July 10, 2022 – Coimbatore
We touched down at Coimbatore International Airport at around noon. This was the first time my family had traveled domestically in South India. My entire extended family, generations of us have lived in Mumbai, an island city with a population of 21 million. Coimbatore was a smaller city, still very populated but with more trees and breathing space. The city is famous for its cultural history including two 12th century southern temples, the Maruthamalai Murugan and Perur Pateeswarar.
Our driver for the week picked us up and we headed to Hotel Kiscol Grands. We were greeted with a lavish lunch buffet, everything from fried paneer (cheese), vegetable soup, hot pakoras, dosa and idli, and my favorite, three different types of cakes. My sister Nandini and I shared a grin as we piled our plates high with samples of each dessert: a piece of chocolate truffle cake with strawberry mousse, coconut sponge cake, caramel cheesecake, and strawberry custard topped with a maraschino cherry.
After lunch, our driver gave us a local tour of downtown Coimbatore. I snapped a picture of PSG College of Art & Science, where my friend’s mom, Vasanthi Aunty, had studied. I watched her hometown float by, charmed by the bustle of rush hour traffic ranging from cars, buses, pedestrians, bicycles, rickshas, mini-trucks, and cattle. July is in the middle of monsoon season, so the weather is unpredictable. We were lucky today, the windows were down, breeze nustling my hair, sun in my face. The sights transitioned from packed shops and vendors, selling popular street food and the newest fashion fads, to long stretches of farms and forest. Coimbatore hosts the southern ends of the Western Ghats, a mountain range stretching from my home state of Maharashtra all the way down to Tamil Nadu. I sat next to my grandmother, head on her shoulder like a little kid. She pointed to orchards of jackfruit trees in the distance, telling me they were native to her village. She remembers her mom used to make jackfruit pudding for her and her siblings.
Our first stop was the Adiyogi Shiva statue at the Isha Yoga Center. The statue stands at 112 feet as a reference to Lord Shiva’s 112 meditation techniques to attain enlightenment. The statue was breathtaking, perched atop a mountain, surrounded by greenery and the steady flow of blue-gray clouds, radiating an aura of tranquility and humility. It’s tradition to perform step two of Surya Namaskar, Hastottanasana, as a sign of respect in front of Shiva. My sister and I followed the example of nearby tourists and raised our joined hands in prayer above our heads. After a few pictures, we made our way back down the mountain but not before stopping for some fresh coconut water from the local street fruit stand.
Back in downtown Coimbatore, my mom and grandma took my sister and I shopping. At the suggestion of Vasanthi Aunty, we went to a silk sari store called Pothys. My sister and I were under firm orders to let my mom and grandmother do the talking and negotiating, they didn’t want to pay inflated tourist prices. Nandini and I both got traditional lenghas, mine gold and hers baby pink.
July 12, 2022 – Coonoor
After two days in Coimbatore, we embarked on the six hour drive to Ooty. The journey takes us through the Nilgiri Mountains, translating to the “Blue Mountains” in Tamil, named after the violet flowers that bloom every rainy season. Our scenic drive through the mountains took us through the hill station of Coonoor, known for their native eucalyptus trees and production of tea. It was cooler in the mountains, but we still had the windows down so we could take in the crisp, earthy smell of tea leaves all around us.
The first stop was Kattery Park, a popular attraction encircled by rich hillsides. At the visitor center, the employees told us to be careful with our belongings because the local monkeys were friendly but had sticky fingers and an eye for shiny things. After paying the entrance fee, my sister and I walked across a small pond on a wooden bridge which led us towards the gardens. The flowers were planted in different patterns, some shaping a smiley face and a dragonfly. A white tulip caught my eye, the only one in its bush surrounded by little magenta irises. My sister’s favorites were the blue and white hydrangeas. While I was taking some pictures, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned around and came face to face with a gaggle of monkeys. They seemed like a family, the mother carrying her baby around her stomach. I laughed as they jumped around and hung off some lampposts and roofs.
After a few family pictures, we were back on the long, windy road towards Ooty. Our hotel was at the top of a hill and had a rustic charm to it with its sunburnt brick roof, wooden french doors, and large verandah. While my dad checked in, a member of the staff came over and brought us some refreshing mint, lemon juice. As I walked through the lobby, I realized that Hotel Gem Park wasn’t some random hotel but a famous resort with a wall of fame where generations of Indian celebrities and politicians had stayed.
July 13, 2022 – Ooty
The best part of the hotel didn’t register until I saw it in the following morning’s light. While my sister and I enjoyed idlis, chutney, fresh fruit, and orange juice for breakfast, we were entranced by the lush greenery of Ooty. With its serene sunrises and azure blue skies, we were enjoying our stay at this idyllic resort town.
Our first stop was a famous lookout point known as Dolphin’s nose. The key to this attraction was patience. Because we were at a high elevation, puffy rain clouds kissed the green peaks of mountains that surrounded us. In a whimsical moment, I felt like I was Moana on the island of Te Fiti, a personification of the mountain spirit. We held our breath as the clouds parted and a heavenly landscape came into view, with deep green mountains, foamy white waterfalls, and a scattering of hill station villages and tea plantations. I felt small and humble compared to the vast spirit of nature all around me, with every breath I felt its energy rejuvenate me.
