As our taxi rattled along the rutted road to Lake Vembanad in India's southwestern state of Kerala, the strangest view came into sight. Squat-looking houseboats of every size lined its shores, their concave upper decks and thatched roofs made out of knotted coir (fibres from the coconut tree).
Called kettuvalam in Malayalam, the local dialect, these were former rice barges that used to haul grain from the paddy fields through the area's backwaters.
But that was in Kerala's distant agrarian past. Now, these once-humble kettuvalams around Alappuzha have been reincarnated as luxury palaces for tourists. Some are three storeys high with multiple sun decks, two living rooms and three en suite bedrooms,
big enough to host entire clans of Indian families (which they did long ago). These days, these mini-cruise liners come with air-conditioning, karaoke lounges and TV.
We were on a budget, however, and so stayed in a single-story model. As Matthew, the captain of the boat, walked us to our vessel, bearing garlands of jasmine, I was charmed. It had a large covered deck with two chairs and a table, a bedroom with mosquito netting, a fan and a tiny attached bathroom with shower and toilet. Mothballs stuffed into the sink masked any untoward smells. Our curved bedroom door had a brass fish handle. Beyond that was the crew¡¯s zone and a kitchen, from which our chef, Mohan, knocked out expert meals, and the al fresco engine area in which our driver Jayesh sat.
But the real star of the show was the scenery. As Jayesh started the engine, we puttered off, leaving behind the houseboat-lined shore and all its attendant crews. Dugouts with men punting drifted past. We caught up with them and eased our way into a canal.
Settling back with chilled glasses of coconut juice, we watched as traditional houses with gables and women doing their washing neared. Beyond the houses, we caught glimpses of lime-green paddy fields, their wet surfaces reflecting the sun like a giant mirror.
Kerala is crisscrossed with an impossibly lush network of canals called the backwaters. They are still used by villagers ferrying rice barges to its major towns. Lining the canals are tiny hamlets: we watched old women smoking coconut husks; boys catching fish with bamboo rods, schoolchildren laughing as they cycled past.
It was time for lunch so we pulled up by the banks of a paddy field. We sniffed hungrily as the smells of frying mustard seeds in fragrant coconut oil wafted by. We feasted on local karimeen fish, curried cabbage, different types of pickles and pappadums (Indian crisps), topped by unpolished Kerala rice.
For a brief interlude, we were stationary, but canal life certainly wasn't: a boat containing schoolchildren stopped to unload its human cargo; a flock of white egrets skimmed the water, past the tops of lotus flowers.
In the evening, the glitter of the water softened. The canal suddenly opened out into a huge lake again, its horizon lined by coconut trees, which blazed red and gold as the sun set. Then, the village rhythms changed. We heard mortar sticks pounding spices, wood being chopped, the sizzle of chopped ginger in oil. It was also time for tea and Mohan produced fried bananas and a strong pot of Indian chai.
We explored the village on foot, stopping at its 500-year-old temple. Barren women come here to pray for babies; schoolgirls ask to pass exams. We were blessed, and ash was smeared on our foreheads.
As it grew dark, we purchased batteries for our torches to walk back. Villages were only lit by kerosene lamps, but the huge overhead moon made it easy to pick our way back to the boat. After dinner, we sat on the deck, drinking Royal Challenge beer and munching on pappadums, gazing out at the silent lake.
Fact file
Most cruises start in Alappuzha and Kollam. Overnight cruises start from US$100 per boat, with all meals, bedding and a crew of three included. The peak season is from October to March. Try the Marari Beach Hotel in Mararikulam, near Alleppey (tel +91 484 266 8221,www.cghearth.com) or the Tharavad Heritage Resort (tel +91 477 224 4599,[email protected]), which offers backwater cruises as well as rooms.
