Earthly Musings

  #visit Kerala #onam #Kerala Tourism   The Blooming Dawn of Onam ….Atham day is here and so are the celebrations. Today 26 th August, 2025 marks the ‘Atham’ day of Onam celebrations. A state festival of Kerala, that unites Malayaless across the globe in a garland of Malayalee culture.   Onam is not just a festival—it is Kerala’s heartbeat, a ten-day symphony of colors, traditions, and collective joy. Rooted in myth yet alive in every home, it transcends religion and caste, uniting millions in celebration. Onam is Kerala reminding the world of harmony, abundance, and timeless cultural pride. If you ever wish to see Kerala dressed in its most vibrant colors, plan your visit during  Onam —the state’s grand harvest festival. And it all begins with  Atham , the first day of this ten-day celebration. Onam is more than just dates on the calendar; it is the moment Kerala awakens to festivity. Homes are swept, courtyards are prepared, and families gather to welco...

  Image: Nattika beach/jpkallikkal ©2025 As Well As Can Be The clouds descend with a sweeping grace, Fields surrender to a silver trace Cattle wait near banyan’s base, I wade through memories time cannot erase The rain in flood, the sky in cry— She trudges along, in waters knee-deep high, Clutching calm in chaos nearby, Staying adrift and dry, as well as can be. A cough today, a cold tomorrow, Life bends like branches of a windswept tree. Still she rises with dawn’s soft glow, Brewing tea, preparing the day’s decree. Aches may whisper from knee or chest, But she wears her strength like prayer beads, gently— Serving needs, postponing rest, And smiling through, as well as can be. She has school, the lanes flood, Unrelenting, she wades on puddles in test But in every task, though silence speaks, She dances the dance of duty to her best No medal shines, no chorus cheers, Yet she carries a quiet legacy Through passing years and mounting gears— Still doing all, as we...

  Malamuzhakki Vezhambal – Seeking new habitations Jaya Prakash Kallikkal Sighting of a Malamuzhakki Vezhambal or the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) in the coastal region of Ezhimalai in Kannur District in Kerala is rare and unique. Does it signify a serious change in climatic pattern in the state of Kerala? D espite being a native of Kerala, life has kept me rooted in Delhi for several decades now, as I have grown up and settled in the sprawling capital of India.   However, this has not deterred my love for my home state and I continue to undertake regular visits to Kerala to understand the finer nuances of its nature, culture, spirituality and social ethos. I love nature and over the past four decades, I have travelled extensively across Kerala.   The vibrant diversity in terms of topography, flora and fauna of God’s own country has been a revelation to me.   The long coastline on the Western side of the state, the elevated hill and mountainous terrain of ...

  Crunchy Tales from here and there: SNR Chips, Alathur, Palakkad Kerala may be the land of backwaters, elephants, and houseboats, but for those who know the place well,   it's also the kingdom of snacks—and few do it better than SNR. In this little corner of Palakkad, tradition meets taste in the most delicious way possible. History of SNR dates back to 1947, when Shahul Hameed opened shop for banana chips as a small venture at Alathur. He hand chopped a local variety of banana (Nendra) and used home made coconut oil to make chips that not only tasted good but also found favour with gourmets of those times.   Story of SNR did not stop there. Packs of SNR banana chips caught attention of political heavyweights too and it started travelling out of he state as a souvenir. It is said that even Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was gifted a Pack of SNR banana chips by political leaders from Kerala. A Pitstop You Won’t Forget` While the original SNR Chips is locate...

  The Illusion of Separation   “You cannot do anything about loneliness.   Whatever you do is an activity of escape. That is the most essential thing to realize.   Then you will see that you are not different or separate from that hollowness.   You are that insufficiency.   The observer is the observed emptiness.   Then if your proceed further, there is no longer calling it loneliness; the terming of it has ceased.   If your proceed still further, which is rather arduous, the thing known as loneliness is not; there is a complete cessation of loneliness, emptiness, of the thinker as the thought.   This alone puts an end to fear”. Jiddu Krishnamurti In a world filled with distractions and endless forms of entertainment, loneliness remains one of the most pervasive and unsettling human experiences. In his characteristically profound and challenging way, J. Krishnamurti offers a radical insight into the nature of loneliness: "You cannot do ...

  रंग बदल गये हैं जीवन के , खुश हूँ एकान्तिक हरियाली में चहल - पहल से दूर कहीं हटकर घर शांत धरा की प्याली में   सपनों की दौड़ से थक कर , रुका था वृक्ष की छाया में , सुलझाने को उलझे गुथी इस अतरंगी जग माया में   भीड़ की गूंजें छूट गईं अब हर क्षण मौन अपनाना है इच्छाओं के ज़ंजीरों पर       पूर्ण विराम लगाना है   रंग वही पर भाव नए अब पैमानों   के आयाम नए अब न कोई चाह अधूरी , जग भी पुलकित साया है   मौसम बदलते रहते हैं नित दिन मन भी धुन दोहराता है नील गगन में मल्हार बनकर जीवन नए गीत सुनाता है   तो हाँ — अब रंग बदल गये हैं जीवन के , खुश हूँ एकान्तिक हरियाली में शशि बिखेरती है चांदनी प्रकाश परोसे थाली में ! jpkallikkal/2025