Photo of the Day

We celebrated Onam in Purva Riviera on Saturday, 13th September (Onam was on 12th) with a traditional pookkalam (floral rangoli) competition, and this picture is from my photographs for that day. The remaining photographs can be viewed on my Picasa Web Album. You can also view a slideshow of the pictures here:

Onam is a traditional festival of Kerala with two significances - it is a harvest festival and a harbinger of spring, it is also a festival to celebrate the return of mythical king Mahabali. From WikiPedia: "During Onam, the feast and festive mood of the people, dressed in their best, is considered reminiscent of the prosperous and truthful life of the subjects during Bali's flawless reign. People wear new clothes (Vastra) during Onam. The 'Vastra' also stands for heart. Thus the significance of wearing new clothes is about making the heart new by removing all bad thoughts and feelings. People forgetting their sectarian outlooks, join together to welcome the auspicious 'Thiruvonam' day."

Riviera: Children's Games

Since summer vacations have started and quite a few parents felt that kids were wiling away their time in front of the idiot box, the Positive Energy Club (PEC) decided to do something about it. First priority was to get the kids outdoor and engage them in a physical activity, a secondary one was to teach them some of the games that we grew up playing which seems like a lost art to the kids of today.

Although the notice given was very short due to last minute plan, quite a few kids turned up - their network is better connected than even the internet. All in all, a very successful event - we played lagori (seven tiles, or in our case, 5 tiles to make it easier for the kids), dodge ball and dog & the bone. A few tears were shed, some elbows bruised, but overall all kids went back home with a smile on their face.

Special thanks to Vineeta, Arti, Anita, Rathi & Sudhir for helping organize the games. Hopefully this will continue as a regular affair.