White Hibiscus is an ornamental flower commonly growing in the hill ranges of Kerala. In Ayurveda medicine white hibiscus root is used for cough and hair growth. The flower and leaf is also used as shampoo and conditioner.
Kerala
Lemon Pansy Butterfly – Junonia lemonias
The Lemon Pansy Butterfly is among the many species commonly seen in and around the open forest and grass lands of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Continue reading
From Behind the Wheel: Rickshaw Wala Romance
Cashew Tree (Anacardium occidentale)
Cashew is an evergreen tree growing in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Although it is native to the Americas, it is now naturalized in much of Asia and in Kerala the Kollam district is famous for the best quality Cashew Nuts. Continue reading
From Behind the Wheel: Ferry Triplets
Wild Periyar – Wild Honey
Periyar Tiger Reserve is a unique habitat where nearly 2000 different species of flowering plants exist, including 515 found nowhere else. Butterflies and other uncounted insects live and maintain this wilderness as a natural wonderland. Continue reading
Star Gooseberry – Phyllanthus acidus
Star Gooseberry is a medium-sized deciduous tree that grows up to 7-8 metres high in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia. The round scalloped fruits are mainly used for making pickles in Kerala. Continue reading
From Behind the Wheel: Star Bright – Christmas Shout-out!
Chitoor Road, Ernakulam
Vattavada Munnar
Vattavada is a serene village situated near Munnar at an altitude of 6000 ft above the main sea level. It is a high range agricultural zone but instead of tea plantations vegetables are predominantly cultivated on the terraced slopes and valleys of the area. Carrot, cabbage, beans, onion, chillies, beetroot, potatoes and leafy vegetables are the famous crops from Vattavada. Continue reading
Red Malabar Spinach – Red Amaranthus
Spinach Flower
Red Malabar Spinach is an annual flowering plant , famous for its leaves in vegetable dishes. Fresh spinach is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and other essential minerals and it is very low in calories. These plants are widely growing in and around Kerala where it is locally called Cheera. Continue reading
Wild Periyar – Indian Sandalwood
Sandalwood (santalum album) is a small evergreen tree that can grow up to 15 metres high. This hemiparasitic tree (feeding off the roots of other plants) is found widely in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, although is considered threatened in many parts of the world. Continue reading
Mangrove Forests
Mangroves are an essential element of healthy coastal environment. They provide excellent habitat for migratory birds, serve as breeding ground for many species of fishes, control pollution through natural filtration and protect the shoreline from heavy waves. The important Mangroves plants are Acanthus cillicifolious, Acrostichum aurem and Avicennia officinalis, several of which are found in Kerala. Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Continue reading
Flavours Of Kerala – Sadya
Food is an important indicator of a region’s history. The diversity that one sees today in Kerala’s food evolved from its past, when profound historical and social events influenced the diet of the inhabitants. Only the end section of the banana leaf is used due to the precise method of serving a Sadya. Starting at the narrow end, individual items are carefully added from left to right with the curries above the dividing spine so they don’t get mixed with the rice which will be placed on the bottom half later. Continue reading
From Behind the Wheel: A Vehicle With A Sting
Maradu, Cochin
Seethankan Thullal – Art of Kerala
The story of Kerala is mirrored in the evolution of its art and culture and offers a veritable array of performing arts. Thullal is a solo performance combining dance and the recitation of stories in verse. Introduced in the 18th century, Seethanankan Thullal is the slowest of the three forms of the Thullal.
Continue reading
Vegetable Shops – Kerala
Fresh vegetables play a major role in Kerala’s cuisine. People at all levels of the economy use these traditional shops for buying their fresh vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, tomatos, beans, cucumber, bananas, chilies and drumstick.
Flavours Of Kerala- Karimeen (Pearlspot)
Kerala’s extensive network of rivers and backwaters means that fish is plays a central role on any menu and Karimeen (Pearlspot) has come to symbolise that part of the cuisine. Karimeen is a bony fish, treasured for its taste. Its most famous recipe is Karimeen Pollichathu where it is marinated in masala, wrapped in a banana leaf and broiled. Continue reading
If You Happen To Be In Kochi
Art and culture are about to explode onto Kochi at a season that is already filled with color and light. Biennales have been taking place for well over a hundred years, starting in Venice and spreading throughout the world.
Just as the lost port of Muziris had been a regional gateway for the world the Kochi Muziris Biennale, the first of its type in India, has the goal of reviving the vibrancy of Kochi as a meeting point of culture and trade. Spanning the calendar period of 12/12/12 and 13/03/13, the three month long exhibition is expected to draw high international visitation in what has been designed as a cultural strategy of self-renewal. Continue reading
Southern Rustic Butterfly (Cupha erymanthis)
Southern Rustic Butterflies are commonly found in Periyar’s forest areas, flying up and down and resting in shadowy places. Their wings are dark brown and yellow. Continue reading
Chamundi Theyyam – Ritual Dance
Theyyam are ritual filled performances of dance, music and religious worship of the people of Kerala. There are nearly 400 deities that are represented in this manner, with each Theyyam believed to be a physical manifestation of the particular god. One of the Theyyam performed in the northern regions of Kerala is Chamundi Theyyam, representing the god Durga Devi. Continue reading
Organikos 
