T. H. Baber and the Cochin Jews
The White and the Black Jews of Cochin Several books and papers feature the white and the Black Jewish community which lived in Cochin. Many of the descendants have since taken up their Aliyah and...
View ArticleSituating Histories
Calicut and the two battles of 1503 and 1790, Dr Noone’s new book Some years ago, I wrote about the famous sea battle of Calicut fought during the early months of 1503, preparations having been made...
View ArticleKodaikanal – Amidst the Palani Hills
The princess among hill stations and the many stories it hides. I will always remember the hill station and the few times I have visited the place. At that time, I did not know any of these stories,...
View ArticlePower brokers and Saints – The case of Sayyid Fadl – The Mambram Pookoya Thangal
Malabar & Istanbul – Late 19th Century Two things made me pick up this topic for study. One - the fact that Sayyid Fadl spent his last years in Istanbul, a city I love, and two -the remark made by...
View ArticlePulappedi, Mannappedi or Parappedi
A sanctioned ritual, a social evil, or disciplining? I still remember that in our younger days, women going to temples or neighboring houses in the village always took along – or were told by the...
View ArticleThe Zamorin and the Betel Leaf ceremony
Taking charge at Kallayi… It has been said that in the distant past, a new Zamorin taking charge of his kingdom would make a ceremonial procession from one of his residential kovilakoms (usually at...
View ArticleHigginbotham’s Madras – And the mystery behind its origins
And it's Cannanore connection!! Many articles have been written about Higginbotham’s in the past and the consensus is that the founder and original owner was Abel Joshua Higginbotham. This has been...
View ArticleThe Quilon Plot - 1812
Ummini Thampi’s (Marthandam Thampi Iravi, Womana Tomby) overtures against the British. I wrote about the Munro years in Travancore in 2017, and introduced to readers a fascinating character named...
View ArticleMedieval Navigation Techniques
The Kamal, or the Rapalagai Curiosity, adventure, and profits were always the lure for exploration. While travel across land masses was recorded from the oldest times, sailing the seas proved to be...
View ArticleThe Merry Lodge - Trichur
Rajarshi Rama Varma’s final abode First, let us get an insight into the illustrious raja. HH Maharaja Sri Sir RAMAVARMA XV ruled over Cochin 1895-1914, Maharaja [cr.1921], G.C.I.E., G.C.S.I., K.C.S.I.,...
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