Boathouse Alleppey, The Complete information of Kerala Boat House, Rice boats and Boat races

Conference Houseboats in Alleppey

2020-08-10T05:49:00.006-07:00

Conference Houseboats in Alleppey

Conference boats are specially designed for the Family get together, corporate meetings, wedding parties and day trips for groups. They are designed for heavy seating capacities like 100 – 150 persons especially for day cruises. These boats will have two layered decks with one layer filled with rooms and kitchen and the upper layer built with the large space for conferences.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Honeymoon Houseboats in Alleppey

2020-08-10T05:44:00.004-07:00

Honeymoon Houseboats

Honeymoon Houseboats oozes calmness, tranquillity, and elegance. A ride through the inland canals leading to the great ocean ensures perfect romantic experience on your dream date. What’s special for honeymooners- Canoe excursion, fishing, and village walk. Come fall in love. With your better half. With nature!

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Luxury Houseboats in Kerala

2020-08-10T05:40:00.007-07:00

Luxury Alleppey Houseboats

Luxury houseboats in Alleppey offer the best service and spectacular interiors and are nothing short in its grandeur from a five-star resort. In this category we provide upto four bedrooms on the same boat.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Deluxe Houseboats in Alleppey

2020-08-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

Deluxe Alleppey Houseboats

This class of houseboats are equipped with amenities including living area, A/C bedrooms, attached bathrooms, viewing decks and kitchen. Deluxe houseboats in Alleppey offer a budget option to enjoy the backwaters of Alleppey with standard facilities.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Budget Houseboats in Alleppey

2020-08-10T05:31:00.002-07:00

Budget Alleppey Houseboats

Budget houseboats have A/C bedroom with attached bathroom, living area and kitchen. In this class A/C will operate in bedroom from 9pm to 6am only.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Boat Races in Alleppey, Kerala Snake Boat Race

2009-12-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

KUTTANADU

The Legend

Kuttanadu is another place like Venice in Holland, where cultivation is done below the sea level (2' to 6' lower) by constructing dykes (‘azhi' and ‘pozhi'). According to the great epic of Mahabharatha, this place had been a dense forest named “Khandava Vana” which was very rich with medicinal herbs. The epic says that ‘Agni', the lord of fire, consumed it for remedying the indigestion caused by the continuous consumption of “Ghee” (Melted Butter) offered by the ‘rishis' (saints) for a prolonged period of time. This dense forest was immensely rich with plants of medicinal value that helped to cure Agni's indigestion.

The inhabitants here say that the name Kuttanadu came from the Malayalam word “Chuttanadu” meaning ‘the burnt land'. Excavators still come across charcoal in abundance in the Purakkadu, Karumady and Thottappally regions of Kuttanadu. In fact, some of the places in Kuttanadu like ‘Kainakari', ‘Ramankari', ‘Mithrakari' etc. are named after charcoal; ‘kari' meaning charcoal.

Some people say that this region was named ‘Kuttanadu' after “Chenkuttavan” who ruled this place long time back.

History

Kayamkullam, Purakkadu, Chembakasserri (Ambalappuzha), Thekkancore, Vadakkancore were the prominent dynasties in Kuttanadu during the 1400-1500 period. There main force of Militia was the naval force as all these terrains were surrounded by water bodies.

The rulers of Chembakasserri dynasty and Kayamkulam dynasty were fanatical enemies. So in 1614 Chembakasserri Thampuran, the ruler of Chembakasserri dynasty and the only Brahmin king (all the other rulers were warrior caste) had declared a reward for those who could come up with the fastest boat with maximum weapons and soldier capacity. Thus Venkida Narayanan Achari of the Oorukkari region presented before the king, a miniature model of boat made of coconut husk and coir ropes and explained him about its advantages as follows.

Both the Stern and the Nose were proportionally higher than the middle part of the boat. So those who stand at the stern could see long distances from its elevated position, which helps them to change the course of the boat or boost extra leverage with a few strokes of the sculls, which is equivalent to ten oars.

Four people could be placed in the stern position for inflicting massive power surge of 40 oars at a time. There was a provision to seat 8 scullers at nose to maneuver the boat easily as this part is above the water.

64 oarsmen could be seated in the middle of the boat as they were capable of delivering a massive power surge for this lean boat which is 26.25 meters long and 80 cm wide at the center part. Arms could be stored underneath the ‘ Vedippadi' were the elite warriors used to stand waiting for their ambush. Should there arise a need for an extra boost for the oarsmen, or a sudden change in the course of the boat, the scullers at the stern strike a few massive strokes with their mighty sculls and the boat dashes like a bolt of lightning through the water with immaculate speed.

The king was flabbergasted with this design and ordered to make it immediately- which eventually led to his victory over the ruler of Kayamkulam. This was the first ‘Chundan' boat build and over the years there have been modifications to improvise the exclusivity. As the rule of the monarchy ended, the elite war ships become recreational objects.

Changes in the design and functionality became inevitable as the use and utility went different. For e.g. These Chundan boats from Aranmula and surroundings still have a high nose and a very high stern as they were not racing boats but just show boats.

The Alleppey Chundans are having smaller stern and a nose almost parallel to the water in order to attain maximum speed by increasing the strength of oarsmen.

The latest Chundan from Alleppey region named Paippadan Chundan is 39.39 meters long and with a maximum Vedippadi width of 62.5 cm is sufficient to accommodate 100 oarsmen. This boat covered 1350 meters to finish first at the 53 rd Nehru Trophy Boat Race in 4 minutes and 57 seconds!!!

Biogeography

The land Kuttanadu comprises of lagoons and canals cris – crossing the main land, edged by silver sands of Arabian Coast. Being situated below the sea level, the entry of sea water has to be checked by constant pumping or constructing dykes called ‘azhi' or ‘pozhi'. Coconut plantations are maintained over elevated land where as paddy is cultivated in damp land. Earlier there had been only one yield of paddy in a year which in local dialect was known as ‘Oru pooppu'. After the construction of the two check dams - one in Thottappally and the other in Thannirmukkom, it is made possible to have two yeilds called ‘Eru pooppu'.

Culture

Has the basic characteristic of this region being agriculture and the main mode of transportation being water bound, the life of the people around here become so inter-related with boats and canals. With the passage of time, they gradually developed a culture based on agriculture, observance and established custom. The social strata based on profession, culture and beliefs made them look for avenues of enjoyment while on work. For .e.g. a solitary person spinning the ‘Ela Chakkra' to expel the water out of fields , in order to amuse himself and ease his solitude ,has songs for this occasion which is known as ‘Chakkrapattu'. The women, while planting the ‘Njaru' (sapling of paddy) has songs called ‘Njattu pattu'; ‘Thekku pattu', to flush the water off the fields; ‘Koithu pattu' for harvesting the fields and ‘Poli pattu' for cleansing the grains. The festivities, the trade, commerce and their believes were so influence by this cultural strata.

The ‘Vanchippattu' or boat song often sung by the boat rowers in order to overcome the boredom and refresh themselves during the whole day long travel uniquely maintains a pleasant tune and vary the pitch according to the speed and acceleration of boat. The rowers have a wide verity of songs- basically related to the heroes or myths of the time. There are different versions to these songs such as Southern songs, Northern songs, Panar songs (songs sung by a nomadic community called ‘Panar') and Kuthiyotta songs which are for the contest and festivals.

Types of Boats

1. Chundans were the war ship during 1600-1700 which ensured the victory of Chempakasserri over the ruler of Kayamkulam. more.....

2, Iruttukutty also known as Vadakkan Oddy were used by the pirates in the lake because they were faster and they do not make much noice in the water.

3, Churulans were pushed through the water with the help of poles, instead of oars. these were used by rich aristocrates for travel. Now this catagory race is restricted for women.

4, Veppu also known as Parunth Vallan (Kite-tail). Their purpose was to accompany the Chundans while they venture for a battle with provisions for the soldiers.

5, Company boats have it's nose like that of Churulan and it's stern like Chundan, they are also called Thekkan Oddy. Now this catagory race is also restricted for women.

6, Palliyodams have huge sterns than Chundan. Unlike the Chundan, the nose of the Palliyodams are higher which helps the manoverablity much faster.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Kerala Tourism, Kerala tour packages, kerala tours

2009-12-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

Kerala is an enchanting kaleidoscope full of breathtaking surprises. It is a small strip of land sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the mighty mountains of the Western Ghats. Kerala State was formed on 1st November 1956, with Thiruvanthapuram its capital city.

Kerala is gifted with exotic ingredients-For beach lovers, the choice of beaches are many where you can swim and surf on peaceful beaches. If you are Nature lover, cool high mountains, boating through the silent lake, a walk through plantation are waiting for you. Kerala, the land of lagoons, long stretches of lush vegetation, wildlife sanctuaries, cool enchanting backwaters and so on makes it a perfect vacation paradise. Apart from exotic scenery, Kerala is famous for its colourful festivals and events. The Nehru Boat Race held at Alappuzha has attained popularity all over the world. Onam is the most important festival of Kerala; children go around collecting flowers for the decoration in front of their house. It’s an occasion for family get-together for the Keralites. Kerala has enriched the cultural heritage of India in the field of Arts, Music and Dance. Kathakali is the famous classical dance drama of Kerala. The Ayurvedic treatment and yoga are the added attractions of Kerala. Soak your soul and mind in the ecstasy of celestial blessing of nature, rejuvenate your body and mind. Keralas tempting cuisine is mildly flavoured and gently cooked. The breakfast menu starts with pootu, dosa, idilli, palappam etc. For lunch the items are served on banana leaf starting with rice, sambar, pachadi, aviyal, pickles, pappad and so on. Desserts (Payasam) are essential part of the meal. Payasams are thick fluid made of milk, coconut milk, nuts and raisins. No lunch is complete without having a banana. Kerala is an ideal place for shopping. You can take home ivory carvings, eye-catching handloom sarees, gold ornaments, spices etc. The handicrafts of Kerala are known for the unique style. Kerala is also a busy exporting factor of tea, rubber, cardamom, coffee, and cashew nuts. No wonder Kerala is known to be God’s Own Country. about AlleppeyBuilt in the 9th century AD, Alleppey, called Alappuzha lies on the edge of the great Ashtamudi Lake. With the Arabian Sea on the west and a vast labyrinth of lakes, lagoons and several freshwater rivers criss-crossing it, Alappuzha is a district of immense natural beauty. Related to the Venice of the East by travellers from around the world, this Backwater Country is also home to diverse range of animals and birds. It has always been honored a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala for its proximity to the sea. Alleppey has earned fame in the commercial world as the world’s premier supplier of coir. Today, Alleppey has emerged as a Backwater Tourist Centre, beckoning thousands of foreign tourists each year. Alleppey is also famous for its Boat races, Houseboat Holidays, Beaches, Marine Products and Coir Industry. Every year, during August-September, Alleppey wakes up to the pulsating Nehru Cup Snake Boat Race, a water sport unique to Kerala.

Sightseeing at Alleppey:-Alleppey Beach: Close to Alleppey Railway Station, the Alleppey beach is long and has thick palm groves on one end. This is an ideal place to sit and relax.Alleppey Backwaters:

Alleppey - Kuttanad - The enticing backwaters and the amazing backwater house boats attracts thousands of tourists to this place. Get on these boats and rub shoulders with a colourful and varied group of locals.Or take a ride into Kuttanad through lush green fields and watch coir workers soak, beat and weave coconut fibres into long ropes on spindles as you pass the endless stretch of coconut trees.

Krishnapuram Palace: Situated about 47 km from Alleppey, this 18th century palace of the Travancore kings is built in typical Kerala style of architecture. On the show are antique sculptures, paintings and bronze artifacts, which are worth appreciating.

Ambalapuzha Temple: This famous Sri Krishna temple at Ambalapuzha, is known for its traditional Kerala architecture and delicious palpayasam (sweet porridge made with milk). About 3 kms from Ambalapuzha is the 10th century Karumadikuttan statue, a black granite statue of Buddha.

Aruthunkal: Situated 22 km north of Alleppey is the ancient St.Sebastian Church, which was erected by the Portuguese and is a popular centre of pilgrimage for the Christians of Kerala. The feast of St.Sebastian is held every January.

Mullackal Temple Dedicated to goddess Rajarajeswari, is also a place worth visiting. The Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple This temple is believed to have miraculous powers and hence visited by number of pilgrims every year. Reaching

Alleppey:-Air : The Nearest airport is Kochi International Airport, about 85 km from Alleppey town.
Rail: Nearest railway station is Alleppey, about 5 km from the beach.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Kerala Houseboats, kerala boat house, kerala houseboats

2009-11-29T04:47:00.000-08:00

The Houseboats of Kerala are a new addition to the travel and tourism of the state’s backwaters. These crafts, measuring up to 120 feet in length, retrieved from the age old cargo vessels of the State. Once they ruled the backwaters, poled along by one or two men, heavily loaded with rice, coconut and other commodities. But in the recent times, these big vessels have been replaced by more and modern modes of transport, relegating them to neglect and decay. But like the phoenix it again raises to the attention of the modern world, with a difference – this time the cargo is comfort and rippling relaxation. It takes great skill and meticulousness to construct these giant houseboats by tying huge planks of jack wood together. Curiously enough, not a single nail is used in their making of a houseboat. There used to be an entire clan of artisans who were involved in house boat construction. Today, an innovative holiday idea has restored these majestic representatives of a unique culture and with them their makers.

The Kerala houseboats that cruise these emerald waterways are an improvisation on the large country barges, which were an essential part of the land’s ethos in days gone by. Modified to meet a novel concept of holidaying, the kettuvalloms (houseboats) are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, one or two bath attached bedrooms and a kitchenette, and are extremely eco friendly, merging smoothly into the panorama. Every houseboat is manned by a crew of 3 men, usually a cook, guide and oarsman.

For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Alleppey Houseboat Tour

2009-11-27T23:33:00.000-08:00

Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is one of the most beautiful tourism destinations of Kerala – God’s Own Country. It is predominantly famous for backwater tourism and house boat tours over scenic backwaters of God’s Own Country. At Alleppey there are numerous options for tourism and mesmerizing vacation in the lap of nature. Nature has blessed Alleppey uniquely and gifted several beautiful attractions of tourist interest. Picturesque landscapes are excellent spots for mesmerizing vacation. It is, due to its extraordinary nature beauty, very popular among nature lovers and honeymoon couples. For couples it is a paradise on the earth. There are several ayurvedic resorts & treatment centre at Alleppey which are the prime attractions of Alleppey visit. Ayurveda in Kerala is practice for long times. Ayurvedic resorts at Alleppey provide excellent accommodation as well as ayurvedic treatments and therapies. Alleppey is very famous for annual Nehru Trophy boat race. This worth visiting and enjoying boat race is organized during the August or September. During this time scenic backwaters of Alleppey have become crowed with numerous spectators and a large number of competitors. Despite backwaters Alappuzha attractions include the Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, the Marari Beach, the Alleppey Beach, the Ambalapuzha Temple, the Pathiramanal Island, the Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple, the St. Andrew Church, the Krishnapuram Palace, Houseboats, etc. Perhaps the most mesmerizing attractions of Alappuzha are houseboats. Traditionally known as Kettuvallams houseboats in Kerala are luxurious accommodation floating over the scenic backwaters. A houseboat stay in Alleppey is a delightful experience of lifetime. You should not miss it on your visit to Alappuzha. A leisurely houseboat cruise through the stretch of breathtakingly beautiful backwaters fringed by palm coconut trees is the most important tourist attraction of Alleppey houseboat tours in Kerala, God’s Own Country. Better known as the “Venice of the East” Alleppey is globally famous for its maze of lovely lakes, scenic lagoons and freshwater rivers crisscrossing it. For tourists Alleppey is the most important points for boat cruises in to famous backwaters of Kerala, God’s Own Country. A well-organized boat cruise provides wonderful opportunities to see mesmerizing views of lush green paddy fields of Kuttanad region. Kuttanad is considered as the lush rice bowl of Kerala, India. Alleppey provides tourists opportunities to enjoy wonderful boat cruise experience. It provides tourists opportunities to sail along the snaky network of scenic water bodies and see the unique water world onboard boat cruise and experience the myriad charms of nature by close. If tourists think of houseboat in Kerala, Alleppey strikes their mind at first. So, well embark on backwater tours from Alleppey onboard luxurious boat cruise and sail along tranquil and serene charm of zigzag backwaters. Hear the peaceful sound of water waving along side your boat cruise as you waft on tranquil and scenic backwaters of Alleppey. Feel absolutely stress-free as you enter a world of tranquility and superb natural beauty in Alleppey, Kerala. See the mesmerizing views of gorgeous countryside, convincing palm coconut trees, bright green paddy fields, and children surfing from the shorelines of the backwaters, as you cruise on traditional Kettuvallams or luxurious house boats. Treasure the delightful experience on your Alleppey houseboat kerala India, God’s Own Country. For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboat.org

Kerala Backwaters

2009-11-27T06:20:00.000-08:00

The Kerala backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. The network includes five large lakes linked by canals, both manmade and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

Kerala has over 900 km of interconnected waterways, rivers, lakes and inlets that make up the Kerala backwaters. In the midst of this beautiful landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which are the starting and end points of backwater cruises.National Waterway No. 3 from Kollam to Kottapuram, covers a distance of 205 km and runs almost parallel to the coast line of southern Kerala facilitating both cargo movement and backwater tourism.

The backwaters have a unique ecosystem - freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea. In certain areas, such as the Vembanad Kayal, where a barrage has been built near Kumarakom, salt water from the sea is prevented from entering the deep inside, keeping the fresh water intact. Such fresh water is extensively used for irrigation purposes.

Many unique species of aquatic life including crabs, frogs and mudskippers, water birds such as terns, kingfishers, darters and cormorants, and animals such as otters and turtles live in and alongside the backwaters. Palm trees, pandanus shrubs, various leafy plants and bushes grow alongside the backwaters, providing a green hue to the surrounding landscape.

Vembanad Kayal is the largest of the lakes, covering an area of 200 km², and bordered by Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. The port of Kochi (Cochin) is located at the lake’s outlet to the Arabian Sea. Alleppey, “Venice of the East”, has a large network of canals that meander through the town. Vembanad is India’s longest lake.

Kerala backwaters are the most popular tourist attraction of Kerala. Backwaters are formed by the accumulation of sea water at the beach. As the waves moved to and fro, they made their way tearing the ground and forming backwaters. The backwaters are essentially inland lakes connected by a network of canals. The best way to enjoy the Kerala backwaters is to take a cruise on a Kettuvallam or the house boat.

The major backwaters in Kerala are: -Alappuzha Backwaters is one of the exotic backwater sites of India’s southern state Kerala. Washed by the Arabian Sea, interlocked by a number of canals and bridges, this tiny marketplace is also famous for its Nehru Trophy boat race held every year. Alappuzha Backwaters is accessible by all the means of communication. The nearest airport is Kochi at a distance of 64 km north. The Trivandrum airport is located 159 km south of Alappuzha. Cities like Cochin, Chennai, Howrah, Bangalore and Bokaro are well connected to Alappuzha. National Highway 47 goes through Alappuzha connecting it with almost all the nearby places of South India.
The climate of Alappuzha Backwaters is temperate and humid in general and relatively more pleasant in the winter season. The temperature ranges from 22 to 35°C in summer and 20 to 32°C during winterThe Prime attractions of Alappuzha Backwaters are:-Punnamada KayalThe must-visit place of Alappuzha in kerala, where the annual Nehru Trophy boat race takes place during the month of August-September .The long boats, designed to resemble snakes, can accommodate 120 people, making two rows of 60 each.
For more details please visit Alleppey Houseboats.org