A discussion on its etymology The state is making headlines, and several discussions will
soon begin in the media - on social platforms, and of course, on TV. The
official name Kerala, as written in the constitution when the state was formed
in 1956, will soon be changed to Keralam at the request of…
The state of Keralam – What’s behind the name?
A discussion on its etymology The state is making headlines, and several discussions will
soon begin in the media - on social platforms, and of course, on TV. The
official name Kerala, as written in the constitution when the state was formed
in 1956, will soon be changed to Keralam at the request of…
The Comma Nut’s Tale - Quilon (Kollam) It was the mention of the Vitapack technology that drew me to this research and went on to uncover the story of how the cashew industry was set up in India and detail the role America had to play in it. As I continue, you will find interesting intersections wit…
Where abusing an erotica loving goddess, is the
tradition Kodungallur is home to a Bhagawathy temple (Kurumba Kavu),
where devotees throng every summer in a macabre celebration termed ‘Bharani’ when
they sing songs filled with the choicest erotica and used to conduct unique sacrifices.
Also notewort…
The Nayadi has always remained a constant reminder of the
still prevalent caste rigidity in Kerala. I recall the visits to our ancestral
home at Palghat and to this day, the guttural howls of the invisible Nayadi, begging
for alms, resonate in the deep recesses of my mind. We would hear the plainti…
The Catholic harquebousiers of Travancore It was while studying the character of De Lannoy that I came
across the mention of the Mavelikkara Malittas, a group of well-trained
Christian mercenaries, serving the local kings. At that time, I read that the
Malittas who trained at their Kalari’s like the…
Lakshadweep - Transfer of power deliberations, and a brief history There are many discussions these days about those remote
islands to the west of Malabar, namely Lakshadweep. I had written about the
caste quarrels out there and also some of its histories as connected to the
Cannanore Royalty and th…
Most people would agree on this, that an average Malayali is
somewhat cynical. Sometimes his pithy and sarcastic answers comes across a bit
negatively and pessimistic, for example if it was raining, he would opine that
the sun is unlikely to come out for a number of days as though you were in for …
