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Kerala Shasthamkotta Lake
Sasthamkotta is a town which is located some 29 kilometers from Kollam town. It is a lake which is also synonymously known as the 'Queen of Lakes'. The lake has been rightly classified as a wetland and is considered to be one of the biggest fresh water lakes. It has been named after the old and famous Sastha temple which is a pilgrimage center located on its bank and is encompassed with hills on all sides other than from the south where a bund has been made. This bund separates the lake from the neighboring rice fields. It occupies an area of 375 ha. This is because a major part of the lake is occupied in agriculture. The lake is used for fishing. It can hold 22390 million liters of water and serves as the source of drinking water. It is home to 27 species of freshwater fishes and two genera of prawns.
History
As it is said the history of any place lies in the place and its surroundings and it is history which makes a place popular. This is equally true for this lake which is a historical site.
From the 34 lakes which are abundant in Kerala, Sasthamkotta Lake is one of the largest lakes in the State and is a freshwater lake situated some 19 kilometers from Kollam town. It’s spread over a huge area of 375 Hectares. A remarkable feature of this lake is that it doesn’t get frozen during the winter season nor does it dry up in summer. You will always find fresh water in this lake all through the year. Another feature of this lake is that it provides drinking water to a population of around 10 million. For the tourists this lake offers many scenic beauties. You can also visit the Sree Sastha temple situated near the banks of the lake. The lake takes its name from this temple.
Nearby Attractions
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When you hire a houseboat tour from Kollam, it will take you on an exciting journey where you will enjoy the scenic beauty of Kerala also known as God’s own Country. With many lakes around the city, you can easily embark on a journey by houseboat. You can easily feel relaxed on seeing the banks lined up with many coconut and palm trees which all add to the beauty of the entire tour.
When you are witnessing the beauty of the lake, you can also take some time out to visit some of the nearby places. These are:
With its amazing height of 144 feet the Thangassery Light House which was built in the year 1902, is indeed a centre of attraction due to the Ananda Valleswaram. You can also get to see the many Churches and Mosques built in the city. The Pullichira Church was built in 1700 A.D.
You should also visit the Mahatma Gandhi beach as well as park at Kochupilamoodu, the Ashramam picnic village and the Thirumullavaram beach which are all famous spots for local sightseeing. The beaches are all excellent for swimming. If you still want to have more picnics you must visit the Asramam picnic village which is situated in the 48 acre Guest House Complex. It is a center of different types of tourism development activities of the district.
You must also visit the adventure park which is located on the banks of the Ashtamudi backwaters. Here you can get all sorts of boats including luxury cruise boats and various types of other motor boats for hire to the Adventure Park.
How To Reach
In order to enjoy the beauty of a place you must also be able to reach it easily and conveniently. This is also equally true with this Lake which has all modes of transport available.
You can easily reach Shasthamkotta Lake from Kollam Railway station and Ochira railway station which are both connected to Kollam. If you are coming by air, the nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. You can also come by hiring a private car or bus or taxi from the major cities of Kerala.
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