Alapuzha
Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and internat ...
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Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...
The Pampa river flows through the village to merge into Vembanad Lake. The natural environment has been used as a location by many filmmakers.
The area is interspersed with the ''kayals'' (canals) and lakes. The lakes and kayals are filled with flocks of ducks, and in summer the rice paddies of Kuttanad turn golden. With a longtime history behind it, Kavalam is part of Kerala's cultural folklore.
History
A decade back, this village was accessible only by the lake boats provided by the government of Kerala. As in many other remote parts of Kerala, this non-accessibility gave Kavalam a laidback atmosphere. The place is now accessible from Alleppey, Kottayam and Changanacherry by road. What makes Kavalam unique is its vast "watery junction" that joins five canals at one place unlike other road junctions.
Snake Boat race
The village has a snake boat named Kavalam Chundan, which is a regular participant in the snakeboat Vallamkali races. Kavalam Chundan is the subject of the legendary film song of the 1960s "Kuttanadan Punchayile Kochu penne, Kuyilaale."
Notable people
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Kavalam Madhava Panikkar
Kavalam Madhava Panikkar (3 June 1895 – 10 December 1963), popularly known as Sardar K. M. Panikkar, was an Indian statesman and diplomat. He was also a professor, newspaper editor, historian and novelist. He was born in Travancore, then a ...
- Diplomat, administrator, historian
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Kavalam Narayana Panicker
Kavalam Narayana Panicker (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Kalidasa's ''Vikramorvasiy ...