The region’s fragrant musk turmeric or kasthuri manjal is supposed to restore skin but finding it isn’t that easy.
Wayanad symbolises all that is romantic about Kerala: brimming lakes, foliage so lush it calms the eyes and mind, birds and butterflies galore, including the rare Banasura Laughingthrush found on the 6,890ft-tall Chembra peak. As a birder, I wish I could tell you that I am in Wayanad to see this bird, but frankly, I hadn’t heard of this beauty till I got here. I am in Wayanad to find youth. This is a story of reclamation. I want to show my octagenarian mother the land of her youth. I also want to buy that miraculous fragrant musk turmeric or kasthuri manjal (Curcurma aromatica) that grows wild in this region. By smearing copious amounts of it as Kerala women do, I hope to gain some of their youthful allure: shiny cheeks and dark curly hair.