Lakshadweep has always been an elusive name for most of India's populace. Firstly, a lot of people arent even sure if it is on the western seas or the eastern (believe me, it is often so!). All that and the beauty of some photographs I got to see of the isles was what prompted me and my travel-loving better half to make a trip out to Lakshadweep in the month of October.
Reservations can be made on the mainland (read Bombay, Cochin, Delhi etc) through a lot of travel agents, who also tie up the Permit for you from the Cochin office. This is a prerequisite to your stepping on the island. You can do it yourself too, if you reside in and around Cochin. The aircraft that operates to the island group (by the way, they only fly to Agatti, the lone air strip in Lakshadweep) is a Dornier (16 seater, resembling a state transport bus which can fly!) operated by Indian (formerly famous as Indian Airlines!). Book in advance if you travel anytime other than Jun-Sep. This is also the time when it is a non-tourist season, and hence the two ships which operate from Cochin are tied alongside at Cochin due to inclement weather . But if you are the sporty type this is your time, as deals go real cheap. The ship is much cheaper, but take it if you arent too affected by motion sickness on ghat roads (believe me when I say rolling of the ship is the granddad of the small tummy-churns on mountain roads). The air ticket can offset you by 7K one way, for a roughly 40 minute flight. The latest news is that commencing mid jun 06, there would be two planes ready to make the trip (it is a daily), depending on the bookings. Even the locals travelling for medical reasons to Cochin use the aircraft for want of great medical amenities on the island. From Agatti, there are choppers (helicopters) which can carry you to some other islands, but if you have deep pockets!
If the above has you still yearning to be there, you shall be rewarded by an experience of a lifetime. Lakshadweep is all about tranquility, serenity, astounding peace and beauty. It is a blessing in disguise, as the crowd is generally people who come to enjoy the place than to blow up money on modern day gizmos at holiday spots. So I shall now attempt to take you along, back on memory lane, over my stay at Agatti and at a later time, at Kavaratti. The plane, after the 16 people have huddled in, takes off with no attempts at comparison with its higher end flying machines, flying at lower altitudes. The flight leaves the good-looking Cochin airport and heads out over the grey seas, and before you can say I AM LEAVING ON A DORNIER (thank you, John Denver!), you are over high seas and small outlines of large cargo ships and tankers and specks which are fishing vessels. If you managed a window seat, you move on to one of the most breathtaking views you would ever have had, in 20 minutes post take-off. The Lakshadweep islands lay open to your eyes, in all its glory, pristine beauty and in scenic patches of lush green, flanked by seas varying in colour from blue to grey to green and with the whitest sand you may ever see.
The plane angles in to make the approach to the Agatti airstrip before you have had your fill of the awe below, and spoils the party by returning you with a small thud to terra firma, your abode for the next few days. The airport is a small affair, with a staff of about 30 polite and courteous locals. The only place to stay is the Agatti Island Beach Resort, unless you have a local friend . The man from the resort picks your bags and walks you off the airport. Before you are done taking in the green all around and the 4 ft concrete road which is the main road running along the centre of the whole island, you are at the gates of the resort! AIBR consists of a row of shacks, most of them on the beach, with a good centre room, a clean and tiled bathroom and a small balcony facing the sea, for your tete-a-tetes. The reception welcomes you with delightful tender coconut water.
Relax, for you are now in Lakshadweep, where the pace of life is akin to that on Bombay roads at 6 in the evening! Everyone hits the beach, which has magnetic properties to attract even the most stubborn of human bodies and minds. The Agatti island is unique in that, on one side of the island (by the way, the island is all of about 500 m wide and about 5 km long, including the airstrip!), the waters are azure blue and on the other is jade green, both of which are like stained glass and which show their innermost depths with no coyness or modesty. You can swim on any side of the island, provided you dont venture too far (more than 400-500 metres) if you dont pride yourself on your motions in water! For, on one side, there are reefs, beyond which the depths are unfathomable, in case you are among those who swim based on the depth of water below you.
You retire for lunch, which isnt much if you are veg, but is a treat if you love fresh fish. I recommend you subsist totally on fish when you are here, though they can serve you chicken too. The fish you get there is like nothing you ever would have had, unless you own your private fishing trawler! If you are adventurous enough, try octopus (cooked, of course!), which isnt of any taste value to write home about, but is different. (The local dives with a breathing tube to his mouth and a pointed stick in hand, and just pins the octopus and comes out in a couple of minutes!) So much for reels and rods!
The locals are kind and unassuming. If you can turn a villager for a while, do so. They may even let you taste their local toddy, fresh from the trees, and/or their product similar to jaggery, either in molten or solid form. If you are friendly enough, and they think so too, take a few photographs with the local women clad in jewellery enough to put a Kerala bride to shame, even while they are at work!
In the evenings or mornings, try your hand at Snorkelling, which involves lying flat on your face on the water, with a J-tube caught in between your teeth and lips, with the other end sticking out of water. This lets you breathe while you lie around (or swim) enjoying BOTTOMS! (of the sea, of course!). It is a different world down under (and I am not talking of Kangaroo land!), when you find that what you saw as grey-green from top is actually flaura and fauna of more colours than you ever have seen in your life. BUT, dont take out the colourful corals. If you attempt to carry them away from the island, you can be imprisoned. Take a moment to ponder on the artistic brilliance of nature who created such a palette, of waterproof colour, well hidden from the roving eyes of the world, unless they peer under the surface to discover the real Waterworld. If you are a NatGeo viewer and have wondered at the genuineness of underwtare colurs, this will render you a believer, for life. The island also has glass-bottomed boats, which give you a larger arena to explore, sitting in comfortable luxury in dry clothes. BUT, if you are a swimmer, rent a set of goggles and a snorkel and spend a couple of hours being one with nature under the seas.
You can also visit a couple of nearby islands, but, there is nothing spectacular about those.
The long and short of it is....If You Havent been there ...U Aint Seen Nuthin' Yet, Baybeh!!!
Pack your bags and head to this Southern paradise of India, our desi, and virgin response to the Seychelles, Maldives and Bahamas-es! Chances are, you will kick yourself at not having done so earlier!!
Happy Lakshadweeping, folks! Alvida!!
