Chempazhanthi - Sree Narayana Guru's birthplace

Today, an impulse took me to Chempazhanthi, Sree Narayana Guru's birth place.

Kappil Bhagavati Bhadrakaali Temple, Kollam

Beautiful Mandapam

Iravipuram, Quilon

Iaavipuram is a picturesque locality near Kollam (Quilon). On the one side of the road you see backwaters and on the other the vast beautiful sea.

These local boys insisted we take their photos

The Hansita ship

The ship Hansita marooned at Kollam Mundakkal beach is now a tourist attraction. Ever since its owners failed to pay the repair and wharfage charges, the port had made it anchor some three nautical miles away from the shore. A few months ago it broke loose and washed ashore and now is sand-trapped. In dim light it resembles the 'Black Perl' of 'The Pirates of Caribbean'

On the way to Trivandrum we saw the ship on the beach and thought of taking some snaps.

കൊല്ലം മുണ്ടക്കൽ ബീച്ചിൽ ഏതാനും മാസങ്ങൾക്ക് മുൻപ് വന്നടിഞ്ഞ ഹാൻസിറ്റാ കപ്പൽ ഇന്ന് ടൂറിസ്റ്റുകൾക്ക് ഒരു കൗതുകമാണ്. നന്നാക്ക് കൂലി കൊടുക്കാതിരുന്നതിനാൽ പോർട്ട് അധികൃതർ വിട്ടുകൊടുക്കാതെ മൂന്ന് വര്ഷങ്ങളായി തീരത്തു നിന്നും മൂന്ന് നോട്ടിക് മൈൽ മാറി നങ്കുരമിട്ട് പിടിച്ചു കെട്ടിയിരുന്ന കപ്പൽ അതും പൊട്ടിച്ചു തീരത്ത് എത്തിയതായിരുന്നു. മണ്ണിൽ പുതഞ്ഞു പോയതിനാൽ കപ്പലങ്ങനെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ടതു പോലെ കിടക്കയാണ്. അരണ്ട വെട്ടത്ത് കണ്ടാൽ 'പൈറേറ്റ്സ് ഓഫ് കരീബിയൻ' സിനിമയിലെ ബ്ലാക്ക് പേളിനെ അനുസ്മരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന നിഴലുകൾ. ഇതുവരെ പോവാത്ത ഒരു വഴിയിലൂടെ തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തിന് മടങ്ങുമ്പോളാണ് ഇത് കാണുന്നത്. ചില ചിത്രങ്ങൾ.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/060716/sand-trapped-ship-now-a-tourist-attraction-in-kollam.html

Beautiful Kollam (Quilon)

This picture was taken at Kappil on the way from Kollam to Varkala. 

കായലിന്റെ മാറിൽ

കായലിന്റെ മാറിൽ

ഇരുട്ടിന്റെ നിറവിൽ
തുഴയാനെന്ത് സുഖം 

അലയാനെന്തു രസം

Vagabonding

I'm in a coffee shop at Kalpetta, Wayanadu on the way to attend a funeral. A truck carrying a container to collect coffee and other produces from Kudag stops by. The coffee vendor wonders, "ho! What all places this fellow (container) must have visited! Cold, hot, beautiful, barren, warring, friendly and hostile lands! So lucky!". Was there a hint of jealousy, I'm not sure.

Thycattussery St. Antony's feast and pamplemousse

Today (9th Oct 2016) is Thycattusserry St. Anotony's feast. A few decades ago this was an important day for the people around Thycattusserry. The church was very crowded in those days. On this day, Kambili Naranga (Pamplemousse) was the main attraction. Most would return home with at least one on the shoulder.

Today, I could not locate a single vendor of this fruit. No crowd! No traders! The feast has become a quiet affair.

From Kelamparampil house front-yard at Thycattusserry

Forbidden fruit?

I found this fruit on the widespread climber on the outer walls of Trivandrum Technopark. It looks ominously beautiful and positively poisonous. Not sure though.

Country boat repairing at Pallippuram

In my childhood, the sound "tak tak" was almost prominent all through the day at Pallippuram. Somewhere on the lakeside there would always be a repair work on country boats taking place. Those were huge boats mainly used for transportation of goods. The repairing process involved replacing the borer-ridden planks and stitching the new planks together with coir and coir fiber. The repaired boat would be coated with sardine oil so that it would be smooth and agile on the water. The stink from the oil would be dominating and intolerable. Recently I saw a repair session in progress on a small country boat as shown in the picture.

യു. എ. ഖാദറിന്റെ 'ചാത്തു'

യു. എ. ഖാദറിന്റെ 'ചാത്തു' - കോഴിക്കോട് അൻസാരി പാർക്കിൽ നിന്നും   

ആനവാരിയും പൊൻകുരിശും നവകമിതാക്കളും

ആനവാരിയും പൊൻകുരിശും നവകമിതാക്കളും - കോഴിക്കോട് അൻസാരി പാർക്കിൽ നിന്നും (8-April-2016).

From Calicut beach on an Arpil evening

കോഴിക്കോട് ബീച്ചിൽ നിന്നും ഒരു ഏപ്രിൽ സന്ധ്യാനേരത്ത് 

വെള്ളായണി, താമരക്കായൽ (Vellayani, the lotus lake)!

The 1979 black and white Malayalam movie "Vellayani Paramu" was about a legendary local Robin Hood. The popular movie had made the place Vellayani quite famous in those days. Recently I happened to watch the movie again in YouTube and suddenly an urge came over me to visit the place in person.

വെള്ളായണി പരമു എന്ന മലയാളം സിനിമ കൊണ്ട് കേരളം മുഴുവൻ അറിഞ്ഞ സ്ഥലപ്പേരാണ് വെള്ളായണി. നസീറും ജയനും സോമനും അടൂർ ഭാസിയുമൊക്കെ അഭിനയിച്ച ആ സിനിമയിലെ "വില്ലടിച്ചാൻ പാട്ടു പാടി.." എന്ന ദേവരാജൻ മാഷ് സംഗീതം ചെയ്ത പാട്ടിലും "വെള്ളായണി അകലെ അകലെ" എന്ന് സ്ഥലനാമപരാമർശമുണ്ട്. പഴയ ഈ സിനിമ ഇയ്യിടെ വീണ്ടും കാണാനിടയായി. അപ്പോൾ അടുത്തുള്ള വെള്ളായണി കാണാൻ മോഹമായി.



One must see the lake in person to appreciate its beauty! Decorated with lotus, the lake provides an experience you will never forget. You must visit the place early in the morning before the flowers get plucked by the local temples.

വെള്ളായണി തടാകം ഒന്ന് കാണേണ്ടത് തന്നെ. നിറയെ താമര ഇലകളുമായി ഒരു കായൽ. പൂക്കൾ ധാരാളമുണ്ടാകുമെങ്കിലും ആരൊക്കെയോ നേരം വെളുക്കുമ്പോഴേ അതൊക്കെ പറിച്ച് കൊണ്ട് പോകും. അല്ലായിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ ഹാ! പൂക്കളില്ലാതെ തന്നെ മനോഹരമായ ഈ കായൽ കാഴ്ച അതിലും ഗംഭീരമായേനെ!






A tar road that passes through divides the lake into two. Renting a local country boat we can roam in the lake and see unpicked flowers on a remote area on the northern part. 

ഇറുക്കപ്പെടാതെ അവശേഷിച്ച പൂക്കളോട് കൂടിയ ഒരു മൂലയുമുണ്ട് കായലിൽ എങ്കിലും, അത് കാണണമെങ്കിൽ വള്ളമെടുത്തു പോകണം. അത് പിന്നീടൊരിക്കൽ.

We saw a cattle farm on the east side of the lake. Under the tree shades enjoying cool breeze were cows of many breeds. The farmhands were busy milking and washing.

കായലിന്റെ സമീപത്തു ഒരു പശു വളർത്തു കേന്ദ്രവുമുണ്ട്. അവിടെ കായൽക്കാറ്റുമേറ്റ് കുറെ പശുക്കൾ മേയുന്നു. അവരെ പരിപാലിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് കുറേപ്പേരും.






We see signs tat this wonder lake is now meeting its nemesis. The irresponsible has always a way or two to make a beautiful canvas dirty. The doom days are not far as the expanse is diminishing, plastic piles up and the greed flourishes!

Nowadays, I am more of a pessimist!

അത്ഭുത ഭംഗിയുള്ള ഈ മനോഹര തീരത്തിലെ ഈ കുളിർകാഴ്ചകൾക്ക് ഒടുക്കം വെയ്ക്കാൻ മറു കാഴ്ചകൾ ഏറെ!

മനോഹരമായ ചിത്രങ്ങൾ കണ്ടാൽ സഹി കെടുന്ന കുറെ ഏറെപ്പേർ നമ്മുടെ ചുറ്റുമുണ്ട്. അവർ ഈ കായൽ ചിത്രത്തിൽ കരി തേച്ചു കൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കുന്നു, തീരങ്ങളിലൊക്കെ വെട്ടിപ്പിടുത്തം. മാലിന്യവർണങ്ങളണിഞ്ഞു വെള്ളായണിയമ്മ കുളിക്കാതെ കുറിതൊടാതെ നിൽക്കുന്ന കാലം അധികം അകലെയല്ല. അതിന്റെ ഒരുക്കങ്ങൾ ഇപ്പോഴേ തുടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു.

ഞാനൊരു അശുഭാപ്തി വിശ്വാസി ആയിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു!

Vechoor bull near Vellayani Lake?

On the east side of Trivandrum Vellayani lake there is a farm. Among the various breeds of cows and bulls there, one particular bull attracted my attention. It looked similar to cows in Kerala of an early era. We used to have this kind of short cows in almost every farmer's house. In fact in our family too we had them. When I asked a farmhand, he said it is a bull of Vehoor breed, a diminishing species. I am no cattle expert and not sure if the claim was correct. Also, I can't say if the cows we had at our home were of Vechoor breed as that was long ago. Here is the picture.



More info on Vechoor cattle is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vechur_Cattle

Perumbalam is still green!

It was on Sunday 4th September we visited Perumbalam, an island north of Pallippuram Desom. Secluded, serene and beautiful Perumbalam often witnesses nature enthusiasts from all over the world. In my college days, we used to visit this place for unadulterated toddy, which was in abundance. We enjoyed the product direct from the source!



From Panavally boat jetty on the mainland it is a ten minutes ferry to Perumbalam.  The journey is enjoyable for the shortness and lake scenes.



We reached Panavally early morning and the jetty was nearly empty. Our plan was for a short visit to Perumbalam island, so we did not take our car to the island though there was a Junkar service available. We parked our car near the open space at the jetty.

The beautiful Pnavally boat jetty

The life scenes on the lake was always a fascination for me.

A fisherman

Perumbalam Jetty

When we reached Perumbalam, we enquired an auto-rickshaw driver of places of interest. He took us to the north end of the island where a beautiful temple was located. The temple premises were calm and one could spend the day there in meditation. The auto driver gave us his mobile number so that we could call him when we were through our sight seeing. There are no other transportation available on the island.

The Devi temple

We roamed around the place quite some time and saw some of the most beautiful backwater scenes in the island.

From North of Perumbalam

Perumbalam has most of its paddy fields uncultivated for years. They all are now grazing fields for cattle. We found this cow very friendly. She responded positively when I offered her some grass. She resembled the cow we had forty years ago. My mother called her Nandini.

The fields were full of 'potta chelli' weeds. Though cows like the weed, it caused  them to go on a loose motion spree. I remember having difficult times cleaning the cattle shed in the morning after Nandini was fed on this weed the day before.

We saw an abandoned flex board congratulating the heroics of a local boy named Arjun Santosh who crossed the lake by swimming to his school on the mainland and back home every day. 

This was in protest against the government's negligence on the island about the lack of a bridge connecting it to the mainland. He continued his protest for seven days with media supporting him till authorities intervened and the ruling party promised a budget allocation for the bridge. Hopefully the bridge materializes and the transportation woes are resolved. Sadly a bridge would cause this place losing its serenity though.

The south end of the village has some resorts and there too beautiful scenery delights you. We saw a resort occupying an entire island off Perumbalam. We learned that the court had ordered that this resort be demolished as it was illegal. 

We returned to Panavally and the jetty was crowded. To our horror we found another car parked behind ours, blocking our exit. We checked with the shopkeeper nearby who said this had happened many times in the past. The car owner might have gone to the island. It was even worse that there were many weddings taking place on Perumbalam island on that day. She (the shopkeeper) was not sure when the blocking car's owner would return from the island or who the owner was. 

To our relief we found a slip on the windshield of the blocking car regretting any inconvenience caused by his act and his mobile number. We called him on the mobile and was informed that he would be back in half hour. We waited an hour with no sign of his return, then fortunately the car next to us took off and we were saved. In the meanwhile we roamed around the jetty taking some more photos.

The Junkar Service

Prankful waiting at the jetty.

Vagamon - a bovine heaven!

If you were a cow you should be born in Vagamon for it is a bovine heaven! If green would make you happy, this place is for you. The meadows, the streams and the pleasant climate will make you forget the miles you have to go before you sleep.

View from one of the green hills

On 18th, when we visited the place the light was harsh and the sky uninspiring for a photo enthusiast.

Since it was Onam holidays the place had witnessed lot of local tourists. They came in groups and climbed the hills with extended selfie sticks and camera phones protruding above them.



We settled for sometime on one of the hills enjoying the scenery. Suddenly a butterfly took off from one of the groups and fluttered around the hilltop incessantly.

The butterfly

Many of the tourists who had brought food and loads of plastics littered the place inconsiderately.

The place is sparsely inhabited and well preserved. Farming, laboring in tea estates and tourism are the ways of life here. The locals are mostly farmers or farm laborers.

A village woman on her way home

A warning!

At one end of Vagamon (here the road ends) we see a waterfall, where many tourists spend their day. Beyond that place is a forest pathway full of boulders. Not far from there is Pine hills (one can explore that place by walking, though we decided otherwise)

The water fall

A lonely cow

During the early half of the day the green started growing on us and time moved too fast. At the end of the day it became overwhelming and boring as the realization set in that green is not the only thing in life. Then, regretting we started our descent.