The Kerala Museum, a vibrant cultural space in Kochi, located on the south-west coast of India, announces its new digital programme on Kerala history.
Venturing outside the physical limits of the Museum, JANAL, meaning window in Malayalam, is a programme that creates engaging digital exhibitions by drawing on historical archives, as well as the oral, intangible, and tangible histories of people and communities from Kerala.
Online Exhibitions: Contemporary & Thematic
The JANAL Archive excavates and presents lesser-known stories and micro-histories across a range of themes from the History of Kerala and, by extension, its maritime relations, using the present day as a starting point to trace transformations in cultural and historical phenomena.
Public Programmes: New, Interdisciplinary & Intersectional Approaches
The JANAL Archive is further enhanced by the JANAL Talks Lecture Series, a collection of speaker presentations that draw attention to critical and current strands of thinking and doing Kerala Studies in an interdisciplinary manner.
On the JANAL web platform, users can experience Kerala history in interconnected ways.
We believe that encouraging students to explore the JANAL Archive can greatly enrich their academic pursuits, providing them with a deeper understanding of Kerala’s history and culture. Whether studying history, sociology, art, anthropology, or related disciplines, the archive offers a wealth of primary sources and materials that can enhance their learning experience.
Invitation to Explore the Archive
To facilitate this exploration, the archive is easily accessible online, ensuring convenient browsing and research from any location.
- Explore the JANAL Archive at this link.
- Watch the JANAL Talks Lecture Series on the Kerala Museum’s YouTube Channel.
We invite you to integrate JANAL into your curriculum, recommending it as a supplementary resource or encouraging students to explore specific themes or periods relevant to your courses. Moreover, the Kerala Museum is committed to supporting educational initiatives, and we are happy to assist you and your students in navigating the archive or organising virtual sessions to delve deeper into its contents.
Invitation to Participate/Contribute
JANAL is envisioned as a medium for a more participatory history that facilitates a conversation between micro-histories and the larger narrative. It is designed towards a more inclusive retelling of Kerala’s multiple pasts and presents and seeks to involve multiple perspectives and stakeholders to better communicate with diverse audiences.
In our endeavour to create an interactive format that encourages exchange between academic disciplines while opening up scholarly research to artistic and creative expression, we invite scholars and community knowledge holders to come on board as contributors either by:
- Initiating conversations and establishing scholarly networks so that interested persons can contribute to the programme
- Contributing articles, illustrations, photo collections, photo essays, and other materials to the archive
To contribute to the JANAL Archive, send us an email at in**@ke**********.org with the subject “JANAL CONTRIBUTION.” Confirm your interest and specify your area within Kerala Studies. Include a brief bio and your contact details (phone and email).
Contact Us!
Please do not hesitate to contact us at in**@ke**********.org if you have questions or need assistance using our site.
