It was a pleasant morning when I arrived Kovalam- 'the grove of coconut trees'. I had read a lot about Kovalam, its unique culture, arts and the best of Ayurveda. This isolated place, being located at a close proximity to Trivandrum (Kerala's capital; 16 km), draws thousands of tourists in the charm of serene beaches and leisure holidays. I got an accommodation unit in beach facing Surya Samudra Beach Garden Resort. The best part with Kovalam is that you do not need to hire a taxi or auto to visit the major attractions. This small town can easily be explored on foot. Besides, Kovalam is a city which can be visited in any month of the year. It enjoys a pleasant tropical climate.As I walked towards the beach, I saw people enjoying swimming, kayaking, surfing and skiing. People looking for relaxation were enjoying sun bathing and massages. I visited a few renowned Ayurvedic rejuvenation and yoga-meditation centers as well, but found them costly. Kids were playing on the sea waves with their surfboards and boogie boards under the guidance of experts and lifeguards. The beach has a history of quiet a few drowning cases. Therefore, one can find instructions in various languages pointing out specifically that only the area marked by green flag is safe for tourists. While having some snacks on the beach, I observed a few shops of handicrafts and spices. There are a number of shopping places lined across the beach, which are quite popular for rose wood and teak wood statues. The Samudra Beach, Kovalam Beaches, Hawa Beach and the Light House Beach collectively form a major attraction in Kovalam.
I moved on to explore the cultural aspects, art forms and historic monuments of the city. I first bought a city guide, worth Rs. 10, from a roadside shop and started with Padmanabhaswamy Temple, believed to be one of the 108 Divya Sthalas of Lord Vishnu. In context of architectural beauty, I would also appreciate the East Fort Ganapathy Temple, situated at Pazhavangady, near East Fort. I also offered coconuts to Lord Ganapathy. If I could spend some extra time in Kovalam, I would have certainly visited the Pazhavangadi Bhagavathy Temple and Attukal Hanuman Temple along with a few mosques and churches. I got into a nearby restaurant and had my favourite fish curry and fish fry in lunch.
As I returned to the hotel, I was invited for a special cultural programme in the evening, which was organized for all the guests. Several dancers and artists performed the traditional Kerala art forms like Kathakali and the ethnic martial art 'Kalarippayattu'. These performance raised my spirits. Despite of being a small town, Kovalam was full of vibrant colours, lively art forms and joy.
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