Kerala homestay beckons tourists with durian orchard and 'Ohm Shanti Oshana' winery

In Kerala, monsoon isn't just the time when rivers and streams come alive. It's also the harvest season in various fruit orchards, especially in the high-range regions of the state. If you wish to have the double delight of a monsoon retreat and a fruit orchard, head to a homestay in Idukki, which has also been a favourite movie-shooting spot.

'Pandora The London Nest' homestay in Cheruthottinkara of Idukki's Kodikkulam Panchayat has been the location for around 87 movies. Remember the cosy yet gothic-looking winery of the Nazriya Nazim starrer 'Ohm Shanti Oshana'? It was shot here. 

Owned by Raju K Damodaran (London Raju) and Munni Kaittiani, a UK-returned couple who launched it in 2009, the homestay has four rooms that can accommodate up to 25 people, an auditorium, and even vaults. It regularly hosts visitors from abroad and various parts of India, including families, corporates and more.

The most recent movie shot here was 'Ancham Pramanam' by actress Bhavana's brother Jayadev, starring Suhasini and Renji Panicker. Located just about 6 km from the renowned Thommankuthu Waterfalls, the homestay also has a lovely stream where guests can fish. The Amappara adventure tourism centre is also just a kilometre from the homestay.  

One of the highlights of the orchard here is its durian farm, which has its harvesting season from June to mid-July. "We have around 40 durian trees, and most of them have fruits. The durian grown here is the original Malaysian variety, before the fruit became popular in Kerala. As the trees here are grafted, they don't have the strong aroma like the regular durian fruits," says Munni. The other fruits on the farm are avocado, mangosteen, pomelo, rambutan, chiku, frankincense tree, local mangoes and various vegetables.