Have you been to Alleppey (Alappuzha) ??

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better - Albert Einstein

I had just completed my B.E. graduation and was waiting for my joining letter from TCS. The waiting period was so long that i started to learn cooking from my mother. Usually i never touch my laptop when i am at my home because, there's already so much of entertainment. That too, when you have a sister, time flies too fast. It was yet another evening with all the channels playing the most boring soaps and I didn't have a good book to turn the pages. I watched the movie 'Godavari'(Telugu), directed by Sekhar Kammula. Its a love story set against the scenic backdrop of the Godavari river aboard a houseboat also called the “Godavari”. The whole movie happens inside a houseboat. No wonder, the movie was spectacular but the houseboat caught my attention. I started fascinating the houseboat more and more. Titanic, Sleepless in Seattle,Around the world in 80 days and many more movies,ads and books have made me fascinate a cruise. But, this movie increased my desire to spend time inside a houseboat drastically.

I got my joining letter from TCS and was posted in Trivandrum. Well, it was all set for a ride on a houseboat and stay as well. After few procrastinations, the day had come for me to enter an houseboat and spend a day inside this. Me, and my friends had been to a houseboat in Allepy. Here is story of me and the houseboat,me and the river,me and my friends,me,my friends and the houseboat, me and the nature,me and myself.

 We entered inside the houseboat,finally. It was a double storey boat  with a kitchen,2 rooms and a drivers seat below. The top storey had free space with a TV and a dining table. We didn't waste a single minute to occupy the seats on the top storey. Few songs were being played and many talks were on while having food. The endless backwaters, greenery all-around, typical smell, few good friends and the feel of the houseboat gave the best feeling in the world.Nature always has a story to tell and is the best listener. I just kept quiet and was in awe. Allepey (pronounced as Alappuzha) backwaters are the main attraction in Kerala. One side, the tourists come here to explore nature and have the best time of their life , and on the other side, localites burn their asses in making tourists stay comfortable to earn their bread.

 Too many photos were clicked. The dil-chahtah-hai poses, SRK poses, kuch-bhi poses, i-love-you poses, you-are-my-best-friend poses and what not. We knew how to pose and to look good in photographs.A thing of beauty is joy forever. Allepey backwaters is one such beauty that will embrace you. There starts an unknown conversation between you and the houseboat, you and the backwaters, you and the coconut trees, you and the nature, you and yourself. Nature can heal the worst pains. It has its own way of telling how beautiful life is. 

It was coffee-time (Few others may call it Tea-time but, i prefer caffeine). Sipping a hot cup of coffee, forgetting that you are humane and living in a divine unearthly condition for a few seconds is the pleasure that a houseboat gives you. Sunset, drizzles and scenic beauty were a visual treat. Few of us had coconut water to get rid of the thirst and the rest of us to pose at cameras. After having dinner, the houseboat was halted at a place. Still the day had not ended for us.  The rooms were well furnished and it felt cozy and warm inside the houseboat.We had a lot of nonsense things to discuss late night and few of them made sense,surprisingly.

After a nice sleep, next day started too early. As the boat was halted near a village (Yup, its Kerala and there are people living on the coasts of backwaters) we took a morning walk. Sun, green grasses , slippery land, localites-looks and a few photos, that's all. It was time to return. The houseboat took a  180 degree turn and started towards the starting point. We had delicious food and the hospitality was heart-touching. The chef was a Bengali and was a genius in cooking south-indian food. As the exit time was nearing we all were starting to feel gloomy. Time was up and the houseboat was safely landed. It was time to say good-bye to nature, coconut trees, silence,beauty, backwaters and most importantly, to the houseboat.

The trip just proved that all we need is nature. At the end of the day, the ultimate happiness is given by nature. Facebook, gadgets, movies, music , malls, cricket are all thrifty when compared to what nature has for us. It is a heavenly bliss.  

If you people are planning for an outing this weekend, I would suggest this houseboat stay. 

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.

-Anne Frank, The Diary of a young girl.

 
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