New Moon Day

Early morning crowd at the Varkala Beach. They have come from far and wide for the rituals.

On the new moon day of the Malayalam month of Karkiddakam (Aadi in Tamil) which falls on 27th July, everyone remembers their dead and perform rituals for the well being of the soul. The day and the rituals are an unbroken tradition of the land and is observed with utmost reverence with a dip in the river and the offering of flowers and lamp made unto the  water. 

Miss Steph

Stephanie Weaver is an American Christian. She has a disability. She has no voice (sound). Inspite of her shortcomings she has found her peace with Jesus and has dedicated her life to teaching Pre-School children. She talks with help of a mechanical aid. You can listen to her in this video (link at the bottom).

 Stephanie called fondly as Miss Steph by the children is fond of writing  inspiring stories for them. She has published two such books which is now available on Amazon. They will make a wonderful gifts for our own children.

Her life is a testimony to overcoming our own disabilities and fears through faith and keep living everyday with hope.

A video of her speaking with the help of a device.

Stephanie Weaver's book on Amazon

Wayanad Tribal Tourism

Wayanad has always been a pleasant surprise. Natural and beautiful, a delight of the tourists. The more we try to learn about Wayanad the more curious we become about the original inhabitants of the hill country. Few centuries ago there were no one except them. It was Tipu’s soldiers who came down the hills from Mysore making way for his march to conquer the coast and its harbours. Then came the British who knew how to work the hill, magnificent plantations came up, labourers from all over the south found a means of bread and settled. Within a few years, Wayanad became a fashionable European settlement. Few of the names of the hills and the places were changed but mostly the old ways and names remained. By the turn of the 20th century, came the flood of local migration, centuries long tribal heritage of the place was lost for ever.

Enchanting Wayanad always had the tourism potential; it was realized early became operational with policy change when the tourism focus shifted from south to North Kerala. Besides the natural beauty what captivated the tourists were its original people. At last an enterprise had come up celebrating the heritage, tradition and lives of the tribes of Wayanad.

A charitable trust formed with the leadership of Sub-collector and 13 tribal leaders has formed a tribal heritage centre “ Enna OOru” formally making a platform to interact, experience the tribal way of life including 10 tribal huts for the visitors to stay in. The centre has shops to sell tribal products of medicine, art, crafts etc. a cafeteria to taste tribal foods, space to hold events and performances in tribal culture.

It is a beginning in a way. Let us hope, the tribes themselves could set up their own enterprise and truly change the face of Wayanad tourism.