Water lily season at Kerala's Malarikkal: Here's how to reach the spot

Water lily, the national flower of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, is symbolic of these countries' rich cultural heritage and serene beauty. Meanwhile, a village in Kerala has become a popular spot in the past few years due to its spectacular water lily fields. Malarikkal, in Kottayam district, looks straight out of an impressionist painting, with its bright pink flowers spreading over acres in the tranquil countryside. The mind-blowing water lilies are, in fact, treasure troves of enchanting beauty that are buried in the muddy beds of the fields that bloom into majestic beauty in the season. The incredibly friendly villagers and their spirit of unity make the water lily season a fabulous and unforgettable experience. The sunrise is the best time to enjoy the beauty of water lilies as they get drenched in a shower of golden sunrays at this time.

Where is Malarikkal?
Malarikkal is where the Meenachilar River merges with the Kodurar River. When the water falls into the river with force, vortexes called ‘malari’ are created in the water, giving the place its name. However, the presence of water lilies and their fame are now attributed as the reason behind the name, as 'malar' also means flowers. The water lilies usually begin to bloom in July, August and September. Even though the flowers started blooming a little late this year, the fields were draped in crimson hue on the first day of Chingam, ringing in the Malayalam new year in style. You can enjoy the beauty of the flowers, in all its glory, if you reach here by 8 am. Meanwhile, boatmen would be waiting for the visitors from 5.30 am onwards. The visitors could ride in the boats for Rs 100 to enjoy the flowers closely. The rate changes if you need to spend longer hours filming videos or for photo shoots. Along with the bright pink flowers, crimson and white flowers have bloomed in the fields. Small boats have also been brought from Kanyakumari for the tourists. The flowers continue to lure visitors until October when they begin to wither.

Are these really weeds?
Paddy is cultivated in these fields during the agricultural season. For the farmers, these water lilies are just ‘weeds’ that conquer the fields during intervals between paddy farming. The water lily seeds that hide in the muddy bed when the water is drained begin to sprout when the fields are filled with water. The fields would be filled with bright pink water lilies, charming the visitors until the water is drained again for the next farming season.

Here's how to reach Malarikkal
From Kottayam, reach Illikkal Junction and turn left to Thiruvarppu road. You will reach Malarikkal when you cross the Kanjiram bridge on the Kanjiram Boat Jetty road. Those from the Kumarakam side should turn right to Thiruvarppu Road at Illikkal. The water lilies look scintillating if you reach Malarikkal before 7 am; the flowers begin to droop when the sun is up. Kanjiram Malarikkal is 9 kilometres away from Kumarakam and 7.5 kilometres from Kottayam.