Newsletters

Newsletter October 2023

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Greetings, and welcome to the October edition of the COMA newsletter. Autumn is personally my favorite time of the year – pumpkin spiced treats, apple picking, spooky Halloween parties, trick or treat adventures, and vibrant fall colors – what’s not to like!

This edition features an interesting mix of articles on a variety of topics ranging from how to help our children stay closer to their cultural roots, to a mother’s joy and pride at her daughter’s determination to serve the country, to tips on improving your cell phone photography, and to mixing up a unique and elegant cocktail.

Do share with us pictures of your pumpkin carving masterpieces and colorful Halloween costumes – we would love to feature them in the next edition of the newsletter. Hope you all have a wickedly good time this Halloween season.

It’s all about love – Manju Nair

(Manju is an avid reader who is also an art, movie, and music enthusiast. With an enduring commitment to COMA, she presently serves as a trustee and, notably held the position of the organization’s first female President. Raised in Trivandrum, Kerala, Manju lives in Powell, Ohio with her frequently visiting boys Adithya (Nandu) and Arvind (Kannan). She loves to travel and experience the world. In addition to her cultural pursuits, Manju is an active and influential presence within the central Ohio Malayalee community.)

Parenting, I mean. Here’s the disclaimer before you read this. I am no expert by any means and these are only my findings and the conclusions I have reached based on my unique life experiences and my peripheral settings. Having said that, I do believe there are some fundamentals that we could think about as adults before and as we become parents. I hope some of these might resonate with some of you, and some of you might be curious to apply a few of them and see the results. My minimum expectation is that this triggers some thoughts and meaningful conversations.

Like I said, it is all about love. Parenting takes a lot of kindness and acceptance. You would think that is such an obvious fact, but I have been surprised to see how much of our own selfish agenda gets projected onto our children, to make them into what we think they should be. It is the hardest thing to understand what they want to be and accepting and supporting it even when it could be the last thing we want them to be. And we also should accept the fact that we don’t know everything.

It is about being brutally honest about who we are. Are we setting the right example? Are we showing that honesty and integrity are important principles to live by? Are we teaching them to identify right from wrong? Are we accepting and non judgmental of people who are not from our race and culture? Are we kind? Are we afraid to show and express love unabashedly? Are we socially awkward? Are we superficial? A very common thing I see is how immigrant parents have this ‘holier than thou’ attitude towards western society. The quickest way for our children to lose respect for us is when we talk down about anything non-Indian. The children might not be vocal about their opinions, but believe me, they do have opinions of us. Our children grew up here in this country and when they see us put down anything that we are not familiar with, it does not present us in a very good light . Remember, children follow by example and they learn by watching us. And they are watching even when we think they aren’t.

It is about teaching them gratitude and how to practice it consistently and consciously. It is about not being entitled and expecting anything to be delivered on a platter. Teach them to be grateful and tolerant.

It is about putting in some work into the relationship. We should be aware of the generational shift and how quickly it is happening. What used to make sense for our generation does not apply to the next. So if we are not willing to move and meet our children midway, we might end up in a complete miscommunication mishap. It takes effort and patience to communicate in the same language as our children. And once we put in the effort, let me assure you that it is immensely rewarding.

This is a great segue into the subtopic as to how we make our children embrace our Indian roots. There is no magic formula for that. But, it goes back to how much effort are we putting in to expose our children to their roots. How often do they see their family back in India? And a lot of factors go into familiarization – cuisine, festivals, and language to name a few. Question for us is how much do we embrace and celebrate our roots?

Relationships with their grandparents is another interesting aspect. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I am going to say it anyway. It is a two way street, like any other relationship. Effort needs to come from both sides. I have seen some beautiful relationships and I have also seen some not so great ones. The common theme in a good relationship with grandparents is how willing the grandparents are to learn about this generation and to get involved without being preachy. Children respond beautifully to love and when it comes with no conditions, it builds a strong bond. As parents, all we can do is provide them the opportunity to connect to their roots. The rest is in the hands of both parties involved.

So, like I said in the beginning, it is all about love.

My daughter, my pride – Yogalakshmi Venugopal

(Yogalakshmi Venugopal known as Yoga to her friends, grew up in Chennai, and has made central Ohio her home in recent years. She lives in Powell, Ohio with her daughter Chetana. Yoga has a deep passion for music, dance, cinema, and culinary arts, and she is an enthusiast of outdoor recreational pursuits. Furthermore, she is an engaged member of the COMA community, actively participating and dedicating her time as a frequent volunteer for the COMA Meals on Wheels program.)

Chetana came to the United States at the age of 13 and had to navigate through a lot of cultural and personal changes. Despite facing challenges like any other immigrant, she managed to complete her schooling with flying colors.

Like most kids, Chetana had a lot of career aspirations growing up, but her interest in serving the people and her fascination towards the uniform caught me off guard. I assumed it would be a passing phase, but she was firm on it and did all the necessary research to pursue her dream of joining the US Air Force.

The reserve option allowed her to join the US Air Force as a part-timer while continuing her studies. Chetana aspires to become a commissioned officer after her graduation and pursue her career with the US Air Force. To achieve her aspirations, Chetana had to go through a strenuous four-month training program which included boot camp training in Texas and tech training in Virginia.

Her determination towards her goal pushes her to sacrifice her holidays in order to catch up with academic requirements while pursuing her military services. She was motivated and supported by her college counselor and ROTC instructors which helped her to come up with aggressive plans enabling her to achieve her goals. She has proven herself as an epitome of determination. I am proud of her not just for her accomplishment but for the kind hearted person that she has always been.

I was high on emotions during her graduation ceremony as I watched her parade in her Air Force uniform and receive honors from higher officials. I stood there as a proud mom with rolling tears and I knew that my little girl had now turned into a strong, beautiful, intelligent, and courageous woman.

#PhotographyTips #CaptureTheMoment – Rahul RP

(Rahul RP is an IT engineer with a deep passion for photography and travel. He possesses a keen eye for capturing the beauty of the world through the lens of his camera, turning everyday moments into extraordinary memories. Whether it’s exploring new destinations or delving into the intricacies of technology, he is a true enthusiast with a thirst for knowledge and adventure. Rahul lives in New Albany with his wife Gayathri and son Dhyan. He hails from Trivandrum.)

Today, most of us carry a powerful camera right in our pockets. The tips below will help you to take your mobile photos to the next level.

  1. Clean Your Lens: Before you begin, take a moment to clean your phone’s camera lens. A smudged or dirty lens can significantly impact the quality of your photos.
  2. Understand Your Camera App: Familiarize yourself with the features of your camera app. Learn how to adjust exposure, focus, and other settings for more control over your shots.
  3. Good Lighting is Key: Lighting is the foundation of photography. Natural light, especially during the golden hours (early morning and late afternoon), provides a warm, soft quality that can make your photos shine. Avoid harsh, direct sunlight, which can lead to overexposed or shadowy images.
  4. Composition Matters: Apply the rule of thirds ( don’t get scared – I have explained it below 😀 ), leading lines, and framing to create well-balanced and visually appealing photos. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to add interest.
  5. Use the Rule of Thirds: Divide your frame into a 3×3 grid and position your subject along the gridlines or at their intersections. This classic technique can lead to beautifully balanced compositions.
  6. Edit with Care: Editing can enhance your photos but avoid overdoing it. Adjust brightness, contrast, color, and sharpness to maintain a natural look. There are many photo editing apps available for this purpose. (Snapseed, Lightroom, etc.)
  7. Burst Mode: For fast-moving subjects or action shots, use burst mode to take multiple photos in quick succession. This increases your chances of capturing the perfect moment.
  8. Stabilize Your Phone: Shaky hands can result in blurry photos. Use a tripod or steady your phone against a stable surface and enable image stabilization if your phone supports it.
  9. Tell a Story: Use your mobile photography to tell a story. Capturing candid moments and documenting your life can create a compelling narrative through your photos.

Espresso Martini recipe – Nish Nishant

(Nish is a passionate cocktail enthusiast and hobbyist mixologist, with a penchant for exploring an array of ingredients and experimenting with various spirits. Originally from Trivandrum, Kerala, he presently resides in Worthington, Ohio, with his wife Smitha and their son Rohan. He occasionally shares some of his concoctions on his Instagram profile @nishtravelfooddrink)

If you’re a fan of both coffee and cocktails, the Espresso Martini is a must-try. While there are numerous variations of this delightful concoction, at its core, it’s a cocktail crafted with vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur. This classic cocktail is said to have its roots in 1980s London. Below, I’ll share the recipe I personally prefer.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Vodka
  • 1 oz espresso (fresh)
  • 1 oz Kahlua
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • Coffee beans

Add the vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish by floating the coffee beans. I often add a splash of crème de cacao (to give it a Mocha flavor), but only if the recipient likes that chocolate taste. I’ve also used chocolate coated coffee beans instead of regular ones, but those are a little harder to float as they are heavier.

One of the key aspects to making a good Espresso Martini is to use freshly made espresso. If you can make it at home, cool it down to room temperature before using it, as you don’t want to melt too much of the ice. If any of you make this drink, I’d love to hear what you thought about it.

Newsletter September 2023

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Welcome to the September edition of the COMA newsletter. A week after the COMA grand Onam celebrations, I am still feeling a sense of excitement and exhilaration. It was an absolute success, and a testament to the meticulous planning by the COMA Executive Committee and the enthusiasm of the event volunteers. The  celebrations embodied the true spirit of Onam – bringing people together to celebrate traditions and camaraderie.

The athapookkalams were a sight to behold, and transformed the venue into a visual delight. Members adorned in traditional attire like kasavu sarees and mundu enhanced the visual spectacle of the celebrations. The sadhya was a culinary treat with an array of authentic dishes including delectable payasams and boli, all served in fresh banana leaves.

Our chief guest Prof. Gopinath Muthukad truly shone as a beacon of altruism and selflessness. His ability to rally people together for his cause is extraordinary, and his unwavering commitment to the cause of differently abled children in Kerala is an inspiration to all of us.

The chenda melam team from Detroit drummed up a storm and kept us on the edge of our seats. The performance was nothing short of extraordinary and left us all in awe and deeply proud of our rich Malayalee cultural heritage. The event’s entertainment selection was a blend of traditional and contemporary music and dance performances, ensuring everyone had an enjoyable experience. The MC team did a great job ensuring the event ran smoothly, and most importantly keeping the audience fully engaged.

The Onam event was a roaring success encapsulating the spirit and tradition of Onam, and creating an opportunity for charitable giving, raising an incredible amount for a very worthy cause. Thank you COMA EC 2023 for the dedication and passion that made this Onam an unforgettable celebration for all of us.

COMA officials handing over the first check to Prof. Muthukad.

ഓർമ്മിക്കാൻ ഒരു അമേരിക്കൻ ഓണം – Suprabha Arimbassery

(Suprabha hails from Valayanchirangara, Ernakulam. She is currently in Columbus, Ohio visiting her daughter Anjana Nair and family.)

എക്കാലത്തെയും നല്ല ഓർമ്മയായി മനസ്സിൽ സൂക്ഷിക്കാൻ ഒരോണവും കൂടി. നാട്ടിലെ ഓണപ്പരിപാടികൾ നഷ്ടമായെന്നോർത്ത് അമേരിക്കയിലെത്തിയ ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് ഇവിടുത്തെ ഓണാഘോഷങ്ങളിൽ പങ്കെടുക്കുവാൻ ഭാഗ്യമുണ്ടായി. വളരെ സന്തോഷകരമായ കാര്യം തന്നെ. ആഘോഷപരിപാടികൾ കാണുവാനായി  ഒരു സ്കൂളിൻടെ ഓഡിറ്റോറിയത്തിൽ എത്തിയപ്പോൾ കേരളത്തിലെ ഒരു ആഘോഷത്തിലെത്തിയ പ്രതീതി. എല്ലായിടത്തും മലയാളത്തനിമയാർന്ന വേഷവിധാനങ്ങളും സംഭാഷണ ശകലങ്ങളും, പരിചയപ്പെടലുകളും പരിചയപ്പെടുത്തലുകളുമായി സ്നേഹബന്ധങ്ങൾ പരിപോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്ന നമ്മുടെ കൂട്ടുകാർ. അല്പസ്വല്പം പരിചയപ്പെടലുകൾക്കു ശേഷം കണ്ട പൂക്കളം വർണവിസ്മയം തീർത്തു. പ്രകൃതിദത്തമായ പൂക്കളാൽ അണിയിച്ചൊരുക്കിയ രണ്ട് വലിയ പൂക്കളങ്ങൾ വളരെ മനോഹരം.

അതു കഴിഞ്ഞ് ഒന്നാന്തരം ഓണസദ്യ. കേരളീയ സമ്പ്രദായത്തിൽ വാഴയിലയിൽ പപ്പടം, പഴം, പായസം ഇവ കൂട്ടി ഓണസദ്യ കഴിച്ച ശേഷം ഓഡിറ്റോറിയത്തിനകത്തേയ്ക്കു കയറിയപ്പോൾ കണ്ടത് – ഉത്സവപ്പറമ്പിലാണോ എന്ന് തോന്നുമാറ് ഒരാന. നെറ്റിപ്പട്ടം കെട്ടി, കോലം വച്ച് – വളരെ നന്നായിരുന്നു ആ കാഴ്ച. തുടർന്ന് ചെണ്ടമേളത്തിന്റെയും പുലികളിയുടെയും അകമ്പടിയോടെ മാവേലിത്തമ്പുരാൻടെ എഴുന്നള്ളത്ത്. മാവേലിത്തമ്പുരാൻടെ വരവും എതിരേല്പ്പും താളാത്മകമായി കൊട്ടിക്കയറിയ ചെണ്ടമേളവും സദസ്സിനെ ഗൃഹാതുരത്വത്തിന്റെ തലത്തിലേക്കുയർത്തി.

വിശിഷ്ടാതിഥിയായെത്തിയ ശ്രീ ഗോപിനാഥ് മുതുകാടിനൻടെ ഉത്‌ഘാടനപ്രസംഗം ഗതകാല സ്മരണകളെ ഉണർത്തുന്ന ഒന്നായിരുന്നു. തുടർന്ന്‌, കലാപരിപാടികളുടെ ഒരു വേലിയേറ്റം തന്നെയായിരുന്നു. ഓണപ്പാട്ടും, തിരുവാതിരകളിയും, കൊച്ചുകുരുന്നുകളുടെ ഫാഷൻ ഷോയും, ക്ലാസിക്കൽ, സിനിമാറ്റിക് ഡാൻസ്, മ്യൂസിക് ബാൻഡ് ഫ്യൂഷൻ, കവിതാലാപനം തുടങ്ങിയവ കൊണ്ട് കുറേ സമയം വേറൊരു ലോകത്ത് എല്ലാം മറന്നിരുന്നുപോയി. ഓണോത്സവത്തെ ശ്ലാഖിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുള്ള ഒഹായോ സ്റ്റേറ്റ് സെക്രട്ടറിയുടെ സന്ദേശം കേട്ടപ്പോൾ വളരെ സന്തോഷം തോന്നി.

ഇത്ര ഭംഗിയായി ഇതവതരിപ്പിക്കാൻ ചുക്കാൻ പിടിച്ച COMA ഭാരവാഹികൾക്കും, അർപ്പണബോധത്തോടെ ചിട്ടയായ പരിശീലനവും, പരിശീലിപ്പിക്കലും നടത്തിയ അംഗങ്ങൾക്കും കുട്ടികൾക്കും, എല്ലാത്തിനും എല്ലാ പിന്തുണയുമായി നിൽക്കുന്ന എല്ലാ കുടുംബാംഗങ്ങൾക്കും എത്ര നന്ദി പറഞ്ഞാലും മതിയാകില്ല. കൂട്ടായ പ്രവർത്തനത്തിൻടെ പ്രതിഫലനമാണ് ഇത്രയും നല്ലൊരു ദൃശ്യ ശ്രാവ്യ വിസ്മയ കാഴ്ച. ഇതാസ്വദിക്കാൻ അവസരം ലഭിച്ചതിന് വളരെ അധികം നന്ദി, സന്തോഷം.

My trek to the Annapurna Base Camp – Deepa Jayabalan Menon

(Deepa Menon among her friends and family is best known for someone who is always living on the edge, loves travel, adventure sports, trekking, and diving (underwater and sky). On a sunny nice day she can be found hiking, and is always working on her next bucket list item.)

Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp… it was indeed one of the beautiful decisions of my life.

I leave a part of myself to the Himalayas every time I visit her. Himalayan ranges are my all time high; it gives a unique energy to reach and to be around her in spite of all the difficulties, tough terrains, and multiple days of walking.

It was an amazing experience to walk through the distinct landscape full of rich mountains, terraced fields, peculiar Gurung and Thakali villages, and the diverse variety of flora and fauna. The trail goes with gradual and steep ascents and descents alongside terraced rice paddies, lush rhododendron forests, and high altitude landscapes.

Nearly all of the villages to Annapurna Base Camp are the ethnic communities of Gurung and Thakali. We were able to find a few tea houses spread through the villages. These tea houses are the go to places to discuss and exchange notes with local villagers and tourists from other countries. Interacting with the staff, guides, and porters on the trail gave us a glimpse into their way of life and above all enjoy the traditional Nepalese style local dishes and tea.

As we were gradually moving towards the base camp through the villages, the vegetation shifted from tropical forests to alpine terrain with grasslands on rocky mountains. It was monsoon season so the sky was never clear and it rained daily. I would call it a monsoon and waterfall trek. I had multiple leeches biting me and we were always drenched in rain.

The last stretch to the Annapurna Base Camp was a walk on moraines. The evening we reached Machapuchare (base camp), the sky was not clear and we couldn’t see the mountain range, and we were disappointed. The locals said that this time of the year the sky is never clear and we may not be able to see anything.

And then the miracle happened. At 3:30 AM the next day, we woke up looking at the clear sky, visible galaxies, and the vast Annapurna mountain ranges. No words could do justice to her serenity. She is majestic, magnificent, yet looks calm and beautiful. We were surrounded by the various peaks of Annapurna as well as other mountains like Gandharvachuli and Machapuchhre.

The knee pain, leech bites (blood loss), getting drenched, lack of sleep, high altitude sickness… everything just magically disappeared. The journey might have been strenuous and silent but in the end, I always have a beautiful story to narrate. 🙂

Onam Meals-on-Wheels Marathon

On Sep 3rd, Sunday, COMA coordinated a Meals on Wheels marathon by delivering 5 routes in tandem, including 16 volunteers, both adults and youth. This is the 9th year since COMA started doing Meals on Wheels as a regular community activity, and given that this year’s Onam was primarily a fundraiser for Prof. Gopinath Muthukad’s charitable causes, it was proposed to kick off the Onam celebrations by doing a Meals on Wheels marathon. The invitations were sent out with very little notice but all 5 route slots were filled up within an hour of the announcement. Thank you to the volunteers who stepped up so very quickly.

Route Volunteers

  • Smitha Sasindran, Sudeepa Pramod, Ramya Janaki, Ameya Pramod
  • Pramod Theckile Madathil, Roopesh Sathyan, Arnav Roopesh, Avnita Pramod
  • Nish Nishant, Pradeesh Puthiyattil, Shibu Nair
  • Smitha Nishant, Deepa Jayabalan Menon, Yogalakshmi Venugopal
  • Arun Davis, Abel Davis, Nikhil Nair

Check out this short 2-minute video for a slideshow of photos from past route deliveries as well as brief interview clips with some of our youth volunteers from the marathon.

Onam 2023 Media Links

Newsletter August 2023 – Onam edition

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Welcome to the Onam edition of the COMA newsletter. Onam, to most of us, is a reminder of childhood memories and family get-togethers. Onam celebrations are an integral part of every immigrant Malayalee’s life. These celebrations bring together people regardless of political and religious affiliations, and that I feel is what makes them special and unique. I am really looking forward to meeting you all at the COMA Onam celebrations this year, which also promises to be a visual treat for all of us.

This year’s Onam celebrations will give us a unique opportunity to give back to our community back home. Renowned magician and humanitarian Prof. Gopinath Muthukad will be visiting us for the COMA Onam celebrations. Please use the opportunity to meet with him and support his charitable organization, Different Art Centre (DAC), aimed at empowering and educating specially abled children. Please read Hari Narayanswamy’s article below for details, and reach out to the COMA Executive Committee (coma.officials@gmail.com) if you have questions.

Wishing you and your family a very happy Onam season!

— Smitha Nishant

My Perspective of Onam Growing Up in the United States – by Krishna Velayudhan

(Krishna Velayudhan is a Supervising Attorney at Discover Financial Services licensed to practice law in Ohio for the past 21 years. He is an avid outdoorsman and currently lives in Powell, Ohio with his wife Reshma and two children, Nikhil and Rhea.)

As a Malayali brought up in the United States, I would like to share my thoughts and experiences with respect to Onam. As a young child growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, the Malayali community thirty years ago in this region was small and sparsely populated. Back in the 1980s, Gurukul classes were not offered and the only temple in the area was a small Shiva Vishnu temple that was recently built and a place where my family prayed on a regular basis.

My parents therefore made it a high priority for both my sisters and I to visit Thrissur, Kerala every summer vacation during my elementary and middle school years. I remember during my fourth grade summer vacation in Kerala, my parents decided to extend their stay into the middle of September two weeks past the start of the 5th grade school year so that we can experience the Onam festival at our ancestral home in Chathannoor. My initial reaction of staying an additional two weeks and missing the start of the school year was of horror but then I quickly realized how lucky I was to experience the Onam festival in Kerala. I remember seeing our paddy field workers bringing several bags of harvested rice to our outdoor garage and pouring the rice into a large pile. The house would be decorated with different flower kolam arrangements and white kolam decorations. The rice that was brought from the paddy fields would then be given by my family to other families from the community in need. My parents, grandparents, and other relatives would recount the sacred story of Vamana and Mahabali to illustrate the significance of Onam and reminding ourselves the lesson from the story to always keep any promises made. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of, and is a childhood memory I really cherish.

A young Krishna from the 80s in front of his ancestral home

My life growing up in US has been unique based on the experiences I shared above. It is important to blend one’s own cultural heritage to the external environment they are a part of in order to reap the benefits of both cultures. This has helped shape me into the person I am today.

Old time Kerala festivities – by Kadambari Namboodiri

(The Namboodiris took their doctorates from U. of MI, Ann Arbor, went back to U. of Kerala, and returned to the U. of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill in the early 70’s. When Krishnan was offered an endowed, eminent professorship at OSU, Columbus, they moved to Columbus in ’84. After Dr. Krishnan’s passing in 2015, Kadambari moved to Cleveland to spend her sunset years near her daughter. Now, entering the 9th decade of her life, she remembers past events and friends, and maintains a positive outlook.)

I was asked to write something about Onam celebrations before COMA was organized. I don’t know who will be interested in ancient tales.

But one take home lesson is: uprooted Keralites, in small or large numbers, are proud of their home land, and find a way to gather and celebrate the traditional cultural festivals like Onam and Christmas, the best they can.

We moved to Columbus from N. Carolina in 1984 and joined OSU as faculty. That was 40 years ago! Stone age years for youngsters now: no ubiquitous cell phones, Google, ChatGPT, or AI in our tool box! Such primitive times!

Yet, the handful of Malayalees in Columbus and vicinity at that time found a way to meet and chat and share personal experiences and helpful tips. We all gathered at a church for our first Onam, a true demonstration of religious harmony, to celebrate cultural heritage! People were so resourceful that they had Onam songs, vanchi pattu, and finally the appearance of Maveli! At least, kids had a small exposure to our family reunions, cultural background, and fabulous feasts!

Just like for Onam, we gathered in the same church for our Christmas celebrations also. There were Christmas carols, Santa appearing for gift exchanges for small kids, and a fantastic feast to crown the celebration. Amazing how a small group of people could replicate our homeland culture, in love and harmony!

As years went by, numbers increased, venues like library, schools were explored, pot luck model feast became cumbersome. Some young, enthusiastic youngsters like Pradip, Valsan, and others stepped in to take lead roles in officially organizing a group, and COMA was born! So proud that it has grown and is involved in so many new activities and is strengthening our community.

I congratulate the COMA officials for all their community outreach programs, youth programs, and sports activities, in addition to the traditional cultural festivities! Best wishes for your continued efforts to blend the past and present cultures in this shrinking world!

മാപ്പിളരാമായണം – by Sachin Sugathan

(Sachin has been an active member of COMA from 2011, and lives with his wife Preeti and daughter Sahasra in Galena, Ohio.)

ഒരു കർക്കിടകം കൂടി കടന്നു പോകുന്നു. കോരിപ്പെയ്യുന്ന മഴയുടെ അകമ്പടിയോടെ സന്ധ്യാദീപം സാക്ഷിയാക്കി മലയാളികൾ രാമായണം പാരായണം ചെയ്യുന്ന മാസം. സാധാരണയായി കേരളീയരുടെ ഇടയിൽ പ്രചാരത്തിലുള്ള രാമായണം, തുഞ്ചത്തെഴുത്തച്ഛൻ രചിച്ച അദ്ധ്യാത്മരാമായണം കിളിപ്പാട്ട് എന്ന പതിപ്പാണ്. ത്രേതായുഗത്തിൽ മഹാമുനി വാല്‍മീകി സംസ്‌കൃതത്തിൽ രചിച്ച ഈ മഹാകാവ്യത്തിന്, ഇന്ന് മുന്നൂറിൽ പരം പതിപ്പുകൾ ഉണ്ടെന്നു കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു.

അതിലൊരുപക്ഷേ ഏറ്റവും കൗതുകകരവും, വിചിത്രവും ആയ ഒരു പതിപ്പു, കേരളത്തിലെ മാപ്പിളരാമായണം ആയിരിക്കും. എന്നാൽ മാപ്പിളരാമായണം രാമായണമേയല്ല എന്ന് വാദിക്കുന്നവരുമുണ്ട്‌.

മലബാറിലെ നാദാപുരത്തുള്ള ഹിന്ദു വിശ്വാസികൾ അവരുടെ മുസ്ലിം സഹോദരങ്ങൾക്ക് മനസ്സിലാവാൻ അവരുടെ രീതിയിൽ, അവര്‍ക്കു മനസിലാകുന്ന ഭാഷയിൽ, മാപ്പിളപ്പാട്ടിന്റെ ഈണത്തിൽ പാടിയ രാമായണം: നർമത്തിൽ പൊതിഞ്ഞ ഈ കൃതി അത്യധികം ശ്രവണസുന്ദരവുമാണ്.

ആ രാമായണപ്പാട്ട്, അല്ല ലാമയാണപ്പാട്ട് തുടങ്ങുന്നത് ഇങ്ങനെ ആണ് (മാപ്പിളപ്പാട്ടിന്റെ ഈണത്തിൽ പാടാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുക..)

“പണ്ടു താടിക്കാരനൌലി പാടിവന്നൊരു പാട്ട്‌
കണ്ടതല്ലേ ഞമ്മളീ ലാമായണംകഥ പാട്ട്‌
കർക്കിടകം കാത്തുകാത്തു കുത്തിരിക്കും പാട്ട്
കാതു രണ്ടിലും കൈവിരലിട്ടോരികൂട്ടും പാട്ട്‌
മൂന്നുപെണ്ണിനെ ദശരഥൻ നിക്കാഹ് ചെയ്ത പാട്ട്‌.
അമ്മികുമ്മായം മറിഞ്ഞും മക്കളില്ലാ പാട്ട്”

ഇതിലെ “താടിക്കാരനൌലി” (താടിക്കാരനായ മൗലവി) മറ്റാരും അല്ല നമ്മുടെ സ്വന്തം വാൽമീകി തന്നെ. വളരെ രസകരമായ രണ്ടു വരികളിൽ രാമായണത്തിന്റെ മൊത്തം കഥ ഇതിൽ സംഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു..

“കെട്ടിയോൾക്ക് വരംകൊടുത്തു സുയുപ്പിലായൊരു പാട്ട്
ലങ്കവാഴും പത്തുമൂക്കനെ ഹലാക്കിലാക്കിയ പാട്ട്”

ഈയിടെ പ്രിയ സുഹൃത്ത് അരവിന്ദിന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ ഇവിടുത്തെ മലയാളികളുടെ ഒരു കൂട്ടായ്മ, ശ്രീ വെങ്കടേശ്വര ക്ഷേത്രത്തില്‍ ഒരു രാമായണ മാസ ആചരണദിനം സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുകയുണ്ടായി. ആ ദിനത്തില്‍ ചില സുഹൃത്തുക്കളും അവരുടെ മാതാപിതാക്കളും സുന്ദരകാണ്ഡത്തിലെ ആദ്യ ഭാഗങ്ങളാണ് പാരായണത്തിന് തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്തത്. ശ്രീരാമദേവന് വേണ്ടി സീതാദേവിയുടെ പക്കൽ അശോകവനയിലേക്കു ദൂതുപോകുന്ന ഹനുമാൻ. പവനപുത്രന്റെ സാഹസികതയും നിസ്വാര്‍ത്ഥതയും ശ്രീരാമനോടുള്ള ഉപാസനയും വര്‍ണ്ണിക്കുന്ന സുന്ദരകാന്ധം. ആ സുന്ദരകാണ്ഡത്തിന് സമാനമായ മാപ്പിളരാമായണത്തിലെ വരികൾ ഇങ്ങനെ ആണ്..

“കാലൻ കരിങ്കാലൻ ലാവണൻ പത്തുതാടിവടിപ്പിക്കും നേരത്ത്‌
വാലുള്ളനുമാനോ ലങ്കയിൽ ചാടി ചേലുള്ള പൂകൊമ്പത്തുന് കീയണ്”

പത്തു തലയുള്ള രാവണന് വടിക്കാൻ പത്തു താടിയും കാണുമല്ലോ, അപ്പോപ്പിന്നെ ഹനുമാന് ഇതിലും നല്ലൊരവസരം എപ്പോൾ കിട്ടാൻ..

കർത്താവാരെന്നോ രചനാകാലം ഏതെന്നോ വ്യക്തമായി അറിയാത്ത മാപ്പിളരാമായണം. ഈ കൃതി മുന്നോട്ടു വെക്കുന്ന മതസൗഹാർദ്ദത്തിന്റെയും സാഹോദര്യത്തിന്റെയും സന്ദേശം ചെറുതല്ല.

നന്ദി,
സച്ചിൻ

COMA T7 Cricket Tournament – by Ravi Hariharan

(Ravi Hariharan lives in Powell with wife Ramya and two kids (Sahana and Saanav). A music and sports enthusiast for whom writing was once a hobby.)

The sun had set on what had been an enthralling day of cricket, yet there remained one final battle to be won in the inaugural COMA T7 cricket tournament. The floodlights illuminated Field 2 of Anheuser Busch Park, casting their glow upon the scene. A lively film score played in the background, with the IPL theme occasionally interjecting, adding to the crowd’s energy. Additionally, ongoing cricket commentary added spice to the proceedings.

The coin was tossed, and in this climactic showdown, the ADC Royal Strikers opted to bowl after winning the toss. Facing them in the final were the VCC Risers, who exhibited spirited batting skills and amassed 61 runs in their designated 7 overs. The VCC Risers continued their impressive performance by delivering a valiant bowling display. Unfortunately for the ADC Royal Strikers, who had fought gallantly throughout the league and playoff games, they stumbled at the last hurdle, managing to score only 30 runs before losing all their wickets.

Division 1 Champions VCC Risers with the COMA trophy

The winners of Division 1, VCC Risers, and the runners-up, ADC Royal Strikers, were presented with their respective trophies and prize money. Trophies were also awarded to the Division 2 Champions, Hustlers, and the Division 2 Runners-up, PDCC United. The event was generously sponsored by Ram from Devcare Solutions and Sony Joseph from RedOne Realty, both of whom were present throughout most of the day’s proceedings.

Flashback to the beginning of the day, the tournament commenced promptly at 8 a.m. with an enthusiastic ladies’ game between CCC Stars and Buckeyes, with the Buckeyes emerging as the champions. The prizes for the women’s winners and runners-up were sponsored by Indian Trendz (Kumkum). This was followed by a series of 50+ league games involving 32 teams, which continued until 2 PM. Teams from all corners of Ohio and beyond participated, united by their unwavering passion for cricket and their excitement for what the inaugural COMA tournament had to offer.

Despite the unrelenting heat, with temperatures hovering around the late 80s, the teams’ spirits remained undampened. The volunteers and individuals at the registration desk ensured clear communication with the teams about their match timings, guaranteeing that all league games were completed on schedule. The umpires, who oversaw the games, performed admirably in their roles despite the intense emotions and pressures of fierce competition. Throughout the day, food was catered by Daawat restaurant and included sumptuous idli, pongal, vada chutney for breakfast, biriyani for lunch, and chai and snacks in the evening.

Once the 16 teams for the league games were determined, the matches proceeded. The league games were highly competitive, with teams battling fiercely and each match providing nail-biting moments. There was even a game that required a Super Over to determine the winner. As the tournament progressed through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, players may have grown fatigued, but the quality of the games continued to rise.

A highlight of the evening was the mesmerizing Tesla light show, orchestrated by Valsan, Girish, Vinay, and Dilin. The crowd enthusiastically captured the spectacle in photos and videos. The success of the event was largely attributed to the tireless efforts of the EC team, including Shibu, Arun Davis, Pradeesh, Sachin, and Roopesh, who led the event. The EC team also acknowledged the pivotal roles played by Arun Chand and Kiran Elavankal in event coordination and management, likening their contributions to cricketing terms by stating that “we bat around them.”

In the closing moments of the tournament, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the floodlights took center stage, a sense of camaraderie and achievement hung in the air. Players, spectators, and volunteers gathered together, reflecting on the day’s triumphs and challenges. The echoes of cheers, the thrill of close matches, and the shared passion for cricket had woven an unforgettable tapestry of memories that will endure for a long time. With gratitude in their hearts, the participants and organizers now eagerly anticipate future editions of the COMA T7 cricket tournament.

COMA T7 news published in leading Malayalam online newspaper editions

From magic to being magical: Meet Sri Gopinath Muthukad – by Hari Narayanaswamy

(Hari is a former President and multi-year trustee for COMA. He lives in Dublin, Ohio with his wife Meera.)

The exhilarating view of open mouths and dropped jaws in the audience, the twinkling eyes and stunned expressions of ‘how in the world’, is the dream of every magic performer. What could be greater than the awe, admiration, and riches one can get from performing on international stages? Ask Sri Muthukad and he will tell you that real magic is about making a difference in the lives of people, bringing out innate talent, and creating joy for those who unfortunately appear to have been deprived of both.

In 2019, Mr. Muthukad created the Center for Differently-abled Children (DAC), aimed at developing the artistic talents of differently-abled children and using the art and skill of magic as a means for aiding their development and integration into society. This art and magic focused special education school was set up with the support of the Government of Kerala, as part of its Social Security Mission, and has now expanded its capacity to support more than 200 children, including residential programs. Those of you who have had the opportunity to attend the COMA Onam program in 2020 would remember the live streaming of the exclusive performance these children had put together for us. What has been unforgettable for many of us from that day are the tears of joy and pride we saw in their parents’ eyes.

Today, DAC has expanded its reach, opening the International Institution for People with Disabilities (IIPD) at Kasaragod, Kerala where the developmental issues in children associated with the use of endosulfan in fertilizers has created a havoc. The efforts of DAC on art based rehabilitation of children with disabilities has met with considerable success, and attracts student population at a national level in India.

While DAC is a blessing to the society, the unfortunate reality is that the need at national level far exceeds what it can do. Institutions like DAC need the support and encouragement from those of us who are willing to give back to society. This isn’t just another non-profit working on a social cause, but a calling to fulfill our duty to a section of society who have an opportunity to discover the joy of creativity and pride of self-esteem, just not by staying on the fringes of society but being very much an integral part of it.

COMA will be hosting Sri Gopinath Muthukad on Sep 8th for a fund-raising dinner and 9th as part of the Onam program. Please make use of the opportunity to interact with him to find out more and extend your support for the great mission he has taken up. Together, let’s ‘Make a Difference’!

Onam Recipes from our members

Puli Inchi / Inchi Puli / Inchi Curry – by Nithya Rajeev

(Nithya Rajeev lives in Plain City with her husband Rajeev and two children, Niraj and Niranjana. She hails from Alappuzha.)

Puli Inji, also called Inji Puli or Inji Curry, is an inevitable dish in a Kerala Sadhya. It can be stored as a pickle in the refrigerator for many days.

Serves: 25 people

Ingredients

  • Finely Chopped Ginger (ഇഞ്ചി ചെറുതായി അരിഞ്ഞത്) – 1½ Cup (150 gm)
  • Tamarind (വാളൻപുളി) – Large Lime Size (50 gm)
  • Hot Water (ചൂടുവെള്ളം) – 2½ Cup (625 ml)
  • Coconut Oil (വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ) – 4 Tablespoons (60 ml)
  • Shallot (ചെറിയ ഉള്ളി) – 10 Nos (50 gm)
  • Mustard Seeds – 1 Teaspoon
  • Green Chilli (പച്ചമുളക്) – 2 Nos (20 gm)
  • Curry Leaves (കറിവേപ്പില) – 2 Sprigs
  • Chilli Powder (മുളകുപൊടി) – ½ Tablespoon
  • Turmeric Powder (മഞ്ഞള്‍പൊടി) – ½ Teaspoon
  • Asafetida Powder (കായം പൊടി ) – ¼ Teaspoon (optional)
  • Salt (ഉപ്പ്) – 2 Teaspoons
  • Crushed Jaggery (ശർക്കര പൊടിച്ചത്) or Brown Sugar – 6 Tablespoon (60 gm)

In a pan add 4 tablespoon coconut oil or any oil of your choice. When the oil is hot, add chopped ginger, chopped shallots, curry leaves one string, and chopped green chilli. When the shallots turn golden brown, remove from the pan and keep aside. In the same pan, add one tablespoon of coconut oil, and when it is hot, add mustard seeds, one string curry leaves, one shallot, and red chilli. Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, and asafetida powder (കായം പൊടി), and immediately add hot water. Once it starts boiling, add the fried ingredients, salt, tamarind (soaked in water and squeezed), and jaggery. Keep it in simmer, and when it reaches your desired consistency, remove from the stove. Once cooled, store in a dry air tight container. Enjoy the puli inchi with your dear ones.

Mulakapachadi – by Aswathi Pradeesh

(Aswathi Pradeesh hails from Malappuram, Kerala, and currently lives in Delaware, Ohio with her husband Pradeesh and two children Aadhya and Dhyan.)

Ingredients

  • Tamarind-Tennis ball size
  • Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Salt as needed
  • Green Chillies – 10 to 15
  • Coconut Oil – 2 tbs
  • Jaggery Cubes – 7
  • Mustard Seeds, Red Chilies, Curry Leaves – For Tadka
  • Urad Dal – 1 Tbs
  • Sesame Seeds – 1tbs
  • Mustard Seeds – 1 tbs
  • Fenugreek Seeds – 1 tbs

Dry roast and grind urad dal, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and sesame seeds separately, and set aside. Soak tamarind in water and separate the pulp out of it. Boil the tamarind pulp, chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt for 10 to 15 minutes. Fry the green chilies in the oil in a pan and add it to the tamarind mixture along with the jaggery cubes, and let it simmer. When the raw taste of the tamarind pulp is gone, add mustard seeds and boil the mix for 5 minutes. Add sesame seed powder and switch off the flame, and add tadka. When this mixture cools down a bit, add the powdered urad dal and fenugreek seeds, and mulakapachadi is ready to serve!

Instant Pot Paal Payasam – by Remya Krishnan

(Remya is a native of Palakkad, Kerala, and lives with her husband Madhu and two kids in Galena, Ohio. She has been an active member of the community since 2015. She works at JP Morgan Chase.)

Ingredients

  • Ghee – 2 teaspoons
  • Rice (raw rice, matta, or basmati) – 1/4 cup
  • Whole milk – 4 cups
  • Sugar – 1/2 cup
  • Cardamom powder – a pinch
  • Cashews (fried in ghee) – a few

Grease the inner pot of the Instant Pot with 2 tsps of ghee. Add 1/4 cup washed and drained raw rice, matta rice, or basmati rice. Add four cups whole milk followed by 1/2 cup sugar. Keep the vent sealed. Steam (“more“) for 25 minutes for thicker consistency. Steam (“more“) for 20 minutes for thinner consistency. The color changes to light pink with either of the timings.

After the cycle completes, let the pressure release naturally (npr). Add a pinch of cardamom powder and garnish with fried cashews.

Notes

  • For me, the pressure pin on the Instant Pot popped at 13:20.
  • The sugar measurements above is for moderate sweetness; increase it by an extra tbsp if you prefer your payasam sweeter.
  • Best results are with broken matta rice (podiyari)
  • The same recipe can be tried in a 3 qt Instant Pot. Adjust the measurements accordingly.

Newsletter July 2023

by

We are about half way through the summer and I hope everyone’s having a good time enjoying picnics and barbecues and fireworks. While we were lucky enough to escape extreme heat and floods here in Ohio, we have had quite a few days with air quality issues due to the Canadian wildfires. Please pay attention to the alerts as you plan outdoor activities with family.

The COMA family canoeing event at Trapper John’s was a huge success, thanks to all the hard work and planning by our 2023 Executive Committee. We have another exciting event coming up this month, a 32 team COMA Cricket Tournament with men’s and women’s teams competing for trophies, prize money, and bragging rights. Please come watch and support the volunteers and the teams.

If you would like to submit content for future editions, please reach out to the EC team (coma.officials@gmail.com). Content should be 250 words or fewer.

— Smitha Nishant

A Wolf’s Guide To Revenge : Chapter 1 – Abel Davis

(Abel Davis is the son of Rosmi C. Jose and Arun Davis, and he lives in Dublin, Ohio. He will be going to 7th grade in Henry Karrer Middle School in the fall. His favorite hobbies are reading books, fishing, and playing on the Nintendo Switch.)

Hello, my name is Loki. Although you might not recognize my name as one you have heard many times before as the name of a wolf, you have probably heard some of my nicknames: The Big Bad Wolf, Fenris, Old Father Wolf, Werewolf, Wolfie, Death, Wolf, etc. Does it ring a bell? If not, then you are simply not normal. I am the infamous and notorious wolf who ate the moon, the one that demolished and destroyed two houses by just blowing them over, the one that ate the boy that cried “wolf”, the one that ate a grandma and came up with the genius plan to dress up like her in order to devour the little girl in the red hood who came to offer treats to her! I am the BIG. BAD. WOLF.

Now that my dramatic introduction is finished, let me tell you about my current situation. Because I am the Big Bad Wolf (BBW), I have had to take blame for many of the crimes I have been fabled to commit. Of course, because of all of the crimes I have been said to have committed, I have been arrested and entitled for a lifetime in prison. As though that were not enough, the humans and animals that captivated me further punished me by hiring an elite group of assassins to capture and murder every other wolf in existence so that they could make sure that they had tortured the right wolf. Worst of all, they decided that they would confiscate all my belongings, crush my den, and even throw my pups into the Volcano Of Doom while showing me the live video of them being thrown into the volcano. I was DEVASTATED.

The security guards in my prison even had the nerve to give away all my money to the three devilish boars and that blood stalking hoodie for the “trouble” I had caused. In reality, they had just framed me and had made stories, fables, and fairy tales with false information about me! They even took a video of me sneezing and a video of me dressed up as a grandma for Halloween just to Photoshop it and get false evidence of my “crimes”. And, the security guards around my prison thought it would be fun to force me to watch the footage of my pups being thrown into the volcano and having their life taken away from them every time it was time for me to go to my stone hard bed.

It has been five years since the day I was thrown into the nightmare of the life I am living, and the security guards thought it would be a great idea to celebrate by forcing me to listen to the screams of my pups as they were thrown one by one into the Volcano Of Doom throughout the entire day. Today, for breakfast, they gave me fish bones without a scrap of meat – just like they did for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; even though they knew that I am not a little dog that loves to chew on bones all day. After eating dinner, I pulled out the newspaper I got as a birthday gift five weeks ago from a stranger with a black hoodie that covered his face, named, Fauks. Strange, I felt like I somehow knew that name a long time ago before the day I was thrown into prison.

As I opened up the old newspaper, I noticed that there was a small box around the size of a phone hidden by the newspaper. As I opened the box, I wondered what could possibly have been gifted to a beast like me who has no living friends or family in this world. I looked inside and was taken by surprise by the fact that inside the box, there was a small key the size of a thumb. As I peered inside the box again, I noticed that there was also a shiny gold coin a little bigger than a quarter, a leatherback book with no words on the spine, the front, or the back of the book, a blood red pen, and a small roll of parchment addressed to me. I unrolled the roll of parchment and was astonished by what I saw in front of my eyes…

Sreejith Chandran

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

ലോകം വെട്ടിപ്പിടിക്കാൻ പുറപെട്ടവൻ

ഏറ്റവും ഇഷ്ടപെട്ട സിനിമകളിൽ ഒന്നാണ് മണിരത്നത്തിന്റെ ഗുരു .. കാരണങ്ങൾ പലതാണ്. അതിൽ മുഖ്യം അത് ആരുടെ കൂടെയാണ് കണ്ടത് എന്നത് തന്നെയാണ് .. ഐശ്വര്യ റായിയും അഭിഷേക് ബച്ചനും കത്തി കയറുന്നു .. ഒരു സീനിൽ ‘ ഇത് കഷ്ടമാകില്ലേ’ എന്ന ഐശ്വര്യയുടെ ചോദ്യത്തിന് ബച്ചൻ മറുപടി പറയുന്നു, ‘നീ ഒപ്പം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ ഈ ലോകം തന്നെ ഞാൻ വെട്ടിപിടിക്കും”! ഓ.. ഇത്രമേൽ പ്രണയാദ്രമായ ഒരു ഡയലോഗ് ആ അടുത്തെങ്ങും കേട്ടിട്ടില്ല .. ഞാൻ ഒളികണ്ണിലൂടെ അടുത്തിരിക്കുന്ന അവളെ ഒന്ന് നോക്കി, അവളെന്നേയും.

പിന്നെ മൗനങ്ങളിലൂടെയും നോട്ടങ്ങളിലൂടെയും ഹൃദയം കൈമാറിയ നാളുകൾ. ഒരു ചെറിയേ പ്രശനം മാത്രം, അവളുടെ ജാതകത്തിൽ എന്തിരോ ദോഷം ഉണ്ട്. സ്വതവേ കമ്മ്യൂണിസ്റ്റ് വിരോധിയാണെങ്കിലും ഈവക കാര്യങ്ങളിൽ ഞാൻ ഒരു വിപ്ലവ സിംഹം ആയിരുന്നു! പുല്ലാണെനിക്ക് എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു.

കുറച്ചു കാലം ഇങ്ങനെ ശിശിരം മറന്ന പൂക്കളെ പോലെ പോയി .. അതിനിടക്ക് സുനാമി വന്നു, ഇന്ത്യ 20-20 ലോകകപ്പ് നേടി, സുഹൃത്ത് പാച്ചാളത്തിന്റെ പൈല്സിന്റെ ഓപ്പറേഷൻ വരെ കഴിഞ്ഞു .. അങ്ങനെ ഇരിക്കുമ്പോൾ അമ്മയുടെ ഫോൺ കാൾ ..

അങ്ങേ തലക്കൽ അമ്മ പറഞ്ഞു, ‘ഡാ, ചേട്ടന്റെ ജാതകം നോക്കിയതിന്റെ കൂടെ നിന്റെയും നോക്കി, നിന്റെയും ശുദ്ധ ജാതകം ആണ്.’

ആഹാ, അന്തസ്സ്! പരിശുദ്ധമായ ജാതകം, മമ്മൂട്ടിക്കുണ്ടോ ഇതുപോലൊന്ന്, ഞാനൊരു ‘കുല’പുരുഷൻ ആയിരിക്കുന്നു! വല്ലാത്തൊരു അഹങ്കാരം.

അമ്മ തുടർന്നു.. ‘ഈ ശുദ്ധ ജാതകത്തിലെ പ്രശനം എന്തെന്നാൽ, അത് ശുദ്ധ ജാതകവുമായി മാത്രമേ ചേരൂ .. ഇല്ലെങ്കിൽ മരണം വരെ സംഭവിക്കാം!’

ഓ ഡാർക്! ആദ്യമായിട്ടാണ് ശുദ്ധം എന്നുള്ളത് നെഗറ്റീവ് ആയി കേൾക്കുന്നത്. സർഫിന്റെ പരസ്യം ഓർമ്മ വന്നു, “കറ നല്ലതാണു”. സംഭവം തേപ്പിലേക്കാണ് പോകുന്നത് എന്ന് ഞാൻ വിഷമത്തോടെ മനസ്സിലാക്കി..

ലാലേട്ടനെ മനസ്സിൽ ധ്യാനിച്ച് കൊണ്ട് അമ്മയോട്‌ ചോദിച്ചു, “അല്ല, ഈ തന്റേതല്ലാത്ത കാരണങ്ങളാൽ ചെറിയ ദോഷം ഉള്ള ജാതകത്തെ ചേർക്കാൻ പറ്റുമോ? ഇല്ല, ലെ!”

ഒരു രക്ഷേമ് ഇല്ല, വച്ചിട്ട് പോഡ്‌റേക്ക എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു അമ്മ പോയി..

സുനാമി അടിച്ചു പണ്ടാരമടങ്ങിയ ബസന്ത് നഗർ ബീച്ചിലെ ശോക സീനിൽ വെച്ച് ഞാൻ അവളോട് ഈ ദാരുണ വാർത്ത അറിയിച്ചു, എന്നിലെ വിപ്ലവകാരിയെ മുറുകെ പിടിച്ചോണ്ട് തന്നെ. പക്ഷെ അവൾ പറഞ്ഞു, “വെള്ളമില്ലാത്ത രാത്രികളിൽ കിണറ്റിൽ നിന്ന് വെള്ളം കോരാനും, തുലാവർഷ രാത്രികളിൽ കരണ്ടു ഇല്ലാതാകുമ്പോൾ കിടന്നു കാറുന്ന പിള്ളേരെ വീശി ഉറക്കാനും, എനിക്കൊരു ഭർത്താവിനെ വേണം, അല്ലാതെ കെട്ടി നാലിന്റെ അന്ന് ബൈക്ക് മറിഞ്ഞു ചത്ത് പണ്ടാരമടങ്ങുന്ന ഒരു സെറ്റ് അപ്പ്, അത് വേണ്ട.”

തകർന്നു പോയി ഈ പിഞ്ചു മനസ്സ്! ഞാൻ ചോദിച്ചു, ‘അല്ല, അത് പിന്നെ, നമുക്ക് ലോകം വെട്ടി പിടിക്കണ്ടേ ..’ നീ ആദ്യം ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കാൻ നോക്ക് എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു അവൾ പോയി ..

കാലം കടന്നു പോയി .. ഞാൻ പിന്നീട് പലരിലൂടെയും ലോകം വെട്ടിപ്പിടിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചു. ഒടുവിൽ ഒരാളിലേക്കു സ്വന്തം ലോകം വെട്ടിച്ചുരുക്കി ആത്മസംതൃപ്തി അടഞ്ഞു ..

നബി: തേപ്പു എന്തെന്നാൽ, ഞാൻ ശെരിക്കും കല്യാണം കഴിക്കാൻ തീരുമാനിച്ചപ്പോൾ, മഹാനായ ആ ജ്യോൽസ്യൻ പറഞ്ഞു, ‘ആഹാ! മോന്റെ ജാതകത്തിൽ ചെറിയ ദോഷങ്ങൾ ഒക്കെ ഉണ്ടല്ലോ! സാരമില്ല പരിഹാരങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ട് “!

An Adventure in Big Darby Creek – Valsan Palika

(Valsan is a long time resident of Columbus and a very active member of the Malayalee community. He lives in Lewis Center with wife Vijaya and two children, Hrishikesh and Niranjan. He hails from Kannur.)

On July 8th, Saturday, the Central Ohio Malayalee Association organized a thrilling canoeing event at Trapper John’s Canoe Livery, about 10 miles southwest of Columbus. With the promise of a picnic with an enticing Kerala-style “Pothichor” lunch, the event received significant attention and participation. A diverse group of enthusiastic participants, including young children, adults, and seniors joined to enjoy the experience. The group included long term residents of Central Ohio and someone who just moved in a couple of days earlier.

Trapper John’s Canoe Livery served as the perfect venue for this adventurous outing. The previous day’s heavy rains had caused concerns about the event’s feasibility, and canoeing had been suspended. Organizers were closely monitoring and constantly in touch with Trapper Johns to provide updates to the participants. By Saturday morning, skies were clearer and we proceeded with the event as planned. Aware of the forecast predicting rain later in the day, the organizers aimed to complete the trip and enjoy the picnic and lunch before the weather changed.

Participants began assembling at the starting point in the morning, meeting old friends and making new friends. The chosen excursion was the “Sampler” trip, which takes one to two hours, covering approximately three miles of canoeing along Big Darby Creek. This trip starts at Trapper John’s and ends just before the I-71 bridges, where the participants are picked up and brought back to the starting point. As we had planned for the picnic at the end point, we drove there and parked our vehicles and came back to start canoeing.

At the booking office, the guides provided detailed instructions and warnings about safety measures. They stressed that individuals uncomfortable with the water level and flow conditions should refrain from canoeing or kayaking, especially due to the rain on the previous day. Most of the members proceeded with the plan; a few had to take care of small children as they were not allowed to be onboard a canoe.

Equipped with paddles and life jackets, we formed groups of two, some with children, and embarked on our kayaks and canoes. Some brave souls opted to ride alone! For many participants, navigating the kayaks and canoes proved to be more challenging than expected. Novices struggled to manage and guide their vessels, often spinning around in the slow-moving water! However, the river was gentle and wide at the starting point, and offered ample space for the crowd to do some practice and find their rhythm. As we paddled along the slow-moving water, the crowd gradually thinned out. After some initial hiccups, people began enjoying the tranquility. The journey offered numerous opportunities for capturing cherished memories. The serene waters provided the perfect backdrop for photographs, allowing us to freeze moments!

As the journey progressed, there were more surprises! The river narrowed and deepened, and the water flow was faster at several places, challenging the paddlers. Rocks, fallen trees, and other obstacles along the way made controlling the canoes and kayaks increasingly difficult. The situation became worse for a few, as two people paddling at either ends of the canoe were not able to coordinate well. Some of us bumped into these blockers, causing the vessels to capsize, and leaving us in neck deep water. Fortunately, the mandatory life jackets saved us from serious problems, except minor scratches and bruises. Some canoes floated away after flipping, needing the rescue team from Trapper John’s to help bring the canoes back. Someone commented that the experience was closer to “whitewater rafting” but in a much safer environment!

Most of the people reached the finish line by noon, but heavy rain began to pour soon after, threatening the picnic spirit. Some riders got stuck at different obstacles and were delayed finishing the ride. However, the enticing Kerala-style “Pothichor” provided a much-needed relief for the participants. We enjoyed the lunch under the shades of trees and inside our vehicles – while some curious children wandered around in the rain. Despite the inclement weather and some challenging situations, this event was an exciting experience and a lot of fun for the participants. Kudos to the executive committee for planning such an exciting and challenging event for the community!

Member Achievements

Malavika Nair becomes Golf Player of the Year

She achieved this amazing feat by winning all 8 Columbus municipal junior golf summer tournaments! Way to go Malu! Malavika is a 7th grader at Grizzle Middle School, going to 8th grade this fall. She is the daughter of Biji Gopalakrishnan and Prakash Balakrishnan (former COMA Treasurer), and lives in Dublin, Ohio. She is trained by Coach Stephen Lynn.

Newsletter June 2023

by

Greetings to all our valued readers,

As the warm sunshine envelops us and the scent of blooming flowers fills the air, we welcome you to our June newsletter. With the arrival of summer, we embark on a journey of new beginnings and exciting adventures. In this edition, we have curated a collection of captivating stories and exclusive updates that will undoubtedly enrich your experience.

We invite you to dive into the captivating stories of remarkable individuals who have left an indelible mark in their respective fields. Their journeys of perseverance and success will surely inspire and motivate us all.

Thank you for being part of our community, and we hope this newsletter brings you joy, inspiration, and a renewed sense of enthusiasm as we embrace the summer months ahead.

(The above introduction was generated by ChatGPT – wanted to give that a try this month)

Father’s Day falls on June 18th this year. Happy Father’s Day, dads! A big shout out to all the dads, uncles, grandfathers, brothers and all father figures who make our lives so much better by being there for us.

— Smitha Nishant

Sreejith Chandran

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

ഐഡന്റിറ്റി ക്രൈസിസ്

വായിക്കാതെ പോകരുത് പ്ളീസ്… കടുത്ത ഐഡന്റിറ്റി ക്രൈസിസ്, ഡിപ്രെഷനിലേക്കു പോയേക്കാവുന്ന തരത്തിൽ ഉള്ളത്…. പറ്റിയാൽ ഷെയറും ചെയ്യണം. ആരെങ്കിലും രെക്ഷപെട്ടാലോ. ഒരു തരത്തിലും പച്ച പിടിക്കുന്നില്ല. പല വഴിയും പയറ്റിനോക്കിയിട്ടും ഒരു കരക്കടുക്കുന്നില്ല! ഒരു ആത്മീയ ലൈൻ പിടിച്ചു നോക്കി, ഭാരതത്തെ കുറിച്ചും സംസ്കാരത്തെക്കുറിച്ചും ഒക്കെ ഘോരം ഘോരം പ്രസംഗിച്ചു. എന്ത് ഗുണം, ചാണകം ചാണകം എന്നുള്ള വിളികേട്ടു മനസുമടുത്തു!

എന്നാൽ പിന്നെ ഒരു ഗാന്ധിയൻ കോൺഗ്രസ് ലൈൻ നോക്കാമെന്നു വെച്ച് ഫേസ്ബുക്കിൽ കേറിയപ്പോൾ പഴയ പല കട്ട യൂത്തന്മാരു പോലും ഇപ്പോൾ അണ്ണാ ഡിഎംകെ ലേബലിൽ ആണ് പോസ്റ്റുകൾ ഇടുന്നതു! ഒടുവിൽ തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞു, കേരളത്തിൽ സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയയിൽ പച്ചപിടിക്കണമെങ്കിൽ ഒരു യുക്തി, ഫെമിനിസ്റ്റിക്, ബുദ്ധിജീവി ആൻഡ് കമ്മി ലൈൻ തന്നെ വേണം എന്ന്. നേരെ പോയി ഒരു ചുവന്ന ഷെഡ്‌ഡിയും മേടിച്ചു ഇട്ടു. എവിടെ തുടങ്ങണം എന്നതായി അടുത്ത ചോദ്യം. അമ്മൂമ്മയിൽ നിന്ന് തന്നെ ആകട്ടെ എന്ന് തീരുമാനിച്ചു.

അടുത്ത ദിവസം തന്നെ ഫെഡെക്സിൽ പോയി അമ്മൂമ്മയുടെ പാട്രിയാർക്കിക്കൽ അനാർക്കിയെ (എന്തിരോ എന്തോ?) കുറിച്ച് സംസാരിച്ചു. എനിക്ക് തരേണ്ട ഒണക്കമീൻ വീട്ടിലെ പൂച്ചക്ക് കൊടുത്തത്തിലെ വിവേചനം ചോദ്യം ചെയ്തു. ആളുകൾ കൂവി തള്ളി (അതിലൊരുത്തൻ പറയുവാ, തള്ള ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ വന്നു നിന്റെ ചെവിക്കല്ല് മൂളിച്ചേനെ എന്ന്). കവിത, സാഹിത്യം അങ്ങനെ അങ്ങനെ നോക്കിയാലോ എന്ന് വിചാരിച്ചു ദർബാർ രാഗത്തിൽ ഒരു കവിതയങ്ങു എഴുതി പബ്ലിഷ് ചെയ്തു, കുഞ്ഞമ്മ വിളിച്ചു പെറ്റ തള്ള സഹിക്കാത്ത തെറി! അവരുടെ മോള് രണ്ടാം ക്ലാസ്സിൽ എഴുതിയ കവിതയാത്രെ!

എന്നാൽ പിന്നെ കലയിലൂടെ നവോദ്ധാനം ഉണ്ടാക്കാം എന്ന ലക്ഷ്യത്തോടെ ഒരു കാക്കാരിശ്ശി നാടക നിശ സംഘടിപ്പിച്ചു. പോസ്റ്ററിൽ പേരും വെച്ചു. അത് അടപടലം മൂഞ്ചി! എന്ന് മാത്രമല്ല അണ്ണാ എന്ന് വിളിച്ച പല തെണ്ടികളും അക്ഷരം മാറ്റി *%#ണ്ണ വിളിച്ചു തുടങ്ങി. താടിയും മുടിയുമൊക്കെ വളർത്തി നോക്കി, എല്ലാര്ക്കും ഒരു ലോഡ് പുച്ച്ചം മാത്രം! ഒരു അവസാന ശ്രമം എന്ന നിലയിൽ പേരിലെ നായർ, മേനോൻ, പിള്ള ഒക്കെ എടുത്തുകളഞ്ഞാലോ എന്നാലോചിച്ചു ഒരു ആത്മ മിത്രത്തിനോട് അഭിപ്രായം ചോദിച്ചു. അവൻ പറയുവാ “അളിയാ സംഭവം പൊളിക്കും, നീയായതു കൊണ്ട് ഒരു കിണ്ണൻ പേരും ഉണ്ട്”! “എന്ത് അളിയാ അത്” എന്ന് ആവേശത്തോടെ ചോദിച്ചു. അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു “ശ്രീജിത്ത് കോണോത്”!!!

Our Epic Grand Canyon Hike – Austin Pereira

(Austin Pereira is a native of Kannur, Kerala and lives in Powell with his wife Deepa and three kids. He has been part of the Central Ohio Malayalee community since 1995. Austin is an avid runner, hiker, and enjoys playing soccer as well as traveling to new and exciting destinations.)

Each year, over 6 million visitors arrive to see the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Fewer than 1 percent of them take the hike down to the bottom of the canyon, termed the Grand Canyon Rim to River to Rim hike. Last summer, myself and 12 other members of our community (Prabhu & Aarti Kumar, Jay & Deepa Menon, Ashish & Sangeetha Muthiraparambath, Shibu & Vidya Nair, Valsan & Vijaya Palika, Binoy Rappai, and Yoga Venugopal) decided to take up this challenge.

The Rim to River to Rim is a 17.5 mile hike completed in one day. The elevation drop to the bottom is approximately 5000 ft. It is an extremely challenging hike, since you have to hike down 5000 ft, and then hike back up 5000 ft when you are already tired. You must endure blistering heat of 100+ degrees F while hiking under direct sun. If a hiker is hurt or unable to walk further, the only way to be rescued from the canyon is through helicopter rescue. Thus the saying goes, “Going down is optional, but coming up is mandatory”. A lot is at stake taking a hike like this. In the ensuing months, we prepared for the hike physically, mentally, logistically, and gear wise.

On June 3rd, 2023, we embarked on this epic hike at 4:20 AM in the morning. As we went down the South Kaibab trail, the views were magnificent, with the early morning sun glistening the rocks, showing the majestic grandeur of the canyon. After 7 miles of hiking, we reached the forcefully gushing Colorado river at the bottom of the canyon and saw the famous Phantom Ranch. Many of us sent postcards from the ranch to family and friends, then ate our lunch, devoured the delicious lemonade at the Phantom Ranch Store, and rested.

As we started our climb back up, the canyon had already reached 100 degrees F, and the sun was blazing at our backs. The climb became strenuous, our bodies were running out of hydration, and the elevation was daunting. We took breaks to rest and hydrate. As we went further, it became even steeper. Looking up was demoralizing, since we saw how much more we had left to climb. It was a brutal and strenuous hike, but we took one step at a time, enjoyed the views in between, and the comradery of the team and the jokes made the hike easier.

Finally, at 6 PM, we reached the top. We were physically beat up and drained. The canyon is unforgiving and it has surely humbled us, but we are awed by the beauty of nature’s art, and at the end, the feeling of finishing the hike was exhilarating. This has been a once in a lifetime experience for all of us!

Columbus Tuskers Cricket Team are the Champions of Ohio! – Arun Chand

(Arun Chand hails from Trivandrum and has been living in Dublin, OH since 2010. He is a sports enthusiast, and loves playing sports and games. He currently works for Cardinal Health.)

The Tuskers cricket team (the Malayali cricket team of Columbus) has won the inaugural Kairali Cincinnati Cricket Tournament 2023! The tournament was organized by Kairali Cincinnati, the Malayali organization serving Cincinnati and nearby areas. They have a very strong Malayali cricket community, and have a beautiful facility to conduct cricket tournaments.

Background – Tuskers team was thrilled when our incumbent COMA president and Tuskers comrade, Shibu Nair, told us about the invitation we received to participate in the Cincy cricket tournament. We were a bit concerned when we found out that many of the Tuskers players had already made vacation plans to India during the time. Hence, we reached out to a few of our fellow Malayali players (who play with other teams in Columbus), and all who were available eagerly committed to join us.

Venue – The tournament was well organized in the sprawling Miami Meadows Park cricket grounds near Cincinnati, Ohio. The facility is fascinating, and has four full cricket grounds with prepared pitches. It’s also the home ground of the Cincinnati Malayali teams. The tournament comprised teams from various cities in Ohio.

Tournament day – Columbus Tuskers made travel plans to reach the ground (Miami Meadows) on time for our match. It was bright, sunny, and not too hot – a perfect day for cricket. We were greeted by the host team and spent the initial hour socializing and doing some practice, after our long drive early in the morning.

The tournament bracket was not favorable to the Columbus Tuskers team. Our first game was with the ‘Cincinnati Tuskers’ team (the best Malayali team in Cincy and also the host team). If we were to lose against them, we would have to beat the mighty ‘Cleveland Arikombans’ team next by a big margin to reach the finals.

First match: When the match was about to start, the Cincy captain came to us and introduced himself. He was pleasing and confident, and casually advised us (in Malayalam) – ‘Our team has all professional players, and it’s going to be very tough out there (for you), don’t sweat it’! We were bewildered by that statement and laughed it off; but it indeed provoked us to give our best! The Cincy team won the toss and elected to bowl first. Our team has a strong and deep batting line up, and we made plans to score big. But things didn’t go as planned. The Cincy bowlers were really good (coupled with home conditions), and our batting collapsed. We managed to score a meager 61 runs in 10 overs, which we knew was well below par. We were dreading a humiliating defeat.

The Cincy team started off well by scoring 18 for no loss in 3 overs. Our bowlers fought back very hard, and they lost a few quick wickets. They started to crumble under the pressure. We won the close match by just 4 runs, and got boosted by the result.

Second match: We faced the losers of the other pool in the next round since we won our first match. It was an easy game for us since the opponent team was no match to our strength. We won by a huge margin and stormed into the finals.

Other teams: ‘Cleveland Arikombans’ was a good team and had won their first match by a very big margin. The host, Cincy team, needed a big win over them to qualify for the finals. Their decider match was exciting, and the Cincy team managed to pull off a huge win to face us in the finals.

The FINALS: We had understood the pitch and ground conditions by then, and were well prepared for the finals. The host team tested our grit by serving us with a delicious biryani for lunch, which was hard to resist! We all started a bit dizzy after the break. The Cincy team won the toss and opted to bat first. They scored a decent total of 85 runs in 12 overs, thanks to some power hitting from their middle order batsmen. Our batsmen were better prepared, and chased down the total with a few balls to spare, and were never in any concern.

We had a lot of fun and enjoyment playing the tournament, and also made a few friends. We celebrated the victory after the prize distribution, and came back to Columbus with pride and satisfaction. A day well spent indeed!

About the Tuskers cricket team – The Tuskers cricket team was formed in 2021 after a few years of concerted effort in bringing together Malayali cricket players in the Columbus area who were earlier playing for various other teams. The Tuskers team is now a regular participant in the Columbus area cricket tournaments, and has proven its prowess by reaching the finals of many tournaments, and has already beaten some of the top teams in Columbus!

Char Dham trip – Visit to Yamunotri – Venu Nair

(Venugopalan (Venu) Nair, a native of Kottarakara, Kerala migrated to the USA in 1975. He is currently retired (from American Electric Power in 2009), and lives in Westerville, Ohio with his wife Komalam. He has two sons and four grand children. Both sons along with their families live in Indianapolis.)

After a day of visits to some holi places in Haridwar (Dakheswara Mahadeva temple, Swami Abhedananda ashram, glass temple complex, to name a few) and puja at Kankhal, we started the Himalayan tour on four buses. Our tour manager Mr. Krishnan Nair and tour guide Mr. Rajan gave us the protocols to be followed throughout the tour. Each bus could seat 30 people. Big buses can’t handle the narrow roads in the Himalayas. Rajan read the names allocated in each bus. All seven of us were in the same bus so we could be together for the rest of the trip.

We started the journey after a brief prayer. We found roads through the Himalayas were much improved compared to the last time we traveled through there a few years ago. We would stay in Barkot, which is 190 km away from Haridwar. We were following the Yamuna river most of the time.

On the way, we stopped a couple of times to stretch our legs and have breakfast and lunch. These were prepared by the kitchen staff early morning.

We passed through Dehradun, the capital city of the state of Utharkhand. On our way, we saw so many small shops carrying fresh fruits and vegetables on the road side. The beauty of the mountains started to show from there on, and we felt we were really in Devabhumi which is what the place was called. Since we started early morning, it was still dark outside. As sun started to show, the green foliage and deep valleys started to show. The river Yamuna could be seen as a silver tape at the bottom of the valley. We would cross it a few times as the road takes us from one hill to the next.

We reached Barkot in the evening around 5 pm. Barkot is a popular hill station near Uttarkashi, about 4000 feet above sea level. This is a town in the middle of thick forest and is a tourist place. This place is known for its natural beauty and challenging trekking trails. We stayed at a hotel in Barkot for the night.

The next day we started for Yamunotri. We traveled by bus up to a place called Janki Chatti. It’s elevation is 8700 feet. This place provides a panoramic view of the Himalayas with snow capped mountains. This place is 6 km form the Yamunotri temple.

From here, we were to go to the temple by either walking, on horse back, or some one carrying us. As soon as the bus stooped, a throng of people surrounded us. They were trying to get us to go with their horses. It was all chaotic, I wish they had a better way. After some bargains, we selected a person who seemed very reasonable and friendly. He brought seven horses for the seven of us and four people to handle the seven horses. The pictures show us on horseback going up to the Yamunotri temple from Janki Chatti. It is 6 kms each way.

After a long climb on the horseback, we reached the temple by noon. The ride on the horseback was very uncomfortable, more when we were coming down. It becomes more so when there are steps. There are two hot water pools, one for ladies and the other for men. We took a bath in the pool and got refreshed.

There is also a small pool near the temple where the water is much hotter. One can cook potatoes and rice in it and offer to the Devi and receive it back as prasad. The picture below shows us in front of the temple. It was taken after Darshan.

On the way back, we got down near a restaurant on the roadside and partook the packed lunch we carried with us. We also got down from the horse in between and walked some distance, which was good for both us as well as the poor horse. We came back to Barkot by evening and stayed there for the night.

Community News

Yashoda Murali wins National Gold Medal

Congratulations to New Albany High School Junior and COMA Youth Wing member Yashoda Murali for winning a National Gold Medal in the 2022 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for her colored pencil drawing “Lady Hazel”. She is the daughter of Brinda and Murali, members of COMA since 2013.

The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers is the nonprofit organization that presents the Scholastic Awards.  More than 100,000 students submitted more than 260,000 works of art and writing to the 2023 Scholastic Awards. Yashoda’s work was selected by some of the foremost leaders in the visual and literary arts for excellence in originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Less than 2,000 works received a National Medal, which places Yashoda within the top 1% of all submissions!

There will be a National Awards Week from June 7-9 in New York City with a National Ceremony held at Carnegie Hall on June 8th. Her work will be published both virtually in the Scholastic Art Online Galleries at artandwriting.org as well as physically in a gallery space in New York City.

Yashoda’s digital art work titled “Shattered” recently got published in the “Celebrating Art” magazine (see artwork below).

Sumitra Thampy-Norton wins medals in Jujitsu

Sumitra won two bronze medals at the Fuji Jiujitsu championship in Brownsville, Indiana. She is the daughter of Chris Norton and Gayatri Thampy. She is in 7th grade and goes to Metro Early College Middle School. Her teacher is Coach Travis from Matlab, Reynoldsburg.

Nandana Presanth wins Bautista Memorial 2023

Nandana Presanth won the finals of the 2023 Bautista Memorial Youth – Foil & Saber in Columbus, Ohio. This is her last Y14 match as she is turning 15 this August, and from next season, she will be playing Junior and Divisional matches. She is a 9th grader at Dublin Coffman High School and the daughter of former COMA President Presanth Krishnan.

Newsletter May 2023

by

Ohio is often seen as a swing state for elections, and that tag is most accurate when it comes to temperatures in May. But pretty soon, we will be complaining about the heat! May is special as we celebrate Mother’s Day – honoring the unparalleled bond of love we share with our mothers. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in the community!

As we celebrate Memorial Day later this month, let us thank the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. I hope you all have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

In addition to literary contributions, this edition features news of our graduating high school seniors. If anyone was missed, please share your information with us so we can include it in our June edition. Wishing all our seniors the very best as they embark on their new journey.

Wishing safe travels to those of you heading to your Kerala homes for summer vacation. I hope you enjoy time with family and friends and come back refreshed!

— Smitha Nishant

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

Sreejith Chandran

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

തച്ചുടച്ച അടിമത്വവും കൂട്ടിലടച്ച പ്രഭുത്വവും

കുറേ ദിവസമായി വയറ്റിന്നു പോകുന്നില്ല! ആകെ ഒരു പിരിമുറുക്കം. കേശവൻ വൈദ്യനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ കുഴപ്പമൊന്നുമില്ല, രാവിലെ എണീറ്റ് നടന്നാൽ മതി എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു. പൊതുവെ എനിക്ക് രാവിലെ എണീക്കുന്നതു ഇഷ്ടമല്ല, എന്നാലും വേണ്ടില്ല ഇനി അതിന്റെ പേരിൽ നിലവറയുടെ വാതിൽ തുറക്കാതിരിക്കണ്ട എന്ന് കരുതി അടുത്ത ദിവസം തന്നെ നടക്കാൻ ഇറങ്ങി. ഏകദേശം ബേക്കറി എത്തി കാണും, ദേ വരുന്നു പാലസിലെ കാർ. ദിസ് ഈസ് എ കാർ അല്ല, വർഗ്ഗ ശത്രുവിന്റെ കാർ!

രക്തം തിളച്ചു മറിഞ്ഞു, ചങ്കിലെ ചൈനയും കൂവി. ചായ്! അല്ലേൽ വേണ്ട. എന്തിലേയോ ക്യൂബയും ഒക്കെ മനസ്സിൽ തെളിഞ്ഞു. ഒന്നും നോക്കിയില്ല, മുണ്ടു പൊക്കി കാണിച്ചു! രാജാവും രാജ ഭക്തിയുമൊക്കെ അങ്ങ് പണ്ട്, മനസ്സിൽ നീട്ടി രണ്ടു ഇന്ക്വിലാബും വിളിച്ചു.

എന്നാൽ ഇതിന്റെ കലിപ്പ് തീർക്കാൻ യൂണിവേഴ്‌സിറ്റിക്ക് അടുത്തുള്ള കുമാരന്റെ തട്ടുകടയിൽ നിന്ന് ഒരു കാലി ചായ കുടിക്കാം എന്ന് വച്ചു. ഒരു വിത്തൗട്ട്! കുമാരൻ വിത്തൗട്ട് ചായയുമായി വന്നു. അവന്റെ കയ്യിൽ ഒരു പുതിയ വാച്ച്! ങേ, ഇവനും ബൂർഷ്വ ആയോ ഫഹവാനേ! (അല്ല, പുല്ലു നമുക്ക് ഫഹവാനും കോപ്പും ഒന്നും ഇല്ലല്ലോ.) എന്തായാലും തിരുത്താൻ നിന്നില്ല, നീ ബൂർഷ്വാസിയുടെ കൊണങ്ങൾ ഒന്നും എന്നോട് കാണിക്കല്ലു കേട്ടോടാ, നിന്റെ കട ഞാൻ പൂട്ടിക്കും എന്ന് ഒരു കാച്ചു കാച്ചീട്ടു അവിടുന്ന് ഇറങ്ങി.

ഇറക്കം ഇറങ്ങാൻ കുറച്ചു പ്രയാസം ആയിരുന്നു. അധ്വാനിക്കുന്ന ജനവിഭാഗത്തിന് വേണ്ടി ഘോരഘോരം പ്രസംഗിക്കുമെങ്കിലും, സെക്രെട്ടറിയേറ്റ് എ/സി ആക്കിയതിനാൽ ഈ ഇടയായിട്ടു വിയർപ്പിന്റെ അസ്ക്യത ഉണ്ടേ. പത്രം വായിക്കാനായി എന്നാൽ പിന്നെ PKJ സെന്ററിൽ കയറാം. പടി കയറി ചെന്നപ്പോൾ അകത്തു നിന്നൊരു ആക്രോശം, “കടക്കു പുറത്തു”!! എന്നോട് തന്നെയാണോ, അതെ എന്നോട് തന്നെ. “ഓ, മ്പറാ!” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു ഇറങ്ങിയോടി . ഓടി എന്ന് വെച്ചാൽ ഓടി തള്ളി, ആ ശബ്ദം എനിക്കത്രയും ഭയം ആണ്!

വീടെത്തി മിണ്ടാതെ പോയി കുളിച്ചു വന്നപ്പോളേക്കും ലേറ്റ് ആയി. ഇന്ന് ബൈക്ക് വേണ്ട, നല്ല ചൂടുണ്ട്, കാർ തന്നെ എടുത്തേക്കാം, ഒരു കൂട്ടം വിദ്യാർത്ഥികളെ അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്യേണ്ടതായിട്ടുണ്ട്! “തച്ചുടച്ച അടിമത്വവും കൂട്ടിലടച്ച പ്രഭുത്വവും” !

My Char Dham Trip (October 2 – 16, 2022) – Venu Nair

(Venugopalan (Venu) Nair, a native of Kottarakara, Kerala migrated to the USA in 1975. He is currently retired (from American Electric Power in 2009), and lives in Westerville, Ohio with his wife Komalam. He has two sons and four grand children. Both sons along with their families live in Indianapolis.)

We had an unforgettable trip to the Himalaya region in India. The main purpose was to visit four holy places called Char Dham in the Himalayas namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. These are four temples, all them at more than 10,000 feet above sea level.

The Kedarnath temple is a Siva temple, one of the twelve Jyothirlinga temples. It is situated at 11,700 feet above sea level. The Badrinath temple is a Vishnu temple located in the Himalayas at 10,700 feet above sea level. The Gangotri temple is located at the origin of river Ganga. This temple is at 11,200 feet from sea level. This is where King Bhageeratha did penance to bring Ganga from heaven to earth. The Yamunotri temple is located at the beginning of the Yamuna river, and is 10,800 feet above sea level. Bharatiya (Sanathana) dharma considers all rivers as female goddesses and are worshipped as such. This is part of worshipping all nature which nourishes all of us as gods and goddesses.

The trip was basically a spiritual journey. We were six people from the USA. In addition to me and my wife, Komalam, there was a couple from Columbus (Mohan and Elizabeth Das), my sister and brother-in-law (Viswanath and Indira Kurup) from Phoenix, AZ, and Komalam’s brother, Ravi Nair from India. The members are shown in this picture taken near the Gangotri temple. At Haridwar, we joined a tour group from Kerala. This group has been doing this annual tour every year; in fact, this was their 48th tour, and 50th year (they didn’t have this tour during COVID years). This was their first tour after COVID. This was my second tour with them, my first was in 2003. That year I was alone; Komalam stayed back in the US since she didn’t get vacation. That tour took 35 days since the group visited other places such as Delhi and Mathura. In fact this tour was basically for Komalam. It was her desire to go visit the Kedarnath temple. She had already visited the 11 of the 12 Jyothirlinga (Siva) temples except Kedarnath. (The twelve Jyothirlinga temples, by the way, are: Somnath, Nageshwar, Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Vaidyanath, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kashi Vishwanath, Kedarnath, Rameswaram and Mallikarjuna. These temples are spread all over India.)

We joined the group from Kerala at Haridwar, which is the starting point of the tour. River Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas here and it is considered a holy place. All Chardham yatras start from Haridwar. There are many ashrams and temples here. Every evening Ganga Arati is done at Har Ki Pauri, a place in the banks of the Ganga river. This is an amazing spectacle to be really witnessed. There are mentions of Haridwar in old scriptures including Mahabharata and Vayu Purana. The map below shows the relative location of this township. The group from Kerala had travelled on train from Kochuveli near Thiruvananthapuram, and took three days to reach Haridwar. The six of us, from the US flew to Delhi from Kochi, and hired a minivan to reach Haridwar by the evening of October 2. The group was more than a 100, including some kitchen staff to prepare delicious Malayali food for all of us. The next day we visited a few temples and ashrams. In the evening, all the ladies in the group did Puja at Kankhal Neeladhara, on the shores of Ganga. We started the Char Dham tour on October 4 early morning in four buses.

COMA Badminton Tournament Report – Anoop Nair

(Anoop Nair is a Software Engineer living in Delaware Ohio. He loves to scribble, paint, and travel when he is away from coding. Following cricket and experimenting with his culinary skills are other pastimes.)

Badminton is a sport that is enjoyed all around the world by millions of people of a wide range of ages. It is a sport that explores speed changes, reaction time demands, strength and endurance challenges, and of course heart-pumping fun. The sport is much popular among our Malayalee community, and you can always find a group of enthusiastic folks smashing and rallying at the Lazelle Woods community center on weekends with birdies flying and racquets sounding whoosh!!

COMA organized an open Badminton tournament on April 29th at Supreme Sports and Events, Plain City. I did not participate as a player but visited to watch some games and do some volunteering. It was a wonderful experience and the EC team did an outstanding job in organizing the event which was well received even by people outside of the Indian community. The event had 3 categories – Men’s doubles, Women’s doubles, and Mixed doubles. 56 teams participated in different categories with Men’s doubles alone seeing 32 teams competing for the championship.

COMA Badminton 2023 Men’s Doubles Div-1 Champions (Tianchen Li & Delong Liu) collecting trophies from Derek Lee

The event saw an overwhelming response not only from Indian groups in Columbus and around, but also other South Asian communities in central Ohio. I was also amazed to see young kids paired up with their parents playing the sport with so much fervor and excitement.

We saw a dominance of Southeast Asians here, but our COMA folks too demonstrated class and competence. Many of our folks moved into pre-quarters and quarters, displaying sheer agility and dexterity. I want to give a special mention to Anoop Joseph and Dilin Joy who valiantly fought a semifinal bout in Division 1 against Tianchen Li and Delong Liu. Their game demonstrated some real professional talent even though they went down fighting the Chinese pair, but the smashes, drops, deceptions, and returns were proficient. Tianchen and Delong eventually won the championship.

COMA Badminton 2023 Mixed Doubles Champions (Yunan Zhu & Tianchen Li) collecting trophies from Anoop Joseph

Division 2 of the Men’s doubles saw an interesting family duel between two generations of the same family with their roots in Nepal. The senior generation involving Raj Yogi and Son Tamang triumphed over the youngsters Arpan Tamang and Kshitiz Lepez. The Women’s event and Mixed doubles also saw some good participation.

Overall, the event was a grand success for COMA, and the EC team did meticulous planning to finish the event in a timely fashion and this was well appreciated by the participants. Lots of volunteers turned up for refereeing, for scoring and coordination, food management, and time keeping, showing our strength and spirit as always. I enjoyed this event, and as summer is knocking at our doorsteps, I am looking forward to seeing many more sporting events by COMA.

COMA Summer Party Drinks with Nish

The 2nd installment in COMA’s Cook Along series was done on May 5th. It featured cocktails and mocktails prepared live by Nish Nishant who was accompanied by Arun Davis. Several COMA patrons joined the online session and made those drinks along with Nish and Arun. The event was shot at COMA President Shibu Nair’s residence. Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch, the event could not be recorded.

Youth Achievements

Anjali Janardhanan won the first prize in the 2023 Regional Vocabulary Bee conducted by North South Foundation. She is a 7th grader at Karrer Middle School, Dublin. She’s the daughter of Anuja and Ajayan Janardhanan (former COMA President). Congratulations Anjali!

Nandana Presanth won 2nd place in the Women’s Saber Fencing Competition, held at Ohio High School. She is a 9th grader at Dublin Coffman High School and the daughter of former COMA President Presanth Krishnan.

High School Graduations

Melissa Thomas

Melissa Thomas (Lisa) graduated Summa Cum Laude from Olentangy Liberty High School. Lisa will be attending The Ohio State University in the fall and majoring in Health Science on a Pre-Med Track. Lisa is a recipient of the Morrill Distinction Scholarship from The Ohio State University. She will also be a part of the Health Sciences Scholars Program. In High School she was actively involved in many extracurricular activities. She was president of the Student Council, Psychology Club, Help for Hope Club, her school’s chapter of BuckeyeThon, and Class Cabinet. She has also volunteered at Marysville Memorial Hospital over the years and spreads her smile at the Powell Story Point retirement home. She is looking forward to the journey ahead of her and wishes for blessings from the COMA community.

Additional Achievements

  • Principal’s Leadership Award
  • AP Scholar award
  • Honors Diploma
  • Global Scholars Diploma
  • International DECA Qualifier

Lisa is the daughter of Julie and Manoj Thomas (both of whom are former COMA trustees / EC team members)

Karun Gopal

Karun Gopal, son of Arati and Vikas Gopal, is graduating summa cum laude from Olentangy High School. He will be attending the Ohio State University and plans to major in Computer Science and Engineering. Karun is a National Merit Commended Scholar, a three-time State qualifier in Lincoln Douglas and Public Forum debate, a school chamber orchestra violinist, and a member of the National Honor Society. In addition, he volunteers as an assistant teacher in the Bharatiya Hindu Temple Gurukul.

Joshua Abraham

Joshua Abraham is graduating on May 21st from Olentangy High School. He’s going to the University of Cincinnati, Lindner School of Business majoring in Finance. He’s the son of Nancy and former COMA EC team member, Joseph Abraham.

Shraddha Krishnan

Shraddha is graduating from Dublin Coffman High School. She is planning on attending Indiana University’s Kelley School Of Business, majoring in Marketing and International Business and minoring in Data Science. She is a valedictorian, member of the National Honors Society, recipient of the Presidential Award for Educational Excellence, National Merit commended scholar, recipient of the Celebration of Excellence award, and the recipient of a Dublin City Schools local scholarship. She received a Dean’s scholarship at Indiana University, and is excited to continue her studies, both abroad and in Bloomington. Go Hoosiers!

Shraddha is the daughter of Meera Vijayalakshmi and Hari Krishnan (former Trustee and President of COMA).

Newsletter April 2023

by
Smitha Nishant

It’s hard to believe that a quarter of the year has passed already. April is special for Malayalees all over the world as we get together with friends and family to celebrate Easter, Vishu, and Ramadan. We celebrate our unique Malayalee traditions for each one of these festivals, which gives us and our kids an opportunity to build and strengthen strong bonds with friends, and share common values regardless of differences in religion and faith.

This edition of the COMA newsletter includes Easter, Vishu and Iftar recipes from culinary experts from our community, and hopefully, a few of you may be able to incorporate these dishes as part of your celebrations. I hope you will all create happy memories that will be cherished for your entire lifetime!

If you would like to submit content for future editions, please reach out to the EC team (coma.officials@gmail.com). Content should be 250 words or fewer.

— Smitha Nishant

Upcoming COMA Charity drive

COMA will be setting up a donation link through which you can contribute funds to Different Art Centre, led by Professor Gopinath Muthukad. Different Art Centre educates and empowers specially abled children with various disabilities, and expands the focus of training from concentrating on magic to art forms such as music, dance, drama, cinema making, painting and skills in various musical instruments, all blended with a magical touch.

A mission that focuses on boosting self-confidence of specially-abled children by unleashing, recognizing and sharpening their raw talents through scientific methods involving various artforms – all leading to their empowerment in multiple ways.

  • Download the Different Art Center Brochure here

This is a video of Professor Muthukad meeting with the COMA EC team and Trustees when he visited Columbus in March.

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

Sreejith Chandran

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

എന്റെ ലോകം നീ മറന്നോ…

സഹപാഠികളായ കുറച്ചു പെൺകുട്ടികളോട് സംവദിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന എന്റെ അടുത്തേക്ക് വന്നു ചെവിയിൽ നീ പറഞ്ഞു, “ഓ കൃഷ്ണാ…!” മഞ്ഞു മായുന്നതും മഴപെയ്യുന്നതും കാക്കാതെ നിനക്ക് ഞാനെഴുതിയ അടുത്ത കുറിമാനം ഇങ്ങനെ ആയിരുന്നു, “എന്റെ രാധ!” ഇത്രമേൽ പ്രണയാർദ്രമായി അതിനു മുൻപും അതിനു ശേഷവും എഴുതിയിട്ടില്ല . രണ്ടു വാക്കിൽ എന്റെ മനസ് ഏറ്റവും ആഴത്തിൽ നിനക്ക് ഞാൻ തുറന്നു കാട്ടി! രാധയും കൃഷ്ണനും രണ്ടല്ല, ഒന്നാണെന്ന് മനസിലാക്കി കടന്നുപോയ കാലങ്ങൾ… തുളസിമാലയിൽ കോർത്തെടുത്ത നിന്റെ ഹൃദയമിടിപ്പുകൾ നെഞ്ചിലേറ്റിയ കാലം.

കുരുകുലവും കുരുക്ഷേത്രവും ശൂന്യമായിരിക്കുന്നു… ഗാന്ധാരി ശാപവും പേറി വേടന്റെ ശരവും കാത്തു കിടക്കുമ്പോൾ, നിന്നിലേക്കുള്ള ദൂരം ദ്വാപരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് കലിയുഗത്തിലേക്കുള്ളതാണ് എന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവ് പാദത്തിലേറ്റെക്കാവുന്ന മുറിവിനേക്കാൾ വേദനാജനകം ആണ്. പ്രാണൻ എപ്പോഴേ പോയിരിക്കുന്നു! എന്റെ ലോകം നീയും നിന്റെ ലോകം ഞാനും മറന്നു തുടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു!

– ശ്രീ (കൃഷ്‌ണൻ)

Kerala Style Spicy Dry Roasted Chicken / നാടൻ കോഴി പെരട്ട് – Simple Subin

(Simple is an IT professional residing in Powell with her husband Subin and two children, Kevin and Trisha. She enjoys cooking and likes to experiment with new recipes. She loves traveling with her family, watching Bollywood movies, and loves spending time with her friends.)

Treat yourself to an authentic Kerala Style Spicy Dry Roasted Chicken / നാടൻ കോഴി പെരട്ട്. This recipe serves about 6 people. The naadan roast pairs very well with rice, Malabar paratha, or roti.

Ingredients

  • 3 lb cut chicken, medium size pieces
  • 3 big onions (thinly sliced)
  • 3 green chilies (slit)
  • 2 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 3 tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp red chili powder
  • 2 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp pepper powder
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • ½ tbsp cumin powder
  • 3+1 sprigs of curry leaves
  • salt – as required
  • oil – as required (I prefer to use coconut oil)

Instructions

Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat and once it is hot, add the chopped ginger and garlic to the pan and fry it for a minute or two so that the raw smell is gone. Make sure to not burn them in the process. Add the tomatoes and a sprig of curry leaves and cook it till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

Reduce the heat to low and add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Roast them on low heat till the raw smell is gone while making sure to not burn the spice powders. Add the chicken pieces, salt to taste, and ¾ cup of water. Mix it well so that it is combined. Cook the chicken on medium heat and once the water/gravy has reduced to a thick sauce texture, turn off the heat.

Meanwhile in another pan, heat oil. Add curry leaves, sliced onions, green chilies and a little salt. Sauté until onions become translucent and golden brown. Now transfer the cooked chicken to the pan, add the rest of the sprigs of fresh curry leaves, sauté well to mix the chicken and the onions properly, and cook for another 3-5 minutes with the lid on.

Lower the heat, remove the lid, add pepper and garam masala and dry roast the chicken for another 10 minutes until all the liquid is dried out and the chicken is coated well with the masala. Garnish with curry leaves and allow it to rest for a few minutes.

Unniyappam / ഉണ്ണിയപ്പം – Sudeepa Pramod

(Sudeepa, a Columbus resident for over 15 years, is a software engineer and foodie who also loves to travel and cook. She lives with her husband and two teen daughters in Powell, OH)

“Unniyappam illade endu Vishu aghosham”. Here is a recipe for making soft and yummy unniyappams. I learnt this recipe from my mother and it has been a huge hit among my friends and family.

Ingredients

  • Raw Rice – 3 cups
  • Ripe Plantain (Nendra Pazham) – 2 nos
  • Jaggery – 10 to 12 cubes
  • Black Sesame Seeds – 2 tbsp
  • Coconut bits – 1 cup
  • Baking Soda – a pinch
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Cardamom Powder – a generous pinch
  • Oil (Canola or coconut oil) for frying
  • Unniyappa Chatti
  • Steamer or idli vessel for steaming the plantain

Preparation

Wash and soak the rice overnight or at least 5-6 hours. Drain the water and grind to a smooth paste.

Steam cook the plantain for 10-15 mins. Cooking time depends on how ripe the bananas are. The skin of the banana loosens once they are cooked and the bananas have turned soft. This is the indication that it’s done. Peel off the banana skin, grind the banana to a smooth paste, and add it to the rice batter.

Fry the coconut bits in a small amount of ghee and keep it aside.

Melt jaggery in 1 cup water, strain it, and mix with the rice/banana batter. Next, add cardamom powder, sesame seeds, fried coconut bits, salt, baking soda, and mix well. Batter should not be too thick or too thin. Add wheat flour (atta) if the batter is too thin, or add water if too thick.

Heat the unniyappa chatti, add a teaspoon of oil in each cavity. When the oil becomes hot, reduce the flame to medium and fill the cavities with batter. When the bottom starts browning, flip it over to the other side using a spoon. Once the other side turns golden brown, remove and drain on a kitchen towel. Repeat the same process for the rest of the batter. Soft Unniyappams are ready to be served.

Note: This recipe will make 50-60 medium sized appams.

Ernakulam style Chicken Biriyani (കോഴി ബിരിയാണി) – Shinimol Saidumuhamed

(Shinimol Saidumuhamed is a Quality Analyst by profession. She lives in Dublin, Ohio with her husband, Aslam, and their two children, Minha and Ayaan. Cooking has always been a passion of hers since childhood, inspired by watching her mom cook. In her early years of cooking, she was interested in making puddings, but after marrying Aslam (who is not into sweets), she stopped making them. Shini’s passion then turned to making Biryani and other spicy foods, which her husband, kids, and friends love.)

For me, cooking is a way to show love and bring people together. I believe that sharing a meal can create a sense of community and foster deeper connections between people. Whether I am whipping up a batch of my favorite Chicken Biryani for a family gathering or experimenting with a new fusion recipe for my friends, I approach cooking with passion, creativity, and a deep love for those around me.

Kerala is known for its wide variety of Biryanis. And it is important to note that there are different styles of Biryani in Kerala, each with its unique blend of spices and preparation techniques. For example, the Malabar Biryani from northern Kerala is made with short-grain rice, while the Thalassery Biryani is known for its fragrant rice and use of oil. The Kozhikode Biryani, on the other hand, is famous for its generous use of ghee and caramelized onions.

Despite the variations, one thing is certain: Biryani is a dish that is cherished and celebrated across Kerala, with each region adding its unique touch to this beloved dish.

As someone from Ernakulam, I would like to share the unique preparation method and ingredients we use to make Biryani in my hometown, which is distinct from other styles of Biryani in Kerala.

Note – this recipe serves three people.

Ingredients set 1 – Chicken marination for fry

  • Chicken – 600 gm, cut into pieces – almost 10 pieces (half of a chicken)
  • Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 Teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ Teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 1 Teaspoon
  • Chilli powder – 1 Teaspoon
  • Garam Masala powder (mix of cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaf, and cloves) – 1 Teaspoon
  • Salt – 1 Teaspoon
  • Lemon juice – 1 Teaspoon
  • Curd – 4 Tablespoons

Ingredient set 2 – Garnish

  • Red onion – 2 (medium size) / 250 gm, for onion deep fry. (You can get fried onions from any Indian grocer’s, so you can skip this process)
  • Ghee – 3 Tablespoon
  • Cashew nut – 1½ Tablespoon
  • Raisins – 1½ Tablespoon

Ingredient set 3 – Chicken masala

  • Refined Oil – 3 Tablespoons
  • Garam Masala powder (mix of cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaf, and cloves) – 1 Teaspoon
  • Red onion – 3 (medium size) / 300 gm
  • Ginger, Garlic and Green Chili paste – 2 Tablespoon
  • Salt – ½ Teaspoon
  • Chilli powder – ½ Teaspoon
  • Crushed Black Pepper- ½ Teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ½ Teaspoon
  • Hot water – ¾ Cup (180 ml)
  • Chopped tomatoes – 2
  • Curd – 1 Tablespoon

Ingredient set 4 – For cooking the rice

  • Basmati Rice or Jeerakasala Rice (Kaima) – 2 Cups (400 gm)
  • Water – 3¾ Cup
  • Bay leaf – 1
  • Cinnamon stick – 1½ Inch Piece
  • Cloves – 4
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Lime juice – ½ Teaspoon
  • Refined oil – 1 Tablespoon
  • Salt – 1 Teaspoon
  • Onion – ¼

Ingredient set 5 – For Dum

  • Mint leaves – ¾ Cup
  • Coriander leaves – a small bunch
  • Ghee – 2 Tablespoons

Ingredient set 6 – Toppings

  • Eggs – 2
  • Pineapple bits – a little
  • Saffron – 1 small pinch
  • Milk – 1 Tablespoon
  • Coriander leaves
  • Mint leaves

Preparation

Step 1 – Half fry the chicken – Use Ingredient set 1

In a mixing bowl, marinate the chicken with Ginger-Garlic paste, Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Chili powder, Garam Masala powder, Salt, Lemon juice, and Curd. Set it aside for an hour in the fridge. After an hour, deep fry the chicken until half cooked, using refined oil, and keep it aside.

Step 2 – Fried garnish – Use Ingredient set 2

Add three to four tablespoons of ghee to a pan. Fry the cashews until lightly golden, then add the raisins. When they turn plump, transfer them to a plate.

In the same pan, add finely sliced onions and fry them until golden or light brown. (You can skip this step if you are using store bought fried onions). Set them aside along with the cashews and raisins for garnishing.

Step 3 – Chicken masala – Use Ingredient set 3

Heat oil in a pan (you can reuse the same oil used for frying the chicken). Add sliced onions and sauté until they are translucent. Add ginger, garlic, and chili paste, and sauté until their raw aroma dissipates. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté until the masala is cooked. Then, add turmeric powder, chili powder, pepper, and salt. Mix well.

Add the half-cooked fried chicken to the masala and mix well. Cook for ten minutes on low flame. Finally, add curd and sauté for two minutes. By the end of this step, the chicken and masala will have combined into a thick gravy.

Step 4 – Rice cooking – Use Ingredient set 4

In another pot, heat ghee and add the whole garam masala and thinly sliced onions. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add water and bring to a boil (for 1 cup of rice, take 1.75 cups of water). Add basmati rice to the boiling water and let it cook on low flame until the water is fully absorbed.

Step 5 – Dum, garnishing, and topping – Use Ingredient sets 5 and 6

For Dum, take a large pot and create layers by adding chicken masala at the bottom, followed by cooked rice, another layer of chicken masala, and some freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves. Add another layer of rice on top of the chicken masala. Garnish with fried onions, cashews, raisins, pineapple bits, and more chopped coriander and mint leaves.

Drizzle some ghee over the top. To give the Biryani a yellow color, mix saffron with hot milk and pour the mixture over the rice.

Cover the pot with a tight lid and cook on low flame for five minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for another thirty minutes.

Step 6 – Boil eggs

Boil eggs in a pan.

The Biryani is ready. Enjoy this mouth-watering Biryani with your family and friends. Don’t forget to add a boiled egg on top of the served Biryani like in the picture.

Note: It will take approximately three hours to prepare this Biriyani if you follow all the steps. This includes the marination time.

COMA Meals on Wheels

COMA volunteers covered 7 routes in the first quarter of 2023. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to the EC team. Here’re the routes we covered this year.

  • March 26, 2023 Arun Kumar, Priya Arun, Aishwarya Arun, Adithya Arun
  • March 26, 2023 Kurian Uthup, Preetha Uthup, Keziah Uthup, Marissa Uthup, Hannah Uthup
  • March 12, 2023 Arun Kumar, Priya Arun, Aishwarya Arun, Adithya Arun
  • February 26, 2023 Remya Krishnan, Madhu Parameswaran, Sreya Madhu
  • February 12, 2023 Gayatri Thampy, Sumitra Thampy-Norton, Chris Norton
  • January 22, 2023 John Patrick, Anitha John, Stevie Rajesh, Dannie Rajesh
  • January 8, 2023 Joseph Abraham, Nancy Joseph, Joshua Abraham, Rachael Abraham

Upcoming COMA events

COMA is conducting a badminton tournament in April, and the event is open to both members and non-members. Details will be announced soon on the COMA website.

COMA Badminton 2023

Newsletter March 2023

by
Smitha Nishant

For Malayalees who grew up in Kerala, March brings back bucket-loads of childhood memories. Among those, the much dreaded final examinations and the much awaited end of school year, the beginning of venalavadhi, and the ushering in of our very own March Madness – the nostalgic maambazhakkaalam.

March in the United States is the start of longer and warmer days. With spring breaks for schools and colleges, parents and children begin to realize the end of academic year is nearing. For families who are planning on spring break vacations, I hope you enjoy a carefree and relaxed schedule and come back refreshed and renewed!

COMA has been supporting the Meals on Wheels program for several years now, helping with their mission to deliver meals and friendly greetings to homebound seniors. Gayatri Thampy, one of our volunteers, has very graciously contributed a detailed writeup of her experience. If you were curious about what is involved in Meals on Wheels volunteering, her writeup gives you every little detail you will ever need to know.

I hope all of our families have a safe and relaxing time during the upcoming spring break. For my friends who are observing Lent or Ramadan, I wish you all a blessed and fulfilling fasting season.

Sreejith Chandran

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

എന്തിനോ വേണ്ടി തിളയ്ക്കുന്ന സാമ്പാർ

പിന്നിട്ടവഴികളിലൂടെ തിരിച്ചുപോകുമ്പോൾ …
പുനർജനിക്കുന്ന പുൽക്കൊടികൾ …
വീണ്ടും വിരിയുന്ന പൂക്കൾ …
പതിയെ തളിർക്കുന്ന ഇലകൾ…
പറയാൻ മറന്ന വാക്കുകൾ…
നിസ്സംഗമായ നിന്റെ മന്ദഹാസം ….
നഷ്ടസ്വപ്നങ്ങൾ …
ഒരു ജന്മത്തിന്റെ കാത്തിരുപ്പു …
വരുമോ നിന്റെ നിശ്വാസം.

Volunteering for Meals on Wheels – Gayatri Thampy

(Dr. Gayatri Thampy is a former economic anthropologist and taught at Denison university until 2020.)

My family and I decided to volunteer for Meals on Wheels after Nish Nishant created a WhatsApp group to organize volunteers. Our daughter Sumitra needed volunteer hours for her school service record. We thought this would be a great opportunity to cover this school requirement.

We drove our first route on 25th of December, 2022. It took about 4.5 hours as the weather and driving conditions were really bad. Because of our experience in December, we decided to volunteer again in February. This time, it only took about 3.5 hours.

The task is quite simple. COMA delivers Meals on Wheels two Sundays per month. The volunteering family goes to the Meals on Wheels pick-up location at 670 Harmon Ave around 10:30 am. You drive into the farther parking lot and pick up a folder that lists your route number. Inside this folder, you will find sheets with addresses of the clients, along with details of meals each client is supposed to get. You then pick up two cases that have the same route number listed on them. One of them contains hot lunches and the other contains cold lunches, snacks, juice, and milk. These cases easily fit into the trunk of a sedan. It is a good idea to do a quick count of the lunches, juices, and milk and make sure they tally with what you expect based on your list. Both the times we volunteered, we found that there was a mismatch.

Now, you follow the order of the list from the beginning and drive to the corresponding addresses and deliver the appropriate items. Make sure you knock loudly and wait for 5-7 minutes as many individuals have mobility and hearing issues. If no one comes to the door, try to call the listed phone number. If no one answers, mark the entry as “undelivered”. You will need to fill out an online form at the end of your route for these individuals.

Deliveries may be to houses or to apartments. If the door was visible from our car, we allowed our kids to deliver to the house. For apartments, we went in with one of the kids. In some cases, either my husband or I delivered to an apartment. At the end of the route, you return the cases and folder back to the MoW location. I recommend taking some snacks and drinks along with you in case you get hungry or tired. You may need to use nearby gas stations if kids need a bathroom break.

This was an eye-opening experience. Most of the individuals in both our routes were white. I had read and watched documentaries about white poverty in USA. This was the first time I confronted it. Some of the cold lunches we delivered only had a couple of slices of bread and some cheese in it. We were astonished by this, but realized that basic groceries like a loaf of bread and bags of cheese were inaccessible to many people. Due to the nature of urban development and dominance of cars for transportation, these areas are food deserts for people who are poor, unwell, and living alone.

People in apartments seemed worse off than those in houses. In some apartments, the building windows were broken and was covered with a thin sheet of plastic wrap. The inside of some of the buildings were dank and dark, and several apartments had eviction notices posted on the doors. Note that the temperatures in December were less than 5 degrees with strong winds.

I felt that more than volunteer hours, it was really important for our kids to understand their privileges and be exposed to the lives of less fortunate people. Volunteering for Meals on Wheels helped them become curious about the causes of such poverty and isolation in our society. They now avidly watch John Oliver’s segments on various issues in “Last Week Tonight” and express an interest in reading more about some of these topics. After covering our routes, I decided to research this program a bit more.

Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is a program based on public-private partnership. It is designed to deliver meals to senior individuals who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. It is largely funded through community contributions, though it does receive some federal support through the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program of 1972, Medicaid, and USDA grants. They sometimes also commission studies on hunger and other needs among seniors.

According to these studies, before the pandemic, 9.7 million seniors were threatened by hunger and 25% of seniors lived alone. A volunteer delivering a meal is often the only person an individual in this program may see over the course of the day. Thus, a Meals on Wheels volunteer does the added function of serving as a wellness check on a senior and alerting the organization if they were unable to deliver the meal to the person. So this program also helps reduce the public costs of hospitalizations from falls and illnesses.

In 2017, federal funding for the program was cut by 1.5 million dollars and the Community Services, Community Development and Social Services Block Grants, upon which some Meals on Wheels programs rely for funding were also eliminated. It is therefore imperative to support this program through volunteering and donations. If you are undecided about whether this activity is for you and your family, I recommend riding along with a volunteer family so you can see for yourself what it’s like. It is a small time commitment, without much strenuous physical activity, and you would be contributing to making our society caring and compassionate.

My experience travelling with Tuskers – Anoop Nair

(Anoop Nair is a Software Engineer living in Delaware Ohio. He loves to scribble, paint, and travel when he is away from coding. Following cricket and experimenting with his culinary skills are other pastimes.)

One fine evening during a fireside chat, after being a little jingled, Pradeesh told me about Columbus Tuskers travelling to Miami, Florida for their next Malayalee Soccer league. He casually asked me if I am interested to join them, of course only to cheer and support. My first reaction was “what the heck will I be doing there; I am nowhere into soccer”? But then for a moment, I was carried away by thoughts of sunshine, beaches and delicious sea food (touchings), away from the pesters of gloomy Ohioan winter and most importantly with no strings attached. When I told my wife about this conversation I had with Pradeesh, to my surprise she told me I should go (I saw in her eyes as if she is getting a blank cheque to be cashed later). Whatever it be, I booked my airplane tickets along with other folks. Team’s itinerary was – A day of soccer (leagues, knockouts and the finale) and a day and half to recover (don’t think too much into the recovery, poor guys are fighting out the scorching heat of Miami!).

It is the day of travel and my phone hooted at 3 AM (economic flights always come with a price), got dressed up and reached the CMH airport. Met other team members of Columbus Tuskers, led by our own dynamic president Shibu Nair. Most of them were familiar faces in COMA, except for couple of guys whom I was meeting for the first time. All of them ardent lovers of soccer and passionate for playing. Their body language, enthusiasm and zeal said it all. I forgot to mention that there were couple of other guys too travelling with the team like I was, to cheer and boost. The excitement started building up and I recollected my last guys-only trip I had with a such big group – may be in my college! Huh!!

After exchanging all pleasantries, Tuskers flew out of Columbus and landed in Orlando. We took some pictures with the cabin crew and went to rent the cars (thanks to Aslam Ikka, preferred customer of Avis for taking care of all bookings even though wait time for the preferred customer was more than the flight time to Orlando). Finally, we drove to Miami and checked into an Airbnb property. It was a decent house that could accommodate all 15 of us, with a beautiful patio looking into a sprawling swimming pool. For a moment, it felt like I landed in Kerala – warm and beautiful weather, Palm and Coconut trees lining the horizon, Mango trees in the backyard adorned in their flowers and all tropical fauna you habitually see in Kerala.

After sprucing up into their summer attire, Tuskers headed for some game day eve practice. As the team was busy fine tuning their skills, we cheerleaders slugged some drinks. It is truly an amazing mood gulping some cold beer in the month of February roaming around in your shorts – something you can just dream about in Columbus. But hats off to the dedication and passion of Tuskers for restraining themselves and just focusing and thinking about the game next day. They were engaged in making game plans and strategies, rectifying mistakes, helping each other in correcting their game, practicing their shots and what not. I was completely moved by their sincerity and devotion for the game.

It’s the Game Day! Guys woke up as early as 5 AM and geared up for the D-day, adorned in their Tuskers yellow and black jerseys. We reached Flamingo Park, Cooper City where 12 Malayalee teams from different parts of the US had assembled to fight for the MASC (Malayalee Arts and Sports Club) Miami Soccer trophy. What a festive atmosphere it was; like an Ulsavam (temple fest) back in Kerala. The hospitality by MASC Miami was paramount. Boiled organic Kozhi Mutta and Tharavu Mutta straight from the MASC president’s farm were the highlights of the breakfast.

Getting into the game, Tuskers were facing the hosts, MASC Miami, in the event opener. Our boys were keen to conquer the home team and announce their arrival to the other soccer giants of US Malayalee leagues. Being an early morning game, we were surprised to see a lot of dew. Ref blew his whistle, and the ball was set into motion. The game progressed and soon our striker Subash struck the first goal of the tournament. It was a moment in the tournament, and I must admire MASC commentators for their superb Malayalam commentary laced with all kinds of wits and humors throughout the tournament. Though Tuskers had an initial lead, there seemed to be a lack of coordination and communication between the players which was quite evident. Wet ground was certainly a factor resulting in some misjudgments. Soon the home team struck back, and we lost our lead, but somehow, we did manage to score a second goal and maintain the lead. It was just 20 seconds for the final hooter and some of us among the spectators had already started blowing the victory bugle. Alas, Miami scored an equalizer! Tuskers had to settle for a draw against the home team who were never at par with us. We could see a lull in our side, dropped shoulders and agony on their faces summed it up.

Soon, Tuskers were back to the strategy table analyzing what went wrong and how they can do better; after all it was not a defeat, and the first game is always a lesson in learning. Luckily, we had a break of 3 hours before our next group game and that was enough to rejuvenate and revive. On the other side, more group games were in progress, I was thrilled to see some fantastic game of soccer by teams like New York, Philly, Atlanta etc. while I was scouting around. Florida sun was now sweltering, and we could see other teams getting tired out, cramping and all. Hydration was the mantra and again MASC had done a great job with supplying more than adequate water and other sports drinks to all teams. Me and my fellow spectators ensured we too kept ourselves hydrated and chilled with some beer and cocktails in our car bar. Meanwhile, in the other group match Miami was thrashed by Minnal Charlotte 5-2 and the Tuskers were next up against Minnals on a turf blistered by the noon sun.

Tuskers were now facing an upbeat Minnals, there was a better coordination between our players this time and within 10 minutes into the play, we were able to draw first blood with a superb strike by Geeno. We maintained our lead until after the half time but were equalized by Minnals in the second half. The equation was simple – a draw or a win will take us to the Quarter Finals and our defenders stood like a wall. Game had moved into its final minute when Basil Jacob hit the ball into the top left corner of Minnals’ post from a lobbied corner kick, giving Tuskers their first victory. It was not just a victory for Tuskers, they emerged as the group toppers. That was a terrific game with a right finishing touch, helping Tuskers to get back into their rhythm.

Mood was high and lively in our camp, and we had a sumptuous lunch provided by MASC. The overall event management by MASC was commendable – from the grand opening ceremony by the city mayor to the food, the medical services, timeliness and the closing ceremony – everything was well planned.

Tuskers moved into their Quarterfinal battle against Houston United, who were a reputed side playing as an organized team for the last 10 years in various US leagues. We could now feel the heat on the field and of course Florida’s sun triggering frequent dehydration and cramps to our players. Houston had a tough goalkeeper taking down all chances that our strikers fancied. Tuskers fought their heart out and our defenders along with the Goalkeeper Anil sealed our post and we ended up with a goal-less draw. The game moved into a penalty shootout, which was a first for the tournament and attracted a lot of spectators. Soon, 5 strikers lined up from each team ready to take a hit on the post. Houston with their super skilled goalie had an upper hand and were the favorites. The first bout of 5 penalty shoots ended in 3-3, thanks to a flying save by our goalie Anil. It looked like neither team was ready to budge. Another set of 3 penalty shoots began and the final shot by a Houston player went over the post and we stormed into the semifinal. By the end of this game, Tuskers who looked rookie in their opening game were posing serious threats to some of the Malayalee soccer giants. They were thrilled but at the same time remained calm and composed for the semifinal.

Tuskers in Miami
Tuskers in Miami

Tuskers entered their semifinal bout against Arsenal Philadelphia who were a much younger side and had already stamped their authority in the tournament by thrashing their opponents by huge margins in group stages and Quarters. Apart from young legs, they seemed to be a bit rough too and as a result we were soon at the receiving end of a tough penalty call by the ref which was a surprise to the opponents too. They converted the penalty and took a lead. It was a fiery game, and we were at the receiving end again with another penalty which was nicely saved by our goalie. Our players started getting cramps and medical staff were frequently seen on the field. Battling all odds, our striker Geeno breached Philly’s defense and levelled the scores, but he himself went down with a muscle cramp. There were some intense battles of shots before Philly struck again, taking a lead and eventually Tuskers went down 2-1 fighting valiantly. We lost the semifinal, but the effort we put in, the coordination and skill we displayed were supreme.

We stayed up in the park to watch the thrilling Finale between the defending champions New York and Arsenal Philadelphia. Eventually New York were crowned as the champions yet again. MASC put a tremendous effort organizing this event and it was nothing less than a pooram with a festive Malayali atmosphere and Chendamelam.

Next day and a half were a much-needed break for the team when we all enjoyed some wonderful time together exploring beaches, sunshine and cocktails before boarding back to reality in Columbus!

Columbus Tuskers is not just a soccer team, it’s a bonding of individuals playing out their passion, displaying dedication and sincerity on the field, and outside of the field they are a bunch of jovial, fun loving, buoyant individuals with never ending jokes and banters, who are the best to hang out with. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip with Tuskers and wish them success in all their future leagues!

Member Achievements and Milestones

Dr. Soumya Mary Kurian

Congratulations to Dr. Soumya Mary Kurian for earning her doctorate in Nursing Practice from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN.

Dr. Kurian has been practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in an outpatient opioid treatment clinic for over six years. She started her career as a registered nurse . She immigrated to United States in 2005. She earned her Masters in Nursing from Indiana State University, and is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She is also certified through SAMHSA to provide substance use disorder treatment. She completed her BSN degree from MG University, Kerala.

While working as a nurse practitioner at an urgent care clinic in Mansfield, she discovered that her true passion is to fight the opioid crisis, and to serve a population that is so vulnerable to opioid misuse and risk for overdose related mortality. Opioid overdose epidemic is a public health concern. Her Doctoral dissertation was titled “Overdose Response Education and Take- Home Naloxone“. The objective of this project was to analyze the effectiveness of overdose response education and distributed take-home naloxone kits on improving knowledge and attitude among opioid dependent individuals towards the utilization of Naloxone while witnessing opioid overdoses.

She finds great satisfaction in serving patients with substance use disorders and leading them to a path of recovery. Her interests include eliminating the stigma of addiction, and raising awareness that drug addiction is not a moral issue and rather a chronic disease of the brain causing impairment in judgment.

Dr. Kurian is a resident of Powell, and lives with her husband Anup Kurian and their two sons Alex and Ben.

Vindhya Cultural Association – Karaoke Competition 2023

Vindhya Cultural Association conducted their annual Karaoke Competition on March 4th Saturday at the McConnell Arts Center in Worthington, Ohio. COMA members won the top prizes in the adult and junior competitions.

Ravi Hariharan and Ramya Janaki won the first prize for their beautiful rendition of Tu Hi Re from the movie Bombay, composed by A.R.Rahman. Arun Davis and Anup Kurian won the second prize for their energetic rendition of Raja Raja Sozhan from the movie Rettai Vaal Kuruvi, composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. COMA youth members Shreya Girish and Sahana Ravi won the first prize in the junior competition, for singing Kannodu Kaanbadhellam from the movie Jeans (music by A.R.Rahman). This is a very proud moment for COMA Malayalees and lovers of karaoke singing!

There was a grand finale band performance directed by COMA’s very own musical virtuoso Lloyd George, which included four young members from COMA – Aanjali Maria John (vocals), Alex Kurian (guitar), Ben Kurian (keyboard), and Rohan Nishant (drums). They were supported by their friends from outside COMA – Prateek Kunchala (viola) and Arnav Edamadaka (saxophone and backing vocals).

COMA Media Links

Newsletter February 2023

by
Smitha Nishant

More than a month has already passed since the new year! February is all about celebrating love in all its forms – romantic, familial, friendships, and even radical self-love. Some of my best Valentine’s Day memories are of getting hand made cards from my son during his kindergarten years. Whether your plans for Valentine’s Day include a romantic night out with your partner, or cooking a nice meal for your family, I recommend taking the opportunity to show appreciation for all the love you are blessed to have in your life.

I hope you did not miss the COMA February event with the indoor games and the evening entertainment. The event was a grand success, and a huge thanks to the executive committee for organizing such a memorable experience for everyone. They have set a new standard for COMA events and I can’t wait for the next one. Special shout out to Pradeesh Puthiyattil for his bold and groundbreaking idea of hosting a stand-up show and for uncovering hidden talents from our Malayalee friends. A big round of applause to all the comedians who performed like pros despite this being their debuts, and I hope this is only a step towards bigger and better performances. Job well done to the young musicians in the Coconut Trio band who supported the stand-up and party game events. Congratulations to all the winners, and best wishes to everyone else who participated for next time.

In this edition, we are introducing member contributions. If you would like to submit content for future editions, please reach out to the EC team (coma.officials@gmail.com). Content should be 250 words or less.

I would like to gently remind everyone that February is also American Heart Month. Love your heart, make healthy choices, and stay protected!

Smitha Nishant

Diplomas and more – Aadhira Pramod

Aadhira

(Aadhira is the daughter of Priya and Pramod Pudhiyattil. She is a neuroscience graduate from UC and her interests include writing and traveling.)

Well, mom and dad, I just graduated from college. I’m a new grad all over again. Crazy, right? I can go around saying I have a bachelors now. I got a physical copy of my diploma a couple days back and every time I pass it as it sits on my dressing table, I am still marveled by the fact that the 4 years passed by. I’m in the midst of applying again, but this time I’m applying to graduate schools and let me tell you, I don’t miss it at all. I forgot what it was like to write essays that sum up your whole personality in 800 words. I also forgot what it was like to wait for your dream school to let you know if you got in or not. However, one thing that is different this time around is that I have in-person interviews which is something that I have been struggling with considering how much I dread interviews.

Other than graduate school applications, I have got to say I am enjoying the post grad life – I am back in the city of Columbus, sitting on kitchen countertops as I complain to my mom about pretty much anything life related, going on Costco trips with my dad, and dealing with my brother’s mood swings. Also, I finally got a job after consistently applying which is how I pass most of my time. My 12-hour shifts consist of seeing patients of all ages, taking their vitals, running tests on them if they need it, and sending out their labs. On the days I don’t work long hours, you can find me on the couch reading and listening to music. One of my new year resolutions this year was to write more. I lost touch with writing for a bit while in college but it’s nice to get back into the rhythm of it and thanks to Smitha aunty, I was able to write to you guys for this month’s edition of the newsletter.

That pretty much sums up my whole life as a new graduate. While it may not be the typical route one takes right after graduating from undergrad, it’s nice to take a break and see where life takes you. So, yeah, I may not have my life completely planned out, but that’s okay. In fact, now that I had the time to see my career goals in a different light, I feel more passionate about pursuing my desired career path. With that being said, I’m excited to see what this year will bring. Hopefully, an acceptance letter.

I hope the new year is good to all of you!

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

Sreejith Chandran

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

മൂഞ്ചിയ പ്രണയങ്ങൾ (1)

അടുത്ത ജന്മത്തിൽ ഞാൻ നിനക്ക് സ്വന്തം എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു അവൾ നടന്നു നീങ്ങി. . . ആ ക്ഷണം മരിച്ചു പുനർജനിച്ചാലോ എന്നാലോചിച്ചു നിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ തലേന്ന് നിലവിളക്കു കൊളുത്തിയിട്ടു അമ്മ പറഞ്ഞതോർമ്മ വന്നു. . . ഇനിയുള്ള ജന്മങ്ങൾ നായായും നരിയായും ആണ് പോലും. . . !! നാൽക്കാലി പ്രണയം ഓർത്തു ചിരിവന്നു, ശിഷ്ടകാലമെങ്കിലും ഒരു നല്ല മനുഷ്യനായി ജീവിക്കാമെന്ന് തീരുമാനിച്ചു, അടുത്ത ബീവറേജസിലോട്ട് വെച്ച് പിടിച്ചു!!

മൂഞ്ചിയ പ്രണയങ്ങൾ (2)

ഏറെക്കൊതിച്ചൊരീ യാത്രയിലിന്നെന്റെ,
തോളോട് ചേർന്നു നീ ഇല്ല…
നിൻ മൃദു സ്പർശനം തേടിയലഞ്ഞൊരെൻ
വിരലുകൾ നിന്നിലേക്കെത്തിയില്ല…
ആ മരത്തണലിൽ വെറുതെയിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ
നെറുകയിൽ നിൻചുടു നിശ്വാസമില്ല…

ചിത്രങ്ങൾ മാഞ്ഞൊരാ പുസ്തകത്താളുകളിൽ
നിൻപ്രണയ കുറിപ്പുകളില്ല…
പാതി മുറിച്ചൊരാ ചിത്രത്തിന്നൊരുപാതി
നെഞ്ചോടു ചേർത്തുഞാൻ നിന്നു…

നിന്റെ തൊടിയിൽ കൊഴിഞ്ഞുവീണൊരാ
ചെമ്പകപ്പൂക്കളാണു ഞാൻ…
പാദങ്ങൾക്കടിയിൽ ഞെരിഞ്ഞമർന്നാലും,
വേദനിപ്പിക്കില്ലൊരിക്കലും, പ്രണയമേ…

What I believe in – Deepa Menon

Deepa Menon

(Deepa Menon among her friends and family is best known for someone who is always living on the edge, loves travel, adventure sports, trekking, and diving (underwater and sky). On a sunny nice day she can be found hiking, and is always working on her next bucket list item.)

Motivation and Inspiration are two sides of the same coin. Motivation involves outside forces whereas inspiration comes from within. We can be motivated by a motivational speaker, but that doesn’t last long, however when we are inspired by something or someone, that stays within for a longer time.

The three things that have inspired me and have always worked for me are:

  • “The Alchemist’s Law”
  • “What you will, shall come to you”
  • “Embracing shades of gray”

“The Alchemist’s Law” is a reference to Paulo Coelho’s novel “The Alchemist”. The novel follows the journey of Santiago, a shepherd boy, who sets out on a quest to fulfill his personal legend, or life’s purpose. Throughout the journey, Santiago encounters several obstacles, but he is guided by a series of universal laws, and the most important law of all, is: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” It’s easier said than done, the point here is, even for the universe to conspire to help you with something, first, you need that desire, want, or self-drive to achieve it. Setting goals or wanting to come out of a difficult situation is easy, but then the constant push and struggle to make the “desire” to “reality” will be the true test.

Similarly, the phrase “What you will, shall come to you” suggests that our thoughts, desires, and intentions have a powerful impact on our lives. It suggests that the universe responds to our will and helps us manifest our deepest desires if they are in alignment with our true selves and our life’s purpose. The idea is that if we focus our thoughts and actions on what we want, we can create positive outcomes and attract abundance and joy into our lives. However, it’s important to keep in mind that manifestation is not just about positive thinking, but also about taking inspired action and being open to opportunities as they arise. The idea is to align your will with the flow of the universe and trust that what you truly desire will come to you in due time.

The last and my favorite one is, “Living positively and embracing shades of gray”. Life is never black or white, or for the computer geeks, it’s not always 1 or 0. We need to be finding joy, gratitude, and meaning in life while also recognizing that not everything is simple or easily classified as good or bad, right or wrong. This approach involves being open to multiple perspectives, embracing ambiguity, and striving for balance and understanding, rather than rigidly adhering to black and white thinking.

I feel that by combining a positive outlook, and embracing grey with a nuanced and inclusive perspective, one can lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life. I always believe!

COMA Meals on Wheels program

If you would like to sign up for the Meals on Wheels program (2nd and 4th Sundays of each month), please join this WhatsApp group. When joining, please announce yourself as not everyone may have your number in their contacts.

Event Gallery

Here are some photos from the COMA Valentine’s Day 2023 event. Click on an image to see the full size version.

Photo Credits : Mekha Aravind

Event Videos

If you missed out the online cook-along session with chefs Pradip Ramachandran and Anjana Nair, you can watch the recording here.

Here are the videos from the COMA Valentine’s Day event.

Thank You from the EC Team

Dear COMA Patrons,

We wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for all the hard work and dedication that went into making our Valentine’s Day show such a tremendous success. Your unwavering commitment to excellence was truly inspiring and helped to create an unforgettable experience for all those in attendance.

Whether you were responsible for organizing the event, managing the logistics, or volunteering your time and talents to ensure everything ran smoothly, your contributions were truly invaluable. Your passion and enthusiasm were evident in every aspect of the show, and it was a privilege to witness your hard work come to fruition.

So, from the bottom of our heart, thank you for all the great work. Special mention to Mekha, Pramod, Anoop, Linda, Lisa, Arun Chand, all the standup performers, the Coconut Trio band, and all the early birds who helped with decorations.

Thank you.
2023 Executive Committee

Newsletter January 2023

by

Welcome to 2023! I hope everyone enjoyed holiday celebrations with family and friends. As I reflect on 2022, I feel grateful for all the fun experiences COMA created for all of us. It was incredible to watch the outpouring of participation and support from our community in COMA events, and it was pure joy to observe the remarkable growth our organization has achieved in recent years.

This year’s Executive Committee is already busy at work, planning for some great things for us. Our 2023 President Shibu Nair has shared below his vision for our organization this year.

As we enter the new year with renewed hopes and plans, I am looking forward to a new year of continued community service, lasting memories, new friendships, fun celebrations, and most of all, the connection that we make with each other. Let’s make 2023 our best year yet.

Wishing everyone a happy and successful new year!

Smitha Nishant

Presidential Address – Shibu Nair

I am happy to take up this second stint in the COMA Executive Committee in 2023. I feel it is a much-needed give-back to the Malayalee community in Columbus that has been a significant part of my immigrant Malayalee life in the United States, my home away from home. I am very excited to share that my team has a myriad of events and ideas planned for this year.

In addition to bringing you cultural, sport, and entertainment events, my team would like to take the opportunity to reassess COMA as a cultural organization, the values we uphold and its relevance to the Columbus Malayalee diaspora. We have made leaps and bounds since our formative years. However, as an organization, there is room for further growth, including but not limited to better managing the upkeep of our organization’s assets, promoting youth member participation, enhanced use of our website and social media presence to better engage and communicate with our members. A lot of thought is being put on those lines and you will see some major steps being initiated on these fronts.

Coming back to the planned events this year, in addition to our annual Picnic, Onam, and Christmas events, we plan to have a Valentine’s Day event and several sporting tournaments (Cricket, Soccer, Shuttle Badminton, also involving other Indian association members). Weather permitting, we plan to have an outdoor entertainment event as well. Also in the works are the development of communities for outdoor activities such as hiking and biking.

We hope to seed initiatives that the community can take advantage of not just this year but in the coming years too. I trust that each and every one of you will support us in achieving our goals as one big family. I wish you all a happy, prosperous, and healthy 2023.

Know your EC Team

All of our Executive Committee members have been associated with COMA for the past several years and hardly need an introduction. Here is some fun trivia they shared with me that highlights how we are all in for a fun ride with them this year.

Shibu Nair (President)
LocationPowell
HometownTrivandrum
Years in Columbus12
Favorite snackCrispy Parippu Vada
Favorite songAnagha Sankalpa Gaayike (Movie: Aniyara)
Favorite TV showFriends
Favorite movie punch lineNee thankappan alleda  ponnappananu, ponnappan
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Pilot, maybe?
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Madagascar.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Of course, fly!
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Sabu bro.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Eda bhayangara!
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Have a dog at home.
Arun Davis (Vice President)
LocationDublin
HometownKalady, Ernakulam
Years in Columbus13
Favorite snackPazham Pori
Favorite songThaniye mizhikal (Movie: Guppy)
Favorite TV showMaanasaputhri
Favorite movie punch lineIppo shariyaakki tharaam
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Vice president of a malayalee samajam.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Kalady.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Teleportation.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Tutankhamun.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Nalla oru manushyan aayirunnu.
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Touch your nose with your tongue.
Pradeesh Puthiyattil (General Secretary)
LocationDelaware
HometownChennai, Tamil Nadu
Years in Columbus13+
Favorite snackMasala Peanuts and Kerala Mixture
Favorite songPudhu Vellai Mazhai (Movie: Roja)
Favorite TV showComedy Utsavam (Flowers TV)
Favorite movie punch lineKedaikarthu Kedaikama Irukathu; Kedaikama Irukardhu Kedaikaathu (Superstar dialog)
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • To play for the Indian Cricket team as a batting all-rounder.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • New Zealand.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Power to save people on earth from evil elements.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Lalettan and MS Dhoni.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • I lost my honest and great friend.
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Watch World Cup Soccer live from the stadium.
Sachin Sugathan (Joint Secretary)
LocationGalena
HometownKannur
Years in Columbus11
Favorite snackPazham Pori / Kallumakai Kadukka
Favorite songDevanganangal kayyozhinja tharakam (Movie: Njan Gandharvan)
Favorite TV showMalgudi Days
Favorite movie punch lineEda Dasaa, ethaa ee alavalathy?
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Bus-ile kili.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Bangalore of late 90’s.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Swap all the healthy food to unhealthy and all unhealthy food to healthy.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Kidakkana kidappu kanda? Emathiri veruppikkalayirunnu!
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once? 
    • Take a year’s break from work and do things for which you didn’t have time for.
Roopesh Sathyan (Treasurer)
LocationDublin
HometownKochi
Years in Columbus12
Favorite snackParippuvada
Favorite songBillie Jean
Favorite TV showMalgudi Days
Favorite movie punch lineNamuk oro naranga vellam angu kachiyalo?
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Pilot.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Kochi.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Superman.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Family and friends, but if someone famous, maybe Sashi Tharoor.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Kurachukoodi nerathe avaayirunnu!!!
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Don’t plan your vacation, just hit the road.

Save the dates

Here is a preliminary list of events being planned this year and their dates. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss any.

  • Feb 11 – “Thuruppu Gulan” cards tournament and Valentine’s Day celebrations.
  • Apr 22 – Shuttle Badminton tournament.
  • May 20 – Cricket tournament.
  • June 18 – Outdoor Gaanamela (Franco).
  • July 4 – COMA Float for FIA.
  • July 22 – Annual Picnic: Vinodayathra, Vallamkali, Idli eating competition, and other fun events.
  • Sep 9 – Onam (with Shingari melam and onsite live cooking).
  • Sep 30 / Oct 7 – Soccer tournament.
  • Dec 2 – Christmas.

We have more activities where dates are not finalized so stay tuned for more information:

  • Live cooking sessions (multiple, including one with chef Suresh Pillai)
  • Bicycle Challenge – TBD
  • Trekking Challenge – TBD

Youth club activities

The COMA Youth Club will be conducting monthly meet ups. Plans are underway for TV station visits, OSU airport tower visit, fire-station visit, and camp-outs as well as charitable events including cloth drives and blood donation drives.

Membership

January is a great time to take your COMA Membership if you haven’t already. The current membership for 2022 will be valid until June 30th, 2023.

Membership benefits include:

  • Early access to event tickets
  • Discounted tickets for regular COMA events

Also, certain benefits are exclusive to COMA members:

  • Malayalam class for adults and kids
  • Opportunity to participate in charity/volunteering events
  • Access for your children to COMA Youth Wing

You can purchase Membership here: https://www.comaohio.org/membership-account/membership-levels/

If you have questions related to the newsletter or if you would like to submit content, please reach us at: coma.officials@gmail.com
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