5 June 2006

RAIN IN KERALA


Good to be back home, bag full of dirty and wet clothes, slept the whole day.
Hi !
How you've been ? Me fine, not sick after soaking myself in the rain, walking on the rain drenched streets of Kerala, I was not chasing the rain, the rain was chasing me. too many pictures to choose from.

The wedding went of well in Guruvayur, I'll post the wedding pictures later, lot of mail piled up have to reply, and my room is in a mess, Have to reply to your mail and comments. I'll do that... I'll do that.

Some very pleasant discoveries this time, I'll post them in Blunt knife
Covered a lot of distance, very stupid of me, not stopping anywhere just hopping from place to place, most of the pictures are either from a train or a bus window, or running in the middle of the road with my camera. This is not a very sensible way of traveling. You'd kill me if you travel with me.

One thing you have to remember in Kerala, the train or a bus ride is more pleasant than reaching a place.
I would give anything for a window seat. most of the time I was lucky. I would miss my food , rush early to get a window seat, just hoping I would get something to eat on the way. Went hungry most of the time, food is not my priority anyway.

This is Ernakulam South railway Station.
As you can see I was sitting inside and had a window seat. This is my last day in Kerala.
I never carry an umbrella, but this time after the wedding Nirmal and Sindu insisted on my carrying an umbrella as it was pouring in buckets on that day.

I would always forget and leave behind the umbrella in my cheap hotel room, no regrets getting wet. Early in the morning in Ernakulam I decided to carry it on a bright and sunny day. No rain. It satrted raining after I sat in the train. The umbrella is back home, brand new, not a drop of rain fell on it.



This KSRTC bus driver in Manandavady says don't mess with me. You would enjoy the ride of you are inside. they make you scream if you are outside. These bus drivers have done something that all the priests in Kerala failed to do, putting fear of God in you.


This is Kannur Railway station, I was wet and hungry on my way to Shornur, but I was getting a regular supply of Chaaya in the train. I kept my window open. Had a couple of Parapu vada, not very good, cold and hard like a rock, chewing was hard on my jaws, but I don't mind if I am hungry, can't afford to be very choosy, but I was enjoying the rain falling on me thru the window, people sitting near me were giving me funny looks, but I never care. The chap sitting next to me asked me how's the parpu vada, I said its terrific. He bought two for himself. Took one bite and gave me nerve rattling stare.




these pictures were taken last year on the way to Alleppy, You can take a boat from Kottayam, a very pleasant ride, it takes time, but you'd enjoy the ride. couldn't go this time.

Pretty dangerous to travel with me. I go off my rockers. I had to take a 6.40 train from Trichur to Chennai, I was still in Ernakulam at 4.30. I took a train hoping that it would reach Trichur by 6 giving me enough time to pick up my bag and get back to the station on time. It misfired. The train I was supposed to catch was coming right behind. just ten minutes difference. I was clicking pictures and I managed to buy 2 kilos of banana chips and one kilo of halwa before I boarded the train to get back home. The train was leaving the platform, got in to the moving train, went to my seat and scratched my head with both my hands like a monkey.

Blunt Knife
Travel and Photography Blog

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

you make me miss home, Poms :( lovely gorgeous pics. wish i were travelling with you *hugs*

P.S: hope you remember our deal :D

P.S: can you post me some banana chips ? i miss eating them so much; i looked around in every shop for them, but no one stocks them here :(

Anonymous said...

Rauf!!U are back and u brought the rains with you!!AWESOME!
Manandavady, Alleppy , ernakulam ,trichur...u were all over Rauf....lol!!
U travel crazy but I am sure its fun that way.Right about the transport bus drivers...they definitely do a better job than the priests.Looking forward to more pictures and more of your insights.
U r simply wonderful!

sundarsonal said...

love love love the photos

Leila said...

Hi Rauf - so happy to see you back!

The last picture with the boat is my favourite - I would blow it up and frame it and put it on my wall :)

What type of food is Parapu vada?

Leila said...

Sorry to hear about your friends father, rauf. That is definitely not good news to return to. God bless him.

rauf said...

Lord Booey!
Aree Ghodee, Who tol you to go to Harrods or Mark & spencers an look for kerala banana chips ? Aiyoo kerala banana chips are yavalabole in timbaktoo north pole south pole . Neil Amstrong brought 2 kilos of kerala banana chips fom the moon remember ?
Go South Hall you get all kinds trivandrum to kasargode banana chips. hold a bowl below your lapeetopee I'll sendee you some thru mail. This time I went to a very remote place where they were frying banana chips, real rural setting, tasted some but did not buy as carrying 2 kilos more wuddave killed me. big choolha using fire wood tandoor kind, big kadhaayee, the guy said chips fried over gas stoves are no good, i believe him after tasting his chips free, he did not take any money, I took some pictures there, I'll mail you

rauf said...

e2dees, i really love traveling, I mean not going to places, think I love only train or bus rides. I am madee, and i want a window seat. !
Lot more picture coming in blunt knife. Alleppy pictures were taken during last year rains, some pleasant discoveies terrific train ride, meter gauge, pollachi palakkad, thank you e2dees for sending me there, Plachimada-meenakshipuran(tamil nadu) went pollachi and took a train back to palakkad. I'll have a separate blog for that train ride, very romantic journey.

rauf said...

Sundaree Sonal, wattoo ? all yakjaams over ? you had good rains there in Delhi too. yanjoyeed ? Did some aimless travling like always, did not meet any interesting people this time. vonlee new new places. wen you goin bumbaayee ?
my system something something wrongee. whakeeng sending mail from my nephew's system

rauf said...

Hi Laila, the place is Alleppy, they have 'house boats' there but pretty expensive, can't even think of stepping into them, but the boat rides are very cheap, say a 3 hour boat ride costs less than 10 rupees, say 20 cents, don't know how much in rands, about 45 rupees is one dollar i think, I have nothing o do with foreign currency so don't know much. Travel is very very cheap here. there are waterways in Ernakulam, kottayam, alleppy quilon. takes you through some beautiful places. I'll post the pictures in a couple of weeks on kerala waterways.

Yes is sad news Laila, wanted to post the wedding pictures but did not feel like. unfortunately I was away. The newly married couple were back but i stayed behind to travel some more.

Cari said...

don't care for umbrellas myself. I love to walk dance in the rain. It's soo refreshing. It is something that I remember from my MUCH younger days. It's been a long time since I have done that. Thanks for the idea! And the nice pics. :}

rauf said...

Laila, sorry missed your question. Parpu Vada is like a fried cookie pan cake size thick in the middle made out of grams (dhaal) A south indian food

e2dees , can you help me explain ?

rauf said...

Cari you'll have to wait till children grow up, after that, you can dance in the rain and be a child again. so nice to get back to our childhood Cari

Ruth said...

Thank you for those six falling drops, hanging from a bar, reflecting and magnifying the world, ready to let go, just six little drops in the torrent. I love them.

So glad you're back, Rauf, in all your splendor.

Hayden said...

good to see you back, Rauf, sounds like you really enjoyed yourself.

also sounds like your eyes are hungrier than your belly....

Anonymous said...

liked the mother and child ...as you age the colour is taken out of you...

rauf said...

I am not crazy about beaches Ruth, we have too many of them. Water has been the problem of my region.
It hardly ever rains here. So Rain and rain drops have always been my weakness.

rauf said...

I always think of leaving my tummy behind Hayden, what a pain carrying it. I don't have to earn if i can detach my stomach and live on air and walk to China. I think I know the way.

rauf said...

I saw the grand father of a parrot in Rajasthan Chinna, Old man was so colourful. Birds go the opposite direction, young ones are not colourful, they pick up colour as they grow old.

rauf said...

Thanks Gangadhar, More of Kerala will come in Blunt knife. Many issues still pending. I am not studious, life has been chaotic, never think of jotting down things to do. I think I'll never get organised. I am too old to change.

CE said...

Missed the train rides. I used to travel a lot by train in the Netherlands going as far as Belgium. I envy you. Maybe I'll buy a "week-end retour" and travel by train the whole week-end this summer.

Claudia said...

Fabulous rain pictures. I especially like the first three and the railway station ones.

Claudia said...

Fabulous rain pictures. I especially like the first three and the railway station ones.

rauf said...

Windows are sealed in Air conditioned coaches Imemine, So I avoid them, more over I cannot afford A/C, its 3 times the cost.. There is lot of fun traveling in the train in cheaper class where there is a lot of activity. 1000 kilometer travel in comfortable sleeping berth travel costs less than 10 dollars. Best thing is windows are open, there are 2 shutters in each window, glass and a metal shutter with slits. There are bars on the windows, they don't obstruct the view though. Very airy inside even in summer.

rauf said...

Thank you Claudia, rain drops, dew drops are such a pleasure to photograph. Entire Kerala is lush green always and there is plenty of water.

Anonymous said...

im back in bombay leaving for delhi-- countdown to last few days of torture has begun.. yahoooo- sonal

Zareba said...

Beautiful, Rauf, as always. Your camera is operated by the eye of the soul, and it shows. It is sonice to be able to catch up and again enjoy your photos.

...Z

rauf said...

Thank you Zareba, hope you are doing fine. I'll post more travel pictures in a couple of days.

rauf said...

Aiyoo Sundaree Sonal I thoughts yavary thing all torture is ovare.
Any more pirjentasans ? Send some rain to madras. I know why you goin delhi. you in love with shaitan cooler.

ari4u said...

Thank you for showing the world through your eyes. I have always read your interesting posts and have been a huge fan of the candid and very realistic pictures you have to show here. Hope you haven't forgotten me. Does my picture ring a bell? ;)

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Rauf,

Once again you have captured life in a single rain drop. Lovely, and at once powerful!

Candy Minx said...

I too love the umbrellas are they waiting to ride on the boat I love the photo. I also like very much the palm trees and rainy jungle. Is it warm there when it rains, or would a fireplace be nice?

Hey Rauf!!! Missed you glad to see you back!!!

rauf said...

Hi Aamir, its great to see you here, went out yesterday came back late and went straight to sleep and early in the morning this blogger had problems. Your blog was not opening, looks good Aamir.
Got a new Cannon SLR ? WOWEEEE !
Love and huggs to you and Salma.

rauf said...

Thank you Don, been away for sometime. great time to visit Kerala during monsoon. Thinking of going there again, towards south of Kerala this time. My place here in Chennai, Tamil Nadu state doesn't get much rain.

rauf said...

No Candy, no fire place, it doen't get cold, except for hilly places like Munnar in Kerala. People waiting for the boat is Alleppy, You can hire a house boat and live there for a few days, its about 2500 rupees (50 dollars ??) a day, they look good but pretty expensive for me, some go over 100 dollars a day, never stepped into one so far. I'll post Alleppy house boat pictures later. I'll post a few in Blunt knife today Candy.

ari4u said...

Hi Rauf, Thank you :-). Yes, after much deiberation i decided to upgrade from my Canon S230 point and shoot to Canon EOS 30D and there is no looking back since. I have a lot to learn from you. I will be posting my pics randomly just so i can get your blessings, comments and criticism for them :-)

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