Of Family RelationsAs I wrote in an earlier article, Kerala’s matrilineal family consisted of the woman, her siblings, and their children living together as a…Sep 21Sep 21
The Great Military CommanderIn my previous articles on the last names Kartha and Kurupp, I wrote about their derivation from analogous titles in ancient Egypt. This…Sep 18Sep 18
The Chieftain and the DirectorIn my previous article, I wrote about the aristocratic title kartha of Kerala. In this article, I touch on another title: കുറുപ്പ് kurupp…Sep 14Sep 14
Doer or Mayor?കർത്ത kartha was a hereditary aristocratic title awarded to middling chieftains in Kerala’s complicated hierarchical power network.¹ As was…Sep 10Sep 10
Temples and Communism in KeralaToday’s diverse religions manifest a common thread: none of them are tied to economic governance. Taxes, salaries, wages, rents, and other…Aug 19Aug 19
The dandy and the kingIn Malayalam, the word modikkaaran മോടിക്കാരന് means “dandy.”¹ The word derives from modi മോടി “high bearing,” “majesty,” “grandeur.”²Aug 1Aug 1
Agrarian laborers of erstwhile KeralaAncient Kerala was an agrarian society, and laborers who worked the land belonged to communities called Parayan and Pulayan.¹ According to…Jul 27Jul 27
Prepositions: A Comparative StudyIn my previous articles, I wrote about the history of material everyday objects in Kerala — idangazhi, muzham, tuvara, mund — suggesting a…Jul 4Jul 4
