Bhoothathankettu From Kochi: The Legend, the River Walk and Thattekad Next Door

Bhoothathankettu is a barrage on the Periyar about 50 km from Kochi, just outside Pindimana village and 10 to 12 km past Kothamangalam, according to Kerala Tourism. The headline experience is cheap: the Forest Department's riverside walk to Old Bhoothathankettu costs Rs 20 for adults and Rs 10 for children, per Kerala Tourism's ecotourism listing, and Thattekad Bird Sanctuary is only 8 km away, so the two fit neatly into one day out.

• Is Bhoothathankettu worth visiting?
• What is the story behind Bhoothathankettu?
• How do you get to Bhoothathankettu from Kochi?
• How far is Thattekad from Bhoothathankettu?

Is Bhoothathankettu worth visiting?

Yes, as long as the river and the old boulders are the point, not the dam itself. The concrete structure is a working barrage of the Periyar Valley Irrigation Project, begun in 1956 and partly commissioned in 1967, used for irrigation, water supply and salinity control. It is about 211 m long, and a newer road bridge now runs parallel to it. The reservoir behind it is also known as the Thattekad reservoir.

The better half of the trip is upstream. Kerala Tourism lists a nature walk of roughly 1 km along the riverbank to Old Bhoothathankettu, where giant rocks sit in the Periyar and a small cave is pointed out as the one the bhoothams used. Allow an hour or more. The walk is run by the Divisional Forest Office, Malayattoor (0484 2649052), and Kerala Tourism notes that eco-tourism packages can change with the weather, so call ahead.

Near the barrage there is a children's park, and local operator Thattekad Trails says one entrance ticket covers the park and the bridge-cum-barrage; the Old Bhoothathankettu trail is ticketed separately across the bridge. Boats leave from the DTPC jetty: most motor boats seat about 10, a few larger ones take 40 to 90, and trips are charged by the hour. We could not verify a current boat tariff, so ask at the jetty before you board.

What	Detail	Source
Distance from Kochi	About 50 km (operators quote up to 55 km)	Kerala Tourism, Thattekad Trails
Nearest town	Kothamangalam, 10 to 12 km	Kerala Tourism
By rail / air	Aluva station 44 km, Cochin Airport 42 km	Kerala Tourism
Old Bhoothathankettu walk	About 1 km, Rs 20 adult, Rs 10 child	Kerala Tourism
Boating	Hourly rate, DTPC jetty near the barrage	Thattekad Trails
Thattekad Bird Sanctuary	8 km away	Thattekad Trails
Inchathotty suspension bridge	11 km away	Thattekad Trails

What is the story behind Bhoothathankettu?

The Malayalam name translates as "monster fort" (Kerala Tourism) or "ghost dam". In the legend Kerala Tourism retells, bhoothams set out to pile rocks across the Periyar overnight to flood the Trikkariyoor temple downstream. Lord Shiva tricked them with a rooster's crow, the demons thought dawn had come and fled, and the half-built wall of boulders is what you see at Old Bhoothathankettu. Kerala Tourism also mentions a later story tying the spot to Tipu Sultan's campaign, and remains of wells, walls, pottery and an old temple in the surrounding forest.

How do you get to Bhoothathankettu from Kochi?

Drive or take a bus to Kothamangalam, then cover the last 10 to 12 km locally. KSRTC and private buses run from Ernakulam to Kothamangalam via Perumbavoor; from there, take a local bus or auto for the last stretch (ask at the Kothamangalam stand). By car it is the same line out through Aluva and Perumbavoor; start early, because the walk and Thattekad both reward morning hours.

A word on the monsoon. When heavy rain forces the barrage shutters open, boating can be suspended. Onmanorama has reported boats at Bhoothathankettu and Thattekad being halted after the floodgates opened in heavy rain, with services off for months until the shutters closed. If boating is the main reason you are going, phone ahead, especially between June and the end of the rains. If you want a rainy-season outing instead, our guide to monsoon waterfalls near Kochi is the better bet. Whichever boat you take, wear the life jacket: a 2007 boat accident at nearby Thattekkad killed 18 people from a school trip, 15 of them children.

How far is Thattekad from Bhoothathankettu?

About 8 km, which makes them a natural pair. Do Thattekad first: the sanctuary opens at 7 am and birds are most active early, as explained in our Thattekad Bird Sanctuary guide. Then drop down to Bhoothathankettu for the walk, lunch in Kothamangalam, and a look at the Inchathotty suspension bridge, 11 km away, if you still have energy.

Paniyeli Poru is a separate outing rather than an add-on. It sits about 20 km from Perumbavoor on a different stretch of the Periyar, with a 1.5 km riverside trek (Rs 20 adult, Rs 10 child, 8 am to 4 pm per Kerala Tourism) that the department describes as easy only when the water is low. For more ideas in the same radius, see our list of day trips from Kochi or browse the things to do section.