Some scenes from Onam 2013 at Thiruvananthapuram

The eateries have no respite. A wayside foodstall workers near the Secretariat getting the parathas ready.

A large pookkalam at Jagathy roadsid, put up by some boys.

A mini studio stall at the beach complete with a Nikon D 3100 camera, props and instant prinitng. The owner even offered to take my picture with my camera.

A decorated autorikshaw at Shankhumugham. Most autorikshaws are normally off the street during the Onam week.

A pookkalam in front of a church

Kathak performance by Raksha Singh and party at Vylopilli Bhavan

Honey and Mango Festival at Kanakakunnu

Kanakakunnu is usually a beehive of activities. This time, however, there were real beehives as part of the Honey and Mango festival. A great initiative and generally well organised. The entry fee was a nominal Rs.10. However, there were the usual problems of parking, poor layout etc. The crowd was manageable on Saturday morning. Wonder what it would have been in the evening.

It was great opportunity to see, pick, taste and choose many varieties of mangoes and honey.
Next time the organisers should think of better layout and parking facilities. (or should there there be offsite parking with pick up facilities?)
Another dangerous practice was workers carrying heavy crates of mangoes through crowds of visitors. Couldn't they have separate access for loading and unloading? 

Temple Festivals 3

The very next day, on the highway between Pallipuram and kaniyapuram, we came across yet another temple procession.
This procession had people dressed up in Theyyam constume. Theyyam is a practice in the Malabar region and it is rarely seen in the Travancore area. Perhaps, the coverage in the media has given rise to demands on  the costume makers.

  The other costumes were Subramanya, Vishnu etc.

The woman in traditional burqua is not amused by all the fervour around.

Free auto service

Many autos in Thiruvananthapuram offer free rides to devotees during the Attukal pongala

OS Arun at Swathi Sangeethotsavam

On the last day of Swati Sangeethotsav, OS Arun regaled the audience with his unique style. here he is singing "Shyama Mohana" 

Pooja in Thiruvananthapuram

A Bengali living in Trivandrum need not miss the religious and cultural fervour of the Pooja. The Trivandrum Bengali Association celebrates puja every year with all the elements that mark the the festival in Bengal. Above is a scene at Hassan Marikar Hall.

Attukal Pongala 2012

The Attukal Pongala which entered the Guinness Book of Records with 27 lakh women devotees is set to break the records this year with 35 lakh participants expected. This is evident from the early morning crowd today captured in these images. The lines have extended to Bakery Junction and interior of Thycaud - a good 5-6 kilometers from the Attukal temple. There are also many clusters near other temples in extended areas. I am also impressed by the discipline and cleanliness of the devotees, compared to pilgrims elsewhere in India. 
More pictures at: http://bit.ly/xhX4E7

Jackfruit Mela in Thiruvananthapuram

Bob Geldof in Trivandrum

Bob Geldof of Band Aid fame, performed at the conclusion of the the Hay Festival in Trivandrum, Kerala. at the open air Nishagandhi auditorium. Enthusiastic fans braved the intermittent  showers to enjoy the performance.

Film Festival

There is a feast for the film buffs in Trivandrum. In additional to the several film clubs, the Government sposored Film Festival held every December is also very popular. The films are screend in several venues. One can register as a delegate on-line and also reserve seats for particular shows. The above image greets visitors to the 14th International Film Festival of Kerala, in front of the Kanakakunnu Palace, one of the venues in 2009.