Vellayani Lake, the only fresh water lake in
Thiruvananthapuram District, is located at
Vellayani, a picturesque village on the outskirts of
Thiruvananthapuram city. The lake water is extensively used for drinking and irrigational purposes.
The origin of this lake is related to a saint, who used to meditate under a banyan tree at this place. One day, a beggar came up to him and asked for some water to drink. When saint found that his pot was nearly empty, he poured the last few drops in the pot into his palm and with a prayer, threw the drops as far as he could. It is believed that the land till the point where the drops touched the earth turned into a big lake.
Vellayani Vishnu Temple and Vellayani Devi Temple are two famous shrines situated on the banks of this lake.
