Koorkai: the Winter Soul Food of Kerala

- By Shobna Iyer

Full name, koorka kazhungu, quite a mouthful, yes? Nickname, koorkai.

The koorkai is a tuber that begins life like others of its ilk, underground. Once dug up, it is quite common to find them appearing as near-perfect rounds which would explain its latin name P. Rotundifolius.

The 'P' may as well stay silent since its presence does little to highlight the shape. It's also called the Chinese Potato though its origin was in West Africa, now figure that cross-many-borders puzzle.

The time consuming part about making koorka is the peeling, a legal shortcut involves putting the uncooked tubers into a jute bag and jostling it until the peels oblige and you know, slip off. If you cook the koorka, this method is illegal. That is simply because the peel comes off easily once pressure cooked. Why would anyone choose the former method? Well, it tastes way better. Deep fried, like chips.

The common koorkai is best in fried form, you know, first fry up the mustard seeds, a dash of white lentil, a few red chillies and turmeric powder to a respectable quantity of oil. It's winter food, fried is good winter food. To this, add the pre-boiled, peeled and cubed tuber to this. Some may cut it long, some add it whole (which involves selecting similarly sized roundelles just to add to the time consumed), to each their own.

As with all highly recommended fried tubers, this is best had hot with rice and spicy rasam. Or plain.

Near perfect rounds, called spheres in polite circles
We'll call the hairs tangents
Geometry session can be had
As you eat, there shouldn't be hairy tangents though
They draw away from the food at hand (pun, anyone?)


The worthwhile outcome
What I like is the greasy no-holds-barred name, mezhuku (oil) varati (tossed till it shrivels to a fraction) 

Padayani: The spirit of central Travancore

- By Aishwarya Javalgekar and Deepa Krishnan

Kerala is famous for its rich cultural heritage, and has many popular art forms to its name. But an art form that is perhaps not yet widely known is Padayani; the worship of Mother Goddess, practiced in the Bhagavathy temples of the central Travancore region.

http://pathanamthittatourism.com/destinations/heritage/padayani.php

Padayani is not just an art form. It is a community gathering to ensure the physical and mental well-being of the entire village. It is a set of rituals that transcends the boundaries of caste and religion, generating a sense of unity.

The legend says that Padayani originated as a form of prayer to pacify the goddess Kali, after she killed the demon Darika. This art form has several important cultural aspects:

• Kolamezhuthu - These are beautiful and elaborate coloured drawings of folk deities. Kolams individually embody a certain character associated with spirits and deities. They are made from natural materials which comprise spathes (paalas) of the areca nut palm tree. Natural colours are painted on these paalas using a brush made from the stem of a coconut leaf. 
• Kolappattu - Folk songs with traditional lyrics that include the exaltation of the deities, as well as requests to obtain their grace
• Thappumelam - Musical performance specially featuring a Thappu, a drum made by covering a jackfruit hardwood piece with buffalohide
• Kolamthullal - A dance form that accompanies the festival
• Vinodam - Satire, an essential part of Padayani! This is performed making fun of petty vanities of people, as well as to target areas for social reform.

In this outstanding video below, you can see entire cultural process explained with English sub-titles. The first 3 minutes are an excellent introduction in Malayalam, without sub-titles, but the rest of the video has wonderful sub-titles.

Some practical information:

Padayani performances at temples are easily accessible from Cochin, Kumarakom or Alleppey. They are performed at night outside Bhadrakali temples, during the Padayani festival, typically between March and April. If you are visiting India this September, you can attend the padayani at the Neelamperoor Bhagavathy Temple at Kottayam on 29 Sep (photo below). It's only a 2hr drive from Cochin, and a 1hr drive from Kumarakom or Alleppey. 

http://babuscamera.blogspot.in/2008/09/pooram-padayani-at-neelamperoor.html

You can stay overnight in Kottayam if you prefer. The Athreya Ayurvedic Resort in Kottayam provides excellent therapies, so you can combine a detox stay with a festival visit. They also have yoga practitioners who can teach you yoga. 

If you'd like more information about a tour that incorporates the Padayani festival, please send an email to deepa@magictoursofindia.com. Or you can also look up the Kerala Festival Calendar (search for "patayani") to see the schedule. 

What is Culture? Thoughts upon seeing the Sarpam Thullal of Kerala

What is culture? It is a way of life, rich with symbols and meaning.

I do not have adequate words to express the many layers of myth, legend, and beliefs that are in this Sarpam Thullal video. This is actually a 3-part video series. Please see it. Look at the number of people involved in it. Look at all the elements. Music, art, craft, religion, food, ecology, environment, people, clothing, all the richness of the land....everything is embodied in this video.

If Sarpam Thullal ends, all of this culture will die. The communities who depend on it for survival will lose a way of life. The musicians will stop singing. The artisans will stop making these crafts. The beautiful sarapakkalams will stop being drawn.

This post is not really about Sarpam Thullal. It is about culture and change. I fear that we are already losing much that is unique about our land. Under our very noses, a whole way of life is being lost through the relentless urbanisation of India. And it's not a slow, gradual change. It is abrupt change, in the space of a single generation.

I agree that change is inevitable. That some of the ways of our forefathers are no longer feasible. But we have much that is good. How do we save this?

Jeep Excursion to Kolukkumalai

- Guest post from Patricia Brown, Canada, who visited Kerala last December 
(with edits by the Magic Tours Team)
All photos by Patricia Brown
 

Kolukkumalai is not a familiar name, even to those who have toured Munnar before. 

It is home to the highest tea plantation in the world, with the tea grown here possessing a special flavour and freshness because of the high altitude. 

Technically, Kolukkumalai belongs to the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a small hamlet in Bodinayakanur Taluk in the Theni District of Tamil Nadu. Although we begin the drive from Munnar in Kerala, we enter Tamil Nadu in order to reach Kolukkumalai.

The journey up to the hamlet is extremely rough. The real climb starts past Suryanelli, a small town 23 kms east of Munnar.  The bumpy ride through the rocks is an understatement.  The distance up is less than 10 km; but it takes about one and a half hours to reach the destination.

The tea factory is old and still uses machinery from the British rule.

The travel is through some of the most scenic places one will ever see:

The Plantation workers' houses

The ride back down:

Thrissur Pooram

One of Kerala's biggest festivals is the 'elephant festival' at Thrissur. The festivities, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, last for over 36 hours. They start when small elephant processions carry deities from various villages across Thrissur and culminate at the grounds of the Vadukunathan Temple.

The festival is marked by fireworks, and a display of umbrellas, as well as caparisons that adorn the elephants. Typically, the festival takes place during April-May.

See the crowds!

Mahouts have trained themselves to stand atop the elephants.

It's amazing how these elephants remain calm even when faced with hordes of people. 

There is increasing awareness in Kerala these days regarding the need for better treatment of elephants. A movement against the training and use of elephants is slowly taking shape. However, elephants have been an integral part of Kerala culture for hundreds of years and in fact, many of the majestic elephants have fan clubs of their own. You can find these fan clubs on facebook these days. Fans eagerly await the festivals and the processions.

Tapioca Chips- Junk food of Kerala

- Trisha George 

While most people know about Kerala's famous banana chips, not many have heard of its country cousin - tapioca chips. Tapioca, or 'kappa' (in Malayalam; pronounced 'cup-pa') is also called 'cassava'. The tapioca plant is popularly grown in the tropics for its edible, tuberous root. Tapioca chips are usually deep-fried and then seasoned with spicy red chilli powder.

Image taken from this video explaining how to make the chips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v16Kz5PlsM

Although the chips are rightly grouped as junk food, there are many healthy ways of eating tapioca. It's prepared as a vegetable on its own, cooked with rice, and with fish curry. Sometimes it forms the whole meal and sometimes an appetizer. It isn't uncommon to just eat boiled kappa plain either.

Kappa, with a chicken dish, and white 'patri', a thin and soft roti-like pancake made of rice

If the starchy tuber is too bland, one can dip it in any available gravy. For those of us, who don't have access to Mallu cooks and cooking skills, mass produced chips are the best way to get a taste of this vegetable. Once considered to be a poor man's meal, as a substitute for rice, its position has risen along with demand. However, production in Kerala is still dwindling. The state's high labour wage rate, combined with inevitable rodent attacks do not make this a profitable crop. Let's hope tourist interest comes as aid to the Tapioca plant!

Make-up art for Kathakali,

- By Trisha George

Kathakali is an Indian classical dance form that originated in the 17th century, in what is today the southern state of Kerala. Kathakali is known for its unique costumes, well-defined gestures and of course - the elaborate make-up. Although it is paint that is applied, the effect is more mask-like!

The colour and type of the paint-job helps the audience identify characters. A green faced performer is likely to be pious, while a red faced performer is probably evil. Female characters (played by men) tend to have yellowish, comparatively realistic faces. 

A female character

The paints are traditionally made of locally available materials: rice from rice four, black from soot, and colours from various stones. Coconut oil is used as a base for mixing these colours.

Nowadays, some Kathakali performances are preceded by the application of make-up for the benefit of the modern viewer or tourist. A performer painstakingly applies colour on his face - a process that may take over an hour.

'Make-up' application in process

 It does add a whole new aspect to the performance!

Road trips in India

One of the best parts about road travel through India is catching glimpses of entertaining road signs. Both, governments and locals are (often unintentionally) entertaining. 

Not sure which advice to take- sound the horn or keep the distance? Best bet would be the latter.

Photos by Sigrid, who travelled through Kerala capturing such tidbits with her camera.

The Jews of Kerala

Malabar Jews meet the king of Cranganore.

The year was 70 AD. Rome had attacked Palestine and rent the land asunder. Handfuls of the Jewish people fled in small boats with whatever little they could.

One of the boats landed on what was then called Shingly (now Cranganore or Kodungulloor), a trade center for spices, ivory and coconut along the Malabar coast.

The people on the boat disembarked with gifts forth for the king, who had arrived - all dressed in finery and shaded by a royal umbrella. He permitted the people on the boat to make Cranganore their home. Not only that, he granted them social standing in his kingdom.


The group made the new place their home and came to be called the Malabar Jews. 

Parts of Fort Kochi today have a visible Jewish heritage, from synagogues to 'Jewish Streets' to signs in Hebrew.

Jewish synagogue in Kochi

 
Years passed and once Israel was formed, many of them opted to return and their numbers in this country dwindled. 


It seems like a part of history - of a time when rulers were inclusive, visitors were grateful and peace reigned for a while.

Santa Cruz Basilica, heritage church in Fort Kochi

- By Trisha George

The Santa Cruz Basilica was among built by the Portuguese in 1505, and was eventually consecrated by Pope IV and raised to the status of a Cathedral.

Strangely enough when the Dutch army captured Cochin, they were instructed to destroy most religious structures. This has been rationalised as a strategic move: "to draw Cochin into a more narrow compass" and reduce the area and structures that would have to be manned by armed guards. Whether or not this is accurate, it is true that the soldiers followed their order to a T. Only two churches from the Portuguese period remain today and Santa Cruz Basilica is one of them.

The original structure was however, demolished and rebuilt by the British in the 19th century and that's what we can visit today! Only one decorative pillars from the original remains, but the rest of the church is unique enough to warrant heritage status.

Ceiling of the church

Local transport, Alleppey style

The waterways of Alleppey are extensive. Boats are the easiest and quickest way to get around and many families have their own boats.

Some boats, like the one in this photo, are fitted with an outboard motor. They are used not only for personal transport, but also to ferry goods.

Lullaby worthy of a Kerala king.

How can a lullaby be deign to be worthy of a king? When it is composed especially for them, of course. 
This was the case the king of Travancore, Swati Thirunal.

"Swathi Thirunal of Travancore" by Stephen Crening - COMPANY SCHOOL WATERCOLOURS. (From Wikimedia Commons)

The king was considered a good omen even before his birth, with good reason. At the time, under the Doctrine of Lapse, if the king died without a male heir, the kingdom would be annexed by the East India company. 
 Such was the relief in the royal family that the unborn child was anointed king (they didn't know it would surely be a boy).

When the child was born, the Queen requested the composer Irayimman Thampi to compose a lullaby for him. And a beautiful creation was formed.

Sung by KS Chitra (the video has English subtitles), the highlight of the song is that it leaves the plea 'go to sleep' silent. It merely plays soothingly and the baby gets the point.  

 

Coincidentally, Swati Thirunal was a key figure behind the revival of music and art, geographic divides did not matter to him. Fluent in ten languages, he is credited with more than 400 compositions in Carnatic and Hindustani music.

We are told that the child's talents may be created and honed in the womb. Hearing this song, it is easy to agree. 

Cochin Magic on Silk Air magazine

Hooray!! This month, Silk Winds (the magazine for Silk Air / Singapore Airlines) features two of our Cochin tours. The Broadway Bazaar Walk (http://cochinmagic.com/broadway-bazaar-walk.html), and the Jewish Heritage Tour (http://cochinmagic.com/jewish-heritage.html).

Women's restaurant initiative in Kerala

Photo credit: The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com

Kudumbasree (meaning family prosperity) is a Kerala state government initiative to improve women’s economic self-sufficiency through self-help groups. The program is supported by the Central Government, local bodies and NABARD (National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development).

Under this program, poor women with little access to education and medical care are trained and aided in finding avenues for earning. They learn better methods of agriculture, floriculture and as a means to diversify, restaurant management, cooking, handicraft making and pottery. Information on money management, women’s rights and payment entitlements is shared so women are able to make informed demands and decisions.

The impact: Women who earlier worried about sending their kids to school due to the expenses now find themselves better-equipped to educate their kids.

Tribal women have been able to ban the brewing and consumption of arrack (local liquor), the bane of family life. They control prices of provisions and vegetables by hiring jeeps to bring goods in bulk and sell them to members at the cheapest possible price. Earlier, families that were dependent on low-quality provisions doled out to them in limited quantity are able to purchase good quality items on their own strength.

The program also works on highlighting new areas where the women may focus attention to boost income. Thekkady and Alleppey are seeing an increase in tourism. Hotels, resorts and restaurants need quality vegetables in supply. Women are learning to grow new foods that are high on demand. Prices are better regulated since they are not working as isolated producers but as a large entity.

Sometimes, earning is insufficient to meet emergencies or social requirements. Each member deposits a small amount (Rs 10) and can avail a loan to get by the immediate need.

In the male-dominated tribal communities, the success of women’s self-help is particularly interesting.

Part of the success is the organisation structure at a grassroot level. At each district, Kudumbasree has a Community Development Society (CDS) which operates with the help of volunteers from the health and education sector, infrastructure and income generation. Apart from them, there is a representative from the finance department, a secretary and a president. Responsibility is shared as office bearers are regularly rotated to keep out vested interests. The role of Panchayat (community head) is limited so the women are free to present crucial issues like water, power or housing, earning (otherwise sidelined under a male-dominated structure).

Seeing the success of this movement, the state has introduced similar models to include more people (not only women) in the move to eradicate poverty.

Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kerala

Padmanabhapuram Palace entrance on the Trivandrum-Kanyakumari highway (on the Kerala side):

This was where Marthanda Varma stayed during the time of his rule. The elaborate structure is a good example of sprawling Kerala architecture. The stone interiors are spacious and cool, there is a bed made of 64 medicinal herbs all juxtaposed by pillars with intricate wood carvings. The secret paths make up a story of a regal life and intrigues of a time when life was precious but the control of land, more so. 

Photo Credit: http://nishaslifestyle.blogspot.in/2011/04/my-visit-to-padmanabhapuram-palace.html

Dutch forces surrender in Travancore, Kerala

Dutch forces surrender to the King Marthanda Varma (1741 AD)

Maharaja Marthanda Varma (1706 – 1758) was quite a hero of his time. 

At age 20, he took charge of the Travancore kingdom (what is today Kerala, Kanyakumari and southern Tamil Nadu), and found it to be on the brink of collapse. His soldiers were angry because there wasn't money to pay their wages. His own life was in danger since 8 neighbouring fiefdoms preferred him dead and kept plotting against him. Not a nice situation for one so young, but the king did not hesitate.

What did he do - made an opportune alliance with a powerful Pandya king as a result of which he bought an army and large infantry, all in return for lavish gifts from his side. This assured him of an army ready to work with him rather than against him and also kept his enemies (who were much smaller) at bay.

Next he got in place an effective spy network to keep track of his now subdued enemies.

He turned his attention to consolidation and annexed a smaller territory called Kayamkulam. This territory was under the control of the Dutch East India Company for its pepper output and his action put a spoke in their trade. They were particularly vexed because bad weather had caused the output to reduce substantially. Besides, the looming threat of the English had them worried about their strongholds.

To put the king in his place the Dutch General Van Imhoff threatened an invasion. The king warned that he would form a navy with the local fisherfolk and invade the whole of Europe 

There are many views about the war, one side is that Varma made the local fisherfolk stand with their oars on their shoulders so they looked like guns and used fake cannons to fool the enemy. It was a time of heavy rain and poor visibility that helped the king to win. But his strategy is considered worthy. 

Another view is that the Dutch were just unlucky. They were waiting for replenishments that were delayed due to inclement weather. When it was time to fight, they had no choice but to give in. 

Whether it was subterfuge or just luck, this war placed a decisive blow on the Dutch plans to increase their presence in India and played an important role in the creation of history.

The king was kind to his prisoners and later employed the person shown bowing (Capt De Lannoy) in his army. De Lannoy was particularly impressed with his conduct and faithfully served till his death.

Photo credit: http://bharatiyaculture.blogspot.in/2010/04/great-rulers-of-bharatvarsha-maharaja.html

Charakku - The giant cooking cauldrons of Kerala

This is a Charakku, a type of famous cauldron from Kerala. Cast in bell metal (an alloy of tin and copper), these are said to be the largest cooking pots in the world. It is cast by a specific metal-worker community from Kerala, using the lost-wax method. They trace their genealogy from Vishwakarma.

The charakku is used in temples to cook sacred payasam (sweetened rice and milk porridge). In the past families also commissioned charakkus for wedding feasts, although this form of patronage now no longer commonly exists.

The process of casting is extremely complicated. A minute change in the temperature or consistency of clay or metal, or variation in the heating process, can ruin the vessel. Naturally the metal-workers begin the process only after ritual prayers.

Solar and lunar marks are often cast on the sides. The design has not changed over centuries; the curved handles and the heart-shaped design below the handle is commonly seen in old charakkus. This craft is dying for lack of patronage.

Sugarcane Juice in Cochin, Kerala

Another can-do statement as Kochi prepares to beat the heat!!

Cane Juice is excellent (just avoid the ice) what with natural sugar and minerals, this drink beats fizzy colas hands-down.

It is considered a must-have for patients recovering from jaundice, physical exhaustion and of course, for those who like the taste.

Ask for it to be made with a dash of ginger if you like the idea of a slight tang in the sweet.

- Shobna Iyer

Attukal Pongal, the largest congregation of women in the world, Kerala

- By Shobna Iyer

Attukal Pongala at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple in Thiruvananthapuram is the largest congregation of women in the world (it won a Guiness for this!)

The ceremony involves boiling pongala (a mix of rice, jaggery and coconut) till it overflows. The overflow is necessary to appease the wrathful aspect of feminine energy. Once appeased, the goddess is capable of far-reaching changes in human life.

Interesting isn’t it? Once anger leaves us, we understand better, we make our own miracles with solutions. But for anger to leave us we must first give its due, it may demand apology, a reassurance, a kind stroke of understanding or some form of reconciliation. Then, it settles but it will show its face again. Thus a ritual of attentive reassurance comes to be.

Photo credit: http://www.bubblews.com/news/2349820-biggest-religious-women-gathering-in-the-world-attukal-pongala-today-16022014-in-my-city

Water apple: Fruit in Kerala

- By Shobna Iyer

Any idea what this is? Water apple - Champakka in Malayalam.
Colour: White when unripe, pink as it ripens
Texture: Tough skinned and succulent
Taste: mildly sweet, sour when white
Season: Monsoon
Kids love climbing the trees and plucking the fruit. Once they have enough, they clamber down and take out the treasures.
The climate makes Kerala a great place for rare fruits.

Photo credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Champakka%28water_apple%29.jpg