World of Books and Travel

Bangalore is getting ready for the celebration of Gowri Ganesha Habba. September 3rd is not far for the people to rejoice in this celebration. Gowri Festival is celebrated on the previous day of Ganesh Festival. The prices of flowers, fruits and the beautifully carved idols in various sizes and shades, have already gone up. The shopkeepers both in the big shops as well as in the roadside, are trying to exhibit their best forms of Ganesha idols for the prospective buyers.

I had to visit my niece and family staying at Chendamangalam, about 42 kms from Ernakulam in Kerala. Chendamangalam is an amazingly beautiful small town, comprising of three rivers, seven inlets, hillocks and green pastures. There are some interesting places to explore in Chendamangalam. The Paliam Palace, 450 year old, is the architecture marvel of Kerala. It was the home of Paliath Achans, and now houses some rare artifacts, relics and historical documents. They were the hereditary prime ministers to the former Maharajas of the erstwhile state of Kochi. A visit to the hillock at Kottayil Kovilakom is worth because it presents an unusual view of the church, temple, mosque and the synagogue. Jewis Synagogue In the hillock, you can see a Hindu temple, a church, a mosque and the remains of a Jewish synagogue, all together within a distance of hardly one km of each other. It was amazingto see the co-existence of four religions harmoniously - a unique blend of culture! It is believed tha...

Recently I had visited a friend in Trissur. It happened to be a day of Festival in their church. The festival was called "Oottuthirunal" of our Lady of Carmel Forane and St.Vincent de Paul, at Edathiruthy in Trissur. My friend asked me to join her if I don't mind when she proceeded to the church. I was in fact only too happyto attend the festival . It was a grand festival with spectacular firework. Thousands of pilgrims attended this festival,followed by a mass feast.