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From
the air, they look like a web of
tiny silver threads spinning across
the patchwork quilt of the Kerala
coast. Canals, sometimes as narrow
as an arm-span, sometimes broadening
out into vast, misty lakes. Straight
as an arrow, or curling gracefully
through scented forests of coconut,
pepper and cinnamon.
These are the backwaters of Kerala.
And their life's blood are the boats
that ply here, used for housing,
transport, commuting, commerce and
in recent times, pleasure.
The
queen among these is the 'Kettuvallom',
the traditional rice barge, with its
sturdy build and stately carriage.
Today, the Kettuvallom offers the
visitor to Kerala an entirely new
kind of experience. Combining
holidaying, pleasure boating and
ecological living in an exhilarating
way.
The backwaters are an ecology unlike
any other on earth. Rivers rush down
from the Cardamom Hills to drain
breathlessly into the plains,
forming rivulets, canals and dozens
of shallow, broad lakes. These, in
turn, merge with the estuaries of
the Malabar Coast. Finally, criss-crossing
this natural system are a network of
man-made waterways, centuries old,
that give the region its life and
special character.
(When Vasco da Gama arrived in these
parts, he found the backwaters much
as you will experience them today).
Elaborations in Wood and Rope
Our Spice Coast cruises feature
single and two-bedroom houseboats,
complete with kitchens, bathrooms
and your own personal
cooks-cum-attendants-cum-boatmen.
The boat hulls are made from
seasoned 'Anjili' (Jackfruit) logs,
that have a natural gentle
curvature. Keels are flat, because
the rivers here can get mighty
shallow at times, and also to allow
the boat to be easily punted. (They
come with a quiet outboard motor
too, so the boatman can get some
rest)
Respecting the ancient character of
the Kettuvallom, we took an
integrative approach to the
interiors. You'll see natural and
local materials everywhere, products
of the forest of wealth that
surrounds the backwaters. The decks
are laden with coir matting, and the
distinctive canopy uses split
bamboo, lashed together with coir
and covered with palm fronds.
Note the winged awnings, that, when
raised, give the houseboat a
distinctly rakish air. Legend has it
that they're a Chinese influence,
(like the fishing nets). Be that as
it may, we put in a few extra ones,
to take full advantage of the
breeze, and so you can get a better
look at the view.
Satori in a Spice Boat
The Japanese managed to put it in a
single word - 'Satori'. A sudden
flash of experience that leaves its
mark on your soul and colours all
your life afterwards.
To cruise the myriad beauties of the
backwaters is to invite Satori. So
close your eyes for a minute and let
your imagination wander with us.
You are on the boats' forward
sundeck, comfortably ensconced in a
rosewood-and-cane easy chair. Before
you is a 19th century table and upon
it is a fresh coconut, its water
spiked with lime.
Your
boat moves towards the mouth of the
Kavanar river at a scorching 6 miles
an hour. Hmmm. It would be a fight
to keep your eyelids from closing,
except that a refreshingly soft
breeze angles in westerly, off the
Vembanad lake. It carries the cries
of distant darter birds,
surprisingly loud over the waters.
You move upstream, and the gentle
life of another world unfolds around
you. A man, for some reason, gives
his pig a bath on the riverside
steps. A child smiles and waves
shyly from behind a jackfruit tree.
A dugout canoe, dangerously laden
with a cargo of rice, passes by. You
watch anxiously, but the water, ever
threatening to slop over into the
boat, never quite does so, and
before you know it, its master has
expertly manoevered the vessel to
the far bank.
The Fragile Biosphere
A
paradise in very real danger of
being lost. The ecology of the
backwaters is under threat from
factors such as silting, overfishing
and industrial effluents. The recent
upsurge in tourist activity has
given new economic life to the local
society, but also served to spoil
some of its most charming
characteristics.
Traditional Houseboat Cruises.
ACCOMMODATION
: One and Two Bedroom Kettuvalloms
FACILITIES
: Living room, bed room
with attached bathroom
Solar power
Crew - Navigator / cook
Regular doctors on call
DISTANCES
: 55 kms from Cochin
95 Kms from Cochin international
airport
SEASONS
: Jan - Mar: cool, dry
April - May: Summer
June - August: Monsoon
Sept - Dec: pleasant, dry
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