Tourist Spots In Kottayam BigWigTourism

1. TOURIST SPOTS IN
KOTTAYAM
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2. Kottayam is one of the larger towns in Kerala, south India, located near to Kochi. The city is India’s first 100% literate
city, also known as Letter Capital of Kerala, due to headquarters of more than a dozen publishing houses and
newspaper companies as well as several famous colleges and university. The city is one of the strongest centres of
Kerala’s indigenous Church, the Malankara Orthodox Church, a major non-catholic church. Kottayam is a town in
south-central Kerala, sandwiched between the Vembanad Lake and the Kerala hill-country. Best known as a hub of
trade and commerce, Kottayam is also a centre for education and literature, and as a centre of Kerala’s large Christian
population. Travellers should not face much difficulty in getting by with English, as the language is widely understood.
Most signboards above shops are in English as well. Tamil is another language that is understood reasonably widely.

3. ARUVIKKUZHI WATERFALLS
Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls Aruvikkuzhi is a beautiful picnic spot and an ideal shooting
location for movies located in Kottayam. Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls, falling in five
steps, is a real feast for the eyes. Here streams make their way through the
landscape and the water roars as it cascades down the mountains from a height of
100 ft. It is an ideal place for trekking and is located in the midst of rubber
plantations. St. Mary’s Church is situated at the top of the waterfalls. The rubber
plantation centre at Pallickathod is just 1 km from this spot.

5. BHARANANGANAM
Bharananganam an important pilgrim centre in South India, is located on the
banks of Meenachil River, the surrounding places are bestowed with natural
beauty due to hilly areas and a lot of vegetation. Agriculture is the main
occupation of the people, who cultivate plantation crops such as Rubber. The
thousand-year-old St. Mary’s Syro Malabar Catholic Church here is one of the
famous pilgrim centres of the Christians in Kerala. Also known as Anakkallu Palli,
it is the place holding the mortal remains of Saint Alphonsa (1910–1946).

7. Elavezha poonchira
Elaveezha Poonchira Valley where leaves do not fall. A hill station with large hills around
3200 ft high. Beautiful hillocks named Mankunnu, Kudayathoormala, Thonippara and
Poonchira are located here. A pool located here is famously remembered in local folklore
as a bathing place used by Panchali, the legendary heroine of the Mahabharata.

9. erumely
Erumely also spelt “Erumeli” is a village and town in the south-east part of Kottayam district.
It is situated on the way to Sabarimala and also an important halting place (idathavalam) for
the Sabarimala pilgrims. Erumely is famed for its religious harmony and prosperity between
Hindus and Muslims which existed from the early periods. It is a place which has strong
roots in legends and myths associated with lord Ayyappa.

11. ettumanoor
Ettumanoor The ancient Siva Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple here has brought glory and fame to the place. Myths have it
that the Pandavas and the sage Vyasa had worshipped at this temple. The name of the place had its origin from the word
‘manoor’, which means the home of deer. The present temple building, with its gopuram and the fortress around it, was
reconstructed in 1542 AD. There are Dravidian mural paintings on the walls inside and outside of the main entrance. The
fresco of Pradosha Nritham (Dance of Shiva) is one of the finest Wall painting in India. There is a golden flag staff inside the
temple. On the top of it is the idol of a bull surrounded by small bells and metal leaves of the banyan tree. The temple roofs
are covered with copper sheets and it has 14 ornamental tops. Bhagavati, Sastha, Ganapathy and Yakshi are installed here as
subordinate deities. It is believed that the great philosopher, Sankaracharya wrote the ‘Soundaraya Lahari’ staying in the
temple.

13. kumarakom
Kumarakom Fishing, agriculture and tourism are the major economic activities. Kumarakom’s perfectly balanced
tropical climate is very conducive to cultivation. The place has expanses of mangrove forests, paddy fields and
coconut groves. Fruits like Banana, Mango, Jackfruit, Ambazhanga, Puli (Tamarind), Chaambenga, Peraycka
(Guava), Aathaycka and Pineapple grow here. Also, cocoa and coffee, chena (yam) and chembu (colocasia), grow
well and were cultivated under the coconut trees. This rich agricultural environment is mainly irrigated using
interspersed waterways and canals of the Meenachil river. The smaller canals are often lined by hibiscus plants which
lean partly over the canals to form a green canopy, from which hang the lovely hibiscus flowers. In the olden days,
when the bund separating the backwaters from the sea was not yet built, the water in the canals moved in and out
with the sea tide and it was salty. After the Thanneermukkam bund was constructed, the connection to the open sea
was not free anymore, and so the tidal movement of the water in the canals stopped. It stagnated and then plenty of
water hyacinths started growing densely in the canals, forming lovely green carpets with pale lilac flowers carpets.

15. pathiramanal
Pathiramanal means ‘sands of night’. The scenic beauty of both sides of the lake, as well as that of the island, is mind
blowing. It is home to many rare varieties of migratory birds from different parts of the world. the Island (also known
as Anantha Padmanabhan Thoppu) was purchased by Chevalier ACM Anthraper, from M/s Bheemji Devji Trust of
Cochin and was under the private ownership of Thaimattathil Family until the late seventies. In 1979 after Land
Reforms Acts were enforced in the State, the property came under government ownership. The island was returned to
the government as a surplus land that crossed the land ceiling. It was later transferred to the Tourism Department and
the idea of leasing it out to private enterprises was under consideration. The island at present is uninhabited. Till the
late seventies of the 20th century, 14 worker families resided in the island, who were later rehabilitated on the
mainland in the Muhamma panchayath. The island is an hour and a half drive by motor boat or 30 minutes by speed
boat from Alappuzha town. One can also take the boats plying in the Muhamma-Kumarakom water route. The SWTD
boats plying in the Muhamma-Kumarakom water route no longer stops at Pathiramanal. It takes around 40 minutes
from Kumarakom to reach Pathiramanal. The journey through Vembanad Lake is a marvellous experience.

17. THANK YOU
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