Reminiscing About Kerala: Human By Nature

India was always one of the places I wanted to visit the most. The sights, the culture, the colours, the food, the people. Everything I enjoy in a destination was there to be explored, from great food to sustainable and some of the best luxury experiences in India. It felt worlds apart from what I was used to. And that was great.

Some friends who had visited the country, used to tell me stories about the rich history and incredible nature, which made me even more eager to visit.

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Then, there came the opportunity to travel to the state of Kerala, known as God’s Own Country. That was the perfect opportunity to visit India, starting from one of the most unique regions. And off I went.

At Thiruvananthapuram Airport I had a very warm welcome, and once again at my hotel in Kovalam. When I ventured onto Kovalam beach, there were a few families enjoying the sun and each others company, and some of them came to speak to me with a genuine smile on their faces. Others looked with some curiosity. Perhaps they were just as shy as me.

As my journey around Kerala continued, I realised that, as awe-inspiring as the landscape is, as photogenic as the tea plantations are, as beautiful as the natural parks can be, I was having a special journey through the people of Kerala.

I came across people of all walks of life, from farmworkers to artists even a Malayali Bollywood star. People from both sides of the spectrum left an impression. I can hardly remember what we talked about.

Sometimes not even words were exchanged. But one thing I will not forget is how pleasant they were and how welcome they made me feel. A single smile can mean more than a thousand words.

Walking around the historic streets of Kochi was a real delight. The area itself has a lot to offer, with a strong Portuguese heritage that can be seen in many historic buildings and imposing churches.

But along the way, there was an encounter with another Keralite that would make those walks more special.

I remember walking around and being called by a jewellery seller with orange hair, white goatee and a pleasant smile. He was selling colourful bracelets and necklaces, and I immediately explained I had no money and neither was I interested.

He understood, but still asked if I wanted to see them. Indeed, his merchandise was beautiful. I asked for a picture and he shook his head from one shoulder to the other to say yes. We took a few pictures and kept talking for a few minutes. He never insisted for me to buy anything, just wanted to have a chat.

Being so used to seeing people glued to their phones and pretty much avoiding interaction, it was very refreshing to see that people in Kerala cherish those moments of personal interaction.

In the villages and in large cities, such as Kochi and Kozhikode, it was more common to see friends sitting on a bench talking to each other and laughing, than playing on their phones.

That precious thing called personal contact, that is being lost in most places, is still valued in Kerala. And I am glad I experienced it first-hand.

Keralites are proud people. Proud of their heritage, proud of their culture, proud of their development. Yes, Kerala tops the HDI list in India and has the highest rates of literacy and female integration in society.

There may still be some much-needed improvement, but isn’t that the case everywhere?

When visiting a small village near the backwaters, I had the chance to have a peek into many people’s day to day life. It was humbling to see people working hard or enjoying family time.

Here I met many proud parents who asked me to take a picture of their children. And that was always with a big, beautiful smile on their faces. Smiles that were effortless and captivating.

In this village, where many resources we are used to are not available, children were playing with each other and running around. Life was simple, but there was happiness. In these isolated parts of Kerala, away from the bigger cities, life was simple but still happy.

It is in moments and places like these that you realise that we don’t need the latest gadget to enjoy life. Joy seems to come from within and from having each other close by. And if you are lucky enough to be around, the people of Kerala will make you part of it.

This post was sponsored by Kerala Tourism.