Sasthamcotta Lake, the largest lake in Kerala, is located at a distance of 19 km from Kollam district. Sasthamcotta Lake has much significance culturally and religiously, thus are popularly known as the “Queen of Lakes”. The famous Sastha temple is located on the banks of Sasthamcotta Lake owing to the name of the lake. Sastha temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and Lord Ayyappa. The premises of the temple are filled with monkeys. Monkeys are said to be the incarnation of the ruling deity, Lord Ganesha. Thus, monkeys are worshipped by the local devotees. Other devotees coming to worship at the temple offer nuts and fruits to the monkeys as offerings.
Sasthamcotta Lake is a beautiful picnic spot that remains in the minds of visitors as a blissful memory. This lake is the provider of freshwater to the majority of the population in Kollam district. This lake is filled with larva cavorts, that are responsible for consuming the bacteria from the lake, making the water fresh and healthy for drinking purposes.
It is a charm to go on a boat trip through Sasthamkotta lake, as they are surrounded by hills on the three sides. On one side of the lake, there is a bund constructed to separate the lake from the rice fields. The lake provides perfect support for fishing, the wetland enables the growth of 27 species of freshwater fishes and two genera of prawns.
Sasthamcotta lake is quite famous for its scenic beauty. Lake has appeared in many Malayalam movies. It is a popular shooting location for the splendid view it offers. Nowadays a lot of post-wedding shoots are being held here for the natural glory it surrounds.
