Venice Of The East

In the fast city life, there are times when serenity becomes a much wanted thing in life. For all of us, living a hustle bustle life, a cruise along Alleppey’s backwaters-meandering lakes networked by canals, is a rejuvenating experience, a tryst with tranquility where the land, water and the swaying palm fronts beckon us to the hilt.

We reached the boat jetty at about 3:30 and booked a three hour pleasure ride on the backwaters. Kettuvalloms are one of the major mode of transport in Kerala. Large kettuvalloms (traditional ones are over 600 feet in length) are converted into luxury houseboats for travel cruises.

Water taxis putter busily along the canals. Water signs mark the way. We were on National Water Highway #3. A number of schools, churches and temples stand on the water’s edge, waiting for their flock to disembark form the boats. We gently cruised along to the vast expanse of Lake Vembanad, and saw plenty of houseboats snaking along the backwaters, heading towards Kochi, and Kumarakom. The boatman, who also served as our guide, stopped the boat now and then to explain things to us. He showed us the place where the annual boat race held during Onam begins. He stopped by one of the water side refreshment groves and offered us tender coconuts. It was fun to have freshly plucked coconut, atop a boat in that rustic surrounding.

After this we took an u-turn to narrower waterways. The boat was now moving amidst lush greenery all round, with majestic cocunut trees lined up as if for a guard of honour. Besides these, squadrons of ducks, kingfishers and few other aquatic birds added memorable moments in our journey.

Drifting down these small canals we had privileged and exclusive glimpses into the minor rituals that make up the daily lives of those living along it’s banks. The rhythm of life down here is slow and leisurely. There were kids playing around, swinging from the coconut trees and splashing into the waters with a splosh, having a swimming competition amongst themselves. We witnessed vendors selling their goods door to door on.. guess what Boats. I was thrilled at the sight of a man selling utensils, stacked on the narrow boat, to a lady who seemed to be cleaning vessels in the water in front of her house.

As we were cruising along the granary of Kerala, Kuttanad, which is one of the few regions in the world, where farming is done below the sea level, the melting sun painted the horizons in orange and crimson hues. Clad in the soft warmth of the golden yellow rays, the placid backwaters reveal Nature, in all her true glory. At a distance dark silhouettes of the coconut palms were dancing to the rhythms of the genteel breeze. Ethereally lit by the glow of the polychromatic sunset, the backwaters was a sight that was inspiring and was a feeling that needs to be experienced.

Cruising gently over the many canal networks in the backwater stretches of Kerala is indeed a pleasurable experience that I would love to do again and again.