“Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking” – Mahatma Gandhi
Our prayers are with the victims.
November 27, 2008
Bombay terror attack
November 24, 2008
Madambi at Belmont
The last movie at Belmont was a huge success. Many of us are trying to be not-like-Sugunan! Veruthe Oru Bharya was screened in front of a huge and appreciating audience. The audience were forgiving and patient through the ‘technical difficulties’ which popped up in the beginning of the show.
Now it’s the turn of Madambi to grace the Belmont theater. Madambi gave a huge boost to Mohanlal’s career. This movie was a huge hit in Kerala and the song ‘Amma Mazhakkarinu’ became a chart topper. And one of the last movies of Kavya Madhavan, before she becomes a NRI wife! Mammootty’s Parunthu was released at the same time as Madambi and both these movies had similar story line. Madambi was the winner of that contest.
Madambi will be screened on Saturday, Nov 29, 4 pm at Studio Cinema Belmont 376 Trapelo RD, Belmont.
Photo courtesy: sify.com
November 21, 2008
November 18, 2008
Art of Koodiyattam makeup
The Koodiyattom performance at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, sponsored by NEMA and PEM was a huge success and the performance of Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri and accompanying artists captivated the audience. If you think the 2000 year old Koodiyattom performance is complicated, take a look at what happened behind the scenes – the process of getting ready for the Koodiayattom performance was an art by itself. The makeup including Chutti took more than 4 hours. Here’s a pictorial presenting the makeup process.
Chutti was done by Kalamandalam Sukumaran who also played “idakka”.
KR Narayana Chakyar was the team lead and translator.
Kalamandalam Ammannoor Ravikumar Chakyar helped with the makeup. He also was the “mizhavu” player.
Help was also provided by Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri’s wife Indira, who is a Sanskrit teacher .
It is talent, experience, dedication, hard work, thorough knowledge of the science of ”Natyakrama” and the brilliant design which enthralls the audience bringing the great experience.
Please click here to browse through the full gallery of Koodiyattom performance pictures.
Photo and description courtesy Anand Puravangara.
November 12, 2008
Koodiyattam – some interesting facts
NEMA along with Peabody Essex Museum is presenting the ancient art form of Koodiyattom on Nov 14th. Please click here for details. Here’s some interesting factoids about this ancient art form.
- Performed in the Sanskrit language in Hindu temples, it is believed to be 2000 years old.
- It is officially recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
- Koodiyattam [kutiyattam], meaning ‘combined acting’ signifies Sanskrit drama presented in the traditional style in temple theatres of Kerala and is the only surviving specimen of the ancient Sanskrit theatre.
- Kutiyattam is an amalgam of the classical Sanskrit theater of ancient India and the regional theatre of Kerala.
- The main musical instruments used in Koodiyattam are Mizhavu, Kuzhitalam, Etakka, Kurumkuzhal and Sankhu. Mizhavu, the most prominent of these, is a percussion instrument.
- Traditionally, Koodiyattam has been performed by Chakyars (a subcaste of Kerala Hindus) and by Nangyaramma . The name Koodiyattam (meaning “playing together”) suggests a combined performance of Chakyar and Nangyar.
- In 1962, under the leadership of Dr. V. Raghavan, noted art and Sanskrit scholar; Sanskrit Ranga of Madras, invited Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar to perform Kutiyattam in Chennai. Thus for the first time in the history Kutiyattam was performed outside Kerala.
- Complicated gesture language, chanting, exaggerated expressions of the face and eyes, together with elaborate headdresses and makeup constitute a Kutiyattam play.
- The art is kept alive through the efforts of Vaddakkumnathan Temple in Trichur and the Irinjalaganda Koodalmanikyam Temple, both of which schedule at least one annual performance.
- Kutiyattam’s legacy to world theater is in architectural terms: permanent theater structures. These are known in Kerala as kuthampalam.
source courtesy: wikipedia,indiaheritage.org
image courtesy: wikipedia
November 10, 2008
Christmas Special recipe – Plum cake
For a Malayalee, Plum cake is integral part of Christmas celebration. Jalina Shalabh shares the recipe of her famous plum cake preparation. Try it and please let us know if it was good.
I learned this recipe from my Mom. She made this every year around Christmas. Only difference from her recipe is, use of cashew nuts, that are from my Dad’s ‘Paranki Mavu’ and dry fruits that were dried at home.
I never got a chance to make it, since my two elder sisters (who thought I was adopted from an orphanage in Thirunalvelli, did not let me help at all in this task. Our helper ‘Raman’, who was from Thirunalvelli helped me to make a fake cake all the time around Xmas. So when my sisters distributed plum cake to the neighbors and friends, I used to distribute my sand cake to Raman and our colony choukidaar and our ‘doodh wala’.
Now don’t get alarmed, I told you I learned this from my Mom. After my sisters went off to college and my Mom retired from her teaching career, she taught me how to make this very special cake which is very dear to me. I don’t think I have mastered it like my Mom but she says I am close enough.
Here you go enjoy!
Ingredients
Raisins(Onakka munthiri) – 1 lb
Dates(Eenthapazham) – 1 lb
Candied fruits and orange and lemon peel – 1 cup
rum/brandy – 1 cup
Cashews – 2 cups
Allpurpose flour(Maida) – 4 cups
Baking powder – 3 tsp
Butter – 1 lb
Sugar – 4 cups
Sugar – 1 cup (to make caramelized syrup)
Eggs – 12 nos
Cinnamon(Karugapatta) powder – 1 heaped tsp
Nutmeg(Jathikka) powder – 1 heaped tsp
Cloves(Grambu) powder – 1 heaped tsp
Dry ginger(Chukku) powder – 1 heaped tsp
Salt – 3 tsp
Vanilla essence – 4 tsp
Preparation
1)Dice the fruits and coat them with 3 tbsp of flour.
2)Add rum and mix well.
3)Keep this at room temperature over two weeks atleast.
4)Dice or crush the nuts into small pieces.
:- You can do these steps the day before you plan to make the cake.
5)Place the eggs and butter at room temperature the night before you make the cake.
6)Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
7)Measure and keep ready the flour, sugar and the flavorings.
:- To make the caramel, use a white enameled pot, if you have one. The light surface will help to see exactly the caramelizing process. If you don’t have one, use a medium saucepan.
8)Place 1 cup of sugar in the saucepan and add 2 tbsp of water.
9)Turn the stove to high and place the pan on the stove and let it boil.
:- Don’t stir the contents at all. As sugar melts and caramelizes, you may swirl the pan a bit once or twice.
10)Within 7 – 10 mins, a cherry wood colored caramel forms.
11)Immediately, remove the pan from the stove and very carefully add 1 cup of water to the caramel.
:- You may hold the pan above the sink and slowly add the water, for it may splash.
12)Stir the contents well to dissolve the caramel. Keep this aside.
13)Sift flour and baking powder, a couple of times and keep ready.
14)In a large container, whisk butter first and then add 4 cups of sugar and whisk again, until it is creamy.
15)Add eggs and whisk well.
16)Pour in the caramel syrup, the flavoring powders, salt and vanilla extract and mix everything together.
17)Add the flour-baking powder mix and fold this in with a wooden or plastic spatula or spoon.
18)When they are well mixed, add the candied fruits and nuts and mix again.
19)Spoon this into a 10 inch non stick loaf pans.
20)Bake for 1 hour at 350 degree F.
:- You may line the pan with parchment paper or brown paper (You will get this in Micheals or any craft store)
:- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the pan. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for another 10 – 15 mins and check again.
21)Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rake.
22)Pierce the cake with toothpick, and pour Brandy (about 3-4 tablespoon on each) on top and let it soak.
23)Before storing, cover the cake completely with wax paper first and then with aluminum foil and keep in the refrigerator
