The place was vibrant, mood upbeat and the spirits high. The auditorium of hotel Marg Krishnaaya boomed with high energy on Sunday when members of Vijayawada Malayalee Association gathered to celebrate Onam.

Soaking in the festival spirit, Malayalee families walked in sporting the traditional attire. Men went around in the customary white dhoti-kurta while womenfolk sauntered around gracefully in settu mundu. Long strings of fresh jasmine flowers added to the soft fragrance that swathed the vicinity.

‘Pookkalam’ being one of the main highlights of Onam celebration, a contest kept open for everybody to participate, saw overwhelming response. Names of girls and women kept pouring in till the last minute for participation. While the actual programme was scheduled to commence at 10 a.m., participants of ‘pookkalam’ ensured their presence at the venue three hours in advance. Outshining other contenders, Srija, a student of VP Siddhartha Public School, bagged the first prize. The organisers were only too happy to dole out the prize to a non-Malayalee for the first time.

Lakshmi Sarma, Telugu film actress from the city who migrated to do Kerala films and tasted success by bagging lead roles against big names like Mamoothy, was cynosure of all eyes.

Specially invited to be part of the Onam celebrations in Vijayawada, Ms. Sarma effortlessly mingled with the women who were thrilled to be in company of a celebrity.

“Though I hail from Andhra, people of Kerala recognise me better. Malayalee films have given me a new life. I was thrilled to receive a call from organisers of this celebration who wanted me to join them,” said the actress who has acted in 26 Malayalam films.

The cultural programme that had all the traditional folk dance forms of Kerala was relished by the families away from their native land.

The indispensable Onasadya, a smorgasbord of 18 delicacies dished out by a team of cooks brought in from Kerala to keep the authentic flavours of the dishes intact was savoured by one and all.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / September 10th, 2012

Literacy has different connotations for different people and just knowing to read and write does not mean literacy, though that constitutes the literal meaning of ‘literacy’, opined speakers at the International Literacy Day celebrations on the Delhi Public School premises in Vijayawada on Friday.

The role of newspapers in improving the literacy rate and widening the knowledge sphere was discussed and the need for improving reading habits highlighted.

The Andhra Loyola College Head of Department of Library Science G.A. Prasada Rao described various forms of information platforms and described journals and periodicals as essential for improving vocabulary on a daily basis. School dean S.B. Rao said literacy was confined to statistics and those numbers did not mean anything until real education was imparted. Reading good books can make a person truly literate and improve one’s social behaviour.

School English Department Head Shanthi Ramanujam, Vice-Principal P.K. Sankaralingam, and director of the school were present in the interactive session with students of Classes X to XII on the school campus at Nidamanuru.

The winners in essay writing competition were 1st prize – Shashank Rao Palety (Class 12); 2nd prize – Hamsini (Class 9); 3rd prize – Nikitha (Class 9); drawing competition 1st prize – V. Mamitha (Class 7), 2nd prize – K. Madhu Charan (Class 7), 3rd prize – Sai Anurag (Class 8).

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / September 08th, 2012

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today conveyed his wishes to Telugu people all over the world on the eve of ‘Telugu Language Day’.

The birth anniversary of late Gidugu Ramamurthy, who campaigned for simplifying Telugu, is celebrated as the ‘Telugu Language Day’ (August 29) every year.

Observing that his government initiated various steps for the promotion of Telugu, an official release quoted Reddy as saying that the ‘4th World Telugu Meet’ will be held in Tirupati in December this year.

After the Centre recognised Telugu as a classical language, the government is making efforts to set up the Telugu literature centre in Hyderabad, which has hitherto been functioning at Mysore.

source: http://www.Business-Standard.com / Home> General News / by Press Trust of India / Hyderabad, August 28th, 2012

Hyderabad:

City businessman Sudhir Ram Reddy recollects a time when the Hussain Sagar water was so clear that he would enjoy swimming here everyday. Four decades later, he can barely manage to walk on the lake’s shore without covering his nose. Not just the swimming, he even misses walking around what was once a beautiful, clean lake.

The stench is now driving away morning walkers who rue that it is becoming worse with each passing day. “I have been jogging every morning around the lake for two years and it is really disheartening because I cannot avoid the stinking smell the lake emits,” said Dayakar Sharma, a software engineer working with Google. Another regular wasn’t too happy with the practice of burning the garbage. “We come here every morning to play cricket . Some parts of the lake are maintained while the other parts are ignored. There’s a garbage dumpster where the refuse is burnt at 8 am everyday ,” said Jeevan Kumar, a Begum Bazaar resident who was seen playing cricket with his friends at the lakeside.

Activists have been crying foul over the poor upkeep of the lake for the last many years and point out that little is done to protect it. “Less than a year ago, a temple wall was raised on the lake with a lot of mud being dumped in the process. The activities around the lake add on to the plastic dumping all around the shore. We lodged complaints but they fell on deaf ears. All this is happening right under the nose of the Buddha Purnima Project Authorities,” said Jasveen Jairath, convener of SOUL (Save Our Urban Lakes). There are four nalas that are connected to the Hussain Sagar lake carrying both sewage and industrial waste. These nalas (Picket, Balkapur, Kukatpally and Banjara) were used as storm water drain. Of these four, Kukatpally nala brings the most toxic waste.

Officials say they are now addressing this toxic concern. “Our focus is mainly to divert these nalas. We have almost diverted 80% of the waste. With a funding of Rs 370 crores from the Japanese International Corporation Agency and the state government, the HMDA and the GHMC are working on the improvement of the lake’s condition,” said BLN Reddy, executive engineer, lakes division, HMDA.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Pranati Goturi / August 22nd, 2012

If you want a real experience of night bazaar, head to Old City and indulge in some shopping masti

The month of Ramzan is coming to an end and the city is gearing up to culminate the month-long fasting period in grand celebrations. While you might have done your mandatory rounds of haleem hopping and midnight biryani sessions this season, the Ramzan experience is incomplete if you haven’t shopped. And no, going to the malls and designer stores does not qualify. If you want to indulge in the real experience, take a trip down to Old City — Charminar to be more specific. Amidst the regular hustle and bustle that’s the trademark of this area, the night market during Ramzan has a character of its own. The crowds are manifold with more shops lining the streets and wares displayed for your convenience.

For many, shopping here might not exactly be their cup of tea. But think about it this way — when was the last time you let yourself be powered ahead by a sea of humanity? When was the last time you actually bargained for a dozen bangles as cheap as `30? When was the last time you indulged in roadside eateries while filling your shopping bags with bargained items? If the answer to all of these queries and more in the negative, then it’s time to make a trip to the night market while a few days remain.

Bangles

They are colourful, cute and blingy. Yes, the bangles here can put the bling-loving hip hop artiste to shame, yet, have a charm of its own. Hyderabad is known for its bangles, with an entire lane dedicated solely to this accessory. So, while on your midnight jaunt, take a walk down the ‘bangle’ road to check out the latest. Put up a good bargain and viola! You’re now the proud owner of some glittering delights.

Baubles

This is the perfect place to find jhumkas and other earrings in faux kundan, polki and other designs. There is no sugar coating it here — what you see is what you get. And 50% of the time, what you get here is at par with what’s available at high-end stores. Street vendors, mostly tribal women from Andhra Pradesh, put on sale anklets and waistbands. They are not made of silver, but you might just get lucky if you manage to spot a piece that’s perfectly crafted. From lil colourful clips to hold your hair in place to fancy, shiny clutches — there are chances that you might end up finding something to like.

Ittar

This natural perfume derived from botanical sources is a must during Ramzan. At the Charminar market, there are stores selling them by the dozen. Some even claim to have them imported from France, while the others rely on products from the Middle East and India. But no matter where they come from, the fragrance of the ittar is unique and absolutely different from the Diors and Guccis we so willingly sport. From jasmine to rose, lilies to woody notes, pick up a bottle of ittar that you think suits you and wear it on the big day.

Slippers

Take a break from your Jimmy Choos and Christian Louboutins. At the night market, there are enough pairs to sustain a whole population for the next two years. The footwear available here might not be something you would want to flaunt with your expensive designer gear, but you might just get lucky and bag a pair of let’s say ‘garden footwear’.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Life & Style> Travel> Ramzan / by Sarah Salvadorre, TNN / August 18th, 2012