Today we are heading to Thekkady. The Periyar forests of Thekkady has one of the best wildlife reserves and spice plantations, as well as treks and walks for the adventurous. As we leave Kottayam, we cross a number of beautiful churches. Kottayam has a large Christian population. The whole place is spotlessly clean! The homesteads, large or small, road sides, rivers and canals. No garbage strewn around. Somehow, I don't feel I am in India. My exposure to India has mostly been in the north and in West Bengal. I keep thinking I am in Sri Lanka. 

Funnily enough, Das – my driver – says, "Ma'am, this place not same like India. It like difaarent country. We're clean peepal. Ewry indijual you vill find heppy and ismiling." 

I agree, shaking my head sideways. 
We drive through Ponkunmam – hilly winding roads, rubber plantations, churches, markets, bridges, exquisite Kerala style homes. We pass brightly dressed women, mosques, temples. Heaps of bananas, orange coloured coconuts and banana plantations. There are also waterfalls on the way although now they are dry. The long and winding roads remind me of Murray and Musoorie. As always, Tagore comes to my mind: 

Thou hast made me known to friends whom I knew not
Thou hast given me seats in homes not my own.

I am ever grateful to Robi Thakur for having written lines for every occasion and every emotion I encounter. What would I do without him?

It doesn't seem like a good idea to stop on the curvy roads to take pictures. So we pull over at a less hilly spot, by a road-side I for coffee and photos. As we go higher, the view is absolutely breathtaking. All around me are lush green tea gardens, rubber plantations and spice plantations. The air smells of spices. 

After a three-hour long drive, we arrive in Thekkady. At the Spice Village resort, my 'hut' room is lovely and has a very modern bathroom with a roof! No air-conditioning, but I actually feel a bit chilly. It's around 3500 to 4000 feet above sea level. The eco-friendly resort has lots of spice trees and guinea fowl. These birds are noisy! Two guinea fowl outside my room are having a major husband-wife argument. I hope it doesn't kill my feeling of Zen. 

There are many activities here in Thekkady to choose from. I sit in the garden with a fresh lime soda and chalk out my itinerary. First, I head out for the spice plantation. Geeta, the guide at the plantation introduces me to an amazing variety of spices and herbal plants. I had no idea that vanilla needs manual pollination, or that the outer layer of the cinnamon tree bark is straight, spicier and good for cooking, while the rolled cinnamon bark from the inner layer is sweeter, and hence used for cakes and desserts. 

I also didn't know that 'All Spice' is one tree and its leaves smell of five different types of garam masala! It's called 'Sarba Sugandhi'. What a beautiful name!  

I discover Bollywood's secret recipe for blood. The 'Bleeding Berry' is a tiny red pearl-like fruit which "bleeds" like real blood when squeezed! Then there's rosemary, cardamom, cloves, green pepper, bay leaf.  The list is endless. At the end I feel like 'Tilo', the character from 'Mistress of Spices' by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

Back at the resort, I go to my room to rest. A church service is going on nearby. It must be some special occasion. The Malayalam gospel is incredibly melodious, like a South Indian raga. Thus musing, I fall asleep at some point when the sudden knocking of housekeeping makes me wake up with a jolt. For a moment I think it is already morning and ask the staff member what time they will serve breakfast. Then the time and place hits me. Slowly, I sink back into 
Zen mode.

Evening time I hear enchanting songs and able beats outside my room. In the garden, two stunning South Indian belles are performing classical dances, Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam – dance of the enchantress. Enchanting indeed! Watching them, I feel excited about my visit tomorrow to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. My camera is all set. All I have to do now is to perform a 'Mohiniyattam' to enchant the tiger to come see me.