Monthly Archives: October 2014

Singanallur Boat House to be renovated in 15 days

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature

Coimbatore :

The Singanallur Lake that was once a hub for various migratory birds and accommodated a boat house will be restored to its previous grandeur within 15 days. The lake was closed for public usage 5 years back and the boat house was also closed down. The Mayor, Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Executive Engineers and other higher officials at the corporation inspected the lake. Several labourers were employed to remove water hyacinth from the lake.

The engineers have also contracted a private company to renovate the boat house.

“I have instructed the officials to clean up the tank and renovate it within 15 days. We have also planned to have a cafeteria and a children’s play area in the boat house for recreational purpose,” said P Rajkumar, Mayor.

Once a popular attraction in the city, it was frequented by families and college students for boating and recreation. There have been several attempts in the past for cleaning the tank but hyacinth grew quickly even after cleaning it. Environmentalists said that even if the hyacinth is removed, the lake cannot be restored unless untreated sewage water is dumped into it. “The hyacinth has been growing there for years and due to its roots and seeds in the water, it will continue to grow. Hyacinth grows only in dirty water. So it is the hyacinth that cleans the sewage and drainage that is being dumped into the lake. If hyacinth is removed, the lake might start to stink. Only if they treat the water before directing it to the lakes, the problem can be solved,” said C Yogananthan, Environmentalist.

“We understand that sewage water is causing the growth of hyacinth and so I have strictly instructed the officials to stop sewage water entering into the lake. That will be the first step in restoring it,” said Rajkumar.

The engineers in charge for the restoration of the lake and renovation of the boat house said that the work will be completed as soon as possible. “After the renovation, we will go out to tender for the boats,” said T Gnanavel, South Zone Executive Engineer.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Komal Gautham, TNN / October 17th, 2014

Like grandmom’s pai

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

 

Utilitarian and graceful: The surukkupai has returned. Photo: special arrangement / The Hindu
Utilitarian and graceful: The surukkupai has returned. Photo: special arrangement / The Hindu

Tucked into the waist for easy access, the surukkupai women carried all those years ago, has made a comeback as a fashion statement.

Surukkupai is a small bag usually made out of fabric with drawstrings. This could easily be one of the oldest accessories in the South of India. The surukkupai culture they say began in Madurai. Most of us will remember our grandmoms or their friends with a surukkupai tucked into their sari at their waists. I vividly remember some elderly ladies at a temple fiddling with their surukku pais. As an accessory, it had a lot of utilitarian value. As those were the good old days when cell phones didn’t exist and nobody carried makeup around, the surukkupai served to be an aesthetic and useful accessory to carry their vethalai paaku.

Chenthamarai, a tailor in Papanaickenpalayam, reminisces that he used to stitch surukkupais from leftover bits of cloth given to stitch blouses, at no extra charge. In more recent years, the paati’s surukku pai has transformed into a more contemporary fashion accessory. The surukku pai has given way to the chic potlis or the batuas of today. Younger women generally tend to pair them with a sari or a salwar kameez. The potlis come out in a rainbow of colours during the wedding season. Designers have also made the batua an accessory to own. My favourite designer duo of the batua are Chamee & Palak. More widely known for their lehengas, their batuas are unique and ornate too.

Actress Vidya Balan carrying a potli. File photo: PTI
Actress Vidya Balan carrying a potli. File photo: PTI

A temple border Kancheepuram sari paired with a simple Mangalagiri cotton potli for a morning function is elegance personified. On the contrary, carry a hand embroidered batua made of Banaras silk fabric for a night out to feel luxurious and grand. The beauty of the modern surukkupai lies in the fact that you can use it to dress up or dress down as you deem fit for the occasion.

During traditional functions when return gifts have to be given, the potli is the perfect gift, especially when filled with bangles and sindoor.

It is indeed a lovely piece of handcrafted art that represents our culture and heritage and, therefore, the most appropriate gift to give your friends abroad. It shows them our diverse crafts and the variety of textiles our country has to offer. Be a fashionista and carry your surukkupai with pride!

Shrivyshnavi Annush is a software engineer who pursues her passion for fashion and design. She has launched a curated fashion accessories portal, www.pookaari.com.

The accessories portal

Shrivyshnavi Annush recently organised a sneak peek into a collection of accessories that she is going to feature in her brand new website www.pookaari.com.

“If we wanted access to some of the happening designers in the country, we had to visit their stores in big cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore. I always felt there was a dearth in fashion accessories and hence I decided to launch Pookaari,” says Shrivyshnavi.

Jewellery designed by Suhani Pittie. Photo: special arrangement / The Hindu
Jewellery designed by Suhani Pittie. Photo: special arrangement / The Hindu

Her carefully curated portal will feature designers from across the country and include brands such as Suhani Pittie, Raya, Mayaa Bazaar, MKBK (Madras Ka Bag Kompany), Deepa Sethi… Scarves, stoles, earrings, neckpieces, bags and clutches are some of the accessories that will be featured in the website. Pookaari will feature a minimum of two new collections every Thursday and the collection will remain online for two weeks.

Pookaari’s pick

Besides the stylish range there will also be Pookaari’s Pick that will have a line of scarves in natural textiles, iPad sleeves and so on. The price of the accessories range between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 14,000.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metroplus> Fashion / by Shrivyshnavi Annush / October 20th, 2014

Irula tribals in Thanikandi soon to take up agriculture

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Nature

Coimbatore :

Irula tribals of Thanikandi hamlet abutting the Western Ghats near Narasipuram in Coimbatore district would soon be tilling large tracts of land for cultivation.

The residents of the village who earn paltry sums as daily wage labourers would now be roped into an agricultural federation under the World Bank funded Pudhu Vaazhvu Thittam through which they would take up cultivation. Coimbatore collector Archana Patnaik visited the hamlet on Tuesday and inspected the land identified for cultivation by the tribals.

“A stretch of 96 acres of forest settlement land has been identified for this purpose. The tribals have rights to enjoy the land but cannot sell it,” said Philips Ilayaraja, district project manager, Pudhu Vaazhvu. There are 64 Irula families in Thanikandi who will benefit from this scheme.

Philips said that some of the tribals in Thanikandi had tried their hand in agriculture two decades ago but dropped it due to various reasons. They started going out as daily wage labourers but the pay was very poor. The traditional means of livelihood, that of selling forest produce, also became difficult and unsustainable due to the increasing incidence of elephant movement in the locality.

“The tribals would commence cultivation once the shrubbery in the identified land is cleared,” Philips said.

This Pudhu Vaazhvu scheme has been extended to Thanikandi after its success when implemented on a pilot basis in Thondamuthur. The scheme was introduced in 13 hamlets comprising 850 families in the block a year ago at a cost of Rs55L. Cultivation has begun in 298 acres of forest land provided to them.

Archana Patnaik visited Saadivayal, one of the villages were tribals have started cultivation and inquired about the progress made regarding the project. The tribal women said they were cultivating brinjal, lady’s finger, onion, paddy and cotton. We are using organic manure only,” one of the women told the collector. The women said that they sell their produce at the Boluvampatti vegetable market.

Patnaik assured the tribals that all support from the government would be provided to them in this venture.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / October 15th, 2014

Chasing her dreams

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Samyuktha with her collection of clothes at Alwarpet in Chennai. Photo: M.Srinath / The Hindu
Samyuktha with her collection of clothes at Alwarpet in Chennai. Photo: M.Srinath / The Hindu

House of Chase attempts to make lounge wear glamorous and fun

‘Flat lock,’ ‘lab dips,’ ‘pigment print’…everytime Samyuktha Venkatachalam uses technical words such as these, she stops for a second and looks amused. “I am just getting acquainted with these terms,” she smiles with a sense of achievement and just stops short of almost patting herself on the back. A student of graphic designing, she realised sitting in front of the computer was not her thing. A need for a creative outlet led her to start House of Chase, an online fashion label that has loungewear for women. “I never found enough loungewear here. Clothes that I bought abroad were long-lasting and had a snug feel and that’s what I was looking for. So I decided to start something of my own that addresses the needs of people like me,” she says. Hats are what she actually wanted to start working with. But since it was hard to get a hat manufacturer in India, the plan had to be shelved.

Hoodies, shorts, vests, tunics, tank tops, pyjamas, polo neck, round neck and printed T-shirts in hot pink, bright blue, virulent green and other bright-hues comprise the collection. Cotton, velvet, fleece, pique, poly viscose are the fabrics used. The tracks, hoodies and shorts have brushed fleece or velour lining for that cosy feeling. What princesses wear when they are chilling — that’s the concept House of Chase is based on. No wonder the logo has a shiny golden crown, along with a St. Bernard (her favourite pet).

Does the name mean anything? “Chase — I have been obsessed with that word since ninth grade. All my books had ‘chase’ scribbled on them. To me it means pursuit. When I was starting this business I knew I had to use that word in the label.” The clothes are deeply inspired by Juicy Couture. The California-based brand’s tracks and hoodies have been her favourite for long. Every time relatives travelled abroad they knew what they had to bring back for her. “They are very comfortable and the fabric is amazing. I wanted people who don’t have access to JC to get a feel of it through my clothes,” she says.

All the materials are manufactured and dyed in Tirupur. She has a small team comprising a graphic designer, two brand designers and a merchandiser. She comes up with a concept and together they work on it. “We vote to finalise and I also ask my friends for opinion. We are working off feedback for now,” she says. The second line of clothes is underway — summer dresses in varying silhouettes and lengths. How often does she plan to have a new collection? “As soon as we are ready with new clothes,” she laughs and adds, “The aim is to have a new line every three months.”

It took two years for House of Chase to take shape. Sleepless nights, anxiety, excitement and after analysing numerous fabrics the first collection was launched on September 20 this year. “Now when I see a garment from any other brand I can tell how much effort has gone or not gone into it,” says the 24-year-old.

Barely 19 days since its launch, House of Chase has managed to sell 200 pieces of garment so far. She pulls out a file and is all business-like as she checks her sales report to reconfirm the number and then laughs again. “I am just getting used to these things. There’s still scope for improvement in terms of finishing. We are far, far away from breaking even.” Her father, V.R. Venkatachalam, Chancellor of Sri Ramchandra Medical University made the initial investment. “At first I thought I would pay him back, but now, I don’t think so,” she laughs. Samyuktha aims to start a boutique by the end of this year. In addition, she wants to add more to her label. There are notebooks already. Coming soon are watches, bracelets and accessories, perfumes, hand sanitisers… So, the brand will basically comprise everything she likes? “Well, yes, you could say that,” and she breaks into a giggle again.

www.houseofchaseclothing.com

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metroplus> Fashion / by Priyadarshini Paitandy / October 08th, 2014

Ooty student wins state level contest with thought provoking speech on nature

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Nature

Udhagamandalam :

A student of Class 12 of Crescent Castle Matric Higher Secondary School in Ooty bagged the first place in the state level elocution competition in English conducted by the forest department as part of their Wildlife Week Celebrations, held on Thursday in Chennai.

Having won the district level elocution competition held in Ooty earlier, Hanu Priya, a Badaga girl, was selected to represent the Nilgiris district in the state level competition held in Chennai.

“For the second time, Hanu Priya, has won the first prize in a state level competition. We are proud that she competed in the Wildlife week competition conducted by the forest department and won the elocution competition,” said Farouk Ummar, corespondent of the school.

Nurturing young minds to pay heed to the global issue of ‘deforestation’, Hanu Priya said, “The nature of man’s future depends on the future of our nature”. She said, only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, will man realize that he cannot substitute money for sustenance. “The guidance I received from my English teacher, Rukhia, helped me deliver a winning performance at the state level for the second time”, she said.

Her prize-winning speech had some thought provoking moments with ” man did not inherit earth from his ancestors, he, in fact, borrowed it from his children” and “a greedy man grabs more than what nature offers him.” On Friday, Hanu Priya met Nilgiris collector P Sankar. As a token of his appreciation for her achievement, the collector presented her with a small memento.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / October 11th, 2014

Indira Sivasailam Endowment Award for T M. Krishna

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Musician T. M. Krishna. / The Hindu
Musician T. M. Krishna. / The Hindu

Carnatic vocalist T. M. Krishna will receive the award on on September 25 at The Music Academy during the Navaratri season.

Carnatic vocalist T. M. Krishna has been chosen for the fifth Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal and Concert.

The fifth Indira Sivasailam Endowment Concert will be held at The Music Academy in Chennai on September 25 during the Navaratri season.

The artist is selected by a panel comprising members from the Endowments Committee of The Music Academy and Ms. Mallika Srinivasan (Chairman – TAFE Limited), daughter of late A. Sivasailam (Former Chairman – Amalgamations Limited) and late Indira Sivasailam.

Every year, the Indira Sivasailam Endowment Fund recognizes an outstanding Carnatic musician based on an established set of criteria.

The Indira Sivasailam Foundation was established by Ms. Mallika Srinivasan in the memory of her mother, whose deep-rooted conviction was to uphold and promote India’s rich heritage by preserving and propagating its various art forms.

“Mr. T. M. Krishna, who describes himself quite simply as “a singer”, occupies a distinct place in the sphere of Carnatic music for the stunning individuality of his renditions. Trained by distinguished gurus, Mr. B. Seetharama Sarma and Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Mr. T. M. Krishna has a firm footing in tradition, without being owned by it. Singing with a musical veracity that goes back to centuries, he presents a musical imagination that unfolds in the present. Among one of the most widely travelled musicians, Mr. Krishna has reinforced the Carnatic musical legacy among its cognoscenti, and also introduced its magnificence to new audiences across continents,’’ says a release.

Since 2010, renowned  musicians such as Ms. Sudha Ragunathan, Mr. Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Ms. Aruna Sairam and Ms. Bombay Jayashri Ramnath have been conferred this honour.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Music / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – August 25th, 2014

Girls from slums scale new heights

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Madurai :

In a society where the girl child is deprived of many facilities, the case of a girl child growing up in a slum is even worse. But for Malar Kodi, a girl from the Melavasal slums of Madurai, it wasn’t a hindrance in fulfilling her dreams. With an Assistant professor position at a Nursing College in Haryana, she has inspired many slum girls with her ”implausible efforts”.

It’s just one success story that has unfolded on the ‘International Day of the Girl Child’, because of the sincere efforts of Vidiyal, an NGO that has been working with children in eight slums around Madurai.

And Malar Kodi’s success story is a motivation to others at the NGO who are struggling to build their own career. “It was indeed tough for me to follow my career. We were financially poor. My father used to work as a shoemaker, whereas my mother worked as a sweeper at a Government Hospital in Madurai,” she said, adding, ”We were three children, including myself, and we couldn’t concentrate on our studies living in a small house in the slums,” said Malar Kodi.

With the help of Vidiyal, she pursued her BSc in Nursing from Nursing College in Madurai. She then went to Andhra Pradesh to work as a nursing tutor. “I had to focus on my career and in 2008, I pursued MSc in Nursing from Bangalore and later after two years, I worked as a lecturer in Shimla. Then, I went to Haryana to work as an Assistant Professor at a Nursing College,” she added.

Today, her parents have shifted from the slums to a rented apartment in Madurai. “It is the determination that helped me to achieve what I wanted to do in my life,” she said.

Like Kodi, the NGO has helped many who joined as volunteers to pursue their career in engineering, medicine and other professional courses. “For us, the girl child is utmost important. It is time we tell the world and the parents who are blessed with a girl child, that they are a beacon of hope,” said Sharmila Jim, project director of Vidiyal.

And on Saturday, the NGO, along with children, celebrated the occasion with an aim to inspire many more girls in future.

Many participated in various activities to commemorate the event. “We organise such events for the girls only to make them happy and inspire them in many ways. All these girls have enormous talent and they have proved it today,” Jim said.

The NGO also has a ‘child resource centre’ at the slum area for the children and a ‘parent’s forum’ wherein they counsel them to bring out the best in their children. “After completing their studies, they chose the career on their own and march ahead in life. We have been guiding them personally and financially as well,” added Jim.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiaitimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / TNN / October 12th, 2014

Agro Foundation hails move to set up 100 soil testing labs

Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Science & Technologies

Focus on soil health, farmers producer organisations, credit for joint farming groups, technology-driven second green revolution with focus on higher productivity are some of the positives of Union Budget 2014–15, hailed S.S. Rajsekar, managing trustee of Chennai- based NGO, National Agro Foundation. “I am happy that these areas attracted the attention of the government which NAF has successfully demonstrated and has been advocating over a decade.” He said the government’s move to establish 100 soil testing laboratories was a clear direction in improving the farm productivity which would help trigger 4 per cent growth in agriculture sector.

Appreciating the holistic approach in farm sector with creation of Agri Tech Infrastructure Fund, National Adaptation Fund and Price Stabilization Fund, increased allocation in rural infrastructure development, warehouse infrastructure and irrigation; he was optimistic that these efforts would stabilise prices and would be a boon for farmers. However, coordination between the Centre and the State governments in delivery would be the key for desired results, he said. The NAF established by late C Subramaniam, the architect of India’s Green Revolution; has been working with a “Soil to Market” approach to usher in second green revolution.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – July 11th, 2014

Neo-tantric artist K V Haridasan passes away at 78

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Chennai :

Veteran neo-tantric artist K V Haridasan passed away on Sunday at a hospital in Bangalore, where he had been undergoing treatment for throat cancer for more than a month. He was 78.

His body has been brought to Chennai, and is being kept at his home in the Cholamandal Artists’ Village. “He had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bangalore where his son lives. He was very weak when I met him last. He died in the morning at around 7am,” said Gopinath P, senior artist and close friend of Haridasan.

A pioneer in neo-tantric form, Haridasan won many prestigious awards, including Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram and Lalit Kala award, for his Brahmasutra Series. A student of veteran artist K C S Panicker, Haridasan was always in search of Indian tradition through tantra symbols and yoga. This set him apart from others.

“He was the only artist from the south who developed his own style in neo-tantric in the 1960s and 70s. He never deviated from his style and of course had every reason to do that. He was a great artist and had a strong connection with our culture and tradition,” said Gopinath.

Born in 1937 in Keecheri, a remote village in Kannur district of Kerala, Haridasan did his diploma in painting at the School of Arts and Crafts, Madras during 1960-66. He had exhibited his Brahmasutra Series in many Indian cities and countries.

Exhibition of his neo-tantric works in New Delhi in 1970 was a turning point in Haridasan’s life. After the exhibition, he travelled to many countries with his work. Even though many changed their style, Haridasan never deviated from his neo-tantric metre till his death.

“I like him mainly because he never deviated from his style. It may not be a great quality when it comes to an artist, but in his case, it was different. His works attained a kind of rhythm and perfection due to his long association with the neo-tantric style. It is of great quality,” said Achuthan Kudallur, a senior abstract painter.

Haridasan is survived by his wife and a son. The cremation will take place at the Besant Nagar electric crematorium on Monday.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by M.T.Saju, TNN / October 27th, 2014

68th Infantry Day observed

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Chennai :

Army’s Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala Area (ATNK and K Area) marked the 68th Infantry Day with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Victory War Memorial here on Monday.

Lieutenant General Jagbir Singh, General Officer Commanding of the ATNK and K Area, led the ceremony by paying homage to soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

October 27 is observed as the Infantry Day by the Army as it was on this day in 1947 that a company of infantry of the first battalion of the Sikh Regiment was airlifted from Delhi to Srinagar to liberate Kashmir from the invading tribals who were supported by the Pakistan army.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Ekatha Ann John , TNN / October 08th, 2014