Kerala's
centuries-old, palm fringed and picture perfect backwaters and mirror
still lagoons stretch over 1900 kms. Kerala lives
along these backwaters. They snake over the land, bestowing paddy fields
with good harvests, and provide the whole village with drinking water and
other facilities. The backwaters refer to the large inland lakes of
Kerala. Today these backwaters act as vital water ways for the transport
of goods, people and produce. They are often the only link between remote,
isolated villages and crowded town pockets. It's an incredible experience
to float on these soothing waters in a country craft to absorb this
unusual representation of Kerala.
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Alumkadavu
Gliding along the
calm and serene backwaters flanked by green leaves and palms, seeing a rural
Kerala preserved through the ages and completely hidden from the road is an
enchanting experience to any visitor, more so while sailing a slow-moving,
spacious Kettuvallam. Alumkadavu, a quiet spot in the town of Karunagapally -
hardly 23 kms. north of Quilon (travel time: 30 min) has become a hot point of
Kettuvallam building, with more than a hundred people involved.
These huge, long and tapering barges
were traditionally used to move tones of goods across kingdoms, with a portion
covered with bamboo and coir serving as a rest room and kitchen for the crew. A
familiar sight on the waters, these vessels are built entirely without using
nails. Planks of jack wood are joined together with coir rope and coated with a
caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance
they last for generations.
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Today, widely and
appropriately called houseboats, they carry furnished bedrooms, modern
toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for
angling. Some are powered by a 40 HP engine. At Alumkadavu, you can even
find a floating conference hall, designed to seat 35, with a dais and a
sophisticated public address system. |
Calicut
Up north in Kerala,
the meandering backwaters of Calicut (Kozhikode) lie waiting to be discovered. With a
bewitching beauty of its own.
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North east of
the city, Elathur offers an ideal jump-off base into the Canoly Canal -
a name taken after its British builder and administrator. The canal
links itself to the Kallai River which unhurriedly threads through the
city and offers its shores to Calicut’s historic timber trade. The
produce of which is believed to have even adorned the courts of King
Solomon and Queen Sheba a few millennia ago. |
Further south lies
Kadalundi with its charming bird sanctuary - haven to an amazing assortment of
delightful water birds.
Another river of the
region - Korapuzha - is fast gaining popularity as the venue of the water sports
festival - the Korapuzha Jalotsavam - staged every August.
Kumarakom
On the shores of the
enchanting Vembanad lake, 14 kilometers from Kottayam (travel time: 20 min),
lies Kumarakom in its small-town hush. Redolent of restful ease.
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A boat ride into the
countryside offers a close look into an engaging rustic life.
Skiff-fishermen launching their cockleshell boats. Large flotillas of
ducks waddling down to the water from thatched houses on the banks. Women,
neck-deep in water, with their waist-length hair heaped in a crown,
searching for fish with their feet. |
At Kumarakom, you
could sail the backwaters in rented houseboats, which are poled by local oarsmen
and are simply furnished with a living room, a bedroom and bath, together with a
raised central platform creating a private sit-out for the passengers. Sections
of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow
uninterrupted views. Boat trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats
together - make for a convenient mode of sightseeing when the company is large.
You could even take a
canoe out into the quiet lagoons and spend time angling. Make sure you sample
Karimeen and fresh Toddy - the favorite fresh-water food and the local
wine.
This is an ideal place for
backwater cruises. A beautiful backwater spot accessible from Kumarakom is
Alleppey. A 14 acre bird sanctuary is situated on the eastern banks of the
Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary adds to the natural beauty of Kumarakom.
Birds (waterfowl, water ducks, cuckoos, wild ducks etc.) nest and spend
happy summers here. |
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Birds like Siberian Storks
migrate here every year. The sanctuary is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Alleppey -
Kuttanad
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The sweeping network of
canals, honey-combing the town of Alleppey (Alappuzha) has earned for the
place its sobriquet - "The Venice of the East." Small, low-slung
country boats are the taxis of this waterland. |
It is a heart-warming
sight to see them carry a motley assemblage of cycles, goats, fisherwomen with
cane baskets, school children, toddy-tappers with their knives and pots, duennas
in white with gold earrings, Syrian Christian priests and a bare-chested boatman
apiece.
Do not miss
out on a ride into Kuttanad through shimmering, green paddy fields and
tail-wagging, head-bobbing groups of ducks. The coir-workers too present
an interesting sight as they soak coconut fibre in pools, beat them out
and weave the tough brown strands into long ropes on spindles stretched
between endless coconut trees. |
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Alleppey becomes the cynosure of the
eyes of the world in August - September, every year, as it plays host to the
celebrated Snake Boat Races - a water regatta unique to Kerala.
Cochin
Come
into Cochin (Kochi), Queen of the Arabian Sea. Believed to be the finest natural
harbour in the world. With ferry rides commanding its breathtaking view. Cruise
around man-made islands with lush green lawns sloping down to the water's edge.
Cochin is the oldest
European settlement in India. Recording a history of visitors who came, saw and
stayed for hundreds of years. Layered impressions - Chinese, Arab, Jewish,
British, French and Portuguese, are contained within its environment.
Giant Chinese fishing
nets that billow from massive teak and bamboo poles dot the entrance to the
harbour. Silhouetted against the setting sun, they present a magnificent sight
at the waterfront.
A narrow,
palm-fringed island, easily accessible from the mainland is where the Bolghatty
Palace is situated. The palace was built by the Dutch in 1744. Later, it became
the seat of the British Resident of Cochin and today this has been converted
into a hotel run by the KTDC. The palace has a golf course on its grounds.
Quilon
The
charming old port city of Quilon (Kollam) on the banks of the picturesque
Ashtamudi Lake is now known more as the centre of cashew industry. Traces of a
once prosperous trade with China are still seen in the form of Chinese fishing
nets, huge Chinese water pots, blue and white porcelain and sampan-like boats.
Quilon is an inviting
gateway to Kerala's backwaters. For an interesting backwater experience, take
the regular ferry to Alleppey - a rigorous ride lasting more than 8 hours. As
the old ferry putters from one village on the waterfront to another, you are
treated to a full range of lives and activities and some of the most beautiful
scenery imaginable. For the less intrepid, shorter cruises can be made in the
larger comforts of the houseboats with idyllic villages such as Alumkadavu as
your launch base.
The nearest airport,
Trivandrum, is 71 kms. away. It takes fractionally over an hour to get to Quilon
by road or rail from Trivandrum.
Veli-Akkulam
Within hailing
distance of the capital city Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), is the Veli
- Akkulam lagoon with a delightful waterfront park growing increasingly
popular among the natives and tourists alike. |
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Only a narrow sandbar
separates the lagoon from the sea. You can opt for rides in motor-driven safari
launches, power boats, pedal boats or row boats. Kayaks and hovercraft attract
the brave-hearted. A floating bridge and a floating restaurant add to the
overall excitement. The eastern end of the lake is flanked by two scenic
hillocks coming through as a perfect hiking ground.
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