KINKINI CHEPPU - Tales & Tidbits from Kerala with SHUBHA DAS

In this episode of Kinkini Cheppu, we explore the story of Tholpavakoothu, Kerala’s traditional shadow puppetry art form, through the lens of this year’s World Storytelling Day theme - Light in the Dark. At the heart of this episode are two powerful narratives: The myth of Darika and Bhadrakali , which marks the origin of Tholpavakoothu The story of Kavalappara Moopil Nair , who helped root this a...

In this episode of Kinkini Cheppu, we travel to Thiruvananthapuram to witness something extraordinary, a day when an entire city rearranges itself for women. This is Attukal Pongala, the world’s largest annual gathering of women. Every year, lakhs of women gather across the city streets with clay pots, rice, jaggery, and firewood, turning the city into the world’s largest open-air kitchen. But beh...

In this episode of Kinkini Cheppu, we travel to the quiet evenings of Palakkad, where lamps are lit at dusk and serpent groves breathe in silence. What begins as a childhood memory of watching a lamp being lit in a sacred grove, slowly unfolds into a deeper exploration of Kerala’s serpent worship traditions, and the community that carries this ritual forward; the Pulluvan and Pulluvati. Through pe...

What if one of Kerala’s greatest engineering marvels was also born from a love story? In this episode, we travel to the misty hills of Idukki, Kerala, to uncover the legend behind the iconic Idukki Arch Dam , a story that blends folklore, memory and the brilliance of human minds. Long before powerhouses and hydroelectric dreams, the land held another kind of story, the love story of Kuravan and Ku...

In this episode of Kinkini Cheppu , I, Shubha Das, take you on a trip to a small village in Palakkad, Kerala, and into the story of Theruvath Palli, a story rooted in faith, folklore, and gratitude. As I peel back the layers of a childhood memory, I find myself tugging at a vital thread in the cultural fabric of Palakkad, a story that’s more than 500-years-old, that has survived the changing tides...

A familiar road. Nine hairpin curves. A quiet bend at Lakkidi that many of us have passed; but few have paused at. In this episode of Kinkini Cheppu , I share the story behind Wayanad’s Chain Tree and Karinthandan, a chieftain of the Paniya tribe. Part history, part folklore, and part reflection, this story explores forgotten paths, quiet injustices, and the way some stories insist on being rememb...

After a long pause, Kinkini Cheppu finds its way back; carried by gratitude, gentle reminders, and stories that waited. Episode 2 drops this Thursday, 15th Jan 2026.

Every story has a beginning, and so does this podcast. In this very first episode, I take you back to a childhood moment that unknowingly shaped the name of this podcast. A memory, a song, and an unexpected connection - tune in to find out how it all came together. Kinkini Cheppu – Tales & Tidbits from Kerala The word Kinkini refers to tiny trinkets that tinkle, while Cheppu is a treasure ches...

Kinkini Cheppu - Tales & Tidbits from Kerala is a podcast that brings you stories that hold Kerala together - folklore, myths, legends, rituals, cultural quirks, and personal stories wrapped in nostalgia, humor, with a mix of Malayalam & English. If Kerala exists for you in glimpses - summer vacations, festive gatherings, or the occasional craving for soulful delicacies, then this podcast...