YenTe KeRaLaM

Lets Forget all the Tears of 2012 & Have great full 2013 Wish you all Hapy new year...

2012-12-31T22:42:00.002+05:30

Osama Bin Laden didn't encrypt his computer files - not such a mastermind then..

2012-05-15T19:36:00.002+05:30

Osama Bin Laden didn't encrypt his computer files - not such a mastermind then..

by Graham Cluley on May 3, 2012 | Comments (19)

FILED UNDER: Data loss, Featured, Law & order, Privacy

Some of the documents seized during the raid on Osama Bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan last year have been made public for the first time.

As CNN reports, a small number of the 6000 documents seized have been made available on the Combating Terrorism Center at West Pointwebsite.

The 17 electronic documents, which were found on USB sticks, memory cards and computer hard drives after US Navy Seals killed the terrorist chief in the May 2011 raid, are being released in their original Arabic alongside English translations.

A short report provides an overview of the material.

The final document is dated just one week before the raid on Bin Laden's Abbottabad compound which resulted in his death, and discussed the "Arab Spring".

So, why are we writing about this on Naked Security?

Well, because it appears that none of the files were encrypted.

If they had been securely encrypted, and the passwords were secured, the US authorities probably wouldn't have been able to read them.

Because of Al Qaeda's sloppy attitude in regard to data security - a problem that reached the highest levels of the terror organisation it appears - internal communications and potentially valuable intelligence are now in the hands of America.

Something we can all probably be pleased about.

Remember folks - whether you are a business, an individual or a terrorist,encryption is one of the tools you should probably be using to keep better control over who gains access to your confidential data.

It shouldn't take a mastermind to realise that that's just common sense.

(Not that many will be shedding a tear about Osama Bin Laden's lax attitude to securing his data, I suspect. Lets hope other terrorists follow his lead..)

Want to see who has viewed your Facebook profile? Take care..

2012-05-15T19:32:00.001+05:30

Want to see who has viewed your Facebook profile? Take care..

I'm increasingly being asked by folks on Facebook if it's possible to tell who has been viewing their Facebook profile. A number have been attracted to webpages and Facebook applications that claim to be able to give you a secret insight into who is spying on your profile.

Well, if you're one of those people who are curious about who might be watching you online, take care.

Right now we're seeing a significant number of Facebook users posting messages such as:

OMG OMG OMG... I can't believe this actually works! Now you really can see who views your profile!!! WOAH

and

See who views your Facebook profile in real-time!!!

However, like the "Justin Bieber cell phone number" scam and the "This mother went to jail for taking this pic of her son!" scam, the links pointed to in your friends' status updates are not to be trusted.

If you make the mistake of clicking on the link to one of these pages offering to tell you who is viewing your Facebook profile, you will find that the people behind the "services" want you to do a few things first.

For instance, they'll ask you to "Like" their pages (which means you are spreading the link to friends in your social network), and they will ask you to advertise their site by posting an "OMG" message (with a link) to at least five different places on Facebook.

After all that hard work you would hope that they would give you access to the powerful Profile Spy app wouldn't you? But I'm afraid your luck is out.

They'll next ask you to hand over your personal information by taking numerous surveys - before ultimately trying to trick you into handing over your cellphone number which they'll sign up to an expensive premium rate service.

Remember, this scam doesn't work as the result of clickjacking, or a vulnerability on Facebook. The scammers are achieving their ends because of human gullibility - pure and simple. If people considered what they were doing and thought twice about the possible consequences then we would see nothing like as many of these attacks occurring, and our news feeds on Facebook would see less spam.

Do your bit for the public good and share this page on Facebook to warn your online friends about scams like this. Press the button at the side to share this article if you're a Facebook user.

Interestingly, the pages that this particular scam points you to aren't on Facebook, but still display a fake Facebook header at the top. You will notice if you visit them that although the top menu options are there, they cannot be clicked on - which clearly makes the pages look even more suspect.

Ultimately you have to have your wits about you to avoid scams like this. If you or your friends keep falling for these sort of confidence tricks, or want to learn more about security threats,

Seeing ads on Wikipedia? You may have malware

2012-05-15T19:28:00.003+05:30

Seeing ads on Wikipedia? You may have malware

Wikipedia has issued a warning to its many millions of daily visitors that if they are seeing commercial adverts on its webpages, that it may be an indication of a malware infection on the user's computer.

Criminals aren't shy of earning affiliate cash by injecting unwanted adverts into webpages or redirecting users to sites or search results that innocent users didn't mean to visit.

Despite its colossal popularity, Wikipedia has always resisted putting ads on its pages. The site prefers to ask the public for donations and runs fund-raising campaigns from time-to-time.

As Wikipedia explains in its official blog:

We never run ads on Wikipedia. Wikipedia is funded by more than a million donors, who give an average donation of less than 30 dollars. We run fundraising appeals, usually at the end of the year. If you're seeing advertisements for a for-profit industry (see screenshot for an example) or anything but our fundraiser, then your web browser has likely been infected with malware.

So, if you begin to see adverts in unexpected places on the net, check your browser's plugins and disable any add-ons and browser extensions that may be causing the problem.

In addition, run an up-to-date anti-virus to make sure that whatever might have introduced the unwanted ads isn't also up to other malicious behaviour behind the scenes

NoTTY gAlZz

2012-05-13T06:51:00.001+05:30

Maruti 800: Exhibited at kasaragod muncipal stadium

2012-05-13T06:41:00.000+05:30

MECA'TLOn

World Environment Day

2012-05-04T10:26:00.001+05:30

An umbrella over earth (Bhoomikkoru- kuda) and Thimmakka

Today (5th June 2010) will be no more than just a day that will fall after 4th; because it is ‘The World Environment Day’. The last chance we have got to hear the cry of our mother earth. In accordance with the global celebrations; here in Kerala; Malayala Manorama -the leading daily and Kerala Forest Department have jointly decided to launch a scheme named ‘Bhoomikkoru kuda’ (an umbrella over earth). Throughout the state; the slogan ‘One man to plant one tree’ will be heard calling one person to plant and nurture one tree; there by holding millions of umbrellas over the parched land. It is hoped that the wide influence of leading publisher joining hands with resourceful Kerala Forest Department may garner public participation paving way for efficient execution of the project.

Social Forestry

About 15 years back the Forest Department of Kerala launched a scheme by name ‘Social Forestry’ and spent millions; all ended up as mere farce. Those planted saplings were non-indigenous varieties of trees like eucalyptus, acacia etc which turned out to be a bigger problem. On the congested roadsides of Kerala these trees still stand as nightmares. Those tall and weak rooted eucalyptus trees go on falling on electric lines and nearby building at the blow of a breeze creating blackouts and loss of lives. People living nearby spent sleepless nights thinking which tree may fall on which ones roof-top. The acacia trees their profuse allergic pollens create allergies and asthma to poor residents! It is hoped even at this time they may avoid past blunders.

Just for attaining target

It seems strange what motivated the officials to select those useless trees for planting in this state; as it was government money on their disposal; they would have thought it fit to experiment anything. If a tree does not give cool shade, fodder to animals, or bear fruits or good timber; it is not worth to be planted; not to talk about if they are causing diseases and havocs! That sapling planted under and electric line was sure to create problems when it grows; here for lack of space –Kerala being a crowded state- officials were forced to achieve targets by planting whatever saplings supplied at wherever there was space; whether it was below an electric line did not matter!

A name fast forgotten

Thimmakka Chikkaiyah was an ordinary woman – an illiterate quarry worker and her husband (Bikkalu Chikkaiyah); a cattle herder; the couple had no children as their own. The old lady decided to plant banyan trees on the three km barren roadsides along the Kudur – Hulikal State Highway that passed nearby their hut. That poor couple had no resources like Kerala Forest Department but had a farsightedness; the Forest officials lacked. After years of dedicated efforts they planted 400 saplings of banyan trees; of which three hundred grew up and the rest fell to stray cattle and marauders. This happened despite all the protection they offered to the saplings like raising fence around them. They lugged water from wells located kilometers away on all summer-days to ensure the plants’ survival.

A proud mother

All these happened 60 long years back; at present Timmakka is a proud mother of surviving 284 huge banyan trees standing proudly along the sides of Kudur – Hulikal National highway giving rich shade to the passers by. Her husband Bikkalu Chikkaiyah (affectionately called Chikkanna) had died years back and she lives alone in her humble hut in a small plot of land awarded by the Government of Karnataka. After her selfless efforts were brought to the notice of the outside world; many awards and accolades came in search of the poor woman - who became famous in synonym ‘Saalumarada Thimmakka’ meaning Thimmakka of rows of trees. She in her old age is still invited for many eco -programs held in nearby places and still active in construction of tanks for rainwater harvesting. Media persons often talk about how much thousands these trees are worth now but for Thimmakka they are not commodities to be valued; these being her own siblings.

She too has a dream

Thimmakka standing proudly in front of the trees she planted

She cherishes a dream of constructing a hospital in her native village; as the nearest hospital is eight km away many of her neighbors die on way to hospital. “If you get a rebirth what life you wished to be reborn” is a common question asked to her by the visitors especially media persons; to which she has a simple and straightforward answer; “I wish to be born as a banyan tree”; because all her surviving 284 children are banyan trees! (Hindus believe in rebirths and as per books the soul is eternal and that is allowed to take many physical lives as old clothes are discarded for new; one person may get a series of rebirths as animals, plants or any living form)

Tail-piece

In many of the literatures that appear in the media encouraging people to plant trees, in connection with The World Environment Day, benefits of trees of environment etc no where any mention of this grand old Indian lady seems to have appeared; hence the author dedicates this article to that grand old Thimmakka and her late husband Chikkanna; who planted those saplings, built fence around them and lugged bucket full of water for ensuring the survival of those blessed trees; which act as an abode for many birds and small animals which build nest on them and feed on its Fruits. Banyan trees bear abundant small fruits; being not consumed by human beings; are left for birds, ants and squirrels etc to eat. These trees are considered sacred by Hindus for many reasons; one of them may be that its fruits are for the animal life.

Hero Worship

2012-05-04T09:10:00.003+05:30

Article by:- Nimmy Tiju, Lecturer, Dept of English, St Alberts College, Ernakulam.

Hero worship is a kind of mania spread among modern people. It is a kind of blind imitation without any base. They imitate others without thinking whether it is good or bad. People worship persons in cricket, film, models and men of success in various fields.

If a person wins fifty runs in a cricket match its merit goes to him. He has its benefit. People who are watching the game would not gain anything. The spectators are clamouring and shrieking as if they got same profit. It is a pity to think that people are worshipping them as their Gods.

Heroes do not have any extraordinary quality. He is just an ordinary man. He came to the zenith of his success through his hardwork. To some, film stars are Gods. They are trying to imitate them in every deed and in words. One thing we have to realize is that film stars are mere puppets in the hands of directors and producers.

We give more importance to emotion than to reason. We fail to realize who should be our real heroes. It is our parents who make us what we are. No film stars, no models would help us in our predicaments. Parents are the physical incarnation of God. Models, filmstars, cricket players etc are sincere to their job. It is this quality which helped them to attain their goal.

We fail to realize the sacrificing mentality of people working in the army. They are giving their lives for the sake of us. If a war breaks out it is they who will have to face the toils and hardshipsof war inorder to protect our nation. No politicians, no cricket players will sacrifice their life for our sake. People in the Army and Navy are the men who should win our appreciation. We give more importance to peripheral glitterings. Even governments would not show any mercy to them or to their family. Works of God. No man can determine the fate of his fellow being.

It is a pity, modern man is making a new God. He could not understand that this fellow being is also a man having the same limitations and qualities of a man. Now he wants a duplicate God inorder to satisfy his hunger to find a God. If he fails in his search he becomes an atheist.

Man tries to state that he is an incarnation of God. And he forces others to adore him. What a pity to think, now man fails to understand who should be adored and who should not be. Now he is losing his rational power.

Mycorrhizae

2012-05-04T08:39:00.002+05:30

Mycorrhizae denotes the symbiotic association between a fungus and the root of the plant. In symbiotic associations both the partners are benefitted. The fungus that enters in this symbiotic association is called mycorrhizal fungus. This is also known as ‘fungus root’.

It was Frank the German Botanist who discovered it in 1885. Usually the fungus associates with the roots of higher plants and thus mycorrhizal association plays a significant role for the proper absorption of minerals by the root systemand this markedly influences the general growth of higher plants.

On the basis of morphology and anatomy, mycorrhizae are classified into ectomycorrhizae, endomycorrhizae and ectendomycorrhizae. In ectomycorrhizae, the absorbing roots are almost completely enveloped by a mantle of very compact hyphae by the fungus. From this external mantle certain hyphae enter the cortex of roots and confine to the intercellular spaces of the cortical cells. The stelar portion and also the meristem at the apex are not inhabited by the fungus within the cortex of the root, the intercellular hyphae ramily extensively in the form of the reticulum to which the name ‘Harting-net’ is given. Plants like pines, cedrus, quercus, fagus etc develop ectomycorrhizae. The common fungal partners include cortinarius, amanita, rhizopogon, scleroderma etc. The fungal partners usually belong to basidiomycetes and ascomycetes.

In endomycorrhizae, the mycorrhizae is confined to the cells of the root system, causing internal infections of the cortex of root and the rhizomes of plant. The fungus is confined intracellularly. The most important role of the fungus of endomycorrhizae is the disintegration of soil particles and the absorption and transport of these released particles into the soil. The formation of endomycorrhizae do not alter the morphology of the root system. Since the fungus is confined in the root cells and are not grown externally root hairs are normally formed on the surface of the roots. This is commonly seen in orchids, conifers like Tuniperus, sequoia etc.The endomycorrhizae are of 2 types depending on the nature of fungus. In the first case the fungus has separate mycelium and in the second the hyphae consist of aseptate type. The mycorrhizae formed of aseptate fungi are popularly called VAM [vesicular-arbuscular nycorrhizae]. The hyphae of this fungus branch dichotomously and produce vesicles called haustoria. These vesicles are present with in the host cells called artuscules. This kind of association is very common in bryophytes, gymnosperms and pteridophytes.

In ectendomycorrhizae, both the characters of ecto and endomycorrhizae are seen. Since these relationships are symbiotic, both the partners are equally benefitted. The root produces sugars, aminoacids etc which can be shared by the fungus. The fungus absorbs nutrients for the plants from the soil.

It is found that mostly woodt plants develop mycorrhizae for better absorption of minerals by them. The proper growth of many woody plants especially of forest trees is significantly related to mycorrhizae owing to its great capacity to absorb minerals and supply them to the roots of plants. It is seen that the seedlings of many forest trees fail to establish their growth on grasslands even if they are grown in situations of abundant supply of nutrients. If some forest soil containing the correct fungal partners is mixed with the soil around the seedlings, they are found to restore normal growth. This proves that many of the forest trees establish in the soil with the help of their fungal partner.

Also in several woody plants the mycorrhizae is not a must but it is a helping agent for better and sufficient absorption of mineral elementsfrom nutrient deficient soils. This is because several plants grow normally if they are well supplied with surplus amount of minerals especially nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium etc. even if the roots donot associate with the fungus and form mycorrhizae. But these plants show only very poor growth when mineral quantity of the soil is very low. In this situation mycorrhizae plays a significant role.

Thus it is seen that the mycorrhizae if present in root of higher plants, can increase the absorptive capacity of the root system. It is also found that fungus cannot be multiplied in mass and hence its application directly to field crops becomes very difficult. Hence the fungul propagules are applied to those plants which can be first planted in nurssery and later they are transplanted.

Article by Anju Antony, St Teresas College, Cochin.

Financial Exclusion to Financial Inclusion

2012-05-04T07:43:00.001+05:30

Dr. Rajagopala Nair, Dept. of Commerce, St. Albert’s College, Ernakulam

Introduction

Access to finance, especially by the poor and vulnerable groups, is an essential requisite for employment, economic growth, poverty alleviation and social upliftment. Further, financial inclusion will enable the poor and the rustics of our country to open a bank account to save and invest, to borrow and to repay, to insure and to take part in the credit. This will enable them to break the chain of poverty. Till 1960s, Indian banks were more conservative and inward looking, concerned with their profits. Banking services were greatly used by a segment of the people. Class banking was prevalent during those days. Majority of the banks were private commercial banks, local oriented and primarily serving the business community. They had limited range of activities. Competition did not exist during those days. They basically concentrated on selling their loans to those who are financially sound and are capable of providing security for their borrowings. The banks tend to positively appropriate their liabilities for keeping their funds safe and give modest interest on deposits. However, after the Nationalization of 14 major commercial banks in 1969, Indian banks woke from their isolation, and evaluated the rapidly changing environment. The slogan during the Bank Nationalization was ‘transformation from class banking to mass banking’. The banking industry in India has undergone drastic changes during the last two decades. Reforms since the early nineties, has paved the way for the economic transformation of the country.

Rural Banking Scenario

In India more than 70 per cent of households live in rural areas. Therefore, existence of rural banks assumes a significant importance. A rural bank is one whch serves a population of less than 10,000. Since Nationalisation, the lending to the select elite in the urban areas gave way to lending to the rural masses. The policy makers recognized the fact that the potential of rural India should not be under estimated. The banks have to play a dual role in rural areas to institutionalize the rural savings for developmental activities as a part of commercial banking. Then the help in the social upliftment of the poor as a part of social banking. As at the end of March 1992, there were 60,528 branches of commercial banks ( including RRBs ) in the country, of which 35,275 ( 58.3 per cent ) were in rural areas as against 22.3 per cent at the time of bank nationalization. In spite of huge branch expansion in rural areas and developmental policies of the Government it is to be noted that the commercial banks have not made systematic efforts to squeeze the rural business. Often it is felt that the commercial banks have started their branches in rural areas not to satisfy the rural asses but to satisfy the Govt. Inadequate management and marketing competence in individual banks is the major cause for the non-viability of rural banks. Analysis of the available statistics on rural banks reveals that the rural deposits in the country shows a compound growth rate of 27.29 per cent during the 39 years period from 1969 to 2008. It is worth noting that the number of rural branches will form 45 per cent of the total bank branches in the country. The compound growth rate of rural credit of the country is 30.57 per cent during the 39 years from 1969 to 2008. Hardships in obtaining loans from the banks has paved the way for the growth of private money lenders in rural areas especially in States like Kerala.

Financial Exclusion:

According to K.C.Chakrabarty “Financial Exclusion is the lack of access by certain consumers to appropriate, low cost, fair and safe financial products and services from main stream providers.” There are three types of exclusions : (a) people who do not have any accss to a regulated financial system; (b) people who have limited access to banks and other financial services; and (3) individuals who have inappropriate products. Mostly low income, unemployed and illiterate people, women and disabled are excluded from the formal financial services. Lack of Banking habits, high transaction cost, lack of banking knowledge and insufficiency of knowledge on banking products prevents the unbanked people from knocking the door steps of banks. Financial exclusion means : No Savings, No Insurance, No access to money advice, No affordable credit, No Bank account and No assets. There are people who desire the use of financial services, but are denied access to the same. In countries with a large rural population like India, Financial Exclusion has a geographic dimension as well. Inaccessibility, distance and lack of proper infrastructure hinder financial inclusion. Going by the available data on the number of savings bank accounts and even assuming that one person has only one account, on an all India basis less than 60 per cent of adult population in the country have bank accounts. To compound matters, there are regional disparities among different regions of the country in this respect. In the rural parts of the country, where the farming community is living, the farm house holds having bank accounts is showing a miserable picture. The region-wise data regarding the farm house holds not having access to formal credit is given in the table. The unbanked population is higher in the North Eastern and Eastern Regions as compared to other regions. Further the extent of credit inclusion is even lower at 14 per cent of adult population. The financially excluded sections largely comprise marginal farmers, landless labourers, self employed and unorganized sector enterprises, ethnic minorities, socially excluded groups, senior citizens and women. While there are pockets of large excluded population in all parts of the country, the North-East, Eastern and Central region contain most of the financially excluded population.

Table showing the percentage of farm house holds not having access to formal credit

Region	Percentage to total farm households
Northern	74.95
North-Eastern	95.91
Eastern	81.26
Central	77.59
Western	56.02
Southern	57.25
Union Territories	89.86

The Farm households not accessing credit from formal sources as proportion to total farm households is especially high at 95.91 %, 81.26% and 77.59% in the North-Eastern, Eastern and Central Regions. The Southern and Western Regions, on the other hand, exhibits relatively better level of access to forma/non-formal sources when comparing with the All India level of 72.7%. This is mainly on account of spread of banking habits and a more robust infrastructure.

Social Exclusion:

Another facet of exclusion which needs to be addressed is ‘Social Exclusion’ – which is an extreme consequence of what happens when people do not get a fair deal throughout their lives, often because of disadvantages they face at birth, and this can be transmitted from one generation to the next. Social exclusion is about more than income poverty. It is a short and term for what can happen when people or areas have a combination of problems such as unemployment, discrimination, poor skills low incomes and poor housing. Their problems are linked and mutually reinforcing.

Financial Inclusion:

Providing various financial services like, loans, insurance, payments, remittances and financial advisory services to the downtrodden who have no access to the formal financial structure of the country is the basic objective of Financial Inclusion. An open and efficient society is always characterized by the unrestrained access to public goods and services. As banking services are viewed as public goods, availability of banking and payment services to the entire population without discrimination of any type is called Financial Inclusion. Unrestrained access to public goods and services is the sine qua non of an open and efficient society.

Financial Inclusion is a critical component of the inclusive growth envisaged for the overall development of the economy. The spread of banking facilities has been uneven in the country, throwing up challenges for achieving financial inclusion. Even after Nationalisation of commercial banks in 1969 and in 1980, a good proportion of households, specially rural, is still outside the coverage of the formal banking system. Often it is asked, why are so many bankable people of rural India are unbanked? An inclusive financial sector would provide access to credit for all ‘bankable’ people and firms, to insurance for all insurable people and firms and to savings and payments services for everyone.

The working definition of Financial Inclusion - “Financial Inclusion may be defined as the process of ensuring access to financial services and timely and adequate credit where needed by vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low income groups at an affordable cost.”

Initiates of RBI for Financial Inclusion:

In the Annual Policy Statement of the RBI ( 2005-06), policies were made to encourage banks to provide extensive banking services to the unbanked mass of the country. The nature, scope and cost of services would be monitored to assess whether there is any denial, implicit or explicit, of basic banking services to the common person. Banks are being urged to review their existing practices to align them with the objective of financial inclusion.

A study on the Income and Savings of Rural Bank customers of Kerala :

The author has conducted a Correlation Analysis for measuring the intensity or magnitude of linear relationship between income and savings of rural bank customers in the State of Kerala. This Analysis was conducted on the Primary Data collected from 3000 rural bank customers who have been selected as a part of his project study on “Poverty Alleviation Programme in Kerala”. The study reveals that the average income of a rural bank customer in the State is Rs.2544 per month and average saving is Rs.432 per month. Standard deviation of income is Rs.2236.98 per month and standard deviation of savings is Rs.930.26 per month. Coefficient of correlation is 0.8286. There is a high degree of correlation between the income and savings of rural bank customers in the State. It is also revealed in the study that the the saving capacity of the higher income group is more than that of lower income group. An increase in income will tend to have an increase in savings.

Coefficient of Determination:

This gives the percentage variation I the dependent variable that is accounted for by the independent variable. The above analysis reveals a coefficient of determination of 0.7441. It means, as the increases, savings will also increase. About 74 per cent of the increase in the savings is purely due to the increase in the income of rural bank customers. Approximately 26 per cent of the increase in savings is not due to the increase in income but due some other qualitative factors.

Regression Analysis:

Regression line of saving ( y ) on income ( x ) is given by

Y = 0.3587x-481

This equation can be used for the prediction of saving for a specified income. The application of this equation will be clear from the following illustrations:

Illustration1:

When x is 0, ie, when there is no income

Y = -48.1 ie. there will be a debt of Rs.481

Illustration 2 :

When savings ( y ) is 0, that is when 0.3587x – 481 < 0

ie. 0.3587x < 481

ie. when x ≤1340 ( approximately )

It implies that, when the monthly income is below Rs.1340, the savings will be negative. A minimum monthly income of Rs.1340 is essential to avoid debt by a rural bank customer.

Illustration 3 :

When income is Rs.5000

y = 0.3587x5000 – 481

y = 1312.5

Illustration 4 :

When income is Rs.10,000

y = 0.3587x10000 – 481

y = 3106

On an average, rural customers with a monthly income of Rs.5000 and Rs.10,000 may save Rs.1313 and Rs.3106 per month respectively. An analysis of this nature will help the authorities and the policy makers to identify the bankable people and they may be brought to the main stream banking and credit system of the country.

Neurotransmitters Functional Balance in Health and Disease Management

2012-05-04T07:31:00.002+05:30

By:- Dr. C. S. Paulose
Molecular Neurobiology and Cell Biology Unit, Centre for Neuroscience, Head, Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682 022, Kerala, India. e-mail: cspaulose@cusat.ac.in

Abstract

The recent developments in neurobiology have rendered new prominence and potential to study about the structure and function of brain and related disorders. Human behaviour is the net result of neural control of the communication between brain cells. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between neurons and/or another cell. It mediates rapid intercellular communication through the nervous system by interacting with cell surface receptors. These receptor subtypes often trigger second messenger signaling pathways that regulate the activity of ion channels. The functional balance of different neurotransmitters such as Acetylcholine (Ach), Dopamine (DA), Serotonin (5-HT), Norepinephrine (NE), Epinephrine (EPI), Glutamate and Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) regulates the growth, division and other vital functions of a normal cell / organism. Any change in neurotransmitters’ functional balance will result in the failure of cell function and lead to the occurrence of diseases. Abnormalities in the production or functioning of neurotransmitters have been implicated in a number of neurological disorders like Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Depression and Parkinson’s disease. Changes in central and peripheral neuronal signaling system is also noted in diabetes, hypoglycaemia, hypoxia, cancer, cell proliferation, alcoholism and aging. Elucidation of neurotransmitters receptor interaction pathways and gene expression regulation by second messengers and transcriptional factors in health and disease conditions can lead to new small molecules for development of therapeutic agents to improve neurological disease conditions. Increased awareness of the global effects of neurological disorders should help health care planners and the neurological community set appropriate priorities in research, prevention and management of these diseases.

Key Words: Neurotransmitters, neurotransmission, neurological disorders, disease management.

Introduction

Neurons are the basic cell of the brain and nervous system. Neurons communicate to each other by releasing neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals which account for the transmission of signals from one neuron to the next across synapses. It transmits information within the brain and from the brain to all the parts of the body. Neurotransmitters exert their effect by binding to specific receptors on the neuronal postsynaptic membrane. The activity of a neuron depends on the balance between the number of excitatory and inhibitory processes affecting it, either processes occurring individually or simultaneously. The consequences of the neurotransmitter receptor function can influence the regulation of metabolic manifestations in hypothyroidism, hypertension, diabetes and cell proliferation directly by central nervous system function or through the hypothalamic-pituitary-end organ axis. Hormones such as insulin, glucagon, thyroxine, tri- iodothyronine, glucocorticoids function as growth regulators. The functional difference of neurotransmitters and hormones through receptor subtypes can lead to differential gene expression. The functional balance of different neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine (Ach), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), glutamate and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and various hormones regulates the growth, division and other vital functions of a normal cell / organism.

Most neurological and psychiatric disorders involve selective or preferential impairments of neurotransmitter systems. Therefore, studies of functional neurotransmitter pathophysiology in human brain are of unique importance in view of the development of effective, mechanism-based, therapeutic modalities. The use of neurosurgically removed fresh animal tissue samples in which receptors, transporters, ion channels and enzymes essentially retain their natural environment, represents a unique experimental approach to enlarge our understanding of human brain processes. Using this experimental approach, many human brain functional proteins, in particular neurotransmitter receptors have been characterized in terms of localization, function and pharmacological properties.

Parkinson's disease, a neurological disorder involves the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal tract, which projects from the substantia nigra pars compacta in the midbrain to the striatum and is essential for the control of movement. The disease leads to tremor, rigidity and hyperkinesias. Reports show a vulnerability of parkin gene to modification by dopamine, the principal neurotransmitter lost in Parkinson disease, suggesting a mechanism for the progressive loss of parkin function in dopaminergic neurons during aging and sporadic Parkinson disease. Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that the alterations in dopamine receptor subtypes gene expression during Parkinson’s disease were reversed by serotonin and gamma aminobutyric acid supplementation (Nandhu et al., 2009).

Epilepsy is syndrome of episodic brain dysfunction characterized by recurrent unpredictable spontaneous seizures. Temporal-lobe epilepsy is characterized by a loss of glutamate-stimulated GABA release that is secondary to a reduction in the number of GABA transporters (Matthew et al., 2002). Electrophysiological studies of human temporal-lobe epilepsy suggest that a loss of hippocampal GABA-mediated inhibition may underlie the neuronal hyperexcitability (Knowles, 1992). Glutamate or analogue excitatory amino acids are the principal excitatory neurotransmitters in the mammalian CNS, which is also involved in this disease. In the hippocampus, two different types of glutamate receptors, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, each linked to different classes of ion channels are coactivated on the release of glutamate from presynaptic terminals (Bekkers & Stevens, 1989). Pilocarpine treatment which is characterized by generalized convulsive status epilepticus (SE) in rodents well represents the characteristic neuropathological findings in the hippocampus of TLE patients (Paulose et al., 2006; Reas et al., 2007). Baccopa monnieri (Brahmi) is recommended in formulations for the management of a range of mental conditions including anxiety, poor cognition, lack of concentration, and epilepsy. Anti-epileptic property of the leaf extracts of Bacopa monnieri showed their regulatory role through the muscarinic, glutamate and serotonin receptor subtypes (Paulose et al., 2006; Reas et al., 2007; Amee et al., 2009)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive disorder in which brain cells (neurons) deteriorate, resulting in the loss of cognitive functions, primarily memory, judgment and reasoning, movement coordination, and pattern recognition. In advanced stages of the disease, all memory and mental functioning may be lost. It is the most common cause of dementia.

Patients also frequently have noncognitive symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, apathy, and psychosis that impair daily living. The condition predominantly affects the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, which lose mass and shrink (atrophy) as the disease advances. Mudher & Lovestone, (2002) reported neuronal loss or atrophy, mainly in the temporoparietal cortex along with an inflammatory response to the deposition of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The loss of memory is related to the loss of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from both cholinergic and noncholinergic neurons of the diseased brain. However, AChE activity is increased around amyloid plaques. This increase in AChE is of significance for therapeutic strategies using AChE inhibitors. With no cure it sight for Alzheimer's disease, efforts are undertaken to lessen the symptoms once it is diagnosed. Glycosylation of AChE may be a useful diagnostic marker for AD (Sáez-Valero et al., 1999). There are medications that can lessen agitation, anxiety, unpredictable behavior, improve sleeping patterns, and treat depression. Evidences from our laboratory showed that maintenance of neurotransmitter and receptor subtypes balance can reduce and postpone the occurrence of neurological diseases (Paulose et al., 1998).

Apart from the central nervous system, neurotransmitters also play an important role in diseases associated with the peripheral system. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder associated with insulin deficiency, which affects the carbohydrate metabolism linked with various central and peripheral complications. The pancreatic islets are innervated by parasympathetic, sympathetic and sensory nerves. Several neurotransmitters are stored within the terminals of these nerves. The central nervous system through parasympathetic and sympathetic pathways regulates insulin secretion from pancreatic islets and maintains glucose homeostasis. An increased turnover of DA to norepinephrine has been reported in the pancreatic islets, which could damage the stimulatory effect of DA (Morgan & Montagu, 1985). NE, a stress hormone at higher concentration not only inhibited the DA uptake but also its stimulatory effect on insulin secretion in the pancreatic islets (Eswar et al., 2006). Medicinal plants are a major source for drug discovery in spite of the great development of synthetic molecules. Consequently, the uses of traditional medicinal plants extract in the treatment of various diseases have been flourished. Aegle marmelose and Costus pictus are known herbal medicine for the management of diabetes mellitus (Gireesh et al., 2008a; 2008b).

Neurons of the central nervous system are critically dependent upon a continuous supply of glucose and oxygen. The mammalian brain is exquisitely sensitive to reduction in the supply of glucose (Hypoglycemia) and oxygen (Hypoxia). Insulin regulates blood glucose levels by slowing the release of glucose by the liver and stimulating its entry into other cells. Hypoglycemia remains as the major obstacle to achieving the established benefits of intensive insulin therapy. Repeated episodes of low blood sugar causes neuronal death in brain causing disorientation and confusion, eventually progressing to seizures, partial paralysis or loss of consciousness. An increased number of glutamate receptors and the increased glutamate production will lead to glutamate excitotoxicity and neuronal degeneration which has an impact on the cognitive and memory function (Joseph et al., 2007; 2008). An alteration in dopamine D2 receptors in hippocampus was also observed from the recent studies from our laboratory (Remya et al., 2009).

Hypoxia generally refers to a lack of oxygen in any part of the body. In a neurological context, it refers to a reduction of oxygen to the brain despite adequate amounts of blood. A failure to deliver oxygen and glucose to the brain causes a cascade of abnormal events. In neuronal cells, responses to a decrease in oxygen availability or hypoxia include both facilitation and inhibition of neurotransmitter release. During experimental conditions, hypoxic rats show a change in brain adrenergic and glutaminergic receptor function resulting in abnormal behavioural pattern. Immediate glucose administration prior to oxygen supplementation was found to reduce the adverse effects of hypoxia at the molecular level (Finla et al., 2008). The oxygen availability to the infant should be made with out delay during the change over from umbilical cord to the atmospheric air. The more delay occurring will lead to neuronal death which will affect the intellectual capacity of the individual at later stages. The network usually formed in the adult is approximately 3.2 million kilometers for all the functions. If there is neuronal death the functional network will be less.

Neurotransmitter receptors are usually restricted to neuronal cells, but the signalling pathways activated by these receptors are widely distributed in both neural and non-neural cells. The role of the neurotransmitters- NE, 5-HT and their receptors using partial hepatectomised rat model has been studied in vivo for controlled cell proliferation. It is also suggested that an intact nervous system is an important component of the regulatory system for liver regeneration either through direct innervations of the liver or through indirect modulation of DNA synthesis resulting in cell proliferation. Studies from our lab have shown that serotonin can act as a potent hepatocyte co-mitogen and induce DNA synthesis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, which is mediated through the serotonin S2 receptors (Sudha & Paulose, 1998). GABA acts as an inhibitory signal through GABAA receptor while it acts as a co-mitogen through GABAB receptors during in vitro hepatocyte proliferation (Biju et al., 2001a; 2001b). Studies from our laboratory have shown that neurotransmitters, such as those in the pancreatic islet, can influence the synthesis and release of insulin (Mohanan et al., 2005a, b; 2006; Renuka et al., 2005; 2006; Ani et al., 2006a, b, c; Eswar et al., 2006; Balaram et al., 2008).

Spinal cord injuries are often caused by road traffic accidents, whereas fall from height is another significant cause of injury. The spinal cord contains nerve fibres which carry messages between the brain and different parts of the body. If it is damaged by different levels of shearing, one or several of the body functions are impaired and even total paraplegia. In the present scenario there is no procedure for restoring locomotor function to such individuals. Our results showed that GABA and 5HT acting through their specific receptors play a crucial role in the spinal cord regeneration in combination with bone marrow cells. There is proliferation and differentiation of cells re-establishing the connections in the injured spinal cord resulting in the functional recovery of the individual rat (Paulose et al., 2009).

Endogenous progenitor cells can be harnessed to replace neurons lost in neurodegenerative diseases but requires the development of methods to stimulate their proliferation and differentiation. Researchers are also exploring a process called trans-differentiation —“tricking” cells of the bone marrow to produce brain cells or muscle cells. Experiments are done using different neurotransmitters – serotonin and GABA with and without pluripotent bone marrow cells extracted from the same individual given to the site of damage re-established the connection and the functional recovery was observed.

Scientists are developing a number of strategies for producing dopamine neurons from human stem cells in the laboratory for transplantation into humans with Parkinson's disease. The successful generation of an unlimited supply of dopamine neurons could make neuro transplantation widely available for Parkinson's patients at some point in the future. Researchers are now examining the possibility of transplanting GABAergic neurons in the hippocampal region for the treatment of epilepsy.

Neurotransmitters + pluripotent cell infusion at site of injury

Neuronal network re- established after treatment at the damaged site

Conclusion

As the world's aged population increases, the relative effects of many disorders of the nervous system, including stroke and dementia are numerous. Increased awareness of the global effects of neurological disorders should help health care planners and the neurological community to set up appropriate priorities in research, prevention, and management of Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and Spinal cord injured paraplegics.

Acknowledgements

Dr. C. S. Paulose thanks DAE, DBT, DST, ICMR, UGC, Govt. of India and STEC, Kerala for providing necessary facilities.

Reference

Amee K, Pretty MA, Jes P, Paulose CS. (2009). Down-regulation of cerebellar 5-HT2C receptors in pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in rats: Therapeutic role of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of Neurological Sciences. (In Press).

Ani DV, Savitha B, Paulose CS. (2006). Decreased alpha1-adrenergic receptor binding in the cerebral cortex and brain stem during pancreatic regeneration in rats. Neurochemical Research 31: 727-737

Ani VD, Finla C, Paulose CS. (2006). Decreased alpha 2- adrenergic receptor in the brain stem and pancreatic islets during pancreatic regeneration in weanling rats. Life Sciences, 79: 1507-1513.

Ani VD, Remya R, Paulose CS. (2006). Enhanced β- adrenergic receptors in the brain and pancreas during pancreatic regeneration in weanling rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, DOI 10.1007/s11010-006-9142-6.

Balarama K, Akash KG, Paulose CS. (2008). γ-Aminobutyric acid receptor functional decrease in the hypothalamus during Pancreatic regeneration in rats. Pancreas.

Bekkers JM, Stevens CF. (1989). NMDA and non-NMDA receptors are co-localized at individual excitatory synapses in cultured rat hippocampus. Nature 341: 230-233.

Biju MP, Pyroja S, rajesh KNV, Paulose CS. (2001a). Hypothalamic GABA receptor functional regulation and liver cell proliferation. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 216: 65-70

Biju MP, Pyroja S, rajesh KNV, Paulose CS. (2001b). Hepatic GABA A receptor functional regulation during liver cell proliferation. Hepatology Research, 21: 136-146

Eswar Shankar PN, Santhosh KT, Paulose CS. (2006). DArgic Regulation of Glucose-induced Insulin Secretion through DA D2 Receptors in the Pancreatic Islets In Vitro. IUBMB Life 58: 157-163.

Finla C, Amee K, Paulose CS. (2008). Acetylcholine Esterase Activity and Behavioural Response in Hypoxia Induced Neonatal Rats: Effect of Glucose, Oxygen and Epinephrine Supplementation. Brain and Cognition.

Gireesh G, Balarama KS, T. Peeyush K, Paulose CS. (2008). Decreased muscarinic M1 receptor Gene Expression in the Hypothalamus Brainstem and Pancreatic islets of Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Journal of Neuroscience Research DOI: 10.1002/jnr.21544.

Gireesh G, Santhosh KT, Binoy J, Paulose CS. (2009) Antihyperglycemic and insulin secretory activity of Costus pictus leaf extract in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and invitro pancreatic islet culture Journal of Ethanopharmacology 3 :26

Joseph A, Antony S, Paulose CS. (2008). Increased glutamate receptor gene expression in the cerebral cortex of insulin induced hypoglycemic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Neuroscience 156: 298-304.

Joseph A, Robinson R, Paulose CS. (2007). Enhanced [3H] Glutamate Binding in the Cerebellum of Insulin Induced Hypoglycaemic and Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 10.1007/s10571-007-9198-1

Knowles WD, Awad IA, Nayel MH. (1992). Differences of in vitro electrophysiology of hippocampal neurons from epileptic patients with mesiotemporal sclerosis versus structural lesions. Epilepsia 33: 601−609

Matthew J, Kathryn MR, Dennis DS. (2002). Hippocampal GABA transporter function in temporal-lobe epilepsy. Nature 376: 174 – 177.

Mohanan VV, Balarama KS, Paulose CS. (2005a). Decreased 5-HT1A receptor gene expression and 5-HT1A receptor protein in the cerebral cortex and brain stem during pancreatic regeneration in rats. Neurochemical Research 30: 25-32.

Mohanan VV, Finla C, Paulose CS. (2005b). Decreased 5-HT2C receptor binding in the cerebral cortex and brain stem during pancreatic regeneration in rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 272: 165-170.

Mohanan VV, Reas K, Paulose CS. (2006). Hypothalamic 5-HT functional regulation through 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors during pancreatic regeneration. Life Sciences 78: 1603-1609

Morgan NG, Montagu W. (1985). Studies on the mechanism of inhibition of glucose induced insulin secretion by noradrenalin in rat islets of langerhans. Biochem J 226: 571- 576.

Mudher A, Lovestone S. (2002). Alzheimer's disease-do tauists and baptists finally shake hands? Trends Neurosci 25: 22-6.

Nandhu MS, Fabia ET, Paulose CS. (2009) Dopamine D1 receptor gene expression studies in unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned Parkinson's rat: Effect of 5-HT, GABA and bone marrow cell supplementation. Journal of Molecular Neuroscience (In Press).

Paulose CS, John PS, Padmarag C, et al., (2009). Spinal cord regeneration and functional recovery : Neurotransmitters combination and bone marrow cells supplementation. Current Science. In Press.

Paulose CS, Padayatti PS, Sudha B. (1998). Neurotransmitter-Hormonal Regulation of Diabetes and Liver Regeneration. In: Topics in Comparative Endocrinology and Reproduction. Edited by K.P. Joy, A. Krishna and C. Halder, Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi 561-570.

Paulose CS, Sudha B, P.S. Padayatti. (1996). Brain control of hypertension, diabetes and cell proliferation: A recent concept. In Biotechnology for development. Compiled by M.R. Das and Satish Mundayur. Published by the State Committee on Science Technology and Environment, Kerala, India, Jan., pp104-118

Reas SK, Amee K, Paulose CS. (2007). Decreased glutamate receptor binding and NMDA R1 gene expression in the hippocampus of pilocarpine induced epileptic rats: neuroprotective role of Bacopa monnieri extract. Epilepsy and Behavior. DOI:10.1016/j.yebeh.2007.09.021.

Remya R, Amee K, Paulose CS. (2009). Enhanced Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptor Gene Expression in the Hippocampus of Hypoglycaemic and Diabetic Rats. Cellular and Molecural Neurobiology, DOI: 10.1007/s10571-008-9328-4

Renuka TR, Remya R, Paulose CS. (2006). Increased insulin secretion by muscarinic M1 and M3 receptor function from rat pancreatic islets in vitro. Neurochemical Research 31: 313-20.

Renuka TR, Savitha B, Paulose CS. (2005). Muscarinic M1 and M3 receptor binding alterations in pancreas during pancreatic regeneration of young rats. Endocrine Research 31: 259-270

Sáez-Valero J, Sberna G, McLean CA, Small DH. (1999). Molecular Isoform Distribution and Glycosylation of Acetylcholinesterase Are Altered in Brain and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease. J Neurochem 72: 1471-4159.

Sudha B, Paulose CS. (1998). Induction of DNA synthesis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes by serotonin: Possible involvement of Serotonin S2 receptor. Journal of Hepatology 27, 62 - 66

Chinese Nets

2012-05-04T07:17:00.000+05:30

Article by:- Deepa Leslie, Lecturer, Dept of English, St Alberts College, Ernakulam.

Cochin is the gift of Periyar to the people of Kerala. In cochin, history is alive, active and vibrant. Its numerous and magnificent monuments beckons every visitor to the city to delve deep into the history of this ancient charming land. Its sprawling bungalows have an old charm and the continuous glow of foreign visitors speaks volumes for her hospitality and warmth.

The Anglo Indian Community of cochin traces its ancestry back to the flowery Portuguese rule. Even the ancient trees along the highways and by banks of the city have much to say about the bygone days of this daughter of Periyar or the Queen of the Arabian Sea. At one time, Europeans came to speak their fortunes here. Today the younger generations of cochinites, like the others in other parts of India go abroad to seek their fortunes.

It was generally held by the historians that the pre-portuguese cochin was occupied by fishermen and the world renowned Chinese nets (Cheena Vala) a characteristic feature of Cochin Coast and its suburbs were brought from China in the hey day of China – Malabar trade during 13th and 14th centuries.

Our recent studies shows that these Chinese nets were introduced by the later Casado settlers of Cochin from Macau. The names of the different parts of these Chinese nets used even today are in Portuguese language, which is a definite indication of its Portuguese Origin. The net used for catching the fish is called rede, its edge is borda, the arms of wooden parts which hold the extensive net together is brasao, while the flexible ring on the top on which the entire brasao moves is argola. In addition there are Corda and Pedra for balancing the movement of the net. There isCaluada on which the fishermen moves up and down and the posts which support the entire structure from the river bottom are called Odora.

The Casado settlers from Macau and Malawa also brought ‘Cheeni Chatti’ (Chinese frying pan) and a delicious dish known as ‘Cheenisampal’ which even today is a favourite dish among the coastal Christians of kerala with Portuguese heritage. The fishing nets introduced by the Casado settlers added another item for trade, the dried fish, in addition to the traditional spices of kerala. The popular name for dried fish in local terminology is bakkal (vakkal) which has its roots in the Portuguese ‘Bacalhau’

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Entrepreneurial Motivation in Kerala _Dr.Rajagopala Nair and Mohan P.Philip

2012-05-04T07:09:00.001+05:30

Dr.Rajagopala Nair and Mohan P.Philip
Research Dept. of Commerce
St.Albert’s College, Ernakulam

Legitimacy for entrepreneurship as a career option is very low among the social circles of Kerala, though small entrepreneurship development has become a crucial part of predominant moral code of governance in all countries. Due to low level legitimacy, young people, with entrepreneurial talents opt for other career opportunities or migrate to distant places in search of greener pastures This phenomenon can be verified by observing the performance of entrepreneurs in the industrial front of Kerala. The quality of entrepreneurial stock of a society can be assessed on the basis of the economic growth it has achieved. The role of entrepreneurship in economic development can best be put as “ an economy is the effect for which entrepreneurship is the cause”. Kerala’s statistics on industrial entrepreneurship displays a very interesting picture. The State’s contribution to nations industrial output is 2.19 per cent, but to that of population is 3.43 per cent. In contrast to the national trend, the informal manufacturing sector in Kerala has recorded a relatively high growth in the post liberalization period. The growth of small scale industrial units and employment in this sector was also promising during this period. However, industrial performance in Kerala during this period was not favourable in terms of output growth. Significant growth in employment generation under industrial sector is not represented by corresponding increase in industrial output. Remarkable growth of fixed capital is recorded in Kerala’s industrial sector, but it has not influenced the output growth during the period. Nominal and real wage rates are low in Kerala since 1980s. Man days lost due to industrial disputes and labour militancy registered a declining tendency. Yet, studies on investment proposals reveal that Kerala is a unattractive destination for both domestic and foreign investors. Thus the major hurdle for the State’s industrial backwardness is not increase in cost of production or labour militancy, but poor quality of entrepreneurship.

In this article an attempt was made to examine the factors that motivated Kerala based entrepreneurs to take up entrepreneurship as a career. The motivational variables of the entrepreneurs were put under study. Primary data for the study was collected from 300 entrepreneurs from small scale and medium scale industrial segments. Direct personal interviews are conducted with the selected respondents with the help of a structured questionnaire. The results are given below :

Factors that motivated Kerala based Entrepreneurs : To examine the actors that motivated the Entrepreneurs in the State, ten alternative motivating factors were applied on the respondents. Majority of them have chosen multiple factors for their response. The result is given in table 1. As per the table, 86 per cent of the respondents revealed that their desire to work independently has motivated them to start their own industrial ventures. Eighty two per cent of the respondents were of the view that their creative ability will prosper only in an independent environment and hence preferred to have own business enterprise. Fifty two per cent would like to be self employed, hence they became entrepreneurs. Pressure from with in the family has paved the way for the entrepreneurship of forty per cent of the respondents.

Table 1
Factors that motivated small entrepreneurs to take up entrepreneurship as a career

Sl. No.	Motivating factors	No. of respondents	Percentage
1.	To be independent	258	86
2	To be creative	246	82
3	To be self-employed	156	52
4	To use technical knowledge	70	23
5	To use business experience	32	11
6	To use Govt. support	28	9
7	Success story of others	65	22
8	Profit margin	87	29
9	Family orientation	120	40
10	To join elite circle of business men	47	16
	Total	300	100

( Source : Survey data )
Twenty nine per cent of the respondents became entrepreneurs because they expect good profit margin from the enterprise. Twenty three per cent of the respondents would like to apply their technical knowhow, hence they stated an enterprise of their own.

Training status of the entrepreneurs : Small entrepreneurs are usually exposed to two types of training programmes – prior training programmes and on-the job training. It is interesting to note from table 2 that 81 per cent of the entrepreneurs have not undergone any training programme prior to starting their ventures. Nineteen per cent of entrepreneur have undergone training programme before venturing into the business activities. Twenty seven per cent among start up entrepreneurs have undergone prior training programmes. Start up are those which are in existence for less than three years. Among the entrepreneurs who are in active business for more than 4 years but less than 8 years ( growing ), only 27 per cent have undergone training programmes. Fifteen per cent of the entrepreneurs belonging to mature enterprises ( in existence for more than 9 years but less than 15 years.) have under gone training programmes. Eleven per cent of the respondents who are in business for more than 16 years revealed that they obtained training before they start their enterprises.

Table 2
Training status of the respondents

Sl. No.	Growth phase	Had prior training	%	No prior training	%	Total
1	Start up ( less than 3 years )	24	27	64	73	88
2	Growing ( 4 – 8 years)	14	23	48	77	62
3	Mature ( 9 – 15 years )	10	15	58	85	68
4	Reconstruction ( More than 16 years )	9	11	73	89	82
	Total	57	19	243	81	300

( Source : Survey data )

Another important finding of the survey is that , a formal training is not essential for an entrepreneur before stating an enterprise. Eighty two per cent of the respondents are of the opinion that on-job-job training is enough for a successful entrepreneurial career. It may be observed that a entrepreneur lives in a highly competitive world which is always subjected to radical changes happening in a society such as advancement of technology, changes in fashion, preferences, living conditions, political and economic changes and so on. In such situations, an entrepreneur learns and imbibes many things by his own experience and insight. He can not go back to educational institutions to learn and adopt to situations. Instead, he/she acquires new strategies out of his own enthusiasm and innovation skills.

Beginning of Entrepreneur’s Motivation : As revealed in table 3, twenty six per cent of the respondents had a strong motivation to be an entrepreneur since their childhood. Seventy four per cent of the entrepreneurs report that their motivation to be an entrepreneur begun just a few years before they decided to start their present venture.

Table 3
Desire to be an entrepreneur

Sl. No.	Growth phase	Since Childhood	%	Past few years	%	Total
1	Start up ( less than 3 years )	19	22	69	78	88
2	Growing ( 4 – 8 years)	15	24	43	76	62
3	Mature ( 9 – 15 years )	19	28	49	72	69
4	Reconstruction ( More than 16 years )	26	32	56	68	82
	Total	79	26	221	74	300

( Source : Survey data )

It could be understood from table 3 that the desire to become an entrepreneur can arise at any time during his/her life. A well planned and well oriented series of entrepreneurship Development programme ( EDP ) will motivate and lure many able and talented people to become entrepreneurs. Hence, it is up to the State Administration to take up ED Prorammes at various levels. We may conclude“Entrepreneurs are made not born”.

Kathakali

2012-05-03T19:02:00.000+05:30

I first came to India by coincidence. In 2004, a volunteer workcamp in ecotourism I had subscribed to for the Andaman Islands had just been cancelled. I therefore visited Tamil Nadu and one week was left when I suddenly felt like getting a glimpse of Kerala. I didn’t have much information nor much idea about it, but I took a night train to Kochi. I felt so good there as the atmosphere was so pleasant and quiet, people friendly and sights attractive.

In the evening I saw a poster about daily Kathakali programs and I thought that it was a good idea to get busy in the evening as the evenings are usually boring for an individual traveler in India.

The Kathakali program left me thunderstruck. It was an extract of Duryodhana Vadham (1), from Mahabharatha (2). The steps seemed so familiar to me though so away from all our western art forms. The make-up left me esthetically overwhelmed, the facial expressions were mesmerizing. The arrival of Dussasana (1) on stage with his red rotating eyes was so scary that I nearly thought about leaving the place, but the presence of Krishna (2) comforting Draupadi (1) gave me the experience of a glimpse of Divine Love, ever compassionate and full of Bliss and Peace. The day after I looked into Kathakali books and took the resolution to find classes back to France.

Back to Paris, I was lucky enough to find Karuna, a teacher from the famous art school of Kerala Kalamandalam (3). I learnt fast as if Kathakali was in my blood. I went back to Kerala the same year and took followed some training in Trivandrum and Kerala Kalamandalam for 3 weeks.

In 2007, I decided to get more intensive course and learn proper stories. I was warmly welcomed at Samskrithy School (4), a small school which provides private classes with great artists like Fact Mohanan, who can teach exactly what one needs and looks for. The training was physically hard, I followed daily Kalaripayat (5) classes, as the body training of Kathakali comes from Kalaripayat, and the body needs so much preparation in order to bear the heavy costumes and vigorous steps on stage. Kathakali classes were also daily of course. To learn a padam (role of a character in a piece of play) I had to learn the poem in a mix of Malayalam and Sanskrit, the mudras (6), the rythms and steps. This is for the technical part. But then comes the artistic interpretation of the actor, feeling all emotions of the character, the story, the situation with a deep understanding of the local culture and the historical and mythological context. Those emotions have to be conveyed through facial expressions and through the eyes, each muscles of the face has to be trained daily with specific exercises. The last level of the art is the spiritual part. When it is daily present in our life, it leads us to find the right movement, expression and emotion. And the art, when we search how to find the right movement, also opens a new space for spiritual development.

During my stay in the school I was going several times per week to Kathakali programs in temples. So I often had the opportunity to see beautiful temple festivals with elephant processions, cultural programs, and every time I had the feeling that I was in the heart of Kerala. I could also perform on stage for the first time in my life, and then several times, living deeply what is the long process of make-up and dress-up, the time we need to get into a character, and the challenge of bearing the heavy and hot costume for a long time. I had that strange feeling of, as a non-Hindu, playing Hindu stories and characters on stage in front of local temple devotees. But though Kathakali is complex and codified, its essence is made of a universal language that one can understand beyond one’s culture and references. More than a total art, it is a formidable tool for self-development and devotion. Let’s hope that this precious knowledge will not run away from India.

(1) Duryodhana Vadham, a famous Kathakali play which depicts the revenge of Bhima, one of the Pandava princes, who kills Dussasana and Duryodhana, the Kaurava brothers, Bhima’s enemies, because they had humiliated his wife Draupadi.

(2) Mahabharatha, the great Indian epics, which relates mostly the story of the Pandava and Kaurava, and contains the Bhagavad Gita, when Krishna, incarnation of Vishnu, reveals his divine nature to Arjuna.

(3) Kerala Kalamandalam, the most famous institution for performing arts in Kerala, located near Trichur.

(4) Samskrithy School, a private school for performing arts where foreign students can get art classes and stay with local family, located at Puthencavu village, near Chengannur.

(5) Kalaripayat, the martial art of Kerala, the body training and massages are also used in Kathakali.

(6) Mudras, stylized hand gestures used for each word. There are 24 basic mudras in Kathakali with numerous combinations to form over 400 mudras.

Author :- Aruna.

[Click on the photos below to enlarge]

	Aruna in kathakali costume
	Aruna in partial kathakali makeup.

Charms of Kuttanad

2012-05-03T18:55:00.004+05:30

Kuttanad is the region adjoining Alappuzha and is the heartland of backwater tourism. The Vembanad Lake and its many arms, the rivers Pampa and Achencoil , the myriad streams that flow through kuttanad , the paddy fields which were reclaimed from the backwaters , where farming is done at an amazing five meters below sea level...

The unique lifestyles of the people who live in this water world where boats are the only means of transportation – all this makes kuttanad a very special destination.

Nick-named as the Netherlands or Holland of Kerala, the Kuttanad area in the main backwaters region, is also described as the ‘rice-bowl’ of southern Kerala, on account of the extensive paddy (rice) fields surrounded by water.

There are two distinctive areas here-viz. Lower and Upper Kuttanad-based on altitude or height above sea-level or depth below sea-level. It is the Lower Kuttanadu region that is called the ‘nether-lands’, because the cultivated lands are below sea level. As in Holland, dykes or bunds around the rice fields keep out water when needed, thereby enabling cultivation.

The Upper Kuttanad area is a little above sea level, so that cultivation of crops is easier and less risky. During rainy season, floods are usual in the entire lowland region and so rice cultivation is possible only once a year, unlike twice at many places in Kerala, where waterlogging is not a problem. Floods often damage the bunds causing submergence of the paddy fields and loss of crops. So, cultivation is limited to only one crop per year at many places in the area.

The scenic countryside of Kuttanadu also has rich crops of coconuts, banana, fruit trees, etc. wherever geography allows. Homesteads, schools, shops, churches, temples and other buildings, are situated amidst the lush vegetation at a higher elevation than the rice fields and the zig-zagging canals and meandering river branches. An amazing feature of this region is the network of waterways above land level at several places

This column looks at some features that make the kuttanadan lifestyle really unique. Agrarian by nature, typical kuttanadans are very healthy, sinewy and generally lean. They are very hardworking and the working classes are experts in more than one profession. Seasons determine the jobs they do.

Farm labour in the huge and extensive paddy fields, fishing, harvesting coconuts, gathering mussels, harvesting paddy, collecting limeshelll from the soil of the harvested paddy fields and boat rowing are some of the professions that the average kuttanadan excels in.

Talking of boats, the passion that the kuttanadan has for boat racing is so deep that until one experiences it first hand, one would not understand. Being in a waterbound world, the kuttanadan takes to water like a duck and the sight of a two year old toddler playing at the water’s edge while its mother carries on her work with no fear regarding the safety of her child, is a sight common in kuttanad.

Adept at rowing boats and swimming from a very young age, both the men and women of kuttanad share the same deep passion for boat racing. The competition is very severe among the residents of different shores, and the entire people of a particular shore or “ kara ” as it locally called get involved in their racing team and in all the related processes such as pre-race trails and the post-race evaluations. The celebrations are on a massive scale when a “ kara ” wins a race and the gloom can be funeral when they lose.

Talking about the uniqueness of kuttanad, the style adopted by kuttanadans for catching the kuttanadan cuisine specialty Pearl Spot fish which is more popularly known as “ Karimeen ”, needs to be told.

The fishing is generally done early in the morning or late afternoon. The shallow waters adjoining the shores of the Vembanad Lake are the location for this activity.

There are two common methods for catching the fish. In the first, reeds are planted on the muddy bottom of the lake. On these reeds, either dry tapioca chunks or balls of flour are attached under water. The fisherman stands on an anchored boat with his fishing net ready at hand. The fish comes and nibbles on the attached food. The reed trembles and this is the signal for the fisherman to cast his net. The fish is caught.

Development Plans

Central and state governments are currently paying attention to the agricultural and transport problems faced by the Kuttanad region in the lowlands. A commission chaired by the eminent agricultural scientist hailing from Kuttanad area, M.S Swaminathan is currently studying the various problems faced by the area to suggest solutions.

A district-level expert committee is preparing a report to be submitted to this commission and is exploring the possibility of widening and deepening the canals in the Upper Kuttanad region to facilitate smooth water transport.

Improving the condition of the canals would encourage inland navigation and backwater and farm tourism, as well as lead to agricultural development.

This experts’ committee is also looking into the feasibility of raising two crops in the paddy fields of Upper Kuttanad, by strengthening the bunds (or earth walls) around the paddy field clusters.

These bunds should be strong enough to resist the pressure of water at a higher level during rainy season-especially when floods occur.

The prevailing system of flushing out water from the paddy fields lying below sea level, to the bordering canals and river branches at a higher level, and releasing water into the fields from the canals as and when needed, would be improved.

Kerala Mural Paintings

2012-05-03T18:44:00.002+05:30

Origin of the Murals

Taking into account several murals which are dated: Two painted verses dated 1691 A.D in Pallimanna Siva Temple at Kumbalanad, Trichur, Murals in Sankaranarayana shrine of the Vadakkunatha temple complex at Trichur dated 1731 A.D, the Kerala Murals may be traced back to the seventeenth century and was at its artistic peak till the nineteenth century. The revival of the Bhakti Movement by great literary geniuses like Melapattur Narayanan Bhattatiri (1560-1646) and Putanam Nambudiri (1547-1640) saw the rise of temple arts through their devotional literature. Thus a number of temples sprang up with murals and woodcarvings in various temples on themes like the Puranas, Ramayana and the Mahabharata. This evidence also dates the murals to the mid seventeenth century. Though the evidence of murals is traced back to the post Ajanta period and a number of cave engravings found, there is no doubt that the Kerala Murals flourished between the seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries. Simplicity of subjects, technical excellence, thematic presentation, bold but delicate strokes, bright and beautiful colours, idealistic reproduction of humans, animals and trees are what characterize Kerala Murals. Subjects taken out straight from the Puranas or Ramayana or Mahabharata are illustrated highly stylistically and brilliantly. It brings out a certain depth of human feelings of passion and spiritual endeavor. In conception and composition, the murals have attained its highest artistic excellence. The dignified poise of the figures with expression of the faces that is so graceful yet dynamic is an important feature in a Kerala Mural. Every character appears to have their own charm from the beautiful and graceful figures of Gods to the devouring demon. Even a demon in an act of destruction spells out charm and whose activity is appreciated and admired thus displaying an artistic skill and brilliance. .The great and distinctive art displayed in these paintings reveal a wonderful vitality and intensity of feeling, meditative charm, divine majesty, decorative delicacy, unique verisimilitude, subtle charm of colour, fine texture and marvelous draughtsmanship. (K.P. Padmanabhan Tampy in Mural paintings in Travancore) Hoysala Art is far from the Kerala murals in terms of technique and style but with regards to ornamentation of the figures, it follows more or less a similar style. Over ornamentation of figures is what brings Kerala Murals and Hoysala Art together. Both male and female figures are heavily jeweled and beaded. The colours are bright and vibrant.

Themes of Kerala Mural Paintings

The subjects and themes in the murals are centered on the Hindu pantheon of Gods and Goddesses drawn from the description in the invocatory verses or Dhyana Slokas. More common representations are of Vishnu in different incarnations, Ganesha, and manifestations of Siva. We see murals in the Pallimanna Siva Temple devoted to Siva-Parvati.s marriage, the Ramayana Story being narrated on the walls of the Mattancheri Palace and in the Sankara Narayana, the Mahabharata is retold. Padmanabhapuram Palace houses murals depicting puranic themes from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and Krishnapuram Palace at Kayamkulam has a large panel of Gajendramoksham from the first half of the eighteenth century.

Panayannarkkavu Murals are based on Hindu mythology painted on the walls of Sapta Matha temple of Panayannarkkavu and Ettumanoor Murals has scenes from the epics along with an imaginative scene of a music concert by Gods and Goddesses. Pundareekapuram Murals are various scenes from the Hindu epics and also the frolics of Lord Krishna. It would be interesting to bring into account the influence of the mural paintings on Christianity. On various churches like the St. George.s Orthodox Church has Christian murals bringing out biblical characters and narrating stories from the scriptures. Mar Sabore and Afroth Church at Akapparambu in the outskirts of Ernakulam also have murals of scenes from the bible. Interestingly St. Mary.s Church at Kanjoor has on both sides of its entrance a battle scene between the armies of Tipu Sultan and of the English East India Company. It is also apparent that the history of Kerala Murals has its origin in the temple walls and thus a study of Kerala Murals is not complete without pondering on the architecture of Kerala and its association with the murals.

Colours and techniques used in Kerala Mural Paintings

Panchvarna or the five colours yellow, red, green, black and white make up the colour scheme of Kerala Murals. They are prepared from mineral pigments and vegetables. The yellow and red colours are from minerals, green from juice of a plant locally called Eravikkara, black from the soot of oil lamps and white remains the base, which is prepared with lime. The blending of the colours is done in a wooden bowl with tender coconut water and exudes from neem tree. There are at least six stages before a Kerala Mural Painting is complete. Lekhya Karma is the first stage where sketching by pencil or crayon is done. The second stage is the Rekha Karma which enhances the outlines of the sketching done. The third stage called Varna Karma breathes life into the painting with its colours. Here all colours are approriately filled in. The colouring of the human figures is done according to the characters and their common virtues. The divine and noble characters (Saatvik) are painted in green, those inclined towards power and wealth (Raajasik) is painted in shades of red, lowly mean characters (tamasik) in white and demons in black. In the fourth stage or the Vartana Karma, shading is done. Fifth stage called the Lekha Karma brings us to the final outline of the painting which is usually in black. The final and the finishing touches stage is called Dvika Karma. The walls are first plastered with lime and sand mixed with water and juice of Kadukka to a thickness of about half an inch that forms the base of the painting. After allowing this to dry another coating is plastered on the coated surface to a thickness of about 2mm. Finally a mixture of lime with tender coconut water is applied for the white colour. Originally, three types of brushes were made and used: flat, medium and fine. Flat brushes were made from the hairs behind calves. ear, the medium from the bottom of goat.s belly and the fine brush from delicate blades of grass. However in due course of time and change, use of easily available brushes from commercial market and shading of the original colours can be distinctively noticed. The use of blue colour is also noticed over the passage of time. The paintings have been brought down from the walls to plywood, cloth, paper and other frames for easy to make and use purposes.

Kerala Murals now

A fire broke out in Guruvayur Temple in 1970, which burnt down the walls and the murals. When the temple authorities wanted to renovate the temple walls and paint them again they found that there were very few artists who could take on the responsibility.

If not for few artists like Mammiyur Krishnankutty Nair, M.K Sreenivasan and K.K. Varier who took up the task of recreating the murals we would not have been able to enjoy the wonderful works of art in the temple now. But this incident made them realize the need for preserving and continuing the tradition.

As a result, the Institute of Mural Painting, Guruvayur Devaswom was established in 1989. The Institution is situated inside the temple premises and offers a five-year course taught in a traditional pattern.

Aranmula Kannadi

2012-05-03T18:41:00.000+05:30

A unique mirror-making tradition survives ( 16 th century ) at the village of Aranmula, Kerala, southern India. It is an inherited gift.” The history of Aranmula Kannadi began with the rule of the Rajas. Artists from Tamilnadu who came over here to build temples , made the Kannadi and presented it to the Raja. Later ,it came to be identified as a good omen”, says Mr. Sundaram , a kannadi merchant in Aranmula. Extra ordinary hand made Aranmula Kannadi , is Famous for bringing prosperity, luck and wealth to home.

Aranmula is a little village in the district of Pathanamthitta, which is well known for its ancient temple dedicated to Lord Sree Krishna as Parthasarathy,the colorful snake boat Regatta and the Aranmula Kannadi.

Aranmula kannadi is famous for its secretive construction method and uniqueness in the make which get Patent protected with a Geographical Indication tag

• It is the only metal mirror available, Unlike Ordinary Glass mirror , Image from Aranmula Kannadi is reflected from upper surface of reflecting material , where in Glass mirror image reflected from bottom layer where mercury is pasted . So real image is only captured in the Aranmula kannadi.

• Aranmula kannadi is one among 8 auspicious items included famous astamagalaya set ,which usually used for very auspicious function like marriage.

• Aranmula Kannadi its make details only known to few people in one family belong to Aranmula and it is kept as a family secret
Copper and tin are some of the metals said to be used in casting the mirrors.To achieve their highly reflective surface, the finished mirrors need to be polished for 1-2 days.

“Moreover,the mirror should be kept under room temperature away from heat and dust.The article used for polishing the frame of this mirror should in no way touch the mirror.Any moisture should be cleaned off immediately”, says a manufacturer.Experts suggest that in case of fungus formation due to careless handling, just putting a drop of coconut oil on the affected portion,rubbing and cleaning it will restore the original clarity,shine and reflection.
Artisans even today use by traditional ‘low-tech’ methods and materials a rather sophisticated ‘high-tech’ metallurgical end product is achieved
The British Museum in London has a 45 centimeter tall Aranmula metal mirror in its collection.

The mirror is an exclusive product of Aranmula and many love to have this artistic creation on display in their homes.

Onam

2012-05-03T18:37:00.000+05:30

“There was once a time when mahabali reigned over the land;

And all the people lived as one then….”

Goes a folksong in Malayalam sung during the festival of Onam , the biggest festival for the people of Kerala. Onam is celebrated by all Keralites, belonging to all communities and is a ten day extravaganza for the people of Kerala. The festival has numerous traditions, rituals and legends which surround it, the practices and folklore varying as we travel from the north of kerala through the middle and to the south.

The most popular legend surrounding Onam goes thus; in time immemorial, a just and popular King called “Mahabali’ ruled over the people of Kerala. Mahabali was the most powerful king in all the worlds and the land and its people prospered under him. All the earth and even the heavens were under his control. The ‘Devas’, heavenly beings, were struck by jealousy at his good fortune. The devas’ mother, adithi, appealed to Lord Vishnu, the keeper of the Universe, to end mahabali’s domination. Vishnu took the form of a young sage and proceeded to the place where Mahabali was conducting an elaborate ritual, a ‘yaagam’. Mahabali welcomed the disguised young sage, Vaamanan, with respect and offered many riches to him in gratitude for his holy presence. Vaamana, in his cunning , refused but asked for this favour-“ I want you to give to me what little land I can measure with three footsteps”. Hearing the young child’s request, Mahabali happily gave his word.Suddenly the sage grew in size until he couldn’t be measured by mortals. In one step he covered the earth, in another the heavens, and finding no place to place the third step in, turned to Mahabali. Te just King was determined to abide his promise He bowed down in front of the Lord and offered his head for Vaamanan to place the next step in. Lord Vishnu was pleased at Mahabali’s devotion and granted him one wish before placing his next step. Mahabali had one wish- to be able to come to his kingdom every year to meet his subjects. Vaamanan granted this wish and blessed Mahabali who was pushed down to the underworld and installed as the King of the underworld called ‘Paathalam’.The day on which Mahabali comes back to earth to visit his beloved subjects is celebrated as Onam when each household in Kerala celebrates the return of their King and gears up to welcome him with festivities, feasts and merry making.

Onam falls in the month if ‘Chingam’ in the Malayalam calendar. Chingam is the first month of the year and is traditionally the season of plenty, coming as it does at the end of the rice harvest and the beginning of spring after months of monsoon rain in Kerala.Onam starts on the day of ‘atham’ and goes on for ten days, ending with ‘thiruvonam’ the grand festival when Mahabali, also known as naveli, visits the homes of each of his subjects to see for himself that they’re not in want. The people of Kerala, on their part, elaborate preparations to welcome him.

Rituals and traditions

The most important part of Onam preparations is the creation of flower decked designs in the front court yards of homes. This is done by the children who, especially in rural areas go in search of flowers each dawn to prepare the designs. The designs are prepared with all types of flowers available and the traditions associated with them vary from place to place. Traditionally, the types of flowers used increase as the festival progresses; starting with one type of flower, traditionally a white herb called ‘thumba’ and ending with ten or more varieties on the final day.. On the final day of Onam, a special floral design is prepared, with offerings made to ‘Thrikkakarayappan’, the deity of Vishnu at a famous temple associated with Onam legends. Small wooden or clay cones representing the deity are placed amidst the flowers and offerings of rice cakes are made. At noon on the final day, a grand feast is prepared and families get together to celebrate. The Hindu temples also carry out special rituals to mark the occasion. Even though most traditional rituals are based on the Hindu way of life, Onam is celebrated by all Keralites irrespective of their religious backgrounds and is even celebrated with enthusiasm among the expatriate community.

The famous Vamanamoorthy Temple at Thrikkakara Panchayat in Ernakulam is dedicated to the Lord Vamana. It is one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Lord Vamana. The most important event of the religious calendar here is Onam. The Onasadya or the Onam feast is held in a grand manner in the temple with a large number of people cutting across religious barriers participating in it.

There is also a place called “Pathalam” in Kalamassery, Ernakulam and it legend says that Mahabali was banished to the underworld at this very spot.

The Food.

No festival is complete without delicious food. And this is no different for Onam. In fact, the number of dishes that are a part of the traditional Onasadya(feast) can leave even the most hardcore foodie worried. A full-scale sadya has around 15 dishes. The sadya is served on a plantain leaf and it is eaten sitting on the floor. The main dishes include parippu, erissery, kaalan, olan, avail, kootucurry, pappadam and of course the sweet payasam. Payasam is a sweet liquid pudding. It is of several types. Below is a recipe of the Parippu paayasam which is made from parippu, coconut and jaggery.

Parippu paayasam

Ingredients: 250 gms Parippu (Green gram dal) 1 coconut

500gms jaggery

1 tablespoon ghee

a handful of cashew nuts and raisins.

Clean the dal and fry it in ghee till light brown.Boil the fried dal in water till it is cooked. Make a thick solution by heating jaggery with some water. Add this solution to the boiled dal and stir for 10 minutes. Extract the milk of the coconut. This is done by grinding the coconut and squeezing the milk out of it. This is called the first milk. Keep this aside. Then add a little water to the ground coconut and squeeze more milk out of it. This is called the second milk. Add the second milk to the dal and jaggery mix and stir for 10 minutes. Then add the first milk and and boil. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in a little ghee. Add this to the paayasam.

The festivities.

Onam is the time for people of all ages to get together with their loved ones. Men, women and children take part in the festivities of Onam that are now an integral part of the culture of Kerala.The festivities usually occur on the eve of Onam or follows the feast on thiruvonam day.

The Kaikottikali is a form of dance performed by women during Onam. They are dressed in their finest silk set mundu and they sing and dance in a circle around the vilakku(the traditional Hindu oil lamp in Kerala). The songs are from the ancient stories and legends from Hindu mythology.

The boat race is yet another activity of the Onam season. The backwaters of Kerala are taken over by the long Chundan Vallam(snake boats). These boats are constructed according to specifications taken from the Sthapathya Veda, an ancient treatise for the building of wooden boats. During the race, the still backwaters become battlefields for the boat race and enthusiastic people cheering their favourite teams throng the lush banks of the lake. People even climb the coconut trees to get a better view of the race. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race and The Aranmula Race are the most famous boat races in Kerala.

Onam is not complete without the famed “pulikali”. The men folk paint themselves as tigers and dance on the roads to te accompaniment of drums and cymbals. The Pulikali is indeed a sight to behold. Although the Pulikali is performed all over the state, this is seen at its best in Thrissur district of Kerala during the fourth day of Onam(naalam onam). On this day, thousands of men are painted yellow, red and black to resemble tigers and enthrall the audience with their magical performance.

The children too are not to be left behind in the Onam festivities. Long swings are tied to the branches of large trees like the mango and jackfruit trees. Children play games and sing onapattukal(songs of Onam). During atham, children are seen running all over the countryside picking flowers for the pookalam.

Onam is a festival of togetherness and all these games and festivities are a way for bringing people closer to one another.

Onam Today

Onam, for the modern day malayalee, is a grand shopping festival in addition to being a time to renew family ties and take a break from routine life. A month before Onam, the shops and streets in Kerala come alive as traders prepare to woo the holiday shoppers. Onam is traditionally the time to gift new clothes to one's near and dear and the whole of kerala goes into frenzied shopping. Needless to say, this is the best time to shop on Kerala as merchandise from all over India converge here this season.

The feast prepared on Onam day is also the result of endless preparation and shopping. The modern kerala family chooses to eat their Onam feast at restaurants, most of which come out with a traditional menu for the season or get together with the extended family to celebrate. -- nandini.

Article by Nandini, St Teresas College, Cochin.

Popular flowering plants of Kerala

2012-05-03T18:27:00.000+05:30

Kerala with good rains and tropical climate is ideal for flowering plants to grow and profusely bloom. Orchids, Anthurium and Roses stand in front of the flowering plant category; but this article mainly deals with some less prominent ones but more enchanting plants those are grown all over Kerala. The names of the plants are given in the alphabetical order of their respective Malayalam names but popular English names (in bold letters), botanical names and the plant families (in italics) to which they belong are furnished for easy reference of those people who love flowers.

Aambal or Water-lily (Nymphaea nouchali; family Nymphaeaceae) is known by many names like water lily, star-lotus, Nymphaea stellata etc; it is an aquatic plant with stem submerged in the ground and long petiole holding flat round leaves above water level. Water-lily flowers are brightly colored from red to blue; many petalled and float over water surface. Hindu myths have a prominent place for lotus flower and Lord Vishnu is supposed to be physically associated to lotus flower and all temples use lotus for rituals.

Arali, Nerium plant, Dog-bane, South-sea rose, Adalpha etc (Nerium indicum; family Apocyanaceae) is a popular shrub of Kerala garden grown for their extremely beautiful flowers. They grow as herbs, shrubs, trees and even as climbers. Their leaves are simple and alternate and flowers in beautiful inflorescence. Production of profuse sap is a specialty of the members of this family. This sap though poisonous (causes nausea and brain-damage if injested) is of much medicinal value (used for the treatment of scabies).

Arumasam, Krishna kireedam or Pagoda plant (Clerodentron paniculatum; family Verbenaceae) is a shrub that grows mostly in the wild but capable of excelling any garden-grown plant for its beautiful terminal inflorescence that lasts about six months. Orange-red- bell shaped flowers open row by row in the terminal cluster. Leaves are simple and dark green. The name attributed to it; ‘Krishna kireedam means the crown of lord Krishna; as the inflorescence is so shaped; it is a pity that this plant is not given the adequate importance it deserves.

Ashokam, Galasoka, Anganapriya or Ashoka tree (Saraca ashoca; family Caesalpiniacea) is a holy tree for Indians; leaves flowers etc are extensively used in the preparations of Ayurvedic medicins. Ashoka plant bears beautiful scarlet colored flowers on all seasons and is widely grown in front of Indian houses. Ahoka gives dark shades in hot seasons for rest and recoup of the members of the family and hence called ‘Angana-priya’ (darling of the front-yard).

Chempakam or Joy-perfume tree found as shrubs as well as trees (Michelia chempaca belonging to plant family Magnoliaceae), flowers are cup shaped and fleshy; as a primitive feature petals and sepals undistinguished (these parts are called tepals); flowers highly fragrant hence used as room fresheners; perfumes are extracted from its flowers. Indian ladies prefer to wear these flowers in hair and gents carry one in their pocket for the enchanting and long lasting perfume of this special flower.

Chemparuthi or Rose-mallow or sorrel (Hibiscus rosasinensis; family Malvaceae) is a widely cultivated garden plant that bears long stalked single auxiliary (that arises from the axis of the leaves) flowers. A hibiscus flower is a typical one with sepals, calyx and petals and a long stalk formed of the fusion of male stamen bearing stalks that protects the long tube from the female part. Leaves are simple alternate dark green with toothed ridges. Plants are either herbs or shrubs and even as trees. At present in this group has gained much popularity due to a variety of colors and shapes being produced by way of biotechnology.

Kashithetti, Savam-nari or Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus; family Apocynaceae); formerly known as Vinca rosea); it is an herb that bears white or pink flowers on all seasons. Leaves are small, simple and green; fruits paired follicles (2 to 4 cm long). Periwinkle contains alkaloids of medicinal values and cultivated in large scale.

Kadaladi, Mexican creeper, Rosa De Montana, Queen’s wreath or Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus;belonging to the plant family Polygonaceae) is a tendril -climber that grows wild it is invasive and troublesome. Its profuse flowers that grow in beautiful inflorescences are capable to make it a garden plant blush. Its flexible stem is used to make baskets by the tribal people.

Kanakambaram, Abuli or fire-cracker plant (Crossandra infundibuliformis; family Acanthaceae or Ruellia family) is a very popular flowering plant as its brightly colored flowers (blue to golden yellow) are used by women to adorn their hair. This plant is a shrub with simple oval leaves and its ripe fruits bearing pods burst when come in to contact with water; hence a favorite game for rural children and gained it the name fire-cracker plant.

Kanikkonna or golden-shower tree is a shrub (Cassia fistula; family Fabaceae); it is the State of Kerala’s official flower, as the name denotes its flowers are golden-yellow and grown in long pendent inflorescence. The ‘golden shower tree’ produces flowers early and considered as a clarion-call of the arrival of Vishu or Vaishakh a festival of flowers (golden flowers of this plant is used to adorn the image of Lord Krishna on the day of Vishu and shown to children as the first sight of the day for Vishu). A fully blown golden shower tree is a treat to the eye of the beholder and the fallen petals on the ground gives it the name ‘golden-shower’ tree.

Kongini or bendhi or Pot-marigold plant (Calendula officianalis family Austeraceae; Tribe Calendulae) is a weak stemmed annual herb with compound dark green leaves; it is widely grown for its aromatic and beautiful flowers (inflorescence with outer layer of petals forming the colorful part); aromatic compounds and dyes extracted from flowers. Marigold flowers are worn by women on auspicious occasions like marriage and celebrations.

Kulamariyan, Madhumalti or Rangoon or Chinese creeper is an invasive, spiny creeper plant that grows wild and spread quick covering the whole area by producing roots and fresh spouts from creeping stem. (Quisqualis indica; family; Combretaceae). Its inflorescences are pendent, flowers five petalled, rich in honey with a tubular stalks; appear white when freshly blown and turns red by passing of the day. Leaves of this plant are used as anti-worm potion. This plant has some medicinal uses and its stem is used for making baskets by tribal people.

Mandaram or Dwarf white bauhinia (Bauhinia acuminata family Fabaceae; sub family Caesalpinioidae) is a garden grown plant that grow only up two meters in height (certain varieties grow as trees bearing blue flowers and often grown on street-sides). Generally dwarf bauhinias bear white shiny flowers on all seasons; flowers are with five petals; leaves camel-foot shaped (hence it is known as camel-foot plant also) and broad, fruits are pods (15 cm in length and 1.5 cm broad; bear 6 to 10 seeds.

Mukkutti or life-plant a short herb with pinnate leaves (eight to seventeen in number) that radiates from the stem (Biophytum sensitivum; family Oxalidaceae), flowers yellow; five petalled long stalked. Biophytum plant has many names like Aleluya in French, nilakurunji in Tamil, Lejjalu in Gujarathi etc. It collapses when stirred (hence the Hindi name Lajjalu meaning shy) it regains shape afterwards the commotion. Mukkutti is of high medicinal value and widely used in Ayurveda.

Mulla or Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum family Oleaceae) is one of the most popular flowers for its enchanting fragrance; flowers are white, five petalled, with tubular stalk; leaves generally simple and dark-green. About 200 species exist in this group. Jasminum sambac has many petals (called chendu-mulla meaning bouquet jasmine. Jasmine is a favorite flower of Indian ladies and is widely cultivated for flowers from which oleoresins are extracted.

Nalumani or Four O clock plant (Mirabilis jalapa; family Nyctagenacea) is a herb that grows on a bulb like underground stem (rhizome). It is widely grown for the beautiful bell-like flowers that appear on all seasons, the colorful part is the calyx (outer layer of petals) that is fused to form the tube. Seeds are black with wrinkled surface. This herb blooms exactly at 4 o clock gaining the name Nalumani meaning 4 O Clock in Malayalam.

Neelakurunhi has no common English name as the plant is quite endemic to the Western Ghats of Malabar (botanical name Strobilanthes kunthiana; family Acanthaceae).They flower during intervals of 12 to 16 years and hence are plientesials. Flowers are blue and born in thick bright blue inflorescences painting the entire area blue. The flowering season of Neelakurunhi is August to November; September being the peak season attracting flock of tourists to Munnar where it grows abundantly.

Nandiarvattom or Crepe jasmine or Carnation of India (Tabeamaemontana diverticata family Apocyanaceae) is a small shrub that produces white fragrant flowers throughout the year, leaves are simple, dark green, fruits are rarely produced; propagation done mainly through stem cuttings. These flowers are considered sacred and used for temple performances.

Pala or Black-board tree or Indian devil tree (Alstonia scholaris family Apocynaceae, tribe Plumeceae) a soft-stemmed tree with highly fragrant tiny flowers that open during night. Several leaves (seven, nine etc) arise from a single nod and several braches start from the same joint giving the tree a particular shape. Fruits are long pods that hang in clusters. Pala is believed to be the abode of fairies by Indian myths! The fragrance of its flower is sweet when light but causes giddiness when smelled; may be the reason for this innocent tree being called devil tree!

Pitchi, Jathimalli or Common jasmine or Poet’s jasmine (Jasminum officinale; family Oleaceae) a weak stemmed climber plant that bears extremely aromatic white flower clusters; this plant’s leaves, roots and flowers have medicinal value. Leaves are pinnately compound with seven leaflets with a larger one at the tip. Laces made of Pitchi flowers are a craze to any Indian lady and these flowers are sold at high prices.

Rajamalli, Dasa-mandaram or Dwarf poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima family Fabaceae) is a spiny shrub; it is a garden plant for its beautiful inflorescence with yellow and reddish flowers; leaves are compound with numerous leaflets. Pods contain five to seven seeds. As the name indicates this plant is a small shrub that does not grow more than 4 meters in height. .

Sankhu-pushpam, Gokarna, aparojita or Butterfly pea or blue- pea vine (Clitoria ternatea family Fabaceae; tribe Cicereae) is a climber plant that bears blue conch shaped inner part above blue or white lower petal. Leaves are green pinnately compound, has much medicinal values. The shape of conch-shell is behind the name of Shankupushpam; shanku means conch-shell in Malayalam (conch-shell is also considered sacred by Hindus).

Thamara, Kamalam, Padmam or Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera family Nelumbonaceae belonging to the order Proteales). It is an aquatic plant that grows in fresh water lakes and ponds with stem buried in the ground. Lotus leaves are round and floats on water connected to the stem with long stalks. Flowers are fragrant and have many red to white colored petals. Lotus is a sacred flower by Hindus and goddess Saraswati is believed to be seated on a lotus flower (Saraswati is the goddess of learning and wisdom).

Thetti, Thechi or West Indian jasmine or Jungle geranium (Ixora coccinia family Rubiaceae) is an evergreen shrub that grows to less than 8 feet. Flowers are in cymose recemes; generally brick-red to yellow in color. Thetti is also a sacred plant and used in temple rituals. It is a widely grown garden plant; leaves are simple and dark green; has extensive use in Ayurvedic medicines.

Thottavadi or Tickle me plant (Mimosa pudica family leguminosae); it has many names such as ‘touch me not, shameful plant, sleeping grass, prayer plant etc due to its property to temporarily wilt when touched (thigmotropism). It flowers profusely during the onset of summer and stays flowered until the end of autumn. Flowers are lilac with numerous stamens giving it a ball shaped beautiful shape. It is a spiny creeping plant and grows in waste lands and on road-sides. Mimosa plant has medicinal properties that can cure piles, urinary stone etc.

Thulasi or Holy basil plant is an herb with high medicinal value (Ocimum tunnuiflorumor Ocimum sanctum of the family Laminaceae) and hence considered holy by Indian culture. It is an herb (about three feet in height) with small aromatic simple leaves; flowers terminal racemes. It is grown in front of the houses on special platforms and watered and housewives circumambulate around this plant every morning with folded hands as this plant is supposed to be a holy one.

Thumba or Leucas plant (Leucas indica or Leucas aspera) is a wild tiny herb (less than 10 inches in height) that produces white shiny flowers. During onam celebrations; people of Kerala make floral designs in front-yard and thumba plant is an essential item in this process. This plant has insect repulsive properties and extensive medicinal use in Ayurvedic medicines.

Vakha, Gulmohur, Krishna-chura or Royal Poinciana is a weak-stemmed tree with compound leaves with numerous leaflets (Delonix regia family Fabaceae). Its flowers are extremely beautiful with one white and other four red petals. Fruits are large sword-like pods with many seeds. A Gulmohur plant at full-bloom is an unforgettable sight.

Velipparuthi or Spanish-flag is a wild invasive spiny shrub (Lantana camara; family Verbenaceae); its flowers are arranged in terminal cymes (that is born at the tip of the branch and in dumbbell shaped inflorescence). Flowers are tiny but very attractive; younger sporting lighter color.

This list is not complete as the flowering plants in this part of the land are endless; selection is made based on their wideness in distribution and medicinal value.

Candle making

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Candle making

Wise people all around the world say; “don’t curse darkness; light a candle”; that is the majesty of humble candle- sticks. They are the simplest things that can eliminate darkness; need no power or liquid fuels that are difficult to be carried or stored. Candles can be easily made and easily used; they are the right choice when on a journey or at home when power fails. Candles are in-expensive, safe, easy to store and child-friendly. Candle making is done for a living or as a hobby.

Candle Making Tools

A simple two-piece metallic frame jointed by hinges (lap top shape) each part can hold half piece of the six candle moulds (semi-hollow cylinders that open and close with the frame) is the main tool. The bottom pieces of the hollow tubular moulds have slots at the center to hold the thread in position. Two large vessels; one for boiling water and another for cooling the mould, a snouted metallic jug with handle for melting and pouring wax in to the moulds; that is all as utensils for the project.

Raw materials for making candle

Raw materials are bars or pellets of solid paraffin (called wax –a petroleum product), coloring pigments packaging materials, cotton thread to be used as wicks, perfumes that can be added to molten wax, some vegetable oil (used to oil the inside of moulds). All these are readily available in stores; but for the frames with moulds specific stores are to be approached.

Process of making candles

Hold the metallic mould sets open apply some vegetable oil at the inner portions of the moulds; tie one end of the thread at the frame and pass it through the slots provided at the end pieces from top to bottom on one and from bottom to top of the next in a zigzag manner and tie the end firmly to the frame. Close the frame and place it with open top ends of the moulds upwards. Boil some water in the large vessel and place the metallic mug filled with wax pellets in to the vessel.

Take care to see the mouth of the mug stays above the water level. At some time the wax melt in to liquid that can be poured in to the mould-sets. When all the moulds are filled with molten wax; let it get cooled for two minutes and place the mould as such in the vessel with coldwater.

Take it out after five minutes; open the frame and take out the candles as connected with the thread. Cut the thread leaving half a centimeter at the top end as wicks. Your candles are ready to be packed and marketed; generally six candles (half a dozen) are enclosed in pack.

Decorative candles

Candles are perhaps more used for decorative purpose than for getting light; it is here the use of coloring pigments arise; here wax is melted in different jars and pigments added to each jar as per the design of the candles. Adding of suitable perfumes is also a must for fancy and decorative candles. Moulds are also of different shapes based on the occasion like making ‘diyas’ (candles for floating on rivers at celebrations), birthday parties, weddings etc. Egg-shells, shells of seeds, carved moulds are all used based on the occasions. Beautiful home-made candles make excellent gift items.

Marketing

Four ‘P’s are must for any industry to prosper; they are’ p’roduct, ‘p’rice ‘p’ackaging and ‘p’romotion. Small scale manufacturers may find it hard to market the products they must take care that all the above Ps are important and should be strictly observed to prosper in the trade.

Product can be improved by better designs, coloring and application of perfumes; price by offering competitive discounts to the dealers. Packaging is the most important part in candle marketing; use beautiful screen printed wrappers; Spraying the wrapper with lasting perfume also is a trick over and above adding perfume in molten wax .

If the first three Ps are OK promotion becomes easy; village fares, churches, celebrations are all occasions for the marketing of candles. Once get established enhancing capacity alone may be the problem as candles are always in demand. Happy candle making to all of you; laugh all your way to the bank!

Cultivating the Curing

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Interest on medicinal plants has grown tremendously as a re-emerging health aid and it is evident in the rising number of prescription of drugs in the maintenance of personal health and well being. Apart from the continuous requirement of medicinal plants in traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Amchi,interest is also growing to the development of neutraceuticals and cosmetic industries, which attained world attention. It is estimated that annual turn over of cosmetic and flavour industry exceeds 3,00,000 crore comprising more than hundred essential oils world over.

In recent years herbal industry has been one of the major driving forces in the global economy. It is estimated that the global trade in medicinal plants is US $ 800 million per year. The recent study on “Future of Herbal Export “conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) stated that the export of herbal products and medicines had the potential to reach Rs 120 billion by 2012 from the current Rs 30 billion with the creation of exclusive Export Promotion Zones (EPZ) across India. The export of medicinal plants from India have registered around 20 per cent growth in the last financial year and the country is the second largest exporter of herbal plants after China in the global arena, nearly doubling the volume in the last five years. According to official source, the total value of medicinal plants export from the country was Rs. 594.77 crore during the year of 2008-09, making a growth of 19.3 per cent over the previous year. As per the provisional data available currently, the country’s share in the export of medicinal plants and herbs in the global market during the current financial year is Rs 685.14 crore. About 1400 herbal preparations are used widely in India, according to a recent study.

Kerala is one of the leading states in the promotion of herbal industry. In Kerala, it is estimated that annual sale of Ayurvedic medicines accounts about Rs.150 crore. Apart from the ageold practices of Ayurvedic systems in its purest form, the State holds a prominent position in the herbal tourism, which is a dwelling activity at present for remarkable earning source and generates employment potential. The ample and continuous availability of the genuine raw material is a major factor in the development and existence of ayurvedic industry. The manufacture of garments with medicinal plants ‘Ayurvasthra’ is yet another recently added bead in the herbal industry. It is estimated that ayurvedic industry in Kerala has used at least Rs 75-80 crore worth of medicinal plants and herbs as raw materials annually.

Kerala experiences the humid tropic climate suitable to flourish many medicinal plants useful for the domestic herbal industry and high value low volume compounds in the modern system of medicine. It is revealed that, about 60-65 per cent of plants used in the Ayurvedic medicine and 80 per cent of the plants used in Siddha medicine are found in the forest of Kerala. The tropical medicinal plants inhabiting in Kerala cannot be found elsewhere in the world. There is urgent need to protect the herbal wealth in our forests and provide the genuine raw material for the quality drug preparation in the rapidly growing herbal industry the State for which cultivation of medicinal plant is highly needed. Since the State has less land area and high land value, the medicinal plants can be recommended to cultivate as intercrop in plantations and forests through tribals. It would be worthwhile to encourage homestead cultivation and along with food and other commercial crops in Kerala.

Rural women have an active role and extensive involvement in the development of our society and the Nation. In Kerala, the Self Help Groups and Kudumbasree units are well established in many small scale income generation activities using natural and synthetic resources compared to other states in India.

Medicinal plant cultivation can be treated as an alternative income generation source for the rural unemployed women without hampering their ongoing income generating activities. Compared to other crops, medicinal plant cultivation requires less attention and expenditure. In order to promote medicinal plant cultivation and women empowerment in the State, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram has implemented a model Project on “Women Empowerment and Medicinal Plant Cultivation” at Kanjikuzhi Grama Panchayat, Alapuzha with the co-operation of the Panchayath.

Activities

Keeping the major objectives to promote homestead cultivation and income generation for the rural women without hampering their ongoing domestic and other income generating activities, it is selected 200 women beneficiaries from different wards by conducting a local awareness programme on medicinal plant cultivation with the help of Kanjikuzhi Grama Panchayat Standing Committee. The selected beneficiaries were grouped with ten members who were residing closely. A leader beneficiary was selected from each group and special instructions and guidelines were given to co-ordinate the group activities.

Training on medicinal plant cultivation was imparted to the beneficiaries with study materials. The highly demanded medicinal plants in Ayurvedic industries in Kerala and suitable for the agro climatic condition of Alappuzha district were selected for the cultivation purpose. Industrially highly demanded medicinal plants selected for the cultivation were Plumbago rosea (Chuvanna koduveli), Holostemma annulare (Adapathiyan), Aloe Vera (Kattarvazha), Indigofera tinctoria (Neela amari), Vetiveria zizanioides (Ramacham), Alpinia calcarata (Chittaratha) Kampferia galangal (Kacholam), Asparagus recemosus (Sathavari) etc.

The evaluation indicated that more than 80 per cent of the beneficiaries were actively involved in the programme. They expanded the cultivation area by raising the seedlings and propagules followed by the training obtained. Most of the beneficiaries earned partial income by selling the raw materials and seedlings of the target plants.

Establishment of Medicinal Plant Nursery

Establishment of a scientifically organised nursery for medicinal plant cultivation was one of the major objectives to sustain the programme after completion of the Project. The target medicinal plants of the project was propagated in the nursery and raised in separate beds to demonstrate model cultivation field. In addition, other live collection of 25 uncommon medicinal plants to the public was also exhibited in the nursery.

With the successful completion of the Project, as per Agreement placed before the funding agencies, the nursery and other assets were handed over to the Kanjikuzhi Grama Panchayat followed by inauguration by Dr. T. M. Thomas Isaac, Minister for Finance, on 27th December 2009.

Outcome

The project is a model one to promote medicinal plant cultivation in the State. Implementation of this project created a general awareness on medicinal plant cultivation and promoted homestead cultivation in the Kanjikuzhi Grama Panchayath for unemployed women. They were benefited to generate partial income through this programme.

With the effective functioning of the Co-operative Society formed, as part of this project, will be highly beneficial to promote medicinal plant cultivation by adopting various strategies and establishing viable marketing linkages for the medicinal plant trade in the State. With the appropriate development and stream lining of policies, in future, the Society can enter into National and International marketing of raw materials, herbal based value added products, cosmetics and neutraceuticals etc.

It can check the existing exploitation of raw material by mediators in the burgeoning medicinal plant trade apart from supplying genuine raw material for production of quality herbal drugs.

The nursery established for the medicinal plant cultivation in this project can be maintained as a centre for the production of genuine planting
materials.

Article written by :- Dr C.G.Sudha, Scientist & Principal Investigator of the Project Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Division, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Tourism-(GOC)

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Kerala, touted as one of the 50 must see destinations of a lifetime by National Geographic Travel has always been a favorite tourist destination of all times. This emerald patch of green located at the southern most tip of India, is the right place to be in for a relaxed holiday. Explore the unseen and experience the mystical beauty as Kerala tourism would unravel the best kept secrets of this enchanting land .

Nature has bestowed Kerala with long expanses of golden sandy beaches, lush green forests, lofty mountains and enchanting backwaters. No matter whether you are here for adventure tours, wild life trails or a relaxing village tour, you are rest assured of some of the best moments of your life.

Kerala tourism has come out with innovative tour ideas and convenient tourist packages that ensure some thing special for everyone. Check out the many options including village tours, honey moon packages, adventure sports, medical tours and ecotourism among others. There are well equipped modern hotels with various tariff options to suit your budget

Experience the power of the natural healing of Ayurveda in any of the resorts where therapies are done as per the ancient tests and dietary prescriptions or set out on a relaxing houseboat tours in its pristine back waters. Possibilities are truly countless

Explore some of the best known places on earth for you where you can give shape to all your fanciful holiday ideas. Relax and unwind in the lap of nature at one of the reclusive mountain resorts tucked away in the mountains, set out on a country boat ride or enjoy a camp stay under the star lit skies. There are many travel agencies that offer unbeatable packages that include everything from pick and drop at easy rates.

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As ornaments are to women; Intoxication has been the weakness of males; it has been there for millenniums and will be there as long as human beings will be living here on the face of the earth. People have improvised many techniques to get intoxicated like smoking tobacco, hash, eating opium, drinking all sorts of liquors like beer, wine brandy whisky etc. Among all them; Kallu or toddy (pronounced as cull) is perhaps the most difficult thing to be produced; but with a glassful inside the pain of producing or paying for it vanishes; that is magic with toddy or palm-wine! It is white in color sweet in taste and act slow; with enduring impact.

A toddy tapper

Toddy is called that even the Gandharvas (demigods who visited earth at random) quenched their thirst with this holy brew. Those who tap it are called toddy tappers. They are healthy and generally hard-working as only such people can perform this hazardous job of climbing several trees and performing this hard work. They wear a short loin-cloth for easy climbing and a belt with which a wooden flat box which carries a sharp flat knife, some mud in a tiny pot, a plastic jug and big femur bone of antelopes dangling on the belt -reminding a NYPD (New York Police Department) officer with belt that contain baton, gun, phone and other paraphernalia. Contractors who lease coconut trees from their owners on yearly basis; entrust the job of tapping on toddy tappers. For easy climbing coconut husks are attached with coir on the tree in every two feet interval lengths; changing a tree in to a ladder.

The making

The tapper climbs at the top of the tree and select a half matured bud, cut its top shapes its ridge with the mud and place a mud pitcher so that the oozing liquid is collected in the pitcher without losing even a drop. He mildly taps the selected bud from bottom to top so that the sap flows smooth to the pitcher. His next visit is to collect the liquid in to a jar attached to the belt, descent and take the product to the contractor (two visits a day early morning and evening). That collected in the evening would be ready to use by the morning (as it becomes adequately fermented within that time). It is the fermentation that adds ‘kick’ to the brew.

‘ Kallu-kudian’ (guzzler of toddy) of the yesteryears

There were people who guzzled more than six bottles (650 ml each) of toddy in one session. Toddy guzzlers were a separate tribe; they were macho, bold acid tongued and went on abusing ordinary people of the street without any reason. Some of the bold ones even took off their cloth and tie on heads as a mark of courage. At times some may get lynched by the angry public (just part of the game). The guzzler was neither ashamed not deterred by these trivial events and when public left he reaches home and empty his anger on his hapless wife. In this process his children go to bed without food. Next day he leaves home for work as if nothing had happened! One of the main reasons for poverty on this part of the land was the affinity of workmen to this combination of kallu and kappa accompanied by hot meen curry (fish-curry).

Just Cophetua complex!

The author remembers a poem written by Alfred Lord Tennesson; based on a Greek folklore “King and the beggar-maid”. When a beggar maid; bare-footed and wearing torn clothes walked through the street adjacent to the palace of King Cophetua. King noticed her extreme beauty. As if struck by some magic; he forgot his queen left his throne and rushed to the street to meet and greet her on her way. In the poet’s words “It was no wonder said the lords; She was more beautiful than day!”.

When an emperor of Cophetua’s stature in robe and crown ran forgetting his family to meet a bare-footed beggar-maid; what about a worker got lured by the big black and white board written in Malayalam declaring the stuff that is packed inside? He was already very tired after the punishing work and seeking some solace in a magical potion of toddy, tapioca and fish-curry; it is simply such a wonderful combination worth all his earnings of the day; no one can resist like the beggar maid to Cophetua. What if wife gets beaten and his children starve; let us blame it on Cophetua complex and not the poor worker!

A vanishing tribe

Toddy tappers coloquely known as 'chethukaran' of Kerala as were one of the earliest unionized groups and politicians went on appeasing them by frequent wage hikes. The process of making and trading also were made a national procedure! All these made toddy an extremely unaffordable commodity and guzzlers were forced by the circumstances to seek alternatives. This void got filled by spurious materials that resembled toddy and gave a stronger ‘kick’. Drunkards flocked to the synthetic stuff making toddy tapping altogether obsolete. If the liquid could be made with in a shed with some quantity cheap mashed ash-gourd (which can be collected from vegetable store - they sell rotten ones at huge discount - added with some yeast, sugar and a little spirit! By next day the potion is ready to be filtered and bottled. Why fret of climbing tall trees twice a day? Toddy tappers have become an endangered species and those guzzlers have already become extinct by drinking this synthetic potion; those who are still alive spent their time in deathbed remembering those nostalgic days of walking stark naked and abusing passersby!

Like the course of true love!

Remember toddy is a nationalized liquid and direct-selling by tree owners is strictly prohibited. Those who are particular to have a taste of real toddy should approach a tapper in secret and express his wish to just have a lick on the real thing; if the tapper is kind and greedy enough he may take you beneath a toddy tapping tree and hand over the original stuff un-adulterated and fresh. There is a hitch; it is highly illegal and if caught it may land the patron and tapper himself may be in jeopardy. Among tappers spying each other is the order of the day and those who are caught trading original stuff may be branded as traitors and banned from tapper-ship. It all may be done after adequately handling the hapless patrons! Okay a good thing doesn’t come always cheap like the course of true love and toddy is a good thing too!

Tail-piece

Once (when good quality toddy was available in plenty) there lived a village poor woman with three children and drunkard husband. One day her brother – a die-hard teetotaler- paid a visit to her house; the woman poured her cup of woes to him and implored him to advice her husband to stop drinking; reluctantly the brother approached his in-law to administer some good advices and found him enjoying the toddy filled cup. After some time the woman peeped through the Key-hole and found her brother weeping profusely. On enquiry he sobbed “what wretched man was me; who wasted 45 long years without tasting such a good thing; however I will correct my ways from here on and be a partner to your good husband; who showed me what real pleasure is!

റമദാന്‍ : നേടിയെടുക്കേണ്ടത് ആത്മീയ വിമലീകരണം

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ഒരു ബഹുമത സമൂഹത്തിലാണ് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ മുസ്ലിം സമുദായം ജീവിക്കുന്നത് . അത് കൊണ്ട് തന്നെ അവരുടെ ആചാരാനുഷ്ടാനങ്ങള്‍ ഇതര മത ആചാരങ്ങളുമായി കൂടി ചേരുവാനോ , അവയുടെ യഥാര്‍ത്ഥ ഉദ്ദേശ്യ ലക്ഷ്യങ്ങള്‍ തെറ്റിദ്ധരിക്കപ്പെടുവാണോ സാദ്ധ്യത ഏറെയാണ് .മതേതരത്വം എന്നാല്‍ എല്ലാ മതങ്ങളും ലയിച്ചു ചേരുന്ന ഒരു മതം എന്ന വീക്ഷണത്തിലേക്ക് ബോധപൂര്‍വ്വമോ അല്ലാതെയോ നയിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന ഇക്കാലത്ത് പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും .

ഇസ്ലാമിലെ ഏതു അനുഷ്ടാനം എടുത്തു പരിശോധിച്ചാലും അവയ്ക്കൊക്കെ ആത്മീയവും ഭൌതികവുമായ മാനങ്ങള്‍ കാണാവുന്നതാണ് . എന്നാല്‍ ഒരു യഥാര്‍ത്ഥ സത്യവിശ്വാസി ഒരിക്കലും അവയുടെ ഭൌതിക നേട്ടങ്ങള്‍ അവ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കിക്കൂടാ.

1.ഇസ്ലാമിലെ ഒന്നാമത്തെ അനുഷ്ടാനം ആരാധനക്കര്‍ഹ്ഹന്‍ അല്ലാഹു അല്ലാതെ മറ്റാരുമില്ലെന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കലാണ് . നബി തിരുമേനി (സ )അരുളിയത് ഏതൊരാള്‍ നിഷ്കളങ്കമായി ' ലാ ഇലാഹ ഇല്ലല്ലാഹ് ' പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചാല്‍ അവന്‍ സ്വര്‍ഗ്ഗത്തില്‍ പ്രവേശിച്ചു എന്നാണു . 'ലാ ഇലാഹ ഇല്ലല്ലാഹ്' എന്ന് നിഷ്കളങ്കമായി പറയുവാന്‍ ആത്മ വിശുദ്ധി കൈ വരിച്ച ഒരാള്‍ക്കേ സാധിക്കൂ എന്നുള്ള കാര്യം ഇവിടെ വ്യക്തമാണ് .

2. ഇസ്ലാമിലെ അഞ്ചു നേരത്തെ നമസ്കാരമെടുത്തു പരിശോധിച്ചാല്‍ പ്രവാചക തിരുമേനിയുടെ വാക്കുകളിലൂടെ നമുക്ക് കാണുവാന്‍ സാധിക്കുന്നത് ഇപ്രകാരമാണ് : ഒരാളുടെ വീടിനു സമീപത് കൂടി ഒരു നദി ഒഴുകുന്നു . അയാള്‍ ദിവസവും അഞ്ചു നേരം അതില്‍ മുങ്ങിക്കുളിക്കുന്നു . അയാളുടെ മേല്‍ അഴുക്കുണ്ടാവുമോ ? ഇല്ല . അപ്രകാരമാണ് അഞ്ചു നേരത്തെ നമസ്കാരം .രണ്ടു നമസ്കാരങ്ങള്‍ക്കിടയില്‍ സംഭവിക്കാവുന്ന ചെറിയ തിന്മകള്‍ അടുത്ത നമസ്കാരത്തോട് കൂടി പൊറുക്കപ്പെട്ട് അയാള്‍ ആത്മീയമായി വിമലീകരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു . ( അല്ലാഹു ഉദ്ദേശിച്ചാല്‍ ) .

3. ഇസ്ലാമിലെ 'സക്കാത്ത്' സമ്പ്രദായത്തെ കുറിച്ച് മനസ്സിലാക്കിയാല്‍ അറിയുവാന്‍ കഴിയുന്നത് ,ഒരാള്‍ ഹലാലായ(അനുവദനീയമായ) മാര്‍ഗ്ഗത്തില്‍ കൂടി സമ്പാദിച്ച ധനത്തില്‍ കടന്നു കൂടിയേക്കാവുന്ന ഹറാമിനെ(നിഷിധമായതിനെ) ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കുവാനാണ് അതില്‍ നിന്നും നിശ്ചിത വിഹിതം ദാനമായി നല്‍കുവാന്‍ കല്പ്പിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നത്

4. ഇസ്ലാമിലെ വൃതത്തെ കുറിച്ച് അല്ലാഹു പറയുന്നത് ഇപ്രകാരമാണ് :

സത്യവിശ്വാസികളേ, നിങ്ങളുടെ മുമ്പുള്ളവരോട്‌ കല്‍പിച്ചിരുന്നത്‌
പോലെത്തന്നെ നിങ്ങള്‍ക്കും നോമ്പ്‌ നിര്‍ബന്ധമായി
കല്‍പിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. നിങ്ങള്‍ ദോഷബാധയെ സൂക്ഷിക്കുവാന്‍
വേണ്ടിയത്രെ അത്‌." (Holy Quran 2:183)

5.ഇസ്ലാമിലെ മറ്റൊരു അനുഷ്ടാനമായ ഹജ്ജ്‌ കര്‍മ്മം ( ഹലാലായ സമ്പാദ്യം ഉപയോഗിച്ച് അല്ലാഹുവിന്റെ പ്രവാചകന്‍ (സ )പഠിപ്പിച്ച പ്രകാരം )നിര്‍വ്വഹിച്ച ഒരു മനുഷ്യന്റെ അവസ്ഥ 'അവന്റെ ഉമ്മ അവനെ പ്രസവിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ അവന്‍ എത്ര മാത്രം നിഷ്കളങ്കനാണോ'അപ്രകാരമായിരിക്കും.

എന്നാല്‍ ഇവയുടെ മറു ഭാഗം കൂടി ഇസ്ലാം വ്യക്തമാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട് , അത് വിശ്വാസികള്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ ശ്രദ്ധിക്കെണ്ടാതുമാണ് . അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ നമ്മുടെ പ്രവര്‍ത്തനങ്ങള്‍ പാഴാവുക മാത്രമല്ല നഷ്ടക്കാരില്‍ പെടുകയും ചെയ്യും .

1. ഒരാള്‍ 'ലാ ഇലാഹ ഇല്ലല്ലാഹ്'(ആരാധനക്കര്‍ഹ്ഹന്‍ അല്ലാഹു അല്ലാതെ മറ്റാരുമില്ല) എന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച ശേഷം സൃഷ്ടികളെ ആരാധിക്കുന്ന പക്ഷം അവന്‍ വിശ്വാസത്തില്‍ കളങ്കം(ശിര്‍ക്ക്) വന്നവനും അല്ലാഹു ഒരിക്കലും പൊറുക്കില്ലെന്നു പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുള്ള മഹാ പാപം ചെയ്തവനുമാകും .

2.നമസ്കരിക്കുന്ന ,കൈകള്‍ രണ്ടും ഉയര്‍ത്തി കണ്ണ്നീര്‍ വാര്‍ത്ത്പ്രാര്‍ഥിക്കുന്ന വഴി യാത്രക്കാരനെ പോലെ തോന്നിക്കുന്ന ഒരാളെ ചൂണ്ടി പ്രവാചക തിരുമേനി (സ) ചോദിച്ചു : " അയാളുടെ പ്രാര്‍ത്ഥന അല്ലാഹു എങ്ങനെ സ്വീകരിക്കും ? അയാളുടെ വസ്ത്രം ഹറാം ,ധനം ഹറാം , അയാള്‍ ഊട്ടപ്പെടുന്നതും ഹറാമില്‍ നിന്ന് ". വ്യക്തമാണ് കാര്യം .നമസ്കാരം മൂലം സ്വായതമാക്കേണ്ട ആത്മീയ ഗുണങ്ങള്‍ ഒരാള്‍ നേടിയില്ലെങ്കില്‍ എന്താണ് സംഭവിക്കുക എന്ന് വളരെ വ്യക്തം .

3.'വലതു കൈ ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നത് ഇടതു കൈ അറിയരുത്' എന്ന വചനം പ്രസിദ്ധമാണല്ലോ . തന്നെ കാണുമ്പോള്‍ ആളുകള്‍ ബഹുമാനിക്കുവാനും പുകഴ്ത്തി പറയുവാനും വേണ്ടി ചെയ്യുന്ന ദാനം അല്ലാഹുവിനു ആവശ്യമില്ല എന്ന് മാത്രമല്ല അതിന്റെ പേരില്‍ പരലോകത്ത് കഠിന ശിക്ഷയും അറിയിക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട് .

4.നോമ്പിന്റെ സവിശേഷതകള്‍ നിരവധിയാണ് .'റമദാന്‍' മാസത്തിലാണ് നോമ്പ് നിര്‍ബന്ധമാക്കിയിട്ടുള്ളത് .റമദാന്‍ എന്നാല്‍ 'കരിച്ചു കളയുന്നത്' എന്നര്‍ത്ഥം. സംഭവിച്ചു പോയ പാപങ്ങല്‍ അല്ലാഹു അവന്റെ മഹത്തായ കാരുണ്യം കൊണ്ട് മാപ്പ് ചോദിക്കുന്ന വിശ്വാസികള്‍ക്ക്പൊറുത്തു കൊടുക്കുന്നത് വഴി അവരുടെ പാപങ്ങള്‍ കരിച്ചു കളയപ്പെടുകയാണ് . നോമ്പ്‌ അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ വൃതം എന്നതിന് അല്ലാഹു ഖുര്‍ആനില്‍ ഉപയോഗിച്ച പദം 'സിയാം'( സംയമനം ) എന്നാണു.നോമ്പ് സംയമനം പരിശീലിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന മാസമാണ് .എന്നാല്‍ ഇതൊന്നും മനസ്സിലാക്കുകയോ ,പരിഗണിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യാതെ ഒരാള്‍ പകല്‍ മുഴുവന്‍ പട്ടിണി ഇരിക്കുന്നത് അല്ലാഹു സ്വീകരിക്കുകയില്ല എന്നതാണ് മനസ്സിലാക്കെണ്ട പ്രധാന കാര്യം

5.ഒരാള്‍ ഭൌതിക ലക്‌ഷ്യം ഉദ്ദേശിച്ചു (കച്ചവടമോ ,ജോലിയോ മറ്റോ) മക്കയിലേക്ക് പോയി ഹജ്ജിന്റെ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങള്‍ ചെയ്‌താല്‍ അത് ഹജ്ജ്‌ ആവുകയില്ല .

ഏതൊരുവന്‍ തന്റെ ആത്മാവിനെ വിമലീകരിച്ചുവോ അവന്‍ വിജയിച്ചു

(കൂടുതല്‍ കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ പണ്ഡിതന്മാരില്‍ നിന്നും മനസ്സിലാക്കുക )

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2012-05-03T17:09:00.001+05:30

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