Spiritual Tourism is enchanting. When you are overworked and when Work takes a heavy toll of your physique and psyche, it is time to take a break. You move away from the Madding Crowd and drown yourself in Nature's wonders. Remember what Wordsworth said
Nature never did betray The heart that loved her !
Nature will nurse you back to health, physical & mental. When we understand that the Goal of Life is Self Actualisation, we cannot ignore the spiritual. We have to climb from our own earths into our own heavens, rendering to the Caesar of the outer world the things that are lawfully his, at the same time fulfilling the Law of the Mount, which will set us up above the ranks of other men !
Most of the spiritual places where I had been, are blessed by natural beauty. It is this serene ambience which makes the trip really satisfying !
The Sanskrit word Sangeetha for Music is defined as "a confluence of Song, Lyrics & Dance". ( Geetham Vadyam Thadha Nritham Trayam Sangeetham Uchyathe ) !
Art is defined as that which generates happiness ( Kal Ahladatha iti Kala ).
Kathakali is one of the best art forms of Kerala and is played in almost all temples. The word " Temple" is derived from the Latin word Tempulum , a place where Law and Justice can be administered.
Kerala culture is rich with Arts. There are other forms of Art, like Ottam Thullam, Theyyam, Kalari Payattu, Mohini Attam, Chakyar Koothu, Nangiar Koothu, Velakali, Thiruvathira Kali etc. The videos of all these arts we have uploaded at www.keralaheritages.com
Art is divine, said Michelangelo. Art is grandchild of Deity, said Dante. Now this confluence of Song, Lyrics and Dance can take man to the altaltissimo, the highest Blissful Summit or Spiritual Zenith, which is only accessible to the divinely-intoxicated mind !
Cruise Tourism is on the rise in Kerala, despite the global recession. Decorative Passenger Ship Touism or Cruise Tourism is on an upward curve in Kerala, as 36 cruise ships are visiting Kochi in 2009 fiscal ! 22000 foreign tourists and 10,000 ship workers will be touring Kochi !
March will see 11 cruise ships. Of which 4 has already reached the Queen of the Arabian Sea. Seven more, inlcuding the big cruise ships - Queen Mary II & Queen Victoria will be visiting Kochi. 12000 foreign tourists will be visiting this month alone. Six thousand sailors also. From Queen Mary II, 2600 foreign visitors and 1300 crew members are expected. This Queen of the Sea will be reaching Kochi on Wednesday and will be in Kochi for one day.
Dance is divine, said Bharata Muni, the Master of classical Dance. Bhavananubhavathvam Bharathathvam
The ancient mystics discovered that Man is a miniature Universe. The physicist Fritjof Capra defined the dance of atoms and sub-atomic particles as the dance of Lord Shiva. " The Cosmic Dance", he said, " is the dance of sub-atomic matter" !
All Indian arts manifest the Law of Correspondences. Between Microcosm and Macrocosm, between Man and the Universe. The beauty of the eternal Universe is celebrated in the beauty of the human body. The rhythmic movements of the dancer symbolise the dance of the Universe, by the Lord of Dancers, the Lord Shiva Himself. " The Dancing Shiva is the dancing Universe" declared Capra !
The Dance of Bliss of Lord Shiva, called Ananda Tandavam, is the manifestation of the Cosmic Energy in five activities
Srushti - Creation, unfolding, pouring forth Sthithi - Preservation, maintenance Samhara - Destruction or taking back Tirobhava - Concealing and hiding the Transcendent Reality Anugraha - Bestowing Grace
It is He that is immanent in the Play - Himself the Play, Himself the Player, Himself the Playground !
Kali in Sanskrit means Time Personified, the Kala Swaroopini. She is the Destroyer. Rightly so, as destruction is nothing but Creative Destruction. Only after the evils are destroyed can good rise. She is the destroyer of all that is base, of all that is evil, the destroyer of the base passions of Man. She is extolled by all poets, as they find in Her terrible aspect, seeds of Wisdom and Love !
The Kerala Government is considering promoting Spiritual Tourism, after tapping the potential of Ecotourism, Houseboat Tourism & Ayurveda.
Pilgrimage Tourism, said Tourism Minister K V Thomas will showcase Kerala's formidable and diverse Spiritual Heritage.
Kerala, he said, is rich in places of worship of all major religions. This will be showcased to the world traveler.
The full potential of Pilgrim Tourism has not been yet exploited. Most of the temples, synagogues, churches and mosques have got green ambience and is situated at geographically important places.
Archeometry is the science of identifying important geographical places, based on ley lines of telluric force. The famous Sabarimala and Guruvayur temples, as well as the Kochi synagogue are built at important geographical places.
Two tourism companies, Godsland Tourism and Prakriti Tourism have already joined the bandwagon in this field. It is only a matter of time till Spiritual Tourism takes off in Nature blessed Kerala.
Gems and Jewellery are also important Kerala and Indian exports. Gems are great when it comes to lustre. They have also astrological significance.
What has Gemology got to do with Spirituality ? Everything. Gemology states that the Nine gems are interrelated to the Nine Planets. If you wear the fortunate gem of the fortunate planet, then that gem will confer fortune.
Moon represents Pearl. Moon is an important luminary as he represents Mother and Mind. Mental strength is dependent on him. He is exalted in Taurus and is debilitated in Scorpio.
He represents Prosperity. He represents Medicine. Those belonging to the Medical Profession will get a boost if they wear Pearl. Also those who want to increase their mental strength should wear pearl on a Waxing Moon Monday, the day of Luna or Moon.
Pearl is the primary gemstone of the Moon and Moonstone is its secondary gemstone. Believed to bring mental peace, economic prosperity,higher education and enhanced family status, its use during the period of the Moon brings favours. The Pearl is also used to heal eye related illnesses, any mental disorders and to assist good lactation. The ideal time to commence wearing a pearl is within an hour of sunrise on Monday. It is to be worn on the ring finger. The mantra of the Moon, Om Saum Somaya Namah can be chanted for maximum effectiveness.
M O O N A S T R A L G E M S T O N E
Functional Benefic in your chart - The Moon Cosmic Colour to be enhanced - Orange Recommended GemStone - Pearl Alternate Gemstone - Moonstone Solar/Lunar Metal to be used - Silver Herbal Ashes to be used - Butia frandosa Cosmic Number to be used - Two Most Auspicious Day - Monday Most Auspicious Month - February Hand to be worn on - Left Affected Element - Water Affected sense - Taste Affected Bodily Organ - Tongue Affected Anatomical System - Blood Affected Chakra - 6th Swadhistana Day of Invocation - Monday Time for Invocation - Evening
It numerological number is Two.
Amma is an ordinary woman who rose to the Zenith of Spirituality and rightly regarded now as a World Teacher.
And what made her climb the Evolutionary ladder ? Bridal Mysticism or Bhakthi Yoga.
From her childhood onwards, she was a bridal mystic. She used to spend hours meditating on the Lord and praying to Him. She used to go into ecstatic trances, like the great Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Her simple bhakthi drew the Lord to her. She is now a veritable symbol of Universal Love and the world knows her as a hugging saint.
Her simplicity is her greatness. Without having much academic qualifications to her credit, she quotes the Geetha and the Upanishads, like the great Satya Sai Baba.
We find that some prophets were not highly educated. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Prophet Mohammad, Jacob Boehme etc. Their greatness is their simplicity and humility.
On the other hand we find that the highly educated always had ego. Aurobindo confessed that he has a sense of intellectual superiority initially. So did the great Melpathur. Vivekananda exhorted to bring Light to the uneducated, and also to the educated, as tremendous are the vanities of education !
Her advice to the suffering humanity is simple. " Feel your prayers, feel your mantra and you will feel God " !
Spiritual Kerala is going commercial. There are 5000 shops in the New Grand Festival of Kerala, which began today thoroughout Kerala.
Commercial Tourism will improve Kerala. So thinks the think tank of Kerala Govt.
From Dec 1 to Jan 15, you will see Kerala rise high on the shopping horizon. This will become the Zenith of shopping revelry.
Relgious harmony is the hallmark of Kerala. Here we find people belonging to all civilizations, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Christian, live in peace.
Imagine there are no 189 nations Is it hard to do so ? No Ideology to fight for And no Dogmatic Religion too Imagine all people together Living in peace, a world community !
Ethnic products at throwaway prices and you can find the widest range of products , from Ayurvedic indigenous medicine products to herbal massage parlours, equipped with expert massagers.
Technology is also state of the art with Kerala joining the Net Revolution. Infopark and Technopark have recorded 42% growth and there are IT hubs everywhere.
Most of the tourists ( almost 50% ) come to Kerala to get a glimpse of the spiritual giant, Amma, often recognised as a God Realised soul. Other tourists come for Ayurvedic Tourism, because Kerala provides world class Ayurvedic therapy, with her Ayurvedic hospitals and doctors. Dr Deepak Chopra's prediction " In the coming years, Ayurveda will blossom " has come true.
For the shopaholic, there are diverse products like great jewellery, class furniture, leather products, bronze, great handicrafts, artworks, antiques etc. To the shopper, this will be the ultimate shopping experience, the last bubbling cry.
There is no harm in indulging in sensory pleasures. The great Omar Khayam celebrated Life with the two great intoxicants, verse and the wine. Casanova indulged in the pleasures of the bed.
Sexuality is permitted in Tantra.
The Tantric rite is worshipping the Almighty with wine, meat, fish, mudra and copulation (Madyam mamsam cha meenam cha mudra maidhunam eva cha) This is known as Pancha Makara Pooja or worship with the Five Ms. These are of course symbolic but then Sacred Sexuality is permitted in Tantra.
It was Walter Mendis, the Corporate Creative Director of Mudra, who gave Kerala the name " God's own Country". He meant Kerala is as beautiful as the Lord made it, bearing on every feature the unmistakable stamp of the great Original Creative Artist !
Kerala is amongst the top 40 destinations in the world. National Geographic is of the view that she is amongst the top ten !
More than 13 K cr has come in and more than 5,98,000 foreign tourists visited this beautiful state out of a total of 8.2 million tourists. This 131130 cr is 7.7% of Kerala's total income.
Kerala has a lot to offer. Houseboat Tourism, particularly in the Venice of the East, Alleppey, Beach Tourism, because of the 586 km coastline, River Tourism, Mountain Tourism & Monsoon Tourism, because of the heavy rainfalls that grace Kerala !
Kerala is just 1.1% of India ! Yet, she hosts 22% of 47 K plants, 35% of varieties of fish and 210 types of oceanic creatures. She has 700 kms of the Western Ghats & 586 kms of coastline. She receives 2000 mm rains. You will find different types of people belonging to different civilisations as she is multi-cultural and multi-religious. That is how Kerala becomes the Lord's own country !
The foreigners say that " well kept beaches, good people, tasty and mouth watering cuisine, spirituality and Ayurveda " are the hallmarks of Kerala !
Beaches are a fascination for tourists and the four out of the five Districts which receive the influx of tourist have beaches ( Trichur, Trivandurm, Ernakulam, Alleppey and Idukki ).
Some fishing villages have been defined as Fishermen's Village. Farm Tourism is also on the rise !
The Munambam beach is a beautiful place to behold. On the west we have the Arabian Sea, a mouth of the sea on the north and the "Life Line of Kerala", the Periyar River on the east. This estuary is the place where the Periyar River, 244 km long, flows into the sea.
Munambam Beach is also known as Muziris Golden Beach. It is the farthest end of the famous Cherai beach. On the north west side, you can see the Munakkal beach. On the north we have Azheekode in Trichur Dist. The Munambam Azheekode point is the point where Trichur and Ernakulam Districts meet. You can cross the mouth of the sea on the north by Junkar or boat. Just five minutes from Munambam ( Kochi ) to Azheekod ( Trichur ) !
You can sit and enjoy the views, watching the local fishermen fish in their canoes and colourful boats. Photographers find Munambam enchanting, as the glorious sunset is indeed inspiring !
The Chavakkad Azhimukham ( Estuary ), where the Chettuva River meets the sea, is a lovely spot to watch.
The Chavakkad beach is only 2 kms from Chavakkad. We have a 6 km road almost along the beach which goes to Munakkal. There is a fish landing harbour at Munakkal, on the shores of the Munakkal river. We can see Chettuva on the other side of the river. 2 kms furthur, again along the road near the 8 km coastline, we reach the Azhimukham, where the river meets the sea !
On the eastern side we can see the Engandiyur Fish Landing Hourbour. The place is undeveloped and some tourism projects may come over there. Full of coconut trees and with a great green ambience, Azhimukham is a great spot to behold.
The Tourism Ministry has plans to beautify four beaches- Fort Kochi, Cherai, Munambam and Munakkal at a cost of 8 crores.
The United Nations Development Programme cited Kumbalangi, a small fishing village in Kerala, as an Endogenous Tourism Center. Endogenous means that which is derived internally and that this place shows the inherent skills and traits of Kerala. The Govt declared Kumbalangi as a Model Tourism Village.
Biogas is the gas which accrues from animal waste. Kumbalangi, as an exemplar of Organic Farming, has 800 biogas plants, generating more than 3600 hours of cooking gas per day!
The backwaters of Venice, the green fields of Europe all combined is this beautiful village. The Lonely Planet called it the " Paradise found on Earth". Sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea in Peninsular India, is Kerala, the gift given by Nature to mankind !
Close to the port town of Kochi is Kumbalangi, an ideal tourist location. She possesses a vast stretch of backwaters and is rich with cuisines, fish farms, local boat building and coir looms. You will find its inhabitants in tune with Nature, depending on Nature for their survival. There is not too much rush of tourists ( this island gets only 5000 tourists per season ) and you will find her more or less a virgin landscape.
In 2005, the Govt came out with the Kumbalangi Integrated Tourism Village project, to transform this small island to a model tourism and fishing spot. The Chinese fishing nets which grace Fort Kochi and other places in Kochi can be seen here. Crores were invested in the project, as new roads were built, percolation tanks to store rain water were built ( thus solving the water problem ), fishes which had moved away were brought back and water drainage system was built.
Lack of rooms created Homestays. Now there are a lot of homestays in this village.
Kochi Airport is just 40 kms away and the nearest Rly Station is Ernakulam, 25 km away.
Monsoons may be the primary cause of Monsoon Tourism in Kerala.
During the monsoon seasons, particularly during the months of Mithuna ( Gemini ) and Kataka ( Cancer ), the body becomes weak and this is an excellent time to take in Ayurvedic medicines.
I am taking in Chyavana Prasam, a rejuvenative and restorative. It is an Anti Aging Medicine, enriched with the essence of gooseberries, the great source of Vitamin C. Aphrodisiacs like Mucuna Pruriens ( Naikarana parippu ) and Withania Somnifera ( Aswagandha, the Indian ginseng ), can be taken in. This process is called Vajeekarana in Ayurveda. It makes men regain their lost Sapta Dhatus or the Seven Tissue Elements and makes men as fit as horses !
In his book ” Quantum Healing”, Dr Chopra says ” During the coming years, Ayurveda will blossom”.
During Monsoons, the digestive power weakens and vata is aggravated. Moderation in diet is what the doctor orders. Bitter, pungeant and astringent food should be taken in, along with rice and wheat. It is better to avoid excessive sex. It is time to go in for oil bath and massage. Water should be boiled and cooled. Avoid sleeping during daytime. Honey can be taken in, as it is an excellent medicine.
The triune humours of Ayurveda, Vata, Pitta and Kapha( bile, wind and phlegm) should be kept in equilibrium as their disequilibrium is disease. To keep these doshas or humours in balance, Ayurveda prescribes unique diet ( Ahara ), a distinct mode of living ( Vihara ) and routine living ( Karya ). This will help you in coping with the stresses and strains of the changing seasons.
Kerala is one of the states identified by the Center for Monsoon Tourism. Mainly because Kerala gets around 3000 mm rains in three Monsoons. Even the summer rains ( Summer Monsoon ) bring in about 300 mm of rains , the North East Monsoon brings in 500 mm and the South West 2200 mm !
Not blessed by high education alone Tiny Kerala is graced by three Monsoons !
Monsoons may be the primary cause of Monsoon Tourism. But the secondary cause is Ayurveda !
One of my friends is working for USA Eyes, a site which complies with the Health on the Net Code. He says Lasik Surgery is done fast in the US. It is the most performed surgery in the US. Lasik vision recovery is fast, within a few hours. The doctors who work at the USA Eyes are graduates from UCLA, John Hopkins and Yale. A US Congressional subcommittee cited USA Eyes as a reliable source of LASIK information.
Yesterday I went to Thirunavaya, in Malappuram, to do shrardham for my mother. It was a great experience.
Thirunavaya is the abode of the gods and it impresses one with its breathtaking natural beauty. On the banks of Nila or Bharatapuzha, a 203 km long river, the second longest after Periyar, we have three glorious temples, dedicated to the Creative, Preservative and Destructive aspects of Time Eternal !
Hindus do srardham or bali ( rites to the departed ) , that is respect those who have gone to the astral plane.
We respected the dead ancestors and prayed for forgiveness for the offences, knowingly or unknowingly, done to them. I am my brother did it for almost forty minutes, on the banks of the sacred Bharatpuzha.
Bharatapuzha comes from the Western Ghats and flows through Kerala and drains itself into the Arabian Sea. It irrigates thousands of acres. Above is a video about the lotus cultivation in Thirunavaya. ( This temple deity, Lord Vishnu, was the Tutelary Deity of the Zamorin, who then was the ruler of Kerala. He was worried about the idols which were lost in the Bharatapuzha River. Astrologers advised him to garland Lord Vishnu with the lotus flower and hence lotus is cultivated on 250 acres. The lotus thus obtained goes not only to this Nava Mukunda temple but to temples like Guruvayur also).
Millions come here because of the natural beauty, the greenish landscape architecture done by Nature and the proximity of the three temples dedicated to Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
Historical Background
Thirunavaya is a must see destination in Tourism Kerala. It lies 8 kms south of Tirur.
The famous Nava Mukunda Temple lies on the bank the of the second largest river in Kerala, the Bharatapuzha. It is believed to be 6000 years old. The sanctum sanctorum is adorned by great sculptures which defiy imagination. You can see the mythological Ten Incarnations of Vishnu along with the story of Lord Shiva in his tribal avatar, blessing Arjuna with the Pasupatha Arrow.
A place of immense historical importance, this is the ancient land of Mamankam, where the rulers used to assemble once, in every 12 years. One of them used to be elected as the Emperor of Kerala. There was a great Trade Fair held at this venue. Traders used to come in ships and barges and this festival was celebrated with great pomp and pageantry.
This temple has a ten day annual festival starting with Kodiyettam and ending in Arattu. Lakhs of people visit this temple during the festival.
The famous Vedic Othanmar Madhom, is on the bank of Bharatapuzha, near the Lord Shiva temple. This institute was a center of Aryanisation thorough Vedic Knowledge and Sanskrit and Thirunavaya is believed to be the main center, where Parasurama,one of the Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu, brought and settled Brahmin scholars.
How to reach Thirunavaya
It is well connected to all the districts of Kerala and can be reached
By Air
The Calicut Airport, one of the busiest and best designed, is just 26 kms from Thirunavaya
By Road
All districts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Kerala are connected to Tirunavaya by an efficient system of roads. The National Highway 17 is the most notable.
By Rail
Malappuram District, where Tirunavaya is posited, has two railway tracks running through it. The Mangalore-Madras and the Nilambur-Shornur tracks. Both are well connected to other cities.
Medical Tourism in US
For LASIK and PRK, U S is the ideal place.
I have a friend of mine who works in USAEyeswhich is a highly informative site which deals with LASIK and Photo Refractive Kerotomy.
USAEyes.orgcomplies with the Health on the Net Code.
Laser Surgery has improved considerably now. The Method, in which a tiny flap is cut across the top of the eye's clear dome shaped cornea and folded back , so that a laser can reshape the tissue underneath. LASIK, short for laser assisted in situ kerotomilusis. Photorefractive Kerotectomy is sister to LASIK.
