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Nehru’s Red Rose
No, I am not talking about any of his rumored links, but the bright red rose he pinned to the lapel of his achkan. Nehru was insistent that it was always bright red and not pale in color. Also it was...
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At New York and Flushing Meadows
Been a while since I posted something and this one is going to be a light post as we were busy traveling to our favorite city, the big apple or New York and using the opportunity to see a bit of the US...
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India's milkman - Kurien and Amul
No Indian can ever forget the taste of Amul butter on fresh bakery bread. I won’t either. Each time we visit our neighborhood grocer, I try to find ways to convince my wife that we should buy a packet...
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Another weekend to savor
That it certainly was, for though the week’s weather was a bit glum and grey, the Friday evening was spent watching a fascinating drama in space with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. With the...
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Dr Syud Hossain and Indian independence
Part 2 Life and times in the USA - 1921-1946In Part 1, we got to know briefly the character of Syud Hossain, the man exiled from his shores to fight for his nation’s independence. Syud Hossain, that...
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A Pope and an Elephant
Popum Aanayum Vathikanil…….As you may have noticed from previous posts, I am quite partial to elephant stories like most Malayalees and I do like the pachyderm a lot. Earlier I wrote about Murugan in...
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A Rummy Tale
The man who walked into the bank slowly made his way to the glass encased cashier’s cabin. Not many noticed him, nor were they interested. But the security man who waved him though and knew him, did...
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A Far-Eastern sojourn
I can assure you my friends, that if you want to open your mind and your senses, you have to travel. A trip to the east is always rejuvenating, and in our case it involved over three countries and a...
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MS Baburaj – The legendary musician
The very mention of the name brings up a wistful smile in the countenance of most Malayalees. Many hearing it would have something to say if not about the music, about that period when melody was king...
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Mata Hari the femme fatale and Malabar
History has many an interesting character but there is only one person whose name is synonymous with spying, espionage, intrigue, and sensuality, it is none other than Mata Hari, a purported German spy...
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Tanjore and its Carnatic music legacy
Some weeks ago I delivered a short talk on this subject to a few friends in our music group and as it involved some study, I decided to write an article around it. We enjoy these Sunday afternoons...
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Vidwan Ettan Thampuran – My Great Grandfather
Padnichare Kovilagath Manavikraman (Ettan) Raja, Zamorin of Calicut.The period following the accession of the British over Malabar was a time when the Zamorins of Calicut, those suzerains who ruled...
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Adela ‘Violet’ Florence Nicolson (Laurence Hope)
Her life, poems and a bit about her days at Feroke - CalicutThere was a short period of time when a British couple lived in a bungalow in Feroke. The eminent Col Malcom Nicolson, once ADC to Queen...
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Tipu’s folly
As I mentioned previously, I am not a great fan of the Mysore Sultans Hyder and Tipu; in fact I have scant regard for them and disagree vehemently with those who tend to bracket them as freedom...
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GP Nair and the ‘Spirit of India’
Newspaper and news headlines these days are full the Malaysian plane MH370 and its unfortunate last journey. But this is a not about that event and is about a flight that took off in 1937, piloted by...
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A Viatical Arrangement
Profiting from deathIn those days, the glorious 90’s, I was living in Turkey and enjoying the sojourn amidst a whole lot of lovely people, both in the office and outside. The place was great to live...
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Lakme
An interesting account of its history.....Many years ago, in fact it was some 123 years ago that the name Lakme rose into prominence. Well, all of you will agree that the native version, the name of...
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The Story of Ehrenfels at Goa
Operation Longshanks and the Calcutta Light HorseThe Second World War had gripped almost the whole world in its vise like grip. Some countries entered into the war arena with a good amount of confusion...
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Manjeri Rama Iyer – A Social worker and freedom fighter
And how Annie hall road got its name Annie hall road – why was it called so? During my College days, Balan’s book lending library used to be situated on that road. My friend Venu used to go there...
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The last voyage of Bom Jesus
The King, the Fugger and the ‘perdido’ nau….The India run was like no other adventure. The sailors on that Carriera da India which left out from Lisbon March 1533 on the 30 meter long Nau Bom Jesus...
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