For actress Anumol, it's divine to be at Cranganor resort by the broad Periyar

Actress Anumol loves to travel. She gives importance to going for trips as much as she does for doing her roles in movies. So much so, she has a travel-specific video blog to her credit. Its name: Anu Yathra. Launched in September last year, it strings together the actress' tastes, preferences and memories related to places, people and things. Anu has interests ranging from dance to driving.

The visuals substantiate Anumol's love for travel. Her eyes glitter and voice gains added power as the actress speaks about her journeys. It's fun to virtually travel with her. Among the locations that she has earned high number of hits is a resort by the Periyar, which is Kerala's longest river.

It's in Cranganor resort that Anumol, 31, likes to spend her weekends to free herself from a hectic work schedule and let one unwind, says the actress. “If you ask me which is the most beautiful place around, I’d say it is this,” she notes. “Its location, as being on the banks of the scenic Periyar, is its primary charm. The place is in Puthenvelikara, just 25 km northwest of Kochi. You can enjoy not just the watery expanse of the river, but the sunsets too. The stay is comfortable. No wonder the place keeps wooing me.”

The picture today stands in happy contrast with what Cranganor resort looked like in the aftermath of Kerala's floods barely ten months ago. In August 2018, water level rose by 10 feet above the ground level for almost a week. It did recede, but only after leaving sediments as high as four feet. “The resort is a blend of old and new. Its architecture has a vintage feel, but it is equipped with all the modern facilities. I keep changing rooms every time I stay there; so I have got a feel almost the entire accommodation.”

Anumol, who is a native of Naduvattam near Pattambi by the Bharathapuzha river in Palakkad district, speaks highly of the swimming pool the resort features along the banks of the Periyar. “A bath there can cool your body as well as mind,” she says. “The proximity of the pool to the river gives you the impression that you are actually swimming in the Periyar. One can also enjoy the beauty of the nature around.”

As for the resort, more than its external appearance, Anumol is bowled over by the interiors too. It has a repository of kurta and tops designed by Rasmi, who founded the Cranganor resort in 2017. “Rasmi has several customers, wooed by the beauty of the textile pieces. I am one among them,” the actress smiles. “I particularly like her handloom dresses made of khadi.”

Another attraction is the food: ethnic dishes. More so the fish curries. “You need to just order, and they reach your table promptly,” Anumol says. “Overall, it is so refreshing an experience to be at the resort.”