We Took a Break.

So, remember how we told you how much we love travelling at Indebo? Well, this time we took all that love one notch up – we decided to put together a trip for all our staff at the office. Following a lot of arguments, we figured the one place where such a large group could peacefully relax and let their hair down could only be Kerala. It’s the Malabar, after all – blue water and blue skies, that is, if you manage to see past the deep green foliage above your head, and a significantly relaxing cultural atmosphere. By the time we set off from Delhi, everyone was basically looking forward to some delicious food, some simple travelling and a lot of bonding.

At first glance, the first day of the itinerary looked simple – getting  off the flight at ten, with the next  four hours earmarked as “local sightseeing around Cochin”, following which would be a lavish lunch. Only, that wasn’t entirely accurate – it came with a twist! Once everyone was out of the airport, they were handed an envelope each. A solitary card inside carried the name of a spice – the Malabar was also spice country, after all!

Historically speaking, it is practical knowledge for Malabari chefs – want some spices, get to Alleppey! Anyway, the ones who got the same ‘spice card’ then made a team – so we had six in all. Garam Masala, Red Chillies, Bay leaves, Yellow Turmeric, Green Cardamom and Black Pepper – our six teams then got into their coaches which dropped them off at different points around the city with one line of a clue each.

Indebo Staff at Cochin Airport

Yes, this was the madness behind the innocent itinerary! Inspired by the popular show ‘The Amazing Race’, our organising team had decided to put together a hunt of our own. Within the hour, there were six groups of Indebo staffers chasing down clues across Cochin – clues included everything and anything historical. From one of the oldest churches in the countries (Santa Cruz), sari weavers in Ernakulam district, the famous Cochin Synagogue and one of the oldest gold craft showrooms – clues were scattered everywhere that required the teams to fish deep and think hard. While some searched for the guide who held the next clue at Santa Cruz, others decided to talk to the salesmen and craftsmen in order to scoop out the other clues.

By the time all the clues were discovered, the last of which was the same for everyone – the link to the place where lunch was scheduled – it was the Green Cardamom team led by Ibotombi Singh that had emerged the clear winner. As the rest of the teams trooped in slowly, signs of the gruelling challenge showing on their faces, a large container of Biryani was brought in to be plated. Both relief and satisfaction lined everyone’s face. And based on the responses we got to a review questionnaire after the trip, this meal was rated as the best – not just because it was simply outstanding but because the treasure hunt had made sure everyone was hungry enough to love each and every bit of the lunch.

Indebo Staff at Kathakali performance

That evening, at Casino hotel, all the ladies were handed saris and the men were given mundus – both traditional pieces of Malayali clothing which was also our own dress code for the Kathakali performance scheduled at Fort Kochin at night. The expected unease with such traditional clothing from people mostly used to western formal wear was nowhere to be seen – everyone seemed to be in the mood for challenges and they pulled the garments off in style. Their grace took our hosts completely by surprise – at the Kathakali auditorium, the manager actually asked how many of us were from Kerala itself. He couldn’t believe the answer!

Everyone got a short lesson on make-up art before a Kathakali performance, one of the most crucial ingredients that requires an exceptionally firm and artistic hand. The performance itself was followed by dinner at the Brunton Boatyard – a fabulous place right next to the sea. Given all this activity, we were sincerely hoping the excitement didn’t wear off by the next day – and we were pleasantly surprised.

Everyone seemed ready for another go by breakfast next morning – and this time our destination was Vaikom and Kumarakom. We stopped to take a walk through the large yard and lawns at the famous Sree Mahadeva temple on the way before splitting up into two teams – this time, for sharing time between the activities planned for the day. So while one group went off to learn about coir making and coconut processing, the other got canoe rides through the backwaters, taking notes on fishing and toddy-tapping. A couple of hours later, the groups switched amidst excited conversations about tasting local toddy and shopping for coir handicrafts.

Lunch was scheduled at the village residence of one of Indebo’s oldest associates in Kerala – the meal, served on banana leaves, included all kinds of Malayali delicacies, topped off with generous portions of banana fritters. Needless to say, this meal came a close second on the best meal question in our official review. We spent that night at the beautiful Coconut Lagoon resort, after watching the sunset on the backwaters from the roof of a houseboat on Vembanad Lake. This short cruise got everyone in the mood for more time on the lagoons the following day.

Vembanad Lake is part of a cosy waterway leading to Muhama – so we set off next morning on a luxurious houseboat along the waterway. The smell of spices floated off from the villages lining the waterway and we had cheerful exchanges with school kids on holiday who were lazing by the banks – in India, curious travellers always give kids a reason to share a joke or two, followed by splits of uncontrollable giggles!

Serene Lands of Alleppey

By early afternoon, we had finished off a sumptuous meal on the houseboat and landed near Alleppey. Since the evening was free, many took off to shop immediately – from banana chips, sarees, trinkets and nuts to the conspicuously huge umbrellas and school bags, everyone had an interesting selection of purchases. The bout of shopaholism soon gave way to beach chairs at Marari beach resort – a luxury that no one had in the last two days.

Before dinner, we had scheduled another exceptional performance – Kunchan Nambiyar’s legendary compositions as an Ottam Thullal. The other two types of the Thullal are the Seethankan Thullal and Parayan Thullal. While most didn’t understand the Malayalam poetry, the element of satire and ridicule was lost on none – Nambiyar’s excellence as a popular poet revealed itself through the performance as the fourth wall was made to seem like a nonexistent category – the dancer made different parts of the whole auditorium a prop to his art. From the intermittent swearing and the lyrical exposition, there was everything that Ottam Thullal is known for. Such was the energy in the performance that even the audience’s laughter became an accessory for the dancer on various occasions. Memorable wouldn’t even begin to describe the evening – no one could stop talking about it even after dinner.

Next morning was our last day in Kerala. So we decided to pick up bicycles and ride through the famous fishing villages near Mararikulam. Those who weren’t bicycle enthusiasts decided to either laze by the swimming pool or take a wonderful Heritage Walk. This heritage walk was organised by the Ladies’ Wing of the local chapter of the Lion’s Club. Under the banner of ‘Preserve Alleppey’, Mrs. Rani John works with other members to archive and preserve the oldest buildings in the town and promote cleaner streets and neighbourhoods. The Walk included both small and big aspects of the town – from coir-making units and churches to heritage buildings made from stone imported from Surat in Gujarat during the heyday of Gujarati mercantilism in the region.

By the evening, we had even managed to find people enthusiastic for a yoga session with a well known yoga practitioner – the whole day seemed to be about rejuvenation. But our excitement was yet to come undone – there were still some plans left to be unpacked. Mr. Verghese, the Administrative head at our office in Delhi was given a birthday party that took him completely by surprise! While he was summoned by our Managing Director under the pretext of official work, our office team put together a lavish party, complete with party hats and masks – leaving Mr. Verghese to find himself in the middle of a surprise carnival in his honour. The party was also an occasion to give away awards to the team that won our crazy Amazing Race which was then followed up with yet another surprise! Most people felt that it was unfair that Rajesh had to be away on this staff trip on the day of his wedding anniversary – dedicated that he is to his work; we figured it would be momentous if we celebrated his anniversary with him! Rajesh couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw what everyone had got him – a model replica of a famous houseboat with white sails from the workshops along the backwaters in Alleppey.

The drive to the airport at Cochin next morning was a sleepy one. High and dry after the previous night, there were a lot of good dreams to have in the days to come. Such is the nature of the travel bug – it leaves for a while, only to return again with something more novel than the last time.

The markets of Eastern Venice

Fishing in the backwaters. Image courtesy: Tony de Connick

The district of Alappuzha is home to some who have made seminal contributions but are hardly ever remembered or discussed by generations today. Shankar, creator of the famous Shankar’s Weekly and most well known as India’s foremost political cartoonist was born and raised here. Today, many are aware of the Shankar’s Doll Museum in Delhi or the Children’s Book Trust which were his own projects but Alappuzha as his home district is hardly ever discussed in wider public spheres. Take another instance – Vayalar Rama Varma, who wrote the most expansive volumes of modern poetry and lyrics in the Malayalam language and voiced the genuine grievances of the peasantry and the poorer populace in Kerala. Numerous felicitations and honours later, his legacy and the surroundings within which he grew up to challenge the dominant public discourse in Kerala, is hardly a signifier of Alappuzha’s identity. 

On the contrary, it is through the lens of Lord Curzon, infamous for his role in famine relief during the tragic famine at the turn of the twentieth century as well as his role in the partition of Bengal in 1905 that Alappuzha refers to its own identity and significance today. The district’s official website for governance proudly cites Curzon’s description of, what was named Alleppey by the British, as the “Venice of the East”. Many other websites on Alappuzha follow suit and the metaphor of Venetian prosperity perpetuates itself. But the district has a lot more than what this metaphor can capture and nothing short of a visit to its lagoons, waterways and markets can give an accurate description. The district has its own flavours and its own delights for the traveller. Mostly known for its coir-making units and the large fishing villages that have existed for centuries now, this district and its central towns also pack together culinary specialities of prawn as well as a vibrant spice economy. 

The streets of Alappuzha

The markets of Alappuzha are busy spots of trade, exchange and other forms of socialisation. Coir’s importance in the region is evident from the National Coir Training and Designing Centre and the famous Coir Research Institute in the district. A visit to these places can provide valuable information into the lives and livelihoods of the thousands of families dependent on coir production in the district. The district’s backwaters serve as key elements in the transport of the green coconut husk to strategically located coir units and workshops. Spinning coir is often also done domestically by household-based units which then supply it to larger units making finished products. Support prices and other government aid has helped the coir industry grow significantly but at the same time, the recent migration of coir processing units to neighbouring Tamil Nadu could be worrying signs for the Alappuzha economy.

While coir gets its name from the Malayalam word for green coconut husk and duly so, there are specific commodities that markets across Alappuzha are well known for. The spice markets are one such example. Given the massive output of rice from the district, and specifically Kuttanad, every year, the spice production as well as import keeps the culinary balance in good place. Green pepper, Black pepper, cumin, ginger, cardamom and turmeric line the spice markets which have a longstanding significance in the history of global spice trade. Since Chera rule, Allapuzzha is believed and recorded as having been a crucial spice port on the western coast of the Deccan with strong flows of exchange across the Indian Ocean. For any visitor to the district today, the historical significance of its location and its crucial service as a port town should be of great interest. 

Black pepper in Aleppey

In recent times however, the spice market has slowly shifted focus towards the production of spice-based oils and oleoresins. Black pepper oil and ginger essence are two of the most widely available local spice-based oils. Rama Varma, reigning as the Prince of Travancore in the late nineteenth century, was one of the important reasons for the organisation of the spice trade. He firmly believed in the ideas of ‘modernisation’ of the original head of the Travancore kingdom, Marthanda Varma. He made financial and commercial organisation crucial to the spice trade and established legal norms to the functioning of the spice market which helped in sustaining the strength of the spice economy as a whole. Culinary practices with seafood and the corollary market for prawns and shrimps also find growing space from the end of the nineteenth century.

Other specific economic units include the growing umbrella manufacturing units with the brands John’s and Joji’s becoming runaway successes in the whole southern belt for producing strong and sturdy affordable umbrellas that have made Alappuzha a big export hub for the commodity. Umbrellas are a key part of the average Malayali person’s attire given the tropical weather and the frequent changes between hot and rainy weather.

Of coconuts and backwaters in Aleppey

All these markets and their internal economies are connected through the canals and rivers of the district which provide the visitor to Kerala with a unique co-dependent mash of the ‘natural’ linkages and the socially created ones. But sadly, noticeable natural phenomena in the backwaters are also an important cause for concern. Massive growth of water hyacinths along many canals indicates the gradual stagnation of the water in the canals, the reasons for which are yet to be identified. Such stagnated water could potentially be very harmful for the rural populace living around the canals as the dangers of water borne diseases like cholera would increase. Interestingly however, the stalk of the stronger Hyacinths found in Thailand are used by the local crafts industry for production of portable furniture and this is still one other creative economic opportunity yet to be explored in those incredibly unique backwaters of Alappuzha.