God's own country

Press play. The play button is covered in cheese. The tune would sound so cheesy anywhere else but Kerala.


Kerala isvagota simtais kanalu, kuriais pries isklojant kelius valtimis, laivais, kanojomis gabentos prekes, plukdomi keleiviai. O ir dabar gyvenimas verdas, dali kaimu galima pasiekti tik vandeniu.

Viename is ju ir apsistojau dienai. Sumokejes 'net' 7 rupijas su buriu indu per valanda nulingavom iki Chennamkray. Nakvojau pas vietine seima didziuliame name, ne sezono metu buvau vienintelis lankytojas.

Kaimuke nera keliu, transporto priemone - dviratis.

Takelis, vinguriuojantis salia kanalo, nedideli tiltai per kertancius mazesnius kanalus, pavesi garantuojancios kokosu palmes, buriai vistu su mazais pypliais.

Namai surikiuoti salia vandens, kiekvienas su individualiais mini laipteliais pakranteje, vaikai, zvejojantys saviveiklinemis meskeremis (pagalys ir valas su kabliuku, jokiu prabangiu spiningu ar blizganciu blizgiu:).

Nerealiai draugiski zmones, limonadas uz kapeikas kioskuose, jokiu didesniu parduotuviu ar restoranu. Dieviskai grazu, .... (isirasykit budvardi megstamiausia patys).

Thomas, namo seimininkas, vakarienes metu pasakojo apie Chennamkray. Cia 50/50 hindu ir kataliku, visi sugyvena taikiai. Bet tokioje vietoje ir nesinoretu kariauti ar mustis. Geriau gerti arbata pakrantej, kol saule skesta zuvu tarsomame vandens pavirsiuje. Fuu kaip as cia saldziai, bet ironija ir sarkazma trumpam palikau kitam krante.

The backwaters - 900 km network of waterways have been used to carry goods and people long before the roads were built. Still some villages can be reached only by boat.

Chennamkray is that kind of village. Spent a day there staying i villagers' home. Bicycle is the one and only mean of transportation.

The narrow path leads through the village, on one side the water and the houses and gardens on the other one. No shops or restaurants around, people are very friendly and laid back.

Thomas, the owner of the house, really intelligent guy (he even knew where Lithuania is:) during the dinner told many things bout village life and Kerala. In Chennmakray is 50/50 christian and hindu.

No fighting whatsoever, everybody lives in peace and harmony. I guess it's quite difficult to force yourself to fight when it's sooo beautiful around. I'm sure even baby Jesus would love it:)

16 aukstu pagrindinis 'bendrabutis', milziniska atvira sale, kurioje karaliauja varnos bei kartais pasirodantys juros ereliai, parduotuves, dar keletas daugiaauksciu. As ashrama isivaizdavau kitaip. Po ramaus kaimuko pagrindiniu kanalu pasiekiau vienos is nedaugelio moteru guru Indijoje Matha Amrithanandamayi (Amma) misija. Devyniasdesimtuju pradzioje i kaima, kur gime Amma pradejo plusti zmones, isgirde apie guru, palaipsniui ashramas isaugo i didiziuli monstra.

Dabar cia nuolatos gyvena keli tukstanciai zmoniu - indu studentai, vakarieciai plus tokie kaip as, apsilankantys dienai ar siek tiek ilgiau. Cia dirba net ir vakarietiska kavine, valdoma vokieciu raganu (del 'mandagumo' klientams).
Amma, vadinama 'The Hugging Mother', apkabino daugiau kaip 20 milijonu zmoniu, taip dalindama darshan (palaiminima). Deja, tuo metu jos ashrame jos nebuvo ir manes, deja, neapkabino echh.

Jau antra diena sedziu Varkaloje, grizau i papludimi kuriam laikui. Reikia siek tiek pasiruosti Tailandui, nes net nezinau kur tiksliai vaziuoju. Pakeliui i ashrama sutikau lenku pora, gyvenancia Londone, o dabar kelioms savaitems besitasantys pietu Indijoje. Geri zmones, daug keliave, prisijunge ir Varkaloj, sunkiai cia vienas pakeliausi:)

Om shanti shanti... People in white were chanting in huge hall occupied by crows and occasionally sea eagles. After stay in village I took a ferry to one of the very few female gurus in India Matha Amrithanandamayi (Amma) mission. On the way to ashram I met a nice polish couple traveling round Kerala, who went to different, small ashram in Tamil Nadu. Here the place was massive with tall buildings to accommodate people all over the world who are staying for long or just a day or few like me.

In early 90-ties people hearing about Amma started coming to her village. Ashram has grown enormously in last few years, there is even western cafe inside and different shops. I think everything changes and if the spirit is still there doesn't matter how tall the building is. Wasn't sure bout it but on my way out in elevator I met a older guy who said 'this is a God place' and I believed him.

Now few days in Varkala, back to the beach. The polish guys I met are here as well so sharing travel stories and I'm getting lots of advises bout Australia and that's the best way to plan the trip. Need to get ready for Thailand, have no clue where I'm going. Anyways still I need to find a place where sun meets moon before I go.