Location
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Pathiramanal
The island is located in the Vembanad Lake. It is at 9°36'54?N 76°23'1?E
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Vembanad Lake
Vembanad (Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol) is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the state of Kerala. It is also counted as one of the largest lakes in India. A lake spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known by different names in different localities viz. Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad, Kochi Lake in Kochi. The celebrated Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of this lake; in the Kuttanad region, known as the Punnamada Lake.

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Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
The 14 acre bird sanctuary is the favorite spot for migratory birds from all parts of the world. It is situated on the banks of Vembanad Lake. The bird sanctuary houses a wide range of birds including cuckoo, water duck, owl, kingfishers, woodpeckers and egret. The migratory birds that attract attention include Siberian cranes, teal, wood beetle and many more. It is a birdwatchers’ paradise and you could make best use of your visit to this place by hiring houseboats and motorboats.

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Ambalappuzha

While the town of Ambalappuzha is small in size, it's quite big when it comes to one of its attractions. And that is the Sri Krishna temple. It's one of the three most important Sri Krishna temples that are in the state of Kerala.
The estimated time of travel from Pathiramanal is 1 hour 15 minutes.
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Marari Beach

Within close proximity of Alleppey, Marari Beach is very quiet and not well known but a great spot to travel to when you're exploring the Kerala backwaters. Marari is a condensed version of Mararikulam, a small fishing village.
The estimated time of travel from Pathiramanal is 20 minutes.
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Alleppey Beach
All sorts of water sports can be enjoyed at Alleppey Beach. Experience everything from surfing and parasailing to swimming and boating. In addition, you can check out a thousand-foot pier from 1862, a lighthouse, beautiful garden, and two parks.
The estimated time of travel fromPathiramanall is 40 minutes.

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Kumarakom
Sunset at Kumarakom

Kumarakom is a collection of islands on Lake Vembanad. Discover mangrove forests, paddy fields, coconut groves, and a 14-acre bird sanctuary. Specialties of the area include Karimeen, a very tasty fish and a local drink called as toddy.
The estimated time of travel from Pathiramanall is 40 minutes.

Kumarakom Backwaters
Kumarakom backwaters is a scenic place where you can enjoy the bliss of nature. It is home to a wide range of plants and animals. The best way to enjoy the beauty of Kumarakom backwaters is to go on a houseboat that takes you through various canals, lakes and river around here. The houseboats offer you the best possible facilities you need for a comfortable journey on water. Be a passive admirer by sailing along or indulge in various water sports such as skiing and wind sailing. You could get lucky if you attempt at fishing.

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Aruthunkal (St. Sebastian Church)

Situated about 12 miles north of Muhamma/ Alleppey - Aruthunkal, known as St. Sebastian Church, is a major pilgrim center for Christians who reside in Kerala. The church, which was established by Portuguese missionaries, hosts the annual 11-day Feast of St. Sebastian each January.
The estimated time of travel from pathiramanal is 50 minutes.
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Alleppey Boat Cruises

Make sure to put a boat cruise on your to-do list. Take a leisurely trip past canals and islands where you'll enjoy incredibly scenic views. Along the way you'll encounter paddy fields, coconut palms, and Chinese fishing nets.
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Alleppey Snake Boat Race

Kerala's most traditional event, the snake boat race, takes place from August to October. Powered by 120 oarsmen, the long thin boats are cheered on by spectators who stand on the banks of Punnamada Lake. Of all the snake boat races, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is the most popular.

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KUTTANAD
Kuttanad - The Rice Bowl of Kerala

The Kuttanad region in Alappuzha district is named the ‘rice bowl of Kerala’ for its picturesque expanse of paddy cultivation which forms Kuttanad-Alappuzha-Kerala the main source of the famous ‘boiled rice’ of the state. As a tourist destination, it holds some geographical peculiarities. It is a vast area of partly reclaimed land, covered with the bright green paddy fields, separated by dykes. The unique feature about paddy cultivation in Kuttanad is that the level of water is a few feet higher than the level of the surrounding land. It's the area with the lowest altitude in India, and one of the few places in the world where farming is carried out below sea level. The place is an amazing labyrinth of shimmering waterways composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets. Lined with dense tropical greenery, it offers a glimpse into the rural life-styles of Kerala. Kuttanad is a backwater paradise and an ideal destination for a backwater cruise in Kuttanad-Alappuzha-Kerala. It is possible to drift along in a houseboat and enjoy the scenic view of the Kerala countryside.

With the Kuttanad region and the Vembanad Kayal nearby, Alappuzha attracts tourists throughout the year. The criss-crossing canals in the area evoke comparisons with Venice, but the differences are also substantial. Each has an identity of its own. Amongst the notable sights is the palm-covered Pathiramanal Island in Vembanad Kayal, which can be accessed through an hour’s cruise by boat from Alappuzha. The district is famous for its snake boat races and also houses a number of historic colonial buildings and a beach.

The Kuttanad region is broadly classified into three divisions:
• Lower Kuttanad
• Upper Kuttanad
• North Kuttanad

The major occupation in Kuttanad is farming, rice being the staple crop. Kuttanad-Alappuzha-KeralaMore than two crops are grown alternately each year.

Large farming areas near the Vembanad Lake were actually reclaimed from the lake. Following the Land Reclamation Act which decreed that whoever reclaims land from water can own it, many enterprising farmers took up the challenge leading to massive redemption of land from the lake.

As the farming in the area increased, farmers felt themselves constrained by the two cycles a year for rice cultivation owing to the limited availability of potable water in Kuttanad. During the monsoon seasons, the water from the mountains flow through the rivers to the sea, bringing potable water to Kuttanad. But during summer, due to the low level of the region, seawater enters Kuttanad and makes the salt content of the water high making it unpotable.

Origin, history & Contributions
There is no recorded history on the origin of this land. But the oral history among local people, transferred from generation to generation, is a blend of myths and legends. There is reference to Kuttanad in the epic Mahabharata of ancient India. During their exile, the five Pandava princes are said to have travelled through this land. In those days, Kuttanad was part of a dense forest, lateKuttanad-Alappuzha-Keralar destroyed by a forest fire which is also mentioned in the epic. Thus came the place name Chuttanad or the burnt place. In course of time Chuttanad became Kuttanad. Reportedly one can still see kari or coal if we dig deep into the soil of Kuttanad, pointing to the fact that the place was once a forest, destroyed by wild fire. In Kuttanad most of the local place names end in ‘kari’, some familiar ones being Ramankary, Oorukkary, Mitrakkary, Mampuzhakkary, Kainakari and Chennamkari.

Kuttanad is known for its contributions to the field of Malayalam literature and cinema besides the classical dance-drama of Kathakali. Jnanpith-winning novelist, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, hailed from Kuttanad, so is late Malayalam poet Dr K. Ayyappa Panikkar. Scholar-folklorist Kavalam Narayana Panikkar and his musician son Kavalam Sreekumar are natives of this place, so was late filmmaker John Abraham. Renowned film actor Nedumudi Venu too hails from Kuttanad-Alappuzha-Keralathis belt. Another famous film personality hailing from Kuttanad is filmmaker Vinayan.

Among the leading Kathakali exponents from Kuttanad today are Mankompu Sivasankara Pillai, Mathoor Govindankutty, Thalavadi Aravindan, FACT Padmanabhan and Kalamandalam Shanmughan. Its Kathakali masters of earlier days include Mathoor Kunhukunhu Pillai Panicker, Chennithala Kochu Pillai Panicker, Mankulam Vishnu Nambuthiri, Champakkulam Pachu Pillai, Guru Gopinath, Pallippuram Gopalan Nair, Harippadu Ramakrishna Pillai, Chennithala Chellappan Pillai, Ambalappuzha Sekhar and Kalanilayam Mohanakumar.
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Thanneermukkam Bund

The major occupation in Kuttanadu is farming. Rice is the important agricultural product, giving Kuttanadu the monicker of "The Rice Bowl of Kerala". Three crops are grown every year now instead of the traditional two per year. Large farming areas near Vembanad Lake (Vembanadu Kayal) were actually reclaimed from the lake. The king decreed that whoever retains land can own it leading massive redemption of land from the lake. As the farming in the area increased farmers felt themselves constrained by the two cycles a year for rice cultivation. The reason for which is the availability of potable water in Kuttanadu.
During the monsoon seasons, the water from the mountains flow through the rivers to the sea, bringing potable water to Kuttanadu. But during summer, due to the low level of the region, seawater enters Kuttanadu and makes the salt content of the water high making it unpotable. During 1968, government of India proposed a project, in which a bundh (Dam) will be made across the river so that seawater will not be allowed to come inside Kuttanad during summer, allowing farmers to cultivate and extra cycle per year. The project was planned in three phases, the south side, the north side and another phase to join the two sections. The project was delayed and by the time the first two phases were complete the entire money alloted for the project ran out and left the final phase in limbo. The farmers who were expecting lots of financial benefits after the completion of the project decided to take matters into their own hands and one night in 1972, a large group of farmers filled the gap between the north and the south side with earth. To this day, the earth embankment between the two sections of the bundh remains.














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