Kodai and Kochi:end of our journey

from Madurai to Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is located among forest reservesin the southern Ghats (mountain range).

“To cool down from the burning of the

sun and the heat, and the foods which they season with the pepper of India, they constantly munch and chew in their mouths the leaves of the “betel” tree.

This is their practice: they take a leaf from these and smear one side with roasted lime and place inside it small pieces of the “betel” or “areca” nut, which are chopped into small pieces, and they wrap it together and chew it in their mouth until it turns into spittle as red as blood, and this purges from their stomachs the heat of their food.”

selling betel leaves and ingredients for betel quid

The weekly market in Kodaikanal

talking with Israeli travelers(who had heard of Jacob Sapir but knew nothing about him)

Overnight bus to Ernakulam:6 pm to 6 am

with a 3-hour wait at Palani, constant rain, winding bumpy roads

Mrs. Leelu Roy,our welcominglandlady inFort Cochin