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Ayurvedic
Spa Vacations in India :
Marari Beach Resort,
Mararikulam
MARARI BEACH RESORT, MARARIKULAM
Somewhere around the middle section of Kerala's coast, the Indian Ocean
finally realises that it has now become the Arabian Sea. The result of this
personality change is a splendid azure colour, quite distinctive, with
frothy whitecaps and a translucent, pearl-like quality. The sands that
fringe this coastline for endless miles are themselves distinctive, deep and
rich and fine, in a shade closer to ocher than gold.
This natural
brushwork leaves its mark on human life too. The people of the area have
been fisherfolk for millennia and over this time, they've evolved a way of
life that's as tranquil and colourful as their world.
The village
of Mararikulam is tucked away behind a line of dense palms that rise like a
sudden rampart of green out of the sands. Like all villages, it has evolved
naturally, in picturesque disorder.
The huts are slapdash adobe,
thatched with-what else? -palm and tied with coir, or coconut rope. (In
fact, the coconut tree supplies the villagers with an endless number of
useful items, from kitchen ladles to sunhats to boat hulls.) Neat and
scrupulously clean footpaths veer between the huts and everywhere, the
pungent scents of the sea mingle with the fragrance of coconut oil and
spice.
Spread out here and there on rough coir mats are sunbursts of red. These are
the famous red chilis, without which no self-respecting fishwife would ever
dream of serving up dinner.
Evening in fact, is a special time. The
winking of oil lamps and cooking fires transforms the village into a glowing
tableau vivant, with a painted sunset as the backdrop. Within moments, you
feel your city clock winding gently down, then dying without protest as you
pass through a scene unchanged for centuries.
The Village
Reborn The challenge for us was to take the village, not just its
architecture, but the subtle elements of its life and translate them into an
unforgettable experience for the modern traveler.
We wanted to recreate
the same harmony with nature. And impart the same sense of languid pace to
the Marari Beach resort.
Sprawled expansively across 25 acres of land, the resort, like its namesake,
is separated from the sea by a windbreak of stretching palms. There are a
mere 52 cottages, so the sense of space here is much more dramatic. The
cottages are separated by generous stretches of open parkland, dotted with
fruit-laden trees. The winding village pathways are a faithful echo of the
originals.
Rambling walls curve around corners, their
rust-coloured stones smothered with trumpet flowers. Completing the picture
are rippling lotus ponds, usually with a family of ducklings getting a
swimming lesson out in the middle.
Things to do The
Marari Breach, let us be clear, is not the place for a raucous beach
holiday. There are no rave parties here, no noisy water scooters, no sellers
of trinkets.
But for those seeking to undo the stresses of city life
and experience a completely new pace, it is the perfect spot.
You could spend an entire morning lolling by the poolside with a
book from the library. Or take a dip in the sea, the beach usually being
nearly empty, except for a few other guests and the odd local fisherman. Or
explore the area and its fishing villages on a bicycle.
The
trick at Marari is to open up, relax and rejuvenate. To while away the hours
watching the fascinating play of light on open water, to feed a wandering
guinea fowl, to stretch a lazy hand out to your cocktail glass and wait for
one of our sumptuous lunches to be served
The Taste of
the Sea Mealtimes at Marari are unhurried affairs, with a firm eye
on enjoying every subtlety that the waves have to offer.
Both at the
buffet and at our speciality sea food restaurant, Fort Cochin, the fresh
catch of the day forms the centrepiece. You can choose from a variety of
prawns, lobsters, crayfish and the famous 'karimeen', grilled on the spot or
prepared to your tastes. Complementing it all is an array of Kerala
specialties. Aromatic vegetable stews, spicy chicken gravies, tangy tamarind
and kokam chutneys and always, rice and the popular idiappams- string
hoppers that accompany most Kerala meals.
Chef Narayankutty can be fanatical about freshness (check out his
book of recipes, available at the gift shop) but he gets it easily. Our
bread is always baked daily on the premises and the vegetables too, come
fresh-plucked from our organic farm.
For light snacks, the beach-shack
bar and buffet is the place. Sip a post-swim cooler, munch on some fried
prawns and listen to the distant roar of surf.
Ayurveda: Holistic Health A popular feature of the Marari
experience is the Ayurveda centre. While it is fully equipped for complete
treatments of illnesses (these take a week, at the very least), you may need
little more than a relaxing oil or herbal massage, perfect for draining away
the last residues of urban stress.
Our open-air yoga classes will have
the same effect. These are held at sunrise and sunset, with a
qualified
master in attendance.
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Here for Reservation
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