EXPLORING THE TRADITION AND CULTURE OF KERALA AND

EXPLORING THE TRADITION AND CULTURE OF KERALA AND ARGENTINA BY ISAAC ABRAHAM

SO WHAT ARE THE TRADITIONS OF KERALA? Onam • Onam is a Hindu festival that celebrates Lord Vishnu’s victory over a demon. This festival is the iconic festival of South India. You can find a long list of activities during this festival. Top elements of the festival are boat race, royal parade of Thripunithura Athachamayan, traditional Onam feast on a fresh banana leaf, tiger dance (Pulikkali) and others. All restaurants serve traditional feast. However, it you get invited by any local for a home cooked Onam feast, you are in for a treat. You can enjoy traditional music, dance and other celebration during this festival. People decorate their houses with floral designs. • Why is onam celebrated? According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar(Kollavarsham). . Carnival of Onam lasts from four to ten days. • Onam is celebrated for ten days • During onam there is a special meal called “Onam Sadhya” which includes Kaaya varuthatha (banana chips), chena varuthatha (yam chips), sarkara upperi (Jaggery coated banana chips), mango pickle, lime pickle, puli inji (tamarind & ginger chutney), kichadi (Gourd in mildly spiced yoghurt), pachadi (Pineapple in yoghurt) , olan ( ash gourd with black.

ATTUKAAL PONGAL • This festival is recognized by Guinness book of records as the largest women gathering in the world for celebrating a festival. This festival is a part of Attukaal temple festival. On the 9 th day of the temple festival, women join together to cook Pongal, a sweet delicacy in a clay pot. This is the best time to enjoy the culture of the land. Women will be dressed in traditional attire and wear antique jewelry. The delicacy is cooked with primitive equipment in an open-air ground near the temple. This festival takes place in the month of February. • What is the reason behind celebrating Pongal festival? The term 'pongal' in Tamil means "to boil", and this festival is celebrated as a thanksgiving ceremony for the year's harvest. Pongal, one of the important Hindu festivals, falls around the same time as Lohri every year, which is around mid-January. • What is the importance of Pongal? Pongal is one such festival, that is celebrated to thank the Sun God and Lord Indra for helping farmers in getting better-yielding crops. On Pongal day farmers prepare signature items like Pongal, Shakkara Pongal, sugarcane is offered. A special puja is also performed to thank the Sun god.

THIRUVATHIRA • This is a female festival, which takes place in the month of December. This festival is special for the Thiruvathirakkali dance that takes place during the celebration. Locals take bath in the river at 4 in the morning. Women splash the river water with their fist and sing songs. It is a tradition to eat betel leaves during this celebration. Devotees try to eat 108 leaves. At the night, the Thiruvathirakkali dance is again conducted around a large brass lamp. • The first Thiruvathira festival coming after the marriage of a girl is known as Puthen Thiruvathira or Poothiruvathira and it is celebrated on a grand scale with much pomp and grandeur. The women perform several rituals all throughout the Thiruvathira Festival. • Thiruvathirakkali or Kaikottikaliis a unique dance performed in Kerala on the auspicious day of Thiruvathira, the birthday of Lord Shiva. It is performed by women who seek blessings for eternal marital bliss. . The graceful movements of the dance are both enchanting and elegant. • In Kerala, the festival is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Shiva. Thiruvathira isthe nakshatra or "star" as per the Malayalam calendar of Lord Shiva. Another beliefis that the festival commemorates the death of Kamadeva, the Hindu god of erotic desire.

ARGENTINA

THE ARGENTINE TANGO. • It originates from the streets of Buenos Aires in the 19 th. Century – where African, Caribbean and European heritage fused to create this new dance. It became a dance craze back then, and was considered a moral threat on account of its sensuality. Now, you will be able to see it performed regularly in Buenos Aires – whether that’s on the streets of our capital or in a tango dance hall. • What is the difference between the tango and Argentine tango? Argentine tango has no basic step. It is a totally improvisational dance. Ballroom tango has an 8 count basic which is slow, quick, slow. . Argentine tango is often danced in close embrace, or salon style. • Why was the tango created? Tango is one of the most influential and famous dances of the modern history, originating from the streets of 18 th century Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay as the favorite dance of the European immigrants, former slaves, working and lower classes of people. The quick rise in its popularity enabled this famous dance to quickly expand out of South America, becoming a commonplace in Europe, North America and the rest of the world. With the rich history, numerous types and styles, and incredible appeal, tango dance remains one of the most popular dances in the entire world.

ASADO • From a young age, Argentines are taught the importance of the asado cooking techniques. The word asado refers to barbecue techniques and the social event itself. Argentines will learn to understand how to control the heat, what to use to create the heat, how to treat each cut and type of meat. Since this is a country where meat forms a huge proportion of our diet – these skills are of particular importance. The tradition comes from the Argentine cowboys – or the gauchos – who are held in high esteem. If you go to a Gaucho Party, which is a trip to a real working ranch, you’ll be treated to an Asado or Parilla. • Where does Asado originate from? The Argentine Asado: Step by Step. The asado is the most popular social gathering in Argentina and no weekend is truly complete without it. It's a celebration of seared meat and flame, filled with good times and liberally doused with Malbec and Fernet and coke

SPORTS • Argentines are passionate about football. If you’ve witnessed any international soccer championships, then you may have noticed this. The British brought football to Buenos Aires in the 19 th Century. The government promoted sports, and football in the 20 th Century in attempt to undermine the appeal of the Tango, which they felt was a morally questionable form of dance! After the sport was promoted, the love of football eventually took hold, and Argentines are enthusiastic supporters of their national team in particular. We are also very proud of the fact one of the best players in the world – Lionel Messi is an Argentine. • What are the main sports in Argentina? Association football is the most popular discipline and other sports played both professionally and recreatively athletics, auto racing, basketball, boxing, cycling, field hockey, fishing, golf, handball, mountaineering, paddle tennis, polo, roller hockey, rowing, rugby union, sailing, skiing, swimming, tennis