The Pamba River (also called Pampa River) is the longest river in the Indian state of
Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
after
Periyar
Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 187924 December 1973), commonly known as Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician. He was the organizer of the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam and is considered the architect o ...
and
Bharathappuzha
The Bharathappuzha ("River of Bhārata"), also known as the Nila River, is a river in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. With a length of 209 km, it is the second longest river that flows through Kerala after the Periyar. It flo ...
, and the longest river in the erstwhile former princely state of
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
. The
Sabarimala Temple, dedicated to
Lord Ayyappa, is located on the banks of the river Pamba.
The River Pamba enriches the lands of
Pathanamthitta district
Pathanamthitta District (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. The district headquarters is in the town of Pathanamthitta. There are four municipalitie ...
and the
Kuttanad
Kuttanad is a river delta landscape region in the state of Kerala, India, known for its vast paddy fields and geographical peculiarities. It is in the Districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. The region has the lowest altitude in ...
area of
Alappuzha district
Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...
and
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...
Course
The Pamba originates at the Pulachimalai Hill in the
Peerumedu Plateau in the
Western Ghats at an altitude of . Starting from the
Idukki district
Idukki (ഇടുക്കി; ) is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala in the southwest of the country. It is the largest district in Kerala and lies amid the Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats in Kerala. Idukki district co ...
and traversing a distance of through Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts, the river joins the Arabian Sea through a number of channels. The basin extends over an area of with the entire catchment area within Kerala state. The basin is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats and on the west by the Arabian Sea. The river shares its northern boundary with the
Manimala River
Manimala River, or Manimalayar, is a 92 km long river which flows through South and Central Kerala. The river used to be wrongly considered as a tributary of Pamba River before satellite maps became popular, but this was proved incorrect. ...
basin, and the southern boundary with the
Achankovil River basin.
The river flows through
Chittar,
Vadasserikkara,
Ranni,
Ayroor,
Cherukole,
Keezhukara,
Kozhencherry,
Maramon,
Aranmula,
Arattupuzha,
Edanad
Edanad is a village in Alappuzha district in the state of Kerala, India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; th ...
,
Puthencavu,
Chengannur
Chengannur () is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipalityhttps://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2017-10/localbodies.pdf in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south east of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about ...
,
Kallissery,
Pandanad,
Parumala,
Mannar,
Kadapra
Kadapra (Malayalam: ) is a village in the Thiruvalla taluk, Thiruvalla subdistrict of Pathanamthitta district, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala state, India. It shares an intradistrict river border with Nedumpuram village separated along the Mani ...
, Melpadom, Thevery,
Veeyapuram,
Thakazhy
Thakazhy is a village in the Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is part of the Kuttanad region which is bound by the backwaters and located on the banks of the River Pamba. It is the birthplace of the famous writer Thakazhi ...
, Pullangady,
Pallathuruthy before emptying into the
Vembanad Lake, while another branch flows directly via
Karuvatta into
Thottappally Spillway
Thottappally Spillway is Kuttanad's drain-way out to the Arabian Sea. The spillway splits Thottappally Lake with the fresh water part to the east and saline Thottappally river mouth to the west merging with the Arabian Sea. The spillway was constru ...
.
One branch of Pamba called
Varattar flows from
Arattupuzha/
Puthenkavu and along
Edanad
Edanad is a village in Alappuzha district in the state of Kerala, India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; th ...
,
Othera
Othara or Othera is an Indian village in Kerala state. It is located in Taluk Tiruvalla, Revenue Division Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district.
Bank
*State Bank of India
*Federal Bank
*Muthoot Fincorp
*South Indian Bank
*Federal Bank
*Kerala ...
,
Thiruvanvandoor,
Eramallikkara and flows into
Manimala River
Manimala River, or Manimalayar, is a 92 km long river which flows through South and Central Kerala. The river used to be wrongly considered as a tributary of Pamba River before satellite maps became popular, but this was proved incorrect. ...
at
Kallumkal East side.
Another branch of Pamba flows from
Kuthiathode and joins with
Manimala River
Manimala River, or Manimalayar, is a 92 km long river which flows through South and Central Kerala. The river used to be wrongly considered as a tributary of Pamba River before satellite maps became popular, but this was proved incorrect. ...
at Kallumkal West side, and branches out again at
Nedumpuram from
Manimala River
Manimala River, or Manimalayar, is a 92 km long river which flows through South and Central Kerala. The river used to be wrongly considered as a tributary of Pamba River before satellite maps became popular, but this was proved incorrect. ...
and flows along
Thalavady,
Edathua
Edathua is a small village in Kuttanad, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India. It is located 12 km from Thiruvalla city center, National Highway 183 and the Thiruvalla railway station.
Pilgrim Center
St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Ch ...
,
Champakulam
Champakulam is a village in Kerala, India. It is in Alappuzha district. Champakulam is part of Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, and is resplendent in green paddy fields, coconut groves and water fowl. Champakulam is an important tourist spo ...
, Pullangady,
Nedumudy and empties into Vembanad Lake at
Kainakary. This branch links with Mainstream Pamba River at Pullangady while continuing to flow to
Vembanad lake. One branch of
Achankovil River joins with Pamba at
Paippad/
Veeyapuram, while another branch flows into Pamba again via Karichal,
Cheruthana.
Perunthenaruvi is the major waterfall in Pamba river between
vechoochira and
Athikkayam.
Tributaries
*
Azhuthayar
*
Kakkiyar
*
Kakkattar
*
Kallar
*
Aadhi Pamba
*
Varattar
*
Kuttemperoor
*
Utharappalliyar
*
Kolarayar
Kolarayar River is a 8 km long revived river which acts as a tributary of both the Pamba and the Manimala rivers in the Indian state of Kerala. It passes through the panchayats of Kadapra and Niranam
Niranam is a village in Thiruvalla, ...
*
Njunungar
*
Madatharuvi
*
Kozhithodu
*
Thanungattilthodu
*Moozhiyar
Topography of the basin, reservoirs and command area
Like all the river basins in Kerala, the Pamba basin also can be divided into three natural zones based on elevation, consisting of low land or seaboard, midland and high land. The coast for a short distance along the borders of lakes is flat, retreating from it the surface roughens up into slopes which gradually combine and swell into mountains on the east. The low land area along sea coast is generally swampy and liable to be flooded during monsoon inundation. The plains/midlands succeed low land in gentle ascents and valleys interspersed with isolated low hills. The high land on the eastern portion is broken by long spurs, dense forests, extensive ravines and tangled jungles. Towering above all their slopes are Western Ghats that form eastern boundary of the basins.
Endangered state

Due to drought and a lack of conservation and protection by the government, the Pampa River has shrunk to a stream and is totally dry in many places. Nearby wells have also dried up. Water for farming, such as paddy fields, is scarce. Experts are calling for governmental awareness of the dire situation and the need to rein in development that is destroying the environment.
The Kerala High Court has initiated steps to control the pollution of the river from the practice of some visitors to Sabarimala who throw their clothes into it. As part of the Punyam Poonkavanam project, pilgrims have been exhorted to avoid the usage of soap and oil while bathing in River Pamba. They are also requested not to throw any material, including clothes, to this
holy river
Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleri ...
. At a broader level, this project aims to spread the message of cleanliness and greenness beyond Pamba and Sabarimala.
Significance in Hinduism
Lord Ayyappan (Sri Dharmasastha) appeared to the
Pandalam
Pandalam is a municipality in Pathanamthitta district Kerala, India. Pandalam is known for its connection with Ayyappan and Sabarimala. It recognised ''as the cultural capital of Travancore'', Pandalam hosts educational institutions rang ...
Raja as a child on the banks of the Pamba River. The Pamba River has been venerated as ''Ganga of kerala,'' and devotees of Lord Ayyappan believe that immersing oneself in the Pamba is equivalent to bathing in the
Holy Ganges River. Bathing in the river, believed to absolve one's sins, is a requirement before commencing the trek through the forest to the Ayyappan Temple atop
Sabarimala
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple () is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Ayyappan, who is also known as Dharma Shasta and is the son of the deities Shiva and Mohini (female avatar of the god Vishnu).
The temple is situated atop th ...
. Pamba is also referenced in the
Valmiki Ramayana
The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
, where Rama visited the elderly devotee
Sabari. This connection led to the mountain being named
Sabarimala
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple () is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Ayyappan, who is also known as Dharma Shasta and is the son of the deities Shiva and Mohini (female avatar of the god Vishnu).
The temple is situated atop th ...
, meaning "mountain of Sabari."
See also
*Melukara
*
Ayroor
*
Pathanamthitta District
Pathanamthitta District (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. The district headquarters is in the town of Pathanamthitta. There are four municipalitie ...
*
Sabarimala
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple () is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Ayyappan, who is also known as Dharma Shasta and is the son of the deities Shiva and Mohini (female avatar of the god Vishnu).
The temple is situated atop th ...
*
Ayyappa
*
List of rivers in Kerala
*
Aranmula Palace
*
Aranmula Kottaram
*
Ganges River
The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...
*
Sabarigiri Hydro Electric Project
References
;Sources
*
* nwda.gov.in/writereaddata/linkimages/0413760650.pdf
Rivers of Kerala
External links
Report made by National Water Development Agency on Interlinking of Pamba with Vaippar - PDF
{{Coord, 9, 30, N, 76, 25, E, display=title, region:IN_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki
Rivers of Pathanamthitta district
Rivers of Idukki district
Rivers of Alappuzha district