Perfect relaxation.....house boats

Houseboats called `kettuvallom’ in the local language meaning `knotted boat’, the modern day houseboat is a reincarnation of the traditional canoe used to transport items of daily home use from the mainland to homes cut away by the winding waterways known as `backwaters’. The term backwaters are used to denote a network of canals and waterways stretching two hundred kilometers from Kollam in the south through Alleppey and Kumarakom in Central Kerala up to Kodungaloor.
House Boat Features:
Genuine " Kettuvalloms " - meaning hulls are stitched together
Genuine Merbau wood flooring unlike plywood or coir carpeting used by other boats.
Partitions for all areas have textured finish with terra color paint to give a mud wall finish
The wooden ceiling in the living/dining area of the houseboats has 200 fiber optic lighting points to emulate the "stars" during the night and gives a cozy feeling.
Front living area and bedrooms have a beautiful wooden ceiling
All furniture on board is contemporary in nature finished in wood, cane and glass
The bedrooms have complete glass windows stretching across 3/4ths of the wall to offer the guests a complete and uninterrupted view of the backwaters while traveling, unlike other boats that have small windows with heavy grills that offer a poor view
Each bed is located at the exact height of the window for a good view even while lying on the bed.
Additionally there is a seating area along the length of the entire wall and window
Each room has a dressing mirror, luggage compartment, writing table, wardrobe & attached bathroom
The kitchen at the rear of the boat is complete with modern equipments and ambience and a 165 lt. fridge is also part of the equipment level.
Onboard activities includes - Carroms, Chess, Fishing rod, Books, Music system etc..

Vallarpadathamma

Sweeping the floor is a 'nercha' here

The Church of Our Lady of Ransom,

Vallarpadam is a famous centre of pilgrimage. People from all parts of Kerala and outside, irrespective of caste or creed go to the church to seek the blessings of Mary, the mother of Jesus, popularly known as "Vallarpadathamma".The church was established in 1676 and the famous picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary was erected by Portuguese who brought it from their native land. The picture is believed to have miraculous powers. The Portuguese built the first church on the site of the present church in 1524. It was destroyed in a flood in the late 17th century and a new church was built on the same spot in 1676. It was declared a special church by Pope Leo XIII in 1888 and in 1951 the Union Government declared it a major pilgrim centre.Vallarpadath Amma is believed to have miraculously saved her devotees several time from violent storms. The feast of Vallarpadath Amma is held every year on September 24 with much fanfare. The celebrations which last for more than a week are accompanied by an unusually big fair.The Catholic Church has raised the historic Marian pilgrimage destination on the Vallarpadam Island to the status of a National Pilgrim Centre. The documents related to the raising of the status of the Our Lady of Ransom Church on the island was handed over recently to the Archbishop of Varappuzha Daniel Acharuparampil by the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, Telesphore P. Topo.Vallarpadam is situated next to Bolghatty Island on the west, and linked to the Ernakulam mainland via the new Goshree bridges. It is about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in length in the north-south direction and hosts a population of 10,000 people. Vallarpadam is about one kilometer (½ mile) away from the Ernakulam mainland.A short history the magnificent and miraculous picture of Mary and Infant Jesus, installed at the top of the main altar of the Vallarpadam Church, was brought by Portuguese merchants under the leadership of Vasco Da Gama in 1524. In 1676 the old Church, which was known as the Church of the Holy Spirit, founded by the Portuguese missionaries, was destroyed by the heavy flood and the picture of Our Lady was found floating in the backwaters. Nobody except Paliyath Raman Valiyachan, the Prime Minister of Maharaja of Cochin, could recover it. The beautiful church at Vallarpadam which you see now is built on the land which was donated by Paliyath Raman Valiyachan. He is gratefully remembered in Vallarpadathamma and his generosity towards the curch, by lighting the Sanctuary lamp, which he himself donated and which has been burning day and night from 1676 onwards.In May 1752, there occurred a great miracle which made Vallarpadam a famous Pilgrim Centre. In Vallarpadam there was a young Nair Lady named Meenakshiyamma, who was a member of a noble family called Palliyilveedu. Together with her son, she was going to Mattancherry in a non-mechanised boat. There arose a storm and the boat capsized. Meenakshiyamma and her son went deep down into the backwater. While they were in danger Meenakshiyamma promised Vallarpadathamma that if they were rescued by her they would be her Adimas (servants) until their death. On the third day, as per instructions in a dream, the parish priest asked the fishermen to cast net in the river, and Meenakshiyamma and her son were rescued. This incident is depicted in the picture mentioned above. From that day onwards, people, especially those who travel by boats and ships, come to Vallarpadam and pray for their safe journey. Meenakshiyamma and her son received baptism and became Christians and were named Mary and Jesudas respectively.

They were living in the Churchyard itself adoring the Lord and thanking Our Lady and proclaiming the "good news" to all those who came here. Her family is still living, which is quite near to the church. Due to its spiritual importance, His Holiness Pope Leo XIII elevated its main altar to the status of Altare Privilegiatum in Perpetuum Concessum in 1888.

The Feast of Vallarpadathamma is celebrated from 16 to 24 September every year. Pilgrims, thousand in number, come to Vallarpadam to participate in the Feast, especially on 24 September.

I enjoy shopping

Like everyone, shopping is my HOBBY. I just like to go shopping when I have A special FEELING. Sometime I feel happy or feel sad, I usually go shopping to REMOVE ??my sadness or feel happier. Besides, sometimes I think everything is so boring and I go shopping. Specially, I can take my interested things. I'm like everyone, specially kids, I like everything which is new, beautiful, and colorful. That is the main reason to go shopping. Moreover, shopping is the best way for me to relax after school. And it is also THE best way to kill time when I'm really free and have nothing to do. Although I love shopping, I can't spend TOO much money on it. So I just may take a look at everything around me. That's a good way because I can save time, save money and enjoy colorful things. In my opinion, shopping helps me to lose weight. It makes me do exercise and it feels comfortable. In addition, every time I go shopping, I can stay with my friends or my family to decide which one should be bought for. I feel so happy and funny. With all these advantages, there is nothing for me to hate shopping.

That age-old stereotype about dangerous women drivers is shattered in a big new traffic analysis: Male drivers have a 77 percent higher risk of dying in a car accident than women, based on miles driven.
And the author of the research says he takes it to heart when he travels — his wife takes the wheel.
Fischbeck, a Carnegie Mellon professor of social and decision sciences. “What is necessary now is to go through and do that second level of analysis to figure out why some of these things are true.”
,” McCartt said. The elderly are more likely to die when they are injured in an accident, she said, an explanation that Gerard and Fischbeck validate.
These elderly women have the nation’s highest road death risks even when they’re not driving — five times higher than the national average.
Right behind octogenarians in high risk are young male drivers, ages 16-23, with fatality rates four times higher than average.
That can be attributed to “inexperience and immaturity,” McCartt said.
Drivers aged 40 and 50 tie for the lowest risk of dying in an accident. But if you’re a male out at 2 a.m. Saturday on a motorcycle in the South, you may want to take out some more insurance.

REAL FACTS

* 30 percent of women, ages 18-34, say they have either had, or almost had, an accident because they were reaching for or looking for something in their car;

* 62 percent of women say their car is like another living space for them;

* 76 percent of women agree that they crave organization in their lives, especially when "on the go;"

* 48 percent of women, and 60 percent of women ages 18-34, say it is a constant battle to keep their cars organized;

* 57 percent of women have gotten creative by adding one or more containers to their cars to help them keep organized;

* 27 percent of women describe themselves as very organized and 52 percent say they are somewhat organized;

* 56 percent of women stated they wish they had more storage space in their cars for small items;

* 30 percent of women would like to have more storage space for larger items, such as clothes and children's toys and equipment

Knanaya Community has special customs

Knanaya Community has special customs in connection with their marriage. The wedding ceremonies stress that marriage is not just a sacrament and contact between the man and the woman, but an entering into a contract and a relationship between the families of the bride and bridegroom.

Betrothal

– This is an initial agreement and engagement in which are involved not only the spouses, but also their parental relatives. Betrothal itself is called Kaipidutham which is indicative of the clasping of hands by the paternal uncles of both the fiancé and of the fiancée in the presence of the priest celebrant in the church. The idea is that paternal uncles take up the responsibility to arrange for the marriage according to the agreement made at that time. It is to respect the responsible elders and to stress the idea of the entering into the family relationship. It means that not just the father but also all the close relatives of the couple are earnestly and whole heatedly involved in the new relationship.

Mylanchi Ideel

-On the eve of the marriage there is a ceremony at the home of the bride in which the bride’s palm of the hand, feet and the nails are smeared with a special yellow ointment called Mailanchi. The ointment is made up of the leaves of henna plant. The Knanaya bride comes to the Pandal accompanied by her elder sister and she is seated in front of her grandmother, who smears mailanchi on her palms and feet. The main purpose of this function is to beautify the girl, the song which accompanies the ceremony gives, a biblical meaning to it. This signifies since Eve plucked the forbidden fruit with her hands, the palms are smeared. With her legs she approached the forbidden fruit to eat it, her feet are smeared. This ceremony of purification of palms and feet reminds us the original sin committed by the first couples, Adam and Eve.

Chantham Charthal

On the eve of the marriage, the groom’s face is ceremoniously shaved by the barber in the pandal in the presence of the assembled. It is called Chantham Charthal which means beautifying. The barber asks formal permission from the assembly reminding them of their protective rights over seventeen castes, a privilege granted by King Cheraman Perumal. “I ask the gentlemen here who are protectors of 17 castes: May I shave the bridegroom? He has to ask this three times. After getting the consent of the assembled the barber shaves the groom’s face and takes him out to apply oil on his head and give him bath. All the time, the assembly goes on singing the ancient songs related to this ceremony. After this ceremony the boy will called bridegroom.

Ichappad Kodukkal –

Once the groom re-enters the pandal after bath, his sister brings

Ichappad (white rice pudding and jiggery) and an elder in his father’s line will, after having obtained permission from assembly give him Ichappad three times. This is a symbol of sumptuous and sweet life.

Thali

The main symbol of marriage for Christians is the tying of Thali by the bridegroom around the neck of the bride. Thali is a small gold medal with a sign of the cross embossed on it for Christians. Knanaya Thali will have 21 small buds embossed in the form of a cross, and so it distinguishes from Thalies of other Christians and non-Christians. Using of a thread made up of seven yarns taken from the bridal veil, for the tying of thali.Nada Vili – This is one of the privileges granted to the Knanaya Christians by the King Cheraman Perumal. According to the tradition, the bride and groom will ride on the elephant. Playing of various musical instruments like Pancha Vadhyam, and drums, special silken umbrellas (Thazha Kuda); various types of cheering like Kurava and Nada Vili etc. makes the wedding procession a solemn event. Nada Nada Nada given to the bride and bridegroom while going home from the church after the marriage.Nellum Neerum - At the entering into the marriage pandal, prepared in front of the house, the mother of the bridegroom solemnly welcomes the newly wedded. The sister of the bridegroom holds a lighted brass lamp in one hand and a bowl in the other. The bowl contains water, paddy and palm leaf pieces, which are symbolic of purification and fertility. The mother makes the sign of the cross three times on the forehead of the newlywed couple with a wet piece of palm leaf (blessed on Palm Sunday) taken from the bowl held by the groom’s sister.

Vazhupiduthammam

In the pandal, the mother of the bride asks and obtains permission from the assembly to give a blessing to the couple. Then standing in front of the couple, she places her arms crosswise, right palm on the head of the bridegroom and left palm on the head of bride, seated to his left. At this time the ladies sing: “I give my benediction to you, so that you, your husband and your children may live long life....”. The rite of giving God's blessing to bride and groom by the mother/maternal aunt/elder sister of bride by placing her hands in the form of a cross on their heads.

Paallum Pazhavum (Feeding with milk and fruits) –

Milk with sliced fruits is brought to the couple in a cup and they both drink from the same. In the context, milk is symbolic of purity and the fruits symbolic of sacrificial offering.Kacha Thazhukal

– After the blessing the bride’s mother, maternal grandmother, and maternal uncle give the Thazhukal. The ceremony consists of a symbolic embrace, touching with hands below the thighs, giving assurance of continued support and protection by the elders to the newly wed people. It is also a ceremony using a new piece of cloth given to bride's relatives as a gift by the groom's party (Usually to bride's mother, grandmother, and maternal uncle/aunt).

Greenery

Adding a touch of green to your homes is your garden space. Often however, it takes a backseat when it comes to making improvements to your home. Gardens need not necessarily mean extensive spaces with long lawns.
Even a space in the balcony of your apartment can add that touch of freshness to your home. Have a few potted plants inside your house to add a distinct charm to your interiors. You can choose plants in such a way that they require little or no maintenance. Though flowering plants need more attention, they add a colourful look to the garden. Another popular choice is to have bonsais — but make sure the garden has sufficient direct sunlight. An interesting twist is to have a kitchen garden where you can grow herbs and vegetables. Again choose those that grow easily and do not require much attention. Gardening is an art that needs skill and an aesthetic sense of creativity. Planning a garden of medicinal plants can add value due to their culinary, Plants are green because they have a substance called chlorophyll in them. Understanding why chlorophyll is green requires a little biology, chemistry and physics.
If we shine white light on chlorophyll, its molecules will absorb certain colors of light. The light that isn’t absorbed is reflected, which is what our eyes see.
A red apple appears red because the molecule of pigment in the apple’s skin absorbs blue light, not red. Thus, we see red. Chlorophyll molecules absorb blue light and some red light. The other colors are reflected resulting in the green color that we associate with plants.
Plants get their energy to grow through a process called photosynthesis. Large numbers of chlorophyll molecules acts as the antenna that actually harvest sunlight and start to convert it in to a useful form. Here’s where the absorbent properties of the chlorophyll molecule come into play.
It turns out that eons of evolutionary design have matched the absorbance of chlorophyll to the actual color of the sunlight that reaches the leaves. Sunlight consists of primarily blue and red light mixed together, which are exactly the colors that chlorophyll molecules like to absorb. Light is a form of energy, so the chlorophyll is able to harvest the sunlight with little waste.
Plants are important to the balance of nature. For animals and people, plants provide food, shelter, useful tools, and products

my powerful prayer

1 A psalm of a canticle on the sabbath day.
2 It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High.
3 To show forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night:
4 Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery: with a canticle upon the harp.
5 For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings: and in the works of thy hands I shall rejoice.
6 O Lord, how great are thy works! thy thoughts are exceeding deep.
7 The senseless man shall not know: nor will the fool understand these things.
8 When the wicked shall spring up as grass: and all the workers of iniquity shall appear: That they may perish for ever and ever:
9 But thou, O Lord, art most high for evermore.
10 For behold thy enemies, O lord, for behold thy enemies shall perish: and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
11 But my horn shall be exalted like that of the unicorn: and my old age in plentiful mercy.
12 My eye also hath looked down upon my enemies: and my ear shall hear of the downfall of the malignant that rise up against me.
13 The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus.
14 They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
15 They shall still increase in a fruitful old age: and shall be well treated,
16 That they may show, That the Lord our God is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.