Activities

---

Once you enter the Kallanchery Island ,you simply feel at home with the serene atmosphere and without losing that unique feel of peace and tranquillity .we take you around on a very informal ‘walk-around’ the Island to get the guest acquainted with the village activities enjoying the love and hospitality of the innocent villagers as well as the  refreshing and rejuvenating ambience of the village . To mention a few of such activities...

COIR MAKING

Here coir is made in the traditional way  in which  ripe coconut husks are  soaked ,retted and seasoned ;and then the village women beats  the retted husk with wooden mallets to separate the fibres after drying it in the sun for 2-3 hours..  We provide our guests a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the traditional way of defibering, (separation of bristle fibres called golden fibres being accomplished by hand by the villagers.).And one can also get oneself introduced to loom, the only equipment used in traditional coir making.

It is really interesting to watch how the villagers hook the fibre in the  spinning loom, walk backwards...with their magical fingers making coir out of the fibre.

Coir yarn thus made is used to make carpets. Carpets are made directly from coir fibres as well.

Dehusking the coconut and seasoning the husk

Step 1 in coir yarn processing is dehusking  the coconut and keeping the ripe coconut husks in fresh water for 3-6 months wherein  it gets seasoned normally . This process makes the fibre   soft  and strong, and the  coir rope made from them last longer than modern coir and is also used to make coir mats.

Copra processing

The coconut is cut into two pieces and sun dried to extract coconut oil. The entire process will take three days before extracting coconut oil. Separating the copra (dried coconut) from the coconut shell is an interesting  village activity done by skilled villagers who do it in a very relaxed and jovial mood.

Crab Farming

Crabs usually found in the brackish water of Kerala are
1. Green crab
2. Red crab

In these, Green crabs are less attacking. Green crabs have a very good market in the Far East especially in Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. Crabs are exported live. In our Island, there is a well-maintained crab farm where the fattening of the crabs are naturally done.
Our Guests can enjoy catching of the crabs weighing 500gms to 3 kgs from the farm with the help of  extremely co-operative ,loving and lovable villagers

Clam meat processing

Clams are shellfish found in the brackish waters. For  many of the inhabitants of Kallanchery Island  clam meat processing is their livelihood. Usually  we can find families carrying out clam processing  as a happy family affair with the entire family taking part in the same . Men collect the clam fish from back water. Ladies steam the clamshell to separate the meat from the shell. Both men and women go to the market to sell the meat and the shells are used for making white cement, cement based paints and fertilizers.

Fishing  with Chinese Nets

Chinese nets were introduced by Chinese during 15th century . Here,at Kallanchery Island, Chinese nets are operated usually during the night. Electric lighting is used to attract the fishes and prawns. Usually two persons are operating one net and it is an interesting experience watching  them do it in a very natural and interesting manner.

Net making

Cost of constructing a new net may vary from Rs.60,000 to Rs. 1,00,000/

As many of the villagers find their livelihood from fishing, knitting the net is also identified as a profession and the guests can get themselves acquainted with the way the villagers are engaged in making the net and their repairing.

Weaving Coconut Leaves

Coconut leaves are weaved by village women and watching them doing it with great  expertise  in a very relaxed ,cool and jovial manner is really interesting.  Weaved coconut leaves are used for thatching the roof and for fencing . For this, green coconut leaves are first seasoned in brackish water which will increase the life of the weaved leaves.

Country Boating

Country boats are made up of wood  of trees like  Wild jack tree, Teak etc. Wood is first split into planks of thickness ¾ to 2 inches. These planks are then joined with coir yarn with a coir fibre filling. Oil extracted from Sardine fish , Neem , Cashew nut shell etc are used to make a protective coating. Big boats are used for transporting goods and people.. Small boats are used for fishing. Guests , while enjoying boating , can  avail the opportunity of  having  a close watch of different fishing methods as well.

Casting of Nets

This is a traditional method of fishing. Here, the conical shaped nets fitted with lead weight at the bottom are spread into the water with one yarn in the hand. The weight fitted at the bottom will keep the fishes inside the net.

Groping of Fish

This is a skilful method of fishing done by ladies using fingers. Here, a group of ladies move in a line and grope fishes from the backwaters.

Broom making

Mid ribs of coconut leaves are taken out and tied together into brooms which are used to clean rough grounds and floors .

Beedi making

A beedi is a thin, Indian cigarette with tobacco flake wrapped in tendu leaf. Villagers over here can be seen rolling the tendu leaves after putting dried tobacco leaves inside it ,closing the tips and then tying with cotton thread to make a beedi-;the whole process by hand.

And... here at Kerala, beedi industry was very much promoted in the co-operative sector and the beedi workers constituted a strong labour force in the State.

Basket making

Basket making is  a dying art, only few craftsmen  know how  to make traditional baskets which were also used by the villagers over here  to separate clam meat and shell.

Pottery

Pottery is the craft of making ceramic material into pots or pottery wares using mud. Major types of pottery wares include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain

And here our guests are introduced to traditional pottery making and they can experience the expertise with which the potter wedges the clay with his hands , centres it on the wheel , starts ‘wheel throwing’, and in the process, opens the centred clay , pulls the clay up vertically from both inside and out with his hands, draws it into desired height, which is then followed by shaping ,where in the potter moulds pots of desired shapes and designs .