Places to visit in Kumarakom

There are several Hindu and Christian religious sites around Kumarakom in Kottayam, Kerala. The most popular ones are:

• Thirunnakkara Mahadeva Temple
• Juma Masjid
• Cheriyapally
• Variayapally
• Ettumanoor Mahadevar temple

The Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kottayam is a major popular tourist spot in Kumarakom. This museum houses some the finest quality driftwood articles in Kerala. These artifacts are highly precious and are made with a rare and innovative modern crafting technique.

The major attractions here are the various root sculptures of varying designs and shapes in this unique museum. This innovative establishment is the brainchild of a lady school teacher who spent some time teaching at a school in Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. She used to collect some exquisite pieces of driftwood around the seashore which mainly consisted of twisted tree trunks, roots, stumps etc. these wood pieces had the potential to be easily transformed into beautiful sculptures due to the effects of the Bay of Bengal which is frequented by cyclones every year. Thus, some of these wood pieces traveled through the sea and drifted here and grew more resilient as they traveled across the ocean.

These carefully assembled pieces were at first cleaned and the broken parts scraped off and then carved into the shape the artist desired. Many of these pieces bear a close resemblance to animal figures, plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians etc. The way they were carved was to provide a better way of showcasing their in-grown natural beauty and design.

This ingenious art form is hugely appreciated among the artist communities and is frequented by its admirers to the Bay Island Driftwood Museum. The visiting hours of coming here are: on weekdays – from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, on Sundays: 11:30 am to 5:00 pm. The museum remains closed on Mondays as do other museums all over the nation. To enter the museum one needs entry passes available at the counter.

This museum is situated at Chakrapani, Pathiramanal and can be reached by boat. The Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kottayam is a major popular tourist spot in Kumarakom. This museum houses some the finest quality driftwood articles in Kerala. These artifacts are highly precious and are made with a rare and innovative modern crafting technique.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located 12km from Kottayam in Kerela. Among the finest bird sanctuaries in India, Kumarakom is situated on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Well renowned for its avian population, Kumarakom offers a range of bird watching spots for avid bird watchers. Sprawling over a wide expanse of 101 acres, the enchanting wooded beauty of the sanctuary lures a large number of foreign visitors. Most interesting is the time when Siberian Cranes visit this sanctuary.

One can watch Kerala’s popular Kathakali Dance Dramas that are held at various resorts and cultural centers around Kumarakom. Kathakali is one most major traditional dance in India and famed all over the world for its vibrant costumes and dance mudras. These dance dramas mostly tell legendary tales from the past about various Hindu Gods and Goddesses and legendary heroes and warriors. The dancers even sometimes change the endings of some fabled stories to make it more interesting.