Sometimes your holidays are so hectic that you have to take another to recover. But at Anantya by the Lake, on the banks of the Chittar Lake in Tamil Nadu, the only thing you have to do is sip coconut water by the pool, order the river fish, and contemplate the good life. Here you detox both mentally and physically as you shed your other life amidst the silence, the waters and the greenery.
WHERE
The resort can be reached from Trivandrum airport in 90 minutes on the State Highway 45 in Kaleil Village in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu. The 13 acres resort has been carved out of the 1000-acre Vaikundam Rubber Plantation that belongs to the Sarma family of Trivandrum. “While growing up in Trivandrum we would come here to get lost literally, and it was such a safe place,” recalls Lavanya Ramachandran, a member of the family and the marketing head of the resort. Interestingly, the Rubber Plantation was set up by an Englishman, Thomas Patrik Madden Alexander of East India Company, way back in 1912, and subsequently bought by the family in the 1950s.
THE RESORT
Almost all the 31 villas overlook verdant greenery and the Chittar lake and some villas have their own private pool, jacuzzi and open to the sky bathroom. Inspired by Laurie Baker’s architecture and other sustainable style architects, the outdoors nature blends seamlessly with the rustic interiors Food offered is Kerala (have all the kari meen, appams and red rice you want) and north Indian. Being a small resort, the chefs are ever so kind to rustle up a kid-friendly or a special meal for you.
THINGS TO DO
If letting your mind attain nirvana amongst these old rubber and teak trees is not enough, there is much to do both in the resort itself and. Treks around the lake and a visit to the rubber plantation are worth the lovely rainy mornings. We would also recommend a day trip to Kanyakumari to see the Vivekananda Memorial ( where PM Modi was in meditation recently), and on the way back, visit the Padmanabhapuram Palace of the Travancore Maharajahs.
On the same drive you can visit the Thiruvattar temple which has a reclining Vishnu much like the Padmanabha Swamy temple in Trivandrum. The lore has it that the deity here is an older Vishnu, as there is no Brahma coming out of his navel. In the simplicity of faith at these temples you realize there’s no need to make a din over building temples for Ram.
When you want a holiday amidst silence and nature, we recommend you head to Anantya. The place is kid-friendly and pet-friendly. A holiday where you bond with the family, not over Netflix but over old-fashioned board games like carrom board and pacchisi. Since it rains 10 months of the year here, you can visit the resort at any time of the year.
Tariff Rs 9,000 onwards per night.
Check website for special offers
State Highway 45, Kaliel Village, Chittar Lake,
Kanyakumari District, Alancholai, Tamil Nadu 629103
Tel: 93634 96964
