Museum of Kerala History

"History is the essence of innumerable biographies"- Thomas Carlyle.

Introduction to Kerala History

Before we go on to the visuals it will be interesting to take a quick look at the pre-history of Kerala, which is lost in mists of myths and legends. However fanciful these are, they help to establish the Geographic and Political identity of this strip of land lying along the South West coast of the Indian Peninsula, which was known as Kerala even in pre-history.

The great Indian Epic,Mahabharata,which has been dated between 1500 BC and 1000 BC has many references to Kerala; so has the Ramayana, the other Indian epic.

Puranas which are mainly legendary stories involving Gods and Godesses of the Hindu pantheon and generally dated between 500 BC and 500 AF contain references to Kerala. An interesting one comes from Kalidasa the famed Indian poet and dramatist ( circa 4th Century AD) who in his Raghuvamsa describes the march of King Dilipa and his army all through the sub-continent of India. Arriving in Kerala, the women run in fright, their lovely tresses laden with the dust raised from the advancing army.

Kerala !

The social, cultural and political history of Kerala is linked to India history. Even though it may not reflect poet Kalidasa's picturesque imagery,the state's natural beauty is beyond question.

Mulk Raj Anand, the well-known doyen of Indian writers visited this Museum and wrote a commemorative article.

Extract:

Let us praise you ! Kerala !
Warm Paradise ! Evergreen !
with your mountains and valleys and rivers :
The sea worships your shores :
The rains give you plenty :
And numble air of the seas makes your palms
Sway and fill your coconuts with the elixir of life :

Museum

Welcome to the Museum of Kerala History.

This 'live' Museum is not just a retelling of the past but is a Light and Sound show of three-dimensional visuals. 87 figures who shaped the history and culture of Kerala in the last two thousand years have been represented here in Light and Sound Tableaus. The story, from the Early peoples of Kerala to the modern age is interspersed with Social, Cultural and literary facets is a fascinating one.

The known history of Kerala is represented in 36 visuals which cover the sweep of history over the last two thousand years. These visuals are

1. Early Peoples
2. Nannan of Ezhimala
3. Senguttavan and Ilango Venmani
4. Ay Andiran of Pothiyilmala
5. The Aryan Immigration
6. St. Thomas
7. Sankaracharya
8. Kulasekhara Alwar
9. Cheraman Perumal Nayanar
10. Mar Sapir Iso and
Ayyan Adikal Thiruvatikal
11. Bhaskara Ravi Varman
and Joseph Rabban
12. The Devadasis
13. Ravi Varma Kulasekhara
14. Vasco da Gama
15. Mamankam
16. Kalari
17. Kunjali Marakkar

18. The Oath of the Coonan Cross
19. Marthanda Varma
20. Tipu Sultan
21. Kathakali
22. Revathi Pattathanam
23. Astronomy in Kerala
24. Thunjath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan
25. Van Reede and Itti Achutan
26. Kunchan Nambiar
27. Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran
28. Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja
29. Velu Thampi Dalava
30. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
31. Dr. Herman Gundert
32. Raja Ravi Varma
33. Chattambi Swamikal, Sri Narayana Guru
34. Shri Chithra Thirunal Balarama Varma
35. Sir Robert Bristow
36. Vallamkali

A few of the above visuals are described below to give you an idea of the condensed history that these represent; the actual script for the sound track is even shorter as these 36 audio-visuals take less than one hour of show-time.

Click on each link to find out more..

Early Peoples of Kerala

Aryan Immigration and the spread of the Hindu faith ( Visual No. V)

St. Thomas and Christianity in Kerala - the Confluence of Religions

Sankaracharya and his philosophy ( Visual No VII)