Somewhere around the middle section of Kerala's coast, the
Indian Ocean finally realises that it has now become the Arabian Sea. The
result of this personality change is a splendid azure colour, quite
distinctive, with frothy whitecaps and a translucent, pearl-like quality.
The sands that fringe this coastline for endless miles are themselves
distinctive, deep and rich and fine, in a shade closer to ocher than gold.
This natural brushwork leaves its mark on human life too. The people
of the area have been fisherfolk for millennia and over this time, they've
evolved a way of life that's as tranquil and colourful as their world.
The
village of Mararikulam is tucked away behind a line of dense palms that rise
like a sudden rampart of green out of the sands. Like all villages, it has
evolved naturally, in picturesque disorder.
The huts are slapdash
adobe, thatched with-what else? -palm and tied with coir, or coconut rope.
(In fact, the coconut tree supplies the villagers with an endless number of
useful items, from kitchen ladles to sunhats to boat hulls.) Neat and
scrupulously clean footpaths veer between the huts and everywhere, the
pungent scents of the sea mingle with the fragrance of coconut oil and
spice.
Spread
out here and there on rough coir mats are sunbursts of red. These are the
famous red chilis, without which no self-respecting fishwife would ever
dream of serving up dinner.
Evening in fact, is a special time. The
winking of oil lamps and cooking fires transforms the village into a glowing
tableau vivant, with a painted sunset as the backdrop. Within moments, you
feel your city clock winding gently down, then dying without protest as you
pass through a scene unchanged for centuries.
The Village Reborn The challenge for us was to take the
village, not just its architecture, but the subtle elements of its life and
translate them into an unforgettable experience for the modern traveler.
We wanted to recreate the same harmony with nature. And impart the same
sense of languid pace to the Marari Beach resort.
Sprawled
expansively across 25 acres of land, the resort, like its namesake, is
separated from the sea by a windbreak of stretching palms. There are a mere
52 cottages, so the sense of space here is much more dramatic. The cottages
are separated by generous stretches of open parkland, dotted with
fruit-laden trees. The winding village pathways are a faithful echo of the
originals.
Rambling
walls curve around corners, their rust-coloured stones smothered with
trumpet flowers. Completing the picture are rippling lotus ponds, usually
with a family of ducklings getting a swimming lesson out in the middle.
Things to do
The Marari Breach, let us be clear, is not the place for a raucous beach
holiday. There are no rave parties here, no noisy water scooters, no sellers
of trinkets.
But for those seeking to undo the stresses of city life
and experience a completely new pace, it is the perfect spot.
You
could spend an entire morning lolling by the poolside with a book from the
library. Or take a dip in the sea, the beach usually being nearly empty,
except for a few other guests and the odd local fisherman. Or explore the
area and its fishing villages on a bicycle.
The trick at Marari
is to open up, relax and rejuvenate. To while away the hours watching the
fascinating play of light on open water, to feed a wandering guinea fowl, to
stretch a lazy hand out to your cocktail glass and wait for one of our
sumptuous lunches to be served
The Taste of the Sea
Mealtimes at Marari are unhurried affairs, with a firm eye on enjoying every
subtlety that the waves have to offer.
Both at the buffet and at our
speciality sea food restaurant, Fort Cochin, the fresh catch of the day
forms the centrepiece. You can choose from a variety of prawns, lobsters,
crayfish and the famous 'karimeen', grilled on the spot or prepared to your
tastes. Complementing it all is an array of Kerala specialties. Aromatic
vegetable stews, spicy chicken gravies, tangy tamarind and kokam chutneys
and always, rice and the popular idiappams- string hoppers that accompany
most Kerala meals.
Chef Narayankutty can be fanatical about
freshness (check out his book of recipes, available at the gift shop) but he
gets it easily. Our bread is always baked daily on the premises and the
vegetables too, come fresh-plucked from our organic farm.
For light
snacks, the beach-shack bar and buffet is the place. Sip a post-swim cooler,
munch on some fried prawns and listen to the distant roar of surf.
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