Twenty-20 in Belmont

The mega movie Twenty-20 will be screened in Belmont on Jan 3rd, 2009.  Entire cinema history has not seen an effort like this before, as all the actors of  Malayalam cinema came together for this venture. This mega venture is to benefit Malayalam cine artists pension fund.  Everything associated with this movie was news. Its size, its story, delays etc. Final results were worth the wait. The movie is still doing a booming business in Kerala. Veteran director Joshiey(aka Joshi) was at the helm of affairs and actor Dileep was the producer.

Saturday Jan 3rd,2009  -  4pm,  Twenty 20 at : 376 Trapelo RD, Belmont, MA 02475

Dance – Pappu can’t dance Sala – NEMA Christmas 2008

Song: “Pappu Can’t Dance Sala “
Movie : Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Its party time, fun time, time for loud music, its time for dance. But Pappu is not dancing,
becaaaaaa..use Pappu can’t dance.
Choreographer: Udaya Rani Umesh and Priya Prasad
Participants: Aadithya Anumala, Aishwarya Surendran, Parvathy Sreekanth, Meghana Vadassery, Karthik Harish

Mujra Medley by Nashua Ladies

Song: Mujra Medley
Choreographer: Udaya Rani Umesh and Deepa Arun
Participants: Udaya Rani Umesh , Deepa Arun, Meena Unni,Jiby Santosh, Vidya Sajeev, Soniya Robin, Manju Saji

Dance by Nashua Angels – NEMA Christmas 2008

Song: “Sasikala charthiya….” from the film Devaragam
Our little angels are whole heartedly welcoming this season of lights and joy….CHRISTMAS!
Choreographer: Meena Unni
Participants: Aleena Karatra,Sanjana Santhosh,Devika Nair,Anna Mathew,Collen Mallier,Namratha Sajeev

Ian Lockwood’s Sabarimala Trek

Many Keralites make the yearly pilgrimage to Sabarimala.  Here’s Ian Lockwood  giving a different perspective to that trek.  Ian Lockwood, describes his Sabarimala trip as that of a curious observer intent on discovering and recording the natural history, personalities and emotions of the pilgrim’s path. Ian Lockwood is an educator, photographer, and environmentalist with a passionate interest in the natural history, geography and cultures of South Asia. He was born in Kansas in 1970 and has old family roots in Boston, USA. Visit his blog to read about his journeys or visit his photography website . The photography website has details about his techniques, photography enthusiasts would find it interesting.

My journey to Sabarimala started in the early hours of a winter morning at the Kumily bus station near the headquarters of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. My initial destination was Uppupara, the elevated roadhead leading to Sabarimala from the east via Vandiperiyar. It was still dark when I boarded one of the tomato-red State transport buses that services Uppupara during the pilgrimage season. It was moderately full with shopkeepers and several pilgrim groups.

The bus crossed over the Periyar river and then headed into the heart of the tiger reserve’s western borders. Here there are expansive grasslands intermixed with neglected eucalyptus plantations and patches of evergreen rainforest. Uppupara is little more than a line of shacks along with a forest checkpost, set amongst stunning grasslands. It was bustling with activity as shopkeepers geared up for the groups of pilgrims going to or returning from the temple, about half a day’s trek away.

I stayed overnight at Uppupara since I wanted to enjoy a full day’s time to descend slowly to Sabarimala. I was interested in meeting and photographing groups of pilgrims and the unique grasslands landscape. I was also on the lookout for the rare broad tailed grassbird (Schoenicola platyura), an endemic Western Ghats species that is found in such mid-altitudinal grasslands. In the end I had more luck with the pilgrims than the grassbird and was also rewarded with the sighting of a very shy sambar stag on an adjoining hill. At night the temperature fell and I was happy to have shelter at the forest department checkpost. [The journey is the destination - Click here to read to full article]

Image courtesy : Srejj’s Flickr photostream

Dance – Palavattom – NEMA Christmas 2008

Song: Palavattom
Choreographer: Deepa Arun and Udaya Rani Umesh
Participants: Abigail Thomas, Meenakshi Rajesh, Miriam Alex, Diya Nair, Jyoti Bhardwaj, Mishal, Antara Garg, Rishikesh N Girish, Kevin Sebastian, Mathew Alex

Merry Christmas!

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author. From ‘A Christmas Carol’.

Image courtesy: freefoto.com

Songs by Robin Mathews – NEMA Christmas 2008

and here’s one more…

Lathiri Poothiri – Dance – NEMA Christmas 2008

Song: Lathiri Poothiri and Kalyana Kacheri
Choreographer: Sheetal Dwaraka
Participants: Janaki Nair, Ganga Nair, Meghna Kanthan, Kavya Sebastian, Navya Sebastian, Meera Kurup

Chief Guest – Skit

Here’s the skit , Chief Guest, which went on stage for NEMA Christmas Show 2008. This short funny drama was well received by the audience. Enjoy.