More than 50 years have passed since American astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface in July 1969. By then, Kerala had unleashed a joke that stands out to this day, the hint. Armstrong with a Malayali on the moon.
But what does this joke mean?
The joke stems from the old saying ‘you’ll find a Malayali anywhere’, a comment on the state’s migration status, especially to the Gulf states.
Here’s how the Kerala people remember what happened on the Moon: When Armstrong reached the moon, he heard a ’60s Malayalam song playing. As he stepped closer, he saw a teahouse with a sign saying ‘Matham parayaruth’ (Don’t talk about religion here).
A Chettan (older brother) wearing a lungi is making hot tea. The joke said that Chettan offered tea and Armstrong liked it. Cartoons and caricatures have been published on various platforms over the years to portray this imagination, helping it to last for generations.
But, where does the special teahouse come from? Tea shops run by Keralites were very popular during that time, especially in neighboring southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Madras, now Chennai, was once the epicenter of Southern cinema. Many Keralas with dreams of being on the big screen have come to Chennai.
When they failed, they opened a tea shop there. Tamil films have repeatedly portrayed such teahouses.
Santosh George Kulangara, a traveler and TV Producer who has traveled to more than 130 countries, feels that a Keralite has yet to land on the Moon because there is no vehicle available.
“The ambitious nature of the Kerala people makes them travel all over the place. They are also worried about coming home without making a big deal so they maintain it. It’s not a new habit they have acquired. Keralites previously served in higher positions in government abroad decades ago,” he said.
Kulangara says he has found Malays in some of the most unexpected places in the world. “I remember traveling to a desert in the interior of Mongolia. There are roadside shops serving camel milk and authentic dishes. I was quite surprised to find a Malayali enjoying that roadside delicacy in Mongolia,” he said. speaking to India today.
Migration remains common in Kerala. With young people migrating to European countries in search of work and villages turning into homes for the elderly, the future looks bleak.
Kerala tops the list for the number of passports issued in the past decade between states.
In 2018, it was reported that a Malayali based in the UAE owned 10 acres of land on the Moon given to him by a friend. But unlike anyone else, if a Keralite is the owner of a piece of land on the Moon, one question is obvious – when are you going to start opening a teahouse on the Moon?
Published on:
August 23, 2023
Leave a Reply