Deepa World, Spices and Ayurveda Garden, Munnar, Kerala, India
~ Swati Sharma
We visited Deepa World while on our way to Munnar in Kerala. Amidst the greens, one finds growing many herbs and spices which we use so often in our lives but seldom see them grow.
The ‘spicy’ forest
Well those are not pears… any guesses?…
Hmm… you can see a brilliant nutmeg peeping. After you break the second red shell you will find the nutmeg and recognize it .
These are Cardamom plants
Cardamom grows on branches below their plants.
It has tiny white flowers which turn into cardamom pods.
Remember learning about cocoa pods in school ? Well here they are in Kerala… 'God’s own country’
Ornamental Pineapple… these were about four to five inches in size.
Those flattish leaf like pods are the world’s most loved flavour for ice-creams and cakes… Vanilla. When dry and ready for use they are about fifteen centimeter long , one centimeter broad and smell heavenly.
Can you see those betel nuts?
Tiny green pearls are peppercorns
Wild aubergines… there were about an inch in size.
That’s a very useful ayurvedic medicine for the mind, Brahmi. It has tiny leaves and the plant grows in water.
Coffee in its green avatar.
Those winding pathways are etched in my mind …
The shop at Deepa World selling spices, herbs and oils.
Map: Munnar, Kerala, India
~ Photo credits: Swati Sharma, Shaily Shukla