Ilaveezhapoonchira is a tourist destination located in Melukavu village in Kottayam district, known as the land of letters, latex and lakes. . Here lies the beautiful valley of Ilaveezhapoonchira, one amongst the many prime picnicking spots in the area Ilaveezha Poonchira is surrounded by three enchanting hillocks – Mankunnu, Kodayathoormala and Thonippara. This makes the place ideal for trekking.
“Ila-veezhaa-poonchira”, means ‘the pond of flowers where the leaves do not fall.During the Monsoons, the entire place transforms into a surreal spectacle. The terrain changes and one observes Nature at her best. It is highly recommended to view both sunrise and sunset from the valley as the picturesque landscape opens up in a unique and exhilarating way at those specific times.
Ilaveezhapoonchira is an established destination for both domestic as well as foreign tourists. It is a hill station in bordering Idukki Kottayam district, Kerala, southern India. It is 3,200 feet above sea level and surrounded by lush green tea plantations and valleys.
Ilavvezha Poonchira is located 55 km from Kottayam, and is 20 km from Thodupuzha. From Ilaveezha Poonchira, it is possible to see large parts of Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts. Sunrise and sunset can both be observed here.
According to local mythology, the Pandava had a sojourn here during their life incognito. Their wife, Draupadi, came to bathe at a lake, which was present at that time. Some devas, bewitched by her beauty, tried to satisfy their voyeuristic itch. King of devas, Lord Indra, learned of the situation, and built screens or hills heaping flowers and prevented them from indulging in such a practice. And the pond thus became a dam isolated by floral hills. Since there were no trees around the bund, it was always free of leaves and so it was called Ila-veezha-poonchira. Some say that the name comes from the fact that it is always windy at the place and hence the leaves are carried away. Poonjira’s myth is also related to story of Agastya and his hermitage, he lived here and some of the native people believes that he still lives here, his hermitage is hidden in somewhere here. Another attraction is the ancient Krishna temple, that was founded by Panjali herself. It is believed that Panjali’s akshayapatra is hidden here and it is protected by agastya. The myth is also associate with Ramayana his vanavasa popularly believes that he lived here with Lakshmana for few months.
