Indian Wildlife

When most people think of Indian wildlife they instantly think “TIGER.” Whilst these beautiful cats are the main draw for tourists there is plenty of other wildlife to keep you interested whilst you wait for the “striped gentleman” to reveal himself.

Leopards can be seen throughout India but to catch a glimpse of a snow leopard or clouded leopard you would have to head for the mountains of Ladakh, Kashmir or into Nepal.

The Asiatic Lion, a shaggier version of its African cousin, can only be seen in the Gir Forest in Gujurat in western India. This state is also the home to two other rare mammals, the Blackbuck ( at Velavadar Reserve, 240km north east of Gir) and the Asiatic Wild Ass ( at Dhrangadhra Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch.)

As well as the Blackbuck being unique to the Indian subcontinent, there is also the Chausingha ( four horned antelope,) the Nilgai ( Blue Bull) and the sloth bear. The sloth bear is quite difficult to spot given its nocturnal nature but there is a chance in the main parks. There is also a rehabilitation centre for bears just outside Agra where dancing bears and mistreated bears rescued by the charity Wildlife SOS, www.wildlifesos.org are taken to recover. They have another bear sanctuary in Bangalore and a leopard rescue centre in Maharashtra.

Wild dogs can be seen roaming the grasslands of Kanha and this national park in Madhya Pradesh is now the main location to see Barasingha, the swamp deer pushed to the edge of extinction.

Another symbol of India is the Asian elephant which can be seen throughout India plodding through the streets scattering auto rickshaws in its path! You have a good chance to see them in the wild in Kerala ( Periyar) and Karnataka (Nagarole) in the south and in the north at Corbett and Assam.

Kaziranga National Park in Assam, as well as being the home to wild elephant is also famous for its one horned Rhinoceros population and wild water buffalo. It is also a fantastic place to see wetland birds, an alternative location to visiting Keoladeo in Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

India is a bird watcher’s paradise, whether it is in the foothills of the Himalayas, the central parks of Madhya Pradesh, the expanse of the Thar Desert and Rajasthan or the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills of the south. One estimate suggests there are 1250 bird species, around 12% on the world population.

If marine life appeals it is possible to see gharials and Gangetic dolphins in the Chambal river just outside Agra, with fantastic birdwatching too and makes a quiet excursion from the Golden Triangle. Another interesting place to visit is the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust on the south east coast of India where you can also do field trips with the Irula snake catchers.

For a final “hands on” wildlife idea why not get down and dirty at the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station in Karnataka in south India. It was set up 6 years ago to research the King Cobra which thrives in this part of India. It is a real working field station so don’t expect 5 star treatment but does offer the opportunity to learn about various aspects of the rainforest first hand. It can easily be incorporated into a tour of Karnataka and Kerala, British Airways fly directly into Bangalore.

If you have a desire to see any of these animals or create a tailor made Indian wildlife adventure of your own; Contact us on 0141 535 2418 and we will be happy to help. Or come and chat to LYNN STEWART at: Wildlife Expo October 14 and 15 at Alexandra Palace Destinations Shows Manchester January 19-22 at Event City London February 2-5 at Earls Court, she will be happy to help.

    Escape to India designed, and organised, a holiday  for Ajay, his parents and his sister Meera over Christmas and New Year. They flew into Delhi then took the train North to visit Haridwar and Rishikesh where they stayed at an Ashram on the banks of the Ganges. After returning to Delhi they headed to Agra, visiting  the birth place of Lord Krishna at Mathura en route. After visiting the Taj Mahal  and a night in  Bharatpur, they boarded an overnight train and woke in Varanasi where they explored the alleyways with our special guide Shagufta. Then the highlight of the trip was a visit to Kathmandu and an hour long flight to see Everest.

The family flew to Goa on Christmas Eve where they stayed at the Leela for a week. We organised some presents for them to open on Christmas Day and since it was Dad Ashwin’s “special birthday”  we chose a  murti (statue) of Krishna to give him as a special surprise.

Ajay, aged 10, has very kindly offered to write a blog for us and to share his unforgettable experience. 

   Everest flight! 

 The view of the Himalayas was just fantastic. We had to wake up at 6am to catch a plane that would take us around the Himalayas to see the mountains including Everest. However, when we got to Kathmandu airport we found that there was really thick fog, so no planes could take off. We waited 3 hours for the fog to clear and then it was finally time to board the plane and start our journey to the mountains. The plane was very small it could only hold about 14 people which meant we all had a window to ourselves! As we took off I was really exited to see the biggest mountain in the world, as we got closer to Everest the pilot would call us out one by one to the cockpit to have a much clearer view. He explained where all the mountains were and pointed out to us exactly where Everest was- it was amazing to see it so close! I also found the controls and watching how the pilots flew the plane fascinating. It wasn’t just Everest that stunned me, but all the other mountains as well because there were so many of them. Looking down I could also see a mini pool at the bottom of one of the mountains and thick layers of snow on the peaks. It was such an experience to see the worlds biggest mountain and one which I will never forget!

                                                                   By Ajay

We live up to our slogan “India …with a helping hand”

We will meet you at the airport and take you to your first night’s accommodation and when it’s all over we’ll take you back to fly home.

We can provide a car and driver for your convenience and guides to show you around.

We will take you to your train and wait until it arrives. Take you to your seat and get you settled. Then we’ll be at your destination to help you get off safely and start the next adventure.

We can book hotels, homestays, guest houses, safari lodges and houseboats, even the odd ashram.

We can book internal flights, flights to see Everest, trains, toy trains, boats on the Ganges, camel safaris, horse safaris and white water rafting.

We can book your tickets to see the Taj Mahal by sunrise, sunset and by moonlight.

We can organise the little surprises which make your holiday special, candles on the houseboat on your honeymoon, a bouquet of roses and cake for your birthday surprise, bangles and scarf for a Christmas treat, even a bottle of beer with a marigold garland!

We can book your jungle safari, although we can’t always book the tigers!

We will take your mobile number in India and Lynn will give you hers so you can share all the good times and we can sort any problems.

When you travel around India the phrase you will often hear is “NO PROBLEM!”  with Escape to India we try to satisfy all your needs…no problem.

Cuisine in Kerala
Kerala is a small state, flanked on one side by the Western Ghats and on the other by the Arabian Sea.  It forms a long strip of fertile land where most people work in agriculture.  Coconuts dominate the landscape, the cuisine and provide the raw material for the coir industry.

The climate is also perfect for the cultivation of rice which provides the staple food at every  Keralan meal.  Popular breakfasts enjoyed throughout the south include dosas  which are  large thin  crepes  made of rice and lentil flour and idlis , small  rice flour pancakes,  both eaten with coconut chutney and sambar, a spicy sauce.

As you head for the hills the humid, lush conditions are perfect for growing coffee, tea and the spices for which Kerala is famous;  like cardamon, cinnamon and pepper which is indigenous to Kerala.  Pepper is  often referred to as the “King of spice” or “black gold” and its abundance was the main attraction for Europeans in the 15th century (Vasco  Da Gama  first landed in India in 1498) to colonise in an attempt to break the Arab monopoly of the spice trade. The availability of spice means that southern cuisine is generally simpler, lighter and more spicy than the food of its northern neighbours.

However as I toured Kerala in September it became apparent  that  Keralan  cooking  has distinct regional variations and is heavily influenced  by its numerous religious and caste communities with their own unique dishes, adapted to the local produce.

The Moppila cuisine of north Kerala reflects a strong Muslim community. There are a lot of non vegetarian dishes influenced by the traders who first landed here hundreds of years ago.  The Malabar biriyani is a speciality, rice baked in clay pots with saffron and turmeric, whole spices, meat and often a hard boiled egg , accompanied by date chutney and black tea or suleimani  reflecting  the  Arabic roots.
 

In Central Kerala, the colonial influence of the Portuguese (who introduced the chilli), Dutch and British and a large Christian population, has led to non vegetarian food with strong coconut flavours.  Dishes  like eshtew, a meat stew flavoured with coconut, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and chillis and kozhi curry, a chicken curry are favourites within the community.  Appams are steamed pancakes particularly loved by the Syrian – Christians which are served with the stews, notably with lamb for the traditional Easter meal.

The Hindu majority in the south means food is vegetarian.  Upper caste members, like the Namboodiris, and  people of a high social standing follow a strict vegetarian diet which is associated with purity.  There is also an underlying Ayurvedic  principle which provides a mix of sweet , sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent in just the right balance to bring the body and mind  into equilibrium and harmony (rasa.)

Throughout Kerala fishing has a long tradition and fish and seafood are still amongst Kerala’s main exports.  Karimeen is a river fish, eventually caught by Gordon Ramsay during his “Great Escape” to India last year !  Karimeen pollichathu  marinades the fish in spices and steam bakes it in a banana leaf.  Another traditional Malayali fish dish is moillee, a delicious curry in which slices of fish (Kingfish is ideal) are simmered in coconut juice, green chillis, ginger and curry leaves. Delicious!  

 See a recipe below from Tony, the fantastic chef at Neeleshwar Hermitage in North Kerala. Better still, spend a few days soaking up the glorious Keralan sunshine and let him show you how to cook exquisite dishes .

A fun way to enjoy a new culinary experience is to actually roll up your sleeves and learn from the experts. We can organise for you to stay in homestays and hotels and to actually get into the kitchen. Start the day with a visit to the fruit, vegetable or fish markets to source the freshest ingredients and sample some new things. Then bring them home and learn some new tricks in the kitchen to impress friends and family back home. It’s a wonderful way to have a holiday in beautiful, exotic locations and to learn something new about a different culture and cuisine.

Cooking classes can also be arranged in other regions within India.

We have two ladies, Palvi and Anjana, who will be giving a cooking demonstration at the London Destinations Travel Show on Sunday February 6th at 1.30pm. Please come to see them and if they have whetted your appetite visit our Stand AP27 to discuss cooking classes in Kerala and beyond…

TRAVANCORE FISH CURRY

Chef Tony at Neeleshwar Hermitage, Kerala

 White fish                500g
Coconut Oil               50g
Mustard Seed            15g
Fenugreek Seed          5g
Curry Leaves              5g
Garlic                         50g  Chopped
Green Chilli               25g  Chopped
Ginger                       25g
Tomato                    150g  Chopped
Onion                       150g
Chilli Powder               5 g
Tamarind                   15 g
Tumeric  Powder        10g
Salt                              5 g
Coconut Milk             200g

1. Cut fish into cubes.
2. Heat oil and crackle seeds and curry leaves.
3. Add chopped chillies, ginger and  garlic. Cook.
4. Add onions and sauté. Then add tomatoes.
5. Add chilli powder and turmeric and add a little water. Bring to the boil.
6. Add cubed fish and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Add tamarind pulp and coconut milk
8. Reduce until thick and serve hot with rice.

Golden Triangle Prizewinners from Destinations 2010

Carol from Peckham won the Golden Triangle prize and travelled with Andy to India in August.  They stayed in some 4 and 5 star hotels during their trip and had their own AC chauffeur driven car which was essential since it was monsoon season.  It was hot during the day and rained at night.  The advantage of travelling off season was there were fewer crowds,  so the Taj Mahal was uncluttered with camera wielding tourists and touts!
 Carol texted me to say the Taj was definitely a highlight of the trip. It rarely disappoints!  She was so impressed that she returned with Escape to India in November and teemed up with Elsie to tour the southern states of India . A blog will follow soon of their adventures!  Thelma and Louise head for India?

Land of Festivals…Kerala and Beyond

Indians love to party….weddings, birthdays, holy days, holidays, festivals, any excuse to dress up, slip on the gold bangles and kick off the shoes.
The three major ones celebrated throughout India are:

Holi   the Festival of Colours, usually held at the end of February or the beginning of March, depending on the full moon. It can get quite boisterous as everyone takes great delight in throwing coloured powder and water at each other. Old clothes strongly recommended!!

Diwali   the magical  Festival of Lights  is usually held in November. It lasts for 5 days and like Holi and Dussehra it symbolises the triumph of good over evil, light over dark and is marked by people lighting clay lamps and candles and placing them around their homes. Fireworks and firecrackers are always released, the louder the better!!

Dussehra is celebrated in style in Mysore in Karnataka. The beautiful City Palace is illuminated every night for a month during the festival, usually held in October. Caparisoned elephants lead a colourful procession through the gaily decorated streets of this usually quiet city. There is a torch lit parade too with music and dancing.

Some festivals are very specific to either a city or a region. Two states which celebrate in style are Kerala and Rajasthan.

KERALA

In Kerala the main festival is Onam which heralds the harvest season. It lasts for 10 days and occurs during August /September. It is a mixture of elephant processions, classical and folk dancing and music.

 Two interesting events during Onam are the Puli Kali,  a popular folk art, dance of the tigers. Performers paint their bodies like a tiger and prowl around to the loud beat of percussion instruments, accompanied by a hunter and a drummer. Thank you to Marc Sprengers for the photograph.

The other is the Aranmula Vallankali , a boat race held on the river Pamba, which has its religious roots associated with the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. In olden times vegetables, cereals and other food used in the Grand Onam Feast were transported by a long procession of  snake boats.  To commemorate this ritualistic journey to the Temple, the Aranmula Vallamkali race is conducted. It is more symbolic than competitive like some of the other races during the season. Traditionally dressed rowers, along with 25 singers, retrace the route. Sit near the Temple to get the best view.
Many snake boat races take place as the southwest monsoon starts to recede in July/ August. Each village has its own boat ( chundan vallam) which is raced with pride against other villages.  The boats are 100-120 feet long and narrow  ( like a snake) and they hold around 100 oarsmen who splash their oars together in time with the rhythmic chants and beats of the drummers and singers also aboard.  Before the race, the boats parade in front of the crowds with colourful beaded umbrellas held high, making a stunning contrast to the ebony black snake boats.  However the carnival atmosphere disappears as the starter’s flag goes up and the oarsmen are poised to go. Once the flag drops there is a frenzy of action and spray and the crowd erupts with roars of encouragement. You can almost feel the adrenaline surging through your own body!
Preparations start weeks in advance when the boat is smeared in sardine oil to help it slip through the water and the best oarsmen in the village are picked and begin strict training. On practice days local residents provide mass feasts for the participants and a refreshing feature is that Hindus, irrespective of caste, Christians and Muslims all eat together in harmony, totally focussed on a common cause,  the honour and pride of their village.
The main boat race of the season is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, traditionally held on the 2nd Saturday in August. It is a spectacular event held in Alleppey in memory of India’s late Prime Minister. It is a popular tourist event and best viewed from afloat…but bring a brolly, it’s still monsoon time!

RAJASTHAN

 
The Pushkar Fair is the largest cattle fair in the world. The small religious town of Pushkar is transformed during the 12 day cultural, trading and religious event held annually in October/ November. Thousands of devotees take a dip in the holy lake in the town which has 1 of only 2 temples devoted to Lord Brahma in India. The livestock fair coincides with these religious celebrations.
Goats and sheep, camels and cattle are bought and sold. Rajasthani men and women, dressed in their “Sunday best,” mix with saffron robed sadhus (wise men) smeared with ash. There are stalls selling bangles and necklaces of glass beads, brass pots and pottery, textiles from Jaipur. For entertainment there are camel races, puppet shows, snake charmers and palm readers, dancers , magicians and musicians. If you want to immerse yourself in the whole atmosphere you can stay in luxury tents and wake to the sights and sounds of the desert. In November 2011 we are organising a small, exclusive photographic trip to visit the Fair and and the Golden Triangle.

The 3 day Desert Festival takes place in Jaisalmer in February amid a riot of colour. There are fire dancers, a turban tying competition, camel racing and even a Mr Desert competition! A spectacular sound and light show features folk artists performing against the backdrop of the famous Sam sand dunes on the night of a full moon.

In Udaipur the Mewar Festival welcomes the advent of spring and coincides with the festival of Gangaur in March / April. This is a very significant festival for the ladies of Rajasthan where single girls seek the blessing of a good husband and married women pray for the health and welfare of their husband. In Udaipur a procession of colourfully attired women carry images of the Goddess Gauri to the Gangaur ghat on Lake Pichola. The images are then transferred to special boats on the lake and it all ends in an impressive firework display.

Other festivals around the country…..

Every January the Jaipur Literature Festival 21-25 Jan 2011 www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org  is held, featuring poetry, music and dance with workshops and exhibitions making it one of the leading literary events in Asia. In the past famous writers like Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie and Kiran Desai have attended. It can be incorporated in a Golden Triangle Tour.
Calcutta has its own Kolkata Book Fair held late January/early February and is the third largest in the world after Frankfurt and London. Each year there is a themed country and it was Scotland’s turn in 2009 where her literary and cultural heritage were highlighted. In 2011 the focus is USA.

India’s cultural heritage is celebrated around the country.

In Chennai (Madras), in Tamil Nadu, the Chennai Music and Dance Festival showcases the Carnatic dance traditions of the south.

Olivia

 In December, in the Eastern state of Orissa, the world heritage site of the 700 year old Sun Temple stages the Konark Dance Festival with classical music and Odissi, Bharathnatyam, Kathak and Manipuri dancing is performed in an open air auditorium.
In  Rishikesh the International Yoga Week is held in early February with lectures and demonstrations from many famous yoga teachers.

For nature lovers the International Flower Festival in Sikkim is unmissable. It is held in peak flowering season, March to May and features around 600 species of orchids, 150 varieties of gladioli and 46 types of rhododendrons. There are lectures and seminars from experts, a food festival, river rafting and a yak safari for the adventurous!

But in India, wherever you go, whenever you go, there is likely to be a festival going on….at a village near you!

Steve’s Incredible India Travel Adventures

We have a guest called Steve who Lynn met at the Destinations Show in 2010. Over a couple of soda waters and lime and a Big Mac ( we know how to entertain our guests!) we had an outline of his requirements for a 5 week trip to India over Christmas and New Year. After a bit of fine tuning and a few emails Steve arrived in Delhi in mid December for his first holiday in India.
We like to keep in contact with our guests to ensure everything is going well. So we have been chatting to Steve during his epic Indian adventure and decided to record some of Steve’s tales in a travel blog as he reports in. Steve has already taken hundreds of photographs so at the end of his trip we will post up some of the highlights. However we thought we would pass on some of his “on the hoof reports” as they unfold.

DELHI The joy of text

After flying into Delhi in the early hours of December 10th we greeted Steve at the airport and whisked him off by car to his home for the next 2 days. He was staying with our friend Meera and her family in her small guest house. After relaxing and some sightseeing Steve settled into the Indian way of life very quickly.  He discovered the joy of a cool refreshing beer at the end of a busy day at the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. Being of a certain middle age Steve hasn’t discovered the joy of text so I asked Meera’s son Raghuvir to teach him. However, as they say you can’t teach old engineers new tricks ….. so now we have to rely on his family email updates and phone calls to us.

AMRITSAR The only fish and chip shop in town

Steve was to catch an early morning flight, appropriately enough with Kingfisher, to Amritsar on Day 3. Unfortunately he had not heard any English announcements and had not realised the departure gate had been changed. So in a last minute flurry of excitement he had to be transported to the waiting plane by bus, as the last passenger, and like some celebrity VIP, he climbed aboard as the doors shut! Not the sort of excitement you need at 6.30am!
However, the sight of the Golden Temple was well worth the hassle. He described it as beautiful and after the formal sightseeing during the day, returned by auto rickshaw later that night to eat at the lagar. Like me, he had to concentrate hard on following Indian eating etiquette and ended up having a brilliant night.
The following day, whilst returning to his hotel he noticed a Punjabi fish and chip shop which served very spicy and very tasty food washed down by a couple of beers!  I laughed when I read the feedback. You can take the lad out of Burnley, but……you can’t stop him  seeking comfort food from home, albeit with a spicy twist. Wait till he gets to Neeleshwar and sees the size of Chef Tony’s Kingfish, extra chips please!

JODHPUR Where Steve goes, Brad and Angelina follow

On Christmas Eve Steve called, not once but twice to say he was in heaven at Reggie’s Camp in the Thar Desert. He’d watched the sun set behind the sand dunes, before trotting back home on the back of a camel.  ( Photo should be worth waiting for!)
 No internet, no pool but peace and quiet and an amazing tented room inside a thatched bungalow. It was 10pm and 16 C sitting in shirt sleeves and thinking of us in Blighty in -8C. NOT!
He had been looking through the guest book with photographs of various celebrities and even Prince Charles. I told Steve to make sure he had his visage recorded for posterity too.
He had one request. Could we change everything to allow him to stay a few extra nights, until December 28th.  Why?
Brad and Angelina will be checking in and he thought it would be impolite to leave before they are properly settled!  Is there no end to the efforts Escape to India goes to ensure their guests have the perfect dining companions…!

MADURAI, City of Temples
An international flight into Mumbai and onward flight to Madurai will take you into the heart of spiritual southern India. The “City of Temples” is home to one of the largest Hindu Temples in the country, the Meenakshi Temple.  Whilst it is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Sundareswar and his consort Parvati, in the form of Meenakshi the “fish eyed “ Goddess, unusually she is regarded as the main deity and devotees generally  worship at her sanctum first. Indeed at night it is the God who is brought by silver palanquin to his Goddess’ bed chamber and has to seek permission to enter!
 The Temple originated in the 7th century and was added to by successive dynasties. It now covers 17 acres, a fascinating maze of interconnected halls full of sculptures, carvings and paintings depicting the different forms of the God and Goddess. The complex is dominated by 4 Rajagopurams (majestic gateway towers) each over 150 feet high which mark the various entrances. They are decorated with hundreds of carvings of mythological creatures and deities painted in sugar pink, baby blue and pale lemon and green.
Meenakshi Temple is well worth visiting at different times of the day. The Temple is usually bustling with activity throughout the day. Pilgrims praying silently in front of their God, lighting candles or making offerings of coconuts, fruit or camphor. However early mornings are less crowded and at night you can enjoy the evening ceremony with all its pomp and music.
The smell of incense wafts in the air and the perfume from jasmine is everywhere. Garlands of the flower are offered to the Gods, children have them wrapped around their wrists and ladies have them interweaved in their hair.

Since a Goddess is the main deity within this temple, there is a strong link with fertility. Ladies, and sometimes fathers, pour ghee and milk over the deities and pray for healthy children. Young brides come in stunning red and gold saris bearing gifts of coconuts and bananas. When Lord Shiva is brought to his wife at night, he is accompanied by a priest with a fan to cool his ardour until he receives admission to her bedroom! It is even possible to buy little butter balls from temple vendors to throw at the God and Goddess to “cool them down.”
If guests want to share an authentic Indian experience this is the ideal city to visit. They will be immersed in all the colours of India and observe all the rituals of Hinduism. Combine a trip to Madurai with the lush green state of Kerala with its tea plantations, tranquil backwaters and golden beaches and guests have a wonderful introduction to the infinitely fascinating land called India

Madurai.     Sweet perfume of Jasmine
Never has the aroma of jasmine been more seductive than in the city of Madurai, the Temple City in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Ladies intersperse the blossom in their plaits and my guide told me that this is the Indian lady’s secret message to her husband to arouse his senses!  When you wander through the market, garlands of jasmine and marigolds fill the night air with a heady mix of their perfume.
The absolute “must see” in Madurai is the Meenakshi Temple where thousands of pilgrims gather each day, bearing gifts of coconuts and bananas and pour ghee over certain deities in the hope of bringing fertility and healthy children.
It was a privilege to stand in the background and watch all the pujas (prayers,) rituals and ceremonies being performed privately by the devotees. I watched in fascination as people came up to a statue of Ganesh (the favourite elephant headed God) crossed their arms across their chest, grabbed the opposite ears and bobbed up and down reciting a prayer. Candles are lit and gifts are offered to Meenakshi and Shiva in their inner sanctums ( off limits to non Hindus.)
 Then a young girl stood, oblivious to the buzz around her, and silently closed her eyes. I wondered what she was praying for, a fine husband, the knowledge to be a good wife, many sons, a happy life?
The day following my visit there was to be a big festival so there was a flag raising ceremony to alert pilgrims of the festival. There was an amazing cacophony of noise as the flag was unfurled by priests and hoisted up through the roof. A mahout, sitting astride his decorated Temple elephant, was clashing cymbals. A band was marching around blowing trumpets and banging drums. The April heat was intense so an old bespectacled man in a white lungi darted around wafting an enormous fan made of peacock feathers, nearly bigger than himself  and almost as heavy!  It offered occasional relief but was also likely to knock the camera from my hands!
The Meenakshi Temple, also known as the Great Temple, has two sanctuaries. One is devoted to Meenakshi,  the beautiful “fish eyed”Goddess, a form of Parvati. The other sanctuary is devoted to Shiva in the form of Sundareswar.  At night, around 9pm, Shiva is carried to his wife’s bedroom with much pomp and ceremony. He has to wait to be allowed access, a rare form of woman’s lib in India, or perhaps it’s just the intoxicating power of the sweet perfume of jasmine…

Snake People of Kerala

Snake people at toddy shop

This title may be a little misleading. If you think I am about to tell you about a new festival I encountered on my recent trip I am afraid you will be disappointed.
But don’t stop reading! This title was inspired by my fantastic driver, Soofi who drove me around central Kerala with great care and patience. When I got side tracked, talking or simply wishing to take ANOTHER photograph, he was always waiting with a big umbrella to protect me from the late monsoon rains and a flashing smile! He has an infectious laugh and is a mine of useful information. It was he who coined the phrase “snake people of Kerala.”
The people to whom he was referring were the men standing in line at the toddy (kally shaap) and liquor shops dotted frequently along the road. It became a game to spot the queues snaking from the counter and out along the pavement. Or equally, the customers who had already partaken and were snaking their way home after a long day queuing!

Toddy tapper at work

Toddy ( Kallu in Malayallam) is Kerala’s local brew, sometimes called “palm beer” or “palm wine” it is made by fermenting coconut sap. Sap is collected in earthenware pots attached to the tree by specialist toddy tappers who climb the trees, cut the stem of a frond and let the sap drain into the pot. The toddy can then be drunk straight from the pot or left to ferment.

When I stayed at the Emerald Isle, a lovely old bungalow situated on an island on the Pamba River in the backwaters, the owners organised for a few of his guests to see a toddy tapper at work.
The strength and taste of the toddy depends on the time of day it is tapped and if it is fresh. If it has been left 24 hours or more to ferment it has a greater alcoholic content and kick! This is muttankallu.
Some guests tried the early morning toddy which is called madhurakkallu or “sweet toddy” which was surprisingly delicious and didn’t make my head spin before breakfast! The early evening version is called andikkallu and packs a bit more of a punch.

Toddy tapper tapping the sap

When trying local drinks like this it is probably best to get your hotel , or homestay owner, to point you in the right direction for quality. Some toddy-wallahs have been known to spike their liquor to add that extra zing!! It could become a very long and winding road as you slither home!

cheers!