This special e-edition combines all three print volumes of the collected enduring legends of Kerala in the Aithihyamaala, the garland of legends. Yakshis, gandharvas, gods and demi-gods. Famous poets and learned Ayurvedic doctors. Magicians, conceited kings and Kalari gurus. Faithful, intelligent elephants and their fatherly mahouts. A vibrant and diverse cast of characters brings to life the ancient stories. The original collection of 126 tales, were documented over 25 years and written in the 1900s by Kottaaraththil Sankunni. These stories of well-known figures in Kerala folklore were first published in Bhashaposhini, the renowned Malayalam literary magazine. This edition of 50 stories, meticulously curated and translated by Leela James, transports you to the magical world of history, myth and fantasy of more than 100 years ago. Wisdom and vice, revenge and loyalty, imagination and fact, faith and superstition are intricately intertwined to create a collector?s edition for lovers of legends, Malayalam folklore and Indian literature.

Ithihyamala Is A Collection Of Legends In Malayalam, Numbering Over A Hundred Written By Kottarathil Sankunni, A Versatile Scholar. The Stories Cover A Vast Spectrum Of Life, Personalities, Events And Skills, Including Magic, Medicine, Illusion, And So On. The Stories Are Remarkable For Their Simplicity, Lucid Style, Richness Of Humour And Charm. The Stories Give A Deep Insight Into The Customs And Traditions Of Kerala. This Volume Contains Select Stories From The Original Classic. Highly Recommended For Children Of All Ages.

A selection of stories adapted from the Ithihyamala, a marvellous treasury of legends of Kerala These vibrant fables evoke a long-lost, never-never land: an enchanted world of sorcerers, exorcists and yakshis; eccentric rajas and haughty poets; martial-arts prodigies and peerless physicians; wily wits and devious gadflies; clever elephants, sly crooks, gallant brigands and a motley bunch of uncommon common people. Retold by best-selling author Abraham Eraly and superbly illustrated by Jayachandran, Tales Once Told is an engaging blend of earthy wisdom and sparkling humour.

Kūṭiyāṭṭam, India’s only living traditional Sanskrit theatre, has been continually performed in Kerala for at least a thousand years. The actors and drummers create an entire world in the empty space of the stage by using spectacular costumes and make-up and by an immensely rich interplay of words, rhythms, mime, and gestures. This volume focuses on Mantrāṅkam and Aṅgulīyāṅkam, the two great masterpieces of Kūṭiyāṭṭam. It provides fundamental general remarks and relates them to pan-Indian reflections on aesthetics, philology, ritual studies, and history. Authored by scholars and active Kūṭiyāṭṭam performers, this is the first attempt to bring together a set of sustained, multi-faceted interpretations of these masterpieces-in-performance. With an aim to open up this ancient art form to readers interested in South Indian culture, religion, theatre and performance studies, philology as well as literature, this volume offers a new way to access a major art form of pre-modern and modern Kerala.

Historical account of the St. Thomas Christians of Kerala, India.