Day 53, Aadikadalai [Wednesday 25th January 2008]
Previous day: Day 52, Aadikadalai, Kerala [Tuesday 24th January 2008]
Next day: Day 54, Kannur [Saturday 26th January 2008 - Republic Day]
We get up at 7am and take a paddle boat up the river. There's a hazy morning glow over the river, and it's beautifully quiet. We see cormorants, cranes and kingfishers.
When we come back we see Ranji and the whole family on the bank waiting for us. We take Navya out for a quick ride. The kids have their school anniversary day today, which means they put on a show and give out prizes, and Jyothi has taken a day's leave to go with them.
We all drive into Kannur together where Ranji recommends a fabric shop for me. I want to buy some cotton to get a shirt tailored, and Ranji has been wearing some nice ones so I asked him where he got them. Most people get clothes tailored here - it's a better fit and cheaper than readymades. I come out from the shop with cotton for two shirts and linen for a pair of trousers, which cost me Rs. 1700. The boy in the shop walks us over to a tailor, but he's too busy, so we try another, and he also is busy. The third choice is is available, so he measures me up and tells me to pick up my clothes in 3 day's time.
We find a good bookshop, DC Books, and I buy "In Spite Of The Gods", a book which I had found on a shelf and first started reading back in Hampi. It's an excellent look at the state of India by a former Financial Times economist. We look in Green's Supermarket, which has rows and rows of shelves standing testament to India's insatiable appetite for snacking.
That evening we go back to the next village's temple, walking through coconut groves to get there. We see toddy tappers shinning up the trees, knives and bottles slung around their waist, to harvest the latest batch of fermenting sap.
At the temple te first part of the theyyam is starting. The theyyam himself appears partly dressed in his costume. He has not yet assumed the identity of the deity at this point, but is preparing for the ritual. We are able to see into the 'green room' and witness the intricate costume being fitted by several people. In front of the temple they apply coloured paste to his arms and face. Drums start to play, repeatedly rising and falling in rhythm. The theyyam prsents packages of wrapped leaves to the assembled priests and drummers, who touch his feet as a sign of respect. Then he spins around rapidly and points into the crowd at two men. The priests summon these men towards the theyyam and they too are presented with a rolled leaf - is it paan?
For dinner we have curried mussels, rotis and sambar. The mussels are deshelled and quite dry, mixed with lots of ginger and garlic. We have more payasam for pudding.
Around the dinner table there follows much discussion concerning the timings of the theyyam ceremonies. There are two more guests with us now. Antoinette, who we met and who recommended KK Heritage to us. And Lisa has come from Germany to study kalaripayatu. Ranji makes a phone call to one of the drummers and gets some inside information. We resolve to get up at 5am tomorrow to watch the ceremony. Apparently Gulikan, a theyyam with an extraordinarily tall headdress, will appear at 2am, followed by Shastapan at around am, and finally Vishnumurthi at around dawn. They will then stay until at least midday talking to people, offering advice and blessings, still in the identity of the deity.
Next day: Day 54, Kannur [Saturday 26th January 2008 - Republic Day]
Previous day: Day 52, Aadikadalai, Kerala [Tuesday 24th January 2008]