Trivandrum
Tropical paradise under coconut palms
Trivandrum is about as far south as one can get and still be in India. It is the capital city of the state of Kerala "land of the coconuts". This state's high literacy rate and cleanliness make it a haven for Indian and western tourists alike. The beaches are pristine, clean, the water is wonderfully warm and tourquoise blue. The climate is pleasantly warm, with day time temperatures hovering around 95. But the mornings are pleasantly cool and by late afternoon a soft breeze comes off the ocean.
 Dramatic cliffs spotted with coconut palms and scarcely another soul make for a relaxing sunset
I'm staying at a lovely place Gopal's Ayurvedic retreat center, nestled in a coconut grove with a nice view of the ocean. The peaceful atmosphere is helping to replenish the peace of mind I lost during my too long stay in New Delhi! At night the only sounds to be heard are the screeches and howls of jungle birds.
 Because of the high humidity, Bindu, the proprietress of my guest house needs to frequently air out her lovely silk sarees. Once she learned of my interest in saris she kept pulling more and more out of her closet to show us. Maddhu, another guest here pulls out her recent purchase, a gift for a friend in Sri Lanka. The average Indian lady owns about a hundred pieces, many of which she will only wear one or two times!
Here on the streets, you see many more ladies wearing sarees than up north. The climate here demands soft and loose cotton and is wonderful for draped clothing. Most men sport lunghees with loose button down shirts on top. A lunghee is a simple wrap with a knotted waist and the excess fabric tucked in to the side. The botton hem of the lunghees are often brought up around the waist and tied, to make them easier to walk and work in, and also gives more cooling to the legs. Although most men wear plain white dhotis, the variety of fabrics and colors would astound any western man!
 Coils of fish nets dry in the hot afternoon sun on picturesque Kovalam Beach.
 top
Kerala Sari Styles
Many fisher women wear a lunghee type wrap over a petticoat on the bottom and a plain sari blouse on top. For time spent in the water and under the hot sun this is a very practical and cool dress. For special occasions a two piece sari is worn, these are very beautiful natural cream colored cotton with wide zari borders.
This is the first time I've come across the two piece sari, which is worn like a lunghee on the bottom, and the second piece is tucked into the waist, brought around the back and draped over the shoulder like a normal sari. Bindu claims it is more comfortable and beautiful, because the border falls in a flattering v shape, not possible with a one piece sari.
My quest for exclusive regional styles sent me out into a small village about 15 km from my guest house. Only with the help of a newly made friend, Joseph was I able to find this weaving center. Click the link above to see pictures and to learn about these beautiful rare sarees!
More pictures of Kerala from 2006
All images and text are copyright Sarisafari.com and are not to be reprinted or used without permission.
|
