Pookode Lake is a scenic freshwater

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much lar ...

in the

Wayanad Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of Indian state Kerala with administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, the sout ...

district in

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a 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 regions of Cochin, Malabar, South C ...

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and T ...

. A major tourist destination in the district, Pookode is a natural freshwater lake nestling amid evergreen forests and mountain slopes at an elevation of 770 meters above sea level. It is 15 km away from Kalpetta. It is the smallest and highest elevation freshwater lake in Kerala.

Origin

Panamaram Panamaram is a village in Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, India. Demographics India census, Panamaram had a population of 11651 with 5891 males and 5760 females. Panamaram River Panamaram River is a tributary of the Kabani River ...

, the rivulet which ultimately becomes

Kabani River The Kabini River is one of the major tributaries of the river Cauvery in southern India. It originates near Kavilumpara in Kozhikode district of Kerala state by the confluence of the Panamaram River and the Mananthavady River. It flows eastw ...

, originates from the Pookode lake. It is spread across an area of 8.5 hectares and with a maximum depth of 6.5 metres. Lying 3 km south of Vythiri town, the lake is one of the most popular tourist spots in Wayanad.

Features

The lake has the natural shape of India's map in aerial view. This perennial fresh water lake, nestled among wooded hills, is only one of its kind in Kerala.

Pethia pookodensis ''Pethia pookodensis'' is a species of cyprinid fish found in Kerala, India where it is only known to occur in Pookode Lake in the Western Ghats. This species can reach a length of SL. The high level of tourism around the lake poses ser ...

, is a species of cyprinid fish known to occur only in Pookode Lake. The lake has abundance of blue lotus and fresh water fishes. Boating facilities are also there. The forests surrounding the lake hold many wild animals, birds and flies. There are groups of Blue water lily flowers scattered here and there in the lake. In the entrance there is a handicraft shop where you can buy everything like handmade soap, Ayurvedic medicinal products, crafts etc.

Administration

The lake is under the South Wayanad forest division and run by District Tourism promotion council. Boating facilities, children's park, handicrafts and spices emporium and fresh water aquarium are among the tourist attractions here.

Gallery

File:Pookot Lake1.jpg, Boats on the lake Pookode lake aquarium fishes.jpg, A view from Lake Aquarium Childrens Park near Pookode Lake.jpg, Children's Park near Pookode Lake Pookode Lake Boating.jpg, Pookode Lake Boating File:Pookot Lake2.jpg, Lake View Riverkingfisher by irvin DSCN0146.JPG,

Kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania ...

Attraction Blue water lillys from pookote lake wayanad.JPG, Water lilies at Pookode Lake Pookode Lake - Entry area snap 0098.JPG, Ticket Counter Flower in Pookode lake.jpg, Water lilies at Pookode Lake File:Pookod Lake.ogv, Video File:Pookkode Temple.jpg, Temple on the lake File:Pookkottu_lake_summer.jpg, in the summer

References

External links

Photos of Pookode Lake
Lakes of Kerala Articles containing video clips Geography of Wayanad district Tourist attractions in Wayanad district {{Wayanad-geo-stub