Kerala beaches- Lamps amidst nature’s best!
Published June 29, 2010 | 
Fancy holidaying with the sun, sand, sea and surf? Kerala beaches bring out the best of what nature has to offer blending it with its splendid beauty. A land blessed with Golden beaches, crisscrossing backwaters, palm fringed canals, rich and versatile culture. Kerala is networked by 44 rivers and truly stands out as perhaps the most fascinating part of India, slowly being discovered and explored by the people of the country.
For those who seek refuge from the stress and pollution of modern life, Kerala beaches are havens of serenity and peace, making perfect vacations.
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!
Air Pollution in Kochi, how safe are we
Published May 24, 2010 | Kerala Police have a target particularly in Kochi to book maximum two wheelers who do not follow the ordinance viz-a-viz traffic. No helmets, seat belts, Helmet straps etc are the offenses. The Police is least bothered to pull people who park their vehicle on the road, those who violate no entry and over speed. So as part of this drive, the other day the ever-efficient Kerala police stopped one of my friends. He has his helmet in place, the straps were tightened and his vehicle in good condition. They went through his papers and found everything to be in order. So now they have to let him go, and oh my God, they were running short of 5 more offenders to square that day’s target. Luckily for them they saw a paper missing in that lot; that was the PUC (Pollution Under Control) thing. What next? he has to pay the fine for not having that certificate, which signifies that he is contributing to the already polluted air of Kochi
Kochi is one city that has more vehicles than roads. A study in the past had already shown that various parts of the city were found having a high amount of polluted air. The pollutant emission levels in Kochi have gone up substantially. The unhealthy air owing to the fast growth in vehicle is not at par with the infrastructure.
The AQI (Air Quality Index) in the range of 51-100 is considered moderate and Kochi is touching 151-200 which means it’s unhealthy air around. So I was wondering what kind of pollution control are the authorities looking at. The public transport emits 90 percent of Carbon monoxide right under their very nose. But nothing much is done to check them, all they do is for the sake of it.
With many ill-maintained government buses emitting deadly smoke and with no proper inspection, use of adulterated fuel, poor road conditions and bumper-to-bumper driving, the situation is more likely to worsen. When are we going to wake up to this disturbing fact, before we all fail to wake up one fine morning.
Leave us alone we need no roads to development: Kerala
Published May 10, 2010 | National Highway Authority of India is initiating the need to widen the roads of the country to international standards. This means our national highways will be 6-lane road and will have access on both sides, flyovers, pedestrians walkway and zebra crossings to name a few, it all sounds so wonderful. But, hold on! the politicians in Kerala are thinking something else. Strange, but all political parties in Kerala have united together (a rare sight) for a common cause and unanimously they say, ‘We need no roads..oops sorry no wide roads.
The politicians after having decided over a cup of tea that the state needs only 30 metre broad roads against the proposed 60-metre. All the good Samaritan (politicians) of the Kerala society have finally decided to meet the Prime Minister, and apprise him about this decision. And we know what the PM is going to say ”Who cares, if you want 30-45-60 meter roads, it is you who is going to suffer.
The narrow minded politicians aren’t thinking practically, what this decision means for the future generation who will be forced to squeeze themselves for space. As a literate state, is it not the duty of these politicians to come together with intellectuals and educate the people how much it will benefit. But sadly, none have really bothered to tell us what it is all about, and shamefully we all know what it is all about. Vote bank politics and we have rather become politicians slaves.
Why is that the people of Kerala are getting so laid back, I have seen them agitating everywhere and for everything, but when it comes to real issues there is no reaction. It takes more than 9-years to complete and still no where to build a railway-overhead-bridge on a busy NH-17 highway, Edapally, Kochi, but we rather prefer to adjust with the situation and suffer.
Remember we are living in world’s largest democracy, so no one to blame but ourselves. Leaders don’t build nations, its build by you and me. Had we realized the power we have, this state would have been a different place all together. Till then lets keep grumbling and complaining.
Kerala delicacies now on American Channel!!!
Published April 8, 2010 | Kerala and Keralites can now be proud that their own culinary specialties – appam, karimeen and puttu (to name a few), will now be showcased on a well-liked American travel and food show by name “No Reservations”. Hosted by US master chef Anthony Bourdain who has already shot the episode in Kerala, the sixth season of Travel channel’s culinary programme will telecast the delicacies of Kerala cuisine in July.
“By showcasing authentic Kerala food in the homes of ordinary people, Anthony Bourdain is also reaffirming that delicious food and hospitality is not just special to upscale restaurants and hotels but is something that is customary throughout the state,” said Kerala Tourism secretary V. Venu. “It was wonderful to have such a high profile television host championing street and home cooked food,” he added.
To shoot the Kerala episode, the master chef landed in Kochi and travelled all the way to Alleppey to relish the world-renowned backwater cuisine. Whilst his stay in a houseboat Bourdain tried kappa (tapioca) and mussels, home cooked puttu (steamed rice powder preparation), Kerala sadya (feast), spicy pearl spot fish (karimeen), meen curry (fished cooked in coconut) and other vegetarian dishes made with coconut.
To quote from this Times Of India report, Bourdain the author of “A Cook’s Tour-In Search of the Perfect Meal” said, “When it comes to spices and variety, Kerala is right up there in my alley”. Bourdain also stated to them that he had a special fascination for street food “I am also very impressed with the high standard of food in Kerala, especially the street food,” said the chef who hit the streets in Kochi and tasted the varieties. He also enjoyed a meal with Malayalam superstar Mammooty whilst on his Kerala tour.
A thought which came to my mind was that while most Keralites today prefer fast food, sandwiches and burgers as compared to Kerala delicacies, here is a westerner who is all praises for our traditional food. But for those of us who know and savour appam and Karimeen, we can be sure of one thing- our dishes will be exotic and who knows if people actually start cooking it, Karimeen and appam will be common names in some enterprising kitchens of America.
Kochi gets the first tourist police station in India
Published March 8, 2010 | 
In a bid to make Kerala a safe destination for foreign and local tourists, an exclusive tourist police station has been set up in the heritage zone of Mattancherry. The first of its kind in the country, this will make Kerala more tourist friendly and safe.
Mattanchery, home to the Jewish synagogue and various historic edifices holds an important place in the tourist map of Kerala that draws many tourists from far and wide. The special police station will offer all the facilities that any tourist may require. From assisting foreign travelers to clarifying their doubts on passport and visa and registering complaints and grievances on lost passports and expired visa , this police station has a wide gamut of services- all under one roof!
The police would work in tandem with the Department of Tourism to set up a helpdesk at the station, where the tourists can get route maps and brochures about different tourist destinations in the State as well. In addition, there are facilities for tourists to make booking for boating as well as hiring taxis. The State Tourism Department will soon publish the services of tourism police in all leading tourism journals in the world to ensure maximum coverage and publicity of this novel scheme.
The Police museum will have a rich display of police uniforms, combat weapons and armoury, arranged in chronological order right from the colonial period to the present day. With the advent of the tourist police station, the tourists can look forward to have a hassle free and enjoyable sight seeing experience in Mattancherry and FortKochi , considered as tourist hot spots.
Two Cruise ships in Kochi
Published February 1, 2010 | For me and my friend, going to the Subhash Chandra Bose Park in Kochi in the evenings and spending time there, chatting about, sharing thoughts, woes and joys and at the same time enjoying the cool backwater breeze is almost a regular thing. But there had been a break of about a month or so, because of both of us being busy and all and hence yesterday, being Sunday, we both found time to make a round of our usual haunt, though on weekends it’s thronged by families and kids.
This Sunday was special indeed. For as we reached the part and stationed ourself at a vacant place, we saw opposite us, by the berth in the Wellington Island a huge ship, presumably a luxury liner. Steam was being let out and I guessed, being one who has travelled a lot in ships ever since my childhood and have noted different kinds of ships, that it was getting ready to sail.
Very soon the tugboats swung into action and after a while, the ship hooted sirens and then it started slowly turning around and in about half an hour, we saw it set sail from the port of Kochi.
That was ‘Queen Mary 2′, the luxury cruise liner that had reached Kochi yesterday morning, bringing about 2,700 tourists to the shores of Kerala. (This was the third time that ‘Queen Mary 2′ touched Kochi). The tourists had toured the city of Kochi and had visited locations like Alappuzha, Vaikom and Vallarpadam, after which the giant ship set sail to Phuket, with the 2700 tourists and a crew of about 1000.
This Sunday also bore witness to another cruise vessel, ‘Le Ponant’, a French registered one, visiting Kochi. This was the second time that ‘Le Ponant’ was visiting Kochi, with about 40 tourists aboard. They are all busy visiting places in Kochi and it’s learnt that the ship, with a crew of 40 will set sail today from Kochi.
Very positive signals indeed to the tourism sector in Kerala. Maybe my friend and I can hope to see more of such luxury liners during our regular evening visits to the Subhash Park.
KSRTC Volvo buses started in Kochi
Published December 31, 2009 | 
For many Kochiites, it was rather a thrilling experience to have travelled in the AC Volvo bus run by KSRTC‘s city service. On Wednesday (30.12.2009) Morning at 7 ‘O’ clock Kochi‘s KSRTC Volvo buses started off their maiden trip and ended at 10 pm. Many awaited eagerly and patiently to have a Volvo experience to reach their offices or houses. On the first day trip, the buses were delayed on consecutive trips due to traffic blocks. Of the seven Volvo buses, three plied between Fort Kochi and Nedumbassery, while four buses conducted service in the Aroor-Angamaly route.
Travelling in the Volvo is indeed a luxury. Most buses plying on this route were filled to capacity. But the only problem is that you will have to sacrifice a lot of time to enjoy this luxury. From Aroor to Ankamali you will be charged Rs. 68 and from Fort Kochi to Nedumbasseri Rs. 70. Eventhough, the bus fares are something that won’t fit to the daily expenses of an ordinary man, the greater facility is that, you can travel daily in a luxury bus without facing any hassles unlike other private buses operating in the city. The gutters and the zig-zags of the Kochi roads will not affect the smooth and happy journey of travellers in these orange coloured Volvo buses.
The bus employees dressed in variations of blue colour shirts and trousers, are specially trained to make you feel more comfortable inside. The place names appear on the board in English and Malayalam. Songs are played all the while you travel, so that you don’t have to feel bored. A fully automatic controlling system enables you to get inside and outside the bus easily. The door is controlled by the driver with a press button. 
Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas on Monday inaugurated the much-awaited Volvo low-floor bus service in the city. Seven of the 50 low-floor automatic Volvo buses earmarked for Kochi under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme were flagged off at Vytilla Junction. The minister hopes that these hi-tech buses would attract more people towards the public transport system, thereby easing the traffic congestion on the city roads. In Thiruvananthapuram, the Volvo buses are not very successful. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) will have to bear the additional liability if the bus service does not reach upto the break-even level, The minister noted.
Anyway let’s hope that these Volvo buses would meet the demands of all those who love a luxury travel.
Cochin Carnival – Reviving hopes of a good tourist season
Published December 22, 2009 | 
The tourist season for Kerala was far from impressive this year with a marked drop in the number of foreign and domestic tourists. Most of the tour operators in Fort Kochi are pinning their hopes on the Cochin Carnival for more tourist arrivals in the next two weeks. During the Christmas and New Year seasons, Fort Kochi draws a lot of foreign tourists with most of the hotels and homestays registering near full occupancy. But this year things were bleak and the regular tourist crowd was missing even from the main hot spots like Fort Kochi and surroundings.
Meanwhile the carnival committee is not leaving anything to chance and the efforts are on to make the carnival a big success. Both the sides of roads from Veli to Fort kochi are being decorated with lights and stars to welcome the tourists to the area. This year , a novel competition to select the best decorated and painted house has generated a lot of interest among the local community. A kayaking contest is also being introduced this year. The beach bike race at the Veli ground is expected to bring in scores of biking enthusiasts while the swimmers can vie for the prestigious title in the Fort Kochi-|Vypeen swimming contest. The other attraction of the Carnival include tableaux and the traditional art forms of Kerala.
Additional police forces have been deployed to prevent any untoward instances and street lighting along the beach and the walkways have already been completed. Will the Cochin Carnival bring back the tourist surge in Fort Kochi- the next few days will unravel the answer for this million dollar query!
Kerala featured in the top ten winter holiday destinations.
Published December 7, 2009 | 
As the nippy winter season in Europe is at its peak, tourists are looking for tropical and balmy destinations to enjoy a well deserved sun tan and to escape the gloom of the gray weather back home. Irish times.com has included Kerala along with the Caribbeans, Hawaii, Canary Islands, Egypt, Tunisia, Dubai, Thailand, Morocco and Dubai as the top 10 winter holiday spots this year .
With many Governments mulling over the issue of making winter holidays tax free, Kerala is likely to see a surge in winter holiday makers. From December to April is one of the best seasons to visit Kerala as the rains have just finished and the tropical sun is not at its peak. A guided tour is the best possible way to explore Kerala as most of the must see spots are tucked away in the remote hinterlands and high ranges.
Cochin is the right spot to kick off your Kerala tour as the international airport here is connected to various destinations around the world. The heritage zone of Fort kochi which is famous for the Portuguese remnants and period architectural styled edifices, Chinese fishing nets and the beaches will help you rid off the jet lag. A house boat cruise in Kumarakom, the quaint beach resorts of Aleppey and a flop along the vast coastline of Kerala with many beaches including the palm-fringed beaches of Kovalam would serve as a great starter. After the sun and the fun of the beaches it is time for you to move up into the hill stations to take a peek into the tropical forests, tea plantations, spice gardens, tiger reserves and more.
The wild life enthusiasts are ensured of an exciting fare. You can spot freely roaming wild life herds at Gavi at Munnar or indulge in birdwatching at the world famous wetland of Ramsar site, home to many rare migratory birds during winter. A burst of sunshine in the darkest days of the year in the other side of the globe might do you good!