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Volume XXXII August 2006

Contents

Cover Design: John Koshy

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Appreciative Intelligence

The Mind Mirror Metaphor

Once Upon a Literary Morning

Kid’s Corner

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President’s Message President Jose Thomas 571-643-0833

President-Elect Jiju Unnikrishnan

703-723-9484

Vice President Rinu Radhakrishnan

240-632-8377

Secretary Vigil Bose

571-203-0554

Associate Secretary Jeyaraj Jeyadevan

703-407-2730

Treasurer Mary George 703-356-8106

Assistant Treasurer

Sabin Sundar 301-963-7815

Membership

Seenu Ann Kurien 240-483-6772

Youth Club President

Anna Aryankalayil 301-528-7896

Entertainment Praveen Kumar 240-632-2892

Long Range Planning

Vinson Palathingal 703-288-4113

Magazine Editor/Design

John Koshy 703-796-1701

Public Relations

Preeti Panakal 301-528-9497

Social Services/ Events

Arun Joe Zachariah 703-893-0575

Cultural and Literary Affairs

Benoy Thomas 301-388-0621

Finance

Mathew T. Thomas 301-352-9641

Youth Liaison & Sports

Parvati Das 240-632-8377

Immediate Past President

Narayanan Kutty 301-947-3587

Members at Large

Dr. P.K. Poulose 301-464-7360

Mrs. Kala Shahi 301-299-3222

Mr. Varghese Skariah 410-531-3667

Mr. Prem Kumar 703-821-5552

Legal Advisor

Thomas Paul Esq. 703-243-6718

Executive

Committee

Dear Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members and well wishers of

Kerala Association of Greater Washington for allowing me the great privilege and

honor of serving as your president. As you all know KAGW is an established non-

profit organization serving the DC area for more than 30 years. We have achieved a

lot in the past, and I feel that there is a lot more to be achieved in the future. I

remember when I first came to this area, I did not having any friends. KAGW gave

me a platform to meet new people and make new friends. The programs, the

people and the activities have created a home away from home for most of us. I will

always be obliged to this organization and encourage all of you to make use of the

opportunities offered by KAGW. We welcome all those who would like to volunteer

to play a more active role in our programs.

This year we took a special initiative to organize a number of youth events and I am

pretty sure we are moving in the right direction. Besides the cultural programs that

help us maintain our traditions and express our talents, KAGW has organized a

number of community service programs. Among the events this year we had Soup

Kitchens(Youth club) , Spring Festival(Varnam-06), Youth festival( Crossroads-06),

Road cleaning as part of Adopt a Road Program, ‘Gift Of Life’ program (charity

service),Meet and Greet sessions for dignitaries, Picnic, fishing cruise etc. KAGW

would always like to see new faces and I invite you to participate in the programs

coming in the near future. On a special note I thank my dynamic and talented

executive committee for all the team work and support for all the events held this

year.

Onam has always been very special to every Malayalee. It takes us to our childhood

memories and makes us nostalgic. It is the festival which unites Keralites of all

religions. Onam signals the start of the harvest season. During the 10 days of

Onam, residents of Kerala welcome their beloved king. People decorate their homes

and prepare for the grand feast (Sadya). Children are filled with anticipation and

there is a festive mood all around. KAGW tries to recreate this environment every

year for you. Let us experience these moments of joy with the fellow malayalees in

the Washington metro area and continue our traditions and celebrations through

this great Organization. I hope you enjoy the Onam celebrations being organized by

KAGW. On behalf of the executive committee, I take this opportunity to wish you all

a very happy Onam.

Warm Regards

Jose Thomas

President, KAGW

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Jose Thomas

President

Rinu Radhakrishnan

Vice President

Jiju Unnikrishnan

President Elect

Vijil Bose

Secretary

Jeyaraj Jayadevan

Asst. Secretary

Praveen Kumar

Entertainment

Seenu Kurien

Membership

John Koshy

Editor

Sabin Sundar

Asst. Treasurer

Mary George

Treasurer

Arun Joe Zachariah

Social Svc. & Spl events

Vinson Palathingal

Long Range Planning

Benoy Thomas

Cultural & Literary Affairs

Mathew T. Thomas

Finance

Preethi Panakal

Public Relations

Narayanan Kutty Menon

President 2005

Anna Aryankalayil

Youth Club President

Parvati Das

Youth Liaison & Sports

Thomas Paul Esq.

Legal Advisor

Dr. P.K. Poulose

Member at Large

Mr. Varghese Skariah

Member at Large

Prem Kumar

Member at Large

Kala Shahi

Member at Large

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Kerala – Potential & Reality - by Vinod Thomas

The festival of Onam is an opportunity

to celebrate both Kerala and look to the future. The state’s social progress

is legendary. A girl born in Kerala can expect to live longer than a girl born in New York city, even if the average

income in New York city is many folds higher. The state’s school enrollment

and literacy rates compare with those of middle income or even industrial countries.

But the crucial question is: where has

all the social progress gone when it comes to its impact on economic progress? Kerala's economic growth

has been less than India's average in the past quarter of a century. Kerala's

average income is half that of Goa, India’s richest state. Can the state combine its enormous social strengths

and natural wealth with higher standards of living?

This is where soul searching, the development of a vision and

consensus building come in. The vision of the people of Kerala and their

plan to move the state forward will decide how far the state can go. East

Asian economies are known for their foresightedness, their capacity to have a vision for where they would like to

be in ten or twenty years. The famous Malaysian Vision 2020, or the Korean

plan for industrialization or Singapore’s vision for the future are well-known examples.

All these economies offer striking

comparisons with Kerala. In 1960, their average incomes were similar to that of Kerala, even while Kerala was

ahead in education, in science and

technology, in history, culture, ecology, in just about any area you

can think of. Yet a generation later, these economies average incomes

rose to 5 or 15 or 25 times higher than Kerala’s.

But Kerala still has advantages few others have. Like Singapore, Kerala is

ideally situated to be an entrepot for international trade. Kerala can develop trade in goods and especially

services like no other. Kerala's immense wealth in human resources

and natural resources is a reality. In some sectors this wealth is already translating into higher incomes.

Just consider two areas: tourism and

remittances. Tourism revenues for Kerala are currently over 6% of the

State Domestic Product (SDP) compared to the overall figure for India of 0.6 % of GDP. Kerala’s record

also compares favorably with figures for the world champions of tourism

such as Greece (over 6%), Costa Rica (near 9%) and Thailand (8%). This just indicates how much more Kerala

can advance in tourism, especially eco tourism that both protects the state's

unique natural wealth and also brings benefits from it.

Similarly, remittances constitute over 9% of Kerala’s SDP compared to the

national average of 3.1% of GDP and China’s 1.1% of GDP. However, while remittances are currently fuelling

consumption and a property boom, very little is being channeled into

long-term investment. A notable exception is the construction of the new airport at Cochin, 36 per cent of

which was funded by overseas Malayalees.

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It would be fair to say Kerala's potential is greater than any place in

the developing world, but also that nowhere is the gap between potential

and reality larger. India was an especially lagging economy until the 1990s. That has been changing in

many of the Indian states. India’s turnaround occurred partly through

the opportunistic rise of IT, which was least hurt by excessive regulations, even while overall regulation in the

economy remained high. Part of it was also India’s success in capitalizing on

a tipping point. The globalizing world needed IT and India was brimming with the talent to supply this need.

Kerala can take advantage of rare opportunities. Its near unspoilt

backwaters and beaches provide the scope to turn tourism, specifically eco-

tourism into Kerala’s tipping point for success.

People ask what model of development would suit Kerala. The

truth is that to really succeed, Kerala would need to build on its special strengths in human and natural

resources, and combine that with a

good business climate. The state would want to blend social and

economic progress – not choose one over the other. Like the two wheels of

a cart, economic progress cannot be sustained without socio-environmental progress and socio-environmental

progress cannot be sustained without economic progress. This might call for

a uniquely Kerala model that capitalizes the special strengths of the state and takes into account its special

fragilities, rather than copying others’ models of plain industrialization.

Overseas Malayalees can be an extremely important driving force in

bringing about a sea of change in Kerala’s future development track. In

this regard, the forthcoming Kerala Development Forum in October will be

an important step in launching a process of visioning, consensus building and implementation, and

providing all of us with a realistic chance of making a tangible difference

in our own time. Wish everyone a wonderful Onam, all success and happiness.

-- The author Mr. Vinod Thomas is the Director-General, Evaluation, World Bank

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CONGRATULATIONS TO

JAYASREE KESAVAN, D.D.S, M.D.S., B.D.S., B.SC.

FOR HER OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

AND

COMPLETING THE D.D.S. FROM

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (CLASS OF 2006)

FROM SIVARAJANS AND KUMARS

HAPPY ONAM

DDDDRRRR.... JACOBJACOBJACOBJACOB JOSEPHJOSEPHJOSEPHJOSEPH

&&&&

FAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILY

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A new book co-authored by KAGW member Tojo Thatchenkery has received rave reviews from the practitioner community and peer reviewers. Appreciative

Intelligence: Seeing the Mighty Oak in the

Acorn (Tojo Thatchenkery and Carol Metzker, Berrett-Koehler, 2006) released last May was featured by Harvard Business Review as one of its highly selective 2006 Reading List in the February issue this year. The book was also positively reviewed by Canada’s Globe & Mail and featured in Ode, the well regarded international news magazine.

Tojo Thatchenkery, longtime KAGW member and a professor of organization development at the School of Pubic Policy, George Mason University coined the term “appreciative intelligence.” According to him, it is the ability to perceive the positive inherent generative potential within the present. Put in a simple way, Appreciative Intelligence is the ability to see the mighty oak in the acorn. The roots of the book go back to the 1980s. What is the ability that allows individuals to transform difficult or challenging circumstances into successful experiences? That was the question that Tojo Thatchenkery asked shortly after he arrived in the United States in 1987. While working on his doctoral studies in management at Case Western Reserve University, Tojo noticed a high incidence of innovation in the United States (for example, Silicon Valley and the birth of e-commerce). Based on his subsequent study of entrepreneurs, many of them Indian Americans, Tojo began to perceive that there was a link between immigrant entrepreneurs’ appreciative approach, innovative and creative ideas, and successful outcomes. He also noticed that these entrepreneurs had a unique ability to perceive opportunities and to bring them to fruition, when others didn't. Tojo coined the term Appreciative Intelligence to capture this ability.

“Those with high Appreciative Intelligence have a capacity to endow everyday activity with a sense of purpose. Because they can reframe, they are flexible, actively and spontaneously adaptive. Seeing a situation from a new perspective allows them to deal with obstacles with courage”.

and resilience. Because they can see what is positive and how the future unfolds from the present, they have a capacity to face adversity without letting it destroy them. They are predisposed to see the larger picture and the connections between diverse things because they can shift their frames of

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reality to see possibilities, not boundaries. Due to their higher capacity to embrace ambiguity, or shades of gray in situations, they can live in uncertainty without knowing the answers. Because they see how a positive future can come from the present, they live their lives with a sense of realistic optimism” (Excerpts from the book).

Appreciative Intelligence has three components: reframing, appreciating the positive, and seeing how the future unfolds from the present. The first one is the ability to perceive, interpret, frame or reframe stimuli in such a way that aspects not visible to the normal eye emerge to the surface or awareness. The second component, appreciating the positive, allows the individual to accentuate the positive aspects of a context or challenging situation to the level of a highly desired product, services, or outcome. The third component, seeing how the future unfolds from the present, allows people with appreciative intelligence to engage with the world with a high degree of practical purpose and action orientation. This last component of appreciative intelligence differentiates dreamers from dreamers who make their dream come true. For example, Coca-Cola’s Asa Candler saw the potential for a top-selling soft drink in a failing headache remedy. He reframed the product as a beverage instead of a health product, focused on communicating its great taste to people, and set in motion what became a multibillion-dollar business. Cosmetic company founder Estee Lauder once saw a shoeless woman entering an upscale store. She saw beyond the woman’s outward appearance and reframed her as a potential customer, rather than a poor visitor to the store, and ended up selling two of each cosmetic product to her and more to her relatives the next day.

People with Appreciative Intelligence certainly understand the environment around them and its constraints. But for them the environment isn’t just something “out there,” but is also created by their imagination and actions. People with Appreciative Intelligence demonstrate a sophisticated level of understanding in defining what their environment is, often in such a way that what they eventually see is not the same environment other do even when both are talking about the external manifestations. By weaving together tacit knowledge of the environment and imagination, people with Appreciative Intelligence see a different future than others do. They connect capabilities of today and the dreams of tomorrow by seeing the steps that make the former become the latter. Appreciative intelligence has four qualities, namely, Persistence, Conviction that One’s Actions Matter, Tolerance for Uncertainty, and Irrepressible Resilience. Persistence is influenced by the self-esteem. Overall, people with high self-esteem have a greater tendency to persist in the face of failure and challenges. They’re also more likely to see the presence of alternatives, even when faced with failure. Because people with Appreciative Intelligence see a clear outcome stage, they hold a strong conviction that their actions matter. The highly creative or innovative ideas or actions that these individuals so routinely pursue understandably create a fair amount of uncertainty or ambiguity. Analysis of Appreciative Intelligence in leaders and innovators revealed evidence of high tolerance for uncertainty, ambiguity and cognitive dissonance — the psychological term that refers to the discomfort people feel when new ideas or experiences seem to contradict what they already know or believe. People with Appreciative

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Intelligence exhibit irrepressible resilience — the ability to bounce back from a difficult situation — as a result of reframing, seeing what was positive in the situation, and understanding that a better future could come about despite a crisis or setback. They perceive that a positive consequence could be built even from the most drastic or devastating circumstances. Irrepressible resilience is more than persistence: it’s the quality some leaders have to bounce back higher from challenges than the place where they began. Appreciative intelligence bears strong potential for success for the Indian Americans. Developing this ability will help them reframe situations that appear to be lacking in promise to one of greater opportunities. The concept is relevant both in the family and work situations. Many Indian parents are known to drive their children to accomplishments that are not necessarily what the children want but to those desired by parents (or even grand parents). If the parents were to use appreciative intelligence, they will first understand what their children possess and help them develop those talents. To do that, first they have to reframe what talent is by giving up traditional models of success or achievement and substituting them with new ideas and possibilities.

Tojo Thatchenkery Professor of Organizational Learning School of Public Policy George Mason University

by Lin Thomas

When there is joy in sweet surrender ..

When the heart is filled with thoughts but the

lips have nothing to

say ..

When a mere gaze can speak volumes

You know you are lost in love

When it isn’t about flowers or gifts or words

When the every moment together holds deeper

meaning

When every moment apart means just as much

You know you are lost in love

When the heart wants happiness for another

When there are no conditions, no rules

When someone is more precious than life

You know you are lost in love

When a shiver of excitement runs through

The storm brewing within cannot be stopped

The emotions emerging cannot be constrained

You know you are lost in love ..

When staying away isn’t tough, missing is

passé

Coz his presence is in your breath, his thoughts

in your mind, his dreams in your eyes

When you have a quiet understanding, a

contentment beyond reasoning, of knowing..

That you are lost in love to the right one ..

Lost to you

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5 books Kalam wants kids to read in 2006

There were precepts, tales, admonitions, exercises and

even homework for 750-odd students as President A P J Abdul Kalam donned a multiplicity of roles when he

interacted with them in the Children Science Congress, as part of 93rd Indian Science Congress in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Narrating inspiring events in the lives of Father of Green

Revolution Norman E Borlog and Mathematics genius Ramanujam, Kalam told a spell-bound audience of children

to inculcate "scientific magnanimity" - the ability to recognise the best of knowledge without any reservations.

"You children should learn that great minds and great hearts will be together," he

said. At the same time, the academician in the President wanted the teachers to spot the talent lay hidden in a student.

"Ramanujam had failed in all subjects except mathematics. It was his headmaster who, defying opposition gave him admission in high school," he said. Kalam

entrusted the task of reforming children to parents, when Sushanti, a seventh standard girl, asked him about the means to tackle corruption among elected

political representatives. "Righteousness is the virtue to be inculcated right from childhood. Government cannot create honesty. Only parents and elementary level teacher can weed out corruption in the long run," Kalam said citing a childhood

experience when he was taken to task by his father for accepting a gift.

On the relationship between science and values, student Anand Sinha was told that a mature civilisation like that of India can impart values while science only teaches

reason. "They both should be practised together though," Kalam observed.

For success in life, the President has a formula for children. "You develop courage to think differently, to discover, to confront the problems and succeed," he said.

There was also a homework for the students. "I want you all to finish this

homework in 2006. You should read five books -- Empires of the Minds by Denis Waitly, Journey into Light by G Venkataraman, A Brief History of

Time by S Hawking, Parallel Worlds by Michao Kaku and The Best of Indian Physics by Dr Siddharth," Kalam said.

Finally, there was a promise for kids. "All of you should prepare a mission statement for yourself. You write to me one paragraph on what you are going to

become in life and for what you will be remembered for. I will give a special gift for the best statement," the President promised the beaming children.

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Picture from the joint meeting of 2005 and 2006 KAGW executive members held in Jan.

Picture from the Soup Kitchen event organized by the KAGW Youth Club

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This is my attempt to elaborate and explain the mind-mirror metaphor that frequently appears in Sufi (Islamic saints) and other spiritual writings across the globe throughout history. You have to be continuously on guard against unconscious biases that occur in our comprehension. For example, your understanding of the word "Sufi" and "spiritual" will set the whole momentum and depth for your understanding of what follows. Ideally, you should be choice less and unprejudiced in your understanding and awareness. But that is just ideally. Ideals do not exist; ideals are the invisible extrapolations of the mind about the destinations of the paths it finds itself in. Understanding of oneself is nothing but being aware that the path is the goal, the journey is the destination and to borrow from John Lennon "life is what happens while you are busy planning other things". With

that much digression for an introduction, let us begin. We are going to study the mirror and its properties. We are talking about an unblemished, flawless, perfectly polished mirror that is giving as good a reflection as possible of whatever is around it. But already, very fundamentally and basically, we are aware that the reflections on the mirror are not reality. They are simply 2-D projections of the 3-D world outside of it. That is not a weakness. That is simply a basic property. It is exactly like the property of our brain and consciousness. Our comprehension of the outside world is through the "reflection" or "image" that we have inside our mind of the outside world. We do not "see" or "experience" the outside world. Our reactions are based on the image of the outside world that the brain creates inside based on the inputs it receives from outside. Enlightenment or the perfect state of mind is the state in which this image is as close as possible to reality. How can we achieve such a "true" image? Let us look at the household mirror itself for some clues. First of all, the mirror is choice-less in its reflection. It reflects everything that is lit up around it. It does not choose to reflect anyone matter over another. It does not patronize. It does not

ignore, consciously or unconsciously. It simply reflects. The perfect mind should be similarly choice-less. It should be aware of everything around it without any judgments. Judgments, choices, preferences are all products of internal movements of the mind, which are nothing but transformations in memory otherwise known as thought. Jiddu Krishnamurti has spoken volumes about the origins of thought eloquently. What is external motion that we observe in the outside world? It is the transformation in space and time. It is a change. We notice this change because we remember an earlier state. Without memory there is no time. Without awareness about the history or the previous state, we cannot determine if there has been motion or change. This perception of motion in the outside world springs from an internal motion happening inside our brain. Thoughts are actual physical motions at a molecular level occurring in the neural realm of the brain. It is a rearrangement of memory. To explain this better we have to understand the biological origins of brain. Scientists have concluded that the fundamental

The Mind Mirror Metaphor

-Arun Surendran

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purpose of neural bundles (later on attaining complexity of brain) is assistance in motion. Plants and trees do not have brains or neurons and they do not move. In very lower aquatic animals it has been found that there is a species that develops a small bundle of neurons, which assists in its travel in the sea-bed till it finds a suitable habitat. Once it settles down in a place, the organism digests its own brain since its purpose has been served and it is a very expensive organ to maintain. Fossil records of dinosaurs show that some had two brains. A larger one was present on the tail to assist the maneuvering of the rather bulky body of the giants. Human being has an unusually large brain. She is also unusual in her bipedal-ism. She is also unusual in her rapid spread across the entire planet after origins in Africa. Homo Sapien walked and ran across the entire globe and her huge brain helped and developed. This becomes interesting when we consider that origins of civilization are in "settling down" or a grand reduction in motion of the species. The civilized mind begins its growth after man stopped traveling. All this was mentioned to emphasize that reflection cannot

become true if there is movement in the mirror. Movement can be a permanent surface damage or flaw which will generate a flawed reflection in those regions. Otherwise, movement can be a physical dynamic change in the situation and condition of the mirror. Perpetual external movement can successfully deter the internal movement. This is the origin of the idea of “Karma Yoga” easily translated as the concept of “work is worship”. “Dhyana Yoga” or devotional yoga works by preventing internal movement in the mind by energetic focusing on single concept. Once the energy expended or wasted on internal movement is recovered, it provides abundant assistance in expansive and comprehensive abilities of the mind, much like the wipers on a wind-shield. A crumbling mirror cannot reflect well. a dirty mirror cannot reflect well. For best results, the mirror should be kept clean. The slate should be wiped clean as often as possible. Not a speck of dust should cloud the surface. Nature has provided us the wonderful instrument of sleep for cleansing the mind.Mirrors and minds come in all shapes, sizes and material quality. The lifeless

mirror cannot comprehend its limitation but the living mind can. The mind should understand its own boundaries. A mirror on the bedroom wall cannot reflect the bathroom. An American mind cannot comprehend an Indian context. But here is the crucial difference, a mirror is not able to grow and expand. A mind can. Once the mind realizes the limitations of its origin, in that very realization, it transcends them. The mind is a mirror that can see itself. Unless the mind chooses to draw its own boundaries through limits of beliefs, there is continuous growth. If a mind chooses to set fences for the incredible movements it is capable of using labels on itself, then it can at most reflect only a piece of the whole reality. The eagle cannot soar if it does not spread its wings. There are many ways to build fences for the mind. Concepts of nationality, race, religion, social standing and even gender lead to blockades. Words like patriotism, loyalty, friendship and ideas like God are just mental fortifications meant to prevent the free fall into the abyss of incomprehensibility. Breaking down of each of these walls creates a

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flooding within the mind. The mirror begins to see more. The mind cannot rise without the fall. To break the mirror is not to ruin its surface but to destroy the frame. Comprehension by the developing human mind is closely linked to language and experiences. In other words, culture and memory. It is very easy to understand that we notice or become aware of things around us that we either recognize (that is know by name) or are fresh in our memory. A mind with no interest in horticulture will simply see a bunch of trees in a park where are the mind enhanced with horticultural knowledge recognizes the individual personality of each tree present. The latter is closer to reality. Nature does not discriminate, only the mind does. But it is humanly impossible to know all the words and names in the world. That is too much demand on the developing memory. What is possible is to be as aware as possible about our own awareness. To acknowledge the unknown. To be conscious about what we recognize so that the mind can begin to focus on what it left out. It is important to cultivate this habit of choice-less-ness and complete comprehension to erode the strong fortifications that culture and language have constructed

around the mind. Culture and language are absolutely essential pillars of support for the mind during its development, but it is of maximum importance to prevent ourselves from becoming a prisoner within the walls that are meant for simply support. Break down the walls of the home if they begin to imprison. In the beginning, we said that the mirror reflects everything that is lit up around it. The gift of the mind-mirror is to be a light unto itself. The mind can shed light on what is around it and then see them clearly reflected inside. The perfectly en'light'ened mind will not discriminate on what or where to shed its light. It lights up everything and every mind around it and sees them in all the glory nature and creation intended them to be in. The positive peaceful energy simply radiates all around. This internal light, also lights for us the paths along which internal movements can proceed if they must. From such right thoughts will spring right action which being complete in itself prevents further thought movements along that direction. Memory and subsequently thoughts originate from incomplete actions. When the mind, body and soul have not all been fused into one single entity of absolute truth and honesty, we cannot live in the moment. And the failure

to live in the moment, in complete involvement in what “is” leads to regret and desire, which begins the never-ending cycle of thought. But the perfect mind is free of movements, free of thought. It is completely still and simply reflects and in such reflection they are no ugliness, no beauty, no richness, no adversity, no names, and no labels. A rose is a rose is a rose. A rose by any other name smells just as sweet. This mind mirror is like a thin veneer of ice stretched over a lake in winter, preserving warmth for the flourishing life within. Even the cold reality comes alive in such a reflection. May you be a light unto yourself! May you be the polished mirror which front of which a smile will light up every face!

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Pictures from the KAGW fishimg trip

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Walking into an Onam celebration, it is not so

difficult to get lost in a sea of cream and gold

(of course there always those who dare to be

adventurous enough to sport a brighter

color.) On these occasions there is a

captivating energy that resonates from the

entire place. Maybe it’s the excitement of

friends meeting after a long time. Perhaps it’s

the jingling of bells from the nervous but

thrilled dancers who will soon put on a

splendid show. Conceivably it could even be

the juiciest piece of gossip that has found a

willing ear or two among the hundreds who

have gathered. Most likely it’s a vivid

combination of so many emotions, feelings,

and nuances that makes Onam especially

close to one’s heart.

If one can navigate the way through that

merry crowd, one will come upon a line longer

than the one in front of the ticket desk. One

can already smell the “sambar” and the

“ginger curry” from the hallway; if one listens

closely enough there is even the occasional

crackling of “pappaddam” - Onam Sadhya. I

have to say the “sarkaravaratti” is really what

makes my day. But there must be a

“sarkaravaratti curse” on me because I am

the one person who likes them the most and

every time I usually end up with one or two

less than everyone else around me. It’s good

that my parents don’t usually mind when I

steal theirs’. In fact I wish I had an

opportunity to sit down and actually enjoy a

sadhya like everyone else for once. I suppose

it must be quite nice sitting down with family

and friends to enjoy a nice sadhya. I usually

play “let’s eat as fast as I can” game so I can

go get ready to do a dance, or two, (or

three!) But it is all worth the trouble when I

am on stage in front of that crowd.

But Onam in itself is much more than the

Sadhya or the entertainment. It goes even

beyond tradition, culture, or the place it holds

in the hearts of people. It is true that Onam

has been part of the Malayalee psyche for

centuries. But especially for those of my

generation it is an ideal. An ideal that cannot

be fostered solely in the solitude of one’s own

mind, but one which takes shape from

interactions with others. Personally, the

friends I have made in the community have

helped me become acquainted with the

subtleties of the culture I would have

otherwise overlooked. As today’s youth, we

grow up in a tumultuous and troubled world

that is constantly plagued by war, disease,

and a host of other problems. In the world we

live in it is much easier than it is difficult to

lose faith. Onam represents a renewal of hope

– an assurance that after the storm there will

be a rainbow. In fact, the legendary King who

returns once a year from the underworld to

visit his people should be inspiration enough.

Every year that visit gives us something to

look forward to and the celebration

symbolizes a glimmer of hope. Onam then

might just be more than an ideal – it may be

a collage of our glorious past, turbulent

present and promising future.

Wishing You a Very Happy Onam,

Anna Aryankalayil,

KAGW Youth Club President

Ente Onam

- Anna Aryankalayil

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Onam Onam Onam Onam

WishesWishesWishesWishes

From

Minjoh Technology Solutions, Inc.

Mclean, Virginia

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Bharat

Why is it that you stay in my heart? Wherever I go Whatever I do

“It feels like Kerala” “It feels like Delhi”

When I am away from you I think of you night and day

I imagine I am there Sunny Hot Dusty Delhi days

Lush Green Rainy Kerala days I dream of you

Buildings Roads Friends School Diwali Cousins Sounds Streams Coconut Onam

When I fly to you Why does my heart feel so sad?

Is it joy? Or sadness from the lost time

Why the tears? How can you exist without me?

Why I am not with you? But when you are near

Sense of belonging is intense Being part of you

Part of history Back in time

Your gift to me Is my happiness

In hearing your name In memories of you I yearn for that day

Of return To where I belong

To you

-Lekha Whittle

You and Me

Amble with me, Love Down this pathless land of memory.

The foggy forests Of lost beginnings Shall soon pass,

At the thawing emerald lake

Where the sun arrives on flamingoes' wings,

And I found you, waiting for none; Yet I pretended to be the one.

Remember this gentle rain

Of our first kiss Under the fragrant full moon?

Your surprise is genuine, My imagination is not your memory;

The attic so artless.

This land foams

Bubbles of times Ephemeral aplenty

Burst by arrows Of lines never crossed.

Ah! here's the street of delight:

Trinket shops and coffee beans, Music and marshmellows,

Dinners and dance, Unruly folds on linen sheets.

Amble on, my dear

Have no fear! And discover!

It is only us here, Mostly!

For you are the one to tell my story since the best of it has been your

company.

-Arun Surendran

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KAGW members with Mr. Vayalar Ravi (Honorable Minister for Overseas Indians Affairs) during his visit to Washington DC.

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Once Upon a Once Upon a Once Upon a Once Upon a Literary MorningLiterary MorningLiterary MorningLiterary Morning

- Sandeep Kumar Nair

The sleep was still heavy in her head when Nora Sullivan began to hear

the voices. They seemed to echo from the corners

of the room, yet seemed very distinct in temperament and shape,

very characteristic of the individuals to whom they

belonged. She did not recognize them but she felt quite strongly that

she knew them from before, somewhere,

somewhen. She realized that she still had not opened her eyes, and

was sure that she had not gone to sleep with

other people in the room, but she felt no trepidation as she forced

herself to see… The dim glow of the

sunrise was evident on the horizon, the skyline of the city silhouetted in

sharp contrast. Why were her eyes drawn to

the window when there were voices in her room?

She looked slowly to the right of the open window and could dimly see a

pair of shapes in the corner, near her dresser

and make-up, gesturing animatedly and talking with sharply humorous

tones, the kind of tones heard when people want

to be seen as witty and sarcastic, caustic even.

Nevertheless, even though she could hear

the voices and see their shapes, the words were

not registering. The language was English, but how did she know

that - was she sure? One man seemed younger

than the other did, the other man seemed older, grimmer. Her brain felt a

little fuzzy but she went on and let her eyes move

to the left of the window to alight upon a white-clothed woman, who was

also staring at the skyline of the city through the

window, whose flowing shawl and light sleeves

fluttered a little in the light breeze. She appeared to be seated on

one of the small chairs from Nora's kitchen, but

she couldn’t be sure. Nora realized at this point that she was in her bed

and still in her nightclothes, so she

brought the covers up to her chin, turned her head more to the left and tried

to see the source of the other two voices she had

been hearing since awakening. "I predict that the only

way to write will be the Truth! It hardly matters

what we call it - the informal, the contemporary and

prosaic. Whatever it's called, Willa, it will depict

what actually is and not some flowery verbiage, some hoped for salvation,

that’s what I think!" This statement was clear in

Nora's ears, and rang with a sincerity that

made her heart flutter. She couldn’t quite make out the face of the

speaker, but the voice was male, gruff, his

appearance quite studious, with thin wire-frame glasses and a

pear-shaped head. He was sitting on the floor

near to the closed doorway of her room and beside him was another

ladylike figure; Willa, apparently, with a wide-

brimmed hat and a fuzzy stole draped about her

shoulders. She seemed to paying him only partial attention as her eyes

kept darting to the woman by the window

from time to time. "Yes, Theo, you may be right." The lady's clear

voice rang like a bell through the room. "The

truth is what should be written, but writing should also illustrate a

path to which one may strive, don't you think?"

Theo? Short for Theodore? and Willa? Nora looked closely at the

lady and recognized the telltale signs of strength

and independence in the facial features, as she imagined it. This must

be Willa Sibert Cather, and the fellow beside her

must be Theodore Dreiser! The revelations shocked Nora, because

37

the names were fresh on the tip of her mind from

the last few nights of hardscrabble studying.

She turned her head to the lady by the window and was now able to

recognize the white, moth-like quality of Emily

Dickinson, the prolific-yet-recluse poetess sitting in the light breeze.

The strident t ones on the right side of the window

were from Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, as he berated

Stephen Crane (the younger of the two) for

an unduly optimistic view on the world. Nora

wanted to shake her head and ask what was going on, but there

seemed to be a geas upon her, and all she

seemed to be able to do was observe. "Illustrate a path?" asked

Theo. "I suppose so, as long as it's easily written,

for the author's sake, and easily digested, for the reader's sake. Some of

the benefits are that it should not be burdened

by the need to describe foreign traditions except in a practical sense, to be

able to see the actual actions or have them

described as accurately as possible. Self-expression should begin

immediately." Willa Cather looked at

him askance. "You mean in the realms of poetry? With meditation, lyricism,

social comment, satire, public pronouncements

and the like made easier, or more direct?"

"Not just there, my dear!" The gruff old man by the window tore his

attention from the youngish Stephen Crane

and focused on Willa. "You want the literature in general to be the

same, the same as the poetry at least in this

context. In short it must be short, pithy and personal, engineered to

emphasize the senses or confound expectations, to

be able to describe without destruction the

reality behind the flowery faceplates." Nora tried to understand what Mr.

Clemens was saying, but her focus was interrupted

by Stephen Crane's interjection. "Nonsense Mr. Twain, there should

always be a flowery faceplate somewhere

present!" Theo raised his eyebrows at this, and Willa just watched

thoughtfully, eyes darting to Emily by the window

who had yet to say a word, as Stephen continued. "While I do

agree that in the process of writing we should

make the greatest attempt at informality, even being colloquially

direct about the issue at hand and attempting to

adopt a conversational diction and rhythm, I do still believe that we can

introduce elements of descriptive imagery that

may or may not hold true to the reality of the

situation entirely, do you see what I mean?" Stephen leaned forward

eagerly, trying to include the whole room into his

question, and seemed startled when Emily Dickinson by the window

answered him in a soft voice.

"I see what you mean," she said softly. "Like when I say, 'Because I

could not stop for Death-- He kindly stopped for

me-- The Carriage held but just Ourselves-- And

Immortality,' and in so doing I describe what I am trying to say, but the

description is in no way conventional or

colloquial. Is that what you are trying to say?" "Ahem." Stephen looked

a little confused, and cleared his throat. "Well,

I - uh… that is… yes. That does describe what I mean, but I wasn’t

thinking along such morbid lines. It does

illustrate the point, although your example does seem a trifle

fantastic rather than just evocative and less about

the reality of the situation. In wartime scenarios I am sure that

the soldiers and support personnel would be able

to relate quite well to what you just said…" He paused. "Why does that

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sound so familiar? I have the funny feeling that I

know all of you from somewhere…"

Nora felt herself blushing. She was still under the sheets and looking at the

five of them in her room having a discussion on -

of all things - literature! She had been studying for the last few weeks

about all these same individuals and felt her

mind was crammed full of prose, poetry and literary facts. She assumed that

she knew why they knew each other, because they

were all elements of her own mind, discussing and

rehashing the items she had spent days trying to memorize, although she

couldn’t remember studying in quite this

manner or about this subject before. Still, she thought wryly, it's pretty

good that this is happening to me today if

the exam is tomorrow… a good refresher! Suddenly, there was a

knock at the window. Nora didn’t move, but

noticed that Emily was smiling now, with a little bit of color coming to her

cheeks, but why? A guffaw from the elderly

Clemens led her eyes to him, but he was pointing out the window, rolling

with laughter and tears starting to form from the

corners of his eyes. "What the…" Theodore and Stephen both

exclaimed at the same time, while Willa just sat

open-mouthed, staring at the window. There,

bracketed by the windowsill and silhouetted by the

morning glow of the rising sun was Edith

Wharton. A relaxed, matronly figure, solemn, middle-aged and

conservatively dressed in turn-of-the-century upper

crust New York attire was floating unconcernedly in the New York air.

"Oh - the irony! The irony!" Both Stephen

Crane and Samuel Clemens were wiping

tears from their eyes and chuckling with unrestrained mirth.

Emily, Willa and Theodore all had grins

ranging from small to large on their faces as they nodded their

greetings to the gentlewoman out the

window, who in turn nodded back. Samuel Clemens gulps a

breath and gestures vaguely to the window

and speaks, surprisingly, to Nora, "In the middle of a discussion on writing

about reality, with some of the greatest Americans

who delved into this genre, an absurdity like a floating author coalesces

and pops our respective bubbles - divine!"

With a motherly smile to her, Edith Wharton disappears as

unobtrusively as she arrived, and with her

Emily Dickinson vanished as well, never taking her

eyes from the window the whole time. Theodore and Willa stand and

brush themselves off and head over to the corner

where Samuel and Stephen are holding each others shoulders and still

chuckling. Theo cocks his head in Nora's

direction and says, "If you want to write about us, or about what we

wrote about, find your muse. What inspires you

should be real, should be tangible, and you should

understand and feel your own experiences in life and incorporate them

into your writing - just look at us!"

"Don't lose your ability to laugh at yourself, either," interjected Stephen,

standing alongside Samuel as the other two

reached them. All four of them stood there fading away happily, and after a

minute or two Nora was left in the empty room.

She fought to keep her eyes open but her body fought back, and the

tactical victory went to the body as she lay back

again, with the sheets up to her chin and the silence of the room

broken only by the soft light from the New York

sunrise.

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40

CrossRoads 2006 –An event to remember -By Volunteer ,KAGW KAGW Youth festival!! It was tough to be optimistic for all the organizers because Youth events have drawn less participants and this event was being organized for the first time ever. We wanted to have an event that would bring out talents other than those presented at our usual events. When we volunteers sat down and coined the programs we didn’t know how to reach out to the youth. Most of the us in our 20’s and 30’s grew up in India. We didn’t know if the programs we organize would bridge the generation gap and strike a chord with the kids that are brought up here. Needless to say with good input from the youth president we proceeded. We named the festival CrossRoads 2006. Made a registration package, designed certificates ,printed sheets for each event , got speakers, discussed over how we would divide teams,organize each part and got together numerous times to plan for this event. We argued amicably and spent many hours till we finalized how we would proceed. Finally the big day arrived and CrossRoads 2006 commenced. It was a free event. We started with breakfast and registration.The Ice breaker was next. It involved matching fun facts about each participant in a questionnaire.Participants got introduced to each other this way.KAGW Jeopardy was one of the highlights of the day. We had 4 teams who battled it out in various rounds of questions.Then we had a debate and seminars. The event that really surprised us was Adzap.We were not sure if the youth would like this event or be able to present a skit in such a short time. But the talented participants never ceased to amaze us. The team effort, creativity and humor was outstanding.We also had Puzzles and Just a minute. A funfilled day with so many events all packed into a single day.

We were happy to give the kids an opportunity to meet each other in an informal atmosphere. They could mingle and make new friends. At the end of the day I noticed participants who shared their email addresses with each other and at that moment I knew that all of this was worth the effort. If the association could contribute by helping to create a few new friends ,then we did achieve what we had set out to do. Our feedback sheet had lot of kids who said they loved the food.For the

kids who missed the event we had breakfast and lunch which included pizza ,sandwiches ,do nuts, croissants, muffins, fresh fruits, bagels ,rolls, hot chocolate ,coffee ,tea and some yummy chocolate cake.We got a lot of feedback emails from the youth , parents and also members. The team effort was noteworthy and I am sure most of us will remember this event in the days to come.

Prizes for CrossRoads Winning Team - CrossRoad Champions - Pranav Panakal, Danny Skariah, Anand Pooleri, Chithra Menon, Vishnu Panicker, Kevin Valdera Crossroads 2006 Prince –Danny Skariah Best performer in debate Anand Puleri Best Malayalam speaker -Xavier Palathingal

Crossroads 2006 Princess – Sumi Nair Ice Breaker Winner -Sonia Sekhar Just a minute – Danny Skariah

Some notes from the Feedback sheet

Lot of Fun,met new people & learned a lot –

Vishnu and Jeena Good food,nice fun , need longer jeopardy –Swathi

It was great! I hope you guys do it again –Nithish

Ya the food was gr8. It was really fun -Pranav

Fun,got to meet lots of new people –Kalyani It was awesome,you guys should do it again –Anjali I LIKED THE pizza –Kevin

It was a blast! Learned a lot –Sunu

It was fun.Play more games and debates –Digna

Youth attend interactive session with Psychologist Dr Cherian Verghese

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KAGW Crossword Prepared by Lin Thomas

How well do you know your association? Solve this fun crossword .. Answers on page 70.

Across 5. He graces our Onam celebrations 6. KAGW has _______ elected officers as per the constitution : 8. The KAGW donation program this year is known as 9. Road adopted by KAGW 10. Besides election committee which other committee is involved in the election process at KAGW 14. The only committee member presented a year in advance. 17.In 2003 KAGW honored this great film maker and had a film festival at Smithsonian 18. The sumptous meal at Onam 19. KAGW has this fun outdoor event every year for members to interact 20. Released in print or online many times a year to communicate events and more.

Down 1. This year the Spring program was called 2. KAGW Cultural events include many programs

with songs, skits and …... 3. The magazine is also called this 4. If the donation you make is 12.5 times of a

normal member you are a 7. If you are a member you are eligible for a ________ ticket for Onam 9.The youth festival conducted for the first time this year was called 11. KAGW Christmas and New Year celebrations always have a _________ program. 12.This year besides cash,cheque you can pay your membership through the ___ 13.The Chief guest for Onam usually gives us an Onam ______ 15. KAGW would like to publish your poem , cartoon or ___ in the magazine 16.They conducted a soup kitchen this year for the homeless.

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Eat Right without Thinking

Are you always on the run? Do you never seem to have quite enough time in the day? Sound familiar? Lack of time is a major reason why many people give up eating right, but you don’t have to. In fact, healthy eating is more important than ever when you’re trying to keep up with a hectic schedule. A good diet helps your body withstand stress better. But as you’re hustling through your day, you’re probably not thinking about making your next meal a healthy one. The following tips can help you eat well when you’re dinning in or out.

(The following are excerpts from www.menshealth.com)

At breakfast, put coffee in your milk instead of milk in your coffee. Fill your mug to the rim with skim milk first thing in the morning. Drink it down until all that's left is the amount you'd normally add to your coffee; then pour your java on top. You just took in 25 percent of the vitamin D you need every day, and 30 percent of the calcium.

Take your vitamins every morning. Study by study, evidence is mounting that a standard multivitamin fills enough of the gaps in your diet to make a real difference.

Drink two glasses of water before every meal. This will do two things: keep you hydrated and make you eat a little less because you feel less hungry, possibly reducing your food intake and aiding weight loss.

Always order your pizza with double tomato sauce and light cheese. Men who eat a lot of tomato products tend to have less prostate cancer--probably because tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, a type of carotenoid that's believed to cut your risk of cancer. If you double the sauce on your pizza, you get double the lycopene. Reducing the mozzarella by just one-third (you won't miss it) will save you 20 grams of fat.

Always order your sandwiches with double tomato slices. Another chance to increase the dose of lycopene in your diet.

Pile onions on everything. Research has revealed that onions are so healthful--they're a top source of heart savers called flavonoids--that it's practically your duty to eat them lavishly on hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and sandwiches. And speaking of junk food...

Whenever you eat fast food, drink two glasses of water afterward. Big Macs, subs, fries, and pepperoni pizza are all loaded with fat and sodium, which can be hellish for your heart. You can't do much about the fat once you've eaten it, but you can flush away some of the excess sodium by drinking plenty of fluid afterward.

When the waitress asks what you want to drink, always say iced tea. The more we learn about tea, the more healthful it looks. A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that a serving of black tea had more antioxidants--crucial to your body's defense against heart disease, cancer, and even wrinkles--than a serving of broccoli or carrots.

Have an afternoon snack every day at 3 o'clock. A nutritional boost between lunch and dinner wards off fatigue and keeps you from overindulging later, says Keith Ayoob, Ed.D., R.D., director of the nutrition clinic at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Rose F. Kennedy Center. Just don't scarf down a candy bar. Try yogurt and fruit, crackers and cheese, or eat an egg (hard-boiled), an apple, and a thirst-quencher like bottled water. All of these foods will give you long-lasting energy.

Always leave the skin on your fruit.

If you peel apples or pears, you're throwing away heavy-duty nutrients and fiber. Same goes for potatoes. Go ahead and peel oranges, but leave as much of the fibrous white skin under the rind as you care to eat--it's loaded with flavonoids.

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Whenever you buy grapefruit, go for red instead of white. Remember lycopene, that stuff in tomatoes that may fight prostate cancer? It's what makes tomatoes red. And it's responsible for the color in ruby red grapefruit. (Watermelon and guava also have some.)

Eat salmon every Wednesday. Actually, the day doesn't matter; the important thing is to have it once a week. Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat most experts say we don't get enough of. Omega-3s seem to keep the heart from going into failure from arrhythmia--people who eat fish once a week have fewer heart attacks--and they may even ward off depression. A weekly serving of salmon should supply the amount of omega-3 fats you need.

Always wash your meat. Here's an easy way to cut the fat content of your secret chili recipe: As soon as you finish browning the ground beef, pour it into a dish covered with a double thickness of paper towels. Then put another paper towel on top and blot the grease. If you want to remove even more fat, dump the beef into a colander and rinse it with hot (but not boiling) water. The water will wash away fat and cholesterol. Using these methods together can cut 50 percent of the meat's fat content.

Whenever you have salad, keep the dressing on the side. Here's the drill: Dip your fork in the dressing first, then spear a piece of lettuce, then eat it. Sound dumb? In fact, it's one of the smartest habits you can have. Four tablespoons of, say, honey-mustard dressing can have 60 grams of fat--nearly an entire day's worth for an average guy.

Whenever you eat broccoli, put a little margarine, olive oil, or cheese sauce on it. This is our kind of nutrition advice. Broccoli is a rich source of beta-carotene--one of the major antioxidants your body needs. But beta-carotene is fat-soluble, which means it has to hitch a ride on fat molecules to make the trip through your intestinal wall. Without a little fat in the mix, your body won't absorb nearly as much beta-carotene.

Always have seconds on vegetables. If you had to pick one food that represents the best insurance for long-term good health, vegetables would be it. Your daily goal: Three servings minimum. A serving, by the way, is 1/2 cup. Think of a tennis ball--it's about half a cup in volume.

Do a fat analysis before every meal. It's tempting to go fat-free at breakfast and lunch so you can indulge in a high-fat dinner. Wrong. Studies show that, for several hours after you eat a meal with 50 to 80 grams of fat, your blood vessels are less elastic and your blood-clotting factors rise dramatically. William Castelli, M.D., director of the Framingham Cardiovascular Institute, says, "The immediate cause of most heart attacks is the last fatty meal." Spread your fat intake over the whole day.

Always eat (a little) dessert. Here's why: Sweets such as cookies and low-fat ice-cream bars signal your brain that the meal is over. Without them, you might not feel satiated--which might leave you prowling the kitchen all night for something to satisfy your sugar jones.

Eat a bowl of dry cereal every night before you go to bed. A low-fat, low-calorie carbohydrate snack eaten 30 minutes before bed will help make you sleepy; Cereal is one of the easiest ways to reduce your fiber deficit. (Most people eat only half of the 25 to 35 grams of fiber they need daily.) So pick a cereal that has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.

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BEST STRATEGIES FOR EATING OUT Consider Them Little Fried Triangles of Death

When you're at a Mexican restaurant, it's common to go through a couple of baskets of tortilla chips before your meal arrives. But just one basket of these fried triangles typically contains 1,067 calories, of which 46 percent are from fat (55 grams). Order steamed tortillas and dip those in the salsa instead.

Order Soup as an Appetizer Eating vegetable and noodle soups before a meal can help you lose weight. The fiber causes food to go through your digestive system faster, and the water helps dissolve the fat. Add a potato to the soup, and you'll consume about 20 percent fewer calories over the course of the meal. Tomato soup has the same effect. You'll eat less and feel full longer.

Stop for the Egg McMuffin Believe it or not, you can eat two Egg McMuffin sandwiches from McDonald's and get fewer calories and less fat than if you'd had a bagel with 4 tablespoons of cream cheese. The McMuffins yield 580 calories, 24 g fat, and 34 g protein. The bagel delivers 643 calories, 28 g fat, and 20 g protein.

Watch the Cookie Crumble A cookie's crumble indicates its fat content. Harder cookies like gingersnaps and vanilla wafers have about half the fat of their soft cousins. To be doubly sure, rest your favorite on a napkin. If it leaves a grease stain, leave it alone.

Have a Mineral-Water Chaser At a party, follow each drink with a glass of mineral water. You'll always have something in your hands to sip, but you'll be getting half the liquor and calories you otherwise would. No-calorie, carbonated mineral water and lime looks just like a 170-calorie gin and tonic.

WAYS TO CUT FAT WITHOUT REALIZING IT

Order the Steak Fries

If you love french fries, always order the steak fries. Large-cut fries don't absorb as much oil as shoestring or curly fries, which lowers the fat count.

Juice a Stir-Fry With a can of frozen orange-juice concentrate, you have a great way to add flavor to stir-fried chicken (or beef) and vegetables without adding fat. Just a few spoonfuls will do. (It's even better if you add some garlic.)

Soften Your Spread Soften butter or margarine at room temperature or in a microwave. Chances are you'll spread your bread with one-quarter of the fat and calories you do when you put it on cold.

Cool Your Cans Refrigerate canned meats, soups, gravies, and other canned foods containing fat. The fat will rise to the top and collect, so you can scrape it off.

Dilute Your Fruit Juice Fruit juice is sneaky fattening--a 16-ounce bottle of cranberry-grape blend, for instance, contains about 275 calories. Dump half and store it, then refill the bottle with water. You'll barely notice the difference, and you'll be cutting half the calories.

Oil Your Potato To save calories and fat, put a splash of olive oil on your baked potato instead of the usual butter or sour cream.

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Pictures from the KAGW Road Cleaning

KAGW Volunteers cleaning the Cipriano Road under the Adopt a Road program.

Thank you for your dedication to our association’s goals!

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CROISSANTS, PUFFS, BUNS, &

DANISH

Taste these unique freshly baked items stuffed with mild seasoned spices.

Veggie - Paneer, Mixed Vegetable, Aloo Capsicum Non-Veg – Chicken tikka/Curry, Egg, Keema (minced goat)

PIZZA & PLAIT

Mixed Vegetable, Jalapeno cheese, Pizza Bun

SANDWICHES & PANINI

Gourmet veggie, chicken tikka and paneer sandwiches.

KHARI STICKS

JEERA RUSK

PAV BREAD

CAKES FOR BIRTHDAYS,

WEDDINGS AND OTHER

OCCASIONS

Butter Cream – Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate Fresh Cream – Mixed Fruit, Black Forest, Pineapple, Strawberry, Nougha Chocolate, Dark Chocolate (Truffle)

POUND CAKE

Plum Cake, Fruit Cake

PASTRIES

Black Forest, Pineapple, Mixed Fruits, Strawberry, Chocolate & New Flavours

MOUSSE, TARTS / ECLAIRS

Chocolate, Mango, Strawberry, Mixed Fruit

COOKIES

20+ Varieties

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Phone: 703.263.1466 Fax: 703.263.2005

Speciality Breads - Masala, Fruit, Wheat,

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more….

Eggless

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Open 7 days M-F 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM S-S 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Great Great Great Great stop for Lunch, stop for Lunch, stop for Lunch, stop for Lunch, Dinner and any time in Dinner and any time in Dinner and any time in Dinner and any time in

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The one and only Indian Bakery in the

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Introducing: Lassi, Indian Coffee

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NOW SERVING SANDWICHES:

M-F: 11AM – 2PM & 5PM – 8:30PM SAT & SUN – NOON – 8:30 PM

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Skyvillas available for sale in Kochi

Luxury condominiums built based on American architecture available for sale. Location: Between Ernakulam city and Nedumbassery international airport along St. German road which is opposite to Paravoor Mookambika Devi temple. Three and Four bedrooms available, along with a office room separate. Amenities include Swimming pool, Fitness center, and Security services (24Hrs) Centralized A/C, Lifts with generator backup & among others. Interested parties, please contact Mr. Murali (Maryland). Phone: 301-570 4408 (Home) / 301-2371491(Cell) Email: Deeptimurali@hotmail.com . Pukalakkat Properites Pvt . Ltd are the Builders & they have more than twenty years in this Flat & Sky Villas business all over Kerala & the Web site is www.pukalakkat.com

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1 You came as a breeze Fair and fresh With all the colors And more of red – A rainbow-knitted brocade You, a welcome guest! 2

Into the heaven’s hanging garden With all the flowers strewn around, You came down with arrows short, A cupid darting from flower to flower As though you were a flower animate! Or a wayward rainbow resplendent! And when pollen dripped from your wings 3 One wondered how liquid color could fly! You flew up and you flew down From fragrant mango groves To lowly grass flowers – No distinction between The high, the lofty and the low! 4 And then - On a fair vernal day, When possessive instinct reigned, The boy’s avarice stirred within, He crept at your graceful darts, As a cat prying on its prey He licked his lips and wiped His brows, and at a moment When all the world stood still, He stirred to strike and possess 5 Your dead-wings’ inanimate colors! The earth paused breathless, The sky went pale and listless, The universe looked a canvass Painted, numb and motionless! That was when the lad did strike To frame you dead on a spike!

The Butterfly Collector --P. Balarajan

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ONAM GREETINGS &

BEST COMPLIMENTS FROM

Amaram Group

www.amaram.com 703-288-4113 - phone 703-288-4704 - fax info@amaram.com - email

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Sports Crossword Puzzle By Joshua Thomas

This crossword puzzle is another one of my “quizzes”. This one, however, covers three sports: Football, Basketball, and Baseball. Have fun trying to figure this one out!

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

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17

Down 1. Number of Cardinals' star Albert Pujols (spelled out). 2. NBA Player who scored 81 points in a 2006 NBA game. 4. NFL player featured on the cover of EA Sports' Madden 2006. 5. The NFL team that Terrell Owens signed a deal with in 2006 (just the team name). 7. 2005 - 2006 NBA Season MVP. 8. Alfonso Soriano's current team. 9. NBA team whose hometown is Phoenix. 10. Ben Wallace's nickname. 11. LeBron James’ nickname. 13. The new channel for Sunday Night Football.

Across 3. Former Phillies' star acquired by the Yankees in a late July trade. 6. 2005 World Series Champions (just the team name). 7. #89 on the Washington Redskins starting offense. 12. Hometown of the 2006 NBA Champions. 14. _______ Madden was a recent inductee into the NFL Hall of Fame. 15. 2005 AL Cy Young Winner. 16. George Steinbrenner is the owner of which baseball team? 17. NFL team based in Washington (although they play in Landover, MD).

Answers on page 55

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Pictures from the Spring Festival – 2006.

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Answers to Sports Crossword Puzzle.

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I wonder what my priorities in life are sometimes? ............. A Reality Check!!!

By Rekha Nambiar

• I want my KIDS to speak in Malayalam, yet I continue to converse in English with them.

• I want them to pray twice a day, yet some days I neglect to light the lamp and call them to say their prayers.

• I want them to be in bed by 8.30pm after dinner and a page or two of reading, yet I often serve dinner at 9.00pm.

• I want them to love me more than anyone else, yet there are days when I cut them off when they try to talk to me.

• I want them to eat carrots and greens, yet I conveniently forget to serve salad at dinnertime.

• I want them to be respectful of elders, yet they see me raise my voice at elders at home.

• I want them to be honest and straight forward yet there are days when I’m a coward.

• I want them to make their bed and keep their rooms clean, yet I refuse to make my bed everyday.

• I want them to ride their bikes and be fit, yet there are days that I am unable to take them on this joy ride.

• I want them to bond with their cousins, yet I'm lazy to drive them over. One priority that I’m proud of achieving this year is absolutely no TV time except after they have gone to bed. This has led them to read more! I’m glad I got one priority right this year. When I do a reality check next year, same time, perhaps I can get a couple more right!

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth”

--Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

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My Governor’s

School

Experience By Soorya Namboodiri, 11th Grade George Mason HS Falls Church, VA I had always heard about Governor’s School. That it was such a great opportunity and that “colleges would love to see it on your resume.” But I was never really sure if it was for me, or if I could even get in! My International Baccalaureate teacher ‘reintroduced’ me to Governor’s School and gave me my options. For example, he told me it was going to be a long shot if I wanted to get into the Medical Program because I belong to a very small school. But he also presented me with other options such as the Governor’s School for Agriculture which would give me a similar experience except I would be working with animals instead of people. I would later take his advice.

After filling out all of the applications and after a nearly endless wait for my results, I found out that I had gotten in. In the last days of school I was recognized at awards assemblies for my achievements in attending the Governor’s School for Agriculture the coming July. But still, I was unsure if staying in a college dorm, five hours away from home for a month for the first time at Virginia Tech was really right for me.

In truth, I thought I was going to be really scared staying by myself and not knowing anyone. I had never stayed more than three days away from home so I did not know what I was in for. These worries, it turned out, were almost

completely unfounded. My days became so occupied, that I sometimes I even forgot about calling home. Even my worries about the curriculum becoming too agriculturally oriented were untrue. The topics we covered in my core class really piqued my imagination in the field of medicine. The major that was assigned to me (with some choice prior to the camp) was Veterinary Medicine. I figured that this course

would still foster my thoughts about the medical field while giving me a different point of view of my (hopefully) future career. Our veterinary medicine group was visited by many talented and world renowned professors on topics

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ranging from the brain, to scary viruses and bacteria! One of our more hands on courses was a visit from a veterinary cardiologist who performed a heart echo on our professor, Dr. Eyre’s pet dog. Overall, I can confidently say that these courses were the highlight of my stay in Blacksburg. In addition to the lectures given in school buildings, we also took field trips. One of these trips that I especially enjoyed was our visit to the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. When we first arrived at the college, we were taken to the sophomore lecture hall to learn about osteopathic medicine. We were given a quick overview of the history of osteopathic medicine and the differences and similarities between getting a D.O. (doctor of osteopathic medicine) and getting a M.D. (medical doctor) degree. This visit really opened my eyes to the plethora of opportunities that are available to me after I finish undergraduate school. After learning about osteopathic

medicine, the faculty and select students took us on a tour of the facility. The most interesting part of the entire visit was the cadaver lab. We learned some cool facts about the amazingly high-tech facility. For example, the air in the lab is circulated 30 times in a single hour, and the lab was strategically placed on the top floor of the school so that the air would be better circulated. In the tour, we actually got to see a human hand being carved out to get plastered and made into a model! This trip was so informational and something I will never forget. While at my stay in Blacksburg, I learned some things that will last a lifetime. It was not, however, only work that kept me busy. Frequent trips to the farms and on other outings such as to a Natural Waterfall were so memorable. The amount of knowledge I

gained at Governor’s School this summer was so magnificent that I do not think I could have learned it all in a lifetime in a regular situation. The friends I made will be my friends for life, I can say that much. Although it seems a little short lived, I feel like the people I met in a month, I’ve know for years. I feel so privileged to have taken part in this camp and I encourage any rising sophomore or junior from to look into these

kinds of enrichment type programs. They are not only great field experiences but will feed your imagination tenfold.

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Kids Corner

COOKIES Mmmmm……Soft friendly cookies, Melting in my tongue, Sticking to my teeth, The fresh baked smell, The fresh baked warmth, That makes me feel good. If you eat one, You could be rich, Be rich with the taste, “OF COOKIES!” Mmmm………… By, Parvathy Panakal 5th Grade

BLUE

BLUE is the color, Of the sky so bright. BLUE is the color, Of the Ocean so wet. BLUE is the color, Of the sweet juicy blueberries- That is in the pie. BLUE is the color, That I love the most, BLUE is the color, Of the midnight sky !!!!!! By, Parvathy Panakal 5th Grade

Onam Greetings From

Dr. Suresh Muttath,

Dr. Anita Menon,

Madhava & Anjeli

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Happy Onam Greetings to all Malayalees, their friends and relatives all over the world

from Dr. Shalini Vallabhan Director, Asia Cancer Control Strategies

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. For more than six years, the Society has built strong partnerships to fight cancer in India by working to reduce tobacco use and increase access to cancer care services. During this Onam celebration, I thank Dr. Krishnan Nair, Dr. M. R. Rajagopal, Dr. M.V. Pillai, Dr. Jame Abraham, and Dr. Benny and Mrs. Rosemary Phillips for their constant encouragement, advice and friendship.

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Poems By Xavier Palathingal

I Am

I am like a bonsai,

Because I am unique

I am like a weed,

Because my mind grows fast

I am periwinkle,

Because I am made of many

colors

I am silver,

Because I shine

I am like a cave,

Because I am full of

surprises

I am like a tent,

Because I am always ready

I am winter,

Because I keep to the cold

I am a hurricane,

Because I have lots of

energy

The Lion

I am a feline,

I leap along,

Hopping, With no worry in the world

I see a mirror

I strut to the mirror

I’m at the back

I warily poke the mirror

It spins

I see flashes of an image,

A lion

I face it,

It is much greater than me

I am but a simple cat

When the lion didn’t move,

I realized,

That the image of the lion,

Was a reflection of my own

courage

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Happy Onam 2006 Wishes From

A Reston based Software Development,

Consulting and Training Company

1984 Isaac Newton Square West Suite 105, Reston VA 20190

www.numal.com www.itsmylinks.com www.travnations.com

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DO YOU WANT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN

TO LEARN ABOUT KERALA CULTURE?

GIVE YOUR DAUGHTER/SON A COPY OF

A collection of 25 short stories about women by award winning Malayalam authors translated into English. Sentiments and thoughts once isolated are shared with the English reader in these stories. Daughter's of Kerala was awarded Best Book 2005 Award for the Short Story Fiction category by USABooksNews.com and was Finalist in the Women's Issues category. The original stories written over a period of 70 years depict the progression of women from burdensome and rigid social mores to a more open society that exerts different kind of pressures. Read these stories about a unique people in the south-western costal state of India that has an exceptionally high literacy level of 92 percent. Kerala had free education from the early 1800 and the rich literary tradition of Malayalam is worthy of translation. Like the books translated from Greek, Latin, Russian, etc., “Daughters of Kerala” will help you appreciate another unique culture.

“…the accessible directness of the translations makes this book a pleasure to read.” --Shashi Tharoor “The vivid translations open a window….to the world of Indian women” --Braj B. Kachru “....this literary feat illustrates the cultural evolution of a populace.” --Dr. M.V. Pillai “….is to be congratulated for bringing these stories to the American readers.” --Lyn Richmond “… a welcome text for… World Literature, Women’s Studies, or Short Fiction or a serious book group.” --Carole Hayes “The great literary tradition of Malayalam… finds its way into world literature.” --Vaikom Murali The book is available from www.wheatmark.com and www.amazon.com or your favorite bookstore. For more information visit: www.achammachander.com.

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ONAM GREETINGS

FROM

STERLING PEDIATRICS Drs. Sharmila Nair & Lisa Scott

46175 Westlake Dr., Suite 120

STERLING, VA. 20165

703-444-0100

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KERALA ASSOCIATION OF GREATER WASHINGTON (KAGW) A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Website: www.kagw.com

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

NAME: _________________________________________________________________ NAME OF SPOUSE: _______________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE: _____________________________________________________________ NAMES & AGES OF CHILDREN: (OPTIONAL) ______________________________________________ ____________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________ HOMETOWN IN INDIA: (OPTIONAL) ____________________________________ MEMBERSHIP FEE: FAMILY ($20.00) ____________________________________ SINGLE ($15.00) ____________________________________ LIFE TIME ($250) ____________________________________

Please make checks payable to KAGW. Please enroll me as a member of the Kerala Association of Greater Washington: KAGW), a non -profit Organization. Please find enclosed an amount of $___________ for the annual membership for 2004 DATE: _____________________ SIGNATURE:_____________________________

Please make your checks payable to KAGW and mail to:

Seenu Kurien

8532 Freyman Dr. #218,

Chevy Chase, MD 20815 E-mail: membership@kagw.com

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Community News

Graduates

Alisha Thomas graduated from Riverdale Baptist High School and will attend

University of Maryland in Baltimore county.

Nina Kottakuzhiyil graduated from Paint Branch High School and will attend St.

John University.

Sneha Chalissery graduated from Damascus High School and will attend

Montgomery College.

Treesa Joseph graduated from Magruder High School and will attend

Montgomery College.

Ashwathi Kunnath graduated from Quince Orchard High School and will attend

Rochester Institute of Technology.

Christy Rajan graduated from Catonsville High School and will attend College of

Notre Dame.

Anna Aryankalayil graduated from Poolesville High School and will attend

Emory University.

Congrats to Mr. Benoy Thomas (former KAGW President) who has been

appointed by Montgomery County Executive, Douglas Duncan as Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board Member for a term of 5 years.

In this role, Mr. Benoy Thomas will be listening to county residents concerns

and issues and bring it to the county executive and council's attention and advise solutions.

Achievements

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Community News

Mrs. Girija Ramachandra, mother of Mini Sathyan, passed away on April 23, 2006 at

Chennai. She was 67 years old.

Obituary

Melissa Thomas, born to Lin and Jose Thomas on August 17th 2006.

Ashwyn Mathew Koshy, born on May 13, 2006 to Siby and John Koshy.

Benjamin Zachary Podiyan, born to Shibu Podiyan and Marcy Podiyan on July 4th 2006.

George Nikhil Painumkal, born on February 5, 2006 to John and Ajitha Painumkal.

Shawn Mathew Philip born on February 3 ,2006 to Tini and Shaji Philip Palapuzhamattam.

Savita Saralakshmi Nair born on February 11, 2006 to Sandeep and Suja Nair. Aarnav K Melemadathil born on Apr 26 ,2006 to Ajith & Ria ,Centreville, VA

Births

Jenson Jose and Linta Rose tied the knot on July 2nd 2006.

Mr. Tony & Mrs Ann Chemmanoor celebrated 25 th Wedding Anniversary on February

15 ,2006.

Weddings / Anniversaries

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Answers to KAGW Crossword

Best Wishes From

Mickhael Tessa Deepak

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Pictures from the KAGW Picnic

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Coming

Soon

Kerala Association of Greater Washington Proudly Presents

HAPPY ONAM TO ALL

Ashwyn Mathew Koshy

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