Welcome to Kerala Korner!

[S.A.T.A]

The pottis are today considered as Namboodiris,but yes they have Tulunad origins and not originally Namboodiris.They are mostly found in the south Travancore and there about.In one of my ancestral Gramam( village) bhagavathy temple,the pottis are the priests.I think In the Sri Anantha padmanabha swamy temple too Pottis are the officiating priests.

 

[S.A.T.A]

What is the background of the temple silver that was found in Kerala?

Nobody knows why and how so much wealth got accumulated in the temple,however Sri Padmanabha Swamy temples secret cellar were a well known rumor to all malayalees as long as they can remember.the secret trove itself would never have surprised Malayalees,but its estimated worth certainly did.One reason why the wealth survived any misappropriation was because the temples wealth was overseen by a council comprising of the local Nair chiefs,the families of the officiating priests and the Travancore Royal family.The council throughout its history was fractious and each faction distrusted the other and kept a hawk like eye of each others movements.Perhaps this was what saved the temple wealth for so long.

 

[SpArK]

With what is the rice wrapped?

It reminds me of the Japanese wrapping food stuff with seaweed (nori).

im sorry the one in my pic was actually wheat.. wheat puttu..

Rice puttu is whitish..

Puttu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Iamanidiot]

Tirupathi even now has hidden wealth.The problem is the Temple guardians do not trust anyone and they are not brahmins

 

[Ray]

Is it true that the Ezhavas or Eravas are the richest and they control Kerala politics?

 

[Ray]

Tirupathi even now has hidden wealth.The problem is the Temple guardians do not trust anyone and they are not brahmins

They are not Brahmins?

That is news for me. Thanks.

what are they?

SATA,

Why should the Govt take the silver of the Temple? It is the Temples property.

 

[Ray]

Thanks everyone for sharing knowledge.

I am hooked now to this thread since each post brings a surprise and indicates how little I know!

Thanks and keep it going!

I think there should be a South Indian Corner titled Know South India. It will help so many of us to understand that part of the country and get fascinated by its rich heritage.

Though, I will add, one of my Keralite friend was furious that he was called a south Indian. He said that people are so ignorant in other parts of India that they did not know that there are different States and very distinct culture, customs and traditions!

 

[Ray]

I was seeing a BBC programme on Kerala Cuisine.

I was fascinated how string hoppers are made.

I forget the actual name for string hoppers.

The programme then went over to Sri Lanka and there was much similarity even with the Burgher's food. Burghers are descendants of the Portuguese or so it was said IIRC.

 

[ALBY]

I was seeing a BBC programme on Kerala Cuisine.

I was fascinated how string hoppers are made.

I forget the actual name for string hoppers.

its called idiyappam

Thanks

Ray

 

[Galaxy]

Tirupathi even now has hidden wealth.The problem is the Temple guardians do not trust anyone and they are not brahmins

Who told you they don't trust anyone and they are not Brahmin if that is important ? Did they called on your mobile or you know them personally or Just heard ??

 

[S.A.T.A]

This may be contested but i think the Nairs form the single largest caste group in Kerala,but are not politically organized.Ezhavas on the other hand have been the backbone and the foot soldiers of the Kerala left movement and traditionally have supported the left parties,which means they certainly have tremendous political clout.Nairs still attract all of the left wing diatribe against landed bourgeois,which means they think the Nairs still dominate the scene.Nairs certainly dominate the arts ,cultural and the educational scene in Kerala.The Malabar Syrian Catholics are also extremely well off and very prominent on the political and economic scene.

 

[Ray]

SATA

I have read your post on the matriarchal system of Nairs.

I have a rather ancient book on Nairs (it is in tatters and so I don't want to open in and ruin whatever information that it contains), it states that the Nair societal norms of the South and North Kerala are different.

Can you explain the same?

Thanks in anticipation (TIA).

 

[Ray]

This may be contested but i think the Nairs form the single largest caste group in Kerala,but are not politically organized.Ezhavas on the other hand have been the backbone and the foot soldiers of the Kerala left movement and traditionally have supported the left parties,which means they certainly have tremendous political clout.Nairs still attract all of the left wing diatribe against landed bourgeois,which means they think the Nairs still dominate the scene.Nairs certainly dominate the arts ,cultural and the educational scene in Kerala.The Malabar Syrian Catholics are also extremely well off and very prominent on the political and economic scene.

Are Ezhavas toddy tappers?

Also, how far is it true that Bengalis (or Bangladeshis to be precise) have landed up in Kerala as menial worker or goldsmiths since the Malayalees are flushed with Gulf money and are not willing to do these things. I think I read this in the magazine Frontline!

I would go with you about Syrian Christian being rich and big dads in politics. One of my officers wife's father was a politician and so was the father of the officer. The lady during parties would be so laden with gold that she could easily pass of as a Dubai gold souq!!

They were not isolated examples.

There are too many to enumerate including a chap who had two cars after marriage when we had only one scooter, that too having sunk all the money we had in those times!!

 

[ALBY]

Are Ezhavas toddy tappers?

Also, how far is it true that Bengalis (or Bangladeshis to be precise) have landed up in Kerala as menial worker or goldsmiths since the Malayalees are flushed with Gulf money and are not willing to do these things. I think I read this in the magazine Frontline!

you r correct in both cases..the latest joke circulating in kerala is about an american couple who lodged a complaint against their tour operators for showing them towns full of bengali workers telling them it is kerala

 

[Ray]

you r correct in both cases..the latest joke circulating in kerala is about an american couple who lodged a complaint against their tour operators for showing them towns full of bengali workers telling them it is kerala

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How do the Bengalis manage.

when I went to Trivandrum I had a tough time to get the directions.

And I was not talking in Bengali.

I think that was the mistake!

Maybe Bengali would have worked!

 

[S.A.T.A]

SATA

I have read your post on the matriarchal system of Nairs.

I have a rather ancient book on Nairs (it is in tatters and so I don't want to open in and ruin whatever information that it contains), it states that the Nair societal norms of the South and North Kerala are different.

Can you explain the same?

Thanks in anticipation (TIA).

Times have changed and old customs have been been relegated to the background so its difficult to say if there were any differences,but i can sate one thing with certainty,from what i gather from the elders,it seems there seems to exist a some kind of traditional animosity between Thekekar(people of south and Vadakekar(people of north).Iam not sure if this merely restricted to just the Nairs or if it applies to all malayalees in general.Marriage between couples haling from north or south was extremely rare in the olden days and even now is generally not very popular.

From what i gather the northern people think that the southern folks cheated them on account of some land disputes,whose origins is very murky.may be some folk here from the north can give their end of the story.But i doubt there is difference when it comes to customs and traditions.In the north and Malabar the Nairs generally go by their title of Menon,in the south they go by the titles like Pillai and Thambi.



Hey! Thanks. I did not know this.

Why are the Menons fairer!

And even with blue or slate grey eyes?

On the other hand, Pillai are definite dangerous in looks!

My observations may not be right, but that is what I saw in school and in my service

 

[Iamanidiot]

Who told you they don't trust anyone and they are not Brahmin if that is important ? Did they called on your mobile or you know them personally or Just heard ??

They are kammas,reddies ,gollalu,gowdas and dalits. Who are the guardians the priests only do the pooja

 

[peacecracker]

Bangalis are working in central Kerala. they have replaced biharies and other groups in plywood,carton box factories in Perumbavoor,Muvatpuzha areas. If we travel in above areas in the morning, it will be doubted for bengal. labours waiting in every junctions to be picked up for various works. there was a report that naxals are living among these groups. while bangladeshis, I believe are the group who flees whenever Police check comes. they hire rooms in rural areas and are shady to say the least. I may be wrong.
Kakkanad,Aluva,Perumbavor,Muvtpuzha are the areas they are more in numbers. cannot say much about other parts of kerala except cochin.

 

[SpArK]

You guys know one of the mods @ DFI now famous in malayalam movies???

 

[Galaxy]

They are kammas,reddies ,gollalu,gowdas and dalits. Who are the guardians the priests only do the pooja

That is obvious. But you said

Tirupathi even now has hidden wealth.The problem is the Temple guardians do not trust anyone and they are not brahmins

How come one give such statement ? Just like Air as usual like last time if i remember Brahmin/RSS/Modi one without any logic and fact ? When you post something, you should give some logic and reason also. You just post 1 liner and disappear. 8)