A stream kissed by blossoms
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The name Poovar gives a lovely imagery of a river that seems to be in full flowery bloom. Yet Poovar is more than its romantic name.
Historians like M G Sasibhoosan says the place used to be a harbour. And now, it is a famous tourist spot known for its resorts and backwater tourism and a very popular weekend getaway.
The village is situated in almost the southernmost part of Thiruvananthapuram and is the point where the river Neyyar flows into the Arabian Sea.
Poovar is strongly linked to Travancore’s legendary king Marthanda Varma. Records hint at Poovar bearing the earlier name of Pooku Moosa Pooram. It very likely fell during the time of the king when he found refuge from his enemies at the Kallarackal tharavad (ancestral house) in the region.
While taking shelter in the house, the king went to bathe in the river and was mesmerised by the vision in front of him with trees on both sides of the river laden with ‘koovalam’ flowers. The scenery filled the king with awe and beauty and he named the spot ‘Poovar’ — ‘poov’ meaning flower and ‘aar’ meaning ‘river.
Historical significance
On its historical significance as a harbour, Sasibhoosan says, “It is a stream of the Neyyar river that flows into the sea. In the past, harbors used to be at the point where the rivers flowed and blended into the sea. Poovar used to be such a small harbour. Some debate that it has a history that dates back hundreds of years, and some claim Poovar is the Ophir harbor mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, famous for its wealth, but I do not agree with that.”
The history of Poovar also rings up the name ‘Poovattu Mothalali’, a local of repute and a close confidant of the king. His original name was Pooku Moosa Marakkar, and was introduced to Marthanda Varma by the king’s minister, Ramayyan Dalawah.
The man rose in the ranks and became the finance minister of the region for his expertise in managing the trade of pepper. During those days, the tax earned by the trade of pepper was the primary source of income for Kerala. For Travancore too, pepper brought in revenue.
“A quintal of pepper used to cost around `45–55,” says Sasibhoosan. Poovar became prominent hence due to its stature as a harbour and for being the place where people like Pooku Moosa Marakkar planned his pepper trade strategies.
Current scenario
A local native of Poovar, Azeez, states, “Poovar’s main income for a while was from the same of river sand. But things have changed over time. Now, fisheries and tourism are the sources of income. Also, more steps are being taken to establish it as a tourism destination.”
What’s in a name
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