Kuttanadu is a region in the Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam Districts, in the state of Kerala, India, well known for its picturesque vast paddy fields and its geographical peculiarities. It's the region with the lowest altitude in India, and one of the few places in the world where farming is carried out below sea level. It’s also one of the historically important places in the ancient history of South India.It is the major rice granary of Kerala, where vast stretches of verdant paddy fields are interlaced with enchanting backwaters create some of the unforgettable sights.
Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala is all about an agrarian community, striking a chord of harmony with its physical setting. 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, Achankovil and Manimala flow into the region.
History
There is no recorded history on the origin of this land. But the oral history among local people, transferred from generation to generation is a blend of myths and legends. There is a reference to Kuttanad in the epic Mahabharata of ancient India. In those days, Kuttanad was part of a dense forest, later destroyed by a forest fire which is also mentioned in the epic. Thus the place was named 'Chutta'(burnt) 'nad'(place). In the course of time Chuttanad became Kuttanad. One can still see 'kari' or coal if we dig deep into the soil of Kuttanad, pointing to the fact that the place was once a forest, destroyed by wild fire. In Kuttanad most of the place names end in kari. Some familiar place names are Ramankary, Puthukkary, Oorukkary, Mithrakary, Mampuzhakary, Kainakary, Chathurthiakary and Chennamkary.[1] It is also said that kuttanadu was once under the sea. The proof is the land is flourished with seashells.
During the reign of Chera dynasty that ruled over ancient Kerala, Kuttanadu attained an important place in the history. One of the powerful kings in the dynasty, Cheran Chenguttavan is said to have ruled his vast kingdom from Kuttanadu. It was also a famous centre of Buddhism. Another version for the name is, a Buddhist centre by the name Buddhanad existed in this place, which later gave its name to the place and thereby Kuttanadu.
