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Onam
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Even the nature has a way of heralding Onam. As the wind smells of punnellu-fresh rice and terrains bloom with rich floral splendour, it marks the arrival of a special celebration, a festival which perfectly reflects the inherent harmony between nature and man! Wanderlust by Sujisha and Rajeev Model: Mizhy Neeharika
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Highlights of this month
As Kerala is emerging to be a happening destination of adventure sports, we bring to you a list of what you must check out
he only non-religious festival celebrated in Kerala, Onam is a sentiment for Malayalis. Extending a grand welcome to the legendary King of Mahabali, swings are hung from trees in the backyards of the houses, ornate flower carpets laid, women transform to master chefs cooking up a culinary storm in the kitchen and men indulge themselves in the thrill and exhilaration of Onam games. One could even say, the beauty of Kerala is in the magnificence of Onam celebrations. Capturing these vibrant colours of Onam is our coverstory “Onam: Savouring the Best of Kerala.” Onam is all about enjoyment. After the rains, just as the flowers freshly bloom to happily make way for the festival of flowers, Malayalis also get ready to treat themselves with lot of fun games and exciting activities during the season. KTE brings to its readers the charm and thrill of these Onam activities through the words of Thiruvathira Muthashi, Malathy Teacher in “A pristine celebration of womanhood” and a feature on the history of renowned boat races of Kerala, “Experience Adrenalin Rush in the Backwaters.” Since we know people of Kerala love indulging in exciting activities throughout the year, we have added a travel special feature on adventure tourism “For the Adventurer in You.” Onam overlaps with the wedding season in Kerala. Unveiling the beauty of Kerala’s heritage jewellery, which is hugely popular among the young brides of the day, we have included a fashion article “To New Beginnings with Handcrafted Magnificence.”
exclusively serves a ‘spicy-licious’ drool worthy chicken fry dish. Talking about food, you can’t miss reading this candid conversation with actor Kunchako Boban who talks to us about his favourite culinary expeditions and his second innings on screen. Joining him on the celebrity page is actress Lena, the Comeback Kid, who flaunts her new style statement with shaved head for KTE readers and takes us through her adventurous solo trip to Himalayas. No celebration in Kerala is considered complete without extending a token of love to our ancestors. So, we bring to you in the Onam edition of the magazine a feature on Karikidaka Bali at Aluva Shiva temple “Of Unforgotten Love in the Serene Sands of Time.” In our Religion special page, we have also featured an article on the most beautiful churches of Kerala “Ecclesiastical Wonders of Kerala.” Onakodi, Onapaattu, Onakkali, Onathallu…. It might sound as if Malayalis love to suffix Onam with everything joyful. Onam unveils the spectacular mélange of the culture, cuisine, faith and tradition of the land. With time, the nature of the celebrations has evolved but we are sure, the charm and character of the festival will remain untouched and continue to be unsurpassed in its magnificence and splendor. Kerala Travel Explorer wishes its readers a very happy and prosperous Onam! Happy Reading!
For the food lovers of our magazine, we are introducing from this issue a Restaurant Review page. This time, we have featured one of the oldest restaurants of Kerala which
Capturing the vibrant hues of Kerala during the most celebrated 10 days of festivity.
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Contents Vol 01 ISSUE 04
Travel/Destination/Culture/ Traditions/Art/Architecture
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Onam: Savouring the Best of Kerala Capturing the vibrant hues of Kerala during the most celebrated 10 days of festivity, KTE presents its readers with the various facets of Onam celebrated with great finesse every year
Experience Adrenalin Rush in the Backwaters
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With more than 50 snake boat races conducted in Kerala during AugustSeptember, there’s no better time to travel to the state for water sports enthusiasts
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A Pristine Celebration of Womanhood
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The spirit of festivity and ecstasy Kaikottikali bring to the minds of women in Kerala is truly special. We catch up with the Thiruvathira Muthashi
Interviews & Features Discover Your Breaking Point!
30 As Kerala is emerging to be a happening destination of adventure sports, we bring you a list of what you could check out
44 Untouched by Time, the Loving Boy turns a Classic
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Reinventing himself as an actor, on his second innings in M’town; Chakochan is in the making of a cult
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To New Beginnings with Handcrafted Magnificence RESTAURANTReview
Ecclesiastical Wonders of Kerala
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Column 24 The Grandest Homecoming
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The ‘Hot’-Selling KFCKerala’s own Fried Chicken
The Legends Behind the Bow of Prosperity
48 Make Your Event a Work Of Art
The Comeback Kid Turns 20!
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As Lena completes two decades in cinema, she is feeling younger than ever before
Backpacker Blogger For the Love Off-the-Road
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The travel stories of a couple travel blogger from UK who loves to stay off the well-trodden tourist trail of Kerala
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COVER STORY
Onam Savouring The
Best of Kerala Major General Jacob Tharakan Chacko, SM (Retd) Gokul Ramachandran, Syam Sathyan, Vinil TV & Prashant Kumar KP
G
od’s own country is a tourist’s dream destination. Unlike other tourist destinations, Kerala, does not limit visitors with “seasons”. Every season here is tourist season and Kerala offers something worthwhile depending upon, what one is looking for. Awash in green after lavish monsoons, Kerala is at its pristine best in August. This is often marketed as the beginning of the tourist season that stretches well into March, when the summer starts. Onam, the festival unique to Kerala, normally falls in the August–September period. It is celebrated all over the state with gaiety and colour and showcases local art, culture and traditions. Though its origins are deep rooted in Hindu beliefs, Onam is celebrated by Malayalees all over the world, beyond religions and socio-political divides, making it a truly unifying experience. Though events and traditions associated with Onam may vary from place to place, each one is spectacular in its own right. For an explorer, the difficulty is in making the choice, for there is so much to choose from.
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COVER STORY
The Legend
A
ccording to the legend, Emperor Mahabali ruled Kerala in a manner that Heavens became envious. All the Gods then approached Lord Vishnu to do the needful. One day, as The Emperor finished his prayers, Lord Vishnu appeared as Vamana (Dwarf), and asked for alms. Kindness personified, the ruler permitted the dwarf to ask anything he wanted. Vamana asked just for three feet of land to stand and pray. The Emperor readily agreed. He immediately grew up, big enough to measure the whole universe in two steps and asked for place to keep the third step. The Emperor, true to his word, bowed down and showed his head. Vamana, with his feet drove down the Emperor into the netherworld. However, before he went down, Emperor Mahabali secured the rights to visit his subjects every year. Malayalees irrespective of cast, creed, faith and place they are at, welcome their beloved Emperor, believed to be visiting his empire during Onam.
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Onam Activities
V
isitors, associate “Sadya” (The feast) and “Vallam Kali” (Boat Race), with Onam. Beyond these, two well-advertised events, there are many traditional events associated with Onam. The prominent ones, to name a few, are “Athachamayam”, “Kummattikali”, “Ona–Thallu”, “Pakida-kali” “Pookkalam”, “Puli-Kali”, “Thiruvathira Kali”, “Thumbi- Thullal” and “Uri-Adi”. Over a period of time, these events have evolved as local and regional competitions, sponsored and funded for commercial gains. Atha-Chamayam: “Atha-Chamayam” literally means “decking up-on Atham”, Atham being the first of the
ten- day onam period. This event formally marks the commencement of onam festivities. Across the state, on Atham day, people create intricate floral arrangements in front of their houses or courtyards to welcome Mahabali. This practice continues for the next ten days. Traditionally, “Oonjaal” (swing) is also installed on Atham. Athachamayam is celebrated on a grand scale at Thripunithara, not very far away from Kochi. The colourful ceremony is a curtain raiser to the ensuing mega celebrations. The origins of this event go back to the times of Kochi Royalty. Those days the King himself, in all his royal pomp, took part in the procession accompanied by the Christian priest
of the Karingachira church, the Maulavi from Nettur mosque and the village elder to represent the fisher community. The event has evolved into a cultural feast under the stewardship of the local municipal Council. This is one event that a tourist with interests in traditional art forms must never miss. Almost all forms of traditional folk art are on display during this function. Feast to the eyes, Athachamayam is a window to the rich heritage of the most literate state of India.
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COVER STORY
“Sadya” (The Feast): Traditionally, “Sadya” is a two-course vegetarian lunch consisting, normally of about 24 dishes served on a banana leaf. At places, the number could swell to 64. However, all dishes can be clubbed under 3 major heads, “Choru” (Boiled Rice), “Koottan” (Add-ons) and “Madhuram” (Deserts). The first course is an endless supply of boiled rice served along with an amazing range of traditional vegetarian dishes making up the phenomenal numbers to fill the entire banana leaf. These dishes are collectively called “Koottan”. “Madhuram” consists of an endless supply of “Payasams”, normally three varieties which could go up to as much as seven. The traditional sadya is a family affair, where family members sit together on the mats laid on the floor and partake the sumptuous lunch. The lunch is traditionally served first to the males and children of the house, followed by the women folk sitting together to eat. The interesting part of the feast besides the number of items on the banana leaf is a manner in which the banana leaf is laid on the ground and the specific location assigned to each item being served. Interestingly, table salt is also one item of the menu. Though one may use the salt if required, the traditionally intended purpose is to keep the evil eye away from the household. In some households, one leaf with all the ingredients is kept near a lighted lamp. Depending upon the family belief, it could either be for the departed souls, Emperor Mahabali, the unseen guest. Some households also serve it as an offering to Ganapati, the Hindu God. In some houses this offering may be just a pinch of salt on the banana leaf as salt is central to existence and thus symbolising offering everything to God.
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While Onam has Hindu mythology and traditions accompanying its celebration, what makes it truly unifying, interesting and unique is that, people from all walks of life irrespective of their faith, belief and socio-economic conditions, come together to enjoy themselves in an atmosphere of fun, frolic and friendship.
Although almost all hotels and restaurants across Kerala serve sadya during onam, “Homestays” may be a better destination for more authentic sadya. However, if one has a Malayalee friend, an opportunity to be at his or her place on “Thiru-onam” for lunch must never be lost. Besides enjoying the traditional Malayalee hospitality, sitting next to the family elder, one can partake in a lunch of a lifetime. Vallam Kali (Boat Race): While boat racing exists all over the world, the ones in Kerala are spectacularly different. Kerala is a land of backwaters, rivers and lakes that host boat races of various kinds.
Out of all such races, the ones that have captured international fame are Nehru Trophy at Alleppey, Aranmula , Champakulam and Payippad. Each of these boat races is associated with a legend that locals hold in great reverence. While some of the races may be linked directly to onam, others are conducted based on the Malayalam calendar. Widely publicised, heavily subscribed, and fiercely contested, these races are unique to Kerala. In fact, beats of countless drums and songs and cheering spectators become part of the crescendo that fuels the contestants. The experience of being part of the spectators’ gallery is itself
exhilarating and worth treasuring. “Kummattikali”: A traditional form of dance, mostly prevalent in the northern districts of Kerala is performed by individuals wearing colourful painted wooden masks and skirts made out of grass and leaves. Performances are based on recitals from Hindu mythology like Ramayana, Mahabharata or even local folklore. Dancers perform to the beats of the “Ona-Villu”, a locally made bow -like instrument, the string of which is strummed upon to make a rhythm. Kummattikali is a freeflowing art form and artists can be seen performing in front of houses or even street corners. Being present in
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COVER STORY
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Uniqueness of Onam Onam is celebrated by Malayalees all over the world, beyond religions and socio-political divides, making it a truly unifying experience. Though events and traditions associated with Onam may vary from place to place, each one is spectacular in its own right. For an explorer, the difficulty is in making the choice, for there is so much to choose from.
Kerala at the time of onam provides the visitor with a fair chance of seeing this performance more than once. Thiruvathira Kali: (Dance on Thiruvathira Day). This is an elegant form of dance normally performed by ladies. This traditional art form, devoid of “Bhavas and Mudras” inherent to other forms of dance, is characterised by beautiful, gentle harmonious body movements accompanied by claps that set the rhythm for the performance. The graceful performance would normally have participants themselves reciting lyrics that are taken from Hindu mythology, songs in praise of Mahabali or a local folklore. Also known as “Kai-kotti Kali” (“Kai-Kottu”, means claps and “Kali” means Dance), this dance is traditionally staged during onam. Participants are normally attired
in the traditional “Mundu” (Dhoti) and “Neriyathu” (The upper piece) with their hair adorned with jasmine flowers. They dance around the “Pookkalam” (Floral Arrangement) at the center of which, is the traditional lamp called “Nila Vilakku”. Pookkalam, is an intricate floral arrangement laid out, afresh every day, either in the courtyard or any other prominent place, to welcome Mahabali. In some places especially North Kerala, there is a custom of keeping a vessel filled with water in the Pookkalam and at the end of the day, as the flowers are removed, the water is poured back into the well. It is believed that on any one out of the thirty days, the water would be divinely transformed into “Amrit”, the nectar of life. Captivating, this is one performance that the tourist must seek out to enjoy
Though its origins are deep rooted in Hindu beliefs, Onam is celebrated by Malayalees all over the world, beyond religions and socio-political divides, making it a truly unifying experience. | 15
COVER STORY
Ona–Thallu: Also known as “Avittam- Thallu” (“Avittam” is a day that follows Onam, and “Thallu” means beating or fighting) and Kayyam kali” (“Kayyam” the word originates from “Kai” means hands and “Kali” means Game), it is a martial game involving physical combat between two individuals. Believed to have originated from the times of Zamorin of Kozhikode, it is played out in commemoration of the numerous battles waged by the Nair Community of Kerala. The event involves two individuals actually grappling, fist fighting and beating up each other till one is pinned down to the ground. Besides the two individuals, the spectators actually take sides and cheer their fighter. Though, in earlier times the winner was respected and given a wide berth in the village, nowadays, it is played out merely as a sporting event. While there may be such games all over the world, Onathallu is unique to Kerala. One who is in Kerala during onam must try and be part of the cheering crowd to enjoy what is truly a traditional martial event Pakida kali: A combination of chess and dice, this is considered similar to the game of dice mentioned in Mahabharata. The game has a set of columns (cells) in which the Pakida moves as per the fall of the dice. 16 |
Though the game is played between two teams comprising of two individuals, the involvement of the onlookers who take sides should be seen to be believed. A game mostly patronised in the village areas, an explorer must actually seek to find the venue and realise unwittingly how one becomes a part of the game. Puli-Kali: (“Puli”, means Tiger and “Kali” means play) A traditional folk performance specific to Kerala, this is mostly performed on the fourth day of onam. Group of individuals painted like tigers and hunters dance to the beats of local instruments like “Udukku”, “Thukil” or even Chenda, enacting hunting scenes. Believed to have originated from the time of Maharaja Raman Varma Shakthan Thampuran of Kochi, this traditional form of performance has evolved over a period of time. In olden times, individuals actually painted themselves as tigers but in the modern versions one can find both fully painted individuals as well as those with costumes. Thrissur is considered the best place to watch this event since a larger number of troops converge at this place. Thumbi- Thullal: Literally meaning “Dance of the Butterfly”, there are different versions of this traditional art, depending upon the locality or community organising the event.
Irrespective of the version there would be one central player who is considered to be the butterfly who acts, dances and others who either sit and sing or sing and dance around the central player. The theme and tempo of the event is dictated by the lyrics. The female version is pleasing and sober to the eyes since it is accompanied by melodious recital and graceful movements. In order to enjoy the performance, it is advisable to get hold of the lyrics prior to witnessing the performance. Uri-Adi: A very interesting game, normally played on the day of the onam under the aegis of the local community organisations, this event can actually rivet spectators for a long time. The game revolves around an individual’s effort to break an “Uri” (Earthen pot hung from a rope manipulated by an operator who skillfully lowers, raises and swings the “Uri” so that it is not broken. Many variations of this game exist. In one such variation the player is blindfolded and in another the player is subjected to a continuous barrage of water thrown from different sides by people. Depending upon the patronage prize-money can vary. Irrespective of the variation, it is absorbing fun to watch the game.
ONAM
PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
Top three winners of the KTE Onam
Send us some fascinating pictures from your Onam celebrations to
editorial@ktexplorer.com
along with a catchy caption and brief description of your image.
Photography Contest can experience a
luxurious stay at the premium business hotel of Thrishur,
The Garuda
The best pictures will be featured in the upcoming issue of the magazine. | 17
TRADITION
The Legends Behind the
BOW OF PROSPERITY Anisha Rudrani
K
aramana, seven kilometres to the south of Thiruvanthapuram Central, has a distinct landscape. It’s rugged terrains that border the shores of Karamana River is embowered in lush greenery, a feature that makes it sui generis. Thiruvanathapuram’s own Onavillu (a ceremonial bow-shaped instrument) is made here. The ceremony that has been preserved in its quintessence for generation after generation, the making of Onavillu is Karamana’s unspoken pride. Unsurprising in the modern solitary lifestyle, many citizens of the land are barely aware of this century-old tradition followed in its original form even today, and about this bow-making family. Onavillu family, as the family is famously known (and the name is patented so that it’s not taken away from them), takes its origin from one of the five Viswakarma clans, the Mayans. Originally from the
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neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, the ancestors of this family came to the capital city of Kerala to build the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple. History has it that Pallivillu, as Onavillu was previously known, was presented by these master craftsmen to Lord Ananthapadmanabhan when the construction of the temple was completed. Since then, the tradition is carried on year after year; generation after generation. Binkumar, the chief craftsman explains that since ceremonial villus (bows) are presented to the temple during the festival of Onam, it became Onavilllu, suggestive of the time. Earlier, the making of these bows was seasonal, with the family submitting a pair of six bows to the temple only during the festival times of Onam. But with a semi-commercialization, today the family’s men dedicate their whole time into its making. The devotees can buy the villus and take it home
Meet the family from Karamana that owns the patent to preserve this revered tradition The Onavillu Family of Karamana in the making of the ceremonial bows at their ancestral house in Thiruvananthapuram
after they are kept in the temple for 3 days during Onam. These ceremonial bows are believed to bring prosperity to home. In a month, 125 bows are made, and this ensures a steady flow of income from the temple to the family. Preparation of Onavillu Kadambu and Mahagony trees that are believed to be dearer to Lord Vishnu are therefore used to make the Onavillu. The boat-shaped plank is cut to different sizes, to be submitted to the deities according to their importance. The main deity, Ananthapadmanabhan (Lord Vishnu, second of the Trinity), is crafted on a plank sized 4.5 feet (Ananthasayanam Villu), while NarasimhaMoorthy (Dasavatharam Villu) , Sree Rama (Sree Rama Pattabhishekam Villu) and Shastha are painted on planks of 4 feet-long, and Sree Krishna (Sree Krishnaleela Villu) and Vinayaka are
portrayed in planks sized 3.5 feet. The width of all planks is same at .75 inches. The preparation of the bows takes 41 days time, and throughout this time the members of the family observe a rigid fast. Originally, ‘Ananthasayanam Villu’, ‘Dasavatharam Villu’, and ‘SreeKrishnaleela Villu’ were consecrated at PadmanabhaSwamy temple. The rest of the bows were introduced in the course of time, so that all the deities are revered. The red tassels (Kunjalam) tied on both sides of the bow are made by convicts in Poojapura Central Jail. This arrangement was introduced by the King at the time, as he was certain that involving the criminals in a divine matter could change them positively,
History has it that Pallivillu, as Onavillu was previously known, was presented by these master craftsmen to Lord Ananthapadmanabhan when the construction of the temple was completed. Since then, the tradition is carried on year after year; generation after generation.
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TRADITION
The preparation of the bows takes 41 days time, and throughout this time the members of the family observe a rigid fast. Originally, ‘Dasavatharam Villu’, and ‘SreeKrishnaleela Villu’ were consecrated at PadmanabhaSwamy temple. The rest of the bows were introduced in the course of time, so that all the deities are revered.
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and would prevent them from committing any crimes thereafter. Interestingly, people from all religion and castes are involved in the making of Kunjalam. Bin Kumar believes the far-sighted arrangement has a special place in the making of the bows. And the convicts also observe a 21-days’ fast before taking part in the making, so that the holiness of Onavillu remain intact. At the temple The ‘villus’ are first offered to the family deity at the Valiya Veedu, now Onavillu family, for three days. They are then taken to Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple on the Thiruvonam day and are then displayed at the Natakasala before being offered to the deity. Now, the devotees can book the villu via the online platform of the temple, and
the same can be taken to their homes after the rituals. The tradition makes the Onavillu family the only family other than the Travancore Royal Family to get directly involved in the temple’s rituals. It is believed Onam is one of the best times to visit the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, since one gets the rate opportunity to see the main deity of Ananthapadmanabhan and other deities adorned with these ceremonial villus. The legend The interesting legend behind the Onavillu goes like this: When Mahabali was vanquished to the nertherlands or ‘pathala’ by Vamana, he wanted to know the real identity of the latter. Vamana then appeared in the form of Lord Vishnu, revealing it was the supreme omni-power himself
who had come to bless the King. Extremely elated on seeing the Lord before his eyes, Mahabali pleaded for the permission to visit his land at least once a year and also see Lord during the visit. The Lord granted his wish, but said Mahabali would be able to see him and his avatars only in painted images. Thus the Onavillu was created by Viswakarma. While all the ceremonials bows are consecrated to the temple, Bin Kumar spills the bean on a 7th type of Onavillu, the smallest of them all, which is sold by the Onavillu famly directly to people with the help of Royal family. Bin Kumar makes these one-foot villus with his brothers’ help. He takes us through an interesting anecdote behind the birth of these tiny bows. Further to a tussle with the temple administration, the family refrained from making the bows during a short while. That Onam,
a heavy-hearted Bin Kumar was making a visit to the temple when an elderly man robed in veshti (dhoti), stopped him on the way. He asked him why Kumar was looking upset and in reply, the latter expressed his grief of being ‘unrecognized’ since nobody knew about the family who painstakingly make these Onavillus every year. Extending a solution, the old man said, “Don’t worry. Start making chest-sized villus. That will come as a benefit for you and your family.” Bin Kumar has never seen that man ever again. But ever since the family started making these one-foot villus, which has been selling really well, they believe that old man in Veshti could be none other than Lord Vishnu himself!
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CULTURE SPEAK
A PRISTINE CELEBRATION OF
WOMANHOOD Keerthy Ramachandran
O
n a bright full moon night, as the cold breeze of the month of Dhanu (a Malayalam month which as per Gregorian calendar falls in DecemberJanuary) gently blows through the villages of Kerala, it is not hard to hear hushed songs float by. Listen closer and you might hear “Kaithozham Krishna” or “Parvanendu mukhi” as women dance with the perfect blend of rhythm and grace till the break of the dawn. Enrobed in golden bordered kasavu sarees, with the dashapushpam (the ten sacred flowers) adorned in their loosely tied hair, they slip into a magical trance as they perform one of the most ancient and ethereal dance forms of Kerala, the thiruvathirakali. Thiruvathirakali is a ritualistic dance performed on the auspicious day of Thiruvathira which falls in the month of Dhanu, celebrated as the birthday of Lord Shiva. Considered to be one of the early forms of recreational activities women used to enjoy right
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from the conservative days of the Kerala culture, the dance form takes the name of Onakali when performed during the Onam celebration. Thiruvathirakali ,Onakali or Kaikottikali as it is popularly known, is performed by maiden girls to evoke the blessings of Lord Shiva to secure a ‘loving husband’ and by married women seeking eternal marital bliss. Decades ago, when an eighth standard student brought to the stage her passion for thiruvathirakali by making an exceptional performance on her school day celebration, little did she know she would win a ‘loving husband’ right at the venue itself! 86 years old Smt Malathy G Menon, fondly known as Thiruvathira Muthashi (Thiruvathira Grandmother), found the love of her life in that school audience and got married the same year, to the man who fell for her graceful performance.
Today, this octogenarian is on a mission to popularize the dance form in every corner of the nation. Bagging 3 world and national records including the Guinness World Records and Limca Book of Records for conducting mega thiruvathirakali performances, Malathy teacher (as she is referred to) has students in the age group of 9 to 90 years, learning thiruvathirakali from different parts of the country. In 2009, she established Parvanendu School of Thiruvathira in Ernakulam, a dedicated institute to teach thiruvathirakali for those who wants to get themselves trained in one of the oldest dance forms of Kerala, in its original style. “Thiruvathirakali is in my breath. From the age of three I have been
86 years old Smt Malathy G Menon, fondly known as Thiruvathira Muthashi is on a mission to popularize the art form in every corner of the nation
Thiruvathirakali is in my breath. From the age of three, I have been dancing thiruvathirakali with my mother, aunts and grandmothers. Today, it gives me a great sense of complacency to see the tradition remaining alive when I see my daughter and grandchildren also following the steps, abiding by the discipline the art form demands
Gokul Ramachandran
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PERSONALITY
The megathiruvathirakali performance led by Malathy teacher at Kizhakkambalam, Ernakulam which entered the Guinness World Records in 2017 Gokul Ramachandran
dancing thiruvathirakali with my mother, aunts and grandmothers. Today, it gives me a great sense of complacency to see the tradition remaining alive when I see my daughter and grandchildren also following the steps, abiding by the discipline the art form demands,” says a vivacious Malathy teacher who obviously loves to talk a lot. She remembers Thiruvathira as a joyous festival of women which celebrates their ebullience and sense of freedom. Women observe fast a day before Thiruvathira by completely abstaining from eating rice in any form. On the Thiruvathira day, they wake up early in the morning; bathe in pond in groups, playing and singing together, a ritual followed even today as ‘thudichu kuli.’ After the bath, they visit a Shiva temple and then in the spacious nadumuttam, inner court yard of the naalukettu (a traditional Kerala homestead), they dance in mirth till early morning. Imparting the goodness of these traditional rituals to the city dwellers of Ernakulam, every year Malathy teacher leads the Thiruvathira celebrations conducted by Ernakulam Karayogam. “The good vibes such celebrations bring to our lives should not be lost in time and therefore I take ardent interest in promoting the spirit of Thiruvathira among everyone,” she says. The first Thiruvathira after wedding is observed as “Poothiruvathira” and the newly married women are therefore given great importance during the Thiruvathira 24 |
celebration. The danseuse slips into a different world of nostalgia as she beautifully sings and explains the different songs sung during every stage of the celebration. There are designated songs to be sung while walking to the pond to take bath, during the bath time, after that etc. and the best part is, most great grandmothers of Malathy teacher’s age would still remember every line of these songs. “The festivity and enthusiasm Thiruvathira brings to the minds of women in Kerala is truly special. I don’t like to see the spirit being restricted to the Hindu women of Kerala. I have therefore dedicated my life to spread the charisma of this culture to every woman in this country,” she affirms. But the confidence and enthusiasm of Malathy teacher to take thiruvathirakali to every household is such that, she recently taught thiruvathirakali to a group of men who wanted to learn the dance. “No rules and defined systems should inhibit one to learn an art form. It is true women’s grace bring to fore the charm of thiruvathirakali, but I have male students who surpass women
in their elegant moves,” she beams. After winning a Guinness record for conducting a mega thiruvathirakali event with 6,582 women, Malathy teacher is willing to hit the next record with men if they willingly step forward. Creating historical milestones with thiruvathirakali is Malathy teacher’s way to bring the art form to the global map. She says, “I want everyone to dance thiruvathirakali. It is perhaps one of the simplest dance forms anyone can shake their leg to. All that you need is an interest to learn and a sense of rhythm.” She is a proud recipient of ‘Vanitaratna’ award conferred recently by Women and Child Welfare Department, Government of Kerala. She has also won the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian Information Guidance Society, Baba Ambedkar Award and fellowship and “Kalaratna” award from Art & Cultural Society among others for her significant contributions to the world of thiruvathirakali.
incessant energy and unrelenting commitment to learn new forms of art keeps her going. At the age of 75, she learnt and performed Kathakali and Idakka (a percussion instrument). At 80, she mastered Chenda and Keyboard. Drums have caught her latest fascination. Neither age nor health stands in her way. Life is nothing less than a celebration; truly this muthashi is a personification of the spirit of the thiruvathirakali.
I want everyone to dance thiruvathirakali. It is perhaps one of the simplest dance forms anyone can shake their legs to. All that you need is an interest to learn and a sense of rhythm.
Interestingly, Malathy teacher’s recognition doesn’t confine to the world of thiruvathirakali. Her | 25
COLUMN
The Grandest Homecoming
O
nam. The word in itself is an emotion, conjuring up nostalgic images of reunions, family, new beginnings, and of course, sumptuous sadyas! This festival leaves all other celebrations in its shadow in Kerala. And is one that is celebrated by all, regardless of religious beliefs. Legend has it that it is on this day that Kerala’s favourite king, Mahabali returns to his people every year from the netherworld. In the modern day, this day is still celebrated as a grand homecoming for the king, but also for the many Malayalis living abroad, who plan their summer holidays to Kerala in time for the festival. And that held true for my family too when I was growing up. Onam days in Irinjalakuda hold some of my favourite memories from childhood. For most people, an image associated with Onam is that of the elaborate pookalams, the colourful floral carpets that grace every entry. On the nine days leading up to Onam, I would gleefully join my cousins and aunts to scour the gardens that surrounded our house, for flowers which we plucked off their bushes. These were then made into pookalams on a special wooden plank that was reserved just for this ritual every year. But, on Onam day itself, we never laid out a pookalam. Instead, on that day, the Thrikkakarappan, a wooden narrow flat topped pyramid took centrestage. On the night before Onam, it would be smeared with a 26 |
brick red paint and my talented cousin would draw designs on it with rice flour paste. A string would be crisscrossed along its sides, into which about to bloom buds of hibiscus would be tucked. The wooden plank would also be decorated with a rangoli design and all the entries, as well as the thresholds that separated each room inside the house, would be lined with the white paste as well. Next morning, before the crack of dawn, the entire family would gather at the eastern side of the house for the Onamkollal, an official welcoming of King Mahabali to the household. There, Valyachan, my father’s elder brother, would conduct the small ceremony. From what I remember, the ritual involved a process in which the decorated Thrikkakarappan, with the crimson hibiscus bursting out from its sides in full bloom, would be placed on the centre of the board. Then two roasted coconut rice pancakes, one savoury and one sweet, would be placed on each side. The entire process did not use regular flowers, but instead a basket full of Thumbapoo (Ceylon slitworth), a tiny white flower that sits embedded in a fragrant bunch of small leaves. Throughout the process, Valyachan would also throw thumbapoo on top of the Thrikkakarappan, which meant finally, there would be a big hill of green and white all around it. A coconut would also be broken in half and each part would be kept on either side.
Nandini Valsan is a writer and film maker who currently lives in Doha, Qatar. She is a travel enthusiast and an avid foodie; who believes every moment in life is a learning experience.
The grand finale, which we eagerly waited for, came after all the rituals, when my uncle would splash out the water from the coconut shells into the morning air, as we called out “Arappe!” in unison, three times. This was the official cheer, welcoming the king to our abode, and it was officially Onam day. This tradition thankfully remains to this day, with my father’s younger sister now doing the ceremonial rituals. The breakfast on Onam morning would be the same roasted rice pancakes, accompanied by a spicy shallot curry; a combination of flavors that is embedded in my memory cocooned in the morning excitement of everyone being together. A sumptuous home-cooked sadya would greet us for lunch, and then, in the evenings, my father would take out his old movie projector, and screen some old style home movies on the dining room wall. Through these silent movies, accompanied only by the whirrs of the projector, my late grandfather would come back to life on the dining room wall, joining the rest of the family in our celebrations.
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SPORTS SPECIAL
Experience Adrenalin Rush in the Backwaters
Each boat contests the race with a reputation to live by or a defeat to avenge and the event is an amalgamation of a local tale, belief, traditions, music and test of physical endurance, all soaked in spirt of competition. Gokul Ramachandran
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With more than 50 snake boat races conducted in Kerala during AugustSeptember, there’s no better time to travel to the state for water sports enthusiasts
Dhanya Susan
T
he mesmerising rhythm of “Vanchi Paatu” (“Vanchi” means boat and “Pattu” means song) reverberates all over Kerala during onam. God’s own land, full of backwaters, rivers and lakes, hosts a number of boat races around onam. Though the significant ones are clustered in and around central Kerala, almost every place of reckoning with a suitable water body hosts this amazing local sport called “Vallam Kali” (“Vallam” means Boat and “Kali” means Game or competition). Comparable to the Olympic hundredmeter dash, the sport is not just about a few boats, each unendingly long and slender, darting over a vast expanse of water, powered by a multitude of oarsmen, all paddling in unison to the rhythm of a traditional song and then suddenly exploding in celebrations of victory. Each boat contests the race with a reputation to live by or a defeat to avenge and the event is an amalgamation of a local tale, belief, traditions, music and test of physical endurance, all soaked in spirt of competition. Feast to the eyes, full of colour and enthusiasm, this sport magically draws locals and visitors to instantly fall in love with it. One doesn’t have to be a competitor to experience the thrill. Mere presence in the spectator gallery is enough to push one to own a team, root for it and experience the rush of adrenaline. The sound of countless oars cutting the still waters in tune with the beat of the “Chenda”, the frantically swaying oarsmen and the cheering crowd sets the stage for one to be elevated to a surreal state never
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SPORTS SPECIAL
Comparable to the Olympic hundred-meter dash, the sport is not just about a few boats, each unendingly long and slender, darting over a vast expanse of water, powered by a multitude of oarsmen, all paddling in unison to the rhythm of a traditional song and then suddenly exploding in celebrations of victory
experienced before. The end could be sheer ecstasy or broken heart but the ease with which one can experience sublimity is unique to Kerala’s Vallam Kali. Classified under various names, depending upon the length and shape of bow and stern, each boat is a piece of art. Sculpted as per “Sastras”, by master craftsmen, these boats are legends by themselves. Some are even considered like deities, necessitating rituals and practices which have to be strictly adhered to. “Chundan-Vallams, “Churulan – Vallams”, “Iruttukuthy Vallams”, “Odi-Vallams”, “Veppu-Vallams” and “Kochu-Vallams” are some common classifications. Though each one is beautiful in its own right, Chundans stand apart because of its imposing height that towers over the water and its unbelievable “sleek-length” that allows it to carry more than hundred oarsmen besides those required to steer the boat and coordinate the rowing. Others are smaller thereby restricting the number of oarsmen. Yet most of them carry about fifty to sixty oarsmen besides others required for steering and coordination. Over a period of time, these boats have come to be known as “snake-
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boats”, probably because of its length and hood- like bows. Some of these also find mention in various books of records. Unlike the dragon boats of Chinese which are carved out to look like dragons, snake boats have no resemblance whatsoever to any snake. It is believed that these boats were initially conceived as Warrior boats but as the princely states amalgamated to form the union of India and internal walls and strives became a thing of the past these boats found better application and thus was born the concept of boat racing. Annual maintenance of the boat consists of thorough scrubbing and cleaning besides application of a paste made of soot mixed with eggs besides various types of oils including sardine oil. This, it is believed, would reduce friction and help the boat slice through the water. These boats are not normally used for any purpose other than racing or carrying the deity associated. The boats are normally unveiled after prayers and rituals on specific date as per Malayalam calendar and at the auspicious times fixed for the purpose. The oarsmen are carefully selected and put to extensive practice before the actual race.
Prominent amongst the boat races Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Punnamada lake, Alappuzha. First conducted in 1952 as an impromptu competition in honour of visiting Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru this event is world famous. Impressed with this amazing sport, Mr Jawaharlal Nehru instituted a personally signed silver trophy with the inscription “To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life and Travancore Cochin”.
Utharaatadi Boat Race at Aranmula, Pathanmthitta. Revered, this boat race is backed by an interesting legend. It is said that a devout Brahmin had promised to deliver the requisites for the onam feast to the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. While his boat was on its way to the temple, it was attacked by enemies. The locals came out in their boats to ensure safety of the temple goods. The race is thus considered as a celebration of the success of good or evil. The boats used in this race is called “Palliodams”
Payippad Jaloltsavam in Payippad River, Alappuzha. This three-day race is conducted to commemorate the discovery of an idol of Subramanya and its ceremonious journey from the place of discovery to the temple at Harippad.
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, Pamapa River, Champakulam, Alappuzha. This race also is conducted to commemorate the installation of the idol of Lord Krishna at a temple in Ambalappuzha. It is also referred to as ‘Moolam Vallamkali’ because the race is conducted on the “Moolam” day in the Malayalam month “Midhunam”, the installation day of the deity at the Temple.
Sree Narayana Jayanthi Vallam Kali, Kumarakom, Kottayam.
Chundans stand apart because of its imposing height that towers over the water and its unbelievable “sleeklength” that allows it to carry more than hundred oarsmen besides those required to steer the boat and coordinate the rowing.
These boats are normally owned by the community and are generally named after the community or “Kara” (River Bank). Thus “Karuvatta Puthen Chundan” represents a place called Karuvatta and “Payippad Chundan” represents a place called Payippad. Likewise, each boat carries a name that its owners are extremely proud of. The crew of boat for the competition, in olden days, used to be from within the community only. Now that Keralites have gone all over the world in search of jobs, finding oarsmen from outside has become a necessity. However, the practice of taking care of the crew during the season still remains within the community. Although organisers of all “Vallam kali”s would like to call their respective events as a major event, based on the scale of conduct and participation some are considered prestigious. Most of these attract large-scale participation and have found themselves in the international tourist map. These races are held in reverence to local beliefs or as commemorative events, lending a sense of divinity or historical value.
This race is conducted in to commemorate the consecration of the ideal of Sri Balasubramaniam at the Kumaramangalam temple by Sri Narayana Guru in 1903. | 31
TRAVEL FEATURE
DISCOVER YOUR BREAKING POINT Anisha Rudrani
K 32 |
erala is more often, albeit arguably, dubbed as the most happening destination in India. Beyond the picture-postcard beauty, the land also offers the perfect locales for adventure tourism—high altitude mountain ranges, scores of perennial rivers and the subterranean forests to name a few. Adventure lovers have plenty to choose from, thanks to the diverse terrain the land offers. Backwater biking, rock climbing, paragliding, bird tours, camping, jungle safaris, canoeing, hiking and biking, trekking, water sports and wildlife tours await you here. So all that you need to is, just pack your bags and unleash your adventurous spirit with a trip that allows you to enjoy the best adventure tours in Kerala.
“There are three categories of adventure tourism emerging in Kerala—air-based, land-based and water-based. Activities such as paragliding, para motoring and hot air ballooning fall under air-based category, and scuba diving, Kayaking, canoeing and river rafting --thusharagiri (Calicut) and Bhooththankettu are water-based activities. Land-based events include the popular trekking, mountaineering, offroad jaunts and zip lining,” explains Manesh Bhaskar, CEO of Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society, an undertaking of the Kerala government. Kerala Travel Explorer brings to you an array of the best adventure sports that can be tried on your next trip to experience the thrills of Kerala,
Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society
AS KERALA IS EMERGING TO BE A HAPPENING DESTINATION FOR ADVENTURE SPORTS, HERE IS A LIST OF WHAT YOU COULD CHECK OUT
TREKKING AND CAMPING Listed as one of the ten paradises on Earth by the National Geographic Traveler, the small terrain of Kerala has the right ambience for the trekker in you. The tropical rainforests, aromatic spice plantations or the lush-green hills provide trekking experience as captivating as the destinations themselves. Trivandrum, Idukki, Wayanad and Palakkad are some of the best trekking and camping destinations. Trekking around Anamudi, Agatshyakoodam and Chembra, three highest peaks in Kerala fills your lungs with exotic fragrance of spices, and tour your heart with absolute joyousness. Agasthyakoodam, located 70 km from Trivandrum, is the second highest peak in South India. A haven of rare herbs and medicinal plants, a trek though the place is truly magical.
The boulder-filled terrains of Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram, the rocky cliffs and stream crossings of Peerumedu in Idukki district, the raw and rustic landscape of Wayanad and climbs and bends in Munnar are some of the preferred destinations for off-road events.
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TRAVEL FEATURE
MOUNTAINEERING AND ROCK CLIMBING
PARAGLIDING
Trekking on the higher altitudes is challenging, but it will be rewarding for the adventurer in you. It tests your spirit, mind, and the body. Kerala has some of the finest locations in the world to thoroughly enjoy the thrills and joys of mountaineering. The hills, mountains, and their serrated cliffs demand rigid climbs and breath-taking steep slopes. There are immense opportunities for rock climbing. Eruthavoor, Thiruvananthapuram and Thenmala, Kollam are two of the fast developing mountain climbing sites.
Here is a sport which incorporates the fun of the entire adventure tourism package. Getting the bird's eye view of the lush green Kerala at nearly 6,000 ft above sea level is an experience by itself. Paragliding is one of the most exciting sports in the modern world, and one of the best places to enjoy Paragliding in India is definitely Kerala. Embark on a lifetime experience as a paraglider with your family or friends. Feel the wind on your face, the sky above your glider, and the ground below your feet. There are only two handpicked destinations for paragliding in Kerala—Vagamon in Kottayam and Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram—and both can provide you with unparalleled experiences. Annual paragliding festival hosted in Vagamon is attended by even international paragliders. The place is over 3,000 feet in height, it has a 10km long ride that is perfect for take-off and landing. Varkala beach with its magnificent cliffs is another destination that is been sought after as a paragliding site.
While the craggy rock in Eruthavoor is 160 ft in height, the rugged terrain of Thenmala boasts of lying 500 m above sea level and is packed with plenty of adventure activities. The adventure zone at Thenmala offers options for recreational rock climbing and rappelling with rock of different heights and sizes, equipped with pegs and ropes.
There are immense opportunities for rock climbing. Eruthavoor, Thiruvananthapuram and Thenmala, Kollam are two of the fastdeveloping mountain climbing sites
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OFF-ROAD JAUNTS The state offers the much-sought-after terrain for off-road jaunts. Rugged land, sloppy trails, dense forests, green valleys and the mountains are the perfect choices and take them all on two wheelers or 4x4s. The boulder -filled terrains of Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram, the rocky cliffs and stream crossings of Peerumedu in Idukki district, the raw and rustic landscape of Wayanad and climbs and bends in Munnar are some of the preferred destinations for off-road events.
CYCLING & BIKING A cycle or a bike expedition in the uneven and challenging terrain of Kerala is worth a try. The state is undoubtedly an ideal destination for bike tours as it is blessed with long shoreline, calm and serene stretches of backwaters, quaint hill stations, breath-taking waterfalls, sprawling plantations and lush paddy fields.
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TRAVEL FEATURE
WATER SPORTS Scuba diving, surfing, kayaking, river rafting and canoeing –you name it and Kerala offers the best of it. The state is a dream come true destination for water sport enthusiasts. While canoeing and kayaking can be enjoyed along the serene backwaters- which is also the venue for the spectacular snake boat races for the State, catamaran sailing is possible at the beaches of Alappuzha, Varkala and Kovalam. When the huge waves and strong currents make surfing a delight in Kovalam, the backwaters of Kuttanad, Alappuzha, is the hub of Kayaking in Kerala. The journey through the coconut tree-fringed waterways is heavenly and an excellent opportunity to experience village life.
Scuba diving, surfing, kayaking, river rafting and canoeing –you name it and Kerala offers the best of it. The state is a dream come true destination for water sport enthusiasts
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Rafting at Boothathankettu, Ernakulam, is another experience the adventure traveller in you can look forward to. Be swept along a rushing river at Boothathankettu, situated 50km away from Ernakulam. Thusharagiri in Calicut is the place for white water kayaking. Malabar River Festival and the International Kayaking Championship organised every year provides kayakers from 20 countries a chance to experience the best of scenic eco-tourism. There are some fascinating spots in southern Kerala, especially the backwaters of Kollam, where a canoe or boat ride on a moonlit night offers a surreal experience.
A BIG SHOUT-OUT TO ALL AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS & ASPIRING PHOTOJOURNALISTS OUT THERE ...
Do you have a dramatic picture of the wonder land called Kerala? Has it got a great story, never told before? Are you looking for the right platform to showcase your photography & journalistic skills? If yes, come be a part of this illustrious journey. KTE loves to promote great travelogues and spectacular photography. The best content will be featured in our upcoming issues with due credits attributed to all photographs & articles. Send in your contributions with contact details to
editorial@ktexplorer.com
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ARCHITECTURE & RELIGION
Ecclesiastical
Wonders of Kerala
Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)
K The real fascination is in the enchanting folklore and traditions followed by each Church to keep their respective flocks of the faithful captivated with their version and interpretation of the ‘Word of the Lord 38 |
erala is home to some of the most pristine and beautiful churches in our country. They famously dot this coastal landscape with their dominant presence in huge estates with impressive facades. They have all contributed significantly to the local artistic and architectural traditions, besides their obvious social and cultural impact. I am an ardent admirer of the Christian faith and its primary public symbol the the Church, having been a recipient of all my scholastic education from renowned Jesuit institutions in different parts of the country. My fascination is amplified by the enchanting folklore and charming traditions that each Church follows, to keep their respective flocks of the faithful captivated with their version and interpretation of the ‘Word of the Lord’. If one cares to notice, one would realise that all our churches are treasure-houses of architectural and artistic designs. Each one is distinct and they have all evolved their own
Kerala’s churches are treasure-houses of architectural and artistic designs. Each one is distinct and they have all evolved their own unique styles of roofs, bells, belfries, ceilings, facades, porticos, verandahs, naves, railings, beams, rafters, chancels, pillars, doors, doorways, wooden panels, architraves, pulpits and altars. Purushothaman Pillay
unique styles of roofs, bells, belfries, ceilings, facades, porticos, verandahs, naves, railings, beams, rafters, chancels, pillars, doors, doorways, wooden panels, architraves, pulpits and altars. To add to this distinction, each one of them also possesses a priceless collection of their own distinctive Church ware with mostly Continental origins. These include | 39
ARCHITECTURE & RELIGION
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There were Christians in Kerala for many years before the arrival of the first Europeans on the Malabar Coast. The first emissary from Rome, John of Monte Corvino, sent by Pope Innocent III, is thought to have come to Kerala in 1291.
rare altarpieces, statues, candelabras, biblical texts, bibles, bible-stands, tabernacles, monstrance, baldaquins, vestments, pulpit habiliments, wall paintings, cloth paintings, crosses, cross pedestals, chalices, censers, censer-boats, processional umbrellas, canopies and chariots and a myriad other objects of sacred accoutrements. It would be very pertinent to briefly touch upon the history of how Christianity sank its roots in God’s own country. Kerala has Christianity as the third-most practiced religion, accounting for approximately 25% of its population. A significant portion of the Indian Christian population resides in this state. The Christians of Kerala are basically divided into Syrian, Latin and New Christian groupings. There were Christians in Kerala for many years before the arrival of the first Europeans on the Malabar Coast. The first emissary from Rome, John of Monte Corvino, sent by Pope Innocent III, is thought to have come to Kerala in 1291. Saint
Thomas Christians (also known as Syrian Christians or Nasrani) include the Syro-Malabar Catholic, Malankara Orthodox, Jacobite, Marthoma, Syro-Malankara Catholic and Syrian Anglicans in the Church of South India. Latin Catholics owe their origin to the missionary activities involving western missionaries especially in Kerala. Christianity was readily accepted and most popular among the coastal community of Kerala who lived on the fringes of communities. The primary appeal was their ready access and acceptance to places of worship. They could speak directly to their God. This was rather difficult for them in their original faith on account of the casteism that was rampant at the time, which made temple-access a privilege of the higher castes, at the time of the advent of Christianity in Kerala. The Latin Christian faith is prevalent in the districts of Ernakulam, Alleppey, Quilon and Trivandrum. The Roman Catholic Christianity is predominantly practised in the Thrissur and Kottayam districts.
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ARCHITECTURE & RELIGION
Of Unforgotten Love, in the Serene Sands of Time Keerthy Ramachandran
V
ast expanses of sand forming the banks of the great Periyar River, adds an immaculate beauty to the Aluva Shiva temple. Sans the stereotypical architectural grandiose of Hindu temples or intricate wall carvings and mural art, this majestic construction stands tall on the Aluva manal puram (sand banks) with an envious glory. One of the most famous temples of Kerala, Aluva Shiva temple is an abode of legends, rituals, faith and tradition. While it is natural for every Hindu temple to have several tales and myths associated with it, what distinguishingly sets the mood apart for Aluva Shiva temple is its link with the spirits, the dead. Every year, thousands throng to the sands of Aluva Shiva temple to propitiate their ancestors by performing ‘bali tharpanam’ or ‘vavu bali’ on the ‘karutha vavu’ (no moon day) during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam. As per the Gregorian calendar, the date usually falls in between July and August. The final rituals performed for paying homage to the dead is referred to as ‘bali.’ While the ‘bali’ karma is performed on the day of the star the person died, 42 |
when done on the ‘Karkidaka bali’ day it is said, the souls of the ancestors are pacified more. On this day, several rituals codified as per Yajur Veda are performed in the early morning, as per the instructions of acharyas in various holy rivers, temples and seashores of Kerala. Varkala Papa Nasam beach, Thiruvaloom Sree Parasurama Temple and Shangumugham Temple are some of other major spots of Kerala where Karkidaka bali is conducted with great awe. However, the elaborate ceremonies and arrangements organized at Aluva Shiva temple every year for the occasion bags special mention. Hundreds of balitharas (platforms to perform the ‘bali’) are constructed, bathing ghats built and numerous priests from different parts of the state invited to conduct the auspicious gathering. On the day of Karkidaka vavu, the person who performs the rituals, after taking a holy dip in the river/ bathing ghat offers ‘tharpanam’ to his ancestors. Tharpanam refers to an ‘offering which satisfies’ and this comprises of water, gingelly, darbha (grass), cooked rice, sandalwood paste, tulsi and flowers. The individual who performs the rites should
One of the most famous temples of Kerala, Aluva Shiva temple is an abode of legends, rituals, faith and tradition. While it is natural for every Hindu temple to have several tales and myths associated with it, what distinguishingly sets the mood apart for Aluva Shiva temple is its link with the spirits, the dead.
Every year on the Karkidaka Bali day, thousands across the state propitiate their ancestors by offering the Tharpanam ( referred to as an offering that satisfies) which comprises of water, gingelly, darbha (grass), cooked rice, sandalwood paste, tulsi and flowers Gokul Ramachandran
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ARCHITECTURE & RELIGION
observe fast on the day and is allowed to eat only one meal comprising of rice. In most households, ‘vavu ada’, a special preparation of rice flour dough stuffed with jaggery and scraped coconut is made on this day. The bali karma, also known as pithrukarma is not only performed for the dead forefathers, but also for anyone who has associated with us in this life and in the past, who are responsible for our existence. It is said, our ancestors live on the rear side of the moon which is generally not visible to us. But on the Karkidaka vavu day, sunlight falls on the rear side making it visible to us. Therefore, when we extend an offering to them on this day, they receive it. Mahashivarathri celebrations also draw huge crowds to the Aluva Shiva temple every year, but only second to the ‘Karkidaka bali’. A grand foot bridge was recently commissioned here to manage the crowds during the celebrations and for the easy transit of devotees from Perumbavoor 44 |
and Moovatupuzha to the temple. Situated on the sand banks of two panoramic rivers, Periyar and Mangalapuzha, Aluva Shiva temple is located at a distance of 1 km away from the Marthanda Varma Bridge in NH 47. Managed by the Travancore Devaswam Board, the temple has many unique features which set it apart from other temples of Kerala. The main idol of the temple is a ‘swayamboo’ (self-manifested or self-existing) shiva linga which is not enshrined within a sanctum sanctorum or shrikovil. The shiva linga which is interestingly made of sand remains intact even when immersed in water for months during the monsoons. Till a while back, Aluva Shiva temple used to be completely submerged under water for over eight months. During this time, a representative idol or thidambu is placed on the shores, with transferred powers of the deity. After the winter, the water would recede leaving behind the sand bed
It is said, our ancestors live on the rear side of the moon which is generally not visible to us. But on the Karkidaka vavu day, sunlight falls on the rear side making it visible to us. Therefore, when we extend an offering to them on this day, they receive it.
in the middle of the river. Since it always had the distinguishing identity of being a water-logged temple, even the construction is designed accordingly, with no perfect Gopuram or Garbhalingam structures but just the support of pillars and wooden poles. Everything about the temple is simple and rustic. The Shiva linga faces eastern direction and a Nandi prathishta is situated right opposite the main building. Only one pooja is conducted in a day, the athazhapooja or nivedyam. Dhara, Rudhrabhishekamm, Mahamrityunjaya homam and Navagraha pooja are some of the main offerings. People from all castes and creed visit the temple, especially during the important festivities and celebrations. During the Shivarathri, thousands stay awake in the night reciting puranas and on the succeeding morning, they take a dip in the river at ‘Bhrahma muhurtham’ for paying homage to the ancestors.
Several stories are told about the construction of Aluva Shiva temple. It is believed sage Parashurama himself consecrated the temple which was later destroyed during the floods, but the idol remained unaffected. Another anecdote reveals the temple was constructed by the Bhoothaganas of Shiva. They were asked by the lord to finish the construction by dawn. However, Lord Vishnu obstructed this by disguising himself as a cock and misled the Bhoothaganas by crowing in the middle of the night. Therefore, the construction was left incomplete. While many myths surround the construction of the temple, the act of performing bali on the banks of Aluva Manal puram also has a mythological connotation. During the threthayuga, Sri Rama is believed to have performed the last rites for Jathayu in the sands of Aluva. Myths may be many, but what has not eroded in time is the faith people lay in the power of ‘Aluva Shivan’ as they refer to the deity. Mankind has
always found it hard to let go of the past. As the unending sand terrains of Aluva Manal Puram transforms to a gateway to once again extend our token of love to the dear ones who left us behind, the traditions and myths turn mystically beautiful.
The shiva linga which is interestingly made of sand remains intact even when immersed in water for months during the monsoons. Till a while back, Aluva Shiva temple used to be completely submerged under water for over eight months
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FASHION FEATURE
To New Beginnings, with Handc rafted Magnificence
As the wedding season is about to kick start in Kerala, we unveil the beauty of the much cherished antique jewellery, handed down over generations
T
he exquisiteness, femininity and charm of Kerala’s women are immensely celebrated. They say the beauty of a Malayali woman is in her big black eyes! The long wavy hair, thick eyelashes and natural elegance sets her apart from the fairer counterparts around the nation. Artists like Raja Ravi Varma have stunningly captured the beauty of a Malayali manga (woman) in his paintings. One may attribute the credit for that luscious hair to the use of coconut oil or the traditional kohl for those sharp looks, but what
46 |
has consistently contributed to her charisma are the fine pieces of jewellery she chooses to adorn for different occasions. From simple jhumkas to heavy necklaces, jewellery has always known to bring the sparkle in a Malayali woman. She wears her true etherealness when her looks are beautifully complemented with the glitter of Kerala’s traditional antique jewellery as she drapes herself in the golden zari of Kerala saree. It’s a long tale of love with the golden metal. The God’s own country is also
HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST LAUDED GOLDEN TREASURES OF KERALA Mullamottu maala
Kashu Maala A beautiful array of gold coins making a grand garland, Kaashu Maala is found in a variety of patterns. Smaller and bigger coins are neatly arranged to necklaces and long chains, some of them are set in ruby and diamond stones for added grandeur.
Naagapada thaali One of the oldest pieces of jewellery in Kerala’s jewellery culture, the beauty of Naagapada thaali takes one back to timeless heritage. Also known as snake-hood necklace, it is made with green glass stimulating emeralds which are intricately cut into the shape of the snake’s hood. The palakka maala resembles Naagapada thaali in design but the pendants of the former look like tiny mangoes. The Nair women believe Naagapada thaali to be a gift from the god, which when worn is known to impart virtues of patience and calmness in them.
referred to as ‘gold’s own country’ purely due to Malayali’s inordinate loyalty to gold as the best investment option. While this would be the pull factor to gold for men of the land, women in Kerala carry gold jewellery as a token of pride. There was a time when the jewellery worn by a woman reflected her social status. Only the upper class sections of the society were allowed to wear gold and other precious jewellery. Kerala history has been witness to revolts like ‘Kallumala samaram’ when Pulaya community (a marginalized section of the society) members fought for their rights to
wear jewellery. The Nair households love to boast of the possessions inherited from their ancestors, especially the heirloom antique gold ornaments inherited from the great grandmothers over generations. Even today, every bride of Kerala loves to have at least one piece of the traditional temple jewellery or antique jewellery in her amaadapetti (jewel box). These fine pieces of artwork and divinity woven together are set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds and pearls truly showcasing the flamboyant craftsmanship of
A treat for your eyes, mullamottu maala resembles a string of jasmine buds and hence derived the name (mullamottu means jasmine bud and maala, a necklace). Found in necklace and long chain designs, these are picking up popularity among Christian brides too owing to the simplicity and elegance in its pattern. A distinctly unique variant of mullamottu maala is the pichamottu maala which features pendants in the shape of the thin buds of a popular variety of jasmine called pichi.
Kerala’s goldsmiths. Naturally, every Chingamaasam ( a month in Malayalam calendar, which usually begins in mid August) which marks the wedding season in Kerala, jewellery groups try their best to woo the brides-to-be with the most authentic designs from Kerala’s traditional jewellery collections.
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FASHION FEATURE
Maanga Maala
Ashtalakshmi Vala
A classic piece in the antique collection, the ornament has become a staple in the Hindu bridal jewellery. The intricately designed ethnic necklace features paisley and plump mango shaped figures carefully strung together to a chain lending a timeless look and feel to it.
A bangle that ritualistically represents wealth and prosperity with the images of eight manifestations of goddess Lakshmi set in beautiful patterns, it is known to bring good luck charm for the woman wearing it. The eight incarnations of the goddess presides over different sources of wealth and therefore the bangle is a much sought after piece in the wedding collections of a Hindu bride.
Pathakkam A simple piece of jewellery that most women in Kerala prefer to wear with light weight silk sarees irrespective of the occasion, it has an antique pendant attached to a simple chain. The pendant is mostly designed in the shape of a moon and is seen in different designs called Minni, Shakunthala, Menaka etc.
Poothali Yet another ornament that displays the inimitable craftsmanship of our ancient jewellery culture, poothali is available in a wide variety of designs. Usually worn as the first necklace in the multi-layered deck of ornaments of a Hindu bride, the classic choker displays designs of leaves and flowers with danglers.
Jewellery Designs: Jos Alukkas, & Chungath Jewellery, Thiruvananthapuram
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Sarapoli Maala
Karimani Maala
An ornament that displays the timeless tradition with a vintage finish, sarapoli maala is yet another jewel found in the heritage jewellery collections of the Nair families that is passed on to generations as wedding gift by the grandmothers. Gold strands are studded with grain-like motifs to make this exquisite piece of jewellery.
A treasured piece of traditional elegance, these are long chains which resemble the ‘mangalsutra’ with the fine designs in black beads and gold. More than a piece from the wedding collections, Karimani Maala is worn as a daily wear chain by married women.
Jhimki These bell-shaped earrings have become more like an epitome of Kerala’s jewellery culture. While jhumkas, as they are popularly referred to in most parts of the country, are part of many traditions and cultures, the Kerala Jhimkis are particularly noted for the beautiful designs in gold, studded with precious stones and small dangling bells.
Rajesh Bhagavath
The antique jewellery of Kerala was once the treasured heirloom of the upper class women of the land. But today, realizing the dreams of many brides-to-be irrespective of their caste or creed, jewellery groups present an enviable range of heritage collections to add a surpassing beauty to anyone who adorns it.
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EVENTS SPECIAL
MAKE
YOUR EVENT
A WORK OF ART
I
Imagine a venue that transforms itself to beautifully merge with the tone, mood and the very music of your occasion. An elaborate event space which hosts the largest international trade expo could itself make the venue for an intimate wedding or even an exquisite chef’s tasting session. Adding yet another feather to the crown of the queen of Arabian Sea, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty has recently unrolled one of the finest and versatile event spaces in the country for anyone who intends to host some extraordinary events in a simply breathtaking location. Set right on the banks of the panoramic Vembanad Lake, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty is a waterfront
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luxury urban resort which owns the distinction of having one of the largest event spaces in South India. With 264 luxurious guest rooms including 38 suites and 4 private villas that feature mesmerizing views of the backwaters and lush green gardens, the hotel is designed to redefine luxury living in the city. Tastefully landscaped gardens fringed with palm trees and gentle fountains with white pebbles strewn all around invite one from the entrance all the way to the majestic architecture of the hotel. The property has umpteen reasons to top the list of your must-stay resorts in Kochi, the delectable dining choices which interestingly comprises of show kitchens apart from the restaurants of native and international cuisines,
Over 10,000 sq m of flexible event spaces are spread adjacent to the backwaters, which include grand banquet halls, ballrooms and indoor and outdoor party areas
Where Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty, Bolgatty Island, Kochi
How to Reach 7 km on road from Puthuvype Beach along the Laccadive Sea and 4 km from the Ernakulam Town North railway station.
luxurious spa and style salons, romantic waterside dining decks among several other attractions. But what distinguishingly sets it apart from other luxury properties is definitely going to be the spectacular event spaces it boasts of, making it the perfect destination for all kinds of events. Over 10,000 sq m of flexible event spaces are spread adjacent to the backwaters, which include grand banquet halls, ballrooms and indoor and outdoor party areas. One could choose to bring alive their special moments in the 9 venues of the hotel or the adjacent 3 venues of Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Center managed and operated by
the hotel. The hotel alone offers more than 3,000 sq m of event space and the convention center has an additional 6,500 sq m of supremely designed pillar less halls and 4000 sq m of outdoor spaces. An interesting feature of all the event spaces of the hotel is that it is impeccably designed with modern technology to perfectly set the backdrop for any event, so that even without the support of an event management company one can comfortably host an extraordinary event. The hotel has a dedicated team for event management and coordination who has an expertise in personalizing events by working with their master chefs who set a | 51
EVENTS SPECIAL culinary extravaganza for every occasion. With 3 helipads, separate VIP entrance, in-built stages, bridal studio and multiple break out rooms, the event spaces come with a car parking capacity for more than 2000 vehicles. The interiors are elegantly designed with neutral tones and minimum sophistication, enabling the décor of the event to win the central focus as opposed to a flashy carpet or elaborate lighting and furnishing. Spacious foyers with comfortable seating arrangements, amplified further by the breathtaking backwater view add a big impact. Huge chandeliers sized appropriately for every venue hang down from the roof, cutting a style statement for each hall. The lightings of the halls could be changed as per the nature of the occasion. For the optimum utilization of spaces, large dividers are installed to accommodate multiple parties or events at the same time. Ceiling recessed projector screens neatly conceal the electric screens to the roofs and overhead spaces in all the banquet halls and conference rooms. The Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre has two major event spaces- Liwa and the Vembanad. The Liwa ballroom is a grand venue for lavish wedding functions, cocktail receptions and theatre style presentations which could accommodate up to 2500 to 3000 guests at a time. Spread across 2,419 sq m of flexible space and 875 sq m of pre-event space, it also comprises of opulent suite rooms separately for the bride and groom and VIP rooms. The Vembanad ballroom offers the enchanting view of the Vembanad Lake in a 1,800 sq m of party area and 1,100 sq m of pre-function area and can accommodate up to 2000 guests. Even the surrounding lawns of the convention center facing the backwaters could be used as 52 |
The interiors are elegantly designed with neutral tones and minimum sophistication, enabling the décor of the event to win the central focus as opposed to a flashy carpet or elaborate lighting and furnishing
party areas, especially for setting a dramatic venue for a destination wedding capturing the beauty of Kochi. The banquet halls and conference rooms within Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty offer residential style meeting rooms which accompany living room and library area for breakout sessions from large events, working lunches, private business conversations and brainstorming sessions. These could be converted to make the perfect venue for an intimate cocktail gathering also. The Chef’s table is perhaps the most beautifully designed space of the entire property and its interiors are a treat to the eye. The golden light falling on aristocratic furniture in a compact but royal dining room could
Do you have an interesting events/ hospitality story to share with us? Write to editorial@ktexplorer.com
be the best venue you could think of to host a close knit family dinner or even to organize an anniversary special dinner with your better half. Small trunk shows or conferences for around 120 people could be hosted in Grand Salon I & II. The Atelier I, II & III offer vibrant settings which are extremely customizable to organize small private gatherings. A prime location that’s just a stone’s throw away from the heart of the city, world-class technology incorporated to craft superior event experiences and the finest blend of contemporary and local cuisine to pen epic gastronomic experiences, make Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty one of the best destinations for events which deserve to be etched in memories. | 53
RESTAURANT REVIEW
THE ‘HOT’SELLING KFC
KERALA’S OWN FRIED CHICKEN
T
he whole of India would have discovered the love for fried chicken with the first outlet of KFC launched in Bangalore, two decades ago. But Malayali’s love story with fried chicken began 70 years back ever since Abdul Khadar, a homegrown chef from a small village in Thiruvananthapuram, conceived a magical recipe to prepare the ‘spicy-licious’ fried chicken dish, fondly christened Kethel’s Fried Chicken. When Khader found his special fried chicken recipe became an instant hit among the localites of the village, he got the confidence to run a restaurant solely on this dish. Even today, you walk into a Kethel’s Fried Chicken outlet, Hotel Rahmaniya, all that you will be served is this amazing delicacy which can be had with chapathi or ghee rice.
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Huffing and puffing occasionally, incessantly sipping the unlimited lime juice offered with every dish, men, women and children heartily bite in to the super-hot Kethel’s Chicken Fry. While many think it’s just their secret spice mix that makes the dish hugely popular, not many are aware that a special variety of chicken, called spring chicken is bred in their Coimbatore farms only for making the fried chicken. Mohammed Meeran, the son-in-law of the Khader’s grand daughter who runs the Kozhikode center reveals, “Every ingredient that goes into the making of the dish comes with uncompromised quality. Right from the feed given to the chicken, to the oil used for frying, we make everything in-house. It is the freshness of every ingredient used that contributes to the overall
Name of the Restaurant: Rahmaniyas Kethal’s Fried Chicken Where: Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kollam Cost for two: Approx Rs 400 Rating:
Even today, the recipe of the dish is a top secret known only to the family members of Abdul Khader superior taste of the dish.” Meeran explains one whole chicken that weighs roughly 400-500 gm (before dressing) is cooked for a single serving of fried chicken. “If the chicken weighs a little more than 500 gm, the taste of the dish will suffer. Therefore, we take that much care to ensure the quality of chicken is accurate to be used for cooking. Our chicken is 100 per cent hormone or injection-free and we use nothing but pure coconut oil for frying,” he confirms. The first Rahmaniya outlet established in 1949 at Chala, Thiruvananthapuram is maintained with its same age old charm. Inside the narrow lanes of the busiest marketplace of the capital city, it will not be difficult to find this extremely small and simple restaurant which
happens to be the most popular one in the area since ages. While all other outlets have impressive interiors and air conditioned ambiences, this is the only one which still retains its authentic and rustic look. Unlike in all their other outlets, chicken pieces are served here by the elderly staff with their own bare hands onto fresh plantain leaves. Salted lemon pickle and a light chicken gravy are served alongside. One could choose to try the fried chicken with a chappathi combo or ghee rice combo. Liver fry comes at added costs. At their Kozhikode outlets, the hot chicken fry can be had with ‘nice pathiris’ (ultra thin flattened rice cakes), since the people of Kozhikode don’t prefer the accompaniment of chappathi. A special biriyani made with the fried chicken is also served here.
Even today, the recipe of the dish is a top secret known only to the family members of Abdul Khader. The spice mix for marinating the chicken is prepared in the family kitchen and sent to all their outlets across the state. At the restaurant kitchen, crushed dry chillies and rock salt are freshly added to the spice mix and applied to the chicken half an hour before frying. On request, the spiciness of the mixture is reduced, especially for children. Rahmania Kethel’s Fried Chicken is present in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kollam. With one combo roughly costing around Rs 200, this legendary dish is definitely worth trying and an experience in itself.
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PERSONALITY
UNTOUCHED BY TIME, THE
LOVING BOY
TURNS A CLASSIC
Reinventing himself as an actor, on his second innings in M’town; Chakochan is in the making of a cult Priya S
U
daya Studios, one of Kerala’s leading production houses at Alappuzha, helmed by Kunchacko was in its heyday. Like many other famous studios, its fortunes waned but what still remained evergreen were the memories of the superlative films it produced. After more than 70 years, Kunchacko’s grandson, Kunchacko Boban relaunched the Udaya Pictures banner by bankrolling Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho. The ‘ageless’ actor who still retains his boyish
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looks has reinvented himself to become what he is today- a bankable star who believes change is the only constant and that is what keeps him going. Kunchacko catapulted to fame very early in his career but the path ahead was not a bed of roses. When the going got tough, he took a break to contemplate and rediscovered himself in the process. The lessons from that self- exploration are what still keep him relevant today. In a chat with Kerala Travel Explorer, Kunchacko Boban talks about his exciting career and twists in life.
KUNCHACKO BOBAN
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PERSONALITY
You were the chocolate boy of Mollywood, born with the proverbial golden spoon. But you still had your downs and even took a break from films. Who was instrumental in bringing you back? Soon after my marriage, I realized I was getting the same typecast roles I had donned so frequently and also, some of my films were not doing that well. I felt there was that fire missing and I was feeling exhausted. I had also shifted to Kochi and my wife and I decided to study MBA. Then it so happened that we got into the real estate business wherein I had to meet a lot of people. Every time I got to interact with people, all they had to ask was ‘when was I doing my next film’. People were watching the re runs of my films on TV. It was my wife Priya who reminded me that people still loved and remembered my characters. Priya even went to the extent of feeling that she was responsible for my not signing any films. I staunchly reminded her of the fact that it was my decision to refrain from cinema since I did not feel the thrill or the excitement anymore. She enquired if I was still interested in acting and I replied that I was. So, thanks to her questions, I contacted directors Lal Jose and Shafi. I developed a deep friendship with Lal Jose and it was Lal who paved the way for me to come back to films by giving me a role that had me completely reinventing myself in Elsamma Enna Aankutty He advised me saying that films were an unreachable dream for the vast majority of people but that dream fell into my lap without me even trying or pursuing filmdom. He categorically told me it was arrogance on my part to turn my back to a rare gift like this. Those words sounded right and I decided to get back to where it all began. 58 |
The boat started moving and after a few minutes the weather completely changed. It started raining, became dark and waves started slamming the boat. It was like a scene from some horror film. Priya started screaming at the top of her voice. There was only one life jacket, which the boat driver had already donned himself
Back to the Drawing board? I had to start from ground zero in my second innings, I did guest roles, character roles, special appearances etc. I tried to reinvent myself as an actor and not as a star. Elsamma Enna Aankutty provided the much need breath of fresh air followed by VKP’s Gulumaal which was a comic caper – a genre I had not tried. Then came Seniors, in which I played a villain and Traffic which was the turning point in my life. So things happened when I began to try new adventures in cinema and thus began a new process of learning, unlearning and rectifying my past mistakes.
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PERSONALITY
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The lessons you learnt? 2007–2011 was a period of learning and unlearning, when I understood many life facts like stardom is temporary- something that comes and goes in a jiffy. So in my second innings, I wanted to take it slow and steady and that policy has paid off. The directors who had faith in me helped as did the audience who reposed their faith in me. So yes, the journey has been a fruitful and long one. Your criteria while signing a film? I have worked with newcomers as well as established directors. New scripts attract me along with the chance to work with new people, new ideas and thoughts. So my primary focus is on scripts. After production, is direction the next step? (Laughs) The people who know to do it are doing it quite well enough, so let me stick to what I know to do which is acting. Anymore production plans? Maybe in two years. I am waiting for a good script.
You are someone who has travelled the world and there are not many countries you have not been to. Your wife Priya has been a constant companion. So what is your best travel memory? (Laughs and confides) What comes to mind is a small trip that my wife and I took in Kochi. It was the time we were doing our real estate and we used to go around to see plots. There is a place in Kochi called Mulavukkad and we had to go there to see some land. So one evening, we boarded a small boat from the Marine drive jetty and there were just Priya, the boat driver and me. The boat started moving and after a few minutes the weather completely changed. It started raining, became dark and waves stated slamming the boat. It was like a scene from some horror film. Priya started screaming at the top of her voice. There was only one life jacket, which the boat driver had already donned himself. So in a dark, rocking boat with my wife screaming ‘I will die now’, somehow we managed to reach the banks of a small prawn kettu ( prawn farm) with a very narrow pathway leading to a very small makeshift shed. We both got in but could not dangle our legs in the water for fear of snakes. I could see frogs and centipedes moving about inside the shed
I had to start from ground zero in my second innings. I did guest roles, character roles, special appearances etc. I tried to reinvent myself as an actor and not as a star.
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PERSONALITY
and hoped Priya did not. Somehow we made it through the night but I enjoyed the experience. The trip was just ten minutes from Marine drive but it turned into an unforgettable memory. The places you love in Kerala? I love Kerala’s beauty, especially of the Kuttanad area. Once I took a bike ride from Kuttikanam on actor Indrajith’s Harley Davidson on a rainy, windy day. Favourite destinations abroad? I like Vienna and recently I went to Rome and what caught my fascination were their foods. I am a hard core foodie but I was not a fan of Italian cuisine but my visit to Rome changed my perspective to Italian food. Rome is full of history all around and I was there for only four days. So I am planning to go there again and explore its beauty once again.
How can one improve the tourism potential of Kerala? One should start from the basics and that change should come from each one of us. That means from our home, our surroundings, our work place and our vicinity. Basic cleanliness should come from each one of us and only then will our society change. It is only when we go abroad that we realize how blessed Kerala is geographically. We have forests, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, beaches and hill stations. In places like Dubai, greenery has to be planted manually in that desert. We are lucky, we just need to maintain the bounty that we already have and not destroy it. Upcoming projects Johny Johny Yes Appa directed by Marthandan is a fun entertainer with commercial elements but is a thriller too. Mangalyam Thanthunanena by Sou Sadanandan is another film I am excited about. In addition to that, I have the upcoming Allu Ramendran too.
It is only when we go abroad that we realize how blessed Kerala is geographically. We have forests, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, beaches and hill stations. In places like Dubai, greenery has to be planted manually in the desert. We are lucky, we just need to maintain the bounty that we already have and not destroy it
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PERSONALITY
In pursuit of her real self Aneesh Babu
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LENA
The
turns
Comeback Kid 20! As Lena completes two decades in cinema, she is feeling younger than ever before Priya S
L
ena’s second name might as well be non-conformist. Try to pigeon hole the pretty actress into a slot and the chances are that she will never fit there. Her roles have been far too varied and diverse and she wants it no other way. Character roles or the lead is immaterial to Lena; she will not do something just because others are doing it but would rather carve her own path, be it in her personal or her professional life. She is aware of her strengths and plays it up and for someone who called herself an outsider in films; clearly she is an insider now more in love with films and life than ever before. She completes two decades in films this year acting in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi sharing screen space with Dhanush and Akshay Kumar. The actor recently fulfilled two of her greatest wishes – to shave her head and to take off on a solo trip to the Himalayas. She has returned back with a wealth of experiences to narrate and KTE listens in to what she has to say.
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PERSONALITY
Your entry into M’ Town? My journey started with Jayaraj sir’s Sneham in 1998 when I was just fifteen. As a child, I was always in love with acting and would actively take part in school dramas and plays. I remember telling my mother that actors are so lucky that they could get to be so many different people – a lawyer, a doctor, a policeman etc. That, to me, was the underlying interest in acting- that actors could live so many different lives. Coincidentally that interest helped me get a start through Sneham because my school principal was a friend of Jayaraj’s and she suggested my name. The makers wanted someone who was 15- 16 to play Jayaram’s younger sister and since I was the drama queen in college, I was the obvious choice. So you can call my entry into films as accidental. But I also believe that there are no accidents – only incidents. One incident leads to the other. The second film I acted in was also Jayaraj sir’s Karunam. Since I was serious about my studies, I could not take up all the roles that came my way that time.
I am like the curious case of Benjamin Button where I age in reverse. On a serious note, when I was younger, I was this studious and non – adventurous kind. Even as a teenager I was very mature. From ages 25-26, I started getting younger in my mind so my way of thinking changed and when that happened, my looks changed.
What did working with the top directors in Mollywood teach you? Right from the beginning of my journey, I got to work with the renowned names. That helped me in setting a solid foundation for my acting career. I acquired a good knowledge about the industry and that helped, because no one in my family has any link to films. Working with MT, Sibi Malayil, Lal Jose, Sathyan Anthikad among others significantly honed my talent. Why did you take a break at the peak of your career? When I fell into the heroine slot, it dawned on me that this was not something I wanted to do. The rationale I gave was that films were not a stable career but the real reason 66 |
was my studies. I was a state rank holder and felt I had to continue my studies. So I left to Mumbai to study further and that was the best decision I took. I was in the industry since my school days and if I had not left to study in Mumbai, I would have been just an ‘industry child’ knowing nothing about the outside world. In Mumbai, I got to live on my own and also got to amass a lot of life experiences. These experiences enriched my acting prowess when I returned back to films. Yes, I left for Mum-
bai at my peak, when I was getting good heroine roles. But I have never regretted that decision since those three years have added life to my acting span. Those years made me more mature as an actor. Doing a post graduation in clinical psychology? I did my post graduation in clinical psychology. Later I realized that it was not truly my calling since I found it a little too overwhelming for someone
Lena flaunting her newly found style statement with a shaved head Vinayak Gopal
as sensitive as me. That was also when I realized I had been doing exactly what I wanted and I realised how much I missed acting. I complete 20 years of acting this year. Making the jump to serials? I was approached for the serial Omanathinkal Pakshi and I rationalized that my love was for acting and playing different characters. I should not be concerned about the medium. So I decided to begin my second stint
in acting with that serial. Acting in serials gave so much time to polish my character since I was working for years on the same character. The serial also made me a household name. Then once again I got back to cinema and one role followed the other. I, who had always considered myself as an outsider in cinema, started feeling more at home and gradually I realized that the film industry is my extended family and I enjoy being in this family. Slowly I moved to Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films
and now it is a total of 97 films. You are not someone who believes in playing only the lead. Your character roles, including mother roles, have been widely appreciated. As far as I am concerned, it is the challenges and the variation in roles that pulls me. I am someone one who gets bored easily, so I do not enjoy
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PERSONALITY repetitions. I realized that a heroine was a typical character and always playing the heroine was a repetition. I love playing character roles because it gives me a wider range to explore. Now people call me for characters that require ambiguity because they cannot figure out if I will be good or bad. It is a nice and flexible space to be in where I also play varying ages. As an actor, being in a character role lets me explore more and I also get to learn more skills. I strongly believe an actor is his own tool. It has been a wonderful twenty years and I feel younger than ever. Looking glamorous and lovelier with each passing day? I am like the curious case of Benjamin Button where I age in reverse. On a serious note, when I was younger, I was this studious and non – adventurous kind. Even as a teenager I was very mature. From ages 25- 26, I started getting younger in my mind so my way of thinking changed and when that happened, my looks changed. Right now I am in a space where I am exploring life moment by moment and that is showing in terms of health and body language which comes from spirituality and meditation.
I was in the industry since my school days and if I had not left to study in Mumbai, I would have been just an ‘industry child’ knowing nothing about the outside world.
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On one of her solo trips to Himalayas
Aneesh Babu
Shaving your head and heading off to the Himalayas? I had always wanted to shave my head. Being a girl, generally no one encourages that. Another factor was that it would affect the continuity of my films. But this time around, I could feel life change; I felt reborn and decided to do it. What worked in my favour was that I had completed all my projects. So I took a break for three months, shaved off my hair and went off to the Himalayas. It was a solo journey of two months. I was in Nepal, the Eastern Himalayas and then the Western Himalayas through Himachal Pradesh. Travelling alone is so awesome and it was really roughing it out. You realize that life takes care of you if you trust it and I have been living on trust for a large part of my life. Suddenly everything falls into place and you are at the right destination at the right time and things move perfectly without glitches. I have become more of a witness than an ‘experiencer’ of life.
As an actor, being in a character role lets me explore more and I also get to learn more skills. I strongly believe an actor is his own tool. It has been a wonderful twenty years and I feel younger than ever.
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PERSONALITY
A surreal experience during your travel?
But I have never regretted that decision, since those three years have added life to my acting span. Those years made me more mature as an actor.
I was in the Western Himalayas where director Jithin Lal who was doing a music video called me up and asked if I could be a part of that because my look suited the video. The shoot was in Spiti valley. I was already in the vicinity and the theme was interesting so I committed to that. Funnily, for all the 50 days of my solo trip, I faced no glitches even during hard trekking. But when I was with the music group, our jeep got stuck in a frozen waterfall. Suddenly, I see a lot of familiar faces and I had not seen anybody familiar for 50 days. So in the middle of nowhere, I see Prithviraj there and he says ‘Of all the places, I see you stuck here‘ and that was so hilarious. The whole movie crew of 9, of which Prithviraj is the hero, were there after finishing their shoot in Spiti Valley. They helped us get the jeep out and Prithviraj helped arrange my stay and further transport. That is the family feeling I told you about- you feel like you belong to a huge family. I think it comes with the number of years I have been here. That was a wonderful incident. I guess I am used to miracles and magic by now. The most challenging part of your solo trip? The Anapoorna circuit trek from Nepal was the most challenging one. For hours and hours you are just walking through snow capped mountains, cold air, fresh breeze and so much of natural beauty- all with no one around. There were moments when I walked for hours and hours alone. I trekked up to 5450 meters which is one of the highest points of the mountain.
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Your favourite destinations? Nepal and Scotland What do you feel can be done to improve the tourism potential of Kerala? Creating awareness among locals to be more friendly and helpful to tourists is important. Also promoting ethnic tourism, which highlights our unique cultural activities and arranging well -planned seasonal tours would be another. On an Onam day what would Lena do? I would be at my grandmother’s place in Vadakancherry. I spend almost every Onam there and it makes a big difference to my grandmother. We are very traditional with the Onam Sadya and I would term it a classical Onam. Upcoming Projects Paviyettante Madhurachooral with Sreenivasan is my upcoming film. I am a big fan of his movies and it’s like a very old dream coming true. Then I have Vaarikkuzhiyile Kolapaathakam and the upcoming Kunchacko Boban film Johny Johny Yes Appa.
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THE BACKPACKER BLOGGER
Love
For the
off-the-road
David & Una, the Travel Blogger Couple from UK, loves to stay off the well-trodden tourist trail of Kerala
T
o this British couple, life is all about “carpe diem.” David and Una from Watford in Hertfordshire, UK are wanderers at heart. The couple, who have 3 grown up children and a little grandson, aspires to travel as much as they can till they are able to do so. Una is a doctor by profession and David works with a technology company as a business executive. Four years back they set out to explore the land, about which they had always heard inspiring tales from Una’s doctor colleagues. Rick Stein’s travel show and cookery programme further added to their excitement and led them to quickly finalize the plan and set off to an enchanting land, which till date remains to be one of their most recommended travel destinations- Kerala. “We loved the colours and smells of Kerala right from the start,” says Una. She recollects, “The kindness and hospitality of the people, starting right from our arrival and the lost luggage, will be fondly remembered. It is a fantastic place to escape from
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the cold greyness of the UK in winter or early spring. We had heard Kerala is referred to as "India Light", a place where you could experience India with more comfort than other regions.” Like always, the couple arranged the travel themselves, by planning the trip and booking the hotels directly. Their main resources for reference before setting out on any journeys include Lonely Planet Guides, Trip Advisor and other travel blogs. “My colleagues Vinod and Talib also gave their advice and we even managed to meet up with Vinod in Kerala as our trips overlapped by a few days,” Una says. Traveling around was easy for them as the hotels organized drivers, whenever they needed them. David chips in, “We loved the food, especially the seafood curries and the delicious breakfast items such as appam and idli. We ate well in every location of the state and even enjoyed doing a short cookery course.” The couple confides they were impressed by the good infrastructure
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THE BACKPACKER BLOGGER
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and the excellent English spoken by the people in the state, even the small children they met during their cycling trips alongside the backwaters spoke fluently. They were also overwhelmed seeing more women at workplaces often than in the north and the state’s emphasis on literacy and education. David observes, “One can sense there is great pride in preserving traditions of dance, art, history and wildlife, so also in preparing a new generation to aspire to be future-ready.” In a bid to capture the fine memories of their travel stories, 6 years back the couple started a travel blog, www.mcternans.com which is today one of the widely read travel blogs. Says David, “We enjoy travelling to a variety of places in the world and we write our travel blog in order to cherish our adventures and for sharing them with our family and friends. We do not write it to make money or advertise. It is purely a sort of photo diary or journal but we are happy if other travelers find it helpful.” The couple got onto blogging soon after they developed a taste to read travel blogs extensively and gathered inspiration to publish their own travel stories and share the photographs with a wider audience. One of the finest attractions of the blog is the exquisite photography which does most of the talking. While David is the man behind photography and most of the writing, Una does the final touches with editing. David has done few photography courses and enjoys the technical and artistic detail. He has won competitions for his photographs and used to belong to a local Camera Club until work commitments made this impossible.
It would be great if guides could be trained as they are in countries like South Africa, so that when you go bird watching or wildlife spotting, the guides could speak with more expert knowledge and they can market the available trips more effectively
There are many photographs taken per trip which are never used. Over 1000 for 2 weeks of travel is not unusual. Then there is the process of picking out the most striking and editing them. Plus they are screened as per the narrative of the journey. “We spend several hours, over 2-3 weeks per blog on getting the right photos and editing them. David is usually very good at writing the bones of the blog each night while we are travelling. I then use this to edit as needs be once we arrive home,” explains Una. Being an avid traveling couple, who has seen the length and breadth of different countries of the world, they have some suggestions to enhance the tourism potentials of the God’s Own Country. “Malayalis should attempt to make more of their natural assets for tourism. This is something my colleague Talib feels strongly about, as he spends his holidays in his homeland in the north of Kerala particularly. It would be great if guides could be trained as they are in countries like South Africa, so that when you go bird watching or wildlife spotting, the guides could speak with more expert knowledge and they can market the available trips more effectively,” adds Una.
www.mcternans.com Bloggers: David and Una Country: United Kingdom Topics Featured: Travel adventures, food David
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THE BACKPACKER BLOGGER
We did not take a houseboat trip as we were unimpressed by the “hard sell” and what others seemed to offer for the same money
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Are you a passionate travel blogger and would like to share with us some wonderful experiences traveling in Kerala? We would love to feature your story in this space. Send us your blog details and contact to editorial@ ktexplorer.com David
David has few more insights to share, “Kerala has many hidden charms, but foreign visitors may struggle to know about them if they are staying in hotels or home stays. They will not have access to all those attractions which are locally available. Even the houseboat industry needs to do some reengineering to provide clear information to the tourists. Some operators need to up their game in terms of providing quality accommodation and food. We did not take a houseboat trip as we were unimpressed by the “hard sell" and what others seemed to offer for the same money.”
David and Una’s travel stories continue to inspire many travel enthusiasts across the globe and they plan to visit Sardinia, Jordan, Ecuador and Peru. They dream to sleep under the stars in a “skybed" in Africa and to see the Northern lights in Scandinavia. But even then, Kerala continues to be a haunting memory. “We would love to go back and explore Wayanad next time and more of the north of the state. We love Kerala’s beautiful combinations of wildlife, beach and towns that offer great food. It is also fantastic to stay off the well-trodden tourist trail but... we also like to do so while enjoying our home comforts
and luxuries,” adds the couple. As a doctor, Una feel strongly about the importance of quality time away from work and the role of travel to broaden the mind, educate young and old about the world and its people. The couple, who considers travel as an antidote for the body and soul, loves to call Kerala, “the perfect travel destination for all”.
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PERSONALITY
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When CHRIS GAYLE
GOT BOWLED Over by Suresh Pillai’s
CULINARY CHARM
Sabinos
A brand ambassador for ethnic tastes of Kerala, this Chef from Kollam has been popularizing the flavours of the state in the food map of the world
Chris Gayle, the man who is renowned for his thundering shots on ground fell flat in the culinary crease laid by Suresh Pillai, the Corporate Head and Executive Chef of Raviz group of hotels. Chris Gayle, who was on a short vacation with his family at the God’s own country, was craving to enjoy the ultimate experience of backwaters during his stay at Raviz, Kollam. What he had in store was memories for a life time. The scrumptious Karimeen Porichathu (Pearl spot deep fried in a home-style marinate and garnished with fresh herbs and special coconut crumble), Alleppey Meen Curry (a special delicacy from the region), King fish fried in fresh turmeric, Kanambu (Mullet), Chempalli (Red Snapper) Crab Roast, Mutton Kabab, Beef Pepper Fry were few of the delicacies served to him by Suresh, list which thoroughly stumped Gayle down. Chris Gayle is just one among the celebrities besides Roger Federer, Kumara Sangakkara, Mammotty, Prabhu Deva and many more who
has savoured the unforgettable classic delicacies of the chef . Suresh Pillai created history when he made it to BBC MasterChef TV series competitive cooking show in 2017. He was one of the very few Indians to participate in the prestigious show. The winning dish, Pan fried Hake with green mango and coconut sauce with curry leaves, potatoes with samphire and coriander oil was a perfect fusion of East and West. This is prepared by making a sauce of mackerel cooked with mango in coconut milk, spiced up with chilli and turmeric, served on a bed of potato with curry leaves and garnished with Hake fish which is available in Britain along with samphire (a sea plant) salad and coriander oil. Interestingly, this is a typical Kerala delicacy improvised with appropriate ingredients to conquer the hearts of world class chefs. Suresh started his career as waiter in a small restaurant in his home town, Kollam. His call for cooking pulled him
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PERSONALITY into the culinary world. With selfconfidence as his only asset, he left to Kozhikode and worked in many restaurants as a chef. This experience moulded him to become an expert chef in Malabar dishes. Suresh knew he wanted more in life. He moved to Bangalore for better opportunities. His rise from an unrecognized cook in a small restaurant to a celebrated chef happened during those years in the start-up city. He got to know of the vacancy for a chef in the popular 5 Star Property, Leela Palace. That was a turning point in his life. He came out triumphant in the interview but still was expelled from the role citing he didn’t possess any professional qualification for adorning the post of their Chef. Nevertheless, they were reluctant to send him back as they had sensed a magical spell in every dish he prepared for them. They requested Suresh to take up the post of a cook. Though initially Suresh was hesitant to climb down the career ladder, he was ready to make a compromise on the very thought of the endless possibilities Leela could offer. His decision turned right and since then, his career has been growing at a phenomenal pace. He became the master chef of Leela within a very short span of time. He was working at Kumarakom Lake Resort while the authorities of Veeraswami Restaurant in Britain visited the property. He surprised them with shrimp, duck and variety fish dishes prepared in typical Kerala style. The magical flavours conspired in the immigration of Suresh to Britain. They took Suresh with them on their way back. He worked as a chef for around 14 years in various restaurants of the country. Everywhere there was an influx of food loving multitude, making him popular far and wide. Meanwhile his family also joined him and became permanent citizens of Britain.
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Today he is the brand ambassador of the ethnic dishes and tastes of Kerala. He believes that it is his mission and purpose of life to make these incomparable tastes popular all around the world. He doubts whether the tourist who comes to our land could really enjoy the unique dishes of Kerala which could entrap anyone in wonder. That was the very reason why he came back to his country when renowned business magnet Ravi Pillai invited him to take up the position of corporate chef of speciality cuisine in his famous Raviz Group of Hotels. He wonders whether there is any other corner in the world which has rich food varieties as we have.... even if we enlist the fish varieties.. it’s innumerable...from the north end to the south end of Kerala ...meen puliyila, meen thoran ‌etc are a few dishes which are yet to get acclaim. He believes many talented cooks and chefs amidst his fraternity are not identified. It is high time we introduced our diverse food culture to the world. Suresh has travelled far and wide and was a distinguished invitee for a lecture series on cooking at the
Suresh Pillai created history when he made it to the BBC MasterChef TV series 2017, an international competitive cooking show. He was one of the very few Indians to participate in the prestigious show. The winning dish, Pan fried Hake with green mango and coconut sauce with curry leaves, potatoes with samphire and coriander oil was a perfect fusion of East and West
An impressed Chris Gayle with his favourite chef, Suresh Pillai
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PERSONALITY Bahamas Unversity. He reveals Kerala’s typical cuisines were received with great honour by the people in the country. Even though Bahamas is rich in mango groves, tamarinds and drumsticks they had never thought these could be used to prepare some amazing dishes. Suresh created for them an unparalleled seafood experience by using these locally available resources along with fresh fish in the typical naadan style of Kerala. Suresh is confident that the authentic cuisines of Kerala, when introduced to any part of the world, will in itself immensely promote tourism for the state. If government could support the project in an organized way, people across the globe will rush in to enjoy our culinary experiences, says Suresh Pillai.
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The culinary wizard believes his mother deserves all credit for the numerous appreciations he has received for his dishes, for he inherited the skills from his mother. He is proud to confess it is her exclusive recipes and spice mixes which he has employed in his cooking to impress the world over. He is confident to discover many more authentic flavours in the village kitchens of the God’s own country. And so, Suresh Pillai continues to be on his wild journey, exploring the unexplored tastes of Kerala.
He is proud to confess it is his mother’s recipes and spice mixes which he has employed in his cooking to impress the world over. He is confident to discover many more authentic flavours in the village kitchens of the God’s own country.
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