One of Asia's largest freshwater lakes spreads across the land of green magic, Kerala. Vembanad Kayal, as it is called in the regional language, acts as a giant reservoir, a balancing tank against floods, and a major ecological resource which has conditioned the flora, fauna and lifestyles of the people who live on its banks. Its wooded banks, fishermen with large palm-leaf hats, and the shallow edges where women immersed upto their necks in water searching for the shy but tasty Karimeen fish, all will tempt to explore more. The boats that ply, on the Vembanad vary from the large stitched-hull, cargo carriers with domed mat-roofs to house boats.

At the edge of the grounds of an old estate is a water-bird sanctuary. Domestic birds such as water fowl, cuckoo and wild duck can be seen in abundance here, as well as Siberian storks which migrate to this area each year.

House boats are available to take trips across the lake. Sights like fishing are enchanting. Women immerse upto their necks in water, terracotta pots floating beside them. Their toes are busy in the soft ooze of the bottom, searching for fish. When they locate them, the women submerge,grab them by their scaly tails, and pop them into their pots. Or else a line of fishermen will swim abreast, stretching a net. Fish trying to avoid the fronds swim effortlessly into the net.
At night fishermen glide over the dark waters bearing aloft a flaming torch on their left hands and a butterfly net in their right. Surfacing fish, attracted by the light, are easily scooped up.