Journey into Kerala and journey into a book

The journey from Manglore to mahe was energizing and fantastic. Around 7.30 am, we left Mangalore by train to Mahe. The sun had risen and its rich golden light had spread everywhere, on the foliage, on the fields and on the river.  Touched with the sun rays, the water was glistening like gold, making the scene splendid. The train was speeding up amidst the thick greenery filled with coconut, areca and other trees. The lush green paddy fields soothed my eyes and soul. Train journey that too amidst greenery makes me very romantic. I was ruminating on why the palette of kerala artists is so rich and vivid.  The bright cobalt blue sky was complementary to the sunlight covered lush green paddy fields.  Here and there, I could see white Kerala houses. Most of the houses are painted in white. Probably, they prefer white colour, which is  easily noticed amidst the green nature. The architecture of the house is very different, beautiful and elegant.  Wooden balconies with wooden framed windows and tiled roofs give an ethnic elegance to those huge houses. Mostly, the houses are very huge and multi-storied, surrounded by huge greenery around it, which stretches for kilometers. The moving train came across a river with a few colorful boats sailing in it. The sun lit bridge over the river was beautiful and enchanting to behold. 

As the train came to a halt at a station, there was some commotion of people getting in and getting out. With them entered some coffee and tea wallas.  I opened the recent book written by Twinkle Khanna - Mrs Funnybones, with a cup of diluted coffee, which is usually served on trains. I had bought this book a couple of months back but did have time to go through it. Twinkle Khanna, the daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia , the famous actors, knows how to put things  intelligently in a humorous way. I liked her approach as it is different and simplified. No exaggeration-narration is direct and candid; simple drawings follow the events. Even the cover page is interesting and humorous. Mundane routines of daily life, which is peppered with some interesting events, are highlighted –these reveal her interest in observing little things minutely, differently, and critically.  She does not spare anyone who comes in her contact, from criticizing.  All those around her, big or small, become prey for her criticism.

                                   A  Christian couple with their four or five year old daughter was sitting just opposite to us in the compartment.  My husband was trying to be friendly with the girl. She was pretty with delicate features and resembled her mother feature wise and complexion wise, she was closer to her father. Some kerala women had got into the train at the previous station. Some of them were in the typical white saris of Kerala. White kerala saris look elegant and ethnic. With their long black hair let down, they were chatting in Malayalam, of which I could not understand a syllable.  I turned my gaze towards the window; big white multistoried houses hidden behind the greenery vanished one by one.  Some houses in dark pink and green colors also appeared here and there. The trend of coloring houses in multi colors has reached this part also but seems to be in nascent stage still.  

 Back to the book, Twinkle heartily laughs at herself and candidly narrates how her name used to  irk  her in school days as every one used to link her name with the rhyme  Twinkle, Twinkle, little star, I hope you get hit by a car. Twinkle Khanna refers to the characters like servants, sales girl at her shop, neighbors, and so on, who come in her daily life, in her book. She finds fun in every day affairs.  Simple events are much more interesting and fun filled. One more thing, no characters in the book have names and are referred as  friend1 and friend 2. She seems very deft in analyzing the characters and bringing out the best and funny parts of the characters to the front. She critiques on present politics, cultural trends observing through her matured multiculered lens. Very interestingly and humorously, she explains how and where science and myth differ.

The train was moving very fast towards Mahe, where we were destined to get down. The small girl started singing a rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little star….. It went on.  Mahe station arrived.  Life looks very beautiful when one learns to find pleasure in small things.

Ways to knowledge: Read books or Travel extensively

                                                                                                                                                                     There is a saying that to know the world, to know the different cultures, one has to either travel or read extensively. However, today the situation is entirely different. Economic liberation and information technology have facilitated people to move around the world like never before. Today, all over the world, visual culture is dominating and it has influenced and altered the pattern of life completely. Through televisions and computers, one gets lot of information as well as gorgeous visuals to see. Introductions of different cultures through the Electronic Medias have brought in many changes in the existing cultures. Music channels, food channels, fashion channels, movie channels, and sports channel – all  display how progress is taking place and at what speed. Through T.V., many windows of the world are open to the viewers, who sit in the corner of the house and get all the information. There are many travel channels that highlight the places with exotic beauty and food specialties, which have regional and cultural flavors and significances. Excellent photography and related information presented in the channels acquaints one with the every nook and corner of the globe. When one actually visits the place, one might feel that the element of surprise and discovery are missing.  

Up to 1980, books were the only sources of information of different geographical locations and cultures. Through books, life style, prevailing customs and traditions of different states were known and enjoyed. The detailed description in the book mingled with reader’s imagination delighted readers and took them to fairylands. Books in those days focused on geographical details that were very much essential then as geographical conditions worked as requisites to build the characters, which peppered the books with different colours. These beautiful geographical descriptions created mental pictures and enticed the readers.  Culture of a particular region detailed with social structure, human relationships and food habits give insights. In spite of all these perceptions and important insights, books provide only the perceptions of the writer. Readers’ perception and writers’ perception are different.  Each one’s observation and perceptions are entirely different. The world looks very different when we reach it through the books. One’s observation and perception are not sufficient to have knowledge.

                                    Earlier to the introduction of travel channels and food channels, tours always seemed interesting and every moment of it was filled with surprises.  Different destinations had different surprises in store. Travelers were eager to explore the locations on their own. Whatever they discovered seemed a great achievement. Just imagine the adventures of the great Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama.

  Books and tours combined and experienced together give a complete knowledge and holistic approach to life. Books offer a different set of advantages and tours offer a different set of advantages. Too much of visual culture is destroying the beauty of imagination, the beauty of books and tours as well. One must have surprises and discoveries in store, and then only life looks very interesting.   

Nostalgia

                                                                                                                                                                  

 

                                 When an old Hindi film song Dost... Dost.. na… raha... from Raj kapur’s film sangam floats in the background, it take me to the period of radio and its memories. Yes, radio was the only medium of entertainment then. Those who had radios at home were considered modern and luxurious. Round rotating disks on both sides of the box were for station locating and volume controlling respectively. The radio was always mischievous and used to shutdown when there was something very important going on - because of poor connectivity. Sometimes, when it was not in mood, it used to give a hissing sound. The volume was always either very low or very high. It was never smooth and cajoling. I do not know why it was so problematic and difficult to manage. Radios-news in tea-stalls and restaurants attracted more customers during that period. When cricket matches were going on, people in large number used to gather around the tea-stalls to listen to cricket commentary and scores. There were no opportunities as now, to listen to particular songs whenever we desired. It was great joy for us when our favorite songs were heard on radio. Everyone of us used to rush towards the radio, wanted to listen from close, and enjoy the melody of the songs, combined with the hissing sound in between. Binaca was a very popular programme of Hindi film songs in those days.

Whether one believes or not, it was compulsory to have a radio license then and it had to be renewed every year. So was the case with bicycle. Now the scenario is very different and offers many facilities and luxuries.

Today, music has become part and parcel of our life, and has been fused with our daily activities like jogging, walking, driving and so on. Now, we have technologically advanced televisions and music systems. With these facilities, life style today has changed completely and for the better.

Antiques and Consumerism

                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                           

  During the passage of time, from generation to generation, objects get old and mature with historical and cultural significance. If the objects stand the test of time and survive, get the distinction as antiques. The antiques belonging to a particular genre of art or fashion usually have rare beauty and aesthetic value, and command attention and high price.  These are treasured, valued and passed on from one generation to another. The value of an antique - historically, culturally and economically - increases as it gets older and older, and becomes a rarity. An antique stands as testimony for time, generations, and culture. The antiques are impregnated with narratives that have historical, political, geographical, economical, and cultural aspects. It may be of a family, or a state, or a war, these narratives take us back to the situations and conditions, in which these objects have taken shape and evolved gradually. Absorbing all the significances and values, these become cultural signs over a period of time. For previous generations, the first priority was the durability of an object and its survival, and continuity for the next generations. The people of those generations took pleasure in preserving the objects by polishing, oiling and painting every year, in the manner of a ritual - that is how things were preserved  in good condition and  were handed over proudly from one generation to another generation. Especially, the antique furniture and other objects at home give an account of the memories and stories of grand fathers and mothers, and great grand fathers and mothers, which become a source of inspiration for grand children. These antiques play an important role in constructing family narratives and building family history in a unique way.

    

                                    However, things have changed drastically these days. As consumerism has affected our consciousness deliberately, through incessant advertisements bombarded in TV channels, we have been compelled to buy things whether we need them or not. Identities in societies are formed by the consumption of products. Mass production and mass consumption have altered our life styles and values of life altogether. Thousands and thousands of products from all over the world arrive in market every day. Free trade policy has enabled every state to get its products across the world. Since the start of mass production, we have developed a tendency, that is - use and throw tendency. Between mass production and use and throw tendency, the idea of preservation of things and passing it to the next generation has been erased completely. Products enter into market and whisk away within no time, without making an impact on the consumer – their existence ephemeral. We keep buying nonchalantly another phone, another watch, another car, another set of furniture, discarding the older ones even though they are pretty good in condition. Many outlets provide to scope to market these goods as second hand. Buying- selling- buying- has become a routine affair in the present situation.  In this context, the idea of antiques becomes obsolete. Usually, it is through the objects, we recollect our memories and associate with past events and persons.  If objects keep changing and vanishing at a rapid speed, how are we going to connect ourselves with history and culture seriously? Is it possible to build family history in this situation and connect to next generations?

                 Image source: Google