Thursday, 27 June 2013

HANGING OUT WITH MY COUSIN SISTER, PARU







A few days ago I got to see my cousin, Paru. At fourteen, she is already so grown up and mature. We talked a lot. She is very smart, and told me a lot of things I didn’t know. I like being with her because she is very much like me. She knew about sports, books, and games. I talked with her about many things. I learned that she speaks French fluently, is on the fencing team at school and will visit Paris for a school trip when she is older.  She wants to be a forensic scientist and her favorite show is CSI crime series.  She is going to spend her summer learning very advanced classical Indian dance at the best dance school in the country, Kalamandalam.  Next month, when I visit my thatha-paati (paternal grandparents), we will visit Paru because it is closer for us from our home in Koduvayur. 

For lunch, we went to a very fancy Hotel Karthika. Even though she had just gotten off a 20 hour flight from New York, she was very patient and gentle answering all my questions. I had so much fun connecting with my big cuz. I hope to see her soon. She is my favorite person to talk to. She understands everything I say (especially my accent). I hope next time I see her, I get more time with her.  The first thing we talked about was SkyDoes Minecraft and the last thing we talked about was Slender Man, both are video games we like to play. With us, it is like we are not at two ends of the United States meeting for a brief spell in Kerala.  Basically she is my big sister from the Big Apple while I will always miss her from the Lone Star State.

Here is some cool trivia.  Perhaps these are too easy for you!

1. What is the largest and most well-known museum of the world?
2. What is the most debated painting housed in this museum?

AT THE DENTIST'S 







I went to a state-of-the-art dental facility. It was awesome! Our grandparents have been going to see Dr. Venugopalan Nair since they moved back to India. Their clinic is located conveniently right near the most famous medical university in Trivandrum city.  The doctor was smiling at us the entire time.  Even though I was waiting for hours, I never even felt bored. They have a flat screen TV, a huge bookcase, and a nice place to play. The doctors are very kind. My check up and cleaning didn’t hurt one bit. They helped even my sister who has been crying about her front tooth. It had been loose for nearly 6 months and it was swaying with the breeze in her mouth. She never let anyone get close to it. The pedodontist, Dr. Subhalakshmi, sang a song to her, gave her a magic medicine for her mouth, and pulled it out in the split of a second. It was a miracle! So, if you have difficult siblings, make sure you take them to this centre.
If you need your teeth cleaned by really nice doctors who are kind and gentle, this is the place for you. Or, just go in and say Sarvesh Subramanian, Mr. Gopi Pillai’s grandson recommended you. You will get a very nice tour. Or visit their website. Try checking it the first chance you get! I will put the site hyperlink on the post.
As I told you, we entertained ourselves with books from their fancy book case. We donated our favorite William Steig book on dentists, Doctor De Soto and the doctor was happy even though I had drawn all over it when I was four years old.  My mom started quizzing us from this encyclopedic book called The Bournvita Book of Knowledge.  Here are some of my favorite questions I remember from the evening.  Let us see if you can answer them in the comment box:
1.    Which is the heaviest dog?
2.    What is the biggest desert in Asia?
3.    What is the difference between a passport and a visa? 

MANNAR VISIT











First we went to Mani Appachi’s home (my grandpa’s sister), Koyickel. It is a nice big house that looks really pretty on the outside and inside with big windows and shiny floors. My favorite place was the balcony from where Ambili Kunjamma (her daughter and sister of Sri Ammavan and Anu Kunjamma), using a stick, dropped down lemons the size of our heads.  Since they were not ready to be eaten that day, she packed it for us to bring home. Also I saw Ramu, my cousin, who was sick. I hope he gets better very soon. Finally, we ate. Ambili Kunjamma and her mother prepared such a delicious feast which involved some of my favorite dishes like green mangoes pickle, pulissery, pappadam and payasam (sweet vermicelli pudding in milk) that they served on banana leaves. Then, on a whim, feeling like she had not done enough for us, Ambili Kunjamma took us to the nearby market and purchased us really fancy sandals.
Soon, we visited Geetanjali which is Sreedharan Chittapan’s home where I met more family and a cute nine year old who was in no mood to talk. She behaved just like my sister. There I ate sweets and played on Paru’s swing. I finally got Paru to talk with us and we played together.
Eventually we made our way from Koyickel House to Ambili Kunjamma’s home where we saw her daughter, Raveena, Radhakrishnan Chittapan and his mom, one more cute Ammumma in our visits. That was very FUN! They have so much green land around their home, it is unbelievable. We saw cashew trees, heavy jackfruit laden trees, margosa, and mango trees.  Because of the rains, the fields behind their home had transformed into a lake.  They are one of the rare homes in Kerala today with real life cows in the cow shed by the home.  Most cow sheds by the traditional homes are now empty storage rooms for firewood. There were three cows and a dog. First we fed the cows. Then I petted the mommy cow that had horns. Soon, I saw the dog. The dog was named Tomy and he knew how to shake paws. Last we went inside and had steaming hot cups of sweet cow’s milk. But, sadly, we had to go home. After giving hugs, we left for home. Even while we sat in the car, Ambili Kunjamma wanted to give us more and she quickly plucked some special leaves to show us magic, “Touch-Me-Nots” (thottavadi) that wilt to the touch. I can’t wait to go back soon.   It was really special. I hope soon means tomorrow!   

Friday, 21 June 2013


Martin Prakkat'S film, "ABCD" (released June 14, 2013)

FILM STORY, IN SARVESH’S WORDS:
Two American teenagers are living the good life in New York.  They play pranks in super hero suits; they buy gadgets excessively and they trash parties.  The pair, Johns (Dulquer Salmaan) and Korah (Jacob Gregory), finally pick on the wrong guy and get into trouble with a gang who comes to their nice suburban mansion and starts shooting at the windows.  The dad (Lalu Alex) and mom get very concerned and angry about the future of these two boys and decide to pack them off to Kerala.  The horrified boys think of ways to have fun when they land like playing on their IPad, hanging out at fancy pools and eating at fancy sweet shops and flirting with girls.  Then they try to use the dad’s credit card but find out from a banker that the dad closed the account.  The banker does not even give them the orange juice that she first offers them.  So the film tells us how these two broke American teenagers have to make it in Kerala slumming their way through college.  I cannot give away everything but the film is really funny like the “Harold and Kumar” films and it also manages to teach you about cultural differences while being awesome and musical. I really liked the song, “Johnny Mone Johnny” – I was trying to rap it as I left the theater.
FILM EXPERIENCE?
Being in Vishakh Theater in TVM was very different from going to the movies in America.  Whenever something funny happened, people hooted, hollered, and laughed out loud.  They were talking to the screen, completing dialogue, and being boisterous which I loved.  Soon enough, I found myself hooting, laughing, and partying it up while my mom explained all the Malayalam for which I needed translation.  My grandpa went and got us popcorn which came in sealed bags and that was yummy.  My grandma was not happy with our seats in the first row but both grandparents were good sports in taking us to this movie.  Thank you, Ammumma-Appuppa! 
WHY I LIKED THE FILM?
Being an American boy in Kerala, this film really spoke to me.  My mom is the one who recommended the film and I was unhappy at first because I thought it would be boring and I really wanted to see “Man of Steel.”  As soon as the film started and I saw the cool teenagers running around in the Spider Man suit and saw the New York skyline, I felt at home. I was born in New York and I felt that the movie was going to be filled with surprises because it did not come across as a typical Malayalam romance.  It felt more like Bollywood, like “Dhoom 2” which I like a lot. The more I watched it, I found myself entranced and asked my mother for every sentence along the way and wished I could follow Malayalam better. 
HOW MANY THUMBS UP?

This film is adipoli – I think people would have a blast and I say you should watch it in a theater in Kerala. Personally I would not recommend it to some friends because they are the kind that like Hollywood action thrillers only and do not understand movies with messages.   But I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised at how much they like this movie even though it is not really their cup of tea. What I find interesting is that most of the children I meet in Kerala drink tea, or chaya as they say it here! 

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Family Time!

I haven't been blogging for a few days now because we've been on the roads meeting lots of family.  It has taken time on the road to get to places but it has been worth the journey.  Here are a few highlights:

Kolakkada Ammumma – This is my great-uncle’s mom.  She is very old, but does funny things. My great, great aunt lives in her ancestral home. Even though she is very old, and doesn’t talk much, she is sparkly. When I was there she refused to eat her lunch, eating mango candy instead. A range of cats of all colors were gathering around because she usually shares the remains of her meal with them which is pretty much her whole meal. Before she used to have a set of hens and cows to also share but they are all gone now.  I liked visiting her.  She didn’t pinch my cheeks or hug me super tight. She gave me a really warm smile. I was sad to leave her alone. I thought she was very cute just sitting there feeding the neighborhood kitties. I wish we could visit her more often. 

Ammavi, her daughter, Jyothi Chechi, and granddaughter, Lakshmi Chechi – This was a really terrific visit.  Lakshmi chechi is a fun 23 year-old. She is always playing around with me and teasing me. Her mom, Jyothi chechi, has been to many places including Washington, D.C where she studied in high school. Later, her older sister moved to Australia. They will take me there! She’s also been to Europe, other parts of Asia, and all of North America (except for Central America).  Her mom, Ammavi, is the greatest cook ever. I enjoyed the yummy lunch I ate there.  They all are very playful. I really love them. I really wanted to stay. They are my favorite threesome. They are always loving, caring, and happy to please. When I say something good, they give me more of whatever’s good. I love them very much.  

Right next door to Ammavi is my great-grandmother's (grandfather's mother's home) where my grandfather's sister (eldest) lives with her family.  Santha Appachi's son's family, Vinod Uncle and Bindu Aunty live here with their kids.  Pictured above are the co-conspirators of childhood fun, my grandpa and his sister, smiling together in front of her home.  I am sitting on Bindu Aunty's scooter right after she rode home from work to see us.  Man, I wish I could ride this set of wheels.

Anu Kunjamma – Anu Kunjamma is a very fun aunty. She is a teacher and has two playful and shy kids. She is a good person, and is always kind. I never saw her take off her smile. She gave my sister and I many gifts. She let us explore her whole big house, too. And, she let us pluck vegetables. I was happy the whole time there. I loved chatting with her. She is also a great reader. She gave me a generous number of children’s magazines to read in Malayalam. She helped me read Malayalam. We explored her enclosed terrace where she has all sorts of fun things, such as a hammock and a sewing machine which she showed us how to operate. This was my 3rd time seeing her, yet she let me do everything. The concept of family is so strange and beautiful. It is as if there are all these people out there ready to love you even though they might be meeting you for the first time.




Renji Kunjamma, Manju Kunjamma, daughters of Syamala Appachi, my father’s youngest sister – This house was built on a sandy terrain. It is the home of my paternal grandparents, the home where my father, Kochappuppan and all their sisters grew up in. It looked fun to play in. I went into the house. Manju Kunjamma greeted me. Inside, her sister’s baby was asleep. He is a chuball baby boy. The cute roly poly baby was in a hammock made of soft sari cloth and wood made especially for babies. My sister and I passed time by playing hide seek tag. Then we ate a sumptuous lunch of fish, fish, fish, rice and vegetables, all made by Manju Kunjamma. After lunch, I wrote Malayalam in the sand. Finally the kids came. Renji Kunjamma is a teacher at their school.  For a little while, we all played with the baby, Shauri. He was now awake. Last the kids and I played outside. Tag, hide seek, and Badminton we played. When we left I was very sad.  But I had much fun with Unni Kannan and Sreekutty. I reflected on all the good things that happened. I hoped to see them again. Even though I barely see them, they prepared a feast. Even though I barely see them, they showed me everything. As family, the hosts always treat you like royals. I loved the two Kunjammas.  It was great to see them.  I wish they could come to Houston with us.


Prasanna Chittappa – Prasanna Chittappa is a cool dude. We went to their house. My mother told me that all the chittappas were such great company for Unni Ammavan, my mother’s big brother, when they visited Kerala for the holidays from Delhi – Unni Ammavan would join all the brothers to play cricket and have a lot of fun. At Chittapa’s home, Manus, we talked and ate cashews, then Prasanna Chittappa’s wife came. She is a great Sanskrit scholar, Dr. Geethamony Amma. She has written 4 books on Sanskrit scriptures. She was also very kind to us. She talked and was always happy. The couple have 2 accomplished sons, first in their exams. Eventually, I examined Chittappa’s motorbike. Chittappa found me on it. He asked me to go on a ride with him. I jumped for joy. My sister and I went around the village. The air whistled past us. After coming back, I hugged them all. I wanted to stay till the sons came, but we had to leave. I want to go back some day. Even though I’d never seen Chittappa, he offered to take me on a ride. He loved me so much, and I’d never laid eyes on him. I loved him very much too.


At Lavanya, Mini mami was very happy we were there.  If you haven’t guessed by now, homes have names here which is pretty cool too. We missed Mohanna Chittappa because he was still at work.  Mini Mami was ready to provide anything to us and kept beaming at us. We talked a lot. Both her daughters are very bright. Ammu Chechi is done with her school. She is aiming to be a doctor. Her other kid had many awards. The shelves were bursting with their medals won for all sorts of achievements.  The kids are Ammu and Akku. Akku even told me about her competitions and school. We talked for a while. Then I explored the housed. It was very big. I finally had to leave. They gave us chocs as a gift. This was the first time seeing them, but they were so warm.  They were so welcoming when I came to their house. They did everything they could to make me happy. Even when I was happy, they did more. Family, no matter how distant, always loves you.


We visited Salini, the home of my Nisha Ammavi, wife of Unni Ammavan. It is also my dear big cousin, Paru's home every summer when she visits.  She is a great dancer who comes to study at Kalamandalam and I will see her when she comes this coming Sunday.  In their home, we had so much fun on the traditional wooden swing which is apparently my Unni Ammavan's favorite hangout spot.  Here, you can see Paru’s grandparents (both sets).  Paru’s grandma served us so many snacks – samosas, vadas, juicy mangoes, that I was about to burst. Because my sister and I were getting a bit silly and having trouble sharing, Paru’s grandpa brought out the egg swing which was totally awesome.  We felt completely pampered.  I hope I can visit Salini again soon with Paru Chechi!

 Rajan Chettan-Uncle from Bangalore, visiting his mom! We had so much fun hanging out with him.  His daughter, Neetu, just got a puppy and she told him so on Father's Day.  Rajan Chettan is the one who drew such a nice family map for me and has challenged me to do a Wiki on our family map.  When I think about it, I have easily at least six-eight lines of family I can explore right away with my appuppa's parents, my ammumma's mom, my thatha's parents, and my paati's parents.  That is a big task indeed! When I do it, I will connect the link on this blog.  That's a future project :)

Thanks to my dear family who has encouraged me from afar - Unni Ammavan, Thatha-Paati, Kochappuppan, Anand Uncle, Sia and Haya, and my Appa! Please comment on my blog when you get a chance!

Family is loving no matter what. Even if you haven’t seen them for a decade, you still are loved. You get gifts, hugs, and treats. I think family is special, and life’s best gift. Without family, you would never be truly loved. So, it is a treat to get to visit all the relatives. This is what I have learned in this last week. 

Tuesday, 11 June 2013





Mandekadu Beach, Tamil Nadu
June 5, 2013
A few kilometers of bumpy car drive from my grandmother’s home in Neyyoor leads you to Mandekadu Beach, where we observed high tides and a fluorescent unforgettable sunset.  I have to credit my mother for the beach photos here, all except the one taken by my grandfather of all of us.
We stood on a ramp-like structure leading down to the inky sand because we were not allowed to go near the water.  The waves were high and contained surprises so a policeman dressed in khaki uniform hollered at us every so often to make sure the beachgoers did not step onto the sand. 
Some guys who were cool disobeyed and they were having fun near the water but I had to stay put gripped by my grandparents on either side.  My sister and I still had a lot of fun each time a wave licked out feet and rushed underneath us to the top of the ramp.  The water was warm and foamy white.  We were screaming to the waves, “Come on! You are so calm! You can do better!” and we were giddy when the waves reached up till our waist every once in a while.  We were laughing and jumping about as bystanders looked at us with amused glances. We wanted to go down on the beach but the ramp promised great times standing on the sidelines.   

Monday, 10 June 2013




These are my friends. They are all nice, caring, and fun to play with. I made these friends over the course of a week. Now we play every day. The one on the left is my cousin, Vishnu. He is fast, and is fond of the things I like. The one on the right is Devaduth.  He loves cricket. The bottom left is Jaah. He is always happy. The bottom left is Jaas. He always wants to play. Bye for now. Stay tuned.