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The
bathrooms, though, are reassuringly modern. Running hot
water comes from our own solar panels, and in most rooms,
you can soak away the rigours of a jungle trek in a
luxurious bathtub.
You may want to pick one of the larger cottages that dot the
resort. These have separate living rooms, and a restful,
semi-private vista, complete with a little garden bench all
one’s own.
Take note too, of the little pieces of history that you’ll
find on your verandah. Some of those tables are over a 100
years old, their enameled side-panels and fretted woodwork a
tribute to the master carpenters of the day. This is the
perfect spot to relax, take a sip of green tea and release
your senses to the winds.
Below you, the pool is a rippling blue patch, set in a scene
abuzz with life. A kingfisher dives low out of a clear blue
sky, hunting vainly for its fish lunch. Bees hum around
Colombian coffee bushes. Guinea fowls and ducks chatter
about (amazingly tame, because they’re used to guests.)
Bamboo bursts in tilting spires. Cascades of cinnamon,
pepper and honeysuckle wash down the hillside. And
everywhere, the structures of Spice Village peep out of the
woods, as if growing naturally from the surroundings.
An Ayurvedic Holiday:
Spice village has the most comprehensive ayurvedic
facilities in the Casino Group, and it’s the site of our
popular Ayurvedic packages. Ayurveda is, of course, the
ancient Indian science of wellness, now gaining a faithful
following around the world. It’s aim is to create harmony
within, using combinations of medication, massage, diets and
other treatments. The basic principle of Ayurveda is that
illness can be prevented if balance in body, mind and spirit
is maintained. A combination of three principal energies, or
Doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) determines what type of body
you have and impacts on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Curious to know more? There are a variety of books on the
subject at our gift shop. Of course, one of our qualified
ayuvedic doctors will be the best guide in your journeys
into wellness. In fact, spend a little time with one of our
’vaidyars’, and your entire view of Spice Village will
transform. Suddenly, it’s as if you’re living in Nature’s
own pharmacy. For all over the grounds is the stuff of life
and healing. These carefully labeled medicinal plants can
turn your evening stroll into an education. Perhaps the best
first-hand introduction to ayurveda comes from the magic
hands of a masseur. If you aren’t with us long enough to
enjoy a full course of treatment, try an invigorating
leaf-bundle massage, or one of the general oil massages.
You’ll soon see the difference in your well-being and energy
levels.
The Taste of Fresh Spice Mealtimes at Spice Village are an
unhurried affair. In fact, we urge you to dawdle. Eat too
quickly, and you miss the subtle nuances that spices take on
when they’re absolutely fresh. Rush through your meal and
you give yourself no chance to enjoy the amiable atmosphere
that’s common to all our dining areas. There are three of
these. Choose from the rustic wooden tables in the dining
hall proper, or take a heaped plate out to the long verandah
and enjoy your meal al fresco, watching the kingfishers flit
around the swimming pool. Besides these. literally, is the
historic Tiffin Room, where light snacks are served all day.
The rosewood chairs and tables here are restored antiques,
from a 100-year old restaurant in the next valley that sadly
closed its doors in 1995. Spice Village’s popular cookery
classes for guests are also conducted here, most evenings,
and you can pick up some tips while chef Velayuthan unveils
a few (but only a few) of his secrets.
Tiger’s Tales The Tiger Room, behind the long verandah, is a
fine place to get your first taste of the jungle. It was set
up for a wildlife conference in 1996, and features a slide
show every evening. Another spot for a civilised
introduction to the wild is the Woodhouse Bar. It’s name
betrays its provenance, for on this exact spot was the
residence of A.W. Woodhouse, forest ranger and woodsman
extraordinary. In between sips of your Bloody Mary, look
over the old framed prints that cluster on the bar’s smoky
timbers.
They make for fascinating reading. And for a nightcap, you
can pick up one of the books on the shelves. This is our
little circulating library of paperbacks, passed around
among our guests as they move around the group’s properties.
For some reason, mystery novels predominate! The next day
you should be all set for your first venture into the hills.
There are several options. Regular jungle treks, lasting
from one to three hours, depart most mornings.
Equipped with leech-proof socks and fortified with a few of
chef Velayuthans appams, you can go on for ever! The Periyar
Tiger reserve sprawls over 777 sq. km. of diverse biosphere,
including some of the most pristine tropical rainforests in
the world. It’s home to an astonishing variety of life. 140
species of orchid alone thrive here, as do tiger, elephant,
leopard, varieties of deer and rare species such as the lion
tailed macaque. Here and there, patches of open grassland
provide grazing grounds for many of the herbivores. And
along the lakeside, you’re likely to spot boars and otters,
the expert fishermen of the Periyar. The lake itself is man
made and a mere 100 years old. A variety of tourist boats
ply its tranquil waters. Comforts vary, but it’s a simple
way to see wildlife without leaving your deckchair.
Preserving the Enchantment. The Periyar area is a unique,
precious eco-system, home to many endangered species of
plants and animals. From the water recycling and ozonisation
plant, to the solar heating systems in the property, our
efforts are constantly aimed at a more sensitive and
ecological approach to tourism. We are commited to preserve
this beauty from within, by being an informed and
responsible part of it. In this, we invite our guests to
join us. Spice Village is not only of the environment. It is
also from it. And it is this that makes the experience
unlike any other. Imagine a mirror, a perfect looking-glass
held up to its environment. A mirror that reflects the place
itself, its people and, magically, its history too.
Naturally, it offers little of its own to distract from the
purity of that experience. Air conditioning? Unnecessary
anyway, and what would it do but mask the heady spice-scents
that fill the air? Piped music is no substitute for
birdsong. And while there is a lone television on the
premises, we cannot conceive of a single reason why you
should wish to turn it on. No, the experience of Spice
Village emerges not from the fixtures of civilisation, but
from Kerala’s lofty mountain spirit. And to know this spirit
fully, we must first travel a little, back in time
The Land Where Pepper Grows.
Spice Village is located in the Periyar wilderness, high in
the western ghats of Kerala. For centuries, the area
attracted voyagers and adventurers, mercenaries and empire
builders, kings and merchant princes. Men and women drawn
not only by the lure of spices, but by the romance and wild
beauty of the land.
The Portuguese and the Jews of Cochin visited as traders,
turning the natural bounties of the area into wealth. Pepper
and cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, nutmeg, mace and anise
the Periyar hills became nature’s taste factory in the 14th
century, as Cochin became nature’s harbour, the port of
lading for a spice-hungry world.
Later, the area came under the Kingdom of Travancore, and
many of its plantations, orchards and hunting lodges date
from that time.
The Raj too, left its mark on the Cardamom Hills. Early
efforts at conservation came from its dedicated forest
rangers, who loved the land and its people as their own.
Today, it’s the rainforests, the animals and the vast
silences that attract the modern visitor. On the road to
Spice Village, it’s easy to feel this centuries-old allure
yourself. The earth boils in a fertile outpouring, every
conceivable shade of green, flecked with the crimson and
gold of mountain flowers. This is a world of forests
patterned in dappled sunlight. Plantations of rubber, coffee
and spice. Rolling highlands and crisp, cool air.
SEASONS:
Jan - Mar: Cool, dry
April - May: Summer
June - August: Monsoon
Sept - Dec: Pleasant, dry |
