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Alex Chorny

@ch.olexa

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Today was a free day for me, so I met up with some people I’ve been getting to know. See what happens when a Ukrainian, an American, and a Canadian take off for an adventure… Alex is a Ukranian marine engineer living in Germany, who is here in India for many months. I’m here conducting field research for my Women’s Work project. Jai is here renovating a traditional Kerala home that has been in her family for hundreds of years. Her family is here, has a long, deep history in Ernakulam, and has a temple nearby that was hosting a festival. She invited us to visit. It’s one of the only north-facing Bhadrakali temples, which is rare, and we saw a woman taking part in the traditional Chenda Melam as a drummer, which is even more rare. It would have been unheard of 25 years ago. Her very presence with the men reflects the evolution of women in Kerala society. After we left the festival, Jai took us to meet her cousin and he gave us a tour of their family’s original home, which was filled to the brim with family members when the elders were young, but is now only used for occasional family gatherings. The home reflects traditional Kerala architecture with limestone walls and an open center, and it is adorned with historic instruments, furniture, and pictures of relatives no longer with us. What a day! We felt steeped in Kerala culture and the beautiful history of one generous family, whose presence and contributions helped shape the development of this area. This was a special day and one I won’t soon forget. #kochi #hindufestival #india #chendamelam @jaishrey @chornyioleksii
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