THEYYAM CALENDAR

There's many a good Theyyam coming up soon in Kasaragod,here's some roadside billboards giving dates and locations...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SUGAR CANE JUICE

I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl 

My film with music by Nina Simone 

BLACKZ HAWKZ

Local Bekal youth football team with Suhail and Khaleel sons of Aysha.

 

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BALAJI

Super natural instant energy drink sugar cane juice makes a refreshing start to my day.

Meet Jagadeesha and his sugar cane juice mill,this machine extracts the sap by crushing and rolling the cane through rollers.

The fluid trickles down onto a block of ice that chills it ready for the glass.

 

So if you find yourself in Kasaragod be sure to get down to Nayaks road and taste Balaji's sugar cane juice.

 

 

 

 

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DENTAL STORY

 

I broke a piece from my upper left 7 so decided to go to the dentist.

I've been here before years past and it's not my favourite pastime.

 

Doctor Rao sent me off in an auto rickshaw to get an X-ray here.

This was a painless but scary experience as the equipment used was rather antiquated.

And horror shock to be told serious root canal treatment would be necessary.

I've experienced that before in India and it wasn't pleasant having neat bleach squirted in the cavity.

The equipment back at the surgery was rather antiquated but watching another mans operation first helped soothe my nerves.

Luckily the surgeon was fantastic and managed to dovetail a patchwork into the tooth easily without injection or pain.

Here's the X-ray, now I'm just feeling a little bit overexposed from the radiation.

 

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FRUITS Pt.1

The tropical climate coupled with fertile soil ensures Indian farmers produce fantastic fruit.

It's Jackfruit.

Custard Apple.

ChayiPondam

Tender Coconuts.

Green mangoes.

Be sure to eat your five-a-day.

 

 

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THEYYAM EXPLAINED

 

Vishnu Murthi

Theyyam (Teyyam, Theyyattam ) (Malayalam:തെയ്യം) is a popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala, India, predominant in the Kolathunadu area (consisting of present-day Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad and Vadakara and Koyilandy Taluks of Kozhikode of Kerala) and also in Kodagu and Tulu nadu of Karnataka as a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. The performers of Theyyam belong to the lower caste community, and have an important position in Theyyam.People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessings from this Theyyam. A similar custom is followed in the Tulu Nadu region of neighbouring Karnataka known as Bhuta Kola.

(Wikipedia)

 

 

This Theyyam is scheduled for Jan 16-26,I shall be attending and reporting back hopefully with a film.

 

And this Theyyam is scheduled for Feb 8-10 so the season is well under way here in...

Gods Own Country

 

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EXPRESS TO BEKAL

Arrived safety at Kottayam railway station...

The Malabar express has 23 coaches and the platform is very long so this chart directs me to the correct position.

Last chance to stock up on snacks for the journey.

There's always tea and coffee sellers on Indian trains.

Bedding is provided and taken away in the morning.

It's somewhat rundown but here's my destination...

 

The beautiful Bekal fort and many kilometres of golden sands.

 

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PLANNING A JOURNEY

A computerised ticketing service for Indian railways is available through this window at the rear of Kumily post office,the nearest railhead is 110 Kms away in Kottayam.

Here's my ticket for an eleven hour A/C sleeper birth on the Malabar express.

New Year , New Moon , New Start.

 

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