Youth Festival is About to Start

The youth festival is starting in a week and we are busy practicing our items. I don't

know how I managed to study the group dance. It is an awful song. Also, the Margam

Kali lyrics is very hard but it is the same one that I have sang last year. I am the class leader now (I hate it).I am waiting for a chance to get rid of it. Anyway, according to the attitude of our class, no class monitor could last more than one month. By then, u will be fired for some stupid reason.

( I don't like people who don't tell openly whats in their minds. Thats the major problem I'm facing now...)

I am tired of practicing group dance now. I am sick of hearing that horrible song. What can we do? It is the typical song for this purpose. I am not feeling so well since last three days. I hate school now, The thing is that our teacher is not allowing friends to sit together. She has decided to change our positions. I feel like sleeping all the time in class. Because of the rehearsals, I am not able to attend certain classes, especially, Chemistry and Economics. I have not yet completed any of my records, I don't know what is going to happen. As the class monitor, I don't know even how many students have submitted it and those who haven't. If anything get lost, then everything will be on my head. The thing is that i don't have any time because of the rehearsals . Everything is messed up on my mind. What should I do?

Mid-term test over

I am now in a relaxed mood as our mid-term examinations are over. The evaluation and questions asked are different from last year. There is a change in evaluation for science especially . Now, we have to draw all those diagrams in Biology, and use only Equ of Motion in Physics. For Chemistry, it is allright 'cause I had full marks. I have only 88%. I was going to make it 90 but suddenly the principal decided to make Computer a grade subject. I had 100% in computer. That might have changed my entire percentage. It is really hard to get altleast an 80 percentage in English ( or make it 70). Teachers are very strict . They will reduce lot of marks even if the mistake is minute. I am determined to get atleast a 93% inthe terminal exams. It is really difficult to score but I will try my best. I have planned my studying and I am very confident . By the way, my younger sister, Gowri, had 99% for the Mid-Term exam. She is now in 4th standard.

I am there in Group Dance and Margam Kali in the CBSE Youth Festival. I am also there in Thiruvathira competiton, i.e, school house competitions. I saw our last year's Margam Kali perfomance. There were only four teams in it and we got the 4th Prize. Actually, after watching the video, I was surprised we even got the 4th prize (horrible!). I am praying to God to make Margam Kali and Group Dance on two different days. It is so tiresome if both are on the same day. We will have no time to enjoy. Let's see...

School Re-opened!

I am sorry I was not able to keep connected all these days because there was a problem in our net connection. It is already now...

OK, My school Reopened. It is not much of a bad news because I love school now! The entire thing is completely different from last year... Even before one month, our class teacher ressigned from the job because she got a govenment job elsewhere. This is a common practice in our class all the academic years. Now, teachers consider it lucky if they get our class. I am in the Yorkshire House and my sister is in Glamorgan. (You must be wondering why such names for houses, that is, even after more than 50 years, some schools' houses or teams are named after British Streets! A thing to be certainly ashamed of!) Last year, I was in the Science Club. Usually, science clubs are organised in Saturdays, and also all the programmes and competitions in the school are conducted on Saturdays. I am there in most of the programmes and house competitons, so, I was not able to attend the science club. In addition to that, science clubs are there only on Ist saturdays... So, I decided to join the Social Service and Nature Club this year. The main reason is that all my friends are there. But now I am fed up, because it is a field that I have no interest. I am trying my best to be back in the Science Club. There is a Science Exhibition that is to be conducted on August. The topic is anything related to the use of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMAN SUSTAINABILITY. I've already thought of some ideas. Do help me if you have any...Our Mid-Term examinations are starting next week. Actually, for me, nineth standard is way better than eight in the case of studies...

In Varkala

My native place, cherunniyoor, is near Varkala. Varkala is one of the attractive places in Kerala. The most noted is the Beach at Papanasham and the cliff along it. It is a must-go place for Keralites or anybody. The Beach at Papanasham is considered very sacred. Actually, the word 'papanasham' means 'destruction of sins' and it is believed that taking a bath at this Beach destroys all our sins. So.., we had a bath. But our intention was 'enjoying' the sea. We had a great time there. We also went to the famous Kulamuttam Backwaters. It is an isolated place with little man-made structures. The sunset there was very beautiful. I have never seen the sun this much reddish. My aunt's friend's house is near this place. So, we also had a visit over there and had our meals there. That house is a good example of the Keralite Christian homes in old times (maybe even now). Our next soothing visit was on the famous Kappil backwaters. In there, Actually, along one side of the road is the arabian sea and the alomg the other side is the beautiful backwaters. We stayed at Cherunniyoor for almost 15 days and now I am back at home. My cousin is also with me here. We are having great fun. One month holidays isover,yet another one month is there for the shool to reopen. Now, I want to get engaged in some useful things for the coming academic year because I have a lot of expectation from me next year...

Vishu at Cherunniyoor!

We had our vishu celebrations in my native palce at cherunniyor, varkala. For you, I am just introducing this festival- this is celebrated extensively in the state of Kerala in South India. The festival marks the first day of Malayalam Year and falls in the month of Medam(April – May). Vishu follows the sidereal vernal equinox and generally falls on April 14 of the Gregorian year. This occasion signifies the Sun's transit to the zodiac - Mesha Raasi (first zodiac sign) as per Indian astrological calculations. The word "Vishu" in Sanskrit means "equal". Therefore Vishu is more probably denoting one of the equinox days. Vishu is also considered as the harvest festival of Kerala and thus the importance of this day to all Malayalees. The festival is marked with offerings to the divine called Vishukkani. The offerings consist of a ritual arrangement in the puja room of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh linen, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, the yellow flowers konna (Cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins, in a bell metal vessel called uruli. A lighted bell metal lamp called nilavilakku is also placed alongside. This arrangement is completed the previous night.

For us, kids, the most part is the vishukkaineettam and the vishukani. Vishukkaineetam is the money given by the elders to the kids. On the day of Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with the eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight of the new season but my Vishukani was my father and then only I saw the traditional Vishukani. All these years, I have been seeing the vishu kani in the home in my native place . It is really a wonderful experience. We went to the Varkala Janardhanswamy Temple. Also, we had sometime in the Papanasham Beach. During Vishu, its also celebration time for the media nd channels. They are trying their best to keep the viewers in front of the Television. Very interesting vishu related programmes and new films are broadcasted on this day. I, myself saw two films. Then it was time for us to go home. Most Probably, next trip will be to the Poovar Beach, then again to Cherunniyoor. By the way, I forgot to remind you that I have passed the exams. Hurray!