Travel: Mist covers the mountain tops

Last week I was at Peermade again. This quite little hill station along National Highway 220 in Kerala was once the summer retreat of the Travancore Royal Family. It is famous for its pleasant climate all through the year, beautiful scenery and flowers.

Peermade is also a place of many childhood memories for me – the grass covered hills against the backdrop of the mountains, clusters of guava trees that grew wild, trucks of the Motor Transport Company carrying supplies to the plantations scattered over the area, trekking paths, waterfalls ands lakes. It has not changed much over the decades.

At 1000ms above sea level, Peermade is still an ideal holiday destination. Go for long walks in the tea estates and mountain tracks, picnics, climb the mist covered Amritamedu the second highest peak in South India. Take a dip in 'Madamma (White Lady) Kulam' ( (pond) north of the peak; that was a favorite pastime with the wives of British planters. There is a story that sometimes Amrit, the elixir of life, floats down to the pool with the waterfall that fills it.

Golf if you like, at the Peermade Club. Visit the 18c church that stands proudly amidst cypress trees at Pallikunnu; history lies buried in the graveyard that is the final resting place of several Englishmen. Pay respects at the tomb of the Sufi saint, Peer Mohammed from whom the place has derived its name.

One can drive to Panchalimedu where, according to legend, the Pandavas lived for a while during their exile. Today the area has a monastery and a few convents. The view from there is stunning. The famous Christian Ashram at Wagamon is one hour drive in another direction. Next to it, the British architect Laurie Baker who did commendable work in low cost housing had established a hospital for hill tribes five decades back. (See: Laurie Baker - A Tribute.) The Perriyar Wildlife Sanctuary is 45kms away.

What I love to do best at Peermade is to sit quietly and watch the shifting mist. The thin woolly veil drifts in with the breeze, lingers for a while covering the superb view, and floats away gently, unraveling again the mountains and the valleys and the stream far below.

Peermade is not a bustling tourist spot. It is a quiet get away place where you can be with nature. The climate is never too hot, never too cold. Hotel and resort accommodation is available. But there is a new experience. Several of the plantation bungalows have been converted to homestays. Live like the sahibs did a century back, but with adjustments to suit modern times.

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(Photos (copyright reserved) taken by me from the erstwhile palace of the late Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bhai. It is now the residence of the leading planter and philanthropist Michael A. Kallivayalil.)

Also see: Kerala plantations: The bed tea ceremony that was

Photos: From Europe, with love

Photos by KO Isaac. Copyright reserved.

Click on images for enlarged view.

Also see:

Photos: Snow clad mountains
When did you last see a kingfisher?

Lifestyle – Canoe to counter

A thatched roof shed supported by areca and bamboo poles, at Olavipe. The thatching material is coconut palm fronds. Floor of white sand. The canoe is real. It makes a good bar/food counter. Alongside it is a grill.

Day or night it’s good place to spend time. I love best to sit there during monsoon. The rainfall beats a tattoo on the roof and there is music in the air. Eat, drink, or just sit and watch. Read a book. Or listen to the sounds. Doze off sometimes.

I took these photos (copyright reserved) last month at Olavipe. Click on them for enlarged view.



Also see:

God's own dream

Kerala Photos: Sun shines on Olavipe

A paradise on earth

Came over from Chennai to Kerala on the 5^th to attend a series of weddings. This is one of the traditional three seasons for marriages. One is in Chingam (August-September), the first month of the Malayalam calendar. The second month Kanni and the last month Karkidakam are taboo for weddings.

Usually functions are avoided during the two monsoon seasons because of the inconvenience caused by the rains. Christians normally do not hold festivities during Advent and Lent.

Participating in marriage parties is interesting. Really speaking the first one or two. You meet old friends and relatives; make new acquaintances and so on. Then it becomes repetitive and tiresome. But social obligations have to be fulfilled. So one goes on.

Luckily I am based at Thekkanattu Parayil, our ancestral home in Olavipe. And that is great. Many of the old tenants and employees are still there. Chatting with them and updating the local news is nice.

The weather is beautiful. The latest issue of the Lonely Planet, while including our house in the Editor’s Choice says that the only thing new in the building is the fan. Really speaking, in this season fans are not required. In the olden days we used to have pankahs for summer. I plan to write about them shortly.

One wakes up in the mist-shrouded morning. The scenery is ethereal. The veil vanishes slowly and the scenery emerges – coconut and areca palms, mango and jack fruit and other trees, plants and flowers of the garden, birds.

Go on a bicycle ride along the village paths. Or walk to the Olavipe Lake. Lean on a coconut palm and watch the gentle waves. Or take a spin on country canoe. Or stretch out on a hammock with a book. That is one time I don’t like anybody to disturb me.

Lazy afternoons. Sunset over the lake is usually colorful. Evenings can extend as long as you want. Then retire. Lie quietly listening to the silence. It is occasionally punctured by the call of a nigh bird. Slowly, sleep overtakes.

Come morning and the cycle starts again. One wishes that it would go on interminably. Forget the weddings and the parties.

I love Olavipe.

Ends.

Also see:

Kerala Photos: Sun shines on Olavipe

OLAVIPE: Heritage Home of Thekkanattu Parayil Tharakans.

Kerala Photos: Sun shines on Olavipe

Photos by: Karthiki, KO Isaac, TP. Copyright reserved.
Click on images for enlarge view.

Ends.
Also see:

Kerala photos: Village paths

Travel: Shendurney, the Royal Tree

“In some old texts,” the elderly physician continued, “it is said that sleeping regularly on a cot made of shendurney wood helps to resist seven major diseases. It increases potency as well.” (Flash Fiction: THE ROYAL TREE.)

There is no proven scientific basis to the statement quoted above but the belief is that Shendurney (also spelt Shendurni; local name Chenkurinji, botanical name gluta travancorica), a tall hardwood tree, has several medicinal properties. Research is going on regarding this. I know personally that a piece of shendurney wood (it has a crimson-red color) kept in a container of water would almost chill the water!

Shendurney is also called ‘Royal Tree’. There could be two reasons for this. Firstly, this highly endangered species is found almost exclusively in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in the erstwhile princely State of Travancore. Secondly, only the Maharajas of Travancore had the power to order cutting down a shendurney tree or its branches. Violating this rule could result in imprisonment and a huge fine.

The 171sq.kms Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary which is situated in the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve of Quilon District, Kerala, seems to be the only wildlife sanctuary in the world named after a tree. There is of course the Redwood National Park in California, USA, but it is not strictly a wildlife sanctuary. Incidentally, the precise area where shendurney grows is called Rockwood. The government of Kerala is doing a commendable job in conserving and propagating shendurney which is endemic to the locality.

The wildlife sanctuary spread on either side of Shendurney River (which also apparently got the name from the tree) is part of the Thenmala (Honey Hill) Ecotourism Project, the first of its kind in India. It is reportedly a highly successful venture.

This is not surprising. The area, with an altitude between 100-600 m above MSL, is world famous for its biodiversity. Thenmala Dam has formed a beautiful lake through which also one can reach the sanctuary. Then there is Palaruvi (River of milk) with its 300ft waterfall which is considered to be the most picturesque one in Kerala. It is believed that the water of this beautiful river also has many medicinal values. The Travancore Royal Family used to have a retreat palace in the area.

With all the natural beauty of the place which is about 90kms from Trivandrum airport, the greatest attraction is still the royal tree, shendurney.

For travel information, visit www.keralatourism.org/ or contact

Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala
Park View, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India - 695 033
Phone: +91-471-2321132 Fax: +91-471-2322279
Tourist Information toll free No:1-800-425-4747
Email: info@keralatourism.org, deptour@keralatourism.org

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Pagodas of Arunachal Pradesh.

Tucked away in the north-western corner of India, Arunachal Pradesh has borders with Bhutan, Tibet and Myanmar. The name means ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. It has great scenic beauty with snow clad mountains, streams and rivers, forests of different types, terraced cultivation, herds of yak and mountain sheep.

About 40% of the 1.1 million population (2001 census) are Buddhists. The ‘Tibetan’ Buddhists belong to the Mahayana sect which follows lamaistic traditions. Those living in the eastern part of the state, believed to have originally migrated from Myanmar and Thailand belong to the Hinayana sect.

The pagodas and Buddhist monasteries of Arunachal are great tourist attractions. Pagodas locally called ‘Gompas’ are places of veneration, or temples. The basic style of the pagodas comes from Indian stupas (like the ones shown in the photograph on the left of Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperambadur, TN, India). But the design has been adapted to suit different geographical locations and cultures.

They are truly beautiful structures. Some photographs of pagodas in Arunachal Pradesh are given below.

Photos: Copyright KO Isaac. Click on them for enlarged view.

Ends.

Also see: Tibetan Prayer Flags

Travel: Beaches off the beaten track

These photos by KO Isaac are of beaches near Tiruchandur in southern Tamil Nadu, India.

Also see Raindrops by Isaac

Some Olavipe Photos by K.O. Isaac

Eastern Gate House,
Thekkanattu Parayil.

Western gate in the background

Rice- shrimp field

Canoing

Mahe - Petite France in Kerala.

Who will win the 2007 French Presidential election - N. Sarkozy, S. Royal, F. Bayrou or JM. Le Pen? In the laid back atmosphere of Mahe, a beautiful seaside little (9 Sq.kms) town in Kerala 33 French citizens who are eligible to vote discuss this question and keenly watch news bulletins and features on French TV channels. They have to travel 650 kms to Pudducherry (Pondicherry) on the east coast of India to personally exercise franchise. But they can, alternatively, nominate someone there to cast the votes on their behalf.

In 1724 the French East India Company constructed a fort in Mahe with the permission of the local rajah. There were several wars, particularly between the French and the English for possession of the settlement. It changed hands a few times. Finally the French retained Mahe till 1954 when it was de facto integrated with India. At that time the people of Mahe (as well as the other French possessions in India – Pondicherry, Yanam, Chandranagore and Karaikal) were given the option to select either Indian or French citizenship. Today there are 72 French citizens in Mahe.

For decades, the French influence lingered on. Now only traces of it are left. A classic Malayalam novel, ‘Mayyazhi Puzhayude Therathu’ (On the banks of Mahe River) by M. Mukundan, a son of the soil, makes great reading. I don’t know whether it has been translated into French or English.

Mahe is a must visit destination at any time, but preferably from November to February. It is a land of great scenic beauty and hospitable people. The place has ancient temples, cultural events and the famous shrine of St. Teresa of Avila. The excellent cuisine specializes on lobsters, mussels, fish and other seafood.

And, in this small territory, there are over 60 bars!

Ends.

Also read:

Indian who could have been the King of France?

The Indian 'King of France'.

The House That Grandfather Built.

The Thekkanattu Parayil Crest.

Parayil Mathoo Avira Tharakan
(my grandfather)

The house that grandfather built.Construction started in 1890
and the house was occupied in 1903. Today it is a homestay.
(Olavipe Homestay)
Photo: Patrik.

Related post:

http://parayilat.blogspot.com/2007/03/olavipe-gift-of-waves-to-kerala-gods_10.html

Interior of a heritage home.

Thekkanattu Parayil, Olavipe.

Hosts Antony & Jacob on the front veranda. Photo: Medhekar.

Drawing room.

A bedroom

A writing desk.

A corner of the archives room. Photo: Medhekar.

Also see:

Lions that guard Thekkanattu Parayil

Kerala Architecture: Exterior of a heritage home

Interiors

OLAVIPE: Heritage Home of Thekkanattu Parayil Tharakans.

The house at dawn. Photo: Shobhanaj

View of the house during day. Photo: Medhekar.

View with the lights on: Photo: The Hindu.

Gate house at night. Photo: Shobhanaj.

This is my ancestral home, (one among the five Parayil Family Heritage Homes) where twelve of us siblings grew up. There were three more, who died young. (See 'Oru Desathinte Amma' and, 'Appan':

http://parayilat.blogspot.com/2007/01/oru-desathinte-amma.html
http://parayilat.blogspot.com/2007/01/appan.html

The house used to be full of noise and laughter and fights among children. And crawling with servants. Then, starting with my elder sister Mariamma, one by one we went off to boarding schools and on to the university. Later the girls were married into other families and the boys took up careers. I was the first one from the Parayil Family to accept a job.

The house stood silent witness to these events and the slow transition from feudalism to democracy. We and the house survived the dramatic and sometimes traumatic changes during the almost seven decades of my memory. A great deal of our lands was lost because of the agrarian reforms policy of successive governments. But, fortunately, the bond between our people who stood with us all along and us remain strong.

Each one of us reached positions of importance and authority in the respective fields that we chose. Today, except the youngest three, the rest are all 60+. It is said that the new models are always an improvement on the earlier ones. By God's grace, our next generation seems to be surpassing us. We strongly believe that the intercession of St. Antony, the Parayil Family's Patron Saint will be with each one of us, as it has been with the family for the last three hundred years or so.

Sometimes, the house lay vacant for long stretches. With all the beauty of Olavipe, it is not always easy for us to stay there continuously because even today the local set up is such that we can only sit with relatives or visitors of equal status and have a drink. Couple of year’s back we opened six bedrooms (maximum permitted by the government for home stay) to selected guests. We love their company. Olavipe is now an internationally famous destination.

I hope to write in this Blog more about Olavipe and its people, and about the vast socio - political and cultural changes that have taken place in my memory.

Ends.
Also see:

Kerala Architecture: Exterior of a heritage home

Lions that guard Thekkanattu Parayil

OLAVIPE: Gift of the waves to Kerala, God's Own Country.

Views of Olavipe Lake from Thekkanattu Parayil Tharakans' Estate.