Pathanamthitta

Pathanamthitta is one of the smallest town of Kerala districts, situated in the southern region of Kerala, Pathanamthitta has nearly half of its total area under forest cover. It is the pilgrim center of Kerala, renowned for the shrine of Lord Ayappa in the Sabari Hills, drawing millions of devotees from near and far off places. The district also is known as a center for experiencing and learning some of the cultural as well as traditional practices of Kerala. Kollam, Kottayam and Alappuzha form the adjoining districts of Pathanamthitta.

Pathanamthitta is made up of two words Pathanam and Thitta which means an array of houses on the river side. This district was formed on Ist November 1982 in the interest of the hastening process of development. The regions presently under the district were formerly under the Pandalam reign which had connections with the Pandya Kingdom. Pathanamthitta now includes portions of the erstwhile Kollam Alappuzha and Idukki districts. Pathanamthitta, Adoor, Ranni, Konni and Kozhencherry are some of the important places taken from Kollam district, whereas Thiruvalla and Mallappally are the major places taken from Alappuzha district.

The Hindu pilgrim centre of Sabarimala is situated in the Pathanamthitta district; as the main transport hub to Sabarimala, the town is known as the ‘Pilgrim Capital of Kerala’.

Pathanamthitta Weather and Best Time to Visit

Pathanamthitta enjoys a tropical climate, the monsoons start in June. The months of April–May can get pretty humid. The best weather is from October to February. Pathanamthitta experiences three distinct seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Typical summer months are from March to May. The warmest month in Pathanamthitta is April. Although summer doesn’t end until May, the city often receives locally developed heavy thundershowers in May (although humidity remains high).

The monsoon lasts from June to August, with moderate rainfall. Most of the heavy rainfall in the city fall between June and July, and June is the wettest month of the year. Last weeks of June is also days of floods. Winter begins in December. December through February are the winter months. The lowest temperatures are experienced during January.

The best weather is from October to February which is also the ideal time for tourists to visit this wonderful place.