Malabar coast - August 2005 - Kollam

August 11th 2005 night, I set out for Kerala! I wanted to go and stay close to the water and watch the rain! I had a one way train ticket to Trivundrum! But next day morning, while I was standing at the ajar door of the train, and was looking at the rivers filled till the brim, and the green palms, I could not wait, I just had to get down! I got down at Quilon Junction.

Quilon is more a transit place for people traveling to Alleppey or a place for setting out on the backwater cruises. It is also a major trading place for cashews, and all sorts of spices. It is also one of the most beautiful places in Kerala.

Quilon is officially known as Kollam! In India, the corrective measures for improvement undertaken by the traditionalists are often reflected in renaming a place which reflects the sentiments of the local population!!! I like the name Kollam, but try pronouncing Alappuzha and you will hear the Mallu next to you convulse on the floor in laughter! Well, I can’t possibly roll my tongue inside out or pronounce from down under my guts! Alleppey is good enough for me! Maybe I can try with a “rosogolla” in my mouth!

Following my guide book, I took an “odo” (auto rickshaw) to KTDC Yatri Nivas. It was right next to the lake, about 4 km away from the city. “Ond-ly one room. You are lucky, the booking was cancelled just sometime back”, said the pretty receptionist who was dusky with beautiful dark eyes, a million watt smile and jasmine flowers tied around her hair. The room was the best room of the hotel and since I am a single Indian traveler (??), she gave it to me at 50%! Suited me perfect. The bellhop was straight out of the Malayalam movies; wearing HUGE black goggles (even at night as I found later), checkered shirt over white “mundu”, and with the smooth swagger of Mohan Lal! He showed me the room, which was in the first floor, overlooking the lake, and with a nice balcony with comfortable sofas! Perfect! What else do I need? Ah beer, and rain!
Suggestion: In Kerala, the best place to get beer at cheapest price are the government hotels like KTDC, everywhere else you are likely to shell out 100 Rupees minimum.
With the beer sorted out, all I needed was rain. Kerala is most beautiful in the rainy season. Imagine, sitting by the banks of the lake, watching the rain thundering down on the lake surface! By the way, did you know that it takes only 1.80 Rs per minute to call God from Kerala. Why? Because it’s a local call in his own Country!  .. On a wall of the hotel, it was written too, “Welcome to Kerala! Gods own country!”
I went up to the waterfront; the front of the hotel was pretty, with lawns, swings, and a jetty where even paddle-boats were available for the honeymooners! The attendant at the jetty offered me a ride in the official speedboat for 200 rupees. Great!

Across the Ashtamudi Lake, we set out towards the sea. The lines of Chinese fishing nets, the ever lasting palms that are so green, and the warmth in the smile of local people paddling their small canoes – the people around must be one of the happiest in the world. We passed through the fishing boats where the fishermen were tending their nets; they would set out for deep sea in the night. The waterfowls, the kingfishers and the eagles were circling around the fishing boats and I cursed myself for forgetting my binocular. Right at the place where the river meets the sea, I requested to stop the boat to savor the moments. The current was pretty strong there, and big splashes of waves hit me on my face, my camera got soaked but I was not bothered. I just wanted to enjoy the moments. A single fisherman on a tiny canoe was throwing up his net in a bid for a last catch before he returns – straight out of Mani Ratnam movies. Close to sunset; the color of the water was ever changing with the color change of the sky– you could feel the warmth of all the colors there probably. Ah! Heaven is a place on earth!

In the evening, I walked up to the main street in the city! Ah! Just about 400 meters long I would imagine? I had to find a shop to get my camera checked up for any damages.

Back at the hotel later on, at the restaurant, I met a French girl, Auriley. She had come came to India to work with a homeless children project in Calcutta and after completion of her work, she was taking her time traveling through South to Mumbai where from she would take her flight to Paris. She had already been to quite a few places and had quite some stories to tell, especially about Madurai  I was amazed to know that she learnt English while she was in Calcutta and reading the travel guides. Her English wasn’t the greatest but she is managing great. Believe me, conversing with the Malayalis is not an easy thing, and even harder is to get used to their accents, if they know English that is.

Soon we met another backpacker, Collin, from South Africa and have been traveling in India for the last 6 months. He was a towering giant yet astonishingly soft spoken, and had plenty of stories to tell. We listened eagerly his traveling stories in Myanmar.