Amazon dives into the red despite sales lift lift jump

       Amazon.co.uk saw soaring sales of Inferno, Dan Brown's latest book, plus evidence of Britain's baby boom in a leap in demand for nappy wipes, but that could not stop the world's biggest online retailer falling to a surprise loss for the last three months.

     Amazon enjoyed a 22 per cent jump in global sales to $15.7bn (£10.2bn) between April and June, but growing expenses pushed it into the red.
The web giant, which is under fire for tax avoidance as it routes billions of pounds from sales to British customers through Luxembourg to pay negligible British tax, is spending billions trying to diversify from a warehouse and online store to become a broader digital company. It is selling its Kindle tablets alongside cloud computing, video streaming and digital downloads, as well as investing heavily in expanding into new markets such as China.

     Due to that spending, the company fell to a $7m loss in the second quarter of the year – in contrast to the $7m profit it made in the corresponding period a year earlier.

      However, a sales boycott sought by campaigners angry about its tax arrangement does not appear to have had an impact. Sales at Amazon's international division, which includes the British website, actually rose by 13 per cent to $6.2bn during the three months. Bestsellers at its UK website were dominated by Kindle books and baby products, Amazon said.

      The most-downloaded e-books in the three months were Inferno and titles by self-published authors using Kindle Direct Publishing, including No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday by Tracy Bloom and The Magpies by Mark Edwards. Other best-selling items included the Gro Anywhere Blackout Blind in Amazon's baby department, Pampers wipes and the Philips juicer.

      The site's founder and chief executive, Jeff Bezos, claimed Amazon's emphasis on technology was paying off: "This past quarter, our top 10 selling items worldwide were all digital products – Kindles, Kindle Fire HDs, accessories and digital content." The company is opening a new 12-storey office in central London later this year. When fully complete, the building at 60 Holborn Viaduct will accommodate more than 1,600 people.
  

Ancient Olympic Games

   According to historical records, the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC. They were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia. They continued for nearly 12 centuries, until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A.D. that all such "pagan cults" be banned.

Olympia

   Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which, according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops", the founder of the Olympic Games. Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty. Olympia functioned as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera parallel to it.  

The Games and religion

   The Olympic Games wer
/* podadonky *e closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not an integral part of a rite. Indeed, they had a secular character and aimed to show the physical qualities and evolution of the performances accomplished by young people, as well as encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece. According to specialists, the Olympic Games owed their purity and importance to religion.

Victory Ceremonies

    The Olympic victor received his first awards immediately after the competition. Following the announcement of the winner's name by the herald, a Hellanodikis (Greek judge) would place a palm branch in his hands, while the spectators cheered and threw flowers to him. Red ribbons were tied on his head and hands as a mark of victory.

   The official award ceremony would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated vestibule of the temple of Zeus. In a loud voice, the herald would announce the name of the Olympic winner, his father's name, and his homeland. Then, the Hellanodikis placed the sacred olive tree wreath, or kotinos, on the winner's head.

Easter Sunday

    Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. It celebrates the resurrection from the dead of Jesus, three days after he was executed. The Easter story is at the heart of Christianity.

Easter Sunday
   Easter Sunday marks Jesus' resurrection.
After Jesus was crucified on the Friday (now known as Good Friday), his body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave tomb. The tomb was guarded by Roman Soldiers and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that no-one could steal the body.

    On the Sunday, Mary Magdalene, followed later by some of Jesus' disciples visited the tomb and found that the stone had been moved, and that Jesus' body had gone.

    Jesus himself was seen that day by Mary and the disciples, and for forty days afterwards by many people. His followers realised that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Christians call this the Resurrection.
The week leading up to Easter is called Holy Week.

Holy Week

Palm Sunday
    This is the Sunday before Easter Day.
It is the first day of Holy Week and celebrates Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Crowds of people came out of the city to greet him, throwing down palm branches on the road.

    Anglican and Roman Catholic churches give out small crosses made from palm leaves, as a reminder of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem and his death on the cross. Some Christians keep these in their homes all year as a symbol of their faith.

Maundy Thursday
This is the Thursday before Easter Day

Last Supper: On Maundy Thursday Christians remember when Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, breaking bread and drinking wine, which is now known as the Last Supper.

    Many Christians remember this by sharing bread and wine together in a service called Holy Communion, Eucharist or Mass. It is a reminder that Jesus sacrificed his life for mankind.

   At this meal Jesus told his followers that they should love and serve one another. He demonstrated this by washing the feet of the disciples - something a servant would normally do. You can read this story in the Bible in John Ch.13v1-15

   The word maundy comes from the command (mandate) given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that we should love one another.
Roman Catholic church services include a ceremony in which the priest washes the feet of 12 people to commemorate Jesus' washing the feet of his disciples.

Good Friday
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday. It commemorates the
execution of Jesus by crucifixion.

    Good Friday is a day of mourning in church. During special Good Friday services Christians remember Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, and what this means for their faith.
 
 In some countries, there are special Good Friday processions, or re-enactments of the Crucifixion.

   The main service on Good Friday takes place between midday and 3pm. In many churches it takes the form of a meditation based on the seven last words of Jesus on the cross, with hymns, prayers, and short sermons.

Himalaya

     The Estes Valley Library's popular Our Wonderful World series resumes on Monday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. for a presentation titled "25 Years in the Himalaya", to be held at National Park Village's Rocky Mountain Opry Theater at 900 Moraine Avenue. Cynthia Hunt will recount the pitfalls and pinnacles of her 25 years working in grassroots development in the Western Himalayas, exploring the "road less traveled" in a land buffeted by winds of war, modernization, and tourism. Doctors Tom and Kathy Hornbein will introduce the program, offering their unique insights and perspectives on a region of the world very close to their hearts.
 Our Wonderful World will then conclude for the season with one final program on Monday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m


   

      The Himalaya is a rugged, yet beautiful area.

featuring a presentation titled "Starry Night: a Story of Survival". Mountain climber and author Isabel Suppé, will discuss the story of how she survived a chilling fall in the Bolivian Andes through strength and resolution. The story is now told in her book titled "Starry Night". The Sept. 16 event takes place at National Park Village's Rocky Mountain Opry Theater.

     Both final events in the series are free and open to the public. For more information on the Our Wonderful World series and other upcoming programs, contact the library at (970) 586-8116.

Goa restrictions sought

    Offshore casinos should not be allowed to operate on more than one river in Goa, the Indian Congress said last month, amid news that a leading casino promoter is considering relocating one of its three casinos in line with Congress’ preferences.

  “We do not want the evil of casinos to spread to other parts of the state. They should be in the Mandovi (a river off Panaji) or out of Goa,” party spokesperson Reginaldo Lourenco told the media.

   His comments come on a day when a leading national daily quoted Goa’s casino promoter Jaydev Mody as saying that his firm was on the look-out for a new site for a recently acquired casino vessel.

   “At the request of the Goa government and with a view to support it in its quest to reduce operations of casino ships in Mandovi, we have agreed to move the vessel out to another river in Goa. We will now work closely with the authorities to find a suitable location,” Mody said.

   Lourenco now claims that the Congress state committee will meet and formally pass a resolution on the casino relocation issue. “We are going to oppose it come what may,” the Congress spokesperson said.

    Four years ago, another casino which had dropped anchor in the Sal river in South Goa had to be relocated to Mandovi, off Panaji, following public protests against offshore casino operations.

   The National Green Tribunal has told the state government not to allow any new casinos in Mandovi, pending testing of the river water for pollutants emitted by casino vessels.

   There are presently five offshore casinos in the Mandovi river, out of which four are functional. Green groups have pushed for the large casino vessels to be moved from the river to offshore locations.

Wright brothers

     The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were two American brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who were credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. From 1905 to 1907, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft. Although not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft, the Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.

     The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than any before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than any before. Their first U.S. patent, 821,393, did not claim invention of a flying machine, but rather, the invention of a system of aerodynamic control that manipulated a flying machine's surfaces.


    They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice. From 1900 until their first powered flights in late 1903, they conducted extensive glider tests that also developed their skills as pilots. Their bicycle shop employee Charlie Taylor became an important part of the team, building their first aircraft engine in close collaboration with the brothers.

   The Wright brothers' status as inventors of the airplane has been subject to counter-claims by various parties. Much controversy persists over the many competing claims of early aviators.

Indian Railway

The History

   The history of rail transport in India began in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1849, there was not a single kilometre of railway line in India. A British engineer, Robert Maitland Brereton, was responsible for the expansion of the railways from 1857 onwards. The Allahabad-Jabalpur branch line of the East Indian Railway had been opened in June 1867. Brereton was responsible for linking this with the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, resulting in a combined network of 6,400 km (4,000 mi). Hence it became possible to travel directly from Bombay to Calcutta. This route was officially opened on 7 March 1870 and it was part of the inspiration for French writer Jules Verne's book Around the World in Eighty Days. At the opening ceremony, the Viceroy Lord Mayo concluded that “it was thought desirable that, if possible, at the earliest possible moment, the whole country should be covered with a network of lines in a uniform system”.

    By 1875, about £95 million were invested by British companies in India guaranteed railways. By 1880 the network had a route mileage of about 14,500 km (9,000 mi), mostly radiating inward from the three major port cities of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. By 1895, India had started building its own locomotives, and in 1896 sent engineers and locomotives to help build the Uganda Railways.

     In 1900, the GIPR became a government owned company. The network spread to the modern day states of Assam, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh and soon various autonomous kingdoms began to have their own rail systems. In 1905, an early Railway Board was constituted, but the powers were formally invested under Lord Curzon.It served under the Department of Commerce and Industry and had a government railway official serving as chairman, and a railway manager from England and an agent of one of the company railways as the other two members. For the first time in its history, the Railways began to make a profit.

    In 1907 almost all the rail companies were taken over by the government. The following year, the first electric locomotive made its appearance. With the arrival of World War I, the railways were used to meet the needs of the British outside India. With the end of the war, the railways were in a state of disrepair and collapse.

     In 1920, with the network having expanded to 61,220 km (38,040 mi), a need for central management was mooted by Sir William Acworth. Based on the East India Railway Committee chaired by Acworth, the government took over the management of the Railways and detached the finances of the Railways from other governmental revenues.

     The period between 1920 and 1929 was a period of economic boom; there were 41,000 mi (66,000 km) of railway lines serving the country; the railways represented a capital value of some 687 million sterling; and they carried over 620 million passengers and approximately 90 million tons of goods each year.Following the Great Depression, the railways suffered economically for the next eight years. The Second World War severely crippled the railways. Starting 1939, about 40% of the rolling stock including locomotives and coaches was taken to the Middle East, the railways workshops were converted to ammunitions workshops and many railway tracks were dismantled to help the Allies in the war. By 1946 all rail systems had been taken over by the government.

Erdington Abbey

     Our Church of Ss Thomas and Edmund of Canterbury, popularly known as Erdington Abbey, has been serving the Catholic population of Erdington, Birmingham, England since 1850.

     Designed in the Gothic style by Charles Hansom (brother of Joseph Hansom of the Hansom Cab fame,) it strongly resembles the work of Augustus Pugin, who is said to have made the first drawing.

       The founder was Fr. Daniel Hague, a convert Anglican clergyman who paid for its construction from his personal fortune. He hoped that monks would be able to serve his church and included a spacious sanctuary to allow for choir stalls. His hopes were fulfilled in 1876 when Benedictine monks from Beuron in Prussia, expelled in the kultur-kampf, offered their services. He was able to make them Trustees of the church and property before his death in 1879. By the following year a monastery was built with a community of eleven monks.

      After World War I, during which the community suffered aggravation, it was possible for the community to return to their homeland, and in 1922 the Redemptorists (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer) took over the Trust. In the years that followed the monastery was home to the priests and brothers of the mission and parish staff, a junior seminary, and distribution centre for Redemptorist Publications. In the 1980s it was no longer fit for purpose due to new fire regulations and was taken over by a private school which could make the necessary and substantial alterations.

      The Redemptorists continue to serve the church and parishioners. Thank you for logging on to us. Don’t miss our virtual tour of the church. Happy viewing!

Mother Teresa

    Researchers are calling into question the saintly image of Mother Teresa after carrying out research into her life. 
Born Agnes Gonxha in Albania, she founded the Missionaries of Charity and spent much of her life in Calcutta, caring for the sick and poor.

   She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was beatified by the Vatican in 2003, six years after her death - one miracle away from sainthood.

   But a number of critics have questioned how much of the image is justified. 

   Writing in journal Studies in Religion/Sciences, Serge Larivie and Genevieve Chenard, say her hallowed reputation does not stand up to scrutiny.

    Prof Larivie said: 'While looking for documentation on the phenomenon of altruism for a seminar on ethics, one of us stumbled upon the life and work of one of Catholic Church's most celebrated woman and now part of our collective imagination - Mother Teresa.

   'The description was so ecstatic that it piqued our curiosity and pushed us to research further.'

   After studying nearly 300 documents on her life, they concluded that a number of issues surrounded the nun were not taken into account by the Vatican.

    These included 'her rather dubious way of caring for the sick, her questionable political contacts, her suspicious management of the enormous sums of money she received, and her overly dogmatic views regarding, in particular, abortion, contraception, and divorce.'

Aranmula Metal Mirror (Aranmula Kannaadi)

		The famous 'Aranmula Kannady' is made in Aranmula  village In Kerala State ,India by the traditional craftsmen. It is not made of glass but with bell metal. This is a unique art which is not found any where else in the world. Its techniques is handed down from generation to generation.    The Aranmula Metal Mirror is a unique object, mysterious in its creation unequalled in its beauty. The metal mirror, a marvel in the annals of metallurgy was in vogue long before the appearance of today's Silicon synthetic glass mirror.It was in use far off Egypt and Bagdad. Its creation is a closely guarded secret, known to a few families Aranmula Metal Mirror manufacturing was staged in the early 18th century. It represents a fascinating area of culture and technological curiosity. Mysterious in its creation, unequaled in its beauty, this metal mirror, a mediaeval Dravidian marvel in the annals of metallurgy was in vogue long before the appearance of today's silicon glass mirror. This is constrained to only one household of master craftsmen in Aranmula. The origin of metal mirror of Amnmula is closely connected with the Aranmula Padhasarathy Temple which is deemed to be the nerve centre cf Pamba valley civilization. The art of  making metal mirror has been practiced in the various parts of the world. Sree Parthasarathy temple,Aranmula Aranmula is traditional Village in Pathanamthitta district ,Kerala State India And about 110KM North from Trivandrum ,the State Capital and 125 Km South from Cochin.  Aranmula is famous for Aranmula Metal Mirror) and the centuries old Vaishnavite Temple , the Sree Parthasarathy temple on the banks of the Holy River Pampa, is fast turning into a cultural tourism centre in the State with growing  number of foreign tourists visiting the place. Every year, tourists from Australia, Canada, England, Switzerland, besides many other European countries reach Aranmula TRADITION The legend has it, that eight families of expert in temple arts and craft had been brought by the local Royal Chief of Amnmula from Sankarankoil situated in the present day Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu in connection with certain works in the Parthasarathy Temple centuries ago. While working with the bronze to make a crown for the Lord Parthasarathy, to their surprise the artisans discovered the reflective property of one particular copper-tin alley. However they failed to reproduce the compositions. The oral history continues to say that a divine interference came from Parvathi Amma, a widow of community, through a dream. She received a secret ratio of the alley. There is a story in Puranas, that, the mirror of Godess Parvathi , is a diva Vasthu which symbolizes pact with God.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

    The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the  Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, weren’t in Babylon at all – but were instead located 300 miles to the north in Babylon’s greatest rival Nineveh, according to a leading Oxford-based historian.

 

    After more than 20 years of research, Dr. Stephanie Dalley, of Oxford University’s Oriental Institute, has finally pieced together enough evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the famed gardens were built in Nineveh by the great Assyrian ruler Sennacherib  - and not,  as historians have always thought, by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

   Dr. Dalley first publicly proposed her idea that Nineveh, not Babylon, was the site of the gardens back in 1992, when her claim was reported in The Independent – but it’s taken a further two decades to find enough evidence to prove it.

    Detective work  by Dr. Dalley  – due to be published  as a book by Oxford University Press later this month – has yielded four key pieces of evidence.
First, after studying later historical descriptions of the Hanging Gardens, she realized that a bas-relief from Sennacherib’s palace in Nineveh actually portrayed trees growing on a roofed colonnade exactly as described in classical accounts of the gardens.

     That crucial original bas-relief appears to have been lost in the mid 19 century.  When it was discovered by the British archaeologist, Austin Henry Layard, in the 1840s, it seems to have already been in such poor condition that its surface was, in all probability, rapidly crumbling away. Alternatively, it may have been amongst a group of Layard’s UK- bound Nineveh carvings which were lost when the boat carrying them sank in the River Tigris. Luckily, however, an artist employed by Layard had already drawn the bass-relief – and that drawing, recently recognised by Dr. Dalley as portraying the garden, had been reproduced in Layard’s book about Nineveh published in London in 1853.

    Further research by Dr. Dalley then suggested that, after Assyria had sacked and conquered Babylon in 689 BC, the Assyrian capital Nineveh may well have been regarded as the ‘New Babylon’ – thus creating the later belief that the Hanging Gardens were in fact  in Babylon itself. Her research revealed that at least one other town in  Mesopotamia  - a city called Borsippa – was being described as  “another Babylon”  as early as the 13 century BC, thus implying that in antiquity the name could be used to describe places other than the real Babylon.  A breakthrough occurred when she noticed  from earlier research  that after Sennacherib  had sacked and conquered  Babylon, he had actually renamed all the gates of Nineveh after the  names traditionally used for Babylon’s city gates. Babylon had always named its gates after its gods. After the Assyrians sacked Babylon, the Assyrian monarch simply renamed Nineveh’s city gates after those same gods. In terms of nomenclature, it was clear that Nineveh was in effect becoming a ‘New Babylon’.

   Dr. Dalley then looked at the comparative  topography of Babylon and Nineveh and realized that the totally flat countryside around the real Babylon would have made it impossible to deliver sufficient water to maintain the sort of raised gardens  described in the classical sources. As her research proceeded it therefore became quite clear that the ‘Hanging Gardens’ as described could not have been built in Babylon.

   Finally her research began to suggest that the original classical descriptions of the Hanging Gardens had been written by historians who had actually visited the Nineveh area.

   Researching the post-Assyrian history of Nineveh, she realized that Alexander the Great had actually camped near the city in 331BC – just before he defeated the Persians at the famous battle of Gaugamela. It’s known that Alexander’s army actually camped by the side of one of the great aqueducts that carried water to what Dr. Dalley now believes was the site of the Hanging Gardens.
Alexander had on his staff several Greek historians including Callisthenes, Cleitarchos and Onesicritos, whose works have long been lost to posterity – but significantly those particular historians’ works were sometimes used as sources by the very authors who several centuries later described the gardens in works that have survived to this day.

   “It’s taken many years to find the evidence to demonstrate that the gardens and associated system of aqueducts and canals were built by Sennacherib at Nineveh and not by Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. For the first time it can be shown that the Hanging Garden really did exist” said Dr. Dalley.

    The Hanging Gardens were built as a roughly semi-circular theatre-shaped multi-tiered artificial hill some 25 metres high. At its base was a large pool fed by small streams of water flowing down its sides. Trees and flowers were planted in small artificial fields constructed on top of roofed colonnades. The entire garden was around 120 metres across and it’s estimated that it was irrigated with at least 35,000 litres of water brought by a canal and aqueduct system from up to 50 miles away. Within the garden itself water was raised mechanically by large water-raising bronze screw-pumps.

    The newly revealed builder of the Hanging Gardens, Sennacherib of Assyria - and   Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who was traditionally associated with them - were both aggressive military leaders. Sennacherib’s campaign against Jerusalem  was immortalized some 2500 years later in a poem by Lord Byron describing how “the Assyrians came down like a wolf on the fold,” his cohorts “gleaming in purple and gold.”

   Both were also notorious for destroying iconic religious buildings.
 Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem and according to one much later tradition was temporarily turned into a beast for his sins against God. Sennacherib of Assyria destroyed the great temples of Babylon, an act which was said to have shocked the Mesopotamian world. Indeed tradition holds that when he was later murdered by two of his sons, it was divine retribution for his destruction of those temples.

   Bizarrely it may be that the Hanging Gardens were the first of the seven ‘wonders’ of the world to be so described – for Sennacherib himself referred to his palace gardens, built in around 700BC or shortly after,  as “a wonder for all the peoples”. It’s only now however that the new research has finally  revealed that his palace gardens were indeed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Some historians have thought that the Hanging Gardens may even have been purely legendary.  The new research finally demonstrates that they really did exist.
 

Kappalottam Kuravilangadu Church Kerala India

 History
    Traditional beliefs, some legendary factors and historical associations contribute to the actual history of the Kuravilangad Marth Mariam Church. The Church is under the Palai Eparchy of Syro Malabar Church.  It is believed that four Christian families from Palayur arrived at Ettumanoor and they moved to Kalikavu near Kuravilangad in the beginning of the second century. Many believe that it happened in the beginning of 2th century AD. The traditional dating of the foundation of the Church is 105 AD.

     The miraculous intervention of St. Mary in the construction of the church is evident. It is belived that first appearce of Mother Mary happened at Kuravilangad. The never drying well on the hill top is an evident testimony. It is also said that the Jewish tradition of conducting prayer at hill top and the Jewish Persian tradition of building church at hilltop are the reasons behind construction at hill top.

     The present Marth Mariam Church has been built in 1960 by Manakatt Thoma Kathanar. The Church was renewed three times in the past before 1960. The Old Mani Malika has an inscription which tells the date of construction as AD 337. The Madbha is in Portuguese style. Thora has many murals. The present south Sankirthi is the Madbha of the Church which was re constructed in 1550 AD. The North Sankirthi was built on 1580 AD. There are many old murals, icon in the Church. There is also a Vadhya pura attached to the Church.

    The Open air cross is of 34” feet height and was installed on 1575 AD . There are 124 lamps in the open air cross. The Cheriya palli is dedicated to Saint Sebastian. It was established in 1868. The Cemetery Church was established in 1690. The Priests house was built on 1901 by Nidhiry Mani Kathanar. There are three bells which were brought from Germany in 1911 which weigh 1829 Kg,1317 Kg ,866 Kg respectively. One of them is more than 6 feet height. There is another bell which was brought from Portugal with an inscription. There is also an old bell with Syriac inscription. This bell is reported to have cast in 1584 with an inscription ” Ameh dalaha” ( Mother of God) for Blessed Virgin.

The Church was renewed three times in the past before 1960. The Old Mani Malika has an inscription which tells the date of construction as AD 337. The Madbha is in Portuguese style. Thora has many murals. The present south Sankirthi is the Madbha of the Church which was re constructed in 1550 AD. The North Sankirthi was built on 1580 AD. There are many old murals, icon in the Church. There is also a Vadhya pura attached to the Church.


   Kuravilanagdu is famous for the three day Munnunoyambu feast which is participated by more than a lakh people. Rogation of the Ninevites, the three day feast and celebration of miraculous saving of Jonah, the prophet who was swallowed by a great fish is one of the main attraction.

   In the Old Testament of the Bible, Jonah is mentioned twice, first in 2 Kings 14:25 (as a prophet in the time of King Jeroboam II) and later in the Book of Jonah. He was the son of Amittai, from the Galilean village of Gath-hepher near Nazareth.

    God orders Jonah to prophesy to the city of Nineveh. Not wanting to, Jonah tries to avoid God’s command by going to Joppa and sailing to Tarshish. A huge storm arises and the sailors, realizing this is no ordinary storm, cast lots and learn that Jonah is to blame. Jonah admits this and states that if he is thrown overboard the storm will cease.

      The sailors try to get the ship to the shore but in failing feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms. Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish. In chapter two, while in the great fish, Jonah prays to God and asks forgiveness. As a result, God commands the fish to vomit Jonah out.


    God again orders Jonah to visit Nineveh and prophesy to its inhabitants. This time he goes there and walks through the city crying, “In forty days Nineveh shall be destroyed.” The Ninevites believe his word and appoint a public fast, ranging from the King (who puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes) to the humblest person. God has compassion and spares the city for the time being.

    The Kappalottam celebrations at Kuravilangadu Marth Mariam Church  - moving an old ship around the church during the three day Munnunoyambu feast and the replication of biblical events of Prophet Jonah is due to the martime traditions of early Nasranis. The feast was conducted earlier for the safety of sailors from Kadappoor village. Conducting Kappalottam is still the right of people from Kadappoor village in Kuravilangadu.

    There is a museum in Kuravilangad with historical documents and artifcats assocaited with the Church.

Some people who have left there mark in history from Kuravilangadu.

   The Archdeacons were from Kuravilanagadu. After the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653 ,  with the ordination of Archdeacon Thomas as Mar Thomas I in Malanakra Syriac Orthodox Church, the role was changed from Archdeacon to Bishop. Mar Thoma I died around 1670-3 AD. The hereditary line of Bishops continued in Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church from 1653 until 1815 and all were from the  Pakalomattam family of Kuravilanagdu.

    Among the Catholics, the first known indigenous Bishop of whole India, Mar Parampil Chandy is an illustrious son of Kuravilangadu. He was ordained bishop on first February 1663 by Mar Sebastany a foreign Carmelite bishop. He is also known as Bishop Alexander de Campo and was consecrated with the title of Bishop Megara in Achala. He was the Vicar Apostolic of Malabar. He styled himself as the “ Metropolitan of All India”. He has done major contribution in bringing more Churches to Catholic side after the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653. More and more Churches, Kathanars and Christians made their submission to him. He also had a clear advantage over his rival Mar Thoma I, as the validity of his Episcopal consecration was beyond doubt, while that of Archdeacon Thomas
was being called into question by an increasing number of people.

    Mar Parampil Chandy Metran was staying at Kuravilangadu till his death, 2nd January 1687 and ruled the Catholic Saint Thomas Christians from there. After the demise of Mar Parampil Chandy (Bishop Alexander de Campo) , no indigenous Syrian bishop was appointed to succeed him for nearly three centuries in the Catholic Saint Thomas Christians who are known today as Syro Malabar Church.

     Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Nidhiri ( Nidhirikal Mani Kathanar ) (1842- 1904) of Kuravilangadu is a colossus in the history of the church in Kerala. He was an eminent educationalist, orator, organizer and a champion of ecumenism. He lead the community against a fearless fight against the European hegemony over the Nasrani Christians paving the way for indigenous Bishops for Syro Malabar Church. He was the first editor of the first Malayalam daily “Deepika” erstwhile “Nazrani Deepika”. Mani Kathanar played an instramental role in opening English education to the Syrian Catholics Community. As the Vicar of the Kuravilangadu church, he started the St.Mary’s English school for boys in 1894. The previous President of India, Dr. K. R. Narayanan matriculated from this school.

    The ecumenical association, Nazrani Jathiaikya Sangham organized by Nidhiry Mani Kathanar and Mar Dionysius, the Jacobite Syriac Church Metropolitan was one of the important happenings in Syrian Christians history.He was also the moving spirit behind the Malayalee Memorial, which was one of the first steps in the social transformation of Kerala in 1891. He has also authored a number history and other books.

    Servant of God, Fr. Jacob Panamkuzhakal (Panamkuzhakal Valliyachan) (1479-1543) was a very holy priest of Kuravilangadu
 
    

Vaikathashtami Festival - Kerala - India

     Vaikathashtami Festival is a very popular festival of Kerala which takes place during the month of November or December. This festival is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva in the form of Shivalinga. The Vaikathashtami Festivalis observed at Vaikom Mahadeva Temple. This temple is one of the oldest and the most popular temples of the country.

• The term Vaikathashtami includes Asthami and that means the 8th day of the Malayalam month Vrischikam.

• The Vaikom Mahadeva Temple is situated 40kms away from Kottayam which is a very important pilgrim spot in South India.

• The architecture of the temple is very artistic with four huge corridors called Mandapams. The Prakarams of the temple or the halls are very spacious which are constructed with slabs of black stone.

• The temple is standing for about 8 acres of land and is surrounded by high walls and four huge towers. The Shivalinga in the temple is about 5m n height.

Celebrations

• During the Vaikathashtami Festival the temple remains crowded with large crowds of devotees and also tourists. On the Asthami night a symbolic idol of Lord Shiva called Thidampu is taken out in procession. This Thidampu is also called as Vaikom Mahadeva.

• Lingabhishekam or the elongated bath of Shivalinga is a very sacred ritual which is very famous among the people and is visited by a number of devotees.

• While the deity is taken out for procession the other deities from the nearby temple also join the procession.

• During this festival a classical and cultural fair also takes place which is attended by lot of people. In the fair nigh long classical music and dance performances take place. Beside, Kathakali performances also take place during this festival.

St Thomas visit in India - AD 50

History

   The Apostle landed at the southern side of KOTTACHAL at Niranam, an ancient waterway and a tributary of PUMBA river in Thiruvalla Taluk of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala State, South India. Presently Kottachal is also known as St. Thomas Lake.

Kottachal (St. Thomas Lake/Thomathu Kadavu)

    Evidences reveal that St. Thomas visited North-Western India around 50 AD. The second visit to India was in 52 AD. He landed at the port of Kodungalloor or Muziris on the western coast. The same year he arrived at Niranam in a water vessel. The Apostle interacted with one and all and performed various miracles. Many people including a section of Brahmins- the priestly class – embraced Christianity. That was a period in Indian History when astute Buddhist missionaries expounded Sree Buddha’s teachings at the behest of the edicts of Asoka, the Mouryan Emperor.

 The Art Gallery 

   The 45 feet tall Art Gallery overlooks the St. Thomas Lake. The winding wall of this structure is adorned with a good number of art works that are intricate miniatures of different facets of the history of ancient Kerala. The ground floor houses a beautiful painting of St. Thomas who touches the wound of the resurrected Jesus Christ. Paintings of St. Gregorios of Parumala, the Mother Teresa and St.Mary are kept in the next three floors. The top floor is installed with a full size statue of St. Thomas. The convincing references from Travancore State Manual, a Govt. publication and golden verses from the Bible are exhibited in two boards kept inside the gallery.

 

 

St. Alphonsa - First Woman Saint of India

  The Passion Flower Of Bharananganam 

   St. Alphonsa, the first native woman saint of India, who lived as an unknown simple clarist nun within the four walls of the Franciscan Clarist convent at Bharananganam, in the state of Kerala, is now known all over the world. Her extraordinary power of intercession before her beloved Spouse Lord Jesus Christ, made her dear to everyone. Thousands of people from all walks of life irrespective of caste, creed, religion or country flow to the tomb of the saint to pray for their various needs and to pay homage and gratitude for the innumerable favours they received.

   St. Alphonsa had a life span of only 36 years and she died on 28th July, 1946. At the funeral service, Rev. Fr. Romulus CMI, her spiritual director uttered these words of prophesy: "With the most profound conviction in my heart I affirm that we are attending the last rites of a saintly person. If the world had realized her intrinsic worth, unprecedented crowds from all over India would have assembled here. I assure you that as far as human judgment can be relied upon, this young nun was not much less saintly than the Little Flower of Lisieux…… Bharananganam where her mortal remains will be interred is hallowed. If it is God's Holy Will, this place will become the Lisieux of India. "

   The above prophetic sermon of the 29th July, 1946 was fully actualized on 12th October, 2008 when His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI declared Sr.Alphonsa 'A SAINT' in the St. Peter's Square, Rome in front of lakhs of people from all over the world. St. Peter's Square witnessed the presence of ten thousands of people from India including Cardinals, Bishops, Political Dignitaries, Priests, Religious men and women and thousands of laity including the Saint's family members.

   As a symbol of the recognition of the first Indian Saint, the Government was pleased to send a delegation of 12 dignitaries to Rome to participate in the Canonization Ceremony of St. Alphonsa.

Birth 

   St. Alphonsa was born as the fourth child of Joseph Muttathupadathu and Mary Puthukari. Both families claim to be the respected progeny of the ancient Syrian Christians of Malabar.

    Alphonsa belonged to the parish of Kudamalur, in the diocese of Changanacherry in the Travancore- Cochin State, the present Kerala State. Even her birth was shrouded in suffering. When her mother was eight months pregnant, because of the stifling heat, she was sleeping on the veranda . She was awakened by a snake that had entwined her waist. Instinctively she tore the serpent away from her. But she had the shock of her life which resulted in hastening the premature birth of the baby on 19th August, 1910. The mother died after 29 days. The child was baptized 'Anna' on the 27th August at St. Mary's church Kudamalur and was affectionately called 'Annakutty'. The father and his mother nursed the child for some time. Then her mother's sister, Annamma of Murickan family Muttuchira took her to bring her up along with her children.

Schoolinghttps://twitter.com/podadonky

   Annakutty started her schooling at Govt. L. P. School, Thonnankuzhy Aarpookkara on 16th May, 1916. During this time the affectionate grandmother instilled in her devotion to Mary our Mother and to the Saints. She read her stories about saints especially of St. Theresa of Avila and St. Little Flower of Lisieux and taught her simple prayers. She learned the penitential practices from her father. Her First Holy Communion was on 27th November, 1917. Grandmother's advice and the example of her father inculcated in her the desire to become a saint.

   She continued her studies at Muttuchira on 30th June, 1920. She received the Sacrament of Confirmation on 21st January, 1925. Her aunt Annamma Murickan was a strict disciplinarian, though very much affectionate. The training under Annamma, who was a strict disciplinarian left a lasting imprint on her character though she was excessively fond of and bestowed overflowing affection on the motherless ward. The aunt was keen as to train her up to be a decent housewife.

A Daring Act

   Annakutty had a vision of St. Little Therese of Lisieux who inspired her to become a religious. But contrary to her desire to become a religious, she was brought up by her aunt with a view to give her in marriage into a respectable family, as was the custom of the day. But Annakutty aspired to become a nun, as she was chosen by God for a religious vocation. Her aunt and other relatives strongly opposed her plan. Her aunt tried to fix up a respectable alliance for her. She implored her uncle not to force her into marriage and she fainted. Still Annamma was adamant. Nothing would induce her to surrender her niece to a convent. The proposal for marriage disturbed Annakutty deeply. But Annakutty had chosen the Crucified Jesus Christ as her beloved Spouse. Hence she reacted in her own manner in the ultimate decision regarding her life, refusing point blank the proposals of her aunt on marriage which she wanted to impose on her. She hatched a plan to burn her feet in the pit for burning the chaff and the husk of grain after the rice harvest. In her attempt to burn her foot a little, she slipped and fell into the fire which resulted in very severe burns on both legs. The toes of her feet were so badly burned that they became one whole single mass. The doctor had to separate her toes and to bandage each of them. It took almost one year to get it healed. God Almighty bestowed abundance of grace and blessings on this His chosen beloved who offered herself as a holocaust of love for Him. As a reward for this great sacrifice, a lot of miraculous healings continue to take place through her intercession, especially the cure of the deformity of the legs. The miracles approved by the Holy See for her beatification and canonization were also regarding the cure of deformity of the legs.

    The burning of her feet and the subsequent suffering had the desired effect when Annakutty's aunt dropped all her ideas about marriage and permitted her to join a convent. She preferred the poor Clarist convent to the prosperous ones. When Annakutty persisted in her absolute refusal to tie the knot, her aunt had to give in to the steely resolve of her niece to join a convent.  

Entry To Convent

   On 24th May, 1927, on the Solemnity of the day of Pentecost, escorted by her father, Annakutty reached the Clarist convent at Bharananganam. She joined the Vernacular Middle School at Bharananganam in Class VII. She passed the government examination held in 1929. Later she joined the Vernacular High School at Vazhappally, Changanacherry and studied there for two years. On passing the State examination, one was licensed to teach at Primary school level. Her Certificate is kept in the St. Alphonsa Museum in the convent at Bharananganam. Annakutty received the veil of the Postulant on 2nd August, 1928 and she took the name 'Alphonsa' (to be precise 'Sister Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception' ), after the Saint of the day St. Alphonsus Liguori. The Vestition was on 19th May, 1930 in a solemn occasion when she received the Franciscan religious habit from Mar James Kalacherry, the bishop of Changanacherry of that time. On that day, Sr. Alphonsa made a firm declaration: " I joined the convent to become a saint and having survived many obstacles, what have I to live for, if I don't become a saint?"

    Sr. Alphonsa offered herself to Jesus as a victim of love. Her life was not one of roses, but that of sufferings – both physical and mental. A few months after her Vestition, she had an attack of haemorrhage for which she had to undergo an operation at Ernakulam. When her health improved a little, she spent one year at Vakakad as a teacher in the year 1932-'33.   

Decade Of Suffering

   She entered Novitiate on 12th August, 1935. After one week of rigorous routine of Novitiate, Sr. Alphonsa developed a serious haemorrhage and a large ulcer on her leg which prevented her free movement. The superiors even thought of sending her back to Bharananganam. The bishop was consulted and after visiting her he decided that she should not be sent back. He preferred her death there, if it happens, rather than her being sent back.

    Her condition remained crucial for a few months. At the suggestion of her Novice Master Rev. Fr. Louis CMI, a novena was started by the novices in common in honour of Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. On the last day of the novena, Sr. Alphonsa had a vision of Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara who blessed her, touched her and said to her: "You are cured of this illness. And you won't be affected by it again. But you will always have to bear up other sufferings." Thus she was completely cured of her illness miraculously.

    On completing her Canonical Novitiate, Sr. Alphonsa sealed her union with Jesus Christ by professing her Perpetual Vows to Him on 12th August, 1936. Sr. Alphonsa returned to Bharananganam and joyfully followed the Community life. But a few weeks later she had a severe attack of fever which lasted for six months. Tuberculosis was suspected. The whole community made novenas to Saint Little Flower and Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. She was cured miraculously. When questioned insistently by the superiors, she confessed that a Carmelite nun came to her side, touched and healed her. She had a vision of Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara also.

   Though Sr. Alphonsa got cured of the serious sickness, she was always tormented by minor ailments. The physical and mental agony were unbearable, but she showed great patience, perseverance and fortitude. She wanted to become a saint at any cost. So she accepted and utilized suffering as a means of self-purification. "To suffer out of love and to rejoice in it, that is all that I desire on earth"- wrote Alphonsa in one of her letters. She considered everyone who had caused her any grief or suffering as 'special divine instruments' sent by God to sanctify her. She appeared quite well during daytime but suffered greatly at night. Those were sleepless nights for her. When asked 'what she was doing during such time of the night?' her response was that she loved. Having been miraculously healed Sr. Alphonsa got back to her regular life with others subjugating herself to all types of trials and hardships and emerging always victorious.

     In spite of all her ordeals she loved God and her brethren. This was the secret of the success of her life. She enriched her life, living for others. She radiated the divine splendor around her with her cherubic smile that revealed the inner core of her spirit.

     Further afflictions began to appear one by one. She became seriously ill due to an attack of fever. Doctor diagnosed it as double pneumonia. Careful nursing and prayer by the community brought her back to health. During this period a thief entered her room and she was seized with panic.As a result of this encounter with the thief, she suffered a serious mental breakdown and started behaving like a child. She lost her memory and even the capacity to read or write. But even in this abnormal state of her mind, she was in deep communion with the Lord either praying earnestly for others or seeking pardon for the sins of others. It took almost one year to get back to the normal stage after the great shock. No sooner had she recovered from her nervous breakdown than she was assailed with another affliction. There appeared a boil on her groin which slowly became an abscess causing unbearable pain. She was unable even to eat and her health deteriorated. Thinking that she has come to her last moments, the Last Rites were administered to her. But as foretold by Sr. Alphonsa, the crisis passed and on 30th September, the Death anniversary of St. Little Flower, she recouped her health.
    Though Sr. Alphonsa had been a victim of suffering throughout her life, she never voiced any complaint. People enjoy the flowers and its fragrance, but nobody is bothered about the leaves at the bottom of these plants that decay to become the manure for its growth. St. Alphonsa was a mysterious saint who through her life of prayer and sufferings, wanted to be such leaves and lived like the leaf to decay and become the manure to produce flowers.
She appeared like a beautiful Rose where only the beautiful flower is visible to the onlookers. But it grows on branches with thorns which are unnoticed by others. She was always found with a serene smile even though the thorns of agony were hidden inside, since she knew that God Almighty wanted her to endure this excruciating agony to make in her a grandeur of virtues. She never regretted her sufferings. She even prayed for more sufferings and God was pleased to grant her lofty enthusiasm.

The Final Victory 

    In July 1945 Sr. Alphonsa had an attack of spasmodic pain which threw her into fits of violent convulsions. It began with prolonged vomiting and her body became quite cold as if frozen to the marrow. This leads to complete exhaustion and helplessness which lasts for three to seven hours. She was seen bathed in perspiration and seemed to grapple with death. This type of violent convulsions occurred frequently till her death. She was ready to suffer anything for the love of Jesus Christ. She prayed to God to transfer to her the Malaria of Sr. Thresia and the Bishop so that it may not affect their busy and important schedule. God was pleased to grant the prayer of His beloved. Very soon the Bishop and Sr. Thresia were found to be completely cured and Sr. Alphonsa had contracted Malaria!!

    The final phase of her agonies had persisted for over a year. She felt that it was time for her to join her beloved Spouse. She sought permission from Rev. Fr. Romulus and Mother Ursula to pray for her death. On 16th July, 1946 Sr. Alphonsa wrote to the Mother General Rev. Sr. Bernerditta like this: 'Even as the kite snatches off the chicken, so will the Lord snatch me away'. On Sunday, 28th July, 1946 her saintly soul flew silently to her Divine Maker, without any one standing around her deathbed being aware of it.

Eternal Rest
   The next day 29th July 1946, witnessed a funeral which was very simple. The coffin was carried in procession to the parish church by the sisters of the convent. At the Requiem Mass her special Spiritual Director gave the prophetic sermon. Her body was laid to rest in the tomb of the newly built cemetery chapel. It was providential that Alphonsa was buried at the very same spot where one finds her venerated tomb located today.