Star World

What 'chankoottam' (courage)! In a plural country like ours, all those who eke out a living outside their homestate are in different lands of unknown languages and cultures! It is the same 'chankoottam' that prompted them to migrate to various lands of opportunities including other states in the country and survive. It is their ability to adapt to different cultures and traditions and the daring and dashing nature that helped Malayalis, something that they have inherited from their land of birth of great culture and great traditions. If to name a few of those traditions of Kerala, the oldest and the most sophisticated martial art 'Kalaripayattu' originated here, the oldest and the matchingly subtle dance form Koodiyattam, which later evolved into Kathakali, has its roots here. All these point to the reality that the people in this land of cultural and religious synthesis (Christianity set its first foot here after St Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Chr...

  Once upon a time he was the cynosure of all eyes, source of all sorts of riches and solace to every caring person at any poor household that became rich due to his hard days in Middle-east. Such was his charisma, such was his attraction for he was the brain behind all the makeover that Kerala had undergone in 70s, 80s, 90s and then in the beginning of 21st century. So says the world; he takes pride in such a situation and brags of his achievements and skills to that effect. As if had it not been for its Gulf NRIs Kerala would have gone to dogs! It's a fact that Kerala's rustic background splendoured itself due to his arduous days in Gulf (read Middle-east). European, American, UK and all other NRIs from the state may be rich because of fat bank balances but they cannot claim to be enjoying that freedom in spending and remittances to their fill as Gulf NRIs. It is the 'thick' line of difference that separates him from his counterparts in other nations. They have to suf...