ASIA PACIFIC SPECIAL : Destination: India : Floating Back to Yesterday : Along the banks of Kerala’s coastal waterways the scenes of village life remain unchanged

COCHIN, India — The way to see Kerala is by boat, in my case a paint-chipped old launch chugging peacefully through 50 miles of the inland canals and narrow lakes that define this sliver of a state on the southwest coast of India.

Along the waterways, village life unfolds as it has for centuries on the Malabar Coast. Families harvest coconuts for food, oil and fiber in tidy communities of thatch-roofed buildings settled on tiny spits of land. Large canoes, some with carved prows, carry huge loads of rice and coconuts. Men leverage towering Chinese-style fishing nets into the waters along the shore.

Serene tableaux pass by. A man in a small canoe herds ducks. Women, dressed in colorful saris, pound laundry on stones and spread it to dry on the banks. Children, running alongside our slow-moving boat, call for us to throw them our empty water bottles.

Kerala is India, with all of its frustrating contrasts of wealth and poverty, its exotic cultures, its magical sensations of color and smell and beauty. But Kerala (pronounced CARE-uh-luh) also is unique, endowed by geography with prosperity and a rich history.

Bounded by the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western Ghats, rugged mountains, on the other, the narrow state contains a natural beauty ranging from white-sanded, palm-fringed resort beaches to forested game preserves.

The history of the area has been shaped by its extraordinary fertility--from tea and spice plantations in the mountains to mango and coconut groves in the lowlands. Spice trading with the West and China dates back thousands of years, even as the Western Ghats largely spared the area from repeated conquering by other Indian cultures. As a result, Kerala has a large number of Christians, as well as a 2,000-year-old Jewish community in the city of Cochin (pronounced co-CHIN) .

With a population about equal to California in an area about one-tenth the size, Kerala is one of India’s most prosperous states. Literacy rates are more than 90%, the highest in the country. The native language is Malayalam, although English is spoken widely enough to simplify things for American tourists.

Kerala’s economic life revolves around a fine network of canals, some freshwater, others saltwater or brackish. A languid ride through the canals is unforgettable, the sights unspoiled and unreachable except by boat. Cochin, the commercial center of Kerala, is the best canal destination and the best place to arrange a canal voyage. This was my second visit to the area, and I was reminded that it is worth a trip all to itself, to voyage through the canals, wander the colorful marketplaces, attend an outdoor performance of exotic classical Indian dance and devour sumptuous vegetarian meals.

The mid-Kerala city of Quilon (pronounced KOY-lan) is the southern entrance to the coastal waterways of Kerala. It also is a market town and a center of the cashew trade, so we arrived early enough in the morning to explore the open-air market before our boat departed.

The market streets of Quilon burst with life: Vendors hawk tea and coffee and fresh-made potato chips; flower merchants weave strings of fragrant jasmine buds to adorn women’s hair, men and women carry mountains of fruits and vegetables atop their heads. The air is permeated by the odor of pungent chilies, dried ginger and spices sold from huge burlap bags.

Not all the market stalls were delightful. The open-air butcher shop was home to a zillion flies and a powerful stench. (Another good reason to eat vegetarian in India.)

Kerala is extraordinarily indulgent of Western tourists. Beggars can be harassing, but there is an overall sense of personal safety and little crime.

There are a number of ways to experience the canals. Commuter boats run between many locations for modest fares. A more expensive option is to charter a private boat in Cochin or arrange for a canoe tour through a travel agency or hotel. I chose a fourth alternative, an eight-hour trip aboard a scheduled tourist launch. This trip was one of the longest available and cost 100 rupees (about $3) each.

Our launch departed at 10 a.m. In preparation for the trip, I purchased bottled water and some bananas--U.S. travelers should stick to peelable fruits or cooked food, and sodas or bottled water only. There were several varieties of banana I’d never seen before, including a huge pink plantain that was particularly sweet.

About 25 other tourists, mostly Europeans, clambered aboard the 30-foot launch, some sitting inside while others staked out seats on the roof. My girlfriend and I snagged a choice spot on the bow where we had a terrific view but were thankful for our large hats and bottled water. We traveled in February--the summer is unbearable--but it was nevertheless a hot, windless day.

The boat rode low in the water and chugged along slowly. It was like riding down a country lane through farms and small villages. At times the canals narrowed to a few dozen feet and the houses and people seemed to be virtually within reach. Along some stretches the water was so placid it mirrored the palm forests along the bank. As many as a quarter of Keralans are Christian, and some of the villages had small whitewashed churches.

Virtually all the other boats we saw were canoe-shaped, of various sizes, and powered by paddle, pole or sail. The vessels were employed in every sort of rural enterprise--hauling and dredging, fishing and traveling. Some, with thatched roofs, doubled as houseboats. Others ferried people across the canals, the wealthier passengers regally shading themselves with black umbrellas.

At midday the launch pulled up at the shore where a few small businesses sold sodas, fruits and pastries.

In the early afternoon we passed into the choppier water of some wide lakes and bays where men fished from sail-driven canoes. Then, passing through narrow, manually operated locks from saltwater to freshwater, we moved back to smaller canals where we slid by flocks of ducks.

Midafternoon we stopped again, visiting a small village where a man sold fresh coconuts. He whacked off the tops with a machete and dropped in a straw. Nearby, we watched villagers making string from dried coconut fiber.

Late in the day, the driver of the boat cut the engine and drifted with the current in a wide canal, offering passengers the opportunity for a cooling swim. One of the few U.S. tourists, a New Yorker, stripped to her bra and panties, leaped into the water and swam to a passing vessel, shouting, “Take my picture with the canoe.” It was a snapshot worth taking, if only to capture the astonishment of the two canoeists.

The canal trip ended at a dock, only a short bus ride from Cochin, which is spread across a series of islands, peninsulas and waterways.

Our destination was the luxurious Malabar Hotel, which exudes both sophistication and an aura of the British colonial past. Costumed servants are everywhere, the office staff speaks perfect British-accented English, and the exotic gardens are well kept. The hotel is located spectacularly in a bay at the tip of Willingdon Island, with views of the mainland on the east and historic Fort Cochin peninsula on the west.

In the morning we sat on the veranda eating idlis (rice patties) and sambar (a spicy vegetarian stew) and watched dolphins play in the bay waters.

Walking a block to the pier, we negotiated (badly) with a boatman to take us across to historic Fort Cochin for 30 rupees (about $1), which seems modest, but if we’d waited a few more minutes for the motorized ferry it would have cost one rupee each.

Fort Cochin has a remarkable history that includes a visit from St. Thomas the Apostle in AD 52 and domination at various times by Portuguese, Dutch and English forces.

We wandered around the area known as Jewtown (which in Kerala has no negative connotation), with its whitewashed spice-trading businesses and curio shops full of Hindu, Christian and Jewish artifacts. Built in 1568, the Jewish synagogue has a floor of hand-painted blue and white Chinese tile. The swastika symbol adopted by the Nazis has deep roots in India, where it has a wholly benign meaning. Nevertheless, the juxtaposition of Jewtown businesses decorated with swastikas is startling.

It’s about a two-mile walk through narrow bustling streets to St. Francis Church, where Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama was buried in 1524. (His remains were moved to Lisbon 14 years later, though the tombstone remains.)

Along the nearby shore we finally had a chance to examine close-up the spidery nets widely used for fishing in the coastal waters. The towering contraptions are made of odd-size logs and sticks lashed together and cantilevered over the water. A pulley system, using large rocks, helps a team of half a dozen men lower the net into the water and lift it out again, along with whatever fish had the misfortune to swim over it.

For the evening we sought out a performance of Kathakali, an exotic drama-dance that originated in Kerala. The highly ritualistic dance draws from Indian mythologies and involves elaborate costumes and headdresses as well as colorful, spice-based makeup. The yellow, for example, is made from turmeric, which is used widely in Indian cooking and also is thought to be a natural disinfectant. Eyes are blackened with burnt coconut oil.

Traditional open-air Kathakali performances can last all night, but there are several dance companies that offer a more modest glimpse. We chose a small evening performance at the rooftop home of P.K. Devan in Ernakulam, which is on the mainland. While his actors apply the makeup on stage, Devan offers an entertaining, if apocryphal, account of the origins of Hinduism. (Information on these performances, including those at the home of P.K. Devan, is available at hotels, and the admission price is a dollar or two.)

Kerala has marvelous seafood restaurants, including one at the Malabar Hotel, and some of the most developed vegetarian cuisine in the world. After the dance performance we went to the restaurant on the ground floor of the Bharat Tourist Home and feasted on a vegetarian thali plate that came with a selection of breads--some crisp, some not--two kinds of rice, a couple of dal -based (lentil stew) dishes, half a dozen different vegetable concoctions, yogurt and a rich dessert.

A middle-age Indian couple sat across from us at dinner. The man, an engineer, explained that they had lived in various parts of India. But, he said with a contented smile, “there is no place like Kerala.”

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GUIDEBOOK: Kerala Cruising

Getting there: To get to Cochin from LAX, fly on Delta or Lufthansa to Bombay, connecting in London or Frankfurt and changing carriers in Bombay; all other airlines require a change of carrier in London or Frankfurt and again in Bombay or Delhi. Restricted round-trip fares begin at about $2,660 per person. I used Sita World Travel, which specializes in travel to India, and has an office in Sun Valley (800-421-5643) and others in India. For flights within India, it is advisable to make reservations and purchase tickets in advance from the United States, as flights fill up quickly.

Getting around: From Cochin, it’s easy to arrange boat tours of the canals. There are many different trips on a variety of motorized launches, commuter ferries or even by canoe. Many of these options cost only a few dollars. Chartering a boat can be arranged for $50 or so. Always bargain. Hotels can help set up such tours.

There are plenty of trains and buses from Cochin to other parts of Kerala. Renting a car and driver, at about $30 a day, is another option. Arrangements can be made through your hotel or travel agency in India.

Where to stay: The Malabar Hotel (Willingdon Island, Cochin, 682009; telephone 011-91-484-66-6811, fax 011-91-484-66-8297) offers full services, great location and good restaurants; double rooms start at $80 per night, with a 20% tax. Advance reservations through a U.S. travel agency are recommended. There are a variety of moderately priced hotels ($20-$40 per night) in Ernakulam suitable for Western travelers.

Where to eat: The Malabar Hotel restaurants are good, and the front desk will recommend other restaurants. Ernakulam has a number of excellent vegetarian restaurants. Try the ground floor of the Bharat Tourist Home on Durbar Hall Road.

Other Points of Interest: The capital city of Trivandrum at the south end of Kerala has a relaxed ambience and many points of interest such as temples, museums, botanical gardens, an art gallery and a zoo.

The world-class resort beach at Kovalam, just south of Trivandrum, boasts a spectacular tropical setting.

The Lakshadweep Islands, located a hundred or so miles off the coast, are noted snorkeling spots. Transportation can be arranged in Cochin.

The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is a well-known game preserve and, from December to May, can be a place to see wild animals.

General: Visit Kerala between November and April to avoid the heat and monsoons. Airline tickets and visas should be obtained well in advance.

Visas are issued for three months at $40; for an application, write to the Consulate General of India, 540 Arguello Blvd., San Francisco, 94118; tel. (415) 668-0662 or (415) 668-0683.

Check with health authorities about vaccinations. A good guidebook is essential.

For more information: Government of India Tourist Office, 3550 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 204, Los Angeles 90010; tel. (213) 380-8855, fax (213) 380-6111.

--M.S.