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NIRAAMAYA RETREATS, KUMARAKOM & KOVALAM

ON THE WATERFRONT

It was the hour of magic—when the impossible becomes possible. As the sun began to set over Kumarakom, I made my way in a canoe through the narrow canal, in the famed backwaters of Kerala. I was surrounded by lilies, palm and coconut trees. There were village houses on either side, in flamboyant colours of purple, pink and yellow and I unwittingly eavesdropped on the sounds of argument, laughter and the chatter from the houses. Soon, darkness followed, as the canoe continued its slow journey down the canal. And then magic happened—suddenly the darkness gave way to light—not from an electric source but from the hundreds of fireflies that appeared in the sky. It was surreal. This is indeed the stuff that Kerala is made of.

My base was Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond, Kumarakom, a resort that will open to the public this December. The resort has a fantastic view of Lake Vembanad, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia, which is the playground for the many houseboats that cruise in the region. The resort has 27 luxury rooms and has a multi-cuisine restaurant, Cafe Samsara, that offered some authentic and sumptuous Kerala cuisine and fantastic seafood. Though there were parts of the resort that were still a work-in-progress (the speciality Thai restaurant, Essence, the Spa and the Yoga room are yet to open), the staff at the resort made up for the incompleteness in the facilities with great service and an everwelcoming smile.