Travel supplement issue 7

TRAVEL

THE WEEKLY OBSERVER SUPPLEMENT THURSDAY, November 3, 2016

Fifty Shades of Green With its lush vegetation, dramatic scenery and cultural diversity, Kerala is a visitor’s delight Ilona Dam

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rriving in late May, Kochi’s deserted airport didn’t surprise me. The monsoon months are a time of heavy downpours, flooded roads and few tourists in Kerala. The first thing that struck me was the greenery and the pleasant weather, a sharp contrast to sweltering, toxic Delhi from where we’d arrived. On our very first day, we were welcomed to the home of Malayali friends with a bowl of aromatic Payasam, the taste of which still lingers in my mind. And the duck curry and fish pickle that followed were proof we’d arrived in paradise.

Our first destination was Munnar, the confluence of three mountain ranges, Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala.There are some 50 tea estates in Munnar, most of themrun by Tata Tea.The average age of the bushesis between 80 and100 years, as Subhalaxmi, a worker in the plantation, told me, while skillfully plucking leaves and scooping them into the basket behind her. Plantation workers hold 60% of the equity in these estates, but they stillwork hard for meager pay.

We next stopped at Kumarakom, which sits amidst lush green paddy fields and rubber plantations. Connecting Kumarakom to Kochi is Alleppey, home to one of Kerala’s major tourist attractions, the backwaters. It’s best known for the annual Nehru boat race, which sees more than a hundred oarsmen on a boat, cutting through the water to frenzied drumming and chanting. Running parallel to the coast, the backwaters

have a unique ecosystem, wherein the fresh water from the rivers are barely separated from the salty sea by a barrage.

We went for a two-hourboat ride through the sparkling and still water bordered by a vast array of coconut trees.

The next day we set off on a four-hour houseboat ride.Called Kettuvalloms, these wide-bottomed boats were once used for transporting goods from remote areas to

towns. With the advent of roads, they graduallyfell into disuse till they were reinvented as houseboats for the tourist trade.The body of the houseboatis made of jute andits cozy bedroom had windows opening onto spectacular views almost at water level. The houseboat took us on a ride on Vembanad Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in Asia

with its picturesque views and excellent fishing. After a refreshing night stay in Kumarakom, we were back in Kochi.

The port of Kochi and its mainland twin, Ernakulam, is a place of diversity. Not only in terms of religion, where Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Jews all make their home in the city, but more soin terms of food. The rich cuisine is influenced by different cultures from across the globe. Be it the traditional banana dishes like Kurukku or a Jewish Chuttuli Meen, everything is readily available. The passion for food in Kochi is evident from the vast array of diverse cuisines on display during festivals or weddings.

What struck me most about the people we encountered over the week we spent in Kerala was their egalitarian spirit and friendly nature. They don’t stigmatize jobs; whether you’re a taxi driver or a sales manager, every calling is equally respectable. Our houseboat operator, for instance, was a retired army officer who wanted to spend the rest of his life on the backwaters on his boat. And that’s how he chose to earn his living.

Lush green tropical forests that descend from high mountain ridges to the edges of a vast expanse of paddy fields to the shores of the Arabian Sea andhome to a well-educated and self-confident people,that is what really constitutes Kerala. Truly, it is God’s own country.

Symphony in Stone In a state renowned for its temple towns, Mahabalipuram stands out – of the sea!

Cathline Chen

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ust 57 km down the coast from Chennai, Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram, is a fantastic weekend getaway.The bus drops you off on Mada Koil Street from which Krishna’s Butter Ball, a 6 metre, 250 tonnes granite boulder, and Arjuna’s Penance, a massive open-air bas-relief monolith, arejust a few steps away.

Krishna’s Butter Ball rests precariously on a narrow rock base and legend has it that many Pallava kings failed when they tried to move it: even their elephants could not shift the boulder by an inch.

Go past it and you will find yourself walking through the14 beautifully rockcut caves and the Krishna, Mahishasuramardhini and Varaha Mandapams.

Mahabalipuram was largely developed by the Pallava king Narsimhavarman I in the 7th centuryAD. The Pallavas were known to be the great patrons of the arts and were keen to create their own styleof temple architecture. The temples chariots have been hewn from the granite rock face andthe Shore Temple was erected and built from dressed stone. The Shore Temple comprises of threeshrines, the prominent ones are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. At the rear end, the twoshrines are dedicated to Ksatriyasimnesvara and the other to Lord Vishnu. The templeprovides the backdrop of the Mahabalipuram Dance Festival that is held during January or Februaryeach year.

Websites and travel books would have you believe Mahabalipuram is little more than the famed UNESCO World

Heritage Site. But there’s so much more. For instance, the lighthouse israrely visited by tourists because from the Butterball it looks quite far away and can indeed be quite a walk. But there’s a rocky adventurous path that you can get you to the lighthouse in about five minutes. The path might be a little slippery so you better watch your step.

The lighthouse has set timings to enter, so it could involve a lot of waiting till those who have got there earlier have come down. But it’s well worth the wait. The view from the top is spectacular. The panoramic view takes in all of Mahabalipuram, the endless ocean, the monuments, the little shops below. It’s an awesome sight.

Along the way back from the lighthouse and heading towards the beach you will find several restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Sample a bite from the tangy fried Calamari and savour delicious buttery Nutella Pancakes. You can find the most amazing seafood at almost every restaurant in the area but even so, eating at Blue Elephant was another experience altogether, not to mention being pocket-friendly too.

Down the road, after a gastronomic treat, you can try somelovely freshly made ice cream. “We have recently opened the shop right outside our house,” said Raghu, the shop owner of Si Manic Ice Creams.

“The ice cream is freshly made infront of you in your favourite flavours. We can mix mango, Oreo and strawberry flavours into your own fresh icecream. All the flavours we use are organic as well” The neighbourhood is also great for shopping, even if only to buy a trinket or a little souvenir to take back for your friends. The range of casual clothes on display was impressive and well worth the money spent. But, what fascinated me the most were the hand-made leather sandals that were all so beautifully and skillfully made. The shoemaker offered to make a pair of gladiators especially designed for your feet at short notice. How amazing is that?

TRAVEL

THE WEEKLY OBSERVER SUPPLEMENT THURSDAY, November 3, 2016

Being There A trip to Gokarna is truly memorable because the place never leaves you Mahak Datta

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okarna, the well-known temple town of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, is a small butsplendid jewel on the Karwar coast near Goa-Karnataka border.It has a unique ambience that is difficult to miss even if hard to describe. A little more than 500 kilometers from Bangalore, it’sa treat for travel enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

Easily accessible from Goa and Karnataka by road and rail, it’s the drive there that makes a visit to Gokarna so memorable.

For travelers from places further south, it is one long immersion in a sea of green, with lush green mountains and forests beginning all the way from Chikmagaluru to Gokarna.Sitting in the back of a cab, with Coldplay for company, I could feel nature talking to me through Chris Martin’s sonorous voice as I gazedat verdant landscape, thenarrow road snaking throughrolling hills and forests stretching past Shimoga and Jog Falls and finally opening up to the wide vista of the Arabian sea.

As you enter Gokarna, the first impression is of a rural Goa of old,serene beaches without the crowds, the clutter and construction. Driving through beautiful paddy fields ringed with mountains, I reached the Om and Kudle beaches. These are amongst the more popular ones in the vicinity of Gokarna town and sport the telltale tourist shacks and restaurants. Namaste Café, which has a branch on almost every beach, is the most sought afterby foreigners. It serves everything from French toast, pan-

cakes, waffles and fresh fruit juice to traditional north Indian and south Indian food. “We get approximately 500 customers a day,” says Joseph, one of the workers of Namaste Café at Kudle beach A quick bite and one’s off exploring all the good stuff

on offer. The boat ride fromOm Beach, which is just around a kilometer from the Kudle beach, takes youup the coast along all the beaches around Gokarna. “The entire boat ride was just mind blowing. The sea looks amazingly beautiful,” said Piyush, a first-time visitor.

Paradise beach in particular is a major attraction to the

tourists, where you can rent a tent to stay the night.

Gokarna Beach in the centre of town has small shops selling fancy jewellery and dresses. It also has a lighthouse which looks magnificent at sunset.

“We see hundreds of tourists coming to stay in the cottages and tents,” says Koni,22, a local woman who rents cottages to visitors on the Kudle beach.

“This is our livelihood. We are a community of around 50 families but the municipality doesn’t provide proper waste-disposal facilities and the electricity fluctuates too. Our communityhas livedhere from as long as anyone can remember and we live together as a family. This place is so beautiful, I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she says when asked whether she would ever consider leaving Gokarna.

Having left the hustle and bustle of the city behind, I had come here to enjoy a peace that only nature can offer. And that made me wonder why it is that even if you live a full and satisfying life in big cities, only a complete break from routine allows you to rejuvenate yourself; and why it always takes a journey to discover there’s so much more to life. Everyone can’t be a Koni, living by the natural rhythms of the seasons and the sea. But the idea that places like Gokarna exist so close to us and are accessible with just the slightest effort, I find so reassuring. Once you’ve experienced it, wherever you might be, a sense of the place always stays with you.

A Tryst with Nature Chikmagalur gives one a glimpse of Karnataka’s extraordinary natural wealth Ayushee Chaudhary

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his September, over a long weekend, we decided to do a road trip to Chikmagalur, 250 km from Bangalore. The hill district is a perennial favourite with tourists and travellers alike.

The weather was perfect, with clouds scattered across the clear blue sky overwide greenfields bordering the road, as we left Bangalore along NH-75 towards Hassan. The freshly cut cucumber and juicy pineapple, sprinkled with salt and spice and sold by roadside vendors, was the perfect accompaniment for a tryst with nature.

Chikmagalur’s main attraction is its mountain-road circuit that covers the three main peaks, Sheethalagiri, Baba Budan Giri and Mullayanagiri.Our first stop was Mullayanagiri, which is the highest peak in Karnataka, standing at 1,930 metres. The peak is a

Chikamagalur is the‘land of coffee’ and if you are a coffee lover, this is as close as you’ll get to the source of your daily fix.

favourite trekking destination for its scenic views and beautiful nature trails. You can climb to the top where a beautiful Shiva temple has been built and settle yourself at one of the stone rests that have been created for you to relax and take in the stunning view. It was an absolute delight

as a cool breeze and then a slight drizzle embraced us while a light fog partially obscured the valley below.

On our way back from Mullayanagiri, we traced the curvy path down to reach the Siri Coffee House that nestles within a lush coffee plantation and welcomes you with the heady aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Chikamagalur is the‘land of coffee’ and if you are a coffee lover, this is as close as you’ll get to the source of your daily fix. Further down, we took a little detour to visit Herokelalli Lake, a man-made reservoir located at a height about 10km from Chikmagalur town. Its serene and sparkling waters create such a calm and restful atmosphere that we were tempted to set up camp right there!But we had miles ahead of us and so we moved on.

We finally reachedChikmagalur town, centred around a busy, well-lit street with restaurants lining both sides and clogged with honking vehicles. The town offers a variety of places to eat and stay, from high-end restaurants to budget lodges and even tents if you wish to stay somewhere in the hills on a coffee plantation. You can tease your taste buds with the local Malanadu cuisine, with Akki roti with Kaikabadu being the best-known dishes.

The next day we had the option of trekking to Kudremukh but we decided tohead towards the Hebbe Falls which can be reached by way of a thrilling 13 km drive through forested paths. After crossing two shallow streams, we reached the foot of the falls. We spent very restful few hours there before making our way towards the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, which is an essential component of a Chikmagalur trip, providedof course you have budgeted your time well. The sanctuary is a Project Tiger reserve situated on the northwest of Chikmagalur district and home to diverse flora and fauna, that include big cats, a range of prey animals, reptiles, birds and butterflies. The jeep safari at the reserve lets you get up close and personal with the wildlife.

Chikmagalur is a wonderfully diverse community that combines small urban settlements, plantations with vast stretches of wilderness. Of Karnataka’s many beautiful hill stations and forest reserves, Chikmagalur, situated in the picturesque jungles of Western Ghats, is undoubtedly the perfect place to rejuvenate your senses and unwind away from the madding crowd.