Alleppey, is the Alappuzha District administrative headquarters in the Indian State of Kerala. Alappuzha is a town and municipality in Kerala with a population of 174,164 people and ranks third among the districts in literacy rate in the State of Kerala. It is a major tourist destination in India. Alappuzha's Backwaters is one of Kerala's most popular tourist attractions. A houseboat cruise can be booked in these backwaters. It connects Kumarakom and Cochin to the north and Quilon to the south. The Kerala State Water Transport Department offers government boat services in the district, in addition to the houseboat services. It is also the point of entry for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held every year on the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha on the second Saturday of August. That's the most competitive and famous of Indian boat races. The mullackal chirap is also one of Alapuzha's attractions which is the December festive season held every year for ten days. Alappuzha is home to both the Punnapra-Vayalar rebellion against the British, and the Feudal Raj revolt. The Diwan's unit, 200 men at Punnapra on 24 October 1946 and more than 150 at Vayalar on 27 October 1946 killed members of the Communist Party. The total loss of life is estimated to be in excess of a thousand.
History: The Viceroy of the Indian Empire in the early first decade of the 20th century, Lord Curzon visited Alleppey, now Alappuzha, in the Capital. They called the early Cheras, who had their home in Kuttanad, 'Kuttuvans,' so named after this location. In their classical works Pliny and Ptolemy from the 1st and 2nd centuries had described places such as Purakkad or Barace. History tells that in the Middle Ages Alappuzha had trade ties with Greece and Rome. Literary works like "Unnuneeli Sandesam" give some insight into the ancient period of this district. Archaeological antiquities, such as the stone inscriptions, historical monuments found in the temples, churches, and rock-cut caves, also emphasise the historic importance of Alappuzha District. Christianity had a foothold in this district, even from the 1st century AD. The Kokkamangalam church was one of the seven churches founded by St. Thomas, one of Jesus Christ's twelve disciples. It is generally believed that in 52 AD he landed in Muziris Port at Maliankara, currently known as Cranganore or Kodungallur, and preached Christianity in South India.