Blessings in Blue – A Rendezvous with the Neelakurinji

Day 1: Kumarakom 

Kumarakom, a part of the Kuttanadu region, is a place I had always wished to visit. We reached there by around 4pm and were greeted by such verdant landscapes that even Minnu was awestruck and recharged.

Lush mangrove forests, undulating paddy fields, coconut trees, the majestic Vembanad Lake, a constant breeze that lulled to sleep every worry in the heart… It really is no wonder that NatGeo has listed it among the top destinations in the world to be visited in a lifetime.

The most obvious choice for anybody who holidays in Kumarakom is a visit to the bird sanctuary. It is spread over 14 acres, an Ornithologist’s paradise. But we chose to tread off the beaten track and instead set out to discover what sunset felt like from the middle of a paddy field.

Going on long drives with luxuriant green fields on either side of the road is in itself a charming experience. I know. But really, next time, stop your car and get down there in the midst of the swaying rice plants and breathe in the perfume of the earth. 

We did and were pleasantly surprised at how different it felt to be embraced by all that greenery rather than see it from a distance.

I walked along a little pathway to the middle of the fields taking in deep breaths as the gentle, reassuring breeze swept away all thoughts of the real world. In a few moments I was startled by a loud peal of laughter from my daughter. I turned my head in the direction she was pointing just in time to see a flock of Indian Pond Herons burst into flight, flaunting their pure white beauty.

I looked at my child and smiled.

That was ‘life’, the dose of Nature city bred children desperately needed.

As the evening began to advance, the warm orange glow on the grass drifted to a shower of crimson light that set the fields afire into varying hues of colours I do not even know how to describe.

Hubby stopped clicking photographs to join us in staring at the Sun flaunt his naughtiest shades.

It was just us, twittering birds, murmuring plants, breeze and the Sun celebrating a connection only our hearts could comprehend.
When we left that field after sunset none spoke. Not even Minnu. It was a refreshing change from the clamour that constantly surrounds us in our daily life.

As we drove on taking in the sights we stopped by at Hillsbrew Coffee for an early dinner of nice hot Masala Dosa. Though the service was shoddy, it was a neat pleasant place with excellent restroom facilities and even a separate room for baby care.

En route to our hotel after dinner we came across an entire locality lit up and decorated for a temple festival. There was loud music, vibrant colours and gaiety all around making for a heartening scene. We parked the car on the roadside and took a brief walk along the banks of the stretch of backwaters that flowed alongside, reflecting the vibrance around and sharing in the joys of complete strangers.

It is beautiful how celebrations and festivities connect us all in this exquisite fabric called humankind isn’t it?

Focus of 2018 Kurinji

Responsible Kurinji tourism

How we are going to control this year’s kurinji is a major challenge for the entire people. . more

The Changeover is not positive

Balan Madhavan says he has travelled extensively between 1988 and 2018 in this region.more