Vyasanasametham Bandhumithradikal (Grief stricken family-friends)

 

Vyasanasametham Bandhumithradikal (Grief-stricken- family-friends)

I am an avid movie watcher.  However, it is rare for me to be watching a movie twice within a span of 24 hours!  Vyasanasametham Bandhumithradikal is one such movie that I went on to watch more than once reinforcing my love for Malayalam movies and the quality they represent in the Indian film industry.

Directed and written by debutant S. Vipin, Vyasanasametham Bandhumithradikal  is a Malayalam dark comedy that revolves round the happenings in a typical hindu household where a funeral is set to take place.  The movie captures the essence of a Thiruvananthapuram village through its dialect, behavioral nuances, and visuals.  Cinematographer Rahim Aboobacker's framing and Ankit Menon's music beautifully enhance the setting and tone of the movie which has a run time of 114 minutes. The film blends situational humour and social satire with its characters depicting grief amidst power dynamics faced by individuals and families stuck between social, religious and a disturbing political discourse evolving in the state of Kerala.

The movie may be termed as a Situational Comedy ingrained with organic humour as it excels in overtly presenting characters such as one the played out by Baiju as a local Karayogam president and his petty posturing, mistaken identities and plots of some neighbours opposing the funeral location for arbitrary reasons. These moments create a comedic texture steeped in authenticity which evolves gradually through the movie as it reaches its crescendo.  Scenes develop in a slow yet organic manner with admixture of humour that hints at touching the chords of the viewers with subtle commentary on the current Kerala social ethos.

Anaswara Rajan portraying Anjali ensures a perfect space in the movie with sub stories germinating and subsiding around her. She may not be termed as a protagonist in the movie but somehow lands up as an “emotional anchor” in the midst of a satirical funeral.  Her character in a broad sense reflects a personality stuck in the middle of family expectations, social politics and voice that wavers between self-neglect, sacrifice and a plead for escape.  Mallika Sukumaran, as the grandmother is the focal character around which the movie revolves.  She portrays a broad minded character who is considerate of her grand daughter, tech savvy and abreast to changes around her in the society.  Anjali’s father, Azees Nedumangad beautifully portrays the character of a hapless head of a family, on whom the balancing act of a father, a son and person sandwiched between family customs and social practices in a typical Malayalee family.  However, towards the end of the movie his decision to allow his wife to perform the last rituals of his mother-in-law, tries to set a tone to a debate on the pressure of multiple caste/customary rituals and its validity in the current social stage.

The woman characters in the movie somehow can be related with the characters of Sreeja in Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 (2019) where they deal with male-dominated households with their invisible emotional quotient or perhaps as the character of Elsa in EE. Ma. Yau (2018),  a movie framed against the backdrop of death and funeral rituals, in which the characters navigate family and societal chaos.

A must watch malayalam movie.

jpkallikkal/2025

The Blooming Dawn of Onam

 

#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 welcome the spirit of King Mahabali, the legendary ruler whose reign was marked by prosperity and equality. Myth says that Lord Vishnu, in his dwarf incarnation Vamana, set events in motion that led Mahabali to the underworld. Yet, such was his love for his people that he was allowed to return once a year—during Onam. Atham is the day his journey begins, and Keralites wait with open hearts to greet him.

For a traveller, the most striking sight during Onam is the Pookalam—intricate floral carpets laid out in courtyards. On this first day, the designs are simple, often made with the delicate Thumba flowers, but with each passing day, the Pookalam grows in size and complexity. By the time of Thiruvonam, the final day, these floral artworks are breath taking in their scale and beauty.

Visiting Kerala during Onam also means experiencing more than flowers. You’ll hear the rhythms of chenda drums, see processions with dancers and decorated elephants, and taste the first flavors of the festive season that will culminate in the grand Onam Sadya—a traditional feast served on banana leaves.

Onam is Kerala’s way of telling visitors: the festival has begun, joy is in the air, and every petal, drumbeat, and story is an invitation to join in. If you are in Kerala during Onam, don’t just be a visitor, step into it, walk barefoot on flower-strewn courtyards, and feel the magic of Kerala come alive around you.

******

As well as can be

 

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 well as can be.

And in the hush when all is still,
A lamp flickers with steady plea.
My thoughts may stray, but not her will—
A flicker is enough for faith to see.
The world may bruise, the heart may sigh,
But love and hope walk side by side
Like monsoon clouds in a forgiving sky—
She silently whispers, as well as can be!

As well as can be/jpkallikkal/2025

Malamuzhakki Vezhambal – Seeking new habitations

 

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?

Despite 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 Western Ghats flanked by massive forest ranges of Silent Valley, Parambikkulam and a plateau rich in bio diversity running across the state, makes Kerala a nature lover’s favorite destination.  Not to be left behind and lost amongst the crowds of an ever growing metropolis like Delhi, As any nature lover, I have over the years found salvation and rest in my home district Palakkad and my home state of Kerala.  

I was alarmed to read a recent news item relating to sighting of a Malamuzhakki Vezhambal or the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) in the coastal region of Ezhimalai in Kannur District of Kerala.  The Great hornbill is a large, distinctive bird known for its impressive size, prominent casque (a bony growth on its beak), and unique calls. The bird which is predominantly frugivorous (meaning it primarily eats fruit) however also consumes small mammals, reptiles, and birds.  The bird is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.  What does this news items signify?

 Malamuzhakki Vezhambal

My visits to Kerala over the past five decades have not just covered all the districts of my home state but have also traversed across the  evergreen and moist deciduous forests of Silent Valley, Nelliyampathy, Athirapally, Aralam and Parambikulam, places where the Great Hornbill has been sighted.  However, the recent sighting of this bird in the coastal zone of Ezhimala in Kannur District of Kerala is somewhat disturbing for me. Such migrations primarily point to Habitat Disturbance and Fragmentation, as deforestation and degradation of tropical forests especially in the Western Ghats could force, rare birds such as hornbills, to move in search of suitable nesting and feeding grounds. This can also be caused due to loss of large fruiting trees (key for nesting and diet) which can cause these birds to shift habitats temporarily or semi-permanently.  

The sighting also indicates to Climate Change Impacts in the state, as shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns affect fruiting cycles of trees, pushing hornbills to follow new seasonal fruiting zones. Increases in extreme weather events may also be reasons for disruption of breeding cycles and nesting sites, prompting movement of these rare birds to more stable areas.   Resource Tracking (Nomadism) could be another reason for Hornbills, which are frugivores, who tend to follow the phenology of fruiting trees, leading them to migrate if fruiting times and tree distributions change (which is being witnessed in the state of Kerala) due to environmental shifts leading these birds to adopt a more nomadic or altitudinal movement pattern.  Adaptive behaviour and Survival Strategies revealing the growing ecological stress on the species could be another reason that has caused rare bird such as Malamuzhakki Vezhambal to seek new pasture in the coastal region of Ezhimalai.

I feel that altered or new migratory or movement patterns in respect of the Great Hornbill are clear red flags of ecosystem stress, potentially driven by climate change, habitat loss, and changing food availability in the state of Kerala. This sighting also signifies the need for urgent ecological assessments and adaptive conservation measures to protect this iconic bird and the forests it sustains through seed dispersal.  At a broader level apart from the conservation Implications and changing patterns that challenge existing protected area boundaries and conservation strategies. Governments and conservationists must now consider corridor connectivity, landscape-level conservation, and monitoring of such patterns across wider ranges.

We are witnessing heavy and excess rainfall that is leading to frequent floods, landslides and change in climatic patterns in the eco sensitive zones leaving this state with a depleted forest cover and altered land holding patterns.  Besides a man animal conflict the state is today faced with a daunting task of reassessing its environmental goals and making corrective changes. 

Ezhimalai with its awesome shoreline (a large part of which is now a controlled area), a towering lighthouse and a sprawling forest range may be a new breeding ground for Malamuzhakki Vezhambal but the alarm signs are clearly out.  In the face of climate change, not just birds or animals but human habitations should also seek a new recourse in the way life needs to be carried on in this beautiful part of the world. 

*****

 

Crunchy Tales from here and there: SNR Chips, Alathur, Palakkad

 

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 located inside Alathur market  you’ll find an unassuming shopfront, usually buzzing with locals picking up their weekly stash of crispy banana chips, tapioca bites, or spicy mixtures. However, keeping up with times SNR has started operating from a modern outlet adjacent to the National Highway at Chithali also. The shop set to modern ambiance also serves tea, juices and snacks apart from its trademark SNR banana chips.

Step inside and you’ll be greeted by warm smiles and even warmer flavors. Made using locally sourced Nendran bananas and fried to perfection in pure coconut oil, these chips carry the unmistakable soul of Kerala. There’s no rush here—only the slow, deliberate art of making food that feels like home.

A Taste of Culture in Every Bite

Beyond its crispy offerings, SNR Chips is a slice of Kerala’s cultural tapestry. Every packet is a tribute to the land’s agrarian roots, its unhurried pace of life, and the age-old culinary wisdom passed through generations. It’s rural entrepreneurship at its finest—rooted in local produce, driven by community spirit, and wrapped in the flavor of nostalgia.

Why Travelers Love It

For the hungry wanderer, SNR is the perfect souvenir stop. Forget the factory-made snacks at airports—here, your chips come with a story, a face, and a place. They’re the kind of snacks that travel well, not just in bags, but in memories.

So, if you’re exploring Palakkad, don’t just chase waterfalls or temple trails. Make a crunchy detour. Walk into SNR Chips, grab a warm packet off the shelf, and take a bite. You might just taste the essence of Kerala—salty, sweet, and impossibly satisfying.

Sometimes, the best part of your journey is what you eat along the way…

 

The Illusion of Separation

 

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 anything about loneliness. Whatever you do is an activity of escape." This assertion dismantles our conventional approach to emotional pain, suggesting that every attempt to resist or overcome loneliness only deepens our entanglement with it.

At the heart of Krishnamurti's reflection is the understanding that loneliness is not something outside of us, to be battled or conquered. It is not a condition that befalls us from the outside, but rather an expression of our inner psychological structure. The essential mistake we make is in believing we are separate from our loneliness. We treat it as an intruder, something to get rid of or fix. But Krishnamurti invites us to see that this very division—the sense that "I am lonely"—is itself the problem.

He states, "Then you will see that you are not different or separate from that hollowness. You are that insufficiency." In this realization, the barrier between the observer (the "I") and the observed (loneliness) collapses. The mind, which is conditioned to always stand apart from what it experiences, now sees that the observer is the observed. This insight is not merely intellectual—it is a total, direct perception. It does not come through analysis or gradual understanding but through deep, choiceless awareness of what is.

Once this is clearly seen, something fundamental shifts. The labeling of the experience as “loneliness” ends. The very act of naming—of calling it by a term, of putting it in a psychological box—ceases. In Krishnamurti’s words, "the terming of it has ceased." Without naming, the mind no longer reacts to the feeling as something foreign or threatening. It simply is. There is no resistance, no desire to escape, no movement away from what is present.

If one remains with that presence—without escape, judgment, or division—the experience itself begins to dissolve. Not through effort, but through the quiet intensity of awareness. Krishnamurti calls this further movement inward "rather arduous," for it demands a sustained attentiveness without motive. But for those who can stay with it, there is a complete cessation of loneliness, emptiness, and even of the thinker as the thought.

This is the crux of Krishnamurti’s insight: the thinker and the thought are not two separate entities. The thinker is the thought. When this is seen directly, not as a theory but as an actuality, the entire structure of psychological fear collapses. The fear of loneliness, the craving for companionship, the ache of emptiness—all these arise from the illusion of separation. And when that illusion ends, fear ends.

Krishnamurti does not offer comfort in the conventional sense. He does not tell us how to feel better or provide techniques to overcome our pain. Instead, he points to a truth that is both unsettling and liberating: freedom lies not in escape, but in the total understanding of ourselves as we are. When we stop running from our inner emptiness and meet it fully, we discover that what we feared was only a shadow cast by our own fragmented perception.

In this light, loneliness is no longer a problem to be solved, but a doorway to deeper understanding. And beyond that doorway lies not despair, but the quiet, unshakable stillness of a mind that no longer divides itself from what it sees.

****

Jeevan ke rang - Hindi Poem

 

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