Keram thingum Kerala nattil...

It is popularly believed that Kerala inherited its name from kera- the coconut tree. Though this theory has been discarded by almost all historians, it still enjoys a pseudo-official status in Kerala. This itself is enough to indicate how the coconut tree is linked so closely with the identity of the land and its people. We eat, drink and smell like coconut.
It is quite likely that Kerala is the only place where coconut is a mandatory ingredient for all dishes- be it a spicy fish curry, a sweet payasam or a steaming puttu. We might also be the only corner of the world where banana chips are fried in coconut oil, while we take a bath with the same oil applied all over us. And of course there is nothing like an auspicious beginning for us until a coconut has been ceremoniously broken.  

A Malayali, as the popular proverb goes is always on the coconut tree. But since when? How did the nostalgic trip savouring an Ilaneer start?

According to Kosambi, the "revolutionary Indian historian" ( in The Culture and Civilization of Ancient India)

...[Coconut] seems to be an import from Malaysia. It was being propagated on the east coast about the middle of the first century B.C. and reached the west coast a century later. By A.D. 120, the Saka Ushavadata, son of Dinika and son-in-law of the reigning king (title, khakarata) Nahapana, began to give away whole plantations to brahmins, each one containing several thousand coconut trees. Ushavadata was generous to the Buddhists as well, but there were no cave monasteries on the coast within his reach. The coconut, now to be found in every Indian ceremony and ritual, was rather poorly known in many parts of India before the sixth century A.D. This provides a useful comment upon 'timeless and immutable' Indian customs.

So, that breaks the deeply rooted notion that coconut has always been part of our lives. Though there are some ambigious references, from sixth century AD, to the presence coconuts in the western coast, its popularity and spread was relatively limited.

Today, Keralites use coconut tree and its products for primarily four purposes- cooking, construction of houses especially roofs,burning lamps and finally for applying on the body. Interestingly enough, not until 18th century coconut oil was not used for lighting our homes or applying on heads . According to P.K. Balakrishnan (in Caste System and Kerala History),  even until early 20th century, Punnakka oil was used for burning lamps and mustard oil for applying on hair. Of course this is for the upper catse members of the society; the use of lamps and chakks were proscribed for others.  That brings us to the conclusion that the use of coconut was strictly limited to the kitchens and perhaps to the roofs too. This is further evident from the fact that trading and even wide spread farming of coconut was non-existent in Kerala until the late 19th century. In those days, every wealthy upper catse family had a sprawling farm attached to their household where coconuts grew naturally among the mango and jack fruit trees; and these coconut trees were enough to provide for their daily consumption.

So this springs up some interesting questions.

• Why did not coconut farming pick up in Kerala, in spite of its increasing popularity as an ingredient for cooking?
• Why was there a sudden jump in the number of coconut trees after the 15th century, even though its use or farming was not popular among the common folk?

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The People's History of Kerala

• When did the land of coconuts start farming coconut trees?
  
• How did Manipravalam - a rare mixture of Sanskrit and a Dravidian language- originate only in Kerala?
• Why does the caste hierarchy in Kerala have no Vaisyas unlike in other parts of India?
• Was Kerala very poor even when there were trade relations with most parts of the world?
• Did the Ezhavas come from Eelam?
• When did Kerala start importing rice to feed its people?
  
• How did my ancestors live? What kind of food were they eating? What kind of clothes were they wearing? What kind of things did they believe in? What kind of language did they speak?
  

If you ever managed to read an official version of the Kerala History, you will be amused to see that it is nothing but a collection of who ruled us and when. If you read it more closely, even this vague list of our past rulers will turn out to be based on mere speculation at best. No wonder then that history is one of the most hated subjects in our schools. But, have you ever wondered how our ancestors lived, where they lived and even where they came from to this narrow strip of land caught between the devil and the deep sea?

May be, perhaps may be, wondering about the real history of the people of Kerala might make us more interested in understanding the nuances of our legacy. This is such a humble attempt.

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