Feet in the Forest HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

In the hill station of Kodaikanal, Chandrahas Choudhury finds a community of dreamers who open their homes to travellers in search of mindful living.

- Chandrahas Choudhury

At first glance, Kodaikanal is a symptom of every problem of the modern Indian hill station. Nostalgia always has an element of unreason, but here, it was easy to appreciate the ruefulness of its long-term residents. Yet my visit to Kodaikanal was as immersive and sensual a week as I’ve had anywhere else. In the face of the violence of modern life, the best and brightest of Kodaikanal, I found, have retreated inward, not into a gated community living in privatised comfort, but rather a small society of sensitive spirits intent on preserving and sharing the best of a vanishing world.

The town has so many interesting people invested in alternative ways of living that I could’ve stayed another month and not met them all. Intellectually, gastronomically, ecologically, Kodaikanal was a bag of surprises. Here was a place that boasted a 125-year-old solar observatory, a golf course, and a serious local newspaper full of fine writing (The Kodai Chronicle, available online)—and yet, only one ladies’ hairdresser and no picture framer. “There used to be one,” said Vasu Balakrishnan, my host for the first two days, “but he passed away. Now, if you want a picture framed, you have to go down to Madurai.” Even the shola forests were unique. “These are not forests of tall trees, but of vines and creepers and ferns,” said naturalist and guide Vijay Kumar (9965524279), on a walk into the forest near the village of Prakasapuram, as we shook greedy leeches off our shoes. “Each tree is different, each bush is different. No plant is trying to kill the other plant. All are helping each other to live.”