Day 51, KK Heritage, Aadikadalai, Kerala [Wednesday 23rd January 2008]
Previous day: Day 50, Kannur [Tuesday 22nd January 2008]
Next day: Day 52, Aadikadalai, Kerala [Tuesday 24th January 2008]
The two people we met yesterday told us that the homestay in the village of Aadikadalai, near Costa Malabari, was a better and cheaper option, so today we ring the place up and he's got a room available.
We have breakfast — appams, and some sort of rough idlis made out of rice and shredded coconut, and chickpeas. Afterwards Ranji from the homestay comes and picks us up. It's called KK Heritage and it's lovely. It's about 2 minutes walk further down the hill from Costa Malabari, set in woodland. Ranji owns a large house there, and the homestay is a small two bedroomed cottge with a red painted and polished veranda. It faces a field of coconut trees, followed by, over a large dune, the open sea.
Ranji takes us on a tour around the property — we meet one of his neighbours who is growing bananas, cashews, coconuts and cucumbers, on a vine up a tree. He has three daughters, each of whose name begins with a Su— sound, but I don't quite catch all of them. He smiles all the way through the introduction of both his plants and his daughters. They have a small house which looks directly onto the beach and the sea. Ranji is a talkative, friendly and excitable man who finds himself sometimes with the appropriate English words just beyond his reach. He's charming and solicitous.
The beach is very nice — long and secluded. We're the only people on it. There's a long line of palm trees at the back of it. There is a steep incline down to the shoreline, the waves are strong and the water immediately deep.
After a bit of sunbathing and swimming we walk back to the house, and Ranji brings us a plate of pineapple so sweet it's like candyfloss. He brings a bowl of the tiny, sweet bananas too.
At about 5pm there is the sound of a large banger going off. We make our way to the temple in the village, a 15 minute walk. The village is small, with a couple of tailors, one or two food ome goods shops and a sweet shop. The temple sits in the middle or a large dusty square. It is celebrating its anniversary — there are two elephants parading around, dressed up in ceremonial garb. There is a group of drummers also, manically drumming to an obscure mathematical algorithm. The elephants and the drummers circle the temple, stopping at each corner and at the midpoint of each side. Men sit on the backs of the elephants, one holding a parasol, one holding the tiny golden Sri Krishna deity and one at the back brandishing pompoms. We watch for a while. There's a low turnout thus far. Apparently this ceremony takes place over several days, each installment itself taking several hours to drum and parade to its mathematical conclusion.
So we go back to the house for dinner — we have fried tuna, tapioca (savoury, lumpy root vegetable, cooked in sauce with curry leaves) and rotis. It's all fresh, homemade and delicious.
Back at the temple we watch the conclusion of the tonight's celebration — the deity is brought down from the elephant and enters the temple, followed by the now massed crowd.
After the elephants have been led away into the night there is a stage program. A small stage has been erected next to the temple, and for the next few hours it is filled with a troupe of singers, dancers, camp cross-dressers and shrill comedians, all performing in Malayalam at ear crushingly high volume. The crowd — men, women, children — absolutely love it.
We stay until our ear drums burst and head back down the dark lane to the house.
UPDATE:
Ranji and KK Heritage's contact details:
Telephone: 9447486020 or 9447067408 or 0497274025
Email kkheritage@gmail.com
Next day: Day 52, Aadikadalai, Kerala [Tuesday 24th January 2008]
Previous day: Day 50, Kannur [Tuesday 22nd January 2008]