Toddy, Kallu, Madhu, Neera or just Coconut palm wine

As ornaments are to women; Intoxication has been the weakness of males; it has been there for millenniums and will be there as long as human beings will be living here on the face of the earth. People have improvised many techniques to get intoxicated like smoking tobacco, hash, eating opium, drinking all sorts of liquors like beer, wine brandy whisky etc. Among all them; Kallu or toddy (pronounced as cull) is perhaps the most difficult thing to be produced; but with a glassful inside the pain of producing or paying for it vanishes; that is magic with toddy or palm-wine! It is white in color sweet in taste and act slow; with enduring impact.

A toddy tapper

Toddy is called that even the Gandharvas (demigods who visited earth at random) quenched their thirst with this holy brew. Those who tap it are called toddy tappers. They are healthy and generally hard-working as only such people can perform this hazardous job of climbing several trees and performing this hard work. They wear a short loin-cloth for easy climbing and a belt with which a wooden flat box which carries a sharp flat knife, some mud in a tiny pot, a plastic jug and big femur bone of antelopes dangling on the belt -reminding a NYPD (New York Police Department) officer with belt that contain baton, gun, phone and other paraphernalia. Contractors who lease coconut trees from their owners on yearly basis; entrust the job of tapping on toddy tappers. For easy climbing coconut husks are attached with coir on the tree in every two feet interval lengths; changing a tree in to a ladder.

The making

The tapper climbs at the top of the tree and select a half matured bud, cut its top shapes its ridge with the mud and place a mud pitcher so that the oozing liquid is collected in the pitcher without losing even a drop. He mildly taps the selected bud from bottom to top so that the sap flows smooth to the pitcher. His next visit is to collect the liquid in to a jar attached to the belt, descent and take the product to the contractor (two visits a day early morning and evening). That collected in the evening would be ready to use by the morning (as it becomes adequately fermented within that time). It is the fermentation that adds ‘kick’ to the brew.

‘ Kallu-kudian’ (guzzler of toddy) of the yesteryears

There were people who guzzled more than six bottles (650 ml each) of toddy in one session. Toddy guzzlers were a separate tribe; they were macho, bold acid tongued and went on abusing ordinary people of the street without any reason. Some of the bold ones even took off their cloth and tie on heads as a mark of courage. At times some may get lynched by the angry public (just part of the game). The guzzler was neither ashamed not deterred by these trivial events and when public left he reaches home and empty his anger on his hapless wife. In this process his children go to bed without food. Next day he leaves home for work as if nothing had happened! One of the main reasons for poverty on this part of the land was the affinity of workmen to this combination of kallu and kappa accompanied by hot meen curry (fish-curry).

T V Rajesh cries after the inspection of video visuals

MLA TV Rajesh cries in front of media

The controversies over the physical assault charges on CPI(M) MLA TV Rajesh and James Mathew were withdrawn by the Ruling UDF after examination of the Video footage of the incident that took place today morning in the Kerala Niyamasbha. Deputy speaker Sri Saksthan officially announced that there was no evidence proving TV Rajesh assaulting the lady guard in the footage available. It was evident from the clips that the MLA was far away from the lady guard while the incident took place.
After the inspection of video footages the LDF MLA's TV Rajesh talked to the media, James Mathew MLA, declared the standoff LDF over the issue, he strongly defended TV Rajesh and Himself. Whet h media quizzed T.V Rajesh; he literally broke down, expressing his grief over the accusation of PC George. He even offered to quit the post if he proved to be guilty.

Eelier in the morning LDF MLA's started to protest over the action to be taken over DySP Radakrishnapillai . In response to the opposition protest the ruling party MLA's also started to protest in the house, the struggle between the two sides brought the guards in action. Later Govt Chief Whip PC George accused T V Rajesh of assaulting the lady guard. 

India back to winning ways, beat England by 127 runs at ‘jinxed’ venue

 A young India finally broke their prolonged losing streak as they trounced England by 127 runs in a lop-sided first cricket one-dayer here today.
India rode on Dhoni's blistering 87-run knock and Suresh Raina's 55-ball 61 to post a mammoth 330 for seven and then skittled out the visitors for only 174 runs in 36.1 overs Rajiv Gandhi International stadium to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. 


This was India's first victory after a losing streak of 10 international matches that includes five ODIs (last two ODIs in West Indies), four Tests and one T20 international.
The wicket got slower with passage of time and India's newest spin-twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tightened the noose on England batsmen sharing six wickets between them.

Acer Allegro Smartphone Soon

Since the launch of the Acer Company, the company has witnessed unprecedented growth especially in the notebooks as well as the computer segment. This growth helped this company to reach the No.2 position in the world in the selling of its notebooks as well as PC's worldwide. Acer has already started looking in to the ever booming Smartphones market for a short while to establish a similar presence as they did in the notebooks segment. The latest to be launched by Acer Allegro smartphone which is based on Windows 7.5 Mango operating system. The smartphones is expected to hit the Indian market by the end of this year. It has the recognition of being the second windows based device to arrive in the market after the Acer's NEO Touch.

IPL-5 to have nine teams: Governing Council

Hyderabad: The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Friday confirmed that its fifth edition will have nine teams competing, adding that the new format would be worked out later on.

The other issue expected to dominate the proceedings of the meeting is the fate of the players of the Kochi team which was axed from the IPL.

Woman guard allegedly manhandled in Kerala assembly

Two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislators on Friday allegedly manhandled a woman guard in the Kerala assembly when she tried to stop them from going towards the speaker's podium. The lawmakers denied the accusations.

Malayalam Movies Releasing This Week

Indian Rupee Malayalam Movie No.1

No thrilling action sequences, candy floss romance or flexing of muscles here, even though the hero is a dreamy eyed youth with sky high dreams. Writer-director Ranjith narrates a highly realistic story of a small time real estate broker in Indian Rupee.


Jayaprakash or JP as he is known (Prithviraj), is not much educated but has big hopes about his future. He has started off as a sub agent in certain real estate transactions with some bigwigs and is slowly making his presence felt in the big bad world of realty business in Kozhikode. Hameed (Tini Tom) is his alter ego and the two tries to make some fast bucks as they help to sell the property owned by an old man named Achutha Menon (Thilakan).

Kochi Metro will go on, says HC

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the demolition of North Railway Overbridge (ROB), and asked for clarifcation from the state government on the status of the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd formed to execute the Metro Rail project.

The court's order came in reponse to a petition filed by V. M. Michael, convener of the Campaign for Economics in Most Appropriate Transport System for Kochi, against the demolition of the North ROB in the absence of alternate routes.

Mr Michael argued that the city would be divided into two segments if the North ROB was demolished and the Thammanam-Pulleppady, Salim Rajan and Goshree-Pachalam roads were not thrown open to traffic.

The division bench comprising acting Chief Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice P.S. Gopinathan, however, felt these apprehensions were misplaced and refused to interfere in the matter.

The bench asked the government for a clarification on Mr Michael's claim that the Kochi Metro Rail Limited, formed by the state for implementing the metro rail project, had not been officially sanctioned by the Union government.

The Cochin Metro Rail Limited too had not been approved by the Centre under the Metro Rail Act 1978.
When the court advised the government to consider the feasibility of extending the Metro Rail project to the Cochin International Airport, advocate general K.P. Dandapani submitted that such a proposal was already being considered.

25,300 jobs in a day! Mumbai creates Guinness record

City-based NGO Swabhiman Sanghatana on Thursday said it has created a new Guinness World Record by giving jobs to 25,300 unemployed youths, including physically challenged.

The appointment letters were issued on Wednesday from various private and cooperative banks, call centres, private companies, trading and business organisations, malls and shopping plazas, depending on the qualifications of the applicants.

Explosives seized in Ambala; cops suspect LeT-Babbar link

A team of NSG from Delhi examining the spot after recovery of over 5-kg explosives and detonators from a car parked outside the Ambala Cantt Railway Station

A terror strike, possibly in Delhi ahead of Diwali, plotted by Let and Babbar Khalsa was foiled with police seizing over 5 kg explosives from a car outside Ambala Cant Railway station.

A team of Delhi Police and their Haryana counterparts found the explosives in a blue Indica car parked outside the railway station, about 200 km from Delhi, last night following probe into inputs provided by intelligence agencies ten days ago that a consignment of explosives is headed to a north Indian metro.

Two Indian bootleggers face death sentence

Two Indian bootleggers have been sentenced to death and nine others jailed for life by a UAE court after they were convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing two of their male compatriots.

The case dates back to 2009 where 13 defendants, 12 Indians and a Pakistani, were accused of kidnapping two Indian men, stabbing them with sharp tools. Then five of the defendants gang-raped the victims, who were buried in a hole.

The Dubai Appeal Court yesterday overturned the primary verdict, in which one man was sentenced to death and 12 others were jailed for life, the Gulf News reported.

"The court has canceled the primary judgment. Two defendants have been sentenced to death. Two other defendants will face 15 years in jail. Meanwhile, nine defendants face a life imprisonment," Judge Eisa Al Sharif ruled.

Prosecutors said all the accused, aged between 20 and 30, kidnapped the Indian victims and stabbed them with knives, swords and cleavers and battered them with iron bars before five of the defendants raped the victims, the paper said.

The prosecutors said the defendants buried the victims in a hole after the attack. All the convicts were additionally charged with disposing the bodies of the victims. Some of the defendants were charged with consuming liquor also.

An Emirati policeman had testified that they were warned that two Indian men were kidnapped as part of bootlegging rivalry between two gangs. The verdict came weeks after 17 Indians escaped the gallows for killing a Pakistani national by paying the blood money. They are yet to return home.

King of tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan marries in an elaborate Buddhist ceremony

The beloved king of the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan married his commoner bride Thursday in an ancient Buddhist ceremony at the country's most sacred monastery fortress.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, wearing the raven crown, came down from his golden throne in front of a huge statue of Buddha to place a smaller, silk brocade crown upon the head of his bride, Jetsun Pema. Monks chanted in celebration as she took her seat beside him as the new queen of the country.

North hills of Kerala on alert amid fear of Maoist entry

Thiruvananthapuram: The forest districts of north Kerala have come under special police vigil upon fears of infiltration by Maoist guerillas, Chief Minister Ooommen Chandy told the state assembly Thursday. Answering queries from Congress legislator Anwar Sadath and others, he said: "The forest areas in the northern districts is where Maoists could make an entry and to combat this a special internal security wing of the police has been formed."

The hilly district of Wayanad has a large population of tribals and its forests border Karnataka state.

Robo-sex could be common in future

Robo Prostitues will be a reality in coming days. It would not pass on diseases such as HIV. Tourism operators could turn to robots as cheap labour


Tourism futurologist Ian Yeoman from Universityof Wellington, New Zealand, said that by 2050 mass tourism would spawn a range of new indoor tourism products.