How Interesting Is a Malayalee? A Fun and Crazy Read on Interesting Facts About Malayalees That You Dont Wanna Miss!

‘Keri Vaa Makkale! Let’s Find Out!

Kerala is one of the aesthetic capitals of India. She is a beauty in terms of natural landscapes and astounding developments, so are the people of Kerala – the Malayalees.From farmers to entrepreneurs, they are widespread in every field, every country, and every nook and corner of the world. This might be hard to believe, but I bet you have had at least one Malayalee friend? If not, you have one now!

I bet everybody knows what a Malayalee is like on the outside, but here are some cool and interesting facts about Malayalees you never knew!

1. F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

When it comes to F.R.I.E.N.D.S or friends, they have no idea when or where to stop. There is nothing they would not do for a friend, even if it means beating someone up (irrespective of gender in case you were wondering). And Malayalee’s urge to making new friends are at the peak because they love helping people. Yeah! You heard it right.

2. Peaky Blinders!! More Like Sneaky Neighbors.

Hey ayalkkaara!

Yeah, you guessed it right! One of the interesting facts about Malayalees is that he cares more about what is happening next door than what happens in his own home.

This is precisely the reason why Malayalee parents get their hopes shattered by their children, the immense love towards the child next door, and continuous yelling, which goes like this:

“Dhe aa apurathe veetile Sajane kandu padikkada avane Entrance inu rank ind!” (Translation “That Saajan boy next door has achieved rank for the entrance exam! Be like him!”)

“Note” – They still think that entrance is the key to every problem in the universe. And they are never going to stop believing! Trust me.

3. They Are Everywhere!!

Like there are pimples on your face, I can assure you that there is at least one Mallu (short for Malayalee), you know. If you haven’t met one, the Mallu you are supposed to meet is on his way because he always finds his way. Haha! Hey, I am not joking when I say that there are Malayalees everywhere. Believe me. I’m not!

Here is a list of some famous Malayalees (whom some of you didn’t know were Malayalees) – Arundhati Roy, Kamala Suraiyya, Shashi Tharoor, Kenny Sebastian, and the list can go on.

You know what the funniest part is, Malayalees go to different places hoping that there will be no Malayalees. Still, before the thought process completes, he bumps into his naatukaaran (a person from the same village or city).

4. Universally Fit.

This is one of the most interesting facts about Malayalees and also kind of an important one. Have you ever seen people speaking several languages? (And by several languages I mean many, and by many I mean 5 or 6) Well, Malayalees can. They don’t have a problem with learning another language. Show them some movies in different languages and Voila! You have the perfect all-in-all Mallu.

 The same thing goes when it comes to facts and information all around the world. They watch and understand news from different parts of the world, including the local, national, and even international ones.

And did you know that the first-ever college in India was built in Kerala, 200 years ago? Today, it goes by CMS College, Kottayam, initially named Cottayam College.

So technically, India’s institutional capital was Kerala. Well, of course, the British introduced it, but it was in Kerala.

5. Newspaper and Chai Directly Proportional to a Good Morning.

This is undoubtedly one of the fascinating facts about Malayalees; you can look forward to it every morning. There are Mallu dads who cannot live without the smell of the new newspaper and the aroma of a hot chai; it is kind of like a regular thing for them.

Early morning discussions and debates mainly arise from the daily routine newspaper reading.

This will probably be the only time the whole family engages in a conversation, including the grandparents of the house. And that’s war!

6. A Network of Relatives and Connections.

This might be the craziest of all the interesting facts about Malayalees that you have ever heard. Almost all the people in villages in Kerala are interrelated to each other. And the connections all over the place is so vast that even if you go to a faraway place, you could still be connected to a Mallu you met in the new place, via a friend or a distant relative or anything of that sort.

For example, The person that I have a crush on is my mother’s father’s cousin brother’s daughter’s son, which technically means that he is kind of like my big brother! It’s so unfair!

7. Exam Results and Relatives.

Child: “Amma, the results have been published!”

Amma: “Molea, what is the password?”

Child hands over the password to Amma.

Amma sends it to the WhatsApp group, which includes 199 relatives who have no other job than sending the same ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Good night’ images every day.

So yeah! This is precisely what happens, and the rest is the never-ending beep of notifications suggesting that you will have to work even harder for the six marks you lost and ‘a’ congratulations from the favorite relative. So remember,  you need to be somebody’s favorite.

8. Chaayakada and Kudumbashree.

Chaayakada is the ‘Tea stall,’ and the funny fact is that people not only go there for the tea but also the latest bit of gossip going around in the village or a particular region.

Kudumbashree, a women’s collective, also has the same notion. Still, they gossip while doing something for the society like opening clubs for women and children or tidying up the village, unlike the ‘Chaayakada’ men who jobless sits around with a newspaper and an empty glass.

9. Food Is All You Need to Say, and They Are There!

The next among some of the most interesting facts about Malayalees is, of course, the never-ending variety of recipes they create and their immense love for food. Whatever cuisine may it be: Italian, Chinese, Arabic, Indian whatever it may be, they chew it down with all the life they have because sometimes food is the answer to all of their problems. The most interesting Malayalee combos to try are:

•Kanji and Payar

•Kappa and Meen curry

•Porotta and beef

•Pazhampori and pork curry

•Puttu and kadala

And the variety of homemade non-veg recipes, which include pork poriyal, beef fry, chicken curry, duck roast, crab curry, lobster, prawns, fish fry, and curries. The magnificence of the food Malayalees have can never be explained through mere words; it is beyond them.

10. Achaar Is the Weapon.

“Achaar” is the pickling of various fruits and vegetables in vinegar or edible oils to preserve them for future uses. When the Malayalee children go for further studies to a place far away from home or when husbands go for their work to foreign places, Achaar is given as a way to remember his roots. The most interesting fact is that they not only pickle fruits like mangoes but also pineapples and Jack fruit, vegetables like cucumber and even fishes and other seafood.

So the next time you visit a Malayalees house, don’t forget to ask for packed Achaar!

11. Kollam Can’t Seem to Understand Kannur.

The Kollam-Kannur reference is just a point made to agree to the fact that Malayalees residing in different parts of Kerala share different dialects and accents, which may or may not be understandable to the Malayalee community as a whole. (And by the way, Kollam is the city situated in the south portion of Kerala whereas Kannur is in the north). The most relatable example is the different names used for papaya :

Kannur – Kaplanga

Kollam – Kappakka

So you better use papaya, because only that can help you Kerala-wide!

12. “Pazhamchollukal” and Conversations.

Follow this method to win an argument over a Malayalee – use pazhamchollu – old sayings or proverbs (to be precise). This is an approved method because a Mallu cannot converse without using at least one pazhamchollu in a regular conversation made.

Here is a daily basis conversation between the members of a family :

Child:  “Ammae, I need 1000 rupees to buy this new dress.”

Amma: “Onathinedakka avalde puttu kachavadam, you so clearly know that we don’t have that much money to spend right now, so why are you still asking me for this?”

The pazhamchollu means ‘to sell puttu(yet another Mallu dish) during Onam, which is odd because we have sadhya during ‘Onam.’ Its metaphorical meaning is ‘to bring up a matter of less importance when there are much more important things to worry about.’

Learn some pazhamchollukal and apply it to conversations you have with a Mallu for better results.

13. Ethnic Sarees, Gold and Onam.

Just like the heart, mind, and soul, the three things that a Mallu girl cannot survive without are the ethnic set saree, gold, and Onam. And these interesting facts about Malayalees should always stay in your mind in case you are going to marry one. Only when the festival, Onam arrives, will a girl wear all of this (except for her wedding, of course!). These mark the essential survival kit to any Malayalee festival, especially Onam, the most magnificent festival of Kerala.

So gear up, next time you visit Kerala! May it be your friend’s wedding or any Kerala festival, you’ve got competition. So, be prepared!

14. Start, Camera, Action!

Malayalee is incredibly proud of his cinema because there is nothing like the brilliance of the Malayalam cinema. To be honest, the Malayalam film industry might be the most underrated of all industries because it is extraordinary in its standard and style, and undoubtedly true to its form. Malayalam cinema has seen the most amazing faces that the cinema collective has ever seen.

If you want to know what I am talking about, you might have to check out some of these movies:

1. Kireedam

2. Thoovanathumbikal

3. Kumbalangi nights

4. Trance

5. Mathilukal

6. Charlie

7. Ee.Ma.Yau

8. Moothon

9. Chithram

10. Sandhesham

11. Chemmeen

This is not of the order of rating but a list of some brilliant movies. You’re sure to be mesmerized by the magic of Malayalam cinema.

15. “Lalettan Sindaba… Mammookka Sindaba…”

I will be a terrible Malayalee if I do not include the ultimate Mohanlal-Mammootty fan feud. Malayalees can stand united for any other thing and every single thing, but when it comes to Ettan and Ikka, they are not united anymore. The best of the fights among Keralites is due to these two legends, which would be an important event if it were in the Olympic games officially for Kerala or something.

When it comes to the big M’s, it is a war because we still cannot figure out who the more excellent M is, and the reality is that they let it remain unrevealed. And you know why? Because it is a “who came first, the chicken or the egg” question. The creator made them together because both of them are AWESOME!!

16. Natives and Mama Nature.

There is the “aadhiwasi” group of Keralites who live in the forests of Wayanad who believe in the rituals and natural ways of healing and survival. “Aadhiwasi’s ” are the native Keralites or tribals who have been living in Kerala for generations. They are beautiful in their unique way and are interesting to even the modern Malayalee groups. The tribals always remain a mystery to everyone.

17. The Chameleon Effect.

This is one of the truest and interesting facts about Malayalees; he can live like a Chameleon. May it be any situation, he will survive. He can live most luxuriously for years, and he would still be able to survive if he goes bankrupt.

Just like a Chameleon, they change their colors according to the surroundings and situations they face; if it is a very angry situation, the Malayalee goes ‘kalipp’ (red), if happy, the Malayalee goes ‘poli vibe.’ This or that, he rocks!

18. Politics and Poli-tricks.

Malayalee is proud of his politics and party. The interest comes from the teenage years of rebellion when parties are frequent in colleges, and so are the chances of getting beaten up by police. I can assure you that every Malayalee has seen a party feud at least once in their lifetime.

Party protests and Hartals go hand in hand. The Mallu politician does not need a particular reason to initiate a Hartal.

But when it comes to a real issue, Kerala is United Kerala!

The reason to bring up this point is because since the pandemic, COVID-19, started, no other state or government has faced the hard times with this much bravery and hope. The main reason behind the better health of the Malayalees in the fact that the government of Kerala, as well as the people of Kerala, are working hand in hand, helping and supporting each other.

The ‘Break the Chain’ campaign initiated by the government was such a massive success that it resulted in the better health condition of the state as a whole.

19. We Rock the ‘Mundu’!

Do you know what rules all the interesting facts about Malayalees all around the world? He is damn proud of his Mundu! This piece of clothing is the one thing that makes them feel as if they are on top of the world. And also which makes them look like a Malayalee.

Mundu is not only worn by men but also by women I the form of ‘Chattayum Mundum’ and ‘Settum Mundum.’

Like the cape is to the Superman suit, the paint is to the Joker, the Mundu is to the Malayalee!

These are all the fun and crazy things I know about Malayalees. So next time you talk to a Malayalee, be educated! Have fun making Mallu friends with some of these interesting facts about Malayalees!

A tribute to the land with the incredible culture and a ‘Namaskaram’ to everyone who enjoyed it!

Related posts you may want to read:

Top 10 Facts a Non-Malayali should Get it Right

15 Interesting Facts about MalayaleeYoDidn’t’ know About

Last Updated on February 8, 2024 by NamitaSoren