Kanyakumari: Is India’s Southern Tip worth the Trip?
Kanyakumari sells itself big – the meeting place of 3 oceans, Gandhi’s last resting place, a temple to a world-famous monk. Can it live up to expectations?
Varkala: Pilgrims to the Left, Tourists to the Right
Varkala in May, like Kovalam, is almost devoid of tourists . Those that are here fall pretty much into two categories. There are the leather-skinned old hands, eking out the last of the sunshine before heading to the mountains when the …
Sivagiri: One Caste, One Religion, One God
A Hindu temple that is open to anybody is a bit unusual in Kerala. Finding one with a picture of Jesus, a picture of Buddha and an Islamic script is, well, unique. But then Nanoo Swami’s philosophy of “One Caste, …
Vizhinjam: Little Village, Big Harbour
Vizhinjam is a village about 3km south of Kovalam beach. It is home to about 10,000 people, most of them involved in the fishing trade (with the poverty that that implies). On the northern side of the harbour is the …
Kovalam Scenes
The fruit-sellers grabbed me on the Kovalam strip. I knew I was going to get fleeced the moment I sat down (NEVER sit down). Once they started telling me how special I was, I realised I was a total goner. …