Districts
Kollam
Today
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33.520C | 27.910C
Light rain starting in the afternoon
Places of interest
Every South India tour package, especially a Kerala holiday package, must include Kollam. Places to visit include the Ashtamudi Lake, one of the places in Kerala houseboats are famous, which is the most frequented backwater among the backwaters of Kerala. The Ashtamudi Lake offers a lovely view, and one can relax on the luxury cruises available for hire. The beaches at Kollam, Thirumullavaram and Thangassery provide glorious sunset views. The 144 feet Thangassery Light House, built in 1902, is a popular jaunt for tourists. The Ananda Valleeswaram Temple here charms visitors from far and wide daily. The Kollam district has over 35 other temples. The British Residency in Kollam is “one of the most beautiful buildings in the country,” as architect Pandala calls it, a massive building built with a tile-fitted sloping roof.
Nearest Places
What to shop
Cashews are a must. Not only are they inexpensive, they will also melt in your mouth easily. The spices are good too. The seafood is another mandatory buy. The clams are export quality.
Highlights
- The wildlife, especially in the Shenduruny wildlife sanctuary.
- The tall Thangassery lighthouse, built in 1902.
- The Adventure Park in Asramam.
- The boating in the backwaters, along with the luxury cruises.
How to reach
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BY TRAIN
The Kollam Junction has trains to most cities. -
BY ROAD
By NH 66, NH 183 and NH 744. -
BY WATER
Boat services to West Kallada, Munroe Islands and Alappuzha.
Entertainment
Adventure Park in Asramam, a picturesque park in the city, is a renowned tourist place in Kerala. It is along the shores of the Ashtamudi backwaters and is about 3 km away from Kollam. Close to the park are the Government Guest House and a boat jetty. Various types of boats, including luxury cruise boats, powerboats and motorboats, are available on hire. Tourism in Kerala has been spurred by these.
Food & Cuisines
The local cuisine, flavoured richly with coconut and spices like cardamom, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and ginger, attracts visitors from abroad. Like the rest of Kerala, Kollam is famous for being a seafood exporting centre. Over 600 cashew processing units thrive in Kollam. About 8 lakh tonnes of raw cashew are imported to Kollam for processing on an annual basis.
Arts & Culture
The Shenduruny wildlife sanctuary is situated 66 kms from Kollam. Remnants of Stone Age culture were excavated from a large cave in this sanctuary. The remains belong to the Mesolithic period (10000 – 5000 BC). Leelethilakam and Unnuneeli Sandesam, two exceptional literacy works of historical importance, are contributions of 14th century Kollam. The dance from of Kathakali (now Ramanattam) was the creation of Kottarakkara Thampuran.
Geography
Borders
Kollam district is located on the southwest coast of India, bordering Laccadive Sea in the west, the state of Tamil Nadu in the east, the Kerala district of Alappuzha in the north, Pathanamthitta in the northeast and Trivandrum in the south.
Rivers
Sasthamkotta Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Kerala, is located in Kollam. This lake provides drinking water.
Climate
The climate is pleasant through the year.
Plains, mountains, lakes, lagoons and backwaters, forests, farmland and rivers make up the topography of the Kollam district. The five major urban centres of the district are the coastal city Kollam, Paravur, Punalur, Karunagapally, and Kottarakara.
History
Kollam (anglicised as Quilon) district is named after Kollam, the Sanskrit word for pepper. The capital of Kerala’s cashew industry, the district is also known as God’s own capital. The district was a major commercial port in the days of the Phoenicians and ancient Romans. The kings of Kollam (pronounced Koillam) exchanged embassies with Chinese kings like Kublai Khan, under whose rule Marco Polo visited India.
Survey Results
Population
2,629,703; Religion
Language
Languages spoken are Malayalam, English, occasionally Tamil.
Economy
Based on cashew, fisheries, tourism.