A narrative on the Cultural and Heritage archives of Southern India…
Temple towns across the country depict the kind of tourism that is less talked about but experienced to the fullest by those who have an appetite for it.
A fraction of the aura can be found in most of the districts in the southern zone of this nation; which embraces diversity in every corner and cranny.
If you have grown up living the world crafted by authors like Sudha Murthy, R K Narayan and Ruskin bond and have embodied the personas of the main leads in the folktales and fictions as you flipped through the paperbacks , you are well versed with the default neighborhood you instantly imagine with the mention of middle class communities of India. Vibrant, bustling and most importantly content with richness in their hearts and smiling through the missing jingles in their pockets.
One such abode that fiction and reality have done justice to is the legacy of temple towns and existence of heritage districts.
“Gramams ; the term improvised over the ages roughly translates to a traditional settlement /village .They are considered to be an an important part of the cultural heritage of southern India and provide a glimpse into the country’s rich history and traditions.
Kalpathy, Mylapore and Malleshwaram are a few heritage districts that find a place in this bucket of grace. The later 2 boast strongly of Dravidian architecture with their defined gopurams, intricate carvings and age old traditions of worship.
The steeped theerthams or pool of water located near the temple is more prominent for Mylapore with its relevantly older style of architecture, Malleshwaram offers a perfect aura of richness with its comparatively newer heritage.
The inherent pixie dust of chills is obliviant with its irresistible Sampige flower scent that captivates you as as you take a stroll to explore the heritage of one of the oldest districts of this silicon valley
Let’s delve into the architectural beauty in the upcoming case studies but for now let’s zoom in and pursue the lively coordinates that brew the energy here.
Each of these fragments begin their days early, characterized by the strong aroma of filter “kaapi” (Coffee) that blends well with the fresh flowers that adorn the streets that witness the women designing traditional kolams with rice flour , humming along the tunes of Suprabhatam invoking positivity and embracing the new day.
Kolams are traditionally made of rice flour not just for the convenience factor but also so that sparrows/ants can feed over it, thus symbolizing a piece of art as well as service.
These areas often have a local temple and even if not it’s rare to not come across the colorful Vibhootis on people’s foreheads. Some adorned in a rush and some patiently detailed with the perfect shape and texture.
It’s not a rare sight to see groups of seniors here seated by the temple premises relishing the peace and quality of their company. The fresh flowers have become an inherent part of these surroundings and their existence here is more than embellishing the deities but also crowning the hair of women who carry the load with ease, with a smile and a cheer of empowerment.
What we sometimes overlook is that such communities have also given birth to small businesses that have thrived and carved a niche for themselves.
It starts with a house, it gets distributed across the street , the neighborhood can’t get enough of it and with time it becomes the talk of the town.
Aachar Mami of Kalpathy, Veena stores of Malleshwaram and Rayar mess of Mylapore ,we can’t agree more here , can we? 😉
But what’s the brow raiser here?
Keeping aside all the layers of definition, what remains eternal and core to most of the varied types of Indian settlements is the innate sense of harmony and trust that is passed from one generation to another. And this piece throws light upon just one such traditional type of community among the hundreds that embrace simplicity across the length and breadth of the country.
It’s a journey that begins with strangers being termed as neighbors, neighbors being labelled as family and then its just a huge community of families spread across a neighborhood with umpteen affection, handful of respect, tinge of friendly mockery and egoless odor.
As we move into nuclearity with decreasing affinity to socializing in this new age world, a revision of the above recipe won’t be that tedious of a chore .
Its safe to say the aftertaste looks promising given it’s tried and tested by veterans across the indigenous landscape.
Pictures ; as painted by Geechugalu collective in the streets of Malleshwaram, Bangalore.
