Traditional elites harboured peculiar notions of purity and pollution in pre-modern Kerala, which were revised by the neo-savarna of twentieth-century. This article reflects on notions of personal hygiene, cleanliness and clothing, using two excerpts from early-modern Kerala.
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Translating Shakespeare in Kerala
Ever since his works began to be translated into Malayalam in the mid-nineteenth century, Shakespeare’s adaptations have appeared as books, plays, comics and films in Kerala. Thea Buckley writes about the history of Kerala’s engagement with Shakespearean literature.
Read moreMoments of New Legalities in British Colonial Malabar
The British Raj encountered a complex legal ecosystem in Malabar. Santhosh Abraham writes about the ways in which the[…]
Read moreAncient Chera kingdom: Notes from the Sangam book Pathitruppathu
Pathitruppathu (പതിറ്റുപ്പത്ത്), a Sangam book dedicated to the Chera kingdom, has rich descriptions of the everyday life and practices of[…]
Read moreKappiri Shrines and Memories of Slavery in Kerala
“Kappiri” shrines in the coastal regions of Kerala and the local legends surrounding their worship can give us fresh insight[…]
Read moreTravancore’s Pakistan Intrigues, 1946-47
A short glimpse into the tumultuous history of Travancore’s accession to the Indian Union and the eventful end to Sir[…]
Read moreReading a “Neettu” from Nineteenth-Century Kerala
Deepthi Murali For my dissertation research, I spent many months at the Kerala State Archives in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam looking[…]
Read moreRock Arts of Kerala
Prof. A.T.Mohanraj Rock art from the Western Ghats in Kerala is generally comprised of three categories: sculpted figures, carvings (petroglyphs)[…]
Read moreMonsoon Islam
Sebastian R. Prange The histories of Kerala and the wider Indian Ocean world are inseparable: they have shaped one another[…]
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