We had a late awakening this morning as our departure was not until 11 a.m. to allow for those who wanted spa treatments to have them. So, we went down to breakfast at 9 a.m. and had a leisurely meal. We then sat outside on the breezy verandah for a while before getting our bags ready for re-loading to the coach.
Hament then told us that there had been an incident in northern Kerala, near Cochin where two of the ruling Communist Party members had been shot and killed and the Party had called a general strike all day until 6 p.m. Fortunately, our driver decided to ignore the strike and drive us to Kovalem although trouble on the road was anticipated in the form of road blocks, police checks and protests. To try to allow us to pass, if we were stopped a sticker saying ‘Airport’ was fixed to the windscreen.
In the event, the trip was relatively uneventful although there were some gatherings on the streets in some places, in general, the traffic was very light, probably due to the strike and thus we made excellent progress to our hotel,
the Leela at Kovalem Beach. On the way we passed through the city of Trivandrum which is the State capital of Kerala.
The hotel is located right on the beach and the sea is to be heard constantly rushing against the rocks below. The hotel has two swimming pools and several outdoor areas where you can eat and drink. There is a long winding path which takes you down to s sandy beach where there is another bar and other facilities. All in all, it is an idyllic place where you can relax and enjoy the wonderful surroundings but you can also take part in the many activities which the hotel offers, such as yoga, various demonstrations and classes and other group events.
We are here at a time when there will be a huge gathering of women in the nearby town. It is expected that 1.4 million women will gather for a religious event which involves the cooking of a certain food. This is bound to be a colorful event. It is said to be the largest gathering of women in the world. Here is the Wikipedia entry on this subject:
Quote
Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, during which there is a huge gathering of millions of women on the ninth day. These women prepare a divine food made of rice in earthen pots and offer it to the Goddess of the Temple. The pongala preparation starts with the ritual called 'Aduppuvettu'. This is the lighting of the pongala hearth (called Pandarayaduppu) placed inside the temple by the chief priest. The festival is marked as the largest annual gathering of women by the Guinness World Records. This is the first Pongala festival in Kerala. The ceremony was set up in Guinness Book of World Records on February 23, 1997, when 1.5 million women participated in Pongala. In 2009, a new Guinness World Records celebrated 2.5 million attendance. This temple is also known by the name Sabarimala of women.
In 2019 Attukal Pongala will be celebrated on Wednesday, 20 February.
Unquote
After a short nap, we walked down to the beach and put our toes into the Arabian Sea. The hotel is hosting a wedding and the bride and groom and their attendants were on the beach having photographs taken. This day is the pre-wedding day and tomorrow the actual event will take place on the beach under a purple canopy. The bride will be decorated with henna and will wear beautiful outfits.
We were brought back up the hill from the beach by car and we showered and changed before having drinks out on the upper bar as the sun set. Then it was off to dinner in the al fresco space outside the café overlooking the sea.
Hament and Darshana offered some activities for the few days we are here. There is an elephant sanctuary about an hour away, a trip to the southernmost point of India, but this is expected to be a 3 ½ hour journey each way due to construction on the route. Although some of us would like to do these things there is a large temptation just to rest up here, enjoy the facilities of the hotel and recharge the batteries before we head to Mumbai and then home.
So, I think tomorrow will be a very ‘chill-out’ day with pool, beach and other low-key activities. There is the possible forecast of rain which I hope will not happen.
Hament then told us that there had been an incident in northern Kerala, near Cochin where two of the ruling Communist Party members had been shot and killed and the Party had called a general strike all day until 6 p.m. Fortunately, our driver decided to ignore the strike and drive us to Kovalem although trouble on the road was anticipated in the form of road blocks, police checks and protests. To try to allow us to pass, if we were stopped a sticker saying ‘Airport’ was fixed to the windscreen.
In the event, the trip was relatively uneventful although there were some gatherings on the streets in some places, in general, the traffic was very light, probably due to the strike and thus we made excellent progress to our hotel,
The hotel is located right on the beach and the sea is to be heard constantly rushing against the rocks below. The hotel has two swimming pools and several outdoor areas where you can eat and drink. There is a long winding path which takes you down to s sandy beach where there is another bar and other facilities. All in all, it is an idyllic place where you can relax and enjoy the wonderful surroundings but you can also take part in the many activities which the hotel offers, such as yoga, various demonstrations and classes and other group events.
We are here at a time when there will be a huge gathering of women in the nearby town. It is expected that 1.4 million women will gather for a religious event which involves the cooking of a certain food. This is bound to be a colorful event. It is said to be the largest gathering of women in the world. Here is the Wikipedia entry on this subject:
Quote
Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, during which there is a huge gathering of millions of women on the ninth day. These women prepare a divine food made of rice in earthen pots and offer it to the Goddess of the Temple. The pongala preparation starts with the ritual called 'Aduppuvettu'. This is the lighting of the pongala hearth (called Pandarayaduppu) placed inside the temple by the chief priest. The festival is marked as the largest annual gathering of women by the Guinness World Records. This is the first Pongala festival in Kerala. The ceremony was set up in Guinness Book of World Records on February 23, 1997, when 1.5 million women participated in Pongala. In 2009, a new Guinness World Records celebrated 2.5 million attendance. This temple is also known by the name Sabarimala of women.
In 2019 Attukal Pongala will be celebrated on Wednesday, 20 February.
Unquote
After a short nap, we walked down to the beach and put our toes into the Arabian Sea. The hotel is hosting a wedding and the bride and groom and their attendants were on the beach having photographs taken. This day is the pre-wedding day and tomorrow the actual event will take place on the beach under a purple canopy. The bride will be decorated with henna and will wear beautiful outfits.
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| The wedding party want to dip their toes into the Arabian Sea |
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| Bride and groom - prelude to a kiss?? |
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| Photos, photos, photos!! |
Hament and Darshana offered some activities for the few days we are here. There is an elephant sanctuary about an hour away, a trip to the southernmost point of India, but this is expected to be a 3 ½ hour journey each way due to construction on the route. Although some of us would like to do these things there is a large temptation just to rest up here, enjoy the facilities of the hotel and recharge the batteries before we head to Mumbai and then home.
So, I think tomorrow will be a very ‘chill-out’ day with pool, beach and other low-key activities. There is the possible forecast of rain which I hope will not happen.
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