The Meenachil River flows through the center of the Kottayam district of Kerala. The river originates from the Western Ghats. The river is formed when several small streams merge together namely, as Kullathukadavaru, Thrikovilaru, Poonjarapuzha, Chittur and Payyaparathodu. The length of the river is seventy-eight kilometers and it flows through the towns of Erattupetta, Palai, Ettumanoor and Kottayam in the Kottayam district. The river finally surrenders itself in to the Vembanad Lake.

The river has a total of thirty-eight tributaries including major and minor ones. The main tributaries of Meenachil are, the Teekoy River, which originates at Vazhikkadavu near Wagamon, Poonjar River, which rises from the southern valley of the Kurishumala hills, and the Chittar River. Along with these important tributaries there are nearly ten major streams and twenty minor streams merging with the Meenachil at several places. They are Aakkal thodu, Ponnozhukum thodu, Lalam thodu, Chakini thodu, Pannagam thodu and Kattachira thodu.