The Backwaters

September 23, 2010

Out on dem backwaters I went one day 
Kaliyan, Kaliyay 
Pole in, pole out I pushed my way 
Through the mangroves 
And under palms all a sway
Drifting on green glass the day slipped away
Koliyan, Koliyay




After living the farming life in Sri Lanka and hiding out on Cherai beach Jean and I are back on the tourist train. The Indian state of Kerala is a long strip of land south western coast of the sub-continent.  Numerous rivers empty into the Indian Ocean along the Keralan coast line. Where river meets ocean there's an large bayou region called the backwaters. It's an extensive network of water ways and islands. During the monsoon season (June - September) when rivers are running high the water is fresh. When the dry season (October – May) arrives the water becomes salty as the river flow lessens and the ocean pushes back.

Where the economic importance of inland water ways has declined around the world having been abandoned for tarmac the communities in the backwaters are still very much dependent on the water ways for transport and their livelihood. It's created a rather unique culture. Touring on the backwaters is one of the famed highlights of a visit to Kerala. Thus Jean and I found ourselves early yesterday morning outside of our hotel in Fort Cochin with a half dozen other western couples waiting for our chartered minibus.

We picked up an Indian family enroute to the village of Wikam in the Koliyan region just south of Fort Cochin. De-boarding our guide, Tampi, met us. A gaunt, dark-skinned man he wore a collared long sleeved shirt and ankle length white dhoti (sarong). It was evident this wasn't Tampi's first tour group. His elocution was slow and precise. He went down the day's itinerary and ushered us down a muddy foot path through a grove of trees to where a long wooden boat was moored. Perhaps 40 feet long the midsection was covered by a rounded canopy made of wood and rope. Under the canopy were two columns of chairs. The long bow and stern section were raised and smooth where the two boat pushers took position. We had opted for the non-motorized, more environmental friendly tour option which meant all of our propulsion would come from these two guys. Each was armed with long pole.

We pushed off from the bank and were soon lazing through the placid, jade water. The water way was perhaps a couple of hundred meters wide. Mangrove and coconut trees lined the shore. To propel the boat our boat pushers would stand at the very tip of the bow, drop the pole in the water until it hit bottom and then walk towards the stern pushing against the bottom to propel the boat forward. Reaching the canopy he would pull up the pole and return to the bow and repeat the process. The water droplets splashing falling from the pole as it was raised was the only sound that broke the silence. The rhythm seemed to cast a lull over the passengers. Even after a good night's sleep I caught myself nodding off. 

We glided slowly across the wide expanse. The pole men navigated us into a rivulet that wasn't much wider than the boat. The sides of the passage were thick with vegetation which often found it's way inside the boat. We soon emerged in another wide water way. Half an hour of poling brought us to our first stop: a lime factory.


I say factory but it wasn't much more than a skeletal brick structure on a small island with half a dozen men wearing masks working inside. Outside were piles and piles of shells. After boiling the shells to get out mussels and clams fisherman drop them off at a lime factory. The shells are combined with coal and fired in a big furnace for five hours. In the final step water is added creating steam and forming carbonic hydroxide (Lime).

CaCo -> CaO -> CaH2O

The lime in turn is used in paint, medication, water purification systems and fertilizer. There are loads of small business operations running like this throughout the backwaters.

Our next stop was at another cottage industry operation. We pulled up to a wood and daub house. A couple of ladies were out front with bunches of little fibers stuffed into the pockets of their aprons. Using an electric spinning wheel they would quickly weave the fibers into a twenty meter length rope.

Tampi gave us the details. It's called coir rope and made from coconuts. Coconut husks are soaked for six months to toughen the fibers. After six months the shell is peeled off and used for firewood. Coir pith, a small, sawdust sized material is used for fertilizer and the fibers are spun into rope. The rope is used for mats, rugs, crafts and in the construction of boats like ours. The ladies are part of a the Home Consortium of Rope Makers. The group,  partly supported by the Keralan government, coordinates bringing the materials to the households, transporting and selling the rope. It allows women to make a supplemental income while staying in the home. Check out video of the women weaving rope here.

Our guide Tampi breaking down the rope making process for us.

We said goodbye to the ladies and went back on the water. Around one we stopped on another little island where were served a vegetarian lunch. India is a vegetarian's paradise. If a restaurant even serves meat the non-veg entrees usually only occupy a very small part of the menu. We had a set menu yesterday served in the traditional style on banana leaves. They came by with rice and various curries until we were all stuffed.

After lunch we split into two groups and explored some of the tighter water ways in smaller craft. We checked out a farm were pepper and cinnamon trees grew. The mini bus picked us up about four and dropped us off in front of our hotel.