tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72388561478943485192024-03-05T17:28:52.879-08:00WanderlustSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-29331588766825711782011-10-13T02:48:00.000-07:002011-10-13T05:00:09.912-07:00Mental DentalAfter years of procrastination I finally went in for a dental clean up! Yucks, what a topic to blog on. But, no I’m not going to disgust you with the details. The doctor was a very nice and gentle lady and told me all about what was happening. She told me there would be a "little" pain and sensitivity.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQm4ZgbAFWj7bANS7orGOiKaq4Y9K4TxtNX-ZICF4oBpDOuTp0QLbf1AM5kP5WvZRLMqOjVkTbldkUM_VPDKgqElg1u9AOBmkDEKIivmhUoljD9hnjELb5t-pBg-HBUQSHQUd8hvXyPI/s1600/Mental+Dental1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQm4ZgbAFWj7bANS7orGOiKaq4Y9K4TxtNX-ZICF4oBpDOuTp0QLbf1AM5kP5WvZRLMqOjVkTbldkUM_VPDKgqElg1u9AOBmkDEKIivmhUoljD9hnjELb5t-pBg-HBUQSHQUd8hvXyPI/s320/Mental+Dental1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662937817975544738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As I lay back, opened my mouth and closed my eyes expecting the worst, I was reminded of this poem written by Ogden Nash which we studied at some point of our schooling. The rhyming’s almost perfect! Here goes : <br /><h3 style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span></h3> <h3 style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><br />THIS IS GOING TO HURT JUST A LITTLE BIT</span></h3> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><br />One thing I like less than most things is sitting in a dentist chair with my mouth wide open.</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >And that I will never have to do it again is a hope that I am against hope hopan.</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">Because some tortures are physical and some are mental,</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">But the one that is both is dental.</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">It is hard to be self possessed</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">With your jaw digging into your chest,</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">so hard to retain calm</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >When your fingernails are making serious alterations in your life line or love line or some other important line in your palm,</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">So hard to give your ususal cheerful effect of benignity</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >When you know your position is one of the two or three in life most lacking in dignity</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">And your mouth is like a section of road that is being worked on</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >And it is cluttered up with stone crushers and concrete mixers and drills and steam rollers and there isn't a nerve on your head that aren't being irked on.</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">Oh some people are unfortunate to be worked on by thumbs,</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">And others have things done to their gums,</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">And your teeth are supposed to being polished</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">But you have reason to believe they are being demolished.</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">And the circumstances that adds to your terror</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">Is that it's all done with a mirror,</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Because the dentist may be a bear, or as the Romans used to say, only they were referring to a feminine bear when they said it, an ursa,</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >But all the same how can you be sure when he takes his crowbar in one hand and mirror in the other he won't get mixed up, the way you do when try to tie a bow tie with the aid of a mirror, and forget that left is right and vice versa</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >And then at last he says, That will be all, but it isn't because he then coats your mouth from cellar to roof</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">With something I suspect is generally used to put shine a horse's hoof,</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >And you totter to your feet and think, Well it's over now and after all it was only this once,</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">And he says come back in three monce.</span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">And this O Fate, is I think the most vicious that thou ever sentest,</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >That Man has to go continually to the dentist to keep his teeth in good condition</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >When the chief reason he wants his teeth to be in good condition is so that he won't have to go the dentist.</span></p> <p style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;">Enjoy the poem. And by the way, to minimize the chances of going through this experience, take care of your teeth! I’m also trying…</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MuBBsmzALyTJaH0zVWMzd7TflDC-U81bPlNycQ7kYed6FXPYDBY-CxUZx5mViwPEZuk3LvpEooc9toAVUDUTd9kEM0ucddeqVLPtvhgacfUwESYsc4c4-9hXx5UQV_AwSl2O5OJNnnE/s1600/Mental+Dental.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MuBBsmzALyTJaH0zVWMzd7TflDC-U81bPlNycQ7kYed6FXPYDBY-CxUZx5mViwPEZuk3LvpEooc9toAVUDUTd9kEM0ucddeqVLPtvhgacfUwESYsc4c4-9hXx5UQV_AwSl2O5OJNnnE/s320/Mental+Dental.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662938304158822274" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;text-indent:-.5in" align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"> </span></p>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-66739832921967978592011-07-24T00:18:00.000-07:002011-07-24T04:03:07.809-07:00Lore Galore - I<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family:Georgia"></span><br />The innumerable stories my grandparents narrated and sang, amma's vivid narration of Russian stories, father's stories of Raman, the monkey and Tenali Raman. Love for story-telling is in my blood. Over the years the collection of stories inside my head has grown and now I am bursting to share it with everyone.<span style="font-family:Georgia"><br /><br />Here's my first story! </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Parayi petta panthirukulam (Twelve born to the Pariah) is an evergreen myth from Kerala. It tells the story of twelve children who are abandoned at birth by their parents. All except one of these are brought up by twelve families of different castes along the river Nila (Bh</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">rathapuzha). The twelve are Agnihotri, Rajakan, Perunthachan, Vallon, N</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">ranathu Bhr</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">nthan, Uppukkoottan, Vaduthala N</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">yar, P</span><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">nan</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">r, P</span><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">kkan</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">r, Akavoor Ch</span><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">than, K</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">rakkalamma, V</span><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">yillakunnilappan.<br /> <br /> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Today's story is from P</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">kkanar's life. P</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">kkanar was brought up by a Paraya, whose trade was making household articles, esp Muram, using bamboo.<br />P</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ā</span><span style="font-family:Georgia">kkanar learns the trade of his family, grows up, marries a Paraya woman and leads a content life. He was a philosopher of much depth as many of his stories illustrate.<br /><br />One day, as Pākkanār and his wife, Theyi, stood collecting firewood from the forest, a Namboori, came walking by. As was the custom of those times he ordered them to move away. Pākkanār's wife snidely whispered, "Why should we move away for this man who is keeping his own daughter as a mistress?" Pākkanār exclaimed, “Oh, don't say that. Now the last leech is yours!" They hurriedly move away and the Namboori goes his way.<br /> <br /> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia">When asked what he meant by the "last leech" Pākkanār narrates, "Once when the Namboori's wife was cooking rice, a leech fell into the vessel. She fearfully tells her husband of the mishap. The miser that he was, the Namboori arranges for the rice to be given to his servants. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />No mortal's actions go unnoticed by Yamadharma, the lord of death. To atone for his sin, a mountainous heap of leeches are kept ready in the nether world for the Namboori. Yama has decided to make him eat the heap when he reaches the nether world after death.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />It so happens that the Namboori is a devotee of Chitragupta, Yama's book-keeper. He recites 'chitraguptāya namah' every night before sleeping. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />Chitragupta, soft at heart, seeing the fate in store for his devotee decides to visit him. So he takes human form and approaches the Namboori. Perceiving that it's not a mere mortal he is seeing, Namboori asked, " Respected sir, I do not know who you are and what you need. Please do tell me."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />Chitragupta replied, “I am Chitragupta whom you bow to every night. I have come to warn you of the ill-fate that is in store for you in the nether world."<br />Fear-struck, the Namboori asked, "Ayyo! Please do tell me more."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />Pityingly Chitragupta says, "Alas, you were too shortsighted the day you fed the unclean rice to your servants. To atone for that sin, Lord Yama has arranged a heap of leeches in the nether world. If you don't take any steps to counter your sin you will have to eat your way through the whole heap."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />Namboori desperately asked, "Oh Lord, due to my ignorance I committed this grave mistake. Kindly advice me as to what can be done to escape this curse."<br />And this what Chitragupta tells him, "I understand that you have a young daughter. Do not marry her any time soon. From tomorrow, have her attend to all your personal needs. That will do. But do not tell any one of this meeting."<br />Thus saying Chitragupta disappears.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />As per his instruction the Namboori asks his daughter to attend to his personal needs right from fetching everything for his morning ablutions, preparing his p</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ān, serving him food, preparing his bedding etc. He also exhibited more affection towards her than usual.</span><span style="font-family:Georgia"> As the days went by everyone started feeling that something immoral was going on. And here and there people started murmuring about the Namboori's conduct. Gradually it became the topic of gossip all over the region. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br />All the while there never was any immorality even in the Namboori's mind towards his daughter. So, what came about was, in the nether world Yama started to divide up the leeches from the Namboori's heap between the people who were bad-mouthing the innocent Namboori. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"> So, what I meant was that in this way the heap diminished and by today there was only one leech left which is now yours to eat, my dear wife."<br /> <br /> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia">Hearing Pākkan</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">ār's story Theyi rues the folly of having earned a sin by slandering someone.</span><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br /><br />What do you all think?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Note : Namboori - Short for Namboodiri, Brahmin in Kerala</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> chitraguptaya namah - I bow to Chitragupta<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia"><br /></span></p>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-38641086764307809432011-03-27T23:04:00.000-07:002011-03-28T02:08:17.984-07:00Organic Farming : Can it Feed the World?<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Recently I received a mail. Here's an excerpt from it :<br /></span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />"...a research scholar in the field of Ag. Science. I have little doubts about the followings. Please reply.<br /><br />1) In India like tropical country how can we solely depend on Organic Farming. Because we know it is very difficult to maintain organic condition in field due to high temp. & rapid mineralization of C as CO2?<br />2) Is it really possible to feed 120 crore people of our country by only organic agriculture?<br /><br />Please put your suggestion."<br /><br />At first I ignored it since I did not want to get into a time-consuming but of-little-effect discussion. Then I chanced upon this article. Written by Karthik Kumar, business analyst based in Chennai, it provokes one to think about the above questions and find answers.<br /><br />Enjoy reading.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style=" ">Organic Farming: The reality behind the myths</span></strong></span></h3> <p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style=" ">Karthik Kumar</span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Organic farming is coming under attack from many quarters, even as awareness spreads that it is a more sustainable and healthier way to live. Criticism ranges, from, doubts about its lack of capacity to feed the world, to, bogies being raised about people having to return to the ’dark ages‘ of food shortage and starvation unless recourse to intensive chemical farming is taken forthwith. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It is time that grains of facts shift the chaff or propaganda and fear mongering to prove that, in fact, organic farming is the real alternative to sustainably producing enough food for the growing world. </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>Organic farming can feed the world and still have enough food left over!</strong></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">An extensive study carried out in nearly 50 countries, both developed and developing, by a group of eight eminent (disciplines included – Palaeontology, Natural Resources, Environment, Horticulture, Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, Art and Design) scientists (from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University) concluded that the available food production was more than sufficient for human kind. They estimated the calorific value of all the food supply to be 2,786 kCals per capita per day, for the total volume of food supply available in 2001. Astoundingly, they also went on to prove that, if the same land had been farmed organically, then the calorific value available in 2001 would have in fact been much higher i.e. 4,380, KCals per capita per day! Their data is summarised in Table 1.</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style=" ;font-size:100%;" >Table 1: Global Food supply and per capita calorific value</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TpbhesmVBD8WTQnBGXZFxUFfyJ0kipsd-EBh6tRZrWS6piV4Ln280kB6rD6qi4ON8HI79RK0swOTGSqlAy1ZHbszR9oPVHS-TaI7GgMbSPSgtqQcqDT0rY4iQ4_sHCDBn-dOc8HsXYw/s1600/Table1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TpbhesmVBD8WTQnBGXZFxUFfyJ0kipsd-EBh6tRZrWS6piV4Ln280kB6rD6qi4ON8HI79RK0swOTGSqlAy1ZHbszR9oPVHS-TaI7GgMbSPSgtqQcqDT0rY4iQ4_sHCDBn-dOc8HsXYw/s320/Table1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589052302071015154" border="0" /></a></span></p><p face="georgia" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Note (1): The average caloric requirement for a healthy adult is between 2200 and 2500 kcal day</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It could be argued that data from 2001 is not valid in 2008. Even more so because, the recent inflation in prices of agricultural commodities could arguably be laid at the door of insufficient food production in 2008. However, this would be a specious reading of the facts since recent growth in commodity prices has been influenced by many other factors particularly the production of bio-fuels as has been documented extensively elsewhere.</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>Organic farming gives more yield and uses less land for the same amount</strong></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The scientists referred to above show that organic farms in general tend to produce more crop per unit of farm than non-organic farms. For example, their study showed that organic farms yield 1.312 times more grain products (Table 2) than non-organic farms. </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It is also significant that organic farms in developing countries, have yields that are higher by between 57% and 400% compared to non-organic farms as a glance down Table 2 shows.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Table 2: Crop yields</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwGSMFvLwwe9FMQ0-NC6F1U290LkS5-qu66TueNK9hYawbxULsAR5DGDliycsy9lqC4Z9jOQLewmVIYlzWxscEPf2xCXF3viIcfri20zAsDTaGyToV0MaO_NCxITw7XBp5Shr5p-SRlg/s1600/Table2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwGSMFvLwwe9FMQ0-NC6F1U290LkS5-qu66TueNK9hYawbxULsAR5DGDliycsy9lqC4Z9jOQLewmVIYlzWxscEPf2xCXF3viIcfri20zAsDTaGyToV0MaO_NCxITw7XBp5Shr5p-SRlg/s320/Table2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589052574443274434" border="0" /></a></span></p><p face="georgia" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">In developing countries, many of which are land starved, the fact that organic farms have higher yields is a signal call, if at all one is required, that they should forthwith switch to organic farming.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">A project started in 1996 under the supervision of the Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BoANR) of Tigray in partnership with the Mekele University, the local communities and their local administration is in fact doing just that in Ethiopia. Project Tigray as it is known, demonstrated that the introduction of ecologically sound organic principles had very quick positive impacts on the productivity and well-being of farmers with small land holdings. The project also demonstrated that for farmers, particularly those in marginal areas, who were not able to afford external inputs, "an organic production management system offered a real and affordable means to break out of poverty and obtain food security."</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">And, by the way, the oft-cited argument that organic farming requires more land holds good only for cash crops. This is a conclusion reached by the FAO at a conference in 2007 where it observed higher yields through non-organic farming were seen mainly in cash crops grown in ideal conditions .</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt;">Organic farming uses less energy and mitigates global warming</span></strong></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><em><span style="font-size:11pt;">(Organic farming is often criticised as being energy intensive with consequent impact on global warming as a reason to switch away from organic farming. Reality belies this.)</span></em></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Organic farming, uses natural or naturally available means for farming. The farm is tilled by oxen; growing legumes, practising inter cropping, rotating crops, composting, vermiculture, etc., help retain moisture, fertilise the soil and protect the crop against pests. Energy use is at its minimal with organic farming. Further it has been demonstrated that effective watershed management techniques practiced in organic farms use less water to raise crops and increase the water table. And, one may add, without, poisoning the soil with chemical residues.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contrast this with the energy used in 'modern' intensive farming – assorted farm implements such as tractors, threshers, harvesters which use internal combustion engines, pump sets that dredge up massive quanitities of water in irrigating the lands, the massive factories which make the fertilizers and pesticides that poison the earth, the clean up that needs to be carried out to replenish the soil, the effort, money and energy spent in building canals, dams, etc. The list is endless!</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">In the light of all this, the proposition that organic farming is more energy intensive than non-organic farming is laughable. (It can be argued that even organic farming uses mechanisation, eg for tilling or transporting produce to the market, for example. Notwithstanding such usage of energy, the total volume of energy consumed by organic farming is, per se, lower than non-organic farming, when all factors are considered.)</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">The FAO Conference cited earlier went even further to say:</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">"Agricultural production methods specifically adapted to microclimates, production of diverse products, and cropping methods emphasizing soil carbon retention are most likely to withstand climatic challenges and contribute to food stability, particularly in those countries most vulnerable to increased climate change."</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt;">Are we asking the right questions about land use?</span></strong></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">We have already seen that food supply today in terms of energy requirement is far more than is required. And, if organic farming were to be practiced exclusively, some of the land being used for agriculture can actually be stopped being used without any material impact on food supply.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Today approximately 40% of the world’s land mass is being used for agriculture . This indeed is an awful lot of land! However, 70% of this agricultural land is used for cultivating crops to feed animals, ie 28% of the world’s land mass is used for feed crops! All this meat provides just one-fifth of the energy required by human beings and only one-third of the proteins required by human beings. And, now with the increasing clamour for bio-fuels, land for non-food crop farming is only going to increase, creating more pressure on finite land resources!</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Is this required? A recent article in the New York Times argues that with a plant-based diet, with a lower level of meat, will result in the consumption of far fewer calories, and better health. Doing so would mean less land area required for growing fodder, and then perhaps there will be enough land to feed all, humans, animals and plants too, without necessarily having to poison our environment.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt;">Land can be fertilised without fertilisers</span></strong></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">The main limiting macronutrient for agricultural production is biologically available nitrogen (N) in most areas. In 2001, the global use of synthetic N fertilizers was 82 million metric tonnes. The paper referred to earlier shows that 140 million metric tonnes of additional nitrogen could have been fixed by the additional use of leguminous crops – ie, <strong>58 million metric tonnes more than the amount of synthetic N in use</strong>.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt;">Organic food need not be more expensive</span></strong></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Food production and distribution today are very heavily subsidised as is well known. Organic food, since it does not receive any of these subsidies, in comparison, comes across as being expensive.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">It is reasonable, therefore, to assume that organically grown produce can be cost competitive if it receives the same subsidies given to non-organically grown foods, and is perhaps likely to be cheaper in view of its inherently superior yield!</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">So how does all this affect us living in India.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">A recent contributor to this newspaper opined that the per-capita availability of food in India is a little over a fifth of the American average and little under a third of the European average. What the author did not touch upon was that 63% of Americans are overweight with 31% being classified as obese. Obesity trends in Europe are similar too. <em>(These data show that the additional availability of food rather than being a boon in America and Europe, is in actual fact a bane creating serious public health issues in its wake. Issues that a fit minority of tax payers, may end up have to pay for an indulgent majority.)</em></span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">The moot point is, do we need to go through the tortuous process of obesity and its consequent public-health issues, or be smarter, and learn from the American and European mistakes, to continue to be a healthy India.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Anecdotal evidence of the Indian experience suggests that Indian farmers too reap the many benefits of organic farming and many have in fact begun calling it ‘Indian Farming'! Thus, widespread adoption of organic farming in India is unlikely to materially impact the availability of food. Given our relative scarcity of land, large farmer population, fragmented land holdings, the benefits of organic farming appear uniquely suited to the Indian condition. So, perhaps, the time is right to make a push into adopting organic farming in right earnest given the very many benefits it has to, both, the producer and the consumer. The FAO too supports this point of view.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">It is time that policy be decided by genuine public interest rather than, disguised ‘scientific facts', dictated by vested interests.</span></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">The End</span></b></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11pt;">References and Links</span></b></span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><ol style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Organic Agriculture and the Global Food supply, published by Badgley et al, Renewable Agriculture and Food systems</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Center for Nutrition and Policy Promotion. 2000. Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 5th ed.Home and Garden Bulletin No. 232. United States Department of Agriculture and United States Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.i-sis.org.uk/OPFE.php" target="_blank">http://www.i-sis.org.uk/OPFE.php</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Op cit</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Page 12, Proceedings of the The International Conference on Organic Agriculture and Food Security, 3 – 5 May 2007, FAO, Italy</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2005/12/06/91227/food-production-to-peak-as-fertile-land-runs-out.html" target="_blank">http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2005/12/06/91227/food-production-to-peak-as-fertile-land-runs-out.html</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/greenview/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11731829" target="_blank">http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/greenview/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11731829</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">ibid</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?_r=1&fta=y&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?_r=1&fta=y&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Organic Agriculture and the Global Food supply, published by Badgley et al, Renewable Agriculture and Food systems</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.blonnet.com/2008/07/11/stories/2008071150200900.htm" target="_blank">http://www.blonnet.com/2008/07/11/stories/2008071150200900.htm</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.obesityinamerica.org/trends.html" target="_blank">http://www.obesityinamerica.org/trends.html</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Obesity in Europe – The case for action – published bv International Obesity TaskForce</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><a href="http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/11sld1.htm" target="_blank">http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/11sld1.htm</a></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:11pt;">Page 12, Proceedings of the The International Conference on Organic Agriculture and Food Security, 3 – 5 May 2007, FAO, Italy</span></span></li></ol><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-8285136822343053292010-06-20T22:58:00.000-07:002011-03-07T22:18:26.354-08:00Cook, My Dear!Cooking is an art. Like painting, maybe. And each artist has their own style; abstract, realistic, surrealistic... I am at best the most basic artist, the paint-by-numbers artist! I need step-by-step guidance to create good food. The ingredients, the method... Thankfully, I at least have a good sense of measures-by-hand so I don't need to know how many teaspoons and tablespoons of each ingredient has to go in, it just comes to my hand. I think the trick is to understand each ingredient; the flavour it gives to any dish, the proportion required to keep this flavour just right. It's an ongoing process of experimentation and discovery.<br /><br />I know its cliched, there are umpteen number of cookery sites on the web (many of which help me!), I don't need to add one of mine. But love of good food and the excitement of being able to make some myself prompts me share some of my experiences here. Don't worry it'll never turn into a regular food blog as I am not a regular cook. But someday I would like to write about Gautham's mother. In her own words, her motto is 'Cooking Health in the Kitchen'. I guess that was the motto of all our grandmothers and most of our mothers. Wish that at least some of us can keep the heritage alive. Hope that the art of healthy and fine cooking doesn't disappear like many goodnesses of yester-years.<br /><br />Anyway, Gautham, who is usually the chef grande, was working in the garden today morning, planting a medicinal fence with 'Aadalodakam' (Adathoda Vasica) and I was left with some green peas soaking in water.<br /><br />I checked the web and pulled out a basic recipe for 'Green Peas Masala'. Then I went, cook, grind, chop, chop, saute, saute, saute, cook, season...Voila! No, there's something amiss...think...some curry leaves sauteed in ghee...That does the trick! Eaten hot, it went beautifully with delicious 'appam'.<br /><br />Well, the wonder is , Gautham complimented my curry. That's pretty 'cause my orientation towards the spicy North Indian food rarely suits his taste for subtler flavours. So, all in all I had a great time in the kitchen today morning.<br /><br />Here's what I did :<br />Soaked green peas in hot water for a couple of hours (Advisable to soak it in plain water overnight). Pressure cooked the peas with salt. Ground coconut, with some fennel seeds, into a fine paste. Soaked some tamarind in a little water and extracted the juice (Since we did not have any tomatoes at home, I'd decided to experiment with tamarind). Chopped onions, green chilly. Heated oil, added crushed fennel seeds and sauteed till they were light brown. Added onions, green chilly and sauteed till onion is transparent. Added the tamarind extract (or tomatoes, if you have them). Added turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Sauteed till the spices lost their raw smell. Added coconut paste and sauteed for a couple of minutes. Added water for curry and brought to boil. Added the cooked peas and stirred till gravy thickened.<br />For seasoning, heated ghee in a wok and sauteed curry leaves and added this to the curry (This was also an addition by me).<br />Though I'd used some not-so-normal experiments, the curry turned out to be classical 'Green Peas Masala'.<br /><br />Title Courtesy : Cookbook of the same title by Ms Niru Gupta (http://www.niruskitchen.com/)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-47076402392825576282010-04-01T05:05:00.000-07:002010-09-08T21:37:57.024-07:00Sharatettan : Pain UndilutedC Sharatchandran, documentary filmmaker died in a tragic accident yesterday night. He was returning from a marriage function with his friend Sebastian who also succumbed to injuries.<br /><br />One of his kind – That was Sharatettan! Passion for film-making combined with social causes, his voice was always one with the down-trodden.<br /><br />In theatre, many a times a Sootradharan or Narrator carries forward the thread of the story. He may not be part of the story but his narration would have the power to bring about radical changes in it. C Sharatchandran was one such voice threading through the socio-political scene of Kerala.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWRfjMnAi8XTM6-jzsJiwlsvxIMreDb4TFH0JtNJ7a5_xgcvyEzAbVSX4UiPMWbDX_DFZ-_fKJaIEUHnvVFlWt02AIYbQXHclVwAlYQX-Eu9WDJioRz1eecfjKKo4jJ2dIiK2BhK5si0/s1600/Sharatettan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWRfjMnAi8XTM6-jzsJiwlsvxIMreDb4TFH0JtNJ7a5_xgcvyEzAbVSX4UiPMWbDX_DFZ-_fKJaIEUHnvVFlWt02AIYbQXHclVwAlYQX-Eu9WDJioRz1eecfjKKo4jJ2dIiK2BhK5si0/s320/Sharatettan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455139913442823394" border="0" /></a><br />Personally, you have been a Karanavar, an elder of our extended family. You have been an integral part of our lives. Both our childhoods, Gautham’s and mine, have been linked to you. We both share memories of ‘Kunjunni Maashum Kuttiyolum’. You were there at our marriage recording it for posterity.<br /><br />Our little one misses out on knowing you. Maybe baby has already met you in that narrow zone between birth and death.<br /><br />Last time we met, on another train journey, you talked about Chengara, Kanavu, future projects, and how you would one day soon come up to Sarang…<br /><br />Your life was not yours, it was ours, the society’s. You leave behind many unfinished histories, a voice as powerful as yours is still needed.<br /><br />Tears of anguish flow down my cheeks seeking some solace in the inevitability of death. But I remain angry and in pain… I seek the answer to only one question:<br />Karmam Thanne Lahariyayi Kondaadukil<br />Mattoru Lahariyenthinee Jeevithathil?<br /><br />C Sharatchandran Filmography<br /><br />* Save the Western Ghats March - The Kerala Experience (1987)<br />* No to Dams - A Pooyamkutty Tale (1988)<br />* Ellaam Asthamikkum Munpe (1989)<br />* Chaliyar the Final Struggle (1999, with P Baburaj)<br />* Kanavu (2001)<br />* Mareva - Narmada Song (2001, with K P Sasi)<br />* The Bitter Drink (2003, with P Baburaj)<br />* Neethiyil Ninnu Kudiyirakkappettavar (2003)<br />* Oru Mazhu Dooram Mathram (2005, with P Baburaj)<br />* Aayiram Dinangalum Oru Swapnavum (2006, with P Baburaj)<br />* Yours Truly John (2008)<br />* Bhoomiykku Vendiyulla Bali (2008)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-15172872438879211582009-07-25T21:15:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:15:57.963-07:00Yoga Demonstration - 03/07/2009Here's how my part of the Yoga demonstration went:<br />Good Evening Friends!<br />The subject of Yoga is as vast as the sky and cannot be bound by time. But, sadly, we all are. So let's take a short journey into the world of Yoga.<br />On the blackboard:<br />--------------------------------------YOGA------------------------------------------<br />Before going deeper into the subject we have to come to an understanding as to what Yoga means. The Sanskrit word 'yoga' has many meanings but is derived from the word 'YUJ' which means to control or to unite.<br />Control? How? Unite? With what?<br />To find answers to these questions we will have to travel back in history to about 4000-5000 BCE, to the Vedic period. Vedas are ancient scriptures of India, which formed the basis for philosophical thought, science and arts of India. They are considered to contain all the knowledge that man can attain. There are four Vedas which were transferred by the oral tradition of teaching from generation to generation. The Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda.<br />Six schools of philosophy developed based on these Vedas. There are also philosophical schools which reject Vedic supremacy, like Buddhism and Jainism. These are vast subjects in themselves so we will limit ourselves to the traditional six. <br />The first of these schools is the Nyaya Darshana (Darshana means vision or philosophy) developed by sage Gautama. Nyaya believes that there is a reason beyond the obvious behind everything in this world.<br />The Vaisheshika Darshana of sage Kanaada furthers this theory and says that a combination of atoms is the cause of everything in this world, that atoms are the underlying reason behind everything. Atoms! You must remember that this was more than 5000 years ago!<br />Sage Jaimini in his Meemamsa Darshana studies and develops rituals and sacrifices. <br />The fourth philosophical school is considered the most important one, the Vedanta Darshana. Sage Vyasa puts forward the simple vision, Aham Brahmasmi, meaning I am the absolute. This signifies the oneness and equality of everything in this world, that all are part of the supreme energy.<br />The fifth school of philosophy, Saankhya Darshana enquires beyond the physical world. Sage Kapila studies the human consciousness analytically and divides it into four - mind, intelligence, memory and ego.<br />The sixth school is our subject, Yoga Darshana. This was developed by sage Patanjali whose time can be safely said to be about 200 BCE. He is considered to be the incarnation of Adishesha, the thousand-headed divine serpent on whom Mahavishnu reclines. The story of his birth says that once a very pious childless Brahmin lady was praying to the gods with folded hands and a little snake fell into her hands which later turned into a baby and was called Patanjali. 'Pata' means fallen and 'Anjali' means folded hands. So, he literally fell into folded hands! <br />Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (A Sutra is an aphorism) form the base of Yoga Darshana. A treatise on Sanskrit Grammar and another on Ayurveda are also attributed to Patanjali. <br />Now let's take a little peep into Patanjali's ashram almost 2000 years ago. Patanjali is sitting under a huge shady tree and addresses his students with the words, "Atha Yogaanushaasanam", literally, "Now we may study Yoga". After the student has given years of service at the master's home, one day the master judging the student's readiness says, "Now we may study Yoga". This is Patanjali's first Sutra.<br />As is expected of him, the student asks the Master, "Master, what is Yoga?"<br />In his second Sutra, Patanjali explains, "Yoga chitta vrittih nirodhah".<br />Meaning, Yoga is the control over the modifications of the mind or the individual soul.<br />Our mind is said to be occupying five different states at different times. Moodham, which is the state of foolishness expressed as inactivity in a person. Kshiptham or scattered, is the state where the mind jumps from one subject to another without any control. Expressed as high agitation, inability to listen or keep quiet. The third state is Vikshiptham or zealous where the mind acquires knowledge and goes out to one particular subject but still without any control. Next state is Ekagram or concentrated, where the person is focussed. The fifth state of mind is Niruddham, controlled, where the mind is not distracted by random thoughts but is fully absorbed in the object of focus.<br />To summarize this long story we can say that Yoga is the control over the modifications of our mind to unite with the supreme energy and attain super-consciousness, enlightenment, realization or ultimate bliss. <br />So Yoga is the way to Vedanta, the way to attaining oneness with the absolute. <br />To understand how yoga helps to control our minds we have to have an understanding of ourselves. Valerie will help us do that.<br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Conclusion<br />We have now seen that the ancient Indian culture of Yoga presented to us by the sages is based on essential human requirements, not only to gain physical health but also for the achievement of higher aims of life. The World Health Organization defines health as physical, mental, intellectual, social and spiritual health. Yoga is the only way to achieve such holistic health. Practice of a Yogic lifestyle and doing our duties without expecting benefit, will easily help us towards this. Yoga just as the name says is the union or harmony of our dimensions and keeps mentally and physically stable. We need this to keep ourselves free from stress in this fast-paced life. <br />The ultimate spiritual benefit of Yoga is the realization that we and everything else in the universe are part of the same energy. The world sorely needs this because than there would be no more wars based on differences of caste, race, sex or wealth. I wish.<br />Thank You.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-12634588074960738932009-07-23T23:03:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:14:32.766-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6zf9MBXLS2MUbwy9NbJHoKIY7ylY-n1I7VOncGZKOo4zYkNCS04MRabGOPkWBe6KKOnxIr2-0r41c_n2FHffEzpaFwazn5WQ9-gM8ci0oPFiImyMpVryESJ-c5Uwv-89TW6ao8bA4M8/s1600-h/Math.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6zf9MBXLS2MUbwy9NbJHoKIY7ylY-n1I7VOncGZKOo4zYkNCS04MRabGOPkWBe6KKOnxIr2-0r41c_n2FHffEzpaFwazn5WQ9-gM8ci0oPFiImyMpVryESJ-c5Uwv-89TW6ao8bA4M8/s320/Math.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361908138790461826" /></a><br /><br />Flashback: A thirteen year old struggling with numbers and symbols, prayed thus.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">गणित तो है इक बला</span><br />मैंने गणित पढ़ा<br />लेकिन वह तो मुश्किल बड़ा<br />सो कुछ भी मेरे सर में न चढा<br />बेचारा पेन भी बोर हो पड़ा<br />काश जा सकती उड दूर<br />दूर इस गणित को पीछे छोड़<br />लेकिन है मेरे पैर जड़े<br />ये धरती से कभी न लडे<br />गणित तो मुश्किलों से भरा<br />ले जा प्रभु मुझे इक ऐसी दुनिया में<br />जहाँ हो न गणित जैसी बला<br />अनुराधा शिवदास <br /><br />She was desperate. <br />But later came to love maths dearly.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-41346349579865368642009-05-06T03:44:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:16:14.427-07:00Yoga!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbWLBM7HSpP2cfS1OrZtQ7ebbg6Uxeb4Ft9JhAJ4jgeT12G5IybP03nKjI0Wx0vgrf_2S67O4seCXhlrUtsVbbfyvN7GLcJXgIyjq0km9A7fs0_-yOblzKNX_wzOUr4_bXbEYz3_j8H0/s1600-h/2961364woman-meditating-posters.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbWLBM7HSpP2cfS1OrZtQ7ebbg6Uxeb4Ft9JhAJ4jgeT12G5IybP03nKjI0Wx0vgrf_2S67O4seCXhlrUtsVbbfyvN7GLcJXgIyjq0km9A7fs0_-yOblzKNX_wzOUr4_bXbEYz3_j8H0/s320/2961364woman-meditating-posters.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332664440782207538" /></a><br /><br />Dear World,<br /><br />In your meditation today...<br />May your body be still and comfortable...<br />May your head, neck and trunk be aligned...<br />May your breath be smooth, slow serene and with no pauses...<br />May the flow of thoughts in your mind not disturb you...<br />May your meditation today bring you,<br />Peace, happiness and bliss...<br /><br />I pray thus for myself and also my fellow students of yoga at the centre. But...my feet don't pay any heed to my fervent prayer...they sleep everyday, during pranayama and meditation... my head swims with thoughts...joints and muscles which I had no clue existed in my body, ache...But I am keeping on...Remembering the only lesson in Sanskrit from school days that I can recall, "Udyamena Hi Sidhdhyanti Kaaryani, Na Manorathe, Na Hi Supthasya Singhasya Mukhe Pravishyanthi Mrigah" which means, All can be attained only through hard work, the deer doesn't walk into a sleeping lion's mouth. And Swami says things will improve with time and continuous practice...<br />I hope so...<br /><br />Swami also said one more thing: All the fat from the human body if taken out will only be enough to make one bar of washing soap!<br /><br />So, trying not to be proud of only the fat on my body...<br />Your's loving <br />AnuSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-69669715297320181842009-04-02T02:41:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:15:19.584-07:00One with the Flame!Read this on a website...<br /><br /> “Once upon a time there were moths who had heard about the flame. They wanted to see what it was like. The first moth came near the flame. The second flew over it. The third skimmed with its wing. The fourth threw itself into the flame and burned. The others watched as the body disappeared as it became one with the flame. The fourth moth realized what a flame was really like but could no longer talk about it”.<br /><br />I think this rings true for everything from religion to arts & love.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-19167102915581150962009-03-30T23:38:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:15:45.584-07:00Spanish Lessons: Pequena Historia!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCnaoUj_VR4yto7CB-oNqng38_Vd9Tfp2a6LCxRhRDG9Turzd1inoytZ8XOGW-r2jddMPp9Hao0SfrjXwLESFbzWwcn91XKi5k48whgzg11mx4A_9OClcJ5JRonlphIH7seiaItmC4B0/s1600-h/Fluffy+White+Cat.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCnaoUj_VR4yto7CB-oNqng38_Vd9Tfp2a6LCxRhRDG9Turzd1inoytZ8XOGW-r2jddMPp9Hao0SfrjXwLESFbzWwcn91XKi5k48whgzg11mx4A_9OClcJ5JRonlphIH7seiaItmC4B0/s320/Fluffy+White+Cat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319244802995604210" /></a>Jannet, from Mexico is teaching us spanish. It's so much fun. Right now we have only studied the present tense so I cannot make big stories but can try a small one.<br />"Yo tengo un gato pequeno y blanco. Mi gato se llamo poocha. Poocha es muy limpio. A veces yo le hablo a mi gato. Poocha es mi amigo. Yo amo mi lindo gato. Gautham esta tan celoso porque yo no escribo su historio." <br /><br />(I have a cat who is small and white. My cat is called poocha. Poocha is very clean. Sometimes I talk to my cat. Poocha is my friend. I love my cute cat. Gautham is so jealous because I have not written his story.)<br /><br />I haven't shown this to mi maestra yet, so if there are any mistakes I'll come back and correct it... :)<br /><br />Yo soy tan feliz porque yo soy una estudiante de espanol.<br />(I am so happy because I am a student of spanish.)<br /><br />:)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-26261443556467801832009-03-19T02:10:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:16:56.682-07:00Large Dams: Boon or Bane!Look what I found, a synopsis I wrote for a presentation at a techfest at college...<br /><br />LARGE DAMS: BOON OR BANE?<br />Large dams have been regarded as icons of progress for long now. For many they symbolize the victory of man’s genius over nature. But isn’t it time to assess whether all that dams promise have been realized?<br />Dams, besides the creation of storage and head to generate electricity, are meant to supply water for agriculture, industries and households, to control flooding, to assist river navigation and to provide recreational facilities.<br />The works of many researchers show that dams while unable to fulfill these minimal functions cause extensive damage to ecosystems and humans. Construction of large dams causes the submergence of large tracts of land displacing millions of people and destroying acres of forestland. Yes, they do eliminate normal annual floods but they also increase the severity of flash floods. River navigation is almost made impossible by dams because most have been constructed without locks, which are rather expensive in construction. Traditional river-users are at a loss because their vessels are not suitable to be used over dangerous reservoirs containing drowned trees and other obstacles. Water for the purpose of irrigation in most of the cases lost on its way due to improper distribution systems and heavy losses in them. Drinking water is yet another thing. Dams often affect water quality adversely due to algal blooms and other parasitic beings like snails, mosquitoes, which flourish in the reservoir waters. Also faulty systems drink up most of the ‘better’ water available for supply. Recreation is rendered dangerous because downstream recreation activities may be flooded on release of the reservoir waters. Construction of dams fragments riverine ecosystems by isolating species living upstream and downstream. Estuaries are also at a loss as dams curtail the amount of nutrients dumped in it. Overall, Major dams can be regarded as a huge, long-term and largely irreversible environmental experiment without a control.<br />The need of opposing large dam construction is strengthened by the knowledge that most of the functions supposed to be fulfilled by dams can be met in other ways. Some of the sensible alternatives to building large dams are: Proper water shed management, rain water harvesting, traditional uses of irrigation, uses of other renewable sources of energy like wind, geothermal, tidal & solar energy, using check dams, harvesting the floods, water harvesting by storing water under ground to prevent surface evaporation and replenishing watersheds, and last but not least by encouraging small hydro, for a small trickle of water and a scope of hills are all it needs.<br />Since these alternatives have been found to be sustainable and efficient at many places we can employ them to reduce if not to complete nullify the harm the Mega dams have already caused on our fragile ecosystem and lives.<br /><br />It was in 2003 and I was deeply influenced by the excellent book 'Silenced Rivers' by Patrick McCully. As for the presentation, I was immature, lacked preparation, had only big spirit, so the presentation went well but on the question answer session I was poorly prepared, our geotechnical engineering teacher asked me what kind of dam Idukki dam was, I didn't know...<br />But I did the same at a Friday student's meeting of WWF once and it was great! :)<br />Well, guess it depended on good preparation and the right audience!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-8751840795094260992009-02-25T20:07:00.000-08:002010-09-08T20:18:01.051-07:00Gee!I love my clock...It's so cute...:)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-27599275110165463132009-02-24T21:22:00.000-08:002010-09-08T20:18:21.158-07:00The Dancing FootYesterday, opening an old cardboard box full of books at office, I found 'The Dancing Foot', a book about folk dances of India by Mulk Raj Anand, first published in January 1957 and reprinted in 1969. The book priced at Rs 2.50 was badly damaged by fungus and it was difficult to read. But the line drawings were great, the language, beautiful and quaint, the spirit, exalted . So, I want to share the first chapter with you, the introduction.<br /><br />Here goes :<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03mSGXkBVhxvdJP3zzJzCtms4tTagVFCGpPcV8FQH52rhichyq-PkonuoxYyE3tKXBZxKdcfrCvIMrdvF44aM9wzsMe6nKgQ7ncAU5KYhz9Law1h9JfPKs72L5HSXlJtAx9s5jMimba8/s1600-h/Dance1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03mSGXkBVhxvdJP3zzJzCtms4tTagVFCGpPcV8FQH52rhichyq-PkonuoxYyE3tKXBZxKdcfrCvIMrdvF44aM9wzsMe6nKgQ7ncAU5KYhz9Law1h9JfPKs72L5HSXlJtAx9s5jMimba8/s320/Dance1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306631723753110834" /></a><br /><br />Out of the depths of the night comes the drum beat. It glows into three simple beats. And then into variations of these three beats, accompanied by the emphasis, here and there, of certain phrases of the theme song by dithyrambic <span style="font-style:italic;">(means wildly enthusiastic)</span> human voices. And, from all sides of the village, people become aware of the flowering of a dance in their midst. They move towards the arena and keep time with claps of hands or with the feet. And, the ensemble grows, involving almost the whole community.<br /><br />This is the atmosphere from which spring the folk dances of India.<br /><br />From Kashmir in the North to Cape Comorin in the South, from Saurashtra and Maharashtra in the West to Manipur in the East, the village life throbs with the natural gaiety which expresses itself in these popular dances.<br /><br />Originating in the harvest festivals of our ancient ancestors, when the Gods were invoked or appeased through magical verses and the dancing foot, the folk dances retain the spontaneity and vitality of much of their primary impulse; the quick of the primitive soul. For, as in the earlier times, man bridged the distance between this world and the other world through the dance, by assuming the role of Gods and demons, so, now, he celebrates these intensest moments by his varying steps, taking colour from nature which he conquers, and with which he allies himself. Thus he casts a spell on himself and on the elements which surround him.<br /><br />This ambivalent relation between man and nature must be emphasised, if we are to appreciate the folk dances of India.<br /><br />Apparently lush and beautiful, our land yields with difficulty. The peasant tills the soil patiently. If the rains do not come, the hot sun cracks the earth into millions of fissures, and peasant's ordeal is hard, indeed. So, we find that he fights against nature, and yet loves it dearly. The spirits of the past ages, which symbolise natural calamities, like drought, famine, flood, and pestilence, persist. And he exorcises the fears of these dread forces in the permanent, yet ever alive, forms of movement, of his limbs and lineaments.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUdj5Ya1RXyRpyh6LcmOm53JAa9Y1xpKw1J3ExtsqlmY5ZhgcjqEO7Gaxm-3P9ZmN7fXJFFKmXkN7L4-JPtspJKdVyOZ1s7Ny5cqxyF15G8Sr2FgiPYWv2YkNfGAo_hMcB-eOooLo0aQ/s1600-h/Dance2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUdj5Ya1RXyRpyh6LcmOm53JAa9Y1xpKw1J3ExtsqlmY5ZhgcjqEO7Gaxm-3P9ZmN7fXJFFKmXkN7L4-JPtspJKdVyOZ1s7Ny5cqxyF15G8Sr2FgiPYWv2YkNfGAo_hMcB-eOooLo0aQ/s320/Dance2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306631725441368274" /></a><br /><br />Again when the clouds pour down, the heart of the farmer is full. It is full of sunshine and God, full of the freedom of the wind and the songs of his land. And the inner life bubbles up in his soul. The deeper rhythms move his feet to dance, even as the magic of rhythm moves little children to dance. Thus, if the Gods give the blessings of plenty as the reward for work, man offers his gratitude through the one art which is nearest to prayer - dance.<br /><br />That is why man unconsciously simulates the movements of birds, beasts and flowers in his rhythmic stances. Like the swaying of the branches, sway the legs and arms; like the waving grosses waves the body; like the ear of corn are the heads cocked.<br /><br />And, in this way, the folk dances of India show, in the most obvious manner, the basic connection between outside movements and inner rhythms.<br /><br />Starting from the early morning chime of temple bells, the people's life revolves round the rhythmic acts of fetching water, milking the cows, churning the butter, pounding the rice, the honking of cattle behind the plough, the scattering of seeds and the ultimate reaping . Certain movements have been abstracted from all those movements, from those operations, and they have been reduced to the simplest forms or cadences. The repetitions of these cadences in the essential rhythms, find expression in the the dance-like eddies of life, purified from everything else, except music and passion for movement, to lift man's ordinary life from the daily drudgeries to the splendour of the highest moments.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsekO27ShaihgmDUss8sZqF-_dGMcIShWVhFaKxOxM-7cAF8j0JfhSxNFKMEBzTyYC7vrUIWpqaAUrmZdrPiniHz49ThQYyFArLyKL9nHRJGmTcA3wxGIkAVQYEyb8C487RhQICOLieU/s1600-h/Dance3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsekO27ShaihgmDUss8sZqF-_dGMcIShWVhFaKxOxM-7cAF8j0JfhSxNFKMEBzTyYC7vrUIWpqaAUrmZdrPiniHz49ThQYyFArLyKL9nHRJGmTcA3wxGIkAVQYEyb8C487RhQICOLieU/s320/Dance3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306631728568032802" /></a><br /><br />The folk dances of India reveal not only the individual talents of our people, but the collective traditions of each part of our countryside, the characteristics of the community, and a love for rhythm almost as though it were the eternal life.<br /><br />Whilst the differences of landscape and atmosphere have brought about a great variety of rhythms, of musical compositions, of costumes and dance styles, the underlying religious feelings, which were bound up with the nature-cults of ancient and medieval India, have become part of a unique national tradition for the whole country, with an interior oneness of purpose and aspiration.<br /><br />The vast variety of folk dances of India may be grouped under three heads :<br />1. Community dances held on the main religious festivals and social occasions;<br />2. Tribal dances, rooted in aboriginal cults and expressive of their magical philosophies of life;<br />3. Folk dances preserved by hereditary professional families and troupes, who perform at birth, betrothal, and marriage in the villages.<br /><br />Of all these dances, it can be said that, as they came to our people, at work, not at the expense of life, but as exaltations of life itself, they belong to the whole people and express the imaginative life. It is true that they face the challenge of modern industrial civilization, and have tended to lapse here and there, through their inertia. But it is also certain that the present rehearsals all over the country of these old dance cultures can be kept alive, not as eddies of momentary impulse but as the fountains from which all flow again.<br /><br />In this little book we will not divide the dances according to whether they are community, tribal or professional dances, but we shall describe them as the urges of pastoral man of the different parts of our country dedicated to the spirit of rhythm, which is worshiped in the peasant's prayer :<br /><br />"The dancing foot, the tinkling bells,<br />The songs that are sung,<br />And the varying steps,<br />Find these within yourself,<br />Then shall your fetters fall away."Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-53622348287615747282009-02-24T04:46:00.001-08:002010-09-08T20:35:38.294-07:00Caroling PicsHere's some pics of the caroling... :)<br />First Rehearsal : : Everyone was shy... :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoTyEMu6L4_7rKUpgmsDivzGhUS53rJJhWeDfSDvPU5BsYU0_8rsIt2zvb91VcQ2Q58erkxBuSy_S_JCvCQbIVyK_iob2TEvqIkyACLesYcUBnh4xLfysTv0yeyOfb-nIf2qdUvV5SRI/s1600-h/First+Rehearsal.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoTyEMu6L4_7rKUpgmsDivzGhUS53rJJhWeDfSDvPU5BsYU0_8rsIt2zvb91VcQ2Q58erkxBuSy_S_JCvCQbIVyK_iob2TEvqIkyACLesYcUBnh4xLfysTv0yeyOfb-nIf2qdUvV5SRI/s320/First+Rehearsal.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306345339420980930" /></a><br />Oh what fun it is to...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieO5uQ7bqTp11SLVQTRuQ_CEwagSxGngxnvZKvrITo_YxWYXk7c6RRHOh4de2nDdNU5Q3X0dAq0zMiQcz4aY_7_NPYR8dc59xbNnS5Na-3priz33_LbtWD0uRSN8Pcv8JuC8DLVi-AA-g/s1600-h/Dress+Rehearsal.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieO5uQ7bqTp11SLVQTRuQ_CEwagSxGngxnvZKvrITo_YxWYXk7c6RRHOh4de2nDdNU5Q3X0dAq0zMiQcz4aY_7_NPYR8dc59xbNnS5Na-3priz33_LbtWD0uRSN8Pcv8JuC8DLVi-AA-g/s320/Dress+Rehearsal.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306345336759328050" /></a><br />Shirt is too small, or Santa's too big...;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6m1qdVyFTACi62RIReEM3I-5GrAzMYB86MzrueVuAEKpSAJGdJZ1rS6DfVbvUE0ZeufL80juQ-2Q8ij-5Q8JLHnL_AmkGeMi5I94txIMyM8YNZxZPKlHAxnzMtyrENV4imJ189X_qlWw/s1600-h/Can't+Get+Out+of+Jannets+Shirt.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6m1qdVyFTACi62RIReEM3I-5GrAzMYB86MzrueVuAEKpSAJGdJZ1rS6DfVbvUE0ZeufL80juQ-2Q8ij-5Q8JLHnL_AmkGeMi5I94txIMyM8YNZxZPKlHAxnzMtyrENV4imJ189X_qlWw/s320/Can't+Get+Out+of+Jannets+Shirt.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306345335990714962" /></a><br />Alexandra, sewing caps for Santa...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4ufoMFtzwCFlf6mNjZGNRugYKxMm2QfNp5rQnEtc8us4JnFSQs5xLXsP2x-uYDH6nkP0OaRirIn_W6pC_sNVYqU4of804ErABhbvwoHg2s-fuI5SFO4_2SvW_PFxpERBJ9Q-7aMW1EM/s1600-h/Sewing+Caps+for+Santa.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4ufoMFtzwCFlf6mNjZGNRugYKxMm2QfNp5rQnEtc8us4JnFSQs5xLXsP2x-uYDH6nkP0OaRirIn_W6pC_sNVYqU4of804ErABhbvwoHg2s-fuI5SFO4_2SvW_PFxpERBJ9Q-7aMW1EM/s320/Sewing+Caps+for+Santa.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306345343864797778" /></a><br />The German carolers (Silent Night was best in German!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURo7KOwUx6eiB3NUpHOYBAhy0v2-mU8rxfNEMABBAS8bgUsw6k9ofAtQhD8Pl2kZmVQLMbgJpmAsG9etY-K_cThlNiKnWV7w0MrOdFZM0_rC1CSfRKBxyjAvm3NJY_08nErfcdlcw3NQ/s1600-h/The+German+Carolers.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURo7KOwUx6eiB3NUpHOYBAhy0v2-mU8rxfNEMABBAS8bgUsw6k9ofAtQhD8Pl2kZmVQLMbgJpmAsG9etY-K_cThlNiKnWV7w0MrOdFZM0_rC1CSfRKBxyjAvm3NJY_08nErfcdlcw3NQ/s320/The+German+Carolers.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306345344381841282" /></a><br />Trying Hard to Learn the Lyrics...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TcrbCBpUKLTTzGsXSZNc0a97-J8sJCQY1qi9l2HbJ5Qm0T1yDyB4H1vTvUWhT4oZprxM4U-d04aAeGAHK0semiyDU5SeXXvr127QtUNLtG22SANxzIHpDHRzq17A1QQTUJqGkHtwGNI/s1600-h/Trying+to+learn+the+lyrics.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TcrbCBpUKLTTzGsXSZNc0a97-J8sJCQY1qi9l2HbJ5Qm0T1yDyB4H1vTvUWhT4oZprxM4U-d04aAeGAHK0semiyDU5SeXXvr127QtUNLtG22SANxzIHpDHRzq17A1QQTUJqGkHtwGNI/s320/Trying+to+learn+the+lyrics.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306347737830713842" /></a><br />The Malayalee Team...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL69-L-9TxmV7mIG8aoXjfwATukFEwbFPnYqIrif8SdwRDUHds5ZxZ-Rc9Gabnke7TlmNDxjMntCTTrioEb3uMG6adVfmF7kEvPYrzN42dm_p7vpaZ8ajKSbfHMzooSdSEv5OO6hKoTA/s1600-h/The+Malayalee+Team.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL69-L-9TxmV7mIG8aoXjfwATukFEwbFPnYqIrif8SdwRDUHds5ZxZ-Rc9Gabnke7TlmNDxjMntCTTrioEb3uMG6adVfmF7kEvPYrzN42dm_p7vpaZ8ajKSbfHMzooSdSEv5OO6hKoTA/s320/The+Malayalee+Team.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306346816885539010" /></a><br />Santa on Drums!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9XtEYG_a36Wz4rOd58B_xhNS3zVGRblG09pKYyMPYYq3aZMB7EHHTFpj3edONB0VAzdgu5JJ1jdU5LSh3NkvNBdykVBrfGsgXPyk0crz8vj_Af4ef83uhYhrjrUkHudKdo7l5LzVXO8/s1600-h/Santa+on+Drums.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9XtEYG_a36Wz4rOd58B_xhNS3zVGRblG09pKYyMPYYq3aZMB7EHHTFpj3edONB0VAzdgu5JJ1jdU5LSh3NkvNBdykVBrfGsgXPyk0crz8vj_Af4ef83uhYhrjrUkHudKdo7l5LzVXO8/s320/Santa+on+Drums.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306346817527231506" /></a><br />A French Young Lady/Indian Dress/Mexican Hat : : Alexandra<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCxLzaaml0dIWXenZ_D3iCRC6nUvM67XuSPudWpw9UaeuQPbhEVF-0HzmXNcjxLpSUICcaQcCXiwbXd51z0WiqZ5P3JIdFRjs5P9flf8fSFvSKqLOuadhvvC5IdYixtNcckGX_up3Ok0/s1600-h/Alexandra.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCxLzaaml0dIWXenZ_D3iCRC6nUvM67XuSPudWpw9UaeuQPbhEVF-0HzmXNcjxLpSUICcaQcCXiwbXd51z0WiqZ5P3JIdFRjs5P9flf8fSFvSKqLOuadhvvC5IdYixtNcckGX_up3Ok0/s320/Alexandra.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306346815153885570" /></a><br />The Santa Caps are Ready...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinl05-R_9mvl3t5hazYOstYVgLAUDIMOeHQ2M2uW3NnJe684hxlT2vzLDOIMvuDwr0_IykbVZEUNM1OA1WQBsqrDrOKfQPNOtTJFLepj__v9gr_hQ_OZQoy78pncGFaLfDrhqOozrzXZQ/s1600-h/Santa+Caps.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinl05-R_9mvl3t5hazYOstYVgLAUDIMOeHQ2M2uW3NnJe684hxlT2vzLDOIMvuDwr0_IykbVZEUNM1OA1WQBsqrDrOKfQPNOtTJFLepj__v9gr_hQ_OZQoy78pncGFaLfDrhqOozrzXZQ/s320/Santa+Caps.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306346809435710258" /></a><br />Santa Beard on the Make<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vSmBGfHHS0FQnMYcdNCZOdQ08Omfzx8SGhY0D7SczWOm3LHajgdAzR8x2Tf_mxL4OelwhvG84aHHu7bkbA0BWqJQi1-qPVhnCYBYusnR4aPBRoz5TDD2u4UDl7v8ldaiI3jWR1Tu85k/s1600-h/Santa's+Beard+on+the+Make.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vSmBGfHHS0FQnMYcdNCZOdQ08Omfzx8SGhY0D7SczWOm3LHajgdAzR8x2Tf_mxL4OelwhvG84aHHu7bkbA0BWqJQi1-qPVhnCYBYusnR4aPBRoz5TDD2u4UDl7v8ldaiI3jWR1Tu85k/s320/Santa's+Beard+on+the+Make.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306346809648518130" /></a><br />Playing Santa with the Treasure Bag...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgCjyn3L4olnbu_D6TedrXiUXkOrAm63tC8T8HxMQJqZnZ4-aHNa2dbSt1uXRz6bEjBQg3BtMVXhyw0kq55j7lcZB-NvKCblqD9iIwVUFciMSl-vzRI9_4l9xQ-JExs3K1BEnk88Mz7o/s1600-h/Playing+Santa+with+the+Treasure+Bag.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgCjyn3L4olnbu_D6TedrXiUXkOrAm63tC8T8HxMQJqZnZ4-aHNa2dbSt1uXRz6bEjBQg3BtMVXhyw0kq55j7lcZB-NvKCblqD9iIwVUFciMSl-vzRI9_4l9xQ-JExs3K1BEnk88Mz7o/s320/Playing+Santa+with+the+Treasure+Bag.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306348490297974242" /></a><br />One Drummer Coming Up!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30Q_CrUMXYTLm7_4d5HUP7jaVb3pwO46pBMXBnB0m5mDQAmZt-FG4qXwnM1PDeLRjV_3Ql622iE9OqBhCa7sXHFk3prBv8OBMP5g83axVquuc4bpCAySUL6iwRCZB3Ik-WiFqFg1p9m4/s1600-h/One+Drummer+Coming+Up.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30Q_CrUMXYTLm7_4d5HUP7jaVb3pwO46pBMXBnB0m5mDQAmZt-FG4qXwnM1PDeLRjV_3Ql622iE9OqBhCa7sXHFk3prBv8OBMP5g83axVquuc4bpCAySUL6iwRCZB3Ik-WiFqFg1p9m4/s320/One+Drummer+Coming+Up.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306348488630098946" /></a><br />The Angels... :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NUtbTumonrGhtDBXKEYpPV5NKoxENz-8Ad70HsjYrZeonrfUpx52neKAT_d1jY1_BT_JC15xk5gJXKLw2hFezpWblYszalzHDtYRl__GPX5sJfK4rJvis5jCMiiVPrCOpFyIFt5IwBI/s1600-h/The+Angels.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NUtbTumonrGhtDBXKEYpPV5NKoxENz-8Ad70HsjYrZeonrfUpx52neKAT_d1jY1_BT_JC15xk5gJXKLw2hFezpWblYszalzHDtYRl__GPX5sJfK4rJvis5jCMiiVPrCOpFyIFt5IwBI/s320/The+Angels.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306348489858169650" /></a><br />Make-up Artists at Work...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvbf8uBhWY7oxSWEUYkJWm5hTNN0Ct7V22vLKR0mFls6-GPhrhngLgmzJtynesMB2MiHlQJeryjOL1Kp_7uDwL1TsJl2gjtwW0_uaG6KgijsEpTD1pYgwLJTY8dRwSlgRjhUOC4jBGOs/s1600-h/Make-up+Artists.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvbf8uBhWY7oxSWEUYkJWm5hTNN0Ct7V22vLKR0mFls6-GPhrhngLgmzJtynesMB2MiHlQJeryjOL1Kp_7uDwL1TsJl2gjtwW0_uaG6KgijsEpTD1pYgwLJTY8dRwSlgRjhUOC4jBGOs/s320/Make-up+Artists.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306348489446531810" /></a><br />Cutest Angels on Earth...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9WiR6Ra0dYKGuA0okwllF2PddDYtxbAs-zvMbAai9gP7qm9B4yn2u5-Ud-MuM8m0md1faJlItJl9Bv32CeUCyM_QHuXxrnwmbr-91H8VZHnpgvfaxV7O2whFwpEnTj1Y_kbUX2wnvjk/s1600-h/The+Angels1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9WiR6Ra0dYKGuA0okwllF2PddDYtxbAs-zvMbAai9gP7qm9B4yn2u5-Ud-MuM8m0md1faJlItJl9Bv32CeUCyM_QHuXxrnwmbr-91H8VZHnpgvfaxV7O2whFwpEnTj1Y_kbUX2wnvjk/s320/The+Angels1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306348484655387970" /></a><br />Jannet, the coolest organizer with Santa...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieat0kM74kK422YYe2eKvlYvsdheSoa6FAtMAd6P_nWNk45t0kk2JHfQJAGuqYxYc8ZACysO_rnu77QNke3DzwmSnVJEfOGb2GZhhwZL3L57ou6whFIkCSNinC6d-6gva0j92ZUWirOqA/s1600-h/Jannet+with+Santa.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieat0kM74kK422YYe2eKvlYvsdheSoa6FAtMAd6P_nWNk45t0kk2JHfQJAGuqYxYc8ZACysO_rnu77QNke3DzwmSnVJEfOGb2GZhhwZL3L57ou6whFIkCSNinC6d-6gva0j92ZUWirOqA/s320/Jannet+with+Santa.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306351644829134210" /></a><br />On the Move...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFBZlOml6PS4II8gTyQG8vteZclqW5G3xJCEfcrSKWnbic5XKiz3Q3N0eI3yMp8sxAFYUPimyMkG0QXSwT2rMVvJC4zW0-ZH1pzhZ9cVE0JtFhlpPh_rJf0oweg5e8jImshz6IXy3INs/s1600-h/On+the+Move.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFBZlOml6PS4II8gTyQG8vteZclqW5G3xJCEfcrSKWnbic5XKiz3Q3N0eI3yMp8sxAFYUPimyMkG0QXSwT2rMVvJC4zW0-ZH1pzhZ9cVE0JtFhlpPh_rJf0oweg5e8jImshz6IXy3INs/s320/On+the+Move.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306351638218566546" /></a><br />Singing!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMxWszbkG5-lsmfj9opwTH2peC2pheG2rkzPZjIjcfIpeRLLn6lLijgE6gboGOLP_acZv_e5K7D96GJbgQqXKDbHEoVNqMQi4PMuTty7lyyIIDe7iDf35JxiasbZCWlFag69x-xzN59I/s1600-h/Singing.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMxWszbkG5-lsmfj9opwTH2peC2pheG2rkzPZjIjcfIpeRLLn6lLijgE6gboGOLP_acZv_e5K7D96GJbgQqXKDbHEoVNqMQi4PMuTty7lyyIIDe7iDf35JxiasbZCWlFag69x-xzN59I/s320/Singing.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306351640322079250" /></a><br />Drumming...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbD6CD0aNxxoXqC94LBevoAjHnk-DWPSsu4wztUAiBKr_1qBR7Q5k5pqlTIkwKJVm68KcS9cB0sNz9qbBLJO42e5WwG2tA22KHncxNmf5KjzR7ntIqx6iNF1BJ2iFH2Wg0ZuCFdKxAY0/s1600-h/Drumming.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbD6CD0aNxxoXqC94LBevoAjHnk-DWPSsu4wztUAiBKr_1qBR7Q5k5pqlTIkwKJVm68KcS9cB0sNz9qbBLJO42e5WwG2tA22KHncxNmf5KjzR7ntIqx6iNF1BJ2iFH2Wg0ZuCFdKxAY0/s320/Drumming.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306351632250639810" /></a><br />Santa's here...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTAkrltx9rKki0xmLwiqfAc9lbLYeddzhrGkWaBGIP3YhSdvRgXOMJhgxcmfm1MTcpyiIwn4HyUetZ24B6EXCMReGPQEZvUHZLOrZSWgYtCC_f-3fZWVNLJrY3AjJsud_5tgoQrlMs_o/s1600-h/Santa's+Here.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTAkrltx9rKki0xmLwiqfAc9lbLYeddzhrGkWaBGIP3YhSdvRgXOMJhgxcmfm1MTcpyiIwn4HyUetZ24B6EXCMReGPQEZvUHZLOrZSWgYtCC_f-3fZWVNLJrY3AjJsud_5tgoQrlMs_o/s320/Santa's+Here.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306351628424846338" /></a><br />Merry X'mas...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbWNmVc0NZYqqFx2CY4TNGUq4GqJWzBbFv3k1OOfzkVyEaRqfvp9271PPzdIsM8OMOo7oAulamzz146zAig92z2HHJZAuMq9qX9DmG0vr6klN4VLA5DwLMc5htFlzSW_AbS9AYcmul2A/s1600-h/Merry+X%27mas.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbWNmVc0NZYqqFx2CY4TNGUq4GqJWzBbFv3k1OOfzkVyEaRqfvp9271PPzdIsM8OMOo7oAulamzz146zAig92z2HHJZAuMq9qX9DmG0vr6klN4VLA5DwLMc5htFlzSW_AbS9AYcmul2A/s320/Merry+X%27mas.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306353395186975074" /></a><br />So Tender & Mild...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9seOGxMl20Co4aosdjPWXRyDnCXDmcxiL1fc3zhSeZNa3PTzEecyrQO1dIX7oqgBxUY4vmYzI8FoIGweUgjJEE6bNaBcY1VDZ0n6op43LzW-KwuIRLAYjF9aE3x1Xbj2Ow-MdCsL01c/s1600-h/So+Tender+%26+Mild.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9seOGxMl20Co4aosdjPWXRyDnCXDmcxiL1fc3zhSeZNa3PTzEecyrQO1dIX7oqgBxUY4vmYzI8FoIGweUgjJEE6bNaBcY1VDZ0n6op43LzW-KwuIRLAYjF9aE3x1Xbj2Ow-MdCsL01c/s320/So+Tender+%26+Mild.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306353395355882130" /></a><br />More Singing...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaU-77IP4D_Zx29oFBxykgWSUFhITQefjXWNFMsAc77t4GNOX9-_aW6OwtzkOITashs0Db1sLasx_FCysCQN8FgZRY6SY96RSIpSuz8C9kETNhoaCsEcv3SkCI5O367jsv-EqMpdT0kA/s1600-h/More+Singing.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaU-77IP4D_Zx29oFBxykgWSUFhITQefjXWNFMsAc77t4GNOX9-_aW6OwtzkOITashs0Db1sLasx_FCysCQN8FgZRY6SY96RSIpSuz8C9kETNhoaCsEcv3SkCI5O367jsv-EqMpdT0kA/s320/More+Singing.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306353397230751490" /></a><br />Tutti Pranav with Ravi, Our Fearsome Security Guard!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFZ9OBB7T1pLdzSgQ7IoLoh81yRex7oh8usocW2dJPI0b38gYrbzrpjKVSocx5J9sw5dYPTXtIgG_RFydVMvXItxNcWNRsRFskjXVSzkCTm6BdcTOrLQG8XtAM4R_t8NAgk3NOVq47io/s1600-h/Tutti+with+Ravi.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFZ9OBB7T1pLdzSgQ7IoLoh81yRex7oh8usocW2dJPI0b38gYrbzrpjKVSocx5J9sw5dYPTXtIgG_RFydVMvXItxNcWNRsRFskjXVSzkCTm6BdcTOrLQG8XtAM4R_t8NAgk3NOVq47io/s320/Tutti+with+Ravi.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306354299496025922" /></a><br />The Core Team!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4vnrQogRyZJpyVldrmmLqaN-T-h6-VI7hUchFQO1XwRqOtj2zOjo9ujz0L8QzDvCZK3BTMI8Ze6rYdmUqdvMz57fdHPHlvZKRraD5Sr_FHN-NEaA3qMVPKmYE7ONFmnJyuVBTh27ahE/s1600-h/The+Core+Team.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4vnrQogRyZJpyVldrmmLqaN-T-h6-VI7hUchFQO1XwRqOtj2zOjo9ujz0L8QzDvCZK3BTMI8Ze6rYdmUqdvMz57fdHPHlvZKRraD5Sr_FHN-NEaA3qMVPKmYE7ONFmnJyuVBTh27ahE/s320/The+Core+Team.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306353398427644738" /></a><br /><br />It was great fun!<br /><br />:)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-66507199602779016302009-02-21T22:12:00.000-08:002010-09-08T20:35:01.135-07:00December...Lovely December...December; the end of the year... Sometimes I have thought, the ending and beginning of a year is not so significant, since a 'year' is just another way of keeping time. <br />I have always believed that traditional calenders which mark the agricultural and astronomical patterns are much more realistic than some emperor guys changing the calender to suit their tastes! (But this calls for a complete blog, so more later...)<br />This December was made wonderful by the joy and love that a bunch of trans-cultural explorers, infused in all of us. <br />Zoom to : Dinner time : I'm whispering to G, "Can we go Xmas caroling 'round the village?" <br />With Jannet, the organizer as the driving force, that whisper grew to downloading carols from the internet, practice sessions with pathetic efforts at singing 'Silent Night' (Except for Tara, who sings like a sweet lil birdie, shy and so beautiful), Gautham's funny histrionics with the 'Rudolf' song, German carols by Marsilia & Frank, everyone singing 'Yahoodiyayile' in their wonderful Malayalam and dressing up Rajeesh as the Santa, thoughtful Jannet making toffee-filled stars for kids, the two angels-in-white, Alexandra & Soumya, the drummers, and kids joining in the carol group... It grew into a lovely night singing under the stars (though the singing was a bit off-key and the drumming was maddening at times).<br />Then there was the Xmas feast, which I sadly missed, we went home to bangalore to amma's feast... :)<br /><br />(To be continued...)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-44991327744288615042009-02-20T03:05:00.000-08:002010-09-08T20:36:09.796-07:00A Dream Deferred!What happens to a dream deferred?<br />Does it dry up<br />like a raisin in the sun?<br />Or does it fester like a sore - <br />and then run?<br />Does it stink like rotten meat?<br />Or crust and sugar over - <br />like a syrupy sweet?<br /><br />Maybe it just sags<br />like a heavy load?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Or does it explode?</span><br /><br />Langston HughesSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-61670611677346335612009-02-15T22:27:00.000-08:002009-02-15T23:37:48.458-08:00I want to write about...Some things I want to write on...When... ;)<br /><br />* Gandhiji<br />* Thrangali aka heaven<br />* Paul aka the white bear<br />* Min Tanaka<br />* Indian mythology<br />* Stories<br />* Childhood<br />* People I love<br />* Memories<br />* Thoughts<br />* Dreams<br />* Conversations<br />* Children<br />* And maybe more..<br /><br />Let's see...<br /><br />I won't write about books I read & movies I see because I am hopeless in analyzing them. I either love it or am left unfeeling after reading/watching. That's not much to write about, eh? Maybe sometime I can put a list of 'I loved it' things...<br /><br />Most of the time I'm sort of reluctant to write. The only time I write good stuff is when I'm inspired by something so much that I get a pen immediately and jot down whatever I feel. I cannot write on a calm mind...<br /><br /> Dear world<br /> Give me <br /> Small things<br /> Of beauty<br /> Deep<br /> My heart<br /> Will awaken<br /> To flower<br /> Fragrant<br /> Dear world<br /> Inspire me!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-19556712912229685182009-01-31T04:09:00.000-08:002010-09-08T20:36:09.797-07:00The Blue Sky<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KdLsxfgbmv3JCcL_tzJ35dl6x3B5otCH2nhnMK-MMi4LIsyJFtOwCooK2Sxak-EN3C98zs8sf_nATH-JUIHucuNSNapWZz4gWYf0n7lxpxo9Bsx1Su8jT1h0o-2EVo17S0NzaBPWC8E/s1600-h/eagle+in+a+blue+sky.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KdLsxfgbmv3JCcL_tzJ35dl6x3B5otCH2nhnMK-MMi4LIsyJFtOwCooK2Sxak-EN3C98zs8sf_nATH-JUIHucuNSNapWZz4gWYf0n7lxpxo9Bsx1Su8jT1h0o-2EVo17S0NzaBPWC8E/s320/eagle+in+a+blue+sky.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297430039494305442" /></a><br />Once...<br />I dreamt I was an eagle...<br />Soaring high in a blue sky...<br />Waking up...<br />I was sad I was rooted to earth...<br />Yesterday...<br />I slept with no dreams...<br />Waking up...<br />I found myself soaring in a blue sky<br />Of love...Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-21729980098863556172009-01-10T08:35:00.000-08:002010-09-08T21:41:24.568-07:00Storytelling and an Exploration on RootsThe art of storytelling exists in every culture around the globe. Tales that teach, inspire, heal and entertain are constantly being shared by people of all ages. The oral story is one of the oldest and most diverse of all performing arts. Tellers can romance and frighten. They educate and enlighten. They can cause political excitement and children delight. They can heal the body and spirit.<br /><br />Add to the oral story some of the most vibrant colours nature can provide, graceful dancing, expressions flitting over a mysteriously made-up face, the highly stylized language of gestures and unearthly (divine?) costume, enchanting music, and you have any of the myriad performing arts of Kerala. <br />Performing arts in Kerala may be of three types:<br />1. Ritual arts, like Theyyam, where the performer is transformed into the divine, is possessed by the spirit. Here costuming, mask-like paint, masks and headgear are predominant features.<br />2. Dramatic arts, like Kathakali & Kudiyattam, where the performer enacts the roles of mythological and divine characters. Here sung narrative and gesticulation are fundamental and costuming is important but subsidiary.<br />3. Solo temple arts, like Mohiniyattam, where the performer offers himself/herself to the gods through music and dance. It is musical melody and dance in a single costume.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzx9fUc8vfq0RdQKCYP-8K0cgBUBpz-FVY3A4QITOCRXw_eY15PK9W7lWYjrRLY9w2djg7-q45ggQJxpSUgEGFmgQvctACtc3RmtQHqGeaSjH1Hu4fxuZfFNLY-O1zhvS71jwwvZDbYg/s1600-h/nalan+%26+takshakan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzx9fUc8vfq0RdQKCYP-8K0cgBUBpz-FVY3A4QITOCRXw_eY15PK9W7lWYjrRLY9w2djg7-q45ggQJxpSUgEGFmgQvctACtc3RmtQHqGeaSjH1Hu4fxuZfFNLY-O1zhvS71jwwvZDbYg/s320/nalan+%26+takshakan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289722807750172578" /></a><br /><br />Do not ask me which is the greater form of devotion, I am just a child discovering with wonder all that's tremendously inspiring in our traditional arts.<br /><br />To sit on the cool floor, before the 'arangu'(stage), dimly lit with an oil lamp (unfortunately with modern lights in most places!)is in itself a magical experience. When the play begins, with it's mesmerizing music, and the larger-than-life characters dance their story,you become one with the dancer. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisONFPFFz1NBjVNykYU6dQk2FlPssSWk9nKt4ylOcxjAvQs0tZkIcyXRH2Bq0r4AYim20Ha-G6EJnQuRjVGByS27rOSgAmy4TuYdVcMlRp2KkqABmKv-9JWbrMw_qTMxfSBt3b0B-Toys/s1600-h/make-up.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 115px; height: 86px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisONFPFFz1NBjVNykYU6dQk2FlPssSWk9nKt4ylOcxjAvQs0tZkIcyXRH2Bq0r4AYim20Ha-G6EJnQuRjVGByS27rOSgAmy4TuYdVcMlRp2KkqABmKv-9JWbrMw_qTMxfSBt3b0B-Toys/s320/make-up.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289726314353761842" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3MMyXqiRvJQDiDMKkAhupN5fleuU6lCKZ-Jll2g757fWctGs7iBF55mgDRYNTizuzfr6jX94ASw7KovLaZYG8DvDdt_T8qXtiRr2dhNatcnpprruOVTNsFaGIdTw3bsutC7LeS_ORKM/s1600-h/make-up1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 151px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3MMyXqiRvJQDiDMKkAhupN5fleuU6lCKZ-Jll2g757fWctGs7iBF55mgDRYNTizuzfr6jX94ASw7KovLaZYG8DvDdt_T8qXtiRr2dhNatcnpprruOVTNsFaGIdTw3bsutC7LeS_ORKM/s320/make-up1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289725842082078610" /></a><br />Yes, on the stage there are no performers,they have slowly transformed after hours in the sacred 'green-room'.Putting on the crown with utmost piety, they become the character!<br /><br />I have been vain and shy with Simhika, the demoness adorning herself, I have felt deceived with Baali,the dying monkey king, I have felt maternal love flowing from me with Devaki, Krishna's mother separated from him (Oh, the beautiful Vijayan as Devaki!), I have felt anguish and ecstasy of Poothana, whose life Krishna sucks out.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXLBfWx7D7D6_9tLaRReVIA0bqxck_uP6NzdsDZY71WcW4Lb7bG0FdAYwjnpk_jqyO30JpJY6hbNAVW2n0xMJ3iM2tIeowcdz-GUcBQzX-6zaqRqJ5dsND18BMoY4tDcqyRgdvvgJf1E/s1600-h/simhika.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXLBfWx7D7D6_9tLaRReVIA0bqxck_uP6NzdsDZY71WcW4Lb7bG0FdAYwjnpk_jqyO30JpJY6hbNAVW2n0xMJ3iM2tIeowcdz-GUcBQzX-6zaqRqJ5dsND18BMoY4tDcqyRgdvvgJf1E/s320/simhika.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289722563847901458" /></a><br />The music enriches the experiences, the music lives in you, fills you, and sometimes if you closes your eyes you can see the music. <br /><br />Living in this multi-hued global village with a most marvelous group of professional and aspiring artists, I am feeling like the proverbial stone dusted with fragrant jasmine. All through my life I have felt rootless, now I am finding my way, I find that my roots are one with the many explorers of life and beauty, people who try to make a difference, creating beauty wherever they are, in the slums of <a href="http://talimihaqschool.blogspot.com/">calcutta</a>, awakening disappearing <a href="http://virali.wordpress.com/">art forms</a>, exploring new ways of <a href="http://tonytabla.blogspot.com/">expression and education</a> and many more who are trying to keep creativity alive in a dying world.<br /><br />I am a tiny leaf on the great tree of unending life. My roots run strong and deep just as yours...Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-5675037484808570032008-12-11T20:57:00.000-08:002010-09-08T21:37:48.239-07:00De poëzie in de operaregiePoetry in Opera Direction<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxDIOh7lEZ1Psdb-xKACCSHmLOXY_2QhtLVXirtwr7L59W4SL68LtIg9Q_GPShSaexnqvBRIC5rze5-HcmDlIzYhxsz5WWrXRUQY0xVdrcnU7HJq7UgMaRp0xyCbk_xCAnUq1GkoiEIc/s1600-h/Deflo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxDIOh7lEZ1Psdb-xKACCSHmLOXY_2QhtLVXirtwr7L59W4SL68LtIg9Q_GPShSaexnqvBRIC5rze5-HcmDlIzYhxsz5WWrXRUQY0xVdrcnU7HJq7UgMaRp0xyCbk_xCAnUq1GkoiEIc/s320/Deflo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278764284047138610" /></a><br /><br />He walked in... That's what the reception told me... A walk-in guest...<br />I mentally geared myself for a half an hour's encounter with a tourist just walking in to 'see' vijnana kalavedi... there's nothing to be seen here. The culture, the arts, the food, the people, all have to be felt...<br />But, no, this was no tourist...<br />It was an artist...exuding the fragrance of a satisfied life...<br />He was pure happiness and content just as his hair was pure white...<br />He vibrated such positive energy...such a radiance...and such love for all things beautiful...<br />He was a knowledge seeker, a lover of books...<br />When Gilbert Defloe talked about the many opera he had directed, his experiences came alive...<br />When he talked about witnessing a lunar eclipse in france...the hushed silence, the eerie light which he tried to recreate later on stage... you live in his memories...<br />He made the day special... <br />He walked in...and changed the very air i breathe...<br />I spent a marvellous day with him...Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-19207561465734166942008-11-20T22:32:00.000-08:002010-09-08T20:36:09.797-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOVgbRM-nPxMlJqnxp971nFISXVy4Fbsf-cUjnJgqN2ChdsIVST2MPZIHQf3PqsvAxJT8yQ0EpBRivaZNCrbsKKhL0LOiiNhcoJV6Q13dY4_WQApj6mP8LGi7xwm9q_HQ80AVAlUew4I/s1600-h/satkosia1+100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOVgbRM-nPxMlJqnxp971nFISXVy4Fbsf-cUjnJgqN2ChdsIVST2MPZIHQf3PqsvAxJT8yQ0EpBRivaZNCrbsKKhL0LOiiNhcoJV6Q13dY4_WQApj6mP8LGi7xwm9q_HQ80AVAlUew4I/s320/satkosia1+100.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270996465089118818" /></a><br /><br />I am God<br /><br />Here I Lie<br />A Puppet in Human Hands<br />Child of His Fears and Dreams<br />Here I Lie<br />Created in His Likeness<br />Sharing in His Weakness<br />Here I Lie<br />I Live for His Dreams<br />I Die for His Fears<br />Here I Lie<br />They Sang for Me<br />They Danced for Me<br />Here I Lie<br />To Bring Them Luck<br />I am Set Afloat on the Mahanadi<br />Here I Lie<br />They Fight for Me<br />They Die for Me<br />Here I Lie<br />In the Dying Light of the Day<br />I'm Washed Ashore<br />Here I Lie<br />Having Lost My Pretensions<br />I'm Exposed to the Seeker<br />Here I Lie<br />All Pass Me By<br />None Seeing Me<br />Here I Lie<br />A Little Child Stands Looking at Me<br />The River Dancing in Her Eyes<br />Here I Lie<br />She Sees Me True<br />And Says, Oh, You are God<br />Here I Lie<br />I See Her True<br />And Say, No, You are God<br />Here I LieSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-40463409333475540562008-10-05T02:01:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:35:38.294-07:00Child Unlimited!Here's one of my favourite children... <br />He was naughty, I was too... <br />He didn't know my language, I didn't know his... <br />Yet he liked my stories, I liked his... <br />We met, we loved... <br />And we journey on...<br />Each in our own stories... <br />We might just live in each other's memories...<br />But, he loved me, I loved him...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc4INXOuKLxfYCynXF2UpLbDKbJ_hDG9yZMlnKG8o6VzSH3GEh9IJyhX3bsf0qMfMSwVHi06PyQ5QXQfUALcCBcrXeo8cqfoSQI5k21niD1mC5ZRdaGbhwxj7bISR2Hi8gGReETdxCB8/s1600-h/Jimmy+14.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 0px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc4INXOuKLxfYCynXF2UpLbDKbJ_hDG9yZMlnKG8o6VzSH3GEh9IJyhX3bsf0qMfMSwVHi06PyQ5QXQfUALcCBcrXeo8cqfoSQI5k21niD1mC5ZRdaGbhwxj7bISR2Hi8gGReETdxCB8/s320/Jimmy+14.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253606489060342402" /></a>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-68406601266924267862008-07-09T23:28:00.000-07:002010-09-08T21:38:28.422-07:00An Ode to a Friend!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBsWBUtA3Ghx-LYp0FXvCBkPGqcnu-xg6vp6Kl3MZiDtQVjrgZEuFVkHx56PBBNRUaSgmUUeyAgOYMEZchPrPKf3enN8KDwcIChO9QclRZSwdadl320LUvvaY9MieQSSPE7xMqqGr8I0/s1600-h/Virali+-+Plant.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBsWBUtA3Ghx-LYp0FXvCBkPGqcnu-xg6vp6Kl3MZiDtQVjrgZEuFVkHx56PBBNRUaSgmUUeyAgOYMEZchPrPKf3enN8KDwcIChO9QclRZSwdadl320LUvvaY9MieQSSPE7xMqqGr8I0/s320/Virali+-+Plant.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221272918868070946" /></a><br /><br />I would like to tell you the story of a small friend whom I came across on my journey ever on. My friends’ name is Virali. Oh, that’s what her Tamil friends call her lovingly. Her official name is Dodonaea Viscosa (impressive, eh?). <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0fQlW15ywNpeuAthQRag67q8XnxJb6tsIT4_7FcsoQ1nSA20oeS26OpzfHoR1VGJ3euuNEzE3NorDOrZ2WA7jJQLOOPi81Xw5MOoXW9HGVUWDi6sToD45rAYk92KDSuFPfnGULVVx60/s1600-h/Dodonaea+Viscosa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0fQlW15ywNpeuAthQRag67q8XnxJb6tsIT4_7FcsoQ1nSA20oeS26OpzfHoR1VGJ3euuNEzE3NorDOrZ2WA7jJQLOOPi81Xw5MOoXW9HGVUWDi6sToD45rAYk92KDSuFPfnGULVVx60/s320/Dodonaea+Viscosa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221274046045266386" /></a><br /><br />She’s found the world over, from India to Africa to Middle East to Australia to America to South East Asia to Hawaii (a real world trouper!). No wonder, her fruits which are cream to red are winged, usually two-winged, but sometimes three or four winged! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQus_77TCX9NnRzCtS9NOu2IJaS6-ZRfGk3AHlUmAyE_wovYtVjQdXN82eXCuFpJiaUcFDLHH6PMDQKOIeVtn8wZAxn54WwliFqQx0gqZMW4UehTD981hkoem2m4rmXV3f44ehnFja3ro/s1600-h/Pretty+Winged+Fruit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQus_77TCX9NnRzCtS9NOu2IJaS6-ZRfGk3AHlUmAyE_wovYtVjQdXN82eXCuFpJiaUcFDLHH6PMDQKOIeVtn8wZAxn54WwliFqQx0gqZMW4UehTD981hkoem2m4rmXV3f44ehnFja3ro/s320/Pretty+Winged+Fruit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221273159352623730" /></a><br /><br /> She’s a flyer! <br />She’s a very hardy species and can re-sprout from the base. She has wide tolerance for different soils, winds and heat. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjT6JEs0Uud4Azn7F8OAhkMbaZGgfJScmMopsHtwsMAbfUTU2WuiV8bo_46mgdazrE05GC3qHz1IwNh6ahOzn0_0_gqWJoAEOzV_wYkbhbkLJQxVrhNj9PJojM9rWo-1SAKs4iRTgNjMg/s1600-h/Strong!.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjT6JEs0Uud4Azn7F8OAhkMbaZGgfJScmMopsHtwsMAbfUTU2WuiV8bo_46mgdazrE05GC3qHz1IwNh6ahOzn0_0_gqWJoAEOzV_wYkbhbkLJQxVrhNj9PJojM9rWo-1SAKs4iRTgNjMg/s320/Strong!.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221273586184282818" /></a><br /> <br /> She's strong!<br />She can grow healthy in all kinds of soils, even in rocky, gravelly or limestone ground or on disturbed ground. She requires very less maintenance if you want to cultivate her. She’s drought and cold resistant. In Hawaii were for every occasion guests are garlanded with flower/fruit necklaces, a garland of dried Virali fruits would be a compliment to you for your resilient and hearty nature. In the Nilgiris, the indigenous community hangs the leaves of Virali from the thatches of their huts on auspicious occasions like a marriage. The tender leaves of Virali are succulent, analgesic (pain-killer!) and have mildly euphoric effect (stimulating was another word!) and slightly toxic in overdose, among numerous other medicinal properties. She favours areas that receive full sun (don’t ever be miserly with her in matters of love, give it fully!). Her kind is propagated through wind, when the pollen dances on the wind horse from flower to flower!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5jgzK0C-Yf8TX83ltv-Fp23rMZrSzU1fcOO9BxAhvlDFGUWkTkHdQZkcPkHDSQIRiv9wmmXHqR5EUGa4vrBM-EpBGzefm25dqaClvXXXP5mj7uzN0zI1A-fNzlvk1eaWOVjjSCryfCE/s1600-h/Virali+-+Flower.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5jgzK0C-Yf8TX83ltv-Fp23rMZrSzU1fcOO9BxAhvlDFGUWkTkHdQZkcPkHDSQIRiv9wmmXHqR5EUGa4vrBM-EpBGzefm25dqaClvXXXP5mj7uzN0zI1A-fNzlvk1eaWOVjjSCryfCE/s320/Virali+-+Flower.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221277381629444498" /></a><br /><br />So if you find a faint whiff of a fragrance around you, ah! there she is…<br /><br />She’s the best sort of friend you would want and keep. Resilient, hearty, loyal, winged, pretty, adventurous, and slightly intoxicating, one whose deep love for performing arts defines her very world!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyATFWq2qLtaYP89IPX3C2CYt7mZX8VqWYstV1q9vQw_wJIOKklIjCkrPTTh5BufJfkEZz6LEHuPivHv7cjOuHljP96H9hsB-aN0nQuBZnOgAzIP_q_amDL5yXGkIGIrFY0SokiFl0_w/s1600-h/kapila.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyATFWq2qLtaYP89IPX3C2CYt7mZX8VqWYstV1q9vQw_wJIOKklIjCkrPTTh5BufJfkEZz6LEHuPivHv7cjOuHljP96H9hsB-aN0nQuBZnOgAzIP_q_amDL5yXGkIGIrFY0SokiFl0_w/s320/kapila.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221282987610208594" /></a><br /><br />For a dose of stimulation, please check out http://virali.wordpress.comSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-64713987905844097872008-03-14T05:30:00.000-07:002010-09-08T20:36:09.798-07:00To My LoveOh, because you never tried<br />To bow my will or break my pride,<br />And nothing of the cave-man made<br />You want to keep me half afraid,<br />Nor ever with a conquering air<br />You thought to draw me unaware --<br />Take me, for I love you more<br />Than I ever loved before.<br /><br />And since the body's maidenhood<br />Alone were neither rare nor good<br />Unless with it I gave to you<br />A spirit still untrammeled, too,<br />Take my dreams and take my mind<br />That were masterless as wind;<br />And "Master!" I shall say to you<br />Since you never asked me to.<br /><br />Sara TeasdaleSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238856147894348519.post-84427003103167707992007-12-21T03:50:00.001-08:002010-09-08T21:42:06.916-07:00New Year Resolution!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fozl2gsWtGVLz5ywOlofQov9qpzLGBgCGKRn_ZmaqQtO1vw5azsi2ZlFQRt9U87a8fvPyfWAESvOj9DGWfytNj9ht8nBBQKDrXLbRPnPvD1dc3lC4WxFV9trI1E8qSE2Y-lJdNkwhT8/s1600-h/19880103.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fozl2gsWtGVLz5ywOlofQov9qpzLGBgCGKRn_ZmaqQtO1vw5azsi2ZlFQRt9U87a8fvPyfWAESvOj9DGWfytNj9ht8nBBQKDrXLbRPnPvD1dc3lC4WxFV9trI1E8qSE2Y-lJdNkwhT8/s320/19880103.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146395027800584866" /></a>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633488478003919515noreply@blogger.com1