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Welcome 2 the Creative World of Copywriting

, , , ...

Write-in-style. Win-in-style!
Experience the Craft of Content & Copy Writing
Share an advert-world of elegance in waiting


Global Warming, Economy Crisis & Civil Unrest in the MENA region are Hot Topics Today: Be ahead of change & Lead!

"I once used the word OBSOLETE in a headline, only to discover that 43 per cent
of housewives had no idea what it meant. In another headline, I used the word
INEFFABLE, only to discover that I didn't know what it meant myself."
--
David Ogilvy, one of the greatest copywriters.

A Copywriter once said: "If cash is king, words are gods."... and at
"Writer's corner" here, I try to make a bridge between the king and the gods!


A friend of mine talked about a possible ad in tune with the shoes thrown incident on former US President Bush : A company has started producing a new shoe product under the
brand name, "Bush-Light".Do you know how their advert caption reads?

Buy Bush-Light Shoes
Throw-away Prices. Easy to Throw!

...Best of a tour into the world of copy writing!

Click on the link below for a .pdf file on my copy writing
samples or scroll down to see the ads on pages below:


my ads_16.pdf



Find Below Some write-ups on Company profiles.
"DISS, Doha: best copy writing for Company Profile".doc
HALUL Offshore Company Profile.doc
Copy writing on Press Releases & Ad Copies.doc
"Copy writing for Preface 2 a book on Kerala cuisines".doc
" Paragon Shipping & Logistics Company Profile".doc
Some Credentials on copy writing[1].doc

Click below 2 read some of the Editions of 'City Center News', a monthly news
magazine published by 'City Center Doha', the Hyper shopping mall in Qatar.
The content writing for the magazine and the copy writing for the ads are mine.


City Center News Sep '07.pdf
CCNews Apr '07.pdf
CCNews Mar '07.pdf
1CCNews Feb '07.pdf
CCNews Jan '07.pdf
Copy writing in CCNews Dec '06.pdf




Shown below are some of the ads(already
published)where I did the Copywriting
...



This ad for Toyota Aurion is being published in 'Gulf Times' daily and other magazines


'Family Food Center' shopping mall's promo ads



Promo & Admission notification ad of 'Birla Public School', Doha-Qatar

Print ad for Qatar-Canadian School


The promotional ad for College of the North Atlantic-Qatar(CNA-Q)

This is the promotional ad for 'Advent Worldwide' advertising agency



Sample works for logos & Taglines


This is the teaser ad for Lexus LS 460




This is Toyota's Invitation Card for the Launching ceremony of Lexus LS 460
Invitation Card Front is picture on top and Card-inside is shown below

Cover Headline: "Arm Yourself for the Unknown Territory."

Body Copy: Welcome to the challenging world of the new fashion trend-setter
and the style icon!

Come, Possess the key to the new Lexus LS 460 royally unleashed…
And experience an all inspiring and luxurious classic performance



Product ads for Toyota LS 460








This is the wall poster for 'CentrePoint' shopping complex


My copy writing for some of the print ads for 'City Center Doha', the biggest shopping mall in Qatar

















Promo campaigns for Toyota Spares and Service Center




















Corporate Ad for "Total" Petroleum Company


'CentrePoint" ad, congratulating the Emir of Qatar for Asian Games-2006


Promo ad for Al Jazeera printing press...


Following are the copy writing for two Promo ads for 'National Air Cargo, Inc.' Airlines operating
from Dubai for the scheduled Air Cargo Exhibition in Mumbai from Jan 23 - 25, 2008.





Toyota Spares' product ads




Ramadan Greeting Card 2007 for 'Qatar Navigation'


Copy writing for Toyota's Ramadan promos Sep 2007: 'Win a Land Cruiser' Ad-1


Toyota's Ramadan promos Sep 2007: 'Win a Land Cruiser' Ad-2




Copy writing for'Sale' campaign for Jumbo Electronics



...Thank You. Visit Again to my special world of copy writing!

My ads World continues...

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NO Tension. NO Worry. At Writer's Corner!
Just click below to read the 'City Center News' November 2007 issue where I did the write-ups and ad copies.
COLOR]
The Web-site content written for Villaggio Shopping Mall, Qatar [the web site is under formation]

Write-ups 4 the brochure for IFS, Qatar
COLOR]


This is my latest article on "Utopia in town building concept"



For 'Massaya' chain of restaurants in Qatar



Promo for Al-Jazeera printing press...


Doha's Best Chef competition held at City Center mall...the cut out



For 'National Air Cargo'airlines when they started new cargo routes
from Mumbai & Delhi to Dubai
: Advert-1




'National Air Cargo': Advert-2




Advert for LG Mobiles from Jumbo Electronics-Qatar!


MashreqBank Ads





City Center Picks Doha's Best Chef [For Press Release]



City Center Director, Mr. Christoph von Oelhafen with the competition Jury at the awards ceremony on 09 Dec ’07


City Center Doha hosted the much talked about ‘Doha’s Best Chef Competition’
from 6 – 9 December 2007 that has run from 6pm to 9pm.daily amid much fanfare.

Speaking on the occasion, the Center Manager, Mr. Majd Machfej said, “City Center has
once again proved that it’s the best happening place in city by bringing in the latest
chef competition that has seen four days of live cooking challenges and presented a blend
of the Arab World’s finest chefs and professional catering courses.”

At the competition, top-class hotel and catering chefs, as well as food professionals from the entire
Arab region were present, and Judges from local and regional areas rated the chefs according to
originality, presentation, and cleanliness. The jury included Chef Georges Khalil, head chef,
Intercontinental Hotel, and the ‘Honor Guest’ of the event was Chef Nazeera Bitar, a well known chef
in the Arab world.

City Center Doha management hailed IFP Qatar, part of IFP Group, an international exhibitions company
in the Middle East, who organized the event.

The best chef competition held at City Center Mall has been a great success among local restaurants,
hotel chefs, and the decision makers. Lot of enthusiastic visitors were present when valuable prizes
were distributed to congratulate remarkable chefs on the Award Ceremony headed by CCD Director,
Mr. Christoph von Oelhafen, Chef Goerge Khalil and Chef Nazeera Bitar on 9th Dec, ’07.

Awards were given to winners in different categories such as the ‘Arabic mezzeh (Gold medal:
Chef Ahmed Hane Al Kleh from Marriott hotel),’ ‘Cold cuts (Gold medal: Chef Jerome Lussale
Anthony from le Notre),’ and ‘Fruit carving (Gold medal: chef HPSK Gunasekara from Ramada plaza).’

……………end of Press Release.


Another Press Release for "Adventure in Space: 3 D" programme
held at City Center Doha



Stunning Acrobatics held at City Center for Eid [New PR]


Enthusiastic crowds filled the City Center Mall to watch the aerobatic show

Started on 20th December and ran up to 24th December, 2007, with three shows daily of 40 min duration, City Center witnessed wonderful Aerial theatre & Acrobatic show as part of Eid al-Adha celebrations.

There were thrilled crowds at City Center gathered in all the storeys of the shopping mall for enjoying the breath-breathtaking performance of the acrobats from Russia and Ukraine.

The shows went on with wide spread acclamation from children and people of all walks of life. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ihor Volyk, Team manager, told, “We have performed in as many as 20 countries, including France, Italy, UK, Germany, India, Peru and Egypt. This is our first performance in Qatar and the turnover has really encouraged us. Although we love bigger arena, here we managed to create some space and tried to give our best.”

The aerial theatre and acrobatics were conducted broadly in two categories, while the first one was concentrated on the much adventurous aerial performances that stunned the audience; the second act was mainly concentrated on the stage performance. Totally there were six acts with three aerial shows and three stage presentations. The eye-catching programme was organised by City Center Doha.

"It was the perfect atmosphere for Eid celebrations and we are very pleased to see hundreds of thousands of visitors here enjoying the mesmeric acrobatic shows. It’s our custom to organise such big events for the benefit of people of different culture and nationalities in the state of Qatar, and we are very happy to continue our endeavour as we see myriads of happy faces all around here!,” said Mr. Majd Machfej, Center Manager, City Center Doha.


…………end.



An online promo business letter for 'Advent Worldwide' ad agency
in Qatar sent through e-mails




Advertise with Advent


Dear……


Great Greetings!!!

Advent Worldwide is a well established creative agency focusing on advertising solutions, event management etc in Qatar with a clear cut strategy for brand development that helps unprecedented coverage and growth to your business.

We are offering complete advertising solutions in the following sectors enabling to keep your brands fresh & popular in the minds of the local and international consumers.

 Printing
 Newspaper Ads
 Publication
 Event management
 Merchandising of gift articles
 Industrial Photography
 Media planning & Space buying
 Promotional advertising arena

Advent worldwide always remains a hassle free one stop destination with dedicated, talented & trend sensitive professionals who understand client needs, and believe in preplanning, team work, conceptual maturity and coordination, thereby helping to achieve all your advertising objectives – hitting the bull’s eye for a perfect ten!

You are always welcome to contact us.

Best Regards,

Raveeb Tandon
Operations Manager

Mobile:

Encl: Advent worldwide corporate ad.









Enter the Blogger's Leisure-world Now!...





Does earth remain a better place without 'Life'?



Are you aware that within next 50 yrs, many inhabited islands across the world
will sink in the Sea because of Global warming?...

This is just one consequence, there are many drastic ones to follow like
disappearance of glaciers, annihilation of many species of animals,spread of
epidemics, flash floods, large-scale loss of human lives etc!

Throw some light on how as an individual you can contribute to minimise the
effects of this impending catastrophe...Write your points by clicking the 'Comments' box below.

If interested also read a related article on the following link.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-magazine-global-warming.htm






Why God made Pets?!

They help out around the house…



They protect our children ...



They look out for the smaller ones ...



They show us how to relax .




They "converse" with each other




They are help when you're down .



They are great at decorating for the Holidays




They have "great" expectations





They are Patriotic .




They are happy to "test" the water ..




AND - They know when we need a good LAUGH!
It is done by moving the corners of the mouth upward.

LET ME SHOW YOU HOW..............













How was it?!








Y Human Lives Longer?!!!

God created the donkey...
and said to him.

"You will be a donkey. You will work un-tiringly from sunrise to sunset
carrying burdens on your back. You will eat grass,
you will have no intelligence and you will live 50 years."

The donkey answered:
"I will be a donkey, but to live 50 years is much. Give me only 20 years"
God granted his wish.
..............................


God created the dog

and said to him:
"You will guard the house of man. You will be his best Friend.
You will eat the scraps that he gives you and you will live 30 years.
You will be a dog. "

The dog answered:
"Sir, to live 30 years is too much,give me only 15 years.
" God granted his wish.
..............................

God created the monkey

and said to him:
"You will be a monkey. You will swing from branch to branch doing tricks.
You will be amusing and you will live
20 years. "

The monkey answered:
"To live 20 years is too much, give me only 10 years."
God granted his wish.
...............................

Finally God created man ...

and said to him:
"You will be man, the only rational creature on the face of the earth.
You will use your intelligence to become master over all the animals..
You will dominate the world and you will live 20 years."

Man responded:
"Sir, I will be a man but to live only
20 years is very little,
give me the 30 years that the donkey refused,
the 15 years that the dog did not want and
the 10 years the monkey refused.
" God granted man's wish
.........................................................................................

And since then, man lives

20 years as a man....

marries and spends
30 years like a donkey,
working and carrying all the burdens on his back.

Then when his children are grown,
he lives 15 years like a dog taking care of the house
and eating whatever is given to him,

so that when he is old,
he can retire and live 10 years like a monkey,
going from house to house and from one son or
daughter to another doing tricks to amuse his grandchildren !

That's Life.
What U Say ??????????



Great Things YOUR CELLPHONE COULD DO...


There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies.
Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for
survival. Check out the things that you can do with it: -

1
EMERGENCY
* The Emergency Number worldwide for **Mobile** is 112 .* If you find
yourself out of coverage area of your mobile network and there is an
emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to
establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112
can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. **Try it out.**


2
Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does you car have remote keys?


This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone:
If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call
someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone.
Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person
at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on
their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your
keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away,
and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you
can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
Editor's Note: *It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!"*


3
Hidden Battery power


Imagine your cell battery is very low, you are expecting an important call
and you don't have a charger. Nokia instrument comes with a reserve
battery. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with
this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This
reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.
AND

4
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:
* # 0 6 #
A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your
handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. when your phone get
stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They
will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the
SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.
You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that
whoever stole it can't use/sell it either.
If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

Enjoy Using ur Mobile...


Shoe-icide Attack & Bush Shoe Syndrome

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U R welcome to air your views!
Some people think that the Iraqi journalist by the act of throwing shoes at Bush and thereby tarnishing the image of the most powerful man in the world(?) became a Super-hero like the David who defeated the giant, Goliath.

Do you think that the Bush Shoe Syndrome and the susequent Shoe-icide attack have revived the prestige of the Iraqis...And how?

Put your comments below(scroll down aprox 20 lines and you'll see a link,"No Comments") and be a part of the show!

Given below are some more news and links on this subject:

Get some Bush Shoe gear:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uIj0YvDBKE

Protesters in Iran's capital throw footwear at pictures of the US leader in support of the Iraqi shoe-attack journalist. news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7800453.stm

Stampede for 'Bush shoe' creates 100 new jobs | World news | The ...22 Dec 2008 ... The Baydan Shoe Company swamped with orders for shoes that were thrown at President Bush.
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/22/turkey-george-bush-shoe


Bush Shoe-Toss Immortalized in Games, Animations | The Underwire ...The Iraqi journalist who tossed his shoes at President George W. Bush missed the commander in chief, but he scored a direct hit on the web zeitgeist.
blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/12/bush-shoe-toss.html






Moving Stadium in Japan


stadium2.bmp

believe it or...not.......but...its...true
Amazing, only Japanese can imagine & execute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sapporo (A commercial city in northern Japan on western Hokkaido) stadium Seating capacity of 42,122, what's unique about this Stadium is that, it's an indoor stadium with the playing field out side, and when required, the field will move inside the stadium... and not only that, the field once inside it will rotate within its axis to ensure the spectators will get a all round view of the game being played...


Refreshing Pictures

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Chirapunji-1

Chirapunji-2

Chirapunji-3

Chirapunji-4

Chirapunji-5

Chirapunji-6






Great Tajmahal


Tigerwood's Yatch

Mermaid-1

Mermaid-2

Mermaid-3

Mermaid-4

Mermaid-5

Mermaid-6

Algebra







Your Name has a Special Meaning!
For Example : ALI
A == You can be very quiet when you have something on your mind.
L == Love is something you deeply believe in.
I == are always smiling and making others smile.
A-- You can be very quiet when you have something on your mind.
B-- You are always cautious when it comes to meeting new people.
C-- You definitely have a partier side in you, don't be shy to show it.
D-- You have trouble trusting people.
E --You are a very exciting person.
F --Everyone loves you.
G-- You have excellent ways of viewing people.
H --You are not judgmental.
I --You are always smiling and making others smile.
J-- Jealously
K-- You like to try new things.
L --Love is something you deeply believe in.
M-- Success comes easily to you.
N-- You like to work, but you always want a break.
O-- You are very open-minded.
P --You are very friendly and understanding.
Q --You are a hypocrite.
R-- You are a social butterfly.
S-- You are very broad-minded.
T-- You have an attitude, a big one.
U-- You feel like you have to equal up to people's standards.
V --You have a very good physique and looks.
W --our pYou like yrivacy.
X-- You never let people tell you what to do.
Y-- You cause a lot of trouble.
Z --You're always fighting with someone.







Adventurous Pictures

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Coincidence or Bad Omen?!!

,




History Lesson

Have a history teacher explain this----- if he can.

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it Gets really weird pssst .

Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln .

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Now hang on to your seat.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'
Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln ' made by 'Ford.'

Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse.
Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the kicker...

A week before Lincoln was shot; he was in Monroe, Maryland
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe


Amazing?!!

Welcome to Kerala(India)

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The Enchanting Neelakurinji




Kerala is blessed with many natural spectacles and among them is a unique canvas that gets unveiled every twelve years in God's Own Country.The phenomenon of once in twelve years occurring on the fabled hills of Munnar is attributed to the blooming of Neelakurinji or passionately called by botanists as ‘Strobilanthes kunthianum.' The flower with 40 odd varieties bloom mostly in shades of blue, and thus in its name Neela in the local language stands for the colour blue and Kurinji the local name for the flower.

This year, the hills of Munnar once again have welcomed Neelakurinji on to its bosom after a period of twelve years.Revered by the local tribal community and admired by visitors to these enchanting hills, the blooming of Neelakurinji usually starts from August and would last up to October.


Once in Munnar, you may locate the magical blooms of Neelakurinji at Kovilur, Kadavari, Rajamala, Iravikulam National, which is home to the endangered mountain ungulate- the 'Nilgiri Tahr' and at other places in and around Munnar. Nature lovers and travelers have already started heading for Munnar to savour in this once-in-twelve-year phenomenon.


It is an ethereal experience to stand amidst the sprawling blooms of Neelakurinji. The Neelakurinji plant shows variation in height according to the elevation of the land from the sea level. Usually shorter plants (about 2 ft) are found at the high elevations, while taller ones (about 5 to 10 ft) are seen at lower elevations.


Many tour operators, adventure clubs etc. organise trekking for visitors to reach some of the best locales in and around Munnar for seeing the grand spread of Neelakurinji.



Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Ernakulam, about 145 kms away.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 110 kms away.

Best of Luck and have a momentous journey!










Custodial Deaths in Kerala State

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Custodial Deaths


It happened last week-end and it is the 11th custodial deaths since the newly elected left Democratic Front took charge of kerala Govt. Is it Justified?

Three or four decades earlier people were robust and healthy to withstand the manhandling of the Police. Lathi beat-ups or the third rate muscle flexing by the police were successfully endured by the undertrials then !!

But, now people are like broiler chicken and have very less stamina or bodily strength thanks to food pollution and alcoholic addiction. So, Mr.Policeman, you should be more careful while handling your prey, otherwise there will be an increasing number of custodial deaths to follow.

An option of going back to the old schoolmaster's style of using very thin bamboo twigs on the miscreants may be a better method!!! What do you say? (put your comments please)

Great Onam Celebrations

Marvellous Onam Festival in God's Own Kerala:


Onam - Festival in Kerala


Onam is the biggest celebration in Kerala. Travel to Kerala during Onam, on Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater, and see Kerala at its festive best. See the beautiful flower carpets, eat a delicious festive lunch, watch a graceful thiruvathirakali dance performance and join in the festivities of Onam in Kerala, on Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater.


The Legend behind Onam Festival in Kerala:

Onam is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, a legendary ruler of Kerala, who was renowned for the justice and goodness of his rule. According to legend, people in his kingdom lived in prosperity and harmony and loved their King so much that even the God's grew jealous of him, for King Mahabali was of the race of Demons. King Mahabali had conquered all the land and sea and the heavens, making the Gods even more disturbed. They requested Vishnu, the Preserver, in the Hindu trinity to act. Vishnu descended on earth in the form of a dwarf Brahmin, called Vamana. He went to King Mahabali's palace and found the good King distributing alms. When Mahabali asked Vamana what alms he sought, Vamana replied he would like as much ground as he could cover with three footsteps. Mahabali looked at the tiny feet of the dwarf and agreed to his wish. Lord Vishnu covered the land and seas with one step and the heavens with the second. Mahabali recognized the presence of the Lord and offered his head as the ground for Vishnu/Vamana's third step. Mahabali was thus subjugated and sent to the underworld. However because he was a good and just king who loved his subjects, he could return once a year to check on the welfare of his people. Thus Onam is celebrated every year to welcome Mahabali, the good Demon King of Kerala. Join in the grand Onam celebration on Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater.

Onam Festival is celebrated with great joy and gaiety across Kerala, India on a particular day in August or September. People buy new clothes and exchange gifts. Houses are cleaned and beautiful flower carpets and decorations are made at the entrances of houses and in courtyards. Traditional oil lamps are lit in the courtyard and women dressed in traditional Kerala sarees dance around the lamp, performing a dance called Thiruvathirakali. The main event on Onam day is a grand feast at lunchtime. Called sadya, the feast consists of a series of dishes served one after the other, including rice, vegetable curries, pickles and several varieties of payasam or sweet dish. Many cultural events are also held on the occasion of Onam. Snake Boat races, Kathakali and Mohiniattam dance recitals and musical performances are organized to celebrate Onam in Kerala.

You will see all of Kerala decked up in its best, during the occasion of Onam. See Kerala celebrate the Onam festival with joy and happiness, on Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater.


More about Onam






Like most parts of India, festivals in Kerala are an integral part of the social and cultural structure of the state and festival time is the best time to plan one's travel to Kerala. In Kerala, every community, every religion has something to celebrate about all through out the year. But one festival that is celebrated irrespective of caste and creed all over Kerala is the Onam festival.

Onam is a time for sports, festivities and ritual celebrations in Kerala. The Keralites celebrate this festival in memory of the golden era of King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit the state at the time of Onam. Colorful aquatic festivals are organized along the sacred River Pampa as part of the celebrations.

After three months of heavy rains, the sky becomes a clear blue and the forests a deep green. The brooks and streams come alive, spouting a gentle white foam, the lakes and rivers overflow and lotuses and lilies are in full bloom as if to welcome the spirit of the King. It is time to reap the harvest, to celebrate and to rejoice.

Depending on the positioning of the stars and the moon, the festival is held at the end of August or beginning of September, less than a fortnight after the Malayalam New Year, Chingam begins. The biggest festival of Kerala, Onam is also the best time to plan one's travel and tour in Kerala. The color, enthusiasm and celebrations associated with Onam are enough to make you return again.

The celebrations begin within a fortnight of the Malayalam New Year and go on for ten days. The last day called the Thiruonam is the most important. All over the state, rituals along with new clothes, traditional cuisine, dance and music mark this harvest festival.

In Trichur, a vibrant procession with resplendently caparisoned elephants is taken out while at Cheruthuruthy, people gather to watch Kathakali performers enact scenes from epics and folk tales. Pulikali, also known as Kaduvakali is a common sight during Onam season. Performers painted like tigers in bright yellow, red and black, dance to the beats of instruments like udukku and thakil.

Tourists on vacation in Kerala during Onam can also witness the famous snake boat races of Kerala. At Aranmulla, where there is a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna, thousands of people gather on the banks of the River Pampa to witness the exciting snake boat races. Nearly 30 chundan vallams or snake boats participate in the festival. Singing traditional boat songs, the oarsmen, in white dhotis and turbans, splash their oars into the water to guide their boats to cruise along like a fish on the move. The golden lace at the head of the boat, the flag and the ornamental umbrella at the center make it a spectacular show of pageantry too.

Each snake boat belongs to a village along the banks of the River Pampa and is worshipped like a deity. Every year the boat is oiled mainly with fish oil, coconut shell, and carbon, mixed with eggs to keep the wood strong and the boat slippery in the water. The village carpenter carries out annual repairs lovingly and people take pride in their boat, which represents their village and is named after it.

The swing is another integral part of Onam, especially in the rural areas. Young men and women, decked in their best, sing Onappaattu, or Onam songs, and rock one another on swings slung from high branches.



This is a traditional dance form in Kerala.The celebration day falls on Thiruvathira in the month of December-January. As per tradition the day is observed as the birthday of Lord Siva. Also it is the day when God of Love Kamadeva was resurrected.

Thiruvathira songs are mostly narrative in nature. Rituals start with the early morning bath followed by visit to Siva temple, and observance of a special diet that forms part of fasting. The women folk stand in a circle and move around gracefully in a rhythm that is typified by clapping of hands.


Art&Sceneries

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