Alappuzha facts for kids

This page is about the metropolis in Kerala, India. For its namesake district, see Alappuzha district.

Quick facts for kids Alappuzha Alleppey
Municipality
Clockwise from top left: Alappuzha houseboat, Alappuzha Beach, Vembanad Lake, Roman Catholic Diocese of Alleppey, Jain temple, Mullakkal Temple, State Highway 11 (Kerala)
Nickname(s): "Venice of the East"
Alappuzha Location in Kerala Show map of Kerala Alappuzha Location in India Show map of India
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Alappuzha district
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Body	Alappuzha Municipality
Area
• Total	65.57 km² (25.32 sq mi)
Population	240,991
• Rank	6th
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	688001
Telephone code	0477
Vehicle registration	KL-04 Alappuzha, KL-29 Kayamkulam KL-30 Chengannur KL-31 Mavelikkara KL-32 Cherthala KL-66 Kuttanad
Sex ratio	1079 ♂/♀

Sun rise view of the backwaters in Alappuzha, Kerala

Alappuzha (also known as Alleppey) is a beautiful city in the Kerala state of India. It is the main city of the Alappuzha district. The city is about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital.

Alappuzha has a long history, going back to ancient times. It was a busy trading center for spices with European countries like the Dutch and Portuguese. A wise leader named Raja Kesavadas helped the city grow a lot. He built a port and dug canals for easy transport. This made Alappuzha a very important place for trade.

Today, Alappuzha is a popular place for tourists. It is famous for its amazing waterways and backwaters. People often call it the "Venice of the East" because of its many small canals. The city is also known for the exciting Nehru Trophy Boat Race. This big event happens every year during the Onam festival. Alappuzha is also a major center for making coir products from coconut fibers.

What's in a Name?

The name Alappuzha comes from two words: 'Alayam' meaning 'home' and 'puzha' meaning 'watercourse' or 'river'. So, the name describes the many waterways and backwaters in and around the city.

Alappuzha district was created on August 17, 1957. It was formed from parts of the old Kottayam and Kollam districts. The district is surrounded by other districts and the Laccadive Sea to the west. Its main office is in Alappuzha city.

A Glimpse into History

Stone Bridge in Alappuzha around 1900.

Walkway along a commercial canal.

The area around Alappuzha, especially Kuttanad, has been famous for a very long time. Kuttanad is known as the "rice bowl" of Kerala because of its many paddy fields and canals.

Ancient writings and old monuments show that Alappuzha has a rich history. Christianity came to this area very early, with St. Thomas believed to have visited in the 1st century AD.

In the 17th century, the Dutch became powerful here. They built factories and warehouses for spices like pepper and ginger. Later, Maharaja Marthanda Varma helped develop the region.

In the 19th century, Alappuzha continued to grow. It got the first post office and telegraph office in the old Travancore state. The first factory for making coir mats was set up in 1859.

The district also played a part in India's fight for freedom. Important events like the Punnapra and Vayalar struggles happened here in 1946. Kerala State was formed on November 1, 1956, and Alappuzha became a separate district on August 1, 1957.

Raja Kesavadas: The City Builder

Raja Kesavadas was a very smart leader in the 18th century. He was the chief minister of Travancore. He is famous for planning and developing Alappuzha town.

He saw that Alappuzha was a perfect spot for a port city. He built two parallel canals to bring goods from the backwaters to the port. He also helped merchants from other cities set up businesses. Because of him, Alappuzha became a very important financial center. The port opened in 1762, mainly for exporting coir products.

Geography and Nature

Vembanad Lake

Alappuzha is mostly a flat area with an average height of about 1 meter (3 feet) above sea level. It has many lagoons, rivers, and canals. These waterways are part of National Waterway 3.

The district has no mountains or hills, only a few small mounds. There are no forests either. The Laccadive Sea is to its west.

The coastal waters of Alappuzha are very rich in sea life. Every year, after the monsoon, a special event called 'Chakara' happens. Many fish and prawns gather near the coast, which is great for the local economy. The yearly floods also help keep the soil and water clean, supporting lots of marine life.

The backwaters and wetlands are home to thousands of birds like common teal, ducks, and cormorants. These birds fly long distances to come here. A special part of Alappuzha is Kuttanad, also known as the 'rice bowl of Kerala'. It's one of the few places in the world where farming happens below sea level. The paddy fields are about 0.6 to 2 meters (2 to 6.5 feet) below sea level.

Weather in Alappuzha

Because it's close to the sea, Alappuzha is humid and hot in summer. But it's quite cool and pleasant in October and November. The average monthly temperature is around 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit).

The district gets rain from two monsoon seasons. The Southwest monsoon brings heavy rain from June to September. The Northeast monsoon brings more rain from October to November. The area gets a lot of rain, about 2763 mm (108 inches) each year.

Climate data for Alappuzha (1991–2020, extremes 1944–2012)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	36.7 (98.1)	37.4 (99.3)	37.9 (100.2)	38.2 (100.8)	36.7 (98.1)	37.2 (99.0)	34.0 (93.2)	34.2 (93.6)	34.8 (94.6)	35.6 (96.1)	35.4 (95.7)	36.6 (97.9)	38.2 (100.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	32.7 (90.9)	33.0 (91.4)	33.6 (92.5)	33.7 (92.7)	32.8 (91.0)	30.4 (86.7)	29.4 (84.9)	29.6 (85.3)	30.5 (86.9)	31.3 (88.3)	32.0 (89.6)	32.5 (90.5)	31.8 (89.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22.5 (72.5)	23.6 (74.5)	25.0 (77.0)	25.4 (77.7)	25.3 (77.5)	23.9 (75.0)	23.2 (73.8)	23.5 (74.3)	23.8 (74.8)	23.8 (74.8)	23.8 (74.8)	22.9 (73.2)	23.9 (75.0)
Record low °C (°F)	17.3 (63.1)	18.7 (65.7)	18.8 (65.8)	19.2 (66.6)	20.0 (68.0)	19.5 (67.1)	19.9 (67.8)	19.4 (66.9)	20.4 (68.7)	19.3 (66.7)	20.0 (68.0)	17.8 (64.0)	17.3 (63.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	16.3 (0.64)	42.1 (1.66)	62.7 (2.47)	131.7 (5.19)	274.1 (10.79)	592.0 (23.31)	485.9 (19.13)	349.8 (13.77)	296.5 (11.67)	357.4 (14.07)	175.8 (6.92)	48.2 (1.90)	2,832.4 (111.51)
Average rainy days	1.0	1.9	3.3	6.7	11.6	21.3	21.4	16.6	13.8	15.0	8.5	2.9	123.9
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST)	68	70	73	74	78	86	88	87	84	81	78	71	86
Source: India Meteorological Department

People and Culture

Religion in Alappuzha City (2011)
			Percent
Hinduism			49.85%
Christianity			26.23%
Islam			23.62%
Others			0.30%

Jain Temple, Alappuzha

In 2011, Alappuzha had a population of about 240,991 people. The city is spread over an area of 65.57 square kilometers. Most people in Alappuzha are Hindus, but there are also many Christians and Muslims.

The main language spoken is Malayalam. Some people also speak Konkani. Many Konkani speakers moved to Alappuzha during the Portuguese and Dutch invasions long ago.

Economy and Industries

A Houseboat in Alappuzha.

The economy of Alappuzha mainly depends on farming and sea products. The Kuttanad region, known as the "rice bowl of Kerala," is very important for agriculture.

Alappuzha is also famous for its traditional industries. The most important one is the coir industry, which makes products from coconut fibers. This industry has been active for a very long time. The easy availability of raw materials and the many waterways for transport helped this industry grow. The first factory to make coir mats was started in 1859.

Alappuzha has many backwaters used for transport and tourism.

Today, tourism is a huge part of Alappuzha's economy. The houseboats on the scenic backwaters are a big draw for visitors. Alappuzha is also close to other popular tourist spots like Munnar. The number of tourists visiting Alappuzha has increased a lot in recent years.

Backwater Farming

Paddy fields in Kuttanad.

Farming is a major job in Alappuzha. The Kuttanad region, the "Rice Bowl of Kerala," is here. Large farming areas were created by taking land from Vembanad Lake. In the past, people used water wheels to remove water from these fields. Later, steam engines and then electric motors made it easier to farm in these reclaimed lands.

The process of reclaiming land from the lake happened in different stages over many years. This allowed more and more land to be used for growing rice.

Getting Around Alappuzha

Pallathuruthy bridge

Roads

National Highway 66 goes through Alappuzha. This highway connects the city to other major cities like Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. The Alappuzha Bypass helps traffic go around the city center.

There are also eight state highways in the district. State Highway 11, known as AC Road, connects Alappuzha to Kottayam district. Stateway High 40 is an important highway that connects Alappuzha to Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

Alappuzha has two main bus stations. One is for KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) buses, and the other is for private buses. You can take buses from Alappuzha to many cities in India.

Waterways

Public water transport in the backwaters of Kerala, India.

Since Alappuzha has so many backwaters and canals, water transport is very popular. National Waterway-3 passes through the city. There's a boat jetty where you can take boat services to other towns. Taking a boat is a great way to see the backwaters.

Railways

Alappuzha is connected by train to many cities across India, like Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Mumbai. The railway station is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the city center. Many local trains also connect Alappuzha to nearby towns.

Airports

The closest airport is Cochin International Airport, about 78 kilometers (48 miles) north of Alappuzha. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is another option, about 159 kilometers (99 miles) to the south. These airports help international tourists reach Alappuzha.

Education in Alappuzha

St. Joseph's College for Women, Alappuzha

Government T. D. Medical College, Alappuzha

Leo XIII HSS, Alappuzha

Alappuzha has many schools and colleges. The first school, CMS School, was started in 1816. The first higher secondary school, Leo XIIIth Higher Secondary School, opened in 1889.

Colleges in Alappuzha offer many different courses for students.

College of Engineering and Management, Punnapra

Some Major Colleges

College of Engineering, Cherthala
Cochin University College of Engineering Kuttanad
Sanatana Dharma College
Sree Narayana College Cherthala
College of Engineering and Management, Punnapra
College of Engineering Chengannur
Government T D Medical College, Alappuzha
St Joseph's College for Women, Alappuzha
St Michael's College, Cherthala
St. Aloysius College Edathua
Bishop Moore College Mavelikkara
Milad-E-Sherief Memorial College, Kayamkulam (MSM)

Places of Worship

Mar Sleeva Forane Church

Alappuzha has many beautiful temples, churches, and mosques.

Hindu Temples

Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple
Chakkulathukavu Temple
Chettikulangara Devi Temple
Chengannur Mahadeva Temple
Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy Temple
Mannarasala Temple
Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple
Padanilam Parabrahma Temple

Christian Churches

St Andrew's Basilica, Arthunkal
St. George Forane Church
Basilica of St Mary, Champakulam
St Thomas Church, Thumpoly
Mount Carmel Cathedral Church, Alappuzha

Muslim Mosques

Maqam Masjid, Alappuzha
Saukar Masjid, built in 1850
Makidusha Jumah Masjid Alappy
Kizhake Masthan Jumah Masjid

Sports and Fun

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is a popular sport held in the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha.

Alappuzha is famous worldwide for its snake boat races. The most well-known is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on Punnamada Lake. This race started in 1952 when India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, visited Kerala. He was so excited by the race that he donated a special trophy for the winner.

Besides boat racing, popular sports in Alappuzha include cricket, football, basketball, and rowing. The KCA Cricket Stadium Alappuzha is a modern cricket stadium in the city.