Agasthyakoodam Trivandrum



According to the legends, the Hindu sage Agastya who is one of the seven rishis (Saptarishi) of the Hindu Puranas is still believed to exist on this mountain top as an immortal being. Hence the Agasthyarkoodam is a famous pilgrimage place for his devotees. A full sized statue of the rishi is erected here and the devotees can offer poojas here.

Agasthyakoodam The perpetual Thamirabarani River originates from the eastern side of the range and flows into the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. The Karamana River is one of the other major rivers that originate from this mountain range. The Agasthyarkoodam mountain range is rich in medicinal herbs as well as flora and fauna. This mountain range is credited to hold the richest collection of medicinal plants in the entire Western Ghats region. This area is also home to a large number of wildlife like the Elephants, Indian Gaurs, Leopards, Tiger, Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Malabar Giant Squirrel and many more. The tourists can also come across almost fifty types of reptiles and more than hundred types of Butterflies.

The vehicles can go only till Bonacaud, which is almost 50 kilometers from Trivandrum. From there, the only way to reach the peak of Agasthyarkoodam is through Trekking, which is 28 kilometers long and would take 2 days. The trek’s first part starts from the base station at Bonacaud, early in the morning. The first 20 kilometers are covered on the first day. The next day the rest of the 8 kilometers are covered, starting from the camp to the top of Agasthyarkoodam Mountain.

Trekking passes are issued by the Kerala Forest Department from their district office in Thiruvananthapuram. The trekkers have to follow the issued guidelines. The peak is open to pilgrims during the months of January to mid-March.


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