Jairam Cafe

Within two days of staying at the Jairam Cafe, we realised that this was no ordinary place.

Its long narrow entrances opened out into a fabulous courtyard full of towering palms surrounded by plants of all shapes and sizes in strategically placed pots.

Padded loungers were scattered throughout the area.

Wooden tables and chairs stood in the shade opposite the open plan kitchen where food was prepared and cooked for all to see.

And at night a huge blue chandelier lit up the courtyard while white lights encased in woven baskets covered with fine netting floated like jelly fish beneath the trees.

We had met the owner Kim when we had booked in, a man of smiles and happiness but little did we know then the friendship that would spring between us all.

The Jairam also served the most amazing thali for just 130 rupees. 

The first time we ordered one, the meal was so huge, it took both Ippy and myself nearly half an hour to finish it. 

The boys in the kitchen also made a huge array of dosha plus a list of things Ippy had never tried!

Emma and Nanda were now living in Emma's apartment just back from the cliff but we all decided to meet up for the Jairam New Years Eve buffet. 

The usual tables had been removed from the main dining area and in their stead, long tables had been arranged covered with earthen ware pots filled with delicious food.

We had all been nibbling on Emma's Birthday cake during the day while we had lounged on the Black beach, the richness of it making it only possible to eat in small amounts. 

As we gazed across the huge array of food our mouths watered and we happily lined up to sample it. 

Each dish was explained as we passed, just over half were vegetarian which pleased us all immensely.

We sat under the stars listening to the waves crash upon the rocks only 20m from where we sat. 

Kim had arranged for an evening performance to entertain the guests and while Emma and Nanda continued to catch up, Ippy and I joined the others in the courtyard to watch.

Laura had performed a very moving piece the night Ippy and I had moved into the Jairam. 

We had caught the very end of the performance and were eager to see her perform again.

Dressed beautifully in a tight top and loose trousers her entire body was blue with speckles of glitter. 

Every piece of her flesh including her face and head, had been covered with blue paint highlighted with splashes of glittering white dots that reminded me of stars, making her look like she belonged somewhere far away in the cosmos. 

To the accompaniment of a beating drum Laura began to perform a quite incredible series of movements.

No words were said, no explanation was given as each of us interpreted what we saw within our own minds. For a while I became lost in the movements, each one so slow and controlled it was amazing to see a human body contort itself into the positions she held.

I got the sense I was watching the constant birth, life and death of various life forms as they reincarnated their way through evolution.

I became lost in the movements and for a while was totally unaware of my surroundings so powerful was her performance, returning to Emma and Nanda more than a little spaced out. 

Never have I witnessed something so moving!!

We decided, as it was New Year, we should hit the cliff top for a few beers. 

Ippy wanted to see the boys from the Blue Moon so this became our first stop. 

Loud club music reverberated from the huge speakers brought in for the night.

Ippy introduced Emma and Nanda to everyone she knew and soon we were dancing the night away.

When the police decided everything should close at 12.30 we moved up to the roof of the Darjeeling where despite our many drinks an impromptu yoga class took place!

I have no idea what time we got home but it had been agreed at some point during the evening, that we would all meet up again on the Black Beach the next afternoon for some more of Emma's Birthday cake!!

Ippy's detox was put on hold for another few days!

On the morning of January 1^st Ippy and I headed into Varkala town to visit the large temple celebrations taking place there. 

Shivagiri is the location where devotees of the Sage Sree Narayana Guru gather in their thousands each year between December 30^th and January 1^st to celebrate his life and enlightenment.

Ippy had bought a yellow sari especially for the occasion and, dressed accordingly, she and I caught the bus into town.

Yellow bunting covered the streets, people in yellow saris and head clothes mixed with people dressed in brightly coloured clothes.

Stalls lined the long road that led down to the base of the temple hill.

A large marquee held talks and slid shows about the Guru, huge speakers relaying the commentary all the way up to the top of the hill and for miles around

We walked through the market style collection of stalls, joining in the enthusiasm of the crowd.

We chatted to a few people, sampled and then bought loads of the ginger sugar pieces.

We especially enjoyed the refreshing glass of freshly crushed sugar cane juice.

We returned to our room hot, dusty but happy with bags of sweets and candies to share and headed to the beach.

Nanda was due to leave Varkala on January 3^rd as she was involved with a large Transition Project in Karnataka, Emma was to join her on the 7^th. 

The project would last for about three weeks before they would return to Varkala by which time we would have left India. 

As we sat on the beach discussing our plans for our final days together all ideas for a detox were promptly thrown out of the window until at least Nanda's leaving party was completed.

All was not totally lost though as, with a little encouragement from Nanda, Ramesh had agreed that Ippy should have a long massage before she made the decision to join the yoga class held each day in the courtyard below our room. 

I rested in the hammock while Ramash pulled and kneaded Ippy's muscles and joints guiding her into yoga positions designed to realign the body.

Even though it was quite a physically involved massage Ippy felt amazing afterwards and agreed to try out the morning class the next day.

We rose even earlier than usual, completed our morning walk and then went to yoga. 

Each morning we had listened to Ramesh as he guided his students through a series of movements to the steady count of 'one two, one two'. 

 As we sat with the others, the counting took on a new meaning, as we took belly breath after belly breath, tightening and releasing muscles in our diaphragm to aid our breathing.

Some of the positions were familiar to Ippy, others she had only seen on videos and others were seemingly impossible. 

Ramesh patiently guided his students with the occasional hand here, a slight re-positioning of a limb there, until we were all attaining and holding positions that would help us in our daily lives.

By the end of her first class Ippy was hooked and promptly signed up for a week worth of morning classes! 

If the detox wasn't going to happen for a while at least she would have free moving joints to join in with the parties.

Nanda's leaving party began with us gathering for dinner at Baloo's.

Food was passed between us, photos were taken as this would be our last masala dosha together for a quite while!

Even though Nanda had only been in Varkala a month she had made a huge impact on the people around her and we were all sad to see her go.

It was quite an emotional goodbye the next morning and Emma, Ippy and Laura agreed to meet up for 'hug time' drinks that evening.

As we headed to the beach that afternoon Ippy confessed that the promised detox planned for when Nanda left, would probably have to wait now until Emma left on the 7^th!

For the next few days there was simply too much fun going on to start anything remotely healthy!!