View from Conolly’s plot
Henry Valentine Conolly was the District Magistrate and then the Collector of British Malabar. He was instrumental in setting up the first teak plantation in the world, a part of which still exists in Nilambur. Conolly set this up in the1840s with the help of Chathu Menon, the Native Sub Conservator, to ensure the steady supply of teak for the growing British demand. The research and initiative during this period resulted in many teak plantations around Nilambur.

Bar, Hotel Arcadia, Kottayam
Hotel Arcadia was established in 1974 opposite the Kerala State Road Transport bus depot in Kottayam. The Bar was refurbished in 1994. Carpenter Appukuttan of Chertala created this carved teak figure based on a ‘Playboy Bunny’.

Ambassadors
Vellapally Natesan is the General Secretary of the Shree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam. SNDP Yogam is a social organisation of the Ezhava community formed to uphold the moral teachings of Shree Narayana Guru, a social reformer instrumental in the struggle against the caste system in Kerala.

When Natesan turned 70 in 2007 there were huge celebrations in his native town Kanichukulangara. On stage, along with Natesan and other dignitaries, was a lifelike sculpture of him made in wax. This event was covered widely in the local newspapers. Sunil Kandallur, who also set up the Celebrity Wax Museums in Kanyakumari and Thekkadi, made the wax figure.

This photograph was taken a few days after the birthday celebrations at Natesan’s residence.

Iceland Bar, Zurich International Hotel, Kuruppanthara
Josey Ullachil, a resident of Kuruppanthara, migrated to Switzerland in 1989. In 2001 he built a house in Kuruppanthara. This was later converted into a Hotel, which opened in 2009. He divides his time between Kuruppanthara and Zurich, where his family is settled.

House on the roadside, Chertala
The house, close to Chertala town is visible from the main road leading to the highway. It was split in two after a division of property using a concrete cutter.

Pattanam excavation
The excavations at Pattanam, by Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR), are part of the Muziris Heritage Project, initiated by the Government of Kerala. The multi-disciplinary excavation, launched in 2007, is led by Dr PJ Cherian, Director, Pattanam Explorations and Excavations.

Pattanam, located about 25 km north of Kochi is the first archeological site on the South West Coast of India to produce tangible evidence on the intercontinental contacts between India and the Western world. Many historians and archaeologists across the world today feel that Pattanam could be the legendary Indo-Roman port of Muziris. The major source for the study of commercial and cultural links between the Malabar Coast and the Roman Empire so far has been the textual references in classical writings.

Based on archaeological finds and carbon dating the Pattanam researchers claim that the habitation at Pattanam began around 1000 BC. The area seems to have peaked in activity between 1st century BC and 4th century AD.

St George Forane church, Kaipuzha
Established in 1813, St George Forane church is part of the Kananaya Catholic Church under the Archdiocese of Kottayam. When the congregation expanded they decided to build a new church next to the existing church. The new church was consecrated in 1983.

The old church has been converted into a graveyard.

M/s Haji PI Ahamed Koya, Beypore
Situated between the western Indian Ocean and the Far East maritime network, Beypore was a port of prominence. It is difficult to ascertain when Beypore became a shipbuilding center. The availability of timber, especially teak from the rainforests nearby could be one reason. The Baramy family, believed to have settled here from the Hadramaut province in Yemen, are well known as shipbuilders.

M/s Haji PI Ahamed Koya is a more recent entrant in this business. Kamakantakath Kunhammed Koya Haji the founder of this establishment ventured into the timber business in 1890. The ship in the photograph is being made for a French customer.

Church of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam
The church on Vallarpadam Island in Kochi, established by Portuguese Missionaries in 1524, is an important pilgrimage center. In 1888 Pope Leo XIII declared the main altar of Vallarpadam Church ‘Altare previlegiatum in Perpetuum Concessum’. The island did not have road access till the Goshree bridges were built in 2004, connecting Vallarpadam to the city and the island of Bolghatty and Vypeen. Pope John Paul II declared the Church a Basilica the same year. The lady of Vallarpadam is believed to protect maritime interests and local fishermen bring their boats here for her blessings.

Across the road from the church is the proposed International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT). The Vallarpadam ICTT is going to be the largest single operator container terminal in India. A railway bridge, linking the terminal to the mainland, is also being built. The new terminal is expected to reduce India’s dependence on other international ports for transshipment.

The Church of our Lady of Ransom is now being expanded. The old church painted pale yellow is visible in the photograph.

Happy Moments
‘Happy Moments’ is a phone-in biblical quiz show on Powervision TV, a Christian Entertainment Television Channel established in 2006. The images in this slideshow are the backdrops used in this show. The footage of the host, shot against a blue backdrop, is digitally superimposed with an image during postproduction to give the appearance of the host sitting in these spaces. . The images chosen always have a TV screen or a painting in them, where the animated title ‘Happy Moments’ plays throughout the show.

Acknowledgements

A Binu, Arcadia Hotels, B Jayachandran, Badarudeen K, Battenbos, Bijoy George, Dr K C John, Dr P J Cherian, Fr Luke Poothrukayil, Hotel Zurich International, Jayachandran G, Jayan T A, John Mundakkayam, Josey Ullachil, K Aboobaker, K V Kunhammed, Kaipuzha John Mathew, KCHR, Kurian Kurian, M Baburaj, M/s Haji P I Ahamed Koya, Powervision TV, Prof P P Sudhakaran, Sherry P Mani, Sunil Kandallur, Sunil Sunny, Thomas Jacob, Tom Thomas, V K Narayanan, V Vijayakumar and Vellapally Natesan