To label Alappuzha (the Malayalam name for Alleppey) the ‘Venice of the East’ might today appear a far-fetched cliché of travelogue writers, but this quaint little town is certainly the Venice of India. Nowhere else will you find spread out across the centre of town a unique criss-crossing network of canals on which thatch covered country boats punt along leisurely. The proximity of lakes adds to the Venetian ambience.

                   But when the town was founded by Raja Kesavadasan, the dewan of Travancore, in 1762, there was just one canal through the strip of sand between the backwaters and the sea. This soon grew into a bustling waterway, with shops, factories and commercial establishments springing up on either bank of the canal. This attracted merchants from other parts of the country.

                  By the mid-19th Century, the sea had receded a mile, offering more land along the sandstrip. Trading vessels soon began to call on Alleppey. In 1859 the first organized coir factory was started here and began producing matting from coir yarn on a loom developed by an English sea captain. Soon other British-owned weaving establishments followed.

                 Meanwhile, in 1816, the Church Missionary Society set up its local headquarters in Alleppey and three years later the first Anglican church was built. In 1851 Alleppey had the honour of housing the first post office in the erstwhile Travancore State.

                 The commercial importance of Alleppey began to decline after the late 1920s with the development of Cochin into a major port and harbour. However, today Alleppey is still a major centre for trade in coir, copra and coconut oil. Thanks to its long coast, Alleppey is also a centre for fishing and marine products processing activities.

                 For tourists Alleppey is the pivotal point for trips into Kerala’s famed backwaters and the state’s lush rice bowl, Kuttanad. Between Quilon to the south and Kottayam to the east lie some of the most entrancing scenery of palm-lined banks, quiet water-bound villages and little boats taking the local people to and fro-everything framed in green.

                Apart from the boat trips through the town’s many canals and lakes, and the Mullackal Bhagavathi Temple in the heart of town, Alleppey offers glimpses of the coir manufacturing process – from the coconut husk to the final rope/coir yarn stage. There are also several shops selling coir mattings and carpets, often at prices cheaper than elsewhere.

                 The long sandy beach at Alleppey has a lighthouse and a pier jutting out into the sea, once active in the unloading of goods from ships calling at Alleppey. Children can romp in the Vijay Beach Park.

                The not-to-be-misses spectacle in Alleppey is, of course, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race which began in 1952 on the occasion of the visit of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to Alleppey. It is now a major event held on the second Saturday of every August and features the gigantic snake-boats of Kerala, the chundans, once the battleships of the Malayalee kings of yore. Today the Boat Race has grown into Alleppey’s single most important tourist event, with each boat being sponsored by a different village. Competition is severe as the boats, with over 100 rowers in each, race to the finish to the accompaniment of rousing music.

               Pathiramanal, a beautiful little island in the Vembanad Lake which can be reached only by boat, is set to be developed as a major tourist spot. Boats to the island now operate on Sundays from Muhamma and Kumarakom.

               The Sri Krishna temple at Ambalapuzha, 14 km from Alleppey, is among Kerala’s more famous ones, boasting of the typical temple architectural style of the state. It is equally framed for its palpayasam, a sweet milk porridge offered to the diety. The temple’s main festival occurs in March/April. It was in this temple that the 16th century poet Kunjan Nambiar staged his first Ottan Thullal, a solo dance performance with a high social content.

                 Close to Ambalapuzha, the village of Karumadi is famous for its Karumadi Kuttan, a black granite figure of Buddha, said to belong to the 9th or 10th Century. During his visit to Kerala in 1965, the Dalai Lama worshipped at this shrine.

                   Arthunkal, known for the St. Andrews Church established by Portuguese missionaries in 1951, is near Sherthallai, 22 km north of Alleppey. The feast of St. Sebastian is held here every January.

                   On the Pamba river is Chambakulam, the site for the famous boat regatta held during August/September which has traditionally involved the participation of all communities.

                  The 18th Century Krishnapuram Palace, built during the reign of the Travancore monarch, Marthanda Varma, is a double-storied structure which displays typical characteristics of Kerala architecture – gabled roofs, dormer windows, narrow corridors. It houses one of the largest mural paintings in Kerala. Called the Gajendra Moksham, it measures 14 feet by 11 feet and is at the western end of the ground floor, a walking distance from the palace pool. Inside is also a museum of antique sculptures, paintings and bronzes. Situated 47 km from Alleppey on the way to Quilon, Krishnapuram is easily accessible by bus from either town.

                A short distance from Alleppey, is Punnapra, a village which has gone down in history as the scene of a bitter and heroic fighting between the Communists and the Travancore State Police in the Punnapra-Vayalar Communist Uprising of 1946.

                Mannarsala, 32 km from Alleppey, is a very important centre of serpent worship in Kerala. Built in a cool grove of trees and shrubs, this temple is said to contain 30,000 images of snake-gods, which line the path to the temple.

                  The nearest airport is Cochin, 64 km to the north. Trivandrum International Airport is 159 km to the south. Alleppey has recently been linked to Cochin by rail. Some trains link Alleppey to cities like Madras and Bokaro. The Alleppey Railway Station is 5 km from the central bus stand and the boat jetty. Alleppey is on the NH 47 highway and is connected to all important towns in South India by public state transport buses. Alleppey is linked by boat services through the backwaters to Quilon, Changanassery (both trips, particularly splendid), Kottayam, Cochin, Kumarakom, Kavalam and Chengannur. Frequent and inexpensive services originate from the boat jetty near the central bus stand. The Alleppey Tourism Development Co-operative Society arranges on request backwater cruises from Alleppey as well as trips to Quilon. For local transport one can use buses, tourist taxis, autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws.

Some distances

Bangalore : 580 km

Calicut : 288 km

Cochin : 64 km

Coimbatore : 278 km

Kanyakumari : 246 km

Kodaikanal : 331 km

Madras : 764 km

Ooty : 363 km

Thekkady : 164 km

Trivandrum : 159 km