Living inside a perfect picture

Kerala, a state that is surreal and still a tangible reality has the most incredible sights and locations, tucked away inside its magical green wings. Welcome to Kottayam.......

 

The dense green world welcomes all
pic: Aditi Sharma

Now is the time to fall in love, helplessly. A vacation to the south of India ensures more than just a magnificent visual treat and a skipping of a heartbeat. The state of Kerala, with its breath-taking views and its serene environs, joins its hands together, to welcome one and all, in its region covered with a green carpet, a strong aroma of coconut, with platters of appam and puttu and a shy “namaskaram”.

A corridoor of green
Pic: Aditi Sharma

On the way from Kochi to Kottayam
Pic: Aditi Sharma

All along the winding roads

The world that starts descending towards a land that almost looks cononised by wilderness and a dense forest of evergreens, gives one a feeling of almost invading into a place which looks calm and untouched. As one reaches the airport, the simplicity of the civilization of Kerala becomes more pronounced. A small arrival hall, with scattered outsiders and a few locals witnesses lazily the countless tourists who come to feast upon the beauty of their land.

To reach Kottayam, one can hire a bus or a cab and enjoy a 2.5 to 3 hour ride uphill (around 76 kms) to be a part of the wondrous western ghats experience. One could also get there by rail. As the car purrs along narrow roads, one can almost feel the unadulterated air rushing through one’s lungs. Grey clouds march towards their calling, reaching out to the somber mountains, giving one company all through the way...it's such a refreshing sight. The tall slanting trees grin at the passer-bys, wearing blue plastics around their trunks, their drool constantly producing expensive rubber.

Up on cloud no 9

Motoring along the zig-zag roads
Pic: Aditi Sharma

Sitting on the lap of the mountains, the town of Kottayam seems lost among the white-grey cotton clouds, almost touching the endless sky, living with a happy disconnect with the world. One would to surprised to know, however, that Kottyam is the commercial centre for the state of Kerala. The city produces rubber to be exported to various states and other countries. While at Kottayam, one must visit the open market for buying the most unique and exquisite chips (banana, lady finger, butter gourd) and spices. The entire market area is walkable, although one can hire an auto or even tour the minimal length and breadth of the city by bus.

In the middle of the busy market place
Pic: Aditi Sharma

Let’s make a day

The district of Kottayam, which has majority of both, Christian and Muslim inhabitants, therefore, has churches and mosques, with the most breath-taking architecture.

Valiyapally, one of the biggest churches in Kottayam, sitting at the heart of the city, has an architecture that has a striking touch of the Persian rule. Thazhathangadi Mosque is about 1000 years old and is the important mosque, attracting the maximum pilgrims here.

The Hindu populace though limited and tight-knit has its own Shiva temple that attracts all the wandering eyeballs that visit the city. Thirunakkara Mahadeva Shiva temple, is the home to the most exquisite murals, with the decorations of various Hindi Gods around the place of worship.  

Almost like a center point to various other tourist places, Kottayam is the ideal take off point to Peermade, Munnar, Kumarakom, Thekkady, Ernakulam and Madurai. Just by hiring a cab, hopping onto a bus or taking the train, within a radius of a few kilometers, it is possible to make an eventful and exciting vacation, starting from Kottayam.

Pic: Aditi Sharma

A small and highly memorable town calls out to the restless souls to visit its land and take back home, a happy heart and a bag full of memories.