In Kerala's Hill Country

Enjoying my time in Kerala, India's greenest state.

Entering Kerala was like stepping into a magical world.  As we drove through the small town known as Kumily or Thekkady, our hulking bus dwarfed all the other vehicles on the crowded roads.   Our hotel was located right in the commercial center of town.  I caught sight of communist banners, pictures of Marx and Lenin, mosques, churches, and an enormous white Pieta dominating the main intersection.  

We made our way up a steep driveway to Greenwood’s ResortHotel, where we were greeted with garlands of jasmine blossoms.  I kept the fragrant flowers in my room for the duration of our two-night stay at the hotel and their intoxicating aroma hardly faded.  A refreshing cool breeze wafted over us.  Due to the higher elevation, temperatures were in the comfortable mid-70s.  The separate buildings of the resort were set tastefully among the trees.  Here, we would find a tranquil refuge from the incessant noise and activity of the busy town.

Our rooms were in separate buildings spread out across the property. 

But as inviting as the hotel was, I didn’t linger there.  I did what I always do when I find myself in a new locale – I set out on foot without any particular destination in mind, just to get a sense of the place.  Once I was out on the main street, a mixture of scents enveloped me – most pervasive of all, the smell of banana chips frying in hot oil.  I ignored the exhortations of the banana chip vendors as I walked along, peering into crowded shops selling locally grown spices, tea, and candies as well as the usual jewelry, shawls and clothing.  I was mightily tempted by a display of jewel-like halwa slabs, but I was trying to watch my sugar consumption.

So many different kinds of halwa! 

I couldn’t help noticing that most of the shoppers were men.  In fact, they reminded me of the men in black that we’d seen several times at Hindu temples.  Jaisingh confirmed that they were men on pilgrimage who were making a multi-day circuit of holy sites.  He explained that boys and pre-pubescent girls can accompany the pilgrims but women aren’t allowed participate until they reach menopause.  Early in the morning and later in the afternoon, i.e. before and after their temple visits, are the times when the pilgrims tend to congregate on the streets.

The hotel provided several complimentary evening activities.  The first was a cooking demonstration.  A standing-room only crowd showed up to watch the chef prepare a vegetarian dish and a chicken dish using an array of spices, fresh ginger and garlic, red onions, fresh green and dried red chili peppers, and coconut milk.  Of course, he used his own secret garam masala blend to finish each dish.  We were able to sample a little bit of each dish at the conclusion of the demonstration.  A little while later, I watched a dance performance.  It was interesting to compare the style to the Bharata Natyam dance we’d seen in Thanjavur. 

The highlight of our stay in Kumily/Thekkady was a two-hour trek through the nearby Periyar Tiger Preserve.  The next morning, we left the hotel shortly after 6:30 am, just as the sun was rising.  Groups of pilgrims were already standing in front of the open shops.  The sprawling Periyar wildlife sanctuary is home to about 30 or 40 tigers.  The park guides, who are all members of local tribes, divided us up into small groups of three or four.  Before we got underway, they handed everyone a pair of leggings with drawstrings at the top that we had to slip on over our socks.  The reason?  To keep out leeches and other unwelcome creatures.  My guide cautioned us about keeping our voices low and mentioned snakes, elephants, tigers and other animals we might encounter.  Perhaps sensing our concerns about safety, he then reassured us that he’d prayed at the temple this morning to ask for a safe trek.

The early morning haze was still hanging over the river when we settled onto log rafts for a quick crossing.  For the next couple of hours, we trudged along rugged dirt trails, or sometimes on no trail at all.  I was used to walking in the woods near my house, but this was completely different.  Every step required attention if I didn’t want to end up with a twisted ankle.  

As we went along, our guide was constantly pointing out plants that I never would have recognized.  Many were unfamiliar, such as the “touch me not,” a small fern-like plant that withers at the gentlest touch, and takes 15 minutes to recover.  He pointed out miniature green beans, tiny red berries, and other plants used by the tribal people for food.  He also showed us medicinal plants, and plucked leaves for us to sniff and nibble. 

 

The sounds of birds and monkeys filled the air.  The first animals we saw were black monkeys.  With their long tails, they were easy to spot high up in the trees.  They’re one of four monkey species that live in the park. Although we saw footprints made by antelope, deer, and elephants, and several piles of elephant poop, we didn’t see the animals themselves.  We also saw deep scratches on a tree trunk that were made recently by a tiger.  Was I disappointed that we didn’t come across the actual tiger?  No, not really.

Tiger scratches on a tree trunk

Towards the end of our trek, our guide excitedly pointed out a couple of great hornbills, high up in the tree tops.  These birds, the state birds of Kerala, have large, distinctive yellow bills and tend to avoid humans. When they flew off, we heard the loud flapping of their wings, which have a six-foot span. 

When we emerged from the shade of the forest, the morning sun was bearing down and temperatures were rising.  With all the new sights to take in, two hours had passed so quickly.  The exercise had been invigorating and I could easily have continued.  But it was time to get back on the rafts, do a check for leeches and return to the hotel. 

As a result of the trek, I’d worked up quite an appetite for lunch.  After a much-needed shower, I headed over to the hotel’s restaurant.  Since I wanted to try something local, I ordered Kerala-style grilled fish.  And on the recommendation of fellow traveler Mumta, I ordered a dish called paneer pasanda.  This is a vegetarian version of a north Indian dish usually made with meat or chicken in a creamy sauce made with yogurt, fragrant spices, pureed tomatoes and toasted almonds.  In addition, I ordered some bread and finished off a rice dish left over by some of my fellow travelers.  It was a delicious feast, and even more memorable because I decided to eat in the Indian fashion, i.e. with my hands.  I discovered that it’s not as easy as it looks and quite a bit messier than I expected. 

Another finger-licking good meal

Then it was time for an hour of complete relaxation in the hotel’s tree house before our afternoon visit to an organic spice plantation.

My tree house refuge

At the plantation, a knowledgeable guide gave us a tour through the gardens and introduced us to the king of spices (Malabar pepper), the queen of spices (cardamom), and dozens of other spices. It was fascinating to see the living plants in a natural setting when my previous exposure to these spices had only been seeing them in little glass jars.  

Look closely and you'll see the pepper growing on this plant.

Cacao - for chocolate!

The following morning, a muzzein’s 5 am call to prayer was followed by drumming and singing from a nearby Hindu temple an hour later.  Soon, we were on the road again, on a journey that would take us west through Kerala’s lush green hill country, with its terraced hillsides of tea plantations.  Although filter coffee is the preferred drink for most of Kerala’s inhabitants, the state is India’s largest producer of tea.  The tea plant was an import from China, originally brought by the English.  I had no idea that plants for all the different kinds of tea are the same.  In other words, there’s no such thing as a green tea plant or an Earl Grey tea plant.  It all has to do with the timing of harvesting and processing of the leaves.  For white tea, tiny white buds are plucked from the tea plant.  Un-oxidized leaves are used for green tea.  Oxidizing the leaves produces black tea.  It’s a bit like wine.  The flavor of the tea depends on the terroir, i.e. the soil, the rainfall, etc. 

Terraced tea plantations

Even our bathroom and beverage break featured a scenic view.  During our stop at “the loo with a view,” we sipped cups of masala chai, watched parathas being made, and gazed out over the gorgeous landscape.  

Masala chai and a breathtaking view

We sampled delicious piping hot parathas.

Even our bathroom and beverage break was a scenic attraction.  During our stop at “the loo with a view,” we sipped cups of masala chai, watched parathas being made, and gazed out over the gorgeous landscape. 

As we descended in altitude, tea plantations gave way to rubber plantations.  We made a brief stop to observe how rubber is tapped from the trees.  After the latex is collected in small bags or cups, sheets of the material are hung on lines to dry out.  It was interesting to learn that the rubber tree seeds were secretly brought from Brazil in the 19^th century. 

Tapping a tree for rubber 

Our original itinerary didn’t call for a stop in the town of Erumely, but Jaisingh mentioned a special festival that places there at this time of year.  The festival, which starts in December and culminates in mid-January, attracts about 5 million attendees.  We all eagerly agreed that we should make a detour to witness the spectacle in person.  When we arrived, participants decked out in colorful paint, wild costumes and masks were parading through the streets in a seemingly unending procession.  The cacophony was overwhelming.  Jaisingh explained that the men (yes, they were mostly men) were followers of the popular Ayapa sect.  The history behind the Ayapa sect is a combination of reality and myth. According to tradition, Ayapa is a bachelor god, the son of Shiva and Vishnu (two male gods).  The sect traces its genesis to an 800-year old story of Rajaraja, a Hindu ruler and Babar, his Muslim counterpart and friend.  Today, both Hindus and Muslims take part in the celebration, which involves visiting both the Hindu temple and the mosque that faces it.

A procession through the streets of Erumely 

In front of the mosque where Babar is buried

A very festive time!  

Body paint for sale

Back on the bus, we continued on our drive west towards the backwaters of Kerala.  My next post will focus on the two idyllic days we spent living there on houseboats.