Kumarakom
WELL – KNOWN KUMARAKOM
Kumarakom has some of the finest resorts in the country. Portrayed against the background of rich green paddy fields and the blue waters, Kumarakom was for years a silent and sleepy place; enriched with beauty but with no place foe accommodation facilities. So when tourism took off in Kerala, along with the charm of backwaters, travellers also discovered Kumarakom. Then it was the golden era for tourism as innumerable resorts came up over here and transformed this quiet area into a highly demanded destination.
The name ‘Kumarakom’ means the house of Lord Subramanya (kumara). Kumarakom’s biggest advantage is that it can be reached easily by road from Kottayam, Kochi and Alapuzha. This is nice destination for the experience- loving independent traveller. The peculiar thing about Kumarakom is that there isn’t much activity to do here in this lazy, idyllic place. You can just sit back and enjoy the colourful nature and the gentle smooth life.
India’s former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, once visited Kumarakom and was mesmerized by its enchanting looks and wrote a poem ‘Kumarakom Musings’. Paul McCartney, musician and former Beatle, who visited Kumarakom for two-weeks, wrote that ‘truly, this is God’s Own Country’.
Exotic cruising…
You can experience the thrill of cruising in a house boat or kettuvallam which takes you altogether to a different world. The reason of the immense popularity of houseboats cruises lies not just in the tranquility of the experience. There is also the setting that gives an intimate glimpse into another world. Navigating through the backwaters, you will understand what it is like to live in an environment where there is water everywhere. Other interesting waterside activities like coir manufacturing, copra (dry coconut) drying, fishing and rice farming is done on reclaimed land below sea level.
You will also experience the hospitality of the people, which make your cruise even more interesting. You are welcomed to the boat with refreshing tender coconut, you are introduces to the members of the houseboats, meals mostly typical Kerala food, bedrooms, bathrooms and a vast range of other facilities. Just enjoy this groovy feeling!
The Legendry Lake
Vembanad Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia. Kottayam has a vast network of rivers and canals which empty into the great expanse the Vembanad Lake. Vembanad was formed because of the union of three rivers— Periyar at Kochi, Pamba at Alapuzha and Meenachil at Kottayam with its widest point at Kumarakom. The lake is an enchanting spot and a developing Backwater Tourism destination, which provides boating, fishing and sightseeing experiences.
The Kumarakom tourist village offers houseboat cruises and holiday packages. Vembanad Kayal, as it is called in Malayalam, is a tank that acts against the floods. We can see the local folks searching for the Karimeen (Pearl spot Fish). The serene lake comes alive during Onam with spectacular snake boat races. It is amazing to watch oarsmen, slice their way through the waters to the fast rhythm of their traditional boat song.
Arundhati Roy’s Booker Prize winning book ” God of Small Things “ describes the village ‘Ayemenem’ which is nearby from Kumarakom. The best way to discover the stretch of backwaters from Kumarakom to Vembanad Lake is to take a leisure boat ride. Every monsoon, the ancient Thaneermukkam Dam is opened to maintain the level of water and prevent flooding. The waters of the Vembanadu Lake become venomously saline but the roots of the mangrove trees in the lake absorb this salinity, and make the water fresh again.
A Wooded Museum
This is an outstanding museum that showcases a large range of elegant sculptures, collected from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. There are many sculptures like the Jarawa women (tribal), elephant, monkey, lion and the most attractive one is the ferocious crocodile which looks as if alive and pieces of KargilWar. Here we can also observe the wide variety of flowers and buds.
Free birds…
In a vest area of 14 acres of rubber plantation which was earlier known as ‘Baker’s Estate’, these birds are free to fly. It is vastly spread across 14 acres of rubber plantation formerly known as ‘Baker’s Estate’. During the dawn and dusk, we can hear the sanctuary becoming alive with shrill cries and unmusical loud calls. You can find the trees dotted with night herons, Brahminy kites, purple moorhen, teals, darters, egrets and large Indian fruit bats. Indian Shag, white ibis, local waterfowl and pond heron. June to August is the breeding season of resident wetland birds. Between November to May is the season of the migratory birds like pintailed duck, garganey teal, osprey, marsh harrier and steepey eagle and many more. Take a pair of binoculars with you and have a close view of beautiful creation of God.
Fact file:
Location: – 12km west from Kottayam.
Best Time to visit: – September to February is the best time to visit.
If you want a monsoon break, June to July is ideal.