Kerala Sojourn

On thinking about Kerala, the first thing that comes to my mind is the colour Green. Never in my life have I seen such vivid shades of this gorgeous colour. Be it Shamrock green, Viridian, Myrtle, Clover, Emerald or just plain dark or light green for the layman like us, all are splashed in abundance all over this lovely land of the coconut.

Kerala was on my mind ever since the day I was born, but the chance to see it came only after 26 years of my life, with my mother’s determined persuasion. We arranged for a pre-planned trip and my parents, younger sister and I, ultimately took off from Ahmedabad to Kochi on a sunny winter morning in December. My aunt’s family, comprising of three people, were to join us in Kochi from Delhi. 4 hours flight with a stopover at Bangaluru, deposited us at the Cochin International Airport, which I was told is the only airport in India, built on Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model. Traditional Kerala architecture has bold influence on the airport building which instantly gives you a flavor of what is to unfold. We were met by our Travel in-charge at the airport, who transferred us to our Hotel at Kochi.

Call it Kochi, Cochin or Ernakulam, this city instantaneously gives us the impression of a commercial city with its one foot planted in modernization and other in traditionalism. Also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, this port city mushrooms around the south west coast of India. The town has three main parts - Fort Cochin, Willington Island and Ernakulam. With one of the finest natural harbors in the world, this city has much to offer to tourist like the Chinese Fishing Nets / Vasco da Gama Square, Old Harbor House, Bolghatty Island, Cherai Beach, etc. We especially enjoyed the Ferry ride to see the Kochi port.

Next day, our day started early at 4 a.m. to travel 150 kms to Munnar. This early start was on account of avoiding the demonstrations by the Taxi drivers who were on strike.  We reached Munnar, escaping any strikers, and were awestruck by its beauty. Lush Tea Gardens blanketing the hills welcomed us. Breathing in the crisp, cold and unpolluted air of this region gave us a hedonistic high. This panoramic hill station commands spectacular views of low-flying clouds and misty valleys, thus making it an attractive little heaven with a salubrious climate. Like any other hill station, Munnar also has many sightseeing “points”, which are all equally beautiful. At Mattupetty Dam, we enjoyed the thrills of speed boating, the awesome drive till Rajamalai (Eravikulam National Park) left us gasping for more, the flower garden made us grateful for the myriad beauty of nature, bestowed upon us by God.  Nyayamakad and Attukal waterfalls, Devikulam and Top Station are some other scenic places in Munnar.

One of the main highlights of Kerala is the Kerala Ayurvedic Massage. By and large every Hotel in Kerala offers it and if you happen to miss it somehow, you’ll definitely come across an Ayurvedic Massage Centre round the corner. We got it done at our resort in Munnar and it was worth every penny. Be it Shirodhara, Abhyangam, Panchakarma or a simple head or foot massage, the whole experience will leave you rejuvenated and fresh.

Bidding adieu to Munnar was very tough for us, as no one would want to leave heaven? But we moved onwards to our next destination – Thekkady. On the way, my Uncle, who is a botany buff, was jumping with joy with a sheer pleasure of being surrounded by spice plantation. Coming across 10 – 12 feet of gigantic Ginger Plants was another spectacle that we all came across. Though none of us cared about Ginger Plants, only because of my Uncle’s enthusiasm we came to know about this wonder. En route, we also stopped for the tour of the Spice Plantations, where the varied smells of spices engulfed us.    

We reached Thekkady and found out that we were booked in a Home stay. The word `Homestay’ in a Kerala context means a typical home of a Keralite in which a few rooms have been set aside to be let out to guests to stay and experience the hospitality and lifestyle of a local Keralite. Home Stay was a very new concept for us as none of us had any experience of it before. Expecting that we’ll be staying in a room with a family, our hopes were dashed after basking in the luxurious resort at Munnar. On reaching the place, our ideas about Home stays were also sent for a toss, as the rooms and the whole setting was every bit treat to our eyes. Built away from the family home, we were given cottages with rooms gleaming with cleanliness and stocked with every single things required for the stay. We were greeted by the daughters of the family with a homemade Plum cake, which was so delicious that we were left salivating for more. Home stays provide peaceful setting, relaxation, privacy and memorable holidays to the guests, with homely environment and tasty traditional home-cooked Kerala food.

Donning our role of Travellers again, we set out of the Home Stay to explore the Thekkady Town. Thekkday is famous for the Periyar Wild-Life Sanctuary which boasts of a beautiful Lake. Formed with the building of a dam in 1895, this reservoir meanders around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a permanent source of water for the local wildlife. Though it’s a Tiger Reserve, tourists come here to view the elephants in the act of ablution and playfulness by the Periyar lake. After this enchanting boat ride, we enjoyed the delicacies of the Kerala cuisine at a nearby restaurant.

Our evening started on an exciting note, as we were scheduled to witness the ancient martial art form called Kalaripayattu and thereafter a Kathakali dance performance. Kalari means Gymnasium or School, Payattu means Exercise and Fight. To witness it, we were made to sit in a Gladiator style gallery from where we could see the whole action down below. Six, very fit men, clad in Black overalls came in started performing their stunts. We were shaken watching this art form as the control and flexibility of the body of those men was unyielding. Discipline is the key. There are three stages of Kalaripayattu – Meippayatt i.e., Exercise to Control the Body, Kolthari i.e. Fighting with Sticks and Ankathari i.e. Felicity in using metal weapons like daggers and swords. It is must watch for each and everyone.

After the streak of aggression, Kathakali provided the much needed surreal atmosphere. Kathakali is a classical art form, but it can also be appreciated by novices - all contributed by the elegant looks of its character, their abstract movement and its synchronization with the musical notes and rhythmic beats. The dramatic dress and makeup of the dancers, their exquisite expressions, the enthralling notes of Carnatic music, the mystical Mahabharat Story, will keep you betrothed the whole time and you’ll be as mesmerized as a new born baby, exploring his environment.

Thekkady left us totally content and we moved on towards Alleppey /Alappuzha after a hearty traditional Kerala breakfast at our host’s house in our home stay. In Alleppey we were booked for a Houseboat ride in the Backwaters. Our quaint little Houseboat possessed all the amenities like open sit out, sunbath deck, specious living area, kitchen, and bath attached bedrooms with T.V, DVD etc. for staying overnight, along with a chef, a driver and a helper.

Bamboozling is the word to describe this grand experience. The house boat cruised in the backwaters of Alleppey with the backdrop of picturesque village life, all along. It cruised along the palm-fringed waterways and we skimmed past ancient Chinese fishing nets, water lilies, lush paddy fields, coir villages, rustic homes, temples, churches and coconut groves. As the evening descended over the cerulean water of this natural lagoon, our houseboat was parked next to a charming little village into the unknown.  On disembarking the Houseboat, we were met by the friendly villagers who were extremely welcoming. We went for a walk around this shore laced village, sprawling with paddy fields and came across Mauve Water Hyacinths! Back in the Houseboat we watched a movie into the silent night in this beautiful “Venice of the east” along with a scrumptious South Indian meal. The whole tour down the backwaters provided us with one of the most enchanting experiences of life and marvel at how beautiful God’s adobe is!

Our next and the last destination was Kovalam beach near Thiruvananthapuram. After such a brilliant trip, we never hoped to expect any brilliance from a mere beach. But we went along just because it was included in our package, with the only intention of adding one more destination to our list of explored places. The approach to Kovalam beach was mediocre, with shops aimed at luring foreigners, lining the streets. A steep drop on way, from quite a height, left us face to face with the Azure Arabian Sea. First glimpse and we all started believing in love at first sight. Garlanded by pristine beach with a beautiful lighthouse standing as a guard, it seemed like sheer poetry in motion. This curvaceous beach was bustling with activity as we reached there in the afternoon. Fishermen pulling in their catch, women selling juicy pineapples, revelers playing in the sea waters, wandering sellers persuading tourists to buy their wares, all endeared my heart instantly. Covering the beach was a line of lovely hotels, restaurants and shops, promising of an eventful evening. Our resort was situated bang on the beach surrounded by all these establishments. We ultimately had reached the pinnacle of heaven.

Cool breeze coming from the sea enticed us to take a dip into its bowel. And we succumbed. Pleasure of bathing in the sea is unmatched, but we ultimately vacated the beach to make way for sea creatures that started coming in for a visit, as the sun hid behind the horizon. At night the open air restaurants and shops came alive and Kovalam beach became a lively and a vibrant joint. 

Last day, we went to explore the nearby city of Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, which is the Capital city of Kerala state. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the city of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines. And we saw the personified meaning of Trivandrum at the Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple. The unimpressive exterior has clandestine Dravidian structure inside. Painted in black and gold, the whole structure boasts of a humungous courtyard which stands on 400 pillars. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple and they have strict rules of clothing. The shape of the legs should not be visible and so the male have to enter the temple wearing only white dhoti keeping the torso bereft of any clothing and the females have to either wear a saree or wear a dhoti over their clothing. The whole temple will leave you spellbound by its mere size. And we were not spared either.

Our next stop was Poovar Island. Poovar is like a natural wonder where different water bodies such as Lake, River, Sea and Beach meet the land. Poovar is basically a fishing village, and interestingly, the only way to reach Poovar is through water approach. Known for its pristine and virginal beauty, Poovar Beach is visited by those who love solitude. We gave it a miss, as we had a similar experience in Alleppey. Only here the houseboat cruise was replaced by a motor boat cruise.

Back at Kovalam, we again went for a dip into the sea and spent our time mulling over, whole Kerala sojourn and how different it was from our any other experiences. A nice candlelight dinner at a beach side restaurant was the cherry on the cake. With our stomach and hearts satiated, we surrender to sleep, to relive the whole trip right from the start at Kochi to Kovalam. The whole trip recharged us to live our life further.

Back in Ahmedabad, my Facebook status says, “to the heaven and back”. Yes, I have been to Heaven. I have been to the God’s Own Country! 

Facebook Fever

Face it! Face Book has revolutionarized our social lives. Started in February 2004 by four friends in Harvard College, who shared the love for Computer Science, Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes have since then created history. Boasting of more than 500 million active users today, Facebook has become an addiction for many. Think of days when your hands itch to log into that simple Blue and white coloured site, where faces of your friends stare at you but it invokes a feeling of euphoria. Those long lost friends and acquaintances, with whom you have lost touch, seem to be mushrooming day in and day out. Whether you used to hate them or love them, you cannot ignore them and 9 out of 10 times you end up adding them in your network of friends. They might help you create your Farm on Farmville! Whatever be the reason, one thing is for sure that Facebook has changed the rules of the social networking game.

Those neighbours of your childhood, those kids of your parent’s friends, those classmates of your school and colleges, those distant cousins, those numerous crushes, those old collegues and the present ones, those uncle and aunties, those nosy relatives, all can be found on facebook. Many of us have changed numerous schools and colleges in their student life. But it is only through Facebook that they have been able to trace my long lost friends and revive my friendship with them. Believe it or not, Facebook has acted as Aab-e-Hayaat for many people, infusing life into their depleted social lives. Today, even the people labeled as Introverts, flaunt an average of 100 friends.   

A person’s profile page has become an extension of their personality. What’s on your mind? as your profile page asks, has given people a platform to voice their thoughts, which not all can do when talking in person. The pages liked by people, the nonsensical quizzes played by them with the subsequent results posted on the Wall, the photographs uploaded on their profile, all give a glimpse into the personality of a person. This not only acts a discussion platform with friends, but also prompts replies from people you least expect. Your friend might be sitting in Antarctica, and behold, you get an immediate reply to your update! Many of our friends have shifted base to foreign countries and talking on phone gets heavy on the wallet. So chatting with them on Face book has become easy, as its free networking. And these days, it is only through Facebook that we get to know about our friend’s marriages or birth of their kid. Such is the impact of this brilliant masterpiece. One click, and you are surrounded by updates that change like the prices of shares on the Stock exchange terminal.

Be it an 8 years old child or an octogenarian, all use Facebook with full fervor. Facebook also has links to many a sites and acts as a one stop solution for all the hassle of opening multiple web pages. Forgetting important dates, events, anniversaries, birthdays are now a thing of past as Facebook will remind you about these each day. One line wishing your friend on his/her important day goes a long way in strengthening the bond of friendship. It shows that you care.        

So just click your button and spread your web, Superman Style, and connect to all your friends and family all over the world in a jiffy. We all surely “LIKE” it.

Delightful December

On a cold December night,

by the Oleander

I lie in my bed,

prepared for a slumber.

Engulfed in my Blanket,

smelling the timber,

Memories start tumbling,

of days gone yonder.

I listen to the splutter,

of the burning Embers,

As fog dimmed moonlight,

surrounds me tender.

Wind blows in muffled sounds,

from a distant choir chamber,

And I snuggle and surrender,

to a Delightful December.

Jambo Tanzania

Serengiti, Ngorongoro, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Lake Victoria… Tanzania has so much to offer to the tourist that it will satiate everyone’s palate.  Called as one of the most alluring countries of the world, it is not surprising to see traveler flocking this country from all over the world. Exotic and wild…what more can one ask for?

After getting fascinated for decades, we also decided to see for ourselves as to what is it that people from all over the world admire. We landed on the Julius Nyerere International Airport at Dar-es-Salaam after a flight of 5 hours 45 minutes from Mumbai. As soon as we entered Dar-es- Salaam, humid air slaps you on your face that takes you back to where you came from. But, India has made us used to that kind of climate and we were seasoned to face it all. As our car ventured into the city’s depths, I came across civilization and beautiful coastal city of Dar-es- Salaam or Heaven of Peace in Arabic. Most people make this city a stopover for going to other destinations, but it has a lot to offer to tourist. ‘Dar’ is a picturesque city with various historical monuments, seaport, beaches, good restaurants and shops to keep travelers busy. Influences of African, Arabic and Indian culture are very prominent.

One fascination we had was with the Tinga Tinga paintings and the minivan Daladala. The tinga tinga paintings are usually made by the Masai tribe of Tanzania which defines their culture on a canvas. And the Daladala is a local public transport that overloads itself like the local trains of Mumbai. That little trip in the daladala will tell you that bollywood music directors have visited Tanzania before. Not much to my surprise they played their local folk music in the minivan that dint seem unfamiliar, even though it was in Swahili.

After soaking in the essence of Africa in Dar-es-salaam, we decided to explore Zanzibar Archipelago. A two hours trip in the ferry from ‘Dar’ in the Indian Ocean brought us to Stone Town in Zanzibar. Zanzibar is EXOTIC in every sense of the word. Beautiful stoned alleyways, fragrant and dense spice farms, historical St. Joseph’s Cathedral, striking Old Fort, all will blow you away. If this is not enough, the Indian Ocean in various hues of Blue and Green bordered by the pristine beaches will make you marvel at god’s creativity.

We came back to our base in Dar-es-salaam for our journey beyond. If one wants to enjoy the countryside of any place, it’s always advisable to take the road. We did the same and found ourselves in a Bus to Arusha from where we would start our journey into the wild. That long 8 hours bus journey to Arusha was a delight in itself, as we got to see the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro from our bus window and it enforced our belief that flights should not have been our first preference. Arusha is a quiet town with Mt. Meru as its backdrop. Arusha’s claim to fame is the John Wayne movie, Hatari that was shot near Arusha. The Arusha Hotel has been dedicated to John Wayne and Hatari, who stayed there during the shoot. It has been swamped with pictures from that time along with John Wayne and other actors from the film.

After spending a night at Arusha, we headed early morning towards Serengeti National Park in our hired jeep. On our way, we came across another National Park called Ngorongoro. We all debated whether to visit it or to avoid it. But I want to thank my stars for letting my curiosity taking over me. Never in my life have I seen such a beautiful setting of a national park. Situated in the crater of a dormant volcano, it covers an area of more than 8000 sq. kilometers. Leopards, Lions, Hyenas, Rhinosaurus, Deer, Fox and many other species of animals roamed around the area as if on a vacation like us. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life to come face to face with so many other species that reside on this earth like us. We decided to stay back in absorb more of this experience and stayed at one of the Top 50 hotels in the world called Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. It was every bit luxury at its best.  

After the breathtaking experience of Ngorongoro, we headed towards Serengeti National Park which is one of the greatest national parks in the world. The park gets its name from the Masai word, Serenget, meaning 'endless plains'. One glimpse of the park and you won't ask why it has been named so. As soon as you reach the outskirts of the park, you are greeted with endless African savannahs filled with wild animals. It is this place, which draws thousands from all over the world and not to forget the Discovery and National Geographic channel to witness the migration of the Wilde Beast and Zebras. Lakhs of Zebras and Wilde Beast migrate from Tanzania to Masai Mara forest in Kenya in search of food. We were flabbergasted on seeing this migration from so close. It is truly one of the occurrences that one should experience before bidding goodbye to the world. 

Our journey came to an end with memories that have been etched well in our minds and will remain with us forever. This country is truly a traveler’s delight as it is whole of Africa packed into one. I have added my name in the list of millions of admirers from the Planet Earth and headed back to Mumbai with a promise in mind to come back and explore this country again and dig in to find more hidden treasures.