Kerala Backwaters - Life, Domestic and Wild

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Houses

Kerala backwater houses are built on the small dikes between the canals and rivers and the rice fields. There's also a small road or footpath that runs along the water as well.

Traditional houses blend into the background. Of course, they are the oldest and have had the most time to develop "mature landscaping". The laundry line is usually the most visible part of the house.

Newer homes tend to be larger and more prominent.

This will be an unusually large house. It will look traditional when done, but note the metal framing.

Domestic Life

Laundry is always a necessity.

Washing a goat?

Small commercial centers are found along the water -- mostly accessible by boat rather than road.

Domesticated "mallards" were common and mostly used for egg production.

Wild birds were also common. Here is a nice grouping of a heron and three cormorants.

We saw lots of kingfishers sitting on wires and hiding in the trees.

The main source of livelihood is rice cultivation. Here you can see that the level of the rice paddies is actually below the level of the navigable waters.

Inlets & Bridges

The main channel has many inlets coming off it. Most inlets had a bridge of some sort over the inlet to allow foot, and sometimes small motor, traffic to cross.

Many bridges are strictly utilitarian foot paths.

A more substantial bridge, but only small boats can access the inlet.

Yet another inlet and bridge.

One of my favorite bridges. It looks like wood, but is actually concrete.