KERALA - on bike, in Search of GOD

KERALA -On a Bike, In Search of GOD

They call it God’s Own Country. Since God is beyond the reach of lesser mortals like us, we decided to ride through His Country in the hope of feeling Him, if not finding Him. So, while people have been flocking to this beautiful land for spices, ivory, sandalwood, tea for over two millennia, (and king cobra, more recently), we picked it up as our holiday destination just to be company of God. Trip to Kerala had been in a pipeline for long. In fact, this was the only state that we had not visited in our country and itch had been growing with every passing day.

We are at Leh at present (One can feel God here too). Having endured the harshest spell of winters here, Kerala appeared to be a logical choice for a change from bone freezing chill. So, some mails were written, some SMSs were sent plus a few phone calls made to many friends. The response was great but dates (Mid February 2010 to beginning of March) somehow clashed with children’s exams and financial year closing procedures in most of the cases. There were few additional issues, unique with some friends. At the end of it all, there were two guys left standing – Sachin and self. Though the dropping numbers had been disheartening and a thought to change the dates did flash through our minds but we finally decided to do it before it got too warm. Life, after all, moves on.

So, finally it boiled down to Deepika, Czia and self on a bike and Sachin, Nehal, Kairav ( He is too young for a bike ride yet), Sachin’s mom and his aunti in a hired taxi. Our bike, Bagheera, was lying at Jammu and time at hand was too short to bring it to Kerala. So, a friend chipped in and offered his Hero Honda Glamour to us. The bike was lying at Trivandrum and, thus, we flew down directly to Trivandrum and reached the capital city on 19 Feb 10. Sachin and family were to fly down to Cochin (more logical destination as per our itinerary) on 20th. Our plan was to pick up the bike and drive down to Cochin on 19th itself. With the time available, we decided to do Central and Southern Kerala (East-West width of the state is too short to be referred to in terms of any other cardinal direction), leaving Malabar Region for the next time. So, roughly, it was gonna be Kochi-Guruvayur –Munnar and southwards.

We landed at Trivandrum at around 1030 or so and came out of the airport by 1100h. A great pal, Venu, had been waiting at the airport. As we drove out of the airport, we came across a unique scene. Fishing trawlers are not permitted around Trivandrum (Good!!) and therefore, fishermen still use an ancient technique of fishing. Alas, our camera was still inside the baggage and we could not click the pics but I would try and describe the spectacle to the best of my abilities. What happens there is that fishermen use jute ropes that are as long as 3-5 km, to tie the nets on one end of the rope. They place the ropes in the respective boats in a way that the rope remains coiled like a cobra. Once a few Kms inside the sea, they drop the net and head back towards the shore. As they move landwards, the coiled rope keeps on uncoiling itself and a bit of it is left when they hit the coast. They tie up the other end of the rope with a pillar on the beach and wait for the pullers to come. By this time, it is morning and the time for commercial activity begins. Contractors come in and the catch, yet to be retrieved, is auctioned. Now it is contractor’s luck as to how much value for his money he is gonna get (Contractors seldom fail, we all know). Now a long slog begins wherein a group of 6-10 pullers start pulling the rope homewards. Imagine the effort involved in pulling the wet rope that has been stretched a few Kms into salty waters of the sea. Slowly and tediously, they pull the rope while a couple of them arrange the rope in a coil for use the next night. And finally the net emerges and also the destiny of the contractor for the day. We took a brief halt to watch a part of this ritual. Mankind has grown brutal during its evolution. There was a time, not too distant in the past, when no automatic weapon was ever used for hunting. The idea was to offer a leveled playing field to the hunter as well as the game. So, if a hunter missed it first time, the game had a chance to get away and live another day. But then we switched over to the automatic weapons and the balance was tilted in man’s favour who could now fire up to 50 bullets inside half a minute. Where was the chance for the game now!! In the process, we lost the passion and we became mechanized hunters with better technicals. Gone was the breed of hunters who would shoot and then cry over the dead game out of compassion. Also gone are the anglers who would catch a fish and free it soon thereafter. So, it was a nice change to see a fair game being played on those sunny beaches of Thiruvananthapuram. God, really, was there, somewhere around. We atrted for Venu’s place soon after.

Venu is in same profession as mine. We knew each other for sometime but had never met in person. The friend, Aneesh, who owned the bike, is also in our profession and is posted in another corner of the country. So, a friend of Aneesh had dropped the bike at Venu’s place a day before. Idea was to land, have a cup of coffee at Venu’s place and push off to Cochin. But Venu is what he is known for…a spirited, die-hard soldier who is an excellent host. He had a different plan for us. The moment we entered his newly acquired villa, we were greeted by one of our most favourite sights.

A lab and a small daschund were there to receive us. Having left own three pets home for this trip, we found a release in these angels.

Czia sat down right there, refusing to move into the house and we got the sign that our trip had started well.

And then Venu came into action. In anticipation of our arrival, he had prepared fresh coconut Toddy for us.

Mira, his graceful wife, almost killed us with her hospitality. What works – fish, chicken, sausages in snacks and great food thereafter. We had transited from minus 30 degrees to plus 30 degrees in no time. So, freshly drawn and chilled toddy could not be resisted !! Venu, like a great host, also assured that there will be no ill effects when we take to the road sometime later. So, we enjoyed the drink (s), snacks and the food that Mira had so painstakingly prepared. (Thanks to you two, Aneesh and of course Anil…..are you reading guys??). One would have loved to hit the sack soon after the food and that was what Venu had actually planned for. But where was the time? With 250 odd Kms of driving, we wanted to be in Cochin before it was too late. Venu, however, advised us to start late to avoid heavy rush of traffic on the coastal highway that connects the two cities. We, however, opted to start immediately after lunch. Venu, therefore, advised us to take MC Road (Central Road) that runs parallel to the coastal highway but is supposed to be less crowded and more shaded. The route being referred to starts from Thiruvananthapuram and leads to Cochin via Kotarigade, Adoor, Pandalam, Chalganerassary, Kottayam, Muvattupuzha and Vitela Junction.

We left Trivandrum after lunch at around 1500h. Venu and Mira led the way on their bike and led us out of the town. Trivandrum is a beautiful, green city but getting congested by day. Hope the green cover stays and concretization does not eat up the inherent beauty of the place. Red tiled cottages and buildings, lush green trees that survive till date, make it a pretty sight. Roads are reasonably free of muck. As we left the city and started moving towards Ernakulam (Cochin/Kochi), we realized the importance of the advice rendered by Venu. Road was virtually empty except at places where we crossed cities and towns. Road surface was good and a reasonable amount of greenery along the road added to the comfort level as also gave scenic joy to us. At the end of the day, it was a few additional kms bargained for a better ride experience. The journey itself was mesmerizing. Beauty of the place lies in its greenery, its cleanliness and the beautiful cottages that have come up in the countryside. I had been wearing a light jacket to stay protected from the sunrays as well as UV phenomenon while Deepika and Czia had full sleeves on. The arrangement worked well for an ambient temperature of approx 30 degrees. It was a sunny day, a bit warm and, thus, after about an hour’s drive, I started feeling suffocated and a bit nauseated.

We took a break at a petrol pump and after relieving myself, I removed my jacket. I had been protected from the UV rays but had been getting dehydrated in the process. No issues thereafter and journey remained smooth thereafter.

Passing through clean and prosperous cities like Kottayam as also through fruit laden trees all along the road, made us feel the fact that the state is truly blessed. We were surprised to see mangoes almost ripe at this time of the year (It happens in June in our part of the country). And there were coconuts, passion fruits, guavas, palm trees and many more fruit trees all over the place. Greenery accentuated by the small little water bodies, makes a great view and we enjoyed every bit of it. The later part of the journey, around Kottayam, took us through small ghats with rubber plantations on either side. Kottayam is known for rubber plantations, Malayalam Manorma and its beautiful churches. We simply crossed the city without taking any detour or halt to see any churches or Shiva temple or backwaters there but that simply passage gave us an impression of town being clean, beautiful and prosperous. After a short refreshment break on the outskirts of the city, we resumed our journey. But by that time, it was already dark and we missed the visual treat of driving through rubber plantations on the ghats. We hit MG Road in peninsular city of Cochin at around 2045h. Market had been shutting down at that moment and driving through the area at that point of time posed no issues at all. The first look gives the feel of Portuguese influence. We had tied up accommodation for three nights at a departmental guest house that lay very close to MG Road. Once in, however, we found the place not fit for vacations and decided to shift out the next day. Bike had started giving a kind of sound both in front and rear wheels. It was too late to do anything about it and in any case, nothing serious was found. While Deepika and Czia got freshened up, I drove to a niche that we had seen on our way to the guest house. Chicken King on MG Road serves dishes that remind one of KFC works. I got the food packed, drove back and we all savored the meal before hitting the sack for a well deserved sleep. It had been a long hectic day that had started at 0345h at New Delhi the same day.

On 20th morning, I spoke to the attendant and found out the directions to the bike repair shops. Kerala looks like a Hero Honda Country. There is a reasonably good presence of Bulls but the place is infested with HH Splendors. So, my guess of finding a HH mechanic nearby turned out to be correct. I had to drive only 1.5 kms to reach the bike mechanic. This drive took me through a wholesale spice market that merged with a wholesale vegetable market. There was lot of rush but the aroma of surrounding wares was pretty fascinating. Again, a fair degree of cleanliness was noticed in the place. Kerala is a state that idealises equality in extreme. We did come across a scene where a scooty rider had blocked the route of a huge truck because latter had apparently taken a wrong lane. There was lot of discussion and argument but no violence at all. After ten odd minutes of verbal volleys form the scooterist and silent watching by pedestrians and people like us who had been forced to wait, the scooter borne activist simply went off. He had been lecturing the trucker all this while and trucker, despite the size of his platform, had been listening patiently because he had made a mistake. The bike mechanic near a mosque was still in the process of setting his place when I reached there. He could not speak a word of Hindi or English and I was clueless about Malayalam. But through a cocktail of words, signals and hand indications, we were able to communicate. Surprisingly, unlike it neighbour, Tamil Nadu, Kerala has a system of education wherein Hindi is compulsory till matriculation level. But lack of practice after you leave the school as also the highly unlikely fact that you may not have been to school in the first place (oops, we are referring to state with 100% literacy!!) – a mix of such things have resulted in a situation where most of locals do not speak or understand Hindi. But at the same time, there is no evident enmity towards our National language. So, after a while, he diagnosed the problems. Loose chain and a noisy front brake. Ten minutes and 20 Rupees later, I was off to the guesthouse where attendant had been waiting with a working breakfast. While all this was on, I received a call from Sachin (Dada). They had landed in time and had been moving to the hotel when bike was being repaired. It may be noted that complete itinerary and stay arrangements had been planned and tied up by Dada. He had taken lots of pains to tie up the arrangements and we simply enjoyed the fruits of his hard work. So, I requested Dada to see if accommodation for us could also be organized at the same place where he and his family had been staying for next couple of days. After a while, he confirmed the tie-up. We packed our saddle bag (We had taken Bagheera’s saddle bag along for the trip), loaded it on the bike and after just about five minutes’ drive, we drove into Illam Heritage Home ( 41/ 1869, Kacheripady, Chittoor Road, Cochin).

The home stay property is actually situated at a walking distance from MG Road. We found it to be a very neat and well maintained property. Dada’s involvement had got us good rates but for approx 1.5 K per day for an AC room, it is a great place to stay. It actually gives the feel of a real home stay. The property is 65 odd years old and the support staff is very friendly. We had a sort of re-union with Dada and met Nehal, Kairav and both the aunties for the first time. Self and Deepika had been speaking to Nehal, on telephone off and on but this was our first meeting. Czia received a gift from her new aunti who was then requested to keep the souvenir with herself till the end of the trip since we had no space left in our saddle bag. We did not want breakfast since we had consumed one earlier on. So, we settled down while Dada’s folks went in for the breakfast.

While they were busy with the meal, owner’s wife took care of Kairav. Czia also started playing the role of big didi. Things like this make home stays special. We relaxed during the forenoon as the mercury arose around us.

Czia had clicked with owner’s daughter and they got busy playing in a small children park being maintained inside the property. Property has been restored and despite its vintage, it has all modern day facilities. After a sumptuous breakfast, Dada and family opted against having lunch but by that time, we were ready for another intake. The in-house menu offers good meals. Breakfast is fixed as per day of the week while there are good options for Keala food during lunch. Dinner has a more varied menu. Our accommodation plan included breakfast while rest was on payment. (Be careful - we were charged Rs 105/- for washing (only) six pieces of Czia's clothes)

The lunch consisting of Pulliserry, Sambhar, rice, rasam, thoran, fish curry in coconut, olathu, curd, pickles, pappad and chutney was really well made and costed us Rs 90 per head. It was a great meal that had to be followed by a short catnap. By 1630h, we were ready for the local sight seeing. By this time, Dada had started to feel hungry. Fried bananas were packed for them and we started off. We were on the bike while Dada had hired an Innova for the complete trip. Innova driver, Manu was a friendly guy. He guided us to the ferry site on the marine drive. We had opted for the boat ride in the bay (actually, this is also the Northern tip of massive Vembanad Lake that spreads all the way down to Alleppey or Alapphuzha, approx 70 Kms away). while Dada chose to drive to the other end of the bay, on to Mattancherry/ Fort Cochin to see Chinese nets and other places of interest. Manu advised us to secure our bike properly since the jetty point is also infamous for bike lifting.

There are two options for boating. One is normal cruise that takes you around the bay while the other one is called sunset cruise and as the name indicates, latter is done at a fixed timing around the sun set. But then it is a group affair and not really open to single travelers or couples unless monetary part is completely ignored. We went for the former. The boat ride gives a good view of Cochin bay front, naval base, a few merchant ships that are entering and leaving the bay as also Bolgatty Island that houses a beautiful resort named after the island. But this ride does not take you to Mattancherry Peninsula that houses Cochin Fort.

The bay, we read somewhere, had accidentally been formed after a Tsunami like situation in the earlier century. Before that Cochin had the lake front with a non-navigable link with Arabian Sea. Today, bay is horse shoe or C-shaped with one entry point. Kochi, BTW, is one of the largest ports of our country. Willingdon Island is an artificial island formed when bay was deepened by drudging. Today, this island houses the docks where merchant and naval ships load and unload. Water is calm and good for boating and speed boating. We also saw a few foreign yachts with on board windmills and powered rubber boats. Just about the size of a tempo traveler, these boats are actually touring vessels of those adventurers who opt for sea routes rather than land ones.

It had been a good and educative boat ride. Educative because we witnessed a huge merchant ship (Australian) being guided out of the bay. With narrow navigational channels available, a powered steamer pulled the ship while another one pushed its hull. With this arrangement, they made the ship turn 180 degrees and then guided it out of the bay. It was an amazing sight.

Then there were a few Rambo styled speed boat operators who really pushed the paddle every time they crossed our boat. We, however, did not see any Dolphins. One good thing about the affair was the fact that everyone was forced to wear life jackets. While people wore those jackets differently, ranging from for formality sake to serious ones, it is a good system to be enforced.

Ernakulam, Fort Cochin, Wellingdon Island and Mattancherry peninsula, all together form Cochin or Kochi. The Southern tip of the city is more peaceful while the city centre around MG Road in Ernakulam is totally commercialized. After the boat ride, we fell back to MG Road for a walk. During our progression from mere tourists to travelers, we have taken a conscious decision about the shopping. We have simply cut out shopping to spend more on fuel and stay and local food. So, it was merely a stroll of over an hour, followed by dinner and then a walk back to the home stay. MG Road is, like most of the roads of same name and in other parts of the country, is a totally commercialized area. But surprisingly, while one found few of the biggest sarees and gold marts on the road, only four eateries worth the name are there on the road. There are a few hotels in the side streets and lanes but on MG Road proper, there is a dearth of eating places. So, it appears to be designed for hard core shopping and nothing else. There are a couple of cinema theatres but no other recreational facilities.

A word about sarees and jewellery marts. A few of those are really, really huge. It is astonishing to see their sizes and there is no surprise when one of the gold and diamond outlet claims to be the biggest in Asia. To our pleasant surprise, we did come across a pav bhaji- vada pav stall on the footpath. Though the taste was not authentic, it was nice to see the effect of Indianisation read in conjunction with globalization. A few paan stalls being run by non locals were also spotted and we enjoyed paans after a long time. BTW, Leh does not have a single paan vendor. A good night’s sleep was denied by mosquitoes for sometime. Because of the greenery and in spite of mosquito grills, a few would always sneak into the room. But the ever responsive staff lit coils and gave us Chinese mosquito killing racquet though they had already switched on liquid repellants. It was OK after a while and we did enjoy the comforts of the room.

Next day’s plan included a visit to Guruvayur Temple, the elephant shelter nearby and then fall back to Ernakulam via Arthirapally Waterfalls. We started after a sumptuous breakfast around 0800h and within next 20 odd minutes, we had left Cochin behind. Dada followed a bit later. We had skipped our visit to Chinese fishing nets the previous day. However, as we were leaving the city, we drove closer to backwaters and saw numerous Chinese fishing nets strewn along the banks of the water bodies. Another striking feature of the place, as mentioned earlier, is the beauty and grace of cottages and villas that one comes across all over Kerala. On this road, however, there were far too many. The fascinating part is the exterior colour schemes these buildings have. Inspired by pastels and exotic colours of ice-creams ( my guess), the cottages look really festive.

There is one more peculiar thing that we noticed here (and also later in Tamil Nadu) – while using English along with Malayalam, the system followed is something like this…. Dr AP Prasad, MBBS will have a name plate showing Dr, A, P, MBBS in English while Prasad in local lingo. In fact, there were posters of movies (unfortunately I missed clicking one) wherein a long dialogue by a hero had been shown inside a balloon next to hero’s face. It had words of Malayalam language and thrown here and there words of English. In short, there is no concept of Roman Malayalam unlike our national language. The journey to Guruvayur Temple was through scenic roads and beautiful countryside. The route passes through the cultural capital of the state, Thrissur or Trichur (everything here appears to have more than two names here). Known for its annual Pooram Elephant festival, the place has a healthy mix of some great temples and churches. Enroute, we also came across stalls put up by locals to welcome and honour elephants that were on their way to the upcoming festival at Guruvayur Temple.

We reached the temple, 35 Km form Trichur, at around 1100h or so. It was a Sunday and as expected, there was a huge waiting line. Four hours would be the minimum waiting period, we were told by an ex-serviceman who was on duty there. Sun was pretty warm that day. The waiting period clubbed with the compulsion of wearing lungi and going bare-chested somehow made us change our mind. Also in the second part of the temple, children below five years are not permitted and we had no option left.

A word about trip here. The Krishna Temple is one of the most famous in the region and has a very big following. Avoid going on a Sunday. Also, like us, if the next destination is Munnar, one may leave Cochin for Guruvayur, see around and visit Arthirapally Falls enroute in the afternoon, spend a night at Guruvayur, do darshan in the morning and then carry on to Munnar. We had a different plan, ie, to fall back to Cochin in the evening and then proceed to Munnar the next day. I strongly recommend the route/itinerary that I have suggested but could not follow because of lack of knowledge. It may sound unorthodox too but then I leave it to your judgment. So, it was drive with no result. We simply paid our respect from the outside and moved on to our next destination.

The elephant ashram at Punnathur Kotta houses elephants of Guruvayur Temple. Located inside an erstwhile ruling family’s (Zamorins) old property, it is a symbol of respect and kindness towards elephants.

There are a large number of elephants of all ages and sizes being looked after in the ashram. However, the place needs lot of improvement. Infrastructure is bare minimum and all the animals stand chained to the pegs. So, it gives a feel of captivity to an onlooker.

We witnessed an elephant being given a bath by the handler. It was a nice feeling watching the relationship between two unequal partners. Mahout was controlling the beast with one small, thin stick.

Dedication of the man was great but same can not be said about the system that is in place.

There is adequate staff but as said, infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired. There is however, a silver lining. Because of lack of good buildings and wards, the place gives a feel of being semi-wild. So, for those people who have seen elephants only on TV or circus shows, it translates into a real wildish experience. The natural shade available at the place is simply outstanding. While touching the elephants is not allowed, there is no other restriction like watching, clicking pics with flashes on, making noises of all kinds and wearing colours that may actually irritate the big boys.

Maintaining a safe distance is also left to instinct of the visitors. The place needs definite improvements irrespective of religious angle.

We left for Arthirapally Falls at around 1300h. By now, sun had become pretty hot. I had been driving sleeveless that day and, therefore, earned some sun burns. The stretch of highway where construction work is on, is barren and without trees. The value of Venu’s advice was realized once again. By the time we climbed into the parking area where you leave your bike and take a walk to the falls (entry into parking area closes at 1500h), we were in a bad shape. Hungry, thirsty and burnt !!

We decided to have lunch before moving into the jungle where falls are located. The food being offered was simple but with very less variety. The menu had only two items….egg+parantha or masala dosa. There was no electricity since previous evening and soft drinks as well as water was being served warm. It added to the plight. After a quick bite, we moved into the forest. It was nice to see some efforts being made by the administration to stay Green.

There were bamboo benches and huts and work on few more was on. The jungle track that is just about 300m, was being cleaned up by conservancy staff.

Soon, we reached the place from where river falls off a cliff. Actually, bathing and splashing is allowed only on top and you are not allowed to enter waters where the river comes down with a roar for safety reasons.

The area on top is flat and rocky with numerous water channels. But there is no shade or trees available in the last 100 odd metres of the area before river. Rocks were simmering at that point and water was warm.

There was a small Kumbh mela like feel with so many tourists converging on to that restricted area. There are no good amenities at that spot and it is somehow not fascinating, at least during warmer season. Winters or monsoons may be a better time to visit. We dropped our idea of taking a dip in the river there. After spending an hour or so, we left the place.

As one prepares to leave the parking area, there is a spot from where you can see the falls in full might. Alternatively, one has to walk some more down stream in order to have a good view of the falls.

Sick of blistering heat, we thought of taking our chances at one of the two water parks that lie on the road to the falls. Aim was to cool off and chill out for sometime. We reached the resort by 1700h. The closing time for the water park was 1930h. With only two odd hours to go, we thought that some concession was in order but the staff there was adamant. So, we turned around, crossed the bridge that lay in front of the resort and started back for Cochin. In the hindsight, it was a right decision since it would have been too late had we started after closure of the resort.

Drive was, once again, through a beautiful countryside. There is a feel of prosperity when you drive around the state. We did or could not smell poverty in a way one does in other parts of the country.

A word about interaction with locals- people are gentle and nice to outsiders. But we did come across a few incidents of road rage between locals. There appeared to be a second face during such incidents. Malayalam is spoken at an amazingly fast pace. Having been associated with these people, one was used to their accent but once in Kerala, this pace became too noticeable. So, when two guys argued in loud voices, one had a feeling as if a fight was going on. Another issue about the place is political inclinations. Like West Bengal, state is prone to sudden bandhs and agitations. So, keep a day or two as reserves. It came handy in our case. We hit Cochin by 1930h and after a fast freshening up parade, we went out to MG Road to cool off. As mentioned earlier, there are very few eateries on MG Road though it is the commercial hub of the city. After some walking around, we found one big ice cream parlour on top of a raised basement. To our surprise, it was empty. With a cane (furniture) theme, it is an ice cream outlet with lots of space to sit and eat. But there was no one else. We, however, had an overdose of ice cream and enjoyed every bit of it. After another stroll so as to create some space inside, we decided to have dinner. Twenty20 is a fast food restaurant that is part of a cine complex. It is new and good. We had taken dinner there the night before. Now, we had to choose between Sona and Ceylon. The list ends here. So, we went into more crowded Ceylon. The meal was good and another round of ice creams in Ceylon itself, filled us up to top. It had been a grueling day with nothing much to reminiscence about. Fortunately, the so-so experience of the day was not repeated thereafter during rest of the trip. We fell back to the heritage home where we found Sachins back. We had been traveling independently through out the day and were meeting for the first time that day.

22nd Feb and we started for Munnar. Called Kashmir of South by locals, this place had been heard about a lot. While thinking about this trip, we had been considering Munnar and Alleppey as two of the most valuable places to see. So, we started with lots of excitement in the morning. We started together, with Manu leading us out of the town. Wiser now, we were fully clad in thin cottons. We halted for a moment to pick up some essentials before leaving the city. Once outside the city, we took a marginal lead as Dada halted to feed the youngster. We crossed Periyaar River while entering the sanctuary and just before starting of the ghats section (Western Ghats). In the middle of enchanting forest, we took a break at a point where it was nice and shady.

The place was in the forest and, thus, charming. However, just below the point we had been sitting, we spotted a huge dump of industrial waste lying hidden from the view.

Some wise man had dumped refrigerator linings in the forest at a convenient spot…Alas!! While we sat there, Dada crossed us. We did not notice the Innova however. Thus, after a few Kms, when we saw them taking a break, we were surprised. Just ahead the place where Dada was taking a break, lie waterfalls bang on the main road itself but at this time of the year, there was no water and kiosks around had been shut down for the obvious reasons. Now we were ahead once again. About 20 odd Kms short of Munnar, we came across a resort, Eastend Farm Yard. It was getting warmer a bit and it was also the lunch time. So, we halted for the meal.

Our bike inside the walled parking lot could not be spotted by Dada and they went ahead and halted for lunch a couple of Kms further. This resort where we had halted, turned out to be very well maintained place with prompt staff.

We had Kerala meal yet again, with Kerala rice this time. Basmati is good but to us, it appeared to be killing the taste of the traditional meal a bit. So, local rice meal turned out to be great change. Once again, it was a cheap affair at Rs 60 per head. Czia, a poor eater that she is, had once again (like Zanskar ride) had started eating a bit. We were pleased by the change. She is a poor eater but that does not apply to ice creams and non-veg food and to some extent, to the liquids. After a good meal and a good face wash in the spacious washroom, we started again. Dada had booked our three nights stay at a new property called Forest Haven at Kallar, around 14 kms short of the town. We hit the place a bit before Dada. It turned out to be a beauty. Located inside a forest with no fence around it, the property is modern with adequate in-house facilities. A good and fairly priced restaurant menu, a place for barbeque with music (comes at a cost), a natural swimming pool made by the confluence of two jungle streams, a good massage centre and humble but prompt staff complete the package. We checked into three different suits, all with great views of the surroundings. Sounds of insects and birds chirping complete the jungle experience in a luxury.

Priced between 1800 and 2500 a night, the place is worth every penny. (Forest Haven Resorts, Vattiyar P.O, Mankulam Road, Kallar- Munnar; 04864-278401, 278096 plus a website of same name). We were too excited to stay away from the famous hill town any longer. So, we freshened up a bit and started towards the town after a while. The drive passed through some beautiful tea gardens as the road climbed gradually. After TATA Tea Estate, climb gradient reduced a bit and soon thereafter, we were on the outskirts of Munnar. We came across a bunch of hotels, restaurants and a huge ground opposite KSRTC Depot as we entered the town. There was nothing great about that area and we carried on without halting there. After a while, we hit the town proper.

It is a nice, little, clean place but to be honest, it lacks the feel of a hill station. Firstly, there are no forested hills or mountain tops one is used to seeing in such areas. There are tea gardens though. Secondly, the market is like a commercial place where eateries, spice shops, daily wares outlets and hotels merged into each other. There is a degree of traffic congestion and the walk is not pleasant at all.

We touched all nooks and corners of the town over next one hour or so but discovered that our hotel was a better place to be in.

The town of Munnar, in itself, is like any other settlement but not like a typical hill station. Its barren (trees v/s tea bushes) landscape around the town lacks the appeal. Crowded market makes walking a so-so experience.

After roaming about for over an hour, we decided to have soup at a Chinese outlet, Saurya Soma opposite Hotel Munnar Inn. It was ok in taste but without ambience. Service was too slow with waiters sitting around on tables and not really caring about the customers. Dada and folks joined us there and we continued to sit there for a while. After the rest and refreshment, we moved out to different places.

We wanted to see Mantra, a chain of massage parlours in the state while they wanted to explore the spice market. Mantra turned out, despite its big brand name, to be a small hot place located in a small neighbourhood. They were also booked for the day and we came back to market for a round of ice creams.

In the middle of the market, there was a kind of political activity that was on. On a road bend in the middle of the bazaar, a stall with huge loud speakers had been put up. Five or six speakers were sitting on the dais while one of them spoke in turn.

It sounded like a series of fierce speeches one after another. But to our shock, there was no listener or crowds to give them company. It was the main road inside the town and traffic as well as pedestrians were moving around as usual. Undeterred, the speakers went on. Our hotel staff had told us about a bandh next day. The same thing was confirmed in the market. The speeches were being made in that connection only though a pan vendor (non local) who was located just 50 metres away from the stall, had no clue about the strike next day. However, as the day neared its end, some crowd was seen assembling in front of the stall. For us, it was the time to take a bite. Munnar town has many average hotels though things are different on the outskirts. We opted for one of the best looking one, Munnar Inn.

We ordered fish fried that was good but chapaties were horrible. One understands the local food habits but once a restaurant puts up an item in its menu, no excuses remain valid. At Rs 15 a piece, the chapaties were a nightmare. A prompt decision was taken to have meals only at our hotel that was pretty good in catering. When we came out of the restaurant, to our surprise, we found a temporary shelter that had come up while we had been having food inside. Temporarily constructed on the main road after last buses had cleared the bus stop, that it is actually, this place looked like a community langar with people of all kinds, including foreigners, eating Kerala Parantha and accompaniments while seated on makeshift seating and dining arrangements. We would recommend that place for dinner when in Munnar. It was 2100h by that time and we started back to our niche located 14 Kms away. Once inside the hotel, we were informed by Dada that the last couple of Kms short of hotel, being through jungle, had seen some incidents of robbery in the recent past. God had been kind and we, blissfully unaware of the issue, had enjoyed our ride back home.

Next day turned out to be a bandh day. However, there appeared to be a method in the political madness. The strike timings were between 0600 and 1800h. But being on Cochin-Munnar Road, it meant that we could not cross Munnar town to visit known spots around the town.

Sachin and self , along with Kairav, went for a stroll in the jungle. One was pleasantly surprised to see sprinklers installed and working in the wild. We hit the natural swimming pool after a while and decided to come back with the rest after a while. However, Mantra had disappointed us and, thus, we checked on the in-house massage centre. Found the place to be clean, nice and well equipped. Now, all of us wanted massage and time on hand for two massages each was not really available. So, we started immediately. I went in for a full body massage while Dada went out swimming with his folks except Nehal who also stayed back for the massage. The hot steam bath that followed the massage was too good and relaxing. Deepika had cramps of some sorts since morning and she opted out of the massage. Sachin took his turn in the evening. All of us were satisfied with the experience. We slotted Shirodhara for the next day. After lunch, based on the suggestion from the hotel staff, we went to a little heard place called Anakulam in a jeep to see elephants in the wild.

Anakulam in local lingo meants water hole for elephants. Located 33 Kms from the hotel, ahead of Mankula, this small village with a church and a temple, is located on fringes of a dense jungle. Elephants have been coming to a spot in the village to drink water from a little stream that flows along the village, separated by a volleyball court and an open patch. The general timing of arrival is around sunset though they have been coming during the noon too (after all they are not bound by any timings). Once there, they stay on for a few hours before retreating into jungle. The usual timing, however, remains around sun set. That is also the time when local lads play volleyball everyday. But out of respect for the big ones, life, including the sports activities, come to a stand still the moment vanguard of the group arrives in the village. For Rs 1500/- for all of us, the drive itself turned out to be worth every single rupee. The first 20 odd Kms were ok and on black metalled roads but then came a stretch that only 4x4 vehicles can negotiate. The link between the roadhead and the next stretch of gravel track is so narrow that the jeep had only a few inches of clearance on either side.

The village with four shops turned out to be an example of neglect of highest order. Located less than 25 Kms, as the crow flies, from Munnar, it has only lines but no electricity ( lines were laid prior to last elections but supply was never given). It has no bus service after the same was stopped a few years back. Missionaries, however, have done lots of work there. Solar lights charge numerous mobile phones that are seen in the village. After a glass of nimbu-paani at the local shop, we sat down, waiting for the guys to emerge.

As the sun prepared to set, we had company of thirty odd locals who had also come to witness the sacred ritual. A local guy, Satish, who is a trained nursing assistant, has been lucky enough to be out of the state on couple of occasions. He walked up to us and we started the conversation. He brought out the fact that elephants had come the previous day and he shared some pics and videos of the spectacle that had been recorded on the cell phone.

While we advised him to make some arrangements for travelers who can sit/stay and wait because of uncertainty of elephants’ visit timings, he suggested that hotel guys must speak to someone in the village for confirmation before sending viewers so far. In the end, we could not see the elephants since they did not feel like coming that day. After all, it is wild life, beyond our control (Good). We got back by late evening for a great meal in the restaurant. The drive had been simply amazing, back breaking though. We had initially planned to use one day to visit Kodaikanal that lay only 70 odd Kms from Munnar. The day of bundh would have been ideally suited for the trip. But we were informed by the locals and confirmed by the hotel staff that the road to Kodai had been shut down for traffic for repairs. The other route was too long to be done in a day. We had to drop that idea. But at the end of the day, it had been an eventful schedule. Relaxed routine with massage and then a visit to wild had been good points for the day. Dada had a swimming session in wild as an additional brownie.

24th was the day meant for local sight seeing. It was during the course of this day that our ideas regarding Munnar changed quite a bit. The fact still remains that the 2-odd Km stretch of road called Munnar Town, is worth nothing but the countryside is awesome. Tea plantations, water bodies, hotels outside Munnar but with in 30-odd kms diameter, are good, in fact beautiful. Anamudi, the highest peak of South India can be seen from numerous places and makes a good sight. The roads leading to Mudapetty/ Kodaikanal as well as to Madhurai pass through some of the best laid out and very well maintained tea estates. After all, as a package that includes visits to surrounding areas like two dams, Top point and Eravikulam National Park, Munnar is not a bad place to be. Just take care to check into some good property (there are hardly one or two inside the town proper) on the outskirts of the town and then explore the countryside. Munnar town may be looked at as a commercial hub of tea, spices and local chocolates and that is it.

Eravikulam National Park that is home of Nilgiri Tahr (High Range Goat) stood closed to visitors because of breeding season. So, we hit Mudapetty dam to start the day. Drive through tea gardens on route to the dam is more beautiful than any similar stretch around Munnar. Clean, neat rows of tea bushes and winding roads running through the area make a great sight. There is one boating point run by Govt. We found a long queue waiting for two to five men speed boats. There was a waiting period of more than an hour and sun was beating down on the place that had some shade but no other amenities. Dada, however, had different plans. He came up with the idea of hiring a big motorboat that can take 15-20 passengers. We were large group of six adults and two children. That would have meant two speed boats. Kairav was too young to be exposed to that kind of a velocity. Moreover, speed boats had no roof or shade. So, we opted for a greater degree of leisure. When we bought the tickets, we discovered a pleasant fact that there was a waiting of less than 10 minutes for big boats. Soon, we were aboard a huge boat with comfortable ambience.

The trip on the lake waters was great. The lake is beautiful and its beauty gets accentuated by the surrounding landscape that is hilly and green. It was a good decision to go slow and enjoy the beauty rather than remain clutched to the hand rails of a speeding boat. Here also, jackets were compulsory (Good).

We were actually on Munnar-Kodai Road that had been shut down after a few more Kms. After Mudapetty dam, we started towards next spot called Kellad Dam. One spot (crowded again), called Echo Point, falls in between the two dams. Own voice’s echo is supposed to be heard there. We skipped that and opted to have some coconut water and Bhutta instead.

Kellad dam is a smaller but equally beautiful place. We were surprised to see a replica of Kashmiri Shikkara in the lake. It has a small parking lot with a few shops. It is an old dam but is very scenic. We sat down to take in the view of the place. A stall selling guavas, passion fruit and other fruits was well utilized during the break.

Unlike Mudapetty Dam, the road that crosses over the dam wall, is narrow and virtually one way here. We sat down on the shore for more than an hour or so. Dadas also spent sometime with us at that spot and we relished some more local fruits. The outlet of the water is controlled but was open partially at that moment. Hidden from the view, it is a nice sight.

After taking in the beauty with leisure, we started for the next point, Top Station together with us on bike and Dada in Innova. The next few Kms of drive was again pleasant and through some beautiful and pristine locales. The nomenclature of Top Station gave us a feeling of a mountain or hill top. However, it turned out to be quite different. The spot lies across a tea estate owned by TATAs after you hit a road head. There are a few shops and vendors and then the tea estate starts. Once you walk through it, you find yourself in Tamil Nadu.

And to add to the surprise, you start descending now to reach the Top Station. Once there (it is a point that lies inside someone’s private property that is, BTW, on sale; entry ticket is Rs 15 per adult), you realize why a point situated below the average height of the area is called Top Station.

As we descend along a spur jutting out of the tea estate, we reach a table top kind of a point that forms the top of a ledge that goes down further. The gradient above and below this spot is pretty steep and there are makeshift stairs that one needs to use to move on or go back. But from this point, you get a grand view of Western Ghats falling in Tamil Nadu territory. There is another point some distant below this station.

Sachin, self and Czia walked down the steep gradient to have a different view of the scenery while ladies decided to take a break at the Top Station itself. We spent sometime at both the points and then climbed back to the tea estate area to treat ourselves with some fresh nimbu-soda and bhutta. We started back as the clouds began to gather above us. We reached back Kellad dam area at around 1430h and as per Manu’s advice, drove into Noor Resorts for a meal.

This is a niche that has a beautiful location and its setting amidst wild surroundings is simply great. Restaurant, however, had simple fare to offer but food was tasty palatable.

They also have rooms for the stay though the property is looked after by the staff while owner stays somewhere in Trivandrum or Cochin. In the end, it turned out to be a satisfying meal. As we prepared to resume the drive, Czia fell for an affectionate invitation from aunti to join them in the car. Tempted by the invite, when it was also the time for post lunch siesta, she promptly jumped into the car. Drive to Munnar was good especially as the sun began to cool down faster in the presence of clouds. Today was our last day in Munnar and some spices and all needed to be bought. We decided to try TATA’s outlet that is located on Munnar-Cochin road (our route to hotel) a few Kms from Munnar. To our surprise, we saw only one variety being sold and that too tea dust kind of a stuff. We decided to pend the tea purchase and headed straight for Spices Garden a few more Kms down the road. We made it just half an hour before closing time that coincides with sun set timings. For Rs 100/- per adult, one guide took us around 25 odd years old spice estate that is situated inside a jungle. We were shown twenty odd varieties over next 20 odd minutes before it became too dark.

Cloves/ Laung

Coffee Beans

Nutmeg/ Jaifal

Pepper/ Kala or safed mirch

Turmeric/ Haldi

Cinnamon/ Dalchini

Though not plants or spices, from the left...Sachin with Kairav, Nehal, Czia, Self, Sachin's mom, sachin's aunti, Deepika

vanilla

The trip was announced closed with a ‘complimentary’ cup of hot cardamom tea. The estate, like most of others in the area, is a product of illegal occupation of forest land a couple of decades back. Keeping in mind lack of amenities during that era, it must have required guts to settle in such a wilderness with no support system in place. Thereafter, as the time passed, our ever tolerant systems legalized such occupations. Overall, it was a good experience. Though we had to rush a bit yet the guide showed us everything that had to be shown. To that extent, entry rates appear to be on higher side. Also, the in-house spices shop had rates much higher than the prevailing market rates; not recommended for shopping. In any case, the shop is very small and inside living quarters. BUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE VISIT WAS THE NEWS THAT WE HEARD THERE - SACHIN HAD JUST SCORED A DOUBLE HUNDRED AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA!!!! Czia came back to bike after enjoying a nap during 25 Km long drive between Noor Resort and Spices Garden.

We were due for second phase of massage in the evening and this time, Deepika was also joining in. But Manu, for reasons best known to him, had been after us to postpone the thing and try Mantra at Thekkady the next day. He promised better doctors, better arrangements and better works at Thekkady, unlike Munnar. So, at last moment, we decided to accede to his advice. So, with no more commitments, it was the time to have fried fish and beer in the comforts of own suit. It was a well deserved refreshment after a good day. We hit the sack and sailed into a dreamless slumber in no time.

Next morning, it was the time to move on to another exciting place, Thekkady- the gateway to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Dada had booked the accommodation at Hotel Lake Shore View at Kumli. Kumli is the feeder township for Thekkady and both the towns tend to merge. Cultural activities and massage centres are more organized in Kumli. We left our hotel, leaving saddle bag with Dada who was starting a bit later. The road to Thekkady is through beautiful, winding landscape. As we came out of the shadows of Munnar, we hit another TATA tea estate with a factory outlet. Now, that’s what is called an outlet. It had a huge variety but good rush too. We wanted to pick up a packet or two of exotic silver bud tea but the same was not available. So, we went for the second best, a variety called Exotica and a few spices. Cinnamon that we picked up from there turned out to be too good. Green tea also proved to be a good buy. We resumed our journey after half an hour or so and started towards Kumli. Next one hour or so was an OK-OK drive through a mix of jungle and open terrain. At some point, around thirty odd Kms short of Kumli, we came across this small joint being run from a home.

It was a cute little place but very clean and hygienic. We relished fresh pine apple juice at Rs 15 per glass, as Czia grew moustaches all of a sudden.

We drove into Kumli as stomach started to yearn for some supply. There are two hotels of similar names but the confusion was overcome soon and we checked into the hotel. Hotel restaurant appeared to be unorganized and we had no time to waste. So, we walked a few yards and hit this place.

It is in Kumli itself though the board reads Thekkady.The place is neat, clean and pretty comfortable. Though service left a bit to be desired, food was good, both in taste and variety. While we were at it, we got a call from Dada. As per him, the hotel guy had not lived up to his words and, therefore, we may look for another place. By the time we finished our meal, Dada had selected another place. So, we went back to the hotel, picked up our stuff and joined Dada in this hotel…..

The hotel is located in Thekkady, a few metres short of the entrance gate of Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The property is new and very well maintained. We would recommend the place because of its amenities and location.

Though an in-house massage parlour was available, we still decided to follow Manu’s advice. Dada had been doing all the hard work in fixing accommodation. So, they could sit for lunch only after settling down. We, however, had nothing else to do. So, we walked up to the entrance gate of the sanctuary to buy tickets for two hours long boat ride in Periyar Lake, starting at 1600h (five rides a day between 0700h and 1600h, every two hours or so). It was 1500h when we reached the ticket counter. However, we were informed that the boat was already full and no seats were available. There was a bit of disappointment but to offset that, we bought tickets for entry into the sanctuary. Now, the sanctuary has a few activities to offer. Firstly, there is a two odd Kms long drive to a parking lot from where you walk down to the shores of Periyar lake. There is a functional restaurant, a jetty point for boating and a well managed wildlife information centre. But there is an alarming population of monkeys who have no qualms in snatching an eatable from any unsuspecting visitor.

In addition to the boat ride vessels, there are many smaller boats that take tourists around the lake or to various jungle lodges/ eco resorts and villages that are located inside the sanctuary.

All stays in such places are on prior booking. Whatever it may be, there is again no restriction on shade of colours that you may wear. We need to be more sensitive to the wild animals and their reactions to some of the flashy stuff. The second activity is a day long excursion including trekking and lunch and elephant ride inside the sanctuary. This has to be done with prior booking and is highly recommended. Third activity would be staying in a resort Lake Palace, Periyar House or Aranya Niwas or government guest house that are located next to the parking lot inside the sanctuary. And finally is a ritual of elephant ride in plantation and giving bath to the beast on the outskirts of the sanctuary. We discovered all this after our arrival there. Our one night halt, therefore, proved out to be grossly inadequate. A minimum of two nights’ stay is recommended for the place. Anyways, we drove into the sanctuary and came across this very interesting board…..

Once at the jetty point, I tried to buy tickets from the counter inside the wildlife information centre but in vain. We saw people dressed in all hues, going for boating. The lake, however, was not at its prime. It is approx 30 sq km in size but looked much narrow at this point.

A gift from British, this lake lies towards northern tip of the sanctuary, ie, towards Thekkady. It looked more like a river because of time of the year. We met a couple who had just disembarked from the ride. They had not been very happy because the boat ride remains a boat ride rather than an opportunity to see the wild. As per them, there was no wild life to be seen and amenities on board were minimal. As it is, tigers remain elusive in the sanctuary. So, our disappointment as regards the boat ride was sorted out to an extent. But our inability to enter the wild because of lack of time, has been hurting even today. We came out of the sanctuary as sun prepared to set. The rear of the hotel touches the fence of sanctuary and in fact, dominates a stretch of the sanctuary because of height differential.

Suddenly, we spotted a few sambar grazing in the marshy land hugging our hotel. To add to the beauty of the sight, sudden showers came down with some thunders. Though the phenomenon lasted a few minutes, it was a rememberable sight.

There were three engagements lined up for the evening – Kalari demonstration, Kathakali show and massage at much hyped Mantra massage centre, all three at Kumli. The martial arts demonstration (Rs 200 per head) turned out to be very fascinating.

Kathakali (Rs 150 per head), however was an average experience. Actually, too much of time was spent in explaining various mudras and expressions (probably, it is a must too). The katha or story, by itself, was presented with no outstanding feature. Had the narrator not told us the story in advance, dumbers like us would not have understood a thing.

The high point, massage had a amazing end. We decided to go in one by one so that one of us can look after Czia. It turned out to be so poor that we stopped after Deepika came out. One of the largest massage chains of the state is a big disappointment. It is ‘Chalu’ kind of a system and highly recommended to be avoided. We may suggest using in-house facilities of the hotels that one may be staying, for a better experience. We fell back to the hotel for dinner and then wound up for the night.

We had sumptuous breakfast in the hotel restaurant before moving out of Thekkady (alas, it was too short a stay) in two groups.

Dada wanted to enter sanctuary that they had missed the previous day. So, we left Thekkady before them for our next destination, Alleppey or Alappuzha on the western coast. The initial part of the ride passed through the ghats section during which we lost height at a fast pace.

Then we hit the plains and warmth of the atmosphere came to fore. However, it remained pretty tolerable throughout. Dada had tied up the accommodation at Pagoda Resorts in Alleppey. The moment we hit the city and enquired about the place from locals, we realized that the place is actually famous and everyone appeared to know its location. It was a welcome sign. We hit the property after driving for 15 odd minutes through the city but without losing our way. It turned out to be a huge resort with a number of complexes. It reminded of our visit to far east Asian countries a few years ago. We checked in and moved into the comforts of a deluxe room.

However, it turned out to a sort of disappointment. Rooms were too small and to some extent, not very well kept. One wonders as to what logic must have gone in while designing such a huge resort with such crammed up rooms.

We freshened up quickly and went down to the restaurant for lunch.

It was 1500h and thus the closing time. Staff, however, turned out to be quite friendly. We had a good go at the food after a session of chilled beer. Once back in the room, we found our AC not really working. But by that time, room had been cooled to good extent and beer was showing its effects. So, we hit the sack for an afternoon nap. We woke up after an hour or so and lodged the complaint for AC. It was attended to promptly. Our saddle bag had been traveling with Dada. So, we had no choice but wait for them to arrive so that we could change and go to the beach or enjoy a swim in the hotel pool. At this juncture, I got a call from Dada. They had reached the city but had hit the beach straightway. They invited us to join us there. We reached the beach as sun prepared to set.

In the absence of beachwear, we could only take Czia till knee deep waters. And after a while, we sat down on the rocks to take in the view. The beach was over crowded but the northern tip where we sat, was pretty empty.

However, there were numerous guys flying kites on the beach

Dada and Nehal walked up to meet us there. After a brief exchange of notes, we decided to part ways and meet again at the hotel. Once it was dark, we got up and moved to a small complex to buy ice creams. Now was the time for another round of beer at the hotel. The resort has an exclusive bar though they do not mind serving beer in the dining hall. Since dinner was sometime away, we decided to visit the bar. It turned out to be a low class affair. It was a dingy place where people of all sorts, and all outsiders, had been drinking and smoking. We did not find a single guest inside. Outside the bar, there is a lawn with seating arrangements. I checked on the staff if we could be served beer in the lawn, he flatly refused citing managing director’s orders. Disappointed, we decided to sit in the lawn and let Czia play on the swings and see-saw that happened to be there.

During the course of this session, Czia befriended a young and newly married lady from Gurgaon. The young couple was very social and interactive. We spent sometime with them. Their affection for Czia looked so genuine. Just before dinner time, we saw a table being set up in the same lawn. Two gentlemen walked in and a waiter followed with two glasses of beer. I called the waiter and asked him the reason for the disparity in rules. He smiled and said that one of the two guys there was the managing director himself. I had a few words to speak to make my point and I did make my point while two gentlemen kept on sipping their beer shamelessly. When would our ethics grow up to desired levels, I wonder. Hats off to the MD sahib!!

We had dinner with Dada giving us company. Waiters were once again very warm and they got busy with Czia while we had our beer and dinner. We sat down talking, discussing the programme for the next day. We were not keen to continue in the hotel nor was any room available. The options were to take a houseboat ride on the backwaters next day or to drive to Kumarakom and check into some resort on the lakes of Vembanad Lake. We decided to go for houseboat experience while Dada decided to go for latter option. In any case, we were to meet again at Kumarakom the day after.

Before checking out the next morning, self and Dada went down to jetty point where you find houseboats and touts of all kinds lined up on the backwaters. Dada took pains to get us a good deal. It was a longish weekend and there was a lot of rush. Initially, we wanted a houseboat to pick us up from the point (all boats start to sail at 1200h) and drop us at Kumarakom the next morning. But then we realized that such a schedule would involve leaving Alleppey immediately and then sail along the lake shores for 40 odd Kms before dropping the anchor in the night (all boats come to halt at 1800h so as to let fishermen do their chores in the night). In the morning, the boat would have simply dropped us at Kumarakom. But the actual experience of boating through the water alleys of Alleppey would have got cut short and sailing for hours on end in a huge lake would have lost its charm after a while. Also, the bike would have remained in Alleppey and we would have to come back. Finally, we went for the deal that involved sailing in and around Alleppey till last light before getting anchored somewhere there itself. In the morning, it would sail for just under an hour or so before reaching back the point of embarkation. It was almost 12 when we left the hotel, carrying the saddle bag with us.

On the boat point, there is a police station of Kerala Tourism Police. I spoke to the SI on duty who was kind enough to let me park the bike inside the enclosure where bikes of other cops had been parked. On the boat, you get everything less beer that you have to either bring along or buy from the attendant on board. There was no time and at Rs 100 a bottle, it appeared to be ok priced. So, we checked into the boat with instructions to the staff to arrange beer. We had hired the boat for Rs 5000/- (single bedroom, AC). It could have been 4 or 4.5K but for the weekend.

With two attendants (should have been three including the driver), we sailed off at 1215h. We have lived on houseboats on Dal Lake in Kashmir earlier on but this was a moving boat and, thus, different. With stricter norms, all boats are supposed to have on board water storage as also on board septic tanks. There was a time, we were told, when they used to open into the backwaters for disposal and pump water from the backwaters for use on board. Thanks to administration, things stand changed. The routine on the boat includes a welcome drink, some fresh fruits, sailing before halting for lunch (one hr break). At that point, one can get down and witness Kalari or Kathakali performance or take a massage but why club all this? Then they sail again till tea time when there is another break for filling up beer stock and to buy essentials for dinner and breakfast. Sail again till 1800h and anchor at some place chosen by the boat captain. Spend the night (ACs start only at 2200h and remain on till 0600h next morning. An on-board generator set provides the power). Breakfast in the morning is served when the boat starts to move and by the time you finish your tea, you are back at the place from where you had started the previous day.

The experience of the ride was awesome. Life along the backwaters has its own dynamics. There are places where land strips are too thin where as there are stretches with road connectivity. Govt run steamers run as taxis and it is interesting to note the route those vessels follow. There are steamer stops on either sides of the channels and the steamer has to pick up and drop passengers on both sides. So, it is more of a zig-zag pattern.

Unlike Kashmir, there are no boat based vendors and you really miss such an arrangement. Once our lunch was over, we had to coax the staff to start once one hour got over. They had been taking it easy for obvious reasons. During the tea break, we decided to give a dip to Czia in the backwaters. We did it from the boat but then we saw a few local kids having a splash near the banks. I took Czia there and she joined them in waters for a while.

We anchored next to a settlement for the night. It had been a great experience.

A few issues about the houseboats (Ours had been named as Allepey)……staff tends to spend more time in a switched off mode, ie by prolonging the breaks. The condition of the ice box may be checked beforehand. The one in our boat was actually a discarded refrigerator that had been put flat on its back. Lack of its efficacy meant not very chilled beer. Bathroom did not have a mirror. The AC did not have remote and thus, after a while, it became too cold to keep it on. May be it is a way to save money too because in the morning when I opened the suggestion register, I found the issue having been highlighted by numerous guests in the recent past. Also, one was surprised to see idlies without coconut chutney for the breakfast. These may be minor issues but such things do affect the mood a bit. So, next time I would be making it a point to check on these aspects before handing over the money. And remember, an upper deck is not supposed to cost extra but it is a huge plus for the boat. As the sun descends, it becomes very pleasant and one can enjoy the view from top. Also, once anchored, this becomes a good sitting place.

We also witnessed a ritual of gathering pet ducks by a local. He was directing the flock home for the night. It was a amazing sight again...

We checked out from the boat after breakfast and disembarked at exactly the same point. Bike was there inside the police complex. We loaded our stuff and made our way to Pagoda Resort. While checking out the previous day, Deepika had carried the keys of the room along, by mistake. So, Dada had to leave a security deposit of Rs 500/- with reception pending return of the key. We returned the key and took the money back. Our next destination was due south, ie, Kovalam, ahead of Trivandrum. Dada was at Kumarakom since the previous day. Now, Kumarakom is in a North East direction. But the promise had to be fulfilled. So, we drove 40 odd Kms to the resort where they had been staying. Today was Holi (Not really celebrated in Kerala) and timely greetings were in order. The lake side resort where Dada had been staying,, had a very good view of the lake. We sat in the verandah as Czia played with a hammock. It was a serene atmosphere and we enjoyed every bit of it. After spending some time with them and after cancelling the lunch that we had been planning to have together, we took their leave, leaving behind our bags. We were now on our way to Kovallam. We, once again, took the route via Kottayam, ie, avoided coastal highway that connects Alleppey with Trivandrum. It was a good drive and the highlight of the initial part was the lunch that we had at a motel at Adoor. It was warm outside and one had to control the urge to have beer since we had some distance to go. But we compensated a lot through dollops of ice cream. We took to bye-pass road at the outskirts of Trivandrum to head straight for Sagara Beach Resort at Kovallam, our next niche for a couple of days. The going had been smooth and we had made it in good time. However, just about five odd kms short of the Trivandrum Airport crossing, we came across a massive jam. Pongala festival at Sri Padmanabhawamy temple had just culminated. There were lines of vehicles of all kinds as far as one could see. It was only because of the maneuverability of the bike that we could get out of the jam after two odd hours. Now, those two hours were horrible. We reached the resort as sun prepared to call it a day. A welcome drink and a few moments later, a lady rather young girl receptionist took us to our room. The hospitality had been good. This is again a good property. Dada’s hard work had been paying off. This 91 rooms property had started as a four room joint around 15 years ago. Then, over the years, it expanded through acquisition of properties and land around. It is, therefore, a retrofit kind of a job but one that has been very well done. An unsuspecting fellow may not discover the fact. It is located on a hillock with two receptions for the convenience of the guests. One is on top and one on the bottom. One has to walk out of the bottom one to walk down to the beach that is located just about one hundred odd metres away. We got freshened up soon and found ourselves on Light House beach before long. One thing about the restaurants that struck us first up was the seating arrangements that those places had. The front rows of tables had only two chairs each, all facing the sea. Also, fresh catch of fishes is kept on display for the guest to pick and order for preparation. Some construction-cum-renovation work was on at that moment. Hopefully, such work will increase the convenience factor, on completion. We had our beer and grub at Santana restaurant. The old waiter, John, turned out to be an efficient guy. Before calling it a day, we drove to Hawah Beach to the north, basically to have a look-see and of course, have some ice cream. We found the beach to be less crowded and more peaceful. In any case, it was getting late in the night and there was hardly any activity there. We came back to the hotel to find Dada in and relaxing in his room. It had been a hectic day but with a good end. Czia, however, had been upset a bit. She had not been able to enter sea at Kovalam. Next morning, we were slated to visit Kanyakumari. But before that, Czia’s wish had to be fulfilled. So, we got up early and went down to the beach to have a dip. It was early in the morning and beach was empty except a few foreigners who were in water or taking a jog. We had a good time and spent an hour or so in the water before falling back to the hotel for the breakfast. The restaurant, aptly named as Tree Top restaurant is actually a concrete building that overlooks a grove, rather a jungle of coconut trees. The view of the plantation with Arabian Sea in the background was simply amazing. Starting as a paradise for hippies a couple of decades back, Kovalam has come a long way. Thankfully, the concretization as also the commercialization of the place has not killed the natural appeal of the place (yet). Light House has a chram of its own as it demarcates the southern tip of the beach. The area surrounding the tower is full of trees and id hilly. It makes a good sight. Soon after the breakfast, we started for Kanyakumari. A bandh/strike call had been given by some political party for the next day. Dada and family wanted to do some serious shopping at Trivandrum. So, they opted to stay back and utilize the next day to go to Kanyakumari. We left Kovalam at around 1000h. The drive was pleasant and took us across the border into Tamil Nadu. The border town straddles both the states and it is difficult to make out the point where one state ends and the other one begins. A sign board, in the middle of the town, welcomes you to Tamil Nadu and that appears to be the only definite sign. There is a mix of registration plates showing KL and TN numbers. But once into the neighbouring state, a noticeable change comes to fore. Condition of the roads is not as good as that in Kerala. There is a lot of patchwork on the surface. Cleanliness is also less and Lungis become less visible. The road passes through some superb looking banana and palm plantations. We entered Kanyakumari town and to our surprise, we did not find it at all crowded. Traffic was reasonably low and roads were with out any congestion. Cape Comorin or Kanyakumari marks the end of land as far as main land India is concerned. Located at the confluence of Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea ( Point is called Triveni), the place has great religious and spiritual value. We took a break in front of Mahatama Gandhi Memorial to orient ourselves. It was past 12 O’clock and we decided to go for the boat trip to Vivekananda Memorial. Luckly, there was no big rush and though we had to wait for about 15 minutes, it was inside the waiting shed, protected from the sun. The ferry takes you on a 400-odd metres journey in rough sea to twin islands that house two monuments. On the first island, is the monument built in honour of Swamy Vivekananda. It is a peaceful, serene place around which strong winds and a rough sea roar all the time. Efforts have been made to maintain the sanctity of the place and the place gives you lot of peace. Once the visist is over, one has to get back to the waiting area that is a three feet wide queue shed. The boat that comes to drop the next lot, picks up the waiting lot and takes latter to the next island that houses a huge statue of one of the Tamil sages. After the visit, you have to line up again to wait for the next boat that would take you back to the shore. From both the islands, a good view of coast line is visible. To the east of the town, bang on the sea shore, are situated a number of windmills. Now, that is a pleasant sight not only visually but also intellectually. Once back from the ride, we went into Hotel Saravana to have lunch. This time, it was a veg local thali. Good food and Hindi speaking staff were the highlights but I thought hygiene needed to be looked into. It was now time to visit Kumari Amman Temple. To our bad luck, Gods had been resting at that time and the temple stood closed for four hours or so. So, we walked around the temple and went to Triveni. While one knows that it is a confluence of three great waters, it is really difficult to make out all three components. The common sense shows us Bay of Bengal but the distinction between Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea stands blurred. Technically speaking, there may not be a distinction in the first place. Anyways, there was some amount of rush at that point. Deepika picked up red chillies coated raw mangoes from a vendor on our way back. While we were preparing to get back to Kovalam, I got a call from Dada. Both the aunties had started for Kanyakumari to witness the sunset. Now, sunset is supposed to be an admirable sight, we had no choice to get back since we had to get ready to catch out our flight early next day. Moreover, it would have been difficult traveling back on the bike had we started late. We reached back the hotel at around 1800h after losing our way at one point. A friend of Aneesh was there to take back the bike. In fact, because of lost directions, we had been delayed by half an hour or so. Dada had been entertaining the guest in our absence. After a brief sitting, I handed over the bike and joined Dada who had been waiting to show me something. Through a personal liaison with the manager, Dada and self were taken on a tour of Honeymoon suite that is located on the fifth floor of the topmost building of the hotel. What a view!!. The beauty of the suite lies in the fact that a bird’s eye-view can be had even when one is taking bath in the bathroom that happens to be on the other side of the bed area. Today was our last evening in Kerala while Dada was to stay on for one additional day. So, all of us, less aunties, went down to Santana again for a meal together. We sipped our drinks and had our dinner at a leisurely pace before getting back to respective rooms. We woke up early next morning to get ready for our flight. Today was also the bandh day but our flight was at 0600h in the morning, well before the bandh could be enforced. Manu dropped us at the airport and we checked in to board flight back home. Just to quote a few stats, we did 1245 Kms on the bike. A pleasant change from Bull, Glamour did eat up just about Rs 1200 worth of fuel and that translates roughly into 24 litres or so. The total moolah spent on the trip, inclusive of airfare was approx Rs 55,000/- for all three of us. As said earlier, we did no shopping except Rs 800/- worth of tea and spices. As far as God’s presence is concerned…….one thing is for sure, this country is blessed by God. The feel of prosperity, cleanliness, natural abundance of resources and such factors do give one a feel of being in a special place. Honestly speaking, in pure spiritual terms, the amount of positivity that we feel in Ladakh is much greater than what we felt while we were there in Kerala. It was, nevertheless, a trip worth remembering for host of factors as brought out earlier on.

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ajay k raina, thefirstthambi@gmail.com