EPLFC will be screening Shyam Benegal’s Bhumika: The Role on 1^st November, 2009(Sunday) at 10 AM. The screening will be at the Ernakulam Public Library.

Plot: Coming from a poor and destitute family, Urvashi is encouraged by her mother, Shanta (Sualbha Deshpande)…

Details

• Title: Bhumika: The Role
• Director: Shyam Benegal
• Year: 1977
• Genre: Drama
• Time: 142 mins
• Color: Color

EPLFC Mailing List

If you want more information about the EPLFC screenings consider joining the EPLFC Mailing List.

EPLFC(Ernakulam Public Library Film Club) Announcement

Got Green Fingers ? Lemme see..!  :P

A competition to select the best terrace garden will be organised as a part of the India International Agri Expo 2009 , to be held next month in the city. The contest is intended to encourage the cultivation of vegetables and plants on the terrace, according to the organizers.

Yes , u read that right . It sure is a contest to check ur skills at cultivation., terrace cultivation. If you have a beautiful terrace garden with tomatoes and beans and a paddy field ( who knows..!  ) , make sure you participate . You might win a prize , you never know.!

Prizes will be awarded to winners at the international expo to be held from November 19 to 21. The last date for participating is November 7th.

For more details call : 9895626087 , 9746608467

From November 1 schools can register at ‘www.schoolwiki.in’ and enter a variety of details including their location, number of students, facilities, academic achievements, clubs, school magazines, details of alumni and an unlimited number of photographs, videos and even Google maps. School wiki—which would be in Malayalam—would be ready for launch on January 1, 2010. This, however, would be just the first part of this new venture.

As School Wiki matures, the IT@School expects students to start posting learning resources including the findings of school projects. “School Wiki can be used by students, teachers, alumni and by the public at large as a repository of resources.

Given the Wikipedia-like nature of this portal, resources can also be hyperlinked to words in the page giving details of the school. If, for example, a school is located in a historically important place, the history of that place can be hyperlinked to the place name. Thus a short description of a school can actually end up generating a large body of information about that locality and related personalities.

School wiki would give special focus on generating a body of knowledge relating to the study of Malayalam. Students of class eight, nine and ten would be encouraged to take up projects such as ‘Pradeshika pathram’, ‘Nadodi Vignana Kosham’ and ‘Ente Naadu’ under the guidance of Malayalam language teachers. The ‘IT Corner’ of School Wiki would be reserved for ICT-based learning resources that may be developed by teachers, student groups, alumni or by any other person for use in schools.

As with the Wikipedia the contents of School wiki can also be freely edited and updated by anyone. ‘Though we do not want to give any ‘official’ stamp to this venture, the IT@School would constantly monitor what is being posted or corrected so that nothing objectionable or defamatory finds its way inside School Wiki,” Mr. Sadath pointed out.

All IT coordinators in schools would be given special training in November so that School Wiki is ready for launch in 2010. By January 26 that year, the IT@School plans to launch websites—in English and in Malayalam—for all government schools in the State.

ABAD Builders has launched a new residential project Aqua Breeze in Kochi. Aqua Breeze is located at Aluva. ABAD Aqua Breeze offers 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and pent house. The sizesvaries from 1015 to 2715 sq. ft.

A tranquil haven where you can wake up to the lullaby of chirping birds and feast your eyes on the quite majesty of Periyar River. Available as 2 &3 bedroom apartments, Aqua Breeze comes studded with premium amenities & facilities. Conveniently located, with everything within easy reach, Aqua Breeze combines urban comforts with rustic charm. Come, let Aqua Breeze weave a swirl of happiness around you.

ABAD Aqua Breeze Amenities:  Gymnasium, Kid’s Play Area, Sports Facility.

Project options :

For enquiries regarding the project click here.

Tandav is partying on Saturday the 31st with DJ SKay (Mumbai), Fatboy and DJ Ryan (In house DJ). Groove to some house, hip-hip and bollywood numbers. Its expected to be a hot one, a definite crowd pleaser. Take a load of on Saturday night and enjoy the night, head to Tandav, Le Meridien. The party hits off at 8 pm and couple entry is free.
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We at Kochivibe were lucky enough to spend an evening with Avial and to capture some amazing footage of their fun filled practice / jamming sessions. Here is an interview with the Avial and down below you will

So Avial could you just give us a brief history of the band and each band member?

Tony:  Avial was formed in 2003, our first song was nada nada, sort of like an experimental song, We shot a video and released it on SS music. The feedback that we received was so good that we continue with it, but our first album took 4 years to come out. And in 2008 along with PhatPhish records we released out first album. And after that we started doing concerts and keep doing them!

So how did you guys come together and form Avial.?

Tony: We knew each other before we formed the  band. We were in different bands. I was in a band called Charisma, Rex was with Motherjane and Mithun was with a band called Rage while Benny was freelancer session artist.

How did the name ‘Avial’ come about?

Rex: One morning we just woke up and said lets call the band, avial

Tony:  And later when we thought about it, avial was a mixed vegetable and our style of music is like a mix of different style sof music

We heard that each of you had different music backgrounds and when you came into the band you all brought in your unique styles, can u explain that?

Tony: We all were from different bands that played different styles. we took this as a challenge and wanted to do it in Malayalam and that is how it came into being.

Kerala is a tough market for rock bands, what is your oomph factor for your success?

Tony: Basically it is because we did it all in Malayalam. that would be the reason for our success.

So you guys were featured in the Rolling Stones magazine. Tell us more about that.

Tony: we had a write up in the magazine, it was a review on the album and the band members.

The tracks that your play, are these original tracks or do they have a mix of old malayalam folk songs?

Tony: Two of our songs in the album has folk songs. We have specialists to write the folk songs so we give them the theme and sometimes pictures too and they make folk songs

Can you give us the track record of the awards Avial has received?

Tony: For the Jack Daniels Rock Awards 08 – 09 we won 6 awards, band of the year, song of the year,  album of the year in 2 categories,  critics category and popular choice. We are also being awarded the Footprint Award from symbiosis and we are being awarded along with Sashi Tharoor.

Can you give us some information on the new album you are releasing in 2010?

Tony: Well we cant say a thing about it cos we still haven’t laid a foundation to how it should be. We have no idea on how it will be. This was how our first album was also created.

Your first album released in 2007 and second is releasing in 2010. Whats with the 3 years gap?

Tony: Our first one took 4 years to release so this one is taking 3 years, something similar.

You have attended countless concerts and shows. What is Avial’s best experience so far?

Tony: Every moment was an experience. It all went good. We had attended a concert in reunion islands, it had 42 bands from all over the world attend it and we were the only ones to represent India. It was a good experience. And more than that we got an exposed to the world’s various varieties and styles.

We heard that you guys collaborated with a Italian band. Tell us more about it?

Tony: Yes,we had done a single with an Italian band. Rex had played a sitar guitar in it and it was released all over Europe. Now we are working on making music with a Chinese touch and we are going to film it next month in China.

What does Avial want to achieve and what are Avials dreams.?

Tony: One of the songs from our first album Ettam Paatu is going for a worldwide release, a company called converse is doing the compilation. We are all excited about that. And our dream would be to release five albums.

Which are your favorite song? Each one of you.

Mithun: I like them all but if I have to specify a favorite, it has to be ettam pattu and chekkinilla.

Tony: well i sand ettam pattu too and i also like that the best ettam pattu

Rex: I like to listen to ettam pattu but playing to play live, i prefer other songs like aadu paambe, karu kara….

Benny: i like all the songs! But i prefer playing Adu Pambu live.!

What does Avial like listening to? What bands have inspired you guys?

Tony:  Well, inspiration has come from many sources. To name a few Reflection, Police, Led zepplin, Pink Floyd and anything to new to Incubus. Basically everything that we have heard, sort of an avial of bands. From since we have been growing up a lot of other bands have influenced us.

Here is a question from a fan, Vishnu Viswanath. Avial draws a lot of influence from folk songs. Can you explain why so.?

Tony: Hi Vishnu. Folk songs have a raw element to it and when you look at rock music, it is also raw, loud and aggressive and dynamic.

Rex: For malayalis the only rock and roll we can associate to is folk songs. Current day movie songs are too crude. Whereas folk songs are original and authentic. What people from abroad call rock and roll , for us malayalis, we associate it as folk music.

How about a message for new and upcoming bands?

Tony: Try and sing in your mother tongue. It makes sense and people can relate to it.

The Avial Crew From Left: Rex, Grace, Hippo, Tony, Binny, Mithun & Jithu.

Photograph Credit – Indu Antony & Tarun

Halloween is here again and this time flaunt your dark side with the Bollywood Booth Night at aVa lounge, dream hotel, Cochin.

Kerala ,the  state with the highest literacy rate… all that , with the limited resources and facilities we have . Yes , I know literacy means being able to sign your own name.. Still , we are the only state with a close to 100% literacy state.. Aren’t we all proud of that ?  Now , heres something that might just make you feel even more special ..! The State Higher Educational council has planned something huge for Ernakulam district.

The Ernakulam cluster of colleges to be launched soon will undertake common ventures for promoting access, equity and quality of education besides sharing existing facilities in partnering colleges.The cluster will undertake activities for the promotion of teaching-learning, research and extension. According to the report on cluster of colleges prepared by the State Higher Education Council, the partner colleges will share resources like the laboratory, library, auditorium, seminar hall and playground.

It will initiate faculty exchange programmes while introducing common facilities for research. The vision report said that colleges can come up with five-year integrated programmes and introduce innovative credit courses at the undergraduate/postgraduate levels.The Ernakulam cluster will organise training programmes for teachers and office staff. It will implement e-learning and network connectivity on the campuses. The report has recommended that colleges can introduce digitisation and networking of libraries. It could also introduce add-on certificate and diploma courses.

The partnering colleges in the Ernakulam cluster will consider offering scholarships and measures to promote merit and equity in higher education. It will also conduct common sports activities /competitions besides organising common cultural activities /competitions.Some of the other programmes proposed include organising common programmes for NCC/ NSS volunteers, adoption of a village, introduction of other extension programmes, common research publications and newsletters and publication of books for popularisation of higher knowledge.The Ernakulam cluster will also conduct extension lectures and implement common programmes for entrepreneurship, career counselling and employment. It will also develop special infrastructure programmes for differently-abled students and introduce programmes for the promotion of teaching-learning, research and extension.

Yes , that does mean that we might get to hang out with ppl from other colleges now..! How kewl is that.!

The world sure is changing into a very small place…!

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