The Journey Begins: Sunrise at Kanyakumari
How green is my country? Most of it is. In varying degrees and shades. But when we travelled from Trivandrum to Kanyakumari on a train, the green opened up. Something different from what I have hitherto seen. Enthralling. Soothingly caressed our visual system throughout the journey. We were struck by the abundant creation of nature as our train glided through the green corridor. Lined up on both sides by coconut trees, some short and some very tall. Interspersed with fleeting views of giant banana trees, some dark green, some light green, some heavy and thick in foliage, they are only to be broken by sporadic patches of bright green meadows. This continued till our train reached the land’s end. We put up at Vivekananda Kendra, not far from Kanyakumari station. A serene campus that induces an aura of meditativeness. So comfortable that we longed to prolong our stay. Getting up at three in the morning and sauntering down the pathway in darkness to the sea about one kilometre from our lodge was a thrilling experience. At the seashore, we waited to watch the sunrise over the confluence of the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea. The moment the sun rose, a twinkle of fire lit the snowy clouds on the horizon. Then the entire sea and Vivekananda Rock would get suffused with gold and blue. We walked back to our base after getting cheered by the beauty of such a sunrise. Apart from the serenity and sunrise, what we liked most about Vivekananda Kendra was its free bus service at 15-minute intervals to the city centre near the beach. From there, one could walk down to the ferry point for Vivekananda Rock or take an auto or tuk-tuk to Sunset Point and other sightseeing places. The sunset was again invincibly beautiful, with rocky faces turning ruddy gold as the sun sank into the sea. From the shore of Kanyakumari up to Vivekananda Rock, the water is rough, splashing wherever it encounters the jagged underwater rock formations. It is hard to believe how Swami Vivekananda swam this rough stretch to reach the huge rock protruding out of the sea in order to meditate atop the rock before leaving for the USA to deliver his famous discourse on religion in Chicago. From Vivekananda Rock, the view of the meeting point of the Indian Ocean with the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal is a mind-blowing sight. So clear is the demarcation and the different shades of the ocean and the seas.
Cruising the Alleppey Backwaters & Local Flavours
After three days of staying at Kanyakumari, we travelled northward deeper into Kerala. We retraced the railroad up to Trivandrum. Beyond, it continued through a similar green corridor, only to be broken at places by swathes of rippling waterways of Kerala’s iconic backwater. Yes, our destination was Kottayam, and from there to Alleppey to discover the entrancing backwaters. Allepey, or ‘Allepuzha’, a town endowed with whatever nature showers in one’s dreams – sea, serene and wonderful beaches, and backwaters fringed with lengthy land strips of swaying coconut trees. We moved into Allepey before sundown. We dumped our luggage at Pine Beach Residency, a homestay arrangement. Homestays are quite popular in this tourist city. Hungry after the journey, we walked down the beach to the Indian Coffee House. I ordered beef fry and toast to satiate my appetite, as I am extremely fond of Kerala beef fry (beef ularthiyathu). In the night, we indulged in romantic candlelight dining on the white beach at Palm Beach Residency. A half-day trip on the backwaters in an exclusive houseboat was another first. Nature engulfed us with its extraordinary beauty. The boat stopped at one of the several islands on the waterway. We had karimeen fry. A delectable freshwater fish of Kerala, with a very similar taste to the much-sought-after 'koi' of Bengal. Local people told us that this fish is available in plenty in the backwaters. After returning to Allepuzha Boat House Station, we decided to have a hearty lunch at one of Kerala’s most popular eateries. Thapp is within walking distance of the finishing point of Alleppey Boat House Station. One has to just cross the footbridge over the backwater canal. Since the recipes of Kerala are among the best in South India, we ordered ‘thalis’ (meal platters) – plus mutton curry for me and pomfret fish masala for my wife. Believe me, this is one state in India where servings on a platter show no stinginess. Sumptuous Kerala thali comprises rice, three or four varieties of vegetarian preparations, rasam, sambar, fish curry, pappad, pickle, and payasam galore. Added to this one's choice of a non-veg delicacy. All equally delicious and filling. Another discovery at Allepuzha was a rejuvenated Ayurvedic full-body oil massage of Kerala. It works wonders. After two refreshing days in Allepuzha, we took an early morning train to Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital.
Exploring Thiruvananthapuram: Beaches, History, and Ponmudi Hills
The train journey captivated us again through the resilient green corridor. Thiruvananthapuram (colonial name Trivandrum) is a beautiful city on the shoreline of the Arabian Sea. It's beautiful because of its internationally famed Kovalam Beach and Shanghumukham Beach adjacent to the airport for sunset viewers; beautiful because of old temples of Dravidian architecture, including the Attukul Temple and the famous Padmanabha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu; beautiful because of Kuthira Malika Palace adorned with carved horses built by Maharaja Balaram Verma, King of Travancore during the eighteenth century (now a museum displaying paintings and various priceless collections related to the Travancore family); beautiful because of the city’s colonial architecture; and beautiful because of its proximity to the Western Ghat mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea. The newly constructed Central Bus Terminus, opposite Trivandrum Rail Station, is also laudable. We had taken a bus from here to visit Ponmudi, about sixty kilometres from Trivandrum.
Ponmudi
The route to Ponmudi passes through clusters of thickets, including banana trees, coconut trees, pine trees, and rubber plantations, leaving us gaspingly admiring the infinite green spaces. Sunshine drifted in and out of the thickets, creating patches of light and shade as our bus moved on the gentle slopes of the winding roads. Because of the thickets all around, the realisation of a 3000-foot climb came only after flurries of cool mountain breeze started wafting through the window. A pretty hill station so close to a bustling city. And nothing more refreshing and relaxing than the sights of mountain flowers, butterflies, rubber plantations, and the sound of gurgling springs. We had lunch at Ponmudi and watched monkeys playing their tricks before returning to Trivandrum.
Photo courtesy: Arundhati Sengupta
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| View captured from the train on the way to Kanyakumari from Trivandrum |
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| At the Land's End - Kanyakumari Railway Station |
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| Sunrise as viewed from a private beach near Vivekananda Kendra |
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| Another view of the sunrise |
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| At the premises of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari |
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| Sunset viewed from Sunset Point, Kanyakumari |
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| Sunsets at Kanyakumari |
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| Vivekananda Rock, Kanyakumari |
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| Three distinct colours of the sea at the meeting point of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal |
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| Kanyakumari town from Vivekananda Rock |
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| Allepuzha Beach, Allepey |
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| Backwater at Allepey |
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| A boat ferrying local passengers on the backwater at Allepey |
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| Houseboat on the backwater |
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| A strip of the island on the backwater |
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| Another view of the backwater |
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| Where backwater meets the sea |
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| THAFF, the eatery at Alleppey, is a very popular joint for authentic Kerala delicacies |
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Authentic Kerala Thali at Thaff Restaurant, Alleppey |
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| A seahorse caught by the owner of Pine Beach Residency, where we stayed |
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| A private beach at Allepuzha |
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| Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram. |
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| An old lighthouse can be seen from Kovalam beach. |
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| Another look at Kovalam Beach in Thiruvananthapuram. |
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| Sanghumukham Beach, near Thiruvananthapuram Airport |
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| In Ponmudi |
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| Another view of Ponmudi |
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| Mountain Flower at Ponmudi, possibly a Lobelia |
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| Ponmudi Mountain Flower (Milkania scandens) |
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| Mountain Flowers at Ponmudi |
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| Spring, Ponmudi |
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| Ponmudi: monkeys having fun |
Photo credit: Arundhati Sengupta
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