Munroe Island or Thuruthu may have crossed your path as you rode the train to the stations in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram. This island is situated where two bodies of water converge. They are the Kallada River and Ashtamudi Lake. The southern state of Kerala’s Kollam district is where this lovely area of land is situated. Roads, trains, and backwaters may all be used to reach this island. A total of 13.4 square kilometers make up the island.
Island of Munroe’s geography
In Ashtamudi Lake, Munroe Island is situated in a bigger body of water close to where the Kallada River empties into the lake before continuing its course toward the Arabian Sea. In essence, it is a group of eight islands. This island is located closer to Kollam’s downtown. It is about 12 kilometers from Kundara in the Kollam district and 25 kilometers from Kollam city. This island creation is around 25 kilometers by car from Karunagapally, another district center.
You can get to this lovely island by rail as well as by boat. Visitors can go to the island’s interior using the inland navigation system that is in place. The island has 9599 residents as of the most current statistics that is available. A local body has jurisdiction for the management of this island. There are a few smaller islands nearby that are under this administration’s jurisdiction.
Isle of Man’s past
The name of a British administrator who governed the erstwhile Princely State of Travancore is the source of the island’s name. Colonel John Munro was the person’s name. This island was not created naturally. Instead, it was made when a piece of the lake was turned back into land under Colonel Jacob Monroe, who oversaw Travancore’s administration at the time. To advance agriculture, the ground was recovered. During his reign, a study found that reclaiming land in the delta created when the Kallada River and Ashtamudi Lake mixed would strengthen agriculture and protect the princely state. Because of this, the island bears his name.
Visiting Monroe Island as a Destination
There are several reasons why this island has grown popular with tourists. On this island, one can observe the raw ingredients being processed to make coir. On this stunning island, one could view the many stages of coir production. The coconut husks go through a number of processes, including weaving and coir retting. Additionally, fishing is a popular activity on this island. The prawn is the island’s most coveted catch. On this island, there are a lot of facilities for processing and feeding prawns. Additionally, migratory bird nesting and breeding may be enjoyed by island visitors.
Bird lovers will love getting up close to these birds to observe and understand their behavior. Cruise enthusiasts can travel via constrained rivers and canals to get to the district’s inner parts, which can only be reached by boat. One would pass a lot of coconut fields on each side of the shore while navigating the ocean. Lagoons and mangrove trees might be encountered when navigating the canals. If guests want to engage in fishing activities, they may stop at lagoons and shore up to locate the best location for catching fish from the water.
For some alone time, lovers might retreat beneath the shade of mangrove trees! The little islands of Pathupara are also accessible to vacationers through boats. The Ashtamudi Lake serves as the perfect background for the stunning beauty on these islands. An illustrious boat race takes place on the island. Typically, this event takes place around the Onam festival. The boat race is known as the Kallada Boat Race. It has grown to be one of Kerala’s most renowned boat races throughout the years. Karuvathakadavu is often where this canoeing team effort is arranged. From this point, the race ascends to Muthiraparambu on Munroe Thuruthu, an island.
Various Attractions
In addition to the previously mentioned attractions, there are a few additional places on this island where visitors might like to spend their one-day stay. Below is a list of them.
- One of the well-known temples on this lovely island is Mulachanthara. Goddess Bhadra, Lord Krishna, Goddess Durga, and Lord Vigneshwara are among the deities worshipped at this temple. Pradishta Varshikam, Sapthaha Maholsavam, and Thiru Ulsavam are the three main festivals celebrated at this temple. Visitors might plan their trip so that it falls during one of these festivals to witness the lavish celebration.
- The Kalluvila Temple is a temple on the lake that is located in Panamp. Lord Krishna is the temple’s principal deity.
- The church is a lakeside congregation of Christians. Built in the year AD 1878. The architecture of this pilgrimage site is distinctive. Recently, this chapel on this lovely island has also grown in popularity as a tourist destination.
- Another lovely island in the middle of Ashtamudi Lake is Palliyam Thuruthu. Water may be used to reach it from Monroe Thuruthu. The island provides a good perspective of the surrounding lake and horizon.
- Ashtamudi Lake is surrounded by a system of backwater canals. It offers the most navigable paths in the backwaters of this southern region of Kerala because of this. Many backwater tourism businesses have built kettuvalloms, or houseboats, to let visitors experience the way of life of the locals against the picturesque backdrop of this lake and its canals. Most visitors remain on board for a day or two so they may completely appreciate nature’s magnificence.