Kochi, the beauty before rain.........

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Romantic Kerala Honeymoon packages:-

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Romantic Kerala Honeymoon packages:-

Best deals for a perfect romantic location, spend holidays romantically in Kerala.

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Turmeric

 

Turmeric “the golden spice” is one of most essential spice, is a principle herb in Ayurveda. This yellow spice with subtle flavor is called turmeric powder obtained from dried grounded underground stem “rhizome”. The rhizome of the turmeric is yellowish orange tuberous juicy stem. The outer part of rhizome is covered with segmented yellowish brown color.

It is impossible to think of Indian food without turmeric. Today, turmeric has found application all over the world in various purposes such as medicinal purpose, cosmetic purpose, dyeing and coloring purpose.

5 to 8 times stronger than vitamin E and stronger than vitamin C, this 'antioxidant breakthrough' may help boost your immunity, maintain normal cholesterol levels, and put the brakes on aging. Applying turmeric before taking bath as its antibacterial property protects the skin from infects and protects it from harsh sunlight.

One amazing benefit of these herbs is that they’re very low in calories, while being dense in vitamins and minerals. Organic ingredients found in turmeric can help promote your healthy skin. Cleanse your skin and maintain its elasticity, Provide nourishment to your skin. So, turmeric can act as your one-two punch against normal aging with its skin promotion and antioxidant capabilities outer beauty plus inner purity.

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Kerala Village life

Fisher man laying nets, a view from Kerala Village life

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Banana Chips

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Jack fruit

Are you ready to have jack fruit ?

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Teyyam

(Teyyam, Theyyattam or Thira) is a popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala.

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A view from Kasargod bekal fort

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Pepper

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Pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately 5 millimeters (0.20 in) in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed.

Pongala

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Pongala is a Hindu religious festival. The name 'Pongala' means 'to boil over' and refers to the ritualistic offering of porridge made of rice, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. Generally women devotees participate in this ritual.

The most famous and important among Pongala festival happens at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala where around 35 million people participate. The festival in Attukal is considered by the population of the city, across their religious beliefs, as the biggest festival in the city.

The annual Pongala festival of Attukal Bhagavathi temple has been entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest congregation of women in the world. The festival draws over 2.5 million women on a single day in March to perform the Pongala ritual, and has been a center of attraction for devotees as well as tourists who visit Trivandrum during this season.

Rice, coconut and Jaggery are brought by women devotees along with round earthen pots for cooking. Women participating in the Pongala squat on roads, by lanes, footpaths and shop fronts in a radius of several kilometers around the temple to cook the mixture of rice, jaggery and coconut in earthen pots that is offered to the goddess seeking divine blessings The Chief Priest of the temple lights the main hearth from the divine fire inside the sanctum sanctum. This fire is exchanged from one oven to another.
Pongala festival is mainly celebrated at Attukal Temple, Puthiyakavu Bhagavathi Temple, Kovilvila Bhagavati Temple, Chakkulathukavu Temple, Karikkakom Temple, Kanjirottu Valiaveedu Temple, Panekavu Bhagavati Shastha Temple and Thazhoor Bhagavathy Kshetram in Kerala.

Attukal Temple

The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is a shrine at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongala festival, in which over a million women participate

The Goddess Kannaki (Parvathi) is the main deity in this temple. It is said that on her way to Kodungalloor, Kannagi passed Attukal. She took the form of a little girl. An old man was sitting on the banks of a stream, when the girl went to him and asked him whether he could help her cross it. Surprised to find the young girl alone, he took her home. But she disappeared. She came back in his sleep and asked him to build a temple where he found 3 golden lines in his grove. He went ahead and did the same, and it is said that this is at the location of the present Attukal temple.

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Story of Kannagi (The goddess of Kodungaloor Temple)

 

 

Kovalan was the son of a wealthy merchant in Kaveripattinam, married Kannagi, a young woman of legendary beauty. They lived together happily in the city of Kaveripattinam, until Kovalan met the dancer Madhavi and fell in love with her. In his infatuation he forgot Kannagi and gradually spent all his wealth on the dancer. But when he was penniless, he went back to Kannagi. Their only asset was a precious pair of anklets (chilambu—hence the name of the epic), filled with gems, which she gave to him willingly. With these as their capital they went to the great city of Madurai, where Kovalan hoped to recoup his fortunes by trade.

The city of Madurai was ruled by the Pandya king Nedunj Cheliyan I. Kovalan's objective was to sell the anklets in this kingdom so that he and his wife would be able to start their lives over. Unfortunately, around the time he set out to sell the anklets, one anklet (out of a pair) was stolen from the queen, by a greedy court member. This anklet looked very similar to Kannagi's. The only difference was that Kannagi's were filled with rubies and the queen's filled with pearls, but this was not a visible fact. When Kovalan went to sell it, he was accused of having stolen the anklet. He was immediately beheaded by the King's guards, without trial. When Kannagi was informed of this, she became furious, and set out to prove her husband's innocence to the king.

Kannagi came to the king's court, broke open the anklet seized from Kovalan and showed that it contained rubies, as opposed to the queen's anklets which contained pearls. Realizing their fault, the King and the Queen died of shame. Unsatisfied, Kannagi tore out a breast and flung it on the city, uttering a curse that the entire city be burnt. However, after the request from the Goddess of the city, she withdrew her curse and later, attained salvation. She is worshiped as goddess as Kodungallur Bhagavathy and Attukal Bhagavathy in the South Indian state of Kerala.

 

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Bharani Festival

The Bharani festival at the Kodungallur Bhagawati temple is one of the grandest in Kerala. It is a month of festivities from the Bharani asterism in the month of Kumbham to 7 days after the Bharani asterism in the month of Meenam. It normally falls between the months of March and April.

The festival usually starts with the ritual called 'Kozhikkallu moodal'. The members of the Kodungallur Bhagavathy temple are allowed to participate in this ritual. It is to appease the goddess Kali and her demons.

'Kavu Theendal', another important event of the festival, overseen by the King of Kodungallur where Vellichapads (oracles) make a run around the temple waving their sabers in the air while the members of their retinue offer reverence over the inner quadrangle. Chandanapoti Charthal is yet another festival of smearing the image with sandal paste.

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A snap from Trichur Pooram

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Guruvayoor temple festival

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Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple

 

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Kurumba Bhagavati Temple or Kodungallur Bhagavati Temple is a Hindu temple at Kodungallur, Thrichur district of Kerala. The idol of the goddess Bhadrakali popularly known as "Kodungallur Amma" in the temple is unique as it has eight hands with various attributes. One is holding the head of an Asura, another sword, next an anklet, another a bell, and so on. Kurumba Bhagavati Temple is perhaps a memorial built by a Chera king to Kannaki, heroine of Ilango Adigal's Tamil classic Silappathikaram.

The temple is situated in the middle of a plot of land about ten acres, surrounded by banyan and peepal trees. The srikovil is facing north. The western chamber of the inner temple is the seat of Sapthamatrukas (Seven Mothers) who also face north. The idols of Ganapathi and Veerabhadra are found in the chamber, one facing east and the other facing west, respectively. The idol of bhagawati is about seven feet high. The idol has eight arms that carry weapons and symbols.

To the left of the temple is the walled enclosure which has a peculiar ‘Samadhi of Vysoori', perhaps a medieval shrine deity for small pox, chicken pox, mumps and other contagious diseases. Devotees offer auspicious turmeric powder which gives credence to the influence of the Goddess and the legend. Its widespread fame is evident through its clean and well-kept sanctuaries. About fifty meters away to the left is a sacred pond (Pushkarini), where devotees bathe before entering the main shrine. It is believed that this pond was created by the goddess by striking the ground with her sword.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda

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Ayurveda originated more than 5000 years ago in India and is a holistic healing system that relies on Nature for its medicine chest. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term, made up of the words "ayus" and "veda." "Ayus" means life and "Veda" means knowledge or science.

The plants used in Ayurvedic medicines are found all over India and the world, but Kerala is specially blessed with the ideal climate and soil conditions to nurture their abundant growth. Kerala is therefore considered to be the Mecca of medicinal plants. Ayurveda can be defined as a system, which uses the inherent principles of nature, to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. Medicines have evolved from thousands of years experience, observation and experiments. The recipes and methodology have been prescribed by the ancient rishis or sages, and handed down from generation to generation. Consequently, they represent one of the best and purest forms of healthcare. The actual preparation is done with care and precision. The correct ingredients for each medicine are correctly selected and the herbs are freshly collected, painstakingly cleaned and then sun-dried. Each step is carried out with devotion, for Ayurveda is not just about medicine, it is a spiritual experience as well.

Mango Tree,

Mango Tree,

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Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple (മണണാറശ്ശാല ശ്രീ നാഗരാജാക്ഷേത്രം)

Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple (മണണാറശ്ശാല ശ്രീ നാഗരാജാക്ഷേത്രം)

Is a very ancient and internationally-known center of pilgrimage for the devotees of serpent gods (Nagaraja) the temple is located about three kilometers to the north-east of the Haripad, in Alappuzha district of Kerala

The famous Nagaraja temple "Mannarasala" is nestled in a forest glade, like most snake temples. The Mannarasala Temple has over 30,000 images of snakes along the paths and among the trees, and is the largest such temple in Kerala. Women seeking fertility come to worship here, and upon the birth of their child come to hold thanksgiving ceremonies here, often bringing new snake images as offerings. A special turmeric paste which is available at the temple is credited with curative powers. Though the legends related to the origin of a place cannot be deemed as its history, the story on the evolution of Mannarasala as one of the foremost places of worship of the Serpent Gods is associated with Lord Parashurama who is widely believed to be the creator of Kerala. This history of Mannarasala has been mentioned in the 'Mandara Salodyam', a Sanskrit poem written by Mannarasala M.G. Narayanan Namboodiri of the sacred family based on the accounts and legends handed down and old scriptures and books available with the temple.

 

 

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Kathakali Show

Kathakali Show

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Athachamayam

Athachamayam

A grand procession called Athachamayam is also carried on the day of Atham to mark the beginning of the grand carnival of Onam. The procession is carried out to commemorate the royal custom of the erstwhile state of Kochi when it was customary for the King to travel with his entire entourage to the Thripunithura Fort. Even in the absence of King today, the custom still retains its majestic charm. Elephant processions, folk art presentations, music and dancing make Athachamyam a spectacular event. The procession of Athachamyam is of marked importance at Thripunithura, Kochi.

From the day of Atham an atmosphere of joy and jubilations envelops the very air of Kerala as people get engaged in one activity or the other. Everybody wishes to celebrate Onam in best possible manner.

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Happy Atham to All ….

Happy Atham to All ….

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Atham is the first day of festivities in the ten-day-long Onam carnival. The day of Atham comes ten days before the asterism Onam or Thiru Onam hence Atham is regarded holy and auspicious to the people of Kerala.

Major highlight of Atham is that people start making pookalam from this day. Pookalam, also called Athapoo, is an intricate floral mat laid in the front courtyard by maidens of the house. This is done to welcome the holy spirit of legendary King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam. In subsequent days more flowers and new designs are added to this pookalam. Selection of flower is also an important matter as a particular flower is selected for each day for a specific deity. Great deal of thought and creativity is employed in the making of Pookalam.

Wayanad Churam, In Kerala

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A nice view from Wayanad Churam........

Hill Palace, in Kerala

Hill Palace 

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Hill Palace is the largest archaeological museum in Kerala, near Tripunithura, Kochi. It was the administrative office of Kochi Rajas. Built in 1865, the Palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style, spreading across in 54 acres. The complex has an archaeological museum, a heritage museum, a deer park, and a children’s park. Presently the palace has been converted into a museum by The Kerala State Archaeology Department and is open to public. The famous malayalam movie Manichitrathazhu was shot here.

Chinese fishing nets

Chinese fishing nets

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Lulu Shopping Mall, Kochin

The Lulu Shopping Mall 

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The largest shopping mall in India, located in Edapally area of Cochin, Kerala. It is built on an area of 3,900,000 sq ft, with total area for mall alone at 230,000 square meters (3,900,000 sq ft) and the remaining portion for a premium five-star hotel managed by JW Marriott Hotels. Opened on 10 March 2013, the mall consist of more than 360 outlets including food courts, restaurants, family entertainment zones and a nine-screen multiplex, ice skating ring and bowling alley. The mall is run, managed and set up by the EMKE group, a business group with interests in Middle East, Africa and Asia. The EMKE group Managing Director is M. A. Yousuf Ali, who is yet another NRI hailing from Kerala, based in the UAE.

Bolgatty Palace, Kochin

Bolgatty Palace

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The splendid Bolghatty Palace is located on the Bolghatty Islands, in the Cochin city of Kerala. The appeal of the palace lies in the fact that it is among the oldest existing palaces built by the Dutch in India outside Holland, this quaint mansion, built in 1744, by Dutch traders, was later extended and gardens were landscaped around it. The building was then the Governor's palace for the commander of Dutch Malabar, and later in 1909 was leased to the British. It served as the home of the British Governors, being the seat of the British Resident of Cochin during the British regime. In 1947, when India obtained independence, the palace became the property of the state and was later converted into a heritage hotel resort.

Mattancherry

Mattancherry

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Mattancherry, the western part of the corporation of Cochin, was once a bustling center of trade, particularly in spices. Invaders left indelible marks on the landscape, culture, art and social history of the place. Mattancherry welcomed every migrant community that came to her with warmth and provided them with ample opportunities to flourish. Many communities like Jews, Konkanis, Gujaratis, Jains and Marathis made the place their home. Even today, Mattancherry has people of different tongues and ethnic identities. Churches, agraharams, mosques and a synagogue co-exist in the area, along with the buildings of the colonial era, pointing to a vibrant past and a harmonious present.