Foundation logo

The Foundation didn't have a logo at all for quite some time. It was only last year that we started thinking about a logo that represents our thoughts and objectives of the foundation. Instead of approaching a professional graphic designer, we decided to crack it one day while we were in our office in Bangalore. In twenty minutes flat, the scrap book was full of sketches, and we decided to go for the one that we are using now. The idea was to show case the relation of the river with the local language (Malayalam). Considered to be the father of Malayalam literature and author of Ramayanam in Malayalam, Thunjathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan was born on the banks of the river in Tirur.

Many classics came from those writers who were born and brought up here. Many of us literally grew up on classics written by MT Vasudevan Nair and O.V Vijayan. Some of the other luminaries were G Sankara Kurup, Vyloppilli, P Kunhiraman Nair, Olappamanna, Edassery, Balamani Amma and master of sketches "Artist Namboodiri". We decided to show the connection of the river with the language by using calligraphy in Malayalam.

Then we wanted to show case the present status of the river as well as how we dream about it. So we thought of using the three letters to represent the river as if these were islands with no connection to the river it used to be. Without supported by the rich tributaries, our river is no longer showing any sign of a full fledged water source. By extending the river with waves in a single line, we thought this could be our dream. The river that flows as one source which basically came together from its rich tributaries.

By adding a small thoni(country boat) to it, the logo became more lively. For a river that weaves together traditions, culture and people, we couldn't think about any image better than our "thoni".The way we spread the lines and did the calligraphy, it reminded us of the romance that the river was always to us.

Couple of days later, when Anita saw my scrap book in office, she said,"Very simple and full of stories. Like our "puzha" and "thoni", Alley?" ("Isn't it" in Malayalam)

She added the last bit of orange colour to our thoni and it became our logo!

Bangalore © GP 2007

Puzha Malayalam

Like many other review meetings of the foundation, today's was not any different. Full of intensity!!Sujith and Jamal came from Thrissur to our village quite early in the day. Even though he had spent most of the night reading the proof for his magazine "Hygiene", Arun also came home by 8 to start the work. (BTW, Arun is also the Chief Editor of the widely circulated "inland" magazine. I guess, probably this magazine is the one of the few that reaches every nook and corner of Kerala through all the post offices)

Since our publication of "Puzha Malayalam" got delayed beyond its revised target date of 22nd of March 2007, we are working hard to concentrate only on the book and nothing else. ("Puzha (meaning river) Malayalam" is a publication on the status of rivers in Kerala which was commissioned by Nila Foundation three years before).

Solely supported by The Blue Yonder, this research work has given a lot of insights into our own backyard which we wouldn't have noticed otherwise. From unique farming traditions to legends and folklore related to the rivers of Kerala, the amount of material the small team has collected in the last three years is simply mind boggling and exciting. No wonder we are all impatient to see the final proof from Sujith and Uma (who are the main researchers).

The half day meeting was well focused on our work and the resources that is needed to take the movement forward in a way that makes this as participatory as it is possible.

Tirur © GP 2007

The logo

Bangalore

Spelling was never his cup of tea, but RJ churned out many wonderful sketches. He finally gave me what I had in mind. It was quite close actually!

For me what made the logo attractive was :

- the letter design
- the colours used and
- the sketch which was influenced from a Pulluvans art.

If the name "The Blue Yonder" had come from Chicago, the logo came from Dubai!. And, this was all for a company based in Bangalore and operates in Kerala! Truly, "the world was flat! even before Thomas Friedman's book!".

© GP 2006

Typo!

The work for an attractive logo was equally exciting.

Once again, it was coordinated between various places, amongst various friends. I had given a brief about the company, what we intend to do and how it should be perceived.

Ideas were shared with some of my friends, sent them various sketches, some pictures that I shot while I stayed in my village and then RJ called me from Dubai and said, "I am going to do it!".

RJ was the one who understood my style, my expectations and kept on sending various designs all of which I refused, mostly for the reason that there was too much of "Kerala" in all of them. RJ was a wonderful artist (he still is!), he brought in many fresh ideas, and looked totally out of place in Tirur, where there was nothing much for him to explore.

I enjoyed working with him, until one day he made me run for cover because of a "typo" in one card he designed for our college chapter of SPICMACAY.

As usual we were the typical lastminute.com's and organised some programs including an inauguration of the regional chapter and we needed our badges at any cost within a day.

It was delivered on time almost two hours before the event!!

The proof I gave read like this:

SPICMACAY
Society for Promotion of India Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth

And, what was printed on the card was this:

SPICMACAY
Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Against Youth!

I still don't know where we got the energy to print the expansion of SPICMACAY on a paper and spent rest of the time pasting it on to all the badges before the inauguration!

© GP 2006