Laid-Back Allepey: The
Backwaters of Kerala

chillibreeze writer — Anjali Misra

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Sometimes life gets very hectic and monotonous and you need a dose of spontaneity to liven things up. So one fine day my husband announced we would take a weekend break to the Kerala backwaters. Imagine my surprise and happiness when I heard this. Mainly because Kerala has been my dream destination since forever.

I packed in a jiffy, with most of the space occupied by the camcorder and the digital camera. We caught an early morning flight out of Mumbai to Kochi and landed in cloudy weather which reminded me of the approaching monsoons. Our luggage in hand we headed to Allepey or Alapuzha, as it is now known. At this time, the drive from Kochi to Allepey was smooth and without any traffic jams. All around were endless swathes of green coconut palms and vast stretches of the calm, blue sea. You could see scores of shops stacking jute hammocks and other interesting items like potholders and Kathakali masks.

We reached the Lake Palace hotel jetty around mid-morning to the bustle of boat-taxis and people getting on with the business of everyday life. Sadly, the canals of this Venice of the East were in a pathetic shape and I was sorely disappointed and felt let down. My better half had been here before on a business trip and considerately told me to be patient. Well, so we set out for the Lake Palace hotel in their stylish motorboat leaving the bustle of town, into the calmer backwaters of the Vembanad Lake. I was mesmerized by the sight of such a vast expanse of water for miles together. It soothed my frayed nerves and we continued in silence, taking in the beauty of the surroundings.

The Lake Palace Hotel is a beautiful property set around an artificial lake bordering Lake Vembanad. Every suite is designed like the traditional Kerala house with sloping roofs, wooden floors, and exquisitely carved front doors with brass handles. You can sit on the verandah or laze in the hammock and gaze at the water for hours together. For those who want the authentic experience of living in a traditional village home, there are plenty of affordable and hygienic home stays available. The people are warm and friendly, though language is a problem. Nevertheless, everybody manages to communicate in some form of English, enough to get the message across.

The long journey had made me ravenous and we feasted on a sumptuous Kerala vegetarian meal with appams, sambhar, rice and the famous Kerala porottas (parathas) with delicious mango pickle. Adequately rested we set out for a cruise in the evening. All along, we came across the famed kettuvalloms or houseboats. Even in the off-season there were many tourists, both Indian and foreign, who hired these kettuvalloms for a few days or weeks. However, what surprised me was the professionalism and foresight of the houseboat owners. Each houseboat had a driver and a caretaker-cum-cook who would prepare the tastiest dishes with the fresh catch of the day. The houseboats had cable television, running water and even air conditioners to beat the balmy weather.

This riverine existence mirrored the life on land and reminded me of the floating markets of Thailand. Along the way, we passed lush, green fields with paddy ready for transplantation and innumerable villages. Children waved from their homes as their uncles or father sat with a fishing rod to net a catch. It seems there is plenty of fish and everybody gets lucky. Except me. I sat patiently at the edge of the boat waiting for the fish to bite, but the fish outsmarted me by nibbling the bait and disappearing. In fact, they seemed to enjoy this more than I did.

There were hundreds of mango trees along the banks laden with fruit. Some of the trees were so low that I did pluck a few mangoes along the way. Then all of a sudden it started drizzling. The return journey was one like no other, with soft rain falling on the rooftop and water all around us. It was magical and romantic and the perfect end to a perfect day.

The next morning I decided to go for the famed Ayurvedic oil massage and surrendered myself to the expert masseuse. She massaged every bone in my body and the massage seemed to remove every ounce of fatigue from my system. Thoroughly rejuvenated I had a warm bath and crashed out for the next few hours. Evening saw me do touristy things like picking up souvenirs for friends and family back home and visiting the Alapuzha beach. If you plan your trip in winter, be there for the snake boat races of the Nehru trophy. Plan a visit to the Kumarakom bird sanctuary that plays host to migratory birds like the egret and the heron.

With the weekend, drawing to a close, day three saw us heading back to Kochi enroute to Mumbai. The number of shops selling gold ornaments and exclusive jewelry malls like the Gold Souk will amaze you. I guess the expatriate money generates demand for the yellow metal. Ironically, I also spotted some unique finance companies offering loan against gold jewelry and was very confused by the economy of the place.

Kochi is a good place to pick up genuine spices like pepper and cardamom. You can visit Jew town, home to the country’s oldest synagogue. You may find some good handicrafts here, but better to buy them from authorized handicraft showrooms on the main M.G.Road in town.

Now it was the husband’s turn to frown as he saw the increasing number of packages and the corresponding glee on my face. So, I smiled and we stopped for the last time to pick up some fine cotton saris and lungis for the extended family back home. As we headed to the airport, I promised myself that I would be back here again, soon, to really sightsee the other natural wonders of this amazing tropical paradise.

P.S. The husband found the lungi extremely comfortable and has adopted them as his Sunday lounge wear.

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Anjali says, "I believe in living life to the fullest and count every day as a blessing. I love reading and listening to bolly music and light Indian classical music. I stumbled into writing by accident five years ago and love the fact that I can channelize my knowledge and energy into something so creative and productive."

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Laid-Back Allepey: The Backwaters of Kerala

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Laid-Back Allepey: The
Backwaters of Kerala