VEMBANAD ‘KAYAL’, LAKE

One of the most striking features is the continuous chain of lagoons or backwaters or lake running parallel to the Arabian Sea coast. The Lake opens to the Cochin estuary on the side of Arabian Sea, which is hardly four kilometers away from Kumbalam Island. There are two other estuaries on the north, namely Crangannur and Chetwa, for drainage of the streams descending from the Western Ghats. The Vembanad Lake is affected by the flood tides twice in every 24 hours due to the movement of the moon, when they rise about one meter at the banks of Kumbalam and flow at the rate of about 4 Kilometers an hour, except during monsoon months depending on the rainfall. The water in Vembanad Lake is brackish, but during monsoon season it is almost fresh except in the vicinity of the estuary region.

The major Rivers like Achenkoil, Pamba, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha and Periyar originate and commence their journey from the Sahyadri Mountains and hills. This is in Pathanamthitta District. These rivers also pass through the Districts of Alleppy, Kottayam and Ernakulam.  They wind their way down and naturally collect in a lagoon or backwater. This backwater is named as the Vembanad ‘Kayal’.

This 96.5 kilometers long, clear and clear blue backwater stretches from Kuttanad in Alleppy to the Muzuris (Kodungallur) in Trichur District. The width of the lake in the Kumbalam region is more than 2 kilometers and the maximum width at the Kuttanad region are 14 kilometers. The depth of the ‘Kayal’ in the Kumbalam region is 12 Meters. The Vembanad Lake has taken its name from the ancient Kingdom of Vembolinad. It is understood that this kingdom split sometime around 1200 A.D. The Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in India and the largest in Kerala and one of the largest in India. This backwater is extended up to Tirur at the north and Tiruvananthapuram at the South and it facilitates a thorough communication between the northern and southern parts of Kerala. This lake is the pride of the Cochinites, especially the natives of Kumbalam. The picturesque view of the other islands just across our island with only the sprawling Vembanad Lake separating us is also breathtaking. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com