Vellayani Lake
Encyclopedia
Vellayani Lake, or Vellayani Kayal as known in local language, is the largest fresh water lake in Thiruvananthapuram district
, of Kerala
, India
.
Central Bus Station at Thampanoor
. Buses ply to Vellayani Lake from City Depot at East Fort
also. It is at a distance of 7 km from Kovalam
via Poonkulam junction.
, a visitor should not allow to miss the opportunity of seeing this wonder lake of freshwater. Its crystal-clear calm water, especially during moonlit nights, is a craze for the minds. The locals say a side of the lake is Kochu Kovalam, meaning tiny Kovalam.
There is a boat race in the lake during Onam
which attracts a huge crowd. Country boat service is available from Kovalam beach to reach the lake.
Illegal sand mining, pollution and land reclamation is affecting the condition of the lake.
Thiruvananthapuram district
Thiruvananthapuram District is the southernmost district of the Indian state of Kerala. It came into existence in the year 1957. The headquarters is the city of Thiruvananthapuram which is also the capital city of Kerala....
, of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Location
It is around 9 km away from the ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
Central Bus Station at Thampanoor
Thampanoor
Thampanoor is a major commercial area of the Thiruvananthapuram city in Kerala state, South India. The major railway station of the state, Trivandrum Central, Railway Mail Service , Central Bus Station, the head office of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and many movie theatres and...
. Buses ply to Vellayani Lake from City Depot at East Fort
East fort
The East Fort is located at the heart of the CBD of Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital city of Kerala- a South Indian state.-History:East Fort got its name from the eastern entrance to the fort built by the Kings of Travancore. The old city was all inside the fort on four sides with the Sri...
also. It is at a distance of 7 km from Kovalam
Kovalam
Kovalam is a beach town on the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India. It is located around 13 km from the down town of Trivandrum.-Etymology:...
via Poonkulam junction.
Attractions
A road passes through this lake; a bund has been constructed for this purpose. This lake attracts a lot of tourists. Once in KovalamKovalam
Kovalam is a beach town on the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India. It is located around 13 km from the down town of Trivandrum.-Etymology:...
, a visitor should not allow to miss the opportunity of seeing this wonder lake of freshwater. Its crystal-clear calm water, especially during moonlit nights, is a craze for the minds. The locals say a side of the lake is Kochu Kovalam, meaning tiny Kovalam.
There is a boat race in the lake during Onam
Onam
Onam is a Hindu festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India. The festival commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. It falls during the month of Chingam and lasts for ten days...
which attracts a huge crowd. Country boat service is available from Kovalam beach to reach the lake.
Threats to the Lake
There was a move to drain the lake and use the reclaimed area for agriculture. It was resisted by locals and environmentalists and has been shelved.Illegal sand mining, pollution and land reclamation is affecting the condition of the lake.