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Slice of paradise getaway
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Scenic combination of the sun, the sky and the surf and Ayurveda
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Signboards that promise paradise are a dime a dozen on the road to Kovalam. So, the name, Thapovan Heritage Home, and the location hardly raise expectations until one actually reaches this aesthetically landscaped patch of sand and greenery. For on
ce, the signboard was not an exercise in hyperbole. On the contrary it indulges in the fine art of understatement.
Thapovan truly romances nature; a getaway that shuts off the city and gives city-weary eyes kaleidoscopic views of the sea, the sky and the greenery.
This piece of Eden is owned by Indophile Andreas Heitmann, a banker who decided to make India his home after he travelled extensively in the country. “I was enchanted by Kerala and especially by Thiruvananthapuram. My experience with Ayurveda helped me make my choice,” says Andreas who has designed the place himself with some help from a local architect.
Thapovan is a resort and a green-leaf accredited Ayurveda centre too. While the resort is perched on an elevation, the Ayurveda centre is situated on a piece of land that gently slopes down to the sea. The imposing black gates that open to the resort do not reveal anything of the treasure that awaits visitors until one steps on to the vast open dining area. It is a treat for the senses that floods unwary visitors. Sunlight and overhanging coconut palm leaves paint dappled shadows on the tiled floor while the panoramic view mesmerises. Cool sea breeze holds the promise of rain and the overcast sky plays hide and seek with the sun.
Picturesque
Basking in the scenic location is the resort that sprawls over a split-level landscape. It comprises rooms, cottages, a dining area and a small hall that is used to host cultural events. Deep brown and golden tones of seasoned wood, stone pillars, red roof and floor tiles recreate the indigenous architecture and ambience of Kerala complete with gabled roofs, open courtyards and carefully chosen artefacts.
Soak in the view, listen to the waves, breathe in fresh air that feels untouched by smoke or exhaust and feast on the sumptuous vegetarian and non-vegetarian food that Thapovan offers. Guinea fowls and Chinese hens that belt out a chorus of clucks accentuate the lost-in-time feel. A short walk away from the restaurant is the Ayurveda centre. Two Ayurveda doctors and trained staff offer a whole range of Ayurveda treatments that range from rejuvenation therapy to stem baths and massages.
Leisure Unwind in the picturesque environs of Thapovan Heritage Home
“We offer pizichil, njavarakizhi, dhara, sirovashti….” reels off Andreas, with the faintest hint of an accent as he shows off the cottages built for those undergoing Ayurveda treatment. Plucking a leaf off a plant and chomping on it, he adds: “This is called the insulin plant. Our garden of medicinal herbs has many plants that are used in the preparation of Ayurveda medicines.”
A path from the Ayurveda centre leads to the Kerala-style wood-panelled rooms that face the sea and Vizhinjam a little away. Hammocks beckon invitingly while the sea and the wind play an endless jugalbandhi…
Thapovan is your rendezvous if you want a superb and scenic combination of the sun, the sky and the surf. Paradise regained?
How to reach there
Thapovan Heritage Home is 18 km from the airport. Take the bypass to Kovalam and then the road that leads to Nellikunnu Beach, Mulloor.
Seeds of hope
Andreas’ enchantment with Kerala and Kovalam has not made him blind to the danger posed by reckless exploitation of the place. “Garbage disposal is the biggest problem and unless something is done, Kerala’s tourism dream will be in
danger.” Not one to merely talk, Andreas has launched a scheme at the local lower primary school in Venganoor. “I feel that one must begin with youngsters and so we have a programme to sensitivise them to the environment.”
With a small amount as seed money and enormous amounts of good will and hope, Andreas has begun a vegetable garden on the premises of the school. “There are trees, flowering plants and ordinary pacha kari (vegetables). Although some parents are still to be convinced of the need to clean the premises and work in the garden, many of the students and teachers have enthusiastically joined in the scheme. We hope to teach the students to segregate garbage and burn only what they must. That will eventually result in the immediate environment being clean. Many of them will take home what they have learnt in school and practise it too,” he explains with a smile. Watch this space.
SARASWATHY NAGARAJAN
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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