The family system, customs and traditional practices of Tamilians and Keralites are indistinguishable
There’s this old and tired cliché about Malayalees and migration — when Armstrong landed on the moon and before he could find his bearings, there was this Nair guy asking from his teashop whether he needed a hot cuppa!
But then why is it that the omnipresent Malayalee tea shops, found all over the place in any other city, are not to be seen anywhere in Madurai, one may wonder. Reason: they are everywhere, but without the telltale signs of fluorescent-coloured lungis usually worn by the menfolk and ceramic crockery neatly arranged on shelves. It is estimated that there are more than one lakh people of Kerala origin in Madurai.
Traders
According to a retired railway man T.C. Thomas, who came from Kalluppara in erstwhile Tiruvalla district in the early 50s to Madurai, migration of people and trading of commodities from Kerala to Tamil Nadu and vice versa have been happening for many centuries, from the days of Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas. Businessmen from Kozhikode and other places in the Malabar coast have been trading in textiles since time immemorial.
“There was a spurt in the migration from the start of 20th century when people from many parts of Kerala, particularly from the Malabar coast, joined as labourers in the Harvey Mills, Fenner and numerous other textile mills here. At the same time, pappad makers from Kunnamkulam and nearby areas in Trichur district also set shop in Subramaniapuram and Jaihindpuram areas. Weavers in large numbers settled down in Sellur and surrounding areas.”
Mr.Thomas says Malayalee craftsmen are known for their intricate workmanship, an eye for detail and aesthetics. A lot of coppersmiths and mirror makers also descended on Madurai. Many of them are found in Anaiyur. “Since they’ve merged with the locals through the generations, they’ve lost their Malayalee identity. Only a persistent prodding will reveal their lineage,” he says.
Many Malayalees also occupied important posts in Madurai. Some are: the first District Congress Committee president George Joseph (1940s), District Collector E.C.P. Prabhakaran (late 50s), many principals of American College and top executives of Madura Coats and Fenner. At one time, almost all nurses in Mission Hospital and head nurses in Erskine Hospital (Government Rajaji Hospital) were from Kerala.
Among the Malayalee Christians from the Chengannur-Tiruvalla-Changanassery-Kottayam belt, there are people belonging to denominations such as Orthodox Syrian with a church on Bypass Road, and Marthomites, who conduct their service in Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary inArasaradi, besides a good number of Roman Catholics from Kollam coast, who’ve settled down in Mahaboobpalayam, and very few Anglo-Indians.
According to S. Jayanarayanan, secretary of Malayali Samajam-Madurai, “You’ll find Malayalees from all walks of life in Madurai. Since many hide behind a ‘local’ identity for business or survival purpose, it is hard to pinpoint one as a Keralite. The family system, customs and traditional practices of Tamilians and Keralites being indistinguishable from one another, it is all the more difficult. Moreover, those who settled down here long back think and act like the locals do, be it religious ceremonies or social functions.”
Lineage
The weavers of Kerala ancestry belong to the Kaikula Chettiar community. Right from well-known restaurants, furniture shops and top-notch shops on Town Hall Road run by Malabar Muslims to shops inside Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple (Kovil kadai), Keralites run all sorts of business in Madurai, Mr. Jayanarayanan, who is a native of Palakkad, says.
“Except for the first-generation migrants whose accent is a give away (sometimes mistaken as Kanyakumari Tamil), the rest pass off as locals. The Namboodiri-Iyer-Iyengar-Nambiar-Menon-Nair-Ezhava … caste system and hierarchy prevalent in Kerala is totally absent among Madurai Malayalees. More heartening is the resultant inter-caste marriages among our people,” says Guruvayur-born K.R. Sankaran, president of the Samajam.
The association, started in the 60’s, lost its moorings over the years and is back on its feet. It is enlisting members and plans to start a primary school with Malayalam medium of instruction. It has a small library at its office off Bypass Road.
Food they love
Madurai Malayalees, who maintain contact with their homeland, do miss some things. Berley Peter from Thalavady near Tiruvalla says most of the typical Kerala vegetables, rice varieties (red rice or kutharisi) etc., are available here, though not of the desired quality. “But ‘karimeen’ (sort of ‘jilebi kendai’), a much loved delicacy of all Malayalees is not available at all. Same is the case with ‘kappa’ (tapioca) and the overpowering kandhari chilli that is needed for preparing the sammandhi to go with it.”
She says even the ethakkai (plantain) that is available here is of ‘pandikkai’ variety and inferior to the yellow ‘naadankai’ which does not need turmeric while making chips. Same is the case with ‘karivellari’ (big cucumber) that is used as a vegetable in Kerala.
“Otherwise, all the eriseri, puliseri etc., take different names here while the ingredients and the cooking methods have subtle difference,” she says.
As for saris and churidars, Keralites prefer lighter shades while Madurai shops are awash with dark ones, Ms. Berley rues.
Malayalees of all faiths come together every year to celebrate Onam while Vishu and Deepavali are celebrated by the Hindus.
Source - The Hindu MetroPlus
There’s this old and tired cliché about Malayalees and migration — when Armstrong landed on the moon and before he could find his bearings, there was this Nair guy asking from his teashop whether he needed a hot cuppa!
But then why is it that the omnipresent Malayalee tea shops, found all over the place in any other city, are not to be seen anywhere in Madurai, one may wonder. Reason: they are everywhere, but without the telltale signs of fluorescent-coloured lungis usually worn by the menfolk and ceramic crockery neatly arranged on shelves. It is estimated that there are more than one lakh people of Kerala origin in Madurai.
Traders
According to a retired railway man T.C. Thomas, who came from Kalluppara in erstwhile Tiruvalla district in the early 50s to Madurai, migration of people and trading of commodities from Kerala to Tamil Nadu and vice versa have been happening for many centuries, from the days of Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas. Businessmen from Kozhikode and other places in the Malabar coast have been trading in textiles since time immemorial.
“There was a spurt in the migration from the start of 20th century when people from many parts of Kerala, particularly from the Malabar coast, joined as labourers in the Harvey Mills, Fenner and numerous other textile mills here. At the same time, pappad makers from Kunnamkulam and nearby areas in Trichur district also set shop in Subramaniapuram and Jaihindpuram areas. Weavers in large numbers settled down in Sellur and surrounding areas.”
Mr.Thomas says Malayalee craftsmen are known for their intricate workmanship, an eye for detail and aesthetics. A lot of coppersmiths and mirror makers also descended on Madurai. Many of them are found in Anaiyur. “Since they’ve merged with the locals through the generations, they’ve lost their Malayalee identity. Only a persistent prodding will reveal their lineage,” he says.
Many Malayalees also occupied important posts in Madurai. Some are: the first District Congress Committee president George Joseph (1940s), District Collector E.C.P. Prabhakaran (late 50s), many principals of American College and top executives of Madura Coats and Fenner. At one time, almost all nurses in Mission Hospital and head nurses in Erskine Hospital (Government Rajaji Hospital) were from Kerala.
Among the Malayalee Christians from the Chengannur-Tiruvalla-Changanassery-Kottayam belt, there are people belonging to denominations such as Orthodox Syrian with a church on Bypass Road, and Marthomites, who conduct their service in Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary inArasaradi, besides a good number of Roman Catholics from Kollam coast, who’ve settled down in Mahaboobpalayam, and very few Anglo-Indians.
According to S. Jayanarayanan, secretary of Malayali Samajam-Madurai, “You’ll find Malayalees from all walks of life in Madurai. Since many hide behind a ‘local’ identity for business or survival purpose, it is hard to pinpoint one as a Keralite. The family system, customs and traditional practices of Tamilians and Keralites being indistinguishable from one another, it is all the more difficult. Moreover, those who settled down here long back think and act like the locals do, be it religious ceremonies or social functions.”
Lineage
The weavers of Kerala ancestry belong to the Kaikula Chettiar community. Right from well-known restaurants, furniture shops and top-notch shops on Town Hall Road run by Malabar Muslims to shops inside Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple (Kovil kadai), Keralites run all sorts of business in Madurai, Mr. Jayanarayanan, who is a native of Palakkad, says.
“Except for the first-generation migrants whose accent is a give away (sometimes mistaken as Kanyakumari Tamil), the rest pass off as locals. The Namboodiri-Iyer-Iyengar-Nambiar-Menon-Nair-Ezhava … caste system and hierarchy prevalent in Kerala is totally absent among Madurai Malayalees. More heartening is the resultant inter-caste marriages among our people,” says Guruvayur-born K.R. Sankaran, president of the Samajam.
The association, started in the 60’s, lost its moorings over the years and is back on its feet. It is enlisting members and plans to start a primary school with Malayalam medium of instruction. It has a small library at its office off Bypass Road.
Food they love
Madurai Malayalees, who maintain contact with their homeland, do miss some things. Berley Peter from Thalavady near Tiruvalla says most of the typical Kerala vegetables, rice varieties (red rice or kutharisi) etc., are available here, though not of the desired quality. “But ‘karimeen’ (sort of ‘jilebi kendai’), a much loved delicacy of all Malayalees is not available at all. Same is the case with ‘kappa’ (tapioca) and the overpowering kandhari chilli that is needed for preparing the sammandhi to go with it.”
She says even the ethakkai (plantain) that is available here is of ‘pandikkai’ variety and inferior to the yellow ‘naadankai’ which does not need turmeric while making chips. Same is the case with ‘karivellari’ (big cucumber) that is used as a vegetable in Kerala.
“Otherwise, all the eriseri, puliseri etc., take different names here while the ingredients and the cooking methods have subtle difference,” she says.
As for saris and churidars, Keralites prefer lighter shades while Madurai shops are awash with dark ones, Ms. Berley rues.
Malayalees of all faiths come together every year to celebrate Onam while Vishu and Deepavali are celebrated by the Hindus.
Source - The Hindu MetroPlus
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