Honeymoon in Kumarakom

Alleppey district in Kerala is our own Venice-grand vistas of backwaters bordered by tall wavy palms, green mangoes,swamps and bird sanctuaries, lakes as large as mini seas, all finally offering us the grand ocean as an outlet for pent up energies and sybaritic tendencies. Kumarakom is 90 kms from Cochin and 16 Km from Kottayam. You can travel by car from there by speedboat, a 20 minuite ride. Alternatively, one can drive down the entire stretch. Set on the edge of a lagoon formed by the Vembanad lake, the Taj Garden retreat is housed in a splendid heritage bungalow-the 119 year old Henry Baker bungalow, established as a personal haven by the visionary missionary so long ago. Barring the original thatch roof, the lovely pillared building is the same as a century ago, offering the visitor old world ambience and modern comfort. New cottages have been built around the lagoon-individual units with a private patio, and a luxurious bathroom, glassed into an open sky area, protected from the outside by a locked and walled compound. Every convenience is available in the room including umbrellas to protect one from the fierce sun as well as gentle showers or ranging monsoons.

A newly married couple will find this resort idyllic-surrounded by nature with its perfect isolated charm. The arriving speedboat is herald by black cormorants flying in formation ahead of the boat. A cool drink of tender cocunut welcomes you as the bookingin the formalities are completed. Gleeful butterflies and demented dragonflies keep darting across one's path by day, and crickets set up a nightly orchestra. Leisurely swims in the pool at the opposite end of the lagoon, or sunbathing, is definitely on the agenda. A fishing rod is there for the asking and the fresh catch is cooked free by the obliging chef. Couples can also check in for rejuvenation packages, get expert ayurvedic advice, herbal oil massages, steam baths, etc. Sirodhara and Avagaham are traditionally followed here, affording much well being to the client.

Water sports as well as indoor sports keep guests busy in a relaxed manner. Long treks, nature walks, early morning visits to the nearby Vembanad bird sanctuary to spot migratory birds like the Siberian Stork and pensive white egrets, all provide pleasurable exercise and a healthy appetite for the delicious repast on offer. All types of cuisine feature on the menu, keeping in mind the thronging foreign tourists. Appams, ishtews, fish curry, fried fish, biriyani and rotis all succeed crisp fried poppadums, tapioca and banana chips. Early mornings are also best for backwater cruises, in a speedboat or a kettuvallam-the local wooden boat punted along with a long pole. Small wooden canoes with a paddle can take one person along for a slow ride. The water canals go into narrow green glades or vast open stretches of water, bordered on the banks by small homes or huts clinging to the slope.

Life here is much the same as many years ago-everything revolves around the canal, the source of water for washing, bathing, swimming,etc. Drinking water alone is piped in at particular points. Local women washing the morning dishes and the day's laundry, men shaving, children waving at the boats- can be seen as one cruises along. Revellers bob about in the shady waters, cooling off. Wooden boats carry cocunut fronts for thatch, waterpots, fish, vegetables-everything is a part of the waterway. Fisherman look graceful, casting their nets in a wide throw. Even old women hold a stick with small bait for the next meal. Every home has a women by the waterfront, cleaning fish. Jackfruit provides plentiful fruit, and laden boughs of the mango tree offer the required souring agent in cooking. Food is often eaten on a banana leaf and the 'nendrampazham' hangs heavy in each small garden. this idyll stretches around Kumarakom, into a small village called 'Ayemenem' -yes, the same one made famous by Arundhati Roy in her prize winning novel 'The God of Small Things' Her ancestral home mentioned in the book still stands, now a tourist attraction, with Ayemenem a popular cruise or road trip. Her mother, Mary Roy, still teaches at the elite Corpus Christi School. In fact the Baker bungalow is mentioned in the book. Sunset cruises in the lake are a must, to watch the fierce orb of the sun disappear for the day with flourish. It is all quite a different world, so captivating in its proffered beauty. The tall rubber trees, the jackfruit dropping its dragon-like fruit with frequent plops on the path, the fragrant gardenia and rose, and the vibrant hibiscus-Kumarakom has to be experienced at least once. Honeymoon couples have the added attraction of luxury houseboats, self contained with power, TV, a/c, fridge, bathrooms etc. Sited on the lagoon near the bungalow, it assures privacy as well as proximity to humanity. Houseboats for nearby overnight cruises can also be hired at The Garden Retreat, making for a lovely mobile holiday, serenading the loved one as well as the land. Kumarakom with its sense of heritage, luxury, natural beauty and dishy cuisine can hardly be bettered as a holiday or honeymoon destination. 'Vegum Varum', as the Keralite would say-'Come soon, it's all waiting for you.'