Kumarakom

Kumarakom is a tourist village in Kottayam district, Kerala, India. It is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake in Kerala.

Environment

Kumarakom is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a noted bird sanctuary where many species of migratory birds visit. TheVembanad Lake, the largest backwater in Kerala, is habitat for many marine and freshwater fish species and it teems with 'Karimeen' (Pearl Spotted Fish ), shrimp ("chemmeen" in the local language) and prawns. The bird sanctuary extends over 14 acres (57,000 m²), and came into existence following preservation efforts from the government. It is a major tourist attraction.

Economy

Agriculture, fishing and tourism are the major economic activities. The place has expanses of mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves. This rich agricultural environment is mainly irrigated using interspersed waterways and canals of the Meenachil river. Kumarakom's perfectly balanced tropical climate is conductive to cultivation. Kumarakom has a wide variety of houseboats with different cost. They are used only for tourist. A separate boat known as Kettuvellam is used by the people to go fishing. Kumarakom is one of the most beautiful villages in the world.

Modes of access

One can access Kumarakom by many means:
* By air: via Cochin International Airport and the Trivandrum International Airport
* By rail: via Kottayam * By boat: From Muhamma (near Alappuzha) to Kumarakom Jetty.
* By road:(16 kilometres) Buses and taxis are easily available at all times of the day from Kottayam.

Tourism

It is a unique experience that will beckon the visitors time and time again as there are several activities for visitors.

The Bird Sanctuary can be visited by canoes, which can be arranged with local fishermen at the entrance to the sanctuary. A two-hour rowing canoe trip is quite cheap, and is best undertaken in the evening or early morning to avoid the afternoon sun.

House boats or speed boats can cover longer distances but cost more to hire.

God of Small Things

Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things is set in Ayemenem or Aymanam village, which adjoins Kumarakom. The explosive success of this novel has given some added touristic impetus to this area. The Taj Garden Retreat hotel complex is centered around a building that is called "History House" in the novel; it was built by British missionary Alfred George Baker, whom the locals called "Kari Saipu" (possibly an elided form of "Baker Sahib"), as in the novel. [cite news
title = Arundhati’s Ayemenem
author = Partha S Banerjee
publisher =
url = http://www.indiavarta.com/travel/22feb04.asp
date = February 2004
accessdate = 2007-08-10] Four generations of Bakers lived in the house until 1962, speaking Malayalam, and even wearing the mundu. The Baker Memorial School, Kottayam, was started by a daughter of this family in 1925. The Baker family's house is in ruins in the novel, as it was in reality before was developed into a hotel and has been restored by the Taj group. The Ayemenem house, where Arundhati Roy spent part of her childhood (like the twins in the story), can also be visited in the village, which can be reached by boat along the Meenachil river that figures prominently in the story.

Kumarakom has been declared a Special Tourism Zone by the Kerala state Government, as legislated for by Kerala Tourism Act, 2005. [http://www.keralatourism.org/tourismact.php] Development in the area is therefore now controlled by the guidelines written by the STZ committee, and published at http://www.keralatourism.org/specialtourism.php

Notable persons

*Bishop Mar Alexander Choolaparampil (1877-1951), second bishop of the Knanaya Kottayam Archdiocese
*Abraham John Illikkalam. A Genius of his time. Built a big clock, and presented to the then Travancore King who rewarded him. Praised as a Hero for Shooting a tiger in the Great Flood of 1924.{Known in Malayalam year as flood of '99(1099)}
*Capt.Dr.Karumacheril Itty John.(Surgeon,I.M.S)(1885-1938)He was the first British army officer from Kumarakom.
*Dr.Karumacheril Abraham John (Physician), Elder son of Capt.K.I.John. The first physician in Kumarakom.
*John Abraham Illikkalam (1929 - 1988) - Elder son of Abraham John Illikkalam was a known Agriculturist at Kumarakom, and made a study & writings about Environmental & Ecological issues of Kuttanadu Region. He built a white chapel in the Vembanad lake, which can be seen when emerging from the Kumarakom boat jetty into the lake.

Bibliography

*cite book|title=KUMARAKOM - An Insider's Introduction|author=P.G Padmanabhan

References

External links

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* [http://houseboatskerala.in/kumarakomhouseboats.html Kumarakom Houseboats]