Views & Interviews

Interviewed by Sharath Bhat
Independent Writing and Editing Professional in Bengaluru, India

“Life is about more than work
or possessions.
It’s also about seeking purpose, meaning, and fulfillment.”

The Artist’s Road

Baltimore based adman and conceptual artist Mathew Mathew spends a major part of his time designing ads and newsletters, painting and making videos of people, places and lately food. Though the pandemic has created an adverse effect on his outings, it has not dampened his creative zeal a bit. His current work is centered on My Mother’s Kitchen, an online food channel by his wife Leela that showcases how Indian food is made in the kitchen like her mother did.

Mathew is eagerly looking forward to visiting once again the verdant hilltops and the placid backwaters of Kerala, where most of his childhood days were spent.

His Interests: Art • Travel • Graphic Novels • Films • Photography

Q: How would you categorize your travel experiences?

Into the Storm, my commissioned acrylic painting that illustrates the perils and rewards
of undertakings in the face of danger and hostile forces

“The world is a book, and those who
do not travel read only one page.”

The above quote from St. Augustine sums up my view on traveling.

Most of my vacations were spent either in India or at a place of great interest and value for the money I spend. If I would visit a country again and again, that would be Italy not for its churches or food but mainly for the whole experience. England, Germany, France and Mexico may not warrant another visit.

Since the Italian trip was arranged by a Catholic Parish in Toronto through a tour group from Canada, there was no reason for me to worry about lost travel documents, flights or hotel accommodations. It was a worry-free two weeks in Italy. If given the opportunity, I wouldn’t mind making another visit to Italy taking the same route.

A three-day whirlwind tour of Rome (our last leg of the group tour that began in Venice on October 14, 2018 and ended in Rome on October 24) took us to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, and many churches and chapels in between. A Papal visit at the St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, was perhaps the most memorable event of the tour.

Q: Can you re-live one experience back home in India (any year) that is linked to a dream vacation?

The backwaters of Kerala got me hooked as soon as I took my first boat ride with my parents from Vaikom to Kochi. It was almost like a dream; I was just a child then. I had to wait many more years for another visit. That happened in 1984, when I went to Kerala accompanied by a team of creatives from Sista’s Advertising, Bangalore for a Coir Board photography assignment. It coincided with the famous Nehru Boat Race at Alappuzha on the second Saturday of August. The call of the backwaters didn’t stop with that trip. The backwaters, especially of Kumarakom, beckoned many times over and the last one in 2018 was extraordinary. A whole day I was drifting about the Kumarakom kayal with my family and friends with not a worry in the world but a glass of fresh toddy near for extra comfort! The Pulikkattil houseboat ride was like no other. It was an unforgettable experience worth repeating!

Q: Can you re-live one experience back home in India
(any year) that is linked to a vacation that is out of the ordinary?

If there was a trip that I regret making would be the one that I made in July 2012 to Bangalore. I was on a long vacation in Kerala because I had to sort out some replanting issues of a rubber plantation. I took a week’s break and decided to visit my old town and old friends. Bangalore appeared to have become very crowded with more traffic and more confusion. And to top it all there was a meeting of MLAs happening in town.

My attempt to get a room at Woodlands was a lost cause and looking for a room in town ended up at a seedy lodging in Shivajinagar. A photographer I used to work with for a long time was in the thick of going for a trip to Dubai. He had no time to pass me information about the guys who I thought of meeting while in town. My energy and enthusiasm evaporated even before I was ready to say quits. The best alternative was to leave town as soon as possible and that is what I did.

I am just waiting for a good reason to visit the city again.

Q: Can you tell us about your travels in and around religious destinations?

There are many churches and temples in Kerala that are famous for their history and some are destinations of pilgrimage. I have visited some of them while I was in Kerala.

St. Alphonsa Shrine, Bharananganam

I have visited Bharanaganam a couple of times even before it has become a place of pilgrimage after the canonization of Sr. Alphonsa. It is perhaps the busiest Christian

The shrine where St. Alphonsa’s earthly remains are kept in a casket

pilgrim center in Kerala. Bharanaganam is about 35kms from Kottayam and 6kms from Pala. Last visited: January 2018.

St. George Church, Edappally, Ernakulam

I might have visited the church a dozen times while studying at the Sacred Heart high school and college in Kochi in the ‘60s. The St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church is one of the oldest in India. The original church was built in 594 AD. In 1080 another church was built near the old one. A festival in honor of St. George is celebrated during May-June every year. A magnificent new church with ornate interiors was completed in 2015. Last visited: January 2018.

The massive new church with the old one at Edappally is an important landmark in Kochi

St. Thomas Cathedral, Pala

The original St.Thomas Church was built in the year AD 1002. It was later elevated to a Cathedral. The church was built by a prominent group of families, namely: Tharayil, Erakonni, Vayalakkombu & Koottunkal. The descendants of these original Christians are still living in Pala and elsewhere.

The old church, built in the Portuguese architectural style, remains along with a newly built cathedral

Q: During the pandemic, what’s it like to be stuck at home,
with vacations on “doubtful” mode?

COVID-19 has disrupted life like never before. Activities such as going to the gym at the Towson YMCA, attending Sunday Mass in the church, shopping for grocery, etc., have suffered because of a minuscule virus! It did disrupt not only my way of life on any average day, but also some of my set plans for travels and vacation. One such planned trip to the Holy Land (Israel and Jordan) that was set to start in late October, 2019 ended up in cancellation and funds in the hands of the tour group. The airfare via United Airlines was refunded but the reservation fee of $350 each for four of us is still held by the tour group! That amount would be released only if we go on a trip with them again. But when?

Q: What would you expect from your hotel or resort in terms of safety precautions and staff orientation?

I never had to deal with lost items or hotel staff misbehaving on my vacation or trips to foreign lands. I am sure the hotels, cruises and tour groups are extra cautious about how did they deal with their clients because everything hangs on reputation.
However, I have noticed rude behavior from restaurant staff, especially at Indian restaurants not only in India but also in the USA.

Q: How soon do you think things will take to come back to normal?

I think things will get back to normal once the pandemic is controlled or banished with effective vaccines and safety measures. Sadly, cooperation of governments and the general public is still not in synch. That calls for caution, hope and faith.

The Brew