Hello Friends!
The Onam 2017 was a blast! The community is growing and we had the largest gathering of malayalees in Central Ohio for thsi event with more than 500 people attending the program this year! We hope you enjoyed the sadya and cultural events and had an oppertunity to meet friends and make a few new friends!
Many of you have told that you enjoyed the Kathakali demonstration very much. We have included some additional information about this traditional art form of kerala in this newsletter.
Arranging Onam Celebration, the largest event of COMA required months of planning and coordination among various groups. Many of you had stepped up and helped us throughout this period. We would not have been successful without your support. Thank you!
The photos from the COMA Onam 2017 event are now available. Please visit the following link and use the password ‘COMA2017‘ to view the photos.
http://www.photosaga.photography/COMA-ONAM-Celebrations-2017/
Videos of the event will be available soon.
EC-2017
Professional Networking – Investment Seminar
COMA is happy to bring you our next event: Professional Networking – Investment Seminar. The seminar will cover various investment and financial planning topics including
- Retirement, College, and Estate planning
- Real estate investment and mortgage options
The event will be on Oct 14th from 1:30PM to 4:30PM at Keller Williams Realty, 5400 Frantz Rd, Dublin 43016. Seats are limited! Registration will be on a first come first serve basis and will be closed latest by Oct 12th (or when we reach the maximum capacity).
Please visit the event page to register your seats http://www.comaohio.org/index.php/category/events/
COMA Events planned for the rest of the year
| Date | Event |
| 14-Oct | Professional Development (Business focused) |
| 2-Dec | Christmas 2017 |
| Feb/Mar 18 | Family Day |
Congratulations
Adithya Nair(Nandu), senior at Olentangy Liberty High School, has received special recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for his academic success!
Nandu plays Tennis and has been a four year Varsity Letterman. He loves movies and traveling. Nandu is also a member of Interact Service Club, Free Market/Economics club, and ping pong club. He plans and major in Economics and/or business.
He is part of a select elite group of students chosen from nearly 1.5 million high school across the country that entered the program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Nandu is the son of Manjula and Salil Nair and an active member of the COMA Youth Wing. We are very proud of you and your accomplishment. Keep up the great work!
Note: Please let us know of your achievements and success, and we will be glad to publish in the newsletter!
Community Service News: Valsan Palika
COMA continued with its monthly Meals on Wheels participation in September. The route was delivered by Trusty member Arun Kumar, Secretary Austin Pereira and me. It was a rewarding experience, and I recommend every one of you to be part of this noble cause.
COMA does Meals on Wheels deliveries on the fourth Sunday of
each month to roughly 16 homes. If you are interested in volunteering, please get in touch with the executive committee. We welcome young volunteers too, who are aged 12 or older.
Hurricane Harvey Relief – Update
We have asked you to contribute to COMA’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, and you have responded! Thank you for your contributions! Your contributions will go a long way in providing relief and support to the victims. COMA has handed over a check for $1,000 to American Red Cross towards Hurricane Harvey Relief last week which included $572 received from you as donation.
Kathakali – conversation with Vrinda Sunil , Natyalaya School of Arts
Kathakali is one of the oldest theatre forms in the world. It is originated from the southern part of India. Kathakali, a well-developed dance drama, is a performance where the actors depict characters from the epics of the Puranas (ancient scriptures). A traditional Kathakali performance begins in the evening and continues throughout the night.
Mohiniyattam is a dance form said to have originated in Kerala. Originated as the temple dance performed by Devadasis, it portrays feminine love in its more on Lasya and Bhava. In the main items Cholkettu, Padavarnam and Padam, Mudras and facial expressions are more important than the rhythmic steps.
The dancers adorn themselves in huge skirts and head-dress, wearing a most intricate style of make-up. Costumes and ornaments of Mohiniyattam have much in common with female characters of Koodiyattam and Kathakali.
The Kathakali Percussion Instruments include Chenda, ellatalam, maddalam, and edakka. The musical instruments usually used in Mohiniyattam are Mridangam or Madhalam, Idakka flute, and Veena.
In the first half of the program, Krishna is growing into a young lad, he was the one whom all the Gopikas of Vrindavan wanted. They had eyes only for him, such was his charisma. Krishna is dreaming about Gopikas who will feed butter for me. Who will play with me and who will be mesmerized with my magic.
he second half is portrayed with Kaliya Mardanam with Krishna dancing on the phangs of Kaliya and distroys Kaliya’s ego.Kaliya was a poisonous Naga living in the Yamuna river, in Vrindavan. The water of the Yamuna all around Krishna boiled and bubbled with Kaliya’s poison. No bird or beast could go near. By the end of the fight with Kaliya, Kaliya (the Snake) surrendered to Krishna.
The Performance Participants were:
• Gopikas: Athulya Nair, Sandiya Sajan, Chitra Sunil.
• Kathakali Krishna Vesham: Vrinda Sunil
• Kaaliyan: Abirami Meyyappan
• Chenda: Dhanush Kondoth
• Elathalam: Sunil Nair.
Natyalaya School of Arts was founded by Smt. Vrinda Sunil in Carmel, Indiana. She is the disciple of Late Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma (wife of famous Kathakali artist, late Padmashree Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair). Vrinda is transferring the knowledge to many kids and adults. She started Natyalaya School of Arts in 2006. She has successfully completed 8 arrengettams for her students.
Sponsors Corner:
Madras Kitchen
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