Float with Boatcast

Zahir Mirza

Drift into deep conversations about culture, heritage, and the shared human experience. Guided by the philosophy that "the river doesn't take a form," our episodes are unscripted and unhurried. We invite guests to share complex narratives that celebrate diverse traditions, hidden histories, and organic community building. Here, history is continuous, culture is shared, and every perspective is a current in the collective story. Float with us.

Episodes

  1. Kerala's Early Development: A Historian's View by Prof. Dr. Micheal Tharakan | Boatcast

    Jan 29

    Kerala's Early Development: A Historian's View by Prof. Dr. Micheal Tharakan | Boatcast

    Prof. Dr. Micheal TharakanHistorian and scholar of Development Studies.Former Chairman of the Kerala Council of Historical Research (KCHR).Held the Ramakrishna Hegde Chair at the Institute of Social and Economic Change (Bangalore).Was a professor at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) in Trivandrum.Served as Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University and briefly of Calicut University.Switched from studying History (BA and MA from Union Christian College, Aluva) to Development Studies (M.Phil. and Ph.D. under K.N. Raj at CDS).sailing from Kochi toward the old Muziris port (Kottapuram).

    43 min
  2. Heritage, Tourism and Histories - the Muziris’s story with Mr Sharon Veettil | Boatcast

    Jan 29

    Heritage, Tourism and Histories - the Muziris’s story with Mr Sharon Veettil | Boatcast

    Sharon Veettil, Managing Director of The Muziris Project

    29 min
  3. Ancient Jewish Traditions of Kerala | Sreekala Sivasankaran | Boatcast with Zahir Mirza

    Jan 29

    Ancient Jewish Traditions of Kerala | Sreekala Sivasankaran | Boatcast with Zahir Mirza

    Sreekala SivasankaranFormer Associate Professor, Janapada Sampada Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi.PhD in West Asian Studies from School of International studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.Academic, poet and theatre activistSpecialized in the history of Jewish community in Kerala.

    50 min
  4. Kerala, a Palimpsest | flowing with Prof. M V Narayanan | Boatcast with Zahir Mirza

    Jan 29

    Kerala, a Palimpsest | flowing with Prof. M V Narayanan | Boatcast with Zahir Mirza

    Prof. M. V. NarayananFormer Vice Chancellor, Sree sankara University of sanskrit, kalady.Areas of his research include: Cultural studies, popular culture, theatre and performance studies and traditional Indian theatre.Prof. Narayanan obtained doctoral degree from the university of Exeter, UK.He was a Fellow at Indian Institute of Advanced Study.

    59 min
  5. Kerala's Hidden History: Slavery on the Spice Route | Prof. Sanal Mohan | Boatcast

    Jan 29

    Kerala's Hidden History: Slavery on the Spice Route | Prof. Sanal Mohan | Boatcast

    Prof. P. Sanal Mohan, Former Professor of history at Mahatma Gandhi university.His areas of specialization include: colonial modernity, social movements and questions of identity dalit movements and Christianity in India. He combines history and ethnography in his research.He is the author of "Modernity of Slavery: Struggles Against Caste Inequality in Colonial Kerala", a work that garnered international crotical acclaim.As a researcher and teacher Sanal Mohan has an illustrious international exposure.

    1h 6m
  6. Hidden History of Kerala's Music: Jewish, Portuguese, and Boat Songs with Reshmi Sateesh | Float with Boatcast

    Jan 29

    Hidden History of Kerala's Music: Jewish, Portuguese, and Boat Songs with Reshmi Sateesh | Float with Boatcast

    Reshmi Sateesh is a multi-dimensional artist known for her melodious singing and work across film and music.- She is a trained Carnatic musician from a young age.- She studied film at the Satyajit Ray Film Institute and has worked as an audiographer, playback singer, associate director, and actress (including a "female dominant role" in the film 22 Female Kottayam).- While studying social work in the tribal area of Wayanad, she began collecting and performing various folk songs.- She founded her band, ReSa, to express her musical identity, focusing on folk and traditional music, including forms like Theyyam.This episode of "Boatcast" is an exploration of the multicultural history and music of Kochi- Focus: The episode highlights the musical exchange that occurred through ancient trade routes to Muziris, including the lasting influence of Portuguese music and Jewish songs.Featured Performances: Reshmi performs and discusses:- Ancient Jewish Malayalam Songs: These are songs originally translated from Hebrew to Malayalam and focus on personal, divine, and historical themes.Kappa Patt (Boat Songs): An ancient form of Mapila song from coastal areas. These songs typically compare the emotions and journey of human life to that of a boat, and are performed by the men who work on the water.- Portuguese Music: She performs a segment of "Jingly None," a celebratory, carnival-like song whose tune is widely used in Kerala and Sri Lanka, and notes the introduction of instruments like the violin and guitar through Portuguese influence.

    26 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Drift into deep conversations about culture, heritage, and the shared human experience. Guided by the philosophy that "the river doesn't take a form," our episodes are unscripted and unhurried. We invite guests to share complex narratives that celebrate diverse traditions, hidden histories, and organic community building. Here, history is continuous, culture is shared, and every perspective is a current in the collective story. Float with us.

Information

  • Creator
    Zahir Mirza
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Zahir Mirza
  • Show Website
    Float with Boatcast