Sea Canoe Cruise On The Backwaters of Alapuzha

Sea canoe cruise on the backwaters of Alapuzha
One has just returned to the cool confines of ones homestay at Kanjiramattom after an
eventful cruise on the backwaters of Alapuzha. The ancient city of Alapuzha is a two hour drive
from Kanjiramattom, hence is is advisable to stay at a homestay at Kanjiramattom rather than
stay at a hotel at Alapuzha. At Kanjiramattom, bicycles can be rented from local shops,
guesthouses and homestays located along the market. Visitors can capture Kanjiramattoms
atmosphere along their way to see the Chotanikara Devi temple and the Vaikom Shiva temple
along the two hour drive from Kanjiramattom to Alapuzha. The Muvattupuzha river flows
through Kanjiramattom and a canoe cruise along the river where the azure backwaters of the
Arabian Sea meet the river is a deeply meditative experience!
One hires a hand paddled canoe and your guide will gently paddle down the backwaters.
Kanjiramattom is a tranquil town and the residents do not seem to be in a great hurry. The
canoeman gently guides the canoe through the river, using the current to propel the canoe
forward. The canoe gently makes it way through the waterfront and soon enters a thickly
wooded area full of coconut groves and areca trees. After about fifteen minutes, we leave
Murinjipuzha way behind and find ourselves in thick evergreen forests. One can glimpse
several Malabar hornbills perched on the branches of a nearby tree. The curving coconut
groves create a natural canopy through which the canoe cruises along, simulating a canoe ride
through caves. One moves through the forests at snails place taking ones time to enjoy the
beauty of the blue waters of the Arabian Sea, seen in the distance.
Watching life in slow motion aptly describes my early morning cruise on the backwaters at
Alapuzha. The journey lasted for a few hours but its memory will last a lifetime. The impromptu
showers and a nip in the air in the wee hours of the morning made it more memorable. One
beats the cold by sipping lukewarm herbal infusion made with ginger and basil. This unique
combination stimulates the immune system and one becomes more energetic and active.
Visiting the Chotanikara Bhagvathi temple near Kanjiramattom is a very moving experience.
One can experience calmness, serenity, peace and tranquility, as one cruises along the placid
waters at Alapuzha. Travelling on a hand-paddled canoe, is the ideal way to relax. One moves
at a slow and leisurely pace, the musical sound of the paddle as it touches the water at
periodic intervals breaks the silence of the dawn. The gurgling sound of the flowing river, the
chirping of sparrows and the squeaking calls of sea-gulls are all that one gets to hear at dawn.
With every paddle, one gets closer to ones destination and with every paddle, the darkness
gives way to light. It is indeed an unforgettable memory. The biting cold, numbing ones
fingers, the icy breeze cuts through ones face like a knife. The anticipation of immersing
oneself into the cold waters at sun-rise, sends shivers down ones spine.
However, the canoe ride rejuvenates ones tired body and wearied mind. One of the most
nature friendly spectacles at Alapuzha is to watch hundreds of water birds during the cruise.
As one is enjoying the tranquil canoe ride, watching the sunrise, The width of the waters at
the confluence of the river and the sea is immense and one sees swirling waters all around. It
is almost as if one is sailing in the middle of a gigantic lake or as if one is on a ocean cruise.
Minutes turn into hours as ones canoe makes its way slowly yet steadily through the flowing
waters. If one has to live in the present, there is no better way than to take this leisurely
backwater cruise at Alapuzha. The greenery around the waters makes the journey even more
spectacular. The first part of the journey exposes one to the eco-friendly sounds at dawn. The
shrill cries of the gulls, the hum of the flowing waters, the buzzing sound of the sea-breeze.
The sun is greeted with the chirping of sparrows and the musical sounds emanating from
winged crooners who have made the thick coconut groves that surround the rivers. There are
lots of canoes parked at the jetty, but most of the activity picks up after 10:00 a.m. in
summer. There are few canoes that venture out at 5:00 a.m. in mid-August. Sunset cruises,
overnight houseboat cruises to Kollam from Alapuzha and homestays at the backwaters are
also an option for tourists visiting Kanjiramattom.
The most exciting part of my trip was trekking inside the isolated hills near Kanjiramattom. It's
a delight to swim in the lake at Kanjiramattam as an antidote to the tropical heat. There is
much more to Kanjiramattom than its nutmeg trees. The surrounding countryside is great for
exploring on a bicycle and the town itself has a very relaxed atmosphere. There are also a
great many other attractions in the area including waterfalls, small temples and many routes
for impressive and scenic canoe cruises. A day-trip from Kanjiramattom to Thekkady, with a
scenic canoe cruise along the river Pampa and a visit to the Chotanikara temple, make it a
favourite for tourists looking for a nature-friendly day trips from Kanjiramattom.
Kanjiramattom is a tourist paradise. There are hundreds of temples scattered around
Kanjiramattom in a diameter of eight kilometers. Most of the temples are accessible by road.
The natural beauty of Kanjiramattom is accentuated by the silvery river Muvattupuzha which
winds down in splendour around the tiny hills that surround this exquisite town. Watching the
sun rise over theShree Krishna temple at Kanjiramattom transports you to the glories of a
bygone era and watching the sun set over the swirling backwaters is a powerful experience
which will touch the inner chords of ones soul.
How to get there:

By air:
The nearest international airport to reach Alapuzha is at Kochi. There are direct flights to Kochi
from all major Indian cities.
By car:
From Bengaluru drive to Alapuzha via Mangalore and Kochi.
By bus:
Buses leave Ernakulam KSRTC Bus Terminal for Alapuzha regularly. The trip takes about one
hour.
By train:
Alapuzha is connected to all most state capitals by trains.
Where to stay:
Homestays, are the only option for tourists to stay at Kanjiramattom.
Where to eat:
There are a very few pure vegetarian joints at Kochi. Aravi Vegetarian Restaurant opposite
Padma theatre offers good steamed rice with vegetables sauted in coconut gravy. Fresh
cabbage, cauliflower and carrots are available from the farms around Kochi. Vegans can get
fresh tropical fruits including papayas, water-melons and musk-melons at the local market.
The reflection of the clouds on the glass like surface of the backwaters is soothing
Sarting the tranquil canoe cruise
Author with host Rajendra Menon of gokelp.com
The enchanting backwaters of Murinjhipuzha near Kanjiramattom
Farmer on his floating vegetable narket
A picturesque scene during the sea canoe trip

A rice-barge encountered along the way
A hornbill lands close to our boat
The clouds looks suspended over the water by invisible strings

Our humble sea-canoe at Allepuzha
At Alapuzha boat jetty
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Murli Menon, is a travel writer, stress management consultant and
author based at Ahmedabad, India. He is the author of "ZeNLPLearning through stories" published by The Written Word Publications,
"ZeNLP-the power to succeed" published by Sage publications and
ZeNLP-the power to relax by New Dawn Press. He can be reached at
ceo@tips4ceos.com
________________________________________________________________________
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Courier payments/hardcopies of published magazine (author copies)
to:
Murli Menon
E/503, Borsali Apt;
Khanpur
Ahmedabad-380001
Phone:079-25600269
________________________________________________________________________
High resolution digital photographs attached with caption.
The following article and photographs are copyrighted and all rights
are reserved. No part of this article or the accompanying photographs
may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information
storage or retrieval system without written permission from the author
by emailing us at ceo@tips4ceos.com
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A picturesque scene during the sea canoe trip

The clouds looks suspended over the water by invisible strings

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