Photo credits: Eldhose
Pink Roses are popularly crop for commercial and domestic cut flowers. This low-growing climber is well-suited to cooler regions and therefore is very commonly found in the High Ranges of Kerala. Pink Roses are good repeat bloomer.
Datura suaveolens
Angel’s Trumpet is native to Tropical America but naturalised in India, especially in the Western Ghats up to 2000 meters. It’s a tall shrub with very large drooping trumpet-shaped white flowers. Continue reading
Gavi view point
Gavi is about 40km drive from Thekkady through the dense forest of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Mr. Shakti from Chennai visited Gavi last week and shared some of his photos with us. Continue reading
Chellarkovil Waterfalls
Chellarkovil Waterfalls is located just 14km from Thekkady. Especially during the monsoon the cascading waterfalls and the abundance of flora make this place a trekker’s and photographer’s paradise. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Kochi, Kerala’s business hub, is home to one of the best ports in the country. Before independence, a British engineer Mr. Robert Bristow developed Kochin port, now a gateway to international trade and tourism. It is an all-weather port, located on the East-West trade route and among Indian ports, situated closest to the international sea route. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Vazhachal Waterfalls is located 78 kilometers from Cochin. Set amidst the lush green foliage at the entrance of the Sholayar forest, the famous waterfall is a popular location in the Indian film industry.
Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Chettikulangra Temple is dedicated to the Goddess Bhadrakali. The temple is famous for the Bharani festival, with special rituals and Kettukazhcha processions attract numerous devotees. Continue reading
Photo credits:Ramesh Kidangoor
Kovalam Beach is located in Thiruvananthapuram, which is the state capital of Kerala, and is only a short drive away from the local international airport. It is comprised of three adjacent crescent-shaped beaches, and is the sight of golden sand, rocky palm groves, and miles of shimmering sea. Continue reading
The Red Trumpet Lily is an ornamental flower commonly seen in the hill stations of Kerala that are above 800 meters. These plants bloom during the summer with group of flowers in each branch. Continue reading
Tree in the Periyar Tiger Reserve
A couple of days ago, I had my first trekking experience in the Periyar Tiger Reserve and because of its name, I had a flawed perception of what was to come. I expected to see many animals, perhaps even a tiger. However, I did not. In fact, during the few hours I was there, I only saw a couple sambar (a species of Indian deer), an Indian Gaur (the largest living bovine), and a handful of birds. My experience in the Periyar Tiger Reserve was the antithesis of going to a zoo, and this actually made it much more enjoyable. Continue reading
Misty Mountain Waterfalls
Kuttikkanam is a village nestled in the lap of the Sahyadri Ranges and is en route between Kochi and Thekkady. Kuttikkanam is very famous for its scenic beauty, especially its waterfalls, and it once was a summer retreat of the Travancore Kings. Continue reading
Tea Estates
Pampanar is located near Thekkady en route to Kottayam. It is a picturesque place with an unending expanse of lush green tea plantations. Tea estates, lush hillsides, forests and coffee estates views lend charm to this hill station. Continue reading
Tulsi Thara in frond of the house
Tulsi Thara is a sacred stone platform in front of traditional Kerala houses on which the Holy Basil (tulsi) plant is grown. Tulsi is a sacred herb known as the Queen of the herbs. Tulsi Thara is made to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi. In mornings and evenings a burning lamp is placed on the platform. Continue reading
photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Urban fish markets are a common sight in Kerala. The extensive network of rivers, coastline and backwaters means that fish is central to the local menu and these open-air markets provide a daily supply of fresh fish. Continue reading
Chellar Covil
Situated about 14 km from Thekkady on the Munnar road, Chellar Covil has one of the best overlooks from the heights of Kerala into Tamil Nadu. The sleepy little hamlet offers a breathtaking view of the plains and cascading waterfalls of the neighboring state. Continue reading
One of the projects we are currently working on is renovating a heritage building in the historical neighborhood of Mattancherry in Cochin. We hope that Spice Harbour will encourage other entrepreneurs to tackle these beautiful yet challenging buildings before they disappear into the night. But a neighborhood is not all about old stones.
The people of Mattancherry form a tight-knit community and a year ago a group of young enthusiastic locals created a neighborhood association “Nanma Sahaya Samithi”. Nanma Sahaya Samithi focuses on harmonious living and works on making healthcare and education accessible to everyone in the neighborhood. We were invited to donate notebooks and pens to children and to meet with other actors of the community. Continue reading
malabar parakeet
Periyar Tiger Reserve is an avifaunal hotspot extraordinaire and one of the most facinating birding destinations in the entire Western Ghats. The verdure of rolling hills, rich flora and a many-armed reservoir supports an impressive 323 species of birds, including Malabar Parakeet, Hill Myna, Bulbuls and Hornbills. Continue reading
View of the Kerala backwaters
A few days ago, I had the privilege of going on one of the Raxa Collective River Escapes houseboats to tour the backwaters of Kerala and although it was quite rainy, it was still very beautiful. First off, the houseboat itself was fantastically designed for traveling the backwaters. While it contained all of the first class amenities that anybody could ask for, it did not go overboard (pun intended); instead of an abundance of glass and feeling as if you were in a bubble, other than the bedrooms the boat is open air, and as the cool breeze danced across your face, it really felt like you were out on the backwaters.
What is so astonishing about the Kerala backwaters, and consequently what I, a student from the United States, have to often remind myself of, is that these backwaters define the lifestyle of so many individuals. Continue reading
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
The shyanapradikshanam is ritual worship by devotes (usually male) of circling the temple sanctum sanctorum by rolling on the ground. The ritual is performed as atonement, pledge fulfillment or a gesture of thanks giving. It’s a common sight in many Kerala temples. Continue reading
St. Francis Church- The original burial site of Vasco da Gama
Today, for the first time in my life, I visited Fort Kochi. One of the first places I stopped at was the St. Francis Church, which is the oldest European church in India, and the original burial site of the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama. In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first person to sail from Europe to India. Both the Portuguese and the Spanish were in search of an ocean alternative to the Arab monopoly on the lucrative spice trade, and the Portuguese had the good fortune to sail east vs. west. He and a few other Portuguese men who followed were allowed by the Raja of Cochin to build a fort in Kochi, and subsequently, in 1506, Francisco de Almeida, the Portuguese viceroy, was allowed to build a Christian church. Ten years later, the church was completed and was dedicated to Saint Anthony. Continue reading
Organikos 