Varapuzha was also called Verapoli.
Was linked to Ernakulam by a boat service.
About 20 boats plied across these points, touching some 20 other points of jetties in various islands.
The trips lasted about 100 minutes. Some found entertainment in card games on the engine cabines.
Each boat required, a pilot, called srank, an engine man, two laskars. Laskar, no idea if it is Malayalam or English, did the tieing , untieing of boat in each jetty, while passageners were embarking and disembarking. That would mean, each boat provided employment for minimum four workers, and earnings for the owners family.
Then there were ticket sellers at each jetty, who were also petty shop keepers at the jetty. Most jetty area had a shop, selling tea, beedies and the like.
Things have changed.
Gosri bridge connected the Mulavukad island, people abandoned the boat service. Varapuzha bridge did the boat service in.
Twenty boats had no business, they reduced the number of trips to four, done by two boats. That is not full time employment for boats, and staff. Soon, the boat owners may decide to stop this service.
A boat trip that last 100 minutes, from Ernakulam to Varapuzha Church jetty costs Rs. 7.50.
(currently Rs 46 makes a US Dollar if you wish to compare).
If the people in the islands of Bolghatty, Moolampilly, and places like Vaduthala, Kurungotta, Pizhala and Nettor, make concerted efforts, more tourists, will know about this area, make trips and keep the boat service live.
Back water tourism is cheap here, and gives good value for money
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A day out in the backwaters and trip to Vypeen and Fort Cochin ( kochi )
A trip to Varapuzha is recommended may travel mags, even ordinary magazines and dailies.
Apparently Lonely Planet wrote exotic things about this tract of waters and surrounding islands and ladmass.
I thought , i would go see my self.
There are only four trips daily from Ernakulam High Court Boat jetty.
Selected a Sunday and asked about the the jetty ( sevral are there at High Court area)
A peanut vendor, showed me one, and added " but today is Sunday, no service" End that days trip.
My wife suggested that we go to Fort Cochin.
So we drove to the Vypeen South End, where there are services to carry passengers and vehicles.
A barge that carries vehicles is called junkar ( jankar ?).
We joine a line of vehicles, that include mini lorries, auto cargo carriers, mobikes and cars.
That was a mistake.
A trip across the waters takes just five minutes, but the wait for my turn took 90 minutes.
Lessor no. one, If you are just visiting Fort Kochi ( Cochin ) park your vehicle at Vypeen and use the boat there, or barge service.
Ticket costs just Rs. 2 per person. Vehicle cost Rs. 20 if it is a car.
The small boat that ferried us was full, the boat crew crazy. The boat had semi beached on the sand bank that was forming , and not to get stuck in the low tide, the pilot ( srank ) put the boat in the reverse gear. People were getting out of the boat, and this sudden reverse movement posed a danger, some one could fall while disembarking. Bit of an altercation was the result.
Beach has disappered, eaten by the sea, which carried all the sand, and made puthu vype on the vypeen side.
The beach has a remnent, people thronged there to get their feet wet.
Passing ships is the best sight at Fort Kochin, ( ahem I don't know which is right) or Cochin, by the way a chain of auto loaded icecream vendors give a feeling that every one eats ice cream at Fort Kochi beach.
Apparently Lonely Planet wrote exotic things about this tract of waters and surrounding islands and ladmass.
I thought , i would go see my self.
There are only four trips daily from Ernakulam High Court Boat jetty.
Selected a Sunday and asked about the the jetty ( sevral are there at High Court area)
A peanut vendor, showed me one, and added " but today is Sunday, no service" End that days trip.
My wife suggested that we go to Fort Cochin.
So we drove to the Vypeen South End, where there are services to carry passengers and vehicles.
A barge that carries vehicles is called junkar ( jankar ?).
We joine a line of vehicles, that include mini lorries, auto cargo carriers, mobikes and cars.
That was a mistake.
A trip across the waters takes just five minutes, but the wait for my turn took 90 minutes.
Lessor no. one, If you are just visiting Fort Kochi ( Cochin ) park your vehicle at Vypeen and use the boat there, or barge service.
Ticket costs just Rs. 2 per person. Vehicle cost Rs. 20 if it is a car.
The small boat that ferried us was full, the boat crew crazy. The boat had semi beached on the sand bank that was forming , and not to get stuck in the low tide, the pilot ( srank ) put the boat in the reverse gear. People were getting out of the boat, and this sudden reverse movement posed a danger, some one could fall while disembarking. Bit of an altercation was the result.
Beach has disappered, eaten by the sea, which carried all the sand, and made puthu vype on the vypeen side.
The beach has a remnent, people thronged there to get their feet wet.
Passing ships is the best sight at Fort Kochin, ( ahem I don't know which is right) or Cochin, by the way a chain of auto loaded icecream vendors give a feeling that every one eats ice cream at Fort Kochi beach.
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