although I do have some songs lined up to share and pending, I felt this had to be shared ASAP!
an amazing rendition.
an amazing rendition.
Alen Chandy Alexander
- Alen
- Studying Bachelor of Business Administration. Big Aspirant for Arts, Fun and Travel. Spoilt. Thoughtful. Son. Brother. Friend. Amateur Writer, Poet & Speaker. Foodie. you can ask me questions at www.formspring.me/
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
SpeakOut#12 - Peculiar people I saw at the Airport
So three days back, I was unloading myself and my bags from an auto early at 5 in the morning, the sun still away from the horizons of Trivandrum. Yet the people were awake and living around the city. The airport looked busier than it usually did during the day and so I guessed that it was probably the prime time for the airport.
I was excited about going to Abu Dhabi finally after a year and that made me anxious about how I fare through the airport procedures without having a problem. Due to that cautiousness, I noticed how the people, the crowds around me that walked in general turned to peculiar characters in the flight to Sharjah which I was going to board.
There was a lady around her 50s who did not know to speak a word or write other than from Malayalam. She got around the whole way by talking and it seemed like it was all she did. Everything that she found hard to do, she accomplished it by complaining or shouting around the passengers who would then oblige to do it for her. It was evident by this that where she was going, it was for household work and I wondered if she would get her work done there by talking alone too.
Keralites, as we ourselves have noticed, are people who mostly find it hard to do certain jobs because it doesn't stand upto their statuses yet go abroad to find themselves work for all those things they didn't like to go for at their native place.
Another person I noticed was a man who with his wife and 3 children was stopped at the last scanning area before the boarding gate because he had 3 huge family size bottles of water in his bagpack. It is against rules to carry liquid above 100ml and here this guy had 3 huge bottles. The guy reasoned by saying it was for his young daughter. The security then allowed them to carry a bottle however the man still persisted on wanting to carry 3 bottles! He finally took a bottle and left after the security repeated his offer several times even when he didn't need to.
That man even after being given a good offer although he was the one in violation still couldn't accept it when he was the one doing the wrong.
Don't pass me as judgemental. This is how we can notice things around and at times we can see bits of ourselves around through these things and even probably keep such incidents as reminders and mend ourselves. It was quite amusing to watch them too as I had nothing else to do other than passing off the airport procedures which was not much work.
There was a man who struggles to speak English and yet asks the lady at the airport cafe in English while she replies nicely in Malayalam. He stuck to talking English still and made her reply struggling too. She speaks better yet the whole thing looked awkward. In the end he inquired of every price there and bought cheap thinking he did good but still managed to wipe out his budget.
Keralites, as we ourselves have noticed, are people who mostly find it hard to do certain jobs because it doesn't stand upto their statuses yet go abroad to find themselves work for all those things they didn't like to go for at their native place.
Another person I noticed was a man who with his wife and 3 children was stopped at the last scanning area before the boarding gate because he had 3 huge family size bottles of water in his bagpack. It is against rules to carry liquid above 100ml and here this guy had 3 huge bottles. The guy reasoned by saying it was for his young daughter. The security then allowed them to carry a bottle however the man still persisted on wanting to carry 3 bottles! He finally took a bottle and left after the security repeated his offer several times even when he didn't need to.
That man even after being given a good offer although he was the one in violation still couldn't accept it when he was the one doing the wrong.
Don't pass me as judgemental. This is how we can notice things around and at times we can see bits of ourselves around through these things and even probably keep such incidents as reminders and mend ourselves. It was quite amusing to watch them too as I had nothing else to do other than passing off the airport procedures which was not much work.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
SpeakOut#11 - Easter Resolution!
I'm a very restless person. Cranky and grumpy infact lots of times. Resulted due to a habit of shoving away things that bother me.
Earlier, I was very good at shutting it inside and letting me and myself interfere with my problems and finish it. That was, however, plain burying it down somewhere until it came back to bug me real bad.
Then I learned to express it out somehow and it has been a good way to vent out, although keeping it inside or letting it out later still gives me a big headache for a while.
I had noticed that it gave me a bonus to burdens by adding a lot of stress to my face and body. I've only looked older because of it and that should prove how many changes one goes through in looks by stress alone.
However, by God's grace the smile my face can put up has been bigger than ever. He probably let me have that one thing to put down these problems.
I've realised that dealing with it at the earliest chance and clearing my mind from these unnecessary pounds of waste can take off a great deal of weight from my heart and wrinkles of my face. Talk about an effective anti-aging process along with those anti-oxidants from wine and ketchup :)
Why a resolution now and not one for New Years? Why hopes up for this resolution?
I'll work for this resolution from Easter because it is something way more special to me than New-Year's.
An oath taken between myself and God to keep the lent and reach the special day. I can finish that.
One of the mini-hurdles accomplished in life with ease, I can say for He is with me always.
So I keep another one for Him and me. Looking forward to accomplishing this effectively.
A good deed done to others along to myself hehe. May God be with us all.
Happy Easter! Our Lord has risen!
Earlier, I was very good at shutting it inside and letting me and myself interfere with my problems and finish it. That was, however, plain burying it down somewhere until it came back to bug me real bad.
Then I learned to express it out somehow and it has been a good way to vent out, although keeping it inside or letting it out later still gives me a big headache for a while.
I had noticed that it gave me a bonus to burdens by adding a lot of stress to my face and body. I've only looked older because of it and that should prove how many changes one goes through in looks by stress alone.
However, by God's grace the smile my face can put up has been bigger than ever. He probably let me have that one thing to put down these problems.
I've realised that dealing with it at the earliest chance and clearing my mind from these unnecessary pounds of waste can take off a great deal of weight from my heart and wrinkles of my face. Talk about an effective anti-aging process along with those anti-oxidants from wine and ketchup :)
Why a resolution now and not one for New Years? Why hopes up for this resolution?
I'll work for this resolution from Easter because it is something way more special to me than New-Year's.
An oath taken between myself and God to keep the lent and reach the special day. I can finish that.
One of the mini-hurdles accomplished in life with ease, I can say for He is with me always.
So I keep another one for Him and me. Looking forward to accomplishing this effectively.
A good deed done to others along to myself hehe. May God be with us all.
Happy Easter! Our Lord has risen!
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| Our Lord has risen! Hallelujah! |
SpeakOut#10 - Covering up for Memories that should have belonged to Childhood (2/2)
So this is what Aaron found the other day. Owlets from our relative's place!
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| The Super Cool Owl Pose |
Their mother was confident with her kids being with them, since she was keeping watch from a tree.
Much better, one of them even nipped at Aaron's finger when he tried to play. Reason why Owl Mum was fine!
Another incident that was good recently was how I learned to roast cashew nuts after plucking cashew fruits from the tree and biting them carefully, sipping the juice from it while trying to light a furnace in an old flower pot haha. My friends Riyas and Arun were those who introduced me to this very prevalent pastime amongst kids and elders alike in India who have come across a cashew tree. Shame, I noticed it in my backyard only when they came here hehe.
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| Riyas getting the cashews down! |
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| Arun with his prized Cashew Fruit |
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| One for y'all to see |
They say the whole neighborhood gets to know if you're roasting cashew nuts... as if the aroma gets faster than sound! The aroma was fresh and different too! Especially when the nuts hiss in the fire when the oil within leaves and calls you to inform that it is about to be ready :D Yummy!
Pictures like this can settle my point well, how one's Childhood can be great at the countryside here. It would be great if you can get your company from the surroundings and even better if you've got people along.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
GoodToListen#1 - Saari Raat by Noori from Coke Studio, Season 2
Gonna stay as one of my favorites! <3 The kind where you sit alone and listen to it in your huge headphones as you go immersing yourself in an amazing potpourri
SpeakOut#9 - Eye-Openers from Idukki Forest Reserves (3/3)
The Dams in Idukki are signatures of man's power with science at such an early time. From the classes given by our Forest Ranger, I learned that help to built the Idukki Arch Dam was given from the Government of Canada. We were also told that even though the advancement in technology has taken a very vast stride in the past years, at the time of emergency when the shutters of the dam have to be opened, engineers from Canada have to be called to operate the equipment there as the ones in India do not know yet how to operate them. I considered that as a careless remark though.
The Idukki Arch Dam, Cheruthoni Dam and Kulamavu Dam (which lies distant) together created an artifical lake that is 60 square km! (which is a really really huge size for those who aren't bothered by numbers).
Walk from the Forest Office, Vellapara for around 2-4 kms towards Idukki town, there is a diversion leading to the Hills View Park & Govt Guest House, Idukki. Closing in towards the end of the walk, first, we saw a small monument stating the name of the emissary from Canada who had come and stayed for the construction of the Dams. A training area by the Indian Navy for professional divers is also situated here. Walk a bit more and you can find the entry gate to the Cheruthoni Dam where access is strictly prohibited without permission.
We were in luck as our teachers had already obtained necessary permits to visit the dam. It is a very long walk from that gate where you cover the Cheruthoni Dam and marvel at the structure and view around the artificial lake and then reach the other side of the dam. This leads to the Kuravan Mala* where you've another long walk to the Idukki Arch Dam and then through a tunnel through Kuravathi Mala you can exit out at another side of Idukki. Signs of architecture were seen around these mountains. I had no count on how long that walk was but it was extremely tiring in the heat that day; but it payed off from the sight of power one could see with which the Idukki Arch Dam holds the water. Unfortunately, everywhere there Photography is strictly prohibited.
Myth has it that when Sita was bathing in the river of Periyar, a tribal couple called KuravanKuravathi saw her bathing (not knowing it was a wrong). When Sita saw them, she screamed for help. Lord Rama who came in a fit of rage cursed them to turn into separate mountains for eternity. The KuravanKuravathi couple pleaded innocent and explained and Lord Rama realised the mistake. However since the curse was made, Lord Rama promised them that during KaliYug, they would be united again by man. Although this didn't sound like logic to us in the first case for Sita having made a huge deal out of it, the Idukki Arch Dam which was built between the Kuravan and Kuravathi mountains thus joining them; proved this to become true apparently.
If you keep walking without turning for the Cheruthoni Dam Gate, you reach the Hills View Park & Govt. Guest House, Idukki. The view from the Hills View Park (and the Govt. Guest House that border each other) of the Cheruthoni and Idukki Arch Dam is a breathtaker. The Hills View Park is also a great picnic spot for families with a huge pond within it which reminded me of the beach.
Note : Mala - Mountain
A detailed official description of these dams can be found at http://www.theindia.info/travel/idukkidam.htm
The Idukki Arch Dam, Cheruthoni Dam and Kulamavu Dam (which lies distant) together created an artifical lake that is 60 square km! (which is a really really huge size for those who aren't bothered by numbers).
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| Cheruthoni Dam, at a bird's eye view. |
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| Cheruthoni Dam from within the Artificial Lake |
We were in luck as our teachers had already obtained necessary permits to visit the dam. It is a very long walk from that gate where you cover the Cheruthoni Dam and marvel at the structure and view around the artificial lake and then reach the other side of the dam. This leads to the Kuravan Mala* where you've another long walk to the Idukki Arch Dam and then through a tunnel through Kuravathi Mala you can exit out at another side of Idukki. Signs of architecture were seen around these mountains. I had no count on how long that walk was but it was extremely tiring in the heat that day; but it payed off from the sight of power one could see with which the Idukki Arch Dam holds the water. Unfortunately, everywhere there Photography is strictly prohibited.
Myth has it that when Sita was bathing in the river of Periyar, a tribal couple called KuravanKuravathi saw her bathing (not knowing it was a wrong). When Sita saw them, she screamed for help. Lord Rama who came in a fit of rage cursed them to turn into separate mountains for eternity. The KuravanKuravathi couple pleaded innocent and explained and Lord Rama realised the mistake. However since the curse was made, Lord Rama promised them that during KaliYug, they would be united again by man. Although this didn't sound like logic to us in the first case for Sita having made a huge deal out of it, the Idukki Arch Dam which was built between the Kuravan and Kuravathi mountains thus joining them; proved this to become true apparently.
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| The Kuruvan & Kuravathi Mountains joined by the Idukki Arch Dam. Picture from www.subups.blogspot.com |
If you keep walking without turning for the Cheruthoni Dam Gate, you reach the Hills View Park & Govt. Guest House, Idukki. The view from the Hills View Park (and the Govt. Guest House that border each other) of the Cheruthoni and Idukki Arch Dam is a breathtaker. The Hills View Park is also a great picnic spot for families with a huge pond within it which reminded me of the beach.
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| View of the Artificial Lake |
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| The view of the Artificial Lake. At the center, Idukki Arch Dam. To the left out of sight, Cheruthoni Dam is situated. |
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| Pond within Hills View Park |
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| Government Guest House, Idukki |
A detailed official description of these dams can be found at http://www.theindia.info/travel/idukkidam.htm
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
SpeakOut#8 - Covering up for Memories that should have belonged to Childhood (1/2)
Your childhood memories can be your constant resort to revive your happiness and they can be awesome especially if you had it in India. Sure not all can have it same, but I've always wished I had something to remember as such from India.
My childhood spent in India was only when I used to come for summer/winter vacations from Abu Dhabi and they would flash by so fast since it would be just a lot of visits made to many relatives.
I was brought up in Abu Dhabi, U. A. E. Since my parents used to work and I had my younger brother along, we seldom used to go out to play and would rather be at home or baby sitting when we were very small. A part of the reason why I was stuck at home was because I guess I looked out to make the most from within the apartment because all my fun and frolic came from the visits my cousins used to make. I had a lot of big brothers and sisters to look up to then and they were all the fun I wanted then. Other than that my constant joy was at Church from what I can remember. I miss the fun and happiness which both my cousins and Church used to give me.
However, this pretty much proves that I'm not much of an outdoor/sports person while my brother, Aaron is the opposite to this. He loves to go outdoors and catches the fun there and has covered up for all the time lost so in Abu Dhabi by using it here. Dislocated an arm after falling while climbing a tree, roamed around fields and played around, made good acquaintances and also does a lot of pastimes which I joined along with too.
Eating from the Chambakka Tree has been one of them (which used to happen even during vacations). Another thing to point out (or which you would have already deduced) is that I'm an avid eater more than a writer, reader or traveller.
When it is hot and I've nothing to do, I go to my backyard and look around. Checking if there is something I want to do like tend to the animals (Appa* has made it quite a small farm out here)
or walk around and watch the activity around silently, I go to the Chambakka tree to pay my homage and search for the reddest chambakkas and eat a few, relish them especially if it is after a fast rain to feel the cold and moist but tangy taste charge me. Once that is done and I've summarised to myself that all is good, I go back inside my den to cool off.
Note : *Appa - Father
My childhood spent in India was only when I used to come for summer/winter vacations from Abu Dhabi and they would flash by so fast since it would be just a lot of visits made to many relatives.
I was brought up in Abu Dhabi, U. A. E. Since my parents used to work and I had my younger brother along, we seldom used to go out to play and would rather be at home or baby sitting when we were very small. A part of the reason why I was stuck at home was because I guess I looked out to make the most from within the apartment because all my fun and frolic came from the visits my cousins used to make. I had a lot of big brothers and sisters to look up to then and they were all the fun I wanted then. Other than that my constant joy was at Church from what I can remember. I miss the fun and happiness which both my cousins and Church used to give me.
However, this pretty much proves that I'm not much of an outdoor/sports person while my brother, Aaron is the opposite to this. He loves to go outdoors and catches the fun there and has covered up for all the time lost so in Abu Dhabi by using it here. Dislocated an arm after falling while climbing a tree, roamed around fields and played around, made good acquaintances and also does a lot of pastimes which I joined along with too.
Eating from the Chambakka Tree has been one of them (which used to happen even during vacations). Another thing to point out (or which you would have already deduced) is that I'm an avid eater more than a writer, reader or traveller.
Note : *Appa - Father
Monday, April 2, 2012
SpeakOut#7 - Eye-Openers from Idukki Forest Reserves (2/3)
As we came to our place of stay at Vellapara and went in and around the forest at Idukki what we noticed was we couldn't spot any wild animals of any sort except a blue parrot and green spider, but we saw a lot of dried up and burnt shrubs, plants and even trees. At first it didn't click to our slow minds that what we were seeing were huge wounds to an ailing forest. The weather was extremely hot once it was mid-day so it didn't occur to us but later seeing burnt trees at a lot of places, it hit me like a brick on my head that this could only be man-made. Suddenly the reason why all the signboards and constant repetitions to fight against forest fires dawned upon me. Forest Fires are 90% man made!
A talk with our Forest Ranger in charge enlightened us on the situation of how ignorant people set fire to these areas for personal purposes to try bring around some kind of cultivation or to protest against the authorities for wrong reasons. Another sad thing I realised was that this problem wasn't confined just here but everywhere.
Peermade, another beautiful hill range in Idukki that borders Kottayam (i.e. where I come from) is one of the picturesque beauties where we camped for a week last December as part of the NSS activities. Even there one morning, we spotted a fire but I thought that it was done on private land so it didn't bother me much, but then I realised from Vellapara that the situation was all same around and that land was not private.
What these people do not realise is that they're setting fire to human lives along with this, maybe not directly on themselves but to their children who will suffer later from a weak and dying environment that has lost its ties with man. The Keralite's disinterest in involving with nature is already seen by the dependency on Tamil Nadu's vegetable and fruit produce. After the MullaPeriyar problem however the warning bells sounded loud and clear and even I have started working a bit in the backyard with my father at times who loves tending to his land in his spare time.
Anyways, back to the Reserves, it isn't that all is lost at Idukki. It still keeps its beauty despite the damage, with the variety in landscapes and trees and waters held around. It is a sight from heaven when you're there early morning. At the end of our stay, we were asked if anything caught our attention here and what we could do for nature. My answer was the Dams and the Forest Fires and that I'm not the activist who could run around demanding changes but I can help make people aware from the contacts I have and the media I use to interact with people. Word of Mouth and the Internet.
A talk with our Forest Ranger in charge enlightened us on the situation of how ignorant people set fire to these areas for personal purposes to try bring around some kind of cultivation or to protest against the authorities for wrong reasons. Another sad thing I realised was that this problem wasn't confined just here but everywhere.
Peermade, another beautiful hill range in Idukki that borders Kottayam (i.e. where I come from) is one of the picturesque beauties where we camped for a week last December as part of the NSS activities. Even there one morning, we spotted a fire but I thought that it was done on private land so it didn't bother me much, but then I realised from Vellapara that the situation was all same around and that land was not private.
What these people do not realise is that they're setting fire to human lives along with this, maybe not directly on themselves but to their children who will suffer later from a weak and dying environment that has lost its ties with man. The Keralite's disinterest in involving with nature is already seen by the dependency on Tamil Nadu's vegetable and fruit produce. After the MullaPeriyar problem however the warning bells sounded loud and clear and even I have started working a bit in the backyard with my father at times who loves tending to his land in his spare time.
Anyways, back to the Reserves, it isn't that all is lost at Idukki. It still keeps its beauty despite the damage, with the variety in landscapes and trees and waters held around. It is a sight from heaven when you're there early morning. At the end of our stay, we were asked if anything caught our attention here and what we could do for nature. My answer was the Dams and the Forest Fires and that I'm not the activist who could run around demanding changes but I can help make people aware from the contacts I have and the media I use to interact with people. Word of Mouth and the Internet.
SpeakOut#6 - Motivation to my comeback, Obed De La Cruz
I've a friend on facebook called Obed De La Cruz from Philippines who is a brilliant guy. I met him on www.poemhunter.com, a site where you post your poems for people to read, share and get reviews from.
Talking with him after a long time and getting to know about his accomplishments till now gave me the push I needed for a long time to respond to the urge and get back on this blog.
Obed De La Cruz writes beautiful poems and is a guy who voices for cultural excellence amongst students and his nation and more. You can catch him from www.obed-dela-cruz.blogspot.com God bless him!
Talking with him after a long time and getting to know about his accomplishments till now gave me the push I needed for a long time to respond to the urge and get back on this blog.
Obed De La Cruz writes beautiful poems and is a guy who voices for cultural excellence amongst students and his nation and more. You can catch him from www.obed-dela-cruz.blogspot.com God bless him!
SpeakOut#5 - Coping with autism, a poorly understood disorder from IBNLive
I read this today. All I knew the most about autism was from the movie 'My Name is Khan' and I realised that that was nothing.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/coping-with-autism-a-poorly-understood-disorder/244884-17.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/coping-with-autism-a-poorly-understood-disorder/244884-17.html
SpeakOut#4 - Stay at the Idukki Forest Reserves
The place where we stayed for this visit was at the Forest Office's Educational Centre at Vellapara, Idukki built for students like us who come to learn from the place. It was very simple, neat and nice place with two big rooms for accommodating the visitors 'male' and 'female' and a hall for lectures, classes and movies on nature. The kitchen was kept outside and so was the dining area which made the dining part of our visit entertaining with our jokes around and letting us view the landscape around while eating. These were basically the places of our main interest at our place of stay. One can see the Cheruthoni Dam from where we stayed.
The one thing unusual to us were the early morning trips to the terrace to do Yoga. The main officer in charge of the Forest Office there made it a must that everyone who came there had to involve in Yoga to realise the grand experience that relaxes your body and does the repair and maintenance of your body.
However that was of no interest to quite some lazybums like me. I didn't quit the practise anyhow.
I can say proudly I loved the asana where you lie on your stomach just like how you sleep and snore on your bed in a cold morning hearing the birds chirp and the smell of the dirt on the land which comes when it goes moist from the morning dew.
SpeakOut#3 - Eye-openers from the Idukki Forest Reserves (1/3)
Around the end of February this year, the group of students including those from the NSS (a student organisation) and Zoology students from our College went for a Nature Camp to Idukki, Kerala.
I've been to Idukki many times but this trip made me realise that the places there where I've been to were merely the sides to it and there then I saw the centre of it.
Idukki has a huge part of Kerala's forest reserves, lying in the Western Ghats. Although on the way, you can see some of it, abandoning the road and going into the green side will only help you actually see the forest, its huge untouched haven of life that resonates peace and a prize to watch a lot of things beautiful move around with life which you cannot do without keeping silence. The Western Ghats as a whole is a breathtaker!
Another good thing to watch out in Idukki is its dams. Idukki has a lot of dams that hold the waters of Kerala that power up our state, and also feed another. It was these dams that actually caught my attention the most from this trip.
What look like natural reservoirs are actually manmade structures that not just hold water from a very vast area stretching around kilometres but create power from it that benefits millions of people. The MullaPeriyar Dam, Idukki Dam and Cheruthoni Dam are the prime from these dams which are actually the current topic for talk amongst common people, activists and governments. About that, I'll explain another time.
I've been to Idukki many times but this trip made me realise that the places there where I've been to were merely the sides to it and there then I saw the centre of it.
Idukki has a huge part of Kerala's forest reserves, lying in the Western Ghats. Although on the way, you can see some of it, abandoning the road and going into the green side will only help you actually see the forest, its huge untouched haven of life that resonates peace and a prize to watch a lot of things beautiful move around with life which you cannot do without keeping silence. The Western Ghats as a whole is a breathtaker!
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| Photography by NA Naseer. https://www.facebook.com/naNaseer |
Another good thing to watch out in Idukki is its dams. Idukki has a lot of dams that hold the waters of Kerala that power up our state, and also feed another. It was these dams that actually caught my attention the most from this trip.
What look like natural reservoirs are actually manmade structures that not just hold water from a very vast area stretching around kilometres but create power from it that benefits millions of people. The MullaPeriyar Dam, Idukki Dam and Cheruthoni Dam are the prime from these dams which are actually the current topic for talk amongst common people, activists and governments. About that, I'll explain another time.
 |
| Idukki Dam sight from Hills View Park, Idukki |
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