The black waters of Kerala

trade on the backwaters

Kerala’s geography is nothing like the other coastal stretches of the peninsula it is a part of. The expanse of the ocean is somewhat counter posed with the inlands canals in a manner such that living next to expansive water bodies means different things at different locations across Kerala. The experience of the backwaters that lead on to the ocean along with the occasional lake such as the Ashtamudi Lake within the inner canal networks are very distinct from the experience of the average Malayali person with the Indian Ocean or the Arabian Sea. 

This distinction, which is the root of the uniqueness of the backwaters in the first place, has made its way into the heart of the tourism discussion in South Asia in a massive way in the last fifteen years. Floating in a closeted world of palm trees seems to have caught the fancy of such a vivid imagination that the backwaters of Kerala soon replaced Kerala’s religious sites as the central focus of tourism policy in the state. But it is time to rethink where Kerala stands today. 

A traditional Kettuvalam

The backwaters, or perhaps, ‘black’ waters are facing the crucial problem of overuse and over-exploitation. The traditional kettuvellams, or the rice barges which doubled up as houseboats were the object of attention of a smaller travelling population two decades ago. These houseboats catered to an inquisitive travelling gaze. Such travellers found the beauty of assimilation within the fishing and farming environment of the backwaters. This healthy exchange found expression in the numerous photography and travel books that published that face of Kerala. Visitors to the backwaters treasured its singular qualities and found it to be a place that could be discovered with thrill. 

But two decades down the line, the commodification of the backwaters seems complete. Ever since its potential was calculated in exponentially monetary terms, Allapuzha and Kottayam’s appeal has been significantly transformed. It now caters to the thrifty urban consumer of tourism as opposed to the patient and empathetic travellers’ market. 

A conference houseboat

Kollam’s waterways are populated by numerous massive houseboats, fitted with inverters and air conditioners, refrigerators and a conspicuous lack of dustbins. Specific attractions include “conference houseboats” for corporate houses which are hired for a day or two which simply defies any understanding of the separation of work routines and leisure breaks in our corporatized and ecologically sensitive world. It appears that corporate routines and executive leadership programmes have found appeal not in the traditional glass cubes but in the silent green cocoon of the backwaters. This has led to a complete distortion in the idea of what the backwaters are and were meant to be. 

An identifiable dispassionate outlook towards the ecology of the backwaters is visible in many houseboats, as one sails along past the Ashtamudi Lake. The regular story of junk food wrappers and organic waste ruining the natural scenery is repeating itself everyday in these canals. They are not far from the madding crowd anymore. 

A day in the life of...

It seems that the arrogant crowd has caught on to it and feels no remorse in making it another one of its use-and-throw “destinations”. What does this mean for the inhabitants of the backwaters then? A few conversations with men and women of the fishing villages and the inner hamlets will tell you how tourist-averse the sentiment now is. The visitor is no longer seen with curiosity and hospitable attitudes anymore. What is mechanically dished out is everything the upwardly mobile and well-to-do tourist demands. Travelling has become a mere object of economic exchange in Alappuzha and Kottayam. 

Away from the heavy motors of the luxurious houseboats, the escape is perhaps to be sought in the lesser known sections of the backwaters. Empathy with the natural beauty of any location and the emotional value that it holds for any traveller needs to be rediscovered in the less populated stretches of the backwaters. The blue-green waters beyond Ashtamudi Lake that is off the beaten track between Kollam and Alappuzha, which encircle the coir and paddy villages are perhaps one such option. Or the serene tract behind Munroe Island on the Kallada River, otherwise famous for its annual boat races but much less populated with houseboat traffic during the rest of the season makes for another good option.

A traditional snake boat race

These boat race locations which see huge numbers of visitors and participants during the race days are really the places to be even in non-race season. The beauty of the Pampa River needs rediscovering away from its fame as the site of Uthrattathi boat race, as home to many varieties of flora and a preferred location of bird photography. Aranmula, tucked away from the swarm of houseboats is one such place on the Pampa that would excite any humble visitor to Kerala. It is home to several elegant religious temples and a famous palace. 

For those with short vacation time who want to find the same tranquillity and uniqueness that the ‘mainstream’ of the backwaters have lost, staying away from the Krishnapuram and Ambalapuzha temples in Allapuzha may be a wise option, given that their popularity as religious centres as well as their promotion through the cut-and-dried tourism packages has led to clogged waterways which are simply dangerous to the ecological balance of the region. 

Let the smile not be on the endangered species list

Convenient disposal of organic and inorganic waste by big houseboats has caught some attention with State and local authorities and one hopes, for the sake of the exceptional beauty of Kerala, that it is met with strict regulation soon. Or else, the arrogant demanding tourist will trump once again over an empathetic and inquisitive traveller. It is essential to acknowledge that while Kerala’s backwaters need strict preservation, the same could also be said of the good ethics of travelling.