THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING:
Still a predominantly rural area, gently rolling wooded hills, in between stretching paddy fields where the breeze never ceases. Agriculture; two harvests of paddy per year from the time of the monsoon up to January, every house has its own fruit and vegetable garden.
Roads, ways, lanes and paths are leading everywhere, are all open to be explored. Scattered houses, old and new, traditional and modern, simple and rich, small and big; then temples of every size, age, dedicated to any of the numerous gods and goddesses at every nook and corner.
The population around consists mostly of Hindus, a few Christians and a few Muslims living side by side, from the middle class, the middle casts, laborers, Harijans ("God's children" , formerly expelled from any caste).
Nearly full year-round we have a prosperous festive calendar, the traditional customs, rites and rituals still part of the daily life. From December up to April is the high season for festivals and the nights are vibrant with the distant sounds of drums and firework. The local people appreciate your appearance on their festivals, even you are, as in every temple in Kerala, as a Non-Hindu not allowed to enter the inside of any of these temples.
Kerala Kalamandalam is a school for traditional south Indian dance, music and theater forms situated around 10 km from our place. It is the oldest school of this type and has been secretly founded during the time of the Raj to preserve the old dance and theater forms the British condemned and prohibited. Still the gurukal system is the base in all subjects. Just recently it got the university status. It's open for visitors to observe the classes and sometimes in the Koothampalam (dancepalace) performances of different dance and music styles will be staged.
Many things can be discovered and again and again new discoveries are made: one of the last shadow puppet troupes of Kerala just residing around the corner, how in a small tool forging company the working conditions seem to be medieval, the weekly cattle market in the next village, a marriage party you get invited to (and will be heartily welcome) …………….
As this area is still out of the way for the average tourist you still can feel the open, friendly and warmly welcoming atmosphere and charm of an undisturbed area where you will not have to bargain or fear to be cheated. .
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