Season 1 , Episode 2 , The Chain & The Churam

Season 1 , Episode 2 , The Chain & The Churam

From KINKINI CHEPPU - Tales & Tidbits from Kerala with SHUBHA DAS by Shubha Das

January 15, 2026 · 11 min

About this episode

This episode shares the story behind Wayanad’s Chain Tree and Karinthandan, exploring forgotten paths and injustices.

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 remembered. ------- Kinkini Cheppu – Tales & Tidbits from Kerala The word Kinkini refers to tiny trinkets that tinkle, while Cheppu is a treasure chest of keepsakes and memories. Thus, Kinikini Cheppu is a podcast that brings to you stories that holds Kerala together through its folklore, myths, legends, rituals, traditions, practices, poems, proverbs, cultural quirks and some personal stories, wrapped in nostalgia, humour and a mix of vernacular Malayalam and English. If you are wondering why vernacular or why bi-lingual? Because for many of us, our connection to Kerala comes in glimpses - summer vacations, festive gatherings, the occasional craving for pazham pori, puttu-kadala or kerala porotta. But when we try to dig deeper, we often find these stories locked away in formal, literary…

Topics covered

  • folklore
  • history
  • culture
  • injustice

Keywords

  • Kerala
  • Paniya tribe
  • Chain Tree
  • Karinthandan

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Chain & The Churam, Kinkini Cheppu

Places: Wayanad, Kerala

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