Three Scenes You Can See ONLY In Kuttanaad!

Harvest season is a busy time for the farmers in Kuttanad. There is more than enough farm work for a dozen on each plot, and fewer workers than existing labor laws and policies. Below, one such worker is seen. They can be seen in little groups all along the AC road (you can see more scenes along this route here or here.). There are many tasks that a farm laborer in Kuttanad has to do. He chaffs the rice, prepares the hay, arranges for transportation, and prepares the field for the next season of farming and flooding (pun intended). In case you are wondering what I meant by 'flooding', have a look at Kuttanad here).

A worker from the surrounding paddy fields by the AC road, post-harvest.

This is a scene visible only in God's Own Country. The elephant is intricately linked to the culture and heritage of Kerala. Elephants in Kerala can even be separated into social classes! The royalty class -works for the King's family. They are symbols of power, opulence, pride, and of course good luck! The nobility class that gets to stay in the elephant stables and eat to their content does so in exchange for just gracing the owner's property! And as seen everywhere, the poor 'working class' elephants - that get to do all the hard stuff just to get at least a square meal a day, in captivity.

This one below in chains is probably on its way to the temple festival where it will enjoy a few days of Godly status, and a few good meals- if lucky. Now, isn't that a wretched paradox?

A mahout rides an elephant through the busy streets of Alappuzha.

||  Did you know that elephants never sit or lie down? They spend most of their day standing. That is to say, even while sleeping!! ||

The backwaters at Champakulam are scenic views of tranquility one cannot find anywhere else! Champakulam with its many paddy fields, ancient churches, simple and simplistic lifestyle of its inhabitants and its many little raw roads are threatened by urbanization. I fear they will be this green (like seen here) and bucolic (like described here) much longer.So better savor it when one can!

A view along the AC Road pocket that leads to Champakulam stand

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