Celebrity Cricket League fever seems to have gripped Malayali’s across the globe. With ‘God’s own country’ owning a team Kerala Striker’s all to herself, can cricket and movie fans in the state ask for more! To top it all, we have Mohanlal leading the team, and other young Malayalam stars in full on action. The match which was played in their home ground in Kochi saw a splendid win. And fans went gaga when they saw all their stars together at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Some say that CCL is all about minting money, and the rich just gets richer through this whole show. The team owners have said that a major chunk of the money goes for charity purpose. Some oppose the show, whereas some think this is a splendid form of entertainment when both cricket and cinema comes together. We spoke to a few of them, and here is what they think about Celebrity Cricket League.

Siddharth. V. Menon, a student from Kochi says that CCL is pre-set and a disgrace to the game of cricket. “They just want to market cricket with stars in it. I don’t see anything worthwhile or meaningful through CCL. Nothing close to the real game of cricket is prevalent in it”, said Siddharth. Well, that is one side of the coin. Arvind Kumar, a student of Toc-H Engineering College said that CCL is the ultimate form of entertainment. “I think CCL is fun. You get to see all your favorite stars together. And if it’s for charity, then why not?”, added this 20 year old.

Shameer Khan, who hails from Kochi has something to say. “If the money goes to charity and for helping the under-privileged of the film fraternity, I don’t see any harm in CCL”, said Shameer. Well, we have quite a few takes and opinions on this issue. You can voice yours too. What is your take on this Kochi?

Time for season’s shopping! Vanitha Ice hits town. Ensuring all your shopping needs is satisfied in one go, Vanitha Utsav is a festival you wouldn’t want to miss. Every year, the organizers have come up with the best products in display. This year too, they have quite a lot of goodies waiting for you. From home appliances, accessories, clothes and food, there is much for shopaholics to choose from.

The grand festival is happening at Kaloor International Stadium, and will be on till the 5^th of January 2012. Vanitha Utsav begins at 11 a.m and gets over by 9 p.m everyday. There are more than 200 stalls at the event. You name the product, they have it! Everything is available under one roof. Every year, Vanitha Utsav stalls (of major electronic companies) have made sure that customers get products at absolutely reasonable rates. This year too, they are sticking on to it. So if you wanted to shop electronics, you know where to drop in. Sony, LG, Philips, Onida etc., all the brands are available here.

The entertainment shows that follow the grand event every evening is another thing which you would not want to miss. They bring leading playback singers and eminent artists to perform for the event. Haven’t you tried Vanitha Utsav yet? Drop in today!

Kochi is already gripped with CCL fever. Malayalam film actors will make their star pressence on-field this time. There is much to look forward for cricket fans in the city. Kerala Strikers’ first match against Mumbai Heroes will be held on the 22^nd of January 2012. So what all security precautions are Kochi taking?? As Kochi is gearing up for the much celebrated CCL match, traffic would be regulated in the city.

The match venue, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, will be packed with cops and tight security is imposed on the area. Traffic in the city would be deviated. Fans will have to park their vehicles in the outskirts of the venue as there will be no parking provided (for fans) inside the venue. The tickets for the matches are being given out for free. With AMMA’s (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) and the government’s counters near the entry, fans can donate amount for charity.

The Kerala Strikers’ have been undergoing rigorous practice sessions and training. With all this, the team is all set to play against Mumbai Heroes. Captain Mohanlal of Kerala Strikers’ have told that they are quite confident of winning the match. Now, let us wait and see what is in store for Kerala Strikers’ on the 22^nd of Jan at Kochi! Kochiites, see you there!

Kochi IPL team had been in the news for more of wrong reasons than the good ones. From the chaos that arose during the team formation, to the teams losing matches more than winning, Kochi Tuskers has had a tough time. And the last we hear about the team is that they have been suspended! Hence that becomes a close to the whole Kochi Tuskers saga.

But wait, Kochi IPL fans have some reasons to be happy about. Kochi might be the host to a few Indian Premier League matches for this season. Maybe we might not be cheering out loud for Kochi Tuskers this time, but you can clap your hands for your favourite stars from other teams. Kerala Cricket Association has requested the BCCI for the same, and now we need to wait and watch what BCCI concludes regarding this.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which was the host for last year’s IPL matches, was renovated paying quite a fortune to raise it to international standards. The organizers are now having quite a tough time. Now, the stadium is being the venue for matches like the Ranji Trophy, but the organizers are not benefitted through these matches.

Maybe bringing down a few matches down to Kochi will be commercially benefitting the organizers, and also provide entertainment to Kochi cricket fans as well. Let us see what is in store!!

Are you in the look-out for ornamental fishes that can decorate your aquarium? Then we have news for you. ‘De Aquaria’11’ is an exhibition happening at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium where you can see pretty ornamental fishes, pets, accessories for fish aquariums and more. You can check out fishes worth 50,000 rupees!! They have various stalls and you can pick your choice from this array of options.

It’s not just fishes alone! Dogs, varieties of poultry, pigeons are all waiting to be picked home. There is also a wide range of consumer products to select from. Pet shows and exhibitions have always fetched a huge fan-following in Kochi. Moreover, pet-owners are extremely careful about the products they give their pets. From food to accessories, toys and chains, pet-owners make sure they give their pets the best.

This exhibition will also be a chance for you to get acquainted with variety of fishes. The exhibition ends on the 25^th of December 2011. The exhibition will open at 2.00 p.m and will be on till 9.00. p.m. on weekdays and 11.00  a.m. to 9.00 p.m on holidays. De Aquaria’11 is the place to be. Make sure you don’t miss it!

The CREDAI Kerala Property show has hit Kochi. Organized by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI), the show this year is also expected to be a huge success. The fest was inaugurated by the Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayats M. K. Muneer at 9 a.m. The event is happening at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

An arena for builders to come together, the show will be on-of-its-kind. Customers can also interact with developers. So if you plan to buy property, sell, or whether you own one, Kerala Property Show is the place to be.

Using Ethnic and ‘desi’ is the in-thing these days. From the clothes to accessories you wear, bringing a ‘desi’ touch to it makes it extra stylish. Decorating your homes can also be splendid and grand if given a ‘desi’ touch to it. What if you add some ‘wood-style’? Your home is going to look awesome and stylish. Decorating it with Bamboo is a good idea. What say!?

So wondering where to hop in for some Bamboo shopping? We have the answer. Kerala Bamboo Fest will begin on the 8^th of December, and you will get good quality products at reasonable rates. The fest will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and make sure you buy things from this three day fest.

The fest will provide a platform for local artisans and craftsmen to showcase their products. It is also a means for promoting usage of Bamboo. Let us go eco-friendly, friends. From furniture to handicrafts, wooden products and more, there will be a wide array for consumers to choose from.

Craftsmen form other parts of the country will also take part in the fest. Works of artists from Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tripura will be showcased for the fest.

So now you know where to go Bamboo shopping!!

Are you building a new home? Confused on what to take, and what not to? Here is a small suggestion. Check out the ‘Design Angadi’ Mega building products fair that will happen in Kochi from the 14^th to 17^th of October, 2011. You have much to see and explore in this fest.

From multitude of things in interior works, articrafts, construction related products and more, the fest showcases lovely products from various brands. The expo brings together the best products, and is hosted by experts from their respective fields. You will have well known builders showing you their updated works, various pavilions to visit, and yes, food courts to go sit and munch on something too.

The expo is held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and you can drop in from 10 a.m. So ‘Design Angadi’ is where you need to hop in for all your home needs!!

Looks like Kochi has been celebrating so much over the past few weeks. When elections and Vishu marked the start to celebrations, IPL matches made sure to steal the show too! Kochi Tuskers winning against super biggies like Chennai Super Kings is no child’s play.Didn’t our team prove that we can beat the biggies with that little bit of effort and giving the real shot??!! Even though the clouds threatened the play with rains, our benign rain-gods showered mercy instead of rain! In spite of the game facing a setback after the first few over’s (due to rain), it soon got back! And then, Kochi witnessed some real cricket sport from our Tuskers.
When superstar Mohanlal with India renowned director Priyadarshan, and pretty lady Lakshmi Rai, made their presence in the stadium, the crowd had more to cheer for! When our very own rock band ‘Avial’ played their music, the crowd went gaga. And yeah we did have Kochi’s own DJ Savio play there! As usual, he came up with good music and more surprises. Adding to the glitz and glamour, Ranjini Haridas too made her presence, hence adding to the charisma in the stadium. And when Kochi won, the crowd showed their love, prop up and adoration for Kochi Tuskers! Go Kochi, let’s see Kochi bringing home more triumph!

Great news people. The owners of the Kochi IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala, has promised that the team will remain loyal to Kochi. And what more? They have even requested to move the 2 matches scheduled in Indore back to Kochi! Kochi Tuskers co-owner Davel Shah has said that “We are satisfied with the renovation of the JN Stadium. It is not a one-season affair. We will be here for the coming seasons too”

If things go well Kochi will be the host of all the 7 Kochi home ground matches. Even though things went horribly wrong in the beginning, it looks like the Kochi team is pulling up its socks and setting it right!