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Published: August 7th 2007
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Munnar teagarden
Tea gardens everywhere, not a drop of tea to drink! A casual glance out the airplane window is all that’s needed to fall in love with the natural beauty of this south western state of coastal India and you don’t have to be a nature enthusiast to do so. The star shaped tree tops of coconut groves, while dwarfing their neighbors n a tropical labyrinth capture your rapt attention leaving you enthralled and asking for more; telltale signs of a visual feast ahead in store!
It was on my second visit to Kerala that I realized how much more captivating and luscious the vegetation was. With a generous sprinkling (read lashing) of manna (monsoon) from the sky, the drive uphill to Munnar county from Kochi airport was gorgeous albeit a bit treacherous. All along the route tropical trees and plants provided a lush green cover and needed privacy for residents of nearby homes. Quite apparently this was a region where you didn’t need a green thumb to experiment with its red soil at the ‘grass root’ level! Seemed like whatever one touched would turn to gold, oops green! The weather in Munnar was cool and pleasant and except for the intermittent rain showers, it was nice enough for us to
Cardamom hills - Thekkady
cardamom plant - spice of the hills take a brisk walk through one of its many tea gardens. Kerala was called ‘God’s own country’ for good reason having been blessed with fecund soil that neighboring states would vie for and as we drove to Thekkady (Cardamom hills region) from Munnar, I couldn’t help but notice some common houseplants like crotons and other garden plants thriving well, having grown into tall trees and my thoughts drifted off to my backyard in my home where their cousins were struggling to stay alive!
The drive from Munnar to Thekkady was a good 3 ½ hour long and at the end of it we found ourselves at the entrance to ‘Spice Village’; a serene, somber haven of thatched roof cottages nestled among a plethora of spice plants and tropical trees. The retreat was aptly named as it had within its walls extensively cultivated spice plants like the cardamom, the pepper vines, the clove etc. At an altitude of more than 900m it boasts of freedom from the humidity of the coastal plains and an overpowering aroma of spices that refresh your senses. A tour of the village resort was provided by the on-site naturalist whose discerning eye pointed out to
Spice village, Thekkady
for jack fruit lovers...one too many! us a botanical cornucopia of Cardamom Hill spices including some native plants like the nutmeg, star anise, old spice and lemon grass to name a few. Geographically well placed and logistically too with its proximity to the ‘Periyar Tiger Reserve’, the guests at the resort have the option of taking guided trekking tours into the permitted peripheral tourism zone; of the reserve, either by day or night. Each trekking session lasts about three hours and people are allowed in, in groups of five. Sprawling across an area of more than 750 sq km, the tiger reserve is the best known wildlife protected area. A dam built across river Periyar in the late 1890s inundated the valleys forming a large lake. It is on this lake that boats ferry tourists trying to catch a glimpse of wildlife in the forest. We were just lucky enough to see (with binoculars) a herd of four elephants with a calf either blissfully unaware of our existence or with a “don’t know, don’t care” attitude. Also spotted was the kingfisher bird, some herons and egrets by the lake and the state bird of Kerala, the Great Indian Hornbill. We were told that the tiger was
Periyar Tiger reserve
elephants on the hillock pretty reclusive and hence spotting him was out of question. Although environmentalists are up in arms against the commercialization of the national park, the local economy is dependent on it proportionately and life goes on for the village folk. However it was good to know that human interference in the ecosystem was restricted to just the boat rides and lake Periyar and its banks were devoid of litter and trash as is commonly seen in other tourist frequented areas across India.
And so from the spice laden fragrance of the cardamom hills we headed down to the plains of Kumarakom, our destination - the Coconut Lagoon; accessible only by boat. In typical Kerala fashion, we were welcomed with a flower garland and anointed with a dab of sandalwood paste on our foreheads by a welcome crew with flashy smiles. A lone musician played for us a lilting tune adding to the symbolic ambience of the place. Our dwelling was an authentic ‘tharawad’ (high ceiling room with a matrix of wooden beam and pillars), having been dismantled from around the countryside and reassembled on-site. All cottages faced the backwaters of the Vembanad Lake and watching the sun go down in
kingfisher bird - Periyar river
regal plumage - the king of the lake varied colors of pink hue coupled with a genteel breeze was a visual treat yet again. The cuisine in all the places we had stayed so far was delectably local Keralite and the absence of a fish curry on the menu was an anomaly; however it was definitely gourmet cooked for the foreign palette. There were numerous activities to keep the visitor occupied including a tour of the premises inclusive of the organic gardens and their compost and waste management plant. Kerala’s signature ayurvedic massage is an absolute ‘must have’ and a cookery class is an added bonus. All in all, what better place to stay, relax; soothe those strained muscles than another good Kerala getaway?!
And so an hour later we stopped by at the Brunton Boatyard a historical landmark on Cochin harbor, now converted into a hotel. It was interesting to know that the flourishing boatyard business started by one Mr. Brunton had to be shut down in the early 1940s as Britain was not in favor of outsourcing then! Brunton’s boatyard was shipping out war ships for use by the Royal Naval Force which upset the home grown market in London. Hence poor Mr. Brunton’s boatyard
Periyar Tiger reserve
Lake Peiyar's dead tree trunks stand testimonal to its very creation more than a century ago had to close shop. Its ironical how outsourcing to India is being looked upon today! Well the good news is that the Brunton name still lives and the rooms still have an uncanny Victorian touch with their antique poster beds and other shipping memorabilia found in other corners of the hotel. A sunset cruise takes you up close and personal to the famous Chinese Shipping nets and also to the days catch being distributed and carted away for storage and distribution. A fishy experience nonetheless!
So, for those of you planning your next holiday destination, think no further…this south western state of India, is waiting to realize her full potential!
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