Pink sunsets and pink gowns in Kerala (April 19-21,2008)

It became another dream realized :).. as i set out for Kerala (A place I had been really really longing to see for sometime)..of course the reason was for a greater purpose -on account of my friend's wedding on the 20th of April, which actually made my trip to Kerala possible. The other added bonus was the fact that I was going to be a bridesmaid wearing a pink gown...something I really wanted to be for a long time (don't ask me why..maybe just some girl desire to know how it feels like).

And now to begin!Well as usual our trips always seem to range on the extraordinary.. with the huge bus/ticket confusion in Bangalore as we mistook Trichy for Trichur (confirmed our geography and spelling too I guess does suck!). So after all the hullaboo and running as fast as we could in and out of the platforms and in between maze-like parked as well as huge moving buses(that made me feel like an ant).. we finally managed to get new tickets and board the bus on time! It really seemed like a nightmare that time. This is where writing cannot account for the experience..no kidding!
Although one positive note did come out from the whole fiasco, it was the realization of something we never knew we had in us, that would no doubt score us big points on Amazing Race (if nothing else but for the ability to run like mad, apparently making bags seem like featherweights but for that moment in time only :P) even as thoughts of 'why oh why does this have to happen!' kept running through my mind the whole time.But i guess they're all meant to be memories ..memories one could possibly do without but oh well..something to laugh over when we need to.

The moment we reached Kerala though, that episode was long forgotten as we entered a whole new scenario of coconut trees, banana trees, fields and greenery all around!It sorta felt like home in a strange way. The bride and her parents were the perfect hosts and they made sure we were full all day long. The bride's cousin, Arun took us for sight seeing and we got to see (I believe) the most beautiful parts of Kerala what within the short span of time we had. Arun was the perfect guide, with his constant urgings at us to hurry up and walk faster and not waste time (did i say tour guide?!? :P), then asking us if we were having fun amidst all the constant pressure of having to keep on schedule..whew! but wait.. all in order for us to see the sunset at the beach. First, we went to the elephant farm, then St. Thomas church, and after that we reached our final destination- the beach (one of Arun's fav. places too which we found out later .. and which explained a few things :P). Then from there we had a lovely surprise as Arun told us we could go see the back waters (something about Kerala I had been dying to see should i visit it someday). So like happy kids, we made our way to the car.. and there Arun, our driver sped like mad (did i mention the funny comment he made about Kerala traffic that everything is always flying in Kerala..no kidding its like a race car alley!.. to which my friend retorted the undeniable obvious 'even we are flying' and flying we were!)..and with stiffled screams but almost giving way and a grip tight hold on the car door, we reached... Chetuwa backwaters.And now if it weren't for Arun, my trip to Kerala would not have been half as much fulfilling :).

Sigh and Sigh.And all I can say about it now is it was absolutely breathtaking!! It made the whole slogging and running in Bangalore for tickets to Thrissur so worthwhile and my love for Kerala grew and grew and grew.. as the natural beauty continued to stretch on with the oncoming sunset. The groves, the bridge, the tiny boats, the balconied shacks on the shoreline, the sea gulls... all together it was awe-ing :).. I cannot begin to imagine how it would be like to spend a night on a houseboat (and that's for my next trip to Kerala someday). At the end of the day the exhaustion over the previous night set in and I slept content having fulfilled half of my desire for coming to Kerala.

20th April morn came and Anila was looking as beautiful as ever a bride could be on her wedding day. She was radiant! The wedding ceremony was a whole new experience for me- a Syrian Christian wedding. The moment had come as the bride entered the church while the four of us bridesmaids had our moment of glory too following in our pink gowns carrying pink carnations. But after some time, trying to be the disciplined bridesmaid was not as easy as it seemed, and the whole marriage became like a strength of endurance- to stand continuously on highheels for what seemed like hours! (but of course, we had the congregation as company to our standing test..if it helped any) .It was indeed quite an experience and I'm just glad I was there. Finally the sari's were exchanged and the necessary procedures completed. I think Anila is pretty happy for everything having worked out so beautifully in the end and I wish her a happy married life, she definitely deserves one. Because i always believe that everything works out for the best in the end, after having done all one can possibly do.

My friends and me came back exhausted after another day of bus traveling for almost two hours to the reception at the groom's house. We managed to go to Ernakulaum (I hope i got the spelling right) and also saw the pinkest sunset i have ever seen in my whole life that day. Truly breathtaking and the special moments that make time stand still.

Through the painstaking heat and humidity the next day on the train, we finally reached Hyderbad laden with our overloaded bags of banana chips, tapioca chips and jack fruit chips that we ate throughout the whole journey (which ultimately left us wanting to do without for sometime). Speaking of food - Cant forget to mention the local dishes of fish cooked in green mango curry with coconuts, pork and beef cooked with coconuts. Note think that's just the simplified version of used ingredients since i dont know what all more goes into the recipes but gosh they were all so yum!!I just loved the food, served on banana leaves for us. I think it tastes different somehow :) and maybe its the place too.

And so well that was how my trip to Kerala ended..with chips! :P.. na.. with memories of those time frozen moments,pink sunsets and pink gowns in kerala ;), promises to go back for more and happy beginnings for two newly married people. :)