"Among the Original Inhabitants of Kerala" State of Kerala by cochinjew

By some quirk of travellling and personal preferences, Kerala and in particular Cochin are the only places that I know in India. I am a traveller and have been to nearly 100 countries and many of them more than a dozen times each, but the thought of travelling else where in India, however enchanting, does not appeal to me at present.
Having said that I have been able to concentrate on Kerala and Malayalees, who to me are a good group of people, helpful and pleasant.
In Kerala, I am drawn to Cochin and fortunately have made enough friends there to make sure that the stays are comfortable and enriching.

abandoned synagogue of the black jews

For me, the Jewish History of the Area
Secondly, the natural beauty of the Area, including Backwaters, mountains and its inhabitants
And equally importantly, the Food, which I find to be very tasty and with flavour. I am not very fond of North Indian food but the Kerala food suits me just fine.

an elderly adivasi couple at Vazhachal forest

Just a short ride away from Cochin, starting at the Athirapilly falls, one comes across the colonies of the original people of this area, generically called Adivasi, just like the Canadian Indians are called First Nations. I was very excited to meet them and their acquaintance would draw me more to the state as I plan to conceive of a project which will help them socially, and medically.

• Pros:Lovely People, Enchanting Scenery and Hospitable People
• Cons:A little bit of Wannabees..difficult to communicate well without Malayalam
• In a nutshell:To me, the best place and the only place I know well in India