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Nov 19, '08

Why should the wedding ring be worn on the fourth finger?

There is a beautiful and convincing explanation given by the Chinese

Thumb represents your -- Parents
Second (Index) finger represents your Siblings
Middle finger represents your Self
Fourth (Ring) finger represents your Life Partner
& Last (Little) finger represents your Children

Firstly, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back

Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip
(As shown in the figure Above)

Now, try to Separate your Thumbs (representing the parents)..., they will open, because your parents are not destined to live with you lifelong (Sorry but its the Truth), and have to leave you sooner or later.

Please join your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings)...., they will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.

Now join the Index fingers and separate your Little fingers (representing your children)...., they will open too, because the children also will get married and settle down on their own some day.

Finally, join your Little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse).
You will be surprised to see that you just CAN NOT ..,

Coz Husband &Wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin.. !!

ISN'T THIS A LOVELY THEORY.. ??

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Nov 19, '08

Origin & History of KADHAKALI

Kathakali is an ancient and traditional dance form of Kerala. The word Kathakali literally means "Story-Play". Kathakali uses elaborate make-ups, costumes and background. Kathakali was originated in the 17th century and has its roots in Hindu mythology. Kathakali has a unique combination of literature, music, painting, acting and dance. Kathakali is based on religious themes. They play is mostly based on the two epics 'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharata'.

Origin and History of Kathakali
Popular belief is that Kathakali is emerged from "Krishananattam", the dance drama on the life and activities of Lord Krishna created by the Zamorin of Calicut. Once Kottarakkara Thampuran, the Raja of Kottarakkara who was attracted by Krishnanaattam requested the Zamorin for the loan of a troupe of performers. Due to the political rivalry between the two, Zamorin did not allow this. So Kottarakkara Thampuran created another art form called Ramanattam which was later transformed into Aattakatha. Krishnanaattam was written in Sanskrit, and Raamanaattam was in Malayalam. By the end of 17th century, Attakatha was presented to the world with the title 'Kathakali'.

Elements of Fine ArtKathakali
Kathakali is a combination of five forms of fine art like :

1. Natyam (Acting or Expressions)
2. Nritham (Dance)
3. Nrithyam (Enactment)
4. Sangeetham (Music)
5. Vadyam (Instrument accompaniment)
Even though the lyrics/literature would qualify as another independent element called "Sahithyam", it is considered as a component of Geetha, as it plays only a supplementary role to Nritham, Nrithyam and Natyam.

Kathakali Plays
There are about 101 Kathakali stories. The stories were composed for the whole night in the old times. But due to the increasing demand for the concised versions, now the plays are composed for 2-4 hours instead of the whole night. It is good for one who watches Kathakali to have an idea of the story being played. Success or failure of amateur Kathakali artistes is often decided by their sensibility to successfully personalize characters.

Important stories enacted in Kathakali are 'Nala Charitham' (Story from Mahabharatham about King Nala and his wife Damayanthi), 'Duryodhana Vadham' (Another story from Mahabharata about the killing of Duryodhana by the Pandava brother Bhima in Kurukshetra), 'Kalyanasowgandhikam' (Bheema's encounter with Hanuman when the former set out in search for the flower Kalyanasaugandhikam for his wife Draupadi), 'Keechaka Vadham'(Story of the killing of Keechaka by Bhima when the Panadavas were in disguise), 'Kiratham' (Story of Arjuna and Lord Shiva's fight), and 'Karna Shapadham' (story of Karna from Mahabharata).

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Nov 14, '08

Tips For Slim Health And Long Life

When you want to cough up the extra weight you got, Most of the people make big plans and schedules for exersise. This guide wont tell you how to do it, but it rather focuses on what you must NOT do.

Never skip Warm ups. If you skip this, you will not be in a condition to continue your exersise the next day.

Also, Here are some tips regarding Cardio exersises. If you want to burn Fat, then people suggest Cardio Exersises. You may have wondered why ? The fact is, when you exersise, for about 20 mins ( usually till you start sweating and stinking ) you are using up your primary energy resource. After this phase, the body shifts to the stored reserves for more energy. This is when you are actually burning fat. So, Only the exersise after these 20 minutes count.
So better exersise as much as you can till you cry. and once you are done with it, dont stop and watch TV.

Instead, after your exersise session, always stretch your body and do some light exersise. So that, the body comes back to the normal condition and the blood circulation becomes normal again. This is also very important step. Never miss it. And before you really take some huge decisions in your life regarding rigourous workouts and exersise, consult a doctor. He really has more brains and can definately guide you better.

Also, never ever go on DIETING. Here is the reason,
When you go on dieting, you limit the food intake. The body is a wonderful peice of machine. It is more clever than you think. In your dieting phase, it starts extracting more nutrients than usual. So when you are dieting, the extraction process is on a full scale. Why do you think the stray dogs are so healthy as you puppy. Becuase even though they eat less, they extract more.

Back to the point, Dieting will also make you pale and dull.. So, now you are looking miserable and you finally decide to quit. You have lost 5 pounds and you are quiet proud of it. You go to stores and get some pastries and cakes.. But your body does not know that you have stopped your dieting routine. And this time, it works uses the ADVANCED extraction process that it had learn't at the time of dieting on this junk food too. So what do you think the result is ?

You gain weight at much faster rate than you lost it.

Keep the following things balanced and everything will go fine :-
1> Sleep
2> Food ( Balanced - Avoid Non-veg and junk .. ya .ya. you heard this from thousands of other people too.. now you know, we are not stupid to tell you the same thing again and again.. )
3> Exersise ( Moderate )

Anyone who thinks can do meditation can really benefit a lot from it. Meditation can really help you in achieving your goals. It keeps your mind focussed and pin points your goals. It is the best Stress reliever.

Also, if you don't believe in God, I suggest you start believing today. Not because you want to cast miracles but you will help yourself live longer and better. Now, your thinking I have gone crazy. NO, not until I read this in newspapers and searched the net to show you guys..

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Nov 11, '08

What is God like?

What is the popular image of God? Often we imagine God as male, elderly, somewhat grandfatherly, a kind, bearded sort of powerful person. Everyone has their own image of God, but what is he really like? Is he in human form at all?

Well, in reality no-one fully knows what God is like or what he looks like. Why? Because he is in spirit.

What abilities would God need to be a God? Some suggestions are:

(*)To create all living things God would need to be all powerful and without any limitations. He'd need to be able to do anything and everything.

(*)As a magnificent being God would be far more advanced than us in every way. He would understand us, but we wouldn't be able to fully understand him in the same depth or with the same understanding, no matter how we tried.

(*)God would be pretty much perfect in every way.

(*)God would not exist in the physical dimension we live in. It would be too confining. God simply exists in pure spirit, 'I am Who I am'.

(*)God would have no beginning or end and so time as we understand it would not apply! The closest way to describe this in human terms is by using the word, 'eternal'.

(*)Everything and everyone would be important to God. He'd love us all perfectly and unconditionally - and never make mistakes.

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Nov 10, '08

Poetry from the Romantic Period to the Present Day

After the romantic upsurge there came poems describing landscape. Pala Narayanan Nair's Keralam Valarunnu (Kerala grows) attempts at an expoition of the landscape, history and culture of Kerala.

Political turmoil also awoke the muse. Vayalar Rama Varma was the person who inspired the growth of communism through his works. At the same time G.Sankara Kurup with his exquisite talent was attempting one of the most remembered poems in the annals of Malayalam Literature. A gyaanapiith Award recipient, Kurup's main works include otakkuzhal (Bamboo flute), Muttukal (beads) and Saahitya Kautukam (4 vols).

Edaseri is another poet who uses rustic images beautifully in his works. One of his best works is Puutappaattu which connects the bizarre and the ordinary with finesse and grace. Moulded on fantasy, the poem is an exposition of the tender love of a 'devil' to a child.

P.Kunjiraaman Nair is another poet whose works carry some message. He has ardently tried to re-establish tradition. He protests against deforestation in one of his poems. In another poem he compares India to a temple which is about to be raided by enemies.
Vailoppolli Sreedhara Menon has taken up very sensitive themes, which has resulted in his works like Kannikkoytu (first harvest) and Makarakoytu (harvest in Makaram). His other works are Kanneerppaatam (field of tears) and Kunnimanikal.

Nalappatt's (1887-1956) Kannuniirttulli (Tear drop) is one of the best elegiac poems in Malayalam. Here the poet mourns the death of his beloved in child birth.

Olappamanna's Nangemakutti depicts the story of a Namboodiri girl who is considered as an outcaste because she fell in love with a Namboodiri belonging to a lower sub-caste. His other main works are jaalakappakshi and Amba.

O.N.V. Kurup's poem naalumanippookkal (Four-O'clock blooms) dwells on the relation between poetic creativity and experience. He has written a number of works among which Ujjayini deserves special mention. It takes us to the court of king Vikramaaditya, where Kalidaasa was the chief poet. Bhumiykkoru charamageetham (Dirge to the earth) is another important work.

Intense poetry and lyricism are the marks of Sugata Kumari's works. Her important works include Paavam maanavahridayam (poor human heart) and Raatri mazha (night rain). In one of her extremely emotional poems Krishna ni enne ariyilla (Krishna, you do not know me) she portrays the picture of a Gopika, who is in love with Lord Krishna, although he does not know her. Baalamani Amma is a poetess who goes to spiritual heights in her poems. Her acceptance of the world is unreserved.
K.Ayyappa Paniker in his earlier poems has paid homage to scientific progress. The conquest of the outer space by Yuri Gagarin was the immediate stimulus that prompted him to write this poem. Paniker's poems are deep and carry a satirical tone along with them. In one of his poems, the following lines have gained at lot of popularity.

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Oct 31, '08

ORIGIN OF KERALA-MYTHICAL CONNECTION

The Parasurama Tradition

How was Kerala created? Geological evidence points to the continuing growth of the land within proto-historic or even historic times. There were at least two phases of upward movement of land from the sea. The first is represented by erosion surfaces on the laterite of the midland region at about 250 and 600 feet. The second stage of some eight-mile wide shore-creation is reflected in the legend of Parasurama and the literature of place-names. There is a line of villages in Kerala eight miles from the seashore in whose names "sea" or "island" is prominent.

Again, the existence of marine fossils at Vazhappilly near Changanacherry is pointed out as evidence for the aforementioned theory. The first land-rise probably was the result of volcanic operations or seismological factors. The second land-creation was most likely accomplished by the numerous rivers which brought along large quantities of silt and mud from the mountains while ocean currents deposited quantities of sand on the shore. The geological theory seems to receive support from the Parasurama legend.

According to the legend, Parasurama, the son who killed his mother in obedience to his father, atoned for the crime of his massacring of the Kshatriyas by doing penance for years (one of the Kshatriyas apparently killed Parasurama's Brahmin father!). To protect the Brahmins from the encroachments of their enemies, Parasurama decided to create some land and donate it to the Brahmins. Accordingly, he threw his battle axe from Gokarnam (Goa?); the weapon fell in Kanyakumari; all the sea between Gokarnam and Kanyakumari became dryland which the hero gave to the Brahmins.

Obviously, the idea of the donation of the land to the Brahmins is like the papal claim and the forged documents on Emperor Constantine's donation of lands to the Pope; Brahmins, of course, told the story to suit their needs. The remarkable thing about the legend is that it is also popular in the Kulu Valley of Northwestern India and the Chotanagpur region of Central India among the Mundas.

As a folklorist and ethnologist, I would argue that the people of Kerala who originated in the Northwest and moved through Central India carried with them their local traditions and applied them to Kerala's creation by their folk-hero, Parasurama, when they finally settled down in Kerala. According to another tradition, it was Parasurama who made a gap in the Western Ghats at Palghat with his axe (parasu).

The Parasurama-legend is found in the Mahabharata and the Puranas;Kalidasa refers to Parasurama in Raghuvamsa (canto 4. verse 53); the Thiruvalangad plates of Rajendra Chola (1012-1044) also refers to the hero. The story of the creation of Kerala by Parasurama is also found in the 18th century Keralolpathi, the Malayalam work, which all Kerala children study in their schools.

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Oct 23, '08

Dr. K.J.YESUDAS---A Man With Golden Voice.....

Padmashree Dr. Kattassery Joseph Yesudas, the great South Indian

singer, was born on 10th January 1940 in Fort Cochin, Kerala. Born to parents Augustine Joseph Bhagavathar and mother Elizabeth Joseph, Yesudas was initiated into Carnatic music at a very young age by his father who was a classical musician himself. Although financially restrained, his father recognizing the boy’s musical talent decided to provide him musical education at any cost. His decision proved to be right ..a great musician was born, with mastery over both classical and light music who has over 30000 song recordings to his credit in a career spanning four decades.

Yesudas got his first recognition at the tender age of seven, when he won a gold medal for music at a local competition in Fort Cochin. He went on to have training from the Music Academy, Tripunithura and Swati Tirunal Music Academy, Trivandrum and obtained diplomas in 'Sangeethabhushanam' and 'Ganabhushanam'. Initially he struggled a lot for a break and suffered many hardships when he roamed around Chennai looking for an opening, living mainly on tap water and faced rejections from music directors and AIR ( All India Radio) Trivandrum. But young Yesudas patiently endured and persisted to achieve his life's goal. He became closely associated with 'Kalabhavan', an art institute which encouraged upcoming artists, began to give public concerts and started becoming popular and at last in 1961, he got a break as a playback singer in the Malayalam film ' Kalpadukal' directed by K.S Antony. The rest is history.

Dr. Yesudas soon was making a mark for himself, tearing down language barriers and singing in all South Indian languages and later almost all Indian languages. In 1976, Salil Chaudhary gave him a chance in Hindi films with 'Anand Mahal'. Although his number ' Aa Aa Re Mitwa' in the film was noticed, it was the film 'Chitchor' that really launched him in Hindi films. 'Gori Tera Gaon Bada Pyaara' and 'Jab Deep Jale Aana' were two of his memorable numbers of which the former earned him the National award for best singer in 1979. He has won the coveted National award seven times- in 1977 for the song "Manushyan Mathangale Sristichu" in the film 'Achanum Bappayum' (Malayalam), "Padmatheerthame" in the film 'Gayathri' (Malayalam,1973), 'Chitchor' (Hindi,1979), 'Mekha Sandesham' (Telugu, 1985), 'Unnikale Oru Katha Parayaam' (Malayalam, 1987), in 1992 for 'Bharatham' (Malayalam) and in 1993 for 'Sopanam' (Malayalam). He has also won numerous state awards to the extend of monopolizing the Kerala state award at one time and other awards & honours in recognition of his talent. He received the 'Padmashri' from the President of India in 1977 and in 1991 an honorary doctorate degree from the Annamalai University, Chennai in recognition for his contributions to music and art. Government of Kerala honoured him with the title 'Asthana Gayakan'. He also became a Senate member in the International Parliament for Safety and Peace, an organization incorporated in the U.S. More recently he received the Padma Bhushan from the President of India in January 2002.

Yesudas who is a down to earth, humble person believes in Shri Narayana Guru's principle of 'One caste, One religion and One God for all'. He is an ardent devotee of 'Ayyappa'. In spite of his popularity in film Music he enjoys Carnatic classical more and is an admirer of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Dr. Bala Murali Krishna and the likes. In 1980 he launched a recording studio Tharangini in Thiruvanathapuram. He has many album releases to his credit including devotional, light and classical music. Married to Prabha his devoted fan of many years, the couple has three boys Vinod, Vijay and Vishal. His

second son Vijay follows his fathers footsteps in Music. This Musical maestro, shifts base frequently from Madras to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA where he has a studio and back and continues to enchant his fans with his wonderful voice.

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Oct 22, '08

Sachin - The God Of Modern Day Cricket

SACHIN TENDULKAR---"GOD OF CRICKET"

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the fresh and full blooded 16 year old cricketer who debuted against the arch-rival Pakistan has now become the Highest Test Runs Scorer. He is also the only Batsmen to score more than 12,000 runs in Test Cricket. In India, there is always this usual hoarding which states that,

“Cricket Is Our Religion, Sachin Is Our God!”

You really need to be in India to know the true essence of this statement. He really has inspired an entire generation of cricketers not only in India but also around the world. He has taken 152 Test Matches and 19 years of international cricket to break this record. We are Proud of you Sachin , hope you bring many more laurels to our country!

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Oct 22, '08

What Does Beauty Mean?

Beauty is a quality or a feature that is pleasing to the senses, especially to the eye. With regards to men and women, beauty is a largely superficial aspect; a beautiful woman generally has a face that conforms to universally accepted norms of beauty in terms of structure and quality. Still, the old saying holds true, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

Beauty is a characteristic generally linked with an in-built and emotional insight into life's positive and significant areas related to things as we perceive them. For example, happiness, love etc. When one sees beauty in something, it means that he interprets things to be in equilibrium and in accord with the natural world, which leads to a feeling of pleasure and happiness.

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Oct 21, '08

What does freedom mean?

The definition of freedom differs depending on who you ask. Sartre claimed that we are all completly free 100% of the time. We are free to choose what ever course of action we like. We might not think we are free to kill for example because we could go to prison. Sartre contends that this is only a constraint as far as we allow to be. He went on to say that our freedom allows us to choose anything even how tall a mountain is or the colour of the sky. The only counter point to his view of extreme freedom was his claim that we are only slaves to our facticity. ie. if our body does not allow us to jump over a building we are not free to do so.

Politically speaking freedom seems to be defined as 'you are free to do what we tell you!' No society with laws and other constraints over our choices could ever be deemed as 'free.' Perhaps then the founding fathers of the U.S. were being somewhat misleading when they gave the country the handle 'land of the free,' they should have continued to say 'dont be suprised if you end up in prison if we dont like your choices, ...make my day etc.'

However if you want a real head **** consider this. If everthing in the world is made up of molecules, atoms etc, and everything physical complies to the laws of cause and effect, then we have no freedom whatsoever, this is all just one big inescapable chain of causation.

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