Kerala backwaters: Difference between revisions

[[File:House Boat DSW.jpg|thumb|A houseboat view from [[Vembanad Lake]]]]

The '''[https://dhseonline.in.net/ Kerala backwaters]''' are a network of [[brackish]] [[lagoon]]s and canals lying parallel to the [[Arabian Sea]] of the [[Malabar Coast|Malabar coast]] of [[Kerala]] state in south-western [[India]]. It also includes interconnected lakes, rivers, and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than {{convert|900|km|mi|abbr=on}} of waterways, and sometimes compared to [[bayou]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fudomouth.net/intertext/ap_subcontinent03.htm|title=Austin Pick: A Billion People in a Coconut Shell|access-date=2008-12-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202163016/http://fudomouth.net/intertext/ap_subcontinent03.htm|archive-date=2 February 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> The network includes five large lakes linked by canals, both man made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low [[barrier island]]s across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the [[Western Ghats]] range. In the midst of this landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which serve as the starting and end points of backwater cruises.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaholidayguide.com/blog/kerala-backwater-houseboat-tours|title=11 Prime Destinations in Kerala for Backwater Tour|access-date=2014-07-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707081106/http://www.indiaholidayguide.com/blog/kerala-backwater-houseboat-tours|archive-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> There are 34 backwaters in Kerala.{{sfn|Chandran|2018|p=342}} Out of it, 27 are located either closer to [[Arabian Sea]] or parallel to the sea.{{sfn|Chandran|2018|p=342}} The remaining 7 are inland navigation routes.{{sfn|Chandran|2018|p=342}}

The boat races starts with [[Champakulam Moolam Boat Race]] which is held on the [[Pamba River]] in the village [[Champakulam]] on Moolam day (according to the Malayalam Era M.E) of the Malayalam month Midhunam, the day of the installation of the deity at the [https://dhseonline.in.net/ Ambalappuzha] Sree Krishna Temple.

Islands are the eye-catching factors as well as the beauty of [[Ashtamudi Lake|Lake Ashtamudi]], [[Kollam]]. Most of these islands are potential tourism spots in the [[Kerala|state]]. The [[Indian Railways]] also planning to develop one of the islands in [[Kollam]] for a tourism project.<ref>{{cite webnews|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Bhushi-dam-area-may-get-a-holiday-resort/articleshow/38503817.cms |title=Bhushi dam area may get a holiday resort - Times of India |website=[[The Times of India]] |date=17 July 2014 |access-date=11 March 2015}}</ref> There are big as well as small islands which are inhabited and uninhabited by human beings. There are more than 15 islands in [[Ashtamudi Lake]]. The important islands in [[Kollam]] are:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashtamudilake.com/ |title=KOLLAM - THE PRINCE OF ARABIAN SEA - The Hindu |access-date=11 March 2015}}</ref>

[[Estuaries of Paravur|Paravur Estuaries]] lie near to the south-western coast of [[Kollam]].<ref name=Vishaw2007>{{cite web |last=Vishaw |title=Estuaries of India |url=http://www.indianofficer.com/topic/2152-estuaries-of-india/ |date=7 December 2007 |website=Indian Officer |access-date=25 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403064149/http://www.indianofficer.com/topic/2152-estuaries-of-india/ |archive-date=3 April 2015}}</ref> The place is world-famous for its natural beauties, backwater locations, white-sand beaches and concentration of temples in every square kilometer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.paravurmunicipality.in/ml/history |title=Paravur Municipality |access-date=16 March 2015 |archive-date=10 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010082406/http://www.paravurmunicipality.in/ml/history |url-status=dead }}</ref> The peninsula of [[Paravur, Kollam|Paravur]] is one of the most visited in [[Kollam district]]. Both north and south tips of [[Paravur, Kollam|Paravur]] town have both peninsula and estuary. [[Pozhikara]] is north and [[Thekkumbhagam]] is south of [[Paravur, Kollam|Paravur]].<ref name=Vishaw2007/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaeng.org/publication/WCE2009/WCE2009_pp694-699.pdf |title=Impact of Sea-Sand Filling in the Paravur-Kappil Backwaters, Southern Kerala with Special Reference to Phytoplankton Productivity |access-date=16 March 2015}}</ref> One more estuary mouth in [[Pozhikara]], which is very close to [[Pozhikara]] Devi Temple, which has breached in 2014 under the supervision of Water Resources Department (WRD), after a long gap of 14 years.<ref>{{cite webnews|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/paravur-estuary-breached/article5960820.ece |title=Paravur estuary breached :The Hindu |website=[[The Hindu]] |date=29 April 2014 |access-date=16 March 2015}}</ref>