RoseEssence: Kerala: Third Quarter

I have a humongous description of the entire trip, so i thought it would be a good idea to break it into parts. We had four stops at Kerala, so I shall dedicate one post per place. In this post I cover up Kumarakom, known for its fauna and flora and brings us closer to mother nature.

December 28, 2012.

Green coconut trees everywhere! Kumarakom is beautiful in every sense. It is the picture perfect Kerala you see in Travel books and television. Lying on a small patch of land in the vast lake, it forms an habitat for various birds. House boats float on the lake, leisure for tourists here. The perfect escape from reality! It takes you to another world of its own.

We checked into Saro Lake County, a resort. It had four rooms, a carom board and a hammock. It felt more like a house of your own. As my mom and dad enjoyed playing some carrom, I laid on the hammock with an eBook in hand. Just besides the house was the still lake, vibrating an aura of peace. We saw some neernai* in the lake, a species unique to this place.

In the afternoon, we went to eat at Hotel Rivera Royal. A better place than Grand Hotel, the fish was cheaper and healthier at the same time. Karimeen** served here was full of white meat, soft and delicious. The gravy is an authentic Kerala one, with the perfect balance of spices and coconut milk. A gift you must give to your taste buds. For dinner, yet again another appetizing karimeen treat. If you eat non-veg, don’t miss karimeen in this part of Kerala. You don’t really travel to a place unless you try the cuisine there.

December 29, 2012.

A trip to Kumarakom is a dumb thing to do if you don’t take a house boat. We left to spend our blissful day in one of them. You would want to book one of them in advance or you are headed for a disappointment. It’s the best place to spend time with your family, friends or lover. For all you click-click types, this place provides you with picturistic view(I belong to this category too). You could read a book amidst the calm of the lake or even write a poem. Carry some Indian classical music(santoor or sitar instrumentals will serve the best) to make your day more beautiful.

We went through a canal to join the main lake. The banks are jeweled with coconut trees. Between these trees, you may find huge, spacious cement huts. Purple water lilies and sea weeds floated on the surface. We could hear chirps and quacks all around you.

We entered the enormous lake, ending nowhere. The water reflected whatever little of sunrays the clouds allowed. Egrets stood proud and tall on the weeds looking high(for all you corrupt minds, no one smoked any weed), displaying its pure shade of white, which shone brighter than the clothes in your tide ad. Cormorants peaked out of the water, looking cute and lost. Some geese spread their wings and stood magnificent, in a titanic pose. Kingfishers showed off their pretty shade of blue and yellow, occasionally diving into the water to catch a fish. Plants resembling sea urchins grew under water. Small school of fishes swam past the boat.

The boat stopped by a bank. We got down to purchase fish for lunch. A cook had accompanied us to make us some food. This is the first time I have gone to purchase any fish, the family selling it to us had big karimeen and lobsters. We bought three of each, for dad, the driver and me. Dad also got a Kingfisher beer for himself. Don’t get me started on all the kingfisher puns he spoke about.

As the cook worked on preparing us the meal of our lives, we tried a hand at fishing. The cook gave us some flour mould to use as a bait. The fishes were damn clever. They ate the food and ran away before anyone could lift the rod. You guessed it right, not a single fish was caught that day.

After a while, the sailor parked the boat near his house to get some banana leaves for us. We saw his cute little baby, looking at us with curiosity. Then he parked the boat at a quiet place which was shaded by huge coconut leaves so that we could eat in peace. Mom is a vegetarian so the cook made cabbage thoran, avail and beans for her. For us he prepared fish curry, marinated karimeen and lobster. I had to take out all the shell from the lobster, but it was soft and delicious. The karimeen was soft and succulent. It’s a feeling I cant explain, but every seafood lover will understand.

December 30, 2012.

Dense green forest all around! The gentle rays of morning sun touched the skin. Butterflies wandered around the place. Musical of different birds! The waves gently washed the banks. Cool breeze nullifying the warm rays. We were in Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.

I had to wake up early in the morning to visit the place. We walked for 2-3 hours, to and fro the pathway created for humankind. We could hear the airborne creatures continuously but not see them. We were lucky to spot a couple of koel, flying from branch to branch. You will find more birds on the lakeside but it’s worth going to this place for its greenery. It serves you a refreshing morning walk. If you have any luck, you may spot some birds as well. And do see the butterfly garden as well. And another tip, visit this place during sunrise for any luck, otherwise all birds fly away to hunt for their meals.