| |
Alleppey - Criss-crossed by interconnecting canals, Alleppey (the new name is Alappuzha) is a little market town in Kerala. It makes most of its money from coir making, toddy tapping, prawn farming and boat riding on its backwaters. The 'Venice of the East', as the canal town, has been fondly named, is the gateway to the lovely church town of Kottayam and to Aranmula, famous for its historic Aranmula Snake Boat Race.
Alleppey is a quiet town where the rustle of wet palm fronds on the backwaters, are often the only indication of signs of life. But come August, there is a sense of urgency, a building up of noise, a roar and then entire villages standing up to shout, egging on the oarsmen as they row gustily on the Vembanad Lake. The Nehru Trophy (India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, inaugurated in 1952.) Snake boat Race in August is repeated during the tourist season, titled Tourism Snake boat Race around mid-January.
|
