Southern India - a journey of unique culture and stunning landscapes

Girish Menon is a travel photographer from Mumbai, India. His gallery piece below provides insights into the exquisite jewels of southern India. His photographic tour includes Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanniyakumari, Kerala and Goa. It is strongly recommended that all photographs are also viewed in their larger format by clicking directly on the images.

MADURAI Located on the banks of the Vaigai river, Madurai city goes back over two and a half thousand years. It’s one of the oldest cities in India. It is famous for the Meenakshi Temple, one of the biggest in India. Hundreds and thousands of pilgrims pour in from all parts of the country, throughout the year and it gets extremely chaotic. There is heavy security at all entrances, much to the delight of tourists. There is no general entry fee, but photographers need to purchase a ticket. An additional ticket is required if you intend to visit the small museum inside. It has some interesting ancient sculptures and paintings and is worth seeing. Half a day is a recommended viewing time for the temple.

RAMESWARAM Rameswaram is an extremely important place in the Hindu religion, thus it is has not been exploited by the film industry or tourism and remains an unspoilt beauty of southern India. The people of Rameswaram give you good advice just as you enter the town. They say ‘Avoid Plastic Bags’. It’s written all over in bold white paint. It’s not surprising that India’s current president Prof. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born and brought up in a small village in Rameswaram. Like Madurai, Rameswaram is known for its temples. Besides the main temple, there are plenty of smaller ones. According to the epic story of the Ramayana, it is said that Lord Ram built a bridge from Rameswaram to Sri Lanka using rocks that float on water. Samples of ‘Floating Rocks’ can be seen at one or two temples. They cost between ninety to three hundred rupees. Auto-rickshaws are the best way to travel within the town. They charge you a hundred and fifty rupees for a tour of the entire place. One can hire bicycles too. There are only about twenty to twenty five hotels and lodges in this small town. They are occupied mostly by pilgrims who come from different parts of the country. Rameswaram is known as the ‘Varanasi’ of the south. The beaches are deserted. They are beautiful, white sand, pure blue water, migratory birds and no people. As you go further away from the main town, you proceed to this fishing village called ‘Thanuskodi’. Fishing is the only occupation of the people. They weave their nets and gear up their other equipment during the day. The actual act of fishing happens during the night and early morning.

KANNIYAKUMARI Kanniyakumari is the southernmost place in India. It is where the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet the Indian Ocean. The three great seas can be differentiated distinctly by their colour. This is quite an amazing and unique spectacle. Kanniyakumari is famous for its sunrise and sunset. Unlike any other place in the world it is possible to see the sun rise and set from the same spot each day throughout the year. On a full moon day, the moon is equally visible whilst sunrise is taking place. In a big city like Mumbai, most working people would wake up by 7:00 am. In the twenty two years that I have lived in Mumbai, I do not recall watching the sunrise. In Kanniyakumari, over five thousand people gather at the beach as early as 5:00am to witness the sunrise. They wait patiently for over an hour before the ‘golden ball of fire’ shows up. Drums are played and prayers are offered at sunrise every single day. It is a refreshing change. Markets, shops, restaurants and bars open immediately after sunrise, if they have not opened already. Kanniyakumari is the location for the southernmost church in India. It is a spectacular sight and visited frequently by tourists. Another attraction of Kanniyakumair is the Swami Vivekananda memorial (or rock) which was built in dedication to the Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda who was said to have meditated and died here. This memorial is on two rocky islands projecting from the sea about 400m offshore. Not surprisingly, Kanniyakumari is a popular destination for Swami Vivekananda’s followers, so there are many Bengalis here, and some Bengali hotels and restaurants too.

KERALA THE BACKWATERS The backwaters are arguably the most peaceful experience one can have in India. The ones at Kollam (Quilon) are a network of narrow canals navigatable only by small boats. Trips through the backwaters are conducted every afternoon departing from the boat jetty in front of the main bus stand and provide a fascinating insight into the relaxing backwater environment. The villages alongside the canals have characteristic houses with red tiled roofs. The villagers live a low profile life. Their principle profession is farming. Cows, sheep, goats, hens are visible in the courtyard of almost every house. Plenty of colourful migratory birds and kingfishers can be seen in large numbers. Houseboats are a common sight on the backwaters. They can be rented out on a daily basis, are self sufficient and even have a bathroom and a kitchen onboard. The most interesting area in the backwaters is the Kuttanad region, called the rice bowl of Kerala. The area is probably the only place where farming is done below sea level, using a system of dykes and bunds. The cruise along the backwaters from Kollam to Alappuzha takes about eight hours and is a highlight of a trip to southern India. One of the unique features that can be seen on the cruise are the Chinese fishing nets which are not found anywhere else in the subcontinent. KATHAKALI ‘Katha’ means story, ‘Kali’ means play. Thus its literal translation is ‘story play’. The stories are based on themes from Hindu mythology, especially the two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It is one of the oldest forms of theatre in the world and originated in the state of Kerala. Characters are recognised on the basis of the colours used in their makeup. For example the green faced character is good natured, red is the evil one, and the man with the yellow face plays a female’s role as women do not perform in any part of the play. Actors and musicians train for four to six long years, and usually each performance lasts for over five hours. At Fort Cochin, right at the end of the series of fishing nets, short plays are performed every evening at a hotel. One can go early, at around five o’clock in the evening and watch the actors put on their make-up. Once the make-up is done, they undertake a small demonstration so as to make us aware of what’s going on. Characters do not utter a single word to each other. All communication is done by actions or ‘mudras’. The orchestra includes two drums known as the chenda and the maddalam, along with cymbals and another percussion instrument, the ela taalam. Normally, two singers provide the vocal accompaniment. The main show lasts for an hour. The whole program is an excellent and relatively inexpensive way to spend the evening.

GOA Goa is a superb holiday destination and rivals anywhere in the world. Northern Goa is especially attractive with places such as Baga, Anjuna and Vagator. Here it is possible to find maximum activity, yet it is still extremely relaxing. One of the salient features of this state is its food. The seafood is excellent. One of the specialities is the local vindaloo masala powder (spices) which is mouthwatering with both seafood and meat. Every Wednesday the famous Anjuna market is held, but there are also other good markets that have opened up at Baga recently. They are held every Saturday evening between the months of September and April. Stalls sell an array of items from brightly coloured materials to hats to jewellery to slippers. Apart from the stalls, wonderful goodies, the bar and the food court, they is also live music. Goa is an extremely musically inclined state and is well-known for its college student bands in a variety of scenes notably rock, pop or jazz. Apart from locals and outstation bands, western tourists also perform a lot. Goa is perhaps best known for its beaches. Shacks along Baga beach provide both a chance to relax and recuperate but there are also other activities. Plenty of exotic sports are available on and around the beaches of Goa, especially at Baga. These include para-sailing, para-gliding, bungee junping and scuba diving. Alongside the natural beauty and cultural aspects, Goa also revels in historic significance. The churches at old Goa date back centuries in time. It is here that the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier are kept which are miraculously still intact.

Girish Menon is a travel photographer based in India. To view more of his work you can visit online to Girish Menon's Portfolio. Simply click on enter at the first screen.