Newsletters
In Loving Memory of Unnimash: A Tribute to a Remarkable Soul
This month, as we come together to share stories, we do so with heavy hearts. We are all deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our beloved Unnimash. A presence so full of life, energy, and generosity, Unnimash touched each of us in unique ways, always contributing with kindness, passion, and a commitment to the well-being of others. The loss has left an irreplaceable void in our lives, and it is with deep sorrow that we reflect on the immense impact Unnimash had on each of us.
Unnimash was a friend, a mentor, and a true embodiment of the values we all hold dear in this community. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to support others were qualities that set them apart. Whether it was through thoughtful advice, tireless organizing efforts, or simply offering a listening ear, Unnimash made each one of us feel seen, valued, and understood. With a heart full of generosity and dedication to enriching the lives of others, Unnimash’s contributions spanned many areas of our community, from organizing events to inspiring others with their creativity.
As a passionate lover of poetry and his involvement in the drama, Unnimash inspired creativity among all of us. Whether it was through a beautiful rendering of poem, or a stirring performance on stage, Unnimash taught us the power of expression and the importance of art in bringing people together. Unnimash leaves behind a rich legacy — one that will continue to inspire and shape the future of COMA.
Unnimash’s love and legacy continue through his wife Latha (Lathachechi), son Krish, daughter Meera, daughter-in-law Simran, and a wide circle of friends and loved ones who were deeply impacted by his life. A heartfelt celebration of his remarkable life was held on February 20th, 2025, bringing together many of his close friends and loved ones from various parts of the country, all gathered to honor and remember him.
“COMA Talks” organized an online event on March 1st to honor Unnimash. During the gathering, friends and loved ones shared their personal experiences with him, recounting meaningful and memorable moments. Attendees sang songs that Unnimash enjoyed, recited poems he cherished, and told funny stories and anecdotes, reflecting the warmth and joy he brought to their lives. It was a heartfelt occasion filled with love and deep appreciation for the impact he had on everyone.
As we continue to honor Unnimash’s memory, let us carry forward the values they championed — creativity, generosity and connection — in every step we take. Their legacy will live on in each of us, inspiring future generations.
— Prahlad T. Indira
ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടന്
– Sreejith Chandran
(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)
2023 ഓണാഘോഷം, ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടൻ ആ വർഷം കെട്ടിയെ വേഷം കവിത പാരായണം ആയിരുന്നു. അന്ന് ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടനോടൊപ്പം വേദി പങ്കിടാൻ ഭാഗ്യം ഉണ്ടായ ഞാൻ കവിതയ്ക്ക് ശേഷം ചോദിച്ചു “ചേട്ടാ, നിങ്ങൾ എന്നെ പോലെയാണല്ലോ, എല്ലാത്തിലും കൈ വെക്കും പക്ഷെ ഒന്നിലും ഗുണംപിടിക്കൂല ” ഒരു ചെറു പുഞ്ചിരിയോടെ ചേട്ടൻ പറഞ്ഞു “എന്തിനാ ശ്രീ നമ്മൾ ഒന്നിൽ തന്നെ തളക്കപ്പെടുന്നത്, എല്ലാം അറിയണ്ടേ, അനുഭവിക്കേണ്ടേ? “. ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടൻ അങ്ങനെ ആയിരുന്നു, ആടാത്ത വേഷമില്ല, കാണിക്കാത്ത കോപ്രായങ്ങൾ ഇല്ല ..
അങ്ങനെ ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടനും അരങ്ങൊഴിഞ്ഞു, ഞങ്ങളുടെ വേദികൾ അനാഥമാക്കി അങ്ങേരു പോയി. എപ്പോഴോ അമ്മൂമ്മ പറഞ്ഞതോർക്കുന്നു. അമ്പലപ്പുഴ പാല്പായസം ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്നതിനൊടുവിൽ, അവസാനം ഒരു പിടി രഹസ്യ ചേരുവകൾ ചേർക്കും, അതാണ് കൃഷ്ണനേറെയിഷ്ടം. അതായിരുന്നു ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടൻ, അത്രമേൽ മധുരമായിരുന്നു ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടൻ !
അവസാനമായിട്ടു ഒരു നോക്ക് കാണുവാൻ വന്നപ്പോൾ ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടാ എന്ന് ഞാൻ വിളിച്ചതും ആ പാദങ്ങൾ സ്പർശിച്ചതും നിങ്ങൾ അറിഞ്ഞിരുന്നോ എന്നെനിക്കറിയില്ല. രാമായണം കേട്ട് നിങ്ങൾ ഒരു നീണ്ട വനവാസത്തിലേക്കു പോയപ്പോൾ, രാജ്യവും, ഞങ്ങളും അനാഥമായി. കിരീടവും സിംഹാസനവും മാറ്റിവെച്ചു ഞങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങൾക്കായി കാത്തിരിക്കും. വീണ്ടുമൊരു പട്ടാഭിഷേകത്തിനായി.
ജനിമൃതികൾക്കകലെ ഒരു ചെറു പുഞ്ചിരിയുമായി നിങ്ങൾ നില്പുണ്ടെന്നെനിക്കറിയാം. ഓർമകളുടെ ഒരു പാലംതീർത്തു ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളിലേക്ക് എത്തികൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കും, നമുക്കിനിയും കവിതകൾ പാടണം, കോപ്രായങ്ങൾ കാട്ടണം, സാംസ്‌കാരിക ജീർണതകളെ കുറിച്ച് പായാരം പറയണം, മരണത്തെ നോക്കി കൊഞ്ഞനം കുത്തണം !!
പാദങ്ങളിൽ തൊട്ടു പ്രണാമം, ഉണ്ണിമാഷിന്‌, ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടന് !
— Sreejith Chandran
20 miles of change
– Rohan Hari
(Rohan Hari is a freshman attending liberty high school. He enjoys hobbies such as cooking, running, and weightlifting. He is working towards achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and is currently in the life scout position. Rohan is son of Anjana Nair and Hari Karunakaran)
“20 miles!” I said when I found out what we were doing for our campout. We had to hike up and downhill 20 miles on a backpacking trip. I thought to myself “Could I really do this?” “What if I can’t?” Whether it was waiting for my next test, my next meet, or anything simple, I always thought to myself, “what if it’s time?” “What if it is time to put my skills to the test. What all these weeks, or months of preparation have finally gotten me to.” Even when I am sure to do well, fear awaits me, in the form of a dark cloud. Yet, the storm that follows is nothing but a mere sprinkle of water.
On the drive there, I thought of this storm which continuously stirred in the distance. It was as if the hike was waiting for me to go into the storm. I always had an overwhelming sense of fear leading to it. However, I learned, as I grew, that fear is like a section of a map. You can choose to explore it. But whatever comes out of it is based on your journey through it. The saying “What if” was steering me towards the path of fear. The feeling of “Am I ready yet?” was the wind that would only push me further into the direction.
I got to the campsite the night before going into what I perceived as the storm. It was like I couldn’t sleep. But when I did, I feared only the worst, but my mind told me that it was time to go. Or else there would be no reason to come in the first place. It came the morning of the day of the hike. “Everyone ready?” asked the mentor. Everyone was. But was I?
We start hiking towards the mountain. The sense of fear spreads through me but I also start to feel eased. It was only then I realized that worrying only leads to worse results. The path through it, and the path without it lead to the same ending, only one is longer, more gruesome, but has nothing to provide as a reward for going through it. Except for the gift of knowledge, understanding what is the right thing to do for the future. This is what I realized more and more. I go through the hike with high hopes, and less doubt. Every minute that passed, every mile conquered, I would steer away from the storm in the better path.
Night fell upon us as we reached the campsite. Taking the heavy load off my back and setting up for the night, I see the stars. I thought to myself “All of the stars seem close together, while they are actually billions of miles apart. There could be a fear of isolation, a fear of anything. Yet, they still shine bright for even us to see.”
The next morning, I realized, not only was I mentally ready, but with my pack lighter, and with good rest, I was sure to make it through the rest of my hike. “Everyone ready?” asked the mentor before heading off. Everyone was. And so was I. As we walked on in the hike, rather than fearing the worst, I was able to think about the good aspects of the hike. The scenery, the time spent away from work or screen, was all something to look forward to rather than something to fear. I took the challenge as not an obstacle, but rather as a message to learn from experience. In the end, I truly acknowledge that fear awaits me, in the form of a dark cloud. Yet, the storm that follows is nothing but a mere sprinkle of water.
— Rohan Hari
The Power of Dance: Unlocking its Benefits!
– Dr. Niju Baby Narakathu
(Niju is an Internal Medicine Physician who works as a hospitalist at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, and Genesis Health system, Zanesville. He is from Perumbavoor, Kerala who completed residency in New York and moved to Columbus in 2017. He lives in Powell with his wife Katherine and two beautiful daughters – Joella and Qianna)
Dance has always been a strong emotion for me ever since the time of my first performance on stage at the age of five. I believe it has the power to express like no words ever can. In a 2008 article in Scientific American magazine, a Columbia University neuroscientist referred to dance as “pleasure double play” as in Music stimulates the brain’s reward centers, while dance activates its sensory and motor circuits.
Dancing, especially the complex dance forms like Indian classical dance forms, ballet and so on requires more than just the limbs and muscles. The Gospel truth is that Dancing is a product of a highly evolved control center – “Our Brain” which is like a pilot that gives commands to control the movements, emotions and behaviors to help us dance. It is a multifaceted activity that has been shown to promote neuroplasticity in several ways. Neuroplasticity means the brain’s ability to adapt and adopt any changes that come through our life. This is through cognitive processing, motor stimulation and coordination, sensory integration, emotional regulation and as we all know, an aerobic exercise with its own multitude of benefits. Research has shown dancing promotes structural changes in the brain, like increasing grey matter density, enhances cognitive skills like memory, attention and improves motor skills and balance. It releases chemicals such as Dopamine (a natural mood booster), Endorphins (a natural painkiller) and decreases cortisol (a stress hormone). {Corrigendum to: “Dance for neuroplasticity: A descriptive systematic review” [Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 2019 Jan; 96:232-240]}
In Neuroanatomical terms, Dancing requires the use of multiple parts of our brain and spinal cord. Using PET scan these areas have been identified as:
⦁ The basal Ganglia – helps in habit formation and body movements.
⦁ Cerebellum – for coordination.
⦁ Motor cortex – area in the brain that controls voluntary movements.
⦁ Somatosensory cortex – helps control movements, hand eye co-ordination.
⦁ Cortico-spinal tract – nerve fibers which connects our brain to the muscles.
As an example, I am going to use one of the most basic posture in Bharatanatyam – “The Aramandi Posture” or known as ‘half-sitting’. This posture requires the use of Vermis which is a tiny part of the cerebellum which helps keep my body straight in midline when my balance is challenged along with a new Central Pattern Generator (CPGs) that I had to develop specifically for this posture. Now CPGs are new patterns configured by our brain when we try to attempt new postures. To maintain the symmetry of movement I must engage Para-vermis, another small part of our cerebellum along with the Corticospinal tract.
It gets more complex when it comes to performing a whole dance. This involves using our hippocampus to form long term memories, storing muscle memories together called procedural memory (Albouy et al, 2008). This is achieved with significant amount of practice and hence all our Gurus consistently emphasize “practice”. This helps us recall the sequence while performing.
Currently there are many Wellness programs across different hospitals in the country that incorporate dance into their activities for their patients. Research has shown benefits in patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Multiple sclerosis, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. One such example is the Wellness program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical center (BIDMC) in Boston, where they have incorporated Zumba along with other movement forms like tai chi, yoga, etc. According to Tarsy, a Harvard Medical School professor of Neurology and Director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at BIDMC, dance can be considered a form of rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS). He says people with Parkinson’s “speak and walk better if they have a steady rhythmic cue”. Another study published in 2003 in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that dance can decidedly improve brain health, where they looked into eleven activities, with one being dance and showed reduced participants’ risk of dementia. Another study done at North Dakota’s Minot State University found that Zumba improved mood and cognitive skills such as visual recognition and decision making.
In conclusion, it is clear that dance offers a multitude of benefits for both our physical and mental well-being. It enhances cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, balance, and bone health, while also boosting mental health by reducing stress, improving mood, enhancing cognitive function, and fostering self-esteem and social connections. So, my friends, let the music move you—dance away and embrace the countless rewards it brings!
— Niju Baby Narakathu
The essay on neurological effects of dance is captivating.