But by early June the south-west monsoon breaks and there are three months of wind and water with short spells of sharp, glittering sunshine, that thrilled children snatch to play with. The country side turns an immodest green. Boundaries blur as tapioca fences take root and bloom. Brick walls turn mossgreen. Pepper vines snake up electric poles.
Wild creepers burst through laterite banks and spill across the flooded roads.
Boats ply in the bazaars. That's a warning some tourist guides give visitors to the land of spices. Spice trade in Kerala dates back 7500 years. The Spice Coast of Malabar has found mention in ancient travelogues. And if chilli and pepper have been the hot favourites across time, the cardamom of Malabar is considered the best in the world.