God's Own Country

Catch a plane out of Mumbai and head south for three hours or so and you’ll find yourself in a world that is as different from the North as Roti is from Wonderbread.  In the state of Kerala, Christians, not Hindus, make up the majority of residents. Churches, not temples, can be found on every corner. Begging on the streets is strictly prohibited. So is excessive horn honking.  People keep cats as house pets. (You would never see that in the North as Hindus view cats as bad luck).  The Communist party has a strong presence, mainly due to the fact that it has helped establish a minimum wage that is double that of other areas in the country. The literacy rate is 98.5%.  It's biggest problem?  Finding people to work minimum wage jobs.  Everyone wants to be an accountant, lawyer or doctor.

Kochi is a major port town within Kerala.  It’s slogan is “God’s Own Country” and there is a lot that is pristine and unspoiled about this area. Magnificent beaches. Rice paddies and coconut plantations as far as the eye can see.  Gorgeous sunsets.  And, most memorably, a complex series of backwater canal systems where people live, fish, work and go to school. 

Kochi once featured a thriving Jewish community. Today, its population has declined to just seven elderly Jewish residents. A single synagogue is committed to providing a place of worship to this small congregation until it is no longer needed. 

This is an area that is used to sharing. It has been occupied at different times by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British. All influences have made their mark on this area. The British influence is felt in the architecture of its buildings and large homes, many of which have been converted into charming small Inns and hotels.

The Arabian sea and freshwater lakes provide an abundant variety of fish.  Fisherman sell their catch on the piers.

An ancient Chinese net system is used to catch fish.  It may look imposing but this delicately balanced, cantilevered weight system can be operated by a single fisherman.

Fish mongers go door to door on bicycles to sell their freshly caught fish. This salesman had his trusted cat beside him the whole way (looking very hopeful about picking up some leftovers). 

Surprisingly, there are only a few resorts along this splendid stretch of Arabian sea coastline.  Fairly sure that will change soon.

A two day trip down the backwaters of Kerala on a houseboat gave us a glimpse into life on the river – one that is impossible to see from road transport.  This series of canals thread their way through the state to the sea.  Along the way, rice fields, tiny villages, boats transporting children to school, farmers transporting their product to the market, and women completing household tasks go by.

A rice boat stays barely above the waterline transports its burgeoning cargo down the river.

A local church service on a Friday afternoon. The crowd overflowed onto the landing. The Pope should be proud of this dedicated and devoted flock.

Mark Twain once said that, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” We would like to think that, at the end of the day, our travels to India have made us a little more accepting, a bit better informed and, we hope, more objective. We will take with us the smells (some good, some bad), the sounds and the memories of all the people we met, and how generous they were in sharing their lives and their experiences with us. Not that they had much choice. We asked a thousand questions and took a million pictures.

India is not a country for everybody.  We met a number of people along the way here, many who have made multiple visits, who say you either love it or you hate it. Count us in the former column and consider us grateful for the experience. We won’t soon forget it.

Thanks for joining us on the journey. It’s been fun sharing it with you.   

Love, Jim and Helen