A day at Kanyakumari forest guest house

 

 

Forest guest house at Kanyakumari is in a beautiful location, having the entire view of the sea from a reasonable height. It was really a pleasure that spent a night at the guest house which is  on the way to the sun set point. Guest house is having 4 rooms and  given exclusively to the officials . We reached there at noon. From the main gate, it is a steep concrete road that leads to the portico. There is a small well ,may be planned as a fountain or lotus pond, but not completed. There is no trees to sooth the day heat, hope forest department will plant a few trees soon .

Two staff were there to welcome us, a very pleasant welcome. The building has a visitors’ room and staff facilities in the ground floor .First floor is exclusively structured for the guests with a common dining hall. We were in two rooms , very spacious with hall, bed room and open veranda to enjoy the sea. Very small, but fast moving birds are there in plenty, in addition to the crows. To protect the veranda from flying trespassers, the  authorities stretched fishnet throughout the open space.

After settling, we asked them to arrange vegetarian lunch for us. They ordered very tasty food from the restaurant , arranged it in banana leaves. We enjoyed it, took rest till evening. Evening, we went out to see the amenities built recently under the supervision of  the District Collector at the beach side. Kanyakumari, in fact, lacked open resting place and walk ways , that would entertain hundreds of guests who spend minimum a night at the triveni sangamam. That limitation is overcame now with modern pavements, lighting, benches in two stretches . We enjoyed walking in that area , came back and spent time till mid night watching the sea and its musical rhythm. In between, ate masal dosa , plain dosa etc that were arranged by the staff. In the morning hours, it is interesting simply sitting on the veranda and watching the movement of vehicles, sea waves and the fast moving birds ahead. On the right side of the building is an open land that was given to ISRO and adjacent to it is a waste processing unit. The waste processing is not yet started on large scale, but luckily, no bad smell emitting from there. No idea, what will be the future of that dump yard!

After breakfast, we returned with loving memories!!

 

A picnic to Sothai vila ,kanyakumari

Travel is always enjoyable, whether it's a long trip or a picnic. COVID-19 made a net of fear and all are cornered to limited spaces, the home or to the maximum ,the office. Retired people like me spent most of the time at home since April 2020. Now, in fact,the fear is lessened and have a confidence to go out a little. Hence,we decided to go for a picnic to avoid the boredom of confining at home. It was nine o'clock when everyone woke up from the laziness of the holiday. Then at 12 o'clock, all were ready after breakfast. We packed lunch from a near by hotel and went to Shankhuthurai beach. This was where we had gone earlier too. The beach is located at a distance of 14 km from Nagercoil. The beach has no proper place to rest at noon. We climbed the tower and had a view of the beach and the vast sea for a few minutes .Viewing sea is really an enjoyment and it expands our thoughts and feelings .The beach was less crowded,only a few young boys were there. Only the whistling of the Casuarina plants could be heard . The boys suggested there is an estuary(pozhikkara) near, where the lake and the sea meet. We decided to go there . We moved from main road to a narrow lane where both sides have coastal settlements. It eneded on a place where thick bushes and screw pines were abundant.Then a road without tar and gravel for driving. A few prsons were playing cards on the open compound. Empty liquor bottles were everywhere. The place was just like Veli village and Paravur pozhikkara in Kerala,but not having that beauty. We felt it was not a good place to spend an evening, so returned from there. We crossed Shankhuthurai and went ahead on the coastal road. People had built houses parallel to the sea , may be expecting a tourism boom in future and have plan to convert them as home stays or resorts. The journey ended in Sothavilai. Sotha Vilai is one of the beautiful beaches located in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. There are a lot of people coming to the beach to enjoy the evenings.There are also places to relax and children to play. There is also a tower to view the sea and the sunset. Another feature of the beach is the good white soil. There is no other beach in Kanyakumari district with such a long beach. The beach is located between Shankhuthurai and Kanyakumari. There are several resorts and an Ayurvedic center nearby. There is only a very small shop here .Hence, those who love to visit the palce must bring the food ,if needed. The sale of ice cream was in full swing. Authorities are trying to restore the beach, which was badly damaged by the 2004 tsunami. The time was around 3 PM. We unpacked the lunch boxes and had food at the lounge. The stray dogs,very common every where in India , were waiting for food as it was an open space. We gave them food ,then their numbers began to increase. By then we finished the lunch and washed our hands. There is no security personnal on the beach. Governemnet may plan such things in future. Sothavilai can be developed like Kovalam at Thiruvananthapuram. It will definitely be a pleasure to spend an evening on the beach having a playground for children. The heat had not abated. So after spending some time there, we headed towards Kanyakumari. When we reached Sunset Point there, the sun was shining brightly and was getting ready to go to sea for a night's rest. Nice cool breeze welcomed us. Devotional music could be heard from a temple in the distance. The sun was going down with its rhythm. Even though after it was completely submerged, the light was still there for some time. It was getting dark and then we returned.

An e-commerce portal is essential for GI products

Geographical Indication is one of the best methods to promote the rural economy and the traditional knowledge. The artisans get a chance to sale on their special skills and earn a good money,if it works properly. Farmers can also earn their right on the product based on the climate, soil and many parametes. But, there are middle men and fox among the sheep to manipulate it and making duplicate or low quality products and sell under the GI title. Hence, consumers are confused on which one is right or wrong. To avoid such a confusion , it is better to start an e-commerce platform by department of industry promotion or an agency under it to provide the details of the products, its genuine producers ,there contact number and an online business too. It is important to ensure that the bureucratic red-tapism will not affect the payment. When a business happens, immediately the money has to be transfeerd to the concerned GI owner and an SMS regarding the sale. Such a platform will benefit hundreds of genuine rural producers and a great relief for those who love to purchase genuine GI products . Hope the Government will take such an initiative soon. A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. A geographical indication right enables those who have the right to use the indication to prevent its use by a third party whose product does not conform to the applicable standards.Geographical indications are typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial products.GI tags are issued as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999. This tag is issued by the Geographical Indication Registry under the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The geographical origin of a product can create value to producers by communicating to consumers the product's characteristics, which derive from the climate, soil and other natural conditions in its particular area, promoting the conservation of local traditional production process; and protecting and adding value to the cultural identity of local communities.Geographical indications are generally applied to traditional products, produced by rural, marginal or indigenous communities over generations, that have gained a reputation on the local, national or international markets due to their specific unique qualities. Rural development impacts from geographical indications, referring to environmental protection, economic development and social well-being, can be the strengthening of sustainable local food production and supply (except for non-agricultural GIs such as handicrafts); a structuring of the supply chain around a common product reputation linked to origin; greater bargaining power to raw material producers for better distribution so as for them to receive a higher retail price benefit percentage; capacity of producers to invest economic gains into higher quality to access niche markets, improving circular economy means throughout the value chain, protection against infringements such as free-riding from illegitimate producers, etc.; economic resilience in terms of increased and stabilised prices for the GI product to avoid the commodity trap through de-commodisation, or to prevent/minimise external shocks affecting the premium price percentage gains (usually varying from 20-25%); added value throughout the supply chain; spill-over effects such as new business and even other GI registrations; preservation of the natural resources on which the product is based and therefore protect the environment; preservation of traditions and traditional knowledge; identity based prestige; linkages to tourism. The list of state-wise registered GIs can be accessed at http://www.ipindia.nic.in/registered-gls.htm. Any association of persons, producers, organisation or authority established by or under the law can apply. The applicant must represent the interest of the producers. The application should be in writing in the prescribed form. The application should be addressed to the Registrar of Geographical Indications along with prescribed fee.The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. It can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each. To file an online application, visit https://ipindiaonline.gov.in/eGIR/Login/LoginNew.aspx.

Will our system provide justice to Walayar children ?

Questions raised by Walayar In Walayar,Palakkad district of Kerala, two children were sexually abused and and they later committed suicide or murdered in 2017. These deaths did not hurt the Malayalee community as much as the persecution that took place in Uttar Pradesh and Kashmir before and after this incident. It may be because of change of attittude of the public or may be political. In any case, as we have seen in the case of Sister Abhaya, the administration and the judiciary were seen lurking in front of influential persons. The community as a whole has to stand behind that mother to get justice to the innocent girls, but that never happened in this case. The opposition and the media, which chased after Swapna Suresh,who was the kingpin of gold smuggling using diplomatic route , that they thought will benefit politically , not given proper attention to the manipulations happened in the POCSO court ,that freed the accused persons. They didn't take initiative to bring the police system, which was corrupt and mischievous, to the notice of the public. When the prosecutor maliced the duty, it was not the subject of much debate. No matter who rules,such things happens in socially upgraded Kerala society is a shame . Although all the systems in the country stood together to protect Abhaya's killers, in the end, Abhaya somehow got justice, at least to a small degree. For that ,there was a lone fighter , Jomon. The Walayar Justice Committee is the only one to help the mother of these children. The present High Court judgment for reinvestigation is a soothing act that brings trust in our system.Walayar children cannot be considered to have received justice until the defendants receive the death penalty. There are still many crossings. There was only a speck of sunlight in the entire cloudy sky. The light of a full sun must shine. Hopefully that will happen. We need a big change in our system. 1. The High Court says that training should be organized among the judges of the POCSO courts. It is a soft corner attittude towards the judge who comes within the justice system. But there should be a mechanism to dismiss such judges and make them defendants in the case. 2. The court said that insincere and incompetent officers are a disgrace to the entire police force. Should there be a mechanism to dismiss such officers and prosecute them? 3. The court held that the position of prosecutor was not intended to provide employment to those in favor of the administration. - Should there be a system to appoint prosecutors on permanent basis through PSC than posting people who manipulate cases for the ruling party ? It is to be hoped that such systems will be in place in the future to strengthen democracy.

Bangal -Kerala election may have some interesting twists

In Bengal, the Left voters shifted to the BJP and in Kerala the Congress will lose Elections will be held in four states and one union territory in April-May 2021. Elections will be held in Kerala, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. Of these, Kerala and Bengal will be the biggest headache for the Congress and the Left. These parties are in the process of contesting as an alliance in Bengal and as rivals in Kerala. Being the DMK front in Tamil Nadu is not a big issue. At present, the fight in Bengal is between the Trinamool and the BJP. There, the alliance between the Congress and the Left will affect the elections in Kerala as well. The BJP's campaign highlighting this alliance will definitely benefit them. Political History of Bengal The state of Bengal was ruled by the Congress till 1967 after its formation. In 1967, the CPM-led United Front won. But the center dismissed the Government. In 1969, the United Front again became a major party. In 1970, the Chief Minister of the Front resigned. Once again the president's rule was implemented. Here we can see the similarities of the early instability of Governments in Kerala. But in 1972, the Congress came to power. Siddhartha Shankar Ray became the Chief Minister. This rule lasted until 1977. The Left Alliance led by Jyoti Basu had been in power since 1977, when the people voted against the state of emergency. In 2000, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya took over the leadership. In 2011, the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance defeated the Left and ended 34 years of Left rule. Mamata Banerjee came to power. In 2016, Trinamool repeated its success on its own. Left in Bengal to BJP The BJP had no roots in Bengal. The BJP sided with Trinamool in the 1998, 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections. But in the 2001 and 2006 assembly elections, the Trinamool allied with the Congress. In the 2011 assembly elections, the BJP's vote share was 4%. But in the Modi wave of 2014, it turned out to be 17% of the vote and 2 Lok Sabha seats. There was no leakage in the Congress-Trinamool vote bank, but there was a huge influx from the Left. But the Left made no attempt to prevent this. In the 2016 Assembly elections, the Congress-Left alliance won 39% of the vote, while the Trinamool won 45%. The Congress won 44 seats, while the Left came in third with 32 seats. The BJP's vote share has gone down from 17% to 10%. But that 7% decrease did not get to the left. Their vote share also fell by 3%. Then the BJP did everything it could for communal polarization. The BJP has increased its vote share in all the by-elections held since 2016. This was a huge boost in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Out of a total of 42 seats, BJP won18 with 40% of the vote share. Left votes fell from 27% to 7.5%. The Congress also lost 7% of the vote share. Trinamool lost 2% of the vote. In other words, during 2016-19, one crore voters from the Left went to the BJP. With this, the players in the court changed. Trinamool and BJP are in the ground .Congress and Left are now spectators. The Congress-Left alliance is merely an attempt to retain the existing vote bank. Broad anti-BJP front The Congress and the Left can join a broad based anti-BJP alliance with the Trinamool. But a number of personal and partisan factors hampers that chance. Trinamool is now the main enemy of the Congress and the Left. In other words, the Congress-Left alliance will indirectly help the BJP. Mamata Banerjee is unable to control the corruption and gangsterism of Trinamool leaders. Former minister Suvendu Adhikari, 6 MLAs, one MP of TMC, 2 MLAs from the Left and one Congress MLA joined the BJP in front of Amit Shah. There may be more flows in coming days. Out of a population of 10 crore, 27% belong to the Muslim community. This vote bank will not bleed if a broad alliance is formed. Otherwise, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeenum will share these votes in addition to the Congress-Left alliance and the Trinamool. The BJP can benefit from this split of anti BJP vote bank. How will it affect Kerala? Bengal and Kerala have many similrities in art,cuture,literature and politics. Realizing that there was a huge influx of people from the Left to the BJP in Bengal, the Left in Kerala is moving ahead with extreme minority policies, hijacking the traditional vote bank of United Democratic Front.BJP will highlight the congress-LDF alliance at Bangal and project BJP as an alternative to LDF. The Left Alliance, which has won the Kerala Congress Jose faction, may be able to achieve temporary gains and continuity of government by garnering maximum Christian-Muslim votes. In the future, the BJP is likely to be an alternative to the Left. In the years to come, a flow of voters from UDF to BJP may happen just as the Left voters done in Bengal

A scene from Oor Iravu

 Honour  killing

 Recently I watched an anthology movie called Paavai Kadaghal  on NETFLIX. Of these four films, Oor Iravu, directed by Vetrimaran and starring Prakash Raj, Sai Pallavi and Harikrishnan in the lead roles, is a memorable film. Sumathi (Sai Pallavi), daughter of Janakiraman (Prakash Raj), an upper caste man, marries Hari (Harikrishnan), a lower caste man. Both are educated and have jobs. They live in Bangalore. The father was shocked of the daughter's act against the caste prejudice, lost his  pride and prominence in the society. More than one year has passed. Knowing that his daughter is pregnant, he comes to see her. He takes her with him, deciding that all mistakes are forgiven and that the baby shower ceremony should be celebrated in the village. Everyone in the house in conversation talks about the hardships they suffered because of this marriage but accepts her. The ceremony is in the auditorium. Everyone except mother, father and Sumathi went  to the auditorium. Sumathi is very upset. She has abdominal pain and vomiting. The father  discouraged his wife ,when she tells him to call the doctor. Sumati vomits blood. Mother  tries to get out to call the doctor, then father forcefully lock her in a room. Before sumati dies, he tells his daughter that this is the solution to the shame he has suffered so far. The father said ,he mixed the poison in drinking water and given to her.The scenes surrounding her death are unforgettable. When such incidents are  common in the villages, does its horror disappear? I do not know. Despite the many films and literature made on this subject, these persist in society.

Such honor killings are rare in Kerala and widespread in other southern and northern states. When such a thing happens in Kerala, we feel very shocked. Though isolated, such  incidents occur in a state where the society is better placed  in terms of education and culture. Kerala is a society that is so closely intertwined that caste and religion cannot be easily distinguished by color, intellect or cultural and economic background. Yet it is  noteworthy that all of this is happening.

 Caste and Religion are essential for politicians and caste-religious leaders  to implement their agendas and maintain power . But a peaceful, high-minded society does not need it. I am not a member of any caste movement. Therefore,  not part of religion too. In a secular country, will there be a system where a citizen can live with the religion as ' Indian' and his state (Kerala for a Malayalee) as a caste? It may seem like utopian ideology, but I think everyone should  think of an alternative to the current dangerous caste-religion system.

View of Thermal power station

Hare Island

Hare  Island or Muyal Theev in Tamil  is located in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. The island, which adjoins the V.O.Chidambaranar Port Trust, is now connected by road to Thoothukudi. The island covers an area of 1.29 square kilometers and is an ideal place to spend an evening. Part of the Bay of Bengal, the sea is calm like a big river. No waves, just ripples. Thorn trees and mangroves can also be seen. There is also a lighthouse. The public has no access to the lighthouse. The beach is located behind the Thoothukudi Thermal Power Station. The evening view of the power station from there is also beautiful.

Silent beach of Hare Island

Way to the beach

The road made from main land to the Island

parking lot

Front view of power station