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Tag: North kerala
WPC: ‘Quest’ for glory, Mangalassery Jalotsavam
Yet another Onam season and one more edition of ‘Jalotsavam’ or the ‘Vallamkali (Country boat race)’ in North Kerala…
I had been to here last time and shared my experiences here in my post…
Unlike it’s more famed cousins of south Kerala like Aranmula Vallamkali where the traditional snake boat race in the vast backwaters happens , it’s organised in Kuppam river by ‘Navodaya Club‘ with stunning natural settings…
Slowly people have started watching with great passion and sinking in the spirit of Vallamkali…
Local clubs have now become more competent and the races are fought with intensity.
Still visitors have an upper hand due to their experience and fine tuned techniques and the local teams are still pursuing their Quest for glory…
This time, I watched most of the race from a nearby hilltop and we had yet another great evening …
Wordless Wednesday: Tempting …
Weekly Photo Challenge: Orange, Theyyam Make Up
Thinking about Orange, the first thing that comes to my mind is “Theyyam”… and probably the only thing 🙂
Let me share an image of this incredible ritual dance from God’s Own Country, Kerala…
Weekly Photo Challenge: Rule of Thirds
There is something really interesting about rules in Photography.
You don’t have to learn these rules and apply them. Once you start taking visually appealing images by practice, you would have already followed them unknowingly, “The Rule of Thirds” is one of the best example.
Let me share a few images taken during my travels in South India (Mainly Karnataka and Kerala).
Wordless Wednesday: Take a Plunge
Budget Cruise in Pristine Kerala Backwaters
Around six hours of boat journey in the pristine backwaters of north Kerala, for less than a Dollar.
Would you take it?
All you need is, a day to spare.
I planned this journey many a times, but couldn’t make it, till yesterday.
I was free for the day and needed a story so badly. I called up the boat house for the schedule and came to know that, there is one starting at 10 am from “Kotti Jetty”, which is near Payyanur Railway station.
As usual, it was a race against time for me and a photo finish 🙂
Being a weekday, there was hardly anyone around and the boat crew (Five people) out numbered the passengers.
As the boat entered the backwater and traveled due south, the Ezhimala hills provided a perfect backdrop.
Once it reached Thayyil Jetty, it reversed it’s direction and started the long journey northward following a zig zag pattern across the width of the backwater.
Landscape looked monotonous on both the banks for the untrained eyes. But there was a unique ecosystem so alive and thriving.
Most of the passengers used the boat to cross the backwater as there was only one bridge connecting the mainland to Valiyaparamba (narrow strip of land sandwiched between the sea and backwater).
It was really interesting to just sit and watch people in action with a cool breeze on your face and thousand shades of green cooling your eyes and mind.
We reached “Ayitti” jetty, by 11.30 am and there was a break for lunch. 12.30 pm, we resumed our journey and reached the northern most point of the trip(Padanna) by 1.15 pm.
After a small break we started the return trip and I tried to capture something I missed in the morning.
For the final leg of the journey, I planned a little twist, and jumped off the boat on the other bank, near the beach. This is my favorite beach in the whole world, solely for the reason, that, you could find not even a single soul for kilometers in either direction.
As the sun started to descend, I collected shells for my daughter and waited for the country boat to come.
It was a long wait, but in the lap of nature, never a tiring one.
Suggestions on boat trip:
It’s always better to take the first three rows. Engine, being in the middle of the boat, causes quite some noise and vibration and it’s felt more in the rear seats.
Where to Have Food:
There is hardly any shop near the starting point (Kotti) and no option to buy anything on the way. There is a small hotel near the Ayitti boat office, which is 90 minutes away from the start. So, better take food and water along.
Where to Stay: You have some really good hotels to stay in Payyanur, the nearest town.
If you would like to finish the day, exploring the virgin beaches of valiyaparamba, and spend the night at one of the home stays, you have got some interesting options as well.
Best Time to Explore: For the boat journey it hardly matters, but, if you would like to have a great time at the beaches, it’s better to avoid the monsoon months (June to September). For mild temperatures and clear skies, you can plan for the winter months of December and January.
Boat Timing: Boat is scheduled to start from “Kotti” boat jetty at 6.30 AM, 10 AM and 4.15 AM.
If you are planning for a to and fro journey in a single boat, you can opt for the 10 AM one, which returns to the starting point by 4 PM.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Converge, Kottappuram Foot Bridge
Let me take this week’s theme literally 🙂
The subject here is a long foot bridge over a beautiful back water in north Kerala…
Please have a look 🙂
Weekly Photo Challenge: Angular…
This week’s theme given me a chance to view the change of pace of life from a different angle, and how people miss to appreciate the beauty of nature while rushing…
Exotic Kerala: Mangalassery Snake Boat Race
Is it a bit of an exaggeration to call my native Kerala, “God’s Own Country” ???
This question used to pop up in my mind on seeing ads from Kerala Tourism department.
But, one year of travel through the length and breadth of this state wiped off all the doubts in my mind.
And now it’s your turn 🙂
We were on our way to watch the annual Snake Boat Race, organized by “Navodaya Club“, at Mangalassery. A small village of Kannur district in North Kerala. This was the view waited for us, as we took a turn and descended to the riverside.
We stopped for a while and savored the beauty at our backyard for some time.
People always associate “Vallam Kali” or “snake boat race” to the vast backwaters of south kerala.
Here, in northern districts of Kannur and Kasaragod it’s a rare event and been introduced only a few years back. This year’s event was the third edition at Mangalassery and held on 21st September.
Before the race began there was a tableau showcasing the art and culture of the region.
As it’s something quite new for most of the crowd, they really enjoyed even the practice sessions.
Scorching sun didn’t have any effect on the festive mood and people made their own custom VIP seats and enjoyed the show 🙂
As the real race started, I just became part of the crowd.
The event, the crowd and more than anything else, the whole setting by nature, certainly had an unforgettable impression on us.
I am sure, I’ll be back there for the next edition…
