As someone who lived in Kochi for six months in 2004 when I was 19, I find this really interesting.

Do you live there now?

I remember we were going to leave Kochi and go for a trip to Munnar (the hills where all the spices grow and tea estates are), but on that day the labor unions had declared 'hartal', which was somekind of statewide halt which meant that if you were driving on the road that day, it was open season for people to throw rocks at your car.

Our guide just wiggled his head, smiled and said that we'd be fine :) And we were. Saw no signs of rock-thowers by the road. But instead our chauffeur drove like a maniac up those hills in that old Ambassador, and I didn't have any medical insurance at that time. That's when I learned the art of praying :D