Calling Kerala Again!

By Ranjith Krishna Varma | Posted on 02 November 2020.

It was a sudden decision for me to go on a tour. I never thought it would happen so soon, and I randomly started searching for destinations. All I wanted was to leave my master’s life behind with some good memories.

I knew I wouldn’t enjoy the trip alone, so I started calling my friends. I rang one of them—someone who loves exploring new places and traveling.
He said, “We’ll figure it out.”

From that moment, the excitement inside me wouldn’t stop.

Then I called my friend Sunny and told him about the conversation I had with Raj. That’s where the first step of our tour plan hit the ground. We browsed through many travel destinations, but nothing felt quite exciting or memorable enough.

I was thinking of Kedarnath because I enjoy trekking. I was drawn toward the northern part of India—especially Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh - because of the cool climate and the Himalayas.

But suddenly, we chose Kerala as our destination.

I honestly don’t remember the exact reason why, but later I was convinced—it was the right choice, for its nature and peaceful vibes.

Everyone agreed, and at the same time, we were all excited. But it wasn’t easy.

Getting train tickets was a task. We went to all nearby stations for possible reservations. The biggest challenge was dealing with the rush of devotees—Swamy’s—who wear black clothes and go on pilgrimage to the Sabarimala Temple every year.

It was the first time in my life that I slept near a ticket counter overnight.

Finally, after a few small arguments with the Swamy’s, we managed to get our tickets. From that moment, our excitement only grew.

My friends and I packed our essentials together and set off on our journey.

At the railway station, I saw the train approaching from a distance. My excitement peaked. We got into our seats, arranged our luggage, and made ourselves comfortable. The train began its journey to Kerala.

It was the longest train ride of my life—more than a day—as we had to cross over three southern states.

Our initial plan was to get off at Ernakulam and then head to Munnar, one of Kerala’s most famous tourist spots. We had planned everything according to our budget.

But…

As we started entering Kerala, I wasn’t too surprised. It reminded me a lot of West Godavari, my hometown. There were clusters of trees spread across the land, endless greenery, and small rivers flowing under bridges.

But my friends were thrilled to see it.

On the train, we had small conversations with some Swamy’s. We also met a grey-haired lady—beautiful and modern-looking. She told us Kerala was a beautiful place to explore, and then used a phrase I’ll never forget:

“Kerala is God’s Own Country—and the devil’s own people.”

According to her, the land is sacred for its natural beauty, but the people often don’t value it and end up spoiling it.

She also gave us travel tips and suggested we skip Munnar and instead visit Alleppey, since it was closer to Ernakulam and Christmas Eve was approaching.

Finally, after a long journey, we reached Alleppey. I still remember our first photo together - with the train hoarding in the background.