Kerala - Kochi   

The facets of `God's own country'

John L. Paul

SAVOURING THE MOMENT: Foreigners love Kerala for what it is. But mosquitoes, dirt and pollution are a turn off.

KOCHI: Small acts of goodness by people go a long way in making a visit to the State memorable.

Gadi Shalom, an Israeli tourist, was touched by the care he received when he contracted fever. On a visit to tourist locales in Fort Kochi, he spoke of how he developed sore throat, diarrhoea and fever.

"Though cleaner than the rest of India, the air of Kochi made me sick. With no doctors in the neighbourhood, a local friend referred me to a gynaecologist. We went to her house at night and she referred me to a doctor of Government Hospital, Karuvelipady. I was surprised that after consultation, he refused to accept any money. His attitude surprised me. Anyway, I have brought a present for him," said Mr. Shalom.

He wondered why the Government and the other agencies were turning a blind eye to the dirty canals and stagnant water which were a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies. He was turned off by garbage thrown around without a care. "Out in Israel, people regularly come in trucks to collect garbage from homes. Each city is responsible for disposing of the garbage it generates. A good portion of the waste is recycled."

Mr. Shalom was all praise for the manner in which age-old trees were preserved in the Fort Kochi heritage town. What struck him most was the amiable nature of the Malayalis. "They are educated and better off than people in northern India. I was also quite impressed at the mix of European architecture in old buildings in the area."

He spent a lot of time watching workers catch fish using the famed Chinese fishing nets. "I prefer to buy fish caught in these ancient nets than the regular ones. We have to reward the workers for the arduous work they do." But he expressed concern at the unhygienic conditions in which seafood was prepared in the temporary shacks that dot the beach.

His new-found friend, Dieter Brunswicker, a Dane, was taken aback at the obsession with cell phones in the State. "Instead of enjoying the waves and the scenic beauty, people chat loudly over phones."

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