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Achankovil is a 128 km long west flowing river in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, which flows through
Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...
,
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
, and Alappuzha districts. The river drains vast tract of fertile plains of
Upper Kuttanad Upper Kuttanad is a part of India's Kuttanad region. It consists of parts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Alapuzha districts. Kuttanad is broadly divided into Lower Kuttanad (Taluks of Ambalapuzha and Kuttanad in Alappuzha district), Upper ...
in the
Alappuzha Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in States and territories of India, state of Kerala, India. The Kerala Backwaters, Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Indi ...
and
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
districts. It also sustains numerous
urban settlement An Urban settlement is a concentrated settlement that is part of an urban area. It is an area with high density of human-created structures. *Municipal urban settlement, a type of subdivision such as Cape town in Western Cape *Urban settlement, ...
s along its course such as
Konni Konni may refer to: * Konni (dog), Russian President Vladimir Putin's dog (1999-2014) *Konni, Kerala, a town in Kerala state in India * Konni (Hausa state), a traditional Hausa state in south central Niger * Birni-N'Konni (shortened to Konni), a to ...
,
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
,
Pandalam Pandalam is a municipal town in Pathanamthitta district Kerala, India. Pandalam is considered a holy town due to its connection with Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimala. Rightly recognised to be the ''educational and cultural capital of Central Trava ...
,
Mavelikkara Mavelikkara is a taluk and municipality in the ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. Located in the southern part of the district on the banks of the Achankovil River. Etymology The name Mavelikara ...
etc.


Course

The river has its origin in the peak '' Devar Mala'' of the Western Ghats situated in the Konni Reserve Forest. Rivers like Rishimala, Pashukidamettu and Ramakkaltheri form the major tributaries of the Achenkovil river. It flows
south west The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...
from its origin and enters
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an in ...
near Achencovil village. Then the river switches its course towards
north west The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
and flows almost 20 kms through
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an in ...
before re-entering
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
district near
Kalleli Kalleli is a small village, about 10 kilometres away from Konni (India) in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is situated on the banks of river Achankovil Achankovil is a 128 km long west flowing river in Kerala, India, which flo ...
. Later it flows through the hilly towns of
Konni Konni may refer to: * Konni (dog), Russian President Vladimir Putin's dog (1999-2014) *Konni, Kerala, a town in Kerala state in India * Konni (Hausa state), a traditional Hausa state in south central Niger * Birni-N'Konni (shortened to Konni), a to ...
,
Kumbazha Kumbazha is a main junction in the Pathanmthitta Municipality Pathanamthitta City Suburbs, located in Kerala state, India. The Achenkovil river flows through Kumbazha. The Thiruvalla - Kumbazha (SH-7) road, also known as the T.K road, ends at ...
,
Mylapra Mylapra is a village in Pathanamthitta district in the Indian state of Kerala. It comes under the Mylapra Panchayath. It is on the way to the famous Hindu pilgrim center of Sabarimala. The Main Eastern Highway (Punalur– Pathanamthitta&nd ...
, Konnithazham,
Vettoor Vettoor is a panchayat in Varkala Taluk of Trivandrum district in the state of Kerala, India. It is situated 2.8km southwest of Varkala City and 38km northwest of capital city Trivandrum. Demographics India census A census is the procedure ...
,
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
, Pramadam, Vallikode and enters into the
Upper Kuttanad Upper Kuttanad is a part of India's Kuttanad region. It consists of parts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Alapuzha districts. Kuttanad is broadly divided into Lower Kuttanad (Taluks of Ambalapuzha and Kuttanad in Alappuzha district), Upper ...
. Then the river passes through the towns of
Kaipattoor Kaipattoor is a small town in Vallicode panchayat of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India. Kaipattoor (also spelled Kaippattoor, Kaippattor and Kaippattur) is located in the western part of Pathanamthitta district. It is 6 kilometers fr ...
,
Nariyapuram Nariyapuram is a village in Vallicode Panchayat of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India. Nariyapuram is located in the northern part of Pathanamthitta. Pandalam, which is seven km away is the nearest town. The district headquarters Pathanamt ...
, Thumbamon,
Venmony Venmony is a village in Chengannur taluk of Alappuzha district of Central Travancore area in Kerala state, India. Venmoney is 18 km south of Thiruvalla, 11 km east of Mavelikkara and 9 km northwest of Pandalam. 12 km from ...
,
Kulanada Kulanada is a village in Pandalam, that is located in the district of Pathanamthitta bordering with Alappuzha district in Kerala state within India. Kulanada assumed its name from the combination of words "Kulam" and "Nada". Kulam meaning pond ...
,
Pandalam Pandalam is a municipal town in Pathanamthitta district Kerala, India. Pandalam is considered a holy town due to its connection with Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimala. Rightly recognised to be the ''educational and cultural capital of Central Trava ...
, Edappon (
Nooranad Nooranad (also anglicized as ''Noornad'' or ''Nooranadu'') is a developing town in Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located at a distance of 8 Km south-west of Pandalam, in Kayamkulam route. Pada ...
), Vettiyar, Kollakkadavu and
Cheriyanad Cheriyanad is a village in Kerala state of India. It lies in the Central Travancore Region, and specifically comes under Chengannur taluk in Alappuzha District. History The west half of Cheriyanad village was once located on the boundary of ...
. After reaching
Mavelikkara Mavelikkara is a taluk and municipality in the ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. Located in the southern part of the district on the banks of the Achankovil River. Etymology The name Mavelikara ...
, the river takes a sharp turn towards the northern direction and flows through the following towns of
Chennithala Chennithala is a census town in Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district, Kerala state, India. This village consists mainly of paddy fields and coconut groves. Places of worship Thripperumthura Sree Mahadevar Temple, Ayyakkasheril Sree M ...
,
Pallippad Pallippad is a village near Haripad in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. The name ''Pallippad'' is believed to be derived from Buddhist terminology.The famous River Achankovil Aar passes by Pallippad before it reaches Veeyapura ...
,
Paippad Paippad is a village in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India. Demographics India census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This ...
and finally merges into the Pamba river at Veeyapuram. The Pamba River together with Achankovil and
Manimala Manimala is a small town and a village in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, situated about from the nearest town Kanjirappally. It's declared as a folklore village since 2011 by the central government to promote folklore. Ge ...
rivers, then splits into two distributaries, one which empties into the
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
at Thottapally and the other into the
Vembanad Vembanad is the longest lake in India, as well as the largest lake in the state of Kerala. The lake has an area of 230 square kilometers and a maximum length of 96.5 km. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Ve ...
Lake at
Kainakary Kainakary is a village in Kuttanad Taluk in Alappuzha District of the Indian state of Kerala. History Kainakary was part of the Chembakassery Dynasty. Geography Five rivers originating from the Western Ghats, including the sacred Pamba River ...
. The
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
Town, which is the administrative capital of the Pathanamthitta district is situated along the river. The town derives its name from its association with the river; ''Pathanamthitta'', from the
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
words ' and ', means "houses by the riverside".


Achenkovil village and reserve forest area

The forest area, which is the
catchment area In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...
for this river is also referred to as Achenkovil Reserve Forest. It forms part of
Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve The Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve in India established in 2001, located in the southernmost end of the Western Ghats and includes of which 1828 km2 is in Kerala and 1672.36 km2 is in Tamil Nadu. It encompasses ...
. A small village situated in its upper riparian area of the river is called as Achenkovil village. The Achenkovil village is an important
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
center which is associated with the legend of
Sabarimala The Sabarimala Temple (; ml, ശബരിമല ക്ഷേത്രം) is a temple complex located at Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest ...
and it is also one of the important interstate border point between
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an in ...
and
Tenkasi district Tenkasi is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu, India, separated from Tirunelveli district on 22 November 2019. The Government of Tamil Nadu announced its creation on 18 July 2019. The district headquarters is at Tenkasi. Geography The di ...
.


Achankovil Sastha Temple

Achankovil Shastha Temple, or the Dharmasastha Temple, is one among the five important temples dedicated to
Lord Ayyappa Ayyappan an incarnation of dharma sastha, also called Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India, He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil. Although devotion t ...
in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. Lord Ayyappa leads the Grihastha Ashrama life here – he is depicted as a family man or leads married life here. He is depicted along with his two wives – Purna and Pushkala. It is believed that the
idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a neutral term for a man-made object that is worshipped or venerated for the deity, spirit or demon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a point of focus for devotion or medit ...
here was installed by
Parashurama Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Veerarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. He is believed to be one of the ''Chiranjeevis'' (Immortals), who will appear ...
. The Achankovil Sastha Temple is famous for curing poisonous
snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
bites. The left hand of the idol of Ayyappa at Achankovil Shastha Temple always holds ‘Chandan’ (
sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for us ...
paste) and Thirtha (holy water). The Chandan and Thirtha are considered to have medicinal properties to cure snake bites. The temple complex also contains other deities associated with the Ayyappa legend. The festivals and rituals held here have strong
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...
roots. During the
Sabarimala The Sabarimala Temple (; ml, ശബരിമല ക്ഷേത്രം) is a temple complex located at Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest ...
pilgrimage, devotees also visit this temple to offer their prayers. It is believed that the idol of this temple was consecrated by Sage Parasurama. On both sides of the idol, Poorna and Pushkala, the consorts of Lord Sastha are also installed. The most important festival here is celebrated from the first to tenth day of Malayalam month Dhanu (December – January).


Achenkovil Shear Zone

In
geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...
it is a major crustal discontinuity of
Proterozoic The Proterozoic () is a geological eon spanning the time interval from 2500 to 538.8million years ago. It is the most recent part of the Precambrian "supereon". It is also the longest eon of the Earth's geologic time scale, and it is subdivided ...
age which separates Kerala
Khondalite Khondalite is a Foliation (geology), foliated metamorphic rock. In India, it is also called ''Bezwada Gneiss'' and ''Kailasa Gneiss''. It was named after the Khonds, Khond tribe of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh because well-formed examples of the ...
Belt (KKB) in the south (Trivandrum Block) from the
Charnockite Charnockite () is any orthopyroxene-bearing quartz-feldspar rock formed at high temperature and pressure, commonly found in granulite facies metamorphic regions, ''sensu stricto'' as an endmember of the charnockite series. Charnockite series Th ...
massif in the north (Madurai Block). The Achankovil river drains this structural valley. There are geologists who argue that this shear zone is a vital link that bears imprints of land connection between
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
when both this land masses were part of
Gondwanaland Gondwana () was a large landmass, often referred to as a supercontinent, that formed during the late Neoproterozoic (about 550 million years ago) and began to break up during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago). The final stages ...
.


Attractions

The river is unique in that along its route is a large number of ancient temples, indicating that the richness of the river basin has been identified by humans since ancient times and they preferred to settle down there so that they could grow their crops on the fertile lands. File:Thazhoor View 1.jpg,
Thazhoor Bhagavathy Kshetram Thazhoor Bhagavathy Kshetram, ( ml, താഴൂര് ഭഗവതി ക്ഷേത്രം) is a 300-year-old Hindu temple on the banks of the Achankovil river in Vazhamuttom, Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. The Devi (goddess) is the mai ...
Temple on the banks of River Achankovil - View from Thazhoor bridge File:ThripparaTempleEntranceView 1.jpg, Entrance to Thrippara Shiva Kshetram on the banks of River Achankovil
* The Karingalichal wetlands spread over
Pandalam Pandalam is a municipal town in Pathanamthitta district Kerala, India. Pandalam is considered a holy town due to its connection with Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimala. Rightly recognised to be the ''educational and cultural capital of Central Trava ...
Municipality,
Nooranad Nooranad (also anglicized as ''Noornad'' or ''Nooranadu'') is a developing town in Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located at a distance of 8 Km south-west of Pandalam, in Kayamkulam route. Pada ...
and Palamel Panchayaths, a place famous for its flora and fauna, is on the banks of the Achankovil river. * The river basin had active
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
settlements in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. The present day Chamakkavu Sharngakavu Devi Temple near
Venmony Venmony is a village in Chengannur taluk of Alappuzha district of Central Travancore area in Kerala state, India. Venmoney is 18 km south of Thiruvalla, 11 km east of Mavelikkara and 9 km northwest of Pandalam. 12 km from ...
a Hindu Temple, was a Buddhist place of worship, which was transformed initially into a Vishnu temple (then known as Sharnga-kavu) and later into a Devi temple. The annual chariot festival and other traditions correspond to the old Buddhist practices of "''kettu kazhcha''", which was assimilated into Hinduism in Kerala. The Karumadikkuttan statue and
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
relics found near
Mavelikkara Mavelikkara is a taluk and municipality in the ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. Located in the southern part of the district on the banks of the Achankovil River. Etymology The name Mavelikara ...
further underscores this. *
Kumbhavurutty Waterfalls Kumbhavurutty Waterfall is a famous waterfalls in South India situated near Aryankavu panchayath in Kollam district of Kerala near Tamil Nadu border. Located on the eastern area of Kollam District, Kumbhavurutty falls is one among the few crowd p ...
in
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an in ...
is in the upper course of the river.


See also

*
Kallada River Kallada River/Kulathupuzha " Puzha "means River.Its's the longest river in Kollam District, Kerala, India.The river originates in Kulathupuzha,a part of Western Ghats and flows west reaching Arabian Sea after travelling a distance of 120km. Ri ...
*
Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple is a Hindu temple located on the banks of ''Kulathupuzha'' river, a tributary of Kallada River. It is located in Kulathupuzha in Punalur taluk of Kollam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The presiding deity there ...
* Aryankavu Sastha Temple *
Buddhism in Kerala Although Buddhism in Kerala has almost disappeared, historians say that in ancient times Kerala had a strong position and its cultural influence can still be seen in the people of Kerala. It is believed that Buddhism reached Kerala in its infancy. ...


References


External links


A trip to achankovil
{{Waters of Kerala Rivers of Pathanamthitta district Pathanamthitta Pamba River Rivers of Alappuzha district