Eventful / Festival Days… @ Kerala

After ~24 hours of sleeplessness (14-hour travel included), I landed in Kochi on Saturday morning. Within two hours after reaching home, I found myself driving to IJK. That was how I started with my little trips…. and there are still dozens of places to go to.

I should first tell you about IJK. Did I ever tell you that we are an acronym family? We have acronyms for the places (other stuff too) we often speak about: KDK, IJK, TCR, PKD, EKM etc are nearby cities which we have abbreviated.  Oh yes, IJK is IrinJalaKkuda. An outsider might find conversations at home cryptic.

There are some more ‘special characteristics’ at my home – for eg. we practically never ring the bell when we get back home, we identify ourselves with a specially tuned whistling. Or sometimes with a quote from a 2000 year old Indian legend/epic/story…. (story of Kalidasan).

And we hold LONG discussions too – about anything and everything – for hours and hours. The picture here shows where we four (mom, dad, sis, me) sit together. The chair on the right front corner is mine… I prefer to sit on the marble steps though (where I am sitting now) :)

So, back to the IJK trip. Don’t you guys know that Kerala is supposed to have this cultural harmony? On the way, there was a festival in a church – I had to go past the procession and I took some pictures. And obviously, I was asked to donate some money. (again obviously, I managed to slip out)

It is typical to decorate the stems of plantain (Banana plant) with colour papers and flags – as you see here. They have it in front of every single house…. – for a couple of kilometres.

                       

And of course, there was sugarcane – something which I hadn’t seen like this in long times. All these together made me a bit nostalgic.

 

Then on Monday, there was a festival at a (nearby, Hindu) temple. The main thing about this festival is that, people take tall decorated towers on their heads and rotate. I have some pictures of the towers here … Not many though..

 

As usual, I went there with my dad. I had some meeta-paan which gave me more memories than sweetness. Look at the meeta-pan guy with this collection of betel leaves. :)

There were many road-side shops selling snacks/toys/bangles/balloons/what-not.

 

Empty, tender coconut shells, something left out after a long hot day. :)

Ok guys, I am extreme damn  busy these days. I should have expected it during a short visit after a year’s absence. I am thoroughly enjoying it, even though my plan to sit at home and read/relax wouldn’t happen anytime soon.

So, I sit here and look out to the green universe around my home (picture shows what I see) before I start my day’s business. 

You all have a wonderful time too.. :)

I’ll go to the river and have a bath now…. Life can be a bliss – you know?

Signing off, Sands.

PS: The post is for my German friends who might never have seen these kind of things in life.

PPS: Song of the moment : “I swear to you, I’ll always be there for you” (Bryan Adams … I’ve not listened to it in long time)