Have you ever heard of under sea-level paddy fields? In Kerala, India, apparently a vast amount of land has been reclaimed by erecting dykes. The backwaters of Kerala is a network of rivers, canals and lakes sandwiched between the hinterland and a narrow stretch of land running parallel to the Arabian Sea. In between these watery networks, lay miles and miles of paddy fields protected by dykes ranging from 1-2 meters high.
In the background of this photograph, the below sea-level paddy fields can be seen along with the dykes. On the right is one of the multitudes of houseboats found in the Kerala backwaters that has become a tourist industry in its own right.