Latest news with #Parai
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- The Hindu
Man dies, seven injured as crackers explode during funeral procession
A 25-year-old man was killed and seven others sustained injuries in a cracker blast during a funeral procession at Kilkuppam Velur near Ulundurpet on Wednesday evening. The deceased was identified as Moorthy of Perampattu village. Police said country-made crackers were burst in the funeral procession of a man who died of illness at Kilkuppam Velur. A spark fell on crackers stored in a sack, causing an explosion. Moorthy, who was playing Parai, a musical instrument, sustained injuries and died on the spot. Seven others suffered burn injuries and were admitted to the Ulundurpet General Hospital. Further investigations are on.
Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
School scores grant for goal posts
WEST HARBOUR COMMUNITY BOARD A busy public forum, community concerns, and funding requests for local projects kept West Harbour Community Board members on their toes at last week's meeting. Public forum At its public forum, the board had a visit from Port Chalmers School PTA chairwoman Colette Parai and several pupils keen to speak in support of the school's funding application for $1000 towards a set of new football [soccer] goals for its sports ground. Ms Parai told the board the new goals were urgently needed, as the children playing the very popular sport had been stuck playing with old, broken goals, which recently had to be removed for safety reasons. Children of all ages at the school enjoyed playing football and community members also made use of the football/soccer pitch at weekends, she said. Ms Parai said the school had found a local engineering firm to manufacture the goals. The new goal posts were part of a wider project for Port Chalmers School this year to refresh its grounds by updating playing court facilities, digging a new long jump, and upgrading the football goals, she said. Later in the meeting, the West Harbour Community Board agreed to grant the school $1000 towards the project, subject to two quotes being provided, and confirmation the funds could be used by the end of the financial year in June. The board also heard a presentation by T.S. Neptune sea cadets unit committee secretary Jonny Goldsmith in support of the organisation's application for $911.80 towards buoys, mooring equipment, and a safety radio, to support its sailing programme. ''The buoys will allow us to set out a [sailing] course on the harbour for cadet training,'' Mr Goldsmith said. T.S. Neptune also needed a marine radio, as one of its two safety boats did not have one, he said. Later in the meeting, the board considered the request and agreed to support T.S. Neptune with a grant of $911.80. In addition to the two funding application presentations, the West Harbour Community Board's public forum was also attended by Port Chalmers resident Stuart Neill, returning to follow-up on a presentation he made to the board in February. Reminding the board of the issues he had experienced with Dunedin City Council contractors patching up the road outside his property and causing damage to the footpath, which he said was still unresolved, Mr Neill also spoke about his recent correspondence with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi about potential flooding on SH88. Board projects Following the public forum, the board's attention turned to its own projects, including an application for funding from board member Duncan Eddy requesting $153 towards printing of booklets featuring historical local stories, to be offered free of charge to the public. Mr Eddy's booklet The Stories Behind The Streetnames in Historic Port Chalmers had proved a success, and his follow-up booklet is titled Main Street Historic Buildings of Port Chalmers . The board discussed the application, with Mr Eddy stepping out, and agreed to provide the funds of $153 - subject to two quotes, as per the funding rules. Dunedin City Council representative Cr Mandy Mayhem then led a discussion of the first phase of a board project towards enhancing the main street of Port Chalmers. The proposed three-part proposal will include historic information panels (phase one), relocating brass plaques commemorating war service to Chalmers Pl, in association with the Dunedin RSA (phase two), and a main street mural (phase three). Cr Mayhem shared with the board the proposal to create historic information panels relating to the band rotunda, the wharfies, the floating wharf, boat hulks in Carey's Bay and Deborah Bay, information about the late local artist Ralph Hotere, and panels exploring some of the history of local Maori. The board was keen on the idea, and voted to devote its remaining project funds towards it - a total of $500. General business Moving on to general business, the West Harbour Community Board discussed and noted the governance support officer's report, then shared updates on board members' areas of responsibility. In her board chairperson's report, Ange McErlane told board members an update on the historic Simm's building would be coming soon from the council. In her councillor's report, Cr Mayhem reminded board members local body elections would be coming up in October, and wished good luck to board members planning to stand again. @
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Parai, important instrument of humankind, confined to a caste: Padma Shri awardee Velu Aasan
'Parai, which was the most important communication tool of humankind, over the years, was restricted to a particular caste,' said Parai artiste and Padma Shri awardee Velu Aasan. He spoke at the prize distribution event of 'Madurai Kramiya Olympic,' conducted by Department of Museums here on Saturday. He said that the instrument which was given various names like 'seithi,' (news) parai, 'por,' (war) parai, 'vaithiya,' (medicinal) parai, among others, was used for different purposes starting from mourning to celebrating. When parai was performed at a person's demise, it was to communicate with the people about the death of a beloved person, he noted. 'Donning the role of 'vaithiya,' parai, it was also played with a belief that the reverberance of the instrument would wake up the dead person,' he said. The instrument, which would be seen in almost all ceremonies, was celebrated as part of the lifestyle until the stigma that got attached to it owing to several reasons, Mr. Velu Aasan added. Carnatic music which got introduced in between could not be used for mourning purposes, as people could not accept the way it was played, he stated. J. Balasubramaniam, writer, said that the traditional sports like 'pallanguzhi,' and 'goli,' gave life experiences that could not be gained through any formal education. 'The games which were played in villages were mostly played by people who toiled the entire day under scorching sun in fields and construction sites,' he added. When it is understood that the games were not played just for entertainment, it was for getting together and the games gave them a reason to sit together, he said. Those games, unlike the ones played digitally, demanded physical and mental coordination from the player, he said. 'Though I knew I could not win in games like 'kuchi kambu' and 'pambaram' during my schooldays, the games still drove me to be just part of it,' he said. Sportsmanship, the important quality to accept win and loss equally, was the first and foremost thing the games develop in the players, he added. 'Games can be played only when we learn to lose. This applies even to life experiences,' he stated. 'Through keen thinking, we learn that human relationships are the main reason for all the important problems we face in the world,' he said. As the practice of playing games lost its value among the younger generation, the complex human relationship has become difficult to handle, he noted. 'Even parents think that raising a child is growing them alone. But they should learn to allow students to mingle with fellow children to fight and grow. Giving them independence will help them face the ever-changing nature of the world,' Mr. Balasubramaniam said. Winners of traditional games like pallanguzhi, thayam, thattangal, kittipul, pambaram, goli, among others, which were conducted over a week, were given prizes and certificates.
