200-year-old Vallakadavu boat jetty now harbours Kerala's rich biodiversity

Thiruvananthapuram: History beckons at the boat jetty at Vallakadavu, around 5 kilometres from the city. The heritage structure built by the Travancore royals that once served as the harbour for the kingdom has been transfigured into a museum by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board. The place was so much abuzz with commercial activities at one point of time that no wonder why the 19th century renowned painter Raja Ravi Varma chose the hustle and bustle of the old boat jetty as the central theme in one of his works.

Raja Ravi Varma's 'Historic Meeting' has king of erstwhile Travancore kingdom Ayilyam Thirunal and his brother Visakham Thirunal welcoming Madras Governor Richard Greenwill at the boat jetty.

This painting by Ravi Varma, worth Rs 18 crore, is among the prized collection of controversial diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, involved in PNB fraud case. The Income Tax Department has initiated auction procedures for the painting, which was published in the Malayala Manorama daily the other day. The boat jetty and its entrance hold significant stature in the history of the erstwhile kingdom. The jetty in the coastal hamlet of Vallakadavu was as easy access to transport goods from sea, especially from trading hubs like Alappuzha.

The trading activities at Vallakadavu, which was originally known as ‘Kalpalakadavu’, could be traced back to 200 centuries, say local residents. The jetty always bustled with activity as many workers thronged the spot. The biodiversity museum and the huge aquarium have been set up retaining the original two-storey structure of the jetty. The vault of the heritage building had always caught the fancy of one and all.

The renovation was carried out at Parvathy Puthanar starting from the place where the arch work once stood and extended up to the boat jetty.

After nearly two centuries, the old boat jetty is now in thick of action. Students and cultural enthusiasts visit the heritage structure to get a glimpse of the exhibits highlighting the rich bio-diversity of Kerala, various farming practices that were in vogue, exotic paddy seeds and visuals of natural calamities that took place around the globe, apart from showcasing science marvels.