Kuttanadu, Kerala
Kuttanad is a river delta landscape region in the state of Kerala, India, known for its vast paddy fields and geographical peculiarities. It is in the Districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. The region has the lowest altitude in ...
state,
Alappuzha District
Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...
Alapuzha
Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...
and
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...
districts, on the banks of
Vembanad Lake
Vembanad () is the longest lake in India, and the largest in the state of Kerala. The lake has an area of 2,033 square kilometers and a maximum length of 96.5 km.
Spanning three districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Vembanad L ...
.
Environment
The Pampa river flows through the village to merge into Vembanad Lake. The natural environment has been used as a location by many filmmakers.
The area is interspersed with the ''kayals'' (canals) and lakes. The lakes and kayals are filled with flocks of ducks, and in summer the rice paddies of Kuttanad turn golden. With a longtime history behind it, Kavalam is part of Kerala's cultural folklore.
History
A decade back, this village was accessible only by the lake boats provided by the government of Kerala. As in many other remote parts of Kerala, this non-accessibility gave Kavalam a laidback atmosphere. The place is now accessible from Alleppey, Kottayam and Changanacherry by road. What makes Kavalam unique is its vast "watery junction" that joins five canals at one place unlike other road junctions.
Kavalam Chundan
Kavalam Chundan is a snake boat that belongs to Kavalam village. This snake boat was formerly known as Kainakary Puthan Chundan.
It was later purchased by Mr Kochupurackal Ouseph Thomman in 1942.
In 1943 it was rebuilt and named Kavalam Chundan ...
, which is a regular participant in the snakeboat
Vallamkali
Vallam kali ('' vaḷḷaṃ kaḷi'', literally: boat game), also known as snake boat race, is a traditional boat race in Kerala, India. It is a form of canoe racing and uses paddled war canoes. It is mainly conducted in spring during th ...
races.
Kavalam Chundan
Kavalam Chundan is a snake boat that belongs to Kavalam village. This snake boat was formerly known as Kainakary Puthan Chundan.
It was later purchased by Mr Kochupurackal Ouseph Thomman in 1942.
In 1943 it was rebuilt and named Kavalam Chundan ...
is the subject of the legendary film song of the 1960s "Kuttanadan Punchayile Kochu penne, Kuyilaale."
Notable people
*
Kavalam Madhava Panikkar
Kavalam Madhava Panikkar (3 June 1895 – 10 December 1963), popularly known as Sardar K. M. Panikkar, was an Indian statesman and diplomat. He was also a professor, newspaper editor, historian and novelist. He was born in Travancore, then a ...
- Diplomat, administrator, historian
*
Kavalam Narayana Panicker
Kavalam Narayana Panikkar (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Kalidasa's ''Vikramorvasiy ...
- Poet, dramatist
*
Kavalam Sreekumar
Kavalam Srikumar is a classical musician, Malayalam film singer and music composer from Kerala, India. His recitation of Ramayana is also famous. He has also rendered more than 200 famous Malayalam poems. He is the son of the noted Malayalam po ...
- Poet
*
Joseph Murickan
Joseph Murickan also known as Murickan Auta or Murikkum Moottil Authaman was a farmer and landowner from Kerala, India, who played an important role in the expansion of paddy cultivation in Kuttanad. He started farming by filling up the backwaters ...