I had a seven-day Kerala tour recently with my family. As we went to, and returned from, Karala by air, we wasted little time, and were able to explore the state better. It was, though, a hectic tour. Starting from Kochi airport through Erneculum, Fort Kochi, Alleppi, Munner and finally to Trivandum we were always on the move, staying the nights at different city hotels.
Keral is touted as "God's own country". But it's more of a hype than reality. Fort Kochi is dirty and smelly, and the stink that I caught up from there didn't leave me until I reached Munner two days later via Aleppy.
What I liked about the state is its simple hard-working people. From auto-rickshaw drivers to shopkeepers to hoteliers, they were all well-behaved and helpful, and except in Verkala, no one tried to fleece us. The only jarring thing was Pinaryl Vijayan's posters and cutouts along our way among the fluttering red flags.
The law and order situation in the state is superb. You don't hear any story of rape or violence against women. The people here seem to have regard for the woman. What a relief to sense this as I come from West Bengal where rape happens everyday.
I have this feeling that there are a lot of poor people around in the state ( Or why would there be a Marxist party at all?). I encountered some lepers and beggars as well.
It is of course an old civilization trying to slowly catch up with modernity.
We visited many beaches along our way: Kobalam, Lighthouse and Verkala among them. These beaches have more foreigners than native visitors. Lighthouse seems occupied by the foreigners. The state panders to them for the revenue.
Verkala is like old Puri beach, and is really serene and de-stressing.
It was the last on our itinerary.
Keral is touted as "God's own country". But it's more of a hype than reality. Fort Kochi is dirty and smelly, and the stink that I caught up from there didn't leave me until I reached Munner two days later via Aleppy.
What I liked about the state is its simple hard-working people. From auto-rickshaw drivers to shopkeepers to hoteliers, they were all well-behaved and helpful, and except in Verkala, no one tried to fleece us. The only jarring thing was Pinaryl Vijayan's posters and cutouts along our way among the fluttering red flags.
The law and order situation in the state is superb. You don't hear any story of rape or violence against women. The people here seem to have regard for the woman. What a relief to sense this as I come from West Bengal where rape happens everyday.
I have this feeling that there are a lot of poor people around in the state ( Or why would there be a Marxist party at all?). I encountered some lepers and beggars as well.
It is of course an old civilization trying to slowly catch up with modernity.
We visited many beaches along our way: Kobalam, Lighthouse and Verkala among them. These beaches have more foreigners than native visitors. Lighthouse seems occupied by the foreigners. The state panders to them for the revenue.
Verkala is like old Puri beach, and is really serene and de-stressing.
It was the last on our itinerary.
