Kerala At A Glance

Think of Kerala and the first thing that comes to mind is a serene picture of waving palms and never ending row of beaches. A tropical paradise, Kerala is a narrow strip of coastal territory that slants down the Western Ghats descending over lush green vegetation, and meeting the Arabian Sea. Located on the Southwestern tip of India, Kerala is a land of unique geographical features that make it one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the Asian sub-continent. Adoringly referred to as ‘God’s Own Country’, Kerala was selected as one of the thirteen paradises on the earth and as one of the fifty destinations of a lifetime by the National Geographic Traveler Magazine.

Kerala is world renowned for its backwaters, spices, mountains, lush green vegetation and art forms such as Kathakali and Mohini Attam. A successful socialist state, Kerala's most admirable aspect is its outstanding liberal hospitality. Kerala offers world class tourist sporting options, eco-tourism initiatives, ayurvedic spas and treatments, a melange of tourist destinations ranging from beautiful high altitude blue mountains to immaculate rain forests to sun-kissed beaches.

History of Kerala

Kerala has always been an alluring destination for traders, who get fascinated by the whiff of its aromatic spices and impeccable shine of its ivory. The coast was a transit point for spices from Moluccas, a place in eastern Indonesia. Known to the Romans, the Phoenicians, the Arabs and the Chinese, the region was a very popular and busy port. Probably it was through Kerala that Chinese products found their way to the Western countries.

The empire of Cheras, established by the Dravidian tribe Villavar, ruled Kerala until the early middle ages, clashing with other kingdoms and feudal lords for trade and territory. With the arrival of Vasco da Gama's in the year 1498, the chains of colonialism started snarling at the region. Dutch, English and Portuguese interests fought Arab traders, and then amongst themselves to have an upper hand at the lucrative spice trade.

Today's Kerala was formed in 1956 from the former regions of Cochin, Travancore and Malabar. Age old traditions, value for arts and education resulted in a liberal state that is one of the most advanced in the country.

Geography & Climate

Kerala is flanked by the great Arabian Sea on the west, bordered by the state of Tamil Nadu on the east and Karnataka on the north. Being very close to the equator, Kerala enjoys a tropical climate. Heavy downpour is a prominent aspect of Kerala's climate, which makes it one of the wettest regions in the world. Kerala has three different seasons-summer, the monsoon period and winter. Summer reigns from mid-February to mid-May and the weather is really hot with temperature soaring upto 35°C during the noon. The monsoon arrives by mid-May and lasts upto early September. Winter in Kerala is mild, marked by the retreating south-east monsoon.

Demographics

A population of 31.8 millions lives in Kerala, predominantly of Malayali ethnicity. The rest comprises Arab and Jewish elements in both ancestry and culture. About 1.10% of Kerala's population is composed of its 321,000 indigenous tribal Adivasis, who are primarily concentrated in the east.

Kerala's official language is Malayalam. Tamil, Kannada, Tulu and various tribal languages are also spoken by ethnic minorities specifically in the south-western region. Kerala has the highest literacy rate in the country, and is a land of great religious diversity, where you will find temples, churches, mosques and even synagogues.

Heritage & Culture of Kerala

Kerala's rich culture finds its roots in Tamil-heritage region called as Tamilakam and southern coastal Karnataka. The native performing art "Koodiyattom" that is a 2000 years old Sanskrit theatre tradition, has been officially approved by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The very famous dance form-Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama, which belongs to Kerala. Kathakali has many offshoots namely Kerala Natanam, Mohiniaattam, Kaliyattam, Koothu, Theyyam, Thullal NS Padayani. Kerala's music too has ancient roots and Carnatic music overrides Keralite traditional music.

Further Read

Kerala Pulikali Dance Festival

Kerala Ayurvedic Destination

Coconut Bay Beach Resort In Kerala

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Finding My Moments At Tibetan Institute Of Performing Arts In Mcleodganj

Undoubtedly it’s a queer state of mind; when at home my spirit pulls me outside of security, conformity and family, and when wandering outside, my heart aches to find the same personal touches. So, I’ve again started my journey from the secured shell of home, fish and rice and come to my first love: mountains. Well, it was quite a tiring journey from Delhi to Mcleodganj took around 15 hours in buses. This is the second time I am here, Mcleodganj always excites me because of its Tibetan culture, colourful people, cleanliness, plenty of place where you can sit in solitude and of course cheap hotels. Everything has some significance in life so does travel. My traveling experiences in a sense illuminating, purifying my mind and communicates with right knowledge.

While strolling around TIPA (Tibetan Institute of Performing Art) I was thinking the reason behind involving in something, especially creative pursuits. I met a girl there who asked me whether I was interested in learning Tibetan music. I was just enjoying the musical performance by students; I didn’t want to learn anything new because enjoying something is learning itself.

The Chinese occupation in Tibet in 1959 forced Dalai Lama and some 1 lakh Tibetan to flee from their homeland. The communist government of China then transmuted a cultural integration program to dilute the existence Tibetan culture.

Indian government gave shelters to thousands of Tibetan in Dharamshala and various others parts of India. Dalai Lama took immediate steps to preserve the traditional performing arts, and thus TIPA was formed in 1959 just 4 months after 14th Dalai Lama came to India.

The institute is located at Mcleodganj and hosts students, artists, instructors, craftsmen and many other people. There are separate hostels for boys and girls, and open auditorium and a small but beautiful museum that showcases ancient Tibetan clothes, weaponry, artefacts and many other things.

Role of Lhamo in Tibetan Performing Art

Tibetan mask dance is popular and probably the most highlighted cultural art of Tibet. It was originated in the Tibetan Royal Dynastic period during 6th-9th century. The development of Lhamo is owed to 14th century Yogi Thangtong Gyalpo. The yogi realized that through the power of performing art one could transfer energy to another medium. So, in Buddhist tradition, especially in Tibet performing art is a medium for telling moral tales.

Lhamo is a daylong affair played outdoors, traditionally under a large circular canvas tent, through a unique style of song, dialogue, dance and pantomime. Cymbals and drums are the main musical instruments in Lhamo.

TIPA main responsibility is to preserve the ancient Lhamo tradition from the barefaced pro-Chinese propaganda. And till date it is working well.

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Adventure In Jungle Is Okay, But Beware Of Bite And Stings

Snake bite is the most deadly thing happens in jungle. Although serious snake bite is rare among travelers. Comparatively a few snakes are poisonous, and more often than not only manage to inject a small amount of venom. Even if venom has been injected, serious symptoms usually take hours, not minutes, to develop. A poisonous bite will usually show two fang marks, quite separated from a row of small tooth marks, which are not dangerous.

•    When walking outside, especially in long grass or thick undergrowth, carry a stick to beat the path in front of you. Wear boots, or strong shoes and trousers.

•    Keep the grass and other vegetation short around your house.

•    Never put your hand into holes, onto or under rock ledges or anywhere you cannot easily see if a snake is lurking.

•    Avoid climbing trees or rock covered in dense foliage.

•    Take care walking under overhanging tress or bushes.

•    If camping in an area where snakes are common, try to sleep on a bed or raised platform, at least one foot off the ground.

•    Avoid swimming in river matted with vegetation, in mangroves or muddy estuaries.

•    If you come across a snake, stay absolutely still until it slinks off.

•    If a snake bites you, don’t get panicked. Tension cause high-blood pressure consequently increases the poison to flow more speedily in the blood.

How to avoid leeches in jungle?

These are common in jungle areas and monsoon forests, usually lying in wait by the path. Leeches are dangerous only when attacked in numbers over a period of hours, when they can cause marked loss of blood.

Prevent leeches from biting you by wearing stout footwear and trouser tucked in at the ankles to boots or thick socks. Apply a DEET containing insecticide to your skin and soak trousers and socks in a leech to detach itself in anguish, but the wound bleeds and itches for some time afterwards and occasionally get infected if the biting part of the leech remains in the skin. Avoid swimming in forest lakes or rivers where water leeches are known to occur.

Beware of scorpions and spiders

These unusually bite only if annoyed. Avoid reaching into unlit corners, and shake any shoes before putting them on. Don’t walk barefoot in the jungle or anywhere else if scorpions are known to be present.
In scorpion-infested areas, camp sites should be checked and cleared of scorpion tunnels before pitching tents.

Most scorpion bites are very painful; only a few are dangerous, Central and South American, North African and some Indian species being the most notorious.

Spiders, with a few exceptions such as the Black Widow or Australian Redback, are rarely dangerous. Prevent and treat in the same way as for scorpions.

Potential threat from bees and wasps

There are two potential dangers for travelers. One is the rare attack by swarms of bees, usually in thundery weather (run fast or dive into water). The other danger, more common and easier to deal with, is the single sting if you are hypersensitive to bees, wasps or hornets.

If in the past you have had a severe reaction to a sting or have developed progressively worse reactions, take and keep with you at least two self-injectable ampoules of adrenaline such as Epipen, or Epipen Junior for children.

Nettle rash accompanied by swelling of the lips or tongue or wheezing are signs that you should use adrenalin straight away. In addition take a double dose of an antihistamine.

Other Biting Insects

Here are a few more that can cause grief to travelers:

•    Assassin bags also called kissing bugs, cone-nosed bugs, vinchucas. These cause Chagas disease in South America.

•    Chiggers are small red mites that cause skin irritation. They are common in East Asia, the Pacific Islands and South America. They can cause Scrub Typhus. Use DEET insect repellent and tuck trousers into socks where chiggers are known to occur.

•    Nairoby fly is common in East Africa in the rainy season. It is about half a centimeter long and is red, black and dark green. You should flick it off the skin and not crush it because it can cause intense skin irritation when squashed on the skin, especially near the eye. Apply calamine lotion or mild hydrocortisone to the skin and take histamines, seek medical advice if the eye is severely inflamed.

•    Sandflies causes intensely itchy bites in hot climates. They spread leishmaniasis and the less serious sandfly fever.

•    Tsetse flies spread sleeping sickness.

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How To Deal With Reverse Culture Shock?

Even if you are one of the lucky ones who can quickly adapt from one culture to another and feel as comfortable after ten days back in Taunton as during your ten years in Timbuktu, it may still be worth reading this.

The problem you face

The effect of coming back home after a long vacation from a place, which has so many contradictory elements, it is quite natural that you get thrown by the after effects. Reverse cultural shock is more than cultural shock because you may have assumed that usual comfort of your home, luxuries that you enjoy and your friends, all are waiting to hear your life-changing experiences in the remote corners of the world.

The problem starts a bit later. You arrive home, see the familiar road, much loved hygiene, and recount your fabulous experiences. All of these plus the respect you earn from your peers put you in high pedestal. But after a while this gradually seems to change. For no apparent reason you start to feel sick, restless, anxious or depressed; you start losing motivation and even your self-confidence. You feel bad about your surroundings, the stark materialism, run away from the machine life and confused about yourself. What can possibly the matter?

Medically you don’t have anything to worry. You are probably suffering from reverse cultural shock. You have a country that you fall in love; you enjoy, appreciate, the experiences you shared are the precious gifts for you. Now, you have lost a role and a clear place in the scheme of things. Apart from sadness, you may be shocked by what you find at home. You may feel like a messiah from a different world with insights and depth that nobody going to understand.

Further you are in deep dilemma; in one hand you want to reintegrate into the society that you are a part. On the other, you do not want to negotiate on the ideals you have learnt. Even in smaller aspects of life, you see a bigger picture. Is it morally justified for supermarkets to sell 52 different types of breakfast cereal? 

What are the solutions?

Don’t get panicked if you identify yourself with some of these symptoms. If you can’t relax, don’t worry either. Here are some suggestions that may help:

•    Recognize your feelings, write it down, and choose one or two friends with whom you can share your emotional problems. Try to get in touch with people who like you travel for long days. 

•    Keep in touch with overseas friends and projects. Don’t run away from the problem rather embrace it. There are always things you can do it for the country you fall in loved without really going there. Find a purpose for your work. 

•    Patience is the key. Reintegration will take its own due course of time. Let’s leave it for a while and engage yourself in regular work. You will learn the knack of accepting the good, avoiding the bad and recognizing what you can usefully do to help bring change within the limits of your gifts and energies.

•    If you are still restless and anxious, join a social group where you have a shared interest. It may be a church, evening class, a club, NGO, or anything. 

•    Take a holiday. Don’t take on too many assignments and speaking engagements until you have had a proper break, your slides have been developed and you’ve spent time with your family and friends.

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Shillong: On The Top Of Rain Drops

Barapani Lake (photo courtesy- Mayank Singh )

My father before retirement worked in the defense service, and had a transferable job. It is common thing for military personnel to transfer from one state to another in the course of their duty. So, inevitably we got the opportunity to see many places in India, stayed and mixed with native culture of the regions. When I was a teenager I had this opportunity to see the verdant hills of Shillong and lived there for some months with my father. Although I have had a good memory of my trip, still it's been a long time ago, so I have to research a bit on Shillong and some pieces from my memory to put it down as much as information I could. It is noted that the photos here are stock images and I've given due credit to photographers.

Shillong welcomes you with hoardings of Smirnoff and McDowell, as the region is tax free zone for alcoholic beverages. The beautiful drive from Guwahati to Shillong will anyway make you high. There are vast differences between Northern Indian Mountains and Eastern hills, the most prominent I feel Northern Himalayas are more aggressive in compare with the mellow and lush hills of Eastern Mountains of India.

Shillong street

If you haven’t still tasted the original momos, you can stop for a while at Nangpoh to relish some delicious chicken dumplings. The shimmering Barapani Lake and ubiquitous betel nut trees confirm you are in the Khasi zone. Shillong is hailed as Scotland of East, though I don’t like to compare any place with foreign region, still the salubrious climate and history of large number of Britons to settle in this small city of northeastern state testified the love comparability between Shillong and Scotland.

                                                             Things To See And Do

First thing you notice about this place is women. You’ve probably never seen such large number of beautiful women in any place of India. They are fashionable, joyful, free and a queer mixture of traditional culture and freshness. From the roadside tea stalls to large showrooms, they rule here. However, while seeing women, do not neglect the natural beauty of Shillong; lakes, peaks, falls and pine-covered mountains will leave a lifelong memory.

Water Beauties

The abundant water bodies are found everywhere in this ‘land of cloud’. The first water body you will encounter while coming from Guwahati is Umiam popularly known as Barapani Lake, 16 km before Shillong on NH40. The lake is the source of Umiam River, which is utilized to generate electricity. This big lake is an attraction of tourists because of facilities like water skiing, rowing, and speed boating. The picturesque lake is surrounded by verdant hills and a meadow.

Another popular place you can go is Ward Lake, which is situated exactly in the middle of the town. This lake is a standard picnic spot because of surrounded green meadows and colorful flowerbeds.  You can feed thousands of fish there but don’t think they will serve them as your dinner. Fishing is strictly prohibited here.

I remember Elephant Falls on the outskirts of Upper Shillong near the Indian Air Force office. It is specially show its true color during rainy season.

Ward Lake

See the Top from the Hill

Shillong Peak is perched at a height of 6,433 feet, offering a panoramic full view of Shillong city and its countryside.  The view is periodically changing into a mystery by floating clouds. If you are enthusiast of butterflies, you must visit Butterfly Museum nearby. State Museum showcases variety of items depicted Khasi lifestyle.

Beyond Shillong

Jowai

By the Myntdu River in the Jaintia Hills, Jowai is the second biggest town in the state and serves as the summer capital of the Jaintia kings, who still operate around the region. The place is dotted with limestone caves and temples, some famous caves are Krem Umlawan, Krem Kotsati, Krem Umshangktat and Krem Lashinng. Some caves have multiple entry point, some show you fossil passages.

10 km from Jowai, Naritiang invites curious archaeologists from all over the world for its stunning megaliths.

Cherrapunji – Mawsynram

It takes around 2 hours to reach these two wettest places in the world. Mawsynram has the highest annual rainfall rate in the world. Cherrapunji, the ‘Valley of Cloud’ has many things to offer, starting from huge waterfalls to numerous caves. If you are in the town don’t forget to taste roadside momos, fresh pineapple and tea. As a souvenir carry some orange honey from here.

Waterfalls in Cherrapunji (Photo courtesy: Shreyasi)

Thangkharang

If you love birds, explore Thangkhrang bird sanctuary located 12 km from Shillong city. You can also watch 180 degree view of Bangladesh border from here.

Ranikot

You may miss angling at various lakes in Shillong but you can fulfill you desire at Ranikot, 140 km from Shillong. It is anglers’ paradise for huge carps and other fresh water fish.

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Celebrate Free ticket giveaway for Ikea Swedish Crayfish Party

Ikea, Swedish giant retail store is going to celebrate Swedish crayfish party on Friday, August 17, 2013 in the U.S. Many buffet tickets have already been sold out in many stores, including all-you-can-eat crayfish and shrimp in their shells and other lip-smacking delicacies.

In Sweden crayfish festival is fun. The whole country is fashioned in crayfish – shops selling crayfish printed products, lanterns decorated in crayfish, glasses, plates especially for crayfish servings and many more. This red crustacean suddenly becomes a central figure among Swedish people.

In Sweden, tasty shellfish is accompanied with merry-making beverages. August starts with parties and celebration of catching the shellfish, they call it kräftor. The U.S crayfish, often called crawfish are boiled in brine typically like American cooks. These fish are savored cold along with other food. The boiling crayfish soup is also much relished by Americans.

With the summer end in Sweden, homes are in festive mood with friends and families gathered together for Crayfish Party. This is a simple party but lots of fun and merry-making when people gather together and eat crayfish, drink and enjoy the last touches of summer. In Sweden it is called Kräftskiva.

In August, at the end of the summer, it is traditional in Sweden to gather friends and family for a Crayfish Party. What is a Crayfish Party, you might ask? Simply put, it is a dinner party where you gather to eat crayfish, drink and enjoy the last weeks of summer. In Swedish, a crayfish party is called a Kräftskiva, and if you are in Sweden in August you can be sure to hear a lot of talk about Kräftskivor! It is perfectly conventional to tear your crayfish with slurping noise and extract the juicy meat inside the shellfish. Mostly parties are held in outdoors with decoration of colorful paper lanterns, tablecloth and fashioned comic hats on heads. Strong cheese and beer are the most favorite side dishes along with delicious crayfish.

Picture Courtesy of Ikea

The risk of overfishing made crayfish safe whole year except in the late summer till 20th century. Crayfish Party concept came from this time when these shellfish lovers gathered together to savored the freshly caught crustaceans. People generally celebrate it in the early August and stretch it throughout the month. Earlier it was much fun when people went to catch crayfish themselves; these days, lots of crayfishes are available in supermarket, importing from China and the U.S. However, nationality comes first so does the consensus that the Swedish crayfish is the tastier.

You may find tickets in Ikea stores for the entry of crayfish festival. The summer smorgasbord costs you $9.99 for adults and $2.49 for children 12 and under. Those are not so lucky to join the party, can do their own parties in their homes. You can buy precooked crayfish Swedish style at Ikea’s in-store. If you spend $16.99, you will get a 2.2 pound box of Krafton frozen cooked Chinese crayfish in Ikea store.

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