Kottayam district of Kerala, India: Malarikkal, Thiruvarppu panchayat Srinivasan Malarikkal, is located in Thiruvarppu panchayat in Kottayam district of Kerala, India. The village has an estimated 600-700 acres of paddy fields where pink water lilies bloom, between July, August, September & October. This natural phenomenon in the paddy fields turns the entire landscape into a luscious pink carpet that is a mesmerizing sight to behold. Thousands are said to assemble at the site of the blooming, situated near Thiruvarppu in Kottayam. It’s in the morning when the lilies are flowering that the visitors start coming. Spread over acres of land, it is a mesmerizing sight. The best part is to ferry on a boat in knee-deep water to photograph the lilies. There used to be over 150 boats for this service. The water lilies will only be there for a month and a half. A TO Z INDIA ● JANUARY 2023 ● PAGE 14