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God’s Own Country: A Peep Springs Surprises, Shocks and Wonders



Kerala has been in the news for a long for a variety of reasons including the boasting of contributing the first elected Communist Party of India government in the first-ever elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1957. EMS Namboodiripad formed the first elected government with the support of five independent legislators.


Enough water from River Periyar:
However, since independence, enough water has flown in the River Periyar, the largest one flowing for a length of 244 kilometres. Interestingly although a tiny state compared to its adjoining neighbors, Kerala has 44 major rivers all but three originating in the Western Ghats.


Only Three flow Eastward:
Of them, 41 flow westward and only three eastward. Also in comparison to the mighty ones of the remaining South Indian states, the rivers of Kerala are small in terms of their length, width or outflow. But, they tend to flow faster, thanks to the hilly terrain and the short distance between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Unlike in other states, all of them are completely dependent upon the monsoon and transform into rivulets or dry up during the summer.


Bharathappuzha River:
The Bharathappuzha River is another major river called by multiple names like River of Bharata, Nila or Ponnani River. It is the second-longest river flowing for a length of 209 kilometres and is revered for its contribution to culture. It flows through what is known as the Palakkad Gap, which is also the largest opening in the Kerala portion of the Western Ghats. Bharathappuzha is also held in high esteem for grooming the culture and life of the South Malabar portion. It also finds mention even in the ancient scripts as "Peraar". It is an interstate river and a lifeline water source for the following districts, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Thrissur in Kerala, Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts of Tamil Nadu. The fertile Thrissur-Ponnani Wetlands lie on its bank.


A lifeline of Kerala's cultural map:
Bharathappuzha can be attributed as the lifeline of Kerala's rich cultural map. The Kerala Kalamandalam, which happens to be a major centre for performing arts like Kathakali, Koodiyattam and Ottamthullal is situated at Cheruthuruty, on the banks of the river in Thrissur district. The birthplace of Kunchan Nambiar, the famous Malayalam satire poet and founder of the Ottamthullal art form is located at Killikkurissimangalam near Lakkidi.


A big list of writers born in this region:
The Tirur-Tirunavaya-Triprangode region on the banks of Bharathappuzha was the place where the Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics flourished during the 14th and 16th centuries. The number of Malayalam writers born alongside the banks looks endless. Among them include: Uroob, Edasseri Govindan Nair, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, MT Vasudevan Nair, M Govindan, VKN, OV Vijayan, Kuttikrishna Marar and M Sukumaran. P Kunhiraman Nair, the late poet and a native of North Malabar drew literary inspiration from the scenic beauty of the landscape along the Bharatappuzha. Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan and Vallathnol Narayana Menon were also born on the banks of the Tirur River, a tributary of Bharatappuzha. Poonthanam Namboothiri and EMS Namboodiripad were born near Perinthalmanna, on the banks of Thootha river, another tributary.


Any number of temples all along:
There are also any number of Hindu temples all along the banks of this mighty river. Some of them are the Thiruvilwamala temple, Thirunavaya Navamukunda temple, Chamravattam Ayyappa temple and the Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy temple. The Arabi Malayalam script known as the Ponnani script has its origin on the banks of this river.


Cremation on the banks leads to salvation:
Apart from the rich cultural heritage Bharatappuzha boasts of, it has also given rise to strange beliefs. One of them happens to be that those cremated on its banks are said to achieve salvation. It has also evolved as an important place for the sons to pay homage to their late fathers. OV Vijayan and VKN are some of the renowned personalities cremated here.


The first literate state in 1991:
Kerala has the unique distinction of becoming the first Indian state to be recognized as completely literate in 1991, although the effective literacy rate at that time was only 90 per cent. Kerala continues to be the most literate state in the country, with the highest literacy rate of 94 per cent while Andhra Pradesh holds the dubious distinction of the lowest literacy rate with 66.4 per cent.

Highest migration from Kerala:
It has also emerged as the number one state when it comes to migration to other states and countries. The total Malayalam emigrants to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) comprising of the Arab countries, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates is stated to be 25-30% of the total Indian emigrants of 95.68 lakhs as per the records in mid-2020. Their numbers range from 23.9 lakhs in the Gulf countries and 28.7 lakhs elsewhere across the world. It is not that all Malayalam-speaking people go to the Gulf. Most of the Muslims of the Malabar region in the North prefer to go there. However, Christians belonging to the Southern part migrate to the US, the UK and the whole of Europe. These days, Hindus keep going all over and perhaps it would be difficult to find any country without coming across Keralites.


Swami Vivekananda termed Kerala as a ‘Lunatic Asylum’:
Swami Vivekananda on his visit to had termed Kerala as a ‘lunatic asylum’. Swami Nandatmajananda, Editor of Prabuddha Keralam magazine published by the Ramakrishna Math, in his article ‘125 years after Swami Vivekananda called Kerala lunatic asylum’ and published in 2017 writes: Kerala could be the only land that was so deeply affected by cultural invasion. Here, the negation of identity and uniqueness of the ethnic culture co-existed along with ugly discrimination based on caste. This was why Vivekananda was forced to describe Kerala as a ‘lunatic asylum’ despite the fact that caste-based discrimination was rampant all over India. The people of Kerala, who could take in Vivekananda’s caustic criticism with an open mind and in the right spirit, made use of the ‘lunatic asylum’ observation as an opportunity and inspiration for introspection and self-evaluation. The ‘self-treatment’ by making use of Vivekananda’s description of Kerala continues even today.


Thriving with Gulf Money:
A veteran journalist and an octogenarian who has served with many other media outlets in the Southern states and settled in the Palghat district and who prefers to remain anonymous, recalls-“Kerala continues to thrive with the Gulf money, earned and sent by the Malayalese back home. Apart from donations at renowned shrines like Sabarimala, Guruvayur, Padmanabhaswamy temples and tourist locations, Excise, Commercial Taxes, and Property Taxes are the sources of revenue generation...


Industries remain a distant mirage:
Thanks to the trade union movement which continues to prevail in a big manner, large industries providing huge employment continue to remain a distant mirage. Lack of employment opportunities back home constrains the young generation to go in search of green pastures elsewhere but for their native state...


Teaching only profession or business still thriving:
Teaching continues to remain the only profession or business still thriving. There are at least one or two teachers in a family and likewise, one or two people working in the Gulf region. Almost all private educational institutions get government aid over a while and retired teachers are entitled to pensioners benefits. But, private managements are also in the practice of squeezing huge chunks of money to provide employment”.


Traditional food, customs and practices vanishing:
However he also laments-“Of late, the traditional food, customs and practices look like vanishing soon as the new gadget-loving generation continues to be averse to all the good old things of life. Even the commonly used Puttu, Nendra variety of Banana and other typical Kerala recipes are on the decline as the modern kids of the day are heavily dependent upon junk food…


Old mansions reduced to old age homes:
The old, vast and glorious houses have been turned into mansions without the entire family. They have eventually turned into dwellings of the old aged people even making the maintenance a big challenge. This happens to be the pathetic plight as children migrate, prefer and love to settle down elsewhere but for their native places…


A picture of wounds on Mother Earth:
Added to these woes, property disputes within family members have reduced hitherto thriving lavish residences and landscapes into abandoned places giving a picture of wounds on Mother Earth”.


Pollution-free atmosphere:
Another sexagenerian scribe and a former resident of Kasargod district gives the best part of the coastal state-“Kerala is a pollution-free state, thanks to the comrades as there were no industries nor any industries will ever come into being. Due to the humid weather, healthy eating habits, and pollution-free environment the longevity of people is much higher than in other parts of the country…


Public smoking is banned:
Unlike other regions of the country, public smoking is banned in Kerala. You don’t have the luxury of smoking while driving or while in any public places as the ill effects of passive smoking are taken seriously by the government authorities. You also don’t get Tobacco and Gutka products the way you get them in abundance elsewhere. Of course, they continue to be smuggled by the North Indians working in the state”.


Agriculture, a losing venture:
Unny, an agriculturist by profession is a sad person today for the struggles he has to undergo the losing venture-“It has become very difficult to do farming. Irrespective of the crops you are unsure of the yield due to the frequent nuisance by the birds, peacocks and pigs. Due to the strict regulatory norms in practice killing or hunting the mischief makers is ruled out. As a result, you are under the mercy of birds and wild animals to be bestowed upon the quantum of yield”.


No takers for coconuts and jackfruits:
He adds-“Even plantation crops like coconut and areca are not generating the desired income. Plucking coconuts and jackfruits is becoming a really big problem. You don’t get labourers’ when you are in desperate need and the wages are also very high. Due to this unfriendly situation, many landholding people don’t even bother to pluck either coconuts or jackfruits. At least, you can arrange to collect the coconuts which keep falling after becoming ripened but jackfruits rot in the orchards themselves. It’s a colossal waste of natural resources but the situation is not conducive to reap benefits from the same”.


Kerala is Gulf to North Indians:
One more journalist of Coimbatore preferring not to be named remarks-“If people from the state have developed a tendency to go to Gulf to earn and make money, so have the Bengalis’, Assamese, and Nepalese made Kerala their Gulf. The locals don’t prefer to do menial jobs leaving them to the migrant workers who charge exorbitantly. The labour cost for a day here is a minimum of Rs 1,000/-. For all sorts of works, including gardening one is heavily dependent upon the migrant workers”.


Unanimity among all the three faiths:
Kerala is a tiny state with a never-ending list of big surprises, paradoxes and shocks. For here, beef has obtained the status of staple food not just for meat-eating Muslims and Christians but for a section of Hindus as well. It is more or less the same story when it comes to consuming alcohol. There is unanimity among all the three faiths in gulping the spirits even forgetting the gender. So, in a way, there is equality with beef and alcohol in Kerala. Likewise, many people belonging to these three religions happen to be either immediate or close or distant relatives in one way or the other.


Believers become Marxists:
Apart from the puzzling things that galore in Kerala, perhaps the most difficult and intriguing fact that remains perplexed is the God-believing people becoming comrades and self-proclaimed communists portraying as atheists clandestinely transforming into believers of blind beliefs, customs and rituals. Maybe, a very interesting subject for sociologists, psychologists and social scientists to ponder deep into the matter!

-Manohar Yadavatti






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