INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Saregama 2014

Poem By Sreevidhya

An Article about mouth care

5/1 ARM

Musings of a karimeen lover

Saregama winning artifacts

FROM EDITORS DESK

The new editorial board has been estab-

lished and the team consist of 3 members,

Sreevidhya

Teresa

Dijoy

Greater Austin Malayalee Association

COnt..from page 1

Message from President

Dear GAMA Members,

Greeting to all you. I hope all of you are enjoying the nice

spring weather in Central Texas. GAMA is entering its 10th year

of conceptualization and this non profit organization has grown in

stature and made a difference to the Malayalee community in

Central Austin over the years. We have an excellent team of Di-

rectors that have joined the GAMA board this year and are very

enthusiastic and committed to serving the community. I am hon-

ored to be the president of GAMA in 2014 to work with this vi-

brant community. Many of you have been able to participate and

enjoy the events organized so far this year. Your continued partic-

ipation is what makes each event a success. Give us constructive

criticism, help us as a volunteer and

make your community better.

We all know that the Central Austin

Malayalee community is growing

rapidly. I have a request to existing

members since membership

strength does matter - Please reach

out to the new comers and encour-

age them to be part of GAMA.

Looking forward to seeing many of

you in person during GAMA

Spring fest on May 24th 2014.

Caption describing picture or

graphic.

Saregama 2014, our annual Talent

Festival proved this adage with all the creativity

& innovativeness that came out during the even-

ing of April 12th.The talents on display ranged

from classical & modern dance forms , instru-

mental music , songs and skits to whimsical and

fascinating fancy dress ideas. It was an evening

filled with much joy and enthusiasm as the par-

ticipants and audience both came together to

make the evening a great success.The platform

provided a much needed avenue for new talent

to emerge and our established performers to

prove once again why they love the performing

arts so much.

dia to our

evening with

Kappa & meen curry , re-

freshing lassis and tea in

addition to all the other

tasty treats. Talented folks,

great music, amazing danc-

es and good food and an

ppreciative audience all

make for a successful

SAREGAMA 2014.

GAMA hopes all of our

A

big thanks to our judges,

sponsors and volunteers

in helping GAMA mak-

ing this program a suc-

cess- without their en-

gagement and support

we would not have had

such lovely evening! Al-

so would like to thank

our Food vendor in

bringing the taste of In-

community members

who had the opportuni-

ty to be with us on

April 12th it & to those

who could not join us,

we hope to put on simi-

lar events in the future

and see you all there!

Enjoyed it & to those

who could not join us,

we hope to put on simi-

lar events in the future

and see you all there!

community by keeping the audi-

ence glued to their seats! The

amazing music, costumes, dia-

logues and songs kept the audi-

ence in an upbeat mood through-

out the program duration. We

also had some very interesting

door prizes from our valued

sponsors that kept everybody

crossing their fingers to have

their number called out during

the lucky draws!

For the audience it was a per-

fect opportunity to sit back and

enjoy the multi-faceted talents

we have in our community. Our

little and big performers were

the clear winners of the even-

ing with their enthusiasm to

perform and enthrall us with

their superb performances.

They won the hearts of the

SAREGAMA 2014

PAGE 2

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Caption describing picture or graphic.

By

Sreevidhya Ajayan

The Mouth-Body Connection You may have heard of the mind-body connection, but what about the mouth body connection? To many people, a dental visit is about getting their teeth cleaned, having a tooth pulled, or

getting a filling.

However, a dental visit is not just about teeth. It is also about your overall health. What goes on in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. What goes on in your body also can have an effect on your mouth. The body in connected like a pipe line system and we dont want bacteria which can affect the teeth and gums enter the blood stream and in turn affect the heart or

other organs.

Many diseases and conditions can affect your oral health. For example, people may get more infections in the mouth if their immune system is weak. The immune system protects your body from illness and infection. It can be weakened by disease, by drugs taken to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs,

or as a side effect of cancer chemotherapy drugs.

Medicine for other conditions also can affect the health of your mouth. For example, many drugs

cause dry mouth. This can increase your risk of dental decay and yeast infections. It also can affect taste.

The body in connected like a pipe line system and we dont want bacteria which can affect the teeth and gums enter the blood stream and in turn affect the heart or other organs

THE MOUTH

PAGE 4

While examining your mouth, your dentist might see a sign or symptom of an illness or disease that you might not even know you have. The dentist may per-form tests and/or refer you to a specialist for treatment.If you have certain medical conditions, you may need specialized oral and dental care. If necessary, your den-tist can refer you to an expert in oral medicine.Your oral health also can affect other medical conditions. For ex-

ample, if you are diabetic, a mouth infection can disrupt your blood-sugar levels and make your diabetes harder to control. Researchers also are exploring whether periodontal (gum) dis-ease may increase the risk of var-ious medical problems. These may include heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and prem-

ature births.

These are the types of medications that will often pro-

duce dry mouth:

Antihistamines Decongestants Pain Killers Diuretics High Blood Pressure Medications Antidepressants

Other medications may cause abnormal bleeding while brushing or flossing, inflamed or ulcerated tissues, mouth burning, numbness or tingling, movement dis-orders and taste alteration. If you experience any of

these symptoms, consult your dentist or physician.

public health. Can Medication Have an Effect

on My Oral Health?

The answer is: Yes, medications can have oral side effects of dry mouth being the most common. Be sure to tell your dentist about any medications that you're taking, even medicines that you pur-

chase without a prescription.

About 35% of U.S. adults have some form of periodontitis. Another 50% have gingivitis. The mildest form of gum dis-ease. Because gum dis-ease is so common, its treatment and manage-ment can have important implications for overall

About 35% of U.S. adults have some form of periodontitis

PAGE 5

Dr. Satish Thirumalai, D.M.D. La Frontera Dental,

PLLC www.lafronteradental.com

rate they can imagine.

What is a 5/1 ARM

Most people tend to be alarmed about the adjusta-ble nature of ARM rate. They mistakenly tie the ARM rate dy-namics with the daily fluctuating interest rates of a 30 year mortgage and believe that they could sky-rocket to what ever

PAGE 6

Biggest debt one will own in a life time - mortage

Mortgage debt is probably the largest debt you would ever

hold in your life time. How you manage this can be critical

to your financial well being all throughout your life.

When it comes to getting a mortgage loan for a new home or

refinancing an existing loan, 99% of the people settle with a

30 year of 15 year mortgage. This is unfortunate because

there are better programs which will help you pay less in in-

terest in the life of the loan. Since this industry has become so

commoditized there is no personal service in this industry to

educate the consumer about

strategizing on their loans.

A 5/1 ARM has a rate of 2.98% as of April 2014. This rate is based on the 1 year LIBOR (London Inter-bank Overnight Rates) of the dol-lar, which is the the sum of 2.25% margin added to the rate of 0.630% which has been dropping since 2008 and expected to remain

steady in the years to come.

one should seriously consider

other cheaper alternatives. The

30 year mortgage was exception-

al in 2012 and beginning of

2013, but started to climb from

March due to the uncertainty in

the market due to the Feds plan

to cease purchase of mortgage

notes by the end of the year.

Before one get a mort-

gage one should have a

good understanding of

all the loan options.

With the new rising

interest rates of the

popular 30 year loans,

The highest the rate can go every year is the rate what you got plus five points.

A case of 5/1 Adjustable Rate

.

The rate is fixed for the

first five years. After that,

every year, the rate can

adjust up (or down) to a

maximum of two percent-

age points. The highest

the rate can go every year

is the rate what you got

plus five points. For ex-

ample, the worst case sce-

nario of a 3% ARM is 8%

after the 8th year of the

loan (this is not as scary as you

think, by the time you have

substantially reduced your

principal on your loan that the

change in rate will have a low-

er impact on the interest you

pay). If everything goes wrong

with the ARM, for the 6th year,

it can go to 5%, 7th year to 7%

and 8th year to 8% and it stops

there, it cant go higher any fur-

ther. But this is the WORST case

scenario. Mind you for this to

happen, six years from now, the

banks have to lend to each other

banks at 2.5% per year, and on

7th year they should lend at

4.5% a year and the year after

5.5% a year or more. Based on

how the economy is moving and

how strict the regulations are in

place after the mortgage crisis,

the probably of such an oc-

curance is extremely low.

ing that time due to drop in rates, or

purchase of another property, sell-

ing of the existing home etc. So

when it comes to the usability of a

loan, it doesnt have 30 year life

with a borrower, mostly due to life

changes.

Analysis for the math curious

Let us do the math on a $200,000

loan. The current 30 year mort-

gage is 4.5% and 5/1 ARM i s

around 3 %. This would be a sav-

ings of approximately $15,000 (or

14715.77 to be exact) on a

$200,000 loan for the first five

years if you chose the ARM. Not

just that, the loan is paid off accel-

erated on an lower priced ARM

than a higher priced 30 year loan. In

our case, at the end of five years

the remaining principal of an 30

Still not convinced? If

it ever happens you

can switch the remain-

ing of your mortgage

to a fixed loan. But the

reality is, most bor-

rowers do not stick

with that loan beyond

5-7 years and re-

finance the loan dur-

PAGE 7

BASED ON HOW THE ECONOMY IS MOVING AND HOW STRICT THE REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE AFTER THE MORTGAGE CRISIS, THE PROBABLY OF SUCH AN OCCURANCE IS EXTREMELY LOW

on a 30 year mortgage. So here is a strategy for you.

Find out what your 30 year mortgage rate will be, and

get an ARM and pay to the principal the difference in

the rate saved due to the ARM, to reduce your loan

amount. This will make the ARM payment and the 30

year mortgage payment the same. Once you do that for

5 years, you get a substantial amount of principal reduc-

tion. Even if the rate readjusts to a higher amount (most

unlikely), the total interest you pay could be lower than

getting a fixed rate mortgage.

year fixed mortgage is 182,315 vs for 177,812

on an ARM. That is an additional $4,500 sav-

ings for a total of $19,500 savings in interest!

Savings doesnt end there, in an ARM after 5

years, the payment is calculated based on the

remaining principal amortized over 25 year

where you will see less payments per month.

With every reset of the rate, if the rate remains

same, you will see reduction in payment every

year. While your payment is the same for the

fixed rate. If at all the rate fluctuates, for eg.

1/4th of a point, the interest paid is not signifi-

cant. These exceptional savings are lost by the

borrower, due to the perceived peace of mind

would see in a fish market in Kerala. These fishes belong to marine tropi-cal waters whereas in most of the US, the fishes are from temperate weath-er. Cold-water fishes like Salmon, Trout etc. are rarely encountered in tropical regions, which is why we

have never heard of these

fishes in India. Most of the tropical fishes arrive in US from abroad in frozen condition, which is subse-quently thawed and displayed along with ice, which makes us think that their freshness is similar to the ones from Kerala. Once we take a bite of

Most of the seafood-loving mal-ayalees who were brought up in Kerala have grown up eating yummy fish fries and tasty fish curries. After savoring the tasty karimeen fries and neimeen fish mollies, we are on the look out for similar fishes in Austin Mar-ket. A "newbie" (person who arrived in US recently), will be often searching the markets for familiar fishes like karimeen (Pearlspot), sar-dine(Chala/Mathi), neimeen (Seer fish), aavoli (Pomfret) etc. But you can rarely find these fishes in fresh condition, as you

Musings of a karimeen

Why ARM is better

Do you invest in the stock market? How con-

fident are you about the stock market to do

well in the future? If you have an appetite for

stock market, you should have for the ARM

too, it is a lot less riskier. The key to the ARM

is the index which it is based on. It is based on

1 year LIBOR, which is a dropping index for

the past 8 years. This index is based on the

rate US banks charge each other for borrow-

ing money from each other. Stability has re-

turned to the banking sector now, which indi-

cates the trust which each bank lend money to.

Also remember, banks have insurances and

backed by the government and highly regulat-

ed after the mortgage meltdown. So whichever way

you slice it, trusting in an ARM is less risky than

trusting in the stock market.

Strategy

Combined with a 5/1 ARM and biweekly payment

system for your mortgage payment, and shifting the

extra payment from a fixed payment into principal

those fish curries, we realize how badly we miss Kera-la!We frequently hear the

warnings about

every year the loan resets, one can substantial-

ly accelerate the payoff of your mortgage and

be debt free.

Hem Ramachandran is educated in engineer-

ing, and currently owner of Indus Realty &

Lending, a company specializing in helping

local area Austinites with their home asset

management and financials.

Neelima

poisoning from Tuna (Choora) and King

mackerel, which makes you wonder what

makes these fishes selected targets. These

highly predative fishes are at the top of the

food web and consume other mercury-

containing fishes and shellfishes leading to

bioaccumulation of mercury. Hence Food and

Drug Administration (FDA) advises the con-

sumption of low mercury fishes and shellfishes

to 2 average meals a week and avoid high mer-

cury fishes like Shark, Swordfish, King

Mackerel and Tile fish.

Salmon is touted as a healthy alterna-

tive to red meat due to the abundance

of Omega-3 fatty acids, with known

cardiovascular benefits as well as bi-

oactive proteins that may provide

special support to joint cartilage, insulin effectiveness and

control of inflammation in digestive tract. Some of you

might be familiar with the controversy about the safety and

health benefits of farm-raised salmons versus wild caught

ones. Wild-caught salmon has lesser contaminants than farm

-raised salmon, but the nutritional benefits are comparable.

Most of the fresh salmon we find in fish markets are the

farmed variety, which outnumbers the wild caught ones by

85 to one. Hence if you buy fresh Salmon from local mar-

kets, it is most likely a farm raised one. Finally, back to ka-

rimeen, how can you forget the state fish of Kerala? Yes, it is true

that karimeen (Pearlspot) was declared as the State Fish by the Gov-

ernment of Kerala in 2011, a fact unknown to most malayalees. This

indigenous fish from Kerala can be found in a variety of water condi-

tions ranging from fresh water to salty brackish waters, especially in

the backwaters of Travancore-Cochin, Malabar and South Kanara

along the west coast. Pearlspot delicacies are much sought after by

locals and foreigners alike, so the next time you visit Kerala, make

sure to try out at least one Karimeen pollichathu!!

.

Sahana Iyer

Edna Jaison

Shreya Namboothiri

Joel Jaison

Elba Jaison

Pranav Jose

Anupriya Jose

Kids Corner- SAREGAMA Winning

Paintings

Weird, but amazing Austin

Winter is my favorite time of the year. My

birthday, Christmas, and cold wintry weather

all make the time very special.

During winter everybody decorates Christ-

mas trees in their houses with glamorous or-

naments. But Austinites decorate the trees

along the highways especially the Capital of

Texas highway for the holiday season. Even

the cold weather wouldnt stop the people

from decorating the trees. Dozens of trees are

decorated with different themes like Barbie,

Hello Kitty, emoticon, and paper plates.

Some people put wrapped presents under the

trees too. In fact the public is allowed to dec-

orate the trees however they want to. Next

year I am going to decorate a tree too.

Austin is the only place that celebrates Ee-

yores birthday. Eeyore is a fictional character in

a childrens book called Winnie the Pooh. He is

a chronically depressed donkey. His birthday

party is a daylong festival that includes live mu-

sic, food, drinks, and colorful costumes. I always

wanted to attend his birthday when I was little.

All these little things amaze me about Austin. I

feel happy to live in such a city which has so

much s spirit and life.

By,

Manu Perinchery.

SAREGAMA WINNING ESSAYS

Austin City Limits television series focused for many years on Texas singers and songwriters, country, folk, and pop performers, and instrument specialists. The award-winning television show resembles the festival lineup and spotlights artists of every musical genre from pop and Jazz to rock, and alternative. More than 75,000 fans attend the festival each day and the festival contrib-utes to Austins status as the Live Music Capital of the

World.

Austin residents simply love music whether it is in a club or in the great outdoors. The Backyard at Bee Cave is an open air music venue, dedicated to the best practic-

es to preserve the environment, while promoting music and fun. Notable artists such as Willie Nelson plays regularly play at The Backyard.

Concert events in Austin offer music for every taste and genre, ranging from Indie Rock to Country. The Hart-man Foundation in offers classical music Concerts in the Park each year in the Hartman Concert Park. Zilker

Hillside Theater also offers concerts.

The Live music Capital of the

World

Austin is a place where, many people includ-ing me call it Home. Austin has many character-istics that attracts and amazes people about it. One of the main things that amazes and attracts me to Austin is its vibrant live music. Austin is considered the Live Music Capital of the World, and world famous Artists from all over the

world come to Austin to perform.

Austin hosts the Austin City Limits Music Fes-tival. Each year, the Austin City Limits l brings together more than150 acts from all over the world to play rock, indie, country, folk, electron-ic and more genres on eight stages. The historic

With many famous music festivals, Austin has always been the center point for hot-and-happening bands. In fact, this years Austin City Limits music festival had over 200,000 people attending from all over the US. Through this festival, many different upcoming groups are able to perform in front of huge crowds, and able to add their voice to the world. The variety and creativity of these bands is what draws so many people to attend every year. Another tech and music festival called South by Southwest is very popular as well be-cause of its mlange of activities. Be it the presentation of cut-ting-edge technology, new music, or even the presence of ce-lebrities, everyone has a spot in SXSW, just like they do in

Austin.

If music or technology isnt your thing, Austin doesnt disappoint. Home of the UT Longhorns, this city is as sports crazy as they come. The Longhorns fans come in throngs to games, and the stands are always packed. The feeling of team unity and spirit can be felt from the players on the field to the fanatics in the stands. However, football is not the only sport Austin has to offer. Hockey, basketball, and even baseball are wildly popular here, and there are many fans of each sport. This assortment of teams and fans means that everyone has

someone to cheer for and no one gets left out.

A Multifaceted City

In todays world, it seems like every city in the US has something they

claim as their specialty- Los Ange-les has the superstar quality, Orlan-

do has the tropical climate and beaches. Even Dallas is known as the city with the famed football team. The thing that amazes me

about Austin is how this city does not fit into any stereotype. Austin has a place for everyone, be it the

music scene, the football fanatics, or even the amazing Tex-Mex food

that is available all over. It embraces diversity and the uniqueness of the

individual, making Austin one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the

US.

The Old Settlers Music Festival is held each spring. It is dedicated to Americana and features bluegrass, acoustic jazz and blues, as well as arts and crafts. Camping is encouraged and there are events showcasing the musical talents of children

and young people.

The Austin Reggae Festival is also held each spring and features reggae artists from around the world. Visitors can shop the International Market-place for unique items from around the world. Proceeds from the Reggae Fest go to help

the local food bank feed the hungry.

Out of all the good characteristic s in Austin, mu-sic has always been the one that amazes me about this great city. Anywhere you are in Austin, you can find one way or another, to enjoy music. Mu-sic has played a huge part in Austins history and it

will continue to attract more people to Austin.

By,

Ananya Thomas

PAGE 12

Although Austin is famed for its music, technolo-

gy, and sports, thats not all that it has to offer. The

strong Hispanic heritage that Austin is so proud of

paves the way for excellent Tex-Mex restaurants

such as Chuys and Torchys. These restaurants are

famed for their home-cooked food that is made

with care and a love of culture. This love of culture

can also be exhibited through different cuisines as

well. Japanese sushi restaurants and even Indian

joints call Austin their home because of the ever-

present demand for variety here.

Austins diversity is what makes it the ideal city for everyone. Anyone that comes here can find something that fits what they like perfectly. The medley of different cultures, people, and environ-ment creates a culturally dynamic city that really lives up to its catchphrase- Keep Austin

Weird..

By,

Malavika Perichery

By,

Advaith Binu

The one thing that amazes me

about Austin

There are so many things that I could say about Austin. But what is the one thing that amazes me about

it? Other people might have their own opinions about

it, but for me it is the diversity of things and people in

Austin which keeps the city young and vibrant. It may

not appear so weird and diverse on the outside, but it is

on the inside.

Im going to start off by telling you a story

about one of the many diverse aspects of Austin. Have

you ever been to a place where you can settle down

and just watch as nature flies right before your eyes?

You can, at the Congress Avenue Bridge! Every even-

ing, millions of bats fly out from the bottom of the

bridge. Here is where my story starts. I reached the

bridge and found a place to sit among hundreds of peo-

ple who were already there. After waiting for many

minutes the excitement built up. The excitement of

waiting for the bats made it hard to blink. At first, only

a few bats came out. But when the rest of them did -

the sight of millions of bats flying out from underneath

the bridge was breathtaking!

Now, lets see what happens when most people

are snoring in their beds. A whole other world awakens

in Austin! Austin City Nightlife! The nightlife is also

where Austin gets one of its most commonly known

titles: The Music Capital of the World. Jazz, Rock,

Pop, Hip Hop, Punk and many other styles bloom in

the Austin nights. Musicians and Artists from different

races and cultures show their talent every night when a

whole new city emerges from the cloak of the night.

Two of the most famous music festivals in Austin are

South by SouthWest (also known as SXSW) and Aus-

tin City Limits (ACL).

Now let us move on to the day, where more of

the excitement awaits. Lets now explore some of

the other diverse parts of Austin. Lets go to the

State Capitol Building where any kind of protest is

possible. The State Capitol Building in Austin has

been known for the weirdest protests in Texas,

which makes people believe that anything is possi-

ble.

By,

Pranav Jose

PAGE 15

CONT..FROM PAGE 1 CONT..FROM PAGE 1

The one THING that amazes me about Austin

What one THING that amazes me about Austin is that there is never a dull moment. Wherever you go, you can always find an event where you can have some fun. So to me, Austin is not just the capital of

the state of Texas, but is also the capital of fun.

I can name any number of fun activities such as the Zilker Kite Festival, South by Southwest, Formula 1

racing, Longhorn football, Austin Regional Science Festival and countless others.

Then there is GAMA where I can learn a lot about Kerala and its culture. I believe that Austin is special,

and Im going to show you why.

Fun Events in Austin

Zilker Kite Festival - This kite festival is one of Austins best known events. Anyone is welcome to enjoy a wonderful spring day flying kites or relax watching thousands on them soar in the sky

against the downtown skyline.

Congress Avenue Bridge Bats - Did you know that Austin is also called the Bat Capital? While we can see hordes of them fly out in the evenings almost under every bridge, the one on Congress Ave-

nue is more special. This feast for your eyes can be seen during a Live Love Paddle tour.

South by Southwest - This is a fun set of film, interactive, and music festivals which take place only in Austin. These festivals are known as one of the best festivals in the country.

Austin Regional Science Festival - This festival showcases the great science projects made by students

all over greater Austin schools.

Formula One racing The Circuit of the Americas is the motor racing circuit that hosted the Formula

One Grand Prix in 2012 and 2013

Longhorn football The Texas Longhorns are the college football team of The University of Texas at

Austin.

GAMA programs So many community programs year round promoting the culture of Kerala.

What I have written down above are only a fraction of all the interesting things in Austin.

Austin has a rich diversity of culture. Being close to Mexico and a techie town and affordable homes, it brings people from lots of different countries together. Austin is also a university town with many well-

CONT..FROM PAGE 1 CONT..FROM PAGE 1

known universities and colleges which attracts students from all around the world.

The cultural diversity also brings in the diversity of the different countries food. Exotic family meals are only a few minutes of a drive away. Austin also has a few open air trailer parks where anybody can en-

joy a nice breakfast, lunch, or dinner

Austin is the best city (in my opinion) with many unique qualities where many good people live in. It has a very promising future and we all should keep it that way. For all of us and our uniqueness, we should

keep Austin weird! which is the catchy slogan of our beloved city.

Saregama Pics.

By,

Siddharth Iyyer

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