(Going a bit back on our #Monsoon trail once again to #Kerala - truly we can't have enough of it)
After Kovalam’srainy beach and Trivandrum’s good Lord Swamy Padmanabhawatching
the world go by on his recliner serpent, it’s time to move on to more languid
country. So think Vasco-da-Gama,the spice trade, Travancore kings, Namboothiris,
and as your mind meanders, stop and gasp at the magnificence of the Ashtamudi
Lake. Inhale. You’re at the gateway to the famed backwaters of God’s Own
Country, Alleppey.
As
you make your way to backwaters-world, en route you could wrap yourself in acres
of paddy fields like a wet sarong on a rainy day. Idyllic, green and wet, this
is Kerala’s rice bowl, probably the only place in the world where farming is
done below sea level.
Kettuvallams wait for experience-seekers patiently, tethered
to the pier at Alleppey. As you step into one, you know it’s time to go with
the flow. You watch the world go by, wave to the young boys running along the
embankment, look up at the sudden flash of avian colour and enjoy the
languorous ride.
From
Alleppey chase the dark clouds to Kochi, a delightful blend of old-word charm
and bustling metropolis. Fort Kochiis a must-see place ideal for rambling and
sauntering through its rich historical and cultural heritage. From the peace of
the old colonial bungalows experience a different kind of peace in a
Namboothiri home in Nilambur.
This district is rich in different wooded forests especially teak, housing the
world’s first Teak Museum. As you sit in the courtyard of a Namboothiri homewith
the rains pitter pattering down, time stands still.
Until suddenly…
You see a row of men lining up the path, beating their
drums, and dancers dressed in the most vibrant, eye-popping elaborate costumes
and head dresses, dancing in slow rhythmic steps, propitiating the Gods.Watch
with awe as these Theyyam dancers
perform this ancient dance to worship ancestors, in front of age-old shrines.
After the Theyyam routine, you come back to earth and chase the
rains to Bekal, one of the best preserved forts in Kerala. Located at Kasaragod,
this 300-year old fort offers a spectacular view of the Arabian Sea. While in
Kasargod, a visit to the oyster farm, Oyster Opera, is a must.
Listen, see and experience the transformational oyster and mussel farming
conducted in this award-winning eco farm recognized for its innovative
methodologies. Yes, it’s time to whip out your travel diary and journal away
about this remarkable enterprise accompanied by the warm outpourings from the
sky.
As you chase the South West monsoons from one place to the
next, enveloping you in perpetual dampness, you are reminded of Coleridge’s
Rime of The Ancient Mariner: And now the storm blast came, and he was
tyrannous and strong: He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south
along.
From Kerala to Karnataka, onward ho. Or as they say in
Kerala, “namukku pokam” (let’s go).
