AGASTHYAKOODAM

Agasthya Mountain is also referred as Agasthyakoodam and is located about 70 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram, capital city of Kerala State in India. It is located at a height of 1,868 meters (6129 feet) above mean sea level. The peak is the second highest peak in Kerala, South India. Agasthyakoodam peak is in the form of a sharp cone and is considered a heaven of rare herbs and Medicinal plants. A valuable and rare herb by name ‘Arogyapacha’ (Plant of eternal health) is attracting the attention of modern researchers to this hill. Agastyakoodam is the source of the Perennial River Thamiarabarni. The river flows in Tirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. Peppara wild life Sanctuary, a part of Agastyakoodam Forests is in Thiruvananthapuram district.

The Peppara Dam was constructed across the river Karamana in 1984. The main purpose of the Dam is to effect water supply to the Thiruvananthapuram city and suburban areas. Agastyakoodam is highly respected by both the Hindus as well as the Buddhists. This is because the Hindus believe that this mountain is the home of Sage ‘Agastya’; transitelerated as Agathiar or Agastyar. He is in some ways regarded as the patron saint of much of the south India. Some say that it was the Sage ‘Agastya’ who first brought and popularized the Vedic religion to South India. Agastya is considered to be one of the seven ‘Rishis’ (Saptarshi) of Hindu ‘Puranas’. Buddhists think that Agastya Mountain is the abode of Bodhisatva Avalokiteswara.