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
Tag Archives: South India
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
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
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
Thirumayam Fort- Final Stop on the Road trip to Madurai
The Thirumayam Fort appears seemingly out of nowhere- poking out of rocks on a large hill. We enjoyed the reason to get out of the car and stretch a bit. Some of the walls are crumbling. There is a colorfully … Continue reading
Clay Horses and Fertility Wishes at a Tree Temple Near Pudukkottai- Second Stop on the Roadtrip to Madurai
Our hosted wanted to stop at a temple along the way. Not much marked it, just a small trip off the main road. Several men in lungis stood outside, waiting for us, or anyone, to get out of the car. … Continue reading
Planting Rice- Our First Stop on the Trip to Madurai
Everyone climbed into our host’s vehicle for our drive to Madurai. We passed endless fields of rice, the laid back feel of South India a refreshing change. Beautiful women clothed in colorful saris bent over row after row after row … Continue reading
The Drive to Tanjore
We hired a driver for our trip from Pondicherry to Tanjore. The roads were still flooded from the recent cyclone, so we drove slowly under a clear blue sky, past fields of rice and small thatched-roofed mud houses, some with … Continue reading
Hogenakkal Falls- A Most Spectacular Place to See
On our arrival at Hogenakkal Falls, we came to a booth next to a small rope bridge. The bridge spanned a gorgeous river which had cut its way through a large ravine over a long patient span of time. As … Continue reading