ALAPPUZHA

ALAPPUZHA  (The Venice of the East)

          To label Alappuzha (The Malayalam name for Alleppey) The Venice of the East' might today appear a far etched cliche of travelogue writters, but this quaint little town is certainly the Venice of India. Nowhere else will you find, spread out across the center of town, a unique crisscrossing network of canals on which thatch covered country boats punt along leisurely. The proximity of lakes adds to the Tenetian ambience. For tourists Alappuzha is the pivotal point for trips into Kerala's famed backwaters and the state's lush rice bowl, Kuttanad between Kollam to the south and Kottayam to the east lie some of the most entrancing scenery of palm - lined banks, quiet water-bound villages and little boats taking the local people to and fro-everything framed in green. A singular characteristic of this land is the region called Kuttanad. The rice bowl of Kerala. Kuttanad is perhaps the only place in the world where farming is done below sea level. A part from the boat trips through the town's many canals and lakes, and the Mullackal Bhagavathi Temple in the heart of town, Alappuzha offers glimpses of the coir manufacturing process from the coconut husk tot the final rope/coir yarn stage. There are also several shops selling coir matting and carpets, often at prices cheaper than elsewhere. The long sandy beach at Alappuzha has a lighthouse and a peir jutting out into the sea, once active in the unloading of good from ships calling at Alappuzha. Children can romp in the Vijay Beach Park. The not to be missed spectacle in Alappuzha is of course, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race which began in 1952 no the occasion of the visit of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to Alappuzha. It is now a major event held on the second Saturday of every August and features the gigantic snake-boats of Kerala, the chundans, once the battleships of the Malayalee kings of yore. Today the boat race has grown into Alappuzha's single most important tourist event, with each boat being sponsored by a different village. Competition is severe as the boats, with over 100 powers in each, race to the finish to the accompaniment of rousing music. 

ALAPPUZHA BACKWATERS:

            Alleppey 'Venice of the East', figures prominently on the tourist trail as one of the major centers for backwaters boat trips, served by ferries to Quilon and Kottayam in particular. One of the best known posts along the coast of Malabar, it is often referred to as the 'Venice of the Fast'. Alappuzha has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level with the land. This gives the advantage of getting a closer look at the village life on shore while on a backwater ride. Sailing along in a 'Kettuvallam' (house boat) through the enchanting backwaters of Alappuzha is sure to rob your heart. Palm fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat tiny hamlets lined up along either sides of the canals are sights one can never forget. 

                        One can glimpse Chinese fishing nets, flocks of ducks swimming around the banks and tiny birds flying across the sky. It is a close as one can get to feel the vibrant life in the countryside of God's own country. Kuttanadu: The 75 kilometer long sparkling network of rivers, canals, lakes, lagoons and tiny stream lets between Quin and Cochin and beyond to Thiruvananthapuram, of which the kuttanad (Backwaters) comprise of are akin to a tropical land of canals. This bewildering labyrinth of shimmering waterways composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets is lined with dense tropical greenery and preserves Kerala life style that are completely hidden by road. Called the rice bowl of Kerala, because of her wealth of paddy cross is at the very heart of the backwaters. Yams and cassava which accompany the rice bowl as "side dishes". This is the one of the places in the world where farming is food below sea level (1.5 - 2 meters below sea level). Inland waterways that flow above the land level is an amazing feature of this land. Kuttanad is the heart of the backwaters of Kerala. This beautiful countryside with its waterways also has a rich crop of banana, Cassava and yam. The scenic countryside of Kuttanad with its shimmering waterways also has a rich crop of bananas. Alleppey has a large network of canals and is the center for backwater cruises in Kerala. Alappuzha is famous for its boat races, house boats, coir products, fish and lakes. Alappuzha remains prominent on the tourist trial of Kerala as one of the major centres for backwater boat trips.