Alleppey is also known as Alappuzha (pronounced in Malayalam).It is a popular tourism spot in Kerala. Alleppey is known for its picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches and lagoons which are the main attraction for tourists worldwide. Kuttanad, is a place in Alleppey known as the rice bowl of Kerala stretch of paddy fields, canals and lush green coconut palms. You can enjoy the ride on house boats in Alleppey locally called "kettuvallam" are available on hire on a daily basis which charms the exquisite tourists coming there. You can enjoy the delicious food cooked on the house boats in the traditional Kuttanad style of Kerala state. Alleppey is the only district in Kerala without a forest, which is its unique distinction among other tourist’s places in Kerala.
Kuttanad, the land of welcoming people and delicious food is home to one of Kerala’s most revered delicacies, the Karimeen fish. If you do ever have enough of the relaxation, the boatmen will let you catch your lunch and maybe cook it too. When you’re not angling or romancing the backwaters you can write that book you always dreamed about.
The Sree Krishna temple is a tall piece of testimony that reflects the people’s faith in God. Built in a fine, ethnical and intricate style of architecture indigenous to Kerala, the Ambalapuzzha temple is as well known for its “prashad” as it is for its deity. In this temple the lovable Lord Krishna blesses his disciples with a delicious milk porridge they call Palpayassam. While there, try not to get carried away by its aroma and take a look at the finest wall paintings in Alleppey.
Only three kilometers east of Alleppey is the village of Karumadi. There is a large black granite statue there that is very famous. This sculpture is known as the Karumadi Kuttan. This statue is a left over remnant from the days that the Buddha religion was very popular in the region. Historians say that this black Buddha was carved in either the 9th or 10th century. Nowadays, Hindu is the more popular religion to belong to, but that does not change the beauty of this Buddha statue. The fact that it is made from black quartz makes it even more unusual, since quartz is normally associated with a gray color.
The Krishnapuram Palace was built during the reign of Marthanda Varma, a Travancore king. This 18th century building was built in two-stories & crafted with traditional Kerala architectural features which include gabled roofs, dormer windows and narrow corridors. This particular palace is especially famous for its mural paintings as well as its architecture. One of the biggest mural paintings in all of Kerala is located here. This mural is called Gajendra Moksham, which when translated means "The redemption of the elephant". This magnificent piece of architecture has been converted to a museum, housing antique sculptures, paintings and bronzes is also found there at the palace. It is now taken over by the archaeological department for maintenance.
Various canals, lagoons, and waterways surround Kumarakom's small cluster of islands. These numerous water ways make up what is known as the Backwaters. Tourists love to rent a houseboat here. Each houseboat commonly contains a living room, one bedroom, a bathroom, and a deck too. A local oarsman will pole the houseboat for you as you explore the beautiful scenery in the region.
Numerous types of flora and fauna can be seen against the mirror like lagoons as you sail across the picture perfect backwaters.Large houseboat companies will even let you tether several houseboats together to house a larger tourist group.
Pathiramannal is a small island found on the Vembanad Lake near Alleppey. This magnificent location can only be reached by boat. Its remote location adds to the intrigue for those that especially love to explore. Birdwatchers love to travel to this breathtaking location with hundreds of rare migratory birds that flock here every year. It is possible to see birds such as the golden-backed woodpeckers, night herons, kingfishers, paradise fly-catchers, egrets, bulbuls, shrikes, morning doves, crow pheasants, and drongos. A visit to this remarkable location is an experience not to miss.
Pandavan Rock gets its name from the Pandavas of Mahabharata who stayed in a cave here during the time of their exile. Pandavan Para, also known as the Rock of the Pandavas, this is an ideal picnic spot. It takes walking to get to this location, but it is not a hard climb. There are several vantage points with magnificent views along the trail. The panoramic view that can be seen when you reach the rocky outcrop at the top is exceptional.
The birth place of the blessed Kurikose Elias Chavara is found near Alleppey. This Catholic saint has a church that is built over the traditional sight of his birth to protect it. Meditation is encouraged at this church. Mass and the Novena Prayer are held every Saturday at 6:00 am, 7:30 am, 8:45 am, 10:00 am, and 4:30 pm. The solemn feast of Blessed Chavara is celebrated every year on January 3rd, and the novena preparation starts on December 26. At this time, Holy Mass is held at 4:30 followed by novena. On January 2nd a solemn procession carrying the statue of Blessed Chavara through the village is held after the novena.
The Sree Nagaraja Temple is located in the region surrounding Alleppey. This unusual temple is a serpent shrine that is under the patronage of a brahman family that is headed by a priestess. The ancient shrine is dedicated to the Serpent God Nagaraja. It is one of the most important centers of snake worship in all of Kerala.
It is the most important part of the pilgrimage for numerous people every year. The temple is encircled by 16 acres of beautiful, dense green forest. Once every month, the 'Sarpakalam Pattu' ritual is conducted . This involves drawing the figure of the Serpent God on the floor using vegetable colors.
A birdwatcher's haven, the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, covers an impressive expanse of 14 acres. A large variety of different birds can be found at the sanctuary at any given time. Numerous migratory birds even from places like Siberia visit the sanctuary. It is common to see golden-backed woodpeckers, night herons, kingfishers, paradise fly-catchers and egrets.
Punnamada Lake near Alleppey is host to the spectacular snake boat races that are annually held on the second Saturday of August. This competition is named after India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The story goes that when Nehru saw his first boat race, he got so into the competition that he jumped right into the boat that won the race, so the event was named after him. Each and every 50 meter long wooden snake boat that is in the race is manned by over a hundred oarsmen. The power of the men rowing & cheer leaders motivating the oarsmen on each boat is a sight to see. The event traditionally commemorates the carrying of idols to their abodes to the state's magnificent temples. The trophy is a silver snake boat mounted on a wooden pedestal.
