FAQ

Does Kerala have places below the sea level?

In the Kuttanad region of Kerala, also known as the 'rice bowl' of Kerala, cultivation of paddy is done on fields that are below the sea level. Several years ago, this land was reclaimed from the backwaters and separated by walls of clay called dykes (as found in the Netherlands). The land here is on an average 2.2 m below the sea level. These reclaimed lands are noted for extensive paddy (rice) cultivation. One can access these paddy fields on boats. Some of the famous such paddy field stretches here in Kuttanad are the Rani, Chithira and Marthandam paddy fields, named after the members of the royal family of Travancore. These names were given by Muricken, popular as the 'king of backwaters' who takes the credit for reclaiming such vast area for paddy cultivation.