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 Bhoothathan Kettu near Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district, Kerala is the perfect getaway for the nature freak. It is an ideal eco tourism destination providing the perfect holiday for the nature lovers with forests to trek in, birds to watch, a river for boating, rapids to shoot, a lake to fish in, and much more. The water body formed by the construction of a barrage across Periyar river and land embraced by evergreen forests and bamboo are the major attractions.
A myth associated with the place explains its name and how it came about. According to it, Bhoothams (evil spirits/ghosts) wanted to destroy the temple at Thrikariyoor dedicated to Lord Shiva. They decided to flood the region by damming the river Periyar. To do this the Bhoothams rolled down massive stones from the surrounding hills into a narrow portion of the river. Lord Shiva, realizing their intention came up with an ingenious plan to deter them. Ghosts being scared of daylight, he tricked them into believing that morning had arrived. To do this Lord Shiva imitated a roosters crow, the most common announcement of dawns arrival, on hearing which the evil spirits fled, leaving the dam incomplete. Visitors can see the structure downstream from the present dam. Later, the natural topography helped in building a dam here.
Splendid place
Tall mountains, a calm lake, the river Periyar and an all-encompassing forest meet at the eco tourism destination of Bhoothathan Kettu to make it a tribute to nature. Bhoothathan Kettu is 100 mtrs. above MSL and has a very moderate climate. At Bhoothathan Kettu a nature loving tourist can enjoy a cruise through the tranquil fresh water lake, trek through the deep green evergreen forest in search of remnants of bygone civilizations, go for an adventure expedition down the turbulent Periyar, take a cool dip in the fresh clean water coming down a mountain where the Neelakoduveli,a life-giving herb is said to grow and much more. Bhoothathankettu eco tourism destination is located just 50 km. north east of Kochi and a 35 km. drive from Kochi International Airport.
At Bhoothathankettu eco tourism destination, the river Periyar joins the Edamalayar and Pooyamkuttiyar, forming Keralas longest and largest river. Down-stream there are several islands, falls, rapids, and deep chasms in the river bed. This multi-faceted nature of the river provides challenging opportunities for those who love adventure.In the olden days the bamboo from the forests was taken to Kalady through this river in rafts. Navigating the river posed a great challenge for those who transported the bamboo down the river. This old raft route can be rediscovered by an expedition on dinghies.The sunrise from the eco tourism destination of Bhoothathankettu is wonderful to watch.
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