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Jackfruit (Artocarpus Heterophyllus) in the Jungle
The Cardamom Hills in Kerala are named for the spice that grows there – alongside other and exotic spices and a range of popular Asian fruit. Jackfruit has been cultivated in India for between 3000 to 6000 years. The fresh fruit is found in food markets across Southeast Asia, and the wood is valued by Hindu and Buddhist carvers.
The Cardamom Hills of Kerala.
The name is as heady as the rich array of exotic spices and fruits that grow there, and the wild animals that hide out in the jungle expanses.
The Cardamom Hills form the highest part of Western Ghats, a range of mountains and hills that run north – south through western India. The Western Ghats are older than the Himalaya, and so special that they have been USESCO-listed for their influence on Indian weather patterns, and for the biodiversity and the sheer number of endemic plants and animal that live there.
The importance of these hills have long been recognised. By royal proclamation under the Kingdom of Travancore in April 1822, the Cardamom Hills were declared a special administrative area. This was to promote cardamom cultivation and to support the cardamom farmers. Today, the lands come under the State Government of Kerala, but there are ongoing disputes about land use between the Forest Department and the Revenue Department.
The small group I was travelling with had driven westward, up into the hills from Madurai in Tamil Nadu (see: West out ot Madurai). Our afternoon itinerary included a visit to a spice plantation and a boat ride through a tiger reserve.
You’d be forgiven for thinking the latter would have been the high point. After all, boating through a national park – the Periyar National Park – which advertises itself as the Best managed Tiger Reserve in India, sounds pretty spectacular.
Unfortunately, the boat ride was an exercise in frustration and discomfort, which I’ll elaborate on later, while the visit to the spice garden (Ravi’s Spice Garden) was an absolute delight.
Still, the both provided a great introduction into some of what Kerala – which has long been on my wish-list – has to offer.
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Guide in Ravi’s Spice Garden
Our guide to the beautiful organic garden was a lovely man – and well versed in the plants growing there and their uses in Ayurvedic medicine. Today, the ancient Indian medical system, known as Ayurveda, is subject to modern scientific scrutiny and taught at local universities.
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Cacao Pod
The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) originates from South America, but is now grown in various tropical regions – to the benefit of all of us who love chocolate!
Cloves
Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum, syn. Eugenia aromatica) are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the myrtle family. Long used in Western and Ayurvedic medicine, clove flowers start out pale, gradually turn green, then a bright red when they are ready for harvest.
Passionfruit Leaves
Passionfruit (Passiflora) is a native of Brazil and southern South America and was introduced into Europe by Spanish Christian missionaries. Since the 15th century, the flowers have been associated with the Passion of Jesus in Christian theology. The leaves and roots are poisonous, but have a long history of use in Native American healing practices.
Nutmeg on the Tree
The evergreen Myristica fragrans tree is another magical plant: …
Nutmeg Pod
… the fragrant spice nutmeg it is named for is ground from the seed, while mace (no relation to the defense spray) is made from the seed covering.
Green Cardamom
The flower of the herbaceous cardamom plant is beautifully delicate, like a small orchid. A member of the ginger family, Elettaria cardamomum, or true cardamom, is native to these forests.
The King of Spices.
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) has grown here forever, and has been used in Indian cooking and medicine since at least 2000 BCE. Somehow, it made its way to Egypt, where black peppercorns were stuffed into the nostrils of Ramesses II as part of his mummification around 1213 BCE. At times across history, pepper was so valuable that it was used as collateral or even currency. Today, it is in every kitchen and accounts for one-fifth of the world’s spice trade.
In the Jungle
The display garden that we walk through is beautifully wild, making every new plant feel like a discovery.
Cinnamon Buds
Cinnamon, another ubiquitous spice, has been popular since time immemorial. The spice is scraped from the inner bark of several Cinnamomum tree species (eg: Shaving Cinnamon, North Sumatra).
Thekkadi or Periyar Lake
Some time later, after spice shopping and a local lunch, we were overlooking the boat ramps on Periyar Lake. This lake was formed in 1895, when the Mullaperiyar Dam was built across the west-flowing Periyar River. Today it is the heart of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
National Parks Sign Posts
We were waiting for our tour boats. This signpost indicates the distance to some well-known reserves, and I was pleased to note that I gone looking for tigers in Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal, and had actually seen three in one day in Ranthambore NP in Rajasthan.
State Flowers of India
Information signs on the waterfront illustrate the many state flowers, birds, and animals around India.
Tour Boats on Thekkadi Lake
It would seem that all the tour boats are coming back at once!
Bonnet Macaque (Macaca Radiata)
Cheeky monkeys have their eyes out for anyone with unguarded food.
Bundled Up and Bundled In
Observing how passengers are forced to wear bulky, unwieldy live vests, and are wedged in tightly together, I realise that unless I’m lucky enough to get a seat at the edge, I’m not going to have much of a view!
Cormorant in the Heat-Haze
When our turn comes, we are told where to sit (and no, I didn’t get an edge), and instructed not to stand up or move around. The life vests are not optional; they are hot and incredibly uncomfortable.
Nilgai (Boselaphus Tragocamelus)
Any pictures I got were over the heads of people, with my 70-200 ml lens at full zoom. I was thrilled to see this large antelope at the water’s edge …
Butting Heads
… and even more excited to see two stags locking horns. They were quite a distance away, so I’m glad they are more-or-less in focus!
The Samudra
Some of the boats are double-deckerd, but clearly those passengers are also seated, and wearing their jackets.
Elephant Dreaming
We didn’t see any of the 40+ tigers rumoured to be in the reserve, but we got a vague glimpse of some of the hundreds of elephants that live there. They moved through the forest like a dream – and it took me a while to realise I wasn’t just imagining things! I think those are sambar (Rusa unicolor) in the front.
Dead Tree
The lake is quite lovely – and if I hadn’t been so hot and squashed I would have really enjoyed it!
Stags Locking Antlers
It must be the season for it! A pair of sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) are locked in battle …
Stand Off!
Eventually, the sambar stags unlock antlers and just face off. I’m not clear who won?
A Suggestion of a Langur Monkey
We could hear the monkeys – but they stayed mostly hidden.
Cormorant on Watch
Not all the Boats Come Home
Two abandoned boats make me wonder if that is why we have to wear those horrid vests?
Dinner Music in the Spice Village
Our beautiful accommodation in a nearby resort was truly a balm after the boat ride! There, in a reimagined tribal village set in a spice garden we got to sample southern cuisine, flavoured with the spices we had seen earlier. (iPhone12Pro)
Although I was frustrated by my experience on the boat in the animal reserve, I had plenty of new spices and an Ayurvedic recipe to get my blood pressure back down.
So, all in all, it was a good day. 😆
Safe Travels!
Photos: 27January2023
