Malabar Spring: Comparisons to pre-revolutionary Russia

Thoughts on the gaps between the haves and have-nots in northern Kerala.

Two months ago when I was last here in the tranquility of the outskirts of Calicut with a close Russian friend, I was given an altogether fresh perspective of my life here. The observant young man said the people and conversations reminded him of 19th century Russia. I joked to him about how the Malabar was a snow-less winter when he clarified his point.