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Ezhattumugham, Kerala
Ezhattumugham is a country village
in the Ernakulam district of Kerala India.It is situated 11.8 km from the
nearest Nedumbassery Airport, Ernakulam, Kerala, India and 40 km from
Cochin. You can get there hiring a taxi from the nearest town Angamaly as there
is no public transport to the location.Ezhattumugham is around 80 km from
Kochi. Though there are a few shortcuts via Angamaly, it is best to reach
Chalakkudy and proceed from there.
Prakrithi
Gramam
Quaint and serene, the river Chalakudy
at Ezhattumugham is a picture postcard
coming to life – its flow punctuated by islets of greenery and boulders of all
sizes and trees growing right in the middle of the gently moving water. A
full-grown tree surrounded and nurtured by flowing water is a sight one cannot
easily forget. And the mini waterfalls, which not only tickle your feet, but also
remind you of the gentle force of water.
At one point, the Chalakudy
gets by the islets and boulders into seven flowing streams, and that is how
Ezhattumugham (seven faces of a river) gets its name. Look around and there are
so many shades of green, yellow and brown that you soon lose count — more
shades than the computer can create for any paint company. Earthy colours must
also include grey and black, you get convinced, looking at the boulders.
During the non-monsoon months, the
river bares its beautiful depths and you can walk on these boulders and islets
through shallow water, right to the other bank of the river. If you are not the
kind who gets scared easily, that is. Ezhattumugham lies in Ayyampuzha
panchayat in Ernakulam district. While one side of the river is the northernmost
end of Ernakulam district, the other bank of the river is where Thrissur
district begins. But the river belongs to Thrissur,
villagers are quick to add. During the monsoon months, the river hides the
smaller islets and the water sometimes reaches the road by the banks.
The river and the islets coexist in
absolute harmony. The smaller islets are the kingdoms of wild shrubs, trees,
birds and squirrels. On the bigger islets cash crops, like coconut and banana,
grow. So who planted them? Murali, who runs a shop by the river, says
industrious people have just used the land in a productive way. Nobody owns
them. In fact, he adds nonchalantly, even his shop has no title deed.
A narrow pathway goes down from the
road, by the side of his shop, to the point where the river gets split into
seven. On the banks, there are about 20 sacks of sand piled up. The local
people have collected it for their own use, not for selling, a passerby informs
you. Tourists do come, in a small way, but only during weekends, when they want
to chill out, he says with a mischievous smile.
Ezhattumugham is yet to enter the
tourist's itinerary for one very good reason. About 13 km away, uphill,
lies the majestic Athirappally Falls, which sashayed into celluloid history
with Raavan, starring Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan. Film crews, both from
the north and the south, often camp in its precincts to exploit its raw appeal.
Therefore the quiet charm of Ezhattumugham, through which Chalakkudy flows leisurely,
remains eclipsed by the glamour of Athirappally.
While Athirappally evokes awe,
Ezhattumugham calms the soul. There are no signages to take you here and local
people give you several directions including shortcuts, where crater-sized
potholes pass off as roads. The oil palm estates of the Plantation Corporation
form a big part of Ezhattumugham.
The state government's attempt to
woo tourists began with Prakriti Gramam, a park on the side of a check-dam at
Ezhattumugham. People walk along this check dam and cross over to the other
side of the river. Poorly maintained, with little security, the park, built
less than five years ago, is at best a glorified entrance to the check dam. An
outlet selling biscuits and soft drinks is manned by Shinoj, who tells you the
people who live there, like him, are mostly families of plantation workers.
Acres of oil palm trees, with parasitic creepers all over them, line the road
to Ezhattumugham. Women carry baskets of red oil-palm nut bunches to a lorry to
be taken to Anchal, near Kollam, for processing.
According to a report of the
National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Chalakudy could well be the
richest river in fish diversity in India, with thick vegetation on both sides.
The sleepy village and the shallow parts of the river at Ezhattumugham, where
you can sit and do what you like, can be a writer's delight and a balm for
frayed nerves
