10 Things You Should Know About Malayali Culture

The biggest festival celebrated by Malayalis is Onam. It is celebrated in honour of the mythical King Mahabali, who ruled over the land of the Malayalis. It spans over ten days, and celebrations are marked by decorative floral patterns at the entrance of the home.

Kerala is known for its wonderful art forms. Kathakali has been recognised by UNESCO on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is a sublime dance drama that depicts episodes from Indian epics. Mohiniattam is another classical art form that evokes the highest form of femininity through its graceful movements.

Food is an intrinsic part of Malayali culture and there are some staple favourites of Malayalis wherever they are in the world. Coconut and fish are available in abundance, so are widely consumed. Coconut is used in almost every dish in Kerala’s cuisine, including snacks, main courses, and desserts. Beef is another favourite of the meat eating Malayali, combined with porotta for a perfect combination. Ubiquitous bananas are also an intrinsic part of snacks, main dishes, and desserts.

The yellow metal is cherished by Malayalis not just for ornamentation purposes, but as a mark of honour during marriages and as a financial investment. Keralite brides are famous for being decked in gold.

The traditional boat race of Kerala, known as vallam kali, is a race of canoes, or snake boats. The method of creating these boats dates back 650 years, when they were first created for the harvest festival. Among the several boat races throughout the state, the Jawaharlal Nehru Trophy is the biggest.

Elephants are beloved to all Malayalis. Their importance in every aspect of the culture is reflected in the fact that the elephant is the state animal. It’s on important emblems such as the masthead of the Government of Kerala, the logo of the government transport buses and on some newspapers. These gentle giants are also an important part of temple festivities.

Malayalam cinema ranks among the best in the world in terms of story-driven plots and cinematography, and are regular winners at international film festivals. The realistic portrayal of the intricacies of human life are a hallmark of Malayali films. World class filmmakers such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ramu Kariat, and Sreenivasan are Malayalis, as are actors Mohan Lal, Mammootty, Shobana, and Manju Warrier.

One of the oldest surviving martial art forms in the world, the current form of Kalaripayattu dates back to the sixth century. Vedic sage Agastya is considered as the founding father of the combat form, which includes a combination of steps and postures, known as chuvattu and vadivu. The main aim is the coordination of body and mind.

A characteristic of Kerala’s cuisine is the steamed foods. Using rice as the primary ingredient, a number of dishes such as vellayappam, idiyappam, and idly are produced by steaming. Made with coconut milk, they form an excellent healthy breakfast or snack. They can be eaten with chutney and gravy, and are very popular.

It is said that the ultimate achievement of a Malayali’s life is determined by the size of his house. While this notion may be changing, stately homes with full amenities are a ubiquitous sight throughout the state. A distinctive feature is the grand boundary wall and opulent gate.