Wednesday, August 31, 2022



Rich cultural heritage of Kerala comes out in its best form and spirit during the ten day long festival. It is indeed a treat to be a part of the grand carnival. People of Kerala make elaborate preparations to celebrate it in the best possible manner.



The most impressive part of Onam celebration is Onasadya, prepared on Thiruonam. It is a nine course meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Onasadya (special meals) is served on banana leaves to have  people sit on a mat laid on the floor. Another enchanting feature of Onam is Vallamkali,the Snake Boat Race, held on the river Pampa. It is a colourful sight to watch the decorated boat oared by hundreds of boatmen amidst chanting of songs and cheering by spectators.



Kuttanad is a favorite Kerala backwater destination and is ideal for leisurely cruising. Kuttanad is also known as the "Rice Bowl of Kerala" and is characterized by its green landscape. Travelling to Kuttanad is a must for visitors who don’t want to miss the scenic beauty of this verdant backwater destination in Kerala.



Kuttanad is crisscrossed with waterways that run alongside fields of cassava, banana and yam, as well as emerald green fields of paddy. A unique feature of Kuttanad is that many of these fields where farming is done are below sea level. The fields are surrounded by earthen bunds and crops are grown on the low-lying ground. This is similar to the polder regions of the Netherlands where land is reclaimed from the sea and crops are grown. You have to see the amazing below-sea-level fields of Kuttanad to get an actual feel of the place.


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Onam Celebrations in Houseboat: Kuttanad Houseboats

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Tuesday, August 30, 2022



The residents of Alleppey are close to nature and have a preference of a simple, healthy and peaceful lifestyle. Their traditional outfit of Alleppey is white Mundu and Neriathu; a plain white dhoti embroidered with golden silk lining for men and cream colored sari with golden border for women. The Alleppey cuisine can purely be classified under the typical Kerala food which mainly consists of rice and fish. The menu of these people lists Rice, Fish, Idli, Dosa, Vada, Sambhar, Uthapam, Appam, Kappa, Karimeen Pollichathu, other Sea Food, Kallu, etc. The economy of this region is mainly based on agriculture, back water fishing, shell collection, coir based industries, handlooms and handicrafts, and to top them all, tourism. Tourism is the most significant component of the economy of Alleppey. Tourists throng the Alleppey backwaters almost all round the year and the houseboats that cruise in the backwaters earn the boatmen substantial revenue.


Apart form the common Indian festivals Alleppey celebrates the traditional Kerala festivals, the most noteworthy amongst them being; Ugadi and Onam. Onam is Kerala’s biggest festival that falls in the month of Chingam according to Malayali Calendar and in the month of August or September according to the English Calendar. Onam commemorates the home coming of the legendary King Mahabali when along with the rest of the Kerala Alleppey hosts snake boat races which are ardently attended by a large number of residents as well as tourists. The Snake Boat Races of Kerala comprise the integrated part of the culture of Alleppey.


At the time of Onam, the backwaters of Alleppey are ignited by the vigorous boat races which is reckoned as the largest team sport in the world. Masses of elaborately carved long black wooden snake boats participate in these boat races. Besides the snake boats, other boats typically used for fishing or transportation such as Kettuvalam, Kochu-odi Vallam, Odi- Vallam, Irrutukuthi Vallam and Churulan or Chullam Vallam also participate in the boat races. By and large, a snake boat is ridden by 4 helmsmen, 25 singers and 100 to 125 oarsmen who row the boat to the rapid rhythms of the traditional boatmen song known as ‘Thevanchipattu’. Inestimable onlookers gather at the edges of the rivers or backwaters and cheer the boatmen as the enormous snake boats skillfully slice through the waters.


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Onam In Alleppey!!

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Onam is one of the most splendiferous festivals of God’s Own Country which is religiously as well as culturally significant celebrated with great grandeur and pomp. It is celebrated each year from late August until early September and it is observed by Keralites all over the world to commemorate the annual homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali. It is believed that on the festival day he will bless the people with happiness. It also marks the harvest festival of the state.


Thripunithura:

Thripunithura which once served as the erstwhile capital of Kochi is one of the best places in Kerala to experience the grandeur of Onam festival. The celebrations of Onam kicks off at Thripunithura near Ernakulam, with a spectacular cultural fiesta called the Athachamayam.

Thrikkakara:

A must-visit place during Onam festival is the Thrikkakara Temple which is dedicated to Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu. The Onam festival is believed to have originated at Thrikkakara Temple. The celebrations of Onam at this temple also starts on the Atham day with a special flag hoisting ceremony. The festivity continues for nine more days with special cultural events, music and dance performances. Another highlight of this temple is the Pakalpooram which takes place on the day before Thiruvonam.

Thrissur:

To drench in the festive spirit of Onam, you should be in Thrissur, at the Swaraj Round where you bear witness to one of the most electrifying art form of Kerala called Pulikali (Tiger dance). I’m pretty sure you will lose yourself watching the vibrant Pulikali where the tiger-clad men mimic the movement of tigers to the throbbing beats of percussion music.

Trivandrum:

Another best place to indulge in the Onam celebrations is the capital city of Kerala, Trivandrum. The city wears a festive look with decorative lights for 10 days hosting various cultural activities, Pookalam contests, stage shows, dance competitions, folk arts, handicraft fairs, food stalls, etc at around 20 venues across the city.

Places To Visit In Kerala During Onam Festival

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Monday, August 29, 2022




Cambodia has a unique and ancient food culture all its own, and unlike Thai and Vietnamese it's probably fairly difficult to find a bowl of it in your local neighbourhod. Using pepper rather than chilli to add spice, Cambodian cuisine is laden with fresh herbs, spices, rice, freshwater fish and condiments. And while there are influences from French and Thai styles, Cambodian food has a distinct style and flavour that's best experienced while seated at a local beer hall or family home. While travelling from Phnom Penh through to Siem Reap, discover the sights, sounds and flavours of Kampot, Battambang, Banteay Chhmar and Angkor Wat, and marvel at a cuisine, culture and population so special that you will very quickly be won over for life.


Food in Cambodia is a revelation. Fish, curry, pork, and some of the most divine spicey pastes you could hope for. Although if you don’t like too much spice, this country is for you, because they keep a lot of them on the side, and chilli isn’t a big thing. Travel the length of the country on a food tour, stay in homestays and learn the inside secrets or go tailor made and get cookery lessons every day if you like. 


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Cambodia : A Food Lover's Paradise

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Saturday, August 27, 2022



Lalbagh is one of the oldest botanical gardens in India and is also a major tourist attraction in South India. Located in South Bengaluru, the Lalbagh Botanical Garden is not only one of the largest botanical gardens in India, but also the first of its kind, with planned routes, glasshouses and ornamental flowers growing throughout the property.


The garden itself is spread over an area of 240 acres and its construction was commissioned by the famous ruler Hyder Ali. It was finally completed by his son- Tipu Sultan- who designed the gardens keeping in mind the beautiful gardens of Sira in Tumkur District in Karnataka. Lalbagh is home to exotic flowers that were imported by the Sultan from countries like France, Persia, Arabia, Afghanistan, etc. Therefore, flowers that were previously never seen in India were first witnessed in this historical garden. Trees that were imported by Tipu Sultan from all over the world can still be found growing here.


Apart from the exotic trees, visitors can also catch sight of some rare birds such as the Myna, pond heron, purple moorhen, parakeets, Brahminy kites, the common egret and much more. Apart from the stunning flora and fauna of the Lalbagh Botanical Garden, it has another striking attraction, which is the Lalbagh rock. This rock, which is said to be over 3000 years old, is one of the oldest rocks in the world and can be found in the center of the garden.


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Bengaluru's Famous Lal Bagh

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Friday, August 26, 2022



Kashmir is moving towards “purple revolution” as the farmers are slowly switching over from the traditional crops to more rewarding farming of lavender, a purple blossomed aromatic shrub. Since 2007 onwards, lavender farming has been introduced in Kashmir and parts of Jammu. It is now picking up revolutionary proportions. Lavender farming is now done in all of J&K’s 20 districts. Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Srinagar, Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kulgam and Baramulla districts, in particular, have made significant headway in this direction.


Lavender farming was launched as ‘Aroma Mission’ of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, under the Ministry of Science and Technology. After the success of Phase I, the CSIR has started Phase-II, which will include over 45,000 skilled human resources and help over 75,000 families. According to officials, the climate of J&K is highly conducive for lavender cultivation as this plant can grow in cold temperatures and moderate summers.


Lavender is used for oil extraction which is then used in making soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, room fresheners, medicines, etc. The lavender plant does not require a lot of water and has a low risk of pests or other animals that destroy crops. A single lavender plant bears flowers for 15 years, needs low maintenance and can be used from the second year of plantation.


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Purple Revolution In Kashmir: Lavender Fields

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Wednesday, August 24, 2022



Known to be the world’s 'deadliest' garden, The Poison Garden in England has plants that can kill you. Located at Alnwick in Northumberland, this garden has over 100 varieties of dangerous plants. It is to be noted that one could visit this garde only with a guide. The dangerous garden has huge iron gates and a sign under a skull and crossbones that warns, "these plants can kill you".


The garden’s website mentions that the visitors are not allowed to smell, taste or touch any of the plants inside. The people still occasionally faint because of the toxic fumes they inhale while walking around the garden.


It is reported that one of the plants in the garden is the monkshood, which has pretty blue flowers but produces deadly berries, leaves and stems. The staff of the garden wears hazmat suits to maintain the deadly plants located in the garden.


World's 'deadliest' Poison Garden : The Alnwick Garden, England

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