Upload
vbkuwait
View
228
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
1/28Sopanam - October 2011 1
For more information contact : Seva Darshan, Kuwait - INDEMB/KWT/ASSN/[email protected]
Sopanam E-Magazine - (For members circulation only)
Volume 1 Issue 7 15th October, 20115113 Bizn\w
tk m ] m\ w tk m ] m\ w A Famly-Magaz fom SevA dArShAn KuwAit
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
2/28Sopanam - October 20112
Amritha Vachanam
Subashitam
bVjvb fciA d dVJAK,d{W { cZ K JZ AKGB{W K bdJ J VJ VHB{OJW KKWM VJVJ GU. VzdJa dX. dJ cc{AZ cB{MxU L{ E Ja JiA dy KGI.V bVj Ja cKJa- b cJa VJ{JK. cAK cfK cJ. V {{ B{WV CI. B{ c J
B{ B{ MA A d. W J cB{ c VK. d{ bVj A{ JKKK K. K , cvVB{Z d N Ja B{ A.W K d ccJa dBZ J J N dJ bcJaicv K dAJVA .
d VBZA N J I VA,AJ cB{ L{ c , N dMG dAI Ja vbJa
VMJa cB{ bbJW MI b{ dJ . BU b dVA dN ZA dyA cL c J{WKfAX cAU d W AU.
c c X cc tb .
Aw
ca JW UK dK. cJ[ d] c t .
c W IK.
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
3/28Sopanam - October 2011 3
spiritually close to our ethos. We need to have morefocus in making our neighboring countries like Nepal,Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tibet more stable and
secure. Only a secure border will help in making ourpeople feel secure and peaceful.
As we establish our role in the world, we also needto look within ourselves. The last year has shown theworst level of democratic politics in Indian historyafter the declaration of Emergency. Countless numberof corruption scandals have come to the fore whichhas even belittled the ofce of the Prime Minister andPresident. A major danger in the making is the dilutionof the three pillars of our democracy. The judiciary,executive and legislature has been politically corrupted.A lack of perspective and sensitiveness is being seen
from the government in tackling terrorism and hardlinecommunal organizations. They have placed variousnationalist organizations ahead of threatening outtslike naxals.
Rejection of symbols of patriotism such asVANDEMATARAM and BHARATMATA is avery dangerous step that can have repercussions in thefuture.These kind of actions has led to various groupsdemanding clemency for hardcore terrorists on aregional base.
The governments visionless actions are even
reecting on the economic situation of the country. Ablind copy of western economic model has completelydestroyed the indigenous swadeshi industry whichresults in economic disasters and high ination basedon the western market scenarios. This again forces usto think in re establishing the swadeshi model in theIndian economy with a worldwide perspective.
Getting organized is the only way our society canmarch ahead on its path checking aggressive andthreatening tendencies that can destroy the foundationsof our nation.
Let us become the yogis of HindTo look after the interests of BharatPick up the ag of DharmaAnd take Bharat forward
This is the fulllment of our JanmaThis is the reason of our Moksha
This is the path to SwargaAND This very is the arising of Bharat
Today thousands of volunteers have embarked onthe mission of creating an atmosphere of goodwill,fearlessness and patriotism in the society. Let us all jointhem in discharging your duty of keeping the society
united and harmonious with full condence that ourtruthful path will prevail. Let the light of knowledgeand goodwill within ourselves be reected on everyonein the society and let us all celebrate this Diwali in thateverlasting spirit.
Editorial
mal : [email protected]
eoal BoaKrishna Kumar Paliath
Manoj Nair
Vibheesh Tikkodi
Redhish Chandran
Gayatri Raveendran
daa MaagmAjaykumar Anjaneyam
Rajarajan Ganesan
Anandharaj KonniRani B. Basker
Sindhu Sanjith
Aneesh Kumar. U
Ajith Kumar. S
Baburaj. M. P.
Suresh Varickolil
Roopesh R. Souparnika
Reshmi Sudheer
Ca & dsgSreenivasan C.P.
Sunil Pookode
Vinaya Babu. C.K.
Viswajith .M.K.
Prejith
For Comments, Submissions &
Subscriptions please write to
Asato maa sadgamaya,Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya,
Mrityor maa amritam gamaya,
Om shaanti: shaanti: shaanti:
From the unreal, lead us to the Real; fromdarkness, lead us unto Light; from death, lead us toImmortality. Om peace, peace, peace.
Vijayadashmi is time for us to retrospect, look back atthe last year, learn from it and make a new beginning.
A look back at the changed circumstances of ournation throws up a situation of grave concern. What has
been happening in the world and in Bharat in particularhas caused great disturbances in all our minds. The world
powers are in competition to establish their say in allworldly affairs. They are propagating war in the nameof terror and civil unrest fueling the anger of the massesagainst elite corruption. As a nation that considers thewhole world as one family, Bharath cannot remain amute spectator. The world nations respect India becauseof the exemplary behavior of the Bharateeyans livingabroad. That is why they trust our nation to take theinitiative to transform the disturbances into one ofmutual trust and co-operation.
We need to stand up and take a position to developthe relationships with our neighboring countries and
other counties that are culturally, economically and
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
4/28Sopanam - October 20114
vc A'' : V:
cV :""
cJWK K cJA ,tJWK K dJA ,JW K K A
.
cJ dVj CWMB{ J VJ d. bB{V cJW J,
Ja ZE JWKz E d fA, bWKbA B N VAK. c Ja v dKKfAK Ni{ dB{ MJ.
J B{ df K rBZ.
rKA Vj K WMGUdK. GJ xWAK ccJ fA K
VN, fcJA N AXdWK dT rBZ.
J JfJ V {WV AK d r.
K A I B{
K JW K. zW z cL NZ AK.
VA V K IdJa r BZA d ic IC AK.
tJ IzA TW ic{I VNUw d K.
vcJ IEI T, , K KB{W
OKAI N U d{x, ic KA K bJadd dv r . tMG I dU.KX d c
VJ B{ faA AK .
L dX icA BMZ icZ V bK I.
Spiritualism
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
5/28Sopanam - October 2011 5
Spiritualism
a J W dKX. K drcJW d_z cVj,aX VT AKK . a T, d x XdW K cA. K a xVA AX A KKbVj, C, KW,bKKA X Xa W C., ,f,Kz dAX B.B\A d d B.
dK K a cJWK IdB{ AU M J. 16,100{ a GJ KJ M. VK ad AW J.a bVHW J x OG aZ I z b.
dw xX W K fKdK bW G K
cVj. J dy c bc JK. da \ GE KXdJ MX . cA C K, a JK a !. c Cdwa cVj xIc. I a VNydKX dKa JJ MG. aGJ xU { KVJI dK GJaOW K iJW VMG. iJW, ac .K X K d . T AK dX WB, X a JdAX B. I bKJ , c cJda dJ .d d dJZ W fAK TA
K X d VJ. dXJ a LcfLK .a A, z W z J LJ
A . AG K .J JfJ V{d c VK
VK 16,100 d{ W A VAw d L d . K dK CB{ Z AK. dVJJWcJO c(H{) K c. dVJ KKJ c. VKdAW, fdV, BZ_-BZ W, KBcVK B{ U
VNbZ AK.f, , V, KK d. W cB{ AK {.
Lc, dC, cXV, cT, K, d,K, , c, KV, KcB{W AK.
wB{ r icvwTA BZ, BZtJ AK V {GIAK {BZ J Ia cIAK. c J td AKU, L JA JA BW db AU. vbacK N vcJ bMAKcZ J VN{B. c cB{cbB{ N{ c. W A, KA T{CAI d{
I W K A AUbbVNBZ cAKUbw WK.JW d Z IA. dZA GZAU dBZ, BZ K, , bVj B{ Kx {KcJW . ax JW L dX N{W VN II.i cb, c L i
,VB{ AU KKBZ dAII. N JVN {I, xUVAVKWI b X JadcT JX A AG.
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
6/28Sopanam - October 20116
Flipping through the channels on TV, we are
most likely to run into news of a war and riots go-
ing on somewhere on the world. War is a reality of
this world- a bitter reality. People are always ght-
ing over territory, political ideas, or simply out of
faith. The world has seen all kinds of wars of all
reasons or causes from ancient times. Three of theten most costly wars, in terms of loss of life, have
been waged in the last century. Apart from the two
world wars there is intense friction between coun-
tries like Israel and the Arab states, India and Paki-
stan, North and South Korea and civil war in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Civil war is taking place in many
African nations. The island country of Srilanka has
witnessed a decade long civil war between Tamil
tigers and Srilankan Government.
Although war is often viewed as a bad thing,
it can often be seen as a necessary evil. The grass
is always greener on the other side of the fence.That characterizes the oldest cause of war known
to man. A ruler must have more territory to expand
his kingdom. The only way to accomplish this is to
invade his neighbor. Disputes over the geographi-
cal location of borders result in conict. Through-
out history, as culture changes, the previous occu-
pants will not easily release their homeland. This is
why some of the bloodiest wars were fought over
land. Simply because two groups of people could
not peacefully determine where their border lies,
they fought each other.
It is all this violence that affect us as human be-
ings; we have gotten so used to the image of people
being massacred, murdered, and killed in front of
our eyes that we see these events without the slight-
est remorse. Our own children are growing up with
the fact that the best way to resolve a problem is
to simply go to war. War and violence are making
our society crumbled; before we know it we might
even destroy the world
War always affected somebody in some kind
of way. War affects society by raising prices on
goods and supplies. War affects families by devas-
tation. Millions of lives have been lost as a result
of war. It even affected people when they didnt
expect it to. Families are affected by war the most.
Food shortages, lack of money, and trying to keep
up family or private owned businesses, were some
of the many conicts during the War. War affects
society by businesses being put down, weapons
being taken away for war, and the destruction ofproperty and land. Since the soldiers were coming
in and out of houses, many families lacked food.
At the end of the war, millions loss their home and
are forced to become refugees, the economy will
collapse and infrastructure will be destroyed. War
and violence not only effect those who participate.
The brutal consequences of war last long after the
guns are silent. People cannot overcome poverty
when their village has been plundered, when the
schoolhouse has been bombed or when the elds'
only fruits are deadly landmines.
Afganistan is an example for the present gen-
eration to see. War and civil strife characterized
Weapons ofHoped. S Ss
Very recently civil unrest is taking place in many
Arab countries. The war on terror is being fought
in Afghanistan by some western forces. Behind
each and every war that has taken place, there will
always be a reason for it. The most predominant
causes are greed and rising ambitions. Greed is in-
born and present in the character of every human
being. Hence we can see unscrupulous leaders, at
the expense of the people, go to war as a result of
their quest for power and territorial gains. World
War II was started by Hitler's rising demands forterritorial gains, conquering states after states.
Hence wars that were fought for personal gains are
the most common.
Views
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
7/28Sopanam - October 2011 7
Afghanistan's history even before the events of
Sept. 11, 2001. Because of more than two decades
of conict and an oppressive regime, they suffered
destruction of homes, businesses, roads, schools
and water systems. The very fabric of society has
been torn. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but
was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Com-
munist mujahiddin. Factional ghting subsequent-
ly resulted in a state of warlordism that brought
the Taliban to power in the mid-1990s. In the wakeof military action to root out Al-Qaeda and Tali-
ban, Afghanistan suffers from enormous poverty,
a crumbling infrastructure and widespread land-
mines. Civilians, including women and children,
often are the most adversely affected by conict
as infrastructure deteriorates, and access to basic
needs, such as health care, is interrupted. Almost
50 percent of all Afghan children are malnour-
ished. Over 20 percent of Afghan children under
5 die every year. Since 1980, Afghanistan has had
the world's largest refugee population. Six millionAfghans have ed the country, and an additional 2
million are internally displaced. Roughly 2 million
Afghans returned to their country in 2002.
Same is the case with Iraq. Prior to the Gulf War
in 1991, Iraq enjoyed a high standard of living and
the majority of the population was in a relatively
wealthy middle class. Most of the country had
low infant mortality, high levels of education and
access to potable water and sanitation. The Persian
Gulf War resulted in signicant damage to Iraq'smajor cities and ports, and created hundreds of
thousands of Iraqi refugees who ed to Turkey, Iran
and Jordan. The decade-long deterioration of Iraq's
infrastructure, including water treatment facilities,
has caused a decrease in the amount of drinkable
water and an increase in disease. Typhoid jumped
tenfold and diarrhea-related illnesses account for
70 percent of deaths among children.
The Sri Lankan civil war was very costly, killing
an estimated 80,000100,000 people. The deaths
include 27,639 Tamil ghters, more than 23,327
Sri Lankan soldiers and policemen, 1,155 Indian
soldiers, and tens of thousands of civilians. The Sri
Lankan military estimates that up to 22,000 LTTE
militants were killed in the last three years of the
conict. The nal ve months of the civil war sawthe heaviest civilian casualties.
Despite the Government of Sri Lankas claims
that the war is over; 21 months on, there is little
hope for thousands of women who have been left
destitute to fend for themselves and their families,
without the necessary systems to overcome the
scars of the war, mental trauma, social stigma and
drastic changes to their way of life. The war in Sri
Lanka may appear to be over, but its humanitariancrisis is still unfolding. People had seen the terror
that comes with war and now it was more impor-
tant than anything to avoid war.
According to Bhagavt Gita Violence is never an
ideal in a civilized society, but it cannot be avoid-
ed. Rulers of society have to employ it for their
preservation.
To be continued with an exclusive announce-
ment from Seva Darshan Kuwait.
Views
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
8/28Sopanam - October 20118
Views
J V TJ { VK {AK. V K
dOJ czVA VKW VK K KAzV fJ W A
Ja{ W.
K KAa Vj tJx K, c d XdAK NZ b X K? K dLAKK? J c WM d?
L A?, cBZ c t JGJ. J V
T J IJ A {MJK cJA{.
J K K c tJMAK. K cX KaJK K. JtA dAKdcfc X.
dF B I? B
WAK? B aKAK? KAzVJ A J WK.c d K JVjI.
dF bK A
B{ bAK dFJa KN{ bK, dcfJWV xB{W K cc KKC LB{ V WK x J. dF K K b dF a K WAK B{ AKK,
B OZ c
a WM K Kd tMGAK.
KAzV U BZd , {A WdJa KAK d , {AW dFJa p K K bXdK dF K bBZ dK
KAzV N MAK.
108 J{W d J{ AI W cmAc ddLJ J U 'cfV ccAc cV " K BK. K f VKJ VJJ cJL BKI
K K J L-
CICW K
d J cJ BK 'c V"
..
V O{.. . . .
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
9/28Sopanam - October 2011 9
Views
K, V b bWKK K KAzV
N MAK A c K {MJW cKX B{ B{
{fdB{ b IJX K KAzV A GK. bAK A L cA J dJAA , K{ KAzVdFc TA b JA
VK J b VAb bW AMBZA K
BZ AK '`Kb",'V", '", 'V"K, cB{ d'd", (J) ' d",(cJ) 'Jb",(mcJ) 'vd"(wcJ) B{
JA{ d K XdK X dFK,v dK, dK, K K d AK
L K W B{
VAMG, cV B{
JA{ d, B{
KAK VB{ VBZ K
KAJ VB{ VBZ
K MK K V
'cV", V '",
V 'c",
V 'K", V
'V," V
'J" K VBZ.
B{ KAJ VB{
V K V,
V, iV
LJa cdKsBZ J,
dd, KK, K
'dd" K {AK 'dd"
V.
dCcV dd VBZbK x VBZA{UW KAI KVjA J{ F fdBZ dAbVJ
A .
d, V
bV{K
AzK
ExIW{JW KdK dCcbJ KA {W bL { {MJ {J J F fdBZ dA bb v.
GJ KAzV
Ja icvc MJJa zA dVJAfdB{, V_ d
KJ, ccKJ MG ZWGI.
dBZ AK CV ZAW f Vj dK VBZ fA J VK WK v
czVA cdBZAd VMAK. KA `O{ A FA.
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
10/28Sopanam - October 201110
Views
India is a vast country with different kinds of people.
There are people from different caste, class, region,
religion coming from various cultural back grounds,
speaking different languages, having different food
habits, dressing styles, customs, festivals, faith and
believes. Our country is a land of diversities. Despitethe wide differences among people, there is a feeling of
oneness and we are proud to be an Indian.
National integration is the awareness of a common
identity amongst the citizens of a country. It is the
process of uniting different people from all walks of
life into a single community.It means that though we
belong to different castes, religions, regions and speak
different languages we recognize the fact that we are
National Integrationand the role of youthS Saj
The youth of India have a vital role to play in
promoting National Integration. They are the backbone
of the nation. It is noted that the present day youth have
an attraction to the western culture. The family values
are diminishing from the homes and the youth are
getting more and more self centred. Let us not forgetthat our country is rich in culture and heritage.
The young generation should follow the evolving
culture and traditions that we have from ages and try
to propagate it to the society. The feeling of unity and
love should start from the home and spread around to
the society. We have a rich source of spiritual books and
a timeless philosophy that can help to lead the present
day youth in the right direction.
Today, India is suffering with several problemslike poverty, population explosion, unemployment and
violence. It is in the hands of the youth to save the
country. Every educated person should try to spread
the light of knowledge in the society. If every single
educated person can take up the responsibility to teach
a poor uneducated child, the problem of illiteracy can
be overcome to a certain extent. So is the case of each
one- feed one. Employing suitable people in the right
job can decrease the rate of unemployment and poverty.
The young generation are often attracted to highly paidwhite collar jobs. This is causing a brain drain in our
country. The youth should try to contribute their skills
and knowledge for the development of the country.
Steps should be taken to ensure that no communal or
caste considerations inuence the appointment of the
right candidate. There should be a feeling of equality
among the individuals.
In the everyday news we hear and read about
corruption in our country. Many of our politicians have
become corrupt and are greedy for money. Youngsters
must stand forward to ght against corruption. As
technology has developed in multi-folds, the media can
one. This kind of integration is very important in the
building of a strong and prosperous nation.
There are many forces that come in the way of
national integration. The social rodents create chaos in
the society in the name of caste and religion.
Communalism is one major factor that poses a great
danger to our unity. Such differences cause damage tothe unity in the society and thereby cause hindrance to
the progress of the nation.
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
11/28Sopanam - October 2011 11
Views
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it,
dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every
part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other
idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual
giants are produced.
- Swami Vivekananda
be a very effective way to express ones opinion and
suggestions. The social networking sites can also be used
effectively express ones feelings against corruption. It
is a very strong medium to unite people to stand against
violence and anti social activities. Media has a great
role in both guiding and misleading the youth. They
must be made capable of differentiating the good from
the bad and support the better cause.
The youth should take up the challenge to spread the
message of love, harmony and equality in the society.They should respect everybody equally and also try
to lead a disciplined life. They must come forward to
serve the poor and the needy.
India is a vast country and has so many diversities.
Every effort should be made to create emotional
integration, and a sense of unity. Publicity through every
known medium is essential. This process of educating
the public opinion should being early in life. Through
schools and colleges, the young men should be thought
that the whole of India is one. Indian culture is basicallyone and the differences are only supercial. The very
mentality of the young should change.
Our Constitution plays an important role in promoting
national integration. Democracy, Secularism, and Social
Equality are the Fundamental Rights of an Indian. Theright to vote should be utilized sensibly so that we have
the efcient and right leaders to lead us. More and more
young blood should come forward to lead the country
in the path of success. The national funds should be
channelized for the welfare and the development of the
citizens.The upliftment of the poor and the needy is the
demand of the country and the youth should involve
themselves in social services for a good cause.
Our National Symbols like the National Flag, the
National Anthem, and the National Emblem also help toremind us that we all are equal. National festivals also
act as an important unifying force. Independence Day,
Republic Day, and Gandhi Jayanti are festivals that are
celebrated by all Indians and in all parts of the country.
They remind us of our common nationality.
National integration is a psychological process. It
means a well-knit society in which all are loyal to their
country. The feeling of nationalism is dominant. It means
that every Indian, irrespective of caste, creed, language
or religion, belongs to India. National integration is
very important for the development of the country.
Let us not forget that United we stand, Divided we
fall. The youngsters are the strong pillars of the country.
It is in their responsibility to safeguard the country and
devote themselves for the cause of promoting national
growth, stability and integrity.
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
12/28Sopanam - October 201112
Malayalam theatrein KuwaitThe stage is vibrant, dynamic
Art &Litrature
There is a perceptible level of new thinking and
awakening in Kuwaits Malayalam theatre today.
Several social groups and theatre-lovers are en-gaged in a variety of theatre activities in Kuwait
generating a positive awareness about the powerful
art form. The arena has become a lively platform for
a face-to-face interaction among theatre lovers who
are willing to shed their inhibitions about the art and
ready to look beyond the conventions of old schools.
While a few theatre groups, inactive for a while, have
suddenly become quite lively by either producing
new plays or creating platforms for theatre debates.
Theatre workshops, symposiums and a few serious
productions including the participation of theatrepersonalities from Kerala have made Kuwaits are-
na quite vibrant in the past couple of years. Notable
among are Future Eye Theatre, Thanima, Kalpak,
Akshara Dramatic club etc which have made some
contributions to Kuwaits Malayalam theatre today.
Overview
Some of the observations below are intended to pres-
ent an objective overview of the Malayalam theatre in
Kuwait today though it may not provide a complete
picture of the theatre in Kuwait. However, efforts have
been made to mention most of the prominent groups.
Future Eye Theatre, Kuwait, conceptualized as an
open arena for theatre people, was formally launched
by eminent theatre and lm personality Priyanan-
danan on February 4, 2010 in Kuwait. Future Eye
staged its maiden play Kallankayariya Veedu on
the occasion which was written by noted playwright
Omchery and directed by its Vice-President K.K.
Shemej Kumar. In March 2010, Future Eye par-ticipated in the Kaambissery Drama Festival and
Kallankayariya Veedu bagged three of the four
awards: Best Play, Best Director and Best Actress.
Sajeev K Peter Bsss eo, Ka tms
Future Theatre Eye Theatre celebrated its
rst anniversary Kaliyarangu on Feb 4, 2011 at ICS,
Abbassiya by presenting a variety of theatre-basedprogrammes. Future Eyes second major production
Hattaamalanaadinappuram, a play written by Badal
Sarkar and directed by Surjith Gopinath, was staged
during the celebration. Anantapuriyile Odakkuzhal-
vidwan, the maiden production by the Little Future
Eye Ensemble, was also presented on the occasion.
In the short span of less than one and half years,
it has conducted many workshops and sympo-
siums led by personalities like Priyanandanan,
Karivellur Murali, Rejitha Madhu, Kalaman-
dalam Vasudevan and Kalamandalam Mallika.Thanima Kuwait is envisioned as a Malayali plat-
form for art enthusiasts without any pretexts or
pretensions, is quite active in the theatre arena in
addition to its other multifarious cultural activities.
Over the last few years, Thanima has produced sev-
eral plays and contributed creatively to the Malay-
alam theatre movement in Kuwait. Its recent pro-
duction Oru Vadakkan Veera Katha directed by
Babuji Bathery, was noted for the immensity of the
landscape it portrayed and technical extravaganzaincluding Artist Sujathans resplendent stage craft.
On October 21, 2011, Thanima is presenting a
folkloric art form Cholkazhcha during its anni-
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
13/28Sopanam - October 2011 13
versary in Abbassiya. Cholkazhcha is theatrical
presentations of poems of Keralas popular poets
Prof Ayyappa Panicker and Kavalam Naraya-na Panicker. Well-known theatre personal-
ity Madhu Shankaramangalam is directing
Cholkazhcha which is expected to be a differ-
ent experience for theatre enthusiasts in Kuwait.
Arpan Kuwait, a socio-cultural organization, pre-
sented a Kathakali show early this year at the Indian
Community School, Salmiya. The classical drama
Kalyanasougandhikam was a unique theatre expe-
rience for many who are not familiar with Kathakali
art form. The performers led by Kalamandalam EVasudevan and his troupe delineated a riveting epi-
sode from Indias epic Mahabharata that narrates
the story of Bhimas encounter with Hanuman. The
other actors Sasikala S Vellodi, Kalamandalam Sree-
kumar and Kalamandalam Sreekantan enamored
the audience with their captivating performance.
There are a few theatre personalities like Babu
Chakkola and K.P, Balakrishnan who are quite ac-
tive in Kuwaits theatre arena. Babu Chakkola and
his team will present St Paul, a full length dra-
ma on stage this December in Kuwait. The play
tells the life story of Saul to Paul in a heroic pre-
sentation that saw many stages in Kerala when it
was presented by Kanjirappalli Amala Theatre.
Similarly, K.P. Balakrishnan, who directed sev-
eral plays like Agnishalaka,Saalabhanjika etc, is
learned to be in the workshop of his new produc-
tion. Kalpaks Sargakshetram was a noted drama.
Many organizations like Kuwait Engineers forum
(KEF), Kerala Art Lovers Association (KALA),Kerala Association, etc, are also making some
vital contributions to the theatre by organiz-
ing drama competitions and festivals in Kuwait.
Stage presentations of literary classics have beenanother trend in Kuwait. Last year, Bashirs Ba-lyakalasakhi was staged during the Onam cel-
ebration of KEF. Also Premalekhanam basedon Basheers story and directed by Shemej Ku-mar, was also presented. This year, Changampu-zhas Ramanan is being made into a musical.
However, it is to be noted that this new awak-ening is in tandem with the positive devel-opments back in Kerala where the theatrehas come back to hog the limelight of late.The efforts being made by theatre personalities likeJyothis M.G (Play Sidharatha), who represented
Malayalam theatre at the prestigious Avignon TheatreFestival, France, productions like Quick Death bySingapore-based Shankar Venkateshwaran, the playsof Deepan Sivaraman, a lecturer at the St Martin Uni-versity, London and productions of Abhinaya The-atre and Research Centre, Trivandrum, have helpedcreate a new awareness among theatre enthusiasts.Others like Abhilash Pillai, Surjit Gopinath, Kariv-ellur Muralai, Rejitha Madhu, Amalnath and othersare a few among the theatre activists who seek tocreate a new awakening in Malayalam theatre today.Fortunately, the modern Malayalam theatre hascarved out a niche for itself on the world are-na today thanks to the aesthetic principles pro-
pounded by theatre gurus over the last 100 years.
Tribute to Prof Vayala
It may not be appropriate to wind up an article on Ma-layalam theatre today without mentioning the pass-ing away of one of its most eloquent gurus recently.Prof Vayala Vasudevan Pillai, who was the formerdirector of the School of Drama, passed away in Au-
gust leaving a huge vacuum in the Malayalam theatrearena especially in the Thanathu theatre movement.
A disciple of eminent playwright G Sankaran Pillai, hewas the recipient of Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Acad-emy award in 2009 for his comprehensive theatricalachievements. Prof Vayala directed over 40 plays,including those of Bhasa and Sophocles. Some ofhis award winning plays are 'Thulaseevanam', whichwon Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy award,'Agni', which won Kerala Sahithya Acedemy award,'Oru pakshikkunjinte Maranam', 'Viswa Darsanam','Kunjichirakukal', 'Varavelpu' and 'Kuchelagatha,
which won the Nalappadan Award. His exit from the
Malayalam stage is an irreparable loss for the theatre.
Art &Litrature
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
14/28Sopanam - October 201114
V Ka dJ AM ?
b W HBZ VKAK dFJ B{VH cB{ b KB{ KEE VPd Ja
Z K MZ, N dt{ KG. V U a CWMBZIJJ x WMB{ aZ.
JU {{A {A b icB{A N KM GAIK. b J U d V c KJ
J VPd K AK. dfTW BK. WAKCWMB{ K {I
W
B{J J c { K X VdAK, dIAK. d OW G K d K.b X f E K .
GOJ c {x I CX G KdJa ccJ J VM G{AJ b{ IJK. bJW K KG AOZ xK. a dbB{ c.
GMG , ZA JA GK d K. JA Ja AOZdX Z A Z AK.MJ V KadCWMB{ fd.
Ja JZAX
K 'H" MK
MJJU. Ja
V Kad.......
Art &Litrature
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
15/28Sopanam - October 2011 15
Kt {W VKJa bB{ VKdf{ OB{ GaJ{WBK. E JaB{ MA -JA. AKVA G MJJK V BZAcc VjIJK.
d K CWM {JWf. N W . d fdKG d AA . ddcd W BZA. dX K dJa VJ J fd dt{cWAA V d dBZ WAOZK d cBZ dVM KW b. VjJW {x d . A Na dW I Zd Ja d cbdLc JaV BZAW JX AK tB{ . VJJ d I
d B{W K cc'L". cJ dJxMG V d . c wcCWMB{JAU M
AKL.E JaJJdf W AK a { LU.
N v VB{ b GV {WWMAK b GK AAX AMKW{ TG x, TW fAKV {Ma E WAJEH JK'" G{ FAK da A{ ' H " {JVK cVPJa OB{ bB{a{c_d B{dwAK. B G AK {U L K fJ M.
ZA cc a dZ VJK.J dF, BZ xWAK { ZAJAV dK I dfAK.A JA
Art &Litrature
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
16/28Sopanam - October 201116
Ka , JacJa c Yd
KK VNW d,
KJa K Z
K.
KJ dTx '"
J f f
A K dAX A
KJ d KK a
d K di
AJ. K
K dK
dJA{ KMGK
KB LcK x
d K {K.
KB dB Ka
K VxJ.
V
Yd KK
dK d {VJC K
K B.
X B{W d BK Ka d
BZA
gK. Vj, ,
g GMJJ dK K
KBZ A dB{.
KW K KJ
K G d KK.
gJaJ cA T{ LJAU IK
d JK.
K JU K K
A K
JK gJW
KVK b .
G
d V VK V V
A KJ AK
G Kb W a
KJa b WMI
KB d MK.
.
BharathDharshan
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
17/28Sopanam - October 2011 17
{ cJ KKAK x {W
dKKcK d BO U.
B{W JaWM{A dJa VO{a d G MA BO{J 'X" K c N.1936_37 GB{W fJWMMZ xAOZ { dd ZAUI K TA{ MUW BOGW 1911_xV 11_ .
'JvVjIX L KAbALU ".
gJa B JW '"W B A,
cK, K, , wAK
BO
Uw K
, BZ, K
......B c {g {J NAI.J{{Ja A KGU. 1948 Y _17 BO U JE.
B cB{ wcCWMB{ AI.
BharathDharshan
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
18/28Sopanam - October 201118
BharathDharshan
Bal Baska C
Vandanamu
Raghunandana
Sethubandhana
Bhaktachandana Rama!!
Thyagaraja Swamikal
On Sreeramapattabhisheka day, considered the
most important day of the Holy Ramayana month
an idea struck us how about a trip to Rameswaram
this vacation? We were enjoying our annual vacation
in Kerala, after taking a break from the busy schedule
of work life in Kuwait. All the family members were
excited at the idea, and the plan was nalized in no
time.
So one sunny August morning, we set off in a Bolero
to the Eastern coast, full of energy and curiosity. Two
cousins from our Tharavadu also joined us. Among
them, one girl of 12, who was habitually chirpy and
inquisitive (I call her Molu), caught my special attention,
because of her inherent character.
We selected the route via Pazhani and set off at earlymorning. After a pleasant drive through Palakkad and
Tamil Nadu border, we reached Pazhani, considered
the holiest of all six homes of Sree Muruga in Tamil
Nadu known as Arupadaiveedu in Tamil, others being
Thiruchendur, Thiruthani,Swami Malai,Thirupuram
Kundram and Pazhamuthir Cholai. We had a very
peaceful Darshan of the Lord, in the sense that
there was no much rush that day. After freshening up
and breakfast, we resumed the journey towards our
destination.
When the SUV was speeding through the highway,
Molu showered me with a urry of questions, which
any girl of her age would naturally be eager to know.
Balu etta, can we meet Dr.Abdul Kalam at
Rameswaram? For her Rameswaram was nothing
more than the birth place of our former President!
I asked Dont you know anything else about this
holy place? No. In fact I did not even know that a big
temple was there! I was surprised at this reply. Our
new generation is spoon- fed on general knowledge in
schools but nobody cares to teach them or at least
make them aware of our great culture and tradition, let
alone our faith! I thought.
Well, my dear, you should know that Rameswaram
is very strongly linked to the Great Epic Ramayana.
Then tell me all about it, brother! she was all ears
now.
Sri Ram & his vanar sena, in search of Devi Sita,
who had been abducted by Raavan, reached this place,
which is the nearest point to cross over to Lanka! With
this objective in mind,a grand Sethu was built over
the ocean!
When I was narrating the story, our vehicle reachedthe Pamban Bridge the 2.5 km long bridge which is
a masterpiece in engineering which connects the
mainland with the island of Rameswaram. The natural
beauty was beyond words; our spirits rose up just as the
fresh air from the open sea gushed into our wind pipes.
Balu etta, is this the new version of the bridge
which Lord ram built?
No no dear, you got it wrong! Ramasethu connects
Dhanushkodi, which is the eastern tip of Rameswaram
with Sri Lankan coast, the length of 20 kms! I want to
give you a real surprise within a few minutes you will
reach there.
The drive through the straight road to Dhanushkodi
took us to the last village on the island. Molu, you see
the remnants of the old city of Dhanushkodi, which was
the capital of Rameswaram during the British times.
But the whole city was destroyed by a severe cyclone
in the 1960s. The remains of the old Railway station,bus stand and the water tanks over there I said, are
still there as symbols of a lost empire!
How sad she said, but brother why we are going
Rameshwaram Tripan experience of
a life time
Travelogue
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
19/28Sopanam - October 2011 19
BharathDharshan
to that small hut, is it a tea shop?
No, I told you that you are in for a surprise! Go
inside to see the stone used by Lord Rams sena! They
were oating stones!!
Unbelievable!! she exclaimed. Let me check
it She ran towards the hut in sheer disbelief. After a
couple of minutes, she came back at the same speed,
and shouted Yes brother, I saw the sample of that
miraculous stone there! How is it possible?
Wait dear; more surprises are waiting for you! I
said, knowing that Molu will enjoy it to the core.
What is that village lady near that well doing? Why
is she calling us?
This is not an ordinary well, I said when we reached
near the old lady, this is a special well, created by the
arrow by Lord Rama himself, to quench the thirst of his
Sena members who were on the job of Sethubandhana!
Now drink from the well!
This is the sweetest natural water I ever drank in
my life! Molu said, Balu Etta, how is it possible tohave sweet water from sea shore?!!
Dear, there are no answers to some questions. Faith
and logic will see eye to eye only on rare occasions. But
if you cling on to your faith, you will win the world.
The world is nothing but your Inner self. I added, by
the way, this holy place got its name Dhanushkodi from
this holy arrow!
Dear brother, this trip is so informative for me! said
Molu, Thank you very much for taking me along.
As we returned to the main temple township, Molu
caught the vision of the Grand white stone Gopura of the
temple. She exclaimed Oh I thought it was Sri Ram
temple. You did not tell me that it is a Siva temple!
This is not just another Siva temple it is one of
the twelve Jyothirlingas of India and the only one of
South India. This temple is considered at par with Kasi,
where, according to our belief, the ultimate place for a
human to attain salvation, and the direct path to heaven
after death!
But how Sri Ram and Siva are linked here?
Molu, you know that Raavan was the Param Bhaktha
of Lord Siva, so Rama considered it imperative to offer
his apologies to the Lord, after killing Raavan. He
required Anjaneya to get a Siva Linga for this purpose.
But Hanumanji could not bring it on time! So Sita Devi
decided to make one Sivalinga herself, from the sand of
the shore. The main Shiv Linga of the present temple is
nothing but this one made by the holy hands of Devi! I
continued, the women who offer prayers here do make
Shivlingas as ritual to commemorate this incident.
At early morning the following day, we had Darsan
of this Holy Shivlinga and I noticed the eagerness and
anxiety in the eyes of Molu to see it in close quarters.We also had the customary bath from the twenty two
holy wells inside the temple premises, which symbolize
the twenty two holy rivers of Bharat.
As we were returning back home, and as Molu
was sleeping on my lap after that tiresome but novel
experience of a great trip, I gleefully thought that I was
the one who aroused her curiosity and interest in the
entire trip, which enabled her feel the fragrance and
mood of this Holy land blessed by the lotus feet of Sri
Rama.
All of us will be blessed forever, if we take a break
from our mechanical way of life to identify our roots
which are eternally linked to our tradition, culture and
faith this will not only revitalize our spirits, but also
provide sufcient positive energy to move on further in
our life! Jai Shri Ram!!!
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
20/28Sopanam - October 201120
BharathDharshan
Jayaprakash Narayan widely known as JP or the
Loknayak was an independence activist who
was more famously known for his Total Revo-
lution against the elected government of Smt.
Indira Gandhi who had declared an Emergency
in the country. He is recipient of the Bharat Rat-
na and the Magsaysay award for public service.
JP was a marxist who advocated that the movement
had to join the struggle for liberation along with the
Indian National Congress. This was opposed by the
prominent communists of that time. He joined the
Congress in 1929 and Gandhiji became his mentor. He
was arrested during the struggle. He was instrumental
in leading the Left wing group within the Congress.
He advocated non - violence to achieve social-
ism through democracy. But after Independencehe was quite disillusioned with the route fol-
lowed by the Congress and particularly Nehru.
He was actively involved in the Sarvoda-
ya movement and the Bhoodan movement.
In the seventies he led the students movement in
Bihar where he gave a call for Total Revolution.
He asked Indira Gandhi to resign when she was
acquitted by the Allahabad High court for outingelectoral laws. Despite failing health he kept up
with his struggle against the Emergency. In 1977
he guided the Janata Party to victory against Indira
Gandhi. Many youngsters joined the JP movement.
Jayaprakash Narayan died on 8 October 1979
due to effects of diabetes and heart ailments.
His Total Revolution movement was remembered
during the recent anti corruption movements led
by Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare. Other politi-
cal stalwarts have also taken up the cue to educate
the masses against the evils of corruption and why
its a must that this be eradicated from our society.
This can be put into practice only by educating the
masses and setting examples of progress in a cor-
ruption free environment. Armed struggle and open
calls to defy the fundamentals of the constitution
and system will only lead to anarchy at a later stage.
The success of a movement against corruption can
nd success with the support of nationalist organisa-
tions with a wide support base of individuals with
commitment and devotion. The movement needs the
to bring together like minded people and leaders fromall walks of life to nd its mark all over the country.
The JP movement's success was also because of the
support of the movements and political afliations
of that time which came together to protect the insti-
tution of democracy in the country.JP saw to it that
even ideologies and philosphy's with which he dif-
fered didn't come in the way of his struggle against
corruption and unethical politics. The present day
leaders need to learn from the JP movement on howto co exist and not be distracted by forces that are
bend in supporting establishments that are born to
bleed the nation.
JayaprakshNarayanan
Ksa Kma Pala
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
21/28Sopanam - October 2011 21
BharathDharshan
Agasthyarkoodam is one of the best trek-king places in Kerala, or South India is acces-sible only by foot and is not only a scenic place
but also a pilgrim center. ie trekkers have to take24 km trekking from Bonacaud, which is the
base camp of Agasthyarkoodam/Agastya Mala.
This hills is also known as Ashambu Hills andis the source/starting of many rivers like Kal-lada River, Achankoil River, Vamanapuram River,
Karamana River, and Neyyar River in the Kera-la side and the Thamirabarani River, RamanadhiRiver, and Manimuthar River in Tamil Nadu side.The name Agasthaymala, came from the great Hindufor the nature lovers.
Wildlife Sanctuary (6 km from Ambasamudram) andPapanasam Waterfalls (also known as Agastya Falls)in Tirunelveli district are the main attractions nearby.
Sage Agasthya muni, whose statue is situated at thetop of the peak and the sage,among Hindu Religion,isconsidered to be an perfect bachelor (brahmacha-ri), and thus women are not allowed to the peak.
The hill is heaven for bird watchers and is blessed
with rare species of herbs and medicinal plants.Avery rare and special herb/plant named 'Arogyapa-cha', famously known as 'Plant of Eternal Health',is a speciality of Agasthyamala, and it attractsmany researchers to this area. The sides and slopesof Agasthyakoodam is natuarally gardened with aspecial type green herbs, 'Neelakkurinjui' whichusually blooms once in a 12 year. when it blooms,the whole area will be carpetted with the violet
Neelakkuirinjis...! and it is an eyecatching sight
Also, as already said, the 28 km trek to reachthe top of Agasthyakoodam is the main at-
trction here, and the trekkers must take pri-or permission for trekking from The Wild-life Warden, Agasthyavanam Biological Park.
Trekking is mainly allowed in the months ofJanuary and February. For permission contact:
Address:The Wildlife Warden
Agasthyavanam Biological Park,Rajeev Gandhi Nagar
Vattiyourkavu PO
Trivandrum 695013Telephone 0471-236860; 0471-2272182
Agasthyarkoodam, located 70 km from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of
KERALA, is the second highest peak in the state after
Anamudi. With a great altitude of 1,868 m (6,129 ft) from the sea level, it rests in the Sahyadris,
western Ghats with pride in the form of a sharp cone.
AgasthyarkoodamAgasthyamalaHeaven for trekkers, Hill Station, Bird wathers Paradise,
Reserve Forest in Kerala
Also, this place is home to many endangered speciesof wild animals too, like Lion-Tailed Macaques, Ben-gal Tiger, Nilgiri Marten, Nilgiri Tahr, Malabar SpinyDormouse, Great Pied Hornbills, Gaur, and Sloth Bear.
Places of attraction nearby:
Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, Neyyar Dam, Ney-yar Lion Safari Park, and Peppara Dam, Mundanthurai
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
22/28Sopanam - October 201122
Vijayadhasami celebration - 2011
Kuwait: On the occ asion of Vijayadashmi and Navarathri, Seva Darshan held traditionalfunctions in all the units in Kuwait. Vidhyarambham was given to more than 40 children.
On the occasion Diwali, Seva Darshan will be conducting an interactive session for chil-dren," THE ROLE OF YUVA IN CHANGING INDIA '. The programme will be held at05.30PM on 22 October 2011 at the Sopanam hall in Salmiya. We are requesting children inthe age group of 12 and above to attend this session.For more details and information youcan contact sevadarshan @gmail.com
Vichar Bharati Kuwait will launch its membership campaign on October 21, 2011. Thecampaign will end in December and is expected to generate large interest in the upcoming
programmes of the organization for next year. For more details and information you can contact :[email protected]
The Nationalist Media Forum Kuwait will release the brochure of its pilot programme,JANAM TV, on October 21,2001. For more information and details you can contact:[email protected]
News
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
23/28Sopanam - October 2011 23
News
Vijayadhasami celebration - 2011
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
24/28Sopanam - October 201124
A parent has to make the childa man to whom the earth belongs
- Rudyard Kipling
My son has scored 99%; my daughter is her school
topper- these statements buzz around our ears in the
season of results. These are the comments of the
privileged parents who strut like proud peacocks. The
parents of every top-scorer claims the high marks to be the outcome of their hard work. They list out the
sacrices they have done for the sake of their children
scoring high. Is this the only job of a parent? If the
answer is yes, we are certainly wrong. We should
never measure the success of an individual with their
academic performance. It is inevitable that a child needs
to be academically excellent. But it is more important
the children blossom out to be good individuals. The
parents play a vital role in shaping up the child through
the value education provided. This responsibilitydemands multi-tasking skills from the parents end of
which academic excellence is just one step.
Value education like charity begins at home. So, the
parents have to provide a sound and safe home front
to the children. They must convert their houses into
homes. With the extinction of the joint families,
this is a real challenge for the parents. They have to
be better substitutes for the grandparents. What did
our grandparents do to their grandchildren? They are
good companions and pillars of moral support to their
lineage. Our epic Mahabharatha has Bhishma- the
godfather- the major source of inspiration in the family
for Arjuna. Children will naturally adopt the good
qualities from their ancestors easily.
Next to the grandparents come good friends. The
modern lifestyle does not provide enough time to spend
with friends. The children must be taught to differentiate
between acquaintances and friends. Children who
have grown up listening to the stories by Duryodhanaand Karna will denitely know what true friendship
is. A good friendship strengthens the foundation of a
childs character. Spending hours over mobile phones
talking to so called friends. Freaking out with them
during holidays and such activities are not the denition
of intimate friendship. We nd frustrated youngsters
ending up in killing themselves after all these busy
associations. It clearly means that they dont know
what intimate friendship is. So, parents have to be their
rst friends. They have to be very friendly and win the
condence of their children. They become the pioneersof various roles of their children at all ages.
It is not a cake-walk for the parents. Children
perceive all relationships through parents. So, the
parents have to be extra careful in all the roles they
play. They have to be excellent grandparents, intimate
friends and interesting companions to their children
at all times. They have to cater to all their emotional
requirements constantly. The parents are the childs
friend, philosopher and guide and even god- Mata,
Pita, Guru, Deivam- say our Vedas.
How to play these multi-various roles successfully?
How to take the time out from the mad run? These
are the challenging questions to the modern parents.
Though the questions seem to be complicated, the
answer is very simple. Parents need to spend quality
time with their children.
Rules to be followed for good parenting:-
1. Travel in the track your child wants to.
2. Never advice the child. Just guide them in their
choices.
3. Never thrust your ideas on them.
4. God has blessed you to be a parent because he
knows you have the potential in you to be so.
The children have to battle their lives, with the
parents shielding them throughout. But parents and
children are mutually made for each other.
GOOD PARENTS DONT PREACH. THEY LEAD
BY EXAMPLE
Ms.Gomay Amgam
Parents' role in buildingthe child's character
Education
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
25/28Sopanam - October 2011 25
Bala Lokam
Who can forget their childhood Deepava-
li days.puja, sweets, savouries, vis-
its to friends houses, crackers and fun?
Deepavali, the Indian festival of lights, falls on theday of 'Amavasyaa', when the moon does not rise
and there is darkness all around. Light, being symbol
of hope and positive energy, indicates the victory of
good over evil. By spreading light in every corner of
our houses, we try to destroy the reign of darkness, on
the night of Deepavali. We decorate our homes with
deepams or diyas, electric bulbs and other decorative
electric lighting xtures, to ll our surroundings with
colorful light and to make it bright and beautiful.
Deepavali and its importanceDeepavali - the very name reveals its meaning. The
festival is all about lighting the deepams. Deep-
awali or Diwali is also known as 'the festival of
lights', because on this day, people illuminate their
home and premises with diyas and colorful lights.
Celebrated usually in the month of October or
November, Diwali bears signicance in the Hindu
culture as well as among Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains.
Many stories abound about Deepavali. Somesay that Lord Rama, King of Ayodhya, his wife
Sita and brother Lakshmana returned to Ay-
odhya after a 14 year exile. They had fought a
war in which he killed the demon king Ravana.
The people of Ayodhya lit diyas or oil lamps in rows
People of all ages celebrate Diwali throughout In-
dia with equal zeal and enthusiasm. They wear new
clothes and participate in the various activities that
are related to Deepavali celebrations. It is a festival
of celebrations such as lightings, crackers, color-
ful rangoli making, social gatherings to exchangegreetings and sharing sweets with our loved ones.
Deepavali is a festival lled with spiritualism and
D e e p a v a l i -Festival of Lights
religious activities and brings a series of festivals
with it. One after another, we get a chance to cel-
ebrate ve pujas such as worship of Goddess Laksh-
mi, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Kali, Lord Chitragupta
and Govardhan Mountain. The celebration of the
ve-day long festival begins on Aswayuja Bahula
Chaturdashi and concludes on Kartika Shudha Vi-
jaya. The rst day of this festival begins with 'Dhana
Trayodashi' or 'Dhanteras'. After the Dhanvantari
Trayodashi the second day of Deepavali is 'Naraka
Chaturdashi', which is popular as 'Chhoti Diwali'.
The third day of Diwali, which is also called 'Badi
Diwali' is the main day of celebrations of the festi-
val of Diwali. People perform Lakshmi Puja (wor-ship of divine Goddess Lakshmi) on this day and
offer prayers to Her to bless them with wealth and
prosperity. The fourth day of Deepavali is devoted
to Govardhan Pooja (worship of Lord Govardhan
Parvat). The fth day of the Diwali is Bhai Dooj,
the time to honor the brother-sister relationship.
In our scriptures, the spirit of praying has been very
strong. But todays consumer driven world pushes
new product launches, heavy sale and new ventures.
While they are all a part of our modern lives, weshould not forget the essence of Deepavaliremov-
al of darkness and ignorance through prayers and in-
vocations so that our future generations understand
the importance of these practices in our lives. There
is great power in prayers and Deepavali proves it.
We wish all our readers a very happy Deep-
avali! May it remove all darkness from
our lives and bring the light of knowledge.
Gaya raa
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
26/28Sopanam - October 201126
Bala Lokam
Sneha and Suder,Salmiya, Baladharshan
Amalendu AnilkumarSalmiya, Baladharshan
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
27/28Sopanam - October 2011 27
Bala Lokam
There was a beautiful mountain named Trikuta. The
waves of the ocean lapped at the foot of Trikuta.
There were thick forests on the mountain. And in
the forests there lived a king of elephants named-
Gajendra. He ruled over all the other elephants in
the herd.
One day Gajendra was playing with his family &
friends, the other elephants in a lake in the forest.
Suddenly, a crocodile that lived in the pond caught
Gajendra by his leg.Gajendra, in spite of being an
elephant could not break free. He then, called out
for help. All his friends, the other elephants gath-
ered around him and tried to help, but in vain. The
crocodile was stronger than all the elephants put to-
gether. They gave up. Gajendra tried for a long time
to escape from the crocodile. He trumpeted until hewas hoarse. The crocodile simply would not let go.
The elephant and the crocodile struggled for a
thousand years. When a thousand years over, the
elephant began to tire, although the crocodiles
strength was still undiminished. Gajendra lost a lot
of blood and he became very weak. He finally real-
ized that only God could help him and called out to
Lord Narayana.
The elephant started to pray to Lord Vishnu. Lord
Vishnu heard Gajendras cries for help and ap-
peared on his vehicle, Garuda. He sent the Sudar-
shana Chakra whirling down. The Chakra killed the
crocodile and set Gajendra free. Gajendra offered
Lord Narayana a Lotus and thanked him for saving
his life.
Strange as it may seem, the crocodile then adopted
the form of a gandharva. His name was Huhu. He
had been cursed by a sage that he would become acrocodile. And he sage had told him that he would be
freed from the curse by Lord Vishnu. That had now
happened. In fact. the elephant had earlier also been
a king named Indradyumna. And he had been cursed
by a sage that he would be born as an elephant.
Indradyumna too was freed from his curse and
became Vishnus companion.
Thus lord vishnu saves who ever prays to him .
Amalendu Anilkumar - Salmiya BaladarshanGajendra Moksha
8/3/2019 Sopanam E Magazine - Issue 7
28/28
COMING SOON....