Organic Farming
At Cardamom County we believe in providing guests with the best experience possible, and an eco-friendly one at that. We not only provide this during their stay with things like rich flora on property and solar water heaters, but also through our food: with fresh eggs from our farms and a variety of greens for the most crisp and refreshing salads. Here are a few pictures of the farm. Soon, this fresh produce will be used in many of our upcoming properties. Continue reading
Common Jezebel; Photo Credits: Aparna
Delias eucharis, also known as Common Jezebel, is a colorful butterfly with yellow background color on its under-hindwings intersected by black veins and red spots fanning outwards at wings’ edge. Continue reading
Photo credits: Sastha Prakash
Thaipooyam is a colorful “kavadiyattom” festival. It is a vigorous dance that starts in the morning, when a small group of people richly decorated with wooded arches and other materials take to the streets to celebrate.
Photo credits: MN Shaji
Located near Kozhikode, Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary spreads over a cluster of islands in a scenic area surrounded by hillocks where the Kadalundi River flows into the Arabian Sea. Continue reading
Photo credits: Renjith
Pickles are a traditional condiment served with Indian meals. Called achaar in Kerala, they are an important part of a traditional sadya meal, always served next to the salt on the upper lefthand corner of the banana leaf. Continue reading
Photo credit: Vijay
Cherai is a lovely beach not far from Kochi. Its position on the border of Vypeen island makes it ideal for swimming, and a typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves nearby provides an added attraction. Continue reading
Puttu on right and kadalakari on left. Photo credits: Renjith
Puttu and kadalakari (chickpeas), make a popular breakfast for Keralites. Puttu is made by steaming rice flour along with grated coconut in a puttu kudam (a steamer in cylindrical shape) Continue reading
Photo credits: Kannadas KD
Bilimbi is an evergreen tree native to tropical Asia, grown for its edible fruits. The trees are commonly found in the high ranges of Kerala and the fruits are mainly used in making pickles, soups, sauces and curries. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Bordered on the east by the towering Western Ghats and interspersed with the magical backwaters for much of its length, Kerala’s coast has attracted people through the ages. In ages past it was traders, asylum seekers and empire builders; now it is haven for beach buffs and tourists. Continue reading
Photo credits: Shaji MN
Kerala offers an amazing diversity of dishes for every meal and every occasion. Food is an important indicator of a region’s history, and with a rich and vibrant ancient culture greatly influenced by civilizations from almost every corner of the globe down the ages, Kerala is indeed the proverbial melting pot. Continue reading
Photo credits: Renjith
Kerala has a rich legacy of architectural excellence. The ancient buildings, temples and palaces reflect the styles of sculpture and wood work adopted by artisans from ancient times. Traditionally the architecture of the state has been of a humble scale, an ensemble of simplicity and elegance tailored to suit Kerala’s climate and culture. Continue reading
Photo credits: Emmanuel Abraham
The Backwaters of Kerala have a unique ecosystem where fresh water from the rivers meets the salt water from the Arabian Sea. The partly brackish Backwaters stretch over 1900 km, providing drinking water and irrigating paddy fields. They include the large inland lakes of Kerala, as well as an entire network of canals, estuaries and curious water formations. Continue reading
Photo credits: Aparna P
The Lion-Tailed Macaque, Macaca silenus, is ranked among the rarest and most threatened primates in the Western Ghats. The population is scattered across small patches of evergreens in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where they spend most of their lives in the upper canopy of tropical moist forests. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Kalamezhuthu is a unique form of art found only in Kerala, and is almost solely used in temples. The “drawing” with the powders is done by hand, without using any tools whatsoever, and the powders used are all natural (from vegetables and minerals). Continue reading
Photo credits: Immanuel Abraham
Located at a height of 1700 meters above sea level and close to Munnar, Echo Point is a favorite haunt of weekend travelers. It is on the way to Top Station, and is named for the echoing you can hear in the hills. Continue reading
Photo credits: Renjith
Elappara is a small tea plantation village near Vagamon, about 40km from Thekkady. This tiny village overlooks the awe-inspiring Annan Thampi mountains, the steep slopes of which British planters used to hike up before embarking on hunting expeditions. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
In the history of Kerala, elephants have been part of the festival and cultural ethos of the state. People believe that this animal is a remover of obstacles, a harbinger of good fortune and an integral part of religious and economic life. Over the years, no temple festival in the state has been complete without the participation of elephants: all major temples in Kerala have an attachment to them. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
The Chinese fishing nets are a unique and special part of Kochi. A legacy of some of the earliest visitors to this coast, they are thought to have been brought to Kochi by traders from the Chinese court some time between 1350 and 1450. Employed mainly during high tides, these nets are set up on bamboo poles supported by teak wood structures and require at least four men to operate their system of counterweights. Continue reading
View of Periyar Lake
Mr. Mujeeb, tour escort from Kumily, went on the Periyar Tiger Trail hike last month and shared some of his photos with us.
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
The Athirappally Waterfall is one of the largest in Kerala, situated about 1000 ft above sea-level on the Chalakkudy River, at the entrance to the Sholayar Forest Range of the Western Ghats. Falling from a height of 80 ft, this cataract is a major tourist attraction. Continue reading
Organikos 