 |
|
South
India tours
........ |
|
| |
Currency |Weather |Distance |Railway
Time |Airlines
Time
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 |
 Backwaters |
| Kerala's
backwaters and lagoons stretch over 1900 km. Kerala lives along these
backwaters. They snake over the state physique, 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 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. |
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.
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.
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 |
 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.
 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.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.
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. Birds like Siberian Storks migrate here every year.
|
Alleppey - Kuttanad |
 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.
 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.
|
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.
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. |
Veli Lagoon |
 2
kms. from Trivandrum Airport. The Veli Tourist Village on the outskirts of
Trivandrum is a delightful waterfront park which has become extremely
popular with Trivandrumites. It is a nice place for tourists with young
children to spend an afternoon. There is lots for the kids to do, and they
will meet many of their young Kerala counterparts, all of whom will be eager
to make new friends and try out their English.
The main attraction at Veli is water - a large inland lake, separated from
the ocean by only a narrow sandbar. For a few rupees, rides can be had in
motor-driven safari launches and power boats, or a family can drift about in
a pedal-boat or a row boat. There are kayaks, and even hovercraft, for the
more intrepid. While skimming over the lake, visitors will see the local
fishermen readying their boats, working on their nets, or poling sand-laden
barges.
 There
is a floating bridge, and a floating restaurant too. Open every day; boat
rides available until 6.00p.m., after which the lake reverts to the sole use
of fishermen.
For your tots, there is a tiny lake within the park, with sturdy, round "tub
boats", equipped with miniature paddles. A small cafeteria serves ice-cream,
cold-drinks and snacks, and the grounds are dotted with interesting climbing
sculptures designed by the well-known sculptor Kanai Kunjiraman.
|
| |
| |
|
