Decade Dreams

Decade Dreams

It’s been a decade now, but those sweet memories of CMS College life are not faded at all. In my wildest dreams I always wanted to go back to the campus to do another rounds of fun and studies.

Ah…..dreams….but the reality is I am miles and miles away from the oldest college in india, but YouTube keeps me closer to the college. These are some the music videos shot in Kottayam CMS College campus.

::Thru the Lens

From my childhood days onwards I have been following the great photography works in Tamil Cinema and great still photography works from photographs all around the world. I dreamed every time that I am going to click the same shot next time. But sadly no still camera until I started earning for myself. Thus I bought a Canon S2 S1 from USA, thanks to my cousin for get it done for me. Here are some of the shots I have taken from the camera, still learning the tips and tricks of camera. Photo1: I love sunset and nature, This photo was taken when I went to an outing to a hilly area in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Photo 2: I love macros shots, big ants were busy making the nest before the monsoon Photo 3: Equally I love wide angle Shots, This photo was taken when I went to an outing to Jaljira fort in Maharashtra, India Photo 4: I love monster zoom cameras, this moon shot I have taken by my Canon S2IS only. Now you can imagine what all we can capture if we have a monster zoom lens.

Photo 5: Sunset is my all time favorite, Shot take from my apartment in Pune Photo 6: Nature, I can’t forget this tree, I had spend long afternoons under this shade. The picture was taken from CMS College, Kottayam, Kerala, India campus. Photo 7: Monuments, This photo was taken from a cruise on my visit to Liberty Island, New York USA Photo 8: Structures, Snap of Brooklyn Bridge from South Sea Port, New York USA

Photo 9: Deep’s, I have seen the name “Deep” on several places, this time I could not stop me clicking. A wall painting from the streets of Neuchatel, Switzerland. Photo 10: Horizon, Shot taken from Swiz Air during my return journey from Switzerland Photo 11: Snow, Baby enjoying skeying in Interlaken Resorts, Switzerland. Photo 12: Alps, I waited and waited to take this snap of Alps Mountain. Photo 13: Another macro shot of a flower Photo 14: Green and Gods own Country, I haven’t got enough chance to improve my photography skills by clicking nature and greenery of kerala, aka “Gods Own Country”. This snap was taken from one of the hill tops of Vagamon, Kerala, India Photo 15: Kerala, That’s it green always green Photo 16: Vagamon Medows, Snaps from the famous vagamon “Kurishu mala”

Photo 17,18,19: images of kerala, One can see and experience wild, blossom, nature always – simply “Gods own Country”

Postcard from the Land Of Skyscrapers

Finally I too got a chance to visit every IT guys dream country “The United States of America”. As a part of my current project assignment I had to work at our clients office located in New York “The Land Of Skyscappers” for three months.

New York greeted me with heavy snow falls and chilly winds. I had to spend the whole winter there, for the worst the day begins at 6:00 am and getting dark by 4:00 pm. Still I managed to roam around alone.

Busy weekdays but those Saturdays and Sundays were for me. I explored the streets of New York and the life.

During my stay in New York, visited Statue of liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, Old World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, China Town, Manhattan Bridge, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Columbus Circle, Central Park, Hoboken, Empire State Building, South Sea Street Port, Grant Central Terminal, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia

::Back to CMS College, Kottayam

Holidays at home never complete without a visit to CMS College, Kottayam. Since 1998 (my final B.Sc), I (Deepu Mathew) have been visiting CMS at least once in a year. It’s one of the best place to hang out with friends, there is always so much to speak about the nook and corners of CMS college and the golden old days.

So day before this “Thiruvonam” day, my friend Anil and I visited CMS college after a years time. I couldn’t hear the voice and noise of guys and gals in the college. Ohh yes….its a holiday for everyone. But it doesn’t stop me to spend some time in the college. We spoke about those golden degree days once again and able to recollect the faded faces. Stopped at our famous round aana, the telephone post “my back rest”, college ground, lovers path, physics dept, great hall and so on…

I kept on capturing the greenery of the college with my Canon S2 IS. Finally after two hours of time, we returned to home. Hope to come back to the “Great CMS” again.

Vagamon:: The Land of Tea Estates

We, my friend Anil his friend Anu and I, were lucky to escape from the routine work and to go for a thrilling experience of Green Vagamon, the land of Tea estates near Kottayam-Idukki boarder in Kerala.
We started from kottayam at 10:30 am for a 65 kms travel by Anil's car. It was raining and witnesses a minor accident on the way, but that doesn't stop us to see the land of tea gardens. But we have lost good amount of time to finish all the formalities.

We stopped at Erattupettai for taking some snaps of hills before heading towards the hairpin roads. Also spend some time at Maramala water falls near Teekoy Rubber Estate.

There is often a saying that you do not need to carry a travel guide to Vagamon hills. WHY? It's so simple. As soon as you reach the foot of the fills, you get wrapped in mist and from here the mist is you guide.

The zig-zag roads and the tea gardens on either side are breathtaking. We found some place for parking and started walking to one of the tea estates. There was no sign of anybody and we enjoyed every moment of tea garden, a valley and the beauty of mist. I couldn't hide my camera and keep on clicking the beauty of vagamon: The Hills of Tea.

Maaja Ghar...

BEYOND CLASSMATES

About Us & The Past:
We are Anil George, Deepu Mathew, Philip Thomas, Prasanth P.G., Reju C. Alex and Sujit Samuel. Like anybody’s campus life our degree days were also filled with comedy, tragedy, bunking, chasing and outing but a Big No for smoking and boozing. We loved to sit on the campus round aana, canteen and at Anil’s house rather than any of the mathematics class.

Just Before The Final Exam in 1998

Anil George:
He was the greatest comedian in our class. Some times a BBC for all of us. But we can’t forget Anil’s famous words…”I know HER name, HER father’s name and HER car number…”

Deepu Mathew:
Me…..what to write ….please add somebody!!!
But others can’t forget the greatest ever comedy produced and directed by me in front of THE GREAT HALL. My friends were the audience and people who played the character roles are settled in some part of the world now.

Philip Thomas:
Better call “Kumarakom’s own Boy”. No need to introduce him to the world. He will manage it with his own words ..“I am Philip ...Philip Thomas” …Give him 5 minutes, he will tell you the family roots and the history.

Prasanth P.G.:
He had to play lots of roles during the college days, sometimes as a discoverer, some times as a detective. Both times I was the victim.

Reju C. Alex:
A silent killer from our gang. Nicked named as Rev. Father Olinjunottam, there are enough evidence to prove why he owns that name. STOP ..its a suspense ..Reju will reveal that to the world one day in his autobiography.

Sujit Samuel:
He was the CEO of our group and the best example of executing IF..ELSE clause before even think for something. I can still recollect his “English speech” during our association inauguration and the claps and wishes he earned from our junior girls :)

On Reju’s Wedding Day!!!

Where We Are:

Anil George:

Working with one of the words top IT firm as a Software Engineer, located in Banglore. Currently staying with friends but he will call off the bachelor life by early next year.

Deepu Mathew:

I have been in Pune since 1999, probably I will end up there itself. Currently working as a QA in an IT firm. Staying alone on a wide wide circle of pune.

Philip Thomas:

The only guy who travels daily from his home to office and eat mom’s cooked food. Currently he is working in a Panchayat Office.

Prasanth P.G:

“Persian P.G”. He works for an Oil company in Muscat. During his stay in Gulf computers has completely changed his life, now he is famous with his nick name “3GP” and most eligible bachelor from the gang.

Reju.C.Alex:

Rev. Father Olinjunottam at last became a proud Father. He is the lone married person from our group. Currently working with a top IT firm in Kerala. Settled in Trivandrum with his wife Diana and son Michael.

Sujit Samuel:

Transforming to a NRI…Very rarely he comes to India. Currently working with one of the worlds top IT firm, now located in New York Mom and relatives are patiently waiting for his return.

In News:
Reju: Busy celebrating X’mas with Michael
Anil: Gone to kerala for celebrating X’mas and for searching Malayala Manorama matrimonial
Prasanth: Preparing for a Kerala visit, he wants to make it as a memorable one this time

Reconnections:
- Nothing decided such but probably a marriage of somebody

I wish once more:
- To spend some time on cms campus round aana.
- Masala Dosha from Hotel Aryas and the fight at bill payment
- Chappati and beef from Jewel Box
- An evening at Thirunakkara Temple Maidan
- To read Anil’s Diary

The amazing experience...

Kumarakom
An unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways
and canals adorned with white Lillies - this is Kumarakom.



Kettuvallom - Houseboats
No trip to Kumarakom is complete without a backwater cruise on a houseboat.
Years back when the present rail and road networks were non-existent,
cargo movement was through waterways, with
which the state was naturally and abundantly blessed. Kettuvalloms were the crafts used for the purpose.

Kettuvalloms are large country boats, often measuring 80 feet and more, made from planks of Anjili wood, stitched together using coir ropes, and coated with a black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. These boats used to ferry goods across the state.

A holiday on a houseboat is a holiday with a difference. A seven star cruise liner can give you
thrills and frills. A houseboat on the backwaters off Kumarakom can give you Peace. And unlike a holiday on a resort, in a houseboat the sights are new, the sounds are new, every sensation is new every passing moment.

Contact Kayal Queen for more info.

and njoy Kappa, Karimeen, Kallu...