History
Despite its small town appearance, Alappuzha has an impressive history. The port is said to have been built by Raja Keshava Das, the Dewan of Travancore, in the early 18th century. A noble hand came from James Darraigh, an Irishman, who is credited to have introduced the coir industry to the town. The story about how they brought technicians from Bengal to teach locales the art of spinning coir, now enjoys a legendary status here. Today, rubber plantations may have more commercial value but the tradition continues. Among the fisherfolk, you'll find women working on coir and magically moulding it into ropes or mats. Many a tale has been spun around this yarn, and like the story of Alappuzha itself, each tale is to enjoyed and remembered. Some are incredible, but true. History is so near here, that you feel like touching it. When a rice mill came up in 1980, it called for a major celebration. And when a railway track was laid in the early nineties, it was considered an astounding event!
Spend An Unforgettable Holiday With The Matchless Attractions of Alappuzha
Go Green With The BackWaters
Kerala, the coconut state, has a large network of labyrinthine canals that meander through its towns. Alleppey, which forms a cardinal part of this network has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level with the land. Thus on a boat cruise over the emerald green waters, you can have the advantage of enjoying a closer look at the village life on shore. It is really a lifetime experience to have a 2-3 day backwater cruise in one of those magnificent 'kettuvalloms' - houseboats that have now become Kerala's defining image.
Enjoy the pleasure of feeling the shimmering waters pass between your fingers while on a boat ride, as you pass through the slender corridors amidst deep, dense vegetation. Touch the virgin green leaves of the paddy plants grown on the slant land beside. Wave back at the cheerful village children sitting on the banks. One can even invite some of them to hop in for a ride. In the evening, enjoy a walk along the banks of the Kerala backwaters. Get a pack of hand-made flour-balls from the local stalls and climb on one of the lanky coconut palms to feed the fishes racing underneath. It is a wonderful experience to see them cluster around in all sizes and colours, a staunch competition of survival going on beneath your feet. The canals throw up another study in contrasts. You will find boatmen rowing past the weeds with amazing grace even as the traffic hurtles above their heads on modern bridges.
Backwater Routes
The most enjoyable part is that you will feel quite comfortable in choosing your itinerary through the backwaters. One will find Alleppey's boat jetty on the Punnamada backwaters, crowded with numerous houseboat and backwater operators. Ask them for a houseboat and make it your mobile home for as long as you like, or book yourself into one of the resorts that follow, and get yourself a speedboat or motorboat to get you around. What follows are several stops along the backwaters - resorts, temples, museums and villages where snake boats are made.
Tourists can enjoy a one-night tour to Kumarakom which will include a magnificent trip through the SNDP canal, Kuppapuram, C'Block, R'block, Vembanad Lake, Punnamada Lake, Kumarakom Lake resort, Whisphering palms, Coconut Lagoons, and a enticing video tour of the popular Snake Boat Race of Alleppey. Another one night tour is made to Alumkadavu and is more suitable for people who want to stay close to nature. Visit the ancient Buddhist shrine of Karrumadikuttan, the only Buddhist temple in Kerala and the Vallicavu Amrithanadhamayi Ashram. Enjoy a night halt at Kayyamkulam Pozhy, where you can savour a mug of herbal tea while gazing at the setting sun. See a magical play of colours behind the Chinese fishing nets.
If leisure is your prime corridor to enjoyment, you can happily go for a 2-3 day cruise on the backwaters. This is indeed a memorable experience when you will be surounded by green only, far from the outstretched hands of modernity. The cruise generally contours major destinations like Kochi or a circular trip, i.e Alleppey to Alleppey. The later is more convenient as you will end up where you have started, with a slight difference that now, you will have enough memory to cherish throughout your life.
Xtra Attractions To Enjoy
Stroll back in the town past the canals covered with mauve hyacinths and explore the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the town, but don't forget to visit the heritage structures too. Remember to put your steps on the green paddy fields of R and QST islands, one of those down-to-earth places that affords to stay below the sea-level! Try the mouthwatering delicacies - crabs, clams, prawn and a variety of other fresh water fishes - offered in the nearby stalls along with fresh toddy. And if you are keen on taking a dip in the backwaters, the R block and QST islands are the safest bet. Spend your evenings wandering over the pristine sands of the Alappuzha beach. Engage yourself in the merriment of sand art, stretch yourself under the sun and get a cool tan on your skin, or you can just jog around, sinking your footmarks into the heart of the white sands, that dot the landscape.
Smell The Fragrance of Alleppey Spread Nearby
Visit the 18th century Krishnapuram Palace built during the reign of Marthanda Varma, situated at 47 km from the downtown. This double storeyed structure displays elegant but unique characteristics of Kerala architecture - gabled roofs, dormar windows and narrow corridors winding all over the palace like petrified snakes crawling around. Have a look at the largest mural painting in Kerala called the Gajendra Moksham, a 14 feet by 11 feet work of art housed at the western end of the ground floor.
Plan a trip to Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple - situated at Harippad, 32 km south of Alleppey - a serpent shrine under the patronage of a 'Brahman' family, headed by a priestess. Legend has it that the presiding deity Lord Nagraja, born from the first priestess of Mannarasala as a five-headed snake, is an incarnation of Vishnu with the spirit of Shiva.
The green island of Pathiramanal is an ideal place for a break in the journey while on a backwater cruise. According to mythology, a young brahmin dived into the Vembanad Lake to perform his evening ablutions when the water made way for land to rise from below, thus creating this enchanting island of Pathiramanal (sands of night). Accessed by boat only this small patch of land is a favoured haven for hundreds of native and migratory birds. You can capture some good photographs here.
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