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Travelogues
Mother Nature has endowed Kerala with such bountiful beauty that there is never a dull moment as you take in the picturesque landscape. We arrived in Kochi aka Cochin the port city by the Arabian Sea, which was occupied by the Portuguese and Dutch settlers in the 16th century. A true melting pot, Kochi is multiethnic, with Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Christians living in harmony and going about their daily routine like in any other mid-sized Indian city. Here modern architecture and Internet cafes seem to blend in with 16th century Dutch built churches and Jewish synagogues as well as Chinese fishing nets that dot the harbor.
After we arrived at our destination, we were informed that the trade union bodies had called for a statewide ‘bandh’ beginning midnight and lasting for 24 hours! We had two options; either to stay put in Munnar for an extra day or drive down immediately to our next destination, Thekkady. We chose the latter option and did not regret it!
(The image of Neelakurinji shown to the left is provided by the editor) The winding roads take you through a mangrove of overwhelming trees, which form a canopy to let the rays of the setting sun filter through the thick growth. Further down, neatly dressed school children in uniform wade through a single file headed back home after a hard day’s toil. Darkness sets in early during winter and hence it is not advisable to drive late in the evenings. A cool winter shower greeted us as we neared the jungles of Thekkady, where we planned to stay at Aranya Nivas, a KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) resort located bang in the middle of the Thekkady sanctuary. Surrounded by lush foliage and giant teak trees, you wake up to the beautiful sound of babblers and parakeets.
Thanks to the Maharaja of Travancore, a true conservationist, these forests were turned into a sanctuary in the early 20th century. One can spot sambar deer, herd of wild boars, otters, Niligiri langur, cormorants, darters or snake birds, drongos, Brahmini kites and grey heron as the boat surfs up the lake till it reaches the Periyar dam and then circles back to the jetty. Later in the afternoon we crossed another part of the lake on a wooden raft and alighted for a brisk nature trek in the jungles and to do some birdwatching. |
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After
a night’s rest at Kochi, we headed to Munnar, an idyllic hill station
that was transformed by the British in the 18th century into a summer
escapade! Although travel websites and tour books mention a 3-hour ride
into Munnar, the hilly terrain and curving roads, not to mention the
potholes, make this a much longer ride. 
Munnar
is an absolutely idyllic retreat situated in the hills at an altitude of
6000 feet and you can feel the fresh crisp air. As you drive up and down
the rolling hills, you pass by several tea plantations and see the
workers snipping tea leaves. The panoramic views that this place offers
is simply a feast for the eyes and you end up making several stops to
capture the stunning greenery in the rolling hills and valleys set
against the background of blue azure skies. We also passed by a few
breathtaking waterfalls. 
A
characteristic unique to Munnar is the Neelakurinji flower which blooms
only once in twelve years and we missed it by just a few weeks! 
Thekkady is
probably the only sanctuary in India where you can view wildlife by
boat. The boat jetty is located a few paces down from the hotel and an
early morning cruise in Jal Tarangini on the Periyar lake offers
stunning view of the mountainside and the lush green forests nestled
within. 
