Me moiré: KERALA REVISITED
My blue earrings lost years back, my teased skirt-blouse gone short and thrown, my school friends spread afar…all such a forgotten tale suddenly come alive…a vague confused memory. Time fled collecting shells and stones…with the zapping periodic sounds of the waves that splashed to be ignored or startle in the worry to go back.
A refreshed and relaxed moods with lots of memories invoked in emotions a drastically changed outlook of time personal, social and emotional. We were on a trip to six cities this time, visiting Cochi, Munnar, Thakkady, Allepey, Kanyakumari and Trivandrum. Cochi was elite city with advertisements largely of jewelry. We went to the Dutch Palace – a small place of paintings and remnants of the past decore to walk the street for some shopping. Saw the churches alongside. Drove uphill to Munnar for the exquisite scenes of the terrace farms largely the tea gardens. The route circuitous and dazzling. Lush green shiny leaves, the red soil, the clay soil, the black rocks and the mountains like the tortoise backs strolling together for fun. It was very much picturesque.
Munnar means city of three rivers. Maluppetty Dam was flocked by hawkers and street vendors. The Echo Point too was same. The lots of tourists gathered with all in their own joy expressing in shouts, play, pictures and all. The Kundala lake was blissfully flowing water with all calm and serene. We decided on aw boat and the local boatman took us for the joyride. It was a spellbound surrounding – a wild squirrel on trees, The crows crowing, the isolated birds – the crane, ducklings, the rife at the shore full of tall tress with one end of bridge and the other od mountains with the water as the tapering peninsula of the map of India. On return back we saw “uni” flowers that were tiny pink and yellow with a wild white goat resting below.
The
next day we drove down to Thekkady. A tourist spot for the artist who loves to
paint the oil and water. A perfect destination. We visited the wild life
sanctuary for a joyride on the double-decker motorboat. It was comfortable but
a slow kind of time stressed and aches for something to happen. Isolated black
birds – crane, crow, and ducklings were spread across the lake. Had glimpse of
herd of Elephant and wild deer, a wild goat, a sea horse and on the walk back
on the tiny bridge a flock of fishes pouting out for air – all of them black.
While we drove back a couple of Wild horse stood by the road, wild cattle
crossed us by. At the hotel was a street for shopping. The had Kathakali Dance-
the traditional folk Dance and some martial art folk dance programmed for
tourists. The jewelry was catchy mainly in stones and sterling silver.
The morning came serene with sound of prayers from distant temple and after
breakfast we drove down to Allepey. The day had been cloudy and the weather
pleasant. The Hotel had excellent view of the Kanya kumari the Arabian sea,
Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal all merging and splashing at the shore. The
Swammi Vivekananda statue stood high with vivid black silhoutte of a temple
close by. A little infront stood the church all white and elengant in its
obvious architecture. The pyramidal domes and the cross gave its picture a very
exemplary place in the view from the balcony. The back water ride was a perfect
sneak ride and comfortable in dreams and reality or maybe a hypnotic state.
After the day broke and the sky was clear and sunny, it felt good to be
actually there at the shore of Kaniyya kumari. The shore was busy with local
and tourist folks offering prayers. Waves splashed loud and the rocks stood
high. The view point was newly made it seems with the passage of stones that
was great. It was to enable watch the sea from great heights. Offering a brief
homage to the place, we left for Kovallam.
Kovallam is perfect destination for sea lovers. The tides were high with night
being a full moon. The next day the sky blushed pink and was dressed lavender
and bright blue and painted itself with golden hue as the day progressed being
cloudy and sunny time-on-time.
The eve sea was roaring high. Splashing on the rocks. Tides went up and high to
bring night full of rain and lightening. The morning sea was tranquill as if it
had vent out all its feeling. The water spread on the shores and its drops spread
like pearls as if it was getting ready for a beautifull day ahead. The temple
jingled the typical Karnataki music of prayer that blended with crows around.
The most fantastic feeling of joy!!!
The Trivandrum Temple looked wonderful with engraving of the Hindu deities. The
palace of the king was let open for the tourists. The art museum and the garden all bustling with people and tourists.
The colorful homes painted in bright shades, the wonderful landscapes, the
roaring shores, the sneaky back waters, the beautiful skies, the morning bliss
and eternal memory of being there and the togetherness of love, affection,
dream and ambitions left behind again to get back to my present. Back again in
the comfort of my own home. Home sweet home!!!
Dr. Parvinder Kaur.
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