Decoding the Onam sadhya!

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Courtesy:  September 1, 2011 / By Renuka Nadkarni, DC.

The feast has already begun, what with the back-to-back festivities right from Eid to Ganesh Chaturthi and now Onam.

This 10-day long festival is synonymous with pomp and splendour in God’s Own Country and one of the most significant features of this is the elaborate ‘Onam sadhya’ or the feast that’s traditionally served at this time of the year.

Chef Babu Kunjumon, a culinary researcher who has developed menus including Kerala cuisine for spas, says, “The Onam sadhya is typically a vegetarian fare, it is served on banana leaves and there are a lot of curries and dry vegetable preparations. All this is eaten with lots of rice and then finally washed down with moru or buttermilk.”

The dishes in a sadhya are not served in a random order, but there is a particular sequence to this.

Talking about the most important dishes in a sadhya, chef Babu adds, “We make something called the injicurry which is like a chutney of ginger and tamarind. Then there is thoran, kalan, avial and so on which are all vegetable based. Sambar, daal and papad is a must too.”

“Serving sadhya is an art in itself,” explains M. Jayadevan, former executive chef of a star hotel, “The narrow part of the leaf faces the left and the dishes are served and eaten in a particular order that also aids digestion. A pinch of salt and a banana are served first and then the rest, it finally ends with a payasam or sweet.”

Onam platter

Salt

Banana

Papad

Sarkara Varatti (banana wafers).

Pickle (often a mango pickle is served)

Injicurry

Thoran (dry vegetable dish with coconut sprinkled on top)

Olan (dish with vegetables, black eyed beans in a mildly spiced coconut gravy)

Avial (a mixed vegetable dish)

Pulissery (Yogurt-based dish, like a raita)

Kichadi

Kalan (A dish with raw banana in a buttermilk gravy)

Koottucurry (Curry with vegetables and Bengal gram dal)

Rice

Daal

Sambar

Rasam and Moru

                       

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WIKILEAKS: spotlight falls on IUML from http://expressbuzz.com!

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This News Item is published by http://expressbuzz.com, dated: Thursday, September 01, 2011 4:47 PM IST.

Express News Service Last Updated: 01 Sep 2011 12:22:46 PM IST.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  A day after The New Indian Express expose on CPM leaders’  discussions with the top US officials in 2008, a series of disclosures involving the who’s who of various other political parties and mediapersons has come to light. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is  also now being haunted by Wikileaks.

  

According to the cable 88313 dated September 6, 2006, released by Wikileaks, the reported statement made by IUML leader and Panchayat Raj and Social Welfare Minister M K  Muneer during the conversation with the political counsellor of the US Consulate had blamed ‘discredited IUML leaders’  such as treasurer and Industry Minister P K  Kunhalikutty for shielding the NDF for the latter’s own selfish interests. According to Muneer, the NDF had been infiltrating the IUML despite a party decision in 1999 to resist such moves.

  

As per the highly critical cable, the NDF may not have developed connections with major terror networks such as the Al-Qaeda, had it not been run by former SIMI activists who were capable of carrying  smaller-scale bombings. The cable said that the Judicial Commission which investigated the 2003 massacre of eight Hindus in Marad, exposed the NDF and IUML workers’ involvement in the planning and execution of the crime. More recently, six members of an “NDF hit team” were sentenced to life imprisonment for hacking to death a communist worker who allegedly molested a girl at Nadapuram near Kozhikode in 2001.

The cable describes NDF was one of the fastest growing, most controversial and secretive Muslim organisations in Kerala. The NDF has consistently opposed US mission activities in Kozhikode, assesses the cable.  They had come up against an outreach exhibit programme of the American Library in 2006, a visit by Consulate officials falsely accusing them of planning to ‘hijack’ a cultural centre in 2004 and against a Consulate Public Affairs seminar on  “Islam and Women” held in 2003.

  

The then Kozhikode Police Commissioner Balram Upadhyay had reportedly told the counsellor that the NDF   “seems to be spending a lot of money,” but maintained that he has no idea of its sources.

With millions of Keralites working in the Middle East and elsewhere, and billions flowing in through official channels and “Hawala,” the Police Commissioner said it was difficult to monitor all external links of those from Kerala.

When asked about former police Commissioner Neena Rawat’s reported deposition before a judicial commission in 2005 that the NDF had sourced funds form Iran and Pakistan, Upadhyay said: “I cannot deny that the NDF had foreign connections and money sources.”

Courtesy,

http://expressbuzz.com/states/kerala/wikileaks-spotlight-falls-on-iuml/309646.html#.Tl7wBIxjqzQ.twitter

HOME-GROWN TERRORISTS: Fund collection in Madani's name in Kerala!

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PTI / expressbuzz.com / Last Updated: 24 Aug 2011.

KOCHI: Funds were being collected by a forum floated in the name of PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, an accused in the Bangalore serial bomb blasts, a top police official told the Kerala High Court today.

Director General of Prosecutions Jacob Punnoose submitted that the 'Justice for Madani Forum' was conducting fund drives in various parts of the state.

All district police chiefs had been directed to take necessary legal steps, including registration of case against the concerned, if any specific violation of the provisions of religious institution (Prevention of Misuse Act 1988) was noticed, he said.

Rest at,

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 TERRORISTS AND NUCLEAR THREATS TO U.S. AND INDIAN DEMOCRACIES       

RICHEST TEMPLE: Politics over Padmanabhaswamy temple!

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Dakshina Muraleedharan, CNN-IBN / Updated Aug 23, 2011 at 08:54am IST.

Thiruvananthapuram: The row over the Padmanabhaswamy temple wealth has now taken a political colour. Political parties have reacted strongly to former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan's allegations against the Travancore royal family.

The CPM stalwart had accused the present head of the erstwhile Travancore royal family of smuggling out precious articles from the temple.

Opposition leader Achuthanandan said, "Don't you know that Marthanda Varma goes to the temple every day? When he returns, he carries a tiffin box. The perception is that he brings 'payasam'. But it is not that. Instead, it is jewels. I was told this by one of the former priests, who lost his job after he found out".

The Congress-led UDF government has slammed Achuthanandan, calling the remark unbecoming of his stature.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said, "It was not right for Achuthanandan to speak like this. I am stating what the public in Kerala feels."

Full Story at,

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kerala-politics-over-padmanabhaswamy-temple/177761-62-126.html

Kerala to bring in Right to Service Act: Oommen Chandy!

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August 15, 2011 / PTI, Thiruvananthapuram / DC.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy - PTI.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said the state government would bring in a Right to Service Act to ensure that the government's services and programmes are delivered promptly to the people.

The proposed legislation would be as revolutionary as the Right to Information Act brought in by the Centre, Chandy said in his first Independence Day address after coming to power following Congress-led UDF victory's in the April 13 Assembly polls.

Though Kerala was reputed for its achievements in education, healthcare and other services, the quality and efficacy of the system of delivery had eroded over the years and it was now essential to strengthen and streamline it, the Chief Minister said.

He also said that it was important for the state to strengthen its economic foundation as it no longer could remain content with the remittances from people working abroad.

Chandy said the UDF Government was committed to improving the situation by hard work, dedication and result-oriented action plans.

Expressing concern over increase in crimes against women and children, Chandy said a social security programme called "thooval sparsham" would be launched to ensure safety of women and children within and outside their homes.

Steps would also be taken for effectively tackling cyber crimes and fraudulent deals like "money chains," he added.

Full Story at,

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/kerala-bring-right-service-act-chandy-981

KERALA POLITICS: Oommen Chandy has bettered his clout in Congress!

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Prabhat Nair, Express News Service / Last Updated : 10 Aug 2011 07:59:31 AM IST.

KOCHI:  The acceptance of Oommen Chandy as the face of the government and the United Democratic Front’s face-saving mechanism of not sending negative signals to the people have induced the leaders of the UDF to rally behind Chief Minister Ommen Chandy.

Chandy has been well-received as the face of the government both within the party and the UDF.

With Chandy enjoying the support of the high command, the state leadership has found it hard to call for an immediate change of leadership in the wake of the Palmolein case.

Moreover, after becoming the Chief Minister, Chandy has improved his clout in the Congress, which no other top leader enjoys.

He has also become the final word in the state Congress party.

Chandy’s seniority, administrative experience and skills to manage the coalition have given him an edge over other leaders in running the government. Obviously, these skills have made Chandy the unanimous choice of the Congress as well as the UDF.

Chandy also enjoys the support of the All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister A K Antony. It has been learned that Antony had asked Chandy not to resign and to first think about the party and the UDF.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala, who had been in the forefront for the Chief Minister’s post during the election campaign, had made it clear that there was no need for Chandy to quit as he had not been charged with any offence.

He had said on Monday that no evidence was found against Chandy and the order for re-probe had been issued without any evidence. The UDF constituents, including the Indian Union Muslim League and the Kerala Congress (M), have also been left with no choice but to support Chandy as they think he is the only person who could lead the coalition government to its full term. They do not want to create ripples in the coalition or in the government by just

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Kerala for ban on Endosulfan: Health Minister Adoor Prakash

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Roy Mathew, The Hindu / THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, August 5, 2011.

An endosulfan victim handing over a memorandum to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy during the latter's visit to Kasaragod district recently - PTI.

Health Minister Adoor Prakash said here on Friday that the Government would be taking a strong stand in favour of ban on Endosulfan. However, he parried questions whether the State government would implead as a party in case seeking ban before the Supreme Court.

The Minister said that the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had clearly articulated the stand of the State government in the matter. (Mr. Chandy had said that the State government disagreed with the submissions of the Central government before the Court.). It had cancelled the licence of the Hindusthan Insecticides to manufacture Endosulfan at its factory in Kochi.

Mr. Prakash said that the government was examining how the health problems faced by the people exposed to Endosulfan could be solved.

Full Story at,

http://www.thehindu.com/health/policy-and-issues/article2324801.ece

Factional feud in Kerala CPM turns ‘hi-tech’!

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Anil S, Express News Service / Last Updated : 05 Aug 2011 12:18:29 PM IST.

KOCHI: The Gopi Kottamurickal incident has once again brought forth the technical dimension to the factional feud within the CPM. And going by the trend, the technical evidence in the incident could be a double-edged sword and would eventually backfire to those who raised the allegations.

The incidents which led to the removal of Gopi Kottamurickal as CPM Ernakulam district secretary had a tinge of technology behind it. Days after Gopi was suspended, it has come to light that the 'evidence' against him was presented as a pen drive containing some visuals captured from the party office, the Lenin Centre, by a hidden camera.

"Till recently CPM had tried to keep itself away from technological advances. Earlier also there were incidents where technology intervened in party action against leaders. Technical evidence are being used more often these days for taking action against CPM leaders," pointed out Ashokan S, an IT expert.

In one of the first incidents where technology played a major role, the party officials traced the typewriter used by the 'Save CPM Forum' and eventually expelled those who played the rebel. Later K M Shajahan was expelled from the party alleging that he engaged in tracking phone calls of M A Baby, against whom the allegations were made for leaking party news. Another victim was N N Krishnadas, who came up with allegations against A K  Balan.

In turn Krishnadas was accused of phone tapping and was demoted. Kottamurickal, against whom allegations of immoral activities were made by a district committee member, was removed from the position on Monday pending enquiry.

Full Story at,

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100 MEN MINOR RAPE CASE: Sex with young girls a luxury of rich: Kerala HC!

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PTI http://expressbuzz.com / Last Updated : 01 Aug 2011.

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court today said that sex with young girls had become the "luxury" of the rich and rejected the bail pleas of eight accused in a case relating to the rape of a minor girl allegedly by 100-odd men over a period of time.

"Sex with young girls had become the luxury of the rich and the hunt for virgins had gained momentum. This may be because of fear of AIDS," Justice K T Shankaran observed.

He dismissed the bail applications of eight accused, including CPI-M local leader Thomas Varghese, in the case relating to the rape of the 14-year old girl of Paravoor in Ernaulam district.

Full Story at,

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INDIAN STATES & REVENUE DEFICIT: Kerala has only Bengal for comfort - K.M. Mani.

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July 10, 2011 / DC.

Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani - DC.

The Kerala Finance Minister, Mr K.M. Mani, says the only other state that offers some comfort for Kerala on its weak financials is West Bengal, which had slipped several notches under the Left rule.

Blaming the LDF for its “poor financial management” in the last five years, Mr Mani pointed out that the per capita revenue deficit in Kerala was Rs 873 as against Rs 152.85 for Tamil Nadu, Rs 286.5 AP and Rs 195.7 for Karnataka.

West Bengal, with Rs 2,023 per capita revenue deficit, was way behind Kerala.

Mr Mani feared that Kerala was already in a debt trap. As per the budget presented by the former Finance Minister, Dr Thomas Isaac, Kerala had borrowed Rs 19, 633 crore, out of which Rs 15,399 crore was used for debt servicing in the last fiscal. This was when 21 States had recorded revenue surpluses, overcoming the recessionary phase.

Referring to Dr Isaac’s claim that there had been no treasury overdraft during the LDF term and that the treasury liquidity was Rs 1,963 crore when he stepped down on May 18, Mr Mani said this was not factual because the immediate disbursals under various heads came up to Rs 2,154 crore, including the funds spent for the anti-recession package.

Full Story at,

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/mani-kerala-has-only-bengal-comfort-889