Cochin Magic

21/01/2025

WhatsApp +91 98677 07414 for more information about our cycling tour from Kochi to Alleppey.

15/10/2024

08/09/2024

Onathumbigal... The dragonflies that herald the Onam festival. They migrate with the monsoon winds, arriving from sub Saharan Africa on what is called the Somali jet, a low level monsoon current. They lay their eggs on arrival in Kerala, and the emergence of young dragonflies after 45 days coincides with the Onam festival.





Photo credit: Vinod John on Pixabay

21/06/2024

Just a simple day out and about in the backwaters of Alleppey. Photos from Sigrid Willi's tour of Kerala.

24/02/2024

Tomorrow is Attukkal Pongala, a festival attracting thousands of devotees to the Attukkal Bhagavathy temple in Kerala.

Thousands of women gather and prepare the sweet rice dish to offer to the Goddess.

In the days leading up, the story of the Goddess slaying the Pandyan king, in the form of Kannagi, is retold.







Image source: Wikipedia

07/02/2024

Did you know?

Rice output has been dropping in Kerala, ever since the 70's.

On the one hand, there is the decreasing profitability of paddy cultivation, with shortage of workers, and sharp rise in wages. Erratic weather and lack of insurance cover (particularly for small farmers) means that growing rice profitably is almost a pipedream.

On the other hand there is the increasing demand for land for secondary and tertiary sector uses, as well as the shifting of land to cash crops such as pineapples, which are not as labour-intensive.

With the continuous decline of area under paddy cultivation, we are also witnessing a change in traditional occupations, particularly in the rice-producing districts like Palakkad, Alleppey, Thrissur and Kottayam.

It's hard to imagine a Kerala meal without rice. Right now, the state depends on neighbouring Tamil nadu and Andhra Pradesh for meeting some of its rice needs. The government has put in place several support schemes, and also a procurement scheme to support rice farmers. The jury is still out on whether these schemes will have the necessary effect.

02/02/2024

A landscape blessed by the gods!
Kerala's hilly tea regions are among the most beautiful places in the world! This photo is of Vagamon.





Photo credit: Nandhu Kumar on Pexels/Canva

01/02/2024

Sarpam Thullal (Dance of Snakes) - a mystical ritual from the Valluvanadu region of Kerala.

Many homes in this region have sacred groves with shrines (Kavu or Pambin Kavu) where this ritual is conducted, as a prayer for well-being or for desires granted.

The prayers are offered to guardian snake deities. Special pandals (tents) are erected and a sanctified space is created with fantastic floor decoration. During the ritual, traditional music is performed with accompanying instruments; and the selected persons - usually two young women - go into a trance. They become oracles, speaking on behalf of the snake gods.

A powerful and deeply embedded ritual of Kerala, with many legends and beliefs associated with it.







Photo Credit: Kerala Tourism

21/12/2023

Houseboat cruise in Alleppey for Mandira Sarkar and family ❤ ❤

14/12/2023

Photographs cannot do justice to Munnar's tranquility and greenery, you have to go there and literally *drink* the cool fresh mountain air.

04/12/2023

We can't get enough of the backwaters! A houseboat cruise is the perfect way to unwind.

22/07/2023

Why did we post this?
Because it looks awesome.
Because it's the largest bird sculpture in the world.
Because it's just an hour from Trivandrum.
Jatayu Earth's Centre, Kerala
Because it makes you feel like a legend has come alive.

31/03/2023

After the calving season of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, the Eravikulam National Park in Munnar will open again from April 1. Those who are planning a Munnar visit, please note. You can now start visiting again.

09/12/2022

A quiet morning in Fort Kochi

22/06/2022

Monsoon season in Alleppey. Umbrellas, green fields, canoes and boats...

18/06/2022

Houseboat cruise in Alleppey. Kerala's network of navigable backwaters stretches to cover a thousand kilometers. These serene waterways are fringed by palm grove and paddy fields and offer a striking spectacle of rustic life. The backwaters act as a vital waterway for the transport of goods, people and their produce are often the only link between isolated villages and crowded towns.

The Allepey district is one of the most popular areas where you can cruise the backwaters. It is also one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea-level, using a system of d***s.

You can choose to stay overnight in the houseboat, or do a day cruise.

For more information please write to [email protected], or send us a message