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Published: January 8th 2006
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sunrise at Kanyakumari
Here I am at the southern tip of India, watching the sunrise. A very exciting moment! January 5
I am going to try and upload some pictures. This place is so beautiful. And there are so many things to photograph. A professional would go nuts. The women all wear beautiful, colourful saris; there are so many traditional ways of life every place you look -- such as fishermen hauling in nets on the beach and women gathered at the well to fetch water. Gorgeous sunsets, thick foliage, amazing birds -- huge eagles swooping over the beach -- flowers. I could go on and on. Yesterday I saw a huge elephant with an enormous gold panel hanging over his forhead and snout. He is one of many arriving for the festival. I saw a big crow eating somehting on the beach and when I investigated I saw it was a giant, pale-coloured claw -- the claw was as big as my hand. I have no idea what it belonged to, but it must have been huge! My Russian friend Ksenia and I watched a long row of traditional fishermen in colourful loin cloths hauling in a net fromt he ocean. They took ages to do it and then there was only a small handful of fish in
women at Kanyakumari
Like almost every place in India, most of the people at Kanyakumari were men. But here is a group of beautiful Indian women (all Indian womean are beautiful!!). the net.
Yesterday also I was at the doctor again! One of the auyrvedic doctors here accompanied me into Trivandrum (the capital of Kerala, about 30 minutes drive from here) to the hospital because I had an ear ache. It was a Muslim hospital. The doctor cleaned out my ears -- very painful procedure -- and now I am much better. Total cost was about 250 rupees (less than $8 CDN).
Tonight I am getting up at 4 a.m. to drive into Kanyakumari to watch the sunrise over the southrn tip of India. The place I want to go most in India. I can't wait. (Though I am not looking forward to getting up at 3:30 a.m.!!)
January 8
I am writing this from Kovalam Beach, a very busy beach resort area about 8 kms from the quiet place where I am staying here in Kerala. I am at the Top Cyber Cafe, the only "serious" cyber cafe in Kovalam according to the Lonely Planbet Bible.
I did get up at 3:30 a.m. and took a white Ambassador taxi to Kanyakumari, driven by Biju -- an excellent driver who drives Indian style i.e. he has
dancer on new year's eve
We were treated to a performance of classical Indian dance at Shinshiva after dinner on new year's eve. I loved it and want to see lots more while I am in India! the usual unshakable compulsion to overtake every bus, truck, tuk-tuk (authoricjshaw), motorbike and oxcart we come uop against. The 80 km drive in the dark was a boit depressing. Passed through endless towns, narrow streets lined with small shops, very dirty, rather gloomy. Saw lots of people though, mostly at tea stalls, and lots of small herds of cattle walking down the dark streets. I am constantly reminded of my friend Paul's comment about India: there are people everywhere! Crossed into Tamil Nadu -- now I have been in four Indian states. (Chennai is in Tamil Nadu so I will be spending lots of time in this state when I am studying yoga in Chennai in Feb anbd March.)
Got to Kanyakumari before sunrise and joined throngs of Indians and pilgrims dress in black to stand at the land's end and watch the sunrise over two small rocky islands, one with a temple dedicated to Swami Vivekananda and one with a 133 foot staute of a famous Tamil Nadu poet. There was a kind of joyful, party atmosphere that i felt swept up in. It was exhilarating! I was the only white person in the crowd, but I felt
me on New Year's Eve
I arrived at Shoinshiva on new year's eve and here i am at dinner in my fancy orange salwar kameez enjoying a coconut (and accidentally imitating Renee Zellwegger, I think!)
very safe and accepted and met lots of people and we took picture of each other. There is a monument there dedicated to the victims of Tsunami that moved me very much, and a memorial to Mahatma Ghandi, also moving. His ashes were scattered here.
On the way home I stopped at Suchindra temple, dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman, and it was the most amazing temple I have been to. Very ancient, made of thick stone, full of shrines to various gods including a glorious one to the Trimuti: Brahma, Vishu and Shiva. Three gold heads, one on top of each other down a narrow dark passage. It felt like a very holy place to me and I was affected by the spirit of the place. Hanuman was represented by a huge black statue. Hinduism is a very rich, living religion.
I also saw an old Keralan palace which Lonely Planet says is one of a kind. It is perfectly preserved. It was very lovely, reminded me of temples in Kyoto Japan. Simple, graceful lines. But then I was tired though it was only about 11 a.m. and couldn't wait to get back to Shinshiva. It is
the view of the Arabian sea
This was taken from the terrace of this Shinshiva resort. The sea is below, and the sun sets on the horizon. Amazingly beautiful show every night! very hot here (30-33 every day, and humid), but my beautiful resort is on a cliff and we get lovely ocean breezes that really cool you.
My ayurvedic treatments changed yesterday, Janaury 7, from massages and shirodaha (stream of warm oil on the forhead for 30 minutes that sends you into a trance) to purgation, and the less said about that the better. But today I feel great, so it was worth it!
I have had several comments from people in Canada, asking about Shinshiva and ayurvedic treatment. I can't recommend Dr. Franklin and Shinshiva enough. It is the most serious ayurvedic resort in this area, as well as having a beautiful location, amazing healing energy, gorgeous accommodation, wonderful fresh food AND it's cheaper than all the fancy resorts here (however, they are closer to the beach and have swimming pools etc.). Everyone staying at Shinshiva feels very lucky. We believe we are at the best place, and there is a wonderful feeling of cameraderie among the gusts. The staff are AMAZING too.
I feel so safe and welcome here (thoughI miss my "family" in Delhi, especially Ajay of course). Look it up on google: Dr. Franklin ayurvedic
the yoga platform ...
... at Shinshiva. A yogi comes here every morning to give a class and I have not attended once yet! However, I do my own yoga on my private balcony. Shinshiva Chowara Kerala -- some combination like that. They also have a training program here.
Int he meantime, a big noisy Hindu festoival started yesterday at the temple up the hill form Shishiva. The temple is dedicated to the god Iyeppi (spelling) who is the offspring of Shiva and a Vishnu avatar named Mohini. They have installed very loud speakers a few metres apart down the road behind the resort and they blare music, prayers and advertisements starting at 5 a.m.! I was very upset at first and told Ajay and he laughed and said "relax and enjoy it" and I decided to change my attitude. Now I feel I am experiencing Hindu culture and with a pair of trusty earplugs and the ceiling fan on at night I am happy. The festival will continue until I leave here on January 14. I think I will miss the big night, when all the elephants arrive.
So I am here at Shinshiva undergoing a two-week treatment until Jan. 14 and then I will travel in Kerala for three days and leave from Cochin to fly back to Delhi on Jan. 17 -- hopefull missing the coldest part of the
the restaurant at Shinshiva
This and the beautiful terrace overlooking the sea are the centres of communal life here at Shinshiva. year in Delhi. Most people at Shinshiva do a two-week or three-week treatment, but there are some strong German women doing the full 51-day panchakarma. You can read about it on Dr. Frankiln's website I believe. It would be amazing and probably change your life! These women saved for a long while to do it, though it is not outrageously expensive.
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chrissy
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Professionals would pale in comparison! These pictures are amazing! the panoramic of the ocean and surrounding forests, the dancer, and of course beautiful you on the terrace! You look amazing... rene's got nothing on you darling! You are missed and I am jealous (despite my yogic intention to be "in the moment") Love C