Mediterranean Music in Thiruvananthapuram

The Franco Algerian artist and violinist  Akim El Sikameya and his team performed under the auspices of Alliance Francaise at the Cobank auditorium, Trivandrum on Sunday. The fare included Arab, Andalusian, Gypsy, folk and jaaz.   

Chenthitta Bhagavathy temple

The street facing the Chenthitta temple. (Taken with my Blackberry)

Chenthitta bhagavathy temple is situated in the heart of Trivandrum. This serene little temple overlooks the Trivandrum Railway station. During navartari the temple burst into life as the deity Munnootinanka is brought here from Suchindram.

Athani

During the 1950s and '60's I have seen several 'athani' s (chumaduthangi) on the roadsides in Kerala and elsewhere. This was meant as a platform or a bench for pedestrians to rest their head load and their weary bodies. During my school days we used to spend the summer holidays at my maternal grandfather's 'Kalam' at Muttikulangara near Palghat. The athani in front of the farmhouse served as a bus stop and also as a haunt for us in the evenings, to sit and watch the occasional vehicles pass by. It even had small depression which was  used to crush betel nuts. 


I was pleasantly surprised to see an Athani at the busy Edpazhanji junction not far from my house, in Trivandrum Many are not even aware of the existence of this legacy from the past.