Yesterday was a historic day!!!!!!!

by  SK Asokan

In India, Mutzzi, the bag, is never far away.

When I looked at my favorite  traveling  bag/companion …  it was a sad sight. The dirty, old and aging burgundy- reddish bag who has traveled to every city around the globe and even stolen and returned in Vallarta was showing  its skeleton through the broken skin.

The thirty year old was refurbished about twenty years ago.  Despite my transient flirtations with a Gucchi  or Zegna, I  always came back to Mutzzi.

A trip to India just two months away it was do or die time for Mutzzi…   So I tried.

went to  the internet…..two hours later no one.. one politely suggested  I get some financial advice.  No one could understand why someone will spend up to two hundred dollars to rehab a thirty dolla bag!…. “Have you heard of luggage stores?”

So I went to yellow pages…nobody looks at it anymore…Found four ads around  Raleigh  most of them shoe repair shops who moonlights as luggage repair when times are tough… not  at X-mas time!!!!!!

I got in my car and drove in rain and sleet…to the ritziest mall shoe repair/luggage repair shop only to find they never did luggage repair…….

Saddened…..  I ate two hot dogs… Boy.. it beats Cymbalta.

Next stop …other side of Raleigh…sorry …..we cant do it….the chorus…..

Finally dusk came…Time to put  Mutzzi on permanent retirement…. in storage room… surely not to garbage yet…….

A mile away from home….. decided to pick up cheap socks at the mall.

at the center islands next to the pretzel vendors…..

Though the corner of my eye see ” Cobbler Express.”…and a fifty something.. time weathered  Korean minding the store.   His kindness in the eyes gave me some security that at least he wont insult me, or worse Mutzzi..

Then he said the unthinkable…………YES I CAN FIX IT…………….

He got his Christmas gift from me immediately before we settled on the cost…

We exchanged our immigrant stories…  me  how I came with seven dollars and a dream …

He about his boat ride with no food and toilets………

Time froze for a moment…. America was good then….

We finished the details………. Left …….Mutzzy in trusted and loving hands…….

On Dec 30th…..she will be back at her home for good and ready for the next trip..

Proud and ready to sit next to a fully reclining seat in Singapore Air….

Only on one condition……that I don’t spill  any caviar on her new  skin……

mutzzi under seat or overhead

Part 2 coming soon

excerpt :: Raju KP, the KP stands for Kuzhiparambil Prasad
works: IT professsional
lives: Kochi, India
age: 23
languages: English, Malayalam and Hindi
instruments: Guitar, Bass guitar, Piano and yeah, little bit of drums
influences: Metallica, Joe Satriani, Jason Becker, Steve Vai, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater and a  hell lot of other European metal bands.

dead serious

“Well, the rock music scene in Kerala is not as big as other major cities in India like Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai. Indian music scene is confined to movies and majority of people in here are into movie songs. Rock music followers are a minority, so the exposure for local bands and musicians is less.

Talking about local bands, there are many especially in schools and colleges. Very few are genuinely good. Most of them try to play extreme metal and start with covering metalcore bands like Lamb of God and Slipknot. Maybe just to show off their skills. Drummers concentrate on playing double pedals as fast as they can, guitarists on shreding, etc. like that.  Most follow the same style, metal-core that is. Very few experiment with classic rock, blues, heavy metal etc. A problem I’ve seen with the local bands is the vocals. Most of them sing in English and the accent is horrible, not to mention the so-called growls and screams. I mean the instrumentation would be good but as the vocals start, it ruins whatever they’d played so far.

There are really good bands too and of course they go professional. Very few bands sing in the native language.  Avial is are the only band in Kerala who sings in Malayalam. Their music is awesome and their guitarist Rex Vijayan was sought out by Gibson, USA  for a deal to play their guitars. Motherjane is another famous band in India and they are from Cochin. Their guitarist has incorporated metal with Indian carnatic style slides in guitar. Local bands do not get much platform for performance other than yearly competitions held in college art festivals

The rock scene is on its development stage in and there are people working to organize shows. There had been efforts, but ended up in failure. “

kochi kerala india 2009

PHOTO: S. MAHINSHA

Gayathri Asokan interviews with the Hindu and is rolling off the success of her latest recordings as a singer in Indian playback films.

Her soulful romantic duet ‘Pularumo…’ in Shyamaprasad’s latest film, ‘Ritu,̵ 7; has won her rave reviews.

An excerpt from the long feature:

“Tracing her evolution as a singer, Gayathri says although music is in her genes with two trained Carnatic musicians (her grandmother Ammukutty and aunt Thulasi) in her family, she used to see it as a hobby and not a vocation.

“I used to win several prizes for music during my student days. My plan was to do a post graduation in management or mass communication and perhaps take up a job after that,” recounts Gayathri. “But,” she adds laughing, “while still in college I joined a band that used to belt out film songs for various stage programmes in and around Thrissur. It was considered pretty scandalous then.”

It was during the same time that the late Philip Francis, a ghazal singer and tabla player, introduced her to Hindustani music and that “made me yearn to learn Hindustani.” Gayathri remembers meeting Alka Marulkar after a concert in Kochi. “I requested her to make me her student. She told me to sing a bhajan and that must have given her hope for she told me to come to Pune to learn in the gurukul tradition.”

Philip was again the one who introduced her to music director Raveendran Master during a short vacation in Thrissur, her home town. That led the way to filmdom. “After that I began to get many assignments in Kerala and found it difficult to continue in Pune. Luckily, I found Vinayak Torve and so I was able go on with my lessons,” explains Gayathri.

The singer has already composed the song in her album ‘Vishuddhi.’ Her ambition is make a mark in world music and as a classical singer. And a role on the silver screen?

“Well, there is a shot of me singing in ‘Madhavenal’ and I have also dubbed for a short film ‘Chaulatayude Baaki.’ But, as an actor, well, I have not made up my mind. My focus is all on my music,” says Gayathri.”

-The Hindu, August 1, 2009

Where did you go to school? And what did you study?
i studied in st.teresas convent, sacred heart college and maharajas…subject was economics……

Have you lived in Kochi your whole life? Have you ever lived anywhere else? If yes, where?
i lived in kochi, chennai, and dubai

I noticed me, you, Angali and many of the women in Kerala are free of the western beauty standards such as wearing make-up and the bondage of hair straightening. Why do you think so many women just keep their styles so simple and free.
i think it makes women more confident.

Your children are well mannered, respectful, and attentive. What kind of disciplinary style do you use, if any?
no disciplany actions….

How many languages do you speak? How many languages do your children speak? What are they?
i can speak malayalam, english, hindi, and tamil. my kids try to immitate me. (they speak three languages)

Does your husband Anoop work in Dubai?? Did you ever live there? Did you like it? If yes, why? If no, why not?
my husband is in dubai..
i was there. i like to be there. but my son has some allergy to the climate there.

Do you know many people who live in the Emerates? What is it like to live there for Keralites?
Only for making money. and escape from inlaws.

You are planning to build a new house in Kochi. How far is it from your house in Kaloor? When do you plan on getting it started? Will you
have a yard with a garden?
i m planing to start by september……only 5kms from this house…just thinking ….

Please give me the recipe for Pachadi, again. I will try to make it.
how to make pachadi.
a)TAKE A CUCUMBER REMOVE THE SKIN AND SEEDS.
b)cut it into small pieces.
c)Boil this in little water for two minutes with salt.
d)grind coconut,quarter teaspoon mustard seeds,2greenchillies to paste.
e)add  1cup of curd or buttermilk .
f)MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
JUST COME TO BOIL .

g)take a fry pan ,pour 1 teaspoon oil,heatoilwith,little mustard seeds and curry leaves.andgarnish it. eat it.
YOU CAN USE PINEAPPLE,FRIED LADY`S FINGER ,RAW MANGO INSTEAD OF CUCUMBER

ammu :: krishna kills the serpent

One of the most beautiful sights of my trip was to see Ammu’s “krishna kills the serpent” dance, part of the Krishnattam.
Angali cousin and Ammu will be performing this in public soon? When will this happen and where?
Anjali and ammu will perform on 27 september at pavvakkulam temple in Kochi,Kerala.

An American in Kochi
by S. Gupta
5/26/09
NY  Times

Dateline: Kochi

After travelling rough on the country roads we decided to give our bags and feet a rest, to a brand new Sanyo 32 inch LCD TV mounted on a rickety two dollar wood stand that looked tempting enough to turn on for some international news.

We took the remote, cleaned it with anticream, then sat down to the face of Manohan Singh shown in perpetuaty, although a few times I thought his bodyguard was the real Prime Minister. Despite his Oxford education, Mr. Singh has opted to wear the turban and keep his beard.

President Obama apparently likes Mr. Singh and trusts him. This might be a welcome change from the cold days of Bush 1 and 2 and the hindu nationalist governemnt, the BJP.

However, if India’s nuclear ambitions go twoards arming rather than feeding millions of energy hungry citizens, Hillary and Obama won’t be smiling anymore.

After failing to find a news channel, we continued to click past India’s IPL games and the filmy music, then gave up on TV, and found the local English newspaper which had enough coverage to keep us abreast.

luxurious Indian newspapers 14 inches wide and full of innovative design and content

Got to go, the butler just brought some tea and bannana fritters.

Joyful expressions from Dad after finding the flashlights he thought were left behind at Philipkuty’s Farm in Kotayam, Kerala India. . . 

 

after a brisk wind, thunder and yellow lighting………………………I saw

a white clad guerrilla shaped cloud with red rabbit eyes  drop  something  

into my

black Dakota with green tags” back from India ” suitcase………

thank god it was not an overpriced 

overprotective Tumi which would have fought the  surprise visitor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After some praying to Lord Shiva and Krishna ………….

I slowly opened the mother of  bags!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First there was nothing….then  ….I found one flashlight still holding on to

the last Chigger from Kutty’s farm.

Then found.. the other……….crying.. for Mutzy, its mother..the separation

was unbearable.and the smile on

Mutzy’s face to see her missing offspring………Tears in Heaven…………

Sorry no kicking please……that’s only for Eric……………nisa

Got to go………..its been a big day

dad

P. S  this can be an addendum prior to the Boston jetting

P P S  now I dont know who to pet…the new Tree in front of our house or the old flashlights

I’m back in the ATL. Dad has already traveled to the North Carolina coast on a recon trip to find a new local beach not inundated with Yankees. Oh the hipocracy.  I’m not authorized to disclose the location for fear that more people will find it. Then, he’s “jetting” to New York to visit old friends, then jetting to Austin, then back to the supersecret beach on the east coast, then back to India in September. I’m left in the dust and smog of Atlanta trying to organize ideas for writing, publishing, and arting in general.

I shot over 600 photos in Kerala, India. Here’s a selection. I pulled the plant and garden photos for my friend Valerie. Am thinking about the snake temple on the family ancestral land, inteviewing family members, the slew of innovative Japanese novels just relased, lightswitches, and indian newspapers.

lovely kochi colors

Construction of new bridges that connect island to island, construction of new container by the shipyard, dredging the inlet to accomodate for big boats: this is what is exciting today in this port city that has ancient temples, synagogues and dutch trade markets that date back to the 1500s with the some of the original structures still standing. Like any good tourist, I did a lot of nothing but walk around.

tourist traps of kochi

Anyone who likes to fish (randy) and likes nets and pulley systems (allison) would dig the Chinese Fishing Nets that adorn the main inlet of the port.  I felt obligated to take this photo, the same way a tourist in New York would have to shoot the Statue of Liberty.

I’m always looking for the eyedrum of other cities. This rarely happens. Atlanta, count yr blessings, as my sister Leela likes to say. My research pointed to the Kashi art gallery in Fort Cochin, so this was my only hard destination today. In the midst of color and flavor of this busy city, we find the gallery and cafe full of post-college American backpackers eating quiche and toast on their journey to find themselves. The menu promises to have germ free ice, a sign that the clientele is not local, and the antiseptic kills the lime-aid, a crime on such a hot sunny day. Work by Karuna B hung in the 1000 square ft gallery, large wood cut paintings,  When My Son Was Born to My Sister yellow-submarine grotesque fantasy with what resembles keypads inserted into a landscape that could open up doors to a palace on the horizon. There were lovers in every corner of the cafe. The place is sweet and a reality check for those lost in the mayhem of the city, but it’s no eyedrum.

baginabag hospital

Today I saw a man jogging in flip flops while reading a newspaper and a woman jogging-while-muslim wearing a full hajib in the early morning hours before the rising of the sun. Accidently saw a man pissing in full stream next to a beautiful field of makeshift tents made of plastic, refuge, and cloth, their single lean-to tents arranged in perfect symmetry in one square block in downtown Kochi. This is home to many of the homeless and migrant workers.

It’s election day in India. The police and political activists are out in the streets; some celebrating, some not. Security is higher than usual. Guards slide a long mirror under the cab then look in the trunk when we pull into the hotel checking for bombs and artillery. There’s a war ending 300 miles south in Sri Lanka.

Eric, my yoga instructor in Atlanta taught me a trick. When there’s something on yr mind that is worrying you, put it on a cloud and let it float away. It works. Now, I’m on a flying over the clouds and passing over people floating on clouds on a plane leaving them  in the wake of the jet.  

It’s a baginabag extravaganza: a bag with dad’s insulin, wrapped in a bag of ice, wrapped in a bag, inside a carry-on bag. The bags go deep, like a russian doll in a doll in a doll in a doll.

We travel on a super air spaceship 777 to Doha, Qatar, then to Kochi, India on a 24 hour plane trip then ride one hour to Ernakulm where we set up camp for a few days.

I’m in modern India, not the India I remember from the bi-annual trips of my youth. This India is flat screen televisions and skyways to the airport, and billboards four times the size of the ads in the US.

So much to see in Kochi, tho the best part is just hanging out.

An aside, I’m told there is a temple nearby in Kochi, where devotees make pilgrimages seeking liberation from the torment of mental illness. The patrons of the chottanikkara temple often dance themselves into a frenzy. Some hammer nails into a tree with their foreheads to immobilize the troublesome spirits. The tree is covered with nails.