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Its criss-crossing canals and the busy waterways inevitably evoke comparisons with Venice . A prosperous trading town of yester years, which exported coir products to different parts of the world. Alappuzha relinquished its commercial position to other towns, notably Kochi , in later years. Today, tourism has appeared as its new saviour. Old settlers have left behind architectural treasures – numerous old mansions and trading houses built in a unique style. These building are built in a unique style. |
These buildings, along with the quiet streets and winding canals, lend this quaint town its distinctive allure. Situated at the south-western tip of India ’s longest lake, the Vembanad, Alappuzha lies sandwiched between the lake and the Arabian Sea – a sliver of land barely 4 km wide. It attracts tourists throughout the year for that singular experience of backwater cruising, especially in the Kuttanad region, a vast area of partly reclaimed land, covered in emerald green paddy fields and separated by dikes from water that are actually a few feet higher. |
| SIGHTS |
| AMBALAPPUZA SREE KRISHNA TEMPLE |
The reigning deity of this temple is the infant Krishna . Paintings of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu adorn the inner walls of the chuttambalam or circumambulatory. The annual festival in April draws thousands of devotees, who also gather here for a feast. The Pallipana ritual, held once in 12 years, witness’s performances by sorcerers. The temple is also renowned for its offering of palpayasam (milk and rice pudding). Kunjan Nambiar’s ottan thullal, a satirical art form, was first performed here. |
| CHAKKULATHUNKAVU BHAGAVATHI TEMPLE |
The reigning deity of this temple is the infant Krishna . Paintings of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu adorn the inner walls of the chuttambalam or circumambulatory. The annual festival in April draws thousands of devotees, who also gather here for a feast. The Pallipana ritual, held once in 12 years, witness’s performances by sorcerers. The temple is also renowned for its offering of palpayasam (milk and rice pudding). Kunjan Nambiar’s ottan thullal, a satirical art form, was first performed here. |
| St MARY'S CHURCH, CHAMPAKULAM |
Located on the site at which St Thomas is believed to have built one of his seven churches, the shrine draws hundreds of devotees, especially during the annual feast in October. The feast of St Joseph in March is also an important event. Wooden statues of Christ, made nearby, are exported to various countries. |
CHAVARA BHAVAN |
Chavara Bhavan, 6 Km from town and accessible only by boat, is situated in Kainakary, a small village in the backwaters of Alappuzha. It is the ancestral home of Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara, one among the three Malayali candidates under consideration for sainthood by Rome . |
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BHAGAVATHI TEMPLE
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Located in Chettikulangara, it houses the largest stone lamp in the country – 11 ft high, with 13 tiers. The deity, an incarnation of Bhadrakali, is supposed to possess miraculous powers and legends abound about favours conferred on devotes. The annual Kettukazhcha festival witnesses spectacular processions with bright effigies on decorated chariots. An all-night Kathakali performance marks the conclusion of the cultural events. |
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| St GEORGE ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH
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This Syrian church has been constructed partially with portions of an old 13th century church located at Haripad, 44 km north of Kollam. Its porches and porticos follow typical temple architecture. Biblical frescoes showing the art forms of the early medieval period adorn its walls. |
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| SUBRAHMANYA TEMPLE |
This temple dedicated to Sree Murugan (Subrahmanya) is renowned for its architectural splendour-the tall flag mast, the large temple tank, and the Kootham-balam, or theatre, with its exquisite wooden carvings on the ceiling.
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| KARUMADI KUTTAN |
The deity of Karumadi Kuttan,which stands by the side of the public canal to the west of the Kamapuram temple, is a black granite Buddha, said to belong to the ninth or 10 th century. The idol has now been installed in a smaller shrine to protect it. Kerala’s kings were patrons of Buddhism. |
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| KRISHNAPURAM PALACE MUSEUM |
| This palace was built during the reign of Maharaja Marthanda Varma. It is a miniature model of the Padmanabhapuram Palace, near Thiruvananthapuram. The spectacular 16-block building sprawls over an area of 1.87 acres. Now an archaeological museum, the restored two-storey palace houses paintings, antique furniture and sculpture. Burial urns, bronze artefacts, swords, ancient vessels, weights, cannon balls, models of umbrellas, and even a Sanskrit Bible, are some of the exhibits. |
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| MANNARASSALA SNAKE TEMPLE |
Traditionally, Hindu naga (serpent) worshippers have always built their temples in serpent groves. Of these, Mannarassala is the largest with 30,000 images of snake gods, and hundreds of snakes living around the temple. Childless women come here for blessings and return for a ‘thanksgiving’ ceremony when they beget a child. Gifts equaling the weight of the child are offered to the deity. |
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| R BLOCK |
| R Block is one of the best managed private farms situated on one of the reclaimed lands in the Kuttanad region. This process of land reclamation started about 100 years ago. At present nearly 850 acres and the farm constitutes the largest reclaimed region in the area and is almost entirely covered in coconut, areca and banana plantations. |
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| PATHIRAMANAL |
The Raja of Travancore offered this palm-covered island in the Vembanad Lake on lease to the family of a man named Andrew Pereira, a Portuguese national and a novel officer, who married a local Catholic woman and settled here. When the lease expired in 1979, Pathiramanal was taken over by the government. Subsequently, families residing there were rehabilitated and the island was handed over to the Tourism Department. It is a one-hour boat ride away from Alappuzha. |
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