Backwater
Kumbalangi Bioluminescence Point
Watch for kavaru — the blue glow that appears on dark, moonless nights.
Kumbalangi Bioluminescence Point is a waterside spot in Kumbalangi village where the backwater can glow blue at night. Locals call the glow kavaru. Its English name is sea sparkle, which is also the common name of the plankton that makes it.
The light comes from a micro-plankton called Noctiluca scintillans, present in high concentration in these waters. The organisms give off light to attract mates and escape predators, so the glow is a signal they use among themselves.
Reports place the glow in the south-western part of Kumbalangi, around Kallanchery, Anjilithara, Attathadom and Kulakkadavu. Sightings are more pronounced in summer, when the backwaters grow saltier and thicker. The film Kumbalangi Nights has a scene of characters rowing through glowing water. The glow was also seen here in 2020.
The likely months are September and October, after the rains. Sightings have also been reported in March and April. Bioluminescence is rarely seen during the rainy season itself.
Did you know
The blue glow on Kumbalangi’s backwaters, called kavaru, comes from a high concentration of the micro-plankton Noctiluca scintillans.
The organisms give off light to attract mates and escape predators.
Kavaru has been reported in the south-western region of Kumbalangi, Kallanchery, Anjilithara, Attathadom and Kulakkadavu.
The glow is more pronounced in summer, when the salinity and viscosity of the backwaters increase.
Sea sparkle can be seen along the backwaters off Kochi during March and April.
Kerala Tourism says sea sparkle in Kumbalangi is likely after the rains, in September and October.
Drawn from OpenStreetMap, by its contributors.
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