Kerala, with
foreign influences as disparate as Chinese and
Portuguese, Arab and Dutch, Kerala is the spice
coast of India. Edged by a thread of unbroken
beachline, the state’s heart is composed
of intensely green paddy fields and a unique
network of rivers and lagoons. Upland Kerala,
relatively little visited, is composed of hills
thickly wooded with teak and rubber. It is here
that Kerala’s most precious spices are
grown in carefully nurtured plantations: cardamom,
pepper and nutmeg.
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the state
capital, an international airport, has an
exceptionally fine museum set in an amusement
park. 16 km away is Kovalam, one of the most
popular beaches in the country. Many visitors
stay at Kovalam, driving into Thiruvananthapuram
for sightseeing trips, rather than the other
way round. Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram,
and Padmanabhapuram Palace, a short drive
away, are important monuments.
Cochin, with a fine natural harbour, has
been Kerala’s center of maritime trade
for innumerable centuries. Along the harbour,
rows of antediluvian Chinese fishing nets
indicate Kerala’s trade with China,
just as buildings along the water’s
edge testify to the erstwhile presence of
Dutch and Portuguese colonisers. Jewtown,
complete with an immaculately preserved synagogue,
has a flavour all its own, while Tripunathura,
at the other end of the city, has many traditional
houses with central courtyards. Kerala’s
multitude of faiths – Islam, Judaism,
and a host of sects of Christianity and Hinduism
– all coexist harmoniously in a state
that is known for its Marxist inclinations!
Kerala’s traditions of dance forms,
which originated from temple worship, can
be witnessed at regularly held performances.
Lecture-demonstrations of the most spectacular
of these – Kathakali – are held
daily at many centres in Cochin. Teyyam, at
once an act of worship and visual feast; temple
festivals complete with caparisoned elephants;
Kalaripayata, the indigenous art of self defence;
all are a part of Kerala’s remarkable
heritage of performing arts, and can be witnessed
at various centres in Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram.
A five hour drive from Cochin leads into thickly
forested hills, past rubber and spice plantations,
and into southern India’s tea growing
district headquartered at the charmingly old
world Munnar. From Kottayam to Alleppey is
a world of palm fringed waterways, a route
which is covered by motor launch. Elderly
sailboats, long barges transporting tons of
coconuts and tiny skiffs used to transport
children to school are common sights on these
backwaters.
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