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Poonjar
An Overview of Poonjar
Poonjar is a beautiful and scenic hill town at the base of Western Ghats. This was ruled by kings during the olden days. The Poonjar Palace that is found here today is a proof of the magnificence of the royal clan of yesteryears. Poonjar is the capital town of Edavaka, in the district of Kottayam in Kerala.
History of Poonjar
The base of Poonjar kingdom is the Pandya kingdom. This dynasty was set up during the 11th century. One of the kings who had Pandya dynasty as his origin, Manavikrama Kulasekhara Perumal started the Poonjar dynasty. He moved his base from Madurai to Poonjar along with an idol of Goddess Meenakshi, which is the idol that we see today in the temple on the banks of the Meenachil River. He started reigning control over many parts of Kerala and a few areas of Tamil Nadu as well. He obtained the lands from Thekkancoor rulers and started penetrating his rule into many kingdoms, thereby occupying a lion’s share of places like Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, parts of Madurai and Ramnad. This place is proof enough to explain the dominance of one ruler who held control over many places at one time.
Geographical location
There are three areas in Poonjar – Vadakkekara, Thekkekara and Nadubhagam. Located in Kottayam district, Poonjar is inclined 9.67 degrees towards the North and 76.80 degrees towards the East.
How to reach and local mode of transport
Air – Kochi Airport, at a distance of around 80km, is the closest to Poonjar
Rail – Kottayam railway station, at a distance of around 2km is the closest to Poonjar.
Road – Government and private sector buses are operated by Tamil Nadu and Kerala State Road Transport Corporations from main cities like Kochi, Kottayam, Madurai, Bodi and many more.
Local transport – Jeeps and autos are available for tourists who want to commute within Poonjar.
Tourist Attractions and Things to do
Poonjar Palace is one of the major attractions here. The palace screams luxury and elegance everywhere. One can spot massive chandeliers, jewellery, jewellery boxes, priceless paintings, exquisite architecture, intricate wooden carvings, weapons, sculptures and many more brilliant objects within this museum. The temples dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and Goddess Meenakshi are very old and serene and can be spotted on the banks of the Meenachil River. Sight-seeing and relaxing are the major activities that tourists should indulge in when they come to Poonjar.
Places to eat and local cuisine
There are no restaurants in Poonjar. Tourists have to come to Kottayam to find some decent vegetarian and non-vegetarian hotels. All these hotels serve Kerala delicacies like fish curry marinated with coconut, ginger chillies and spices, Puttu, Appam, stew and many more.
Where to stay
Hotels Aida, Mali International and Anjali Park are some of the budget accommodations available in Kottayam district for tourists visiting Poonjar. Orchid Residency and Pearl Regency are 2-star hotels, Windsor Castle and Hotel Fairmont are 4-star hotels and Lake Village Heritage Resort is a 5-star accommodation in the Kottayam district.
STD, PIN and Emergency Contact Number
The STD and PIN codes of Poonjar are 04822 and 686581 respectively. 100, 101 and 108 can be dialled anytime during the week for availing police, fire and ambulance services.
Banks, Hospitals and Tourist Office
Banks
Federal Bank of India,
Poonjar South Post Office, Kerala – 686582
Ph: 04822 273014
Hospitals
Poonjar Primary Health Centre,
Palai Road, Poonjar South, Erattupatta – 686121
Ph: 04822 274994
Tourist Office
Kottayam District Tourism Promotion Council,
Kodimatha, Kottayam district
Ph: 0481 2560479