Agastyaarkoodam is one of the peaks in the
Western Ghats of
Tirunelveli District of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
,
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 ...
. This peak is a part of the
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 ...
which lies on the border between the
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 ...
n states of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
,
Tirunelveli district and
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 ...
,
Thiruvananthapuram district
Thiruvananthapuram District (), is the southernmost district in the Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, which is also Kerala's administrative centre. The present d ...
. The perennial
Thamirabarani River
The Thamirabarani or Tamraparni or Porunai is a perennial river that originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats, above Papanasam in the Ambasamudram taluk. It flows through Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi dis ...
originates from the eastern side of the range and flows into the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. It is 1,868-metres (6,129 ft) tall.
Agastyaarkoodam is a
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 ...
centre for devotees of the Hindu sage
Agastya, who is considered to be one of the seven
rishis
''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
(
Saptarishi
The Saptarishi () are the seven rishis of ancient India who are extolled in the Vedas, and other Hindu literature. The Vedic Samhitas never enumerate these rishis by name, although later Vedic texts such as the Brahmanas and Upanisads do s ...
) of
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
Puranas. In Tamil traditions, Agastya is considered as the father of the
Tamil language
Tamil (; ' , ) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. Tamil is an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the sovereign nations of Sri Lanka and Singapore, and the Indian territory of P ...
and the compiler of the first Tamil grammar called
Agattiyam
__NOTOC__
''Agattiyam'' ( ta, அகத்தியம்), also spelled as ''Akattiyam'', according to Tamil tradition, was the earliest book on Tamil grammar. It is a non-extant text, traditionally believed to have been compiled and taught in ...
or Akattiyam. There is a small stone statue of Agathiyar at the top of the peak and the devotees can offer
pujas.
Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is among 20 new sites added by UNESCO to its World Network of Biosphere Reserves in March 2016. The International Co-ordinating Council added the new sites during a two-day meeting on 19 March 2016 in Lima, bringing the total number of biosphere reserves to 669 sites in 120 countries, including 16 transboundary sites. The biosphere reserve includes close to 300 rare bird species and more than 200 medicinal plants endemic to this region.
Geography
Agastyaarkoodam is 32 km from
Neyyar Dam and 23 km from
Bonacaud, near
VITHURA & PONMUDIThe major city and airport nearest to Agastyaarkoodam is
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
(Trivandrum) and its
Trivandrum International Airport
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport , is an international airport which serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and fifth international airport of In ...
, around 61 km away. The nearest railway stations are Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and
Ambasamudram,
Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. The trekking path, nearly 35 km, is from
Bonacaud.
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) located in the South Western Ghats montane rain forests in Tirunelveli district and Kanyakumari district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the second-largest protected area in Tamil Nadu. I ...
is part of the
Agastyaarkoodam range. Part of the peak can be seen from the Upper Kodayar region.
![A view of the Agasthyamalai range from Upper Kodayar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/A_view_of_the_Agasthyamalai_range_from_Upper_Kodayar.jpg)
Other major rivers which originate from the mountain are the
Karamana River
Karamana is a river flowing through the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. The river starts near the southern tip of the Western Ghats(Sahyadri Mountains) at Agastyar Koodam. The river flows 66 km westward and merges with the Ara ...
, which flows through the
Thiruvananthapuram district
Thiruvananthapuram District (), is the southernmost district in the Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, which is also Kerala's administrative centre. The present d ...
and is the major source of drinking water to the city, and the
Neyyar River
The Neyyar River is 56 km long river which flows through the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala in India. It flows from the Agastya Mala (''Agastyarkoodam'') in the Western Ghats. The town Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district, is s ...
(also in the Thiruvananthapuram district).
Trekking routes
![Athirumala Base Station in Agastya Mala](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Athirumala_Base_Station_in_Agastya_Mala.jpg)
The peak of Agastyaarkoodam can be reached only by trekking up to it. Trekking is allowed based on strict guidelines and is open to pilgrims during January to mid-March. Trekking passes are issued by
Kerala Forest Department
Kerala Forest Department is a law enforcement agency for the state of Kerala, India. Over 75% of the land area of Kerala was covered by forests until the 18th century. The department is involved with the protection and conservation of flora and ...
from the district office at
Trivandrum
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populatio ...
. The trekking route starts from
Bonacaud. The route "Neyyar-Agasthyakoodam" is not open to the public.
Vehicles reach only till
Bonacaud which is around 50 km from
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
. The trek to the peak is 20 km long from
Bonacaud and requires two days. The first part of the trek can be started from the base station
Bonacaud in the early morning and is 14 km through the forest to the camp. Elephants and wild bulls are in abundance in this part especially in the evenings. The final part i.e. the 6 km long trek can be done from the camp to the top of Agathyakoodam mountain on the second day.
Vegetation
The lower elevations of this peak are known for their abundance of rare herbs and medicinal plants. Around 2,000 medicinal plants used in
Ayurvedic treatments are found here. Europeans, particularly those from
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, were the first to establish tea gardens around the base stations of the mountain at
Brimore
Brimore is the base station of the famous peak, Agasthyarkoodam in the Agasthya hills of Trivandrum district, which is the capital of Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, follow ...
,
Bonacaud, and
Ponmudi
Ponmudi (the Golden Peak) also known as Kashmir of Kerala is a hill station in the Peringamala gramapanchayath of Trivandrum District of Kerala in India. It is located 22km west of Vithura town, 53 km north-east of Trivandrum City, ...
.
The
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 ...
harbours rare flora and fauna. Tourists are permitted to the area only with permission from the forest department of
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 ...
. Annual trekking passes to the peak are issued from the forest department during January–February only.
Important places
Manjolai Hills
Between elevations ranging from 1000 to 1500 metres, the Manjolai area is set deep within the Western Ghats within the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in the Tirunelveli District. Located on top of the Manimuthar Dam and the Manimuthar Water Falls, the Manjolai area has tea plantations, small settlements around the tea plantations, Upper Kodaiyar Dam, and a windy view point called Kuthiravetti.
The tea plantations and the whole of Manjolai Estates are operated by the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd on forest lands leased by the singampatti zamin. There are three tea estates in the Manjolai area — Manjolai Estate, Manimutharu Estate, and Oothu Estate. The estates are on elevations ranging between . The estates, road, and the settlements in the Manjolai area are managed by the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd.
Former status prohibiting women
Prior to November 2018, women were forbidden to climb Agastyaarkoodam. After a court ruling which removed the prohibition, a woman, Dhanya Sanal, an
Indian Information Service officer, reached the peak in 2019, becoming the first woman known to make the climb. Since the change in the law, more than 100 other women have registered for a license to make the climb.
On 17 January 2020, at 71 years old Visalakshi Amma (from Coimbatore) along with her son (Vandhan) and daughter-in-law (Lakshmy Kolary) embarked on the climb. On the 18th she successfully scaled up to the PongalaPara and went beyond close to the first ropeway. But unfavorable climatic conditions (rain and dense fog) and health concerns forced her to return to the camp without scaling the peak (2 km short).
See also
*
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 ...
*
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) is an autonomous organisation or governmental agency under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Headquartered in Dehradun, its functions are to conduct fore ...
*
Thamirabarani River
The Thamirabarani or Tamraparni or Porunai is a perennial river that originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats, above Papanasam in the Ambasamudram taluk. It flows through Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi dis ...
*
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tam ...
*
Papanasam
Papanasam is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Kumbakonam. The name literally translates to "Destruction of Sins" in the Tamil language. It is the suburban region ...
*
Anamudi
Anamudi is a mountain located in Ernakulam district and Idukki district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and in South India, at an elevation of and a topographic prominence of . The name Anamudi lite ...
- Highest peak in
Western Ghats
*
Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram
Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) district in the Indian state of Kerala promotes the area's hill stations, back waters, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife sanctuaries. The area is a tourism destination and receives chartered flights fo ...
References
External links
Agasthya Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research CentreInformation on Agasthyarkoodam Trekking or Agasthyamalai Trekking
{{Tourism in Kerala
Mountains of the Western Ghats
Tourist attractions in Thiruvananthapuram district
Tourism in Kerala
Mountains of Kerala
Geography of Thiruvananthapuram district