In the heart of the Idukki District of Kerala lies Periyar National Park. It attracts many travellers each year and between the beauty of the park and the area’s spice trade, there are a number of fun things to do in the region’s small towns of Kumily, Thekkady and Periyar. Here are our Top 5 …
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South India is lush. Things want to grow and grow and grow. Nowhere is this more true than in the area around Periyar National Park. On the drive up to these highlands from coastal Kerala, you’ll see white Angel’s Trumpets heralding your journey. Blue morning glory creeps along the roadside. Clusters of red, orange and …
Our friend Mr. Abraham has a two acre spice garden surrounding his home and two more gardens nearby. They are completely organic and open for tours. Lunch can be booked. In our previous post, we described our day in the spice garden in his backyard. Now, with Pauli-Ann’s beautiful photos, we want to lead you …
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The first time I visited Alleppey in the Backwaters of Kerala, it was to enjoy a houseboat cruise and to take a walk with an elder in the tiny village of Chennamkary. I wanted to learn about the way of life there. It was 2012. Houseboating I spent 24 hours cruising the lakes and channels …
Chennai had always served as a jumping off point for us. We’d usually land in the wee hours of the morning from an overseas flight and bolt straight south to Mamallapuram like a child to the loving comfort of it’s mother’s arms. We never spent anytime in Chennai because, like children perhaps, we found it …
Bananas are one of the most beloved foods in South India and South Indians take them very seriously. One friend in Kerala, Mr. Abraham, who you’ll meet a little further along in our storytelling, has six kinds of bananas growing in his backyard. Tamil Nadu is India’s largest banana growing state weighing in with a …
The first time I took a group to India in 2012, my in-country guide’s name was Prince Charles. He has since become as close as a brother to me. He is not actually a member of the British royal family. Charles is a South Indian who was raised in a small village near Mamallapuram. He …
There are a lot of things to do at Isha Yoga Centre , Coimbatore. Even without being enrolled in one of the formal programs, it’s a lovely place to visit. We spent two peaceful days here in 2016. If you go, without having signed up for a program, there’s an array of scheduled activities throughout …
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When we think of Tamil Nadu, we think of the ancientness of its temples. And, when it comes to ancient temples we think of the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur (Tanjore) most of all. Some temples, like the UNESCO World Heritage Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, are not used for daily worship. They are places to bear …
We were on our way to Karaikudi in Chettinad when we found ourselves at a vegetable market near Madurai. We stopped to take in the action. Business was brisk. Women were shopping for the next day’s main meal. Colourful blankets, spread on the ground, were de facto kiosks to display produce. Squatting vendors worked to …