![]() The Pamba is considered as the "Dakshina Ganga" due to its association with Kerala’s Largest Pilgrim Centre - Sabarimala Temple. The river is also known as "Dakshina Bhagirathi" and "River Baris". The River Pamba enriches the lands of Pathanamthitta District and the Kuttanad area of Alappuzha District. Kuttanad, an important rice cultivating area in Kerala gets the irrigation water from the Pamba River. The main tributaries of the river are Kakki Ar, Azhuta Ar, Kakkad Ar, Kallar, Manimala and Achenkovil. Course of Pamba River Pampa originates at Pulachimalai hill in the Peerumedu plateau in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 1650 metres and flows through Ranni, Kozhenchery, Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Kuttanad, Karthikapally, and Ambalappuzha Taluks and finally empties into the Vembanad Lake.After traversing a distance of 176 km, the river joins the Arabian Sea through a number of channels. The basin extends over an area of 2,235 sqkm with the entire catchment area within Kerala state. The Pamba basin is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats. The river shares its northern boundary with the Manimalla River basin, while it shares the southern boundary with the Achankovil River basin. ![]() Like all the river basins in Kerala, the Pamba basin also can be divided into three natural zones based on elevation, consisting of low land or sea-board, midland and high land. The coast for a short distance along the borders of lakes is flat, retreating from it the surface roughens up into slopes which gradually combine and swell into mountains on the east. The low land area along sea coast is generally swampy and liable to be flooded during monsoon inundation. The plains succeed low land in gentle ascents and valleys interspersed with isolated low hills. The high land on the eastern portion is broken by long spurs, dense forests, extensive ravines and tangled jungles. Endangered State of Pamba River Due to drought and lack of conservation and protection by the government, the Pampa River has shrunk to a stream and is totally dry in many places. Water for farming, such as paddy fields, is scarce. Experts are calling for a governmental awareness of the dire situation and the need to rein in development that is destroying the environmental before it is too late. Significance in Hinduism of Pamba River Lord Ayyappa appeared to the Pandalam Raja as a child on the banks of the Pamba River. The Pamba River has been venerated as southern Ganga, and devotees of Lord Ayyappa believe that immersing oneself in the Pamba is equivalent to bathing in the Holy Ganges River. Bathing in the river, believed to forgive one’s sins, is a requirement before commencing the trek through the forest to the Ayyappa Temple atop Sabarimala. Snake Boat Race at Pamba River The Snake boats are one of the cultural gifts to the Keralites by the ‘River Pampa’. ![]() |
More Articles in Indian Rivers (411) | |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||