Idukki Dam Catchment area; photo credit: Ramesh Kidangoor
Idukki is one of the largest district in Kerala, covering 13 percent of the state’s total area. With rugged mountains, dense forests and three big rivers, Idukki generates one third of the state electricity. But the district is more famous for its natural beauty; numerous trekking trails, stunning views and diverse wildlife make it an outdoor enthusiast’s dream destination. Continue reading
Thunbergia mysorensis
Mysore thunberia is a superlative climber found in the shola forest foothills of the Western Ghats. Blooming from October to February, this highly decorative plant creates quite an impact in any garden. Continue reading
Fort Cochin; Photo credits: Manoj Vasudevan
Known as “God’s Own Country”, Kerala is one of the most beautiful states in India. Lonely Planet apparently agrees by citing it among the World’s 10 best destinations for a family holiday in 2014. The Lonely Planet award for Best Family Destination was bestowed at the World Travel Mart in London, the leading trade event attended by industry representatives from around the world. Continue reading
St. Mary’s Church, Kottayam; photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Kerala is known for the abundance of churches that can be found every few kilometers. Every Christian family in Kerala is associated to a church, which represents the major celebrations in a family from baptism, to a child’s religious education, to his or her marriage. In this way the church plays a vital role in every individual’s and family’s life. St Mary’s church celebrates five feasts through the year which attracts lakhs of devotes seeking blessings. Continue reading
“The Lord”
Historically elephants have been part of the rich culture of Kerala. As the physical representative of Lord Ganesha, people consider this animal a harbinger of good fortune, a remover of obstacles and an inseparable and integral part of religious and economic life as both temples and mosques embraced the animal during festivals. Continue reading
Argyreia nervosa
Native to India, Silky Elephant Glory is a large woody, perennial climber with heart shaped leaves with silky silver undersides–both he leaves and roots are used in traditional medicine.
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
The Siva Temple in Ettumanoor is a huge temple with excellent woodcarvings and 16th century murals depicting deeds of Krishna and scenes from The Ramanaya. Another added attraction is the mural depicting Lord Shiva performing his cosmic tandava dance. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Kerala has an extensive network of waterways that lace the interior coastline from north to south. For visitors the backwaters of spell relaxation–people can’t help but unwind as they enjoy the blue waters of the canals and the verdant shade on the banks . Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Kerala literally means the “land of Coconut” and is one of the leading producers of coconut in the world. Coconut trees are an integral part of the lifestyle and the economy of the state, and because of the numerous products and by-products derived from its various parts coconut is known as the “Tree Of Life”. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Located above 1700 meters Munnar was the summer residence of the British administration of South India.The British recognized the potential of tea and started planting on about 580 square kilometers of land. Now famous for its tea plantations, Munnar retains its colonial charm with sprawling estates, rolling hills , sparkling waterfalls undulating valleys and hamlets. Continue reading
Strobilanthes kunthiana
Neela Kurinji is a blue bell-shaped flower found on the hilly slopes of the Western Ghats at an altitude between 6000 and 7000 feet. The unique feature of this tall bushy shrub is that it blooms only once in 12 years. Eravikulam National Park is famous for the flower, which will next bloom in 2018. Continue reading
Photo credits: Renjith K Thomas
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary lies in the Western Ghats nestled between the Anamalai Ranges of Tamil Nadu and the Nelliyampathi Ranges of Kerala. Spread across 277 sq km, the sanctuary is a heaven of tranquil greenery as well as the first scientifically managed teak plantation. Blessed with rich flora and fauna, Parambikkulam is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. Continue reading
Cleome Spinosa
White Queen or Spider Flower is an exotic plant, naturalized in the Western Ghats of India. It’s an annual flowering plant commonly growing in the gardens of Kerala. Continue reading
Ipomoea nil
Native to India Blue Dawn Glory is a hairy stemmed, annual twiner seen commonly during the latter half of the monsoon along roads and hedges. The flowers open around sunrise and fade by noon. The seeds of the plant is used in traditional medicine. Continue reading
Ipomoea hederifolia
Native to Mexico and naturalised in India, Red Star Glory is an annual twiner with its bright scarlet flowers and appears towards the end of monsoon. These plants are commonly seen between 500 meters and 1000 meters. Flowering season is from October to January, the most likely time to see them within Cardamom County and the surrounding hill station ecosystem. Continue reading
Photo credits: Binu Kumar
Gangaikondacholapuram temple is situated near the city of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, King Rajendra Chozlan built the temple 1020 -29 AD. The main Mandapa is two storied structure and dotted with pillars with exquisite carvings. There are many beautiful sculptures on the walls of the temple and its enclosures. A huge Nandhi (Shiva’s bull) made of brick and mortar presides in front of the main edifice. Continue reading
Photo credit: Ramesh Kidangoor
Revered by both Hindus and Muslims, the town of Erumely is famous for the Vavar Mosque as well as the Sastha Temple. The Ritual of Petta Thullal during the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage is a unique feature of this place. Pilgrims who visit the temple consider it their sacred duty to offer donation to a representative of the Vavar Mosque. The reason for this devotion is that Vavar was considered to be a contemporary and friend of Lord Ayyappa, the presiding deity of Sabarimala Temple. Continue reading
Rice Soup
Rice is one of the staples of Kerala cuisine and a rice soup called Kanji is one of the classic dishes. The soup is a simple preparation of serving the rice in the water it was cooked in. Kanji is usually eaten for as the evening meal as the dish is light, rich in nutrients and easily digested. This dish is usually enjoyed with condiments like pickle or chutney, as well as Kerala’s favorite dry fish and pappadam. Continue reading
Returning with the days catch
We’ve written previously about Keralalites’ love for fish. However, eating it is only half the story; how it enters into people’s lives is another part of it. Here we’ll share how daily life starts for many locals in a fishing town.
Fishermen usually leave their nets in the water overnight and come back in the morning with prayers in their heart for a good catch. Often luck is with them and their prayers are answered, primarily due to the healthy waters along Kerala’s coastline. Continue reading
Cardamom
Cardamom is known as the “Queen of Spices” and Kumily is known to have the biggest cardamom market in the world. Exceptional care goes into growing this spice. It needs a minimum altitude of 800 to 1200 meters above sea level and plenty of shade and water. Kumily is located at 1100 meters with an average annual rainfall of 3000 millimeters, making it the perfect atmosphere for the plant to thrive. Continue reading
Organikos 