Qatar Is Ready And Rolls Out The Red Carpet For The Greatest FIFA World Cup Ever!!

By – Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

The latest chapter of the “Greatest Show On Earth” the most eagerly awaited 22nd edition of the quadrennial global carnival – The FIFA World Cup Finals, will be hosted for the first time in the Middle East in the magnificent and enchanting State of Qatar, from Sunday, 20 November 2022 to Sunday, 18th December 2022.

There are a few unique and interesting facts about the Qatar FIFA World Cup worth highlighting. It will be the first world cup that will be held in the winter months of November and December. All the previous world cups since inception were held between May and July of their respective years. It will also be the first one to be hosted by any Arab Country and only the second occasion when this event is hosted in Asia. Qatar will be the smallest nation both in terms of area and population to host the world cup and will also get the distinction of being the first host country to never have played in any World Cup before. This world cup is set to become the shortest ever as it will start and conclude in 28 days, where 64 matches will be played and a World Champion identified. These matches will be hosted in 8 stadiums which will be the least number of stadiums ever used for a 32-nation world cup. Another unique aspect is that all these stadiums are located within a radius of 60 odd kilometres and timewise a mere 90 minutes apart from the two most distant ones, thereby making it the most compact world cup. This will be the first world cup where the teams will not have to constantly travel between cities and matches, as they will all be lodged permanently in one location for the whole duration of the tournament.

Here is a brief summary of some interesting facts that were compiled with my inquisitive Aquarian curiosity, in order to unravel the many subtleties of the event and fathom the staggering statistics to help us enjoy the competition even better. A total of 211 national teams were involved in 865 matches in a protracted COVID-affected three-year-long qualification process that started on 6 June 2019 and ended on 14 Jun 2022, to finally select 32 teams for Qatar. Apart from Qatar who auto-qualify as the hosts, Germany was the first team to qualify on 11 Oct 2021 and Costa Rica was the last team to qualify on 14 June 2022.

I will break down the 32 teams according to the affiliated football continental zones they belong to. There are a total of 13 European-UEFA ( 1. Belgium, 2. France, 3. England, 4. Spain, 5. Netherlands, 6. Portugal, 7. Denmark, 8. Germany, 9. Croatia, 10. Switzerland, 11. Wales, 12. Serbia, & 13. Poland ), 4 South American-CONMEBOL ( 1. Brazil, 2. Argentina, 3. Uruguay, & 4. Ecuador ), 5 African-CAF ( 1. Senegal, 2. Morocco, 3. Tunisia, 4. Cameroon & 5. Ghana ), 5 Asian-AFC ( 1. Iran, 2. Japan, 3. South Korea, 4. Qatar (Hosts) & 5. Saudi Arabia ), 4 Central American-CONCACAF ( 1. Mexico, 2. USA, 3. Canada & 4. Costa Rica ) and 1 Oceanic-OFC ( 1. Australia ) countries in this distinguished total of 32 national teams.

Just for the record 9 out of the ‘Top-10’ national teams have made it to the Qatar World Cup finals. The only exception is the perennial favourites and four times world champions, currently ranked 6th – Italy. When we include the ‘Top-20’, we see that 18 out of the top 20 football teams have made it to Qatar. The 17th-ranked Columbia is the only other team, besides Italy that is in the top 20, that could not qualify. Besides these two, other popular teams like Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Mali, and Ivory Coast missed the bus from Africa. Sweden, Hungary, Greece, Austria, Romania, Ireland, and Scotland are some conspicuous absentees from Europe. The likes of Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Bolivia are not there from South America. Turkey, Iraq, UAE, China, and New Zealand are some of the other notable teams who also sadly could not make it this time. Brazil with the current No 1 FIFA ranking is obviously the highest-ranked team, and Ghana with a ranking of 61 is the lowest-ranked team of the 32 who qualified for the Qatar World Cup. Qatar is the only new team which is making its World Cup debut in the 2022 edition.

Some other interesting trivia about qualifications is that Brazil is the only country to have qualified for all 22 World Cups, the other countries who make up the ‘Top 5’ in qualifications are 2. Germany 20 times, 3. Argentina/Italy (Not Qualified) 18, 4. Mexico 17 & 5. England/Spain/France have all qualified 16 times. Wales is making a reappearance in the world cups after 64 long years, as they had last qualified in 1958, Canada is also making a comeback to the world cups after 36 years, as they had last qualified in 1986.

The FIFA World Cup is 92 years old now. The first World Cup with 13 invited teams was held in 1930 in Uruguay, which incidentally was won by the hosts themselves. Subsequent expansion and remodelling of the qualification formats settled on sending 32 national teams to the World Cup finals, from France – 1998 onwards. (Just a quick update, this number is set to change to 48 teams from the 2026 World Cup.) The 32 teams in the current World Cup are further divided into 8 groups of 4 teams each, the teams in the group will play each other in a round-robin, which will decide on the top two teams, who will then proceed to the knock-out rounds. Of the 200+ teams in FIFA to date, a total of only 81 national teams have made at least one appearance in a FIFA World Cup finals.

Statistically speaking, Brazil and Germany in their 21 and 19 appearances respectively, have played the maximum number of World Cup games totalling 109, but Brazil has scored the maximum number of 229 goals so far. In terms of wins, Brazil has 73 wins as against 67 by Germany, even on the points earned Brazil has the edge of 237 to 221 over Germany. To put things in better perspective and show how these two top teams are heads and shoulders above the rest, let us examine the numbers for the third and fourth-placed teams in this list, which includes Italy in the third place, having played 83 winning only 45 games after scoring 128 goals in their 18 appearances in finals, followed by Argentina in the fourth place having played 81 winning 43 games scoring 137 goals in their 17 appearances.

In the 92-year history of FIFA World Cups, the 21 editions of this competition have thrown up only 8 different winners. 6 of these 8 countries have won it more than one time and 2 have won it only a single time. Leading the winners is Brazil with 5 wins followed by Germany and Italy 4 times each, Uruguay, Argentina, and France have won this competition 2 times each. England and Spain are the countries that have won only 1 time each. This competition has been dominated by European and Latin American teams, no Asian or African team has ever won this cup. In the continental stakes, it was won 12 times by European teams and 9 times by South American teams.

Being in Qatar at the epicentre of the action one can sense the football fever moving into overdrive. Be it in the print, social or broadcast media there is a palpable energy in the buzz created. We have always seen reports of frenzied football fans waving national flags, chanting and singing on the streets all around the world when the matches are played. The wonder of this simple game is in its universal appeal, and this particular event has been a great unifier of the human race. The whole world follows the matches with passionate zeal. Billions of eyeballs are glued to the live action be it in the stadiums, on the television sets, in the fan zones, bars and restaurants, or in the comfort of one’s homes. Each and every single football enthusiast on the planet irrespective of their country of origin, select one team that they want to root for and desire to win. No wonder then that this event has such a global impact in terms of ardent viewership and fanatic fan-following. All over the world business grinds to a halt, and the streets remain deserted when the favourite teams are playing. Each world cup has its own defining moments for what it will be remembered for in later years, like for instance the Maradona ‘Hand Of God” goal from the 1986 cup, the many Schillaci goals for Italy in the 1990 cup, the Ronaldo seizure before 1998 final, and the Zinedine Zidane head-butting incident from the 2006 cup, to just name a few.

Personally, I have been a loyal fan of the Selecao or the Brazilian National Team, ever since I started following these cups 40 years ago in 1982 when Italy won the cup in Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid defeating Germany 3-1. The other world cups I have since been following have the following winners in Argentina (in Mexico)-86, Germany (in Italy)-90, Brazil (in the USA)-94, France (in France)-98, Brazil (in Japan)-2002, Italy (in Germany)-2006, Spain (in South Africa)-2010, Germany (in Brazil)-2014, and France (in Russia) 2018.

I am looking forward to witnessing some, fair and hard-fought competitive games with contrasting intercontinental styles executed with individual flair and brilliance at their best, showcasing skilful and exciting soccer. A few new-generation superstars are awaiting discovery, unknown records are waiting to be made, old histories will be rewritten, and many memorable moments gifted for eternity, in the 28 days of the football extravaganza. The inaugural clash on the 20th of November 2022 is between hosts Qatar (Ranked 50) and Ecuador (Ranked 44) and will culminate in the 18th of December 2022 summit clash, which will be between the two best teams in the soccer world currently. The stage is set and the 8 ultra-modern, centrally air-conditioned stadiums that are aesthetic architectural marvels are waiting for the soccer-crazy fans from all over the world to fill up the stands and witness some of the most memorable football they have ever seen.

All the best to all the 32 teams. As always I will be cheering for my favourite Brazilian team. Come on Brazil! I know in the end it will be that country which played smart to win their total of 7 matches which includes the 3 group games and 4 knock-out games, that will win the World Cup. May the best team win!!

All roads lead to Qatar, and soon all eyes of the world will be on this World Cup that promises to be the best one ever to be hosted in the history of the game. The biggest fan zone awaits everyone, and all lucky to come can “Expect Amazing” as Qatar is now all ready to welcome the lovers of football, as it rolls out the red carpet for all its guests for the grandest festival of football on the planet!

Lulu Shopping Mall, Kochi

This gallery contains 40 photos.

The Egyptian Food Festival “Khan el Khalili” March 2013, Trident Hotel, Kochi

“Khan el Khalili” – The Egyptian Food Festival!

@ Travancore, Trident Hotel, Willingdon Island, Kochi

By Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

Chef Ibrahim Ismail Mustafa, from the secluded Red Sea Coast, luxury white sand exclusive beach resort, The Oberoi, Sahl Hasheesh, has flown down to The Trident, Kochi these days. He is the guest Masterchef, for the “Khan el Khalili” – Egyptian Food Festival being hosted at the Travancore restaurant in the hotel. This wonderful festival goes on for another week until the 10th of March.

The festival is presented as a comprehensive theme buffet for both lunch and dinner. The whole restaurant has literally taken an Egyptian face. The Tutankhamun bust stares out from literally every glass pane on the various French windows that make the perimeter of the restaurant. He is also present on every table as a miniature cutout nestled in the table centerpiece as if personally presiding over the meal. Queen Nefertari, the wife of Pharaoh Ramses II, welcomes one and all, perched atop the faux-stone arch entry to the restaurant. On entering, one is greeted by the smart waiting staff who are also dressed for the occasion, in their Red Tailed-Cummerbunds, Black Embroidered Waistcoats, topped off in a typical Scarlet Fez.

The buffet island is dominated by a huge Pyramid right in the center. So much so, that the existing urns that embellish the environment, blend in with the theme, to create the aura of the historic civilization. Thoughtfully the aural stimulus is also catered for, as one catches haunting strains of the eternal melodies of the greatest female singer in Arabic music history, The Star of The East – Umm Kulthum, among other Egyptian tunes, which enhances the mood of the experience. To round off this food adventure, the adjoining courtyard wears a festive look with fluorescent satin canopied desert tents, which host the Hookah Bar, where one can relax with friends, dragging at the Shisha savoring the various flavors of tobacco on offer.

Teaming up with Chef Ibrahim is the local Executive Chef Eeshaan Kashyap, and together they have conjured up an absolutely delicious and representative menu, that showcased Egyptian cuisine at its best. We started with the Fattoush Bread Salad and Salata Baladi a selection of cubed vegetables rich in leafy greens. My favorite however was the miniature green stuffed vine leaf wraps called Dolma. There was an assortment of dips like Sesame-Tahina, White Chickpea-Hummus, Aubergine-Baba Ghanoush, and a delectable Garlic flavored Yogurt to complement the food.

This Middle Eastern cuisine is quite spice-intense and favors the abundant use of Red Cherry Peppers, Chickpeas, and hand-picked spices like Dukkah, Allspice, Aniseed, Sumac, Paprika, Caraway Seeds, Cumin, Cardamom, and Za’atar for the meats.

The baked bread included the thick glutinous pita bread called Aeish Masri, the white pita bread Aeish Shami, and wheat-based Aeish Baladi. There was also Roz bil Shagria a type of flavored rice with vermicelli. They were the perfect accompaniments, for the selection of succulent beef in gravy, soft curried chicken, and the white sea-fish stew – Tagin Samak, which we all relished the most.

The desserts included the perennial favorites, Kunafa – sweet vermicelli burfis, Basbousa – sweet semolina, Kahk – stuffed date biscuits, Sheikalama – coconut-almond cookie, Roz be Laban – rice pudding and Umm Ali, the national dish of Egypt, a type of raisin cake soaked in milk, served hot.

This was one food journey that ensured that all the five senses were taken over by the Pharaohnic mystique of the Land of the Nile.

This sumptuous buffet experience costs only, a paltry all-inclusive Rs 799/- Mind you this includes a complimentary beer/soft drink/juice and Shisha. What is anyone waiting for?

Trident Hotel, Kochi

Phone – 0484-3081000

Oscar Night Nostalgia – Our Trip To Universal Studios Hollywood

The Oscar buzz has brought back memories of our trip to the Universal Studios, Hollywood. Here is the link, to a few pictures from that trip, that I have posted on my Blogger blog.http://dppillayphotos.blogspot.in/2013/02/trip-to-universal-studios-hollywood.html 

Matteo Coffea, Kochi

Matteo Coffea, Kochi

A New Waterfront Coffee Place in Kochi

By – Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

Great news for the growing numbers of hang-out lovers of Kochi;  there is this amazing new waterfront café, right in the heart of the city now. Soft-launched on Nov 12, this three-month-old, “Matteo Coffea” (mind you, there is no spelling mistake, the ‘coffee’ is deliberately spelt COFFEA in the name), is the local branch of the ‘Biggest Coffee Shop’ in Bangalore (If familiar, it is the one located just off Brigade Road on Church Street). The Bangalore-based original is a sprawling 15,000 Sq Ft sanctum, dedicated to the most addictive brew ‘Coffee’. Incidentally, this cafe chain is christened ‘Matteo’ Latin for Mathew, to honour the visionary founder and CEO of the 30-year-old Bangalore, Burgers & Softie pioneers, Sterling’s Mac Fast Food – Mr John Mathew.

The second outlet of the Group was opened here, and though modest in comparison to the first one, this place can still serve in excess of 60 customers at one time. This tastefully done up place is beautifully located on the rear waterfront side of the Swapnil Enclave apartment building, located on Shanmugham Road, opposite the gutted Joy Allukas Wedding Centre at the High Court Junction. The ambience is very warm, inviting and ‘coffee-inspiring’. There is a lot of interesting trivia on various brews, displayed around the café. The various types of coffee boldly emblazoned on the wall behind the counter, tease one to try a cup at the Espresso Bar.

Beverages are served in the – Tall & Grande variants and come in an agreeably priced range, like Coffees for (Rs 65 – 140), Milk Shakes (Rs 120 – 145), Ice-blended goodies like Iced Teas (Rs 60 – 80) and Shekeratos (Rs 105 – 150).

The place also serves a limited offering of eats that go well with coffee, like Sandwiches (Rs 110 – 160), Burgers (Rs 135 – 210), Salads (Rs 155 – 205), an assortment of Wraps for Rs 145, a variety of Eggs to order (Rs 65 – 150) a selection of Penne & Spaghetti Pastas (Rs 210 – 265), besides the customary baked staples like Doughnuts, Brownies and Pastries.

I quite liked the look and feel of this place.  From where I got to sit, I felt relaxed, gazing endlessly, at the shimmer of the placid waters of the Vembanad Lake, stretching out onto the horizon. Not quite the ultimate place for either the brew or the eats, but it is definitely an awesome joint to hang out with friends. Undeniably, this is a great nook, to get lost in one’s thoughts, surveying the aqueous vista.

‘Matteo Coffea’ a warm welcome to Kochi!

Matteo Coffea

Ground Floor, Rear-side, Swapnil Enclave, Shamnmugham Road, High Court Junction,

Kochi – 682 002

Open – 0900 until 2300 all 7 days of the week. Phone: 0484-6003010.

Special 26

Special Chabbis

Story of Five Striding Conmen Who Steal the Show!

By – Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

An absolutely riveting heist film set in the 80s, inspired by the famous Opera House, Tribhuvandas Bhimji Zaveri, daylight robbery on 19 March 1987, in Bombay by a group of 26 people (they make up the ‘Special 26’ in the titular reference) posing as CBI sleuths, this Neeraj Pandey film is an absolute entertainer.

The plot opens with a scene dated 18 March 1987, where two conmen P K Sharma alias Sharmaji (Anupam Kher) and Ajay Singh alias Ajju (Akshay Kumar) posing as CBI Officers conduct a walk-in recruitment interview, before going into a flashback. The excitement starts in New Delhi, with Ajay Singh purportedly from the CBI, making a phone call, asking for manpower assistance for a secret raid, from the Tughlak Road, Police Station where SI Ranveer Singh (Jimmy Shergill) agrees, only to be told to drive to a rendezvous to know where the actual raid would be conducted. Ajay then proceeds with his accomplices P K Sharma, Iqbal (Kishore Kadam), and Joginder (Rajesh Sharma) to the tryst, to marry up with the Police team, wherefrom they proceed to raid a corrupt Minister’s residence. As anticipated, loads of cash and valuables were found, hidden in every imaginable crevice, including the Pooja room, in this sprawling mansion. They drive away with a mini-van load of loot. Here it is revealed that Ajay and his accomplices were a fake CBI team. The quartet then merge into the crowds to quickly disperse, by all manner of transportation, to their respective residences, scattered across the country at Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Mumbai. The next morning expectedly nothing was reported in the press. This team had specialized in conducting raids only on people who have amassed ill-gotten wealth and therefore would never report their losses to law enforcement.

Ranveer with his senior officer then meet the raided minister, who refuses to lodge any official complaint regarding the false raid, to save himself from being reduced to a laughing stock in his constituency, he, however, ensures that Ranveer and his colleague Shanti (Divya Dutta) are suspended for their irresponsibility. It is here we are introduced to Mr. Tough Guy, the real CBI officer Wasim Khan (Manoj Bajpai). The disgraced Ranveer wants revenge and joins hands with Khan to go after the criminal quartet. The rest of the plot carries us through the Burra Bazar, an Income Tax Raid in Kolkata by Ajay and the gang, which finally gets reported only on the insistence of Khan, with an aim to spread panic in the minds of the conmen. It does serve to inspire the team to go for one final “Big Raid” which is also the climax of the movie. To carry the story to its climax, the CBI with the help of Ranveer mysteriously stumbles upon the criminal records of Sharmaji and immediately taps into his phone conversations with Ajay to manage to get some vital clues regarding the final heist in Bombay. They then do everything they can, to foil this raid. For the sake of keeping the suspense alive, and the fun of the movie intact, suffice it to say, the unexpected twist, in the end, takes this movie to an altogether different high. It has to be seen, to be discovered.

I did feel this film, in which the two female characters, played by Kajal and Divya, had precious little to do, had its small share of shortcomings. They definitely could have scripted a better way to ease their foot off the pedal once in a while, than for instance relying on the unnecessary romantic angle, which was tedious, unconvincing, and a total waste of time. Except for the freshly bathed Priya Chavan’s (Kajal Aggarwal) tulsi-watering introductory scene, where she looked stunningly angelic, there was no sizzle in her chemistry with Akshay, to salvage something out of this love story. It however superfluously added to the 143-minute length of this movie, and so did the long Manoj Bajpai introductory scooter chase through CP and the whole Chandigarh trip ending in the pre-nuptial song for Sharmaji’s daughter’s wedding. I do have another intriguing question for Mr. Pandey, Sharmaji confesses to 49 raids, and we know how much is collected in such hit-and-run seizures, but then all the conmen seem to still survive in apparent penury, despite the obvious prosperity they must be sitting on, where does all the money from the raids go? Sadly, this film also won’t be remembered much for its melody, as the audience is too rapt and caught up in the relentless drama.

Though, definitely not in the league of his earlier 2008 debut film ‘A Wednesday’, this Neeraj Pandey effort is still very ‘Special’. However, what I distinctly remember rather curiously is that, for almost half the length of this two-and-a-half-hour movie, there is always this constant striding towards the camera, to the accompaniment of some rousing background score, by the various characters, maybe it is the Director’s deliberate ploy to enthrall by implying intense movement and an overwhelming pace. I wonder if others also felt that it was, at times, a bit overdone.

The star of the show, for me, was undoubtedly the thespian Anupam Kher. He was brilliant; I shall remember a few scenes for a very long time, like his reaction in muted shock, at the Kolkata Airport while reading a newspaper that reported their raid. Another memorable sequence was when he was confronted by Manoj and Jimmy in the hotel room the night before the final raid, his range of expressions in utter surrender, during this encounter was amazing.

Akshay’s performance, in comparison, was a very measured one, fortunately, the two AKs (Akshay K & Anupam K) instead of competing with each other, brilliantly complemented each other, this was a highlight of this film. Ajay did provide some great moments too. The presence of mind shown in changing the raid location in Burra Bazar, Kolkata, as also the audacity of getting help from the other group of raiders, to load the cars, post that raid was hilarious. His motivational speech to the successful candidates after the interview, towards the end, was something that even Sharmaji said, which made him forget for a moment that he was a crook.

Manoj with his furrowed brow, has a frown permanently etched on his face, which did not help in bringing out the range of histrionics he is normally capable of, as there is only so much one can do with one’s eyes alone. Having said that, his was an important and competent performance, which carried the story with its tautness intact.

Neeraj Pandey has rationally scripted and skillfully directed this period thriller. The meticulous and flawless manner in which the late 80s Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai were recreated, was no mean achievement and needs to be applauded. Cinematographer Bobby Singh has done a great job in canning the 80s for us. The attention to detail, with regard to reconstructing a bygone era, be it in the advertisements of the time, the old Ambassadors, Fiats, and Marutis with the odd Lambretta scooter, the magazines, currency notes, dial phones, etc, was unimpeachable. Also, the interview snippets of all the various candidates and their absurd moronic responses were very entertaining.

There were more than twenty-six reasons for me to like this film, I felt thoroughly entertained at the end of the two and half hour Delhi to Dubai journey of the primary conmen. Go see it; you will definitely enjoy ‘SPECIAL 26’, especially the surprise ending!

One Billion Rising – Kochi

    One Billion Rising! Kochi – Strike! Dance! Rise!

A Day Kochi Pledged To Ensure The Safety of Its Women!

By – Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

One Billion Rising! ( OBR ) is a global one-day campaign by women, for women, on Thursday, 14 Feb 2013, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the 1998-born V-Day Movement, initiated by the 59-year-old American feminist, performer, activist, playwright of “The Vagina Monologues” and world-renowned activist – Eve Ensler, herself a sad victim of paternal abuse. This movement calls for an end to violence and for justice and gender equality for women all around the world.

This worldwide rally is being held in around 197 countries, aided and supported by more than 13000 organizations, it is believed that supporters would take time from their busy lives, jobs, homes, and businesses to join together to dance in a show of solidarity, in refusal to accept violence against women anymore, anywhere. The ‘One Billion’ in the slogan refers to the number of women the world over, who have already suffered outrage and are hapless survivors of various types of abuse. The V-Day Organization has analyzed, that one in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime, and therefore, has given a clarion call to rise up, and demand an end to all manner of violence against women. They say one billion women violated is a shameful atrocity, but then one billion women dancing will be a glorious revolution!

The evening started with singer Usha Uthup riding a float flagged off by Bishop Sebastian Edayantharath and M Lakshmi, from the Rajendra Maidan to the Durbar Hall stage, accompanied by an enthusiastic procession of people from all walks of life. There was a fair sprinkling of representatives from a variety of fields like politics, law, cinema, performing arts, journalism, writing, TV, NGOs, religious organizations, academic institutions, and the obvious women organizations, who actively participated and ensured the success of this movement – OBR.

The event was proud to have an art installation by Contemporary Visual Artist Sajitha Shankar, which symbolized the inner ‘Shakthi’ of the Indian woman rising to end the violence. The proceedings on the grounds, started with the lighting of lamps around this art installation along with communal prayer, thereafter, Justice Usha Sukumaran administered an oath to the assembly of people, appropriate to the occasion. Justice V R Krishna Iyer spoke with passion and inspired the multitude in attendance to support women and shun any kind of violence against them. It was very heartening to also see Industrialist Mr. Jose Thomas, the Head of the Choice Group, also took time out from his busy schedule, to not only speak a few words but also shake a leg with Usha Uthup and other dancers on the stage, in support of the crusade.

Thereafter there was a new energy that was unleashed on the assembled throng, with the effervescence created by ‘Didi’- Usha Uthup’s renditions in her mellifluous voice. Ranjini Haridas added her share of vivaciousness with her enthusiastic spontaneity and infectious zeal. The various songs regaled the audience, it must be said that the selection was apt and well thought-out, befitting the spirit that was required to be created for the occasion. I would like to make a special mention of two of Didi’s songs – “Ente Keralam Ethre Sundaram” and “Bindiya Chamkegi” which were instant hits with the masses, all were seen wildly enjoying these foot-tapping numbers. The event also had other artists performing a variety of acts for the entertainment of the assembled crowd. It was indeed a most memorable evening, gleefully celebrated with exuberance, high energy, and gay abandon.

Let us hope this great show of solidarity by the local citizenry, would go a long way in ensuring that our wonderful Kochi fulfills the primary V-Day Org vision of providing in this city “a world where women live safely and freely”.

Sailing Club House – Kochi

 Sailing Club House, Kochi

An Exclusive and Intimately Private Backwater Retreat
By – Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

We were most pleasantly surprised on discovering this peaceful hideout on the banks of the calm waters of the Vembanad Lake, on the hitherto under-explored island of Panangad, very close to the Lakeshore Hospital, just off NH 47, around nine odd kilometers from Vytilla. It just took us all of 40 minutes, in the peak weekday evening traffic, that too after stopping twice for the odd pointer in the right direction, to get there from Kakkanad, where we had started from.

This wonderful place is a pristine villa, nestling two spacious bedrooms, exotically christened as Tamara & Ambal. These air-conditioned bed chambers with attached bathrooms have commodious, warm and welcoming bedsteads, and the room space has been charmingly embellished and tastefully spruced up. But for me, the one thing that just took my breath away was that both these rooms had their own, discreet, high-walled, mood-lit, open sit-outs with, ornate wrought-iron intimate seating for two, set on an amorous floor of scattered shells, which mutedly crackles underfoot, however gingerly one tries trampling on them, in the exciting excursion into that, “oh-so-romantic” private space.

These bedrooms then open into a copious, airy, and elegant central living room, well stocked with great leisure reading material. There is an attached dining alcove, serviced by a mini-pantry which should take care of all manner of beverage demands of the guests. On walking further out of this cozy sanctuary, one finds oneself out on a secluded patio, which bears witness to one of the most bewildering sights to behold.

Opening out in front of our eyes is this sprawling, green, expanse of verdant, well-manicured lawns; which we will soon discover, is but the teaser, for what lay beyond it, can scarcely be put into words. We survey one of the most picturesque vistas that one can be privileged to see in Kochi, by this lakeside. The placid waters of the Vembanad Lake carpet the horizon like one shimmering expanse of beauty and tranquility. The fact that we were there at sunset, made me realize that I personally haven’t witnessed anything so naturally beautiful, anywhere else in Kochi. At that precise instant, one will instantaneously fall in love with everything about that moment, from the skies which changed color with every passing breath, to the twinkling dazzle of the glistening waves and of course, with this marvelous place, for having offered you one of the most memorable spectacles, you will never ever forget.

Owned by the professional Avenue Hotels chain, this is an exceptionally well-run establishment. It has an adjoining outdoor dining hut, which serves some chosen delectable local delicacies, prepared by an expert in Nadan cuisine. Furthermore, the mono or multi-hull sailboats of the club, which seem to carelessly quiver to the rhythm of the undulating waves that ripple the lakeside, are also available to be pressed into service, for a relaxing cruise on Poseidon’s little realm that stretches out into the horizon, in an expansive watery wilderness, which always looks to beckon you into its warm embrace with open arms.

The resident staff posted to assist guests were found to be very efficient, helpful, knowledgeable, and courteous. As I see it, this property could also ideally serve as a secluded venue to host, some of the most exclusive private events, parties, and scenic intimate weddings.

The Sailing Club House, for me, has been a great personal discovery. It must rank as the perfect romantic destination to serenade one’s beloved in Kochi. Valentine’s Day is close…Go there and feel it for yourself!

A Sunday Flea Market, Bangalore

We were privileged as a holidaying family, to experience a rare bustling energy from being part of a teeming multitude of enthusiastic shoppers at a value mall in Whitefield, Bangalore. The singular highlight has to be the vibrant colours on display. They were bright, cheerful and mesmerisingly enchanting, as is amply evident in the assorted photogrid. This greatly added to the charming allure of this fond memory. Here are a few of those Photographs of The World Around Me http://dppillayphotos.blogspot.com/

Malayalam Film Review

Another one of my reviews I had earlier written for my Blogger Blog, am linking it here for the benefit of my WordPress friends. Interestingly, this was one almost three hour long movie, the pace of which I felt like hating in the begining, but by the time the movie finished, I ended up really loving the story and the way it was scripted, narrated and enacted. Then I decided more people should know of this gem and enjoy, the joy I felt in the transformation of my perception, through the course of the unraveling of the pain in the story. Brilliant film. Faahad Fasil was outstanding! I wrote this “Annayum Rasoolum” movie review with a lot of passion, so pardon me if it is long, but sincerely it is straight from my heart. Enjoy! – http://dppillay.blogspot.com/2013/01/annayum-rasoolum.html