The Geography Your School Never Taught You | Hamidali Vazhakkad

Why does Kerala have a mountain range, a midland, rivers and the sea all within an hour’s drive, and why do most of us never notice? In this episode of Uppu Podcast, we sit with Hamidali Vazhakkad in front of a big map of Kerala. He walks us through the land we live on: how the Palakkad Gap was formed, what “churam” really means, whether Wayanad sits on the Deccan Plateau, how the Wayanad tunnel will change the ghat, and why Attappadi gets so little rain. From there the conversation travels to the Himalayas, the Great Trigonometrical Survey, the Nepal glacier-lake disaster and the long history of human travel. If you’ve ever wondered why your geography textbook felt boring, this episode shows you what it was supposed to be. Hamidali Vazhakkad is a higher secondary history teacher who has become one of Kerala’s most-loved explainers of geography, travel and environment. He has made seven journeys to the Himalayas and grew up beside the Chaliyar, in the years of the Mavoor Gwalior Rayons pollution struggle. That’s where his environmental lens began. Stay till the end for the conversation on development vs environment, what tourism did to Manali and our disposable lifestyle, and his advice on how to be a responsible traveller. It’s a Malayalam podcast for anyone who loves Kerala, travel or simply learning to see the world with open eyes. support us at: https://buymeacoffee.com/uppu #podcast #malayalampodcast #travel Join us for another insightful episode where we delve into diverse topics, bridging cultures and ideas. Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share to be part of our vibrant community! 🌐 Connect with Uppu Podcast:Instagram: https://bit.ly/uppupodcastinstaSpotify : https://bit.ly/uppupodcastApple Podcast: https://bit.ly/uppupodcastapple 🚨 Disclaimer: All views expressed in this video are personal opinions and should not be considered as professional advice. We encourage respectful and open dialogue in the comments section. 🔐 Privacy and Data: Your privacy matters to us. We do not collect any personal information without your consent. Please be aware of online safety and avoid sharing sensitive information in the comments. 📧 Contact: For business inquiries or collaborations, please email us at [email protected]📌 Stay Updated: Hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest releases!Thank you for being part of the Uppu Podcast family. Your support means the world to us! 🌍✨ 00:00 - Highlights 00:52 - How we came to Hamidali Vazhakkad 02:09 - Chapter I: Are Malayalis Geographically Lucky? 07:00 - Why Geography Fails in Our Schools 08:24 - Palakkad Gap & the Meaning of "Churam" 13:50 - Kuthiran Tunnel & the Wildlife Corridor 15:11 - How was the Palakkad Gap Formed? 19:00 - Is Wayanad Part of the Deccan Plateau? 20:12 - Migration, Mahe & Morocco 25:32 - Google Maps Errors & the Iruvazhinji River 28:09 - Wayanad Tunnel: A Ramp, Not a Pass 30:00 - Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats & the Deccan 36:57 - Attappadi & the Rain Shadow 39:07 - 2026: The Weakest Monsoon 41:16 - Chapter II: How did the Traveller in You Begin? 42:00 - Travel is Not a Picnic 45:58 - The Problem with Travel Packages 49:10 - The Great Trigonometrical Survey 54:01 - Seven Journeys to the Himalayas 55:28 - Nepal GLOF: Did China Break the Dam? 59:06 - A History of Travel: From Nomads to Ibn Battuta 01:06:00 - Why Do We Travel Today? 01:10:50 - Chapter III: Mavoor, Chaliyar & the Environmental Lens 01:13:06 - Learning Nature Without Studying Botany01:15:06 - Development VS Environment 01:17:40 - Everyone Should Be an Environmentalist 01:26:17 - What Tourism Did to Manali 01:28:15 - Disposable Lifestyle & Waste 01:31:40 - Chapter IV: How to Be a Responsible Traveller 01:34:00 - Trusting People on the Road