Thursday 3 May 2012

Charms of Kuttanad


vallaomkali or boat race in kuttanad


Kuttanad is the region adjoining Alappuzha and is the heartland of backwater tourism. The Vembanad Lake and its many arms, the rivers Pampa and Achencoil , the myriad streams that flow through kuttanad , the paddy fields which were reclaimed from the backwaters , where farming is done at an amazing five meters below sea level...
The unique lifestyles of the people who live in this water world where boats are the only means of transportation – all this makes kuttanad a very special destination.
Nick-named as the Netherlands or Holland of Kerala, the Kuttanad area in the main backwaters region, is also described as the ‘rice-bowl’ of southern Kerala, on account of the extensive paddy (rice) fields surrounded by water.


There are two distinctive areas here-viz. Lower and Upper Kuttanad-based on altitude or height above sea-level or depth below sea-level. It is the Lower Kuttanadu region that is called the ‘nether-lands’, because the cultivated lands are below sea level. As in Holland, dykes or bunds around the rice fields keep out water when needed, thereby enabling cultivation.
The Upper Kuttanad area is a little above sea level, so that cultivation of crops is easier and less risky. During rainy season, floods are usual in the entire lowland region and so rice cultivation is possible only once a year, unlike twice at many places in Kerala, where waterlogging is not a problem. Floods often damage the bunds causing submergence of the paddy fields and loss of crops. So, cultivation is limited to only one crop per year at many places in the area.

The scenic countryside of Kuttanadu also has rich crops of coconuts, banana, fruit trees, etc. wherever geography allows. Homesteads, schools, shops, churches, temples and other buildings, are situated amidst the lush vegetation at a higher elevation than the rice fields and the zig-zagging canals and meandering river branches. An amazing feature of this region is the network of waterways above land level at several places
This column looks at some features that make the kuttanadan lifestyle really unique. Agrarian by nature, typical kuttanadans are very healthy, sinewy and generally lean. They are very hardworking and the working classes are experts in more than one profession. Seasons determine the jobs they do.
Farm labour in the huge and extensive paddy fields, fishing, harvesting coconuts, gathering mussels, harvesting paddy, collecting limeshelll from the soil of the harvested paddy fields and boat rowing are some of the professions that the average kuttanadan excels in.
kuttanad harvesting ladiesTalking of boats, the passion that the kuttanadan has for boat racing is so deep that until one experiences it first hand, one would not understand. Being in a waterbound world, the kuttanadan takes to water like a duck and the sight of a two year old toddler playing at the water’s edge while its mother carries on her work with no fear regarding the safety of her child, is a sight common in kuttanad.
Adept at rowing boats and swimming from a very young age, both the men and women of kuttanad share the same deep passion for boat racing. The competition is very severe among the residents of different shores, and the entire people of a particular shore or “ kara ” as it locally called get involved in their racing team and in all the related processes such as pre-race trails and the post-race evaluations. The celebrations are on a massive scale when a “ kara ” wins a race and the gloom can be funeral when they lose.

kuttanad paddy field workersTalking about the uniqueness of kuttanad, the style adopted by kuttanadans for catching the kuttanadan cuisine specialty Pearl Spot fish which is more popularly known as “ Karimeen ”, needs to be told.
The fishing is generally done early in the morning or late afternoon. The shallow waters adjoining the shores of the Vembanad Lake are the location for this activity.
There are two common methods for catching the fish. In the first, reeds are planted on the muddy bottom of the lake. On these reeds, either dry tapioca chunks or balls of flour are attached under water. The fisherman stands on an anchored boat with his fishing net ready at hand. The fish comes and nibbles on the attached food. The reed trembles and this is the signal for the fisherman to cast his net. The fish is caught.

Development Plans
Central and state governments are currently paying attention to the agricultural and transport problems faced by the Kuttanad region in the lowlands. A commission chaired by the eminent agricultural scientist hailing from Kuttanad area, M.S Swaminathan is currently studying the various problems faced by the area to suggest solutions.
A district-level expert committee is preparing a report to be submitted to this commission and is exploring the possibility of widening and deepening the canals in the Upper Kuttanad region to facilitate smooth water transport.
Improving the condition of the canals would encourage inland navigation and backwater and farm tourism, as well as lead to agricultural development.


kuttanad sunset houseboatThis experts’ committee is also looking into the feasibility of raising two crops in the paddy fields of Upper Kuttanad, by strengthening the bunds (or earth walls) around the paddy field clusters.
These bunds should be strong enough to resist the pressure of water at a higher level during rainy season-especially when floods occur.
The prevailing system of flushing out water from the paddy fields lying below sea level, to the bordering canals and river branches at a higher level, and releasing water into the fields from the canals as and when needed, would be improved.

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