What is kayal in geography?

In geography, a kayal is a coastal lagoon or backwater, commonly used for the brackish water lakes and canals along the Kerala coast in India (for example, Vembanad Kayal).

A kayal is a long, shallow waterbody, often parallel to the sea, separated by a narrow strip of land or sandbar, connected to the sea at some points, and fed by rivers. It supports transport, fishing, tourism, paddy fields (like Kuttanad), and unique ecosystems of mangroves and birds.