India Travel
Kuttanda: the backwaters of Kerala
One of the most memorable experiences for travellers in India - even those on the lowest of budgets - is the opportunity to take a boat journey on the backwaters of Kerala. The area known as Kuttanad stretches for 75km from Kollam in the south to Kochi in the north, sandwiched between the sea and the hills. This bewildering labyrinth of shimmering waterways, composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets, is lined with dense tropical greenery, and preserves rural Keralan lifestyles that are completely hidden from the road.
Views change from narrow canals and dense vegetation to open vistas and dazzling green paddy fields. Homes, farms, churches, mosques and temples can be glimpsed among the trees, and every so often you might catch the blue flash of a kingfisher, or the green of a parakeet. Pallas fishing eagles cruise above the water looking for prey and cormorants perch on logs to dry their wings, if you’re lucky enough to be in a boat without a motor, at times the peace will be broken only by the squawking of crows and the occasional film song from a distant radio.
Day-to-day life is lived on and beside the water. Some families live on tiny pockets of land, with just enough room for a simple house, yard and boat. They bathe and wash their clothes - sometimes their buffaloes too, muddy from ploughing the fields - at the water’s edge, while you often pass villagers standing up to their necks in water, far from the banks and busy with impenetrable subaquatic chores. Traditional Keralan longboats, kettu vailam, glide past, powered both by gondolier-like boatmen with poles and by sail. Often they look on the point of sinking, laden with heavyweight cargo with water lapping perilously over the edge. Fishermen work from rowing boats or operate massive Chinese nets on theshore.
Coconut trees at improbable angles form shady canopies, and occasionally you pass under simple curved bridges. Here and there basic drawbridges can be raised on ropes, but major bridges are few and far between; most people rely on boatmen to ferry them across the water to connect with roads and bus services, a constant criss-crossing of the waters from dawn until dusk (a way of life beautifully represented in the visually stunning film Piravi, by Keralan director Shaji). Poles sticking out of the water indicate dangerous shallows.
The African moss that often carpets the surface of the narrower waterways may look attractive, but it is actually a menace to small craft traffic and starves underwater life of light. It is also a symptom of the many serious ecological problems currently affecting the region, whose population density ranges from between two and four times that of other coastal areas in southwest India. This has put growing pressure on land, and hence a greater reliance on fertilizers, which eventually work their way into the water causing the build up of moss. Illegal land reclamation, however, poses the single greatest threat to this fragile ecosystem. In a little over a century, the total area of water in Kuttanad has been reduced by two-thirds, while mangrove swamps and fish stocks have been decimated by pollution and the spread of towns and villages around the edges of the backwater region.
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Kuttanda: the backwaters of Kerala Routes and practicalities in Kerala
There are numerous backwater routes to choose from, on vessels ranging from local ferries, through chauffeur-driven speedboats offered by the KTDC, to customized kettu vallam and rice boat cruises. The most popular excursion is the full-day journey between Kollam and Alappuzha; you can cover part or all of the route in a day, returning to your original point of departure by bus during the evening, or, more comfortably, staying the night at either end. All sorts of private hustlers offer their services, but the basic choice lies between boats run by the Alieppey Tourism Development Co-op (ATDC) and the District
Around Kottayam in Kerala
Some of Kerala's most attractive scenery lies within easy access of Kottayam. The beautiful Kumarakom bird sanctuary, in the backwaters to the west. is best visited at dawn before the hoards of day-trippers arrive. Aranmula to the south is one of the last villages still making kannady metal mirrors, and has, a Krishna temple that organizes a ritual "non-competitive" boat race. The Mahadeva temple at Ettumanur, a short way north of Kottayam. is known co devotees- as the home of a dangerous and wrathful Shiva, and to art-lovers as a sublime example of temple architecture, adorned with woodcarvings and murals.
Alappuzha Practicalities in Kerala
The shambolic KSRTC bus stand, on the east of town, is served by half-hourly buses to Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakukm; less frequent buses run to Kottayam, Thrissur and Palakkad. The boat jetty is just one minute's walk west from the bus stand. As the backwaters prevent trains from continuing south beyond Alappuzha, only a few major daily services and a handful of passenger trains depart from the railway station, 3km southwest of the jetty. Among these are the Bokaro/Tata Express #8690 at 6am, the Trivandrum-Mumbai CST Express #6332 at 7.20am and the-Alleppey-Chennai Express #6042 at 3pm; all three stop at
Kollam (Quilon) and around in Kerala
One of the oldest ports of the Malabar coast, KOLLAM (pronounced "Koillam" and previously known as Quilon), 74km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 85km south of Alappuzha, was once at the centre of the international spice trade. The sixteenth-century Portuguese writer Duarte Barbossa described it as a" very great city with a right good haven", which was visited by "Moors, Heathen and Christians in great numbers", and stated that "a great store" of pepper was to be found there. In fact, the port flourished from the very earliest times, trading amicably with the Phoenicians, Arabs, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese. Nowadays, Kollam
Kochi (Cochin) Tours and backwater trips in Kerala
KTDC's half-day Kochi boat cruise (daily 9am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm; I Ks50) is a good way to orient yourself. However, it doesn't stop for long in either Mattancherry or Fort Cochin, so give it a miss if you are pushed for time. Departing from the High Court Jetty on Shanmugham Road, Ernakulam, it calls at the synagogue, Mattancherry Dutch Palace, St Francis Church, the Chinese fishing nets, and Bolghatty Island. Book at the KTDC Reception Centre on Shanmugham Road (0484/353234). KTDC, the Tourist Information Centre, and a couple of private companies also operate popular backwater trips out of Kochi.
Kottayam and around in Kerala
The busy commercial centre of KOTTAYAM is strategically located between the backwaters to the west and the spice, tea and rubber plantations, forests, and the mountains of the Western Ghats to the east, 76km southeast of Kochi ana 37km northwest of Alappuzha. Most visitors come here on the way somewhere else - foreigners take short backwater trips to Alappuzha or set off to Penyar Wildlife Sanctuary, while Ayappa devotees pass through en route to the tor-est temple at Sabarimala (see p.1335). Kottayam's long history of Syrian Christian settlement is reflected by the presence of two thirteenth-century churches on a hill 5km
North of Kozhikode in Kerala
The beautiful coast of Kerala, north of Kozhikode, is a seemingly endless stretch of coconut palms, wooded hills and virtually deserted beaches; the towns hold little of interest for visitors, most of whom bypass the area completely. However, then you miss out on the fun of a search through the villages for Teyyattam, the extraordinary masked trance dances that take place throughout the region during winter.
Kochi (Cochin) and Ernakulam in Kerala
The venerable city of KOCHI (long known as Cochin), is Kerala's hottest tourist spot, spreading across islands and promontories in a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and backwaters. Its main sections - modern Ernakulam, in the east, and the old districts of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin on a peninsula in the west - are linked by a complex system of ferries, and distinctly less romantic bridges. Although most visitors end up staying in Ernakulam, Fort Cochin and Mattancherry are the focus of interest, where the city's extraordinary history of foreign influence and settlement is reflected in an assortment of
Thrissur in Kerala
The breezy bazaar town of THRISSUR (Trichur), roughly midway between Kochi (74km south) and Palakkad (79km northeast) on NH-47. is an obvious base for exploring the cultural riches of central Kerala. Near the Palghat (Palakkad) Gap - an opening in the natural border made by the Western Ghat mountains - it presided over the main trade route into the region from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For years Thrissur was the capital of Cochin State, controlled at various times by both the zamorin of Kozhikode and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Today, it justifiably prides itself on being the cultural capital of
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Chinese fishing nets in Kerala
The huge, elegant Chinese fishing nets that line the northern shore of Fort Cochin add grace to an already characterful waterside view, and ate probably. The single most familiar photographic image of Kerala. Traders from the court of Kublai Khan are said to have introduced them to the Malabar region" Known in Malayalam as cheena vala, they can also be seen throughout the back waters further south. The nets, which are suspended from arced poles and operated by levers and weights, require at least four men to control. You can buy fresh fish from the tiny market here and have
Kodungallur from Thrissur in Kerala
Virtually an island, surrounded by backwaters and the sea, the small country-town ot KODUNGALLUR (Cranganore), 35km south of Thrissur, is rich in Keralan history. The typically dusty and nondescript modern town contrasts sharply with tales of its illustrious past. Kodungallur has been identified as the site of the ancient cities of Vanji. one-time capital of the Chera kingdom, and Muziris. described in the first century AD by the Roman traveller, Pliny, as Primuui Emporium Indiac. the most important port in India. Other accounts describe the harbour as crowded with great ships, warehouses, palaces, temples and Yavanas (a generic term for
Pozhikkara beach and Pachalloor village in Kerala
Heading north along Samudra for around 4km you'll pass through a string of fishing hamlets before eventually arriving at a point where the sea merges with the backwaters to form a salt-water lagoon. Although only thirty minutes' walk, from the Aslwk, the sliver of white sand dividing the two, known as Pozhikkara beach, is a world away from the headlong holiday culture of Kovalam. Here, the sands are used primarily for landing fish and fixing nets, while the thick palm canopy shelters a mixed community of Hindu fishermen and Christian coir makers. I he tranquil village of PACHALLOOR, behind the lagoon,
The Details of Kerala
A sliver of dense greenery sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the forested Western Ghat mountains, the state of KERALA runs down the southwest coast of India, around 550km long and 120km wide at its broadest poin:. It is blessed with unique geographical and cultural features and the overpowering tropical landscape, with 41 rivers and countless waterways, fed by two annual monsoons, intoxicates every newcomer. Equally, Kerala's arcane rituals and spectacular festivals Stimulate even the most jaded imagination, continuing centuries of tradition that has never strayed far from the realms of magic. Travellers weary of daunting metropolises will find that Kerala's
Travel details for Travel details in Kerala
For details of ferry services on the backwaters - primarily between Alappuzha and Kollam. Trains Kochi/Ernakulam to: Alappuzha (3-5 daily; 1hr 20min): Bangalore (1 daily; 14hr); Chennai (3-5 daily; 12hr45min-14hr40min); Coimbatore (3-4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 30min); Delhi (2 daily; 40hr 30min-49tir), Kanniyakumari (2-3 daily; 8hr); Kollam (8-9 daily; 3-4tir|; Kottayam (8-9 daily; 1hr 5min); Kozhikode (6-7.daily; 3hr 20min-6hr 20min); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 28hr 20min 10hr 25min); Palakkad (5-6 daily; 3hr 20mm); Tliiriivananthapuram (9-11 daily; 4hr 20min-5hr): Thrissur (12-14 daily; 1 hr 30min-2hr). Kozhikode to: Kochi (6-7 daily; 4hr 30min-5hr 10min); Mangalore (3-4 daily; 5hr 40min-6hr); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 16hr 20min-23hr); Thiruvananthapuram (4-6
Keralan murals in Kerala
The quality and unique style of the murals at Martancherry Palace in old Kochi, along with those in as many as sixty other locations in Kerala, are probably the best-kept secrets in Indian art. Most are on the walls of functioning temples; they are not marketable, transportable, or indeed even seen by many non-Hindus. Few date from before the sixteenth century, depriving them of the aura of extreme antiquity; their origins may go back to the seventh century, probably influenced by the Pallava style of Tamil Nadu, but only traces in one tenth-century cave temple survive from the earliest period.
Palakkad in Kerala
PALAKKAD (Palghat), surrounded by paddy fields, lies on NH-47 between Thrissur (79km) and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (54km), and on the railway line from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Historically, thanks to the natural 20km-wide Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats, this area has been one of the chief entry points into Kerala. The environs are beautiful, but the town itself doesn't warrant a stop, other than to break a journey. Arriving from Tamil Nadu, Palakkad, with its dry, Deccan-like landscape, unlike most of the state, gives a misleading first impression of Kerala. The well-preserved fort, built in 1766 by Haider Ali
Accommodation and eating in Kerala
The most congenial places to stay are outside the town, across Ashtamudi Lake from the mam jetty (easy to get to by auto-rickshaw, but more difficult to return from).The railway retiring rooms on the East floor of the railway station are spacious, clean, and very cheap (Rsl50). Apart from the hotel restaurants, other places to eat include the Indian Coffee House on Main Road, and Guru Ptasad, a little way along, which serves great south Indian veg "meals". The best of the hotel restaurants can be found in the Sudarsan, which has a good-value "meals" restaurant along with its more upmarket
Cheruthuruthy Practicalities in Kerala
Cheruthuruthy s accommodation is limited, with some students staying as jjuests in private accommodation or at the new on-site, self-catering international Hostel. The village has a couple of simple guesthouses and the atmospheric Government Rest House (0488/462760; 0), a short distance along the Shoramur road from Kalamandalam, has eight vast and very basic rooms, some with Western-style toilets, and all sharing a veranda. The bustling and (Unattractive town of Shoramur has more options but none that could capture tthe charm of Cheruthuruthy and its environs. Food may be available by .arrangement, and there are simple "meals" shops in the village;
Ernakulam in Kerala
ERNAKULAM presents the modern face of Kerala, with more of a city feel than Thiruvananthapuram, but small enough not to be daunting. Other than the fairly dull Parishath Thamburan Museum (Tues-Sun 9.30am-noon & 3-5.30pm) in Darbar Hall Road, there's little in the way of sights. Along the busy, long, straight Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road, which more or less divides Ernakulam in half 500m back from the sea, the main activities are shopping, eating and movie-going. Here you can email and phone to your heart's content, and choose from an assortment of great places to eat Keralan food. This area is