For the sore-eyed city dwellers, Edayar Island is the perfect haven to escape from the hustle-bustle of city life. This idyllic getaway is located in Trivandrum district of ‘God’s own Country’, Kerala, and is a true gem cocooned in a sea of calm and serenity. Here you won’t hear any hooting of horns, see any concrete buildings or get choked up by pollution – just pure fresh air and salubrious silence all around to help you unwind.
It is truly amazing to see such unspoilt natural beauty just a short distance away from the throbbing capital city of Trivandrum. While Trivandrum has been adjudged to be the best city to live in amongst 21 cities in India, three years in a row, it is gems like Edayar island that really connect the dots between serenity and quality of life.
The island spans a length of roughly 2 square kilometres and a width of half a kilometre. It can be accessed either via a delightful ferry ride or by walking through a narrow iron bridge that connects it to the mainland. There are roughly 500 people inhabiting this picturesque island which is complete with a traditional temple ‘kavu’ and a church. Life is very simple at Edayar Island and you won’t find any fancy eateries here, but a good number of traditional Kerala-style tea stalls abound for those in need of refreshments.
The island is located a scenic 5-minute walk away from Thiruvallam and for the spiritually minded, there is an ancient Parasurama temple located on the banks of the Karamana River in Thriuvallam that is an added attraction. A day spent on this unspoiled island is sure to revive those craving for calm and serenity, a need to rest and rejuvenate from the demands of urban living. It’s a place where you can reconnect with your inner self or spend quality time with your loved ones away from the intrusions of modern living.
There is a prominent 200-year-old residential complex here called the ‘Narakathara Veedu’ and comprises of a large ‘Ettukettu’ (traditional home with eight halls and two central courtyards), a Devi temple, a ‘thekkath’, smaller shrines and a small pond. It has an interesting legend attached to it and worth exploring too!
This rustic island is located around 7km away from the city on the way to the internationally-acclaimed Kovalam beach. You can access it by travelling around 5.5km on the National Highway 47 before taking a 500m detour from the NH Bypass. Trivandrum Central Railway Station is roughly 7km away and Trivandrum International Airport is even less than that.
