Swami Saranam: Spiritual Journey Through The Deep Woods

How long do we have to walk through the forest? Father, are there any wild animals in it?” As eight-year-old Akshaya began her journey to Sabarimala from Kalaketti near Erumeli, she was full of doubts.

I had the same thoughts as well while reaching the Azhuthakadavu (Pampa Valley), from where the pilgrims begin their barefoot journey through the forest.

It was her maiden trip along this 26km traditional route through the dense Periyar Tiger Reserve forest in Pathanamthitta district to the abode of Lord Ayyappa.

Akshaya, the young Malikappuram , (While men are addressed as ‘Swamis’, women devotees are called as ‘Malikppurams’) was one among a group from Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram. Like them, thousands of Ayyappa devotees, from across the country opt to take this traditional route for their annual pilgrimage to the hill shrine.

Clad in dark blue or saffron dhotis and kurtas, and holding the Irumudikkettu , they started climbing the first hill known as the Azhuthakayattam around 9 am. I also joined them.

It’s a strenuous journey through the rocky terrain. The tract is so steep that sometimes one would have to stoop so low to keep balance that the head would almost touch the knee as if in penance. Heaving long sighs every now and then, the pilgrims inched forward.

At first, Akshaya appeared quite energetic and was moving at a good pace along the steep rocky terrain, holding her father Prasanth’s hand. For them, the pilgrimage was part of an offering to Lord Ayyappa.

“Akshaya had some heart problems soon after she was born. Doctors said we had to go for an operation if the problem persisted. At that time, we prayed to Lord Ayyappa that Akshaya would be brought to Sabarimala thrice if she were cured of her illness. Fortunately, there was no need for an operation,” Prasanth said.

Meanwhile, Akshaya starts showing signs of discomfort. “We can sit here, father,” she said. Soon, one of her uncles began narrating the story of the fight between Lord Ayyappa and Mahishi.

 As they slowed down their pace a bit, I joined a three-member group from Palakkad. Over the past decade, Abhilash and Ajith have been visiting Sabarimala through this forest route. Anurenj joined them this year. Each was carrying a stone.

“While taking bath in Azhutha, each devotee takes the first stone that touches his hand. Later, the stone will be thrown in Kallidamkunnu, a place at the summit of the Azhuthakayattam. It is said that Lord Ayyappa had buried the body of Mahishi at that place after defeating her.

The stone is deposited over there to commemorate the victory. Another belief is that each pilgrim gets a stone as large as the amount of sins they committed. Once they throw this stone at Kallidamkunnu, pilgrims will be freed from the sins,” said Ajith, an asthma patient. His was the smallest stone.

“Swami padam, Swami padam,” somebody behind me sounded. At first, I was confused. Then, Abhilash told me that he was asking for way, a unique form of communication during pilgrimage. That swami was holding a long bamboo stick fixed with 37 sanctified silver pieces.

“This shows the number of times I have visited Sabarimala,” said Vasudevan. He was once touched by a miracle.

“Our only sister Retnamma had speech problems. In 1970, we brought her to Sabarimala. As soon as she completed climbing the Pathinettampadi (18-holy steps), she called ‘Swamiye’. After that I regularly visit Sabarimala,” said Vasudevan, a police head constable.

 “Vasudevan is popularly known as police swami in Pambadi,” said Shan, a youth from Ranni and an employee with the Social Welfare Board.

This is the sixth time that Shan is travelling through the route. “The pilgrimage will become complete only if we travel through this route. There is silence everywhere and it offers a day of total devotion,” he said.

After one and a half hours of arduous journey, we reached Kallidamkunnu. It’s a small hill of rounded stones. While watching the pilgrims depositing stones, I had some lemon soda from a wayside stall.

Every season, the Sabarimala Ayyappa Poonkavana Punarudharana Eco Development Committee (SAPP EDC) sets up pilgrim service centres along the forest route.

 Apart from light refreshments, they offer space to put the Viri (mat) . There are around 200 EDC stalls along the Azhutha–Pampa stretch.

“One steep hill is over. Now, it’s a few kms of even land,” Shan said. On the way, all the devotees visit the Sastha Temple at the Injipparakotta, which is managed by the Mala Araya tribes.

“The deity here is warrior Ayyappa with bows and arrows. Villan, a member of the Mala Araya tribe, offered help to Ayyappa in his mission to collect the milk of a tigress and later Villan became a friend of Ayyappa.”

As we came out of the temple office, the young Malikappuram Akshaya was seen carried on her uncle’s shoulders. Perhaps, her uncle had run out of stories.

Our next destination is Mukkuzhi and we decided to have our lunch there. By noon, it had started raining. But the pilgrims continue to walk after covering the Irumudikettu with plastic.



At 2 pm we stopped at the Puthussery Thavalam for lunch. From the EDC stall, we had Kappa-Kanji (tapioca and boiled rice). All the provisions required for the stalls are brought as headloads through the same undulating forest route.

 “To bring one kg of provision, we have to pay Rs 10. At a time, a worker carries around 30-kg provision. Apart from that, we have to give them food as well,” said Chacko, the convenor of the Puthusserry EDC.

“The major challenge of the journey awaits ahead, the Karimala,” Shan said. After some small talk with the forest officials in Puthussery, we set out to climb the Karimala. It was a steep hill. Most of the pilgrims used a stick for a support. Loud chants of ‘Sarana Ayyappa’ reverberated in the verdant forest tracts.

The intermittent rains had made the surface very slippery. But, the thick roots of the mighty trees, snaking above the ground, offered a firm grip to the devotees. We walked for five minutes and took rest for two. The heart gets worked up every five minutes. It turned difficult for Ajith to keep up. We waited for him.

Minutes later, I joined Karimala section Forester Aliyar on his daily patrol in the area. I was struggling to keep up with Aliyar. I was quite surprised to see an old woman climbing the Karimala.

After two hours, we reached the summit of Karimala. The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom volunteers, the only organisation that offers free food to devotees on the forest route, invited us for tea.


Soon, we started climbing down Karimala. Aliyar left at the limits of his section. The journey was slow as the rain had made the sloppy terrain very slippery.

A minor slip could leave a person with several fractures. There was also a chance that one would land deep into the forest. It was getting darker and the mist was getting thicker.

As every step became harder, I could hear the unclear but not too distant sounds of the bustle in Pampa. By then, I had been walking for around one and a half hours from Karimala. The sounds whispered, ‘you are almost there. It is just a few steps ahead.’ Through the thick leaves could be seen the glint of Pampa.

Brooding for a while about the little Malikappuram, Akshaya who had by then been left behind by my older and nimble feet. I immersed myself in the sea of devotees in Pampa, who were in for another four kilometres journey to the holy shrine of Lord Ayyappa.


THROUGH THE PULMEDU ROUTE

The Kozhikkanam-Uppupara-Pulmedu route, approximately 7 km through the Periyar Tiger Reserve Forest, is most convenient for pilgrims crossing the state border at Kumily. Instead of travelling to Pampa via Erumeli, pilgrims can directly reach Sabarimala through this route.

From Kumily, it takes only three hours to reach Uppupara from where the pilgrims start their barefoot journey to Sabarimala. Pilgrims can reach the holy shrine in two hours from there. The journey via Erumeli takes double the time to reach Pampa. Then, pilgrims face another 4 km stretch. The Pulmedu path joins the Sannidhanam premises near the Uralkuzhi Theertham. KSRTC operates chain services to Uppupara from Kumily during the pilgrim season. There are regular jeep services from Uppupara to Kumily. The journey through the stretch is regulated as movement of elephant herds is common. Travel is permitted from 6 am to 6 pm.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS SUNDAY MAGAZINE 2010

Praveen Prem and His Eight Year Long Struggle

At first sight, he strikes you as someone brimming with humor.

A talkative, roly-poly youngster with a wide, innocent smile. But underneath that layer of jollity, there lies a story of hardships.

Cinema is - and has been - his only passion. Soon after school he set out to become an actor. But, it took eight long years of struggle for him to make a mark. And when he made it, he did it with a bang.

Meet Praveen Prem, who breathed life into Harichandran, the ambitious junior singer in Sathyan Anthikad’s recent flick ‘Katha Thudarunnu.’ Though a small role, it indeed was a giant leap for Praveen’s budding career. Just like a summer shower after a prolonged drought.

Born into a lower middle class family settled in Balaramapuram in the outskirts of the city, the road to cinema was not smooth for Praveen. Soon after completing Plus Two, he decided to walk into the film industry. Except for a burning desire to act and numerous certificates he got during his school days for acting, he had nothing to boast of. Neither did he have a film background nor friends in the industry.

"Nothing worked for me initially, I was very confused. I didn’t know which way to go. In fact, I was in a dilemma whether I should become an actor, a director or a technician. But, I always loved acting. The only thing then I had in my mind was to associate with film-making somehow," says Praveen, who now lives at Karamana.

As days passed by, Praveen decided to study cinema to learn where his talents lay. "I began watching films. From the 10th edition of the IFFK, I actively participated in film festivals and voluntarily worked for the Chalachitra Academy. To meet daily expenses I worked as a marketing executive, a salesman and also worked at the State Institute of Languages," says Praveen, who made up his mind to become a technician after seeing the Tamil movie ‘Annyan.’

Praveen adds, "The movie shook my mind like anything. It instilled more confidence in me" But his attempt to join for the cinematography course at Adyar proved futile. However, he managed to do an editing course. "As soon as I completed the course, I got an opportunity to assist Mahesh Narayanan in several ad films. Soon, I came across so many persons involved in film making and became more focused," he says.

Slowly, but steadily, things started happening for him. To his luck, he got a chance to be part of the Soorya Theatre Festival. "It was the turning point for me. I acted in Soorya Krishnamoorthy sir’s drama ‘Pulari.’ During one of the shows, I met Sreebala K Menon, the assistant of Sathyan Anthikad who had turned up to watch the drama. She was impressed with my performance and I conveyed my interest in acting in films. I was asked to meet Sathyan sir. That happened in October 2009 and he just said, ‘Will let you know'," Praveen says.

It was a New Year gift- the much-awaited call from Sreebala in the first week of 2010 asking Praveen to join the shoot of Sathyan Anthikad’s new film. "I joined the film crew at Kozhikode. I was given a room and some acting tips initially. A costumer came and took measurements for my dress. In the first three days, there was no shoot. ‘Praveen, you just watch and understand things,’ I was told,'' memories started rolling out, scene by scene.

The D-day was February 1.

Praveen was given four lines of a song ‘Kizhakkumala kammalitta thankathalam / kalikkalam / olithadam / Urakkayoru mangalathin thakilthalam / Muzhakkidam perukkidam, ’ and was asked to memorize it. He roamed around the shooting site reciting these lines.

After taking blessings from KPAC Lalitha, Praveen stepped before the camera. 'Now we can see how many rolls will be wasted,' came the comment from cinematographer Venu," Praveen remembers with a chuckle.

All eyes were on the debutant. It was a close-up shot and he was asked to sing those four lines. "After a rehearsal, we went for a take. As soon as I finished singing, Sathyan sir said, ‘Ok, good!’ The first take was ok," he still has that excitement on his face.

"A small character in the film. But, for me, it was a big thing. To work with Sathyan sir, Venu, Jayaram, KPAC Lalitha and Innocent - the biggies of Malayalam film and, of course, to sing a song composed by Ilayaraja," says 25-year-old Praveen. He also dubbed for the character.

Soon, a flurry of offers came his way. "I have the confidence in doing whatever roles given to me. It’s a good beginning and I will continue putting in the same effort as earlier. And the rest lies in the hands of the Almighty," Praveen signs out.

(The New Indian Express, July 2010)

Invisible Nightingale

Think of ‘Manjil Virinja Pookkal’ and a series of landmarks will rise up in your mind: Mohanlal’s entry, Fazil’s debut, the Shankar-Poornima pairing, and Jerry Amaldev’s romantic melodies.

Yet another breakthrough happened, less talked-about but equally impressive. A new voice for Malayalam heroines. Anandavally gave voice to Prabha, the character played by Poornima Jayaram.

Her brilliant rendition in the movie catapulted her to the throne of the queen of Malayalam dubbing industry, with a flurry of offers coming her way. She reigned as the most sought-after dubbing artist during the 80s and 90s, the period they call the golden period of Malayalam cinema.

‘‘The film was a turning point in my career. In fact, it was a recognition that my voice was apt for heroines. Soon, producers and directors started recommending my voice for heroines,’’ says Anandavally, the veteran dubbing artist.

Thereafter, Anandavally have not looked back. As of now, she has dubbed for more than 3,000 films and is still active. She was the exclusive choice of several leading heroines.

Geetha, for instance. Anandavally dubbed for Geetha in all the 123 films she acted in Malayalam. Their combination won her a State Award for the film ‘Aadharam’. Silk Smitha was the other actor with whom Anandavally struck a fruitful partnership.

Besides, she gave her voice to almost all the roles played by Sumalatha, Ambika, Parvathy and Gouthami in Malayalam.

The list is never ending - Suhasini, Sobhana, Sukanya, Sarada, Saritha, Suchitra, Menaka, Bangalore Bharathi, Bhanupriya, Rekha, Revathi, Renjini, Mohini, Nanditha Bose, Vinayaprasad, Urvashi, Karthika, Kanaka, Khushboo, Madhavi, Urmila Unni, Unni Mary, Santhikrishna and so on.

The variety is mind boggling. If she made Silk Smitha sound tantalisingly sensuous, it was warmth and love that she aroused through the grandmother (played by Sarada) in Lohitadas’s ‘Kanmadham’.

The most amazing aspect, perhaps, is none of the heroines for whom she had given voice sounds the same. ‘‘That’s because I have not given my original voice to anyone. I make variations in my sound depending upon actresses,’’ Anandavally says.

In 1978, two years before ‘Manjil Virinja Pookkal’ happened, Anandavally had shifted to Chennai, the cradle of Malayalam cinema in those days. ‘‘During those days, from 1985 to 1998 to be precise, it was very challenging as I used to dub for seven to eight films in a day. For me, the day used to begin at AVM studio, then revolved around Prasad Studio, Suresh Mahal, Venus Studio, Vasu Studio and Kalpaka Studio. In the film ‘Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans’, I had dubbed for five characters,’’ she sighs, as though looking back the feat seemed impossible to her.

‘‘Truly, unthinkable. Now, most of you will hardly believe this,’’ adds the 56 year-old artist, whose career in Malayalam films began as an actress.

Born into an agricultural family at Veliyam, Anandavally used to sing for dramas even while a teenager. But, unexpectedly, her acting skills were put to test in front of a large audience during an exceptionally hot night in 1969. ‘‘I went to sing for the drama ‘Chithalu Kayariya Bhoomi’. Just minutes before the drama commenced, the director came and said that the main actress didn’t turn up. Anandavally should act. I was shocked. I was very lean and did not have the looks of a heroine as well. Besides, renowned dramatist O Madhavan was seated in the front row. Any way, I managed to perform. After the show, O Madhavan came to me and appreciated the effort. That gave me the confidence and soon I started performing in several dramas of KPAC and Kalidasa Kalakendram,’’ she says.

Later, Anandavally entered the film industry through the film ‘Kadu’ and went on to act in around 40 films. She also worked as an announcer with the All India Radio. ‘‘In 1973, I debuted as a dubbing artist. I gave my sound for actress Rajasri in the film ‘Devi Kanyakumari’,’’ she said.

And what was the most difficult role she dubbed for? The answer came promptly - dubbing for the climax of the film ‘Akashadoothu’. ‘‘It took a lot of time. Most of the time, I became so emotional that I could not say the dialogue. Similar instances occurred during the dubbing of the ‘Aadharam’ as well,’’ she says.

Anandavally is still active through films and serials. She has dubbed for Sudha Chandran in the film ‘Alexander The Great’, Chitra Shenoy in ‘Rajamanikyam’ and for Ambika in ‘Thanthonni’. ‘‘I wish I continue this for a long time, ‘’she says.

Now, Anandavally who lives with her son Diphan and family at Thampuran Nagar near Nemom in the city, has a dream. ‘‘I want to pen an autobiography. Earlier, I used to write down my experiences. Now, I have to sort those collections and make it in the form of a book,’’ says Anandavally, who owes all her success to the Almighty.

Diphan, who is now a director to be reckoned with after the huge success of ‘Puthiya Mukham’, could at some point of time may translate his mother’s dreams onto the celluloid.

The New Indian Express, 2010

A Crusader in Integrated Dairy Farming

A crusader in integrated dairy farming. More than a farmer, perhaps, this would be the ideal way to hail A R Avaneendranathan of Payattuvila in Kottukal panchayat near Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram.

From a small-time dairy farmer, he has emerged into a proud owner of a dairy unit by successfully adopting integrated farming.

Nathans Dairy Farm, comprising about 100 cows, has a daily production of over 600 litres of milk and caters to the needs of several households in and around Payattuvila. Apart from local supply of milk, Nathans dairy unit gives 350 litres of milk to MILMA every day. “My aim is to increase the production to 1000 litres per day,” says Avaneendranathan, who earlier had a mini homestead dairy farm.

The sheer passion for dairy farming and the innate ability to do experiments in farming are the secrets of his success. One may wonder how dairy farming can be profitable considering the skyrocketing prices of cattle feed, straw and grass and high labour charges. Here is where integrated farming comes to play.

“Don’t depend solely on cattle feed, straw and grass. This is the only way to run the show profitably,” Nathan says. He cultivates banana and tapioca on four acres of land. “Leaves and stem of banana and tapioca are the main feed for cattle. Coconut leaves are also given. And the cow dung is the main manure for banana and tapioca”. Nathan also uses brewery waste as a cattle feed, which is available at the rate of Rs 4 per kg.

According to Nathan, small scale dairy farming will only become profitable if the price of milk is increased to Rs 30 a litre. “See, a milking cow should be given 10 kg of cattle feed, 35 kg of grass and 10 kg of straw a day. One kg each of cattle feed and grass cost Rs 15 and Rs 2 respectively. Thus, it requires a minimum sum of Rs 225 for a cow daily, which produces over 25 litres of milk a day. On an average, we have a production of 600 litres a day. Though we have to feed 100 cows more or less in the same rate, only half of them will be in the milking stage. That’s where the economics of dairy farming goes wrong. The expense comes around Rs 22,000 and the income is only 15,000,” he said.

Nathan follows a definite pattern for feeding and milking the cows. For him, a day starts at 1 a.m. The first thing is to give feed to the cattle. By the time his employees join Nathan, he would have removed the cow dung and other waste from the shed. After cleaning the cows, the milking will start at around 3.30 a.m. “Machines are used for milking and at a time two cows can be milked,” Nathan said. Another group of employees will join at around 7 a.m. who will be engaged in feeding the cattle and cleaning. The second milking of the day starts at 3 p.m.

Cleanliness and hygiene are very important in dairy farming. “Before milking, cow’s udder is washed using potassium permanganate. The whole shed is washed using lotion or bleaching powder and maintained dry. Utmost care has to be taken to keep the cow’s hoof dry to prevent infection,” Nathan says.

Another highlight of Nathan’s dairy farm is the presence of traditional cattle breeds like Kapila, Kasargod Dwarf and Vechoor. The other breeds include HF (Holstein Freisian), Brown Jersey and Jersey. Besides, he owns a mini goat farm which consists of high yielding varieties like Malabari Goat, Jamnapari, Saanen and Vendoor. “Goat milk is mainly supplied for ayurvedic medicinal purposes,” he adds.

According to Nathan, the encouragement he got from Krishi Bhavan, Dairy Development Board and Animal Husbandry Department has helped a lot in his endeavour. Recently, he got a subsidy for setting up the heifer unit with 30 calves. But, he has also expressed some discontent over certain initiatives of the animal husbandry department.

“The only way to promote and support dairy farming and farmers is to provide subsidy to cattle feed. Now, the situation is worse. The expense is so huge that one does dairy farming even with five cows. Projects should be evolved through which the expense can be brought down. Farmers should be given 50 percent subsidy on cattle feed on the basis of the quantity of milk they supply to the milk societies. In states like Karnataka, dairy farmers are given a subsidy of Rs 2 for a litre of milk by the government in addition to its price,’’ Nathan points out.

(The New Indian Express, City Express, 2011)

Organic Crusader

His farms are a fitting reply to chemically-driven farm production. By successfully adopting organic farming as a way of life, he has broken the general notion that chemical fertilisers and pesticides are the only way for productive farming.

Meet K Mohanan, 44, the farmer who is into integrated farming, hailing from Bhagavathyvila in Kulathur near Neyyattinkara on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, who has evolved into one of the biggest propagators of organic farming over the last five years. “If someone gets inspired from these farms and adopts organic farming, it will be a great achievement for me,’’ says Mohanan, who once used toxic chemical fertilisers on his crops.

“Earlier, I used to apply pesticides and fertilisers for farming. But, due to the continuous application of chemicals, the soil began to lose its natural essence. Every time I had to apply more amount of fertilisers to maintain the desired quantity of harvest. This affects the environment also. Later, I came to know about some innovative ways for keeping away the pests and realised the importance of pursuing natural ways of manuring. When I tried, the results were positive,” says Mohanan, who can now be hailed as a master of organic pesticides and manures.

Recently, the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) adopted Mohanan’s bitter gourd farm as a demonstration plot for organic farming. He had also bagged awards for the best vegetable farmer and the best integrated farmer given away by the Krishi Bhavan and the VFPCK respectively in the past. Last year, he missed the ‘Karshaka Mitra’ award instituted by the State Government by a whisker.

Everyday, Mohanan steps into his field at 6 a.m. Each plant will be examined carefully to check whether there is any pest attack or not.

“Sometimes, the monitoring will last till late night using the light from the mobile phones,’’ he says. Mohanan spends 12 to 14 hours daily in his farms along with seven labourers.

One has to be vigilant and patient to pursue organic farming, opines Mohanan. “It is not merely applying organic pesticides and manure. One has to be patient and spend a lot of time in the field. Monitoring should be done everyday. If pests are found, they have to be removed manually from the plant. Traps should be installed in the farm. Application of organic pesticides should be the last and final step,’’ says Mohanan.

Mohanan, who started farming on five cents of leased land at the age of 14, now carries out integrated farming in around six hectares of land and has emerged as one of the largest producers of vegetables and bananas in the district. Besides, he has a coconut farm and cultivates tapioca, vanilla and pepper.

What makes him more distinct is his genuine interest to experiment. He has a passion to cultivate different types of crops. Apart from bitter gourd, snake gourd, brinjal, lady’s finger, amaranthus, cucumber and elephant yam, Mohanan cultivates seasonal vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beetroot, cauliflower and the like. Once, he even tried to cultivate onion as well. Besides, Mohanan has a special love for traditional vegetables like ‘Churakka’ (Ridge gourd), ‘Kumbalam’ (Ash gourd) and ‘Kovakka’ (Little gourd) and ‘Chathura payar’ (Winged bean).

Last year, Mohanan surprised everyone by doing upland farming in around 1.75 acres. “Actually, I want to show people that paddy cultivation can be done profitably amidst the coconut garden. Lots of people from various parts of the district came to watch the farming. There was a good yield and now I am thinking of continuing upland farming every year,” says Mohanan. He now has plans to venture into the dairy sector.

“Perhaps, he may be the only farmer in this modern world who has always said that farming is profitable. I have never heard him say that farming is a loss,’’ these words by Victor Raj, the agriculture officer of the Kulathur Krishi Bhavan, are a testimony to his passion.

(The New Indian Express, City Express, 2010)