The rain came down in sheets, thick and silver, turning the red earth of Malabar into a slick, treacherous soup. In the small coastal village of Kappad, where Vasco da Gama’s ghost was said to still walk the sands, an old fisherman named Kunjali sat on his upturned boat and watched the sea.

All-Male Ritual: Performed by men in a circle around a sacred lamp. Kerala Poorikal

To be called a "Poori Kalan" (Master of Follies) is both an insult and a term of endearment. It describes that one friend in every group who always enters the ladies' compartment of the train, who always orders the wrong dish, who always asks the pregnant lady "When did you gain weight?" The rain came down in sheets, thick and

Kunjali shook his head slowly. “She is singing,” he said. To be called a "Poori Kalan" (Master of

She looked at Prasad. Her gaze passed through his smartphone, his bank account, his Dubai dreams, and found the bone and blood underneath.

Ilanjithara Melam: A massive traditional percussion orchestra featuring over 250 artists playing drums and trumpets.