Dr.
Sini Jose, Dr. Rajeev U
Abstract
Kasaragod, located in the northernmost region of Kerala, India, is a distinct ecological region. The district features Diverse Ecosystems and variety of habitats, including forests, wetlands, and coastal regions. Kasaragod’s unique identity reflecting a blend of cultures from Kerala, Karnataka, and the Arabian Peninsula.This study seeks to read two edited volumes on Kasaragod by G.B. Valsan, namely Jeevanarekha: Chandragirippuzhayude Charitravarthamanangal [Lifeline: Historical Dialogues of the River Chandragiri] and Bahuvachanam, [Plualities: Kasaragod Doccuments] from a bioregional perspective. The basic assumption is that Bahuvachanam and Jeevanarekha are Kasargod narratives that incorporate a bioregional vision in the spatial mapping of the place under discusssion. These books offer an infinite array of contexts and scales in delineating the cultural geography of Kasaragod. Both these books expoe the multiple dimensions which are to be considered in making any cartography of the ethnic space of Kasaragod. The select books display strong ties to bioregional paradigms. In their mapping of Kasargod, all the select texts exemplify a bioregionally inspired local literary tradition. People’s relations to those places, their real life experiences, collective memories, popular sayings and individual spatio-cultural experiences together seem to contribute to the recalling of a distinct bioregional existence of Kasaragod. What results is a localized sense of place with ever shifting boundaries.
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Published: June 2025 [Vol. 08, No. 06]