iPedia Free Information Center

Information about Kerala Backwaters

Enlarge picture
Map of Backwaters in Kerala


The Kerala Backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. The network includes five large lakes (including Ashtamudi Kayal and Vembanad Kayal) linked by 1500 km of canals, both manmade and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

Vembanad lake is the largest of the lakes, covering an area of 200 km², and bordered by Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. The port of Kochi (Cochin) is located at the lake's outlet to the Arabian Sea. Alleppey, "Venice of the East" has a large network of canals that meander through the town. The Vallam Kali (the Snake Boat Race) held every year in August is a major attraction.

Ashtamudi Lake is located in Kollam District, and the town of Kollam (Quilon) lies at its outlet.

Backwater tourism

Enlarge picture
House Boat on Kumarakom lake
Kettuvallam (Kerala houseboats) in the backwaters are one of the prominent tourist attractions in Kerala. Alleppey, known as the "Venice of the East" has a large network of canals that meander through the town. The Vallam Kali (the Snake Boat Race) held every year in August is a major sporting attraction.

The backwater network includes five large lakes (including Ashtamudi Kayal and Vembanad Kayal) linked by 1500 km of canals, both manmade and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually the entire length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

Economic significance

Connected by artificial canals, the backwaters form an economical means of transit, and a large local trade is carried on by inland navigation. Fishing and fishcuring is an important industry. Kettuvallam (Kerala houseboats) in the backwaters are one of the best tourist attractions in Kerala.

See also

Photo gallery


Kerala Backwaters.

Kettuvallam (Houseboats) on Kerala water-ways.

Kerala Backwaters.

Lagoon at Veli - Akkulam stretch, Trivandrum.

Veli Lake and Backwaters, Trivandrum.


External Links

 •  • [ e]
Waters of South Asia
InlandIndus Ganges Yamuna Chenab Jhelum Brahmaputra Godavari Narmada Tapti Ravi Beas Sutlej Dudh Kosi Padma Sarasvati Krishna Kaveri Meghna Mahanadi Son Ghaghara Betwa Chambal Kosi Sapt Koshi Tamur Mo Chhu Sankosh Drangme Chhu Ganges Basin Ganges Delta Indus Delta Dal Lake Pookode Lake Skeleton Lake Chilka Lake Lake Powai Borith Lake Saiful Muluk Gosaikunda Nizam Sagar Red Hills Lake Malampuzha Kerala Backwaters
Off the CoastIndian Ocean Arabian Sea Laccadive Sea Bay of Bengal Gulf of Kutch Gulf of Khambhat Palk Strait Gulf of Mannar
Main Rivers of India
Backwater may refer to:
  • the water held back by a dam or other obstruction
  • a remote place; somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc.

..... Click the link for more information.
Brackish water (less commonly brack water) is water that is saltier than fresh water, but not as salty as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers.
..... Click the link for more information.
lagoon is a body of comparatively shallow salt or brackish water separated from the deeper sea by a shallow or exposed sandbank, coral reef, or similar feature. Thus, the enclosed body of water behind a barrier reef or barrier islands or enclosed by an atoll reef is called a
..... Click the link for more information.
The Arabian Sea (Arabic: بحر العرب; transliterated: Bahr al-'Arab) is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately,
..... Click the link for more information.
The Malabar Coast also known as the Malabarian Coast, is a long and narrow south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest region of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains,
..... Click the link for more information.
Coordinates:

Kerala (/span>]] ?· i ; Malayalam: ; Kēraḷaṁ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India.
..... Click the link for more information.
South India is a commonly used term that is used in India to refer to the South-of-India or Southern India. The Southern part of the Indian peninsula is a linguistic-cultural region of India that comprises the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
..... Click the link for more information.
Location Kollam District, Kerala
Coordinates Coordinates:

Basin countries
..... Click the link for more information.
Coordinates Coordinates:

Primary sources Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba, Periyar

..... Click the link for more information.
shoal is a somewhat linear landform within or extending into a body of water, typically comprised of sand, silt or small pebbles. Alternatively termed sandbar or sandbank
..... Click the link for more information.
Western Ghats (Sahyadri)

The Western Ghats at Matheran near Mumbai


Country | India
States |
..... Click the link for more information.
Coordinates Coordinates:

Primary sources Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba, Periyar

..... Click the link for more information.
Alappuzha is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala in India. It was formed as Alleppey District on August 17, 1957. The name of the district was officially changed to Alappuzha in 1990.
..... Click the link for more information.
Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The district has its headquarters at Kottayam town, located at 9.36° N and 76.17° E.
..... Click the link for more information.
Ernakulam.
Ernakulam District (Malayalam: എറണാകുളം ) is a district of the state of Kerala in southern India. The district headquarters are at Kakkanad.
..... Click the link for more information.
Kochi ( pronunciation   (help info ) ; Malayalam: കൊച്ചി [
..... Click the link for more information.
Vallam Kali (or Vallamkali) (വല്ലമ്കലി) literally means boat game (race) in Malayalam. It is the traditional boat race in Kerala (a state in south India).
..... Click the link for more information.
Location Kollam District, Kerala
Coordinates Coordinates:

Basin countries
..... Click the link for more information.
This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.
You can assist by [ editing it] now. A how-to guide is available, as is general .
This article has been tagged since April 2007.
..... Click the link for more information.
Kollam (Malayalam:കൊല്ലം ) (known to the Portuguese as Quilon, pronounced koy-lon) is a city and a municipal corporation in Kollam district in the Indian state of Kerala.
..... Click the link for more information.
Kettuvallam is a kind of house boat in Kerala, India. Kettuvallam literally means "bundle" or "package" boat (Kettu means tied with ropes, and vallam means boat - Malayalam language).
..... Click the link for more information.
Vallam Kali (or Vallamkali) (വല്ലമ്കലി) literally means boat game (race) in Malayalam. It is the traditional boat race in Kerala (a state in south India).
..... Click the link for more information.
Location Kollam District, Kerala
Coordinates Coordinates:

Basin countries
..... Click the link for more information.
Coordinates Coordinates:

Primary sources Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba, Periyar

..... Click the link for more information.
shoal is a somewhat linear landform within or extending into a body of water, typically comprised of sand, silt or small pebbles. Alternatively termed sandbar or sandbank
..... Click the link for more information.
Western Ghats (Sahyadri)

The Western Ghats at Matheran near Mumbai


Country | India
States |
..... Click the link for more information.
Kettuvallam is a kind of house boat in Kerala, India. Kettuvallam literally means "bundle" or "package" boat (Kettu means tied with ropes, and vallam means boat - Malayalam language).
..... Click the link for more information.
Kettuvallam is a kind of house boat in Kerala, India. Kettuvallam literally means "bundle" or "package" boat (Kettu means tied with ropes, and vallam means boat - Malayalam language).
..... Click the link for more information.
houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a human dwelling. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored, kept stationary at a fixed point.
..... Click the link for more information.
Vallam Kali (or Vallamkali) (വല്ലമ്കലി) literally means boat game (race) in Malayalam. It is the traditional boat race in Kerala (a state in south India).
..... Click the link for more information.


This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus


page counter