My Break: Thrilling experience in South India’s Kerala

Posted on October 22, 2009
Filed Under Blogging, General, India | 5 Comments

Kerala - Alleppey Beach

Kerala - Alleppey Beach

Where is all? Hello? Somebody there? Huh! Whatever, I am back. Oh yea, another short break. But not spent in torpor, I would rather say was a break that was requisite to pull me out of my sluggishness. Really, I wished I had some $$ to own a wireless net, this would have probably let me well connected with my blog. Somebody once commented my posts are “a bit like British buses. You wait weeks for one to come and then two come at once.” I was ROFL reading it. It was how my blog was functioning, I should say even now. So chums and old cronies, am back, await a series of discourses.

Kerala - Houseboat

Kerala - Houseboat

Alright, so where did I go and what did I do? Well, I hit down to the South. And what is it like in South? Just the toothsome Masala Dosa and the morning smell of Rich Filter Coffee? Nah! There is more to add, may be we will have to do a little journey to Kerala – the ‘God’s own Country’.

Many including we Indians are unaware of the angelic skies, alluring waters, green lush and the sublime mountains that one gets to see in a state like Kerala. For foreigners, mostly those who visit NORTH INDIA, India is just a country that is barbaric, dungy, filthy and icky. May be you have to seriously do some trekking down to the South, and if South then first to Kerala.

Kerala - Houseboat

Kerala Beauty!

Oh! No! Well, if you think I am one Kerala-loving-Mallu-jingo, then you are wrong mate! I am not suggesting Kerala because I am a Keralite. Almost all my life I spent in Bangalore, Karnataka and I love Blore more than anything. So there is no attachment that I should suggest you Kerala. It is rather purely because of experience, as well as reflections and testimonies from others of their lovely experiences.

My pastor always says: There is so much to learn from nature. Everything in it is lyrical. It has life, it teaches, it inspires, and sometimes it speaks. Oh! yea, he has spoken plenty times to trees. Crazy? Nah! The statement is true. The greatest English poet of the 19th century, famous for his ‘Endymion’ and ‘Ode to a Nightingale, John Keats, once said, ‘the poetry of the earth is never dead.’ In fact he wrote his romantic Ode to a

Kerala - Houseboat

Kerala - Houseboat

Nightingale after being inspired by a nightingale’s song near his home. And you know what Martin Luther says? “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.” Experiencing nature is a unique experience. Away from phone calls, internet, buildings, pollution, population, whoaa, I just wished I never existed here. Want to go so away from this world of rampant consumerism and commercialization.

Nature is so unlike we humans. Somebody said once – “Nature teaches more than she preaches. There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral”. Every time I visit a mountain, a river or a viaduct, I do a perusal of God’s beauty. His delicate and dazzling power! The nature soothes, heals, teaches and rejuvenates my heart.  And nature is in total harmony. It is so unlike we humans

Alleppey Beach

Alleppey Beach

fighting over our boundaries and pennies. We fail to realise we are very dwarfish before God’s creation. A natural disaster can claim millions in just minutes. Our future is so precarious, but still man desires to reach the peak, where lies lust, greed and wealth. His want for more is only more.

By the way, I intend not to do any analysis or nature study here. Where was I? Yea, my trip to Kerala. Well, I really cant descibe the feeling. Although it was short (2 days) it was just so bewitchingly beauteous. I visited Ooty (Tamil Nadu) enroute to Kerala and trust me I was wonder struck by this hill station. We think Urban areas in India are more developed, clean etc, but it is totally antithetical. Rural areas are cleaner, pure. Frankly I found no litters there, nor any pollution. I wished I had a home there where only me, the morning breeze and nature lays. I have started hating this buzz life a lot :( Seriously!

Caught under my lens!

Caught under my lens!

By the way Kerala was full of coconut trees. Everywhere coconuts. Being a foodie myself, I would say that place just suited me. Morning you get more than 30 varieties of breakfast, lunch is full of fish, beef, vegetable curries and dinner, ummmm, the thattu dosa (night dosas), parota is just “Fingerlicking Good” (KFC’s erroneous latest inventory!).

I really never had a houseboat experience. This time, I along with my cousins journeyed on a houseboat one whole day and night. Amazing experience. It was just like house, with all food, snacks etc, taking you around one of the largest lake in Asia. I dint know people who usually book houseboats are those who want to drink ceaselessly, away from the busy life. The houseboat’s chauffeur was pretty amazed I brought with me No Bottles. He was surprised to see a young teetotaler on the houseboat maybe?

Vembanadu Lake

Vembanadu Lake

After the houseboat, I did also leave some time for the Beach, and after 10 long years, seeing just water before me, Man! How can I describe. I got to evaluate and taste a pinch how a mighty wrecking tsunami can be. Huh! What I saw was part of the Arabian Sea. Somebody warned me not to swim too long on the water. “Sir, be careful, you might tomorrow be seen floating in Dubai.” Ok. So that is what connects India to Dubai, eh? Hmm..In a way I heeded his word quick, because I know no swimming and moreover I am fat!!!

Alright, I am a bit tired. You obviously must know why I am tired? Don’t know? Well I am in Delhi guys, where else can be so disastrous. So did you guys enjoy the pictures? These are my shots, so its copyrighted, get my permission for reuse..haha ..BTW dont forget to click on the image to enlarge. Hmm.. I am not a good photographer, but I really want to be one someday. I took these from a lucid camera, the lowest among latest. Just added some effects and made it look vibrant.

God's voice!

God's voice

Finally, friends before I bid adieu, let me urge you to not forget to take a break sometimes. You always have a lesson from the nature. Also, you dont want all your life soaked in money and job, you do need some time to appreciate God’s beauty. Our life obviously is filled with joy as well as sorrow. Your life can be many-colored like the rainbow only if both sunshine and rain clash. OK? Don’t forget, every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn. If any of you need tips, suggestions or a nice tour planning for S – India, do comment or mail me for more. I can even help you plan a ‘budget’ tour, obviously this is for the poor like me. Only a poor can understand a poor better..hehe..   ;-) So Adios for now ~ SAM.

Comments

5 Responses to “My Break: Thrilling experience in South India’s Kerala”

  1. Vishnu on October 23rd, 2009 3:58 am

    Dude, what an experience. Stunning pictures too. Your break was only 2 days? funny.

  2. Raghunath on October 23rd, 2009 7:53 am

    Thanks a lot. I was preparing on a journey to Kerala and your post will help me a lot. I am very interested in knowing more about that house boat and its cost. Could you refer some telephone numbers?

  3. Indianiser on October 23rd, 2009 12:43 pm

    Ragh – mail me here cptjacksparrow at gmail dot com

  4. Rocky on October 24th, 2009 1:48 pm

    I visited Kottayam this week. It was really a nice place. There are many small hill stations and very beautiful rivers. Kerala is truly full of coconut trees. And all food uses coconot oil too.

  5. vinay on October 25th, 2009 6:19 pm

    dude have you been to kovalam? its really the best. I have never seen these many foreigners anywhere in Kerala. By the way your snaps are excellent, specially that God’s voice. Good job.

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