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Welcome to the First Edition of Our 2025 Newsletter!

We believe all of you had a wonderful time during the holiday season. Whether it was spending time with loved ones, embracing quiet moments of rest, or finding joy in festive traditions, we hope your holidays were filled with warmth and happiness.

Before we start this year’s journey, let’s take a moment to honor the legacies of two extraordinary individuals from Kerala who left us recently—M. T. Vasudevan Nair and P. Jayachandran.

M. T. Vasudevan Nair, touched the hearts of many with his profound storytelling and unmatched contribution to Malayalam literature and Cinema. His works, which often delved deep into human emotions and social circumstances, will continue to inspire generations to come.

The passing of the legendary playback singer P. Jayachandran has left a void in the world of music. Our beloved Bhaavagaayakan‘s soulful voice enchanted audiences for decades, will forever remain a part of the rich culture of Malayalam cinema. His songs, brimming with emotion, continue to resonate within each one of us, and will remain timeless.

As we begin 2025, we hold these two remarkable figures in our thoughts and honor their immense contributions to the arts and culture. May their legacies continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come.

Now, with the start of 2025, we embrace the spirit of new beginnings. It’s a time to set fresh goals, explore new opportunities, and continue growing in every aspect of our lives. With a brand new EC team of COMA, I’m excited to see the initiatives that the 2025 Executive Committee has planned for our community this year. My best wishes go out to the 2025 EC for a successful and impactful year ahead! The strength and success of our organization rely on the support of our volunteers, paired with the passion and dedication of the Executive Committee. Let’s all work together as a team and contribute our efforts to ensure this year is another exceptional one for COMA.

Thank you for being part of our community. We look forward to sharing this new year’s journey with you, filled with growth, positivity, and unforgettable memories.

— Prahlad T. Indira

Presidential Address

– Stephen John (2025 COMA President)

(Stephen lives in Powell, Ohio, with his wife Nicey and daughter Anjali. He is from Kottayam and is in Ohio from 2015 onwards. His hobbies are Portrait Photography and road trips. He works as a Data Analyst and is also a clergyman serving as the Chairman of the Anglican Church of India Synod.)

Dear COMA friends,

2025 started with a bang for me, and let me wish you all a happy and prosperous 2025!

I know some of you might be wondering why I chose to be the President despite knowing how tedious it is. It takes away most of our personal time and family time. Just like you, I also treasure my personal and family time. But I also believe in giving back to our wonderful community. I truly want to show everyone that leading COMA can be a collaborative and fun experience!

My vision for COMA in 2025 is all about getting everyone involved! The responsibility of COMA should not be solely with the trustees and the EC. We’re a community, and that means we all have a part to play!

I believe in shared responsibility for the benefit of the community, and I hope to build that new culture within COMA this year. And I would say that is the main driver for my decision.

To make this happen, I started the General Committee or GC this year. This is for people who are interested in working in specific areas instead of working in EC. It also reduces the workload of EC.

Currently, we have additional members working in the following areas:

1. Photography Club
2. COMA Talks Live
3. Food Committee
4. Volunteers committee
5. Event planners
6. Fundraising committee

I am confident that this new setup will attract more members to join EC or GC in the future. Also, I hope the future ECs will continue forming GCs to accommodate more members who are willing to help in specific areas.

Speaking of a good team, I am lucky to be working with amazing people in the EC this year – Dr. Rajesh Rajan (VP), Ms. Parvathy Harilal (General Secretary), Ms. Linda Chan (Joint Secretary), and Mr. Rohit Suresh (Treasurer)

And in GC, we have Ms. Amalu Jospeh (Lady Secretary), Miss Gaurinanda Sudheesh (Website), Mr. Prahlad T. Indira (Newsletter), Mr. Bimal Sebastian (Food Committee), Mr. Rahul RP (Photography Club), Mr. Rakesh Vijayakrishnan (Sports Secretary), Mr. Aslam Abubacker (Volunteers) and Mr. Sudheesh Vasudevan (Youth Wing).

I can say that our COMA community is in safe hands! And a big thanks to my friends who introduced these special people to my life.

Now, here’s where we need your help! Our community is growing, and that means we need bigger and better venues and programs. To make this happen, we need to think outside the box and be willing to embrace some changes. This might mean contributing a little extra financially and volunteering some of your time.

This would help us to better plan our events with support from external sponsors. And, if you think you can support us by helping us in specific areas, then please reach out to me or one of the EC members. We welcome any and all support!

Once again, I wish you all a happy 2025 and hope that we can continue to entertain you as previous committees have done.

Thank you!

— Stephen John

My experience in the Meals on Wheels program

– Sudheesh Vasudevan

(Sudheesh lives in Plain City, Ohio, with his wife Lekshmi and daughter Gaurinanda and son Gautham. He is from Kottarakkara and is in Columbus from 2016 onwards. He likes travel and road trips. He works as a Senior Software Developer)

On a snowy Sunday morning, I was excited to finally participate in a Meals on Wheels program that had long been on my wish list.

Even though it was a chilly Sunday morning, this program motivated me to learn how social actions can lead to mental satisfaction.

Route V1600 was scheduled for Arun, Priya, Kannan, and me. Everything was very well organized, and we started our route on time.

We were assigned to 15 homes, but as a newcomer, I was curious how to deliver this food to them. 

I had a lot of questions in my mind – How can we approach someone’s home? 

How do they treat us? Different food restrictions based on their health and age? And so on. 

Arun helped me resolve most of my questions. 

Walking towards an unfamiliar home in sub-zero temperatures on slippery roads really fills us with mixed feelings. 

However, all the challenges fade when we see happy faces with genuine smiles and warm greetings. Some had truly been waiting for us.

We had varying experiences in each home. In some, the residents clearly instructed us on where to place the food. However, we received no response in two homes when we knocked on their doors. Many individuals also struggled to open the food container lids, even when they were by themselves. Despite this, I could see the determination for self-sufficiency in their smiles and expressions.

After the food delivery, we felt so happy and joyful that we could brighten someone’s day! It was such a wonderful feeling to share a little kindness.

Their faces and smiles bring back cherished memories of our parents and grandparents, who were separated from us by thousands of miles.

The fabric of our society is not yet ready to rely on anyone; however, the Meals on Wheels program offers a chance to help those who truly need assistance.

Kannan was the youngest on our team. I was very pleased with our COMA youth representative, Kannan. He impressed me by engaging respectfully and chatting with senior members while assisting them.

Arun and Priya, you are really Proud parents  !!

Once I got home after the food delivery, I realized I had missed my breakfast, but because of this excitement, I never felt hungry throughout the journey. I really enjoyed that day!!

January is the month of Martin Luther King Jr., so let’s remember his famous quotes. 

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”.

— Sudheesh Vasudevan

കൊഴിഞ്ഞിട്ടും എന്തിനോ…..

– Aravind. V. K.

(Aravind, originally from Trivandrum, has been residing in Ohio, since 2019 with his wife Mekha, their children Parvanendu and Yug Nand, and their two toy poodles, Benji and Bella. He is a data engineer by profession, who seamlessly combines his technical expertise with a passion for the arts. Aravind has directed and produced several creative projects, including the recently released South Indian musical album ‘Hasthinapuri.’ In addition to filmmaking, he is a skilled cameraman, editor, seasonal singer, and enjoys pencil drawing and writing. Aravind is also known for his talent as a magician and mentalist, with his thoughtful performances. Aravind’s work blends innovation, creativity and storytelling with dedication.)

ചിലത് കൊഴിഞ്ഞു പോയി എന്ന് അംഗീകരിക്കാൻ നമുക്ക് കഴിയാറില്ല. പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും ഹൃദയത്തിന്റെ ആഴങ്ങളിൽ കുരുക്കിട്ട് പടർന്നു കിടക്കുന്ന വള്ളികളിലെ ഓർമപ്പൂക്കൾ. അത് എല്ലാ പുതുമയോടും കൂടി എന്തിനോ നമ്മുടെ നെഞ്ചിൽ മൊട്ടിട്ടു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കും. അങ്ങനെ ഒരു അനുഭവമാണ് ഈ ലോകത്തു നിന്നും നമ്മെ വിട്ടു പോയ ഭാവഗായകൻ P. ജയചന്ദ്രൻ എന്ന ജയേട്ടൻ നമുക്ക് നൽകികൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നത്. കൊഴിഞ്ഞു പോയി എന്ന് നമ്മെ കൊണ്ട് സമ്മതിപ്പിക്കാതെ മലയാളി മനസിന്റെ നിത്യവസന്തമായി എന്നും ഓരോ ദിവസവും, ഓരോ നിമിഷവും മൊട്ടിടും ജയേട്ടൻ.. ഒരു മലയാളി മനുഷ്യ മനസിന് ഉണ്ടായേക്കാവുന്ന ഒട്ടു മിക്ക വികാരങ്ങളിലും ഇഴ ചേർന്ന് കിടക്കുന്ന കെ.ജെ യേശുദാസ് എന്ന ഇതിഹാസ ശബ്ദം നിലനില്കുമ്പോളും ഭാവഗായകൻ എന്ന വിളിപ്പേര് ഒരാൾക്കു കിട്ടുന്നു എങ്കിൽ അത് സാക്ഷാൽ പി. ജയചന്ദ്രൻ എന്ന നമ്മുടെ ജയേട്ടന് തന്നെ  ആയിരിക്കും. അത്ര മാത്രം തേൻ കിനിയുന്ന ഭാവ സൗന്ദര്യമാണ് ആ ശബ്ദത്തിന്. ജയേട്ടനെ കുറിച്ച് ഈ ലക്കത്തിൽ എഴുതാൻ അരവിന്ദ് മതി എന്ന് ശ്രീ പ്രഹ്ളാദ് പറയുമ്പോൾ അത് സന്തോഷമാണോ അതോ സങ്കടം ആണോ ഉള്ളിൽ ഉണ്ടാക്കിയത് എന്ന് പറയാൻ പറ്റാത്ത അവസ്ഥ ആയിരുന്നു.

9 വര്ഷങ്ങള്ക്കു മുന്നേ ആയിരുന്നു എന്റെ സാംസങ് ഫോണിലെ വാട്സ്ആപ്പിൽ ഒരു കോൺടാക്ട് വന്നു വീണത്. “P ജയചന്ദ്രൻ Singer“. അയച്ചു തന്നത് എന്റെ സുഹൃത്തും തബലിസ്റ്റും ആയ പ്രശാന്തേട്ടൻ ആയിരുന്നു. പൊന്നാവണി പാട്ടുകൾ എന്ന എന്റെ ആദ്യ ഓണം ആൽബത്തിലെ 10 പാട്ടുകളിൽ 2 എണ്ണം പാടാൻ വേണ്ടി ആണ് എന്റെ ഉറ്റ സുഹൃത്തും അതിന്റെ സംഗീത സംവിധായകനും ആയ സുരജ്ഉം പിന്നെ നമ്മൾ എല്ലാപേരും ജയേട്ടനെ കിട്ടുമോ എന്ന് ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു തുടങ്ങിയത്. ദാസേട്ടൻ ഒഴികെ പിന്നണി ഗാന രംഗത്തെ ഒട്ടു മിക്ക ഗായകന്മാർ എല്ലാം ഇതിൽ പാടുകയും, മാത്രമല്ല  അവരുടെ ഒക്കെ കൂടെ ഫോണിൽ സംസാരിച്ചു ബന്ധം തുടങ്ങാൻ പറ്റിയതിന്റെ സന്തോഷം ഉള്ളിൽ കൊണ്ട് നടക്കുമ്പോളും, എന്താ എന്ന് അറിയില്ല ജയേട്ടന്റെ നമ്പർ ഫോണിൽ വന്നു കണ്ടപ്പോൾ എന്തോ നിധി കിട്ടിയത് പോലെ ആയിരുന്നു. മലയാളം കണ്ട ലെജൻഡറി ഗായകരിൽ ഒരാൾ ആയതു കൊണ്ടും, മറക്കാൻ പറ്റാത്ത ഒരുപാട് പാട്ടുകൾ ഒരുപാട് തലമുറകൾക് സമ്മാനിച്ചത് കൊണ്ടും ഒക്കെ ആണ് അത്. മാത്രം അല്ല, എവിടെയൊക്കെയോ എന്തൊക്കെയോ എന്റെ അച്ഛനെ ഓർമിപ്പിക്കുന്ന തരത്തിൽ ഉള്ള മുഖഭാവവും, മൂക്കും, ചേഷ്ടകളും ഒക്കെ ആയിരുന്നു ജയേട്ടന്. അത് കൊണ്ട് തന്നെ നമുക്കു എല്ലാപേർക്കും ഉള്ളിൽ തോന്നുന്ന പോലെ – നമുക് ഒട്ടേറെ പരിചയം ഉള്ള ആൾ. പക്ഷെ നമ്മെ ഒട്ടും അറിയില്ല താനും. മിക്ക സെലിബ്രിറ്റിയുടെ അടുത്തും നമുക്ക് ഉള്ള തോന്നൽ അതാണല്ലോ. പക്ഷെ ഇതാ എനിക്ക് നമ്പർ കിട്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു. വിജയ് യേശുദാസ്, മധു ബാലകൃഷ്ണൻ, ഉണ്ണി മേനോൻ, സുധീപ് കുമാർ, എം.ജി ശ്രീകുമാർ ഇവരോടൊക്കെ ഫോണിൽ സംസാരിച്ചിരുന്നു ഈ ഒരു ആൽബത്തിന് വേണ്ടി. മാത്രമല്ല വളരെ സൗഹൃദപരമായുള്ള അവരുടെ ഇടപെടലുകളും അടുപ്പവും എല്ലാം മനസിന് സന്തോഷം തന്നിരുന്ന സമയവും കൂടെ ആയിരുന്നു, ഇനി ഇപ്പോൾ ദാസേട്ടന് ഒപ്പം മനസ്സിൽ കൊണ്ട് നടക്കുന്ന ജയേട്ടനോട് സംസാരിക്കാമല്ലോ, വാട്സ്ആപ് ചാറ്റ് നടത്താമല്ലോ, കൂട്ടാകാമല്ലോ ഇതൊക്കെ ആയിരുന്നു എന്റെ ചിന്ത.

പക്ഷെ അത്ര എളുപ്പം ആയിരുന്നില്ല സജി കാര്യങ്ങൾ…

ഫാഷൻ ഒക്കെ ഒരുപാട് ഇഷ്ടപെടുന്ന ജയേട്ടന്റെ വാട്സ്ആപ് പ്രൊഫൈൽ പിക്ചർ കാണാൻ ആയിരുന്നു ആദ്യത്തെ തിടുക്കം. ജയേട്ടനെ വാട്സ്ആപ്പിൽ കാണാനെ ഇല്ല. ആഹ് പോട്ടെ. അതൊന്നും ഇഷ്ടം ആയിരിക്കില്ല എന്ന് കരുതി. ഒന്നോ രണ്ടോ SMS അയച്ചു നോക്കി, No രക്ഷ. പ്രശാന്തേട്ടനെ വിളിച്ചു. ഇനി നമ്പർ വല്ലതും മാറിപ്പോയോ എന്ന് അറിയില്ലല്ലോ. പ്രശാന്തേട്ടൻ ചോദിച്ചു – “നീ വിളിച്ചു നോക്കിയോ ?” ഞാൻ ഇല്ലെന്നു പറഞ്ഞു. “ആ വിളിച്ചു നോക്ക്, എന്നിട്ട് കിട്ടാൻ ഉള്ളത് വാങ്ങി വെച്ചോ” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞിട്ട് പ്രശാന്തേട്ടൻ ചിരിച്ചിട്ട് ഫോൺ വെച്ചു. അയ്യോ ഇനി മെസ്സേജിങ് എന്ന സംവിധാനമേ ഇഷ്ടം ഇല്ലാത്ത ആളാണോ എന്നൊക്കെ കരുതി ഞാൻ അങ്ങ് കേറി വിളിച്ചു, കേട്ടാൽ ജയേട്ടൻ തന്നെ എന്ന് 100 % ശതമാനം ഉറപ്പുള്ള ശൈലിയിൽ ഒരു ഹലോ കേട്ടു. ജയേട്ടന്റെ പാട്ടു കേൾക്കുമ്പോൾ ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന അതെ സന്തോഷം ആ ഹലോ വിളിയിലും എനിക്ക് കിട്ടി. ഞാൻ തുടർന്നു – “ജയേട്ടാ  നമസ്കാരം , ഞാൻ  അരവിന്ദ് ആണ്.” ജയേട്ടന്റെ മറുപടി വെടിയുണ്ട പോലെ പെട്ടെന്ന് ആയിരുന്നു-   “ഏതു അരവിന്ദ്…???” ദേഷ്യത്തിൽ ഉള്ള സ്വരം ആയിരുന്നു. അത് മുതൽ നമ്മുടെ രണ്ടു പാട്ടുകൾ പാടാൻ നിശ്ചയിച്ചിരുന്ന ദിവസത്തിന്റെ തലേ ദിവസം വരെ ഉള്ള ജയേട്ടനെ സംസാര ശൈലി മുഴുവൻ ധാർഷ്ട്യ രൂപത്തിൽ തന്നെ ആയിരുന്നു. “മെസ്സേജ് ഒന്നും ഞാൻ നോക്കാറില്ല എന്തേലും ഉണ്ടേൽ വിളിക്കണം” – എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞത് കൊണ്ട് മാത്രം 2 തവണ കൂടി വിളിച്ചു. പക്ഷെ ഇത്ര പരുക്കൻ രീതി കണ്ടിട്ട്  ഞാൻ ഒന്ന് ജയേട്ടനെ കുറിച്ച അന്വേഷിക്കാമെന്നു കരുതി. ഇങ്ങനെ തന്നെ ആണ് എന്ന് അറിയാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞു. മാത്രമല്ല ഒരുപാട് വിളിച്ചു ഓവർ ആക്കിയാൽ പുള്ളി റെക്കോർഡിങ്ങിനു പോലും വരില്ല എന്നും ആരോ പറഞ്ഞു. എന്തായാലും റെക്കോർഡിങിന്റെ തലേ ദിവസം ഞങ്ങൾ തൃശൂർ എത്തി. വൈകുന്നേരം ആയപ്പോൾ ഒന്ന് ഓർമ്മിപ്പിക്കാൻ ആയി ഞാൻ ഒന്ന് കൂടെ വിളിച്ചു – “ജയേട്ടാ അരവിന്ദ് ആണ് . നമ്മൾ ഇവിടെ എത്തി. നാളെ 11 മണിക്ക് ആണ് റെക്കോർഡിങ് .” ഒരു മൂളൽ കേട്ടോ ഇല്ലയോ എന്ന് പോലും ഓർമ ഇല്ല. ഫോൺ നിമിഷങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ട് കട്ട് ചെയ്തു. നാളെ ജയേട്ടൻ എത്തുമോ ഇല്ലയോ എന്ന് വരെ സംശയം ആയി. ശ്രീരാഗം സ്റ്റുഡിയോ യിലെ സൗണ്ട് എഞ്ചിനീയർ എന്തോ അർത്ഥ ഭാവത്തിൽ നമ്മെ നോക്കി ചിരിച്ചു, ഞാൻ ഇത് എത്ര കണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു എന്ന ഭാവത്തിൽ.

പിറ്റേ ദിവസം ആദ്യത്തെ റെക്കോർഡിങ് വെച്ചിരുന്നത്. പിന്നണി ഗായികയും ഹിന്ദുസ്ഥാനി സംഗീതത്തിൽ നമ്മുടെ അഭിമാനവുമായ ഗായത്രി അശോകനുമായിട്ടായിരുന്നു. പുള്ളിക്കാരിയും തൃശൂർ ആണല്ലോ. വളരെ പെട്ടെന്ന് നമ്മളുമായി ഒട്ടേറെ അടുത്തു ഗായത്രി. സൂരജിന്റെ കോമ്പോസിഷന്റെ ബ്രില്ലിയൻസിനെ പറ്റി ഒക്കെ സംസാരിച്ചിട്ട് റെക്കോർഡിങ് നടന്നു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന സമയത്തു അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായിട്ട് ഒരു പൊക്കം കുറഞ്ഞ മനുഷ്യൻ മീശ ഒക്കെ ചുരുട്ടി കതകു തള്ളി തുറന്നു പെട്ടെന്നു അകത്തു വന്നു അവിടെ ഉള്ള സോഫയിൽ കേറി ഇരുന്നു. അത് നമ്മുടെ സാക്ഷാൽ ജയേട്ടൻ ആണെന്ന് മനസിന് ഉൾക്കൊള്ളാൻ അല്പം സമയം എടുത്തു. മാത്രം അല്ല, അല്പം നേരത്തെ ആണ് ജയേട്ടൻ എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നതും.  ഗായത്രി പാടി കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. സൗണ്ട് എഞ്ചിനീയർ പെട്ടെന്ന് എല്ലാം നിർത്തി. ഗായത്രി ഹെഡ്സെറ്റ് എല്ലാം ഊരി വെയ്ക്കുന്നത് കണ്ടു. സംഗതി പാളിയോ? എന്തേലും ഇഷ്ടം ആയില്ല എങ്കിൽ ജയേട്ടൻ സ്റ്റുഡിയോയിൽ നിന്ന് ഇറങ്ങി പോകാറാണ് പതിവ് എന്നൊക്കെ രാവിലെ കേട്ടതേ ഉള്ളു. മുഖത്തു ദേഷ്യം പോലെ ഉണ്ട് താനും. ഗായത്രിയുടെ റെക്കോർഡിങ് തീരാത്തത് കൊണ്ടാണോ എന്നൊക്കെ നമ്മൾ വിചാരിച്ചു. പിന്നെ മുതൽ അവിടെ കണ്ടത് ഗായത്രിയുടെ മാജിക് ആയിരുന്നു. ഓടി വന്നു ജയേട്ടനെ കെട്ടി പിടിച്ച്, കുശലാന്വേഷണം ഒക്കെ നടത്തി, ഞാൻ പോണേ ജയേട്ടാ എന്നൊക്കെ പറഞ്ഞു മൊത്തത്തിൽ അവിടെ ഉള്ള മൂഡിനെ മാറ്റി, നമ്മളെ എല്ലാപേരെയും ജയേട്ടനുമായി നിമിഷങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ട് സെറ്റ് ആക്കി വാതിൽ തുറന്നു പുറത്തു പോയി. ഞാനും നമ്മുടെ സുഹൃത്ത് അരുൺ ചന്ദും സൂരജിനോട് ജയേട്ടനെ നോക്കിക്കോളാൻ ആംഗ്യം കാണിച്ചിട്ട് പുറത്തേക് കൂടെ ഇറങ്ങി. ഗായത്രി പറഞ്ഞു – ഒട്ടും ടെൻഷൻ അടിക്കേണ്ട. നിങ്ങൾക് മാജിക്കൽ ഔട്ട്പുട്ട് കിട്ടണം എങ്കിൽ ജയേട്ടൻ നല്ല മൂഡിൽ ആയിരിക്കണം. ഞാൻ പിന്നെ വന്നോളാം. നിങ്ങളുടെ മുഖത്തെ ടെൻഷൻ ആദ്യം കളയൂ. എത്രമാത്രം ആശ്വാസം നമ്മുടെ മനസിന് തന്നിട്ടാണ് ഗായത്രി പോയതെന്ന് എത്ര പറഞ്ഞാലും മതി ആവില്ല .. 

നമ്മൾ പതുക്കെ അകത്തേക്ക് കയറി. സൂരജ്ഉം കവി ശ്യാം എനാത്തും ഒക്കെ ജയേട്ടനെ സ്വയം പരിചയപെട്ടിട്ട് നമ്മളെയും പരിചയപ്പെടുത്തി. ഓ താൻ ആണ് അരവിന്ദ് അല്ലെ? നമ്മൾ എല്ലാം കാൽക്കൽ തൊട്ട് അനുഗ്രഹം വാങ്ങിച്ചു. ഭാഗ്യം ജയേട്ടൻ നല്ല മൂഡിൽ ആണ്. “ഓക്കെ നമുക്ക് പാട്ടു നോക്കാം”  എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞിട്ട് ജയേട്ടൻ പാട്ടിന്റെ പ്രിന്റഡ് പേപ്പർ കയ്യിൽ എടുത്തു. പിന്നെ അവിടെ നടന്ന ഒരു മൂന്നു മണിക്കൂറത്തെ അനുഭവം വാക്കിനാൽ പറയുക സാധ്യമല്ല. ഇതിനു മുന്നേ ഉള്ള എല്ലാ പാട്ടുകാരും എന്താണോ സൂരജ്‌ ട്രാക്ക് പാടി വെച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത് അത് അണു വിട തെറ്റാതെ ട്യൂണും സ്വരസ്ഥാനവും മാറാതെ ഭംഗിയായി പാടി തന്നു എന്നുള്ളത് ശെരി തന്നെ ആണ്. ഉണ്ണിയേട്ടൻ (ഉണ്ണി മേനോൻ) കുറച്ചു പൊടി കൈകൾ കൂടെ എക്സ്ട്രാ തന്നു എന്ന് മാത്രം. പക്ഷെ ജയേട്ടന്റെ കാര്യങ്ങൾ വേറെ ഒരു ലെവലിൽ ആണ് അവിടെ സംഭവിച്ചത്. ഒരു കാര്യം ആദ്യമേ പറഞ്ഞു കൊള്ളട്ടെ. മ്യൂസിക് ഡയറക്ടർ തന്റെ ഭാവനയിൽ മെനഞ്ഞു വെച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു സൃഷ്ടി അതേ രീതിയിൽ പെട്ടെന്ന് കിട്ടിയില്ല എങ്കിൽ നിരാശൻ ആകും എന്നത് സ്വാഭാവികം ആണ്. ഇവിടെ അങ്ങനെ ഒക്കെ തുടക്കത്തിൽ ഉണ്ടാകുകയും ചെയ്തു. പിന്നെ ജയേട്ടൻ പാടുമ്പോൾ ഒരുപാട് നിർദേശങ്ങൾ കൊടുത്താൽ ഇറങ്ങി പോകും എന്നുള്ളത് ഉറപ്പുള്ള മറ്റൊരു കാര്യവും. പക്ഷെ ഞാൻ പറയാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന ഒരു കാര്യം നമ്മൾ എല്ലാം അനുഭവിച്ച ഒരു അഭൗമമായ ഒരു അനുഭൂതിയെ കുറിച്ചാണ്. ജയേട്ടൻ തെറ്റി പാടുന്നത് തന്നെ കേൾക്കാൻ എന്താ ഒരു സുഖം ആണ്! ഇവിടെ തെറ്റി പാടുന്നത് എന്ന് ഉദേശിച്ചത് കമ്പോസർ ചെയ്തു വെച്ചിരിക്കുന്നതിൽ നിന്ന് വ്യതിചലിക്കുന്നതിനെ ആണ് കേട്ടോ. ഒരു പക്ഷെ അതായിരിക്കാം ജയേട്ടന്റെ മനസ്സിലും, ഹൃദയത്തിലും, ബ്രയിനിലും ശെരിയായി ഉരുത്തിരിഞ്ഞു ഭാവഗീതമായി പുറത്തു വരുന്നത്. ഇങ്ങനെ പാടി പാടി ജയേട്ടൻ തന്നെ അവസാനം ട്രാക്കിലെ പോലെ പാടി തരുകയും ചെയ്യും. പക്ഷെ പറഞ്ഞറിയിക്കാൻ പറ്റാത്ത ഒരു വ്യത്യാസം ഓരോ വാക്കിലും ഫീൽ ചെയ്യും അതും ഭാവഗായകന്റെ തൊണ്ടയിൽ നിന്ന് വരുമ്പോൾ. ജയേട്ടൻ വോക്കൽ ബൂത്തിൽ നിന്ന് കൊണ്ട് – “പുലരി പൂ മഞ്ഞല തഴുകി അരികെ നീ വാ” എന്ന വാരി പാടുമ്പോൾ  അക്ഷരാർത്ഥത്തിൽ നമ്മൾ എല്ലാ പേരും മുഖത്തോടു മുഖം നോക്കി ചിരിച്ചു. ആ ചിരി എന്തിനാ ചിരിച്ചേ എന്ന് നമുക് ആർക്കും തന്നെ അപ്പോൾ പറയാൻ കഴിയുമായിരുന്നില്ല. പക്ഷെ ആ സ്റ്റുഡിയോയിൽ ഇരുന്ന എല്ലാപേരുടെ മുഖത്തും ഒരു പുഞ്ചിരി നൽകാൻ ആ ആലാപനത്തിനു സാധിച്ചു എങ്കിൽ, എന്താ പറയുക?? മഞ്ഞല എന്ന വാക്കും ജയേട്ടന്റെ ശബ്ദവും കേട്ടാൽ ആ വാക്ക് ഇനി ദാസേട്ടൻ പാടേണ്ട ആവശ്യം ഇല്ല തോന്നി പോകും. അത് മാത്രം അല്ല. ഓരോ വാക്കും ജയേട്ടൻ പാടുമ്പോൾ നമുക്ക് തോന്നുന്നത് 70 വർഷത്തിൽ അവർ പറയാത്ത വാക്കുകൾ ഉണ്ടാവില്ല എന്നാണു. തുടക്കക്കാർ ആയ നമ്മുടെ മുന്നിലെ സ്‌പീക്കറിൽ നിന്ന് പുറത്തു വരുന്നത്, ദേവരാജൻ മാഷും, ദക്ഷിണാമൂർത്തി സ്വാമികളും, അർജുനൻ മാഷും, ജോൺസൻ മാഷും, രവീന്ദ്രൻ മാഷും ഒക്കെ സ്ഫുടം ചെയ്തു എടുത്ത ഭാവഗായകന്റെ തേനൂറുന്ന മാന്ത്രിക ശബ്ദമാണ്. ഇതിനു അപ്പുറം ഈ ലോകത്ത് എന്ത് വേണം എന്ന് തോന്നി പോയ അവസ്ഥ. പതിവ് പോലെ സംഗീതത്തിന് അടിമപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ കാരണം അറിയാതെ ഉള്ള കണ്ണീർ അപ്പോളും ഉതിർന്നു വീണു. ജയേട്ടൻ പാടിയത് ഒന്നും കളയണ്ട എന്ന് സൂരജ്  സൗണ്ട് എഞ്ചിനീരിന്റെ കൂടെ പറയുകയും ചെയ്തു. 

ഈ ഓൾഡ് ഈസ് ഗോൾഡ്, പഴയതിന്റെ വീര്യം എന്നൊക്കെ ചുമ്മാ പറയുന്നതു വേറെ, അനുഭവിക്കുന്നത് വേറെ. “Aged 70 years” ന്റെ മാജിക് അന്ന് നമ്മൾ അനുഭവിച്ചു അറിഞ്ഞു. ഒരു വല്ലാത്ത മനഃപൂർവ്വമായ അലസതയുടെ സൗന്ദര്യം ജയേട്ടൻ വാക്കുകളിൽ സമന്വയിപ്പിക്കുന്നതായിട്ട് തോന്നാറുണ്ട്. രണ്ടു പാട്ടുകൾ പാടി കഴിഞ്ഞു ജയേട്ടൻ നമ്മോടു കൂടുതൽ അടുത്തു. നമ്മുടെ കുടുംബ കാര്യങ്ങളും, ജയേട്ടന്റെ വിശേഷങ്ങളും ഒക്കെ പങ്കു വെച്ചു.

“ഗായത്രി നല്ല പാട്ടുകാരിയാ ഞാൻ കേട്ടു. പക്ഷെ അവൾ എന്തിനാ പാട്ടിന്റെ സ്വരം ഒക്കെ എഴുതി വെച്ചേ ?? ഓരോ ലൈനിന്റെയും സ്വരങ്ങൾ ഒക്കെ എഴുതി വെയ്ക്കുന്നത് കണ്ടു. അതിന്റെ ഒക്കെ ആവശ്യം ഉണ്ടോ?. അങ്ങ് പാടുക. സ്വരങ്ങൾ ഒക്കെ പിന്നെ അല്ലെ ഉണ്ടായത് ?” – എന്നൊക്കെ പറഞ്ഞു ജയേട്ടൻ തമാശകൾ ഒക്കെ പറയാൻ തുടങ്ങി. ഒരു കൊച്ചു കുട്ടി ചോദിക്കുന്നത് പോലെ നമ്മോട് എങ്ങനെ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു ആ ലൈൻ പാടിയത് എന്ന് വരെ ജയേട്ടൻ ചോദിച്ചു. ആ ഇതിഹാസത്തിനു അതിന്റെ ഒന്നും ആവശ്യം ഇല്ല. പക്ഷെ സംഗീതത്തിനോടുള്ള ജയേട്ടന്റെ അഭിനിവേശവും പ്രണയവും അന്ന് നമ്മൾ കണ്ടു. മാത്രം അല്ല ആ പ്രഭാവം, സ്റ്റൈൽ ഒന്നും തന്നെ മറക്കാൻ കഴിയുന്നില്ല. പക്ഷെ ഫോൺ മാത്രം ഒരു ബേസിക് ആയ ഒന്ന്. ടച്ച് സ്ക്രീൻ ഫോണോ, വാട്സാപ്പോ ഒന്നും അത്രയ്ക്കു പിടിത്തമില്ല ജയേട്ടന്. നമ്മളെ എല്ലാപേരെയും കെട്ടി പിടിച്ചു സൂരജിന് ഒരു മുത്തവും കൊടുത്തിട്ട് ആണ് ജയേട്ടൻ അന്ന് യാത്ര ആയതു. ഒരു  വൊൽക്‌സ്‌വാഗൻ പോളോയിൽ ഒരു ചെറുപ്പക്കാരൻ പയ്യനെ പോലെ നമ്മോടു യാത്ര പറഞ്ഞു ജയേട്ടൻ.

പല തവണ ഞാൻ അതിനു ശേഷം ജയേട്ടനെ ഫോണിൽ വിളിച്ചു പരിചയം പുതുക്കി. പിന്നീട് ഒരിക്കൽ തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തു ഒരു റെക്കോർഡിങ്ങിനു വന്നപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ബാലരാമപുരം കൈത്തറിയുടെ ഒരു കസവു മുണ്ടു ഓർമ്മ സമ്മാനമായി കൊടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. “ഇതൊക്കെ നല്ല വില ആകില്ലേ, ആ എന്തായാലും  സന്തോഷം” എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞിട്ട്  ജയേട്ടൻ ഒരു കള്ളചിരിയും സമ്മാനിച്ചു. ഒരിക്കലും ക്ഷീണം ബാധിക്കില്ല എന്ന് തോന്നിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ശരീര ഭാഷ ആയിരുന്നു ജയേട്ടന്. കുറച്ചു മാസങ്ങൾക് മുന്നേ ക്ഷീണിതൻ ആയുള്ള ജയേട്ടനെ കാണാൻ തന്നെ മനസിന് ബുദ്ധിമുട്ട് ആയിരുന്നു. ഒന്ന് വിളിക്കണം എന്ന് പല തവണ തോന്നിയതും ആയിരുന്നു. പക്ഷെ ചെയ്തില്ല. അത്രമാത്രം ഫോൺ കോളുകൾ ജയേട്ടന് വരുന്നുണ്ടാകും എന്ന് മനസ്സിൽ കരുതി. ഇന്നിപ്പോൾ ഇത് എഴുതുമ്പോളും ജയേട്ടന്റെ “ഉറങ്ങാതെ രാവുറങ്ങീല” എന്ന ഗാനം പശ്ചാത്തലിൽ കേൾക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. ജയേട്ടന്റെ ശബ്ദത്തിൽ ഹിന്ദോളം കേൾക്കാൻ വല്ലാത്ത ഒരു സുഖമാണ്. “ശിശിര കാല മേഖ മിഥുന” എന്ന കീരവാണിയുടെ ഗാനത്തിലൂടെ ജയേട്ടൻ ഹിന്ദോളത്തെ അമർത്തുന്നതും, ലോലമായി തലോടുന്നതും ഒക്കെ കാണാം. അതു പോലെ “വെൺചന്ദ്ര ലേഖയൊരപ്സര സ്ത്രീ” എന്ന വയലാർ-ദേവരാജൻ മാഷ്-ദാസേട്ടൻ  മാജിക്കിലെ ഹിന്ദോള  ഗാനം ജയേട്ടൻ പാടിയ ഒരു വേർഷൻ യൂട്യൂബിൽ ഉണ്ട്. വല്ലാത്ത ഒരു അനുഭവം ആണ് അത്.

ജയേട്ടൻ നമ്മെ വിട്ടു പോയി. ദൂരെയേതോ മർത്യ ഭാഷ കേൾക്കാത്ത ലോകത്തു മധു തേടി പോയി. കനകാംബരങ്ങൾ വാടിയിട്ടും മോഹം കൊണ്ട് നമ്മൾ എല്ലാപേരും കടത്തു വെള്ളത്തിൽ അങ്ങയെ കാണാൻ എത്താറുണ്ട്. പക്ഷെ “നിന്നെ മാത്രം കണ്ടില്ലല്ലോ, നീ മാത്രം വന്നില്ലല്ലോ” എന്നുള്ള തോന്നൽ – “സമയ രഥങ്ങളിൽ അങ്ങ് മറുകര തേടുന്നു” എന്നുള്ള യാഥാർഥ്യം നെഞ്ചിൽ ഊട്ടി ഉറപ്പിക്കുന്നു. പല തവണ അങ്ങയെ നേരിട്ട് കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട് എങ്കിലും എന്റെ മനസ്സിൽ പതിഞ്ഞു കിടക്കുന്നത് ദൂരേക്ക് മറയുന്ന ആ പോളോ കാറിന്റെ ഡ്രൈവിംഗ് സീറ്റിൽ ഇരുന്നു കൊണ്ട് എവിടെയൊക്കെയോ എന്റെ അച്ഛനെ ഓർമിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ചിരി ചിരിച്ചോണ്ട് ബൈ ബൈ പറയുന്ന അങ്ങെയാണ്.

എഴുത്തു നിർത്തുമ്പോൾ ഗിരീഷ് പുത്തഞ്ചേരിയുടെയും, പി.ഭാസ്കരൻ മാഷിന്റെയും അങ്ങ് ഭാവം നൽകിയ വരികൾ ഓർത്തു പോകുന്നു – 

“കൊഴിഞ്ഞിട്ടും എന്തിനോ പൂക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങുന്ന… കാവ്യ പുസ്തകമല്ലോ അങ്ങയുടെ ജീവിതം” 

— അരവിന്ദ്

Summer is in full swing, and there is so much excitement for the 2024 Paris Olympics! All eyes are on Team USA as they prepare for an unforgettable performance, and we are equally thrilled about Team India already securing two medals and aiming for even more.

Meanwhile, the COMA Executive Committee is diligently preparing for one of our biggest events of the year – our Onam celebrations. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your cultural talents and entertain fellow Malayalees. We encourage you to sign up for performances and reach out to the Executive Committee if you’re interested in volunteering for the Onam event. Your support will be vital in making this event a resounding success. This year’s COMA Onam will be on September 7th Saturday. Onam tickets will open up shortly, keep an eye out for that and more details about the event.

Here’s another reminder to renew your COMA annual memberships. Please note that memberships run from July 1^st of the current year to June 30^th of the following year. COMA Membership for 2024-2025 is now available for purchase on the COMA website!

• https://www.comaohio.org/product/membership-2024/

— Smitha Nishant

Red tailed hawk – A poem by Aadhya Pradeesh

(Aadhya Pradeesh is a rising 4th grader at Shale Meadows Elementary. She’s the daughter of former EC member Pradeesh Puthiyattil and Aswathi Pradeesh.)

A firey red
On their tail
The great precise birds

Just so proud
Squawking
Very loud

Fenix and Torch
Their eyes badly hurt
People take care of them

Flying so high
Are those kings
Of our skies

Why teens should do CPR, first aid, and babysitting training – by Lipikha Sreejith

(Lipikha is an avid dreamer, and she enjoys swimming and singing . A foodie at times, she loves to travel. She goes to Hyatts Middle School and is a Red Cross certified baby-sitter. Liphika is the daughter of regular COMA patrons Deepika and Sreejith Chandran.)

Image: Poster created by Liphika using Adobe Express.

The life of a Malayalee American – by Nish Nishant

(Nish is a wannabe writer who has unsuccessfully attempted to make a living as a published author. He lives with his wife Smitha and son Rohan in Worthington, Ohio.)

There is an anecdotal opinion among non-Malayalee Indians that there is no spot on this planet where you would be hard-pressed to find a Malayalee. While I am unsure of the veracity of that theory, Malayalees have certainly flourished in the United States of America. The dichotomy of being both Malayalee and American can often be an interesting experience, and most Malayalees embrace this clash of cultures with a belligerent and yet cheerful approach. I often find myself telling people that I am not just an Indian American but that I am particularly a Malayalee American. Now that may be awfully specific, but my Malayalee identity forms the core of my persona and it’s fairly impossible to look around that.

One of my pet theories as to why Malayalees effortlessly assimilate into American sub-culture is that we don’t have a dietary block when it comes to American food. Kerala is one of the few states in India where any four-legged bovine animal is at any arbitrary point in time at certain risk of being slaughtered and consumed for food. I never get tired of reminding my American friends that unlike their other Indian acquaintances, I have no issues in consuming substantial quantities of filet mignon, pork chops, and bacon. And boy, do we love our liquor or what? I am yet to meet a Malayalee American who wasn’t scholarly about various kinds of wines, scotch whiskies, and beers. We may have travelled half way across the globe to lead new lives, but we’ve taken our fondness and tolerance for booze with us.

Malayalee Americans may listen to Katy Perry and The Black Eyed Peas, but at the faintest hint of a tune by K J Yesudas or K S Chithra, we go back to being Malayalee music enthusiasts. Mohanlal, Mammooty, Suresh Gopi, and Prithviraj continue to occupy the same ranks in our hearts as Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, and Bruce Willis. The cliché that you can take a Malayalee out of Kerala, but that you can never entirely take Kerala out of a Malayalee holds surprisingly true. This detail can be quite simply observed at any Malayalee cultural event across America, including events organized by our very own COMA. Kids who were born here and some of who have never set foot in Kerala sing and dance to the beats of popular Malayalam songs. Many of them watch Asianet and Surya TV when they come home from school, although it’s questionable as to whether that’s a great idea these days!

That said, at the end of the day, the one absolute certainty is that we Malayalee Americans are all the same, more or less speaking. Husband and wife looking to grow their careers, hoping to send their children to top colleges, saving up to buy a comfortable home in a nice neighborhood, keeping our weekends free to socialize and have fun with friends and family – yeah, we really are all the same. We are Americans and we are Malayalees, and we are proud of those independent identities. Cheers to all my fellow Malayalee Americans!

[This article was originally published in the COMA souvenir for the 2013 Suresh Gopi show.]

It’s definitely ice cream weather in Ohio and I hope everyone’s staying cool out there! June 2024 will go down in memory for India’s remarkable T20 world cup win. The match was absolutely electrifying and the India T20 team played like champions. Congratulations Team India for the stellar performance!

My sincere apologies for the delay in sending out our June newsletter and thank you for your patience and understanding as we finalized the content.

We’re proud to announce the recent graduation of young COMA adults from The Ohio State University last month. Read on for their graduation updates. Congratulations to our college grads, and best wishes for your future endeavors!

It’s time to renew your COMA annual memberships. Please note that memberships run from July 1^st of the current year to June 30^th of the following year. COMA Membership for 2024-2025 is now available for purchase on the COMA website!

• https://www.comaohio.org/product/membership-2024/

— Smitha Nishant

COMA Onam 2024 Exclusive Realtor Sponsor – Sony Joseph, Realtor

COMA is proud to announce that our very own Mr. Sony Joseph will be the supporter and exclusive realtor sponsor of the 2024 COMA Onam event. Sony Joseph is renowned for his extensive market knowledge, negotiation skills, service, and unmatched devotion to clients. Those planning to buy, sell, or invest in real estate are encouraged to reach out to him for a complimentary consultation.

COMA Summer Picnic – A youth wing perspective – Rianna Shome

(Rianna is a rising senior at Olentangy Liberty High School, where she is an active member of the Girl’s XC and Track teams. In her spare time, she loves to bike, play pickleball, hang out with friends, and watch movies with the fam!)

Being able to have a minor part in the amazing production that was the 2024 COMA picnic was such a wonderful experience and honor. I don’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t attending COMA functions and being a part of nativity plays with my brother or dances with my friends. However, being able to see a pea size amount of the “behind the scenes” of an event has opened my eyes to the work and planning that goes into them. This year, I joined the COMA Youth Wing which enables kids such as myself to be more involved in the community.

Our first task was to plan games at the COMA picnic for the kids. Our goal was for them to be involved and have fun. Akash and I volunteered to be the “leads”. This meant attending a few COMA calls and organizing the games for the kids. With the other members and help from the committee, we decided to organize the following games: Tug of War, Lime and Spoon, Sack Race.

On the day of the picnic, everyone on the youth committee had different roles. Some handled registrations and others helped out with making sure the games ran smoothly. Akash and I explained the rules of the games and helped with keeping track of the scores. It was so nice to see everyone having fun playing the games and working hard to win. The scorching heat brought out the competitiveness of the color groups which was a sight to see.

I was so glad that I was able to contribute to the picnic because it helped me to get closer to the community, meet new people, and build connections. My experience at the picnic would definitely not have been as great without the other members of the Youth Wing and the hard working members of the COMA Committee. They made it easy for us to be a part of the team. Special shoutout to Girish Uncle for his guidance and support through this valuable experience.

Graduation News

Neelima Gopinath – The Ohio State University

Neelima Gopinath graduated with Honors from The Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State University, specializing in Management Information Systems. She was a part of the Honors Program as well as the Politics, Law, and Society Scholars Program. She also received a minor in Communication Technology. She was active in the business school’s philanthropic organization, FisherCares, and was a member of OSU Inaayat (OSU’s classical dance team). During her time as a student, Neelima worked in various technical departments at OSU and interned at Battelle Memorial Institute. She will be joining Clearsulting, a digital finance consulting firm, this July, as an analyst. She is the daughter of Gopi Haridass (former Vice President and Trustee) and Preethi Gopinath.

Rohan Shome – The Ohio State University

Rohan Shome graduated with honors from the Ohio State University with a bachelors degree in Biology and a minor in Psychology. He is looking forward to pursuing a graduate program in the healthcare field. Rohan is the son of former COMA EC member Sumita Shome and Shome Thomas.

May is high school graduation month – the culmination of years of hard work and dedication for both students and parents. This edition of our newsletter shines a spotlight on the incredible achievements of our graduating high school seniors. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 and wishing you the very best in your future endeavors!

Last month, a group of dedicated COMA patrons ran the Cap City Quarter and Half marathons. Anoop Joseph Babu has penned a captivating writeup of the beautiful journey that led the team triumphantly to the finish line. Congratulations, finishers! It’s a true testament to your passion and unwavering spirit!

As the school year comes to an end and summer vacations begin, many of you may be eagerly planning visits to family in India or exciting getaways. Wishing you all safe travels and memorable adventures, and may you return rejuvenated from your journeys. For those remaining in Ohio, wishing you a delightful summer and unforgettable moments!

— Smitha Nishant

Tuskers Running Club – Anoop Joseph Babu

(Anoop lives in Dublin with his wife Neethu and two kids. He’s an avid badminton and cricket player, and a big fan of running and soccer.)

The date was April 27^th, 2024. It was a cool cloudy morning, and a stiff breeze was blowing. The energy around was palpable as 11,000 odd people converged on downtown Columbus for the Cap City Half Marathon. There we were among that sea of humanity, more than fifty of us from Team Tuskers, boisterously chatting away, being loud as ever, ready to run what was, for many of us, our first marathon. Of course, what event is complete without some Malayali participation?

All this started a few months back when Austin Pereira embarked on creating a “Columbus Tuskers marathon runners’ group” with the (one would have thought) unrealistic goal of getting COMA members off their couches and in their running shoes, that too in the middle of the Ohio winter.

Then, lo behold, something magical started happening, the group started swelling as, one by one, folks joined, inspired maybe by overindulgences during Thanksgiving and Christmas (like yours truly) or truly to challenge themselves.

The plan was to run every Saturday, and run we did, puffing and panting, cramping, and straining. There were the regulars, and every week we saw more new faces. With Austin’s tireless encouragement and enthusiasm, the engagement we saw was truly amazing and I would like to think it motivated us all. It was not all pain, we had fun together. We saw the trees transform from bare branches to leaves and flowers, and the silence replaced by chirping of birds, as we ran through the barrenness of winter into the green of spring. Slowly but surely, we started to run better and further, pushing our body and mind a bit more every time.

Back to race day, as our group was allowed to start, each of us knew that it would be a test of the body and more importantly the mind, it would not be easy, exactly the reason why we signed up. The nervous energy and euphoria carry you through the first couple of miles and then it starts. The duel between the body that wants to stop and the mind that keeps pushing it forward. The miles went by slowly, the terrain changed, the climbs became steeper and tougher, the clouds parted, and the sun shone, we cramped and felt drained at times, but we soldiered on, the body finding the rhythm it was seeking, one foot in front of the other, one deep breath after another.

More than a couple of hours and 12 miles later, we faced what was to be the final obstacle, a steep double peaked incline, testing mettle and strength. With ragged breaths and dogged determination, we climbed until we could see the final stretch and the finish line tantalizingly far away. The emotion I felt (which we all probably shared) was a mix of pride, happiness, and relief as the mind willed the body, pushing it forward until we breached the finish line.

Once the initial wave of elation, exhaustion, and pain had passed and the selfies were taken, the realization hit. We had done it, something that seemed but a distant possibility had been achieved, the distance had been run. And as someone once said, it is not the distance you must conquer in running .. it is yourself. And we, each in our own way, had done it.

Go Tuskers!!

A special thank you to Austin Pereira for all the encouragement and co-ordination. We would not have done this if not for you. A special thank you to Thomas Oommen as well for the advice, motivation, and inspiration you provided for a lot of us first time runners.

Health tips for runners – Dr Rajesh Rajan

(Rajesh Rajan is a Nephrologist who also manages Infuse One (an infusion/Botox center). He is from Pandalam, Kerala. He grew up in New York and moved to Columbus in 2022. He lives in Liberty Township with his wife Mauja, kids Devika and Dhinan, and puppy Meeka.)

As many of you are going to embark on running for leisure or for marathons, I strongly recommend that you get an annual physical and run the blood work that comes with it. Most insurance covers this as part of wellness check at no cost (but please check with your insurance first).

Usually basic blood work is done looking at electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium – all which can lead to muscle cramps if deficient. Hemoglobin and iron levels can be checked if you have any symptoms of fatigue. Plus many other pointers on your health. So, I highly recommend each one of you to go for a wellness check.

In addition, stretching is key to prevent injuries and so is proper hydration.

For the newcomers, it is essential to build up on your run – starting at a low pace (target a zone 2 heart rate or running/ jogging at a pace where you are able to have a conversation).

Lastly, if you are experiencing any pain, do not ignore it as it may be related to footwear, muscle imbalances, or ineffective stretching. Our goal is to have fun but not get injured.

Happy running!!!

Graduation News

Abhinav Muthiraparambath

Abhinav is set to graduate with an honors diploma at Olentangy Liberty High School as the Valedictorian of the class of 2024. With aspirations to pursue a career in medicine, he’s carefully considering his options, including a pre-med program at Johns Hopkins University majoring in public health studies and a seven-year BS/MD track at the University of South Florida. Abhinav’s accolades include academic achievements such as being recognized as a National Merit commended scholar, recipient of the Governor’s Merit Scholarship, and membership in both the National Honors Society and Spanish Honor Society. Additionally, he actively engages in research at The Ohio State University and shares his passion for science by teaching children through Be WISE. Beyond academics, he’s displayed dedication and skill as a three-year lettered wrestler for Olentangy Liberty High School. Abhinav is the son of Ashish and Sangeetha Muthiraparambath.

Aedin Pereira

Aedin Pereira, son of Austin and Deepa Pereira, graduated from Olentangy Liberty High School with Summa Cum Laude, Honors Diploma, and AP Scholar with Distinction. He attended the prestigious Ross Mathematics Camp and Honors Summer Math Camp, where he researched and published a paper on AI in Bioinformatics. Aedin founded and led the first and only statewide virtual Math Circle during COVID. He is a 4-year varsity rower who competed in the 2021 US Youth National Rowing Championship Finals. Aedin served as Captain of the Liberty High School Speech & Debate team, qualifying for US Debate Nationals. He also served as President of the Student Council and the Service Club, and is a member of the National Honor Society. Aedin plans to attend Columbia University in the fall.

Arya Janardhanan

Arya graduated Summa Cum Laude from Dublin Jerome High School. She will be attending Otterbein University majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is a recipient of the President’s Scholarship and will be participating in the Pre-Med Early Assurance Program. She was COMA’s Youth Wing President last year. She is also the founder and President of her school’s Neuroscience club. She has been volunteering at Marysville Memorial Hospital for the past 2 years. Arya is the daughter of Anuja and Ajayan Janardhanan (former COMA president).

Awards

• National Merit Scholar
• Valedictorian
• International HOSA qualifier
• President’s Education award
• Diploma with Honors
• President’s Volunteer Service award

Adithya Arun

Adithya Arun is graduating on May 19^th from Olentangy Orange High School. He will be attending The Ohio State University and plans to major in Computer Information Systems. He’s the son of Ramya Kalyadan (Priya) and Arun Radhakrishnan.

April showers may bring May flowers, and for our Malayalee community, they usher in much-loved festivals like Easter, Vishu, and Ramadan. I trust you all had the chance to celebrate these with friends and family.

May is high school graduation month, and the next edition of our newsletter will feature 2024 graduating seniors from the community. If you would like your senior to be featured in the COMA newsletter, please share their details along with a senior portrait with our EC team. Kindly send the information to coma.officials@gmail.com.

A dedicated group of Malayalees has been training for the OhioHealth Capital City Half and Quarter Marathons over the past few months. The group leader, Austin Pereira, has done an admirable job coordinating the training runs. The 56 strong team is gearing up for their finest performance yet on race day that is on Saturday, April 27^th. Here’s to wishing each and every one of the runners the very best!

— Smitha Nishant

Immigration advocacy initiative – Girish Sasankasekhar

(Girish lives in New Albany with his wife Divya and two children, Gautham and Diksha. He works in the IT industry and has been active in various social engagements nationally. He hails from Trivandrum.)

I would like to share a recent experience of a great opportunity that me and my son (Gautham Girish) got to attend: a joint session at the Executive Office of the White House, for an immigration advocacy initiative.

For the past 5 years, I have been collaborating with various organizations on immigration advocacy initiatives for the welfare of Employment-Based immigrants, specifically H1B and L1 category of applicants and dependents. I am sure most of you are aware either directly or indirectly about the various challenges being faced by EB (Employment Based Visa) families, being on a long wait to process Green Cards, visa stampings, or dependent related job issues. Despite various legislative efforts being initiated in the congress for more than a decade, it’s a sad reality that there is no solution yet to resolve the broken immigration system. My personal goal is to continue to keep our voices heard in the best ways we can, by collaborating with various organizations or panel members to help us find a solution for the EB community, to overcome their uncertainties, and to provide a peaceful life for their families and children.

As part of the ongoing efforts, I was successful in establishing relationships with various committee members and the counsel of the House and Senate. As a result, we finally got an opportunity to get introduced to the executives of the White House Immigration team. We requested a joint session with USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), to talk through some of the ongoing problems, and to request/explore for some temporary solutions due to the current political situation in the congress. My son was included to represent children who will potentially face challenges to continue their education and their career path beyond 21 years of age. We also had a senior immigration attorney from Georgia join our panel to talk through the legal aspects of the situation. The meeting was very successful by having the Senior Advisor of USCIS Director along with White House officials listening to our concerns, and they have promised to explore temporary measures while Congress continues to make efforts for major law changes.

It was such a proud moment to represent more than a million Employment-Based immigrants, and we are committed to have follow up conversations till we see a successful outcome. If anyone would like to be part of such initiatives and make your voices heard, you are more than welcome to reach out to me anytime.

COMA Meals on Wheels : Quarter 1 update – Nish Nishant

(Nish Nishant lives in Worthington, OH with his wife Smitha and son Rohan, and coordinates the COMA Meals on Wheels program.)

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the dedicated volunteers who have generously given their time and effort to support the COMA Meals on Wheels program this year. Your unwavering commitment and compassion have made a significant difference in the lives of those in our community who rely on this vital service. Your selflessness and dedication embody the spirit of community and kindness that COMA symbolizes. Thank you for making a meaningful impact through the COMA Meals on Wheels routes.

If you’d like to volunteer for COMA Meals on Wheels, please reach out to the EC team.

Know your EC team – Yoga Venu (2024 General Secretary)

A humble kid innocently asked the universe, “Hey, if you’ve got my life all figured out, why bother praying?” And what does the universe do? Universe politely responds with a metaphorical reflection, linking one’s life to the pages of a book, each event scripted with the directive to “let it happen as per your wish.”

Yes! Despite the predetermined course set forth by the universe, it is our beliefs and thoughts that would shape our destiny!

This sense of realization ignited a flame of empowerment within me, prompting a shift towards “positive thinking” and “believing in myself”.

And then, out of the blue, I find myself with COMA, being part of EC 2024 as General Secretary.

Yep, that’s right. Me, Yoga Venu, born and raised in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Being a blend of Tamil and Malayalam cultures, I’m like the ultimate cultural cocktail and my roots are from Kuttipuram, Malapuram district in Kerala. Like many of you, Pazhampori and Kappa & Meen Curry are my weaknesses.

Reflecting on my academic pursuits, I always question myself why I had troubled myself with such rigor, when perhaps a gentler approach would have sufficed. I apparently took my academics a little more serious than needed. Nevertheless, the lessons gleaned from this introspection paved the way for personal growth and enlightenment.

After three decades of sipping filter coffee in Chennai, in 2016, I decided to shake things up and move to the dream land of many. Of course I am one of them!

They say, the US is like “Actor Rajinikanth”; you might not get it at first, but eventually you will throw confetti at it! Let me tell you, I felt the same when I landed in the States. However, the initial disorientation gave way to the unexpected sense of belonging.

First stop, New Jersey and Chicago – where the pizzas are deep and the winters are deeper. But then, I landed in Columbus Ohio. Ah, Columbus – the land of conservative vibes and slow living. It’s like the universe said, “Hey you have been running like a headless chicken, why not chill here for a bit?”

And here I am, chilling in Columbus for the past 8 years, with my daughter, Chetana alias Ishika Menon, who’s 20, going on 200 with her wisdom.

Because, when life throws you curveballs, you just gotta roll with it, having your choices and convictions as the influencers!

Hope my readers had a delightful Valentine’s Day with family, friends, and happy moments. February is American Heart Month. This is a great time to get to know your heart better and focus on your cardiovascular health. Preventive measures to reduce the risk of heart disease can also help improve your overall health and well-being – a win-win approach to wellness!

COMA is gearing up for its inaugural event of 2024 – promising a full day of fun with tournaments, games, cultural performances, dinner, and culminating in an electrifying glow party and DJ night. If you haven’t secured your tickets already for the Kaliyattam event on March 2^nd, please do so through the COMA website. Tickets are available for both the daytime tournaments and the evening dinner event:

• Morning event (games)
• Evening event (dance, trivia, magic, dinner)

Congratulations to Nijith Zacharia for winning the COMA Kaliyattam poster design contest. Here’s the prize winning poster:

Invest in your heart – 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.)

I believe there is no month other than February, the month of “love”, to think about our heart, but in a “different” way. Understanding heart health allows us to recognize and reduce the risk factors for heart disease. By educating ourselves we can make healthier lifestyle choices. Additionally, it also helps in early recognition of the warning signs, seeking medical help, and potentially preventing serious complications or fatalities. Heart Health Awareness empowers us to take proactive measures to protect our cardiovascular well-being, leading to a better quality of life and longevity.

What does heart attack mean and why is it important to know about heart attack?

Heart attack happens when the blood flow which brings oxygen to your heart muscles gets cut off, causing damage to the heart muscles. Commonly confused, heart attack is not the same as cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating suddenly and is most likely an electrical problem of the heart.

According to the American Heart Association, about every 40 seconds someone in the United States suffers from a heart attack. Learning that you have coronary artery disease or a heart attack can be scary or overwhelming. But understand that everyone’s situation is different, and many people can live a full productive life after an event. With proper treatment and lifestyle changes, further damage can be prevented or limited after a heart attack.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

• Pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest, especially with exertion or activities, or at rest
• Pain or discomfort in other parts of the upper body, shoulders, arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea, vomiting, burping, or heartburn.
• Cold, clammy skin
• Fast or uneven heartbeat
• Feeling dizzy

It is important to understand that a heart attack symptom is not always as we typically see in the movies where a man clutches his heart and collapses. It can be subtle and confusing, especially in women, where you can mistake this as “acid reflux” or “flu” or sometimes even “normal aging”. Please note that heart disease is the No. 1 killer among women in the United States, according to the American Heart Association.

It is particularly important to understand that chest pain does not always mean heart attack, but it is important to see a health care professional right away if you experience any of the above symptoms.

What puts you at risk for a heart attack?

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• High cholesterol, more specifically high LDL, low HDL

Your risk is even higher if you:

• Smoke or vape
• Eat a diet that is high in red meat, sugar, and fats, low in fruits and vegetables
• Do not get regular physical activity
• Obesity
• High stress levels
• Have a parent or sibling with heart disease
• South Asian ethnicity (yes, that is all of us!)

What can you do to lower your risk?

• Quit smoking/vaping
• Eat a healthy diet and maintain healthy body weight
• Limit alcohol intake
• Regular activity – Aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (such as jogging), or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week. It is also good to include moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weight training) at least twice a week
• Find ways to manage stress – yoga, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises
• Take prescribed medicines as recommended by your doctor
• Healthy sleep habits – adults should aim at 7-9 hours a day

What is considered a heart healthy diet?

The specific amount of each food type that you should eat depends on your age, weight, and sex. But your eating pattern or the types of food in your diet is important.

• Grains: Try to eat whole-grain, high fiber foods each day – brown rice, whole grain breads, cereals.
• Fruits and vegetables: Try to eat 4 to 5 servings each day; include as many kinds or colors. If possible, eat fresh. If canned fruits or vegetables are your only option, check the labels and look for products without added sugars or salt.
• Dairy: Try to have 3 to 4 servings each day.
• Protein: Low fat or lean meat that are baked or broiled, like chicken and turkey without skin. Include oily fish twice a week (tuna, salmon, mackerel). Dried peas, beans and lentils are also rich in protein and fiber.
• Fats: healthy fats are monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats – found in olive oil, canola oil, and sesame oil, they are also found in nuts, seeds, avocados. and nut butters.
• Salt and condiments: Always include low-sodium or salt free broths, soups, soy sauce, or condiments.
• Sweets: Avoid in general. Choose low-fat products with no trans fat.

What should you avoid in a heart healthy diet?

• Grains: salted breads, rolls, crackers, quick breads, self-rising flours, biscuit mixes, regular breadcrumbs, instant hot cereals, commercially prepared rice, pasta, and stuffings.
• Fruits and vegetables: prepackaged, regular canned, frozen vegetables with sauce, pickled vegetables, with added sugar or salt
• Dairy: malted milk, buttermilk, chocolate milk.
• Meat products: smoked, cured, salted, or canned.
• Fats: unhealthy fats – saturated fats and trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils, egg yolks, butter, cheese, fried foods, margarine, baked goods likes cookies or cakes).
• Condiments and snacks: salted and canned peas, beans and olives. Miso, salsa, ketchup, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce are all high in salt.
• Sweets: baked goods in general, artificial sweeteners, fruit juices, soda, and other sweetened drinks.

“Try not to shop when you are hungry!”

A Comparative Primer on the Films of Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak – Part 1 – Sandeep Ravindranath

(Sandeep Ravindranath is a student of the audiovisual arts. He has served as a live sound engineer for such acts as Chitravina Ravi Kiran, Nagai Muralidharan, The Carnatica Brothers, Ustad Shahed Pervez Khan and Steve Gorn among others. As an on-location sound recordist, his work on the Lebanese film What Remains was shortlisted for the Student BAFTA in 2018. He holds a Master’s degree in Music Technology from New York University and was a programmer analyst for Sony Music in Manhattan.

His directorial venture The Bookshelf dealt with the subject of growing intolerance in India and was commissioned by Perumal Murugan’s Kalachuvadu and Indira Chandrasekhar’s Tulika. In 2016, Sandeep was offered a full scholarship in the direction program at Columbia College Chicago where his thesis film Diary of an Outsider received Jury invitation from the Directors Guild of America to its Student Awards. To date, his shorts Lullaby, The Bookshelf, Santhana Gopala, Diary of an Outsider and Sub Brothers have screened at over 120 film festivals in 21 countries winning numerous awards along the way. His latest short, Anthem for Kashmir, launched by Anand Patwardhan and T.M. Krishna was censored by the right wing government of India.

Sandeep lives in Dublin, Ohio.)

Mrinal Sen recounts in an interview, his first meeting with Ritwik Ghatak at an Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) gathering – a lanky young man almost his age was reading out his new play with great passion. IPTA, the cultural arm of the Communist Party of India that nurtured many major literary, artistic and theatrical talents of the age would once again sow the seeds that birthed two giants, in an entirely new medium this time – cinema.

That first encounter turned into the frequent meetings at the Paradise Cafe – a cheap tea-shop in South Calcutta where budding filmmakers – young, unemployed and desperate, gathered to discuss films for hours together. It was during these sessions that Sen decided to become a filmmaker, crediting this momentous decision to both the ambiance of the cafe and the infectious enthusiasm of Ghatak. Today, both Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak are iconic names in the annals of Indian Cinema – their names etched along with that of another Bengali auteur Satyajit Ray. They were pioneers who changed the course of Indian Cinema, leaving behind the commercial, spectacle and glamour driven movie-making of Bombay in favour of a new kind of filmmaking that treated cinema as the art form that it is, using the medium to focus on social and political issues – the partition, famine, caste and poverty, communalism, the position of women, the anguish of the educated unemployed, dissent and so on. They would go on to inspire filmmakers in other regional languages to walk their path, thereby firmly establishing the culture of the Parallel Cinema of India.

Common Roots

Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak’s common roots go further back than the meetings at the Paradise Cafe or the IPTA. They were both from villages that became East Pakistan in 1947 (now Bangladesh) and moved to Calcutta during their formative years in an undivided Bengal. These socio-political realities of their time would find its way into their filmmaking – if it was the partition for Ritwik Ghatak, it would be famine for Mrinal Sen. Ghatak’s cinematic world would be a world of exiles where dwell the homeless, the rootless and the child separated from the mother – films peopled with characters who have been driven from their homes, forced to draw sustenance from the vitiated atmosphere of the cities. For Sen, while the physical aspect of famine finds a backdrop in three of his films, it is the ideas associated with famine – poverty, hunger, inequality, and injustice caused by human greed and exploitation that find voice in his narratives. The cinematic medium for Ghatak was the weapon that gave vent to his passionate unrest and for Sen, it was a window through which his keen glance penetrated his surroundings with compassion, humor and sometimes rage.

Early Films

Ritwik Ghatak was the first to reach the milestone of completing a feature film. His first feature, Nagarik (Citizen, 1952) was completed three years before Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali but was released only in 1977, a year after Ghatak’s death. Ray once said that, had Nagarik been released before his Pather Panchali, Nagarik would have been accepted as the first film of the alternative form of Bengali cinema. The story of a lower middle-class family which by force of circumstance, finds itself declassed through poverty, Nagarik makes a political statement that remains valid even today – in a city teeming with people, the common man, the citizen, who will never win and yet, refuses to admit defeat. Amidst the squalor and degeneration of city life, Nagarik’s hero emerges with hope. The repeated blows of fortune, the path of despair from the tenement to the slums, cannot kill his spirit – the young, unemployed hero will continue to fight for his right to live. Nagarik was shot on a shoestring budget, with a cast entirely unused to the film medium and skeletal facilities buoyed up on primitive equipment. The technical deficiencies notwithstanding, Nagarik reveals the unmistakable signs of an emerging style and the unique sensibility that permeates Ghatak’s later films. Ghatak even managed to pay tribute to that little cafe that played an unforgettable role in the development of Indian cinema – the tea-shop that the hero visits after his failed job interview is, the Paradise Cafe.

The melodramatic style which Ghatak imbibed during his years as a playwright, actor, and director in IPTA is channeled into his film oeuvre starting with Nagarik. The variety of both indigenous and foreign theatrical styles that IPTA incorporated, such as the Bengali folk form, Jatra, and Brecht’s “epic” form greatly contributed to the theatrical shape of his melodramatic style. Ghatak’s melodrama in the Brechtian sense detached the audience from the action of the narrative; instead of a willingly “suspended disbelief” caused by an emotional investment in the hero’s journey and his fate, the audience was now prompted to produce a critical, objective response to the socio-political commentary that Ghatak was making. The frequent use of wide angle lens, placement of the camera at very high, low and irregular angles, dramatic lighting composition, expressionistic acting style and experimentation with songs and sound effects, carry on through his entire body of work.

Mrinal Sen’s first film Raat Bhore (Dawn at the end of the Night, 1955) meanwhile, turned out to be such a disaster that he once referred to the experience as “that feeling of disgust which envelopes a man after his first visit to a brothel.” His second film Neel Akasher Neechey (Under the Blue Sky, 1959) was laced with subtle political undertones and had a good run at the box office but Sen in retrospect found it unbearably sentimental and technically shoddy. It was with his third film Baishey Sravan (The 22nd Day of Sravan, 1960), that Mrinal Sen really came into his own. An exploration of a personal predicament that grows out of a larger tragedy outside the boundaries of the home, Baishey Sravan, was the story of a middle-aged village hawker and the disintegration of his relationship with his young bride in the context of the Bengal famine of 1943. Sen had witnessed firsthand the ravages of the famine in which he saw people dying in their hundreds on the streets of Calcutta – walking skeletons begging for a mouthful of rice before succumbing to their horrible fates . An estimated 3 to 4 million Bengalis perished in that famine caused by the Second World War and crop failures, and compounded by the callous colonial administration and its racist masters in London.

After the first half of the film is spent on a truly idyllic portrayal of the couple, the famine enters silently. There is not a single shot that represents the famine physically – there are no starving people begging for food, there are no vultures and jackals fighting over carcasses and there are no emaciated babies fiercely sucking the breast of its dead mother. The context of the war and the impending calamity is set up with a shot of a passing convoy, the sounds of an airplane and a very long shot of the villagers moving to the city in search of food. As the cry for food becomes louder and louder outside, Sen keeps his camera fixed indoors where the couple, like two animals in a cage, fight each other as poverty and starvation break down the last vestiges of their humanity.

Ghatak’s second film Ajantrik (The Pathetic Fallacy or The Unmechanical, 1958) had a theme that was startlingly new for Indian cinema at the time – it was among the earliest films in India that showcased an inanimate object – a car, as a major character. The story is about a taxi-driver Bimal and his undying love for his battered old jalopy whom he fondly refers to by a human name, Jagaddhal – a run down, 1920’s Chevrolet that is literally falling apart at the seams. Ghatak humanises the car with a comic treatment – headlights that move of its own volition, and the sense of brotherly affection between Bimal and the car with a number plate that reads “BRO 117”. The dialog Bimal establishes with the car – Jagaddhal never “catches colds” or “gets tummy aches” further highlights the humanising aspect of their attachment. Ghatak’s innovative use of sound design that was way ahead of its time further accentuates this anthropomorphising – while Bimal pours water into the car’s radiator, a gulping sound accompanies the action in the soundtrack. Towards the end of the film, as Jagaddhal is dying in spite of the replacement of its parts and the extensive work done on it, a metallic grinding sound becomes louder and louder indicating Jagaddhal’s “sickness”. While there is still some theatricality, unlike his other films, Ghatak has toned down his use of melodrama in Ajantrik in favor of a comedic-drama form. He still retains some symbolism, for instance in the shot where Jagaddhal is being dragged away by scrap-collectors, the frame is composed through the crosses in the cemetery next to which Bimal lives.

As Ghatak’s concerns over modernism and its discontents are well known, Ajantrik could be read as a cautionary tale about man’s obsession with technology in an increasingly material and urban world. While in an article , Ghatak refers to the film as “the story of a crazy man”, and says that “only silly people can identify themselves with a man who believes that that God-forsaken car has life”, the affectionate portrayal of Bimal and his companion in the film certainly does not betray this seemingly condescending tone. In fact, Bimal might well be an extension of Ghatak himself who as an innovative filmmaker, broke all kinds of cinematic rules and regulations. Like Bimal he resisted the fashions of his day, eventually paying the price with an isolation rewarded by a personal vision that goes against the grain. Ajantrik could also have inspired Satyajit Ray to make Abhijaan (The Expedition, 1962) four years later, which had a similar theme of a taxi-driver and his fondness for his car but that film ends on a happier note. This could explain why Abhijaan was one of Ray’s biggest ever successes at the Bengali box-office, while as Ghatak himself recalled, Ajantrik “grossed exactly nothing.”

References

1. Mukerjee, Madhusree. Churchill’s Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India During World War II. New York: Basic Books, 2010. Print.
2. Simha, Rakesh K. “Remembering India’s forgotten holocaust.” Tehelka.com. Tehelka, 13 June 2014. Web. 21 March 2017.
3. Ghatak, Ritwik K. “Some Thoughts About Ajantrik.” Cinema and I. Ed. Avik Banerjee. Calcutta: Dhyanbindu, 2015. Print.

Know your EC team – Shyam Mohan (2024 Joint Secretary)

“You are what you Think!” Let me begin my story with this. Something that I realized from the early stages of my life. Something that I’d like to pass on to COMA youth as well. Thoughts lead to Emotions, Emotions lead to Actions, and Actions lead to Outcomes! So in a way you create your own story/future/destiny!

My name is Shyam Mohan Ganesh-bhavan Neena. An ardent Kerala-loving, Malayalam-loving person born in the Malabarian coast of Kerala – Kozhikode. I’m sure at least some of you would have read the name twice and thought ‘what’s the deal with his name!”. Like the long name, the story behind it is also long! Overall people take me as a simple person, but I am also a person who understands Lena (Multiverse! :D) So I can be interesting too 🙂

Born to middle class central-government employee parents, inter-state transfer and school hopping were a normal part of my life. After spending my toddler days in Bangalore, pre-school days in Kannur, and elementary school days in Vishakapattanam (AP), we finally ended up in the land of Anathapadmanabha – Thiruvananthapuram, where I finished my schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom and Computer Engineering from College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET).

If asked for a nostalgic moment from my childhood, the memories are not complete without mentioning the load-shedding nights (power-cut) we used to have back in the day, where me and my family used to go to the terrace and lie down facing the sky, our faces lit by the diamonds in the sky. My father was a Meteorologist (Weather Forecaster). Sky watching was his job but he did make sure some of that occupational wisdom was passed on to us. To this day, when I look at the night sky, I can spot many of the constellations or read a few cloud patterns to predict if it’ll rain the following day or not. Well.. almost 🙂 He also taught me to occasionally zoom out and realize that we are nothing but an insignificant cosmic dust in this infinite universe and to be humbled by our mere existence in the grand scheme of the cosmos.

I’ve always believed hobbies are food for the soul. Besides the common hobbies of a 80/90’s kid, like playing street cricket, stamp collection, playing RoadRash etc., I also picked up some new hobbies as an adult – photography, drawing, and cooking. Being a passionate nature lover and growing up in the lap of our God’s Own Country, the urge to pickup photography was inevitable. Starting with my first camera (now vintage), a Minolta 35mm, I slowly moved on to a Nikon DSLR, and I now own a SONY Alpha Mirrorless.

Among all my hobbies, drawing is the one that is most fulfilling, where I lose track of time and feel recharged thereafter. Being a foodie and born in a place that I think is a food destination of our vibrant diverse state, many of the favorite moments of my early life were in the kitchen with my dad, or relatives, or with my grandmother. I picked up cooking during my bachelor days and continue to do it whenever I get time.

Having been born in northern Kerala and having lived mostly in southern Kerala, I had visited most of the districts in Kerala by the time I was of prime age, but the central district of Palakkad had always eluded me. I finally ended up marrying my wife from Palakkad, a place that I visited for the first time in my life on the day I met her. Falling in love with everything I saw that day, rest is history 😉 Well, here we are – a family of four with our two beautiful children, Eva and Milan. Apart from our priceless family time at home, our favorite family destinations include Munnar, Colorado, and the Caribbeans.

After coming to the United States 15 years ago, and having travelled or worked in 30+ states, I finally chose our dear-old Ohio to settle in! They say Home is where you find peace. Ohio is our second home (after Kerala) and this is where we want to come back to, always. Be it the four seasons, the food, good education for children, or the welcoming “Mallus”, I believe there is something for everyone here – in the humble view of a simple guy like me 🙂 And honestly, COMA feels nothing short of an extension of our own kin and clan!

Warm regards!

Shyam