• Flora - Places

    Sarovaram: A bio-park and some nostalgic thoughts

    The name Sarovaram Bio Park piqued our curiosity, as this is a recent addition to the tourist map of Kozhikode. With a little skepticism about this conservation effort, we decided to check Sarovaram out. In no time, our skepticism vanished as we admired the commendable work. Sarovaram is aimed at protecting the mangroves and green cover in the city. As we moved around inside the park through well-laid pathways flanked by tall trees and thick undergrowth, a stark realization struck us. Sarovaram looks and feels exactly like the places around our homes where we grew up in the 70s and…

  • Places

    Beypore: The Birthplace of Urus

    Even the narrow mud tracks would have myriads of stories to tell. How people of the distant land of Mesopotamia visited this then-buzzing port town and established trade relations as well as personal relations with the natives. How the dhows made by experts of this land, Beypore, an ancient port town near Kozhikode (erstwhile Calicut), was used by Arabs for trading and fishing in the medieval times. We grew up learning about Beypore as part of Kerala history but never visited the place until last year. The trip to Kozhikode was not meant for sightseeing but to visit a friend.…