OTT Lokah vs. cassette Yakshi: Aithihyamala, chains, Kerala Nightmare

The perfect Halloween movie SCARES FEAR AWAY!

Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra is on JioHotstar OTT platform as of October 31 with guardian ghosts.

Kantara: Chapter 1 is also on OTT with gracious gods.

While I'd love to talk Kantara, as a Malayali, it’s my duty to talk about Kerala's pride, Neeli, I'm afraid. 

no, really… AFRAID

My first encounter with Yakshi was when I was 4. Akashaganga movie's Yakshi shook me. I woke up sweating bullets (pretty sure I wet the bed!) 

Horrific visions of white saree, fangs, long hair, bellowing laugh, screams, black cats, howling dogs…. and the stare… I still have the elements in my nightmares!

Aithihya Mala - Clarification

I need to note. “Aithihyamala” shouldn’t translate to “Garland of Legends”. 

In Sanskrit, Aithihyam means “What It Has Been” 

{Ai - this/that, Iti - thus, Ha - indeed/verily} (there’s also Asa = it was) (I do not have enough linguistic faculties to explain)

Maala means garland, but also chain or train. The stories are related.

Aithihyamala means “Chain of What Has Been” 

The Aithihyamala collection captures chains of events, weaving a web of stories. We’re trapped!

Ahh! Aithihyamala!

When I could read bigger words and sentences, I started raiding everyone’s books. My grandmother's pristine little library had gems. Among them were hardcover Mahabharat and Aithihyamala.

Eight-year-old me didn't read them, I ATE! 

Enjoying every morsel, my brain became what it ate - a collection of tales, fairy dust, legends, and moonbows.

More coming soon. 

“Yakshi” is haunting me to write her. 

We’re pulling an all-nighter!