With the roiling green of the Western Ghats to its east, and the watery majesty of the Arabian ocean on the west, Kerala is blessed with a unique tropical climate that has shaped its beautiful landscape. The moniker of ‘God’s own country’ feels earned, beholding its myriad natural charms. 

This southern state of India also boasts more than a few great homestays, making it hard to say decisively which is the best homestay in Kerala for you to choose.  But the Anamala House surely is a strong contender. 

The soul of Kerala is a confluence of myths, cultural traditions and culinary customs that never cease to enchant you. The village of Thiruvilwamala is one of the places where you could discover this soul in its pristine glory. 

It is a land blessed with age-old temples, hillocks and lakes; a home to performers of traditional artforms and a living culture that weaves myth and expressive art in equal measure. A visit to this village in Kerala’s cultural capital of Thrissur opens a treasure trove of experiences which you cannot gain anywhere else. 

The Anamala House is the best homestay in Thiruvilwamala. Here, you could enjoy the comfort of living in an eighty year old heritage house of grand architecture, but which is replete with modern amenities.

Perched in a verdant piece of land filled with manicured lawns and gardens in bloom, this homestay in Kerala is close to many renowned temples. It also forms an excellent base from which to explore the rustic beauty of Thiruvilwalama. 

Here are some of the highlights of staying in possibly the best homestay in Kerala with your dear ones.  

Visit the Vilwadrinatha temple: A major landmark in the village is the Vilwadrinatha temple. Among the most famous pilgrimage sites in South India, the temple’s grandiloquent construction shows off the splendour of Dravidian architecture. But it is perhaps the legends associated with the temple that are the most enchanting of all. For instance, it is believed that deep inside a nearby cave is a mythical golden tree called the vilwa tree. 

In fact, the cave itself brims with spiritual significance for the believers, as can be evidenced by its name: purnarjani cave or the cave of rebirth. It is believed that a passage through the cave from one end to the other would cleanse you of your spiritual blemishes, resulting in the birth of a new persona. 

Visit the Kuthampully handloom village: Kuthampully is a unique village in kerala thanks to the 600 odd families that are engaged in the production of sarees using traditional handlooms- earning it the name of the Kuthampully handloom village. Many handloom-weaving families trace back their lineage to Karnataka.

According to legends, it was the royal family of Kochi who brought the weavers to Kuthampully about five hundred years ago. The objective was to have their trade solely for the palace. 

It is one of the few remaining places in Kerala, if not the world itself, where the traditional craft of garment-making is still practised in its original form. This has seen the continued production of garments with unparalleled quality. Aside from sarees, the mundu and veshti that they produce are also quite famous. 

Stepping into the village, and walking through the work places where these artisans weave magic in their looms, you get transported to a bygone era when hand-crafted garments were the norm rather than the expectation. 

Guided tour to the village: Thanks to its landmarks from the past and living heritage of traditional artforms, Thiruvilwamala often feels to the visitor like time’s best kept secret. Coupled with the laid back beauty of a lush green village, the place invites you to leave your stress of a busy life behind and simply be alive to each moment. You can experience this through the guided tours that the Anamala Homestay arranges.

Visit to rice plantations and organic farms: The regions around Thiruvilwamala are blessed with fields where farmers bring to life crops that feed tens of thousands. The special beauty of a rice field in its green glory, the paddy leaves swaying in a breeze, the evening sun’s rays casting a golden halo over them is something that you need to see for yourself. 

Visit to Kalamandalam: To get an up-close view of the much-lauded artistic heritage of Kerala, there is no better place than Kalamandalam. Instituted in 1930, it is the leading institution for learning artforms like  Mohiniyattam, Panchavadyam, Thullal and musical disciplines including Carnatic music. 

With its museum, interactions with artists and students, and more, the Kalamandalam offers a terrific experience for art enthusiasts. The proximity to the Kalamandalam also makes Anamala the ideal homestay in Kerala for lovers of performance art. 

Delectable cuisine: Be it regional or international fare, the Anamala Homestay is well known for the quality of the food they serve, making it more then just another homestay in Kerala for you to stay. 

From preparations steeped in Kerala’s tradition to pan-Indian dishes, you get an eclectic menu to choose from. The authentic flavours of home-made foods adds yet another layer of delight to your experience staying at what is arguably the best homestay in Kerala with your loved ones. 

The Anamahal house is flanked by gardens on the front and back, to soak in the beauty and peace that only nature can offer. You can perform yoga or simply recline and relish the peculiar beauty of not doing anything in particular in an enchanting landscape.  

Anamala house, being possibly the best homestay in Kerala offers you an unparalleled experience that combines the rustic beauty of a village, glimpses into splendorous artforms and myths, and more. Come for a wonderful stay and leave with great memories.