Eco Project at Gavi to woo more tourists to Kerala
Published June 16, 2010 | 
The Eco Toursim Project launched at Gavi by Kerala Forest Department, is an added advantage to the Kerala‘s tourism sector. The project is sure to draw more tourists, especially from European countries. It is mainly intended at nature lovers and adventure tourists. Gavi Eco Tourism package include elephant safaris and trekking in the deep jungles of Gavi near Munnar, which is otherwise not open to the public.
Gavi, recently have had a gradual increase in the tourists inflow since ‘Alistair International’, the world acclaimed tourism major listed it among the leading eco-tourism centres and one of the must-see places in India. The Gavi Eco project highlight the involvement of the local folk in activities as guides, gardeners and cooks. This will provide a livelihood for them and as well, help to create awareness on conservation of nature. 
The nature loving visitors can enjoy trekking, wildlife watching and outdoor camping in specially built tents and go on night safaris. Whilst wildlife watching, you might luckily spot certain rare species of animals like Nilgiri Tahr and Lion-tailed Macaque, and if you are a bird watcher, the great pied Hornbill, Woodpecker, Kingfishers etc. If you are healthy and have keen interest to go on a trekking, take a short trek along the hill to the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple. Make sure that you don’t miss Paradise Cove at Ninnumulli. The placid waters of Gavi and Kochupamba lakes can engage you in boating and canoeing. The road leading to Gavi is picture perfect with tea plantations, and En route to Gavi are the places of interest like Mundakkayam, Kuttikkanam, Peermedu and Vandiperiyar.
Gavi is surely a place that should not be missed in one’s lifetime. Gavi is pristine, and it belongs to the wild. Every visitor should keep in mind that they are responsible for their intentions and actions, which will have a bearing on the upkeep of Gavi for a long time to come.
Commercial deep water diving- A new job option in Kerala!
Published June 15, 2010 | 
A land of beaches, spirituality, ayurveda and mouth watering cuisines, Kerala has brought up a new idea of deep water diving that gives a great opportunity for all adventure seekers to enjoy and also earn their daily bread. Becoming a business opportunity with added perks for all sports lovers, this sport is a promising career for youngsters in Kerala who are seeking jobs in Middle East and other countries.
A diving act of descending into deep water with usually a breathing apparatus and remaining there for an extended period, deep water diving is used in fishing pearls, corals and also in the work of underwater structures. Commercial deep water diving involves any manmade underwater equipment where divers need to work on ships, bridges, dams and other projects, anywhere there is water.
An easy way to get acquainted with the underwater environment, this activity has become a major stream nowadays in bringing lots of employment opportunities not alone in Kerala, but also Lakshadweep Islands, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Though it is dangerous to an extent, it needn’t be taken very seriously. It is not something that you can just go out and do nor can be learned easily from a book, one needs practice and for that you need to go for a training session. Driven by Wilfred C. Manuel and his brothers in Interdrive in Kochi, this place provides training to those who need an adventurous career that is exciting, demanding and totally different.
This job offers great pay and regular promotions. There will always be a need for commercial divers as long as there is water in this universe and if there is anybody interested, pick this career choice and earn your living!
Recommendation to replace elephants with chariots in Trissur Pooram
Published June 14, 2010 | 
Caparisoned Elephants may be replaced by decked up chariots in Thrissur pooram if the proposal put forward by the Coimbatore- based management advisors K Anantharaman and Associates and students of MBA programme of the West Fort Higher Education Trust here come true. The study on the management of Thrissur Pooram had focused mainly on the elephant participation vis a vis serious objections raised by animal lovers, who were distressed by the inhuman treatment meted out to these gentle giants.
Elephants have been closely associated with Kerala temples and its festivals since time immemorial and Malayalees share deep sentiments with these animals. Nonetheless, off late there have been many issues regarding the torture and pathetic conditions under which these mute animals were paraded in the scorching sun for many hours together for temple festivals like pooram.
The study report has suggested to the introduction of ornate chariots that can carry parasols and other decorations as replacement to elephants. It is easy to adjust the heights of chariots and can also be decorated with electrical lightings. Without getting deep into the emotional angle of the issue, the study report has also suggested to bring down the noise levels of pooram fireworks and pyrotechnics. The study report which was released in Thrissur has incorporated many points that were discussed thread bare in the last several years. The changes proposed in the report may be seriously looked into and in that event, the cultural capital of Kerala, Thrissur will be hosting pooram sans the grandeour of caparisoned elephants in future.
Kerala tourist hotels turn vegan!
Published June 11, 2010 | 
With the steady increase in the inflow of domestic travelers, especially from the cash rich states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, Kerala hotels have come up with a predominantly vegetarian menu to cater to the eclectic tastes of Jains and other sects who are purely vegetarians. Kerala has become a vegetable dishes-preferred tourist spot, shedding its pseudonym of being a ‘meat-eaters’ paradise’.
The tourism industry has come up with an array of lip smacking vegetable recipes to cater to the vegetarian palates of domestic travelers, which made up 10 percent of the total domestic tourist footfalls that was pegged at 7.8 million last year.
“Pomfret fry or beef curry may be the dining nirvana for some travellers, but an ‘only-vegetarian kitchen’ is essential for many Indian travellers,” Kerala Tourism director M Sivasankar told.
The tourism department has asked 500 star hotels to set up exclusive vegetarian kitchens as part of its Dream Season Campaign. KTDC has started serving vegetarian meals in house boat cruises and in the coming days , more operators might join this trend.
The inflow of rich Jain families is equally high. “We are also taking more care to make foods preferred by the Jain community available,” says Paulson Pookkattil, chef in a houseboat.
With the volcano ash in Europe and the British airways strike threatening to bring down the number of foreign tourist inflow in the coming days, the tourism industry is pinning its hopes on domestic tourism, which is on a steady growth track.
Kerala on the London South Bank
Published June 10, 2010 | Kerala Carnival 2010 visits Coin Street on London’s South Bank near the National Theatre. Festivities open at midday on the 7th July 2010 and finally close at 6pm on the 8th July.
The festival features ayurveda, Kerala cuisine, dance and music and is an opportunity for visitors to experience something of Kerala without leaving Britain. According to the organisers, “The carnival riverfront will be lined with stalls of Keralite food, handicrafts, massage oils, ayurveda packs and much more. Festival goers will also be treated to a spectacular showcase of Keralite music and dance on stage.”
Ronaldo and Rooney to take Malabar by storm!
Published June 10, 2010 | 
The demigods of soccer like Messi, Ronaldo and Rooney are taking the Malabar Coast by storm. Kozhikode is one such city where football is not just a sport but a way of life or a passionate religion for many. The world cup football fever which will be on in a few hours is turning endemic in the nerves of Malabar! The sprouting fans associations, colorful graffiti and life sized flex boards of some of the best known names in soccer industry- everything speak of the high voltage excitement in the air! Some sports clubs are parading the ‘Jubalani’ the official ball of the world cup 2010 in street corners and schools and conducting bike rallies with the flags of their favorite teams to build up the tempo and to gather interest among the local populace. The shops are doing brisk sales of football jerseys while the coffee table chatter sessions of the youths revolve around the possible winning teams and the best players these days.
The football lure is all set to conquer the sweet toothed as well. The bakeries have stocked an impressive line up of cakes with icing modeled on the flags of the football playing countries and the popular footballers of the world! Not many places follow soccer as passionately as Calicut, where people sleep, drink and breathe this exciting game of 11x 2 players chasing a ball! In case you are coming down to this city, which is sweltering under soccer fever, make sure that you are updated with all the relevant facts and figures so that you don’t run the risk of being sidelined from the soccer chatter sessions!
Late night hours and high pitched ecstasy and excitement that span over a full month is on the cards for the folks of this city, which is waiting for the kick off with bated breath. The countdown has started…Malabar is all set to unfurl the Mexican flag frenzy to the whirl of the song ‘Ale Ale Ale’. Are you ready to join them for the big show?
Kerala's Snake Boat Cruise in Thames River – Will they make it this year?
Published June 9, 2010 | A proposal brought by the global Keralites association – Keraleeyam, which has its roots in Britain, to showcase Kerala’s Snake Boat Race before Queen Elizabeth on London’s Thames River next month seems to be lagging due to the insufficient funds for the transportation of the crew and the boat. 
The organisation-Keraleeyam brought this proposal with an interest in showcasing the race as part of a trial run of the inaugural ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. Queen Elizabeth II is expected to watch the event on July 8th. The Kerala State Govt. had sanctioned a sum of Rs.1 Crore for the event, but this seems to be insufficient. The organisers have made superstar Suresh Gopi the brand ambassador for the event. Suresh Gopi and his Fans Association have agreed to collect a sum of Rs.20 Lakhs which is required to be paid for the Shipping Corporation only for the transportation of Snake Boat to London. Money is still required for the remaining funds and visa for the 120 oarsmen. Kerala have sought the financial help from the Central Government towards this purpose. “If we can’t make it happen this time, we will do it next year,” says the unchallenged actor Suresh Gopi.
The length of a snake boat made out of ‘anjili wood’ varies from 120 to 140 feet. If the snake boat finally makes it to London, then after the event it would be gifted to be placed in a museum there.
The Snake Boat Race, which is part of Kerala’s culture and is annually conducted as Nehru Trophy Boat Race is an event that have raised interest and spirit of Keralites as well as foreigners. The origin of the race dates back to 1952 when an impromptu event was conducted in honour of the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who was visiting the state. Nehru was so thrilled by the performance. On returning to Delhi, Nehru donated a silver trophy- a replica of a snake boat placed on a wooden abacus with an inscription and his signature. This trophy is given away every year to the winner of the boat race held at Alappuzha.
If this cultural event of our small state Kerala could make it to present for the trial run next month, it will be something that we Keralites can take pride of.
Edakkal Caves- Only evidence of stone age man in South India!
Published June 8, 2010 | 
If you have an interest for historic places and a passion for trekking, Edakkal caves is the right place for you to explore. Situated in Wayanad in northern Kerala, these caves are formed by two boulder sized rocks in the middle of Ambukutty mala mountain and is considered to be one of the earliest centre of human habitation. Edakkal literally means “a stone in between”. The two natural rock formations represents the world’s largest pictographic gallery of its kind.
Known for the prehistoric carving (petroglyps) all across, it belonged to the neolithic tribe and was not alone inhabitated by just one group, but was home to various tribes at different points of history. Discovered in 1890 during a hunting trip by the then superintendent of Police, Fred Fawcett in the Malabar district, it is carpeted with ancient stone scripts, pictorial wall inscriptions of human and animal figures and also cave drawings. One of the carvings also depicts a certain practice conducted by the tribes in those days. Similar cave drawings have only been found in Stiriya in the European Alps and a few other rocky places in Africa, which is considered to be 7000 years old.
Another distinct feature of the cave is that of the fresh water flowing through the creeks and forming a small pool inside the mountain, which add to charm to serenity. A walk to the cave is very tiring, but it is a perfect place for trekking although it is adventurous going through the slippery steep fields and worth trying.
Attracting historians and archaeologists from all over the country, it is a cradle for human civilization at different stages in the history. One of the famous monuments of the state, it answers to the many queries regarding our ancestors and their evolutions..
Give me back the anonymity of Kerala of the yesteryears!
Published June 4, 2010 | 
Let’s be frank about it. I think , given a chance, many of us would love to go back in time to the old life style of Kerala, even if it means to be a bit slow, lackluster and mundane. Life in Kerala was much better than what we are destined to put up with now in the name of development and modernity; atleast that is what I realized during my weekend ramble along Kerala .
The onward journey to Ooty in the neighbouring State of Tamilnadu was enjoyable and hassle free. We had set out much before the day break; much before the Kerala high ways get chokeful with vehicles from all over India, bringing in food supplies to the famished Keralites, who shamelessly depend on other states for everything from grocery to milk, meat , egg and even flowers to deck up the malayalee brides!
However our journey back home was nothing less than a nightmare that robbed us off the weekend fun. Things were pretty smooth till we reached the Walayar Check post in the Kerala border where we were greeted by the meandering lines of vehicles of all possible shapes and sizes! Inching our way through the soot and the thick plumes of smoke from the tail pipes of vehicles, we managed to reach Palakkad after an hour or so only to find more unsavory sights.
The roads abruptly became narrow and potholed as we crossed on to Kerala with many eyesores like the open drains, graffiti, and broken footpaths pointing towards the official apathy and the rampant corruption all over. What was baffling was the fact that though there were no basic amenities like good roads and parking facilities, Keralites always had an uncanny penchant for palatial homes, ostentatious hotels and vehicles that show off the newly acquired wealth and gulf money. Most of the hotels open straight into the roads with no parking lots or front yard. Forget about the building rules that stipulate adequate parking facilities, frontage space, rain water harvesting and many more. Rules are made to be broken in Kerala; ( I could even see many shops that have encroached the footpaths ( some have put up iron grills and annexed it to their shop- smart move indeed!!)
As the politicians clamor for their share of the undercut for having scuttled the NH road widening project, the local populace can blame their fate for having to live in near hell like conditions all their life! Being one of the smallest states, Kerala should have been one of the best managed states in India with well planned wide roads, tree lined avenues, underground cables and other facilities. But the corruption, red-tapism and vested interests of the mighty have rendered the God’s own country to devil’s abode. I sincerely wish to get back the anonymity of the bygone era, when atleast Kerala was a charming land of lush greenery, clean surroundings, pure water and air with paddy fields to feed everyone!