VELLAYANI LAKE AND VAVVAMOOLA

Vellayani Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala. Located on the outskirts of Trivandrum, at around Velleyani is a picturesque village where you can enjoy both natural and village beauty at its best. Everywhere you get to see village beauty. This beautiful village has now turned into a traveler's paradise. Even foreigners come here to breath fresh air all the way from London,Brisbane etc The area around Vellayani like is generally known as “mini kovalam” .Vellayani Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Trivandrum.

Not far from the IT Capital city of the state, Vellayani lake provides you with opportunity for fishing and country boat riding.Its just 9 k away from Trivandrum and 7 km from Kovalam.in the morning time, you can buy freshwater l fish from here . Buy a cup of tea from any of the small tea huts and go for fishing, you will not be disappointed even if your catch don’t give you anything, because the experience is amazing. kerala Agricultural college is situated near to this beautiful lake.The lake also forms part of research oriented studies for the students from the college.Soon this lake will also have the biodiversity heritage site tag.The lake and its catchment of 490 hectares constitute a unique freshwater ecosystem.More than 100 avian species,including 23 species of migratory have been recorded from the lake and the paddy fields of Punchakkari.It is also the home for about 42 species of fish.

BOAT RACE DURING ONAM

There is a road through the lake and you can enjoy the crystal-clear and calm water, especially during moonlit nights, which is a wonderful sight.Interesting thing is that this place is yet to get a resort or something like that, so the level of pollution is nil.Just a interlocked portion of road is there for any one going there. The govt does not want to take any chance with the beauty of the place in the name of development, which is agreeable for others too.Monsoon time here is like Feb 14 for humans.

AREA IN RED AND BLACK IS WHERE YOU CAN SIT/WALK/DO FISHING

After vellayani, Head towards vavvamoola lake, which is also a part of vellayani lake.Here seating arrangements (granite benches) have been made by Govt .Authorities have planted many trees on the banks of the lake, which is quiet appreciable.

VAVVAMOOLA LAKE

Along with fishing, here one can spot planes which are about to land in the Trivandrum International airport.These areas form part of the approach area for flights before landing .So count as many as you can...

How to reach:-For vellayani ,buses are available from KSRTC bus stand at East-Fort.Board into any bus via Agricultural college(karshika college/AGC) and get down near to the lake.For vavvamoola,there is only one bus from East fort .Auto-Rickshaws are the only cheap mode of transport between the places. 

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WHY TO SLOW DOWN IN KERALA

“SLOW DOWN IN KERALA”-Because it’s really worth slowing down when you are in Kerala, the southernmost state of India. Situated between the Arabian sea and western ghats, this not so large state has population more than that of California,literacy rate amongst highest in the world,birth rate blow that of America and is ever falling.Health awareness and food habits has made infant mortality much below that of the entire country.Early mornings one could hear music from temples,muessins at the mosques and church bells ringing  in cathedrals This state has a tag called “God’s own country” and  could give you everything you want as a traveler or a tourist.

Kerala was formed in 1956 after India got freedom in 1947.The people there gives a warm welcome to every new comer there.It is one of the few state in India where every one is English Literate.The behavior and Literacy has big connection with the Portuguese ,Dutch and English people who went there for Trade or for any other purpose.St Thomas,one of the disciple of Jesus is believed to have landed in then the port of Muziris (now Kodungalloor) in AD 52.

It is believed that Kerala had trade relations with many other countries even before AD 52.Spices and cashew were the main goods for trade.It is recorded that queens of Egypt used pepper from Kerala since 1500 BC.Pliny,who visited kerala in 1 AD wrote about pepper in his records.Malabar found a place even in IBN Battutta's records as land without robbery and thieves. Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed in Kerala at Kappadu in present Calicut district in 14th century.He reached India through Atlantic ocean as the first European to set his foot in India via Atlantic. Kerala spices attracted Portuguese traders to kerala in 15th century.And later came the dutch,the British. Kerala was formed by the unification of Malabar, Travancore and Kochi kingdoms.At the end of Anglo Mysore war between the Malabar Kingdom and British ,Mlabar went with British rule in 1792.Travancore and Kochi was not under the British rule.They were princely states.British signed treaties of alliance with king of Cochin in 1791 and Travancore in 1795.

Kerala's Education history is something unique.The mighty Travancore royal family,Nair service society, SNDP, MES, Christian missionaries all has a positive impact on the education system of this little state.The christian missionaries during British rule gave lot of attention to education.The women are mostly educated so as the people of lower strata ,thanks to the free and compulsory primary education strategy executed by the rulers.
The culture,tradition and religion all has its effect on the food habit of Kerala.On a visit to kerala one would find a variety of dishes like beef-fry/roast,avial,Kerala paratta,fish curry,paal payasam etc.The south (Travancore),central(Cochin) and the north (Malabar) kerala has their own unique dishes and separate style of cooking of same dish.As someone said “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”, when in Kerala, do as the Malayalis do. Malayalis are good eaters of rice food.Rice food is a must from breakfast to dinner.They like to have food in banana leaf whenever and wherever possible.

Kerala is connected to most of the countries around the world.It has three international airports within an area of 500 km. Another one is coming up and its in the final stages of construction which makes it 4 international airports ,which could easily beat United States in Air Connectivity.Within the country,the state is connected to all Indian cities by rail and all major south Indian cities by bus. Kerala so This is a small attempt to help all those going to Kerala and are in Kerala in having a good time in a low cost and budgetary manner.

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