Discount Travel with Rotary Tours

If you work with Wipro, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Accenture you get Half Ticket and an additional 10% off

On packages organized by Rotary Club of Kuttanad

Snapshot of a Rotary Trip: 9 days 8 night tour

2 days at Munnar; 2 days at Kovalam

1 day each at Kochi, Thekkady, Allepey and Kanyakumari

Itinerary:

1^st day – Arrive at Kochi, transfer to hotel, noon tour of Kochi, visit Fort Kochi, Jewish Synagogue, Jew Town, Dutch Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, St. Francis Church. Overnight stay at hotel

2^nd day – Drive to Munnar. Transfer to hotel, day at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel

3^rd day – After breakfast, sightseeing in Munnar. Visit Eravikulam National Park, Mattupetty dam, old Munnar town and local market. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel

4^th day – After breakfast, drive to Thekkady. Reach hotel at noon and take rest of day off or opt for a boat cruise down the Periyar river in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (This is not included in the package cost). Overnight stay at hotel

5^th day – Transfer from Thekkady to Kumarakom/Allepey houseboat. All meals on houseboat. Full day and overnight stay on the houseboat

6^th day – Drive to Kovalam. Transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel

7^th day – Day at leisure. On payment basis avail of the resort facilities like Ayurvedic massage

8^th day – Drive to Kanyakumari after breakfast. Check into hotel by noon. Rest of day at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel

9^th day – Transfer to Thiruvanthapuram to catch connecting train/flight back home

Package Cost:

Budget    - Rs.40,290 for two. Rs.4000 for extra person

Standard – Rs.44,660 for two. Rs.4500 for extra person

Deluxe    - Rs.65,240 for two. Rs.5000 for extra person

Luxury    -  Rs.86,235 for two. Rs.8000 for extra person

Mode of Travel: Indica. A/c Indica for Deluxe and Luxury packages

Bus tickets can be arranged on request

Other Offers

Rotary also offers discounts on houseboat packages such as 15% off on deluxe 5 days 4 nights tours and if you like them on Facebook there's a 5% discount!

Contact

Call 09349178898 or 09447776841

Onam 2012 Aranmula Boat Race

The Aranmula Boat Race rows off on September 1, 2012

Venue – Pampa river, Aranmula Parthasarthy Temple

The oldest regatta of Kerala, the Aranmula Boat race is a tribute to the time when Lord Krishna, the divine sarathy (charioteer) to Parth (Arjun, Pandav Prince) took abode as the presiding deity at Aranmula Parthasarthy Temple

Legend has it that a devout Brahmin vowed to feed one pilgrim a day. One day, Lord Krishna presented himself as a pilgrim to the Brahmin. Ecstatic at being thus blessed, the Brahmin pledged 51 measures of rice and to provide for the traditional Onam feast called the Thiruvona Sadya at the Aranmula Parthasarthy Temple on the banks of the river Pampa

On the way to the temple, the boat carrying the sadya was attacked. Snake boats or chundam vallams raced to protect the Lord’s offering

The sadya was then borne in style in Palliyodams, larger snake boats used mainly by royals

Since then, every year, the tradition of the snake boats gathering on the river Pampa to escort the Lord continues

It is a two day event

The first day, there’s a carnival with a towering idol of Lord Krishna and children enact a costume drama dressed as nymphs and princesses

On the second day the boats gather, one each from the villages along the river Pampa

The boats decorated with flags, parasol and flowers arrive in the morning to offer prayers at the temple

At noon the participants are offered the traditional Onam sadya meal

After partaking the feast, the regatta begins

In every boat, 100 ft long are four helmsmen and 100 rowers who are accompanied by 25 singers who sing to the boat’s rhythm

Since every boat is believed to carry Lord Krishna, there is no sense of competition and boats are expected to arrive at the destination at the same time. Sync boating in motion!

Hence, it is the only race which does not have cash prize or a trophy as the race is a celebration of the Lord’s manifestation

Getting to Pampa

Reach Kochi or Thiruvanthapuram (Trivandrum) by air or train

At Ernakulum station in Kochi or Trivandrum Central station, take the train to Chengannur which is the nearest rail head to Aranmula

From Chengannur railway station drive down, catch the local bus or hire a cab to reach Aranmula, 10 km away

Date with History - Nehru Boat Race turns 60!

 

The first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru visited Kerala in 1952 and sailed via Kottayam and Kuttanad to touch Allepey. An impromptu race of boats called Chundams was held on the river in his honour. Nadubhagam Chundan won the race and an ecstatic Nehru disregarding security and protocol, jumped into the boat and sailed in it to the jetty. Nehru had enjoyed the experience so much that on returning to Delhi, he had a trophy made and sent it over to make the race an annual feature. The Nehru Trophy as it came to be called is a snake boat mounted in silver resting on a wooden abacus. Its inscription reads – To the winner of the boat race which is a unique feature of community life in Travancore, Cochin.

The Boats

• The Chundam Vallam(snake boat) is the show stopper of the race. It can stretch to 100 ft has a raised prow going up to a magnificent 15 to 20 ft and was used in canal battles as it could seat from 90 to 150. These include the oarsmen, the steerers (amarakkar) and cheerleaders (nilakkar)

• The Churulan boat is circular and in ancient times ferried the wealthy at leisurely pace with a seating capacity of 10 to 36

• The Iruttukuthy or Odis are the stealth boats of yore used for nightly smuggling raids that were swift and short as they could not be turned, the rowers merely switched sides. Its seating capacity is 28 to 36

• The Vaipu are the feeder boats of ancient battles. Vaipu means cooking in Malayalam and these boats ferried essential grub and stoves for cooking for the Chundan crew during battles. Its seating capacity is 28 to 36

The Race

Along 4850 ft of waterways, all the above types will churn up the lake waters. 16 are snake boats decorated with flags and silken umbrellas as they snake their way to win the coveted Nehru Trophy. The remarkable feature of this race - unlike the temple associated races like the Champakulam Moollam Boat Race - is the bumper cash prizes. In this jubilee year it could go up to a lakh rupees. The boats while having single and joint owners may also represent a locality that sponsors it. Women and children are also enthusiastic participants

The Place

Punnamada Lake, Allapuzha (Allepey) in Kuttanad region is part of the serene backwaters where kettuvallams (houseboats) ply tourists.

Timeline

Reach Allapuzha by 9 am

Catch the official jetty by 11 am after which it is not available

Take your seat at 12 am

Ticket Price

The tickets are in the following categories

Tourist Gold    Rs. 2000 (for 1 person)

Tourist Silver   Rs. 1000 (for 1 person)

Rose Corner     Rs. 500 (for 2 persons)

Rose Corner     Rs. 300 (for 1 person)

Victory Lane    Rs. 200 (for 1 person)

All View           Rs. 150 (for 1 person)

Lake View        Rs. 100 (for 1 person)

Lawn               Rs. 50 (for 1 person)

Tip

Do not purchase complimentary passes for cash

Buy tickets from official tourism departments and the government department outlets which can be recognized by the official Nehru Trophy Boat Race

banners. The government departments include district Taluka offices, Block Development Offices and the office of Municipal Secretaries

Check that tickets have official seal and serial number of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Carry food and water. Liquor and smoking is not allowed.

Parking space is available at Municipal stadium north of Zilla Court bridge

The Date

August 9 – 11, 2012

Since it’s the 60^th year there are 3 races instead of the usual single race

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race will be on August 11, 2012

Getting to Allapuzha (Allepey)

From Kochi you can take the ferry to Allepey. 
From Quilon,  that is an hour from Trivandrum, you can take the ferry to Allepey. 
Check any South Indian railway trains and whether there’s a halt at Allepey.

Allepey Ahoy!

                                                 There's Something about Allepey!

                                                 Through A Houseboat Leisurely....

Allepey Houseboat

Allepey Backwaters

Allepey Houseboat

Allepey Houseboat

Allepey Houseboat

Allepey Houseboat - Dropping Anchor

Rest Pause at Allepey

Allepey Houseboat Stop

Allepey Houseboat

Serene Blue Backwaters of Allepey

Allepey Backwaters Sunset

Allepey Backwaters Sunset

Allepey Backwaters Sunset

                                                

Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum

Revi Karunakaram was a patron of the coir industry. Over the years he created a fine collection of art which is now housed in a museum which opened in 2006. Besides the backwater cruise you can make a visit to this museum. The 2 hours seeing what's on display is well worth it. 
The 10,000 sq.ft. of the Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum has on display:

• Tanjore paintings
• One of the largest ivory and Swarovski crystal collections
• The social and cultural heritage of India in a 200 sq.ft, mural
• Made exclusively of vegetable dyes and 4160 hours of work
• A Kerala room dedicated to architecture,
•  Antiques and Lladro porcelain
•  A 1946 Buick super model car belonging to Revi’s father
  Location: The Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum is located at Allapuzha (Allepey) - 688012, near the Powerhouse Bridge.
  
  Timings of Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum: 9 am to 2 pm on all days except Mondays and Public Holidays.
  
  Entry fees at Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum:
  - Rs.100 for Indians 
  - Rs.250 for foreigners
  Note: No cameras allowed
  
  Contact Information of Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum:
  Ph:  477-2242923
  Email:info@rkkmuseum.com 
  
  How to Reach Revi Karunakaram Memorial Museum: 

      From Kochi you can take the ferry to Allepey. 
      From Quilon,  that is an hour from Trivandrum, you can take the ferry to Allepey. 
      Check any South Indian railway trains and whether there’s a halt at Allepey.

Allepey Images

There’s the serene backwaters….

There are the local boats…

There’s the paddy fields with bunds of coconut groves…

Paddy fields with coconut grove bunds - Allepey Village

The homes…

House in Allepey Village

The locals - kids playing hide and seek

How to Reach Allepey

From Kochi you can take the ferry to Allepey. From Quilon, that is an hour from Trivandrum, you can also take the regular ferry to Allepey. 

The best way is by train as you can see Allepey’s scenic beauty on the way. Check any South Indian railway trains and whether there’s a halt at Allepey.

Afloat on a boat in Kerala… Beyond Houseboats

Ferry Boats in Kochi

      Kochi, the ferry is the best option to avoid the traffic jams. The ferry travels over the waterways that link the various isles that make Kochi. The jetty points have bus stops usually bang outside so you can just hop on for the onward destination point or else take the autos after haggling.

      

      The Kochi ferry is of two types:       

      

• There are the only passenger ferries. 
•  There are also the roll-on, roll-off ferry for two wheelers, light vehicles as well as standees, limited depending on the space. But there are lengthy queues for these. 

Ferry jetty points are:

• Ernakulum Main Boat
• High Court (Ernakulum)
• Vypeen (Vypeen  Island)
• Bolgatty (Bolgatty Island)
• Embarkation (Willingdon Island)
• Terminus (Willingdon Island)
• Mattancherry
• Customs (Fort Kochi)

The passenger ferry timings:

Check timings call – 0484-2360215. Ticket window opens 10 mins prior to ferry start time

• High Court to Vypeen Island and High Court to Bolgatty Island:Every 20 minutes from 6:00 am to 10 pm

• Fort Kochi to Vypeen Island:6:00 am to 10 pm

• Ernakulum to Embarkation (Willingdon Island)/Fort KochiMorning - 6:00; 6:30; 7:10; 8:00; 8:40; 9:10; 9:40; 10:10; 11:00; 11:40;
  Noon – 12:30; 1:00; 2:40;
  Evening – 4:00; 4:50; 5:10; 6:10; 7:00;
  Night – 8:00; 8:50;

• Fort Kochi/Ernakulum (Willingdon Island) to ErnakulumMorning - 6:30; 7:00; 7:50; 8:30; 9:10; 9:40; 10:20; 10:40; 11:40;
  Noon – 12:10; 12:50; 1:20; 2:10; 3:10;
  Evening – 4:40; 5:15; 5:40; 6:40; 7:20;
  Night – 8:20; 9:10;

• Ernakulum to Mattancherry (This is the area of the Jewish Synagogue and Dutch Palace)Morning - 7:10; 9:40; 11:05;
  Noon –2:00; 3:20;
  Evening – 5:40;

• Mattancherry (This is the area of the Jewish Synagogue and Dutch Palace) to ErnakulumMorning - 7:50; 10:25; 11:45;
  Noon –2:40;
  Evening – 4:00; 6:20;

• Ernakulum to Vypeen: The frequency is more. Every 20 minutes and even 10 minutes apart.From 5:30 morn right till 10:30 night. 

• Vypeen to Ernakulum: The frequency is more. Every 20 minutes and even 10 minutes apart.From 6:00 morn to 10:00 night.

      Boating in Munnar 

       

      Mattupetty Dam Point: 9am – 5:30 pm. Call Indo-Swiss Project - 0486-242201

• Speedboat that seats a max of 5 costs Rs. 200 for a ride of 15 mins.

•  Safari boat that seats 25 costs Rs. 300 for a ride of 30 mins.

       Old Munnar river cruise: Call District Tourism Promotion Council - 0486-231516

•  Boat per person per hour = Rs. 30
•  Motorboat for 9 persons for 30 minutes = Rs. 180
•  Pedalboat for 2 for 30 mins = Rs. 40
• Pedalboat for 4 for 30 mins = Rs. 80
• Watercycle per person for 30 mins = Rs. 100
•  Surfbike for 15 mins = Rs.50

Boat Cruise sans frills

Available for cruises in Kochi, Kottayam, Kollam, Kumarakom, Allapuzha (Allepey): If you don't want to houseboat and wish for just the cruise without the frills then you can opt for just a plain boat cruise.

Advantage of boats

•         You pay for the cruise only

Disadvantage

•         Only the roof is covered. So the sun beats down from the sides and it can get very taxing

 Different kinds of plain boats

•          There’s the boat with either plastic/cane/wooden chairs or others with lounge seats, tall people have to sit hunched though or lounge as they are lounge seats:

Boat cruise - Allepey

 

•          There’s the deck chair boat

Deck Chair Boat - Allepey