Better Concerts and Music

Everything from documentaries on world music and photojournalism to satirical drama is covered in the TV reviews on The Arts Desk this week, as well as the top programmes to look out for this Christmas.

In ‘America in pictures: The Story of Life Magazine’ on BBC Four, Adam Sweeting followed photographer Rankin as he charted the history of Life magazine’s ground-breaking brand of photojournalism. The subject matter made it a fascinating documentary, despite the fact that Rankin was not the most engaging or animated presenter.

Jasper Rees caught up with the man himself to mark a new BFI season dedicated to the work of TV film-maker Peter Kosminsky. He is best known for his campaigning drama-documentaries dealing with tough issues you might otherwise only find on the TV news.

Adam Sweeting gave a run-down of the Christmas shows that will be battling for our attention over the festive season with just a snippet of TV news. The Downton Abbey Christmas special will be going head to head with EastEnders and Doctor Who, while Absolutely Fabulous makes its long-awaited return. Boxing Day sees a new dramatisation of The Borrowers and a brand-new episode of Poirot and on 27 December, look out for the BBC’s new Dickens adaptation, Great Expectations.

Channel 4’s ‘Black Mirror: The National Anthem’ began by doing a very good impression of a serious political thriller, as this earnest-seeming drama quickly revealed itself as a sharp, scathing and hilarious satire on our media-obsessed age. Beautifully acted and directed, this modern-day ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ earned itself a five-star review.

The latest of Alan Yentob’s ‘Imagine’ series on BBC One was caught by Peter Culshaw, subtitled ‘The Lost Music of Rajasthan’. The region’s rich and stimulating traditional music was explored and shows that it is becoming ever more threatened today. This well-made documentary proved to be interesting and serious, even if it wasn’t particularly ground-breaking or challenging.

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Onam, which is the state festival celebrated of Kerala – is celebrated with fantastic enthusiasm. The festive season of Onam, which falls on the Malayalam month of Chingam, every single calendar year (in between August & September), is a ten-day carnival for the Malayalees all more than the state, country and abroad.

Staying a harvest festival, it is period to thank God for the bountiful yield. In accordance to the stories in Hindu epics, Mahabali, the legendary King of Kerala, visits the state every single calendar year during the Onam festival, to make certain the wellbeing of the individuals. On this festival, people send Onam SMS to each other. He is welcomed to his kingdom with reverence. The festival is all about relishing on the grand Onasadya (standard feast of Onam), shopping, family reunion & welcoming King Mahabali by spreading very good cheer.

A quantity of rituals are carried out throughout the 10 days of Onam, which commences on the Attam nakshatram of Chingam. Rituals this kind of as Maveli Puja, Onathallu, Onakazhcha are rooted in the historic legends and are followed in numerous areas of the state, because a lengthy time.

Apart from these rituals, enthralling video games are played for the duration of the ten days, wherein little children, men and ladies just take part with equivalent enthusiasm. Video games this kind of as ‘Thumbi Thullal (folk dance done by ladies), Kaikotti Kali, Pulikkali type a notable part of the celebrations of Onam. In adding up to this, sporting activities these kinds of as Uthratadhi Vallamkali (snake boat race) are arranged with zeal.

Onasadya is an inevitable component of Onam festival. Thiruvonam is the important day of Onam, wherein the lavish feast is arranged. Lip-smacking recipes are ready by the ladies in every single Malayalee household. Intricate models of ‘rangolis’ (with colored rice paste) & ‘pookkalam’ (with flowers) in front of the residences.

There is a custom of bestowing Onakkodi (new outfits specifically bought for Onam) on the younger members of family members by the elder ones. All the traditions & rituals of Onam draw in 1000′s of vacationers from across the nation and the entire world, to Kerala, in the course of the festival of Onam.