Padmanabhapuram Palace, Fort & Town

This huge wooden palace – in fact the biggest wooden structure in Asia is an erstwhile palace of the kings of Travancore who ruled from here between 1552 -1790 CE that includes the rule of its famous king Martand Varma of the dynasty. Today it technically falls in the state of Tamil Nadu and can be seen on the way if you are visiting Kanyakumari from Trivandrum. It is still managed by the Kerala circle of ASI as historically and heritage wise it belongs to Tranvancore state that is now a part of Kerala.

A huge pillared entrance greeted us as we entered the gates of the palace. The stone pillars with carved wood ceilings were enchanting. The guide pointed the lotus carved in the square wooden panels on the ceiling and said no two designs are same though it is lotus in each and every panel. I could not compare all of them but the ones I could were definitely a different artistic representation of the favorite flower of the kings of this palace. The floor was made of natural material and I think in an attempt to preserve it, shoes are not allowed inside. A brass lamp was hanging in the middle that had a horse with a rider carved on it. Now I would have passed it as another metal piece but the guide explained its ball bearing mechanism that keeps the horse and the rider facing in one direction irrespective of the way the wind blows. It was interesting. This was followed by maghony wood paintings in natural colors of none other than Padmanabhaswamy in his lying down pose of Padmanabhaswamy temple. 

A narrow flight of stairs took us to the first floor – this was the mantrashala or the meeting place for the king. Again completely made in dark teak wood, this had Chinese style windows with bench like structures all around to sit. Seats for landlords were earmarked as per their status in the state. The lower panel of wooden windows can be opened in such as way that it would naturally cool the interiors and could be sprinkled with perfumed water. Ceiling again had 9 lotus flowers exquisitely carved and we were told that 9 was considered an auspicious number by the family.

At the back of this front structure was a huge dining hall called Ottupura that can seat up to 2000 persons for eating. There were huge utensils for things like pickles. I wondered how the kitchen was operated and how big the cooking utensils would be to serve such a large gatherings. But then, can we really go back in time when these things would have been the norm and not an exception as they appear today. 

Opposite the Ottupura, Mother’s palace is the oldest part of the palace. This is where the foundation of the palace was laid using a jackfruit tree trunk as a pillar. This is the only pillar that is not teak wood in the palace. A meditation hall here interestingly had a bookshelf. Inner courtyard is typical of the old south Indian houses with a recessed centre that I assume was a water harvesting mechanism. In the rest of the palace what is worth noticing is the king’s bed that was gifted by the Dutch but is made of 64 types of medicinal woods. The backrest of the bed even has the emblem of International Medicine. Rest of the palace in its various parts has the old Belgium glasses, miniature paintings, ivory carvings especially on a Japanese style dining table and royal paintings. Indravilasam is a place for guests of the palace and has an international feel to it.

A stone structure called Navrathri Mandapa stands in the middle of the palace – a place for cultural performances specially dances. A small museum displays excavated stone sculptures along with some metal ones.

I somehow found the place too dark and a bit depressing, but the wood works are worth appreciating.

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Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

This temple dominated the public memory across the country for the astonishing amount of gold that was found in its age-old vaults. The images created of the vaults jostled in my mind as I walked to this temple from the main road along with the story of the kings of Travancore who consider themselves the servant of the Lord Padmanabhaswamy here. The dark wood palace stands right next to the temple.

My first visit to the temple was in the evening when the temple gopuram reflected beautifully in the pond outside. At first look it did not sound any different from the typical Chola temples of neighboring Tamil Nadu. We entered through the security barricade with the King’s palace on one side and row of shops on the other. Most shops were selling the white Mundus (aka Veshtis in Tamil or Lungis in colloquial language), as no one is allowed to enter the temple without it and most tourists would not carry one. Men are supposed to just wear the white Mundu with bare upper body to enter the temple and women are supposed to be in Saris or a skirt – basically a garment that is not divided below the waste. If you are wearing jeans / salwar / churidar, you are supposed to cover it with the same Mundu. I tried wrapping my dupatta around my waist, but I was denied entry. When I tried to question them, I was totally ignored but later someone said it must be a white cloth that I should wrap around.

Next day I decided to invest in a Mundu and enter the temple. It was a treat to the eyes. Wide and long corridors with stones pillars carved on both sides. There was place to light deeps or lamps everywhere. Thankfully there was not much rush on the day and I could easily get entry into the main temple. If you have spent even couple of hours in Thiruvananthpuram, you would have seen enough replicas of the image of the reigning deity here – Padmanabhaswamy i.e. Vishnu lying on the serpent with his one hand hanging down and the lotus flower coming out of his navel on which Brahma sits. The image at temple in black stone is huge and cannot be seen at once from the darshan place, as there are there doors that stand in front of the image. First I saw a huge black hand with golden nails and rings hanging down, and then my eyes went up to see the face serenely lying there. From the next door you see his navel, but this part carries so many decorative layers that it is difficult to make out the shape of the image. Third door has feet where people bow finally before checking out.

The outer walls of the sanctum sanctorum have wall murals in dull orange color. These are some of the best-preserved murals I have seen in ancient Indian temples anywhere. All three walls are covered with murals. Mural at the back wall is a long one. I do not remember much except the dull orange background and figures in white and sea green. There was a ferocious kind of expression on most images. Later I saw similar images in Raja Ravi Varma Gallery in the city. I found some similar images in paintings at the Raviz Ayurvedia Resort & Spa at Kollam and the general manager there told me that there are many people still pursuing this art form – of course murals have moved from bare walls to canvasses of the size that can fit on to our walls. At Fort Kochi, I found many of them at a curio shop. Artisans today are using the same colors – if they are natural or not, I can’t say, they use the same lines and formations and have stuck to same mythological themes. Probably there is a market for the same. Coming back to Padmanabhaswamy temple, if there is one reason why you should visit this temple – it has to be these beautiful murals.

There is a sangeet mandap with beautifully carved wooden ceiling. Few musicians were playing mrindangam there. As I walked around the temple, I saw a security person in a Mundu with his revolver jetting out of the holster around his waist. A smile naturally erupted on my face and I said Hi to him. I asked him where is all the Gold that the televisions keep telling us about. He turned towards the temple and said it is within this complex. As soon as he opened his mouth, all the people walking past stopped to hear the answer and he said – I cannot reveal the location, but it is within this complex. I asked him, if he has seen the Gold, he smiled and kept quite. I think if so many people has not stopped I might have got a bit more out of him.

I did not like their attitude on dressing up, for they could not reason it out to me. But I loved the temple – its murals, its long corridors and the unusual Anantshayya pose of Vishnu in giant proportions. 

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5 reasons to chose ITC’s Raviz Ayurvedic Resort & Spa at Kollam

On our trip to Kerala we stayed at ITC’s Raviz Ayurvedic Resort & Spa at Kollam – a beautiful property located on the southern edge of Ashtmudi Lake – a lake that is still virgin in the overtly touristy Kerala. Now as an ITC property you expect impeccable service and sustainable luxury and you get it. You get all that you expect in a resort that is like a destination in itself like various sporting facilities and evening performances. The location in the middle of backwaters is like an icing on the cake. Being in Kerala, it also presents the local flavor in every possible way like a boat filled with spices in the lobby, the temple wall murals in the rooms, Kathakali dolls at the entrance. So let me tell you what stands out over and above these expectations:

Original traditional Travancore cottages: Two old but original cottages built in wood have been ported within the precincts of this resort and are being maintained in their original style. They are called Anchal and Erattupeta based on the villages that they originally belonged to and they are 300 and 200 year only relatively. You enter them through a wooden courtyard with wooden chairs to relax in. The interiors are dark and except small alterations like Television and coffee makers the look and feel makes you feel as if you are in a different era and truly in Kerala. The washrooms are outside and must be approached through a narrow door – I felt this might be a bit scary at night, but then this is the way houses used to be few centuries back. The concept of attached toilets belongs to our generation. Carved wooden ceilings continue to intrigue you while you are there. The huge shining brass locks make you wonder if they would have attracted the thieves and then try to keep them away.

Ranthal:  Floating Restaurant made out of traditional Kerala kettuvallam takes you on a ride on the Ashtamudi Lake. From the southern tentacle of this lake that has eight such tentacle, we went to the centre of the lake, where you can see many edges jetting out in all directions. Along the path you see many small houses and a lot of Chinese net spread out to catch the fish. We were told that in Kerala all the water bodies belong to tourism industry during the day and at night they belong to the local fishermen, so you need to take rides while the sun is out. They also have a floating fort – a party boat that can take up to 70 people on board.

Veda Spa: A spa on the top floor of the property overlooking the backwaters that makes you feel serene both inside and outside. The spotless premises and friendly staff is what you expect and get but it is the view that makes it special. The corner room meant for couple spa with a couple’s jazuzzi is a treat. The soft-spoken resident doctor took me around the spa before giving me some Ayurveda tips for the travelers.

Ashtamudi Fish: This is a combination of invention & discovery by the chefs of the resort. The local fish from the Ashtamudi Lake cooked with lots of chilly in it besides many other spices has been adapted by the resort and given the name Ashtamudi fish. I am a vegetarian but my husband, who is at his fussiest best when it comes to food, loved the fish. It was spicy so you can take only so much at a time but from the looks of all those who ate it – it looked delicious. The interesting fact about this preparation is that is does not contain the most expected ingredient – coconut in any form.

Saras Pool: An infinity pool that let’s you feel as if you are swimming in backwaters with coconut trees looming above with a waterfall not too far.

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Ponmudi – Southern end of Western Ghats

Ponmudi or literally the golden hill is a hill station at the fag end of Western Ghats, not too far from the city of Thiruvananthpuram. Honestly when I read about it, I expected it to just another hill station near a big city. I could not have been more wrong. It turned out to be nature’s extravaganza – with rolling hills, roaming clouds and narrow winding roads.

I took the Kerala Tourisms tour to Ponmudi Hills – the first stop was at the Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangad - a small wooden palace in typical Kerala or Travancore architectural style with a central courtyard that sinks in and collects all the rainwater and a step well outside. The highlight of the palace was its numismatics collection, collections of weights and measuring scales that were used to measure precious metal like Gold, tribal musical instruments and ritual masks. There is a section of wooden utensils as well, some of which were quite interesting. There is a documentation of all the forts and palaces in Kerala and some collectibles of the old era. What is interesting is that a queen by the name Omayamma reined from here in late 17^th CE. Most places in India have had a queen ruling them at some point in time, and most of the time she is never talked about.

Climb to Ponmudi hills is through 22 hairpin bends and our guide kept warning us of potential nausea. He is probably yet to visit the Himalayas and the greater heights. On the way there is Golden Valley point, where a river flows through the valley of the Ponmudi hills. A small river flowing amidst big and small boulders, emerging from a bend behind the hills and vanishing in another beds – as if it is playing hide and seek and is just passing by this point in its race to hide and fool the hills. Tea gardens look like a thick green carpet on the hills and provide their own hue of green to the surroundings.

It was raining very heavily the day we visited, so we could not see any birds or butterflies that are supposedly found here in abundance. There is a KTDC hotel and restaurant just below the peak of the hill and this is the only place where you can get something to eat, provided you order it in advance. The scenery from here is beautiful – you see many mountains like the folds of a bundle of clothes. The day we were there, there were as many clouds so the interplay of clouds and hills had to be seen to believe.

On top, there are three points that the guide told us – scenery point, echo point and suicide point. View from the scenery point was divine – in fact I had my magical moment there when I saw two clouds merging and it almost felt like the union of Shiva and Shakti and I had tears in my eyes. Rain came in the way of our reaching echo point but suicide point was really suicidal. It was a steep climb on a naked hill that led to a cliff and if you slip from that point, there is no way you will survive. Looks like every hill station in India has a suicide point discovered by dejected lovers.

Hills not too far from the sea have a charm of their own.

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The Weekly Frame - Romancing the Monsoons in Kerala

Floating on a houseboat through the backwaters of Kerala and watching the rhythm of rains all around is possibly the best romantic escapade during the monsoons. Shot at Alleppey, Kerala

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Ask Arnab : Which is the best honeymoon destination in India

"Ask Arnab" is my initiative to organize all your queries sent to me through email, fb, twitter or carrier pigeons. It will serve two purposes, help fellow travellers with similar queries directly find my answer on the web and help me save the cost of housing an elephant to remember all that I replied before.

Its raining honeymoon questions here on "Ask Arnab". The first question on this series was also on honeymoon. This makes me look for the term 'honeymoon' in my posts, just to figure out why my readers feel I am good at honeymoon planning. Whatever, we will go straight into the question..
This one is from Cornell Raymond from Singapore

Question:
Hi Arnab,
I have been following your blog since long. Your travel stories from India are very inspiring. My fiancee follows your photo updates regularly. We are getting married in New Delhi in early June this year and will go for a honeymoon in India somewhere around the last week of June or early July. Which place is best for honeymoon in India? We have decided on Kerala, Manali and Goa initially, which is the best among them? Also suggest a few good packages for these places.

Answer: 

Congratulations on your wedding Cornell. To answer your first question, the best place to go on a honeymoon in India is definitely the Andaman Islands. May be its the beach-lover in me talking, but there is nothing quite like lazing on the white sand beaches with your beloved and see the sea change its color from turquoise to prussian blue.
From the ones you have already chosen, let me brief you one by one.

Manali 

Manali enjoys good weather in June. Its the best time for adventure activites like parasailing, zorbing and paragliding in nearby Solan Valley. You can find snow in Rohtang Pass. But remember, if your trip plan gets delayed to July, the occasional rainfall can spoil it. Slippery roads and landslides are the last things you would want on your honeymoon.

Goa

Goa's beaches are famous and I am sure it was a straight-forward choice into your list. Honestly, June end or July might not be the best time to be at Goa. Temperatures can go upto 40 degree celsius and heavy rainfall can play spoilsport to your beach holiday. But if dramatic nightlife and lip-smacking seafood sound good to you, let no one stop you from going to Goa.

Kerala

If I were you, I would have gone to Kerala. Imagine floating on a houseboat in the middle of an expansive lake or a narrow backwater canal with lush foliage and swaying palm trees on all sides. And then, when the rain comes down, you hold her hand and tell her its the happiest moment in your life. Now, isn't that romantic?


All the Best!

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A 5 year blogiversary and a 7th trip to India

Me at Taj Mahal, India 2006

Breathedreamgo is five years old and I’m about to leave for my seventh trip to India

LAST YEAR ON THIS DATE, I wrote a blog post called Fours years of dreaming and doing all about my journey as a travel writer and blogger, and as someone who is (finally) actively “following my bliss,” pursuing my passions and building the life of my dreams.

Ganeshji

I launched Breathedreamgo on August 23, 2009 — hurrying web designer Jennifer Johannesen to make the deadline because it was Ganesh Chaturthi, the celebration of the beloved Hindu god of luck, auspicious beginnings and travel. Ganeshji has always protected me on my travels, and I am very grateful. (This year Ganesh Chaturthi is August 29.)

This year I am in a more upbeat mood than this time last year, as I can now begin to see a way to build a sustainable career from content marketing and social media consulting. My sister Victoria and I are developing a company called BDG Social to offer these services, and in fact our first client is the Canadian Tourism Commission. We have been promoting tourism to Canada in the India market online, through blogging, social media postings, syndication and more. You can see all of our Canadian posts here in this section of the site.

My big news is that I’m about to embark on my seventh trip to India. I am leaving in early September and will be there for at least four months, maybe longer. Every trip to India changes me in ways I cannot anticipate … and I wonder what this trip will bring.

My goals are to be present, go with the flow, look for unique stories and continue to hone my story telling skills, and somehow convince the Indian tourism industry of the value of working with me, and with other professional “content creators / marketers” i.e. bloggers.

Chinese fishing nets in Cochin / Kochi, Kerala

Here’s a brief overview of my travel agenda

September

I’ll be in Delhi the first week of September staying at the lovely Thikana. I have long wanted to stay at this very special boutique hotel in South Delhi. I can’t wait. I will be writing about this place for sure!

I’ll be speaking at the Indian Association of Tour Operators Convention in Delhi, about “How to make content marketing work for you.” Wish me luck! India is lagging way behind in using digital media to promote tourism.

Then I am off on a whirlwind trip to Srinigar in Kashmir, to Leh in Ladakh and to Manali in Himachal Pradesh on a trip hosted by India Tourism. I’m very thrilled to go to two new states and three new places. I’ve already been to 15 states, so I will be moving towards my goal of all 28 29.

Finally, towards the end of September, I have been invited to attend the Kerala Travel Mart. I am delighted to go and meet with many tourism operators, resorts and Ayurvedic centres in Kerala, and to stay an extra week to relax and enjoy the beauty of “God’s Own Country.”

October

Most of October is dedicated to my Mirabai Expedition. I received an Explorer’s Grant from Kensington Tours to follow in the footsteps of Mirabai through Rajasthan, Gujurat and to Vrindavan. You can read more about this cultural expedition here.

October 23 is Diwali and I will be in Delhi, celebrating with my Indian family.

At the end of October, I’m leading an all-women’s tour called Legends of the Maharajahs and Mirabai with Kensington Tours. There’s still spaces if you want to come! We’ll be seeing some of India’s most romantic and ravishing sites, and visiting the Taj Mahal by the light of the full moon.

Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur

November

In November, I’m very excited about attending the first Travel Bloggers Conference in Asia in Sri Lanka. It’s a join effort between the Professional Travel Bloggers Association, Cinnamon Resorts and Sri Lankan Airlines. It’s my first time in Sri Lanka, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m also thrilled to see a professional travel blogging conference finally come to Asia!

On November 24, my ashram celebrates its 25th anniversary. I am planning to be at Aurovalley Ashram, near Rishikesh, to celebrate with Swami Brahmdev and my ashram family. It’s also my mom’s birthday, she would be 84 if she were here with us.

December

Currently, December is open, but I hope to be back in South India as North India is too cold for me in December. Looking for options in Kerala, Goa, Karnataka. I really want to finally visit Hampi! Also would love to go to Madhya Pradesh for the first time to see Khajuraho and a tiger or two.

So those are my plans, based entirely on my travel dreams. What are your travel dreams? Will your travel dreams and mine cross paths? Let me know in the comments!

And finally … thanks so much for reading and coming along with me for all these years. We are indeed on a journey together, with a purpose that often seems mysterious and an end that, though certain, seems inconceivable.

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