Poovar Pozhikkara Lake and Beach

We had a marriage function at Poovar on Sunday. Since it was a holiday, we planned to visit some places near by Poovar. After the marriage function, we enquired to some people to know the places which are comfortable to visit. According to that, they suggested the places Pozhikkara(Pozhikara) and Aazhimala.

By 1'o clock, we started our journey from Poovar. Including children, we were 12 people traveled in the cars. We sent our vehicles to Pozhikkara. It is about 1km in Poovar-Vizhinjam-Kovalam-Thiruvananthapuram road and about 30km away from Thiruvananthapuram City. We traveled through the fisher colony. With in 10 minutes we reached the spot. The smooth breeze inspired us to get down from the vehicle, but the sun was chasing us to go back. But we did not have the mind to go back. We started to the sea shore by caring umbrellas.

At the first view it self we could find a lake in a side and the Arabian Sea in the other side. A sandbank was separating both. Because of the reason the place was named as pozhikkara. The specialty of this place is during the rainy season the sandbank breaks and the lake and sea join together. Because of the sunny season we did not have the fate to enjoy that.

Now we move towards the lake. It is long and broad lake, which is formed by Neyyar river. At the bank of the lake we could find the different kinds of mangrove plants. The lake was too peace. To disturb that, we stepped on it. Oh ! The water was so cool. We stayed few minutes in the water and small fishes were swimming near by us. Children tried to catch the fishes. Like that we were enjoyed the nature. On the other side of the lake, there was a resort and a boat was taking people from the resort to come around the places.

We planned to move towards the sea that time a man comes there with a basket and hook (choonda in Malayalam). Again we stayed to watch the man. He put the hook into the lake, with in few minutes a fish hooked in the hook. Like that he caught different fishes from there. We take some snaps from there and through the hot sand, we moved to the sea shore.

Lake Fishing

But the sea was just opposite of the lake; it was ready to attack us. We stayed few minutes in the sea shore and children played in the water. Since it was too hot we left Pozhikkara and drove our vehicles to the next spot Aazhimala beach.

How to reach
From Trivandrum
Route1: Thiruvananthapuram-Thiruvallam-Kovalam-Vizhinjam-Poovar
Route2: Thiruvananthapuram-Pappanamcode-Balaramapuram-Nellimoodu-Kanjiramkulam-Poovar

From Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari-Nagercoil-Marthandam-Kaliyakkavila-Neyyattinkara-Poovar

Nearest Railway Station: Neyyattinkara

Nearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport

Mathur Aqueduct

Mathur Aqueduct (Mathoor Thottipalam) is one of the tallest as well as longest aqueducts in Asia. It located about 3 kms away from Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. You can reach here through Thiruvattar and Kalladimamoodu (near Kulasekharam)

We have chosen the way of Kalladimamoodu. When we reached Kalladimamoodu there was an information board to direct us to reach Mathur. We started our journey through a narrow road. It was a parallel road to the channel. On the way we got another chance to see the rubber plantation just like Thirunanthikarai and Thiruvattar. In between we could find the different sizes and shapes of rocks at the side of the road. Just we were enjoying that, suddenly we anxious on seeing a big rock! It looks like that the rock is about to fall to the channel. We didn't leave; we took a snap of the rock.

Again we followed the way. On the way there was an arch to invite us to Mathur aqueduct.

Now we have reached near the aqueduct. There were to many vehicles. We parked our small vehicle near by them. A person came to collect the parking fee.

Now we are walking towards the aqueduct. There were many tender coconut, pineapple and snacks sellers. We bought some pineapple pieces from them. It was very tasty. Now we are in aqueduct. Representatives asked us to pay for camera.

In the entrance of the aqueduct we could find an information board. With the help of the board and the local people we collected the following information.

The former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Mr.K. Kamaraj has built this aqueduct in the year of 1969. Aim of this aqueduct was drought relief and development of agriculture in Vilavancode and Kalkulam Taluk. It has been built across the river Parallaiyar, which is originating from Mahendrahiri hills of Western Ghats. The aqueduct itself carries water of Pattanamkaal channel over the river Prallaiyar.

It stands on 28 huge pillars with the maximum height of 101ft. The length of the aqueduct is 1240 ft. The depth and width of the trough (Channel) is 7ft and 7.6ft respectively. Half of this trough is closed with concrete slabs to allow the people to walk. Nearly 12.90 lakhs of rupees spent for this aqueduct during the period of construction. Steps and children's parks have been built recently by district administration.

Now we started to move on the aqueduct. In first sight itself we lost our confident to walk on that.

But the pleasant scenery and the nice breeze were recharging courage to us. Some how we reached in the middle of the aqueduct, then just we looked down; oh! How to say? It was awful! Even the people look like small. From this we can guess the height of this aqueduct. Really we felt dizzy. We were trying to escape from there. We joined our hands strongly.

From the spot we got amazing information from the local people that a man named Joshuva walked through the handrail (left side of aqueduct - see the following picture) of the aqueduct with 100kgs of weight in the year of 1995. We couldn't believe it. Really it is appreciable.

From the aqueduct we can see the parallaiyar with border of Western Ghats. In fact we enjoyed the nature.

After few minutes we reached the other end of the aqueduct. Through the steps we came under the aqueduct.

We were very tired and thirsty. We drank the tender coconut. We took rest for few minutes in the park and moved near the river and around the places.

Here the most of the lands were used for agriculture purpose. Again we stayed few more minutes in another park and enjoyed the place.

Now it is time for return. When return from there we wish to get another chance to visit here.

Location:
Nearby Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu State, India
How to reach:
Trivandrum to Marthandam - 39 KM (NH47 Trivandrum-Kanyakumari)
Marthandam to Mathur (via Thiruvattar ) - 9 KM (Marthandam - Pechipparai Highway)

Nearby Attractions:
Thiruvattar Adikesavaperumal Temple, Chitharal Rockcut Temple, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Thirparappu, Pechipparai Dam

FM Radio Stations in Kerala, India

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM)
DC FM (Community Radio/DCSMAT Media School, Kazhakuttam)	90.4 MHz
Big FM (Reliance)	92.7 MHz
Red FM (Sun Network)	93.5 MHz
Club FM (Mathrubhumi)	94.3 MHz
Radio Mirchi	98.3 MHz
Ananthapuri FM (AIR/Vividh Bharathy)	101.9 MHz
Gyanvani (IGNOU)	105.6 MHz
THIRUVALLA (PATHANAMTHITTA)
Radio Macfast (Community Radio)	90.4 MHz
KOCHI (COCHIN)
Radio Mango (Malayala Manorama)	91.9 MHz
Red FM (Sun Network)	93.5 MHz
Club FM (Mathrubhumi)	94.3 MHz
Akashavani FM (All India Radio)	102.3 MHz
Gyanvani (IGNOU)	105.6 MHz
FM Rainbow (All India Radio)	107.5 MHz
DEVIKULAM (IDUKKI)
Spice FM (All India Radio)	101.4 MHz
THRISSUR (TRICHUR)
Radio Mango (Malayala Manorama)	91.9 MHz
Red FM (Sun Network)	91.1 MHz
Best FM (Asianet)	95.0 MHz
Club FM (Mathurbhumi)	104.8 MHz
MANJERY (MALAPPURAM)
Dreams FM (All India Radio)	102.7 MHz
KOZHIKODE (CALICUT)
Radio Mango (Malayala Manorama)	91.9 MHz
Red FM (Sun Network)	93.5 MHz
Real FM (All India Radio/Vividh Bharathy)	103.6 MHz
WAYANAD
Radio Mattoli (Community Radio)	90.4 MHz
KANNUR
Radio Mango (Malayala manorama)	91.9 MHz
Red FM (Sun Network)	93.5 MHz
Club FM (Mathrubhumi)	94.3 MHz
Best FM (Asianet)	95.0 MHz
AIR (All India Radio/Vividh Bharathy)	101.5 MHz

Thiruvattar

We are happy to introduce the small village Thiruvattar (Tamil: திருவட்டார்,  Malayalam: തിരുവട്ടാര്‍ ). It is located in Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu, in between the towns of Marthandam and Kulasekharam. It is about 6 kilometer from Marthandam. Here the most important thing to say is the name of the place, Thiru (sacred) + vatt (surrounded) + aru (river). The two main rivers Parallaiyar (which is originating from Mahendragiri) and Kothaiyar (which originating from Kothaiyar lake) surrounded the village and giving the name.

Since it is watery place, the mud will be always wet, so main occupation of this village is Brick making. Also we can find the coconut, banana and rubber plantations.

A brick furnace

A brick furnace

Brick furnace in misty morning

Banana Plantations

Here the important place to introduce is Sri Adikesavaperumal temple, is one of the 108 holy Vishnu temples (105 located in India, 1 in Nepal and 2 in the non physical world). Architecture of this temple is Kerala Style. This temple is older than the Sri Padamanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum. The architecture and style of this temple has been followed by Sri Padamanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum. Compared to Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum this temple is small. Differences between two temples are, in Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple Trivandrum Lord Vishnu facing towards east and in Sri Adikesavaperumal temple towards west. In this temple status of Lord Vishnu is made up of Kaduku (mustard), chippi (lime powder) and sarkara (jaggery). Sculptures and mural paintings of this temple are amazing. Really we have to appreciate the sculptors those who designed the temple.

The pujas are done in this temple are same as Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple at Trivandrum. In the month of April every year, 10 days of festival is going on here. During those days main cultural program of this temple is Kathakali. 10th day of festival with the Arattu (holy bath of god) and Kambakettu (fire works), they will put and end to the festival. If we say about the environment of this temple, wow !, what a pleasant environment ? Fresh breeze with the nice smell of flowers. If we come around the temple everyday, it will be very good exercise to our body and our mind also will be very pleasant. People who come to Thiruvattar surely they will visit this temple. Near by Thaliyal Mutharamman temple and Lord Siva temple also famous here. Often film shootings are taking place here.

A devotional video album song shooting

A lonely way

Sunset view from Thiruvattar

Moovattumugam is hamlet nearby this village, here two rivers Parallaiyar and Kothaiyar combine together and forms Kuzhithurai River and it move towards Arabian Sea.

Aruvikkarai is a hamlet nearby this village. Here we can feel the expression of the water through dashing on the rocks, jumping over the rocks, dancing on the rocks and spreading beads in the bank of the river. Really it is wonderful and gives pleasure to our mind.

In Thiruvattar and its surroundings there are many schools such as Govt. Primary School and High School, NVKS (CBSE syllabus), Excel Central School (ICSE syllabus), Arunachalam Higher Secondary School, which is the first management school (AD 1928) in the surroundings also the great playback singer Mr. Kamukara Purushothaman was the principal of this school and former ISRO chairman Dr. G. Madhavan Nair had been done his Higher Secondary education. People of this village speak both Malayalam and Tamil.

The famous cultural artists also took born in this village. Old play back singer Mr. Kamukara Purushothaman, his carnatic music master Mr. Arumugam Pillai, Mr. Krishna Pillai Bhagavathar (Musician), Mr. Thankappan, Mr. Velukutty (Nadhaswara vidhwans), Bhaskara Pillai, Krishna Pillai (Thavil masters), Nellamma Pillai (Musician), Thankan Thiruvattar (Lyricist). Still here the people are trying to stay back the arts among the new generations.

Police Station, Bus depot, Registrar office, Post Office, State Bank of Travancore all these facilities are available here.

Other important places nearby this village is Chitharal Rock-cut temple, Mathoor Thottipalam (Mathur Aqueduct).

Location:
Nearby Marthandam, Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu

How to reach:
Trivandrum to Marthandam – 39 KM (NH47 Trivandrum-Kanyakumari)
Marthandam to Thiruvattar – 6 KM (Marthandam – Pechipparai Highway)