Starvation, shortages, epidemics, unemployed farmers and heavy, almost non-stop rain. Life used to be so in Kerala, until a quarter century ago, during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam (July-August), when the southwest monsoon peaked. The rain that poured day and night forced people indoors. Hence there was no work, no money and no food. People loathed and cursed Karkidakam. They called it names like Kalla Karkidakam (a rogue season). It was an inauspicious month for ceremonies like weddings and the economy would be on the downswing.

Not any longer. Karkidakam has undergone a thorough image makeover in the past decade. Spirituality has turned Karkidakam into a holy period. It is now the ‘Ramayana month.’ Traditional healthcare proponents have branded it as the month of wellness. Kerala Tourism sells it as the best period for monsoon tourism. Businesses perk up their sales with ‘Karkidakam rebates.’

Successful reinvention Karkidakam is a big ‘rebranding’ success story. But how did the once-abhorred whipping boy of all months achieve the new status? Economics, mainly.

The economic and social progress made by Kerala in the past three decades meant that the prosperity is spread almost evenly throughout the year, the worst month of the rainy Karkidakam included.

The massive migration of unemployed youth to the Arabian Gulf and the subsequent influx of Gulf money ensured a minimum standard of living for most people. A large number of Kerala families have at least one member working in the Gulf who sends home money regularly. As a result, not many stomachs go empty even in Karkidakam. The Gulf boom also led to all-round economic and social development.

In the past, the impact of Karkidakam had most been felt in the agrarian sector as farm hands and rural craftsmen couldn’t find work during the month. But, the drastic shrinking of rice farming, the Gulf migration and the relocation of the rural poor to the urban areas sharply reduced the number of those employed in the farm sector. The tertiary sector grew rapidly while the primary sector lost ground.

Spiritual reawakening In the wake of the religious revival, Hindutva organizations (the RSS has the largest number of shakhas in Kerala) have actively encouraged observation of Karkidakam as the ‘Ramayana month.’ The Malayalam version of the Ramayana called Ramayanam Kilippattu is believed to have been written by Thunchath Ezhuthachan during Karkidakam. The text now is increasingly recited at temples and Hindu homes during the month. Hindus believe the reading helps rejuvenate them spiritually.

Since the rains are a dull period for tourism, the authorities found a way out selling the season as a great time for visiting Kerala. Thus was born monsoon tourism. Karkidakam, which gets plenty of rainfall, is projected as the best time for experiencing monsoon.

But, the strong promotion of the month as the best time for physical rejuvenation has done a lot of good to the rebranding of Karkidakam. Ayurveda and other traditional healing practices suggest the month is ideal for rejuvenation therapies, such as a structured regime of full-body oil massage.

It is said that the body is more receptive to herbal treatments, special diets and herbal tonics during this season. Traditional healers and mushrooming Ayurvedic firms promote Karkidakam as a month for wellness. Hundreds of foreigners, mainly Arabs and Europeans, now regularly visit Kerala for therapies during the month.

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