The Malayali Money Equation

Does a bird that has already sorted its meal, still fly anyway?

I had a particular audience for this question. I asked this of three men, all Malayali, under 25 years of age and from the Malapurram region. This was part of an intentional exercise I did back in Kozhikode.

I've never been to a place with such a complicated relationship with money. There is so much exuberance, yet so little wealth. My takeaway may be skewed due to the sample set, but I'm sure a neutral observer will see as much as I have. Please note, all my conclusions are based on the sample-set and what I find to be generally true from my observations.

First, to paint a picture of the youth here, they dress well, are mostly in a good relationship by the time they're 20 and are expecting to finalise their marriage. You can see aspirations to become "set", either by virtue of running a profitable business, merchant navy or gulf/abroad work. Options outside these appear risky. And for that fact, everyone and their father has at least once experienced the Arabian nights.

And they take such pride in it as well. Like who wouldn't, I would express it every chance I got, if I used to work in the gulf and returned. Take the auto-driver who took me from my hostel to the KSRTC bus-stand in Kozhikode. He had a recent model iPhone Pro, excuse me, I cannot determine the year or model with the naked eye as the difference grows concerningly smaller each year. I also met another guy, who was preparing to go to college. He had taken a drop year after 12th and engaged in drop-shipping. His claim to fame was the fact that he made 2 lakh, and used it to buy an iPhone, an M4 Macbook and an Apple Watch. He was looking forward to joining his B.Sc in Geology at a university. He also told me, rather proudly, he did not put this into a college fund.

In all of this, I've noticed that the urge to spend is as high as the urge to make money. I hope credit card culture never kicks off here. Somehow the lottery and the alcohol culture have largely remained controlled in Malapuram, my interviewees say, owing to the strong Muslim community and their ideologies. Another one of their vices appears to be throwing extravagant weddings. Not to say Tamil or other marriages are not expensive but extravagance exists here as well and in force. I spoke to a guy from Nilambur, who was looking forward to his Nikkah, but was also under immense pressure to put up 10 Lakh rupees to have a respectable marriage. A thousand guests and an equal number of lambs to feed them, as he exaggerated, were the bare minimum. He would have to go into debt to manage this number, but he will do it happily and with a smile on his face. He said this as he ate with his hand, opposite to the one that had an expensive watch, and complained that a full meal in the land enriched by Vasco Da Gama costs 80 Rs, whereas one in his home town will cost him less.

Kerala, well-educated, well-kept, embarrassingly more civilised than the rest of the country, has a money conundrum. I can't call it a problem because they seem to be happy, adequate and laid-back, more so than I can say for the rest of my countrymen. Of course, this is to my observation, the consumption numbers may speak otherwise. More iPhones, more debt, more exuberance, but more happiness. Kerala laughs at money. It matters a lot, and it also exists to be spent. I might be less stingy going forward. The end goal for money in Kerala seems to be to buy respect, rather than objects. A house with a front yard and a first floor. An iPhone, a car and the like don't buy social security, but they provide social respect.

And the answer to that first question? A unanimous "No". The bird that is not hungry, does not need to fly and it will not fly. It will rest and rejuvenate, enjoying its meal and the beautiful day, for tomorrow, it has to get up to fly and hunt again. The bird, however, must be respected by an external audience. On an aside, do listen to Appozhum Paranjile, a folk original from here. Thaikkudam has an excellent rock rendition. It is about caste inequalities, as you can find from some of the comments on the youtube video!