Thazhuthala: Temple and Gajothsavam

Thazhuthala is located two kilometres north of Kottiyam Junction in Kollam district, in the state of Kerala. This reference point makes the geographical orientation specific: it connects a named junction with a direction and distance.

Temples and festival connections

Thazhuthala is known for the Sree MahaGanapathi Temple. The town’s tourist attractions include the Sree Bhoothanatha Temple and Thazhuthala Maha Ganapathy Temple. Gajothsavam is also associated with Thazhuthala; it is considered famous and on a par with Thrissur Pooram. This offers different cultural points of interest: the named temple attractions and the festival. If you choose destinations based on a cultural focus, you can weigh these themes separately rather than treating temples and Gajothsavam as the same kind of reason to visit.

When planning, Thazhuthala and Kollam should be considered at different levels: Thazhuthala is the specific place, with its location relative to Kottiyam Junction, while Kollam provides a framework for other regional topics.

More topics in the wider destination of Kollam

Waterways and crafts

In the wider destination of Kollam, houseboat trips on Ashtamudi Lake are offered on traditional Kerala houseboats known as kettuvallams. Munroe Island, also called Munrothuruthu, is in the wider destination of Kollam, at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River; backwater cruises and canoe trips through canals and waterways are offered there. Alumkadavu, in the wider destination of Kollam, is considered the birthplace of the iconic kettuvallams; visitors can watch traditional houseboats being built there from Aanjili and jackwood. On Munroe Island in the wider destination of Kollam, visitors can also follow the traditional production of coir products, from extracting the fibre to weaving mats and ropes. The wider destination of Kollam thus offers trips on Ashtamudi Lake and through Munroe Island’s canals, alongside insights into boatbuilding in Alumkadavu and coir crafts on Munroe Island.

Boat races on the calendar

In the wider destination of Kollam, the boat races differ in their calendar dates and locations. The President's Trophy Boat Race in Kollam takes place every year on 1 November, Kerala Piravi Day, on Ashtamudi Lake. As organisers may revise dates, check the date before travelling. The Kallada Boat Race in Kollam takes place every year on the 28th day of the Onam festival, in August or September, on the Kallada River near Munroe Island; its date follows the Malayalam calendar. Of the boat races in the wider destination of Kollam, one is tied to a fixed calendar date and the other to the Onam calendar.

History and architecture

Thangassery Fort in the wider destination of Kollam was built by the Portuguese in 1519 AD. In the context of Kollam, the Punalur Suspension Bridge is a 400-foot-long protected monument under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Department of Kerala. The Thangassery Lighthouse, in the Kollam context, is 144 feet tall. In the wider destination of Kollam, the dates, monument status and measurements provide different points of reference for the region’s architectural heritage.

Nature and activities in Thenmala

Thenmala, in the wider destination of Kollam, is located in Kollam district and is considered India’s first planned ecotourism destination. Activities offered in Thenmala in the wider destination of Kollam include mountain biking, rock climbing and river crossings; their availability may vary. Nature walks in the Thenmala Ecotourism zones, in the Kollam context, are considered easy and informative, and suitable for all age groups. In the wider destination of Kollam, Thenmala also has a cultural zone with an amphitheatre where traditional dance and music performances take place.

Discover more destinations: Kollam, Kottara, Kottarakkara, Munroe Island, Chavara, West kallada, Panayam

Back to the main travel overview: Kollam.