Panangad: The pictorial delight of the Kochi backwaters

Kerala offers the best getaways to beat the heat, but our day out in the backwaters of Panangad in Kochi was so enchanting except for the scorching heat that only lessened after heavy rains a few days later. Coconut trees are quite universal in Kerala but you find it in lesser numbers in this place. Surrounded by lakes, and minimal human habitation, this place gets its food from submerged pokkali rice and fish catch- chemmeen, the premium fish variety.

We may burn out but not the enthusiasm of kids and this time our little Dash Zoe was also around to enjoy in the grass and sun.  (With Diyah, caretaker of Zoe)

Fishing provides food and livelihood for the people here. With a little bit of luck and a good net, you can have a sumptous lunch and dinner. But these days fish catch is falling.

Kakka meat (Clam)  is one of the favourite dishes here and cooking is done using fire wood or offshoots of coconut tree- leaves or kodumbu

People usually wear lungis, dhotis which can be either folded into half above the knee or worn down to the ankle. They wrap around a towel in the head and they hold beedis or match box for convenience.

Tiled and thatched roofs were common earlier but they have been replaced by concrete roofs even in this area.

The water you get here is salty and you need rain water harvesting to get quality drinking water or get them from across the shores in sintex tanks transported on vanchis (country boats).

(We are grateful to Rajo Devi and family for facilitating this tour in their family location in Panangad covering around 75 acres)