District panchayat president A.G.C. Basheer releasing the logo of the internet radio services to be launched by the district administration in the presence of Collector K. Jeevababu and Superintendent of Police K.G. Simon in Kasaragod on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: K. Vinaya Kumar
The venture is district administration’s effort to disseminate info on government projects
An Internet radio service, to be launched here from December 23, is the State’s first effort by a district administration for dissemination of information on government-initiated programmes and schemes to the public.
The online radio service would be inaugurated at 11 a.m. by Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan in Neeleshwaram, Collector K. Jeevanbabu told a press conference here on Tuesday.
The new generation radio service that could be accessed by visiting www.thejaswiniradio.com would help a person get acquainted with various services and schemes offered by the district administration as well as the local bodies and other institutions like schools, hospitals and other government and utility establishments.
“Usually, the public come to learn about any government-initiated schemes through newspapers. The situation needed to be addressed by putting in place a mechanism so that the people are informed about the schemes well in advance,” Mr. Jeevanbabu said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Kasaragod – December 20th, 2017
Asked to point out some of his best works is probably the stupidest question one can pose to Narayana Bhattathiri, a name synonymous with Malayalam calligraphy. Rather than point out some his unforgettable drawings for the titles of novels ‘Randamoozham’ or ‘Neermathalam Pootha Kalam’, he gently prods you to look up his Facebook page ‘Bhattathiri Calligraphy’. Bhattathiri is that rare artist who draws energy from his work and not from society’s acceptance.
Meeting Bhattathiri a day after the announcement of the Jikji international award for the best calligraphy work instituted by the South Korean government in memory of their first printed book ‘Jikji’, he was, as usual, busy with his work at his office on the first floor of his house at Forest office lane, Vazhutacaud.
It was an employee of the Indian embassy in Seoul – Dinesh Moorakkal – who saw his works on Facebook and suggested to Bhattathiri to send some of them over. Last year, the Korean government included Bhattathiri’s three calligraphy works as a permanent exhibit at Cheongju culture centre in North Chungcheong.
This year, Bhattathiri collected and sent 27 works of around 14 calligraphy artists in the country to Seoul. Among those, Bhattathiri’s work on Jikji won the award. He will receive the award in Seoul on December 8.
A native of Pandalam, 59-year-old Bhattathiri started his career in Kala Kaumudi while doing his degree at Fine Arts College in Thiruvananthapuram. He also worked in Samakalika Malayalam. During his tenure in magazines, he drew titles for various novels such as O V Vijayan’s Pravachakante Vazhi, M Mukundan’s Daivathinte Vikrutikal, Malayatoor Ramakrishnan’s Aaram Viral to name a few. He also did titles for all the works of M T Vasudevan Nair when Malayala Manorama made a CD of the writer’s works. Though Bhattathiri could not recollect the exact number of films he worked for, the list includes most films of Padmarajan to latest films like ‘Ennu Ninte Moideen’ and ‘Clint’.
The calligraphy style of Bhattathiri is that even a person who is unfamiliar with Malayalam script might get a feel of it. With a few strokes and some dots, he can write ‘Niram Marunna China’ resembling Chinese characters. His ambigrams are highly popular.
“Earlier, people used to hang quotes from the Bible on the wall, which were excellent calligraphic works. I wish such a culture would come back where people could hang calligraphic works on their walls,” Bhattatiri exclaims.
It was the exhibition ‘Ka cha ta tha pa’, that brought together a few of his innumerable works, organized on the pestering of his late friend Sundar Ramanatha Iyer in 2013, that made Bhattathiri popular.
The exhibition was an eye-opener to several artists. Orion Champadiyil, who is a senior art director at Maitri advertising, says that it was from the ‘ka cha ta tha pa’ that he started thinking about Malayalam calligraphy.
“Till then, my calligraphy experiments were limited to English. After learning about his works, I started asking myself why I didn’t try Malayalam calligraphy. I was more into typography and it was after getting inspired by him that I started doing Malayalam calligraphy,” he says.
Bhattathiri once saw a Gulf-based music band using his calligraphy as their logo which he had originally designed for a musical event of musician Ramesh Narayanan. Out of curiosity, he asked how they got it. They replied that it was from the internet. Of course, using his works without permission or credit was not a concern for Bhattathiri. When asked about recognition and money, he says it is up to the people who use his work to decide. “I already got my reward from the satisfaction of doing it,” he says.
While Malayalam is experiencing a dearth of Unicode fonts, Bhattathiri and free software developer Santhosh Thottingal, who is the designer of Malayalam Unicode fonts Chilanka and Manjari, have been planning to develop a new Unicode font for a while.
“With the support of Bhattathiri, we could create a unique Malayalam font. I am ready to provide all technical support for developing a new font,” Santosh says. “Among the present calligraphy artists, Bhattathiri is the greatest. He can be considered a continuation of the great lineage of Vasu Pradeep, C N Karunakaran and Bharathan.”
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / Jisha N / December 18th, 2017
Niyog who has been selected for the polar expedition | Photo Credit: NP
Niyog is first Indian to take part in Fjällräven Polar, an expedition across the Arctic, in 2018
Niyog is all set for the adventure of a lifetime. This 26-year-old adventure traveller from Punalur in Kollam has just got through an online poll that will make him the first Indian to take part in Fjällräven Polar, an expedition across the Arctic set to be held in April 2018.
Fjällräven Polar is a dream expedition of adventure travellers across the world. It is an annual expedition organised by the Swedish company Fjällräven since 1997. The participants will have to travel 300 km at minus 30 degrees Celsius through the Arctic wilderness in Norway and Sweden on sleighs pulled by eight Siberian Husky dogs.
As only around 20 aspirants get the chance to take part in the expedition, and with thousands of adventurers across the world aspiring for it, the competition is quite tough. Entries are invited from adventurers in 10 wide categories of countries, most of which are for people residing in the Arctic belt. Indians get to participate in the poll under the category ‘World’.
Only one person from each of the 10 categories is selected in the online poll. The rest are nominated by a jury. After physical tests and intense training to survive in the Arctic for almost a month, the team of 20 sets out for the expedition.
This year’s entries started pouring in from November 16. Niyog registered only on December 1, with bare minimum expectations. But his friends and followers took over the campaign requesting people to vote for him.
Within four days, Niyog emerged as the top competitor in all categories. When the polls concluded on Thursday, he scored 51,078 votes, around 10,000 more than his nearest competitor.
Niyog is used to travels and adventure since childhood. He had travelled solo to different parts of the Himalayas and believes it has conditioned him for adverse climatic conditions. He was in news just a few months ago for his nomadic journey across the country as a penniless hitch-hiker.
Niyog is excited about the polar expedition that starts on April 8 from Norway, yet a bit apprehensive. “More than the temperature, the sleighs thrill me. Managing the sleigh and the dogs is quite hard. Besides, we have to look out for thin ice, which only a trained eye can notice,” he told The Hindu.
Having won the poll, it’s now preparation time for Niyog.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Aabha Raveendran / Kozhikode – December 16th, 2017
Chiman Singh interacting with naval divers at the Naval Base on Friday.
It will be known as Chiman Singh Block
A newly-constructed modern dive training facility at the DivingSchool of the Southern Naval Command, christened as Chiman Singh Block, was jointly inaugurated by Chief of Staff of the Command Rear Admiral R.J. Nadkarni and former Petty Officer Clearance Diver and Maha Vir Chakra holder Chiman Singh at an event held at the Naval Base on Friday.
The facility houses a state-of-the-art recompression chamber complex and a laboratory, besides modern stores. It will make dive training at the school comparable with the best in the world.
Chiman Singh, after whom the new facility is named, was awarded the second highest gallantry medal for his exploits as a Leading Seaman in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
Unmatched valour
Deployed off the Bangladesh coast, he displayed unparalleled gallantry in the face of the enemy in rescuing several of his colleagues, despite being severely injured.
The sailor was eventually taken prisoner-of-war (POW) and released on culmination of the war.
This is the highest gallantry award ever received by a naval person. Bangladesh honoured him with the Friends of Bangladesh Liberation Award in 2013.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – December 16th, 2017
C.J. Thomas award presented to Chandrasekhar Kambar
Poet-writer Chandrasekhar Kambar was presented with the first C.J. Thomas memorial award at the C.J. Thomas birth centenary function here on Tuesday. Delivering the C.J. Thomas memorial talk at the function, organised by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and the M.K. Sanoo Foundation, writer and orator M.K. Sanoo said those who seek freedom would face lots of problems.
“Seekers of freedom will march forward though they sometimes have to fight their own earlier policies. People like Gandhi had re-written his own principles. They become immortal due to their willingness and courage to change themselves.”
Questioned everything
C.J. Thomas believed that disobedience was the best value of life, Prof. Sanoo said. He proved that the ability to question would sharpen one’s thinking power. While trying to tell the truth, he challenged his own ideas. There was a child in CJ, who always questioned everything while holding the truth tightly, he said. Prof. Sanoo presented the award to Mr. Kambar. Speaking after receiving the award, the Jnanpith winner said English education had negatively affected regional theatre activities in the country. The folk theatre lost its vibrancy due to the western system of education, he said.
Akademi president Vaishakhan inaugurated function. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi secretary N. Radhakrishnan Nair presided.
Mr. Kambar released the book Essays of CJ.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Thrissur – December 12th, 2017
Russian auteur draws comparison with law enforcers back home
Russian auteur Alexander Sokurov has had an uneasy relationship with power and the various organs which enforce it, even being summoned for an interrogation by the KGB at a point in his career. It has also fascinated him, as evident from his explorations of the personal lives of three powerful historical figures in the Men of Power trilogy.
When Sokurov landed in the city to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 22nd International Film Festival of Kerala, one of the first wishes he expressed to the organisers was to visit a police station, to study how differently the police force here worked, compared to his home country.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy officials fulfilled his wish. Sokurov, along with his personal assistant and interpreter, visited the Fort Janamithri police station, which is one of the ‘child-friendly’ stations in the city.
“One of the major things he was interested in was the type of crimes here. He talked about how Russian cities have organised crime networks and frequent instances of gang warfare. He was surprised that there is no gun culture here. He was also interested in the time the police took to solve a crime and the methods adopted, and whether the parties involved attempted to arrive at a compromise. He sought to know whether women were involved in criminal activity in large numbers,” said Fort Assistant Commissioner J.K. Dinil.
The filmmaker spent more than an hour at the station, walking around and interacting with the police personnel. He asked them about their appointment process, qualifications required, the hierarchies in the department, welfare measures initiated by the department, on the Student Police Cadet programme and even the kind of vehicles used to chase criminals. He did not have a high opinion of the police force back home though.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by S. R. Praveen / December 12th, 2017
The new Barco Lazer Projector installed at Nishagandhi theater which would be used to screen films during IFFK, in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday / Rakesh Nair
Thiruvananthapuram :
The 22nd edition of IFFK will create history by introducing laser projection for the first time in the state.
Nishagandhi Auditorium has been installed with the most advanced Barco laser cinema projector designed to provide a great viewing experience.
“Normally projectors use Xenon lamps, which can run only for 1,000 to 1,500 hours. Laser projection gives the purest white colour because the colour depth is so great resulting in stunning cinema viewing experience. Besides we don’t have to go for replacements as in Xenon lamps which need to be replaced after 1,000 hours. Laser projectors could run movies for as long as 30,000 hours,” explains Litto Tom, manager, technical services, at Qube Cinemas, who is in the city co-ordinating screening in theatres as part of IFFK.
The reduced operating expense and simplified operations have added to the growing popularity of laser projectors across the world “The brightness levels and image quality are going to be incomparable when we use laser projector. It not only does away with lamp-related expense but installation and operation are also easier,” says Noby P, senior engineer, Qube Cinemas.
Some major films, which have been critically acclaimed, are scheduled to be screened at Nishagandhi. The new laser projector will also add to the effects of the much anticipated midnight screening of the Indonesian horror film ‘Satan’s slave’ on the fourth day of the fest.
The projector room of Nishagandhi has been slightly decked up to welcome the prestigious new projector. The room has been fully air conditioned in addition to a pre-installed chiller that comes with laser projector. Aneesh Kumar, the projectionist who has been associated with IFFK for the last few years, can’t conceal his excitement. “It is one of the most advanced projectors. To operate it for our viewers and that too at an event like IFFK is really thrilling for any operator,” says Aneesh Kumar.
Meanwhile, an IFFK flex erected at Vazhuthacaud invited protest as it blocked traffic signals for commuters coming from the Bakery Junction side. Following protest, the traffic police removed the flex board.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / by Aswin J. Kumar / TNN / December 08th, 2017
The three-day national seminar on ‘Thiruvananthapuram Charithrathil’ which began at the University College here on Monday brought to light several unknown aspects of the history of the capital city.
Organized by the department of history, the seminar was inaugurated by Kerala Council for Historical Research chairman Michael Tharakan .
In his inaugural speech, Tharakan spoke about the history of the ancient and probably the very first church in Thiruvananthapuram, St. Anne’s Church of Pettah. “During Karthika Thirunal Maharaja’s regime, his courtiers were appointed based on their potential and not according to their religion.
Traders from far and wide used to come to Travancore for their business. One such trader was Thachchil Matthew Tharakan. He used to accompany the Maharaja in his rounds everywhere except to the temple. It is believed that the king learned about Christianity through Tharakan.
And so, way before the British rule was established here, St Anne’s church was built for the Christians just outside Pettah as people belonging to other religions and lower castes weren’t allowed into Pettah. The exact year of construction is still not known,” said Tharakan.
Around 16 experts will talk about various subjects in the seminar, which will conclude on Wednesday.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News> Schools & Colleges / TNN / December 05th, 2017
Malayalam film industry is indebted to the pioneering filmmaker J.C. Daniel. Befittingly, the exhibition, organised by the KeralaState Chalachithra Academy (KSCA) at the Kanakakkunnu Palace, which traces the glorious past of Malayalam cinema, ensures prominence for the ‘father of Malayalam cinema’.
The exhibition, which got under way on Thursday, takes film enthusiasts back in time to understand the evolution of Malayalam cinema and its milestones over the course of nine decades. It starts off by highlighting the efforts that went into the making of the first movie to be made in Malayalam, Vigathakumaran, written, produced, and directed by J.C. Daniel in 1928.
The display also features the ‘Debrie’ camera that he had used. Veteran actors Madhu and Sheela and filmmaker-lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi formally inaugurated the programme that has been arranged in association with the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).
Kerala State Chalachithra Academy chairman Kamal said the exhibition was a prelude to the year-long Navathy (90th anniversary) celebrations of Malayalam cinema. He lamented the lack of efforts made in preserving the history of the industry, particularly prints of several classics.
“The upcoming International Film Study and Research Centre and the Digital Film Archive at the KINFRA Film and Video Park at Kazhakuttam will enable us to digitise several archives and preserve them for posterity,” he said.
P. David, who was the still photographer for several films during his career spanning over five decades, was felicitated on the occasion.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Thiruvananthapuram – December 08th, 2017
Sadanandan’s work depict origin of clans.P.K. Sadanandan next to his mural painting.
Kochi :
One of the biggest attractions of the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a massive natural colour mural by artist P.K. Sadanandan depicting a popular story from Kerala folklore, has now been installed at the new international terminal (T3) building of Cochin International Airport. Telling the well-known tale of the origins of the clans in Kerala “Parayi Petta Panthirukulam” was painstakingly created by Sadanandan and three of his colleagues over the 108 days of the Biennale from December 2016 to March this year using natural dyes extracted from stones, leaves, oil, sand and tree sap. No synthetic colours were used.
Top officials from the government and CIAL who visited the Biennale at the time had expressed the desire to find the 15mx3m mural a home at the newly constructed Terminal 3 at the airport. Among the champions of the idea were Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, former minister M.A. Baby and Ernakulam MP Prof K.V. Thomas who saw the artwork as a great symbol of Kerala to greet visitors to the state. “After the Biennale, we had meetings with V.J. Kurian, the MD of CIAL and other officials to complete the formalities to install the mural in the new Terminal 3. We facilitated their talks with the artist and offered logistical support for the installation,” said Bose Krishnamachari, the president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF).
“CIAL is the fourth busiest airport in the country and a masterpiece such as this deserves to be installed here, as it conveys the idea of secularism and speaks strongly against caste-based discrimination,” he added. Sadanandan himself was thrilled at the idea that the work would be viewed by thousands of people passing through the airport every day. “I am happy that the painting will draw international attention from a world which may not always focus on art. The methods used in drawing this may have been ancient and traditional, but the message it conveys has much relevance in the present time,” he added.
“I hope that this relationship will give a fillip to the efforts made by KBF to place Kerala on the world cultural map. The last three editions of the biennale have produced many masterpieces. I believe, ‘Parayi Petta Panthirukulam’ is certainly one of them,” said V.J. Kurian IAS, Managing Director, CIAL. The work requires careful maintenance and preserving under certain temperature conditions and it might have placed a huge financial burden on the host. CIAL was a great alternative,” said KBF Secretary Riyas Komu.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Books & Art / Deccan Chronicle / December 05th, 2017
