Author: Chithra Ajith

her life

How a tribal women-run magazine changes life for the better

Mahila Navodayam, a Telugu magazine meaning “new dawn”, published for women and by women, brings about social changes and women’s empowerment – despite initial hardships.

her life

Chai and Bandhu brew a perfect blend for Chakla

Suspicious of his motives, his tea shop and Muslim identity, the people of Chakla village shunned Abdul Nazar until they realised his chai shop was a springboard to develop their village.

her life

Common kitchens – what’s cooking in Kerala?

Work and other commitments vying for time, one cannot spare time to cook. What started out of necessity for two couples is making "common kitchens' spring up across Kerala.

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Award takes Kaithapram’s therapeutic music to a higher note

Having experienced the healing powers of music, Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, a Padma Shri awardee, believes music therapy can cure illnesses and disabilities.

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“We were humiliated when we pleaded for washrooms”

Viji Palithodi is a tailor-turned-activist from Kozhikode, Kerala, fighting for women’s rights in the workplace. Ironically, it was her abusive father who lit the fire of activism in her. Here is her story in her own words.

her life

Plant nurseries bear fruits of success, empowerment for women

By coming together as a group and raising plant nurseries, women who were being exploited by money lenders, earn more to feed and care for their families better

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Will uru tourism revive prospects of Kerala’s wooden dhows

Handcrafting of wooden dhows is on a decline, as the ancient cargo vessels have become redundant. Government plans to include dhows in tourism to revive the craft

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Bamboo eliminates poverty among Wayanad villagers

Impoverished villages in Kerala’s Wayanad have found green gold in bamboo handicrafts and utility products, which have helped eliminate poverty and given them a regular source of income

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Clams provide lucrative livelihood to coastal women

With increasing popularity of clam meat, an abundant resource in coastal Kozhikode, units processing these mollusks enable women to make a sustainable living without leaving their village

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Kerala volunteers improve life of mental health patients

A volunteer-driven community initiative offers professional diagnosis and free mental health treatment to patients from marginalized sections in rural Kerala, and helps them to return to normalcy

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Palakkad’s priestly community encash culinary tradition

Priests from Tamil Nadu, who migrated to Kerala for temple duties centuries ago, have put their culinary skills to good use, augmenting household incomes and the local economy

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Malabar women raise their voice against triple talaq

Women at the receiving end of triple talaq divorce pronouncements in the Malabar region of Kerala have stood up to their rights but have faced dire consequences. Their hopes are now pinned on the new law

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Rural community at receiving end of temple town’s sewage

Commercial establishments catering to religious tourism in the temple town of Guruvayur have contaminated the ground and surface water of a village in Thrissur by releasing raw sewage into natural drains

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Houseboat tourism floats rural economy in Alappuzha

People living in the water-bound villages of Alappuzha district in Kerala have seen more lucrative livelihood options due to the influx of tourists visiting the now famous backwaters throughout the year

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Kerala village breaks new ground in sustainable living

What began as a community initiative to revive organic farming in the small village of Vengeri near Kozhikode has today expanded into a sustainable lifestyle that showcases how rural living can indeed be idyllic

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Families in Neikkarapatti make jaggery, unmindful of challenges

Sugarcane farmers in this part of rural Tamil Nadu have been adding value to their produce through a slow and arduous process, and offer jaggery as a healthier alternative to sugar

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Enabavi banishes chemicals for rich organic rewards

Switching to organic farming, a Telengana village has turned its arid lands into lush green farms, overcoming the scourge of farmer suicides and health problems in the process, and increasing household earnings

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Toy makers adapt to markets, add color to fading industry

Moving beyond toys, artisans in a Karnataka village make curios, and use new toy making and marketing methods to overcome challenges posed by cheap Chinese imports and restore the glory of Channapatna’s non-toxic wooden toys