1937 - History Of Kerala - Volume II - K.P. Padmanabha Menon
Item
en
1937 - History Of Kerala - Volume II - K.P. Padmanabha Menon
1937
716
This is a comprehensive encyclopedia of the daily life, trade, and culture of early modern Kerala. Bypassing royal politics to focus on the life of the common people, the book details Malabar temple architecture, daily rituals, and the sovereign power wielded by temple sanctuaries. It documents domestic folklore, including traditional house construction (Vastu Shastra), house consecration ceremonies, omens, and witchcraft. The text maps regional concepts of time through solar calendars like the Kollam era, alongside major festivals such as Onam and Thiruvathira. Economically, it analyzes the global spice trade that earned the region the title "Mother of Pepper," as well as the cultivation of turmeric, cardamom, and the coconut palm. Finally, it explores regional sacred ecology through an in-depth study of sacred snake groves (Sarpa Kavu) and concludes with a historical survey of Malayalam literature.