Bhoothathankettu - The Dam of the Ghosts

Bhoothathankettu is a minor diversion on the Kochi - Munnar route and together with the Thattekad (Salim Ali) bird sanctuary are the popular enroute stops to Munnar. We decided to travel direct to Bhoothathan kettu from kochi. We took the Tripunithura-Kollencherry-Muvattupuzha-Kothamangalam route. We started from kochi at 1100 hrs and reached Kothamangalam around 1300 hrs and decided to stop for lunch at the Maria International. (must say, an excellent place and good food)
From Kothamangalam, on the Munnar route, turn left for Bhoothathan kettu from the High Range junction. Further ahead on this route, at a place called Keeranpara, the road brances out to two, one leading to the Thattekadu bird sanctuary and the other to Bhoothathan kettu.

The imposing structure in the wilderness of the Periyar river barrage greets you on reaching there. There is a strange board of “Photography not permitted” at the entrance of this barrage, but on crossing the barrage you can take a photograph. I have been thinking about this logic, since my trip, with no result. We crossed the barrage and the view from the barrage is breathtaking. (see pic below)

As soon as you cross the dam, the local guides approach you, for the trek (or you could call it walk) inside the forest to the old dam or the Bhoothathan kettu ( dam built by the ghosts). The distance inside is just about a kilometre and the minimum charge for the guide is Rs100 though they hint very clearly that they expect more. The forest office is near the entrance to the Edamalayar project, the road to which is out of bounds for visitors. There is no separate entrance fee to the forest. We decided to do without the guide, since we saw a big group of college students and followed them into the forest. For first timers, groups and outsiders, it is beneficial to hire the services of the guide, as you will get to hear the myths surrounding this place as well as the safe spots to take a dip. The winding path is a narrow clearing through the forest and gets dark toward the evening. It is advisable to return before dusk.

On the way, there is a small cave, which was supposed to have housed the temple of the ghosts. It is a mouth shaped cave, and you have to crawl through the entrance before you could stand upright. The cave is pitch dark and it is mandatory to carry a torch, which you would generally not carry and this is where we realized the guide is helpful, since he is equipped with these tools.

Further down the winding path on the jungle track, you come out into the rocky open where the old dam was supposed to have existed. The water is trecherously deep here and it is advisable not to venture inside, unless you are a good swimmer. These are basically rock formations which almost form a dam, and the story goes like this. A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva existed here, which the bhootams (ghosts) wanted to sink. So they started to build a dam with boulders so that the water level would rise and the temple would be immersed. And being ghosts they had to finish their job before sunlight, so they used to start the work in the night hoping to finish it before sunrise. Lord Shiva, however outsmarted them by appearing in the form of a rooster and crowing at midnight. The ghosts hearing this, leave their work unfinished and leave thinking that it was the morning. Meanwhile the work they have done is undone by the lord. This continues and the legend is that the dam was never completed and the temple never destroyed. And the remains is what you see as Bhoothathan kettu. (the dam of the ghosts)