Saturday 9th January
Arrive at Trivandrum International Airport
Upon arrival at Trivandrum International Airport in Kerala we are greeted and transferred to our hotel ‘Turtle on the Beach’ in nearby Kovalam for rest and relaxation.
You can choose to spend today beside the hotel pool or stroll 10 minutes downhill with Maxine to Lighthouse Beach. Maxine will offer some very gentle sketching tuition tackling views of local life, and fishing boats, from a favourite beach café. Sketching tuition is entirely optional at any time, and you may prefer to relax after the long flight!
Maxine will encourage us to use our sketchbooks as visual diaries – by the end of the holiday they will be full of sketches, the half-drawn scribbles and the finished studies, line, tone and colour wash.
If you are overcome with travel-weariness, do feel free to disappear for a nap at any point. If you are with Maxine, please let her know that you are about to slip away, so she isn’t looking for you.
When we are all gathered together before dinner this evening Maxine will describe our next day’s adventure and mention our artistic aims for the trip, talking about how you like to work and thinking about our expectations for the tour.
At any point during the trip, please feel free to ask Maxine to talk to you further about your own artwork, as you may feel you need an extra demonstration or description about how to tackle something.
Overnight at The Turtle on the Beach
Sunday 10th January
Kovalam to SCAD
After breakfast this morning we set off in the minibus to experience the real heartland of India, taking a fascinating route through the countryside passing villages, temples, lakes and mountains.
Our journey time today will be approximately 4 hours and we will break for lunch around halfway. Not far in to our journey we stop to sketch/photograph a colourful fruit and vegetable market, and maybe grab a refreshing coconut water while we're here.
Drawing in markets is such a rewarding thing to do, the shapes, colours and bustle all add to the energy of a sketch. We tend to find areas where you can tuck yourself into the background. Inevitably we will attract cheerful audiences of children and adults who will admire our every mark, please enjoy being a performance artist and gently ask people to move if they have obscured the very thing that you were trying to draw or paint. It is often the interactions that you can have with local people in markets that make the experience fun and rewarding.
An NGO in Tamil Nadu called Social Change and Development, always referred to as “SCAD”, is hosting us for the next few days and part of our trip cost makes an important contribution to this remarkable Tamil charity, which was founded some 30 years ago; started from nothing by one remarkable Tamil, it now works with over 700,000 villagers, 450 schools and every aspect of rural community life.
We receive a warm welcome at the guest house and have some time to relax before dinner. The home-cooked food is delicious at SCAD, and our en-suite rooms are very simple yet comfortable here.
Overnight at SCAD guest accommodation, College Campus near Tirunelveli.
Monday 11th January
Guests of SCAD
After breakfast we have a morning of orientation and guided walk around the campus and visit the adjacent school for special-needs children learning about the work that is done here. We sketch in the gardens, and may visit a local temple if time permits, followed by lunch at our guest house.
After lunch we take our sketchbooks to the nearby town of Tirunelveli. Here we have privileged access to the unique treasures of the town’s ancient temple, undocumented in any Western guide books.
The Temple entrance, almost hidden, belies its vast and astonishing sculptured halls that extend ever deeper across 19 acres. We mingle here with saddhus, pilgrims and locals amid ancient marvels and unique artworks, and unlike other parts of India we are permitted into the inner sanctum for a special blessing by the Brahmin priest.
Throughout our time in India try to pick out sketching subjects that you think are archetypal ‘India’ as well as the familiar, the unusual and the beautiful. Our sketchbooks will then be full of delightful idiosyncrasies as well as the typical scenes that make this part of India so special – it could be something in your room, or the way the breakfast is presented, or any little detail you see during the day. We will all pick different subjects and treat them in different ways.
We will call into Pothi’s famed sari emporium for shimmering silks, cottons in rich vivid colours, embellished with motifs and zari (thread traditionally made of fine gold or silver). Sari borders can be traditional and more contemporary designs which may include cut work, appliqué, embroidery, brocade, hand-painting, patchwork and beadwork. Elegant highly-prized saris in ‘Mysore Silks’ are a product of Indian mulberry silkworms.
It is possible to purchase beautiful fabric inexpensively to have made up into garments by a local tailor, who calls in to take any orders at our guest house. If you have an item of clothing that is a favourite fit (nothing complex, simple tailoring only) it is possible to replicate it in a fabric of your choice.
After dinner this evening there will be an optional art session with Maxine, non-sketchers may like to take a walk and listen to the changing sounds of nightfall.
Overnight at SCAD guest accommodation, College Campus near Tirunelveli.
Tuesday 12th January
Guests of SCAD
This morning we visit a couple of special local projects close by, including a gypsy village and SCAD school for children of marginalised groups such as snake-catchers.
We return to our guest house for lunch.
After lunch we can settle into a sketching session with Maxine. Please ask Maxine for help and guidance when you need it for your artwork and feel comfortable to discuss your scribbles and developing masterpieces with the others in the group. Our guesthouse has large communal areas indoors and out so we can work on our sketches together.
We may like to take a short stroll to a small temple in the hills. There are bicycles available to peddle around and explore the green oasis of the campus, or you can take a tuk-tuk to the friendly nearby town of Cheranmahadevi.
Overnight at SCAD guest accommodation, College Campus near Tirunelveli.
Wednesday 13th January
Guests of SCAD
After breakfast this morning we have time to visit a nearby village to meet a group of entrepreneurial women who’ve formed a local self-help group with SCAD’s support.
We call in to meet the sari-weavers who have been helped by SCAD to develop markets for their beautiful handwoven cloth, available for us to purchase at local prices.
We spend some time strolling around the colourful lanes and stopping frequently to sketch. Try and notate your sketches with what we do, what we see and what we say to each other as these snippets can add to the travel diary feel of the sketchbook and make it more lively later on when we're working up sketches into paintings. Maxine will also encourage us to add scraps of fabric, paper, tickets and other mementos to our sketchbook diaries to give it the full sense of design and memory.
We return to SCAD for our lunch. This afternoon follows the same leisurely pattern as yesterday, with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in our sketches with Maxine or simply enjoy our lovely comfortable surroundings.
Just 5 to 8 metres of cloth make up the elegant sari, worn differently in every part of India. A demonstration this afternoon gives us a chance to study the folds, helping us capture convincing figures in the coming days. We can also look at the myriad patterns and customs of traditional Tamil kollams which we will encounter throughout our trip.
This evening we enjoy a farewell supper with our friends at SCAD.
Overnight at SCAD guest accommodation, College Campus near Tirunelveli.
Thursday 14th January
SCAD to Madurai
Please have bags packed and ready before breakfast.
After breakfast this morning we set off to the Sacred Temple city of Madurai, one of India’s biggest pilgrimage centres. The drive is approximately 3 hours on a smooth highway.
We arrive in time for a delicious lunch. We take the rest of the afternoon to relax and catch up on our sketchbooks, explore the local area, or take a refreshing dip in the pool.
Later in the afternoon, we visit the great Sri Meenakshi Temple, with its 12 colourful, towering gopurams and pillared halls of 1000 magnificent sculptures.
There is inspiration all around us - the labyrinth interior is thronged with pilgrims and shrines, filled with music, singing and devotional processions.
This evening we dine together and share our impressions of the tour so far.
Overnight at The Signature Residency Madurai
Friday 15th January
Madurai
After a leisurely breakfast, we spend some time in the grounds of the hotel working on our sketches and relaxing.
There are a couple of interesting places that we can visit in the city today. The Gandhi Museum, one of five official memorials in the country, showcases a visual biography of the man himself and his important place in history through photos, paintings, relics and manuscripts.
We can also visit Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal – a stunning old palace said to be one of the grandest in South India with a richly decorated interior and considered by art historians to be an outstanding example of Vijayanagara architecture.
We return to our hotel to relax and review our sketches before dinner this evening.
Overnight at The Signature Residency Madurai
Saturday 16th January
Thekkady
This morning we will make an early start for the approximate 5-hour drive to Thekkady in the spice hills of Kerala. It’s a wonderful drive through rural countryside, and we will be pausing here and there at places of interest and for refreshments/lunch. We climb up through the teak forests; the panoramic views are simply breath-taking.
This is a biodiversity hotspot; the lush greenery supports a huge variety of wildlife.
As we climb high into the Nilgiri Hills, look out for the groups of bonnet macaques but keep a firm hold on your sketchbook when drawing these clever and mischievous monkeys!
We arrive at Blanket Days Resort, located high up in the pleasant cool of the Nilgiri Hills. We will be staying in villas on stepped terraces which have private verandas, a perfect place to close our eyes and absorb the sounds of this verdant landscape. We have incredible panoramic views from our lofty position.
We drive to a nearby spice garden to enjoy the sights and aromas of pepper, cardamom and scented tropical flowers. On a guided sketching walk we discover more about the culinary and medical uses of the various spices. Look out for birds, they are all around us.
Maxine will nudge us throughout our time in India to fill sketchbook pages every day with details of what we are seeing, from the breakfasts to the vistas, from the grandeur of decorative temples to the patterns of fallen petals.
Sunday 17th January
Thekkady
A luxurious day of leisure! You may decide to relax at the hotel and enjoy the tranquil surroundings, working on some of your sketches from the previous days.
A range of optional activities are offered by the hotel and beyond. You could opt for an early morning forest walk before breakfast in the company of local rangers who tread silently as they point out tiger traces, Nilgiri langur monkeys or the entertaining racket-tailed drongo. Mostly it is a time to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the park, and a short exploration of the forested fringes before the heat of the day sets in.
You can relax by the pool, try a yoga session, sink back into a gorgeous Ayurvedic massage, or take a tuk tuk down to the village to explore the shops displaying fine jewellery and crafts by the skilful resident Kashmiris. The resort also offers various activities such as adventure rope activities. ziplining and archery.
Early evening there is the option of a performance of traditional Kalari, a virtuoso display of ancient, sacred martial arts enacted at lightning speed – a challenge for photographers and sketchers alike. On one of our other evenings here we hope to also see a Kathakali performance.
Optional activities and Ayurvedic Spa treatments at the resort are not included in the trip price and will need to be paid for at the time.
Monday 18th January
Thekkady
Early in the morning as the forest wakes, listen out for the Malabar Whistling Thrush which sounds remarkably like a person whistling a tune.
Today we have our ‘Valley Zest’ day excursion; a 17 km cycling/jeep safari involving an exhilarating downhill bike ride to Tamil Nadu lowlands (vehicle option for those who prefer!).
Freewheeling on our bikes downhill through the dappled forest road, safely sandwiched between our accompanying jeeps and a lead cyclist, we come down to the sunlit open farmlands of Tamil Nadu where life appears timeless and magically peaceful. Bullocks plough the fields, roaming black and tan goats in their hundreds are watched over by herdsmen, and women carry impressive loads of bananas from the plantations to the waiting carts. The Tamils are justly proud of their centuries-long husbandry of the land and welcome us throughout the region.
Passing fields of carefully tended crops, we reach a pomegranate farm with a chance to sketch a painted bullock cart; after a brief guided tour and delicious fresh lunch, we return by jeep to the Blanket Days Resort to freshen up and continue working on our sketches, doodles and ideas from the morning, relax by the pool or wander amongst the marvellous local shops down in the town.
Tuesday 19th January
Thekkady to Alleppey
We will have an early breakfast today, so please be packed and ready for this morning’s departure as advised by Maxine.
We drive on winding roads (bring motion sickness pills if you are prone to feeling queasy!) with stunning views from the spice hills and tea plantations to the lowlands where we reach our next destination - Alleppey.
Here we will board our houseboats for a 2 day cruise of the Kerala Backwaters.
Each vessel has 2 or 3 ensuite twin/double cabins. The 2 or 3 man crew provide a personal service and freshly cooked meals while we enjoy the unfolding, ever-changing river scenes and watery reflections.
This is a delightful way to become completely immersed in sketching, taking photographs and enjoying the world go by.
‘Here nature has spent up on the land her richest bounties. Alleppey, the Venice of the East’ – Viceroy Lord Curzon
Fall asleep tonight to the gentle rhythms of the waterways.
Wednesday 20th January
Alleppey
We travel on our individual boats by day but moor up for a shared evening meal and exchanges of the day’s sightings: kingfishers, eagles, egrets riding on water buffalo, rice harvesters, vividly patterned riverside homes, impeccably uniformed school children on their special ferry, coracle fishermen…inspiring scenes to capture with Maxine’s guidance.
A day of utmost serenity, time to sketch and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of our surroundings.
We stop off for a village walk to explore and sketch, and also take a special canoe trip through the flowering water hyacinths of the narrowest waterways.
Thursday 21st January
Punnamada Lake
We disembark after breakfast and head towards the nearby luxurious Lake Canopy Resort on the banks of Lake Punnamada.
The lovely pool is surrounded by lush palms amd has fantastic views of the backwaters, as do our rooms.
After a light lunch we can relax in the warmth by the lake and work on our sketches.
Before or after dinner, Maxine is always happy to look at any general topics of interest in greater detail: colour-mixing, perspective, composition, landscape, figure groups, animals, etc. There may be subjects we haven’t had time to look at more closely and that you’d like some particular help with as we go through our trip. Don’t hesitate to ask at any point.
The multi-cuisine restaurant offers culinary creativity from its chefs and we can enjoy both local Keralan delicacies and international favorites while enjoying the scenic views of the backwaters.
This really is a dreamy place and at night the lake shimmers with the lights from bobbing houseboats which seem like glimmering fireflies in the velvety darkness.
Friday 22nd January
Fort Cochin
Today we make the journey to the charming old town of Fort Cochin (approximately 2 hours).
Not long in to our journey we embark on our “Village Rubble” morning trip (not what the name suggests!) to sketch a lively local fish auction on the beach. Find a little spot in the shade, leaning against a boat hull on the beach, and we'll scribble down what we can! A mass of lines on the page will capture something of the atmosphere and serve as a wonderful memory of the whole experience!
The fish auction is a chaotic and fabulous scene of dynamic action to try and capture with sketchbook and camera. Some 30 or 40 brightly coloured boats crowd into the small palm-fringed bay, haul their bursting nets on to the beach while local villagers crowd round. Auctioneers are busy with small groups of buyers, moneylenders are there for everyone from the smallest daily loan, kiosks sell refreshment to weary fishermen after their night’s work, and hungry eagles swoop down to snatch a morning’s feast.
After lunch, we visit the famed Chinese fishing nets, then we move on to a warm welcome from Francis and Rosy at their delightful and well-located Homestay – the Francis Residence.
This evening Rosy from the Francis Residence will offer us a short lesson in traditional Keralan cuisine as she prepares our dinner in her beautiful homestay.
Saturday 23rd January
Fort Cochin
This morning we take a cultural tour of old Cochin by bike (auto-rickshaws for those who prefer), led by our expert local guide who points out the ancient port’s many different and characterful neighbourhoods with their contrasting customs, food specialities and architectural styles.
‘Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the west coast of India from the 14th century onwards. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in colonial India. It remained the main seat of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, with the Kingdom of Cochin becoming a princely state’.
We lunch out today at an excellent local restaurant.
This afternoon we visit the fascinating Kerala Folklore Museum, the result of one man’s lifetime collection of the very best Keralan Arts and Crafts. The Museum was set up by the collector himself and is now run by his family who love to share their extensive knowledge with visitors.
Maxine will gather us all today to review our sketchbooks. Often this is a process of remembering the best moments of the trip as they were captured on our pages, (it is not about the very best masterpieces!) and helps us look forward to returning home, perhaps to develop some of the sketches to make the book more complete and satisfying as a visual diary.
This evening we enjoy a special farewell dinner and reminisce about our time together in Southern India.
Sunday 24th January
Fort Cochin – Departure Day
This morning we will be transferred to the Cochin International airport (airport code: COK) in time to board our flight back home. Airport security has been heightened so we will allow plenty of time for passing through the channels.
Hopefully you will be returning home with sketchbooks filled to the brim with ideas and memories.
