Kummanam

Kummanam - Valley of Flowers

Let me introduce myself - I am the Monarch Butterfly. During my migration, I visited Kummanam this week. I got all attention of the folks there who captured me in their cameras and may be in their hearts also! 

You can view me @ Watch me in action 

I will describe about Kummanam

Kummanam is a village that lies on either side of River Meenachil. Administratively it is in Thiruvarpu and Aymanam Gramapanchayat of Kottayam district in Kerala State, India. Capital town of Kottayam District is 4 km east from here. A bridge named Thazhathangadi palam connects either areas beside river. Kummanam is near the tourist road from Kumarakom to Thekkady.

Kummanam is full of green landscapes - I call them Greenscapes. The greenery is all encompassing and enchanting for me and my friends.

Overview : Aymanam means 'the land of five forests'. Ay in Tamil is five and Vanam in Sanskrit is forest. Kummanam means 'the horrible forest'. Ku in Sanskrit means worst and Vanam is forest.

Thazhathangadi is an ancient river port in Kummanam. Thazhathe in Malayalam language means 'lower down' and angadi is 'market'. Spice traders from pre Islamic Arabia settled in this river port.

Portuguese traders built houses here on the banks of River Meenachil and a Church dedicated to Saint George.

Thaliyil Kotta near Thazhathangadi was the seat of Thekkumkoor kings. Thali was an administratiove division and kotta means fort. King Marthanda Varma annexed Thekkumkoor to Travancore. Vedipurackal is the place where Thekkumkoor kings kept gunpowder. Vanchiyathu is the place where Thekkumkoor kings kept royal canoes. There are houses still bearing these names in Thazhathangadi.

Thazathangadi hosts a boat race or Vallam Kali in August/September every year during festival of Onam. This boat race began about one hundred years ago.

Elamkavu Kaali temple is in Kummanam.

Elamkavu Kaali temple

Thazhathangady Juma Masjid, third oldest mosques in India is more than 1000 years old located beside Meenachil river. It is famous for its richness of architecture, wood carvings and the beauty.

Vedipurackal Vaidyar was ayurvedic doctor of Thekkumkoor kings. Kummanam Govindapilla was a poet who wrote an epic poem on the kings of Travancore, was a member of Sri Moolam Sahithya Sabha. Moothedath Gopala Pilla, Vakkil Ponnattu Kurian, and Valavillil Ramakrishnapilla were advoctes. Kummanam Govindapanicker and Maliekkal Kunjachan were the deliverers of akshara slokam.

The breezes of Meenachil river whispers through the palm fringed shores of Kummanam.and also the birthplace of Kummanam Rajasekharan.famous Hindu leader.

Me and my friends hope that Kummanam remains evergreen as it is now so that we can keep visiting this place during our next migration!