Arranged Marriage in Thattekad

Palm-size spider was among the first to greet us at Hornbill Camp overlooking the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary with over 275 bird species and attracting birders from all over the world

Well appointed cottage tents set amidst the forest and Periyar river

Each luxury tent has a power supply available for lights and fans as well as charging facilities for laptops and mobiles and is equipped with its own private bathroom. When you are inside, you can't believe it's a tent

Rather impressive camp's gazebo is home for your meals and evening discussions. One could totally write a book here (we heard that few already did)

No wonder property made it to The New York Times columns

We were lucky enough to meet the owner of the place and have a guided tour in the plantations that surround the camp

There's a chance tires on your car are made from the rubber of this tree

Liquid from rubber trees is evenly distributed

And is ready for dehydration in a manual press


Fancy some chocolate? Cocoa plants

Cashew nuts are seeds from a fruit

And some vanilla for your ice-cream

A view from the camp

And some flowers for our moms :)

Fish massage is also available in Periyar river's waters 

Most people come to the camp to watch birds. Meet Kingfisher

And another bird (can't remember the name)

Not a bird, but still very beautiful

That's a very rare bird, first time in the area

School-girls from a nearby town on a sunny day

And a multitasking farmer

Arranged marriage is still a big thing in India. Classifieds, published mainly by parents, feature requirements for "brides and grooms wanted"

Really!? What about cricket?

Won an election? Let's go and celebrate with a parade! Call these guys if you're in need of a traffic jam