Eco-themed creation helping promote message of recycling and environmental sustainability

This Onam, a larger-than- life experience awaits visitors to the Lulu Mall. A 20-foot- tall Maveli, fabricated by artists from the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) using mainly nature friendly materials, sits in welcome at the entrance.

The supersized Maveli – made out of iron, special papers, jute, cloth, coir, rope and reclaimed wood – is the newest addition to the retail major’s ongoing environment awareness campaign, ‘Nature First’. It also marks yet another successful collaboration in the longstanding KBF-Lulu Group partnership.

‘This is the first time any mall in the world has made a green Maveli. We are excited to associate with
the KBF yet again, especially for a cause like ‘Nature First’. The purpose of this initiative is to draw the attention of our customers towards the importance of recycling and ensuring sustainability of the
environment in every which way possible,” said Shibu Philips, Business Head, Lulu Mall.

Complete with an ‘Olakuda’, the installation has been garnering plenty of interest from customers. Much the same as the KBF’s previous artistic intervention in the mall: a unique live sculptor’s studio in June that helped spread the message of ‘Nature First’, a year-long initiative to sensitise Kochiites on the need to preserve natural resources.

“The KBF is very happy to be able to collaborate with the Lulu Group in celebrating the festive Onam season, our enduring partnership and the beauty of nature. We hope visitors to Lulu Mall enjoy our interpretation of the most enduring symbols of nature and unity,” said KBF Secretary Riyas Komu. “The KBF is proud to continue participating in the Nature First campaign and help showcase the importance of the environment through art.”

The Lulu Group’s association with the KBF and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale goes back all the way to the first edition of the Biennale in 2012. The relationship has since strengthened and matured.

The Maveli structure is open for viewing at the Lulu Mall entrance from 9 AM to 11 PM over the festive period.

Choral group SIWJA charms crowds at hospital with Onam special music

With Onam just around the corner, the festive mood caught up with the crowd at the General Hospital here as they gathered in the courtyard for a special music show as part of the weekly Biennale Arts and Medicine programme.

The Onam special was presented by ‘Sing India with Jerry Amaldev’ (SIWJA), a choral group under the tutelage of the renowned Malayalam music director, with his hit compositions forming a part of the day’s repertoire.

Jerry Amaldev, the music composer who has created some of Malayalam’s most memorable melodies, formed the group, which now has 30 members, in 2010 under his eponymous charitable foundation.
The choral group specialises in songs spanning various genres and languages, including Western pop, Christmas carols and of course, the unforgettable film hits of Jerry Amaldev.

The special show for the hospitals patients, staff and bystanders began with a rendition of ‘Lokam Muzhuvan Sukham Pakaraan’, followed by sprightly songs in the spirit of Onam such as ‘Athapoo nulli’, ‘Poove poli poove’, and ’Ponnonam vannu’.

It concluded with the hit song ‘Ayiram kannumaai’ from the movie Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu.  A group of 18 singers, accompanied by instrumentalists, from the group rendered 15 songs in all.

Jerry Amaldev, a three-time Kerala State Award winner for music direction, has many hits to his credit including the evergreen songs from his first film Manjil Virinja Pookkal. He is also a regular at the Arts and Medicine programme, an initiative of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, to provide solace to ailing patients through art. It was his third time performing at the hospital.


This Wednesday’s musical treat was the 134th in the series of the Arts and Medicine project that was launched by Union Minister K V Thomas in 2014 and is organized by the KBF in association with Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre Limited and the Mehboob Memorial Orchestra.

Kochi Biennale Foundation invites Applications for a Week-Long Workshop

As part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016, the international exhibition of contemporary art,
Kochi Biennale Foundation invites applications for a week-long workshop  from 05 to 10 December 2016 at Kochi, Kerala. The workshop, Thinking Art, will be anchored by philosopher Sundar Sarukkai in collaboration with eminent scholars and artists. The primary purpose of this workshop is to expand the viewing experience of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale by adding a space for thinking and reflecting.

In addition to the workshop, the participants will be able to witness the installation process of the artworks and be present for the opening three days of the Biennale from December 12 – 14, 2016. The last date for application is September 4, 2016 .

The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) is a non-profit charitable trust engaged in promoting art & culture and educational activities in India; primary amongst them the hosting of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

See for details of the workshop: http://kochimuzirisbiennale.org/thinking-art/

‘Musick’ gives an enthralling performance

Artists of ‘Musick’, a well-known association of musicians from Kerala, conquered the stage at the Government General Hospital, Ernakulam today as they presented an enchanting performance by singing a number of popular songs from popular Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam films to regale the patients, bystanders and hospital staff.

Singer Sajini Anand set the tone of the musical show with a mellifluous rendition of the title song of ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram”, a 1978 Bollywood blockbuster starring Shashi Kapoor and Zeenat Aman.

“Music captures the soul and has no bounds of age or gender. Being able to perform before such an audience where every song is like a raindrop in the desert is quite gratifying,” said Anand, the magnificent drummer and Secretary of Musick.

Performing at the 129th edition of the popular weekly programme Arts and Medicine, organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) in association with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra and Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre Limited, the artists presented a scintillating show of receptive music at the hospital premises.


Singers Sajini and Praveen, together with Renjith, who is a regular presence at stage shows, asserted their presence in playback singing by belting out a total of 14 songs. The duets, ‘Malare Maunama’ (Tamil movie Karnaa:1995) and ‘Chura Liya’ ( Hindi  movie Yaadon Ki Baarat:1973), elicited a huge applause from the audience . The troupe concluded the exhilarating show with the group song ‘Kya Hua Tera Wada’ (Yaadon Ki Baarat).

The patients who attended the music therapy programme were quite listening to the stimulating renditions of evergreen melodies. The effective combination of orchestra and effortless renditions of songs by the artists had the crowd swaying with the tempo of the popular numbers.
The Wednesday series of the ‘Arts and Medicine’ show, an initiative to provide healing through music, is eagerly awaited by the crowd which frequents the hospital.

St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Malayattoor

Malayattoor is located in Ernakulam Dt of Kerala, the southern state of India. Malayattoor, as the name implies, is a meeting place of mountain, river and land. The shrine dedicated to St. Thomas, draws thousands of visitors from all over the world.

History

St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, is believed to have arrived in Kerala in A D 52. He had done several preaching on Jesus in various parts of Kerala. The saint went to Kurisumudy, the mountain in Malayattoor and prayed to Lord Jesus for several days. He used to draw an image of the holy cross on mountain while praying. The symbol of the holy cross can still be seen on the mountain. Mary, the mother of Lord Jesus, appeared before him and blessed the saint.  He travelled in different parts of India to spread the spirituality among the people.

Later, the people of the locality found the footprints of St. Thomas, the saint and a Holy Cross besides this. They lit a lamp in this place as a respect and began to worship. It is believed that a herd of nilgiri thars(mountain goats) came down the mountain to give intimation to the local people that the wind  doused the lamp. Then the people climbed up and lit the lamp again. In memory of this, the pilgrims who climb the mountain carry sesame seeds to feed the goats, which are rare now days.

Festivals of Malayattoor Church

The feast of Kurisumudy is one of the major festivals of Malayattoor Church. It is held every year on the first Sunday after Easter. The devotees carrying the holy cross reach this pilgrimage centre by walking kilometers and climbing up the mountain. The pilgrims as a part of their vow climb the 1269 ft. mountain with lighted candles and chanting prayers. According to believes the women who climb the mountain with brooms will have thick and long hair. Some of the devotees carry stone on their head to get relief from the headache.

There are online services for offerings and thanks giving. The Marthoma Mandapam is the holy place with a statue of Saint Thomas. The pilgrims can offer their prayers here. Sannidhi, the chapel is located on the hill-top. The water in the well near to this chapel is said to have miraculous effects of healing. The golden cross in Kurisumudy, where the Saint used to draw the holy cross during his prayers, attracts visitors.

How to reach Malayattoor Church?

By Road: Nearest bus stations are Kalady and Angamaly.
By Rail: Nearest railway- Angamaly(17 km from Malayattoor).
By Air: Nearest airport Cochin International   Airport, Nedumbassery (15 km from Malayattoor).

For details:
St. Thomas International Shrine,
Kurisumudy, Malayattoor – 683587, Kerala.India
Ph: Tel: +91 484 2468990, 2283450, 2283608
www.malayattoorkurisumudy.in

Applications Invited for Kalasagar Award

Kalasagar is an organisation based at Kavalappara in Palakkad Dt of Kerala founded by Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, the maestro of percussion Chenda. The institution celebrates the birth anniversary of its founder every year on May 28. As part of this, Kalsagar used to honor artists from different fields of art & culture. Kalasagar invites nominations from artists and art lovers for this year’s award.

Kalasagar awards are given to artistes in the field of Kathakali Vesham, Music, Chenda, Maddalam and Chutty as well as Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattom, Kuchipudi, Ottanthullal, Chakyarkoothu, Koodiyattom, Thayambaka, and Panchavadyam — Thimila, Maddalam, Edakka, Thalam and Kombu. The awards are decided on the basis of nominations from the art lovers. The artist selected for the award should be between the age of 40-70 years and should be a permanent resident of Kerala.

Nominations with complete details of the artists should be sent to The Secretary, Kalasagar, Kavalappara, Shoranur, Palakkad, Kerala - 679523 on or before 28 April 2016.

Udukku Kotti Pattu - The Folk Song.

Udukku Kotti Pattu is a folk song related to temple festivals of Kerala (India). This art form is usually performed during the Ayyappan Vilakku festival in temples.
Ayyappan Vilakku is the festival associated to Lord Ayyappan. December - January is the season for this festival. Udukku Kotti Pattu is performed during this festival.The lyrics of the song will be related to the stories of Lord Ayyappan. The folk song uses an instrument called udukku, the main rhythmic element. Udukku is a percussion instrument which looks like a miniature of a drum, usually dumbbell shaped. Since the main instrument, mostly the only instrument, used in this folk song is udukku, it is called udukku kotti pattu, means singing with the beats of udukku. This folk song is sung by one of more communities from Hindu religion. Here is a video clip of udukku kotti pattu performed during the Ayyappan Vilakku festival of Kottappuram Siva temple in Thrissur Dt. of Kerala.