..And what a match that was! When India stepped into victory against England in the Day and Night match, there was much to cheer for. A huge crowd was witnessed at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium on 15th January 2013. After nearly two years, Indian cricket team stepped foot into Kochi to play the ODI. And that too, against a very strong England team. When India marched into victory, the large crowds of supporters and cricket fans cheered out loud for their home team!

With minimal chaos around, this ODI went pass smoothly and easy. There weren’t any mob attacks mentioned nor complaints as part of this match. People from other parts of the state also thronged Kochi stadium to witness their favorite stars in the field.

This time too Kochi played a lovely host to the India VS England ODI. Let’s hope the organizers bring more games, as Kochi has a huge cricket fan following!

The Bamboo fest happening in Kochi this week will be something you wouldn’t want to miss. Organized by the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion, this event will bring together bamboo products from across the country. It is organized in cooperation with the Industries Department of Kerala and the Kerala Bamboo Mission.

More than 180 artisans along with the products that they made, will be part of the festival. Products from Nagaland, Jharkhand, Tripura, Tamil Nadu etc. will be showcased at the event. So maybe you can check out products for your home décor that includes chairs, furniture, and even accessories, bags etc.

Bamboo festival is happening at Kaloor International Stadium and will be on till the 9^th of December 2012.

Kochi will host the ABCDE Congress that brings together architects, contractors, designers, and builders from across the state. An event conducted by the Building Construction Industry, ABCDE Congress will be a platform for professionals to work together. This two day event will begin on the 21^st of December and end on the 23^rd of Dec 2012. The venue will be Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

This event will bring together budding, aspiring and professionals together. They can pool in their ideas and innovative thoughts in order to enhance the industry and work for its betterment. Along with VIP’s from the designing and architecture field, ministers and other personalities along with professionals from arts and politics will also take part in the event.

It is an opportunity for you to witness the best brands and products.

The Silverline Hospital, Kadavanthra, Kerala’s first for Diabetes, Thyroid and Endocrinology, is coming up with something this Diabetes Day. In their effort to improve the public awareness about the ever increasing prevalence of Diabetes in our society, the hospital authorities are doing their bit to promote the cause. And this time, they plan to promote the cause by spreading the message “Diabetes prevention is possible by a Healthy lifestyle (Exercise, Diet etc). In this connection they call upon Kochiites to take part in the “Diabetes Walk “On 14^th November 2012.

You can register on the same day morning in order to be part of the event where you will have to go along with Blood Sugar Estimation and will also receive a World Diabetes Day T-Shirt. The welcome address will be given by Dr.TomBabu MD (Med), DNB (Endo), Consultant Endocrinologist and Medical Director, Silverline Hospital, Kochi. Inauguration of the event will be done by Mr. Sheik Pareed, Dist. Collector, Kochi. Mrs.Prejusha, the Olympic athlete will do the honors of  ’flag off’.

So if you want to do your bit to promote this cause, make sure you make a stop at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium this November 14th!

Are you a pet-lover? Do you plan to own a dog, cat, love birds, or some goldfish at home? Then we have news for you. Kochi is hosting ‘Dog Show 2012’ this November at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. And it’s not just dogs that you get to see here. You can check out rare species of other animals too. The consecutive dog shows that have been held over the past years have turned out to be grand successes. The organizers have also put up a good show over these years.

This time too, Kochi can see dogs taking part in competitions, winning accolades and taking home some laurels. From the rarest breeds to the most common ones, there will be many animals taking part in this event. So if you are a dog-lover, make sure that you do not give this a miss. The event is organized by the Canine Club of Cochin.

The 8^th International Building, Architecture, Construction Engineering, and Symposium show will be held at Kochi from the 11^th of May to 13^th May 2012. Being held at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadium, the event will be a haven to buy and sell, and know more about everything related to architecture and building.

Being the commercial capital of Kerala, Kochi plays host to umpteen construction companies. Our city has also been ranked as the second best potential town for IT industry by NASSCOM. Hence, there is much to explore and know from the city.

With construction of the Vallarpadam Container Terminal, Smart city, new bus terminal at Vytilla, Metro Rail and more, Kochi is now a hub and heaven to industrialists and builders. With Kochi’s real estate industry also growing at a rapid rate, and advanced commercial and residential buildings coming up everywhere, this event will be the right one for you to drop in and explore.

If you are interested in this, then don’t miss this big event happening in our city.

Music has an amazing way of bringing people together. Youngsters are coming up with ventures that are innovative, unique and classy. Here are a bunch of young musicians who are creating musical waves, and they are all set to ‘La Cochin’.

An initiative by Dijo Jose Antony, Desmond Fernandez, Midhun Raj along with other young talented musicians in Kochi, the album was noticed by music-lovers for all the good reasons. Their song ‘La Cochin’ was introduced a few years back, but the video is out now. And in it, Kochi is the star, and you can see your city captured at its best in the video.

“We wanted to show the world how beautiful our city Kochi is! The album is a tribute to friendship. We have had the best times in the city, and we shared precious moments with friends here. All our friends are in different parts of the world now, some studying, some working. ‘La Cochin’ is our dedication to them”, says Dijo, the master-mind behind ‘La Cochin’. The album is definitely unique in umpteen ways. You can listen to Desmond Fernandez ‘rapping’ away with praises about Kochi, whereas vocalists Dijo and Midhun Raj have sung it beautifully. Ben on the guitar has also put forth a brilliant show. The video is directed by Sarang Brothers. Promoting Kochi and showing Kochi at her best, ‘La Cochin’ wouldn’t fail to awe you.

‘La Cochin’ was the opening band for Kochi Tuskers match at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. With their lovely music, ‘La Cochin’ band members believe they have a long way to go. Best Wishes young musicians!

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!