EDITORIAL VOL 01 ISSUE 2
Dear Reader,
At the outset I wish to thank you for the warm and wonderful reception you have accorded to the maiden issue of Kerala Travel Explorer released in December 2017. It was truly a heartwarming response to our honest endeavour to present the best of Kerala to the world; in terms of what it has to off er to discerning international travellers and residents, who seek a diff erent kind of experience.
As we embark on another journey of uncovering places and charting destinations little traversed, we have discovered that Kerala has so much to offer. The Thattekkad bird sanctuary gets the spotlight in this issue and it is where Salim Ali, the celebrated ornithologist or the bird man, spent many days in the midst of his winged chirpy friends cataloguing for our benefi t, the many species of birds not usually seen elsewhere.
The Athirapally falls with her awe inspiring frothy white waters have always been a much explored option, although the falls awaken to full glory only during the wet months from June to August, when the dark clouds pregnant with the promise of rain, form the backdrop for the gushing white waters of the falls. It is also a cool respite from the parched summer months that we are stepping into. We hope our pictures tempt you to plan in advance for the monsoon trip to this tourism hotspot. The Cheraman Juma Masjid also piques our interest with its interesting history and also the fact that it is one of the oldest mosques in India. Then there is the Theyyam Festival that runs from December to April making it the best time for cultural tourists to visit Kerala. The musical dance performance is ritualistically held at a thousand odd temples from north Malabar to south Malabar during this period. Want a slice of the famed sweet meat of Kozhikode? Then head to Mittai Theruvu at Kozhikode, famous for its Kozhikodan Halwa and its colourful shops. It is yet another place we have covered in this issue.
The commercial city of Kochi has been growing by leaps and bounds and the Kochi Metro has added to the growing charm of the city benefi tting the tourism landscape of Kerala too. We met up with the new man at the helm of the project, to fi nd out what his priorities on this challenging assignment would be. Coming to art, did you know it is a black line that diff erentiates the Mural paintings of Kerala from other South Indian States? Read the interview with leading Mural artist Prince Thonnakkal who tells us about this diff erentiating point, and more. Cinema is an integral part of the malayalee psyche and we caught up with Cinematographer and fl edging Director Sujith Vaasudevv who was more than happy to share his experiences behind the lens.
This being our second issue, we have also benefi tted a lot, from the invaluable feedback, and the kind words of encouragement, that have come in from corners far and wide, across the country and abroad. Yes, we have been listening, and many of the suggestions that you have made, will bear fruit in the coming months. Meanwhile, for all you budding writers and shutterbugs out there, don’t forget to share with us your favourite moment, from your trip to God’s own country - Kerala!
Till we meet again...Namaskaram!
DEEPAK N NAIR
Editor
