Vallamkali (Boat Race) – More Than Just a Sport

“Unity is strength” is a universal principle that all of us have heard of and written essays on. This saying can’t be better deciphered than by looking at 100-125 oarsmen, who row in unison to the fast rhythm of Vanchipattu (song of the boatman), slicing their Chundan Vallam (snake boat) across the waves of Vembanad Lake; in short, Vallamkali (Boat Race).

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, which is held on the Punnamda Lake near Alappuzha on the second Saturday of August every year, is the most competitive and popular of the boat races. On the day of this fiercely fought boat race, the tranquil lake front becomes an ocean of humanity. For the people of each village in Kuttanad, Vallamkali is not just a sport, but a splendid display of their culture and togetherness.

The history of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is associated with the visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, to Alappuzha. During his trip from Kottayam to Alappuzha across water-logged Kuttanad, a pageantry of Chundan Vallams accompanied him. Thrilled and excited by the performance of the oarsmen, Nehru donated a Silver Trophy, which is a replica of a snake boat placed on a wooden abacus, inscribed – “To the winners of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore Cochin.”

Vallamkali is not only the world’s largest team sport but also an adrenaline-pumping, high-octave spectacle, with singers urging on the rowers, and cheering spectators. What makes it special is that the participating boats are no modern marvels, but magnificent traditional crafts called Chundan Vallam .

The 100-120 feet long canoes made of a forest wood locally called “Aanjili thadi” carrying rowers and moving like a snake through the lake is an electrifying sight for any onlooker. The Chundan Vallam has the record of “the biggest water vessel used for sports purpose”. Sleek and immaculately poised, the snake boats are the pride of every village.

From a distance, the galvanising beats of Chenda and Kathakali performances instill an impending combat-like scenario in the mind.

One end of the boat suggests a snake’s flared hood, which is why it’s called a ‘Snake Boat’. It takes more than a year to design and prepare a snake boat. Hard labour, patience and meticulous work are put into crafting these boats.

A triumph which is celebrated for months, winning the Nehru Trophy Vallamkali is a matter of inexpressible esteem for each and every villager of Kuttanad.

Rhapsody of Hills - Munnar, Kerala

Munnar, which means confluence of three rivers, was the summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. In the late 19th century, A.H. Sharp planted the first tea bush and since then tea has been the main agricultural crop in the region. Today, the hills around Munnar are blanketed with best-in-class green tea bushes. With its sprawling tea plantations, pristine valleys and mountains and cool air, it’s no surprise that Munnar has been rated the second-best Asian travel destination for 2010.

If you are a true admirer of nature who has a passion for driving, Munnar is your dream destination and cruising along winding smooth roads across mist-sheeted lush green tea gardens is the finest experience you can ever have.

On the way to Munnar, some 22 kms before reaching there, I stopped by Anayirankal dam, a vast expanse of water surrounded by green carpeted hills covered with tea gardens. The distant view of the reservoir follows you for another 15 kms and it’s an excellent location for photography.

Around every corner is another stunning view. You do not need a map or a guide; all you need is a good pair of shoes and the curiosity to see what is around the next curve. You need not necessarily be a shutterbug; random clicks can get you incredible photographs.

The dude who poses here is Varayadu or Nilgiri Tahr, stocky goats with short, coarse fur and a bristly mane. Nilgiri Tahr is an endangered mountain ungulate listed in schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Eravikulam National Park which has the highest density and largest surviving population of this species is situated hardly 14 kms from Munnar town. Know more about this endangered species.

Does this picture suggest land’s end? It virtually is. This is Top Station, which is 41 kms uphill from Munnar. Located at the border of Kerala and Tamilnadu, this spot offers an ‘awebreathtakingsome’ panoramic view. Strolling down this pathway with steep abyss on both sides is adventurous, rather risky, but the view you get there is one of a kind.

At every other corner you will find women with baskets full of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget to bargain and buy tender carrots, passion fruits and wild tomatoes, all farm fresh and delicious.

Anamudi is the highest peak in the Western Ghats situated at a height of 2,695 metres (8,842 feet) above mean sea level. It is located in the southern part of Eravikulam National Park, fifty kilometers from Munnar. It is also the ideal place for wildlife travelers and nature lovers. It literally means “Elephant forehead”.

13 kms away from Munnar, Mattupetty is famous for its highly specialised dairy farm, the Indo-Swiss project. More than 100 varieties of high yielding cattle are reared here. The Mattupetty Lake and Dam, just a short distance from the farm, is a gorgeous picnic spot. The sprawling Kundala tea plantations, Kundala Lake and the echo point are other attractions in the vicinity. A boat cruise on the lake is the best way to enjoy the leisure.

Bristling with wildlife and crystal clear streams, the enticing charm of Munnar is simply irresistible. The area has many attractions within a short distance of the town of Munnar, including the Sandalwood Forest of Marayoor and the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Honeymoon in Kerala – Take Tour Beloved to Romantic Destinations

A charming state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India, Kerala is a prominent destination for tourism and holiday India. It is one of the most charming and captivating states of India. Its capital city is Trivandrum. Also known as God’s Own Country, Kerala is noted for its lush greenery, scenic landscapes and truly amiable ambiance for peaceful vacations. The state has great tourism opportunity with beautiful beaches, breathtaking backwaters, luxuriant jade hill stations, fragrant tea & spice plantations, exotic wildlife, rich flora & fauna, historical places & monuments, religious places & shrines, etc. Excellent accommodation facilities at different beach resorts and hotels are available according to your needs and budgets. Tree houses are houseboats are unique forms of excellent and unique accommodation in Kerala, God’s Own Country.

With great tourism opportunity, excellent accommodation facilities and peaceful ambiance, Kerala is also popular among honeymooners or newly wed couples. It presents truly amiable and romantic ambiance for honeymooners coming from different parts of the world. Beaches and backwaters; hill stations and mountains; lakes and rivers; forts and monuments; historical places and religious places – Kerala has all to make it popular destination for honeymoon vacations in India. Water spots, river cruises and lots of beach activities give honeymooners a mind-boggling charm of Kerala tourism. Kovalam is an internationally famous beach town in the state. It is very famous among other kinds of vacationers along with honeymooners. Varkala, Fort Kochi, Beypore, etc are some other popular beach destinations in the state.

Backwater cruises on enchanting Kerala backwaters are perhaps the most entertaining activities in this charming state. Backwater cruise can surely enhance the charm of your Kerala honeymoon tour. Alleppey, Kuttanad, Kollam, Fort Kochi, Kozhikode, Kumarakom, etc are prominent backwater destinations in the state where honeymooners can enjoy cruises over the breathtakingly beautiful and tranquil backwaters. One of the main tourist attractions, the backwater cruises in Kerala are dream experiences on houseboats or kettuvalloms that are especially designed with open lounge, one or two bedrooms with attached bathrooms and a kitchenette. Houseboat stay is a truly romantic experience for honeymooners or romantic couples.

Hill stations of Kerala are equally famous among honeymooners and newly wed couples. There are some beautiful hill stations in the state which attract couples for exciting and romantic honeymoon tour in India. Munnar, Wayanad, Ponmudi, Peermede, etc are popular hill stations the state where you can seek delight for your honeymoon vacations in Kerala, God’s Own Country. Well, if you too are looking for a right destination for honeymoon, Kerala can perfectly cater your needs for dreamhoneymoon destination in India.

Kerala Tour Packages Covers Exciting Places For Holidays in Kerala

India is endowed with some of the enchanting tourism destinations. It has royal state like Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat and Tamilnadu, but the beauty of Kerala is different from all these and is truly unmatched by any other tourism destinations in the world. It is immensely blessed by the beauty of nature which is showcases in the form of breathtaking beautiful backwaters, pristine beaches and hill stations. More of all the state is well known for its exotic beach resorts, Kerala backwaters resorts and hotels that provides wonderful accommodation facilities and on top the warm hospitality. Due to these enigmatic attractions and facilities, Kerala is now one of the sought after tourists destination in India.

Kerala tour packages offer wonderful opportunity to explore and enjoy holidays in this beautiful state in a delightful and memorable way. Several packages are made available by the tour operators. These days many of the leading tour operators for Kerala have made the book much easier by providing online book facilities. Book one according to your choice and enjoy your vacation in this beautiful state also referred as green paradise on earth in a delightful and memorable way.

The state of Kerala has some of the most beautiful holidaying destinations that are not only blessed with beauty of nature but at the same time heavenly ambiance, offering visitors enjoy time in ecstasy. Here enjoy the cruise over the scenic backwater of Kumarakom, Alleppey, Kollam, Kuttanad, and Kovalam, Cochin and see the real beauty the state for which is it globally acclaimed. Once the houseboat starts floating over the pristine waters and meanders through the scenic pathways you will come across magnetizing attractions like paddy fields, lovely waterfalls, brooks, rustic villages, spice gardens and heritage attractions. More off, the entire cruise is truly made heavenly by the luxurious and comfortable rooms decorated in a traditional appealing charm and the warm hospitality shared by the staffs of the houseboats. Truly Kerala holiday is made an experience of lifetime by the houseboat cruise over the scenic backwaters of the state – the God's Own Country.

Apart from this there are beaches in Kerala which are also the most preferred holidaying destinations. Blessed with awesome aura and exotic ambiance the sun-kissed beaches of Kerala offers wonderful opportunity for one and all to enjoy time the way they like. You have lots of options and utilize the options so that you treasure the experience that makes your Kerala tours a memento of lifetime. Beaches are the perfect place to enjoy water sports like swimming, para-sailing, water skiing, boating and many other such exciting activities.

Beside these there are hill stations blessed with awesome aura and attractions that are beyond visual delights. Here breath the fresh filled with aroma of spice, climb the highest peak of south India- Anaimudi, view the scenic natural beauty and the overflowing waterfalls, call of the birds and many other exciting spell-binding attractions. Visit some of the hill stations like Idduki, Wayanad, Rajamala, Devikulam and Munnar and enjoy the overflowing beauty of the natural attractions of Kerala India. It is also home to some of the exotic wildlife parks and sanctuaries where rare and endangered species live and rule their kingdom in their own style. Come to Kerala and experience the beauty of all these wonderful tourism destinations and attractions in a delightful and memorable way.

Thekkady – The Abode of Gods

Serenity, placidity, beatitude, repose… I’d like to add one more word to the list of synonyms for tranquility – that’s Thekkady.

For a regular tourist, Thekkady is all about a two-hour boating in the calm lake amid dense, evergreen, deciduous forests and savannah grass lands, but it is home to thousands of varieties of plant life and wildlife, which cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.

If you have travelled to other tourist destinations in Kerala like Munnar, you may wonder what’s so exceptional about this boating. To find an answer for yourself, you have to experience it. I have seen people who prefer Thekkady to Munnar, Kumarakom or any other hot destination; why? Just for the tranquility.

I’ve been planning to revisit Thekkady for quite a while but was heartbroken when I made it there. The weather was completely unfavourable for my lens. But I was thanking my lucky stars that I decided to go boating despite the bad weather, one of the rarest sights, a full rainbow, was awaiting me.

Situated at about 700-1900m above sea level and spread over approximately 12.07 sq.kms, the splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaiperiyar Dam across the Periyar River locates the oldest wildlife sanctuary in India established in 1895 and has been given the status of an Tiger Reserve in 1978.

Below this thick green canopy roam herds of elephants, sambar deer, tigers, oaters, lion tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs, but you have to be really lucky to see a tiger while boating. Yet you have the opportunity for trekking, mountain walk, and jungle patrol, which will definitely get you the glimpse of a tiger.

There’s only one place like Thekkady, and that’s Thekkady. The magnificence of this place is just beyond words and thus paying a visit becomes a must.