Mailanchy Oppana - Kizhakku Pookkum Murukkinenthoru Chuva chuvappanu!

  Mailanchy oppana on  marriage eve our children  by their own idea & performed fantastically . Players: Sithu, Chooni, Liya, R etc...azika 

AN APPEAL TO INDIAN MUSLIM LEADERS:

Let us Sacrifice Babri Masjid 
for the harmonious India

Unfortunately, Allahabad High Court verdict didn’t please the petitioners. It is ‘rare in the rarest’ judgment in the history of Indian judiciary. With good reason, the Wakf Board’s claim to the land where their Masjid stood for almost five centuries has been dismissed as time-barred. And it is not clear why they are being given a third of the land while two-thirds go to the two Hindu litigants. If it was a conciliatory gesture to end an impossibly politicized sectarian problem, the two communities should have got half-and-half.
Since the court has declared the site to be Lord Ram’s birthplace, what right do Muslims have on it? They want the whole plot for their grand Ram temple.


Sure, we can understand the danger of going against majority sentiment in an increasingly intolerant, polarised society was clear. The court had effectively taken on the task of providing a political solution to an incredibly politicised problem of faith. And allowed the majority‘s belief disregarding the Constitutional guarantee .
We know, the verdict undermines justice and contradicts the secular, democratic credentials of India.
In this circumstances I put forward this appeal before the Muslim leaders in India,who promised to accept court verdict, before it.
As an Islamic believer and a subordinate to Indian judiciary, I appeal to the Muslim leaders, to hand over their remaining right on one-third portion granted by the court in the disputed land. Especially in the wake of Justice D V Sharma’s exclusive ‘finding’ that ‘Babari Masjid was built against the tenets of Islam by Babar,whatever was the ultimate truth.
By doing this in this juncture, it will be ever memorable in the history of religious harmony in India. It is also good to keep the precision of Quranic sense that prayer will be accepted by Allah when it is only from the ‘halal’(serene) ground. . We could not know the genuineness of the ground on which Babar ordered to build the mosque and how much Babar was committed to Islamic faith. Babar is not our role model, but there were many historical evidences for the generosities&sacrifices from the life of prophet Muhammed(s.a) ,our role model and his colleagues. When 1 st Caliph Abubecker invited to inaugurate a Christian church by performing Namaz inside, he lovingly abstained from to do so fearing any possible claim in future by his followers for this prayer place. This is one of the examples of fidelity kept by the prophet and his colleagues.
Let us forget past mistakes and go ahead for the progress of the community and India.
We take good examples from history and it is not apt for our modern & future generations to unearth the ugliness of the history. Modern India should stand affirm on the Bill passed by Parliament in 1991 (Place of Worship Act 1991, Bill No. 124c).


For us, Babri Masjid is one of the mosques among thousands in India. No any peculiar holiness on it like Masjids in Mecca,Madeena & Kuds
If there will be religious harmony and more over, the good existence of our future generations in India, it is great than exists a mosque in an ever disputed place.
I remembering that Ayodhya itself was a place of religious harmony. During anti British rebellion of 1857 Hindus under the leader ship of Ram Gurucharan Das and Muslim under the leadership of Amir Ali joint-handedly participated in the struggle.British Govt. hanged to death both leaders together at a  tree in Ayodhya.
When this tree was becoming popular, British cut the tree as if to split the community. 
So my wish is that to plant another tree of mutual harmony in Ayodhya and in India for the well-being of our present and future generations by settling the issue amicably.
With prayers,
K P A Wahab,Payyoli
Ph: 9288192750 - Email: wahabkp@gmail.com

Kuruwa Dweep, a devil’s Islands in Wayanad

A tour description by Wahab (Caption derived from the short story of Paulo Coelho, which also follow at the bottom)

To treat the unexpected success of our last son in his Exam
We have to arrange some thing - tension free.
“Let it be a tour” suggestion came from family circle.
But, to where? His mother suggested a name of place never I familiar before.
She got it from her previous Wayanad group tour with our Gulf members. They usually get tour in Kerala in Monsoon season because it coincided with their holiday.
She remembers the announcement from the bus by then tour leader (it was not other than my elder brother, Mehmood KP) “ Sorry dears, due to the technical reason we cannot forward to Kuruwa Dweep.” Remembering this, ‘Kuruwa’ now becomes her ambition and our destination.

We, 13 family members, reached the starting point of the Kuruwa at noon with joy and appreciated the scenic views before crossing it. It was really a splendid creation of the nature, but as if it has hidden some mysteries. It is not mere an island, but a set of some islets surrounded by shallow water with full of sharp and slippery rocks. To reach every islet we had to cross through these bridgeless ‘sirath’ several times. Children were actually with the hilarious dream to play in the shallow water between these islets. As some one said, ‘every win has a pain’ we suffered lot to cross through this devil’s lake. Some fell by slippery and some one’s legs trapped in granite trammel inside the water. Fact is that we had no options other than to face these obstacles, because we are at the middle of the destiny (destination). It was heard that some of us was whispering ‘nafsy,nafsy’ (save me, save me) while crossing this ‘mahshara like situation. It has said that in ‘mahshara’ there will be expectation of heaven after miseries, but here we had only the repetition of this painful crossing and walking through the jungle part. 
However, it is interesting that at the middle of these hardships children are swimming, playing, spraying with water with hilarious joy. 
We returned to the starting point at 6 evening after painful but successful trip. Any way, now, when we remembering it, we seem proud to take the adventure and thanks to the God by saving us all from the devil surrounded the island, which we later knew about, even if some say it is a superstition.
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The Devil’s Pool,
By Paulo Coelho

I am looking at a lovely natural pool near the village of Babinda in Australia.
A young Aborigine boy comes over to me.
‘Be careful, you don’t slip,’ he says.
Rocks, apparently quite safe to walk on, surround the small pool.
“This place is called Devil’s Pool” the boy goes on. ”Many year ago
Oolona, a beautiful Aborigine girl who was married to a warrior from Babinda,
fell in love with another man. They fled into these mountains; but the husband found them. The lover escaped, but Oolona was murdered here in these waters.
Ever since then, Oolona thinks that every man who comes near is her lost love,
and she kills him with her watery embrace”
Later on, I asked the owner of the small hotel about the Devil’s pool.
“It might just be superstition”, he says, :but the fact that eleven tourist have died there in the last ten years, and they were all men”


 Selected  from the book of Paulo's Short Stories compilations- "Like the flowing River" 

'PRAVASAM' - A fantastic treasure from Mukundan

'PRAVASAM' ,Noted Novel by M Mukundan

Mukundan says 'an attempt to pay respect to hundreds of thousands of Malayalis living as non-resident Keralites in different parts of the world '

ആനുകാലികങ്ങളിലൊന്നും പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടാതെ നേരിട്ട് ‌പുസ്തകരൂപത്തില്‍ എത്തുകയാണ് എം മുകുന്ദന്റെ ഈഏറ്റവും പുതിയ നോവല്‍. അഞ്ചു പതിപ്പുകളിലായി അഞ്ചു ‌വ്യത്യസ്ത പുറംചട്ടകളില്‍ പതിനായിരംകോപ്പികള്‍ ഒരുമിച്ച് പ്രസാധനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. വൈക്കോല്‍ തുണ്ടുകൊണ്ടുള്ള കരകൌശലവിദ്യയായ Hay Art-ന്റെ പുനരുദ്ധാരണത്തിനു ശ്രമിക്കുന്ന ലക്ഷ്മി എന്‍ മേനോന്‍ ‌പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ കവറുകളിലെല്ലാം ആകലാവിദ്യ ‌ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നു. എസ് കെ പൊറ്റെക്കാട് ഈ നോവലിലെ ഒരു കഥാപാത്രമാണ്. ഇങ്ങനെ ഒട്ടേറെപുതുമകളുണ്ട് ഈ ‌പുസ്തകത്തിന്.

മലയാളിയുടെ തലമുറകളായി തുടരുന്ന പ്രവാസജീവിതത്തിന്റെ ‍സങ്കീര്ണതകളെ ‌ആവിഷ്കരിക്കാനുള്ള ശ്രമം.

 
EXPECT APPRECIATION  AFTER COMPLETING THE READING 
RECOMMEND TO READ TO ALL - WAHAB

'ALCHEMIST' REJUVENATES OUR MYSTIC MIND....... (AN APPRECIATION BY WAHAB)

I read the book ‘The Alchemist’ two years ago but without considering it as world’s bestseller. Because a bestseller may not be a best reading experience to me (remember, Harry Potter also a bestseller).Still now I

couuld keep in mind the aftermath of reading the Alchemist. I

also vehemently agree that it is a book which can change the entire views of a readers

The narration in Alchemist, I think is based on symbolisms, has four pillars concerning the mystics of life: first one, it emphasizes the essentiality to listen what our mind have to say. The second is about understanding and following the Signs (of Devine or so called God) in the universe. Third one is to know about the stubborn relationship between the universal phenomena and place of human beings in it, Fourth, and more over, is the importance of constant chasing to the secret dream which has inherited in the mind of every individuals.

Being a spirituality- searching novel and in some context it goes and justifying some ‘superstitious belief’, Kerala communists ‘ budhi jeevi’ and some time our Mujahid sects cannot digest the novel. That was the history of literary tolerance in Malayalam. When O V Vijayan wrote ‘Gurusagaram’ they wrote off him. Same was in the case of   noted pet-thinker late M Govindan.

There had so many novels &stories in the past like ‘Alchemist’ which gone through the philosophical atmosphere. Among one was the book‘Sidhartha’ by Herman Hesse ( I remember my olden time of 1976s when going to noon show film Chitravani,Telicherry and once I happened to see the film ‘Sidhartha’ based the book of Herman Hesse .As a teenager I understood nothing then, but I tried to read Sidhartha and to know about Herman Hesse) Hesse traveled through Srilanka,Sumatra,Malaya and finally India, the epicenter of ‘sanatana philosophy’ and by assimilating it he wrote books ‘Sidhartha’,’Journey to the East’, ‘Glass Beed Game’ which deserved Nobel Prize in 1946. In Malayalam there may rarely have this type of books eg; Alkoottam, Govardhanante Yathra by Anand, and most I liked one is ‘Himavante Madithattil’ by Rajan Kakkanad even though it is mere a travel book.

When I tried to search writers resembling to Paulo Coelho I have only got at least above said Herman Hesse. While Hesse traveled through the land of Hinduism, Coelho’s land is Islam. Native place of the character, Santiyago in ‘Alchemist’ is Spain which was once glorious place of Islamic culture. Besides, his journey on the camel and some where on horse back through the centaury old African streets, desert and some tribal places of Semitic region is a touching experiences to readers also. The time in the novel is not present Arabia .It seems about hundred years back before the advancement of modern amenities.

The author narrates enlightening story about a shepherd boy’s quest and his journey to find out treasure (Nidhi). The Andalusian boy, Santiyago began his travel due to a dream sighted when he was sleeping at a dilapidated, abandoned building premises in Spain with flocks of sheep. In dream a girl appeared in the flocks of sheep and played with it and holds Santiago up and put him down near a Pyramid in Egypt…..

He approached many wise men to interpret the dream. Even in this task the innocent boy has lost his valuables including his sheep. After giving offer, he knew from a Gypsy woman and later from an old king that a valuable treasure has kept for him near the pyramid in Egypt.

Arranging money by selling his herds of sheep, he started his journey to the destination where his treasure kept. Along the way, he encounters helpful guides as well as seemingly tremendous obstacles. Once in an African street the innocent boy was robbed completely by a guide. He decided to return home, but his heart advised him go to destination. To make money to continue his journey, he worked about 4 month in a dried shop (onakka peedika) where crystal pots (sfadika bharanikal) were selling. Shop owner is an old man without any dream in his life. It is very touching to me the narration about relationship of the boy& shop owner (I remember Nettentavida Usmanikka ,a late merchant in Chokli) the business became prosperous due some technical steps of the boy. The shop owner never interested in change and even in growth. His ambition is only to go Haj(but no work for it). The boy’s aim is only to mobilize money from his coolly to continue his journey. Very fondly the shop owner gives him sent off. The boy continues his journey to find out his treasure. In the book we read:

"When a person really desires something all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream." Santiago is constantly tested along the way, yet he continues to listen to the murmurings of his heart, which are never wrong. Santiago learns about love along the way and helps others to face their fears as well. Coelho states, "And that's where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are."

I suggest the “treasure” in the story is a symbol which only can fulfill the real meaning of human life. That may be the faith in God or of divinity or ultimate truth or man’s fate. But, author never discloses any where in the book what it mean other than treasure of gold and pearls. That itself is the aesthetic beauty of the story. What you can understand from following lines from the book:

Everyone on earth has treasure that awaits him," his heart said. "We, people's hearts, seldom say much about those treasures, because people no longer want to go in search of them. We speak of them only to children. Later we simply let life proceed, in its own direction, toward its own fate. But, unfortunately, very few follow the path laid out for them - the path to their destinies, and to happiness. Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place. So we, their hearts, speak more and more softly. We never stop speaking out. . "

Reaching your Personal Legend is never easy. Life has its challenges for every one of us, and its most difficult tests are saved for the last moments before we truly succeed.

It is really wonder when I examined the philosophies in Alchemist I could suggest that the author is too much influenced by Quranic stories and thoughts .Once when Santiago was under the custody of warring tribe leader in the desert. He told by Tribe leader a story of thousands years back: “‘Thousands years ago a young man imprisoned because of his faith in his personal dream. The man was bought by the merchants and brought to here (Egypt), Meanwhile the king of Egypt saw a dream in which seven weak cows eat seven fat cows. .The interpretation of this dream given by the young man was that country would face the famine, so King could survive it. That young man was a foreigner like you.”


Here we remember the story of prophet Yusef mentined in Quran : The king of Egypt said “I d see in dream seven fat cows, whom seven lean ones devour- and seven green horse and seven others..: (Quran12-43)

Besides, It is very clear, in my opinion, that author has influenced by the thinking of Imam Gazali, renowned Islamic philosopher and author of ‘Ihya Uloomudeen’. I strongly believe the name ‘Alchemist’ itself taken from Gazali’s Arabic book “Kimya Sa-ada”(Alchemy of Happiness- its Malayalam translation is available)

In the middle of the journey the boy got in familiar with several fellows who have their own ambitions or dreams. The boy involved discourses with them all, and the author showed us the language is not a problem between them, they speak the language of heart.. An English man who was always involved in reading book was among one, his intention is to find alchemist, and the boy was helping in this regard. During the intervention with the Alchemist, boy asks Why you called as Alchemist, what is its meaning? He got reply; Alchemist is the scholar who is rare in this world who knows to turn lead (cheap metal) to gold. In the Gazali’s book (when I read it later) there we can read about this, but in spirituality perspective.

In short, I reached in the observation that Paulo had profoundly influenced by Qur-an and some soophy like thought, especially like Imam Gazaly etc. In this context, we can understand why this legendary book not discussed in our Malayalam literary critics’ fields. Every book from west and west-east usually over-talked and discussed effusively, but in the case of Alchemist we never see it…

Before writing the ‘Alchemist’, Paulo Coelho, a mere Brazilian local drama director was not known to out side world. Born in 1947, spent early ages by writing songs for a pop troupe and lived-in a hippy life style. But it was a turning point in his life when he got a chance in 1986 to travel to a famous pilgrimage place in Spain. It has told that he got a Devine inspiration from the sanctum sanctorum of that pilgrim centre. He described this experience in his former book ‘pilgrimage’ which has written very next year. His next book was ‘The Alchemist’ written in 1988 in Portuguese language.

. This tale is inspiring, and captivating. Santiago grows throughout the story and in the end, even though he was tested severely, he preserved and obtained his treasure by following his dream. We only limit ourselves - only we place limitations on us, as the universe conspires to aid us in all directions.

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I am too interest to know your views on the book . Pls send your comments to my Blog

or Mail: wahabkp@gmail.com

Following is the brief story from the book :

1 Santiago lived as shepherd in Spain and knew everything how to raise sheep and shear them. He waited to see the Merchants daughter for a year. On the way he sees a dream and wants explanation from gypsy. 1-10

2 Boy visits gypsy for explanation of his dream and comes to know that hidden treasure is waiting for him in Egypt near the pyramids. Gypsy gets assurance from him for tenth of treasure for dream explanation. He tries to ignore that but gets motivated by Melchizedek King Salem in the Plaza. He determines that he will go ahead and look for his treasure. He gives six of his sheep to King for directions. King gifts him two precious stones Urim and Thummim which will help boy when he is unable to read the omens. 11- 32

3 Boy lands in Africa and finds himself in the streets of Tangier. He realizes that Pyramids are going to take days of journey and money to cross the Sahara desert. He met with Spanish speaking boy who assured that will help him cross the Sahara and drop him till Pyramids. But he betrayed him and took all his money for the reason to by camels. By this time Santiago was looser without any money to return or survive for food. 32-37

4 Boy learns to live in those conditions and starts to work for Crystal merchant.(spadika ppatram) Crystal Merchant's business was not doing so good because it was located on the hilly street. Boy realizes that even if he works very hard for year he could not collect enough money to go to Egypt, but he had no choice. 38-45

5 Boy was selling crystals better than ever as if time had turned back to old days. Boy with his innovative ideas of making display and selling tea in crystal glasses started making lot of more money. The business grew and he have to hire two more employees. After 11 months and 9 days of arriving at Africa he takes blessings of Crystal Merchant and starts his journey for Egypt. By this time boy had learned to converse in Arabic. 46-60

6 Boy joins huge caravan which was going to cross Sahara and pass through Al Fayoum (A desert side village). Boy meets an Eglishmen in Caravan who spent most of his time with his books. While caravan was already in the desert they come to know about tribal wars. Englishman shared his knowledge he gathered in years of reading Alchemy, Elixir of life and Philosopher’s Stone. Englishman wished to see Alchemist who was available in Oasis of Al Fayoum. After reaching Oasis,Santiago helps Englishman by asking about Alchemist from a girl near the well. That how this Spanish shepherd boy meets Fatima. 61-89

7 Boy falls in love with Fatima and tells everything what happened to his life and why he is there. He wanted to marry her and do not further look for treasure. Fatima realizes that Boy is the gift of desert she is expecting from her childhood. But Boy has to wait since tribal wars can be fatal in journey to Egypt. 89-94

8 Boy watches hawk(Parunthu in malayalam)s as they drifted on the wind and then one of the hawk made a flashing dive through the sky, attacking other. A fleeting image came to the boy: an army, with its swords at the ready, riding into the oasis. The Boy approaches chieftains to tell them about this omen. After many discussions oasis decides to prepare for the tribal attack. During this time he meets Alchemist he was looking. Alchemist invites boy to meet if he is saved from tribal attack. Five hundred tribesmen attacked Al Fayoum which was defended with a great plan. The boy was presented with fifty pieces of gold and offered to become the counselor of the oasis. 94-108

9 Boy visits the Alchemist to know more about his treasure. Alchemist tests the boy when he says he understands language of omens and finds life in the desert. Alchemist recommends boy to sell the camel and buy a horse to march for the pyramids. When boy says he believes he has already found the treasure. He has earned enough from crystal merchant, awarded fifty pieces of gold from oasis chieftains and he has found his love in Fatima a desert woman. Alchemist tells him how he will loose his ability to interpret omens by not obeying them. Boy decides to pursue his destiny and meets Fatima to assure his comeback. 109-118

10 Alchemist and boy begin their journey for treasure. This journey turns to be learning for the boy. He cultivates the language of omens and realizes the soul of the world. On the way they meet three armed tribesman. Three of the Arabs laughed at the explanation of the alchemist for what he was carrying and allowed them to proceed. Boy learns about alchemist’s capability to turn lead into gold, but he is not shown how it is achieved. 119-131

11 Boy heard sound danger signal and after some time they were arrested by tribesmen dressed in blue, with black rings surrounding their turbans. To protect from the situation Alchemist gives away all the earnings and gold to chief and presents boy as alchemist who can turn into wind. He took three days for boy for preparation to convert into wind. This is the time when boy feels threat of death and becomes more aware of his live. On third day he learns to speak with wind, desert and sun. With this they get released and escorted till they reach close to pyramids. 131-146

12 Alchemist and boy visit the Coptic monastery and witness some alchemy of converting lead into gold in front of Monk. Alchemist makes four part of gold and gives one part to boy for loss of his belongings at tribesmen. One to Monk and one he keeps with himself. Remaining piece is kept at Monk in case boy needs it. From here the boy is lonely goes to pyramids where he meets refugees of tribal war. These men take away his gold and leave him with lesson. 146-155

13 Here is the climax of the whole story which I wont write and let you read the book to enjoy - Epilogue 159-161

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Some discourse :

The crystal merchant was silent for a few moments, and then he said, "The Prophet gave us the Quran, and left us just five obligations to satisfy during our lives. The most important is to believe only in the one true God. The others are to pray five times a day, fast during Ramadan, and be charitable to the poor". "The fifth obligation of every Muslim is a pilgrimage. We are obliged at least once in our lives, to visit the holy city of Mecca.

"Isn't wine prohibited here?" the boy asked.

"It's not what enters to men's mouths," said the alchemist. "It's evil what comes out of their mouths."

‘

PAZHASSI RAJ: HISTORY & CINEMA

I have seen the movie "PAZHASSI RAJA" with the sense of the history which happened 210 years back.Cinema has a Hollywood standard and a great experience. But it has not covered the first part history of Pazhassi, ie his battle attempt against Tippu Sulthan with the support of British.I think it has avoided considering the present communal harmony of Kerala If this film a Hollywood production,( like by Attenborough or Splint Burg) there will be a real story justifiable to history. However, even neglecting this part from Pazhassi'shistory, the film is almost justifiable to history and more over very appriciable.
Let us examine the history beyond cinema:
The British in Kerala had interest only in trade at beginning. But they had to involve in the political struggle prevailed between some kings in Kerala to succeed their trade monopoly than French and Dutch. They purposefully created conflict between Kerala Kings to dominate their power and trade.
A military-turned ruler of Mysore, Hyder Ali had no sea port to bring ware fare & horses to his kingdom (Mysore) and French was ready to supply to them.But he could not easy to reach French dominated Pondicherry.So he intended to capture the way to Mahe which was a French region and his troop with horses came to Malabar on 1766 through the various kingdoms in north to south of Kerala. Some of them avoided confrontation by giving him wealth and warfare (Samoothiri gave Rs 28 lacs,Kochi king gave 4 lacs and 8elephants,Thiruvithankoor king gave 15 lacs and 8 elephants etc.) and some of them fought with him by shake handing British.( Among these, Pazhassi was prominent) It was the main need of British to defeat their strong enemy, Mysore King,(otherwise British might had evacuated from Malabar much century earlier) But in the 3rd Anglo-Mysore war (1790-92) British defeated the King,Tippu Sulthan and killed him at a face to face battle. (They finished their No.1 enemy which might have the ruler of Kerala and eliminator of British from south India)
After the defeat of Tippu, malabar kings and feudals were reinforced at their places. At this time Brtish imposed huge taxes as the rewards of their war against Tippu . this was not bearable to Kerala kings & feudals.

When Kerala was ruled from Mysore by Tipu and Haider, their officers used to collect taxes directly from the farmers bypassing the land lords, but the British changed this and decided to collect taxes directly from the Kings and Nair Lords. The amount fixed as tax by the British was unreasonable and people did not have the capacity to pay that much. Faced with revolts from people, the kings were unable to collect the taxes.
After Tipu left, the British ignored Pazhassi Raja and gave the land to his uncle(in flim Thilakan) on lease. This insult also helped in triggering the revolt. Pazhassi Raja stopped collecting taxes and this upset the British. Since the king was popular, they could not do anything but stop collecting tax for a year, but to add more insult, they extended the lease given to his uncle for another five years. On June 28, 1795, Pazhassi Raja challenged the British by stopping all tax collection and giving refuge to people who were considered revolutionaries by the British.
The Army was deployed under Lt. Gordon tried to arrest the king in his palace, but he had already escaped. The British negotiated with him and allowed him to return, but another misunderstanding caused him to flee again to the mountains of Wynad. Showing that there are no permanent enemies or friends, he sought the help from Mysore, from the same people he helped the British fight. The year 1797 saw a series of revolts resulting in the loss of lives for many British soldiers and they were forced to withdraw. With an army of thousands of Nairs and Kurichiyas, Pazhassi inflicted such defeat on the British that they were forced to retreat and negotiate. The lease with his uncle was canceled and Pazhassi agreed to live peacefully with the British.
In 1799, after the fall of Tippu at Srirangapatnam, the British decide to take over Wynad which Pazhassi claimed as his own. The peace treaty was broken and with an army of Nairs and Kurichiyas, Pazhassi decided to wage a guerilla war from the mountains of Wynad. The fighting started in June 1800, and the British strategy was to isolate Pazhassi from his Southern Malabar supporters. They succeeded and Pazhassi was left roaming in the forests with his wife(in flim actor Kaniha) and few supporters.
His supporters like Chuzhali Nambiar, Peruvayal Nambiar and Kannavathu Shankaran Nambiar were caught and hanged, but this did not halt Pazhassi. In 1802 Edachena Kungan Nair ,Kaitheri Ambu Nair and Thalakkal Chanthu captured Panamaram Fort and killed the 25 British soldiers there and this victory brought a new vigor to the resistance movement.
An increase in tax at this stage upset the local population which rose in revolt. The Pazhassi soldiers made use of this and inflicted more damage on the British. Besides this the British troops caught diseases and it looked like they were in deep trouble

Confrontation with the British
The potent cause of the revolt was the unpopular and unjust revenue policy followed by the occupying foreign British East India Company in Malabar. He stopped all collections of revenue. The Raja further threatened to cut down all the black pepper vines if the Company's officers persisted in revenue collection.
In April 1796, an unsuccessful effort was made by the British to capture the Raja in his own palace at Pazhassi.
On December 18, the British Commissioner issued a proclamation forbidding the people to assemble or to assist the Pazhassi Raja and warning them that if they did so, they would be considered as irreconcilable enemies of the Company and that their property would be confiscated. On December 30, a futile attempt was made to reconcile the differences between the Raja and the Company. On 8 January 1797, Pazhassi Raja's Nairs launched daring attack on the havildar's guard stationed at Pazhassi and the whole party except one man was killed. In the battles fought on three successive days, 9th, 10th and 11 March 1797, the detachment made by the Company forces was overpowered by the swords, spears, bows and arrows of Pazhassi Raja's Nairs. As the situation was full of perils, a reconciliation with the Pazhassi Raja became a matter of political expediency.
After South Canara and other parts of South India were occupied after battle of Seringapatnam in 1799, Pazhassi Raja raised the standard of opposition a second time and ; shook for a while the very foundations of occupying British power .
Colonel Stevenson's efforts early in 1801 cut off the pazhassi Raja from his adherents by May the British troops had made much headway and with every port both above and below the ghats in British hands and the whole Nairs disarmed, the Pazhassi Raja became a wanderer in the jungles accompanied by his wife and immediate attendants.

On May 24, 1804, Colonel Macleod issued a proclamation warning the people that they would be treated as rebels if they failed to furnish information about rebel movements and if they helped the Pazhassi troops with arms, ammunition or provisions. Finally the proclamation of June 16 offered rewards for the apprehension of Pazhassi - Raja, two other members of his family and his principal lieutenants and declared their estates and properties confiscated from that date.
Death
Thomas Harvey Babar, a young British officer came as the sub collector of Thalassery in 1804 and was assigned the responsibility of suppressing the Pazhassi revolution. In April, he issued a directive making it illegal for the local population to help the revolutionaries and he also mandated that the British should be informed about the movements of the revolutionaries. On June 16, a reward was announced for the capture of Pazhassi and his commanders and soon Thalakkal Chanthu was captured

On November 1st 1805, Baber took direct charge of the operations. November 30th was an important day for Pazhassi Raja; it was his mother's death anniversary. He bathed in the Mavila Thodu, and finished his prayers. The British attacked them lead by Thomas Baber. Pazhassi was wounded very much in the battle. After the battle they found the dead body of Pazhassi in the shore of Mavila Thodu. According to Baber, he might be one of the men who fell very first in the war. The Raja's body was cremated with "customary honours". With the death of Pazhassi Raja, the resistance movement in north Kerala came to an end.

His body was taken back with respect by the British and cremated, but his death bought an end to the resistance movement. The other leaders either committed suicide or left the country.
Puralimala between Mattannur and Muzhakkunnu was the center of Pazhassi revolt (1793-97; 1800-1805)

What Told Us the Cinema
Director Hariharan and writer M T Vasudevan Nair say about an important episode, which is Pazhassi Raja's war against the British that happened more than 210 years.
The film begins during the time when the British had ordered to levy heavy taxes from the various kingdoms and Pazhassi Raja (Mammootty), who belonged to the Kottayam Royal family in Thalassery of Malabar region in Kerala, opposed this. After being forced to flee with his Queen Kaitheri Makkom(Kaniha), Lieutenant Edachena Kunkan (Sarathkumar) and Kaitheri Ambu (Suresh Krishna) to the forests, Pazhassi Raja started guerilla warfare against the British from the forests in Wayanad. He had the support of the tribal warriors like Thalackal Chanthu (Manoj K Jayan) and Neeli(Padmapriya).
Mammootty is grace personified and the perhaps the best thing about him as the mighty Pazhassi Raja is that it is virtually impossible to imagine anyone else in his place. Shorn of any artifice or nervous energy he is real. 20 years after Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha, he still looks majestic and handsome. Without doubt, this is one of the best roles in his illustrious career.
The surprise packet is Sarath Kumar, who looks perfectly fit, heroic and absolutely invincible as Edachena Kunkan. Kaniha looks beautiful even without any make-up or jewellery and has the royal look that is required for her role as Kaitheri Makkom.
As the fierce tribal girl who fights like a cheetah, Padmapriya excels in her role as Neeli. Manoj K Jayan, Suresh Krishna and Suman have all done their job quite convincingly. The rest of the cast, which include the English actors like Linda Arsenio, also delivers an inspiring performance.

Hariharan and MT Vasudevan Nair have proved their brilliance when they team up several times before and once again, they underline their eminence, with a genuine effort. The technical aspects like Ramanath Shetty's cinematography, Ravi Dewan's action, Resul Pookkutty's sound and Sreekar Prasad's editing have also succeeded in taking to a different level.

Yes, there are aspects which one feels could have been better, like Ilayaraja’s music( it is not so expected) but the film as a whole is good enough that makes us forget those flaws. Critics might say that the film has taken some cinematic liberties and in fact it does but on the whole it is engaging and entertaining.
The aspect most attracted me that the tribal style of fighting. It has its originality.
Sound mixing maestro Rasoo Pukkutty done well (Exg: a fighting seen at rainy time)

I request to all to see the cinema and post your comments
Wahab, after the hangover of seeing cinema
from Keerthi Theatre,Vadakara
Mail your suggestionsto: wahabkp@gmail.com

"IFTHAR" IN MALABAR IS UNFORGETTEBLE WITH ITS TREMENDOUS 'KOLL"

 What is the most atractive  activity during the Ramzan Fast?  To some one ,may its 'Athazham' or to some others its 'Muthayam' with 'Pola' after prolonged 'tharaveeh' or some like 'pasad'(cursing others) from varandha of mosque.What ever it may be, if frankly say, I like various malabari snacks/dishes during the Ifthar time.
Oh, How is it beautiful to waiting for sun set 'Bank'(azan) infront of varius snacks ,tongue slippery malabary dishes, juices and  good smelt 'thari kachiyathu' etc.
Here, I am not hesitating to express my sympathy to our poor gulf people who cannot experience this kind of  homely tastes.
 How ever, I advice them try  to cook some malabari snack. With the help of my better half I give you the following. item.((expect more item at next time)
Pls try and inform the experience to me:wahabkp@gmail.com 


Unnakaya-A Malabar Speciality

This is one of my all time favourite Malabar Snack-Unnakaya which my mom used to make so gorgeously....Yes the name owes to its shape, the shape of 'unnakaya' or the cotton pod....creative, isnt it, whoever has invented the name!We had an unnakaya tree in our garden back home, with the unnakayas hanging like hermits in deep meditation....and their souls at times escaped the pods of their transient existence as light free flowing cotton..... and how I wished they were all the Malabar Unnakayas!!What a scrumptious snack, made of banana....In Malabar area you get this in many of the hotels as a snack...Whenever we passed by the 'Paris hotel' in our place we used to sniff the beautiful aroma of the Unnakaya and would give a longing look at my father...and he would go and get a big parcel of hot unnakayas...My brother and I would be just waiting to reach home to attack the unnakayas,only to be joined by my father! He loved anything sweet!Well many people hesitate to make this Unnakaya at home, for the mess it can create if a little bit careless during the preparation.Just a few tips to avoid the mess: the Kerala banana(Nenthrappazham) that you use should be semi ripe(Karimpazhukka).Too ripe bananas can create a mess.While grinding the modern mixer is very likely to make it more soft,it is better to use a grinding stone, if you have one or even the mortar and pestle will do.Or else while grinding in the mixer,dont add any water and dont overgrind it.If the consistency is not right you can have a real mess with the filling coming out or not being able to mould at all or bananas getting charred. I have had my share of casualties when I tried it for the first time, but has been able to perfect it with time.So much said, here is the recipe:   

Ingredients
Indian Banana/Kerala Banana/Nenthrappazham-4(Half ripe)
Eggs-2
Grated coconut-150g
Sugar-2Table spoon
Raisins-25g
Cashewnuts-25 g(broken)
Ghee-1 tbsp
Salt-a very small pinch
Cardamom powder-1 tsp 
Oil-For deep frying (usally,coconut oil)

Method:

Cut Bananas into 3 pieces.Blanch the pieces in boiling water,till the peel starts separating from the fruit.(Pazham Puzhungiyathu)
Peel off the skin,run a knife thro' the middle and remove the black seeds in the middle and mash it or grind it to a chappathi dough like consistency without adding any water for you should be able to mould it into the unnkaya shape.Keep it aside.(In case you feel, the consistency is a bit loose, put it in the refrigerator for a while). 

Now prepare the filling. Beat egg lightly, with sugar and a very small pinch of salt,just enough for scrambling.Heat ghee in a wok.Once the ghee is hot, add cashews, raisins,poppy seeds and saute for a couple of minutes till everything turns golden.Add the grated coconut.Saute it for a couple of minutes and finally add the beaten eggs. Scramble it and mix well with the remaining ingredients.Remove from the fire. Let it cool. Grease your hands with a little ghee.Make a lemon size ball out of the banana 'dough',flatten it to small discs.Spoon in the egg(2tsp) filling.Close the edges,press lightly and roll it in your hands into the elongated shape of cotton pods(the edges tapering).Now heat oil in a wok.When the oil starts smoking, carefully slip the unnakaya into the oil.Wait for a minute before turning sides.Lower the flame or else the banana will get charred easily.Keep turning the sides till all the sides become uniformly golden.Enjoy the Royal Malabar treat!
 (TRY & MAKE HOMELY 'IFTHAR')- WAHAB & AYSHA WAHAB
      

'WAITING FOR AZAN AND IFTAR GUESTS' BY WAHAB courtesy: 'Waiting for Godot ' by Samuel Bucket (1952)