Is silk too warm for a child in Kerala?
Why a silk pavadai need not mean a sweaty child, and when we would choose cotton or linen instead.
A festive day out with children in Thiruvananthapuram
Temple mornings, museum lawns and a sunset beach walk: an easy city day for families in their festive clothes.
Many families visiting Thiruvananthapuram for Onam or a wedding ask us where to take children once they are dressed up. Here is a day we often suggest, planned around heat, naps and clean clothes. Start early at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in East Fort, where the dress code suits festive wear anyway: mundu for boys and pavadai or a long skirt for girls. Go before 8 am, when the queues are short and the stone floors are still cool for small feet. Carry a cloth bag for footwear.
By 10 am, move to the Napier Museum and zoo grounds. The lawns are shaded by large trees, there are benches every few metres, and children can run without much risk to their clothes. Change them into cotton for this part if you can; a quick swap in the car keeps the silk fresh for the evening.
Go home or back to the hotel for lunch and a long rest between 1 and 4 pm. The afternoon sun near the coast is strong, and an overtired child in a party frock is nobody’s idea of a good photograph.
In the evening, head to Shanghumugham beach for the sunset, or to Kanakakkunnu Palace if the Onam lights and cultural programmes are on. Both get crowded after 6 pm, so agree on a meeting point with older children. Pack a thin cotton shawl, wet wipes, a spare pair of shorts and a small towel. Sand brushes off silk easily once it is dry.
