Verdant Tea Gardens a treat to the eyes

A lone pachyderm stood swaying his tusk and grazing around. I stopped the car and gazed at him. I remembered someone telling me an elephant who roamed all alone was considered dangerous. I wondered if this one would go rampant but soon spotted company behind the tall bushes. They looked great as a group. I was passing through the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary from Bandipur to the land of tea, coffee, rubber and spices called Wayanad in Kerala.

King Mahabali

It had been pouring since last few weeks. Mother earth had worn a green garb and was looking fresh and resplendent after the showers had quenched her soul. The rivers were swollen as life bounced back to a verdant celebration. Suddenly the earth opened up and out stepped a portly man dressed in silk dhoti, gold ornaments and a crown on his head. He held a palm leaf umbrella in his hand and walked with poise, authority and a broad smile plastered on to his face across the streets of Kerala.

Pookalam

My exposures towards the Malayali festivals had always been restricted to wishing friends during the Onam and Vishu festivals. Having married to a Keralite the divulgence has increased and in the recent times reached home. Come Chingam, the month in the Malyali calendar all the Keralities  celebrate the ten day festival with pomp and fervour. The first day Atham marks the start of this harvest festival. Today in most cities the festival has been restricted to the celebrations on the tenth day called Thiruonam. Legend states that the demon  King…

Travel

This post appeared in Women’s Web Traveling is the tonic for life that keeps the soul replenished. Every moment brings in a new perspective to the journey called Life.  It needn’t be an exotic location but a local market that brings out the colours and flavours of the inhabitants.  It could be a life altering experience for a few or for that matter an adrenaline pumping experience. The benefits of these encounters that I term exuberance are multi fold.

Puttu with Kadala Curry

         My dear hubby remarked yesterday its been long since we had puttu. Let’s have puttu for breakfast tomorrow. I agreed with a sight aversion as it requires time to prepare it. Being a Sunday at times I do feel I need to prepare something special while at the same time you have this relaxed laid back attitude and want to go for something special.         Anyways I decided to go the puttu way and soaked chick peas overnight. Now puttu is a Kerala dish and had for…