Kerala – Way to Munnar!

On 4th day morning after breakfast we boarded a luxury bus which was hired by the tour operator and was with us until we reached at KanyaKumari. Our destination on the fourth day was Munnar a tiny beautiful hill station in Kerala. Journey was bit tiring because we were moving up and feeling queasiness yet it was worth because the beauty of the place that kept me awake and tried to capture each frame with my camera.

Kochi to Munnar

Munnar

Munnar town is situated on the Kannan Devan Hills village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district in Kerala The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,450 meters to 2,695 meters above mean sea level.  The temperature ranges between 5 °C and 25 °C in winter and 15 °C and 25 °C in summer.

Flora and fauna

Most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. However, some species continue to survive and thrive in several protected areas nearby, including the new Kurinjimala Sanctuary to the east, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Manjampatti Valley and the Amaravati reserve forest of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary to the north east, the Eravikulam National Park.

Way to Munnar

		Spice Garden on the Way

!!!Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. – Helen Keller!!!

Kerala - Kochi - II!

Third day sightseeing was a treat for the eyes and in this last part I am attaching another set of pictures for the visual treat. This time it is the famous Chinese Fishnets, the St. Francis Church and the original Vasco da Gama tomb situated beneath of the church.

St. Francis CSI Church

Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India, landed at Kappad near Kozhikode (Calicut) in 1498. Vasco da Gama was followed by Pedro Álvares Cabral and Afonso de Albuquerque. They built a fort at Kochi with permission from the Raja of Cochin. Within the fort, they built a church with a wooden structure, which was dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The neighbourhood is now known as Fort Kochi. St. Francis CSI Church, in Fort Kochi, originally built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India and has great historical significance as a mute witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent.

Vasco da Gama

The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, died in Kochi in 1524 when he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon.

The Chinese fishing nets

The Chinese fishing nets (Cheena vala) are fishing nets that are fixed land installations for an unusual form of fishing — shore operated lift nets. They are mostly found in the Indian state of Kerala. Huge mechanical contrivances hold out horizontal nets of 20 m or more across. Each structure is at least 10 m high and comprises a cantilever with an outstretched net suspended over the sea and large stones suspended from ropes as counterweights at the other end. Each installation is operated by a team of up to six fishermen.

The system is sufficiently balanced that the weight of a man walking along the main beam is sufficient to cause the net to descend into the sea. The net is left for a short time, possibly just a few minutes, before it is raised by pulling on ropes. The catch is usually modest: a few fish and crustaceans — these may be sold to passersby within minutes.

Kochi Town from the Lake

!!!Wise traveler never despises his own country. - William Hazlitt!!!

Kerala - Kochi!!!

While spending a considerable time in Kochi lake, we had a close view of Kochi Island also known as Willingdon Island and the Kochi Port. Some of these pictures say the story.

Day 3 [At Kochi]

The port lies on two islands in the Lake of Kochi: Willingdon Island and Vallarpadam, towards the Fort Kochi river mouth opening onto the Arabian Sea.

Kochi Lake is the portion of the Vembanad Lake located in and around the Kochi mainland. Among the several groups of small islands that the Kochi Lake forms home are, Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam, Willingdon Island etc. Kochi Lake is home for the Kochi Port which is build around the Willingdon Island, as well as the Vallarpadam island.

Willingdon Island is an island, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling in dredged soil around a previously existing, but tiny, natural island. Willingdon Island is significant as the home for the Port of Kochi, as well as the Kochi Naval Base (the Southern Naval Command) of the Indian Navy and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, a constituent unit of Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Willingdon Island contains the modern port, serving Cochin city, Kerala. The island is an artificial man-made island created from the sand dug out while deepening Kochi port. It has been named after Lord Willingdon, the former Madras governor, who was instrumental in implementing this island project. The main engineer spearheading this project, however, was Robert Bristow. A port hostel was built to accommodate passengers who wished to halt for a short while and it was named the Malabar Hotel.

When the British withdrew from India after independence, in 1947, they left behind an indispensable and significant transport hub. During its short colonial tenure, the Willingdon Island in Cochin handled almost one million tons of freight. By the year 1960, the traffic had almost doubled. It is a major artificial port in India and a landmark in the Kochi city of Kerala. Willingdon Island also serves as a link between the city and some other seaports of the world.

!!!Travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. -  Elizabeth Gilbert!!!

Kerala - Ernakulam & Kochi!

 

On third day, 11th November morning at 10, we reached Ernakulam. While porter carried our luggage, we walked to the hotel as it is hardly a couple of minutes from the station. Shalimar Residency was the name of the hotel where we stayed while in Ernakulam.

After freshen up, we served the breakfast and as well as lunch by 1p.m. We decided to take small nap which was much needed after 46 hours journey but we have to venture out at 3 for Kochi city. After driving through the marine drive by a bus our sightseeing in Kochi mostly was done by boat on Kochi Lake. The boat was

Ernakulam

Ernakulam widely referred to as Kochi constitutes the eastern, mainland portion of the twin cities of Ernakulam - Kochi in central Kerala. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala. The Kerala High Court, the Office of the Corporation of Cochin and the Cochin Stock Exchange are situated here. Initially, Ernakulam was the headquarters of the Ernakulam District but was later shifted to Kakkanad. Ernakulam was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin.

Marine Drive

The marine drive is the place which situated Kochi Lake and the adjoining Arabian Sea to its west. In the 1980s, started the Kochi Marine Drive project (following from the Mumbai Marine Drive) and thus the whole of the present Marine Drive (part of the Kochi Lake, west of the Shanmugham Road to the present Marine Walkway) was claimed from the Kochi Lake.

Kochi

Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India. The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, and to the east is the urbanized region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with a coastline of 48 km.  Ernakulam district, in which Kochi is situated, ranks first in the total number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala, and thus contributes to the economy of the city. The tourist enclave at Fort Kochi and presence of several historical monuments, museums etc. as well as natural attractions like the Vembanad lake and the backwaters attract large number of tourists to the city. Presence of several leading hospitality brands have been a major source of employment for locals.

!!!The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - Saint Augustine!!!

Kerala - The Inception!

Even I never visited Kerala the place is not unfamiliar to me. I have an enormous numbers of Malayali friends and above all I ate, slept and prayed with a Malayali famly for 5 years. My neighbour in I.I.T. Powai, the Bhaskaran family with whom I share a family like bond. I had many invitations to visit Kerala but always missed the opportunity due to work commitment.

I supposed to visit Andaman this year and at the last moment I have to cancel due to sky rocking Air fare and then I decided for Kerala. Last year we had gone to Andhra Pradesh with a Local Tour operator and I decided to knock the door but I was bit late. After many attempts I could not got a ticket in AC sleeper class and have to settle for the sleeper class. I was not happy with it but then I realized that 90% Indian travel by a sleeper class and I am not an exception. That realization helps me to cope with the long train journey at both ways.

Day 1

October 9 was the starting day and we have to start at 12.30p.m. As the instructions given to us by the tour operator. As per their guideline we have to reach te station before 1.3p.m. We reached well before the time and met Mr. Mukherjee, our tour manager/guide. Our train Coromandel Express was in time. Upto Jajapur Orissa we enjoy whole compartment without any other occupant but then we have company of a very decent Tamil family of four.

Day 2

We reached Chennai on the dot without any mentionable incident. We have to board another train Alleppey Express for Ernakulum. This train gave us little pain as it arrived almost two hour late. On 11th October morning we reached Ernakulam.

Kerala

West Bengal to Kerala

Kerala is one of the southern state in the India.  Area of Kerala is 38.855 square kilometers and it is 1.3 percent of the total area of India. Kerala has been describes “as the favorite child of nature.”  With its evergreen mountains, dense forests stately palms, swift flowing rivers, extensive backwaters and blue lagoons, it looks like a fairyland. This atmosphere of beauty and peace has nurtured religion and art in Kerala and enabled her to become a precious gem in the necklace of Indian culture.

Tamil Nadu from the Train

Natural Divisions: Physical features demarcate the state into three natural divisions. They are the lowland adjoining the sea, the midland consisting of the undulating country east of the lowlands and the forest -clad highland on the extreme east. The lowland bordering the sea is dotted with innumerable coconut palms and the expansive stretches of paddy crops. The midland regions comprise valleys, punctuated here and there by isolated hills. Extensive tea and cardamom plantation dominate the higher elevations; while ginger, rubber, pepper, and turmeric flourish at the lower elevations. 

Geographical Isolation: The geographical position of Kerala as a narrow strip of land ensconced between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats has considerably influenced the course of its history.

!!!Life is an adventure in forgiveness. - Norman Cousins!!!

Stale potatoes of the Great Indian Samosa!!!

On 30 September 2013 a CBI court at Ranchi convicted Lalu Prasad Yadav in Fodder case and that the end of the road for the RJD supremo. Lalu Prasad Yadav now faces the ignominy of facing jail and also being disqualified from Parliament, after the Supreme Court order on convicted lawmakers.

There is no doubt that Lalu Prasad Yadav was the silver lining in the Indian parliament specially whenever there was a crisis. I also remember him as one of the best Railway Minister we ever had. However, tenure as Bihar chief Minister    himself or by proxy through his wife, he is sole responsible for the state of Bihar as it is now. It is good to see that finally law catching up with the politicians and the disqualification is the best thing can be handed over these insatiable lots of politicians.

He was a maverick, a jester, a crowd puller par excellence. Lalu Prasad turned Bihar's politics — and economic health — upside down as he catapulted from a student leader of the 1970s to be one of India's best-known politicians before his downfall Monday.

Lalu Prasad Yadav

Lalu Prasad Yadav was born in Bihar. He holds a degree in Bachelor of Laws and a master's in Political science from B. N. College, under Patna University.  Yadav married Rabri Devi on 1 June 1973.They have seven daughters and two sons.

Yadav formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in 5 July 1997, after breaking away from the Janata Dal. According to Limca Book of Records, he is the longest serving president of an Indian Political Party.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has twice served as the Chief Minister of Bihar, first for a term of five years, from 10 March 1990 to 28 March 1995 and then for a term of three years from 4 April 1995 to 25 July 1997. Lalu Prasad Yadav also served as the Railway Minister of India from 2004 to 2009. He is member of Parliament of India from Chhapra and National President of RJD.

Yadav has been charged in several corruption cases, the most infamous being the "Fodder Scam" in which about Rs.37 crore were siphoned off from the animal husbandry department. Laloo Yadav has been an accused in many of the 63-odd cases filed. He has been remanded to custody on multiple occasions because of the number of cases.

The career of one of India's most colourful politicians, who became a case study for students at Harvard University after he turned around the fortunes of the gigantic Indian Railways, is all but over with an Indian court finding him guilty of embezzling state funds.

As I am finishing the blog the news is out that the CBI court in Ranchi sentenced RJD chief Lalu Prasad to 5 years' imprisonment in a 17-year-old fodder scam.

!!!Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction. - Erich Fromm!!

Hitting the Bull’s Eye!!

It is very heartening to see the success of so-called small town girls and boys. I born in a metropolitan city but brought up in a small town like Jammy. With loads off desire we hardly had any facilities in our epoch but it is true that if you are determine to ascend then every obstacle turned to a cakewalk. The hard work and achievement of Deepika Kumari fit the bill on that context.

Deepika Kumari

Deepika Kumari was born to Shivnarayan Mahato, an auto-rickshaw driver and Geeta Mahato, a nurse in Ranchi Medical College. In the early days it was rather difficult for the parents to financially support Deepika's dream, often compromising on the family budget to buy her new equipment for her training. But the young gutsy archer never gave up and started her practice with bamboo made bows and arrows. Finally it was Deepika's cousin Vidya Kumari, also an archer at Tata Archery Academy, who showed her the way.

Deepika got her first breakthrough in 2005 when she entered Arjun Archery Academy, an institute set up by Meera Munda, wife of Chief Minister Arjun Munda at Kharsawan. But her professional archery journey begun in the year 2006 when she joined the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur. It was here that she started her training with proper equipment and uniform. She also received Rs 500 as stipend.

Deepika become the second Indian to win the title after Palton Hansda won the World champion at Mexico in 2006 by winning the junior compound individual gold medal.

In May 2012, Deepika Kumari won her first World Cup individual recurve gold medal at Antalya, Turkey. She beat Korea's Lee Sung Jin by six set points to four in the final. Later in the year 2012 she became world no.1 in the Women's Recurve Archery.

Having lost her third title clash in just concluded World cup and it was as many years at the World Cup Finals, archer Deepika Kumari has been forced to look for reasons within. And the 19-year-old admitted that she lost the latest battle in Paris more in the mind than anything else. 

“Archery is a mind game. It is all about how strong you are mentally. In major competitions, being tough makes a big difference. It would be great if we could have a sports psychologist with us,” she said at a felicitation function here on Tuesday. 

Records and Achievements

Present World Ranking		2
Highest World Ranking		1
World Cup
Silver	2011 Istanbul		Individual
Silver	2012 Tokyo		Individual
Silver	2013 Paris		Individual
Commonwealth Games
Gold	2010 Delhi		Recurve individual
Gold	2010 Delhi		Recurve team
Asian Games
Bronze	2010 Guangzhou		Recurve team

!!!Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible - Albert Einstein!!!