Page 45 - india

Kerala specialties include prawns cooked
in a coconut curry sauce; searfish (a local
freshwater fish) cooked in coconut sauce
with turmeric, ginger and curry leaves;
fried pearlspot, another local freshwater
fish, marinated in ginger and chilies; and
raw bananas sauteed with garlic, onions
and crushed chilies. Appam, a traditional
rice pancake, is a common accompaniment.
Masala dosa, a crisp rice pancake filled with
mildly spiced potatoes and served with co-
conut chutney, is a favorite breakfast dish.
Our first night on the Vrinda gave us a
spectacular sunset. And just before dinner,
we were given a Mohiniattam recital in the
open-air lounge.

Mohiniattam is a classical dance distinc-
tive to Kerala. Also called the “Dance of the
Enchantress,” this performance featured a
trio of musicians and a narrator describing
the stories behind the dances performed
by two beautifully costumed young women.
Even though we didn’t understand the lan-
guage, the exaggerated expressions on the
dancers’ faces left no doubt as to the mean-
ing of the stories -- love and loss are indeed
universal.
The next day we transferred into a smaller
rice boat, also built by Oberoi for this ac-
tivity, so we could enter even narrower
waterways. A local guide, Joyce, joined us
onboard that day to tell us about life in this
region. As we’d meander through the nar-
row waterways, viewing the brightly paint-
ed, tidy homes, children would run along
the paths as our boat cruised by, smiling
and waving with gusto.

The most exciting thing we saw was a snake since 1759. The company began in India Another fascinating fact about Kerala,
boat. Manned by 100 oarsmen, four helms- and its guides are easily among the best Ajitha told us, is that many of its industries
men and several singers who yell out the you can find throughout that entire coun- were nationalized in the last 25 years by a
pace, these traditional 130-foot-long snake try. Local experts provide insights and ex- democratically elected communist govern-
boats are raced today in what’s called the periences that are simply illuminating in a ment, which has resulted in one of the larg-
largest team sport in the world. We didn’t way that you couldn’t achieve on your own. est middle classes in India.
see a race, but we did see the amazing sight
of a fully manned snake boat. In the 1500s, Ajitha told us, Cochin became She said proudly that virtually everyone in
home and a safe harbor to Jews, especially
When we landed back in Cochin (also after the Iberian inquisition. In Jew Town, Opposite top: The people of Southern India’s Kerala
known as Kochi), we spent the day sight- we visited the Jewish synagogue, the old- region still practice traditional forms of agriculture and
seeing with Ajitha, an excellent Cox & Kings est synagogue in Asia, which was built in fishing. Opposite bottom: The M.V. Vrinda is an elegant
guide, who told us that since the 15th cen- 1568. Sadly, its roster today is down to 11 vessel owned and operated by the Oberoi Hotels to ply
tury, the Portuguese, Dutch, French and people, dwindling each year as the popula- the fascinating waters of Kerala in southern India.
British have all left their marks on Cochin. Top: Traditional dancers backed by a trio of musicians
tion of Jews decreases. We also saw the St.
Cox & Kings is the world’s largest-running Francis Church, the oldest church in the entertained us onboard the M.V.Vrinda in Kerala.
Bottom: The food aboard M.V. Vrinda during our cruise
travel company that has been designing country, built in 1510. The Dutch palace at in Kerala was consistently excellent. Even the finger
and leading luxurious worldwide journeys Mattancherry was built here in 1555.
bowls were works of art.

Wine Dine & Travel Spring 2014 45