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Kerala: God's Own Country
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As the aircraft banked, the coastline came into view. Lazy waves frothed at the beaches lined by tall coconut palms. The picture postcard beauty never fails to thrill me. This is God’s Own Country. When Dr Vipin Gopal called Kerala the God’s Own Country in it’s first ever webpage, he was drawing upon the legend of Parasurama, the warrior sage who carved out a land for his people using his axe. Parasurama, never well known for his forbearance, hurled his divine weapon into the oceans to create a kingdom for his clan of Brahmans, free of the Kshatriya yoke. Thus was created Kerala. Quite in keeping with this legend, Kerala is dotted over with temples, some famous, some known only to the locals. Most of them are stand alone ones, away from residences. An exception is the famous Guruvayoor temple which has shops flourishing all around it. Most temples have an annual festival where grandly caparisoned elephants are part of the festivities. A notable exception is Trichambaram where the Krishna idol is represented in an angry mood having just killed an elephant sent by Kamsa to destroy him. Elephants in Kerala are being overused. And the consequences are there for all to see. During summer, they walk from town to town in the scorching sun over asphalted roads. During rains, they are used for hauling logs. They do not have the indulgence of the long ayurvedic treatment which is de rigueur in the absence of medicinal plants they would eat in the wild. Every summer, there are reports of murderous attacks on people. When well cared for, they are as obedient as a pet. Elephants lolling in rivers being rubbed down by their mahouts is a common sight as you drive along. Kerala is blessed with rivers. There are 44 of them, all save two flow into the Arabian Sea. Until bad town planning ruined everything, the 5 month long monsoon would not cause floods because the lay of the land was such. Water would drain off into the paddy fields and then into rivulets and streams leaving everything washed and sparkling. Area under cultivation is shrinking as fields get converted into residences. In the Malabar area of Kerala, society was matriarchal and matrilineal. With families going nuclear, matriarchal society has come to an end. Large families which gathered under one roof for summer vacations and weddings now keep in touch via the internet, posting photos of newborns who may be seen in real only when they are old enough for graduation! If you want to taste the food of the gods’ where else to go but to God’s Own Country. Kerala has an astounding array of spices. Coconut is a common element no matter which part of Kerala you are in. Coconut is perhaps one tree whose every part finds a use. A Thai gentleman was once extolling the virtues of bamboo, another versatile plant. A Malayalee who was listening said, “Yes, I agree with all you say, but can you make liquor out of bamboo? With coconut, we can do all that bamboo does and also make liquor” The Thai gentleman had no answer. If you want to see some of the less publicized parts of Kerala, head for Malabar. Feast your eyes on the green paddy fields of Palakkad flanked by the hills of Dhoni. Travel along the coast where you can see the deltas of the west-flowing rivers. Koyilandi, Beypore, Farook, Kallayi – all looking much the same as they did long ago when Vasco da Gama set foot in Kerala. In Seville, when I saw his grave, I remembered the ship building yard of Beypore where even today ocean going ‘thonis’ or dhows are repaired. A visit to these boat yards give you a sense of the history of those times when dhows laden with pepper and calico set sail for Arabia. The Kerala Mappilas were expert seafarers who took advantage of the favorable seasonal winds. Kerala still produces excellent handloom cloth. Since its not been marketed well, it remains largely unknown even within Kerala. Patronized by the Maharaja Swati Thirunal, a new dance form evolved. Though heavily influenced by the existing Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam is very different in tempo. Encouraging this and the better known Kathakali, is the Mecca of dance, Kerala Kalamandalam. The main performing center is built in the traditional style of Kerala architecture. If you are a nature lover, Kerala is the place to be. Way back in the’70s, the state electricity board drew up plans to dam the Kunthi River that flows through the Silent Valley. Activists who resisted these efforts found an unlikely mascot in the lion-tailed macaque, a resident of these forests. Much heat and passion was generated but no electricity! Several court cases later, the project was abandoned. In its insidious way the forest has covered the abandoned buildings which once housed the offices. Mahabali, the legendary king for whom all Kerala decks up annually, may mistake his land for one large mall during Onam. The average Malayalee turns aggressively materialistic and shops till he or she drops. This is a recent phenomenon. Kerala is an enigma. Late in the ‘50s, it voted the world’s first Communist government into power. It has high literacy rates, an efficient state sponsored health care systems and also very high unemployment. Investment continues to be sluggish. Kerala’s best known export? Its manpower. They can be found every where. Try this Mallu joke. T20 finals. Misbah on a rampage skies a ball to no-man’s-land and Shreesanth takes the catch. Poor Misbah did not know there is a Malayalee every where.
>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:1. Articles related to Content and Outsourcing
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