Friday, May 21, 2004

After a particularly gruelling day, I find the need to relax right now and I guess the best way would be to start off with snippets of my recent visit to Kerala

Periyar
Like every other tourist we headed for the Periyar Tiger Reserve at Periyar/Tekkady. Though I had made up my mind not to act touristy-touristy (which means follow the beaten tourist path) I had to buckle under fellow-travellers' pressure and be there and do that. So there we were, among 60 odd other tourists from all parts of India and some from abroad, waiting in line to embark on a boat safari through the reserve. And like everywhere else, as soon as we stepped on board, there was a mad scramble to get the best seats. In fact the noise levels resulting out of the whole activity were so high, had I been an animal, I would have stayed put in the dense foliage. I couldn't have been closer to the truth, no tigers, 5 elephants and quite a number of wild pigs. On sighting the first elephant, an uproar resulted in the boat, with a Maharashtrian lady sitting behind me hollering "Aaiyaa, tho bagh, bagh kasa pani pithoy!!!" (Look!! Look at how its drinking water). I was serene. Probably because I have been on high-adrenalin wildlife safaris an umpteen number of times before, having lived in Kenya for a decade. And of course how could I forget the fight between two men, 'cause one of them was blocking the other's line of sight.

The jungle itself is huge, and I am sure if people would take care not to create a commotion, the tiger would give a darshan too, once in a while. In fact I half expected to see a mini-Chowpatty on the banks ahead. I know I am exaggerating but I was pretty disappointed that day, safaris are meant to take in Nature's sounds and sights and not the other way round.

(The backdrop of the Jiya Jale song from Dil Se suspiciously resembles Periyar lake)

Periyar town is very interesting. The strong smelling spices are a bargain. Enthusiastss could have a try at ayurvedic massages, and check out kathakali and/or martial arts performances.

Potpourri
1. For anybody visiting the South, see if you can pick up a copy of The Lonely Planet - South India Travel Guide. Lots of information for the uninitiated. That's how we chanced upon Saravana Bhavan too (which the book mentions as a famous chain of hotels down there) for some ultra-soft dosas served on banana leaves by a very jovial waiter. A must visit.
2. I can now distinguish between the scripts of the southern states:). Thanks to an inherent interest in languages and the return train journey through the quartet.

More on Kerala later.
Exactly one week ago, at precisely this very minute, I was watching the sun sink into the sea at Kovallam....*sigh*

*Update* - Comments by readers have reminded me of this Kenya-based poem that I wrote in September last year. I still consider it to be one of my best effforts so far.

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