Estuaries of Paravur

Paravur Estuaries are scenic & eye-catching estuaries in India, lies near to the South-Western coast of Kollam, Kerala.[1] Paravur is one among the 4 municipal towns in Kollam district, Kerala state. The place is world famous for its natural beauties, backwater locations, white-sand beaches and concentration of temples in each and every square kilometer.[2]

Boating at Paravur Lake
Thekkumbhagam-Kappil bridge as seen from Paravur Estuary. This bridge is the official border of Paravur town towards south

Geography

Pozhikkara peninsula in the north of Paravur town

Paravur is a blessed land of beaches, backwaters & estuary. Paravur landmass' 3 sides are surrounded by water bodies - Paravur Lake, Nadayara Lake and Arabian Sea. Paravur Lake is the main waterbody in the town area, having a catchment area of 6.62 km². The peninsula of Paravur is one of the most visited one in Kollam district. Both north and south tips of Paravur town is having peninsula and estuary. Pozhikara is at north and Thekkumbhagam is at south of Paravur.[3][4] One more estuary mouth in Pozhikara, which is very close to Pozhikara Devi Temple, which has breached in 2014 under the supervision of Water Resources Department (WRD), after a long gap of 14 years.[5]

Beauty of both the estuaries can be enjoyed by travelling through Kollam-Paravur Coastal Road and Paravur-Kappil-Varkala road.[6][7][8] World famous 600 hectare Polachira Wetland is also close to Paravur.[9]

Pozhi

Paravur Estuary mouth at Thekkumbhagam

Pozhi is a natural phenomena of formation of a sand bar along the cost separating sea and backwaters in the peninsula areas during summer season but erode during monsoon for allowing sea to be merged with the backwaters. Paravur backwaters' both north(Thanni beach) and south ends(Thekkumbhagam beach) having Pozhi. Both are meeting the Arabian Sea in the district's crowd-pulling beach faces. There is an artificial tidal-regulator in the spillway bridge at Pozhikara estuarine area, constructed on 1957 to control the salt water intrusion into Paravur Lake.[10] This phenomena is actually providing abundant water for people living in the Grama panchayats of Ithikkara, Velinalloor, Pooyappally, Adichanalloor, parts of Poothakkulam, Polachira, Mayyanad, Chirakkara, Chathannoor, Elakamon, Edava and the Paravur municipal area.[11]

Paravur Lake

Main article: Paravur Lake
An evening view of Paravur Lake

Paravur Lake is a lake in Paravur, Kerala, India.[12] Although it is small, with an area of only 6.62 km²,[13] it is the end point of the Ithikkara River and part of the system of lakes and canals that make up the Kerala Backwaters. It has been connected to Edava and Ashtamudi Kayal as part of the Trivandrum - Shoranur canal system since the late 19th century.

References