Life & Style

Photograph of an Oriental Darter clicked by actor Mammootty
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Over 32 photographers were part of the annual bird photography exhibition organised by Induchoodan Foundation at the Durbar Hall Art Centre in Ernakulam. The three-day exhibition featured 52 photographs. And among the photographs displayed was one of an Oriental Darter (cherakkozhi) by actor Mammootty. 

The photographs were printed on canvas. An audio facility was provided at the gallery which played sounds of birds chirping. The photographs were mostly of birds found in Kerala, accompanied by notes from Induchoodan’s acclaimed book, Birds of Kerala. 

Photograph of a Malabar Trogon clicked by photographer Jainy Kuriakose
| Photo Credit:
10016

The Induchoodan Foundation was established a year ago with writer Paul Zakariah as Chairman to honour the legacy of the renowned birdwatcher and author Professor KK Neelakandan, better known as Induchoodan. The foundation aims to create awareness about the need to have compassion and love for all living creatures while also promoting Malayalam language, as Induchoodan wrote Malayalam prose despite his mother tongue being Tamil.

Since its inception, the foundation has organised a series of exhibitions, lectures, and other programmes across Kerala. 

The exhibition concluded on August 20. 

READ MORE

Kannagi statue along the Marina beach in Chennai. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives

The striking equestrian statue near the Island Grounds in Chennai is that of Sir Thomas Munro, considered a lion among British administrators. Installed in 1839, the absence of saddle and stirrups on the statue has long been a subject of controversy. One theory holds that this is because Francis Chantrey, the sculptor, forgot them. Another says Munro, a riding enthusiast, preferred to ride bareback.

At the premises of 133-year-old heritage building of the Madras High Court is the white marble statue of Sir Justice Tiruvarur Muthuswami Iyer. There was strong opposition from a section of Europeans to the appointment of an Indian as a judge of the High Court. It was this resistance that triggered the birth of The Hindu in 1878 primarily to support the elevation of an Indian to the very high judicial office during the British Raj and to counter the antagonism.

The package contains articles on the following seven statues located across Chennai city.

1. Thomas Munro statue at Island Grounds
2. Kannagi statue on Kamarajar Salai
3. Justice Tiruvarur Muthuswami Iyer statue at Madras High Court
4. Triumph of labour statue along Marina beach
5. Equestrian statues below Anna Flyover
6. Police Memorial statue at the Tamil Nadu DGP office campus
7. Lord Ripon statue at the Greater Chennai Corporation office premises

READ MORE

The Hindu illustration by Soumyadip Sinha

Yet another Madras Day is upon us. To someone like me, for whom every day is Madras Day, it is yet another moment for us to pause and reflect on what the city means to us. Birthplace? Home? Place of Work? Roots? A stop among several in a long life? Madras or Chennai can mean many things to many people. To most, it spells opportunity. The big metropolis that holds out the promise of fulfilling dreams. And so, they keep coming. And when they come, they add to the colour of the city. And when they depart, one way or the other, they leave behind their impress — yet another knot, or twist, or stitch in the huge patchwork that is our city.

Chennai, the southernmost Indian metropolis, is not just the capital of Tamil Nadu. It is also an important city on the world map. An automotive capital, an educational hub, a location for back-office operations, a leader in leather, a software major, foremost in medicare, a cultural showpiece, a centre for cinema, an arena for some sports…the list is endless. And in all of this, Chennai interacts with the world, an interaction that is reciprocated as well. It is therefore not just a city in India, it has a global footprint.

Through this collection of stories, we look at Madras and the world. What has the world given us, and what have we given the world. We look at why Madras is not just a city but a presence in many lives across the globe. And above all, we look at the various countries with whom Madras, Chennai, and the Coromandel Coast had a relationship dating not just to today or yesterday but from long.

And so here is a toast to you dear Madras! You were certainly not born on Madras Day, but we say a special thanks to you on this day, which you have yourself chosen as appropriate for celebrating you.

READ MORE

Rajinikanth is worthy of every bit of praise. Surviving, let alone succeeding, 50 years in the Tamil film industry deserves a celebration. But for what specifically? For acting in around 170 films in different languages, his screen charisma, his politics, his impact on the lives of his fans?

Fifty years seems just like yesterday when Rajini’s first film, Apoorva Ragangal (1975), launched him into history — although he was not the hero. He remade himself to suit the needs of others. His name was changed, he learnt a new language, and put on a new persona that was dictated by filmmaker K. Balachander’s vision of what he saw in Rajini.

Five decades ago, he started the journey of becoming a cult figure by legitimising rebellion, making it possible to talk about desires that were taboos, speaking for those who were invisible and on the margins of society, and began the first steps towards fashioning an image of himself. His latest film, Coolie, which released last week, commemorates these years. Much has changed, but much remains unchanged. What has not changed is that like back then, he is still trying to put on a new persona, trying to be what he is not.

A still from Coolie

It is said that the greatest fear of superstars is ageing. While we celebrate their longevity, they seem to live in mortal dread of it. The real life picture of a bald-headed Rajini makes him look like our beloved uncle. In Coolie, he has a head full of lush hair and fights like a young man, although his eyes betray him. The same powerful eyes that Balachander commented on 50 years ago now lie hidden in deep sadness, perhaps reflecting the pain that he still has to do films like this in the name of superstardom.

Perfecting the grey figure

Rajini was never defined by his body. He was dark and slight, more like a Bengaluru bus conductor — which he was before he became an actor. He was a Marathi speaker too, who spoke Tamil with a different lilt. Rajini’s strength and power came from what he spoke and stood for. He personified a simple but powerful truth: that those who are poor and disadvantaged have a greater moral sensibility than those who possess wealth and power. The vegetable sellers on the pavement, the daily wage earners, the coolies as well as the autorickshaw drivers exhibit far greater moral qualities than do feudal landlords, rich entrepreneurs or powerful leaders.

He was loved because he embodied that grey figure between socially acceptable behaviour and individually regressive one. He could be charming even when he was being politically incorrect. His audience loved him because they knew that he was a moral being at his core.

Fans dance during a screening of Rajinikanth’s Coolie
| Photo Credit:
AFP

The coolie theme that was so crassly abused in his new film was one that invoked deep feelings in the working class whose voice he represented in films such as Mullum Malarum (1978, a villager in conflict with an urban engineer), Baasha (1995, an auto driver), Muthu (1995, a servant under a feudal landlord), and more recently, in Pa. Ranjith’s hit film Kaala (2018) where he fights for slum dwellers. The younger Rajini acted like an older man, wiser, responsible, more socially attuned, and one who produced hope.

Moral ambiguities

Fifty years on, Rajini’s morality has aged. He is not able to hide this even if he succeeds in camouflaging the ageing of his body. When he played a gangster in Thalapathi (1991), there was a sense of moral code in the world of criminals. But in Coolie, Rajini’s moral sense disappears when he joins a young woman in a criminal act to justify making money to pay the fees for the medical education of the woman’s sisters. He is not the Rajini that we saw in Bhairavi (1978) or movies like Aval Appadithan (1978), which catalysed a larger discussion on women’s rights and roles in a society.

A still from Thalapathi

Rajini was as famous for his dialogues as for his cigarette tricks because those dialogues did not age. They did not need an old man, trying to look young with a mop of hair, to deliver them. Rajini converted these dialogues in movies such as Arunachalam (1997), Baasha and Padayappa (1999), into social slogans.

As long as Rajini speaks for the rights of the oppressed and the marginalised, his physical age does not matter. Being old is exhibited not in the way we walk or fight, but in the way we think, in the energy we have to fight for the benefit of others, and in the hope that we bring.

Rajini, while still physically explosive on the screen, has aged mentally and morally, at least in his last few films. He seems to have lost the qualities that made him perennially young and relevant. We can’t blame him. Perhaps he has become indifferent and tired. Just like us.

The Bengaluru-based writer and philosopher’s new novel is titled Water Days.

Published – August 22, 2025 07:17 am IST

Rajendra Chola I could scarcely have imagined that the millennial year of his Southeast Asian campaigns would be celebrated with such grandeur at his capital, Gangaikonda Cholapuram (it even saw Prime Minister Modi participating in the festivities). Nor could his contemporary and ally, Khmer King Suryavarman I, have foreseen that the monumental temple he commissioned at Preah Vihear in Cambodia would someday become a symbol of contested heritage.

The 11th century temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, has been the centre of conflict for over a century, with Thailand and Cambodia fighting over its ownership. In the past, the International Court of Justice has ruled in favour of Cambodia. The temple has drawn international attention in recent days following attacks on its complex. While a ceasefire has been reached after days of intense clashes, irreparable loss to cultural heritage remains a serious concern.

A masterpiece of Khmer architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is perched atop a cliff in the forested Dângrêk mountain range, which forms a natural border between Cambodia and Thailand. The temple is built across multiple levels, and features five gopurams (entrance towers) that rise from the lowest elevation to the highest, connected by causeways and stairways. The sanctum sanctorum is located at an elevation of 525 metres. Each level unfolds in a seamless architectural sequence, with the gopurams adorned with ornate pediments and lintels.

Preah Vihear is perched atop a cliff in the forested Dângrêk mountain range
| Photo Credit:
Sherin Someetharan

The Tamil connection

The temple’s deep historical and cultural ties to the Tamil region are not well-known. It was built over a period of 300 years, with several kings contributing to its construction, but the present structure is largely attributed to Suryavarman I. It was completed under the reign of Suryavarman II, who built Angkor Wat.

Inscriptions dating to around 1020 CE reveal that Suryavarman I gifted Rajendra Chola I a chariot, seeking his support and protection against threats from the Tambralinga kingdom and the Srivijaya king Sangrama Vijayatunggavarman. In 1025 CE, Rajendra Chola I launched his famed naval expedition against the Srivijaya kingdom, which included Kedah (Kadaram) earning him the title ‘Kadaram Kondan’ (conqueror of Kadaram).

Even iconographically, the temple features elements that reflect a Tamil connection. The image of the dancing Shiva, Nataraja, central to Tamil Saiva traditions, is a common motif in Chola art. In temple reliefs, Nataraja is depicted alongside musicians, with the skeletal figure of Karaikkal Ammaiyar at his feet.

Pediment of Nataraja at the sanctum’s entrance
| Photo Credit:
Sherin Someetharan

Ammaiyar lived in the 6th century and is considered to be the earliest of the Nayanmars (poet-saints) devoted to Shiva. Her hymns on Shiva preceded those of others such as Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. In her hymns, she expressed her desire to be at the feet of the dancing Shiva, which is iconographically depicted in many Chola temples, including the Peruvudaiyar temples of Rajaraja I at Thanjavur and Rajendra I at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

At Preah Vihear, this motif is engraved on the pediment above the northern entrance to the sanctum sanctorum. To his left is a musician with a percussion instrument and, to the right, at his feet, lies what appears to be a weathered figure of Ammaiyar. The positioning mirrors Chola temples’ iconography. Being placed at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum highlights the reverence accorded to Ammaiyar.

This isn’t an isolated instance. Temples restored or expanded by Suryavarman I — Banteay Srei, Phnom Chisor, Vat Ek, and Vat Baset — feature this motif. An inscription at Preah Vihear also notes that a golden Nataraja was gifted to the temple by Divakarapandita, the spiritual guru of Suryavarman II.

A blind doorway with ornated pediment
| Photo Credit:
Sherin Someetharan

Vaishnava motifs and Pallava influence

The Khmer kings were known for their religious syncretism. Their temples often integrate elements of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and even Buddhism. Preah Vihear, though dedicated to Shiva, has themes of Vaishnavism on its lintels and pediments. For instance, the Paarkadal scene (churning of the ocean of milk) depicts the tug-of-war between the devas and asuras churning the paarkdal to extract amritham (nectar). Seen in Cambodian temples, including Angkor Wat, the motif is rarely seen in Indian temple art. The scene is, however, depicted in the Kailasanathar temple and Vaikunda Perumal temple in Kanchipuram, highlighting its significance as a cherished Pallava theme.

The pediment depicting the Paarkadal scene
| Photo Credit:
Sherin Someetharan

At Preah Vihear, this scene is intricately carved on the southern doorway pediment of Gopuram IV. The lintel below has Vishnu reclining on Ananta, the serpent, a feature seen in Cambodian temples since the 7th century. This motif of the reclining deity is a familiar one across Tamil temples — from those in Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram in the north to Srirangam in the centre, to the Padmanabhaswamy temple in the extreme south.

On the eastern doorway lintel of the same gopuram is Krishna dancing on the serpent Kaliya (Kalinga Narthana Krishna). The temple also features reliefs of Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana, Vishnu on Garuda, and the guardian lions — motifs reflecting influences from the Pallava iconographic traditions.

A lintel carving of Krishna dancing on Kaliya
| Photo Credit:
Sherin Someetharan

As we celebrate the 1,000th year of Rajendra Chola I and his legacy, these connections merit attention. The parallel developments at the Preah Vihear temple during the same historical period make it all the more vital to recognise the deep historical ties between the Tamil region and Southeast Asia — two cultures that have, for centuries, shared heritage and produced some of the world’s greatest architectural and artistic masterpieces.

The writer is an IRS officer based in Chennai.

Published – August 22, 2025 07:07 am IST

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a new-age museum in our smartphone era must create perfect selfie spots. Over the past decade, founders, architects, exhibition designers, curators and artists have had to also imagine their works and spaces to double up as Instagram backdrops. At Bengaluru’s Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), however, this isn’t at their “core of building a museum-going culture”, says Abhishek Poddar, the founder of this museum. “At MAP, these interactive elements, whether analogue or digital, are always intentional choices, not add-ons.”

Abhishek Poddar, founder of MAP
| Photo Credit:
Prarthana Shetty

Accommodating this buzzing social media landscape isn’t kowtowing; museums need footfalls too. It is MAP’s mode of engaging with these amorphous, captive channels of communication and building community that marks them out. “It’s not something that we prioritise from the very start of conceptualising an exhibition, but it is also something that we’ve come to consider in the process of executing it. It’s the way the world works, and museums and their shows can’t be entirely safe from that,” explains Arnika Ahldag, director of exhibitions and curation at MAP. “But it’s good when it does happen.”

Arnika Ahldag
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

She points to the example of The Writing Table installation at the recently-opened exhibition titled Shape of a Thought: Letters from Ram Kumar. This wooden desk and chair arrangement is stacked with the short-fiction collections and other writings by the artist, loose sheafs of blank paper, pens and pencils. Visitors can draw inspiration from the artist’s preoccupations and write a letter to themselves, loved ones, strangers or even the city. Once done, they can clip it to the twine strung above the desk like festive buntings.

The Writing Table installation
| Photo Credit:
PSAC Studio

A visitor writes a letter
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

“The initial idea was to find a way for visitors to connect with the physical act of letter-writing. The manner in which picking up a pen and writing on paper causes one to structure one’s thoughts differently than sending out a text message,” Ahldag says, taking us through the thinking process behind building an exhibition. “But this is the element from Shape of a Thought that has become the most shared on social media; and that’s good with us because it has become yet another way for people to experience, connect and feel Ram Kumar’s practice.”

The modernist writer-painter’s letters can be experienced through multiple formats — facsimile, audio, Indian Sign Language, translations, transcripts, Braille and in regional languages through guided walks. These different layers that invite interaction “gives a larger group of people the opportunity to get to know his works and thoughts; it allows for them to respond through the medium they’re most comfortable in”, says Poddar. “If they like big screens, we have digitally-stored exhibitions, if they prefer games, we have games. The idea is to simply start them on the journey to embracing and appreciating art.”

Shape of a Thought: Letters from Ram Kumar
| Photo Credit:
PSAC Studio

Breaking down the abstract

Since opening in 2023, MAP and its teams have understood that audiences expect more than frames of artwork hung on a wall and being declared as great art. Instead, MAP has been able to channel our obsession with smartphones while also accounting for our desires to switch off and be tactile in our environments. “The experience of something has become more and more important,” shares Ahldag. For instance, abstract art is commonly perceived as something that’s intimidating. “It’s got a reputation of being only for those in-the-know or seasoned connoisseurs.”

In order to address this notion, their exhibitions are put together to “build a relationship between the artist and the audience”, she explains. In the Ram Kumar exhibit, there are prompts in the form of questions on brown text panels next to each of the abstract paintings that might coax different entry-points into the visual for the viewer. This is an extension of their Family Label activity that allows visitors to look at the artworks and create a label on what they think artwork means, or what they saw and felt.

Tactile exhibits at the Shape of a Thought: Letters from Ram Kumar exhibition
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Ahldag has found that when these kinds of invitational interventions are “created in connection with an exhibition, people seem to be more interested”. While the inclusion of tactile art work in MAP exhibitions is an accessibility feature, an integral tenet of MAP’s outreach to have people across abilities gain access to art, “they’ve also become a way for the general public to experience art with different senses”. And though digital experiences at the museum are cutting-edge, Ahldag and her exhibitions team have found “that older ideas like a reading station or an activity desk have worked well” to build MAP’s public.

“Over the opening weekend, The Writing Table turned out to be a hit with visitors and we’ve already collected handwritten letters of gratitude, dedications and love the size of a thick book,” she tells me. For us [at the museum], it’s sweet that we’ve become a third space in the city for visitors to try out a different pace, slow down a little bit, spend time on an activity that isn’t immediately converted into a product — these are the intangibles we want to be able to share with our visitors,” she concludes.

The Writing Table installation
| Photo Credit:
PSAC Studio

Gallery at the Domestic Terminal
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Gallery at the International Terminal
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Artwork from the Bhuri Bai: My Life as an Artist exhibition
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Shape of a Thought in on till October 26.

The writer and poet is based in Bengaluru.

Published – August 21, 2025 05:17 pm IST

In the last five years, Nature and wildlife photographers across the world have raised over $2.1 million for conservation. This, courtesy of global non-profit Conservation International’s initiative titled Prints for Wildlife. Every year, a community of photographers sell their limited-edition prints and all funds raised go towards efforts supported by Conservation International. 

An Asiatic lioness with her cubs at Gir National Park, Gujarat
| Photo Credit:
Jie Fischer/Prints for Wildlife

This year, the fundraiser Edition Hope is slated to ‘respond to a new, urgent threat: the global shift away from environmental protection’. The team addresses how conservation programmes around the world are facing abrupt funding cuts and a possible future where Nature is undervalued. Therefore ‘threatening years of progress to protect biodiversity, ecosystems and the communities that depend on them for their livelihoods’.

Bringing together 200 photographers who will donate limited-edition prints, this edition will feature the likes of Joel Sartore, Florian Leydoux, Michael Poliza, Gurcharan Roopra, Björn Persson, and David Lloyd, to name a few. 

An orangutan at Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia
| Photo Credit:
Marco Gaiotti/Prints for Wildlife

Lions at Gujarat’ Gir National Park, elephants at Sands Nature Reserve in South Africa, a leopard at Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, white rhinoceros at Kenya’s Solio Game Reserve, are among the many animals featured in this year’s prints. 

A herd of elephants silhouetted against the warm orange sky of the setting sun in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park
| Photo Credit:
Neelutpaul Barua/Prints for Wildlife

Photographer Neelutpaul Barua’s shot (titled Sundowner Serenade)  features a herd of elephants silhouetted against the warm orange sky of the setting sun in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park. “I chose this photograph because, to me, it embodies the very essence of hope. Elephants are symbols of strength, resilience, and family; qualities that remind us of Nature’s ability to endure despite challenges. In the image, the fading light of day is not an ending, but a promise of tomorrow, reflecting hope for both wildlife and the landscapes they call home,” says Neelutpaul, adding that the herd moving together signifies unity and continuity, “reminding us that if we protect them today, future generations will still witness these majestic giants”. Through this picture, he hopes to inspire others to believe in a future where people and wildlife coexist in harmony.

Giraffes at Solio Game Reserve, Kenya
| Photo Credit:
Rahul Sachdev/Prints for Wildlife

Another image shot in Kenya is Rahul Sachdev’s Blazing Through. It shows two two giraffes walking through the dust at sunset at Solio Game Reserve. “I wanted to capture both the beauty and the fragility of their existence. The fading light and haze echo the reality that many species are slowly disappearing into the shadows unless we act. By sharing moments like this, I hope photography can serve as a bridge that transforms admiration into empathy, and empathy into a willingness to protect what remains,” says Rahul.

Veil of the River captures the image of a boy from Kheada village, near Kolkata, who is fishing in the river with a handmade net
| Photo Credit:
Anjan Ghosh/Prints for Wildlife

Alongside wildlife, a set of images also depict human communities that thrive with wildlife. Anjan Ghosh’s Veil of the River, for instance, captures the image of a boy from Kheada village, near Kolkata, who is fishing in the river with a handmade net. “He (the boy) was shy, but curious, and when I asked, he proudly lifted the net, almost like a curtain between his world and mine. That simple gesture reflected both innocence and resilience,” says Anjan. “We didn’t need many words. His expression and posture told me everything about his connection to the water, which sustains his family and community. For me, the silhouette is more than just a composition; it is a tribute to rural childhood, where play and survival often merge.” 

Prints (each priced at ₹10, 917) will be available for one month only at printsforwildlife.org, starting on August 21, 2025 and closing on September 21, 2025.

Published – August 21, 2025 03:59 pm IST

Hero brings segment-first features like ride-by-wire, cruise control and multiple ride modes to the 125cc commuter space.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Hero MotoCorp has rolled out the all-new Glamour X 125, a model packed with features that push the boundaries of what a 125cc commuter motorcycle typically offers. Packed with segment-first features (technologies) such as ride-by-wire, cruise control, multiple riding modes, and even a panic brake alert system, Hero is positioning the Glamour X as the most advanced commuter bike in its class.

The Glamour X 125 marks Hero’s bid to blend commuter practicality with premium tech, a balance that could redefine its segment.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The commuter space, however, is where Hero’s bread is still buttered. The company sells motorcycles in massive volumes here, with the Splendor and Glamour forming the backbone of its sales. The Glamour X 125 is clearly an attempt to inject some dynamism into a segment often defined by fuel efficiency and basic utility. The (real) question is whether commuters, who value affordability and low running costs above all, will pay extra for features like cruise control and ride modes — they are novelties in this class but not necessarily essentials.

Styling-wise, the Glamour X 125 gets sharper lines, a muscular profile, and an all-LED lighting package. (A) Its new LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, and a gear position indicator adds to its modern appeal. Underneath, the Sprint-EBT engine delivers 11.4 bhp at 8,250 rpm, with Hero emphasizing smooth power delivery and reduced vibrations through a balancer shaft and optimized gear ratios.

Hero brings segment-first features like ride-by-wire, cruise control and multiple ride modes to the 125cc commuter space.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Perhaps the most unusual addition is the world’s first low-battery kick-start function, part of Hero’s new AERA Tech platform. While clever, it also underlines a tendency to chase “segment-first” tags instead of solving real-world issues that matter most to daily riders — like consistent build quality, ride comfort over long years of use, and competitive refinement compared to rivals.

Practical touches, such as (including) a wide handlebar, a larger pillion seat, under-seat storage, and a USB Type-C charger, do address everyday commuter needs more directly. Prices are set at ₹89,999 for the drum variant and ₹99,999 for the disc brake version, which pushes the Glamour X into premium commuter territory.

The Glamour X 125 is powered by Hero’s Sprint-EBT engine, delivering 11.4 bhp with smoother power delivery and reduced vibrations for everyday riding.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Hero MotoCorp deserves credit for trying to lift the commuter category beyond barebones functionality, but the effort still feels only half complete. (halfway. )While the Glamour X 125 stands out on paper, the true test will be whether these tech-led features translate into genuine value for riders — or if they end up as gimmicks in a segment that remains stubbornly practical at its core.

Motorscribes, in association with The Hindu, brings you the latest in cars and bikes. Follow them on Instagram

READ MORE

A bevy of aromas welcome me to Bharat Bhavan at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram on a Friday evening. Enticing scents of ripe jackfruit, bananas, payasam, cutlets being fried, cakes, spices and snacks fill the air as I browse through the stalls at Mannarangile Gramachantha (village market), a new initiative of the cultural centre.

Mannarangu, the eco-theatre at Bharat Bhavan, will come alive with the sale of organic vegetables and fruits, homemade food products, ethnic eats etc by farmers and entrepreneurs from in and around the city every Friday. The market was launched last week with a three-day programme.

“This is an opportunity for farmers to sell their produce without the intervention of middle men. Besides the sale, there will be workshops and training programmes related to organic farming and cultural programmes at the venue. The stage is also open to troupes to present traditional songs, tribal songs and folk numbers,” says Pramod Payyannur, member secretary, Bharat Bhavan.

Twenty vendors were present at the inaugural market, which included those selling organic vegetables and fruits to snacks and savouries, pickles, spices etc. “These vendors will be present at all editions of the market. The number will go up in the coming weeks,” says Sindhu Reghunath, coordinator of the Gramachantha. She adds, “I have been working with various farmers’ groups, especially those who are into millet cultivation and sale of millet-based products. This initiative intends to bring together all those who are on the lookout for a good marketplace.”

Kudumbashree (women’s self-help community network) units and Krishikoottams (farmers’ forums) were at the venue with a range of products. Most of them have been trained either at Krishi Vigyan Kendras or attended sessions of Swadeshi movement or the government’s Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP).

Minister for Agriculture P Prasad and MLA Antony Raju at Mannarangile Gramachantha at Bharat Bhavan, Thycaud
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Each stall had its USP, which the vendors, mostly women, promoted with much enthusiasm. Mummu Salma excitedly spoke about the curry leaf pickle made at her unit at Kattakkada. “Tamarind, ginger, green chilli and garlic go into preparing it,” she says, as I get to taste a bit from the last bottle left at her stall. Fresh-off-the stove chicken cutlets were also available at her stall.

At Dhanalakshmy unit from Kallikkadu, the highlight was the pickle made using changalamparanda or veldt grape, a perennial plant known for its medicinal properties. Makhana or lotus seeds, ginger powder, and traditional evening snacks such as tapioca and chutney were also sold by the unit.

A stall at Mannarangile Gramachantha at Bharat Bhavan
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Jackfruit avalosepodi was the attraction at the Krishna Pickle stall from Aryanad, besides masala tea and a special hair oil made with gooseberry and medicinal leaves. “We have been trained to make a lot of products. In fact, the training has made us confident to make any value-added product,” says Bindulekha S, a member of the unit. While NR Lalitha Kumari of Bhama Pickles and Deva Foods, was happy to have sold out their virgin coconut oil, Ambika Devi, another vendor, had different jams, a special being beetroot jam, besides banana powder, corn powder, and tapioca powder among other products.

Among them was a young entrepreneur, Evana Sheen Thythottam, who runs a startup, Anugraha, selling spices and teas sourced from Idukki, her mother’s hometown.

Premlal KV from Neyyattinkara was there with his brand of honey, Jewel Honey. “I have 1600 honeybee colonies at Nilambur in Palakkad. The extracted honey is processed at Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani,” he says. Besides forest honey and stingless honey or cheruthen, he also sold honey cola.

Thalir Krishikoottam from Kesavadasapuram had a special dish — fruit pachadi. “Kappa pazham (red banana) and nendran pazham (Kerala banana) are roasted in ghee in an uruli (traditional cookware). Fruits such as pineapple and apple, nuts, dates etc are added to it. The sweetness comes from the fruits and dates and this dessert can be refrigerated,” says Jassena P, one of the five members of the Krishikoottam. Besides a bevy of snacks and short eats, they also sold ilayappam (steamed rice pancake), biriyani and pothichoru (traditional Kerala meal packed in toasted banana leaf).

Among the handful of farmers present at the market was Unnikrishnan KR, who grows native and exotic fruits on two acres at Neyyattinkara. “I have over 100 varieties in my farm. I plan to come here on all Fridays with the fruits that are in season,” says Unnikrishnan, who left his job in hotel management industry to turn a farmpreneur.

Sindhu, a millet entrepreneur, had a stall selling products of her venture, Ammayoottu Nutrimix. “We have over 125 products, which include ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products. We will be selling chama (little millet) vermicilli payasam, sprouted ragi ladoo, and muffin varieties using ragi or jowar,” Sindhu says.

The Gramachantha is on every Friday at Bharat Bhavan, Thycaud, from 10am to 7pm. Contact: 9446758126

Published – August 21, 2025 02:05 pm IST