1. WELCOME

2. GREESHMA THILAKAN 3. KUTTANAD the rice bowl of keralaIt is the major rice granary of Kerala, where vast stretches ofverdant paddy fields are interlaced with enchanting backwaters.Kuttanadu is a region in the Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta andKottayam Districts, in the state of Kerala, India, well known forits picturesque vast paddy fields and its geographicalpeculiarities. It's the region with the lowest altitude in India, andone of the few places in the world where farming is carried outbelow sea level. Its also one of the historically important placesin the ancient history of South India.Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala is all about an agrariancommunity, striking a chord of harmony with its physicalsetting. Noted for its farming below sea level (about 4 to 10 feet)the land of Kuttanad possesses a socio-cultural fabric of its own.Four major rivers in Kerala viz. Pampa, Meenachil, Achankoviland Manimala flow into the region. 4. OCCUPATIONSKuttanad is a region that generally differs from otherregions of Kerala. Kuttanad find their livelihood from Paddyfields, catching fish from the courtyard, duck rearing,collecting oyster shells, coir industry, tourism, etc. 5. Paddy CultivationKuttanad the rice bowl of kerala is well renowned for itspaddy cultivation. The black soil of Kuttanad is suitablefor the cultivation of paddy. The fertility of the soil wasmultiplied by the organic waste brought by the rivers. Thehigh yield which is not possible in other regionsencouraged the farmers to take the risk of cultivating thesoil. Janmi-kudiyan (landlord-tenant) system was followedin Kuttanad 6. FishingFish is one of the essential edible items of Kuttanad people.The reservoir of water in Kuttand was filled with fish.Naturally fishing became a means of livelihood of thepeople. Each and every family used to catch fish from theirown ponds and canals. They can get enough fish for theirday to day need. When the water was drained for cultivationthey used to get good catch. This was also a source ofincome for the landlords.Various kinds of nets-kambavaala,oonivala , ozhukkuvala, koruvala, vallivala areused to capture the fish. Various kinds of fishs are availablein Kayal water. 7. Duck RearingGrowing Duck in the swamp and canal wasanother occupation of the Kuttanad people.Duckrearing is an unavoidable part of life of the peoplein Kuttanad. Paddy fields and canals arefavourable for duck rearing. Ducks are put ingroups in paddy field after rearing. 8. Coir IndustryThe people of Kuttanad have used the Vembanadkayal for developing coir industry.Coir and coirproducts have good demand in native and foreignmarkets. 9. Some coir products :: 10. Food habits 11. People of kuttanad mostly depend on the rivers as asource of food due to the vast availability of differenttypes of fishes , prawns . Toddy, Karimeen, tapioca ( kappa), dried fishes andprawns.. Also they used to have rice ( kanji, and other dishes). Vegetables and peas cultivated are also in there diet. 12. Tourism 13. Features of tourism in kuttanad Kuttanad has a most prominent place among all tourist destinations in theGods Own Land. For all discerning travelers with an eye on scenic beauty itis indeed the most sought after tourist destination. Currently some 200,000tourist are estimated to be heading for Kuttanad annually. More than threequarters of them are of foreign origin. A boat cruise through the serene backwaters and a short stay in the mostcolorful villages are among the most exotic experiences that Kuttanad canoffer. The boat cruises are routed through the vast expanses of theVembanad lake and the majestic rivers of Pamba, Achankovil and Meenachilthat flow through the region. The tourist season in Kuttanad runs through the months of October toMarch. A pleasant climate prevails in Kuttanad throughout this season. It is the boat cruise that can bring out all the beauty and vivid charm ofKuttanad. One great advantage of the cruise is that one can watch thevillage life without ever intruding into the privacy of people living there. Thepalm fringed river banks, the blue serenity of vast expanses of water and thearresting beauty of lush green paddy fields leave an indelible memory withall the tourists coming to Kuttanad. One can spend any amount of timeimmersed in the most enchanting natural beauty of the region. 14. Problems Faced by the People1. Use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, pollutedthe near by lakes and river resulting the scarcity ofwater.2. The Thaneermukkam bund obstruct the naturalflow of water in the lakes allowing the wastes to pileup near the river banks.3. Though the chemical fertilizers give them a goodyield at the beginning, it gradually reduces theproduction and spoils the natural composition of thesoil. 15. Due to water pollution, the availability of some fishesand prawns decreases. Also the unexpected floods and heavy rain destroysthe crops, thus the farmers suffers a lot in kuttanad.