Newsletter : Issue#5

Birthdays this month : Date of birth : Jayprakash : 17th Nov Deepak : 19th Nov Pavanan : 22nd Nov Pirannal : Sreelatha : 08th Nov Radhika Prakash : 27th Nov Deepak : 28th Nov
Anniversaries this month : Mohandas & Sreelath : 13th Nov Rajesh & Ambily : 16th Nov

Mismatch day

Posted by Gayathri

We had mis-match at office yesterday.. This is me all dressed up for it.Dont laugh I won!

Newsletter : Issue#4

In this issue Harshith's Vidyarambham	Harshith's Vidyarambham This Vijayadashmi (28th Sept) saw the celebration of Harshith's Vidyarambham ceremony which formally initiates him to the characters of the syllabary (click here to read more on Vidyarambham). The ceremony took place at 'Sreenidhi' (his residence) and was performed by his paternal grandfather Sri. A.K.Chandrashekharan Pillai
Birthdays this month : Date of birth : Arun : 01st Oct Muraleedharan : 05th Oct Renjini : 14th Oct Venugopalan : 16th Oct Renu : 30th Oct Pirannal : Rajesh : 04th Oct Renjini: 06th Oct Muraleedharan : 09th Oct Renu : 13th Oct Radhika Suresh : 23rd Oct Arun : 26th Oct
Anniversaries this month : NIL

Rajasthan miniature

Posted by Gayathri

As the name suggests, these kind of paintings are comparatively smaller in sizes. Miniature paintings date back to 6th - 7th century in India however it flourished extensively during the Mughal rein. The second Mughal emperor Humayun, when in Tabriz in the Safavid court of Shah Tahmasp I, was exposed to Persian miniature painting. When he came back - he brought with him two accomplished persian miniature artists with him. Their works, and the assimilation of local styles during succeeding decades, gave shape to a distinct style, which became known as Mughal painting. During the 18th century, miniature paintings evolved and flourished in the royal courts of Rajputana, India, flowing from the style of Mughal painting - which we today know as the Rajasthan miniature paintings.


The colours extracted from certain minerals, plant sources, conch shells, and were even derived by processing precious stones. Gold and silver were used. The preparation of desired colours was a lengthy process, sometimes taking weeks. Brushes used were very fine.


Each Rajput kingdom in Rajasthan then evolved a distinct style, but with certain common features. Rajput paintings depict a number of themes, events of epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Krishna’s life, beautiful landscapes, and humans. Some of the art schools with distinctive styles today are at Amber (near present-day Jaipur), Bikaner, Marwar (Jodhpur), Mewar (Udaipur), Kishangarh, Pratabgarh, Kota, Bundi, Nathdwara, Kangra, Kulu, and Guler.


Well, so much for the background information about Rajasthan miniature, now to tell you about my discovery of it.


I saw a painting at Murali Valiachan's place, it gave me feeling of Mughal court and whatever I saw, I liked. (Enough to get a few clicks from my camera). On a closer look I could figure out as much that it is done on glass . As I have done glass painitngs before, I knew it wasn't the usual glass colours but I haven't done enough of using other mediums so I was at a loss!! It had some kind of glossy colours (which dint look like paint to me) . Meanwhile Valiachan informed that the painting is actually a fine art and made of precious stones. (I think thats what he told me - yes!) .


Well, this was enough for my curiosity to rise and "Hail internet" and "Hail google" I kept searching with different combinations of mughal, glass, precious stones (which now I know are gemstones - the painting in question above might very prossible have used crushed gemstones in the form of powder and dusted and glued at required places on glass) . One thing led to another and I ended up being introduced to Rajasthan miniatures and I got deeply fascinated by them. The jewellery to begin with fascinated me the most. And the thought of doing such detailed jewels on a miniature scale fascinated me further. And colours used so bright and bold, and the women so beautifully painted, with the right kind of expressions and the right .................. woooooooo!! Thats too much of fascination to digest, so I will bring you back to reality and give you a peek on my attempt of Rajasthan miniature.


Its around 10 x 17 cm done on black colour paper using watercolours. Took 4 days to finish.

Verdict : Dad says could have been better. Some of my fellows from a forum said the anatomy could be improved.

Newsletter : Issue#3

In this issue Onam wishes Mohanachandran and Latha visit Tirupathi Mohandas and Latha begin the construction of their house	Onam wishes Following is a message from the Managing Trustee of the 'VASPAK Family Trust' GREETINGS This is to wish you all my dear ones int the family a very HAPPY ONAM AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. Let this year give us glory in our endavours and bring new additions in our family tree. Let us wish Latha & Mohan for their auspicious begining of the construction of their dream house in Ezhupunna, which is slated for 4th Sept. 2009. We look forward to get together soon for their housewarming. LOVE AND BLESSINGS ONCE MORE TO ALL. MANAGING TRUSTEE
Birthdays this month : Date of birth : Arun : 01st Oct Muraleedharan : 05th Oct Pirannal : Muraleedharan : 09th Sept Sureshkumar G : 15th Sept Rajesh : 04th Oct Renjini: 06th Oct	Mohanachandran and Latha visit Tirupathi Mohan and Latha visited Tirupathi last month along with some family friends from Nasik. And as an offering to Lord Venkateshwara they tonsured their hair. While returning, they got down at Pune to stay with Chippy for a day and then contunued their journey home. Here is a picture of them together
Anniversaries this month : Muraleedharan & Santhi : 08th Sept Suresh and Radhika : 14th Sept	Mohandas and Latha begin the construction of their house The foundation stone for Mohan and Latha's house will be laid on 04th Sept at Ezupunna marking the beginning of the construction of the house

Coffee painting

Posted by Gayathri


Hi Everyone
I had some coffee powder remaining from my parents last visit. After getting inspired from lots of artists around the world, I decided to put it into good use!! This is my first attempt using only coffee powder to get the painting done.

For enthusiasts, click here and be awestruck :

http://www.coffee-paintings.com/

http://coffeepaintings.blogspot.com/

http://www.justcoffeeart.com/

Trust Sumbols 2

Posted by Arun


More colourful symbols to choose from. Please leave your comments.
Help us decide

Family Tree

The Family Tree for the Vaspak Family (Vaspak represents the parents Late Sri.Vasudevan Pillai & Late Smt.Pankajakshi Amma)

Click here to view

Newsletter : Issue#2

In this issue By-laws of Vaspak Family trust drafted Trust symbols designed by Rajesh Santhi celebrates her birthday quietly MD Nair visits Sreedevi and Sushama Suresh arrives from Riyadh Reminders What's new	By-laws of Vaspak Family Trust drafted Following is a message from the Managing Trustee of the 'VASPAK Family Trust' MESSAGE TO ALL MEMBERS First of all, let me take the opportunity of congratulating our dynamic young editor Gayathri, for bringing out an outstanding first issue of the 'VASPAK Family News Letter' of July 2009, on the appointed time. This attempt was commendable for a first issue, without any possible directive. It is essential that the co-operation and guidance from all the members to make this on - going effort to become more meaningful and interesting. My earnest request to all the members of the family is to take part in the attempt of making the issue more colorful and attractive by giving contributions; timely and meaningfully, to make our editor's life easy and interesting. I have made out the draft of the by-law for VASPAK Family Welfare Trust, and circulated to the elected trustees. Since I have not received any comment so far, I presume the same is acceptable to them. Hence I am sending out the same to all of you to have a look and to make comment, in order to proceed further in this matter, for registering. I would appreciate your reactions before 20th August, 2009. I once again request all the members to take part in contributing to the Newsletter earnestly, by providing family information, interesting subjects for others to know, including photographs etc. With all Best Wishes to all my family lads. MANAGING TRUSTEE
Birthdays this month : Date of birth : NIL Pirannal : NIL	Trust symbols designed by Rajesh Rajesh has designed some symbols that could represent Vaspak Family Trust. Please help choose the best and are welcome to suggestions and amendments
Anniversaries this month : Pavanan & Renu : 26th August	Santhi celebrates her birthday quietly Shanti celebrated her pirannal quietly on the 7th July
	MD Nair visits Sreedevi and Sushama MD Nair took time to visit some ailing family friends Sreedevi (a close friend of Smt. Pankajakshi Amma) and Sushama (Sreedevi’s daughter) in Mumbai at their residence in Mulund(West)
	Suresh arrives from Riyadh Suresh was scheduled to arrive in Kerala on the 26th of the last month from Riyadh after more than 6 months of being away
	Reminders Please send your valuable ideas to improve the format of our newsletters as well as the blog. Please let us know you better by sending your contributions that can either be added to the newsletter or the blog Our official blog site http://vaspak.blogspot.com/ and e-mailing address vaspakfamily@gmail.com
	What’s new On the newsletter We have started a new section called “Bloopers”. This is a section where even you could point out any mistakes that you come across any of the previous issues of the newsletters. Birthdays list will now include a list of “Pirannal”s too. Images on the header of the newsletter will be changing with every issue. If you want some special photographs/images to appear here, you know where to send them to! On the blog You might have been turned off by an empty blog that you witnessed last month, but with some contributions it has started to evolve. You can now view the personal details of all members

Oil pastel painting

Posted by Gayathri

This was done long back, when I was in 10th using oil pastels. Was taken from my mobile a while ago, so the colours seem a bit faded. Nevertheless, as I have taken up painting seriously, I thought I would start publishing them too ;)

Trust Symbols

Posted by Rajesh

These are some of the proposed symbols for Vaspak Family Trust.
Please give in your valuable suggestions/amendments eand let us know what you which one you like the best

Newsletter : Issue#1

In this issue Introducing the Vaspak newsletter for the first time Rajesh gets a new job Radhika begins her assignment as a teacher Jayaprakash gets a transfer back to Changanassery Vineetha’s classes start at Rajagiri College Latha and Chippy visit Bangalore and Mysore Vaspak family blog	Introducing the Vaspak newsletter for the first time 16th May 2009 saw the day when every member of the family of the children of Late Sri.Vasudevan Pillai and Late Smt. Pankajakshi Amma enjoyed a lovely get together at Munnar and around the campfire in the evening agreed to form a family trust - to be called Vaspak family trust - to ensure a closer relationship and interaction between the family members. The trust is to be formed within a period of 3 months since the idea was conceived and accepted. Along with the forming of the trust a decision to have a newsletter circulated every month since the 1st of July was also taken - where in each and every family member can contribute to the newsletter by providing what new is happening with their lives. This newsletter comes in accordance to this and thank you everyone for helping to render it in reality. You can expect more newsletters to come in the coming months.
Birthdays this month Harshith - 5th July	Rajesh gets a new job Rajesh had written the exams for the CA earlier this June and is awaiting the results now. He got an offer with 'An apple a day properties' and has accepted it. He started the new job a few days back.
Anniversaries this month Divya & Suresh - 14th July Gangadharan & Sathy - 15th July	Radhika begins her assignment as a teacher Radhika has been appointed as a teacher in the nearby AMB school and it comes as a pleasant news that she has started taking the classes here since mid of May. She has been appointed as the class teacher for VIth standard students and teaches Social sciences, English and Hindi. She has also a hand full of students coming for tuitions now, with one particular incident being clearly recorded. A child was asked to read the sentence (in Hindi) 'Natwar nal par jal bhar. Jal bhar kar shehar chal'. But for some reason the child would always miss out on the particular word 'shehar' making it - 'Natwar nal par jal bhar. Jal bhar kar chal'. When asked if he knew the meaning of 'shehar', he shook his head in denial. He was explained that while 'gaon' is a small place where you go for your tions, 'shehar' is a big place like Bangalore. This time the child dutifully nodded to have understood the meaning and read on 'Natwar nal par jal bhar. Jal bhar kar Bangalore chal' !!
	Jayaprakash gets a transfer back to Changanassery After years of working away from home at Talassery,Jayaprakash has been transferred back to the Bank of Baroda branch at Changanassery and has resumed the work here from the end of June.
	Vineetha's classes start at Rajagiri College After a month or so of after resigning from her previous job, Vineetha is now in Kochi, where her classes for the first semester in MHRM has begun at Rajagiri College of Management Studies.
	Latha and Chippy visit Bangalore and Mysore Latha and Chippy have been busy at the end of this month visiting Latha's sisters in Bangalore and Mysore and Suresh & Radhika in Bangalore. They have been attending the Brahmopadesham of Latha's eldest sister's grandson. Taking advantage of being in Mysore, they visited the art gallery at Jayachandra palace, Mysore palace, Chamundi Hills and Nandi.
	Vaspak family blog Needed a place to put your thoughts, ideas, creativity, iterature,photographs, memorable incidents, vacation tours or simply words of wisdom??? Well you now have a place for all of it, where you can share your ideas with the family and have there comments too! Check out http://vaspak.blogspot.com. Right now you will need to send your posts/articles to vaspakfamily@gmail.com or by post and they will be added into the webpage. When we have frequent contributors to the webpage, we might add on more authors so that you will be able to upload them directly. And don't forget - you have your own sections too, so now you can freely contribute as much as you want! For all those readers who do not have means to check out the web pages, we will be including a section in the newsletter from next month) to include all the contributions in the previous month. So don't miss out the fun!!