In search of my Kurinji: The Tale of a Land across Time

Kothamangalam and its culture of farming 

The topography I was traversing would be what the Sangam poets would call marutham or farmlands. On either side of the road there were sprawling fields some of which had yielded themselves to cash crops like rubber. Cocoa and tapioca and different kinds of cultivations including yam and pepper, lent a farm freshness to the air. Kothamangalam town is always a pleasure to cross because of the imposing presence of two churches, which loom over the town.
 

Martha Mariam Valiyapally (St. Mary's Cathedral)

The Martha Mariam Valiyapally (St. Mary's Cathedral) is believed to have been founded in the 4th century and is intimately connected with the history of Christianity in the state.
 

Mar Thoma Cheriapally

St. Thomas Church, popularly known as Mar Thoma Cheriapally, where the Saint Baselios Yeldho is buried, is another important Church for the Christians of Kerala.

Kothamangalam town nestles in the serene shadow of these churches and I tried to imagine how from centuries ago small farmers would have come down from the hills with their farm produce to sell them and buy fresh wares in this small trading hub. After Kothamangalam the drive was more relaxed with lesser traffic and the houses farther and farther away from each other.
 

The Neriamangalam Bridge, built across the Periyar river

Reaching Neriamangalam, I took a minute off to step down from the car and admire the archaic charm of the Nerimangalam bridge which is situated between the Ernakulam and Idukki districts. Built in 1935 by the Maharajah of Travancore, it is named Sethulakshmi, a name reminiscent of the long lineage of the matrilineal queens of Travancore. The gateway to the high ranges of Kerala, the bridge strikes a poetic pose, with the forests and hills on the other side and the Periyar flowing quietly below, her hilly vigour calmed by the sedate plains.  
 

Focus of 2018 Kurinji

Responsible Kurinji tourism

How we are going to control this year’s kurinji is a major challenge for the entire people. . more

The Changeover is not positive

Balan Madhavan says he has travelled extensively between 1988 and 2018 in this region.more