| An ancient sea port dating
back to the 9th Century ad, Kollam lends it's name to the malayalam era
Kollavarsham in 825 AD. That was the year the town was founded by Persian
immigrants, having received a charter of privileges by the Raja of
Venad. The towns commercial importance led the Portugese to set up a factory
in 1502. Later, it passed on the Dutch and the British. Today, the red
tiled roofs that dot Kollam's skyline and the the Chinese fishing nets
stand testimony to the linksof the land to Holland and China.
Commerce
Today this town, about 71
km away from Thiruvananthapuram, is fairly important for the state's trade
and commerce and is the centre of he country's cashew trading and processing
industry. It is also an important hub for the state's marine products industry.
Landmarks
70 km from Kollam, on the
way to Shenkottah, lies Ariankavu, a shrine devoted to Lord sastha.
The main festival is held in December. 5km away is the waterfall at Palaruvi
at a height of 300 feet. 64km on the same route is Kulathupuzha,
a forest range with a similar shrine. Mayyanad, a small town about 10km
away, is known for it's 9 temples. Thirumallavaram, just 6km north
is a beautiful and quiet little beach ideal for swimming and sunbathing.
Details
District Area - 2491 sqkm
Climate - Tropical
Annual Rainfall - 278 cm
Tourist stuff
The nearest airport is the
Trivandrum International Airport, 71km away. Kollam is an important railway
junction and links to almost all major indian cities.
Distances
Bangalore - 657km
Coimbatore - 364km
Kodaikanal - 106km
Kottayam - 106km
Kochi - 150km
Kozhikode - 372km
Madras - 663km
Sabarimala - 177km |