Agro Stories

Wherever agriculture flourished, civilization was born. Discovery of farming radically transformed every aspect of human life. The abundance of fertile soil and favourable climates added a boon to this way of life. Many of our festivals, fairs, and customs had evolved around this aspect. In Agro Stories, we shall take you through beautiful villages, their agrarian practices, and cultural landscapes shaped over by millenniums of human activity.

Experience Takeaways:

• Rare varieties of paddies, spices, coconut/ rubber plantations, tea plantations, etc.
• Architectures supporting agriculture.
• Savouring diverse food cultures of the region and its practices.
• Communities supporting farming and its subculture.
• Rituals, folklores, festivals, and art forms related to agriculture.
• Beautiful landscapes, stunning villages, serene water bodies.

Folklores

Each individual irrespective of their age loves listening to stories and every culture has its own traditions of narrating such wonderful tales. We at Moksha Stories take you through a joyous ride of myths, legends, and folktales. Our Folk Trails is an effort to revive these dying art forms and present them before you with all their might and glory.

Experience Takeaways:

• Puppeteers, folk musicians, local magicians, actors, ritual art forms, artists, etc
• Local myths, history, tales, oral traditions, village- deities, etc.
• Lesser-known and long-standing folklores of the region like Porattu Kali, Harischandra Nadakam,Theru koothu, Kanyar Kali, Alaami Kali, etc.
• 170+ people associated.

Dance & Theatre

A land rich and vibrant for its diverse dance and theatre cultures. With Moksha’s Dance and Theatrical trails, we provide a platform for you to appreciate these art forms and captivate in their wonders. These expeditions are better enjoyed in the span of a day or two, where we take you through their pre-stage preparations and the performances of these art forms.

Experience Takeaways:

• Ancient theatre traditions and stunning performances.
• Rhythmic music, strong emotions, enthralling performance portraying the lives, love, and conflicts of gods, heroes, and anti-heroes of Indian mythology.
• Spellbinding art forms like Koodiyattam, Mohiniyatttam, Ottam Thullal, Bharathanatyam, Yakshaganam, Kathakali, etc, and their evolution along the ages.
• Shadow puppetry, Glove puppetry, String puppetry and lot more.
• Ancient text & schools on acting and theatre-making.
• Decades of training that go behind the making of an artist.
• Craftsman involved in making rich costumes, mesmerizing head-gears, colorful face painting, etc
• 250+ people and their stories.

Community Visits

One cannot overlook the existence of communities in any culture. Creatively vivacious, their learnings have been accumulated over generations. Every community has a story to tell- stories that touch one’s heart and soul. Our communities are the people whose lives we know, the magic of which we are aware of. Moksha Stories take you through such mesmerizing encounters that lead to deep and enduring connections.

Experience Takeaways:

• Vibrant communities, brilliant artifacts, and their lifestyle.
• Diverse culture, languages, architectures, cuisine, and knowledge system.
• Craftsmen, weavers, farmers, artists, healers, teachers, homemakers, etc.
• Opportunity to indulge in meaningful conversations one cannot encounter otherwise.
• 60+ dynamic communities.

Food Trails

Are you a connoisseur? Or just a foodie who has an appetite for native foods? We at Moksha Stories take your spice trip up a notch higher as we introduce you to the flavours from the indigenous communities and their kitchen. You shall experience the whole process of selection and the mise-en-place required to do the cooking process of any particular dish. One can also befriend the person who takes you through this gastronomy process and learn the historical transformation of their communities and food styles.

Experience Takeaways:

• Delightful food tales, unique feast traditions, seasonal beverages, scrumptious snacks, and, fresh flavoursome ingredients.
• Linkages between communities, food cultures, farming traditions, heirloom grains, their subtle flavours, and much more.
• Little known delicacies and recipes that were nearly forgotten.

Experiencing our local Stays

As an experiential travel company, Moksha Stories have an association with many heritage homes which have been converted into homestays. We encourage our guests to stay in these traditional homes which portray stories of a bygone era. One can be in close communication with the communities or the host families. These traditional homes give you a glimpse into the life of the people and their lifestyles.

Experience Takeaways:

• Homage to history and heritage.
• A conjuncture that makes the past relevant to the future.
• Signify an extraordinary vernacular architectural style and workmanship, which is in deterioration.
• Imparting confidence in the life of the families holding such treasures.

A Land of Festivals

Due to the presence of different communities, our culture is diverse in its rituals and traditions. These festivals and traditions further glue our society and its community. It gives you a glimpse of a culture’s rich heritage. The specialty of these festivals is that one can find numerous artforms and traditions blended. The best way to explain is to have it experienced. Due to our agrarian culture, most of these festivals take place after each harvest and are subject to seasonality.

Experience Takeaways:

• Learn the importance of togetherness
• Carrying the message of the past to the present and future
• Festival contributes immensely to feelings of social cohesion.
• We believe that festivals are gifts from our ancestries that need to be celebrated.
• Some of them namely Kummati, Pongal, Pooram. Ugadi, Holi etc

Exploring the Palakkadan Gap.

An ancient trade route connecting Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Over centuries, this Gap in the Western Ghats evolved into a prominent migratory route. A homeland for many indigenous communities, this trade route is a cultural fabric of, life and its lore. An expedition starting from Coimbatore and passes through beautiful landscapes of Pollachi and ends in Ponnani, an ancient harbor in Malappuram, Kerala.

Attappadi-Nilgiri-Coimbatore-Malampuzha-Palakkad-Chittur-Vandithavalam- Kollangode-Pallassena-Mangalam-Alathur-Otappalam-Mannur.

Malabar Trails.

The northern part of Kerala is collectively known as the Malabar. A region that upholds a unique charisma for its culture, people, landscape, cuisine, politics and traditions. An ideal trail to experience Ghazals; Kozhikkodan Halwas, Tunnel Wells, Biriyanis and lot more. Witness some exuberant Theyyam, a ritualistic performance of the Malabar. A tropical paradise with amalgamation of rich cultures and natural heritages.

Nileswaram-Northern Kasargode-Payyannur-Thalasseri-Lakkidi-Mananthavadi- Kozhikode-Kottakkal-Tirur-Ponnani

Discovering the Coastal life of Arabian sea.

Extending from Southern Goa until the peninsular tip in Kanyakumari, it is a voyage discovering the Malabar Coastal plains. A perfect expedition for a person who loves beaches hidden along the coasts of Western Ghats. These tropical paradises are gem for its stories, communities, cuisine, culture and traditions.

Mumbai-Goa-Gokarna-Uduppi-Kasargode-Payyannur-Kannur-Mahi-Kozhikode- Ponnani-Kodungallur-Paravur-Fort Kochi-Kuttanad-Shangumugam/Kovalam- Kanyakumari.