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Kerala Vellayani Lake
The Vellayani Lake is also synonymously known as Vellayani Kayal. It is situated in Thiruvananthapuram district and is considered to be one of the largest fresh water lakes in Thiruvananthapuram. There is a major feature of this lake which is that from here there is a road that passes through the lake for which a bund has been constructed. The area around this lake has been left untouched as the modern day construction works have not been done in this region. The water from this lake is being used to provide water for drinking and irrigation purposes also. However, the water is getting polluted.
The lake is situated some 7 kilometers from Kovalam and while visiting this quaint little town of Kovalam you should not miss this lake. A portion of the lake is known as Kochu Kovalam. It is an important tourist destination. The place has become interesting due to the many boat races which are conducted here during the auspicious festival of Onam. You will also find two pilgrim centers which have been situated near the shoes the lake namely the Vellayani Devi temple and the Vellayani Vishnu temple.
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.
The lake has been considered to be a fresh water lake in Kerala some 7 kilometers away from Kovalam. It is also a place for the many different types of boat races which are held during the festival of Onam. Here you can also visit the Government Agricultural College and a Devi Temple. For your information the college’s main building was in the earlier days the summer palace of Travancore‘s royal family. It is one of a kind temple in Kerala since there are members from the non-Brahmins vathi caste as its priests. All these factors contribute to the making of the history of the place.
Attractions
Nearby Attractions
Vellayani Temple: It is a temple which is found in Thiruvananthapuram. It is an ancient temple. It is a west facing temple which is very rare for such Vishnu temples. You can see the deity of the temple in a standing posture with four hands. You can see the deity holding a conch from its hands which are seen at the back while the hand in the front holds the gada or the club, and the other one is in varada mudra form.
Vellayani Devi Temple: This is a highly worshipped shrine and is about 700-years old which is situated near the beautiful Vellayani Lake. It is a historic temple in Kerala. Here you will be able to worship Goddess Kali
Analothbhava Matha Church: In Chowara which is a small fishing village which has lots of sightseeing places such as this Church which is some 6 kilometers Kovalam beach is indeed a beautiful one and one of the oldest Analothbhava Matha Church. You can also visit the Ayyappa temple.
Halcyon Castle: It is a beautiful castle which one must miss seeing. It is synonymously called the Kovalam Palace. The palace was constructed in the year 1932 by M.R. Sri R.V.V Koil Thampuran. It has been considered to be an ideal summer retreat for the family.
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.
If you wish to reach the lake by rail then the nearest railway station is the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station, by air the nearest airport is the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. You can also reach the place by hired car or even a private car as the lake is accessible from the National Highway 47 Bypass.
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