Kanyakumari is at the southernmost tip of India. That is where three bodies of water meet: the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. I stared out, trying to see some differential in the water, like lines … Continue reading
Author Archives: krista hansen
Kovalam- Beach Town
Kovalam turned out to be a sleepy little beach town, well about as sleepy as India can get. It is quiet though, away from the honking of car horns. Quaint little shops line the beach, filled with merchandise that is … Continue reading
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
“This! Baby elephant!” our guide said as he leaned over a particular pile of poop. He leaned closer, and then smiled up at us, “Not too far away.” My husband’s daughter looked incredibly hopeful. We had been following elephant … Continue reading
Tea and other Scenes from Periyar
Periyar- Fire and a Spice Tour
We decided to visit Periyar with its beautiful rolling hills, tea farms, and nature preserve, because my husband’s children had joined us for a few weeks and we wanted to show them a good time. We also wanted a closer … Continue reading
Allepe and the Backwaters of Kerala: Part Three- St Thomas’ Church
A largely Christian area of India, Kerala is a matriarchal society, and currently communist. The women must be doing a good job, because education is high, everyone speaks English, and Kerala is the wealthiest part of India. We were once … Continue reading
Allepe and the Backwaters of Kerala: Part Two
Down Kerala’s watery fingers, we serenely floated in our rice boat by small homes on strips of land as wide as the house. Rice fields flank the canals, where men and women bath and wash their clothing and dishes. Here … Continue reading
Allepe and the Backwaters of Kerala- Part One
In Southern Kerala where the rivers meet the ocean, there are tips of land that jut out through the waters like fingers, Kerala’s backwaters. Fisherman used to bring rice and other goods up and down the backwaters on large boats … Continue reading
Old Kochi
Kerala is the state next to Tamil Nadu, is a major tourist destination, and treated as such. (Our friend’s son told us that it is commonly joked that the trash stops at the state line between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.) … Continue reading
Waterfalls on our Way to Kerala
We saw another waterfall on our way to Kerala. I forgot to get the name! This one is a pilgrimage site, and therefore filled with people. Vendors line the water in canopied huts piled with fresh fruits and vegetables and … Continue reading
Athoor Falls- a Hike Through Some of Tamil Nadu’s Unspoiled Wilderness
We jumped in the jeep wrangler. It was a two-seat jeep but there was a metal bench on each side of the rear and also a ramp that could be pulled down hanging off the back. We started off down … Continue reading
Some More Danushkodi and Rameswaram’s Twenty-Two Wells
Down by the shore, several fishermen stood lined up along the shore, pulling a line attached to a boat. Thousands of tiny dead fish lay scattered across the sand, and as my eyes darted from the fish to the huge … Continue reading
Dhanushkodi: an Oceanside Ghost Town Full of Fishermen
We had driven South of the small town of Rameswaram, until we reached a spot where our driver pulled over and turned off the car. “The car can’t go any further than this. You have to take a truck.” he … Continue reading
The Bridge to Rameswaram
Rameswaram is an island off the southeast coast of India, connected to the mainland by a long, concrete bridge. We stopped at the top of the bridge, with a bunch of other people, to watch the current sweep underneath. There … Continue reading
Some Scenes from Around Madurai
Alagar Koyil- Part Two
This post is the second part of our Alagar Koyil journey! ( BTW I’m not sure if I’m spelling it right- I see it as Koil & Kovil, too?) Alagar Koyil is overrun with people, vendors, animals, as busy and … Continue reading
Alagar Koyil- Part One
When we arrived at Alagar Koyil, we left our shoes, and walked quietly around the large granite structure with columns engraved with different depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses rising into the air. I missed our host, with her enthusiastic … Continue reading
Celebrating Karthigai Festival with the Children
We headed back to the Jain Hillside Temple where a certain family had been carrying Shiva up the side of the mountain, and lighting it at the top for untold years. That night they would allow others in on the … Continue reading
A Hearty Welcome at School with a Traditional Tamil Nadu Dance
Our host had arranged for Kevin to speak with a children’s school about American and Tamil culture. We pulled up to the school in our auto-rickshaw. A row of children lined the path on each side, all of them waving … Continue reading
Jain Hillside Temple in Madurai
Our host decided to dress me up for my birthday. I got an Indian outfit, pearl jewelry, and my hair done with flowers and a braid. We drove to the hills where we were going to see a Jain cave … Continue reading