6th A.A.R Memorial
Doubles Badminton
Tournament
will be held on the 3rd and 4th of July 2010 at the Waikato Badminton Association Stadium on Dey Street, Hamilton East. On the 3rd of July the tournament will commence at 8.30AM and on the 4th July at 11.00AM.

There will be three sections to the tournament- New Zealand Open, Community Open and HMA Open. It will be played on a league cum knockout basis.Entries will be restricted to male players, and will be restricted to twenty teams who will play league mathches to proceed to the knock out stage. Attractive prizes will be on offer for the winners and runner ups.

Further details of the tournament can be had from Naveen Eapen 0212740362- Dilip M. Kurien-0210573897, e-mail:info@nzmalayalee.org or P.O. Box 7Road Safety among youth needs addressing urgently because lives are being lost at an alarming rate.

Kalolsavam
2010!
Kerala, God's own country is also a place of diverse festivals and art forms. Hamilton Malayalee Association is organizing a Kalolsavam (Art festival) to showcase these art forms on the 17th of July at the Hamilton Boys High school from 5.30PM. Our Kalolsavam will have a vast canvas with much variety thrown in. Many art forms of Kerala tradition will be on show at the Kalolsavam.

Incidentally the whole show is being put together and choreographed by our youth and we hope to make this Kalolsavam a unique one in all aspects.

A delicious supper will be served we hope to see you all at the Hamilton Boys High school on Saturday, July 17, 2010!

ONAM 2010
Onam has been part of Malayalees psyche for centuries. There are records of Onam being celebrated during the Sangam Age. The earliest record of the festival is found during the reign of Kulasekhara Perumals around AD 800.

Onam has two specific significances. First it is the memory of community at large and celebration of past history as enunciated in the Mahabali legend ? a story of how paradise was lost. Second it is the celebration of the harvest, tied with the memory of the golden age of prosperity We are continuing this tradition of having a grand Onam celebration in Hamilton on Saturday, 04 September 2010. The venue is the Hamilton Boys High School on Peachgrove Road, Hamilton East. The celebrations will start at 09.00 AM.

There will be fun and games and a sumptuous traditional vegetarian Onam lunch catered by a leading Indian Restaurant from Auckland exclusively for our members and invited guests. If you are planning to bring any of your friends or visitors please let us know in advance for catering purposes. Another notable feature of the day would be the making of the Pookkallam or the Flower carpet.

There is a lot more to Onam than words can describe. Spirit of this great festival can only be felt. And, if experienced once...it is cherished for a lifetime. So can you please be there and honor us by your presence?

"Ezhuthola" the
community magazine
from HMA
We are currently busy getting our magazine "Ezhuthola" ready for publication. It will feature short fiction, poetry, essays, creative nonfiction, literary criticism, book reviews, author interviews, art, cartoons and photography. The idea is to provide a space where people from different cultures can share their thoughts andexperiences and connect with others.We hope to publish this magazine by Onam 2010.

All creative minds are encouraged to come forward and be a part of this endeavor by sending your contributions in English or Malayalam at the earliest to the following addresses

Kitchen Garden
Gardening especially kitchen gardens has seen a resurgence in recent years.Most of us have been combining flowers and vegetables in our home and kitchen gardens. In the last few years kitchen gardening has really taken off among us. For those of you wondering what a kitchen garden is; the best description is that it is a place to grow the things you bring into the kitchen, herbs, vegetables, fruits and berries and the odd flowers. It is also one of the most rewarding types of gardens to cultivate.

Hamilton Malayalee Assn has decided to encourage this concept among our members and friends by organizing a competition for the best kitchen garden this year with great prizes for the winners. The judging will be done by experts in the field. More details later.