EACH one of us has our preference when it comes to the things we want to see and do when visiting a place.
Some likes to try the food, others opt to shop, there are those who want to rough it out, while there are travelers who prefer to learn about the local culture.
For those who love culture and happen to be in Kerala, a state in India known for its great destinations, the district of Thrissur is one of its cultural centers.
They endeavor to preserve their intangible heritage as it is also at risk of being forgotten.
To preserve and promote their local culture and history, the government of Kerala created the Muziris Heritage Project.
Other initiatives are also being implemented by local non-profit organizations and local groups.
Boat Tour
It was a hop-on, hop-off boat tour along Periyar river in the port city of Muziris.
The tour included stops at the Paliam Palace Museum, Kottappuram Fort, and Sahodaran Ayyappan Museum.
It is also in this area where one can find St. Thomas’ Shrine. The tour is a great way to introduce visitors to the rich history of Kerala, including the colorful political fervor in the past.
Folk Art Forms
At the small town of Cheruthuruthy, we sat on mats laid out at a local’s front yard, while the bright moon and the stars shone down on us. The Vayali Group started performing, chanting and singing, as others played local instruments. The main actors wore brass accessories that created sounds at their every move.
Koodiyattam
A green-faced man, wearing an elaborate costume and headdress performed the Koodiyattam, which was declared as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.
It features ancient Sanskrit theatre in its performance. Accompanied by drumbeats, the actor made sophisticated facial expressions with graceful hand movements.
OttanThullal
It’s almost similar to Koodiyattam because of the green-faced actor as the main performer. But OttanThullal is a dance and poetic solo play that parodies various social realities.
We enjoyed watching OttanThullalat a local school with local children that were enthralled by the theatric show.
Poothan and Thira
Another ritualistic performance of two actors wearing extremely huge headdresses delighted us in one of the villages we visited.
This is usually presented in temples and villages to cleanse locals of evil spirits.
Sadhya Lunch
It is a feast of rice with various local dishes placed on a banana leaf. We ate the food by hand, which is also common to many Filipino households.
Panchavadyam
At the Sopanam School, we were introduced to various traditional musical instruments. Young boys and older men played these instruments, thus creating a beautiful symphony of music.
TolpavaKothu
This is Kerala’s shadow puppetry. We visited the home of one of the puppeteers in Cheruthuruthy, wherein the tradition is passed on from one generation to another. His house was filled with leather puppets, and he and his sons even did a demonstration for us.
The cultural vibe in Thrissur is rich. As visitors, we appreciate them showing us their local heritage. We hope that communities like theirs will thrive in preserving this rich inheritance.
(All photos are by this author unless otherwise stated. Claire Marie Algarme blogs at http://firsttimetravels.com. Follow her as @firsttimetravel on Twitter and Instagram and like her Facebook page First-time Travels blog.)