Alleppey - Venice in Kerala

Alleppey, or Alappuzha, is ornated with the title of “Venice of the East”. The beauty of this place is ecstatic with its labyrinth of lakes, lagoons and freshwater rivers crisscrossing it.  The beauty of this place is increased manifolds by the added enchanting music of the rippling and gurgling water bodies. The aura of this place is beyond words, naturalistic and dreamy at the same time.

Sunset kerala

Fascinations-  

• Architecture- Being one of the oldest planned towns in Kerala, the city has many antique and exquisite buildings. Lighthouse built on the coat of the town is the first of  its own kind along the Laccadive Sea Coast.

• Tourism- It is one of the important tourist destinations in India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are the most popular tourist attraction in Kerala. A houseboat cruise in these backwaters is a delightful experience.

• Boat Race- Alappuzha is the nerve centre of the extremely enthralling Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on the Punnamada Lake, near Alappuzha, on the second Saturday of august every year. It is a highly competitive and immensely popular boat races in India. Visitors and boating and rowing enthusiasts come here to witness the race and feel the thrill.

Boat Race

• Mullacakal Chirap- It is one of the major attractions of this place. It is a festive season held over a period of ten days every year in the month of December. The celebration has its unique charm that sends ecstatic pulses to your heart.

• Food- Ambalapuzzha payassam is the most famous dish of this place. One that you will relish! This delicacy is worth trying.

• Coir-  Coir is the most important commodity manufactured in Allappey. The Coir board was established b the Central government under the provisions of the Coir Industry Act, 1955. There is also a coir Research Institute functioning at Kalavoo. Alleppey offers glimpses of coir manufacturing process from the coconut husk to the final rope or coir yarn stage. There are several shops that sell coir matting and carpets and are fancied by the visitors.

Hypnotizing Spots in Alappuzha

• Alleppey Beach- Alleppey Beach or Alappuzha beach is a long stretch of sandy beach with a very exquisite light house and a pier jutting into the sea, the reminder of its age-old maritime importance.  The beach is a lovely place to be at, loved by elders and children alike.

Alleppey beach

• Mullakkal Bhagavathy Temple-  Situated in the heart of this town, this temple is dedicated to Goddess Rajarajeshwari. It is a typical Keral temple in all the ways. This temple is a fondly revered and oft-visited temple of the people.

mullakkal temple

•  Mannarasala Temple- The believers of Nagaraja or Serpent Gods, have special attachment to this temple. It is like a pilgrimage for the staunch believers of Nagaraja. It houses over 30,000 images of snakes and special grandiose procession and offerings are made to celebrate the main festival of this temple called Mannarsala Aayilyam.

• Alappuzha Christ Church- Built in 1818 by the Church Missionary Society, it was the first Church established in Travancore. It has its own bulk of devotees, aficionados and visitors who greet this Church by its presence till date, and in turn are touched by the divinity of this place.

Places to Visit around Alleppey-   If you have been everywhere in Alleppey, then think not that it’s time to head home. Alleppey has many places in its vicinity that you must visit. Tourists make excursions from Alleppey to nearby historic places and the exquisite picturesque places. Pathiramanal is a lovely little island in the Vembanad Lake, which can be reached only by boat, is a mesmerizing beauty and is sure to become a tourist spot as and when it is spotted and explored by people properly. The Sri Krishna Temple at Ambalapuzha, 14 km from Alleppey is one of the Kerala’s most famous temples. It has a unique specialty related to its food such as palpayassam and sweet milk porridge. Arthinkal, known as St andrew’s Church, built by Portugese missionary and Krishnapuram Palace, built during the reign of the Travancore monarch are some of the places that must be visited.

Arthunkal Church

Some other places that make the list are Punnapura, a village having witnessed a historic battle between the communists and the Travancore State Police in the uprising of 1946.   Alleppey is a place you will enjoy through and through, this is the least one can say with utmost surety about this lovely place.

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