കണ്ണാടിച്ചില്ലുകള്‍....ശ്രീജാ ബലരാജിന്റെ കവിതാ സമാഹാരം പ്രകാശനം!

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I started off pretty early yesterday…did not want to be late for the function. As we made it to the town my driver asked me “sir should we take the Chalakkudy route (normal way to Ernakulam) or the Kodungallur route? Kodungallur route super aanu sir. Theere gutter illa. Lorry thirakkum illa. Malaysian contracter cheythathu kaaranam road naalanchu kollamaayittum oru kuzhappavum illa” I thought for a while…I had never ever used the Kodungallur route and did not want to take a risk. “We will take the normal route”. Well it seemed that I had almost sealed my fate as I reached the venue late by 45 minutes due to the heavy traffic and bad road! But luckily the function started by 5.30 and not 5.00 P.M as scheduled. It was really a big day for me too. Sreeja Baalaraj, our fellow Blogger, who is so well known in our Blogging world, was going to publish her first book “Kannadi Chillukal”!

When I finally made it to the C. Achuthan Menon Smaraka hall, the meeting had just started. I gave my camera to my friend “Bibin Das” who later told me that he was taking pictures for the first time in his entire life! Well I leave it for you to judge whether he was right by seeing the photos which I have put here! Mrs. Leela Chandran was already welcoming the guests on the dais! I saw Sreeja for the first time on the stage and she smiled at me. I occupied my seat on the stage. The meeting was presided by Mr. K.Karunakaran (Asst. Excise Commissioner). Prof. M.K Sanu officially did the “Pustaka Prakashanam” by presenting the first copy to Mr. Balachandran Chullikkad, who was a rage in our college days. I was so thrilled to be sitting behind him on stage.

After Mr. Balachandran introduced the book in his natural baritone voice, Mr. Jayakumar Chengamanad the young poet, Mr. Munnangavayal, Mr. A.K Joseph and Mr. Babu Mathew spoke. Then Mr. Kallara Gopan the famous playback singer rendered one of Sreeja’s poems beautifully! When my turn came, I spoke a few words on how I came to know Sreeja on the web, started working on songs thereafter and then sang a few lines of “Oru Venal” that we did together, and then kept the song on the CD for the audience to hear with the background music! Sreeja then delivered the vote of thanks.

Broad Band Player:

Dialup Player:


On the way back, when we reached Edapally my driver told me “Namukku Kodungallur Vazhi onnu nookkiyalo saare?” “shari…ok…I murmered” And you know what? We reached home in almost half the time that we took for our onward journey to Ernakulam! “Ini Kodungallur vazhi vannal mathi eppozhum”, I murmered to my driver. After I reached home by 11.00 P.M I gave the book to my wife who immediately started reading the poems one by one…” valare nannayittundu”…she said…”ithonnu kelkku..” she started reading a poem from the book…I had already dozed off….by then…