17. - 7 January: Cochin

PLACEHOLDER

Morning after breakfast depart for city tour of Cochin,  visiting the jewish section,

jewish synagogue in Mattancherry,

Dutch Palace, 

st Francis Church and the

Chinese fishing nets.

Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

16. - 6 January: drive to Cochin

PLACEHOLDER

Breakfast at the hotel and later transfer by boat to Puthenagadi Jetty from where continue on by car for Cochin.  On arrival in Cochin check into the Hotel Malabar House Residency.  Rest of the day at leisure.

Evening witness a spectacular kathakali Dance Performance.  Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

15. - 5 January: backwaters cruises

PLACEHOLDER

Breakfast at the hotel  Rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the stay at the Resort. 

Boat ride through the backwaters.

Later in the evening enjoy a sunset cruise on the Lake Vembanad  Overnight stay.

14. - 4 January: Kumarakom

PLACEHOLDER

Early morning if you wish you can take boatride on the lake periyar to watch the wildlife or enjoy natural beauty and if lucky a group of wild elephants.

Later return to your hotel for breakfast and proceed by car on to Kumarakom (3hrs). 

On arrival check in at the Coconut Lagoon Resort Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay.

13. - 3 January: drive to Periyar

PLACEHOLDER

Morning depart for Periyar Kerala (4/5hrs drive). The drive is through  the picturesque mountain ranges. 

Rest of the day at leisure or explore the lush spice plantations and the spice village market. 

Return to your hotel for ovenright stay. Spice Village

12. - 2 January: Madurai

PLACEHOLDER

Morning depart for city sightseeing tour visiting the  Meenakshi Temple, Vishnu temple and Alargarkovil as well as the Tirumala Nayak Palace.  

Rest of the day at leisure and overnight stay.

11. - 1 January 2002: drive to Madurai

PLACEHOLDER

Start of the new year.

Morning depart for Madurai, the famous temple town (3-4hrs).

Later in the evening visit the famed Meenakshi Temple to attend athe evening prayer ceremony.

Overnight stay. Taj Garden Retreat/Madurai

10. - 31 December: drive to Trichy

PLACEHOLDER

Morning departed for Trichy (1/halfhr) enroute short of Trichy visit the Srirangam, where the town lies within the walls of the massive Vishnu temple.  

On arrival in Trichy check into Hotel Sangam. Later proceed for visit of the Rock Fort situated over a hill.  Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

Hotel Sangam/trichy

9. - 30 December: Tanjore

PLACEHOLDER

Morning depart for sightseeing of Tanjore visiting the famed Brihadeeshwara temple and later the museum which houses  a good collection of Bronzes and later the Palace.  

In the afternoon  visit Thiruvaiyaru, 13km north. Usually in January an international music festival is held here in honour of the Saint and composer Thyagaraja.  Overnight stay in Tanjore

Book Review/Recensione: "In light of India" (1998), by Octavio Paz, ****

Testo in italiano di seguito

Synopsis

This collection of essays recalls the author's days in India, first as an attache in the Mexican Embassy, then 11 years later as Mexico's ambassador. He brings insight into India's landscape, culture and history in a series of discourses. "The Antipodes of Coming and Going" is a remembrance of the sights, sounds and smells of the subcontinent. "Religions, Castes, Languages" gives a survey of Indian history".

"A Project of Nationhood" is an examination of modern Indian politics, comparing the respective Islamic, Hindu and Western civilizations through the course of history. "The Full and the Empty" is an exploration into what Paz calls the soul of India, its art, literature, music and philosophy, and an indictment of the self-centred materialism of Western society.

Octavio Paz is the author of "The Double Flame: Essays in Love and Eroticism".