A.K. Perumal: Pioneering the Preservation of Tamil Folklore for Future Generations

In a world dominated by social media, A.K. Perumal, a 73-year-old folklore researcher and literary historian from Kanniyakumari, has dedicated over four decades to preserving Tamil folklore and oral history for future generations. With two state awards and nearly a hundred books under his belt, Perumal's contributions have been hailed by renowned personalities like actor Kamal Hassan. Perumal's journey began with his undergraduate studies in Tamil literature at ST Hindu College in Nagercoil, followed by a master's degree in the government arts and science college in Chittur, Kerala. His passion for folklore led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Villupattu from Madurai Kamaraj University, mentored by anthropology scholar V. Chidambaranathan. Throughout his career, Perumal has extensively researched various folk arts, temple culture, and palm leaf transcriptions in Kanniyakumari district. He has collected and documented Mudaliyar palm leaf manuscripts from Kerala archives, shedding light on the district's administrative history from the 15th to the 19th century. Perumal has also traveled across the state, meticulously documenting folk art forms in his 95 books. Not only does Perumal interact with and document dwindling circles of folk artists, but he also strives to provide them with welfare assistance. His scholarly approach, coupled with a keen observer's eye, enables him to transcend academic polarities and see reconciliation where others see conflict. Despite offers from abroad, Perumal remains committed to his work, diligently preserving Tamil culture through his writings. His contributions, particularly in leather puppet shows, have uplifted sections of folk artists and earned him recognition from experts in the field.

Did You Know That a Boiling River Exists and It Is One-of-a-Kind in the World!

Not many have heard of Shanay Timpiksha, a river flowing with boiling hot waters hidden in the dense forests of the Amazon in Peru. According to records, this river's steaming blue waters, which are surrounded by 60-foot walls of lush green forest and stones, can reach temperatures of up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Locals claim this river is sacred, and the hot waters offer therapeutic properties. According to locals, young explorer Andrés Ruzo listened to his Peruvian grandfather tell the legend of Shanay-timpishka, also known as La Bomba and Boiling River, an ancient name that roughly translates to "boiling with the heat of the sun."  The legend stayed with Ruzo and so when he became a geophysicist he decided to explore whether the river existed. He started by drawing a thermal map of Peru and later uncovered one of the biggest geothermal phenomena on any continent: an extremely enormous hot area. In 2011, Ruzo set out on an expedition to Central Peru. He located the river and found that it is guarded by the shaman of the small town Mayantuyacu. With the Shaman’s permission, Ruzo could study the waters of this unique river. Ruzo thought this feature was strange because there isn't any volcanic or magmatic activity close by. After doing some research and testing various theories, he concluded that the river's high temperatures were being caused by a fault-led hydrothermal feature. That’s the reason why the average temperature of the river is 187 degrees Fahrenheit, which is really hot!