MUVATTAPUZHA

About Muvattapuzha ( Moovattupuzha )

Moovattupuzha is a merger place of three rivers namely Thodupuzhayar(Thodupuzha river), Kaliyar (Kali river) and Kothayar (Kothamangalam river) to form Muvattupuzhayar and hence this Thriveni Sangamam or confluence of three rivers is called Moovattupuzha. Moovattupuzha is a municipality in the eastern side of Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The town is bordered by Kottayam district on southern side and Idukki district on eastern side approximately 20 km from the town. Muvattupuzha lies on the intersection between M C Road and National Highway 49, about 36 km from district capital Ernakulam.The town is named after the Moovattupuzha river which flows through it. The name is made up of three Malayalam words: Moonnu, which stands for three, aaru - small river, and puzha, which also means river. Aaru is a word that is usually used for rivers in the southern half of Kerala, while the term puzha is used in the northern parts. The three rivers in this case are the Kothamangalam river or Kothayaar, Kaliyar and Thodupuzhayar, which merge to form a single river called Muvattupuzhayar. This place is called Thriveni Sangamam in Malayalam which means the point of confluence of three rivers.[citation needed] In English both spellings viz. Muvattupuzha and Moovattupuzha are interchangeably used. Etymologically Moovattupuzha, is the correct spelling how ever commoners widely use the spelling Muvattupuzha and is also well accepted.