The Time-Turner Series || The Bamboo Village in Lush Wayanad, Kerala (God's Own Country)

We visited North Kerala in January 2015, and today when I think back at that time, all I remember is great hospitality, greenery, and a beautiful Bamboo Village. In this Time-Turner post, let me turn back time to that exciting trip to the Bamboo Village of Thrikkapatta in Wayanad region of Kerala.

The Time-Turner series is my opportunity to pen down the lingering memories and impressions of a place I have visited. It helps me relive the experience a bit and also reflect upon the aspects of the place that stood out the most to me. For more Time-Turner posts, follow this link: The Time-Turner Series.

I remember when we met Suneesh, our host at the Bamboo Village. Our first impression was that of a simple, yet sophisticated, well-educated man. And he turned out to be a journalist and a social activist. He was a great host. During our stay at his place, he ensured that we make best of our time and explore things which are worth spending time. He took us on walks around the village and showed us vegetation, villagers busy in various activities, eco-tourism initiatives in the village and how Uruva is ensuring that young folks spend more time on their health instead of drugs.

Suneesh stayed alone in his house and his wife worked abroad. All through our stay, his sister helped him with food and other preparations. Throughout our stay, we saw them smiling all the time. Especially his sister keeps the place cheerful. She was a great cook and an excellent singer.

One of the major highlights of our stay in the Bamboo Village was the food that Suneesh's sister cooked for us. We got to taste most of the local dishes in this stya. Suneesh's sister made it a point to cook something new for us in breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks with tea. Most of the things served during our stay were cooked fresh with stuff grown in their own farms.

She cooked several kinds of fish in different styles. Cooking style was very different but we enjoyed eating most of the meals served. Although we had to put efforts in eating the fish, but it was worth :). She even cooked chicken and biryani for us on our last night there.

Our room was simple and neat though I did find a lizard in the bathroom. Suneesh had a hearty laugh when he found out that I was afraid of lizards. He had thought that I had called him because of a spider. According to him, it was more acceptable to be afraid of spiders.

This homestay was in middle of a village and there was lot to explore in the village - Bamboo industry, agriculture, rubber /coffee plantations, coconut & areca nut trees etc. I especially remember when he took us to explore a bamboo cottage that was still being built. It smelled so wonderfully of Bamboo and looked so plush. It was a two-storey house and I wished I could settle down there forever.

There was full freedom at the homestay. Most of the time was spent in the drawing room. Lot of discussions and knowledge sharing sessions. Suneesh wanted to know some basics of creating pages on Facebook and managing them. They even performed one of their church songs for us.

The village also runs a small industry of bamboo products and spices. We bought some interesting things from there. However, right when we were in the shop, I received a call from my sister that my father had suffered a feinting episode and was admitted to the hospital. Though we were supposed to checkout, Suneesh's sister stayed longer while we decided the next steps. They were very kind and supportive. In fact I remember that Suneesh called up later and checked on me as well.

I carry some really fond memories of this village. The misty mornings, the rubber plantations, the great food and above all, the patience, kindness, and hospitality we experienced there. The village is a model of sustainable tourism and is a model worth emulating.

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