Day 1.- Feb 20. MUMBAI
Upon arrival in the international airport there will be a representative of Nomad Photo Expeditions and you will then be accompanied on a complimentary transfer to your hotel .
Enjoy your first acclimatization free day in Mumbai.
Overnight in the Hotel.
Day 2.-Feb 21. MUMBAI - CALICUT - KANNUR - THEYYAM FESTIVAL
Today we will fly from Mumbai to Calicut and then drive to Kannur, which is in the southern Kerala province.
On this night, depending on the schedule, we will attend and photograph a Theyyam dance – ornate red and white costumes covered in beads and cloth make the men with faces painted red and startling, look like crested, towering creatures of myth as they perform this ancient, several millennia old ritual that is integral to how their people view the world.
The dance may last the entire evening and well into the night.
Overnight in the Hotel.
Day 3.- Feb 22.THEYYAM FESTIVAL
We will get a late start in the morning, letting us relax after our late night, and then head out to see some of the Theyyam practices by daylight, as well as lay on the beach, or explore some of the nearby fishing villages.
Theyyam is a type of ritual worship that dates back at least 6 millennia in this area of India. It is more than simply a dance: some treat the entire rite of Theyyam as a personification of God in and of itself, and so, the so called God’s Dance is a living religious icon, with many facets and touches many different aspects for life and spiritual belief.
It centers around a person called Kolam, which means figure in make-up, and the Kolam is meant to represent the deity. In the northern part of the province, Theyyam is a way to worship spirits called Bhootas, and the dance is conducted in places where Bhootas are or used to be prevalent.
After a day of exploring the world of Theyyam and its practitioners, we will have a late evening visiting a local temple, where we will have time to capture another dance with our cameras.
Overnight in the Hotel.
Day 4.-Feb 23. KANNUR - CHERUTHURUTHY - ELEPHANT FESTIVAL
After an early but not too early breakfast, we will drive a few hours out to Cheruthuruthy, to see the Elephant Festival. We will check into the hotel upon arrival.
Ayyamkulangara Kanipayyur is the local word for the Elephant Festival, which is frankly speaking, a photographic dream come true. Colorfully decorated Elephants wear ribbons and tassels, brightly dyed cloth and beads, parade through the town to the temples, carrying effigies of deities on their backs while gaily dressed drummers and dancers swirl at their feet, leading them along the road to worship.
We will spend all day at the elephant festival, with some scheduled shoots, but mostly, as the festival is so lively and ever changing, this will be a day of more spontaneous photography. We will return to the hotel at night.
Overnight in the Hotel.
Day 5.-Feb 24. CHERUTHURUTHY - KALAMANADALAM DANCE SCHOOL - COCHIN
After breakfast we will head out to see the Kalamandalam School of Dance for a scheduled photo shoot.
The school was founded by the famous poet Padmabhooshan Vallathol Narayana Menon. It has become an important and universally known name in India, renowned for preserving cultural heritage. It is a residential school, and though the structure itself is not overly ornate, the performances inside the simple classrooms are astounding. We will have a guided tour of the classes and time to interact and photograph some of the dancer students and teachers.
After our photo session we will head to Cochin, and arrive in the early evening.
After check in at our hotel we will go out just before sunset for a boat cruise to see the chinese fishing nets being hauled in just as the sun sinks below the horizon. We have hand selected the spot so they we will have the best possible shots of the fishermen and the atmosphere.
Overnight in the Hotel.
Day 6.-Feb 25. COCHIN
Early in the morning we will head out to photograph fishermen in the harbor, again taking in the Chinese fishing nets at sunrise, then on to the fish market, the colorful and photogenic local laundry, and a few other surprises on the streets along the way.
We will also take time out today to visit a Jewish synagogue, a Dutch Palace, and the Vasco D’ Gama Church, with ample time to photograph the architecture and learn about the region´s culture.
Later in the afternoon we will go to see, and photograph a Kathakali performance in the theatre. From the makeup and the dressing rooms to the performance itself, we will have a chance to photograph the dancers at all stages of the event.
Overnight in the Hotel
Days 7.-Feb 26. BACKWATERS
After breakfast, we will drive to Alleppey, the boarding point for the houseboat that will take us through the backwaters of Kerala.
We will have private houseboat with your own cook and staff. Once we reach Muhamma we will visit the village market and see some coir making. Then, the cruise will proceed to Pathiramanel and anchor for overnight stay. Alleppey is a small town situated in the Backwaters of Kerala, and it is the ideal place to start a cruise along the winding waterways, lakes and canals of this peaceful area. There is a long stretch of beach to wander along and several interesting small churches to visit.
The romantic and unique Backwaters of Kerala are made up of a labyrinth of canals and lakes that stretch between the capital Cochin and the town of Quilon to the south.
From the vastness of Lake Vembanad to the quiet streams just large enough for a canoe, the Backwaters form the arteries through which rural daily life calmly flows – you will get the chance to capture with your camera the tranquility of life here; children splashing in the water, women washing clothes at the water's edge, fishermen up to their necks in water digging out fish with their feet, rice barges transporting coconuts and rice and of course the stunning backdrop of lush forest reflecting green off the river as our boat sails calmly by.
Overnight in the Houseboat
Day 8.-Feb 27. COCHIN – DEPARTURES
We will slowly return on our boats to Allepey and from there to Cochin.
International Flight departures. Local Flights for Delhi for those taking the optional extension.
