ANIMALS TOO HAVE PSYCHIC PROBLEMS

One can easily walk along a strip on the road, barely a foot wide. If it is a bridge,of the same width, over a deep river, few people will dare to attempt it. The fear of losing our balance, will keep us back from the attempt. This is psychic problem. We are not aware of [...]

GREECE SHOWS THE WAY, BY CUTTING DEFENCE SPENDING

Greece has borrowed huge sums of money for getting out of the financial mess, caused by global recession. India is not affected by recession, to the same  extent as Greece. But we have problems of poverty and lack of education. So we too should curtail defence procurement, especially in Navy and Air Force. There are [...]

SOIL EROSION CAUSED BY RODENTS

It is well known that rodents destroy food grains. Millions of tons of wheat are lost every year this way. The other day, during my visit to Malabar, I noticed a heap of soil by the side of a path. To satisfy my curiosity, I stood and watched. At the top of the heap was [...]

MALABAR STILL RETAINS TRADITIONS OF RURAL KERALAM

When I returned from a short visit to northern areas of Malabar, I am very much excited about the unspoilt rural charm   and the vibrant enthusiasm of the people. After seeing “theyyam”, a semi tribal ritual, in which the Goddess enters the dancer’s form and speaks to the devotees, who believe evry word spoken and [...]

ROBINSON CRUSOE (NAME OF A NOVEL)ISLAND NEAR OUR HOME

Some hundred years ago, many of my uncles have actually seen the construction of the Shoranur- Cochin railway line as a deposit work by the company owning the South Indian Railways. The company never did anything in a Princely State like Cochin, unless the money for building it, is given to the company. Malabar was [...]

HOW CAN WE HELP TEACHERS?

A lady teacher gets up at five in the morning because she has to travel, first by train and then by bus, to reach the far away school in time. When she returns home, it will be past six in the evening. With too many people seeking employment, a majority as teachers, there is no [...]

MY INFERIORITY COMPLEX

My height is slightly less than 5 feet 3 inch. My legs are too short to ride a bicycle.   Children’s cycle is comfortable. My friends assured me that I cannot impress girls. To cap it all, my poverty. For a middle class man poverty is a matter of great shame. I was extremely shy to [...]

LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS

Every year, hundreds of people are affected by lightning, especially during the initial months of monsoon, here in coastal Keralam. Yesterday one CRPF jawan died and several injured during parade at Kannur. Damage to property and TV sets, computer set up etc. are common. Tall coconut trees attract electricity and get killed. Even transformers are [...]

ELEPHANTS NEED HUMANE TREATMENT

It was distressing to watch on live TV, an elephant collapsing during the pooram procession at Trichur. Immediately, people gave cool water bottles and the animal, after being drenched in cool water, recovered and slowly stood up. Animal lovers have been protesting against this inhuman treatment of elephants, which are best left in the forest.

OTTAPALAM, THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME

I used to wonder how this name came about. In Malayalam, it means single bridge. Otta is single and Palam is bridge. The only bridge here is yet to be completed! People have been agitating for it during the last seventeen years. A casual talk with a friend, over the telephone, cleared my mind. He [...]