At the end of our first week in India, the 19 of us said goodbye, broke into groups of 2 or 3, and dispersed around the country. My partner teacher, Shannon, and I jetted off to the capital of the state of Kerala. 

The city’s name? Thiruvananthapuram. It took me most of the week to learn how to say it, but now I can confidently work my way through the city’s 7 (?) syllables. I also learned to call it by its abbreviated name: Trivandrum.

If you look on a map, you’ll notice that Trivandrum is wayyyyy down towards the bottom of India. Its state, Kerala, is known for its natural beauty and the houseboats that float on the backwaters.

We arrived and were greeted by our host teacher, Litty, her husband, Sabu, and her daughter, Michelle. This lovely family served as our unflappable hosts, tour guides, interpreters, and loving friends over the next week. In addition to our time at schools, we toured parts of Kerala and the neighboring state, Tamil Nadu. Read some of the highlights below!

Padmanabhapuram Palace

Our first stop was Padmanabhapuram Palace, built around 1600 CE and later rebuilt around 1750 by the rulers of Venad (later, Travancore). The palace complex is considered one of the best examples of traditional architecture in Kerala, and according to the palace’s website, it is considered the largest wooden palace in Asia.

The palace is composed of a series of buildings. We wandered up and down stairs, through hallways, in and out of rooms with ornate wooden carvings, through gardens and outdoor pathways. Though the palace was largely empty, it was fascinating to see how architects built the palace with ventilation in mind, and the wooden carvings were absolutely beautiful!

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is the southernmost town on mainland India. If you look in the right direction, you can see the convergence of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. I can’t say I saw all 3 bodies of water meet (apparently, one is blue, one is a lighter blue, and another is green), but we did take a ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, a popular Hindu pilgrimage site.

Visiting the memorial felt like a true local experience. As one of only two white visitors (the other being my partner teacher, Shannon), I laughed as one person after another asked to take a photo with me. By the end of our two hour excursion, the number of requests had exceeded 25, and my patience had fled. We were told that to rural Indians, a photo with a foreigner proves their worldliness. While I didn’t mind at first, it began to wear on me, and I started to turn my back when people (particularly men) wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The memorial itself was interesting to visit, and I enjoyed the sunshine and sea with our lovely host family!

Kollam Backwaters

Spending a day on a boat on the backwaters is one of the most popular activities in Kerala. We drove a few hours to Munroe Island, where we relaxed on a boat and observed traditional village life. After, we enjoyed a beautiful seafood lunch, complete with river fish cooked in banana leaf.

Of course, our idyllic backwaters day was interrupted by the news that the government of Kerala had cancelled school the next day so students could watch the World Cup final…but that’s a story for another day.

Napier Gallery and Sree Chitra Art Gallery

On our last day in Kerala, we had the opportunity to visit two museums. We observed ancient artifacts at the Napier Gallery and works of art by Raja Ravi Varma, a famous Indian artist from the late 19th century. 

Overall, we had a lovely time touring cultural sites in Kerala, and I’m grateful to our hosts for making it all happen! What was particularly special was visiting places that many American tourists will never see. Thank you again to Litty, Sabu, and Michelle!