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KERALA- A TAVELOGUE
-Sminu Valappila
Kerala – A dusky and beautiful abode of coconut trees; an embodiment of ethnicity, elegancy and
divinity. Kerala, God’s Own Country is a land with ancient, cultural and artistic traditions fostered till
date by the local inhabitants. This land is native to many artforms like Koodiyattam, Kathakali,
Mohiniattam, Theyyam, Ottamthullal etc.
On one hand the scenic beauty of this land is spell binding. It is a perfect mixture of high range
mountains, exotic backwaters, sun-kissed beaches, profuse and thick forest with diverse flora and fauna.
On the other hand we have bustling towns with full of enthusiastic keralites; trade and commerce on its
highest with more advancement in the cosmopolitan metropolis outlook. It shows that Kerala from the
beginning maintained equilibrium with two diverse aspect – modern culture and ancient values.
Have you ever heard about the ‘Kashmir of South India’ ? Well, it exists. Munnar, also know as the
‘Kashmir of South India’ is a town located in Idukki district of Kerala. It’s name comes from the word
‘Moonu Aaru’ which means three rivers namely Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers referring
to the location of the place. Munnar is famous for it’s high ranges, climate and tea plantations. It is also
famous for the blooming of neelakruanji (Strobilanthus kunthiana) which takes place every 12 years and
converts the far stretches of green plantation into blue stretches of bloomed neelakruanji flowers – a
visual treat for eyes.
Thekkady is also a major tourist attraction. One of the reason for which Kerala is also know as the land
of spices is because of Thekkady which has abundance of spices such as black pepper, cardamom,
cinnamon etc. The famous periyar wildlife sanctuary know for it’s diverse fauna is also located here.
Next comes the famous Kerala backwaters that are networks of brackish lagoons lying parallel to the
Arabian sea. Prominent tourist attractions are Kerala houseboats or ‘Kettuvallams’ allowing the tourist
to take a ride in the backwaters of Allepy also known as the Venice of the East. Snake boat races in the
Kuttanad region during the festival of Onam, the most fampus being Nehru Trophy Boat race, are also
the occasions of great excitement and entertainment to the tourist.
Visiting Athirapilly Waterfalls located in Thrissur district, the largest waterfalls in Kerala, is another
breathtaking experience. Looking at the waterfall as it thunders down into the pool like a ginormous
water spout can give anyone goosebumps.
Moving towards the charming beaches, the remarkable one is the Kovalam beach in
Thiruvananthapuram district. It has three beaches – Lighthouse Beach, Hawah (or Eve’s) Beach and
Samudra Beach. A tourist can walk along the sea wall and capture in his heart the beautiful sight of
waves lashing on the rocks below. Kovalam Beach is also a common place for sun-bathing and wide
variety of Ayurvedic treatments.
Talking about the most populous city of the state, Kochi is the major heart winning tourist place in
Kerala. This place has a diverse multicultural and secular community representing the true spirit of
modern Kerala. The Queen of Arabian Sea – Kochi, is always known for her hospitality, allowing different
cultures to co-exist and proliferate. Place to visit in Kochi include Fort Kochi, Marine Drive, Dutch Palace
and malls like Lulu Mall.
If you are short of time and need to have a quick glimpse of the cultural richness of Kerala, then Thrissur
– The Cultural Capital of Kerala, is the one you should head to. For a dance fanatic, Kerala Kalamandalam
located in Thrissur is one of the best place to visit where you can be a spectator to various classical
dancerforms. Many museums are located here namely Archeological Museum, Kollengode Palace and
Shaktan Thamburan Palace. Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Basilica is one of the oldest and third tallest
church in Asia. It’s bible tower is famous for its attractive gothic style architecture and at 260ft height is
one of the tallest tourist attractions in the entire country. Thrissur also bears witness to one of the
biggest temple festivals in India very popularly known as the Thrissur Pooram festival celebrated in great
grandeur and opulence.
Along with all of these, some of the notable historical attractions in Kerala are :-
 Bekal Fort, Kasargod

 Jewish Synagogue, Kochi
 Edakkal Caves, Wayanad
 Sultan Bathery, Wayanad
 Sri Padmanabhaswamy Kshetram, Thiruvananthapuram
 Vadakummnathan Temple, Thrissur
Kerala cuisine is another important aspect of Kerala’s heterogeneous culture. One of the
traditional Kerala dish is ‘Ona Sadya’ consisting of about 15-20 accompaniments usually
prepared on occasions like Onam and Vishu. As rice is the staple diet in Kerala you may see a lot
of rice derived dishes.
Other try-ons include:-
 Appam and Motta Curry (Rice Flour Pancakes with Egg Curry)
 Duck Curries
 Irachi Patthiri (Meat Stuffed Rice Flour Pancakes)
 Puttu and Kadala Curry (Steamed Rice Flour with Brown chickpea Curry)
 Kappa and Meencurry (Tapioca with Fish Curry)
Snacks and savouries like:-
 Achappam and Kuzhalappam

 Unniyappam and Veleappam
 Banana and Jackfruit Chips
 Kozhikode Halwa
 Paayasam

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KERALA- A TAVELOGUE

 Bekal Fort, Kasargod

Snacks and savouries like:-

 Achappam and Kuzhalappam

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