Indian Leopard at Wayanad Sanctuary
Indian Leopard comes under one of the categories of five Indian big cats, which are massively spreaded on the Indian sub-continent. Preferring dry, deciduous areas with significant amounts of rainfall these leopards inhabit tropical rainforest upwards of 2200 meters above sea level. Continue reading
One who loves Nature Mother will love this walk, especially during monsoon. You feel the soft earth on the bog, hear the whispering movements in the forest and smell her flowers everywhere.
Nature Walk is a three hour trek which passes through evergreen and moist deciduous forests interspersed with marshy grasslands in Periyar Tiger Reserve. The trail normally covers 4 to 5 km area of Reserve escorting along with a tribal forest guide. This program offers an excellent opportunity of Bird watching, butterflies and other wildlife of Periyar Tiger Reserve. Continue reading
The morning of the staff picnic began with a wakeup call at 4:30am to prepare for a prompt 6am departure to Munnar, a beautiful hill station in the Idukki district of Kerala. To the interns, an early morning with a long bus ride meant a great opportunity to catch up on some sleep after several long days of trekking and work. To the staff it meant the party could start even earlier.
The Men of Cardamom County
Within minutes of leaving the Cardamom County parking lot, a small group of the staff was already busy preparing the music list for the day’s journey. Immediately the bus was pouring with energy- Bollywood music incited full volume singing and raucous dancing that was only made more amusing by the jostling motions of the moving bus. It provided not only a humorous and exciting start to the day but also a somehow appropriate cultural soundtrack to the beautiful mountain views, tea plantations, and villages that passed by the bus window on the way to Munnar. Continue reading
During the Malayalam month of Kumbham and Meenam (February & March), a special Keralan temple festival draws the faithful to the Allepy and Kollam districts. This festival, Kettukazhcha is a time where devotees of Goddess Parvathy bring offerings from their paddy field. At the temple of Chettikulangara they use sculpted and decorated forms of six temple cars known as ‘Kuthiras’, five ‘Therus’ (Chariots ) to represent the architectural skills of the ancient people of Chettikulangara. Continue reading
The Nilgiri tahr is a wild goat commonly found in India’s Western Ghats at elevation of 1200m-2600m. These animals can be found in abundance in Eravikulam National Park, Kerala. Female Nilgiri tahr are short with smaller curved horns comparing to males. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu (one of the southern states of India). These photographs were taken at the national park during a staff tour to Munnar.
The Border Hike is a full day trek inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve along the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu (one of Kerala’s neighboring states), exploring the length and width of Periyar. The route passes through undulating terrains, at altitudes ranging from 900m to 1300m. Trekkers enjoy looking from the slopes and hills down onto the forest and the vast plains below. Continue reading
Three days ago, we pulled up in front of an art deco gate and half-abandoned mansion on the property of a soon-to-be new RAXA Collective resort. By ‘we’ I mean the design team comprising of an architecture student (me, Chi-Chi), a landscape architecture student (Rania), a hotelie-turned-interior architecture student (Jonathon), and an engineering student (Siobhan). We were told to get a feel of the property.
We, the interns, walked around the property with Amie and the trusty guard. The bamboo stick to protect against rumored snakes on the beach.
We found: ‘objects’ (modest fishermen’s homes); an endless, unobstructed beach with marbled sand and black waves; and our new favorite hangout spot, a nearby internet café.
Exploring the roofline of an abandoned wealthy fisherman’s house with the guard.
Kaiser found: two Indian security guards; their next-door-neighbor friend; our cook Manu; and us.
Kaiser is a tiny mixed puppy who arrived on site only an hour before we did. As a dog-lover and all-around “everything happens for a reason” believer, I KNEW KAISER WAS A SIGN. A sign for what, I don’t really know, but he was a very cute and very small sign, so I immediately focused all my down-time obsessing and fussing over Kaiser.
This is Kaiser.
I think Kaiser gave me more insight to Indian attitudes. It’s very difficult to converse with someone about abstract ideas without a common language, but if you throw a dog in the mix, it becomes a lot easier.
Like many people that can’t sleep at two o’clock in the morning, I let my nose lead me into the kitchen. In the wee morning hours, I was surprised to find one, lone and hardworking chef, Jimmy, preparing the morning’s breakfast buffet. I was drawn to the beverage station where I stood aghast, hoping my drip coffee machine would appear. As I looked pained with an overwhelming desire for caffeine, Jimmy’s hospitality ensued. He lowered the heat to his Aloo Bhaji, grabbed a saucepan, and began making me some coffee the “old fashioned” way with only a pot, water, ground coffee, and a sieve.
With my fuel source performing caffeinated magic, I observed his hard work ethic, learned how to make Kozhukattai, and had good conversations despite my poor and minimum Malayalam and his frequent inability to understand my East Texas “twangy” accent. I was filled with respect when I found he alone prepared the delicious breakfast for the guests of the retreat. I grew greater appreciation for my Wusthof knives; and, once again, I was, and continue to be, awed and inspired by the hospitality and giving character of the people I’ve met in Kerala.
Rarely do I find such great rewards for sleepless nights, but this night I found gold. I’m thankful and I “remove my hat” to Jimmy of the Allspice Restaurant. It’s people like these in this culture that increase my fondness for this state of India and strengthen my wish to stay or repeatedly return.
Spiral ginger is an herbal plant which is naturalized in India’s Western Ghats. The entire plant has medicinal properties which is mainly used in curing skin diseases. The oil extract from the roots is directly applied on the affected area. The fragrance of the plant is like ginger and hence bears the name. Continue reading
Ochira is a distinctive place of worship in the district of Kollam in Kerala. The Ochirakkali is a temple festival celebrated there which commemorates the historic battle between the kings of Travancore and Kayamkulam. It is a mock fight enacted between groups of two men dressed as warriors in the padanilam, the Malayalam word for battlefield. Men, irrespective of age, engage in mock duels wielding wooden sticks on a vast ground filled with water up to knee level. The concept of this festival is to be aware of the universal consciousness. The festival begins in the months of June and July.
Kummatikali is a folk dance celebrating the arrival of the legendary King Mahabali to visit his subjects during the festival of Onam. It is believed that the presiding deity of Vadakukumnathan Temple in Thrissur asked the attending spirits to perform for him. The dance they presented came to be known as Kummatikali. Continue reading
Nangiar Koothu is an offshoot of the Koodiyattam theater which combines dance and drama. The dance is performed by women of the Nambiar clan (scholars in Sanskrit) called Nangiars and hence the name Nangiar Koothu. The theme of Nangiar Koothu is the story of Lord Krishna as described in his historical texts called Sree Krishna Charitam. It commences with a ritual dance called Purrapad. Continue reading
The elegance of the classical dances of Kerala are a result of the various cultural influences that took place in the state. These classical forms are a delicate fusion of ancient classical texts and folk traditions, making them distinctive and unique. The Koothu is a solo narrative act. As the performers of the Koothu are from Chakyars- a Brahmin community, it bears the name Chakyarkoothu. Continue reading
Our Central Reservation Team recently visited the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
We were really happy and enjoyed a lot in the Periyar Tiger Reserve. We saw a bunch of elephants and a bison very close to them. Rafting of 3 hours was very good and the chance to be in nature was appreciated. We hope to visit again the next time we’re back in Thekkady.
– Mr. Shyam, Mr. Ashley and Mr. Sumesh
We recently met Mr. Manoj, a tourist escort who is a regularly visitor at Cardamom County. He was happy to share some photographs from his most recent trip to Thekkady.
I visited Periyar Tiger Reserve along with my some of my business friends. We were really pleased to have such good sightings. We saw elephants, bisons and many birds, but the main attraction was the natural ambiance of the park which helped us to unwind. – Mr. Manoj
Since arriving in Kerala, I have been greeted many ways. I have exchanged many smiles and hellos, and I have been veiled with jasmine garland and pressed with traditional dika. However, the greeting I find most profound lies in a single word: Namaskaram.
Two people, worlds apart, meet with this word. Each of their hands draws together in a prayerful pose in the nest of their individual chests. With a bow of their heads, they utter, “Namaskaram.” At first, it seemed like a simple interaction, yet when I asked the native people for the meaning, I learned that it has a much deeper connotation.
A signal of respect. A promise of hospitality. A notion of putting aside one’s ego. All of these meanings are understood with Namaskaram. I witness and experience them with nearly every interaction among the people here at Cardamom County, but the latter meaning, putting aside one’s ego, has struck a powerful chord in me. Continue reading
Angel trumpet plant is a shrub very commonly found in the Western Ghats of India. It grows to a height of 3-5 meters with funnel shaped white flowers. The shape and color inspires the flower’s name. Continue reading
The four o’ clock flower is an ornamental, perennial, scented flower found commonly in the high ranges of the Western Ghats of India up to 800-1200m. These flowers will start to open its delicate bud in the afternoon and reach full bloom by 4 o’ clock. Continue reading
Red bell flower is a shrub naturalized in the Western Ghats of India. In Kerala, it is often added to bouquets for added color and texture. Continue reading
Musa Laterita is a plant that resembles the banana plant naturalized in Kerala for its fibre cultivation. The leaf stem of the plant is cut and left to wilt, then soaked in water and crushed to separate the very strong fibres. These fibres are woven into rope or cord and can be even made into paper. The fibre is prized due to its strength, flexibility and water resistance even to salt water and hence it used for marine ropes, well-drilling cables, etc. Continue reading
Organikos 