Kerala Travel Explorer

AN ESSENTIAL TRAVEL, LEISURE & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

VOL 2 ISSUE 1

www.ktexplorer.com

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Exploring ‘Venice of the East’ A

Text & Photos: Elsa Lycias Joel Additional Photos : Anandan

lleppey as my weekend getaway had no reasons except another trip with my bosom buddy Navina. Throughout my train journey I was wondering if the place would have anything good to offer.

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A home away from home!

The opened gates of Bowgain Villa, Heritage home of the Johnson family where we planned our three night stay at Alleppey welcomed us. Holding two glasses in hand, Nibu our caretaker said, “Tender coconut with honey will always be there to welcome you home”. The fragrant garden blooms, neatly pruned trees and hanging brass oil lamps signified goodwill.

Ocean room minus the ocean view with a king size bed, ocean themed bed sheets, curtains, towels, doormats and a handmade lighthouse seemed to make me lazier. The powder room resonated with beautiful thoughts of beautiful women.

Tranquil backwaters After an authentic Kerala lunch, it was time for a Shikara cruise through the backwaters. Shaji Chettan, the boat operator explained ‘life in Alleppey’ as such through real short stories in different contexts. He seemed to know all the houses along the banks, people and the type of raft they owned and how each house bounced back after the flood.

Seeing Kuttanad, perhaps the only place in the world where farming is done up to 2 meters below sea level was very special even though I had read about it. Our boatman came across as a well-informed tourist guide.

How effortlessly he mentioned the name Curzon who called Alleppey the “Venice of the East” and he cared to know about Holland because Kuttanad is known as the ‘Holland of the East’?

Being a Chennaite I was in shock to not find a carry bag

or disposed cup in the waters that say much about the diligence of the people who inhabit the villages of Alleppey, Ambalapuzha and Kuttand.

A stop over at Kuppapuram to give Shaji a break, tender coconut to quench our thirst and an ordeal with a stubborn Hawk refreshed my senses.

Shaji chetan narrated the Nehru Trophy Boat Race and why it was postponed from second Saturday of August to that weekend. Before I decided I was unlucky to leave the previous day before the “Vallam Kalli” (Boat race) I heard “Vanchipaatu “(Boat song). A Chundan Vallam (Snake boat) with “Payippadan Chundan” written on it sped by. Getting on my toes to encourage their practice session paid off with acknowledging smiles from rowers that prompted me to pray for their victory in the forthcoming race. Trust me, the most wanted view of a best backwater village tour are those scattered boathouses on the vast expanse of waters.

Day to day life in the backwaters Women and men rowing past a kothumbu vallam (tiny country raft) to the nearby provision stores at the other end of the canal or to a neighbour’s house had a smile, a wave or a kind word to share. Punnamada

Alleppey Lighthouse

Lake led us to Vembanad where the sound of the slicing waters was replaced by the chitter chatter of school children who walked the narrow banks effortlessly. Sensing my anxious looks, Nibu said,” born by the waters, swimming is a birth right”. Before I could dismiss Nibu’s statement that it’s but natural for natives to boast of their innate survival skills, I saw a small boy with a school bag rowing effortlessly across. That kid’s shy smile revealed his notfully- erupted central incisors.

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He should be hardly 7 years old.

A floating dispensary, said to be an innovative step of the National Rural Health Mission Kerala allayed my other concerns. The boatman’s brotherly love that added energy and excitement to our 3 hour tour made our ‘goodbyes’ so difficult that we exchanged phone numbers.

Old Pier!

Piping hot ‘Pazhamporis’ (Banana Fritters) and tea at Alleppey Beach was first in my itinerary. Imagining an incredibly busy and noisy port with ships, goods and people till I polished off the last Pazhampori was enjoyable.

Then did I shift my gaze from the wrecked remains of the 137 years old Alleppey Sea Bridge to my plate.

Stories old and gold Deepam (Lamp) lit dinner awaited us at Bowgain Villa.

It tasted heavenly with Maria Dolly’s stories of many a kind.

Framed family photos on walls told stories of people who lived 10

good lives in this 5 generation ancestral house. Navina’s memories of this house where she spent her childhood were vivid. The way she explained every photo, her favourite doll, family tree painted on the wall with photos hung on branches, huge glass and bronze jars her grandfather used to prepare medicines, wall hangings, and furniture gave me too an intense sense of home, especially the wooden staircase which is so typical of any house of the past. A walk through the corridor led into the century old kitchen, the main hub of Bowgain Villa was déjà vu.

In the kitchen Nibu turned a seasoned chef just as he turned an expert driver behind wheels, a tour guide in tourist places, an enthusiastic photographer when need be, a bodyguard in his own right safeguarding us and our DSLR when we explored unknown territories.

Inviting Shrines and majestic cathedrals Dolly’s stories of ‘lost and found’ stuff motivated us to take a

5 minute walk to St. Antony’s miraculous shrine. One candle was all I had for all women of my maternal lineage who are known for misplacing or losing stuff. An urge to explore Mount Carmel Cathedral that stood majestic just across the road set in. Octagon shaped baptismal font inside held my attention for a while. Saying yes to Dolly’s enthusiastic request to pay a visit to the cemetery, also as a gratitude to all her wonderful testimonies wasn’t difficult. I saw a well-lit, clean cemetery with plaques on either side of the compound walls that described great events in the Bible. Veneration for the saints as well as ‘The Blessed’ were visibly written on visitors’ faces.

On the second day, consistent ringing of a church bell woke us up. The sun shone bright and hot. It was late and we had to skip the ‘Puttu and Kadala curry’ (steamed rice flour and chickpea curry) that we badly wanted to have at Avees Puttu House, Alleppey. We grabbed a dozen of home grown plantains and set out. En route to Basilica

of St. Mary, Champakulam, we encountered a traffic jam reason being a horde of people stopping by, dropped at or picked up from Kreupasanam Marian Retreat Centre. A chat with a few pilgrims and devotees enlightened me about the purpose and role of this centre, also a National Heritage Study Centre.

Miracles spread the good news far and wide. As for me, lighting a candle at pilgrim centres is a task as I can’t ignore other candles that flicker and die.

Enchanting Pottery!

Seated inside a speeding car, a road side pottery shop caught our attention. We pulled over for a quick glance. But I couldn’t take my eyes and hands off the clay wind chimes for the entire five minutes or so telling myself that I must carry with me a bigger bag next time.

St. Mary’s Forane Church This church houses everything that fosters any visitor’s prayerful life by evoking feelings of transcendence and

devotion. Places of worship were clean, irrespective of the number of visitors. Yes, we all learnt it right, ‘Cleanliness is Godliness’. The inscriptions on the Champakulam open air Rock Cross is a clear documentation of its antiquity up to AD 1151.

A paradise by the beach!

Our hungry stomachs growled for a grand buffet leading us to Marari Beach Resort. All waiters sported a goatee with a moustache except Hari who chose to do it a bit differently without a stache. On request, they politely posed for a photo fighting back their pearly smiles to look tough. The butterfly garden enticed me, the organic vegetable garden beckoned me and the small dairy farm surprised me. I knew why the resort made me feel that way.

A prized story of harmony St. Andrew’s Basilica of Arthunkal was our next stop.

Being the largest shrine of St. Sebastian in the world housing a statue of St. Sebastian with

arrows all over his bleeding body, sculpted in Milan, it was a must-see. It seems the local Hindus helped Jesuits construct the church in 1560.

After centuries, till today, during the month of January, Hindu pilgrims on their return journey from Sabarimala are known to pay homage to the saint. The forgotten tale of friendship between Father Fenicio and Lord Ayyappa must be retold.

Right behind the Arthunkal Basilica stands the old church near the altar of which is the tomb of Father Fenicio, an Italian by birth, fondly addressed as ‘Veluthachan’ (Fair skinned father).

In the hope of prasadam and a tusker The 500 years old Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple, an imposing temple in the heart of Alleppey was built by King Devanarayana dedicated to Sree Rajarajeswari, stands as a reminder of the architectural brilliance of craftsman of those days. Not only the urad dal vada we missed Balakrishnan, the 11

temple elephant too. Few natives were surprised as to why we were there in the middle of nothing.

When we got talking we were told not to miss the Navrathri or Mullakkal Chirappu Festival.

All about Beach Vibes It was mandatory to watch the sunset in some beach. At the Marari beach, after a freaking awesome stroll, jog and pull-up bar trial workouts we rested for a bit to watch the sunset.

On invitation we took part in a 30 minutes beach yoga class with Christophe Van Campenhout as our instructor. Patrick Platton made us feel so comfortable by translating every Dutch word of Christophe. The session ended with a special applause for us. I guess we received a full charge 12

of admiration from the whole team for a perfect setu bandha sarvangasana. Meeting Christophe Van Campenhout, owner of Act-wise a Belgium travel company was unexpected. He exactly knows how to give his clients a memorable vacation all around the world. We weren’t sure if we were making new friends until Christophe invited us to join the Act-wise Party at the Club House of Marari Beach Resort that night. The DJ in Christophe made everyone dance till they dropped. The party ended with nice words, good byes and Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’.

Let your light shine!

Hugh Crawford, the European engineer behind Alleppey Light House,a vintage and beautiful

The Friendly Boatman

With Nibu, Master of all trades

structure definitely had something in his mind. Queen of chess! May be Alleppey looked like the queen of the Arabian Sea. The spiral staircase took us to a breath taking view.

A testimony of architecture and paintings The Kidangamparambu Sree Bhuvaneshwari Temple in Alleppey known for its majestic Rajagopuram (Entrance Tower) has depiction of Krishna Charitram on walls in the form of statues. In a way I refreshed Painted Porcelainwares by the roadside

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my memory of Kuchipudi which I learnt as a school girl. The deity also called as Bhaktadaasi (maid of devotees) is believed to relieve devotees of their troubles.

Alleppey is a place where religions coexist beautifully.

Be it the ‘Manava Mythri Sangamam’ (convention for friendship in society) or Onam, people come together. The Muslim call to prayer fell on my ears as I walked out barefoot through the entrance tower and minutes later I found myself in Alleppey Juma Masjid. Sadly, I found no one around for a chat.

Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever” We were welcomed by Shri.Jagadish CT in to Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum, fronted by GrecoRoman columns. He briefed us on the do’s and don’ts and the reason why photography isn’t allowed inside. A 1946 model steel grey ‘Buick Super’ exhibited the family’s affluence.

Inside we made slow progress because our guide, Akbar explained every little thing with all his energy and never ending enthusiasm. A 200 square feet mural created by 4160 man hours using only vegetable dye seemed like an unusual piece of attraction. With an amazing collection of Swarovski crystals, this museum can easily pass off as Swarovski Crystal World, India. The fact that the great mind behind this museum Betty Karunakaran’s love for beautiful things began ever since she was 13 years old demonstrated to me how important, enriching, and valuable it is to be exposed to ‘things of beauty’ at an early age. However, my mind

Kidangamparambu Sree Bhuvaneshwari Temple

octagon shaped baptismal 14 font inside Mount Carmel Cathedral

Inside St. Andrew’s Basilica.

Statue of St. Sebastian Sculpted in Milan

could take home clear images of just three things; the lovers’ chair, the penny table and Belgian mirrors- love, wealth & beauty.

Widely acclaimed creations of celebrated Israeli sculptor Sam Philipe decorated the museum courtyard.

Magic with coir!

We headed to the International Coir Museum. The word ‘coir’ being synonymous with Revi Karunakaran as much as with Alleppey, thoughts of the Museum still lingered on. Coir figurines, coir artworks, miniaturized versions of the Seven Wonders of the World and coir installations perfectly reflected the art, culture and social life of Kerala and Keralites.

Photography for a nominal fee was an added motivation for us to spend a little more time than we actually planned. Interns at the coir museum were so adept at explaining stuff that they can handle many a kind of visitor who would want to know anything about coir and James Darragh. Seated figurines seemed to be in contemplation about the man with big ideas. In my opinion, Veni, Vidi, Vici suited James Darragh too.

We scuttled through the souvenir shop only to relish the Kerala Thaali on banana leaf and Ada Pradhaman (Kerala Kheer) that awaited us. So! What! I had saved a beautifully framed picture.

We bid Adieu!

Three mesmerizing days in Alleppey made me feel so lucky for I felt belonged at Bowgain Villa. Our courteous caretaker packed our dinner and we our memories. It wasn’t late to click a photo with Nibu, light a lamp, swing the tongue of the doorbell and do a dab.

The Chennai Express chugged away.

The farther it went the closer I held my memories. Settled on my berth, I told myself I’ll get back on the hammock, enjoy the garden in full blooms and have tea and banana fritters in the lush green backyard of Bowgain Villa once again. And many more times.

Back in Chennai, a good news from Shaji pepped me up. Yes, “Payippadan Chundan” won the race.

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Green Meadows of Vagamon Text & Photos: P Ravi Shankar

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A very small hill town in the south-eastern Idukki District, Vagamon is Kerala’s well-kept secret. A

place not familiar in travel destinations, Vagamon is a fusion of nature and adventure, in equal and fulfilling proportions.

The travellers who have explored many hill stations in and out of Kerala, agree one thing in common about Vagamon – “It’s pretty and untouched”. After a treacherous drive through the steeply winding but picturesque route to reach Vagamon, one couldn’t agree more.

The landscape itself is rich with rocky hills, lush meadows, dense pine forests, rugged areas, and even delicate flowers. The river Meenachil, originating from Kottayam flows through the town adding to its beauty.

Being a hill station, the temperature at Vagamon swings between 10 to 30 degree Celsius, keeping it pleasant throughout the year.

In the monsoons, its many waterfalls come to life, gushing with ecstasy. In hot summers, the breezes take you by surprise, more pleasant than anywhere else in Kerala. In winters, paragliders enjoy the best of their times, as the weather is welcoming and the mist aplenty, making the whole scenario perfect for a memorable flight.

The perpetual mist that wraps itself around the hills, valleys and meadows of Vagamon is like a crown adorned by the queen, for the same reason that it leaves you enchanted.

The history of Vagamon Vagamon has fairly simple history of orgin, just like many other hill towns. It was discovered by the Britishers somewhere around 1926, when they saw the potential in its rich landscape to reap out tea plants.

The British had a knack for snapping up picture-postcard 18

perfect, misty and chilly hills.

Homesick and sunburnt, this is where they fled as soon as business in the dusty plains was taken care of, and hill stations were instantly catapulted to ‘elite getaway destination of choice’ status As the love of Britishers for tea plantations is famous, by 1930 popular tea plantation

companies of Britishers started to setting up their own plantations here.

Fast forward to the 1950s, the Kurisumala Ashram was set up and that proved to change things for the land forever.

The town started seeing development since then.

Myths around Vagamon The three prominent religions — Christianity, Islam and Hinduism — have their own exclusive hills: Kurusimala, Murugan Para and Thangal Para.

All three hills stand cheekto-cheek. Kurusimala’s main attraction is a statue of St Thomas at its peak. A giant clay peacock is perched atop Murugan Para, standing guard over the temple, which has Stone Age carvings. Thangal Para pulls soul-thirsty travellers into its ancient cave with an unspoken promise, to soothe all aches with its wrinkled, ageold wisdom.

The Meadows The meadows of Vagamon are perfect for picnics. If you are taking a vacation in search of peace, this is the perfect place for you to be at. The lush green grasslands of Vagamon are one of a kind and a must see for tourists visiting this

heavenly place. Surrounded by hills on all sides, the velvet green meadows of Vagamon are a treat for the eyes. By just being there, the greenery and cool breeze will take away your worries and stress, as they blow by you.

There is nothing angular or streamlined about the Ghats – no sharp edges, no welldefined lines and no imposing heights.

This place will leave you feeling much lighter mentally. Find your spot and be with yourself for a while, you will love the experience.

Early mornings and the late evenings are the ideal time to be in the meadows. It is a mystical experience to watch the sunrise and sunset from the meadows, amidst the rolling clouds and the fog carried by the breeze in the valley.

This tourist place also has to offer Thangal Para, the IndoSwiss Project and Kurisumala

Ashram. Vagamon hill station is comprised of a beautiful series of hillocks, valleys and cascading waterfalls that make it the ideal getaway for tourists.

Take a walk along the narrow, mist covered zigzag roads that wind up the hills and experience true bliss. For adventure seekers, there is an option of trekking, para gliding or rock climbing.

How to reach By flight If you are flying down to Kerala, the nearest airport to Vagamon is Kochi International Airport, at a distance of 95 km from the town. You can take a private cab from the airport for Vagamon.

By train If you are coming by train, you will have to get down at Kottayam, which is 63 km from Vagamon. There are direct buses form Kottayam to Vagamon at a good frequency.

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Kumarakom

Where Pink Water Lilies Bloom Text & Pictures: Suresh Jacob

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The blooming of the water lilies in mid to late October in the paddy fields and water ways across Kerala is a sight to behold. It dots the emerald terrain around the backwaters with shades of deep pink. The event is not as well marketed - as the once in twelve years bloom of the Neelakurinji in the Munnar hills and slopes of the Nilgiri mountains; yet the water lily (Nymphaea Stellata or ambal in local parlance) bloom, which is an annual display across the fresh waters of Kerala heralding the end of the monsoon rains is catching on with ardent travellers 22

and photographers. We stumbled upon these breathtaking carpets of blooms in shades of soothing deep pink around Kumarakom and went on to explore further in and around the surrounding villages.

For us Canadians (of Indian origin), Kerala is a long way off, calling for a travel of 15,000+ km with over 24 hours spent between flights and airports. Coming from a country where nature enhances all your senses with its breathtaking beauty, it does take an extraordinary display to amaze you. As a photographer bent on

capturing and sharing the beauty in unique parts of the world, my hunting grounds has largely been North and Central America, Europe, Mediterranean and South East Asia. So, on this travel I decided to focus on Kerala, introducing my adult daughters, first time visitors to the country, to the hospitality and rustic beauty of the State.

The pink water lilies at its peak blossom time, I am told, covers nearly 600 acres in this area. In other parts of the state the lilies have spread into many local ponds and waterways. Life in the water lily garden displays

a unique biodiversity. Bird watching there is an amazing experience.

Locals and visitors often refer to these as Pink Lotus and it’s easy to get the two aquatic plants mixed up.

The general belief is that Lilies came from the West and Lotus from the East.

They belong to different plant families; the water lilies (Nymphaea species) and the Lotus (Nelumbo species ). There are large number of varieties and colours in tropical Lilies and Lotuses.

To the layman’s eye the obvious difference between the two is that the Lilies have leaves that float on the

water whereas the lotus has emergent leaves on stems that usually rise from the water.

Kumarakom area has a plethora of tourist accommodation and home stay opportunities. We had the opportunity to stay at and visit some of the upmarket resorts in the Kumarakom area and along the shores of Vembanad lake. The lake itself has patches of purple flowering hyacinth competing with the larger flotilla of pink water lilies, all teeming with a variety of bird and animal life. Other villages in the Kottayam area like

Malarickal are working on luring tourists to enjoy the presence of this seasonal calming pink flotilla, as are the flooded paddy fields of Kumbanad and backwater villages of Alleppey district.

Village life itself around the backwaters takes on a colourful freshness after the monsoon season. The locals ramp up for international tourists who arrive in hoards during the peak season of November to February. For me floating around on a boat on the lake and more importantly in smaller canals around Kumarakom was an awesome experience, and a wonderful opportunity to 23

observe and record rural Kerala life. The back water levels are nearly on par with the surrounding land that puts you in the midst of village life, yet allows you to remain a largely detached observer. One of the few places in my travels that you feel you are not intruding as the locals go about their daily grind; often acknowledging and waving out to you, but not hindered by your presence. I guess, being on the water, puts you in a different dimension from the happenings on the land.

Life on the shores, whether it be the lady spear fishing or the other one doing her 24

laundry in the muddy waters or the rickshaw driver who decided to take a dip to cool off, or the boys playing on tree lined shores, the houseboats repositioning for their trip, or the fishermen gathering their nets, goes by without interruption.

It is obvious that the average Malayalee in their maturity and uncanny level of intelligence, has finely honed the art of tourism.

As keen observers they learn from every encounter and use the gathered information to fine tune the specifics for marketing their attractions. They work with long term strategies. Over

the years they have learnt that the real traveller comes in to observe, study, engage, and perhaps participate in their way of life. They are not merely tourists. While the Kerala tourism industry puts up with the run of the mill tourists, their real target is the well heeled repeat traveler, who revels in the Malayalee traditions, lifestyle, hospitality and food. Many of the restaurants haunted by the locals are any foodie’s dream.

I do agree that many of the so called five star resorts in the area are getting a little long in the tooth and

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perhaps are beginning to price themselves out of the international luxury travel market. However the incredible hospitality, authentic rural life and tasteful food choices are memories to cherish.

Kumarakom area is well located with the towns of Kottayam and Alleppey close by, if you want a touch

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of urban scene from your lakeside resort. Cochin and the airport are not too far either. If you get tired of the lakes, canals and back waters, the un-crowded beaches at Mararikulam is only about 15 km away – a relaxing spot to watch the waves at sunset. There are many beach resorts in this area too. After a while if you

long for the cool mountains and colourful hills, Munnar and Thekkady are only a few hours’ drive away.

All said and done, the 18 hour flights and many more hours in airports and on the road certainly was rewarded with the experience that Kerala had to offer a seasoned world traveler.

About the Author With 30+ years in image making, Suresh Jacob is a photographer & photography teacher. He specializes in events, people, lifestyle, travel, nature & commercial photography.

His stories cover a wide variety of topics.

Jacob by training and qualification is a professional engineer. He has been pursuing his passion for photography for decades from the B&W era with his own dark-room to current high tech digital imaging times. Suresh Jacob believes in images that stir the soul.

His efforts are aimed at freezing moments in time

that convey full-fledged stories. He specializes in making photographs as he visualizes them in his mind’s eye, rather than merely take them as they are. He understands relationship between objects / subjects and their environment, as well as the intricacies of working with people. He combines his heart and mind to capture moments in time, with artistic passion and technical brilliance.

He likes to tell visual stories while capturing rare moments that open a flood gate of memories.

He has an interactive photography page on

Suresh Jacob www.facebook.com/jacobphotographer

and a travel blog page www.facebook.com/jacobstravel.

You can see samples of his work on his web page www.jacobsphotography.ca

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POORAM

The Temple Festival Photos: Gokul Ramachandran

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Pooram refers to temple festivals that represent the heart and soul of Kerala.

Entire regions come to life as the streets are decked up to celebrate these events.

Caparisoned elephants take to the streets and the roars of the approving crowds can be heard far and wide. Folk art performances are held and the area around the temple turns into a virtual carnival.

The colours on display are mesmerizing and people religiously await these Pooram festivals annually. Listed below are some of the most prominent temple festivals in

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the state. Each of them have unique rituals and traditions associated with them, and should be experienced firsthand to truly appreciate their grandeur and beauty.

Pooram was first held in Trichur during the reign of Sakthan Thampuran, who was the Raja of Kochi. Thampuran renovated the Vadakkunathan Temple complex, which includes not only the main temple dedicated to Shiva but two smaller temples dedicated to the sister goddesses Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. He also cut down the trees surrounding

the temples to create the Thekkinkadu Maidan, the huge open space named after the teak forest that once stood there and the main venue for the spectacle of Pooram.

The oldest pooram (temple festival) in all of Kerala, the Arattupuzha Pooram is held at the Sree Sastha Temple in Thrissur for a period of seven days each year. Believers say that at this ‘conclave’, all Gods and Goddesses gather during the time period of the Pooram. As many as 23 deities from different temples in Thrissur are brought here and worshipped which makes for a

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stunning visual in itself.

A resplendent festival celebrated with a grand display of caparisoned elephants, dazzling parasols, and percussion music, the Thrissur Pooram is a magnificent spectacle merging the spiritual and cultural essence of Kerala. Celebrated in the Malayalam month of medam (April-May), the Thrissur Pooram is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidanam in Thrissur.

Considered to be the mother of all poorams, this yearly temple festival is organized with the participation of 10 temples (Paramekkavu, Thiruvambadi Kanimangalam, Karamucku, Laloor, Choorakottukara, Panamukkampally, Ayyanthole, Chembukkavu, Neythilakavu).

The festival sports an enthralling line-up of vibrantly decked up

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elephants and is marked by the kudamattom ceremony. Involving swift and rhythmic changing of brightly coloured and sequined parasols, the kudamattom ceremony is one among the highlights and is a keenly watched event.

Another high point is the ilanjithara melam, a highly bewitching performance of traditional instruments which lifts the thousands gathered to a state of euphoria and bliss. Around 250 odd artistes participate in this traditional orchestra led by chenda artistes and the spirit is mirrored by the thousands of spectators who wave their hands in accordance to the rhythm generated by the chenda, kurumkuzhal, kombu and elathalam (traditional instruments of Kerala). The finale is marked by a grand fireworks show.

The word Pooram means “meeting,” and the original purpose of the event was for the gods and goddesses of neighboring provinces to meet ceremonially on an annual basis. Today, the highlight of the festival occurs when two groups of fifteen elephants , one representing the Paramekkavu Temple and the other the Thiruvambadi Temple, meet face to face on the ground in front of the Vadakkunathan Temple.

One of the elephants in each group carries

SYMBOLS AND CUSTOMS Elephants Each temple participating in Pooram sends a contingent of elephants to accompany the image of its god or goddess. Smaller temples may send only three or four elephants, while the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi temples send the largest contingents of fifteen elephants each. If a temple doesn’t own any elephants, they can usually be borrowed or hired, and it is considered a great honor for the elephant’s owner when his animal is asked to participate.

Each elephant wears a nettipattam, which is a piece of cloth to which hundreds of gold pieces have been stitched, giving the overall effect of large sequins.

What is even more impressive than the huge beasts’ willingness to wear this heavy decoration in the hot sun is the patience with which they stand in the temple grounds while surrounded by exploding fireworks and the sound of the chenda drums.

Pandimelam The Pandimelam is a group of four instrumentalists who perform at Kerala’s temple festivals and play traditional music. Their instruments are the chenda, a cylindrical drum; the ilathalam, which is similar to cymbals; the kuzhal, a wind instrument that resembles a hollow pipe; and the kombu, a C-shaped trumpet made of brass or copper. The Chenda Melam, an orchestra of drums, also performs at Pooram, particularly during the parasol exchange.

Parasols The parasols carried by the Brahmins during the elephant procession are a symbol of royalty. They are usually made out of patterned silk with silver pendants along the edge, and the colors range from red, purple, and orange to turquoise, black, and gold.

In the ceremony known as Kudamattam, the Brahmins from one temple face those from the other temple and engage in a competition that involves each side exchanging parasols in time with the music provided by the Pandimelam. The spectacle of all these ceremonial umbrellas swaying and twirling is probably Pooram’s most unforgettable sight.

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the image of the temple’s deity, and all are caparisoned, which means they wear rich ornamental coverings that resemble chain mail. Three Brahmin priests sit atop each elephant, and in their hands are the symbols of royaltyyak-hair whisks with silver handles, circular fans made of peacock feathers, and brightly colored silk parasols which they wave to the rhythm of the music provided by the traditional instrumental group known as the Pandimelam.

Other temples send elephants carrying deities to participate in the procession as well,

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and when all have made their way slowly through the streets and gathered at the Vadakkunathan Temple, there is a spectacular display of color and movement in which parasols are twirled and exchanged while the tempo of the music gradually increases from slow and majestic to a frenzy. The festival ends with fireworks that extend into the next morning and a farewell between the two goddesscarrying elephants, which link trunks before parting. The entire show takes about thirty hours.

Although Pooram is

observed in many locations throughout Kerala, a state at the southwestern tip of India, the largest and most widely attended celebration is in Trichur (Thrissur), where thousands gather to see the “Pooram of all Poorams.� The events there center around the Vadakkunathan Temple, but the festival is not exclusively a Hindu one. Muslims and Christians play an active role in planning for Pooram, and virtually everyone turns out to see the Great Elephant March, for which the festival is world famous.

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Bhoothathankettu A Dam Built By Ghosts Text and Pictures: By P Ravi Shankar

Nature is more like an enchantress at Bhoothathankettu with one side of the dam that lies in a dense forest the other side is habitation of coconut and rubber trees. The forest has grown to the very edge of the water, as it seems as if a part of the forest is growing on the Periyar river itself.

The name Bhoothathankettu means “Ghost Dam”, and as the name suggests the place is mired in folklore relating to ghosts or “bhoothams”.

Long before the present man-made dam was build to tame the flow of Periyar, Kerala’s longest perennial river, and irrigate the paddy fields of Ernakulam district, Bhoothathankettu had already earned its name from an 36

interesting legend.

At Bhoothathankettu travellers can find two dam structures – one the present man-made dam and the other one is a creation of nature and enthralled by gigantic rocks.

The past generations believed that the old dam was built by “Bhootham” or Ghosts.

Legend The story goes that ages ago, demons set out to submerge the Trikkariyoor temple, whose presiding diety is Lord Shiva, by damming the Periyar and flooding the area. But, Lord Shiva, suspecting trickery, came up with a plan to deter them.

He made it appear that dawn was approaching by making a sound like the crowing of the

rooster. Presuming that dawn has arrived, the demons ran off without completing their work.

But there remains the visible proof of their effort - the huge stones the demons were supposed to have rolled onto the riverbed, the Old Bhothathankettu. The Periyar flows on through the narrow space which the demons did not quite manage to dam up.

According to locals, the forest on either side of the Periyar was once home to a thriving civilisation. Remains of wells, walls, pieces of pottery were recovered from there and the ruins of temples, of ancient architecture, are proof of a highly developed culture that once existed on this river’s bank.

Reality The imagination stops at this point. The real reason for the formation of old Bhoothathankettu structure remains a conjecture. There are many suppositions based upon incomplete evidence and hypothesis.

One such unproven thought is attributed to two great floods – one in 4th century and the other in 1341. The massive landslides during

the flood is believed to have caused gigantic rocks to roll down from the mountain and become entrenched in the Old Bhoothathankettu.

If its curiosity about this place which that brings tourists here, it will be her beauty that keeps them enthralled forever. Bhoothathankettu has the potential of becoming one of the must-visit places in Kerala yet it remains virtually unknown to most tourists.

This is mainly because of the lack of infrastructure, even though plans for its development seems to have acquired some direction and drive of late.

What to do at Bhoothathankettu Once you’ve arrived at Bhoothathankettu, which is located just 8 km north-east of Kothamangalam, there are various activities that one can 37

indulge in.

Located in Ernakulam district, it contains some of the best trekking trails in the State. Trekking through the forests here is an exhilarating experience.

The shrill chatter of unknown birds and black monkeys, from the teak trees bordering the forest pathways welcome the adventurous travellers. Since the rocks are not slippery, trekking through the forest is relatively safe. The feel of the chilled water that lies in the rock pits and the wild breeze laden with scent of forest make the journey worthwhile.

A boat ride here is a beautiful way to explore the natural beauty on display. The beautiful garden near the dam is a well maintained recreational spot.

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The dam is a vantage point from where you can spot the turbulent water rushing from the dam towards the Old Bhoothathankettu.

Also the recent attraction at Bhoothathankettu is the Mud Race competition conducted as part of Onam festival, in every year. Visitors from various parts of Kerala come to participate and enjoy the Bhoothathankettu Mud Race Fest.

How to reach Bhoothathankettu lies at a distance of sixty kilometers from Kochi city. It is a wonderful picnic spot about 10 km from Kothamangalam.

The nearest railway station is Aluva, which is about 44 km and Ernakulam Junction, is about 58 km distance. The

Cochin International Airport, is at about 37 km distance from Bhoothathankettu.

Other nearby attractions Travellers who visit Bhoothathankettu can also visit the Thattekkad bird sanctuary situated nearby.

The proximity to Munnar and the increase in popularity of ecotourism spots have increased tourist footfall at Bhoothathankettu.

The two main irrigation projects of Ernakulam district - the Periyar Valley Irrigation Project and the Idamalayar are also located nearby.

Edamalayar dam is only 14 km drive through thick jungle from Boothathankettu dam. You can find many picnic spots along the way.

If You Are An Amateur Photographer or an Aspiring Photojournalist this could be your ticket to Fame.

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Kochouseph Chittilappilly 2018-19 2017 - 18

2

“There’s no greatness where there’s no simplicity, goodness, and truth” -Leo Tolstoy

A highly successful self-made industrialist, businessman, serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, globe trotter and social activist, 69 year old Kochouseph Chittilappilly is a multifaceted personality, whose life is as intriguing as it is inspiring.

From V-Guard Electrical Appliances, Wonderla Amusement Parks & Resorts to Veegaland Homes, Chittilappilly has created winning enterprises with his razor-sharp business acumen, honest straight forward approach and an unwavering focus on quality.

With a net worth believed to be around USD 1.3 billion, he is an inspiration to every aspiring entrepreneur. In addition, his charitable deeds of voluntarily donating one of his kidneys at the age of 60, to a poor lorry driver caught attention of the world and has set a precedent in the field of organ donation.

Kerala Travel Explorer caught up for an interview with this man of affable demeanour who has led a life full of excitement, that shows no signs of slowing down. Excerpts:

On being a successful entrepreneur starting with V-Guard stabilizers in 1977.

When I started my business that was in 1977, it was a humble beginning. My intention was to start something of my own, since I was working in a small company at Trivandrum at that time, and that company was not doing so well, and my future had become a question mark.

So, I wanted to do something on my own, and I selected the voltage stabiliser as my first product. Initially, it was a very tiny setup with just two workers, but somehow people accepted my product, as it had some special features too. But, I cannot claim full credit for it, as you know the need for voltage stabilisers was mainly because of voltage fluctuations. So in a way, I think the

electricity department of the government helped me; because of the never ending fluctuations, my business also started growing. So, that was the beginning (smiles).

On the concept of “Midas touch”.

I believe there is no Midas touch. There were failures, there were definitely a number of failures and if I start talking about failures it will be a long list. But, of course, any of our successful enterprises, whether it is V-Guard or Wonderla or Veegaland, I believe our quality consciousness and the straight forward approach in our dealings with our customers, our raw material suppliers, our distributors, our stakeholders, and the kind of after sales service we provide - all matter, when it comes to being successful.

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The story behind Wonderla.

Wonderla was inaugurated in the year 2000 which was 23 years after starting V-Guard.

In between, at V-Guard itself we introduced a number of products. We expanded our marketing to other states, first to Tamil Nadu and then to the entire south India. By then, we also had a number of managers and engineers, who were doing extremely well in their jobs. I always believed in people and their inherent strengths and gave a lot of freedom to my people, including our managers and engineers. So, even in my absence V-Guard was growing. That’s when I decided to diversify my business. I used to travel abroad once in a while and that time my children were young and school going. So for their sake, I used to take them to Disney Land, Universal Studios, and many other amusement parks abroad.

After visiting these places, it struck me, why couldn’t we start something similar on a smaller scale at Kochi. That was the thought and it took around 3 years to fructify and Wonderla at Kochi was inaugurated in the year 2000. Now we have two more additions of Wonderla at Bangalore and Hyderabad also. At Bangalore we have a Wonderla Resort too.

“Whether it is V-Guard or Wonderla or Veegaland, I believe our quality consciousness and the straight forward approach in our dealings with our customers, our raw material suppliers, our distributors, our stakeholders, and the kind of after sales service we provide - all matter, when it comes to being successful.”

”

On implementing eco-sustainable practices at V-Guard corporate office.

Actually it is nothing much. But, since I was born and brought up in a village and studied in a village school, and since my parents were into agriculture, I lived my childhood days surrounded by greenery which I loved very much. So, when we decided to construct a corporate office, I was certain the building should have greenery. I thought, it would, be helpful, not only look wise, but also for the health of our staff members. So we planned it in such a way that all around there would be a veranda, with lot of small plants. And, I selected very ordinary plants which required very less maintenance. That was a big success. However, initially the architects were reluctant as they were 43

apprehensive on its sustainability. If it was not sustainable, the whole building would look shabby. But, thankfully, it is more than 12 years now and V-Guard corporate office is still looking good and happy.

On donating his kidney.

It was around 10 years ago, when I took a decision to donate one of my kidneys. The reason was one of my distant relatives had this kidney problem, and observing from outside, I was aware of the complications and the family’s struggle to get a donor.

The patient was a lady, her husband was a heart patient, so he could not donate.

Her daughter was healthy, but their blood groups did not match. So, they were forced to look out for a donor from outside their family. I got affected by this happening and used to discuss it in my house with my family that I also wanted donate one of my kidneys to someone in need of it. My family was supportive and I consulted with some doctors, who said I was healthy and there could be nothing wrong in donating one of my kidneys. This made me happy and I 44

Yes, I was 60 when I donated one of my kidneys to a truck driver and used to joke that it was a old 60 year old kidney. But, I am really happy, that the truck driver is still driving his truck with that old spare part. I could convey the message to the society that donating kidneys was not a big issue and it was possible for any healthy individual.

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thought I can donate one of my kidneys at least to prove to myself that I am healthy even at the age of 60.

Yes, I was 60 when I donated one of my kidneys to a truck driver and used to joke that it was a old 60 year old kidney. But, I am really happy, that the truck driver is still driving his truck with that old spare part. I could convey the message to the society that donating kidneys was not a big issue and it was possible for any healthy individual. I have already completed 9 years after the donation and I am still healthy. I can do any type of work just like any other person. Medical science explains that nothing wrong in donating one of our kidneys. But, people are still reluctant to, because of unwarranted fear. So, with my

donation, I could set an example and send out a positive message to all of them.

On becoming an author.

To be frank, when I was in my school as well as in my college, languages were not my favourite subjects. I was more into technology. Languages were always my fear; in the sense, my grammar and my phrases would be always wrong. So the beginning was, when I started to write a column in our V-Guard in-house magazine, every time the HR manager requested me to write one.

Then after many years he came to me saying: ‘Sir you have written and we have published so many articles by you - why don’t we publish it as a book?’. By that time five years were already over, so they actually compiled 45

it, edited it, polished it, added some caricature and finally brought it out as the first edition of ‘Practical Wisdom’. Again I was writing in the in-house magazine and again after 5 years they found a set of articles by me and the second edition of ‘Practical Wisdom’ was brought out with 16 of my articles. In between, I got a person to help me in writing my biography too, which was orally narrated to him, and which he recorded, converted to text and brought to me as print out for editing, after which it came out as ‘ ‘Ormakkilivathil’. It has a second part too titled ‘Ormakalilekkoru Yathra’.

Then finally, after my kidney donation, I authored one more book ‘The Gift’, which was in English. Somebody else helped 46

At K Chittilappilly foundation we have started ‘Vijayee Bhava’ which is a training programme for young aspiring entrepreneurs.

The idea which it shares is how to bring your company to the next level.

”

me to write it. I only narrated it orally. It was recorded then transcribed into words and brought out as a book. If you go through any of my books, whether written in English or Malayalam you will find my language is very simple, because I do not possess much vocabulary, nor am I familiar with fancy literary terms, in either of the languages.

On K Chittilappilly Foundation - the notfor-profit charitable organisation.

Actually, years back I decided to start K Chittilappilly Foundation as a not-forprofit organisation, to help needy people.

We are mainly giving thrust to poor people for medical support. I believe that if a whole family is being healthy, it is easy to earn their livelihood. Because, in Kerala, as of now, daily wage earners are paid between Rs. 600 to Rs. 800 per day, for a normal jobs.

So if both of them are working, definitely you need not support them. At the same time, if any one of them is sick, then there is a question mark. So we are supporting a number of people, especially who are in the below poverty line category. We are giving

It is fine to be an animal lover, but whether it is in USA or Europe, nowhere can you see stray dogs in public places. I am also an animal lover, and I am the one born and brought up in a village, but I don’t want the stray dogs in public places, I don’t want them biting ordinary people.

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them medical support and support to their children for their education. We are also providing housing support for a number of homeless people.

I am happy to say all these activities are going on satisfactorily.

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On Stray Dog Free movement.

Years back, our K Chittilappilly foundation was getting many applications requesting for medical help. When we went through the application details, we found many related to stray dog biting cases, and accident cases by caused by hitting stray dogs. So, that disturbed me, in the sense that why it was happening here in our country, why it was happening in Kerala.

Whenever you go abroad you can never see stray dogs in public places. It is fine to be an animal lover, but whether it is in USA or Europe, nowhere can you see stray dogs in public places. I am also an animal lover, and I am the one born and brought up in a village, but I don’t want the stray dogs in public places, I don’t want them biting ordinary people, and those who do not have proper compound walls to protect them from the stray dogs biting their children, or cattle in their farms. Nobody was raising any voice against this particular menace and so I started propagating this message. But, sad to say, so far there is not much progress in this issue.

When I analysed it, I found in our country we have a law to protect stray dogs, and not those bitten by it. I believe it quite absurd, as it is only helping the interests of some pharmaceutical companies that manufacture rabies vaccine. India is place where maximum quantity of rabies

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vaccines are sold, because of the huge population of stray dogs. You will also find all these pharmaceutical companies that manufacture rabies vaccine are funding some agencies and obviously want the population of stray dogs to grow, and more people get bitten. So, you see it is a very complex issue. We fought against it through many ways, but unfortunately we have not yet succeeded.

A typical working day During the early years of starting my business, I was only 27 years old and full of energy. I used to spend lot of time for the business both in the office and in the factory.

I would to reach the office by 9 ‘o’ clock in the morning to start my day. But now, time has passed. As I said earlier I have a number of managers, and engineers and I am able to delegate to the maximum level. That leaves me with enough time to do some charity works and social activities. But, my principle is, I have to be active as long as I am healthy and this year I will be completing 69 years of age. Thankfully, I am still healthy, productive, and spending my time very fruitfully.

About family.

All of my family members are active into business. My wife is active in another business division called V-Star creations.

She is in charge of that. I have no role in

carrying that business, because I don’t have any idea about fashion and such things. So she is managing that. V-Guard is being managed by my second son Mithun and Wonderla is being managed

by Arun, my elder son. Their wives are also active into their respective businesses. So in my family all of them are engaged in some businesses, one way or the other. I have two grand children - one each from Arun and Mithun. I believe that everybody must be engaged, so there will not be any time for idle gossiping (smiles).

Success-mantras to for aspiring entrepreneurs Well, it cannot be told in a single sentence.

At K Chittilappilly foundation we have started ‘Vijayee Bhava’ which is a training programme for young aspiring entrepreneurs. The idea which it shares is how to bring your company to the next level. So what we are giving is, some tips. If you need to be successful, there are some tips not only from my experiences, but also from the experiences of some of my friends who are successful in their businesses.

They also interact with the aspirants who undergo this programme. We also bring some leading consultants for them to share

Kerala is a blessed place, because we have backwaters, we have beaches, hill stations all very close to each other. From anywhere in Kerala, we can reach the beaches, backwaters, or hill stations within a few hours or a few minutes. I never experienced such a beautiful state like Kerala, where everything exists close by.

”

their experiences, and some effective trainers to teach them some new skills. It’s my firm belief that with knowledge and skills only can one take any business to the next level. For example, I changed a lot after starting my company. I came to know that, I had to improve myself and only then could I take my company to the next level. So, with this objective in mind, I have attended many number of seminars and training programmes in my early days. And, now I am trying to give back and share some of these ideas to the youngsters who register for this ‘Vijayee Bhava’ training programme.

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Future plans.

Nothing much. You know, I have to retire, but I must be engaged. That’s why I started our fourth division of construction called Veegaland Developers. Now I am more involved in it, only to keep myself engaged (smiles).

On planning any new forays.

That I can’t disclose to you (smiles). I cannot sit idle and I need to spend my time in a productive manner. I give directions to each of my divisions when needed.

For example, at Wonderla or V-Guard, I never involve myself in the day to day activities of the companies any longer.

The technology and all that has changed a lot from the time I started my business.

So, I share something when they need any clarifications from my knowledge sphere. I am of the view that if you want to take your company to the next level, it is essential to inject information technology in every aspect of the company, be it in marketing, production, sales, HR or any other. We must also be on our toes all the time. It’s like being on a treadmill. The treadmill is always moving, it is sometimes not in our control, and if it is moving fast, we also have to move fast, 50

lest we fall down.

On social media activism Very recently only my facebook posts became so popular. I have around 7 lakh followers on Facebook. In the initial days, I was not that much active on Facebook. But later on, I decided that it is a good way to communicate a message to a large number of people and it’s a better forum to post my views on particular issues. Whether it

Agreed, we are far better than some parts of northern India. But still our beaches and backwaters, are not so clean. When we claim to be hundred percent literates, our civic sense, road discipline, etc calls for drastic improvement. The garbage disposal mechanism too, needs to be addressed more seriously. Our government needs to be more focussed on these things and needs to take initiative that individuals cannot.

”

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is social, political or any other subject, it is possible to let others know my views within a short time frame. Now it is a commitment, I have to give my ideas on and off. But I have never used it talk about my personal life, moments or anything.

On being a globe trotter.

For your information, I have an YouTube channel to share my travel videos and travelogues. A 15 to 20 minutes long video of every journey is posted on YouTube. If you ask me which is my favourite destination, I believe all the places are good. All the places are different. Whenever you go to any country you can learn or you can experience something different from other places, including their culture, their philosophy, their attitude, etc. That way we can enhance our knowledge too. That’s why I like travelling very much.

Favourite get-aways in Kerala.

In Kerala, because of its proximity from Kochi, I to travel to Munnar very frequently.

Kerala is a blessed place, because we have backwaters, we have beaches, hill stations all very close to each other. From anywhere in Kerala, we can reach the beaches, 52

backwaters, or hill stations within a few hours or a few minutes. I never experienced such a beautiful state like Kerala, where everything exists close by.

On developing the potential of Kerala Tourism.

There is progress in tourism. However, the problem is we are not utilising it properly.

In every forum, I have given advice and my opinion on this. What we need to do badly is create proper infrastructure. Whenever you visit countries abroad, you can notice that the infrastructure is quite important. Look at our roads, and the traffic congestions.

Unfortunately, in Kerala we have no good roads and we can’t reach any place fast. The other aspect is cleanliness. Agreed, we are far better than some parts of northern India.

But still our beaches and backwaters, are not so clean. When we claim to be hundred percent literates, our civic sense, road discipline, etc calls for drastic improvement.

The garbage disposal mechanism too, needs to be addressed more seriously. Our government needs to be more focussed on these things and needs to take initiative that individuals cannot.

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Creating An

Empire

Sudeep Nair, 50, hailing from Evoor, Cheppad, in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Food Empire Holdings Limited Singapore, an USD 280 million global branding and manufacturing company in the food and beverage sector. Its products include instant beverages, frozen convenience food, confectionery and snack food.

Sold in over 50 countries, in markets such as Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Indochina, the Middle East, Mongolia and the USA, Food Empire Holdings currently has 24 offices worldwide. In addition, it operates 8 manufacturing facilities in India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine and Vietnam.

The group has won numerous accolades and awards including being recognized as one of the “Most Valuable Singapore Brands” by IE Singapore, while its brand MacCoffee has been ranked as one of “The Strongest Singapore Brands”. Forbes Magazine has twice named Food Empire as one of the “Best under a Billion” companies in Asia.

Here in an exclusive interview Sudeep Nair speaks to KTE Editor Deepak N Nair.

Tell us about yourself, your childhood and the kind of life you led?

M

y younger sister Sunita and I together had a lovely childhood with our parents. Since my father was working for the Indian Air Force, we had the opportunity to move from one place to another, every few years, thereby getting to see and live in different parts of India during our childhood.

It was thus an interesting experience and, in hindsight living inside defence colonies, although we were quite insulated from the world outside, we had our own active lives

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inside the guarded cantonments. Only when I did my high school in Delhi, away from the main city, did I get an understanding of how the outside world was in India. It was quite a revelation for me.

During our school years, the annual summer vacation trips to Kerala were something we eagerly looked forward to, as it meant spending time with both maternal and paternal grand parents, our cousins, assorted relatives and extended family members, in the lush green village environs of Kerala. We used to split our time between my mother’s ancestral house at Pattazhy in the Kollam district and my father’s ancestral house at Evoor, Cheppad in the Alappuzha district.

BUSINESS PERSONALITY

Sudeep Nair Group Chief Executive Food Empire Holdings Ltd, Singapore 55

With Wife and Daughter on a Holiday

His Career and How it Began I started my career in software development in Delhi in 1992 and very soon I got a break to move to Bangkok and worked there for a year till 1993. Later, the same year, I chanced to meet our Singaporean Founder Mr.Tan Wang Cheow and moved with him to Singapore to join his newly setup electronic trading company in 1993.

The company was exporting electronic items to Russia and former Soviet republics from Singapore. However, after having joined the company the realization struck that the electronics trading business was getting increasingly tougher and cutting into our profitability. Hence, we were compelled to look at new business opportunities to keep going. We had to diversify and find some other business to sustain our future.

Luckily and quite fortunately, after some research, we 56

found a 3-in-1 coffee mix, as a possible new business opportunity. It had to have a long shelf life, and coffee products if packed and sealed properly were an excellent choice. We sent some samples of the same to our existing business partners and associates who were trading in electronics. Truth be told, no one in these countries really knew what the product was, but at our request, our business partners were willing to give it a try, and the samples were instantly liked by them.

Markets had just opened up and consumers were open to new concepts and new products in the entire former Soviet Union. Since we got good initial response, our Founder Tan Wang Cheow requested me to travel and start an office in Russia in 1994.

Initially, I wasn’t very keen and so he sent some of my other colleagues from Singapore. They went to

It has been a challenge and great opportunity to put my experience in building new businesses across various countries and it’s very humbling too, because it’s always a new start from beginning, when we decide to start a new country.

While its tough, challenging and rewarding, I enjoy what I do as I have been involved with our business from the beginning.

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Russia and returned after few weeks refusing to stay there due to difficult conditions climate and business wise.

As a consequence, Mr.Tan persuaded me again, and wanted me to give it a shot. His persuasion worked, and I made up my mind to give it a serious try, as I perceived I had nothing to lose.

I went to Russia during the peak winter season in

December 1994, and after doing some spade work, set up our first office in March 1995, and in the process also met my future wife Irina, who helped me manage my office those years in administration and marketing.

There was no turning back since then, and we succeeded not only in Russia but in the entire region and we set up offices and operations in the same geographies and till now have market leadership position in the coffee mix segment employing hundreds of people across the region. After some years, I decided to settle down in life and got married to Irina in 1998. She also resigned from her job to start a family and our daughter Anastasia was born in 1999.

Food Empire Holdings Ltd. The company where I started work was a private company and our founding shareholders decided to list the company on SGX Singapore in 2000. Since

Russia and CIS were the main markets of the company and I was involved in building most of the business I was invited to join as an Executive Director of the Board in 2005. Later in 2012 I was appointed as the Group CEO with an additional responsibility to grow and diversify our business outside of Russia/CIS into Asia.

It has been a challenge and great opportunity to put my experience in building new businesses across various countries and it’s very humbling too, because it’s always a new start from beginning, when we decide to start in a new country.

While it’s tough, challenging and rewarding, I enjoy what I do as I have been involved with our business from the beginning.

Our success or failure largely depends on the quality of our human resources and I am lucky to have found and nurtured a good management team across countries, who are working along with me for the

More than anything else, the satisfaction of creating new businesses, products, creating employment and creating a sustainable business model for future, that touches every part of the society and all stakeholders gives me a sense of satisfaction, which is beyond financial or other materialistic goals. I have been lucky doing what I enjoy all these years.

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The Complete Family Man Group, trying to compete and succeed in a very competitive environment, where we are pitched against world’s largest MNCs and local players.

Long term plans for India As part of our vertical integration process, being in the instant coffee industry, we wanted to be a producer of instant coffee, to have a better control over our key ingredient for coffee-mix branded business. Hence, we selected India for its competitive landscape and our familiarity being Indians, to put up our first investment into a factory to make instant coffee from coffee beans. That was in 2015 and our first manufacturing unit in Mambattu, in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh has been performing well amidst tough worldwide coffee market conditions. And now, we are expanding the Indian unit to produce a higher value added product within the instant coffee segment. That project should start production in 2020. We started our business in India to use it as a manufacturing and exporting base, but we definitely also want to enter the Indian consumer market, and we are exploring some products that are in soft drinks category other than coffee. At this stage we are satisfied with our first project and we keep exploring new projects for investments in India.

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Our success or failure largely depends on the quality of our human resources and I am lucky to have found and nurtured a good management team across countries, who are working along with me for the Group, trying to compete and succeed in a very competitive environment, where we are pitched against world’s largest MNCs and local players.

”

The turning point in career There were a few, but an important first one was in 1993 when I realised that I didn’t want to

be working in the software support industry and wanted to move to business development and international sales. It was a big change as I was a programmer till then. But, I was quite confident, and it has been a wonderful challenging and rewarding experience so far.

More than anything else, the satisfaction of creating new businesses, products, creating employment and creating a sustainable business model for future, that touches every part of the society and all stakeholders gives me a sense of satisfaction, which is beyond financial or other materialistic goals. I have been lucky doing what I enjoy all these years.

Sudeep and Irina - The Perfect Couple Major influences in life Major influences for me have come from my own experiences, and also from the experiences my friends and acquaintances, in this life’s journey, at different points of time. In my formative years, and even now, different types of books and reading materials have always been a source of guidance and inspiration.

I am also observant by nature and learn something from everyone whom I meet and interact with. It’s humbling but rewarding experience, as long as we are open to listening, meeting and interacting with people we come across in our lives. I also spend some time reading about economics, psychology, current With daughter Anastasia and wife Irina affairs and economic development models of various countries, companies and many other interesting spheres. As such, my reading is all non-fiction and more often that not, it’s a We definitely also struggle to find time to read, amidst a life full of intercontinental travel. want to enter the The family Our daughter Anastasia is now an young adult and is in her first year studying Law at Kent University in the United Kingdom, and my wife Irina has been a wonderful home maker and has taken care of everything at home and on the family front, that I could never attend to, due to my hectic business and travel life.

Due to my role as Group CEO since 2012 where I have taken up the challenge to build and diversify our businesses outside Russia/CIS region, it takes away 185 days in a year traveling within Asia and Europe. It’s always tough to be away for long, from family and friends, but it’s a compromise that I have to make. To compensate

Indian consumer market, and we are exploring some products that are in soft drinks category other than coffee.

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for this, we try to go for more frequent holidays to spend some quality time together.

I also make sure to visit my parents in Kerala, multiple times in a year and also my sister and family in Dubai, with whom I am very close too.

Typical working day and weekend My days usually start late since I tend to finish late, and it starts with checking any urgent messages or emails and then if I am in Moscow it would be some physical sports activities and then to work and meetings.

If I am in Singapore or Asia, usually being warm countries I would go for long brisk walks after my day ends, post dinner meetings. During the day time, every day could be different depending on which country I am in. If I am in some countries where I am on a business trip, it could be market visits, or brainstorming sessions with local management. If it’s at the headquarters in Singapore, it 60

would be more of shareholder activities, board matters and management meetings to check the progress of our projects. The overall day to day management is run well by our team in the respective countries and I am proud to have a good team that we have built.

Typical weekend is always plenty of sleep, nature walks/brisk walks, lots to read and catch up on latest entertainment and of course dinner with family and friends.

Frequent Traveller I travel about 185 days in a year, so basically every month, half the month I would be traveling between continents Asia and Russian/European. Most of it is business related, but also whenever we go on vacations.

Favourite travel destinations My favourite destination so far has been Africa for a holiday with abundant wild

Foreign tourists must feel safe and comfortable because they are visiting to enjoy and learn our culture and see new places. Kerala has so much to offer and I hope the necessary infrastructure, if created, can drastically grow tourism.

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With Parents & Sister in Dubai

life. I also love Asia and Europe generally. I have travelled a lot so far, and aim to cover more during the next 10 years. I am a nature lover and since we live in major cities my idea of vacation is always to be closer to nature. Central America is also a favourite destination like Ecuador and Costa Rica. We always remember our holidays in Galapagos and Kenya. I have yet to travel to Latin America and I am looking forward to do that in coming years. The world is very diverse and amazing.

There is lots to see and admire in every country. Last year, I managed to visit Ranthanbore Tiger reserve in India and it was an awesome experience.

Visits to Kerala I try to visit Kerala at least 3-4

With Parents, Sister & her Family in Singapore

times a year mainly to spend time with my parents and to keep in touch with our relatives.

Often times, I and my sister try to plan our visits together to relive our childhood moments and enjoy quality time with our parents.

Suggestions to improve Kerala’s tourism potential Kerala has so much to offer in terms of tourism. Great food, culture, history and mostly smiling people. The only issues are lack of infrastructure to support and encourage more tourists to visit the state. The roads in particular, call for drastic improvement.

Foreign tourists must feel safe and comfortable because they are visiting to enjoy and

learn our culture and see new places. Kerala has so much to offer and I hope the necessary infrastructure, if created, can exponentially grow tourism. On visa front also, the electronic visa system has helped but it should be better like other countries have done in South East Asia.

How would you describe yourself in one word.

Focussed.

Favourite Cuisine.

Italian amongst European cuisine, Indian/Thai/ Chinese in Asian Favourite Beverage Coffee.

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Art

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Hasna Sal

Art

Text: Priya S Photos: Bob Cooley

“Glass sculptors are a very rare and special community. We get hurt every day; every day, we choose whether to get burnt under the torch or to bleed from shards,” shares Hasna Sal, a US-based glass sculptor. Hasna- who loves to give her glass sculptures a voice and then let it serenade and seduce the senses of the onlookers. In her own words -her creations of glass are a cornucopia of planes, textures, tonalities, resonances, moods, emotions, morality, chaos and more. And yes, her sculptures are also the voice of colour which she believes is fundamental to the human spirit as it alleviates, invigorates and humanizes.

The Beginnings Tracing her roots to the coastal district of Vypin in Kochi, it was Hasna’s education in a Catholic school that exposed her to stained glass. A fascination took birth and never let go, as she says, “As a child, I used to stare in awe for hours and hours at the images in glass at the chapel. But the metal in the glass always bothered me; I felt like it was an aberration.”

Her fascination with the

medium of glass never went away and influenced her higher education. She talks of the time during the third year of her 5 year architecture professional degree program, “I took glass as my elective and went on to study this material and experiment with it for the rest of the time I was in architecture school. When I graduated with a degree in architecture from Boston, MA, magna cum laude, I always thought

I would be an architect specialized in glass.”

But then, what goes according to plan? While doing her architecture practice and as a lecturer at the University of Kansas School of Architecture, she incorporated glass into her work at every opportunity and studied the material at great length. The result of that hard work found fruition when she

Light and glass are like sun and sky; pure poetry to watch. I have the unique ability to manipulate the way light travels through glass, I can make it reflect, refract, bend and glow. For me, it is like music - frozen music. I am the cellist and glass is my cello. I play the material so it plays its deep, beautiful music and enchants the world.

”

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I brought glass as a new medium to the runway of New York Fashion Week. Glass is so reflective under the ramp lights that they glowed and captivated the audience.

‘Wearable Sculpture’ was the theme of my work. Sculpture should be fluid, adaptive, universal, multifunctional, border-free, and expressive.

went to Harvard University for her PG in landscape architecture. She recalls, “I presented my work in glass and my professors said I have a unique gift and that I should pursue it.” Hasna paid heed to the words of her teachers and after leaving Harvard further enhanced her education in glass from glass sculptors all over the world.

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Turning passion to profession “I have created my unique style and voice in the glass world. I started my architecture practice and in addition to architectural design and space planning, I began to create custom sculpted sinks, light fixtures, table-tops, back splash, wall fixtures, window treatments- all in glass” These projects received much recognition in the community and Hasna started getting orders for more custom sculptures for home and commercial spaces. Eventually, she quit her architecture practice and started creating glass sculptures for indoor space. Hasna started her company Glass Concepts 360 in 2015 and has never looked back since then.

my work. Sculpture should be fluid, adaptive, universal, multi-functional, borderfree, and expressive,” she answers, adding that she makes wearable pieces that one can don to a special event, and then place it on one’s coffee table or the wall as a decorative object d’ art. That proved to be a hit, “The New Yorkers loved this dual functionality; they embraced the concept. People want less clutter and have less storage space. So the more versatility you give them, the happier they will be.”

Being part of the New York Fashion Week Stating that the reception of her work, both last year and this year, was phenomenal she expands at large. “I brought glass as a new medium to the runway of New York Fashion Week. Glass is so reflective under the ramp lights that they glowed and captivated the audience. ‘Wearable Sculpture’ was the theme of

Working with glass as a wearable medium “That’s very tricky,” she begins, adding that creating wearable work is a whole new ball game.

Shedding more light, she explains,“The human body is so individualistic and intricately contoured, it is super hard to get it right. We had a moment at the New York Fashion Week runway show, when a glass crown, which I had created for

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the final model to wear on the ramp, would not fit her head.

It was not sitting right and I nearly fainted with anxiety! We had to secure it with tulle and pins, but it looked glorious in the end- the light bouncing and shimmering off the crown, above the wedding gown she wore which was a proud moment.”

The process Hasna adds that there is an insane amount of experimentation with each work, especially since there is no paradigm or pattern book. Everything she creates spontaneously evolves from idea to concept to design to three-dimensional form. She divulges, “Sometimes, it takes weeks to have it all figured in my head. But once it is established in my head, then it is off to my lab studio for production. The journey continues there, with all its twists and turns, before

Art the final product emerges, pure and original.”

Challenges of working with a very fragile medium?

Hasna no doubt has her work cut out, but she is more than up to the task as she elaborates, “My task as an architectural sculptor is to make this ‘fragile’ material into a hard, selfsupporting sculpture. That’s why glass blowing has never entranced me even though I know how to do it. I prefer casting, fusing, torch-working, and cold working, and that’s how I make sinks that are heavy

I love the little shrine dedicated to Ezhuthachan at Tirur and the pond by which he sat and composed his works. When I am there, in time and place, I feel connected to him so profoundly it’s like his spirit is there, watching us young artists trying to find our wings.

”

and load bearing; coffee table tops that can take weight or wall sculptures that hang off nails in the wall.” Coming to the challenging part, she talks about figuring the firing temperature, heat shelf, temperature gradient, working against gravity and viscosity of the material among others, “It is a lot to learn; it has taken me 20 years to master the craft

and the material. Now I can do anything with glass; the extents of my imagination is the only limitation,” she reveals.

Fascination with glass Hasna works with glass with different coefficients of expansion. She works with float glass, tekta, etc, and also uses a lot of waste glass, from wine bottles, tumblers and discarded pieces of glass. There is a lot of experimentation and hidden dangers involved as she cites an example, “Many times, it backfires when I use glass I don’t know the history of! But I believe in recycle and reuse to better the environment, so I enjoy experimenting with glass to see what evolves.

Talking of her entrancement with the medium, she gushes, “Glass is a medium with the unique ability to let light pass through it, and does magical things to the material when this

phenomenon happens.” She goes poetic, “Light and glass are like sun and sky; pure poetry to watch. I have the unique ability to manipulate the way light travels through glass, I can make it reflect, refract, bend and glow. For me, it is like music - frozen music. I am the cellist and glass is my cello. I play the material so it plays its deep, beautiful music and enchants the world.”

An evergreen love It is not an easy job-physically and mentally. Hasna mentions that the fumes from the torch give a metallic taste to the mouth, the nose itches from glass fibers, and it’s carcinogenic as well. “Sawing and grinding glass gets tiny bits of glass on your body and hair-everywhere. It is messy, tedious, repetitive, unexpected.

It can shatter on you when you least expect it. The results can be fatal.” But she loves what she does. Terming it a meditation, a frenzy, a passion and an obsession she staunchly states, “I cannot imagine anything I have loved more. I cannot imagine doing anything else. At some point in my journey, we have become one - my glass and I. Take my glass away from me and I will die.”

Future plans Hasna exclaims that her calendar is full until early next year. With several projects going on, her three biggest projects for the future areprepping for the New York Fashion Week 2020. “After being the collaborating designer for my 2018 and 2019 New York Fashion Week shows, 65

this time I plan to go solo, with my business partner Ari P.” She is also working with Habitat for Humanity on a public project installation that addresses the growing problem of crack addiction and sex trafficking.

Last, but not the least, “My nativity sculpture installation at a church in Kansas which addresses the topic of religious tolerance and hybridization of cultures. I have to present on Art, Architecture and the Public Domain to the community.” She laughs and adds that being a lecturer in her previous life has given her the ability to speak to an audience about her vision and about how it would enhance space, and create a legacy for future generations.

Favorite travel destinations in Kerala “That would be Thunjan Parambil, in Tirur, because it is my mother’s birthplace, and also the birthplace of the father of Malayalam, Ezhuthachan.

The tranquil grounds, the elevated podium that hosts cultural festivals, the incredible nature with trees and birds, the

lyrical music that one can hear when breeze flows through the branches, the myth about the Nux Vomica tree, the expansive library brimming with books, and the museum with relics of the bard- it’s all so enchanting and frozen in time. It is like a secret haven within the madness of the bustling city.”

Hasna loves nothing better than wandering through the maze of trees and grounds. She adds, “I love the little shrine dedicated to Ezhuthachan and the pond by which he sat and composed his works. When I am there, in time and place, I feel connected to him so profoundly it’s like his spirit is there, watching us young artists trying to find our wings.”

Incorporate the land into There is no place like home and Hasna absolutely loves the design so that its the un-spoilt and ethereal homogenous. We should beaches of Vypin, where her build with indigenous ancestors originated from. She trees and sand and rocks; says, “These beaches are clean and unsullied. People are very replace cement with respectful to tourists, and give kumayam. The cladding them their space. Fisherwomen should be wood, not on the island are so enterprising concrete. We should have they have opened up little greater laws prohibiting thatched restaurants that add to the allure and authenticity the use of material that will harm the environment. and vernacularism of the land and the cuisine.”

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”

What she finds unique is that one can walk along the fingerlike sandy lanes meandering through the fishing villages, and find a mosque, a temple and a church spaced within yards of each other. She states ,”There is a charming homogeneity in the heterogeneity. I love the inclusiveness of the community.”

Steps to improve tourism in Kerala Hasna believes in incorporating natural elements into daily life. She cites instances like building resorts with local material. “Incorporate the land into the design so that its homogenous. We should build with indigenous trees and sand and rocks; replace cement with kumayam. The cladding should be wood, not concrete.

We should have greater laws prohibiting the use of material that will harm the environment.”

Kerala, she feels is blessed with a great ecosystem which needs to be conserved and not destroyed.

An aspect that pains her is the poor condition of the roads.

The roads are lamentable, she says, adding that roads are the lifeline of a state, ensuring better functioning of a system.

“If you cannot get that right, then it is a huge loss of time and business- both centric to a growing economy.”

Hasna is all for engaging local charitable groups such as Rotary Club, and Inner Wheel of Kochi, which is an all women’s charitable club. “It is all about taking baby steps towards a grassroots revolution in global development.

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Dr. Anoop C.Parameswaran Cardiology Specialist in Springfield, Missouri, USA 68

“Kerala is truly one of the most serenely beautiful places in the world.”

Dr. Anoop C. Parameswaran, MD, 44, hailing from Karamana, Thiruvanthapuram, is a Cardiology Specialist in Springfield, Missouri, USA. Born and educated in Thiruvanthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, he graduated with an MBBS degree in 1999 from Trivandrum Medical College and later did his Master’s in USA, followed by residencies and fellowships at Cleveland Clinic foundation, Albert Einstein Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine/Texas heart Institute after having arrived there in the year 2000.

Dr. Anoop affiliates with many hospitals including Mercy Hospital Springfield, has over 21 years of diverse experiences, especially in Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) and is a much respected and highly sought after medical professional, who has been living with his family in Springfield, Missouri, for 8 years now.

Excerpts from a tête-à-tête he had with KTE Editor Deepak N Nair recently.

Tell us about your childhood and how it influenced your career choice?

I had a very carefree childhood. Since my father was employed in Nigeria, I spent several years there, before moving to Thiruvanthapuram. I was fortunate to live in a home where I was never pressured to choose a particular career. In fact, my parents encouraged me to investigate many different fields.

A memorable time during my schooldays was getting the chance to act in a Malayalam movie starring Mammootty called ‘Manu Uncle’, which won a National Award too for the Best Children’s Film of 1988.

I was chosen after an audition involving several hundred kids. The shooting was almost 6 months long and my parents did not fret even though I had lost so much school time. Those 6 months were the most fun I had ever had.

Although, I briefly toyed with the idea of a career in the movies, when my next movie offer came, I decided that an education was more important to me and my parents supported my decision.

My father Dr. MKP Nair, is a Radiologist and my mother Dr. Chandrika P. Nair is a dentist.

Growing up around them, I always knew that I wanted to be a doctor. I was also fortunate to be surrounded by good friends who were motivated as well to go to Medical College. We studied together and challenged ourselves and were fortunate enough to be admitted to Trivandrum Medical College.

After acquiring my MBBS degree from Trivandrum Medical College, I had plans to go to the USA for higher studies. However, as a back up, I wrote the Kerala entrance test too and fortunately qualified for MS Orthopedics at Trivandrum Medical College.

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It was a difficult decision to leave this hardwon seat and fly to an unknown future in the USA. I still vividly remember landing in Heathrow airport in London in the year 2000 and wondering whether I had made a mistake by leaving an orthopedic fellowship to head to an unknown destiny. The first two years during my Masters in the USA were tough. I lived in a studio apartment without any furniture and slept on the floor for nearly a year before some of my kind professors donated their used furniture to me.

I do have to mention a very kind American professor who would cook Indian food for me and drop it off at my door every week!

In addition to maintaining a full-time work scholarship, working 40 hours a week, I had to find time at night and on the weekends to study for the United States medical licensing examination. Fortunately, I was able to get good scores on the tests and started my residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio in 2002.

Residency and fellowships were even tougher with long work hours, night call, etc. It was not uncommon to work 30 hours straight without any sleep and be totally exhausted at the end, to a degree that I did not think was possible to continue. I remember one such instance where, after working a long shift, I was driving home in

My father Dr. MKP Nair, is a Radiologist and my mother Dr. Chandrika P. Nair is a dentist.

Growing up around them, I always knew that I wanted to be a doctor. I was also fortunate to be surrounded by good friends who were motivated as well to go to Medical College.

”

a blizzard and slid off the road in a momentary lapse of judgement. Fortunately, neither me nor anyone else were hurt.

During the early days, I was also awfully homesick; this combined with the heavy workload would often make me feel extremely overwhelmed. However, I remained positive and kept dreaming of better days to come. In the words of Langston Hughes, “Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”

With his parents & family 70

Family time is precious Challenging cases as a heart specialist: To be honest, everyday at work is a challenge.

Just the other day, I had a patient who had a hole in the heart in a very unusual location that was undiagnosed by multiple tests over many years and was finally picked up with a specialized cardiac MRI scan. It is very satisfying when you can provide an answer to a patient that had eluded them for many years.

One other case that comes to mind is an older lady who had an aortic valve replacement many years ago who was admitted with severe dysfunction of the valve. In the past, this would have needed another surgery which she would not have survived. With new technology, she received a valve that was inserted through her groin without need for open heart surgery and she made a remarkable recovery and was discharged in just a few days.

A memorable time during my schooldays was getting the chance to act in a Malayalam movie starring Mammootty called ‘Manu Uncle’, which won a National Award too for the Best Children’s Film of 1988.

”

What do you like about the United States?

The United States is a robust democracy much like India. The rule of law is very strong here. In general, people are extremely nice and very hard working. In this country, if you have the talent and if you work hard, there is nothing beyond your reach.

Dr. Anoop with Megastar Mammootty 71

With wife Dr. Seema, son Madhav & daugther Meera Tell us about your family.

My wife, Seema, also hails from Kowdiar in Thiruvanthapuram. She is a Dentist who practices in town. I have 2 kids; Madhav a 9 year old boy who is in 4th grade and a baby girl, Meera, who is just two months old.

What do you do in your spare time? What are your hobbies?

The little time that I do get off, we like to travel, watch movies and spend time with family. I have a great interest in photography and spend a considerable amount of time taking pictures, mostly of wildlife. I also experiment with cinematography and video editing.

Which is your favorite travel destination in the world?

As much as we love traveling around the world and love places like the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, etc, nothing beats travelling back home to Kerala.

Which are your favorite travel destinations in Kerala?

We love going to Kovalam, Varkala beach and Munnar.

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No matter how many nuclear bombs we have and how many missions to Mars we plan, I truly do not believe we can be developed in the true sense if we do not have cleanliness and a reliable way for our citizens to dispose off waste and keep our cities clean and garbage free.

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What do you think needs to be done to make Kerala a more attractive tourist destination?

Kerala is blessed with such beautiful beaches, waterways, tea plantation covered hills, warm people and is truly one of the most serenely beautiful places in the world. However, each time I visit, I am saddened by the poor state of sanitation and cleanliness in ‘God’s own country’.

No matter how many nuclear bombs we have and how many missions to Mars we plan, I truly do not believe we can be developed in the true sense if

we do not have cleanliness and a reliable way for our citizens to dispose off waste and keep our cities clean and garbage free.

This is the bane of Kerala and India.

Once this issue is fixed, I feel we will so much closer to being a perfect travel destination.

Obviously, other issues such as infrastructure, state of roads etc, need to be improved as well.

“Kerala is blessed with such beautiful beaches, waterways, tea plantation covered hills, warm people and is truly one of the most serenely beautiful places in the world. However, each time I visit, I am saddened by the poor state of sanitation and cleanliness in ‘God’s own country’.

”

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Sajeev Vyasa 74

A Passion For Creativity Sajeev Vyasa, is a multi-talented creative personality who started off his career working with print media as a graphic designer for reputed magazines, from where he began expanding his scope and potential and went on to become an art director for film and television channels and later as a visual effects artist specializing in 3D related visual effects.

He has excelled in VFX work which includes match moving, texturing, lighting, animation and motion graphics. With over twenty years rich and varied experience, he has now evolved as a script writer, film director, photographer and cinematographer too. Here he speaks to KTE Editor Deepak N Nair, about his life’s journey so far.

Tell us about your childhood, where you grew up, your parents, siblings, your education and environment and  and how it influenced you in becoming a creative person like you are now?

I was born in Koliyacode, a beautiful village near Venjaramoodu, in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. My village was once a real embodiment of aesthetic beauty with paddy fields fringed with streams on sides, enriched with coconut palm trees, orchards, ponds, and small fountains. It was a real village in that sense. I still remember the lanes I went walking and cycling with my friends. But it was all years before. The main inspiration in developing the aesthetic sense in me is this small village which is situated in the land of Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy.

I was born as the third youngest son of Reghunathan Nair and Devaki Amma. The main motivational source is my mother who has been a pillar of support in all my ups and downs. She encourages me and still likes to sing lullabies for me.

From my early childhood onwards I had shown interest in the field of arts and had secured an inimitable position as a little artist in the minds of

my teachers, friends and relatives. As a colourist and an artist I became an active part in youth

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festivals and amateur theatres.

My interest to act and direct started growing day by day. I was very much attracted towards Kathaprasangams played at the temple festivals. There were many professional drama committees at Venjaramoodu at that time. So we got many opportunities to see and know the plays in detail. I cannot help mentioning the names of teacher, my close relative, my brother like person, my guide, S.S. Chandrakumar who imparted me with the basic knowledge of drama and acting.

I also started designing logos, brochures, programme posters for many professional institutions during the time of my college education. And, with that background, I entered the world of print media. I worked as a Graphic Designer in many institutions and also as an Art Director of “Janakeeya Sandesam”, “Mathrusabdham” magazines.

Do you have any formal qualification in the fields you are working? Is formal qualification important?

There were many who supported me to find out the ‘Real Me’. There were many ‘Gurus’ who helped to nurture and bring out my latent talents. They also encouraged me to expose my potential to the world outside. I feel really happy when I think about these moments.

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From my early childhood onwards I had shown interest in the field of arts and had secured an inimitable position as a little artist in the minds of my teachers, friends and relatives.

As a colourist and an artist I became an active part in youth festivals and amateur theatres.

”

Looking back, I am also amused and nostalgic when I think about the extra energetic youths, the political fights, the mini operas, and the night walks to the Cinema Theatre on Fridays to see the latest movie on the very first day of its release.

Now, I have reached a position, where God has given me a lift in his chariot to be safe, to do good and to think more for the goodness of others. But, I still have a long distance to go.

As I mentioned, my yen towards photography and movies started long ago, during my time at high school itself. When I was working in print media, because of my uncontrolled affection towards films, I took animation diploma from Toonz Animation,

later worked as a visual effects artist in many feature films.

I got many opportunities to know what a movie is, and how it becomes a movie during my tenure of 15 years as a Visual Effects Artist in Chennai at Prasad Studio (EFX), Pixion, & Motion Makers in Bombay. I became thorough of the pre production, production, post production work of movies, including all the technical aspects, that gave me confidence to finally direct a movie of my own.

I spent my leisure time in travels. There I found time for my craziness in photography.

I am blessed to have got the opportunity to work as an assistant to the famous photographer Madhur Shroff of Mumbai, under whose guidance, I got to learn more about photography, fashion and advertising photography etc. I was really lucky that way.

Even now, whenever I get time, I like to travel and take pictures.

Academic and formal qualification is must to secure jobs in these kinds of organizations. But it will be perfect only if we have talent, experience and passion. It is a fact that formal qualification improves to give perfection to one’s inherent talents.

There are opportunities for the upcoming talents nowadays as the films are digitalized. But, there are hurdles too. To overcome these hurdles and to knock the real doors are a little confusing and needs much patience. In South these problems are more in Kerala as Malayalam film Industry faces more competition. So to be successful you need urge to conquer the dilemmas and to find the real path.

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You are a multi-talented person having worked in the field of print and visual media donning many roles like art director and VFX artist, photographer, script writer film director.

Which of these profiles do you like the most?

The main aspect that holds me tightly to be in this field is my love towards Art. I love everything.

I enjoy every each moment. I decided to make real movies, good movies, which have something useful in it. That’s my wish. Now also as I do all these works as a freelancer. I run a creative studio named Media 7. In this studio, I have been doing graphics, movie poster designs, Title designs, etc. I also run a ‘wedding hub’, where I give preference only to wedding photography.

Which are the films you have directed?

My first movie is ‘Onnumariyathe’ (Unknowingly).

It was released on 29th June, 2018. This movie got many rewards. It was with this film that I started my career as a film director after working as a visual effects artist for more than 60 films like Yanthiran, Pazhasiraja, Magadheera, Mangatha, Vinnaithandi varuvaya, Angaditheru, Delli 6, The Kites, Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, Pokri, Sathyam etc. I also did the cinematography of this movie.

My next movie ‘Thenvarikka’ will commence soon. The location is Wayanad and the works are in progress.

In the past 20 years what have been your most notable achievements?

I got Bharath Human Help Line’s “Perunthachan Puraskaram” for fime first movie as the Best Debutant Director. I received Deccan - Lulu Photography award in 2013 and many other local awards.

Are there enough opportunities for you in the Kerala/Southern film industry?

There are opportunities for the upcoming talents nowadays as the films are digitalized.

But, there are hurdles too. To overcome these hurdles and to knock the real doors are a little confusing and needs much patience.

In South these problems are more in Kerala as Malayalam film Industry faces more 78

In my view, Tourists must be made to feel safe when they arrive in Kerala.

Tourist resorts must be developed in ecosustainable ways without destroying the nature.

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competition. So to be successful you need urge to conquer the dilemmas and to find the real path.

Tell us about your family?

My family is at Poothole, Thrissur, wife’s name is Sreedevi. My children Aaryamaan, 9 years old and Aadit Armaan, 6 years old Which are your favourite travel destinations within Kerala?

My favorite places are Munnar and Wayanad.

I used to take rounds in the nook and corners of Palakkad, Calicut, Vagamon,

What is your message for the readers of Kerala Travel Explorer?

My message to the youth: Don’t put yourself down.

Don’t think that you are nothing. There are loads of ways to boost yourself. Be What do you think needs to confident and develop self be done to further promote esteem. Many opportunities Kerala’s tourism potential? are there, but you need In my view, Tourists must to knock the doors again be made to feel safe when and again. And, If no door has opened, build a door they arrive in Kerala. Tourist yourself. resorts must be developed in eco-sustainable ways How will you describe without destroying the nature. yourself in one word?

Phoenix.

Idukki, Mantrothuruth, Ponmudi etc. Even though I have visited these places many times, I still go to enjoy the wild and fantastic scenery these places are blessed with.

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Birth

Roots Nandini Valsan is a writer and film maker who currently lives in Doha, Qatar.

She is a travel enthusiast and an avid foodie; who believes every moment in life is a learning experience.

family summer holidays). The Higginbothams bookshop at the station looks just the same even now, and always reminds me of the day my cousins and I were buying magazines there, only to find that the man beside me was none other than Malayalam superstar Mammooty! As he moved away, I grabbed the comic my little niece had just bought, ran behind

The place of your birth is

always special. However many places you may move to, that one record of where you were born never changes, following you every step of the way tucked safely inside the first page of your passport.

In my case, that very special place is Calicut, or Kozhikode.

Now this is a city that I have no ancestral roots in, nor have I or my parents ever been residents there.

Whenever anyone asks me if I was born in Cairo, I can never say I was, even though for all practical purposes it would make life simpler. See, my mother had returned to India for my delivery and Calicut Medical College was one of the premier medical facilities in the region at the time, and my aunt had a home there. Thus the decision was made for me to enter this world through this city full of soul.

For me, that feeling of belonging starts right from the railway station.

I can still envision my late uncle Rajendran towering over the crowd, grinning his ever welcoming 100 watt smile as we disembarked from the train with our truckload of suitcases (integral components of the Valsan

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him, and pretty much shoved it in his hands for an autograph before he could disappear! That look of disbelief on his face upon seeing the comic book before hurriedly signing it, is still etched in my mind. I would never have known that day that he would be a part of two major milestones in my life later on. One as the Chief Guest at the inauguration of our apartment building in Kochi; and then, as the hero of the very first movie to release with my name in its Screenplay credits.

And to think it all started from Calicut.

Of course, when one discusses Calicut, what immediately comes to mind is the FOOD. It is no different for me. Our summer holidays in Kerala invariably began at my father’s family

home in Irinjalakuda. A place of joy in itself, but in essence a vegetarian household! Thus, a big part of the thrill of going to Calicut had to do with all the visions of meats and seafood that we looked forward to. Most of it, made at home, by my aunts and cousins.

My aunt’s home aptly named “Prashanth” (Peace) in St. Vincents Colony was our abode while in Calicut.

During our stay there, the house would burst from the seams with people. My eldest cousin would also arrive from Kuwait with her children during that same time and our presence would bring in so many other relatives from other parts of India to join in the annual get together.

As one can imagine, the house would transform into a bustling beehive of laughter, chatter, and play at this time. My uncle was a man of strict discipline and of few words. As kids we were all intimidated by his presence, but now when I look back, I am filled with immense awe and respect for the man who silently watched us boisterously take over his “peaceful” home and convert it to our playground. To date, when my feet touch the soil around that house, I am filled with a deep sense of belonging.

It’s like my cells connect seamlessly with the ground and everything under it.

Funnily enough, despite not having any Calicut heritage in my blood, it is the only place in the world which can legitimately always stake a claim to me, thanks to the Place of Birth column in every official document that I fill. It is the only identity of mine that has remained constant, and thus it will always be home.

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