Vappa

Vilayatyeri Imbichikoya started his social work by taking TB patients to government hospitals at a very young age. Imbichikoya won the first Nawab Rajendran foundation award for his contributions to the society.

He was always busy helping out people to access their rights -- be it health, government welfare schemes or more routine things like filling out forms and applying for government jobs. (The formal education he could boast of was four months at school -- first standard.)

Sri Imbichikoya, Vappa for us, passed away at the age of 62 at Medical College Hospital, Calicut this May. I consider it a blessing that I could meet him and get to know about him when he was alive. And it puts the responsibility on me and Bena, Umma (Ayisha) and others who remain to carry the good work forward.

[the photo was taken after he fell ill, early May 2011]

Copy Left, Right and Centre

Sharat said that in the end titles of his film on Chengara. Salutes to the committed filmmaker who I never met.



[Photo: Irom Sharmila, Sharatchandran's profile photo on facebook.]

Beat it, MJ!

It so happened that we were listening to some of his old songs last night. I was still coming to terms with the fact that a younger friend killed herself. The music really had a healing effect. I loved it. I had not heard them for ages.

And today morning when I hear the news, the songs play on once again. Songs that had livened up our Nagpur days. Beat it MJ -- all of us do care for you!

[Image courtesy: Rolling Out]

ente kamala, avarude aami, avalude suraiya

In my younger days I thought she represented women. Later in my life I thought she represented some women. Even later, I felt she represented herself.

Tributes.

Fukuoka Passes Away

Masanobu Fukuoka died at the age of 95. The man who wrote One Straw Revolution.

He was a farmer who questioned the fundamentals of farming -- he wrote about his experiments with what he calls natural farming, where he totally did away with tilling and weeding.

He was not only a farmer. There are people who think the book is not about farming at all, but are shaken by the charm of this small book.

I felt that once you read this book, you are not the same person any more. No matter whether you believe in his farming techniques or not. No matter whether you agree with his philosophy or not. It is one present I love buying for my friends (not just because it comes for under hundred rupees).

["This is the story of a Japanese farmer. You'll really like it. It's about farming, but not really..": from an online review.]

* * *

Masanobu Fukuoka: On Wikipedia

Fukuoka Farming Web site

Nature Knows Best: an article on Fukuoka

Laurie Baker, the Builder

Laurie Baker. Born in Birmingham, England on March 2, 1917. Died on April 1, 2007 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. He had become a household name in Kerala synonymous to low-cost housing. The Times of India article (that triggered this attribution issue) says he is "relevant for a world that is threatened by global warming".

Apparently after completing his architecture course, he became an ambulance driver in the Second War in Burma and China. On his way back (to England) through (then) Bombay in 1945, he met Gandhi who told him there was much useful work to be done by architects in rural India. Baker lived 13 years in Uttar Pradesh (where he got married to a local doctor) before he moved to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala in 1963.

Some of my friends are now camping at a house built by him, at Vagamon in Kottayam district of Kerala (see Inspiration: For Nature-friendly built Environment) for a Pattu Kalari (Music workshop).

I have memories of a cartoon strip "Malayaliyude Mundu" (Mundu of Malayalees, a piece of cloth that is worn like a wrap-around) by him in one leading Malayalam periodical.

A few links for those who are interested in knowing more about him and his philosphy of life: MUD: An article by Laurie Baker (pdf), Of Architectural Truths and Lies: another article by him in The Hindu, An interview: Architecture for the people, and an article on the builder: The cost of Living, by London-based architect Ayyub Malik (pdf) .

[Image from Inspiration page]

Mayilamma

Mailamma was directly affected by Coca-Cola's operations in Plachimada, in Kerala's Palakkad district. The water in her well (in Vijaynagar colony in Plachimada) had been so heavily polluted by Coca-Cola's operations that it has been deemed unfit for human consumption.

Mailamma was a central figure in the campaign to hold Coca-Cola accountable for water shortages and pollution in the area, and it was under her leadership that the community forced the Coca-Cola bottling plant to shut down in March 2004. The plant has remained shut down since.

Mailamma, a member of the Eravalar tribe, was the founder of the Coca-Cola Virudha Samara Samiti (Anti Coca-Cola Struggle Committee) in Plachimada which has spearheaded the campaign against Coca-Cola. The Anti-Coca-Cola Struggle Committee has held a continuous vigil directly outside Coca-Cola's factory gates since April 22, 2002, demanding its permanent closure.

Mailamma lived with her extended family in Vijaynagar Colony in Plachimada, and is survived by three sons and a daughter.

[Mailamma was the recipient of the prestigious Speak Out award by the Outlook magazine and the Sthree Shakthi Award in recent years.]

Mayilamma passed away on Jan 6, 2007.

Thanks to Savad Rahman for sharing this news and the lady's photograph.

Srividya, you'll be remembered

Actress Srividya died of cancer a few days back. When I think of Srividya the image that comes to me first is the Alice of Aadaminte Variyellu. Then there were many mother roles we can't forget-- Swati Tirunal, Apoorva Sahodarangal, Dalapati, Ente Sooryaputhrikku.. And there was Maggie of Daivatthinte Vikruthikal, for which she won the best actress award for the third time (Idavazhiyile Poocha Mindapoocha and Rachana were the first two, which I have not seen).

Deshabhimani pays tribute to the actress in its cinema page-- "Ananjupoyenkilum" by poet Rose Mary, followed by lyricist-director Sreekumaran Thampi recollecting his memories. Articles are in Malayalam, the link points to a pdf file so that there are no font issues.

[Here are links to The Hindu and Rediff takes].