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The fine art of cooking

No matter what enthralls you most, Kerala cooking has a kaleidoscope of flamboyant varieties to make you spell bound. As you know well, Kerala is a treasure land of spices. It is natural to think that this land will have a lot of superb dishes using these spices..

Expecting some magic from the host? Indeed you can. Your host Aji Alex ( master chef ) is keen to demonstrate his cooking skills to the guests. Syrian Christian Cooking methods through grandma's recipes is our specialty. He has a team of experts to explain the methods of preparation of each dish to you in the evening cooking class everyday. They will also provide expert guidance regarding the varieties of spices, their usage, combination technics , medicinal value as herbal remedies for minor ailments and preservation methods through these evening sessions. More than that, these acquisitions are memoirs to be cherished for a lifetime.

A day with the Elephant ! (Konni Eco Tourism centre)

What do you think of joining the Indian Tuskers at their own turf for a day (or more as you decide) bathing them in the local springs while they lay calm to be pampered by you, feeding them , climbing on their back and having a safari seated on top of these mammoth? You can also mingle with the mahouts and learn a lot about these terrific mammals. This facility is provided by the Government of Kerala, at the Eco Tourism centre Konni. Another attraction in this centre is the unique facility to convert Elephant dung to paper. Elephant museum depicting the life and features of this beautiful animal is also open to visitors.

Mingle with the masters

You can meet the masters of metallurgy at Aranmula where you will experience the fine art of making mirrors from metal. This craft has been in existence for no less than 1000 years and is still running well. These mirrors hold the place of the most sought after mementos and souvenirs worldwide.

You can meet the masters of performing arts of Kerala like Kathakali, Bharatanatyam, Kuchupudi, Mohiniyattam in and around Aranmula.

You can see huge wooden snake boats near Aranmula either in their yard or plying in the waters of the holy river Pampa. These vessels are the modified forms (for water sport) of those vessels built by the ancient rulers of kerala for attacking the enemies through the waterfront carrying up to 200 fighters.

You can watch the masters of spinning and weaving, making cotton clothes using the traditional wooden looms in the ancient method of cloth manufacturing. The facility is run by the Govt. Of India under Khadi and Village Industries dept, to promote the ideals propounded by Mahatma Gandhi. Here you can also watch the extraction and purification of edible oils from the seeds through the preparation methods prevalent in medieval India. Recycling old cloth and other used materials into hard boards is another attraction here.

Village life

Our villagers are predominantly the farmer folk, like us. We cultivate a wide variety of crops like paddy, pepper, tapioca , coffee to name a few. Depending on the season you can experience the method of cultivation of these crops.

Guests can also watch and learn various farming methods with the landlord of the house, Mr. Joy Alexander, who is a retired army officer, who has dedicated his free time in farming and cultivation.

We have plenty of rubber plantations in our surrounding areas. You can see the steps in creating rubber right from tapping the latex from the trees, processing it in the household units, drying it in driers or in direct sunlight and forwarding it to the factories through local vendors.

You can interact with children by visiting the local schools and also learn a lot about the way children are grown in this part of the world. You can contribute to their development by suggesting new ideas.

There are some art galleries near us where you can find excerpts from our culture in a preserved manner. A mural gallery near our place shows the history of mural art.

You can learn about Kerala's village life by taking a stroll through the village pathways and roads. You can meet villagers, visit their houses and also see the various traditional facilities and activities that go around us from time to time.

Cycle around the village and experience first hand the life in this sleepy little village.

For the adventurous type, try your hand at climbing the coconut tree during the harvest (every 50 days) or try to learn the skills of toddy tapping under the supervision of an experienced guide. You can also enjoy a backwater cruise at Nedumudy ( 45 minutes drive from the house).

Just walk around the lush green farm and experience the nature in all its glory. Also sip on a tender coconut on a hammock.

The Mannaas Veedu offers an ideal setting and inspiring atmosphere for serious writers and artists.

You can see the age-old rituals and festivals that are occurring in our temples (during specific periods). Padayani in the nearby temple is a spectacular event that lasts the whole night for about a week ( Jan- Feb). Snake boat race is another grand festival engaging people from the whole region. Visiting beautiful temples is a sure feast for your eyes. We have a temple where more than 20,000 oil lamps are lighted as part of the prayer. Another cave temple is carved on a rock forming part of a hill.

Ancient churches in our place has got a legacy of having sculptures and structures dating back to period of more than 1000 years. Both the churches at Niranam and Nilakkal built by St Thomas in AD 50s are at a distance of one hour driving time.

We also offer authentic Ayurveda therapy programmes under thesupervision of qualified physicians and trained masseurs in the brand name ' healing touch '.