Raksha Bandhan, A Famous Hindu Festival Celebrating The Brother-Sister Love

The relationship between a brother and a sister is special and beyond definition. The bond between the brother and sister is remarkable and valued in every part of the world.
In  India, the connection is all the more significant and special as sibling relationship is celebrated over Raksha Bandhan, a festival devoted to the brother and sister love.

It is a popular Hindu festival held in India and Nepal to symbolise the love between a brother and a sister.
The occasion of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day.
The festival is made up of two words, Raksha and Bandhan. According to Sanskrit terminology, the occasion implies a bond or defence node where Raksha stands for defence and Bandhan stands for the verb to bind.
Together, the festival symbolises the everlasting bond of the brother-sister relationship, which is not merely based on blood relationship. It is also celebrated among brothers, sisters and sisters-in-law, nephews, and other similar ties.

The festival is mostly practiced by the Hindus in the northern and western regions of India, along with countries such as Nepal, Pakistan, and Mauritius. The occasion is often respected by the Jain religion, where Jain priests offer ritual threads to the devotees. Sikhs celebrate this festival dedicated to the brother-sister bonding observed as Rakhardi or Rakhari.
History of Raksha Bandhan
The Raksha Bandhan festival is considered to have begun centuries ago, and there are many legends linked to the celebration of this special festival. Some of the different accounts linked to Hindu mythology are listed below:
Indra Dev and Shachi
According to the ancient myth of Bhavishya Purana, there was once a violent war between gods and demons. Lord Indra-the supreme god of the wind who battled the war on the sides of the gods had a strong resistance from the mighty demon king, Bali. The conflict has been going on for a long time and has not come to a definitive end.
Seeing this, Indra’s wife, Shachi went to Lord Vishnu, who gave her a holy bracelet made of cotton thread.  Shachi wrapped the holy thread around her husband’s arm, Lord Indra, who eventually conquered the demons and retrieved Amaravati, a sacred city in Hindu mythology. The earlier description of the festival identified these holy threads as amulets used by women for prayer, bound to their husbands when they left for battle. Unlike, the present times, those holy threads were not limited to brother-sister relationships.
King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi
As per the account of Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana, when Lord Vishnu conquered the three worlds of the demon king Bali, he ordered the demon king to stay in the palace beside him. The Lord acknowledged the plea and started to stay with the king of the devil. However, Goddess Lakshmi, the queen of Lord Vishnu, decided to move to his native town of Vaikuntha.
She wrapped the rakhi around the arm of the demon lord, Bali, and proclaimed him a brother. Regarding the return present, Goddess Lakshmi requested Bali to release her husband from the pledge and allow him to return to Vaikuntha. Bali acknowledged the proposal and Lord Vishnu returned to his position with his beloved, Goddess Lakshmi.
Santoshi Maa
It is said that the two sons of Lord Ganesha, Shubha and Labha, were disappointed because they had no sister. They asked for a sister from their father who finally obliged through the intervention of saint Narada. That is how Lord Ganesha, through divine fire, produced Santoshi Maa, and the two sons of Lord Ganesha finally had their wish granted, symbolising Raksha Bandhan.
Krishna and Draupadi
Based on the account of Mahabharat, Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas, bound the rakhi to Lord Krishna while Kunti bound the rakhi to Abhimanyu’s grandson before the epic war.
Yama and Yamuna
Another myth states after the death of God, Yama did not see his sister Yamuna for 12 years, which in the end was very painful. Upon Ganga’s recommendation, Yama went to visit his sister Yamuna, who was pleased. This satisfied Yama who asked Yamuna for a present.
She shared an urge to continuously see her brother. Hearing that, Yama made his child, Yamuna, beautiful, so that he could see his sister through his daughter again and again. This mythological account forms the foundation of a festival named hai Dooj, which is often focused on the friendship between a brother and sister.
The Raksha Bandhan festival is used as a sign of duty between brothers and sisters.
The event is intended to honour some sort of brother-sister relationship between men and women who may not be biologically linked.

On this day, a sister wraps a rakhi around her brother’s wrist to pray for his wealth, safety, and well-being. Besides, the brother presents gifts and vows to shield his sister from bad omens. The festival is often celebrated for brothers and sisters belonging to distant family members, relatives, or cousins.
This year Raksha Bandhan is observed on Monday, August 3 2020!

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Filed Under bondbrother-sisterRaksha Bandhanrelationship


Madhuri Dixit & Alia Bhatt Dance-Off To Shreya Goshal’s ‘Ghar More Pardesiya’

Madhuri Dixit is the undefeated dance queen of Bollywood.

And we have been waiting for a dance sequence from the queen for too many years. And finally we have it! The makers of Kalank unveiled the song ‘Ghar More Pardesiya’  a few days ago and this song is a beautiful jugalbandi between Madhuri Dixit and Alia Bhatt.

Bahar Begum (Madhuri) and Roop (Alia) leave us in awe in a Kathak dance-off. The last we saw such a magical jugalbandi was when Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra’s Pinga in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani.
Ghar More Pardesiya is written by Amitabh Bhattacharya and composed by Pritam. The song is set against the background of the Ramayan festival on the streets of Hira Mandi in Husnabad with moves choreographed by Remo D’Souza.
The thousands of comments underneath the Youtube video that garnered over 20 million views in 2 days was sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Vaishali. Kalank will hit the theaters on April 17.
WATCH the dance sequence right here:

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Filed Under alia bhattGhar More PardesiyaKalankMadhuri Dixit


Malay & Chinese Aunties Impress Netizens With Their Proficiency In Tamil

This video has certainly made our day!
Malaysia is a melting pot, with people who are speaking a number of languages in close proximity. Many of us are multilingual, but there are also those who can speak many languages in addition to their native speech.
Recently, a video surfaced online featuring a Malay and Chinese lady speaking fluent Tamil which has since gone viral on TikTok and other social media platforms. The video which was posted four days ago has been flooded with many praising both ladies for being fluent and wanting more videos of them speaking in Tamil.
The video on TikTok carried a meaningful caption ; “To celebrate Diwali, here’s a video of my mum (a Malay) and a Chinese auntie that she met at Turkey airport speaking in Tamil.”
Watch the full video here:

 @ainahaseyoo
Selamat hari deepavali semua! #deepavali #deepavali2021 #diwali #malaysia
 ♬ original sound – Aina Afiqah – Aina Afiqah

The video has garnered more than 822.7K views with 78.6K likes. Aina Afiqah, the daughter of the Malay aunty has mentioned that they had seen a group of Chinese aunties at the check-in lane at the airport.
“It’s actually a short video of a throwback from our October 2018 trip to Turkey. We lost our passports, hence my mom and I were left on our own at Turkey’s airport.”
Additionally, World of Buzz stated that her mother mastered the Tamil language during her childhood as she was raised in an estate area filled with multi-racial families. The video has certainly showed us the solidarity and unity among our fellow Malaysians.
You don’t have to look far to find our locals being shining examples. Their video is enough to leave a smile on our faces.
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Filed Under Aina AfiqahDiwali specialMalay & Chinese AuntiesOld school friendTamil language


Chennai Enforces Lockdown Once Again Due To Spike In Covid-19 Cases

A lockdown will be reimposed on some 15 million people in the Indian city of Chennai and several neighboring districts, state officials said, as Covid-19 cases surge in the region.
“Full Lockdown from 19th June for Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpet & Kanchipuram districts,” the Tamil Nadu state government tweeted on Monday.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced a 12-day complete lockdown in Chennai and certain parts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts between June 19 and 30. #TNLockdown https://t.co/FXg8BO41KU
— The Hindu – Chennai (@THChennai) June 15, 2020

It will be in place until the end of June.
India has gradually lifted a nationwide lockdown over the past few weeks even as new infections continue rising.
News Credit: News Straits Times
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Filed Under chennailockdownReimpose


Astro Radio Celebrates National Day and 25th Anniversary With Listeners

In conjunction with National Day and its 25th anniversary, all Malaysians can look forward to an amazing and exceptional line-up on Astro Radio across all 11 radio brands on-air, on the SYOK app, website and on social media.

Kenny Ong, CEO of Astro Radio, said, “We wish to show our appreciation to our fans and listeners who have supported us in achieving this milestone of being 25. Our listeners can enjoy specially curated playlists of the best of 25 songs, listen to the stories of our many local talents from radio, TV and even cinema, and participate in fun challenges on social media and win prizes. We are honoured to continue to provide Malaysians with the best mix of content across all our radio brands and platforms and thank them for their incredible support in making us their number 1 radio choice.”

Curious to know what are those interesting shows lined-up awaiting you guys? Check this out:

Virtual 90-minute concert on RAAGA En Malaysia, Un Malaysia, Nam Malaysia, featuring local talents Santesh, Yunohoo, Havoc Mathan, Havoc Naven, Lockup Nathan, Amos Paul, and more, on 31 August from 6pm via Facebook Live.
24-Hour Non-Stop Malaysian Songs, featuring local favourites from 12am, on 31 August on RAAGA.
The Best Malaysian English Songs, counting down the top local English songs nominated and voted for by listeners on 16 September on HITZ.
Malaysian Pop Culture, for music through the decades and an opportunity to call in to discuss iconic Malaysians movies on 31 August on MIX.
64 Suara Merdeka, a playlist featuring 64 favourite local songs on 31 August, 3pm on SINAR.
64 Lagu Ore Kito, featuring local songs from the East Coast, on 31 August on GEGAR.
ZAYAN Talk Merdeka, a talk session with local celebrities and more, on 31 August on ZAYAN Facebook and Instagram.
Anugerah Hero ERA Sarawak, a contest to nominate listeners’ personal heroes, from 30 August on ERA Sarawak Facebook and Instagram.

Malaysians can also celebrate Astro Radio’s 25th anniversary with:

Specially curated music playlists such as:

RAAGA-vil Top 25 Hits!, for the best Kollywood and Malaysian hits from the 80’s to-date, hosted by Gheetha every Sunday, from 10am to 1pm on RAAGA.
Carta 25 Gemilang, featuring Top 25 songs from popular local reality shows ‘Akademi Fantasia’ and ‘Ceria Popstar’ from 3 September, every Friday at 9pm on SINAR.
Top 25 Nasyid playlist every Saturday and Sunday, from 28 August on ZAYAN.

Exclusive, insightful interviews with award-winning film directors, popular local celebrities and TV personalities including:

Astro news anchors, Siow Hui Mei and Gan Jiang Han as well as award-winning director Chiu Keng Guan (On Your Mark, Ola Bola, The Journey) in September on MELODY.
The winner of popular reality show ‘Akademi Fantasia’ Season 1, Vince Chong and Astro Arena Host and ‘Akademi Fantasia student’, Burn, on 31 August on GEGAR.
Participants of Astro Oasis’ Islamic programmes through a series of interviews on Jejak Iman Muda & Pencetus Ummah, available now on Monday to Friday, from 3 to 7pm on ZAYAN.
Amira Othman, Sufi Rashid, Aizat Amdan, Akim Ahmad, former students from popular reality show ‘Akademi Fantasia’ on the ERA YouTube channel and social media pages. Fans can also enjoy a video of the hilarious morning crew, JoHaRa Pagi ERA in Jaguh JoHaRa, competing in a virtual game of ‘Batu Seremban’ with local celebrities.

In addition to that, listeners can also look forward to a list of the Top 25 TV programmes on Astro via GOXUAN, every Thursday at 6pm, from 2 September, and fans can also participate in the TikTok challenge with MY radio announcers held later this year. Malaysians can also stand a chance to enjoy a tour of the HITZ, MIX and LITE radio studios while interacting with popular radio announcers from those brands.
For more information, follow Astro Radio brand websites and social pages.
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Filed Under Astro Radio listrenersGOXUANHITZLITEMIXNam MalaysiaNon-Stop Malaysian SongsRAAGA En MalaysiaSYOK appUn Malaysia


Savoring Food With Your Fingers Can Be Impressively Beneficial

Most traditional meals are meant to be consumed using your fingers and this custom is still very much part of the Indian and Malay culture. On top of that, it’s impressive that most of us continue to eat on the floor with banana leaves from time to time as a favourite tradition.
On the other hand, some people may think of it strange or unhygienic to see us eat with our hands on occasion by making comments like “You use your fingers to eat?“, but thanks to our ancestors, we were raised to practise cleanliness and hygiene when dining by washing our hands before and after meals.
Image credit: Mashed
The practise of eating with your hands is one that not only Indians but people from other cultures also do, but it seems to have fallen out of favour because so many restaurants and even households are stocked with utensils.
Therefore, it is now time for you to grasp a plethora of logic from this indigenous practise, which will astound you.
5 fingers – 5 elements
The custom of eating with your hands, specifically your fingers, has its roots in Ayurvedic teachings, which hold that our bodies work in harmony with Pancha Bhoota (the five elements of nature).
Image credit: Ayurveda Yoga
One of these five elements extends from each finger. The thumb stands for the space, the forefinger for air, the middle finger for fire, the ring finger for water, and the little finger for earth.
All of your fingers should be used together when eating with your hands, In addition to bringing awareness to the texture, flavour, aromas, and temperature of food, this pulls together all the aspects found in the goodness of nature.
Benefits of using your hands to eat
Promotes mindful eating
Using your hands to eat forces you to focus on what you are eating. By doing so, it might enable you to chew your meal thoroughly while also eating slowly, allowing you to feel satisfied even after consuming less food. On the plus side, it stops binge eating, which contributes to weight gain.
Improves digestion
When we touch our meal with our hands and unite our five fingers, the brain sends signals to our stomach indicating that we are ready to eat. This facilitates the stomach’s preparation for meals, which enhances digestion.
Image credit: Boldsky
Prevents instant burning
A temperature sensor is your hand. Unfortunately, you often burn your tongue when eating with silverware since you aren’t aware of how hot the food is. However, when you use your hands to contact food, the nerve endings on the tips of your fingers will sense the warmth and inform you so you can avoid hurting your tongue.
Improves blood circulation
Eating with your hands is healthy since it can be a great way to engage your muscles, which may therefore help to improve blood circulation. A better blood flow may be encouraged by the movement of the hand, which would benefit the body as a whole.
Now that you are aware of the perks of eating with your hands, we encourage you to do so often and wish you good health.
SOURCE: [1,2]
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Filed Under 5 elementsbenefiteating using handsfingerspancha bhoota


Former FIFA referee Jaswant Singh Sran Passes Away at 80

Former International Football Federation (FIFA) referee Jaswant Singh Sran passed away at a Covid-19 quarantine centre last night. The former deputy superintendent of police was 80.
According to his younger brother Dr Kalwant Singh, Jaswant was relocated to the quarantine centre after several residents of Wisma Tatt Khalsa, in Chow Kit, where he used to live, were found positive for Covid-19.
“We are still waiting for the autopsy report to find out the actual cause of death as the deceased was found to be negative in all three tests. Two tests were done before, while the last one was done this morning,” he told Bernama when contacted.
The former Bukit Aman police officer had been a referee for matches involving legends such as Soh Chin Aun and the late R Arumugam during the 1970s and 80s.
Jaswant was also the co-founder of the Kuala Lumpur Football Association (KLFA). He is survived by his daughter who is now living in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), expressed condolences to his family through a Facebook post.

On May 15th, reports emerged that two Indian tourists housed at a gurdwara complex in Kuala Lumpur on humanitarian grounds were sent to hospital for observation after testing positive for Covid-19.
The rest of the Indian passengers, who were stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) after India began cancelling in-coming flights in mid-March, tested negative and have been sent to a teacher training facility for a 14-day observation.
The passengers were part of the 73 people tested on 7 May at Wisma Tatt Khalsa, the complex adjoining to Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa, after the authorities placed the surrounding area under an enhanced movement control order (EMCO). This is done for locations with a high number of Covid-19 cases.
Related:  Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam Receives 'UniteHealth's COVID-19 Influencers Award'The Indian tourists were some of the 300-odd stranded passengers who were sent to Tatt Khalsa, Gurdwara Sahib Puchong and a number of other places to wait out until they could catch their return flights.
Source: Bernama, Asia Samachar
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Filed Under covid-19fifa refereeFootballgudwarajaswant singh sran


36 Areas In Klang Under CMCO, While 3 Routes Near Bukit Kuda Is Closed!

According to Malay Mail, three routes near Bukit Kuda were shut by the North Klang Police, due to the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in the Klang sub district, effective today (9th October 2020 until 23th October 2020).

North Klang District’s Police Chief, ACP Nurulhuda Mohd Salleh said that the roadblocks would be in front of Emy Cookies & Food premises and Simpang Lorong Lintang Raksa 2 in Jalan Bukit Kuda. She continued that three roads in Bukit Kuda which are; Lorong Perak, Jalan Raksa 3 and Jalan Raksa 4 will be respectively closed due to the high suspected cases in that specific region.
Nurulhuda then said, “Pangsapuri Bukit Kuda must first seek written permission from the police for the purpose of exiting or entering upon valid reason”.  Nevertheless,  a letter or special permit for entering or leaving other areas in North Klang’s district is not required as of now.
Source: Air Times News Network
Apart from Pangsapuri Bukit Kuda, here’s a list of 35 other areas in Klang that is presently under CMCO;

Bandar Bukit Tinggi
Kampung Johan Setia
Kampung Bukit Naga
Kampung Perigi Nenas
Kampung Kuantan
Kampung Serdang
Bandar Puteri
Kampung Sungai Kandis
Taman Sri Andalas
Lorong Sungai Udang
Taman Suria
Mutiara Bukit Raja
Bandar Klang
Ken Rimba Jimbaran
Pangsapuri Palm Garden
Taman Andalas Permai
Taman Desa Meru
Taman Seri Lembayung
Taman Gembira
Kampung Delek Kiri
Taman Kim Batu Belah
Kampung Sungai Udang
Taman Klang Perdana
Taman Bayu Perdana
Taman Klang Utama
Taman Sentosa
Taman Pendamar Indah
Jalan Dato Dagang
Taman Sejati
Jalan Haji Tarmizi
Taman Setia
Jalan Kebun
Taman Sri Muda
Jalan Muhibbah
Taman Tenaga Bakti

Nurulhuda urges the public to cooperate with the police during the CMCO and strictly adds that a compound will be imposed if there is non-compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP).
Source: BERNAMA
Besides, the Health Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that there had been 3 new clusters of COVID-19 cases identified including the “Bah Puchong” cluster, which covers Selangor’s Petaling district and four Perak districts; Larut, Matang, Selama and Kinta. However, the root of the clusters was inspected.

Selangor’s exco Member, Ng Sze Han clarified that there had been no significant COVID-19 outbreak in Puchong concerning the misunderstanding about the “Bah Puchong” cluster . It was named because of the return of someone in Puchong from Sabah.
For more detailed information or enquiries regarding the CMCO or the roadblocks, please contact the ‘Op Covid-19’ operations room at 03-3376 2400.
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Filed Under area to be under cmco in klangcmco in klangcovid cases in malaysiacovid updates in malaysiared zones in malaysia


COVID-19: New Cluster Identified Among Security Guards At Cheras Mall

The Health Ministry has identified a new cluster of positive Covid-19 cases among security guards at a mall in Cheras. A total of 10 positive cases have been detected so far. Of the 10, nine cases involved Nepalese while the other is a Malaysian.
The Health DG, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the cause of the cluster was still being investigated, and that all workers and close contacts had been screened.
He also said all the Nepalese were staying in the same place in Cheras. Other than the security guards, all the other workers of a supermarket in the mall were also screened.
So far, 436 people have been screened for Covid-19, with 10 testing positive, 347 testing negative and 79 still waiting for their results.
Stay tuned for more covid-19 updates!
News credit: The Star Malaysia
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Filed Under cherascovid-19Health DG Datuk Dr Noor Hisham AbdullahMalaysiamcopositive


Bala & Dhruv Vikram’s Varmaa Will Not Hit The Screens. Ever.

For the first time ever in Tamil cinema, a producer has announced that a finished film will not be released because the final version was not satisfactory. Bala’s Varmaa starring Dhruv Vikram will NOT be released.
Here’s what happened. Vikram roped in his good friend, director Bala, to launch his son Dhruv’s acting career. They intended to do so with the remake of Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy. E4 Entertainment was the production house that had the remake rights of the film. Bala then suggested that his own production house, B Studios would deliver the final version of the film to E4 Entertainment.
Bala and Dhruv Vikram
When the film was completed, Mukesh Ratilal Mehta, E4 Entertainment’s CEO, watched Varmaa and was flabbergasted at the poor quality of the film. The producer felt that Bala failed to retain the soul of the original version, and the director felt otherwise.
Insiders say that the producers had to make this drastic decision as the performance of the other actors in Varmaa were terrible, except for Dhruv. The running time of the film has also been reduced with many important scenes from the original version left out.
Also, before showing the final version of the film to E4 Entertainment, Bala released the trailer and teaser of Varmaa for public consumption.
These, among other issues led E4 Entertainment to make the drastic move to scrap Bala’s Varmaa, and reshoot the entire film.

In a press statement released E4 Entertainment said, “We, at E4 Entertainment, are not at all happy with the final version handed over to us and due to various creative and other differences, we have decided not to release this version. Instead, we will start afresh, and shoot a new version of ‘Arjun Reddy’ with Dhruv as the main lead staying true to the soul and intention of the original.”
Related:  Chiyaan Vikram Tweets An Intriguing Update About "Thangalaan"The press release went on to say, “Despite this unfortunate turn of events which cost us heavily, our love for wanting to see this cult film in Tamil has not diminished in any way. We will, therefore, work tirelessly as a new united team towards a June 2019 release.”

Bala’s Varmaa also starred Megha Chowdhury, Easwari Rao, Raiza Wilson and Akash Premkumar. The music was composed by Radhan.
When contacted by Behindwoods, the lead actress Megha Chowdury said “I’m completely unaware of this. Today is my birthday, and this information is news to me. I will talk to the concerned people soon.”
Sources are saying that Vikram is in the midst of talks with Bala and the producer. However, both parties appear to be adamant. Bala is confident with his version of Varmaa, and Mukesh is terribly unsatisfied with the final product.

Bala is a National Award winner, and has come up with movies like Pithamagan, Sethu and Paradesi. Bala’s Varmaa was scheduled to release on Valentines day. The details of the new cast and crew, apart from Dhruv, is yet to be released. The film is expected to hit the screens in June this year.
Was Bala doing Vikram a favour by making Dhruv outshine the other actors? Looks like it cost him the entire film.
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Filed Under BalaDhruvE4 EntertainmentMegha ChowdharyProducersRaiza WilsonReshootVarmaVikram


Sasikala Manogaran; Talented Homemaker Unleashes Amazing Artistic Talent

In recent times, the women in our society are definitely coming out of their comfort zones, soaring up the success ladder making remarkable achievements, earning a name for themselves in the society.
A very inspiring homemaker, who started of her passion has a doodle in class when she was small, has now started her own online business by creating beautiful hand-drawn painted portraits persuading her long time passion.

Sasikala Manogaran is a definite element of ingenuity by possessing such artistic talent, juggling motherhood and her passion with utmost flair!
Sasikala Manogaran
Aspired by her aunt, her inner passion in drawing was cultivated by watching her aunt draw during her childhood days. She then held the pencil by herself and started attempting her own portraits when she was in primary school.
Sasikala’s drawings were well embraced and appreciated by her teachers and her passion were encouraged and supported by them, leading her to explore her talent more.
Therefore, this constant uplifts from many eminent ladies in her life truly edified Sasikala to nurture and pursue her passion for drawing. However, as her motherhood began with the birth of her twins later in life, her passion was put to halt.
Sasikala Manogaran
Nevertheless, with continuous support and persuasion from her family, the mother of four now resumed her drawings again and even motivated her to start selling them online by making very creative portraits drawn with the resemblance of royal touch.
Sasikala Manogaran
We personally believe, women should never let any barrier come upon their dreams nor passion. No matter at what stage they are in their life, their efforts in developing their dreams should always be cheered on and elevated!
To those who wish to check out her page and are interested to have hand-drawn painted portraits of yourself, click HERE.
Kudos Sasikala Manogaran on this amazing venture! #AspiretoInspire
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Filed Under artistic talents in Malaysiahand drawn potraitshand painted potraitssasikala manogaran


Woodmark Events Do Their Part to Stay Positive This MCO

During the Movement Control Order (MCO) set in place for all of us in Malaysia, concert organisers Woodmark Events have come up with two brilliant ideas to spread the love of music. Sid Sriram lovers, here’s what you need to do to stay positive!
#staypositivewithwoodmarks
Titled 1 Minute of Music with Woodmarks, this Instagram campaign requires you to share a video of you singing, dancing or recreating any instrumental cover of a Sid Sriram song, or a hit of one of his band members. This includes Leon James, Tapass Naresh, Krishna Kishor, Keba Jeremiah, Ramkumar, Sanjeev Thomas and Abijith Rao. The recording of this needs to be 1 minute long.
Don’t forget the hashtag #staypositivewithwoodmarks when you do this!

View this post on Instagram

Start sharing & Stay positive with Woodmatk Events!, @stylomannavan #staypositivewithwoodmarks #woodmarkstb #woodmarks #stylomannavan #sidsriram
A post shared by  WoodMark Events (@woodmarkevents) on Mar 23, 2020 at 1:29am PDT

#woodmarkstb
To those who are too shy to do the first, all you need to do is reminisce about the Woodmark Events’ Sid Sriram concert you attended. Scroll through your phone gallery and select the best picture or video of Sid or his band in action.
Post this on your social media handle with a caption, it could be anything relating to the concert, the organisers, Sid or his band.
Use the hashtag #woodmarkstb. That’s it!
The organisers have announced that exclusive merchandise is up for grabs with this campaign. Well done, Woodmark Events. Start sharing and stay positive with Woodmark Events this MCO!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Sid Sriram’s Heart and Soul 3.0 concert to hit KL this 7th October, Tickets on sale June 1, 11AM
Filed Under mcomovement control order (MCO)Sid Sriramthrowbackwoodmark events


Aari Arjuna Emerged As Bigg Boss Tamil Season 4 Winner

After 105 days spent bracing challenging times at the Bigg Boss House, Aari Arjuna took home the title of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 4 winner. Aari led the vote count with 17 lakh votes followed by Balaji Murugadoss and three other finalists, including Ramya Pandian, Rio Raj and Som Shekar, according to sources.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aari Arujunan (@aariarujunanactor)

Kamal Haasan honoured Aari with the trophy and a Rs 50 lakh Cash prize.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKK8e56FiX6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
It was in the last couple of months when Aari really captured the hearts of the audience with his exemplary individuality. He is a deserving winner and worthy of the title.
The lad is revered for his integrity, sincerity and fighting spirit. He took a tough stand against ‘groupism’ in Bigg Boss Season 4.
Kamal, on the other hand, presented different titles to all the contestants. Suresh Chakravarthy has the title of ‘Trendsetter,’ while Gabriella Charlton has the title of ‘Sportive’, Som Shekhar won the title of ‘Mr. Clean,’ Archana Chandhoke, of course,  won the title of ‘Best Cooking,’ and Sanam Shetty became the ‘Most Determined Contestant.’ Nisha won the title of ‘Stress Buster,’ Samyuktha won the title of ‘Best Looking.’
Picture Credit: The News Minute
Ramesh has received the award of ‘Mr. Don’t care’ and  Anitha Sampath became ‘Bold and Beautiful.’  Aajeedh won the title of ‘Lovable,’ Suchitra won the title of ‘Fearless,’ Velmurugan became ‘Mr Dude,’ Rekha won ‘Braveheart’ and Shivani won the title of ‘Dancing Doll.’
Notably, Ramya Pandian who was evicted on the 105th day, won the title of ‘Singapenne,’ .
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKLOKW-hMEy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Unexpectedly, our nation’s Mugen Rao, who won Bigg Boss Season 3, also joined the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 4 Grand Finale yesterday. The crowd was very happy to see him again on the stage that changed his whole life.
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Filed Under AariBiggboss season 4 winner


Kamal Haasan Will Be Giving His Voice For This Famous Telugu Actor!

The multi-starrer Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy is one of the most expected films this year. While Tollywood Mega Star Chiranjeevi plays the central character of the unsung freedom fighter, the film also has Amitabh Bachchan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Kichcha Sudeep, Tamannaah among others in its star cast.

This film is huge with so many stars in it. Almost has a Bahubali feeling to it! Not surprisingly, the film is being dubbed and released in Tamil as well. The film’s team, Chiranjeevi, Tamannaah and Ram Charan, who is producing Sye Raa, are doing the promotions for the film.
Arvind Swami has dubbed for Chiru in the Tamil version, the team revealed another major actor who will be part of this version. Kamal Haasan will be giving his voice to Chiranjeevi. He will also be providing the voice-over narration for the film. Chiranjeevi’s brother Pawan Kalyan has done the same in Telugu while Mohanlal has done it for the Malayalam version.
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Dev G ‘s Cover Of Kalyaanam 2 Kaadhal Will Light Up Your Day!

Be entertained and enthralled by yet another stellar performance by Dev, an expert at playing the flute. He has created his own version of magic, sure to spellbound his fans for Kalyaanam 2 Kaadhal with his latest flute version!
Kalyaanam 2 Kaadhal BGM (background music) happens to be one of those Malaysian made masterpiece that have left netizens touched, inspiring countless of talented musicians and singers to make a cover version of the soothing tune. This popular local delight is directed by Karthik Shaamalan, and its music is composed by Shameshan Mani Maran.
We’ve heard all kinds of unique takes on the background music, but this flute version, is performed to perfection and passionately by the young talented flutist. It stands out for being one of the most unique and memorable of them all. Over 5,000 people have been serenaded by watching Dev’s performance leaving encouraging and wonderful comments for the skilled musician after the video was uploaded on his Instagram handle.
Check out the post below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dev G (@devg_djbrecords)

Keep up with Dev G’s latest flute cover version on his Instagram page here!
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Filed Under Dev GFlute coverKalyaanam 2 Kaadhal BGM


Penang’s Famous Dual Chariot Procession Could be Cancelled Amid Covid-19!

What is Thaipusam without a chariot procession?
The popular dual chariot procession, carrying the statue of Lord Murugan, is most likely to be cancelled next year due to Covid-19 in an effort to avoid mass gatherings. The parade of the over 100-year-old silver chariot and the new golden chariot is the highlight of the annual three-day Thaipusam celebration in the district.
Prof Dr P Ramasamy, Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang, said that the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) will embark on a very responsible consideration and cautious decision in the interest of the public at large.
Source: Theedgemarket
“We have yet to determine on whether or not to have a chariot procession on Thaipusam. I don’t want to preempt anything. Soon we’re going to hold a series of meetings and let the health experts decide,” said Ramasamy who is also PHEB Chairman.
Next year, Thaipusam falls on 28th January but devotees will make arrangements as early as three months before the date to fulfil their vows.
Malaysia’s Thaipusam festival is celebrated in at least four locations on a grand scale, namely the Sri Subramaniyar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves, Selangor; Sri Arulmigu Balathandayuthabani Temple in George Town, Penang; Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Ipoh, Perak; and Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Meanwhile, Datuk R.S Mohan Shan, Malaysia Hindu Sangam Chief, said next year’s Thaipusam celebration would focus on the condition of Covid-19 and the government’s decision with regards to the CMCO and SOPs respectively.
He urged Hindu devotees, if the festival is not permitted to be observed on a wide scale, they should honour the government’s decision:
Related:  Penang CM Inaugurates The State's First Ever Indian Badminton Hall“It is a matter of health and life. As such, we will probably have to make a wise decision,” Mohan Shan added.
To overcome the issue, the temple compliance team have made a quick move by listing out ways to monitor and handle the crowd during Thaipusam.
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Filed Under Dual ChariotsMight CancelledpandemicpenangThaneermalai


Malaysian Challenges American Wife To ‘Cakap Melayu’

It’s always fun to listen to non-Malaysians speaking our national language. Nice in a way that makes us so happy and amused by the matter in which they speak the language with the uniqueness of their respective accents.
So, when Logesh Kumaar posted a video of him trying to challenge his American wife to communicate in Bahasa Malaysia for 24 hours, he quickly shared a snippet of his wife’s pronunciation on Twitter which went viral.

Orang Malaysia kahwin dengan US dan dia buat 24 hours challenge cakap BM dengan isteri dia. Nak ajar apa maksud kura kura pun complicated. 😂 pic.twitter.com/2e22wOvDKi
— Dibbs (@Adbkyrie) December 28, 2020

In a two-minute 19-second snippet shared on Twitter, Logesh can be seen trying to convey the meaning of ‘kura-kura’ to his wife, Rachel Kumaar, without using any other language other than Malay.
His wife, Rachel, seems adorably confused and says how she just misses being able to talk to her husband, adding she’s sure all the Malaysians watching the video were possibly yelling at her through their screens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0nKIpnhc-A&feature=emb_titleVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Speaking only Bahasa Melayu for 24 hours | Kumaar Family (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0nKIpnhc-A&feature=emb_title)

In the end, Rachel manages to figure out what ‘kura-kura’ means making us cheer her on.
Malaysians were impressed by Logesh’s fluent Bahasa Malaysia. The video eventually went viral In no time!
People on Twitter praised him for having a really good voice, as well as saying that he reminded them of the voice-over used in Malay translated National Geographic videos.

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A post shared by Kumaar Family (@kumaarfamily)

Having a conversation to TRP, Logesh, who was originally from Klang, Selangor, said that they began the 24-hour BM challenge for Rachel, who is an American from California, to continue learning Malay.
He stated that they had the idea of a challenge from their YouTube channel viewers, stating that he enjoyed speaking Malay for a whole day, because he doesn’t really get much opportunity to speak Malay in the United States.

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A post shared by Kumaar Family (@kumaarfamily)

He expressed that he loves to hear Rachel speak our national language, but admitted that it was frustrating at times and a little stressful in order to explain to her the meaning of certain words.
Rachel agreed with Logesh, saying she felt annoyed when she couldn’t understand anything in Malay. She said it was immensely gratifying, however, when she was able to understand what he said.

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A post shared by Kumaar Family (@kumaarfamily)

She also stated that the challenge motivated her to learn more of the Malay language. Now since his video has gone viral, Logesh encourages all Malaysians to embrace our beautiful language and culture.
He admitted he didn’t initially appreciate our culture until he moved abroad, which made him realise that he was proud of his background, heritage and nation. He is a proud Malaysian living abroad and very happy to share our country’s culture as much as he can.
Source: The Rakyat Post
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Filed Under Kumaar FamilyKumaar MalaysianLogesh KumaarMalaysian who brings our pride to abroadRachel KumaarTwitter viral


VARNAM EXCLUSIVE: Kumaresh Talks About Tree Top Kitchen, A Local Cooking Show With A Twist

Did any of you catch our local show promos on Vijay TV?
I’m sure you have, and it’s none other than the Tree Top Kitchen, our local cooking show hosted by our country’s notable names, Kumaresh and Balaganapathi William.

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A post shared by K U M A R E S H (@kumaresh_host)

This show’s first episode commenced on the 25th of July and aired its second episode on the 1st of August. If you haven’t heard yet, unlike other local shows, this one will be aired on an international channel, Vijay TV. That is something the crew of Tree Top Kitchen should be proud of.
We had an interview session with one of the hosts, Kumaresh, to learn more about the show and how the idea for this cooking show was born, in conjunction with its launch.

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A post shared by K U M A R E S H (@kumaresh_host)

Varnam: How did the idea for a local cooking show to be aired on an international channel like Vijay TV come about?
Kumaresh: We have been around in the local media industry for a very long period and took this opportunity to level up and go onboard an international channel.
Varnam: How did the process of creating this cooking show go, and when did it all take place (filming period) especially during this MCO period.
Kumaresh: The entire production period of Tree Top Kitchen was held prior to MCO 3.0, during the early period of MCO where shooting was still allowed with all necessary approval. It was a hard and challenging experience especially caused by the MCO, however by maintaining a strict SOP, shooting after working hours and shooting in a private place for lesser public movement and easier crowd control.

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A post shared by K U M A R E S H (@kumaresh_host)

Varnam: Aside from the fact that this is a local cooking show that will be aired on an international channel, what else distinguishes this show as we have seen quite a bit of tamil cooking shows being aired lately.
Kumaresh: Although there are many cooking shows produced locally, Tree Top Kitchen is led by a Guinness Record holder Chef Kadeer, which carries a credibility of the recipes showcased by him. Apart from that, the concept of this show is different as if this entire cooking segment and tasting segment is taking place as if on a real tree on different levels of a tree structure for variation which comes to the name ‘Tree Top Kitchen’.
Varnam: What can viewers expect from this show?
Kumaresh: Different and unique recipes showcased by our Award Winning Chef together with some useful cooking tips and loads and loads of comedy which embarks knowledge and laughter as a combo.
Varnam: The late director, Dev Rajah, is mentioned as having directed the show. What was it like working with him, and did his sudden passing have any effect on the team and the show?
Kumaresh: Dev Rajah is an extraordinary director and is renowned for his work. He definitely did an awesome job with his entire crew to create such amazing artwork which hit the international television market as the first Malaysian produced show. It’s impossible to deny the fact that the team was affected badly by his sudden passing, as it was unexpected to be the last show with him and the show was in the midst of post-production.

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A post shared by K U M A R E S H (@kumaresh_host)

To be honest, Dev Rajah’s untimely death was tragic news not only for his family, but also for fans of his work and the entire Malaysian entertainment industry. However, I believe that an artist who has created so much creation and art for the world never dies because he lives on through the creations he has left behind. Similarly, Dev Rajah will continue to live on through the shows and films he has created.
If you haven’t seen the first two episodes of the cooking show, don’t worry, because you can catch the following episodes every Sunday at 12.30pm, exclusively on Vijay TV.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  KPY And KAITHI Fame Actor Dheena Gets Married
Filed Under Malaysian cooking showTree top kitchenVijay TV


Ravi Shanker, Founder of Asthana Arts, Passes Away At 42

The founder and director of Asthana Arts, R. Ravi Shanker passed away peacefully last night at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) last night after a month long battle of sepsis.

Ravi Shanker has been receiving treatment for almost 35 days from Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM) and Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL). The man who paved way for many young talents showed signs of improvement of his physical health a month ago, but his health start deteriorating and he was in a comatose state for 11 days before his demise.
Ravi Shanker and Asthana Arts dancers
Ravi Shanker is known for his passion in arts and relaying messages of social problems and awareness through his work of art. In his illustrious career in performing arts, Ravi Shanker has conceived plays such as Parameswara, Hanuman, Kannagi, Shurpanaki, Naduvan and Dasamahavidya.

Heartfelt messages of condolences have been flooding in on social media from his students, fellow industry fans and fans. Ravi Shanker was a trail blazer in the world of performing arts and he believed in holding a space for aspiring young talents to shine and showcase their talents.

We would like to leave you with one of Ravi Shanker’s last thoughts on the performing arts scene in Malaysia that he penned down on his Facebook wall just a month before his untimely death. He wrote,

“2018. It was a wonderful year with staging of Parameswara and Maa Telegu Thalli. Wonderful souls came and participated. Both full house event held at TFA (Temple of Fine Arts). Yet, performing arts is diminishing its shine in Malaysia. Everyone need to work hard from actors, production to dancers. It not like those days.
Hardselling marketing is essential. The audience mind set is changing. With economic system the crowd is cautious on spending their money and time. Yet another challenges such as online apps , alternative on ground event as well hinders the artistic effort. I really wish audience will start focusing on supporting arts and build Malaysia as (an art) hub.
When Singapore can make arts as tourism product we are backdated due to the lukewarm support from government. I keep ponder how long can stage artists and artistic directors can hang on thin rope. It’s a challenging world. The online entertainment has murdered performing arts. We need to revamp and go strong for 2019.
Its like rebuilding post merdeka days..so lets see what develops in upcoming months. ARTS FOR ALL. Happy New Year 2019″.

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Filed Under Asthana ArtsRavi Shanker


LISTEN: Shabir Gives Bella Ciao a Tamil Spin

Singaporean music producer and singer Shabir has released his latest single, Ezhuvom on all streaming platforms. The tune is inspired by the Italian folk tune ‘Bella Ciao’, made famous in the Netflix series, Money Heist.
Ezhuvom’s lyrics are motivational, telling everyone to rise above the hardships and stand together as one during a time of uncertainty.
Shabir has built a name for himself in the Tamil music industry in India, having composed for the film Sagaa. His tune, Yaayum has earned him praise from all quarters, raking in a whopping 81 million views on YouTube. He has also worked on a few other Tamil films.

Listen to Shabir on Spotify here.
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Filed Under Ezhuvom (Rise)Ghana MusicShabir Tabare AlamTune 'Bella Ciao'


A Reduction In Covid-19 Cases Today; Could The Numbers Decline Further?

The country has reported 801 new Covid-19 cases today (28th October). This is a seemingly positive reduction from 835 cases reported yesterday (27th October) and 1240 cases on Monday (26th October). Currently, there are eight (8) fatalities, 799 local cases, two (2) import cases and a recovery rate of 573 cases.
Approximately 30 percent of the Covid-19 clusters that have been identified since the beginning of the pandemic are related to the workplace. Health Director General Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said workers and enterprises play a significant role in curbing occupational spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Source: Corona Trackers
Employers should be taking preventative steps by conducting Covid-19 screenings for their employees, as it will allow the identification of asymptomatic positive cases among coworkers.
This eventually will allow the Ministry of Health (MoH) to perform public health operations. Screenings would also be able to reduce the distribution of Covid-19 in a population and prevents certain people with a higher risk of contracting the virus, such as individuals above the age of 60 and infants.
Stay safe and follow the SOPs set by MoH in order to break the Covid-19 chain!
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Triple Treat: Battle Of The Bands – Get A Special Buy 2 Free 1 With This Promo

After the phenomenal success of Madras: An 80s Musical, Mojo Projects is determined to keep the momentum going with another night of powerful and energetic vocals blasting through the roof.
One for the rock fans, this one is called the Triple Treat: Battle of the Bands – envisioned to give you a night full of explosive, head-banging moments. This concert will feature 3 super-bands on one stage, where they will rock and battle each other out to send the crowd into a frenzy!

The concert will open with Agam, the Bangalore-based contemporary Carnatic progressive rock band, who is making a comeback in KL due to popular demand. The crowd will then move on to the versatile and rich sounds of Stephen Devassy & the Solid Band.
The night will end in a thriller performance by award-winning playback singer Naresh Iyer & The Navneeth Sunder Ensemble.
Details of the concert is as below:
Date: 9th June 2018
Venue: Hotel Istana Mahkota Ballroom
Time: 6pm
Want to get tickets? Use this exclusive Varnam X Mojo link to score yourself a special buy 2 free 1 promo. Available for a limited time only – so hurry!
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Filed Under Battle of the BandsMojo ProjectsTriple Treat


Pondy Bazaar…THE Ultimate Indian Shopping Experience, It is!

Intending a satisfying shopping spree of Indian traditional outfits, featuring the latest collections form perhaps your favourite designer? I hear you sis! Mark your calendars: Pondy Bazaar is coming to town!
As the title denotes Pondy Bazaar; A treasure trove of an aesthetic mix of stalls offering Indian ethnic wear, intricate costume jewelleries, pooja prayer items, ornamental decorations, traditional sweet delicacies, festive cookies, natural henna & even  household electrical items.

Pulsating with energy, this bazaar is all set to bustle with booth holders who peddle everything from traditional knick-knacks to seasonal snacks such as ‘Murukku’ (savoury twists) and ‘Palkova’ (milk savoury dessert).
Spearheaded by Namme Veetu Kalyanam, the Asia Wedding Works team, the vibrant bazaar is all set to kick off from 25th to the 27th of March 2022 at Bukit Kemuning Convention Centre (BKCC). Hold tight, and hop on their magic ride with the ethereal booths set up.
What makes Pondy Bazaar so alluring?
Colourful Sights
Feast your eyes with a warm and lively atmosphere that will see you make your way from one booth to the other as vendors greet, invite and show you their collections. Should you have questions about their specialties, they’ll happily take the time to explain their trademark products to you.
Splurge On Delicious and Tasty Indian Titbits
Does a bustling pathway booth selling tasty Indian titbits set to tickle your nose and cause your mouth to water?
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, keep your eyes opened as this is your chance to indulge. Refuel with light bites such as Pani Puri’s and drinks to strengthen those mighty legs and tired souls!
A Spectacular Experience
Marvelling at the vibrant décor and lights that glaze the hall, the on-ground event will tantalise your senses in all the best ways possible. Having said that, wind down and gaze upon the mad skills of professional henna artists. Better yet, all henna products are homemade, which means zero chemicals.
Free Parking Bays
Worried about parking issues?
Fret not, fondly known as one of the most popular venues in Shah Alam, BKCC provides WIDE and FREE car park space to the guests. Can you believe that a total number of 500 parking bays will be available to reduce one’s time on finding a place to park?
This shows that the event organisers have made great efforts in ensuring that the event becomes a success and goes as smoothly as possible. Let’s swarm to the bazaar for its wide array of food and shopping, or if splurging is not your thing, just come and soak in the vibes.
Featuring 100% Malaysian owned and run businesses, this bazaar is a great initiative for SME’s to give their business a chance to grow despite a raging pandemic out there.

A special shout out to the top-tier-event experts, Namme Veetu Kalyanam (NVK) for providing a space for SMEs to showcase their products!
Holding a name for themselves, the highly committed and professional team never fails to create a perfect wedding or celebration infused with the client’s ‘Unique, One-of-a-kind’ requirements, with an up close and personal approach sprinkled with an abundance of energy.
From initiating Indian Wedding Expo 2020, the eminent founders have executed the event with a toast of success. With tremendous of love and support from customers, supporters and vendors, this was an outstanding and memorable event to date! Folks are still talking about it!
We can promise that you’ll walk away with the experience of a lifetime, satisfied with your purchases.

Are you looking forward to it already? Block your dates now and head down to Pondy Bazaar!
For more information or queries on Pondy Bazaar, check out their Instagram page HERE or contact the event organisers at +6016 4344990.
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Filed Under Asia Wedding WorksBukit Kemuning Convention CentreFree Parkingsindian Titbitsnamme veetu kalyanamPondy Bazaar


DON; Is There Anyone Better At Playing The Role of ‘Dad’ Than Samuthirakani?

Behind every great man stands a father. Not necessarily a good, honourable or supportive father, but a FATHER nonetheless.
‘Father: daughter’s first love and son’s first hero’
Hey, what real life family doesn’t have a problematic dad (and/or mom)?
Helmed by the renowned director Cibi Chakravarthi, DON  is the perfect pick for “sirappana tharamana villain”  in our life, who is our father. Hats off to the director as he has portrayed the father-son relationship in the most heartfelt way. Touted to be a rom-com genre, the flick narrates a youngster’s tale who is still figuring out what his passion is and gets into an engineering college where he clashes with a disciplinarian faculty member.
Image credit: IMDB
What the writer enjoyed about the movie was an effort to give both characters the opportunity to see what the other was like:
A son who never got to know his father and a father who never understood his son’s yearnings!
Image Credit: Sonyliv
Starting with the role of a strict father. Ganesan (Samuthirakani), or as per SK’s description his dad is known as a “sirappana tharamana villain” in his life. His role can be seen very disturbing at the first, as he believes that with a tight slap all problems can be solved which includes forcing his son to study for a course that he doesn’t have a passion for. Chakravarthi (Sivakarthikeyan), the protagonist of Don, decides that he’d rather make a name for himself without studying. The film is all about whether this young man manages to figure out what he wants to do in life while being in a strict disciplinary environmental engineering college. The most interesting part was Boominathan (SJ Suryah), the faculty disciplinary head of college, who is even more of a disciplinarian than his dad!
Related:  New OTT Films To Binge Watch Over the WeekendWatch the trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5ak-NY6OC8Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Don – Official Trailer | Sivakarthikeyan, Priyanka Mohan | Anirudh | Cibi (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5ak-NY6OC8)

On the performance front, it’s indeed one of the outstanding performances by SJ Suryah. By having a cat-and-mouse game with the main hero, he has literally envisioned a calculative move and executed it quite amazingly. Besides that, Priyanka Arul Mohan who plays the role of  (Angaiyarkanni) and also SK’s college friends holds our attention with their wonderful sense of humour.
Image Credit: Movie Crow
What makes this movie even more emotionally captivating, is the CLIMAX scene where SK finds out about his dad’s unconditional love towards him. This scene particularly makes us realise the value of our relationship with our father and cherish each moment that we have with our loved ones as we may never know when our time with them will run out. This film is blessed with fine direction, screenplay, and acting; it truly gives the film a hauntingly memorable quality with their excellent technical work together.
Image Credit: Tamil Movies
It’s no wonder that a relationship so fraught with hope and yearning, drama and resentment, joy and regret has often translated into cinematic gold. Men don’t typically cry at movies, but when they do, nine out of ten times, the scene involves a father and son duo.
Be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions, as this movie will surely inspire you to reminisce about your adolescence with the person who helped raise you.
Be warned, this movie is a tear-jerker!
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Filed Under BlockbusterChakravarthiCibi ChakravarthiDonPriyanka Arul MohanSamuthirakanisj suryah


Netflix Original First Tamil Film; Catch ‘Paava Kadhaigal’ On 18th December

Netflix is heavily embarking on producing originals featuring Indian movies in the variety of Indian languages.

Adding to its list of Indian films, Netflix has launched its first Tamil film, ‘Paava Kadhaigal’.
Good news y’all, the trailer has been released on Netflix. Don’t forget to bring out your phones and watch the trailer now! It only takes a few seconds..

Ever since the announcement, fans have been buzzing about the teaser released on 27th  November. And now, watching the trailer is even more intense and it is definitely going to be a thrilling eye-opening encounter for you.
Paava Kadhaigal Features An Anthology of the works from prominent actors And leading directors in four separate episodes.
Directors Gautham Menon, Sudha Kongara, Vetri Maaran and Vignesh Shivan explored the impact of passion, pride and honour in the upcoming streamer.
The story involves Aadithya Baaskar, Anjali, Bhavani Sre, Kalidas Jayaram, Kalki Koechlin, Prakash Raj, Sai Pallavi,  Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, Simran and many more.
Google
‘Paava Kadhaigal’ a sole Netflix special will be released in 190 countries under Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies and Ashi Dua Sara’s Flying Unicorn Entertainment production. Don’t forget to catch the intense Netflix series, on 18th December, 2020!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Top 10 Songs that Symbolises Thenisai Thendral Deva’s Music
Filed Under first tamil netflix originalGV menonnetlix tamil filmPaava KadhaigalSimranSudha KongoravetrimaaranVignesh Shivan


Vijay’s ‘Bigil’ Is The Most Liked Indian Movie Trailer In ALL OF TIME!

The highly anticipated Thalapathy Vijay movie, Bigil, has already shown us a glimpse of how it will be received upon release.

The makers of Bigil released the trailer to the movie and Sunday and now it is the MOST LIKED Indian Movie Trailer of all time! Previously, the king of B-town, Shah Rukh Khan, held the record of most liked trailer in India with 1.9 million likes for ‘Zero’ trailer. Bigil broke that record when it reached 2 million likes in just 3 days. On the day of release, the trailer was already viewed over 1 million times on YouTube.

#Bigil Trailer : Fastest Indian Movie Trailer To Cross 2 Million Likes!!! 🔥
 #2MLikesForBigilTrailer pic.twitter.com/F4CV2sgH9e
— KERALA VIJAY FANS CLUB (@KVFC_Official) October 16, 2019

Vijay plays a dual role in the movie as a women’s football team coach called Michael and a local don Rayappan. Bigil has a star-studded cast including Nayanthara, Vivek, Kathir, Jackie Shroff, Daniel Balaji, Anandaraj, Rajkumar, Devadarshini, Yogi Babu, Soundararaja and G Gnanasambandam and others.

Bigil will be in theatres for Deepavai this year and produced by AGS Entertainment.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Thalapathy's "Leo" Charged With Police Complaint For Drug Propaganda
Filed Under AnandarajatleebigilDaniel BalajiDevadarshiniJackie Shroff.KathirNayantharaRajkumarSoundararajaThalapathy vijayVijayVivekYogi Babu


Silambarasan Confirms Eeswaran Release Date On Twitter Handle

As we recall, during the pandemic, Simbu or widely known as STR underwent a huge amount of weight loss and later reported that it was for his upcoming film, ‘Eeswaran’.
E Times
This movie was filmed in and around Dindigul, having the concept of a rural drama which stars Nidhi Agarwal and Bharathiraja in the lead roles. Suseenthiran writes and directs ‘Eeswaran’.
Following that, actor Simbu recently tweeted on 14th January, 2021, correlating with the Pongal holiday, his upcoming film ‘Eeswaran’ will be released worldwide.

With blessings of almighty #Eeswaran coming to screens worldwide this January 14th. #SilambarasanTR #Suseinthiran @MusicThaman @DCompanyOffl @madhavmedia @offBharathiraja @AgerwalNidhhi @Nanditasweta @Bala_actor @YugabhaarathiYb @DOP_Tirru @DuraiKv @DSharfudden pic.twitter.com/iLCjb1E8JK
— Silambarasan TR (@SilambarasanTR_) December 30, 2020

You’re right, yes! Just a day after Vijay’s ‘Master’ release, on ‘Eeswaran’ will be released on 13th january.
Since the COVID outbreak, ‘Master’ will be the biggest film to be released in theatres and following that will be ‘Eeswaran’.
Simbu’s Official Twitter
These films are expected to contribute some sunshine to the film industry, which Has been running in losS due to the pandemic for the past one year.
Who else is excited for Silambarasan‘s ‘Eeswaran’ ?
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Filed Under barathirajaeeswaran movie release dateniche agarwalsilambarasan's make overStr movie release


Andrea Jeremiah: There’s No Hero In My Movies, I’m The Hero

Womens’ representation in Tamil movies has always been an uphill battle.
Most Tamil movies tend to glorify the ‘hero’, and the actor is usually given more character, substance and personality. Heroines are usually there merely to serve as arm candy for the hero and eye candy for the audience. A lot of movies also portray heroines as bimbos who have no stand and incapable of making their own decisions.
Actresses like Jyothika and Andrea Jeremiah have spoken out against this – calling for directors to give women roles with substance, roles that have meaning. They also requested directors to stop portraying women as bimbos.
According to Andrea Jeremiah, the industry is slowly changing – more and more movies nowadays are giving importance to the female characters.
“I definitely think the industry is changing. For example, most of the movies I do, there’s no hero, I’m the hero. Women are now capable of carrying the entire movie by themselves,” Andrea said during the Malaysian Live Fusion Festival 2018 concert organised by Mojo Projects last Saturday.

Andrea, who made her acting debut through Gautham Menon’s Pachaikili Muthucharam, is known to be very picky about her roles. When asked how does she land empowering roles, she said it’s a combination of factors.
“These empowering roles come to me, but I also don’t settle for anything less,” Andrea said.
We’re definitely hoping to see more positive women representation in future Tamil movies!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Yash Of "KGF" Fame Is Coming To Malaysia To Grace The Opening Of The Second Store Of MS Gold On 8th July 2023
Filed Under Andrea JeremiahMILFF 2018


Mary; The Famous Homemade Nasi Lemak Seller Is Back In Taman Desa

Nurajahan Mariamah Abdullah — fondly known as Mary, a name that will sure ring a bell in an instant with the mention of homemade nasi lemak!
After receiving contributions and donations from non-government organisations (NGO’s) Mary returned with her trolley to the streets of Taman Desa in Kuala Lumpur after her business had experienced a drop. Mary was delighted and full of hope to operate her stall. However, due to the location no longer being strategic at Jalan Desa Utama, her business had not been promising.
Source: Freemalaysiatoday
Moreover, her customers prefer her to sell nasi lemak out of her trolley. According to her regular customers, they have a difficult time finding her current stall as the location of the shop is isolated from their eyesight. Despite Mary providing them with a GPS location, they still had difficulties finding her stall.
With the support of her sister, Mary still opens the stall from 7 am to 10 am. Meanwhile, to garner customers attention, Mary pushes her trolley around Taman Desa to remind people of her new stall’s location.
Source: Freemalaysiatoday
The hard-working woman had lost her job as a cleaner due to the current pandemic. Since then, in order to make ends meet, the widowed mother of three started selling nasi lemak and mee hoon on her trolley from 6.30 am to 11 am around Taman Desa.
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Filed Under MaryNasi Lemaknon-government organisations (NGO’s)Nurajahan Mariamah Abdullah


“Malaysia Is My Favourite Country To Perform In” – Hariharan On His Upcoming Concert In KL

At a recent press conference held at The Ballroom @ MAHSA University Kuala Lumpur,  singer Hariharan and flutist Naveen Kumar spoke about their music, aspirations and plans for their upcoming concert in Kuala Lumpur.

Singer Hariharan, who solidified his presence in the Tamil film industry after the 1992 Bombay film, is no stranger to Malaysian shores. The ghazal maestro has performed numerous times in Kuala Lumpur with music composers AR Rahman and Ilayaraja.

“Malaysia is my favourite country to perform in. The people in Malaysia are fanatics of Tamil music. I also remember what a huge success Colonial Cousins was on this side of the world. Performing here is always something I look forward to”, said Hariharan.
When asked about how his music stands the test of time and instantly becomes evergreen favourites, he said, “If I sing a song and thousand people are listening to it, I hope, I pray and I try to create the effect that each person feels like I’m singing for only them. It is very conversational. Maybe that is why, the lifetime of my songs prolong. And each time you listen to it, you feel like somebody is singing it to you. It is a personal connection”.

Hariharan went out to express how he was looking forward to sharing the stage with flutist Naveen Kumar and singer Chinmayi. Flutist Naveen and Hariharan share a long history of creating musical magic on tracks for films like Bombay, Roja and Taalam. Flutist Naveen has also been created 4 new wind instruments in the length of his musical career. The crowd were given a glimpse of what they can expect at the upcoming concert with an impromptu performance of ‘Uyire Uyire’ with music maestro Naveen Kumar teasing the crowd with notes from his flute.

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Venus Productions’ Uyire Uyire: Hariharan Live In KL concert is happening on 14 September 2019 at the Plenary Hall, KLCC, between 7.30PM to 11.30PM. There are 7 categories to choose from with tickets starting at only RM99. To get your tickets, head over to MyTicket.Asia.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Contest Alert! Win Tickets To Thenisai Thendral Deva Happening On 3rd June, 2023
Filed Under Flutist Naveen Kumar.HariharanHariharan Live In ConcertUyire Uyire Hariharan Live In Concert


Rita Santaran is Relentless in Her Fight for the Rights of Hospital Sanitation Workers

Aside from medical professionals, santiation workers have also been at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19. Rita Santaran is one such worker who is at risk of exposing herself to the deadly virus, reports Malaysiakini.
Rita is one of the thousands of hospital sanitation workers who perform a crucial role to ensure that the patients and medical staff are always in a sterile environment.
Unfortunately, workers like Rita have lesser benefits. The salary for sanitation workers are the same, regardless of how long one has been doing it for – the minimum wage of RM1,100. The remaining allowances and benefits are up to their respective contractors.
Source: Malaysiakini
Rita decided to fight for the rights of such workers and lost her job in the midst of a takeover, although the contractor, UEM Edgenta, told Malaysiakini that she was indeed offered the chance to continue her employment.
In the early years of nationhood, cleaners in government hospitals were part of the civil service. This was until then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the national privatisation policy in 1983.
At that time, the government decided to transfer the ‘non-professional’ services under public agencies to the private contractors – this included cleaning and maintenance works.
As a contract worker over the past seven years, Rita has gone through three different contractors and only one of them raised her salary – by RM50 – in 2015.
Source: Malaysiakini
The former chairperson of a hospital cleaners’ union in Perak and a single mother said, “We won’t know what disease the patient has contracted. Maybe they have infectious diseases and the waste we clean up, the urine, the vomit, all of these could spread the virus.”
Currently, Rita is still waiting to hear feedback from her complaint to the Industrial Relations Department.

“Of course, (if favourable) I would return to work at the hospital. Maybe I wouldn’t stay for a long time, because the income is not enough for me.”

Rita,was elected as Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Swasta Perkhidmatan Sokongan di Hospital-Hospital Kerajaan Semenanjung Malaysia (KPSPSHKSM) union branch chairperson for her hospital.

“But for me, the fight should go on. I want to prove that we, the union can win.”
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Filed Under former chairperson of a hospital cleaners' unionIndustrial Relations DepartmentRita Santaran


Covid-19 Sees A Slight Increase With 799 New Cases! Can We Expect A Significant Drop?

Malaysia has recorded a moderate increase in Covid-19 cases today bringing the total number of cases to 799 in comparison to 649 cases yesterday, as revealed by the Ministry of Health (MoH). Presently, there are three (3) deaths, 10,392 active cases and 491 recoveries. This count makes a great revelation that Covid-19 cases in the country have yet to see a major drop.

Status Terkini COVID-19 Di Malaysia,30 Okt 2020Kes sembuh=491Jumlah kes sembuh=20,248 kesKes baharu positif=799(kes import=0, kes tempatan=799)Jumlah positif=30,889 kesKes kematian=3Jumlah kes kematian=249 kesKes dirawat di ICU=90 kesBantuan Alat Pernafasan=20 kes pic.twitter.com/cROvMDDPEq
— KKMalaysia🇲🇾😷 (@KKMPutrajaya) October 30, 2020

Meanwhile, Robinson Co. (Malaya) Sdn Bhd will be closing its two departmental stores in the country due to the effects brought about by the pandemic, and will start the liquidation process following weak store sales in view of the rise in online sales.

Johor Bharu district was declared a red zone earlier today. In a news report, Johor Health and Environment Committee Chairman R. Vidyananthan had stated that an area is considered a red zone when it records 41 cases or more in the span of two weeks.
“On Thursday (29th October), 10 new Covid-19 cases were recorded, including nine from existing clusters and one from other screenings,” he said in a statement here on Friday (30th October). Some 42 cases involving eight work colleagues, 17 of their family members, 11 of their family members’ colleagues, five students and one of the student’s family members in the Kempas cluster, ” he said.
Stay safe, always wear a MASK when you’re out, sanitise and practice safe social distancing.
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Famous Emcee Alvin Anthons Is Now Hosting ‘The Nite Nite Show’

Alvin Anthons is a name familiar to many of us. He has brought us an enormous amount of talk show programs previously and now he’s back with something new. Alvin is a talented bilingual International Performing Entertainer / Emcee, TV Host, Speaker, and Recording Artist, who speaks fluent English and Bahasa Malaysia.

Recently, he launched a bi-weekly Virtual Live Talk Show titled ‘The Nite Nite Show with Alvin Anthons’, which has been broadcasting live on his Instagram at 10 pm every Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far this is the only Malaysian live entertainment program broadcasted on Instagram amidst a studio set and a live DJ.
The program kicks off with special guests on each episode and talks about trending issues and unique game segments, tailor-made for each guest.

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A post shared by Alvin Anthons | Emcee |Artiste 🇲🇾 (@alvinanthons)

Dato’ Hans Issac, Ferhad, Allan Wu, Dr. Soo Winci, and Dato’ Norman KRU were among the guest line-up that have made a splendid appearance on the show so far. The show has garnered more than 340 views for each episode since going on air in mid June. Meanwhile, the recap show will be posted on his YouTube channel which has reached over 5,200 views for each episode. The next live episode will feature Amber Chia on July 14th.
Alvin Anthons
As an accomplished presenter, awards host and broadcaster, Alvin has presented live shows and live events around the globe. Over the past decade, thousands have been entertained by his warmth, charisma, and infectious energy. A prominent name in the corporate events arena, Alvin presents countless events for brands across the globe, spanning through various industries.

While Anthons has been in the public eye tasking various roles, singing professionally has always been a wish he kept close to his heart for many years. A meeting with composer, Ajai, two years ago marked the start of his singing career.
The Nite Nite Show marks the second talk-show in which Alvin is the host of. He helmed his own talk show on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) TV2, called ‘Let’s Talk’. The entertainment talk show program ran for three seasons, garnering over one million viewers per episode back in the year 2000.
In hindsight, the next live episode feels a little inevitable, but it’s exciting nonetheless. Alvin’s talk show will go live on 14th July 2020 on his Instagram page here!
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Filed Under Allan WuAlvin AnthonsAmber Chiaand Dato' Norman KRUDato' Hans IssacDr. Soo WinciFerhadSpecial Guest Bi-weeklyThe Nite Nite ShowVirtual Talk Show


6 Reasons You NEED To Check Out Namme Veetu Kalyanam Indian Wedding Expo!

Are you ready for an Indian wedding exhibition like no other? We aren’t talking about the run-of-the-mill expo with narrow pathways and multiple booths hawking the same wares. Namme Veetu Kalyanam Indian Wedding Expo 2020, organised by Asia Wedding Works is going to be a one of a kind wedding expo with more than 60 vendors under one roof!
Held from the 3rd to the 5th of January 2020 (Friday through Sunday) at Midlands Convention Centre, Shah Alam, this event is going to set the bar for Indian wedding expos.

Here are 6 reasons you NEED to attend this event, regardless if you are getting married!
1. Equal number of vendors per category
Finally, someone thought of this! How frustrating is it when you visit a wedding exhibition, and all you keep seeing are photographers and caterers and no other services? Namme Veetu Kalyanam guarantees that the number of vendors in each category is going to be perfectly balanced, so you won’t have an overdose of just one service.
2. Compare services from startups and pioneers in their fields

Namme Veetu Kalyanam will feature both young businesses as well as pioneers in various fields. So if you’d like to support an upcoming venture, this is the place to be. Those of you who would rather stick to the tried and tested brands, Namme Veetu Kalyanam has you covered too. Just make sure that you and your partner are on the same page!
3. Attractive vouchers await you
The organisers are going to sweeten the deal for couples visiting the expo! Visitors of Namme Veetu Kalyanam will stand a chance to receive vouchers from the vendors present at the event.

4. Wedding workshops galore
Namme Veetu Kalyanam has ventured into the land no Indian wedding expo has set foot in before. Workshops! A couple of the leading industry players are going to be conducting workshops pertaining to Indian weddings, for visitors of the expo.
Related:  Dr. Magindren is appointed to MDEC's Talent Expert Network PanelThere is going to be a one hour workshop on The Science Behind Hindu Wedding Rituals by Vickneswaran of VIP Studio.
Internationally acclaimed Malaysian makeup artist Jastina will also be at Namme Veetu Kalyanam. She will be helming a makeup workshop for all who are interested in the craft. Most brides-to-be would love this, as she will be talking about the type of makeup used for different events and how to best enhance each bride’s features.

Apart from that, Malaysian Indian Wedding Photographers & Videographers (MIWPV) will be holding a wedding photography exhibition, throughout the three days of Namme Veetu Kalyanam. Visitors will have a chance to peruse the work of the best Indian wedding photographers in Malaysia, and acquire some ideas for their pre-wedding and wedding photographs.
5. Super flexible timing

Namme Veetu Kalyanam caters for all versions of ‘Indian timing’ out there. Come on over even after your Friday night happy hour, as the expo is open from 11 am up until 12 midnight on all three days.
6. So much FREE parking!
Midlands Convention Centre is one of the most sought after event venues in the Klang Valley. Prepare to be greeted by plush surroundings in the with top notch interiors and facilities. The best part? More than 400 free parking bays! Wave goodbye to the hours of circling, looking for a car park.

Mark your calendars for the first weekend of 2020 for this very special Indian wedding expo. Are you ready for Namme Veetu Kalyanam?
For more information on Namme Veetu Kalyanam, check out their Instagram page here. If you’d like to sign up as a vendor, contact 016-944 9980 or email asiaweddingworks@gmail.com.
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Filed Under Indian weddingindian wedding expomalaysian indianMalaysian Indian Wedding Photography & Videography Convention 2019namme veetu kalyanam


WATCH: Rabbit Mac’s Yejamaa Is Here!

Charles John Macallum, better known as Rabbit Mac, has released his latest single, Yejemaa. The tune was penned, produced and performed by the singer himself, with additional vocals by his 4-year-old son, Troyce Anveer Macallum.
Yejemaa is a new track from what we assume is an upcoming movie, Hong Seng Estate. At the time of this article, no information about the film has been released.
The music video however, features cool visuals, with special appearances by Troyce, Zizan Razak, Ti-Amo and SEKUAD. It was launched under PU4LYF YouTube channel.
Catch the Yejemaa here!

The Varnam team wishes Rabbit the best, we cannot wait to see what else he has in store for us!
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Filed Under PU4LYFRabbit MacSekuadTi Amo. Troyce Anveer MacallumYejamaaZizan Razak


Retro Rahman 2.0 – Its almost here!

Have you got your tickets yet, because Retro Rahman 2.0, the second concert tribute to music maestro A.R. Rahman is now just a couple of days away!
Mojo Projects, together with veteran playback singers Mano and Srinivas will be joined by Sadhana Sargam, Harini and Sathyaprakash on August 3rd to turn the KWC Star Xpo Center in Kuala Lumpur into a musical extravaganza of epic propotions that you will not want to miss.

The stellar ensemble is expected to belt out A.R. Rahman’s catchy melodious hit tunes from the early to late 90’s with numbers like Urvasi Urvasi, Puthu Vellai Mazhai, Chinna Chinna Asai, Ennavale Adi Ennavale and Hello Doctor.
During the ‘Meet the Stars of Retro Rahman 2.0’ press conference at Hotel Istana earlier today, playback singer Srinivas reiterated that they will be even belting out songs requested from the floor during the show.
This year’s line-up will be further enhanced by the musical direction of the talented pianist and entertainer Anil Srinivasan, together with Mani & Band, featuring Nikhil Ram on flutes.

Mojo Projects’s director and chief executive officer, Ratna Kumar Nadarajan also confirmed that the second installation of Retro Rahman will feature a fresh repertoire of hits compared to last years sold out show.
Retro Rahman 2.0 will be happening at the Star Xpo Centre from 7.30pm till midnight on August 3rd 2019. Tickets prices start from RM89 and is still available via AirAsiaRedtix.com or call 012-2000505 for direct ticket purchase.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Hearts of Harris 4.0: An Electrifying Concert in KL with a record of 4 sell out shows !
Filed Under Anil SrinivasanAR RahmanManoMojo Projectsretro rahman 2.0Sadhana SargamSathyaprakashSrinivas


The Indian Community Urged To Update Their MyCensus Data Now!

Malaysia has experienced significant growth in multiple fields, which have led to huge changes, particularly in terms of enhancing the country’s economy, continuing to improve living standards of the people, creating career opportunities and facilitating new regulations to ensure the development of the country.

 In order to ensure the consistent stability of the country in order to support and maintain all aspects of society, the government needs detailed information and data for planning , policy formulation and execution of various socio-economic development programmes.
Statistics obtained through the 2020 Population and Housing Census (MyCensus 2020) conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia are therefore vital in ensuring that economic and social development planning can be adopted and fulfill the needs of all communities across the nation.
Source: DOSM official Twitter
According to Makkal Osai, young millennials with IT and computer skills, part of the Indian community, should help people to fill-up the 2020 e-Census in order to make sure the nation is entirely involved in this new maneuver, said community leaders.
 The chairman of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam of Kerian district said that it would be vital for Malaysian Indians to engage in the census.
It continued that the decreased number of Indians pre-registered in the e-Census system showed that they’re more likely not computer savvy or phone-literate.
It is very important to update the MyCensus 2020 data as The Information Accumulated will assist the government in the allocation of public funds between federal and state levels, especially in the areas of education , health care, law enforcement and public transport.
This equal distribution can be accomplished by the government on the basis of a reliable amount of population data. All information is gathered from a census covering family data, social services, housing units, economic practices and basic needs of people with disabilities and senior citizens.

If you have any enquiries regarding MyCensus2020, check out their official page here for more updates!
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Filed Under banciisiwsc2020MyCensus2020playing a role in our Indian communitystats malaysia


Thaipusam: The Vel, Kavadi and Piercings

Devotees clad in yellow spill over numerous religious sites across the globe for Thaipusam. Some carry colourful Kavadi decorated with peacock feathers and bells, others carry silver containers with milk offering (paal sembu) and a handful pierce their tongues, cheeks, lips and back with spears, hooks and Vel (divine javeline) as a symbol of devotion and love for Lord Muruga.

Over the years, Thaipusam practices have been adapted to new practices and fast trends, like Kavadi with football club and political party logos, youngsters jiving to techno music at makeshift tents that serve free drinks for devotees called Pandhal and chariots trying to replicate Olympic medals (still waiting for a bronze chariot). With this much adaptation, the true meaning of Thaipusam sometimes can slip far into the peripheries of our sight.
To celebrate Thaipusam this year, we dive into everything you need to know about this festival and how time and trends have changed the practices over the years.
What is Thaipusam?
Let’s do a word breakdown: Thai is the 10th month in the Hindu calendar, Pusam is the name of a star which is at its highest point during this festival. Lord Murugan is the son of Lord Shiva, the destroyer and Goddess Parvathi, daughter of the Mountain King, Himavan. Lord Murugan is the Hindu God of war with three divine eternal functions — creation (sristi), protection (sthithi) and destruction (samhara) as evidenced by the three first letters in His name: MU — Mukundan (Vishnu), RU — Rudra (Siva) and KA — Kamalan (Brahma).
Lord Murugan and Goddess Parvathi
Lord Murugan is seen riding on a peacock, yielding a divine spear called Vel. Thaipusam is the celebration of the day Goddess Parvathi presented Lord Murugan with his Vel to vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. In the modern day, Thaipusam is also celebrated to overcome obstacles in life, destroy one’s bad traits and for self-purification.
Thaipusam In Malaysia
Thaipusam was first celebrated at Batu Caves in 1888 and it’s now the largest and most significant Hindu public display in the country.
Vintage photo of Batu Caves
This year, over 1.6 million devotees attended the festival in Batu Caves and hundreds more thousands celebrated Thaipusam at Hilltop Temple in Penang and Kallumalai Temple in Perak. Roads were blocked and hundreds of enforcement officers were stationed to ensure the safety of the crowd.
Batu Caves Thaipusam, 2019

What is a Kavadi?
Kavadi comes from the word Kaavu and Thadi, which is structure loaded with offerings, usually milk, balanced on a weight bearing pole and decorated with images of deities, flowers, peacock feathers, bells and even LED lights, in more recent times. There 4 types of Kavadi: Paal Kavadi (carrying pots of milk), Alangara Kavadi, Pushpa Kavadi and Karumbu Thodi. The devotees walk with a Kavadi on their shoulders for miles to the temples barefeet. The person carrying the Kavadi goes through a period of fasting in preparation of the celebration.
Paal Kavadi
Karumbu Thodi

Kavadi in Kerala, India
Piercing: A form of Penance
Many cultures around the world observe a degree of self-mutilation as a form of penance for their wrongs such as the Crucifixion in the Philippines. During Thaipusam, some devotees pierce their tongue and cheeks with spears and other hook their backs. Devotees are worked into a state of trance before temple piercing experts stick metal through flesh with no numbing effects. The devotees wear their piercings till they reach the temple, sometimes lasting for hours. Once devotees complete their journey to the temple, their piercings are removed and smeared with holy ash and sandalwood.
A woman with a Vel piercing through her cheeks
For the spectator, Thaipusam is a visual feast of colours and celebrations. Drum beats echo through the streets and devotees sing and dance their way throughout the journeys. Spirits are kept high despite gravel on the road, fatigue in the feet and piercings through flesh. Devotees complete their ritual and return home feeling purified and invigorated, hoping that the future brings blessings after the cleansing.
They place their faith in the divine powers of Lord Murugan for another year of happiness, health and abundance.
Source: BBC , Channel News Asia
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Filed Under Thaipusamthaipusam 2019


WATCH: We Love This Cover Of ‘Akkamage’ & You Will Too!

Akkamage is one those epic Malaysian songs that resonates with most of us Tamil speakers. From being blared on the speakers at Batu Caves during Thaipusam to head banging at Minnal pub, every one of us has our own nostalgic experience with this song.
The song was originally sung by The Keys, a Tamil rock band back in the day helmed by Darkkey Nagaraja. With his signature red coat and unctuous shoulder length curls, Darkkey is no stranger to the local Tamil scene. He even made our hearts skip a beat when he appeared on Kabali’s Ulagam Oruvannukuda song.
Source: Facebook
In conjunction with the Tamil New Year this year, Seventh Heaven Media Works and Superfly Music have produced a phenomenal cover of Akkamage. This cover that’s sung by Sundar sees Sabarinath and GMG on guitars.
This song appears to be the first of many episodes on what we hope is a series of covers, aptly named Teh Tarik Satu. Stylomannavan hosts this episode.
Source: YouTube
The cover itself was nothing short of fantastic. It’s one of those lilting songs that would accompany the listener on a rainy night. We love how Sundar’s raspy voice does this acoustic version justice. The lyrics are more appreciable, and are quite witty too! While we really enjoyed the original song, this cover stands on its own with ease. This is one of those slow rock songs that we would listen to along with Kashmir Stone’s Rozana.
Great job, guys! We are waiting in anticipation for the next episode!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSeaBsJTBu0Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Teh Tarik Satu (Episode 1) – Akkamage Cover (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSeaBsJTBu0)

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Part 7; Young Singing Sensations Who Swooned Us With Their Best Cover Versions

Music truly knows no boundaries for our Malaysian young singing talents and I’m proud to say that their versions are as close to the beautiful masterpieces sung and composed previously by legends in the industry.
Some songs are so beautiful, iconic, and impenetrable that the thought of them being covered by someone else is sacrilege. The finest cover songs don’t just rebrand something familiar; they entirely rework the source material, disassembling and reassembling the song’s elements into something interesting while maintaining the essence of what made it great.
We’re willing to bet a great deal of you didn’t even know this was a cover tune. These lively vocals are great for embracing the current weather as they are lighthearted and breezy.
Dinesh Rajendran – dinuuuuu._
Dinesh’s cover from the film Sachein has instantly lifted all worries and replaces them with wonderful thoughts. This appealing tune is upbeat and joyful, and it will have you fantasising of butterflies and rainbows.
Having a bad day?
Then Dinesh’s vocals will brighten your somber mood.

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A post shared by DINESH RAJENDRAN (@dinuuuuu._)

Niveisan Subramaniam – niveisann
What better time to play this beautiful rendition when the weather is pleasant?
Niveisan’s cover on the famous song aptly titled Yedhedho Ennangal from the film Pattiyal has taken listeners back to blissful, more simpler times. Especially on the heart-tugging lyrics by  PA. Vijay, this song has always been close to our hearts to date.

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A post shared by NIVEISAN SUBRAMANIAM (@niveisann)

Tharmann – _gstharmann_
Covered by countless artists, this spellbinding rendition by Tharmann will instantly take you to a specific place or moment in time.
If it doesn’t make you feel happy, check your pulse guys!

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A post shared by GSTHARMANN (@_gstharmann_)

Gayathiry – gayathiry_official
A beautiful authentic cover of Our Killi Urugudhu by Gayathiry is a classic never to be forgotten. This melancholy cover takes on a whole different tone than the original track.

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A post shared by Gayathiry Thamotharan (@gayathiry_official)

Piraveen Aaron – _piraveennn_
Known for his deep, rich bass-baritone voice, Piraveen puts the acoustic version in sharp contrast with a spare, and trust me it’s just way too beautiful. There’s something timeless about this young teen’s voice, fraught with emotion and twisted by the years.
This talented vocalist makes us replay the song like no other!

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A post shared by Piraveen Aaron (@_piraveennn_)

Sia Saara – sia.saara
My jaw completely dropped after listening to this talented girl’s voice. This haunting vocals of Saara has grabbed the attention of social media viewers lately. Her slow tempo for this cover song is completely badass.
Listen to the full cover song here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCxfsabFuWB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Vidhya Mohan – _vidhyamohan_
Perhaps one of the grooving cover song, Vidhya’s take on Kannaane Kanne from the film Viswasam, adds an emotional depth that listeners wouldn’t understand by just hearing the audio, so do yourself a favour and watch it.

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A post shared by Vidhya Mohan (@_vidhyamohan_)

Gracintha Rubini James – gracintha_96
Gracintha has effortlessly belted out what’s going on in her in this heart piercing cover. Its addictive to the core.

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A post shared by Gracintha Rubini James🤓 (@graceeeee_96)

Jaya Bharkavee – singer_jaya_bharkavee
It’s hard to believe that Jaya’s take on the Kanna Veesi song was a cover version, and in my opinion she did justice to it. Listen it for yourself and be the judge!

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A post shared by Jaya Bharkavee (@singer_jaya_bharkavee)

Sharven Rao – sharven_ven
Sharven made his own take on the beautiful track aptly titled Kadhaipoma from the film Oh My Kadavule and will certainly make your day even more graceful. Trust me guys, this talented voice will instantly hook you like no other.

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