KOCHI: Aqueducts have been a regular feature in Roman cities. They are artificial channels built to carry water, typically, in the form of a bridge across a valley. We too have our own aqueducts in the district. And the presence of one of these has turned an otherwise nondescript village into a tourist spot.
Keerampara, 11 kms from Kothamangalam, is attracting a large number of tourists, especially those who want to go on a day’s outing. The place, popularly known as the doorway to Munnar, has enough attractions to keep the travellers interested.
Young bikers can be seen frequenting the village. “The place is awesome. We came as a group on our bikes. The people here are very cordial. I can still taste the spicy kappa biriyani that I had here,” says Ananthu, an engineering graduate from Palakkad.
The young engineer says, “The place has something to offer everyone. Adventure, photography or fishing, you can try your hand at anything.”The aqueduct, which is part of the Periyar Valley Irrigation Project Canal, is a conduit to carry water from the Bhoothathankettu reservoir to the nearby paddy fields.
One of its main attraction is the cleanliness and safety of the aqueduct. It can be enjoyed by even those who are not expert swimmers. The place comes under the Keerampara grama panchayat.
Though the authorities are yet to take any steps to promote it as a tourist spot, it is attaining popularity through social media. “We came to know about this place through the reviews on social media and planned a weekend trip. The neighbouring places, like Thattekkadu, Injathotty hanging bridge and Idamalayar are added charms,” says Jacob, an IT professional from Thiruvananthapuram.
The place was featured in hit movies like ‘Pulimurugan’ and the recently released ‘Achayans’. The route from Ernakulam goes like this: Ernakulam-Perumbavoor-Kothamangalam-Keerampara.