New Academic Year

After the joyful summer holidays, we return to schools and colleges with new hopes and fresh dreams.

Best wishes to all teachers and students.

May you have the grace to use your opportunities and time wisely, and may this academic year be filled with learning, growth, and success.

Ginger Lime Soda

A 100-rupee burger from Burger King tonight.

Almost twice the price of the local version.

But the real competition here is not burgers.

It is the evening snacks from the roadside shops:

banana fry,

vada,

chilli vada —

simple dough or lentils dropped into hot oil and served fresh with rain in the background.

Kerala evenings do not need much ceremony.

Just rain, tea shops, and something fried.

But the champion of the summer was Soda Lime with ginger and the best we had this season was from 'RAVAN' on the Cherlai Road , Mattancherry.

12 May 2026

The rain finally arrived.

It dropped the temperature by almost seven degrees… and took the power supply along with it.

Three hours into the blackout and counting. (The power did not return till noon, next day).

Sometimes an unexpected power cut slows life down just enough to notice the evening again.

Fireworks Tragedy

For generations, ever since fireworks first reached our shores through ancient trade routes, they have become part of the celebratory language of our land. In Kerala especially, the sound of crackers and the brilliance of light have long accompanied festivals—whether in temples, churches, community feasts, or public celebrations. The scale may differ according to the size and resources of each institution, but the spirit of festivity remains the same.

Among all such celebrations, Thrissur Pooram stands as one of the world’s most renowned spectacles of ceremonial pyrotechnics, admired for its grandeur, precision, and emotional power. It is not merely fireworks, but tradition, craftsmanship, anticipation, and collective memory.

Yet behind every display are workers who manufacture, transport, store, and prepare these materials under demanding and often hazardous conditions. In our hot summer months—when many festivals are held—high temperatures, friction, storage lapses, and handling risks can turn danger into disaster within moments.

Yesterday, tragedy struck again in Thrissur as preparations were underway for the Pooram celebrations. Fourteen workers lost their lives, and many others remain in serious condition in hospitals. Families who expected their loved ones to return home now face unbearable grief.

Pyrotechnics are practiced across the world, and many countries have developed strict safety systems in manufacturing, storage, training, and emergency response. We too must continue moving toward the highest standards of safety, so that tradition can be preserved without costing human lives.

Today, our thoughts and prayers are with the departed, the injured, and their families. May those who died rest in peace. May the wounded recover swiftly. And may this sorrow awaken renewed commitment to protecting every worker whose unseen labour creates moments of public joy.

The Kumblanghi Glow

Kavaru Season Begins in Kumbalangi: Discover the Mesmerizing Bio-Luminescence in Kochi

Remember the stunning electric-blue glow in the romantic scene from the hit Malayalam film Kumbalangi Nights? That breathtaking phenomenon, known locally as Kavaru, is once again lighting up the coastal hamlets of Kochi. This natural spectacle draws visitors to the sprawling pokkali fields, where hundreds of acres come alive with a vibrant blue or neon green luminescence.

What is Kavaru?

Kavaru is a rare bio-luminescent phenomenon that occurs when water, rich in high salinity during the summer months, emits a bright electric blue or neon green light. The best places to witness this magical display are the villages of Kumbalangi and Chellanam, known for their vast pokkali paddy fields. Last year, these locations saw a surge of tourists eager to experience the captivating glow.

Why Does Kavaru Occur?

The phenomenon is caused by microscopic organisms—bacteria, algae, plankton, and fungi—that emit light in response to increased salinity in the water. These natural organisms produce what’s called "cold light" as a defense mechanism to attract mates and deter predators.

Kavaru at Chellanam and Kumbalangi

Last year, Kavaru appeared as early as February in the pokkali fields of Kumbalangi. However, this year, the mesmerizing glow has been mostly spotted around Chellanam, albeit with a slight delay, possibly due to high tides. Local residents also note that the luminescence tends to be dimmer when moonlight is strong, typically appearing after 2 am. As mid-March approaches and the full moon wanes, you may be able to catch the enchanting glow from dusk onward.

Plan your visit to these scenic villages and immerse yourself in the magic of Kavaru—an unforgettable natural wonder that lights up the night!

Two Films...

In 2022 film ' Licorice Pizza ' the writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson told the story of a 15 year old boy falling in love with a 25 year-old lady who came as a photographer's assistant to the school for the annual photo shoot for their year book. The film was beautifully filled with incidents that showed how Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) was a grown up and Alana Kane (Alana Haim) was still an school girl for their age - the reason both could connect emotionally. 

The film went on to win 3 nominations at 94th Academy Awards; best picture, best director, best original screenplay. Such was the scale of creative film making of a rather unusual theme that it was named one of the best films of 2022 by the American Film institute. 

The recently released Malayalam Film 'Christy' has a similar storyline which with its beautiful cinematography the writer and director Alvin Henry created the teen vibe and romance from the boy's side very well; the lady's character remained strong and was apparently in no need for a teenage love and attention. Unfortunately, inspite of the good performance by actors the film ends with the bitterness and disappointment of a lame love story that pulls no strings of our hearts. World has no place for losers is the popular saying whether it be in love or anything else and how a story of love would fare when the one who loved did not try to take the bull by its horn. Worthy losers are heroes too. The boy it seems had failed to convey how much he wanted what he wanted before he took the self humiliating step unlike Gary Valentine who knew exactly what he felt for Alana Kane from the moment he saw her and told her clearly what he wanted her to be in his life when he reached the age and the film became endearing when he kept up his efforts for what he believed in till the very end despite being turned down by his love many times. 

Even the memory won't serve us right no matter how much we try to glorify it when what should have been done was not done in the first place. So much for "based on a true story". 

New Moon Day

Early morning crowd at the Varkala Beach. They have come from far and wide for the rituals.

On the new moon day of the Malayalam month of Karkiddakam (Aadi in Tamil) which falls on 27th July, everyone remembers their dead and perform rituals for the well being of the soul. The day and the rituals are an unbroken tradition of the land and is observed with utmost reverence with a dip in the river and the offering of flowers and lamp made unto the  water. 

Vishu

 

Vishu marks the beginning of the new year of Kerala on the first day of the month of Medam and the Malayalees celebrate that day auspiciously. According to the lunar based local astronomical calendar the sun completes an annual circle and starts afresh by moving on to Aries or the ‘Mesha Raashi’. On the Gregorian calendar the day falls between April-May. The day denotes the beginning of the spring globally; locally the farmers start preparing their fields and lands for the monsoon, on which depends the entire agriculture system of the land which unfailingly arrives on the first of July and continues for the next 3-5 months. Though at present Vishu is considered as a Hindu festival it was and is a universal festival; before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, there was only one local calendar and the day was auspicious to all the communities.

Meaning of Vishu

In Sanskrit Vishu means equal; First day of Medam has equal hours of day and night (Equinox). The day is dedicated to Vishnu and Krishna and they are worshiped on the new year day which symbolises the re-union of Sun and Mesha; hence a family festival. Vishu is not complete with these family rituals; Vishu Kani, Vishu Kaineetam and Vishu Sadya.

Festivities of the day

Vishu Kani: ‘Kani’ is the first sighting of the day. On the eve of Vishu, the prayer room of the house is set ready with the idols of Vishnu or Krishna with all the worship materials like, lamps, flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, coconuts, beetle leaves, arrack nuts, cucumber, jack fruit, mirror, holy book, cotton mundu (dhoti), Rupees and coins. All these fruits of labour and necessities of life are arranged in big bell bowl and placed neatly and aesthetically nearly the idols or the picture of the Gods by the eldest lady of the family with an oil lamp on the floor (Nila Vilaku). The next day morning, everyone is expected to make the first sighting of these symbols of prosperity and fruits of labour as a blessing and a good start to the new year, praying the new year too would be as or even more bountiful as the preceding one. The Holy scripture, mostly Ramayana, is read on the occasion.

Vishu Kaineetam:  The eldest man in the family gift the younger ones with money. Later, everybody set out to burst fire crackers welcoming the new year. It is followed by a sumptuous lunch which is the famous Vishu Sadya. The celebration will continue to the night and the crackers, a favorite of children and adults alike fondly called as the ‘Vishu Padakam’, will keep bursting without a break all around the neighborhood.