Introduction

Arundhati Roy’s Booker prize winning novel ‘The God of Small Things’ was set in this sleepy backwater village, Ayemenem or Aymanam, on the western bank of Vembanad Lake. About two-thirds of Aymanam is rice fields, two meters below sea level; the river Meenachil provides water to the village. The low-lying areas flood from June to August. If you are taking the road, Aymanam is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) on the Kottayam-Chunkam route. The nearest railway station is Kottayam Railway Station. Aymanam is about 85 kilometers (53 miles) from Cochin International Airport.

It was in the Ayemenem House that Arundhati Roy spent some years of her childhood. The house is now open to visitors. Sail on the Meenachil River in a traditional boat and soak up the vibrant countryside scenery. Especially after monsoons in June, the village and the backwaters come alive with all shades of green. There is an earthy beauty about this place, maybe it is the author’s vivid imagery that lends Ayemenem a palpable aura. Browse the house, and relive each frame of the book from the time Rahel returns from the US, a divorcee, to her family home at Ayemenem in the Kumarakom backwaters. Stroll the narrow meandering trails of this tired little village, and you will feel the pathos and passion of the characters that lived here, and if you haven’t read the book, simply enjoy the nature as it would seem to have come into its own.

You will realize for yourself how Roy through her facility with the language, observation skill and a fine vocabulary, has infused so much drama, character and tension to this otherwise sleepy-looking village set in the backwaters of Kerala.

Set sail from Kumarakom to the western backwaters of Vembanad Lake, and you will be rewarded with immense greenery and a languorous country life.

Special Attributes

It was at this village Arundhati Roy set her Booker-winning novel 'The God of Small Things'

Nuisance

The site is very peaceful and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Dress is whatever you find comfortable.

Connectivity

If you are taking the road, Aymanam is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) on the Kottayam-Chunkam route. You can even take a boat from Kumarakom to this village on Vembanad Lake.

Enjoyed by

Families, Backpackers

Exposure

The village is sun-dappled. So, you can enjoy the weather and explore around.

Avoidable Season

April, May, June, July, August, September

Facilities

A great chance to soak up the greenery, enjoy photography, meet the locals and see the sites mentioned in the novel.

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction.

Tip

Begin early in the day so that you can explore the village at leisure, and take a boat ride around it to enjoy the scenery.

Type of site

Backwater village