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| Pathanamthitta |
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Like other districts in Kerala, Pathanamthitta is also famous for the presence of misty mountains. Its untrammeled nature contains rivers, forests and peculiar mountain ranges. Pathanamthitta is known as the 'Spiritual capital of Kerala'. Its the most famous pilgrim centers in kerala. About 50 % of the total area of this district is covered with temples, rivers, mountain ranges and forests. Blessed by nature, the district is famous for its natural beauty and festivals. The district contains three important rivers and they are Pamba, Achankovil and Manimala. The Pathanamthitta town is located on the banks of the Achankovil River. Pathanamthitta is a region highly suitable for agriculture. Paddy, Tapioca, other vegetables and spices like pepper, cardamom etc are extensively cultivated. The main economy of Pathanamthitta is dependant on the Tiber industry besides agriculture. Teak, Rosewood, Jack wood etc are some of the timbers available here. The Pamba River in Pathanamthitta has a huge popularity in Kerala. Its the 'edathavalam' [half point inn] for Sabarimala pilgrimers. Besides that the Sabarigiri Hydro Electric Project lies across this river and as we know one third of the total electricity produced in this state comes from this river. The most famous cultural training center in the state located here.
Pathanamthitta is well connected by road and rail. The town Pathanamthitta is connected to Trivandrum through MC road. KSRTC operates bus services to Pamba, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Trivandrum, Kollam and Cochin through MC road. The main railway station in Pathanamthitta is Thiruvalla which 30 kilometer away from the town, connected to all major cities in Kerala and metro cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Banglore etc through Express trains. The nearest airport is Trivandrum lies at a distance of 120 kilometers. Pathanamthitta is accessible only through road and rail. April to August is the best time to visit this region because most of the temples here have festivals on that season.
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Places of Attraction
1. Konni Forest Division
The forest area lies 11 kilometers from Pathanamthitta. The place is famous for the agriculture of cash crops like rubber, pepper, coffee, ginger, cardamom etc. Konni have an 'aanakoodu' (an elephant training camp) built in 1941 and it is said to be the oldest in Kerala. Elephant ride is possible here. Konni is a suitable place for safaris and trekking. The place lies on the Kottayam-Punalur road and easily accessible.
2. Perunthenaruvi falls.
The waterfall is on the banks of the river Pampa and now it is a favorite outing spot. Rather than falling from a good height, the stream here spreads over a wide area. Perunthenaruvi is Malayalam means ‘great stream filled with honey’. The waterfall lies 20 kilometers from Pathanamthitta town and can easily accessible by road through Vechoochira.
3. Kodumon Chilathiyambalam
This temple is said to have built by the Shakthibhadra kingdom ruled this region centuries ago. There is a well near the temple known as 'Chilanthikkinar' (Spider well) and the water from the well is believed to cure all skin diseases. The preserved deity here is Durga Bhagavathi. The temple is open to all. The place Kodumon is the birthplace of Sanskrit poet Shakthibhadra who wrote the famous Sanskrit play 'Ascharya choodamani'. The place Kodumon is located 15 kilometers from Pathanamthitta town.
4. Sabarimala
This is one of the most famous pilgrim centers in India because of the Ayyappaswami temple here. A huge amount of devotees used to come here from across the country and the statistics says that the number of visitors increases in a high ratio each year. Sabarimala is one of the most visited pilgrim centers in the world with an estimated 5 crores devotees coming each year. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and the temple lies in the high mountain ranges of Western Ghatt, in an altitude of 914 meters above sea level. The temple is accessible only by foot from Pamba. From here one has to trek 4 to 5 kilometers to reach the temple. People from all castes and creed is permitted here, but women with age 10 to 50 are not allowed in the temple. The pilgrim season here is November to mid-January. Apart from these days the temple is almost closed. On the way towards Ayyappa temple, there is a temple dedicated to Vavar swami, a Muslim devotee of Swami Ayyappa. 'Mandalavilakku' (November 17th) and 'Makarajyothi' (January 14th) are the main events in Sabarimala during season.
5. Aranmula
Aranmula is one of the main important religious and cultural centers in this region. The famous Parthasarathy temple is located here on the banks of river Pamba. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and it is very famous because of the 18th century murals on the temple wall. The temple is said to have an age of 1700 years. Pulikkunnumala Mahadeva Temple is located 4 kilometers from Aranmula. The presiding deity here is Siva and is one of the major temples in this region.
The Vijnana Kala Vedi cultural center is located here. The academy is an important tourist place. Tourists used to come here and stay a long period for studying traditional Kerala architecture and important arts. Courses in Kathakali, Classical dances, Classical music, Kalaripayattu, Mural art, Floor art, Wood carving, Hatha Yoga and Cookery are offered by the center. Also there are classes in Malayalam, Hindi and Sanskrit literature. The Vasthu Vidya Gurukulam is located here. The Gurukulam offers class in the art of building and construction methods. An art gallery is situated near to the Academy. The entrance here is allowed from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm.
The most important tourist attraction here is the annual Sneak boat ('Chundan vallam' in local language) race, which falls on the last week of August post Onam. Special boats known as 'Palliyodam' (Divine boat of Sree Krishna) having 100 feet long, and carrying more than 100 oarsmen, 4 helmsmen and 25 singers, participates in the race. Full throated singing and shouting on each boat increases the momentum of the race.
Aranmula is also famous for the production of 'Aranmula Kannadi' (Kannadi means mirror), made of thin bronze and it wont be seen anywhere in the world. Aranmula lies near to Chengannur, which is easily accessible by road and rail and also by river Pamba.
6. Sree Vallabha Temple
The temple is 400 years old and is situated on the banks of the river Manimala. The presiding deity here is Lord Mahavishnu. It is one of the 108 Vaishnava temples (Temples worshiping Lord Mahavishnu or his incarnations) in the country. It is believed that Perumthachan constructs the temple and the 'Dwajasthamba' (flag post) here, which is 50 feet height is almost buried in the temple yard so that the bottom can touch the underwater level. We can see the top of it. Sudarshana Moorthy is the other main idol worshipping here. It is the only temple in Kerala where Kathakali is held everyday as a ritual offering. The ‘Garudasthamaba’ here is made up of a single block of granite is also a main attraction. The temple lies 3 kilometers from the Thiruvalla railway station.
The headquarters of the Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church is located here at Thiruvalla. The Paliakara Church here is a famous attraction because the church walls are adorned with rare mural paintings. The place is easily accessible by road and train.
7. Mannadi
Mannadi is a historical place where Velu Thampi Dalwa, the legendary minister of Travancore met his end. It is believed that he gave up his life in front of the enemy army instead of surrendering. The place is also famous for the Bhagavathi temple here, which contains many stone sculptures that talks about a glorious past. The annual festival of this temple falls on February- March. The Kerala Institute of folklore and folk arts is located here. The place lies 13 kilometers from Adoor and 45 kilometers from Kollam town. The place is accessible by road and rail.
8. Niranam
Niranam was the birthplace of poets and social reformers popularly known as ‘Karnassa Kavikal’ or ‘Niranam Kavikal’. They were Madhava Panikkar, Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar of the Kannassa family. St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, the oldest church in India is located at Niranam. It is believed that Apostle St. Thomas built the church in AD 52. The current church building is reconstructed in 2000. An ecumenical body known as ‘NiranamThomathu Kadavu Smaraka Trust’ built the St. Thomas art gallery near to the church. Niranam is located 8 kilometers from Thiruvalla.
9. Pandalam
The holy town Pandalam is located on the way towards Sabarimala. Swami Ayyappa had his human sojourn as the son of the Pandalam Maharaja. The place came to alive during the Sabarimala season. There is a temple on the banks of river Achankovil known as Valiakoikal, which is modeled on the Sabarimala temple. Three days before of the Makaravilakku, the holy ornaments of Ayyappa are taken from the Pandalam palace to Sabarimala. Pilgrims usually stops here to worship at the temple before proceeding to Sabarimala. The Valiakoikal temple has no idols and the temple walls are decorated with murals. The place located 18 kilometers south of Thiruvalla. The nearest railway station is Chengannur and is 14 kilometers away.
10. Maramon
Maramon is situated near Kozhenchery. It is the venue of the annual massive Christian religious convention falls on February. This is the largest Christian religious convention in Asia. Religious scholars and thinkers address the Maramon convention across the globe.
11. Kakki reservoir
It is the most attractive reservoir in Pathanamthitta. This artificial lake has boating facilities. Wild animals like Tigers, Elephants, Monkeys, Bison etc can be seen in the forest surrounding the reservoir. The place is a tourist delight. January to May is the best time to visit the place. The place can be easily accessible from Pathanamthitta by road.
12. Kaviyoor
The place is situated on the banks of the river Manimala. The name Kaviyoor is derived from the name 'Kapiyoor' which means 'the land of Monkeys'. The temple stands on a hillock and a great example of Kerala style architecture. The main deity of the temple is Lord Mahadeva. Even though the temple is famous for the Hanuman idol here. It is one of the oldest Mahadeva temples in the state. The ‘balickalpura’ (Where sacrifices takes place), vaathilmaadam , namaskara mandapam and sreekovil( sanctum sanctorum) of this temple are decorated with wood carvings. It is believed that the artworks here belong to the 17th century. The place is located 6 kilometers east of Thiruvalla and can easily reached.
Just half a kilometer away, there is a Rock cut cave temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Siva and it is believed that the temple was built in the 8th century. The architecture of this temple will remind you about the Pallava mode of architecture. The stone sculptures here is believed to be the oldest stone art in Kerala.
13. Omallur Rakthakanta Swami Temple
The Rektha Kanda Swamy (God with a blooded neck) Temple is a famous temple situated in Omallur and is famous for the annual festival. The Cattle fair held here during the annual festival attracts a huge number of people from both within and outside the state. The temple lies 5 kilometers from Pathanamthitta town in the Pathanamthitta - Adoor route.
14. Malayalapuzha
The place is famous for the Durga Devi temple here. The temple draws a huge number of devotees every day. The place is located 8 kilometers from Pathanamthitta town and can easily accessible.
15. Kadamanitta
The birthplace famous Malayalam poet Kadamanitta Ramakrishnan, the place Kadamanitta lies 8 kilometers from Pathanamthitta town. The Kadamanitta Devi temple is situated here. The annual festival festival of this falls on April/May. The temple is famous for the 10 day long 'Padayani' perfomance held here during the annual festival. Padayani is a colorful folk art, celebrated in Bhadrakali temples. The folk art is endemic to southern Kerala. 'Padayani' in local language means 'a march of soldiers'. In Padayani the dancers wear painted masks and act as Gods. The ritual is similar to Theyyam. The Padayani is performed according to a special song namely Padayanipattu. The poet Kadamanitta Ramakrishnan used to write poems to the rhythm of Padayani. The place lies 8 kilometers from Pathanamthitta and can easily reached.
16. Charalkunnu
Charalkunnu (Hill filled with small stone pieces) is a famous hill-station in Thottappuzhassery panchayat. The hill station offers splendid views of the nearby mountains. This is a famous retreat and convention center. From here one can see the low-lying Pamba River. Accommodation facilities are there on the top. Charalkunnu is located 17 km north of Pathanamthitta town.
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