My Granny and her Peacocks- A Heartwarming Real Incident (Southern Tamil Nadu)

I visited my hometown recently during my holidays.  I went to my grandma’s field to pamper myself with the nature. It was a calm and quite place surrounded with lush green trees.  At 2’o clock my granny took out some food and kept outside. There was obviously no one except the two of us. I asked her, to whom she had brought the food out. She said that two peacocks would come to eat it. We were waiting for them. They had not yet turned up.

After a while, one of them, with a long beautiful feather came fumbling through the plantain field. He was afraid to come closer to the food due to my presence, as I was a stranger to him. He waited for a longtime, ten meter away from us. My granny took the food and kept it closer to him. Now he began to peck the food very quickly.
After some time another one arrived to get his share of food. They both now began to fight over the food not allowing the other to eat it. It was an amazing scene to watch two big birds fight with each other just in front of me.
My granny said that the peacocks would follow her like innocent kids when she walks around the field.

The sad demise of my granny not only saddened us but the entire place she lived in the field. The small house that we used for accommodation, collapsed itself on the eve of my grandma's death.

The Story Of Tiny Rockets That Took Over The World

I was in the middle of a swimming pool unbelievably with a white girl, who was in her bikini. She was splashing water on me playfully. I pulled out her bra naughtily, and she giggled at me and the play went on for a while. Then I pulled her up closer and hugged her. She became calm and moved closer to me and soon our lips were locked.  It was as if our bodies were set on a raging fire even though surrounded with cold water. Suddenly a voice screamed in between CUT CUT. It was my friend cum director who was shooting this scene in a swimming pool for a movie. Annoyed by his awkward interruption, I went up to him and asked, Hey buddy! Wat’s wrong? He said, “A tiny rocket interrupted on the scene dude”.

A tiny rocket! I asked shockingly. Ya, it was right over my head. It looked like an iron rocket of 10 cm length, and it could transform itself into any shape like a missile, square, arrow, round or whatever possible shapes. Horrified by the appearance of this unknown, weird creature I was running frantically here and there. The whole shooting crew started running after me and we finally crushed it with a hammer.

Now after a while we got back to our shooting.  We repeated the same scene and once again we were interrupted by the same object. Now there was not one but plenty of them hovering over our heads with screeching sound. My friend, who became curious of the sudden visit of these tiny objects, ran after them with his camera. But, I was boiling in anger, as my romantic scene with the white beauty was spoiled by these weird creatures.  Now, there were multitudes of them occupying the empty space on earth. It looked as if our earth was taken over by aliens. No one could understand the purpose of these objects’ visit and they were all around us.  Heavy crushers were used to destroy them, but they could remodel themselves and came alive again. The whole world plunged into researches to annihilate these tiny devils. But no solution could be reached until long time. The prime minister of the country asked the people to stay inside their houses closed as long as these tiny objects vanish from the earth. The prime minister appealed to the people to come up with a remedy and announced rewards for the one who can eliminate these devils.

I was having breakfast in my apartment watching the prime minister speaking on the television. Later, I went near the door and checked whether it is properly closed. I saw a rocket having sneaked into my house. It was hanging on the door not being able to move itself from that position. I was watching it curiously at the tiny rocket and I found it was caught up by the magnet of the door lock.

I jumped in excitement as I found a way to arrest these entire weirdoes.  I prepared my proposal and caught some tiny rockets with a magnet and met the prime minister. Soon, gigantic magnetic machines were made to capture all the tiny machines, and somehow the whole scene came to an end.

Next day, the prime minister honoured me in front of a huge gathering and hailed me as the valiant saviour of the world. I could see many people wearing my image imprinted on their t-shirts and hear them singing slogans praising my name. “Hail Selvam the saviour of the world”.

And I could hear the sounds of crows and cuckoo birds close by. It was 7 am in the morning. There was a not a huge crowd in front of me but a crumbling ceiling.

When the Trekking Presents Hair-raising Adventure in Parvathamalai Hills

An arduous climb at Paravathamalai Hills

Every one of my trips is always filled with elements of surprise and excitement, and this one is too. Climbing up the mountain of 3500 feet along different tough terrains, including mounting an iron ladder placed vertically upon a huge rock, was a spine-chilling experience.

Parvathamalai, the abode of Lord Shiva, is located in Tiruvannamalai district at 15km distance from Polur, the nearest town. It was an early morning as we alighted at Thenmathimangalam, a village, from where we commence our journey on foot. The dawn filled with cool breeze, women dutifully cleaning up their courtyard before the sun breaks up, men indulging in a casual chat at tea shops before embarking on their routine job, the roosters loudly announcing the new day, are the vivid memories as we set foot at the village.

Exhilarating countryside along the way

Geographical map of the hillock and the distance to be covered in different terrains

A kilometer walk from there took us to Pachaimman temple, the residence of a powerful Hindu deity, where women flock to pray for their well-being. Walking further a kilometer, we reached Veerapathrar temple from where the actual ascent begins.

Idols of Hindu Gods placed at Pechiamman Temple

Top hill view from Veerapathrar temple

Beginning with manmade cemented steps, the terrain gradually changes to boulders, and the climbing becomes difficult. All along the way, the shops put up by the locals provide some delicious ‘Vadai’ and ‘Paniyaram’, indigenous food items, which one must not fail to taste. Every shop is equipped with a solar panel to function through the night to serve the devotees. 

Delicious Paniyaram

The upward climb becomes a herculean task as the terrain becomes steep and almost seems impossible to make it. At an altitude of 3000 feet, iron ladders attached vertically to the rocky mountain is sure to make anyone dumbstruck with terror. 

The arduous journey finally offers a relief as we reach the peak of the hill. What a way to meet the God! From top, we can feast our eyes to the bird’s eye view of the surrounding mountains and nearby villages up to 50km.

Aerial view of the surroundings from top

Devotees performing Homa at the hilltop

A cool wind caressing our tired body after a nerve-wracking climb is a sheer bliss. But our efforts are nothing at all when compared to the good work of people who built a temple atop. Transporting iron bars, cement, stones and bricks upon the hill is absolutely a grueling task.

Important points to remember on the trip:

The hillock is a reserved forest and it is God’s blessing that we are provided with an opportunity to enjoy the nature. Alas! Humans dump plastics all over the mountain. It is a pitiable and heart wrenching scene all along. Behaving responsibly and pledging not to litter the vicinity will save our mother nature and she will save us in return.

My First Trekking Experience in Velliangiri Hills in 2015

The temperature was soaring to 39 degree Celsius in Chennai and I never expected that I would be soon in a place shivering uncontrollably in the cold weather. My friend and I decided to travel to Velliangiri Hills to escape the scorching sun this summer. Located 30 km away from Coimbatore city, Velliangiri is mainly a pilgrimage center that involves the arduous climbing of seven kilometers over the mountains.

The journey commences from Poondi temple, and every devotee purchases a bamboo stick, which proves to be an immense help for the ascent. Barefooted, we ascended through steps made up of stones. The first three mountains have similar passageways with steps laid down by human hands. Every stride has to be careful and focused, as one might lose balance on the rugged terrain. The occasional cry of the insects and birds was music to our ears along the way. The odor of herbals growing in the mountains filled our nostrils, giving a serene feeling.

Steps made up of stones

Traveling on rugged terrain in Vellaingiri Hills

After the fourth hill, the terrain changes into green plateau. There are no steps, but single pathway, which is easier to walk. The landscape is breathtaking, as the clouds pass by caressing the peak of the mountains. Breezy winds, misty clouds, green plateau, filled with ecstasy and excitement, the climb became a romantic experience with the nature.

At the end of the fifth hill, there is a small stream called ‘Bramma Theertham’ where we immersed in the cold water that flows from the top of the mountain. The sixth hills seemed tougher, as we had to climb through huge boulders. However, the excitement was beyond measure. The mist covered mountain and cold breezy winds drenched us partially.

That's where the Gods Live

Having engulfed by misty clouds, we were unable to get a glimpse of the peak of the hill. Climbing, climbing, still climbing and it seemed, we were going to meet the God in heaven. With hope and eagerness, we reached the pinnacle of the mountain. Three gigantic rocks standing precariously, Lord Shiva resides amidst them. Torrent cold winds seeping through the gaps of the rocks whipped our body mercilessly.

At 6pm, the caretakers of the shrine began performing Pooja to the three deities namely Lord Vinayaga, Manonmani Amman and Lord Shiva. Few men picked up percussion instruments, cymbals and a conch. With blowing the conch, clanging the cymbals and beating the drums, the loud music reverberated in the entire mountain that seemed to evoke the Gods, who are in a meditative state.

The caretakers of the Shrine play music during the Pooja

With every bang of the instruments, the music gradually reached its crescendo, sending thundering waves through our bodies. Following the music, the head priest began to chant prayers praising Lord Shiva. The troupe, once again, began to play the music and concluded the ceremony.

As time went by, the surroundings became much cooler, making our hands and legs tremble in the cold wind. Darkness engulfed the mountain, and we had to halt there during the night. We somehow managed to find a small place in a tea shop. 

Tea shops that are found on the mountain

When I looked up at the sky at night, I stood still in awe, as it was not the ordinary sky that I used to watch from my terrace back home. From a height of 6000 feet above sea level, the sky appeared much closer, filled with millions of stars glittering like diamonds. Spellbound by the view, I looked down, where the city shone brightly with its electric lambs. We woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning and prepared for the descent.

The mountains retain their natural beauty, as they are not accessible by vehicles. Women are not permitted to visit this place due to certain religious reasons. The favorable season for visiting this place is between February and May. Though the devotees piously take up the pilgrimage, many irresponsibly litter plastic waste all over the mountains.

I strongly believe that I can never change the society but myself. 

Away From the Bustling Chennai City To Connect With Nature In Thada Falls In Andhra Pradesh

An adventurous trekking to Ubbalamagadu falls: 

Living in Chennai, often, I find it hard to be in a place absence of noise and pollution. To get a temporary relief and break the dull routine, my friend and I planned to visit Ubbalamangadu (aka) Thada falls located in Chithoor district of Andra Pradesh and Pulicat (aka) Pazhaverkadu in Tamil Nadu.

Riding through an early foggy morning along Kolkata highways sent chills through my body. On our way, exotic countryside life unfolded before us with vistas of ducks and goats marching on the road, farmers dutifully working their day at the paddy field, children joyously playing on the streets and women clad in colourful sarees actively involved in their household work.

Water reservoir at the foot of the hill-  Photo Credit Lingaraja Sivanaiah

 Photo Credit Lingaraja Sivanaiah

Running stream in the valley-  Photo Credit Lingaraja Sivanaiah

As we reached the entrance to the forest, we collected parking tickets and proceeded on an unpaved road. From then on, the ride was jostling every bit along the way. The vehicles were allowed only until a particular point, and we had to gather our luggage to venture into the forest for a real fun. We waded through running streams, climbed huge boulders on the river and immersed in small pools. Constant climbing on rocks without intake of any food made us soon tiring, but we still kept going forward to find the waterfalls. We finally settled into a pool, where we soaked ourselves into the icy water for an hour.

Safety Precautions:

The availability of food in this region is very less; hence pack enough food and snacks, as trekking will require tremendous amount of energy.

Though liquor consumption is strictly prohibited, you can find many men in an inebriated condition. So be careful too! I really wonder how they sneak liquor in after being thoroughly checked up by the authorities.

Pazhaverkadu

It almost became dusk while reaching Pulicat. The first glance at the town was disappointing, as the place well known for its history and natural beauty being degraded by filthy littering. We bargained with a boatman for a good price to take us around the lake.

Pulicat Lake-  Photo Credit Lingaraja Sivanaiah

As we ventured into the lake, cool breeze swept over us from the sea. There are many islands between the lake and the sea, which are ideal spots for a stroll and leisurely activities.

The boatman narrated some interesting stories and incidents of the lake, which made us curious to explore the place once more in detail. As the night was descending, thy sky glittered with the blending of myriad colours, marking the end of our trip in a colourful note. 

In The Name of the Government....Political Apathy of Welfare Schemes in Tamil Nadu

Climbing a 150 feet tall palm tree, without any machinery aid is truly a challenging task for anyone. But, it is a daily routine for 30 years old Chinnappan, who is a palm wine (Padhaneer in Tamil) tapper by profession. He climbs four trees in a day, to earn his livelihood, which is about 600 feet up and down.  No wonder, this is considered to be one of the toughest jobs in the entire world.  

Being a seasonal employment, palm wine tapping brings only a meager income to his family. Hence, he has to seek another job during rest of the months of the year, to run his family. After enforcing a ban on tapping toddy, which is a fermented form of the sap, this business has lost its charm and enthusiasm. Hence, to prevent the sap from fermentation, quicklime is applied inside the mud pot that is fastened to the palm flower.

Though his counterparts in the neighboring states, extract toddy without any problems, it is an illegal affair across the state of Tamil Nadu. The reasons stated by the government for prohibition are not so convincing, as it claims to destroy peoples’ lives.

Moreover, the palm sap is a natural drink, which also contains certain medicinal properties. Some pollinating mammals consume fermented nectar for their diet. Consuming fermented palm wine might have worse ramifications; nevertheless the liquors sold by the state owned shops are disastrous to the public in all ways.

The revenue generated by Tamil Nadu government by selling liquor is over 23,000 crores during the year of 2013. Most of the drinks are substandard in quality and priced at exorbitant rates.

The message is very clear that we have no rights to destroy ourselves, but they do. 

An Exemplary Teacher Who Taught A Valuable Lesson With Her Action (Tenkasi)

To be honest, I am not an admirer of fervent patriotism. But, the following incident comes to my mind whenever we celebrate Teacher’s day in our country.

While I was studying tenth standard, our class used to sit for evening studies in our school accompanied by a teacher. One day, a meeting was organized by Human Rights Commission in our campus, and we were studying inside the class supervised by our teacher, Fathima. The meeting was about to conclude and it was customary to end the public meeting with the National Anthem. When they began singing the Anthem, our teacher stood up still in her position paying the reverence to it. As the meeting took place outside the classroom, none of us bothered to pay any attention. Quite baffled by her action, some of us giggled, some were astounded by her staunch patriotism, some felt guilty and some did not react at all. Unperturbed by the commotion among the students, she stood immobile until the end without flinching a bit.
 

A teacher, not only inspires students by her teaching, but also through her exemplary deeds. I am proud of my teacher who taught us the right thing by her action.

My Precious Childhood Back in 1990's in Southern Tamil Nadu (Life of 90's Kid)

My childhood was not a bed of roses, but I was fortunate enough to have it filled with experiences that are completely got lost today. Born into a lower middle class family in a quaint village of Southern Tamil Nadu, I was raised in a devout Roman Catholic family. Truly, back then I never knew, what connection we had with Romans to be called Roman Catholic Christians. Though my parents were not orthodox Christians, it was impossible for me to skip regular prayers and masses at the church. Moreover, the priest clad in white cassock would show up at the school to seek his vengeance for not listening to his boring sermons on Sundays. Strict discipline was emphasized right from the childhood. Nuns would do a regular check up on our teeth and if a tinge of yellow stain appears, we would have to pick up brick powder and brush our teeth. Their reprimands then sounded like a screaming monster, but they have definitely redefined my life.

Uninvaded by machines, those days were entwined with brisk activities. We would start the day with going to the field to swim in the well. Then, we come home to fill up our stomach with a simple meal and head to school with our friends chatting all the way. On weekends, sitting idle at home was never encouraged by my parents. My cousins and I would go to our farmland and all along the way hanging on the branches of the banyan trees was a great fun. Alas, now there is not a single tree on both sides of the road. Upon reaching the field, claiming giant trees and running up and down the rutted paths kept our muscles strong and sound in health. We would test the strength of our teeth by chewing sturdy sugar canes stolen from the neighbouring field. 

My granny would dig out heaps of ripened mangoes buried under the neem leaves in a giant mud pot and we joyfully taste every bit of it. When monsoon comes, it becomes all the more interesting with mushrooms sprouting up from the wetland. My cousin and I would wake up at dawn and set on a hunt for the white hoods protruding from the ground in all over the green environment. The joy is ineffable when we spot huge amount of long mushrooms in a single place. When it rains, the whole village plunges into darkness and on such occasions, eating hot Dosai made by my mother and listening to the legendary tales narrated by granny are vivid memories of my childhood.

There is a pond outside the village and during summer, the water level comes down to knee deep in a huge pit. The whole village gather on a particular day to catch fish from the pond. It is a frenzy activity in the slushy water, as everyone swarms in the pit to gather every single fish. We also get hurt when sharp bones of the fishes plunge into our feet, but the intense activity makes it oblivious to our mind. With loads of fishes, we come home and share it with our neighbours.

There were many fun-filled activities like chasing butterflies in the myriad field, hunting with the dog at night, taking the cattle out for grazing and indulge in farming and much more. At every activity, there was a bonding with the nature. Most of those precious things are lost after embracing the lifeless machines in our life. Nevertheless, we still have a chance to live one with nature in every way.

This is my experience, and you can share with me your childhood memories, that are very precious and you miss them now due to the change in lifestyle. Come on, let us relive those wonderful moments through our words. 

A Day in Spiritual Indulgence and Ancient Architecture Exploration at Kanchipuram

With poor sanitation and unkempt roads, Kanchipuram may not be an ideal place to seek entertainment. But, what attracts everyone to this historic age old city is for its numerous temples steeped in intricate stone carvings and artistic beauty and above all to obtain spiritual serenity.

Ruled by Pallavas, Cholas and Vijayanagara Empire at different periods, the city’s temples stand as the monument to their unparallel interest in arts and spirituality. A day may not be enough to cover up all the temples, but you are sure to be spellbound by the sheer genius of ancient artisans from few temples itself.  

Kamakshi Amman Temple

Pillars at Ekambareswar Temple

Ekambareswar temple tower gleaming against the azure sky

Almost, every temple has a square shaped tank with a Mandapam at the centre. Built with spectacular steps on all sides, the tanks are examples of ancient engineering that served the people during dry season.

Water reservoir in Varadharaja Perumal Temple

These three drawings hung at the entrance of Ekambareswaer temple are made just by chalk pieces by an unknown artisan. The flawless curves and usage of colours are stupendous.

My Endearing Bond with Nature in Busy Chennai City

Fast moving life, menacing sounds of the vehicles, polluted environment, sultry weather, junk food and skyscraper buildings are the common terms anyone might come across by living in the city. On the contrary, I live in a house surrounded with lush green trees on a sloppy mountain of St. Thomas Mount. The entire vicinity reverberates with the sounds of the birds since dawn to dusk. I enjoy watching the squirrels digging at the ripen jack fruit, cuckoo birds singing in its mellow voice, the mongoose roaming around for its prey and the leaves effortlessly falling from the trees.

A Sapodilla left by a bird

With all the little creatures, in the green environment, my life here moves swiftly and I gradually built a bond with these plants, trees, birds and animals. After a few months, I began keeping some food and grains on the terrace for the birds and animals. The squirrels, crows and cats come rushing and fight with each other for the food. It became a routine for me and following this I would occasionally find some fruits dropped at the steps of threshold. In the beginning I thought that some birds might have dropped by mistake.  As it became routine, it occurred to me that they show their gratitude by sharing their food with me. In most of the time, the fruit will be uneaten and fresh. This magical connection with the nature always exhilarates me to live in a beautiful place in the city. 

A squirrel feasting on a jack fruit in our backyard. 

An entertaining and fun-filled trip to Kumbaratty falls, Achankovil, Kerala

Despite my unstable economic conditions, I manage to make single trip each month to rejuvenate myself from the monotonous lifestyle. This time, my trip was intertwined with my home visit, as I live far away from my home. My cousins and I decided to visit Kumbaratty falls, also known as Achankovil, is located in Kerala.

Lying between the borders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Achankovil is 30km away from Tenkasi. Riding on the bike through the zigzag mountains, we were engulfed by the cacophony of deafening outcry of the wild insects. Throughout the way, we feasted our eyes to the lush green gigantic trees and beautiful mountains. As we rode on, cold air filled our body and relieved us from the sultry weather.  After passing through eleven hair bin bends, we reached the main spot and availed our tickets to enter into the falls.

Main spot to avail the tickets

It’s half a mile walk from the counter, and on our way we witnessed a small snake lying on a rock and red squirrels on the trees. The falls was nowhere to be seen and after a few minutes, we spotted a portion of water getting accumulated in a ditch. As we stepped further, there she appeared gleaming against the bright sunlight. It was a breathtaking view and we stood still there for a moment and admired its beauty.

Magnificent View of Kumbaratty Falls

The water from the river fell into a cave like rock and there on it cascaded down the rock to the bottom. We stripped off our clothes and threw ourselves into the cold water. As there was lot of space on the top, we relaxed ourselves lying on the water, which was only a knee deep.  We had great fun sliding down the rock and there was no one else in the falls except us.

As the season is slim, the water is very less now. But, we had great fun sliding down on this rock.

After a few hours, we departed from the place with a heavy heart, as we would miss this fun for a long time. We returned to our home in Agarakattu to a sweltering heat. The following day the sun was partly cloudy and it was beginning to rain in the evening. We spotted white stones falling everywhere from the sky. To our surprise, it was raining hailstone and some of us hastily picked up the hailstones unmindful of the rain.

Hailstone

I enjoyed every moment of my time in this holiday. But, it is time to return to Chennai to earn my daily bread. 
Do not miss this below video, featuring our memorable moments at the falls. I am sure many would want to visit this place after seeing this video. 

On An Enthralling Boat Ride in Pichavaram Mangrove Forest

I packed my bag to an one day trip to Pichavaram mangrove forest from Chennai. Travelling along the East Coast Road, on a windy morning with the view of Bay-of –Bengal until Pondicherry and the green carpeted paddy fields with the pleasant smell emanating from the crops along Chidambaram road was a delight on the journey. From then on, it was a jostling ride until reaching Pichavaram, along a narrow road through the countryside.

As I was traveling alone, I paid three hundred rupees for two hours of boat ride. A frail looking boatman, Suresh, ushered me into his boat and soon we embarked on a fascinating journey. Spread around three thousand acres, the mangrove forest is a natural wonder, which protects this coastal region from any kind of sea calamities. With more than twenty types of woody trees and shrubs, the entire region is filled with numerous narrow canals.

Suresh demanded me a tip to venture into those narrow canals, without which the trip would have been worthless. I agreed to it, as I am always eager to explore new things. Soon, we were paddling through sun flecked canals, where knotty branches formed a cave like structure over us. It was a thrilling experience as the place was still and silent with only the occasional sound of the birds and paddling of the oars.

What made this trip more memorable to me was I got a chance to paddle for the first time. Suresh taught me, how to swing the oars and push the water to keep the boat moving. Though I stumbled in the beginning to keep up the flow, later it came handy and flawless. As I was getting more acquainted with the boatman, he was narrating various interesting stories in his work. Feeling happy to have visited this place, I bade goodbye to him and headed for the bumpy ride. 

                                               

Doubting Thomas to St. Thomas in India

Statue of St.Thomas at the entrance

Welcoming with the historical arch built by Armenians, St. Thomas Shrine is above the hill top, which is also the martyrdom place of St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus Christ. Snaking its way up through the zigzag steps, the entire mountain is dotted with numerous neem trees. As we climb up, we pass through Stations of the Cross until reaching the top of the hill.

The monumental church built by Europeans, during the 15^th century stood as the converging point for all the Europeans during the colonial era. The chapel consists of invaluable paintings of each disciple of Jesus Christ, which also describes the execution of each of them in a different fashion.

With possession of various relics, the centre of the altar is adorned with a stone cross chiselled by St. Luke. Right behind the church, we can witness an age old banyan tree, with several branches penetrated into the ground.  Several religious orders, convents and an orphanage function in the mount to continue the good work of their master. 

As we walk around the church, we can get the bird’s view of the whole city. With the spectacular view of the airport, the entire place is filled with perpetual rumbling sound of the flights’ landing and taking off.

Over the years the place has lost its charm, as part of the mountain is scratched up for erecting buildings and the concrete floor filling up the entire holy ground.

Church on the Hillock

My Friend’s Interstate, Inter-Caste and Inter- Religious Marriage in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh

Marriage is one of the most defining moments in our life. I was attending my friend’s wedding in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh. Being an interstate, inter-religious, and inter-caste marriage, it was not an ordinary wedding. The bride’s family from Tamil Nadu had to stay in Ongole for the occasion, as the bridegroom’s family played the role of host. It was interesting to watch both families use gestures to convey their needs. Though communication seemed a barrier, it never diminished the charm and enthusiasm of the event. The rituals were alien to the bride’s family but were all performed with utmost importance and eagerness. My friend acted as the mediator and translator between them and oversaw all the activities. I realized that it takes so much courage to marry someone entirely from another state, religion, and caste. I am proud of my friend, who stands as the perfect example of breaking all societal barriers.

My Friend's Wedding in Progress

Falling in Love with the ‘Venice of the East’ - Alappuzha

Soaking in the beauty of Back Waters In Kerala 

With the kind hospitality of one of my friends, it was a golden opportunity to visit one of my most dreamed tourist locations, Back Waters in Azhapuzha. The endless waterways connecting all the villages in the district are the main attraction for the tourists.

Cruising on the river, you can witness the ceaseless beauty of the countryside. Myriad paddy fields, simple but elegant houses lining up the banks of the river, locals ferrying goods in their canoes and children learning to swim and paddle in front of their houses are the vivid images of the place that will ever last in your mind.

The entire lake is dotted with boats ranging from gigantic house boats to small canoes. If you are a lone traveler, it is best for you to travel in the public boat service provided by the Kerala government, which is economical and it gives you the chance to experience the local flavor of the place.

Tasting toddy (Coconut Wine) is another entertaining activity on the trip(only for adults).  With the mouth watering fish fry, the sour liquid gets you high.

It’s amazing to see; people use only boats and canoes to commute from one place to another place, which takes you to medieval era of our history.  The people are warm and polite and always happy to assist you.

One cannot fail to fall in love with this beautiful place and I am sure to come back again.