Kumarakom

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The village of Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands in the Vembanad Lake in Kerala, a state in India. Geographically, it is located at 9d35' North and 76d26' East.

Houseboat at Kumarakom lake

1 Environment
2 Income
3 Modes of access
4 Things to do
5 Notable People From Kumarakom
6 External links

[edit] Environment

Kumarakom is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is a noted bird sanctuary where many migratory birds visit. The Vembanad Lake is habitat for many marine species and it teems with 'Karimeen' (Pearl Spotted Fish ), shrimp (chemmeen in local language)and prawns. The bird sanctuary which spans 14 acres (57,000 m²), came into existence following preservation efforts from the government. It is a major tourist attraction now.

[edit] Income

Kumarakom is not entirely a tourist dependent town but also derives a reasonable income from agriculture. The area is populated by mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves. This rich agricultural environment is mainly irrigated using interspersed waterways and canals. Kumarakom's perfectly balanced tropical climate is conducive to the growth of plants and trees.

[edit] Modes of access

One can access Kumarakom by many means:

By air: via Cochin International Airport and the Trivandrum International Airport
By rail: via Kottayam (16 kilometres)
By boat: From Muhamma (near Alappuzha) to Kumarakom Jetty.
By road: Buses and taxis are easily available at all times of the day from Kottayam.

[edit] Things to do

There are several things you can do at Kumarakom depending on how much time, money and local language skills you have. Here are some of things thats possible if you are by yourself and plan to spend a few hours there.

Get off at the entrance of the Bird Sanctuary. Speak to the local fishermen and see if they can arrange for a boat ride for a couple of hours (costs about INR 200-250). Pack something to eat while you are on the row boat. Evenings and early mornings are a good time to take these boat rides because you can avoid the afternoon Sun.
The house boats or speed boats tend to cover longer distances and tend to be more expensive to hire.

[edit] Notable People From Kumarakom

Bishop Alexander Chulaparambil (1877-1951), second bishop of the Knanaya Kottayam Archdiocese

John Abrabam Illikkalam (1929 - 1988) - Was a Known Agriculturist at Kumarakom, made study & writings about Environmental & Ecological issues of Kuttanadu Region.