Kerala tourism – VAGABOND IMAGES

Kerala goes big on Caravan Tourism

Upendra SwamiSeptember 16, 20214189 Views2

Next big thing for Kerala Tourism in three decades since houseboats After Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, now it is Kerala’s turn to promote Caravan Tourism in state. But it does this in a bigger and proper way, by bringing out a dedicated comprehensive policy, thus becoming the only state to have a comprehensive Caravan Tourism policy. This policy encompasses everything from approvals to vehicles and parks.With its diverse but accessible landscape, Kerala is one of the best places worth exploring in a caravan. Last two years have changed the way we perceive leisure travel, Now, rising to the demands and preferences of tourists in the post-pandemic world, Kerala has announced a comprehensive, stakeholder-friendly Caravan Tourism Policy, promising the visitors safe, customized ...

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Where rivers flow through the hearts of the people!

Upendra SwamiAugust 14, 20201353 Views2

One of the beauty of Kerala is its nature, in its myriad avatars. It is fascinating is to see how nature here moulds itself so effortlessly into human life. Despite a few challenges, despite sometimes a show of anger by nature and despite some transgressions by humans- they both have become integral to existence of the other. Kerala is one of those places, where the deity, the nature and the human just transform into each other. In the God’s Own Country seamlessly the human becomes the nature and the nature becomes more humane. Bharathappuzha river at Thirunavaya Nature has always posed challenge to the humans, challenged them to excel and overcome. It also has been an inspiration. Take rivers for the example, they quench the thirst of the land and give birth to civilisations. River...

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Snake boat races in Kerala get their own champions league

Upendra SwamiSeptember 1, 2019650 Views2

Kerala’s famed snake boat race lost most of their charm last year because of catastrophic floods. Heavy rains in first half of August threatened to repeat it again this year. But the God’s own country somehow escaped the nature’s fury this time and though delayed, the boat race season in now on its track, which normally kicks off every year with historical Champakulam Boat Race on the Moolam day. But there was lot more in store this year. Kerala’s all-famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race got an added feature this year when Champions Boat League (CBL) was flagged off at Alappuzha amid the star presence of batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, gifting the country its first such water sport formatted on the lines of IPL cricket. Pallathuruthi Boat Club were the proud winners of the Nehru Boat Rac...

IndiaPhotogallery

On the Neelakurinji trail at Eravikulam National Park

Upendra SwamiOctober 28, 2018498 Views2

It was heartening to see the long queues even if it meant long waiting for us to board the bus that takes you inside the Eravikulam National Park. It was after all good to witness tourists returning in large numbers to Kerala just weeks after devastating floods, said to be most fierce in last almost hundred years. Indeed, most of the tourists might be locals or from nearby places as that was the long weekend because of Dussehra falling on Friday. Initially, I had planned this visit for August. As, the only motive was to document the blooming of Neelakurinji flowers, hence the visit was timed as per their expected blooming. Strobilanthus kunthiana, commonly known as Neelakkurinji (Blue Kurinji), grows in colonies stretching to acres and acres across the Neelgiris – a name ascribed...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary : A gem yet to be polished

Upendra SwamiDecember 9, 2016553 Views7

Honestly, I had high hopes when I went to Kadalundi. It was one of the places which I had planned to visit during a very small leisure window on my visit to Kozhikode (erstwhile Calicut). It was late November and I could not have missed watching and photographing a few migratory birds. But, it was a disappointing outing. Spread over a cluster of islands, this sanctuary is said to be the abode for more than a hundred species of native birds and 60 species of migratory birds. The area where Kadalundi river flows into the Arabian sea is surrounded by hillocks. These hillocks besides creating a scenic environment also give a splendid view of the sanctuary, river mouth and the sea. Even the main railway line to Trivandrum passes through the sanctuary. Kadalundi also has a mangro...

IndiaPhotogallery

Scratch to Ship at Beypore

Upendra SwamiNovember 28, 2016574 Views9

This a place which most of the tourists travelling to Kerala will overlook. But I was told that foreign tourists are more inclined to go there than Indian tourists. But I was anxious to be there, as soon as I came to know about this place. Still, when I ultimately reached here, I was the lone traveler. I am talking about ship building yards of Beypore in Kozhikode or erstwhile Calicut in Kerala. Its the traditional way of ship building both in wooden and metallic frames for bigger fishing boats and smaller passenger boats (and not for bigger passenger ships). This traditional art of ship-building is called as uru. Actually this art came to Kerala centuries ago from the Arab world. The Arabs used to call them dhows. They were used as traditional Arabian trading vessels. Arabs used to...

India

Its all about Kerala this August

Upendra SwamiJuly 30, 2015651 Views7

The largest team sport in the world, boat races of Kerala (known vernacularly as Vallamkali) flaunts the social and cultural integrity and diversity of God's Own Country. The awe-inspiring snake boats bring alive the rivers during the months of August and September. Following the southwest monsoon rains in Kerala, the season of boat races commence. If it is not the reason big enough to go to Kerala, then there is Onam also this month, most auspicious time of the year. Certainly, the best time to visit the ‘God’s own country’. Nehru Trophy Boat Race Come August and the placid waters of the Punnamada Lake become a track on fire. Held on the second Saturday of August every year, the time of the prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race is when the silence of the lake is sliced by the slashing

IndiaNews

Elephants will be part of Thrissur Pooram

Upendra SwamiApril 28, 20151098 Views4

With both the Kerala government and High Court declining to interfere with the parading of elephants during the annual ‘Thrissur Pooram’, the over 200-year-old famous festival is set to be held in all its pomp and glory tomorrow. A division bench, comprising justices A M Shaffique and P V Asha, today (28th April 2015) declined to interfere in the PIL filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, New Delhi, and posted the case after May 20, when the High Court reopens after vacation. The petitioner had sought directions to the state and central government to ensure that the elephants are not paraded during the pooram festivities without permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India. Bringing relief to the Pooram organisers, the state government has also made it clear that it

IndiaNews

Two Udaipur hotels get top tourism awards

Upendra SwamiFebruary 19, 2014253 Views0

States of Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have jointly been declared as the best in Comprehensive Development of Tourism at National Tourism awards in India. Awards, considered to be showcase of the Indian tourism industry were given on Tuesday. Two hotels from the city of lakes Udaipur were also among the winners in their categories. Although the Indian Tourism Minister Chiranjeev stayed away from the awards function because of seemingly larger issue of bifurcation of his state Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra stamp writ large in the Awards. Andhra Pradesh shared the first prize for Best State for Comprehensive Development of Tourism with Madhya Pradesh, while Kerala came second, and Gujarat at the third place. In the Best Heritage City category, Tourism Minister’s own constituency, ...

IndiaNews

To tour Kerala on internet, use gestures

Upendra SwamiAugust 17, 2013306 Views0

Planning a trip to Kerala in south India? If you go on the internet, you will no longer have to use a mouse or keyboard to browse a section of the of Kerala Tourism website - you can instead gesture! In a pioneering development, the Kerala State Tourism Board allows users to access the site, www.when-it-rains.com, with their webcams - the site can be navigated through gestures alone. The website takes viewers to rain-washed plains, misty hills and majestic backwaters, and the interface takes place through sheer gestures. This is one of few tourism websites anywhere in the world to use gesture-controlled technology for navigation. Visually stunning images of the monsoon shot by Facebook fans of Kerala Tourism are used in the new website, developed by Stark Communications, the officia...