Mallu Land or Mundu Land ! :)

7 years back when we decided to move to Kerala and when we shared this idea with one of our friend, His first and immediate comment was ‘Oh planning to move to Land of Mundus and White Shirt!’ I could not stop laughing :) Such is the image of Kerala in the minds of people outside Kerala. I think one of the reason for this image is ‘Mile Sur mera tumhara’ where guy in a Lungi on top of an Elephant is singing ‘Ninde Swaramum Nigalude swaramum Otthucheiyum namudeya Swaramai’ ! And very recently happened to see comment by a Northie on one of my Mallu Friend’s snap asking ‘No Mundu?!” and I just could not stop smiling J

Yes Mundu is ‘National Dress’ for Mallu Males :D– My Dad , all my cousins in Kerala,my uncles everybody wears Mundu :) Almost 20 yrs back when one of my Cousin came to kerala from US for vacation he was  taunted for wearing shorts and roaming around ‘exposing’in Lamby (Uncle’s scooter)  and he would say ‘ I am exposing lesser than what you expose wearing Mundu !’ :) And after almost 25 years yesterday again I heard similar conversation between a 7 year old daughter and her Gulf returnee Dad just a little twist  :)

After dropping Esther to school in my scooter, I stopped seeing our neighbours – Tasneem aunty standing out with her daughter Hameeda and grand daughters all ready to go to school, I just slowed down to say Hello ,  and saw little girls Nadiya and Salma smartly dressed in their Wednesday uniform waiting , I asked ‘waiting for bus ?’ ‘No waiting for Abbu ‘ Saw Salman in his late 30’s coming with the  bike key , I smiled at him, he has just come back from gulf, Tasneem aunty introduced me to Salman, and we said we have seen each other near my house which is near to Madrasa where people come for evening prayers including Salman. (Tasneem aunty and family were in Bhopal before coming to Kerala and we talk in hindi) And then she  exclaimed ‘Ye kya – jaake Mundu pehno!’ (What is this –go and wear Mundu) and then I saw Salman was wearing a bermuda shorts and T shirt - I was wearing Capri and a T shirt and I laughed and said ‘Theek he toh hai , mundu kya pehna’ to which Hameeda said ‘Nadiya feels ashamed to go to school when Salman Mama wears bermuda , by that time yet another ‘Chechi’ said ‘Nannakeda!’ (Shameful) to which Salman replied ‘Nengey thodey he jaa rahey hai ‘ (I am not going naked) – I started laughing and gave all my support to Salman – ‘Bilkul theek kahan Salman Bhai – aap bus aisey he jao’ :)

With time number of Mundu wearing males has come down for sure , but then people still wear

Mundu on special occasions – wedding, festivals, ethnic day celebrations etc. At office guys wait for onam day celebration – That’s the only day they get to wear anything other than Formals – the only day they feel librated !:D. I  have always liked the traditional dress of Kerala, and when I go around seeing Kerala Saree or Set mundu , most of the time I end pointing ‘Mundus for guys’ thinking its Ladies Set Mundu, and then I am told its Mundus for guys , I ask them why don’t they have similar Set mundus for women ? and then I ask Anil – ‘Anil ji Aap kab Mundu phenana shuru karogey ?’ (When will you start wearing Mundu?) :) …