Spice Capital of the World

April 26, 2011 • Spiritual Adventures

Spice Capital of the World

It is no wonder that the Europeans desperately seeked to find a sea route to India. And in Kerala they landed and discovered the amazing world of spices.

It’s day 4 of our Kerala Spiritual Adventure and our first full day in Periyar and we are enjoying being here in the Sahyadri Mountains. Our morning started with a class on Hinduism which I conducted. We learned about the 4 sects of Hinduism, about God and Gods, the Hindu temple and explored the foundations of Raja Yoga.

After class our friend and guide, Taj, took us on a wonderful tour of a spice garden. We tasted and smelled an array of exotic spices right off the tree, bush or vine. It was highly educational and fun. Taj is very entertaining and would have us identify each spice. 5 points if we got the answer right and minus 5 points if we got the answer wrong.

Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Cardamom flower
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Wikipedia shares “Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India, they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds……read more about Cardamoms here.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Can anyone guess this spice?
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

A clove.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Taj shares that these chillies are super hot.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

More cloves.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Cocoa seed. Chocolate milk anyone?
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Red ants march across a wire in the spice garden.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Taj gifts Anne a beautiful white flower.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

A cinnamon tree. Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods. Read more about Cinnamon on Wikipedia.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

King of Spices – Pepper. Pepper grows on a vine.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Taj demonstrates how to climb a bamboo ladder.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Close up of the bamboo ladder
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Our spice tour is interrupted and we step aside to let Mr. Elephant walk by. He seems undisturbed by our presence as he happily chews on leaves walking past our group.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

A very unusual looking eggplant. Small and red and on a thorny bush.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Tiny black tomatoes.
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Yummm….jack fruit!
Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Vedic Odyssey takes a group on a meditation retreat to Kerala, South India

Mandy browsing through Taj’s spice shop

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