Shivaparvathy Temple,Ponnumthuruthu-An ideal picnic Spot in Kerala

This attempt is for the benefit of those on vacation in Kerala about a Temple in a beautiful small island of Kerala accidently I came across on the Net I thought it is worth writing for the benefit of tourists on vacation seeking beautiful natural picnic spots in Kerala which are not widely known. The name of this island in Malayalam suggests it has something to do with Gold( Ponnu means Gold& Thuruthu means a small island) .in other words if one wants to call it a Golden Island ,he/she is at liberty to do so. There is also a story or rather a legend in support of calling it a Golden Island. The Legend goes like this: It is said that the Travancore Royal Family Queens had plenty of Gold jewellery& ornaments .In order to keep them Safe they selected this small Island where ,perhaps,they buried it & kept a mark to retrieve it later when they Desired to have them back.They might have indeed taken them back also at the most appropriate& auspicious occasion they needed them . So at the moment there does not appear to have any treasure of gold there but the place is so Picturesque& fascinating sightseeing experience with the beautiful scenerio to remember for ever. The place is also to be considered as as spot which presents total tranquility,quietness & imperturbability& peace to those suffer from the ear breaking Noise & disturbances in any modern city. This Golden Island ( let us call it so to keep it modern & more respectable) called Ponnumthuruthu is around 12 KM away from the Town of Varkala in Trivandrum District of Kerala. This golden Island ,as one might imagine to Be thickly populated,is in fact not so.There is absolutely near nil Population here. The just one way to reach the Island is by Boats. There are Motor Boats& well as manually driven boats available in the area to reach this Island.But it is most ideal to hire a traditional Canoe driven by an Oarsman with a lengthy bamboo pole which he uses to take the canoe ahead.This way one could avoid disturbing the Calm& serene atmosphere prevailing in the river & surrounding area . Ponnumthuruthu is such a naturally gifted beautiful greenery place with glittering bluish green water in the Morning sun.It is always advice able to avoid rainy days to escape from getting wet & also with a view to avoiding The absence of variety of strange & beautiful Birds in the surroundings.This is especially so if one is also a Birdwatcher.A canoe or a boat can be arranged from the nearby village called Nedunganda near Varkala Town. Those who are nature lovers and interested in quite& peaceful atmosphere would find this island a haVen here. The traditional big white Herons with lengthy lean legs is a very common sight here together with other birds like Eagle,Cormorants,Gulls and many more water birds. The most interesting sight in this Golden Island worth visiting is a Temple of Shivaparvathy&Vishnu. The Island is virtually changed into a colorful place on the days of Shivaratri a traditional celebration time for Hindus.But the does not appear to have any restriction for people from all community to visit the place on these days.The island is lighted up extremely beautifully on these days. The Ponnumthuruth Island is ,in fact ,a place of Temple property.This Temple a rare one with Shiva, Parvathy&Vishnu is stated to be around 100 years Old.The Temple was almost at the point of Ruin 10 years back when it was renovated to the present form. It is more beneficial& ideal to visit this Temple on Shivaratri day as devotees come over there on the previous day and light up the Island & stay there the whole night of Shivaratri.The glittering view on this night is not only considered to be a Devine experience for those who have belief in Temples but virtually a glorious sight of beauty on this Night as well. The surroundings of this small island is also rich in Fish population.The Tauna& Flora varieties of Fish are available in plenty apart from small fish.So one could find a lot of multicolored King Fishers also here.This also is a tourist attraction to watch the beauty & quickness of the bird to ounce upon it' prey. There are plenty of fishermen also in the surroundings to fetch fish as much as possible using their boats& nets. yet another speciality here is the Jetty available here to anchor the boats.One could see makeshift Jetty which is made of Coir waste,coconut Husk& Mud.This seems to be a Unique feature here. Once you enter the island & cross over to the other side of the island ,there is one Coir factory also there. This itself is yet another worth seeing spot. So next time you plan to visit Kerala include this place Ponnumthuruth or to be modern the Golden Island near Varkala also in your list of places.you won't have to regret doing it One more hint or rather a Tip to the travelers to this island.Please do not forget to carry your Digital Camera When you visit this beautiful Picturesque Island