Stories of haunted places and ghostly apparitions have always tantalised human imagination, and now in Thiruvananthapuram, one particular location has recently captured the spotlight. More for its ‘paranormal’ eeriness than the natural charm.
A recently released film bearing its name has added to the popularity of the spot, turning it into a must-visit for those intrigued by the spooky. ‘Sumathi Valavu’, near Mylammoodu in Palode, is thus poised to see more visitors — some keen to experience the eeriness firsthand, others aiming to debunk it all as the product of fragile or, perhaps, creative minds.
Whatever the case, call it the power of narrative, spookiness has always intrigued people. And like anywhere else in the world, Thiruvananthapuram too has its share of spooky spots. Here, we list a few of the most popular among the many yet to achieve reverential status as haunted landmarks.
Sumathi Valavu
First, of course, is Sumathi Valavu, a breathtakingly beautiful bend in the road, shrouded in tragic lore. It revolves around the story of a young woman named Sumathi, allegedly murdered by her lover.
Some local residents still remember the tale, which is now piquing the curiosity of many. Sumathi, said to be just 19 or 20 and pregnant, was killed by her lover, Rathnakaran. Her pregnancy was a burden to him, and he allegedly decided to eliminate her.
Mahadevan Unnithan, a resident, claims to have known Sumathi. “I must have been around 28 or 29 then. It was on a Tuesday that Sumathi was allegedly killed,” he recalls.
“The date was January 27, 1953, and the time, 10pm. The Thiruvathira festival was being celebrated at the Mathira Devi Temple at Pangode. Ratnakaran set out from his home with Sumathi in his Ambassador car, under the pretext of taking her to see the festival, and then murdered her. However, there is also a story that he intended to take her somewhere in Tamil Nadu to get married.”
Following the murder, many claimed to have seen “a woman in white” wandering near the roadside. Terrifying sounds reportedly emerged from the thickets above or the forest-covered pit below.
At midnight, engines of vehicles reaching the bend would conk off. Motorcycle riders would get suddenly thrown off their vehicles. Lights would turned off without cause. Tyres deflated inexplicably.
“As these tales spread like wildfire, people once hesitated to pass through this area even during broad daylight,” Mahadevan adds.
Once deserted at night due to fear of Sumathi’s ghost, the place became a hub for antisocial elements. According to police records and local accounts, miscreants dressed in white would appear on the road to frighten travellers and rob them of money and valuables.
Their methods included causing tyre punctures by placing sharp objects on the road and stretching wires to topple motorcyclists.
“In Mylamoodu and surrounding areas, many faces seen in daylight seemed to transform into Sumathi at night,” Mahadevan laughs.
Now, post the release of the film, Sumathi Valavu has become a matter of pride for some, like localite Arshad. “Thanks to Sumathi chechi, our place is trending now,” he exclaims.
Bonacaud bungalow
About 50km from Thiruvananthapuram, along the Ponmudi route, lies the sprawling and spooky Bonacaud Estate, home to one of Kerala’s most talked-about haunted spots: the 25 GB Bungalow.
Once a thriving tea estate employing over 3,000 workers, the factory ceased operations around 23 years ago, prompting a dramatic decline in the local population. Today, only about 150 families remain.
Set atop a hill near the Sooryakanthi River, the estate was originally managed by Britishers, and the prevalent ghost stories are often traced back to this colonial past.
The 25 GB Bungalow is a stone structure overlooking plantations at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. According to local lore, a foreign family once lived there, but tragedy struck when their 13-year-old daughter succumbed to an “inexplicable illness”. The grieving family returned to England, but local residents believe the girl’s spirit still haunts the estate.
While the estate receives ample visitors during the day, by nightfall, as fog descends, the place takes on an air of foreboding. Visitors and caretakers have reported hearing unexplained footsteps echoing through the empty rooms.
A well in the courtyard is also said to be “cursed”. Those who dare to peek into it are warned they may see a sight that will haunt them forever.
Though many dismiss these tales as nonsense, the bungalow has become a magnet for curious travellers, YouTubers, and paranormal enthusiasts. Most people, however, restrict their visits to daylight hours.
“The locked-up bungalow adds to the enigma of the place,” chuckles Ajayan Pillai, a techie and travel enthusiast. “I had once gone there just for the thrill factor. Not alone, with a group. No guts to go there alone, even in daylight! Why challenge the unknown?”
Hymavathi Pond
Another famed spot of fear and intrigue in Thiruvananthapuram is Hymavathi Pond, located on the Karyavattom campus of Kerala University. Cloaked in a cocoon of dense vegetation, the waterbody has long held a spooky mystique.
The story centres around Hymavathi, a young Brahmin woman who allegedly drowned in the pond after her lower-caste lover was murdered by her family. Her ghost is said to linger near the pond, with several reports of sightings of a woman clad in white — some say a figure double the size of a normal man — by local people and employees of nearby Technopark. Some have claimed to hear sounds, like cries for help, laughter, or footsteps.
“Not many used to go towards the pond. The horror story was quite famous. At least two or three generations have lived through that fear of the place,” says Gokul Vijay, a final-year postgraduate student of mass communications at the university.
The place is soaked in natural beauty and quiet melancholy, as though grieving Hymavathi’s loss. Many believed that disturbing the pond or disrespecting the girl’s memory could invite misfortune. As a result, most avoided the area after sunset.
There was, however, a silver lining. Left undisturbed, the pond became a haven for flora and fauna.
In 2018, a group of students gathered around the pond at night, lanterns in hand, to debate the question: “Is Hymavathi a myth or fact?” Participants included techies and local residents as well. The two-hour discussion convinced many of the need to debunk the ghost story.
Later, the authorities sanctioned a fund of `15 lakh towards renovation of the pond.
“These measures have, to some extent, helped ‘exorcise’ the horror out of the place. After the pond was renovated, till last year, there were students who used to bathe in the pond. And now, there are many who go there during evening hours to stroll and take in the vibe of the pond and its surroundings,” says Gokul.
So while the story of Hymavathi may be fading, the mystic charm of the pond remains — whether or not Hymavathi still lingers.
(With inputs from Aparna Nair)