TIME OUT
Venice of the East
AKBER AYUB
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Though no more the bustling trading centre that it once was, Alappuzha’s criss-crossing canals give the town a unique ambience.
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Photos: H. Vibhu, Akber Ayub
Furious rhythm: At the annual snake boat race and (below) the laid back water-ways...
A charming town of modest size, Alappuzha’s criss-crossing canals that once served as bustling waterways has often evoked comparisons with Venice. Lord Curzon, British Viceroy to India, while on a visit to Alappuzha in early 20th Century, called it “the Venice of the East.” During the time of the British, this was a booming trading centre that exported coir products to different parts of the world. Today, however, the town has relinquished its premier position as a trading town to its southern counterparts. However, its architectural heritage, peaceful streets, a lovely beach and the canals combine to give it a unique charm.
Indeed, its location and topography have played a definite role in making Alappuzha a tourist attraction. Sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the Vembanad Lake on a splinter of land barely four km wide, Alappuzha offers cheap inland water transport on its eastern side and a secluded all-weather port on the west. The main canal that runs the length of the town from the beach to the Vembanad Lake came to be known as the Commercial Canal, while cross canals linked parallel waterways. Though not much in use in the present day, you could still catch an occasional slender boat gliding in the waters under curved old bridges spanning the canals that is reminiscent of Venice. Old warehouses and factories can still be seen along these waterways. The early settlers of Alappuzha, notably rich Jain and Gujarati businessmen, have left their architectural legacy in the form of numerous old mansions and trading houses with wooden balconies enlivening their facades.
Unique sight
Forming part of the Vembanad Lake is Kuttanad, a vast stretch of backwaters that is unique in many ways. Miles of verdant paddy fields fringed by slender dykes separate them from the backwaters that actually rise a few feet above the fields. With verdant paddy growing the year round on this vast reclaimed land, Kuttanad, predictably, is called the rice bowl of Kerala. Not surprisingly, it is also compared to the famous dykes of Holland. What is really unique however is the fact that probably Kuttanad is the only place in the world where paddy is grown below sea level — made possible by a system of barrages. The best way to view this unique synergy of land and water is by a boat ride from Alappuzha to Changanasseri. However, a languorous drive on the roads criss-crossing this region is also a splendid way to view this verdant land. One of the best-managed private farms in the Kuttanad region is R Block, encompassing 850 acres, that lies in the Ponnamada Lake next to the bigger Vembanad Lake. During the 1920s, due to scarcity of rice, the government allowed locals to reclaim land from the Vembanad Lake on the condition that they grow paddy. These rights continued even after independence. Today however, R block is almost entirely covered in coconut, areca and banana plantations. Heavy monsoon floods the fields during the months of June, July and August. And by September, indigenously designed 50-HP pump sets empty the water back into the lake. Sowing starts immediately, and the paddy matures for harvest six months later, following which, the fields are partially flooded by controlled breaching of the dikes. The best way to view this region is by an hour-long boat ride costing around Rs. 450 for a return trip from Alappuzha boat jetty. Mushrooming boat operators crowd the boat jetty area offering discounted rates for daylong cruises in the backwaters. The reputable houseboats lie anchored all along the banks of the northern part of the lake, called Punnamada, close to the mouth of the Pamba River. These boats take visitors for long stays running into days, while gliding along the waterways. Charges vary from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 5000 for a cruise on the lake for an overnight stay including all meals.
Another landmark in the Vembanad Lake is the famed Pathiramanal. Like other geographical landmarks in Kerala, this picturesque islet in the middle of the vast lake too has a fable woven into it. Legend has it that a young Brahmin plunged into the waters here for his evening ablutions and a miracle ensued: a verdant speck of land emerged from the waters. Hence Pathiramanal, or midnight sands. It takes an hour-long boat ride from the Alleppy Jetty to reach this islet. Private boat operators charge up to Rs.800 for a return trip. Covered completely in vegetation, this 84-acre spur of land has many shaded lanes ideal for a leisurely walk and offers sightings of rare migratory birds, especially at dusk.
Annual attraction
Alappuzha is also home to the annual Nehru Trophy boat race. Slender snake-like wooden boats called Chundans, more than 100 feet long and barely five feet wide, zoom across the Pamba River at Punnamada, propelled by more than 100 rowers and spurred on by spirited cheerleaders. Made of teak and a local hardwood called anjali, these slender boats are decked up in colourful regalia. A unique multi-tiered viewer’s gallery built on a spur of land along the course supports boisterous spectators. Drawing visitors from India and abroad, the Vembanad Lake comes alive once a year during the months of July, August and September, lending a festive air to the town itself.
Village life in Kerala has a unique charm and the best way to witness this is by a leisurely walk through the many villages with quaint names around Alleppey. Green vistas of verdant paddy fields, the languorous pace of life along the many backwaters, picturesque hamlets and brilliant green vegetation are scenes that are quintessentially Keralan. You will find people engaged in coir making and toddy tapping during your walks and marvel at how they eke out a living with these quaint vocations. Indeed coir making is a cottage industry here and it’s a common sight in many of the simple dwellings of the locals. Mounds of coconut fibre extracted from husks, softened by soaking in the backwaters for days, and bales of finished coir can be seen in the backyards of many of the thatched houses. Traditional temple architecture in the numerous old shrines and the daily rituals performed there could be interesting too. If you go inland into the plantations you could also see how rubber is harvested.
Chill-out space
Alappuzha has another pièce de résistance — its alluring beach. The long beach road sporting tall mast lights has a landscaped park on the beachfront and interesting artistic statues elsewhere. A red-and-white painted lighthouse built in 1862 by the erstwhile ruler Marthanda Varma stands 28 metres tall just across from the beach. No unbridled development here and facilities right now on the beachfront are limited to ice cream parlours and coffee houses apart from a heritage hotel, the Raheem Residency.
Every region has its own culinary offering and Alleppey offers a distinctive array of food, from the uniquely Keralan multi-course vegetarian Sadya, the famed Moplah cuisine and typically Christian spicy meat preparations to exotic seafood. This medley reflects not just the mix of its present-day inhabitants but also harks back to its numerous settlers. Ethnic seafood preparations like Karimeen Pollichadu, an assortment of fiery fish curries, coconut based prawn curries and grilled lobsters are some of the local specialities available in most eateries.
Alappuzha has an illustrious past, a 200-year history as a booming port town and famous sobriquets alluding to its charms. Endearingly however, its present-day attractions are no less appealing.
Backwater cruise
There are various options to cruise the backwaters. You could hire a private motor boat at just Rs.200 an hour or choose a houseboat tethered to the banks of the Vembanad for day-long cruises or for a couple of days for a more intimate experience. Charges start at Rs. 3000 per day including all meals. You could also board a regular ferry to any of the nearby destinations all the way up to Kollam for a nominal fare.
House Boat info
Government Ferry Service Enquiries: Ph: 2252015.
Alleppey tour company, Jetty Road. Ph: 2232040. Fax: 2231571. Email: kayaloram@satyam.net.in
Private Boat operators (Motor boats – Rs. 200 per hr. Speedboats – Rs. 500 per hr)
Vembanad tourist service, Jetty Road. Ph: 0477-2251395 / 2252395
Blue bird tours, Finishing Point. Ph: 0478-2582233
Bharat tourist service, Ph: 0477-2262262
Alichan, Jetty Road. Ph: 9847914100
Fact file
Getting there
* Air: Nearest international airports, Thiruvananthapuram - 60 km; Nedumbashery, Kochi - 90 km.
* Rail: Linked by rail to Kochi in the north and Thiruvananthapuram in the south. Railway enquiry: Ph: 0477-2253965
* Road: Good network of roads linking all major towns and cities. Ph: KSRTC Bus stand: 0477-2251518.
Must-see
* Kuttanad, either through its backwaters or by road.
* R block and other paddy fields, up to seven feet below the Vembanad Lake.
* Boat trip to Pathiramanal Island.
* People making coir in their backyards.
* View toddy tapping and taste raw toddy fresh from the palm (not intoxicating).
* Numerous temples and churches that are age-old and venerated.
* Thakazhi Museum, dedicated to the famous writer Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai.
* Mararikulam Beach, 25 km en-route to Cochin off NH 17.
Places to stay
* There are numerous resorts on the banks of the backwaters or the lake. Good hotels, including the heritage Rahim Manzil are located on the beachfront. Homestays is another good option. (G. Vishvanath, Ph: 2724276 / 2260543)
Things to buy
* Buy gold jewellery from leading jewellers like Allukka’s and others.
* Cashew nuts and chips from Mullekal Street.
* Coir products like mats, wall hangings etc available on shops on the highway to Cochin.
* Bamboo curtains and cotton hammocks from outlets on the highway.
* Try colourful umbrellas available everywhere, some as light as a mere 28 gm, since Alleppy is known as the ‘Umbrella Capital’ of Kerala.
Contact info
* District Tourism promotion council office. Ph: 2253308 / 2251796.
Email: alp_dtpcalpy@sancharnet.in
* Tourist information office: Ph: 2260722
* Alleppey Tourism Development co-operative Society. Komala Road. Ph: 0477-2231145 / 2243462 / 2241693.
Email: info@atdcAlleppey.com. website: www. atdcAlleppey.com.
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