‘The King Cobra and the Snake Charmer and other Short Stories’

This book is a collection of 30 short stories. These short stories narrate the lives of the villagers of Kerala. Releasing by the Spring of 2012.

India is a bundle of several cultures and traditions. Being a State of it, Kerala too is not different.

I am trying to reveal the facts connected with the lives of Kerala, especially of Cherthala and Vayalar, two places in Alleppey district. As I had been appointed as a teacher I happened to stay in Kasaragod district for a long period from 1968 to 1986. It made me to understand the world of seven languages and several lifestyles. When I wrote short stories and novels I was unable to exclude the place and the people who live there. In between I wish to say that I am in the creation of a novel basing the wonderful land of Kasaragod. In this collection five stories are from the glittering moments of my past experiences of that district, where I had lived a long period.

The other stories are of my birth place Cherthala and Vayalar village where I reside with my family now. Artist Vasudeva Menon has tried his level best for giving elegance to each story by his efficient strokes. I should give thanks to him for his sincere work.

As everyone knows Kerala, my native state is a land of rivers and lakes. In the west there is the Arabian Sea.

Years ago the inhabitants of Alleppey district did the works connected with coconut. Making copra was a flourished business. Many people made coir, using rotten coconut husk. And there was a port in Alleppey, which was used for exporting coir and the materials made by using coir.

'The Ayurvedic Healer’

Set in the intriguing atmosphere of India in the early 20th century, full of mysticism, love, compassion, and political drama, The Ayurvedic Healer tells the story of Madhavan Namboodiri, a physician practicing an ancient medical science, and his enduring love for Rosilie. By healing the underprivileged, regardless of their civilian and religious status, touching the untouchables, he follows his beliefs and disobeys the rules of his society. His life story is set in the background of India's struggle for freedom, the communist revolt in the Southern State of Kerala, social advancement, and the emergence of new societies. The Ayurvedic Healer sweeps the reader into an exotic place and time, rendering an intimate experience through sharing Madhavan Namboodiri's life and love.

In Trikkaanipuram village of Cochin Country there was a landlord named Dathathreyan Namboodiri. Madhavan Namboodiri was his younger brother. According to the law of Brahmin community, Madhavan had no claim in the traditional wealth. All wealths went under the control of the elder brother. And he could marry more than one girl from his community. Dathathreyan had three wives.

Younger brothers were allowed to marry Soodra ladies, but Madhavan decided to not to marry. After completing communal ceremonies at the age of sixteen, he left to his uncle's house at Calicut.He was an Ayurvedic Practitioner. Under the training of uncle, Madhavan became an expert Ayurvedic Physician. Later he returned to Trikkaanipuram with the ambition of beginning an infirmary there. The elder brother gave Madhavan his barn for the purpose. Madhavan never liked his brother’s deeds and he was ready to help the downtrodden people. His elder brother never liked his mode of dealings.

‘The Azure of Solicitude’

Kakkathuruthu, one of the villages in which half of the events take place in my novel, was once the dwelling place of all kinds of crows. Then humans came there. The crows behave with intelligence. They can understand the language of people, but cannot speak. People believe that a crow never dies due to old age. That it becomes young at the time of other creatures go back to earth. Once in a year the people perform the death anniversary of the passed out souls. On plantain leaves, they dedicate rice glomerations on the burial place of the dead forefathers and pray them to take the worshipped substance and give back benisons. Crows crowd there in order to take the given eatables. The crows are believed to be the departed souls. Unless crows refuse to take anyone's rice glomerations, she or he would be a sinner.

And some birds like Kalankozhis (Fowls of Yama) are believed to be the predictors of a coming death. Yama is the Deity of death and Kalankozhis are His messengers. That if a Kalankozhi sings the song of death, there would be a soul's departure in the surroundings. Every year in the hottest month, the people pray to Deity Sun for blessings. They want to get decreased the sultriness of the Deity's rays. They want to get increased the crop of paddy cultivation. Worshipping of the Deity Sun is known as Audityapooja or Sooryapooja. And there are the legends of Sabarimala Sri Ayyappan, Vaver and Veluthachan. The beliefs on them are as prominent as of breathtaking among the Keralites. Every year they go to Sabarimala for having the divine sight of Sri Ayyappan, where His Idol is installed. Near His temple Vaver's temple too can be sighted. But Veluthachan's Idol is erected and consecrated in a Church to which people go for worshipping.