A Kuttanadan Road Trip – Alappuzha

Kuttanad is a delta formed by the confluence of the four major rivers of Kerala, the Pampa, the Manimala, the Achankovil and the Meenachil, and the Vembanad Lake. Spread over the districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta, the total area is 870 sq km. Kuttanad, which was inhabited during the historical period, was burnt down due to wildfires and later the area was inundated by the sea. Kuttanad later became known as Chuttanad due to the high biodiversity of the Kuttanad plains and the remnants of black trees found in many places in Kuttanad, especially in the dry lands and soil. The water level in Kuttanad is 2 feet in shallow areas and up to 7 feet in shallow areas. Known as the Golden Age of Kuttanad, it was during the reign of the Champakassery kings. During this period, Kuttanad flourished in the arts, culture, finances and economics.The Kuttanad course collections are the result of human labor from Vembanad Lake.Travancore government played a pivotal role in the formation of the backwaters.