A Mesmerizing Trip on Alleppey Houseboat

A comfortable evening journey by bus brought me to the 'Venice of the east'- Alleppey (Alappuzha), in Kerala. With a mood to explore the entire city on a houseboat, I was booked in a houseboat provided by ATDC (Alleppey Tourism Development Co-operative Society) for one day. That was a huge houseboat ('Kettuvallom'- as people call it locally) and was well equipped with all the modern amenities like proper bedroom, AC, attached washroom, kitchen, tea/coffee maker and lounge area. I was provided with two assistants and a chef. They served me a mouth-watering rice preparation and my favourite fish curry in dinner. I spent a few late hours under the twinkling stars. The assistants told me that Alleppey was amongst the most busy trade centers in India. It was spotted when traders from across the world came here searching for souvenirs and black gold. Later the British established it as a trade port in the late 18th century. Even today, Alleppey is a center for prawn farming and Coir carpet industries.

The next morning, we started off towards the major destinations of the city. It was my first experience of exploring a destination on water. We first sailed towards the 18th century Krishnapuram Palace, which lies about 47 km from the city centre. I walked inside the fort to see the elegant double storeyed structure that displays characteristics of Kerala architecture in its gabled roofs, windows and corridors. It also houses the largest mural painting in Kerala called the Gajendra Moksham, a 14 by 11 feet work of art. I also visited several antique sculptures, paintings and bronzes at the palace. Meanwhile, the chef cooked breakfast for me and offered with a glass of orange juice.

Till the afternoon, we had explored enough of waterways (the huge networks of lagoons, canals, and lakes) along with water lilies and migratory birds. I saw a few local people busy in practicing for the Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, which was scheduled in the next month. I still wonder how the small children are capable of sailing these boats with such a perfection in the region. As the town is established on a narrow land spit between Arabian Sea and Vembanad Lake, these waterways serve as a lifeline to the entire region.

I was also taken to enjoy the splendid natural beauty at the Pathiramanal Island, where I spotted hundreds of the migratory birds. The island, sandwiched between Thaneermukkom and Kumarakom, offers the matchless natural beauty. I also enjoyed the short sightseeing trip to R-Block, its backwaters and the nearby paddy fields. My entire day on a houseboat was simply outstanding. That was an unforgettable holiday amidst the backwaters in Alleppey or the passageways to the beauty.