God's own country

Dear Friends,

Travelled to Trivandrum to attend a marriage.

Went by Jet Airways noon flight. Asked for a window seat to enjoy the sights on the way.

Until we flew along the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, it was mostly dry with a few green fields here and there and waterways were not many.
After half hour into the flight, suddenly there appeared mountains and peaks of white snowy clouds. Some were gray and heavy with rain ready to pour the bounty on earth anytime. Down below, one could hardly see buildings which were far apart. I guessed we had crossed into Kerala.

As we neared our destination, there was a blanket of coconut trees and the banana plantations with tiled houses or buildings under them. The multi storeyed ones stood out like sore thumbs. Looked like humans were taking the hint from those tall trees to grow vertically indicating land was becoming scarce here too, where manufacturing industries are far and few in between. Kerala's economy thrives on tourism, Ayurveda, other service industries like hospitality, medical tourism, etc.

On my return journey I took the Chennai Mail which took us through the length of Kerala. We passed through Kochu Veli, Veli, Chenganaserri, Kottayam, etc. It was noon and through the hot sun those gray clouds would shed some rain here and there making the air cool as we went by.

At Kottayam, which happens to be my mother-in-law's birth place, felt a sting in my eyes as tears filled in. It was her most loved place. She would regale me with stories about life in this place though I had never set foot there till now. Maybe one day I shall land at Kottayam where her ancestral lands are tilled by her brothers' families till date. Her eyes bright and happy as she would recount those boat rides on the backwaters flowing beyond their backyards! How her father would ferry the produce of coconuts, rice husk and other agriculture produce in boats from their lands far away. I asked her soul to bless all our families from wherever she was right now.

I bought cashews, jackfruit chips, banana chips popularly known as the nendram varuval, some appalams and papadams which are made locally. The flavors are so very different from what we get in Tamil Nadu.

This trip would not be complete without a must visit to the famed Ananthapadmanabha Swamy temple. Its housed in a huge complex. Mahavishnu is reclining with Mahalakshmi by his side and other deities in attendance while he rests serenely with his right hand holding a lotus, almost touching ground where lord Shiva represented by a lingam is consecrated. Brahma, the creator rises from Mahavishnu's navel is present too. The holy Trinity are in attendance to hear out the devotees wishes. The reclining figure cannot be seen as a whole since its a huge carving. There are 3doors and the devotees have to pass in front of each door to view a section of the lord.

May Mahavishnu bless us all with good health, peace and all-round prosperity.

Mahalakshmi.