Mala Dhawan and her sister, Sonia set up the nonprofit trust in 2010. They only showcase products that are made by hand – right now there are about 40 members in the collective. Urban and rural artists, as well as those from the hilly regions will be represented at the crafts bazaar. You’ll find anything from beeswax lip balm and silk sarees to household linen and carpets here.

The four I’s that are pillars of the organisation are:

Innovate: Evolve and reinvent products, designs, mediums and experiences

Interact: Participate! Encourage young people to develop a love of working with their hands and older ones to develop or reignite a hobby.

Inform: Build sensitivity and appreciation not only for the end result of handmade work but also the process and effort involved.

Include: Transcend social and economic barriers to build a community of artists and like-minded individuals. 

Besides Mala Dhawan and Sonia, A Hundred Hands has others, too, as founders and advisory board members. Bindia Thapar an architect by training and an illustrator by choice. Prem Subramaniam has worked in the fields of Engineering, Tourism and CSR. Melissa Arulappan is interested in and good at baking, cooking, and is a public relations consultant. Pankaj Wadhwa is a successful entrepreneur

The handmade products are sold via community bazaars, workshops, volunteer programmes and corporate tie-ups.

The competition will be based on three themes – the big kite, the best humanitarian message kite and the best innovative kite. There’s no age limit for the competitions. The winners will get prizes, certificates and membership in the Team Kerala Kite (Club) promoted by KLF. Kite Life Foundation is an NGO promoted by a group of kite flyers. KLF conducts workshops for students and offers new dimensions in kite making.

For details and to register, log on to www.kitelifefoundation.org or call 9895455115/9847328146.

There will be many original and hybrid varieties of plants from all over the world. Nurseries, farming societies, farmers, buyers and general public are welcome. After 2006, the venue for the flower show was moved from Subhash Park, Park Avenue Road, to Ernakulathappan Ground.

Tourism Minister Anil Kumar will be the chief guest at the event. The seminar aims to look at discussing direct and public-private partnership (PPP) model investments from non-resident Keralites in tourism projects.

For The Groupie: Go On A Bus Tour

Bus tours for groups take you around Cochin to visit at least five to six major tourist spots. Most travel agencies also arrange for a guide to travel with you; that makes life so much simpler!

For The Adventurous: Hitchhike

Although this isn’t a very safe option for women, if you’re adventurous enough you can try it. Grab a map and hitch a ride on a motor cycle or car on the road. If your companion has time, then he or she will take you around to see the churches, temples and famous Chinese Fishing Nets.

For The Water-lover: Hire a boat

As there’s a lot to see in and around the city of Cochin, especially Fort Cochin and Kumbalanghi, hiring a boat or a ferry ride are good options. A country boat or a pedal-boat in the lagoons is the best way to watch village life close at hand.

For The History-Lover: Take A History Tour

With big names such as Dutch Palace, Hill Palace and Archaeological Museum, Kerala Folklore Museum, Indo-Portuguese Museum and Kerala History Museum, you will have plenty on your hands if you wanna know about the history of Cochin and Kerala. Learn about the state’s and city’s demographic landscape, ancient history, lifestyle and other details at these museums. Some of them also have light and sound shows and special movie screenings.

For The Strong Legs: Engage Yourself In A Walking Tour

Fort Cochin and nearby areas can be visited on a walking tour. The streets are fairly wide and neatly-decorated. Shopkeepers on either side will beckon you to their shops. So will the small restaurant owners! A walking tour keeps you updated on the details and helps you to maintain your fitness as well.

For The Eco-Conscious: Hire A Bicycle

If you are bothered about the carbon footprint that you’re likely to leave behind when you go about in a vehicle, then choose a sturdy bicycle and cycle away! The streets are cycle-friendly and you can watch life going on, from a very close distance.

The show is on from February 10 and goes on till the 16^th, at the Siva Temple Ground in Cochin. Guests to the show can see flowers and plants from countries across the planet as well from all over India. There will be flowering plants, medicinal ones, bonsai, decorative plants, seeds, and more will be sold.

One of the main attractions is a 500-foot artifact based on ‘Flowers and Egyptian Mythology’, which will enthrall visitors with beautiful sculptures. You can try your hand at flower arrangements, too – there are competitions for kids and adults on February 11 and 12. Plus, there’s gonna be cultural and entertainment events every evening at the show.

Like last year, this time’s IFFK will conduct competitions for films produced or co-produced in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Other categories are world cinema, documentaries (in film formats), short fiction (in film formats), retrospectives, homages and tributes. There are many prizes and attractive cash awards to be own.

The event will start at 6.30p.m., but the grooming sessions had already started on the third of this month. The ladies will be guided by Mr Arun Ratna of Fashion Runway, Mr Sameer Khan of the Elite Model management, Ms Valentina Mishra of Valen’s Model Management, Mr Jayagopal and Mr Jaison Paulson of Jaison Fitness First.

The judges are former Miss India and actress Ms Swetha Vijay, Tamil actress Ms Aditi Chibber, Telugu Actor Mr Kaushal Prasad, model Ms Simer Mottiani, model groomer Mr Manish Khullar, media personality Mr Vijay Babu, fashion Designer Mr Sajimon Parayil and media personality Mrs Thoshma Biju

The winner of Hairomax Miss South India 2010 will be presented a gold-plated crown designed by Mrs and Mr Prakashan Parakkat. She will also get Rs one lakh. Other titles of the day will be Miss Beautiful Hair, Miss Beautiful Smile, Miss Beautiful Skin, Miss Beautiful Face, Miss Beautiful Eyes, Miss Congeniality, Miss Cat Walk, Miss Perfect 10, Miss Talented and Miss Photogenic.

This four-day event will have in attendance 551 international and 1621 domestic buyers. People from 54 countries will be taking part in it. The highest number of buyers is from the UK. Several ministers, tourism directors and other important people will add glamour to the event.

The island, which also has an international marina, will invite many tourists and travellers to the state. All around Kochi there will be celebrations and revelries. It is the country sole marina! Here, visitors will be received in houseboats and luxury yachts anchored at the marina.

Attendees will also get to watch a promotional film on Kerala Tourism during the inaugural function, which was premiered in London’s Saatchi Gallery. Today, the 24^th, witnessed many business sessions of the Mart. Everything from houseboats and cruises to resorts and facilities will be discussed here in the next two days. There will be travel agents, airlines, event managers, tour operators, travel writers, media personnel and other who will benefit from Kerala’s tourism industry.

In the next two days there’s going to be a lot of programs – cultural, art-related and ethnic. Gear up!

A four-day seminar, ‘Beyond conflict to Reconciliation: The Challenge of the 21st Century’ will be conducted at the Catholic Renewal Centre. Is it organised by the International Association for Religious Freedom. His Highness Dalai Lama will deliver the inaugural lecture there, which will be attended by social and religious leaders, human rights activists, social activists and about 600 peacemakers from all over the world.

Dalai Lama will also address a private function of the Friends of Tibet and them. This will be a great opportunity for Tibetans and sympathizers of their cause a chance to meet with and discuss various issues with the world-famous leader.

The ‘slide’ Bible will be a major attraction. Made by R&D dept of NCR Corporation at Dayton, Ohio of USA, the slide Bible contains all 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, but the font size of the letters are so teeny that you need a microscope to read them! On one slide you can read 1245 pages of the holy book!

The event, which will start on the September 2, is organised by Asia’s largest publishing house for biblical books, OM Books. Their head office is located in Secunderabad. At the book fair, besides varieties of Bibles, you can also peruse through and buy over 15,000 books, Christian music products, novels, theological resources, gifts and accessories.

The event, organised by Impressario Events Ltd, sponsors many charities across the state. This year’s is called ‘Save a Girl Child’ mission. The winner will be working for it, too.

Inconsistent smallish showers have been teasing us for a while now. Each state across India is vying for the Hottest-State-Where-Most-People-Die-Of-Heat Award. But, be of good cheer. We’ve spotted the actual South-West Monsoon in the Andaman Islands. Yay!!!

Now, isn’t that good news? Of course. Hoping that the showers will bless Kerala by the end of the month, wait all of us. Eager to be relieved of the sun’s burning heat and to relish the cool rainy days.

Monsoon tourism will get a boost, too. Tourism agents, houseboat operators, homestay and hotel owners, restaurants, and just about everyone depending on tourists are awaiting the golden showers.

This Ornamental Fish & Accessories Exhibition and Trade Fair is being organised by the Department of Fisheries, Government of Kerala, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. It will be a great chance for exhibiting and marketing fish, fish-related products and accessories.

There will be competitions for ornamental fish, on features such as breeding, innovative practices, technology and display, for breeders, amateurs and traders. You can also check out the exclusive pavilion for imported aquariums. Prizes will be given away during the show, with highlights on cultural and art performances during and after the prizes distribution.

This aqua show will benefit manufacturers and distributors of aquarium, aquarium accessories and related products. Those dealing in fish medicines, drugs, treatment chemicals, fish food, fishery products, publishers of fisheries-related literature, and exporters of ornamental fish will be able to promote their business as well as interact with government bodies and the public.

Source: www.aquashowkerala.com

Check out: http://www.hotelsthekkady.com/2010/01/thekkady-lake-alive-with-tourist-boats/

The Fashion Expo 2009, scheduled for Dec. 18-20, 2009, will be hosted at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Kochi, by Admakers Expo Company, a city-based event management concern that has 10 years experience in the field.

Fashion shows, product launches, seminars and fashion competitions have been planned for this three-day event. The functions across the days will benefit professionals from individuals and sectors such as textile, silk, ethnic fabrics, fashion designers and publications, leather garments, fashion accessories and equipment.

Exhibitors come from from fields such as textiles, jewellery, diamond, wedding collections, interior products and materials, glassware, household appliances, leather items and various apparels and accessories,

We checked out the place. It’s comfy, easily accessible, and away from the din of the city but still rocking. And there’s two floors of it. Lots and lots of tables and corners to choose from…!

The service is damn quick, menu has been improved and the lighting and seating is just right. The non-chair seats are not cushioned, though. That’s a small dampener. For the veggies, there’s quite a bit to choose from. Kids have gameboxes to order – the chicken comes with it. The 12-buck softy is too good to pass.

Their feedback form is absolutely revamped – different from the usual ‘tick the correct box’ types, and is a two fold, colourfully-worded one.

If you haven’t been to the KFC outlet in Cochin yet, shame on you. Go ahead and learn your lickonomics of the day. We’re sure you will go back for more!

Kids hang their X’mas stocking for Santa’s gifts. Mothers go shopping for clothes, cakes, wine, and all kinds of knick-knacks suitable for X’mas. Men bring out the X’mas tree and start decorating it. All in all, it is a time for cheer and merrymaking.

There was a time when, as kids, we used to bring home the topmost part of a coniferous tree and put it up in front of our homes with colour papers and stars on it. But now we see plastic trees that come in all sizes and shapes; some even with the names of people’s favourite movie stars on them!!

Several shops in the city have started stocking up ‘X’mas stuff’. A few boutiques have put up sale boards – you can buy anything from colourful candles and tree decorations to X’mas-themed linen here. Bakeries and hotels stack rows and rows of X’mas cakes – plain plum ones to rich, rum-soaked, dry fruit special ones.

The majority of the shopping in Cochin is concentrated on Broadway, behind Menaka Junction, and in supermarkets across the city. And, don’t forget that a lot of shops announce an ‘end of the year sale’, too. Here, you can shop for non-X’mas things as well.

Pick up your shopping bag and grab the best this X’mas.

Parikrama has chosen 11-year-old band Evergreen, a Kochi-based one, to perform with them. Rock on, Kochiites!!