beautiful kerala

The  state of Kerala that lies on the southwestern part of the country India is one  of the most beautiful places on earth. The emerald backwaters making its  winding way inland, exotic traditional houseboats floating along these  backwaters, lush green forests, cool refreshing hill stations, the undulating  tea gardens, rain fed rivers and streams, the towering Western Ghats, and the  cascading falls make up the beauty of this state. In the state of Kerala falls are many in number  and each one has exhibits a unique charm that will beckon you towards it.

These  beauties of nature that gush down hills, crags, mountain sides will enchant you  with their gushing milky white form and leave you speechless. The beauty as  exhibited by these falls in Kerala adds to the pristine natural beauty  that the state has been blessed with. The waterfalls of the state are mainly of  two types i.e. the rain fed falls and those that cascade all year round.  The long monsoon season of the state however ensures that all the falls  around the state are gushing almost all year around.

Some  of the most famed falls of the state that fascinate and enthrall the  travelers from all around the world are:

Athirappally-

This particular angel falls of the sate of Kerala is located in the  Thrissur district of the state of Kerala. The Athirappally falls is located at  an elevation of 120 meters and has a height of 25 meters. This fall is fed  by the Chalakudy river that originates in the Anamudi mountains located in the  Western Ghats. This falls cascades from three different points that  originate almost at the same level. This fall is quite turbulent and has a  quick current. One can get excellent views of the falls from the cliff adjacent. The wildlife that one can see around this is also great, one  may catch glimpse of the Great Hornbill, Asiatic elephants, lion tailed  macaque, sambar, bison, tigers and even lions if lucky.

Aruvikkuzhi-

the journey that one needs to take to see this cataract leads you  through mud lanes and rubber plantations of Kumarakom. This is located  at a distance of about 18 kilometers from the town of Kottayam and about 2  kilometers from Kumarakom. The astounding height of 100 feet that this  fall cascades from creates a charm that will leave you with your mouths  wide open in awe.

Palaruvi-

 cascading from an astounding height of nearly 300 feet this angelfall goes by  many names such as the white horses tailstream of milk etc. The name  Palaruvi translates directly to Stream of milk and it is owed to the milky  white color the falls takes on as it plunges down from nearly 300 feet above.  The “white horses tail” is a title given to it for fall is narrow at the  top and gradually thickens as it reaches the bottom creating a small pool. This is located in the Kollam district in a place called  Thenmala.

These above mentioned  are just a few of the many that cascade in the beautiful land of  Kerala. Many more  remain to be seen such as Perunthenaruvi,  Power House Falls, Thommankuthu, Thusharagiri etc when in the state. So when  you visit this state of beauty and splendor always remember to take a tour to kerala.

Ancient Temples and Churches in Kerala

Kaviyoor Rock Cut Cave Temple

The Kavivoor rock cut temple was constructed during the reign on the Pallavas who ruled south India from 608 to 850 AD and thus is built in Pallava architecture. The Temple is carved on a huge rock and is currently preserved by the Archaeological department. The entrance of the temple has a sculpture of Lord Ganapati engraved on the wall and the main deity of the temple is Lord Shiva who is represented in the form of a linga. The Rock housing the cave is called Thri- kal-kudi Paara which means a cave settlement.

Koothambalam

Koothambalam is a closed hall or a temple theatre that is used to perform Koothu, which is a folk art which originated in the land of Tamil. It is a very important aspect of ancient Keralite tradition and is considered as sacred as a temple. During the time of the performance the whole stage is decorated with fruit bearing plantains, coconut bunches and palms. In the Koothambalam only men from the chakyar community are allowed to perform. Women belonging to the Ambalavasi – Nambiar caste play Nangyar koothu and the female characters of Koothambalam.

Parumala Church

Parumala Church, also known as St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s orthodox church is one of the important churches of the Malankar Orthodox Syrian Church. Located along the banks of River Pampa, Parumala is a small and peacefully beautiful little town. In 1895 a temporary church was built in this place by Mar Gregorios and finally on 19th March, 1995 the foundation stone for the new church was laid down by His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews II, Catholicos of the East.

Kadayanickadu Dharmashastha Temple

Kadayanickadu Dharmashastha Temple is located in Baala Saasthaa, Kottayam District which is about 32kms from Kottayam and 81 kms from Cochin. This temple is dedicated to Ayappa Swami. Kadayanickadu is a small village set in a typical rural settlement covered with green agricultural fields, small hills and rivulets.

Forane Church

Forane church also known as St. Anthony’s Syro Malabar Catholic Forane Church is an important church belonging to Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur. It is located at in Kerala. There are about 4000 Christian families which belong to this parish. This place is also known as ‘Chinna Roma’ or Small Rome due to the presence of a large number of Christian people and their several religious, educational, medical, social service and secular organisations. The church is located on a hill top.

Kaviyoor Hanuman Temple

Kaviyoor Hanuman Temple is an ancient temple located in the Pathanamthitta District of Kerala and is believed to be about 1000 years old, even though the correct time of its construction is not actually known. This temple is mainly dedicated to Lord Mahadeva (Shiva and Vishnu) but there is also a Hanuman Temple which is quite popular. It belongs to the Travancore Devaswom Board and has a unique architecture that belongs to about 10th century AD. It is considered to be one of the oldest of the Mahadeva Temples in 

Kerala.

Traditional Village Style of Kerala

The village life in Kerala, the gods own country  forms the backbone of this state in the Indian peninsula. kerala reconstructs the settings and atmosphere of a traditional Kerala village, including the houses.  The Traditions of Malayalam Land used to be practiced during from the old days can no longer be found in recent times in the busy city lifestyle. But many of them can still be seen and to be practiced in the day to day village life of Kerala. It is seen in a rare villages.  The tharavadu and Nalukettu houses, representative of the residences of the lower and upper classes of Kerala are put up here. Family is an important unit of a rural household in the state giving first preference. The male member works outside  in agricultural works in the field, the female member looks after the household works. But, sometimes, especially in the harvesting seasons, women also accompany their male partners to the fields for work. The older members in the house also have an important place in the society of rural Kerala. They also have an important decision making role in the house.

In accordance with festivals, cultural performances are practiced mainly in the evenings. Various dances like Kathakkali and Mohiniyattam and even other dance-forms from other states like Kuchipudi and Bharathanatyam are performed mainly in nights. Folk art forms like Pavakkoothu, Villupattu, Kakkarisi Natakam and the famous Panchavadyam of Kerala are also performed. Kerala’s famous Martial Art forms like Kalaripayattu and Theyyam are other attractions of kerala.

There are small, handicraft industries in the villages. Moreover, handloom, marine products and other small-scale industries also play an important role in the economy of kerala. The villages in the state are lush green with vegetation and the major tree is coconut. The main foods of people in the villages of Kerala are fish curry and tapioca.

The Kerala Tea Stalls, called Chayakkada, can be seen here. The thatched houses and the mansions of timber are constructed with care, and are decorated exquisitely in traditional style with full of crafting works. The mansions have massive pillars, open courtyards and corridors. Inside the houses, an ethnic crafts of Kerala are on display – woodwork, ethnic jewelry and boxes, sandal wood carvings, paintings, musical instruments, furniture, swords and shields and more are displayed. The outside of houses are decorated with Pookkolams, the lovely traditional flower arrangement of Keralam.The whole creation has an enchanting effect, transporting the visitors back to an era that appreciated beauty and elegance in every aspect of lifestyle.

Besides the cultural feasts, that satisfy the tourist’s palate are also on offer here.  Various luxurious delicacies of South India, a wide varied choice that leaves tourists confused as to what to choose and what to leave, are on displays here. Some of the dishes include theeyal, meen moilee, malabar porotta, fish stew drowned in coconut milk, avial, appam, idiappam, Vellappam and Kallappam.

Plan a trip to Kerala in this vacation and there are many Unexplored places in Kerala that have a traditional touch and enjoy a different experience that you ever experienced.

ala

Photography combine the Art of travel with that of photography: each of our journeys is a unique voyage of discovery offering the opportunity to learn and practise photography whilst exploring some of the finest destinations in India especially our Kerala.  photographic journeys are the result of the many years of travelling and making pictures. they are always more than just an opportunity to travel, learn and meet new people, they are also a great deal of fun- a way of coming face with one of the oldest civilizations on the planet, in the company of professional photographers who consider their role as tutors to be as important as their ability to craft professional images.

Some of the Travel Photoes especially the Main Destinations of Attractions in Western Ghats Land are Listed here which shows the art of photography

Hindu Muslim Unity - Thalassery

Lakeway – Kumarakom Backwaters

Resting man - Chambakara

 Nilgiri Tahr – Eravikulam National Park

Portrait of a Theyyam Artist- Malabar

Simple Life – Rural Village Children, Kerala

The Train Journey - Hill Stations

Making Pots - Trivantrum

Farmer Lifestyle - Kuttanad

Fruits Seen in Kerala

The God`s own country, Kerala Has many Attractions. you may be confused by the name God’s Own Country. It is the nick name given by the Travellers. Kerala is listed in the top 50 list of places that a person must see by many authorities. Surely this is a place blessed with great climate and wonderful travelling palces. This is a journey listing the common and rare fruits that you can see mostly only in Kerala.

Chakka (Jack fruit)

Plavu is a large evergreen spreading tree known for the largest tree borne fruit in the world. Jack fruit tree is mostly seen in the tropical lowlands and mainly in Kerala. This fruits is large and fleshy and are covered with thorny tubercles. Unripe fruits can also be cooked. The seeds may be boiled or baked. There are a number of varieties of jackfruits, the honey-jack (muttan varikka/thaen varikka) is considered the sweetest and the best in its Family. The flesh is starchy and fibrous and provides energy. Jack fruit tree is used in the treatment of various diseases such as vitiated vata, pitta, diarrhea, and skin disease, urinary retention and general weakness. The timber of the tree is used for making furniture as it is termite-proof. Almost of all the Parts can be Utilized. 

Kaitha (Pine Apple)

This fruit is seen in most of the parts of India Especially in Kerala. The peculiarity of this fruit is that it it contains small throwns. For eating this fruit you have to remove the outer layer containing throwns. This fruit has a taste of sour and sweetness also. This is good for digestion and it is mostly used as juice. This is cultivated large scale in many places in Kerala.

Manga (Mango)

Mango is known as  the king of fruits, is one of the most popular of the tropical fruit varieties. Mango has undergone considerable varietal differentiation. In India alone, over 100 named varieties are known. Apart from these, millions of seedling trees grow throughout the country, each of which has its own distinctive characteristics. A major portion of mango trees in Kerala are of seedling origin. Tender and mature but unripe mangoes are extensively used for making pickles. Ripe fruits are eaten as such. A variety of products are made out of this. They are canned mango slices, mango pulp, jam, juice, custard powder, ready to serve mango beverages, toffees etc are these.

Omaikka (Papaya)

The papaya is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya. It is a very large plant and has a single stem that grows to a height of around 5 to 10 meters tall. The leaves are seen only in the top of the trunk and are arranged in a attractive spiral manner. The ripe fruit is eaten whereas the unripe fruit of papaya is cooked and eaten. They are used to make curries, salads and stews. It has high amount of pectin in it that can be used to make jellies also. Some of the various uses of papaya are that it is used as a cooking aid, in medicine etc

Vazha (Banana)

Banana is also a main attraction of kerala. About 50-60 tonns of bananas is exported from Kerala every day. a lot of varieties are available in the market with different colours, sizes and taste. The popular varieties include palayankodan, sahasrapadali, ayiram poovan, poovan, nenthran, kumpillaannan, malayannan, thottannan, kadali, rasakadali (njaalipoovan), chenkadali (kappa), kaliyethan, chengali, aattunenthran, pachakkappa, robesta, matti, padatti, peyan, monthan, annan etc. The colours are yellow, purple and red. Ripe bananas are very sweet and they can be eaten whereas unripe can cooked. The banana plant’s trunk when peeled has a tender core which is edible when cooked. Similarly the flower is also used for delicious dishes. Banana leaves are often used as plates or disposable food containers where people consider it as a plate to have their food on this leaf. It is also an old Trtadition of kerala.Taking banana helps to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and breast cancer and renal cell carcinoma in women. 

Seethaappazham (Custard Apple)

This is another fruit that is common in Kerala villages and very tasty also. This fruit comes from the tree atha. This fruit is almost size compared to apple. It contains a lot of seeds coated with edible white portion .This fruit is very tasty and posses medicinal qualities. Now, It is disapperaring from the society 

Kasumanga (Cashew Fruit)

The cashew is a tree which is native to northeastern Brazil. It is plenty in Kerala. We Export it to other countries. They are grown mainly for the cashew nuts and cashew apples. While processing cashew we obtain the cashew nutshell liquid which is rich in anacardic acids. This can be used effectively against tooth problems as they are harmful to the gram-positive bacteria. They also act best against many other gram-positive bacteria. The cashew nut is a favourite snack of all and they are consumed as such or lightly salted or sugared

Njaval (Black Plum)

The fruit is known for its sweet, sour and astringent flavor. It is a large evergreen tree with white fragrant flowers and black fruit with pink juicy pulp. This fast growing tree lives for more than 100 years. The wood is strong and is water resistant. Because of this it is used in railway sleepers and to install motors in wells. This tree starts to flower in the months March to April every year. The The fruit is green and changes to a pink to shining black colour when it matures.. The seed has medicinal values and is used in ayurveda to control diseases like diabetes and also for digestive ailments. The leaves and bark are also useful for controlling blood pressure. Wine and vinegar are also made from the fruit. It is a high source of vitamin A and vitamin C.

Kodukappuli (Manila Tamarind)

An apple a day keeps a doctor away’ may be modified thus ‘A kodukappuli a day may indeed keep pain away’. This is an evergreen tree which grows very fast and has a crooked trunk with small branches that arise from the base of the leaves. The flowers are greenish white in colour, fragrant and it produces pod with an edible pulp. The liquid obtained by boiling the bark can be used for the curing frequent bowel movement. Decoctions of leaves are used for digestion problems and used as abortifacient. The hard timber is used for various purposes such as for construction, packing cases, making fences, cart building and agricultural tools etc.

Sheema nelli (Star gooseberry)

Indigenous fruit trees like Sheema nelli that does not require much care and attention is a boon to every households. The tree often bears fruit twice a year, the first during April to May and then during August-September also. Star gooseberry fruit is known to contain extremely high amounts of natural vitamin C which is an antioxidant with potent anti-ageing properties. It has only one seed in each fruit. The flowers are male, female or hermaphrodite and are small, pinkish in colour and appear in cluster.

Perakaya (Guava)

Guava trees are small shrubby evergreen trees, with a lot of strong bony like branches found in kerala. the main variety of guava cultivated and sold here is the apple guava. The fruits are fleshy and have a sweet taste. This fruit is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B3, vitamin B4. Natural propagation is by birds and small animals. Different parts of the tree have medicinal properties. The decoction of the leaves and bark of this tree are sued for treating various ailments such as diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting and sore throats, and also for regulating the menstrual cycles. The crushed leaves used when applied on wounds relieves pain.

Champakka ( Rose Apple)

It is one of the most commonly seen fruit in Kerala. It is white when it is not ripen. It turns rose and then red as it ripe. You can eat it even if it is not ripen, but it will be slightly sour. This fruit bearing tree grows a maximum of 6 - 7 meters. The fruit has seeds inside which is bitter in taste. Even though its juice is not common it is also very tasty.