A group of 20 guests at Cardamom County enjoyed a traditional Kerala welcome today with a caparisoned elephant, traditional Chenda melam band, flower garland and sandalwood paste Tikka.
hospitality
Thank You to All Cardamom County Staffs & Friends
Even though I’m truly happy to be back at school, saying farewell to the staffs that I have been working with for more than 2 months was not easy. Every day I would pass by them saying “Namaskaram” which is “hello” in Malayalam or “Sukamano?” which is “how are you?” For every encounter, they kindly answered back to my poor Malayalam greetings and made my Kerala experience SUPER (as Indians often say)! To show my gratitude to all resort staffs, I drew some sketches as thank you notes. Thank you all, and I hope to see you soon. 🙂
Being Full of It: A Meaningful Word
Since arriving in Kerala, I have been greeted many ways. I have exchanged many smiles and hellos, and I have been veiled with jasmine garland and pressed with traditional dika. However, the greeting I find most profound lies in a single word: Namaskaram.
Two people, worlds apart, meet with this word. Each of their hands draws together in a prayerful pose in the nest of their individual chests. With a bow of their heads, they utter, “Namaskaram.” At first, it seemed like a simple interaction, yet when I asked the native people for the meaning, I learned that it has a much deeper connotation.
A signal of respect. A promise of hospitality. A notion of putting aside one’s ego. All of these meanings are understood with Namaskaram. I witness and experience them with nearly every interaction among the people here at Cardamom County, but the latter meaning, putting aside one’s ego, has struck a powerful chord in me. Continue reading
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