Hi All,

I recently had the most moving experience of my 50 year old existence on this wonderful planet when I met an incredible person by chance who taught me a thing or two about being a good world ctizen! Please forgive me if I do something silly here (I am only slowly getting used to zaadz and all the incredible possibilities it offers as a tool to communicate with the wider world)as I slowly go along. Coming back to what I had been writing - this person mind you, is the first truly selfless person I was meeting in real life and that meeting had a great impact on me. Here I am, at 50(feeling matured and worldly-wise), just back after 25 long and comfortable years in Europe, following a dream about India and full of interesting ideas(so I thought)getting a masterclass at how to be a decent earthling by a simple villager with basic education (may be just a few years schooling and an ability to read and write in malayalam, Kerala's language)and no money in his pocket! His philosophy is simple - help each other,love Mother Earth, practice a healthy lifestyle(choosing your food intelligently and spending right amount of time practicing yoga), and share the profit or proceeds you make equlally amoung yourselves. And more importantly he is practicing it with positive results to back up his theory. The people he introduced me to are the most loving and honest I've ever come accross. They may be poor but they all have that light in their eyes. I would love to share the details of his movement with you all if any of you are interested. Thank you for reading this. Take care and God Bless!

Kris Kandath

Introduction: Kochi, also known as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea" is a cluster of islands on the vast expanse of the ‘Vembanad Lake'. It includes picturesque islands like Bolgatti, Vypeen, Gundu and Vallarpadam and has one of the finest natural harbours in the world. General Description: The backwaters are a unique contribution of Kerala to the world and is found no where else. This is a network of lakes, canals, estuaries and delta's of 44 rivers that flows into the Arabian Sea from the Western Ghats. These backwaters are a self-supporting eco-system teeming with aquatic life. These canals connect villages together and are still used for the local transport. Over 900 kms of these intricate water world is navigable. The largest backwater stretch in Kerala is the ‘Vembanad Lake' which occupies 3 districts and opens out into the sea at the Kochi port. The Ashtamudi Lake, literally having 8 arms and covers a major area of kollam district in the south is the second largest and considered the gateway to the backwaters. For this report I am concentrating on the backwaters specifically around Kochi city. Kochi, having possessed a very good harbour from ancient times, natuarally attracted mariners from Arabia, China, Holland, Portugal and Britain over the years. They all have left their mark on this beautiful island city. Kochi derives its name from the Malayalam word ‘Kochazhi' meaning small lagoon. This was shortened to ‘Cochin' by the westerners for easy pronounciation. It reverted back to its original name ‘Kochi' in 1996. Half the fun of visiting Kochi is moving around on the local ferries. A conducted tour through the winding waterways will take the tourist to several quaint spots. The most exciting thing about the backwater tourism is undoubtedly the ‘Kettuvallam' (traditional houseboat) which has now become the hottest tourism product today in India. These are country crafts over 60 feet in length that have been converted into houseboats some even possessing up to 3 luxuary bedrooms with attached baths. With 30% of the land area covered by water, the visitors to Kerala backwaters will be able to have a close encounter with the village life of the local people while cruising along, visiting interesting places scattered around the waterways. Favourite Spots: As the backwaters are massive and beautiful, it is hard to choose a favourite spot. Yet for this report, I choose the present day Kochi City which includes Ernakulam Town, Wellington Island, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and outlaying islands such as Kumbalanghi etc. Catching local ferries and mixing it with buses can be very enjoyable. One example of this is traveling from the main boat jetty near general hospital in Ernakulam by boat to Vypeen Island. After an hour or so there (chinese fish nets, light house, old church etc) catch another ferry across to historical Fort Kochi. The ideal way to explore this area is by renting a bike. Cycle around leisurely and see the wonderful sites around. Mind you, this is an old obscure fishing village that became the first European Township in India which was shaped by the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British. After finishing the exploration around these areas one can catch a bus back to the base at Ernakulam easily. What's really great: The most wonderful aspect of the backwater tourism around Kochi city is the diversity available to explore while relaxing in a slow moving boat around Vembanad lake. As Ernakulam Town, Mattancherry, Wellington Island, Fort kochi, vypeen, vallarpadam, Gundu and Bolgatti Islands are all situated in and around the vembanad Lake within 10 kms radius, it is pretty straight forward to hop across from one place to another. One can use ferry boats (which are cheap in western standards) or go for a boat cruise by the Kerala Tourism Development corporation. More details can be found at http://www.ktdc.com. The most popular cruise lasts for nearly three and a half hours and covers kochi harbour, Wellington Island, mattancherry palace, Jewish synagogue, Fort Kochi and Bolgatti island. Sights: Almost all the important sights around Kochi City is already mentioned elsewhere in this report. There are interesting places close to Kochi. One of the most important of these places is "Kaladi", on the banks of Periyar River in the north of Kochi. It is known as the Spiritual Sanctuary of India and perhapes even the World as it is here "Adi Sankaracharya", the founder of the Advaitha School of Philosophy grew up in the 8th centuary. There is a seven storey Keerthimandapam, the Sringeri Mutt various schools and colleges here. There is a hill in Kaladi where St Thomas the Apostle paused to pray en route to Mylapore in Chennai (formerly Madras). There is an old church in Malayatoor near Kalady from 52 AD which was visited by Apostle St Thomas on his missionary journey through Kerala. There is a famous Ayurvedic Centre called Nagarjuna ayurvedic centre in Kaladi named after the Buddhist Scholor (78-120AD) from Gaya, who is said to have introduced metallurgy to ayurveda. Accomodation: There is varied accomodation for a visitor to Kochi, spread around Ernakulan Town in the mainland, Fort Kochi, Mattanncherry and Wellington Island. At the expensive end there are a) Brunton Boatyard in Fort Kochi, b) Taj Malabar in Wellington Island, c) Le Meridian Resort in Kochi, d) Bolgatti Palace Hotel in Bolgatti Island followed by a wide range of four and three star hotels. In the middle rang there is The Avenue Regent, Ernakulam followed by Hotel Whyte Forte and several others. Decent hotels at the lower end includes BTH Sarovaram, Hotel Abad Plazza and Hotel Abad Restaurants: There are a wide range of restaurants serving north indian, south indian and continental cuisine spread around Ernakulam, Wellington Island, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi. Details about those and in general about Kochi are available from the following telephone numbers: a) District tourism promotion council - 0484 2367334, b) Department of tourism information counters - 0484 2360502, c) Kerala tourisn development corporation reception centre - 0484 2353234 (web site - ktdc.com) and d) India Tourism office - 0484 2669125 Pubs and clubs: There are no clubs available here in the western meaning of the word where tourists can visit to have a merry time. The only clubs there are the exclusive memder only clubs like The Lotus Club and The Ramavarma Club which can only be visted as a guest of an exsisting member Similarly There are no pubs available anywhere in Kerala including Kochi. All the major hotels do have their own bars for the convenience of their customers. There are little shops where one can taste "toddy´, the locally brewed alchohol from coconut tree. Its a delicious drink but is better to enlist local help from trusted friends before venturing into it. Other recommendations: If you are willing to extend your trip a bit further there are other interesting places reasonably close to Kochi. These include a) St George´s Forane Church, built in 595 AD and the Museum of Kerala History both in Edappally, b) The Hill Palace, once the summer retreat of Maharaja´s of Kochi, now a museum in Tripunithura, c) Kanjiramattom Mosque, famous for its ´Chandanakudam Festival´, held in January where pilgrims carry pots covered with sandalwood paste in a procession. caparisoned elephants and musical accompaniments in Hindu Style are unique here On the whole this is one of the hottest holidays avaiable for the international tourist who is visiting Kerala and without a semblance of doubt very very enjoyable as well. Hope my humble attempt of putting together a report on Kerala Backwaters around popular Kochi proves helpful and interesting to you all. Thanks for reading it. Happy holidays! Kris Kandath

Introduction :-
The cleanest of all Kerala cities, with one foot in a different era, still shy to embrace the western way of life, but eager and happy to welcome visitors from everywhere, Thiruananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala is a joy to explore !!.

General description:-
When one enquires about this city, inevitably one will hear about Sree Padmanabha Swamy first. The city and Lord Padmanabha, the patron deity are inseparable. The Legend's tell us the story of Sage Vilvamangalam's first darshan of Lord Vishnu as Padmanabha who crashed upon his path as a tree before revealing himself as the infinite power! Praised by Anantha, the five headed serpent, the Lord was persuaded by the sage to stay in the city. According to Legends,his massive form reclining on the heads of Anantha, is believed to have extended and exactly covered the area that was to be Thiruvananthapuram. Marthandavarma, the well known Maharaja of Travancore (note that the state of Kerala was formed by the integration of 3 princely states - Travancore, Kochi and Malabar) dedicated his Kingdom to Sree Padmanabhaswami with the capital at Padmanabhapuram in the south. His successor Maharaja Ramavarma in 1795 shifted the capital to the present city of Thiruvanathapuram. In spite of its political importance it is really heartening to see this wonderful city retaining its original charm and continues to hold all it's rich heritage in tact. The roads and buildings here are grander than the other Kerala Cities This city boasts even of connections with King Soloman, whose ships said to have landed in a port called Ophir. Traders were said to have been coming here as far back as 190 AD for spices, ivory etc. This city has a history of supporting fine art & culture. Some of the rulers here have been accomplished artists themselves including Swathi Thirunal, well known composer and Raja Ravi Varma, the internationally acclaimed painter. The town bustles with activity during Navaratri, when music festivals are held in most temples. It's still a grand spectacle to watch the present-day Maharaja paying homage to Padmanabha Swami, evoking nostalgia. That is also the beauty and charm of this remarkable city and without doubt, a must see place for anyone visiting God's Own Country.

Favourite Spots
This city has won the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award for its Heritage Conservation.The ideal place to start is at the Padmanabha Temple itself. It is located right at the city centre.The 30m ‘Gopuram'above the entrance,is in Dravidian style and the 365 carved granite pillars in its inner corridor are stunning.The earliest structures dates from the 11th century. Sadly,non-hindu's are not allowed into the inner sanctum but the temple from outside still offers a lot.There are several royal palaces spread around the city offering an insight to the by-gone glory days of this city & includes Kanakakkunnu Palace,Kowdiar Palace,Pattom Palace and BelleHaven,a diminutive,8 sided Mansion opposite Raj Bhavan (official residence of the State Governer).Napier museum,located in the north of the city and named after Lord Charles Napier, the governer of Madras (1866-1872),who famously said about sati,"when men burn women alive,we hang them" offers a lot inside and outside.

What's really great?
Continuing about the Napier museum, it was started in the 19th century and houses a good collection of 11th-18th century bronze and stone sculptures. With its multi coloured bricks, the outside of it looks equally interesting. The zoological garden represents the diverse floral wealth of South India. The complex also houses the Sree Chitra Art Gallery, containing a fine collection of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma,his sister Mangalabai Thampuratti (princess), and Svyatoslav Roerich to mention some. Ravi Varma's painting of Ravana abducting Sita (from the epic Ramayana) is a daring and beautiful masterpiece. Nearby Natural History Museum is also an interesting place.The famed Methan Mani (the clock atop the Old Fort Palace, operated by a complex system of pulleys) near Padmanabha Temple is an amazing sight. This city of Padmanabha Perumal still is a divine paradise which continues to awe and attract mere mortals like flies to a burning fire on a clear night.

Sights:-
For a visitor aiming to explore a lot in a few days in this city, there are a number of interesting places to vist : a) The Statue Junction and the Secretariat is definitely worth a visit.The Secretariat was the seat of the Government until recently. It is a great white building in Roman Architecture, made by the British in the mid-19th century. Opposite to the Secretariat a huge man in a turban sits on a pedestal. This is the famous statue of Divan Madhav Rao and is the famous statue of the junction. He was an exceptionally talented administrator in the mid 1800's. b)Take a stroll around Palayam area and enjoy St Joseph's Cathedral, Charachira Jama Masjid, and the Central Stadium. Palayam market is also worth a visit. C)Shanghumugham Beach: This is an excellent long stretch of beach very close to the city centre. In spite of ever increasing tourism this stretch of sea still retains a virgin appeal and is an ideal spot to watch the sun colorfully disappear into the sea in the evenings.

Accommodation:-
This city has many options to suit all budgets. The following stands out:- a)Mascot Hotel- (Tel 0471 2318990 and tariff -Rs 2400 to 5000) is housed in a colonial building at the PMG Junction with 60 rooms, ayurvedic centre, swimming pool is run by the KTDC. B)The South Park-(tel 04712333333, tariff-Rs2300 to 4500)located conveniently at the MG road, has a pub,bookshop etc c)The Muthoot Plazza-(tel 0471233733 and tariff-Rs 2400 to 9000)is one of the best with a restaurant and travel desk d) Residency Tower- (tel 04712331661 and tariff-Rs 2100 to 4300) has a Punjabi restaurant, café and a rooftop swimming pool. e) The YWCA International Guesthouse (tel 04712477308 and tariff-Rs250 to 600)near the town hall, MG road is a safe option for women traveling alone.& f) Arya Nivas (tel 04712330789 and tariff Rs 500 to 1000) in Thampanoor is excellent value for money with a super veg restaurant and 32 rooms to choose from. There are a number of other similar hotels around as well

Pubs:-
Like most other Kerala Cities, there are no pubs available in Thiruvanathapuram in the western meaning of the word. There are a few Hotels with attached bars (they tend to call it a pubs) where alchohol is served. There are several Toddy shops where one can buy and drink the indigenously brewed local drink tapped from the coconut palms. It is always better to have locals (known to you) accompanying you if you are visiting these places. These toddy shops serve deliciously cooked tapioca and serve them with chillie curries which has a wonderful taste. In addition to these toddy shops,every curve of this citiy's major roads houses chayakada's (tea stalls) where local people meet for a glass of tea, something to munch, and indulge in in-depth discussions on a wide range of subjects including current affairs, sport and politics. You can also grab your banana chips straight from the frying pan to the packet from the shops at Kaithamukku or the YWCA road, near the British Library.

Clubs:-
There are no clubs here for the visitor's entertainment like in the west. I intend to use this space to describe the interesting places where possibly the visitors can do their shopping. The shops inside the east fort compound offers varieties of mundus, gold jewellery and brass lamps. Karalkada in Kaithamukku Junction is a great place to buy traditional Travancore Saris and Mundus. Kairali handicrafts, near statue Junction, and Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, close to Ayurveda college Junction, sell straw bags and mats. Try and visit Natesan's Antique Arts on MG Road where one can purchase bronze items or unusual souvenirs such as the traditional old locks. SMSM Handicraft Emporium behind the secretariat on the YMCA road too is an ideal place to pick up attractive handicraft items. If you have time left, it would be worth the while to check out Connemara Market (or Palayam Market) or Chalai Market where you are likely to get goods covering a wide range of interesting items.

Restaurants:-
Regency in South Park serves an array of Keralite specialties, including meen pollichathu and kappa and meen curry. Arya Nivas is famed for its dosa's, idlis and idiappams. They also serve a tasty Keralite thali. Saj Luciya has a restaurant called Zodiac which specializes in great kerala breakfast including appam and stew, my all time favorite. Their karimeen varathathu (pearlspot fish fry) and karimeen curry (which is red and cooked in an earthen pot) served with rice are very popular. Amritha hotel has a multi-cuisine restaurant where you can have your share of typical Kerala food. Their naimeen (sear fish) fry is also very popular. Sindhoor in Vazhuthacaud too is a very popular eating place. For Chinese, go to the hotel Oasis roof garden restaurant. There are many other eating places around Thiruvananthapuram including Kalavara on Press Road, Azad Restaurant in Chalai Bazaar (famous for their Malabar Biryani) and a number of India coffee House's (excellent value for money).

Other recommendations:-
Before I conclude this report, I must tell you more about the interesting area's around this wonderful city. The world famous beach at Kovalam is only 13kms away from here. The one place no one can afford to miss is the old capital of Travancore called Padmanabhapuram. It is situated 55 kms south-east of Thiruvananthapuram and is a unique marvel in wood that is, witout doubt, the last word in grace, simplicity and tasteful elegance. This was the capital city from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Further south there is Kanyakumari where three sea's meet - Arabian sea, India Ocean and Bay of Bengal and is an lovely point to watch both the sun set and the sun rise one after the other. As I am rapidly running out of space, I am forced to conclude this report on Kerala's capital city by providing you with the following useful links on Thiruvananthapuram: From ktdc.com and tel no 04712321132 you can get more info on this city. Hope this report proves to be useful to u all. Take care&God Bless.

I recently made a visit to an elephant sanctuary, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world, here in Kerala. It is located in Trissur district near the famous Vishnu temple in ´Guruvayur´ and it houses nearly 63 elephants. The elephants of Kerala are an integral part of the daily life here. They are loved, revered, groomed and given a prestigious place in the state´s colorful culturespace. Unlike the elephants in the other parts of India and the rest of the world, here they are considered very beautiful and normally people buy these elephants looking at their ´lakshanam´ (qualities to be considered as good elephant), for example a good elephant should have a long trunk which almost touches the ground, the ideal elephant should be very tall etc. The elephants are also referred to as the ´Sons of Sahya (western ghats). Some of them are brought up as working elephants to lift or move big loads and also bring trees which are cut down in the forests. It's reported that Kerala alone has a population numbering nearly 700. Just to underline the importance given to these noble and intelligent animals here in Kerala, one only has to look at the various festivals of the state. Practically all of them will have at least one richly caparisoned elephant for the function. They are normally decorated with gold plated caparisons, colourful umbrellas, alavattom, venchamaram, necklaces etc during these festivals. Many Hindu temples here in Kerala have their own elephants. Most of them are donated by devotees. The famous temple in Guruvayur has more than 40 domesticated elephants and in order to look after them the governing body of the temple have constructed this elephant sanctuary in ´Punnthur Kotta´, 3 kms away from the temple itself. Here altogether nearly 63 elephants are housed. Most of them belong to the temple, and some to wealthy individuals including film stars, sportsmen and politicians. Some elephants are lethargic, some seem to be dancing to an inner tune and some others just relaxing in the safe haven of the sanctuary.


Without doubt it is a remarkable sight to see all these elephants together being looked after very well. People are coming in great numbers to the sanctuary from various parts of India and countries abroad to spend a few days' elephant watching. There are artists who are here to draw portraits of these magnificent animals, photographers to capture every movements of them. Each elephants have 3 mahouts called´ pappan´ in malayalam (Kerala´s language) to look after them. These animals are being looked after methodically in the sanctuary by these keepers - by bathing them, massaging them with small rocks or husk of coconuts and trimming their nails and polishing their tusks. These elephants at the sanctuary also systematically undergoes ayurvedic rejuvenation treatment by expert mahouts once every year and I was told that they (elephants) enjoy every second of it enormously. Without doubt any visitor to Kerala cannot afford to miss an opportunity like this to be in close proximity with one of the most intelligent and biggest mammals on land. The visiting time at the sanctuary is 8am - 5pm and the charge for visiting is just Rs 5 per adult.



I would like to conclude this report by saying something about the temple town of Guruvayur and paying tribute to the legendary "Guruvayur Kesavan", the most famous and majestic elephant of Guruvayur temple who sadly passed away in the 1980´s.Guruvayur is around 3 kms from the Arabian Sea Coast, 32 kms west of Trissur City and is approximately 95 kms away, north of Kochi. For Hindu´s from all over the World this is one of the most important temples of Kerala along with Shabarimala. Undoubtedly this is a place which smells ´ faith ´ in every nook and corner. Its the same faith of the thousands of devotees that transforms this incredible place into something far more powerful than just a temple town. When you reach the gates of the temple what welcomes you most of the time is a queue of people that has no apparent begining or end at all. It just stretches to eternity and inches forward at a mind-boggling pace of say six steps an hour or 8 if you are really lucky! Devotees are fully aware of the fact that this hours of waiting is only for a fleeting glimpse of their beloved Lord to be had but there is no hesitation for them to wait for that moment, however difficult it may be knowing fully well that how blissful it is going to be. Historical references dates the temple to 14th centuary. Legend says that its origin is timeless. It´s said that Guru (Teacher of the Gods) and Vayu (Lord of the Winds) rescued the child-size idol in the temple from a flood that submerged the legendary kingdom of Dwaraka. While looking for a holy spot to consecrate the idol, they came upon a place sanctified by Lord Shiva, who benevolently moved to a place called Mammiyur, vacating the place for Lord Krishna. At night with a thousand oil lamps lighting the temple there are performences of Krisnanattam a dance drama which narrates the story of Krishna. On the whole this is a memorable place indeed and no wonder devotees from all walks of life are queuing up together for divine blessing every day. Guruvayur Kesavan´s story is on the lips of every Keralite and has attained folklore status. He was gifted by the King of Nilambur to Lord Krishna, the deity at Guruvayur temple and was well known for his devotion to the Lord and was considered the ´King of Elephants´. If any of you reading this report is interested to know more about these wonderful elephants and the sanctuary feel free to contact me. I look forward to seeing you one day here at God´s Own Country.
Cheers,

Kris Kandath

Classic Kozhikode in north Kerala is the area which the legendary traveller Marco Polo described in 1320AD as the Great Province of Malabar. In fact Chinese were the first to establish commercial contact with these shores and many eminent travellers followed their footsteps. Ibn Batuta(1342),Abdur Razzak(1443), and Anthanaseus Nikiten(1468) were few of them. The remarks made by these travellers confirms the by gone glory of Kozhikode. After the 13th C Kozhikode grew in importance as a port and capital of the powerful kingdom of Samoothiri's or Zamorin's as Portuguese called them. Interestingly Kozhikode has lent its English name 'Calicut' to Calico, the fine variety of hand woven cotton cloth said to have originated from here. It was also Vaso da Gama's (the discoverer of sea route to India) first halt in India. He set foot on the sands of Kappad beach north of today's city on 27 May 1498AD, a landing commemorated by a small stone monument at the beach. This event marked a new epoch in world, Indian and Kerala history and marked the advent of European powers on the Indian sub-continent. Today Kozhikode is an important centre for timber and tiles and hunting ground for that famous delicacy, 'Calicut Halva'. Now it is also slowly gaining reputation as a holiday centre teeming with natural beauty. The lush landscape dotted with beaches, backwaters, rivers, hills, ancient monuments, historic sights and wildlife sanctuaries and of course a unique culture that offers warmth, friendliness and hospitality for the visitor as it has been doing since time immemorial. Kozhikode is well connected by road, rail and air. While in Kozhikode a must for every tourist is a trip in the local 'autorikshaw' who are rated the best in Kerala, if not in whole of India. It is a hair raising experience for anyone taking a ride through the busy city roads during peak hours.

Favourite spots: For the tourist who is inclined to learn about the way of life and culture of Kozhikode, the following offer the maximum reward: 1)Mananchira Square-This serene square in the heart of the city, originally the palace tank of King Mana Vikrama, is an architectural marvel. The square is surrounded by kerala style buildings incl. the commonwealth trust office.2)Sweet Meat(SM)Street- is the busiest shopping street with history behind and is named after the numerous sweetmeat stalls located here.3)Pazhassiraja Museum-5km away from the cityin east hill and named after'Pazhassiraja Kerala Varma', who led the historical Pazhassi revolt against the british in the 18th C. Maintained by the state archeological department, this is a veritable treasure trove for historians and connoisseurs of art.4)Others include tali temple(14C),Jain temple, Muchunthi Palli(13C Muslim Mosque), St Mary's Church(built in 1860) and Kozhikode beach which is a popular sunset point.

What's really great: The most wonderful aspect of Kozhikode tourism is the diversity on offer for the visitor. All the places mentioned above are within easy reach of the city, say within 6 kms. if you travel 10 kms you can get to the old port town of Beypore where traditional mammoth shipping vessels called 'Urus' were built going back a few hundred years. By travelling 16 kms one can reach 'Kappad Beach' where Vasco da Gama landed in 1498. Travel further by say 50kms and u can get to the stunning Western Ghats which is part of the rainforest region with breathtaking hills and lush forests.

Sights: The extraordinary places one must not miss while in Kozhikode are 1) The ancient mosque-'Mishkal Masjid' in Kuttichira which was built a long time ago and is one of the oldest mosques in town. It was burnt down by the Portuguese in 1510 and burnt portions can still be seen.2)- 'Lokanarkavu Bhagavati Temple' near vadakara. It is a 1500 year old shrine dedicated to goddess Durga and associated with the heros and heroines of 'Vadakkanpattu' or northern ballads of kerala and 3)' Peruvannamuzhi Dam', 60kms from Kozhikode is a really outstandingly beautiful place. Speed and row boat cruises can be enjoyed on the waters of the reservoir. There are a number of un-inhabited islands in the reservoir, a bird sanctuary and a crocodile farm to explore.

Accommodation: In Kozhikode they have a wide range of hotels with Taj Residency on the P.T.Usha road (*****star) at the top end. The places ideal for middle budget westrn tourists are 1)Hyson Heritage, Bank road,20 Asma Tower, Mavoor Road and 3) calicut Towers, Mavoor Road etc. There are awide range of 2* hotels to choose as well. Hotel Malabar Palace is of good standards.

Nightlife: There are no clubs here in the Western meaning of the word. Again if you are looking for Club activities and night life like in a western resort you have come to the wrong place. There are a wide range of local activities which one can explore with some help from english speaking guides which can easily be arranged

Pubs and clubs: No pubs available at all. Some of the 2 and 3 * hotels have their own bars which is the closest one can get if you are looking for pubs. If you go to kozhikode beach, there are a few good sea-facing hotels like the Beach Hotel, Sea Queen etc which offers a certain amount of night life and have modern bars attached to them. These are comfortable places for saty and also offers good sea food. For the more adventureous there are tody shops (where a strong liquor made from coconuts are served). My advice is to avoid such places if you are not accompanied by locals who you can trust.

Restaurants: There are some excellent vegetarian and non vegetarian restaurants in Kozhikode. I found the food at Asma Towers, Dakshin the Veg, Hyson, Calicut Towers, Woodlands and hotel Vigneswara very good. While in Kozhikode one must'nt miss local delicacies such as ' Pathiri and Erachi Curry (pathiri is a type of very soft bread made from rice dough flattened on a banana leaf and cooked; erachi curry is of course mutton or beef curry cooked with coconut etc in the traditional malabar way). Another delicacy is the 'wafer thin' banana chips to munch away while sight seeing. Local 'Appam and Stew', 'Puttu and Kadala' (all made from powdered rice and coconut milk) are other treats awaiting ones taste buds.

Other recommendations: 'Kallai' was once the second largest timber trading centre in asia. A steel bridge built here by the British is still in good condition. Kottakkal is a small town 48 kms away from Kozhikode. Here is the head quarters of the renowned private ayurvedic institution which was established in 1900. People from all parts of the world are coming here for treatment. About 100 kms away is 'Thusharagiri' a popular haunt for enthusiastic trekkers. The famous trekking route starting from the second waterfall to Vythiri in Wayanad is worth exploring.

The people of Malabar are renowned for their hospitality and the ideal way for a Westerner to thoroughly enjoy the 'Mystique of Malabar' is by becoming one among the locals, which can also be arranged. In a nut shell north Kerala and Malabar are a big de-tour for the tourists from the usual beaten tracks of south and central Kerala.

I recently did a whirlwind trip to the beautiful and magical Mahe, which is a tiny enclave of Ponicherry (on the east cost of India and 630 kms away) with a heavy French influence. In fact this former French town covering approximately 9 kms and have a population of around 36,000 people is an incredibly peaceful place. This petit town is situated on the west coast of Indian peninsula between 11 degrees 42´ and 11 degrees and 43´ Northern Latitude and between 75 degrees 31´ and 75 degrees and 33´ Eastern Longitude, just between Badagara and Thalassery. It is 58 kms away from Kozhikode, 24 kms from Kannur and 8 kms from Thalassery and is a busy trade centre.

Historical facts points out to Mahe´s interesting past. Originally the name of the region was ´Mayyazhi´ which means black river mouth. The French Commodore de pardallion, who re-captured Mahe from the local rulers changed the name to Mahe in respect of the French Naval captain, Mahe De Labourdonnais whose skill and enterprise was mainly the cause of the victory then. This interesting place has a history of two and a half centuries of French rule. The first representative of the French East India Company, Mr Mollandin landed here in 1721 and immediately entered into an agreement with the local ruler (known from the French records as Bayanor of Bargaret, or the ruler of Badagara) to establish a trading centre on the estuary of river Mahe. In 1724 the French built a fort here. Afterwards the region changed hands between them and their rivals the British (who came to the picture in 1725) a few times. By the second decade of the 18th century the French re-established their authority here. When India became independent in 1947, there were repercussions here also. On the 20th October 1948 the union flag was hoisted over the administrative office in the presence of thousands of people. Messengers were sent to the Government of India to say that the French admimistration has collapsed and requesting Government of India to take over the administration. However on 26th October 1948 a cruiser of the French Navy arrived at Mahe. They insisted on lowering the Indian Flag and re-hoisting the French Flag. This was done and the Cruisers which arrived for the purpose left suddenly on 31.10.1948. All were silent till 1954. The movement for freedom intensified in 1954 and on the 1st of November 1954 Mahe was handed over to the Government of India by the French.

Coming back to the present one can say that everything here at Mahe is either on the waterfront or near the beach. A statue of ´Marienne, symbolic of the ideals of the French Revolution - liberte´, equalite´ et fraternite´ can be seen at the beautiful Tagore Park right next to the Government Buildings (1855). The architectural style of the French is much in evidence here including the magnificent Government Buildings. This style blends with the local styles give the streets a special look. Another attractive building is Mahe´s St Theresa´s Church which is famed all over Malabar for the efficacy of prayers said here. People of all religions decend on the Church for the fete (October 5-22) considered especially auspicious. There is a French built St George´s Fort at Cherukallu which provides spectacular views of Mahe and its envi´rons.

Above all what attracted me most was the warmth of Maheans whom I met during my brief visit. They were welcoming, helpful and wonderfully nice. I was able to meet a wide group of people including politicians, businessmen, fishermen, hotel owners and the local policemen who were vastly different from their counterparts in rest of India with their strong French connection. This place is only starting to cater for the incoming tourists now and the infra structure is only slowly being organised. Even with the limited resources Mahe still paints a wonderful and colourful picture for the visitors. At the current pace I have no doubt that Mahe will rapidly become a sought after tourist destination on the Malabar coast. It defnitely offers a French flavour to the God´s Own Country.

Ever since my early childhood days in Kerala (where I grew up in a rural village) I had been fascinated by the monsoon rains. My long 25 years stint away in Europe added a mysterious touch to it. After re-locating to India almost 3 years ago I now have made it a point to observe this amazing phenomenon when ever and where ever possible. The monsoon rain is something Westerner´s need to experience in order to understand it fully. In the last few years it has become a big attraction for the foreign tourist´s who is visiting Kerala and India. This is what Vickipedia, the famous free encyclopedia on the internet has to say about monsoon:
"A monsoon is a wind pattern that reverses direction on a seasonal basis. The term was originally applied to monsoonal winds in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The word is also used to label the season in which this wind blows from the southwest in India and adjacent areas that is characterized by very heavy rainfall, and specifically the rainfall that is associated with this wind.

The southwest monsoon is generally expected to begin around the middle of June and dies down by September. It is said that it begins first in the coastal state of Kerala and moves upwards at a rate of roughly 1-2 weeks per state. The monsoon accounts for 80 percent of the rainfall in the country. Indian agriculture (which accounts for 25 percent of the GDP and employs 70 percent of the population) is heavily dependent on the rains, especially crops like cotton, rice, oilseeds and coarse grains. A delay of a few days in the arrival of the monsoon can, and does, badly affect the economy, as evidenced in the numerous droughts in India in the 90s"
Hope this proves to be useful to you all. Attached are a few fotos demonstrating the ferocity of monsoon rain here in Kozhikode.All of them are taken after heay rain with flooded countryside and town areas alike. I look forward to your feedbacks in due course. Take care and God Bless!

I went for a wild trekk in Nelliyampathy rainforests about 54 kms south of Palakkad City in the south western state of Kerala, India. It took me almost one hour and a half to get there from Hotel Indraprasta (an excellent hotel) in Palakkad, where I stayed overnight. After 23 hair-pin bends and really exciting uphill climb I reached my base at Nelliampathy where I had lunch and a change of vehicles as the terrain was really rough for the next phase of my journey to the top of Maampara peak at 5.249 feet above sea level. A mountain jeep with an experienced driver of the name ´Ravi´ was my companions for the final leg of this extraordinary trip to the top.´Raja´s Cliff at Maampara is absolutely breathtaking, both figuratively and literaaly.This amazing place is accessed by a jungle path, bone-jarringly rocky and steep! At times the jeep ride almost felt vertical !! The view from the top was mind boggling, literally redefining the word "panoramic", with the reservoir, rivers and mountain ranges all spread in front of you almost giving it a divine touch. The jeep ride for around 10 kms to the peak from the base at Nelliampathy will cost around Rs 500/- which can accomodate upto 4 people. If you are heading Kerala way there are a number of spots like this to explore with a little insider help which can also be arranged.
This is what the famous internet encyclopedia Wickiepedia had to say about this marvellous place -"Nelliampathi is a popular hill station 60 km away from Palakkad district in Kerala a small state in south India. It is famous for its tea and coffee plantations and the excellent weather condition. It is called as the 'Poor man's Ooty'. The journey to Nelliampathi itself is an experience. The only route is from Nemmara, from where the first town of Nelliampathi, namely Kaikatty junction, is at a distance of 26 km. At the 9th kilometer is the Pothundi Dam, a small irrigation dam which provides water for the rice fields in the surrounding area. The dam is at the foot of the Nelliampathi hills. From here, the road winds up for the next 17 km, with many hairpin turns on the way. Immediately after Pothundy dam, comes the government forest, where one can see massive teak trees. The road is very narrow and requires a skilled driver behind the wheels. On the way, one can see wild animals like monkey, deer and porcupine. The view of the Pothundy dam from the height is a breathtaking sight. There will be many waterfalls by the roadside during the rainy season".
I sincerely hope these few lines are good enough to wet your appetite ! I hope to see you some of you here in Kerala for a wonderful holiday in the not too distant future. Take care
Cheers,
Kris Kandath

This is one place on the Arabian coast of India where history has stood still. Approximately 3 kms west of Kannur city is Fort St.Angelo,dramatically silhouetted against the sea, its massive laterite blocks give this fort, built by the Portuguese in 1505, a faintly menacing air. At one time nearly thousand people lived within Fort St. Angelo´s walls, from where one can enjoy commanding views of the sea and of the legendary ´Moplah Bay´. Here the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, the French and finally the English have fought amoung themselves and against local rulers. We can still see the influence of the British in Thalassery and that of the French in Mahe. They established their supremacy in the region by exploiting the discord amoung local rulers. Portugeuse ruled supreme till 1663 when the Dutch captured the fort. Years later the British led by General Abercrombie, besieged the fort on December 14, 1790. They later rebuilt it and made it their most important station in the region.
The most interesting thing currently in the Fort is the 450 year old stone inscription which puzzled everyone for a long time. A skull symbol, which was part of it gave rise to strange rumours. But recently Constable Satyan of the Tourism Police Department with the help of some visiting Dutch scholors deciphered the inscription which turned out to be written in an old Dutch dialect. Please see the fotographs for more details. Constable Satyan is an authority on the history of the Fort and has just won this years state government award for the best tourism police officer and is stationed at the Fort itself.
Without doubt, visiting this wonderful place was a moving experience for me. There is a lot more to see for a prospective visitor to Kannur and there are good hotels to stay in the city. This is what Wickiepedia, the well known web encyclopedia had about this fort - 'St. Angelo Fort (Kannur Fort) is also known as Kannur Kotta is a fort facing Arabian Sea is situated 3 km from Kannur town of Kerala state, south India.

Don Francisco De Almeida of Portuguese constructed this fort in 1505 AD. The Dutch captured the fort from Portuguese in 1663 they sold the fort to the king Ali Raja of Arakkal kingdom.

In 1790 the British seized the control over this fort and became one of the important military centres of the British in Malabar.

 

Many people believe that there is a secret tunnel in this fort. This tunnel was built underneath the sea to the Thalassery Fort which is 21 km from Kannur fort. This under passage is said to be used by soldiers to escape.

The Moppila Bay Harbor and Arakkal Mosque are near the fort.

The fort, is now under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India.

On the whole it was a very interesting outing indeed. This place was indeed like a door to the past, a bygone era which always had an air of mystery indeed! I hope my amatuerish way of explaining really proves to be helpful to you all. Take care and enjoy your exploration where ever you are.
Cheers,
Kris Kandath

Near the international airport in Chennai (formerly known as Madras) is the small hillock where the apostle St Thomas, the noble missionary and one of the principal diciples of Lord Jesus was assasinated way back in 72 AD. The origin of Christianity in India can be traced to St Thomas Didymas, the apostle. While most of Jesus´ diciples confined their activities to the meditaranian region, St Thomas chose as his field of labor, the distant and little known East, with its strange people and even stranger God´s. He first preached the Gospel in Parthia and then proceeded to the Malabar Coast by sea in the year 52 AD. After establishing seven major Communities of Christians in Kerala, he moved to the Eastern Coast of India and founded a Community in Mylapore in Madras (now Chennai) He continued to preach in this region until 3 July 72 AD when he died a Martyre´s death at the St Thomas Mount.
This is a place everyone (spiritual or not) must visit if visiting Chennai. The view at and from the mount is wonderful. The winding path to the top is long, steep and really magical. There is an old church at the top where one can see relics from the past. On the whole it is a moving experience for everyone irrespective of ones creed, caste or religion. When you realise the history behind the place, you can only admire the courage and love the apostle had for fellow beings.
There are excellent hotels both here and the nearby Chennai City. There are guided tours of the mount one can arrange before hand from Chennai. Please follow this url to find out more about the apostle and the mount from wickiepedia the free encyclopedia on the web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Mount  and also what  Anupama Shekar, ark Commercials, wrote on Chennai online:  http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/singaarachennai/stthomas.asp

Hope these links prove to be useful to those of you who are interested to know more about the apostle and the Christianity in India.  I thank you all for the wonderful support I had here at  zaadz and wish you all the very best. take care
Cheers,
Kris

I am fully aware that I am writing this blog totally out of sequence here by  bringing in a European City along with my other blogs about various places in South India. As the city I love most in this universe I consider it is unappropriate to leve it untouched in my blogs here at zaadz and hence this attempt of blogging on Oxford.

Oxford in England is undoubtedly the oldest university in the english speaking world and has been in continued existance for more than 9 centuries now. As an internationally known centre of education, it naturally attracts students and scholors from right accross the globe. It lies about 90 kms north-west of London. A medium sized city with population totalling approximately 140,000, Oxford is refreshingly different from all other cities I am lucky enough to have visited so far. I fell in love with this gorgeous city immediately after I first set foot there way back in 1979. The 24 long years I spent there since then made my love for the place grow even deeper. Without a shadow of doubt, in my opinion Oxford is the most beautiful,cosmopolitan and likeable city in the whole world and must be in everyone´s once in a lifetime (at least!) list of places to visit. It has class written all over it.
According to the statistics for the acadamic year 2003/2004, there were approximately 17,660 students in Oxford out of which approx. 11,100 were undergraduates spread around 39 independent colleges. University staff altogether will total around 10,000 out of which 3,500 are directly employed by the colleges. At Oxford, the term time for an acadamic year is divided as follows: a) Michaelmas Term (October - December), b) Hilary Term (January - March) and c) Trinity Term (April - June). Each Oxford College is a corporate body distinct from the university and is governed by its own head and fellows. Most fellows are college instructors called tutors and the rest are university professors, readers and lecturers. Each college manages its own buildings and property, elects its own fellows and selects and admits its own undergraduate students. Each student at Oxford is assigned to a tutor, who supervises the student´s course of study, primarily through tutorials. Tutorials are weekly meetings of one or two students with their tutor. Students may see other tutors for specialised instruction. They may also attend lectures given by university teachers. Students choose which lectures to attend on the basis of their own special interests and on the advice of their tutor. At the end of the course, it is the university,(not the individual colleges) which grants degrees. The first degree at Oxford in arts or science is a BA (Bachelor of Arts) with honours. After a few years it automatically becomes an MA and is known as an MA (Oxon). The Rhodes scolorship program enables students from the US and Commonwealth countries and many other nations to study at Oxford and there are a number of illustrious names who have been Rhodes scholors. The three oldest colleges in Oxford - University, Merton and Balliol - date from 1200´s. Twelve more colleges were found between 1300 and 1555. The first colleges for women were estblished during the late 1800´s. The university did not grant degrees to women until 1920 !!
Oxford, unlike Cambridge is an indutrial city as well with the legendary Morris Oxford which once used to be made here. Now the stylsh Austin Mini´s (with BMW back up) are rolling out of the sophisticated plants in Cowley and is one of the most popular and sought after small cars in the US and Japan. When you walk through the historic streets like the High Street, Cornmarket Street,Broad Street, Trul Street and Longwall Street of Oxford you will feel that time has disappeard into a cave somewhere leaving this wonderful city totally un-touched. The ancient and modern go hand in hand without any strain here.
For prospective browsers interested in gathering info on Oxford I recommend the following links: 1) www.ox.ac.uk and 2) www.visitoxford.org for further information. Please contact me for any further help or assistane in planning a visit to this wonderful city.