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Legislative assembly of the State of Kerala. Kerala is different from the rest of India in many ways having been isolated from it by a range of high mountains, the Western Ghats. The "land of coconuts" has a long history of contact with the outside world starting with trade with Rome. St Thomas the Apostle came here in 52 AD and was followed by jewish settlers.
The Arabs and the Chinese also came to trade long before the Portuguese settled in Kochi in 1499. The Dutch took over from the Portuguese in the 17th century and the British dominated trade in turn during the 18th. Napier Museum shown here is a British legacy.
Trivandrum's Christ Church is also a British legacy. Kerala's population is about 20% Christian, 20% Muslim and 60% Hindu. It has the best primary and secondary education system in India and its litteracy rate is the highest. Land distribution is more equitable than anywhere else in India and it was the first to freely elect a communist government.
The Padmanabhasvami Temple in front and the Padmanabhapuram Palace on the left are the main tourist attractions but the temple is open only to Hindus and taking photos is not permited in the palace.
The photos below show the temple in front of the fort bus station where the faithful offer sacrifice to their favorite god by smashing coconuts in a trough as violently as possible. The gentleman has just smashed one and the attendant is preparing to give him another. I wonder who gets the coconut meat?
The Ashok Hotel in Kovalam is also of British origin.
Kovalam beach, just south of Trivandrum, was and still is a popular tourist attraction.
From Trivandum I took the train to the small town of Kottayam where I could catch a ferry going through Kerala's famous canals known as backwaters. Here is an isolated farm seen from the train.
And here is another, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation.
And finally one more with an old man sitting in the courtyard.
There was only a Swedish couple and myself taking the ferry from Kottayam to Alappuzha.
There are roads but the people travel a lot by boat through the water hyacinth clogged canals.
The lush vegetation and complete tranquility surrounding the backwaters set the mood for the relaxed lifestyle of the people living here. Here and there, a counterbalanced drawbridge allows them to cross.
This peaceful setting is a welcome respite from the frenzy of crowded cities.
All kinds of goods move by boat, here it's firewood.
You can rent a comfortable houseboat like this one complete with crew for a really lazy vacation exploring the backwaters.
When we got to Alappuzha, the Swedish couple stayed there and I took a bus to Ernakulum where I got on this ferry to Kochi, also known as Cochin.
Below, Bazar Road in Kochi and an old church on that road.
The old Portuguese and Dutch churches and houses and it's narrow streets attract tourists, particularly those from the cruise ships. Shops in Princess street cater to the tourist trade; there is even a cybercafe.
Here is one of those tourist cruise boats.
And here is another with more tourists.
These large fishing nets can be raised and lowered thanks to counterbalancing stones tied to the ropes hanging from the land side boom. This design is said to have been brought here by Chinese settlers in the first millenium so they are now called "Chinese fishing nets".
The "Chinese fishing nets" are very efficient and all kinds of very fresh fish are offered along the coast. You can chose your fish and bring it to a nearby terrasse restauraunt to have it cooked to your taste for a very nominal price.
That evening I attended a very good Kathakali dance show and later, took the night train to Goa.
