Petals!

Krishnapuram Palace near Kayamkulam: I was travelling with my family after offering prayers at the famous Ochira Parabramham temple. A family friend from Kollam insisted that we should visit the 18th century Krishnapuram Palace that was a temporary dwelling place of the Tranvancore kings. And that is how we came to the Krishnapuram Palace near Kayamkulam. One of the first stunning sights that caught my attention was this beautiful artistic depiction of Bhagawan Sri Krishna in a mural painting.  [ READ: Story of Krishna and a Thief & Why Chant Ramayana  ] What is the speciality of Krishnapuram Palace? Unique Kerala architecture, magnificent sword, stunning works of art, megalithic remains, wooden art pieces and stunning coins collectio are highlights of the Krishnapuram Palace, among other things.  Built in typical Kerala style, it was a pleasure to walk across the 16 kettu or ' Pathinaarukettu'   palace with four 'Nadumuttom' or open central court yards and the ...

Sarkeet Malayalam Movie Review: This Asif Ali-starrer is a gentle, powerful and heartwarming film in the way it depicts relationships and how a child's world is brought to life with a dose of harsh reality that threads adult relationships. It's not your typical masala formula movie with slapstick comedy - this is a transformative film that explores the relationship between stressed out adults and a child with ADHD.  This is not a film for those who want a fast-paced family entertainer. This is also not for those who want an 'ephemeral kick' as Shri K Jayakumar IAS, noted lyricist and award winning poet, once referred to in an interview about poetry and stories.  Simply put, Director Thamar's 'Sarkeet' is a heartwarming film.  [Love Travelling, Books, Movies, Eating Out? Subscribe to Svara's Newsletter] Sarkeet Malayalam Movie Review: Story, Star Cast, Theme While exploring themes such as  a child's ADHD condition and how it takes a toll on the alread...

Lighting diyas at home is a part of my childhood. What is the science behind lighting diya? For decades, Hindu households light the diya or deepam every morning and evening. However, increasingly, there are many questions regarding why this practice is integral to the well-being of a Hindu home.  [READ: Best time to light a diya , How do you light deepam at home? ] Significance of Lighting Deepam Let's do a practice session. At sunset, switch off all the lights in your home - feel the energy inside your home. After all, everything is the same - your home is the same, the furniture is the same, your personality is the same. Sit in the darkness and decode the energy in your home - is it the same as during sunlight?  If you sit for a while and experience the darkness, you will feel a clear difference in your energy. Light a small lamp and then how does the energy in your house feel? This is your answer. [READ: Why Do Malayalis Light Nilavillaku? ] The Mother, revered as the one w...

Many of us make the mistake of being 'part time devotees' - of course, we are busy, we have important work, personal commitments and we are too exhausted by it. At the end of the day, we don't even feel like lighting the lamp or praying. Sometimes, we begin to think how does lighting a lamp bring a difference to our already hectic lives? [READ: How Do You Light Deepam and Best Time to Light Diya ]                                                [Image by Julia Volk @ Pexels] As I ponder about this, my view is that the problem isn't with the lamp or the light - the problem is our 'know-it-all' attitude of self-inflicted superiority.  Unknowingly, we live in a society that thrives on 'showing off' and less on the subtle aspects of life, the smaller joys and delights of real life. Which is where something as seemingly 'small' and 'mundane' as lighting a lamp becomes ...

As you start work - here's a question for you - are you disciplined about how you work and what you do every day? From dawn to dusk, we work - all of us are engaged in some task or another. Many tend to work almost on autopilot. Happens, doesn't it? Sometimes, we engage in activities that may not be of use to us and results in waste of time. Distractions trouble us - it could be a colleague talking loudly in the phone, and we may do the same too, without realising we are distracting others at work.                                        ( Source: Radio Sai.org) Often, we are not conscious of how this impacts the quality of our work and time, not to mention our energy and attitude to work. The way we work reflects in the minds of our children. They watch us and we barely realise what they imbibe. Now life wasn't easy for our elders - in fact, they had none of the comforts that we do today...

Kunchacko Boban's Malayalam movie 'Officer on Duty' is now available on Netflix! Before the OTT release, I had watched the film in a nearby theatre. Now, you can watch this Kunchacko Boban thriller on Netflix. Note: All images in this blog are sourced from Kunchacko Boban's verified Facebook page. [ READ: Watch Padmarajan's Movies ] Officer on Duty on Netflix: Director, Star Cast, Music Directed by Jithu Ashraf, the leading stars are Kunchacko Boban and Priyamani, with a solid, heart wrenching performance by Jagdish and a stellar line-up of young talent. The 'negative' roles make a chilling impact in this thriller film. Jakes Bejoy's music is refreshing, different and I found myself liking the unique vibe. While watching Officer on Duty, one is reminded fleetingly of chilling scenes from a yesteryear superhit film - Mammootty's Johny Walker. In this film, which I remember watching in a theatre in Guruvayur, Mammootty plays the role of an elder brothe...