Tourist Place, - Best of Kerala-INDIA

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| Wayanad give visitors a chance to be dazzled by the many shades of green in its thick forested regions.Photographer:
Kerala Tourism Board
Squeezed between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, Kerala is one of India’s most beautiful states. The rivers that make up the region’s backwaters are the star attractions. Further south are the beaches of Kovalam, while inland the mountainous Ghats are covered in a blanket of spices and tea plantations.
In this article we have highlighted the best bits of Kerala – what to see, what to eat, where to stay.
Photographer:
Kerala Tourism Board
What to see
Venice-like, the shady streets of Alappuzha (Alleppey) are set around a grid of canals that spill into the watery highways of Kerala. As the gateway to the backwaters, this is the place to soak up village life before taking a trip on a houseboat. Lakes & Lagoonsoffers gorgeous accommodation on traditional rice boats.
With guesthouses and restaurants perched perilously along a cliff edge, Varkala is a sight to behold. It’s also more laid-back than Kerala’s other beach resort, Kovalam.
Munnar town in the Western Ghats isn’t much to look at, but wander just a few miles outside the city and you’ll be engulfed in a sea of tea trees and mountain scenery. Book into one of the tea estates-turned-guesthouses such as Ambady Estate.
Only in Kochi can you find giant fishing nets from China, ancient mosques and Portuguese houses. Don’t miss the fantastic Hindu murals in the Mattancherry Palace.
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a green medley of rice paddies and spice plantations. You’re almost guaranteed to see wild elephants here. Entry is as part of a guided jeep safari that can be arranged at the entrance.
Where to eat
For good-value, authentic Keralan food, drop by Sreepadman in Varkala. A hole-in-the-wall with a view, this is where you will rub shoulders with rickshaw drivers rather than tourists. Located near the Devaswom Building, it also has seating out the back with temple views.
Located in Munnar’s main bazaar, Rapsy Restaurantis packed with locals, lining up for Rapsy’s famous paratha and biryani. It also makes a decent Spanish omelette.
You’ll hear the buzz about Dal Roti before you arrive – it has the best food in Fort Cochin. Owner Ramesh will guide you through his North Indian menu, which includes melt-in-the-mouth Mughlai parathas and Hyderabadi biryani.
Chakara is an 1860s heritage homethat’s been restored to its former glory. The creative menu combines traditional Keralan cooking, such as Alleppey fish curry, with European dishes such as tuna niçoise.
Rambling Pachyderm Palace lies outside just the gate of Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary. It consists of simple rooms and a good restaurant that serves excellent curries and biryanis.
Antique furniture decorates the verandahs of Villa Jacaranda.Photographer:
Villa Jacaranda
Where to stay
Just six miles from Alleppey, Green Palms Homesis a series of homestays set in a picturesque backwater village. Your host can double as a guide to the village and will also prepare three Keralan meals a day if requested. You can hire bicycles here or take cooking classes.
Villa Jacarandais a romantic retreat set amidst a subtropical garden, near Varkala. The four large rooms are elegantly furnished with white bed linen and period furniture. The delicious complimentary breakfast is served on your veranda.
Set in the hills of Munnar, the Windermere Estateis a luxurious yet intimate country retreat. There are rooms in the main farmhouse and newer, garden cottages, all with views. The plantation grows cardamon and coffee.
The gorgeous Olavipe Homestayis set on a 40-acre farm surrounded by backwaters. The restored mansion dates back to the 1890s and is a traditional Syrian-Christian home with large, breezy rooms, all skilfully finished with original period décor.
When to go
Avoid monsoon season between June and October, and visit between December and March when temperatures are a pleasant 30ºC. In February, March and April, festivals take place in Kochi, Kottayam and Kollam, featuring traditional Kathakali dancing.
This article first appeared in www.lonelypane t.comin Feb 2011. For more, grab a copy of our Kerala travel guide. |

http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/marital-life-get-married-and-live-happily/

http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/marital-life-get-married-and-live-happily/

Marital Life, - Get Married and Live Happily

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| A Swiss university conducted a recent study on the health benefits of marriage.
The study proved that marriage protects men and women from chronic and occasional headaches. The psychological feeling of a lasting and stable relationship helps to reduce physical stress and increases the excretion of the happiness hormone in larger quantities than those of worry, fear and sadness.
The study also proved that early marriage helps man to get rid of most forms of psychological and nervous pressure, as well as the consequences of work problems and confrontation with society. Marriage also helps in treating insomnia and insufficient sleep in addition to getting rid of extra calories with no less than 200 calories burned during each sexual intercourse. This equals exercising for 40 minutes for men. Marriage also helps men retain their vitality for many years and decreases the possibility of their being afflicted with prostate cancer by no less than 85%. Moreover, the study asserted that marriage strengthens the heart muscles, activates blood circulation, and helps inhaling additional oxygen, which benefits the body and gives it more energy.
One of the most important findings of this study, which is based on a sample of 5,000 married men and women, is that marriage helps one enjoy intellectual, emotional and physical stability, and that if marriage lacked any of these elements, it would lead to dire consequences for the life of the husband and the wife.
All the 5,000 spouses who were included in this study asserted that their current life is much better than their life before marriage. They all affirmed that the presence of children in their life creates a happy marital relationship and understanding and helps them preserve the entity of the family.
The study mentioned that misunderstanding, insincerity, niggardliness and dominance are the most important things about which married people are concerned. On the other hand, love, understanding, sincerity, truthfulness, caring for the interests of each other and performing marital duties perfectly were proved to be among the factors that bring the spouses closer to each other.
The study concluded its results by saying, “It is not difficult to get married, but it is also not easy to be continually happy as a spouse.” |

Marital Life, - Observe Etiquettes With Your Spouse

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| Without a set of rules and orders to be applied and respected, life would be chaotic and uncivilized. A home that is based on desires will be destroyed by them. A home that is built on water will sink into it. A house that is constructed in the path of the flood will be destroyed by that flood. A family that is founded on piety and obedience to Allaah The Almighty cannot be uprooted, even by the strongest of winds.
“Build your house on rock” is the advice of many grandfathers to their grandsons. What a wonderful order it is when it is followed at home, at school, in the factory, in the mosque and on the street. Conversely, how great is the ugliness of chaos at home, at school, at the clubs and on the street. One of the great tasks that Allaah The Almighty assigned to His Messengers was to teach people good manners. Some people call virtues and good manners etiquettes. Anyone who observes these rules is regarded as being civilized and well-mannered. On the other hand, anyone who violates these rules is considered uncivilized and ill-mannered.
We usually observe manners around strangers, so that we would gain their trust, respect and appreciation. However, often when we are around our loved ones who live with us or our life partners, we act thoughtlessly. We might hurt their feelings unintentionally and sometimes even intentionally hurt them because we think that etiquettes should be observed only while dealing with strangers. When dealing with close ones, we are often rough, thoughtless, and uncouth. Therefore, every newly-wed couple should agree together on rules to be written in the form of a document or an agreement that includes everything that can enrich their life and provide it with pleasure through activities, various hobbies, visits, meditations, and journeys. The purpose of this agreement is to enhance the spouse’s respect and appreciation for each other, and to decrease the amount of disagreements and maltreatment.
They should agree on a penalty that will befall either of them who violates any of the terms of the agreement. Penalties can include desertion for no more than a day or two, an apology to the wronged spouse, paying an amount of money or to buy a gift to make it up to the wronged spouse. Then, both parties should willingly sign that document. In the course of time, new terms can be added and old terms may be deleted. However, order should remain in effect and respect should be ongoing.
Some Rules for Good Manners
Some of the good manners that Islam and people with illuminated minds encourage, which some people may call etiquettes, are:
1-To ask permission and knock before entering anyone’s room.
2-To say “Assalaamu ‘alaykum…” when entering the home, the room or the car.
3-The person who is leaving a room should ask those inside the room whether they need anything from outside.
4-A person should not read a letter, a check or a piece of paper that does not belong to him.
5-To return anything, such as a book or a ruler, that we borrow.
6-To buy a new object if we break or damage something belonging to someone else.
7-To put anything which belongs to the other partner back where it was if we move it.
8-To apologize to the person we wrong.
9-To accept the apology of the wrongdoer without blaming excessively.
10-To have quiet, respectful speech that does not have any foul language in it.
11-To speak the truth even if it is bitter but in a gentle, unoffending way.
12-To offer advice to the one who needs it without any haughtiness.
13-To be pleased when our partner is pleased. If one weeps, the other should be sad and weep or at least try to weep.
14-To share in happy occasions and not miss them.
15-To respect, appreciate, and praise the other’s hobbies as if they were ours.
16-Not to return an irritable, rash attitude with a similar one.
17-To help the other fulfill his tasks quickly, if he needs help.
18-Not to make up arguments or reopen closed subjects of disagreement so as not to renew pain and sorrow.
19-Tolerance and forgiveness are some of the noblest attributes.
20-To distribute the tasks between both parties. Everyone should fulfill their duty before demanding their rights.
21-Never lie; no matter how big the mistake we try to hide is. Lying is the father of all sins and a liar will not enter Paradise.
22-If the spouses see an incident together and one of them narrates it to others differently from how his/her spouse sees it, the other spouse must not comment or belie them; let him/ her complete the story the way they see it.
23-Never steal no matter how badly money is needed.
24-To love for the spouse what one loves to himself/herself and try to comfort him/her as much as possible.
25-Maintaining patience in times of adversity is an act of worship. Frequent praising of Allaah The Almighty is obligatory.
26-Salaah)Prayer( is the pillar of the religion, and confidence in Allaah The Almighty is the basis of success and certainty.
27-Everyone should call their partner by the name they like and not to take liberties in dialogue or joking in private or among others. |