Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Finding Time again

Did you know that when water-lillies first bloom open, they carry with them a little refreshing water in their cup ? Neither did I, until I travelled to Kerala a few weeks ago and made this discovery ... among others.
We had flown into Kochi and then planned to drive down to Thiruvananthapuram (say that 3 times really fast .... or just call it Trivandrum as almost everyone seems to) .

The drive is amazing! I developed a major crick in my neck just turning my head again and again to follow luscious scenery till out of eye-sight.

Trivandrum is one of those little cities that are, as one of my friends put it, "so full of character!" . The capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore and now of Kerala, there is a sense of old-worldliness about it, a leisurely ambling and simplicity ... never mind all those new roads and the sprinkling of high-rises that are almost like an after-thought. A concession to the 21st century, as it were.

Our plan was to stay at Maryknoll in Trivandrum

but once we got there, we kept lingering and lengthening our holiday. After the heat and dust of Mumbai, the tranquility of the lily pond and the cool, high-ceilinged rooms had me mesmerised.

Just about everything here is designed for coolness. High ceilings, big rooms, ventilators, big windows, cool floors, shade trees, and of course, it's built on top of a hillock to catch every breeze that wanders by. Perfect for living just 8 degrees north of the Equator! And it's cooler than my Mumbai apartment by the sea !

The little curved 'turrets', wrapped around antique wooden staircases, are fascinating.
But the most intriguing of all ... this home has front doors made mostly of glass. Talk about absolute welcomes !

Another thing I love... great furniture. Most of the furniture here dates back to the colonial times and the craftsmanship on these is like nothing I see in the modern pieces.
This beautiful writing desk tucked away under the wooden staircase has a great view of the lawn and a towering Michaellia champaca tree.
Can you imagine what it must be like when the Champaca tree is in full bloom, wafting its heady fragrance everywhere?

Greenery seems to reach in from every nook and corner.
At the back of the house, a staircase used earlier as an access for the housekeeping staff, now leads to terraces. The curved wall of the staircase is peppered with jaalis (patterned cut-outs) and even here the refreshing glimpses of green beckon... making one feel like you're peeping into another world.
Maybe it really is. I did feel as if I was in a time warp, slipping back into a more leisurely time. Finding time to breathe ... and just to be !

The 50-year old garden was undergoing a massive re-haul and rejuvenation but the bougainvillaea were in full bloom.

I love this delicate pink-tipped double-petalled one.

A step beyond and a low garden wall leads into the grounds filled with towering trees. Teak and mahogany trees seemed to be in a "who's taller?" competition.

And mango trees vied with jackfruit trees to see which could bear the most fruit. The mango trees win by number but when you take into account the size of each jackfruit.... phew!

And, not to be left out were the jungle jack (Artocarpus hirsutus)... small globes of spiky fruit filled with sweet-tart golden globules that leave you yearning for another mouthful.

Of course, all these fruits find their way to the dining table and our stay there was replete with huge platters of all these fruits as well as bananas and veggies grown in the kitchen garden. There's nothing to beat the flavour of fresh fruits straight off the tree!

Something that left me a bit bemused was to see blankets of leaf litter on the ground, especially under the coconut trees. I was told that it was part of their natural land management system. The blanket of leaves protect the earth from the intense summer heat and also helps to keep down loss of moisture through evaporation. And they obviously add to the fertility of the soil. Something like composting in situ. Smart!

One of the jackfruit trees was abloom with hundreds of Acampe orchids. These orchids are found growing wild in South India and are sometimes seen adorning trees along the highways.
The flowers are so tiny that most often they are not noticed. Their lingering scent, however, turns many a head.

I looked closer and found that someone had already staked claim here!

And down among the blanket of leaves, shy Caladiums peep out. Splashes of green and white in the most unexpected places, adding to the verdant appeal of the grounds.

One day, a few men walked in and there was a lot of hushed conversation. It seems they had come to buy palm leaves.
Why? To feed elephants!
This of course, was cause for a lot of excitement because we thought that we would get to see the massive animals. My children ran out on to the grounds to check but we were out of luck this time. Apparently they had not brought the elephants with them.
Maybe next time?...
It all seems so surreal now but at the time it fit right in with the ambience. Of a place cut off from modernity, where elephants would saunter in any minute, looking for a mouthful of palm leaves!

We did shake ourselves out of our lazy indulgence to drive down to Kovalam ( about 20 kms away). One of the best beaches of India, it is still very underhyped in my opinion. It shot to fame with the arrival of the hippies in the '60s. They frequented the wilder 'hawa beach' or 'Eve's beach' on the other side of the rock outcrop and there were hushed references to swinging parties on the beach but more often than not, they were usually laced with a tinge of "I wish I was there too".

The next time I come to Trivandrum, I must try to get a photo of the nearby Kaudiar Palace, or rather, the entrance to the property still owned by the Maharaja and his descendants. It is one of the last few private palaces with no entry allowed to tourists. This very exclusivity gives it a very secretive, aloof air. I love the tall gates allowing just a glimpse of lush greenery inside.

Till then, I have my photos of Maryknoll and its grille-work which is said to be an exact replica of that in the Palace (sorry, I didnt include them here) .
But, I bet they don't have all those fruit trees on the Palace grounds, though. Nor such a dreamy lily pond.
And even if they do, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to dabble my feet in it and watch the dragonflies, like I did at Maryknoll!

51 comments:

  1. Wow it is GORGEOUS!!!!!!! my mouth is watering after looking at all the fruit!

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  2. Hmmmmm Sunita your post makes me want to go on a real holiday now. Very descriptive narrative and a joy to read. Thanks for taking us along and am waiting for more......Hmmmmm

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  3. Sunita, This is a truly beautiful place.

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  4. Lovely vacation. The water alone makes it feel nice and cool. I agree, that desk finish is beautiful!

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  5. What a beautiful place.Looks like you really enjoyed:)Nice images.

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  6. Oh wow! I love this post and your descriptions. I could almost feel like I was there getting a tour. The fruit looked yummy. Thanks so much fir sharing.

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  7. Princess, this was just a fraction of the fruits growing there. There were different varieties of jackfruit (the pulpy ones are great for cooking, especially for desserts , and the firm-fleshed ones are so sweet and never seemed to last long enough on the table for anyone to even consider doing anything else with it!), mangosteen, bananas, eggfruit, bilimbi, guavas,etc. Not to mention a whole lot of spices too.
    Definitely mouthwatering!

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  8. You're welcome, Helen! I really needed that time there to de-stress and work the kinks out of myself ;D

    I know, Autumn Belle. I think so too.

    Tina, I think just sitting at that desk could make one feel like writing and writing.
    It's a pity that some of my other photos didn't turn out too well and so weren't good enough to be included here. I would've loved to include my son's room with what I called the "Romeo & Juliet balcony" overlooking the Champaca tree.

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  9. Thanks, Shantana. And yes, you're absolutely right ... we really enjoyed ourselves.

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  10. Thanks, Jessica! :)
    Hey, maybe I could make that an alternate career option ... Sunita, the tour guide!

    p.s. the fruit tasted even better than it looked ;)

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  11. You seem to have had a whale of a time in Trivandrum.

    Those raw Jackfruits look tempting...Thomas

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  12. Oh yes, that I did, Thomas!
    By the way, I forgot to mention... the variety of birds there is amazing! Most of them were very well hidden among the foliage of the tall trees but their birdsong was loud and clear.
    aaah... the jackfruit! mmmm!

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  13. That was an amazing tour Sunita : )
    I felt like I was walking around with you while you were commenting on it all .. I love old furniture too ! .. we had some wonderful times in Holland/Belgium seeing pieces at antique markets.
    The greenery .. the architecture .. all of it designed to retain as much of the cool earth and area as possible .. it is simply beautiful !

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  14. u sure had a gr8 time and i am glad to read the experience. nicely writen too and laced with pictures that tells stories by itself

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  15. It is wonderful to walk around with you and learn of the flora you enjoyed on your vacation. Great photos! Lovely beach and I am guessing the water is not so cold as here in New England! Thanks so for sharing!

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  16. Joy, I'm glad you enjoyed the tour :)
    If you like old furniture, I'm sure you'll enjoy visiting Kerala. The wood crafting there is excellent and since hardwood like teak and rosewood are easily available, the finish is excellent too.

    Thanks, Sandeep. You're right, I really enjoyed myself there. The only difficulty I had was in selecting which photos to include and which to leave out.

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  17. Thanks, Carol!
    On the contrary, the temperatures rarely dip below 20*C (about 68*F?) so the water is always pleasant.

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  18. I know exactly what you mean. My parents grew up in Trivandrum and though I haven't lived there, I feel like it is home. The seed pod in the last picture is really cute.

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  19. So do you there at least to visit family, Bindhu? It must be the perfect place to unwind!
    The seed pod is of a tree known as 'jungli badam'. I've seen the the florists here using the dried pods in expensive floral arrangements.

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  20. Beautiful Kerala! Although I've never been there, Kochi and Kovalam and even Thiruvananthapuram are names we used to hear from my childhood friend. What an amazing vacation that must've been! Beautiful photos including the jaali work and the furniture.

    I haven't seen such colours on a bougainvillea. Very pretty!

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  21. It seems that you have just lived a dream. kerala, and of course Trivandrum, is a beautiful place. Although it is almost the other end of the country for me but I have the plans to visit the place at least once in two years.
    Your post has me day dreaming about the day when i will visit the place again.

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  22. Kanak, I really must educate myself on photographing things other than flowers and plants. I had taken tons of photos but wasn't satisfied with most of them :P
    Oh the bougainvillaea ... you should've seen them, Kanak! There was this rich yellow one which was so fascinating (I'll post a photo another time) and a hot pink one edged with white. That was really, really nice!

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  23. I think that says a lot, GT! If you make plans to travel to the other end of the country every 2 years, you must really like the place. And I can really see why ;)
    The next time you go there, scout out the nurseries. I think Kerala has some of the best nurseries in the country.

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  24. Sunita your post was awesome! It took me back in time to a holiday in Kerala, and to the greenery I enjoyed during my childhood in Mangalore.

    I love that you made it almost like a travelogue. Thanks for the mini vacation!

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  25. WOW! This is spectacular! I can imagine the champa trees totally in bloom. I don't know what is more beautiful the estate or the beach?

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  26. It looks like a paradise. I'm glad you had a good time and thank you for taking us along!

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  27. Sorry about the delay in replying. Every once in a while I try to post from my other garden but since I dont have access to broadband there, it is more of an exercise in frustration.

    Sharon, you're welcome! :) Glad you enjoyed the second-hand holiday. All my Mangalorean friends (some of them close enough to be as good as sisters)tell me that if you've been to Kerala, its almost as good as having visited Mangalore... is that true? I think they were talking about the greenery which you'll find in both places as well as the green thumbs, fingers and hands that the locals seem to have.

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  29. Lzyjo, both were spectacular in very different ways. I'm waiting to see how the garden will look after its rejuvenation. There's so much of potential there. And yes, the beach was really gorgeous too. So was the sunset from the beach!

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  30. Nebu, sorry your comment couldnt be published for some reason but your remark about the gate chiming out the state anthem is fascinating!
    I envy you your trip to the Palace. Make sure you get lots of photos. I look forward to reading your post about it.

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  31. Nebu, sorry your comment couldnt be published for some reason but your remark about the gate chiming out the state anthem is fascinating!
    I envy you your trip to the Palace. Make sure you get lots of photos. I look forward to reading your post about it.

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  32. Shady, you're welcome! I only regret that I couldnt get good photos of the birds that are found all over the place.
    And the mongooses! I forgot to mention them in my post. And they were such a major part of the uniqueness of Maryknoll. Every morning I would sit out near the lily pond and sure enough, a couple of mongooses would 'flow' (there's no other word to describe it)across the garden. It was so beautiful!

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  33. Beautiful! I love the picture of the jaalis cut outs. Now I'm going to go read about them for a bit. Great post, like usual!

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  34. Wonderful! What a fab place to relax and just be. Beautiful, beautiful and delicious!
    Happy July.
    I just loved every minute catching up with you.
    Namaste,
    Sherry

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  35. K Dilley, the jaali is quite a popular feature in traditional Indian architecture, especially in North India. It's quite ingenious really... the jaali lets in cool breezes while not compromising on privacy.And its agreat design feature too, don't you think?

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  36. You said it, Sherry! I desperately needed that time to unwind and get in touch with myself again. The last one year was a very hectic one for me so this was like a god-send.
    I love seeing my old friends here again. Thanks for dropping by, Sherry :)

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  37. Beautiful pictures and charming text. It's so nice to see familiar and beloved plants and flowers on another blog! Thank you so much.

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  38. Hi Ancel! Its great seeing you here.
    I know exactly what you mean about seeing familiar (and beloved) plants in another blog. When I wandered over to your blog I felt that same tingle of familiarity ... as if I had been there before in your garden! Definitely a nice, comfortable feeling.

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  39. Hi Ancel! Its great seeing you here.
    I know exactly what you mean about seeing familiar (and beloved) plants in another blog. When I wandered over to your blog I felt that same tingle of familiarity ... as if I had been there before in your garden! Definitely a nice, comfortable feeling.

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  40. Hi Sunita, thanks for taking us along in the time machine to a slower, cooler era! The jaalis cut outs are fascinating, as is the Colonial era furniture and woodwork. The fruits and flowers add to the enchantment. I can imagine the palace and its luxury too, even without photos. You sound like you really enjoyed yourselves there. Too bad no elephants! :-)
    Frances

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  41. Sunita what a wonderful, riveting post. I loved every bit of it while I was reading your accounting of this fantastic place. If I have ever the chance this would be the place for a holiday. For sure I write all the names down!

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  42. Frances, I could almost feel my pulse slowing and steadying a bit while I was there. It was such a huge difference from the frenetic life I seem to lead in Mumbai.I really needed this slowing down.
    Yes, I agree about the elephants... I would've loved seeing them at close quarters (not the wild ones though!)Maybe next time.

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  43. Thanks, Trudi. I just know you would thoroughly enjoy yourself there too. Especially the fruit trees...I'm sure you'd love them.

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  44. Thanks for the trip to Kerala. You bring it alive with your words and pictures...:)

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  45. You're welcome, JW! Maybe you should plan a trip to Kerala... its a photographer's feast!

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  46. beautiful pics. i wonder if you are not growing some tropical water lilies in your garden?. Try 'panama pacific', it is really pretty. And what about Lotus? National flower of India. You can also get night blooming water lily which is rare in pakistan.

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  47. ooh i love the picture of the water lily. such a royal color! I'm planning a trip to kerala soon, so it was a real delight to read about it on your blog! how long did the drive from kochi to trivandrum take?

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  48. Ooops! I just realised that I had not replied to MK's comment... I'm so, so sorry. I dont know what happened but I'm sure it must've been one of those times when I tried using my laptop. I'm so comfortable with my desktop that nothing seems to go right when I use the laptop.
    MK, I did try growing waterlillies. I brought a few from Kerala and planted it in a big pot which I had filled with water. Do you know what happened? Those pesky crows started using it as their own private bar and pulled out all the waterlillies! Grrr! They really, really annoy me.
    I'm going to try once more though, I hope it works.

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  49. Waterlillies are lovely, arent they, Arati?
    Our drive from Kochi to Trivandrum took us about 6 hours but that was interrupted by stop-overs at Varkala and various little roadside restaurants (love them!). I think you could make it in about 4-5 hours depending on how fast you drive. The roads are quite good but they seem to literally beg you to pause a while and enjoy the scenery.
    When are you going to Kerala? Winter (or what passes for winter) has to be the most pleasant time there. I envy you!

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  50. thanks Sunita! I'm thinking either late Dec or Jan. After reading your post im tempted to try the Maryknoll in Trivandrum :) Any recommendations for Kochi? :)

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  51. You're welcome, Arati! :)
    Kochi? I'm very partial to the Fort Cochin part of Kochi. It has such a lovely old-world, gracious air to it. I've stayed at the Brunton Boatyard there and believe me,it was absolutely beautiful! Here's a link if you're interested : http://www.cghearth.com/brunton_boatyard/index.htm .
    There are a lot of hotels, both luxury and budget, in the heart of Kochi too.

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