Rasha Yousif: The Vedic School

Rasha Yousif is a photographer from the island nation of Bahrain, and is only the second Middle Eastern participant in my photo expeditions-workshops since I started them 10 years or so ago. She is a portfolio manager, and has a Masters in Finance from DePaul University.

During my The Oracles Of Kerala Photo Expedition-Workshop, Rasha worked on a number of multimedia photo projects and is one of the first to publish her very first attempt at Soundslides with her Five Hundred Years Vedic School.

In most of her projects, Rasha has easily connected with people and used this ability to add personal voice clips to her sound tracks. You'll hear such a clip in her Vedic School project.

She is quite adept in using her iPhone for on-the-fly photography, and to record the progress of her work during the two weeks in Kerala.

Photo © Rasha Yousif- All Rights Reserved

I had arranged for a photo shoot at an ancient Vedic (or training/boarding school very similar to the Buddhist monasteries for novitiates, or a Muslim madrasa in Thrissur, where we were treated to a demonstration of this way of teaching the sacred Vedic scriptures.

POV: Is May 10 The Day For Leica?

Photo Courtesy GIZMODO

May 10th.

That's when Leica will announce a "whole range of product launches" in Berlin. Am I waiting with bated breath for these new products? Not at all. But having a M9 and very much aware of its strong points and shortcomings, I'm interested in seeing what will Leica come up with. It's more from a business side than from a photographic one since the German company is under assault from Fuji and others that are treading on its turf.

I was recently sent a heads up by Zeyad Gohary on a new all-white $31,770 M9-P model with a Noctilux f/0.95 50mm lens. Ridiculous of course, but perhaps it will sell well amongst the moneyed elites, celebrities and collectors. I had a chuckle imagining it in my grubby hands had I had one and used it during the recent festivals I was at in India. It would have turned black (with yellow turmeric and red stains) very quickly. Maybe the Kardashian sisters and their ilk would buy it, but Leica must've done its market research and concluded that it'll make money peddling this all-white model.

That said, I wonder what a "whole range of product launches" will mean. It's reported that the Fuji X-100 clobbered Leica's X1 model, and I predict that Fuji X-Pro 1 will become a favored tool for photographers who won't shell out $8000 or so to buy a M9 (or more in case of a successor). Leica is run by hard headed businessmen who look at the bottom line, and hopefully look into the future...and the future is for cameras that look, smell, cost and work like the Fuji X-Pro 1. Leica's investors know the future as well, and making white M9-P is a cute gimmick, but will not bring in the kind of cash inflow that satisfies these investors.

The range of new products may mean a successor to the M9, lenses and -if my gut feel is right- a new line of mirrorless cameras to directly compete with the Japanese products. A new M10 (improved focus, better LCD, better ISO, etc) and/or a new range of EVIL-like cameras.

That's my call.

Update: The Oracles Of Kerala

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

As I always do on completion of a trip, I shall be writing a comprehensive 'post-mortem' on The Oracles of Kerala Photo Expedition/Workshop™...what worked, what didn't, comparing my expectations to what was the reality, etc. in a few days. And for the Leica crowd, whether it was a good idea to take my M9 along with me.

In the meantime, I can very comfortably say that this two weeks expedition was, in many ways, one the best I ever led.

Whilst I generally preferred northern India to its south, this trip changed this view.

Fatimah Of Kodungallur Medresa

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

Well, the photo shoot at the Cheraman Juma Masjid was a dud.


I had expectations that the first Muslim mosque in the whole of India, would provide an interesting back drop for great imagery, but I was wrong. The mosque was renovated a few decades back, and its original artefacts "lost". The famed oil lamp supposedly continuously since the building of the mosque by Malik Bin Dinar, who's quite an interesting Islamic personality according to Wikipedia. 


In any event, having been to the Islamic medresa earlier gave us the opportunity to see Muslim children learning the Qur'anic texts and theology nearby the ancient mosque...probably in the same style as their forefathers/mothers did centuries ago.


One of the loveliest young girls was Fatimah, who was picked up from the school by her father on a scooter, who just loved the iPhone and Instagram.

Final Day: The Oracles Of Kodungallur

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

I must've traveled to India over 20 times since 1998, and criss-crossed in length and breadth reasonably thoroughly. However, I have never seen or attended a religious event of the emotional intensity and visual magnetism as the Bharani festival in Kodungallur.

It is here that once a year the so-called Oracles of Kodungallur meet to celebrate both Kali and Shiva. By the many hundreds, and perhaps thousands, these red-clad oracles arrive in this area of Kerala, and perform self mortification acts by banging on their heads with ceremonial swords repeatedly until blood trickle down their foreheads, and daub the wounds with turmeric. The Bharani festival lasts for three days.

The festival was attended by many thousands, and (in my view) surpassed the 2001 Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in intensity and religious fervor. We all marveled at how everyone at the festival, most of whom were from small villages of the area, were so welcoming, protective and friendly.

I was perfectly placed near the local royal (or maharaja) who was mobbed by attendees, eager for his blessings. While a couple of policemen protected me from the rush of the mobs, I stayed long enough to get a couple of shots of the royal, and left that area which was becoming very risky.

An incredible close to a thrilling photo workshop.

Tomorrow the group is having a final class in multimedia, with only one photo shoot planned at the Cheraman Juma Masjid; the first Muslim mosque in the whole of India, built in 629 AD. Having experienced a short photo shoot at its medrasa this morning, we are all eager to add an Islamic flavor to our photo expedition.

The Oracles of Kerala Workshop & Ambika Temple

The pressure was on yesterday, as I asked the participants in my The Oracles of Kerala Photo Expedition/Workshop™ to complete a full multimedia project in about 4 hours. While they had worked for many hours on longer photo essays and putting those in a multimedia format, yesterday's exercise was designed to ensure they could complete a simple multimedia project within a time limit.

They were all successful.

From the left (going clockwise) is Charlotte Rush-Bailey (with a visor), Rasha Yousif, Kristine Bailey, Victoria Alexander, Sandy Chandler, John Spillane and Tony Pond.

After the hard work, we attended the rituals at the Ambika Temple. The rituals included the arrival of elephants from the Thirunakkara Festival, the cleansing of the deity after covering it with turmeric, and a dazzling display of oil-lit lamps on the streets of Udala, where these young girls were lined up carrying small trays of flowers and candles.

MaMa Nyonya Restaurant (Home cook) at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru.

MaMa Nyonya Restaurant (N1.52412 E103.78532) is located along Jalan Molek 1/28 of Taman Molek, just behind the Alliance Bank of Tmn Molek branch.

Due to some of my friends strongly recommended, we decide to have our Nyonya food dinner in the restaurant. The dinner peak hour already passed when we were there, only left one table of customer in the restaurant...I like to have dinner in less crowded environment...

The entrance of Mama Nyonya Restaurant (smoking session)

The non smoking session...

Nice environment and decent setting. I like it simple...

Our order for the Nyonya dinner :-
1)  Ayam Pongteh (as usual)
2)  Nyonya Chap-chai (mixed vegatables) as usual...
3)  Cincalok omelette (as usual)
4)  Sweet sour fish (my daughter's favorite)
5)  Kapitan chicken

Ayam Pongteh (Nyonya Cuisine)

Nyonya Chap Chai (Mixed vegatables)

Cincalok omelette (Nyonya Cuisine)

Sweet sour fish (special request, not in the menu)

Kapitan Chicken (Nyonya Cuisine)

Nyonya Cendol (Dessert)

The tatse of this MaMa Nyonya Restaurant was similar to the Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant we visited before at Malacca. Authentic Nyonya Food! All dishes were tasty, my wife like the taste of the Chicken Pongteh very much! I found the Kapitan Chicken was Special and Delicious! The Nyonya Chap-chai was slightly bland and I still prefer more palm sugar in the Cendol...

Overall, we were satisfied with the foods! Well, now we no need to drive all the way to Malacca for having the Nyonya dinner, we can have the same Authentic food in Johor Bahru too!

The Damage was MYR74.00 for 3 adults and 1 kid included drinks. (Standard Chartered Credit Card member entitle for anothe 15% discount).
Reasonable price and justified with the foods quality.

We will definitely visit this restaurant more often!

MaMa Nyonya Restaurant

8, Jalan Molek 1/28, 

Taman Molek, Johor Bahru

Tel : +6016-7167190 (Grace Lim)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MaMa-Nyonya-FOOD/110292562374357

Location map of Mama Nyonya Restaurant at Taman Molek, Johor Bahru.

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Update: Thirunakkara Festival

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy

Yesterday saw the penultimate day of the Thirunakkara Festival in Kottayam, which was attended by thousands of worshippers, and is known as Pullivetta. It was a spectacular spectacular event with phenomenal pageantry including a parade of caparisoned elephants and the exchange of parasols.

Getting some of us through the throngs of people was made possible by extremely helpful policemen, who wanted us to get to the best vantage points, and as close to the elephants as possible.

The drumming and sound of cymbals were so loud that I risked rupturing my ear-drums!!!

Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant at Malacca (Melaka).

Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant (N2.19471 E102.26065) is located exactly at the intersection of Jalan Tamby Abdullah and Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho of Malacca.

"Kenny's Delight serves authentic Nyonya cuisine, tastefully prepared by MasterChef Kenny Chan who has been dishing out mouth-watering Nyonya gourmet and local snacks since 1990.

As a seventh generation Baba who dresses as Nyonya for his TV character as the Matriach, Bibik Kim Neo, MasterChef Kenny will bring you onto a gastronomic adventure comprising of popular dishes like Chicken Pong Teh, Chili Garam Fish, Syinky Beans Sambal Prawns and etc.

Even his Mee Rebus, Nyonya Laksa and Mee Siam is out-of-this-world.  And don't miss out on the ever popular Nyonya Chendol, made from Pandan leaf extract, not artificial colouring. "

Entrance of Kenny's Delight Restaurant, Malacca

I was attracted by the unique Peranakan building and decided to have our dinner on one of the Saturday evening...it has a small parking area beside the restaurant and it's abit inconvenience to enter it because of the busy junction location.

There's a beautiful small garden area once we stepped into the restaurant...and there are tables for small group of customers (4 persons)...

The small garden and the outdoor dining area...

Service counter is located at the end of the garden...

The Unique Peranakan building just right in front of the garden...I like it Very Much!

The unique Peranakan building of Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant

Do you notice the small door just next to the staircase? It was a some kind of basement of the building and also an Air-conditioned dining area. But we chose the non Air-conditioned dining area on top of it, we prefer fresh air... :)

The basement dining area (Air-conditioned)

One of the dining area of Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant...Very Unique!

Our order for the Nyonya Cuisine :-

*  Deep Fried fish with Nyonya spicy sauce

*  Ayam Pongteh

*  Lady finger (Nyonya cook)

*  Cincalok Omelette

*  Nyonya Cendol (Dessert)

The deep fried fish and Nyonya Spicy sauce (we requested to separate the sauce that the children can taste it)

The Nyonya spicy sauce for the fish above

Ayam pongteh

Ladu finger with sambal

Cincalok omelette

The Nyonya Cendol

OH Man! Delicious!
It was the Authentic Nyonya taste! Thanks Master Chef - Kenny. All of us like it very much! I like the Special spicy sauce of the fish very much!
Cripsy skin of the fish and special Nyonya spicy sauce! Tender chicken pongteh and not salty. Soft and nice lady finger and my daughter like the Cincalok omelette very much! But I prefer more palm sugar in the Cendol...:)
We really enjoy our dinner in the nice environment of the restaurant despite some vehicles sound from the road...

I forgot the Damage of that night but it was Definitely reasonable price for 4 adults and 2 children.

It's worth the second visit to the restaurant to try out other delicious dishes! :)

Friendly staff from Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant

Kenny's Delight Nyonya Restaurant

135-A, Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho,

75000 Malacca town.

Tel : +6012 6128978

https://www.facebook.com/KennysDelight

*  Please take note of the business hour to avoid any disappointment, it's different every day. You can check in their Facebook page.

** Kenny's Delight Restaurant had moved to 33, Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka with the new name : Big Nyonya Restaurant. Tel : +6012 6128978.

Location map of Kenny's Delight Restaurant at Malacca.

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Update: Tolpavakoothu

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

As a surprise photo-shoot for the photographers participating in my The Oracles of Kerala Photo Expedition/Workshop™, I arranged for a private Tolpavakoothu performance yesterday evening. Despite having seen and photographing shadow puppetry (an ancient storytelling art form) in Bali, I had never doe so in India, where it is especially indigenous to southern Kerala.

The photo shoot took most of the early evening when we photographed the preparations, whilst the performance itself (the frenetic action of some half dozen puppet masters was something to behold) took just 45 minutes.

Tolpavakoothu traces its origins to more than 2000 years, and the Thrissur area claims a particular style of this art.

The above image is of one of the Tolpavakoothu puppets, and was made with my iPhone4s.

The actual photographs of the action will be incorporated in a future photo essay.

Update: Kathakali Photo Shoot

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

Last night saw one of the most intense Kathakali performances I have ever witnessed (and I have seen quite a few of those in the last few years of my traveling to India). As followers and readers of this blog know, I am leading my The Oracles of Kerala Photo Expedition/Workshop™, and a two day stop in Cheruthuruthy was planned for a photo shoot involving the performers of this ancient art form, as well as attending a private almost 2-1/2 hours performance.

The performance and the earlier 3 hours make-up session took place at the Kalatharangini Kathakali School, and I, for one, sweated so much at the intensity of it all that I had to wipe my hands continuously to be able to shoot. I almost filled 3 full 16gb CF cards during that one photo shoot which started at 3:00 pm and ended just before 9:00 pm. On top of that, I probably videoed some 20 minutes of the performance with my Canon Mark II.

We will spend most of today in class to work on our individual multimedia photo essays, since we need to catch up with that element of the workshop. With all the photography we do, we really need to set time aside to work on these projects.

I am also preparing an evening surprise for the group members, which I think they will find very interesting.

The above image is of one of the Kathakali performers, and was made with my iPhone4s.

Note: This post's actual date is March 20 as it's written in India.

Second visit to Lazio Restaurant and Bar at Danga Bay, Johor Bahru.

I was invited to Lazio Restaurant and Bar at Danga Bay for food tasting on one of the Monday evening...the restaurant just hired a New Chef and going launch a whole new series of Menu. Thanks to Mr Emerson for giving me a opportunity to try out the new western foods in the restaurant.

The Lazio Restaurant at Danga Bay

I was a bit late for the event and I missed some starter on that evening...
The VIPs and guests were all in position to taste the Delicious Pizzas and Western foods while I was there...:)

Guests and VIPs

 

There also a photograher in the restaurant to take photos for the making of new Menus...
I took the time to snap some photos of the pizza's making by the pizza master before the next dish serve...

Everyone are work seriously to ensure the pizzas are Delicious!

I like the his serious way...

At last...the Pizza is ready to serve!

On the 'first half', I had many type of pizzas...some were Good and some were not that cheesy...(but it's improve a lot since my friend visited few days ago...)

Choices of Pizzas on that evening...

I like the pizza above, especially the Salmon...

The seafood pizza.

After the Pizza session, another series of western foods continue to serve on the table...
Lamb Shank, Lamb Rack, Grilled Salmon, Medium raw Terderloin...

The Striploin Steak

When all the foods almost finish, it was the turn for dessert...'Fruit Pizza'.

Fruit pizza

I'm satisfied with all the new series of pizzas and western foods here, the Fruit Pizza was special! Well, I will definitely visit again with my family for more Yummilicious foods! :)

Once the food tasting session over, we had some Draught Beers on the next door - Lazio Bar.

Lazio Bar

It was early and we were the first customers of the evening...

Piano anyone?

The bar counter

I like the concept of the bar because the door will open (after 7pm) and let you feel the cool sea breeze of Johor straits...you can even choose to enjoy your drinks at the Alfesco area. That will be A different experience while having a cold beer in my hand and watching yachts pass-by...and if you are lucky, you will witness the Beautiful sunset of Danga Bay!

When the night fall, there will be a 3 pieces band (un-plug) perform on the stage and playing some nice and soft music, don't forget to request your favorite song! :)

Lazio Bar promotion for the moment (March 2012) :-
*  Tuesday 4-8pm
    Tiger Beer draught one mug - RM7+
*  Thursday 4-8pm
    Tiger Beer draught 'two mugs' - RM9+
    Guiness Stout draught 'two pints' - RM15+

GRAB IT AND DON'T MISS THE GOOD DEAL!

Do enjoy your dinner and relax in the bar if you visit Danga Bay of Johor Bahru!

Lazio Restaurant and Bar
Danga Bay, Johor Bahru.
Tel : +607-2217988/+607-2215688
https://www.facebook.com/LazioCafe

Location map of Lazio Italian Restaurant & Lazio Bar at Danga Bay, Johor Bahru

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