Update About Proposed New Bypass in Attingal

The final survey for the new bypass in Attingal has been conducted. The marking of the proposed road has been over, but the actual work has not started. It is learnt that the land acquisition process will start soon. The Highway Development authorities had earlier set a deadline of December 31, 2009 for the completion of land acquisition process. The issues surrounding Puthenkavu temple and land acquisition seem to have died down.

Now the main issue is about the fate of the present highway. The Highway Development authorities had made it clear that they would not be expanding the present highway into a four-lane road (the entire stretch from Kollam to Thiruvananthapuram of NH 47 is about to be converted into a four-lane road). Instead, the proposed bypass would be treated as the four-lane part of the highway. In effect, this would result in the present highway becoming a bypass, and the new road becoming the actual highway.

Many prominent social and business leaders of Attingal are against this, as they feel it would somewhat downgrade the town. Importantly, CPI(M) local leadership too shares the same view. As a result, the CPI(M)-dominated Municipal council of Attingal even passed a resolution that it wants the widening of the present highway first and the bypass construction only after that.

Anyways, if the progress of the marking process of the proposed new bypass in Attingal is any indication, the construction work is likely to start somewhere in 2010 – touch wood – as promised.

The real estate brokers and speculators are the people who enjoy the situation most. The land price in several areas near Attingal through which the proposed bypass passes through has skyrocketed.

In Search of the Common House Sparrow In Attingal

A bird race was conducted in Thiruvananthapuram city on November 15. About 54 people participated in the race and they found 145 species of birds. In a report about the event, what caught my attention was not what they had found, but what they had not. They could not find a single common house sparrow in and around Thiruvananthapuram. I thought sparrows (“kuruvi” in Malayalam) were in abundance in Attingal. So, I set out to photograph a sparrow in our region and prove the bird-racers wrong.

Unfortunately, after one week of bird watching that prompted many villagers look at me curiously (some of them suspiciously – when they saw me with a camera near the lake where ladies take bath), I could only prove them right. It seems that the common sparrow has deserted us Attingalites too.

However, I photographed some other birds during this unofficial bird race. I am no expert in bird watching – or in photography. Still, I dare to post some of the photos of birds: just in case these birds too follow the sparrow’s way.

Kariyila Kili

Crows

Maina

Ponman (Kingfisher)

Uppan

Irattavalan

Olainjali

Kuyil

Kock (Crane)

Apart from these, I also spotted a parrot, an owl, some pigeons, a few tiny humming birds, and some other unknown birds, but could not take publishable photos. Can you spot a green bird in this photo?

Heavy Rain In Attingal

Thulavarsham (Monsoon rain during the Malayalam month of Thulam) has made a roaring entry into Attingal yesterday. The Meteorological department had forecast heavy rains, and for a change their predictions proved right. In the past, on many occasions the relationship between rain and MET department resembled that of a particularly naughty child and his mother.



Yesterday, it rained almost for the whole night. The sky is overcast and it appears that this won’t go away quickly just like the previous months’ rainy seasons did. During the last months, it was heavy rain one day and bright sun shine the very next day.

Of Love Jihad and Other Demons In Attingal

Love Jihad Triggers A Poster War In Attingal

Love jihad is the latest talking point in Attingal. It has been in news over the last month in most of the south Indian states. Here in Attingal, several people are confused about it. Some people believe it is an organization, with links to many Islamic fundamentalist sects. Some others believe it is an activity for promoting conversion to Islam. DGP of Kerala Police declared yesterday in the Kerala High Court that the police are not aware of any organization called Love Jihad in the state, or in other words they have not found any evidence so far.

However, a poster war is going on between Shiva Sena (the organization for restoring Marathi pride has some followers in this township far south) and the Popular Front (a self-declared progressive Islamic organization). A few days back Shiva Sena activists put some posters citing news reports that Love Jihad (they did not mention whether it is the organization or the phenomenon) is on prowl on the state. The local Shiva Sena unit found that many girls in Attingal too had fallen in the trap of Love Jihad.

For those who still don’t know what Love Jihad is, let me explain it in simple terms. Love Jihad is the process of Muslim boys or men wooing Hindu girls and marrying them. What is the problem with that, you may ask. The problem, according to VHP, Shiva Sena and other folks who “protect” Hindu community, is that they made these girls convert to Islam. They even go one step further and allege that certain Islamic organization deliberately do this by recruiting and funding handsome Islam romeos. Hence Shiva Sena declared a war against love. And the posters in Attingal bus stand were part of that war.

Yesterday, ironically as if to prove Shiva Sena’s claim that some Islamic organizations are behind this, posters of Popular Front appeared on the decades old pillars of bus stand. It proclaims “Conversion is constitutional”, meaning a person has a constitutional right to adopt whatever faith he or she likes. The posters also declared that those who fear conversion belong to the faiths that do not have a proper foundation.

Amidst all posters and counter posters, girls and boys still assemble at Attingal private bus stand and exchange glances. Some of them manage to fall in love as well – Jihad or no Jihad.

DHRM: Aftershocks Still Continue in Varkala

It has been over a month since Sivaprasad, an elderly gentleman who was on his way back to home after the routine morning walk, was hacked to death in Varkala. Police arrested a few activists of Dalit Human Rights Movement (DHRM) in connection with the murder. The brutal murder with apparently no provocation shocked the beach township, where tourism season is just about to start.

Even after a month the issue refuses to die down. Curiously, it is not the slain man’s friends or relatives who are making the protests. In fact, they have been maintaining a mature and civilized profile amidst all the troubles happening around them. Still, miscreants refuse to stop haunting them.

Yesterday, when Saraswathi, Sivaprasad’s widow, went to clean the place where her husband’s body was buried, she was in for a shock. Somebody has drawn a kolam (line drawing made using flour, commonly found in Tamil Nadu) there. The kolam showed a head and a headless body lying separately. She informed the relatives and the police. The police have started investigation.

Meanwhile, a fact-finding team floated by PUCL (People’s Union for Civil Liberties) and headed by BRP Bhaskar, a well-known journalist, conducted an enquiry yesterday about the murder and related incidents, and it led to further chaos. The fifteen-member enquiry team received a hostile welcome from Shivasena activists in the area. The Shivasena activists alleged that the investigation team tries to protect the real criminals. They also alleged that some of the members of the team are DHRM activists. According to them, Saritha, wife of the arrested DHRM leader Cherunniyoor Das, and Sudhi, one of the accused in the Sivaprasad murder case, were in the team.

BRP Bhaskar and other members of the team denied this allegation. They claimed that Shivasena activists attacked the enquiry team with the silent nod of the police officials. (Read BRP Bhaskar's report here and watch a video here)

Human Chain Becomes Human Wall in Attingal

CPI(M) flexed its organizational muscles like a master body builder, and Attingal witnessed a massive human wall in protest against ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. "ASEAN Agreement in the Arabian Sea" was the slogan of the event. CPI(M) had called for a human chain (Manushya Changala) to mark people's protest against the agreement. It was an overwhelming success as people stood shoulder to shoulder to form a wall in almost all places in and around Attingal. There was no room for stretching the arms.

People from all walks of life participated in human chain (Photo courtesy Subhash Chirayinkeezhu)

The preparations for human chain had started right from the morning. Party workers systematically arranged banners, flags, and other revolutionary decorations. Loudspeakers started blaring revolutionary songs (Chora veena mannil from the film Arabikatha was a hot favorite in many places).

Ladies and kids came to participate in human wall braving the rain threat (Photo courtesy Subhash Chirayinkeezhu)

People started pouring in from around 3.30. There was a slight drizzle; however, it was insufficient to dampen the enthusiasm of the people. In fact the drizzle subdued gradually as if taking a cue from the enthusiasm of the people. Comrades from faraway places such as Palode, Vellarada, Kattakkada, and Nedumangadu too assembled in Attingal, as the NH 47 does not pass through these places.

Another view of human chain (Photo courtesy Subhash Chirayinkeezhu)

About 4'o clock, a skeleton of human chain was formed. There were gaps in human chain in many places, particularly near Alamcode. The gaps were quickly filled and by 4.30, a proper chain was established. More people started coming in. The human chain then became human wall. In many places in Attingal, two walls were formed.

Frontal view of human chain (Photo courtesy Subhash Chirayinkeezhu)

There were slight hiccups in organizing the chain, especially in the timing of taking oath against ASEAN agreement. Comrades at Private bus stand were still taking the oath when comrades at Kacheri Nada finished the oath and returned to bus stand to catch buses. Such minor skirmishes are unavoidable while conducting a massive event like this. It is doubtful that any other party in Kerala would be able to conduct an event that is half as big as this.

The human chain was disbanded at around 5.15 pm, but then started a vehicle chain exclusively for Attingal. It was the result of a horrible traffic jam, which has become an accepted thing in the town now.

Photos of Onam Celebration in Attingal

The official Onam celebration in Attingal was on September 8, 2009. It was conducted by Attingal Municipality and modeled on the well-known celebration in Thiruvananthapuram city, with lights, colorful floats, and all that. This venture was started four years ago. The function has been improving after each year. This year's celebration was traffic stopper, literally. The procession (Ghoshayathra) started from ITI junction and culminated at Municipal Town Hall, Attingal. Needless to say, the traffic was paralyzed for close to two hours. But then it was fun time for those who participated in the procession and those who were not in a hurry. Several individuals and organizations displayed their floats. It was generally fun time for Attingalites, however, commuters from other places would have cursed the organizers for delaying their journey.

Following are some photographs of the celebration, taken by Shiju Attingal.

Among the prominent people leading the procession are Adv. C.J. Rajesh Kumar, Attingal Municipal Chairman (second from right in the front row), Kadannappalli Ramachandran, Transport Minister of Kerala (third from right), and Anathalavattam Anandan, Attingal MLA (fourth from right).

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The crowd near municipal bus stand, Attingal. Rarely does the town witness a crowd of this proportion. But spare thought for the folks trapped inside those vehicles.

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A person riding a bike blindfold. May be symbolic of the way some people drive motor bikes these days.

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A float arranged by Beverages Corporation. It was supposedly for spreading awareness about the ill-effects of alcohol. Rumor has it that the participants of the float were merrily enjoying real alcohol (no kattan chaya or black coffee for them). By the time the float reached Town Hall, they had been in a real inebriated state. They had to be carried away from the vehicle. Perhaps, that is what the Beverages Corporation intended. If you consume alcohol too much, you will have to be carried to your home.

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A tug of war (the good old vadamvali) between an elephant and a group of humans, watched enthusiastically by other human beings and passively by another elephant.

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A float against ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. Just to prove that even amidst the festivities of Onam, we do not forget our social commitment.

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A float by water authority officials, which paradoxically urges people to not depend on them. The plot shows an abandoned well and a lady taking water from the tap.

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A float depicting Tsunami and its victims, arranged by an LIC agent.

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Woman power in percussion instruments. Though not an all-woman troupe, these women played a major part in this Singarimelam program.
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Paddy fields are disappearing from our land. But one field found a way to the procession. A float portraying a stage of rice cultivation.
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All these photos are taken by Shiju Attingal. Many thanks to him for sharing the photos with this blog and its readers.