We are now gradually heading towards the Western Ghats mountains. First of all had a couple of days in a place called Niraamaya retreat near Trivandrum (short version of name) in Kovalam. Lovely hotel with the best hotel food yet. Nice little cottage surrounded by forest next to a cliff top leading down to a beach.
Couple of stalls on the beach where it appears the owners have the same life story as the beach guard!!! Three kids, very quiet and even my wife has died leaving me with kids!!! Got to be a hard tourist round here.
Moving on we take the road leading to Maderai, a temple city.
On the way up we saw lots of signs of damage from last years flood. Also they are installing massive land drains so a long arduous route with heavy lorries, no road signs, lots of soil in the road, big holes etc. Well done Sajith our driver.
We stopped for two nights in a place called Thenmala. Eco signs everywhere saying no plastic zone. REALLY!!!! Must go to spec savers when home. 😎🤓. Had a great walk in a park by the dam. Passing through sculpture forest and Dinosaur everywhere 😀😧 all the while escorted by a very friendly dog.
For two weeks in the Kerala/Tamil Nadu state the temples celebrate by worshipping their gods (of which there are many) in many ways. So there are huge speakers on the roads pumping out services and music, bunting flags decorating the roads and temples, flower petal stalls, fireworks and lots more activity near temples. During this trip we have come across quite a few parades going on and one of them had men with long thin pieces of metal through their cheeks 😧. Local to that particular temple. We watched one night a statue of a goddess being draped in cloth and the buckets of flower petals scattered over her. This was all happening to the sound of bell clanging and dramatic drums. They have so many gods and all get a ceremony during the two weeks. Only saw one dressed Elephant this time but some have many and at the cost of around £500 each this is an expensive way to worship.
We have seen many new temples, mosque and cathedrals being built and most of theses have been huge. It does give you food for thought when there are so many very poor people, mountains of rubbish and a very fast growing population. Money used for these creations could make a big difference to all the above whilst making gods presence maybe more worth while to humanity. But that is just my thoughts.
Devotion to all sorts of religion happens in India and it is interesting of how tolerate of each other’s ways of worship there is. One elderly gentleman, we met outside a Hindu temple, was very cross that only Hindus were allowed in. He really wanted to welcome us in to his temple. He was Hindu and
like that he could visit all other places of worship. Nice man and his family were lovely as have been everyone we have met up in this great country.
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