Candid Shots From Champakulam, Alappuzha

In an older post I gave you wonderful people a tour of Champakulam in Alappuzha. It's interior Kuttanad that was once only remotely accessible and solely by water. But, today, the place has made significant progress and is well connected to nearby towns, especially Alappuzha, by bus and water. 

In this post today, I take you on  a tour of the 'other side' of the village.

This part of Champakulam is easily accessed by bus from either Alappuzha bus depot or nearby Changanacherry bus-stand. It has extensive rice cultivation and a famous college run by CMI fathers. Much networked by criss-crossing channels, big and small this cosy place is where one can still enjoy the raw flavor of erstwhile Kuttanad. The people are simple and most of them still prefer to lead an agrarian life. This should not be confused with illiterate farmer community as most of the youngsters here are either engineers, teachers or into software development. The women folk are educated too, if not beyond, at least up to graduate/college level. Yet, they prefer to blend into their simple ways and are adept at  all household chores and farming practices including milking cattle and preparing the best Kuttannad delicacies especially seafood. They catch their own lunch from the canals! You can be sure to smell some heavenly aroma of seafood cooking while you pass a house in this locality.

Here, I have some candid shots of green and watery Champakulam for you !

Somebody's little ride parked under a shady coconut tree

One of the many channels criss-crossing the village- this one is behind the Porukara B.Ed College, Champakulam

Porukara B.Ed College

The Porukara institutions are located in Champakulam, Alappuzha district of Kerala. The property lies surrounded by lush paddy fields of the Kuttanad bowl. It houses the St. Mary's higher secondary school, a Fr. Thomas Porukara Central (English medium) school, the Porukara College of Education (B.Ed College) and an Arts and Science college.(Fr. Thomas Porukara College of Advanced Studies). There is also a  day care and a church with a beautiful chapel on the premises.

The Porukara Group of Institutions are named after Father Thomas Porukara.

Fr. T. Porukara worked with blessed Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara who is to be canonized Saint Chavara on November 23rd this year,  in the founding of the congregation called Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. Together with Fr. Thomas Palackal, they gave education the much needed boost in the state. Other places too have benefited from the whirlwind of reform unleashed by these three revolutionaries of a different kind. They stand out for their contributions to learning in the state.

The  institutions are run by fathers of the CMI congregation. One of the very few colleges in the region, they help dispense quality education.

Directions: The place can be reached from the Changanacherry KSRTC bus-stand or the Alappuzha KSRTC bus-stand. from either depots, you can board a Champakulam bus via Mankombu. Or, if starting from Alappuzha stand, board a bus for Changanacherry/Kottayam and get down at Mankombu. The same can be done by boarding a bus from Changanacherry to Alappuzha.
Here, buses that ply from either depots to Champakulam depot can be availed. As buses travel by the college front, 5 minutes from Mankombu by this bus should get you right to its footsteps.

Churches of Kuttanad: Kaithavana Church

This is the Immaculate heart church in Kaithavana, Alleppey district. Ancient and immaculately set within its four compound walls this place is a must visit for the spirituality seeking tourist. It has a very popular parish hall positioned adjacent to it. It falls under the Archdiocese of Changanacherry.

Contact details

Address and Pin code	: Kaithavana, Alleppey -688 003
Phone Number	: 0477-2269430