Among the most expensive of Kerala’s tourism products, a journey across the backwaters of Kerala is worth every single rupee and would rate as a journey of a lifetime! The Kerala Backwaters is a term used to denote a labyrinth network of canals, lagoons and lakes stretching almost across the entire state. A visual map is provided. 44 rivers that span the state move down from the Western Ghats flowing through canals and lagoons and empty themselves into the Vembanad Lake and Ashtamudi Lake in the South and directly into the Arabian Sea in the North. While on this unique journey totalling more than 560 miles, these rivers have been the fount and origin of islands, mangrove forests, reclaimed paddy fields, bird sanctuaries, estuaries and human settlements. With a majority of Kerala’s farming population spread across this vast network of canals, lagoons and lakes, a journey on a Kerala houseboat across these narrow waterways provides as insight into local life; mothers bathing naughty children, half naked men arguing boisterously inside a toddy shop (local alcoholic shop), school children running up and down the narrow connecting wooden plank bridges towards their school, a canoe and boatman with his Palmyra long hat transporting bags of cement, a canoe ferry transporting people across the river for a rupee; all enduring images of this unique backwater world. Some of the unique sights include the vast the Vembanad Lake, Kuttanad and further south, the expansive Ashatmudi Lake.
Alleppey
Alleppey and Kumarakom along with small villages make up what is commonly called the `backwaters’ of Kerala. The backwaters is a network of rivers, lagoons and canals and flow into two lakes, Vembanad and Ashtamudi.
Alleppey is a small town, once a renowned trading port lying on the south western banks of the Vembanad Lake. Once a commercial hub, during the days of the kings of the Travancore state, its trading glory saw a downturn since Cochin achieved prominence as a sea port. Remains of its trading faring days can be seen as soon as you enter the town, a long canal once named the Commercial canal stretches from the lake onto the Arabian Sea a few kilometres away. This canal was used for transporting goods that were offloaded at a pier on the banks of the Arabian Sea and was constructed by the British. Today much of this canal is used for docking boats of all kinds and shapes, from the government long, green painted ferry boats to smaller bamboo thatched country boats used for short cruises. Alleppey commercial prowess is still formidable with the town and the region around it known worldwide for the manufacture and export of coir and coir products.
Alleppey’s modern avatar has come about interestingly based on its lagoons and canals. Today the town, measuring a few kilometres wide and sandwiched between the Vembanad Lake and the Arabian Sea, is better known for its houseboats. Interesting sights to visit here include the Sree Mannarshala Snake Temple and the Chakullathkavu Baghavathi Temple.
Life of the people around Alleppey has always been intertwined with boats. For centuries country boats were the mode of travel between the many small waterlogged islands around the region. It would not be a falsification to say that any child born around the region knows how to row a boat. This understanding about the mechanics of boats has spurred a boat racing mini industry all on its own. Local boat races take place with respectable fanfare around the area and involve long snouted country made boats called Chundam Valloms or Churlam Valloms. Churlam Valloms are smaller of the two and are the boats of choice for smaller boat races. Chundam Valloms, long 100 feet boats with winding snouts are the boats that are used for the bigger boat races. Alleppey largest boat race festival is the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race where teams from various boat clubs participate for the highest prize. This annual regatta takes place on the second Saturday of August each year. Long Chundam Valloms race each other in a picture of swinging oars, trumpeting boatswain songs in unison vying for the much coveted Nehru Trophy. Oarsmen per boat number around 100 making this the largest team sport in the world!
Kumarakom Lying on the south eastern banks of the Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a small village with a population thriving on fishing and paddy cultivation. Till about ten years ago, Kumarakom was no more than an agricultural dependent village with large tracts of paddy cultivated mostly below sea level. Its prominence grew with the entry of tourism to these parts and today boats of a range of resorts catering to an international clientele.
Like Alleppey, Kumarakom also has its own share of Kerala’s famed backwaters though what one gets to see more this side of the Vembanad Lake are numerous reclaimed islands. Kuttanad or land of the short people, a reference to a picture of men working knee deep in the paddy field, encompasses many islands off Kumarakom. Foe long the granary of Kerala, Kuttanad is a group of reclaimed islands where paddy and coconut are cultivated, a few metres below sea level. From Kumarakom, R Block, one of the largest of these man- made reclaimed land masses is easily accessible and a houseboat cruise usually passes or tarries at R Block.
More importantly, Kumarakom is the ideal destination to explore the Vembanad Lake. Speed boats, country canoes, motor boats and even water scooters are available for those intrepid few who would love to splash around on this huge water body.
Kumarakom is also home to a Bird Sanctuary which has many migratory and resident species. From November to May, migratory birds like the osprey, pink tailed duck, marsh harrier make it their home while June to August is the breeding time for the resident bird species like egrets and cormorants. Yet, Kumarakom is today a great resort destination too. With some of the most expensive and sophisticated resorts in Kerala, Kumarakom has wooed almost every special interest tourist, from the romantic honeymooner to the health conscious spa goer. Leaf through some of the one we believe are the best there is and choose a great holiday! |
