Pampa River | <>|
|---|---|
 Labelled map of Pamba | |
| Mouth | Vembanad Lake |
| Basin countries | India |
| Length | 176 km (110 mi) |
| Source elevation | 1,650 m |
| Avg. discharge | 109 m³/s |
| Basin area | 2,235 km² (873 mi²) |
Pamba River is the third longest river in the South Indian state of Kerala and the longest river in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is located on the banks of the river Pamba.
River Pamba is considered as the Dakshina Ganga (Southern Ganges) due to its association with Kerala's Largest Pilgrim Centre - Sabarimala.
The River Pamba enriches the lands of Pathanamthitta District and the Kuttanand area of Alappuzha District
Pampa originates at Pulachimalai hill in the Peerumedu plateau in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 1650 metres and flows through Ranni, Ayroor, Pathanamthitta, Kozhenchery, Chengannur, Kuttanad and Ambalappuzha Taluks and finally empties into the Vembanad Lake.A famous Anjana temple is situated near this bank. This river enriches the Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha districts of Kerala state. Kuttanad, an important rice cultivating area in Kerala gets the irrigation water from the Pamba river. The Pamba basin is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats. The river shares its northern boundary with the Manimala River basin, while it shares the southern boundary with the Achankovil River basin.
Significance in Hinduism
Lord Ayyappan (Sri Dharmasastha) appeared to the Pandalam Raja as a child on the banks of the Pamba River. The Pamba River has been venerated as Dakshina Ganga, and devotees of Lord Ayyappan believe that immersing oneself in the Pamba is equivalent to bathing in the Holy Ganges River. Bathing in the river, believed to absolve one's sins, is a requirement before commencing the trek through the forest to the Ayyappan Temple atop Sabarimala.
