A few summers ago I found myself in front of a small temple on the banks of the Thootha River. I’d call it nondescript, and it probably had nothing on the majestic temples Kerala is so famous for. But I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. Located in my friend’s...
Evenings of Kalam Ezhuthu
For a fortnight in the early summer months of February and March, Mr P, a young man would be seen every afternoon in the mandalam of the Thalli Temple. He would change from his shirt and trousers to his mundu, only a thorthu casually covering his bare chest. Afternoon stragglers would gather around him...
The Notes of the Chenda
I first learnt of Panchavadyam amidst the jostling crowds of Thekkinadu Maidan one April. I was at the Pooram of Poorams, the Thrissur Pooram, and while the opulence of the entire celebration intrigued me, I took special note of the hundred odd artistes, clad in dhotis, producing a rush of rhythms on their various...
Dance of the Tiger
The city of Thrissur in Kerala has an unusual demand every summer: pot-bellied men. The bigger the belly, the better it is. While the world might find this requirement strange, for the people of Kerala, there’s nothing unusual about it. For pot-bellied men, disguised as tigers, dancing at Swaraj Round during the harvest festival...
Of Pachyderms and Parasols: the Thrissur Pooram
Colourful umbrellas, bedecked elephant trunks, twinkling lights. Walking down the lobby of Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere brought back memories of a day I had long forgotten. It was probably half a decade since I had visited Thrissur, and this unexpected encounter with a row of of elephant trunks in a shiny hotel lobby, transported me...
A Happy Vishu
It’s 5am, and I am wide awake. But I dare not open my eyes. Because it’s Vishu, and I am miles from home. Eyes tightly shut, I do my best to build an image in my mind…yellow flowers and soft mangoes, silver coins and glowing valakkus, ripe jackfruits and golden cucumbers…my vishukani looks beautiful in...