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05/01/2026
In southern India, in the state of Kerala, water decides the rhythm of life.
The backwaters are not dramatic. They don’t rise or roar. They move slowly, carrying homes, conversations, and afternoons that stretch longer than expected. Boats glide past coconut trees like time itself has learned to be patient.
People here are proud of this slowness. Meals take time. Journeys pause. Even silence feels shared. You begin to notice small things — ripples against wooden boats, the sound of oars, someone waving without urgency.
Kerala’s backwaters remind you that progress does not always need speed. Sometimes, moving gently keeps things intact — relationships, landscapes, even oneself.
In a world learning to rush everywhere, this place quietly insists: arrive slowly. Nothing important is leaving.
Rajat Chandra Sarmah
Guwahati, Assam, India
Instagram: @rajatchandrasarmah5
YouTube: Converse With A Smile
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