilization which also happens to be the title of his new book. The others went to their respective sessions and I sat down with a notepad and took down whatever he was saying. It kinda made me wonder, am I a media person? Nope! But they did give me a media tag. Okay, but I'm not a news reporter, and I like to take it slow. So i took my time and did note down the important points. Each session is for an hour, at the 45 minute mark, the audience can ask questions, this is the format for all discussions, except for the fourth stage where each session was for 45 minutes only. This is one of the plus points I've noticed, all events started on time, and finished on time, no delay. To the minute! 

As soon as Tripati's session was over (you can read about the whole session here) I walked over to where T. Padmanabhan was having his talk, and I met Joyce who was 'covering' it. I was never really a great fan of Malayalam novels (i plead guilty!), but however much I've read I owe it to that man, for I had to study his collection of short stories called 'Nalinakanthi' and it contained some of the best short stories I've ever read, and it nudged on the way of Malayalam works. Together we decided to go and meet him, maybe get an autograph too? For almost all of the writers who came to speak they had planend author signing sessions too, and we went to the designated spot after much deliberation and thought. Should we go and speak to him? Should we tell him we're fans? I think we must have looked like a bunch of weirdos who kept staring at him and talking to ourselves, just outside the pavilion, like fans who are dumbstruck after seeing their celebrity figures. After what was 5 minutes or so of discussion between us, we decided to go and get his autograph on our notepads, we didn't have any of his books on hand. As soon as we walked into the pavilion, still trying to figure out how to start talking to him, he got up, shook hands with the volunteers there and walked out by our side. We stepped aside to make way and let him pass. Yeah! He was gone, just like that. We consoled ourselves that we got to see him and hear him talk.

I was planning to attend a session called 'Lord Ayyappa and Untouchable Women' - but that was rescheduled to an earlier time. Missed it. Apparently there were some old schedules still being circulated around through the reception desk. Instead I went and sat for 'The Rhyme Bridge' - by H.S. Sivaprakash and Pratibha Nandakumar. These two Kannada poets were talking to us about the circumstances which resulted in their poems taking shape and ended up reading quite a few, and couple of them in Kannada too. Sivaprakash recited the English translation of his poem and insisted that the vocal tone of the poem can be best appreciated in it's native language even if we didn't understand the language. He was correct. 

We decided to go and start writing about our respective sessions, but that was easier said than done. And people from the media team were under the impression that were were part of the news team, who were supposed to give updates. Uh-uh, no, I did not like that part one bit.
It's not my way of doing things, They clearly had no idea on how we were supposed to work. We cleared up the confusion and decided to take things slow. The book store was officially open for sales but it was too crowded that we were not able to even enter it. The inauguration ceremony was at 5:30. I sat for it and the agenda of the event was quite clear. To shed some light on the madness that has enveloped us, to knit back the fabric of our community that was torn apart by radical elements. We need an event like this, at a time like this when nothing seems to make sense. we need to sit down and listen and think for ourselves. The chief guest for the event was M.T. Vasudevan Nair. Representing this year's guest nation Wales - Alexandra Buchler lit the lamp and the festival director K. Satchidanandan addressed the gathering. There was quite a lot of people for the inauguration despite the fact that it was a weekday.

During the ceremony, my friend Vishnu had dropped by from NIT Calicut and we went together to see Mr. Ramachandra Guha who was talking on the 'Indian Road to Equality at Stage 2.  I was hearing him speak for the first time and it was a powerful session. He commanded the audience with his strong voice and his knowledge. Yup and just like that day 1 was over. I heard Amish Triapti give his theory on Sabarimal issue, saw T. Padmanabhan, Benyamin, saw a whole bunch of writers at the Inaugration, heard Guha speak on Gandhi. It was an okay day. We took a look at the schedule for Day 2 and was hyped, we had some heavy hitters coming in.

To be continued...

All photos have been used from KLF official site.

Kerala Literature Festival 2019 (KLF)

As with any blog post,  I have been wondering how to start writing this one. Well it all started early in December when my friend shared a link asking me to apply for the post of official blogger for KLF. Skeptical at first as I hadn't written anything good apart from book reviews for over a year, I signed up in the end. Whether or not I got selected, the decision to attend the event had been made up, if not for the whole 4 days, I would be at the event on weekends. This was the fourth edition of KLF and since it's conception in the year 2016, it has come a long way and has now become the second largest literary festival in India. Held from 9th to 13th of January at Calicut Beach it saw a plethora of writers, poets and musicians. Coming back to my story, unexpectedly I got shortlisted on December 31 and as a final task, was asked to write another article from a set of three given topics. I received the confirmation on January 4th that I was selected.

Well for a guy who's looking for excuses to bump work, this was a blessing, sort of like winning the lottery. I'm currently working in Chennai and booked my tickets to leave on 8th evening, so as to reach there on the 9th as requested by the KLF team. It was around that time the All India Strike by the trade unions was announced, contrary to the popular and more common formats of 24 hrs or 12 hrs, this was a 48 hr strike. I guess when the government itself is experimenting on stupid projects and Tughlaqian schemes, why can't the opposition? Let them do it. Kudos!!

So with the a million (actually 10 or more) questions running in my head, I took the 5:00 PM Mangalore Express from Chennai Central Station and reached Calicut on the 9th at 4:30 AM. I waited for Joyce who was travelling with her father and would reach by 5:30. She was selected as one of the Malayalam bloggers. While waiting for them I checked online for cabs to the hotel. None. By 5:30 they arrived and we took a prepaid auto from the railway station entrance. After breakfast we decided to go checkout the venue and see all of the preparations. On reaching the beach, we could see three stages being erected and boards being put up. There was also a bookstall which, for us was the main attraction, and we were pretty sure that a good amount of money will be 'lost' there. A guy was painting a mural on a wall,  and there was a small buzz, as a hint of things to come. The beach itself was calm, with morning joggers, walkers and people doing yoga with numerous groups playing football. Since it was day 2 of the strike and as we got an autorickshaw I was under the impression that maybe the strike isn't successful. It was not so. By 9 or 10 in the morning the supporters of the strike decided to block the roads and stop all taxis. So after visiting the venue we had to walk part of the way back to the hotel. 

This made me wonder, will it affect the festival? Nah, I chided myself for thinking along those lines.  People who love to be a part of events like these aren't fazed by strikes or bandhs. And that was the case in the next four days. By evening we met Neetha and Shilpa who were also invited as bloggers. So there were two English bloggers - myself and Neetha, and Joyce and Shilpa for Malayalam. We also met Riju who was taking care of things there and when asked about the preparations he admitted that they were sort of lagging behind due to the unavailability of workers in the past two days. He also told us that they will catch up on lost time and will finish all preparations before tomorrow morning. 

The stages were erected on the north side of the beach and we learned that there were four in total named as - Ezhuthola, Aksharam, Thulika and Vaakku. There was a fifth room, where movies were screened - Vellithira, We were introduced to the media team which as well. From them we got to know of a Qawwali performance scheduled for the evening which would be a curtain raiser for the KLF. The stage was full and there were people crowded around it. We seated ourselves near the far right side by by the footpath. The performance was led by Ashraf Hydroz and it was magical (for lack of a more un-cliched word). The cool breeze from the sea, mingling with the music and accosted by the sound of waves created an evening to remember. He ended the performance with a rendition of 'Mast Kalandar' in which the crowd generously offered the chorus.

We went back with high hopes for Day 1

Kanyakumari - Part II

Continued from Part I.

Inside the memorial there is a quote from Gandhi about Kanyakumari - 

" I am writing this at the Cape, in front of the sea, where three waters meet and furnish a sight   unequalled in the world. For this is no port of call for vessels. Like the goddess, the waters around are virgin."


At the center of the first floor there is a garnite pedestal like structure which marks the spot where the ashes of  Gandhiji were placed before immersion.

From the ground floor there are stairs to the first floor, which has got a balcony and from there you can move on to the next floor as well. I was able to see most parts of the town and also far away I saw a watch tower. We decided that it would be our next stop. After taking some photos, we got down collected our footwear and proceeded towards the tower.

There was yet another ticket counter , the entrance fee was something like Rs.10 or so. I don't know why they were collecting money even for this place! To get to the top there was a spiral pathway built central to the structure. Even though the sunset was more than 1 hr away, the watch tower was almost half full, people already took up places where they thought they might get the best view. We found a spot for ourselves. Down below us lay the ocean, bathed in the red and gold hue of the setting sun. It was a sight to see. The sea was shimmering as the waves broke the surface as they traversed towards the shore and soon enough the pinkish hue of the horizon starting shifting towards a more deep red. And then the sun came out of the clouds. He was making  one last final appearance before finally making his grand exit for the day. Hands down I'll admit that this was one of the best sunsets I've seen, the magnificence of it is indescribable. I was at a loss for words. There was nothing to do but soak in the moment. Enjoy one of the most played out drama's in the history of  the world. The end of day and the start of the night.

Our next destination was an aquarium that we stumbled upon on our way back to the hotel. They had a notice board that said 'No Photography' and I was too naive to break that 'written rule'. Now when I think about I should have take some pics. What can I say about the place ? It was pretty cramped up and they was a very big queue leading into the place. The entrance fee was Rs.30 per person, but it's really worth it if you consider the variety of fishes on display. Here is a pic of some turtles inside the place, taken by my colleague who visited a few months later.

Moving on, the next place as a small park. The dilapidated state of the place might be the reason why so many were avoiding it. But when you've traveled 5 hrs on a crowded train to visit a place, when you are a 'tourist' you should suspend your judgment and get on with it, put your prejudices on hold. The main attraction of the place were some rides  for kids, a fountain and an emu (yep, that's right, an Emu) . After some digging around on google I came to know that the name of the park was Tamil Annai Park - which can we roughly translated to 'Mother Tamil'.  There were granite slabs inscribed with short verses from Thiruvalluvar's Tirukkurals.

There was also a Museum which was closed, it was around 7:30 by now. And we started making our way back towards the room. Another place you should try and visit is the Tsunami memorial. As we got to the main road there was an exhibition  based on Swami Vivekanada. It was called the Wandering Monk Exhibition. If you are not too fond of reading then avoid this place at all costs. The life and teachings of Swami Vivekanda are depicted in the numerous panels that adorn the walls. Each one with a detailed description about the sage. It makes for a really good read and the area was well maintained and clean. After dinner we decided to call it a day and head back. We had planned to see the sunrise tomorrow morning.

In love with the night.....

The trains are always late. We've already established this fact. I don't blame anyone anymore but me. It is the day after Christmas. The office was pretty much empty. There was a DJ party organized as part of Christmas Celebrations, which I obviously did not attend. 

It was 8:15 when the train finally found it's way onto platform number four. I started walking through the tracks. I was hungry. Hungry for a lot of things. The only thing i could satisfy at the moment was hunger for food. The rest would have to wait...

Delli Cafe was right around the corner. The thought of the curries and fresh rotis pulled me towards the general direction of the cafe like a magnet. I had made up my mind on the way that I'll be walking home. So I found myself at the heart of my town, Kollam, which we affectionately, and with a bit of pride call Quilon. Delli Cafe is on the Main Road. Yup that's the actual name of the road. It stretches from the town center and makes its way up to Kallupalam (Literally - Stone Bridge. I am yet to see any stones used in it's construction, been looking for stones ever since I came to know it's name).  Here's a map of the main road, just to give you an idea.

I walked into the road from the side of the Grand and Prince Movie Theaters. There are numerous textile shops along the footpath. The mannequins are still on display, and beside them the workers rest, themselves looking like the plastic figures beside them. Had I been an hour early they would have shouted at the top of their voices and almost dragged me into their establishments. Now the day is done and so is their work. They are all taking a break and I am no longer the potential customer. Still I take no chances and keep my eyes on the road, fearing, that if they caught me looking at the merchandise, they might call out....The Main Road is the hub of all activity in Kollam. You can find almost everything here. It is like a major artery of my town, or it's spine if you will...

How often I have passed through this road. Oh almost forgot, it's a one way road towards Kollam Town Center. The first shop that catches your eye if you were to start walking from Kollam is Quilon Sports Land. I've been seeing that shop since my childhood days.The cricket bats and footballs, jerseys and those trophies.Take a few more steps, you'll notice General Bakery on the same side. It was still open. Whenever you pass by General Bakery, you'll be engulfed by the smell of banana chips. And today was not different. Even at 8:30 pm the smell of fresh chips hung in the air. The footpaths are practically empty. To the right there used to be an aquarium along with a nursery. Delli Cafe lies ahead.. As i walked on there was a small crowd of bengalis (forgive me, but i am lazy, it's the general term used for out-of-state laborers - for lack of a better/worse word?) From the aroma of fresh chips I am greeted to the smell of paan and beetel. The group I saw was just these guys swarming a paan wallah. It was as I expected, there was paan spittle on the footpath around the guy's portable shop. The tiles were stained red, as if in the aftermath of some great war. I stepped over these 'blood stains'. No sooner had I done that, than the realization came to me that the streets have unfathomable filth than just chewed paan, it was futile. I walked over the rest of it. No bothering to jump or side-step...

Some shops have closed. And when I pass them, the section of footpath in front of them are dark. Only the biggies are still open. (By biggies I mean the shops like Sports Land and Quilon Radios, which have always been there as landmarks) Past Azad Hotel with it's yellowish theme I walk on. In between there are narrow alleys that open into darkness...On the right side, the lights are still on at the "Baby Shop" - It was from there that I got quick dry sheets for Arun's baby. An occasional car passes in the opposite direction and almost always with it's high beam on, temporarily blinding me. After Azad hotel I came upon the alley that would take me to Delli Cafe on the other side of the road Sree Ayyappa Bhavan was also open. North and South both awaiting me, but tonight I chose north. This small bye-road has mobile shops on either side of it, and a warehouse. I walked into building. A staircase of red-oxide floored steps and blue walls took me to the first floor where the hotel was. The place was full and I settled into a table for four occupied by just another man. I ordered 3 roti and cashew nut masala and asked for some butter to smear on the rotis. I took my time enjoying the meal. Ordered buttermilk, which I gulped down. The bill came to Rs. 96 and I was on my way again. 

Back on the main road, I came upon Dhanya SuperMarket - closed. A textile shop -closed, Bata showroom - closing. Hotel Guruprasad still had people walking out of it. Walking by I came upon three security guards sitting together. These sentinels of the night were guarding their respective shops and teamed up for a chat. They each had a chair and looks like they were gonna talk all through the night. As I passed them by, they all turned to look at me and started talking again. Hands in my pockets I took step after step,stomach cramps were causing a voice in my head to mutter " could have skipped the buttermilk..." Boots n Boots was still open, M S Book Depot was shut, beyond this the shops were mostly closed. The section of the road ahead was dark. There were people walking ahead of me. Old men, going home carrying plastic bags. They walk slowly but steadily. I overtook them with the haughtiness of youth .I came upon another security guard, having dinner. He was on chair facing the shop where he'll spend the night, his back against me. On a stool in front of him, there was an unwrapped meal. He was eating in the makeshift privacy that he could create. And I felt bad for taking a peek. Padma Cafe was next- old but still graceful. At the counter a customer was paying the bill. Waiters were carrying empty plates to and full ones from the kitchen. It was just a glimpse, a photograph and it's always the same. The same goes for Hotel Guruprasad as well. There were dogs on the side now. Some sleeping, some walking around. Wonder when they'll get violent and start attacking people...

Some people in a car was asking directions to a group of teens by the side of the hotel. A mobile showroom was being cleaned by it's three employees, they were dusting the carpets and I had to switch over to the right side of the road temporarily. I was nearing Hotel Fayalwan. Not what I had expected. The place was full. Ever since it's renovation I've lost some of my love for it. Bombay Dyeing, Fashion Textiles and Unnoonny and Sons Cycle Shop, shops pass me by, or rather, I pass by them. 

I am now entering an entirely different section of the Main Road. It's what you could call market road. I am greeted by the sound of shutters being pulled down. Every now and then I hear a shutter drop. Some are close by, some far. There is that dusty smell of gunny bags and all things veggie. There are more dogs here. Some wake up from their sleep, lift their heads say "Hi" and go back into doggie dreams...or whatever it is that they dream of... (a home, a loving master.. i wonder...) The next thing I notice is an egg shop. Empty egg cartons stacked up. Vegetable shops are closing, and so are fruit stalls. The smell here is a mix of both, of vegetables and fruits, with every breath, one dominating the other....The gates to the market were thrown open. The are slaughterhouses inside, I know this. I've been there. No more meat is sold today. The blood must have dried on the cutting blocks... Hands still in my pockets I looked down and the streets are now strewn with waste from these shops...I reminded myself to look up to the sky. It was a half moon, waxing..

The smell of spices, permeating the thick cold night air was yet another indicator, that I've reached another section. It was both intoxicating and invigorating, sweet and strong at the same time. Another shop, this one was selling plastic plates. The smell of fried chicken was next. A fast food shop was still open. People waiting for their orders. More Rice shops. Trucks were parked on the side of the road.  I had reached the end of Main Road. Quilon Tourist Home was still awaiting travelers to call it a day and take refuge in their comforts. I crossed Kallupalam to find the roadside Tapioca Chips Vendor, still frying... In the yellow glow of the petromax lamp, the fried chips looked to me like the glorious creation of a master of the craft. (I must be seriously high (I'm 6 foot three - pun not intended)) I bought some for Rs.10. I would have started eating were it not for the that buttermilk. Two people were sitting in front of an antique shop, talking. There was a new bakery with it's LED lights, bright spaces and posh seats. The dry cleaning center and the Shiva Sena Office gave way to the coffin shop. The last time I'd been there to get one for Mamma. Probably mine would also be from there. Crown Bakery was next on the line...

I was getting tired. But I told myself to stay on the white line by the side of the road and walk on. It reminded me of  'I walk the line' -  a song by Johnny Cash. 

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine

I keep my eyes wide open all the time

I keep the ends out for the tie that binds

Because you're mine, I walk the line

There was a fire, burning away the remains of the day, the smoke rising from it compensated the lack of fog on this December night. St. Aloysius School, St. Raphael's Seminary, Fathima Shrine and Trinity Lyceum School stood by with their lights thrown on the asphalt. I came to a crossroads and went straight. The road goes on. Another bend and I gaze upon Tangasseri Arch, home...

Street lights are scanty, but that's alright, the moon was still there. The sky is clear and the night has just begun. There are stars alight in the heavens and stars hung in homes. I am walking towards mine. 

I am in pain, but I know the night takes all our pain heals them before morning comes...

I am plagued by sorrow, but the night takes every drop of it and wipes them off my face...

I am tired, and the night fills us with vigour for when the sun rises on a new day

I am in love, and in the dreams woven by the night,..she loves me back....

Trek to Ponmudi

It began with plans for a team lunch, but we wanted something more. Brian was the one who suggested Paintball. It was a really good idea, since we don’t get an opportunity to shoot up our Manager and Team Lead every now and then. I was all up for it.  I mean, haven’t we all at one point wanted to do it?  But then the plan was dropped, I guess Manoj (our Project Manager) knew what we were up to J. Then I suggested that we visit Brimoor. And while checking online I stumbled upon a blog post about trekking to Ponmudi from Brimoor. So it was decided. We were going to a have a real team outing. Not the usual namesake lunch/dinner and group photo. This was going to be test of our physical limits.

So on Friday we met up at Brian’s house at Kannamoola. By 9:15 we left for Brimoor Estate in Manoj’s car. We were using google maps to navigate and after an initial hiccup (due to which we made a loop around Kerala University) we were on our way. The whole drive took around 1.5 hrs. There is a forest check point at Mankayam from where we paid the fees (800 rupees for a group of 5 members) and took our passes, a guide was also allocated to us. So from the check post at Mankayam the six of us (Myself, Brian, Manoj, Gireesh, Sreerag and Pappichayan, our guide) set out towards Brimoor Estate from where the trail starts. On the way we passed Mankayam water falls and since it was already late, we decided to jump into it on our way back. We parked where the trail starts took our backpacks and set out with enough water, supplements and other gear. The first thing that we did was getting hold of broken branches to be used as trekking sticks. Here's a map of how the trail would look. The portion marked in red is actual trail.

And thus we began, all fresh and pumped up, ready to walk, climb, crawl and do whatever it takes to make it through to the other side and back. The catch was that we would have to make it to the top and then walk back all the way because the car was parked at the beginning of the trail. The below pic is what you normally see at the start of a trek, eager, enthusiastic devil may care attitude.  

Brian and Sreerag

The plan was simple, walk through the forest, climb some hills then walk some more and then make it to the top of Ponmudi and do it all again. But we were already at a disadvantage, it was almost 11 am, the sun will be out and we'll be tired even before we cover a single kilometer. A long as we're under forest cover, it won't be an issue, but out in the open we'll be fried. At that time, we weren't thinking much about this, we were just walking along..

Fast forward half and hour, we're still walking. We're starting to feel the exhaustion creeping up, like another trekker. Soon enough he'll catch up with all of us. We came out of the forest cover and started climbing a hill, which would be one of many that we'll climb on this day. The estate used to produce tea, but for a long time it hasn't been looked after properly and has fallen to ruin. Nowadays they rent out rooms (which used to be the quarters when the factory was still operational) to tourists. Along the way we saw people picking cloves using ladders. Manoj, our Guide and myself were walking on, and when I looked back I saw Sreerag, Brian and Gireesh  opening up a gap between us. So i decided to wait for them. 

Another half hour has passed, our time under the sun was horrific, even with caps and enough hydration we're sweating out and feeling tired. Thankfully the ordeal was over and once more we found ourselves inside the forest canopy. The trick with trekking is to forget about it all, and try to enjoy your time in the forest. Soon enough we came across broken trees and more chaos which is quite the normal order here.

After some more grueling climbs, we reached what was according to our guide the half way-point? So we stood and looked down at the path we came up, there was nothing to see except for trees and a lot of green. It was 12:45 pm, the peanuts, biscuits and water that we had was almost over. The only thing that was left were glucose tablets,which we were all taking after every 15 mins or so. We came upon another clearing which according to our guide was the last bit of the trail before it joined the main road towards Ponumdi. We were all so damn hungry, and upon hearing this, we picked up the pace. Because when it comes to food fatigue can be kept aside.. :) 

This final stretch of the trail had tall grass on either side which we had to brush aside and in some sections it was completed closed off by the grass. The summer heat has turned it to a shade a yellow. Made me wonder how it would have been if we took this route during the rainy season. At least now we don't have to worry about leaches..

Grass, grass and more grass

Slow and Steady :)

And thus after two hours we found ourselves on the road again, amidst civilization. It was supposed to have made us happy, but only after we walked a bit did it dawn on us, that we still had a long way to go before we found any hotels. And to make matters worse, there was no more forest cover and on top of that we had to walk up hill. Maybe some of them might have thought paintball would have been a better option. From here on out, there's nothing much happening except for walking, Boulevard of Broken dreams would have been a good theme song for our current predicament. 

Empty roads..

After Grass, grass and more grass, now it's  Road, road and more road.

                                 

At-least the scenery was really cool. The hills covered in thin mist even at 1 pm in the afternoon, and a dreaded howling sound as the wind races between the trees. After a while, we came upon the penultimate bus-stop before you reach Ponmudi. There were two restaurants - one was by KTDC and the other was run the forest division (which was more of a canteen/mess). We checked into the latter and ordered lunch. We ate (more like gobbled) and then refilled our water bottles and sat outside the restaurant before setting out to complete the final stretch. 

At our destination we collapsed onto the bamboo shelters. I decided to get some more snaps before we started on our way down. We were short on time and we also had that much awaited dip at the waterfall. 

View from atop the observation tower. 

Being a weekday, the place was practically empty. On new years eve the place was so crowded that there were no parking spots and the roads were pretty much shut down. As you can see here, there are a handful of vehicles and a KSRTC bus. That bus would take us back to the start of our trail where it joined the road. But where's the fun in that eh? We had tea from the small shop there, stocked up on snacks and water and were on our way down again. The descent was rather fast, but painful on the knees. We could see a mist descending on the hills. Our guide told us that it would be best to cross the forest before dark. So again we were racing against time. Our way back was uneventful, except for the constant reminder of fatigue on our legs, but we kept on moving, our minds focused on that waterfall, our only thought the cool water and how great it would be. 

Another two hours and we made it back. We threw away our trusty trekking sticks,Sreerag however was too fond to let go of his. I thought we was gonna bring it back. After what seemed like a great deal of internal conflict he said goodbye and thank you to the stick and stashed it safely between a rock and a tree. All of us squeezed into the car and drove to the waterfall. We reached there just before 6 took a picture and jumped into the water.

The water was cold as ice, but it was awesome. After some 6 hrs of walking and climbing it was the most soothing experience ever. Even though the current wasn't that strong the pool was deep and had clear water and there were fishes too. Manoj was soon swimming around showcasing his techniques, while we were all just wading and sitting under water. Our guide, meanwhile told us to take our time, enjoy it and went off to smoke. (That guy was awesome, he walked the whole distance without flinching and must have been close to 60 years old). 

By 7:00 we were back on the road and had dinner from Zam Zam, wheer again we gobbled up all the ordered food, no surprises there as well. 

Until the next time....(Wonder where we'll go next...) :)

An ISL match - Kerala Blasters FC vs Delhi Dynamos

Last weekend was a pretty long one. With long weekends usually there are plans of some kind. This time it was an ISL match at Kochi. Kerala Blasters FC was playing Delhi Dynamos FC and we thought we'd go see the game. The tickets were booked in advance. There were 7 of us in total. Vivek, Nithin, Amjad, Nithin's Friend and myself were the ones from Kollam. Deepak and Renjith would join us at Kochin.

Kerala Blasters FC are known more for their tremendous crowd support than for their game. Knowing this we decided it would be best if we made it to Kochi well in advance so as to avoid the last minute rush and traffic blocks leading to the stadium. Thus we found ourselves on the 11:10 MEMU train to Erankulam. Oddly enough, the train scheduled was a MEMU, but it turned out to be a normal Passenger. The total distance was 156 kms and we reached there by 3:45. So that almost 4.5 hrs, with an average speed of 36 kms/hr. Somehow we survived.

The general consensus was that lunch shouldn't be skipped. Because, we might not have the luxury of time to grab some dinner, and so better to eat now. We decided to get an auto from the station and eat something from the stadium. But the 'auto-guy' advised us it's better to have something from here and then go to the stadium, as there aren't many great places to eat there. So we headed to the nearest restaurant. After going through the simple menu multiple times and we ordered the new-found staple food of Keralites - Porotta. Given the possibility that we might skip dinner, this seemed the obvious choice.( If you know what I mean). And we topped it off with a tea! While chewing on those rubberized strips of flour we thought why not book an UBER taxi? Hmm.. Okay! And it was done. Within minutes our ride came and off we went.

The diver was  a very pleasant guy and he was also very polite. He was also curious about the game and said that for the last home match time he got stuck in traffic with a customer. All along the way leading to the stadium we saw people wearing the yellow jerseys and carrying flags, and match time was still 2.5 hrs away.

The taxi fare amounted to Rs 50 or so!! Awesome right? Anyway, our gate of entry was 31. As we were about to enter, the team bus for KBFC arrived.

And all hell broke lose. People who were eager to enter the stadium, were thronging the fences trying to get a glimpse of the players. The players were all cheered on equally and they acknowledged the fans as well. Renjith, who was to join us was waiting for us. The only problem was Deepak, who was on the way and would take another 1.5hrs to get here. We unanimously decided to ditch Deepak for the time being (If you're reading this sorry Deepak!! ) and enter the stadium. The plan being that we'll try and set aside a seat for him, till he arrives. After checking our tickets and bags(yeah, they do check bags, and if you're carrying water or eatables, depending on the mood of the security, you might/might not be able to take it inside) we were permitted inside. According to our tickets we were allocated seats in E-block, which was near to one of the goal posts in the lowermost gallery. The first thing that caught my eye as soon as I entered was the vastness of the stadium, and the color yellow on the sections opposite to ours. Yes, let me rephrase - 'the color Yellow'. It started to rain and the soon a rainbow was painted across the sky, part of it visible from our seats.

The time was now close to 5 pm, but already there were chants going around most of which was for the 'God of Cricket'. There were drums here and there, and the general buzz of excitement in the air. People were displaying flags, flux boards and what not!! And the funny part is that there's another 2 hrs to go until the game gets underway. Sadly Tendulkar decided not to show up. But that was not gonna affect the crowd in any way. Slowly, but surely the our Block as well as the whole stadium was being filled. All this time we were occupying an extra seat for Mr.Deepak. Then the whole stadium decided it would be fun to hold up their phone's flashlights. Yeah, similar to how metal-heads would hold up cigarette lighters for rock ballads. The pic isn't that clear, but that's all I have. Soon enough the ground staff came on for their pre-match  inspections. And the players also took the field for a slight warm up session. All this while there was a relentless buzz of 50,000 souls. A torrent of shouts, screams and chants in unison. Along with that the waves had also started.

Waiting for the match to begin

By 6:30 Deepak finally graced us with his presence. He took a seat next to me. From then on, the amount of sound falling on my left ear increased exponentially. It reached alarmingly high levels once he got hold of a whistle (I guess it cost Rs 20 or so). The game began at 7:00 and every time the ball came into possession of a Kerala player, the crowd would erupt in a satisfactory cheer. And as the ball advanced further and further into the opposition half, the cheers grew into a crescendo. The game itself was below-average and both teams were defensive. The better of the two defense was Kerala's. We were quite surprised when the half-time whistle was blown. Forty-Five minutes, gone, just like that!! The second half saw the Kerala team becoming more aggressive and attacking. Which resulted in some yellow cards and corners. But sadly, none of those could be converted into a goal. During on of these intrusions into the Delhi Half, Micheal Chopra (aka Rocky), netted the ball, and the whole stadium went mad. But it was an offside and thus no goal! Somehow the crowds behavior (mine included) reminded me of the gladiator death matches. I can now see why those were so popular  back then.

The view from our seats. Pic courtesy : Deepak

 Deepak enjoying on the bus

As the final whistle blew, the match concluded in a goalless draw, both teams taking 1 point each. We decided to catch a bus back home. The only problem was that the roads were all blocked because everyone was trying to get home. We stopped an auto jumped into it and reached Erankulam Bus Stand.There was a low-floor bus about to start it's trip. That was to be our ride back home. After a lot of confusion regarding reservation/booking of tickets we departed from the bus-stand at 10:00 pm. And I reached home by 1:30