Podcasts have been trending, everywhere. But heard of a boatcast? Well, as the name suggests, it is a podcast that unfolds on water. In this case, one that engages with boats, ancient waterways of the fabled Muziris, and the layered histories they carry.
Blending oral history, scholarship, performance and documentation, ‘Boatcast’ is as much an artform as it is an archive. The idea came from Zahir Mirza — artist, brand consultant, educator and mentor — who is based in Mumbai but “deeply drawn to Kerala’s cultural and historical landscapes”.
The initiative took shape during discussions over the exhibition ‘Amphibian Aesthetics’ organised by Aazhi Archives at Ishara House, Fort Kochi. The exhibition explores Kerala’s multiple histories — oral traditions, trade, the movement of religions, and more.
“The show was launched on December 13. I wanted to be part of it, but didn’t know what to do,” Zahir tells TNIE on the sidelines of the International Spice Routes Conference at Bolgatty Palace in Kochi.
“I stated my inability to come up with something for the show to Riyas Komu, the artistic director of ‘Amphibian Aesthetics’, with whom I share a warm camaraderie. He remained unfazed and, without saying anything, took me on a tour of Kochi, Mattancherry, Paravur, Chendamangalam, Pattanam and several other places where history lives.”
That experience, Zahir says, left a deep impression. “The next day I had to leave for Mumbai. Before going to the airport, while we were having breakfast, I randomly wrote ‘podcast’ on a tissue paper. Then I struck ‘pod’ off and wrote ‘boat’ over it. The new word read ‘boatcast’. I gave it to Riyas, and the idea took wings,” he recalls.
“I told him we would use podcasts as an artform. Thus was born Boatcast. Human civilisation is built around rivers and other waterbodies, and Kerala is a living testimony to this. The positive aspect is that the state is recognising and celebrating this.”
What sets Boatcast apart is its format. Each episode is shot aboard a boat, cruising through the serene waters of Kerala’s rivers and lakes, allowing history to be experienced in the very landscapes where it occurred.
“When I went to Pattanam, I realised that history is not just about trade. There is religion, and then there is the history of slavery,” says Zahir, who teaches at Sir J J Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai. “So we decided to speak to experts associated with each subject.”
The conversations have included historians and scholars such as M V Narayanan and Michael Tharakan, who discussed Kerala’s economic history, the role of the rajas, and systems that continue to shape the state today.
With Sreekala Sivasankaran, the focus was on Jewish traditions, while Sanal Mohan spoke about slavery. “We really went deep,” Zahir notes.
Music, too, plays a vital role. “We had Reshmi Sateesh with us. She did the entire journey through songs — a ‘kappa paattu’ (a Hebrew-Malayalam song), a Portuguese song. So there is history through music. The guests enjoyed it,” he says.
“The interesting thing about the format is that it doesn’t happen within the confines of a room. The space for Boatcast is expansive.”
The organisers say the project stems from “the notion that trade, conquests, knowledge, culture, religion, etc., grew through waterways”.
“The format is designed in a way that we gently float into stories... by looking into the horizon,” they add.
So far, 14 Boatcast sessions involving several domain experts, including foreign academics, have been completed. These episodes will soon be uploaded on YouTube. “By the end of the year, we will have a 100 at least,” Zahir smiles.
His ambitions go further. “In one of the Boatcasts, Prof. M V Narayanan said there was a time when one could travel from south to north of Kerala through inland waterways — without setting foot on land. That’s a ‘spice route’ I would love to recreate,” he says.
Zahir, in fact, is currently in discussions with the state government regarding the project. “They seem keen. If things pan out well, we might do it,” he says.
Those who are interested to join Boatcast cruises may contact: aazhiarchives@gmail.com