Crossing into Kerala

We had 100 miles of territory to cover on our way from the city of Madurai to the hill country in the state of Kerala.  Once I settled into my seat on the bus, I realized that I would soon have to exchange my miniscule Tamil vocabulary for a few words in Malayalam, the language spoken in Kerala.  Both languages are Dravidian.  In fact, Malayalam developed from Tamil in the 11^th century CE.  However, the two languages are not mutually intelligible.  They aren’t even written in the same script.  While in Tamil Nadu, I had finally mastered “Vannakam,” the all-purpose greeting.  In Kerala, I’d have to remember to say “Namaskaram.” (It’s no wonder so many Indians learn English.  It’s often the only way they can communicate with other Indians!)

Before we reached the border with Kerala, we made a couple of stops while still in Tamil Nadu.  The first was when we pulled off the road to see a brick-making operation.  The workers, dalits from another part of the country, had come here as indentured servants, a practice still common in India.  Under a blistering sun, they labored at backbreaking work.  Nearby, their young child wheeled around on a tricycle.  The bricks were made in a mold, four to a set.  I picked up a single brick and was surprised by its weight.  At 3 kilos per brick, a set of four bricks, which the workers were carrying around, weighed a little over 26 pounds.  After the bricks were place in the mold, they were set out to dry and then stacked under cover.  The next step would be firing, a process that would take about a week. 

Taking a break from brick-making 

Our route took us through several Tamil farming villages and bustling towns.  

As we made our way west, the landscape started to change, becoming noticeably greener.  Jaisingh told us that region we were crossing is green and fertile because of an artificial lake created by dam built by an Englishman in the late 1800s.  Gentle sculpted hills rose beyond the brilliant green of flooded rice paddies.  Jaisingh pointed out tamarind trees with their hanging seedpods, used as food and for medicinal purposes. These evergreen trees are resistant to drought and wind.

We also saw fields of new banana trees and I learned that these small trees grow very quickly.  They’ll be ready to give fruit nine months after they’re planted.  Then they’ll fall down and new trees will take their place.  We also saw jasmine shrubs and murunga, the drumstick plant that is sometimes called Indian Viagra.  Its leaves are full of calcium, which helps prevent osteoporosis in women, and its flowers are supposed to increase semen in men. 

Soon we were traveling on one of southern India’s most modern roads, a private toll road.  When we made a scheduled “technical stop,” the euphemistic phrase Jaisingh used for a bathroom break, at a hotel, I tried kulfi (Indian ice cream) on a stick.  Others in the group used the opportunity to stock up on beer. 

Ice cream is always good. 

Near the border with Kerala, we caught a glimpse through the bus windows of dhobis (washermen/washerwomen) washing clothes in a stream next to waterfall.

Laundry day on the river

Around mid-day, still on Tamil Nadu side of the border, we stopped for lunch at the Harvest Fresh Organic Farm.  Actually, to reach the farm, we had to transfer to jeeps and travel about 15 minutes on a deeply rutted dirt road through the fields.  

On our way to the eco-farm

The temporary discomfort was made worthwhile by a very satisfying outdoor meal of food grown on the farm, followed by a cooking demonstration.  The chef prepared payasam, a sweet pudding-like dessert typically served after a big meal.  It’s relatively simple to make.  You heat ghee (Indian clarified butter), fry some raisins and cashews separately, and put them aside for a garnish.  Then you boil some cow’s milk and set it aside.  You add some dried vermicelli to the ghee and fry it a little, add the boiled milk, and stir well.  You add sugar (use plenty) and ground cardamom powder to taste.  Remember, Indians like their sweets to be very sweet.  Finally, garnish with the fried raisins and cashews.  Serve warm in small bowls.  Trust me, it’s divine.   

A delicious eco-farm lunch

Preparing payasam - yum! 

Following lunch, we took a tour of the farm, which produces 25 different kinds of fruit and raises chickens and ducks as well.  The manager showed us the soursop fruit, which is similar to a jackfruit.  It’s supposed to have several therapeutic properties.  In a grove of coconut palms, one of the workers nimbly climbed up a tree with a knife in hand.  He cut down a bunch of coconuts, hacked off their tops, and offered them to us.  The fresh coconut water was delicious and very refreshing.

He's holding a soursop, which is similar to a jackfruit.

Jackfruit growing on a tree

Fresh coconuts!

Then it was back into the jeeps and back onto the bus for our ride across the border.  Jaisingh had already given us a wide range of background information about Kerala:  First of all, it’s the smallest state India.  It has a population of 33 million and the highest literacy rate in the country, nearly 100%, due to the high state tax rate that helps fund education.

Kerala is also known for its long history of religious tolerance and diversity.  Today, the breakdown is 52% Hindu, 24% Christian, and 24% Muslim.  At one time, there was also an important Jewish community on the coast.  Perhaps because of the different religions, Kerala has India’s highest consumption of alcohol and beef.  For many years, Kerala has had a communist government.  It’s considered the greenest, i.e. most fertile, state.  Its geography is a mixture of mountains, lakes, rivers, and plains.  Finally, Kerala calls itself “God’s Country,” a good advertising slogan that made me eager to see it for myself. 

A view from the window of the bus as we entered Kerala

Soon, my ears were popping from the change in altitude as we climbed the low rounded mountains of the Western Ghats.  Groups of monkeys (macaques) scampered on guardrails alongside road.  It was mid-afternoon when we arrived at the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.  Passengers traveling on state-owned public buses had to get out and switch to new vehicles as each state has its own transportation network.  Jaisingh explained that many people who work in Kerala were going back to their homes in Tamil Nadu for the weekend.

I was excited to be in Kerala at last and eager to start exploring its fabled “Cardamom Hills.”  There’s so much to tell about our adventures in this part of India, so I’ll save that story for my next post. 

I was excited to be in Kerala and eager to start exploring its fabled “Cardamom Hills.”  There’s a lot to tell about our adventures in this part of India, so I’ll save that story for my next post.