'Mystic Marayoor': A defence reporter’s tribute to nature and unsung heroes

Marayoor, nestled on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, is an enchanting village of rare beauty, rich cultural history, and biodiversity. It is also a hamlet that has plenty of tales to tell—of people with traditions, food practices, and beliefs that are so distinct and distant from the ones we are familiar with; of unsung heroes in the Forest Department who strive day and night to protect the forest and its trees; and of the government’s attempts to better the lives of tribal communities through initiatives like Chilla.

When Anantha Krishnan M., an award-winning aerospace and defence journalist with extensive experience at Deccan Chronicle, The Times of India, The New Indian Express, and Aviation Week, and founder of the independent media house Tarmak007, gets behind the camera for the documentary Mystic Marayoor — The Marvel, The Mystery, The Manifest, he takes the audience deep into the forests of Marayoor—and into all these tales and more.

With a cold opening, much like a tense action thriller, the documentary throws viewers right into an operation by the Forest Department. The danger is real, the tension palpable — and that urgency sets the tone for what follows. You’re hooked from the very first frames.

The documentary captures Marayoor in all its glory — magnificent mountains, beautiful groves, vibrant markets, and a community living in close harmony with nature.

One of the film’s strongest elements is how it showcases the lives of Marayoor’s tribal communities, particularly the Muthuvan and Hill Pulayan — their customs, traditions, food practices, and beliefs. Through a candid but respectful lens, cinematographer Samu Bhaskar, son of the legendary photographer G. Bhaskar, captures the rhythm of their daily lives. Their deep connection to nature and ancestral wisdom forms the cultural bedrock of the region. Enriching the narrative further are soul-stirring musical and dance performances by local artists, including award-winning tribal farmer Lakshmi Amma (80), offering a glimpse into their artistic expression and community spirit.

A major focus of the film is Chilla, a weekly open market launched by the Marayoor sandalwood division. What began as an effort to ensure fair prices for organic farm produce has now become a symbol of empowerment — especially for women.

The documentary also takes viewers into the Marayoor sandalwood depot, showing how the wood is cleaned, processed, treated, and auctioned. It highlights the rise of lemongrass farming and how modern amenities are slowly improving the lives of tribal communities — but always in a way that respects the unique tribal culture that defines the region.

The documentary doesn’t gloss over the challenges. Once infamous for sandalwood smuggling, Marayoor has slowly transformed through committed forest management and community participation. We also witness one such operation by Forest Department officials, following intelligence inputs about the presence of smugglers in the area.

Bhaskar deserves special mention for capturing Marayoor in all its majestic detail. The night visuals are particularly outstanding, balancing clarity with atmospheric intensity. Natural sounds and local music lend an organic rhythm to the film. It is tightly edited by Tharun Giri, ensuring a pace that keeps the audience engaged.

At the heart of the documentary is a question that stays with you long after the credits: “Is there a nation, if there is no nature?” It’s posed by the film’s narrator and director, Anantha Krishnan M., whose deep affection for the land and its people comes through in every frame.

Mystic Marayoor is not just a documentary about a place — it’s a heartfelt tribute to its people, their challenges, and their quiet, ongoing revolution in conservation and community empowerment.

"After 33 years covering war-fighting machines as a journalist and creating several military documentaries, most notably Hamara Tejas, a 12-part series on India’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, I had long wished to explore forest and wildlife storytelling — a subject close to my heart," says Anantha Krishnan.

"I chose Marayoor for its historical depth and the storytelling potential it offered. Earlier narratives focused on sandalwood thefts, enforcement drives, and tribal settlements. I wanted to take a different route and tell the story from a fresh angle. I ensured the camera captured scenes in their raw, unfiltered form. Visual journalism works best when the story is told simply. Mystic Marayoor did exactly that," he adds.

Mystic Marayoor will be officially released soon in Thiruvananthapuram, in the presence of Kerala Minister for Forests & Wildlife A.K. Saseendran.

Society