Kunnamangalam: Water and Culture

The Water Museum and Biopark in Kunnamangalam is a distinctive thematic landmark. Its exhibits include sculptures, pictures and still lifes made from clay, hay, plastic, plaster and waste materials. The interplay between different art forms and materials offers two perspectives on the works on display: their design and the materials they are made from.

Water, Agriculture and Architecture

At the Water Heritage Museum and Biopark in Kunnamangalam, a Padipura welcomes visitors. This traditional entrance gate is often found in Kerala’s aristocratic homes. It connects a specific architectural feature of the museum with a building style associated with Kerala’s domestic culture.

At the Water Heritage Museum and Biopark in Kunnamangalam, the exhibition themes explore different aspects of the relationship with water. The Idukki Hydroelectric Project is presented in connection with Kerala’s relationship with water. The museum also celebrates the River Nila, which is also called Bharathapuzha. The exhibition theme therefore features both a named project and a river.

Other exhibitions at the Water Heritage Museum and Biopark in Kunnamangalam explore traditional agricultural practices in Kerala: Pokkali cultivation, coir production and lime-shell harvesting. These are named as specific practices and complement the water-related themes with agriculture. Visitors interested in culture can distinguish between the various exhibition themes by their subject matter rather than reducing them to a single motif.

More to discover in the wider destination of Kozhikode

The regional context of Kozhikode encompasses natural attractions, museums, crafts and scenic routes. The following places and themes are part of the wider destination of Kozhikode and add other facets to the local perspective on Kunnamangalam.

Aripara Falls, also known as Arippara Falls, is an excursion destination in Anakkampoyil near Thiruvambady Town in Kozhikode district, Kerala. Aripara Waterfall is a tributary of the Iruvanjippuzha. A different natural theme takes centre stage at the Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, which is home to more than 60 different species of migratory birds. Kadalundi’s mangrove forests are also a natural habitat for otters and jackals.

Cultural themes can also be found in museums and public spaces. The Pazhassi Raja Museum and Art Gallery displays ancient coins, ceramics and bronzes from Kerala’s early civilisations. Workshops, exhibitions and educational programmes are also held there regularly. Mananchira Square is centred around the artificial freshwater pond Mananchira, which dates back to the 14th century. Its open-air theatre hosts traditional music and dance performances, theatre productions and public gatherings.

In Beypore, the centuries-old traditional craft of building Uru boats is a subject in its own right. Visitors can watch the boats being made and talk to the craftspeople about their work. The Beypore Boat Race takes place on the Chaliyar River in the historic port town of Beypore in Kozhikode district; dates vary. The boatbuilding tradition and the race thus represent different aspects of the maritime theme: craftsmanship and an event.

Scenic routes include Thamarassery Churam, which connects the districts of Kozhikode and Wayanad and has nine hairpin bends. A 14 km stretch runs from Adivaram to Lakkidi Viewpoint. At Beypore Beach, Pulimuttu extends about 1 km into the sea as a walkway made of piled rocks. The details about the bends, route section and walkway describe different route and landscape features in the wider destination of Kozhikode.

Discover more destinations: Feroke, Kakkayam, Koyilandy, Kappad, Kozhikode, Poonoor.

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