"The Kerala Boat Song (Vanchi Pattu)" by Joji Varghese Kuncheria is in this Anthology published at Amazon.

The Kerala Boat Song

('Vanchi Pattu')

By Joji Varghese Kuncheria

Kerala, the spice garden of the world,

The land of rains, soaked in beauty,

The spice lovers' spot since 3000 BC,

Is spiked with many 'Masala' flavours.

Traders followed the spice route,

From far-flung lands to reach here,

Some to settle, even those from Judea,

Embracing this God's own country.

This land of coconuts and spices,

Is the only region in the world,

That boasts of a genre of boat songs,

Sung from generation to generation.

The Kerala boat song synchronises,

The actions of a hundred oarsmen,

To speed ahead in their snake boat,

As their paddles strike the back waters,

The 'Vanchi Pattu' (Boatman’s song),

Synonymous of this region goes thus:

"കുട്ടനാടന്‍ പുഞ്ചയിലെ,

കൊച്ചുപെണ്ണേ കുയിലാളെ,

കൊട്ടുവേണം കുഴല്‍ വേണം,

കുരവ വേണം ... .

the lass of cuckoo-like-sound,

from the backwater paddy field,

needs drums, trumpets and

vocal accomplishments ... ."

Sung by all Malayalis in one accord,

Surpassing caste and creed barriers.

*******

Varghese Kuncheria