“Because of the uniqueness of the subject, the journey is filled with history, legends, local stories, myths and rumours. Healthy debates and discussions should be held about several incidents that were not authentically confirmed. They might prove useful in throwing light over the dark corridors of history. But any attempt to rationally analyse the legends and local stories would spoil the beauty of the journey,” Niraksharan a.k.a Manoj Ravindran, blogger and writer of the travelogue “Rediscovering Muziris,” forewarns its reader-spectator.
Originally published with the title, “Muzreesiloode,” the book was rendered into English by Ayisha Sasidharan.
The readers turn spectators too because what they hold in their hands is arguably India’s first augmented reality book in English, which contains over 100 embedded photos and some 40 videos that come alive on a mobile click over the images in the book. Only, the reader must download and install an Android mobile application, ‘Muzreesiloode’ to view these beyond-the-print features embedded in the book.
A fantastic, non-partisan journey through a stretch of land strewn with myths, history, beliefs, legends, and trade is what the book offers. Non-partisan, because the writer doesn’t make any finite claims to identifying this region as the erstwhile Muziris, which is believed to have been lost in a deluge in 1314 A.D. “Perhaps this is not Muziris. In that case, the historians, researchers, and the erudite should explain these mesmerising historical relics and evidence exhibited there. A traveller can only move ahead impartially recording all that he sees and hears during the journey,” says the writer.
Starting from the Bhagavathi temple at Kodungallur, the journey covers a host of places of historical and religious importance, including the Cheraman Masjid, Marthommalayam, the house of Mohammad Abdu Rahiman, Mathilakam and draws to a close at the Pallipuram Fort and church after a detailed tour of the Sahodaran Ayyappan Memorial at Vypeen. It is a traveller’s comprehensive guide to the region, as it describes the state of each site and the lore linked to it besides historical facts and mere hearsay.
The augmented photos and videos further enrich the journey.
Typographical inconsistencies apart, the book comes across as a refreshing experience in virtual travel.
